Bubblegum episode 6 recap

Episode Recap

Haeng Ah (Jung Ryeo Won) announces her arrival to a beaming Ri Hwan (Lee Dong Wook) with uncertainty before getting into his car. She immediately starts questioning the next step that they would take if they were to become a couple. The proceed to have a night out of trying out loving couple affectations that quickly descend into their usual teasing and slapstick. They come across a love motel, and Ri Hwan is in a state of shock over what a couple would do at a place like that.

When they return to Haeng Ah’s apartment, Ri Hwan manages to force his way in, and ends up cooking ramen for both of them, though Haeng Ah claims that she will not have any before stuffing her face. Haeng Ah is upset shen Ri Hwan enters her bedroom, and he must point out that he has been in there multiple times. After the lights go out unexpectedly, Ri Hwan proposes that they spend a day together.

The next morning, Tae Hee (Kim Ri Na) finds Ji Hoon (Lee Seung Joon) asleep on her doorstep, and shoves him aside with the door. Ji Hoon tries to explain that he is now practicing sobriety, but purposely got drunk to prove that he is not capable of any misbehaviour when intoxicated. However, Tae Hee is bitter about Ji Hoon keeping his distance for the past year, only to pop up now that she is interested in someone else. Ji Hoon claims he was scared to face her. Tae Hee counters by revealing that she was scared, too, of spending the rest of her life taking care of him. And yet, she liked him. Ji Hoon desperately proposes that Tae Hee try dating both him and his rival, and she angrily rejects the idea.

Yi Seul (Park Hee Von) is standing in front of her family mansion when her mother (Park Joon Geum) storms out to berate her. She is worried about Ri Hwan potentially spreading rumours about her ailing grandfather. Yi Seul’s older brother, Jung Woo (Kim Sa Kwon) attempts to calm his mother down by reassuring her that he will meet with Ri Hwan personally. When Jung Woo tries to get Yi Seul to arrange the meeting, she cannot bring herself to admit to her brother that she and Ri Hwan are not dating.

Haeng Ah and Ri Hwan spend an idyllic day at the beach. They watch the waves, rummage through the sand to find discarded items like a ring and a bikini bottom, and contemplate sex on the beach. Like the junk found under the sand, Haeng Ah fears that she and Ri Hwan might dredge up things they don’t like about each other when they start dating. Ri Hwan reassures her again that they will work through it together.

While Ri Hwan is enjoying himself on the beach with Haeng Ah, Ji Hoon has taken over his usual visit to his aunt to treat her wrist. After Ji Hoon reveals that Ri Hwan and Haeng Ah are dating, the aunt becomes concerned about Sun Young finding out. She warns Ji Hoon not to reveal the relationship to her.

Yi Seul is at her mother’s gallery opening, staring at a painting of ocean waves, reminiscent of the scene that Ri Hwan and Haeng Ah are enjoying in real life. Yi Seul checks her phone, but Ri Hwan has yet to respond to her text message asking to speak with him. She buys a painting and returns to her office.

Ri Hwan and Haeng Ah visit their former schoolyard where they remember the time his mother, Sun Young (Bae Jong Ok) overdosed on sleeping pills. Haeng Ah is afraid that history will repeat itself, and she does not want to estrange herself from Sun Young by dating Ri Hwan. Ri Hwan remains confident and is willing to take the risk for the promise of something better. However, Haeng Ah is happy with the status quo, and does not want it to change. Ri Hwan asks that Haeng Ah to simply be true to her feelings. As they leave, he offers her his hand, and when she does not take it, he reaches out to grasp hers.

Ri Hwan and Haeng Ah go to visit the tree that serves as the memorial site for her father. He proudly announces their dating status, to Haeng Ah’s embarrassment. What they don’t realize is that Sun Young had visited the same site earlier to reveal to Haeng Ah’s father that she is ill, and scared that she will forget him.

After dropping Haeng Ah off at work, Ri Hwan arrives home to find his mother’s car, but not the car owner. Sun Young is waiting to have an MRI done, and quickly hangs up on Ri Hwan when he calls to check up on her.

Haeng Ah runs into her ex-boyfriend, Suk Joon (Lee Jong Hyuk) in the elevator, but refuses to be intimidated. She arrives at the studio to a urgent situation: DJ, Se Young (Kim Jung Nan) has not shown up for the live broadcast, which is set to begin shortly. Junior team member, Joon Soo (An Woo Yeon) is sent to find Se Young while Haeng Ah and Tae Hee scramble to find an on-air announcer.

A stranger approaches Ri Hwan outside his home, and it turns out to be a driver sent by Jung Woo to fetch him. Ri Hwan chooses to drive to the meeting place instead. Ri Hwan arrives at a high end restaurant to find Yi Seul, who has also been summoned by her brother. Ri Hwan apologizes for failing to respond to her text message, but Yi Seul does not hold it against him, nor hold him accountable for her one sided attraction.

