Love Subsequent Door: Episodes 5-6
by missvictrix
Misplaced desires are actually discovered, however so are ten-year-old (nearly) love letters. Whereas our heroine is perhaps on a excessive of discovering and pursuing her desires eventually, our hero is struggling along with his emotions and attempting to guard himself within the wake of them. But when we all know something about our heroine it’s that she’s good at bulldozing her well beyond obstacles.
EPISODES 5-6
Now we’re speaking! With the Gripe Greip plot arc out of the way in which and our characters behaving totally in-character once more, our drama lastly begins to shine. These had been two pleasant episodes, and the emotional core of the present is now feeling sturdy sufficient to hold the burden of the patchwork-y plot (and I say that within the kindest sense). Let’s soar in!
Poor Seung-hyo is having a tough time coping with his emotions (aka, acknowledging that he nonetheless likes Seok-ryu), so his knee-jerk response is to push her away. He’s all of a sudden flustered round her after final week’s hugfest, and tries to push her out of Atelier In ASAP. However whose arms are these wrapping round Seung-hyo from behind? Oh, it’s simply his ex-girlfriend JANG TAE-HEE, the beautiful artisan who needs him again (and an excellent enjoyable visitor look from my lady Search engine optimization Ji-hye).
What’s most humorous about this ex-girlfriend plot arc is that Seung-hyo clearly has a sort, as a result of Tae-hee and Seok-ryu get on like peanut butter and jelly. And — thank the drama gods — Tae-hee quickly faces the truth that a) Seung-hyo will not be occupied with rekindling along with her and b) he’s actually a beacon of sunshine and happiness when he’s round Seok-ryu. Take that, overplayed ex-girlfriend trope! By the top of the week’s episodes, Tae-hee is on the SxS ship as a lot as we’re.
However Tae-hee and her story arc aren’t simply to push the romance forward: they’re additionally to assist Seok-ryu understand the dream that’s been inside her all alongside. First, following the Namsan lock incident the place Seung-hyo helped Seok-ryu let go of previous trauma, she cooks an wonderful hotpot. After we lingered on her cooking I used to be simply glad to lastly have a feminine lead in a Okay-drama that may prepare dinner. However on nearer look, I used to be getting Chocolate vibes with the extent of care that was taken in exhibiting the meals prepping and consuming. Why, you would possibly surprise, are we watching Seok-ryu prepare dinner and everybody get pleasure from her meals?
The reply turns into clear later within the episode.
It seems that Tae-hee needs to accomplice with Seung-hyo for a piece venture, and the Atelier In of us + Seok-ryu wind up on a discipline journey of types. At Tae-hee’s workshop, the grounds are full of onggi and all types of fermenting substances therein. Seok-ryu is over the moon with this expertise, asking questions galore, lapping all of it up, after which later making kalguksu for everybody with the contemporary doenjang and different substances. It was whereas everybody was fussing over the soup (and my mouth was watering) that I spotted Seok-ryu’s dream earlier than she realized it herself.
Throughout the identical outing, the flusteredness continues between Seung-hyo and Seok-ryu. As if the hug weren’t sufficient, he spent a night ingesting along with her dad (lol) and fell asleep in Dong-jin’s mattress. So think about Seung-hyo’s shock when he’s being pounded awake by Seok-ryu (considering it’s her little bro) — and within the scuffle he winds up half bare on prime of her (in fact). After which, in attempting to extricate himself, he sprains his toe. LOL!
With that on his thoughts — and Seok-ryu’s infectious happiness over aged soy sauce and all issues associated to Korea cooking traditions — there are virtually hearts in his eyes. Tae-hee sees it, we see it, Mo-eum’s seen it since highschool — in reality, everybody in all probability sees it apart from Seok-ryu (for now). Within the meantime, the 2 share a moonlit second in a discipline of earthenware pots, and it’s right here that Seung-hyo lastly accepts that he’s in love along with her.
However love will not be that straightforward, particularly if you’re childhood pals and also you’ve saved the roaring flame you’ve had going underneath wraps for thus lengthy (don’t ask me how). And if you’ve expressly overheard her say she’s nonetheless in love along with her ex. So, Seung-hyo doubles down on his avoidance to the purpose the place it actually begins to drive a wedge between them. At first, Seok-ryu thinks he’s mad or upset at her; in the meantime, she simply needs her accomplice in crime to rejoice within the cooking certification she’s (secretly) going for.
As soon as Seok-ryu realized she likes to prepare dinner, it’s just like the plot universe opens up all this proof that it’s the best path for her, from the truth that Mo-eum testifies she’s all the time liked cooking to the fond recollections of watching her dad of their pokey tteokbokki store.
Talking of that store, although — and Dad — drama is on the horizon. Seung-hyo by chance sees Seok-ryu’s dad leaving a nightclub with a girl hanging throughout him, and after this sight he waits for Dad to get house. They’ve a chat, which we aren’t aware about but, however not lengthy after Mother begins piecing issues collectively too. Her husband has been out each evening, there are bizarre receipts round, and she or he expects the worst and confronts him right away. (This has gotta be the quickest transferring plotline in historical past.)
The reality comes out that Dad is in authorized bother. Earlier within the episode we noticed him performing all candy when two YouTubers NerTubers turned up within the store and wished to movie there. After we later see how that performed out, the 2 guys “discovered” a hair of their meals, obtained “burned” by the soup, and their “luxurious” watch was broken. Dad is distraught attempting to cope with all the cash he now owes them, however is just too afraid to inform anybody.
Seok-ryu — who we all know adores her father — has a plan in place to catch these shady influencers. She heads to a neighboring storefront for CCTV footage, however — alas — Seung-hyo already has it. Oh, and he has an epic sting operation all arrange the place he meets the scammers, debunks all their claims, and invitations Dan-ho who’s Extraordinarily Serious about writing about this new wave of scammers popping up and hitting native companies.
When the scammers can’t see a means out, they attempt to run away as an alternative, and it’s truly hilarious watching Seung-hyo and Dan-ho attempt (and fail) to maintain up with these guys. But it surely’s okay ultimately. One man runs right into a pole on accident (omg lol), and Seok-ryu is on-scene and she or he whacks the opposite one along with her purse and a “How dare you do this to my dad!” till Seung-hyo ends it with swift sidekick to the scammer.
Within the scuffle, Seok-ryu was pushed to the bottom, however don’t fear about her nosebleed — she stated she’s simply been overworked recently (have to be all that vegetable chopping lol.) Nonetheless, that doesn’t cease Seung-hyo from heroically ripping off his costly tie and holding it to her nostril to cease the bleeding. Don’t fear concerning the scammer attempting to flee. Little bro of many muscle mass can be on the scene, and delivers a well-aimed kick. And that’s why influencers are to not be trusted, youngsters.
After that little journey (and Seung-hyo’s Mr. Darcy-level household problem-solving), Seok-ryu expects every little thing to return to regular between them. Nevertheless, Seung-hyo is all “we’re adults now” and “let’s respect one another’s privateness.” He’s chilly and it’s disappointing, but it surely’s the place the guts of this dramatic stress lies as a result of we’ve beforehand seen him spill his guts to new neighborhood pal Dan-ho.
Seung-hyo had requested if he wished to seize a drink, however as an alternative of at a bar, Seung-hyo winds up at Dan-ho’s entrance door, assembly his — sure — little five-year-old daughter KANG YEON-DU (Shim Ji-yoo). The drink he will get is iced misugaru, and so they chat in Dan-ho’s yard after Yeon-do has fallen asleep. Can I simply say… I really like this bromance. They’re self-proclaimed neighborhood pals, and boy does Seung-hyo want somebody to speak to. And it seems Dan-ho is a good listener. He hears all about Seung-hyo’s “good friend” and the way he’s in love along with his childhood good friend however he can’t confess as a result of it’s difficult. Dan-ho — who is aware of full effectively what’s going on right here — tells Seung-hyo a couple of ~swimmer~ who all the time struggled to begin sturdy, however then made up the time. “Even when it’s late, I’d inform him to muster up braveness similar to that swimmer did.” Cue: Neighbor Mo-eum eavesdropping, confirming every little thing she already knew since highschool.
As for Seok-ryu, she’s slowly piecing Seung-hyo’s unusual habits collectively. The contents of the letter he wrote within the time capsule, aspiring to confess to her. The celebs he affixed to her ceiling. And (not pictured) all of the million candy and caring issues he’s achieved as part of her life since without end.
Nicely, when he rejects her reward of the primary meal she’s made in her class — lovingly packed for him, realizing it’s his favourite from childhood — Seok-ryu is having none of this anymore. No she is not going to keep out of his life, thanks very a lot, and I really like her impetuousness on this scene. She pushes again towards all of Seung-hyo’s resistance and he lastly breaks out with a tortured, “You’re going to make me lose my thoughts!”
Seok-ryu wonders what he actually means, so she follows him, throws her shoe at him, and calls for to know what he meant by that. Now, everyone knows that’s Seung-hyo communicate for “I such as you a lot I’m barely holding it collectively” — however will he admit it? We’ve to attend per week to seek out out, as a result of the drama simply pulled the cruelest trick ever and lower the episode mid-scene, mid-dialogue, mid-moment.
Like I stated above, the present received me over this week with every little thing feeling a bit extra crystallized, and the meals/cooking angle is simply *chef’s kiss.* I nonetheless assume the writing is just a little haphazard and the pacing both too quick or too sluggish, however I’ll take it if they will ship extra episodes like this within the coming weeks.
Additionally, they undoubtedly heard us complaining concerning the Mo-eum/Dan-ho love line final week, as a result of this week’s interactions introduced again their dynamic of mutual curiosity, kindness, and a hearty dose of honesty. After Mo-eum learns that her favourite crop circle lady is his daughter (when Yeon-du calls 119 with a fever), she berates Dan-ho. However although we don’t have the entire story but, we are able to see (and so can Mo-eum) that he’s a caring single dad who’s doing his greatest to boost her. And talking of full tales we don’t have but, the drama additionally continues to trace that no matter went down in Seung-hyo’s household and why his mother and father are so unusual/estranged. Will this play into his personal hesitation round confessing to Seok-ryu? I’m considering sure, as a result of an Episode 7 confession/kiss is perhaps an excessive amount of to ask for. However then once more, we already obtained the ex-girlfriend look trope out of the way in which.
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