Hyde, Jekyll, and I Episode 5 - Board The Seo Jin & Robin Ship

I am still on the mend from earlier this week when I had a very unpleasant bout of the flu so this post is going to be short and sweet and mostly full of my thoughts and impressions so far.  Impressions such as why I am kind of bored with our leading lady.  Does this drama remind anyone of another Hyun Bin drama?  (cough cough - Secret Garden - Cough).  And many more, so lets just take a quick dive into episode 5.

My favorite scenes by far are when the two personalities (Seo Jin and Robin) interact with each other via video, or sometimes just using their imaginations.  It is so funny to see uptight stuffy Seo Jin try and micromanage Robin and then Robin trying to put a bit of fun (in a very passive aggressive way) into Seo Jin's life.  It is this great chemistry which makes me declare that Seo Jin and Robin are the true OTP of the drama.

We begin the episode with Seo Jin finding out that Robin had faked being Seo Jin in order to create an 80 page iron clad agreement with Ha Na and her circus.  An agreement that includes Ha Na moving into his mansion ........ for her safety of course.  After cursing each other in their video conference, Seo Jin declares that if they had to live together they were going to go back to their old schedule.  This means that at night the body belongs to Robin (their personality changes whenever they fall asleep) and Seo Jin would have use of it in the daytime.  Seo Jin ends his video with the snarky reminder to attempt to get some sleep since he has to deal with the consequences of Robin's actions.

Lets just call it, no one does classic kdrama cliches like Hyun Bin.  And to be honest, I am one of those viewers that like most cliches since they are used for a reason.  These kdrama tropes are tried and true ways to hook a viewer into the emotions of the OTP (one true pairing).  However some of these cliches seem to have been snagged from a very famous drama.  A very famous drama that boasts of the same leading man as this one.  That's right, I am talking "Secret Garden".  I can only hope that the use of all these famous similarities is on purpose and is more of a homage to the classic drama and not an attempt to force us to like it because of lingering love of "Secret Garden".  The fact that I am not 100% sure if it is a homage or not  indicates that the director/writers might have missed the mark with this one.

For example, Hyun Bin has perfected the in sync footstep concept.  A cute moment.  But since it is such a well known "Secret Garden" thing, it takes me out of the moment.  Maybe they should have tried to use their imaginations a bit more than just copying such an iconic scene.

Tired of romantically walking after Ha Na, Robin turns himself into the deadly shark faced stalker with the use of his novelty hoodie.  Hahaha I totally laughed at this scene until I realized that she probably would be extremely freaked out considering that someone is trying to kill her.  Which is just what happened as Ha Na first beats Robin with her umbrella then bursts into tears when she realizes it is not a person trying to kill her ( I need to do a quick wince at her attempt to cry.  That was painful to watch and listen to.  Lets hope the drama never decides to go to melo.)

But then when I had time to think about it I wondered what is she doing gallivanting through the snow by herself when someone is out there wanting to kill her.  If it was me I would have a taser, gun and 911 already pushed into my phone. You know, where you have already dialed the 9 and the 1, and only need to push that last 1 to call the police? Anyone else ever do that or am I just crazy like that?  Don't judge me.  I was a very impressionable and high strung adolescent back in the day.  Luckily for Ha Na, Robin seems to dig a girl that dry sobs and the couple become a little closer.

Due to his new job as the artist for Ha Na's circus troupe, Robin travels with our leading lady to a group workshop (really an excuse to play games and drink) in the country.  This would be fine except for the fact that the killer follows them and this results in a car accident.  After rushing Ha Na to the closest hospital (by the ever popular super speedy piggyback ride) Robin actually passes out.  Suddenly Seo Jin awakes in a hospital bed with Ha Na staring over him.  Bwhahaha, Poor Seo Jin is completely confused on everything that happened and when he finds out that he has to "become" Robin for the rest of the trip (they are snowed in and there is no escape) he is not a happy camper.  

