[Drama Review] 'Uncontrollably Fond' - Episode 8

AKP STAFF

Posted by eric_r_wirsing Friday, July 29, 2016

UNCONTROLLABLY FOND -- EPISODE 8

After the kiss, Noh Eul walks away from a weepy Joon Young. His company congratulates themselves on a PR job well done. The next morning, everyone wants to be Jik's friend because Joon Young bought a burger for everyone in his school. Jik refuses to accept the gift and insists on paying him back. Joon Young and Ji Tae bring food to Noh Eul. At that awkward meeting, Ji Tae gets a frantic phone call saying his mom has collapsed. Later, Joon Young drags Noh Eul to meet his mom, where she (and, by extension, we) learn about his life as a child. Meanwhile, Choi's wife feigns illness, getting the doc to tell her hubby to shower her with love and attention as she could go at any time. That night, Noh Eul tries to get Ji Tae to eat with her, but he ignores her calls. She calls Joon Young, who moves to join her as his cancer takes hold. Finally, he makes it, embracing her through the pain...

Joon Young acts out here, and the results range from mildly humorous to hilarious. His antics when he and Ji Tae show up at Noh Eul's simultaneously are a laugh riot; he snatches spoonfuls of the soup offered to her and polishing off everything himself while announcing it tastes terrible. I think Kim Woo Bin was born to play the bad boy, and this scene lifted my mood.

"I don't want you to hear my answer..."

Ji Tae is getting found out. I imagine Jung Eun is going to do anything she can to get him back. I can envision meetings with Noh Eul to convince her to leave Ji Tae alone, offers of financial incentives, maybe even some sabotage. We're getting into drama mama territory. What I don't get is why he didn't answer Noh Eul's texts and calls. Maybe he's getting the idea that he's too much like his dad, cheating on his betrothed.

Choi's wife is something else, but I can fully understand her actions if she's attention-starved. She's taken steps to get her man back -- might Jung Eun do something similar to keep Ji Tae? I thought it was notable how the doctor went along with her plan. I wonder if she's got something on him? Maybe she does already -- the fact that he lied in that instance.

"Where is my contact lens?"

This one was better than I expected. The episode did some good stuff, making me laugh one moment and tugging at my heartstrings the next. This drama is quite uneven, affecting what I think of it from episode to episode. Will I stay engaged? Only time will tell. It took way too long to dangle some plot in front of us. I understand that it takes time to build up subplots, but this drama has some pacing issues. This episode was more skillful in that arena. But I hold little hope it will maintain that through 12 more installments.