review: Hi! School: Love On Episode 4
Words cannot describe how much I adore this drama. I’m amazed the writer can squish so much goodness into an hour without breaking pace. Seul Bi and Woo Hyun are beginning to fall for each other and it’s unbearably cute yet touching. The chemistry between Kim Sae Ron and Woo Hyun just keeps getting more incredible with each episode. There’s just so much sparks flying between them that their bickering is effortless and there’s unspoken rapport even when they are just sitting across each other or standing next to each other. Nine-year age gap be damned.
SB spots Sunbae but he vanishes before she reaches him. Exhausted, she faints. WH piggybacks her home and decides to take her to his room instead when he hears Grandma coughing in hers. SB is running a temperature so WH starts to sponge her forehead with wet towels. He tells her she should feel honoured because he’s letting her sleep in his room for the night. She grins back weakly that today is a special occasion and he shushes her, saying she is already depleted of energy so badly she can’t even talk. He buys her medicine and as he heads out of the room, he chides himself that he should be happy that she’s getting her memory back. He quietly tells her not to fall sick before exiting the room. This whole scene was AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.
SB wakes up and is upset that she even has to start taking medicine now. Becoming more human by the day. When she sees WH sleeping on the couch, she covers him with a blanket. She heads out to the rooftop to enjoy a bit of sunshine and stretching when WH comes along. For some reason, SB’s a little shy when WH asks her how she is feeling and when he reaches out to check her temperature, she traps his hand with hers and throws his previous words back at him, “Don’t you dare touch my body with your hand!” WH sticks out his foot in reply and drawls he can use it to check her temperature instead. Heh. When SB remains defiant, he whips out a pink mobile phone. He really bought one for her! SB perks up instantly and inquires whether it is something for her. WH replies it isn’t hers until he gives it to her.
When he threatens to throw the phone away, SB doesn’t miss a beat and sticks out her hands with her most docile expression. Hehehehe. WH gives her the phone and SB starts fiddling with it. SB asks whether WH is giving the phone without strings attached and he replies that she has to answer all his calls pronto without delay. She begins to snap pics of WH and when he erases the pics saying he doesn’t like to take pics, she mutters that when she returns to where she is from, she’ll no longer be able to see him.
She wants to be able to see pictures of him when she no longer can see his person. WH softens at that and comes round and slings his arm around her shoulders and pulls her close. He announces they’ll take a selca together and when SB refuses to smile, he uses his fingers to force her mouth into a grin. She smiles, he smiles, and they take the most gorgeous, adorable selca together. I’m dying. But why does my heart ache for them already? I’m going to bawl when they have to separate later.
SB busies herself with her phone on the way to school the next day and complains to WH that his number is on her speed dial from positions 1 to 10. Hahahahaha. And she still hasn’t added in any other numbers. She spots SY and dashes towards him and quickly holds out her phone for him to thumb his number in. Hehehehe. WH grumbles she’s showing something he gave her to another guy. KS appears and wonders why he is so angsty so early in the morning. He goes off to join SB and SY. SB asks KS for his number too and he asks whether he can be #1 on her speed dial. Nope, and #2 is taken too. KS is #14. KS calls her a player and insists SB promotes his number to at least #5. WH asks SY what number SB is on his speed dial and the other boy snorts in sarcasm, saying it isn’t important. SB asks WH what her number is on his phone. He answers he’s going to assign the position now when SB suddenly pulls him away from an oncoming car. It is Stepmom, who stares at both her real and stepson.
Lunchtime. WH checks with KS whether he had taken Item 2 on the lunch menu for him. KS assures him he double-checked but we see the school staff changing the menu a little too late. Item 2 is crab stew. SB sees SY and calls him over to have lunch together. WH mutters that meals should be shared with good people and SY retorts that he’s in the right place then and WH should leave. Heh. SB and WH start to bicker (they are cute beyond words!), while Stepmom watches them from where she is. She starts to feel uncomfortable. WH suffers tummy trouble too. They both end up at the hospital: allergy to crab found in their lunchtime stew.
