REVIEW: ‘Like Flowers in Sand’ Episodes 3-4

After laying down the groundwork for our characters in Like Flowers in Sand, the series picks up its speed with Like Flowers in Sand Episodes 3-4. Precious himbo, Kim Baek-Du (Jang Dong-Yoon), has a lot going for him in these two episodes. He gets swept up in the developing criminal case, keeps relentlessly trying to figure out Oh Yu-Gyeong’s (Lee Joo-Myoung) motivations for returning back to Geosan County, and mostly is trying hard not to lose his train of thought. The latter alone will make you adore him.

Like Flowers in Sand Episode 3 starts off roughly where we left off, with Yu-Gyeong and Baek-Du being interrupted by a new arrival, Min Hyeon-Uk (Yun Jong-Seok). A completely thrown-off Baek-Du is left to linger while Hyeon-Uk and Yu-Gyeong take off. Quickly, it’s revealed that they’re a poorly matched pair of undercover detectives sent there to investigate the mysterious death of criminal suspect Choi Chil-Seong (Won Hyun-Joon). However, if these two don’t get their cover under control, they’ll never be able to convince anyone. Let alone Baek-Du.

While the subtle gaslighting back and forth between Baek-Du and Yu-Gyeong is a bit much in Episode 3, particularly with the reveal toward the end of Yu-Gyeong’s real identity, it does have the benefit of highlighting a couple of things. Initially mysterious, the reality is that when she’s caught in a lie, her face reveals everything. The mystery is a hastily put-together facade. The other thing is that it reveals how the area’s residents are so quick to gloss over things if the bare minimum makes sense. So, while Yu-Gyeong and Hyeon-Uk make an unbelievable couple, the residents of Geosan are quick to believe whatever is conveyed by these outsiders.

Meanwhile, more mysteries arise in Like Flowers in Sand Episode 3. After the events of Baek-Du’s failed championship match, Coach Yeon (Heo Dong-Won) disappeared. In Episode 3, it’s revealed he’s committed suicide. With this revelation, much of the episode’s mystery focuses on trying to undercover information that might assist the detectives in figuring out the reason why. With footage uncovered of Coach Yeon’s mixed emotions surrounding Baek-Du’s loss and recollections of an argument Yeon had with a mysterious somebody prior to the match, evidence starts to point towards a potential match fix. Coach Yeon’s death is kept under wraps from the Geosan ssireum team, who assume that the Coach has quit.

There’s also the mystery of a newly arrived woman (Seo Jung-Yeon) from Seoul. Baek-Du swears that she seems familiar in some way, but he’s not sure how or why. For K-drama fans, the arrival of actress Seo Jung-Yeon means that we’re in for a treat. Though it’s too soon to say if she’ll deliver her familiar flair of comedy, we know that she has the range to deliver heartfelt emotions and ample seriousness. So, it’ll be fun to see where she goes with this new character.

Like Flowers in Sand, Episode 3 wraps with Baek-Du and Yu-Gyeong in another emotionally intense discussion, and the not-so-bomb-drop reveals that Yu-Gyeong is, in fact, his childhood friend, Oh Du-Sik. Unfortunately, this revelation lands a bit flat since the signs were on the wall. That, and Yu-Gyeong isn’t as good at hiding information as she thinks she is. But, for Baek-Du, it’s a validating reveal. And if it means that the adorably confused wrestler gets a win, I’ll take it. Seriously, he’s so precious.

Like Flowers in Sand Episode 4 picks up the energy a bit with arguably the most amusing episode yet. Of course, Baek-Du is at the center of it all. Starting things off with a flashback that reveals the identity of the mysterious woman, revealed to have been a police officer named Chu Mi-Suk on a VHS-recorded TV show. Flashing back to the present day, Baek-Du mistakes Yu-Gyeong’s identity reveal as a form of confession. It’s a real bless his heart kind of moment, and Yu-Gyeong rightfully smacks him upside the head for his misunderstanding.

