Music shares center stage this episode as we focus a bit on our leads and their individual love triangles. Unfortunately, neither of their triangles overlap, so we might be in for some friendzoning between our OTP until they get all their past crushes under control. Come join me as I chat Do You Like Brahms? episode 2.

I can’t decide if I like the presence of the love triangles or not. On the one hand, it is nice not to have some deep dark trauma motivating our two leads. On the other, second leads can be just so annoying. So, let’s try to work out my complicated feelings via blogging, starting with Joon Young’s triangle.

We finished off last week with Joon Young meeting his school bestie Hyun Ho at the airport, only to see him get shocked when his school crush (and second, best friend) arrives at the same time. His best friends are engaged, and you can see our sweet puppy struggling to bring his emotions under control.

Before you think Joon Young is just suffering from a one-sided love, there were a few conflicting signals from Ji Hyun (best friend and daughter of the CEO of the Cultural Foundation). When Joon Young performed in New York, Ji Hyun came and gave him an unexpected (if bland) smooch at the after-party. We later see that this is partial because she was jealous of Joon Young’s fame but poor Joon Young doesn’t know that. We also find out that Ji Hyun never informed their other bestie, and her fiance, that she had gone to the concert in the first place. Uhm… am I the only one that thinks that she is all kinds of shady/selfish right now? So this leaves Joon Young pining for his best friend’s fiance. All while every song he performs seems to have some kind of emotional significance and connection to his feelings for Ji Hyun. Can someone say awkward?

Song Ah’s triangle is a bit less convoluted, but just as awkward. The 2nd lead man, Dong Yoon, who was her teacher before college, had been dating her best friend. But they broke up when he went overseas to work. Song Ah’s bestie obviously has some leftover feelings for Dong Yoon and laments that she hasn’t heard from him in forever. That is not the case for Song Ah, who has kept up a correspondence with her hottie teacher behind her friend’s back. So when her teacher comes back to Korea, she is both excited and a bit guilty because of her feelings and friendships. In episode 2, we got the basic setup, but we don’t go very deeply into this triangle. Especially since Dong Yoon is pretty nice to everyone and isn’t showing any romantic interest towards either lady yet.

What really throws a kink into the wheels, or at least in the dynamic of our musician trio, is the addition of Song Ah. Because of Song Ah’s position at the Cultural Foundation, she is working closely with Joon Young and is suddenly everywhere. While Joon Young doesn’t seem to be aware of his actions, Ji Hyun is very aware that Joon Young is showing preferential treatment to this newcomer. My favorite scene that describes this happens when the three friends and Song Ah are going over some upcoming performance details. Song Ah brings iced coffee for everyone but spills half of hers. Joon Young quickly grabs her coffee and replaces it with his full cup. Before she can switch them back, Joon Young is quickly gulping down the drink. Ji Hyun watches from the side and comments that Joon Young hates coffee and anything caffeinated, even to the extent that he avoids chocolate. Joon Young just mutters that he has changed his tastes while they have been gone. But Ji Hyun is not fooled. Song Ah is obviously different and a possible threat.

Before you get upset that everything seems to be non-OTP plot, we had some really good OTP interaction this hour. The moment that brought them the closest occurred when Song Ah’s jerky co-worker was badmouthing Joon Young. Saying that people only like him because of his looks, but he is actually subpar. Song Ah doesn’t agree with her, but it looks bad when Joon Young is the next aisle over, obviously overhearing their conversation. Distraught over Joon Young’s pain, Song Ah manages to apologize for the misunderstanding, and the two connect during a house recital for the movers and shakers of Cultural Foundation. Song Ah turns his pages as he plays and chemistry sizzles. Once again, Ji Hyun looks concerned over their connection.

We finish the episode with our OTP eating and deepening their friendship. You can feel the attraction between the two, and what is currently friendship only needs time and a spark to become something more.

Final Thoughts

I love the slow burn between the two leads. Both are trying to figure out what they want their future to be. And whether it involves music or not, both need a solid friend to help them have a firm foundation while they work things out. While I am a bit worried about the multiple love triangles, it has been a while since they have been used so heavily. As long as this trope is kept as a side story, I will feel it is worth it if it leads to a solid OTP romance.

Til the next classical interlude,

Kmuse

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi