King of Dramas: Episode 16
by HeadsNo2
There’s plenty of cute and winsome moments for our developing love story, and a healthy dose of some eye-opening drama not related to our drama-within-a-drama to go with it. Hyun-min finally realizes that he might just be awful at what he does while Anthony proves to be awesome at what he does. Come to think of it, so does Go-eun. And Min-ah. Actually, everyone but Hyun-min is good at what they do in this show, though there’s hope yet that the landscape might change.
At least there’s plenty of meta commentary to look forward to this episode, which means there’s no time like the present to dig deep into your mental storehouse of drama trivia. Luckily the events hinted at are some pretty big ones in terms of what made the news last year, which makes spotting them something like a game.
EPISODE 16: “In Search of Lost Time”
Anthony apologizes to Min-ah after he confesses how important Go-eun is to him, which puts the kibosh on any plans she had for their future together. He leaves her fighting tears in order to go to the hospital, but Go-eun has already been discharged.
He finds her at her studio only a couple of minutes after she gets back, and lies about the contract going well when she asks. Before he leaves her to rest, he tells her that she was right about Kyungsung – a hero can throw everything away for love.
She smiles long after he’s gone. Does she suspect why he changed his mind?
In a surprising turn, we find out that Min-ah covered for Anthony by telling the Taesan Chairman the truth: Anthony missed the meeting to care for his writer, who was critically ill.
And the Chairman, impressed by Anthony’s devotion to his team, still wants to work with him. They set up another meeting.
Anthony calls Min-ah (probably to thank her), but she’s too caught up on his confession to answer the phone.
She’s seriously bummed on set the next day, and isn’t up to dealing with Hyun-min’s antics even when he has another CF offer for her. She turns him down coldly, though Hyun-min can only think on a surface level and thinks it’s because she doesn’t like the painkillers the CF is selling. Ha.
Anthony ends up running into Min-ah in the hallway, and thanks her for helping the contract go through. She changes the subject as she claims that she understands why he’d have feelings for Go-eun, especially since they’ve been spending so much time together.
“However, even after the drama is over, will your feelings stay the same?” she challenges. Without a word from him, she announces that she’ll patiently wait for his answer. Because apparently last night’s confession wasn’t an answer? Or something.
Mom to the rescue! She brings food to Go-eun’s studio again (so, so cute) and grows curious when Go-eun evades the topic of who took her to the hospital. She has a sneaking suspicion it’s that Kim Bong-dal fellow.
That Kim Bong-dal fellow ends up catching Mom on her way home, and offers her a ride. In the car, she asks Anthony if he knows Bong-dal, since Go-eun seems to like him. Hee.
After a pause, Anthony starts listing off Bong-dal’s virtues, including his good looks. Mom looks happy as a clam, even as she wonders what caused Anthony’s sudden change in manners, now that he’s being super polite to her.
Director Nam has a debate with other executives at SBC over their upcoming drama awards, and who should win the Daesang for best acting – a young ratings king, or a seasoned veteran. Obviously, Director Nam is all for giving the prize to the best performance, while the other executives are looking at it as more of an appreciation award for popularity.
I’m pretty sure this is meta commentary on Kim Soo-hyun’s ‘Best Actor’ win over Han Seok-kyu (which was a hotly contested issue, since Han Seok-kyu should have won, *cough*), during last year’s Baeksang Arts Awards. (However, Director Nam & Co. are talking broadcasting awards, and Han Seok-kyu did win the Daesang for SBS last year. At least.)
Hyun-min has to face the horrors of eating at a small town restaurant because of their location shoot, and overhears some male students dissing his acting. They only have eyes for Min-ah Noona.
He ushers them over to give them autographs, and when one asks if Min-ah is even prettier offscreen, Hyun-min says yes while muttering under his breath: “Makeup does wonders.” Baha. So petty. To make matters worse, he sees Min-ah pass with a mob of students following, and one of the students even rushes him so he can get out to see Noona. Buuurn.
And to make matters even worse, the restaurant ajumma asks for Hyun-min’s autograph… and then asks for his name. HA. He’s all dejected as he replies that he’s Brad Pitt, and tells his manager that from now on, they’re only going to eat in front of all-girl high schools. (As Min-ah is surrounded by young male students, ha.)
Meanwhile, World and Empire consider gifts to send to the broadcasters ahead of the awards ceremonies, though Anthony’s too cheap for anything fancy. All he wants, strangely enough, is Go-eun’s resume.
Go-eun has to pass up on a family Christmas reunion in favor of work, and ends up finding a handkerchief Anthony had given to her while he goes over her resume.
It seems like he just wants to know more about her, since he reads that she’s a black belt in Taekwondo. The other stuff he already knows, like her love of sweet potatoes and Love Letter.
So he gives Love Letter another watch, and ends up crying just like Go-eun. Except he turns to his antidepressants because he can’t handle his manly tears.
They don’t really work though, since he ends up crying through the whole film. Unfortunately for him, Go-eun ends up watching him since she’s come to the office for paper, and his refusal to tell her what he’s watching makes her think it’s porn. Ha.
Porn might have been less embarrassing, since Go-eun is able to hear and recognize the movie. He gives this lie and that to try and explain himself, and I love that Go-eun doesn’t press things. But her secret smile indicates that she suspects an ulterior motive.
Hyun-min goes over his possible competitors for the Daesang Award, concluding that he’s up against: “Me… Me… ME. There’s only me!” Except for Shin Ha-kyun, which has Hyun-min on the hunt for some meaty scenes to set him apart as an actor.
He doesn’t find one for him, and instead thinks he should take Min-ah’s place for one of her sobbing scenes. Er. Good luck with that. Unfortunately, manager Kwang-soo is MIA, and Hyun-min’s agency president is reluctant to say why.
But we find out in one of the cutest scenes ever, since Kwang-soo has received his call for military enlistment and has taken it upon himself to interview his possible replacements. It’s with absolute, adoring love that he describes Hyun-min to his new prospective manager: “Actually, Hyun-min Hyung… doesn’t like to read the script. So when he’s playing video games, you have to read it out loud to him.” AWWW.
The bromance is strong with this one, since Kwang-soo ends up visualizing Hyun-min sitting across from him at the end of every description, like how he prefers melodramas (more CF offers) and how he must always be later to an appointment than his fellow actors.
…Except we’re clearly seeing Kwang-soo’s perspective of Hyun-min, which is all cute aegyo and pouting. (That is so adorable. I can’t even.) “He may not be that bright, but he’s a good Hyung,” Kwang-soo blurts, right before he’s too overcome with emotion to finish the interview. (This scene is a reference to the 2001 movie My Sassy Girl.)
Go-eun knits furiously that night as she thinks about what to write, and is quick to hide the evidence once Hyun-min comes knocking. He’s brought her Christmas flowers and gifts, all, No, really, it’s just a present!” But she knows him better.
He cuts to the chase and asks to be given Min-ah’s crying scene, even though his character is the one that gets shot, because he thinks that manly tears will move the audience. Go-eun’s not as keen on it, so Hyun-min reminds her that this is the third time he’s asked for a favor, since he’s caved on the first two (swimming and kissing).
Looks like Go-eun might be stuck on this one. (And did he just take one of her gift shoes?)
Dong-seok seems to be catching onto the fact that Anthony likes Go-eun. Anthony doesn’t seem to know that he knows. De Nile is not just a river in Egypt.
Hyun-min’s heard about Kwang-soo’s upcoming enlistment, and gifts his manager with a choco pie with tears in his eyes: “I bought it myself… from the grocery store.” That’s when Kwang-soo starts bawling. This show’s sense of humor kills me.
They shed a tearful and painful goodbye as the song from My Sassy Girl plays in the backgroud.
Cut to: Go-eun knitting again, as she wonders how she’ll get out of giving Hyun-min a crying scene. But she knows she’s also said no to him too many times.
Anthony visits with the excuse of delivering a stapler, and Go-eun is again forced to hide any knitting evidence. She sees a golden opportunity in telling Anthony about Hyun-min’s visit, and he does exactly what she’d hoped for by paying Hyun-min a personal visit.
He doesn’t bother with pleasantries since he gives a pretty frank answer to Hyun-min’s Crying Scene Request: “Do you know yourself? Your script analysis is at an elementary level, you don’t even know how poor your acting is. You’re the world’s biggest idiot. As such, when the script comes out, don’t even change one thing about it and just read it properly.”
Hyun-min blinks in shock, and only becomes more confused when Anthony threatens him against bothering Go-eun again. He’s taking this very seriously, since he uncharacteristically roars at Hyun-min: “Do you understand?!”
Anthony calls her from the car, all proud that he took another successful turn as her white knight. It’s so cute to see him all puffed up to have done something for her, like, “Who am I?” Go-eun: “Who else? Kim Bong-dal.”
