You Raise Me Up Episodes 3 and 4 Recap and Review

Wow. It's been a while and it felt so good watching You Raise Me Up again! Viki had some copyright issues so the first two episodes got taken down for editing and only got put back up last Friday with episodes 3 and 4. The pilot really got me so hyped and excited for what's to come next so just imagine the blue balls it gave me when they didn't come out. ;A;

Anyway, we continued what we left off last time with Yong-shik about to jump off the roof and Roo-da trying to stop him. She, of course, was offering to help him because of her darn bet with Ji-hyuk. I really hate it because I know it will be a problem later on and will just hurt both of them. Her words seem to be effective though because Yong-shik decided to keep living.

He went downstairs and was greeted by my girl Jennifer aka the best character in this show (Just realized her name actually sounds like "The Prettiest" in Korean 제니퍼 - 젤 이뻐 - Jel-ee-ppeo). I didn't get to talk about her in my last review but she's so awesome! She's a fortuneteller who's been friends with Yong-shik for a long time. She used to be Kim Myung-ja but with her transition, she is now Jennifer. She's basically the only person who stuck with Yong-shik all this time. She said she came because she can't have her friend hanging between life and death. She comforted Yong-shik and even left him with one of the best lines I've heard in a kdrama: "If you look at your fortune, you'll know you'll live until your old age. In that long life you're going to live, don't you think at least one of those days will be good?" I'm not crying, you are! That's so comforting. She said it to Yong-shik but I felt comforted by her words too.

Yong-shik really made me cry when he revealed the reason why he didn't jump. He said that all this time, he's been desperately wanting to hear someone tell him that he can do it. He himself is hopeless but hearing Roo-da tell him he can do it, he just couldn't bring himself to jump off. This really hit hard. I feel like sometimes, all we need is one person to truly believe in us. A few words is enough to keep us going. It reminded me of one poem that really left an impression on me called "The Most Powerful Words in the World" by Kim Ae-ran. I'll put it on the end of this post.

Roo-da went home to her sister and told her what happened. I'm so glad her sister Roo-ri has her senses intact. She told Roo-da that she shouldn't use Yong-shik just so she can keep her pride against Ji-Hyuk. Roo-da still thinks she's doing the right thing since she'll treat his erectile dysfunction anyway.

It's easier said than done though as we saw the next day. Even the stimulator chair can't make Yong-shik's junior stand up. She told him not to feel awkward since they're in a hospital and she's a doctor there, not his friend. Funny because she kept using informal speech with him. Maybe if she wanted to keep it professional, she should start by using formal speech. Roo-da went for a visit to Yong-shik's pink place and changed his whole lifestyle. Junk food, pink shirts, and skinny jeans all get put in the trash. She took him to the swimming pool for some exercise. According to her, it's the best exercise to treat his illness. It's crazy how subbing this drama made me research testicular metabolism. Like I thought that's for stomachs?! Anyway, they meet jerk classmate Tae-jin there and he started trash talking Yong-shik. Roo-da came to serve Tae-jin some truth pie and it was awesome! How I wish Yong-shik was the one who did it. He obviously wasn't ready because he still thought of himself as pathetic after that encounter.

Roo-da then realized that maybe the way to cure Yong-shik is for him to face his trauma and overcome it that way. She got Yong-shik out to buy him a new outfit only to go to a massage parlor. She said it's part of the treatment. I was as confused as Yong-shik but soon understood what she meant. Yong-shik's ex-girlfriend Hee-jin is the massage therapist she booked.

This honestly made me so mad. She didn't even say anything to Yong-shik so he was surprised when they met again. Roo-da just had to make everything uncomfortable by pretending she's Yong-shik's girlfriend. She brags about his vitality and even talks about how the girl is the one to blame when the man can't go on all night. I just wanted to drag her out of there! I was so sure Yong-shik will get mad once they're alone since he stayed silent during the session. He deserved that. She obviously crossed the line. However, Yong-shik took it so maturely. He talked to Hee-jin and told her how grateful he was that she stuck with him for a long time despite him being such a loser. Instead of making it all awkward, he took this as an opportunity to give himself and Hee-jin closure. It was a painful memory but he loved her and their relationship was beautiful before it ended.

