A fellow I Do watcher commented on ockoala’s blog that watching I Do I Do is like reading a novel. And I agree. That’s exactly how I feel when I watch this drama. But wait! Of course it feels like a novel. It was a novel to begin with.
Watching episode 2 live was very tiring for me because mom is beside me and have turned me into her personal simultaneous translator!!! It was already difficult for me to understand it, and I have to translate it real-time for her! I gave up halfway through the episode and suggested that we just watch it peacefully. After my live viewing, I felt that the episode was nice, but I was too tired, I slept right away. I had to rewatch it in order for me to appreciate it more.
First, I’m glad that Hwang Ji Ahn didn’t throw her shoes to catch Tae Kang. 1.) she’ve done that oh so many times on her previous dramas and 2.) it’ll be inconsistent with her shoe-loving character.
I love how Ji Ahn knows her stuff so well, enough to catch Tae Kang lying. And her knowledge about shoes reminds me so much of Kim Sam Soon’s love and passion for cakes. So yes, I’m sold with all these passion over shoes.
“Alright, forget about yourself. Just think of you father.”
I also like the fact that she showed a teeny-bit of concern towards this kid whom she had spent one depressing day with. She’s even brave enough to brought up his father. If we are on a different drama realm, she would probably think twice before mentioning anything that connects to the day when she had a one night stand with the kid sitting in front of her and will try to pretend that that unfateful day never existed. But she didn’t bat an eyelid when she mentioned his father. So is Tae Kang. He also didn’t budge when he mentioned her issues with her parents as his defense against Ji Ahn. Because without her knowing it, she has touched something sensitive . Tae Kang is, in fact, doing this for his father. Anyway, I love how mature they both handle their one-night stand.
Another memorable scene for me was the the first face to face encounter of Na Ri and Ji Ahn. It was epic! I knew the moment Na Ri sweet-talked her way into getting Ji Ahn’s ultra-cool office that we’ll be dealing with a biatche here (Urgh, drama! Can’t you wait like a couple more episodes first before ousting Ji Ahn on the nice office? I haven’t had enough of the fabulous sight of Ji Ahn on that office yet! ㅠㅠ). I started getting a bit sad knowing that the person meant to anihilate Ji Ahn has arrived. I forgot one thing. Will there be anyone more biatche then our Ji Ahn? Ha! I love how honest Ji Ahn was. Saying how horrible she feels being ousted from her ‘throne’. It’s not very usual, especially in Korean culture to say something like that to someone you’ve just met and whose position is higher than yours. I guess Ji Ahn doesn’t need us anymore. She can very well take care of herself. Oh very-Samsoonish! Ji Ahn-ah, we’ll just cheer for you then! Go Ji Ahn!
Nonetheless I hate the biatche! Na Ri, that is. Seems like she’s someone who doesn’t give up easily. I suddenly want to wear heels and step on her foot. Biatche! Who cares whether she studied MBA in the states, she’s still a 낙하산! Biatche!
Oh, I love Kim Sun Ah’s acting! I can almost see smoke coming out of her nostrils – her anger is seeping out of my laptop screen. I’m wondering though if it was the scene that a staff from I Do I Do once mentioned when the extras got scared of Kim Sun Ah after the take. Darn! The way she threw that stupid menopause prevention pamphlet – woah! No wonder our Kim Sun Ah was dubbed as the ‘queen of nuance’.
And thankfully Ji Ahn’s using a blackberry (not a galaxy note for god’s sake!) and the most boring ringtone on earth!
And woah woah woah! I’m loving where this 맞선 is going. If only… if only our Ji Ahn is not carrying Tae Kang’s child I would really love for this two to end up together. Well, on second thought, although they seem compatible and it looks like they’re going to understand each other, I guess it will be difficult for them to be together. How will they find time to see each other? Do they have to book an appointment for their dates? And kids. If they’ll have some. If they’ll have time to have some. What are they going to do with them? Maybe compatibility doesn’t equate perfect match. Nonetheless, I am loving these two. More than Ji Ahn and Tae Kang. In this episode at least.
