Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a), an intelligent and pretty dentist living in the big city, loses her job after she righteously accuses the corrupt head doctor of profiteering. She embarks on a trip to the idyllic seaside village of Gongjin, where she meet...
Our fashionista dentist has made the rural streets of Gongjin her personal runway, as a montage of outfit changes hints at the passage of time. Each morning she catwalks to her dental practice, passing Doo-shik on the street outside the cafe. While she continues to channel her inner Seoulite with each new day, he sports a different “uniform” depending on the odd job he’s working.
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Hye-jin’s morning routine is orderly, but Mi-sun sleeps late and is a mess of tangled hair. While Hye-jin waits on her roommate to get ready, she contemplates the hedgehog and recalls what Bora said about forming bonds with hedgehogs so that they will lay down their spines and allow you to pet them. She reaches into the cage and — unsurprisingly — pricks her finger.
Hye-jin calls for Mi-sun, whose three-minute transformation is so drastic that Hye-jin wonders if Mi-sun replaced her entire face. Together they walk to work, and as they pass by the cafe, Hye-jin not-so-subtly wonders why “he” isn’t around today. Mi-sun eyes her curiously, but Hye-jin diverts the topic to lunch, suggesting jjajangmyeon.
With their empty lunch bowls stacked in front of them, Hye-jin looks forlorn, attributing her mood to her dissatisfaction with the food. But as she places their empty trash outside the clinic door, she complains aloud to herself, “He’s always around when you least expect it, so where is he today?” Clearly it wasn’t the food that got her down, but rather the absence of a particular delivery man.
In the clinic, Mi-sun spots an old sunbae and crush of Hye-jin’s in the pages of a magazine, JI SUNG-HYUN (Lee Sang-yi). The magazine feature details his rise as a star variety PD. A new patient arrives, and Hye-jin advises him of his treatment options and warns him that the procedure may be expensive.
He assures her that he trusts her judgement, unfazed by the potential expense. The man speculates about patients who throw a fit when faced with the cost of dental procedures, and he asks Hye-jin if she has installed cameras inside the exam room like other dentists. Woefully oblivious to the creepiness permeating the question, Hye-jin cheerily informs him that she hasn’t gotten around to installing cameras since they require all her patients’ consent.
As Mi-sun hands the patient his credit card and receipt, his hand lingers just a little too long on her fingers. Mi-sun is visibly uncomfortable with the touch, but Hye-jin praises the patient’s politeness and willingness to trust her judgement.
Outside the convenience store, Hwa-jung is examining some apples for her mother’s death anniversary tomorrow. Yoon-kyung joins her and the two women discuss Yoon-kyung’s pregnancy. She’s expecting another girl, and her husband is excited to have another shot at raising a daughter who’s less tomboyish than Bora. The women look on as their children play together across the street, and Yoon-kyung slips another apple into Hwa-jung’s bag as an apology when Bora starts chasing Yi-joon around.
Hye-jin and Mi-sun head home together, but they’re stopped by Nam-sook, who invites them to a Gongjin shopkeepers meeting. Both women initially decline the invitation, but Hye-jin changes her mind when she hears that Doo-shik will be attending. The local shopkeepers meet at the cafe and share a round of beers, but Doo-shik is noticeably absent as Hye-jin sits awkwardly, listening as the others joke about the excessive number of village officials.