A man spots Yi Seul while walking by, and it turns out to her cheating ex-fiancé. After the ex-fiancé begins taunting Yi Seul, Ri Hwan is about to forcibly remove the man when Jung Woo arrives and punches the ex-fiancé repeatedly in the face while daring him to sue. As Yi Seul runs out of the room, Ri Hwan is forced to intervene.

Tae Hee wakes up radio station manager, Dong Il (Park Won Sang) from his bunk bed at the office to enlist his help. However, just as he is about to take on announcer duties, Suk Joon enters the studio and sits down behind the microphone without a word. Haeng Ah arrives back in the studio to find her ex-boyfriend at the microphone. She is perturbed, but walks confidently in to do her job.

Meanwhile, Se Young is crying on a public bench in her pajamas, because she doesn’t want to upset her dogs. Joon Soo sits by awkwardly as she wails about her minor and unflattering role in a drama. He tries to cheer her up by recalling the first time he saw her in a blue movie. She is alarmed that someone remembers her bit part involving a red billiard ball, but flattered to be recognized. When Joon Soo reveals that Suk Joon is replacing her, she is fearful for her job and eager to get back to the studio. Since she is unable to drive after drinking away her sorrows, Joon Soo whisks her away on his scooter.

Back at the restaurant, Ri Hwan gets down to the business of reassuring Jung Woo that the health status of his grandfather will remain a secret. Jung Woo grills Ri Hwan about his family background and his career, neither of which meet the status of Yi Seul and her family, but Jung Woo is ready to let his sister marry whoever she wishes. When Ri Hwan corrects Jung Woo’s notion that he is dating Yi Seul, Jung Woo is determined to make his sister’s desires a reality. Ri Hwan has no response other than to state that he needs to go pick someone up.

When Jung Woo goes to find Yi Seul, she is downcast and stacking chocolate discs. Yi Seul is upset at Jung Woo’s actions in front of Ri Hwan. When Jung Woo asks what she wants, Yi Seul lets the tower of chocolate fall over then stares silently at him.

Alone in the studio with Suk Joon, Haeng Ah states that her kiss with Ri Hwan was not an act. She reveals to him that she always preferred to date someone who did not know how insecure she actually was so that she could maintain the illusion of strength. However, in Ri Hwan, she has found someone who she doesn’t have to feel anxious towards, so there is nothing to hide. Suk Joon appears to realize that he has lost, and they return to work until Se Young arrives, making a huge fuss, though she perks up when she spots Suk Joon.

The diagnosis for Sun Young is early onset Alzheimer’s. She begs her colleague not to inform her son, then worries if the disease is hereditary. Her colleague admits that there is a 50/50 chance that Ri Hwan will suffer dementia, too.

After calling Haeng Ah up, just because he missed her, Ri Hwan is smiling to himself while standing beside his car with a bouquet of flowers. It turns out that he is waiting for his mother in front of the hospital. When Sun Young spots her son, she can barely contain herself.

Comments

The episode mostly focused on the burgeoning relationship between Haeng Ah and Ri Hwan, and thanks to the appeal and chemistry between Jung Ryeo Won and Lee Dong Wook, this was a good thing. Their night time date of trying on the pretensions of a loving couple was hilarious, from Haeng Ah force feeding Ri Hwan to their swapping of coats to show how considerate they are towards one another. The day time date at the beach was more subdued, but still amusing. My favourite moment was Ri Hwan removing the garbage that had flown into Haeng Ah’s face.

Despite the giddiness of new love, you could feel the underlying melancholy from their shared childhood. There was a great dynamic with Haeng Ah expressing her reservations, and Ri Hwan’s quiet confidence that they were meant to be together.

The only thing missing between Haeng Ah and Ri Hwan is sexual chemistry. Their mutual decision to try dating has removed the potential tension of ‘will they or won’t they’. However, it is early in the relationship and the series, and their first kiss showed promise.

I am glad that Yi Seul has quickly given up the jealous saboteur role. Though, now that she is back to being dejected, I am curious to see what the show will do with Yi Seul, with more than half of the series remaining.

Sun Young’s story line is treated like a mystery with random details dropped: the old dress with the stain, her need to remember Haeng Ah’s father, her objection to any sort of relationship between her son and Haeng Ah. It is hard to care for a character who can be so cold towards Haeng Ah, but I am intrigued nonetheless.

Overall, I am happy with how this episode progressed and how it managed to be both playful and muted, but most importantly, I am glad to see that Jung Ryeo Won has dropped the childish mannerisms.

Bubblegum (풍선껌)

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