Stepmom figures WH is really her son but hides when Grandma comes along. Grandma informs SB of WH’s allergy and says he inherited it from his mom. When WH wakes up, SB scolds him for giving her a huge scare. He replies he got a scare too. Heh. They leave the hospital and it’s sweet how SB has WH’s arm in a death grip. Stepmom continues to brood. Back home, SB and WH are hanging out on the rooftop and she urges him to study since they have an exam the next day. WH whines that he just got discharged from the hospital. SB asks what else he is allergic to besides crab. Because she’ll eat up whatever he is allergic to so he won’t be able to eat those items. Hehehe. I love her logic.
SB tells WH not to fall sick again and he smiles at her anxiety. She recalls he hasn’t told her what position she is on his speed dial and he replies there isn’t a need for him to put her on speed dial. Miffed, SB advises him to study a bit if he is feeling better and he attempts to block out her nagging. Hahaha. When she scurries off, he takes out his phone and dials #1. “Lunatic”” pops up and he grumbles that she is #1 on his speed dial. Awwwwwwww.
In school, SB attempts to cheat the vending machine by punching two buttons at the same time. WH helps her pop the tab of her can when she can’t and SB compliments him that he can be cool sometimes. Now, if only he could study too. WH boasts that if he was good in his studies too, the girls won’t leave him alone. SB says now she knows why girls won’t leave SY alone. (He’s the best student in class, by the way.) WH gets annoyed that SB keeps mentioning SY, and Ye Na (YN) and YE overhear them bickering. YN wonders whether SB and WH are really cousins. When YN and YE shoo SB away so that YN can talk to WH alone, WH stares at the departing SB worriedly and takes off after her, ignoring YN.
Bullies are harassing another kid and SB interrupts them and unwittingly angers them. WH steps in to protect her and orders SB to leave first. SY slips money into Jae Suk’s (JS) pocket and advises him to stop his antics. JS gets his revenge by slamming the locker door on SY’s fingers. When WH bumps into SY later in the washroom, WH tells SY not to worry about SB. He’ll look after her. SY notes that WH doesn’t seem to be doing a good job. A couple of students stumble onto the exam questions and we have the beginnings of a cheating episode.
WH and SB are studying at home. Correction: SB is studying while WH is lazing on top of his books. SB decides to learn how to blow bubbles with gum. Ha. WH giving her instructions is hilarious – as if they are experimenting with some groundbreaking science theory. SB doesn’t do very well and give up. They blurt at the same time, “I have something to say to you.” SB goes first at WH’s insistence. She asks whether WH is close to YN… are they a couple? WH laughs and wonders whether SB even knows the meaning of being a couple. Pissed, SB rails that WH probably doesn’t know how to spell the word “couple”.
WH comments that SB must be jealous and she gets cutely flustered and huffs that she doesn’t even know how jealousy feels. Annoyed, she asks WH what he wanted to tell her. WH replies that he forgot and SB picks out his lie again. She stands up and says she knows why he can’t study – he just doesn’t have the brains. Heh. WH just blows a huge bubble in reply and she pops it in his face and runs off. WH sighs that he’s the one who is jealous… ahhhhhh. He was going to ask her about SY.
SY snubs both his dad and stepmom at breakfast. SB is busy chopping onions and crying a river of tears. WH sees her wielding the knife and her tear-streaked face and gets a fright. He chides her for portraying horror movie antics so early in the day. Hehehehe. SB says she wants to finish up the onions before heading to school. Grandma wasn’t feeling too well the entire night. SB sniffs and figures this must be the human tears that human cry when they are happy or sad. WH dumps his helmet on her head and covers her eyes with the visor. Hahaha.
