I NEED ROMANCE 3 EPISODES 3-4
I Need Romance chronicles the experiences of a bitter given-up-on-love marketing director and what happens when her childhood friend returns.
***WARNING: SPOILERS***
RECAP:
We left off where Joo Wan asked Joo Yeon if he wanted to go to a hotel. She initially thinks he's hitting on her, but is embarrassed when she finds out that's where he lives, and he needs a ride. During the ride, she corrects him on his terms of endearment, and says it's not appropriate to use with a stranger. Upon arrival, he exits the car and walks around to her side, leans in her window, and extends a hand as if to touch her face, calling her "dear..." She recoils initially, until he pats her on the shoulder innocently and tells her to drive safe.
We are in the ex-boyfriend's apartment now, with Se Ryung and him talking. She sees the double-ring necklace, still in its box, intact. She asks about the breakup, and he replies that he was hoping she'd fight for the relationship.
And she didn't.
Back at Joo Yeon's place, she sees that Joo Wan's done a number on it, moving things around in a plan to move in with her, cleaning the place, etc. She calls him on it, and again not-quite rejects his bid to move in.
At work, they try to decide on a fashion director, and settle on Se Ryung. Joo Yeon says that she can handle it. Joo Yeon yells at Hee Jae, and she goes to the roof and screams mock obscenities into the wind. Her friend and office mate Lee Woo Young finds her, and remarks with a grin that cursing like that must be really refreshing. Kang, her boss sees her too, but merely smiles, and tells Joo Yeon that Hee Jae is doing the same thing Joo Yeon did 9 years ago. When her colleague asks why she's so hard on her, it's because "I can see her potential."
Min Jung leaves early for a date with her one-night stand, which has turned into more. Hee Jae yells at her boyfriend.
Joo Wan calls and hangs up, and calls back. He wanted to feel what it was like to hang up for a change. Joo Yeon directs him to a park, and meets him there. She still knows him as Allen Joo, not as her childhood friend. He wraps her up in scarf and hat, and, remembering his childhood, tells her that someone used to do that to him long ago.
Having a hard time getting Se Ryung to even meet with them, Woo Young finds her and asks her to consider the proposal. She says she will consider it if Joo Yeon comes personally. She does, and Se Ryung shoots her down.
After spending time in a childhood hangout, she agrees to meet with Joo Yeon. Joo Wan calls her and says the car situation is worse than he thought, and stops near the Han River where they used to spend time as children. He kisses her.
The kiss is meaningful, and we flash back to when she and Se Ryung were friends, and Se Ryung was describing a kiss to her, and her colleagues describing a kiss to melt your soul. This is one such kiss. A montage shows Joo Wan and Joo Yeon spending time together, laughing.
We see her grinning, starry-eyed and waiting for his call. She checks her phone constantly. Joo Wan looks at her picture on his phone and kisses it before giving it up for the night.
At the meeting Se Ryung tries to take control, and is rejected. She storms out, and Joo Yeon is castigated by her boss. He points out her mistakes, and then tells her to keep trying to net Se Ryung. Later, as they make more business plans, even her friends notice Joo Yeon looking at her phone.
Hee Jae and her boyfriend steal away for some couple time, meanwhile Joo Wan tweaks Yoo Jeon's apartment even more. Yoo Jeon comes in, talking to her boss about her boy problems. Joo Wan is still there, eavesdropping. He leaves, and calls her, making it obvious he listened in. He also lets her know he changed the lock code to his birthday. She tests this, and locks herself out.
Back at the apartment, Hee Jae finds notes on the door, as apparently they made too much noise. Joo Yeon finds the children's notebook Wan left at her apartment and reads it. She finally smiles at the memories.
Meeting with Se Ryung, she again finds herself up against a roadblock. She storms out, and sees Wan and walks right past him. He grabs her arm and tries to create a moment with her, until Se Ryung walks up and hugs him possessively. Heading home, she finally susses out the new lock code. She texts him to come and have breakfast. When he arrives, she realizes that her childhood friend and the man with the amazing kiss are one and the same. He greets her with her childhood nickname: "Hello, Shing Shing."
***END SPOILERS***
How do I love this? Let me count the ways. When I end one episode, I have to see the next one. If I have to wait, I pout. It's a more original romance than I've seen in quite a while, and the chemistry is just awesome. The childhood flashbacks are too cute for words. It's even more exciting now that his secret is revealed. Too soon?
This episode has a strong romance component that I really enjoy. I love seeing people in loving embraces and the thrill of wondering when the stumbling blocks will be removed so they can be happy together.
Though I wasn't familiar at all with Sung Joon's work, his acting chops in this series impress me more and more. He has a calm demeanor about him, slightly mischievous but definitely relaxing when he narrates portions of the episodes. I might end up following him to his next series as well.
You can see this on tvN on Monday and Tuesday nights, or on DramaFever.
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