Hyde, Jekyll and Me: The Tripartite Agreement

Gahh…why did we spend the last 17eps in Hyde with inconsequential plot developments? I still find the kidnapping + memory lapses more suitable as “side dishes” in Hyde. The main point of Hyde should be the rom-com isn’t it? And being a rom-com…shouldn’t we be spending more time on our love triangle instead?

What’s more…the love triangle in Hyde is by far the most interesting I’ve seen in kdramaland. The “second male lead” isn’t another person — it’s the same (but different) person(ality) from the lead. That should be sufficient to provide enough fodder to last 20eps.

As it is, our love triangle only blossoms in ep18. True, we can argue that Ha-na is already attracted to Seo-jin waaayyy before…juz that she a) refuses to admit it to herself (and Seo-jin) and/or b) is blissfully unaware of the attraction. I’d go for a).

Ep18 shows how much can be milked from the Seo-jin, Robin and Ha-na conflict. I rather think Seo-jin spent too much time battling the Amazing Dr Yoon, when he really has a frenemy-hyung who is so close, and yet he totally doesn’t know much about. As can be seen in their cross-questionnaire for each other. Robin, being more extraverted (and also at more disadvantage), writes a whole list of questions for Seo-jin to answer. Although Seo-jin only has 4, the sharing of information only reveals the lack of understanding they have for each other.

More importantly though, is Seo-jin and Robin now appreciates each other better through the simple sharing session…and that can be the start of a really interesting bromance. Earlier on, we see Seo-jin pranking Robin by deleting Ha-na’s messages to him and his self-congratulatory smirk at doing so. It hints that while Seo-jin claims he dislikes Robin for being an “interloper” on his consciousness, he probably likes him enough to annoy him. However, that hint of a possible budding bromance is overshadowed by Tae-joo and his various revenge plots. Sadly, the bromance this time may not take off either. Since the open coexistance that Ha-na proposes has fast forwarded Robin’s (unwilling) merger with Seo-jin.

On the other hand, Ha-na’s off the cuff declaration that Seo-jin moonlights as the webtoon artist, Robin, has done more help to Seo-jin. Ironically, by not pushing people away, Seo-jin has become calmer and less of a coward. I bet Ha-na also notices the change. Though I’d prefer it if Hyde shows Ha-na’s interest earlier than ep18. Cos there’s only 2 more eps to go, and we have to reconcile with a Ha-na who suddenly wakes up and realises that she loves Seo-jin too, or loves him more than Robin.