The process of recapping a drama makes me wear the dual hats of viewer and critic. I need to watch something and write about it, which means I can’t just watch with my brain turned off. Sometimes it’s a very relaxing and enervating experience to watching something with just the intake button on without needing to think about how I will output it later into coherent sentences. Watching and recapping episode 26 of In a Good Way took a lot out of me mentally to process the expected but still gutwrenching separation between Jia En and Liu Chuan. I sensed the drama ending headed that direction not just to set up for the movie, but also because they are still sooooo young to be throwing dreams away for each other. If they were older and married then it’s clear they would experience thick and thin together, but Jia En is just 21 years old and it would be really selfish of Liu Chuan not to push her to go where she needs to go but she doesn’t yet have the strength to walk. Her letter to Liu Chuan shows that she understands and agrees with what he did, she thanked him for knowing her better than she knew herself, for keeping her dream alive when she was ready to give it up.
How awesome of an OTP are they that even their break up is so perfect, so understandable, so relatable, so mutually beneficial. He needed to focus, she needed to fly, but wherever they go their hearts are still with each other. I know that and they know that, which makes this drama ending poignant but not painful. The OST for this drama was one of the best in recent memory and so many songs are going to forever be on my playlist rotation. It also makes for great MV soundtracks and below I’ve selected four of the most amazing OTP MVs out there with each scored to one of the OST songs. There is Adrian Fu‘s second ballad “What Do You Want Me to Love” and that MV made me start crying on the spot, the ending song “Obviously Love You” by Freya Lim that foreshadowed the ending from day one, the lovely light “Reason for Happiness” by Genie Zhuo that was one of the last songs to join the drama but easily one of the best, and finally the oldie but goodie “You on My Mind” by Wu Bai and China Blue that was the catalyst for the first giant squee moment in the drama when Jia En and Liu Chuan rode his motorcycle to the concert. For anyone still wondering whether to check out IAGW, please do and don’t let this amazing drama pass you by. Enjoy the MVs either as a first treat or a walk down memory lane.
“What Do You Want Me to Love?” by Adrian Fu MV:
For anyone who has never watched IAGW, this is the MV to watch and get hooked. This ballad perfectly captures how Liu Chuan and Jia En feel about loving each other. I also love how the MV-maker book-ended it with Jia En’s confession and then started from the moment they met all the way through their special moments until when they got together. Their first meeting at the basketball court. Momo the matchmaker. Accidental naked peeping. Sneaking her into the men’s dorm. The shower scene. Him taking her to the beach where he tells her about the meaning of freedom. The concert date. Jia En in Liu Chuan’s mirror view. Their tentative friendship. 3631 and Sky. The dance. Their big fight. These two came such a long way, how could they not make it? Watching it really emphasizes how they WILL find their way back together no matter how long and far apart they are. I BELIEVE IT.
Jia En-Liu Chuan Falling in Love with “Obviously Love You” by Freya Lim MV:
This MV starts off with the bike ride to the Wu Bai concert. The scene that turned this drama rabid for me. The MV maker really highlighted how wonderful the slow moments were between them as they constantly thought about each other. I love that this MV contains all their on campus moments because how better to fall in love than going to school together. Who can forget their first phone call: “What are you doing?” “I’m talking to you.” LOL adorable! Remember the wish bracelet? We never found out what Liu Chuan wished for but he did get his Jia En in the end.
How Jia En-Liu Chuan dated “The Reason for Happiness” by Genie Zhuo MV:
This MV is after they start dating and interweaves their sometimes rocky romantic steps with their sweetness after getting together. They make even taking a train ride together swoonworthy. This MV also contains the epic “HUG ME” request from Liu Chuan. Still so hot I need to fan myself when I see it.
So Close to Confessing “You on My Mind” by Wu Bai and China Blue MV:
I can never get enough of this song. It wasn’t my favorite Wu Bai song back in the ’90s but is now my favorite. This MV focuses on the school protest and of course the perfect perfect concert scene and the memorable OTP hug at the end. There is also the hilarious “What do you want for saving my daughter’s life?” “I want……a glass of tea.” Ahahaha, oh Liu Chuan baby, you are too much. The head rub when she bumped her head (Ah Qing and Ri Qi’s reactions were priceless). The way Liu Chuan took her hand holding the protest sign and together lifted it into the air. Remember his bitching out Momo for chewing up his beloved geegaw that Jia En bought him? And then Momo’s “talk to my butt” head turn away. The sharing of the chocolate, still one of the very obvious but personal moments for them. The concert hug of course stands as one of the most memorable scenes in IAGW especially with the way Liu Chuan took the initiative and kept on hugging until she hugged back.
The break-up scene in the last episode was excruciating to watch. This is the last time they see each other, at least as far as this story remains in our minds. Liu Chuan’s tears, Jia En’s increasing freak out until she realizes he’s not going to change his mind, the way he shakes her hand off to walk away, how she sinks to the ground and he stands against the wall in their usual different but in sync ways of dealing with difficult moments. I don’t doubt they are still in love with each other after all those years. Remember Liu Chuan saying in episode 24 “Even if we are apart, our hearts will always always be together.” I think the movie makes a lot of sense in this particular drama because the story couldn’t go beyond cute tender college first love because the kids were stuck in that time period of their formative lives. To have the break-up only means we get an EPIC reunion and reconciliation, right? Imagine thirty year old Liu Chuan and Jia En, if he’s all restrained and bubbling with passion already as a college senior, I’m just going to sit back and soak up all the movie make outs sure to come between my OTP. Those TW-movies do not hold back on the sexy, that’s for sure.
