Observe & Learn
Episode 5 of Doom at your Service begins with a blood-spattered Myul-Mang telling Dong-Kyung that people fear him or want him – no one loves him. Reaching out to touch his face, Myul-Mang stops her. In fact, he wipes everyone’s memory and continues to berate Dong-Kyung’s behavior. He reminds her that the man inside the hospital will die but they’re interrupted by Sun-Kyung showing up sobbing. He drives with the pair home but he’s a blubbering mess. He knows about Dong-Kyung’s terminal illness now of course and he’s unsure how to proceed. He pretends to be content for Dong-Kyung’s sake, telling Myul-Mang he gives permission for him to stay. When Sun-Kyung leaves, he begins sobbing again. He feels bad for his sister, deciding to become her guardian. He heads straight into a store and chooses to start working part-time. Myul-Mang heads out with Sonyeoshin later that evening. Together, they replay the scene from the hospital. Myul-Mang is confused over her thoughts, and begins to doubt himself too. When Dong-Kyung wakes up, the pair head out shopping where Dong-Kyung convinces him to “observe and learn” While there, Dong-Kyung decides to call him Sa Ram, which means human. His surname? Kim – because it’s a popular name. So Kim Sa-Ram it is! As they talk, Myul-Mang is saved by Dong-Kyung from a rogue shopping trolley. Well, things take a turn for the worst when Myul-Mang shows up under the guise of Jeong-Min at work. It completely flusters her but she’s called in Cha Joo-Ik’s office and given tasks to carry out. Only, Joo-Ik guides her attention to the window, where Myul-Mang happens to be watching. Myul-Mang continues to wind her up, holding Dong-Kyung’s hand at work and making a big scene at lunch. He is quite sweet on the way home though, observing and learning what a commuter is thinking so she can sit down. Well, it turns out the guy next to her is actually reading the same stories but she’s clearly going through the motions and struggling to write. Interestingly, Cha Joo-Ik happens to be reading too, and he rates the latest episode 5 stars. Meanwhile, CEO Park talks to the work team via zoom and tells them Park Young is quitting the series. They’re missing a top writer and Dong-Kyung blames herself for ignoring him. Well, she shows up to meet the writer but he’s already made his mind up. She’s not going to be able to change that and he feels offended after the upload. Dong-Kyung eventually persuades him with a meal, courtesy of the company credit card. He picks something relatively cheap but there’s a problem. Myul-Mang is there as the waiter. Oh no! He’s pretty rude and eventually tells the writer that he doesn’t have any sausages. While Dong-Kyung heads out to get some, intent on pleasing the writer, Myul-Mang questions the boy’s attitude. After this very unsuccessful meal, Myul-Mang walks with Dong-Kyung outside. She questions him over what he knows but the deity shrugs, telling her he’s been following her life since birth. Intent on doing something nice for her, Myul-Mang transports Dong-Kyung down to the beach. He claims to be doing this to seduce her…but quickly redacts his statement by claiming he’s kidding. But is he really? Anyway, they soon transport back to her apartment where she hurries away inside. Given she asked Myul-Mang for a kiss on the beach, she hangs on this angst. When they finally meet again, Myul-Mang asks her to love him. He wants her to be the first human to ever do so, leading to them both looking longingly in the other’s eyes.
The Episode Review
Doom at your Service returns with another solid episode as Myul-Mang and Dong-Kyung start to grow closer together. As they do, the series interestingly brings in ideas around love and fate. Both of these characters have such intense chemistry on screen and while the fantasy and gorgeous visuals help to drive the narrative forward, it’s the two leads that make this such an enjoyable watch. The writing sub-plot is a nice way to flesh the drama out too and the workplace romance sections, with Dong-Kyung exasperated, really play to Park Bo-Young’s strengths. She was excellent in Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon and here she channels a similar energy to her role. Of course, instead of super strength and punching gangsters across construction sites, she’s more grounded this time around. There’s still some influences to Goblin of course but the show does well to march to the beat of its own drum. With the contract drawn up and Dong-Kyung’s 100 days ever ticking down, what’s next for our characters?
