High School King of Savvy: Episode 8 Review

With the love triangle aspect dwindling down for a bit, we get more focus on Soo Young and Min Suk’s obvious and growing feelings for each other. Nothing can happen without some drama angst first, though. Meanwhile, Jin Woo’s parents get some screen time to further demonstrate their aggressive and dysfunctional relationship. Jin Woo’s cool facade starts breaking, and hopefully he’ll try to change before it’s too late.

EPISODE 8 

We left off with Min Suk planting one on the oblivious Soo Young. Not one for misunderstandings, Min Suk says right out that he likes her. That’s why he didn’t tell her about Jin Woo firing her, because he didn’t want her to get hurt. Well, he takes it a little overboard after that, telling her to stop eating with Jin Woo and not to forgive him and all kinds of things. Soo Young, not sure what’s happening or what she’s feeling, turns and walks away. When Min Suk starts coming after her, she goes faster and ends up losing one of her shoes. Ha, that just reminds me of Cinderella.

Soo Young runs around for a while with one shoe before giving up and calling Yoo Ah to come bring her another pair. Yoo Ah arrives and when she sees the state of Soo Young she asks if a pervert chased after her.

The next day at work, Soo Young returns the gift Jin Woo had giver her earlier. He replies that he has to give her the thermos back but she coldly tells him to throw it away. Soon after, Min Suk goes into his office to thank him for being such a bastard, as it made him realize his feelings towards Soo Young. He also warns Jin Woo that he won’t be able to stand back anymore if he continues to hurt Soo Young.

In the Retail team office, Soo Young has to give a report to Min Suk too look over. Min Suk stops her from leaving and asks why she ran away after he declared his love. I love how blunt he is and unafraid to tell the truth about his feelings. Soo Young casts her eyes down and refuses to give a direct answer. She leaves his office, but Min Suk won’t give up that easily. He calls, texts, and emails her to give him an answer.

The President meets with the two head managers about the new brochure for their company. Looking at the picture of him, one of the managers remarks that he looks like James Dean. The President yells at them not to be so old school, he argues that he prefers a comparison to Robert Pattinson. HA. The President notices the birthdate of Jin Woo and suddenly realizes that the reason Jin Woo asked to eat lunch with him was because it was his birthday. He calls his secretary and tells her to prepare a gift.

After a grueling meeting, the Retail team plays a game to decide who will pay for and pick up some snacks. It ends up being Min Suk and Soo Young who have to pick it up. Soo Young backs out quickly, but circumstances lead to them being the only two left in the office while everyone else gets the snacks. This time she sprains her ankle while trying to get away. Aish.

Min Suk obviously gets very irritated. Soo Young finally tells him that she was crying over Jin Woo just the other day and that she can’t change her mind like flipping a coin. Yes, for once the love triangle is at least a little realistic in its execution. You don’t immediately jump from one person to the next, you need at least a little bit of time to sort out your feelings. Soo Young tells him that she wants to stay away from the romantic stuff for now.

Yoo Ah is counting her money back home, but still hasn’t earned enough to buy new skates for Min Suk. She comes out of her room to find Soo Young moaning over her ankle and love life. Soo Young laments that she doesn’t know what to do after Min Suk’s expressed his feelings. Yoo Ah rightly replies that if she likes him, then date him, and is she doesn’t, then don’t. It’s as simple as that.

When Min Suk calls her later, he asks one more time before giving up and reassuring her he won’t bother her anymore. They can go back to being friendly allies. At work the next day, he is polite but distant towards Soo Young. He meets with Team Leader to tell him he needs off for a hockey training session taking place over the weekend. At the office, Soo Young is obviously disappointed in Min Suk’s lack of attention towards her.

Min Suk actually leaves the office before Soo Young and goes out to eat with his friends. They notice that something’s really off with him. As Soo Young is walking home, she freaks out for a second when she notices someone following her, but it’s just Gramps. She buys him a treat and starts telling him her romantic problems.

