Recapping My Lovely Girl was an exercise in patience training. I even surprised myself with the fortitude to stick with this to the very end when all common sense and self-preservation told me that jumping ship would have been the smarter decision. As the final episodes arrived as lifeless as any drama to ever exist, I wondered if there was even one (forget more than one) viewer who was still enjoying MLG as is. Nothing wrong with that, I just wanted to know if anyone was reading these recaps for any reason other than gleeful relief at having avoided a trainwreck.
I got in early when the drama was still promising, when the strange concept didn’t seem all that bad when presented with subtle touches of sweetness, when a fluffy dog and L’s dimples made the simplistic stuff go down easy. The final episode was the antithesis of what made the drama remotely decent when it started, wrapping up this drama with an hour worth of screen filler and absolutely pointless separation wrangling. I just don’t get it. This drama is a mindfrak of a blank paper convincing you there is a painting drawn with invisible ink on it.
Episode 16 recap:
Se Na sees Hyun Wook tentatively wanting to play music again as he stands before the keyboard. She walks over and encourages him to continue because she wants to hear him play and see the person he used to be. Hyun Wook plays for Se Na and afterwards pulls her in for a chaste kiss before the two exchange anemic “I love yous” wrapped in a hug.
The next morning Se Na writes a farewell letter for Hyun Wook which he finds placed on the keyboard. She apologizes for being not strong enough to be with him now and asks for a temporary separation. She feels confident that their feelings for each other won’t lessen despite the distance away.
Hyun Wook hears from Joo Hong that Se Na bought a train ticket and he zooms in his red sports car to the station to stop her. Alas he is too late and arrives on the platform after the train has pulled away. He can only make agonized constipated expressions at losing Se Na. Either that or he really needs to go to the bathroom.
A time jump of a year later and AnA is doing well as is super star solo idol Shi Woo. Joo Hong’s boyfriend is now Shi Woo’s agent and drops him off at the agency. He asks now agency President Hae Yoon for a work load that has less overseas stops. Shi Woo wonders how President Wook is doing lately and Hae Yoon laughs that Shi Woo still calls him that. She assures Shi Woo that Hyun Wook is doing well as all his recent songs have been hits.
Hyun Wook is on air as a radio guest and the topic of conversation is what a man needs to do to placate an angry girlfriend. He suggests talking it over directly unless one party has disappeared. He finds that rude so the remaining side needs to move on and stop wasting time on such a relationship. Hyun Wook plays a song for all the male listeners telling them to wake up from their bad relationships. Hyun Wook’s cohost wonders why he’s so bitter lately even if the listeners like it? Is it because of a heartbreak? Hyun Wook isn’t inclined to share and also turns down the host’s request for him to write a song for her.
Hyun Wook chances upon Jae Young pleading with a PD to cast his stars in an upcoming program but the PD turns him down because those stars have too low name recognition. The two men reluctantly walk towards each other with Jae Young snidely congratulating Hyun Wook on his successful restarted songwriting career plus having succeeded while he was agency president.
Hyun Wook advises Jae Young to cut his losses now rather than risk losing even more. Jae Young changes the topic to AnA but Hyun Wook doesn’t care to share. He knows Jae Young is still bitter about Hae Yoon but suggests he maybe give up running an agency and return to his songwriting and producer roots.
Hyun Wook visits Hae Yoon at work and enjoys calling her President Shin along with compliments on how well the agency is running under her command. Hae Yoon has an idea the next album for Hyun Wook to produce.
Hae Yoon’s idea is for Hyun Wook to produce Shi Woo’s next album and both guys immediately refuse to work together. Hae Yoon is strict and orders them to comply otherwise pay a penalty. Hae Yoon doesn’t know why the two of them are at odds with each other now and Shi Woo points out it’s because of Se Na. He also ribs Hyun Wook and asks if he has any updates about Se Na but Hyun Wook claims he has no interest in finding out.
Se Na is working at a restaurant and ask the ahjumma for three days off to go somewhere. Hyun Wook clearly still misses Se Na as he goes home and sits in the dark brooding.
Hyun Wook goes to visit his dad who knows that Hyun Wook has a sleepless night again in his house. He wants Hyun Wook to sell the house and move home but Hyun Wook refuses because that’s where he can write songs. Dad knows Hyun Wook is waiting there for Se Na to return. Stepmom sits down and wheedles her husband to help her.
Hyun Wook sits with Sang Jin to discuss how his stepmother is now planning to be a singer. LOL whut? Apparently she’s been selected as a trainee at AnA through all the proper channels. Sang Jin is also surprised that she’s actually got talent despite her being much older than most newbie singers. Hyun Wook asks Sang Jin to help his stepmother with the singing debut. Sang Jin wonders how Hyun Wook is dealing with Se Na still being gone but Hyun Wook acts like he’s fine.
