Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 10

EPISODE 10. Broadcast on September 6, 2013.

javabeans: We rejoin the crew with the grandpas (minus Soon-jae halbae) and the newly arrived Seo-jin and Sunny, as they prepare to head out. The halbaes want to eat mango shaved ice, and Sunny gets right on it, scrolling through her smartphone, which triggers this hilarious comparison to Seo-jin, who spent the last trip poring over maps and guidebooks. It becomes this whole analog-vs-digital thing, and even on the bus ride over, Seo-jin was flipping through a book while Sunny said, "I think there's an app for that."

girlfriday: Yeah her first instinct is to take a picture of something and use that to search, I'm already like, "Oh, that's fancy." Maybe Seo-jin can actually spend a whole day without guidebook in hand.

javabeans: Na PD points out an extra suitcase that was packed by Seo-jin's mother, and it's 23kg of food. Containers and containers of side dishes and snacks and kimchi. Ha, there's one container labeled "snacks for drinking" that gets the halbaes' attention, all, The woman knows us well.

girlfriday: I sort of love that she idiot-proofs the food. Not what it is, but what it's meant for.

javabeans: It's such a mom thing to do. All it's lacking is a diagram indicating "Eat A with B, and let C rest before you add it to D."

girlfriday: Gu halbae thanks Mom for all the food, and adds that "things" are going well for Seo-jinnie here, wink wink. Hee. You make us food, we marry off your son. It's a win-win.

javabeans: As the group heads out, the young'uns lead the pack while discussing where to go today. The three grandpas trail, but today they're lagging purposely so the couple can have their space. Geun-hyung halbae totally starts out by snapping surreptitious photos of them together, then goes for it blatantly. I swear, you can practically see him thinking how well this will turn out for the wedding slideshow. *click click*

girlfriday: You can actually hear him giggling as he snaps photos. It's so cute.

javabeans: This is totally what this trip needed to kick it up a notch from the Europe trip, because now the halbaes become active plotters too, not just sheep (however entertaining) to be herded by a harried shepherd. We have additional storylines! Multiple agendas! Na PD, you evil genius!

girlfriday: I know, now if Seo-jinnie comes back for a third trip, I want another actress/singer somebody he has a crush on. We could do this all year.

javabeans: They arrive at Longshan Temple, and there's a pretty long bit as we watch the locals praying and bowing, though it's edited together well into a compelling documentary-like sequence. Geun-hyung halbae is in awe of the sight of the templegoers, while we see Gu and Sub halbaes praying for their families' health and futures… and at the end of the rather elegantly edited sequence, Seo-jin and Sunny slip away to figure out a more pressing concern: dinner.

girlfriday: They decide on a restaurant that's pretty far away, and Na PD needles them with the ominous warning that their choice will determine the rest of their night, as if it's do or die.

javabeans: 'Cause if they don't like it, Seo-jin's gonna be cooking back at the guesthouse! Sunny is more worried about the distance than Seo-jin is, which makes me think she's seen Season 1, and worriedly breaks the news to Geun-hyung halbae. He agrees cheerfully, but it's Il-sub halbae who hears "five minutes of walking" and spurs a a montage of all his cranky moments last time, complaining every time they had to walk. But! He says okay after all, and I'm like, is it 'cause she's a pretty girl?

girlfriday: LOL. This is proof that all boys are the same, even when they're seventy.

javabeans: Haha, Seo-jin marvels to Na PD that the whole thing feels different when Sunny does it. Na PD even admits that he made Sunny talk to Il-sub halbae because he was scared of the reaction if he were to say it.

girlfriday: It cracks me up, their twin reactions to it in real time.

javabeans: So the group starts out, and Il-sub halbae immediately orders Seo-jin to slow his walk. Then Sunny appears at grandpa's side to walk with him and all is happy. Then she pauses to join Geun-hyung halbae when he peers at storefronts, and Il-sub halbae starts looking unhappy, and then HA!, we get the theme song to Jealousy (the 1992 drama).

girlfriday: Hahahaha. Are the halbaes going to fight it out for Sunny's attention?

javabeans: Oh man, what a great song, and so appropriate: "Where the heck are you looking? I'm standing right here in front of you. Don't make me wait too long, don't think I'll just be smiling here…"

girlfriday: With every line of the song, Il-sub halbae is getting crankier and crankier. And then Seo-jin starts to notice, and now he's sweating the tension. It doesn't seem fake either, because Il-sub halbae gets pissed and mutters that it's rude.

