[Recap] Near Death Experiences Spark Romance in "Man from the Stars"

This week brought another fabulous pair of “Man from the Stars” episodes. The unique combination of suspense, romance, and comedy continue to make for excellent entertainment. Min Joon’s role as Song Yi’s protector gets put to the test at many points during these two episodes. From falling fish bowls to runaway cars, Min Joon sure has has his work cut out for him. Thankfully, he has some pretty cool superpowers to help him out. The writer does a wonderful job balancing the nail-biting suspense with laugh-out-loud funny interactions. Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions when you watch this show!

Min Joon Saves the Day

In the climatic end of Episode 7, Min Joon stretches his powers to the max in order to rescue Song Yi from an immediate death. Be sure to add stopping a car with his bare hands to the list of awesome things Min Joon can do.

When Jae Kyung’s henchmen drugged Song Yi and put her in a car set to drive off a cliff, all seemed lost. Good thing Min Joon has super sensitive hearing and the ability to teleport, otherwise Song Yi would have been a goner! 

Let’s also not forget about Song Yi’s preceding brush with death, this time in the form of a falling fish bowl. While not nearly as dramatic as the runaway car setup, I still jumped for joy when Min Joon instantly appeared at her side. Our reluctant hero sure is good at saving Song Yi. He better continue his track record- I don’t think my heart could handle Song Yi’s actual death.

Jae Kyung’s Not Pleased Song Yi Remains Alive

This evil mastermind’s plans keep getting foiled thanks to Min Joon quick actions and out-of-this-world powers. Needless to say, Jae Kyung is not happy with the current state of affairs and I can guarantee next week’s episodes will bring increasingly drastic actions to finish off Song Yi once and for all. Jae Kyung will stop at nothing to ensure no one knows of his sinister plots. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if his henchmen also suddenly need to “take care of their health”. Jae Kyung sure loves killing people! 

On the “bright” side, Jae Kyung did manage to eliminate Yoo Ra’s stalker and witness to his relationship with Yoo Ra. Hopefully this latest killing will help satisfy his murderous appetite for the time being. 

Song Yi Stumbles onto Yoo Ra’s Blackmail USB

Why does Jae Kyung want Song Yi dead? It largely has to do with this USB. Little does Song Yi know, but that USB has all the evidence she would need to put a definitive end to Jae Kyung’s reign of terror. She has the power, but she’s too oblivious to realize it. Song Yi’s oblivious nature, while endearing, can also be highly frustrating. She might have been safe if only she hadn’t opened her mouth around Jae Kyung. She sure has a knack for saying the exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time. Also, she might want to avoid all giant stuffed animals in the future.

Thankfully she has Min Joon in her life to help separate normal teddy bears from the evil ones!

Song Yi Begins to Suspect Min Joon’s Abilities

All her time spent with Min Joon and subconsciously experiencing his life saving actions are causing Song Yi some confusion. She swears she saw him for a split second when he stopped her car on the cliff, but like a flash of lightening, he was suddenly gone. The kiss on the boat and his sudden appearance at the fish bowl incident don’t add up to any reasonable explanation. She even goes to see a doctor to get an opinion on her supposed insanity. I, for one, am counting down to the big reveal about Min Joon’s powers. I’m dying to see how she will react! 

Min Joon Is Starting to Integrate into Human Life 

Min Joon is becoming more and more human in the way he interacts with the world around him. He’s discovered that eating with people really isn’t that bad and a cell phone might actually be a helpful tool to have. He may only have a limited amount of time left on Earth, but I guess these changes are better late than never! 

During the epilogue of Episode 8, Min Joon expresses his regret about never living like a normal human. His previous scorn for all things petty like relationships and love is quickly evaporating now that Song Yi is by his side. “What should he do?” he asks. I think we all have a good idea of what we want to see happen.

Let the Love Line Officially Commence!

I don’t know if it was the regret associated with his impending departure or if 15 seconds of Song Yi really is extremely intoxicating, but Min Joon finally caves to his feelings and purposely kisses Song Yi. 

In this scene, Song Yi takes offense to Min Joon’s earlier comment that in his eyes she is no different than a tree or a dog. To test him, she gives him 15 seconds to admire her natural charms. Just how exactly will she react to Min Joon’s sudden display of affection? I’m certainly waiting with bated breath! 

The chemistry between these two just keeps getting better and better!

Se Mi Blows Up at Song Yi

I’ve been waiting for Se Mi to finally lose it about living in Song Yi’s spotlight and I was not in the least bit disappointed with her outburst. This was an excellent and emotional rant, highlighting Yoo In Na’s acting skills and her character’s years of pent up anger. Se Mi lays all her feelings out on the table without sparing Song Yi from any of the harsh truths.

Unknown to Song Yi, Se Mi has resented how Song Yi never considered her as a rival. Song Yi may be fiercely competitive by nature, but this competitiveness never extended to Se Mi. To Se Mi, this must mean that Song Yi considers her a nobody, someone who only deserves sympathy rather than rivalry.

Finally, now that Song Yi has fallen, Se Mi has her chance to shine and she is 110% ready to rub it in Song Yi’s face. She wants Song Yi to be jealous of her for the first time in her life. Does Se Mi feel any remorse for her actions? Not. At. All. 

