Ep. 4

It’s a storytelling trope for a reason, and I’m not against it, but it’s just not one that I particularly enjoy. I understand the draw of Dam’s artless ways, but there’s a childishness about her that makes their dynamic a bit odd at times. Throw in the very respectful way in which she addresses Woo-yeo, and I wonder how we’ll ever really see them as a couple. However, since this relationship is the basis of the entire drama, I’m going to press pause on my doubts for now and just accept the fact that Woo-yeo finds Dam’s personality adorable, and her shortcomings charming.

As Sun-woo continues to pursue Dam, she teams up with Woo-yeo to find ways to discourage his attention. It would be far easier just to tell him no, but there would be no drama if this happened. So instead, Woo-yeo and Dam go on a test date, and he shares all the annoying things she does and should replicate when she’s with Sun-woo to turn him off.

Of course we know the opposite will occur. Of course we know that Sun-woo, despite Dam’s efforts, will only like her more, and despite his bet to win her over, will find himself falling for her genuinely. But it’s still fun somehow. Is it the fun tone of the drama that keeps this thing so alive? Or is it just the fact that I love Bae In-hyuk and could watch him puzzling over Dam and helping her unclog toilets for several more episodes.

Though her living situation and campus life seem complicated enough, Dam also has a new layer of complication added to her life: our recently-turned-human Hye-sun has joined her class as a fellow college student. Tired of being mocked for her low IQ, Hye-sun throws our gumiho a deal: she’ll attend university and not only increase her knowledge, but keep an eye on Dam and the fox bead.

This means more hijinks, especially since Hye-sun turns heads every second, and is paired up with Dam’s bestie DO JAE-JIN. But there’s more to this than meets the eye — or so we’re led to believe — because Hye-sun seems to have a little more up her sleeve. She might be ditzy, but it seems she can also scheme.

And speaking of hijinks, to help Dam out of a sticky situation, Woo-yeo shape shifts into her for a date with Sun-woo. In addition to being hilarious, it makes Woo-yeo realize how deeply invested he’s become in Dam’s life.

Woo-yeo is no stranger to his own heart, and he realizes he’s getting overly attached to Dam. Hye-sun reminds him that being fond of humans has never been very successful for them, and to save himself pain (and maybe Dam too), he starts icing her out. We also get more foreshadowing of Woo-yeo’s love back in ye olde Joseon days (I won’t be surprised when we find out this woman is a Dam lookalike), and the fact that the bead is behaving strangely inside of Dam, and this could become a problem.

In the meantime, Woo-yeo’s best tactic is the ice-out — but it doesn’t last long. Dam is bothered, and because she’s as frank as she is, she calls him out on it very soon.

At this point I have to admit the show quite took my breath away. I wasn’t expecting a gush of romance and philosophy to be injected a drama such as this, but as Woo-yeo and Dam have their final conversation of the episode, that’s exactly what we get.

Dam opens up about Sun-woo, saying that she doesn’t know why he likes her, and worries what will happen if his expectations or impressions of her are unrealistic. This moment of honesty from Dam — and more generally from a young girl’s heart — was so genuine and lovely that it caught me off guard.

But then Woo-yeo’s answer is even better. He explains to Dam that when you love someone you do see them in a different light, and from a different angle than others. He proceeds to quote a beautiful passage from Love in the Time of Cholera about the magic and madness of being in love, and of wondering why the rest of the world can’t see in that person what you yourself do (such gorgeous writing!).

Woo-yeo is speaking from experience, that we can tell. And Dam? She is clearly affected.

As for me, I’ve suddenly forgiven the show the mystical elder/college girl romance I just complained about at great length. This scene positions it all so well that I am now ready for whatever next week brings. (And in the meantime, I know what to add to my summer reading list.)

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Brief Summary of Ep.4

🍂Lee Dam Gets Changed For Her Date🍂

Lee Dam applies the red lipstick on her lips and goes out. Woo-Yeo is weeding. He spots her and has feelings for her. She tells him that she has a date. She walks into the flower store. She smiles when she sees the white flower. Seo-Woo tells Sun-Woo to come out to eat because their mom cooked delicious dish for him.

Sun-Woo rejects it. He doesn’t get positive answer from Lee Dam after he asked her out. Lee Dam meets with Soo-Kyeong and tells her that Sun-Woo tangles her even if she did some bad things to him. Soo-Kyeong tells Lee Dam to let Sun-Woo continue to tangle her. She thinks the man will fall for her in the end.

🍂Hye-Sun Wants to Help Gumiho🍂

Soo-Kyeong asks Lee Dam if she has feelings for Sun-Woo. Lee Dam is frozen. Gumiho makes a cup of coffee for himself. He admits that he has feelings for Lee Dam. Hye-Sun tells Woo-Yeo that she will help him watch Lee Dam because she’s going to get into the girl’s school.

Lee Dam returns home. Woo-Yeo tells her that he will punish her if she’s late next time. She promises it. But she’s furious to close the door. Woo-Yeo texts Hye-Sun and agrees to her plan. Hye-Sun walks at the campus. She smiles after she noted that everyone is looking at her.

🍂Hye-Sun Sees Lee Dam The First Time🍂

Jae-Jin spots Hye-Sun. He gets hit. She walks to him and asks him about the location of the place. He tells her the details of the route. But he still takes her there. Jae-Jin introduces Hye-Sun to his two friends Soo-Kyeong and Lee Dam. Hye-Sun shakes hands with the two girls. She’s interested in Lee Dam after she knew her name.

