The latest addition to this year’s KBL lineup is now on GagaOOLala! From the director of ‘Our Dating Sim’, ‘Boys Be Brave’ is an eight-episode series that is adapted from the webtoon ‘Roommates’ by Seok Young. Find out what the series is all about and what transpired in its first two episodes in this BLTai recap!
Starring fresh faces Kim Sung Hyun, Nam Si An, Jung Yeo Jun, Ahn Se Min, and Jung Yoo Hyeon, this follows the story of Jin Woo, who is forced to live with his longtime crush, Ki Sub. At the same time, their common friend, Balg Eum, must also face someone from his past who used to be close to his heart.
Warning: Spoiler alert. Read at your own risk.
Episode 1: I am anxious to say I like you.
A man bravely confesses to a woman he has a crush on in public. At the same time, two young men stare at each other, with a crowd in between them.
Since an early age, Kim Jin Woo has been at the top of the class and active in all school clubs, hence his confidence that he is better off alone than dating anyone. Never experiencing failure in life, he aims to do the same in terms of his love life and waits for his ideal type to arrive—a girl with long hair and the same face mole as him. On his way out of school, he accidentally runs into a girl who is telling her companion that Jung Ki Sub is moving in as a roommate of an academic achiever student who lives nearby. Jin Woo realizes immediately that he is the academic achiever who lives near the university and rushes home just as memories of Ki Sub’s face flash through his mind. On his phone, he receives a photo from Ki Sub with a background that he recognizes as his living room. Meanwhile, Ki Sub brings in his things with the help of his friend Balg Eum, who becomes flabbergasted after the former admits that Jin Woo doesn’t know that he is moving in. Although he proudly shows that Jin Woo posted a looking for roommate ad. To Balg Eum’s utter shock, the post was made a year ago, and he immediately begins to bring out Ki Sub’s things outside as respect for Jin Woo. At the same time, Jin Woo, ends up dirtying his shoes due to running fast just to reach home, calls Ki Sub and questions him for moving in without consulting him. Ki Sub hangs up the phone as Balg Eum, who also happens to know Jin Woo as he constantly delivers food for him, pushes him outside. Meanwhile, Jin Woo finally reaches home and shouts at them to come out. Ki Sub reluctantly comes out, meekly telling Jin Woo that he is there to be his roommate. He also tells him that he meets all of the requirements he posted, such as waking up before eight a.m., but Jin Woo firmly refuses. As the two argue, Ki Sub notices Jin Woo’s dirtied shoes and assumes that it’s because he ran from school, prompting him to tease the latter that he probably missed him. As Ki Sub fusses over Jin Woo, the latter tries his best to avoid his touches, ultimately pushing him away. Ki Sub begs Jin Woo to at least let him stay for a month, as he will be going to the United States anyway. He further states that he will act like an inconspicuous cockroach, ensuring no one notices his presence, while persistently poking Jin Woo. In the end, Jin Woo gives Ki Sub until ten in the evening that day to find a new place and leave him alone. He then lies that he’s going to meet his lover and heads out.
In a flashback, Jin Woo witnessed how mindless a person Ki Sub is and how he just goes along with whatever people around him say or ask of him. One time, he saw Ki Sub give his mobile number to a girl who asked him, despite being out on a date with his girlfriend. Ki Sub ended up being dumped by his girlfriend after he answered that he gave his number because she asked for it. The whole time they shared the same class, Jin Woo knew that Ki Sub was a hopeless case. Back to the present, he goes to a cafe, where he runs into Balg Eum, who is also working part-time there, just as he was listing down all the reasons why he shouldn’t accept Ki Sub as his roommate. As he goes back to studying, he notices Ki Sub arriving to wait for Balg Eum to finish work, as they have plans on hanging out. Jin Woo leaves the cafe discreetly to avoid Ki Sub, although he ends up getting frustrated with himself for being too affected by the latter’s presence. Meanwhile, Ki Sub drags Balg Eum to a retail store to buy something, who then asks him if Jin Woo wouldn’t like someone as dumb as him to be his roommate. To Balg Eum’s surprise, Ki Sub confidently answers that Jin Woo likes him, hence they are pretty close. Later that evening, as he heads home, Jin Woo passes by a park swarmed by couples, where a man is confessing his romantic feelings toward a woman. At the same time, Ki Sub and Balg Eum are also there to watch how the confession unfolds. As Jin Woo turns away his gaze from the public confession, he catches sight of Ki Sub watching the couple fondly. Ki Sub notices his eyes on him and walks towards him before he says that he likes him. However, it turns out to be just his imagination, and he wakes up from his trance when someone bumps into him. Ki Sub finally notices Jin Woo is about to make a run for his life, and he follows him. Meanwhile, Balg Eum notices a familiar face and mutters the name Ji In Ho.
Back at Jin Woo’s, Ki Sub finally catches up to him and manages to force himself inside after he gives Jin Woo a pair of shoes, which turned out to be the reason why he went shopping earlier that day as he noticed the latter’s dirty pairs. The two bicker again as Ki Sub begs to let him stay at least for the night while Jin Woo continues to say no. To Jin Woo’s shock, Ki Sub tells him that he knows he likes him because he knows how people who like him look at him. Jin Woo is dumbfounded that Ki Sub knew all along and still insists on living with him, calling him trash. Meanwhile, Ki Sub curiously asks why he never asked him out or confessed to him, just like any normal person. Just as he thought that the person he likes could be any dumber, Jin Woo notices the other paper bag that Ki Sub has, which contains another pair of shoes that the latter proudly said is on a buy one, get one promo. Jin Woo sarcastically tells Ki Sub that he likes him and asks how he will respond to it, and as he expected, the latter answers that he accepts it. Hence, Jin Woo tells him that’s exactly why he never did. Feeling challenged, Ki Sub tells Jin Woo that exactly one week from now, Jin Woo will end up confessing to him.
