[Drama 2013] ★ Secret | Secret Love 비밀 ★ [EVENT: re-watch]

[partyon 49,704]

17 minutes ago, Sleepy Owl said:

This show will be a bit slow initially, I think till episode 3 or 4 and then the actual story will start happening. Will be interesting to see Min Hyuk's obsession and revenge happening and how Yoo Jung copes up with it. 

 

It's gonna get a loooooot worse before it gets better story wise....

 

Will add my comments later tonight in this thread, dongsaeng!

[Sleepy Owl 37,155]

Just now, partyon said:

 

It's gonna get a loooooot worse before it gets better story wise....

 

Will add my comments later tonight in this thread, dongsaeng!

Yup things are gonna go down very soon 

 

Looking forward to your comments Noona 

[Fangirl22 1,030]

I fell inlove with Ji Sung oppa because of this drama 

 

[confusedheart326 655]

My first K-drama! Initially, I dropped it. Then picked it up, skipped scenes till she was released from the prison. I have watched this countless number of times. I love it! Ji Sung remains my all time favourite actor. I am excited to watch this again and go through a roller coaster of emotions!  The madness is too exhilarating!

[partyon 49,704]

So, here are my thoughts after having watched ep 1 and 2. Bear in mind that I have already watched this drama at least 2 times, but I will try to only comment on what I watched in the first two episodes.

 

Recap Ep 1 (skip to Thoughts if you're not interested)

• Starts off with a flash-forward with Kang Yoo Jung in court for a hit and run, her boyfriend An Do Hoon being the prosecutor of the case. So how did we end up to this point? That's the premise of the first episodes of the drama.
• We see Jo Min Hyuk (our ML) being a total playboy, having no direction of life, fearing his father and probably even being a bit depressed. He is disrespectful of others and shows a sense of entitlement.
  We learn that his girlfriend Seo Ji Hee has disappeared.
  Seems his father disapproves of this relationship anyway, and Jo Min Hyuk not having the balls to go against his father. This will be an important point down the line of the drama.
• Shin Se Yeon and Min Hyuk have been friends since they  were kids and are now being pushed to marry each other by their families

Recap Ep 2 (skip to Thoughts if you're not interested)

• We learn that An Do Hoon has a mother who wants her son to succeed at all costs. She is mean towards Kang Yoo Jung who has sacrificed a lot for An Do Hoon for the last 7 years. An Do Hoon seems to have a hard time to decide whether he should listen to his mother or give his heart to his girlfriend. During the episode we see him choose Yoo Jung.
• The hit and run accident happens and we see that it was actually An Do Hoon who caused it.
• Seo Ji Hee dies and interestingly enough even her mother doesn't know about Kang Yoo Jung, which means that the relationship certainly was very secretive.
• Do Hoon gets the hit and run case which is a major conflict of interest - but let's overlook that
• Min Hyuk's obsession starts with a highly uncomfortable scene in a police station with Min Hyuk attacking Kang Yoo Jung

Thoughts:

• Kang Yoo Jung and Jo Min Hyuk are both quite intriguing characters if you dig down a bit deeper....
  Yoo Jung seems to be an upstanding citizen, very law-abiding (she even threw away Min Hyuk's car keys when he was attempting to drink and drive), kind (she bakes a 7 year anniversary cake, makes food for her in-laws) and never complains even though she's unhappy that An Do Hoon isn't proposing to her and goes to marriage meetings.
  Yet, when it comes to Do Hoon, she is willing to sacrifice her own life and happiness and put aside those qualities (e.g. she let him drink and drive which caused the accident).
• On the other hand, we have Jo Min Hyuk who doesn't actually like himself very much, thus treating others the way he feels about himself. He lacks the confidence and determination - always having been bullied by his father, never feeling that he's enough in his father's eyes. There is so much anger inside of him which he spews on other people, in an attempt to make himself feel better.
  Anger stems from fear, and I think we can all agree that he's certainly a scared little boy deep inside.
• Suddenly Kang Yoo Jung comes along and he can shift his focus and anger on her. He can punish her, but what is actually intriguing is that as he his unable to accept the feelings of failure in himself and punish himself. His shortcomings made him unable to protect the woman he loved and stand up against his father, so by punishing someone else, he can somehow justify that failure.
• This will turn into an obsession down the line....
• The ring size was a reminder of how different Yoo Jung's and Min Hyuk's worlds are and how they will come to collide.
• An Do Hoon's promise to become a righteous prosecutor in ep 1 is interesting, as he certainly fails in being a righteous person by letting his girlfriend ruin her life.
  Can you be a righteous prosecutor if you aren't a righteous person?
• Interestingly enough, Kang Yoo Jung said 3 times "I love you" to An Do Hoon in the car right before the accident, without ever hearing those words back from him.
  This certainly warrants the question: Does An Do Hoon really love Kang Yoo Jung or is he getting married to her because he feels he needs to repay her for her sacrifices?
• Sacrificing yourself in a relationship might feel like a good idea when you love someone, but is it really love? Would setting boundaries towards your partner and respecting yourself actually be more attractive and righteous? Which one is better for a relationship.
  I certainly have a strong opinion about this matter, but am not going to write it here yet as I want to put the question into a poll.

 

The chairman's toupee is SUPER UGLY! It's a toupee, right guys?

 

EDIT: A new poll is up!

@nateko @vangsweetie637 @Jillia @H0ney  @MinLyn @dolorisbrady @Sleepy Owl @kiefshi1056 @larus @pompyavi @tiMadam @Table122000 @cafe99 @Ldy Gmerm @SexyDolceVita @Morelia @samzi85 @UnniSarah @sugarplum892 @Dainora Petrauskaite @-Love Blossom- @Fangirl22 @confusedheart326

[Jillia 190,867]

So I think all revenge melodramas are messed up but "Secret" is a complete other type of messed up.

 

So Kang Yoo Jeong took the blame onto herself for the hit-and-run while the man Ahn Do Hoon who actually did is a prosecutor?

(completely forgot Bae Soo Bin is in this drama... well YIKES!)

