Operation Proposal: Episode 14

62 March 24, 2012January 24, 2016

by gummimochi

Lots of self-realization in this episode… but not like it gets Baek-ho anywhere. We enter the darkest present ever in his series and now, Baek-ho might have used up all his wishes and his time. We’re being set up for next week for sure and an unexpected twist will either have you hooked or leave you in the cold.

(I’m back! Sometimes I wish I could time-travel like Baek-ho can. Where’s my Conductor?)

EPISODE 14 RECAP

The newlyweds sneak a private moment after the ceremony. Wha – which real present are we in? Yi-seul comments that the fact they are married is finally sinking in whereas for Jin-won, he still feels like hes in a dream.

Yi-seul stops to ask why he never asked all those times – who she went to see at Christmas, to whom the love letter was for, and why she was crying on Jeju Island. He replies that he doesn’t need to know, and that all of those past experiences made up who she was today, so he’s satisfied. Aww.

Jin-won adds that from now on, he’d like to be the person who knows her best. So what’s important is who she is now. He leans in for a kiss… and is abruptly whisked away by a phone call. All these little fantasies getting constantly thwarted – drama, you tease.

At the baseball field, Chae-ri unexpectedly stumbles upon a ring in the bleachers a few sizes too big, and her eyes widen at the inscription.

Flashback 2 weeks before where our previous episode left off. We replay Baek-ho’s dramatic exit, and Chan-wook tosses the car keys, apologizing to Coach’s photo that he thinks those the lifetime friends seem better suited for each other. “If he can’t hit a homerun, at least he can steal a base.”

He grows nervously uncomfortable when Chae-ri arrives minutes later, asking after Yi-seul. She’s frazzled, ignoring Tae-nam’s concern and attempts to uplift her mood, stating that there is something very important she needs to think about.

Baek-ho brings Yi-seul to their old classroom where they first. The place brings back nostalgic memories, glimpses of the beginning of their friendship. If she never transferred here, Yi-seul notes, they would never have met; a different class and would have never been aware of each other’s existence. If she sat a different seat, they never would have become friends. Life is funny that way.

Yi-seuls sighs that her life could have been completely different had she never met Baek-ho, which Baek-ho serves right back like the manchild he is. They adorably chase each other around the classroom.

Outside, Baek-ho wonders to himself what will happen between them now and if this small hiccup back in time could narrow the gap in their friendship. He points to an old “Baek-ho hearts Yi-seul” scrawling (Yi-seul attempts to scratch it away) and they snap a souvenir picture in front of it.

They take a trip down memory lane, biking around in the field and he reminds himself that though he’s unsure of everything else, he is positive that his feelings for Yi-seul will never change: “You’re always Number 1 to me.”

They sit, Yi-seul reflects on when they were young: Baek-ho puffed up with bravado in front of her, putting on a front that he knew how to do things (“‘Should I teach you? You can’t do this right?'”) while he would be practicing behind-the-scenes. He was so slow, but would never give up. Did you just unintentionally reveal what we already know about our hero?

But that’s what she liked about him. Yi-seul:

Whenever I wasn’t confident, I’d tell myself before I tried, ‘It’s impossible. You’ll only embarrass yourself,’ and would just give up. But you never did that. So I think I liked watching you because of that.

The openly confessed words seep into Baek-ho as he thinks in voiceover that as a child, he was able to declare in confidence the words that he is too hesitant to say as an adult. And that valorous promise that he would take care of Yi-seul was quickly browning as another page in his memories.

Bucking up the courage, Baek-ho asks her if there was something she ever regretted and wishes she could change in her life. She does, rather she did, Yi-seul tells him. Until they graduated high school, she hated that they were friends. Knowing that they were childhood friends, she felt frustrated that she couldn’t be honest with her feelings like the other girls who liked him over the years.

Baek-ho tries to check in with her and she light-heartedly breaks that she must have surprised him by being too honest. She realized that the past made her who she is today, and there was a time when she liked Baek-ho in her own way.

As long as she’s being honest, she can keep going, right? “Truthfully, it was really fun because of you. It hurt a lot because of you but the happier memories outweighed the painful ones. Thank you Baek-ho.”

Baek-ho takes away that Yi-seul lives without regret and denial which strikes a chord as someone who is working so hard to alter the past.

Yi-seul returns to Chan-wook’s studio just in time as Jin-won puts on his pouty concerned face and Chan-wook distracts him long enough to prevent him from asking where Yi-seul disappeared off to. Baek-ho’s expression grows darker while watching the happy couple continue their photo shoot and he exits silently.

During a break, Chae-ri, in her preoccupied, dazed state, slowly tells Yi-seul that she may be the only true friend she has. All the other girls were jealous of her, or hated her. But Yi-seul was always there for her, believed in her, and was genuinely concerned about her well-being. It’s a beautiful heart-to-heart, and a deep moment for these two ladies.

She swears by the heavens that Yi-seul is the only person she wishes her happiness above her own. The serious tone of her voice makes Yi-seul wonder if Chae-ri’s leaving them.

Gathering her words, Chae-ri says she wrestled about whether to tell her friend or not, and realized that only Yi-seul could make the decision to determine her own happiness. Unsure how this job as fate’s messenger became her job, Chae-ri concluded that it was meant for her to be so.

With that, Chae-ri hands over the ring she found earlier at the baseball park. Yi-seul is surprised (I think – it’s hard to tell from her expression) to read the inscription, “Baek-ho love Yi-seul.” And nope, that’s not a typo.

