I loved everything about this episode. Every-thing.
Like a good play, it opens with a scene in which four people resolutely do not talk about what is currently breaking their hearts. Funnily enough, one of them is Ahn Jeong-won’s soulmate, two more are Ahn Jeong-won’s beloved women, and, of course, there’s Ahn Jeong-won himself. Some pattern here, don’t you think?
Over the last week, I’ve been thinking, this slice-of-life show is so good at being lifelike that we may sometimes forget that it is still a story, and any story has rules. Narratively, Jeong-won is one of the main characters of this story. And anything that happens *to* him, happens *for* him to learn, and grow, and change. In Season 1, he was the guy with all the important secrets and the inability to open up to the girl he liked. In Season 2, he’s getting the taste of his own medicine, big time.
For example, it’s his turn to cast pleading, longing looks at Gyeo-ul who is, by the way, an absolute badass. Showing up like that at the VIP ward to visit her future mother-in-law, uninvited and not formally introduced by her boyfriend - that was a surprise indeed. But we must brace ourselves for more heartbreak that is coming - the tension between the Wintergarden couple is already palpable, and it’s not of a good kind. Everything will end well, of course, but if Jeong-won really wants to solve this, this waiting for Gyeo-ul to tell him what’s wrong won’t work out. He knows what’s wrong, by the way - people don’t break ribs when tripping. Jeong-won just doesn’t want to confront it either, not really.
In my opinion, if he wants his girlfriend to speak with him earnestly, he should lead by example. Otherwise, there will always be more urgent things to do, patients, looking after the mom, not a good moment, not a good place, etc. After all, he was going to confess his feelings (or something) in S01E12 but never got around to it because of... reasons.
Which, surprisingly, brings me back to Ik-sun. Oh, how I missed this funny woman! When she appeared on the screen, I readily and hastily forgave her year-long absence. Because what is a year, when you have things to do, medical tests, and drills, and parents? Every new day, you concede the chance to speak to the person you parted with on bad terms a little more. You may miss them. You may want to fix it, but there are so many excuses not to do that right now - maybe later, or maybe it’s already too late. And then, if the feeling is mutual, and it permeates the fabric of the shared universe for a sufficient amount of time, fate may put you two together on a midnight bus. And make you recognize the feel of that person even when you are drunk, and sleepy, and hopeless. I cheered so hard at the bidulgi meeting. It was just what the doctor ordered. They can’t get away from that bus! Doesn’t mean they will talk... But the sheer amount of mutual exposure makes me gleeful.
Some people on the internet theorized that Ik-jun helped this happen, being the designated ticket-buyer of his technologically challenged friend. The preview gave me another impression, and I can’t get rid of the feeling that he loves his sister and his friend dearly, but he is not so keen on the idea of them being together. He must have his reasons too. And we are sure to learn more about them.
That’s what I have in my head at the moment. There are lots of more malformed ideas, and I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s thoughts on the episode, too. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did! :)
Agree with Gyeo-ul being badass. This is a girl who will do what she knows is right. She is not burdened by social construct. In HP's behind-the-scenes (table read of Shin Hyun Bin), Shin/Lee have described Gyeo-ul as a straight shooter and this characterization has remained consistent.
YAZ! I screamed when I realised it was her who entered Mama Rosa's room. This is no weak female with a Chaebol boyfriend lol. She did what Jeongwon probably wished for but would have not outright asked of her.
Oh my I laughed way too hard at your statement that in season 2, Jeongwon is getting a taste of his own medicine big time 😂 so true. If that is ShinLee's plan then does that mean we'll get a grand revelation moment only in ep 12 as well? Please say it isn't so
Your mention of a pattern made me think of how Jeongwon and Junwan are indeed very similar where they require some prodding to act on things. It is just as well that in season 1 we had Ikjun to be the one prodding Jeongwon and Jaehak doing the same to Junwan.
AND YES I do feel Jeongwon holds back on so much since season 1. It perhaps is due to his inexperience with matters of the heart and being too sensitive in nature? I still wholeheartedly believe that if Gyeoul did not charge on ahead with her confession in S1 ep 12, Jeongwon would still continue to be a repressed teenage boy in love, choosing to subtly show her that he cares but still not taking the leap to outright confess to her. Mama Rosa is right that Jeongwon needs a strong and steady woman beside him. But sometimes and this time especially, he needs to be the strong one to directly broach the topic with Gyeoul. I'm assuming she has kept such a huge secret her entire life, it's gonna take far more than his gentle questions to get her to share it with him.
Lastly, I am so happy to have Iksun back too! Junwan aside, I love her relationship with Ikjun and Uju. She is more than just Junwan's love interest and I think many of us have forgotten that, amidst all the angst on how she has treated or not treated Junwan. For what she has gone through in her past relationship and her health condition, it is amazing that she has soldiered on in life and what more in a male-dominated job. Reminds me of Ahn Chi Hong who I still miss dearly.
Let's hope for a slightly quicker resolution of this conflict... It's a solid one, it strikes a chord with a lot of viewers (me included) who try to put themselves in Jeong-won and Gyeo-ul shoes and formulate an opinion about what could be done and how it would turn out. And these opinions are not universal. Which I like a lot - when it is not an unnecessary character bashing and a string of "I would never"s.
After a second viewing, I think that though Jeong-won is right that he keeps asking his gf questions (otherwise, she will bury everything under the carpet), the questions he asks are wrong. When your definition of "Okay" is alive, not in an immediate danger, functional, able to take care of my basic needs and do my job, what else can you answer to an "Are you okay?" And of course, he doesn't know what he should ask, that's his first time dealing with this kind of situation, and well, if Gyoe-ul sees him as a perfect human being, he's sure trying his best to be a perfect boyfriend to her, lavishing attention, not pushing her in any way (what's with the promise to text once a day when she clearly told him she cherishes those texts?)...
I'll join your popcorn squad to see the aftermath of this situation. :) Must be interesting. BTW, I first watched the episode on the Korean stream, and guess where Tvn put their ad sequences (two out of three)? Before each WG scene. So, it's not just us. They sure want to increase their popcorn sales.
Petition to have Ahn Chi-hong back. Neurology became super dull without him.
You nailed it on how I think about JW's question of "Are you okay?"! It is such a binary and subjective question and unless GU is totally comfortable in sharing more, it can stop just at a surface level. Maybe other than being inexperienced, he is also trying to keep their boundaries and not push her too hard, but I wonder maybe just like GU did what she knew JW and Rosa really needed without first being given permission (her visit with out him extending the invitation first), JW also needs to step outside his comfort / gentleman zone and do what is really needed for their relationship. Come to think of it, if one of them had forced him/herself to step outside the comfort zone and do something "daring" for the other, it was GU, twice! You go, girl!
Which is why I can't really give her notes about what she should or shouldn't do, lol.
She asked her crush out knowing the chance is slim - I could never.
She confessed her feelings knowing there was no chance in hell they would be accepted - I would never.
She showed up in the VIP ward to see Rosa who was not her patient and actually surrounded by other very important people (like Chairman of the hospital board), barely missing other family members who would be verrrrry curious to see her, - and my jaw dropped on the floor with a thud.
I wouldn't be surprised if she helps out the Avengers in her spare time. :)
Lol..love this.. i still think gyeoul is really the dominant one here. Jeongwon is like i will follow her and support her kind of bf there. Only thing that makes her vulnerable and drags her down is her so possible dark family background but still she looks strong and fine from outside to anyone who doesn't know her well so that's why we should back away and just wait for it's revelation instead of giving her advice. Cuz she definetely is someone who can do hard things much better than any of us, even jeongwon himself.
Come to think of it, that opening scene between Jeong-Won and Jun-Wan is a pattern that is shared by 3-4/5 friends, a pattern of CIRCUMVENTING. Amongst the lacking 5, it is probably only Seok-Hyeong (and to lesser extent Song-Hwa), who shares deeply personal information if directly asked. Ik-jun is privy to both JWon/an's personal affairs, but he is not really forthcoming if its his affairs. The 2 JW to each other and any of their friends, they don't probe neither do they answer when directly ask. Song-Hwa to Ik-jun for really personal stuff (Parkinson's diagnosis) and to those who would ask for okay-to-share family information (her brothers, nephews, etc), she will answer.
If there is a character in HP who I think is really open from both sides, privy to information of others and will not hesitate to share nor answer even personal questions (and even bordering on TMI-her words) is MINHA. She is cut from the same cloth as Ik-Jun albeit different pattern, Ik-Jun is privy but less forthcoming with his personal stuff. As for GYEOUL, except for the possible DV in her family, she is actually very open and straightforward on all other matters (from her one-sided crush to even her self-doubts and her day to day patient cases). Hence, it may take a really bigger and DIRECT push from Jeong-Won for her to open up.
Another thing on this episode that I loved was Lee Writer touching on Age in relation to treatments/death. I thought it was brilliant that she touched on this aspect. There is always a great feeling of loss when someone passes away, but somehow there is less of it if we believe the person has lived a full-life (and age is the closest measure that man can think off). But I did like that she was able to give out the message that no matter young or old people are, we each have our own personal barometer. Just because they are elderly (78 in the case of the mother and also the 2 dads), society (in this case their children) deciding that its fine that they don't get the optimal treatment. It is hurtful to the patient and also lacks respect for his or her capacity to decide.
You are right. I like Seok-hyeong because of how open he is about himself. Open but not fragile. This kind of honesty resonates very well with Min-ha. I think it must be very refreshing for him to talk to a girl who doesn't have any backburner thoughts and intentions (unlike, say, his ex-wife). She makes no secret of her liking him. And he knows that she likes him as a person, not because he's her professor, a chaebol, or something else.
Asian shows generally seem to do a good job with the topic of aging and the seniors. If you watch only Western movies and dramas, you sometimes get the impression that life ends around 30. Even if there are elderly moms and dads involved in the plot, they often act as if they are around 30 too.
What Lee writer-nim did was simple and masterful. She wove together several similar situations, and each of those resonated with a certain part of the audience - just read the comments in this thread. And I am quite sure that many people chose to call their parents or their loved ones after this episode. Or even planned visits to give them a hug and to celebrate the fact that we still have each other to lean on in this lifetime.