Aww, I was a bit disappointed that Tae Kang sold Beyonce. 1.) a motorbike with the name Beyonce is just epic 2.) I want to see more of Kim Sun Ah riding a motorbike 3.) I was wishing Tae Kang would sacrifice Beyonce for Ji Ahn. Apparently he did sacrifice Beyonce, but not for Ji Ahn, rather for his dad. Which is equally, if not more sweet. Anyhow, I think it is also good because noona + a virgin dongsaeng + a drunken one night stand + a motorbike is so What’s Up Fox?-ish
“How am I supposed to know when will we finish?”
I so can relate on their office situation. Though I don’t have a husband, I have a mother and I have friends and I’ve used “How am I supposed to know when will we finish?” a number of times. In the working world – at least in Ji Ahn’s and mine, there’s only a start time, but there will never be an end time. I feel for Team Leader Ma. I also remember a similar scene… either from Dalja’s Spring or On Air… or was it Worlds Within?
“Tell her I have dismenorrea. No, it needs to be something more severe. Ah, irritable bowel syndrome. Aw, just tell her I died!”
And although the way they all cancelled the dinner with Ji Ahn is very funny with the EA (I’m assuming she’s an executive assistant or simply an assistant) taking down notes and all, I can totally relate to this scene as well. God knows how many times me and my former co-workers have done this to escape from work or from overtime or to avoid dinner or luncheon with a boss that we hate/fear – and we all end up just saying, tell him/her/them I died. Now I feel for my previous bosses. Did they feel the same way as Ji Ahn when we made alibis just to avoid being with them?
“Korean Time!”
Oh! There’s such a thing as Korean Time too? I’m wondering what is Korean Time? I thought Koreans are almost always on time. (edit: found THIS 코리안 타임은 약속시간에 일부러 늦게 도착하는 행동이나 그 버릇을 이르는 말이다.)
And I love the entire “alone” moment of Ji Ahn. Our poor Ji Ahn. No one to call. No one to have a meal with. It’s so depressing to see such a powerful, capable and strong Director like this. Just like what Tae Kang would say later one, “I can’t even look at you because you are too pitiful”. My only consolation is that I/we know that literally she is not alone anymore for at that time her baby is with her already. Now, I’m just not sure if that’s something Ji Ahn would be happy about.
I also like that in the midst of Ji Ahn’s quest for company, her feet brought her to Chae Boong’s 식당. Probably because it was the first and, maybe, the only place where she was able to open her heart out and, maybe, for the first time someone was with her, sharing her pains and frustrations, even caring for her.
And I love how consistent the writer is to Ji Ahn’s character. Despite her being on yet another vulnerable moment here, she is still on her fierce no-one-can-mess-up-with-me-even-if-i’m-depressed attitude. I so love her reaction when Tae Kang banged her table. I was thinking she’d scoof or something like any other typical kdrama girls out there. But she didn’t budge and simply stared back at Tae Kang, must to his amusement thus he ended up scoofing instead.
And when Ji Ahn picked up the bottle of soju, I wanted to warn her not to! But thankfully, as if on cue, Tae Kang started pissing her off once more, and she ended not drinking any. Is Tae Kang already protecting their baby as early as now?
“How am I supposed to eat this ramen without any kimchi?”
And I so love the entire sequence when we all entered Ji Ahn’s house accompanied by the song I Do. The entire sequence was very powerful. Without any dialogues, but we were all introduced to Ji Ahn’s personal world. And it’s just so heartbreaking! The sight of Ji Ahn’s awards with flowers that have wilted already. A high class, yet very messy house with packages, boxes, bags, magazines, empty beer cans, undisposed instant ramen bowls and chopsticks, an almost empty fridge with rotten fruits, two bottles of water and a bowl of kimchi with molds, unwashed dishes on her back. Aww, tears are running down my cheeks just by typing this. I want to hug Ji Ahn now. I’m just not sure if she’ll allow anyone to do that.
It’s just sad. Too sad. Especially the spoilt kimchi. It only doesn’t mean she’s always been away from her apartment. It also shows she hasn’t visited her hometown for a long time. Because if she did, her mom would’ve definitely packed not just kimchi but a whole bunch of side dishes for her to take home and store on her fridge. But doesn’t mom even visit her? Or maybe she doesn’t allow her to.
