Things are heating up for our couple and for the fake reality show. Let’s see who really is behind the billowy backlit kiss in the promos and what that fateful kiss means for everyone involved.

Friends and No Benefits

The episode starts by sending us back seventeen years, trying to convince us that for all these years our OTP entered each other’s orbit and not once had them some ramen. (Wink, wink.) I love that they have been supporting each other for so long, and it’s one of my favorite parts of their relationship, but it’s also the hardest part for me to believe. They are both HOT and have underlying feelings; I just can’t believe we haven’t gone down this road before.

Drama Geek: The flashback was a little painful. Sorry, these two are clearly in their thirties and just do not give off that early college vibe. The drunk kiss was pretty funny though, and I’m curious about what happened after that in their friendship.

Kmuse: I can understand the timing just not being right. I have people in real life who have gone through similar situations with their current significant others. Sometimes life just doesn’t work the way we want. But it looks like Jae Hoon has decided not to wait for that perfect moment anymore.

Cupid Couple

The last recap I did left out our favorite married friend couple and their efforts, but they are in full swing this episode. This week, Dae Shik sends Jae Hoon on a mission, challenging him not to sit back and wait for Yeo Reom. His advice sends Jae Hoon into a hilarious misunderstanding regarding her and Asst. PD Sang Woo. The scenario he conjured up in his head had me dying laughing.

Drama Geek: Poor Lee Da Hee—you can see in the fake scenario why a lot of leading men haven’t wanted to work with her. Even wearing flats, she has to compact her body while Sang Woo leans over her during the imaginary sexy talk. It did accomplish one thing though: I wouldn’t mind if Jae Hoon sets him up with his sister. Fighting, Sang Woo!

Kmuse: Jae Hoon being jealous of our Puppy PD cracked me up. Everything from his imaginary scenarios to lurking in the bushes was brilliantly funny. This kind of comedy is what Si Won does best.

Team Ji Wan?

The girls play a game of chicken in the same sand circle where the boys had their topless wrestling matches. Ji Wan comes out the winner, because she’s too solid to move. HUGE annoyed sigh. Gotta say this scene made me question how friendly to Ji Wan’s character the real production team is. Couple that with the outfits they keep giving her, and it makes me wonder. Joon Ho comes to her rescue when she falls on top of the other contestant, securing a date with her.

The night before their date, the cast plays a drinking game and poor Ji Wan gets smashed because she hasn’t done any of the things they say. Joon Ho finds her alone later and goes to help her up by touching her side. This sends her into a panic and she pushes him. The next day, on their boat date, she confesses that she’s wary of male contact because she was sexually touched by her cousin in middle school.

Drama Geek: Jerky Joon Ho almost had me convinced he’d started to fall for her before he pressed her the next day to let that segment air, even though Ji Wan clearly didn’t mean to spill that information while being recorded. I hate that he’s the one showing her interest. I included this part because I really do love Ji Wan’s character; I hope in the episodes to come she has a happy ending with someone who can respect her and treat her with care.

Kmuse: Ji Wan totally deserves to be loved for who she is, bad outfits and all. I am really hoping Jerky Joon Ho is not that person. He has already done too many things that are bugging me and I am not sure I could jump on that ship.

Hero Sang Woo

While Jae Hoon might have misguided ill feelings toward Sang Woo, we all know he is amazing! Ji Wan came to him after the date and asked that her confession not be aired. He told both of his sunbaes about the date and what was recorded. Yeo Reom tells him to not add the original file to the main computer just yet while she talks to Kang PD. She tries to convince Kang PD to not air it, but again, we know that’s the last thing she’s going to do. Ratings are top priority. Yeo Reom promises to get a kiss from Jae Hoon and Ji Yeon if she promises to not air it. Sang Woo doesn’t wait for Yeo Reum and deletes the original copy of Ji Wan’s confession.

Drama Geek: Yay for integrity! It would be one thing if she’d said “Some guy did this to me,” but she states it was her cousin. That would be horrible for her family and just the worst way for this type of information to get out. Don’t get me wrong—even without that part, I still think it would be really hard if that aired. On the other hand, I do think if you go on a reality show, you should be prepared to have ANYTHING you say televised.

Kmuse: Yay for Sang Woo having moral integrity! That said, I was a bit annoyed at Ji Wan for sharing that story with the world. Especially when she knows she is being filmed with a ton of people surrounding her. It wasn’t a personal one-on-one moment and it didn’t feel authentic. But, yet again, I really am hoping for her to find her happily-ever-after romance.

