It’s Christmas and the block is in full festive mode.  Which means that it is time for fun holiday hijinks and touching moments.  Because if nothing else, this drama brings the block love out in full force.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

The suspense is continued from last week.  Will Sun Woo win the noona of his dreams (proving that love is indeed blind, at least when it comes to one’s personality) or will he be victorious in his love quest?

And the answer is……………..he crash and burns.  Which is a slight exaggeration since both acknowledge each other’s romantic interest or lack thereof.  Sun Woo doesn’t seem overly upset and just goes on with his night.  This Ahjumma suspects that there might be some more hooking up later in the show.  Maybe when Sun Woo isn’t a high school student.

All I Want For Christmas……

Is a record for his collection.  Or at least that is the reason Jung Bong  decides to create a neighborhood Secret Santa event.  I love how Jung Bong makes sure that the everyone should be thinking long and hard as to what their person wants most **records hint, hint.**

There were several moments in this scene that I loved, so I will quickly ramble them off.

First, I love the future Sun Woo/Bo Ra couple.  Their awkward glances and Soo Won’s continued gentlemanly behavior are adorbs.  It also has the added bonus of making me enjoy Bo Ra more.

Second, I love Duk Seon & Jung Hwan’s reaction to the other non-couple.  Duk Seon glares at them and calls them assholes under her breath and Jung Hwan just grins like he had won the lotto……again.

And finally, Taek in all his cute puppy innocence opens up his paper and realizes he has Jung Bong.  He happily tells him that he will buy Jung Bong the special record that he needs to finish his collection.  It is at that point that everyone realizes that their cards read Jung Bong.  Hahahaha  I guess he was making sure that somehow he got that record come hell or high water.

They finally all have new names and in a wisdom usually reserved for the kdrama gods, Jung Bong jokes that if two people got each other it is fate and they should get married.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Sun Woo and Bo Ra got each others names.  Might as well give up now and read the banns.  The kdrama gods have declared these two kids an OTP (one true pairing) and not time, evil 2nd leads **cough cough……Duk Seun*, nor amnesia will keep them apart.

Duk Seon proves that she is in no way ready for a relationship as she throws a literal fit when finding out that Sun Woo and Bo Ra have each other for the all important Secret Santa.  Thank goodness Duk Seon will be maturing before we find out the answer to the all-important “Who is the husband?” question.

Santa Claus is Coming To Town

Except he isn’t since Santa isn’t real.  GASP.  That is exactly poor little Jin Joo’s reaction when Bo Ra told her the truth in a fit of pip over a snack.  The best was the poor disillusioned girls expression once learning the truth.  Hahaha!

Frosty the Snowman

The Santa enlightening of little Jin Joo is the reason for the latest meeting among the parents.  Because heaven forbid the child just grow up a bit (inserting a huge grinch like eye roll).  Instead, they decide that “Santa” will grant Jin Joo’s Christmas wish so she will regain her childlike innocence.  Jin Joo’s wish is a snowman for Christmas…..which is fine as long as it snows.

Which it doesn’t. On to plan B, which is taking a bunch of ice, chopping it up, and making it into a snowman for Jin Joo.  Cheers are cheered, backs are slapped, Project Snow Man/Santa is Real  is back on track.

I love the snowman and the happiness that the parents have over making Jin Joo’s wish come true. It gives me the warm holiday fuzzies.  Sadly, the weather changes once again and it rains.  It rains so hard that all that is left of the snowman the next morning are its eyes and scarf.

Knowing that there is no time to create another snowman, the block parents are devastated.  That is until Sun Woo tells them that Snowman is code for ice cream.  Turns out all she wanted was an ice cream cone for Christmas.  Jin Joo gets her “snowman” and Christmas is saved.

Santa Baby

I guess for a teenage boy in the 80’s, there is nothing better than the erotic novel “A Charming Adolescence”.  Or at least for the guys on the block.  Duk Seon’s brother is dreaming of the novel being in his Secret Santa stalking and Jung Hwan is curled up in Taek’s room reading it.  Hahaha, you have to love the world before the internet.

And who should come upon our engrossed leading man, but Duk Seon, who promptly grabs the book from his hands.  Hahaha, this must be the episode for the best expressions because Duk Seon’s look of disbelief is awesome.  Poor Jung Hwan tries to explain that all the boys are doing  it…..sometimes even reading it together…..which just causes the look to deepen.  Our poor leading lady is 100% not ready for the world of men.

