Melting Me Softly- Episode 8 Recap
Mi-ran and Dong Chan are awkward as they take a ride to the car.
(Episode 8- Flirting and Fight)
An uncomfortable silence prevails during their drive back to the city. Dong Chan says they should check out the next location another time and Mi-ran agrees. Both of them reach for the music player at the same time. Mi-ran takes her hand away when both their hands come into contact. Dong Chan switches on the radio and the song, “Kiss me darling” starts to play. Both of them are embarrassed. He switches the radio off and notices that Mi-ran is sitting close to the window and looking out of it. He smiles slightly.
As they reach home, Mi-ran thanks him and is in a hurry to get out. Dong Chan asks her if she has anything to say to him. Mi-ran says she has nothing to tell him and rushes out of the car. He calls after her as she runs away. Dong Chan comments that she is unbelievable.
At the station, Ha Young asks Hyung Gi if Dong Chan and Mi-ran went alone to check sites. Hyung Gi says it is Mi-ran’s duty as an assistant. He asks Ha Young if she still has feelings for Dong Chan. She says she needn’t tell him that. He says though it is the trend to date elder women these days, Dong Chan is out of her league. Ha Young says she fell in love with Dong Chan because he doesn’t care about other people’s opinion.
Dong Chan reaches the station and smiles as he sits in his desk. He receives a call from Mi-ran. He tells her not to worry about anything else and asks her to get some rest. Mi-ran says he is sorry. She says she has nothing else to say except that she is sorry. Dong Chan asks her what she is apologising for. She says she is apologising for kissing him.
Dong Chan is taken by surprise hearing this. Mi-ran says she thought she was going to die. She says she wanted to kiss someone before she died. She says she didn’t die but ended up staying alive. Dong Chan is disappointed and ruffles his hair saying he is glad she is alive. He asks her to rest so that they can talk later.
Mi-ran says she wants to wrap it up now and asks if he will accept her apology. Dong Chan asks if it was something she had to apologise for. She calls him petty for refusing. She explains saying she thought she was dying. He asks her what is going on. She says she will wait for her punishment. She tells him to do as he wishes and hangs up. Dong Chan is confused as he wonders what she wants.
Mi-ran lies on her bed in embarrassment and says she should have died there.
Dong Chan receives a call from Baek. He says it is about the NIS executive.
Dong Chan meets Baek at the police station. Baek says Nikolai died the previous year. He says people are covering it up because he was a strong presidential candidate. He says that the CIA claims he was assassinated by the opposing party. He says he thinks Nikolai wasn’t the one who blew up Hwang’s car. Baek says there was a book Nikolai maintained on the people he killed during his mafia days. He says the book mentions Nikolai had killed Hwang in 1984 and not Johnson. Dong Chan says this means Nikolai was under the impression he had already killed Hwang. He says Nikolai isn’t the criminal they are looking for.
A man watches the two of them conversing. He says they need to wait until the professor regains his memories. Dong Chan leaves the station.
Dong Chan goes to the lab and looks at Lee in the capsule.
Byung Sim sits on a bench and checks his bank balance. He says he needs to live close to his love and she should get used to seeing him every day. He says he will plan his own fate. He checks advertisements and finds that the attic in Mi-ran’s house is vacant. He calls up the number but Mi-ran’s father says they prefer a female college student. Mi-ran’s father refuses when he learns that Byung Sim is 44 years old. Byung sim says he is a professor and he needs to do a study on living in attics. He says he wants to visit the place.
Dong Chan is driving when he receives a call from Kim asking to meet over dinner.
Kim hangs up and tells the congressman that Dong Chan is obedient and he agreed to come. The congressman doesn’t believe it. He tells Kim to get on Dong Chan’s good side. He says it is time to meet their saviour. He adds that being smart or compassionate will get you nowhere in politics but money will.
As he drives, Dong Chan wonders if Mi-ran is all right. He thinks out aloud that he worries when she doesn’t call and even if she calls. He comments that she is the essence of all his worries. He wonders if it was her first kiss and brushes away the thought, saying it isn’t possible.
