Mischievous Kiss Ep 11: Love drama galore!

Episode 11 has to be one of the best episodes by far! What could beat the introduction of another Oh Ha Ni fan in our already complicated love…pentagon?

Anyways, Kim Gi Tae sure has the guts to ask Ha Ni out, especially since the whole school knows that she has this huge thing for Seung Jo. Well, props to him for being brave enough to confess…very publicly. He does have excellent timing. Just what the show needed to speed up the love drama and start instigating some action from our all too calm and laid-back boys. Like always, Bong Joon Gu quickly took the bait and immediately treated Gi Tae as an enemy. Who wouldn’t, if you find some guy trying to make a move on your girl? (Unless you’re Baek Seung Jo I guess >.>).

But, I don’t think we cay say Seung Jo completely disregarded Gi Tae’s sudden feelings for Ha Ni. I am pretty sure I detected surprise and jealousy from his eyes when our new “couple” was discussing the activities for their date. But, he could very well have been analyzing Ha Ni’s actions, trying to figure out her motives and what her next move may be. For the sake of the drama, let’s all hope for the former rather than the later. ^^

And I can see Seung Jo’s mother enjoys playing matchmaker for all the young folk in the drama. She’s so cute when she’s “researching” (aka: stalking) and plotting ways to get Ha Ni and Seung Jo together, even though her plans generally have fruitless or even a counter effect. Don’t worry, Seung Jo’s mom. I’m sure the vast majority of us are on you’re side, wishing for Ha Ni and Seung Jo to quickly get together…but not too quickly; we still want to see more drama and comic relief!

But, is it just me, or was the ending extremely confusing? I loved how Baek Eun Jo become a warm gentleman and has stopped bullying Ha Ni. However, he seemed too nice, and too overly prepared in the little stamp hunt at the end. Also, what exactly was he doing, hiding behind the tree when Ha Ni fell asleep dreaming that she was kissing Seung Jo? And did that kiss ever happen? If so, where did Seung Jo disappear to? We’ll all have to wait for the highly-anticipated episode 12 to find out!

Character Update: Yoon He Ra and Bong Joon Gu

I really hated Yoon He Ra this episode more than previous ones. She seemed more stuck up and full of herself, confident that she is a better match for Seung Jo than Ha Ni. That bouncy, excited atmosphere radiating from her when she found out that Ha Ni was “dating” Kim Gi Tae and the fact that she basically treats Ha Ni as air was too much for me to tolerate. But, I guess you can’t blame a girl for acting like that, especially when it seems like you are so close to winning your man’s heart because the annoying parasite who’s been clinging on to him might disappear off the face of the earth very soon. If I was in her shoes, I’d probably be just as exuberant. BUT, I’m not am I? And we’re all rooting for Ha Ni, aren’t we? Well, since that’s the case, I think this picture fits He Ra’s stuck up personality VERY well. This ruffled, uncivilized appearance really suits her, especially in this episode. Good job make-up artist! 😀

Again, we are reminded of Jong Gu’s sad love story full of broken hearts and one-sided affections. Unfortunately, I don’t think receiving Wang Kyung Soo’s love advice was a good idea, especially since all of this so-called theories sprouted from his training with Ha Ni (just look how…successful her love life is!). So far, Ha Ni’s Love Training sessions have produced such results: boundless, unpredictable events that cause embarrassment and rumors; futile attempts to win the other person’s affections; and (Joon Gu’s story is probably the best of all) a boring, soporific confession. But, you have to hand it to him: he is one dedicated man. And the fact that Ha Ni has not fallen for such a loyal pursuer further shows how much she loves Seung Jo. Reguardless, no matter how desperate Joon Gu has become, his confession scene was, without a doubt, an excellent source of entertainment. I just feel so sorry for the poor guy because no matter how hard he tries, we all know that Ha Ni will never become his. What a depressing ending for such a love-struck teenager.

Photo Gallery–Photo Recap: I’m trying something new out here. I took some pictures from their little “Stamp Hunt” extravaganza that I feel like sharing. Plus, I’m a little too lazy to write a full-fledged analysis about this segment. Well, after all, a picture is worth a thousand words! Enjoy my lovely readers~

Ha Ni and Eun Jo are lost in the forest. No food, no water, no warmth, and no cell reception. What to do, what to do?

Oh, but look! Eun Jo saves the day by pulling out a blanket, and food and water! You guys still have a chance at survival!

Oh no! Scary noise and rustling of leaves has scared Ha Ni. But don't worry, Eun Jo will protect you! (Eun Jo is so cute with such a serious expression ^^)

Thank god! It's only Seung Jo. Seung Jo has come to save the day yet again! It's like a dream come true: a prince in shining armor comes out in the middle of the night to rescue you from your...doom~ Why doesn't this happen in real life? >.<

The last scene at the end of the episode. It really got me wondering what in the world is happening here. Ha Ni just woke up from her dream of kissing Seung Jo, but the dream feels so real that she has a sort of tingling sensation on her lips (presumably because of Seung Jo). But, Eun Jo is standing there, looking pretty shocked and out of breath. WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED HERE?! @.@ Something's wrong with this picture...

Mischievous Kiss Ep 10: Emotional roller coaster…PART 2!

Emotional roller coaster part 2: bittersweet emotions~

This episode started off with an extremely low-spirited, highly sensitive Ha Ni who was unable to concentrate on anything because of her broken heart. Unable to live with a smile that brings happiness into everyone’s life, a depressed Ha Ni just doesn’t seem right. She definitely is her best when she smiles brightly even after being publicly harassed and embarrassed. It really made me realize how central of a role Ha Ni plays in this drama. Her every emotion dictates the overall feel and environment of the episode: when she’s happy, the episode is full of laughter and joy; when she’s depressed, the episode really plays on the audience’s compassion and pity which are then amplified by the insert songs (LOVE them! They match the atmosphere and overall mood PERFECTLY! I’m nearly always moved to tears…or at least watery eyes whenever Ha Ni and depressing-pretty song comes along). Who wouldn’t love a…character dedicated/ obsessed with the perfect man to the extent of stalking his every move? However, I must say one thing: Ha Ni, girl, you need to get your feelings straightened out. I know you’ll never give up on Baek Seung Jo, so stop telling us you’re going to forget about him and not following through in the end because it’s starting to get annoying.

Unfortunately, Yoon He Ra takes the time to further bully Ha Ni. She fills Ha Ni’s head with false facts and causing Ha Ni to worry non-stop about the relationship between Seung Jo and He Ra. If Ha Ni did not live with Seung Jo in high school, I can definitely see He Ra stealing him away from her. On the outside, she seems to be the perfect girl: beautiful, intelligent, athletic, popular… I could go on and on. BUT…I am not on her side. All she does is laugh with Seung Jo (And who was it that made Seung Jo want to experience different things in life again? Can’t here you, did you say Ha Ni?), putting on a sour face whenever he turns his attention to Ha Ni. As a result, she becomes a jerk towards Ha Ni, sweetly smiling and laughing at your pain..and making worse. She’s the quiet kind, always lurking around the corner, planning every move, sulking whenever someone messes up her plans, and calculating how to extract revenge (ok, maybe I did get a little carried away there, but you get what I mean, right?). You could really hate a girl like that.

And Seung Jo ah Seung Jo…no matter how hard I try to understand you, you always manage to surprise me. Your regretful gaze when you were leaving the house really made me question your motives, but the cold attitude you gave Ha Ni at the restaurant only pushed me in the wrong direction. How could you not have been affected by her sad face and apathetic attitude towards everything when you had that look? Really, what are we going to do with you?

Seung Jo is by far one of the most complicated characters in this drama. You never know what he’s thinking, but in the end, he always seems to be helping Ha Ni in some cryptic way that makes it appear as if he has no feelings for her whatsoever. Which…may be why he had such a troubled expression while looking at Ha Ni when he left the house to escape from his mother’s influence over him. Regardless, as long as you are still willing to watch over Ha Ni and not fall for He Ra, I guess all is good. ^^

And finally, I have to give props to Bong Joon Gu. Throughout the whole drama, he has stood faithfully by Ha Ni’s side in order to win her affections. His dedication is truly amazing, and I must say I did feel a tang of pity for him when he heard Ha Ni was spending the night at Seung Jo’s.

Mischievous Kiss 9: Deja vu…and False Alarms?

Is it just me, or were there a lot of parts of this episode that had a deja vu feeling? I mean, with all the reference to Oh Ha Ni’s love letter in episode 1, her “deal” with Baek Seung Jo to do well on her upcoming exams, and how Seung Jo can’t help but tease Ha Ni among other deja-vu-like events. Intentional? Or am I just being crazy?

Anyways, speaking of love letters, the Wang Kyung Soo character who’s chasing after Yoon He Ra reminds me a lot of Ha Ni. Both are obviously obsessed with someone and yet unable to maintain a…healthy…relationship. Instead, they became desperate in their attempts to capture the hearts of their crushes, only to be owned and forced to watch from afar with their one-sided affections. Perhaps this is also part of the reason why Ha Ni supports Kyung Soo: she sees a little bit of herself in him and wants to help a fellow comrade (or maybe she just wants someone to get He Ra out of the picture).

But, in some ways, Kyung Soo is worse off than Ha Ni. At least Seung Jo gave Ha Ni a chance–even though he graded the love letter, he still read it instead of directly ripping it into pieces and tossing it into the trash can. Also, after living with her for quite some time, he has learned to acknowledge her presence and…clumsiness. However, He Ra didn’t even give Kyung Soo a chance to express his feelings properly (I got the impression that she was annoyed that Seung Jo left and gave Kyung Soo a lame excuse to leave). Their interaction together is limited and almost uneventful, no matter how hard he tries–kind of reminds you of how Ha Ni and Seung Jo started out…and look where they are now!

So, positive development between Ha Ni and Seung Jo? I would think so…(except the preview seems to suggest otherwise…but we’ll get to that part later!) I’ve noticed that magical things happen almost every time they’re together. The chances that someone would all of a sudden stand up in a floating boat in the middle of a lake is probably small, and yet, somehow Ha Ni manages to pull it off…and ends up getting a matching shirt with Seung Jo. and completely out of the goodness of their hearts, Ha Ni’s adorable klutzy personality and Seung Jo’s intellect team up to bring joy and laughter to dull and uneventful life that No Ri, our…hospital-ridden elementary school kid has to live with due to his ill health. Even only for a week, it was probably an unforgettable experience that will forever remain ingrained in their memories.

However, are Seung Jo’s feelings towards Ha Ni really starting to change in her favor? Or is he just pulling her strings again only to tease/torture her so that he can have the final laugh? This kid needs to get his feelings straightened up and stop giving people false alarms. One minute he’s getting along with Ha Ni (even kind of glad that she has not fully disappeared in his life) and the next, he’s teasing her again like he can’t stand the thought of being close to someone…like her. But, is this bipolar reaction healthy and the type of relationship we want our two protagonists to have? Or do we want to see more of the facade he shows to He Ra, the distant nice guy who only seems to brighten up (or even change his expression) when he talks about Ha Ni? All in all, I guess his indecisiveness is somewhat justified. I mean, who would you rather choose: Ha Ni, the girl who keeps your life spontaneous or He Ra, the girl who may very well be the pea from your pod?

One thing’s for sure though: Seung Jo’s thoughts are definitely more centered around Ha Ni–he’s acknowledging how her presence in his life has changed him, into probably a better individual, one who thinks and acts in his own interest instead of following the common mindset set by society. No doubt about it, they’re definitely closer than they were before, but there is still a considerable gap in between them (sadness). So close and yet so far…hopefully they get closer before He Ra really steps in and starts breaking them apart.

Mischievous Kiss Ep 8: Emotional Transition

Today, I will talk about one of the many love triangles in our lovely drama: from Bong Joon Gu’s one-sided love for Oh Ha Ni, to Ha Ni’s mixed feelings and thoughts about Baek Seung Jo, to Seung Jo’s inability to remain apathetic towards Ha Ni.

I love how these episodes seem to be concentrating on Joon Gu’s feelings towards Ha Ni now. It’s refreshing to be reminded of another equally enthusiastic character in the pursuit of love~ His love for Ha Ni is very much like Ha Ni’s love for Seung Jo in the beginning of the series. However, Joon Gu’s love now seems to play more on our emotions of pity, portraying a sort of melancholy love. Perhaps this is because we know that whatever Joon Gu does, Ha Ni will never return his feelings at the same degree as him. Perhaps this is also because Joon Gu suddenly realizes how powerless and incapable he is, that Ha Ni will never give him the same look as she gives Seung Jo. Why would she when the intelligent, handsome man that she’s so desperately trying to woo is finally starting to show some interest in her? Maybe this is also why Joon Gu has somewhat distanced himself from Ha Ni, changing from the clueless, enthusiastic, love-sick teenager who trails behind his girl obediently into a man who has a spark of determination in his eye to become the person Ha Ni can depend upon for life. I don’t know whether or not to advise him to give up already or to keep on trying, but since he has decided to keep on trying to gain Ha Ni’s favor, go for it! Joon Gu fighting! (Even though I want to see Seung Jo and Ha Ni together >.>)

Ha Ni, girl, I think someone needs to get her feelings for Seung Jo straightened out! If you wait too long, I think someone (or some people) will steal him away from you. What happened to our love-sick main actress? Why is she so down in the dumps? Don’t give up just because another smarter and prettier girl shows up in the middle of nowhere! You’ve still got a chance. For one thing, you’ve known Seung Jo for a longer time than she has (you’ve basically lived with him for months!). Surely that has to give you some self-confidence, eh? Sadly, no matter how hard she tries, we all know that she won’t be able to forget Seung Jo. Her head might be telling her one thing, but her heart is definitely telling her the opposite. I especially love the scene in the cafeteria where she announced her dying love for Seung Jo (is it just me, or did Seung Jo look really pained when Ha Ni said they were going to be strangers from that day on?). Even though Ha Ni was speaking her mind, her heart was in a lot of pain, which was even more personified with the rain. Rain definitely greatly influences the audience’s emotions, and after all Ha Ni has gone through, it’s perfect at the end of this scene. Sort of like a final good-bye to her feelings (except we know that they are still lingering…and maybe not so deep down).

And as for Seung Jo’s feelings towards Ha Ni? Well, let’s just say that there’s definitely more improvement than from the apathetic and cold attitude in the beginning. I guess after he’s gotten a taste of his old, uneventful life, Seung Jo kind of misses the crazy, spontaneous ruckus around the house that is now missing because Ha Ni’s gone. Maybe this is also why he smiles more (I counted! He smiled like 3 times throughout the whole episode! I think he’s broken some records in that area) at school only whenever Ha Ni’s around (take that Yoon He Ra! He only smiles for Ha Ni.). His smile’s cute. He should definitely show it more often. (Ha Ni, you can do it! You’re nearly there! Look, that smile is just for you~)

Mischievous Kiss Ep 7: Heart-felt emotions

Before I get started, I just wanted to say…THANK YOU for all your support and love! I’m really touched and motivated to become even better now! I really appreciate it. Keep on coming back for more recaps~ (This is what happens when I get too happy and I can’t focus on blogging. Is this a good thing? Bad thing? Well, I have no idea. You guys decide ^^).

And on with the recap~

Oh Ha Ni and Baek Seung Jo are off to college…and Seung Jo is getting hit on by Yoon He Ra, a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic girl–basically everything he sees in a girl…or, maybe everything he thought he saw in a girl? Anyways, Ha Ni certainly thinks the former (yet we all know it’s the latter, right?). Perhaps this is also why she is unable to let go of Seung Jo and move on and instead chooses to stalk him around campus and join in a tennis club even though she has never played the sport before. Despite the fact that she is basically the…club’s clown and runs around picking up the loose tennis balls, I really have to admire this girl’s determination and loyalty to Seung Jo. Ha Ni perseveres even though Seung Jo has never properly returned her feelings (he actually plays with them in pretty cruel ways). Maybe you guys see an unwanted clingy wanna-be girlfriend, but I know that I’ll never be able to pursue a crush like this (the public humiliation of having a love letter GRADED like an essay would’ve been too much for me to handle–refer back to episode…1?).

And I doubt He Ra would be able to persist as long as Ha Ni in her “quest to get Seung Jo’s affections.” Sure, a pretty and smart girl would probably have more efficient methods of winning a guy’s heart, but where is the fun in that? Besides, the only way she looks good is if she stands next to Ha Ni, and that’s where you’ll find that she’s prettier, smarter, better at tennis, and seems to be more in sync with Seung Jo (seems like a put down to Ha Ni, eh?). But that’s only on a first glance. If you look deeper, I think you’ll find that only Ha Ni will eagerly sacrifice her time to work a part-time job in order to get enough money to buy Seung Jo a present, that only Ha Ni can smile every day and try to make the people around her happier and live a more exciting life even after being put down by Seung Jo on a daily basis.

I guess this is why I love Ha Ni’s character so much (she definitely has more depth than her ISWAK counterpart) and perhaps this is why I always feel sad when I see her cry. I can’t say that I can relate to her situation, but I do feel the pain that she experiences (albeit at a smaller intensity). And I’m glad to admit that I actually did shed a few tears when she was leaving the Baeks’ house, something that I don’t think I could ever do for Ariel Lin even if she cries a whole ocean for me. Some quick notes about what made me cry in this scene: the music was absolutely fantastic–beautiful instrumental with a melancholy twist, and the fact that the singer seems to be pouring her soul out while singing this song; the mom’s personality reminds of Ha Ni, so it was like a double-whammy of sadness for me; also, since when do guys, especially middle-aged dads, get watery eyes and hug their best friends?

Anyways, Ha Ni doesn’t have it all bad. She’s definitely making a huge impact on Seung Jo’s life, giving it more excitement and fun. Even when he found out that she was leaving, I got the sense that Seung Jo was already missing her and was not that thrilled at the thought of having to return to that boring, uneventful lifestyle he had before. So, Seung Jo, my good man, can you really let Ha Ni go this easily? Are you sure you won’t regret this in the future? Because if she leaves now, she might as well be gone for good.

And even if things don’t work out well with Seung Jo, Ha Ni still has Bong Joon Gu, even though she sometimes gets annoyed at his persistence and constantly puts her on the spot. At first, I thought he was there just for comic relief with his futile, one-sided obsession for Ha Ni, like his counterpart in ISWAK. However, his character also has a lot of depth. Like Ha Ni, he genuinely cares for someone who is unable to return his feelings. He’s committed to literally sacrificing his life in order to ensure Ha Ni’s safety and well-being…and happiness (how many men have you come across like that in your lifetime, huh, especially to someone who can’t return his feelings?)! It’s amazing that Ha Ni still hasn’t fallen for him.

Random pictures from the episode

I have a few more pictures that I’d like to share with you all, but I have no idea how to incorporate them into this blog post. So, I have decided to just put them here. Enjoy~

Cute~ I think this picture most accurately represents the relationship between the mom and Ha Ni. Gotta love them 🙂

LOVE~ This reminds me so much of Romeo and Juliet! 😀