my Sweet Mobster- Episode 5-6 Recap
Our beloved mobster and his loyal deerlings are crushed under the weight of society’s harsh prejudices this week. Enter our radiant content creator, who crashes into their lives like a wrecking ball of sunshine and kindness. Despite initially misjudging Ji-hwan and his crew by their tough exteriors, she’s now seen the gentle soul beneath his rough facade. With her unwavering belief in second chances, she’s ready to stand by him and his team, bringing a new hope that just might turn the tide in their favor.
Rivals Ji-hwan and Hyun-woo have officially clashed on the battlefield of love, and the tension between them is so thick it could be cut, battered, deep-fried, and served with a side of radish kimchi and a pint of beer. Hyun-woo is none too pleased to see Eun-ha with Ji-hwan, and while Ji-hwan is certainly at the top of Hyun-woo’s list of potential dangers, her mere proximity to the former gangster could make her an unintended casualty in the ongoing feud between Ji-hwan and the Kitty Gang. As these two titans vie for Eun-ha's heart, the stakes have never been higher, and the drama never more intense.
Hyun-woo insists on driving Eun-ha back to the city, and along the way, Eun-ha tries to defend Ji-hwan. Her arguments aren’t terribly convincing, though, because she doesn't know enough about Ji-hwan’s past to make an informed decision. Yet, she senses Hyun-woo’s bias and boldly asserts that she feels safe with Ji-hwan — a statement that clearly doesn’t sit well with Hyun-woo. The tension in the car is palpable, as Eun-ha finds herself caught between the two men, each with their own secrets and unresolved histories. The ride back to the city is fraught with unspoken words and simmering emotions, leaving us eagerly anticipating the next turn in their tangled web of relationships.
Although Hyun-woo insists he doesn’t hate Ji-hwan and claims his concern is rooted in the gang-related crimes he’s seen as a prosecutor, he considers Ji-hwan the most dangerous person he knows. There’s definitely some history between these two. Ten years ago, after a gang-related brawl, Hyun-woo saw Ji-hwan standing over a bloodied and unconscious ajumma, holding a bat covered in blood. It’s a scene that would make anyone think the worst, but just like Eun-ha’s first impression of Ji-hwan holding a broken bottle, there’s likely more to the story than meets the eye. The tension between them is thick, and the mysteries of their pasts are bound to unravel in unexpected ways.
After Hyun-woo, oblivious to Eun-ha’s current living situation (or lack thereof), drops her off at her former apartment, our homeless heroine disregards his words of caution and returns to Ji-hwan’s house to retrieve her belongings. Eun-ha tries to explain to Ji-hwan that she only knows Hyun-woo because she was called in as a witness to the incident at the Kitty Gang’s nightclub, but Ji-hwan stops her. He tells her that she doesn’t need to explain why she knows a prosecutor; instead, she should be offering excuses for why she knows a former gangster. Battling his own self-pity, he convinces himself she’s safer on her own rather than living under his roof and sends her on her way, unaware of the heartbreak he's causing.
This is one of those heart-wrenching moments that make you really feel for Ji-hwan. While his pragmatic realism is spot-on, his enemies are dangerous even if he isn’t a threat to Eun-ha, it’s excruciating to watch him deprive himself of happiness when society is already doing enough of that for him. Ughh! Can’t they just let Ji-hwan build his meat processing empire and fantasize on the object of his affection in peace!
While Ji-hwan resigns himself to his fate, Eun-ha decides to spend the night at a jjimjilbang, but even there, she can’t escape Ji-hwan’s orbit. She accidentally trips over one of his deerlings, specifically, the one in charge of Thirsty Deer’s marketing. This younger member of Ji-hwan’s inner circle, Marketing Deerling, foolishly stole Ji-hwan’s seal to sign a contract with Ye-na, without Ji-hwan’s permission, to have her promote their children’s sausages. Now, he’s in hot water with Ji-hwan and has been hiding out at the jjimjilbang.
It’s no surprise that the little dummy, who shares every moment of his life on social media, is quickly tracked down by Ji-hwan. Thankfully, Ji-hwan arrives just in time because, as soon as Marketing Deerling answers Ji-hwan’s call to come outside and face his (calm yet terrifying) wrath, he accidentally pisses off a group of large men itching for a fight. Eun-ha, bless her heart, tries to diffuse the situation but only makes things worse by pointing out all the flaws in one of the thug’s bootleg Pikachu tattoo.
