The Cantabile Life

Ep 3 (I Decided to Hate You #Crime and Punishment)

Don’t worry. Everything will pass. I know that it feels like everyone is talking about you. But, that’s not true. People don’t really care. Only you care. – Song Ji Won

Let’s be simple minded. Thinking that she might be a good person or that she had her reason. It’s just too complicated. It’s either I like her or I hate her. A friend or a foe. Either this or that. I don’t want to know too much. If I do, I’ll feel pity for her. Then, I can no longer hate her. I don’t understand her. I won’t. I’ll never… I’ll never do that. I’ll have my revenge. – Jo Eun

Ep 4 (I Survived #Selfish Gene)

Why should the woman avoid the man after a break up? I don’t like that. So don’t. – Song Ji Won

There are things that you can’t learn. If efforts always paid off, I’d be Kim Yuna.  – Song Ji Won

The one that hurts never knows. Only the one that is hurt remembers. – Yoo Eun Jae

I always keep a distance so I don’t get too close. I always keep a distance so they don’t get too close. Keeping a distance is isolating oneself. With that distance, one decides to be lonely. Survival… Right… This is my survival strategy. I’ve run like a racehorse wearing blinkers. That’s how I survived this far… and that’s how I’ll survive in the future. I had to keep a distance. – Yoon Jin Myung

Ep 5 (My Heart is Like Reed #First Love)

I don’t want to hurt anybody. Especially the person who love me. – Jo Eun

I pretend that I don’t know. If I get caught that I know that, then I can’t pretend that I don’t know. I just want to see what I want to see, if I see too much, I will get lost. I don’t care at all. Even if I do care, it’s no use. I just want to believe what I want to believe. Then I will be happy with that. I just want to remember what I want to remember. Because I want to protect myself. – Song Ji Won

Ep 6 (I am A Miracle #Searching for The Lost Time)

I’m not successful yet because I’m not doing my best. – Heimdal

Be careful, because… Be careful when it’s nighttime. Don’t walk around by yourself. Don’t go to some isolated places. – Kwon Ho Chang

Two little girls that look alike, at the same time they have different paths. What makes the different between these two little girls’ destiny? Even though we don’t know what caused this… But my guts tell me that this is a very unimportant thing. Very… Very… unimportant. Too unimportant that the reason are missed from everyone’s attention. There’s a possibility that my life is going to a different way to what it was. I’m scared. But there’s also a relief. Those unimportant things didn’t happen to me. I’m feeling lucky, but at the other side, I’m feeling guilty to that kid. – Song Ji Won

Ep 7 (I was The Center of The World #The Scarlet Letter)

Taking the initiative and being obsessive are different. Being aggressive after you broke up is just scary. – Seo Jang Hoon

If you’re nice to someone like me, then you’re a good person. – Kwon Ho Chang

It’s because that person is bad. That person that hates you is bad. You’re a nice person. You’re nice and pretty. – Kwon Ho Chang

When I was younger, I was the center of the world. I thought the world would stop when I fell asleep. I thought the world would stop when I fell asleep. Everything moved for me. I couldn’t imagine the world without me. Everything moved for me. I couldn’t imagine the world without me. Back then… everything existed to love me. When did I realize… that the world still moves even without me? When did I realize… that I’m not the center of the world anymore? When did I realize… that I’m just one of many from my heart. And since when did I… start to put others at the center of my world? When did I realize how much I desire to have things I can’t have? When did I start to rather choose to hate myself… out of anger? Once again today, I painfully realize that… I can also be hated… just like I can hate someone. – Jung Ye Eun

Ep 8 (I Deny Myself - Confession)

You’re the victim. Why are you being blamed?  – Yoo Eun Jae

Why must I be responsible? How can I be responsible of other people’s life? There’s no one. You’re also, Ma’am. Ye Eun’s life is her own responsibility. That’s the only way. That’s why… you choose yourself. – Yoon Jin Myung

I hate myself sometimes. That’s why I don’t expect others to like me. A half hate. A half regret. A half hope. It’s better if I can be honest. Maybe someone would like a person like me. – Jo Eun

It’s better to be alone than be laughed at. If there’s no feeling, it won’t hurt. If there’s no wish, there won’t be heartbroken. Don’t hope anything. Don’t wish anything. Close each door tightly. If I pretend to not know anything, then I could starting over. If I don’t give attention, then I won’t be cared. Pretend don’t know anything. – Jo Eun

Ep 9 (I Became A Scar #Paradise Lost)

It all started, then. It was by chance. By chance, we happened to sit at the same place. We didn’t share beliefs or the same hobbies. We didn’t grow up in similar situations. We just happened to sit at the same row. That was all. And that was enough. That day… we became friends.  – Jung Ye Eun

Ep 10 (It Might Be Me #Hunches are Not Wrong)

Maybe hatred is like a snowball. It starts as a little ball but it grows bigger and bigger and it rolls over different emotion. We hate because we like too much. Because they don’t like is back. Because they have too much, because we feel too guilty, because we have no choice. When the bitterness grows too much, it gets out of our hands.  – Yoon Jin Myung

Ep 11 (I Betrayed Myself #Fall)

The inflection point. A point of a curve at which a change in the direction of curvature occurs. Yes, it’s a curve. And one point of that curve has no direction. No meaning either. Only after we link each and every point, we can find out the meaning of that moment. At that moment, we don’t know. We only find out later… that we just passed the inflection point.  It could be like the Nazca Lines. Lines that look meaningless can become a hummingbird… or an alien when we look at them from afar. – Yoo Eun Jae

Ep 12 (I Affirm Myself #Stand By Me)

Do larva live to become cicadas? The life of a larva could be happier than that of a cicada. And a cicada is just a larva that is old. – Yoon Jin Myung

As if nothing happened. To be honest, I wanted to scream. To be honest, I wanted to run. I thought I’d get caught if I screamed. I thought I’d be chased if I ran. The misfortune that was hiding like a tagger… could catch our ankles… so we walked as slowly as possible. – Yoon Jin Myung

Ep 13 ( I Saw Myself #All Beautiful Words)

Sunbae… Can I ask you a favor? When you date another girl, don’t tell her that she disappointed you. If you date another girl, wait a little bit before you start dating. Don’t treat me too well, or I’ll get confused. But don’t treat me too poorly either. I’m so glad that you were my first love. – Yoo Eun Jae

The longer we drag it on, the harder it will be to say it. – Jo Eun

What kind of future did that child once dream of? Was it an ordinary life? Or a special life? To be provided for? Or to be loved? Though I’m a bit late, I grieve for her. I grieve for her dream that’s now become nothing. The things I remember, the things I can’t remember, the things that can’t be helped… My friend, Moon Hyo Jin. Today, I pray for them. I hope that they don’t have to suffer, that they won’t have to go through more than they can bear. Even it may seem boring, I hope they can live an ordinary life. And I also pray, even if they have no way out, they will get through it. Even when they’re scared to death, I hope they can walk forward. I’ll do my all the become the person I wanted to be. – Song Ji Won

Ep 14 (They Have Their Own Mirror #Goodbye See You Tomorrow)

I will not apologize. I can’t. I didn’t do anything wrong… to apologize. – Song Ji Won

Don’t think about what others do. It’s not like there is one answer, like you have to kiss in one month or a year… and if you don’t, you’re behind. It’s not like that. – Yoo Eun Jae

We swore to never change. We swore to never change until death. I never thought that we’d change. I thought the two of us were enough. Who is the bad one? The one that has changed… or the one that couldn’t? You and I are like puzzle pieces that don’t come together. If we force it, we’ll only get hurt. If I shrink myself so that I won’t hurt the person that I like, I’ll be stabbing myself. It hurts if we get closer, but if we grow apart, it feels like I’d die. – Ahn Ye Ji

Final Impression:

This Little Gem!