Haha. He pauses before he corrects her: “It’s Anthony.” But then he goes on to say that she can come to him whenever anything troubles her, and he’ll take care of it, because it’s clear that he WANTS to. Look at him, being all chivalrous.
Everything goes well once Anthony finally gets his meeting with the Taesan Chairman and Min-ah, and they get their contract.
Outside, he thanks Min-ah for helping him. She tells him to show his gratitude rather than talking about it by making World Productions into the best company in the world, just like he made her into a top star. Ah, so is she repaying a debt to him?
Hyun-min gets introduced to his new manager, Sung-mo, while he stews over Anthony telling him that he’s a terrible actor. So he poses the question to Sung-mo: “Is my acting performance pathetic?”
Sung-mo maybe pauses two seconds before he bluntly answers yes. HA. Hyun-min’s face. His new manager clarifies: “I mean, you have good looks, but your acting… isn’t that great.” I wonder if this will be his shortest term of employment, ever.
Aww, and Hyun-min talks to a little Hulk doll in place of Kwang-soo.
It’s like Hyun-min hasn’t entertained the thought that he’s a bad actor before, even as he assures Sung-mo that he won’t hold his comments against him (through some very forced smiles).
But, I am enjoying the meta commentary on the difference between what Hyun-min reads about himself in the press (which, if you’ve ever read a Korean entertainment article on actors or dramas, is usually an abundant litany of weirdly specific praise) and what he sees in the comments.
The general consensus? Hyun-min sucks at acting.
All the World Boys offer encouragement to Dong-seok, since he’s bought a pair of couple rings to gift to the pretty FD for Christmas. He’s immediately sorry once Anthony comes on scene, citing Anthony’s lecture about separating personal life from work.
But now that those same lines are blurred for Anthony, he shrugs: “Well, that’s life, after all.” Ha. Everyone’s a bit shocked, but it’s even better when Anthony slyly pulls Dong-seok aside like he’s got a super serious question to ask… except he just wants to know where he can buy a gift like that.
So he’s off to the jewelry store to buy couple rings (!!!!!), even though he tries to lie that he’s toootally buying them for his nephew and nephew’s girlfriend. The salesgirl catches on pretty quick, though she advises Anthony to find out Go-eun’s ring size before he buys her one.
To make matters even cuter (my heart really can’t take all of it), we finally see the product of Go-eun’s knitting sprees – a scarf with initials B.D.K., for Kim Bong-dal. (Ah, so that’s why she noticed his engraved A.K. handkerchief earlier.)
It’s Christmas Eve, and Anthony calls Go-eun to set up an informal date for the evening. They both have gifts for each other they’re eager to give, but Go-eun wants to pick the venue.
In the meantime, Anthony heads to the hospital to get his test results. Eek.
And poor Dong-seok. It’s with a hope in his head and a song in his heart that he prepares to give the pretty FD his gift, only for Sung-mo to pull the rug out from under him by asking her out first. The look in his eyes? Hearrtbreaaaaaaak.
Filming doesn’t stop just because it’s Christmas Eve, and we get to see almost a full scene from Kyungsung play out as Min-ah’s character sorts through a club full of bodies to find Hyun-min’s character with a bullet wound.
She’s playing the scene well, but when it comes to his line, he flubs it and asks for another take. And then another. And another. And another. As it goes on, we realize that he’s letting the criticism get to him – he’s become so self-conscious that he can’t even do his lines.
It’s actually really heartbreaking, because you can see him want to be better, only he doesn’t know how. Oy, Director Goo, your job entails more than sitting behind the camera – try helping out your struggling actor.
Min-ah tears into him since she’s had to cry on standby for hours, and though she thinks he’s up to his usual pranks, she’s soon surprised to find that Hyun-min is dead serious, and very uncharacteristically so.
She’s worried about her eyes puffing up from all the crying, which is when Hyun-min reappears with an icepack in hand. Is he… is he being… thoughtful? Something terrible has happened.
He asks Min-ah to be honest with him: Is he a bad actor? She thinks he already knows if he’s asking her, but she actually handles the situation well by forcing him to turn the mirror inwards. “Have you ever put any effort into acting? Do you know about your weaknesses?”
Hyun-min’s reflective expression says no. Min-ah admits that she practices pronunciation at least an hour every day, and advises him to reflect about his attitude toward acting and change accordingly. I’d say that’s just about what he needed to hear.
Anthony’s test results come back as inconclusive, since his blurry vision isn’t a side effect of his antidepressants. He gets sent over to an ophthalmologist for further testing, all while Go-eun carefully prepares for their date.
And then he gets the news from the ophthalmologist that his eye problems are due to a hereditary disease (specifically called Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy, something that can only be passed from an affected mother to her child), which is already in its aggressive stages.
Apparently he’s almost lost vision in his right eye already, with the doctor predicting that he’ll lose all of it soon enough. I sense one doctor in need of a bedside manner award, but it wouldn’t be this one.
Basically, the prognosis is grim, since Anthony will lose sight in both eyes eventually. Which… what?
Go-eun waits at the cafe she picked out, while Anthony remains unresponsive to her texts. We find him parked outside of his mother’s nursing home, still in a state of shock.
She picks up a book called In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust, one which she’s borrowed from the cafe many times over.
Anthony sees his mother stumbling through the nursing home hallway from a distance, literally crumbling against the wall once he realizes that this could be him. To make sure we know how bad it is, we hear the doctor in voiceover telling him that the disease is incurable.
He flashes back to memories of his childhood, and how incapacitated his mother had been by her illness, unable to help him bathe or tell salt and sugar apart to make a meal. It’s hard to see her struggle only for Anthony Lite to yell at her that she’s a fool.
In the present, Anthony barely holds back tears at his mother’s bedside while she sleeps. Go-eun waits and waits at the cafe without any word from him, until she’s the last customer left and is forced to leave once it’s closing time.
She finds him the second he makes it home, and he leaves her gift in the car on purpose. Even though she waited all night, she’s not upset in the least once he tells her that his mother wasn’t well.
However, he’s not up for company and sends her home. Before she goes, he asks:
“Lee Go-eun. When did it start – your feelings for me? I deceived you. I betrayed you. I was so mean to you. Despite all that, when did you start to like a person like me?”
And as he turns back to her, a tear falls.
COMMENTS
I think most of us can safely say that this was a plot development we didn’t really see coming. After all, we’ve seen plenty of bad dramas pull a debilitating illness out in the last episodes for dramatic effect or to fill extension airtime (here’s looking at you, Oohlala Spouses). So what’s happening here?
Truth is, I’m at a bit of a loss, too. The actual disease itself doesn’t seem so out of left field when we consider that his mother’s illness was well established, and I suppose it was time for that inevitable thing to happen in every romantic comedy: Melodrama. We can’t fault a drama for not being funny all the time, and I can say that the seriousness of the situation doesn’t necessarily feel like an alien life force suddenly took hold of our drama – but that might be because we’ve got a great performance by Kim Myung-min to anchor it.
It’s just that with a writer who’s been so diligent about subverting major drama cliches, I can’t help but to be morbidly curious about where this is all going. Because if we end this drama with the message that “Life is hard and then you go blind,” well, that kind of sucks. But we’ve got two episodes left and one incurable disease, so I guess we can hope for a misdiagnosis or bust. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, though. (But if there are pitchforks already being sharpened, I’ll just look the other way. For now.)
All that aside, this episode had some nice character developments all around, the most surprising of which includes Hyun-min. I had all but given up on him receiving any real depth (and was completely fine with that, since he’s such an invaluable comic addition to the show), but this scenario is exactly what I’d hoped for in that it’d allow him to evaluate how seriously he takes himself as an actor. The reveal of his thought process through multiple takes was perfect, because it took me a few before I realized what was actually happening. And once I did, my heart just shattered for him, especially since that’s the most vulnerable we’ve ever seen Hyun-min.
Min-ah’s also been growing on me slowly but surely, and I’d credit that to her being less obsessive about Anthony. It’s still clear that she likes him, but not enough to turn psychotic on him. If anything, she’s actually quite generous to be helping a man who seems to have no residual feelings for her as well as an “actor” who’s been pulling her pigtails for an entire drama. If she’s helping Anthony because she feels like she owes him for her fame, that’s fine, too. The point is that her earlier hints of Second Lead Crazy haven’t manifested, and we’ve gotten an actual character reveal instead.
I like that she’s honest above all things, which is more than can be said of Anthony in regards to him clearing the air between them. However, it seems less like he’s stringing her along out of doubt for his own feelings (he may be mostly in denial, but he’s not an idiot) and more like a calculated decision not to rock the boat in the middle of a production. The hints he’s given her that he’s not interested have been pretty darn overt, but if she’s still hung up on it, now would be the time to look her in the eye and say: “No.”
Unless, *gasp*, he CAN’T look her in the eye. Maybe she’ll donate one. Oh! She and Go-eun can do a joint donation! Then when they cry, he’ll cry. Or maybe I need to stop jumping to cliched conclusions and breathe into a paper bag. It’s going to be all right, right?