First Kiss of Mankind

Yeo Reum has to get that kiss or they air the confession, so she corners Ji Yeon in the bathroom and asks if she’ll kiss Jae Hoon on their date. Ji Yeon says she’s open to it, but Jae Hoon is the one who wouldn’t be too happy about it. This causes Yeo Reum to find Jae Hoon and ask him to kiss Ji Yeon. He gets pissed. He asks her if she really wants him to kiss another woman. She gives him the whole spiel about kisses being nothing these days. He replies that if that’s the case, then he’ll just kiss her. The crew thought he was talking to Ji Yeon so they’ve turned the lights on and rolled the cameras from the outside, catching their kissing silhouettes in a romantic scene.

Drama Geek: I’m with Jae Hoon on this. I know Yeo Reum needs to protect people, but she can’t keep using him to do it. He’s confessed to her and she knows how hard this already is for him.

Kmuse: Jae Hoon deserves better than what he is getting, and I think Yeo Reum is in this weird emotional place where she is not thinking of others. I get that she is still recovering from her jerk fiancé, so I am trying to keep that in mind as these events go down.

Record Kissing Partners

Right before they kiss, they do this voiceover that I can’t even remember about kisses and how God kissed breath into humans or something. They also show each of them kissing all their past partners, leading to them finally kissing.

Drama Geek: I have to say, I am not a fan of how this played out. It reduced the romantic tension and left me feeling a little meh. The OTP has amazing chemistry, so here’s to them smooching at a later date and maybe knocking a few props down on the way to one of their bedrooms…

Kmuse: I feel that we are not being as positive as we should be, but once again I agree. YAY for kisses, but meh for not having the extra sizzle this moment deserved.

Refreshingly honest

Han Ji Yeon continues to be one of my favorite characters. She has some pretty sad moments because of her one-sided crush, but she’s completely honest with both Yeo Reum and Jae Hoon. She calls Yeo Reum out on kissing him and probably wanting to use the footage for the broadcast. She asks Yeo Ruem if she likes Jae Hoon, but our girl is in denial and says no. Si Yeon wants her to draw a line for poor Jae Hoon then. Ji Yeon finds Jae Hoon to tell him he’s making her out to be pitiful, but her heart wants to stay on the show anyway. The latter part gets filmed by a mysterious person, but I’m sure you can probably guess who is behind that.

Drama Geek: You can see that Ji Yeon wasn’t keeping fantasy and reality separate while they were on their date. Jae Hoon is very swoony, so I don’t blame her. Her heart will be broken by the end of this, but I’m not sure if she won’t at least sway Jae Hoon a little. We’ll have to see.

Kmuse: I am always a fan of honest communication. Even if I do think she should put this one-sided love behind her and call it quits.

Drawing a Made-Up Line

Yeo Reum pulls Jae Hoon aside and does exactly like she’d promised: she tells him she does not like him like that; they are just friends. Her lips had said something different the night before, but she lies and says she didn’t feel anything during the kiss and that is proof enough. Jae Hoon is a gentlemen, though clearly upset, and says he’ll respect her and stop pursuing her.

Drama Geek: This scene will be a turning point for Jae Hoon. He’s been polite and nice to her with each request she’s made of him, but she’s pushed him away and he’s hurt. I don’t think he’ll be nasty, but he won’t continue to do her bidding.

Kmuse: Yes, I think Yeo Reum is going to have to be more proactive in their relationship for things to go forward.

Evil Genius

With Ji Wan’s footage deleted, Kang PD must create some other juicy scenario to garner high ratings. She secretly edits episode one again, giving that kiss a proper twist. Footage shows Ji Yeon left the building before the kiss, so who was Jae Hoon kissing? All the swoony moments they filmed of the couple before the kiss lead the public to vote for them, and they become the stars of the show.

Drama Geek: Why do I still love Kang PD so much?? Maybe it’s her cute overalls and her fun personality. Yes, I don’t always agree with her work ethics, but I still can’t help liking her.

Kmuse: Kang PD just has so much charisma that it is hard to not enjoy her character. I really like the mix of witch and competent professional, and I think she brings a strong element to the drama.

Final Thoughts:

Drama Geek: Jae Hoon went on this show with a trauma in his past and I’m worried the next few episodes are going to push that into the light. He’s going to need his best friend more than ever, but this latest development will make that hard. I am also really enjoying the reality show interactions. I didn’t include it, but the one guy tricking the chef into oiling his back had me laughing so hard. I am invested in all the people, both in front of and behind the scenes. Bravo, Show!

Kmuse: I am really enjoying everything about this drama. Even the not-so-nice elements are interesting and the show is very engaging. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Waiting greedily for our next slow-burn moment…

Drama Geek & Kmuse

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi