Despite being in Angok for not more than a year, Yeo Reum goes the extra mile to help the people she cares about the most in the recent episodes of Summer Strike.
Our kindhearted heroine seems no longer alone in life. Though there may be problems that arise, the good thing is there are few people who unconditionally lend her a hand.
Lyris watches Summer Strike on ONE TV Asia
Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | Mid-Series | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10
Summer Strike Episode 3 and 4 Highlights
“I have my own hideout now. I can read books all day. And I can have movie marathons of my choice all night long. I can listen to nature when I want to. And I can walk when I want to. I even went out for a jog early in the morning… because all I have is time.”
Starting anew in an old billiard hall as her new home, Yeo Reum sets up the furniture, cleans the floors, and mends the pierced ceilings with a temporary fix. With the vision of living a year without having a job, she cuts down her budget to ten dollars per day by cooking meals at home and buying things she only needed. As she says, “Quantity over quality.”
[3회예고] 오늘은 10분먼저!!
오늘 밤 9시 10분 아무것도 하고 싶지 않아 보고
축구 응원해요! ⚽️ENA월화드라마 아무것도 하고 싶지 않아#아무것도하고싶지않아 #ENA #ENA채널 #ENA월화드라마 #설현 #SeolHyun #임시완 #YimSiwan #스트리밍은지니TV pic.twitter.com/etoBZesUBO
— ENA 공식 트위터 (@channel_ENA) November 28, 2022
“I didn’t live my life wrong. I’ve never inconvenienced or harmed anyone since coming here and I’m not here because I’ve given up on life.”
On the rooftop, Yeo Reum was doing her laundry when suddenly her speaker malfunctioned. She went to the mart to buy some batteries and bumped into an old lady supporting a drunk man to stand upright. Yeo Reum aided the lady until they bring the man home. As she returns home, the children hiding in her kitchen started attacking her with water guns.
This is not the first time she experienced being bothered by the residents just to scare her off and vacate the billiard hall.
Another incident that followed is when she discovered that someone vandalized her house with huge writing, “Run away. I’ll kill you.”
“I thought this town, no, I thought everyone in the world hated me. I don’t remember anything except for this one thing. The feeling of hatred. I wanted to leave this place and hoped that my money would be gone. In my world, I was the victim, and they were the aggressors. But today, my world turned upside down.”
Waking up to a hangover, Yeo Reum shockingly finds a bank receipt that says all of her money withdrawn.
Much to her terror, the money is nowhere to be found in the house. Dae Bum helped her by explaining all that happened the night she was drunk – how she behaved, whom she met, and where she stored the money. She asked Bom’s grandma, the kind shop lady, and the bank staff with the help of Sung Min.
Desperate to find her hard-earned possession, she even rummaged through the piles of trash. She recounted the places she’s been to and the people she met in hopes of finding it but to no avail.
Surprisingly, Dae Bum returned the money to her the same night which made her angry. As she gets home, she finds Bom waiting and invites her inside. While they’re about to cook ramen, the sink pipe bursts.
They called Sung Min (Kwak Min Gyu) and they bought Yeo Reum furniture and appliances. He even offered to fix every broken thing in her home for free.
That is because Joon, his son, was the one who found her money and not Dae Bum. They are somewhat feeling guilty about finding the money. After finding out the truth, Yeo Reum felt guilty for shouting and getting angry at Dae Bum.
Summer Strike Episode 5 and 6 Highlights
Murder of the Math Whiz
Flashes back to 20 years ago, young Dae Bum went home from playing his yo-yo. He finds her sister Sun Ah strangled to death, lying on the floor in the billiard hall. Probably because Sun Ah is a math genius, his father blamed him for leaving her all alone.
When the detectives question him about the mysterious incident, he told them everything that he witnessed and the police escorted his father, the culprit behind his sister’s death. Soon after the arrest of his father, he then discovered his mother on the couch unconscious and not breathing.
“Before coming here, my heart felt heavy. But I simply listened to her stories. Now, I’m at ease.”
Having previously worked at a publishing company, Ji Young requested a favor from Yeo Reum to fill in for the writer who didn’t show up.
Dae Bum accompanied her as the cameraman while she interviewed the old lady.
Though cold at first, the grandmother eventually warmed up to them. This is after discovering that they pretended that the food she prepared was tasty when in fact it was salty to not offend the lady.
She even mistakes the two of them as a married couple and bets that they would be happy together if they get married. Yeo Reum firmly denied it while Dae Bum stayed silent and almost choked on his food.
