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THE SHORT VERDICT:
Show is a sweet little ball of fluff that is funny, silly and sometimes quite ridiculous, but is, at its heart, warm, poignant and hopeful.
Our OTP is winsome and cute, and the secondary characters make a great little found family, but, for me, itās Uhm Tae Goo as our titular sweet mobster that just makes the show, for me. š¤©
A tiny touch uneven in spots, but overall, this oneās easy (and fun!) to slurp up. š„°
THE LONG VERDICT:
My friends. Iām actually really pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this one.
Iād liked the premise when Show was announced, but I was really doubtful when I watched the trailers, because theyād all seemed quite aggressively comedic, and if youāve been around the blog for a while, youād know that thatās just not my thing.
So imagine my surprise, when I fell for this one ā hook, line and sinker ā just about right away. š
OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE
Hereās the OST album, in case youād like to listen to it while reading the review.
Overall, I thought the OST was fun and enjoyable; a very apt companion to our storyline, which I found fluffy and sweet.
In terms of a favorite, I think I have to go with Track 5, Everything. I am, once again, drawn to the 6/8 tempo of it all š , and I also really like the earnest vibe of the song, which feels laced with a touch of sweet angst. š„²
Here it is on its own as well, in case youād prefer to listen to that on repeat. Just right-click on the video and select āLoop.ā
HOW IāM APPROACHING THIS REVIEW
First Iāll talk about how to manage your expectations going into this one, and what viewing lens would be most helpful.
After that, I talk about what I liked and liked less, covering the more macro aspects of Show, and then I give the selective spotlight to characters and relationships, in a separate section.
Finally, I also spend some time talking about my thoughts on the penultimate episodes, as well as our finale episodes.
If youāre interested in my blow-by-blow reactions, &/or all the various Patreon membersā comments during the course of our watch, you might like to check out my episode notes on Patreon here.
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS
Here are some things that I think would be helpful to keep in mind, to maximize your enjoyment of your watch:
1. Donāt take it too seriously
Show tends to be on the ridiculous side of things, so being ready to roll with the ridiculous, instead of taking Show to seriously, would be really helpful.
2. Be prepared for a bit of secondhand embarrassment, sometimes
..But donāt worry, it mostly doesnāt tend to last long, when it shows up. š
3. Just have fun
Maybe it goes without saying, but put away your overthinking, analytical lens, and just let Show do its thing. You might have more fun than youād expected ā coz thatās what happened for me. š„°
STUFF I LIKED
Itās fun to watch
Just like how some foods are just fun to eat, this show is just fun to watch.
I honestly looked forward to Showās new episodes every week, because I trusted that they would be a highlight of my week, and they really were ā most of the time (more on the wobble, later).
Mainly, I loved that Show was consistentlyĀ so dorky and silly; all I wanted to do was laugh indulgently, in response.
I guess you could say that with this one, Iām like a pet owner with a super cute, bumbling puppy; affectionate indulgence and disproportionate squees over The Cute, is the order of the day. š
Showās got heart
For all of its silly trappings, one of my favorite things about Show, is that itās got heart.
Our story is told with heart, and our characters are also full of heart.
Our ex-mobsters might look scary and intimidating, sometimes, but theyāre all sincere and goodhearted (if awkward) folk, and I liked that a lot.
I also appreciated that Show had an ongoing theme in its story, of whether itās possible for people to leave their dark pasts behind.
I thought that added a nice layer of poignance to our story, which helped to ground the sillier beats really nicely.
Showās sense of humor
Given how k-humor and I traditionally mostly havenāt gotten along, Iām happily shocked to actually have Showās sense of humor in this section, among the things I actually liked about it. š
Even though thereās physical comedy in this show, and the humor does land on the broader side of things, it doesnāt feel too aggressive for my taste.
Itās mild enough that I donāt find it too in-yo-face, even though it still falls within what I would consider broad comedy.
I also really like that, not always, but quite often, Show has layers ofĀ poignancy and heart underneath the silly. That definitely helped the silly land better, for me.
Here are a couple of my personal highlights.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E3-4. I have to tell you, I literally guffawed aloud, when I got to the scene where Ji Hwanās (Uhm Tae Goo) stunned to find that Eun Haās (Han Sun Hwa) channel has been suspended, and he can no longer watch her videos.
His dorky sorrowful lost expression, and the captions onscreen pronouncing that life is meaningless, had me giggling uncontrollably, no lie. š
ESPECIALLY since Ji Hwan then starts asking Il Yeong (Kim Hyun Jin) whether Eun Ha has called about returning his jacket, because he simply canāt go out without his jacket ā the dozen or so identical jackets in his closet notwithstanding.
I find it very hilarious, especially given Ji Hwanās dorky, plaintive expression. š
..Which is pretty much the same expression he has on, when he finds himself at Ye NaāsĀ (Song Seo Rin) apartment block, with his arm in Ye Naās grip, while Eun Ha walks off. Aw. He doesnāt want her to leave him behind! š„²
E9-10. The surprise blind date was so silly and entertaining, while also being quite secondhand mortifying, that I wasnāt sure what to do with myself during the scene. š
First, it was so surprising, but fun, to see Lee Joon cameo as Eun Haās blind date, and then, it was kind of secondhand mortifying to see Ji Hwan getting all worked up, while sitting back to back with Eun Ha (without her realizing it, of course), and listening in on said blind date.
Ji Hwanās big reactions had me on tenterhooks, thinking that he was going to get caught at any moment ā and then we get that ridiculous slo-mo save, when his cider and glass of ice fly into the air, complete with one-legged martial arts pose and all. That had me in stitches. š
..And then Ye Na shows up, and in his haste to cover her mouth, Ji Hwan ends up being caught with his hand on her cheek instead ā which sure looks like an affectionate boyfriend gesture, oops. š¤
Ha. I honestly kinda love the way Eun Ha stares daggers at him (complete with sound effects), as she walks away to enjoy the rest of her blind date.
Itās just too bad that Ji Hwanās coping mechanism when heās stressed, is to keep putting his foot in his mouth, or at least, thatās the impression I got, given the way he kept arguing with Eun Ha that evening, instead of just coming out and telling her that he likes her. š
[END SPOILER]
The whimsical touches
Showās got some fun touches to it, which I like to think of as whimsical.
Like how it has different characters doing the little ālike and subscribeā blurb, each episode; I thought these were a really cute idea.
And then we have the French bulldog, who makes such regular appearances, that itās a bit of a motif in our story world.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I love that the production thought to dress the Frenchie in different outfits, every episode, and then the sudden introduction of his girlfriend, complete in a bridal outfit, was such a fun little surprise. š¤©
[END SPOILER]
STUFF THAT WAS OK
When stuff gets secondhand embarassing
You might not struggle with this as much as I did, because your threshold for secondhand embarrassment might well be higher than mine. š
Iāve got this in this more neutral sort of section, because any moments of secondhand embarrassment didnāt tend to last too long, and I mostly did manage to see the funny inherent in the situation.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E1-2. The scene where Eun Ha puts toy handcuffs on Ji Hwan, and pretend-arrests him, after getting pushed into the fray by someone assuming that she was a real police officer, was rather secondhand embarrassing for me to watch. š
Itās as ridiculous and silly and secondhand mortifying as it sounds, and it took me a little bit of time to wrap my brain and my feelings around that.
I honestly had to tell myself to press through this scene, because the secondhand embarrassment was hitting me harder than the funny, but happily the scene ends relatively quickly, and we are soon blithely moving on to other things.
E3-4. I have to confess that I was struggling with some secondhand mortification, when Ji Hwan, desperate to stay in Eun Haās presence a little longer, makes those random outbursts, about how the milk stains on his jacket look like various different countries on the map. š
I mean, for the record, I did giggle too, while being secondhand mortified, because Uhm Tae Gooās comic timing is great, and I love how gung-ho he is about these silly comic scenes, despite him looking like a shy badass. š
E11-12. The whole gang visiting the orphanage was sweet in concept, though a little cringey in execution. š
Looking past the execution, I do like the idea that Eun Ha enables the boys to actually feel welcome at the orphanage, which is something that theyāve accepted as being an impossibility, because of their mobster backgrounds.
[END SPOILER]
STUFF THAT I LIKED LESS
When Show slumps
In episodes 11 and 12, Show works to retain its core fluffy vibe, while also acknowledging that there are tensions and obstacles in this fluffy world, that we should be aware of, and prepare ourselves for.