In her home Mi-ran’s temperature rises in embarrassment. She tells her father she wants to go out for fresh air, as she doesn’t deserve to eat. He asks her if she wants to come with him to meet the candidate for the attic. She refuses saying she isn’t good at reading people and calls herself garbage. Her father is confused.
Mi-ran walks out of the house. Byung Sim misses her by seconds as he walks into her house.
Dong Chan joins Kim and Congressman Kim Si Seok at dinner. The Congressman says that, when Dong Chan joined the station, he heard that a variety show director (Dong Chan) who was more handsome than the actors had joined the station. He says all the female reporters and employees were head over heels for Dong Chan.
The congressman asks Dong Chan to order. Dong Chan says this place is expensive and orders today’s menu, saying a salaried person like him can’t order anything else on the menu. Dong Chan tells Kim that the new law states that the entertaining fee shouldn’t exceed 30 dollars. He says he will pay for his own food. He asks Kim if he is interested in politics. Dong Chan says he isn’t a resident of Kim’s area and he shouldn’t be wasting time on him.
Just then, CEO Lee walks in. He greets everyone and sits down. Kim tells Dong Chan that Lee is the CEO of Unsung group. Dong Chan recognises Lee as the person sleeping inside the capsule back at the lab. Dong Chan introduces himself and CEO Lee says he knows him already.
Byung Sim signs the rental documents. Mi-ran’s father says his daughter goes to the same university. He adds that his son is over 30 years of age but has a mentality of a ten-year-old. He says that is the reason he is renting out the attic. Byung Sim cheers saying he is glad about it. He then says he wants to call Mi Ran’s father as “Father”. Mi-ran’s father gives him an odd look. Just then, Mi-ran passes by and Byung Sim ducks under the table.
Dong Chan drives back home. On the way, he thinks that CEO Lee bears a striking resemblance to the man in the capsule.
Mi-ran is about to go to bed when she receives a call from Dong Chan. He cuts the call before she can take it. Dong Chan realises they are awkward and decides to text her. He writes that she should take the fever-reducing shot only once a day. He says he should’ve told her earlier but he was out of it.
Mi-ran wonders why he was out of it. She wonders if he was offended by the kiss or if he liked it.
Dong Chan falls asleep.
Meanwhile, Hwang wakes up in the middle of the night and starts walking. He falls because Nam Tae has tied both their legs together. Nam Tae wakes up to see that Hwang is still asleep on the floor where he fell.
The next day, Mi-ran comes to work and ducks her head when she sees Dong Chan. Dong Chan notices this and asks her to handle the registrations for the show on the website. He asks her to learn the process. Dong Chan smiles seeing that she is extremely awkward.
Just then, Hyung Gi walks in with an announcement and a circular regarding sexual harassment at work. He says physical contact between employees is prohibited at work from now. He says one of the directors kissed his assistant director while at work and now he will be going to jail. Dong Chan looks at Mi-ran who looks away in horror.
Park asks if the rule applies even if a woman kisses a man. Hyung Gi asks why a man would allow a woman to kiss him if he didn’t want it and says he would be a fool if he allowed it. Dong Chan chokes on his drink.
As they walk out of the meeting room, Dong Chan receives a text from Mi-ran asking to speak alone in the editing room.
Dong Chan comes into the room and Mi-ran apologises. He asks her what she is apologising for. She says she is apologising for initiating physical contact when the opposite party didn’t want it. Dong Chan says she is the only woman in the world who would apologise after kissing a man.
Mi-ran says she will give him a discount of 1.5 million dollars out of the 70 thousand that the station owes her. This catches Dong Chan off guard. He asks if a kiss is worth 1.5 million dollars. She says it isn’t but she is saying that to make her feel better.
Dong Chan asks if he looks that easy to her. She says he doesn’t look easy and that is why she gave him a huge discount. She says if he did seem easy, she would’ve just offered 150 dollars. He asks her to kiss him 10 times more and give him a discount of 15 million dollars. Mi-ran politely refuses saying she doesn’t intend on doing it anymore. He calls her crazy and says she is treating a person like an object of sexual desire.
Mi-ran says she isn’t too thrilled either as she wasted her first kiss. She says she has apologised enough and she hopes he will accept it. Before he can stop her, she rushes out of the room. Dong Chan follows her out of the room and catches hold of her. He drags her to the side and says this won’t solve anything.