Se Na returns to Seoul and her first stop is Joo Hong’s apartment. The friends hug and Se Na immediately asks about Joo Hong’s pregnancy. Se Na also heard that Joo Hong’s boyfriend is now Shi Woo’s manager and Shi Woo remains looking for her. Joo Hong is surprised that doggie flower boy never came by looking for Se Na and his place also looks empty and unlived in.
Se Na’s next stop is Hyun Wook’s house and she walks in looking around as even the courtyard is filled with all her happy and sad memories with Hyun Wook and Dal Bong. She goes inside and remembers all the moments she shared with Hyun Wook there.
Hyun Wook comes home so Se Na hides in the kitchen to avoid being seen. Hyun Wook sits down at his keyboard, looking around curiously as if sensing something, and then he starts to play. Se Na peeks out from behind the kitchen cabinets at Hyun Wook writing songs again and she starts to cry. Hyun Wook jots down one stanza before leaving the house.
Se Na gets out from her hiding place and looks around the empty living room one more time before she leaves the house. Hyun Wook happens to be heading back to the house when he runs into Se Na in the courtyard. They stare at each other before Se Na reveals that she didn’t expect to see him here like this since she heard he moved.
Hyun Wook asks why she’s here and Se Na explains she was visiting Joo Hong so took a detour here. She wouldn’t have come if she thought she could run into Hyun Wook here. Hyun Wook gets pissed and chews her out for leaving a year ago without a by your leave and coming back so casually like this. Se Na apologizes again but Hyun Wook asks why she can expect everything is fine just with an apology.
Hyun Wook angrily orders Se Na to leave now and she sadly walks off while Hyun Wook makes frustrated expressions that are so hilarious contrast to Se Na’s complete and utter expressionless presence.
Joo Hong and Se Na sit down to have some fruit and catch up and Joo Hong suggests Se Na go see Hyun Wook. Se Na admits she saw him already but he’s very angry at her. Joo Hong thinks that’s understandable given how she just up and left him. Se Na wonders if it’s over between her and Hyun Wook? Hyun Wook asks stuffed Dal Bong whether he was too harsh with Se Na earlier? Not harsh enough, dude, not harsh enough.
Joo Hong’s boyfriend drives Shi Woo from yet another engagement and wishes Shi Woo worked less since it’s so hard on him as his manager. Shi Woo tells him to do his job since Shi Woo hired him to make it easier to find Se Na. Joo Hong’s boyfriend claims he really doesn’t know where Se Na is or how to find Se Na? He suddenly gets a call from Joo Hong revealing that Se Na is at their apartment right now.
Joo Hong’s boyfriend drives Shi Woo to his apartment and immediately hugs Se Na first to thank her for being the reason that he has a good job. Shi Woo walks in after him and starts to chew out Se Na for disappearing like that and worrying him.
Shi Woo and Se Na move their talk to the bedroom and Se Na keeps insisting she didn’t mean to cut ties with everyone forever. She wrote songs while she was away so Shi Woo tells her to bring those songs and come back to Seoul. Se Na plans to leave again since she has a life there now. Shi Woo wants her to come back for his career sake and tells her not to misunderstand because he doesn’t like her anymore. He wants her back because she’s the best producing partner for him. Se Na agrees to consider it.
AnA helps Fiestar celebrate their success and we see Shi Woo’s old manager has been promoted to team leader. He’s also dating the chubby administrative assistant as they secretly flirt at work. Director Kang catches them together and warns them against dating since it’s against agency policy.
Director Kang then runs into Hyun Wook’s stepmother who awkwardly greets him and notices that he’s gotten thinner and looks wan lately. Director Kang claims he always looks this way and tells her not to feel bad.
Hyun Wook zones out in the recording studio and remembers how angry he was at seeing Se Na again and the mean things he said to her. He chides himself for blowing up at her when she finally came back. Shi Woo walks in to tell Hyun Wook that he doesn’t need to produce his album anymore as Se Na is coming back to produce it. He’s surprise Hyun Wook doesn’t know what Se Na has been up to and offers to be his source of Se Na news going forward.
Se Na is called by someone else to the café and finds Hyun Wook waiting for her there. He immediately apologizes for the angry things he said to her when he saw her again and asks how she’s been doing these days. Se Na assures him that she’s doing well and knows he’s doing well after hearing him on the radio. She explains that she works part time at a restaurant and the ahjumma there listen to his radio show.
Hyun Wook isn’t happy she’s back to working part time jobs as before she met him but Se Na bristles at his attitude and wonders why she needs to apologize to him for how she lives her life. He wants her back to produce Shi Woo’s album but she doesn’t think he has any right to tell her what to do. Se Na doesn’t want his worry for her but he can’t help but worry. Se Na turns around to ask why he still goes back to the old house and Hyun Wook explains he misses Dal Bong and there are so many memories there. He asks why she went and Se Na claims she doesn’t know before running out of the café.
Hyun Wook goes to ask Sang Jin for advice and doesn’t know how to old onto Se Na again now that she’s back. Sang Jin tells Hyun Wook to use his most powerful weapon of his music. Hyun Wook agrees and gets an idea.