javabeans: It's worse when Na PD gives Seo-jin this LOOK and quietly murmurs, "You know they're both angry, right? For waiting so long?" I do sort of love that because Sunny is here, the boys have banded together.

girlfriday: I know, it's suddenly a different dynamic, and Na PD is no longer the enemy. I think this is closer to how they must be in real life.

javabeans: Gu halbae shakes it off readily and Geun-hyung halbae apologizes for making him wait. But it's Il-sub halbae who's silent and frosty, and Seo-jin is SO aware of it but can do nothing. He has this nervous tic of drinking water when he's stressed, so all you see is him shooting nervous glances over at gramps, swigging water, rinse and repeat. Seo-jin finds a seat on the subway and offers it to Il-sub halbae, and you know he's pissy because he refuses it a few times before being convinced to take it.

girlfriday: Oh phew, I was scared he'd refuse to sit. But then we get this whole montage of the difference between Il-sub halbae With Chair and Without Chair, and it's like night and day: smile, frown, smile, frown.

javabeans: When they get off at their stop, Sunny worries about finding her way, but Seo-jin is all smiles now that it's not his responsibility. And then tense, dramatic music starts to play as Sunny refers to her phone, and gahhhh now I'm all wound up and nervous for her. What if they get lost? Imma be honest, I had to skip forward to see how it ends before I could continue.

girlfriday: Haha. I'm actually less nervous for her, because she has aegyo to fall back on. Seo-jinnie had none of that.

javabeans: The thing is, she's actually genuinely worried so her aegyo starts to disappear, and then she whispers to Seo-jin, "Emergency!" Acccck. Turns out they're just off by one block, but they have to double back first and she's so tense that she stops talking for a while. Of course, I understand this is totally all editing, which is why it's so funny, because the show turns a tiny deal into A Catastrophe, but the suspense is real!

girlfriday: Yeah it's all in the build-up, because they measure Il-sub halbae's growing agitation in degrees (there's now a handy measuring scale for it on the show, like when he's at 80% and 95%) and you really get the sense that if ONE more thing happened, he'd blow like a volcano. But once they get on the right street and Seo-jin takes the lead, Sunny has the presence of mind to walk next to Il-sub halbae and get him talking, and in no time he's back to smiles.

javabeans: They enjoy their dinner, peace is restored, and we can relax now. There's this bit when the halbaes notice the camera that's been placed on the Lazy Susan facing them, and Gu halbae casually slides the turntable so it's facing away… and then Il-sub halbae sends it back at him 'cause he doesn't want it staring at him either. It becomes this thing, and they're just turning the Lazy Susan onward and onward, and then turning the camera around and back…

girlfriday: Is it funny because they're drunk? It seems to take Gu halbae a while to figure out that there are two of them, because when he turns the Lazy Susan and the camera shows up again, he's so confused. Ha.

javabeans: Sunny takes a drink from the halbaes and gets the Gu halbae thumbs-up, while Il-sub halbae chirps, "I can't help but fall for her!" Because of the soju. HA.

girlfriday: Hee. You can't roll with these halbaes if you can't hold your likker!

javabeans: Haha, at some point the show started labeling Seo-jin as Sunny's manager, which might be the more appropriate role actually. He's half-thrilled that Sunny is such a hit, and then, you sort of start to hear a bit of envy in his voice too—like how the halbaes never talked this much with him, and how they keep feeding her but never paid attention to him, and how he's been shooting this interview during dinner and not once have the others looked for him. LOL.

girlfriday: I know. It's adorable. He's over at Na PD's table and they're both like, What is this strange new atmosphere? What show are we on?

javabeans: In addition to just being likable, Sunny is smart enough to find a point of commonality by saying that her dad likes this too, her dad does that too, and then all of a sudden Il-sub halbae and Sunny have decided to be father-daughter and he's calling her "daughter o' mine." And in interviews she calls him "Baek Il-sub father" instead of teacher.

girlfriday: Oh the power of soju. It's like, you'd blink and miss it, the moment where they share a drink and suddenly become father-daughter.

javabeans: Haha, then Seo-jin tells them that Sunny is leaving in the morning, and there's actually this cartoon-like moment when Il-sub halbae freezes, all, "WHAT."