Seo Jin frantically sneaks away to call his secretary asking what he should do to make people think he is Robin.  I cracked up when his secretary tells him to just smile and Seo Jin's brisk reply "Smile?  Smile?  Why would I smile?"  Hahaha, I have had a hard time deciding which character (Seo Jin or Robin) that I enjoy more.  This helped me clear up the confusion since now my new favorite is Seo Jin attempting to be Robin.  His smile is just so hilariously awkward/creepy and seeing him try to be nice and not snarky is a joy.  So now Seo Jin is stuck with a bunch of his employees in the country. Poor Seo Jin, he is not having a good day. To enjoy all the tribulations that Seo Jin had to bare we are going to do a quick photo montage.  Because who doesn't love to see the uppity personality roughing it for a while?

Seo Jin vs the Goat

Seo Jin vs the Puppy

Seo Jin vs the Outhouse 

(am totally with him on that one.)

The toilet was obviously the last straw for the poor boy and Seo Jin just throws away his uptight persona.  He even begins playing a simple word games with Ha Na as they walked back to the house.  This is one of the few scenes where I really felt some chemistry between them. 

Pushed to his cracking point, Seo Jin decides that the only way to survive is to drink himself into passing out and then letting Robin wake up in his place.  Seo Jin calls his secretary and questions how well Robin can hold his liquor.  When he finds out that Robin is an expert drinker, Seo JIn declares that he will probably be out within the first couple of drinks since they are always opposite.  Hahaha.  Seo Jin is determined to try and as he takes his first shot, he mutters "Come out Robin you Son of a B*&$%"

One by one all the circus employees end up passed out and snoring under the table.......except for Seo Jin.  He looks around and grouses "Turns out I am the alcoholic whale (person who can drink the most)".  Thus is uttered one of my new favorite drinking phrases.  Denied sweet oblivion, Seo Jin goes outside and broods by a fire, which is where Ha Na finds him after waking up.  She decides that it is the perfect night to roast Sweet Potatoes and forces Seo Jin to share one with her.  A black smudge of soot is on her lips because of the fire and Seo Jin points it out awkwardly.  "What? Is there something on my lip?" Ha Na asks and Seo Jin finally sports a real smile.  Ha Na teases him about putting it there on purpose since he seemed different tonight for some reason.  Yet another scene which is a bit too "Secret Garden" for my tastes.  

Seo Jin shares his blanket with Ha Na and while they stare at each other, Ha Na blurts out "I like you".  Seo Jin stares at her with just a touch of shock as well as interest and we are left wondering on whether this moment is going to lead to any make out action or not (my guess is not, but you never know).

Random Thoughts:
Does anyone else wish they had given the heroine a different profession? The whole circus master concept is just not working for me.  She supposedly is a professional, yet we never see her actually working, just talking to her very small circus staff about shows and vacation workshops. 

I DO NOT like the annoying bratty 2nd lead female.  She acts like she is twelve and not a grown woman.  Please, can we just kick her character to the curb and drive over her with Seo Jin indifference.  UGH.

My Thoughts:
I continue to have a love hate relationship with this drama.  I absolutely love anything to do with either of Hyun Bin's characters (especially when they interact with each other).  His presence just lights up the screen and I find myself completely engaged.  The opposite happens whenever I have to watch Ha Na.  It's not that she is horrible, but I just don't care about her.  There has been an extremely uneven development of characters, with Hyun Bin's two personalities taking up the majority of the show. Which leaves our leading lady with all the layers of a flat pancake.  There is a noticeable lack of change in her character whether she is dealing with Seo Jin or Robin.  The only difference being between the two is that with Robin she is slightly more relaxed.  I know you could say that Ha Na is falling for both of him, but it feels more like she is just being placed into the various scenes and told to say her lines.  There is no growth of emotions and I was truly surprised when she confessed.  I would have liked Ha Na to really get to know both people before that happens because right now it feels like she is confessing to the pretty face and not the person inside.  And while many people would blame the actress for this, I personally am putting the blame on the writers.  They are obviously focusing on the star at the expense of the plot.

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