The execution landed as a mixed bag for me, and Iām sad to report that this was the first time I actually felt a sense of drag while watching this show.
I guess itās all kind of par for the course, like, most dramas start to slump somewhat in the watch experience, at roundabout this point, because itās time to gear up for the penultimate angst that will lead us towards the finale.
In that sense, itās not entirely unexpected, but Show had been such fluffy, adorable fun up to this point, that Iād hoped that it would somehow be different from most other shows, and rise above the three-quarter point slump.
Thatās.. not the case, at least in my experience.
Mostly, a lot of what Show was serving up in these episodes felt like filler to me, like it was cycling in place, and offering up some sprinklings of cuteness, to distract us from the fact that we were cycling in place. š
[SPOILER ALERT]
For example, one of the things that I did absolutely giggle at, is the whole extended wind machine sequence, at the top of episode 11.
The more it went on, the funnier it got, with Ji Hwan and Eun Ha taking turns to bask in the slo-mo wind spotlight, with a good amount of hair-toss-preening and coy blushing to go with.
Ji Hwan and Eun Ha making hearts at each other while Hong Ki (Moon Dong Hyuk) says a very long and protracted grace, is also low-key amusing.
I will admit, though, to finding this all cuter in concept than in execution, and I think the reason for that, is because my brain recognizes all of these cute moments as filler.
I find it hard to believe that Jae Soo and Man Ho (Yang Hyun Min and Lee Yoo Joon) would be so obtuse as to not notice the ānew coupleā energy around Ji Hwan and Eun Ha, especially when they are not with the rest of the group, and Show making them so obtuse, isnāt that funny to me.
If you look past the high likelihood that Ji Hwan used the tracking app to figure out where Eun Ha was, itās actually quite sweet how heās happy to be her porter, carrying all her purchases, and even encourages her to keep shopping, without worrying about him.
I did think the shadow puppetry thing was quite heavy-handed; it felt quite random in the introduction of it, and then the connection to Hyun Woo Oppa also felt quite needlessly aggressive.
When Eun Ha brings up Hyun Woo Oppa to Ji Hwan, I really wish that Ji Hwan would just come out and tell her that he IS Hyun Woo Oppa.
I find that Iām very ready for the mystery of Hyun Woo Oppa to be put to rest; I want Eun Ha to know, and I want Ji Hwan to tell her.
If sheās willing to date Ji Hwan, he must be a good enough guy, yes? And so, thereās no problem with knowing that heās also Hyun Woo Oppa, since that would mean that Hyun Woo Oppa turned out to be a pretty decent guy?
I am guessing that Ji Hwan doesnāt want Eun Ha to feel any guilt about leading that mobster dude to his house, but.. surely mobster dude would have figured it out sooner or later, with or without Eun Haās help?
Another thing that I find myself getting tired of, is the whole thing with Ye Na trying to get closer to Ji Hwan.
I donāt begrudge her the chance to shoot her shot, but since Ji Hwan has already made it clear to her that he only sees her as a business partner, Iād like her to believe him on that, and back off.
Itās really poor form, for her to cling onto false hope like that, and even try to convince Eun Ha that she deserves to be with Ji Hwan more, because she got to know him earlier.
Yet another thing that Iām ready for Show to put to rest, is the love rivalry between Ji Hwan and Hyun Woo (Kwon Yul).
After all, isnāt Ji Hwan already dating Eun Ha? And hasnāt Eun Ha already turned down Hyun Woo?
That should be enough to put this rivalry to rest, but no, Hyun Woo says to Ji Hwan that he wonāt give up on Eun Ha, and Iām over here restlessly rolling my eyes, because I want him to take Eun Haās stance seriously.
I mean, he can care for her and support her as a friend, surely? Why does it have to be romantic or nothing?
I was so ready for this love rivalry thing to be put to rest. But ok, the petty battle between Ji Hwan and Hyun Woo in the comments section of Eun Haās new video, is quite silly and therefore rather amusing.
[END SPOILER]
SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTERS & RELATIONSHIPS
Uhm Tae Goo as Ji Hwan
This was my introduction to Uhm Tae Goo, and right away, I was really taken with how perfect Uhm Tae Goo is, as our titular mobster, Seo Ji Hwan.
First of all, I just love-love-LOVE his raspy voice that sounds like itās coming from the far recesses of his throat; somehow that just screams mafia to me. š
The long leather trench coat and the slicked back hair, paired with his smoky, dark good looks complete the picture of the handsome gangster perfectly, for me. š¤©
And then there are the forays into physical comedy, where Iām impressed with how Uhm Tae Goo throws himself into it, without any vanity whatsoever.
Fun fact, I went searching for Uhm Tae Goo videos after watching the first two episodes, because I just needed to know if that was his real voice, and I found out that:
1, that is, indeed his real voice, and
2, he really is that dorky and shy in real life.
That just multiplied my instant love for our dorky mobster, because I thought it was so cute, that heās mostly just being himself. šš¤
As a character, I really found my heart going out to Ji Hwan multiple times, and I think itās safe to say that he is my favorite character in this story world. š„²
[SPOILER ALERT]
E1-2. I love that Ji Hwan is the kinda guy who would effortlessly rise to the top of his game ā and then nonchalantly dissolve his organization, because he wants everyone in it, to turn over a new leaf.
Aw. An ex-gangster making good, and doing his best to get his men to make good too?
Thatās endearing enough on its own, but I find it even more endearing, that he would disappear quietly from the spotlight, like the attention never mattered to him.
The fact that we see him praying at a temple, tells me that heās seeking spirituality, which is a nice trait to have, I think. It makes me think that heās got some depth to him.
And then, the way he takes that phone call and effortlessly rattles off, without even thinking, how his men should deal with the bloody scene theyāve come upon, complete with instructions on how to wrap up the pieces so they donāt bleed, and ventilate the place so that it doesnāt smell, and clean the blood off the floor, is such a funny contrast ā especially given that heās at a temple, which he himself seems to have forgotten, heh.
After that, the very sheepish face that he makes, as he realizes that heās just described all those things to a room full of monks, and the hilarious way his leg cramps up as heās trying to leave as unobtrusively as possible, just completes my mental picture of him, in my head.
Now, in my head, heās this suave, dark, too-cool-for-school ex-gangster on the outside, but is quite the adorable dork on the inside, and this amuses me greatly. š¤
I think I will never tire of Show playing these two sides of him against each other, for my entertainment.
E3-4. My thought, coming away from these episodes, is how much I LUFF our sweet mobster. šš
Honestly, these episodes had me giggling and squeeing in pretty equal measure, and Iām having so much fun, you guys. š„°
I mean, when Ji Hwan is in his strong, silent mobster boss mode, he oozes presence, and I find him so quietly commanding.
And then, when heās being all smitten with Eun Ha, heās the cutest, dorkiest dork ever, and my soft spot for him just grows bigger and bigger. š I basically cannot help it. š
E3-4. We start episode 3 revisiting the scene where Ji Hwan shields Eun Ha from the milk mob, and I find myself swooning all over again, with how quietly helpful Ji Hwan is, as he gets her to calm down, and then proceeds to carry her outta there ā while very calmly telling the protesting milk mob, to save the milk for the milk company.
I find him to be such a grounding force, in this entire scene, even though Eun Ha soon protests and demands that he put her down.
Importantly, I appreciate that he gets Eun Ha to see a different point of view, by telling her that she can go back in there ā if she is able to shoulder the responsibility.
Thatās the thing that gives Eun Ha pause, because even though she does feel a sense of duty towards the parents who had trusted her recommendation and bought that milk for their kids, itās true that she isnāt in a position to shoulder the blame.
This incident does make me feel like Ji Hwan is wiser than most people would give him credit for, being an ex-gangster and all.
In fact, Iām thinking of the phrase āstill waters run deepā and it feels apt to describe Ji Hwan, because heās usually so reticent and reserved. And yet, when he has something to say, like in this case, he makes so much sense.
E5-6. I feel bad for Ji Hwan, because it really seems to hit him hard, when Hyun Woo insinuates that Eun Ha shouldnāt be around a dangerous person like Ji Hwan.
The way Ji Hwan tells Hyun Woo to take Eun Ha with him, makes me think that heās more hurt than anything, and that hurt isnāt coming from a place of offense, but from a place of.. defeat, like he canāt refute anything that Hyun Woo has to say.
