Not Others / Strangers 남남 (2023)

[40somethingahjumma]

I've only done Episode 1 but it's rather telling that Jin-hee requested for another transfer when she thought Park Sung-joon's character was working in the station she was posted to. She only saw him come out of the station and assumed immediately that he was working there. When she asked for the change, it occurred to me that she had come to the wrong conclusion about where he was working. It is odd too that she didn't ask why she would regret the posting. Nor why her superior would have omitted the reason. Still it's a clever way to show her flaws.

 

I imagine this is something of a pattern for her -- that she assumes things and jumps to conclusions. I'm guessing what happened with the child abuse case will come to bite her in other ways.

[SilverMoonTea]

I was taken aback with mom's antique and was ready to drop the drama 😅, but I want to see PSH, like @abs-oluteM said he's one of super versatile actor who can become just anything in the blink of eyes. And that panties stealing case was damn funny, I laughed so hard and had to continue this. And by episode 4 I'm already on board and want to know more. 

 

Everytime the mom see EJW, she always ready to roasted him to bits 🤣 it's not helping that he's also super shy and always look ready to dissapear anytime 😂 The mother is so an alpha female family head, I hope AJW character is not a villain and they may hook up together? EJW need other male presence in that wild household 🤣

 

Btw is the suspect actually one of police personnel, seems he had access to CCTV record. 

[abs-oluteM]

15 hours ago, SilverMoonTea said:

Btw is the suspect actually one of police personnel, seems he had access to CCTV record. 

Yay...am so glad you're watching this. I think he got the video from the news and is very tech savvy so is able to remove the blurring of the mother's face. It would be interesting if he's a cop though. 

 

I love them ahahaha 

Can't wait to find out if he's the dad

[40somethingahjumma]

At some level I do enjoy this show even if I find mother and daughter hard to relate to at times. I don't dislike them. I kind of understand where they're coming from but this "the world is a battleground" attitude gets a bit wearisome at times. Far more shouting than I'm comfortable with. Jin-hee is definitely the adult in that dynamic. Relatively speaking. Which is not surprising. As a slice-of-life comedy, it's okay. Some of the jokes land, some don't but I love Park Sung-hoon who is playing a similar character to the one in Into the Ring. He's keeping it real and sane. 

 

I'm glad that Jin-hee finally knows that Dad is back in the picture. I don't think Eun-mi should have kept it from her in the first place but I'm relieved she was forced to before that "will I, won't I" gets dragged out unnecessarily. Jin-hee is not a child to be protected. The show has to give some explanation as to why it's taken so long for Dad to find out about Jin-hee.

 

I am not a fan of characters beating up on other characters in dramas just for humour. 

 

 

[mademoiselle]

Episode 5 is very entertaining!

 

It is confirmed that Ahn Jae Wook plays Park Jin Hong, Jin Hee's father. Is Jin Hee's "Jin" comes from Jin Hong? Somehow I was entertained by Min Jung interrupting Jin Hong and Eun Mi and proceeded to beat him up. I guessed I'm amused she really did what she said she wanted to do. LOL.

 

Their past history aside, luckily Park Jin Hong kept showing up at Eun Mi's work every day and keep the assailant suspect away from Eun Mi!

 

I find Jin Hee and first love's story amusing. Does he really not like Jin Hee? Does he really treat her like a friend and no more?

[40somethingahjumma]

Not enough Jae-won in Episode 6. Need more. A lot more. 

[ktcjdrama]

Still loving this drama. I see that many people are not happy with the father only showing up right now and hating him so much for abandoning pregnant EM. I thought it was mentioned how he was forcefully transferred and prohibited from seeing/looking for EM and eventually lied to that she had moved on well and gotten married. Understandably he hasn’t tried looking for her anymore, but ran into her by chance one day, so started to want to connect again, before finding out he fathered Jin Hee. It seems that he remains single until now and just buried himself in studies and work. 
 

EM is for sure not as mature as we want a mother to be, but Jin Hee is very precious to her. She doesn’t want to leave her in other people’s care and marry into a family for her own’s sake. She’d rather be single than having to separate from her daughter. So I also don’t understand why people are calling her selfish. I am in the team of EM and Jin Hung getting back together and Jin Hee finally having a complete family. It will of course take time for her to accept her father. 