The teacher asks the students to team up to complete the task. Lee Dam is shocked after knowing she needs to complete the task with Sun-Woo. Hye-Sun reports to Gumiho that Lee Dam got team up with Woo-Yeo. But he tells her to ignore it because it’s the girl’s business.

🍂Woo-Yeo Comforts Lee Dam🍂

Lee Dam is on the way home. She spots Woo-Yeo. She’s surprised. He tells her that he came to pick up her. She cries to tell him that she got bullied. He puts his hand on her shoulder to comfort her when she leans her head on his chest.

Lee Dam takes Woo-Yeo to the karaoke room after knowing he wanted to comfort her. She signs a song to release her pressure. But it hurts his ears deeply. She doesn’t realize it, and asks him to sing a song as well. She treats him as his grandpa after he did that.

🍂Lee Dam Thinks Woo-Yeo Is A Good

Person🍂

Lee Dam tells Woo-Yeo that she went to see Lee Dan in the morning. He feels happy and wipes off the ice cream off her lip. She takes a look at him when he walks her home. She lies in the bed and thinks he’s a good person.

Lee Dam wakes up in the morning. She tells Woo-Yeo that she feels uncomfortable. He knocks at her door and tells her to have lunch. But she doesn’t open the door. So he breaks into her room and spots her lying in the bed. She tells him that she’s in menstruation.

🍂Lee Dam Doesn’t Want To Go On

The Date🍂

Woo-Yeo prepares many foods Lee Dam likes to her. She praises him and tells him that she needs to go on the date with Sun-Woo for her scores. He tells her that he can help her.

Woo-Yeo replaces Lee Dam to go to see Sun-Woo. He takes him to the restaurant. Sun-Woo mentions he got people to talk about Lee Dam’s looks. He thinks Lee Dam has forgiven him. But Woo-Yeo denies it. He thinks about how to deal with Sun-Woo when he’s eating.

🍂Hye-Sun Recognizes Gumiho🍂

Hye-Sun walks to Jae-Jin. He’s not confident when she questions him. He offers to watch movies together. She agrees to it. Jae-Jin takes Hye-Sun to the cinema. He runs to shake Lee Dam’s head after he saw her. Hye-Sun goes out with Woo-Yeo and asks him why he replaced Lee Dam to go on the date.

Woo-Yeo tells Hye-Sun that he did that because Lee Dam felt uncomfortable. Sun-Woo wants to walk Lee Dam home after he watched the movie together. But she rejects it and walks away. Hye-Sun stares at Lee Dam’s back when she walks.

🍂Woo-Yeo Falls Asleep On The Couch🍂

Woo-Yeo returns home. He’s tired to sit on the couch. Lee Dam walks out of the bedroom. She spots Woo-Yeo falling asleep on the couch. She tries to wake him up. But she fails so that she brings the quilt for him. She lets his head lean on the pillow.

Lee Dam sits on the floor. She stares at Woo-Yeo and feels guilty. He opens his eyes and finds out that she falls asleep next to him. He remembers what Hye-Sun told him that he will be sad when Lee Dam passes away if he falls for the girl.

🍂Gumiho Is Cold To Lee Dam🍂

Woo-Yeo stands in the living room. He makes a decision. Lee Dam joins him and wants to have a talk with him. But he’s cold to her and walks away. She brings him the cake. But he rejects it. Lee Dam thinks about why Woo-Yeo was cold to her.

Soo-Kyeong joins Lee Dam. She thinks Lee Dam has feelings for Woo-Yeo after Lee Dam told Soo-Kyeong that the Gumiho was cold to her. Lee Dam denies. She returns home and gets a message from Sun-Woo who wants to do the homework together.

Lee Dam spots Woo-Yeo so that she walks to him. She tells him about Sun-Woo’s demand. But he tells her that it’s not his business. He walks away. She gets into her room and stares at the bell. She remembers he was nice to her when he handed over the bell to her.

🍂Lee Dam Asks Sun-Woo About Their First Date🍂

Sun-Woo drives Lee Dam to the restaurant. He orders many dishes for her. But she doesn’t have the mood to eat, and asks him what happened in their first date. She learns that he did very well during the date. He drops her at the street because she doesn’t want him to go home with her.

Sun-Woo asks Lee Dam about Gumiho when she’s going to leave. She doesn’t know how to explain it to him. So she tells him that the guy isn’t a special person to her. She walks alone the street and passes by the cafe she visited with Woo-Yeo.

🍂Lee Dam Runs Into Gumiho At The Cafe🍂

She remembers the smiling of Woo-Yeo. She tries to leave but she spots him having a seat at the cafe. He sees her as well. She runs away so that he begins to read book. But she shows up in front of him, and sits in front of him. She blames him for being cold to her.

Gumiho apologizes to his roommate. So Lee Dam asks him for treating her well like he did before. She walks away and returns to her seat. He waits for his answer. He asks her if her classmate did something bad on her. She denies and reveals Sun-Woo promised to treat her well.

Woo-Yeo tells Lee Dam that Sun-Woo likes her. But she worries that she’s the girl Sun-Woo is looking for. Woo-Yeo cheers Lee Dam up and tells her that she’s a very charming girl. He recites the poem for her. She stares at him. She has feelings for him.

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