I know I’m only four episodes in but I’m already convinced that if Ji Hye Soo and Jang Jae Yeol could stop fighting for about five seconds, they’d make one of the most fantastic couples ever in the history of Drama Land, unfortunately these two are more likely to rip each other’s throats out than start making out so it’s safe to say, we’ve still got a long way to go.
While it may take a while for Hye Soo and Jae Yeol to get their feelings for each other sorted, I’m not going to complain. I’m such a sucker for the “I hate you but I find myself falling for you anyway” relationships, that I’m really, really enjoying this one, mostly because both Hye Soo and Jae Yeol aren’t afraid to wear their emotions on their sleeves. I love the fact that you always know exactly what both characters are thinking, at least in relation to each other, because it leaves very little room for one to second guess the other and there are zero misunderstandings. As one who has suffered through more than my fair share of frustrating Drama Land relationships, I find this both refreshing and wonderful. I absolutely love that whenever Hye Soo and Jae Yeol have any sort of problem with the other, they just come right out and say it. “You’re a womanizer.” “Your attitude is why men leave you.” It’s brutal but it’s truth and I think this honesty is what’s ultimately going to draw them to each other. I think they’re both going to reach a point when they say, “You know what? We’re both messed up and we both have problems but life is less miserable when we’re together so let’s make this happen.” Of course they still have a LONG way to go before they get there but I think they’re well on their way.
Well, Jae Yeol is anyway. He’s certainly shown some interest in Hye Soo, admitting to himself that she’s cute and getting jealous when he sees she’s hugging a different man but I think that more than that, the proof is in the way he treats Hye Soo with a surprising level of respect. Yes, he is mean to her at times and he enjoys picking on her but none of that is done with an attitude that says, “I’m better than you.” Rather, it’s done in a way that, I think, shows just how much he really likes her. It’s only your best friends who will point out your flaws in an effort to help you get past them and I really think that’s what Jae Yeol is trying to do. I mean, if he’d wanted to get her in his bed, he could have easily done that when Hae Soo passed out at his apartment but rather than take advantage of her, he simply left her to sleep alone, taking himself completely out of the picture. Who knew such a playboy could be such a gentleman?
Sadly, this gentleman also has a bit of a cruel streak, at least when it comes to poor Kang Woo. That poor baby! All he does is idolize Jae Yeol and he, in turn, treats this poor boy like he’s trash, at least when he’s angry. Telling the boy to get lost and throwing money at him when the poor boy has obviously gone through one the most traumatic experiences of his life is so wrong and I’d be ripping Jae Yeol to shreds right now if it weren’t for the way episode four ended. Yes, it was adorable to see these two goofing around, throwing rocks at a girl’s window and then running down the street, laughing but then they had to go and end this whole scene with Jae Yeol running down the road alone and I suddenly find myself wondering if Kang Woo is actually real. There’s a really big part of me that thinks Kang Woo is actually some sort of projection of his younger self or something along those lines but I could be reading a whole lot into this. I guess I’ll just have to keep watching to find out.
Of course there’s a whole lot to this drama that’s making me want to come back and while Jae Yeol and Hye Soo are a big part of that, the supporting characters and even the minor characters are all so interesting that I find myself wanting to know as much about them as I do our leads. I don’t know if I’ve ever come across a more diversified group of characters and I love the way the minor characters are used, not just to tell their own story but also as a means to bring our leads together. Every time Hye Soo has a patient she can’t quite figure out, she turns to Jae Yeol who, miraculously, always has just the right perspective she needs to see her clients in a new light and find a way to help them. If only they could use this magic to fix their own problems…
So tell me, what are your thoughts on this drama so far? Are you enjoying the love-hate relationship between Jae Yeol and Hye Soo? Do you have a favorite supporting character? Do you have any thoughts on Kang Woo? (Other than him being absolutely adorable) What about Jae Yeol’s brother? I’m pretty sure his innocent and curious act is just that, an act, but I could be wrong. Do you have any theories on him and what he might really be up to? I always want to know what you’re thinking so be sure to leave me a comment below!
You can find us talking about all manner of Hallyu goodness on our blogs, zombiemamma and hallyuknow or you can find us on Twitter @Hallyu_Tanya and @TheZombieMamma
Catch up on all of our previous discussions of It’s Okay, That’s Love here: