I really, really, didn’t want to focus on the main romance in another one of my posts, but this episode leaves me with no choice. They opened my mouth and force fed me a huge love line plot twist. It’s one I can say made me giddy and worried in the same moment, and I cannot wait to talk about it at the end.

Loves lines aside, this continues to be one of my favorite groups of friends ever. (Excluding Sassy Go, Go. I think that show wins in the friends department.) Even the parent’s friendships are so important and heart warming, they can’t be ignored. Good job writer-nim for bridging the generation gap. Since I’m a mom of a four with a teenager’s brain, I think this suits me quite well.

Jung Hwan’s injured heart

This episode begins where the last one left off. Jung Hwan is alone in Sun Woo’s room when his gaze immediately flits to Duk Seon’s name written on her English book. (Love-smitten much?)  He picks it up, noticing it hasn’t really been used, only to find the exact same copy next to it. A more worn copy, but the same.

Sun Woo enters the room holding a sewing kit he got from Duk Seon’s house. Only, Sun Woo’s mom is right outside the door…sewing.

It doesn’t take a genius to put the pieces together. There has to be another reason Sun Woo’s been going to Duk Seon’s house, and Jung Hwan doesn’t want to think about what that might be. It hurts too much.

Before Sun Woo can explain, Jung Hwan leaves. He’s doing it so he won’t get mad, but dangit all, I have a feeling it’s not what Jung Hwan thinks it is. I HATE when people don’t talk. But there’s nothing I can do about it.

As if to pour salt in the wound, Duk Seon goes over to Jung Hwan’s house the next morning to wash her hair. Yes, she had a legit reason, but she has no idea what she’s doing to the poor boy.

As if the alleyway scene wasn’t bad enough…

There are two kinds of idiots

Duk Seon is hanging out with her two clueless friends (can we just call them tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb? No? Okay.) They ask how things are going with her and Sun Woo. “Has he confessed yet?” “You have to tell us if you two kiss!” I want to punch them both in the face.  They borderline suggest she confess first. Please don’t, I’m already worried enough.

Thankfully, the conversation switches to Taek (Eeeeee!!!!) the international (Or Asian, as the case may be) baduk competition is about to start and Taek is the only Korean participating.  “He’s a God in China,” Tweedle-Dee her friend says, but Duk Seon doesn’t see him that way. “It’s more like he’s the King of Idiots.”

Cut to Taek who’s trying to figure out a Walkman with no success. Thank goodness Dong Ryong comes to the rescue. Not only does the Walkman have no batteries, the volume is turned all the way down. Taek is such a cute puppy! He’s an idiot genius. I love him almost as much a Chilbongie.

Dong Ryong asks Taek what he wants to do if he wins the international competition. With all the money Taek has, you think his list would be long. But no, all he wants to do is watch a movie. Really?

Friends or Lovers

The crew gathers at Taek’s house while he’s away to hear news of the baduk competition. Duk Seon enters, asking Taek’s dad who’s there. Taek’s dad mentions Sun Woo first, but doesn’t get an chance to finish. Duk Seon hurries back thinking she’ll get her time alone with Sun Woo. Too bad the other two guys are there as well.

None of them fail to notice how much Duk Seon is blushing. Ha!

They all hang out under one blanket, Duk Seon next to Sun Woo. The way Duk Seon is staring at Sun Woo doesn’t go unnoticed by Jung Hwan who’s still suffering internal pain. Sun Woo seem oblivious. Despite the romantic chatter on the radio about cozying up to someone you like, the moment Duk Seon tries to lean in, Sun Woo changes positions.

When it’s time to go home (Taek won his first match, yay!) Sun Woo and Duk Seon walk side-by-side. Poor Jung Hwan witnesses this and gives that perfect hurting face. But you know he’ll never step in between them. their friendship is too strong.

Because of Taek’s first win, Duk Seon’s mom starts joking about how she wants Taek to be her son-in-law. Duk-Seon teases back asking if she should seduce him. Not funny guys! I want to see that too badly. #StillwantJungHwantobethehusband

Love in a postcard

Jung Hwan’s hyung has taken up yet another hobby–sending in postcards to the local radio station. He even won a prize for cheering on Taek, a cabbage patch doll.

This time, however, hyung’s postcard is a little more personal. “There’s another celebrity on our block,” he says, before gushing about how smart and capable Bo Ra is. Huh. I thought Sun Woo was the only one with a crush. Guess I was wrong.

Of course, hyung isn’t the only one with the idea to write about love in a postcard to the station. One day while getting the mail, Jung Hwan notices a returned post card written by Duk Seon. At first he laughs because she put on the wrong postage, but then he reads the contents.

Duk Seon admits to having a first love, a guy who likes her in return. I can almost feel Jung Hwan’s gut twisting for him. When Duk Seon mentions the initials SW, it’s like a nail in the coffin. He just saw them talking and laughing together, too. So there’s no doubt. Or is there?

Hearts of Gold

Against everyone’s expectations, Taek wins ALL of his baduk matches. not even his father expected that much. Poor Taek was so worn out, I was worried about him, but he pulled through.

The friends gather at Taek’s house for celebratory pizza, and each one gives Taek a big hug to welcome him home. Duk Seon is last to walk through the door, and our sweet puppy’s tail is wagging in anticipation of that hug. My poor little fangirl heart is about to burst as I watch him go out of his way to get that winning hug.