While hanging out (in awkward silence on Jung Hwan’s part), the two discuss who has who as a Secret Santa.  Duk Seon infers that she hopes that Taek has her name since she really wants a pair of fancy pink gloves for Christmas, and Taek is sweet enough to buy them for her.  Unlike some other person that is just lazying the time away reading erotica.

Do You Hear What I Hear

Wires are crossed and confusion (although they don’t know it yet) abounds as Taek calls Duk Seon asking about suggestions for a gift.  Because of her  family’s loud television program, Duk Seon misses the part where Taek says the gift is for his father.  Instead, she believes that Taek is her secret santa and is questioning what to buy her for Christmas.  Through a series of misinformation, she tells Taek that he should buy gloves, specifically pink gloves.  He questions her suggestion (which she doesn’t hear) but agrees to take her advice since he has never bought a gift before.

Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart…..

Jung Hwan has done everything but put his heart on a platter to show (without saying the words) that he is interested.  He even rushes to Suk Deon’s rescue when she is stuck at McDonalds with her school besties.  It wasn’t necessarily a rescue type situation, but being the only girls without a guy can be a bit of an embarrassment. It is just sad that Jung Hwan was the last choice as potential man window dressing.

Mini Rant

Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Thanks for the nicknames Jennie!) need to keep their taste in potential boyfriends to themselves.  How crazy is it to have Jung Hwan be the last pick.  Obviously they have lousy taste in men.  To be honest, all the boys would be wonderful husband material, so it is just my inner Jung Hwan bias being cranky at them for choosing my khottie last.

I think that the fact he ran to Duk Seon’s side is adorable.  Talk about Prince Charming material.

Something which Tweedledee and Tweedledum realize by the end of the date.  This time, they are sure that romance is in the air.  Sadly our ditzy leading lady continues to be unaware of all romantic inklings.  Even Jung Hwan is frustrated with her lack of romantic radar.

Poor Jung Hwan was so angst-ridden over Duk Seon that he arrived home oblivious to his parents getting their frisky on.  Or the fact that Jung Bong is rifling through Jung Hwan’s desk in search of the erotic novel for his secret santa recipient.  He just huffs a huge sigh, falling face first on his bed.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Homecoming #1

Taek arrives home to find his father, a tiny bit drunk, and depressed.  Taek’s dad had been reflecting on his lack of an emotional relationship with his son and regretting that he wasn’t enough.

Awkwardly, Taek apologizes for missing his father’s birthday and gives the present he had bought.  I totally smiled that he did indeed buy his dad a soft pair of pink gloves.  Tears started flowing all around and Taek says “I love you”.  Sadly, the father was too uncomfortable to return the sentiments.

Later we see the footage from an interview that Taek’s father did about his son’s genius.  In it the interviewer convinced the father to say “I love you” and felt that this would be something Taek would want to keep.  I totally teared up along with Taek and am in awe of Park Bo Gum’s acting ability.  Seriously!  Look at how the tear just settles on his eye before falling.  True talent.

Homecoming #2

Taek arrives home just before Christmas day.  Duk Seon is anxiously awaiting his return with her gloves but is confused when Taek thanks her for the help picking out his dad’s gift.  Needless to say, our girl is feeling a bit devastated and not in the holiday spirit.

Just as he is about to go to sleep, Taek finds a piece of paper in his sweat pants and realizes that he had completely forgotten about secret santa.  He rushes out (looking mighty fine in that white T-shirt) and apologizes to Duk Seon, begging her forgiveness.  He promises that he will get her a pair of pink gloves as soon as possible.

I am pretty firmly on Team Jung Hwan, but it is times like this that Taek makes me forget about my 1988 bias.  Just look at that smile.  How can you say no to this?

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot like Christmas

SQUEEEE!  Jung Hwan is awesome.  Knowing how much Duk Seon wanted a pair of fancy girl gloves, he gives them to her for Christmas.  I love how even Duk Seon’s brother realizes the romantic emotions that are swirling about and just shakes his head.  I also found it interesting about how Duk Seon’s voice over talks about confessing and not losing the moment.  It makes me wonder who is going to get the words “I like you” out first.  Personally I would be happy with either Taek or Jung Hwan since both men have proven that they are worthy to take first place.

Random Thoughts:

I ran out of time and still have these great pictures of our two OTP’s.  So just thought I would throw them up for everyone’s enjoyment.  It is getting late and my ability to be coherent is dwindling.  So in place of words, enjoy this wonderful romantic eye candy.

That is all from me for now!  There were so many great emotional moments in this episode that I feel like I don’t do it justice.  I hope that everyone is enjoying the show as much as I am and look forward to more block adventures next week.

Til then,

Kmuse