Dong Chan tells her that he was sexually harassed. He says usually you apologise when you step on a person’s foot or get drunk and bite their arm. He asks if a kiss means that little to her. He explains that kissing is something emotional. He says he never had a girl kiss him before, so he needed some time to understand what happened. He asks if this is a joke to her and if she is harassing him now.
Mi-ran says she didn’t think of it as a joke and says that she was embarrassed. She says that is why she said all that. She says it was weird to apologise sincerely, but she couldn’t act as if nothing happened either. She says she is sorry. He loses it saying she is apologising again. He says he is sick and tired of hearing her apologise.
Dong Chan tells her not to boast about this. She says she won’t and asks him not to. He asks why he will want to boast about being unexpectedly kissed by a female. He says he feels humiliated.
Kim watches them from afar and says the two of them are like twins. He says it is no wonder that they fight.
Mi-ran apologises for making him feel humiliated. Dong Chan says she told him she wanted to kiss someone before she died. He asks if she was with another person instead of him, would she still have kissed that someone else. She asks him how that matters. He says it does and he will decide whether to accept her apology or not depending on her answer.
Dong Chan’s temperature rises as he waits for her answer. Mi-ran says if she was with another person she wouldn’t have kissed that person. Dong Chan’s temperature rises further as he hears this. Dong Chan tells her it is okay and says she needn’t apologise. He walks away. Mi-ran’s temperature also rises.
Kyung Ja is at a cafe with her sister Park Yu Ja (Fortune-teller). She shoots a VLOG and says Yu Ja is a deaconess now.
At the station, Ha Young receives a call from a woman saying that she knows who bombed Jo’s car. Ha Young offers to meet the woman. The woman says she will come to the broadcasting station. The woman says she will meet them only under the condition that Dong Chan has to be present.
Dong Chan watches Mi-ran learning how to register applicants on the phone. He goes over to her and asks if she can do it. She says it will be a piece of cake. He asks if everything is a piece of cake for her. He tells her not to surf too much on her phone. She asks if it will raise her temperature. He says there is a limited amount of Wi-fi and others won’t be able to use it if she exhausts everything. She says it mentioned unlimited data service. He says it is very limited for phones. He tells her not to manage the site through the phone. He tells her to sit at the computer and work as the data on the computer is unlimited. She says she will cooperate. He asks her to work on the casting list. Dong Chan receives a call from Ha Young asking him to come to her office.
Dong Chan walks into Ha Young’s office. Ha Young says she received an anonymous call from a woman who has sent them footage of Jo’s car exploding. She tells him that the person wanted him to be present when they meet. He asks when the meeting is and she says the woman will call them again. Dong Chan asks her to get some personal information on CEO Lee Seok Du. He says he will explain later.
When he starts walking, Ha Young says it feels weird to see Dong Chan’s old self back. She says her heart still flutters when she remembers the first time they met. She asks him what he is doing tomorrow and he says he going to check a filming location. She asks if he is going with Mi-ran again and he says he is going alone. He tells her to tell the caller to meet them immediately when she calls the next time. Ha Young is upset when he walks out.
Kim has a talk with Mi-ran in his office. He asks if she doesn’t get along with Dong Chan. She says not really. He says he will let her pick the director she wants to work with. She refuses saying Dong Chan is the best director out there. She says she has always admired his passion and competence. Kim asks if she wants to work with him despite arguing. She says Dong Chan isn’t her husband, so it is fine to work with him as a worker.
Meanwhile, Hyung Gi asks Dong Chan why he chooses to work with Mi-ran. Dong Chan says Mi-ran is talented, smart and imaginative. He says she is promising as long as she is guided well. Hyung Gi says the two have an awful relationship. Dong Chan says he doesn’t work with people because he likes them. He says her DNA screams, “variety show”. He says he hasn’t seen anyone like her. Dong Chan says it will be a problem if the administration division finds out her age. Hyung Gi says he will take care of it. Dong Chan tells Hyung Gi to take care of Mi-ran. He says she may look strong but has a sensitive heart like his.
