The Eighth Sense 2023 Episode 1

Apr 13, 2023

Episode 1 of The Eighth Sense starts with Seo Jae-won being discharged from the military and meeting his college friends for drinks at a local restaurant. Kim Ji-hyun is a part-timer there and that is where they meet for the first time.

The restaurant is crowded with college-goers. Jae-won and his friends get into an argument when one of his friends, Tae-hyung, claims that Jae-won is quite rich. Ji-hyun tries to break up the fight by pushing Jae-won aside.

Tae-hyung eventually makes up with Jae-won but the latter decides to go out for a bit. Outside, Jae-won finds Ji-hyun and asks to borrow a cigarette. Ji-hyun claims that he only vapes but upon Jae-won’s request agrees to borrow a couple of cigarettes from his boss. As Jae-won smokes, Ji-hyun accompanies him and the two chat for a bit.

Ji-hyun congratulates Jae-won for completing his mandatory military service and reveals that he is a freshman at the same university as Jae-won. Jae-won asks Ji-hyun to treat him as a senior as he is soon to graduate from University. Ji-hyun mentions that he had come to Seoul for college and that he hails from a small countryside neighbourhood in Daegu.

Jae-won guesses that since Ji-hyun was spending break time working hard, he probably has no friends. He asks Ji-hyun if he would like to be friends but their conversation is cut short when Tae-hyung and his other friend leave the restaurant. Ji-hyun goes inside, managing to give Jae-won his vape before getting back to work.

After work, Ji-hyun lingers around for some drinks with his boss. The woman asks Ji-hyun to spend some time making friends or he will be lonely.

Meanwhile, Jae-won drops Tae-hyung back at the college dorms. Ji-hyun hangs out there with his childhood friend, Joon-pyo. He claims to be bored of hanging out with Joon-pyo now that they are in college after going to the same high school for seven years.

The next morning, Ji-hyun and Joon-pyo make it to college for their first day. Ji-hyun spots Jae-won and follows him to his department. Funnily enough, he finds Jae-won on the poster for the surf club.

At lunch, Ji-hyun is sitting alone when Jae-won joins him. They exchange pleasantries but Ji-hyun comes off as cold. Jae-won tries to convince Ji-hyun to be his friend but Tae-hyung arrives and drags Jae-won away. Ji-hyun is still in his dorm where he considers joining the surfing club.

Joon-pyo claims that surfing is not an ideal sport for Ji-hyun which pisses the freshman off. Ji-hyun leaves to go to sketch at a park near the Han River. He hopes for people from his university to be at the club but Joon-pyo tells him that there’s a different one closer to the university where students often hang out at.

Later that night, Jae-won is out having drinks with his friends. He asks them if they would like to visit the same restaurant as he did the night before. Tae-hyun claims that they have just eaten but Jae-won still drags them there all the same.

Jae-won is upset to see that Ji-hyun is not at work that night. Tae-hyung asks Jae-won to get back to dating now that he’s back from the military. He asks Jae-won to take Eun-ji, his ex-girlfriend, back.

Jae-won claims that he does not have feelings for her but Tae-hyung still invites Eun-ji for drinks. Jae-won leaves to use the rest room and Ji-hyun arrives to have some drinks with his boss on his day off. He notices Eun-ji, who’s on the surf club posters as well as Jae-won’s friends.

Jae-won goes out for a smoke and Ji-hyun joins him. They chat for a bit and Ji-hyun introduces himself to Jae-won. There is an awkward tension between them before Jae-won leaves to go back to his friends.

The next day, Ji-hyun visits the surf club and enrols himself there. He meets the club’s president, Yoon-won, who invites him to the freshman initiation trip. Eun-ji is also there and seems cold towards Ji-hyun.

That night, Joon-pyo helps Ji-hyun pack essentials for his trip. The following day, Ji-hyun makes it to the bus in time and the club’s vice president, Jae-won, is the last to join. Jae-won takes a seat next to Ji-hyun to avoid sitting with Eun-ji and Tae-hyung.

On the ride, Jae-won shares his earphones with Ji-hyun and states that they should listen to the same music as they were going to enjoy the same views as the episode comes to an end.

The Episode Review

Wow! This show reminds me of the Korean BL classics like Where You Eyes Linger, To My Star and Blueming because of the sexual tension between the main leads. While Episode 1 is a little on the slower side, there’s so much to unpack.

We learn that Jae-won has something going on back at home which makes him stay out for as long as he can. The first scene of the episode also shows a therapist’s office and I’m certain the person seeking therapy is Jae-won. This means there is going to be some trauma revelation in the episodes to come and we are here for it.

Ji-hyun is an introvert and looks like he is desperate to make friends but avoids doing so because he hates to be the one to impose. I feel like his personality resembles the INFJ MBTI and I cannot wait to see where the show takes this introverted character.