I’m glad that Season 2 has the same vibe as Season 1. Even though this sequel is felt more comedic, and is not as mysterious as Season 1, but Belle Epoque Girls are still lovely and relatable. I was disappointed first when my favorite character, Kang Yi Na, only appeared as cameo, but new character, Jo Eun, is also charming in her own way and can give new color in Belle Epoque. And of course, this season is the time for Ji Won to take the spotlight. Her character has the most development and her arc is surprisingly very heartbreaking. I loved Ji Won and her quirky personality in Season 1, but in this season, she took my whole heart with the revelation of her hidden trauma, and I just wanted her to be happy with Sung Min. I was a bit mad when watching Epilogue of 8 years later, but I realized that this drama just stay true in showing the “Slice of Life” element. It’s bittersweet yet realistic.

I felt that 14 Episodes are a bit draggy and the plot is not as tight as Season 1 (12 Eps), but I like how the ending is really “Age of Youth” thingy. We can see how Belle Epoque Girls continue their daily life and start to enter new chapter of their journey, and it seems there is no impactful changes in the ending, but it gives the familiar feeling. It’s like whenever we go to Belle Epoque, these 5 lovely girls will always greet us with their relatable stories.

                   I know the possibility of Season 3 is very small especially because all characters already has their own ending, but I still have this tiny faith that there will be Season 3, based on how this show cruelly gave a vague hint of Ji Won & Sung Min relationship (SsongSungmin Couple). I’m OK if they decide to end this drama in Season 2, but I’ll be happier if they continue for Season 3, as I will never bored watching this little gem *of course with the same ensemble of Belle Epoque*. And if there is Season 3, please… please… please… give more development for SsongSungmin. We cannot wait till forever only to see this OTP as a couple, right? Kekekeke….

My Girl, Song Ji Won! She shows many sides of her in this season :)

Sung Min’s Gaze >.< My Fav OTP <3 <3 <3

Until next year, see you again Belle Epoque :)

Through this anime, I got a lesson that you should be honest with your feeling and take a gut to speak out what’s on your mind. Even though it’s an ugly truth, even though there is bad consequences that your words might hurt the other person, but we never know how the outcome will be and sometimes honesty is better choice than keeping it with yourself.

I cannot describe in words how much I love The Anthem of The Heart. It’s a type of anime that I can watch many times and still get so much feels, and also an anime that easily enter my all time of favorite lists. If you love slow movie and a fan of Slice of Life genre, then this anime is A Must Watch.

Favorite Quotes

He saw… He saw right into my heart. – Naruse Jun

Well, singing, or music… I think by nature, it was always meant to convey something. So Naruse, if there’s something you want to say… don’t you think you should try singing? – Sakagami Takumi

When I sing, it doesn’t hurt. – Naruse Jun

The most egregious sin in this world is to hurt others with your words. – Egg

Don’t tell people to disappear like it’s nothing! Words can hurt people! You can’t ever… You can’t ever take them back. Even if you regret, you can never take them back! – Naruse Jun

Being able to to talk to Nito like this again… I have Naruse to thank for that, too. – Sakagami Takumi

The words she’d lost start to shout out… Start to shout out “I love you.” – Naruse Jun

Naruse Jun! You have a sweet voice, you know. Talk to me some more. Say what you really want to say. Give me more of those words. You can hurt me. I don’t mind if I get hurt. I want to hear you speak the truth some more. – Sakagami Takumi

I was just like you, Naruse. I’d talk, but… I felt into the habit of not saying what I really felt, somewhere along the way. And then, I started believing that there wasn’t anything… that I really wanted to tell anyone. But then I met you. You don’t usually talk, but you do have so many things you want to convey. And I started to realize that maybe there were many things I wanted to tell someone and I wanted to talk about. I’m glad that I met you. Thanks to you, I think I realized all kind of things. Because your words made me happy. – Sakagami Takumi

What’s inside the egg?

All kind of feelings locked inside.

Then, unable to keep them locked in…

It explodes…

And the world that’s created then…

It is more beautiful than I ever thought.

