by: Raine

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Yoon-hee totally rocked my world this episode. She made everyone laugh, she poked fun at everyone, she proved she wasn’t a complete idiot and basically, Bae Doo-na proved why she’s one of my favorite actresses.

Oh, and how funny is that face that Mi-hee is putting on up there?

“Burning Luv” – Kim Hyun-dong & Dan-yah (from the How to Be a Perfect Neighbor OST)

episode 7 recap

After his thorough beating, Soo-chan retreats to the lake where a first-aid kit laden Yoon-hee finds him. At first he refuses her help, but she mentions that it wouldn’t be good to let Go-ni see his wounds, especially since he was so upset by the whole experience.

Yoon-hee, true to form, insensitively says that he as a gigolo was destined to get beat. But even she admits that this violence was too much. He says that he deserves it for leading such a life. “It’s good that you know,” she replies. Did any teeth fall out? Nope. Good! Then he won’t have to spend any money. He laughs and then winces in pain. Even in such a situation, she’s can be her quirky self, which makes him smile painfully yet again.

At home, a concerned Duk-gil sends Soo-chan to fetch Go-ni, who is severely disappointed in himself for admiring a man such as Soo-chan, which sends Soo-chan to his room to feel sorry for himself.

When Yoon-hee informs Mi-hee that Soo-chan got pulverized, idiot Mi-hee is shocked. Yoon-hee points out that Mi-hee made Soo-chan into nothing in a day but Mi-hee defends herself. How could she have known it would happen? Couldn’t she have thought of that since she’s so smart, Yoon-hee returns.

Seriously lady. How could you NOT see that coming?

A guilty-feeling Mi-hee apologizes to Soo-chan who says it’s his fault. She offers to take responsibility for him but he refuses. Doesn’t she realize she’s humiliating him further?

A dejected Soo-chan returns home because he was unable to find work – news traveled fast. Nosy Duk-gil rummages through Soo-chan’s speeding tickets, which gives the jebi an idea. He grabs one and heads to his car, but his leased car is being confiscated.

Detective Kang drives up and Soo-chan hitches a ride with him to a motel near which he’d received a speeding ticket. There was a security camera showing him and the traitorous female professor moseying into a room.

Alibi? Check.

When the detective drops Soo-chan off, Soo-chan asks about Yeon Soo-yeon, revealing that he cared for her. Mi-hee bounds up, sending the detective into a bumbling frenzy of introductions, which she quickly dismisses. She’s all worked up because she’s been trying to find him jobs as a professor, but they run across a problem: Soo-chan isn’t good at anything but horticulture.

Mi-hee’s image of perfect Soo-chan = shattered.

They head back to the Jung residence where Duk-gil is making Yoon-hee and the kids mixed rice. He is flustered because Yoon-hee keeps calling him “ahjussi” – there’s not THAT big of an age difference.

When Duk-gil asks about Soo-chan’s alibi, they are all relieved to hear that he has found one. Yoon-hee shakes his hand sending Mi-hee into a jealous tizzy over their “friendship”. She sends Yoon-hee away for meat and Soo-chan offers to pay, but his cards have all been declined. 😦

It’s time for a nighttime barbecue and Soo-chan admires Duk-gil’s singing. A drunk (surprise surprise) Yoon-hee is clapping along and Mi-hee takes the chance to point out that Duk-gil has the hots for her sister.

In banmal, Yoon-hee calls for Soo-chan to pour her a drink, but Mi-hee rushes over to do it, scolding her for her bad manners.

Uri Shi-hoo, er, I mean, Joon-suk, is bored while he waits in his father’s hospital room for Yoon-hee to show up. Deciding to entertain himself, he pulls out the Count of Monte Cristo and begins to read it like Yoon-hee, smiling and chuckling to himself all the while. Could he be any cuter?

Mi-hee is throwing a drunk pity party and Duk-gil is surprised to hear she has been divorced three times. His only marriage was difficult so he admires her.

Suddenly the winds of fate (ie sadistic writer Jung Ji-woo) bring more bad news in the form of a phone call: Soo-chan has to move out of his house immediately. Only it’s not HIS house. It’s his hyung’s house. Yoon-hee hangs around in a futile attempt to cheer them up. She ends up insulting Soo-chan about being a gigolo. Again.

In any case, the house belongs to his hyung’s company. Yoon-hee explains that Mi-hee bought their house with the money from her divorces and successful travel agency. Duk-gil admires Mi-hee’s competency and Soo-chan thinks they’re both insensitive jerks. Heehee.

To top it off, Go-ni asks Yoon-hee about the best stations in Seoul and suggests that they prepare cardboard boxes to live in.

BWAHAHAHAHA! Have I mentioned that I love this kid?

Soo-chan heads to his room to make a phone call to a former beau in hopes of borrowing money. Career eavesdropper Duk-gil tells him to stop doing disappointing things in front of his kid who was very upset when Soo-chan got beaten up. But Soo-chan isn’t having it. How do they know Go-ni is his kid? For that he gets smacked by Duk-gil and told that he shouldn’t live that way.

Duk-gil is an ahjumma in disguise…no, I’m not joking.

Byun Hee-sup reports to Joon-suk that they need to hire more people in management and stares in surprise when Jook-suk doesn’t say, “So what?” A Yoon-hee happy Joon-suk actually SMILES *squee* and tells Hee-sup to proceed.

A pouty Joon-suk doesn’t want to eat when Yoon-hee fetches him, but she treats him to lunch at a potato restaurant. He puts up a sissy fit:

Joon-suk: I don’t eat such food.

Yoon-hee: Why?

Joon-suk: What do you mean by “why?” I’ve never tried it before, therefore I don’t eat such food.

Yoon-hee: Once you try it, you’ll be able to eat it.

Joon-suk: I don’t eat what I’ve never tried before.

Yoon-hee: You don’t challenge yourself. Even so you have to try it. That’s your spirit.

Joon-suk: What spirit do you need to eat potato soup? (He’s trying not to smile.)

She shoves him inside and teaches him how to eat it with his hands. He tells her that she looks ugly when she eats. OMONA! But she takes it in stride and says he won’t be happy if he’s picky about food – all food pretty much melts in her mouth. She tries to get him to eat with his hands, but he’s all finicky. (He’s more finicky than my CAT.)

Noticing sweat rolling down her forehead, he offers her a napkin. When she refuses, he gently wipes it off and then stutters an explanation. CUUUTE!

He delicately begins to eat the hearty potato soup and she says he’s the best – he smiles – at eating potato soup elegantly – the smile fades.

The blossoming couple strolls drinking coffee. Yoon-hee thinks she was generous spending 30,000 won (roughy $26/€20) and buying coffee on her salary.

Joon-suk: I pay too little?

Yoon-hee: Good you understand.

Tee-hee. She ALWAYS has something to say.

She makes him sit even though he complains of the heat and dust. He notes that not many people live as she does (in such a carefree manner.) It’s good to have personality, she replies, which makes him laugh.

There is a poster for a musical on the wall and Yoon-hee mentions that she’s never seen one. She doesn’t have money based on her pay, giving her mother money and playing stocks. Joon-suk is surprised to hear that she plays shares.

Yoon-hee: Do you know about Julia Roberts?

Joon-suk: She earns money from shares?

HAHAHAHA!

We get the dream that Joon-suk will eventually fulfill: Yoon-hee wants a man to take her to a musical and do all the things for her that Richard Gere did for Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman”.

Party crashers, Evil (Go Hye-mi), Hee-sup and Young-jae, are returning from lunch when they spot the pair on the bench. Hee-sup immediately starts kissing ass much to Young-jae’s annoyance. Joon-suk is SOOOOO cool for drinking coffee in the street.

Joon-suk grows uncomfortable and quickly begs his leave as Evil stares darts into Yoon-hee’s back.

Uneducated and unskilled Duk-gil is earnestly searching for a job to no avail. The woman who Soo-chan lunched with only wanted to invite her to his wedding. Duk-gil is disgusted with Soo-chan’s women. He also discovers that Soo-chan doesn’t own anything in the house but his clothes – everything belongs to Soo-chan’s sunbae.

Then, to add insult to injury, Duk-gil mentions that they have no more rice. He’s worse than Hee-sup’s wife! Leave Soo-chan alone you nagging ahjumma!

Soo-chan tries to sell his watches, but doesn’t get much. His credit cards have been canceled.

Wait, didn’t this guy ALREADY hit rock bottom? What is the writer doing?

Ahjumma, er, I mean, Duk-gil nags Soo-chan about bringing home ramen and rice in bulk. He should’ve saved while he could.

Okay, okay WAIT a minute. Didn’t Duk-gil get tricked out of his money in a marriage scam and decide to leech off Soo-chan?

Anyway, ahjumma Duk-gil planned for their meals. He and Go-ni will hang at Yoon-hee’s every few days and when Soo-chan comes to get them, Yoon-hee will feed them all. It will be just like what they did with Soo-yeon back in the day. Hearing her name, Soo-chan’s mood worsens further and he leaves.

(Long live the WTF face! I love this face!)

At the office, Joon-suk is booking two VIP tickets for a musical when Yoon-hee comes to tell him that it’s almost time for a dinner with clients. Flustered, Joon-suk yells at her and they tiff at each other like the little lovebirds they will be. When she leaves, he continues to order the tickets.

And Joon-suk’s home has been invaded by Evil. Turns out Evil actually drinks tea and wanted to share some with him. But he’s tired. (Tired of HER!) Before she leaves, she mentions that he looked cool drinking coffee outside and it was a pity it wasn’t her beside him.

Evil’s mommy, Young-ja, asks her evil husband, Chairman Go Chang-shik, to accompany her to a social gathering but he refuses. He doesn’t have time and it doesn’t matter. But when Evil comes in, he lights up…I bet you he would go if his daughter asked him.

Mi-hee the brilliant has decided that in order to save Soo-chan, she’s gonna marry him. Yoon-hee mentions that her unni isn’t much better off than she is herself. He didn’t ask to marry her and the marriage idea is one-sided.

Mi-hee: How about persuading him?

Yoon-hee: You wanna be divorced a fourth time?

Duk-gil and Soo-chan finally have a heart to heart that isn’t all about Duk-gil ragging on Soo-chan. Former jebi has realized he has nothing and wonders what he’s done with his life. He was so busy with women, he made no time for friends. Now, when he’s in need, he has no one to help him. But Duk-gil says that Soo-chan has Go-ni – a son is something to be proud of.

When Soo-chan thinks that Go-ni resembles Duk-gil more, Duk-gil admits he’s a virgin. But you were married? He couldn’t sheep for six months. Poor, poor man ahjumma.

The next morning, Soo-chan, Duk-gil and Go-ni are having breakfast. Go-ni is picking out the beans from his rice as is Soo-chan. The realization of his fatherhood hits Soo-chan in the gut and he starts tearing up.

Duk-gil finds him in his room at the end of a long cry, his mind heavy with the realization that he has a son. Duk-gil nags him like an ahjumma, but then comforts him just as well.

Yoon-hee is having a field day with Mi-hee’s crazy marriage scheme and tells her unni that only a mentally ill person on medication would think of that. Their mother, Sun Woo, hears the last bit and Yoon-hee fills her in with glee. Sun Woo is against it – he doesn’t even like Mi-hee in return. Does she still want to experiment with  marriage after failing three times?

Duk-gil ahjumma sends Soo-chan off to work and then goes for a trial period on a construction site. He calls Yoon-hee to take care of Go-ni for the afternoon.

When Joon-suk calls for her, excited to ask her to the musical, she cuts him off with a request to leave early. “What kind of secretary are you?” he asks. She apologizes and leaves him quite disappointed. “Is it that difficult to ask her out on a date?”

After Mi-hee and Yoon-hee serve the kids a meal at school, they take them home. Hee-sup’s wife picks up Little Byun for his piano lessons and Ye-seul informs Go-ni that he’s the only kid in class without extracurriculars. Even she takes five online courses after school and has a private tutor. At the dejected look on Go-ni’s face, Yoon-hee quickly jumps in and says that it’s good for a kid to play and not have too much stress. Mi-hee quickly agrees.

The two women take the children shopping and Mi-hee decides to get clothes for Go-ni as well. He tries to politely refuse, but she tells him to mind his elders.

When Duk-gil discovers that Mi-hee not only bought Go-ni clothes, but underwear, he visits her to thank her and tell her that it is not necessary. Sun Woo won’t hear it though, declaring them neighbors. Besides, Mi-hee is responsible with money unless Yoon-hee. Commence plan humiliate Yoon-hee via story time.

Duk-gil mulls over how capable Mi-hee is- she took her divorce money and set up a successful company and she is a good mother.

Wait…do you see what I see? Is there a romance down this path?

Anyway, Soo-chan comes back after another failed job search but heads out to search again as Duk-gil continues to work at the construction site.

At the Jung residence, Soo-chan and Duk-gil inform the ladies that they have to move out the next day, inspiring shock. Finally, Mi-hee has had enough and suggests that the boys stay in their house.

Needless-to-say, Yoon-hee and Sun Woo protest until Mi-hee mentions the store room.

There is a long silence…followed by smiles. What a brilliant idea! Sun Woo convinces them to stay with the “you’re are neighbors” excuse. Mi-hee is thrilled to be living under the same roof as Soo-chan.

The boys get to work and soon the room is spic and span while they are completely devoid of energy. They chat a bit and the men find out that Go-ni really thought they would be sleeping at a station.

Then Yoon-hee comes in, admiring all of Duk-gil’s hard work. Soo-chan wonders why she’s always picking on him. Because Duk-gil ahjussi seems like the responsible one. Duk-gil recoils at the word “ahjussi”. Heehee.

Directly after the insult, she ambles over to Soo-chan and whispers that a local grandma is looking for a helper with strength. But he’s a horticulture professor, he protests!

Exactly! she replies. (Must be a flower shop.)

(He either has to wee-wee, or he was caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to do…)

Joon-suk is back at the hospital and reading from the Count of Monte Cristo when she walks in. He drops the book and she picks it up, asking if he was imitating him. “Am I crazy?: He was just bored. Why wasn’t she there for two weeks? Did he keep count? “Am I crazy?” He just estimated.

Heehee. Yes, you are crazy. Crazy for Yoon-hee!

Joon-suk buys them drinks and tells her that it feels like she is no different from the others. She stopped visiting his father.

“There’s you now,” she replies. She put her heart at ease. Then she glances at him.

Yoon-hee: Why do you keep on stuttering?

Joon-suk: W-when did I?

Yoon-hee: Just now!

On the drive home, he discovers that she’s only been to the resort once, a long time ago. So, as the dashing man in love that he is, he takes her and she’s enchanted.

He smiles watching her enjoy the view. She tears up and he wonders if she is indeed that touched.

“If the president were to see this, he’d be so happy.”

She glances up at him with crocodile tears in her eyes and he’s paralyzed by her intense gaze. Slowly, she brings her hand up to his face.

 Comments:

Is it sad that one of my favorite Park Shi-hoo faces is his WTF face? It’s so adorable.

Yay for Yoon-hee this episode. She always has something to say and it makes me laugh like crazy. I’m trying not to squee over the ending because this IS Yoon-hee and since when has she EVER been conventional? Or outgoing with men in a romantic way for that matter?

Park Shi-hoo is the master of the WTF face this episode. I cracked up because he’s adorable and because his tightass character became exasperated THAT many times this episode with Yoon-hee. But that shows him opening up. And, dare I saw, shows Park Shi-hoo’s growth. He’s starting to climb out of his shell more. GO OPPA!

Duk-gil…I hate him. I love him. I can’t quite decide. He’s so flippin’ nosy and is meddlesome in a completely unhelpful way. At least Yoon-hee prevents her sister from being an idiot and makes sure that her stubborn boss eats. Duk-gil just kicks a guy when he’s down. And then pats him on the shoulder. Is that really supposed to make Soo-chan feel better?

We have fulfilled a few k-drama tropes thus far as well: forced cohabitation (or semi-forced, since they all seem happy at the prospect); chaebol planning on making his poor love a Cinderella (at least I think so with that VIP idea); scheming second lead; meddlesome parents; bickering female lead with both male leads.

Question is, how will Perfect Neighbor spin these?

Another observation: sometimes the director gives us some GORGEOUS scenic shots, but then gives of 45 minutes of office scenes. I think he needs to be more creative with angles and locations. Even going outside the building would be better. Why make me cry with repeated scenic dullness?

For the recaps of episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 check out my recaps.

Character introductions.

How to Be a Perfect Neighbor Episode 7 Screencaps.

And Because this is my recap, I’m going to put some more cute pictures in.