"The Smile Has Left Your Eyes" Ep 7-8 Discussion Post

[zeysech.livejournal.com]

Alternate Title: Hundred Million Stars From the Sky

Synopsis:  Yoo Jin Kook (Park Sung-Woong)is a veteran homicide detective who is getting weary of his job. The only light in his life is his younger sister, Yoo Jin Kang (Jung So-Min). He dotes on her and is protective of her like a father figure ever since they lost their parents. When Jin Kook starts investigating a suicide of a university student, he can’t help but feel that the dead student’s boyfriend, Kim Moo Young (Seo In-Guk), may have been responsible for her death. Moo Young seems like a nice guy who works at a Korean beer microbrewery, but there seems to be a dark side to him. When Moo Young meets Jin Kang and the two begin to develop a relationship, Jin Kook is determined to stop it. But can Jin Kook protect Jin Kang when she needs it the most?

Cast: Seo In-Guk, Jung So-Min, Park Sung-Woong, Go Min-Si, Yoo Jae-Myung, Seo Eun-Su, Do Sang-Woo, Jang Young-Nam, Kwon Soo-Hyun, Hong Bin
Director: Yoo Je-Won
Writer: Song Hye-Jin
Network: tvN
Episodes: 16
Release Date: October 3 - November 22, 2018
Runtime: Wed. & Thu. 21:30

Watch Here: Viki | fastdrama

Sources: Asianwiki | Viki

Comments

[juhli.livejournal.com]

idk, the depth of her emotions for him seemed too deep too fast? I could only half enjoy that kiss, even when their chemistry is good.

I'm mainly into the drama because of Moo Young's complex character and his backstory for now.

Kinda shocked that they killed off the whole chaebol-couple...

[zeysech.livejournal.com]

I feel like the depth of her emotion for him... to me it's kind of like the depth of Moo Young's emotion for her? Where, I don't think it's the deepest love known to man, I just think it's new for both of them to feel this way about a person. The difference with Moo Young is that it's new bc he just... plain never felt anything for anyone, while with Jin Kang, I can believe that she never really had romantic feelings for another person before.

IA though Moo Young's backstory is soooo fascinating.

And yes! I was so surprised, though that car chase was shot beautifully and I loved the soundtrack, it really added to the tension.

[ty.livejournal.com]

I think they were children together and that is all I am going to say.

[sweetestbliss1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was hoping they'd give it another episode or two before they actually had her confirm her feelings for him. I feel like dramas as of late have been really rushing the romance? I'm not watching Beauty Inside or whatever, but it seems that couple is already "deep" in love too and they're also on the same episode number.

[lostintheechoes.livejournal.com]

i'm all caught up now! i'd like to know more about moo young and jin kang's backstory. i feel they're connected somehow.

[zeysech.livejournal.com]

Oh definitely! With those burns, their backstory has to be connected.

[ah0000.livejournal.com]

This is currently my favorite show that's airing. Their feelings don't really seem to be quite THERE yet but they are such fascinating characters.

I wana know more backstory for Jin Kook and Tak also. Like, why aren't they together they're so cute. I really love Tak even tho idk really the purpose of her character. She's hilarious tho.

Gonna say that while the chaebol couple dying was a surprise (who knew they'd take it that far) I'm honestly glad there's no more sheltered Seung Ah. Her disregard for Jin Kang's feelings really annoyed me and her prioritizing Moo Young over Jin Kang also really bothered me.

I can't believe the show is only halfway through.

[sweetestbliss1.livejournal.com]

Seung Ah dying seemed like such a last minute decision. It was weird that they made her survive the surgery and even had the doctor say she was out of immediate danger, only to have her die a few days later?? Unless the secretary guy had something to do with it? Like when he told the mom that Seung Ah was going to be transferred to her room, he seemed so sketch.

I'm really intrigued by this show, too, and watched it on a whim. I've been going through a drama drought the last few months as none of the dramas have been appealing to me. I WAS watching Secretary Kim when it was airing, but lost interest like half way through.

[by-venoms-sting.livejournal.com]

I have been waiting since the show started for asshole fiance to die and this week delivered.

I also finally feel invested in the story now because earlier on I spent a majority of the time comparing it to the original jdrama whereas now I'm just watching it (I still compare the two of course but I don't spend as much time on those thoughts as I used to).

[infj23.livejournal.com]

Ooh! How do you feel about it as an adaptation?

[by-venoms-sting.livejournal.com]

It's pretty faithful to the overall story but some of the characters have a different feel to them than the jdrama. Like Tak's character exists in the jdrama but isn't nearly as fun/entertaining. She's just there as a foil of sorts to tell the Japanese version of Jin Kook that he might be wrong about his assumptions and didn't feel like as much as a presence~ in the show as her Korean counter part. Cho Rong (Jin Kang's boyfriend~/Jin Kook's co-worker) doesn't really exist at all in the Japanese version. Her character is dating someone for a bit but he's just a filler character of sorts and of no real importance unlike Cho Rong. I think the presentation of the police force in the kdrama is way better than the jdrama cause cause it feels more realistic to me. In the jdrama it's mainly Jin Kook's character investigating alone and while he does get push back from higher ups for continuing to investigate the case, we don't actually see him interacting with other officers a whole lot.

Another big difference to me is how the Korean version presents Moo Young as being more calculating in his actions from the start. While watching the Japanese version his character was way more mysterious to me. I could never get a good handle on weather he was guilty of the sort of things he was accused of or not (though I did get answers by the end of the show obviously). Idk Moo Young just has a more of a "something isn't right with this one" vibe to me lol.

There's more but this comment is already long-ish so I'm not going to go into it. I guess I'm stance overall is that as an adaptation it's pretty good just has a different feel~ to it if that make any sense?

[infj23.livejournal.com]

Yes, it does. I may check out Japanese version once this drama ends. Thanks!

[ty.livejournal.com]

I was confused when Moo Young sent the $2M back to Seung Ah. Like was he really willing to die over this or if the asshole had not chased them, would they have driven off into the sunset?

Seo In Guk confuses me. He is handsome, but then he is not handsome. Imma need him to pick one.

[zeysech.livejournal.com]

He was definitely willing to die if it meant asshole bf died as well. My guess is that he would have dumped Seung Ah as soon as he got bored of humiliating the bf.

[sweetestbliss1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Moo Young is definitely a confusing and reckless character. It was kind of weird that he was willing to put up such high stakes to just get back at Woo Sang. Maybe what really pushed Moo Young's buttons was when he found out Woo Sang knew about Jin Kang, but even he couldn't have imagined his game was going to end up with people dying.

And I found it bizarre that Woo Sang was seriously so invested in Seung Ah. When she appeared at the celebration and he told her not to go with Moo Young, it actually looked like he had tears in his eyes? His character was weird and they tried to give him more depth with his feelings towards Seung Ah when there was nothing but possessiveness and jealousy.

and LOL I keep going back and forth about Seo In Guk, too. I came up with the best description of him...I describe him as being "weirdly hot/attractive". Hahah