I’ve now caught up on episodes 6 to 9 of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo and I must say this is a seriously good show! Bok Joo and Joon Hyung may just be my favourite OTP ever and I’m enjoying every scene with them and all their interactions. Instead of doing a usual review, I thought I’d share about the four episodes episodes by listing 3 reasons why Bok Joo and Joon H yung are my favourite OTP:

1. They are each other’s best friends.

The foundation of a strong romance is always a strong friendship. This is true even of a marriage and it’s so heartwarming to see the show take so much time and effort to develop their friendship. Even in the early stages where Joon Hyung’s excessive teasing gets on Bok Joo’s nerves, we can see there’s a deep connection being formed as they cheer each other on and help each other see the best in each other.

One of my favourite scenes is the one at the end of episode 6, where they express their common angst about their fate as athletes to be ranked and Bok Joo tells Joon Hyung that she’s a good judge of character and she knows he’ll succeed because she sees something intense in his eyes. At his lowest point, she helps him move past his failure to believe in his own success.

Another favourite scene is the one on the rooftop, where Joon Hyung apologises for what Si Ho has done.

While they are hugging, Bok Joo tells him that his nose bridge is high and whereas hers is low. Joon Hyung gently encourages her and tells her that she’s not so bad looking and that she’s pretty, which she says nobody has ever told her except her dad. What’s lovely about Bok Joo is that while she’s confident and proud of her achievements as a weightlifter, she sees that as clashing with her identity as a woman and that the weightlifting side of her is something she wants to hide from the man she loves (as she says in episode 9). However, Joon Hyung affirms her, helping her accept that her weightlifting self is very beautiful as well.

2. They have so much fun together. 

Besides them being sweet together, their bantering and teasing is so fun to watch and it’s evident that they enjoy each other’s company a lot.

Unlike how Bok Joo has to pretend to be another person with Jae Yi, she’s completely comfortable with Joon Hyung and is unafraid to show her true, energetic, self and there’s such a raw energy in their interactions. Joon Hyung keeps teasing her and in response, she glares at him, hits him and pins him down. When confronting Bok Joo, Si Ho tells her that Bok Joo makes Joo Hyung let his guard down and it’s so true.

One of my favourite fun scenes between them is the one in episode 6 when Joon Hyung meets Bok Joo after she finishes her date with Jae Yi. I’ve rewatched it several times, but it still keeps making me laugh – the first LOL moment is when Joon Hyung pulls Bok Joo in front of him to protect him from a huge splash from the puddle!

The next LOL moment is when Bok Joo grabs Joon Hyung and pulls him to her face, and then just sneezes into his face! Haha!

3. Joon Hyung is so sensitive and attentive to Bok Joo’s needs.

While Bok Joo spends most of the time in episodes 6-9 coping with her crush over Jae Yi, Joon Hyung stays by her side, protecting her and ensuring that she doesn’t get hurt any further.

He enlists the support of Tae Kwon, Nan Hee and Seon Ok to ensure that Jae Yi doesn’t bump into Bok Joo. When Jae Yi sees Bok Joo in her training attire, Joon Hyung steps in immediately to defend her. After she confesses the truth, he speaks to Jae Yi to defend her.

When Jae Yi and Dr. Go invite Bok Joo and Joon Hyung to lunch, Joon Hyung is so attuned to how Jae Yi and Dr Go’s interactions with affect her and he keeps watching out for her, doing little gestures in an attempt to make her feel better.

I even dare say that Joon Hyung is one of the more mature male leads I’ve seen so far when it comes to romance, because he always seems to be ahead of the game when it comes to understanding Bok Joo’s emotions and always takes proactive steps to help her feel better. At the end of episode 9 when he sees Jae Yi seated in the audience, he already knows how Bok Joo will feel and has a look of gloom in his eyes. It’s so touching to watch him stand up for her, stand by her and ultimately help her to stand again.

—

In closing, I’d like to add that I really appreciate how much intentional effort the show takes to build a genuine connection between its leads. While doing so, the focus is not on pushing them towards a romance, but on showing how they are ultimately good for each other and help each other to grow. Both Bok Joo and Joon Hyung may be champions in their own fields, but with each other, they are completely vulnerable and open, allowing each other into the deepest secrets and struggles of their lives. It’s been heartwarming to watch the both of them grow as individuals, just as their friendship grows.

Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk have done an amazing job by completely taking on their characters and making them their own. Big props to them for bringing the writing to life!