 

I said in the "Innocent Man" thread and I will say it here. Never go to prison for anyone, kiddos? Not for love, not for anything. Also, I love all those cliché characters, namely Jo Min Hyuk who is a chaebol son. That party scene with his yellow kid's car was way too long. LMAO And what was that terrible shirt in that scene???

 

It's nice though - even though completely unrealistic - that Yoo Jeong and Min Hyuk meet by coincidence before all this nonsense happens.

 

The music is in this drama is...... well.... let's say it's not good.

 

But HOW cute is Min Hyuk with his girlfriend Seo Ji Hee. I know this drama really wants to sell them to us before killing her off.

 

And nevermind it was a dream... I'm confused now. Did she ran off just like that?

 

Terrible chaebol family: CHECK!

Fake-nice step-mother: CHECK!

Wannabe fiancé Se Yeon: CHECK!

 

Alrighty... Min Hyuk giving an heirloom to Yoo Jeong. Does this drama think this is funny or cute?

 

(you know it was that time when Brown Eyed Girls was still played on the radio )

 

Meanwhile I like Yoo Jeong's relationship with her father. Why is this drama going to bring us heartbreak when we could just watching them talk and banter?

 

What is this weird relationship between Min Hyuk and Ji Hee though? Okay, I have a feeling Min Hyuk's family got their hands in this issue. Why are chaebol families always so terrible?

 

Anyways, Do Hoon is a lying liar who is lying all the way about the accident. Like how could he leave a dying person there? WHY!?! Why are people in melodramas so terrible??

 

The music in this drama is terrible but at least the songs are great.

 

 

How terrible not only did Min Hyuk find Ji Hee but also she is pregnant - because an accident couldn't be enough, no of course a baby must die as well.

 

Is it terrible to say I'm actually rooting a lot more for Ji Hee and Min Hyuk than I'm rooting for Min Hyuk and Yoo Jeong?

 

And I also expected the first 2 episodes to establish the revenge plot more since this drama only got 16 episodes. And here we are by episode 2 and we just got to Min Hyuk being angry at Yoo Jeong and attacking her but she is still not facing prosecution (in this episode). I'm so confused by this drama. It's honestly all over the place. Like it's not bad but the first 2 episodes were stronger in my memories than they actually are.

 

I'm gonna be honest I'm not sure if I'll keep watching. I'll give it another episode to win me over. So far I think it feels like a drama of its time and the writing doesn't feel as tight as it should be with only 16 episodes. But let's see if the next episodes can convince me otherwise.

[partyon 49,704]

1 hour ago, Jillia said:

I'm gonna be honest I'm not sure if I'll keep watching. I'll give it another episode to win me over. So far I think it feels like a drama of its time and the writing doesn't feel as tight as it should be with only 16 episodes. But let's see if the next episodes can convince me otherwise.

 

Honestly I think you should watch the next 2 episodes before you give up. The start is a bit slow in this one. Please don't give up yet.

[tiMadam 6,158]

I am having hard time with Min Hyuk character in the beginning but I know get after..this my 2nd time.

Hope for some good discussion soon

[MinLyn 53,240]

Having watched the first 2 episodes of Secret, the drama kicked off with the opening scene of Yoo Jung being sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment for a crime which she did not commit. Rather, she has sacrificed her life and career for Do Hoon, her boyfriend who was the main culprit involved in the hit-and-accident. 

 

I'm reminded of one of the poll questions in @partyon's earlier surveys on the drama. Would you have sacrifice your life, and possibly yourself for your loved one. Well,I guess it pretty much depends on the circumstances. At that point in time, Yoo Jung still trusted in Do Hoon and believed that he is a righteous and upright prosecutor who will help people in need. She did not want to see her boyfriend for being charged for a crime which was unintentionally committed. She had faith in her boyfriend that if he had known that he had actually hit Min Hyuk's girlfriend Ji Hee down, she believed that he would not have left her in the lurch then and just take off.

 

In the premiere episode of the drama, when Do Hoon did not pick up the cal when she called him in the presence of her friend, Hae Ri, she pretended that she was talking to him and reminding him of the plans they had made for that night. Then she glanced at the photos she had pasted on her locker momentarily as if she is trying to assure and convince herself that Do Hoon is probably tied up with his work so that's probably the reason why he couldn't answer her call. But probably she knew that inside of her, they have already kinda drifted apart since he embarked on his career as a prosecutor. 

 

She came continued on fulfilling her duties as a loving and loyal girlfriend by caring for her boyfriend's parents and preparing a meal for them. I feel she has a soft spot for Do Hoon's dad who had injured his leg at work cos the accident had left him with a permanent limp. 

 

When she knew that Do Hoon had gone on a blind date as arranged by the matchmaker, she was saddened and also upset with him for keeping this from her.

 

Hence, that was why when Do Hoon brought her to their favourite restaurant, she did not want to look him in the eye until the latter apologised for not informing her that he was being made to go on a blind date by his Mom.

 

Thereafter, all was forgiven when he started proposing to her. She was just simply just overwhelmed with joy.

 

Min Hyuk on the other hand was hunting high and low for his girlfriend who had gone missing. He is missing her and the times they have spent together. I guess in a way, she is like his escapade and refuge from the realities of his life cos he knows that being born in an affluent family comes with important responsibilities and commitments that he is required to fulfill and would have to take on.

 

To him, Ji Hee is akin to a breath of fresh air and she is like no other woman he has met in his life. Bearing in mind that she also indulges him, spoiling him in a sense so Min Hyuk is just simply happy and contented of having her in his life and loving the idea of falling in love with her. 

 

He is hung onto her and their love because he believed that Ji Hee genuinely loved him for who he is whereas everyone around him seem to have certain expectations of him as Chairman Jo's son. 

 

The next episode sees Do Hoon trying to scrub off the blood stains on his car and his hands while Min Hyuk is giving instructions to Kwang Soo to investigate the cause of the accident and find out who was behind it.

 

Yoo Jung sent the car for repair at the garage workshop she usually goes to. 

 

Se Yeon infuriated when she hears about the many flings which Min Hyuk had while she was away in France. And more upset over the fact that one of her friends remarked that Min Hyuk has no taste or rather poor taste in women. Probably, she is reminded of herself since she carries a torch for him too.