RELATED POSTS
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Tags: Choi Siwon, featured, Jung Ryeo-won, Kim Myung-min, King of Dramas
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1 Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Omo! I'm the first! Squeeeeeeek! I love this episode!
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Ivoire
December 30, 2012 at 9:18 PM
Hello Arawn, I am just going to come after you here, if I may :-). Thanks!
Thank you so much for the recap, once again Heads! I appreciated that you pointed out all the meta, because I would not have known most of them (I would not have recognized them). I have not seen the movie "My Sassy Girl," and so I would not recognize any nod to that movie. Thank you also for pointing out the meta about KSH and the award last year (during the meeting with Dir. Nam), I thought about him as well when I saw that scene, however, I didn't know how controversial the whole thing had been. I could go on, but I will stop here.
I have a few questions (maybe just two): 1--If Anthony has almost lost his eyesight in his right eye, wouldn't he know it (as in not being able to see with that eye most of the time)? I am a little confused as to what the ophtamologist meant by his prognosis. Not that I doubt what he said, I am just puzzled that Anthony has not had those episodes of blindness more often, and he seemed to be able to see with that eye, most of the time.
2--Does the press in Korea ALWAYS praise the dramas airing (or dramas in general or the actors/actresses in them)? So, an actor/actress would (probably) only get negative comments from the netizens? How interesting...
This episode seemed to me to be a lot about Anthony and how he handles his new knowledge (and awareness) of his feelings for GE. There was a lot of cuteness in this episode and I am all for it. I really like (OK, I actually loved) how the episode started, not only with Anthony admitting to SMA that he is in love with GE and that she is extremely important to him, but also the scene at GE’s studio, when Anthony lied to GE that signing the contract went smoothly. Anthony lied to his love so that she would not feel guilty about the contract not being signed. Who would have thought that the day would come when he would go to such lengths for someone else?
I especially LOVED that Anthony, having realized now what LOVE is and what being in love can make you do, he admits to GE, “yes, the male lead in KM would sacrifice everything for his love.” To which I would add: “and I know that now, because I just did it myself. I sacrificed my life long dream for you, and what is more, I don’t really regret it. Or at least if I do, I won’t make you feel guilty about it.” What a great trajectory, (and what I mean by that is the amount of change Anthony has gone through over time) Anthony has had. The show has done a great job portraying and laying it out. It was therefore delicious for me to see the little ways in which Anthony let his feelings (of a man in love, which made him more understanding in general) influence his behavior, from being extremely courteous to his possible mother-in-law, to being understanding with Joo PD when he and the boys are talking about his present to the FD, to asking where someone gets such things (matching rings). Also watching Anthony go from being just a producer to GE to acting like an oppa towards her (and behind her back, threatening KHM on her behalf among other things, has been so sweet to watch :-). KMM has done a great job staying in character and making Anthony’s transformation believable, and that is one of the things that I have appreciated about this drama.
It has also been sweet seeing GE being in love and do what people in love do, especially in the beginning stages. I loved the scene of her with her mom when she was being grilled about having a man in her life, that was cute and funny. I wish however that SMA would let go of Anthony, and I have been having some issues with how she has been written. I liked that she still helped Anthony. However, I don’t like that she has been made to be so desperate for his (romantic) affection for so long. I wanted to see her being portrayed in a better light. Kudos however to the actress for being a good “cryer” in this drama. The way she cries is very believable, in KoDs and in K Morning.
I couldn’t help but wonder if Gwang Soo leaving was a need by the actor to leave or if it was just the script.
I wondered why KHM had to change managers so late in the drama, hum… I did like that they touch on actors and actresses who coast on their good looks and popularity when it comes to being an actor or a singer even (Bitna comes to mind, because her voice, oy!!!!). That happens in the Korean entertainment world, and I liked how seriously it is dealt with here. It seems that KHM is forced to look at himself and that he will finally have to grow and earn his reputation as an actor, stopping to be just a pretty boy who also happens to be very popular. I also can’t help but wonder how many Korean celebs think about how limited their talent is and if that has ever been brought to their attention. I really liked this progression of KHM’s character, he was genuinely upset and started doing some serious thinking. I hope to see a change in him by the end of the drama. Not a total change, for I still like the way he laughs, among other things. I also wonder if we will have a love arc between KHM and SMA by the end of the drama.
I personally liked the turn of events, as far as Anthony finally realizing the struggles that his mother had because of her illness, brought on by the news Anthony received about his eyes. I have said this in a previous recap, I am firmly in the camp of those who want to see how this is played out in the end, before I make a judgment. I will also add that I have read up on that illness and it doesn’t bode well for Anthony. Of course, this being a drama, there could always be a happy ending. That being said, I would not wish that illness (and the way it happens) on anyone. It is heartbreaking, how quickly it degenerates, once it starts. This news finally made (in my eyes) Anthony appreciate better what his mother tried to do for him, with her limited capacities, and I applaud her for that (I also love the actress portraying the mother, she is really good). I liked the scene where Anthony breaks down in his mother’s nursing home room, finally letting it all come out (the emotions, the tears) maybe for the first time. Yes, we have seen Anthony cry before, but a lot of it seemed to be related to his dramas (or because of them, imho). This time, it seemed to go much deeper than that, and again, KMM did justice to that scene.
I can’t help but wonder ifAnthony is going to go all Noble Idiot on GE, because things seem to indicate that he will. He didn’t give her the gift he had for her (hid it in the car), and he is not in a hurry to sign the contract any more. I loved that he asked her when her feelings for him started, especially considering how horrible he had been to her in the beginning (for quite a while actually, because she ended being out of the drama world for 3 years because of him, and then he did some more mean things to her, once they reunited). I loved that (maybe) the news about his health made him consider his whole relationship with GE (the whole thing [and how he treated her at the beginning], not just the romantic aspect), making him assess how he had really been towards her.
I am really looking forward to GE’s response to Anthony’s question, and to seeing how the drama will end. KoDs, fighting!!!!!
PS.: I wrote this in a hurry (from a Word document) and pasted it here, and so my paragrahs are not layed out the way they were in the Word Document. Sorry :-(
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Uhnny
December 30, 2012 at 9:49 PM
About KHM changing the manager... I've read in soompi forums that Kwangsoo's enlistment is based in real life. The guy who portrays as Kwangsoo really got his enlistment letter just like what happened in the drama. :)
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Ivoire
December 31, 2012 at 12:19 AM
Hello Uhnny and thank you for your response. I guess my suspicions were not based on thin air :-). I thought it was sweet, the way they wrote his way out of the drama, and the way they portrayed the new guy (blunt and tactless). I look forward to seeing how things evolved between the new manager and KHM :-)
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bjharm
December 31, 2012 at 3:56 AM
well the change manager [dogsbody] also helped bring the acting thing into clear focus for KHM he pretty well needed to be slapped in the face with the idea that, gasp! he can not act before he would take it on board, i not saying he an airhead or anything...lol or maybe i am.
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Dominique
December 31, 2012 at 1:16 AM
I am at a loss about everyone being at a loss about Anthony's imminent blindness.
King of Dramas received an extension. The writer has to find additional materials to fill them up. Duh!
What the materials might be about was anyone's guess. But of what type, there was very little doubt: something or anything melodramatic. And so, we are now ushered into the final stretch of yet another Korean drama that will go out with a melodramatic bang.
The only thing I am waiting to see is what, or if anything, happens to the ring that Anthony lost in the gutter in Episode 1. I am curious to see what the drama does with it.
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bjharm
December 31, 2012 at 3:59 AM
the ring...he thought of it as his luck but as shown the way he lead his life was more of a curse, so in losing it his 'luck' changed and so did he...find it..no more like we hope change it with a couples ring!
{after all the lord of the rings the ring was the bane of everything}
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Femme
December 31, 2012 at 11:59 PM
Yes, they addressed the actual Daesang thing -- the ultimate reason why KING OF DRAMAS didn't get anything. Lol.
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Iammad
January 1, 2013 at 9:28 PM
KOD not receiving any awards is extremely tragic. (T.T)
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2 LingLing
December 30, 2012 at 1:20 PM
Gah! I'm so upset that there is no preview for next episode! A miracle needs to happen ASAP for the happy ending I want :( really hope the writer is just pulling our legs with this whole melodrama ordeal. >_<
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Laurita
December 30, 2012 at 3:23 PM
Really hope that too. It'll be ok, it'll be ok, it'll be ok, right, right, RIGHT? ... I am waiting for this answer in the next ep. the whole week if not more....
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ichaboy
December 30, 2012 at 8:51 PM
The preview for ep 17's up!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VEw6vEG4EB8
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Laurita
December 31, 2012 at 1:17 AM
aaahhhhh, thank you :) I'm much calmer now, I mean, yeah, it's going to be the sad way, but I'm glad in a way to not think about the possibilities anymore. So I can patiently wait for the ep. (and subs).