girlfriday: HAHA. It takes Il-sub halbae all of two seconds to declare: "Don't go! I can't live without Sunny!"

javabeans: They call over Na PD and start this whole spiel about how it's a terrible thing to make a busy girl just pop in and out for one day, how she should take one more day. The halbaes are all eager to keep her and are like, "Get your agency on the line!" Seo-jin helpfully provides the name of her CEO, Lee Soo-man (yunno, the SM of SM) and Il-sub halbae goes, "Yeah, get Soo-mannie on the line!"

girlfriday: Pffffft. Omg, this is hilarious. They're like, that young whippersnapper? Get him on the line! After dinner (and lots of drinks) the group heads out for mango shaved ice, and Seo-jin actually starts to stress about how happy Sunny has made the halbaes: "What am I supposed to do when you leave?"

javabeans: It's totally a valid concern, too. Remember when they were sweating without him and just happy to have him back? Now they're gonna be all, "Why can't you be fast like Sunny? She picked the good restaurants. Sunny would have gotten us there better."

girlfriday: I know. It's like, you raise expectations and suddenly nothing is good enough. I'm scared for him, but also kind of looking forward to the fallout. *evil laugh*

javabeans: You know, I'm just thinking how serendipitous it was for the show that the girl group member Seo-jin likes most just happened to also be really friendly and good with a smartphone (and also, with elders). What if he picked someone who was all helpless? Or worse, bratty?

girlfriday: Oh god. That would be a nightmare.

javabeans: They find their way to the shaved ice place, and there's a brief fraught moment when they see that the line is a monster. Flashback to the Louvre line incident. Il-sub halbae has been talking about shaved ice this whole time, but he takes one look at that line and says, "Let's go." Ha. It's a huge relief that Seo-jin spots a much shorter line for take-out, so they're in and out in short order after all.

girlfriday: They get to take the staff bus back (thank goodness) and Seo-jin goes right back to complaining to Na PD about what he's supposed to do when Sunny leaves. He quotes Il-sub halbae's "I can't help but love you" line, gaping that he probably hasn't said words like that since he was doing melodramas thirty years ago.

javabeans: The halbaes are all cheery and singing (singing!) and Sunny's all, "What's so hard about this? Everyone's in such a good mood." Seo-jin can only laugh-cry, "If you leave tomorrow, I'm dead."

girlfriday: It's funny because she thinks this is all normal, and the whole day Seo-jin's like, I've never seen anything like this before.

javabeans: There are some truly laugh-out-loud two-shots during this bus ride, of Sunny laughing and singing and Seo-jin cringing with head in hand. Flashback to Europe when the halbaes asked Seo-jin to sing, and he was all, "No no, I couldn't."

girlfriday: They get back to the guesthouse and dig into the mango shaved ice, and I'm so jealous right now. It looks SO delicious.

javabeans: She heads to bed, while the halbaes sit down for more drinks with some of the staff, and give love advice to the single head writer. Il-sub halbae is slurring drunk right now, and is all, You take a drink, see, and then you pretend to be all dizzy, and that's how you get your man!

girlfriday: Hahaha. Best-intentioned worst advice ever. Later that night, a new crisis hits when Sunny's manager says they won't know for three or four hours if they can get a different plane ticket so she can stay another day. So then Na PD is literally sitting up till four in the morning, waiting to find out if she stays or goes.

javabeans: It's pretty amazing that she gets to stay after all, since everyone was bracing themselves for the worst. In the morning, the halbaes are up first as usual, and we watch as Geun-hyung halbae tries to call the wife but can't connect (graphic: Park Geun-hyung's The Chaser) and calls her over and over until she picks up and is all, I'm in church. Lol.

girlfriday: He's surprisingly needy. It's cute.

javabeans: I think it's worse because of her cancer remission fears, like the worst-case scenario his mind jumps to is that she's in the hospital. Then he calls Soon-jae halbae next, and the show reminds us that we all almost forgot that he was slated to join them today.

girlfriday: Is he a day late because of the new sitcom? We rewind to the night before, where he's now pretty effortlessly selca-ing his packing routine. He gets to the airport the next morning, and a PD hands him the guesthouse address that he has to get to on his own. He complains that the others should come greet him, but somehow I don't think the others will be that worried about Soon-jae halbae finding his way.