I absolutely loved the message that our seniors should enjoy their lives and do what they want. I think that, too. And seeing Rosa "getting back to it" made my heart full.
I seriously think Ikjun set the Bidulgi meeting up. My guess is Junwan and Iksun's photo is still on the wallpaper of her phone and Ikjun saw it. He already knew Junwan isn't over his sister. So he engineered them to meet and hopefully talk it out. He set the meeting up but the rest is up to the 2.
I was right that this episode would be all about parents but I'm glad that the episode wasn't too heavy. The Jun-Wan episode would always be the heaviest and saddest for me.
From where I come from, it's a norm where parents say and act that everything is fine when things are not. It's frustrating because this behavior would commonly end up with the parent seriously injured (or even die) because they do not disclose their condition to their family.
From a romantic POV, for me, everything is progressing "well." When I say "well," I mean that the relationships have their fair share of conflicts and progress.
With Gom-Gom, it mirrors the anaphylaxis ER of Gyeo-ul. This time, however, Seok-Hyeong showed up and Min-Ha was so overwhelmed that she bawled her eyes out. Gosh, Min-Ha was so adorable!! And who can forget her words of wisdom to Gyeo-ul back in Season 1 that if the Jeong-Won likes her, then he would show up? And here's Seok-Hyeong showing up for Min-Ha!
With Ik-Song, this is a slow burn because they are best friends in the first place. Whatever romantic feelings they have or will have for each other would always take a back seat first because their friendship will always be first. But I'm still hoping this ship will sail.
With Ik-Sun, I'm glad that they finally have an opportunity to discuss things. It's only fair as Jun-Wan has been too sad for far too long. I wonder if Ik-Jun had a hand in this because he's the one who always buys the ticket for Jun-Wan. And I would assume that because Ik-Jun and Ik-Sun have grown closer the past year, Ik-Jun is also aware of his sister's schedule.
With WinterGarden, it's obvious that Jeong-Won wants Gyeo-ul to open up. "Are you okay?" is a question Jeong-Won asked at least 5 times in this episode. I can relate a lot with Gyeo-ul because it's really hard to open up to someone especially if you have handled things by yourself for all your life and even if you know that there's someone who loves you unconditionally. It's a behavior that needs to be unlearned and Jeong-Won needs to be patient but assertive enough to push Gyeo-ul.
I also think that if Gyeo-ul's mom is a DV victim, it's quite difficult to share this to anyone. Where do you start? What do you say? Can people understand? This is a touchy subject and it's really difficult to find a starting point. Again, Jeong-Won needs to be patient but assertive enough to push Gyeo-ul.
It's the last 3 episodes and I expect these to be monster episodes, as well. I look forward to your next post. Meanwhile, I will rewatch episode 8. :)
'Nuff said --> "It's a behavior that needs to be unlearned and Jeong-Won needs to be patient but assertive enough to push Gyeo-ul."
Precisely because holding onto something for so long has made it harder to open up, Jeongwon needs a more direct approach. It's interesting to see that he doesn't back down from 'confronting' difficult parents (the makjang mother-in-law blaming the congenital condition on her daughter-in-law, and the mother who kept talking over her son), but finds it hard to do so with Gyeoul. Yet another juxtaposition of scenes where as a doctor you are calm & professional but once it comes to your own loved ones you turn into a huge mess not knowing how to act or what to do.
To quote Jong-su (roughly), "The sweet boy will cry his eyes out." :) They all know him too well. (I wonder if Gyeo-ul knows this too. When they came out of the VIP ward, her before Jeong-won, she visibly sighed and put her smile back on. She smiled each time he looked at her. But when he didn't, her smile faded - each time. My point is, you do this when you don't want to upset the person you're with. Smile bravely to console them.)
It brings another interesting layer to Gyeoul's thought process that perhaps it is not entirely just about her shame bearing her family secrets or difficulty in opening up to him, she understands Jeongwon's sensitive and gentle nature where more often than not he takes on the other's party pain like his own and this is not something she wishes. Though that doesn't lessen my compulsion to shake the both of them and maybe throw in a Seokhyung smack 😂😂
Ooooh, I love this idea, let's text Professor Yang riiiiight away!
You know what's funny (okay, maybe not funny, but interesting). I reviewed WG phone call, all that heart-breaking "I won't be able to call you often" and "May I have your permission to burden you with my texts?"... You would think they are not going to see each other for a month, and you empathize so hard with Jeong-won's worried and upset face.
A scene later, over the tteokbokki (mild flavor for the mild gentle boy), we learn from Jeong-won's own words that she is "off until this Thursday" (or "back this Friday morning"). So, not a month. Four days. (He knows in advance, he asked the chief!) Okay. Breathe.
Let's have a closer look at the chronology (this time, I wasn't that frustrated and checked lol). Monday evening - the lacking 5 plan a May trip to Sokcho over the dinner (it's March), Rosa confides in Jong-su.
Tuesday morning, Rosa is rushed to the ER. She gets diagnosed and gets a lumbar drain. She spends the night in the hospital, she and Jeong-won have a nice chat.
Wednesday was skipped there somewhere, because the next we see Song-hwa after her moment of desperation is the thesis day, which is on Thursday, and we are also shown two patients who are prepping for surgeries on Friday - Mr Sun and Ms. Jeong Rosa. Both are visited by Gyeo-ul in the evening. So, she actually returned a day earlier. Which means that on Wednesday, her mom and her traveled to Seoul and Thursday morning, they needed to unpack etc. And Jeong-won was probably dealing with his full schedule of surgeries that she mentioned. It's unlikely they talked over the phone on Tuesday and Wednesday.
My point is, I fail to see a deliberate attempt to avoid communication on both sides. Everything just happened way too quickly. (It takes longer in real life.) And of course, this show is exceptionally good at creating tension. But it's really interesting, time-wise.
I too enjoy piecing together timeline of HP episodes hehehe, eagerly waiting for any camera shots of calendars and clocks during my rewatching.
Agree that it all happened in a short frame of time and there was not any deliberate attempt to avoid communication, added to that they both have very demanding work schedules.
However, I do think the tension was a long time coming from all the seemingly small incidences that either of them brushed off until this, as AABattery said, "double mommy whammy turn of events" happened. I am reminded that Seokmin and Sunbin's relationship probably started around the same time as Jeongwon and Gyeoul's (correct me if I am wrong but there should just be a mere few months difference between the 2 couples). What's interesting is that we were shown Seokmin and Sunbin's 'cold war' early on in their relationship while Wintergarden were still in their fluffy stage. It's not to say that every relationship has to have fights or cold wars to settle differences or issues, rather that it is important to have such vulnerable and honest exchanges from the early onset of a relationship. Still as many of us have commented, there's just so many layers to the Wintergarden dynamics especially now that we are shown more of Gyeoul's perspective and also her family background (or hints of it lol).
Love your comparison between SilverDragon and GW! Seokmin and Sunbin also came from very different backgrounds, but they seemed to have been able to communicate well after the "cold war" and accept the differences. The "proposal" scene was so fun to see!
*sigh* Too many layers. Every time I watch those scenes, I have a different interpretation. It's a good thing I gave up biting my nails in middle school. I would totally start again. Having read this thread thrice, I finally convinced myself that we just have to wait five more days. And then some more. We can do it.
Cannot agree more about the timeline. March 2021 went from Ep5 to Ep8, and it skipped to April only by the tail end of Ep8! So while it took us 5 weeks to wait to see "progress", things actually are not slow if all of the last 4 episodes happened within a month's time.
I am curious though, if GU's mom needed surgery on Sunday, can she be released and moved by Wed. / Thur? And with GU's busy schedule, who is taking care of her? 🤔
They probably take turns with the little brother. This situation is a bit improbable (lol, we are watching a drama after all), but from a realistic point of view, Gyeo-ul's mom will need follow-up at the hospital, because even small fractures are no joke for elderly people, they need to be observed carefully. Which is why I semi-hope we'll see her in Yulje soon (preferably, in ep. 9). After all, why cast a great actress just to make her do voice work?
Yes! As sweet as the VIP scenes were, her demeaner, her facial expressions and how they changed with how JW faced her just pained me. I am anxiously waiting for her backstory, then I want to give her a big hug!
Four episodes, dearest - 9, 10, 11, and 12 :) My heart skipped a beat at your "last 3"!
There's no way they will end the show at season 2. Even for the most talented bunch of creators (which they are), that would be an impossible task.
I'm just praying for not getting a cliffhanger.
*sigh* I often say that all parents go to the same parents' school. On the one hand, they want to know every single detail about us, kids, and would fuss for hours when you confess to being under the weather... On the other hand, they will keep mum if something's bothering them, especially health-wise. Hearing Rosa say, "I was so scared I might have the Alzheimer" and Song-hwa's mom downplaying her condition - man, that was tough. It's totally something that happens all the time. And the kids rarely dive into such situations prepared, even when they are doctors.
“Where do you start?”..very true, it’s a touchy topic and there are raw wounds and old scars to deal with. It’s a complex issue with people taking months on therapy. Have hopes with ShinLee to take it in an empathetic arc.
The episode was really huge on exploring lots of parent-child relationships.
Songhwa's relationship with her mum resonated with me. I too go through a vicious cycle of having to temper my annoyance while talking or answering my parents questions about work, and when the conversation ends I am left feeling horrible for being such a rude child and thinking of ways to make it up to them. But it starts all over again in the next conversation lol. I sometimes wonder if it's because I did not grow up in an environment where my parents regularly sat us down to have conversations about what's going on with our lives be it small or big events, thus to this day it unsettles me to speak of or share such things with my parents. Hashtag Asian upbringing 😂
"Relationships are more complex than that and it isn’t about who is deserving of whom because they earned it. It’s much more than that. Otherwise it would be baldly transactional."
