Early Access: Oh! Master E1 (Patreon)

E1. After hearing some mixed reactions to this one, including the fact that our male lead is quite unlikable, at least in this initial stretch, I honestly wasn't sure if I would like this first episode enough to want to keep watching.

I admit that I did find Bi Soo quite rough and unlikable from the get-go, but by the end of the episode, I do think that Show's given me enough in terms of hints of the layers beneath his prickly surface, that I'm game to keep going.

First of all, coming into this show, I'd been a little puzzled about the dual titles floating around. "Oh! Master" is also known as "Oh! My Ladylord" on some sites, and watching this episode, I finally get why. "Master" is "joo-in" in Korean, and "Oh! Joo-in nim" basically translates to "Oh! Master-nim," hence the title "Oh! Master."

At the same time, our female lead's name is "Oh Joo In," a word play which immediately puts our female lead in the superior position, since the title literally is her name with the "-nim" suffix, which indicates respect. Clearly, this story is going to deal with our male lead coming around to show respect for our female lead, and I guess that's why some sites translate the title as "Oh! My Ladylord." I guess both are accurate in their own way.. I prefer "Oh! Master" though, just because it's easier to say. 😅

I have to agree with other viewers before me, that Lee Min Ki's character Bi Soo comes off as immediately overly brusque and prickly, and not very likable at all. In fact, I was so thrown by his prickliness, that I wondered whether this show was for me. This is probably because the jerk male lead is quite old school by today's kdrama standards, and so I'm not as used to accepting early unreasonably bad behavior from our male lead.

However, like I mentioned earlier, we do get some hints that Bi Soo isn't as awful as he appears. The clues are rather small and scattered this episode, but they're there. Like how he softens when he realizes that Mom had been seriously worried that he'd die, while he was in a coma for 3 days. Or when he sees his assistant writer asleep on the couch, and moves to cover him with a blanket - and then suddenly remembers to be a little bit mean (to stay in character?), and allows the blanket to fall in a way that also covers Assistant Writer's face.

Later in the episode, when we see why Bi Soo is so closed off from his dad, I feel like a bunch of his other behaviors suddenly make sense to me.

First though, let me say that Dad looks so genial, but is clearly more manipulative snake than doting father and husband. The way he privately tells Bi Soo not to move back into his parents' home, and then puts on a smile and pretends to persuade Bi Soo to move back home to make his mother happy, is so two-faced. Ugh. 🙄

I think that seeing his dad cheat on Mom with another woman really messed up Bi Soo, basically. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. And I think, that's why, in the now, Bi Soo seems obsessed with having things exactly the way they're supposed to be. How all drawers should be fully closed; all doors properly closed; all the living spaces completely neat and tidy; I feel like this is a subconscious acting-out of his need for things to be in their proper place, because as far as his family life is concerned, things are the opposite of being in their proper place.

The way Bi Soo has that aggravated meltdown moment after failing to close the desk drawer, after getting home, feels like the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There's clearly a lot more baggage beneath the surface, and it feels like he's grown all these prickly behaviors as a way to keep people far enough away, so that they can't see beyond the spikes, to the wounds beneath.

Nana really does look amazing in this; that first shot of her in the car, where she's dressed like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany's, is gorgeous.

Not only is she pretty, I find her likable. She may show a bit of affectation, like when she first meets Bi Soo this episode, but as we find out, she's clearly worked hard to become a top star, and she's also made significant improvement in her acting, which had been her weakness before. The fact that she's won a couple of Best Actress awards, after she'd used to be criticized for her acting, says so much about how much she's grown and how far she's come. Plus, it's clear that she's not just interested in how popular a project will make her; she's more interested in scripts that resonate with her. That's an indication that she's serious about honing her craft, and that acting isn't just a paycheck, for her.

On top of that, I like how focused she's been, on buying back her family home. Even though she's recognized as a top star, she doesn't mind living in a studio apartment, while waiting for the house to go on the market - whenever that might be. This means that she's ignoring any and all gossip that might arise from the fact that she, as a successful celebrity, doesn't appear to have the means to live the high life and get a penthouse.

And while she's doing that, she's keeping her mom in mind. I love how close to her heart Mom is. The way Joo In makes sure to treat the nurses well at the nursing home, also shows that she appreciate the work that they do, in taking care of Mom, who seems to be suffering from Alzheimer's. All in all, I find Joo in very down-to-earth, for someone who's lauded as a glamorous and successful actress.

It seems like Bi Soo's mother might be terminally ill, from her vague reference to not being able to buy time, and I think that's why she's selling the house. Knowing how stubborn Bi Soo is, the only way Mom can think of, to spend more time with him while she has time, is to force him out of the house by selling it.

I can totally imagine some forced proximity hijinks in our future, with Joo In being the new owner of the house, and Bi Soo probably becoming desperate to continue living in the only house - which contains the only bathroom! - where he feels comfortable. The power dynamic also looks set to be turned on its head, with Joo In's new role as house owner giving her the decided advantage.

Despite Show serving up a set-up which sounds well-established to the point of being tropey, I'm hopeful that both Lee Min Ki and Nana will bring enough nuance and feeling to both of their characters, to make this watch experience feel fresh, heartfelt and special in its own way.

I still have no idea what that mystical encounter was about, that Bi Soo had at the point of his sudden Truck of Doom accident, but I'm expecting (hoping?) Show to shed some light on that soon.