Saet Byul returns to work in the convenience store, and even secure her first ever regular job in episode 11 of Backstreet Rookie.
A couple of revelations hit Dae Hyun as well, making his moving on stage with Yeon Joo even quicker because it involves his family. As he patched things up with the gregarious no more part-timer Saet Byul, he receives an unexpected reminder from a man who cherishes Saet Byul.
Episode Recaps: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | Mid-Series | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Finale Week Feature | REVIEW
abbyinhallyuland watches Backstreet Rookie on iQIYI
Episode 11 Recap: Ji Wook’s Confession
“Don’t worry. I’ll always be by your side.”
Having a bad dream, Dae Hyun grabs Saet Byul’s hand after she professed her little secret crush on him since she was a little girl. In the dream, Dae Hyun is jailed for the sanitation mishap, and Dalshik and Saet Byul refuse to rescue him.
Scared to let go of her hand, Saet Byul assures him that she will not leave his side. Pushing him to the other side of the bed, she beams listening his “don’t leave me” pleadings.
Dae Hyun wakes up to the sight of his face with drawings courtesy of Saet Byul. She left a message that she already went to the store.
“I wish she’d look at me like that.”
Worried Ji Wook calls Saet Byul and rushes to the convenience store where she is seen happily fixing the store. Dae Hyun also arrives and throw banter at each other.
Ji Wook leaves the store and stares at Dae Hyun and Saet Byul’s interaction inside the store, which made him feel envious.
Seeing Saet Byul organized the store, he accepts her idea of how to place the items for customers to easily identify the spiciness of the ramyun cups being sold.
Reversing their roles, she lectures him of the dwindling sales and inefficient decluttering of items. Feeling guilty, Dae Hyun apologizes and tells her to throw something inside the drawer. When she opens it, she sees her name tag with a “store manager” label on it.
Elated, Saet Byul asks Dae Hyun to pin it on her vest. He completes Saet Byul’s regular employee ceremony by mumbling an official announcement. When he buckles on his thoughts, she thought she will receive a love confession.
So, Saet Byul conditions herself, only to listen to Dae Hyun informing that he has also signed up for a comprehensive insurance coverage for her.
Revealing it was his first time signing up insurance for someone, Saet Byul also says it’s the first time for her to receive insurance benefits.
“Did you happen to break up because of me?”
Noticing the change on his phone’s wallpaper, Saet Byul asked if they broke up because of her. He denies it and continues to munch on his bread not minding Saet Byul’s quip of how he eats heartily for a man who just got dumped.
She points out his different way of coping up with the heartbreak and mentions how he can still find a better woman for him while fluttering her eyes and tucking her hair behind her ear.
Oblivious to what she is clearly insinuating, he responds with his usual bickering so Saet Byul reminds him of his sorry state last night. She adds how he was not letting her go while muttering “don’t leave me” the night before.
“I want to help you out, my Queen of Insurance.”
Staring at his mom’s beaming picture after being crowned as “insurance queen”, Dae Hyun’s parents exchange knowing looks, both hiding who the big client is. He suggests to give wine to her client putting his mom on an awkward situation. So, her husband comes to her rescue and urges his son to eat so he can go to work.
Just then, Dae Hyun’s sister arrives and asks him when she can meet his rich girlfriend. She remarks the very same idea their parents are worried about and tells him to have his woman order some insurance.
To shut her up, he presents their mother’s “insurance queen” souvenir memento. But his sister’s blabbermouth continues frustrating their mother, who asked her to stop her loud voice. She speaks more hushed, but goes to check on how her father’s new job has been.
“Working with you has been my dream.”
Entering the store to replace Saet Byul, Dae Hyun is happy to see her wiping her name tag. He curiously asks if she intentionally applied to be a part-timer or it was just a chance.
Remembering all those times she silently watched him from afar, Saet Byul chose not to tell that it was intentional. Instead, she jokes how she had a dream that it was her calling to be a part-timer.
Meanwhile, the trip being eyed by Dae Hyun’s father has dropped its price. So his friends call him to ask if he will join. Remembering the heartbroken look of his wife, he responds not joining the fun.
Later, when he receives a text message from Dae Hyun that he bought wine bottles to give to his mom’s rich client, he can’t bear it any longer and tells his son the truth.
Upset on the truth bomb he just received, Dae Hyun motions to speak with his mom, but his father stops him telling his mom knows and held it hard against her will. At night, bothered about his mom’s ordeal, he calls her to promise he will be a good son to her.
“I really wonder what you’re like in person.”
