Witch's Romance - Episode 10 (A SqueeCap)

Just get lost, Polar Bear Asshat. I really don't want to deal with you anymore. Shoo! Shooooo!
JoAnne: THIS is what we want to see. Yes. While he sings to us. Well, while a recording of him singing plays. I don't want him singing into my mouth.

Episode 10

"Im not fine with it at all", says Dong-ha - and I must admit, candid heart-break confession make me cry almost immediately. There is something so vulnerable about him at this moment ... Does she really not understand what he is going through? He goes inside and breaks down crying. Yes. Love can hurt so damn much ...
JoAnne: Oof. My poor baby boy. Polar Bear is an asshat but right now I'm mad at Ji Yeon!
In a way, I am glad that Asshat has the charisma of an old and empty plastic bag. It makes hating him so much easier. (Too bad we can't fill HIM up with air and pop him!) He picks Ji-yeon up in the morning to drive her to the office (really early and he is sucking up to her BIG TIME) and poor Dong-ha has to see them together in the car, of course. Because unmyeong has it that he stops right next to them at a red light. Just go Eff yourself, unmyeong.
JoAnne: They don't even see him and he just looks so defeated and sad as he rides away.  *sobs*
Dong-ha does his best to completely ignore Ji-yeon on his last few days at work. She doesn't like that much and he isn't doing a particularly good job with it. Ji-yeon has a date with Asshat at the Fishcakery. Awwww, that couple is so cute .... Is she pregnant? She thinks the fishcakes smell bad. Anyway, Asshat talks about Africa (btw, Korea: Africa? It's not a country) and then, cute but slightly dumb Fishcake husband suggests they should hire Dong-ha to help at the restaurant, because things are a bit busy.
JoAnne: Do it. DO IT. And then tell stupid ass Couple: The Remake that they can't come there anymore! Also. Perhaps South Korea feels that South Africa and they are on good enough terms that they can drop the surname. (ah, man, I crack myself up.)
When Dong-ha also wants to go to the Fishcake place, he meets Cutie Soo and Intern right before they go in. Just in time, Dong-ha sees Asshat and a bubbly-happy Ji-yeon sitting there and steers them away, to a club. Well, they don't seem to stay overly long. When they're outside again, two guys come up to them and start hitting on Intern. Of course, Dong-ha defends her right away and immediately and gladly starts a fist fight with the guy.
JoAnne: Poor guy... he wants to pound Polar Bear's face but if he does that it will hurt Ji Yeon, and he loves Ji Yeon, so he has to be nice about Polar Bear. OH MY GOD THIS SUCKS SO BAD. Breathe just breathe we WILL get through this.
When Asshat and Ji-yeon are having a non-romantic moment in front of her house (ALL of their moments are non-romantic), Photographer Dude calls her about an embezzler guy that just got arrested. She makes Asshat drive her to the police station, where she has an insider informant. Detective Lee. Who is this guy? I've seen him before! Is he that bad dude from TEN2? Anyway, Ji-yeon cuts a deal with him, but I don't really get it. She promises the Detective a picture to establish the dude's guilt in return for what?
JoAnne: I don't remember his face this minute but I remember thinking I recognized him from something, so when you post the picture I'll figure it out. Also, the deal is she gives him a picture, he gives her an exclusive.
Dong-ha is also at the police station. For assault. Cutie and Intern defend him like lions but before they can prove Dong-ha's innocence, a man appears - he is Dong-ha's father. He is a big shot director of a medical center. And he starts scolding Dong-ha right away, calling him a general failure. Two things though: this father really worries about Dong-ha and wants him to go back to school. And Dong-ha seems to blame his father for something. Did he fail to save Dead Girlfriend?
JoAnne: Not in the story I know... but yeah, this is a good dad.
Ji-yeon witnesses it all and when Dong-ha starts walking home, she calls out to him. He doesn't want to have anything to do with her right now, but she keeps following him. Not leaving him alone is really cruel. She has to respect his wishes.
JoAnne: I get that she is compelled to do this, and we know that she tells herself it's because she cares about him, but we also know she can't bear to let him go because she is in LOVE with him, and I HATE that she will not let herself know that, and I HATE that she is with stupid face polar bear. Especially since...well, you'll see.
Cut to when she is there, in front of their apartments, waiting for him. It takes a while, but then he finally comes and ... she hides. Cutie is also quite worried about Dong-ha, but he is just in that sad-sad phase when you don't want to open up to anybody. Leave him alone, people!
JoAnne: I will just go and lie down next to him and hold his hand so he doesn't feel so alone.