Aw. Poor Ji Hwan. š
E7-8. Ji Hwan is determined to save Taek, particularly now that he knows that Taek was taken by force, and that he hadnāt broken his word to live clean.
At the same time, Ji Hwan is very much aware of how this is a very dangerous situation.
I can see why he would conclude that it would be best to keep Eun Ha as far away from this danger as possible.
And because he canāt take himself from this danger, because of his commitment to Taek, his only way to keep Eun Ha safe, is to keep her away from himself.
It definitely looks like noble idiocy to us viewers, but I can understand this line of thinking.
Ji Hwan loves Eun Ha and wants to keep her safe ā even if it means losing her, himself. Thatās honestly kind of touching, when you look at it like that?
Thatās why he digs up the time capsule, and thatās why he doesnāt reveal his identity, when he gives it to her.
In a similar vein, this is also why Ji Hwan doesnāt tell the rest of the boys where heās going; he doesnāt want them in danger either.
Heās literally like this big mother hen, trying to protect all his chicks, and using his own body as the shield.
Honestly, the more I see of Ji Hwan, the more my heart goes out to him.
We finally get to see what had happened that fateful day when Hyun Woo had seen Ji Hwan with that bloody club, at the hotel, and the truth is heart-pinching stuff.
I feel so much for Ji Hwan, who was ambushed and attacked by Go Yang Hui (Im Chul Soo) and his men.
Iām glad he survives, of course, but by the end, heās been clubbed and slashed, and heās bleeding so much, and it feels like heās been attacked like some kind of rag doll. š
And then, when Il Yeong confesses that heād purposely missed all the calls that the rest of the boys had made to him that day, and is wracked with guilt over it, it kind of kills me, to hear Ji Hwan say that if Il Yeong had been able to live for a while like a regular college kid, he would have died happy.
AUGH. Ji Hwan is so self-sacrificial, in the way that he loves, and I just want to protect him from everything and everyone ā including himself. š„²
The whole sequence where Ji Hwan and Il Yeong move in to save Taek reminds me a fair bit of that day when Go Yang Hui had cornered and attacked him, because Ji Hwanās body takes such a beating this time, too.
Not only is he beaten up, heās even run over by a car. And he says that all he cares about is saving Taek.
AUGH. This man. I honestly believe that he would literally die, in order to protect his own, and it kills me to see that he would do so much for them, but neglect to care for his own wounds and injuries.
When he and Eun Ha had finally been released from the freezer, heād only cared that she got checked and treated.
This time, too, he keeps insisting that heās fine ā even though he got knocked down by a car.
E9-10. It is poignant to hear Ji Hwan respond to Hyun Wooās pointed question, by saying that he knows best what kind of person he is and the kind of danger that surrounds him, and that everything Hyun Wooās thought of 10 times, heās thought of a thousand times or more.
Eep. I found this moment quite heart-pinching, because how sad must this make Ji Hwan, under his stoic mobster boss aura? š
[END SPOILER]
Han Sun Hwa as Eun Ha
You guys. I thought that this was my introduction to Han Sun Hwa, but I was wrong.
Iāve apparently also seen her in other shows like 2014ās Marriage Not Dating and 2018ās My Husband Oh Jak Doo, in which she had main roles. Whoops. š
Honestly, if I didnāt know better, Iād think that Han Sun Hwa was just being herself; sheās just that natural and believable as Eun Ha.
Han Sun Hwa does a really good job of being our sincere, goodhearted heroine, and IĀ quickly found myself liking her, and rooting for her.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E1-2. Eun Haās a sweet, goodhearted, guileless person, who just sincerely wants to do well as a content creator for kids, not by hawking products to kids and their parents, but by creating fun and wholesome videos for her audience.
Sheās immediately an underdog sort of character, because Show quickly informs us that the world of content creation is a dog-eat-dog one, even when youāre in the realm of content for kids.
E3-4. Eun Ha really is a pure-hearted soul, isnāt she?
Not only does she not blame the parents for attacking her over the milk incident, sheās kind to that mother, who had attacked her the previous day.
And, she listens with empathy, when the mother describes how tough it is, to be a single parent, and how Eun Haās videos had helped her, because she could feel at ease letting her daughter watch the videos, knowing that Eun Ha wouldnāt be pushing products like other creators.
Aw. Itās actually rather eye-opening to see how Eun Haās choice not to push products made her a more attractive choice for parents with tight budgets.
This proves that Eun Haās reasoning to her CEO had been correct; there are parents who need creators like her.
I also admire Eun Ha for being able to put her pride aside and accept that cleaning job from Ye Na, whoād obviously said it to spite her.
The fact that Eun Ha can call Ye Na and accept the job with a smile, and be so cheerful and upbeat on the job, makes me feel that Eun Ha really is made of strong stuff.
Plus, how about the fact that Ye Na purposely invited those other creators over, specifically to let them see that Eun Ha was cleaning her house, so that Eun Ha would be humiliated? Grrr.
Iām glad that Eun Ha handles it with composure, even though sheās clearly taken aback.
[END SPOILER]
Our OTP
I found this OTP loveline super cute, and waiting breathlessly for forward movement on this loveline, ready to squee at any given time, was one of the big highlights of my watch. š
I love that Ji Hwan falls first, and he falls hard, and it was just very cute to me, how our effortlessly badass ex-mobster, would become such a dork, in the face of feeeelingggss. š¤
Ji Hwan being discombobulated by Eun Ha never got old for me, and I had a great time lapping up our OTP moments.
To be clear, the writing and handling of this OTP is definitely on the more wholesome, sanitized side of things, but that worked, I felt, in this particular manhwa-esque story world.
I still found them endlessly endearing together, and I very much appreciated that Show took the time to inject layers and heart, into the development of their relationship.
[SPOILER ALERT]
E1-2. I love that Ji Hwan literally falls for Eun Ha very quickly, not at first sight at the nightclub, but the first time he sees her in her element, interacting with kids and having a fun, educational, wholesome time with them.
Aw. The fact that itās this side of her that makes him fall for her, is very endearing to me, honestly.
So far, itās a comedy of errors in terms of their encounters, from her trying to fake-arrest him, to her misunderstanding his actions and thinking that heās extorting money from a kid, to her accidentally breaking his ribs and causing him to fall down a flight of stairs, eep.
It does make everything even more endearing though, when he wakes up from his concussion and spends all his time binge-watching her videos, because it makes him happy.
After all the trouble sheās brought him, heās still smitten and swooning over her wholesome kidsā videos, and even hallucinating about her being in his hospital room; Iām just so gleeful at how dorky he is, over her. š¤
And how cute is it, that when his men, still very gangster-like in their habits despite turning over a new leaf, report her particulars to him, as the person behind all his injuries, he insists wildly (coz heās hidden her under the covers next to him, ha) that itās not like that at all, and they shouldnāt lay a finger on her.
Isnāt he so cutely protective, even though itās true that she broke his ribs? Aw. š„²
Within our first two episodes, we already get our first misunderstanding and first reconciliation between Ji Hwan and Eun Ha, and I find it all quite cutely poignant.
Itās unfortunate that Ji Hwan misunderstands that Eun Ha had uploaded that unflattering video of his men as a means to gain attention and traction, but Iām glad that he realizes his mistake soon enough, once Eun Ha uploads the original footage, in order to set the record straight.
That scene where he trails her to the bus stop and then sheepishly gets caught, because she spots his feet peeking out from under the bus stop billboard, is amusing yet poignant.
Itās amusing to me because of the bit of physical comedy involved, that showcases how sheepish and awkward Ji Hwan is, and itās poignant, because things are so so needlessly awkward between them.
Theyāre both apologetic for how theyāve each misunderstood the other, so it feels kinda sad, really, when their stilted conversation gets nowhere, and Eun Ha excuses herself to walk off the beer that sheās had.
As for the milk incident, we donāt know yet why the milkās causing food poisoning in all those kids, but it does make a point about the responsibilities of a content creator.
Because Eun Ha endorsed that milk product, all the parents are turning around and blaming her, now that their kids are ill.
As tropey as it is that Ji Hwan shows up and shields Eun Ha from the milk that parents are tossing at her, I honestly kinda love that closing scene, where Ji Hwan and Eun Ha lock gazes.