Even more, when Song Yi asks if Se Mi ever thought of her as a friend, her cold response of “never” puts the final stake in the heart of this pseudo-friendship. While I’m sympathetic that Song Yi has lost what she thought was her closest friend, I am also glad that Se Mi finally grew a backbone. Perhaps she won’t be so mopey anymore? At the same time, I’m not convinced she’s all that evil. I have a feeling she still holds some feelings of friendship for Song Yi deep down inside.

Song Yi Rejects Hee Kyung 

Episode 6 ended with Hee Kyung’s sincere confession of love for Song Yi. Just as Song Yi was about to answer, Min Joon stops time, deciding he didn’t want to be within earshot of her response. Turns out this time stop actually worked much better than Min Joon could have imagined. According to Song Yi, one-second was enough time for her to change her mind about agreeing to marry Hee Kyung. Hee Kyung may be rather pleased with her almost affirmative response, but I know Min Joon is even more delighted by her change of heart.

Se Mi and Hee Kyung Need to Work Out Their Issues

It amazes me how naive Hee Kyung can be, especially when it comes to love. Se Mi has been in love with him for years and years, but it’s only now that the truth is standing directly in front of him that he finally seems to connect the dots. The episode ended without a conclusion to Hee Kyung’s realization, but I have a feeling it won’t end well for Se Mi. These two have many, many things to work out amongst themselves. At least Se Mi’s confession should move their story line past her stage of longing stares and mopey crying, right?

Se Mi Sees Min Joon For the First Time in 12 Years

Se Mi already knew that the man who saved Song Yi 12 years ago was back in the picture, but visual confirmation makes this all to more clear. Just wait until Se Mi finds out just how close Song Yi and Min Joon have become. Will Se Mi stick to her promise to Hee Kyung not to tell Song Yi of Min Joon’s identity? In light of her more sinister character development, I’m betting no.

Comedic Moments Perfectly Balance out the Suspense

Don’t let all these serious plot developments fool you into thinking this show is anything less than hilarious. I find my cheeks hurting by the end of each episode, proving that the majority of time I am kept laughing at Song Yi and Min Joon’s antics. This show really does a remarkable job pulling off both silly and serious. 

 My Favorite Moments Include

Song Yi’s Cleaning Fiasco

“Oops, sawry” is of course the only proper why to respond to breaking priceless pottery. 

Min Joon’s painful reaction is also priceless. 

Song Yi Sincerely Apologizing for Her Irresistibility While Wearing Min Joon’s Clothes 

No man can resist the the towel turban. 

Song Yi Finding Her Shoes at Min Joon’s House

I have one word for you, Min Joon: BUSTED.

It looks like you will forever be remembered by Song Yi for your shoe fetish.

Lawyer Jang’s Slight Jealousy of Song Yi’s Influence on Min Joon 

It’s a bit of a sore spot with Lawyer Jang that Min Joon has only made changes now that Song Yi is in his life. He’s been telling Min Joon for years to get a cell phone, but his pleas fell on Min Joon’s stubborn ears. I’m actually a bit surprised that Min Joon shunned technology for so long. I guess when you have superpowers, your need for technology just isn’t that great. 

Song Yi Playing with the (evil) Teddy Bear

This is exactly how I would expect Song Yi to act when she is home alone.   

Min Joon’s Reactions to Song Yi’s Alien References

These little references to alien language and alien-like behavior always make me giggle. I hope they keep coming!

Song Yi’s Home Shopping Adventures

Receiving home shopping purchases is one of my favorite “Manager Do” responsibilities. 

Min Joon’s Flashback to His Past Drunken Escapade

A drunk Min Joon is a fun Min Joon.

After this teaser, there better be a drunken scene between Min Joon and Song Yi in the near future.

It’s the perfect opportunity for comedic gold.

In Conclusion

I can’t help but praise “Man from the Stars” for it’s excellent set up and captivating execution. I love how the events will often backtrack to revel more elements in the story. The interviews, flashbacks, and epilogues continue to add an important and engaging feature and I find myself greatly looking forward to these segments.

I must say, I felt Song Yi’s reaction to her near death experiences was not fully developed. You would think that two near misses would be cause for more reflection and terror, but I guess Song Yi’s too busy trying to figure out her hallucinations of Min Joon to really care about her own life.

I am also a bit confused about the whole “Min Joon isn’t supposed to mix salvia with humans”. How come sharing a meal and kissing haven’t shown any consequences? Is it because his body is slowly changing before his departure? I’m still waiting for a good answer to this puzzle!

Regardless, romance is blooming in all the right ways against a backdrop of danger and deadlines. The two month countdown has begun and Min Joon appears to want to make the most of his last days on earth by doing very “earth-like” things. I can’t wait to see how this fated relationship will continue to play out.

What are your favorite parts from this week? How do you think Song Yi will respond to the sudden kiss?

Feel free to share your thoughts below!

-Rachel 

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Rachel’s K-pop and K-drama blog Rara-Pop is full of good information any fan of Korean entertainment will enjoy. You’ll find articles like “Korean Celebrity Inspired Wants,” “Top 5 Engrish Phrases in K-pop,” and a wide range of music video and drama reviews. Warning: T.O.P’s cheekbones may be a frequent topic of discussion. Be sure to check out this great blog!