Panda and Hedgehog Episode 2 Recap

  Awww. Another episode brimming with cuteness. So many great moments!
  I feel like this episode really set things up. It had a lot of important scenes, and gave a good deal of background, so I hope in the next episodes, the plot will really start moving. I don't feel that these episodes were particularly slow, since the first two are typically introductory, but I can't wait to get to a bit more action, and more opportunities for Panda and Seung Ji to interact.

  We open on Seung Ji catching Panda as she topples off her stool. He smiles at her and leans in closer. She smiles back and closes her eyes. Won Il looks on with a hurt and stunned expression on his face. Seung Ji then asks what she's doing isn't she going to get up? She has to struggle to stand from their awkward position, and Seung Ji doesn't really do anything to help her. Keke.

  Seung Ji looks up to see Won Yi staring accusingly at him as she and Won Il drive away. Panda bends over to retrieve her phone and gasps in pain as she tries to straighten her back, wimpering. Seung Ji helps her hobble over to a chair. Lamesauce baker come out and asks if she strained her back doing the Panda Dance? He forcefully straightens her back, causing her to shriek with pain. Lamesauce pulls Seung Ji aside and asks what he does. He tries giving him the third degree, but Seung Ji refuses to play along. Panda asks Lamesauce to go buy medicated patches, and he tells her to give him money. He says he has none, but she doesn't either, so Seung Ji lends him some. "What about my fee for running this errand?" Seriously, dude, you're pushing it. He seems to think they're bros, though, and finally leaves without the extra money.

  Won Yi tries to comfort her brother and tells him that she watched Panda and Seung Ji the whole time, and nothing happened. They separated right away. As he holds back tears, she tells him that it's better he left—showing up after 15 years and getting all jealous right away just isn't cool. He speeds off, causing her to jerk back in her seat, and effectively shutting her up. Seriously, I love them.
  Eun Bi calls again and asks Panda what happened. Seung Ji motions that he wants a drink and Panda tells him to get some inside the cafe, apologizing for not being able to get it herself. She tells Eun Bi what happened, and Eun Bi asks if she's blaming her for her injury? Yes. Eun Bi says that when she asks what happened it reminds her of Won Il (the two sound alike in Korean) and she coos, repeating them over and over. Her coworker angrily tells her to ask about the interview, and Panda says that no matter what she'll be there. She heads upstairs to get money to pay Seung Ji back, threatening Lamesauce if he is spending the money on something else. Of course, he is—black bean noodles.

  Seung Ji sees the mess in the kitchen and starts cleaning up, including moving a dirty dishcloth away from the cake. Well, we now know the culprit from last episode's "Scent of Vomit Love" cake. He asks if they're playing at making food—a cake must have a taste everyone wants, with a look that appeals to all—before deconstructing the cake and redecorating it.

   Panda comes back outside to see the disgruntled customer drooling at the window and asks what she's doing. She asks if Panda has hired a new chef, and Panda insists she hasn't. "Let's recruit him, then. If he can make smells like that, your shop will be super popular. I could even seduce Hyun Bin." Keke. She's cute. 

  Seung Ji turns to put the cake out and sees Panda and Customer drooling. Panda says it gives her hope, and Customer says it makes people passionate—it's the cake they've been searching for. They rapturously devour the cake and call for more, but Seung Ji has disappeared. Customer goes to find him, but only finds a note on one of the fliers saying he'll be back—with a hedgehog drawn on it, since Seung Ji's name is a shortened form of the word hedgehog. (I might die from the cuteness. Or this show's overabundant use of symbolism.)  The Customer claims dibs on Seung Ji, but tells Panda they're closer now, so she can call her unni.

  Seung Ji takes the guys out for barbeque, and splurges on beef. The owner of the restaurant comes over and eats their food. "What's wrong if I eat, too?" (Um, I don't know, maybe the fact that you're making him pay for your portion?) His friends ask if he got money from Panda for being an accomplice and he explains it's not like that. The owner asks if he's getting married, and the guys all scoff, but he says that Seung Ji always makes bad choices, so it's that or quitting his job. Seung Ji seems stunned that he knows him so well. He asks the owner what to tell Grandpa so he doesn't get hurt, and he tells him to say it's a girl problem—but not to do it today. They need to work some things out first. "Prove to him you're an adult first, so he won't worry so much about you."

  Seung Ji goes home and hesitates before going in Grandpa's room, but decides to leave him be. Grandpa is sitting in his room crying over a pile of fliers with little Seung Ji's photo on them. I'm assuming they're like Found: Puppy (or in this case hedgehog) posters, back from when he took him in.

