Review

[Drama Review] 'While You Were Sleeping' � Episode 5

AKP STAFF

Posted by eric_r_wirsing Thursday, October 5, 2017

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING � EPISODE 5

You might think that because it's Chuseok�and K-pop releases have slowed down, that there wouldn't be a drama this week. You would be incorrect, as Suzy confirmed there would be, so we get our WYWS fix this week. Yay!

Seung Won finds out from So Yoon that Jae Chan is the prosecutor that exonerated her father. Elsewhere, when Hong Joo calms Jae Chan down, they start piecing things together by comparing their dreams. How can Seung Won be a murderer? And why would he name Jae Chan? That's when our young prosecutor figures it out; he closed the case on So Yoon's father, barely looking at it when he raced through his file load. They figure out from the dreams where to go next.

On patrol, police officer Woo Tak sleeps in the patrol car�and has a dream of arresting Seung Won, and some of the same events play out, only from a different perspective. He has precognitive dreams too! Trying to get his gastrically-ill partner to a bathroom, he spies Jae Chan and Hong Joo booking across the street�and zooms off in pursuit, sirens blaring.

So Yoon's mom serves dad with divorce papers�and gets a beating for it. But the fire alarm goes off and he stops, thanks to Hong Joo's quick thinking. Woo Tak arrives on the scene, and Jae Chan confronts Seung Won, who yells at him about being a good prosecutor and brother and stalks off. Hong Joo helpfully invites So Yoon and her mother to stay at her house, and Woo Tak even more helpfully gives them a ride there. And that's when we figure out the helpful young man who returned the cellphone (and was killed in one reality) was Woo Tak! That night, Hong Joo dreams of her and Jae Chan kissing while cherry blossoms gently float around them.

She meets him the next morning, seeing that he injured himself while making breakfast. She peers around him, then runs off quickly without a word.

Which was a weird ending... Less of a cliffhanger than a moment of WTFery, at least it makes me want to see the next one. Although, this one was looser than the other episodes, settling on all too many fights with a deliciously imperious So Yoon. Here, she puts on her best royal airs, making demands as a guest in someone else's house. �

I do find it interesting that Woo Tak has the same dreams as Jae Chan and Hong Joo! Now I wonder if Woo Tak always had those dreams, or if it's something that happens from interacting with Hong Joo. Is it? Can she pass it from one person to the next? I know with Jae Chan and Hong Joo it appears that it's a naturally recurring event, but all three of them possessing the same ability?

So ultimately, we're looking at some more questions. Is Woo Tak going to show up again? Can Jae Chan fix his mistake as a prosecutor? Can he even fit in as one? And what of So Yoon and Seung Won? Will Seung Won be able to forgive his brother?

As I said, the pacing wasn't as taut this episode as in the others, and I'm not sure how I feel about Woo Tak having his ability (3 in one show?), but maybe there's a logical explanation to it. I have a feeling every episode is going to have someone new being able to dream the future. Who's next? Seung Won?

But still -- I'm tuning in. How about you?