Thankfully, Marketing Deerling never ended his phone call with Ji-hwan, who overheard the whole exchange and swooped into the sauna like a protective mastiff, ready to cut throats with his angular cheekbones. Ji-hwan’s mere presence is enough to scare away the thugs, effortlessly saving his damsel and deerling. While the audience found the exchange with the tattooed gangsters humorous, the incident was dangerous enough for Ji-hwan to recant his previous statement. Eun-ha was, in fact, not safer on the streets of Seoul than she would be under his protection. As for Marketing Deerling, Ji-hwan, unwilling to forgive his mistake in the moment, sends him on his merry way.
Although Ji-hwan doesn’t intend to charge Eun-ha rent, she insists on earning her keep. So, in exchange for free room and board, Ji-hwan asks her to tutor his deerlings and help them pass the high school proficiency test. Sounds simple enough, except not all the deerlings are thrilled about her presence in the house. To smooth things over, the more amiable deerlings host a party to welcome her, and Marketing Deerling, at Eun-ha’s request, into the fold. Several drinking games later, everyone, except the straightedge Ji-hwan, is drunk. In her giddy, playful state, Eun-ha ends up placing her hands on both sides of Ji-hwan’s face, falling into his “twinkling and sparkling” eyes… and his lips. (Omo!)
The next morning, Eun-ha is a bundle of awkwardness, desperately pretending she doesn’t remember the kiss from the night before. Ji-hwan, equally haunted by the brush of her lips against his, plays along with her charade. Both are left in a tangled web of miscommunication, each convinced the other regrets the intimate moment, though neither dares to break the silence.
The misunderstanding escalates when Ji-hwan overhears Eun-ha describing him to the deerlings as a “shoulder thug.” The term is foreign to him, and his insecurities about his past cause him to fixate on the “thug” part, sending his self-esteem into a nosedive. However, Eun-ha quickly clears things up, explaining that the term was actually a compliment, highlighting his impressive broad shoulders. Once Ji-hwan realizes the truth, his confidence skyrockets, and he approaches the lat machine with a newfound swagger and an even heavier weight.
Meanwhile, Eun-ha finds herself unable to ignore the lingering memory of their kiss or the sight of Ji-hwan’s sculpted muscles from his intense workout. Yet, her curiosity about Hyun-woo and her burning need to confirm whether he’s her long-lost childhood protector keeps her on edge and partially preoccupied.
However, there are undeniable signs pointing to where her heart truly lies. For one, Eun-ha's jealousy flares up when she overhears the deerlings praising Ji-hwan for his tender care of Ye-na after she clumsily bit into one of their sausages and had an allergic reaction. (And let’s be real, Ye-na…seriously? There are better ways to charm Ji-hwan than risking your health for a product you can’t even eat!)
Secondly, when Hyun-woo invites Eun-ha on a date and leans in to buckle her seatbelt, the quintessential K-drama swoon moment, she’s jolted out of her daydream by the imagined disapproval of Ji-hwan in the backseat. The date quickly turns into a letdown as every chic restaurant Hyun-woo meticulously selected for their night out is inexplicably closed.
If I were still rooting for Hyun-woo as the second lead, I’d feel a twinge of sympathy for him. But my interest in his character has plummeted so dramatically that every moment he hogs the screen feels like a cruel tease, pulling me away from the heartwarming OTP I’m actually here for. Hyun-woo’s relentless prejudice against Ji-hwan is becoming infuriating. While his concerns might be grounded in what he knows, his intense animosity has overshadowed any other aspect of his personality. In a drama where even the most villainous characters have a satirical twist, Hyun-woo's one-dimensional hostility stands out starkly, making him seem out of place and detracting from the otherwise dynamic storyline.
It's truly heartbreaking to watch Eun-ha tread carefully around Hyun-woo's deep-seated biases just to keep the fragile balance between her friendships with him and Ji-hwan. The effort she puts into preserving harmony only highlights the painful divide between her two worlds.
Eun-ha finds herself once again trapped between the two men when Hyun-woo gets alarming news: Former Drug Dealer’s little sister and grandmother are missing. Eun-ha quickly calls Ji-hwan, desperate for answers, but he remains tight-lipped, clearly refusing to divulge anything while knowing she's with Hyun-woo. The tension between them reaches new heights as Ji-hwan's silence speaks volumes, leaving Eun-ha grappling with secrets and uncertainties.
As Eun-ha struggles to catch a cab home, Hyun-woo sneaks off for a clandestine meeting with Ji-hwan, his anger palpable. He accuses Ji-hwan of being behind the disappearance of Grandma and Little Sister, dismissing Ji-hwan's assurances of their safety. Fueled by his memories of the hotel incident a decade ago, Hyun-woo's conviction that Ji-hwan is a menace blinds him to any other possibility. The mystery of that fateful night deepens, hinting at hidden truths yet to be revealed. As we hold our breath for Ji-hwan’s side of the story, the drama only thickens.