 

Min Hyuk vents out his frustrations at home because he feels that his dad is indirectly responsible for Ji Hee's death since he was the one who has forced the latter to break up with him.

 

The police officer goes to see Yoo Jung that they require her assistance with the investigation involving a hit-and-run accident. 

 

Yoo Jung's dad informs her that she has been shortlisted as one of the finalists for a recipe competition.

 

Do Hoon goes to see Yoo Jung at her workplace and confronts her why she has lied about being the driver behind the wheels that night. He wanted to bring Yoo Jung to the police station so that he can declare the truth that he was the driver and not her.

 

She told Do Hoon that she doesn't want her boyfriend to be wrongfully accused of a crime he did not commit so that was the reason why she has lied about being the driver instead. At that time, she has probably believed in him that he diid not know that he had ended up running someone over with their car so to her, it was an unintentional accident committed without any realisation.

 

Min Hyuk goes to look for Se Yeon at her house since he has no one else whom he can turn to nor to confide in. He has taken an overdose of (sleeping) pills in an attempt to commit suicide cos he probably felt guilty for being the cause of Ji Hee's death and the death of their unborn child too.

 

Do Hoon tries to call Yoo Jung in an attempt to stop her from reporting at the police station to assist in the investigation of the hit-and-run case.

 

Yoo Jung tries hard to explain to the police officer that she did not realise that she has hit someone down cos she did not see anyone at the scene of the accident.

 

Yoo Jung's first encounter with Min Hyuk was at the police station and he tried to strangle her accusing her for causing the death of his girlfriend. He started adamantly that her apologies would not help to resolve things and put them to an end.

 

Yoo Jung pays her respect to Ji Hee at the columbarium and apologises for her folly of not realising that they had run her down with their car.

 

Min Hyuk requests for a private meeting with Do Hoon as he is the prosecutor in charge of Ji Hee's case. He wants Do Hoon to impose a harsh punishment on Yoo Jung and make her suffer for the crime that she has committed.

 

My thoughts about the first two episodes...

 

Min Hyuk being obsessed with the fact of making Yoo Jung pay for the crime that he thought she has committed by keeping tabs on her. We also see Min Hyuk trying to meet up to his father's expectations of him and playing along with the arranged marriage with Se Yeon with the intention to file for a divorce thereafter...Because of his parents' failed marriage, he does not want to see himself being seriously committed to anyone in a long-term relationship. I do not think he is genuinely in love with Ji Hee but rather he likes the idea of being in love with her and having someone to obsess with over a momentary while. Like Chairman Jo has told his son, Min Hyuk that he would soon grow tired of someone or something if someone or something new comes along. Then he would start to develop an affinity and obsession over it.

 

While we see Yoo Jung wanting to sacrifice herself to admit to a crime she did not commit as she feels that between the both of them, Do Hoon has a bright future ahead of him since he has just started work as a newly appointed prosecutor whereas she is just working at the gas station. To her, she feels Do Hoon would stand a much higher and better chance of fulfilling both their hopes and dreams. Just like she has told Do Hoon that she can still bide her time and wait for a better opportunity to come along for her. 

 

We do know that she has a spunky personality and is a plucky young woman who also holds on strongly to her beliefs and what she feels is the right thing to do. Otherwise, she wouldn't have thrown away Min Hyuk's car keys away as she did not want to see him being involved in drunk-driving since she was supposedly to be his designated driver so in a large way, she wants to be responsible for his safety and that of others too. As she has told him upfront that she did not want to see him hitting someone down since it would cost a person's life or his livelihood.

[larus 98,502]

Let me start to say that this drama is not what I usual like watching so I am sure that my views are clouded by my perspectives (my likes or dislikes).

If I would have  started this drama when it aired I would have dropped this series after the first 2 minutes. The open scene was a turning off for me. I thought of a cheap soap opera scene.

First … for melodramatic moment, where the heroine was waiting for the verdict in handcuffs. Really? Where is a law principle that everyone is innocent until proved guilty? My common sense is telling me that a defendant should not participate in the trail with the handcuffs on. I think a person is handcuffed after guilty verdict. Or they put the handcuffs when they sent her back to jail. Maybe it is not important scene but I don`t appreciate the melodramatic set up just to feel pity for the heroine.

Second. The prosecutor. I realized right away that he knows the defendant. Why he was even the prosecutors? He had a face of feeling guilty. Then I remember the story behind him (because I read a little about the synopsis when the drama was airing and was so popular). Just like we found out later, not only he was her boyfriend but more than that he was the real driver behind the hit and run accident. OMG! So dramatic.  But why use this plot? Another turning off for me.

Maybe it is the translations but he said: the prosecution sentences defendant  (and he turns to the judges Drama!) to 5 years in imprisonment.” I think prosecution is asking 5 years and judges are giving the sentence.

When they investigated the accident and they came up with a suspect, how come nobody find out that she was seeing her boyfriend that night?  Maybe it was important to see if she had a drink or not, to reconstruct the scene, perhaps. The irony of makjang… they had to give him the case of the girlfriend.

It was annoying tom watch the first two minutes… It made  me a little better when I found out that she said that she was the driver before she knew it was a victim involved in the accident. Maybe he took the case hoping to give her a lesser sentence. He had a pale attempt to ask her if she is really the one behind the wheel. Man, you are a wimp.

Well, the heroine asked him to let her take the fault. What a stupid move. I read it is a revenge story. She can`t look for revenge when she was the one who made the stupid choice.

Now the hero… an useless rich kid with a bad temper who lives on his father's money, loves a poor girl but has to enter a marriage of interest. Boohoo. Man up! His father`s  decision to take his money is the best. He has to grow up. Perhaps that`s his story. He will chance for the better in this drama.

His revenge? Against who? The heroine spends 5 years in jail and you will harass her even more after that? I understand that after losing someone dear it is hard to cope with that but his obsessive behavior is unbelievable. It was an accident. Not someone who deliberately killed that woman and her unborn child. He projects all the angry feelings on the heroine when he is feeling guilty himself. Or it is more than we know yet? I won`t be surprised if someone else hit her on that road. Why she was on that road?