I love that our dark, smoldery, smitten ex-gangster is here to help and protect Eun Ha, and I love just as much, that the first thing he says to her, is tell her to close her eyes and count to ten.
Ahh! Heās prioritizing her emotional and mental wellbeing, and getting her to find her place of peace and stillness on the inside, over actually getting involved in the situation and trying to get these people to stop blaming her.
Thatās.. pretty darn great, and I think I love him more now. š„²
E3-4. I like that in the various snippets of conversation that we see between Ji Hwan and Eun Ha, they do seem to offer different perspectives to each other, which makes me feel like theyāre expanding each otherās worlds, in a way.
Like how Ji Hwan says that running away is the best strategy in a fight, while Eun Ha tells him that the kidsā parents werenāt trying to fight, but were simply upset that their kids were sick and in pain.
What Iām most taken by, in this scene, however, is the thoughtful way Ji Hwan listens, like heās being schooled and heās intently chewing on the new information that heās gained.
Or maybe Iām just reading too much into his squint ā because I love his squint! š¤©
E3-4. Iām glad Ji Hwan manages to find Eun Ha again, at the pochangmacha, and I am pleased that he has enough boldness about him, to sit down with Eun Ha uninvited, because that leads to some meaningful conversation.
Ordinarily, I would prefer that the guy mind boundaries more, and not get into the ladyās personal space without permission, but somehow, in Ji Hwanās case, with how awkward he is around Eun Ha, I find that Iām more willing to.. overlook that.
I feel that itās meaningful that Eun Ha talks a bit about her childhood, and why she hates mobsters. I also feel itās meaningful that she says that she wishes Ji Hwan werenāt a mobster.
Aw. Doesnāt that indicate that Eun Ha has good feelings of some kind towards Ji Hwan, since she wishes that he werenāt a mobster? Otherwise, why would it even matter, yes?
And I find it so poignant, the way Ji Hwan says, with wistfulness in his voice, that he wishes he werenāt, either.
Awww. Are we talking about life regrets now?? š„²
And then, I had to laugh, when Show serves up that scene of Ji Hwan swooping Eun Ha into a princess-carry because sheās too drunk to go home on her own, only to undercut everything by making that the fantasy, while the reality is that Ji Hwanās the one whoās as drunk as a skunk. š
All of the drunken playground antics are hilarious, and I found myself giggling harder and then harder still, as Ji Hwan dances from one playground item to another, blithely showing off his prowess to Eun Ha.
My gosh, Ji Hwan and Eun Ha spinning around and around on the roundabout was very funny, and then Ji Hwan going down the slide and bonking his head was laugh-out-loud hilarious.
Ji Hwan randomly yelling out, āTransform! Flash mob!ā in that raspy voice of his was just GOLD, though. I was literally silently shivering with laughter, by this point. š
And then everything turns a little more thoughtful and poignant, when they move to the swings, and Ji Hwan praises Eun Ha for doing a nice job of standing on the swings, which I thought was sweet.
But heās even sweeter, to tell her all the things she does well, when she talks about all the things she doesnāt do well, like drinking, and making bubbles.
And afterwards, I felt all warm and fuzzy inside, when Ji Hwan tells Eun Ha to keep making videos, and then I silently squeed, when Ji Hwan sits up and tells Eun Ha, in his raspy, tipsy way, that he misses watching them.
Eeeee! Somehow my inner fangirl is spazzing at the fact that heās admitting to Eun Ha that he misses her videos; I think itās because heās letting on, in some way, that sheās important to him. š„²
Ji Hwanās mortification the next morning, as he remembers all his drunken antics, just makes everything funny all over again; itās like he gives the hijinks new life, ha.
And then the way he starts hallucinating visions of Eun Ha around him, instead of paying attention to presentations at work, makes me giggle all over again. š¤
Itās really unfortunate that Eun Haās basically fired from the company, not just for the milk incident, but for not being the kind of money-focused creator that they want her to be.
But, itās because of that, that she ends up wandering her old neighborhood, and finding herself at Ji Hwanās home.
I kinda love that Ji Hwan keeps finding excuses to help Eun Ha, like telling her that heād like to check the condition of his very expensive jacket, to get her to come into the house.
Iām reading this as him recognizing that Eun Ha doesnāt want to be a charity case, and doesnāt want people to pity her, and this is why heās being so careful and tentative about offering help.
E3-4. I am amused but no longer surprised, when Il Yeong makes up an excuse so that Eun Ha can go with Ji Hwan to Jung Yoon Taekās home, to try to find out more about where he might be.
Again, I like that we get some meaningful nuggets of conversation between them in the car, like Ji Hwan and Eun Ha apologizing to each other for the various ways theyāve misunderstood each other, Ji Hwan telling Eun Ha why heās looking for Jung Yoon Taek, and then talking about why Ji Hwan started a company with just ex-cons.
E5-6. I get a real kick out of Ji Hwan having such a commanding sort of effect on everyone, like when he shows up to save Eun Ha and Hong Ki from those guys from the Kitty Gang. š¤©š
Itās played in an exaggerated fashion, but I absolutely got a kick out of all of those tough guys disappearing in the blink of an eye, the moment Ji Hwan appears.
And then, we finally get Ji Hwan telling Eun Ha that she can stay at the mobster mansion for the time being, until sheās found another place to stay.
YESSS. I just reallyreallyreally want Eun Ha to live in that house with Ji Hwan and the rest of his boys, and be the princess-cum-mother hen that they all love and need. š„°
One of my favorite things about Eun Ha living at the mobster mansion, is that she gets to know more about Ji Hwan, whether sheās interacting with him directly or not.
Like how she overhears Ji Hwan telling his boys that their mistakes are unfortunately not judged as simply as if the mistake had been made by someone else; that their ex-con backgrounds unfortunately do factor into how people see them.
Aw. Thatās quite sad and sobering, isnāt it?
Of course, my absolute favorite thing about Eun Ha living at the house, is that she gets to spend time with Ji Hwan, and even have the occasional moment of hyper-proximity.
Like that moment when Ji Hwan reaches through the trellis separating their balconies, and removes that bug from her face.
Heās so gentle and tender about it, that I honestly totally understand why Eun Ha would find her heart racing, in response. š¤
And then thereās the way Ji Hwan mistakes Eun Ha for a burglar and accosts her in the garden ā and they end up having a nice little conversation about why Eun Ha had come to the house in the first place; that sheād had good memories of the place, and of a very good person.
It really feels nice that Eun Ha and Ji Hwan are loosening up around each other, and getting to know more about each other. š„°
I love how happy Ji Hwan looks, when he tells Eun Ha that theyāre having a welcome party for her, and she gets all thrilled and excited.
But also ā how random is it, that Ji Hwan ends up putting his hand on Eun Haās head, without even realizing it? š
Iām sure Showās just putting that in there for laughs, but I do find it a sweet idea, that Ji Hwanās so drawn to Eun Ha, that heād overcome his usual reservations without even realizing it, and put his hand on her head, like a gesture of affection.
Also, isnāt Eun Ha such a good help, going out and talking Hong Ki into going back to the house, even though Ji Hwanās officially cut him off as punishment for his fraudulent mistake?
Thatās totally the kind of thing Iād expect the mother of the house to do, and this thought amuses me ā and satisfies me! ā quite a bit. š
I got a kick out of Eun Ha trouncing Jae Soo at drinking games, and Jae Soo getting super drunk and hungover as a result, when heād been intending to use the welcome party to get Eun Ha suffering drunk. š
Eun Ha does get tipsy, however ā which is how we end up with that drunk kiss with Ji Hwan, at the end of episode 5.
Iām half squeeing coz it is technically a kiss, but Iām also half mortified on Eun Haās behalf, because I feel her horror the next morning, when she remembers how sheād kissed Ji Hwan. Oops. šš
I can totally understand why Eun Ha would lie that she canāt remember a thing, coz sheād been too drunk, but ā eep! ā how unfortunate, that she and Ji Hwan talk at cross purposes and she ends up getting the idea that Ji Hwan thinks that the kiss was an unpleasant situation. š š
Isnāt Ji Hwan quite cute though, with the way he pays such close attention to Eun Haās likes and dislikes, which sheād shared at the welcome party, and then takes them so seriously that heād give fresh instructions to his boys, so that they can align more closely to Eun Haās preferences.
