Our four guys continue to squabble on occasion, which seems to prove how comfortable they are with each other. In a patient story we see two other friends demonstrating the same kind of behavior, which clues us in to how close they are. And then we get some hints of the future that leave us apprehensive on several counts.
The Squabbles
As the four guys wait outside the hospital for Song Hwa to pick them up, they argue about going hiking. They wrestle about where to sit in the car, and then they bicker about what to order at the drive-up. Finally Song Hwa has had it and lowers the boom. “Take turns and tell me exactly what you want,” she snaps. “No changes are allowed.” “Yes, ma’am,” they chorus meekly. At the window she recites the order flawlessly as the others look on in awe.
After eating, they discuss booking a guesthouse for their hiking trip. By the details they mention, we can tell it’s the one run by Min Ha’s parents, and in the end only Jun Wan and Seok Hyeong can go. Min Ha hears about it and calls her parents to tell them one of their guests is her professor. When Mom and Dad take in a special dish of sushi, they almost catch our two docs fighting over the TV remote.
A patient of Ik Joon’s who needs a liver transplant brings in a friend who is willing to be the donor. Since they are not related, the hospital has to investigate. The two friends come in several times to bring pictures and documents, but the coordinator worries about them until she finds someone else’s photos of a wedding. Meantime, we have been convinced by the way they tease each other. When the patient discovers what a big income his friend has, he exclaims, “Hey. Pay for my meals then!”
Telzeytalks: I loved the part when Song Hwa orders the others to settle down, and they comply immediately. I was surprised, but I guess she can get away with it when she is serious. And who else thinks they did a perfect job finding someone to play Min Ha’s mother?
Karie the Maknae: I loved the slow unfolding of the liver transplant friendship. They were so funny together once we got to that point, and it was a great echo of the friendship between our doctors.
Kmuse: I love the squabbling. Their ability to banter just makes me happy.
Reconciliation
Gyeo Wool has lunch with Jeong Won and tells him her mom is doing better and her brother is getting married. However, the brother, Gaeul, shows up later with the news that his fiancee broke off the engagement when she found out about their father being abusive and having gone to jail for beating up their mother.
Gyeo Wool sits in the stairwell to talk to her mom, who wants to go home. “Your so-called family is bogging you down,” Mom believes. Gyeo Woo, however, knows her mom needs her. “If you go I’ll quit my job and go with you!” she insists. She holds it together until she sees Jeong Won and then just hugs him and cries, and finally tells him the whole story. He is very sweet and understanding, agrees that she needs time with her mom, and only asks to meet once a week for dinner to stay in touch.
Ik Soon texts Jun Wan that she will be in Seoul and can meet him Monday evening. He has a surgery that makes him late, but is relieved that she is still at the restaurant waiting for him when he gets there. She apologizes for lying to him and says she still likes him, but expects that he will not want to be together. He asks, “If we run across each other again, can you pretend that nothing happened? I don’t think I can.”
Telzeytalks: Gyeo Wool talking to her mother was one of the strongest performances they’ve had in this show. It was so emotional when she stood her ground and threatened to quit her job. I thought it was going to be the high point of the episode, but there are several other really good scenes.
Karie the Maknae: Gyeo Wool has a huge burden to carry, and I love how supportive Jeong Won is without being intrusive. It really bodes well for their future relationship. On the other hand, I’m seeing that Ik Sun just runs every time she’s confronted by a difficult thing, and I don’t think her relationship with Jun Wan will survive that. He needs someone who will BE there, and right now, that is not Ik Sun.
Kmuse: Sigh, I just have issues now with Ik Sun and Jun Wan. I am so sad because I really loved them in season one but her being so wishy washy is super annoying. Especially when she is knowingly hurting someone with her actions over and over again.
Leave it to Seok Hyeong
Jae Hak and his wife suddenly find out that she is pregnant, which is a surprise, because they are over forty and had given up on ever having a child. Then the wife admits that she has a breast lump, and the next thing you know, they are told it’s cancer. Now they are arguing whether to keep the baby and wait to have chemo after it’s born, or to give it up and start chemo right away.
Jae Hak discusses it all with Jun Wan, who suggests they go see Seok Hyeong and leave it to him. Seok Hyeong is very gentle and sweet, and tells them in this situation he thinks about how he would advise his sister. “Both mother and baby should be healthy. What if you’re gone when the baby comes to see you?” He tells her to wait three weeks and then it will be safe to do chemo, but every weekend go to the temple and pray that the tumor doesn’t grow.
Telzeytalks: This speech by Seok Hyeong is just perfect; it is one of my favorite parts of the episode. He knows exactly what to say, and his confidence and kindness just shine, and sweep away any doubts. He’s delivered so many babies and just loves them all so much. He suffered with those that didn’t make it, and rejoiced in the successes.