javabeans: Sure enough, he lands and gets on his bus with no fuss… except then he nods off in his seat and we get a sudden shift in tone. Uh-oh, now we're in dramatic panic mode and everything starts to look unsettling.

girlfriday: Oh no. You don't suppose he'd miss his stop and end up on the other side of the country or something? Ack, the flash-forward looks like bad news.

javabeans: He gets to the station fine, but it's one of those huge places that's combination bus-train-subway depot, and he can't find any signs for the subway. So he wanders, finding the other lines, but has no idea how to get where he needs. It's a good thing Seo-jin calls him in time to point him in the right direction.

girlfriday: Thank goodness. It's still killing me, watching him drag that bag around all by himself, but at least now we know he's headed in the right direction. The rest of the group finally heads out, planning to meet Soon-jae halbae at the station. Geun-hyung halbae continues his dating agency activities, and turns to Seo-jin: "If Sunny calls Il-subbie "father," then what does Seo-jinnie call him?" Gu halbae: "That's obvious! Father-in-law!" Heh.

javabeans: They wait at the exit until Soon-jae halbae calls, and he's all, "I'm here at the exit." Different exits, of course, but at least it's not too much of a twist because Seo-jin heads over to collect him and bring him to the others. Soon-jae halbae quizzes Sunny about her agency, and his first question is, "Does Soo-mannie pay you well?" Ha. They're all, he's actually her uncle, and Soon-jae halbae says, "Uncle is uncle, but you've still gotta be clear in your calculations."

girlfriday: I love it. Age is power on this show. Once they're on the bus, Na PD notices a familiar blank look on Seo-jin's face, and asks where they're getting off. He has no idea. Na PD: "Hyung, aren't your screws a little too loose lately?"

javabeans: They arrive at the museum, but literally things come to a halt at the entrance because the cameras aren't allowed inside. They'd known ahead of time that they'd be restricted to two cameras only, since the museum has never allowed a variety program in, but after a short wait they get the go-ahead to send in the whole crew after all, and Na PD introduces the woman who navigated a mountain of red tape with the tourism board to make it happen.

girlfriday: They make their way inside, and already Seo-jin is off to the side, flipping through his guidebook to plan for dinner reservations. Na PD starts to nag him about not showing an interest in the museum, and totally knocks him down with one blow: "Sunny can do it in five minutes, so what are you doing, you totally worthless human being?" HAHAHA.

javabeans: And it begins. To think, we thought the grandpas were gonna be the worst about that. Lesson: Never bet against Na PD.

girlfriday: I rewound that outburst twice.

javabeans: They marvel over some of the national treasures housed in the museum, which sparks the usually indifferent Il-sub halbae's interest to a surprising degree. Meanwhile, Seo-jin starts to sweat trying to make dinner reservations and failing. Somewhat mockingly, the show gives us flashbacks to his assured and competent guiding back in Europe, and points out that he's lost all his guide skills in the two days Sunny has been here. Then there's a montage of Seo-jin worrying, over and over, "What happens when Sunny leaves? What'll I do when Sunny leaves? What if Sunny leaves?"

girlfriday: Preview: halbaes sitting in silence, and Seo-jinnie with the thousand-yard stare.

RELATED POSTS

• Lee Seung-gi to be Na PD's next luggage boy
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 9
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 8
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 7
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 6
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 5
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 4
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 3
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 2
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 1

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Tags: Baek Il-sub, featured, Grandpas Over Flowers, Lee Seo-jin, Lee Soon-jae, Park Geun-hyung, Shin Gu

Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 9

 
EPISODE 9. Broadcast on August 30, 2013.

girlfriday: We pick up at the end of the first day in Taiwan, after the halbaes have navigated their own way to the guesthouse and finally had a chance to walk around and see some sights. They mostly tour the marketplace and then go shopping at the grocery store, where they pick out Korean foods, of course.

javabeans: I really, really enjoy the whole exchange where Geun-hyung halbae is reading the packages perfectly fine because he's well-versed in hanja, and Na PD is just standing there going, "Um, I don't know."

girlfriday: It's just always fun when someone is schooling Na PD. In anything.

javabeans: Upon returning to the guesthouse, Gu halbae grumbles that Seo-jin had better come quickly. Geun-hyung halbae is playing the imp and asks how it feels to do this for a day, giggling like your annoying little brother, and Gu halbae sighs that it's deathly. The song sings "We need youuuuu…" as we cut to Seo-jin, who's packing his bags. Note how last time he was excited and wide-eyed and packed his best stuff, and this time he's just tossing things in a bag.

girlfriday: I know. He's got like one outfit just crumpled in there, and doesn't look like he's going to pack much more.

javabeans: It's his agency head who's prodding, "Is that it? Don't you need more? Aren't you going to pack more than that?"

girlfriday: It's gonna be hilarious when Sunny shows up and he's whining that he only packed one outfit. Back in Taiwan, Gu halbae realizes he's misplaced his guidebook, and that leads to a funny exchange with Geun-hyung halbae about things they do as they get older, like walk into a room and forget why they came. I love that Gu halbae's all, And the front zipper…forget about it! Of course I walk around with it down!

javabeans: Na PD drops by to settle some accounts, since the production had to pay for the lodging in advance to reserve the rooms. So Na PD wants the balance returned from their allowance after checkout, to which Gu halbae is all, "What's paid is paid, c'mon."

girlfriday: Ha, there's your first mistake right there. He didn't really expect to be paid back, did he?

javabeans: Geun-hyung halbae is literally cackling "Hee hee!" in the background while Gu halbae points out that Na PD already "took care of it." Na PD protests ineffectually, but pretty much the battle is lost.

girlfriday: Gu halbae ends the conversation with a "Thank you!" and then the halbaes gather in the yard to eat the food that they had delivered to the house. Again, Na PD comes up with a receipt for the food, and Gu halbae's like, "Why are you giving me that?" Hahaha.

javabeans: I freaking love how well he plays dumb. "Since the producers so thoughtfully provided the food, I will happily receive it!"

girlfriday: This is hysterical. Na PD knows by the second conversation that he's not going to get money from Gu halbae, so he changes his tune and says he'll get it from Seo-jinnie hyung tomorrow. Hee.

javabeans: Gu halbae: "But what crime has Lee Seo-jin committed? He has zero relation to this!" He points out that they didn't ASK the producers to pay for it, so of course, thank you! Na PD is at a loss for words, and you can hear his staff bursting into laughter in the background.

girlfriday: Na PD is getting nowhere with Gu halbae, so then he sidles up to Il-sub halbae, asking what the "right thing to do" is, yunno, "morally," and "legally." And of course Gu halbae argues that "in good conscience," he shouldn't ask for money. Ha. I love the passive-aggressive conversation through Il-sub halbae.

javabeans: But then Il-sub halbae stuns him into silence by telling hyung to just pay up, since they did want the food. LOL. Gu halbae: "Are you drunk?" Suddenly there's tension at the table. And then we get a flashback to every place the halbaes went today, eating, eating, eating. Damn they sure ran up a tab.

girlfriday: Oh no. Seo-jin's going to come on the second day to find they've already spent ten days' worth of money.

javabeans: Dude! The dinner bill is 100 bucks. (3,000 Taiwanese dollars.) Na PD outlines their budget, which is about 2,000 dollars total, and that's to cover lodging and food and everything. Then it turns into a "Our leader mismanaged the budget" conversation, edited like a dramatic drama confrontation. Il-sub halbae tells Na PD to take it from his salary, ha.

girlfriday: And finally Geun-hyung halbae calls Seo-jinnie in Seoul, "Hurry up and come! A fight broke out! Hee hee hee!"

javabeans: In the morning, Gu halbae gets up early and drinks coffee in the lobby, which is when the employee shows him newspaper clips—wow, their arrival in Taiwan yesterday is already in the papers, with photos and everything. They really are famous there!

girlfriday: Pwahaha, why is Il-sub halbae in the lobby in nothing but shorts?

javabeans: He looks like a Buddha teddy bear.

girlfriday: I'm cracking up at the montage of beauty tips from Gu halbae, as we watch him slather himself with sunscreen to protect his baby skin.

javabeans: And then they get right on the phone to call Seo-jinnie. We see him the night before, looking like he's about to face a firing squad. I'm just about to make a quip about his blood pressure, but he beats me to it: "My mother told me to take blood pressure medicine!"

girlfriday: He gets to the airport, still grumpy as ever and complaining about how early the booked the flight. Sooooo different from the way he arrived last time.