Dal Shik and Geum Bi’s virtual relationship keeps getting sweeter as they share trivial things about each other. Completely swept by Dal Shik’s words, Geum Bi decides that they should meet up or she would lose her mind. Acknowledging his weaknesses, Dal Shik tries to appeal, but she insists that he’s all that she needs.
Mutually drawn to each other’s virtual selves, they agree to meet up the next day. Meanwhile, at the store, Saet Byul finds Dae Hyun looking up for hotel accommodation so he can send his parents for a hotel stay.
Remembering something for Saet Byul that he ordered, he drags her inside and presents the new uniform they both will wear at the store. Sassy Saet Byul takes it another way by thinking he bought couple shirts for them. So, he has to put her back to earth and tells her that those are their uniforms.
“It’ll benefit our convenience store. So, there’s no way for me to refuse.”
The head office of the convenience store plans an event with Ji Wook, but the latter poses a condition to hold the event at Dae Hyun’s branch. Yeon Joo, goes to the store to discuss it as PR director.
Discerning it will benefit his store, Dae Hyun gladly agrees. However, he wants to discuss it first with his store manager, which made Saet Byul smile from ear to ear.
The two discuss the offer and agree to accept it. Dae Hyun also thanks Saet Byul for being there at the beach when he was nursing his broken heart.
Donning dapper suit, Dal Shik hums merrily while prepping up for his date with Geum Bi. Garbed in pretty princess cut dress, Geum Bi shares the same happy mood. But the two are hit angrily by reality, as their expectations plummeted to the deepest trench, upon meeting each other face to face.
Just how their virtual bond heightened rapidly, they also rush to escape the “stages of love grief” realizing they can’t extend their online emotions to real-life. Throwing both the flowers they were holding at each other, Dal Shik instinctively rescues her awkwardly when a motorcycle almost hit Geum Bi.
“If you’re not going to date her seriously, please don’t do anything to confuse her. “
Saet Byul receives a call from Ji Wook and tells her that he visited Eun Byul and he will tell another good news. That is, if she will be good to him when they meet soon. Dae Hyun and Saet Byul work together to clean the convenience store to prep for the promotional video.
D-Day of the promotional shoot arrives and Ji Wook asks for the same uniform Saet Byul wears. Just like how Saet Byul imagined it as couple shirt with Dae Hyun, puppy Ji Wook thinks the same with Saet Byul.
Noticing the awkward mood between Yeon Joo and Dae Hyun, Saet Byul happily tells her friend that they already broke up. Baffled at her weird happiness over someone’s breakup, she responds that she has been waiting for a long time to have a chance to chase him.
Ji Wook sees an opportunity to be alone with Dae Hyun and tells him how he feels uncomfortable knowing he’s using Saet Byul for his failed relationship. He tells him not to confuse Saet Byul, if he’s not going to date her seriously.
Listening to his love lecture, Dae Hyun asks why he said those things to him. Ji Wook decisively replies that he likes Saet Byul.
Episode 11 Peak Points & Afterthoughts
Dear Backstreet Rookie,
Now we’re definitely talking! *wink
Down to the last two-week stretch, we are sure of two things: that is one, we want to be there to comfort Ji Wook; and two, we hope Saet Byul and Dae Hyun will give us obligatory fan service treats. Let’s add a third one, since we don’t want the virtual love story of Fire Volcano and Aphrodite to come to a failure.
Backstreet Rookie has been filled with tales of one-sided love and we would be happy to at least have one or two get to be reciprocated. Given how there’s no pressing conflict during its run, I expect nothing more but happy endings.
Admittedly, the love trajectory for Dae Hyun and Saet Byul is in the horizon. Seemingly fitting in the stories of the lead pairing to its rightful places, I am curious what finishing touches will be done to the series. It better be sweet and rightfully deserving for all the characters.
I won’t be able to reconcile Dae Hyun’s change of heart right away. Even after being challenged by Ji Wook’s intention to cherish Saet Byul, who harbors long-running adoration towards him. That does not make any sense, since we saw his deep love to Yeon Joo for more than half of the series.
The tight space for the narrative to move on is beginning to awkwardly shape the concluding resolutions of the problems raised in Backstreet Rookie. Since there’s no supernatural elements used, it is really a challenge to create a path for a satisfying ending.
More so, I want to see Saet Byul as someone who can love herself more, reaching dreams she temporarily halted. That is way better than seeing her dream only of fulfilling her one-sided love with her long-time crush.
Photos: Screencaps from iQIYI
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