Hyun Wook asks Hae Yoon to postpone his work on Shi Woo’s album so he can finish a song first that he wants to do for someone in particular. Hae Yoon knows it’s for Se Na and hears he’s found her again. Hyun Wook suggests Hae Yoon find another producer for Shi Woo and thinks Jae Young is the right guy. Jae Young was the one who nurtured Shi Woo’s career in the beginning and as agency president Hae Yoon needs to find the right talent for her stars no matter the personal history.
Hyun Wook sits down at his keyboard and focuses all his inspiration to write his song for Se Na.
Hae Yoon pays Jae Young a visit and he’s snide as ever wondering why she would ask to see him after declaring she never wanted to see him again. Hae Yoon wants Jae Young to work as a music producer with AnA again and thinks he’s not cut out for the business side of this industry. She confesses once liking him for his talent but believes his competitiveness was what drove him down the wrong path and she hopes he get back on the right track now. She leaves the offer on the table for him to consider.
Hyun Wook’s stepmother is practicing at AnA and Director Kang stares at her from outside all wistfully. Hyun Wook’s dad arrives to bring her a latte which Director Kang takes away worried that it’ll ruin her figure since she needs to look good for her debut. Hyun Wook’s dad laughs that his wife has a figure that doesn’t get fat so no need to worry.
Director Kang scurries out and runs into two trainees and takes out his frustration on them. They wonder how unfair it is that they’ve trained for years and still don’t get to debut but Hyun Wook’s stepmother can parachute in just like that. Director Kang claims she’s talented so stop griping.
Joo Hong chats with Se Na and is sad to hear she’s not reconciled with Hyun Wook in this trip back. Hyun Wook calls Se Na and orders her to quickly come to his house since he’s missing a pen after she came by. Se Na asks if he thinks she took it. Hyun Wook claims the pen is super expensive and needs to be found so Se Na asks if he wants her to look for it. Hyun Wook tells her to come over and help so Se Na does just that.
Hyun Wook tells Se Na to come inside and tells her to help look for the pen. He hears that Se Na walked around the house and then hid behind the kitchen cabinets when he came back. She squats down under the same hiding place and Hyun Wook does the same which is when he notices she’s still wearing the necklace he gave her. Hyun Wook is about to say something when the doorbell rings.
Hyun Wook’s dad and Hae Yoon arrive to hang out and both are surprised to see Se Na inside. She awkwardly greets them before quickly leaving. Hyun Wook is annoyed at his dad’s terrible timing and his dad retorts that he didn’t know Se Na was here.
Joo Hong hears about Se Na running into Hyun Wook’s dad and is relieved he didn’t get upset. She’s certain Hyun Wook still wants to be with Se Na since he’s using random excuses to call her over. She suggests Se Na and Hyun Wook just run away to live together until things die down.
Se Na texts Shi Woo to meet in the morning and he suggests she come over now. Shi Woo tells Se Na that he counted to 10,000 sheep last night but still couldn’t fall asleep so hearing Se Na wants to meet tomorrow he figures its bad news so doesn’t want another sleepless night and wants to get it over with. Se Na admits she’s leaving tomorrow but wants to say goodbye to him in person this time. He wants her to write songs for him since she owes him so much and reminds her to come to him the next time she comes back.
Hyun Wook has prepared his house for a confession to Se Na including a giant bouquet of flowers he placed on the keyboard. He calls Joo Hong to have her send Se Na over to his place later because he has a surprise for her. Joo Hong reaches Se Na only to hear that she’s leaving right now earlier than expected. Joo Hong tells Se Na that Hyun Wook called wanting Se Na to go over later but Se Na doesn’t change her mind and plans to leave now anyways.
Hyun Wook is at the radio station doing his normal program and he’s in a great mood because of his upcoming confession to Se Na. Joo Hong tries calling him but his cell is placed outside the radio booth since he’s in a live radio program. The technician shows Hyun Wook his cell phone so he walks outside to read Joo Hong’s text that Se Na has left already. Hyun Wook tries calling Se Na but she purposely doesn’t answer his call.
Hyun Wook goes back to recording the radio program but he’s totally distressed and zoned out. He finally snaps to attention and commandeers the radio program for his own personal life. He orders Yoon Se Na to not move a single step and wait for him. He has so much to say to her after their time apart, how could she have just left like that.
The radio suddenly turns on to that channel as Se Na walks past the train station bakery. She stops and listens when she hears Hyun Wook addressing her. He asks if she’s listening to him right now, right? He doesn’t know for sure but there is no other way for him to convey his feelings to her right now. If they are meant to be then he believes she will hear this. In his year apart without her he was so sad and all he wanted was to hold onto her after she came back. He plays the song he wrote for her over the radio and orders her to stay put as he’ll go find her now.
