Recap: Flower Boy Next Door

Flower Boy Next Door 
Drama Recap: Episodes 3 & 4
     
               


We rejoin our new favorite recluse as she's trying to weasel out of coming face to face with Tae Joon, who she's been habitually spying on. Much to Dok Mi's chagrin Tae Joon arrives before she can leave and after awkward introductions Enrique asks that Tae Joon examine her. Tae Joon tries but Dok Mi avoids looking at him and refuses to stick her tongue out, insisting that she is fine. The doorbell rings and Enrique announces that Seo Young (weird guitar chick) has arrived. Seo Young, jealous of the attention Dok Mi is getting form Tae Joon, comes across very rude but apologizes, saying she's known to be a brat. As Dok Mi helps Enrique cook and listens to Seo Young talking to Tae Joon, she realizes that hard thing Enrique asked her to help him with wasn't the cooking, it was spending an evening with Tae Joon and Seo Young. The four share an uncomfortable meal. We learn that Tae Joon hasn't seen Seo Young in two years and he even suggests that she go back to Spain when Enrique does. The dinner culminates with Seo Young confronting Tae Joon about her feelings for him. Hurt, Enrique tells them he will leave with Dok Mi and let them have their conversation.
           


The strange chick in the pink coat is back and she's plotting on Jin Rok who is out with  Dong Hoon and Wantanabe. She purposely breaks her heel so Jin Rok will help her. She claims she lost her cell phone, tells some story about saving a cat then throws herself at Jin Rok as he tries to help her to a little shoe repair hut.  Once they see her safely inside, the trio go to dinner at the restaurant where Wantanabe works. He tells his new friends that he wants to learn how to cook cuisine from all around the world. Dong Hoon tries to tell Jin Rok something is up with that girl (smart boy), but Jin Rok dismisses his observations and insists that Dong Hoon, who's headed off to the club, pick up the check. On his way back home, Jin Rok see Dok Mi and Enrique walking together and throws himself against a wall. Maybe in Korea "I can't see you, you can't see me" is a thing.
          


Enrique tells Dok Mi he knows she was peeping because she liked Tae Joon and she counters by saying she knows he's in love with Seo Young. After his offer of celebratory drinks gets shot down Enrique suggests they go on a trip to mend their broken hearts. When Dok Mi declines, he insinuates that if he goes alone in this state, he might just kill himself. Dok Mi flashes back to a shot of her standing on the ledge of a high building.                          
               

Dok Mi scolds Enrique for joking about such a thing so lightly. Enrique tells her to meet him at nine for their trip and then goes to a PC bong to cry over a cartoon soccer game. Dok Mi head up to her apartment and shares an awkward exchange with Jin Rok who can just never get up the courage to say anything. While on the elevator Dok Mi gets a call from Pinkie (who is in a van with her face plastered on the side of it. EWW!) Pinkie starts to ask about the building and Jin Rok. Dok Mi lies and says she doesn't live in the building and that she's losing the signal because she's in an elevator. (YAY Dok Mi!!!) When she gets off the elevator Jin Rok hangs back, then changes his mind. He rushes after her but she's already closed the door. Jin Rok has said before (under the pretext of explaining his webtoon) that he doesn't want to burden her with a confession, but I feel something coming on.
           


Alone in her apartment Dok Mi can't help but watch what's going on across the street. Seo Young and Tae Joon sit, talk, hug, all the while Dok Mi looks very sad. She wonders where Enrique is and when she finally sees  him in the street she frets over him going home. She keeps watching but he never goes in. Instead he sits in the hall and waits for Seo Young to leave. When he finally goes back in Dok Mi laments how cold he must be as she watches him shiver.
                 


The next morning Pinkie is all set to sign a lease so she can move in when there is a commotion on the 4th floor once again. Jin Rok is getting kicked out because his lease says he can't be even a day late with the rent and he's a little short. At the same time Dok Mi wakes to a reminder text about her trip with Enrique. She considers several different excuses before settling on 'sick grandma.' When Enrique gets this text he stops packing immediately and borrows his brother's car. He heads next door and begins knocking on Dok Mi's door, insisting that she hurry. Dong Hoon and Wantanabe give Jin Rok some money, but he's still a little short. Dok Mi opens her door to lend it to him and as soon as she hands it over Enrique spirits her off to the car and tells her to type in her grandma's address so he can take her to visit. Just as they are driving away, Jin Rok appears behind them, yelling at Enrique to stop the car. They don’t hear him and drive off. Dong Hoon, back from paying the rent, wants to know what's wrong with the panting Jin Rok, who proceeds to have a mini meltdown. He yells that he noticed her first and wants to know why everything comes so easily for Enrique, who is driving toward Dok Mi's fictional, ill grandmother.
               


Dong Hoon comes down stairs and happens upon she of the fluffy coat and her three minions as they rifle through people's mail boxes. (That's what they make keys for, Korea.) She introduces herself and Do Hwi (that is not a name, that's a sound you make when you sneeze). Dong Hoon tries to hit on her, but she's more interested in Jin Rok.  Once she discovers that Dong Hoon and Jin Rok live next door to Dok Mi she goes upstairs and pretends to knock accidentally knock on 401 instead of 402. At first Jin Rok doesn't even remember her.  When Do Hwi says she's there to see Dok Mi, Jin Rok tells her that Dok Mi is gone for the day and gets an idea of his own. He invites Do Hwi in to wait for her friend.
       


