The Zebussie Drama Review: Blade Man Episodes 8-9 (2/2)

Drama Debussie: Hello! We meet again…

Zombie: What a coincidence! (haha) I think we’ve got a lot to talk about this week so I’m just gonna dive right in and ask, are you loving Se Dong and Hong Bin together as much as I am, or am I just a bit crazy? I think these two are flipping adorable and oh my gosh, I laughed so much as I watched those two try to deal with their feels after last week’s kiss.

DD: If there’s one thing I adore it’s morning afters. Watching Se Dong try to avoid the kiss conversation and Hong Bin wanting to talk about nothing else pretty much sums up why these two are so perfect for each other. I mean, they fatefully ran into each other, got snacks and alcohol at the convenience store, and proceeded to get drunk together. This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Zombie: Right? Add to that Hong Bin’s attempt to drag Se Dong off into a dark alley (which failed miserably) and his following her all the way home, begging to spend the night and you’ve got the perfect couple!

DD: So perfect that Se Dong had to try to end it! I know we knew obstacles were headed their way, but why oh why did the first one have to be Se Dong?

Zombie: Well we all knew she was a good girl. I guess she’s just a little too good. Her upright upbringing may have made her sweet but it also made her a bit apprehensive about things others wouldn’t even worry about. I mean it’s not like Hong Bin did anything bad, he was simply trying to take care of his girl in the only way he knew how. It’s just that Se Dong started to feel greedy and that made her ashamed so she tried to run away.

DD: If there’s one thing I truly admire about Se Dong it’s her independence and appreciation of the things she’s acquired through her own hard work and strong will. I guess I just wasn’t expecting those traits to almost end her VERY new relationship. Thank goodness for Hong Bin’s persistence (a trait I truly admire in him) and his surprising willingness to display his affections in a very public manner. Seriously, can we get more Wookie in a bear suit? I know it’s the last thing Se Dong wants, but I’m willing to risk her embarrassment for my personal satisfaction.

Zombie: I think that even more admirable than his willingness to don a bear suit to make amends is the fact that he’s willing to step back, take a look at the situation through Se Dong’s eyes, admit that what he did was a bit much and then promise to never belittle the things Se Dong holds dear. I mean, he went way beyond just apologizing! He stepped into Se Dong’s shoes for a bit and came back a better man and I really admire that! Not many people are willing to put themselves in another person’s shoes but he did and it made me smile.

 DD: It’s mainly surprising considering he’s doesn’t exactly come from a background where he’s required or expected to sympathize or empathize with anyone, not even someone he cares about. He’s willing to leave his comfort zone so that the person he loves feels safe and understood. That’s just romantic. Turns out he’s also willing to jump off of buildings and save the people he loves even if that means possibly revealing his big secret!

Zombie: You have no idea how relieved I was when Hong Bin made it up those stairs just in time to save his brother! I seriously thought Hong Joo was toast  and I was on the edge of my seat, hoping Hong Bin would make it. Who cares if his secret was revealed? It was worth almost blowing his cover if it meant saving his brother! Besides, there were no blades this time (which is probably a good thing, seeing as how had they popped out, Hong Joo would’ve been skewered) so it’s not like it was a dead giveaway.

 

DDL: Seems all of his abilities are triggered by different emotions and the blades are reserved for anger or protector mode. Which brings me to the ajummas this week who would drive anyone to anger mode. Yes, not just one, all of them! I guess we all knew this already, but Madame Yoon is obviously the undercover HBIC around these parts. She. Is. Terrifying.

 

Zombie: Yes. She. Is. Oh my goodness! I thought Hong Joo’s mom was the only scary woman around but boy was I wrong! Madame Yoon makes this other woman look like a mouse in comparison. Seriously! I don’t want to be on the wrong side of Madame Yoon! Ever! I feel like she could curse me with nothing but a death stare and then I’d start sprouting blades… or worse!

DD: One of many things I love about this show that every character has a different dynamic with another character and we explored so many of those dynamics this week. Hong Joo’s mom obviously received a status upgrade when she married, but there’s tension with her husband because of it. We don’t know the whole story (yet) but it seems Madame Yoon simply allows her to give the illusion that she’s running things as long as there is an understanding of how things really are between them. Which makes me wonder what relationship Madame Yoon had with Jang Won in the past. Seems she’s got a pretty solid lock on him…and his secret business dealings.

Zombie: Can we even call his business dealing secret when it seems like the whole world knows about them? At least Madame Yoon and Hong Joo’s mom both know what’s going on and those are the two he’s supposedly keeping things a secret from so it seems a bit silly to even try to keep things hidden anymore. I do have to wonder what the deal between Jang Won and Madame Yoon is though. We already know they’ve had a kid together. We also know that Hong Bin has a different mom than Hong Joo. I’m beginning to wonder just how many women Jang Won has had and are they all still around to make his life miserable? It seems at least two of them are and honestly, I don’t feel the least bit sorry for him. He’s a jerk. He deserves to suffer.

 DD: I agree some suffering needs to happen there, but I’ll also admit that Jang Won’s scenes with Chang melt my cold, dead heart. Then he goes home and makes Hong Joo’s life a living hell. Dude, make up your mind! Are you trying to be a good grandfather because you were such a horrible dad, or are you simply trying to convince Chang to agree to live with you so that you can treat him the same way you’ve treated your sons? Honestly, both options frighten me because you haven’t proven that you are capable of changing your ways in any shape or fashion.

 

Zombie: I’m totally with you on that one! I don’t want to see Chang within a thousand miles of Jang Won or Madame Yoon for that matter but there doesn’t seem to be any way for him to escape their grasp. I almost wish Hong Bin would send Chang to live with his grandparents out in the middle of nowhere, just because I think he’d be a whole lot safer there than where he is now. Every time I see Chang with Jang Won, my stomach fills with dread. I just can’t shake this horrible feeling that something awful is going to happen if Chang stays where he is and I really don’t want to see that happen. The poor baby’s been through enough as it is, can’t people just leave him alone?

DD: I share your want to send Chang far away for his protection, but I know I would also miss the (few and far between) scenes he shares with Hong Bin. They’re so similar and it’s so much fun watching them converse, especially when it’s a conversation in where Hong Bin insists that Chang not refer to Se Dong as his wife. I just know the more we watch the more frequent those conversations will be and I’m already loving it. While I’m all for Se Dong eventually becoming Hong Bin’s REAL wife, Chang will always be able to make the argument that she was his wife first.

Zombie: I can see Chang and Hong Bin arguing over Se Dong for a very, very long time and the idea just makes me laugh. Poor Hong Joo doesn’t even stand a chance. Not that he ever did… He’s doomed to be baby brother forever.

DD: What’s sadder is that there is another guy who was friendzoned before he even knew what hit him. Poor Seung Hwan. Such a sweet guy and probably more loyal to Se Dong than any of the Joo men will ever be yet he is forced to sit on the sidelines. I guess someone always has to be the Gale…

 

Zombie: (Hunger Games reference for the win!) I do feel bad for Seung Hwan but I’m not going to lose any sleep over him. He’s had all this time to make something happen with Se Dong and yet he’s only ever been a friend? I think that’s a pretty good indication that it’s time for him to move on. Shall I start singing Let it Go now?

DD: Only if I can join in with my horrible singing. You’re right, though. You snooze, you lose, Seung Hwan. You’ve REALLY lost after all this time. I’m glad she had a friend like him to help her through her mother’s death, though. Man, I was not expecting all that. I’m usually not one to cry while watching these dramas but I’ll be the first to be admit they got me. You got me, Show. *whispers* You got me.

Zombie: It was a totally unexpected look into Se Dong’s life and I was crying right along with you. Poor girl! That’s a lot of guilt to have to carry around with you, knowing you could’ve saved your mom’s life if you’d only picked up the phone. Ugh! I don’t know how she’s managed to stay so upbeat. I’d be in therapy for the rest of my life if I were in her shoes.

 

DD: I almost get the impression that while she gives love to others, she doesn’t feel that she deserves love in return because of the guilt she carries. This will likely be a recurring theme and I’m interested to find out how that will be resolved. It’s a feeling that is carried with us in everything that we do and it stunts emotional growth, particularly in the romance department. Even when she was adorably hugging Hong Bin in the amusement park there seemed to be some hesitation on her part. I’m sure being slapped MULTIPLE times by Hong Joo’s mother didn’t help. I mean, OUCH!

 Zombie: I’d love nothing more than to see Hong Bin walk up and slap the silly out of that woman but I’m not sure that’s gonna happen. I have a feeling something is going to come between him and that horrible woman but who knows? Augh! Behold the agony of a cliffhanger! We’re gonna have to wait until next week to figure out what happens next. Hurry up Wednesday! Get here already!

You can find both Drama Debussie (@dramadebussie) and Zombie Mamma (@TheZombieMamma) on Twitter so be sure to stop by and say hi! (We just love it when you do!)

Catch up on all of The Zebussie Drama Reviews of Iron Man here:

Episodes 1-2 [Part 1] [Part 2]

Episodes 3-4 [Part 1] [Part 2]

Episodes 5-6 [Part 1] [Part 2]

Episodes 7     [Part 1]

Episodes 8-9  [Part 1] [Part 2]