Holy crap. What if I’m right? What if what I said in episode two about Taek always liking her is true? My hands are shaking right now thinking about. Holy. Holy, holy.

The coveted last slice of pizza is up for bargaining, and Duk Seon and Dong Ryong are battling it out. Instead of flipping a coin or playing rock, paper, scissors. They decided to fight about who’s the most pitiful. Somehow Sun Woo throws his hat into the ring saying he’s had a crush on a girl for two years, and he hasn’t had the nerve to confess.

Jung Hwan loses his appetite, but Duk Seon gets excited. “Confess to her on the first snow,” she says, all wide-eyed. Poor girl, I’m already worried about how this going to play out. “The first snow?” Sun Woo answers, hesitant. Duk Seon pushes him until he finally agrees. This could be really bad.

Cut to the parents having a celebration of their own. The whole nation should be on cloud nine with the way Taek brought them honor. Only, there’s not enough alcohol for them to really enjoy the moment.

Duk Seon’s father calls home and asks Bo Ra to bring over some homemade wine. Bo Ra, of course, chews him out saying she’s busy. I’m starting to wonder what Sun Woo sees in her until the mom mentions that Bo Ra will bring the wine anyway, and she does.

That’s not the only evidence of Bo Ra’s hidden warm heart, however. Earlier in the episode, we see her defending Hyung when he tells some high school kids not to smoke.

While delivering the wine, Bo Ra uses the restroom and overhears Sun Woo’s mom talking on the phone. Her daughter has a fever and she’s visiting at grandma’s house. Mom can’t get to her daughter right away because she doesn’t have a car, but her worry is apparent. Bo Ra doesn’t say anything but waits for Sun Woo’s mom, and drives her even though she was planning on hanging out with her friends that night. Awe! I really like Bo Ra now.

Confessions

The day of the first snow has come. They’ve been predicting it on the radio all morning, and Jung Hwan is so queasy about it he’s stopped eating.

I’m nervous too, thinking about what might happen if Sun Woo goes to Duk Seon’s house. Sure enough, the moment the snow starts to fall, Sun Woo is at her back door.

But, as predicted, Duk Seon is in for major heartbreak. We get a flashback to all the times Sun Woo was borrowing things from Duk Seon’s house, and this time we see it the way Sun Woo sees it, time with Bo Ra. They are such a cute odd couple, it makes my heart happy.

Sun Woo leaves, realizing Bo Ra’s not there. Duk Seon does the only appropriate thing a teen girl can do at time like this–cry.

Then, in a turn of events I didn’t expect, Duk Seon gets some real guts. She chases after Sun Woo and asks why it had to be Bo Ra. Bless her heart! Our pitiful Sun Woo is completely blindsided by this confession, and it earns him a knock to the head as Duk Seon declares she’ll never see him again.

As Duk Seon storms back inside, we see where Jung Hwan noticed her flight and followed her out. His hiding spot? Right behind the big medal door leading to the street. Duk Seon hit him in the face with it on her way out, giving him a bloody nose. And all Jung Hwan can do is laugh. He looks so light, I swear he’s about to take flight.

As teenage girls do, I’m sure Duk Seon will get over this little crush soon, but it might be sooner than I expect.

Sun Woo waits in the snow for Bo Ra to return, but his aren’t the only nervous feet in the snow. Sun Woo’s confession is sweet, we don’t get to see all of it, but he gives her his jacket, and Bo Ra tells him not to mention it to anyone. This relationship is going to be hilarious.

Flashforward to Duk Seon as an adult with a grown Bo Ra next to her, smoking. “You know I can’t smoke at home,” Bo Ra says, which makes you wonder if she lives with Sun Woo or Hyung–who was adamant about not smoking. I know this trick, however. I’m sure her husband is Sun Woo, and they’re trying to throw us off his scent.

 

Since we’re in the future, they might as well throw out hints as to who Duk Seon’s husband is as well. Duk Seon asks her husband what he thinks of when he thinks of first snow and he responds with “That time you threw yourself at Sun Woo.” Oh gosh. It has to be Jung Hwan now, right?

Who am I kidding? This is a Reply series, things are never that easy. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, a plot twist is thrown from left field. This time in the form of Taek.

Remember how he wanted to see a movie if he won the international championship? Turns out he had a real motive for winning all those games.

The other person we saw pacing the snow was Taek. He’s outside a phone booth, and when he finally picks up the receiver, it’s Duk Seon he calls. Guess what he wants? That’s right, to see a movie, with her.

Thoughts:

Whoa. I was not expecting that ending. I had resigned myself to thinking Taek wasn’t going to be in the show much, then they give us THIS. Honestly, I’m happy. I don’t think she’ll end up with him, but if anyone else is going to fight for our girl’s heart, I want it to be him.

Let’s look at it this way, Taek gets more screen time. We all win.

The episode dug deeper into all of our characters. I saw Bo Ra in way I never thought I would, and I came to appreciate Sun Woo for his devotion to Bo Ra. I mean, two years? That’s a long time to be secretly holding a crush. Although I have a feeling Jung Hwan might hold in his feelings for longer.

There’s still so much left to these kid’s lives. This is still the beginning of their relationships, and as the show hinted, they might have a few side relationship in-between. What I’m most excited about is seeing their friendship endure through the ages, because we know it will.