Se Na continues walking through the train station towards the platform and stops to stare at the message tree where she left a message last time. It said “If we have the same feelings and thoughts for each other, then even if we are apart in distance we are still together.” OH HELLS NO TO THAT. Children, do not take away anything from this drama as gospel.
Hyun Wook rushes to the train station and this time he finds Se Na before she board the train. He pulls her in his embrace and asks if he came too late. Se Na shakes her head and Hyun Wook admits he missed her so much. They keep on hugging and the camera pulls back. That’s it, I didn’t miss any shit in this ending. I hate this couple, I hate their love story, and I freaking hate hate hate this vapid ending.
Thoughts of Mine:
I debated whether to even have a parting thoughts section on this final recap. To analyze something that doesn’t even stand up straight on its own two feet feels like a waste of time and smacking something defenseless. With that said, I do think an overview summation of why this drama basically sucks big donkey balls is worth writing since it serves as a cautionary tale. SBS clearly signed on to a drama solely intended to shill shit. That dessert café where every single conversation, meeting, run-in happens, like grown adult men would ever intentionally choose to meet there much less make it a regular gathering place. If that place sold alcohol I guarantee Hyun Wook and Hae Yoon would be there instead of a bar drinking their romantic sorrows away in those scenes from the drama. The production then gave up on packaging idols other than L so Hoya, the girl who played Ra Eum, and blink-and-miss it Mina all fell off the face of the earth midway through. All that’s left was to drag what remained of a story carcass across the finish line and even then the screenwriter failed abysmally.
I don’t understand why Se Na and Hyun Wook couldn’t be together, I didn’t understand Se Na’s need to be apart, I don’t understand why she randomly came back after one year, I don’t understand why Se Na and Hyun Wook could never ever EVER have a straight up conversation, and I certainly have no friggin’ clue how they could get back together at the train station when nothing material changed between them from point A to B to C to D. This is hands down the worst OTP of the year for me and no, don’t even bring up Dr. Stranger because that OTP would have worked marvelously had the writer not tried to shove the second female lead down everyone’s throat in the first half while underselling the female lead. This romance wouldn’t have soared even without Shi Woo being a better fit for Se Na, or even Hae Yoon showing why she’s an awesome lady inside and out with her maturity and ability. That just made Hyun Wook-Se Na look worse but the very central basis for their love never ever sold me beyond their early warm affection for each other. That was nice but the moment they “fell in love” and become star-crossed lovers then it all went to crapsville in a hand basket.
The OTP romance wasn’t developed properly before mountains of woe hit, almost all of which were self-inflicted. Hyun Wook’s decision to keep the truth from Se Na and later Se Na’s decision to book it out of town without a rational reason, in the end they both suck at dating and might be perfect for each other so they can go on being needy leeches sucking comfort off one another and stay away from sane sensible folks. The songwriting bits were weak and lazy, showing Se Na as a genius without any real basis or hard work, and giving Hyun Wook back his ideal career simply by virtue of him deciding to do it again because Se Na wants him to. Rain and Krystal were both miscast and I’m not just talking about in relation to the romance asked of them. He was too intense at times for Hyun Wook and often felt like he was acting in his one one-man play. She was so catatonic most of the time a mannequin could have replaced her and I wouldn’t have cared. Together they exacerbating the miscasting by carrying it over to romance of the preschool variety involving lame lip presses and chaste hugs.
In this day and age a K-drama wants to present romance as Victorian era expressions of restrained affection? Feels so like the drama is making a mockery of the progress made towards realistic presentations of modern adult romance. If it was toned down because Krystal is only 19 years old in real life, then she shouldn’t have been cast for this role period since Se Na is supposed to be 25 years old. There were tons of doubts and misgivings about this drama from the very beginning when the story was announced all the way through casting and previews. I was happy to have my early worries wash away with a few interesting early episodes, but the subsequent free fall was too hard and bumpy for me to remember fondly that I once enjoyed MLG. Dal Bong didn’t even stay around for the final two episodes so I could screen cap his perfect acting to my heart’s delight. Even if MLG manages to make money on unsuspecting viewers overseas or actually find folks who enjoyed its brand of PPL + lame romance wrapped in easy listening tracks, it’s still a major step back for leading man Rain and at the end of the day that’s what I’m most sad about. A very talented Korean top star reduced to acting in what amounts of a K-drama version of an after school special. Thank god it’s finally over.
Click here to watch My Lovely Girl.
Haha! I stopped watching half way but it’s so good to still read about how you view the drama. Your final thoughts made me chuckle – thanks for that 🙂
My sentiments exactly.
Lol ok that’s funny I agree when you say L and Krystal should have been together perfect match and I think hyung wook whatever his name is should be with that lady producer one why fs her name is tooo
I still have 5 episodes left but I’ve been reading recaps and I really don’t think I can force myself to finish this it’s just really boring which is so sad cause I actually like rain just not here….