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reeen
December 31, 2012 at 3:06 AM
no way! ugh... I still love them all, but it really looks like it's going to take the clichéd route... :,-(
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ainiseunggi
December 31, 2012 at 9:58 AM
He's going to what everyone has predicted for. Noble Idiocy. sigh.
The only thing I can wish in this new year of 2013 is: that noble idiocy and those scenes in the whole preview will fill earlier half of episode 17, and that GE will find out about it right away! After that, she will have a smart way to get Anthony's heart! SO THAT--> Episode 18 will only be episode full of lovey-dovey-scenes!
amen.
:)
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Koirv
January 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Amen to hardcore lovey dovey scenes in the last episode! Amen to its finest!
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3 Deanna
December 30, 2012 at 1:32 PM
Love them finally admitting their attraction! But did anyone else have a problem with the scenes showing how he treated his mom then his crying scenes? It almost felt like he was more feeling sorry and scared for himself that he would end up like his mom and be treated that way, then sorry for how he had treated her? Maybe I read it wrong...
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 1:40 PM
I think it was both. Of course he's scared for his future and fears a fate of his mother. But I also felt that he felt deep regret for the way he treated his mother. There's saying that you should walk a mile in someone's shoes before criticizing them and now, after the diagnose, Anthony IS walking in his mother's shoes. She feels the glimpses of the pain and hardship she has to face and it makes him understand what she went through - and it hurts. It hurts because not only is he feeling his own pain but the pain of his mother, too.
Even I was in pain during that crying scene. :(
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 2:00 PM
Anthony's whole persona and aspiration in life began from him finding his life and his mother pathetic and weak. If anything can make him understand just how strong and awesome a woman she was and how silly it is to think anything less than status and financial wealth is hell, it's this. I still think there would have been other ways to have him understand her without making the guy blind though.
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 2:04 PM
I think that is a realization that will come but a bit later. First there's a shock, a panic for himself and realization how it must've been for his mother. When he calms down, then comes the appreciation of his mother's strength.
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Colors
December 30, 2012 at 4:11 PM
I don't think you can compare both situations. His mom was poor and alone and she had to bring up a child on her own.
Kim Bong Dal has a job which he could keep even if he'd face some hardships. Since he's somehow rich, he could have a dog and everything you may need like a special phone and computer and he's smart so he could even learn Braille and all. He wouldn't live the way she did in any case. He just has this feeling of resentment towards his mother's way of life due to her blindness and her (and his?) hopelessness. That's the drama, I think, the part about fighting with yourself (and not sacrificing yourself as a noble idiot so that your beloved won't suffer). It seems obvious to me that Lee Go Eun would love him all the same. (Well, I may be wrong.)
Actually, I wasn't really surprised he had the same disease, especially after the blurry eyes earlier on.
Orion
December 30, 2012 at 4:29 PM
@ colors
His current status doesn't matter. He has been poor and knows how it feels. He will be blind and know how helpless that too feels (even when you do get used to it, some things are simply not possible anymore). Knowing what both is like, he will appreciate someone who had them both at the same time and a child to raise even more. He won't fully understand, of course and as you say. But hurting so bad even though he is better off will just help his mother's strength in her life sink in.
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4 Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 1:36 PM
There's so much to say about this episode. Where could I even begin! At first I was a bit mortified about the blindness thingey, but it does feel planned after all instead of a late adding to the drama. Why else would Anthony's mother be blind? It's unnecessary to make her blind just to alleviate Anthony's difficult childhood. Absent father and extreme poverty would have been quite enough. But if you want your main character to have some sort of serious disease... And picking a disease like LHON doesn't really sound like it just pop into somebody's mind. It requires research. I actually did mine and while LHON is technically incurable as it is "in the genes", not all patients lose sight in both eyes. Also, even in medical reports it says that there are cases of sudden recovery that science cannot really explain although I doubt that writer would choose this way out. It would sound too cliche even if it's based on reality. So, like you, HeadsNo2, I'm waiting for the next episode to sort out my thoughts about this turn...
This episode was really heart breaking in a way. I almost cry and I rarely do that while watching dramas. It's just that everything was going so well for Anthony and he was so HAPPY when buying those couple rings, being a white knight for Go-Eun, trying to make an impression on her mom (how freakin' cute is THAT). And then BAM! You're gonna be blind. When he was crying in the hospital at his mother bedside, I wanted to cry with him, too. His pain was so raw and heartbreaking.
There's also something i would like to say about the last scene. It made me realize something about Anthony that I hadn't thought about before. Anthony seems so self sufficient but I think that deep down he really needs love and acceptation. He craves for them. So far he just hasn't let any of that out but after hearing the diagnosis and seeing his mom in hospital, he's really at his lowest emotionally. That scene was so intimate. He was finally being open and emotionally vulnerable to somebody. He was ASKING for Go-Eun to love him.
Ok, hear me out. It's possible that I'm wrong and Anthony will go on and walk the path of noble idiocy. I just thought that if he had already made that choice, him voicing out his knowledge about Go-Eun's feelings was unnecessary and silly move. Had he decided to push Go-Eun away because blind Anthony is not good enough for her or whatever, he should have just keep silent and ignore Go-Eun. He could have even given her the impression that he IS dating Mina after all. That would have made sure that Go-Eun backs off.
However, he did bring cat on the table. I don't think "when" is the point of his question at all, it goes much deeper. I think it's the core of our wish to be loved and accepted that Anthony is hitting here. Because this is what we want most, isn't it? We want unconditional love. We want somebody to love us DESPITE all our flaws, despite all the bad and hurtful things we have said and done. We all hurt our loved ones sometimes and feel like we are despicable and not good for anything. Those are the moments when we really need to hear the words "I love you no matter what, I accept you", literally or by deeds. Those words are magic, in such situations they can heel and change a world to us.
And I think that THIS is what Anthony is really asking. Look at his face - he's defiant. "I'm a bad person, I've hurt you, I've been mean to you - and yet despite all this you love me? Do you love me?"
I so, so, SO hope that this scene will unfold Go-Eun somehow responding to Anthony's need. Instead of Anthony mocking her and pushing her away. We shall see, only couple of days left...
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jomo143
December 30, 2012 at 1:47 PM
AK listed some of the bad things he did to GE. There were actually a lot more.
I think her response should be to name ALL the other things he did, and say "A-Duh, Anthony. You can be a class A batard sometimes. In spite of those things, I like you."
He is giving her the perfect opportunity to also include all the GOOD he has done for her, and for her to point out how all really bad things happened way at the beginning.
They make such good partners, I hope in the end we get a happily ever after with them together even if it is not romantic.
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 1:56 PM
That would make a preeetty long speech, no? :) Personally I think something short would suffice or scene could even unfold without any more words whatsoever. Go-Eun could just go to Anthony without saying anything and hug/kiss him. That would be a message bigger than any words could convey.
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 2:08 PM
He did leave the rings in the car though. He might go for the "I don't know why you like me or when you started, but I don't feel the same, get lost" bastard speech to make her pull away from him. Which would be the cliche, but this series has been perfect with setting up perfect cliche ground only to break it.
Cry in front of the woman, tell her you're going blind, let her comfort you with a nice hug and her awesome girliness, take her upstairs, show her how the rest of your anatomy is perfectly functional, plan your new lifestyle, make lemonade out of the lemons given. That's what I hope to see. Well, ok, we don't need to see all of that in detail, although a hint that Koreans do have sex would be nice in a kdrama. Some are nice enough to include that and it's a relief. :P
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 2:16 PM
Rawr! For the functional anatomy part. ;) For this scene, though, sex is pretty optional, I think. Or rather, I wouldn't probably add it here... I feel that what Anthony needs above all is consolation, not sex. It's true that sex can be a way to console one's partner but in such cases I think both should be, well, at least have had sex before. And Go-Eun is a virgin. So I would just opt for them to sleep in same bed clothes on for now.
However, I wouldn't mind some implication of sex at some point later! ;)
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Mystisith
December 30, 2012 at 2:22 PM
I love bed scenes with clothes on (SeGa, AGD). It's a way to suggest intimacy and to let the imagination do the rest of the work. Perfect compromise. :)
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 2:26 PM
I know, I'm just kidding. Pity sex with your partner who has the downsies is fine, but not exactly fit for the first time. :P What I mean is, I want to see ONE couple just sit down together and work through problems and be as people who are close would be, instead of going martyr and hurt lamb on us.
I want to see this disease used to show how you can make it human and sad, but ultimately a part of life and move on despite it. I want to see it turned, very carefully, into "not such a big deal". Because most dramas use anything from a fatal illness to the pizza boy disagreeing with the union as a reason to basically show us the couple doesn't like each other enough to stick to each other and get over their problems together. This is what I want done differently here.
And yes, sex should happen, at some point. Go Eun is a virgin who knows love, he is a "full" guy who doesn't. Since we finally see him starting to get love, it's also fair for Go Eun to show you don't need to be a delicate flower no-dont-touch-my-bad-place to be in love and still decent. I'm not saying there should be a huge deal made out of it, but at least for them to give a hint of a healthy couple. ;)
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 2:35 PM
I basically second everything you just said. I'd add that it definitely doesn't seem like sex would be a problem for Go-Eun. After all, she thought Anthony was watching porn and was completely fine with it. So if they DID try to suddenly pull something like her having huge moral issues about thouching-her-bad-places, it would really feel out of character.
mommai
December 30, 2012 at 4:01 PM
I think leaving the rings in the car could be a case of timing as well. He's not on the same happy in love high that he was on earlier, and hardly is in the mood to initiate a deeper relationship with Go Eun at that moment.
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 4:10 PM
True. I hope this will defy all cliches, despite revolving around one.
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Laurita
December 30, 2012 at 3:18 PM
I completely agree with you saying that Anthony wants/needs to feel loved. But for me, though it's so bitter to acknowledge, it didn't look that Anthony will confess his illness. When I saw him in hospital, watching his mother and remembering childhood, for a moment I thought: that's it, it's over. I mean, if he had such struggles with a blind mother, wouldn't he thought that to give the same struggles for Go-eun is too much for both of them? I don't think that the confession about the illness would solve everything so nicely. To think about, there would not only be a very hard relationship (I mean, with Anthony's pride and etc.), also Go-eun's mother, who doesn't really like Anthony and, imagine, Go-eun announcing that she'll marry to him, blind. I am all for happy ending, really, I also want them to live happy after, no matter ill or healthy, but I doubt there would be a quick salvation with a confession way...
About Anthony's question, I thought that he just needed to KNOW, that he was worth to be loved, and that's it.
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yumii
December 30, 2012 at 3:29 PM
I am marvelously perfect at wrongly predicting the way the k-dramas will go.
But I would love it if KING would use its royal prerogative to flout expectations and have its hero ask the woman he loves to love/accept him even though he has an additional, for want of another word, liability.
If Anthony will accept that Go-eun loved him as a jackass, maybe he will accept that she can love him as a blind jackass.
I think the perfection of Go-eun confession is that its truth was beyond question. It wasn't said to Anthony face, so there was no way she could expect it to work to her advantage. So by confessing to the seemingly departed Anthony's underlines the honesty of her confession.
What makes Go-eun so perfect for Anthony/Kim Bong Dal is that she accepts who she is and as she discovers all the things that made Bong Dal feel inferior she has just accepted them as a who he is without judgement or making him feel as if he is or was lacking. She makes him know it is okay to be Bong Dal, that he doesn't have to be Anthony for her to love him.
My only question about the Antony becoming symptomatic of with the disease, is that he seems to have been caught off-guard. That a man as bright as he is had in no way been aware of his vulnerability to the disease flies in the face of logic. He is his mom's sole support and her doctor has never suggested that he get tested? Weird.
I was expecting/suspecting that something like the knowledge of his susceptibility to his mom's disease disrupted his relationship with Min-ah and he left instead of sharing. If that is so, I hope this time he will share instead of leaving Go-eun.
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Colors
December 30, 2012 at 4:20 PM
I think he was caught off guard because his mother was blind when he was a child (does he ever remember her not blind?). Even though she is now in a special medical home, she's not in danger so he may not have known that she BECAME blind because of a disease or that it was genetic.
It's like, "my mom's blind and we had a hard life but I left and now I'm rich and sucessful enough to take care of her even if I don't want people to know".
I don't think he ever shared anything personal with Min Ah except his dream of being the king of drama... She probably doesn't even know he has a mother who's still alive. Or even his real name. And he didn't seem to be in love with Min Ah, not really. It was a light-hearted relationship for him (although he thought it was love and it could've been, but not like your 'love conquer all' clichéed type of love.).
But I do agree that Min Ah as a certain vision of him and she wants him to fit in rather than try and see who he really is, as opposed to Lee Go Eun.
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5 jomo143
December 30, 2012 at 1:40 PM
Thanks, headsno2, for your ever so thoughtful and thorough recap!
(One of your heads could donate BOTH eyes, btw.)
Yes, despite the clues, we were blindsided by the blindness.
I have to think and hope we will see drama cliche #43 subverted. Misdiagnosis style. I mean, we got to see debt, amnesia and car accident come to naught before. It is only fair.
Loved many things -
*Loved the car convo between AK and GE's mom.
*Loved the AK / HM tete a tete and threat a threat. AK delivering those insults with a big smile was great. I can't get enough of them together.
*Loved how happy AK was reporting to GE that he fixed things and the unspoken "For my girl, I can do anything."
*Loved the seriousness of the acting advice from MA. She treated him as an equal for the first time. No derision. Honesty that he was finally ready to hear. I hope they end up good friends, rather than falling into a romance. He sure could use someone to teach him professionalism. His manager isn't helping.
I started watching White Tower to get my KMM fix. I can't NOT hear his voice. It soothes and protects!!
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 2:10 PM
It's one of them "Voice of God" voices. The kind you'd like to have read a bedtime story to your kids so they may grow up to be more awesome, since it really feels like it would spread awesomeness into their young minds. Gotta love people with good voices. And when they use them well, eargasm.
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Toystar
December 30, 2012 at 7:40 PM
Omg yes! KMM could read the nutrition facts on a can of soup and I'd find that sexy.
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dfwkimchi
December 31, 2012 at 11:25 AM
This is the first time I am seeing KMM and JRW as actors. Love both of them and this drama too! They are doing an excellent jobs of their characters - AK and LGE. As for KMM's voice - I have been known to let ab episode run on my laptop while I am getting ready for bed and let his voice put me into sweet slumber!
BTW - love all the recaps - and all yall's comments. Very insightful observations!! U guys are really serious Kdrama fans!
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6 Katie
December 30, 2012 at 1:42 PM
SO much character development! I liked Minah and Hyun Min's interactions. Our Hyun Min's growing up!
I can't believe Anthony will go blind and it's incurable! I expected he'd get his mother's illness but I was hoping the doctors would say they caught it early and there's new experimental stuff going on...etc. Can't believe they're going down this route! Just when him and Go Eun were getting so cute. And there's 2 episodes left! How are they going to resolve this?! Even if Go Eun says she can accept it, how will Anythony realize his dream for his own company? GAH.
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 1:46 PM
Actually there are experimental treatments to LHON. Which of course doesn't mean that writer will choose to use this information...
(Yeah, I kinda started to read medical journals. :P)
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reeen
December 30, 2012 at 3:47 PM
Thanks for the info! This takes drama addiction to new levels, I suppose? :D
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Katie
December 30, 2012 at 4:39 PM
Well then I hope that's the case or something. I mean...this is kind of tragic after what's been a pretty funny drama. I guess that's what's taken me by surprise. For the most part it's been funny and light...and then in the last 2-3 episodes it turns serious? Come on writer make it happier!
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jomo143
December 31, 2012 at 8:30 AM
Did it strike anyone suddenly that his mother being blind cannot be the sole reason she is bed-ridden, and in a nursing home? If Anthony goes blind, it certainly wouldn't mean he is completely incapacitated, right?
Are we supposed to suppose that her impoverished life took such a toll on her to make her weak all over?
It was the first time "mother in a nursing home" cliche took me out of the moment. We see that she raised her son on her own, BLIND, and then we see is a completely dependent individual with no fight in her?
I think it is the writing that turned her into an invalid, because her personality showed as someone who would endeavor to be on her own.
There are alternatives if the impaired person is healthy.
The Equator Man gave us an UTW who managed to live on his own. Anthony has at least that much Uhm-force in him!!
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7 trixicopper
December 30, 2012 at 1:52 PM
I've been loving the daylights out of this show, so the whole "You're going blind!" deal was a truly WTF moment for me. Seriously show, FIX this! Or we really will have at the very least, words. Just in case, I have a pitchfork and a torch and am willing to travel! :)
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8 Mystisith
December 30, 2012 at 1:55 PM
Huh. Writer-nim is successful at leaving us cliffhanging! I'm sharpening every tools in my house for that ending. If he ends up blind (bleh, bleh!) I want them to be happy together at least. I would help paying for the guide dog if necessary.
I agree with the fact than the characters are taking the right path: Hyun-min is getting serious with his craft, Min-ah is helping him and letting Anthony go. KBD confessed to Go-eun and told her he knows. I suspect we will have 5 mins of noble idiocy then she will tell him to shut up and listen. The ball is in her camp now...
By the way, GE is really innocent: Since when men watch porn to have a good cry? Come here girl, you need a briefing... Lol.
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 2:00 PM
True about porn. But then again at least she KNOWS what porn is and that men watch it a lot - and is actually accepting about the fact! Imagine that, a heroine who's ok with male leading watching porn. That's something!