[SilverMoonTea]

On 8/1/2023 at 7:35 PM, mademoiselle said:

Episode 5 is very entertaining!

 

I also like this show a lot. Somehow the middle age romance between PJH and mom was quite touching & likeable. He seems willing to take just everything inflicted upon him to make up his lost for not being there in their life before. 

 

The first love of JH brought a good tension between the three, and I'm enjoying the jealous look of EW from the mirror rear of police car lols. 

 

Btw I'm still curious of what EW saw in PJH handphone. Must be there is some misunderstanding why the girl slapped him at bus stop. Hope they explain this soon.

[peperomia]

Just started this this week... The story got more interesting with Ahn Jae Wook’s appearance. I like the flashbacks of him and Eun Mi and how their personality traits as teenagers still mirror who they are as adults. The details are on point. There’s also this shared child-like innocence to them that maybe comes from them not having the freedom to live for themselves the last 30 years. He obviously genuinely liked and still likes Eun Mi so I’m invested in their unfinished story. I’m all for second chances.

 

Is it me or is it difficult to read Jae Won? LOL. I don’t know why, but his demeanor toward Jin Hee he reminds me that of Ahn Jeong Won toward Gyeo-Ul in Hospital Playlist. There’s just more to it than meets the eye. I am dying to know their backstory at the academy. The show better not skimp on this part and give us similar flashbacks as Jin Hong and Eun Mi.

 

About mom and daughter, there’s so much to unravel and resolve about their complicated relationship. I’m glad Jin Hee finally let some of her hidden feelings known to Eun Mi and Jin Hong happens to hear it all. Their "family" story will be interesting as well.

[ktcjdrama]

On 8/6/2023 at 2:45 PM, SilverMoonTea said:

 

Btw I'm still curious of what EW saw in PJH handphone. Must be there is some misunderstanding why the girl slapped him at bus stop. Hope they explain this soon.

I am still waiting too... 😄

 

 

[abs-oluteM]

@ktcjdrama I feel quite sorry for Dad. I do think the anger directed at him by some viewers and even JH's aunt is a bit unfair. He doesn't seem like the sort of person who would have abandoned EM had he known she was pregnant. In fact like @peperomia @SilverMoonTea I too root for them to be reunited - and that is not too impossible given that both still have plenty of feelings for the other. The thing about EM is that she isn't one to hold herself back ,often acting on her feelings, so I can see them get back together quite fast. But what I am also keen to see is how JH would take to him.

 

I have to say there were moments in eps 6 when I felt that EM may have been rather insensitive to JH's feelings and this is definitely intentional on the writer's part.  I know that EM and JH run a tight ship, and that their mother and daughter bond is unbreakable. I don't doubt that. But it's clear that there is also a lot of emotional baggage that JH carries despite being a model daughter. For one she's had to mature faster to be the "parent" at times and to be able to "read the room". There's also the struggles of being in a single parent household, and having to deal with all the prejudices that comes with that. EM's coping mechanism is that she just lets it all out , not caring who she'd offend. It probably protected them and helped them carry on. But not everyone deals with things that way. Their argument towards the end of eps 6 was a good example of the underlying issues that EM, JH and Dad have to sort out.  But right now EM needs to give JH time to process this . So that's why I think that EM bringing dad along without telling JH first is not right. 

 

On 8/1/2023 at 7:35 PM, mademoiselle said:

find Jin Hee and first love's story amusing. Does he really not like Jin Hee? Does he really treat her like a friend and no more?

Considering how bad he manages his money & is such a spendthrift, I am glad they aren't dating. I would be very upset if my BF is always maxing his credit card  

 

Like @40somethingahjumma I do need more PSH scenes since he was the primary reason I opened this thread. I do like how we are seeing a different side to him. He's got his own set of issues to sort out - career wise this has been a demotion and he drowns his feelings in soju all the time. I do hope he will continue to open up to JH , since I can see that he was a little jealous when he saw her with her best buddy. 

