More Than Friends is giving me more than enough reasons to choose it as one of my favorite drama picks this year.
And yes, it got me with just three episodes owing to its heartfelt, witty and engrossing storytelling.
Lee Soo is just an enigma that I want to crack with Woo-yeon. As if it’s not enough, More Than Friends also throws in the equally fascinating Joon-so.
What would my k-drama fangirl heart do?
abbyinhallyuland watched More Than Friends on iQIYI
Recaps: 01&02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Finale + Review |
More Than Friends Episode 3 Recap
“So you were down, that’s why you made these 45 candles?”
After Woo-yeon’s kiss-breaking curse, there’s still an unsettling feeling in her heart. Clearing her mind results to an instant candle production. Later, she meets up with her friends and they chat about her meeting Lee Soo.
Boasting she has broken the curse, Woo-yeon chooses not to elaborate, but her friends are still quite not convinced of her declaration.
“Every space holds onto memories. To me, Seoul is a place of nightmares.”
Learning about his mom being hospitalized from his uncle, Lee Soo goes back to Seoul in a hurry. What met him is her mom’s not so critical situation against what was advertised by his uncle.
He goes back to their house and enters his old room bearing memories of his youth and friends. Just then his traitor uncle calls and gives a long advice to sort his emotions.
“You’re not bored. You’re lonely. Feelings are like living things. If you ignore it, it’ll grow out of control. It’s especially the case for hatred. It feeds on memories and keeps on growing. Build new memories or pour out what’s been building inside you. Don’t leave it as it is.”
“I have something to ask you. Why did you kiss me that day?”
Meanwhile, Woo-yeon just finished a client order and heads out to grab some food. When she turns around, she sees Lee Soo entering the convenience store.
Feeling awkward to meet the man she just promised not to see again, she rushes to go out. But Lee Soo chases after her with seemingly no recollection of their last talk.
He goes straight to the point and asks her why she kissed him last time nonchalantly. Feeling Lee Soo is not treating her emotions seriously, he responded that he was just asking.
Woo-yeon knows the route of their conversation would go nowhere. So, she goes to apologize for committing a crime by kissing him. Riding on her argument, he takes advantage of their situation and rejects her initial wish for them not to see each other.
“I’ll give you a billion won, marry me.”
The next day, things are not getting better for Woo-yeon with a cancelled order. Just then, she receives a message from Joon-so’s publishing company about their need of a calligrapher for an event.
Meanwhile, stretching from a tiring workday, Young-hee (Ahn Eun Jin) sees her long-time boyfriend Hyun-jae (Choi Chan Ho) waiting for her and charges her up with his hug energy.
They head to eat at one of their regular food places and did not escape the owner’s prying of when they will get married. When they see a drama scene on TV of a mother throwing an envelope of cash, Hyun-jae asks how much it will take for her to leave him.
Young-hee answers 500 million surprising her boyfriend. He then offers a billion for her to marry him, but evades her question on when she will get it.
They go on for a walk and Young-hee blabs about her chat with his mom for his dad’s birthday. Hyun-jae promises to shield her from his family if needed to be.
“I prayed everyday. That it’s okay if you don’t like me, but to please take these feelings away.”
Disappointed Jin-joo (Baek Soo Min) seeks alcohol at Sang-hyeok’s (P.O) restobar whining about how the Chinese class she signed up for won’t have study groups. Her ultimate goal why she enrolled on a language class is to stumble on a man whom she can date.
Sang-hyeok tries to lecture her to no avail and mentions Lee Soo is coming for a drink. Intoxicated Jin-joo keeps pestering Soo to leave Seoul.
Her friend Woo-yeon is also having the same fate wallowing in alcohol after agreeing to join Joon-soo’s team dinner, post the book event.
When Woo-yeon saw Lee Soo liked her SNS post, her drunk-calling-Lee-Soo’s-old-phone-number habit gets activated.
Joon-soo who was worried about her follows to check on her and realizes the woman who kept drunk-calling him every now and then has now a face. She happens to be the new calligrapher which fate seems to be bringing him to a quite a few encounters.
“Why did you make me see you? Why are you lingering before me?
Realizing Woo-yeon’s identity, Joon-soo walks behind her as she drunkenly finds her way back to her neighborhood. Lee Soo sees her and tells her to run at the count of three because a pervert is trailing her. Finding a nearby bench, the two bicker on Woo-yeon’s love for alcohol.
Dozing, Lee Soo is left no choice but to give another human carriage service. Tipsy Woo-yeon would suddenly blurt out I-hate-yous while Lee Soo gamely responds to it.
“Let’s work on the photo collection.”
Half-awake, Woo-yeon gropes for her phone and finds Lee Soo’s morning check message. Another beep sounds, and she gets another check from Eunyu Publishing company.
Secretary Min asks why Joon-soo borrowed his phone to check on Woo-yeon and vocally sulks how he never received a special treatment from him like how Woo-yeon did.
Joon-soo shuts him up by reminding all the silly names he called him last night because his drunk liver was talking. Informing his boss that Lee Soo asks for an appointment, he later meets him in the office.
Agreeing to work on the photo collection project, Joon-soo explains to Lee Soo how he initially wanted to condense the idea of the book. But he met a calligrapher recently and hopes to have her on-board the project.
Worried that he might be uncomfortable working with a rookie, Lee Soo, who recognized Woo-yeon as the calligrapher Joon-soo mentioned, is all eager to start the project.
