I have not watched a full episode yet, only small clips, but from that alone, this show looks pretty good so far (in terms of acting and cinematography), though I am not sure if I am ready for the heaviness.
Out of all the shows we are covering, this one is definitely the most melo of them all. It is #1 for Naver real time search right now though, so there must be something here. Some people even described watching it as a time warp. You start watching it and then all of a sudden it is over.
Character Chart: The Smile Has Left your Eyes Kdrama Chart
How we do this: We update the post around every 10 minutes. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on the scene. There will be typos which we have fantasies of fixing once the episode finishes airing. Also, there might be lovely updates at the bottom, so check back in!
Recap Countdown: RECAPPING!…Check twitter for updates!
THE SMILE HAS LEFT YOUR EYES KOREAN DRAMA RECAP EPISODE 1
——-dramamilk.com——-
#1
OPENING
We open on a Wednesday night interview with Psychiatrist Yang. They are looking at a photo where the woman says he is a pretty guy. yang laughs in an embarrassed way, but then see s boy inthe background. He thinks it is strange tht this by was there. The woman says that her next question was about the boy, but he brought it up so lets talk about it now.
She tells him that he said, when he had a hard time adjusting to medical school, meeting with that boy changed your life. But how can a meeting with an 8 year old boy change a full grown mans life?
His gaze was strange. I followed him around and I realized that I had all that trouble because of this.
The camera scrolls out to show us that this man is on a TV giving an interview.
The interviewer says that meeting with the boy put him there now? The man says yes, I think so.
POLICE INVESTIGATION
The interview is on at a police investigation at an apartment. Someone fell from the building so the cops are all in the building asking questions. They want to turn off the TV.
Interiewer, he should almost be 30 now, what do you think he is doing? The man says he wonders about him often.
Cut to another person putting pipes on a barrel. It look slike this is his job and he is good at it. But then someone yells that they should go so he looks up. It is Kim Moo-young.
At the investigation, the cops start to leave the crime scene. Yoo Jin-kook is outside in his car talking to Eom Cho-rong who is standing outside. It is Jin-Kooks offday so he sohuld be home, but he is curious. The younger guy says this was a suicide, a 22 year old college student. the student was very pretty, why did that pretty girl kill herself? Jin-kook asks if he is sure about that?
But the they start to talk about what Jin-kook is wearing, are you going somewhere nice?
——-dramamilk.com——-
#2
Scene change to a new location where we see an invitation to a pottery exhibition. The invitation is from a chaebol and looks so cool. But Jin-Kang tells herself that she is not a Chaebol. She tries to calm herself down and gets all her things. Her assistant/friend gives her the invitation. An older woman runs in and asks if she has everything! The fate of our company is on you today! Are you wearing that? Change! As soon as you get there, change!
The event today is all by Jang WooSang who is from NJ Group. he prepared and arranged everything.
On the street, we see that there is a lot of traffic. Jin-kook is trapped in traffic as well as Moo-young and his friend. Jin-Kook ends up helping out with the accident even though it is his off day and is able to clear it all up. Moo-Young drives by and sees Jin-kook, they kind of share a bit of a staredown as they pass each other. But then Jin-kook snaps himself out of it and tells his sister that Oppa is opening his door right now!
At the event, Jin-kang gets to the event. Her friend Seung-ah gets there at the same time, But she is so nervous, she says she wants to die. Jin-kang is concerned, but her friend says she is juts joking. Jin Kang ends up putting her clothing back in her friends car since she was carrying a lot. Then they leave together to walk in.
Moo-young is at the event right at the same time. His friend sees Seung-ah’s car and thinks it looks so cool. Moo-young does not look bothered with it. Inside, some women complain about rich people and how the boyfriend gave it to her for valentines day and blah blah. MooYoung and his friend also hear about this.
Inside, Seung-ah is told the itenerary. It look slike Seung-ah is the one that made all the pottery. This person says that this is actually a secret surprise party for Seung-ah, dont’ tell anyone. Also the reporters are so interested in you, they want you to do the meeting, they want to talk to the artist. Seung ah asks the woman why she decided this without talking to me. The woman says that it was Woosangs idea. (So Seungha did not want to talk to the reporters, but Woosang wanted her to do it and did not tell her).
Meanwhile, Jin-Kang had to take a call from their boss from the car. She reminds her to be nice to the executive and appeal their brand to him. Jin-Kang smiles and says okay, but she also looks exhausted by the effort that she is about to undertake. She changes her clothes in the car (Mooyoung sees her). He ends up standing next to the door later so she hits him when she gets out.