 

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[40somethingahjumma]

I'm enjoying this show despite Eun-mi's antics. It was peak self-centred tantrum throwing in the first half of Episode 7 but there were some bright spots here and there. I don't think the show condones Eun-mi's bad behaviour but uses it to highlight the fact that Jin-hee and Jin-hong are often the adults in the room. It shows too that they love her enough to put up with some of her ways. It is frustrating that everyone else apologizes to and accommodates Eun-mi BUT, having said that, I see a softening in her. She's taking baby steps and even taking cues from Jin-hong about how to be more considerate of Jin-hee. I think secretly she rather likes Jin-hong being a little bit more assertive.

 

I'm also heartened by the fact that there are signs of the trio becoming a family.

 

I too have a hard time understanding the vehement dislike of Jin-hong around the web. As far as I can see he is a sweet and considerate guy. It wasn't his fault that Eun-mi neglected to tell him about her pregnancy and then he was lied to about her lot in life. He's also walking on eggshells around her in relation to Jin-hee. Of course he's curious the daughter he didn't know he had. Who wouldn't be? It's unreasonable for Eun-mi to expect differently. The problem with Eun-mi is that she expects everyone to dance to her tune.

 

I've heard the word "narcissism" being thrown around in relation to Eun-mi and I don't disagree. And I do understand where that comes from. Her abusive background can provide a plausible explanation to how she is but not an ongoing excuse for continuing inconsideration of her own daughter. It's not as if she doesn't love her daughter. She does because she's given up on men when they get in the way of their relationship.

 

It makes sense to me too that she would want to get back together with Jin-hong because he was the guy who liked her despite her background and abrasive personality.

 

Despite the limited screen time that they share, I do think that there are hints here and there that Jin-hee and Jae-won have feeling for each other that go way back. Because this is a second chance romance story, I think the odds are high that it started while they were at the police academy together. I think Mi-jeong's remark that he's the "Police Academy Oppa" is telling. I suspect she almost confessed while drunk before Jin-soo took the phone from her. It's was funny that she called him 24 times while drunk.

Edited August 8, 2023 by 40somethingahjumma

[peperomia]

Both episodes 7 and 8 were so good.

 

Re: Eun Mi, not sure if this would apply to her, but I’ve read some people who experience trauma may remain “stuck” at the age of trauma which can disrupt emotional growth and cause problems in relationships with others. This may be why Eun Mi acts like a teenager – focused on boyfriends, her appearance, dancing to K-pop, etc. However, I notice with Jin Hong’s sincerity and protection, there is some maturity and calming in her. If there is improvement in her character from here on, I think the writer’s intent with Eun Mi’s character is working.

 

About mother/daughter’s relationship, I do think Jin Hee suffered because of Eun Mi’s immaturity and insensitivity, but at the same time, I also think as Jin Hee learns more of her mom’s past and suffering, she will understand better why her mom is the way she is. I thought it was a key moment when she took in the pregnant teen and related the teen’s hardships with her mom. I got a little emotional when she laid next to her mom in bed asking her why she decided to have her when it would obviously be difficult for her. Jin Hee to Eun Mi may have been her lifesaver – her primary reason for persevering through life.

 

The more we get to know Jin Hong, the more I like him. He is sweet and kind. I also like that he’s clueless and a bit of a dork. (He goes to bed at 10pm and wakes up at 4am to read. LOL.) Jin Hee also sees good qualities in him. Toward the end of the trip, Eun Mi knew when Jin Hee offered to take the couple photo of them, Jin Hee was starting to open-up to him. Eun Mi then decided to officially date him. I also liked how she took the pressure of Jin Hong’s sudden appearance off Jin Hee by telling him to focus solely on dating her, not forming a relationship with Jin Hee. Not sure if it’s possible for Jin Hee and Jin Hong to have a true father/daughter relationship, but I can see potential of a similar kind for them when it's not forced, but happens naturally.

 

I really liked Jin Hee and Jae Won’s moments together. We absolutely need more of them! Jae Won is also protective of Jin Hee. Sounded like he defended her to his seniors at headquarters and got into some trouble for it. Their potential romance as comrades makes it great in that they can relate in career hardships and confide/support one another. I am waiting for the moment Jae Won fully opens his heart to Jin Hee. Also, I am still waiting for flashbacks of their backstory at the academy. I agree - "Police Academy Oppa" is a give-away! LOL.