javabeans: It's extra-funny because we get the flashback to his uncontrollable smiles the last time. While he's sighing heavily and being a crankybutt, a van pulls up outside with Sunny of SNSD, here to make Na PD's bait-and-switch prank of Season 1 all worth it. We hope.

girlfriday: Seo-jin makes his way past the security line, where it's the VJ's job to position him somewhere for the surprise reveal. Except Seo-jinnie is too cranky to listen, so he refuses to sit down for an interview and instead goes shopping and gets coffee, and does everything like it's opposite day.

javabeans: He is SO IRRITABLE today, it's cracking me up. Everything is cause for complaint. Grump grump grump. "Why should I? Who says? I don't trust any of you [VJs]."

girlfriday: VJ: "Can we do [the interview] over there where it looks nicer?" Seo-jin: "Do it here!" Lol.

javabeans: Fiiiiinally they get him to move to a different section to wait, and I totally feel for these VJs, all of whom are young and just trying, god love 'em. He's just being difficult, like it's the one way he can have any control in this situation. You have turned him into a surly teenager. They start by asking how he feels and whether he suspects Sunny or Hyuna might show up today. But by now the girl group thing has become an embarrassing punchline so he barks, "Don't you even bring them up!"

girlfriday: Haha. Now he's angry any time someone even mentions their names, and Sunny's sneaking up row by row, and getting closer…

javabeans: It's adorable, the long shot you get of Seo-jin in the foreground while she's like a cartoon figure in the background.

girlfriday: And then she manages to reach the chair right behind him as he's still interviewing, and the VJ says that the best thing about the last trip was the hidden camera stuff at the beginning. Seo-jinnie: "I told you, it's because you guys are hooligans!"

javabeans: This couldn't have been planned better, because Seo-jin is just going off with this resigned-bitter-wry speech about how you'll never fool him again, you sly underhanded bastards, so don't even bother talking. All while Sunny is giggling silently behind him, literally inches from his face.

girlfriday: Seo-jin: "Am I an idiot? You think I'd fall for that again?!" Pfft.

javabeans: Finally she lets out a real laugh and he jerks back in surprise, and then there's that second surprise when he recognizes her. She giggles, "Oppa, we're going on a trip together!" which is just about as close to a real-life fantasy first encounter as you can get, and he's all, "WHAT." He's still half in denial when she says they have to catch their flight, so she shows him her ticket, and aw, smiley Seo-jinnie is back.

girlfriday: That's so cute. Also, I love how suspicious Na PD has made him. He seriously cannot contain his happy, even as he keeps asking if it's real. She swears she's really going (for a day), and they get ready to board. Back in Taiwan, the halbaes get ready to head out for the day, and Geun-hyung halbae keeps up his constant line of communication with Seo-jin, which is adorable.

javabeans: Then they have a head-scratching moment trying to figure out how to actually get their subway passes to open the turnstiles, and watch the locals do it before figuring out how. It's so cute, and it reminds me of that drama scene when the fish-out-of-water sees passengers scanning their bus passes through their pants pockets and just ends up waving his butt at the scanner.

girlfriday: Ha, that is totally what they're doing. They reach their landmark and the two hyungs get busy with the map-reading and tour-planning, while Il-sub halbae parks it in the shade, content to wait here.

javabeans: He's all, I'll just look at the trees! Hyungs can go to the memorial! I already know about Chiang Kai-shek anyway.

girlfriday: He actually makes Na PD crack up when he calls cultural artifacts "those antique things," and says they're all the same anyway.

javabeans: He does walk after the others to do a little bit of sightseeing, but he's barely stepped inside the courtyard before he's all, I'm done. Can I get a drink somewhere? Na PD points out that he has a lot of stuff still to see, and Il-sub halbae replies, "I can see it all from here."

girlfriday: Gu halbae sees a guard standing so still he's convinced it's a mannequin, and then gets really close like a little kid just to make sure. "Oh it's a live person."

javabeans: The PD tells him to try it, and he gets about three second into it before cracking a hilarious face. Il-sub halbae just goes from building to buliding looking for either shade or air conditioning, and ends up at vending machines. He really is like the six-year-old of the group.

girlfriday: Oh cool, you can use your bus pass to buy a soda in a vending machine?