– Naruse Jun & Sakagami Takumi

Ep 3-4

It’s 101. I passed the bar exam with that IQ. Isn’t it impressive? How much effort do you think I had to make to pass the bar exam? I asked myself every single day. “Should I just quit everything and earn money so that I can help my family?” I mean, I wasn’t even confident that I’d pass it. Studying was hard, but watching my mom having to support me was even harder. That’s how I came this far.  – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 5-6

Some love begins without the owner of the heart realizing that one’s love has begun. Just like the spring breeze and moist rain drops, our hearts slowly get soaked with love whether we realize or not. Love gets into our heart. When I realized it, he took a corner of my heart all of a sudden. Some say for one to fall in love, 0.2 second is more than enough. The time I needed to fall in love… it was only 0.2 second. It’s the love you fall in love at first sight. – Eun Bong Hee

The less you expect, the bigger the surprise. – Ji Eun Hyuk

I lived a diligent life. And sometimes, when I had a tough time… From time to time when I felt like life was suffocating me, I took a little break… by peeking at you.  – Eun Bong Hee

Not being loved back by the one you love is like torture. But in a way, being loved by someone you don’t want to be with… and being forced to love that person back… could be a bigger torture. How much of it can be called love? Where does obsession begin? And I… At this moment… whereabouts am I standing… between love and obsession? I would like to give myself a restraining order. – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 7-8

The last two years that Bong Hee wasn’t present… During those two years, I felt safe and calm. The line between today and yesterday… and the line between today and tomorrow were blurred. Yesterday was like today. Today will become tomorrow. The days were mundane. No one ever invaded my life. They were peaceful days on which I also didn’t invade the others’ lives. After I met Bong Hee, everything… got messed up. I met a stalker. The real culprit resurfaced. My space… has been invaded. It’s dangerous and tiring, but it’s never boring. That’s a day with Bong Hee. – No Ji Wook

People find it easier to blame others than to acknowledge one’s own problem. – No Ji Wook

Ep 9-10

Despite everything that has happened, I can’t cut ties with Eun Hyuk… and… completely hate Yoo Jung because… It’s because they mean… everything to me. Because they were my only friends. – No Ji Wook

Ep 11-12

This is the definition of the word “beginning”. The first step of an act or a circumstance. Or the first step of an emotion. The beginning is… always thrilling. – No Ji Wook

Not everything that begins progresses. Some things stop as soon as they begin… because every beginning is frightening. – No Ji Wook

Ep 13-14

I’m starting to regret confessing my love to you. But I don’t regret liking you. – Eun Bong Hee

Doing your best doesn’t mean you can change someone’s mind. – Ji Eun Hyuk

Ep 15-16

I really hate this person. I really do. But despite my hatred, I have a person… whom I can’t dislike nor hate.  – Ji Eun Hyuk

He has broad shoulders, and he is very understanding. His eyes gleam like stars. On the back of his head, there’s a light bulb. A halo. Like a light. It shines like this. I think he was born to give me a heart attack. He makes my heart have irregular beats every single time. I turn into a little girl every single time. But he rejected me. That’s how it ended. – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 17-18

This is one poet said, “We can generally predict the start of things. But we can’t generally predict the end of them.” In my case, it was the opposite. I had to experience the end of things many times in my short life. I hesitated to start this because I was afraid of it coming to an end. The moment I realized my feelings for you… I ran away from you… like a coward. And I failed… because… I started to have feelings for you without realizing. I just realized it late. I wonder when and with what incident it began. I realized it too late that I can’t figure out the starting point of it. The only thing… that I know now is… I can’t get my head around it. I just know my relationship with you that I can’t stop… going further, has begun.  – No Ji Wook

Because I took too long, you seem to have given up your feelings for me. All right, I totally respect that. What I’m trying to say is… I’m not asking you to change your mind… or like me again. That’s not what I’m trying to tell you. Since I respect your decision, you should respect mine as well. So in other words, let me like you. Just leave me be. I won’t stress you out. I’ll never interfere with your peaceful life. Things can stay like this. Then one day, if you can open up to me again, change your mind… and look at me. I’ll be waiting. You can take your time. – No Ji Wook

