Melting Me Softly Episode 7 – All About Love
2019…
At the swimming pool, Ma Dong Chan (Ji Chang Wook) verifies he can swim and not increase his body temperature. Getting ogled by the women of a water aerobics class changes that.
Driving to work, Dong Chan flashes back to Na Ha Young (Yoon Se Ah) making the case that they should try again, instead of assuming it won’t work. Ha Young promises to walk away if it doesn’t work out.
Driving to work, Ha Young flashes back to Dong Chan making the case that they are both angry with each other over the experiment, she’s matured and he hasn’t, but the bottom line is that he’s lost that loving feeling. Ha Young cries.
Go Mi Ran (Won Jin Ah) realizes that when she walked in on Dong Chan and Ha Young, they were a couple before the experiment. She grouses that at least Dong Chan had a significant other.
Mi Ran’s parents are frustrated by the mess Doctor Hwang makes of their freezer contents each evening. Doctor Hwang asks Nam Tae (Mi Ran’s brother) to put his hair in a bun.
Park Kyung Ja calls Young Sun that her husband Professor Hwang slept on the couch. She tells her friend to come and get him.
Oh Young Sun asks her son Hwang Ji Hoon if he’d be okay if she divorced his father. Ji Hoon notes his mother could never give up his father before. He believes personal happiness won’t come from an unhappy marriage. He’ll support her choice, no matter what she chooses.
At the broadcast station, Dong Chan looks at a poster and single woman sent him. He hands it off to Director Son Hyun Gi.
Dong Chan asks Mi Ran why she left yesterday. She murmurs that she didn’t want to interrupt. Dong Chan tells her to interrupt when she needs to speak with him or if she’s starting to overheat. She wonders why Dong Chan is being snippy.
Mi Ran’s parents decide to rent out their attic. When the police arrive to escort Doctor Hwang to Dong Chan’s family, they are surprised by the twin buns Nam Tae fashioned for Doctor Hwang.
Doctor Hwang’s assistant narrowly escapes getting blown up in his car.
Doctor Hwang warns Mi Ran’s mother not to give her an herbal tonic. It could raise her temperature.
Dong Chan warns Mi Ran not to exercise or get worked up. Young Sun calls and asks to meet. Dong Chan nags Mi Ran to keep her fever reducing shot. He tells her one of her show ideas was decent. She grouses that he’s a jerk. Director Son agrees.
Mi Ran apologizes for hitting Professor Hwang. Young Sun says he needed it. Mi Ran asks why she married him. Young Sun admits they had a drunken night that resulted in a pregnancy which lead to the marriage. Young Sun admits she secretly liked him when Mi Ran was dating him. They agree he had an odd charm. Mi Ran asks if she still loves him. Young Sun says he doesn’t love her. But she struggles with ending it, even though she must. Mi Ran feels bad. Young Sun states she can’t stay with a man that doesn’t love her.
Ji Hoon reads Mi Ran’s paper on love, how falling in love is a mystery and how ending love isn’t a clear path.
Dong Chan gets a call Doctor Hwang’s assistant about the car explosion. He rushes to the police station to talk to Doctor Hwang’s assistant. Dong Chan believes the explosion was intentionally a copycat crime similar to Doctor Hwang’s car explosion.
CEO Lee declares Lee Seok Du must never wake from the people pod he sleeps in. When he learns Doctor Hwang’s assistant survives, he aims a gun at the man who failed to kill Doctor Hwang’s assistant.
Mi Ran gets a note from Dong Chan that Doctor Hwang’s assistant’s car blew up and he is at the police station. The college calls Mi Ran stating her assault of Professor Hwang must be discussed.
Dong Chan tries to understand why someone wanted Doctor Hwang’s assistant dead. He realizes the other occupants of the people pod might be the motive. He calls Doctor Hwang’s assistant about them. Doctor Hwang’s assistant claims the only one that knows who the people are is Doctor Hwang.
CEO Lee learns Dong Chan’s ex-brother-in-law was the one that investigated the case years ago.