[40somethingahjumma]

In Episode 8 I sensed some small but palpable changes in Eun-mi. I agree that she's far less wacky with Jin-hong in the picture. He's a good counterbalance to her and provides a de facto parenting alternative to the one that Jin-hee has been getting from Eun-mi. Rather than being combative, he is thoughtful and gently communicative. He acknowledges Jin-hee, tells her that she's a good daughter and a reliable one. In more ways than one, he is the father that she needs in the present.

 

So what do I mean by that? Because he is around to keep her mother company, Jin-hee is freer to do her own thing. I think Eun-mi is rather over-reliant on Jin-hee for companionship which in turn restricts Jin-hee's ability to expand her horizons. On two occasions, Jin-hee goes in search of Jae-won for drinks and heart to heart. It's a healthy development for both women. It's quite obvious from Jin-hee's drunk and slightly tipsy interactions with Jae-won that she's keen to get closer to him. So it is essential in this story for Jin-hong to be a part of Eun-mi's life before Jin-hee can find her romance, as it were.

 

Speaking of which, I feel bad for Jae-won because it seems like he's going through an existential crisis of his own. It's rather telling that he's looking for a reason to be a cop and yet he hasn't stopped doing his due diligence while he's pondering the meaning of the universe. That said, I suspect that he has already found his reason to stay in the police as he's helping Jin-hee and Eun-mi in the background following leads on the mugging murder. I'm making this assumption based on the fact that his immediate supervisor came to see him and mentioned that he hadn't received a resignation letter from him for a while. At the very least I think he's found a reason to get up in the morning while there are two women in his sphere of influence that need his help.

 

The writing so far is very good. Better than I even hoped. This writer certainly understands how television should work and make every scene matter in terms of plot and character development.

 

If the writer doesn't manage to screw up the ending completely, this would be the best rom com that I've seen for a while. :P And I mean a while.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by 40somethingahjumma

[abs-oluteM]

On 8/8/2023 at 9:03 AM, 40somethingahjumma said:

I'm enjoying this show despite Eun-mi's antics. It was peak self-centred tantrum throwing in the first half of Episode 7 but there were some bright spots here and there. I don't think the show condones Eun-mi's bad behaviour but uses it to highlight the fact that Jin-hee and Jin-hong are often the adults in the room. It shows too that they love her enough to put up with some of her ways. It is frustrating that everyone else apologizes to and accommodates Eun-mi BUT, having said that, I see a softening in her. She's taking baby steps and even taking cues from Jin-hong about how to be more considerate of Jin-hee. I think secretly she rather likes Jin-hong being a little bit more assertive.

I was really upset with Eun Mi in episode 7. I think some traits of hers which are in some ways her strengths are also her greatest weaknesses. For instance, she doesn't worry about what anyone else thinks most of the time. Not a bad thing because it helped her stay strong and raise JH herself. But it also makes her rather self-absorbed - like it is always about her. JHee didn't even need to apologise (like what the aunt said) but she made it all about how JHee hurt her when JHee was the one who was hurt. I didn't like EM guilting both JHee and Jin Hong into doing things.

 

Similar to what @peperomia said in her post, I think because EM skipped this whole season of being able to grow up "normally" like other girls, she makes up for it in the present. Hence I am also so glad that Jin Hong has come back into their lives. JHee has played the role of protector and "husband" to her mother far too long, and I agree with what @40somethingahjumma said about EM's overreliance on Jin Hee. So I hope Jin Hong is as good as he has been painted so far because I like him very much. I appreciate the way the drama is slowly developing the relationship between father and daughter. Jin Hee is given space and they both communicate like how matured adults should.

 

I think Jae Won - Jin Hee needs more development. JH has opened so much to him but he is yet to do the same. But I am certain that he has some feelings for Jin Hee. :D

[abs-oluteM]

The slow burn romance . I am rooting so hard for them - I don't know if it will be developed much given this is a 12 episode drama. 