The two awesome friends talk to Min Suk about his woman problems. They berate him for liking someone ten years older than him, since it’s fraught with all sorts of complications.

Soo Young has a telling dream where instead of herself, Min Suk is about to bungee jump when the rope is lose. In another vein of symbolism, Min Suk has stopped paying attention to the weird moss thing he stole form Soo Young and it’s become withered. Soo Young tries to attach some meaning behind her dream, thinking it signifies some terrible accident that’s going to happen to Min Suk, who’s on a “business trip.”

Adorable Yoo Ah makes some food for Min Suk’s bus ride and gives it to him before he leaves for training. Min Suk tries to run his troubles away, but he ends up falling and hurting himself.

Jin Woo gets a call from the rehabilitation center and finds out that his mother has gone missing. She reappears in the President’s office with some flowers. He asks if she’s there to intimidate or threaten him. Shaking, she replies she just wanted to see him. The President yells that this is where Jin Woo works, but she slaps him across the face, cutting his cheek, and says how dare he talk about Jin Woo. Angry, the President orders his minions to escort her out. Jin Woo comes in as they’re manhandling her down the hallway. He demands they let her go and she leaves with him.

At the office, they hear about an earthquake in Japan where they think Min Suk is having his meeting. Soo Young gets more worried and keeps trying to call Min Suk but he doesn’t answer. When another employee calls, he does pick up the phone and assures everyone he’s alright.

The President has just received the gift he asked his secretary to prepare for Jin Woo, when said man comes bursting into the room. Jin Woo yells at him for his harsh treatment of his mother.  When he goes back to apartment, Jin Woo takes out the cake that Soo Young got him for his birthday and the sweet note that went with it. I hope Jin Woo is seeing that if he doesn’t do something he’ll turn out exactly like his father; cold, conceited, and uncaring of other peoples’ feelings.

Min Suk looks depressed as his coach tries to pump everyone up for the game. Without anyone noticing, he decides to hitch a ride back to Seoul. Soo Young is in another inner monologue. At first she tries to convince herself that she was only worried about Min Suk because of her dream and the earthquake. But this is not a show of misunderstandings, and she knows right away that she’s fooling herself. “You know that’s not it, ” she tells herself, “You like him. It’s because you like him, too.” Realizing all of this, Soo Young grabs a taxi and tells him to go to the airport, since she believes Min Suk’s in Japan on business.

While Min Suk is on a car on the way to Seoul, Soo Young stands in the airport waiting for the plane to get in from Japan. She’s holding a paper that says, “OK.” Aww, that’s adorable, but is this The Fault in Our Stars or what? Just as she’s about to give up after waiting for a while, Min Suk calls. They agree to meet in their neighborhood.

They end up on opposite sides of the street waiting for the walk signal. Soo Young shouts across the street about Min Suk’s injured arm, but he says it’s fine. Then she yells her, “Okay” but Min Suk can’t hear. Frustrated, he runs further along the street and comes up behind her to give her a backhug. He says he can’t give up like this, he has a killer fighting spirit. Not one to waste time, she is finally able to tell him, “Okay. I like you too.” They share another very sweet kiss.

After Thoughts

Aww, that was such an adorably sweet episode. I feel like we got enough closure for the Jin Woo and Soo Young angle before moving on to Soo Young and Min Suk’s relationship. I also thought we got a realistic portrayal of events, with Soo Young realizing exactly how much Min Suk meant to her only after he started leaving her alone. You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.

There’s some more great sisterly talks between Soo Young and Yoo Ah, with the latter giving surprisingly mature advice. I’m incredibly happy to see the story take a break from the love triangle elements and focus on the development between Soo Young and Min Suk and Jin Woo’s family problems. With every glimpse into his background, I get more sympathetic towards his character. It’s nice to see him standing up to his father, too.

Things are about to heat up as the Soo Young/Min Suk couple start dating and we’re only halfway through the drama! This also means that Soo Young should be finding out about Min Suk’s double identity pretty soon. Another solid, romantic, and funny episode of Savvy. I’m even more excited for the next episodes!