I watch it so see L since he is my absolute fav
The last episode is the worst. This series came out kinda good but then it got really boring and annoying… I watch it to see rain…. I hope he’ll be in another GOOD series not so long after this 🙁
I stopped watching after after episode 4.. The crappy acting was too much for me to handle! Judging by the screencaps the kiss scene looked soo awkward! I’m glad I skipped this drama I didnt miss out anything!
I honestly think the kiss & hug scenes were toned down for Krystal cause of her age but like what you said she houldve have been casted if that is the real reason why.
Krystal isn’t a bad actress she has had pretty good performances in her other dramas like sitcoms & Heirs… I feel like maybe her sister Jessica’s scandal effected her too much? & the fact she was overworked flying back & forth to perform in concerts.. That or the stupidity of the script was too much for her to handle.
Krystal wasn’t challenged in the first place. The characters, bratty, loud, spoiled ones, were all she played. I believe this was just too big a step for her to take.
Krystal cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She was lucky with Heirs, because the ice princess role didn’t require her to do anything but look unhappy and say a few lines fretfully. When required to actually have some range – not going to happen. I feel sorry for Rain, but he isn’t good enough to hold up both of them – he needs a good actress to generate some energy for him to play off.
Just think about how awesome this would have been with someone like Jo Bo Ah or Lee Yu Bi. Well, with one of them and a better screenwriter…
…so basically the best thing happens in the last episode is that Haeyoon became the CEO. I don’t even get to see Siwoo moving on from Sena. In the end there is not much hardships-to-success stories in the drama, just super plain and self-induced melodrama.
Seems that the writer really dropped a lot of her initial side plots. Like Siwoo’s family secret, Raeum falling in love with him, and some others. Also what happened to Mina? to Raeum? How’s Infinite Power doing now compared to Siwoo? How about Jaeyoung? I have so many questions. What’s the use of this episode? What’s the use of the separation? I don’t even see the need of shooting the drama so late (they’re still filming the day before the finale day, If I’m not mistaken). Or maybe that’s why the ending is so lacking. But the drama is lacking overall.
The drama used to be decent; it was predictable but I still enjoy it. But everything started going downhill from around the 7th or 8th episode, and the drama just made me mad instead of enjoying it.
The acting might not be the best, but I think the actors tried their best. The writing is the biggest crime is the writing, the writer didn’t even try anymore. Or maybe she tried but something made her have to drop a lot of potential stories. That’s possible…I guess.
At least I can enjoy seeing Myungsoo in this drama @___@ (and I’m so happy that you like his dimples, haha)
Thank you ockoala for being patient enough to watch and recap this drama, your patience is really amazing!
Si Woo did move on from Se Na though. Nonetheless, he still cares for her. But I think they both did him and Hae Yoon justice. At this point, we should be glad they got saved from the leads’ mess by being friendzoned! xD
…still not satisfying enough for me #shot (okay maybe I’m being greedy) yeah at least him and hae yoon got justice for their characters. they’re the best characters from this drama ~_~
Si Woo’s very upfront, he wouldn’t say he wasn’t interested anymore without meaning it. He’s not the type of person to lie and he even proclaimed that Se Na will regret losing a great guy like him, lol. I think at some point he even teased Hyun Wook at the recording studio. You can tell with how he took Se Na leaving again as well, and he even made a joke that reflected how he expressed himself with her, and they both smiled at it. Se Na would be a special person to him and he cares for her well being, but it seems to me the feelings are gone. It made sense that he will be looking for her after she left since it was in a really open note and the last time they interacted he sneaked in a kiss on the cheek. But I think it became more of concern as a friend as the months passed into a year.
Let’s be glad the second leads became happy, working, successful people, and may they find the right lovers to add to the joy. They deserve it.
Where’s victorias cameo lol
Koala, I’m surprised you were able to recap this drama from the first to the last episode! Despite this being a very unsatisfying drama, which I could not watch through, I’ve enjoyed reading your recaps.
Like in like only on ep 5 it ain’t that food but you
Or saying she’s 19 wtf and she having a crappy kids with an man that’s to much to handle
” A very talented Korean top star reduced to acting in what amounts of a K-drama version of an after school special.:
Ouch!!! I am seen some pretty nasty take downs but this was brutal for Rain.
This show actually managed to accomplish something that I thought it wouldn’t: eke out a reaction from me. Man, that episode just made me angry.
All throughout the duration of this show, I’ve already tempered any expectations of what it would be. Krystal isn’t a leading lady yet, and Rain is never going to do anything spectacular, nor was I expecting anything from L, at all. Which is fine, the plot necessitated little acting-wise anyway, and I thought that both Krystal and L performed on par with what the show demanded from them without actively being bad, ie they did just fine.
The problem lies within the material itself. It’s a circling thread of forced melodrama hinged on paper thin plot. You’re right koala, this stuff here is like a drama special kind, and which the serving would be appropriate at 8 episodes the most. But even if, hypothetically, the drama went on at a shorter duration, I thought that the writer didn’t give out anything worth telling to the audience anyway. The story was just that lacking. And that is surprising considering that everything in this show has been recycled tropes and existing content is readily available to be re-adapted (to the umpteenth time), if needed, and I even venture say, that they should have done so.
