Seo In Guk is back! Which means I am in heaven and all geared up to spend the next 16 weeks in kdrama bias heaven. Of course, that also means that we will be recapping this drama so we can share our SIG love with the world. So join me as I give my thoughts on episode 1 of The Smile Has Left Your Eyes.
For those of you just discovering our blog, I am Kmuse, one of the main bloggers at Dramas with a Side of Kimchi. I will be bringing you my opinions on some of the episodes. Why only some you might be asking? You not only get myself doing recaps, but Clkytta is joining in as well. A little about me: I am a mother of three and an avid kdrama watcher. I love to watch literally everything. There are very few currently airing dramas that I am not watching, so if you have any questions about them (or really any drama since I have seen an insane amount) feel free to ask me in the comments. Or better yet come follow our facebook page and ask me there. For those of you who have not read my past recaps, I am one of those bloggers that really like to just discuss my opinions on certain scenes or concepts of the drama. I don’t go step by step through the whole thing. So if you are looking for a complete recap you might have to look elsewhere (and then come back and read ours of course).
Seo In Guk!!!!
Not that anything has really happened yet other than we assume he is the boy the doctor on the TV is referencing. But I had to take this moment to share my thoughts about Kim Moo Young (Seo In Guk). That boy is looking mighty fine and I love how we got some nice hand and arm fan service before seeing the whole of my bias. Can we take a moment and just appreciate the definition on his arms?
Suicide or Murder?
We start the drama off with a crime scene of an attractive 20-something girl (according to the younger cop) who just committed suicide. Getting sidetracked while on his way to a luncheon, Section Chief Yoo Jin Kook is at the crime scene and he questions whether it actually is a suicide. Why would a girl that age kill herself? I had to laugh at this statement since it is well known that the suicide rate for kids that age is pretty high in Korea. But I digress. Back to Yoo Jin Kook and his suspicion that suicide was not in fact what happened. And judging by the ominous music in the background there might be something to his guess.
Although, that ominous music seems to be standard for this drama since I am ten minutes in and I expect something sinister to happen through every second due to the background instrumental.
I especially giggled when it was playing hard and heavy while Moo Young & Jin Kook crossed paths during a traffic accident. It is too soon for Jin Kook to suspect anything so I must suspect that he was struck dumb at Seo In Guk’s beauty as he passed.
Yoo Jin Kang is alone, undateable, and not attractive………..according to everyone.
So, one of the things that annoy me is when people act like super attractive Korean actresses are homely and in some way less than. Sadly, this happened with Moo Young meeting Jin Kang for the first time. He acted cold and distant in a very emo fashion and declared that she couldn’t be the owner of the super fancy car she just came out of. Since he had heard that the owner is gorgeous and Jin Kang isn’t. UGH! Why? I can only assume that he is channeling his inner emo twelve-year-old boy who says the opposite of what he means when flirting with a girl he likes.
To double down on the spinsterhood of Yoo Jin Kang, her brother (the cop we previously met Yoo Jin Kook) teases that she is going to be alone forever. Never to find a man to spend her life with. Yes, I know he was totally joking but what if the girl has serious issues about her single status? Words hurt even when you don’t really mean them.
Someone is a faker
Baek Seung Ah, bestie of Jin Kang, is the reason everyone is meeting at a fancy event. Seung Ah is hosting a gallery of her artwork which is being promoted by her super-rich boyfriend, Jang Woo Sang. However, she is living a lie. The art was not created by her but by a teacher of hers. She is allowing her boyfriend to promote it as her own work but is having second thoughts when it comes down to all the publicity. They choose to argue over the situation in a room where Moo Young is fixing the beer pumps up and he overhears everything.
Entranced
Moo Young informs Seung Ah, after her boyfriend disappears, that if she doesn’t want to do the reporter meet and greet that she shouldn’t. If she needs an excuse then he will be that excuse. Right as the reporter session starts Moo Young walks past the pottery and destroys the highlight of the exhibit changing the focus from the fake artist to himself. He saves the day and catches the eye of Seung Ah. As the two exchange significant glances after the party, you can tell that she is firmly onboard team Moo Young. Moo Young meanwhile drops the doting guy act the second he turns away from her.