Yeah… we`ll see how he progresses.

Despite the stupid decision of the heroine, I like her. I hope she will learn to love herself more in this drama. Another thing. She wanted to go to prison without telling her father about it? I hope not.

I liked how she did not give up when she was the designated driver and threw away the keys. Good decission.

So far, I like Lee Da Hee`s character. She said that she doesn`t love Min Hyuk but I think she does. Because of that I predict that she will feel heartbroken by his action in the future.

 

[partyon 49,704]

 EVENT: My Ultimate Oppa

 

Chingus, please vote for your Ultimate Korean actor oppa in our new poll!

 

re: @Lmangla

[partyon 49,704]

Time for comments about ep 3-4.... I will keep my post a bit shorter this time.

 

• Ahn Do Hoon is becoming more and more entangled into this mess. On the one hand, he would like to protect the woman he "loves" and on the other hand he is ambitious and wants to get ahead. On top of that, we have Min Hyuk pressuring him to make sure Yoo Jung remains in jail, and his greedy mom who is pushing him to become a famous prosecutor and marry well.
  What I like, is that we actually see Ahn Do Hoon struggle with this predicament - we even see him not liking himself very much in certain situations. On the one hand, he is loyal and takes care of Yoo Jung's ailing father during the time Yoo Jung is in jail, yet he lets Min Hyuk talk him into voting against giving Yoo Jung parole. Min Hyuk finds out that Yoo Jung is Do Hoon's girlfriend.
  In the end, Do Hoon is an interesting character for sure.
• Poor Yoo Jung - giving birth in prison and trying to survive as a single mother in a harsh environment. At the same time, her father is not doing very well. I couldn't help but tear up when Yoo Jung took her father on a father-daughter day before she was arrested. She loves her father so much, and he loves her. Seeing him collapse like that when asking for Seo Ji Hee's mother's forgiveness was heartbreaking.
• Min Hyuk is finally called out:
  "That woman. You killed her. You're just a spoiled master from a rich family"
  True words, and as he lets the words sink in, he promises Ji Hee that he will be "the most miserable man alive and avenge her death...." So Min Hyuk's revenge path takes a turn for the worse....
• Se Yeon. No words. She doesn't interest me because she never smiles. She ALWAYS looks bored and miserable.
  
• Do Hoon finally meets his child San. But San is mysteriously taken away from Yoo Jung by a set-up, and even Do Hoon can't find him.... Is it Min Hyuk's doing....? (I know the answer ) In any case, Yoo Jung is distraught as any mother would be. So much has already happened to her - it is pitiful.
• When Yoo Jung finally gets released from prison, she doesn't have one but two men waiting for her.....

[Sleepy Owl 37,155]

Okay so Chingus, I am rather late with my recaps and comments on episode 3-4 of Secret. I'll be writing the recap followed by my comments in the end.

 

So episode 3 starts with Yoo Jung dreaming Do Hoon in prison for hit n run, while Min Hyuk remembers buying Ji Hee a necklace, only to be caught by his step mother, who tells him to choose between the company and her, who he desires the most and we see him hesitating, with Ji Hee leaving. Anyway, now that he is not really behaving well, his father cuts off all funds to him, and wants Min Hyuk to get back to him after giving up everything on Ji Hee. 

 

Meanwhile Do Hoon does the interrogation of Yoo Jung, and he tires to get Yoo Jung some concession in her sentence, but his superior is not really supportive of the idea. Yoo Jung seeing going to prison is inevitable, decides to spend some quality time with her dad. While Min Hyuk anonymously sends all money he has got to Ji Hee's mom, Yoo Jung is busy buying stuff for her dad, especially a red colored jacked. Believe me, this jacket gonna have a different kind of significance in the story. Then she has a lunch with him in some really good place. 

 

Later Min Hyuk confronts his dad on the construction site, accusing him of not really seeing him as his son. Chairman leaves, but tells his secretary to make sure Min Hyuk does not do anything to himself like before. The secretary tells Min Hyuk that whatever happened to Ji Hee was rather his mistake than anyone else's and tells him that he needs to grow in company to fight. He gives him Ji Hee's keepsakes and leaves. Min Hyuk buys a ring from roadside, and proposes Se Yeon, telling her she can all fun she has while being married to him, as it is marriage of convenience for both families, and thus Min Hyuk is allowed back home. Back in home, in return of securing the marriage he demands the running rights of hotel, which his dad approves. 

 

Next day Yoo Jung is supposed to appear in court herself, but she wakes to see her dad missing. She worriedly starts searching for him, while court rules that she has to get arrested now that she didn't appear in court voluntarily. Yoo Jung finds her dad beside her mom's grave, they return back only for her to get arrested in front of their shop/house and her father appearing to develop some strange symptoms with the shock of her getting arrested. Arrested, she is interrogated by Do Hoon, who tells her that she needs to settle things with the victim's family and tells her to request an appeal to reduce her sentence, but she is worried about her dad. Her dad now in Do Hoon's house decides to meet up with Ji Hee's mom in order to settle money, but well he does not have much money. Do Hoon's mom having saved some money as seemingly emergency funds gives it him to use it as settlement money, but well, it all goes to waste when Ji Hee's mom does not really seem to like the settlement idea and throws the money in the air, and we see Yoo Jung's dad going into another shock and this time losing his mind. Meanwhile, Yoo Jung enters her cell, and is giving some welcome by her cellmates. Then we see her being informed by prison doctor to be pregnant, we see a time jump to her son being born.

 

Episode 4 starts with another time jump, and her son is old enough to walk. Yoo Jung has applied to special parole and is hopeful that she could get out earlier because of it. Her dad, has sort of lost his mind, and now needs care 24*7. So Do Hoon has hired a nurse to take care of him during days. Remember that red jacket? He never takes it off now. Yoo Jung's cell mates don't really seem to be happy with her son, San around. One of them looks like a real ruthless kind of lady famous to have been a drug dealer and one of the cell mates tells her to be careful of her, as she had once drugged a child who bothered her before when she was out. 

