Nora's Grandma recalls via a Korean Drama parody how she fell in love with Nora's Grandpa.
Tropes include:
- Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: When Young Grandma and her parents have to move from China to New York, Young Grandma leaves Garbage Boy a goodbye letter, then eventually dates Doc Hottie instead.
- Art Shift: Shu Shu explains via a shadow puppet show how and why she left China for America. Before Young Grandma tells Shu Shu about her tribulations, the viewers can actually see the latter put the puppets away.
- Beauty Is Never Tarnished:
- Garbage Boy and Doc Hottie both still look rather sexy when respectively covered in filth and blood, at least according to Grandma.
- As Young Grandma removes the bandages from Doc Hottie's post-Piano Drop Bandaged Face, she hopes aloud that he didn't turn ugly. His face looks contorted by the time the bandage comes completely off, but quickly reverts to a more handsome-looking expression.
- Big "WHAT?!": Nora exclaims one before the first commercial break, after learning that Grandma dated more than one man.
- Cherry Blossoms: As Book Ends, Grandma tosses some to transition into her flashback, and Young Grandma tosses some more at the end of the last flashback. In between, more blossoms sometimes blow past when introducing an important character.
- Citizenship Marriage: Garbage Boy becomes engaged to another woman after emigrating to New York, ensuring his US Citizenship — but also breaking Young Grandma's heart. The bride turns out to be Garbage Boy's sister, who took on the last name of her Chinese-American sponsors, then divorces him one day after the wedding, so he could resume romancing Young Grandma.
- Contrived Coincidence: Young Grandma and Garbage Boy reunite in New York when he gives her a taxi ride from the hospital.
- Crush the Keepsake: The Red Guard destroys Young Grandma's gold wristwatch, a family heirloom which Garbage Boy called as beautiful as her when they first met. Garbage Boy eventually repairs the watch, then returns it to Young Grandma.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: Young Grandma's upper-class parents scold her for falling in love with Garbage Boy.
- Driving a Desk: At one point Young Grandma and Doc Hottie are running in front of an obvious green screen.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Young Grandma's boyfriends are only referred to as "Garbage Boy" (Simu Liu) and "Doc Hottie" (Harry Shum Jr.)note to keep Nora in suspense over which one Grandma ended up marrying.
- Female Gaze: Garbage Boy is introduced via a Shirtless Scene showing off his abs. When he finishes Young Grandma's milk jug, the camera pans down to his chest getting doused in milk.
- First Girl Wins: Gender-flipped; Young Grandma turns down Doc Hottie's marriage proposal to try and win back Garbage Boy instead.
- Gratuitous Rap: The episode ends with Shu Shu rapping Aaron Carter-style about her suffering under Mao Zedong.
- Heartbreak and Ice Cream: Young Grandma sadly spoons up a container of diet Neapolitan ice cream when it seems that she's lost both of her boyfriends.
- Holding Hands: Young Grandma and Garbage Boy spend their first night in New York together clasping hands, then making erotic gestures with them.
- Hospital Hottie: Doc Hottie didn't get that nickname for nothing.
- I Was Quite a Looker: Jamie Chung plays Young Grandma in flashbacks and photos, leaving Nora initially skeptical that she looked so "hot" as a teen.
- No Name Given: No one calls Young Grandma by her real first name.
- Parasol of Prettiness: Young Grandma spent 1965 sitting underneath her parasol and staring at things, which Grandma claims as a popular activity for rich girls back then.
- Piano Drop: One falls on Doc Hottie, giving him amnesia.
- Riches to Rags: Young Grandma and her wealthy parents must leave China for New York during the Cultural Revolution, downgrading her from an heiress to a nurse.
- Shipper on Deck: Among the other nurses Young Grandma befriends in New York, Carmen tells her to marry Garbage Boy for love, but Lehana tells her to marry Doc Hottie for money and Young Grandma's parents' approval.
- Sick Episode: The Framing Device has Nora recuperating in bed with Grandma keeping her company.
- The '60s: Grandma's recollections take place during this decade, spanning into the start of the Cultural Revolution.
- Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: Young Grandma crashes Garbage Boy's wedding after Shu Shu encourages her not to give up her chance for love.
- Special Edition Title: The usual intro gets replaced with one befitting a K-Drama.
- Split-Screen Reaction: After Garbage Boy confesses that he'll marry his sister, the screen splits in half, as Young Grandma and Nora simultaneously exclaim:What?! That's fucked up!
- Statuesque Stunner: Young Grandma by Chinese standards, judging by Nora's surprise at seeing her stand 5'7" in addition to looking hot.
- Stylistic Suck: The story of how Grandma met Nora's grandfather is told in the style of a low-budget K-Drama.
- Technology Is Evil: The episode begins with Nora watching a dramatic show on her cell phone, until Grandma takes it away, to prove that Nora doesn't need a smartphone to find entertainment. Grandma returns the phone after finishing her story, but Nora decides that Grandma's tale already delivered enough excitement.
- Translation Convention: Almost all of the Chinese dialogue, except for that spoken by Young Grandma's parents, plays in English for Nora and non-Chinese-speaking viewers.
- Unexplained Recovery: Doc Hottie doesn't tell Young Grandma how exactly he recovered from amnesia.