I've been thinking about this but couldn't put it so succinctly like you did. I think this especially applies to Junwan x Iksun so far for season 2. What we viewers think or feel how the Bidulgi pairing should be, does not matter at all because at the end of the day it is up to what the 2 individuals can live with / come to a compromise. Obviously there are lines to be drawn for abusive or toxic behaviour. Yes what Iksun did is terrible and perhaps I may still not see how anything she says or do can soothe the hurt she inflicted on Junwan. But perhaps to Junwan it never occurred to him that she has to earn his love back or his forgiveness. If Junwan decides to forgive and love her unconditionally and welcome her back into his life, that is his decision to make. It happens all the time in real life. So yes, I'm still very interested as to how this will pan out in the next few episodes.
The concept of love needing to be earned or deserved is also applicable to how some are still strongly opposing the Wintergarden pairing. There are some still constantly saying they don't understand what is it about Gyeoul that led Jeongwon to fall her (I'm reading between the lines and what the commentors probably truly mean, what is it that Gyeoul did to earn or deserve the great Andrea's love?). Maybe it's her picking the maggots without any disgust and showing her respect to the patient or maybe its just how adorable she is. Sometimes we just don't have a grand reason as to why we love who love.
And finally yes! The uneasiness between the 2 while waiting for the lift is akin to the scene back in season 1! This time with Gyeoul being the one with secrets. I agree with you that it is clear as day especially in this episode that Jeongwon is getting increasingly unhappy with how things are, that uncomfortably controlled exchange between the 2 at the lift and the lingering look he had after Gyeoul turns to leave the lift lobby... I'm gonna say that I called it since ep 1's dinner date where after Jeongwon told her although he couldn't take on her workload he wished to accompany her so she wouldn't be alone and Gyeoul swiftly answered that it's fine and she will deal with it on her own (my loose translation, I don't believe she mentioned it in a curt manner). It was subtle to me, but at that point I already felt Jeongwon's slight disappointment. From then till now, Jeongwon has been gentle in his approach but I really really want Jeongwon to explode because I do believe that is the only way we can get Gyeoul to open up. And I wouldn't say it is out of character for 'Mr Buddha' since pettiness and bearing grudges are part of who he is lol. Granted I think the height of his explosion would be how he lectured Gyeoul for her blunt speech with the patient's mother back in season 1. Whichever way it goes I'm all for it, sat in the front with a bucket of popcorn 😂😂
I have to say my top favourite moments in ep 8 are the Jongsu x Rosa's moments. It warms my heart that they have such a deep level of understanding and affection for each other. Love come in all forms and not necessarily just in the romantic form.
“Sometimes we just don't have a grand reason as to why we love who love.“ 🤧 i couldn’t agree more.
Can’t help but observe that most of the negative comments about Wingar actually demand a lot from them. In a drama like HP, which is more focused on patients’ stories, it is inevitable that there would be parts of the personal stories of the doctors that won’t be shown to us. Moreover, the lovelines really have just limited screentime (i guess except for iksong since both are leads).
whoops that typo kinda took out the message a little hahah. “Sometimes we just don't have a grand reason as to why we love who *WE* love.“
and I know right??? 40somethingajumma's bit on how love is not transactional and cannot be viewed as something to be earned really hit the nail on the head in terms of the heat directed towards any of the HP pairings (much mud has been thrown at even Iksong as some feel Songhwa is not being fair to Ikjun after he finally "confessed" to her and is willing to put their friendship on the line).
I would totally watch the Jong-su and Rosa spinoff. Bring it on! In season 1, she was his pillar of strength, walking with him through his depression. Season 2, he's suddenly her guardian. :) I love their friendship. If Song-hwa and Ik-jun don't get together, but grow old to be like them, that would be enough.
Yeah, it's such a nice idea that love is not something you earn with your good behavior... A gift from Lord, often to bridge the chasm between two people that otherwise would never get together "naturally" and "for convenience"?
I just saw a comment on MDL about that very thing. The commenter said in no uncertain terms that they couldn't understand why Jeong-won fell for Gyeo-ul.
Ma’am you’re not alone with the feeling of uneasiness! Myheart hurt watching that scene at the elevator (props to both SHB and YYS’s acting) idk if I am even making sense but I actually love the build up to the impending emotional scene between Gyeoul and Jeongwon, where they will finally bare their burdens to each other. We were given fluffy scenes at the beginning and now we are about to witness how wingar will navigate complex issues in their relationship.
I am so worried about my girl Gyeoul. I think the way she explained how her mother got injured is painfully similar to how the abused dad explained his children’s injuries in S1. If it is really domestic violence, I am looking forward to how Shinlee and SHB will portray it given that it is a very sensitive issue.
the awkward and slightly tensed air between the 2 was quite well done! And yes it is very curious how Gyeoul used the same excuses as the abusive dad in season 1. I mean right now our guesses is as good as Jeongwon's even if we're seeing all the signs. Still whatever it is Gyeoul is going through, it's so sad that she is far too used to internalising it that she subconsciously minimizes or downplays the reality of the issue.
Thank you for your post once again! Your observation of this episode's silences and WinterGarden's unease reminded me of a specific moment - when Gyeoul confronts Jeongwon about not telling her about his mom's condition and surgery. Gyeoul almost seems bitter or let down after Jeongwon explains that he didn't want to burden her. Gyeoul then doesn't pursue the point as Jeongwon quickly asks her how she found out. The silence from both parties with regard to this question contained so much.
On Gyeoul's end, I think she might be feeling a little miffed at Jeongwon that he withheld this information from her given that everyone knew before her. That or she's getting a taste of what it's like to have someone you love not trust you to share what's going on. (To be fair, Gyeoul has actually shared with Jeongwon -some- information so it's not like he was completely in the dark - meanwhile it seems that Jeongwon left her in the dark.) I just hope she's not getting second thoughts about their relationship. But I do think it's not just Jeongwon who is unsettled with how things are; Gyeoul is feeling it too but she's hesitating to communicate the hard-hitting stuff for some reason.
I suspect that one reason might be that in many ways Jeongwon presents himself as "perfect" in front of her. He is so much a provider and protector that he probably struggles to recognise when or how to let others in, as we saw in the beginning scene and all through last season. I'm reminded of Episode 6 as well when he couldn't stand the thought of Gyeoul thinking he had made such a silly mistake in his intern days, not to mention all the foreshadowing of Jeongwon being alone as a pediatric doctor etc.. But Jeongwon also broke down this episode (interesting how both "perfect" people fell at the same time) and it's a shame he didn't think it necessary to share even a part of that with Gyeoul. He can't even look at her as he says he doesn't want to burden her, so maybe he senses his own nonsense. But his silence makes it that much harder for Gyeoul to share what she struggles with in her personal life and for her to really be there for him as well. Either way I hope this is something they eventually talk out as well.
Did not expect to write such a long comment, but more kept popping into my head once I began writing! The threads that come together in Hospital Playlist always end up surprising me. Anyway, thanks for the space to discuss and looking forward to reading your other posts!
That's a great argument you make, about Gyeo-ul gently feeding Jeong-won bits and pieces of information about herself - she doesn't shut him off completely, though he somewhat behaves like she does.
And yes, he didn't tell her anything about his mother's surgery, though she was sure to find out because she would be back to work on that day - it never even occurred to him that she might be miffed...
Thank you so much for your long thoughtful comment - no comment on HP is too long here :)
Nothing much to add than the beautiful review and the wonderful discussions here.
It was nice they brought the topic of medical decisions for seniors and the adult children’s involvement which is so common in Asian culture. Concepts like advance directives are still not widely prevalent in this side of the world is a proof to that.
Very relieved about Rosa’s recovery.
And what Jongsu and Rosa have is relationship goals!
Songhwa being put together for everyone else but gets annoyed only at mom and then later feeling guilty at her diagnosis is so relatable. So many times we realize mom wasn’t complaining for nothing, be it whatever!
Things are building up to Winter garden’s confrontation and open communication. But the more facade that Gyoeul puts on, I worry if it’s a graver situation at home and her past. But hoping it’s just the story building up for an impactful confrontational scene and not the former.
Min-ha’s cramp episode though felt deja-vu turned out cute! And HP jokes in HP was fun!
Was happy to see more Ik-sun’s scenes, for the amazing actor she is. Hoping to see more of her in the remaining episodes.
It is always a joy to come read your post and all the wonderful / insightful comments. Thank you for taking time to write even on a busy day.
What a monstrous episode indeed! So much was presented but I felt that it was still not long enough; I just want to see more, esp. when they stopped at the bus scene! 😢 As jam packed with content as this episode was, I do agree that so much as delivered with silence. And I have to give kudos to all the actors – they delivered all the emotions so well, including many scenes where they did not use any lines. I cried with Songhwa and felt the tension between WG, and the facial changes on Junwan and Iksun in the last scene were just amazing!
You described exactly how I felt about WG in this episode when you said there is a lingering uneasiness over time that demands attention. You can cut the air with a knife during their exchange in front of the elevator. I have heard comments about their communication barriers being caused by GU. While I totally agree that they have communication barriers, I felt that it was definitely two-sided: JW has his share in this very “oblique” communication style between them as well.
As much as my heart ached seeing that GU still struggled to open up to JW, I was even more disappointed seeing that JW did not share about Rosa with GU, and that she had to find out from the gossip circle. It is not that I do not understand the reason behind it, but how do you expect her to open up when you are not modeling it? I also wonder if GU does know how certain JW is about their future life together – him not having introduced her to Rosa, him not pushing her to go public with their relationship, and now her having to be the last person to find out about Rosa from people far removed from them – I can just imagine how insecure she might feel if she misinterprets all these.
Please note that I am not bashing JW in anyway; both GU and JW went through a hellish week and their minds (using GU’s words) were probably all over the place to think clearly before they acted. I think ShinLee are building up to something that would eventually push the needed communication between them - I believe JW loves her too much to ever allow them be drifted apart without putting up a big fight, so same here, I will be grabbing the front row seat w/ chips in hand to watch when it happens – but as a huge WG fan, I am just selfishly disappointed with the distance I felt in this episode, especially since I had hoped that this double mommy whammy turn of events would push them closer.
