Kang Tae-oh shook Lee Sun-bin with his flawless plotting.

In episode 5 of tvN‘s Sat-Sun drama ‘Potato Research Institute’ (directed by Kang Il-soo, Shim Jae-hyun, written by Kim Ho-soo), Kim Mi-kyung (played by Lee Sun-bin) and So Baek-ho (played by Kang Tae-oh) got one step closer. So Baek-ho was once again overcome with unfamiliar emotions, whether it was resentment or jealousy, when Kim Mi-kyung discussed the institute’s concerns with Park Ki-se (played by Lee Hak-joo) instead of him. The two, who continued their ‘some’ while exchanging apologies, became each other‘s ‘gapgu’ (fools who think they’re superior).

On this day, So Baek-ho discovered Kim Mi-kyung‘s true colors. Kim Mi-kyung always took the lead in difficult situations and made losing choices, but she was more concerned about him because he was different from her. When So Baek-ho took a step closer, Kim Mi-kyung took a step away. A change occurred in those two people. An unexpected guest, Yoon Hee-jin (played by Jung Shin-hye), came to So Baek-ho’s guest house. Kim Mi-kyung felt a strange jealousy at the sight of the two being so affectionate. When Yoon Hee-jin said, “You cry and scream every night because you miss me?” So Baek-ho just laughed. At the moment when she was sure of their relationship and was about to explode with disappointment, Kim Mi-kyung’s misunderstanding was resolved with one word from Yoon Hee-jin. She asked who So Baek-ho liked. The misunderstanding was resolved, but the distance between the two did not narrow down easily.


Meanwhile, thanks to Park Ki-se’s one word from her ‘ex-boyfriend’, Kim Mi-kyung ended up joining the M&A team. Park Ki-se offered to postpone her resignation and support her. Kim Mi-kyung was furious at his overstepping words. Meanwhile, So Baek-ho felt suspicious of Kim Mi-kyung and Park Ki-se together. Kim Mi-kyung tried to resolve the situation by making an excuse that they had shared their concerns about the research institute, but she ended up awakening So Baek-ho’s feelings instead. When So Baek-ho asked if she was so uncomfortable that she had never confided her concerns to him, Kim Mi-kyung was shocked and asked how she could tell the person who was going to fire her.

The relationship between Kim Mi-kyung and So Baek-ho took a turn for the worse due to an unexpected incident. Kim Mi-kyung, who was out of her mind because of the recording that So Baek-ho played while she was losing sleep over the eerie sound, lied and said that there was no sound. However, So Baek-ho, who seemed like he didn’t believe in ghosts, made a scene by staging a ritual, and Kim Mi-kyung apologized for making the situation worse by saying that the eerie sound was a ghost bird. So Baek-ho’s unconscious plotting as he smiled and told Kim Mi-kyung to continue to be “sorry” was unstoppable.


The “apology battle” that started as a prank by Kim Mi-kyung didn’t yield an inch. When Kim Mi-kyung gave her an apple as an apology, So Baek-ho returned the favor with an apple that he had neatly carved into the shape of a rabbit, and when Kim Mi-kyung gave her a drink, So Baek-ho called over a coffee truck to make Kim Mi-kyung feel even more sorry. In the midst of the bickering and squabbling relationship, Park Ki-se, whom Kim Mi-kyung never wants to see again, appears in front of her again. Park Ki-se, who had been knocking on the door calling out Yoon Hee-jin’s name, was also flustered by Kim Mi-kyung‘s appearance. The tension was heightened by the reunion of Kim Mi-kyung and Park Ki-se, who are her former lovers.

In the meantime, Lee Ong-ju also began to feel unfamiliar emotions. When Kim Hwan-gyeong (played by Shin Hyun-seung) said that he was going to his regular craft beer shop with Yoon Hee-jin, Lee Ong-ju realized her changed emotions, saying, “Why do I hate seeing this so much?” Lee Ong-ju’s fluttering emotions, which began to feel “jealous” of Kim Hwan-gyeong when she met Yoon Hee-jin, also drew attention.

Hong Se-young, Donga.com reporter, projecthong@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.