Love Grows Here: Hugye Restobar

For Park Dong Hoon, the neighborhood restobar is the safest place in Hugye, and he goes there whenever he wants to be alone, away from the observant eyes of the Hugye gang and Yoon Hee. Over the course of our story, it’s a place where he lets show his longing, smiles, worry, and even his tears.

It’s also the special spot where he invites Ji An to join him. From the time he takes Ji An there for a drink in Episode 6, to the time they have their bittersweet farewell in Episode 16, the restobar sees several important and increasingly-intimate scenes unfold between them.

As usual with other locations in this show, the restobar is packed with symbolism and things to discover. For one thing, there’s at least one male-female couple in almost every instance.

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Yu Ra: Spokesperson for Ji An

Throughout the show we see close-ups of the other characters’ hands. But I noticed the show hardly ever shows Yu Ra and Ki Hoon’s hands — and I do think this is because the show wants us to listen carefully to what they’re actually saying.

Hands: Telling the Story

One thing I noticed during a re-watch was how often PDnim focuses on hands. He portrays an emotion and tells a story just by having us look at a character’s hands, and through this he encourages us to keep paying attention.

Who Is Pretty and Nice?

@chickfactor once said, “It’s like Jae-Chul said, they are speaking in code to each other. The audience knows the code, because the writer-PD taught it to them. You can refuse to see it if you need absolute confirmation via traditional visuals (kissing, etc), and/or don’t want to believe in this romance, which is fine. Everyone has that choice. But the code is there, and it’s quite clear and consistent.”  One facet of this code is the creative use of camera and the very deliberate choice of scene.  When viewers take the time to understand this code, nothing has to seem vague and ambiguous anymore.  

by kerfuffle_95 from Soompi

When Dong Hoon called her 지안 Ji An

Koreans almost never, ever, address each other by their first-names. Throughout the drama, Dong Hoon calls Ji An either Lee Ji An, or Lee Ji An-sshi. But in the drama’s final line, after they part at the cafe, he calls her simply: Ji An.

“Ji An, have you found your comfort?”

@brose_stv explains the significance of Dong Hoon’s intimate address.

Buy Me Slippers = I Love You

This scene from episode 11 is the turning point for many viewers, the moment in the show where all doubts about Dong Hoon’s feelings disappear and in their place awe and marvel at this very nuanced, yet very deep love story.  In @justamom’s very own words: “I came into My Ahjussi totally not expecting a love story. I thought it was some kind of thriller, something similar to Misaeng or Signal. And then BAM! it hit me out of nowhere around the time Dong Hoon said, “buy me another pair of slippers.”

More than just slippers

More than just a pair of slippers, slippers help Dong Hoon reach his comfort

[GIF] The Electrifying ‘Farewell’ Conversation

Note the symbol Caution: Electricity that shows before, during and after the phone call. Knowing how deliberate Kim Won Suk PD is about details, I’m positive this tidbit was intentional. What could it mean? Dong Hoon’s pent up emotions? Our OTP, Dong Hoon and Ji An’s electrifying chemistry? Their emotions running dangerously high? In any case, uri PD seems to be the biggest shipper among us. (And that’s a relief.)

Dong Hoon’s Smouldering Love Confession (3/3)

Ji An & Dong Hoon’s Secret Code