Ep 19-20

People can’t live without telling a lie. That’s the truth. – Jung Hyun Sung

In order to hide a big lie, people sometimes… confess a small truth. – No Ji Wook

Ep 21-22

I’m sorry. I really wanted to talk to someone, but the only person I could think of was you. – Eun Bong Hee

All of us… have lost someone. Some lost a family member. Some lost a friend. Some lost a lover. Whether the person was kind or evil, there is no one… who didn’t lose someone… in their course of life. Therefore, life is cruel. If that’s true, during this cruel, limited period of time… and in a way, in this brief lifetime, the only thing we can do is… – No Ji Wook

Bong Hee-ah… please… please like me back now. I’m sorry I didn’t keep my promise that I was going to wait for you. Please, like me back right now, Bong Hee-ah. – No Ji Wook

Ep 23-24

You got into an accident with Jung Hyun Soo. And I’m going to get through this accident with you. My decision won’t change even if you try push me away. I’m definitely… going to catch Jung Hyun Soo. So you need to make a decision. Do you want us to go through this separately? Or do you want to go through it together? I want us… to do this together. – No Ji Wook

Ep 25-26

Let’s stop… blaming ourselves or each other for what happened. Let’s especially stop blaming our own selves. – No Ji Wook

I thought I was the only one who was full of regret. I thought I was the only one who was beating myself up. – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 27-28

We all know that all of us are not in a good mood. But we must still smile. That’s how good things will come to our way. – Ji Eun Hyuk

Ep 29-30

We… should never break up, Bong Hee-ah. Even if I tell you to leave me, don’t leave. We… should only think about ourselves. Don’t leave me, Please? – No Ji Wook

Postponement… My futile effort… to postpone it to a moment… and a step later. – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 31-32

I was very miserable… and distressed. After I hurt him, I was wondering all day… if I had done the right thing or not. I couldn’t tell if I was sane or crazy. I just really… wanted to die. But after seeing you, I really want to start living again. It’s sort of like a will to fight. “Even she’s still alive, so I should continue to live as well.” – Eun Bong Hee

Just forget about your pride and go to work. I don’t care about your love life nor am I interested, but you’ll need money to date anyone in the first place. Are you going to continue living your life by relying on other people? – Na Ji Hye

Whether you’re his birth mother or not… doesn’t change anything. Every mother cherishes her child equally. – Bong Hee’s Mom

Ep 33-34

Is it easy… to get amnesia? Is it a common illness? – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 35-36

Just listen! My dad… was never an arsonist. I… am not the murderer who killed your son. But you think you are always right… and that you are never wrong. On top of that, you even fabricated evidence and persecuted him. Have you thought about how the family you ruined lived? Or how my mother lived? Do you know how hard my life was because of what you did to me? You don’t know, do you? You were never interested anyway. Let me tell you again. My dad… was an innocent man who did nothing wrong. It was you… who made a mistake. – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 37-38

Let’s just… go back to before all this happened. Let’s go back… to when we first met. – Eun Bong Hee

I constantly fall in love with this person… as I follow my heart. – Ji Eun Hyuk

You rescued me… and I fell for you who tried to save me. Now that I think about it, after that day, my life was a series of days for me to fall for you again and again. Even at this very moment, I fall for you again. – Eun Bong Hee

Ep 39-40

It’s just that… breaking up with you is scarier. To me, that’s the scariest thing. – No Ji Wook

I am you, and you are me. Every day is perfect with you. – No Ji Wook

When there’s no external problems, problems ought to arise internally. Both of you will start noticing each other’s flaws and discover reasons why you may not be compatible. Then you’d get bored of each other as well. – Na Ji Hye

I’m so happy… that I met you. You, my love. – No Ji Wook & Eun Bong Hee

My Impression:

