With Baek Seon Gyu’s murder and subsequent investigation over, episode five isn’t super intense, but that doesn’t stop it from being entertaining. Baek Ah Jin is now a rising actress signed to Longstar Entertainment, and she has a new man (aka potential victim) in her life. His name is Heo In Gang (Hwang In Youp, and he’s a fellow actor as well as Im Re Na’s ex. Ah Jin’s fame is skyrocketing, so Seo Mi Ri asking In Gang to look out for her just stokes the animosity between Ah Jin and Re Na.
I like the little twists in this episode, including the reminder that Baek Ah Jin isn’t truly free of the consequences of her father’s murder.
YES to Ah Jin and Re Na’s rivalry
As predicted, Ah Jin’s rivalry with Re Na is very reminiscent of the one she had with Shim Sung Hee in high school. Re Na immediately doesn’t like her because she sees through Ah Jin’s act, and the dislike is compounded by the fact that Ah Jin is starting to get more attention than her, and go to events with In Gang. I find it funny how other horrible people like Re Na, Sung Hee, and even Baek Seon Gyu eventually see through Ah Jin’s mask. It must be a “takes one to know one” kind of situation. Since they also live behind masks they recognize when other people are doing it, and get mad when it’s being done better.
I would say this rivalry is even more high stakes though. Ah Jin and Re Na are adults with public careers, and instead of not getting accepted into their desired universities, a criminal-free record is on the line. That’s why I was on the edge of my seat, wondering who’d get to the blackmail files in Seo Mi Ri’s safe first. If it gets out Re Na was involved in a DUI and covered it up, her career would be over and she’d most likely face jail time. The same goes for Ah Jin.
Re Na ends up catching Ah Jin trying to open their boss’s safe, and reveals she got the files first before beating Ah Jin over the head with them while Jun Seo watches.
YES to the video of Re Na slapping Ah Jin airing at Longstar’s anniversary party
The anniversary party was so messy! Re Na brings Jun Seo to make both In Gang and Ah Jin jealous. Meanwhile, In Gang barely blinks. He’s done with you, girl! At some point during the party, he has what looks like a panic attack and stumbles off alone to try and take his medicine. Ah Jin, ever watchful, notices and brings him a bottle of water, drops a cool one-liner, and leaves so he can have a bit of dignity. This small act of kindness goes a long way with In Gang, and now he’s looking at her differently aka Feelings Uploading.
After that, a video of Longstar’s accomplishments over the year plays for everyone to see. There’s promo pics and clips of Ah Jin, In Gang, and Re Na. Everyone is watching and smiling politely until a clip of Re Na smacking Ah Jin with the files in the parking garage comes on. Re Na is mortified, and that’s when we get a flash back of Ah Jin asking her manager Hyangi if Re Na told her to bring up the blackmail files. Hyangi, who is Re Na’s former manager, admits to being guilted into setting Ah Jin up, and decides to help her instead. Hyangi is the one who filmed the video in the parking garage.
Man, this was a nice little twist. Ah Jin is two steps ahead again! And Jun Seo knows that, which is why he asked Re Na if she was sure she’d won the battle after smacking Ah Jin around.
YES to the lead detective of Baek Seon Gyu’s case popping up as a waiter at the anniversary party
He seems like the type of person to hold a grudge, so I expected to see him again, I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. And for him to infiltrate Longstar Entertainment’s anniversary party as a cater waiter. Re Na saw him threatening Ah Jin, so of course she’s going to look into him so they can team up. But Ah Jin and Jun Seo have reunite at the end of the episode, so she won’t go down easily.
NO to Kim Jae Oh still paying for trying to protect his little brother
Jae Oh accidentally stabbing his dad while trying to protect his little brother was a tragedy, but it was just that—an accident. He’s clearly guilt-ridden, turned himself over to police, and did the time for the crime. Now he’s working as a delivery man, and gives the money he makes to his aunt to support his little brother. What more can he do? His aunt still doesn’t want him around and Jae Oh himself thinks he doesn’t deserve a relationship with his little brother. It’s really sad.
So, once again Jae Oh is lonely and hopeless, and wants to feel useful, so guess where that’s going to lead him? Back into Ah Jin’s clutches. He’s already admiring her on TV and delivering items to Longstar’s offices. It’s only a matter of time before he makes contact and starts doing her bidding.
I do wonder what the endgame for Jae Oh’s character will be though. He hasn’t had much screen time even though he’s the second male lead. The character has already gone to jail, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to have a romantic storyline with Ah Jin now that In Gang’s in the picture. It makes me wonder what the screenwriter planned for him and what his overall impact will be on the plot.
Final Thoughts
So far Dear X hasn’t had a dull episode. You’re either going to get action, schemes, or both. Jun Seo’s a successful author, and he’s made up with Ah Jin, so he’s right back in her web too. I was hoping he worked on his mental health while apart from Ah Jin, but that was just wishful thinking. What makes everything worse is Ah Jin telling him she wants to learn how to love In Gang. I just sighed and threw my hands up in the air because really??? After everything’s Jun Seo done for you, the person you want to learn how to love is a man you just met???
But what did I expect? She’s a sociopath, and the man who’d be the most beneficial for her acting career and life in general is In Gang, so that’s who she’s going to go with.
More Dear X Posts
- REVIEW: DEAR X EPISODE 4
- REVIEW: DEAR X EPISODE 3
- REVIEW: DEAR X EPISODE 1 & 2
- WELCOME TO KIMBAP AND K-DRAMAS! (AND DEAR X SUMMARY)