I luff this dork, so much. š
And Iām glad that Eun Ha finds herself feeling a little jealous, when she hears about Ji Hwan āhuggingā Kang Ye Na and taking her to the hospital.
ALSO. How about that āshoulder thugā moment?
Omona. I laughed so hard, when Ji Hwan gets all hurt that Eun Ha referred to him as a thug, because he hadnāt understood the slang.
And Iām SO stoked, really, that Eun Ha keys in to his peevishness, and actually hits on the reason why heās acting all touchy and aggrieved ā and then has a good hearty laugh about it.
I found this so funny, and I found it even funnier, when Ji Hwan finally looks it up, and then gets all pleased about her noticing his shoulders ā and then proceeds to work out only his shoulders, the next morning.
Tee hee hee!
I LUFF THIS DORK. šššš
E5-6. I was really shaking my head at Man Ho for his crazy idea of locking Eun Ha in the freezer with Ji Hwan, so that the two of them would get some quality time together.
I mean, thatās quite dangerous, as we see, when Man Ho realizes that heās lost the keys to said freezer. š¤¦š»āāļø
BUT.
We do get some quality moments between Ji Hwan and Eun Ha, when she tells him that his employees think really well of him.
I thought that was quite precious and meaningful, especially when Eun Ha tells him that she thinks that heās a good person. Aw. š„²
And then we have Ji Hwan taking off his coat and his jacket to try to keep Eun Ha warm, which I thought was really sweet and gallant of him.
AND THEN WE HAVE BACKHUG HUDDLING.
Ahhh!!! I mean, if I were Eun Ha Iād probably be too frozen to register this as romantic in the moment, but as an observer, I find it very romantic, that Ji Hwan would do everything he could, to keep Eun Ha from freezing.
PLUS DID I MENTION BACKHUG HUDDLING??? ššš
I dunno, maybe Man Ho really was on to something there, after all? š
E7-8. I do love that slo-mo hero moment that we get, when Ji Hwan walks out from the freezer with Eun Ha in a princess-carry, complete with that icy cloud billowing around him.
It wouldāve been cooler if he and Eun Ha werenāt actually frozen, but it still made for a very cool visual.
After that, I do love what an anxious dork Ji Hwan becomes, when Eun Haās in the hospital.
I love the way he fusses over her, in every sense possible, from hovering over her, all worried that she might have lost her memory or something, to making that very detailed list of things that she might need, and asking Mi Ho (Moon Ji In) to bring everything to the hospital ā even though Eun Haās only going to be warded for a single night, heh.
His care for Eun Ha is spilling out all over the place, and I love it. š„°
And, it does look like Eun Ha feels heās very endearing too, judging from the way she softly smiles to herself, after heās left with the boys.
In my view, it definitely seems like Eun Ha might be growing a bit of a romantic soft spot for Ji Hwan.
The way she sits up close to him, when heās dozed off while sitting up in her hospital room, and air-traces his features with her finger, is so very telling.
Honestly, I canāt think of any other scenario in which someone would do that (unless it was a parent to their child, and this is absolutely not the case here š).
And, I do love that Eun Haās basically got Ji Hwanās number; she knows how to make him do things, even when he protests that heās fine.
Like the way she gets him to stay at the hospital for an IV drip, because he doesnāt look too well.
He protests and protests that heās fine, but in the end, she has him lying in her hospital bed, obediently getting that IV drip.
Tee hee hee. I am honestly very tickled by the fact that this mobster boss dude, who literally has people shivering in their boots just by showing up, is wrapped around Eun Haās little finger, and doing her bidding.
Isnāt that so very cute?? š¤
I do really like the fact that Eun Ha is curious to know more about him. That shows that sheās interested to understand him as a person, and thatās one step closer to this would-be OTP actually getting minted, yes?
I appreciate the fact that Eun Haās clearly been paying attention; the way she describes Ji Hwan to himself, sheās obviously been putting all the fragments of information together to form a picture of him.
And I also appreciate that when Eun Ha asks if heās ever opened up to someone, he does open up a bit, right then and there, and tells her that there had been one person, when heād been little.
Of course, now we know, on hindsight, that heās talking about Eun Ha, because thatās the big reveal that Show gives us, these episodes.
I thought it was really quite sweet that Ji Hwan would sleep soundly through the night, when heād ordinarily be on reflexive high alert, and therefore not sleep very deeply at all.
I like to think that itās because he feels comfortable and safe around Eun Ha. š„°
Isnāt he such a funny dork, though, the way he tries to leave the room so stealthily, upon waking up? It honestly gives me Pink Panther vibes, itās so cute. š
Of course, I canāt get enough of the tender look in his eyes as he stops to look down at a sleeping Eun Ha, and gently pulls her blanket over her. Melt. š„°
Itās just too bad that he drops his wallet while sneaking out of the hospital room, because thatās the whole reason Eun Ha goes to his company to look for him ā and thatās how she ends up seeing him āwrist grabā Ye Na, to prevent her from eating the sausage that sheās allergic to.
Poor Ji Hwan. Heās so perplexed and mortified, when he finds out that Eun Ha had seen it, and jumped to the wrong conclusion.
As a silver lining, a bit of jealousy always works to nudge charactersā feelings into focus, and it definitely does that for Eun Ha.
Sheās absolutely low-key jealous, and you can see it in the way she digs up the garden with a bit more aggression than is absolutely needed.
Plus, sheās kind of passive-aggressive later as well, when she remarks that Ji Hwan had looked busy, and thatās why sheād handed off his wallet to Dong Hee (Park Jae Chan).
Poor Ji Hwan, heās so out of his depth, in trying to explain himself to Eun Ha. š¤
BUT THEN.
How about that moment of hyper-proximity and hyper-awareness, when Ji Hwan gets soap bubbles on Eun Haās hair, and hastily tries to get them off her, with his hands.
I totally held my breath for a while there, thinking that one of them might initiate a kiss or something ā but Man Ho, big hiccuping dork that he is, breaks the moment, pfft.
E9-10. I can understand Eun Haās decision to move out of the mobster mansion.
When she explains it to Mi Ho, it makes a lot of sense; that she should get out quick, before her feelings for Ji Hwan get too big and too deep, because, as far as she understands it, he doesnāt reciprocate her feelings.
Itās not noble idiocy, itās putting herself first, and protecting her own heart, and I can absolutely get behind that.
As for Ji Hwan, I can understand his thought, that it would be dangerous for Eun Ha to associate herself with someone like him, so I can also understand him trying his best to stick to his guns and not stop her from leaving.
Honestly, you can see that one of Ji Hwanās biggest drivers, is the desire to keep Eun Ha safe.
Thatās why he goes to see Go Yang Hui, to make it clear that he will not tolerate Go Yang Hui messing with her, or with his boys.
Aw, isnāt Ji Hwan such a mother hen at heart? He just wants to protect those who are precious to him. It just so happens that he has the glower of a top mafioso, to go with his protective mother hen heart. š¤
And so, a lot of these episodesā plot points, revolve around Eun Ha getting ready to leave the mobster boys, and Ji Hwan angsting over the fact that sheās leaving, but not feeling like he could or should do anything to stop her.
E9-10. Thereās no denying that Ji Hwan absolutely cares about Eun Ha.
Just look at the way he panics, when he calls her, and hears her screaming, as she runs away from the high-schoolers.
The way he races over there to retrieve her phone, and then keeps running all the way to the police station, you just know that heās ready to do anything it takes, in order to make everything ok, for Eun Ha.
Itās just too bad that heās stopped dead in his tracks, at the sight of Eun Ha in Hyun Wooās company.
Aw. Dang it. Poor Ji Hwan, feeling dispensable and all ā not to mention jealous at the fact that Eun Haās with Hyun Woo.
Honestly, as much as I love Ji Hwan and sympathize with him, and even understand his reasoning, I did want to reach into my screen and shake him a bit, for being so stubbornly withholding with Eun Ha, to the point of even being rather brusque.
Credit to Eun Ha, really, for approaching Ji Hwan to talk, after heās put such a clear distance between them.
And credit to her too, for figuring out that heās the one whoād left her phone on the ground of the carpark, at the police station, and also, for telling him that sheād enjoyed the time that sheād spent at the house ā and also, with him.
But with Ji Hwanās iron will ā and we know that he definitely has one, to have been able to do stuff like turn in his father to the cops ā itās honestly not that surprising, that it takes A LOT to galvanize him into action, especially a course of action thatās different from the one heās set his mind to.