 

Do Hoon is not really having a good time as prosecutor. The bright student back then now is given all small cases, and he really is frustrated with it. He meets Se Yeon in restaurant by accident and she offers him to join her in the volunteering for giving food in prison, which he accepts. Min Hyuk also joins them, and well, Min Hyuk knows about the relationship between Do Hoon and Yoo Jung. In prison, Do Hoon finally gets to see his son while distributing food to the prisoners.

 

Do Hoon is selected to be in the committee for choosing prisoners for parole. In prison Yoo Jung saves the bully inmate of hers from other bullies. Min Hyuk offers Do Hoon to not select Yoo Jung for special parole, and vote against her, and in return he would get bigger cases and be in spotlight as prosecutor. Yoo Jung's interview for parole goes good, but we see Do Hoon having got the case of an assemblyman's corruption, so well it sort of indicates what he voted in the committee. 

 

Min Hyuk meets up with Yoo Jung and tells her to stay inside as long as she can, because outside the real hell is waiting for her. Inside the prison, San is found to have bruises on his body and is taken away from Yoo Jung, just then a fight breaks out between the bully inmate of Yoo Jung the other friend of hers, which results in Yoo Jung getting burnt due to steam, as the place fight took place was the ironing room. It is then revealed that Yoo Jung could get free if Do Hoon would vote for it, as the committee's vote were 2-2 for her and as vote was the deciding factor, but he chose fame over her. Yoo Jung informs Do Hoon about her son, and then we sort of see a time jump again, and Yoo Jung is seen to be free now, with Do Hoon picking her up from prison and Min Hyuk observing everything. 

 

 

 

Okay so here are my comments. 

 

We see Min Hyuk deciding to sort of move on from Ji Hee and concentrate on getting to know how the company works. It is not completely because his funds were cut, but he now really wants to grow stronger. Of course he is still hell bent on his revenge for Ji Hee, and well, he is doing it, sort of having an idea that maybe Yoo Jung was not really the culprit. He knows the relationship between Do Hoon and Yoo Jung, and seems to enjoy in making Do Hoon decide between fame and Yoo Jung, and I think he actually did out of curiosity and wanted to see what Do Hoon would choose. Maybe, I think Min Hyuk knew that he would choose fame, as he sort of has understood the type of person Do Hoon actually is. 

 

Yoo Jung well, fine, she went in prison for Do Hoon, after weighing each other's career. But the least she could do was appeal for lesser sentence. I mean lady, no one would go after your "Oppa" because you appeal for lesser sentence, they would review the current evidences only, which well pointed towards her. We saw her father try to settle it with Ji Hee's mom which really ended badly, very badly. 

 

Do Hoon's mom is of course really being a typical kdrama mom wanting to marry off her son to a girl equal in status, but well she seems to really care for Yoo Jung, which shows she really does not have anything against Yoo Jung, but only sees her unfit for her son, which of course is not correct given the sacrifices Yoo Jung did for her son. She deciding to give out her emergency funds to Yoo Jung's dad in order to help him use it as settlement money and also worry about it being not much since it is hit n run murder, shows she does care about Yoo Jung. But does not take away the fact that she is not really that good person. 

 

Se Yeon is not really an interesting character right, as her involvement in plot has not been much. She has had limited screen time, but at the same those scenes were not really that important. 

 

Coming to our Do Hoon, one could try to understand him sacrificing his gf for his career. Fine, she was the one who proposed it, he really wanted to change her mind, wanted to confess too, but was convinced not to because of his career. Well, the temptation to save his career, could be understood, and Yoo Jung being really very hell bent on it. But his second decision against her parole? Well, nothing can justify it. The woman he loved went in prison for what he did, and now, when she had a chance to be free earlier, he took away that chance from her for fame and spotlight. That is something which can never be justified. Of course this episode shed some light on him really regretting doing it, and sort of not liking himself too. 

 

Now that Yoo Jung is out, we'll be seeing Min Hyuk's actual revenge starting and see how obsessed he has become because of being driven by revenge. 

[jongski 39,014]

Ah this drama! I like the opening for every episode. And  can I just say.. and I hope it's okay  (it's not a spoiler anyway).. this drama has one of my favorite kdrama scenes and of Ji Sung ever.   You'll see why he' such a excellent actor.  Hwang  Jung Eum acting too is thumbs up.  Happy rewatching. 

[partyon 49,704]

14 hours ago, Sleepy Owl said:

We see Min Hyuk deciding to sort of move on from Ji Hee and concentrate on getting to know how the company works. It is not completely because his funds were cut, but he now really wants to grow stronger. Of course he is still hell bent on his revenge for Ji Hee, and well, he is doing it, sort of having an idea that maybe Yoo Jung was not really the culprit. He knows the relationship between Do Hoon and Yoo Jung, and seems to enjoy in making Do Hoon decide between fame and Yoo Jung, and I think he actually did out of curiosity and wanted to see what Do Hoon would choose. Maybe, I think Min Hyuk knew that he would choose fame, as he sort of has understood the type of person Do Hoon actually is. 

 

Dongsaeng, can you clarify a bit why you feel that he as an idea Yoo Jung was not really the culprit?

Noona would respectfully disagree. I am fairly certain he is still under the impression that Yoo Jung is the person who ran over Ji Hee. The fact that he found out Do Hoon is her BF is merely something he is curious about at this stage and something he sees he can use as leverage. He feels he has the prosecutor in his pocket because he now knows how absurd it is that Do Hoon prosecuted his own GF's case and that Do Hoon is doing it all to protect her.

He is enraged with Yoo Jung - by playing and toying with Do Hoon he is also hurting Yoo Jung. His ultimate goal.

 

SPOILER - DO NOT OPEN IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE DRAMA BEFORE

Spoiler

The time when he starts doubting that Yoo Jung really is the culprit comes later in the series, when he starts to realize what type of person she really is and when things don't add up anymore.
Because he will from now on be hellbent on making Yoo Jung's life miserable so that she can pay for her crime. And all of us who have watched the drama before, know that it's gonna get a lot worse....

 

@jongski Why don't you join us for the re-watch? You can still catch up!

[Sleepy Owl 37,155]

2 hours ago, partyon said:

 

Dongsaeng, can you clarify a bit why you feel that he as an idea Yoo Jung was not really the culprit?