  Won Il is pacing his office doing a "She loves me, she loves me not" bit, except it's "he's her boyfriend. He's not her boyfriend." He asks himself, if he is her boyfriend should he report them? Heehee. (For public indecency? They weren't making out, you know.) If he's not her boyfriend, what was he doing there? Won Yi pokes her head in and asks if she can share her ideas. She thinks the guy must be poor, so Panda's suffering because of him. Won Il doesn't understand, and asks her to explain in English. 

  She hilariously stumbles trying to find words, until—"you know my English skills. Why would you ask that?" He apologizes, and she explains that Panda looked as surprised as they were. He agrees it would be shocking to be kissed like that—it's how he would feel, since he's never been kissed. Won Yi is incredulous that he's never kissed anyone, but he innocently explains that he hasn't dated, so when would he have kissed someone? She explains that it can easily happen when one is drunk or at the night club. He asks if that's how she acts, and she says that's only how men behave when they get drunk. "Don't tell me you've never had a drink?!" "I've told you before that you don't need alcohol for love. Even if you're drunk, how can you kiss someone you don't love? Is that what lips are for?" (Um, yes? He's cute in his naivete.) She says she's never met a guy like him before, and he has a lot to learn.
  He spouts his personal motto "Keep calm and carry on", but Won Yi tells him now is not the time to be calm. Mom's setting you up for a blind date as we speak. He leaves the patisserie and Won Yi goes chasing after him. Their mom comes out and asks Won Yi what he's doing. "He says he won't go on any blind dates, and if you force him, he'll run away to America." "What?! Who does he take after to be like that?" Won Yi points to herself and says "Me."

  Mom goes inside to complain to Dad, and mentions being Won Il's real mom, at which Dad bristles. She tries to cover by saying it would be so nice if he were Won Il's dad for reals. Oh, so he's not the biological father. That explains some of Won Il's earlier distance.

  Panda's aunt pulls up next to Won Il and marvels that such a young man has such a nice car. "Hey, if you have so much money, go spend some of it at my niece's cafe!" He pretends not to hear her and drives off. She follows him, only to be surprised when he pulls up at Cafe Panda. "Did he hear me?" He goes inside and finds Lamesauce lounging at a table. Aunt comes in and scolds him, and when Won Il hears she's Panda's aunt, he hurries to button his top button to make himself more presentable. Lamesauce explains that Panda hurt herself putting on a show on a chair and went to the jjimjilbang (sauna) to help her back. Won Il sneaks out while he still can. When Aunt notices, she wonders why he even came.
  Panda and Customer come in from the jjimjilbang, and Panda brushes things off so Aunt won't worry.

  Seung Ji comes home and gets in a fight with Grandpa. He tells him he wants to talk man to man, so they go for drinks. Grandpa is sullen and they argue over pouring drinks. He asks Seung Ji if he's acting like this because he's found a better place. Then Grandpa asks if it's a girl. Did he get her pregnant? He brings up his own daughter, and that turns the conversation. Seung Ji asks if she refuses to live with Grandpa. If the place is too small, why doesn't he just move? Grandpa  tells him it's because that house is special to her. She'll only come if he tells her he's dying, though. Seung Ji says to just tell her, and the conversation switches back to Panda. He didn't want Grandpa to worry more, so he didn't tell him, but she owns a cake shop. "What?!?!"

  Panda's Aunt is trying to fix her back, while her sister Da Na is working on the bookkeeping. Panda explains her meeting with Seung Ji, while he explains to Grandpa that he fell for her at first sight. He insists that he didn't get her pregnant, and Da Na says people are going to think Panda's pregnant by the way she's walking. (Nobody who's ever seen a pregnant woman would, but it's funny. And maybe foreshadowing.) She can't miss her interview, even with a bad back. She'll hire Seung Ji and work at Saint Honore and everything will work out.

  The next day, Won Il's step-dad rages through the patisserie and his mom praises how awesome he looks. Like a boss. Won Il says he is a boss. . . of manipulation. Dad goes to the kitchen to judge applicants and yells at most of them. Won Il looks on disapprovingly. Dad's spy reports that he was watching the whole time.

  Grandpa comes in to wake Seung Ji up, but he's still drunk from the night before. He tells Grandpa he'll take care of him. His friends come in to help sober him up, and he keeps biting Beom Bo. Grandpa makes cakes and Seung Ji comes in to say he's going out to meet a girl and takes a cake. He looks at it and says that cakes should be made with happiness, isn't that what you said, Grandpa? 

  Won Il sees Panda coming for her interview and rushes to help her, scolding her for coming when she's in so much pain. He uses banmal with her, and she's not quite sure what to make of it. Aunt wonders what that guy is doing here and Da Na tells her he's the son of the company. Aunt says they must have some kind of destiny. 

