Key Moments In Volume 5 Of “Romance Is A Bonus Book”

Two one-sided love confessions are out in the open, hinting the love story movements to shake Romance is a Bonus Book.

Cha Eun Ho, portrayed by Lee Jong Suk, partially answered what most fans have been asking for since day one of Romance Is A Bonus Book. Kang Dan Yi, portrayed by Lee Na Young, also gave a straight answer to her best male friend why she fell in love with her husband.

Romance is a Bonus Book Recaps: Premiere, Ep03, Ep04, Ep05, Ep06, Ep07, Ep08, Ep09, Ep10, Ep11, Ep12, Ep13, Ep14, Full Review

Gyeoroo Publishing House

Employees working in a publishing company generally have attachment or inclined to written works of art. Most often than not, people have varied eccentric qualities. As depicted by Gyeoroo Publishing characters, it appears to be true. After encouraging the staff members on personally marketing the company’s books on their SNS accounts, CEO Kim had a cute emotional outbreak.

We have seen his obsessive type in loving his company that he even goes to book stores to recommend it to readers. So when he opened an account using “lucky boy” as the user name, his employees unitedly ignored his follow requests.

Director Kim, aka the “idea thief”, is the only person who rides on CEO Kim’s problematic empathy. Meanwhile, Director Bong meets up with poetry writers to boost their energy after complaining how their efforts are futile when what they write always end up being uploaded in the internet.

A second try for Dan Yi

While fixing things in the pantry, Dan Yi sees another executive meeting for a new book idea. Over lunch, she tells Eun Ho of her plan and coaxes him to help her with an idea. Eun Ho tries to talk her out, but she is determined. And we love how he feeds her his sandwich, and she instinctively accepts it.

CEO Kim rescues Dan Yi when Director Kim questions why she has to observe the meeting. Receiving a tip from Eun Ho to bring out her idea when things get emotional between Director Kim and Director Seo who are rivals at work, Dan Yi snatches the correct timing for a chance to bring up her idea.

Irreplaceable Book Project

Faintly getting the attention of the people in the meeting, Eun Ho helps Dan Yi a bit, and she finally presents an idea that was met with praises by the team.

For the next book the company is trying to launch, the writer is a rookie. Dan Yi made use of that premise to propose not revealing details about the book. She adds making it appear as a gift book for someone who will buy it. The mystery of not knowing what the book and who the writer is will pique the interest of readers.

The red bra owner

At night, Eun Ho cancels a dinner plan with Hae Rin when Dan Yi calls him out to eat dinner near an udon place in their neighborhood.

Clarifying that Hae Rin is not the girl he likes, Dan Yi is surprised she was wrong with her deduction that he is dating her.

On their way home, they pass by a bank so Dan Yi excitedly checks on her first pay. Her eyes widened when she sees a big sum of money deposited by her ex-husband, which was of course triggered by Eun Ho last time.

Reading the letter from her daughter’s father, Dan Yi talks to Eun Ho about it. That prompts Eun Ho to ask her why she fell in love with her ex-husband. She responds how she does not know it as well since she has not thought about love deeply. Reasoning how he was good to her and fun to be with at that time she was together with him, maybe that is the reason why.

Weekend Date

Fulfilling her promise to treat Eun Ho for a date, the two have a day of fun eating street food, visiting a game pub, watching busking performance and enjoying a nice walk.

When Dan Yi tries to fight off the cold weather, Eun Ho takes her hand and sweetly warm it up. All the while, he keeps holding her hand.

Eun Ho, who seems testing if she ever thought of him in a “more than special kind of way”, ends up feeling frustrated when she can’t seem to follow his lead. However, her smile easily wins his resolve, as she claims back his warm hand to cover hers.

Two faces of mentors

Just as Hae Rin loses her cool to trainee Ji Yul’s cluelessness on her job, Eun Ho and Director Bong tries to lighten up the situation in the office. Apparently, she edited the manuscript using a wipe-out and inserted the correct words to replace it.

Barely recovering her composure, Hae Rin’s blood pressure again shoots up when Ji Yul receives a comfy chair sent by her mother to help her with her workload.