“But you know, not everyone has a goal in life. I don’t have one either… I’m just here to do nothing… The truth is, I fell into a slump because I always tried to live up to others’ standards. I struggled because I felt that I was doing a terrible job when everyone else was thriving. So now, I’m trying to get to know myself better and not worry about others.”
Just recently, Ji Young passed level 7 for the Civil Service exam. Everyone celebrates the joyous occasion, except for the hostile lady at the restaurant who eventually killed the mood by lecturing Bom about her life and not taking her studies seriously.
When Ji Young and Yeo Reum had another round of drinks, Ji Young asked Yeo Reum if doing nothing makes her anxious and she admitted that it does. Reverting to the question, Ji Young swiftly responded that she was not worried since she works for the government.
“When I was little, Ha Neul and I counted down the days until we could see dad. Forget the holidays and even my birthday. That was my favorite day of the year.”
Bom’s attitude towards studying stems from how she was treated at school – she was being bullied at school because of her drunkard Dad. The teacher doesn’t seem to care and makes her rather a delinquent. She even tells her nephew Jae Hoon – Bom’s only friend who cares for her – to stay away from her if he doesn’t want to get kicked out of school like what happened to him in the U.S.
That’s why when she gets into another fight with the bullies, the only person we could blame is her father, who was the reason behind the students’ spite towards her.
Running away from home, all she could think of seeking refuge to is Yeo Reum. Bom spends the night there and she was wholeheartedly welcomed without any question which she appreciates.
When she faces her father’s drunk misbehaving again after coming home, her father accidentally stabbed her and she needs to undergo surgery.
Dae Bum and Jae Hoon heard the news – though unsure who’s been hurt – and immediately raced to the hospital. Thinking it was Yeo Reum who was injured, Jae Hoon told Yeo Reum that Dae Bum ran like crazy and thought that he was gonna trying to catch up with him.
Unsurprisingly, when Bom was told to lie that her injury was self-harm so that her Dad won’t be arrested, she insisted on telling the truth and agitatedly told that he should die instead and go to prison.
Who could blame her for saying those words? She was young without much family support and was physically, mentally, and emotionally hurt.
She may be crude and rough but I guess she has some hope and love left for his Dad – though they may be paying a lot for the hospital bills. Somewhat regretting what he has done to his daughter, Bom’s father decides to go to a rehab center.
“Thanks to you, I’ve learned to enjoy the present moment.” – Bom to Yeo Reum
Gladdened by Bom’s hospital discharge, Yeo Reum, Jae Hoon, and Sung Min prepared a surprise party for her.
It’s such a waste that Dae Bum is not present at the party since he drove Ji Young to Seoul for her interview and also meet the professor he’s avoiding for so long. It’s still a mystery as to why he decided to help the professor. This, of course, makes Ji Young glad since the chances of Dae Bum coming with him are not that slim. Like she always does, she persuades him to move to Seoul and tells him to stop wasting his time in Angok.
Summer Strike Mid-Series Musings
Through the succeeding episodes, the mystery behind Dae Bum’s decision to leave his academic life is expected to be fully revealed. After consecutively experiencing the traumatic death of his family at a young age, it’s no surprise that he became reserved and silent most of the time.
As for our heroine, it seems like some of the Angok residents have warmed up to her, though not all of them. But it’s nice to know that she’s slowly settling in and has found a best friend and a sister, Bom.
I think one of the best parts of this drama is how their bond grows and strengthens throughout the story. From the unfriendly neighborhood teenager to the sweet girl that she truly is, Bom is finally receiving the sisterly love she deserves from Yeo Reum. Also, how could we forget Yeo Reum’s adorable furry friend Gyeoul? (they will complete the four seasons soon!)
Another thing that I loved about this show is the way Yeo Reum and Dae Bum gradually progress with their friendship. Their sweet and innocent interactions are so pure. As Yeo Reum slowly opens up to Dae Bum about her life, he then gets playful in front of her. He even teased her about their little secret to make her agree to fill in for the interview so he could be with her all day.
Though right off the bat, I can sense that he’s complacent towards Yeo Reum, it’s impossible for me not to point out the changes in his actions to her.
From bringing her favorite books to read when she’s at the hospital looking out for Bom, offering to take care of Gyeoul, and secretly paying Bom’s hospital bill (who else will pay for it except him) so she won’t move, Dae Bum has practically shown his feelings for Yeo Reum in different ways. I bet his love language is ‘acts of service.’
The air between them was comforting and peaceful. Hopefully, I would like to see them advance as a couple. But if they remain just as friends, I’m still here for it.
Catch the latest episodes of Summer Strike every Monday and Tuesday via ONE TV Asia.
Photos: ENA Channel | Screencaps from Studio Genie’s YouTube Channel