Their interactions made me think about how we may want to love and be loved differently. They both appear to love each other very much, both want the other to share things, good or bad, openly with him / her, but when it comes for themselves sharing their own things, they become timid and worrying about burdening the other. I wonder as they both want to love as “protectors” that shelter each other from harms, they forget that they themselves actually want to be treated as “partners” whom the other can feel free to unload and just talk carefreely to.
And about GU, I also wonder if she is not unwilling to share, but maybe she herself is still trying to process what has been going on, either things that just happened, or some past experiences she is now just recognizing what they truly are. If her head is still all over the place, maybe she needs to first process before she can articulate. Yes, maybe one can say “JW does not need clear articulation from you; he just wants you to share everything, and he can process with you”, but remember that this is GU, not JW who grew up in a household that thrived on all those open and free-flowing little chats. She needs time, but let’s hope she is not taking too long before their relationship is permanently damaged.
I am now really curious to find out what GU's backstory is. While all signs appear to point to DV, something is still not adding up to me with how little sensitivity GU had when facing potential signs of abuse in both seasons. It is also strange that all dialogues appear to stay muted about her father. We know from the call with her mom that there is an Appa, but it seems that by Ep8 there is a shared understanding of his absence. I look forward to seeing how all these answers would be unveiled in the upcoming episodes... but really hoping it will all be solved in ep9 (I miss the sweet WG🤣)!
What a wonderful dissection once again of WinterGarden dynamics!!!! Same with your observation, that conversation by the elevator made me realise that the communication barrier is a 2-sided affair with both GW and JW having struggles on this front. For Gyeoul, except for the possible DV or whatever, she articulates almost everything even her hurt that she was the last one to know about Mama Rosa. She asked him directly. I wonder how Gyeoul will respond if JW will re-phrase his questions beyond the are you okay to more straightforward words.
There are a few floating (and interesting) theories and also possible parallel to S1, which are quite fun to imagine. DV- Even if HP has touched on this sensitive topic, and from various angles (wife, kid and even the perpetrator) but the lens of its impact is more of an immediate. If Gyeoul was really exposed to violence, it would be an interesting narrative from the lens of its long-term impact to kids then and adults now. Another parallel that could be possible is Mama Rosa-Gyeoul's conversation in S1E12, can we expect Gyeoul's Mom-Jeong Won's one this season?
By the way, thank you for mentioning about the Hydrocephalus, as it made the wait for episode 8 bearable. And same as JW, weird that I was relieved by a medical diagnosis. But considering the other possibility, Hydrocephalus is a breather.
Glad that I was able to share about Hydrocephalus; I was very relieved when I read that as well. And yes, I would LOVE to see a GU Mom to JW conversation! I do wonder if Ep8 was indeed the first time Rosa and GU met after they started dating (and hence made me assume that neither ladies mentioned to him about their meeting before), wouldn't JW be totally confused about their interaction in the VIP room and have they had time to talk about it afterwards?
I was actually thinking about the same thing on if JW could have rephrase his questions. I think he is trying not to be too pushy, but just like what you said, maybe a more straightforward question would work better for her, I'm saying this also because from the culture where I am now, asking "how are you" or "are you doing okay" is usually not a way to start a very deep conversation (it is just an usual exchange of pleasantry), but of course, that question might be interpreted differently in Korean. I also wonder that as much as JW has promised to not butt in / give his two cents, some of his questions / comments were still coming from the perspective of a very concerned protector (again, I am not bashing him here; just some observations - I am no communication expert, and it is tricky from person to person), vs. a listener / partner. When GU shared that her mom had fractured her rib cage and some other places, I noticed that JW immediately jumped in to say how could all that be caused by a fall, which hospital were they in, who was the doctor, etc. He was desperate and super worried for his gf, so I totally understood, but I also wonder if she would have shared more if he just listened, and asked confirmation questions, and not tried to jump in and take things over.
Of course, this was just my observation, and also interpreted from my own perspective, but when I go through challenges, I tend to want my husband to just listen and allow me to tell him how I feel, my struggles, etc., then once I think he has heard me, we can move on to talk about how I should address the issues and how he can support me. But at times more often than I'd like 😂, he wants to take over or just provide solutions. In those cases, I tend to stop and just keep the issues even further away from him, because I do not need him to solve things for me, or at least I'd prefer for him listen and show trust that I have ability to assess things first, before we have deeper conversations on how to best support each other. In my eyes, GU has been a very capable person and maybe even too capable for her own good. She does not need a rescuer, but a listener and partner that could walk alongside her and support her in the direction she wants to go.
It's classic - women need to be listened to because we formulate the problem by speaking (and, actually, can solve it afterwards themselves) and men need to solve things (even when they just had a very surface grasp of the problem). I kind of think, Jeong-won can do both. It's just he is confused about what he should do as much as we are. :)
I've got another interpretation for you - has the failed proposal made him insecure about himself and whether he can keep the girl? He did everything "right" and said all the "right" things over the phone, but his dejected face when he tried to call her himself and got no answer - are you really okay with her not texting you back, Jeong-won-ssi? You are not, stop deluding yourself, darling. Then maybe she will stop apologizing.
Funny that you mentioned insecurity; I was just thinking now that we know how their emotional intimacy could have been far less than their physical intimacy, and that they both appeared to have, at least at times, walk on eggshells to avoid burdening each other, could it be possible that both feel insecure about the other, the their insecurity continues to feed into each other's insecurity due to their lack of deeper communication? Security is one foundational element for openness, but somehow I feel that as ready as JW may think he is ready to marry GU, maybe both do not yet have the security required to have a successful marriage?
"this double mommy whammy turn of events" - this turn of the phrase is gooooooold! )))
I miss WG sweetness too. But we are definitely being taught a very important lesson here, because it took a long time to even outline the agenda. Praying for resolution in Ep. 9 with you. Maybe we will meet Gyeo-ul's mother there, who knows?
I could not be more grateful for getting a 1.30-1.50 hours ultra-high-quality action-packed slice-of-life TV movie every week. That's a privilege I don't take for granted - just like this community and all of your fellow viewers. Seriously.
Oh you are so true about the privilege! Like a good book, any good art that's inspirational deserves accolades! After HP, I have called up friends and family just to say hi! Even gave my husband a shoulder massage after a gruelling work day inspired by a certain gyosunim ;) Probably that I need inspiration from a TV show makes me look bad, I don't care, everyone needs reminders!
Your points on communication being a 2 way street is a timely reminder to all us viewers. I do think many have started to see that Jwon also has a part to play in improving his communication skills. Things are starting to add up to an odd picture that Jwon has possibly not informed her of pretty huge things such as his daddy long legs involvement, his ultimate goal to build a children's hospital, broaching the topic of meeting each other's parents, or even the long term plans such as marriage. Perhaps Gyeoul's longing look at Seokmin x Sunbin's proposal moment has all to do with the insecurity that you mentioned and less to do with her happy & certain thoughts that her relationship is going in that direction too.
Thank you for also mentioning that communication styles are affected by our upbringing and all our life experiences. In my opinion, I feel this is something many Iksun bashers have also chosen to ignore. One does not have to condone her actions but it is equally important to understand why she acted the way she did or said what she said.
Also, indeed curious that back in season 1, Gyeoul looked surprised when Gwangyeon and Jeongwon concluded that the boy is a victim of child abuse. Should it really be a case of growing up in an DV environment, it is odd that she does not recognise the signs. Whatever it that's going on, I'm wondering if it is possible that she has mastered the art of mental compartmentalization. Her telling Jeongwon that his messages help her "escape reality for just a bit" made me uncomfortable because I don't think she meant that just for her current mum situation but generally throughout her life and especially with now having Jwon by her side.
(speaking from experience) the more a person means to you, the more careful you can become. how many of us love kdrama couples who have open and honest conversations - but i have long suspected that many of us love these drama couples because honest convos are in short supply in real life. :) it's really unhealthy for relationships so yes, like all of you im looking at the truth to spill soon.
Probably need something to happen to force their hands, much like Rosa's illness)
that is very true and I appreciate that HP has shown us those realistic conflicts. Even in platonic relationships it is never easy to even ask or answer seemingly simple questions
Did anyone noticed: when the 5 talked about how Gyeoul got her 4 days off so easily, Jeongwon said something about why reputation is important (meaning, Gyeoul has a reputation of being hardworking and thorough, so she got her days off when she called and spoke to her chief). It seemed like a throwaway line, but I suspect that could be a clue about how bad the situation is at home for her. Maybe her dad is not only abusive (to her mom and her) but also of ill-repute (eg. ex-convict?), and that's why she doesn't wanna reveal anything. The stakes are high for her and Jeongwon is her escape. Not that it's an excuse for her not to be honest with Jeongwon, but seeing how badass her character is, i cant help but think of the worst case scenario of her background.
Thank goodness her future mother in law is Jeong Rosa, not Seokhyung's mom!
So happy to have found this blog with amazing and insightful reviews and then a comments section with even more awesome reviews. Also, just a thought, but I wonder if Gyeoul's visit to the VIP ward will sort of out their relationship to the hospital. I mean, not just anyone can visit the former chairman's wife, right?
I like your inquisitiveness on the topic, and I have thought the same thing. :) But technically, Gyeo-ul is staff, she used to accompany Ik-jun on his VIP rounds too, so seeing her there maybe unusual but not exceedingly suspicious. What is exceedingly suspicious is the former chairman's wife squealing with joy like a five-year old at the sight of a HPB fellow when she's there for a neurosurgery procedure. But I'm sure they have NDAs in place to prevent VIP ward nursed from voicing their suspicions. :)
That’s a good point, I forgot she’s been there with Ikjun. And that future mother/daughter-in law scene was gold! I’m curious if Jeongwon knows how his mother recognized his gf before he introduced her. I’m hoping we’ll get some scenes about this in future episodes :)
Thank you (and warmest hugs) for finding the time to share some of your thoughts about this episode!
(1) in the title means we will get seconds and maybe thirds, right? Can't wait!
+1 to this comment. I appreciate you taking your time to share your thoughts. It really enhances the enjoyment of HP <3
I loved everything about this episode. Every-thing.