Watching Suspicious Partner is like the experience of riding merry-go-round on my childhood time. I had all the uplifting excitement when I tried it at first time, but after riding it many times, the excitement went down, because you know, it felt like a repetitive enjoyment that we were already familiar with, but when I became an adult and couldn’t ride it anymore, the nostalgic feeling came that I wish I could go back to my childhood. That’s how I felt about this drama. There are some parts that I really… really… love, especially the first half of drama when all comedic and romance are mix in a very fun quirky way that give an addicting feeling. But there are also some parts, especially the weak law element and the draggy plot in the middle that I really felt annoyed because the plot holes are stupid and cannot be ignored with my logic mind. But after watching the final episode, all the good feelings of why I love this drama came back, and in the end I felt sad to say goodbye to this drama.

One thing for sure, and the most highlight of this drama is Ji Chang Wook & Nam Ji Hyun chemistry is undeniably overflowing. All of their romantic scenes came out naturally that I can feel Ji Wook & Bong Hee are truly in love.  They can even portray the kiss scenes & bed scene came out fluttering & beautifully, instead of erotic & greasy.  And of course, I also love the adorable side characters, the bromance and womance in this drama.

Suspicious Partner is not a type of drama that I will watch many times without getting boring, or a drama that give me a strong withdrawal syndrome, but I admit I enjoyed the comedic and romance element in this drama so much. The only thing I will miss is the adorable quirky characters in this drama and the “reel felt real” chemistry of Jibong couple (Jibong =  OTP’s name of Ji Wook & Bong Hee). They set up the bar so high for OTP’s chemistry in K-Dramaland. Thank you for giving many sparkling moments in these 3 months. Goodbye, my lovely couple!

Side Note:

The hectic work keeps preventing me to have fun in K-Dramaland. So for this time being, I will spazz more on my Instagram, instead of Tumblr. If you have interest, please check out my Instagram here: @thecantabile

Ep 5

Hae Young, you have so much you’re curious about. I bet you’ll grow up into a great person. It means you have that much interest in what’s going on in the world. – Park Sun Woo

Ep 6

Is it the same over there? If you have money and power… can you live happily and well no matter what awful thing you do? It’s been 20 years, after all. Something must have changed, right? – Lee Jae Han

Ep 7

If someone committed a crime whether you have money or power… you have to get the punishment you deserve. That’s the job of a cop. – Lee Jae Han

Ep 11

There are those who are born as monsters but there are also those who are made into monsters by people. If someone… If just one person had held out a helping hand… Kim Jin Woo… and the dead victims… could all have been saved. – Park Hae Young

When I first received these transmissions this is what you said… You said I should never give up. These cold cases exist because someone gave up on them. So you should not give up, Detective. – Park Hae Young

In exchange for the lives that were reclaimed… I don’t know what misfortune has fallen on another. As long as they are alive… As long as they are living somehow… At least, there is a small chance for hope.  – Park Hae Young

Ep 13

If you don’t have the right then no one in the world should become a cop. To me… Lee Jae Han is the best detective. So… you can’t ever quit. – Cha Soo Hyun

I will not give up. No matter what happens, I will go on until the end. – Lee Jae Han

Ep 14

I like you. I… like you a lot, Sunbae. You can like another woman. It’s okay if you can’t ever forget your first love. Just don’t get hurt, and don’t die! – Cha Soo Hyun

Ep 16

There’s only one thing I’m sure of. These transmissions started because of one person’s determination. That voice over the radio taught me one thing. It will work out if you don’t give up. – Park Hae Young

If you don’t give up… the work of toppling the corrupt power that seemed so insurmountable… and meeting the person you wandered and searched 16 years for… are all possible. If you don’t give up… there is hope. – Park Hae Young

Side Note:

The Ending!!!??? I just want Lee Jae Han to be happy and ALIVE, but this drama gave a cliffhanger ending that made me raised a few questions. I hope there will be Season 2 with same casts. Please Drama God! Be nice to me :)

Please make these two happy!

See you in Season 2 :) *If there is*