So, with no one to eat with and with nothing to eat, she just ran into her sanctuary – her amazing shoe closet. That’s probably where she feels most safe and secured at – being surrounded with shoes – exactly just like what Tae Kang told her. But it’s still sad because again, just like what Tae Kang said, shoes are just shoes no matter how many they are.
The entire sequence was too powerful though that I barely noticed Tae Kang and dad moments which are also good too.
And the song I Do is really a good one. Forget the engrish, I just so love it – both lyrics and melody. It’s has a slight trace of pain, but is trying to be strong and hopeful. I’d say very Ji Ahn. And the mixture of that whiff of pain and the warmth of a strong hope is enough to make me cry whenever I hear that song – as much as I cry with Kim Sam Soon‘s Inside My Heart.
Now I’m really really curious as to how OSTs are made. I’m assuming the song writers discuss the story and the characters with the writer or director (or both). OSTs, especially the character “themes” are almost always a perfect match to the characters. OST song writers are very lucky then to know the drama stories in advanced. 🙂
Now every moment Biatche appears, I’m always on the edge of my seat. Somehow I’m thankful she’s there and she doesn’t give up. Giving Ji Ahn more reasons to smash her down.
I also love how this short scene in an aesthetic spa revealed so much about Ji Ahn. Based from their conversations, she doesn’t flaunt with her money even if she has plenty (and doesn’t act like a chaebol). And even if she hated the Biatche who gave her the gift certificate, she used it and didn’t throw it away. She also don’t accept free treats from her rich friend because she said she can take care of herself. Did I say I’m loving Ji Ahn more and more?
As for the friend… I’m not yet sold. Yes, thanks for being with Ji Ahn. Thanks for giving her company. Thanks for being someone she can talk/chat with. But girl, how much do you really know your friend? How she really feels, how much she’s hurting and how she is just putting on a strong mask all this time. You were not even there when she needed you the most. On the other hand, maybe we can’t really blame her for Ji Ahn’s the type who doesn’t easily open her heart out to anyone.
And another hilarious moment! Our Ji Ahn is starting to get a little bit nicer to Dr. Jo, because he persistently sends her text messages thrice a day at exactly 8 in the morning, 12 noon and 11pm. Without fail. Right on the dot. The Ji-Seong (or Sun-Hyeong in real life) shipper in me is starting to get my hopes up until friend burst her bubble telling her there’s a smartphone application for that that even her little daughter Min Joo knows. Isn’t it fun to see our Ji Ahn is also a bit naive? And Dr. Jo, you’re busted!
And who could Min Joo be? I’m also a sucker for Korean child stars, but my favorites have all started growing up. I hope Min Joo is someone who’s very smart and cute and I wish there will be a few Min Joo Ji Ahn moments in the future – something like Kim Hyang Ki and Shim Eun Kyung in Bad Couple.
And hooray for the first signs of pregnancy! My weakness has always been pregnant characters and here is Kim Sun Ah getting ready to be one! Can’t wait for the next episodes! Maybe not the next yet… maybe it’ll be revealed towards the end of Episode 4? Unnie, how can you act being nauseous so naturally?
Ji Ahn’s parent’s visit to Dr. Jo is one heck of an epic sequence! The elders are THAT curious to know who the lucky (?) and equally strange guy who their daughter finally “likes” and who oddly “likes” their daughter back. At last! Their only daughter who ditches all the 맞선s finally found a match. They must meet this guy, even if it means pretending to be patients – much to Dr. Jo’s amusement!
Now we get to learn more about Ji Ahn’s dad. An old-school Korean patriarch I must say. Not that strange in Korea (I guess), especially if you are not a Seoulite. And the clash of successful career woman Ji Ahn and old-school traditional father is just too scary for me. It’s obvious that Ji Ahn loves his Dad. If not she won’t give a damn when he threatened to remove her from the family registry. And it’s obvious too that Dad loves his only daughter very much and is just concerned about her. But they are extremes of each other. It’s scary and sad.
And I love the scene (sorry if I have to start every other paragraph with “I love”, would you be able to put up with me until the next 14 episodes?) when they were choosing the winners for the Shoe Reform Contest for many reasons. 1.) We again see how consistently honest and straight forward our Director Hwang is, 2.) it shows how Biatche has very little knowledge about their products (darn, stop acting all-knowing! even if you are the vice-president, you are just new, and obviously you don’t share the same love and passion towards shoes as Ji Ahn. learn how to humble yourself biatche!)! Ha! Ha ha ha! 3.) it makes me grin to the fact that Ji Ahn is actually unknowingly praising and defending the last person she wants to praise and defend. I wonder how she’ll react when she finds out that she actually made Tae Kang the winner and even made him “closer” to her. I know she (and him) is casual about their one-night stand and, quoting Shin Mi Rae, is not a 20-something who hopes there’s more to a one-night stand. But I’m sure she also doesn’t want to spend everyday of her life with Tae Kang (at least at this point). But I do hope that Tae Kang knows Ji Ahn is all praises to his work.
“Why are you here?”
alodia: Uhm actually Unnie, it’s all thanks to you!
And the last sequence was epic as well! First our Ji Ahn is soooooooo sexy! Darn! Suna Unnie and her legs!!! And for all we know Ji Ahn is already what, maybe 3 weeks or a month pregnant? Then Tae Kang, smiling like that? Tae Kang good job in making me forget Dr. Jo for a bit. 🙂
I love the episode! I love episode 1 and I love this episode more. I wonder if there’s still place in my heart to love the next 14 episodes more!
I also love and laughed so hard at the preview. Especially during the photo opt session of Ji Ahn and Tae Kang. Those faces. Epic!
Some may think that she’ll find out that she’s pregnant on the next episode. But I think otherwise. Too early, I think. Maybe it will be revealed by the 4th episode? Hopefully a cliffhanger of episode 4 to kill all of us while waiting for episode 5! o.o
Episode 2 has loads stuff and has a very subtle balance of comic and sad scenes it’s giving me a My Name Is Kim Sam Soon feel. And was it because they are both novels originally? I’m simply enjoying this show so much!
Tae Kang – the male Shin Mi Rae?
While watching this episode, I can’t help but see Kim Sun Ah’s character in City Hall, Shin Mi Rae, in Tae Kang. And to my surprise, when I was re-watching it with my mom (with subtitles this time), my mom said the same thing that he is very-Shin Mi Rae. As I’ve said last time, Ji Ahn was more of a kdrama hero while Tae Kang is more of a kdrama heroine. Just like Mi Rae he has practically nothing to be proud of – he doesn’t have money, he only have a high school diploma. Yet he is full of determination. It seems Mi Rae and Tae Kang are trying to beat each other out with the numbers and kinds of part time jobs they’ve had in their lifetime. And when challenged by Jo Guk, Mi Rae dashed forward giving her 200%, so did Tae Kang after being challenged by Ji Ahn. And both of them succeeded with flying colors.
Ji Ahn’s Miranda Moments
“In 30 seconds, explain to me how did this happen.”
I watched The Devil Wears Prada all because it was said that Kim Sun Ah’s character in this drama is somehow patterned/pegged after Meryl Streep‘s Miranda Priestly. Kim Sun Ah was even called Korea’s Meryl Streep on some news articles. And to my surprised, more than loving the movie, I fell in love with Miranda Priestly (and I eventually became a Streeper). I can’t explain because there’s practically almost nothing nice about Miranda, but I was simply in love with her. Quoting Andrea on the movie, “If Miranda were a man, people wouldn’t care about her sadistic ways, only what a great job she does”. Maybe it’s seeing a woman being so in-charge that makes me love Miranda. Or maybe me imagining Kim Sun Ah doing the same things makes me love her.
Miranda and Ji Ahn are quite similar. Successful women. Feared and respected in the industry they are in. Shows passion. Execute excellent outputs. But they are very different too. Ji Ahn is actually nice. Just don’t mess up with her. Strict, yes. Sarcastic, yes. Blunt, yes. But you can see she has a good heart. Miranda is… well… a devil. Unreasonable, sadistic, black-hearted. Though I must say, deep down inside I believe Miranda has a heart. I think women with such talent and passion can’t possibly be devils. There were very few moments in the film when we were able to glimpse at Miranda’s private life and smell a faint whiff of pain. It’s just that it was not tackled that much on the movie. Ji Ahn, being a drama character has plenty of room (about 14 hours longer) to reveal her true self.
Nonetheless, I’m thrilled every time Ji Ahn has these “Miranda Moments”. I have two favorites from this episode. When she asked her store employee to explain to her, IN 30 SECONDS, why the gold labeled shoes were up for sale. And when Dr. Jo called her but she was pissed because she found out that she almost fell for the automatic text messaging function of his smartphone – instead of ignoring his call, or rejecting the call, she picked up, let him say “Hello”, then hangs up. Awesome! I wouldn’t be surprised if later on it’ll be revealed that Ji Ahn is Miranda Priestly’s long lost younger sister. 😀
Father and Son
And I particularly love the father and son relationship of Tae Kang and his dad. He is harsh. No, they are both harsh towards each other. But they deeply love each other! It gives me a feeling similar to Yeon Jae and her mom’s relationship in Scent Of A Woman – bickering all the time, can’t stand each other, yet at the end of the day loves each other deeply. Gee, I told you, Tae Kang is playing this drama’s heroine!
I also love how dad seems to treat shoes as if human, calling them innocent shoe(s). I can’t wait for Ji Ahn to meet him. It would be really complicated. 1.) He imitates her shoes (and that’s something she hates to her heart’s content) but 2.) he shares the same passion and love towards shoes the way Ji Ahn does and 3.) he is an excellent shoe maker. 4.) and he’s going to be her father-in-law. Chaos!
And right, right, right kdramas. Enough of the girl and guy spending the first few episdoes continuously bickering over little silly things. Let’s just try rubbing each others wounds with salt instead for a change, shall we? Again, I love the “maturity” of this drama, despite the fact that we have our 15 year old looking (and acting) Tae Kang here. It’s refreshing to see these two adults who doesn’t bicker like elementary school kids, but rather poke each other exactly where it hurts most.
It seems they have revealed too much of themselves during that one night that it seems like no one in this world know them better than each other. And for this I’m willing to forget Dr. Jo whose admiration for Ji Ahn may only be superficial. He may be the “perfect” guy, yes. I would love him for Ji Ahn, yes. But he was not there on Ji Ahn’s weakest day/s. He may be able to understand career woman Director Hwang and will be someone who will not throw a tantrum over overtime works and cancelled dates. But, unfortunately (for Dr. Jo and me who root for him), if was not him, but Tae Kang who knows the woman Ji Ahn, the daughter Ji Ahn. Dr. Jo will not be able to help Ji Ahn heal her wounds because he have no idea what she’s going through. She was only able to reveal her whole self to Tae Kang on that night. Tae Kang, you lucky little rascal!
Episode 2 also made me more and more curious about Ji Ahn’s motivation and reason behind her passion over shoes. And her relationship with her dad when she was younger. When will it be revealed, I wonder?
I also can’t wait for Ji Ahn to find out she’s pregnant. I can’t wait for Tae Kang to find out he impregnated her. I can’t wait for Ji Ahn’s dad to find out she is pregrant and who the father of her baby is. And I can’t wait for Tae Kang’s dad to find out his son impregnated someone and who that someone is. I also can’t wait for Dr. Jo Eun Seong to find our she’s pregnant. Sigh. Dr. Jo, what should we do? I can feel that in the end you’ll just be Ji Ahn’s good friend (*cough* Dr. Chae Eun Seok *cough*). Then… can I just have you? ㅎㅎ
I really can’t wait for episodes 3! Thank god it’s Wednesday tomorrow. But god knows I’ve been having bad withdrawal syndromes since Friday (I didn’t even know it was possible to have withdrawal syndromes even if a drama hasn’t ended yet).
NEW WORDS
(not too many because I think I was more into watching it this time)
지적 재산권 – intellectual property rights
빡빡하다 – to be tight, to be intense
야근을 하다 – work overtime (at night)
회식
My Korean Corner 