Ahhhh... Roo-da realized how immature her plan was. Yong-shik told her she did too much this time. She shouldn't have done this. For Roo-da who always puts her pride above everything, this was a punch to the gut. This man right here, who everyone sees as a defective human being, was being more humane than her uppity self. She did sit on it though and was even thinking about it as she went back to the hospital. There, she met Ji-Hyuk in the elevator. Surprisingly, she voiced out her thoughts and asked if they really loved each other when they were still dating. All they did during that year and a half was to try and win against the other. Was that really love?

It also got Ji-Hyuk thinking and we see how they first met and started dating years after. It was a cute sequence. I actually wanted the two of them to patch it up and have a healthier relationship this time around. They first met as university students and they seemed to have kept in touch since then. They ended up dating while Ji-Hyuk was comforting Roo-da from her break up.

Roo-da did have a conscience because she went to Yong-shik the next day to apologize. Yong-shik accepted it and even said he was also quite sensitive then. He thanked her for believing in him and promised to put in all his effort so as not to waste her hard work. This will so going to bite her back later when he finds out why she decided to help him.

They got back to treatment and Roo-da succumbed to her sunbae's "advice": A new woman to make it stand up. She took it upon herself to invite Yong-shik and seduce him in her house. Yong-shik arrived there thinking he's only going to fix a light bulb for her. Her plan got spoiled because Yong-shik fixed her lights faster than she could remove her robe though. They still ended up stuck to each other somehow but it was more wholesome than what she imagined. They reminisced about their goodbye before she left to study abroad. Roo-da said he didn't change. He's still the same cool Yong-shik she knew.

The power of words took full effect because Yong-shik went home giddy from what Roo-da said. We got a funny scene of him looking at the mirror, ready to cut his hair with pink scissors, only to stop and decide to go to the hair salon instead. Lol. He got a haircut and transformed to this omg handsome guy. It's not just the hair though because now he's also wearing a smile and he straightened his back. Ji-Hyuk was also out and about buying a bouquet of flower for Roo-da. He seemed to be preparing to get back with her.

At the front of the hospital, a motorcycle was about to hit Roo-da but Ji-Hyuk pushed her out of the way. This lead to him fracturing an arm. He told her about his thoughts at the ER and suggested that they start over again. We didn't get to see her answer but judging by their conversation later, she probably agreed. Ji-Hyuk asked her to transfer Yong-shik's case to Director Jang since they're not betting anymore. He asked if she's being hesitant because Yong-shik's her first love. She strongly disagreed. She's not going to start anything with a man like that. Dang, girl.

Of course, Yong-shik heard this and now his heart is all broken. Nothing hurts more than someone lifting you up only to drag you back down to the ground again. He ran back home and cried on a corner. This hurts so much. I cannot. Why does Yoon Shi-yoon have to be such a good actor?! It's breaking my heart! He went out running and headed to the urology clinic. He burst in with a new determination. Since Roo-da claimed she'll fix his dysfunction, she should keep her promise. "Fix me!", he demanded.

---

Ahhhhh it feels so good to watch this again! I didn't expect it to hold this much space in my heart but I was checking viki everyday to see if it's back up. Based on how many hours I spent doing subtitles for this show, I can officially say that I love it!

We saw quite a lot of flashbacks in these two episodes. I didn't mention these above but Roo-da thought about Yong-shik of the past quite a lot. He's a really nice and righteous guy. One time, he even pretended to know another student just to comfort said kid's grandma. Her grandson was ashamed she brought kimchi to share with his class instead of the usual ice cream and hamburgers. Yong-shik ate the kimchi and claimed the grandson brags about grandma's food all the time. I mean, who won't fall for a guy like that? I've already implanted him in my memory as my first love.

Through Roo-da's memories, we also found out that an accident happened and it somehow broke them apart. She had to go abroad to study because her dad got so rattled by that accident. It appeared like something fell on them while they were going home after a movie. Yong-shik also have multiple huge scars on his back. I think Yong-shik protected her and she got hurt. It might be like how he covered her when the light fixture fell down. That seems so trivial though considering how the accident had a real impact on both of them. We'll probably find out more in the next episodes so I won't be hasty with my assumptions.

