Lee HongJo And Jang ShinYoo Of “Destined With You” Have Barely Used These 5 Situationship Habits In K-Dramas And It’s So Peaceful

What would be the first spell you would use if you discovered that you own a spell book containing magic that can make you rich or heal from a disease? While most of us would probably utilize the spell to get rich, Lee HongJo (Cho BoAh) chose to use the love spell to make Kwon JaeKyung (Ha Jun) fall in love with her. But destiny got in the way and chose Jang ShinYoo (RoWoon) to drink the love spell instead. Hence started a close relationship between HongJo and ShinYoo that will surely make you feel swooned and peaceful at the same time since they barely use these 5 situationship habits in K-Dramas.

1. Making Swoon-Worthy Moves Without Telling The Intention

Kang MiRae’s (Im SooHyang) prolonged internal battle as to whether Do KyungSuk’s (ASTRO's Cha EunWoo) over-the-top words and actions are just a friend’s concern or a crush’s care. Lim JuGyeong (Mun KaYoung) starts to swoon after Lee SuHo (Cha EunWoo) gave her a strawberry drink that she likes, and Cheon SaRang (Girls' Generation's YoonA) gets jealous the day after Goo Won (2PM's JunHo) told her they were on a date because she sees the latter with his friend.

Somehow, these girls experienced the effects of breadcrumbing - that is, feeling confused about the actions of their love interest. The pursuer tends to hold back the true intention of their “moves,” leading the pursued lead to become easily sensitive in everything the pursuer does. It’s like the pursuer had put them on a roller coaster ride without their consent, and now they have no idea how to get off (the feelings) because the pursuer’s instructions are vague.

But with ShinYoo, every sweet word and move he gives to HongJo are honestly defined. His cool posture, low voice, and poker expression whenever he verbalizes his love to HongJo may seem insincere, but can also represent unbreakable self-love and confidence, despite HongJo’s reactions to ShinYoo’s love confessions. Yeah, rejection hurts, but one should also be proud of themselves because they are brave to do the “thing” that most people are afraid to do. Of course, we should not forget the big contribution of the love spell to Jang SinYoo’s swift and suave love confession.

2. Passing Back The Vulnerable Question/Making False Excuses

Ahn MinHyuk of "Strong Woman Do BongSoon"

“You were like this back then too.”

Lee SooYeon of "Where Stars Land"

“Why did you come all the way here?”

Lee SuHo of "True Beauty"

“The Wildfires in Australia are caused by the Indian Ocean Dipole and El Niño.”

Lee JunHo of "Extraordinary Attorney Woo"

“That is too hard of a question for Director Hwang Du-yong to answer.”

Goo Won of "King the Land"

“I wonder. Why did I do that?”

The above oppas are truly quick-witted as they were able to think of cover-up lines after being asked nerve-wracking questions such as: Why did you save me? Why did you stop me from going to the second lead? Do you like me?

No one can deny that Jang ShinYoo also used this habit of false excuses while pursuing Lee HongJo. But unlike his predecessors (past K-Drama leads), he immediately reveals his true intention after he blurted out his excuse, possibly due to the love spell, leading HongJo to have unlimited affirmations of “I like you,” “You are pretty,” and “I miss you.”

While ShinYoo’s “false excuses” were always defeated by the love spell, “passing back” was not, since our male protagonist was able to resist telling his desire to HongJo when she asked him, “Why did you do that? What do you want to do with me?” Unfortunately, HongJo refused to take the question back, so she confidently asked, “Why are you pushing it back to me?” Then, she lectured ShinYoo with this, “It’s as if you’re playing with me. You show a bit of your feelings and hide them. Then you feel me out. You’re such a coward.”

Calling all K-Drama leads who have done that and those who have experienced the second habit, throw away your regret because HongJo has spoken for you.

