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Secret Love Affair Episode 15 Recap — 24 Comments

  1. Thanks for the recap. I was biting my nails thru this. I don’t understand how the prosecutor could give HW legal advice, or show up in the police station in her behalf. (or for that matter be the family solicitor). Love HW/SJ love story, and waiting patiently for your analysis of EP 16. God, I love this drama, but so thankful they did NOT extend it.

  2. Watching ep 15 my fears grew again. It felt like Sun Jae knew the end was near and when he said ‘I wanted to do this at least once’ walking with her hand in hand through the streets was like an omen of impending separation or doom. I hated that feeling.

    On the other hand them kissing passionately on the street – there is a place for them in this society and nobody’d turn their head.

    Young Woo and her boy toy represent the truly awful affairs in this story. Calculating, money hungry, without real feelings, looking only for some carnal pleasure. The complete opposite to Hye Won and Sun Jae’s ‘affair’.

    Hye Won destroying evidence. When will she wake up and realize that Sun Jae will leave her should she continue on this path?

    Hiding the USB stick in the loudspeaker? She really believes music conquers it all!

    Can the Rat think on his own at all? With every little thing he runs to someone to get an advice. Dean Min is the one to decide over his marriage and he doesn’t hesitate even a split second to question his advice. Poor creature. And Min was always Han’s lapdog, he carried out her orders. But Han is not as clever as one could think in the beginning. So they start making mistakes, like Min believing, that Kim would help them in case of the adultery charge.

    Hye Won listening to the quintet. Music is the haven for those two. At this moment she lost her position and she is still able to calmly sit, listen to and appreciate the little concert.

    The first thing smug Secretary Wang asks about is the name plate. Of course.

    Hye Won waiting at Sun Jae’s place, it really feels like their home now, doesn’t it? Again she’s able to eat well when he is close. Her breakfast at her place was the usual veggie sticks and juice.

    At the police station. The officer’s advice to Kang that it’s to his disadvantage if he talks too much. Yep, that pretty much sums the whole man up.

    Hye Won’s making a deal with the devil. Kim is the perfect opportunist. He changes his color like a chameleon. Whatever serves his purposes best. Sun Jae witnessing this deal distances him more from Hye Won. I hated that feeling.

    And Kang learns, that he bet on the wrong horse.

    ‘Kang Joon Hyung ssi’ – loved that. And would have loved to see her take off the wedding ring.

    Ji Soo once asked Hye Won what is the most difficult thing in her situation (learning how much she misses him and his humble home), now it’s her husband’s turn to ask Sun Jae what is the most difficult thing in his situation. Try as he might he’s still unable to understand her. He can’t get, why she is seduced by power and money again and again.

    Hye Won should listen to the poem, too.

    ‘I cannot give up the school.’ – So, can you give up Sun Jae?

    • Thanks for the recaps, ockoala and jomo. Thanks for the comments Newbie to which I respond –

      Sooo MATURE this “before-the-kdrama-lovers-separation” scene. No playground, amusement park, bicycles, plush toys. Just the joy of walking hand in hand in public, in each other’s company. What a concept!

      Actually, I thought HW’s destroying the “evidence” was a wise move. After all, the damning accounts are on the USB copy(s) and what Prosecutor Hubby really wants (and what Han and Seo persist in hiding, even from each other)is that information to extort with later. At least in that instance, HW was one step ahead.

      Thanks for pointing out that symmetry again that this team uses throughout the drama (JiSoo asking HW; then Prof. Jo asking SJ). Although I agree SJ might not understand HW’s motives, I thought his main concern – and what hurts him so much he clutches his chest and sobs – is HER pain. Gotta love this SJ’s pure heart.

      I have not watched the finale, but I think HW won’t give up the school precisely because of SJ and the students like him. Those who earnestly want a musical education, without having to endure bribes, marketing or diva professors looking to gain from a superstar students.

      I’m looking forward to the way the team finishes this CRACK drama!

  3. Thank you for the recap.

    I think I will wait for 16 to read. I don’t think I’ll have the patience to read 15 then wait for 16. I kinda/sorta watched 15 and the last 10 minutes of 16 without subtitles. But now I’m waiting for your recap to know if it is safe to watch with an open heart.

  4. Thank you for the recap! I love the scene in Hongdae so much. HW looks so relax for the first time after their first night. She looks so pretty and they are so happy! Do you realize that during their walk in Hongdae it’s a one cut/one shot scene? They are really talking, not just acting! I don’t think anyone besides KHA and YAI is able to do this magnificent scene! Now off to read 🙂

    • I didn’t notice, wow!
      The bystanders were very thoughtful, then.
      I know I have a lot of favorite scenes with this pair, but this was in the top 5.
      When he was making up that story about the clothing shop, I suddenly realized that the OHW/LSJ pairing could have and would have happened no matter what jobs or incomes they had. Their eyes could have met at a bank, in a restaurant, on a street corner – and something would have flipped on between them. The music brought them together, but it wasn’t why they lingered.

      PS, YAI with his attack kisses just.send.me. but I love the director who keeps letting us see that. Reminded me of QIHM and Nine PD in that respect.

      • So spot on! This scene just reminds me of Before Sunrise~ Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy did a marathon conversation in one cut scene. I think the bystanders are mixed of extras and real people. They were shooting this scene around 3 AM Sunday morning. Talking about favorite scenes, I think my most favorite scenes are always the ones when they do the warm long conversations like this.

      • Yes, I definitely think the bystanders included extras because there were a few couples kissing passionately as HW/SJ walked past. Aw, this team and their details. Just love ’em!