But no, the show went on and on about Hyun Wook’s and Se Na’s fabricated pain and have just about cut off any of the meatier side plots on the background, such as Shi Woo, Jae Young, and even So Eun. Up until the end, we never really know what exactly was that ‘misunderstanding’ that Hyun Wook and So Eun was arguing all about (a context or an identity of the supposed girl that Hyun Wook cheater would be nice), nor Jae Young’s obsession with Hyun Wook as if the dude wronged him in his past life, nor Shi Woo’s resolution against Infinite.
Granted, the show’s focal plot is about Hyun Wook’s helping of Se Na which becomes the catalyst for his self-healing, with which Se Na’s role largely ties in as the titular ‘lovely girl’, and which is predicated on both their love for music and So Eun. But instead of showing us how Hyun Wook organically fell in love with Se Na thanks in part of her healing him, we instead spent hours on end with them just being in pain, because of each other. Which is actually the antithesis of the premise of having the “lovely girl” in Hyun Wook’s life.
Again, I’m willing to forgive even that, still. But instead of showing resolution to their ‘dilemma’ or whatever the hell the OTP thinks their problem with their relationship is, what we get instead is a half-assed radio confession culminated by the most unsatisfying train departure hug–which is even a step below the airport chase n’ hug, coz at least someone leaving overseas is a tad harder to follow than a freaking quick train ride to the next province. Which also comes back to the entire incredulity of Se Na leaving and the shoehorned time-skip (at that point you know the writer just don’t give a shit anymore) to again, um, resolve things? When it could have been resolved a year ago anyway.
And that is the part that irked me. I literally double-checked the remaining streaming time because I cannot believe that the show would end on this stupid note. But lo and behold, not even a minute left, the couple hugged and it’s goodbye. They could have at least finished airing the song that Hyun Wook wrote (which got my hopes up that Rain and Krystal would have at least performed a song together in this show), but we didn’t even get to the chorus. Which is perhaps almost poetic when you come to think of it–the show was like a song that went on with a good verse but skipped its chorus and jumped right towards the end.
Utterly mind-numbing waste of time.
I was so disappointed in this pile of crap. I was looking forward to what Trot Lovers should have been with the music parts, with a side of an age gap romance I could relate to, as my husband is 12 years older than me, and we met when I was only a year or two older than Krystal. Like everyone else, I only stuck around for the dog, and the fact L finally got some acting lessons or something cause he was freaking adorable. The last few weeks I only read the recaps cause I couldn’t take any more, but I wanted to know what happened to Dal Bong. Rain just needs to be beaten with sticks for not bailing on this, I can’t even call it a trainwreck. It wasn’t that interesting.
Trot Lovers had great music though. Jung Eun Ji can really sing, and at least they took the “Trot” part seriously. This is like Trot Lovers but way more boring and with much worse acting. (JEJ>>>>>Krystal, both as singer and actress)
I laughed so hard at your final thought. Dal bong is definitely the best actor out of this complete mess of a show. I thought trot lovers was the worst for using amnesia but this show was even lower. I was even uncomfortable reading the recaps because the acting just sound so terrible.
The series started out okay but lost it when Hyun Wook kept the truth from Se Na. He was given alot of opportunities to do so but just never did!!! Thanks to your weekly recaps though, I still get to read what happened and how the drama ended. 🙂
the body language in all the hugs were wrong….those legs couldn’t be any further apart.
Yeah, L still owes me sixteen hours of my life. But at least he got something out of it and improved along the way to the point where he was fine acting wise and did justice to Shi Woo.
I can’t say anything that hasn’t been said. The only ones who more than likely enjoyed this drama are those that more than likely loved the OTP in the first place. Don’t see what’s there to love, but hey, different strokes for different folks. I feel I wasted my time.
Yh he owes me to lol
I rarely watch bad dramas past the first episode, but I saw potential in some of the characters, so I forced myself to watch this one. Every episode it got harder and harder, until I was literally staring at 6 unwatched episodes, trying to make myself watch and failing miserably. Kudos to you for sticking with recaps.
Hopefully “Birth of a Beauty” will stay interesting~
I think this ties with Dr Stranger for crappiest otp really. Lead actress who can’t act fit for a lead role, check. Nonsensical/absent plot, check. Storylines messed up or dropped halfway, check.
Krystal should stick to comedy, at least she can act worth that much and has decent timing – an ability that was totally wasted in here. And next time give her a male lead who is not like a decade older than her. L had much much better chemistry with her than Rain despite being not as good of an actor. He got way more screen time than I thought he would, it’s a shame dramas have to stick so rigidly to the rule that the first lead gets the girl.
It’s now clear why Dal Bong died at the end of Ep 14, Obviously he had the best agent of any of the cast and managed to get out of his contract early. Lucky dog!
LOL! Thank you. Best comment on worst drama.
