Romance is a Bonus Book Episode 16
Mini Recap
After a couple of false starts Park Hoon (Kang Ki Doong) and Oh Ji Yool (Park Gyu Young) give Kang Dan Yi (Lee Na Young) a mini-celebration when she exits the elevator as she returns to work. In fact the entire team has done something to provide a warm welcome – flowers, desk prep, etc. Dan Yi is all smiles. Song Hae Rin (Jung Eugene) prods the employee that falsely accused Dan Yi of not sending the contract termination to apologize. Dan Yi is gracious and accepts. Executive Kim Jae Min (Kim Tae Woo) joins the celebration while Director Ko Yoo Sun (Kim Yu Mi) offers Dan Yi a welcoming smile.
Cha Eun Ho (Lee Jong Suk) gives Dan Yi the heart sign.
Ji Yool spills the beans to Bong Ji Hong (Jo Han Chul) about the manuscript that could be from Writer Kang. He confronts Hae Rin. Executive Kim and Director Ko want details too. Of course, Executive Kim knows the truth about Writer Kang and wonders what is going on.
Ji Seo Joon (Wi Ha Joon) is taken aback when Eun Ho knows he’s the one that wrote the manuscript. Eun Ho knows the Seo Joon is more than he seems and believes he knows their connection. Eun Ho leaves Writer Kang’s journals and notes with Seo Joon to read and absorb.
Seo Joon reads and realizes his father had Alzheimer’s disease. He cries knowing he thought ill of his father for not responding to his plea to help his mother. Hae Rin keeps a vigil outside Seo Joon’s place. Worried about Seo Joon, Eun Ho arrives and is surprised to see Hae Rin. He approves of her silent unobtrusive support.
Writer Kang’s doctor calls Eun Ho with bad news. Eun Ho picks up Seo Joon and they go to Writer Kang. Exeuctive Kim and the doctor are there. They look at Writer Kang. The doctor shakes his head…this time Writer Kang won’t recover. Eun Ho and Seo Joon sit by Writer Kang’s bed. Eun Ho holds Writer Kang’s hand. Eun Ho place Seo Joon’s hand in his father’s hand. Both men cry for the man that was a force in their lives.
After the service, Seo Joon thanks Eun Ho for taking care of his father all those years.
Dan Yi agrees to partner with Ji Yool on her book project.
The doctor gives Eun Ho a letter that Writer Kang wrote on a lucid day. He and Seo Joon read the letter together. Writer Kang thanks Eun Ho
for his support and retracts his request that the world never know what happened to him. He likens a good book to comforting warmth.
Executive Kim finds Director Ko asleep in her office. He gently puts a throw over her. When Director Ko wakes she finds a note from Executive Kim stating you can love work, but it will never love you back. Director Ko makes her way to Executive Kim’s office and suggests they take a work break together and go to the beach.
Ji Yool is thrilled when Hae Rin approves of her editing. The whole office celebrates her moment of joy.
Hae Rin brings food to Seo Joon’s place and they share a meal. He observes this is something a girlfriend would do. She states they’ve become good friends. She offers to be his editor for the next book he writes.
Dan Yi and Ji Yool are hopeful the approval to publish their book will be given. But instead, approval is given to publish a crime book that Park Hoon is the editor on. They are told they must be patient.
Seo Joon isn’t happy when Hae Rin admits she’s got a blind date. He tells her not to go. He recalls that his father said people are like books. Hae Rin asks what kind of a book he is. Seo Joon wants to be a romance novel. He tells her to not go on the blind date and have dinner with him instead. That puts a smile on both their faces.
Dan Yi recalls her promise not to stay in Eun Ho’s house longer than 6 months. She begins searching for an apartment. She invites Eun Ho to view the candidate apartment with her. After they view the apartment, Eun Ho tells the realtor that while his girlfriend may like the apartment, he doesn’t and therefore they won’t take it. As they walk away, Eun Ho tells Dan Yi where she lives, he’ll live. Dan Yi reminds him that once her daughter graduates she’ll return to Korea and need somewhere to live. Eun Ho is unfazed and states her daughter can live with them.
Dan Yi and Ji Yool ask Eun Ho if he’ll approve publishing their book. He tells them to be patient.
The crime novel is a huge success. Executive Kim takes the entire office out to celebrate. Dan Yi and Ji Yool are thrilled when approval to grant their book is given. Eun Ho points out the company needed profitable books before they could approve to publish their book. Everyone celebrates.