Noona would respectfully disagree. I am fairly certain he is still under the impression that Yoo Jung is the person who ran over Ji Hee. The fact that he found out Do Hoon is her BF is merely something he is curious about at this stage and something he sees he can use as leverage. He feels he has the prosecutor in his pocket because he now knows how absurd it is that Do Hoon prosecuted his own GF's case and that Do Hoon is doing it all to protect her.

He is enraged with Yoo Jung - by playing and toying with Do Hoon he is also hurting Yoo Jung. His ultimate goal.

 

SPOILER - DO NOT OPEN IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE DRAMA BEFORE

  Reveal hidden contents

The time when he starts doubting that Yoo Jung really is the culprit comes later in the series, when he starts to realize what type of person she really is and when things don't add up anymore.
Because he will from now on be hellbent on making Yoo Jung's life miserable so that she can pay for her crime. And all of us who have watched the drama before, know that it's gonna get a lot worse....

 

@jongski Why don't you join us for the re-watch? You can still catch up!

 

Yup Noona, you could be right here. I just checked, and there was actually a scene where they show the CCTV footage no so clear, I though it was Min Hyuk who looked at it, but it was actually Do Hoon who did it. So yeah, he still thinks Yoo Jung is the culprit. Thanks for pointing it out and clearing it for me .

 

[MinLyn 53,240]

The opening scene of Ep 3 shows Yoo Joon having a nightmare about Do Hoon being sent to prison for the hit-and-run accident and Do Hoon's voiceover serves as a reminder to Yoo Jung to keep the secret. Her dream seems to be akin to a premonition of the events which are likely to unfold in the future.

 

Do Hoon appears to be in a turmoil as he is torn between whether to reveal the truth about him being the driver behind the car in the hit-and-run accident or acceding to Yoo Jung's pleas to not having her boyfriend that is Do Hoon being wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit. To make matters worse, Min Hyuk has also made his stand while stating adamantly that he is wants Yoo Jung to receive the due punishment for her crime. His intention is to exert his influence over Do Hoon by pressuring him to impose the harshest possible sentence on Yoo Jung in order to make her pay for the crime she has committed.

 

In Ep 3, I am further convinced and certain that the feelings which Min Hyuk has for Ji Hee probably just mere infatuation and fondness for her cos unlike other materialistic girls he is used to, Ji Hee does not hanker after his health. The truth is Min Hyuk is certainly not deeply in love with Ji Hee cos he was able to let her go quite so easily and it was to the latter's disappointment. There really was little attempt made on Min Hyuk's part in wanting to hold onto Ji Hee and not to let her go.

 

When Yoo Jung was brought in for questioning by Do Hoon who was the prosecutor in charge of her case, we could see that the latter still had some conscience in him as he wanted Yoo Jung to reveal the truth as it was still not too late to do so. 

 

Yoo Jung goes on a date with her dad on the pretext that she will be leaving for Japan to further her studies soon but the truth is she will be charged for the crime she did not commit and would be sent to prison soon. 

 

Do Hoon apologises to Yoo Jung for the latter would be taking the rap for the crime he has committed. Yoo Jung reminds him that he does not have to apologise to her and instead, the person whom they should feel sorry for is Ji Hee since she was the victim of the hit-and-run accident.

 

Chairman Jo instructed Kwang Min to cut of all his financial support as he wants to teach his son a lesson to understand that he will come to naught without any form of support from his dad.

 

Min Hyuk eventually relents and proposes a marriage or convenience to Se Yeon and he tells her that she would still get to enjoy her freedom to do everything she wants after their marriage and he would not interfere. 

 

Min Hyuk soon comes to learn about Do Hoon's relationship with Yoo Jung. It starts to dawn upon him why Do Hoon has told him earlier that he would not let any personal affairs affect the decisions which he makes. Now he clearly understands the latter's words.

 

Yoo Jung's dad goes to see Do Hoon's parents as he expresses his wish that he would like to reach a compromise with the victim's family that is Ji Hee's Mom and settle the case outside of court. Do Hoon's Mom then gives him a sum of money and tells him that it's important for Yoo Jung's dad to use the money and settle the case. But her true intention is to give this sum of money as a form of compensation to Yoo Jung for all the things she has done for Do Hoon and his family, then she would be able to ensure that they can cut off all ties with Yoo Jung.

 

Yoo Jung's dad gives the sum of money to Ji Hee's Mom as a form of settlement and to compensate her for the loss of her daughter but the latter adamantly refuses to take it and throws

the bag of money at Yoo Jung's dad's face. 

 

Yoo Jung is sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. She has also been severely beaten by a group of female prisoners in the same cell as her. This is when she realises that she is pregnant. Min Hyuk has also been informed of her pregnancy and

the latter feels this to be the greatest irony because while Ji Hee has lost her baby in the hit-and-run accident, the accused, Yoo Jung is now pregnant. When Do Hoon comes to learn that Yoo Jung is pregnant with their baby, he is devastated as most probably, guilt is setting in. 

[Sleepy Owl 37,155]

Okay so Chingus, here is my recap of 5-6 episodes which will be followed by my comments.

 

Episode 5 starts with Yoo Jung now free, meeting Do Hoon just out of prison and Min Hyuk seeing all of it happening. Min Hyuk clearly knows about the relationship between them. Yoo Jung leaves with Do Hoon and is eager to meet her son. San was sent to orphanage, and Do Hoon's mom visited him regularly during his time there. Once in orphanage, Yoo Jung is informed about San's death and she is devastated, she visits the riverside, where Do Hoon's mom spread San's ashes. Meanwhile Do Hoon has been causing troubles for the K-Group. Se Yeon sees documents related to Yoo Jung in Min Hyuk's room and advices him that he needs to let go of her. She already was punished for what she did and served her full time. But Min Hyuk is not really ready to do that yet.

 

Yoo Jung visits her father's shop/home, and is greeted by Do Hoon's mom. Yoo Jung later that day buys some stuff to bake a cake and is followed by Min Hyuk, who is literally stalking her now. She bakes a cake and visits the riverside again and spends the night there, mourning for San. While all this happens, Min Hyuk is still keeping his eyes on her. She returns the next day only with some sand (in memory of San) collected in a glass jar only to see Do Hoon worried about her, she tells him that they need to live a better life now, for San to be happy.