Yu-Gyeong returns to her home base, where Mi-Suk is waiting for her. Already two steps ahead, Mi-Suk reveals that CCTV footage has found the last person Chil-Seong ran into before dying. This doesn’t have a pay-off into a dramatic police appearance in the second half of the episode. Instead, the first half of the episode deals with a fun town-wide rivalry as the fight for who will become the new captain of the Geosan ssireum team is on. And, as you’d guess it, it does involve Baek-Du.

The precious cinnamon roll has been nominated for the position of captain by Yu-Gyeong. Unfortunately, this nomination comes after resident champion swol boy, Kwak Jin-Su (Lee Jae-Joon) has turned down an offer to captain another team after receiving an offer to captain the Geosan team. It has already been established that Jin-Su doesn’t like Baek-Du. So, the idea of Baek-du being chosen over him fills him with annoyance and competitive energy. This culminates in him challenging Baek-Du to a match for the role of captain. If Baek-Du wins, he can become captain.

This results in the town taking sides, which leads to some fun. It’s nothing serious and is all in good fun, but it’s nice to see another side of how seriously the town takes ssireum while also supporting their two local boys. Eventually, the town gathers in the gym to watch Jin-Su and Baek-Du duke it out. Two rounds in, and we have a tie before police detectives crash the match to take Baek-Du in for questioning. Threatening to arrest anyone who interferes with obstruction of justice, these detectives make the case for why not to trust the police. But Baek-Du, ever trusting, goes with them.

It is here that we see how wholly innocent Baek-Du is, but also get an inkling of how easily someone as gullible as Baek-Du can be led by an obviously manipulative detective. Baek-Du is revealed to have been the last one to have seen Chil-Seong based on the CCTV footage, but the wrestler doesn’t remember it. As has been revealed a couple of times in Like Flowers in Sand, our resident Himbo can’t take his liquor and blacks out with just a beer. So, he doesn’t remember it. Thankfully, Baek-Du has a resident angel on his side.

The mysterious cafe owner, Joo Mi-Ran (Kim Bo-Ra), recalls witnessing Baek-Du loudly traipsing about on the road the night he ran into Chil-Seong. Even while drunk, it’s revealed that he doesn’t have a corrupt bone in his body. Even after the guy tries to run him down on the road, all Baek-Du can think about in his drunken state is returning the guy’s change from their first encounter. This proves to the detectives, including the now-embarrassed Mi-Suk, that their only lead is a bust, and Baek-Du gets released.

Like Flowers in Sand Episode 4 ends with Baek-Du putting all the pieces together and confronting Yu-Gyeong over what she’s actually doing in Geosan, with blunt honesty, he asks her if she’s become a cop, which solidifies the overlain dialogue we hear from the junior detective, Hyeon-Uk, about Baek-Du. Just because he seems dumb doesn’t mean that he can’t perceive things. In fact, he is likely the most intuitive citizen in Geosan, which may make him an issue later on.

Like Flowers in Sand Episodes 3-4 builds on the character Baek-Du and easily solidifies him as the lovable himbo of the year. Actor Jang Dong-Yoon fills the character with such confusion and childlike innocence that you easily want to reach through the screen and pat him on the head comfortingly. The case to watch the show is made by his performance.

With that said, Episode 3 buckles a bit with redundant teasing over Yu-Gyeong’s identity. Hopefully, this particular tactic of teasing information already figured out is tossed out the window with future episodes, or it’s likely to annoy viewers down the road. Episode 4 rights the course of pushing things along while also building out the character setting of Geosan and its wrestling-focused culture.

Like Flowers in Sand Episodes 3-4 picks things up after the slow build of its introductory episodes. As a character, Baek-Du is easily capable of winning over the hearts of many, which makes certain developments more bearable than others. If the ensuing mystery surrounding the match-fixing continues to push forward and not dwell too heavily on uncovered information, there’s potential for this to be a solid hit.

Like Flowers in Sand Episodes 1-4 are now available on Netflix, with new episodes airing on Wednesdays and Thursdays through January.