East of Eden (Song Seung Hun, Lee Da Hae)

When they first meet, LDC sees YR as a kind of a spoiled, but pretty girl. His feelings develop for her offscreen (i.e. after a time jump); she grows up a bit, and he can't deny his fondness for her. The loneliness from his family's enstrangement also increases his feelings for her.

The nice dynamic about their relationship is that both characters develop through the years. On one hand, yes, he's an "oppa" to her, but she also challenges him and his motivations. When they meet again after another 2 years, it's really about her now. He misses her. He wishes he could see her again. He actually has no idea that she is in such a bad state until he visits her.

By episode 26, Lee Dong Chul has accrued enough power to make his move on Shin Tae Hwan. The dominoes are starting to drop. Also, everybody now are now gaining real power and influence. East of Eden has moved to 1987, the year when the military dictatorship finally falls and before the Seoul Olympics. Most of East of Eden thus far has gone from 1981-87, a dark era that goes well with all of the crime bravado and political corruption. Now all of these players are coming out of that period's darkness to reinvent themselves as legitimate businessmen, such as Lee Dong Chul. Unlike her father, Min Hye Rin will inherit the newspaper under a democracy, and I'm thinking she will represent the new South Korea.

It looks like around Episode 28, we're going to get another 2 or 3 year time jump (this time into the 90s.)

Also, it looks like Grace and Mike will finally marry properly, and that Lee Dong Chul and Grace finally have closure. The departure seems bittersweet, but still amicable.

Finally, it also looks like Lee Dong Chul has finally become a rich and independent businessman in his own right. And I mean, from the previews, it looks like he's driving an Italian sports car, so he's officially FILTHY RICH!! As a result, he's now finally ascended into the same social class whereby the Lee Dong Chul and Min Hye Rin can finally start their relationship.

However, now most of the family angst has been resolved (for example, the two moms have both become successful business owners) and most of the gangster business seems to be behind Lee Dong Chul. Above all, it seems that both brothers are well in their successful efforts to achieve personal ambitions, while Shin Tae Hwan seems greatly dminishied (as well as older.)

Meaning . . . most of the fighting, intrigue, and overwrought drama has already been cleaned out. Starting with Episode 28, you can see that EofE's has shifted into romance. The storyline quickly moves to Lee Dong Chul and Min Hye Rin. They not only have a lot of face time together (even getting to properly know each other's names), but their storyline drives the episode. From the previews, it looks like the storyline is continuing to accelerate in the pace of episodes 25-27, and that the terrible revelation will soon come out.