It would be pretty awesome if Anthony would just tell Go-Eun the truth. That rarely happens in this kind of a situations. Other good option is the one you presented: Anthony will try to pull the noble idiocy trick but unlike all other k-heroines who just start to gracefully mope and suffer, Go-Eun would have none of that. She reads Anthony pretty well so she should be able to dig into his matters and make him realize that she's ain't going nowhere.
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Farpavilions
December 30, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Or, he could reverse the Noble Idiot trope, tell Go Eun he's going blind and ask her to decide whether she wants to stick it out or not. Girl's either going to be heartbroken if she gets dumped for no reason, or guilty as heck for ditching a soon to be blind man, so she might as well get a choice unlike every other kdrama heroine.
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9 Orion
December 30, 2012 at 1:57 PM
It's really the only series which I will wait to see the thought process of before sharpening my knives. A writer so aware of cliches would simply not do this. IF someone at SBS or the production team didn't force this on the plot and the writer still has control, I will trust them. I honestly feel that, if this is not used properly, it can only mean someone made them do it.
That said, Bong Dal really is a person who seems to often not "get" things unless they happen to him. Much like with falling in love. Maybe his blindness offers a way across that final hurdle in his life. Accepting that even a poor person can be happy and strong and admirable. You can bet his mother will no longer look poor and pathetic to him when he realizes just how big titanium reinforced balls she had to raise a child on her own and with her condition. Let's face it, it's bad, but it's not cancer.
Was it necessary at the very end, when it can't be used for development much? Yes. Is there anything truly worth the trouble and sadness that they can do with this to really make it shine, unlike other dramas? Maybe, but I can't think of a good reason right now. The fact is, this might be an external force, a slip-up or it might turn out to be the best "up yoursh" to how disease is mostly used in dramas. It will all depend on how they use it. For now, I'll trust them.
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10 Curlyjewels
December 30, 2012 at 1:59 PM
My suggestion is that Anthony needs to go for a second opinion. I see no evidence that he is almost blind in one eye. No glasses, no eye straining, just blurred vision every now and then, no difficulty seeing objects and absolutely no problems with reading...or is that just a minor detail that they forgot to include in the plot.
Why at the 16th hour did they want to go with that plot directions. Is that why they wanted the extension? Well this is our last week just 2 more episodes. I hope all ends well with our OTP's.
Oh.... I nearly forgot to say THANKs FOR THE RECAP HeadsNo2!
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Colors
December 30, 2012 at 4:29 PM
I think it's hard to notice when you lose some of your sight, although I'm not sure about one (almost) entire eye. And apparently the disease comes fast, I'm not sure if wikipedia is the best source of information around but where's the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leber%27s_hereditary_optic_neuropathy
But what's I'm sure of, is that people usually dismiss all symptoms and think they're weak or whatever because they're tired and stressed out.
Maybe Anthony just turned a blind eye on his symptoms! (alright, pun not funny.)
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11 Farpavilions
December 30, 2012 at 2:02 PM
I knew I could rely on your recap to pinpoint the song that plays in the Kwang Soo farewell scene ... I kept thinking it must be Stairway to Heaven or Winter Sonata or some other weepy melo and was getting frustrated at being hung up on such trivia. :)
Heads, you rawk.
And hopefully the writer does a miraculous about-turn on the diagnosis. Was half-wishing rather heartlessly in this week's OT that the coughing ahjussi would succumb to lung cancer and donate a cornea or two ...
And I just have to say, Kim Myung Min's microexpressions are amazing. I've been pausing and repeating the scenes when he just watches and watches Go Eun watching Love Letter, and the one where he's reading her CV. The man can make a tiny eyelid lift signify love, and a minute jaw twitch indicate distaste (when he sees Go Eun is a blackbelt).
His minimalism is the complete opposite of Hyun Min's hilariously OTT acting and oh. so. good -- I love the little details like how he can't park his car straight anymore because of his right eye going (see the KMM behind the scenes special about that Lou Gehrig movie and you'll be awed by his attention to minutiae)
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 2:15 PM
Kim Myung Min is King of Expressionless Expressions. You really can't see anything on his face change much and yet everything somehow does. He barely flips a hair on his eyebrow and manages to change his entire expression and make it strong enough to pull planets.
Acting is skills, experience, talent and charm (as an actor, not necessarily a man/woman). If you also have the ability to act with every fiber of your physical being, you're a God/Goddess. Yes, Korea. This is where that term should be used. Not to turn every pretty plastic girl into the "perfect being" so often none of them are.
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 2:19 PM
I'm still in awe about his mere existence. IF I were a type to be fangirling, this is where I'd be fangirling so freakin' hard. But I'm not. So I'll just say that he is an excellent actor and I admire his skillZ!
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 2:31 PM
He is an awesome actor and I am a woman enough to say I wouldn't kick him out of bed if he were not married and offered himself, but a sane enough woman to not go gaga and yell "Opppaaaaaa" for him all over the internet while stressing the fact that he's "MINE! FOREVA" despite being a complete stranger who's also complete-married. Bwahahaha.
He rocks, he's hot, but this "reality" thing is something I can tell pretty well apart from fiction. Thankfully. O_O
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Plus, I'm a one-guy-at-a-time fangirl and he isn't my one guy. I'm currently a bit guy-less. Well... sort of. Maybe.
kbnhkr
December 30, 2012 at 2:36 PM
It's an "adult fangirling style". I like your wording. I feel the same too. :)
Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 2:40 PM
He is MINE! In my dreams only, though. :) Kekeke. Besides, technically it's not KMM who I have a fan crush at the moment but Anthony. As you say, KMM is a total stranger and I have no idea what kind of a person he is (beside tha fact that he's and awesome actor). It's just that there's Go-Eun... Usually drama gals are so bland that I don't mind "stealing" a man from them but I can't do that for Go-Eun, not even in my imagination. XD
Man, I sound crazy, don't I?
Anyways, I have to admit that like you, I wouldn't kick KMM out of my bed if surroundings were as you describe... Then again, not bloody likely. :)
Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 2:47 PM
Well, if I'm serious, I'm not a fan of anything, really. Never been the type, not even when I was a teenager. I usually "fall in love" with some fictional characters and as I have very vivid imagination, I have quite a lot of "movies" running in my head with these guys. I'm the female lead, of course. But this is just basic day dreaming to keep me occupied for example during the long walks. So nothing serious there.
However, this is the first time I have been even this excited about an actor. If I were in Korea, I MIGHT enlist to KMM's fan club and become a silent, slightly embarrassed member who mostly stalks club's web page for new information. :D
Orion
December 30, 2012 at 4:19 PM
@Arawn
We all have the "movies". It's called fantasizing and it's healthy. We all (and especially single women) have an awesome Prince Charming in fantasy-land, so we just find different faces with which we make him real. We "use" the guys we feel attracted to (in pop culture) as masks for our dream guy. It's just that some of us are aware we're horny over a guy's looks and "in love" only with the guy in our heads and some of us think a character = the actor and our one true wuv and that I am horny over him = He's a great actor.
And that is what separates fangirls from kyaagirls. Touch (or lack thereof) with reality and respect (or lack thereof) for the subject of our horniness/affection. I know who I like as an actor and who I find hot and the difference. I can also tell and admit it when both are true. It's not wrong to be attracted to charming people nor offending. It just depends how you handle it.
Koirv
January 1, 2013 at 12:05 AM
Everything stated here, Orion. Everything. Discovering him is the finest thing that happened in my screen-exposure life.
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12 mjfan
December 30, 2012 at 2:04 PM
I sooooooooooooooooooo loved the scene of Anthony watching love letter , KMM acting is no joke .....
Hyun min mature turn is so great and I was waiting for it ...
I still have hopes that this blindness thingy will not be the same as any other drama , they will sure do something unexpected with it , RIGHT , SHOW ?
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Koirv
January 1, 2013 at 12:07 AM
Finest kind of acting -- being a natural. Hardest to do, that's for sure. Kim Myung-min makes it always look so... effortless. The easier it looks like because of its natural nature, the harder it actually is.
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13 myra
December 30, 2012 at 2:20 PM
Heads, I have to ask you a question: what's happening with the recaps for Conspiracy in the court? it's been almost two months since your last (and first) recap... are you going to continue or something happened and you had to stop?
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HeadsNo2
January 2, 2013 at 1:21 PM
Thanks for asking! Yes, they're happening. Catching up on King of Dramas weeks into its airing coupled with sickness coupled with holidays just made Conspiracy impossible for a bit. But I will be returning to it in full force once King is done airing, please look forward to it!
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14 Ruth
December 30, 2012 at 2:29 PM
I'm glad I'm not the only one that groaned when they brought out the disease angle. I mean, it made sense, but seriously? We were doing so well. But, as someone else says, I'll give the writer the benefit of the doubt as they've been so trustworthy up until now. That said, I've made a pact with myself that if a drama has more than three hospital arcs and the hospital is not an actual part of the main plot, I'm bailing. KoD gets a buy because it's so good and so close to the end.