Seeing Yong-shik go through the roller coaster of emotions was so hard on me. He started the week almost jumping off the roof then his first love saved him. He gained confidence again but said first love actually decided to help him because of her stupid pride. I thought we will end the episode with him being back to feeling down in the dumps but that last scene was actually empowering. He cried and grieved but he pulled himself up. Now that everything's out in the open, we can just focus on the main problem: his erectile dysfunction.

I didn't like how Roo-da started all this. Even her sister Roo-ri thought she was being dumb for doing so. However, I don't think she was faking her concern. As the days passed, she started seeing the real Yong-shik, past the erectile dysfunction and the loser status. Yong-shik is still the guy she fell in love with in high school. He's still a good guy. He just needs a little bit of a push. It's too bad that people had to get hurt but now they can just be truthful to each other and work towards a common goal.

Speaking of that, I actually hope Ji-Hyuk would genuinely join the team. He doesn't seem so bad in these two episodes. I guess you start to become like this when the people around you are always so judgmental and are pushing their standards on you. He let his feelings out and even admitted to feeling inferior towards Roo-da. That's big coming from him. I do feel bad for Yong-shik because he seems to be having feelings for Roo-da again but I do wish these two can get back together. Maybe Yong-shik can get back with Hee-jin. She's a nice woman. I think she really was having a hard time too back then and just couldn't handle it anymore. She didn't even erase his number after all these years (unless they exchanged numbers after the massage fiasco).

In conclusion, these two episodes made me feel the power of words. It can change your perspective in life. Tell your co-worker she looked beautiful today. Say hi to a person at the bus stop. Hug a family member. These are small things but might even save a life. Likewise, we should be careful with our words. A professor once told us words are like toothpaste. You can't put it back in the tube once you've squeezed it out. Always be mindful of what you say.

What did you think of these episodes? How did you survive waiting? Let me know your thoughts and let's talk about this awesome drama! I'll see you when the next episodes come out! Stay safe everyone~

세상에서 가장 힘센 말|
김애란

세상에서 가장 힘센 말을 아시나요?

사막 한가운데를 걸어가다가
더 이상 한 발짝도 내딛기 힘들 때

올라타면 지친 나를 태우고 터벅터벅
낙타처럼 끈기 있게 걸어가는 말

외롭고 추운 눈밭에서도
나를 떨어뜨리지 않고 터벅터벅

소처럼 묵묵히 걸어가는 말

아무리 추울때도 체온이 내려가지 않아
그 말 등에 타기만 하면
핫팩을 백 개는 가진 것 같은

내겐 그런 말이 있는데요
나는 가끔씩 그 말에 올라타요

학교를 그만둔 날
엄마가 내게 해 준
괜찮다는 말

Translations by me:

The Most Powerful Words in the World
by Kim Ae-ran

Do you know what the most powerful words are in the world?

While walking in the middle of a desert
and I can't take another step forward,
they're the words that are like the camel
that carries my exhausted body on its back

On the lonely and cold field of snow,
they're the words that are like the cow
that quietly walks without dropping me

No matter how cold it gets, the temperature never drops
If I ride on the back of those words,
it feels like I have a hundred hot packs

I have words like that
Sometimes, I ride on those words

The day I quit school,
The words my mom said to me
"It's okay"

[ENGSUB] Kim Seonho's Drawing Time

[ENG SUB] Hometown Cha Cha Cha Behind the Scenes with Kim Seonho

Hometown Cha Cha Cha Episode 3 Review

"Ssshh. Let me listen to my block."

The opening sequence of Cha Cha Cha's third episode reminded me of Nina's line in the "In the Heights" movie. Where as Nina's block sounded like car honks, street sweeping, and the neighborhood singing, the sounds of Gongjin were the clanging of wind chimes, the waves gently touching the shore, the fish grilling, and the ships arriving on the port. Either way, it showed how even simple everyday sounds tell a story. I always say that we don't really think old songs are better. We just prefer them because we associate them to precious memories we all keep in a corner of our hearts.

It's nice how we get short sequences like these in the beginning. It doesn't just set the mood for the episode but it also serves as a piece of the puzzle which is the Gongjin community. This episode, we focus on the wind chime. It's Grandma Ga-rim's story.

The morning calm gets shattered by Hye-jin's ringing door bell. Doo-shik who's working every job on rotation has been coming to her doorstep everyday with packages for her. She's supposed to go to a friend's wedding but can't seem to find the right outfit. She resorts to buying clothes online due to the island not having a department store. Delivery is really quick though and I'm so jealous. At this point, I'm not sure how long Hyejin and Mi-seon have been living here but it seems that they are getting a steady flow of patients now. Mi-seon also seems friendly with their neighbors, taking a liking to resident police officer Eun-cheol. Hye-jin on the other hand seems to still find it bothersome to interact with them. Doo-shik helps her out with this by surprising her on the day she's headed for Seoul to attend a wedding. "We're coming too!" With him are our three lovely grandmas who all have some errands to do in Seoul. Hye-jin hated the whole drive there. I've mentioned this before but she seems to only do things that will benefit her or will make her life more comfortable. I can see the whole situation as Doo-shik trying to get her points from the grannies but Hye-jin thinks they're just being annoying. I feel like Hye-jin's life would be so much easier on her if she learns to enjoy things, especially the things she can't do anything about. The  drive to Seoul would have been so much more fun if she enjoyed herself too. I mean they do have to stop at every rest area because the grannies have to go to the bathroom so often but take it as a chance to tour all the rest stops! Perspective, girl!

She finally arrives at the wedding and like any other gatherings or reunions in dramas, people start comparing themselves to others in the disguise of catching up. I don't like these reunions because they tend to put those already having a hard time even deeper into their misery. It recently happened in You Raise Me Up as well. However, Hye-jin didn't let these ladies step all over her and she confidently defended her decision to open her clinic in Gongjin. This is one thing I like about Hye-jin. She doesn't let people bring her down. The ride back home with Hye-jin and Doo-shik in the car was rather interesting. They both mention things they miss about their hometowns but it just sounded like them contradicting each other's thoughts. We see a glimpse of the other characters' day like how someone keeps littering so Yeo-jin and Doo-shik had to storm the town hall to demand CCTV installment. Lee-joon also celebrates his birthday with his divorced parents. It's funny and at the same time sad to see the child be more mature than the parents. Grandma Gam-ri was forced to go to the dentist after Doo-shik realized she was having a hard time eating because of her teeth. Hye-jin tells her getting implants is the best thing to do but Grandma Gam-ri strongly rejects it after seeing how much it would cost. Doo-shik said he'd pay for it but Grandma just told him to get lost after giving him a water bomb to the face. It's really hard for people who have lived their lives caring for others to care for themselves. It always feels like it's a waste to use money on yourself because you could have used it for your children. Parents are so guilty of this! My mom would always say even if it's food she's about to eat, she'd give it to me if I ask for it. Grandma Gam-ri's plight was something I could relate too. Just like what Doo-shik said, "People don't change easily, huh?" It's funny because it's true for everyone in the show, probably even for us in real life.

We can see how much Doo-shik lovesp Grandma Gam-ri when he met Hye-jin. He said he'll pay for the implants and asked to keep it a secret to Hye-jin. She declined because it's not aligned with her values. Besides, Grandma doesn't want it. I was just as frustrated as Doo-shik until Hye-jin said that if parents really care, they will be healthy and not die fast. That made me stop. Wow. I was judging Hye-jin again without knowing where she's coming from. She seems to be upset and jealous that her mom passed away when she was only a child. We did see her stare longingly at her friend's loving exchange with her mom at the wedding. I really love how both of them realized something after that conversation. They have strong points and values but their minds are not closed for other possibilities. Hye-jin kept thinking about the issue after that and even checked how chewy squids are and realized how hard it would be for Grandma to eat. She goes to her house and was welcomed with food. They ate dinner together and Grandma showed her the tv show she appeared in two years ago. I love how they didn't really talk about what happened. They just enjoyed each other's company and by doing so, understood each other. No need for words. Before leaving, Hye-jin told Grandma that she still thinks it would be in her best interest to get the implants. This made Grandma change her mind and she headed for the dental clinic the next day carrying the full fees in cash. I loveeeeeee it! At first, I thought she will decline again after she talked to her son on the phone. Her son says maybe she can get dentures for now since they're tight on cash. I can't even blame the son because I get it but then I also know he'll regret not treating his mom better when she's gone. Still, I'm glad Grandma decided to treat herself this time. It's a tough decision considering how selfless she's been all her life but it was the right thing to do. I've had my share of self-care workshops and the thing they always say is that you can't give what you don't have. You have to love yourself and let others love you so that you are recharged before you give love too.