Meanwhile, Kyun Ja is in the TBO’s lobby. She is still shooting her VLOG. She spots Dong Chan on the screen and he also spots her. He disappears into the restroom immediately. She follows him.
Mi-ran is delighted to meet Yu Ja who is in the lobby. Yu Ja spots Dong Chan walking past them. She tells Mi-ran that he is Mi-ran’s fate that she spoke about 20 years ago. Mi-ran sees that Yu Ja is referring to Dong Chan. Yu Ja laughs wondering if her power is back.
Mi-ran goes back to her seat and watches Dong Chan who is speaking with others.
Dong Chan tells her that he found a writer. He asks her to get along well with the writer. He tells her to go to Hongdae tomorrow and check for trends. He tells her to find how the people in their 20’s live their lives. He tells her to live like them. He says he will visit the lab and check out the locations by himself. She looks at his empty seat as he walks away.
She is startled when he comes back and tells her to make sure to carry the fever reducers. He tells her to stay away from the sun. He tells her not to get sick and walks away.
Byung Sim decorates the attic. He tells Mi-ran’s father that he has more luggage to bring. He says he will move-in in two days.
Hwang and Nam-tae are assembling a puzzle. Nam-tae dresses Hwangs wound from the fall. Hwang says he hopes that he researched cryonics to help people like Nam-Tae. He says he hopes it wasn’t for anything else, Nam Tae runs out as Mi-ran comes home. Hwang comments that it is like his memory.
Mi-ran calls Ji Hoon after seeing his text. He asks her what her plans for tomorrow are. She says she is going to check the trends of 20’s at Hongdae. He offers to accompany her and she agrees.
Dong Chan is in the lab and Jo tells him that only Hwang has the details on the other subjects. Dong Chan asks him why they can’t take more than one fever-reducing shot in a day. Jo says their bodies will slowly develop a resistance to the shots and it will become ineffective. He says they will have to raise their temperature soon.
Dong Chan is shocked to hear this and he asks if they could die. Jo says he hopes their temperatures don’t rise.
Mi-ran is packing the fever reducers when she recalls what happened the previous day. She wonders if Dong Chan administered his shot to her. Mi-ran’s temperature and heartbeat rise as she thinks about him.
Dong Chan is in his car. He heart races when he remembers Mi-ran saying that she wouldn’t have kissed another person. He says “No…no” and puts his head on the steering wheel.
The next day, Mi-ran and Ji Hoon go to Hongdae. Mi-ran wins a lipstick and she is told they will give a blush free if she posts a picture on social media. She takes a selfie with Ji Hoon and he posts it for her with the title #pretty #date in Hongdae.
Later, Ji Hoon teaches her skateboarding. He holds her when she loses balance. He then tells her that this is called flirting.
Ha-young is on the phone with Hyung Gi. He tells her where Dong Chan is staying. She tells him that Dong Chan shouldn’t know about this conversation. Hyung Gi says he too doesn’t want Dong Chan to know about this conversation. She smiles.
Mi-ran and Ji Hoon are walking down the street when she receives a picture of a lake from Dong Chan on her phone. She comments that the location is beautiful.
Dong Chan receives a selfie from Mi-ran and he smiles looking at it. He says he hopes she keeps on smiling like that. He checks into the hotel and watches the view from his room.
Ha Young checks into the same hotel as Dong Chan. She thinks to herself that she must love dong Chan a lot.
Dong Chan is on the phone with the writer. He asks the details to be forwarded to his assistant director. They ask her age. Dong Chan hesitates and says 24. He says she is an intern.
Dong Chan receives a call from Ha Young. She says she is in the same hotel as him and is here to investigate a story. She says she is in room 807.
It is raining at night and Ha Young lies awake in her bed. She hears a knock on her door.
She eagerly opens the door and finds Dong Chan standing there. He comes in and kisses her. She kisses him back.
In reality, Ha Young is crying as she lies alone in the bed.
Meanwhile, Dong Chan sits in his room by himself, as the rain batters the windows.
Mi-ran comes to work the next day dressed stylishly from her shopping the previous day. She places a bag on Dong Chan’s desk with a smile. She gets to work.