CEO Kim’s former boss, now a powerful politician, tells him that Dong Chan’s disclosure about the cryogenic experiment can be a positive. He gives CEO Kim an application to join his political party.
Dong Chan gets a note from Mi Ran that she went to college to face disciplinary actions for hitting Professor Hwang.
Director Son grouses the CEO Kim got more from covering up the experiment than he did. When Dong Chan enters CEO Kim’s office, CEO Kim wants a picture taken ASAP.
Mi Ran faces the professor association. Professor Hwang enters the room. The board ask Mi Ran if she hit Professor Hwang. She confirms this. They ask Professor Hwang if the assault was justified. Professor Hwang declares he deserved the assault. He tells them Mi Ran is his first love and fate cruelly split them apart, forcing him into an unhappy marriage. Professor Hwang declares he’s trying to find out what Mi Ran wants. He leaves. Mi Ran follows.
Mi Ran warns Professor Hwang not to hurt Young Sun. Professor Hwang counters that his tender heart is the one that is hurt. He tells Mi Ran to wait for him while he sorts things out. He leaves. She splutters.
Professor Hwang’s assistant brings a change of clothes. Professor Hwang declares he’s getting a divorce. He grouses Young Sun didn’t pack his favorite underwear.
Ha Young runs into Dong Chan as he enters her office. He informs her about Doctor Hwang’s assistant near miss. He suggests she cover the incident. Ha Young agrees. She promises to protect him so he’s never in danger again. Dong Chan declares he can protect himself but he needs her to protect Mi Ran. He leaves. She struggles with the request.
Dong Chan is clueless how that hurt Ha Young.
Mi Ran sees Ji Hoon at school. She spies Baek Young Jun with another student. Ji Hoon is forced to explain what flirting is. He says if Mi Ran ever had a boyfriend, she probably flirted. Mi Ran declares her ex-boyfriend was a jerk and that now he’s married with a kid. She calls her ex a psycho. Dong Chan calls her to return to the broadcasting station. Ji Hoon hopes he get the internship at the broadcasting station so they can work together.
Mi Ran arrives out of breath. Dong Chan isn’t happy that she didn’t eat either. He offers to keep her company while she eats. They agree to discuss, Doctor Hwang’s assistant’s accident later. Dong Chan moves Mi Ran’s hair out of her food. She asks him about flirting. He doesn’t know about that. She chides him that he’s old.
I have a hard time believing that flirting was unknown by Dong Chan and Mi Ran 20 years ago.
Dong Chan explains Mi Ran’s idea to immerse adults in the past 20 years ago. Dong Chan declares they can be retro trend. The idea is a hit. Mi Ran suggest a title everyone likes. Dong Chan asks Mi Ran to come with him to check out filming locations. Dong Chan assigns tasks to the team including Director Son.
Ha Young directs her reporter to visit the scene of the car explosion. She wants to pressure the criminal. Ha Young stares out the window and wonders if she’s in love with Dong Chan or someone else.
What?
Police investigator Young Tak (Dong Chan’s sister’s ex-husband) finds Dong Chan’s sister threatening another ex-husband about not paying alimony. Her daughter greets her aunt’s ex-husbands without blinking an eye. The ex-husband refuses to pay. Dong Chan’s sister doesn’t take it well. Mi Ran’s voiceover “you must pay the price when your love ends.”
Kyung Ja, Young Sun, and her aunt attend church. Young Sun knows she loves her husband but he doesn’t love her. She winces when he texts her to send over all his clothes.
Director Son announces a team dinner. Dong Chan warns him not to get wasted. As the team exits the lobby, Dong Chan avoids Ha Young’s eye but Mi Ran looks at her as the pass. Dong Chan tells the team that Mi Ran can’t drink due to a liver condition. Dong Chan and Mi Ran find themselves watching everyone else have fun. Mi Ran makes coke shooters for herself and Dong Chan and they manage to have fun. They watch the karaoke. Mi Ran has fun when she takes the stage. Dong Chan’s love song is sweet and sad.
