Orange Marmalade Episode 2 - So Right in All the Wrong Ways

Remember the days when you watched a high school kdrama and the extent of the skinship was a wrist grab or maybe an open eyed fish kiss?  Well, this is not that type of drama.  It is shockingly mature in its mix of innocent sexuality, which is equally titillating & slightly uncomfortable when you consider the age of some of the actors.

DISCLAIMER:  
All comments posted in reference to this drama and its actors are feelings that are felt in August.  Why August you might ask?  That is when Yoo Jin Goo has his birthday and he is officially legal.  Still really young, but at least it is not technically a felony. Imagine that I have a time machine and either jumped back in time from August, or jumped forward in the form of my 18 year old self.  Either one works when fangirling over this drama.

So since it is obvious what the director and writers are going for, we are going to do a quick countdown of moments that Jae Min made us forget that he is a jail bait khottie.

#5 Desires and Dreams

Jae Min is bathed in the beautiful mixed light of the library when he sees Ma Ri, dressed in a provocative black dress sitting on the windowsill.  His jaw drops as Ma Ri begins to saunter towards him, pushing Jae Min back into his seat.

Personally I thought this was a beautifully directed scene, but definitely not your grandmothers high school drama skinship.  Ma Ri was also dreaming about Jae Min, but her's took a slightly darker turn.  A dream which included aggressive nails, naked backs, and getting lunch from Jae Min's neck.

At least she is finally aware of Jae Min and knows his name.  Progress!!  As for Jae Min, that boy is completely hooked and circling Ma Ri like the earth circles the sun.  I think he has reached the point of no return.

#4 More Stalking

It is funny that the writers are shoving Jae Min into a stalker role, mostly thanks to fate.  First at the coffee shop and later in the band room at school.  Contemplating a return to practicing music (something he gave up when he began fighting with his mother), he is startled by someone entering the room and hides.  Why he has to hide, I have no clue.  But at least we get a really cute scene where he is stuck behind a desk spying on Ma Ri.  

Ma Ri had found herself in the band room to drink her blood lunch, but was distracted by the guitar Jae Min had been playing moments before.  She is startled from her music by Jae Min knocking over a plant.  Jae Min is actually quiet calm about being caught in an awkward position, but Ma Ri quickly runs from the room.  Guess that neck biting dream is still too fresh for her comfort.

#3 You Make Me Faint

We learn that if you are a vampire, you don't skip meals.  Something that Ma Ri finds out first hand as she accidentally ends up skipping lunch with almost dire consequences.  Lightheaded and hungry, Ma Ri stumbles about, right into Jae Min's delicious totally normal arms.  Jae Min stands stunned as Ma Ri grabs him and leans into his neck (I swear that boy does not have the ability to stop his need for Ma Ri, no matter who is around them).  Jae Min grabs her closer and Ma Ri leans in to bite, only to stop herself at the last second, her nightmare flashing through her mind.

Ma Ri stumbles out of Jae Min's arms and straight into hot, sexy, LEGAL IN REAL LIFE, vampire Shi Hoo.  Realizing what is going on, Shi Hoo, rushes Ma Ri to the nurses office and makes sure she eats. 

We learn that Shi Hoo and Ma Ri were childhood playmates and we get a flashback of them drinking their blood side by side.  So Cute!

It looks like Ma Ri was a certain vampire hotties first love, and he is back to stake his claim.

#2 Hey Jealousy 

Anyone else loving the intense stare-down between Shi Hoo and Jae Min?  It is obvious that they are going to be fighting over everything in regards too Ma Ri?  For example, who will be Ma Ri's white knight when she is bullied in class.

Let's just declare the real winners are, we, the kdrama viewers.  For us it is a win win since we get some delicious eye-candy and tons of sexy angst and posturing.

#1 Reciprocal Nibbling

In case you were starting to feel better about the lack of sexual suggestive skinship in the 2nd half of the episode, the writer decided to screw with our poor ahjumma minds again.  This time in the form of an aggressive Jae Min nibbling on Ma Ri's neck in order to reminder her about their train encounter. 

 Jae Min leaves school, miffed at the closeness between Shi Hoo and Ma Ri.  Probably wondering to himself, if Ma Ri was a habitual neck nibbler and any random hottie would do to practice on.  Ignoring Ma Ri's overtures of peace, he stalks away with 2nd lead mean girl.  But our underage hottie is not one to stay still for long ( I love that he is so confident) and rushes to Ma Ri's house.  Jae Min arrives ahead of the vamp duo, declaring that he has to talk with Ma Ri.

Shi Hoo unhappily walks on without her, while Jae Min once again demands that she apologize for what she did to him.  And in case she still can't remember her transgressions, Jae Min will give tit for tat.  He moves in and starts kissing her neck.

ACK!!!!!  They're killing me!

Final Thoughts:

I am really enjoying this story and can't wait to find out what happens next.  The maturity of the storyline is a surprise, especially since Korea is usually so conservative on younger kid plots, but appreciated.

I will admit to being sad that a lot of the side characters were cut when the webtoon was adapted to drama form.  I miss her BFF's and their quirky antics and also her wise aunt.  But for narratives sake I guess they could not add them in and keep the episode count to 12.  Still makes me a tad bit sad though.  

On a more positive note, I love the beautiful filters the director uses on the flashbacks.  I always stop and notice how beautiful those scenes look.  A wise choice.

 On the off chance you have not had enough of Yoo Jin Goo's charms, enjoy these photos from his recent June photo spread from "The Star" magazine.

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