Can We Be Together?

Dare to Love Me Episode 14 brings us to Yoon-bok’s catwalk training with Hong-do. Surprisingly, he’s not got an instinct for it. Ladies of the village immediately pounce wanting to know when they’ll marry and produce an heir. Hong-do is speechless while Yoon-bok is beyond flustered.

On the way back to event HQ, Hong-do wonders how they’ll manage – with he inheriting the village and she so keen for life in Paris. She asks about his future plans but he’s not sure, as long as it’s with her, wherever she is.

READ MORE: Click for more K-drama and K-movie reviews

Zip back to the final moment of episode 13, where a knife-wielding delivery man walks toward Jun-ho but as Yi-bok enters the area, he keeps on walking. Then the man with the burn scar apologizes for not achieving his assignment.

At the village, everyone gets ready for the show, from villagers testing recipes to planning by the team. Interns wonder what will happen to Yoon-bok when Hong-do goes to Paris but she says he’ll go along too.

At a tasting, Hong-do and Yoon-bok are summoned to sample the delicacies. The Ladies talk of Yoon-bok’s father and how he brought evolution to the village too, introducing things like street lights for safety. They ask whether Yoon-bok will also care for the village and he hesitates but agrees. Alone with Hong-do, he acknowledges that someone needs to continue the work.

Walking in the village, Leader Shin overhears the interns talking about Franky and Camille like a pair. Then he listens in to Franky’s lover-like phone call with someone else. When Camille visits, he grills her about Franky, but she guffaws at his misunderstanding, pleased to see he’s jealous.

In the village, Yoon-bok overhears the guard yelling at his child for drawing a city instead of practicing martial arts. Just like the scoldings Yoon-bok had received from his grandfather, he marvels that nothing has changed in the last 20 years.

Back to modeling lessons, today Yoon-bok learns poses but he’s already practiced a few he caught on TV. Hong-do convinces him that he just needs to be his elegant self so he stoically starts again. Perfect.

On a break, Yoon-bok talks about the future of the village and a desire to carry out his father’s dream as well as help children explore the world outside the village. His idea, a Seongsan Cultural Academy, would teach children skills they couldn’t learn in the village. Presenting to his grandfather, he sounds a lot like his father and they agree to a test program.

Helping Yeojudaek, Chil-bok brings drinks to the team, including a special one for Hong-do. But she’s not interested. Returning, Yeojudaek asks him to accompany her to visit Jun-ho.

In prison, Jun-ho stresses, awaiting attack. Seeing his mother, he immediately sends her back to wait until he returns, worried she might have been followed. Afterwards, she meets Chil-bok who is sporting a bruised eye but claims he fell.

Working on his Academy plan, Yoon-bok would like to invite Hong-hak to teach a webtoon drawing class. He wants Hong-do to join the staff too and Camille loves the idea of returning the favor. So, the two proceed to recruit additional teachers in all sorts of areas, from defense with Yoon-ah to barista work with Hyang-gi.

With friends gathered, they enter a room filled with young students, teens and adults keen to learn new things. They even put on a play on the art of apologizing known as insa – literally ‘a person’s duty.’ Before leaving, Hong-hak and Chil-bok have an emotional reunion.

Hot off the success, Yoon-bok thinks about more things he can do for the village. And the children thank him wholeheartedly. Back in her room, Hong-do considers all they’ve achieved in the village while her French visa application sits on her desk.

That evening, Yeojudaek passes a message to Yoon-bok, that Jun-ho will meet him. But when Jun-ho is taken from lock-up to meet, he’s stabbed by a guard, never reaching Yoon-bok. Outside the emergency room, Yi-bok and he wait for results. And Jun-ho goes into cardiac arrest.

The Episode Review

While it seems that Hong-do and Yoon-bok address the title question in the first few minutes, there’s more than meets the eye when people look at the cross-section of dreams and responsibilities. Can they come up with some sort of plan that delivers a bit of everything? While in this episode there’s success with an appreciation for Yoon-bok’s tester program, they haven’t yet had the fashion show which will surely deliver some sort of satisfaction. If faced with the choice, what would you choose for yourself?

Then there’s Jun-ho who is now caught and trapped, his fears realized as he’s stabbed in prison and now fighting for his life. If they’re able to save him and the siblings can find out what happened, is there still a chance at redemption for Jun-ho? 

Next week holds the final 2 episodes. Who’s still watching? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.  

 READ MORE: Click for more K-drama and K-movie reviews