WH gets another fright when Grandma creeps up behind him. He frets over her and she brushes off his worry. She nags at them to do well on their exam and when they scamper off, she collapses in pain on the chair. Oh no. Exam kicks off, so does the cheating. WH notices JS is acting suspicious. But when JS is caught, he states that SY is his accomplice. The pair gets questioned by the teachers but SY doesn’t try to defend himself. SB, KS and WH figure that SY won’t do such a thing. WH suddenly recalls what he saw JS doing during the exam and runs back to school.
WH tells Stepmom that that SY is innocent since he has no motive whatsoever to help JS cheat. When she asks whether he is close to SY, WH replies that he doesn’t like to see people wronged. WH later sees JS getting picked on by a wealthy-looking old man who is supposedly his dad. So the kid’s a poor little rich kid. Or a son of a mistress? JS spots WH’s sneakers and hustles him. SB texts SY to drop by the rice cake shop for some strength-boosting, empowering rice cakes. Heh. He does and she makes him super spicy rice cakes. She shares she kept texting him because she was worried about him and he is pleased to hear that.
SB says she knows he’s innocent and when SY inquires to know why she is so certain of that, she elaborates that the SY is a human who lends her an umbrella when it rains, eats together with her when she is hungry and lifts up her spirits when she’s in a bad mood. She trusts SY, so does WH. SY asks where Grandma and WH are. Grandma is taking a rest upstairs while WH has been cutting off her calls.
Well, he’s being beaten up by the bullies and when his phone rings and he finds out it is SB, he panics. JS picks up the call and SB demands to know where WH is. JS invites SB to join them and WH shouts at her not to come. SB immediately takes off, telling SY that WH is in danger. He follows her. JS prepares to hit WH with a bike. Urgh.
SB’s effusively bubbly nature and shining confidence works for her and against her. People like her as easily as they detest her. Plus, she has two of the most popular boys in school backing her, which just draws the ire of the other girls and of course, disgruntled bullies. She doesn’t really know how to handle the “badder” humans yet, which is why WH is keeping tabs on her, knowing she isn’t aware how underhanded and mean people can be. Plus, her fearlessness scares him too because she is willing to jump in and help anyone she sees in danger.
As for the OTP’s developing feelings…I can squeal all day. The OTP scenes in this episode were insanely swoony, from their witty exchanges to the emotions and thoughts that run through them. WH admitting he is jealous of SY and SB experiencing a little jealousy is plain sweetness. And WH putting SB as #1 on his speed dial does reflect her importance to him. I don’t think he pays much attention to girls, other than his Grandma. But he worries and cares for SB all the time and doesn’t like her out of his sight. And I love how he stares at her when she isn’t looking. With that tiny grin: indulgent, lingering, amused…
The OTP scenes work because of the crazy chemistry between KSR and WH. I don’t know they made it work but they did. Kudos to both parties. I would think it be harder for 23-year-old WH because he basically has to treat a 14-year-old as a love interest and there is the danger of coming across more as a caring oppa without the romantic slant to it. But seeing them together, WH is 100 percent convincing me that he genuinely sees and treats KSR as a girl worth falling for and I love how he doesn’t cross the line, yet loads his portrayal with swoony elements, sincerity and the sentiments of youthful love.
KSR is brilliant and in a class of her own. Really. All those movies are definitely paying off because I don’t see her as a child actress like Kim Yoo Jung and the likes who concentrate on playing teenage versions of adult characters. She is innocent and fresh, but she isn’t naïve or childish. She appears a little child-like, but her demeanour isn’t. There is an assured maturity about her that probably makes it easier for the Infinite boys to connect to her and treat her as a peer. She doesn’t shy away from skinship or physical contact and takes in all in her stride professionally. And that’s why she appears so relaxed and comfortable with the boys, especially WH. Not to mention that she’s so pretty and lanky.
That selca scene? LOVE. I couldn’t resist and gave them header honours on this blog. I’m so glad that I have another OTP to add on to my header options because I’m so finicky and petty when it comes to this. HEH. That’s why it has been strictly Tony Yang + Sonia Sui since The Pursuit Of Happiness. I think KSR and WH are just as wonderful as Tony + Sonia in their own way, rightly without the sexual/sensual adult element to it. The similarity is the presence of perpetual. simmering chemistry in every single frame together, doesn’t matter if they are doing something mundane. I could watch KSH and WH studying together, popping can tabs and lazing on the rooftop all day.