  5. thanks,as always, for a brilliant recap and your thoughts.

    i didnt think it before but you are right! seohan and her desire for that life is the real competition to SJ for HW’s heart. that’s why he used the word seduced when he was having that heartfelt talk with JIS. and later, when she was struggling with that choice and she went to the chairman’s office, she seemed like she was entranced and being seduced by the room itself.

    i think SJ would have liked to be unconditional and accepting in his love for her but i thought that when he was talking about wavering in the talk with JIS, he was referring to himself. it seems, though, he was referring to HW. does anyone know for sure? was he referring to his heart wavering coz she was making deals with the devil (and therefore isnt the love he thought she was) or that he was referring to HW’s heart being seduced by more power?

    hope someone can clarify that scene for me. thanks in advance 🙂

    • Thank you!
      We can’t talk about everything yet, enz, but we will in the last recap. I promise. I want to keep 15 free from spoilers for the people in the future who want to follow along as they watch.
      I do that with old shows often.

  6. Thank you Jomo for your recap – I certainly gained a few more insights after reading your recap (and newbie’s). One of the most wonderful things about this drama is its subtlety and elusiveness. So many ways to interpret a conversation (or lack of), a flicker of emotion, eye contacts etc etc. Boy I don’t know about you but I rely a lot on (and LOVE) the music in this drama. I can’t recall the number of times my heart and mind just soar or drop depending on the tone and flow of the music piece. Absolutely masterpiece don’t you think whoever arranged them in the first place did a marvellous job!

  7. jomo….once again…thank you so much. words are not enough to describe how i am feeling right now after reading and rereading the recaps

  8. Besides the lovey dovey and sweet moments that I adoooored so much here, what I like the most from this episode is that SJ finally witnesses HW’s divided heart with his own eyes. Love is not enough for her goddess because she’s been living in the war of power for a long time. SJ is idealistic while HW is realistic. One of them should give up and make a choice. Take it or leave it.

  9. yoora has Sunjae’s phone number, who the hell has been distributing his number?! Justin!! i kinda feel sorry for her.. in time when she was about to try to fit in the gang, she had to flee the scene. yoora hwaiting!..

  10. I love reading your recaps, thanks so much for doing them. The little side comments make it fun! I always get a better understanding of what has been going on in the story. Sometimes I have misunderstood things, and you clear them up.I thought that the chairman’s son-in-law was a lawyer, and head of his legal department, and that the son-in-law’s father was the prosecutor. You are saying that the son-in-law is a prosecutor.

    I thought that Hye-wan’s maid was hiding her phone for her, but you said Hye-won borrowed the maid’s phone. That clears that up. I wondered why she didn’t have a phone when she went to the school.

    This is certainly a wonderfully well done show. I have been enjoying it so much. And the music is so awesome. Not just the classical pieces either, but the background music done by the drama staff. But having the actors play it so well is a gift in and of itself.

  11. This was a tense and deliciously difficult episode to watch. jomo, your recap is, as expected, so well written, so detailed, so funny (Gilligan and Skipper!) and so infused with your appreciation and enthusiasm that as I read it, I immediately want to re-watch the episode. Thank you!

  12. Thank you so much for your thoughtful and insightful recap.
    Absolutely loved the scene of just the 2 of them in hongdae being so happy. It broke my heart and lightened my load at the same time

  13. To be absolutely realistic and honest, do you all think SJ and HW would be so attracted to each other physically for their emotional love to reach this level, for example, if SJ were to look like his friend Jang Ho / ‘Justin’, and HW were to look like the ahjumma who has taken over his mother’s restaurant?
    In the end, does it mean that superficial looks still determine attraction and love?

  14. The nighttime walk to get caught – another of my very favorite scenes from SLA!! KHA and YAI look so natural here, and the camera angle made me feel like I was on the street with them. Seon Jae’s playful inflection when he created their imaginary backstory. And just walking outdoors holding hands! Major moment for the two of them. That kiss!! Gaaahhh! Sekshi Yoo Ah In/Lee Seon Jae strikes again! I had not noticed this was a single cut scene until someone pointed it out in the comments – thanks for that; highlights their acting ability even more. Several minutes of HW and SJ simply walking and talking… captivated me. I think I read somewhere that Yoo Ah In is phenomenal in how quickly he can memorize and perform multiple pages of scripts after a very short time reading them. He also did a fantastic job playing the challenging piano scores in SLA. He is very intelligent.

    When Hye Won visits the practice room to hear the quintet I loved how proud and happy SJ was to introduce “his girl” to his friends. He demonstrates his love for her with his smile, getting her something to drink, and running his hand along the back of her chair, probably lightly touching her back. Hye Won enjoys the music and watches all 5 students play but her eyes continuously drift back to Seon Jae. He draws her in like a flower to the sun.

    I had an awwww moment seeing that SJ sleeps with HW’s phone by his pillow. When waking he starts his day by putting her phone back in the drawer. This and her handkerchief gift are all he has of her to hold in her absence. SJ demonstrates his caring nature in so many little ways. Keeping her phone charged, sending her a song on the day she was headed to retrieve it, opening the car door and closing it for her and waiting to see her off with a wave. He watches adoringly as she sleeps on his bed. He is happy she is there but concerned too because he knows how seldom she gets any real rest.

    At the police station. The little man child can’t stop talking and is so presumptuous, as if HW would really try to run away leaving SJ there! Though that is likely what he himself would do if roles were reversed. Seon Jae changing seats to place himself between the little man and his love, to protect her, he is the actual adult man here!

    And finally the hug in front of everyone. I would wait in line for an Lee Seon Jae hug!! His honest loving warmth amidst his worry that she is headed right back into the fire. Hurting for her. Unafraid to show how much he loves her.

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