When we last left our cross-cultural duo they struggled to communicate on all levels. In the next few episodes, they will continue to struggle. At least they’re trying.
Tae-Oh tries not to be Tae-Oh, with mixed success
Yuri wakes up to a million texts from Tae-Oh, it’s a bit much. When she mentions this to him at work, Tae-Oh Kabedon’s her and reminds her about talking at work. He then holds up his hand to ward her off the way she’s been holding him off.
Tae-Oh is so coldly-business-like with her that he draws more attention to himself, including from third-member-of-the-love-triangle Hanaoka. Hanaoka talks to Tae-Oh, but he’s only concerned about Tae-Oh over-working himself. Still, Tae-Oh and Yuri are even more nervous.
Tae-Oh is not good at not being Tae-Oh. This is both funny and true to his character.
They get by with a little help from their friends (and food)
The company is invited to a prestigious Valentine’s Day chocolate festival. The catch: they need a new limited edition product. Yuri uses her abilities to discover the company chocolatier, Mahiro, is worried. Yuri offers to help her, letting us see how Yuri relies on her powers.
Mahiro is also Yuri’s best friend, who has figured out Yuri has feelings for Tae-Oh. Yuri tells her that she has no idea what he’s thinking. Mahiro doesn’t know she means this literally and encourages her with chocolate.
Meanwhile, Tae-Oh admits to his professor-father-figure and his senpai that he’s in love. The professor encourages him with marine-wildlife metaphors and takoyaki.
When he learns Tae-Oh’s in love with a coworker, the professor acts worried. He knows about her, her dad, and the accident, but we don’t know what has him worried.
This show is as much about food as communication
Tae-Oh brings Yuri a late-night snack because food is the way to her heart. She wants him to treat her like everyone else. He can’t do that because she’s special. He gives her flowers. After he leaves he finally gets a text back from her — thanking him.
At his urging, Yuri looks up the meaning of the flowers he gave her. Linaria means “notice my love for you” OR “illusion”. Yuri being Yuri she’s immediately hung up on which he means.
But this helps her get a great idea for the Valentine’s Day chocolates: Flavor them with edible flowers with special meanings.
(I love things that taste like flowers and want these chocolates so bad.)
The product is a success. Mahiro is impressed at Yuri’s romantic idea. Also, Tae-Oh’s senpai visits the festival and decides that Mahiro is the coworker that Tae-Oh is in love with.
Finally, Tae-Oh makes progress! Kinda!
When Yuri returns Tae-Oh’s food container, Tae-Oh walks her home. Yuri is relieved Tae-Oh is acting like himself again. She even gets them ice cream. Progress!
He asks her on a date once Valentine’s is over and then rephrases it as having a meal together. She tries to read his mind, again. It’s almost like she can’t help herself. She figures out the Japanese word for promise “約束”/”yakusoku” is very similar to the Korean one “약속”/”yak-sok”.
He shows her a Korean variation on the pinky promise. They’re set.
Well, except Yuri is now confused about the exact timing of the date. She’s excited enough to chase him into an elevator to confirm it. But a sudden work issue has Tae-Oh in the car with Hanaoka, driving away from Yuri and their date.
Everyone is overthinking everything — I relate
In the car, Tae-Oh accidentally mentions liking someone. Hanaoka already figured out that Tae-Oh gave Yuri the flowers. Their constant silly behavior around each other probably didn’t help either. Hanaoka asks directly if it’s Yuri and Tae-Oh pretends not to speak Japanese.
Yuri gets more help from Mahiro, who makes chocolates for both of them to give to their love interests. But Yuri has noticed the other employee who speaks Korean being friendly with Tae-Oh and is worried again. Without her powers, she’s lost all confidence.
Despite his efforts to return to Yuri, Tae-Oh has dinner with Hanaoka. Drunk off nothing, Hanaoka refers to very tall Tae-Oh as a sweet “little” guy. He warns Tae-Oh that Yuri might not see him romantically. Then, he passes out.
Even if people who speak the same language can get confused
Tae-Oh’s senpai tells his professor that Tae-Oh likes chocolatier Mahiro. The professor is relieved it’s not CEO Yuri. He urges the senpai to help the romance along. He also utters a truth that must be universally acknowledged: Tae-Oh is irresistible to all living beings.
Meanwhile, Mahiro is attracted to the senpai, possibly because he was introduced as a doctor. She invites him out on what might be a date but ends up being a strange, awkward meeting. She doesn’t realize he’s not a medical-doctor but is a science-lab-doctor. He thinks she wants help with Tae-Oh. Even when she gives him chocolates he doesn’t figure it out.
Senpai wins against Yuri for being confused about relationships. But while hers arises from a lack of confidence in the obvious, his arises from complete confidence in his incorrect understanding.
Yuri admits her feelings
Yuri’s father makes the astute comment that she is very perceptive of other people’s feelings but not her own. Dad knows.
Tae-Oh misses their date but brings her strawberries. She doesn’t give him the chocolate.
Her confidence takes a few blows. First Hanaoka says she’s acting emotionally and out of character. Then she sees Tae-Oh get chocolate from the Korean-speaking coworker and recognizes that he says the Korean word for “like”.
They finally go on the date, to a restaurant recommended by that co-worker. Tae-Oh catches her jealousy and explains the coworker has a high school boyfriend.
Yuri listens to his thoughts and goes into the bathroom to look up the Korean before she stops herself. Not being able to hear his thoughts and having to focus on her own thoughts is very hard on her.
After dinner, Tae-Oh takes her out for a romantic walk. He ties a red string around her finger. Yuri can’t resist a red string of fate, or Tae-Oh, any longer. Not that she tells him. She gives him the chocolate and tries to leave.
When he grabs her arm, their eyes meet. Out of habit, she puts her hand to her ear when hearing thoughts. He’s noticed this and thinks “nuna?”
We see the women and boy from the beginning of the series. The little boy calls the woman “nuna”. In the book, the girl holds her hand over her ear too.
Some final thoughts on these two episodes and notes on the next
Yuri’s lack of confidence could be exasperating, but I think it’s well-motivated by her missing ability. I can relate, not because I’ve had issues with reading people’s minds, but because I have a hearing impairment. In my case, I was born this way and am constantly aware that I’m missing information others naturally receive.
Yuri is more like someone born with typical hearing, who then loses it unexpectedly. I think it’s fair that she’s trying to figure out ways around it..
And we also have ample examples of people who can’t read minds getting very confused. Hanaoka has the wrong idea about Yuri and Tae-Oh. The professor, the senpai, and Mahiro are caught in a vortex of misunderstanding. It’s exaggerated for comedy because it’s a romcom.
That said, the professor’s unexplained dramatics around Tae-Oh liking Yuri are a bit much. I don’t want the reason to be a heart-wrenching conflict, but then I’ll be annoyed at him for making such a fuss.
Right now Netflix has only released the first 5 episodes so we’ll have to wait until the next 5 are released, possibly mid-next month, for me to continue the recaps.