The fact that Ji Hwan panics when 11am rolls around, because thatās the time that Eun Ha had told him she was signing the contract with the real estate agent, and goes running out the door, says a lot about how important Eun Ha is to him.
Even his iron will has to give way, when it comes to Eun Ha. Thatās quite touching, when you look at it that way, yes? š„²
E9-10. The ālost in the woodsā scene is very akin to the classic one, where the female lead gets lost in the woods on a lonely, snowy mountain, and the male lead goes out desperately searching for her, and then, when he comes upon her, finally, there are tears and hugs and handholding.
The way Show does it, though, is a nice twist to the original, because in this case, Eun Ha is not actually lost; itās just that Ji Hwan panics because sheās been gone for a whole hour and isnāt answering her phone, and his panic stirs everyone into a panic, and soon thereās this whole entire frenzy of an emergency search for Eun Ha ā whoās just really taking her time with her walk. š
Itās quite funny how Ji Hwanās panic is basically the catalyst for everything ā including that tumble that they both take, because his desperately urgent approach startles Eun Ha.
I was a little taken aback when Ji Hwan starts berating Eun Ha for taking off on her own, but I was glad to hear him blurt out that he was worried about her, and then, shortly after, that he likes her.
And Iām glad that Eun Ha latches onto that, and gets him to backtrack and repeat what he said, which is how we finally get Ji Hwan confessing his feelings for Eun Ha. HUZZAH!!
āEun Ha, I really, really, really.. like you. Only you.ā
Awwww. The dork is so simple and sincere in his confession. Melt.
And then, I do love that Eun Haās confession is done so naturally, while heās carrying her on his back, because of her sprained ankle.
That she hasnāt been able to stop thinking about him since the day heād carried her at the hospital; that he doesnāt say much, and picks mean things to say on purpose, loses his temper often, awkward with words and even more awkward with actions, has no idea what a woman wants ā but she still likes him.
Itās hilarious that Ji Hwanās in such shock that he literally drops Eun Ha right then and there; I guess he was all wrapped up in all the not-so-positive things that Eun Ha had been saying about him, that the confirmation that she still liked him, in spite of it all, was just too much for him. š¤
I do love the idea, though, that Eun Ha is very clear on all of his failings, but likes him anyway. That is very accepting and lovely. š„°
And, I love just as much, that Eun Ha doesnāt hesitate to take Ji Hwanās face in her hands and kiss him, now that she knows that he likes her. š
I found it utterly hilarious that Ji Hwan would promptly almost pass out in response. š¤
And then I found it very cute, the way Ji Hwan insists on taking her back on his back, but staggers sideways here and there, because heās still dizzy from the kiss. š¤
The most priceless thing, though, is the fact that we see leaked smiles from both Eun Ha and Ji Hwan, as he carries her back down to the lodge. I LOVE. š„°š„°
After that, I was quite entertained by all of Ji Hwanās instincts to, 1, protect Eun Ha from other members of the male species getting too close, and 2, show off his own prowess at the barbecue.
I did feel that Ji Hwanās skittishness around Eun Ha was rather OTT, but the way he sighs that sheās just too pretty, is very sweet. š„²
E9-10. Ahaha ā it looks like Ji Hwan just lives catalyst to catalyst, in this relationship, because the moment he sees Hyun Woo walking Eun Ha home, he gets all antsy, and the moment he sees Hyun Woo reach out to shake Eun Haās hand, Ji Hwan is, once again, galvanized into making a move.
..Which is how we have Ji Hwan grabbing Eun Haās hand and yelling, āBaby, letās GOO!!ā
And then, as he leads Eun Ha up the stairs, heās allāLetās go, baby! Oppa will make ramyun for you!ā
HAHAHA. This is just gold. GOLD, I tell ya! ššš
But then, once theyāre in the privacy of the garden and no longer in Hyun Wooās line of sight, I love how Ji Hwan gets all quiet and serious, and, his gaze never leaving her as he puts his hands on her face, he leans in and kisses her. And then kisses her again.
Eeee!!!! YESSS.
It took a lot of catalysts to push Ji Hwan into action (it does take a village, in this case! š), but weāre finally at a proper OTP kiss, and I am lovingggg it. š„ā¤ļøš«
E11-12. I found it quite cute the way Eun Ha manages Ji Hwanās peevish feelings, and promises that sheāll give him wayyyy longer answers next time. It feels like sheās pacifying a little kid, and the idea of badass dorky Ji Hwan as a little kid is the thing that kind of amuses me. š
Itās too bad that the happy bubble of OTP togetherness takes a hit, when Ji Hwan starts getting worried about Eun Haās safety, and tells her in that exasperated way that she should quit her job, but wonāt tell her why.
I donāt blame Eun Ha for getting upset, and keeping Ji Hwan at a distance for a while.
Iām glad, though, that this OTP has pretty healthy communication dynamics, at least for now.
I like that Eun Ha can tell that Ji Hwan wants to apologize, but doesnāt know how to start, and that she gives him the opening, by saying, āYou want to apologize, donāt you?ā
Itās honestly pretty cute that Ji Hwanās prepared that apple for his apology (because in Korean, āappleā and āapologyā are homonyms), and I like that it really only takes this much, to make Eun Ha crack a smile.
I also really like Ji Hwanās gentle manner as he articulates exactly why heās sorry:
āIām sorry. There has been bad blood between us for a very long time. Heās a dangerous man. And out of my concern for you, I overreacted in the moment.ā
Isnāt it sweet, the way Eun Ha wraps her arms around him, as she accepts his apology? I really like the way Eun Ha doesnāt hold grudges; I can just feel that sheās putting the incident behind them, with this apology. I like that a lot.
That said, I do think that Eun Ha still needs to know about whatās really going on with the mobster side of things, because when she says that sheās not someone that he needs to worry about or protect, that.. doesnāt ring true.
At least, right now, it does seem like Eun Ha might be in danger, if not from Go Yang Hui, then from Mobster Dad (Kim Roe Ha) himself. š¬
It is very cute, however, how Ji Hwan presents Eun Ha with her own studio for making videos for her new channel.
I do love the idea, and itās even sweeter, that it was a group effort, with all the boys chipping in to make it happen. š„°
(I did chuckle a bit indulgently at the double fall resulting in an almost embrace; itās suuuper tropey, but I guess this particular OTP needs a bit of help in the form of narrative catalysts. š)
Yay for the almost kiss on the couch as well, but ā dang it ā the moment is ruined by Il Yeong coming through the door. š¤Ø
Oh well. Maybe next time, eh? š
E11-12. I feel like the mood was right, for Ji Hwan to tell Eun Ha more about his story.
For the record, Iām frustrated that he left out the part about being Hyun Woo Oppa, but fine, whatever. Iām sure weāll get there next week ā or so I hope. š
I do love how sweetly and gently supportive Eun Ha is, not just in the moment, but just in general.
Itās no wonder Ji Hwan feels galvanized into action ā and we get a sweet little OTP kiss, yesss. š„°
[END SPOILER]
Kwon Yul as Hyun Woo
To be brutally honest with you guys, I found myself feeling mostly quite ambivalent towards Hyun Woo as a character, through my watch.
And Kwon Yul was.. well, he was.. mostly similar to how I see him in just about any other second male lead role Iāve seen him in? š
Iām sorry; Iām sure heās done way more than that, but itās just that heās played enough of a particular second-lead type that my brain has identified him with that, and heās that, in this show too.
In terms of his function in our story, I mostly saw him as a plot device more than anything else.
On the upside, he was a plot device that I eventually had more positive feelings towards, but.. he was still a plot device to me, nonetheless. š
[SPOILER ALERT]
What I mean is, this characterās entire existence seems to be for two main things:
1, to be a red herring, because the way Show positions him, itās easy to assume that heās Eun Haās long-lost Oppa from her childhood, when he really isnāt.
But Eun Ha canāt help thinking that he just might be, especially since heās a prosecutor, and that had been Hyun Woo Oppaās dream, as a child ā and that, in turn, distracts her from entertaining the possibility that Hyun Woo Oppa might be someone else.
2, to act as an obstacle to the development of our OTP relationship.
Thereās the whole love triangle thing, of course, but thereās also that other layer where Hyun Woo has what feels like an unreasonable amount of dislike for Ji Hwan, which, of course, needs to be worked through.