Spoiler

 

 

[ktcjdrama]

Before this, I was still okay with EM being the childish mother and her antics, understanding what made her that way, but after ep.9, I kinda starting to dislike her. I get that her relationship with JH's sister is not good, but the way she was all smug when JH is defending her from his sister was way too mocking. Didn't like that part at all, where she was happy to see the siblings falling out. She may not see the need to take part in making sure the siblings have good relationship, but she was actually delighting in creating the tension between the two. With that, I'm kinda disliking JH too, for always blindly giving in to her without question. I guess because I am thinking that when you love someone, you want what is best for that person. Both have not shown that well to me. The two of them can just go live in their own world if they don't want to care about people around them.

 

[40somethingahjumma]

No matter what Eun-mi gets up to, I always feel that the time passes by so quickly on this show. For some reason I think the writing is terrific but especially the dialogue. It's amazing that the show keeps things simple and is not tempted to complicate things more than they need to. Especially when K dramas often go down the makjang path because it's a way of intensifying and escalating conflict without having to think too hard. 

 

Jin-hee is developing so well. She's come such a long way and all her time spent with Jae-won is just absolutely precious. It's gone from straight up combativeness to mutual respect even outright admiration on her part. She finally gets him. What he's had to deal with in terms of the police organization's bureaucracy and how under appreciated he is in the organization because it often means rocking the boat as well ruffling feathers. The chemistry is undeniably good from the few scenes they share. I maintain that they've always liked each other but for one reason or another things never took off for them. Perhaps it's because she's matured that he's apparently more willing to open up and bit a tad vulnerable with her. I don't know when it was last that I wanted two people in a drama to be together this badly.

 

While I understand @ktcjdrama's point about Jin-hong's relationship with his sister and Eun-mi, I think some of that line drawing comes from guilt that he wasn't there for Eun-mi while she struggled to raise a child by herself in his absence. This is his way of taking responsibility now for not taking responsibility then. Perhaps he thinks that he has to make that choice to show preference. Because the sister said that it was Eun-mi's fault that their family was torn apart, he feels that he has to compensate (may be even overcompensate) for how his family thought about their relationship. He certainly regrets the fact that he was unable to stand up to his own parents and therefore he failed to protect Eun-mi. They were young and stupid. His family blames her but he was just as much a party to what transpired. It takes two to tango. He's taking Eun-mi's side now because he failed to in the past. The sister might dislike Eun-mi but she likes Jin-hee. Without Eun-mi there would be no Jin-hee. In every cloud, there's a silver lining.

 

It's like that  conversation mother and daughter had about trying to put together furniture without a manual. Is it possible to put something together without a manual. Sure. If you have experience. But a manual could save you hours of making mistakes and then rectifying them. Eun-mi certainly didn't have a lot of guidance. She made a lot of mistakes and made things much harder for herself. And Jin-hee. What she doesn't regret is sticking to her guns and bringing her daughter into this world. Is it mere luck that Jin-hee is a sane and responsible human being? Or is it combination of factors? Or perhaps because Jin-hee was raised by a single mother that it made her more sensitive? It's the nature vs nurture debate being replayed. When we consider Ga-eul, the pregnant teenage girl who has been raised strictly -- is it necessarily the fault of her mother for being too strict?

[peperomia]

I might be one of the few people who really likes Eun Mi. Yes, she is imperfect but not malicious (at least not to me). I think some of her biggest faults are her terrible communication skills and inability to effectively communicate her real intentions. She tends to speak and act in her own code, making things a lot more complicated than they should be and frustrating for others around her. For example... During the trip, she didn’t invite Jin Hong. He decided to tag along and show up, yet if she didn’t want any pressure of his presence on Jin Hee, she should’ve asked him to leave. Instead, she goes into a roundabout way of telling Jin Hong to focus on dating her only and not try to have a relationship with Jin Hee. It made her look selfish and insensitive when all she was trying to do was protect Jin Hee. Now, after some awkward encounters with Jin Hong at their home, he brought up the topic of Eun Mi and him living together. She immediately declined, obviously the reason was because of Jin Hee. Jin Hee overheard this, yet Eun Mi stubbornly refused to admit her unwillingness to go was because of Jin Hee, causing unnecessary tension between. BUT…I’m glad the topic of mother and daughter living part was brought up. It's true it has been a world of just her and Jin Hee, but she needs to realize it can’t be that way forever. It’s just not healthy. Eun Mi needs to finally cut the umbilical cord and allow Jin Hee to live her life. It's the only way Jin Hee can flourish and be happy. In fact, living their own lives and having their own identities should be liberating for the both of them.

