These next two episodes of Twenty Again are exactly what you’d expect them to be. Ha No Ra is still unappreciated at home, an outcast at school and the object of torment for Cha Hyun Suk, however things aren’t quite as bad as they could be and I have a feeling they might even start looking up in the not-too-distant future. But before we can get to the looking up we have to wade through the not-so-great that is this past week’s episodes.
When we left Ha No Ra at the end of the second episode, I was seriously wondering if she would ever be able to settle into life as a college freshman. It’s not that I doubted her ability to handle school, it’s just that her ability to deal with everyone at school seemed to be a bit… lacking. I get that it may be difficult for a housewife in her late 30’s to bond with a bunch of young 20 year-old college students but really, I think this show is really exaggerating the age gap between No Ra and her fellow students. Yes, there are differences between the two (believe me, I know exactly what they are) but that doesn’t mean the two sides can’t find some sort of common ground they can bond over. The problem is none of the students want to have anything to do with a crusty old lady like No Ra (and I say that completely tongue-in-cheek because I’m every bit as old and crusty as she is).
As No Ra tries to bond with her classmates at a freshman welcoming party, things begin to look up as No Ra comes to the defense of the girls who have fallen prey to the attack of one very pervy professor. While everyone at the dinner applauds No Ra for calling the creeper out, things go a very different direction at school the next day. As one would expect from a douche-bag like Professor Perv, he gets all offended that anyone would dare cross him and vows to make life miserable for everyone if No Ra doesn’t apologize for her actions. Of course this makes everyone in the humanities department upset and they take their frustration out on No Ra. While I could see this one coming a mile away, that doesn’t mean I have to like it. No Ra did the right thing. She did what no one else had the guts to do and yet, instead of being praised for having the courage to stand up for what’s right, she’s beaten to a figurative pulp. *sigh* Isn’t that always the way things go?
The good news is, with No Ra becoming the object of everyone’s scorn, her new level of pathetic-ness has struck a chord of sympathy with several people, including a couple of her classmates and Hyun Suk. I first have to applaud Ga Soo Nam for stepping in out of nowhere to defend No Ra in front of her classmates. Yes, it’s true this guy still has a long way to go when it comes to his dealings with No Ra but at least he’s lightening up around her and he listening to a conscious that’s telling him No Ra deserves to be treated better. I have a feeling these two will end up being pretty good friends, especially once he figures out she’s the mystery dancer from the video taken during the club recruiting. I certainly hope this is the case because I think this is a friendship that would be good for both of them, as I have a feeling they each have some lessons they could teach each other.
As much as I’d like to applaud Hyun Suk for coming to No Ra’s aid, I really can’t applaud him for anything. The only reason he’s lightening up around her is because he found her lost diary, read it and now believes she’s only got a few months left to live. Of course we all know No Ra’s actually perfectly healthy but he doesn’t and for now, that’s a good thing. I think the thought of losing No Ra so soon after finding her again bothers Hyun Suk a whole lot more than he’ll ever admit and he’s probably going to be furious once he realizes she’s not dying but for now, things need to be as they are. Hyun Suk needs to remember that No Ra was, at one time, a very good friend and No Ra needs Hyun Suk to remind her that she was once a woman with quite a bit of gumption. I think that as their time together increases, the two will slowly start to become the people they once were. Well, No Ra will anyway, which I’m pretty sure is the whole point of this story. This isn’t a story about a 40 year-old woman going back to school to live the life she had to forgo 20 years ago; it’s the story of a woman who has lost her much-ness and is on a journey to get it back and it’s for that reason alone that I’m so hooked. I want to see No Ra succeed in finding her gumption and as she does, I’ll be here cheering her on.
So tell me, what did you think of these this week’s episodes? Are you as frustrated with the way No Ra is being treated as I am? Do you think things will turn around once this issue with the professor is resolved? Do you think the professor will actually resign or will he try to take No Ra down instead? Will it work? Will life at school every get easier for No Ra? Will her son ever not be a jerk? What the heck was Hyun Suk thinking, inviting Woo Chul to his office while No Ra was there? What’s going to happen next? You know I always love hearing from you so be sure to let me know what you’re thinking by leaving me a comment below!
You can catch up on all my reviews of Twenty Again here:
I wasn’t sure that I wanted to keep watching because I got so annoyed with the characters. LOL
But I went back and watched up to episode 5 and I think I’m going to stick with it. She is such a good actress, I want to see her succeed in winning everyone over especially her stuffy, hard ass husband.