I liked the warm-hearted and lovely interaction between HW and SN, that’s why I followed till the end, and that’s exactly why I felt like being betrayed :(((. Rather they dont kiss. Rather they dont hug. Rather they just bye bye each other and lead a new life !!
I don’t really blame the actors or actresses (well, Krystal, a bit, can u be a passionate lover just for a while- you have such a hot bf that loves you like never love before!! ), but I hate the way the write kills the lead characters slowly. I hate it, it was my enjoyable drama in the very beginning. I was so fond of HW and SN….so fond of to watch them so anemic in the end…
Wish all the casts better projects after this. You deserve better result for your work.
I’ve enjoyed reading your recap so much and agree with most things you said that it also makes me laugh.
Anyway, I might be the only one who want Shi Woo to keep liking Se na LOL
It is nonsense thought but I just found it sweet when he was so persistent to her in unserious expression. And he told her comfortably that he believed that Se Na and Hyun wook can’t have a relax relationship. It could be annoying if it was other second lead to be like this but for me it is so cute with Shi Woo’s character (L). He is the only reason that make me endure to this lame story until final episode. At least I hope that he and Se Na would stick together as best friend ever. L and kystal should have another project together.
That’s so true I only watching this shit because of L myungsooo
Rain was interviewed by CNN, it’s online. They already sold the drama to China before it aired . And you get to see where the film the drama. Basically in warehouses.
Dal Bong knew this would happen. His last few scenes were telling. You could see the pent-up frustration and rising panic in his eyes…was he to be stuck forever with the most boring, dreary, numb-minding OTP ever in the history of Korean drama? This was a really really unhappy dog. His death in ep 14 was a merciful release indeed. Who knows what desperate measures Dal Bong would have been driven to if they had had him survive till the finale? God forbid, the moment the director yelled “Last Scene: Train Station! Get ready, Rain and Krystal!” Dal Bong would have hollered, “NOOOOOO, I can’t take it anymore!!!!” and would have galloped off, faster than you can say, “Krystal, screw your lips real tight now, Rain’s gonna kiss you” and thrown himself across the railway tracks in front of that annoying train.
I kept waiting for a hot kiss, oh my lord nothing.
I kept waiting for a hot kiss, and more adult skinship…nada..zippo.
Like others have said, if it was toned down for Krystal, they should have cast another actress..totally wasted Rain’s lips.
But I don’t really buy this whole they toned it down for Krystal, I mean look at my boy Yeo Jin Gu and Ha Yun Soo in Potato Star 2013QR3, he was 16 at the time, and lord.. did he and Ha Yun Soo sucked each others’ faces off in their kiss scenes.
I guess the screen writer of this drama wanted it to be all mellow-ish, but that doesn’t mean our OTP can’t have a proper adult kiss.
Everything from episode 1 to the club scene where they stared at each other was good, then it all went downhill from there. I now want some hours of my life back, but thank goodness for Ms. Koala’s recap, I don’t have to suffer and watch the whole thing!
Man, when I started calling that thing My Huggable Girl a few eps ago, I didn’t know I would be so right in the end. Should I take a lawyer? O.o
Finally… The leads had a pathetic romance. I’m happy I didn’t root for them. Making Hae Yoon the president and having Shiwoo get over Sena made the ending a little better for me. Thank you for the recap.
Well, Miss Koala if you really want to know, I have left this drama and migrated to Mr. Baek without hesitation
BORING…dts all i cn say.tnx koala for the recaps and i really dnt knw hw u managed t write recaps till d last episode.there ws no chemistry btwn HW and SN,it ws cold…….
I still have 4 more episodes but can’t bring myself to finish it anymore!!!!!!
A very boring drama, wasted my time
You totally read my mind, Rain’s management team certainly dropped the ball, then they let him accept this drama. I was so disappointed with Krystal, I liked her so much in The Heirs. Here she looked tired and almost like she was forced to do the drama. Any way, I kept giving it a chance and it kept disappointing me to the end. Rain is so good looking, but that wasn’t even a good enough reason to have wasted my time with this drama. Thanks for the awesome review, you were right on point. Take Care!
In your last MLG recap you asked why people are reading it, so here is my answer: because I watched 14 episodes, but after 10 minutes of the 15th episode I was like “nope, I’m not gonna waste another 2 hours” so I decided to read recaps of these episodes since I hate dropping a drama so shortly before it’s over and I just need to know how it ends. Well, not happy with that kinda ending and I’m really glad I didn’t watch the last two episodes cause damn, that seem to be two most boring episodes of this whole drama. The first half of this drama was still good, I don’t even know why I kept watching after that… ah, I know, because I was hoping for a plot twist, in which Sena gets together with Shiwoo for real.
Well, thanks for your recaps :’D really sad this didn’t turn out good, but I was against the main pairing since the beginning, so it should’ve ben clear to me that this is not gonna be a good drama haha I never hated the main pairing before. Like yeah, I’ve preferred the second male lead often but I was still never completely against the main couple. lol
Thanks for recap.
