Dating In Secret
Episode 7 of Imitation begins with everyone scrambling to save Ryeok. After the car crash, he’s dragged from the wreckage of the car and rushed to hospital. Among those waiting is Ma-Ha and Tea Party, who stand outside and wait anxiously for any news. Reporter Nam also finds out too, receiving a call while she’s hounding Ji-Hak about the photos she’s taken. When she hurries off, Ji-Hak receives a call from Eun-Jo. With fans gathering outside and the cold seeping in, Ma-Ha is encouraged to leave the hospital. They’ve got a big day of shooting ahead and there’s nothing they can do there. Ryeok is absolutely fine though, as it turns out, as he sits up and talks to Manager Dae-Kwon who’s sobbing and believes the countryside gig is to blame. Ryeok claims he’s just making up for lost sleep, and enjoys his rare moments of tranquility. Dae-Gwon heads off to see Ma-Ha, asking for a few hours of her time. Ji-Hak allows her to go too, but she’s joined by Hyeok and Do-Jin who both tag along for the ride. They’re used as a decoy though for Ma-Ha, who heads in and is given 10 minutes to check on Ryeok. After telling him she really likes him, he returns the favour and the pair end up kissing. This then leads to some cute text messages the next day, with Ryeok asking Dae-Kwon for advice on replying. However, he simply sends a kissing emoji. That evening, Ryeok takes Ma-Ha out but he’s unsure where to go. With their fame, its difficult to actually choose a good hang-out spot without the media getting involved. Out of ideas, they just drive around the roundabout for a few hours. After a botched date, Ryeon and Ma-Ha both sneak out in the middle of the night. They head straight for the playground and although it’s only a brief meeting, it’s enough for them to enjoy each other’s company for a bit longer. After a day of shooting (and Ri-Ma trying her best not to be disappointed by news of Ryeok’s dating) Ryeok and Ma-Ha don masks and go for a hike together. They both get a coffee and head up to the highest peak, a beautiful doorway that shows off the night sky in all its glory. Unfortunately reporters happen to be on scene and they snap pictures of the two together. To add insult to injury, Ma-Ha is sent the pictures the next day.
The Episode Review
Imitation returns this week and hones in on the difficulties of dating while being a celerity. With Ma-Ha and Ryeok doing everything they can to do this in private, by the end we see this isn’t enough. Despite their growing affection for one another, the hungry media is always on the hunt for a good scoop or story. This, coupled with the ravenous fans desperate to catch in-the-moment news about their celeb, is enough to shed light on the difficulties this line of work brings with it. That’s really all this episode has going for it though because the rest of the chapter feels very one-note. There’s not a lot of deviation from this MaHa and Ryeok romance. Although this is easily the best part of the show, it also highlights the lack of compelling subplots too. The ratings in Korea have been pretty middling to be honest, and I think some of that comes down to the one episode a week gig. Still, the ending hints that we’ve got some serious drama on the horizon so we’ll have to wait and see how that one plays out in the coming episodes.