We have confirmation: Na-rae is pregnant.

When Intern tells Ji-yeon that she is hurting poor Dong-ha but doesn't seem to care at all, uri Witch starts sending Dong-ha, who is not at work, a volley of worried text messages (30!). He doesn't answer a single one. At night, she goes and rings his door bell. Three times. And a fourth, even though he tells her through the security system that he has nothing to say.
JoAnne: Seriously, Ji Yeon: face your feelings. It is the puppy you want. In a way I'm glad she does all this shit because it forces action.
When he still doesn't open the door, Ji-yeon pulls the pin out of her emergency heart. The terrible sound makes him appear after all and she immediately walks into "his" apartment. She admit she was very worried about him ... as was Intern. Feeble attempt to make Dong-ha see how perfect Intern would be for him. She starts crying in frustration after Dong-ha gets angry with her again. What does he want her to do? Should she just move? I'm sorry but I seriously don't have any compassion for this woman. You made a choice, now live with it. Don't make others more miserable than they already are.
JoAnne:  Park Seo Joon did a really good job here, I think, don't you?  He was SO insulted and angry that she would try to fix him up, as if he were just this little kid with feelings that weren't worthy of respect. She has always relied on his maturity but has never given it any thought, and so it's easy for her to count on him as a partner and yet dismiss him as a child.  It lets her lie to herself, and it lets her send him away. He's got to show her that he is a man and must be treated like one in order for her to wake up and smell the Puppy Chow. (And no I don't mean with wrist grabs and forcing himself on her or anything like that.)
At the office on his last working day, Ji-yeon panics over a computer glitch - and Dong-ha helps her restore her important file. They get really close while doing it and she just freezes. In the background, Park Seo-joon sings the beautiful ballad for the OST. It's a sweet and sad moment of closeness for both of them. And while she continues to work on her article late at night, he is just there for her, bringing her this and that, watching over her. And he packs all his things, quietly, so as to not disturb her work.
JoAnne: When he first swooped in like that I was sure it was a day dream and that she'd look up and he was gone. When that turned out to be not true, I was so happy that it brought tears to my eyes. The level to which I want them together is ridiculous, even for me.
When she is finally done, she is surprised that he is so nice and seemingly happy - it's because she told him she doesn't want to fight with him, he says. And he asks for a meal, as payment for having to work overtime on his last day. They have fun stuffing their faces. She wins the eating competition between the two. When they walk home, they reminisce about all the things they went through together.
JoAnne: They certainly made each other very happy along the way.
They go to a bar and the tension gets thicker as they drink wine and marvel about unmyeong that brought them together like that, on a night like this. He thinks about the fact that he might never have come to like her with a different fate and she thinks she might never have gotten to kiss him. Yes. Good priorities, woman!
JoAnne:  I suddenly feel that my life is incomplete since I have not (and probably never will) kiss Park Seo Joon.
As they stare into each others eyes, MC Ding Dong appears on stage and promises a prize to the most romantic couple among the. Oh, is this the same club again he first kissed her in? Ji-yeon and Dong-ha just laugh at the synchronicity, but MC Ding Dong has spotted them and grabs them. People clap and start chanting "kissu, kissu, kissu".
JoAnne: Ooooh, will he? I dunno, I almost want him to pull back and have HER go in for the kiss (followed by the sudden stunned look of realization that this is the man she needs, of course.)
Because it's the law that you kiss if random people want you to kiss, Dong-ha pulls her closer and says it always somewhat ends up like this. He cups her face with his hands and slowly, tenderly, leans in. She is so ready for this!! She looks expectant, a little excited even. But. Dong-ha pulls away. The very last moment. And goes for the dreaded forehead kiss instead.
JoAnne: I won't lie. I puckered up. And then I sighed sadly. And then I realized I could imagine very vividly what his forehead kiss would feel like and then I sighed REALLY sadly.
No champagne for this couple! He apologizes to the disappointed crowd and says this person has a really cool boyfriend. He hopes that she will be happy with that person.
JoAnne: And I shed a tear, slowly. Do not give up, my puppy. Do not.

