Discovery of Romance Episode 4 Recap

Episode #4: “You like Han Yeo Reum?”

While Han Yeo Reum (Jung Yu Mi) is on stage singing, current boyfriend Nam Ha Jin (Sung Joon) enters the bar. He stands near the table where ex-boyfriend Kang Tae Ha (Eric) is watching Yeo Reum sing. Tae Ha turns, recognizes Ha Jin and stares. Feeling Tae Ha’s stare, Ha Jin looks at him. He recalls seeing him at the hotel where Yeo Reum threw water in his face and he realizes this is man she spent the night with in his apartment. Both men stare instinctively knowing they are rivals for Yeo Reum. After she is done singing, Yeo Reum returns to the table then decides to caucus with Yoon Sol (Kim Seul Gi) in the ladies restroom. Left to their own devices, the men exchange business cards and make awkward conversation. Tae Ha suggests a friendly game of pool. Ha Jin’s eyes gleam at the suggestion and up to the pool area they go. What starts out as a friendly game quickly turns competitive with both men doing their best to beat each other. It never gets old watching two good looking men spar over a woman under the guise of a game. So cute when Yoon Sool laughed when Tae Ha missed a shot, then checked the cue stick and declared it straight. Ha Jin has the upper hand and beats Tae Ha. Yeo Reum and Yoon Sol are thrilled. Tae Ha suggests another game in a week’s time (loved the boxing gong sound effect) and Ha Jin quickly agrees much to the horror of the ladies. Both men do their share of the stare and glare with each other.

Ha Jin drives Yoon Sol (in the back of the car) and Yeo Reum home. Ha Jin is direct and NOT happy. Why did Yeo Reum not tell him the man she was working with on her new project was the same man she accidentally switched cell phones with at the hotel? He accuses her of sleeping with Tae Ha when she spent the evening at his apartment. Yeo Reum tries to soothe him but Ha Jin is not having any of it. Yeo Reum goes on the offensive herself and notes she did not tell because she KNEW he would get upset. She says Yoon Sol will confirm her side of the story. Yoon Sol feigns sleep. Yeo Reum withholds the fact that she and Tae Ha used to date.

Horray! Bunny sighting! Tae Ha tells the bunny, who he has named Han Yeo Reum (ha!), that Yeo Reum used to be in love with him like she is in love with Ha Jin.

Ha Jim and Yeo Reum have a cute exchange before she heads into her house. It does seem like she is the controller of the relationship. So cute when Yoon Sol pops up in the back seat as he started to drive away startling him. He lets her out and she tells him everything Yeo Reum said was true. Ha Jin has to smile at her loyalty and antics. (I love it too!)

Yeo Reum’s mother and producer Min Soo go another round when he sleeps at her house again. She disposes of the stinky hiking boots and tasks her assistant to get him a new pair. Min Soo claims he never looked at another woman while he was married. She reminds him that they had an affair 10 years ago. He is stunned. What? He does not remember?

The next morning at breakfast Yoon Sool tells Do Joon Ho (Yoon Hyun Min) that Ha Jin found out about Tae Ha but still does NOT know that he used to date Yeo Reum. Yeo Reum asks why men get upset over ex-boyfriends. So cute when Joon Ho takes his glasses off to share that men are territorial animals and they do NOT want to know their girls have been with others. He refers the girls to check out movies for proof. Yoon Sol and Yeo Reum do just that. They watch several movies where the boyfriend gets upset about a past boyfriend. Yoon Sol quips that she cannot believe they have to live with this species in the 21st century. They both imagine Ha Jin getting upset once he learns about Tae He. They agree silence is golden on this matter.

Joon Ho sees Yoon Sol sending texts to her rejecting ex-friend-but-not-boyfriend. She wants to get together “as friends”. Joon Ho grabs her phone, calls the guy, and tells him not to mess with his little siste. She deserves better treatment that what he is giving. Yoon Sol and Yeo Reum are impressed at his bold impassioned phone call. Then he hands the phone back and says that is what he WOULD say IF he called the guy. Ha!

In a flashback Ha Jin does see An A Rim (his sister?) after the cut in her arm is treated. This is what inspires him to become a doctor.

In present day Ha Jin follows An A Rim (Yoon Jin Yi) noting she works in a bike shop and where she lives. The next day he visits the bike shop. He offers to treat her scar but she tells him she keeps it in the hopes that one day someone from her past, who might not recognize her face, would recognize the scar. He got a nice folding bike out of the conversation!

Tae Ha hires a pool expert to improve his game. He doubts the girl that shows up until she starts playing. He studiously works to improve his game.

Tae Ha’s company pulls a marathon designing session. Tae Ha knows what he wants and is not afraid to challenge his staff to deliver. At the end of it, everyone is exhausted but satisfied they have a game plan going forward. Yeo Reum signs the contract to provide the furniture. To celebrate they head to the mall and she treats him to lunch. Ha Jin, shopping in the mall with his mother, spies them. He sends his mother home and follows them. He sees them eating lunch together. Jealous, he calls Yeo Reum. She is open and honest that she is treating Tae Ha to lunch. Ha Jin knows she is NOT going behind his back, but he does not look happy they are together. After lunch, Tae Ha and Yeo Reum go to a lumber yard and pick out wood together. She requests that he drop her off at Ha Jin’s office. A Rim approaches Ha Jin and requests that he treat three of her friends for free. To her amazement, he agrees. She impulsively hugs him just as Tae Ha drives up with Yeo Reum. She does not see the hug. To protect her, Tae Ha speeds off and around the block. After he drops her off he drives past an ice cream shop and sees Ha Jin with the woman from earlier. He draws the erroneous conclusion that Ha Jin has a girlfriend on the side.