There wasn't much other than that one thread that I didn't like in this episode. Specifically, I love that Hyun Min's shallowness as an actor got some quality treatment and I also like that it doesn't seem like Anthony's job opportunity is going to turn into some evil deed done by some nefarious character. Thank goodness.
One more thing that I haven't said anything about previously but think was once again illustrated in this episode was the cool relationship between Go Eun and her mom. It's nice that this drama has a regular, down-to-earth, caring, nurturing (sometimes nagging) mom and that she and her daughter obviously love and care for one another.
For me, this has just been one of those feel good dramas that isn't good because it's syrupy or cute (although there's been some of that) but because it's genuine and the little things about the characters that would be endearing or annoying in real life are written in so well.
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15 Sajen
December 30, 2012 at 2:36 PM
so, this show now has something in common with The World They Live In, which I liked but that's apparently just me, in that both male leads are going blind if Anthony leaves Go-eun like Hyun Bin left Song Hye Kyo, because you know he can, heads are going to roll.
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Mystisith
December 30, 2012 at 2:43 PM
KOD is a drama for fans of dramas who like dramas about dramas... and I don't believe in coincidences. But I believe in troll writers. :)
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reeen
December 30, 2012 at 4:15 PM
very good observation! it puts me at ease to know the blindness and leaving happened already in The World They Live In. Now I'm pretty sure the writer won't go the same route - where would be the fun in that?!
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Koirv
January 1, 2013 at 12:11 AM
That drama came to my mind as well. I'm sure (lol maybe) that Writer Jang Hang-joon is already aware of that certain drama plot. Hopefully he will not enter in the same ending which we clearly included in our ending predictions.
Btw, I have a huge feeling that Episode 17's half will have its transition to a lighter feel, again. Like we're back to the tone of Episode 15. Haha, thing is, my feelings are 10% or even 5% accurate lol.
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Ruth
December 30, 2012 at 4:49 PM
lol....troll writers. I so wish we could "like" posts.
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Pipit
December 30, 2012 at 10:59 PM
Heads are really going to roll if that's where they are heading! Kim Myong Min as Master Kang in Beethoven Virus also left the girl he loved so I'm so not okay with Anthony Kim doing exactly the same thing here. The ratings might influence the writers mood, but they should know that a happy ending counts a lot in viewers' book.
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Koirv
January 1, 2013 at 12:14 AM
Haha Pipit! Yeah ratings definitely put the tightest kind of pressure to the writers. I hope they won't get discouraged. I mean, why be discouraged if only the South Korean crowds aren't aware of the drama... WHEN A HUNDRED MORE COUNTRIES eagerly wait for fresh episodes every Monday & Tuesday? :) Their exports of DVDs and OSTs. Ha! Just wait, KOD cast and crew!
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16 earthna
December 30, 2012 at 2:46 PM
The diagnosis makes me nervous. Oooh. And we only get one episode for this week. Then we have to wait another week for the finale. Pure torture, I say.
Thanks for the recaps!!
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17 reeen
December 30, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Woohoo! Thanks for the recap! The perfect treat before going to bed :)
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18 Jaeminuf
December 30, 2012 at 2:56 PM
For me, it didn't seem as if the blindness came out of nowhere. From quite a few episodes back, the drama dropped two or three rather obvious hints that something big was in the works. I didn't necessarily think it'd be hereditary blindness but the hints were such that something of this magnitude seems appropriate. I'm more curious to see what the drama does from here on.
HeadsNo2, thank you also for pointing out the My Sassy Girl references. I thought they felt familiar but hadn't thought to figure out why. You're awesome, as usual! Happy New Year!
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Hooliah
December 30, 2012 at 3:03 PM
I feel the same way. This didn't come out of thin air--the dramas' been hinting at this for a while.
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19 Hooliah
December 30, 2012 at 3:02 PM
I honestly wouldn't be surprised if KoD ends with Anthony ACTUALLY going blind. Why? Because if it's a misdiagnosis or he finds a magic cure, that would be the very definition of a done-to-death drama cliche--especially in comedies like this one. "Oh, we can't ruin the tone of this light-hearted comedic drama by having something really serious happen to one of the main characters, so we'll threaten and then handwave it after the fact."
I wonder if the way they are going to undermine drama cliches (comedic and melo) here is by making Anthony actually learn to deal with a disease that will not kill him just like people with non-fatal diseases in real life do. It will be awful, but it won't be the end of the world. Dramas paint everything so black and white all of the time--you're either in absolute perfect health or you're at death's door. It seems like maybe this drama will show that it's possible to not be perfectly healthy all of the time but still GO ON LIVING at the same time.
But I could also be totally wrong. Either way, I'm not angry about the blindness thing. It's been coming all this time. We'll just have to wait and see how the show deals with it. And until I find out, I'm staying cautiously optimistic that it will be exactly what (we maybe didn't even know) we wanted.
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mommai
December 30, 2012 at 5:01 PM
I agree with you. I've been picturing Go Eun pushing a blind Anthony around in a wheelchair while he still wears his awesome suits and gives people attitude while she grins, and they show that illness isn't always doom and gloom and that they can show some humor in a difficult situation. People do go on living with all sorts of challenges, and do find the humor in it. But that's a silly little daydream of mine ;)
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Noemi
December 30, 2012 at 8:18 PM
Wow, good points! In my head, I was considering Anthony's diagnosis ---the potential threat of going blind---a cliche in and of itself, but as you point out, the true cliche would be if Anthony does not in fact go blind afterall, by some sort of deus ex machina solution. Which puts me in a difficult spot as a fan of KOD. On one hand, I'd like the drama to stay true to its writing and entirely undermine the cliche...as you put it, it'd be nice for a drama to show that a character can be blind and actually continue to go on with their life all the same. On the other hand---and now that I'm actually writing this it seems a bit trivial---I just love KMM's facial expressions so much, that I'm afraid of what would happen to his portrayal of Anthony if Anthony were to go blind and stay blind. KMM emotes so much using his eyes that I think it'd be strange to see Anthony's character not being able to really use his eyes to convey emotion anymore...if that makes sense at all. Obviously there are more to facial expressions than just the eyes, and KMM also emotes through his voice and whatnot but still...
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Noemi
December 30, 2012 at 9:10 PM
Of course, my concerns are entirely superficial...I have faith that both the writer and Kim Myung Min will be able to pull off whatever the drama has in store for us! :D
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20 katiamon
December 30, 2012 at 3:08 PM
I hope Anthony has been missdiagnosed, he can't be blind!!!!! Even though this is the melodramatic part i expect Go Eun to be awesome as always and give optimism to Bong Dal...
I was also sad for Hyun Min, we know he was a lazy bad actor but this was a hard way to realize the truth and also a bummer that he had to lose his manager. I hope he improves soon so he can win every single award.
And Min Ah is so cool, i think is the most sane and normal female antagonist in dramaland ever. Her actions show that she really loves Anthony and that she has selfsteem and dignity, when she gave her advice to HM i liked her professionalism.
Thanks for the recap, i expect a happy awesome ending :)
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21 kellie
December 30, 2012 at 3:09 PM
The comments are priceless: Eargasms. Help pay for AK's guide dog. I am dying here, so funny.
My favorite moment in the episode is AK's attempt to explain why he's watching Love Letter -- he's studying the dialect of the Kobe Prefecture. Loved that, dear KoD writer.
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22 Min
December 30, 2012 at 3:20 PM
this drama is soooo wonderful!! thanks for the recaps Headsno2!!!
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23 pitling
December 30, 2012 at 3:30 PM
I can't believe they pulled in blindness at this spot. It doesn't feel sudden because of the awesome acting of KMM but yes I don't want anything in way of Anthony-Go eun time of sparkles and raibows right now.
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24 news
December 30, 2012 at 3:55 PM
I really liked the last scene. For a K-drama, it was uncharacteristically undramatic, but since it's King of Dramas, it was surprising, understated yet full of emotional impact. I just love that she didn't throw a predictable K-heroine tantrum even though she waited a long time for him. And I especially love that a K-drama hero actually ASKS the girl why she likes him while listing all of his shortcomings (as opposed to just accepting it as if he freely deserves it).
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Hooliah
December 30, 2012 at 4:45 PM
It's interesting that you mention it; I think Anthony was surprised too when she didn't flip out at him about it, instead being understanding and saying that if his mother wasn't well he might not have thought to call her. She also wasn't suspicious of him in that moment--she took him at his word and moved on happily. I think it's this immediate trust and support on her part that made him suddenly want to ask her how she could possibly like him in spite of all of the horrible things he's done. I mean, doesn't she understand how awful he is? How he doesn't DESERVE to be loved like that? How he DESERVES to go blind and be alone?