They walk home, comfortable in each other's presence again. I am so glad. When ... BOOM! there's Asshat. Yeah, take that, Asshat. Look at these two. A bird is whistling in the background. Quite loudly one might say! Even that bird is glad to see our OTP so comfy. Inside, Asshat admits that he is jealous. Well, I would be too with a face like his. Because he can only lose with that.
JoAnne: You could see it too, you fucktard! They belong together. You have to go away. Why are you not going away?
They really have subzero chemistry with each other, these two, do they not?! Anyway, her mother comes in, babbling about Mr. Yoon to herself. But no, it's not Mr. Yoon, it's Asshat. The bottom line? Mother doesn't like Asshat. But if it cannot be helped, marry her within this year. Asshat falls on his knees, oh so grateful and he manages to produce a smile that almost looks like a smile.
JoAnne: He's too stupid. Yes she gave him permission. But she was crying, and not with happiness, and she told him flat out she didn't like him and wouldn't ever forgive him. Ji Yeon-ah! Listen to your mom!
The best line in this episode once ago comes from Cutie, who goes "Ah, Noonim! Style good" when he sees her.
JoAnne: He is a gem, that one.
At night, they're having a farewell party for Dong-ha at the Fishcakery. Can I say I'm really glad we don't get to see the stupid 3 Stooges so often anymore? They've almost become bearable. Ji-yeon says in a quiet moment that she is thankful for his great work - and sorry. For everything. Interrupting their moment is Asshat, who is "nearby". Oh, I think he is very jealous right now! Ji-yeon tells him to not wait for her - she doesn't know how long she will be. Dong-ha watches her with sad eyes.
JoAnne: Go away go away go away go away I will stab you go away.
Dong-ha is drunk again. Quite drunk. He passes out on the table and Cutie helps to carry him to his car. It's the four of them now: Intern and Cutie in the front - and Ji-yeon and Dong-ha in the back. His head is on her lap. At the apartment complex, Cutie is saying he will bring Intern home, while Ji-yeon drags Dong-ha closer to the apartment. She forgets her mobile phone in Cutie's car. Trying to reach her, again/still: Asshat.
JoAnne: Go awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
Ji-yeon has sat down on one of those benches in front of their apartment - his head is on her lap again. She is sad that he is leaving her side. Yeah, I would be sad too. She wonders aloud what would have been if only they had met earlier or under different circumstances. She gently wakes him. But when she wants to get up and leave, he hold her back, gently as always. And then, he leans in ... and doesn't pull back this time. Their lips meet and .... CUT! We've reached the end of the episode.
JoAnne: I will CUT you, Mr. Editor.
Comments

I like this episode much, much better since any other with Asshat in it. Asshat is totally losing, it's clear! He even realizes it himself. Of course, he will cling on, he will probably push for the wedding now, but he isn't blind and he can see the signs. His woman is no longer his. And he doesn't even know yet that the two lived together. Oh, and I guess he sees the kiss, too. Of course he'd see the kiss. This is KDrama!
JoAnne: Ji Yeon is losing a fight she doesn't even realize she's fighting with herself, based on what the Show is showing us. There are things I know about the other series that I can't talk about because I don't know if it will come up later here or not at all, but these things shed more light on the situation and it's so FRUSTRATING to know them. An argument for not watching remakes, perhaps, but the reality is I like the comparing and contrasting. Even if I get frustrated.