When we saw the trailer for “Our Blues”, we were sure that this was a story that had been made to cash in on the success of “Hometown Cha Cha Cha”. We were right. But will that stop us from watching what “Our Blues” has to offer? Of course not. And that comes from the trust that k-dramas have built in us over the years, so that even if they offer nothing new, they will not let us get tired of the old. And that is why we have committed to this 10-week journey that will include all 20 episodes, with new ones released every Saturday and Sunday.
‘Our Blues’ Episode 1: Recap And Ending
“Our Blues” is going to be presented in an omnibus format, and the first part of it was about the story of Han Su and Eun Hi. However, before getting to their story, the beginning of the episode introduces all of the characters of the show.
It opens with Lee Eun Hi going to an auction at a fish market and, subsequently, getting a good deal out of it. We see her bargaining with a customer later on, and this gives us the gist of her character as someone bubbly with a good sense of business.
The next character that is introduced is Lee Young Ok, who, along with a few grumpy old ladies, works as a diver, otherwise known as a “haenyeo.” For context, the term means “sea-women” and is a reference to the female divers in the Korean province. They are a symbol of the semi-matriarchal family structure of the islands.
Another character we see is the captain of the ship, Park Jeong Joon, played so handsomely by Kim Woo Bin, and we cannot wait for the episode of the show that will be exploring his character. We don’t get much about him other than the fact that he is considering dating Young Ok casually.
Coming to one of the main characters of the episode, we are introduced to Choi Han Su, the branch manager of SS Bank, who seems to be in some sort of financial trouble. He is seen asking his friends for money, only to be turned down. While on the call, he accidentally stubs his toe, which is now bleeding.
On the other hand, there is a slight commotion in his bank when a customer starts assaulting one of the employees, blaming him for some of the losses he has faced. In an effort to restrain the customer, Han Su further injures his toe when it is stepped on by him. He calms him down and tells him to cool down in his cabin. He goes to the office cafeteria and tells the employee who was assaulted to calm down and make some tea. He tells him to make the tea boiling hot so that the customer would have to spend time blowing on it to cool it down, which would calm him down in return. Back in his cabin, using this very tactic, he convinces the customer to invest in a different product that would help him recoup his losses.
This is the sketch of a person who is smart and has a knack for convincing people, but doesn’t have much going for him right now.
Back home, he has an argument with his wife over the money required for his daughter’s golf lessons. We come to know that they have borrowed money from all of their friends, and their finances are very dire right now. Their daughter Bo Ram is talented at golf, but her classes cost more than $15,000 per month. They have gone as far as to sell their house to support her dreams, and Han Su is adamant about her being able to do what she wants to. His wife on the other hand, wants the golf to take a backseat, as they simply cannot afford it anymore. It is during this argument, it comes up that Han Su is moving back to Jeju soon.
Back in the islands, when he goes to meet his family, they are not exactly pleased to see him. His sister holds a grudge about him not doing anything to help out when their mother’s health was getting worse. Also, it took a lot for the family to be able to send him to Seoul, so it is disappointing that he has lost it all on Bo Ram.
In another scene, we see him witness Eun Hi engaged in a street brawl, making him remark that nothing has changed at all. Later, he runs into her when she is talking to a childhood friend and they reconnect. Han Su learns that Eun-hi is still unmarried and has done quite well for herself by refusing to invest and just letting her money accumulate in the bank. It turns out, she has a good head for money.
We see the episode ending with Eun-hi reminiscing about her school days with Young Ok. She was saved by him from some bullies, and he was also her first love. When she approached him at school the day after they shared their first kiss, he said that she had enjoyed it too. She laughs at this cheeky memory as the scene pans out and “Our Blues” Episode 1 ends.
‘Our Blues’ Episode 2: Recap And Ending
The second episode continues the introduction of the characters while slowly developing the plot of the show.
“Our Blues” Episode 2 begins with a flashback scene from 7 years ago, with Lee Dong Seok and Min Seon Ha spending some time at the beach, when he kisses her as they are having fun. She is visibly taken aback at this and proceeds to call a taxi to go back home. Dong Seok pulls her aside and asks her what the problem is, to which she replies that she sees him as just a friend. This irritates Dong Seok, who tells her the classic line that a man and a woman can never be just friends, followed by “I know you have feelings for me.” But Seon has made it clear that this is far from the case.
Cut to the present day. Dong Seok is a jack of all trades and is selling everything possible while making rounds in his truck. When he comes to know of another truck in the area, he loses his cool, throws the items out, shouts at his customers, and vows to leave for good.
Elsewhere, Eun Hi is excited for her high-school reunion, whereas Han Su lets go of his pride and sends a text to his sister asking to borrow 20 million won. He then goes to the reunion, where he and Eun Hi jam at the karaoke. One of the classmates uses Han Su’s card to pay for the whole thing, and once he wakes up from his alcohol-induced sleep, the fact that 1.8 million won has been spent on his card freaks him out.
In the next scene, Jeong Joon goes towards a café but sees Young Ok leaving after receiving a text from an unknown number. Cut to Eun Hi and Han Su talking to each other in front of a store, and as the former is leaving, Han Su gets a text from his sister telling him to get lost, in reply to his request for a loan. Not knowing what to do, he joins Eun Hi and decides to accompany her wherever she is going. They head to the beach, where they talk about the old days, and Han Su mentions that it was his friends who made his life bearable back then. He rushes into the water and sort of floats while Eun Hi screams that he will catch a cold. At this moment, he asks her if he could borrow money from her, though Eun Hi does not hear this. Once out of the water, he recommends going to Makpo, and Eun Hi says they can, but only if they go together.
Back at home, he gets a call from his daughter, who tells him that she does not want to continue with golf. Both of them talk for a while as to what can be done to not be poor. Just then, his doorbell rings, and it is Eun Hi, who has come with some food. He immediately hides the photos of his family, as if coming up with a plan. He tells Eun he has separated from his wife. He brings up that they should go to Makpo as they planned, though Eun Hi disagrees, as it wouldn’t be right.
Later, she can’t help thinking about what he said and calls him up, agreeing to go as just friends. Meanwhile, in his office, he comes to know that she has transferred her money to his bank and she asks him to take the credit. Word of his and his wife’s habit of borrowing money from everyone is spreading fast. The episode ends with Eun Hi and Han Su going to Makpo, talking about the old days and listening to songs together. “Our Blues” Episode 2 ending, unlike the previous episode, leaves us with a somewhat uneasy feeling.
Is Han Su out to cheat Eun Hi?
From the looks of it, yes, he is. This week was all about the setting of Eun Hi and Han Su’s arc of the story and we have yet to understand what the show seeks to offer to its audience. From the looks of it, Han Su is setting up a honey trap for Eun Hi to get her to give him money. However, we are unable to wrap our heads around the fact that Han Su can be that cold-blooded. He is undoubtedly desperate and cannot afford to have pride but this is a situation that requires deliberate malice and Han Su just does not strike us as a character capable of that. But of course, that remains to be seen.
We enjoyed the very clever way that BTS was included as a cameo. You really can’t underestimate the eagle-eyed powers of the ARMYs where BTS is concerned. Kudos to them for spotting this. As for the show, it has a good tone and characters we can’t help but like or otherwise ogle. The first two episodes of any k-drama are about the setting of the story, so when it is unfolding in an omnibus format, we have to see how it progresses in the upcoming episodes. For now, we are sufficiently hooked. “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” vibes or not, “Our Blues” is offering something, and we are here for it. Suffice to say, our Netflix plans are sorted for the next few weekends.
“Our Blues” is a 2022 Romance Drama South Korean series streaming on Netflix.