I was already happy and full from this episode but they topped it off with the ending scene. Hye-jin was saying sorry to her shoe in the beginning of the show because it's other side is missing, probably floating on the vast sea. I thought that later on, Doo-shik will find it and her shoes will be a complete pair again and so are they. I didn't think it would happen this early! It was so perfect though! Omg! I literally screamed when I realized what's going on. Then as soon as she put the shoes on, the lights came back on! Awwww so cute! This is why I watch dramas for lol. It was perfect.

It seems that we are going to see someone's story every episode which I already expected. It's typical storytelling but I'm always a sucker for it. Grandma's story was touching because it's true. We do forget to treat ourselves better because we were busy taking care of others. It's a nice reminder. I also love what Hye-jin said to her in her house. "Toothaches are tough. It hurts but nobody else knows how much it hurts but you." Toothaches are awful but so are things we keep to ourselves and never tell anybody else.

Doo-shik seems to have this as well. When he went to Seoul, he headed for a building with a dental clinic, a urology clinic, and a psychiatric clinic. I don't think it will be about his teeth and between the urologist and psychiatrist, I'll bet on the latter. We do see him wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweat. He's carrying something by himself but we didn't get to see what it is yet. What I'm thinking is that it happened two years ago. In Grandma's video from two years ago, Doo-shik was dressed up nicely like he's going to a regular job (unlike his part time jobs right now). He might even be working in a bigger city back then. Something happened then that still haunts him to this day. My friend sent me a screenshot of picture frames where Doo-shik is with a woman, kind of like wedding pictures. Did the woman die? Did she abandon him? Divorce? I don't have enough clues for now but I think Doo-shik came back to Gongjin for the same reason Hye-jin did. He's hurt and needed the comfort of the seaside.

Another thing that made me go hmmm was when Bo-ra came to Hye-jin's house to visit her hedgehog. She told Hye-jin that you can get along with hedgehogs and they will lower their spikes so you can hold them. Hye-jin thought of it as a bother since Bo-ra will take it later anyway. Bo-ra said "It's nice to form a bond while it's still here though." Ha! It's like she's telling Hye-jin that but not about the hedgehog. She'll probably go back to Seoul later and she'll miss Gongjin more than she thought she would and then regret not spending more time with the people there.

Anyway, HomeCha is shaping up to be a really good drama. The dialogue is beautiful, subtle yet insightful. The acting is great and the scenery is to die for. Kim Seon-ho has basically taken over my life at this point. My phone lockscreen and homescreen got changed to his photos. I'm sorry Luffy and BokuAka! Prayer circle for me to meet a man like Hong Doo-shik please!

You Raise Me Up First Impressions and Review

You Raise Me Up is about 31-year-old Do Yong-shik (played by Yoon Shi-yoon) who, on top of studying and failing the civil servant exam for the 6th year, is also suffering from erectile dysfunction. He finally mustered up the courage to go to a urologist only to find out the specialist who’s in charge of him is his first love, Lee Roo-da (played by Ahn Hee-yeon aka EXID's Hani). Roo-da, unlike Yong-shik, is now a successful doctor who has all she could ask for. Of course, she is not perfect because her boyfriend is a jerk who thinks he’s above everyone else. She thinks back to her first love wondering what he’s doing now. To her surprise, she meets him again as her patient. Nothing like realizing you have your finger up your first love’s butthole!

[A part timer is also someone's precious child]

His humiliation then gets taken up a notch when he drops his bag in front of everyone, spilling his cutesy pink stuff in it. He then revealed in his inner monologue that the color pink calms him down. When I saw his place covered with pink items, I felt real bad. It was not because of his preference for pink, everybody should be able to like what they like without judgement. He mentioned buying something pink whenever he's having a hard time. With the amount of pink items he has, I can just imagine how many panic attacks he's had in the past years. I'm so mad that he gets made fun of for this. Colors don't have genders! A lot of the preschoolers like pink and purple regardless of their gender but then boys tell me they like blue when they reach Grade 2 because pink is lame. It breaks my heart to think that along the way, they got told pink and purple are "girl colors" and that they shouldn't like them.