3. Getting Angry Without Explanation

K-Drama couples in series such as "Save the Last Dance For Me", "Goong", "Sungkyunkwan Scandal", "49 Days", "Clean With Passion For Now", and "Alchemy of Souls" would probably agree that the most challenging mind game to play is guessing the reason of their love interest’s sudden angry outburst and cold shoulder. But HongJo is a lucky gal as she did not experience this with ShinYoo. Every time  ShinYoo is jealous, he immediately confronts HongJo and directly tells her that he’s frustrated seeing her with other men, especially JaeKyung. 

Typically, when female leads are jealous, they avoid their male lead at all costs. If that's not possible, they don’t speak to them at all. They try their best not to demand anything from them. But not HongJo, as she still requested her name to be saved in ShinYoo’s phonebook, even though she was disappointed that his romantic relationship with NaYeon (Yura) was already out in their office. A similar incident happened in episode 10, when HongJo encouraged ShinYoo to explain what happened with NaYeon during their lunch break. Could this be a sign that HongJo and ShinYoo are a match made in heaven?

4. Benching

In the words of Yeon JuDa to Lee DoWa, “What a shame. Can’t the three of us go out? I can date you on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And I can date Nam-ju on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. And I can spend time alone on Sunday. This is what the heroine of a romance comic book does. She weighs her love interests in a love triangle.”

Some characters weigh love interests in a love triangle, especially when the leads are angry with their love interest. They are more accepting of the second lead’s date invitation, and that style somehow resembles benching. From ShinYoo’s perspective, his female lead used the “benching” technique when HongJo carpooled with JaeKyung - the day after the female heroine got jealous of NaYeon. Hence, during the main leads’ confrontation, ShinYoo blurted, “Is that why you go around with JaeKyung?” 

But viewers would surely agree that HongJo’s use of the benching technique is actually unintentional. The female lead only agreed to go on a date with JaeKyung because she felt guilty for accidentally hurting the latter’s eyes. In fact, HongJo initially did not accept the invitation, (she quickly rejected the invitation even though, at that time, she was frustrated with ShinYoo) but because JaeKyung kept guilt-tripping HongJo, the female lead eventually gave in. Similar experience to ShinYoo, NaYeon kept holding on to our male lead, causing the handsome lawyer to accept the marriage proposal of his longtime girlfriend. Also, the day of marriage proposal, ShinYoo must have thought that his feelings for HongJo would eventually fade, as soon as he’s free from the love spell. Hence, he let himself be in a relationship with NaYeon, again.

5. Keeping The Problems To Themselves

“Your girlfriend slapped me. She said I hit on you,” reported Lee HongJo to Jang ShinYoo in episode 7. If HongJo’s predecessors saw that scene, their jaws would surely drop because their centuries-old tradition of keeping setbacks (related to their co-leads) to themselves was suddenly broken by HongJo.

K-Drama characters such as Han KiJoo of "Lovers in Paris", Joo YooRin of "My Girl", Goo JoonPyo of "Boys Over Flowers", Kang Woo of "The Master’s Sun", Ji EunTak of "Goblin", Hong RaOn of "Love In The Moonlight", Jo JiAh of "I Am Not A Robot", Han YeoReum of "Where Stars Land", JoJo of "Love Alarm", Kwon JungRok of "Touch Your Heart", Gil OhSol of "Clean With Passion For Now", NanDo of "My Holo Love", Woo DoHee of "Dinner Mate" and Cheon SaRang of "King The Land" must have empathize with HongJo when she decided to ghost ShinYoo for a few hours.

Eventually HongJo honestly explained to ShinYoo why she wants to break up, which proves that she is one of a kind female lead. Unlike some of the K-Drama leads above, including Aeng Cho of the past, HongJo doesn't have loved ones that will be affected by the female lead’s candor with ShinYoo. Yes, ShinYoo also kept problems to himself, but as soon as he learned that NaYeon made a dirty attempt to get HongJo transferred to another branch, he suavely fought back to keep NaYeon in place.

“Destined With You,” though it’s probably not the only K-Drama that limits the use of the above situationship habits, its main leads' egoless attitude toward each other is almost perfect that they can be the epitome of a green flag relationship. Don’t you think?