Baek-ho walks back into the studio, his footfalls a bit heavier now and admits in voiceover: “Every time I came back to the past, I gave everything I had for Yi-seul. But I never gave her anything in the present. What I always wanted to change wasn’t my present self, but my past.”

He sets up the camera, pressing on the self-timer, readying himself for the final shot that would take him back to the near present. He tells himself that there’s one last thing he needs to do. The camera ticks down… and flash!

We return to the present with the familiar image of Baek-ho running. But where he’s running isn’t known until he rushes inside and stops in his tracks… and his eyes well up at Yi-seul’s portrait. Oh no no no no no… what reality have we come back to?

Baek-ho angrily shouts in his head that it can’t be true, that it must be a dream. Aloud, he yells, “Ham Yi-seul! Stop kidding around! Stop this! This is cheating!” Before he can presumably crash into her memorial in rage, the other boys hold him back until he falls to his knees, weeping.

Dad and Jin-won stand by, painfully watching and holding back their tears as Mom runs to comfort Baek-ho and cry out her grief herself.

At her funeral service, Baek-ho struggles to swallow the truth that Yi-seul is dead. As the priest prays over her soul, Baek-ho’s memories flash back to that fateful day a few days prior. He received an urgent call from Chan-wook that Yi-seul was in a car accident and slipped into a coma.

Five days of tension-filled waiting later, she had died.

The idea that the same place that once held Yi-seul’s wedding now holds her funeral leaves Baek-ho in disbelief. He bitterly prays to the cross that he can’t leave things this way and storms off in the middle of the prayer.

Back at home, Mom breaks down in front of Yi-seul’s wedding dress, having completely slipped into disillusionment about her death. Sadly, Dad talks to the dress, repeating the words from the first episode about how much he practiced the walk down the aisle and sobs into the dress, as if he held his daughter. Aww Dad, whyyougottabreakmyhearttoo *WAH*

Baek-ho pitches his autographed baseballs all the while demanding that the Conductor appears. He falls to the ground, crying and begging that he needs his help… but no one comes.

Jin-won stares at his reflection in the mirror, his face almost as pale as death, and half-heartedly tells himself to get a hold of himself – he can’t disappoint Yi-seul. And in maybe the saddest shower of brooding, he finally lets himself cry, recalling all his shared memories with her.

Outside the high school, Baek-ho meets Tae-nam and Chae-ri. They’ve all received messages to meet from Chan-wook, who figures that if they were going to be sad, they might as well be… together. Man, I luff you guys.

They’re here to dig up the time capsule they buried on graduation day (Side note: did you guys jump a fence or something?). Though a few years short of their 10 year mark, Chan-wook resolves that somehow Yi-seul’s presence could be felt by doing so. And I know it’s a sweet moment, but I find it hilarious that Chae-ri has 17 couple rings tucked in her envelope.

They leave Yi-seul’s for last, and Baek-ho uncovers the movie coupon from before. There’s more this time – heartfelt letters addressed to each of them. It sets off another flood of tears from the friends and Baek-ho runs after reading his: “To future Baek-ho, you don’t by chance still don’t know how I feel about you, right?”

The following morning, Baek-ho finds Jin-won on the office rooftop silently staring into the engagement ring he gave her. In short breaths, Jin-won muses how the world has seemed to move on despite the fact that the heroine in his life has died. He’s still in unbelief, the reality of her death refusing to sink in.

But two weeks ago, he says, ever since the photo shoot, Yi-seul had begun to act very strangely. She talked less, her thoughts wrapped in her own world, and worked alone. And when he asked her, she replied that it was a secret.

Holding back tears now, he wonders why Yi-seul left for Busan alone that day. He calls himself pathetic for not knowing about his bride.

Baek-ho visits Mom at home and plays along as she regales him with tales about Yi-seul’s early days. Thankfully, Dad doesn’t yell at her altered grasp on reality, but gently ushers her to bed, reminding her to take her meds.

After a few drinks, Dad looks to Baek-ho and tells him that without her medication to treat her depression, Mom would have lost it already. The only thing that brings a smile to her face is talking about their late daughter.

In slurred speech he asks Baek-ho for a favor – that he doesn’t forget Yi-seul until her mother passes away. What a heartbreaking request that makes me wonder if in a way, it’s also for himself.

Stumbling into Yi-seul’s room, he notices the mementos like the second button and his autographed baseball on display. He berates Bear Baek-ho for not taking care of his owner properly, grasping onto him in frustration.

He feels something in its pockets, and discovers the ring, now mocking him with more spite than before. He realizes that he never found out what Yi-seul’s expression in the video meant or how the ring came to her possession.

Reading the letter that started it off once more, Baek-ho thinks to himself that without it, he would have never met the Conductor, gone through his time slips, and Yi-seul would have been happily married. But because of his greed to get Yi-seul back, to change the present, he couldn’t prevent her death.

Staring into his reflection, he concludes that it’s his fault: “It was me…who killed Yi-seul.” He smashes his fist into the mirror in an effort to destroy that part of himself.

Before Baek-ho closes the box, Yi-seul’s phone catches his eye and he clicks it on, Jin-won’s earlier words resounding in his head. He attempts to crack the code with her birthday, Jin-won’s, her mother’s and none of them work.