I dropped this already at ep 11? 12? (so bad I can’t recall the difference0. Wanted to TRY sit through ep 16 finale at least, but ended up dropping it once I saw her departure note, in the first 5-10 minutes. WTF?!?!????
To have an ep 16, for the sake of having an ep 16.
Seriously, they should have wrapped the blah in 8 episodes. It was cosy enjoyable in the beginning, if not super captivating.
Ending it in meatly 8 episodes would at least have made some sense.
MLG is very, very lucky that China bought the show for $200,000 USD per episode. Without this purchase, MLG will definitely tank their budget.
I never even watched a single episode of this show, and even just reading this recap, I went like… “this is stupid”, when Se Na randomly came back one year later, and then went like “Oh, I didn’t expect to see you. I wouldn’t have come back if I knew.” =____= OKAY THERE….
I also knew it would never be able to be convincing to sell an “epic love story” of a guy and his dead girlfriend’s sister. To me, that just doesn’t make sense. Not that it’s not possible, but it’s just too challenging for a drama to sell it the right way.
Spot on review. Dal Bong was the only respectable character, and he was killed off too soon. I actually feel bad for everyone cast in this drama. The writers simply lost their way and everything crumbled after the midway mark. Very uneven pacing and story development between the first and second halves. One wonders if they switched writers mid-stream.
just glad it ended so we can move on to the next drama…
still i have been following your recaps,
even if not for the drama but for all your views and take on it!
thanks for taking time to do this.
come on, the comments are a little harsh. Krystal did what she could, as did Rain. Story lacked a bit, but the emotions and feelings of guilt, desolation and rejuvenation was reflected in the series. Not in the best way, I admit – but tolerable.
My verdict of MLG – one statement:
Watching the sunken ship KrystaL is even more satisfying than watching the sailing OTP.
I just watched 8 episodes and left it. Can’t stand this drama anymore! But I wanted to know how it ended… And that’s how I got here. And no, I’m not interested in watching the rest. Enough for me. I think you are absolutely right about what you wrote. It’s marvelous to find someone so true and direct! Thanks.
I’m so late but I’m glad I found your recap because I agree with you wholeheartedly (especially the part about Shi Woo being a better fit for Se Na). The only thing I like about the finale is Hae Yoon becoming a CEO.
Anyway, thanks for doing the recap. I appreciate the laughs 🙂
One of the worst dramas I’ve ever wasted my time on. Although the lead actress was miscast (she cannot act), the script itself was so poorly written that no other actress could have saved this drama. What an unfortunate choice Rain made for his comeback!
shi woo and sena are my otp i dunno why but they are perfect for each other <3
nice and heartouching movie..
Krystal, i like you alot
fighting..
I think some people here were too harsh. How could Krystal play a character like Se Na better? I think it was the fault of the writer and the way he or she made the character emotionless in some episodes. The dialogues, the characters and the plot lines had some many weaknesses. That’s what made Krystal and Rain seemed like bad actors.
But anyway, there were a lot of good things that we could find on this series. I enjoyed the banter between Hyun Wook and Sena. The songs are good and I enjoy to listen to them.
hahahahahha same here. I couldn’t finish this series because their love tandem has no spark at all. Se na’s character is so lame, I agree with you regarding her catatonic acting. hahaha. I feel bad for Rain. He’s such a great actor only to be degraded by this series.
Let me explain this final episode for all you people who didn’t understand the genius and significance of this final episode in this amazing drama. Yoon Se Na and Hyun Wook had a beautiful and elegantly refined story that centred around the past, present and future. For the past, they overcame the demons of the past with the majority of the episodes when they spilt and after several misunderstandings came back together. This signifies the present in which they both proclaimed their love in he beginning scenes of this final episode. However, they still have the pressures of the future. Can they truly survive the test of time? Has the past and present been truly resolved. Yoon Se Na does not want to live in the shadows and wants to make sure that Hyun Wook loves her for her and only her. Hence at the symbolic “only you” song is played in the ending as well as their duets. Furthermore, Yoon Se Na’s hope for their future is reaffirmed as being appropriate and destined through this action that their love for each other can remain no matter the distance as long as they truly continue to be genuine and love each other. It’s a bit cheesy but then again most korean dramas have stereotypical views. Also some scenes could have been further refined, the overall symbolic messages have been conveyed. The necklace of Yoon Se Na being kept all this time to signify her continued love and the house of Hyun Wook and passion to pursue musics for Yoon Se Na. Overall, this was a beautiful series that had a deep and meaningful message supported by likeable characters and perfect execution. 10/10. Perfection at its best. The underlying themes continue to resonate.
This is like the worst worst ever ending, it was so lame and the 1 year separation really did not make any sense. Rain was too mature for Krystal and there was absolutely no chemistry. L was the only saving grace for the show. What a waste of time watching the series. I kept hoping it would get better but NOPE.