REPLY 1988 - EPISODE 9

Sun Woo's mom takes care of Taek's dad after his stroke

Jung Hwan and Deok Sun go to the Starry Night concert together, and end up chummy in a photo-op. As adults, they look at a picture and smile. Of course, this isn't the only pic they could be looking at, as Deok Seon goes to China to help take care of Taek during a baduk competition, and they get a photo together as well.

Taek's dad attends a friend's funeral, and when he comes back, he suffers a stroke from a cerebral hemorrhage and ends up in the hospital. Sun Woo's mom takes it upon herself to take care of the ahjussi, because everyday things are now a struggle.


Taek and Deok Seon in China together

Sun Woo's mom gets some distressing news: her mother-in-law used the house as loan collateral, and defaulted. She has a month to pay the balance of 10 million won (approximately $8,500) or lose the house! Taek's dad to the rescue! He floats her the money, having learned a lesson about relying on others after his stroke, when he can't do the simplest things on his own. He says he heard the news from her brother, his childhood friend, and tells her not to suffer in silence.

Bora has gotten back together with her boyfriend and Sun Woo is hurt when he see's this. Later, he asks Bora out to the Lee Sun Hee concert but she shuts him down. Finally, after she sees her boyfriend and best friend together again, she calls Sun Woo as a last resort, who picks her up, and tells her he wants to go to the concert with her -- and not just as friends...


Sun Woo asks Bora out to a concert

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Her husband has to be Jung Hwan. None of the other boys have that sarcastic streak that the adult husband seems to possess. He's got snark a mile long, and makes fun of her for various things, a lot like a Jung Hwan would do. Most of the other kids are quieter, too, like Taek, and Dong Ryong would never try anything, I don't think... I could be wrong, but it just adds up.

His ordeal and worries have made Taek's dad way more talkative, and I like that. At first he was quiet, reserved, and stuck into the background for that, but now his character has come to the fore. First with that admission of love to his son last episode, but also this one. I like that he still tries to be independent, even as he needs help that he won't ask for. He's stubborn and willing to butt heads with those who try to help him. For once, I'm glad they put the focus on him and the drama's better for it.


As Jung Hwan pulls her close, Deok Seon stares in disbelief

Bora I can't quite figure out. The more she pushes Sun Woo away, the harder he pushes back to be part of her life. So I'm not sure her insistence that he's nothing more than her sister's friend is going to fly. Not to mention the fact that, if she really didn't want the attention, she wouldn't let him give it to her. She's stubborn too, like the insistence on protesting shows. I have a weird feeling though that she will end up getting together with Sun Woo. A couple years don't make that much difference when you're in your 20s.

Everyone in this episode appear to have their own thing going on, and each of them wants to deal with it alone. The problem is that sometimes you can't deal with things all by your lonesome, you need to reach out to others. That's what I got out of this episode, where Sun Woo's mom helps Taek's dad, who helps her in return, Deok Seon helps Taek while he's in China, keeping him fed and in a warm bed at night, and Sun Woo becomes a source of comfort for Bora.


Adult Deok Seon and hubby, reminiscing over a photo

They keep it going while at the same time keeping it fresh. It's nice to see some more of the parents having their own dramas. It can't always be this or that character in crisis, or how the world's ending because my crush doesn't notice me. That would get stale, so instead we get the myriad things that people have to deal with as they grow up, and after they've grown. I'm still tuning in -- I hope you guys are too!