He throws the phone at Bear Baek-ho (what did he do?!) in frustration and here I’m thinking it’s yours, duh! And so he inputs it oh so dramatically…and breaks into tears to see that it works.

COMMENTS

WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PRESENT DID WE RETURN TO?! I really enjoyed yesterday’s episode and even to the first half of this episode – a lot of the major gripes I had with this series (One of them that Jin-won was too perfect. THANK YOU DRAMA for knowing that.) were revealed. An example from this week would be that Yi-seul recognizes that the reason why her friendship with Baek-ho isn’t entirely his fault and she’s also come up short. But her admission doesn’t lead me to root for them more fervently.

With one week and two episodes remaining, our story has set itself up for perhaps one final time lapse journey, though the Conductor seems to be AWOL at this point. The stakes for before Yi-seul’s death are now, quite literally, about life and death. I’ll admit that when we first switched back to this present day 2012, I was angry because I felt that her death was a cheap shot – as if actual death needed to be the motivator for him to make changes in his life. I shoved my fists in the air, thinking that we’d entered makjang land (and oh boy do makjang and I don’t get along).

To its credit, I get why plot-wise it’s somewhat necessary for the story. It’s an unexpected twist and it answers the question of yes, what would happen if the heroine, our motivation to change the past actually died? Not that Yi-seul felt as if she was a major presence (honestly, I think the idea of Yi-seul and what she represented was more important), but taking her out of the equation gave us a range of how the people in her life cherished her and sorely miss her. It’s necessary for Baek-ho to see that he wouldn’t be the only one suffering, but also have him realize how much she cherished him while she was alive.

For a while, I started to withdraw from the conflict and hoped for a happy ending for our characters – be it marriage, or just personal self-realization. And now my sadism has kicked into high gear, and though I’m not happy with our heroine’s absence (whether it’s a small plot point or a major one), it would be extremely ballsy of our drama if they just ran with it. Intuition tells me probably not, but I’m invested to see whether or not he’ll stick it out in the present, or get that final shot in the past – and whether his best efforts are going to take him somewhere other than square one.

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1 JC

March 24, 2012 at 1:33 PM

woww... I cant believe she died. -.-

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2 Yasmin

March 24, 2012 at 1:40 PM

Totally unexpected twist! Cant wait until next week!! Is it greedy that i want everyone to end up with someone, even jin won? I dont want him alone either!!

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3 Yasmin

March 24, 2012 at 1:43 PM

Totally unexpected twist! Cant wait until next week!! Is it greedy that i want everyone to end up with someone, even jin won? I dont want him alone other even if BH YS get together!!

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4 Carrie

March 24, 2012 at 1:51 PM

What?!

I'm hoping this is just a dream. ._.

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5 mellowyel

March 24, 2012 at 1:54 PM

Iiinnnnteresting.... I haven't been watching, but I've been following the recaps (thank you gummimochi!) and I'm left baffled by this turn of events. It seems that Yi-seul was reconsidering the marriage before she died, but doesn't that mean she was never sure about it in the first place, but was going to go through with it if Chae-ri hadn't given her that ring? I mean, Baek-ho was honest about his feelings, so why would a ring from him suddenly change the game? Possibly she didn't ever consider their marriage a possibility, but I'm not buying it - or I'm unhappy that she was going to marry one dude while unable to let the other go.

On a technical level, I think that having her die is a weird move. Yes, it causes everyone else to reflect on her and what she meant to them, etc etc, but to then make Baek-ho be all like "It's my fault she's dead" - which is true in one sense and yet not in another - in order to force him to take that last trip back in time, just seems like a poor use of her character, who so far has been pretty good (despite my own annoyance at her). It's kind of like, "We've written our hero to be so blockheaded that the only way he'll learn what he's supposed to learn is if we kill off the woman he loves." In general, the plot has always thrown me for a loop, which is part of the reason I've been interested in the show, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's because the writers are really good and have a specific end goal, or they're just writing whatever plot line pops into their heads that week. I suppose next week's episodes will answer that question for me.

This has got to be the longest comment I've ever written for a drama I wasn't watching. I guess it really is the weekend.

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6 halaure

March 24, 2012 at 2:16 PM

I absolutely loved this twist. It finally gave the consequences of time-slipping some weight, and I think (if Baek-ho's allowed to prevent Yi-seul's death and return to the wedding) he'll finally have found the motivation to truly let her go. And if Baek-ho takes a step back, Yi-seul will be forced to run towards him rather than avoiding their relationship. I'm dying to see a grand gesture from her, and given the way the drama's played out (and its source material), I get the feeling we're definitely going to see that. *Crosses fingers*

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jomo143

March 24, 2012 at 2:25 PM

YES! "I’m dying to see a grand gesture from her..."

We have all come to the conclusion that BH has done everything he could to let her know his feelings.
Come on, girl, resurrect yourself and plant a big one on uri Back Hoe!

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halaure

March 24, 2012 at 3:24 PM

Right? At this point, it's up to Yi-seul to turn this relationship-train around. It's a bit late in the game for her to suddenly become proactive, but if it happens in the finale, then at least it happens at all. And if it the grand gesture is a kiss, then all the better!

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7 jomo143

March 24, 2012 at 2:22 PM

Thanks for the recap and welcome back from your mini tiny break!

"He leans in for a kiss… and is abruptly whisked away by a phone call." I think we need a little less talk and LOT more action from our groom, don't we? This ONE non-action by JW has sealed his drama fate. NEVER have I EVER seen a man destined to be half of an OTP choose a phone call over kissing his woman. There is no coming back from that, Coachie, as far as I am concerned; you have lost.