 

Do Hoon is still after K-Group, performing Search and Seizure in Min Hyuk's office now. Just before he can complete it, he is called back the Chief of his branch and is given an earful for acting all alone. Yoo Jung meets up her dad, and also with her old friends (who don't know why she suddenly disappeared). Min Hyuk visits Do Hoon and offers him to be a friend of his, and that he is attending a party happening soon and invites him for, but Do Hoon rejects it. Yoo Jung goes to meet Ji Hee's mom in order to ask forgiveness and is not really welcomed well by her. Ji Hee's mom even sends back the stuff and money Min Hyuk had sent to her in order to support her. 

 

Do Hoon registers Yoo Jung's dad's identity and he needs to wear a bracelet now, which would make it easier to find him, if he goes missing. He is also put under pressure by his mom, who still does not want to accept Yoo Jung as her daughter-in law. Yoo Jung searching for jobs but getting rejected for being ex-convict is contacted by an old friend of her for a part time job of serving in a party to which she agress. It is the same party in which Min Hyuk had invited Do Hoon, to which he had initially given a negative response, but decides to go and attend when his Sunbae in prosecution office advices him to. Meeting Yoo Jung there, he expresses being uncomfortable with her being around while he is also there (in fact what he really wants is avoiding Min Hyuk to meet her). Yoo Jung agrees and leaves. 

 

Se Yeon had prepared to finally confess her feelings to Min Hyuk and had asked him to stay till the end for the event she has prepared for him. She sings a song, and while she does, Min Hyuk is informed about something and he leaves immediately in between her song, disappointing Se Yeon. what actually had happened was that Yoo Jung was being harassed by the people to whom she owed money, and just before they can actually harm her, Min Hyuk arrives, has them leave the building claiming to be the owner of that building. Yoo Jung shocked asks him about it, and he tells her that she needs to evacuate the building in a week. 

 

Episode 6 starts with Min Hyuk asking Yoo Jung to evacuate the house within a week and tells her that this is nothing compared to what she took from him and leaves. When she asks him why is he after her like that, he tells her that she should have never left a person to die after hitting them. That is when Yoo Jung realizes that he is connected to Ji Hee. On the other side, Se Yeon is devastated by the fact that Min Hyuk left, despite her request before, and Do Hoon tells her that she should never shed tears for the person who would never do so for her. She meets with Min Hyuk and tells him that she'll not be marrying him. 

 

The next day in the morning we see Yoo Jung's dad's condition worsening. On the other hand Se Yeon meets up Min Hyuk with a contract and tells him that since their marriage will be a business, he needs to sign that contract for her to marry him. Yoo Jung arrives at Do Hoon's house having left her home and is not really welcomed by Do Hoon's mom. But Do Hoon's dad lets them enter and stay. 

 

Yoo Jung is informed about her dad being missing, she finds him at his shop, and asks to leave as it is no longer their shop. Just then he collapses again and is taken to the hospital. In the hospital Yoo Jung is informed that her dad needs to be operated. She gets him admitted in the hospital for the time being, has him change into hospital clothes and goes to wash his jacket (which he never take off easily). While washing the jacket, Yoo Jung finds the ring which Min Hyuk had given her as a collateral at the toll booth years ago. Tempted and wanting to have her dad operated faster, she goes to a pawn shop and takes some money in by giving it. 

 

Do Hoon on the other hand is being internally investigated for going after the assemblyman, and also K-group. After the internal investigation meeting, Attorney Gwang Min meets up with Do Hoon and takes him to an office. He tells him that this would be his office, if he quits being prosecutor and joins them, along with it he gives him documents which he could use to attack the assemblyman and have him prosecuted before joining K-group.

 

Soon after leaving the pawn shop, Yoo Jung is taken to meet Min Hyuk's step mom. Who asks her how did she get the ring which she had given to Min Hyuk for proposing the girl who he loved. Before she can ask more questions, she is interrupted by Min Hyuk who takes Yoo Jung away with her. Yoo Jung begs for forgiveness and asks him let it go once and that she'll make sure to pay it back once her dad's surgery is done. Just when this talk is happening, Se Yeon arrives with Do Hoon to have some drinks. Min Hyuk offers have drink together all four of them. Se Yeon initially having wrong ideas about Yoo Jung realizes later that she was the culprit in Ji Hee's accident, and again asks Min Hyuk to come back to his senses and also to move on, to which he says he just can't. 

 

Back to hospital, Yoo Jung sees her dad missing, she calls Do Hoon for help. Do Hoon tells her to file a report in police office, while he searches for him. He does find him and before he can drive him home, Yoo Jung's dad tells him to be careful. The last time he saw him driving, he had injured Yoo Jung, and that he knows Yoo Jung went to prison for him. Do Hoon, shocked, still keeps his calm and drives him. The next (or maybe a few days later) we see Do Hoon still getting investigated, and Yoo Jung still searching for her dad .

Didn't Do Hoon find him .

 

She does get a call about her dad being found, as she leaves, she meets Min Hyuk who well, as we all know has been stalking her, and he offers to take her (by the looks of it, it seemed to me he knew what was happening and what was about to happen). What she gets to see is, her dad's dead body. After funeral, she meets up with Do Hoon, who had not visited her during the funeral. She tells him that she does not want Do Hoon to continue feeling sorry towards her and breaks up with him. 

 

Visiting Yoo Jung at the shop, Min Hyuk sees her unconscious on the floor and carries her to the hospital, while we see Do Hoon to have resigned. 

 

 

 

 

 

Now to my comments after a rather long recaps for the two episodes. 

 

Firstly Min Hyuk literally stalking Yoo Jung is something, I am not really comfortable with. And well, we already see how much he wants to hurt her and cause troubles for her and still I think, he does not really know what exactly he wants to do. He himself is conflicted about it all. One time we see him after her, the next time we see him ordering his secretary to stop going after her and then we see him again going after her. Whatever he is doing, he is actually not getting satisfaction in doing it, opposite to it, I think he is feeling more unease now. This is how twisted Min Hyuk is. He feels guilty about Ji Hee's death because he had left her, and still does not want to accept it. Thus he has directed his anger towards Yoo Jung and blames her for everything. 