Dong Chan drives Mi Ran home. They wonder who could have tried to kill Doctor Hwang’s assistant. Nam Tae comes out and meets Dong Chan. Nam Tae and Mi Ran go into the house together.
Dong Chan remembers Mi Ran did the experiment to help her brother. He googles flirting. His niece asks how he’s doing. He asks about flirting. She references Snow White and the 7 dwarfs. Dong Chan’s brother send his daughter to bed. He tells Dong Chan his legs creak mentioning that he prayed at the temple. Dong Chan hugs his brother and asks how he got old. Dong Chan’s sister walks in and complains she needs love too. Dong Chan hugs her too. Mi Ran’s voiceover “love isn’t only romantic. There is family love too.”
As Mi Ran goes to sleep the camera zooms in on her fever reducing shot.
The next day, Mi Ran and Dong Chan scout filming locations. They end up lost and overheated in the woods with no cell phone service. When they can’t go any further, they decide to take their shots. Unfortunately, Mi Ran didn’t pack hers. Dong Chan injects her with his shot when she passes out. Then he passes out.
When Mi Ran wakes, she sees Dong Chan passed out next to her. She shakes him but gets no response. She cries and calls his name. It starts to rain. That cools them down. Mi Ran sobs tears of joy. Dong Chan’s temperature comes down. He wakes. He sits up. Mi Ran kisses him! Dong Chan is shocked. Then she slumps next to him. Mi Ran’s voiceover “the temperature of my love is 31.5C. I should kiss someone before I die. I should make the best of my life.”
My Thoughts
All kinds of love were highlighted this episode. Writer Baek Mi Kyung took a step back from the sci-fi aspect and focused on the challenges of love. Family love was one kind of love. I enjoyed seeing Dong Chan have a sweet moment with his brother and sister who were less annoying this episode. I continue to enjoy the sweet moments between Mi Ran and Nam Tae. Writer Baek can do more scenes between these two. Romantic love – unrequited was another kind of love. Young Sun and Ha Young were in that category. Then there was romantic love which continues to inch forward between our couple. Mi Ran boldly but sweetly kissed a surprised Dong Chan.
Ma Dong Chan (Ji Chang Wook) nixed a relationship with Ha Young. He bluntly told Ha Young that he was angry with her actions when he disappeared. He softened the blow stating she must be angry with him for leaving her. He wasn’t interested in Ha Young’s declaration that she’d protect him; he only wanted her new reporting capability. I was relieved to see Dong Chan have sweeter moments with his family. They are trying, but they are his family. Finally Dong Chan continues to be concerned about Mi Ran’s health. Considering Dong Chan told Ha Young he was selfish, Dong Chan’s overt concern for Mi Ran and giving her his fever reduing shot, shows that he cares for her. Dong Chan was shocked and only offered a lip press to Mi Ran when she kissed him. That’s role reversal from most kdramas, to have the leading man surprised by the first kiss.
Go Mi Ran (Won Jin Ah) faced discipline for hitting Professor Hwang but he told the board he deserved it. Gosh, I felt sorry for Young Sun as Professor Hwang moved out without a backwards glance. He’s still a jerk. But you can’t choose who you love. Frankly Professor Hwang is delusional if he thinks Mi Ran will reengage in a relationship with him. Mi Ran’s feelings for Dong Chan didn’t really seem to be growing much this episode until the lost in the woods scene. Mi Ran had to be impressed that Dong Chan gave her the shot. Mi Ran was concerned to that Dong Chan passed out. She wept with joy when the cooling rain came. She decided to take the bull by the horn and kiss Dong Chan. Not sure why she slumped in his arms after the kiss, but it posed them prettily for the final shot. Mi Ran and Dong Chan have a snail’s pace to romance. As long as Writer Baek gives me romance in this series, I can handle the slow build.