I baekpercent agree with your line: "I think the idea of Yi-seul and what she represented was more important."
Because she has always been kind of the thorn in our hero's heart and the root cause of our his unhappiness, I never liked YS as a character.
I can't say that I don't think she deserves BH, because he's not the perfect lover either.
But it is interesting that I don't care that she died, insofar as she may not reappear in the story. (She will.)
I do care about all the folks that love and miss her, though. I don't like seeing any of the gang unhappy.

It was a great curve ball to throw at us in the late innings. I applaud the production team for keeping that a secret.
I also think it indicates that BH will end up with YS now.
She can't come back from the dead and NOT finally admit BH is the ONE. JW's description of her being distant in the last couple weeks is a big hint for where THAT relationship was heading.

We are now so much more invested in BH's happiness because of his loss, to not finally win her would make this the worst romantic comedy in the history of time.

And poor JW? OMG, he isn't any less deserving of happiness, is he? Poor baby!

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gummimochi

March 24, 2012 at 2:28 PM

Baekpercent - HA!!! Mind if I possibly borrow this term in a future recap?

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jomo143

March 24, 2012 at 2:48 PM

LOL! No problemo!

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8 aoiaheen

March 24, 2012 at 2:25 PM

Thank you for the recap gummimochi! I could almost feel your "Oh dear! don't tell me I'm stuck recapping a makjang here!"

First of all, I'm a little confused about the wedding. It was postponed till atleast march 14th right? or even later... infact at one point, wasn't the coach just proposing to her... how are they suddenly sooo close to the wedding?

I didn't feel any sorrow at YS's death. I felt sad that BH was so upset, because YSH does crying scenes SOOO WELL! But no heartache for YS at all. Maybe because I know that BH will save her.

What I don't understand in the korean version, but what was pretty clear in the japanese one is YS's feelings. * jdrama spoiler* In the Jap one, Rei picks the teacher because she has NO idea that Kenzo loves her. She is pretty clear that she loves him, but cannot imagine that he would love her. *end spoiler*

With YS, she knows BH loves her right? some one please tell me what is going on in her mind. Because I am totally confused. At one point, I thought she chose JW because he was better "husband material". It made sense to me.
Now with her being so confused about her choice, only after seeing the ring... I am just plain confused.

Did she break up with BH becuase she thought he would never be ready for marriage? and she felt her clock was ticking?
And seeing the ring made her realize "oh oh! he was going to PROPOSE!"

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jomo143

March 24, 2012 at 2:39 PM

I am as confused as you about her feelings. I thought that the translation must have left something out, but I don't think that is it. I just think her character is poorly written. We don't understand her because she is not being logical:
"I used to love you and you loved me. We kissed on the carpet, held hands on the beach. Because of some handsy doctor, who kissed you, I didn't trust you, ran to JW, and the next day got on a plane. Oh yeah, then I got engaged to him."

From what she told him at the swing set -that she has officially accepted JW, I got the idea that while she knew BH loved her, SHE had moved on. The timing was off for them all those years. I call BS on that one, too.

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Linda165

March 25, 2012 at 6:12 AM

"I call BS on that one, too." For a moment there I thought you were talking about the other BS :)

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Linda165

March 25, 2012 at 6:12 AM

Oops! wrong comment :)

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Linda165

March 25, 2012 at 6:13 AM

Nop, right comment. And it's the right BS! LOL!

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Linda165

March 25, 2012 at 6:14 AM

Ooookayyyy... *back to stealth mode*

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malta

March 24, 2012 at 8:44 PM

I am also confused....I don't understand why she broke up with Baek Ho after their Jeju trip claiming she was tired (of the drama...IDK) when they had been together for barely 3 seconds. I honestly don't understand why she kept rejecting him.

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karz

March 25, 2012 at 8:17 PM

I feel the same exact way. And I agree with the comment above, that maybe it's just her character being poorly written. I remember they talked about how it's better for them to be friends so they wouldn't fight everyday and such things and, and maybe she feels like JinWon will be able to take care of her better.. but for the audience there was not enough scenes to show why she came to the realization that her relationship with BaekHo will not work. It feels like the writers just said,

"Oh hi viewers, just assume that during those times Baek Ho time traveled back to the future, between those is a lot of fights and BaekHo being insensitive again".

And I'm really confused why she gave up early on BaekHo when CLEARLY deep down, Baek Ho is the person that she cares for the MOST. I think it's time for her now to come to the realization that she needs Baek Ho no matter how painful it may get.

And yeah, I felt like episode 14 is so unnecessary but I kinda remembered the movie "Butterfly Effect", where even if you change the past, the future will never be perfect and not everyone will be happy.. I guess this episode just shows that theme how all of his chances to change the past has consequences, but still.. I felt like YiSeul dying is unnecessary. Baek Ho realized every single thing he can realize. He knows how much Yi Seul cared for him, and all that. He even realized that maybe he doesn't need the past to change things anymore, and just gather up the courage to change it in his present that's why he took a picture of himself. But idk. I'm just hoping for a good surprise from the writers.

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9 Quaggy

March 24, 2012 at 3:21 PM

Okay, that was shocking. Did I expect Yi-seul to turn runaway bride? Yes. Die? Nope. Early on, I had wondered if maybe they would play the death card, with Baek-ho going into the future to find that someone (Dad, Mom, Chae-ri) had died who shouldn't have and gone back to try to fix things.