 

Do Hoon well, we all know what he did to Yoo Jung's dad, right? This is not all a spoiler. It is as simple as 2+2. He sat in Do Hoon's car, and suddenly he is found dead a few days later. Anyway, I loved how his Sunbae made things clear for him, that he is not at all righteous as much as he thinks about himself. He thinks he is better than other prosecutors around him, while the main reason he went after that assemblyman was to be the prosecutor in spotlight and also have a high profile case under his name. It literally had nothing to do with the deeds of that assemblyman. And he is actually right in this, because the K-Group he was after, offered him some good position and he left the prosecution for that group he was after. Looking at all that, I really see him as a hypocrite here. 

 

Do Hoon's mom, well she has consistently been a typical Kdrama mom. She cares nothing about Yoo Jung. She meets with her after she was informed about her son's death, and what she tells her is now she needs to live for her dad. Yeah, it is not wrong to say it, in fact she said the right thing, but timing was horrible. As Do Hoon also said, she had to let her at least mourn for her son for some days before saying that. Then we see her not really ready to accept Yoo Jung. Yes she was with him always, but she is his mom, its the least she can do for her son, but it was Yoo Jung who financially supported Do Hoon's studies and this woman does not really seem to care about it. Now that Yoo Jung is ex-convict she might have a point, but even before it, she didn't want to see Yoo Jung as her daughter in law. 

 

Se Yeon, well she is the logical person here. We have seen her constantly try to make Min Hyuk understand what he is doing is wrong. She understands him, maybe even more than him. She knows he is doing it all, because he wants to show that he is still hurting, he is doing it, because he partly blames himself on one hand and on the other does not want to accept it, and thus has his anger directed towards Yoo Jung. 

 

For Yoo Jung, I wouldn't want to say anything in particular. She literally blames herself for Ji Hee's death and that is the reason she is not much doing anything against Min Hyuk and letting him vent out his anger, and the other time well, she was really desperate to save her dad. After losing her son like that, her dad was the only family she was left with and we see her beg him like that for it. But I really need to say, her life has been sad till now. Kudos to Hwang Jung Eum acting so well as Yoo Jung. 

 

[partyon 49,704]

Ep 5 and 6 thoughts from me as well. Have a really hard time from NOT bingeing this drama... Watched up to the start of ep 8 and managed to stop.

 

In any case....  Let's go!

• Like dongsaeng @Sleepy Owl mentioned, we see Min Hyuk struggling with  himself. On the one hand, he's scared that he's turning into a monster, on the other hand he is finding himself more and more intrigued by Yoo Jung. His feelings of guilt about Ji Hee are eating him up inside, and interestingly enough his moral compass at this point in time is Se Yeon. She's there to remind him:
  "Do you really miss Seo Ji Hee or are you passing your guilt onto the other person as anger....?"
  Perceptive Se Yeon, perceptive!
• Hwang Jung Eum as Yoo Jung is amazing. When I watch this drama, I am always reminded of how great she is in melodramas.
  Yoo Jung's life is so pitiful. In ep 5 we see her break down over San's death. In ep 6 her father is found dead. I couldn't help but cry for her.
• On top of that she decides to break up with Do Hoon, because they are feeling too sorry for each other and the relationship isn't working anymore.
  She lost her son, her relationship, her father, her job, her home.... And then she says that she would still do the same thing over again for Do Hoon.... Like what?
  
• We are starting to see what type of a person Do Hoon really is. It's confirmed that he is the one blocked Yoo Jung's parole and it seems fairly suspicious that Yoo Jung's father is found dead after he picks up the father. Who by the way was extremely perceptive. The dad saw that Do Hoon was the one who was driving the car on the night of the accident....
  And we see him becoming increasingly interested in Se Yeon.
  Do Hoon, were you always this type of a man....?
• In episode 5 before Do Hoon and Yoo Jung break up, we see Do Hoon trying to seduce Yoo Jung but stops once he sees the scar she has on her shoulder. You can tell how shocked he is. Now I wouldn't normally comment on this, but this scene will be an important reminder later on in the drama...
• Se Yeon, I still don't have much to say about her. She tried to confess to Min Hyuk in ep 5, but girl, you should have known better. She really should have realized by now that he isn't in love with her and never will be. He only sees her as his friend....
• We find out that Min Hyuk has bought Yoo Jung's home in ep 6 and we see him also becoming increasingly interested in Yoo Jung. It's funny to see how he wants to get to know her, yet fears when she sees him and runs away. In the next second he's barking at her, yet he helps her. His emotions are all over the place, and it will take some time for him to sort them out.
• Min Hyuk clearly isn't as unfeeling as he tries to pass off as. We can even see how shocked he is that Yoo Jung loses her dad and goes to the funeral (whereas Do Hoon doesn't - and we can surely all guess why....)
• And Min Hyuk says to Yoo Jung the same words he said to Ji Hee:
  "Without my permission don't you dare to die...."

[Sleepy Owl 37,155]

@partyon Noona, what actually surprised me was the number of things happening in 2 episodes. While writing the recap, I was wondering how did they really fit it all in 2 episodes? In my opinion, there were very little time wasting scenes and almost all of them in both episodes were important. 

 

Like you said, in episode 5 Yoo Jung when Yoo Jung was still suffering because of San's death. A lot of things happen to her, she sees her house being owned by someone else and is forced to leave, her dad's disease develops more and he needs surgery, she struggles in coming up with funds for the surgery and then her dad disappears only to be found dead. Apart from this a lot of things happened on Do Hoon and Min Hyuk's end too, which actually shows how smartly the writers fit everything in 2 episodes. 

 

As for Min Hyuk we see him asking Yoo Jung "Since I felt how it feels lose a dear one, maybe you should too" something similar to it, I don't remember exact lines. But we do see him sad about her dad's death, which shows that even though he said that thing, he didn't really want it to happen. 

 

Anyway, after a slow start, the drama is finally picking up pace and it is really good sign.