Seeing Dan Yi smile while working with Hae Rin on the new book’s project, Director Kim retaliates on her recent triumph by sending her to do endless errands.

While finalizing the finishing touches for the book lunch, chaos erupt in the office when the writer of the new book faxed a contract termination for the third time.

Cold and Car camping at Gangneung

Eun Ho, Dan Yi and Hae Rin head to Gangneung to meet the book writer. Waiting in the cold, the writer arrives just as Dan Yi asked if all writers are psychotic.

In the morning, Eun Ho failed to stop the writer’s car from leaving. Setting up a hopeful meeting, they wait for the writer to come to the place they’re at.

Successfully giving the writer a pep talk, Eun Ho assures him that being nervous is normal. He explains how he need not be since at most 3,000 people will only get the chance to read his book. Feeling reassured, the writer reveals to Eun Ho how Dan Yi came to talk to him the night before, totally relieving his apprehensions on his debut work.

Hae Rin’s secret love

Returning to the city, Hae Rin and Dan Yi go for a quick drink and send a picture to Eun Ho who visited his ex-girlfriend.

Hae Rin shares how her lucky career seems striving to extend to her love life. Revealing how the man he likes does not like her back. She shares how she ends up going to his place when she is drunk – is copying his habit of going to the girl she likes when he is drunk as well.

“Yes, I love Kang Dan Yi!”

Checking on the pretty bag for Dan Yi which his ex-girlfriend gave, the latter remarks how long he will bottle up his feelings for her.

“When Dan Yi smiles, I am happy. When Dan Yi cries, my heart breaks and it drives me crazy. When she struggles, I struggle too. I miss her when she’s not with me. If that’s love, then I guess I love her then.”

Admitting how special Dan Yi is for her, Eun Ho responds how he wants to be sure if he likes his noona as a friend or for who she is.

Ex-girlfriend chides him on being indecisive, but he insists on knowing how deep his feelings run for Dan Yi. Moreover, he wants to know if Dan Yi’s will be as strong as his – and if it will be reciprocated.

“She’s not someone I can easily date and break up with. Dan Yi is so important to me.”

Episode 5 Afterthoughts

Unless you have been to a really bad breakup at 10 years old, I don’t think early 20’s people would be able to relate to the subtle yet piercing nudges of the small and big moments of this drama.

On the scene when Dan Yi confessed how she fell in love with her ex-husband, she cited how at that time her concept of love is not deep. It presented the reality how most of unsuccessful love interludes might have been out of whim, yet it does not mean it is less special.

Furthermore, Eun Ho’s confession of his true feelings shows the reality of how single adults in their 30’s are guarded in committing to a relationship. It is not about inhibitions, but more of what dating past 30 years old entails. Having a situation like Eun Ho and Dan Yi’s, who have become so close and familiar without crossing the romance line, presents a love story that happens often in real life. Did Dan Yi ever see Eun Ho as a man? Did she feel something, but chose to ignore it? Will Eun Ho disregard patience now that a competent man may steal his favorite noona again? All these questions we would uncover the answers in the next chapters of the series.

Romance Is A Bonus Book banks on small and big moments which highlight the familiarity of the main leads. Making use of that premise, it convinces the audience to root for their love story.

Don’t miss the weekly serving of Romance Is A Bonus Book on tvN and Netflix.

ABOUT THE WRITER

abbyinhallyuland reads and sleeps a lot when she is not traveling. Her calendar reminders are mostly K-Drama broadcast schedules and birthdays of her favorite Korean actors. Promoting K-Drama watching as stress therapy is her life advocacy. She is fond of Spencer Reid, Gregory House, Kenshin Himura, Starwars saga, Haruki Murakami and Hunter x Hunter.

Recommended Korean Dramas: Reply 1988, Nine, Misaeng, Gaksital, Discovery of Love, Because This is My First Life, Descendants of the Sun, My Love from the Star, Healer, Punch, You’re Beautiful, Coffee Prince, Princess Hours, The Greatest Love, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, City Hunter, and The Smile Has Left Your Eyes.

E: abby@hellokpop.com