It looks like Moo Young might have some monetary ulterior plans when it comes to the rich heiress. Further proof to this being his goal is given when he makes sure she has his contact information after the party.
Boyfriend Material
Seung Ah plays right into his hands as she chases him down at his work and is promptly wooed. Before you know it she is having a grand old time slumming it with him and his buddy and even offering money for his friend to continue his education.
I thought Moo Young had been found out when Seung Ah takes him to the river and confronts him on his friend not really being enrolled in college. Moo Young proves her wrong and she is very contrite and thrilled that he forgave her lack of faith in his intentions. But I can’t help but notice that his expression deadens when she isn’t paying attention? The mystery surrounding Moo Young’s intentions is driving me nuts.
It’s Murder!
At the same time, Moo Young is in mid-seduction Jin Kook is solving the case of the murder that was not a suicide. He discovers that there were two suspects. One that cleaned the crime scene and one that actually killed the girl. Whoever cleaned the crime scene had a meticulous memory and knew exactly where everything should be placed. Just so happens that we discover Moo Young has a photographic memory. So does that mean he killed the girl? Or just cleaned up after the fact? So many questions and so few answers.
My Thoughts:
The complexity of this plot is very unexpected. Just when I begin to think I know the direction the story is going to take it zags into new territory. I like that we don’t know what really connects all of these characters. How do Jin Kang and Jin Kook know him? Is Moo Young really a bad guy or is he a khottie that possesses a resting bitch face and the sinister music is making me see a killer?
I was not expecting to get so much backstory to the romance with Seung Ah and so little OTP (one true pairing) time. We even had a slightly awkward smooch scene that cemented their couple status. With the interaction limited to the “your ugly” first meet, I can’t say that I am really shipping our main leads. Hopefully, that will come with time.
As it stands I am just waiting for Seung Ah to kick the bucket. To be fair I have been at that point since she sat by the water looking all angsty and suicidal. I feel that her love is going to be finished sooner than later. Whether that is because Moo Young, her (not really an ex yet) boyfriend, or some other character kills her off, it remains to be seen.
Yours til the next suspenseful episode,
Kmuse
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi
The actress who plays Seung Ha often plays the innocent pure girl who gets deceived…if i recall. So i, also, am waiting for her to kick the bucket…one way or another. I saw the Japanese version of this and am not remembering it well right now. Also am wondering how much of this the kdrama writers change. I love me a story with moral treachery and our perhaps-evil khottie is looking mighty sexy and treacherous. Probably been planning his vengeance for 20 years, like vindictive hotties do.
The PD gave away the main twist in a press conference, so the remake seems diluted already.
I have avoided all spoilers so remain interested in what is coming up.
Oh, I’m really looking forward to the show AND the recaps. I hope the comments can remain spoiler free.
As for the “you’re ugly” comment… they’ve obviously met before but she didn’t remember right away and he did (putting together the photographic memory and the photo of all of them standing together that Jin Kang digs out the next day).
The brother’s comments are obviously teasing, so I feel like unlike in some dramas where they really do try to pass off gorgeous women as “plain,” in this case the comments are motivated by the relationships and context and are in that sense both false and realistic. When her brother is trying to hook her up, he doesn’t hesitate to sing her many virtues 🙂
I didn’t expect to be as intrigued by this drama as I am. The suspense is fantastic and SiG is doing a great job with his character. So many questions right now!!!
I agree with Mehitable, in that the banter about her being an ugly spinster was part of the brother’s teasing. She easily tagged him back, as the boring manager of the police department, so I think she knows how to hold her own.
So in all the hand close-ups, I didn’t pay attention… is SIG’s character left or right handed?? I’m wondering if it’s going to come out the he’s an ambidextrous genius with a photographic memory?! Not that I want him to be the killer….