As the office team strolls in the park, Eun Ho takes Dan Yi’s hand. She’s shocked. Quickly everyone notices and declares they are dating. Eun Ho gives a thumbs up to their guess. Dan Yi smiles.
Executive Kim and Director Ko also hold hands for all to see. The second office couple is revealed!
Eun Ho and Dan Yi scamper away. Eun Ho is happy, he wants the world to know they are a couple in love. Dan Yi grins.
They kiss.
Dan Yi’s voice over “I open on old favorite book. It was good when I first read it. But reading it again and again, I underlined important passages. I find new sentences in this book every day. It’s the book that has stayed with me the longest.
Epilogue…
Ji Yool is on a blind date. Park Hoon storms in and declares that Ji Yool is his woman. He drags her away from the table. She protests. He declares it is time they marry. Ji Yool kisses him. Stunned, Park Hoon asks what that was. He asks if they are dating. Ji Yool nods yes. Both of them can’t quit believe this moment has come.
Executive Kim and Director Ko share a meal.
Seo Young A (Kim Sun Young) and Ji Hong are comfortable co-parenting their son. Ji Hong leaves for a weekend with him. Young A chides them not play too many games.
The office team leaves the publishing company smiles on their face. Another day done doing what they love.
The final saying “we are trees that branch out in solitude and bear fruit. We are beautiful trees with growth rings of our lives. Pride in creating, trust, and happiness…this is what it means to make a book.Only after finishing the book, can I see what I missed and life goes on the same. Everyone has the own path to walk. A helping hand from others help us get through. A book that inspires one person, may not inspire you, so find a book that inspires you. When we listen to our heart we laugh, smiles and love. We face challenges and others help us cope. Loving someone is simultaneously strange and amazing.”
My Thoughts
This drama is wrapped up with a bow on top. Seo Joon’s connection to Writer Kang was son to father. I was touched as they joined hands with Writer Kang in his final moments. I was pleased to see Seo Joon thank Eun Ho for taking care of his father. The final episode spent time tying up this story. Then it was a victory lap at the publishing company. I’m sucker for happily ever after and we got as the series closed and again in the epilogue. Writer Jung Hyun Jung crafted drama that wasn’t flashy but did have heart. I enjoyed all the book references, it tied the drama together. Our couple slid into romance softly, once Dan Yi saw Eun Ho as a man not only a friend.
Kang Dan Yi (Lee Na Young) returned to the publishing house. Dan Yi ‘s big idea was a book on plants? Why did that win the contest? But I quibble. I liked Dan Yi. She couldn’t overcome employment gap from being a wife and mother so she lied about her education to get a contract job. She was able to not only find her own place in the company, but was an integral part of the publishing team. Dan Yi wasn’t perky but she was happy and determined. Dan Yi was a positive person that made the world a better place. Who wouldn’t want that said about them?
Cha Eun Ho (Lee Jong Suk) came to terms with Seo Joon. Eun Ho was kind to Seo Joon as Writer Kang faced death. I found it a bit odd that during Writer Kang’s lucid moment that he wrote the letter, he didn’t address his son but his kind words for Eun Ho and his retraction of the secrecy around his disappearance helped those that loved him and the public that wondered what had happened. Eun Ho and Dan Yi were a good fit. Eun Ho’s patience was warranted. Eun Ho was smart and kind. He’s someone you’d want in your corner.
Was my Wish List for the final episode granted or denied?
* Writer Kang’s mystery is fully explained – GRANTED. Seo Joon was Writer Kang’s son but didn’t know about his father’s diagnosis of Alzheimer. The moment when Eun Ho put Seo Joon’s hand in his father’s was touching. In moment a lucidity, Writer Kang wrote Eun Ho a note granting him to share his secret. No doubt that helped people understand the real truth.
* Eun Ho and Dan Yi go public with their relationship – GRANTED. Eun Ho revealed they were dating at a company event. I liked the way they ran hand in hand, it stylistically hearkened to when they ran together on the day Dan Yi got married.
