OH MY GIDDY FLIPPING AUNT! These next two episodes! I don’t even know where to start! Here I thought they were all typical slow-moving plot/character development episodes and then all of a sudden WHAM! I’m blindsided by a creepy stalker and the most swoon-worthy hero ever in the history of swoon-worthy heroes. Of course now I’m going to spend the next week dying to find out what happens next! Ugh! Why you gotta do this to me drama!?! WHY!?!
I guess having to wait a week for the next episodes isn’t all that bad. It gives me a chance to process everything that actually happened this week. Like I said, at first I thought this was just going to be a couple of typical slow-moving development episodes and in some ways they were but only in that there was a lot of character and plot development happening. Last week we were left wondering what Young Ho’s story really was. This week we get some answers. It seems his mother was killed in an accident of some sort when he was a kid and he was left in the care of a father who doesn’t seem to have ever cared for his son in his life. Does Young Ho’s dad, Kim Sung Chul, blame him for his wife’s death? Is Kim Sung Chul resentful of Young Ho’s ailment? Are the injury and the mother’s death somehow related? I only ask because it seems like the most logical reason for Young Ho’s dad to be such a jerk to his son. It really seems like there’s been absolutely zero affection between father and son for as long as Young Ho’s been alive. I suppose it’s possible Sung Chul has pushed him away because he reminds him too much of his late wife but that doesn’t seem very likely. Sung Chul doesn’t seem to have any sort of feeling so having him push his son away because he holds onto the fond memories of his late wife seems ridiculous.
Then again, it seems ridiculous that Sung Chul ever remarried and yet, that seems to be the case. The question is, why? It’s obvious his mother doesn’t approve of the match so why did it ever happen? How could a cold-hearted man like Sung Chul convince anyone to marry him in the first place? Were they friends as kids and she’s been harboring a crush her entire life or something? Because really, that’s the only explanation I could come up with for someone entering willingly into that family. Unless Sung Chul’s new wife is secretly a power-hungry monster only biding her time until she can make her move and take over the world… (Okay, so maybe that’s a bit too extreme but you just never know with these crazy drama characters!)
Speaking of crazy… I think Kim Ji Woong is the most crazy adorable supporting character ever. He’s just so funny and the best part is, he’s not trying to be funny, he’s just being himself. I love the way he’s not afraid to be himself, no matter where he is or who he’s around. He just lets his adorable self be as nutty as he wants to be and everyone loves him, just as he is. It’s a good thing Ji Woong possess this rare talent of making people love him because he needed to use it to convince Joo Eun to forgive him (and the other two) for tricking her into believing he was actually John Kim. Really, it’s not like that was the biggest lie in the world, because John Kim was there the whole time, calling all the shots from the sidelines, but it was still a lie and I could understand why Joo Eun would be hurt. Like she said, she really wanted to believe in these three guys and she put all her faith in them, with the hopes they’d be able to transform her. It’s sad they had to put her through such an awful routine the first go-round but they did offer their sincerest apologies and they’ve devoted themselves to doing right by her from now on.
I’m actually really happy Young Ho has decided to reveal his secret identity to Joo Eun this early in the game. It means we can avoid all the painful moments that typically come from a hidden identity scenario. Hooray! I love the way Joo Eun and Young Ho have developed this perfectly honest relationship with each other already. They both know the truth about each other (namely that he’s a chaebol heir and she was once hailed as the local beauty) and yet neither one of them believes the other’s story. I don’t know why I love this so much but I do. I guess it’s because I see so much potential amazingness happening between these two. Seriously, there’s so much happening between Joo Eun and Young Ho and neither one of them realizes it. Heck, even I can’t see all that’s going on between these two but there’s definitely something happening; otherwise Young Ho wouldn’t be so bothered by Joo Eun’s physical and emotional suffering. Aww! He’s such a softy!
Actually, Young Ho really is a sweetheart, in his own un-emotive way. He’s already admitted to being unable to turn away from someone in need but there’s more to his soft-heartedness than that. He’s a man who knows the difference between right and wrong and he’s willing to own up to his mistakes and do what he can to make amends. This is why he agrees to help Joo Eun with her transformation. He knows that lying to and putting her through such tough training right off was wrong. He also realizes that by doing so, he put her life in danger. Granted, he didn’t know she actually suffered from hypothyroidism at the time but once he found out, he couldn’t just let her walk away without making things right and I love him for that. (I also love his uncanny ability to show up and rescue Joo Eun every time she needs him to but I’ll talk more about that in a bit.