Hyun Woo as a character fulfilled his narrative purpose, but I didnāt have any strong feelings for him, even when I got to the end of our story.
[END SPOILER]
Il Yeong and Mi Ho
Show starts to tease a potential loveline between Il Yeong and Mi Ho (Kim Hyun Jin and Moon Ji In) from very early on in our story.
This in itself didnāt surprise me, since Il Yeong and Mi Ho do make a cute couple, and Mi Ho does get stars in her eyes right away, just because of how handsome Il Yeong is.
What did surprise me, is the direction that writer-nim chose to take, in developing this loveline.
It all works out in the end (as it totally should, given the fluffy nature of this story world), but I was a little bit thrown for a while there, not gonna lie. š
[SPOILER ALERT]
Mainly, I hadnāt been expecting fireworks š„, and certainly not at the early episode 6 mark, but thatās exactly what we get, and I was honestly rather taken aback by this, since Il Yeong and Mi Ho barely knew each other, at this point.
So what we get is an immediate launch into angstville with these two, with Mi Ho angsting about the pregnancy on her own, while Il Yeong angsts about how heās not good enough for a nice girl like Mi Ho, thanks to his crime-related past.
Itās not typical in a fluffy kdrama, thatās for sure, yes?
However, on the upside, this does give rise to one of the best funny lines in this entire show, when Man Ho (Lee Yoo Joon)Ā finds the positive pregnancy test, and concludes that someone must have contracted COVID. PWAHAHA!!! šš
I literally had to pause the video; I was laughing so hard and so long over this. *wipes tear* š„²
Iām glad, though, that Il Yeong figures it out, once he sees the other boys holding the test.
And Iām also glad that, despite a few hiccups (and some unnecessary, arc-prolonging obstacles), Il Yeong does manage to show Mi Ho that he absolutely would be up for settling down and starting a family ā if itās with her. š„²
[END SPOILER]
The (ex-)mobster family š„²
I just love theĀ setup of the house, where all of Ji Hwan and his boys live together, and they each take turns to take care of chores like cooking and cleaning.
It gives me found family feels, and I love this for them, so much. š„°
In fact, one of my favorite bits in this show, were all the times that we got to see the mobster household functioning like a real family. š„²
The group of them had been a little overwhelming at first, but over time, I naturally got a handle on who was who, and their various quirks and idiosyncrasies.
And the more I felt like I got to know them, the more this mobster family endeared themselves to me.
[SPOILER ALERT]
One of my biggest asks, while watching this show, was that Eun Ha would get to live in the mobster house too, to give us Eun Ha and the seven (ok, six) mobsters sort of deal ā AND SHOW DELIVERED. YESSS. š„°
I loved watching Eun Ha settle into the household, asĀ cutely incongruous as it was, to see dainty Eun Ha amid a bunch of burly ex-cons.
I was quite obsessed with the idea of her potentially becoming a permanent member of this household, honestly, and so I loved every hint or indication, that her position in the family was solidifying. š„²
Which is why I love that little arc in episodes 9-10, when Eun Ha takes the boys shopping for books, as a goodbye gift of sorts, and then stands up for them,Ā to those snooty high school kids.
I loved how the boys then came to her rescue, in turn, from exactly those same snooty kids.
Aw. How fantastic is that, yes?
This showed me that theyāve got one anotherās backs, and I love that, so much. So very homey and warm. š„°š„°
[END SPOILER]
SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODES [SPOILERS]
E13-14. You know, for a set of penultimate episodes, these actually worked out to be pretty solid, in my opinion.
I definitely enjoyed these episodes more than last weekās episodes, and thatās a step in the right direction, as far as Iām concerned. š
Backing up to the top of episode 13, suspicious-looking guy turns out to be after Dong Hee, and not Eun Ha, so that whole thing takes on a very different direction than if Ji Hwan had had to save Eun Ha from suspicious-looking guy.
In fact, I do appreciate this arc, because it puts into focus an idea thatās been percolating within our story world for quite a while, and that is:
Can we really leave our past behind? And also: Do people deserve second chances, even after their wrongdoing has had deep long-lasting effects on others?
That is something that haunts not only Dong Hee, but everyone in Thirsty Deer, Ji Hwan in particular.
I really feel touched by Ji Hwan wanting to be that rock and shelter for his employees, and especially for his boys.
The way heās willing to kneel down before those whoāve been hurt, and apologize, even though the sentence for the crime itself has already been paid, says so much, really.
It shows that he has a deep understanding for what crime can do to others, and an enduring empathy for those whoāve been hurt, and that really endears him to me even more. š„²
I thought Dong Heeās arc in these episodes was nicely wrapped up, with that moment of acceptance and closure, when his late girlfriendās mom texts him to set him free from his guilt, and Dong Hee in turn replies that he will always remember her and feel sorry towards her.
Itās the best outcome that we could ask for, given the circumstances, and Iām glad that Ji Hwan helped him to get there.
I thought it was an interesting but still relevant point to tie to Eun Haās guilt towards Hyun Woo Oppa.
While Eun Ha hadnāt committed a crime, her guilt towards Hyun Woo Oppa, for getting him caught by the mobster dude (who was apparently Go Yang Hui), has continued to haunt her over the years, and it is something that she needs to work through, just like Dong Hee needs to work through his own guilt.
I really like that she shares her experience with Dong Hee, because I always feel that solidarity can do so much for us all. š„°
And in that same spirit, I very much like the idea that Eun Ha wants to share Ji Hwanās burden too.
The way she takes him up to that hilltop and then shouts his frustrations for him when he feels too self-conscious to do it himself, is really cute.
Iām really glad that Eun Ha finally figures out that Ji Hwan is THE Hyun Woo Oppa whom sheās been searching for all these years, coz as far as Iām concerned, this identity thing has really overstayed its welcome.
I would have been happier honestly, if Show had done the reveal two episodes ago ā at least. š
But YAY that Eun Ha finally found her Hyun Woo Oppa, and yay, too, for the reunion around that, because I found that all very sweet and poignant.
The way Eun Ha cries and apologizes for not recognizing him sooner, is so sweet, honestly.
Iād been half afraid that Eun Ha might get upset with Ji Hwan for not telling her that he was Hyun Woo, and that Show would use that as a source of narrative tension, but I neednāt have worried.
Our OTP gets through this reunion in a really sweet manner, and Iām glad that Ji Hwan tells her that heād been afraid that sheād be disappointed to learn that he was her Hyun Woo Oppa.
Iām also really glad that Eun Ha tells him that sheās glad that heās her Hyun Woo Oppa, because both he and Hyun Woo Oppa had always been good people, in her eyes. š„²
That feels really important for Ji Hwan to hear, doesnāt it, especially in the light of the theme of these episodes, about people being defined by their pasts? š„²
Still, Ji Hwanās sense of duty towards his boys really comes through in his tipsy talk, where he tells Eun Ha that heās never thought about getting married, and mostly only thinks about getting his boys all married.
I can see why this would miff Eun Ha, but I do take Ji Hwanās words at face value; itās not that he doesnāt like her enough ā heās always seen it as his deepest duty towards his boys, and therefore never put thought into a wedded future for himself.
Iām glad they make up over that cupcake though ā after Show throws in a shirtless scene for Ji Hwan, just coz. š¤
Iām not super sure about the potential loveline that Showās hinting at, between Hong Ki and Ye Na, but I did appreciate that moment in the cafe, where Hong Ki tries to say all those unflattering things about Ji Hwan, in an attempt to help Ye Na feel better about not dating him.
I liked that it helped Ye Na to open up about her past and how she felt about it, and Ji Hwan, and that Hong Ki told her what she likely didnāt even realize that she needed to hear ā that sheās been through a lot, and has done really well; that heās proud of her.
Aw. In spite of myself, I thought this was a sweet and meaningful moment. š„²
Maybe a loveline between these two wouldnāt be such a bad idea after all, heh.
Over on our secondary OTPās side of things, Iām very pleased that Il Yeong and Mi Ho finally get their misunderstandings sorted out, because they do make an adorable couple.
Iām glad that Il Yeong gets to tell Mi Ho that the reason he wants to make a family now, is because itās with her, and that he wants to do everything with her, going forward.