When they stop at a rest stop, Dok Mi hears a woman lying to her multiple boyfriends on the phone and feels guilty, so she confesses that her grandma isn't really sick, and that she just didn't want to go on the trip. Enrique then grins and admits he knew it was a lie and was so startled by the lie that he ran out without his wallet, and the car needs gas. He goes inside and uses his considerable charms to borrow money from other travelers. While Enrique is procuring funds Dok Mi finds herself in the middle of a crowd of high school girls who shove right past her, grumbling about her being in their way. We see another flashback of Dok Mi's class mate's bullying her. She rushes out and sits on a bench away from the rest area. When Enrique finds her she demands that he take her home, and he agrees. When they get in the car, Enrique buckles her seat belt and leans her seat back, saying she should rest.
         


When Dok Mi wakes up, the car is stopped and Enrique gives her his best apologetic smile, saying he must have put the wrong address in the navigation (sure ya did buddy). Dok Mi sits up to take a look around and they are at the beach.  Without a word she goes down to the beach and takes in the view. Enrique finds some buckets and shovels and makes himself a huge sand castle. While Dok Mi admires it he snaps pictures of her.  He backs up trying to get a better shot and falls into the water. The pair head into town and find a little store where they can hang out while Enrique's clothes dry. Reluctantly Dok Mi agrees to let Enrique drink a little, but he ends up downing the whole bottle. They go back down to the beach to kill time.
       


Meanwhile Jin Rok is grilling Do Hwi about Dok Mi and insists that Do Hwi try to call her. She does, but all the while she's trying to do her seductive thing, which really just looks like someone having a muscle spasm to me. Finally Dok Mi answers and tells Do Hwi she's not coming home, so not to wait. When Do Hwi relays this information, Jin Rok suggests she leave. Just as she leaves, Dong Hoon is coming home and a courier, there on court business, is also at door 401 looking for Oh Jae Won. Dong Hoon says there's no one there by that name and then Jin Rok opens the door to see Do Hwi out. And playfully gives Jin Rok a hard time about wanting to spend time alone with Do Hwi. Jin Rok denies it and shoos her off before dealing with the courier. Jin Rok actually IS Oh Jae Won, a fact Do Hwi seems very excited about as she scampers into the elevator. Dong Hoon is upset that Jin Rok didn't mention it but Jin Rok says, since the court has approved his application for name change he IS Oh Jin Rok. When Dong Hoon questions him about the name change, Jin Rok tells him never to ask.
 

After another demonstration Jin Rok and Dong Hoon go out for dinner. Dong Hoon tells Jin Rok that he should start dating. Dong Hoon goes on to say that he heard Jin Rok has never even kissed anyone. When Jin Rok asks who said that, Dong Hoon takes his reaction to mean it's true. He urges Jin Rok to try it out with Do Hwi who obviously likes him. Jin Rok says Do Hwi isn't his type, and that he prefers a woman who is honest even when the world isn't looking. Dong Hoon is surprised, asking if Jin Rok really does like the woman in 402.
       


It's getting dark now and Enrique and Dok Mi are back at the little shop where they are told the bus to Seoul has already stopped running. The old woman tells them this happens often, but the spirits are pulling them in and they should just stay the night. Enrique agrees that since he's drunk he can't drive back and they should wait about five hours. They put fire wood in a small outdoor fireplace and sit down settle in. After they chat a little, Do Mi tries to apologize, saying it's because of her lie that they are stuck, but Enrique admits that he lied  about the navigation. He tells her he realized how afraid she was of people when she sat outside in the cold as opposed to inside the warm rest stop. He says he didn't want to take her home for fear she'll go into hiding again. He wants to help her get back out into the world before she leaves. Dok Mi turns him down, asking that he not acknowledge her when they get back.
   


Enrique goes to sit in the car and looks through the pictures he's taken of Dok Mi. Dok Mi has gone into the room where she's typing on her phone when the lights start to flicker on and off. Dok Mi remembers what the old woman says about the spirits and she screams, which brings Enrique running into the room. He accidentally knocks her down, and his fall is broken by what else but their lips!


THOUGHTS:
I just want to say how much I LOVE that Dok Mi has an actual, real mental problem that's presented in a reasonable way. Often in K-dramas we are confronted with chicks that are hapless and helpless for no other reason than they just are and must be rescued by a really hot rich guy, because beyond a positive attitude and several part time jobs they have nothing to offer. Here, at least so far, we have a girl that needs help, not because she's a helpless drama girl, but because she has a REAL problem that no real person could solve on their own. Dok Mi's anxieties and the reasons behind them keep the character from coming off as pathetic and useless. Every time Dok Mi is forced out of her comfort zone and doesn't freak out, you cheer a little for her. Gold star!  

Congrats to _94JBP who won our caption contest last week. Since this came out a little late you'll only have 3 days for this week's contest!

   

Missed the recap for episode 1 and 2? Click here to read.