But then the thought occurred to me.... what if this is a 49 Days sort of thing? What if we were always assuming that it was a question of true love and who your fated to be with... and in reality it was a question of fate? What if Yi-suel was always fated to die an early death as Jin-won's wife/fiancee ... but would avoid it as Baek-ho's wife? I mean, we've never seen Yi-seul's future past the wedding. We don't know for a fact that her life was always going to be so happy... or that it was even going to continue at all. Do I think this is where the show is going? No, probably not. But it's all I got until next week.

It's totally an evil cliff-hanger, but at least it's not the same old "I'm going back in time to fix this" routine.

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malta

March 24, 2012 at 8:48 PM

"what if this is a 49 Days sort of thing? What if we were always assuming that it was a question of true love and who your fated to be with… and in reality it was a question of fate? What if Yi-suel was always fated to die an early death as Jin-won’s wife/fiancee … but would avoid it as Baek-ho’s wife?"

Delightfully intriguing....:D
I love this idea.
Unfortunately I don't think the story has this much depth.

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10 tamy

March 24, 2012 at 3:30 PM

I have been think about yi-seul death and started to wonder if drama is going to pull butterfly effect? Maybe baek ho will travel back to the first time he met yi-seul and will try to avoid her in ofder for her to happy.... and then...? They meet on a street and she remembers everything? Okay i have to stop until i say another stupid thing. It because last 4 episodes frustrate me so much that I'm trying to figure out the ending.

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11 GaRa

March 24, 2012 at 3:59 PM

This drama has thrown in this curve ball, borrowing from other time-traveling movies that are NOT related to ProDai in anyway, just to kill time.

As a result, the only thing that can be proven from all Baek Ho's time-traveling, is that YS will even DIE but she Won't be with him. The confession at the wedding is not going to have any weight or impact, because the writers just spent 14 episodes proving how NOT fated these two are. With YS's Negative mind-set and Baek Ho's lack of... Self, they're never gonna last.

(I also felt nothing when she died)

Writer-nim, non amugotu mulla

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aoiaheen

March 24, 2012 at 5:12 PM

"Writer-nim, non amugotu mulla" I burst out laughing at that. And so apt!

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malta

March 24, 2012 at 8:50 PM

:) me too LOL

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12 buttrcup

March 24, 2012 at 4:18 PM

Aaaaaaaaack. There goes my heart, straight out the window and forever broken into a million and two pieces.

Seriously, way to fuck up my week show. Now I won't be able to concentrate without brooding over next weeks episodes :( But omomomomo! That twist was absolutely needed to give that somewhat edge to the show.

Thank you show, you've redeemed yourself somewhat <3 Aw. Why you make me so depressed for? D:

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13 jumbalaya

March 24, 2012 at 4:26 PM

oh my gosh! completely unexpected. I was suprised how melodramatic it became, it wasn't really the comedy it started out to be. but this.... this is so dark. and if he returned to the present, doesn't that mean he no longer has any chance of going back. I mean that, this is the present that's been created... not an alterior world.

is this the last episode?

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buttrcup

March 24, 2012 at 4:29 PM

No, sweetie; don't worry. Two more episodes, k.

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cookie128

March 24, 2012 at 4:54 PM

Easy, we have still 2 eps to go next week. I hope that is will be an happy ending! Otherwise, it will be another tragedy that YSH and PEB are in, besides The Legend and Queen Seonduk...

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14 jumbalaya

March 24, 2012 at 4:28 PM

ironically, I'm listening to Haru Haru by Big Bang.

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15 ck1Oz

March 24, 2012 at 5:30 PM

Yes thanks for the recap. I read the spoilers over at soompi. After that refused to watch it until your recap arrived.I mean I know we have to have angst but all week could not figure out why we needed to have this. All along I somehow don't feel as convinced emotionally wised about YS' love.

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16 jomo143

March 24, 2012 at 5:39 PM

By the way, I had an "A-duh" moment watching a bunch of SK films lately.
Song Chan Wook is named after legendary film director/writer
Park Chan Wook. Nice homage.

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17 jingelbells

March 24, 2012 at 6:34 PM

Okaaaaaaay. I should have drank Gatorade last night because it seems I felt dehydrated after crying a lot last night.

I quite agree with some of you who mentioned that in the J-version, when Rei saw the ring, that's the time she hesitated with the wedding, because the ring symbolized the love that Ken can't say. But in this k-version, we all know by now that YS is VERY MUCH aware of BH's feeling for her. So what will the ring symbolize now?? just an affirmation?

Though following the plot line that YS found out the ring... I anticipated that she is really going to do something for BH (that's the kind of person she is) and it was the cause of her death. But I can't think of anything that might be related to HER wedding, but I was kind of thinking it might be related to BH's father.

I cried alot with this episode because all the characters have moved me beyond the usual. But I still preferred my storyline... BH will be the one who will die, YS will be the one who will be sad etc then the Conductor will appear before YS and ask her to change whatever she wants in the past. Bec. with that plot, she will be the one who will think of their memories and probably will come to terms that the one she loves more would be BH. But yeah, I also thought that maybe, both of them will wish that they didn't meet in the past to prevent all of these.(and that will be sadder,right?)