After his intense confrontation with Hyun-woo, Ji-hwan arrives at Eun-ha's place, seemingly out of nowhere. While Hyun-woo remains resolutely skeptical about Ji-hwan’s integrity, Eun-ha readily believes Ji-hwan’s assurance that Grandmother and Little Sister are unharmed. However, Ji-hwan is too absorbed in his own turmoil, especially his dismay that Eun-ha was with Hyun-woo, to fully appreciate her unwavering trust. Instead, the burden of his societal position weighs heavily on him, and he can’t shake the feeling that Eun-ha’s concealed living situation has driven an even deeper wedge between them.
But that widening gap won’t last for long. The story is set on bringing them closer, determined to bridge Eun-ha’s lingering doubts and Ji-hwan’s deep-seated insecurities about his past. This time, the drama dives headfirst into the high-stakes game of forced proximity and near-death moments, ensuring that the sparks fly as these two navigate their challenges together.
The next morning, Eun-ha stirs to find the deerlings gearing up for what looks like an all-out war with another gang. Panicked and determined to stop them, she sneaks into the back of their van, convinced they’re about to plunge into a dangerous conflict. Her earnest attempt to steer them away from violence is both endearing and revealing, exposing her underlying mistrust despite her genuine concern.
In reality, the deerlings are mobilizing for a high-stakes crisis involving a major meat supply issue (which, frankly, is a bit over my head). The executive deerlings are kitted out with a massive duffle bag of knives, ready to tackle the monumental task of butchering a whole slew of animals. (Vegetarians and vegans, brace yourselves!)
In the midst of the frenzy, Eun-ha is hilariously mistaken for an employee and is thrust into the task of stickering packaged meat as it whizzes down the conveyor belt. It's like a dramatic undercover boss moment as she gets an inside look at Ji-hwan’s world through the eyes of his employees. The women sing his praises, revealing how his second-chance initiative has given even the most troubled souls, like one woman who committed a heart-wrenching crime to protect her child, a fresh start. As Eun-ha absorbs their stories, she begins to see Ji-hwan in a new light, understanding why everyone describes him as tough on the outside but a soft-hearted soul underneath.
By now, Ji-hwan’s deerlings have caught on to his growing interest in Eun-ha, and they’re eager to play matchmaker. However, their well-intentioned plans go hilariously awry when one overzealous deerling orchestrates a “romantic” encounter by locking Ji-hwan and Eun-ha in a freezer together. As the temperature drops and their forced proximity heats up the tension, the situation becomes a dramatic game of survival, and unspoken confessions. While I’m not a fan of pranks, whether intentional or not, I’m eagerly awaiting Ji-hwan’s reaction once they’re freed. Will he exact a fittingly stern revenge, or will this mishap thaw his icy exterior?
In the midst of their icy confinement, I can’t help but embrace the classic romantic trope of life-threatening scenarios bringing people closer. Especially when Eun-ha confides in Ji-hwan that she’s witnessed a side of him through his employees that’s nothing short of extraordinary. Her heartfelt praise is just what Ji-hwan needs to recognize the goodness within himself. It’s a moment that melts the frost of his doubts and warms the heart. (Seriously, how can you not be moved by that?)
Unfortunately, the tender moment between Ji-hwan and Eun-ha does little to offset the bone-chilling cold of the freezer. As temperatures plummet, frost begins to form on their lips and eyelashes, amplifying their discomfort. Desperate to keep warm, Ji-hwan hesitantly asks Eun-ha if they can huddle like penguins. With her silent consent, he wraps his arms around her, pulling her close against his body. Together, they cling to each other, their shared warmth becoming a beacon of intimacy amid the icy darkness.
DramaZen's Opinion
Why does their life-threatening predicament feel so irresistibly swoon-worthy? Here they are, teetering on the edge of hypothermia, their skin turning blue, and yet I’m over here gushing as if they’re making out in the back of a candlelit carriage. (No judgments, please!) And speaking of steamy moments, let's not overlook our secondary couple this week: Mi-ho and Il-young, who are adding their own touch of heat to the drama.
We don’t get all the steamy details, because, you know, this show likes to keep things a bit tame, but it’s clear that Mi-ho and Il-young shared an intensely passionate night together. It all started after a chance encounter with a woman who doused them with water, leading them to seek refuge at a nearby hotel to dry off. What happened next? Let’s just say their night was anything but ordinary. I might not be completely blown away by Mi-ho and Il-young's pairing just yet, but they’re definitely channeling some intense energy with their immediate spark and whirlwind romance. Their dynamic contrasts beautifully with the slower, more tender love story of our OTP. But let’s be honest, it’s tough for any couple to steal the spotlight when the OTP is as irresistibly adorable as they are. Just look at them! They’re too cute for words!