With some bonding moments and rescues behind them, our actress and screenwriter soon recognize just how well they’re getting along. Their growing closeness and comfort level with each other means companionship, emotional support, and a lot of thoughtfulness. But it also leads to tabloid snooping, a possible scandal, and feelings that just might cross the line.
EPISODES 5-6 WEECAP
With our Wednesday timeslot preempted for election coverage, we got a double-header on Thursday, which translated into double the swoons. This drama continues to charm me with its no-frills approach to the story, and its nice sense of balance. Each week, my heart is half swoons, watching the growing attraction between Bi-soo and Joo-in, and half broken, watching the parallel storylines about their mothers develop. Balance is key, and Oh! Master weaves these elements together in a way that they both feed each other, and I love it.
Bi-soo was already impressed by Joo-in’s character, but after rescuing her from the crazed stalker fan, and seeing Joo-in power through her professional duties even while traumatized, his adoration only grows. As it should. Perhaps that’s the real root of why this drama is so flat-out nice: strength of character, determination, kindness, and more, are the qualities we see in both characters, and even more so, these are the things that are praised when others witness them.
The thoughtfulness with which Bi-soo and Joo-in treat each other also leads to an interesting angle, though, when Bi-soo tells Joo-in she’s prohibited from thanking him. He says he doesn’t want gratefulness to be the emotion she feels towards him — and though it’s prohibited in words, it’s clearly felt in emotions. Who can blame her? The more we get to know Bi-soo, the more he grows in awesomeness, and the fact that he’s quite quick to acknowledge his feelings for her is also a win in the realm of emotional maturity.
This couple has great chemistry — no denying. But their relationship also has these deep roots that make it even more lovely, and that’s mostly because of their mothers. We learn that both mothers were college friends (in addition to the adorable record store ahjussi), and that scene where all five characters find themselves doing double and triple takes trying to piece together how they’re all connected was golden.
The mothers in this story are some of my favorites in dramaland in a while. They’re sweet apart, but even sweeter together. And how refreshing to see them conspiring to bring their children together instead of trying to tear them apart? The “blind date” they set up between Bi-soo and Joo-in is one of the cutest things ever. Take that warmth and good intention, and then add the chemistry between Bi-soo and Joo-in as they sit together in the booth and listen to music, and it’s no wonder it was a scene that made you want to hold your breath. And it’s no wonder that Bi-soo couldn’t stop himself from confessing to her.
Episode 5 feels early for a confession, but it played out quite nicely. Joo-in continues to be thoughtful and level-headed and asks Bi-soo if she can think about it. She explains that when she does something, she wants to do it all the way, and there’s also ramifications for her career — all in all, it’s pretty sensible of her to surface all this stuff right away.
But the press has other plans! They’re suspicious about a possible cohabitation, and in order to save the day, boy next door Yoo-jin suggests a fake dating announcement between him and Joo-in to take attention off of the house, the living arrangements, and Bi-soo. Love triangle mode: engaged.
Yoo-jin so obviously worships Joo-in. Even though she clearly thinks of him only as a dear friend, I can’t help but feel there’s just a few threads between their childhood friendship and a hot romance. Like Bi-soo, Yoo-jin is a really nice guy who cares for Joo-in deeply, respects her mother, and wants the best for Joo-in and her career. He’s also clearly enjoying their fake dating and wishing it was real, and the occasional double entendre he offers (“I want to spend the whole night with you…”) is only one of the more obvious clues.
And so, I’m digging this love triangle, which (at least right now) is working according to beautiful text book fashion, fitting the show’s tone entirely: Yoo-jin is adorable and you feel his pain, but you also know he’s destined for heartache. His presence in the story shakes up the hero like it’s supposed to, gives the heroine some romantic perspective, and as viewers we get to enjoy (if that’s the right word) the emotional highs and lows of this whole thing.
Additionally, Oh! Master is not shy about comparing Yoo-jin and Bi-soo to one another, and we saw that this week in the excellently juxtaposed celebration scenes. With Bi-soo’s new (retooled) drama officially picked up, everyone wants to celebrate. Yoo-jin does it first, with the luxury he’s so familiar with (fancy treats, an expensive present, and champagne), but he also relies on their past relationship to pull Joo-in towards him.
In contrast, Bi-soo also has a bottle of congratulatory champagne and encouragement waiting for Joo-in (and also more snacks, yes!) — but because he claims Joo-in’s present, he’s able to connect with her in a way that’s hard to beat.
Bi-soo, though at first seeming reticent and odd, is actually as insightful and articulate as we might have expected from a successful writer. In one of his best moments yet, he encourages Joo-in and gives her a way to reframe the heartbreak with her mother (whose illness has just taken a bit of a plunge). That Bi-soo can do this for her is lovely, but that he can do it while secretly shouldering his own heartbreak over his mother makes it even more special. These two are golden.