I don't know what will still happen in the last 2 episode, but I wish fervently that they will end up together. I'm sorry Coach, I am with BH/Yoo SEung Ho from DAY 1. :)

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jomo143

March 24, 2012 at 7:07 PM

"But I can’t think of anything that might be related to HER wedding, but I was kind of thinking it might be related to BH’s father."
I think you are right. Maybe that is why we haven't seen any photos of his father yet. Cause when she goes to his ?grave ?house ?mother's house ?brother's house? we see he is the Conductor...

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jingelbells

March 24, 2012 at 7:22 PM

But just want to ask..in episode 1 when BH was asked to move YS's things from the car to the van, and the letter had fell with the rest of their things... there was a pic of a baseball player there... isn't it the Conductor?

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aoiaheen

March 24, 2012 at 7:41 PM

I think all the pic's were of young Baek Ho. Maybe I missed it, but i didn't see a picture of an older man.

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aoiaheen

March 24, 2012 at 7:28 PM

Yes! I was thinking the same, because JW said that she was "investigating something" without telling him what it was about. And BH's father is the only "mystery" about.

But all that after seeing a ring? It's not as if the ring was a family heirloom.

I want it to be next wednesday like now! Can't believe I am saying this for drama that has frustated me more than any I have seen this far - not counting YSH's other recent drama ofcourse.

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18 NN

March 24, 2012 at 8:29 PM

Thanks for the recap. was looking forward to this.

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19 malta

March 24, 2012 at 8:36 PM

Jin Won crying in the shower T.T
omg, heartbreak.
It felt real and it was so sad.

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buttrcup

March 24, 2012 at 10:21 PM

Because it's an emotion that we're not used to seeing him portray (Err, well at least not exactly an emotion, but more on the likes of finally seeing him breakdown).... and the tears. Ohmylife, the tears... talk about heartbreeeeak =/

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jingelbells

March 25, 2012 at 2:08 AM

yes. I cried for the Coach too. But if, YS will decide to go with BH, how will he take it? They showed how the Coach loved YS, (not that really in depth in the J-version) so how could we also stand to see the Coach hurting after YS leave him? argh.

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20 malta

March 24, 2012 at 9:11 PM

Well, I'm not sure what to think. This was the first episode that I didn't like. I wish Yi Seul had lived and been forced to confront her feelings for Baek Ho... maybe by Jin Won wondering why his bride wouldn't get angry at the guy who is dragging her by the wrist out of the wedding photo shoot to take her to their elementary school. That would have pissed me off.

I always hate it when the girl gets physically hurt or killed so that the guy can grow and develop. Here it feels especially cheap because we know Baek Ho is going to go back in time to save her.

I wasn't too excited about all the pain and crying that arose from Yi Seul's death. It was sad, but I think we all already knew she was very, very loved by her parents, her friends and of course Baek Ho so I found it a bit excessive. One thing that surprised me was how affected I was by Jin Won crying in the shower. Now that was not excessive. He really looked like a man who had just tragically lost his fiance. He was really wailing and letting it out and it looked and sounded so real. Often the wailing and crying in kdramas looks forced and overly dramatic (think ahjumma crumpled on the ground beating the pavement and her chest at the boss who fired her son...a bit much, ehh).

I can't speculate much on what will happen next week, but I've resigned myself to the idea of watching Baek Ho and Yi Seul finally get together even though I would much prefer something else that is more daring to happen. I wonder how they will handle a heartbroken Jin Won, who despite being the perfect guy (and frankly a better match for Yi Seul what with them planning their future together instead of living in the past) he won't get the girl...the girl he already got....like 14 times so far (including once at the altar!) because she kept picking him.

Maybe what the Korean version should have done was redo the Japanese version in 8 or 9 episodes and make the remaining half of the drama the Korean version of what would happen to Rei and Ken after they got together. There's plenty of story there to be told... On to next week I guess.

Thanks for the recap Gummimochi and welcome back!

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21 tessieroo

March 24, 2012 at 10:24 PM

Meh, I'm probably the only one who didn't cry that she died. I don't think she was surprised (or whatever) at the inscription on the ring. She already knows BH loves her, he told her directly to her face! (remember the hot, floor kiss? He told her then - twice) Maybe she was surprised he bought her a wedding ring? I dunno. She keeps saying he doesn't understand & then her letter in the time capsule says "you still don't know how I feel about you?" It would be nice if she'd end his suffering and just TELL HIM. If it's that she loves him or just wants him as her friend, either way: TELL HIM. I hate her game playing with his emotions.
So frustrated. (LOL)

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Kim Yoonmi

March 25, 2012 at 1:36 AM

With you. Not a tear, just eye rolls from me and long sighs of boredom. (It was predictable--more than the preview made it out to be, which made the whole scene set worse. Have I watched too many dramas to be saying that? Or is it that the writing lacked punch?)

I'm guessing it was inserted that Baek-ho's mother was up to something or something about Baek-ho's father. Whatever. Don't care. I'll just get through the last two episodes, though I'm not sure if that can make up for the wishy-washy character that is Yi Seul. (The writing, not the acting.)

Frustrated in the bad way.

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22 Kim Yoonmi

March 25, 2012 at 1:18 AM

So, seeing the preview in episode 13, I had my hand on the "must fast forward through the makjang." But the damned thing did not end. It kept going and going and going. I had flashes of a pink bunny beating its drum for batteries I don't need in my mind.

