The exhibit opening is finally here, and with it comes more ups and downs than our heroine is prepared for. Not only does the success of the opening event (and the gallery itself) hang in the balance, but the aftermath brings new realizations, sympathies — and clashes — between our gallery director and restaurant mogul.
EPISODES 7-8 WEECAP
While the fun hijinks between our heroine’s three admirers continue, this week’s episodes center much more on the fate of the gallery’s new exhibition. With the opening around the corner, the team has to scramble to ingratiate themselves to ARTIST HONG JA-YOUNG (Hwang Suk-jung) of the famous/infamous “The Living and the Dead” (A.K.A. garbage heap) installation piece. While Dal-li and Sa-bong show up, and Dal-li is even willing to get on her knees, what we learn is that Moo-hak was already there before her. He did all the negotiating necessary to make sure Artist Hong returned to the gallery (and later we learn a bit of the details of their transaction).
This might be the first instance where we start to see the true shape of Moo-hak’s commitment to the gallery’s success. As he learns what’s at stake for a gallery to succeed as a business, he’s increasingly ready to do whatever it takes.
And then we arrive at the opening event. Dal-li and her team are dressed and ready for the event, but the drama hangs fire. Will anyone come? Why is the event underway and the driveway, red carpet, and press area completely empty?
But then the caravan begins, led by Tae-jin. He arrives, and scores of high-ranking people soon follow. Then, much to the surprise of Dal-li and team, scores of celebrities and influencers also show up. They assume word just got out and invitations were shared — and they’re not complaining, because the opening event is a huge success.
Kudos to the drama here for creating such a visceral experience — we not only see the exhibit as a crucial plot device, but also as an actual exhibit. From the wacky artists to their pieces on display, it’s a really fun chunk of the episode. The pinnacle just might be the coffin with the live body that’s a part of Artist Hong’s installation piece. And who’s committed to being the live model in the coffin? None other than Moo-hak.
There’s a lot of emotion in the air at this point between Moo-hak and Dal-li. She’s clearly waiting for him to arrive at the opening event, but his interactions with her are hampered by his loud and uncouth family joining him (they are such a Dickensian group of characters; I love it) and the handsy behavior of Chak-hee who gives the wrong idea to people left and right. So, while Dal-li sees Moo-hak with Hak-hee, Moo-hak sees Dal-li with Tae-jin.
Tae-jin seems like he’s playing the fiance and family connection once again, leading Dal-li into introductions with important people, hovering around her, and exuding that aura of his that seems to get stronger by the day. He’s also a little bit swoony (and direct) towards Dal-li in a way that surprised me: “I might be smitten with you, but work is still work with me,” he says at one point.
Despite the people and circumstances pulling Dal-li and Moo-hak apart, they wind up very much together after the event is over. Dal-li is closing up and reminiscing about her father; Moo-hak has fallen sound asleep in the coffin lol. He wakes up emotional about the passing of his mother, and the two share a very personal and sweet moment, sharing their losses. Dal-li feels for him so much that without thinking she leans over and kisses him. Moo-hak’s more shocked than immediately reciprocal, but afterwards, he’s certain there’s been a shift in their relationship.
While Moo-hak seems ready for romance, the following day Dal-li claims it was a mistake. Now it’s time for Moo-hak to get swoony. He announces to Dal-li that it wasn’t a mistake for him, and all but confesses his feelings for her.
Before Dal-li can figure out how she truly feels, the aftermath of the successful opening event hits hard. It’s a major success, and people are lining up to attend, but we soon learn that many of the celebs and influencers that made the opening such a trending event…. were hired.
We were led on (as was Dal-li, in away) to believe that it was Tae-jin and Segi Group that was behind the scenes pullings strings to ensure the event’s success. But it was not Tae-jin. When Dal-li finds out that Dondon was behind it, she’s horrified and doesn’t waste anytime calling out Moo-hak for his behavior.
This conflict of ideology between them is probably the most representative that we’ve seen yet. Dal-li asks him if he hired all the people to attend, but rather than hide it, he openly admits it, and doesn’t think he’s done a damn thing wrong. He says he wanted the opening to be successful, and obviously it was, thanks to him.
I actually don’t disagree with him here, but Dal-li does, and is mortified over the intersection of art and money, claiming that art isn’t about money. And this is where the two truly differ: Moo-hak sees the gallery as a business operation, and with a smart business head on his shoulders, is ready and willing to do what it takes to make it successful.
Dal-li, in contrast, doesn’t see the business side and focuses on the artistic one. It strikes me that rather than one side being 100% correct, it’s the marriage of their perspectives that would be best. But will they get there? Even though there’s been a kiss between them, they’ve never had more bad blood either. How much more friction will build between them before they’re able to see each other’s sides and reign in their OTP glory? We still have half a drama to unfold, and a lot of baddies working in the background. These two are going to need to be on the same side if they (and the gallery) will make it through.