Like a good play, it opens with a scene in which four people resolutely do not talk about what is currently breaking their hearts. Funnily enough, one of them is Ahn Jeong-won’s soulmate, two more are Ahn Jeong-won’s beloved women, and, of course, there’s Ahn Jeong-won himself. Some pattern here, don’t you think?
Over the last week, I’ve been thinking, this slice-of-life show is so good at being lifelike that we may sometimes forget that it is still a story, and any story has rules. Narratively, Jeong-won is one of the main characters of this story. And anything that happens *to* him, happens *for* him to learn, and grow, and change. In Season 1, he was the guy with all the important secrets and the inability to open up to the girl he liked. In Season 2, he’s getting the taste of his own medicine, big time.
For example, it’s his turn to cast pleading, longing looks at Gyeo-ul who is, by the way, an absolute badass. Showing up like that at the VIP ward to visit her future mother-in-law, uninvited and not formally introduced by her boyfriend - that was a surprise indeed. But we must brace ourselves for more heartbreak that is coming - the tension between the Wintergarden couple is already palpable, and it’s not of a good kind. Everything will end well, of course, but if Jeong-won really wants to solve this, this waiting for Gyeo-ul to tell him what’s wrong won’t work out. He knows what’s wrong, by the way - people don’t break ribs when tripping. Jeong-won just doesn’t want to confront it either, not really.
In my opinion, if he wants his girlfriend to speak with him earnestly, he should lead by example. Otherwise, there will always be more urgent things to do, patients, looking after the mom, not a good moment, not a good place, etc. After all, he was going to confess his feelings (or something) in S01E12 but never got around to it because of... reasons.
Which, surprisingly, brings me back to Ik-sun. Oh, how I missed this funny woman! When she appeared on the screen, I readily and hastily forgave her year-long absence. Because what is a year, when you have things to do, medical tests, and drills, and parents? Every new day, you concede the chance to speak to the person you parted with on bad terms a little more. You may miss them. You may want to fix it, but there are so many excuses not to do that right now - maybe later, or maybe it’s already too late. And then, if the feeling is mutual, and it permeates the fabric of the shared universe for a sufficient amount of time, fate may put you two together on a midnight bus. And make you recognize the feel of that person even when you are drunk, and sleepy, and hopeless. I cheered so hard at the bidulgi meeting. It was just what the doctor ordered. They can’t get away from that bus! Doesn’t mean they will talk... But the sheer amount of mutual exposure makes me gleeful.
Some people on the internet theorized that Ik-jun helped this happen, being the designated ticket-buyer of his technologically challenged friend. The preview gave me another impression, and I can’t get rid of the feeling that he loves his sister and his friend dearly, but he is not so keen on the idea of them being together. He must have his reasons too. And we are sure to learn more about them.
That’s what I have in my head at the moment. There are lots of more malformed ideas, and I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s thoughts on the episode, too. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did! :)
Agree with Gyeo-ul being badass. This is a girl who will do what she knows is right. She is not burdened by social construct. In HP's behind-the-scenes (table read of Shin Hyun Bin), Shin/Lee have described Gyeo-ul as a straight shooter and this characterization has remained consistent.
YAZ! I screamed when I realised it was her who entered Mama Rosa's room. This is no weak female with a Chaebol boyfriend lol. She did what Jeongwon probably wished for but would have not outright asked of her.
Oh my I laughed way too hard at your statement that in season 2, Jeongwon is getting a taste of his own medicine big time 😂 so true. If that is ShinLee's plan then does that mean we'll get a grand revelation moment only in ep 12 as well? Please say it isn't so
Your mention of a pattern made me think of how Jeongwon and Junwan are indeed very similar where they require some prodding to act on things. It is just as well that in season 1 we had Ikjun to be the one prodding Jeongwon and Jaehak doing the same to Junwan.
AND YES I do feel Jeongwon holds back on so much since season 1. It perhaps is due to his inexperience with matters of the heart and being too sensitive in nature? I still wholeheartedly believe that if Gyeoul did not charge on ahead with her confession in S1 ep 12, Jeongwon would still continue to be a repressed teenage boy in love, choosing to subtly show her that he cares but still not taking the leap to outright confess to her. Mama Rosa is right that Jeongwon needs a strong and steady woman beside him. But sometimes and this time especially, he needs to be the strong one to directly broach the topic with Gyeoul. I'm assuming she has kept such a huge secret her entire life, it's gonna take far more than his gentle questions to get her to share it with him.
Lastly, I am so happy to have Iksun back too! Junwan aside, I love her relationship with Ikjun and Uju. She is more than just Junwan's love interest and I think many of us have forgotten that, amidst all the angst on how she has treated or not treated Junwan. For what she has gone through in her past relationship and her health condition, it is amazing that she has soldiered on in life and what more in a male-dominated job. Reminds me of Ahn Chi Hong who I still miss dearly.
If it's ep 12, I won't survive the tension, lol.
Let's hope for a slightly quicker resolution of this conflict... It's a solid one, it strikes a chord with a lot of viewers (me included) who try to put themselves in Jeong-won and Gyeo-ul shoes and formulate an opinion about what could be done and how it would turn out. And these opinions are not universal. Which I like a lot - when it is not an unnecessary character bashing and a string of "I would never"s.
After a second viewing, I think that though Jeong-won is right that he keeps asking his gf questions (otherwise, she will bury everything under the carpet), the questions he asks are wrong. When your definition of "Okay" is alive, not in an immediate danger, functional, able to take care of my basic needs and do my job, what else can you answer to an "Are you okay?" And of course, he doesn't know what he should ask, that's his first time dealing with this kind of situation, and well, if Gyoe-ul sees him as a perfect human being, he's sure trying his best to be a perfect boyfriend to her, lavishing attention, not pushing her in any way (what's with the promise to text once a day when she clearly told him she cherishes those texts?)...
I'll join your popcorn squad to see the aftermath of this situation. :) Must be interesting. BTW, I first watched the episode on the Korean stream, and guess where Tvn put their ad sequences (two out of three)? Before each WG scene. So, it's not just us. They sure want to increase their popcorn sales.
Petition to have Ahn Chi-hong back. Neurology became super dull without him.
You nailed it on how I think about JW's question of "Are you okay?"! It is such a binary and subjective question and unless GU is totally comfortable in sharing more, it can stop just at a surface level. Maybe other than being inexperienced, he is also trying to keep their boundaries and not push her too hard, but I wonder maybe just like GU did what she knew JW and Rosa really needed without first being given permission (her visit with out him extending the invitation first), JW also needs to step outside his comfort / gentleman zone and do what is really needed for their relationship. Come to think of it, if one of them had forced him/herself to step outside the comfort zone and do something "daring" for the other, it was GU, twice! You go, girl!
Which is why I can't really give her notes about what she should or shouldn't do, lol.
She asked her crush out knowing the chance is slim - I could never.
She confessed her feelings knowing there was no chance in hell they would be accepted - I would never.
She showed up in the VIP ward to see Rosa who was not her patient and actually surrounded by other very important people (like Chairman of the hospital board), barely missing other family members who would be verrrrry curious to see her, - and my jaw dropped on the floor with a thud.
I wouldn't be surprised if she helps out the Avengers in her spare time. :)
Lol..love this.. i still think gyeoul is really the dominant one here. Jeongwon is like i will follow her and support her kind of bf there. Only thing that makes her vulnerable and drags her down is her so possible dark family background but still she looks strong and fine from outside to anyone who doesn't know her well so that's why we should back away and just wait for it's revelation instead of giving her advice. Cuz she definetely is someone who can do hard things much better than any of us, even jeongwon himself.
Come to think of it, that opening scene between Jeong-Won and Jun-Wan is a pattern that is shared by 3-4/5 friends, a pattern of CIRCUMVENTING. Amongst the lacking 5, it is probably only Seok-Hyeong (and to lesser extent Song-Hwa), who shares deeply personal information if directly asked. Ik-jun is privy to both JWon/an's personal affairs, but he is not really forthcoming if its his affairs. The 2 JW to each other and any of their friends, they don't probe neither do they answer when directly ask. Song-Hwa to Ik-jun for really personal stuff (Parkinson's diagnosis) and to those who would ask for okay-to-share family information (her brothers, nephews, etc), she will answer.
If there is a character in HP who I think is really open from both sides, privy to information of others and will not hesitate to share nor answer even personal questions (and even bordering on TMI-her words) is MINHA. She is cut from the same cloth as Ik-Jun albeit different pattern, Ik-Jun is privy but less forthcoming with his personal stuff. As for GYEOUL, except for the possible DV in her family, she is actually very open and straightforward on all other matters (from her one-sided crush to even her self-doubts and her day to day patient cases). Hence, it may take a really bigger and DIRECT push from Jeong-Won for her to open up.
Another thing on this episode that I loved was Lee Writer touching on Age in relation to treatments/death. I thought it was brilliant that she touched on this aspect. There is always a great feeling of loss when someone passes away, but somehow there is less of it if we believe the person has lived a full-life (and age is the closest measure that man can think off). But I did like that she was able to give out the message that no matter young or old people are, we each have our own personal barometer. Just because they are elderly (78 in the case of the mother and also the 2 dads), society (in this case their children) deciding that its fine that they don't get the optimal treatment. It is hurtful to the patient and also lacks respect for his or her capacity to decide.
You are right. I like Seok-hyeong because of how open he is about himself. Open but not fragile. This kind of honesty resonates very well with Min-ha. I think it must be very refreshing for him to talk to a girl who doesn't have any backburner thoughts and intentions (unlike, say, his ex-wife). She makes no secret of her liking him. And he knows that she likes him as a person, not because he's her professor, a chaebol, or something else.
Asian shows generally seem to do a good job with the topic of aging and the seniors. If you watch only Western movies and dramas, you sometimes get the impression that life ends around 30. Even if there are elderly moms and dads involved in the plot, they often act as if they are around 30 too.
What Lee writer-nim did was simple and masterful. She wove together several similar situations, and each of those resonated with a certain part of the audience - just read the comments in this thread. And I am quite sure that many people chose to call their parents or their loved ones after this episode. Or even planned visits to give them a hug and to celebrate the fact that we still have each other to lean on in this lifetime.