From a plot stand point, I hated it. I loathe it. As a writer, a viewer and a consumer, I hate it. Feels like, "Ran out of plot time." Because it means the plot itself was not strong enough to hold up so they needed what is called filler, and this felt like manufactured filler crap clogging up the toilet of my drama. (And let's be clear that toilets in dramas can be entertaining... ^.~)

From the I hate YS (the character, not the actress, because again, I blame the writing, not the acting) standpoint, I cheered at her death. Finally, maybe the two boys can get over her. She's a loser character that I no longer care for and this drama managed to do that by making her into the typical heroine that can't get over herself. I did not cry. OK, I probably would if it were a real death or if it was set up properly, I mean Secret Garden got to me, even with the whole fabricated makjang, but you *felt that coming* this was landed out of nowhere. *shakes fist* which I can rant about how evil that is in terms of plotting and thou shalt nots... still, I cheered her death.

Get over her boys. I'm sure that a few of the ladies here would love your number-- devoted forever, and Mr. Perfect~! I'm sure that a few of these girls won't do that blaming fate thing and though they do love wet men fresh from the army in hand towels, they won't get your coat/suit wet over another man.

But yeah, I'm pretty sure Yi Seul will rise like a zombie vampire and suck the blood out of the boys one more round before we can finally put a stake in this drama.

Lesson learned: This writer sucks. (Though marginally getting better).

Also if you do a remake, have a solid plan about the plot points and what you wish to do better--there didn't seem to be a unified plan with the time jumps, just to blindly follow the original and then get desperate for plot later and pad it. As much as I love the original, I think there were points that could have been improved, such as unifying the whole special within the drama itself so you were not working towards the coach and her marriage, but fighting to see Baek ho get it together enough to propose to her himself. You still could have the tension from the results, but the fact that the series had to be split to get the result was hard to watch. I'd also probably would have countered fate on one hand with accidental fate on the other like the original... but in more ironic ways. So first 8 episodes would have been Baek-ho fighting for Yi-Seul and seeming to lose, next 2-3 episodes would be he's turning the tide, but doesn't seem to be making a difference. Yi Seul confesses her feeling next episode, and then the nice wrap up where it's a dual between the men to get Yi Seul's heart with Yi Seul taking an *active* role weaving in the whole special from the original. I'd also resurrect the teacher's best friend from childhood too, which may have gotten lazy Yi Seul into gear a little. Still follows K-drama format, gives time for reflection and absolutely no makjang insertion from nowhere. (Shooting hospital scenes must be cheap or they got a two fer one deal when they did the hospital thing with the cast...)

A lot could have been done... but blindly following and then padding with makjang--*grr* it can be funny, sweet and ironic, filled with warmth and friendship. Manufactured drama gets to me.

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Kim Yoonmi

March 25, 2012 at 1:28 AM

I should be clear that I was with it until the whole death scene crap load. I liked the coordi on Yi Seul, thought she was coming around. I felt a little awkward with the whole taking a picture didn't trigger a time trip plothole (playground), since in the original, it made sense to do the DSLR thing. But the taking a picture under the playground felt like a plot hole to me since random cameras triggered the time trip.

Anyway, I was with the drama until *boom* random makjangy death, with the predictable lines from everyone "I blame myself." --;; And the "angel" funeral set up. I hateeesss it. (I've clearly watched a lot of them. yaawwn.) Didn't do anything to help the characters at all. Yi Seul is dead--but she's the part of the plot that does not move. Somehow, I think she's better off dead, though I know that won't happen.... (and I didn't wish for Rei's death in the original.)

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cookie128

March 25, 2012 at 2:45 AM

I think BH needs a flash light to go back, not simply taking a photo.

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Kim Yoonmi

March 25, 2012 at 4:04 PM

Electroshock therapy? (Modern version) That would be at least more makjang-like.

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23 jingelbells

March 25, 2012 at 2:28 AM

What I am just relieved about this episode really, is that Baek Ho was not with Yi Seul when the accident happened. Thank God that didn't happen. Because with that, Baek Ho now is directly responsible to her death.

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24 ava

March 25, 2012 at 4:52 AM

Crap!!! I couldn't decide what to feel about this episode. I am hoping next week would make all things alright.

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25 olsen

March 25, 2012 at 8:55 AM

Thanx for the recap.

Why do I have the biggest feeling that she's gonna be alive again? Hmnn..

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26 Belle

March 25, 2012 at 4:05 PM

BH seems to have come to the 'bottom of the barrel'...some say that when you get there you should 'go up from there'...and others suggest you 'get another barrel'.

I think BH will get 'another barrel' and bring things to a satisfying end. BH Hwaiting!

Thanks for the recap!

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27 jbb

March 25, 2012 at 9:10 PM

YS already said it. She wished she could be honest with her feelings. She also said that there was pain and joy.

The problem with feelings is that there are opposites. With BH, she feels more joy, but also more pain because BH challenges her more and then she grows. JW is not painful, but not terribly jsy, but not really joyful. She didn't say she fell in love with JW, but she decided to "accept him". Pitiful.

I think the ring shocked YS into reality. She didn't feel like it was real (as said in the beginning of the episode). The ring represents the reality of cutting off a real future with BH. Make me think that she never really felt any of it was real and binding. She maybe thought that BH would always be there. Now she has to deal with feelings that she avoided before.

If it goes the way I think, BH (like Ken) will get one more trip after he thought it was done.

I agree that the death was to push BH to the point of letting her go. It is better that she lives with another man than for her to be dead.