Awwwwww….love the header, so happy our High school OTP made the cut.
Awwwwww….. To all the lovely, sweet and swoonny OTP scenes, they are killing me with their cuteness. When I saw the selca scene, I said to myself that Ms Breathlesssurvival gonna have many screencaps and I was right.
SB is going to feel a full blown jealousy next week and I cant wait. I wonder when they finally realise they Like each other, how Much cuter they gonna get? Sunbae – I am curious about him, he obviously has feelings and very protective of SB but is it sisterly love or ?? I have the feeling that SY’s doesn’t know that his wife has a son from her first marriage. Who is is WH’s father? Grandma is feeling so poorly, what’s going to happen to her ? Aaiisshhh…… So many questions and this drama is only shown once a week and at 50 mins per ep, so NOT fair!
What a wonderful review , I enjoy reading it so much. Thank you. 😘
I’m just wondering why Sunbae is even exhibiting feelings for SB since angels, according to SB, do not feel happiness, sadness or love. Unless there is an “angelised” version of these feelings. Heh. Pretty sure SY’s dad doesn’t know about wife’s first marriage and secret son. As for when they will realise they like each other…very soon? WH has already admitted he is jealous of SY…anyway. KSR and WH are so fab…and just too adorable to be true.
I am really enjoying this drama. thank you for covering it! love the new header too
I’m not sure about sae ron’s young age, but they are keeping things young and cute which helps. Her and woohyun do have lovely chemistry, and woohyun is a lot more animated and less stiff than he was in the thousandth man (I’m surprised really, he was terrible in that but I love him here) I love how he can beat up criminals but he cannot beat those bullies haha I’m also really curious about the mythology behind the show – why is seul bi an angel, especially since she looks so young? Why isn’t she one now? Who was that mysterious man? I wonder if her poor sunbae will ever do more than stare longingly at her (though probs to him for being able to look at a 14 year old girl like that for the sake of the story ) I hope the show gives a bit more of her side of things, because I’m finding woo young’s birth mom stuff a bit dull.
Think angels are ageless…she just “happens” to look the way she is. Heh.
Aww I love that you love this Woohyun-Seulbi OTP. They’re super cute and addorable~
And thank you for the reviews and translations. I love it 🙂 This drama seriously needs more air time and better marketing so it gets the attention it deserves. Like this drama is surprisingly fun. Huhu
Btw this is trivia but now Infinite (Woohyun’s group/7 members) is holding a cencert for 7 days. Every member get one special day and Saeron went to see the concert at Woohyun’s special day. Awww~
Oh, she attended his concert?? Not Sung Yeol’s too? Heh. Was there a news article posted on this? So cute!
I love your new header! Thanks for that beautiful review. the age gap seems to fade away whenever they’re together. I keep on repeating all those otp scenes they never failed to make me smile, sometimes i even look like a fool. Among the highschool dramas OTPs that i have seen WH and SB look a lot younger which i really like. their exchanges of affection doesn’t need alot of skinship to make me squeal and feel giddy. I previously wrote about seulbi having difficulty in identifying jealousy but i guess i’m wrong. it came too fast that she’ll experience more of it in the next episode..okay..i have to be patient..
Don’t worry, I’m like a fool too, grinning like a lunatic, every time they appear in the same frame. Ha! I think Seul Bi is going to get very, very jealous in the next ep. Can’t wait!
i love this drama too. but can someone explain to me about the conversation during lunch time scene between WH, SB, SY and KS . I wonder what actualy WH said as SB and SY kinda annoyed and KS moved from his seat and leaving them .
WH was making puns with the word for “table” in Korean. I can’t really explain – you should check out the English subbed videos for a better explanation. Sorry!