THE GIRL WHO CAN SEE SMELLS - EPISODE 3

When we last left our insipid intrepid heroes...

Cho Rim and Moo Gak follow the smells only to find the woman they're looking for in her car in the river -- another victim in the barcode murder chain. Meanwhile, Moo Gak is promoted to the investigative team under Lt. Yeom Mi�and deflects his superior's questions about how he came to any conclusions about the case (hiding Cho Rim's involvement). Meanwhile, our hero and heroine get to know each other better. Despite his promise, Moo Gak fails to show up at the audition to perform a skit with Cho Rim. She ends up getting fired because of this. Finding her in an extremely drunken state, Moo Gak opts to carry her home. Her directions to her house lead him on a circuitous route, which gives him an idea on how the suspect in the murder case might be implicated despite his alleged alibi. Moo Gak heads to the station and pitches his idea to Lt. Yeom Mi, who is on her computer reviewing the victims of the barcode killer. When a drunken Cho Rim stumbles into the room, Lt. Yeom Mi�recognizes her as one of the victims on her screen...


Lt. Yeom Mi

After seeing three episodes, I can confidently say that this show is a number of different things. Is it a drama? Well, it certainly has dramatic (and melodramatic) elements. Is it a comedy? It has quite a few humorous moments. Is it a thriller? There are tense (and intense) parts. Is it sci-fi? There is the whole low-key superpower thing. So what is it? Normally this is a weakness, as everything works against each other. Forced chuckles amid underwhelming suspense, weak effects, and tacked-on backstories don't do much for a narrative. You end up with a subpar, lackluster version of Scooby Doo* (minus the pooch). This is different, taking all the disparate threads of a good story and tying them together masterfully. It's been great fun so far and has me chuckling at the banter even as I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next piece of the puzzle, not to mention learning more about the characters. �

* = I actually like Scooby Doo, so no hate, ok?

In my last article I talked about shipping Moo Gak and Cho Rim. I think the writers have this in mind, too, but they're taking their sweet time. It's an unwritten rule of K-Dramas that if a woman spends enough time (like four scenes) with a guy of a similar age, they'll be in love--or at least be part of a triangle. Part of the humor in this show is that they get them in a compromising position, the hero holding the heroine in his arms, their faces close, the sappy romantic music rises, and then *BAM!* something happens to ruin the moment. They do this well, and I think just when we've gotten used to the teasing, they're going to kiss. :)


Just pull my ear when we need to turn...

I like Lt. Yeom Mi. She's a no-nonsense type of woman, but she can still laugh. Frankly, I think she's the most competent investigator at the station. She's driven to catching the killer, but her own colleagues tease her openly. I would love to see her bust out some appropriately pithy line to put them in their places once in awhile.


Cho Rim's heterochromia up close.

What do you think of my predictions and my wish list for the show? You think I'm dead on? Or just full of it? Lemme know in the comments below.

SEE ALSO: Park Yoochun's legal battle with former manager continues despite court ruling