* The team at the publishing house ends up the upswing – GRANTED. Dan Yi’s return to the publishing house was a triumph but she had to wait for the go ahead for her book to be published. Park Hoon and Ji Yool agreed to start dating. I’m a sucker for a blind date as a catalyst to declare or realize dismay that the person may no longer be available. Same happened with Seo Joon and Hae Rin. She was sweetly supportive and understanding. The romance wasn’t the point, it was result of their friendship, making it more satisfying. Ji Hong and Young A did not reunite but they evolved to a positive co-parenting place with their child which I appreciated. Executive Kim and Director Ko decided to date. I found their announcement of their relationship on the heels of Eun Ho’s announcement cute.
* Dan Yi’s daughter is mentioned – GRANTED. Yes, she was mentioned with the assumption she’d return to Korea once her schooling was complete.
I rank this episode (on a scale from 1-10) as terrific. My rating chart is below:
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
KJT’s wish list was fulfilled and happy endings were spread all around … what’s not to like❓⁉️
It was exciting to see so many well-wishers welcome Dan Yi 👠👩💼 back to the publishing company. I thought that the “good job” (잘 했어) mouthed by Director Ko 🐞💢 was significant. I was glad to see Director Ko 🐞💢 become warmer throughout the episode thanks to CEO Kim’s influence.
I was pleased Eun Ho 🖋️👨💼 shared writer Kang’s journal entries with Seo Joon 🎨👨🎨 and Seo Joon 🎨👨🎨 got to say goodbye to his father. It was bittersweet 😢, but since his father, the writer, was almost gone, but since dad had Alzheimer’s disease, even an earlier visit from Seo Joon 🎨👨🎨would not have made a difference.
I was glad to see Seo Joon 🎨👨🎨 get closure with his dad AND an offer to write a book from Hye Rin 👙. He wasn’t nearly as aWKwaRd asking out Hye Rin 👙 as when he asked Dan Yi 👠👩💼 out. I see a blissful future for Hye Rin 👙 and Seo Joon 🎨👨🎨.
The additions to April 23rd 📘 chronology were a nice touch to explain to the public what happened to writer Kang. Too bad Eun Ho 🖋️👨💼 didn’t get writer Kang’s letter 💌 earlier … he would not have had to agonize for so long about keeping the Alzheimer’s disease a secret.
It seems that many writers make EVERYTHING go PERFECTLY for the female protagonist once the get their man, so I enjoyed that someone else’s book was chosen to be published before Dan Yi 👠👩💼 and Ji Yul’s book; it seemed more realistic. Their book eventually received the go ahead.
I 💖, 💟, 💗 how Eun Ho 🖋️👨💼 grabbed Dan Yi’s 👠👩💼 hand to declare their relationship 💞 to the publishing company’s staff; I chuckled when CEO Kim followed suit by grabbing Director Ko’s 🐞💢 hand.
I concur about 💗-ing all the book reference, including the final saying “we are trees that branch out in solitude and bear fruit. We are beautiful trees with growth rings of our lives. Pride in creating, trust, and happiness…this is what it means to make a book.Only after finishing the book, can I see what I missed and life goes on the same. Everyone has the own path to walk. A helping hand from others help us get through. A book that inspires one person, may not inspire you, so find a book that inspires you. When we listen to our heart we laugh, smiles and love. We face challenges and others help us cope. Loving someone is simultaneously strange and amazing.”
I appreciate your time KJT to recap and your perservance to finish the recaps. It was a sweet 🍭 romance with happy endings, but seemed to be slow and less compelling to watch than many Lee Jong Suk dramas. I did enjoy it, but may not be compelling enough to watch twice; I end up watching many a second time with my older sister … unless a trailer grabs her attention, she likes me to give my seal of approval on watching a drama.
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I thought that the “good job” (잘 했어) mouthed by Director Ko 🐞💢 was significant. I was glad to see Director Ko 🐞💢 become warmer throughout the episode thanks to CEO Kim’s influence.
Agree.
Too bad Eun Ho 🖋️👨💼 didn’t get writer Kang’s letter 💌 earlier
Yep, the doctor did him no favors hanging onto the letter.
I enjoyed that someone else’s book was chosen to be published before Dan Yi 👠👩💼 and Ji Yul’s book; it seemed more realistic.
Concur. A book on plants, no matter how well written, is a niche audience.
It was a sweet 🍭 romance with happy endings, but seemed to be slow and less compelling to watch than many Lee Jong Suk dramas.
I concur it was less compelling as evidenced by my choice between Touch Your Heart, Kill It, and this drama, on my reduced recap time.
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