At the pool rematch both men get down to business quickly. The air is thick with testosterone and competition. Both men play with their grievances against each other suppresssed just below the surface. Tae Ha is angry that Ha Jin has a girlfriend on the side. Ha Jin is angry that Tae He is getting closer and closer to Yeo Reum. He senses Tae Ha’s interest in Yeo Reum. This game Tae Ha wins. He boldly asks Ha Jin if he has a girlfriend on the side. Ha Jin does not deny it. Tae Ha suggests that he end things with Yeo Reum.  He asks “You like Han Yeo Reum?” We then flip to interview mode. Tae Ha tells the interviewer that he is NOT interested in starting over with Yeo Reum. Ha! Flipping back to the pool game, Tae Ha asks why can’t he like Yeo Reum. Ha Jin is incensed that this man is taunting him. We then flip to interview mode. Ha Jin tells the interviewer that he is ok with losing BUT he will not stay quiet if provoked. Flipping back to the pool game, Ha Jin drops his pool stick. In a surprise move he flies across the pool table and kicks Tae Ha! A good fight ensues with each man dealing out blows to the other. Tae Ha has Ha Jin on the ground and is about to punch his face when Yeo Reum enters the room. She grabs a pool stick and whacks Tae Ha on the back. Both men pause the fight surprised at the interruption.

Comments:
* This show is rolling! I like these characters more and more each episode. The actors are doing a terrific job bringing them to life.

* Eric oozes confidence tinged with desperation to win back the woman he never got over. His character Tae Ha is focused on winning her back by reestablishing their friendship first. I loved him hiring a pool expert to bump his game up. His dismay the expert was a girl was quickly silenced when she showed her skills. I liked his simple joy at holding Yeo Reum’s hand guiding her through the crowded mall. He was so cute when he brought up the “two trees as one” moment from their first visit to the island. The way he tenderly draped his sweater over Yeo Reum when she slept in the office and studied her with pleasure and longing – nice! The stares and glares he gave Ha Jin this episode – awesome!

* Jung Yu Mi’s character Yeo Reum was more secondary this episode. She did not overtly realize that both men were circling around her like sharks. Cute interactions with Ha Jin in the car returning from the bar and with Yoon Sol watching movies with current boyfriend getting upset at past boyfriends. The three housemates really seem like close friends. The actors are really selling these characters as real – terrific!

* Sung Joon had his best episode. His character Ha Jin went a smidge stalker on Yeo Reum (in the mall) and A Rim (following her after work) but it was understandable. I was surprised when he did NOT tell A Rim that he was her brother. He had the perfect opportunity when she said she would not treat her scar as she hoped one day someone from her past would recognize her becuase of the scar. I expected him to admit he was the long lost brother but he said nothing. His interactions with Tae Ha were excellent. Both men know they like the same woman and their competition for Yeo Reum’s affection was terrific this episode. I was surprised and pleased that Ha Jin went on the offensive at the pool game and fought Tae Ha. It was a good fight and I like that this character is NOT a pushover.  The stares and glares he gave Tae Ha this episode – awesome!

* Yoon Sol’s interaction with Yeo Reum were excellent this episode. Their presentation at Tae Ha’s company went well. I like that each of these characters is competent. This character is refreshingly blunt, charming, and funny. I love her.

* Do Joon Ho had me fooled when he faked calling Yoon Sol’s ex-boyfriend and telling him not to treat her like that again or he would have to answer to him. I also like that this character is a friend to Ha Jin but his loyalties lie with Yeo Reum and Yoon Sol. He told Ha Jin the truth, just not all of it regarding Tae Ha. He took care of a drunk Yoon Sol, even though the bar proprietor thought he would take advantage of her, that was true friendship. Could there be more than friendship there? I really like him.

* An A Rim was more prominent this episode. Nice that her scar inspired Ha Jin to become a doctor. I also like how in the flashback we saw that she and Ha Jin were not immediately separated after her arm wound was treated because they were at the doctor together. The character seems super nice, perhaps unbelievably nice, but we are just getting started with her. I do not gravitate to this character as I do the core four.

* I absolutely LOVED that the interview moment this episode was of Tae Ha and Ha Jin as the both discussed their interest in Yeo Reum. Well done writer! I was wondering if the interview technique would be skipped this episode then it was woven in during the pool game scene. Nicely done!

* Bunny cameo! How perfect that Tae Ha named the bunny Yeo Reum!

* This show is more than I expected:

• I love the continued flashbacks where the back stories of these characters continues to unfold. These flashbacks are like peeling the onions of the past.
• I loved that Ha Jin resorted to physical violence against the smug Tae Ha who was threatening him with knowledge of the other woman in his life. That fight scene was well choreographed.
• I love that Ha Jin’s mother and Yeo Reum’s mother are being woven in now with a connection (and interest?) in ghost seeing producer Min Soo. This is a totally unexpected story line in this show. It is interesting and the older actors make their scenes work too.
• I love the style and vibe of this show. Production values are crisp. The writing is interesting. These characters seem realistic.

* Did I mention that Eric is yummy? You need look no further for proof…

 

Discovery of Romance
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About KJT (aka kjtamuser)

Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.

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Fated to Love You Episode 17 Recap ›

Tagged with: 2014, Discovery of Love, Discovery of Romance, episode 4, Eric, Eric Moon, Eric Mun, 연애의 발견, Jung Yu Mi, Kim Seul Gi, korean drama, Sung Joon, Yeonaeui Balgyeon, Yoon Hyun Min, Yoon Jin Yi
Posted in Discovery of Romance, Episode Musings, Recaps