Aw. Schweet. š„°
Itās a little silly that Mi Hoās parents (Lee Byung Joon and Yoon Jin Seong) suddenly object to Il Yeong, after being so pro-Il Yeong prior to this, but Iām happy to roll with it, coz it naturally brings Ji Hwan into the picture as a father figure of sorts, and also, it all gets resolved pretty quickly.
The key conflict that I think is going to be a driving force in our finale episodes, is Mobster Dad putting pressure on Ji Hwan to join him.
We already see the seeds of that being sown in these penultimate episodes, with Ji Hwanās meeting with Mobster Dad.
Even though Ji Hwan says that he belongs to Thirsty Deer and has no intention of rejoining his father, Mobster Dad does not seem to want to take no for an answer.
The way Mobster Dad marches into the Thirsty Deer boardroom with all his minions, is so, well, mobstery and mafia-esque.
Clearly, heās purposely sabotaging Ji Hwan, in order to force his hand; like, if everyone quits Thirty Deer, Ji Hwan would have nowhere else to go but back to Dadās gang ā or at least, that seems to be Mobster Dadās angle.
In the meantime, as we close out episode 14, Hyun Woo sustains a bloody head injury while trying to protect Eun Ha from Go Yang Hui and his men, and this feels like just one more thing that will weigh on Ji Hwanās mind.
Iām pretty sure Ji Hwan wonāt actually end up becoming a mobster again, but.. letās see how Show solves this dilemma, while taking us to the finish line. š¤š»
THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]
E15-16. Now that Iāve gotten to the end of this little show, Iām suddenly hit with a sense of empathy; like, now I truly understand why so many of you guys have been feeling so wistful about saying goodbye to our sweet mobster, his sweet little mouse, and their little collection of dorky thirsty deer. š„²
What makes it all better, though, is the fact that I think Show stuck the landing, and very well, at that. (I inexplicably feel like a proud mother hen. š„²)
I think one of the things that I appreciate the most about this finale, is that the final angst and conflict makes sense within our story, ie, it doesnāt feel manufactured or shoe-horned in at the last minute.
Weāve always known that Mobster Dad was a problem that Ji Hwan had only temporarily solved, when heād put Mobster Dad in jail, and Iām sure we all knew that Mobster Dad would become an issue for Ji Hwan again, upon his release from prison.
I found it easy to believe that Mobster Dad would look for any and all ways to put pressure on Ji Hwan to come back to the gang and be Mobster Dadās successor, and it made total sense to me that Eun Ha would be Ji Hwanās achilles heel, no matter who was after him.
Yes, we do get the dreaded penultimate separation between the OTP, but in this case, I appreciate that itās not noble idiocy.
Ji Hwan choosing to keep Eun Ha at a distance only feels like the smart thing to do, given that Eun Haās an easy target for anyone wanting to get at Ji Hwan.
Importantly, he doesnāt lie to her, nor disappear on her.
And also very importantly, in that moment when he removes her hand from his arm, which is the most overt āpushing her awayā thing that he does, he does so very gently, so she understands that heās pushing her away, not because he dislikes her.
ALSO. He doesnāt actually give in to Mobster Dadās demands, which Iād been half afraid that he would do if driven into a corner, if only to protect Eun Ha.
Iām SO relieved, honestly, that Ji Hwan continues to hold on to his principles, and his dream to live a normal life, even when pressure mounts, and it looks like everything is on the verge of falling apart.
And, it feels poetically apt, that in the end, the reason he gets released from his fatherās grasp, is because of his good, noble inner core.
It was hard to watch Ji Hwan get so beaten up, when he went to that warehouse trying to get hold of Mobster Dadās slush fund ledgers, but it made sense that he would allow himself to be beaten, in a bid to protect Jae Soo, who was being held hostage.
Jae Sooās muffled screams every time Ji Hwan got hit, really amped up my own desperation, because I really couldnāt bear to see Ji Hwan getting beaten up. šš
It made sense to me that Ko Yang Hui would be so angry about Mobster Dad being so dismissive of his loyalty over the years, that heād think of stabbing him.
Even though part of me kind of wanted Ko Yang Hui to be successful at stabbing Mobster Dad, it made sense to me, that Ji Hwanās noble inner core, would cause him to make that split-second decision to shield Mobster Dad with his own body.
And again, itās Ji Hwanās noble intention ā to have Hyun Woo arrest him for breaking and entering ā that ends up ensuring that Ji Hwan gets immediate medical attention ā and that the mobsters are all arrested, and the ledgers, collected as evidence.
I really like this idea, that even though things didnāt go at all according to Ji Hwanās plan, that it was his good inner core that prevailed, and ended up saving him, and turning the situation around.
Show had me on tenterhooks for a while, wondering if Ji Hwan was going to stay in a coma until our final minutes, but thankfully, Ji Hwan wakes up from his coma quite quickly ā thanks in part to Jae Soo clumsily trying to pluck out the grays from Ji Hwanās head of black hair, ha. š
I honestly kinda loved that, because that effectively brought us back into feel-good, goofy territory in our story, which I appreciated very much.
And, even though Mobster Dad is extremely gruff in telling Ji Hwan that Ji Hwan will henceforth not be his son, I am convinced that this was Mobster Dadās way of setting Ji Hwan free to live the life that he wants. š„²
Afterwards, it makes sense that everyone sinks back into life as they knew it, but happily, before long, we get that quick time skip to after Il Yeongās and Mi Hoās baby is born, and Ji Hwan starts getting all these nesting thoughts whenever he looks at Eun Ha.
Aw. Yes please, itās about dang time. š
Honestly, when Ji Hwan was just following his gut, just about to tell Eun Ha that he wanted to marry her, and Il Yeong stopped him, saying that he couldnāt do it empty-handed, I kinda wanted to smack Il Yeong, for sticking a spanner in the works and causing what I felt was an unnecessary delay.
Iām very sure that it wouldnāt have mattered to Eun Ha whether Ji Hwan proposed with a ring or not; to her, it was always more important that he wanted to marry her, right?
In the end, though, I do really like the proposal that Ji Hwan eventually comes up with (after angsting about it for dayyyys).
It feels quite perfect, that he propose in the garden where theyād first buried their time capsule, and that heād use the time capsule container, as a key point in his proposal.
I love how heartfelt and earnest his words are, as he expresses his desire to be a better person, and to be her subscriber for life, and like her for life, and would she give her permission for him to do that.
Melt. That is so perfect. Meltmeltmelt. š« š« š«
Itās just bonus, that as Ji Hwan and Eun Ha seal it with a sweet kiss, the mobster boys start crying tears of happiness in the background, where theyāre watching from the balcony, and set of little bursts of confetti. š„²
I would have been perfectly content to have left our story right there, but Show gives us a little extra, by showing us that, 1, the boys donāt actually have to move out because Ji Hwan and Eun Ha are getting married, and 2, theyāre actually making appearances with Eun Ha now, and itās all going swmmingly.
Aw. That is a sweet epilogue-esque sort of note.
I just love the idea of Ji Hwan and Eun Ha continuing to keep the boys with them, and all of them being one big, boisterous, happy family.
Itās everything I wanted, from the moment Eun Ha moved into the mobster mansion, and the fact that I actually get this, as we close out our story, makes me very content indeed. š„°š„²
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Sweet and silly, with lots of heart. Wholesome, zippy fun. š„°
FINAL GRADE: B++
TRAILER:
MV:
PATREON UPDATE!
The next drama Iām covering on Patreon, in place ofĀ My Sweet Mobster, is Serendipityās Embrace [Korea].
You can check out my episode 1-2 notes on Serendipityās EmbraceĀ on Patreon here.
Hereās an overview of what Iām covering on Patreon right now (Tier benefits are cumulative)!
Foundation Tier (US$1): Entertainment Drop (Sundays) + the first set notes of all shows covered on Patreon (thatās 2 episodes for kdramas and 4 episodes for cdramas)
Early AccessĀ (US$5): +Serendipityās Embrace [Korea]
Early Access PlusĀ (US$10): +The Tale of Rose [China]
VIPĀ (US$15): +Miss Night and Day [Korea]
VVIPĀ (US$20): +The Princess Royal [China]
UltimateĀ (US$25): +No Way Out: The Roulette [Korea]
If youād like to join me on the journey, you can find my Patreon pageĀ here. You can also read more about all the whats, whys, and hows of helping this blogĀ here. Thanks for all of your support, it really means a lot to me. ā¤ļø
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