Na Ha Young (Yoon Se Ah) was rejected by Dong Chan. He bluntly told her it wasn’t going to happen between them. But like Professor Hwang, Ha Young clung to the hope and acted as if things would work out between them. Not going to happen Ha Young. Ha Young is aware of Mi Ran and vice versa. I continue to find Ha Young a one note character. She isn’t complex or interesting. It’s a pity. It could have been interesting to explore love crumbling when a time bridge created a barrier that couldn’t be overcome, broken promises, etc.
The third song of the OST is from our lead actor, Ji Chang Wook, “When Love Passes”. He performs the ballad in a straightforward and soft way.
I rank this episode (on a scale from 1-10) as good. My rating chart is below:
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
amusings 
I always 💗 having Ji Chang Wook on the OST, thanks for sharing.
I thought to myself why are all these older women at the pool calling Dong Chan 🥶🎬 “oppa”❓⁉️ Then it dawned on me, that since Dong Chan 🥶🎬 was 53, they were probably around his age, although I thought many looked older than 53.
Speaking of older women, Ha Young 🎙👩⚖ really got the cold shoulder from Dong Chan 🥶🎬, but she took it well. I agree that “Dong Chan is clueless how that hurt Ha Young.” I was a little confused about Ha Young 🎙👩⚖ talking to herself and saying something about her “newly” falling in love with Dong Chan 🥶🎬. Did I miss something, because I saw was him brushing her off❓⁉️
The disciplinary committee for Mi Ran 🌬❄ seemed to be ridiculous … Professor Hwang 👓📚 grabbed Mi Ran 🌬❄ and harrassed her, she was defending herself. Professor Hwang 👓📚 is a loser who doesn’t deserve the wife that loves him.
I concur that I enjoyed the sweet 🍭 family moments between Dong Chan 🥶🎬 and his siblings, as well as Mi Ran 🌬❄ and Nam Tae 🍭🙎♂️.
I was a bit 🎊surprised🎉 that Mi Ran 🌬❄ kissed 💋 Dong Chan🥶🎬 … was it because she wanted to kiss 💋 someone before she died or was it because she likes Dong Chan 🥶🎬 … I’m hoping 🤞 she likes him
LikeLike
I was a little confused about Ha Young 🎙👩⚖ talking to herself and saying something about her “newly” falling in love with Dong Chan 🥶🎬. Did I miss something, because I saw was him brushing her off❓⁉️
She refuses to see what he’s telling her.
I was a bit 🎊surprised🎉 that Mi Ran 🌬❄ kissed 💋 Dong Chan🥶🎬 … was it because she wanted to kiss 💋 someone before she died or was it because she likes Dong Chan 🥶🎬 … I’m hoping 🤞 she likes him
I second that wish.
LikeLike
“I have a hard time believing that flirting was unknown by Dong Chan and Mi Ran 20 years ago.” -KJT
In my captions they used the word English word “some” and that sounded like what they said as well, as a slang term referring to flirting. I believe the slang “some” is the word that the cryogenic subjects were not familiar with; I’m sure they were familiar with the concept
of flirting. 😉 😘
LikeLike
In my captions they used the word English word “some” and that sounded like what they said as well, as a slang term referring to flirting.
That makes sense. Makes me wonder how many “lost in translation” moments I experience every episode of a kdrama.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder too … there are times when I understand what they are saying in Korean, with my very limited Korean language, and find that they sometimes translate it differently .. most of the time it is the same basic thought, but sometimes it is not. I’m sure there is tons I’m missing
LikeLike
Agreed. I don’t see learning the language as a possibility right now…maybe when I retire only watch kdramas 24/7!
LikeLike
THANK YOU! That makes it a tad bit more understandable. I was questioning MiRan not being familiar with the concept of flirting. I’ve seen the word “some” many times as an innuendo for “relationship that’s not confirmed or established yet” or for sex. But either way, MiRan seemed to not recognize the behavior pattern along with the word but it all doesn’t fit because she does have her crazy boyfriend so hard to know SOMEthing about flirty behavior even if she didn’t engage in it herself. Plus even little kids recognize adults being “some” way or flirty so – grrrrrr – this writer!
LikeLiked by 1 person