I absolutely loved the message that our seniors should enjoy their lives and do what they want. I think that, too. And seeing Rosa "getting back to it" made my heart full.
That's a nice observation on Seok-Hyeong. The paradoxes of life! :)
I seriously think Ikjun set the Bidulgi meeting up. My guess is Junwan and Iksun's photo is still on the wallpaper of her phone and Ikjun saw it. He already knew Junwan isn't over his sister. So he engineered them to meet and hopefully talk it out. He set the meeting up but the rest is up to the 2.
I was right that this episode would be all about parents but I'm glad that the episode wasn't too heavy. The Jun-Wan episode would always be the heaviest and saddest for me.
From where I come from, it's a norm where parents say and act that everything is fine when things are not. It's frustrating because this behavior would commonly end up with the parent seriously injured (or even die) because they do not disclose their condition to their family.
From a romantic POV, for me, everything is progressing "well." When I say "well," I mean that the relationships have their fair share of conflicts and progress.
With Gom-Gom, it mirrors the anaphylaxis ER of Gyeo-ul. This time, however, Seok-Hyeong showed up and Min-Ha was so overwhelmed that she bawled her eyes out. Gosh, Min-Ha was so adorable!! And who can forget her words of wisdom to Gyeo-ul back in Season 1 that if the Jeong-Won likes her, then he would show up? And here's Seok-Hyeong showing up for Min-Ha!
With Ik-Song, this is a slow burn because they are best friends in the first place. Whatever romantic feelings they have or will have for each other would always take a back seat first because their friendship will always be first. But I'm still hoping this ship will sail.
With Ik-Sun, I'm glad that they finally have an opportunity to discuss things. It's only fair as Jun-Wan has been too sad for far too long. I wonder if Ik-Jun had a hand in this because he's the one who always buys the ticket for Jun-Wan. And I would assume that because Ik-Jun and Ik-Sun have grown closer the past year, Ik-Jun is also aware of his sister's schedule.
With WinterGarden, it's obvious that Jeong-Won wants Gyeo-ul to open up. "Are you okay?" is a question Jeong-Won asked at least 5 times in this episode. I can relate a lot with Gyeo-ul because it's really hard to open up to someone especially if you have handled things by yourself for all your life and even if you know that there's someone who loves you unconditionally. It's a behavior that needs to be unlearned and Jeong-Won needs to be patient but assertive enough to push Gyeo-ul.
I also think that if Gyeo-ul's mom is a DV victim, it's quite difficult to share this to anyone. Where do you start? What do you say? Can people understand? This is a touchy subject and it's really difficult to find a starting point. Again, Jeong-Won needs to be patient but assertive enough to push Gyeo-ul.
It's the last 3 episodes and I expect these to be monster episodes, as well. I look forward to your next post. Meanwhile, I will rewatch episode 8. :)
'Nuff said --> "It's a behavior that needs to be unlearned and Jeong-Won needs to be patient but assertive enough to push Gyeo-ul."
Precisely because holding onto something for so long has made it harder to open up, Jeongwon needs a more direct approach. It's interesting to see that he doesn't back down from 'confronting' difficult parents (the makjang mother-in-law blaming the congenital condition on her daughter-in-law, and the mother who kept talking over her son), but finds it hard to do so with Gyeoul. Yet another juxtaposition of scenes where as a doctor you are calm & professional but once it comes to your own loved ones you turn into a huge mess not knowing how to act or what to do.
To quote Jong-su (roughly), "The sweet boy will cry his eyes out." :) They all know him too well. (I wonder if Gyeo-ul knows this too. When they came out of the VIP ward, her before Jeong-won, she visibly sighed and put her smile back on. She smiled each time he looked at her. But when he didn't, her smile faded - each time. My point is, you do this when you don't want to upset the person you're with. Smile bravely to console them.)
It brings another interesting layer to Gyeoul's thought process that perhaps it is not entirely just about her shame bearing her family secrets or difficulty in opening up to him, she understands Jeongwon's sensitive and gentle nature where more often than not he takes on the other's party pain like his own and this is not something she wishes. Though that doesn't lessen my compulsion to shake the both of them and maybe throw in a Seokhyung smack 😂😂
Ooooh, I love this idea, let's text Professor Yang riiiiight away!
You know what's funny (okay, maybe not funny, but interesting). I reviewed WG phone call, all that heart-breaking "I won't be able to call you often" and "May I have your permission to burden you with my texts?"... You would think they are not going to see each other for a month, and you empathize so hard with Jeong-won's worried and upset face.
A scene later, over the tteokbokki (mild flavor for the mild gentle boy), we learn from Jeong-won's own words that she is "off until this Thursday" (or "back this Friday morning"). So, not a month. Four days. (He knows in advance, he asked the chief!) Okay. Breathe.
Let's have a closer look at the chronology (this time, I wasn't that frustrated and checked lol). Monday evening - the lacking 5 plan a May trip to Sokcho over the dinner (it's March), Rosa confides in Jong-su.
Tuesday morning, Rosa is rushed to the ER. She gets diagnosed and gets a lumbar drain. She spends the night in the hospital, she and Jeong-won have a nice chat.
Wednesday was skipped there somewhere, because the next we see Song-hwa after her moment of desperation is the thesis day, which is on Thursday, and we are also shown two patients who are prepping for surgeries on Friday - Mr Sun and Ms. Jeong Rosa. Both are visited by Gyeo-ul in the evening. So, she actually returned a day earlier. Which means that on Wednesday, her mom and her traveled to Seoul and Thursday morning, they needed to unpack etc. And Jeong-won was probably dealing with his full schedule of surgeries that she mentioned. It's unlikely they talked over the phone on Tuesday and Wednesday.
My point is, I fail to see a deliberate attempt to avoid communication on both sides. Everything just happened way too quickly. (It takes longer in real life.) And of course, this show is exceptionally good at creating tension. But it's really interesting, time-wise.
I too enjoy piecing together timeline of HP episodes hehehe, eagerly waiting for any camera shots of calendars and clocks during my rewatching.
Agree that it all happened in a short frame of time and there was not any deliberate attempt to avoid communication, added to that they both have very demanding work schedules.
However, I do think the tension was a long time coming from all the seemingly small incidences that either of them brushed off until this, as AABattery said, "double mommy whammy turn of events" happened. I am reminded that Seokmin and Sunbin's relationship probably started around the same time as Jeongwon and Gyeoul's (correct me if I am wrong but there should just be a mere few months difference between the 2 couples). What's interesting is that we were shown Seokmin and Sunbin's 'cold war' early on in their relationship while Wintergarden were still in their fluffy stage. It's not to say that every relationship has to have fights or cold wars to settle differences or issues, rather that it is important to have such vulnerable and honest exchanges from the early onset of a relationship. Still as many of us have commented, there's just so many layers to the Wintergarden dynamics especially now that we are shown more of Gyeoul's perspective and also her family background (or hints of it lol).
Love your comparison between SilverDragon and GW! Seokmin and Sunbin also came from very different backgrounds, but they seemed to have been able to communicate well after the "cold war" and accept the differences. The "proposal" scene was so fun to see!
*sigh* Too many layers. Every time I watch those scenes, I have a different interpretation. It's a good thing I gave up biting my nails in middle school. I would totally start again. Having read this thread thrice, I finally convinced myself that we just have to wait five more days. And then some more. We can do it.
Cannot agree more about the timeline. March 2021 went from Ep5 to Ep8, and it skipped to April only by the tail end of Ep8! So while it took us 5 weeks to wait to see "progress", things actually are not slow if all of the last 4 episodes happened within a month's time.
I am curious though, if GU's mom needed surgery on Sunday, can she be released and moved by Wed. / Thur? And with GU's busy schedule, who is taking care of her? 🤔
They probably take turns with the little brother. This situation is a bit improbable (lol, we are watching a drama after all), but from a realistic point of view, Gyeo-ul's mom will need follow-up at the hospital, because even small fractures are no joke for elderly people, they need to be observed carefully. Which is why I semi-hope we'll see her in Yulje soon (preferably, in ep. 9). After all, why cast a great actress just to make her do voice work?
Yes! As sweet as the VIP scenes were, her demeaner, her facial expressions and how they changed with how JW faced her just pained me. I am anxiously waiting for her backstory, then I want to give her a big hug!
Four episodes, dearest - 9, 10, 11, and 12 :) My heart skipped a beat at your "last 3"!
There's no way they will end the show at season 2. Even for the most talented bunch of creators (which they are), that would be an impossible task.
I'm just praying for not getting a cliffhanger.
*sigh* I often say that all parents go to the same parents' school. On the one hand, they want to know every single detail about us, kids, and would fuss for hours when you confess to being under the weather... On the other hand, they will keep mum if something's bothering them, especially health-wise. Hearing Rosa say, "I was so scared I might have the Alzheimer" and Song-hwa's mom downplaying her condition - man, that was tough. It's totally something that happens all the time. And the kids rarely dive into such situations prepared, even when they are doctors.
“Where do you start?”..very true, it’s a touchy topic and there are raw wounds and old scars to deal with. It’s a complex issue with people taking months on therapy. Have hopes with ShinLee to take it in an empathetic arc.
The episode was really huge on exploring lots of parent-child relationships.
Songhwa's relationship with her mum resonated with me. I too go through a vicious cycle of having to temper my annoyance while talking or answering my parents questions about work, and when the conversation ends I am left feeling horrible for being such a rude child and thinking of ways to make it up to them. But it starts all over again in the next conversation lol. I sometimes wonder if it's because I did not grow up in an environment where my parents regularly sat us down to have conversations about what's going on with our lives be it small or big events, thus to this day it unsettles me to speak of or share such things with my parents. Hashtag Asian upbringing 😂
"Relationships are more complex than that and it isn’t about who is deserving of whom because they earned it. It’s much more than that. Otherwise it would be baldly transactional."