She apologizes and asks if he is serving beer for the event? What are you serving? He lists all the drinks they are serving. She asks if he is serving the other two today, he says he is not. So she thanks him and then leaves. But he asks if this is her car, she explains that it is her friend. So Mooyoung says that is it, she is not that pretty. he starts to leave.
She says, excuse me, do you know me? While walking away he says, not at all. Then he stops and turns. Did you ust buy them? he turns around again. She wonders what he is talking about? What did she just buy? She also walks away.
She runs right into her brother who has flowers now. He tells her that she does not look like the Yoo Jin-Kng I know. But then he pulls a tag off of her outsifit and says this is the Yoo Jin Kang that I know. JK grummbles, argh, that was what that guy was talking about! Her brother teases her, are you advertising that you just bought some clothes? they playfully go inside.
While inside, Jin-Kang and her brother talk to the frind, Seung-ah. He says she has a nice boyfriend, but what about my sister? They playfully talk about keeping dating away from family members. Then the executive comes in so Jin-kook comments on how he looks handsomer in real life.
Seng-ah excuses herself and tells her boyfriend that she wnts to talk to him. Jin-kook notices that she looks a bit upset and asks his sister why her friend looks like that. But it is one of those questions that doesn’t need an answer.
The boyfriend asks why she wants to talk. She tells him that she wants to cancel that artist talk. Do you want to be stupid? My professor is coming, how can I do this artist talk in front of my professor? But he wonders why, you should be able to do more. But she says that she wanst to remove the professors things, seeing them suffocate her. How can she do an exhibition with something that she did not make?
Moo-young hears all of this as he sets up the drinks.
Woo-Sang asks her who she thinks suggested it? The professor did. That shocks her. He tells Seung-ah that the professor wants to sell her things, so it does not matter. Moo-young makes himself known at that point and noisily stands and them leaves. But Woo-sang stops him and gives him some money/check. he asks him if he knows what this means? Moo-young counts the money and then smiles as he says, yes.
Woo-sang gets a call at that moment and has to leave. Seung-ah follows but then stops when Mooyoung asks her if she is taking th flowers with her. She goes back for them. So he also asks her if she is really not going to do the artist talk? DOn’t do it if you don’t want to. he shreds the check and tells her that he is not going to keep that promise. She wants to know what he wants. he tells her to not do the artist talk. Or do you want to do it? Ah, that could happen. Its like you can’t refuse it….you just pretend like you made it all.
She asks him if he is threatening her right now, does she look that easy? he says, a little bit. So she tells him that he does not know anything. I am so humiliated, I want to die, but what can I do? What can I do now, I am already here!
he just nonchalantly tells her, okay. then packs to leave. he tells her that he knows that Baek Seung-ah does not want to do an artist talk, so you don’t have to. he continues walking out.
In the event, Jin-kook and Jin-kang wonder where Seung-ah is, they have not seen her in awhile. Cut to Seung-ah outside thinking about what Moo-yang told her as she recounts that moment. She thinks about all that he said about really wanting to do it and pretending like she made everything.
——-dramamilk.com——-
#3
Inside, everyone kind of wonders and murmurs about where Seung-ah is. She comes in slowly at that point. It looks more like a elegant slow motion walk to her death as everyone smiles and falls in line behind her. But then, someone bumps one of the pieces, it goes crashing to the ground.
Moo-yang is teh culprit. he apologizes and says it is all his fault, though he does not look apologetic at all. He is escorted out by security as classical music plays and Seung-ah looks on in astonishment. Jin-Kook and Jin-Kang also look at Moo-yang walking out. At that same moment, Jin-kook gets a call, the suicide is not a suicide, it is a murder case.
Inside the event, Moo-yang is still there serving drinks (I guess all is forgiven?). He gives Jin-Kang a beer thta he made and smiles knowingly at her. The brother also get a drink from the friend. The two relax behind the bar as the party keeps going.
Jin-kang stares at Moo-yang from a distance and asks her brother if she is really ugly? her brother is all like, OF COURSE. Who said you wer ugly? Jin-Kang points tothe bartender. Jin-Kook thinks that guy really knows how to evaluate people. But it is kind of playful. Jin-kang asks if they have seen him before? She mentions he broke the pot earlier. But he thinks, before, before. Jin-Kang says no, she has never seen a jerk like that before.
they decide to focus on the fireworks. Lets go find a good spot! But she needs to find Woo-sang to let him know abuot their company. However she thinks she would rather go celebrate the fireworks. Lets go! However, her friend Seung-ah looks very interested in Moo-young. Moo-young decides to step outside for a little bit, Seung-ah follows him.