I first have to say something about Joo Eun’s health and her desire to lose weight. Last week I was worried that this was going to be a story all about a fat girl whose life sucks but once she looses weight, everything becomes rosey-posey, she captures the heart of a prince and they all live happily ever after. This week those fears were laid to rest and I’m doing the happy dance of joy. Yes, Joo Eun wants to lose weight and yes, there is definitely a desire to become the Venus she once was but the superficial part of this desire is far outweighed by Joo Eun’s legitimate need to lose weight. This poor girl is sick. Her body is completely messed up on the inside and if she doesn’t make some major changes in her lifestyle, she’s going to suffer for the rest of her life. Now that both she and Young Ho know this, they can take the appropriate measures needed to get Joo Eun healthy. No longer is this story about a fat girl who becomes skinny, it’s the story of a sick woman who fights for the chance to live a long and healthy life and I like that. A lot. I suddenly find myself cheering for Joo Eun, not because I want to see her skinny and beautiful again but because I want her to be healthy and happy.
Now back to hero Young Ho… *swoon* Is he not the most wonderful hero ever? I know we’re only 2 weeks into this drama but he’s come to the rescue at just the right time, every single time and I’m just so over the moon for him it’s not even funny. How the heck did he even know this creeper was going to bust into Joo Eun’s apartment? How does he always know when Joo Eun needs him? Why is he always in the right place at the right time? I suppose the unromantic answer would be because this is a drama and he’s written to be perfect but who wants to believe that when believing this is all ordained by Fate is so much dreamier? These two are destined to be together, the just have to spend enough time together and get involved in each other’s lives more before they realize that. I’m pretty sure one of these days Joo Eun is going to be the one who does the saving but for now, I’m perfectly happy swooning over Young Ho as he comes to the rescue every. stinking. time.
So tell me, what did you think of these next 2 episodes? Are you happy with the way things are playing out? Were you as surprised as I was by Young Ho revealing his true identity? Do you find yourself cheering for Joo Eun as she starts down this path towards better health? Did anyone else find themselves wishing they could start a workout routine with Young Ho, Ji Woong and Joon Sung as their trainers? I mean seriously! How lucky can one girl get? I’d be able to run 10 miles a day if I had someone as cute as Henry running with me! Was I the only one thinking Joo Eun’s stalker had a very Hannibal Lecter-ish vibe to him? You know I always love hearing from you so be sure to let me know what you thought of this week’s episodes by leaving me a comment below!
You can catch up of all my review of Oh My Venus here:
Young Ho is the tough on the outside, soft on the inside hero that I definitely fall for. He and Joo Eun definitely have a connection. He admires her spunk and relates to her hurt at not being respected by her family. I wish he wasn’t such an jerk about not believing that she could be a beauty. Is he blind?? But I guess that’s all part of the story.
The scumbag ex-boyfriend and his creepy new girlfriend deserve each other. Both are miserable and looking for someone else to make them feel better. What I admire about Joo Eun is that she is looking within herself to find happiness – a definite recipe for success. She’s miles ahead of those two fools who look down on her.
Henry is so stinking adorable. He’s like a puppy. He might be doing all the wrong things, but his heart is in the right place and you can’t help but want to pat him on the head and rub his belly.
The weird stalker came out of nowhere. I didn’t see that one coming. It will be interesting to see where that one leads.
And our handsome UFC fighter – What’s up with the hurt shoulder? The weird scar? The “he must be sick”? I’m sure we’ll find out, but I’m a little worried.
As someone who suffers from hypothyroidism, I found it odd that Young Ho said that Joo Eun’s lifestyle brought it on and that she could get off of the medication once her body got healthier. That’s not accurate in my own experience. My weight is a healthy one and I STILL take medication every day (and have for 25 years). Unhealthy living didn’t bring hypothyroidism on, but rather a virus attacking a week spot. I didn’t like that they were telling her that it was her own fault that she had thyroid problems, but maybe I’m just being sensitive. Untreated hypothyroidism also brings with it depression, so the medication should help her with many aspects of her life. Fighting!
I’m enjoying this more than I’d thought. I hope Joo Eun becomes less helpless and becomes her own savior soon. I’d like to see her physically kick some stalker (and ex-boyfriend) butt, but I’m thinking we need to get her healthy first. 😉 Young Ho has won my heart – as usual. He is such a manly leading man. (And the shirtless scenes are a nice bonus.) I still want to know more about the other cast members, but I am happy with how this is shaping up.
I totally understand the way you feel about Joo Eun’s health issues, especially her hypothyroidism. Though I haven’t personally suffered from thyroid problems, my husband was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a little over 5 years ago so I know exactly what a messed up thyroid can do to people. I know what it’s like to live with a malfunctioning thyroid for the rest of your life and the impact it has on every aspect of you life. Sadly, I also know what it’s like to have someone tell you the reason you’re dealing with these health issues is because you’re not living a healthy enough lifestyle. (smh) Like you said, be it hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism or thyroid cancer, they’re not brought on by an unhealthy lifestyle, they’re the result of some extenuating circumstance. So yes, I completely understand where you’re coming from on these health issues and I wish they were presented in better light but what can we do? I think we’re going to have to content ourselves with the fact they are attempting to address Joo Eun’s health issues and hope that she can at least find herself in a healthier state than we first met her.
As for the rest of the characters…
Your description of Henry is exactly how I feel about him. He is the most adorable puppy ever and it’s impossible to stay mad at him (and Joo Eun knows only too well) because he’s just so darn cute!
I’m dying to know more about “our handsome UFC fighter!” He’s the quite, mysterious one so you know he’s got a story to tell and I wanna hear it! I’m a bit worried about him becoming entangled with that snotty actress he met at the hospital (mostly because I didn’t like her at all). I’m not really sure how their story is going to play out but it makes me a bit nervous. Though I suppose she could end up being sweeter than she seems… As long as she isn’t anything like Joo Eun’s ex-best friend turned boss, I’ll be fine.
Speaking of that ex-BFF… You’re totally right about her and the ex-boyfriend. They’re both looking for affirmation from others, rather than focusing on finding their worth within themselves. He’s plagued by guilt for dumping Joo Eun after all these years and because of that guilt, he can’t fully commit to the ex-BFF and she’s plagued by a self-loathing she’s carried with her for years, if not ever. She can’t stand herself so she tries to make herself feel better by putting others down. When you combine all her insecurities with a harbored grudge against Joo Eun, you know she’s going to be nothing but trouble. I suppose I’d like to see these two find redemption by the end but only because I know what it’s like to suffer from extreme self-hatred and no one should ever have to suffer from that.
As for Young Ho, he’s practically perfect in every way. Like you said, he’s tough on the outside but soft on the inside and he really does harbor a soft spot for Joo Eun. These “coincidental” glimpses into her life are helping him to understand Joo Eun better and the more he knows about her, the more he’s drawn to her. (Not that he wants to admit that.) Whether he admits it or not, he can’t turn Joo Eun away. He wants to see her succeed just as much as the rest of us do and that’s going to make all the difference. Now we just have to find out how Joo Eun can help save Young Ho and these two will be set for life.
I’ve never liked Shin Mi Na. Until now. There is something about this drama that sucked me in from the beginning. And i still haven’t totally figured out what it is. But the things you mentioned definitely contribute. Like the clueless cutie that is Henry. I’m a big fan of drama romance, and we haven’t had a ton of that, yet. But you can see glimmers of the awesome that is to come. I loved how Young Ho, immediately bear hugged her when they were wrestling over the medical report. Personal space has not been an issue with these two, from the very beginning. And the cheeky double-meaning lines they throw out just make me want to giggle like a high schooler. “Your body is mine.” Teehee : )
I’m a big fan of the chemistry between Young Ho and Joo Eun. There’s something about the way these two interact that I absolutely love. Like you said, the lack of personal space is fabulous as are the double-meaning lines. All of this adds up to an underlying tension between these two that just makes you want to watch them together forever. Even if they haven’t figured out they like each other yet, there’s still enough going on between them you know it’s not going to take long and I just love that!