[Jan 11] "Like Flowers in Sand” ep. 8 recap & rating: Baek-du & Du-sik kiss while drunk...

The romance drama “Like Flowers in Sand” by ENA reached a new peak in ratings last night.

The series, which stars Jang Dong Yoon and Lee Joo Myung, is entering its last 2 weeks of airing. Nielsen Korea reported that the latest episode of “Like Flowers in Sand” achieved an average rating of 2.4% nationwide, breaking its previous record. The peak viewership per minute in the metropolitan area soared to 2.8%.

“Like Flowers in Sand” ep. 8 recap

The relationship between Kim Baek-doo (played by Jang Dong-yoon) and Oh Yoo-kyung (played by Oh Doo-sik/Lee Joo-myung) changed. Oh Yoo-kyung, who felt a strange tremor due to Kim Baek-doo's drunken kiss, made me look forward to their relationship change in the future.

There was also an unpredictable twist. Baek-doo, who recalled the day he had a scuffle with Choi Chil-sung (played by Won Hyun-joon), remembered that there was another person with him. And "You don't have to hide and pretend anymore. Shall we all talk?" Joo Mi-ran (played by Kim Bo-ra)'s twist amplified the curiosity.

On this day, Baek-doo failed to reach the final, but he finished 4th in the competition. Coach Kwak Jin-soo (played by Lee Jae-joon) also said, "He did well. I watched the match well," acknowledging Baek-doo's wrestling skills. However, there was another reason why Baek-doo was upset. Because of Yoo-kyung who left without saying a word. Baek-doo was so sad that he even drank alcohol.

He got drunk and went to visit Yoo-kyung. Spotting Baek-doo shouting, OhYoo-kyung dragged him to a quiet place. Baek-doo expressed his disappointment that she went ahead without contacting him and then boasted about the game's result. Yoo-kyung praised him for the first time in a long time, saying, "It was good to play while having fun like in the past." Looking at Yoo-kyung, Baek-doo kissed her as if he was possessed by something. Yoo-kyung was surprised by his sudden action and slammed his forehead down with all her might.

The next day, Baek-du didn't remember anything. Seeing Baek-doo as usual, Yoo-kyung couldn't hide her awkwardness, saying, "I don't remember it, so I'm going to be comfortable." When asked by Yoo-kyung if he really remembered, Baek-doo replied that Joo Mi-ran had asked the same question. At the mention of "Ju Mi Ran," Yoo-kyung asked what had happened. Baek-doo, who avoided answering because it was a top secret, was slapped on the forehead by Yoo-kyung, and a small memory came to mind. Yoo-kyung suggested that if she could find the memory of the day she had a scuffle with Choi Chil-sung, her wish would be granted.

Baek-doo is practicing wrestling with a partner when he suddenly sees glimpses of the night he spent with Doo-sik. He feels puzzled. He recalls the kiss they shared, but he wonders if it was real. He asks Doo-sik about it, and her lack of response confirms his suspicion. He feels more ashamed than she does. 

This triggers something in his mind, and he begins to ask why she didn't slap him harder. His memory starts to unravel as he faces a mix of feelings and questions. He finds himself in the same place where he met Chil Seong, and he slowly pieces together what happened that night. He realizes that Chil Seong had company.

The 8th episode of Like Flowers in Sand ends with Baek-doo hurrying to see Doo-sik, but Mi Ran beats him to it. She confesses that she was with Chil Seong when he died and says that she can't keep it a secret anymore. 

Doo-sik had guessed that Chil Seong came to Geosan to see Mi Ran because he found out that she was Cheol Yong's daughter. Mi Ran had also said that she wasn't sure if Doo-sik's father killed her father or not. But her attitude implied that she knew more than she let on. 

That day, someone saw her carrying a big bag somewhere. Moreover, when you think about it, no one recognized Mi Ran from her childhood. She was a nobody, and she said that she liked it that way because whenever she got involved in something, she would be the first one to lose. 

But now, after all these years, she is bitter about being ignored. People in Geosan had wondered why a young woman like her ran a cafe in such an isolated place instead of a city, which means that Mi Ran had a hidden agenda all along.

(Source: naver.com)