She follows all the way to the dock and stumbles upon him relaxing in a little hidden area in the building. He looks like he knew she would find him. She asks if he did that thing on purpose? Why? he says….well…because….very pretty (no subject). She is all like, what? So he asks, if it is expensive? I heard it was, are you sad? She says no, she feels like flying.
he tells her to go play then.
Upstairs, her boyfriend starts calling her name over the balcony. Seung-ha is about to go to him, but Moo-young holds her hand and pulls her to his hiding place. The fireworks go off right then.
Jin-Kang and Jin-Kook both exclaim about how pretty the fireworks are.
The boyfriend looks for Seung-ah.
And Seung-ah and Moo-young hide amidst the boats until the boyfriend leaves.
But Moo-yung tells her that it is late and takes her by the wrist as he leads her away. he looks at the fireworks for a little bit and then turns back and tells her that it is her birthday. he puts a bracelet on her wrist and wishes her happy birthday, then he walks away.
But she calls, excuse me, to him so he turns around momentarily and smiles. But his smiled goes away when he walks away again.
——-dramamilk.com——-
#4
MORNING
Jin-Kook tries his hardest to wake his sister up, but she is happily under the covers. Cut to them in the car. He tells her to wash her hair at least, that is why she is not dating anyone. She tells him that she is! But he says that she is not, he lists all the evidence, no sexy underwear, no secret phone calls outside, birthday, Christmas, Valentines day, you had nothing that had a trace of men. See, I am a natural born detective. then he talks about how all the hubaes think he is cool. But she tells him that he is always a manager.
But he screeches on his breaks. What did you say? She hops out and tells him that as far as she knows, he has never been in a higher position and his nickname is Manager Yoo. It’s becaue you don’t do any police work. you are more like a manager in the company, not a police officer. he is all like, how do you know! Jin-kang says that Tak eunnie told her everything. She happily waves goodbye.
Jin-Kang goes inside her company, slowly. She thinks she might have dodged her boss, but then the doors open with her boses smiling face. She wants to know what Woo-sang said about it. But soon realizes that Jin-Kang did not give the portfolio to him. How can you not use this connection? Jin-Kang says he is her friends boyfriend….~. But she is confident that they will do well! the boss does not look that confident and sadly goes back to her office.
Jin-Kang kind of slightly smiles and tells her friend, I hate myself. But then sits with a huff and gets to work as if all is well.
POLICE
the police go through the students death. She died at 3:04. The cause of death is a neck injury. But she already had a critical wound on the back of her head. Soeone pushed her over the ledge. The murderer cleaned the apartment very well and left. It is too clean and too much work.
They stop for a moment as Jin-kook comes in. The only happy person is Cho-rang, everyone else grumbles about it…ugh, why is he here. But they start talking again. They found a piece of metal in her head and did not find a trophy in the room. based on the wound, the criminal should be a lefty. The prime suspect is the boyfriend. They found male DND under her nails. And the friend said that they had a lot of arguments recently.
They also say the car was at the building around that time at 2am. But they do not know where he is now. He went abroad to Canada on a morning flight.
The cops all take a lunch break at the building cafeteria. Tak sits to eat with him. They talk a little bit about the cases and how they should report them later otherwise it will be their case. (So like they switch teams at midnight or something). Jin-Kook tells her that she should not talk about his manager nickname! You told Jin-Kang! But Tak just laughs about it.
Then they look at the men in the room. Jin-Kook thinks Cho-Rang might be a good guy. But he thinks he is mentally slow. Tak asks why he likes him so much then. Jin-Kook is all like, how do you know? She basically tells him that he is in her hand (a common Korean phrase from Soyoogi). When you say someone is stupid, that means they are cute, I like him. he says that is true, I picked him for Jin-kang.
Tak hits him in the face with her spoon. He looks like a good husband to be on his specs, but do you think he will say that he likes Jin-Kang? Jin-Kook gets angry, you think he won’t like Jin-gang?
Meanwhile, Jin-Kang thinks about Moo-young. At the same time, Seung-ah also thinks about Moo-young and is actually drawing the Pandora like bracelet that he gave her. She pulls out her phone and calls the number that she got from someone at the event. this person told her that Moo-young is a brewer at a certain brewery.