 

Also, Eun Mi needs to let Jin Hee make her own decision on whether she wants a father/daughter relationship with Jin Hong and whether she wants to get to know her paternal relatives. These are ultimately Jin Hee’s decisions, not Eun Mi’s.

 

Re: Jin Hee and Jae Won, I also might be one of the few who really likes the slow-burn romance between them. Maybe because the feelings are obviously there and there's no question of the end game so the process and journey is so pleasing to watch for me. The unspoken affection and care that they have for each other is simply beautiful.

[40somethingahjumma]

Frankly I don't have to like Eun-mi to enjoy this show. She's written hyperbolically to make a point. She serves a particular purpose in the narrative and judging from the end of Episode 10, all previous speculation/analysis about her is generally right on the money. Her immaturity and pettiness comes from the fact that she's been stuck in the past for so long. Until now she hasn't been inclined to let go and move on. It's been her comfort zone for so long because everything she's done until lately seems to have worked for her, helped her survive as a single mother. But change is in the air. She can't cling on to Jin-hee like she used to and vice versa. Sure, it used to be "us against the world" but now with Jin-hong (and potentially Jae-won) in the picture, the relationship dynamics will inevitably change. I think @peperomia's use of the phrase "cutting the umbilical cord" hits the nail on the head. This is definitely what this show is about. It used to be just the two of them but in a healthy situation it can't be just the two of them forever. Jin-hee will have to leave home and start her own family with a man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Eun-mi can't expect to tag along and potentially disrupt that marriage because she has hang ups that it's always been her and Jin-hee. Parents are not owners of their children but stewards or caretakers until they reach adulthood and are capable of maintaining their own households. Sometimes that's hard for traditional Asian parents to conceive of but somehow they have to trust their adult children to make good decisions and trust that they have done enough that their offspring become responsible members of society at some point.

 

There's online speculation that perhaps Jin-hong isn't Jin-hee's birth father. I doubt it. But even if that were the case, it changes nothing. Jin-hong is an important part of this equation. He is a disruptive force in the mother-daughter dynamic. But a necessary one. Both mother and daughter need to let go of one another so that Eun-mi will grow up and Jin-hee can establish her own home with ease. That's why the stabbing in Episode 10 is such a symbolic moment. Jin-hee cannot be her mother's primary protector forever. She couldn't anyway... without the help of Jae-won, Team 2 and their respective colleagues. And even Jin-hong played a part. The show is at pains to demonstrate that for families to survive, there must be team work. The parallels and contrasts between work and homelife is set up to deliberately evoke those ideas that change is necessary. Jin-hong isn't the problem but his presence shines a light on where things have to change between mother and daughter as part of the normal maturing process. Jin-hee has been her mother's caretaker since she was a child and that needs to change.

 

Jae-won and Jin-hee's interactions continue to be a delight. The way they care for each other in subtle ways is wonderful telly.

[abs-oluteM]

 

@40somethingahjumma @peperomia appreciate what you both wrote. 

 

I confess though like @ktcjdrama  I still  have mixed feelings with regards to EM in the last few episodes.  She isn't an ordinary mother , she's like an errant child.  She really should have told JinHong where she was going. Perhaps if JHee had told her suspicions about the killer , she'd be more careful. I can't remember why Jin Hee felt that she should not have told her mother. Anyway, that mouth of hers could do with some reigning in but I agree she's not malicious.  Just  a bit thoughtless and unfiltered , what you see is what you get. At the same time, she is one of those  that won't sit still if she senses injustice, and would go beyond to help.  Just when you think she is  terribly childish and petty,  she will spout these wise things about living life without a manual and so on. 