I've been thinking about this but couldn't put it so succinctly like you did. I think this especially applies to Junwan x Iksun so far for season 2. What we viewers think or feel how the Bidulgi pairing should be, does not matter at all because at the end of the day it is up to what the 2 individuals can live with / come to a compromise. Obviously there are lines to be drawn for abusive or toxic behaviour. Yes what Iksun did is terrible and perhaps I may still not see how anything she says or do can soothe the hurt she inflicted on Junwan. But perhaps to Junwan it never occurred to him that she has to earn his love back or his forgiveness. If Junwan decides to forgive and love her unconditionally and welcome her back into his life, that is his decision to make. It happens all the time in real life. So yes, I'm still very interested as to how this will pan out in the next few episodes.
The concept of love needing to be earned or deserved is also applicable to how some are still strongly opposing the Wintergarden pairing. There are some still constantly saying they don't understand what is it about Gyeoul that led Jeongwon to fall her (I'm reading between the lines and what the commentors probably truly mean, what is it that Gyeoul did to earn or deserve the great Andrea's love?). Maybe it's her picking the maggots without any disgust and showing her respect to the patient or maybe its just how adorable she is. Sometimes we just don't have a grand reason as to why we love who love.
And finally yes! The uneasiness between the 2 while waiting for the lift is akin to the scene back in season 1! This time with Gyeoul being the one with secrets. I agree with you that it is clear as day especially in this episode that Jeongwon is getting increasingly unhappy with how things are, that uncomfortably controlled exchange between the 2 at the lift and the lingering look he had after Gyeoul turns to leave the lift lobby... I'm gonna say that I called it since ep 1's dinner date where after Jeongwon told her although he couldn't take on her workload he wished to accompany her so she wouldn't be alone and Gyeoul swiftly answered that it's fine and she will deal with it on her own (my loose translation, I don't believe she mentioned it in a curt manner). It was subtle to me, but at that point I already felt Jeongwon's slight disappointment. From then till now, Jeongwon has been gentle in his approach but I really really want Jeongwon to explode because I do believe that is the only way we can get Gyeoul to open up. And I wouldn't say it is out of character for 'Mr Buddha' since pettiness and bearing grudges are part of who he is lol. Granted I think the height of his explosion would be how he lectured Gyeoul for her blunt speech with the patient's mother back in season 1. Whichever way it goes I'm all for it, sat in the front with a bucket of popcorn 😂😂
I have to say my top favourite moments in ep 8 are the Jongsu x Rosa's moments. It warms my heart that they have such a deep level of understanding and affection for each other. Love come in all forms and not necessarily just in the romantic form.
Hey I completely forgot about S1 Jeongwon scoldong Gyeoul! Considering how S2 parallels a number of S1 scenes, I think you’re on to something there!
“Sometimes we just don't have a grand reason as to why we love who love.“ 🤧 i couldn’t agree more.
Can’t help but observe that most of the negative comments about Wingar actually demand a lot from them. In a drama like HP, which is more focused on patients’ stories, it is inevitable that there would be parts of the personal stories of the doctors that won’t be shown to us. Moreover, the lovelines really have just limited screentime (i guess except for iksong since both are leads).
whoops that typo kinda took out the message a little hahah. “Sometimes we just don't have a grand reason as to why we love who *WE* love.“
and I know right??? 40somethingajumma's bit on how love is not transactional and cannot be viewed as something to be earned really hit the nail on the head in terms of the heat directed towards any of the HP pairings (much mud has been thrown at even Iksong as some feel Songhwa is not being fair to Ikjun after he finally "confessed" to her and is willing to put their friendship on the line).
I would totally watch the Jong-su and Rosa spinoff. Bring it on! In season 1, she was his pillar of strength, walking with him through his depression. Season 2, he's suddenly her guardian. :) I love their friendship. If Song-hwa and Ik-jun don't get together, but grow old to be like them, that would be enough.
Yeah, it's such a nice idea that love is not something you earn with your good behavior... A gift from Lord, often to bridge the chasm between two people that otherwise would never get together "naturally" and "for convenience"?
I just saw a comment on MDL about that very thing. The commenter said in no uncertain terms that they couldn't understand why Jeong-won fell for Gyeo-ul.
Ma’am you’re not alone with the feeling of uneasiness! Myheart hurt watching that scene at the elevator (props to both SHB and YYS’s acting) idk if I am even making sense but I actually love the build up to the impending emotional scene between Gyeoul and Jeongwon, where they will finally bare their burdens to each other. We were given fluffy scenes at the beginning and now we are about to witness how wingar will navigate complex issues in their relationship.
I am so worried about my girl Gyeoul. I think the way she explained how her mother got injured is painfully similar to how the abused dad explained his children’s injuries in S1. If it is really domestic violence, I am looking forward to how Shinlee and SHB will portray it given that it is a very sensitive issue.
the awkward and slightly tensed air between the 2 was quite well done! And yes it is very curious how Gyeoul used the same excuses as the abusive dad in season 1. I mean right now our guesses is as good as Jeongwon's even if we're seeing all the signs. Still whatever it is Gyeoul is going through, it's so sad that she is far too used to internalising it that she subconsciously minimizes or downplays the reality of the issue.
Thank you for your post once again! Your observation of this episode's silences and WinterGarden's unease reminded me of a specific moment - when Gyeoul confronts Jeongwon about not telling her about his mom's condition and surgery. Gyeoul almost seems bitter or let down after Jeongwon explains that he didn't want to burden her. Gyeoul then doesn't pursue the point as Jeongwon quickly asks her how she found out. The silence from both parties with regard to this question contained so much.
On Gyeoul's end, I think she might be feeling a little miffed at Jeongwon that he withheld this information from her given that everyone knew before her. That or she's getting a taste of what it's like to have someone you love not trust you to share what's going on. (To be fair, Gyeoul has actually shared with Jeongwon -some- information so it's not like he was completely in the dark - meanwhile it seems that Jeongwon left her in the dark.) I just hope she's not getting second thoughts about their relationship. But I do think it's not just Jeongwon who is unsettled with how things are; Gyeoul is feeling it too but she's hesitating to communicate the hard-hitting stuff for some reason.
I suspect that one reason might be that in many ways Jeongwon presents himself as "perfect" in front of her. He is so much a provider and protector that he probably struggles to recognise when or how to let others in, as we saw in the beginning scene and all through last season. I'm reminded of Episode 6 as well when he couldn't stand the thought of Gyeoul thinking he had made such a silly mistake in his intern days, not to mention all the foreshadowing of Jeongwon being alone as a pediatric doctor etc.. But Jeongwon also broke down this episode (interesting how both "perfect" people fell at the same time) and it's a shame he didn't think it necessary to share even a part of that with Gyeoul. He can't even look at her as he says he doesn't want to burden her, so maybe he senses his own nonsense. But his silence makes it that much harder for Gyeoul to share what she struggles with in her personal life and for her to really be there for him as well. Either way I hope this is something they eventually talk out as well.
Did not expect to write such a long comment, but more kept popping into my head once I began writing! The threads that come together in Hospital Playlist always end up surprising me. Anyway, thanks for the space to discuss and looking forward to reading your other posts!
That's a great argument you make, about Gyeo-ul gently feeding Jeong-won bits and pieces of information about herself - she doesn't shut him off completely, though he somewhat behaves like she does.
And yes, he didn't tell her anything about his mother's surgery, though she was sure to find out because she would be back to work on that day - it never even occurred to him that she might be miffed...
Thank you so much for your long thoughtful comment - no comment on HP is too long here :)
Nothing much to add than the beautiful review and the wonderful discussions here.
It was nice they brought the topic of medical decisions for seniors and the adult children’s involvement which is so common in Asian culture. Concepts like advance directives are still not widely prevalent in this side of the world is a proof to that.
Very relieved about Rosa’s recovery.
And what Jongsu and Rosa have is relationship goals!
Songhwa being put together for everyone else but gets annoyed only at mom and then later feeling guilty at her diagnosis is so relatable. So many times we realize mom wasn’t complaining for nothing, be it whatever!
Things are building up to Winter garden’s confrontation and open communication. But the more facade that Gyoeul puts on, I worry if it’s a graver situation at home and her past. But hoping it’s just the story building up for an impactful confrontational scene and not the former.
Min-ha’s cramp episode though felt deja-vu turned out cute! And HP jokes in HP was fun!
Was happy to see more Ik-sun’s scenes, for the amazing actor she is. Hoping to see more of her in the remaining episodes.
It is always a joy to come read your post and all the wonderful / insightful comments. Thank you for taking time to write even on a busy day.
What a monstrous episode indeed! So much was presented but I felt that it was still not long enough; I just want to see more, esp. when they stopped at the bus scene! 😢 As jam packed with content as this episode was, I do agree that so much as delivered with silence. And I have to give kudos to all the actors – they delivered all the emotions so well, including many scenes where they did not use any lines. I cried with Songhwa and felt the tension between WG, and the facial changes on Junwan and Iksun in the last scene were just amazing!
You described exactly how I felt about WG in this episode when you said there is a lingering uneasiness over time that demands attention. You can cut the air with a knife during their exchange in front of the elevator. I have heard comments about their communication barriers being caused by GU. While I totally agree that they have communication barriers, I felt that it was definitely two-sided: JW has his share in this very “oblique” communication style between them as well.
As much as my heart ached seeing that GU still struggled to open up to JW, I was even more disappointed seeing that JW did not share about Rosa with GU, and that she had to find out from the gossip circle. It is not that I do not understand the reason behind it, but how do you expect her to open up when you are not modeling it? I also wonder if GU does know how certain JW is about their future life together – him not having introduced her to Rosa, him not pushing her to go public with their relationship, and now her having to be the last person to find out about Rosa from people far removed from them – I can just imagine how insecure she might feel if she misinterprets all these.
Please note that I am not bashing JW in anyway; both GU and JW went through a hellish week and their minds (using GU’s words) were probably all over the place to think clearly before they acted. I think ShinLee are building up to something that would eventually push the needed communication between them - I believe JW loves her too much to ever allow them be drifted apart without putting up a big fight, so same here, I will be grabbing the front row seat w/ chips in hand to watch when it happens – but as a huge WG fan, I am just selfishly disappointed with the distance I felt in this episode, especially since I had hoped that this double mommy whammy turn of events would push them closer.
Their interactions made me think about how we may want to love and be loved differently. They both appear to love each other very much, both want the other to share things, good or bad, openly with him / her, but when it comes for themselves sharing their own things, they become timid and worrying about burdening the other. I wonder as they both want to love as “protectors” that shelter each other from harms, they forget that they themselves actually want to be treated as “partners” whom the other can feel free to unload and just talk carefreely to.
And about GU, I also wonder if she is not unwilling to share, but maybe she herself is still trying to process what has been going on, either things that just happened, or some past experiences she is now just recognizing what they truly are. If her head is still all over the place, maybe she needs to first process before she can articulate. Yes, maybe one can say “JW does not need clear articulation from you; he just wants you to share everything, and he can process with you”, but remember that this is GU, not JW who grew up in a household that thrived on all those open and free-flowing little chats. She needs time, but let’s hope she is not taking too long before their relationship is permanently damaged.
I am now really curious to find out what GU's backstory is. While all signs appear to point to DV, something is still not adding up to me with how little sensitivity GU had when facing potential signs of abuse in both seasons. It is also strange that all dialogues appear to stay muted about her father. We know from the call with her mom that there is an Appa, but it seems that by Ep8 there is a shared understanding of his absence. I look forward to seeing how all these answers would be unveiled in the upcoming episodes... but really hoping it will all be solved in ep9 (I miss the sweet WG🤣)!
What a wonderful dissection once again of WinterGarden dynamics!!!! Same with your observation, that conversation by the elevator made me realise that the communication barrier is a 2-sided affair with both GW and JW having struggles on this front. For Gyeoul, except for the possible DV or whatever, she articulates almost everything even her hurt that she was the last one to know about Mama Rosa. She asked him directly. I wonder how Gyeoul will respond if JW will re-phrase his questions beyond the are you okay to more straightforward words.
There are a few floating (and interesting) theories and also possible parallel to S1, which are quite fun to imagine. DV- Even if HP has touched on this sensitive topic, and from various angles (wife, kid and even the perpetrator) but the lens of its impact is more of an immediate. If Gyeoul was really exposed to violence, it would be an interesting narrative from the lens of its long-term impact to kids then and adults now. Another parallel that could be possible is Mama Rosa-Gyeoul's conversation in S1E12, can we expect Gyeoul's Mom-Jeong Won's one this season?
By the way, thank you for mentioning about the Hydrocephalus, as it made the wait for episode 8 bearable. And same as JW, weird that I was relieved by a medical diagnosis. But considering the other possibility, Hydrocephalus is a breather.
Oh, I agree. I looked up this diagnosis, and it quelled my anxiety quite a bit.
A thousand of "yesssss" to Gyeo-ul's mom vs. Jeong-won heart-to-heart!
Glad that I was able to share about Hydrocephalus; I was very relieved when I read that as well. And yes, I would LOVE to see a GU Mom to JW conversation! I do wonder if Ep8 was indeed the first time Rosa and GU met after they started dating (and hence made me assume that neither ladies mentioned to him about their meeting before), wouldn't JW be totally confused about their interaction in the VIP room and have they had time to talk about it afterwards?
I was actually thinking about the same thing on if JW could have rephrase his questions. I think he is trying not to be too pushy, but just like what you said, maybe a more straightforward question would work better for her, I'm saying this also because from the culture where I am now, asking "how are you" or "are you doing okay" is usually not a way to start a very deep conversation (it is just an usual exchange of pleasantry), but of course, that question might be interpreted differently in Korean. I also wonder that as much as JW has promised to not butt in / give his two cents, some of his questions / comments were still coming from the perspective of a very concerned protector (again, I am not bashing him here; just some observations - I am no communication expert, and it is tricky from person to person), vs. a listener / partner. When GU shared that her mom had fractured her rib cage and some other places, I noticed that JW immediately jumped in to say how could all that be caused by a fall, which hospital were they in, who was the doctor, etc. He was desperate and super worried for his gf, so I totally understood, but I also wonder if she would have shared more if he just listened, and asked confirmation questions, and not tried to jump in and take things over.
Of course, this was just my observation, and also interpreted from my own perspective, but when I go through challenges, I tend to want my husband to just listen and allow me to tell him how I feel, my struggles, etc., then once I think he has heard me, we can move on to talk about how I should address the issues and how he can support me. But at times more often than I'd like 😂, he wants to take over or just provide solutions. In those cases, I tend to stop and just keep the issues even further away from him, because I do not need him to solve things for me, or at least I'd prefer for him listen and show trust that I have ability to assess things first, before we have deeper conversations on how to best support each other. In my eyes, GU has been a very capable person and maybe even too capable for her own good. She does not need a rescuer, but a listener and partner that could walk alongside her and support her in the direction she wants to go.
It's classic - women need to be listened to because we formulate the problem by speaking (and, actually, can solve it afterwards themselves) and men need to solve things (even when they just had a very surface grasp of the problem). I kind of think, Jeong-won can do both. It's just he is confused about what he should do as much as we are. :)
I've got another interpretation for you - has the failed proposal made him insecure about himself and whether he can keep the girl? He did everything "right" and said all the "right" things over the phone, but his dejected face when he tried to call her himself and got no answer - are you really okay with her not texting you back, Jeong-won-ssi? You are not, stop deluding yourself, darling. Then maybe she will stop apologizing.
Funny that you mentioned insecurity; I was just thinking now that we know how their emotional intimacy could have been far less than their physical intimacy, and that they both appeared to have, at least at times, walk on eggshells to avoid burdening each other, could it be possible that both feel insecure about the other, the their insecurity continues to feed into each other's insecurity due to their lack of deeper communication? Security is one foundational element for openness, but somehow I feel that as ready as JW may think he is ready to marry GU, maybe both do not yet have the security required to have a successful marriage?
"this double mommy whammy turn of events" - this turn of the phrase is gooooooold! )))
I miss WG sweetness too. But we are definitely being taught a very important lesson here, because it took a long time to even outline the agenda. Praying for resolution in Ep. 9 with you. Maybe we will meet Gyeo-ul's mother there, who knows?
I could not be more grateful for getting a 1.30-1.50 hours ultra-high-quality action-packed slice-of-life TV movie every week. That's a privilege I don't take for granted - just like this community and all of your fellow viewers. Seriously.
Oh you are so true about the privilege! Like a good book, any good art that's inspirational deserves accolades! After HP, I have called up friends and family just to say hi! Even gave my husband a shoulder massage after a gruelling work day inspired by a certain gyosunim ;) Probably that I need inspiration from a TV show makes me look bad, I don't care, everyone needs reminders!
I'm really happy to hear that! <3<3<3
Your points on communication being a 2 way street is a timely reminder to all us viewers. I do think many have started to see that Jwon also has a part to play in improving his communication skills. Things are starting to add up to an odd picture that Jwon has possibly not informed her of pretty huge things such as his daddy long legs involvement, his ultimate goal to build a children's hospital, broaching the topic of meeting each other's parents, or even the long term plans such as marriage. Perhaps Gyeoul's longing look at Seokmin x Sunbin's proposal moment has all to do with the insecurity that you mentioned and less to do with her happy & certain thoughts that her relationship is going in that direction too.
Thank you for also mentioning that communication styles are affected by our upbringing and all our life experiences. In my opinion, I feel this is something many Iksun bashers have also chosen to ignore. One does not have to condone her actions but it is equally important to understand why she acted the way she did or said what she said.
Also, indeed curious that back in season 1, Gyeoul looked surprised when Gwangyeon and Jeongwon concluded that the boy is a victim of child abuse. Should it really be a case of growing up in an DV environment, it is odd that she does not recognise the signs. Whatever it that's going on, I'm wondering if it is possible that she has mastered the art of mental compartmentalization. Her telling Jeongwon that his messages help her "escape reality for just a bit" made me uncomfortable because I don't think she meant that just for her current mum situation but generally throughout her life and especially with now having Jwon by her side.
(speaking from experience) the more a person means to you, the more careful you can become. how many of us love kdrama couples who have open and honest conversations - but i have long suspected that many of us love these drama couples because honest convos are in short supply in real life. :) it's really unhealthy for relationships so yes, like all of you im looking at the truth to spill soon.
Probably need something to happen to force their hands, much like Rosa's illness)
that is very true and I appreciate that HP has shown us those realistic conflicts. Even in platonic relationships it is never easy to even ask or answer seemingly simple questions
Did anyone noticed: when the 5 talked about how Gyeoul got her 4 days off so easily, Jeongwon said something about why reputation is important (meaning, Gyeoul has a reputation of being hardworking and thorough, so she got her days off when she called and spoke to her chief). It seemed like a throwaway line, but I suspect that could be a clue about how bad the situation is at home for her. Maybe her dad is not only abusive (to her mom and her) but also of ill-repute (eg. ex-convict?), and that's why she doesn't wanna reveal anything. The stakes are high for her and Jeongwon is her escape. Not that it's an excuse for her not to be honest with Jeongwon, but seeing how badass her character is, i cant help but think of the worst case scenario of her background.
Thank goodness her future mother in law is Jeong Rosa, not Seokhyung's mom!
So happy to have found this blog with amazing and insightful reviews and then a comments section with even more awesome reviews. Also, just a thought, but I wonder if Gyeoul's visit to the VIP ward will sort of out their relationship to the hospital. I mean, not just anyone can visit the former chairman's wife, right?
I like your inquisitiveness on the topic, and I have thought the same thing. :) But technically, Gyeo-ul is staff, she used to accompany Ik-jun on his VIP rounds too, so seeing her there maybe unusual but not exceedingly suspicious. What is exceedingly suspicious is the former chairman's wife squealing with joy like a five-year old at the sight of a HPB fellow when she's there for a neurosurgery procedure. But I'm sure they have NDAs in place to prevent VIP ward nursed from voicing their suspicions. :)
That’s a good point, I forgot she’s been there with Ikjun. And that future mother/daughter-in law scene was gold! I’m curious if Jeongwon knows how his mother recognized his gf before he introduced her. I’m hoping we’ll get some scenes about this in future episodes :)
Welcome! Nice to have you onboard.
Thank you!