She ends up going to the brewery to meet with him, but chickens out. Howevere he stops her and tells her that she is there to see him right? Follow me. She ends up riding with them as they drop off their supplies. The friend looks so awkward. he introduces himself since Moo-young did not introduce her to him. He also plays some music and says that she was super cool at the exhibition. She smiles.
——-dramamilk.com——-
#5
At the same time, Jin-kook gets ina car with Cho-rang. They are on their way to the polcie scene, though it looks like Jin-kang should not be there because Cho-rong asks him if he would like to be dropped off somewhere.
Elsewhere, the brewery guys continue dropping off their brews. It is the perfect moment to see how strong Mo-young is as he picks up the tanks with one arm as if they barely weight anything. Hee-joon ends up staying there at this last stop because he works there, so Seung-ah decides to stay as well and work part time for fun. Moo-young sits bored at the bar watching her.
She asks him if he would like to help her but he is like, no, i’m good. So she continues working. Suddenly, her bracelet breaks and hist the floor in pieces.
At the crime scene, Cho-rang takes Jin-Kook around to all the CCTV’s in the building. He lets him know which ones are working and which are not. Jin-kook starts to ask him about all the dating sites and things, are you signed up? Cho-rang says he is not, humans are not objects so you should marry someone you love. Jin-Kook asks about his mom, is she picky? he says she is good.
Jin-Kang is all like, my sister is also nice. I TOLD YOU MY SISTER IS NICE. Cho-rang is all like, why are you here again? Jin-Kook tells him something and then looks around at the snow balls. He tells him that his sister really likes snow globes. But Cho-rang tells him that he should not touch things like this! Jin-Kang goes to put it back, but he notices that his fingers are all dusty.
He opens the snow globe a little bit and sees that there is a lot of this black dust inside. He starts getting serious and looks at some photos that they have. he asks Cho-rang if these are all the photos. Cho-rang says no, they have more in the office, why?
BREWERY
back at the brewery, Moo-young puts the newly fixed bracelt back on Seung-ah’s wrist. The friend is still there and comments on it. Then they talk about the parttime job. Moo-yung says that Hee-joon is an engineering student at Yang Gam. he has to work 3 jobs though. Seung-ah looks impressed, but the friend thinks he should quit. He is not the only one suffering.
Cut to later on that evening. Moo-young walks Seung-ah home and tells her to go inside. But she says that she thought he would ask her why she was there. He tells her that he was happy to see her. But she tells him that he is lying. She did not even call him just in case he would ask why she was calling her. You did not think about me at all right?
he tells her that he missed her and wanted to see her. She asks, really? So, can I see you then? he tells her that she has a boyfriend. She tries to explain Woo-sang oppa’s relationship with her but Moo-young suddenly kisses her very deeply before she can get it out.
MORNING
The police find out that the boyfriend of the dead woman is also a lefty. They think they got it. But they still need to get the DNA. However, Jin-Kook says that the person who cleaned up the scene is a right handed person. The person who hit the head was left handed, but the clean up person was right handed.
they look at the evidence and realize that this is probably true. One of them says that you can use both hands when hitting someone so Jin-Kook has to explain how the marks will be lighter with the left hand when you clean. he also found something strange at the scene.
But the chief throws a temper tantrum and does not want to see the evidence. He asks Jin-kook why he is doing all these things that he does not do before. Just continue doing the manager thing. You know the lost scooter things, okay? Jin-kook takes all that argument and then agrees. He sits back at his desk.
Afterward, Cho-rong tells Hwang gun in the bathroom and tells him that the team leader went too far. He thinks they should look into this some more. he mentions the snow globe, and how it was after the murder case but before the birthday party picture. Gun tells him not to worry about it. But Cho-rang wants to know why the team leader hates Jin-kook so much.
Gun tells him that he will be out in 3 months. The team leader will kick him out next season so don’t worry about him.
Jin-Koon is in one of the stalls and hears it all.
——-dramamilk.com——-
#6
Cut to Seung-ah, she is drawing and coloring the jewel now and matching the drawing with the fixed bracelet. It looksl ike he got it in perfect order. She is amazed and calls Yang Gang University Seoul campus.
At the same time, Yoo Jin-kook investigates the scooter case. But he gets a text from Cho-rong about the snow globe, he really wants to know. So he meets Jin-kook at a cafe to talk about it.
Elsewhere, Seung-ah meets with Moo-young in her carand gives him money to give to Hee-joon for school. Moo-young say he can convince him and moves to take it. But she pulls it back and lets all the money go. It all flies away in the wind. She tells him that he lied, there is no student named Noh Hee-joon at that University.