  Won Il carefully leads Panda to his office and orders Eun Bi to bring some medicine and cake. Eun Bi makes angry eyes at Panda and goes and complains downstairs. Panda asks him why he's being so informal with him and he asks if she recognizes him. She doesn't until he tells her he was called Pangy. "The guy who always drew cakes?" Ah, so that was Won Il we saw as a little kid last episode. Panda asks him how long it's been, and he promptly responds 14 years 5 months, surprising her. He hurriedly explains that he went to America and recently realized he hadn't seen his parents in that long. Sure, that's what it is. Panda squishes his face, which Eun Bi sees just as she comes back. She storms off again.

  They discuss how much the other has changed, with "Pangy" listing all her features individually. When he gets to her lips, he gets a sudden attack of Geol Oh-itis and starts hiccupping. It gets worse when she pushes his head down and leans in close, and he hiccups faster, until she scares him. She squishes his face again, and he finally jumps away, saying it's hot. She suddenly acts proper again and says she has to go, but if he hires her they can play all the time. . . and work, too. 

  Seung Ji meets with Cherry Blossom and presents the cake. "Grandpa made it, and this cake brings happiness and success. Grandpa's cake is special." He asks her to come take care of Grandpa. He'll move out, and he's worried Grandpa won't be okay without her to look after him. She refuses, so he tells her that, although he wasn't going to tell her, Grandpa has a disease. "Don't ever tell him I said this, okay?"

  As Won Il helps Panda out to the car, she tells him that she's not really good at anything in particular, but she'll work hard, so give her a position she can be comfortable with. She tells him he'll have to come to her bakery someday when she makes it big, and throws her arms in the air when he tells her he will. She freezes, but instead of hurting her back more, it's fixed. She thanks Won Il for fixing her back and grabs his hands, which makes him freeze momentarily.

  They go outside and Panda presents a "famous Saint Honore cake" to Aunt. She introduces Pangy, and he and Aunt have an awkward moment when she mentions seeing him yesterday. Panda asks how he met, and he's hesitant to admit he was stalking her, but Aunt covers for him. Panda introduces him to Da Na and says she works there so they can steal a cake (recipe). They chitchat a bit and Panda asks why he doesn't fire Da Na for trying to steal from the company. Aunt says she feels like they will meet often.

  Seung Ji tells Cherry Blossom that he learned baking while he was in jail. Grandpa would come to teach them and he took him in for the last 5 years. Grandpa said his kindness was karma—if he was kind to Seung Ji, his daughter would have luck. Seung Ji always disliked Grandpa, and never bothered to wonder why he was having such a hard time. That's why it's important that Cherry Blossom help him repay Grandpa's kindness. It's the only thing he can do for him.

  Grandpa morosely makes cakes, and Cherry Blossom tearfully eats hers. She calls Seung Ji and tells him she'll come.

  He calls Panda to work out their contract and tells her he'll be right there. On his way, he runs into his debtor guy again and chases him. Panda is saving the last slice of the Saint Honore cake for Seung Ji, but Da Na and Lamesauce keep trying to eat it. While she's keeping it away from them, Customer comes in and shoves it in her mouth. Seung Ji stands outside watching them chase Customer down, sighs, and walks away. 
  Won Il asks his sister about Panda, and she suggests taking her to a movie. Seung Ji comes home to find Cherry Blossom and Grandpa bickering and sneaks back out. He calls to tell Grandpa he'll stay at his girlfriend's home, but instead crashes at Byung Moo's place.

  The next day Won Il waits for Panda outside her cafe, and calls to check on the flowers he ordered. There's a chain across the entry with a closed sign. Seung Ji strolls up and casually hops the chain and lies down on the bench outside. Won Il makes the sad puppy face again.
  Comments: 
  Okay, this is the longest recap ever! There are so many cute moments here. I love all the characters, and so far I'm having a really hard time liking one guy more than the other. Usually by now I have a preference, but I love them both so much! We haven't really seen much interaction between Panda and Seung Ji—the first episode they mostly just missed each other. But this episode had plenty of Won Il-Panda moments, and I loved them all.

  My favorite character so far though has to be Won Yi. She makes the most hilarious faces and says such ridiculous things. And she's so adorable doing it. In another drama she might be over-the-top, but it seems to fit well with the tone of this one.
  I feel like we got a lot of new information this episode. Won Il was the little boy outside the bakery who was obsessed with cakes. He hates his step-father, knows he's not his real dad, and finds him manipulative. He hadn't seen his parents in 14 years?! That's crazy! It does explain why his mom treats him like a little kid, though. That, and the fact that she's way too clingy.
  Eun Bi is incredibly jealous already, and I don't see her being friendly with someone she perceives as her rival, no matter their previous relationship. 
  Seung Ji was in prison, and has only lived with Grandpa 5 years. I thought it was much longer. I love that although Seung Ji hated Grandpa at first, they have a very caring relationship now, even if it's prickly on the surface. 
  Also, Seung Ji can't handle his liquor. Keke!