“I sold personalized calligraphy that are often returned, and at most filled in for other people at events. But this time, it’s really my work.”
Still feeling a bad hangover, Woo-yeon receives a soft chiding from her cafe boss. She then receives a call from Joon-soo who asked if they can meet later.
Joon-soo meets Woo-yeon and offer her the photo collection project. She agrees right away not minding whom she will be collaborating with. Reasoning how the opportunity came to her, she already felt blessed to be working on it.
After their meeting, Joon-soo offered to drive Woo-yeon home. He casually chat about how words have roots and gives an encouraging talk.
“There’s a reason for everything. There is nothing you can figure out if you question it. If you can’t still find the question after everything, it may be best to just let go.”
Recognizing her own words, Woo-yeon tells Joon-soo if he is aware that he is good in comforting people to which he responds yes. He tells her to come to him if she needs it.
“Do we have no reason to meet if it isn’t about work?”
Woo-yeon asks to be dropped near her neighborhood and politely thanks Joon-soo. He asks if there will be really no reason for them to meet apart from work since on their phone call, she blurted not wanting to see him.
Clearing what she really meant, Woo-yeon confessed about her embarrassing drunk habits. Obviously understanding what she meant since he is the frequent receiver of her drunk outbursts, Joon-soo chuckled surprising her.
“I will see you again. Because I’ve decided to keep seeing you.”
Feeling her good day, her mood drops upon seeing Lee Soo saying hello on her. She ignores him but he stops her track and complains about her ignoring of his text message plus running away from him.
She reiterates how he knows why she’s running away and asks him to get lost. Wondering why she is mad at him, he blabs about his happiness seeing her at Jeju island.
Responding how he still thinks only of himself, Woo-yeon reminds him that he rejected her twice. Arguing that going out with her when he does not feel the same is not the answer to their problem, Woo-yeon settles to apologize since their conversation is going futile.
She pleads for him to accept her deal of them not seeing each other again. But, Lee Soo disagrees and knowingly smiles. Muttering they will soon meet because he decided so, he leaves the scene and Woo-yeon in bewilderment.
“I hate you. I can’t though. They’re my feelings but I can’t do as I wish. Even if I cover it up and ignore it. Even if I push it down. Whenever I see you, they come back to life.”
The next day, Woo-yeon’s broken curse seems to be really appearing as not broken at all and meets the man she does not want to meet anymore.
Joon-soo introduces Lee Soo unaware of the two’s connection. He smartly deduces that the two know each other.
Flustered on meeting Lee Soo again, Woo-yeon excuses herself and walks away. Lee Soo follows her, and Woo-yeon also realized that he knew they will be working on the project.
Unable to suppress Lee Soo’s indelible effect on her, she weakly mumbles to forget what she said the night she was drunk.
In flashback, Woo-yeon lazily owned Lee Soo’s back while he piggybacked her to her home.
She confessed how she wants to hate him but she can’t. Admitting she can’t control her own feelings no matter what she does, she mumbles how every time she sees him, it just keeps coming back.
She earnestly pleads for him to let her live. Inching closer to her, Lee Soo tells her that he refuses to let her live.
More Than Friends Episode 3 Peak Points + Musings
I had an episode of bad writer’s block once upon a time, and it was Produce 101 S2 who nursed me back to kdrama writing life. *chuckles That explains why I am supporting former Wanna One boys who have been pursuing their acting career.
To be honest, I can’t picture Ong Seong Wu before as an actor in romance setting because I remember him to be a goofy guy. So, I was really surprised on how he’s making my frail heart flutter when some actors needed three dramas for me to like them.
What’s holding back Lee Soo?
This is probably a question that will soon raise a petition for More Than Friends fans. I mean we can join force to create an event: a motivational talk to help Lee Soo understand that love can be written in various language, but it only has one meaning.
More than getting the answer to this question, the turning point of him realizing all the years he wasted would soon enough unfurl.
A serving of second-lead syndrome
I already feel bad for Joon-soo. The picture of how Joon-soo confronts Lee Soo about the pain Woo-yeon has went through which he has silently listened to all those years is just heartbreaking.
Especially since the love triangle will materialize among them.
Our boy Lee Soo better make a strong “why he deserves woo-yeon argument” because Joon-soo is really doing a great job swaying my heart, and I am not the type who easily engage in a relationship, unlike how Woo-yeon does. *wink
Woo-yeon’s first-love-curse
More Than Friends has been moving in an idyllic picture of a love that has become an instinct to Woo-yeon. I can’t help but understand her predicament on her inability to breakaway from the love clutch Lee Soo has on her.
Because her love is mutually sealed to Lee Soo’s affection that he cannot verbalize. Hence, her heart keeps beating for him.
This series features people working in the creative field. Notably, the writing is doing a great job in running ruminative messages. I got a bunch of memorable quotes already that I will later write for a feature.
Moving at an upbeat and fairly fast pace, I am looking forward to how long Lee Soo would refuse to label properly Woo-yeon’s meaning in her life. The looming romance pictured for Joon-soo and Woo-yeon inevitably would be equal parts bitter and sweet – because the three all deserve a reciprocated love.
More Than Friends airs every Friday and Saturday on jTBC.
READ EPISODE 4 RECAP BELOW:
Photos: jTBC | Screencaps from iQIYI
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