It will probably still lead up to the wedding again, like the J-version.

My guess is that she is so stubborn that she will continue with the wedding anyway. If it pans out like the J-version, BH HAS to give the speech again, like Ken.

In BH's original speech, YS was moved to tears with just that much. Imagine BH's real confession of love and surrendering her to coach. Coach even said the first time that he was glad that BH didn't like YS because he would have never won to BH.

My guess is that it will end a lot like the J-version, but I hope for a better epilogue rather than a cliff hanger ending.

Could it be that YS marries JW, but then JW knows she is bothered by the speech and BH's giving her to JW and walking away that JW again sends her to BH to figure it out knowing he's lost to BH anyway. I guess that to make it work, JW and YS don't register the marriage, essentially annulling it.

I will be happy to see YS finally get honest with herself. Everyone sees it but her - that is until she go the ring.

It will be interesting to see why she went to Busan...

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28 lala

March 26, 2012 at 11:17 AM

This drama sucks ass.

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29 merrygoocow

March 26, 2012 at 2:53 PM

damn. just caught up with the drama and even i am worn out by it...despite the fact that the jdrama ver is my fave jdrama love story.

i do think ys' death is necessary though bc bh needs to give up on her.

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30 Victoria Stuard

March 27, 2012 at 11:06 PM

I have been going through the ups and downs of this drama since the beginning. It is frustrating to watch how many times, BH has shown YS his feelings and she has rejected him time and time because of her own fear. YS made a lot of assumptions about BH and for all her caring did not understand him at all. While she was kind and good to him growing up, someone from an intact family would not understand the emotional dynamics of a child that has been abandoned in that such a child even as he is growing up would be afraid to openly share his feelings b/c of fear that he might lose that person too. She looked at things from her perspective which is shallow even though she believed in him and was his best cheerleader. It was about her, and even when he went out on a limb by kissing her, she pushed him away because of her own fear instead of leaning into that moment and realizing he was showing his feelings. No, she just considered it a prank. Then her lack of confidence and trust in him, even when he told her he loved her was absolutely zero. A thinking girl would have realized just what Missy doctor was up too, more especially because Miss Doctor told her. Once again he runs away.As he is endeavoring to find courage and confidence she moves into "fear mode" and just keeps running into JW arms. Don't get me wrong... he has some good characteristics, but I just can't believe for the whole of this drama that he couldn't see the handwriting on the wall. Dur. All in all, frustrating. Where can this drama or then next two episodes go since, I feel they have backed themselves into a corner. Even if he goes back in time to rectify there can be only two outcomes. She marries JW or she comes to her senses and puts aside her dishonesty and goes back to the place she was really meant to me despite all these plot twists of mis-timed disclosures with BH. In fact, I feel like her parents felt that BH was really the one for their daughter. Just my two cents along with my frustration at how this plot progresses and digresses.

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31 Victoria Stuard

March 28, 2012 at 6:08 PM

Well the unexpected hit me in the face again. I will wait until the re-cap. i want to see what our re-cap editors, who do a fantastic job, think about Episode 15. I watched it without subs, but will be glad when the subs come out. I'll come back and see what everyone thinks and says. By then, maybe a subbed version will be available. :)

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32 Belle

March 29, 2012 at 6:06 PM

Just finished the drama & I must 'say' great acting! I can see why his last 3 projects are being aired this April in Japan (WBDS), China (Flames of Ambition), and again on KBS (God of Study).

I look forward to Yoo Seung Ho's next project. I hope Dramabeans continues to recap his work.

THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR RECAPS!
Gummimochi & HeadsNo2 ...you ROCK!

I'll still read the last 2 episodes of recaps...always looking forward to your nice work! :)

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Belle

March 29, 2012 at 6:15 PM

Not including Queen Seon Deok which aired (2009-2011) in 8 countries including the US (MBC America)...& now being turned into a movie to be released later this year.

YSH and Kim Nam Gil stole the show...Bidam & Kim Chun Chu were awesome!

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33 Lilian

March 30, 2012 at 8:36 AM

That was shocking. Never expected her to die in the present.....so in a way it kept me interested at least. coz for the most part, this drama has not have enough twists =D too much going back and forth over the same thing literally.

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34 Cristina

April 15, 2012 at 3:17 AM

Anyone else catch the picture he took with yiseul at the playground and no time travel

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35 blo

January 16, 2013 at 10:32 PM

Yea I'd say the writers didn't do a good job writing Yi Seu's character. If I were to make up an explanation, it would go off of what her mom said early on. If you don't tell her directly, she won't know [how you feel about her].

Baek Ho did tell AND show her many times. But always something seemed to come up. From this episode, the impression I got of Yi Seul was someone who was cheery and optimistic on the exterior but was like many females out there who feel insecure. Sure she may have known how BH felt...but did she feel secure enough about his feelings? Apparently not. Then there is JW who was conveniently there for her at the right times (the only person she could share her darker side to). I don't really care about the chemistry between the two...but the two are...safe. Nothing bad seems to happen. It's boring. But it can work.

I am hoping that as Baek Ho matured in his time travels, so did she. She did finally realize that she had been the one not trying. So looks like BH isn't the only one who has changed over time. I know she's dead in this episode...but with 2 eps left, there is no way they'll leave her dead. Either he will give her up to have her alive...erasing his knowledge of that letter. Or he will have one really final chance to go back before she died.

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