To top it all of, he has erectile dysfunction. This man really has it rough. Oh! I talked too soon. Just when he thought it can't get worse, the doctor who comes in is his first love.

Roo-da, from what I've seen so far, is competent and doesn't take crap from other people. She's kind and romantic but her boyfriend just can't keep up. I really appreciate how she felt bad for misjudging Yong-shik (Though really, she was right. He was just lying.) and she apologized for it. She was also really cool about his erectile dysfunction and was scientifically reassuring him that it will be okay. My only worry is that she felt relieved after hearing he's a CEO just because she doesn't want her fantasy of him to be broken. Right now, she's using him as a leverage against her boyfriend to prove that she has better taste than staying in the relationship with him.

I'm really hoping that her care for him is genuine and not out of pride like he's a fighting cock in her battle against her boyfriend. Her reaction after finding out the truth seems sincere though. Instead of getting mad, she defended Yong-shik against jerk boyfriend and looked for him after he ran away.

Speaking of jerk boyfriend, Do Ji-hyuk (played by Park Ki-woong), that dude is annoying! I can't believe he's a psychiatrist and I don't know how he treats patients. Ugh. He totally played Yong-shik and ME! Dude, we both trusted you! When he started treating Yong-shik (after he realized his erectile dysfunction is probably psychological), I thought he was being professional and was actually helping him out. He sounded so kind and thoughtful only to set Yong-shik up for failure. Note to self: Don't trust pretty boys! Don't be deceived by Park Ki-woong's looks!

Our boy couldn't catch a break and he cries out in the street after running away. Yoon Shi-yoon delivered a top notch performance just two episodes in. I was so into it that I felt like I was having the panic attack. I actually had to pause the show to breathe because it was getting too hard for me to watch. It felt so real. I was yelling at my screen for him to turn back and not think of bad thoughts but I completely understood where he's coming from. In these two episodes, we didn't see him have a good time at all. It was just bad things after bad things. Even talking to his family causes him more pressure. Meeting up with friends made him feel even more insecure and that run in with Roo-da made him feel so worthless and pathetic.

We did end on a high note with Roo-da promising to help him with his erectile problem, hopefully saving him from wanting to jump off the roof.

I loved the first two episodes and thought it was a good setup for what's to come. The episodes were nicely paced and I'm so grateful for the shorter airtime. It's running at about 48 minutes each episode, not too short (like The Great Shaman Ga Doo-shim) and not too long (like Hospital Playlist Season 2). I believe we're only getting eight episodes as well. Perfect length, I must say!

Yoon Shi-yoon is amazing as always. I never imagined that I will see him jacking off on screen but I'm so happy he took this role. He has mentioned being scared to act after his shows got so successful (never forget Baker King Kim Takgu went up to about 50% ratings 10 years ago) when he was just pretty much a new actor. After his military service, he vowed to challenge himself so as not to miss the wonderful view you can see when taking rough roads. It's nice to see him taking roles that challenge him to be better at his craft.

Ahn Hee-yeon is a new face for me in dramas and it's even harder because she's more prominent as an idol in my mind. Her acting was okay and not very distracting but I can see that she's obviously new to this. She's not bad though so I look forward to her syncing with the role more in future episodes. I wish Roo-da would help Yong-shik and become the friend that he needs instead of just using him to boost her ego. I don't doubt her kindness but I just hope she can get past Ji-hyuk's goading and genuinely help Yong-shik to feel better about himself.

Park Ki-woong in yet another second lead role is doing great. He's annoying as heck and that's a testament to his acting skills. I'm sure they gave him awful hair so we can hate him even more instead of swooning all over him. I hope he gets pawned later on or even lose his license for tricking his patient and causing him more trauma.

I look forward to next week for episodes 3 and 4! Until the day we see Yong-shik rise up! *wink*

Bonus: Here's a cut of Yoon Shi-yoon's talk from 1 Night 2 Days titled "The Road Navigation Doesn't Know". I couldn't find the full one anymore but this cut is pretty good too.