javabeans: That seems SO COOL, until I think about it and then I'm like, I guess it's like a credit card. Or a smartphone app. But still, nifty.

girlfriday: Seo-jin and Sunny board the plane, and when the VJs go to install a mic in the seats, Seo-jin waves them away, refusing to let them shoot. Ha, he's picked up a few things from the halbaes, hasn't he?

javabeans: He's all, "Then we can't talk at all! There are things to talk about that can't get broadcast, you know." Except no we don't know, since you won't let them record! Haha. He's not wrong, though, because they're just sitting there in silence and the awkwardness just mounts and mounts until finally Seo-jin rips off the mic and fiddles with the battery pack, which Sunny flicks off.

girlfriday: Before the camera goes off, the flight attendant comes by and when he says they're going for Grandpas Over Flowers, even she's like, "Oh you got your wish!" Haha. It's a good thing he insists the cameras stop rolling though, because by the time they land, the stiff awkwardness is gone and they're at least speaking to each other. I love that he has zero intention of finding the halbaes: "Can't we meet up for dinner?"

javabeans: I know, he gets the address and doesn't even look at it, happy to enjoy the time before he has to get back to luggage boy mode. Although he doesn't mind being luggage boy for Sunny, though I'm pretty sure it's just to show off. She asks whether he bag is heavy and the caption helpfully points out, "Not in front of you." He does admit to receiving a text telling him to call the minute he lands, but he hedges, "I don't know who sent it though. I think it might be a joke." Anything to ignore the halbaes, haha.

girlfriday: He gets quite the fan greeting at the airport too, complete with gifts. By the time he gets in the car he's in a great mood and declares that Taiwan is awesome. The PD asks if he wasn't mad at Na PD before, and Seo-jin just beams, "Who, me?"

javabeans: PD: "What kind of person do you think Na PD is?" Seo-jin: "Smart!"

girlfriday: The PD purposely needles them by pointing out that Sunny's calling him oppa right away even though they just met, and Sunny laughs, "Well I can't call him ajusshi!" Seo-jin (as if the question is absurd): "What else would she call me but oppa?"

javabeans: The PD points out that he's closer to ajusshi age, and he shushes her: "Don't plant ideas!" He's content to take the long way around the city and look around, and the caption says: "Uh, we're not We Got Married…"

girlfriday: It's pretty cute how excited she is to do normal things like ride the bus or walk around the city and have coffee.

javabeans: Ha, I guess the Roman Holiday comparison isn't so out of line, since she's amazed at mundane things, having no cause to use them in her daily life. Wow, I'll get to see the subway? We're taking a bus? This is a token? Meanwhile, the halbaes are counting down the hours till Seo-jin arrives. HA and AWW.

girlfriday: Gu halbae is especially eager to hand off all the leader responsibilities, seeing as how ordering lunch seems to give him anxiety. I do love the halbaes' reactions to boba, like what is this strange new substance?

javabeans: Seo-jin buys some tickets for himself and Sunny, then starts walking faster as he only half-jokes (or maybe not-jokes-at-all) about ditching the camera crew. When asked where they're going, he retorts, "Do I have to tell you?"

girlfriday: Haha, he totally means it. The crew barely manages to follow them onto the bus, after being left behind.

javabeans: I don't think he'd actively sabotage the show, but he sure wouldn't mind facilitating any "accidents," that's for certain.

girlfriday: Hee, a text from Na PD: "I fulfilled your wish… Hurry up and don't play.. ㅜㅜ" Seo-jin's reply: "Who's this?"

javabeans: They look up directions on their phones, but the problem is that they don't know how to enter in Chinese text. Seo-jin starts to scratch his head thinking of workarounds, but Sunny just takes the phone, literally pushes some buttons, swipe, swish, boom, information. He's doubly giddy to have her take over the navigator role, saying that if he were here with the halbaes he'd be madly digging into his phone trying to figure it out.

girlfriday: The halbaes return to the guesthouse for a break, and it's really cute how Geun-hyung halbae picks up after Gu hyung, hanging up shirts that he just left lying there. He chides that it's not nice (to the wife) to be this way at home, which just makes me think he's probably the best husband ever.

