5 Things I loved About "Hyde Jekyll, Me" Episodes 15 &16

As we near the end, “Hyde Jekyll, Me” is starting to unravel its bigger plot points, and this week not only resolves one of the main storylines, but allows the remaining weeks to focus on the romance, and resolution, of Seo Jin/Robin (Hyun Bin) and Jang Ha Na (Han Ji Min). We made a lot of progress this week, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the drama will resolve the triangle, because like Ha Na, I don’t want to lose either Seo Jin or Robin.

But first, here are the 5 things I loved about “Hyde Jekyll, Me” episodes 15 and 16.

1. The Troupe + 1

I love Seo Jin. I love the circus troupe. The both of them together? So much to love! Gu Seo Jin has a new lease on life, part of which involves him learning how to interact with others. We already know how strict he was on himself for the last five years, and probably longer than that, and he’s finally letting himself think and feel and experience all that he had once prohibited.

I’m so pleased that Seo Jin is taking notes from Ha Na, but isn’t only changing for her. This is essential to him becoming more human, and I’m so glad he sees that this development can’t simply hinge upon her. So Seo Jin going to the circus troupe and wanting to observe them and interact with them has so much meaning. He once forced himself to be in their company for the sake of saving face, and agonized over every single moment of it, but now he returns to them of his own free will, recognizing their worth as people of substance from whom he could learn a great manifold of things. It’s a huge step for Seo Jin, and I adore the troupe so much; he couldn’t have picked a better group of people to learn humor, and sympathy, and caring, and diligence from.

2. The Chairman & the Executive Director

I am largely apathetic towards the Chairman. I don’t really feel sympathy for his plight (pity the rich bajillionaire, amirite?) because its so trite. The father character deciding the course of his son’s life at the cost of his very happiness. He might now be experiencing regrets, and may want to make amends for them, but very little in his behavior exemplifies that. The Chairman still goes around so high-handedly, using people and pulling strings in the way he thinks is best. His concern for Seo Jin may come from a place of worry, but as Assistant Kwon so rightly put it, Wonder Group is his first son.

However, and this is a huge “however,” I was moved to sympathy by his admission of worrying over Seo Jin. To be clear, I didn’t think any more of the Chairman for having said those words, and they only meant anything to me because of what they meant to Seo Jin. It was a moment of healing for our Executive Director, and thus was significant and moving for me. I’m glad this moment happened because it frees Seo Jin from painful memories of his childhood, and he can move on with his life, which, at the end of the day, is what I’m here for.

3. The BFFs

I have to admit, I found the climax to the whole Seo Jin and Soo Hyun (Sung Joon) face-off to be a little underwhelming and anti-climatic, but leave it to Sung Jung and just how well he plays off tormented, confused villain that I was willing to let it go. Especially in the light of the relationship between Seo Jin and Soo Hyun. Right when I thought Soo Hyun was at the point of no return, he pulls himself back from the edge and recognizes his fault. And I love that Seo Jin, in his burgeoning humanity, doesn’t let him go. It’s a great indicator of how changed Seo Jin is that, where he once abandoned Soo Hyun, he is now unwilling to do so. I love their relationship; it may have taken us forever to get to this point, but there is just so much history behind them and I’m glad they are both finally handling it with the maturity of their years.

And just how cute are their kid counterparts?! How ideal is it to be a kid with free access to everything in an amusement park? My 10-year-old self was green with envy.

4. The Rock and a Hard Place

So, I want to be Jang Ha Na so that I can be around Seo Jin and Robin all the time, but I also don’t want to be her because there’s no way I could pick between the two of them. Okay, I lied, I would pick Seo Jin but I wouldn’t want Robin to suffer because of that choice. Especially if they’re the same guy. Or whatever.

I thought it was interesting that Ha Na rejected Seo Jin’s feelings toward her, claiming that he probably looks at her because she has saved him several times over, that he’s confusing feelings of gratitude with something more. I found this rather weak considering the same thing could be said about why she likes Robin or why Robin likes her. But I loved Seo Jin’s response–he called her out on her excuses and put her in place. Just because she has a lifetime of experience feeling emotions of a more tender persuasion, that doesn’t mean his feelings for her aren’t legitimate. Oh, Seo Jinnie, who knew I would grow to like you so much as I do now?

I really like how the drama has set up really good arguments for why Ha Na should be with Robin, and equally, why she should be with Seo Jin. And the line between the two gets drawn deeper every week! Ha Na, good quality person that she is, is steadfast and loyal to Robin in the face of Seo Jin who is just everything compelling. I don’t know how she does it, but I really enjoyed how “Hyde Jekyll, Me” has made it so that we, like Ha Na, can’t pick easily between them. Having Robin and Seo Jin be “the same person” makes for a great triangle because there’s layers of consequence that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The triangle is finally getting good, people, and I can’t wait to see what happens.

5. Is Robin the New Antagonist?

I love what the drama has done with Robin’s character. He’s terrified of disappearing, is tired of playing second fiddle to Seo Jin, has someone worth sticking around for, and this time he’s not going to back down. He has his own life, his own dreams, his own circle of friends, and why should he be the one who has to sacrifice his existence for the other? Yes, his personality is one that saves with little regard to himself, but, as we’ve seen, he has something worth staying for. And his life is just as legitimate as Seo Jin’s.

I love seeing this vulnerability from Robin, who at times seemed too carefree to be relatable. The thing he fears the most is being inconsequential, and that is the most humanizing aspect of his whole personality for me. He wants to live, and that just pains the heart. And…I love that his desperate fight to preserve his existence just might lead to his downfall. Because the hero of “Hyde Jekyll, Me” has always been Seo Jin, no matter how many people Robin saved. And the most critical point left to be resolved is making Seo Jin whole again. He’s almost there, but there’s just one person standing in his way, and that is Robin.

Honestly, I don’t know what is going to become of the two of them, but Robin is already taking several steps that put him in direct conflict with Seo Jin, and while I hope it doesn’t come down to one against the other, it doesn’t bode well that Robin has washed his hands of Seo Jin. And yet, I love the conflict!

Do you think it will come down to Seo Jin against Robin? What were your favorite moments of “Hyde Jekyll, Me”? Let me know in the comments section.

[tv]Catch these episodes of Hyde Jekyll, Me on SoompiTV![/tv]