Moo-young says that is funny. She asks if it is really funny? Aren’t you embarrassed about the money? He tells her it might not be about the money and calls a number, then he gets out of the car. He called Yang Gang University Wongju campus. But he suddenly jumps over the pier. She gasps.
In the cafe, Jin-kook shows the order of the snow globe in the pictures. It is the same order. Cho-rong does not get it so Jin-kook hits him in the head. Look at this…the snow ball had blood on it also. It did not splatter on it, it was soaked in it. That means all the snow globes fell, but someone put it back.
Cho-rong gets it, so that means someone cleaned it and put them back. So how are they all the same? there are so many of them but the order is all the same. Jin-kook tells him that is what he is talking about. Co-rong thinks he has a photogrphic memory or super genius or they took a photo? Jin-kook isn’t really concerned with that, he just thinks the person unconciously put it there and it became the right order. It might be photographic memory but the for sure thing is that he is a weird guy.
Back on the Pier, Moo-young is all wet now and still collecting all the money. He tells her that he did not find eight of them. She apologizes to him and tells him that she was crazy. he asks her if she is crying because she lost $400, he can look some more. But she just hugs him and tells him that she is really sorry. He tells her that she looks ugly when she cries. Then he asks where the bracelet is. Did you throw it away? Because a bad guy gave it to you?
She says she did not and runs to the car to get it. He puts it back on her wrist and tells her it looks pretty. they sit on her car as she shows him something amazing. he put everything back in the same exact order. They have more than 20 balls, but he put them all back in the same order. He does ot say anything about that and just pulls her to sit on his lap. She says that maybe her boyfriend is a genius. He says boyfriend? She tells him yes, she just decided it.
Outside the cafe, Jin-kook sits outside looking at the snow globes.
On the pier, Moo-young smiles at Seung-ah as he holds her in his lap, but his face falls as they both turn to look out over the ocean.
Fade Out
——-dramamilk.com——-
COMMENTS
They were right, this first episode flew by. That might also be because it was just one hour and I am so used to tvN shows going over and over and over their aloted time.
This first episode was great. Moo-young has that confident serial killer swagger with the genius mind to boot. Plus he is extra dangerous because he knows how to make women fall for him and treats each one a different way. He probably knew he couldnt say that “your ugly” nonsense to Seung-ah, but he knew that he could say it to Jin-kang. I am jumping the gun since we don’t actually know if he is the killer yet. But I think it is safe to say that he is not right.
Right now I feel for Jin-Kook. He definitely has amazing detective skills, so why is he wasting away on small cases? Is his superior that jealous of him? Or did something else happen to make the situation as it is?
Don’t tell me if you saw the original! I am very happy finding out slowly.
PREVIEW
VO – Who are you meeting now?
SA – I have someone I like
WS – What is that, pottery?
MY – It was a present
WS – I wondered who you were.
VO – They caught that guy.
MY – Is he really the murderer?
Jin-Kook – This is strange
Tak – What is so strange about it?
Jin-kook – That is what I am talking about
SA – That is my boyfriend.
JK – I am asking you if you are serious about it.
MY – Yes, I am serious
JK – You are doing this on purpose right?
MY – What?
JK – To get attraction.
MY – What about you, Yoo Jin-kang?
Where can we watch it subbed? Who got the rights? Netflix? DF? Viki? Viu?
Author
It looks like it is on Viki possibly https://www.viki.com/tv/36185c-the-smile-has-left-your-eyes?locale=en
Viki has it, episode two is just being subtitled.
I really like both leads… but I’m not sure if I’m ready for another melo drama about “is he or not a killer” after Come and Hug Me, I mean I know they’re different shows … but I don’t know if my heart can take the melo jajajaj, but I will keep checking your opinion about it 🙂
Author
So far it seems like there he is a serial killer. So perhaps this show is about hoping that the girl does not fall for him? However, you definitely should not watch this one if you want to give your heart a break. I heard the Japanese version ripped peoples hearts in two.
Thank you V, I guess for now I will watch it through your recaps, thank you!!!
Actually I am not watching this because I know what happened in the JDorama. I’m still curious enough to check it out because The Smile Has Left Your Eyes is getting so much buzz but I will not watch this until it is over and I know what happens this time. In fact, I will Never watch it if the storyline is too much like the Japanese version.
Author
There was something great about the first episode. Well see if it keeps it going throughout series.
What a fantastic first episode!! Loved it.
I really hope there are no spoilers in any discussions. I really am going into this blind.
Author
You and me both. NO SPOILERS. 🙂