javabeans: Absolutely. It's not just that he picks up after himself, but that his reasoning is, "Because the wife doesn't like it." Seo-jin and Sunny find their lunch place and he steps aside to sing her praises to the staff, saying she's way better at the navigating than he is. Then a call from Na PD comes in and he's all, "I don't wanna take it." He does, of course, though he uses the crew as an excuse by saying they stopped because THEY were hungry. You know. He was being thoughtful and all.

girlfriday: Na PD whines that there are a million things to do, and Seo-jin starts this hilarious string of vague responses about how Taiwan is really hard to navigate and he's sure they'll find their way there eventually, but it'll probably take a while. So of course, Na PD goes straight to the halbaes to tattle. Hee.

javabeans: So Geun-hyung halbae texts over, "We're waiting. Let's eat dinner together." Not even Seo-jin could ignore a hungry grandpa, could he? But ha, when Seo-jin reads the text, there's more to it: "Seo-jin-ah, we heard, congratulations. Take your time wandering, you can come as late as you want, have fun~" and then it ends with "We're waiting, let's eat dinner together." That explains why the halbaes were cracking up, because it is one mixed message.

girlfriday: I get the feeling Geun-hyung halbae is more interested in marrying Seo-jin off at any opportunity, which is not the reaction Na PD was looking for.

javabeans: I love that Geun-hyung halbae sends another message telling Seo-jin to come back by morning and ends with "Fighting," which is hilariously eyebrow-raising, because you're basically saying, "Good luck bro." Na PD is like, What exactly are you wishing him luck with? And halbae is all, "You never know!"

girlfriday: Geun-hyung halbae is being way too cool about this, so Na PD tattles to Il-sub halbae that Seo-jin is running around with Sunny and refusing to come, and he busts out with a: "That rude punk!"

javabeans: Then Geun-hyung halbae placates him by asking, "Don't you remember when we were young? Let's just leave 'em alone!" And then Il-sub halbae agrees, "Tell him to spend the night out."

girlfriday: Seo-jin gapes at the "stay out all night" text message, and even he's like, "Uh… I can't actually stay out all night…"

javabeans: Even Seo-jin's nephew (who hears about the trip in the news) congratulates his uncle, saying, "Dreams come true."

girlfriday: They spend a really long moment just lingering on Seo-jin's reaction to a baby on the subway, and I'm convinced Na PD's trying to marry off his hyung.

javabeans: They get off at the right station, but now Seo-jin faces the same quandary the halbaes did, of which exit to take. For a long while he looks at the directions online and decides (as the halbaes did) on the wrong exit, which as we know took them in circles in the wrong direction. Eek! Thankfully Sunny really does turn out to have better directional skills and corrects him, and yes, it really is just a three-minute walk this way.

girlfriday: They find it in no time and greet the waiting halbaes with bows, and suddenly it's all awkward and strange, like he's brought a girl home to meet his family.

javabeans: Seriously, it's like he's introducing the fiancée to My Three Dads.

girlfriday: And now that they're here, it's all, Why'd you come so early? and A man ought to take a girl places! This is so funny.

javabeans: Geun-hyung halbae is really running with it, saying (in the tone of a father tsk-tsking his son) that Sunny must not like him much if she's telling him she's tired on the first day of a trip, and how you would think a guy would realize what it means when a super busy girl still made time in her crazy busy schedule to stop over in Taiwan and see him, but you know, a stupid man might miss the point and never get around to dating.

girlfriday: It's freaking hysterical.

javabeans: Caption: Founding of the Flower Halbae Dating Agency.

girlfriday: And after all that, you only need one line from Il-sub halbae: "Will you two be sleeping together tonight?"

javabeans: Everyone's dying at that. Na PD sorta stutters that they'll all be sleeping, uh, in the same house, and halbae says innocently, "That's what I meant!" Suuuure it is. Then Na PD asks just the three halbaes, "Now can you see how he got to 40 still being single?" Geun-hyung halbae agrees, after all the work they did to shove those two together.

girlfriday: And they're just getting started. Flower Halbae Dating Agency hijinks, to be continued…

RELATED POSTS

• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 8
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 7
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 6
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 5
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 4
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 3
• Grandpas Over Flowers (and Seo-jinnie) head to Taiwan next
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 2
• Grandpas Over Flowers: Episode 1

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Tags: Baek Il-sub, featured, Grandpas Over Flowers, Lee Seo-jin, Lee Soon-jae, Park Geun-hyung, Shin Gu