Watching these mvs, make me miss this drama!!!:(
Oh Ms. Koala, you just made me cry all over again. This post is just soooo perfect!!! These MVs brings back all the good memories of this drama. Easily one of the best drama I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching.
I love the way you describe the OTP’s journey, from their initial meeting to their inevitable break-up. But I’m with you in believing their love story has not yet ended. How could it be when they’re so perfect for each other. My biggest question is, would I ever get to watch the movie? I hope it’ll be popular enough that they’ll release the DVD internationally with subs.
thank you. Thank you. Thank You.
Thank you Ms.Koala for sharing. Totally loved and enjoyed all your recaps of this fantastic drama.
These MV’s are beautiful, makes me want to watch it all over again.
You picked some of my fave IAGW mvs!!! The feellllllssss are overcoming me again!
You can definitely tell from the ending that LC & JE still very deeply love each other so I have no doubt that they will end up in a beautiful home and happy TOGETHER. Also…LC was definitely one restrained and repressed boy…and JE is just as passionate about the things she loves and believes in. SO …they will definitely have an epic reunion and let there be many many make out sessions to make up for that break-up and time apart
I’m happy to see this post. Thanks for sharing these videos and for writing down all those beautiful memories from the previous episodes. I was happily relieving all of them while reading, but then i got to your final picture and i feel like breaking down again. Gaaah! seriously, i have never cried so much watching a breakup scene. I like what you said at the beginning of your second paragraph. Their breakup IS perfect, understandable and relatable. I didn’t know i was thinking about it at the back of my mind for the past several episodes already, and when it finally happened in the finale, I was cheering LC on, for being brave and selfless enough to let her go, even as my heart was breaking for both of them. This drama has made me heartbroken, but, like JE, i have no regrets. I also would recommend this to anyone looking for a good drama to watch.
I really love the tantalizingly slow burn courtship as both of them uncover more and more of who the other person is. I think the reason why this drama resonates with a lot of us is because of how they deftly handled romance and friendship amidst school and personal issues.
While I would love them to be together, the reality is that the enormity of Liu Chuan’s preoccupation with his father’s case will daunt anyone let alone a 20 year old girl. She might be all selfless at that point in time but no romantic gesture, no boyfriend during holidays and even possibly birthdays hmmmm.. there is so much one can take. Perhaps if they were older and/or more matured the outcome might be different.
As Ms Koala mentioned, the ending is really poignant. Seriously I still tear up at Liu Chuan’s Ver Joan!!
Also I really need to say that this is one drama where the other characters are fleshed out well!!! It really reminded me of uni life where you would a group of good friends that will stick through thick and thin (btw after some many years my group of uni friends are still my best buds)
Thank you Ms Koala for introducing this show to me. It has kept me entertained for the past 6 months!!!
Dear girls and boys,
Enough tears from us already….. I’ve looked through the key points in the series and I still stand by my ‘noble idiot’ label for LC (not Lego, mind you), purely following the line of thought of the writers and the story…….I’ve come to the following observations and conclusions :
1. LC decide he’s interested in JE and made some attempts to hint her (earrings, burger date, etc) but never really succeed and when the BIG setback in his world came to past ie he had to ask daddy to use his influence to get the school board off their backs, he admitted to JE after her first and only dinner at his house that his ‘like’ or interest in her is still there but has been tainted and he needs time. When he pulled his hand away from JE outside the dorm after collecting his things, JE came to a decision and designed a treasure hunt and sang a song to WIN HER MAN OVER, most epic confession ever!!
2. When LC decided that his destiny of dipping into the cesspool of politics is required to clear his dad’s name, he ‘nobly’ decided that this is no place for a young innocent like JE and placed her on a pedestal (broke up with her) so that she won’t be stained with the aftermath of his long courthouse battles. So if this pattern holds, in the movie version, IT WILL HAVE TO BE JE AGAIN who has to save the day ie woo him over (not back, mind you) while I’m guessing LC will be too ….. I don’t know ….. Whatever …. To woo her again as he was the one to break off with her.
3. LC could NEVER resist JE, as seen by her determined efforts, as well as his hot stares at her…..tells us his thoughts, yah?
4. I hope JE strings him along GOOD in the movie version before accepting him because he deserves it.
So those are my predictions for the movie, and of course it MUST BE FOLLOWED BY THE HOT MAKEOUT SESSION(S) as forecasted by Capt Koala, then I’m happy 😉
I want to watch this now but I may wait to watch till movie comes out then I can watch the drama and the movie right after. When will the movie be out?
It’ll be a long wait. Based on what I read, they’ll just start shooting in Aug/Sep. This drama by itself is good though. You just have to keep an open mind towards the end 🙂
I just watched the MV with my heart in my throat. They were a perfect college couple that were perfect for each other.
Thank you for starting the recap. I have no regrets watching this drama. This would be the only K drama or T drama which I can say did not waste the time or episode. Every scene made sense and was not a filler episode or scene.
The writer, crew and actors did a bang up job selling the story.
I am just thru episode 9 of this drama and, like you, I find it so well done and genuine in its emotional impact. Lego Lee… gahhh! So perfect. I confess to having read the ending recap because I had to know, I had to know (and for me spoilers mean that I want to see how they get from point A to B — and maybe prepare my heart), and I’m so glad that they’re doing the movie! But, I’m reserving myself the treat to watch the videos later, over and over again, once I’m thru with the drama. Thanks for sharing!
Hi,can you help me to find the name of english song in episode six during the end of year party? thank you