Ha Young comes into the lobby and spots Dong Chan. She is upset as she sees him smiling as he is on the phone.
Dong Chan reaches his desk and he notices the bag. He finds a box with a post-it on it. It reads that it is a wearable fan. There is also a travel flask. He smiles as he puts it back.
He puts the fan around his neck and Mi-ran walks in looking annoyed. She asks him why he lied regarding the Wi-fi data. Dong Chan says it wasn’t a lie and it was more of a joke. She says he shouldn’t do that. She says she memorised everything from yesterday and is as efficient as 5G. She says he was born ages ago and he doesn’t know about today’s trend. She says people wear a lot of stylish stuff and it is called Swag. He smiles as she walks away.
Just then, Mi-ran receives a text from Kyun Ja asking for 5000 dollars. Mi-ran says she will call Kyun Ja and asks why she needs that much money. Kyun Ja again sends a text saying her smartphone screen has smashed and she can’t call. She says she is texting form the computer. She says she needs the money for the studio and sends the details of her bank account number. Mi-ran says she has only 800 dollars. Kyun Ja says that will do.
Mi-ran goes to the bank and transfers the money to the account.
As she steps out, she receives a call from Kyun Ja asking her to like her video. Mi-ran asks her how she is calling and she says she wired the 800 dollars. Kyun Ja asks her why she sent the money when she didn’t ask for it. Mi-ran is shocked to hear this.
Meanwhile, Dong Chan wonders what Mi-ran is up to. He tries calling her.
Mi-ran is at the police station. She asks the officer how some person knew her best friend’s name. He says her phone was probably hacked. He says it is voice phishing.
Mi-ran goes to a cafe and she is frustrated. She pours a drink and starts drinking alcohol.
Dong Chan’s calls go unanswered.
Mi-ran passes out after she drinks two bottles of alcohol.
Dong Chan gets an alert on his phone stating that Mi-ran’s temperature has reached a critical level. Dong Chan tracks her location and runs to where she is. He finds her sitting beside a lamppost on the street. She says she can’t even run away. Tears pool in her eyes.
Dong Chan asks if she is drunk. Mi-ran says she is having a hard time adjusting to this world. She says she tries hard not to let it bother her, but she keeps falling down and making a fool of herself. She says she can’t even go back to her old life. Dong Chan asks if that is why she drank alcohol. She says she took the fever-reducing shot before she got drunk. She says she was very upset and wanted to try what everyone does.
Dong Chan asks why she keeps tormenting him. She asks him when she tormented him. Dong Chan says he is having a hard time because of her. Mi-ran asks him not to feel responsible for her. She says it was her choice. She asks him to forget about her and live his life. She asks him to stop making her feel weak and behave as if he owes her something. She tells him not to worry about her from this moment. She says she won’t resent him if something happens to her. She gets up and starts walking away.
Dong Chan tells her not to act up and she turns around. He walks up to her and says if she continues to start acting up, he may end up liking her.
Image Courtesy – TVN
Review
The awkwardness between Mi-ran and Dong Chan was funny. It was portrayed really well. Though it covered most of the episode, it was a pleasant watch. It was good that Mi-ran mentioned she wouldn’t have kissed any other person in Dong Chan’s place. It shows the depth in character and progress in the plot.
The scene with the sexual harassment notice followed by their conversation was hilarious.
Dong Chan’s character is well written as it shows him as a righteous person when he refused to entertain the idea of getting involved with the congressman. The difference in Dong Chan’s behaviour towards Mi-ran and Ha Young is well made.
It should be interesting to see Mi-ran’s reaction when she finds out Byung Sim is going to staying in the attic.
Ha Young, on the other hand, is a stark contrast to Byung Sim (who is more on the comic side). She doesn’t seem to be taking no for an answer.
Jo mentioned that the body will soon develop a resistance to the injection. I wonder how soon that is going to happen as Mi-ran has already taken her second shot in two days.
The imposter Lee’s men are hot on Dong Chan’s tracks and I wonder who is the mystery caller.
The progress of both the romance and the mystery plot is good. I hope the following episode keep up the pace.
-By Soul Sword-
The Writers Room 
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