 

There are two things I really wish to see by the end of this drama. Firstly, I would love to see  JinHee develop a father-daughter  type relationship with Jin Hong.  I appreciate JinHong telling his sister that she is EM's daughter since EM raised her and he cannot expect JH to suddenly accept things. He is very respectful of their feelings so he isn't asking for more.  If he had chosen not to be part of their lives 30 years ago, I wouldn't have hope for this. But here he had no clue. I know we can't turn back the clock but it isn't too late to have a great father figure in one's life .

 

The other one is of course for the romance between JW and JH to take off. JW better admit to liking JHee.  The writer better not  give me one of those silly open endings that will drive me mad. LOL. JH's character growth has been so consistently written , and the relationship between them has evolved along with that growth. Beside, it is not only JH-JW that has seen changes their relationship dynamics.; the team at Namchon too have welcomed JH in their hearts. 

[peperomia]

@abs-oluteM Your feelings of Eun Mi are completely fair. I do think the show might’ve gone overboard in showcasing her rough personality. If it had toned her down a bit, maybe she could’ve been more likeable to viewers. I also think @40somethingahjumma has a good point about her. It's true one doesn't have to like her to enjoy or appreciate the story. If the writing and characterization of all the leads are executed well, they'll do the show justice, which I think they have.

 

Re: the stabbing being a symbolic moment, at the close of ep 10, Eun Mi saw her life flashing before her eyes while she was lying on the hospital bed. They seem to be memories of major moments in her life. Painful ones of her abusive father and breakup with teenage Jin Hong. Happier ones with teenage Jin Hong and her pseudo-family with Mi Jung’s. The last one stuck out. It was her experiencing losing child Jin Hee due to punishing her outside the house. Even though she eventually found Jin hee, she seemed to be ridden with guilt. So, I wonder if that is partly why the topic of abandoning seems to be sensitive throughout the story and why she has difficulty separating herself from Jin Hee. Also, on the hospital bed, she appeared semi-unconscious and heard adult Jin Hee crying for her. This might be what pulls her back from the brink of death. Regardless, after this experience, I also believe there'll be major changes in the perspectives of the significant people in her life. And whatever has been her reason to hold onto Jin Hee, I hope to see her let Jin Hee go so that Jin Hee can also let her go.

 

21 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Jae-won and Jin-hee's interactions continue to be a delight. The way they care for each other in subtle ways is wonderful telly.

 

15 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

The other one is of course for the romance between JW and JH to take off. JW better admit to liking JHee.  The writer better not  give me one of those silly open endings that will drive me mad. LOL. JH's character growth has been so consistently written , and the relationship between them has evolved along with that growth. Beside, it is not only JH-JW that has seen changes their relationship dynamics.; the team at Namchon too have welcomed JH in their hearts. 

 

I can’t remember the last time I found a pairing on a show so endearing, and they aren’t officially a couple yet. I think because from our point of view, you can see the affection written all over their faces, but they don’t seem to realize these feelings yet. This kind of development feels more realistic compared to how most couples get together in drama-land and a part of me doesn’t want it to end. But, since we’re down to the final 2 episodes, I agree it’s time they get together. I also hope they’ll explain what happened between them at the academy as well.

 

The bonding of the Namchon team has also been a delight see, so I'm curious of what will happen to Jin Hee and Jae Won's career paths. Will they stay or will they go back to headquarters?

Edited August 17, 2023 by peperomia

[abs-oluteM]

Oh yay !!!!!!!

Awww it started then 

 

 

Last episode 🥹

[40somethingahjumma]

@abs-oluteM Yeah. It was good. Police Academy Oppa finally opened up and struck gold. He kind of confessed when he told her that he had fun observing her because she is so "ridiculous". It's a backhanded confession as far as I'm concerned. From then on it started to make her consider the possibility that he might actually like her and he isn't just a concerned colleague.

 

There's a lovely scene of him reminiscing about a moment in the past where she fell asleep and leaned up against him from the back. He then smiles at that memory.

 

 

[abs-oluteM]

@40somethingahjumma I just got back from my trip & can’t wait to watch eps 11 &

12. I’m a little sad this romance didn’t have enough screen time. But then again better this than a draggy plot 🤣🤣
—— 

So many sweet spoilers out there for the finale !