Karie the Maknae: Seok Hyeong’s quiet wisdom wasn’t surprising once I saw it, and I loved how Jun Wan knew how capable our teddy bear OBGYN is when it comes to counseling patients. I felt bad for Jae Hak and his wife — the writers threw a LOT at them all at once — but it occurred to me that they couldn’t be the only ones that had faced a situation like that, and Seok Hyeong’s advice proved it.
Kmuse: Seok Hyeong is one of my all-time favorite drama doctors. His ability to connect with his patients is amazing and I almost wish he was my doctor. I also had a lot of feels about this couple’s health issues since I had enjoyed the father so much in season 1. I really do hope they are able to have the baby and recover from the cancer diognosis.
Ik Joon sings Bon Jovi
It’s Ik Joon’s birthday this week, and he claims the right to choose the song for band practice. It’s going to be a rock song, and he wants everyone dressed up. The others complain but start ordering things like black leather pants. The minute we hear the first notes on the bass, we know the song. It’s Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life”, and Ik Joon does a great job belting it out. The lyrics are going to make us worry later. “I ain’t gonna live forever. I just want to live while I’m alive. It’s my life.”
Telzeytalks: This is probably my favorite of all the songs they’ve done for the show so far. It sounded a little different at first, so I listened to the original version, in which the singer has a more gravelly voice. So I listened to this one a few more times and decided I really like it. It’s done really well.
Karie the Maknae: I like our doctors’ version of this song once my ears got adjusted, and I’m really, really glad they back off on Song Hwa’s off-key harmonizing. I wish that joke would die, honestly.
Kmuse: Loved their outfits and the song made me smile at a time I needed a smile. I loved the performance.
Seok Hyeong’s bombshell
Jong Su cooks dinner for Rosa and Seok Hyeong’s mom, which they declare is delicious. He tells them about a fight with his eldest son, who wants his inheritance now so he can build a clinic. Seok Hyeong’s mom reveals that he has applied for a special training in the US and wants to know how she can stop him from going. Rosa just shakes her head, “Once he sets his mind on something, he does it.”
Just as Min Ha is deciding whether to call Seok Hyeong and use her fifth chance to ask him out, he shows up and invites her to eat out next weekend. It’ll be his treat. He looks at her with great fondness, but she is too taken aback to talk.
Telzeytalks: Number one, what’s up with that eldest son? Number two, How can Seok Hyeong break up the crew? Number three, aww, he asked her!
Karie the Maknae: HE ASKED HER OUT! HE ASKED HER OUT! HE ASKED HER OUT! But will it go beyond this one meal? I need to know!
Kmuse: GASP! They better not screw this up with him actually leaving. They are now my favorite couple that are not yet a couple.
The ER bombshell
Ik Joon goes to Gangnam for a team dinner. Song Hwa calls him that she will leave a gift bag for him in his office. Jun Wan gets a phone call and goes to Itaewan with his cousin for drinks. Then the ER gets a call about a trauma patient, a male in his 40s, who was hit on the back of the head. He is a doctor at Yulje. Dr. Bong reaches for the phone and asks for his name.
Telzeytalks: My immediate reaction was that the victim is either Ik Joon or Jun Wan, but this could be a red herring. There were other doctors at the team meeting with Ik Joon. If they use this as a way for Song Hwa to suddenly realize she loves Ik Joon, I’m going to be peeved because that was a fresh storyline back in 1907, when Anne of Green Gables first spent the night worrying about Gilbert Blythe. We need something new.
Karie the Maknae: We’ve had enough misdirects in this show that I’m not worried. And as our earlier motorcycle accident victim has proved, even serious head trauma can be recovered from. It was still quite the cliffhanger, though!
Kmuse: I hate that we have to wait an extra week to find out what happened.
Thoughts and Feelings
Telzeytalks: Okay, what do you think is going to happen? I’m going to make some predictions. I don’t want Ik Joon to die, but considering those lyrics, he might. If that happens then Song Hwa won’t be able to stand Yulje anymore and will go back to Sokcho. Seok Hyeong realizes he can’t have a successful marriage with his mother around, so he goes to the US and takes Min Ha with him. His mother decides she likes Jong Su’s cooking so she takes him away from Rosa. Then, to keep his money away from his eldest son, she gets him to build a children’s clinic and let Jeong Won and Gyeo Wool run it. Jun Wan’s cousin introduces him to a woman who he dates for a year and then marries, and they go back to Changwan.
Karie the Maknae: It was good to get back into the groove of our doctors’ personal lives, and I hope we stay there for a while. They’re the reason I started watching this show, and the reason that I stay even when the story strays too far into the medical cases. Beside, I really just want to see Min Ha succeed with Teddy Bear Doc and live happily ever after!
Kmuse: I finally feel that I was engaged again with this episode. I really do need more doctor story arcs to keep focused on this drama.
Until the next rounds, we remain —
The Fangirls
Dramas with a Side of Kimchi