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iariaThis episode has put me in such a weird place.
The main impression of Goong I was left with from my last watch was that I didn’t like Yul or Yul/Chae-kyung. Actively not shipping the heroine with the Second Lead has been its defining characteristic for years. This watch through I’ve liked Chae-kyung/Yul till this point but in the back of my mind were always those two points. Clearly at some point he’d get really bad and the dislike would set in and I’ve been waiting for it. And then we get this episode... and I kind of love them? I think I’m having a drama identity crisis, lol. I’m sure the reason for the dislike is coming up but based on this episode (and the ones before) I have to admit that I’m in Yul’s corner and am Team Yul/Chae-kyung.
Yul has been manipulative multiple times and in this episode promised not to push her/bring up his feelings again and then literally did just that at the end. But he was not wrong when he defiantly told Shin ”You always make her cry, but I’ll make her smile.” That is pretty much how the relationships have been playing out. For all the wrong Yul’s done Shin has been worse. He’s been cruel, cold and distant, has left her to struggle alone, hasn’t defended her, yells at her, has been hot/cold towards her and oh, yeah cheated on her with his ex. I know they’re endgame but this episode really made me want Yul/Chae-kyung.
Alas the biggest obstacle to that is actually Chae-kyung. She doesn’t love him, it’s not even a possibility in her head at this point because her heart is already too attached to Shin. He’s a great friend that she cares for dearly but nothing more. I mean her confused reaction to his desperate hug and relief she didn’t sleep with Shin speaks volumes. Yul was not wrong when he told her that he confessed his love because he didn’t think she’d understand otherwise – I really don’t think she would have! I felt for her when he confessed and then just refused to hear her rejection until she was mean about it, which then of course left her feeling guilty. It was a difficult position for her to find herself in.
Still for this episode alone I’m going to wallow in the Yul and Yul/Chae-kyung feels I currently have. Because he was being romantic as shit all episode and him making himself so emotionally vulnerable to, and in front of, her was amazing. He’s in complete denial but I get it. I mean he’s convinced himself that they can nullify her marriage to Shin, get married and it would all be okay. That everyone will accept them happily and with no criticism. Oh, Yul.
”For the first time in my life I found something I want. It’s her. It’s too late to give up on her.” Because in her he saw someone just as “miserable and lonesome” as he felt, a kindred soul. Because he’d never reached out to someone or had anyone reach out to him but she did it as if it was no big deal. Because she is kind and compassionate (“knows how to treat others with a true heart”), and opened his heart after it’s been closed all his life (awww).
I loved their scene at the school. I liked Chae-kyung being straightforward that she couldn’t accept his love and him pleading with her to not push him away. I loved her telling him that he’d just get hurt and “I don’t want you to be hurt over me” because she is absolutely right in that he is going to get his hopes up, and it’s only going to lead to heartbreak. But at the same time, he’s in love with her and that was always going to happen. He says that her pushing him away and treating him so distantly will hurt him more, and honestly it’s hard to know which the better way to approach this situation is. I don’t blame Chae-kyung for taking him at his word and leaning on him as her friend.
Them playing hooky was great. I loved them fooling around with the instruments and just having goofy fun together. That’s such a great friendship moment. It’s obvious how much they genuinely like each other and get along. Them going to the amusement park was nice. However what I really loved him taking her to the field near the train and doing some scream therapy with her before then holding her as she cried. ”I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.” – from Shin, from his mother’s scheming, from the loneliness of being a royal in the castle.
”I can breathe as long as I have you.” Ack, so damn romantic! What am I supposed to do with that? I loved him screaming when he didn't find her at the train location. Also the fact that he found her first – that he knew her better, knew what she would need – speaks volumes about where these relationships are right now in the series.
Other:
+ Between Shin hitting him and then, more importantly, being cruel to Chae-kyung again in a way Yul couldn’t stop I feel like Yul’s now 100% on team take Shin down. His expression was pissed.
+ Shin’s jealousy and possessiveness of Chae-kyung was out of control this episode. Pulling her away from Yul’s hug at the beginning and getting in Yul’s face before physically pushing her into their rooms. (And then lashing out at her.) Then at the end actually punching Yul and then confronting him before physically pulling Chae-kyung away. Both times he lashed out at Chae-kyung in his anger and jealousy. I admit I do enjoy the possessiveness and jealous stewing but not so much when he's cruel to Chae-kyung about it. Whatever happened to 'no, don't be this rotten'? Oh, Shin, you and your emotional constipation were deeply annoying me this episode.
+ Instead of Shin randomly catching sight of Chae-kyung when the security people missed it I feel like it’d have worked better if he learned Yul was back but didn’t go to his palace and then remembered them laughing at that building and deciding to check it out. I feel like it’d make his build up of anger and feeling betrayed (?) work better.
+ I appreciate Chae-kyung’s friends’ love for her but them bullying Hyo-rin and physically attacking her was really unacceptable. That said when added to her mom being in the hospital and her being poor and Yul letting her think Shin and Chae-kyung slept together and Shin being cold to her, it ended up feeling like the show was trying to force us to sympathise with and feel sorry for her, and that's just annoying.
+ Not sure why the Queen's first thought wasn't immediately her hated nemesis who she's deeply suspicious of?
The main impression of Goong I was left with from my last watch was that I didn’t like Yul or Yul/Chae-kyung. Actively not shipping the heroine with the Second Lead has been its defining characteristic for years. This watch through I’ve liked Chae-kyung/Yul till this point but in the back of my mind were always those two points. Clearly at some point he’d get really bad and the dislike would set in and I’ve been waiting for it. And then we get this episode... and I kind of love them? I think I’m having a drama identity crisis, lol. I’m sure the reason for the dislike is coming up but based on this episode (and the ones before) I have to admit that I’m in Yul’s corner and am Team Yul/Chae-kyung.
Yul has been manipulative multiple times and in this episode promised not to push her/bring up his feelings again and then literally did just that at the end. But he was not wrong when he defiantly told Shin ”You always make her cry, but I’ll make her smile.” That is pretty much how the relationships have been playing out. For all the wrong Yul’s done Shin has been worse. He’s been cruel, cold and distant, has left her to struggle alone, hasn’t defended her, yells at her, has been hot/cold towards her and oh, yeah cheated on her with his ex. I know they’re endgame but this episode really made me want Yul/Chae-kyung.
Alas the biggest obstacle to that is actually Chae-kyung. She doesn’t love him, it’s not even a possibility in her head at this point because her heart is already too attached to Shin. He’s a great friend that she cares for dearly but nothing more. I mean her confused reaction to his desperate hug and relief she didn’t sleep with Shin speaks volumes. Yul was not wrong when he told her that he confessed his love because he didn’t think she’d understand otherwise – I really don’t think she would have! I felt for her when he confessed and then just refused to hear her rejection until she was mean about it, which then of course left her feeling guilty. It was a difficult position for her to find herself in.
Still for this episode alone I’m going to wallow in the Yul and Yul/Chae-kyung feels I currently have. Because he was being romantic as shit all episode and him making himself so emotionally vulnerable to, and in front of, her was amazing. He’s in complete denial but I get it. I mean he’s convinced himself that they can nullify her marriage to Shin, get married and it would all be okay. That everyone will accept them happily and with no criticism. Oh, Yul.
”For the first time in my life I found something I want. It’s her. It’s too late to give up on her.” Because in her he saw someone just as “miserable and lonesome” as he felt, a kindred soul. Because he’d never reached out to someone or had anyone reach out to him but she did it as if it was no big deal. Because she is kind and compassionate (“knows how to treat others with a true heart”), and opened his heart after it’s been closed all his life (awww).
I loved their scene at the school. I liked Chae-kyung being straightforward that she couldn’t accept his love and him pleading with her to not push him away. I loved her telling him that he’d just get hurt and “I don’t want you to be hurt over me” because she is absolutely right in that he is going to get his hopes up, and it’s only going to lead to heartbreak. But at the same time, he’s in love with her and that was always going to happen. He says that her pushing him away and treating him so distantly will hurt him more, and honestly it’s hard to know which the better way to approach this situation is. I don’t blame Chae-kyung for taking him at his word and leaning on him as her friend.
Them playing hooky was great. I loved them fooling around with the instruments and just having goofy fun together. That’s such a great friendship moment. It’s obvious how much they genuinely like each other and get along. Them going to the amusement park was nice. However what I really loved him taking her to the field near the train and doing some scream therapy with her before then holding her as she cried. ”I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.” – from Shin, from his mother’s scheming, from the loneliness of being a royal in the castle.
”I can breathe as long as I have you.” Ack, so damn romantic! What am I supposed to do with that? I loved him screaming when he didn't find her at the train location. Also the fact that he found her first – that he knew her better, knew what she would need – speaks volumes about where these relationships are right now in the series.
Other:
+ Between Shin hitting him and then, more importantly, being cruel to Chae-kyung again in a way Yul couldn’t stop I feel like Yul’s now 100% on team take Shin down. His expression was pissed.
+ Shin’s jealousy and possessiveness of Chae-kyung was out of control this episode. Pulling her away from Yul’s hug at the beginning and getting in Yul’s face before physically pushing her into their rooms. (And then lashing out at her.) Then at the end actually punching Yul and then confronting him before physically pulling Chae-kyung away. Both times he lashed out at Chae-kyung in his anger and jealousy. I admit I do enjoy the possessiveness and jealous stewing but not so much when he's cruel to Chae-kyung about it. Whatever happened to 'no, don't be this rotten'? Oh, Shin, you and your emotional constipation were deeply annoying me this episode.
+ Instead of Shin randomly catching sight of Chae-kyung when the security people missed it I feel like it’d have worked better if he learned Yul was back but didn’t go to his palace and then remembered them laughing at that building and deciding to check it out. I feel like it’d make his build up of anger and feeling betrayed (?) work better.
+ I appreciate Chae-kyung’s friends’ love for her but them bullying Hyo-rin and physically attacking her was really unacceptable. That said when added to her mom being in the hospital and her being poor and Yul letting her think Shin and Chae-kyung slept together and Shin being cold to her, it ended up feeling like the show was trying to force us to sympathise with and feel sorry for her, and that's just annoying.
+ Not sure why the Queen's first thought wasn't immediately her hated nemesis who she's deeply suspicious of?