This scene really brought out everything I love about Anthony. For all of the confidence he exudes around everyone else, the reality is that he hates himself more than anyone else could, and he doesn't believe that he deserves happiness. For a minute he thought he could have it all--his dramas, Go-Eun, everything--but then the blindness reared its head, reminding him that that kind of perfect life is for other, better people. He really believes there's no chance at redemption for him and that he deserves the worst after all he's done.
I don't think he's right, of course, and I hope Go-Eun can pull him up out of his slump and show him that even if he does go blind he doesn't have to be alone and the world doesn't have to be over. But I guess we'll see where the writers take us...
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mommai
December 30, 2012 at 5:04 PM
I really like that they ended the episode with him asking such a poignant (for him) question rather than him brushing her off or lashing out at her in a fit of Noble Idiocy (ugh). This drama has done really well at putting real emotional moments in where other dramas do over the top cliches. I'm still hoping that the blindness has a planned ending that works, since they drama has done so well so far. It does feel a little different than most drama sudden illnesses.
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liza
December 31, 2012 at 5:26 PM
This is not a new question for Anthony, remember on the rooftop when he asked her if she liked him and before she could answered he said why would you?
Anthony has always thought that he was not deserving of Beoun's love. That she loved him most likely "hit" him harder than discovering that he cared for her.
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news
December 31, 2012 at 6:38 PM
True, but the context of the situation makes the question different. On the rooftop, he was just speculating that she liked him, so it was more a rhetorical question, kind of like, "Do you like me? Nah, you wouldn't like someone like me." Since he didn't think it to be true, he didn't need her to answer. But in this episode, given his condition and knowing she likes him, "why" holds a lot of weight.
But it's not as if he's never been loved by other women. I wonder why he never asked Min-ah the same question. Is it b/c GE is the complete opposite of him and therefore he feels less deserving of her?
Lucy
December 31, 2012 at 3:50 PM
I have the same hopes. I wish he could find happyness even if it means outside 'dramaworld' and that GE could show him that. He has to face what the psychiatrist said, he has to deal with things even if they don't go the way he wants to, that he doesn't need to be a big shot to be happy, that it is not the end.
I hope they end up working together as writing partners (co-writers of dramas), even if he is blind, he can do that very well.
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25 latteholic
December 30, 2012 at 4:16 PM
Okay first of all the My Sassy Girl parody was awesome! I didn't know whether I should laugh or cry, because in a way it is supposed to be sad, but alluding it also to My Sassy Girl (which was also sad) was hilarious! :D
Secondly, please don't go too melo or take the noble idiocy route, drama! I love you because you're a fun drama and it'd be awesome if you stay that way all through the end. But even if you have to, I hope you won't have to stay there for a long time... :)
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26 Onichick
December 30, 2012 at 4:33 PM
Omg. When Anthony was sobbing next to his Mom, I lost it. I just couldnt. Ive been watching School and I Miss You and no tears. (Cept in IMY when a certain person dies and later witha shared meal I got emotional but didnt cry) But that whole stoic cry thing killed me.
I have been a Anthony lover since Day 1. Yes he is underhanded and displays some questionable business practice but where it matters I always felt like he was willing to step up. I wouldnt have been onboard with him if hadnt told the truth to that Motorcyclist's death. It wouldnr have been easier to lie and not saying anything and it showed a strength of character that he owned up to it, even though there was no pay out for him.
I may have to finally admit Siwon can act...I have been dubious of his skills before but I may have to give him this. I also think that being around so many veteran actors who are just really good actors is doing him a world of good.
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27 autleaf
December 30, 2012 at 4:38 PM
Am I the only person who feels it's freaky for a guy to give couple rings to a girl whom he has yet to go on a date with? I'm aware that Korean dating scene has some unique cultural differences but I would totally freak out if a guy bust out rings on a first date (hey dude, you're still technically a stranger to me, ok, chill). Or is it perhaps that Joo PD and the maknae FD has known each other at work, so this could be perfectly acceptable but then how would one know what direction first date will take?
Although, mind you, I don't feel the same way with Anthony planning to give Go Eun couple rings, despite planning to do it on a "contract-signing date", because we know where that's heading, don't we? But after the ending, do we?
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Orion
December 30, 2012 at 4:48 PM
Joo PD is a guy who can't even talk to the girl. I doubt he's an expert on what to do with dating and Anthony is even more clueless about what a nice young girl would want. He's had "adult" relationships and probably thinks that Go Eun and "real romantics" somehow live in a kdrama. :P I find it quite funny he thinks dating is the type of cliche he's been producing.
I guess for the young and/or socially awkward, the couple rings mean "I want to date you not as a friend or co-worker you have lunch with, but as someone who hopes to touch your boobies sometime in the near future". It's a come on for chickens and those who still live in a more conservative way. Korea most definitely still has conservatism issues.
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autleaf
December 30, 2012 at 5:30 PM
Or on second thought, is this another instance the writer is ridiculing Kdrama cliches, couple rings? Maybe even a commentary on modern Korean dating scene? Ok, if this is what I think it is, that's a brave move, writer-nim. And we can see how the couple ring situation worked out in both cases as both sets failed to reach their intended destinations. Or maybe I have to stop thinking that the writer is trolling every single thing Kdrama-ish? Ok, I'm having a small existential crisis here, LOL.
@Orion: Anthony producing a romance drama of his own is really funny. I guess we could say he has yet to learn to treat his romantic relationship not like a business deal or a production. Baby steps, I'd say but hopefully in the right direction.
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28 Ruth
December 30, 2012 at 4:58 PM
Yeah, I was hoping to ignore that the couples ring thing ever happened. I mean, I get that there's some cultural difference and it's not necessarily as big a deal as an engagement ring...but sometimes it is. And you've never talked to her? And AK...you're taking dating advice from that noob? I mean, he's a cool guy, but an absolute rookie when it comes to matters of the heart (and, by no means, a natural born talent). Ack. Please pick out the couples rings together unless you're absolutely positive she's on board with it, or hearts are just gonna be torn out.
So, since we don't get an CDDA or KoD or School2013 until Tuesdayish (or way later for CDDA...as week? seriously?), I watched The Love Letter. As others have mentioned, it wasn't necessarily the tear jerker that Go Eun and AK seemed to think, but I did think it was a good movie. In fact, I nearly cried at the end, and thought it was just about the sweetest ending ever...with a little sad, of course...but so well done. So, if you've not seen it, I'd recommend it. You can watch it on dramacrazy.net with pretty good subs. I could totally see a Korean drama writer getting their hands on it and turning it into a 20 episoder (if they haven't already).
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mommai
December 30, 2012 at 5:07 PM
PD Joo has talked to her some, at least, since he did bring her to the circle at the crew party. But yeah, they were mostly going from wanting to move the relationships forward, but also from hearing that couple rings are what women most want at Christmas time ;)
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29 Koirv
December 30, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Preview for Episode 17:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEw6vEG4EB8
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autleaf
December 30, 2012 at 6:32 PM
Aaaaaarrrghhhhhh! *rendered momentarily speechless*
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autleaf
December 30, 2012 at 9:09 PM
@Koirv: Where was my manners? Thank you, Koirv for sharing the preview video. I'm still optimistic (barely) for Episode 17. Will be preparing a scarf to hug come New Year's night.
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Koirv
December 31, 2012 at 12:58 AM
Hahaha, autleaf! I'm speechless too. This drama heavily affects my sanity today. My comments in DB are limited as heck because of my anxiety for the upcoming last 2 episodes. Oh goodness, God give us strength!
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ladysarahii
December 30, 2012 at 7:33 PM
Aargh, I need to learn Korean!
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Atiya
December 30, 2012 at 8:58 PM
I can tell from the preview that Go Eun will find out on her own through reading his notebook. It looks as though he is preparing a list of things to take care of. The book he is reading looks to be about braille. It looks to be some distancing between him and Lee. I just hope that they can resolve this in the first 15-20 minutes. I will be upset if they spend too much time on him trying to pull away from her. I want her to find the notebook in the beginning of the episode. They wanted to focus on the love line for the extension. I hope this is true. I love this show. I don't mind that he is blind because he will have the love of a wonderful woman.
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reeen
December 31, 2012 at 3:39 AM
scene 1: Anthony asks the doctor how much time he has left. Doctor tells him that he has 2 months at most.
scene 2: Anthony asks if Director Goo can finish the drama well even if he's not there. Goo replies that he can't run away before it's finished.
scene 3: Anthony tells his employees that he's thinking about closing the office after KyeongSeong is finished. He tells them to find new work places.
scene 4: Go Eun asks Anthony: "Why did you cry yesterday? What happened?" While we see Anthony in his room we hear "It's okay if you don't pay attention to me, because we're not related in any way". In the cafe again. Anthony: "Let's pretend there was no talk about a new contract"
scene 5: Go Eun runs into the company. "Representative, are you here?" Finds his notebook. Notebook contents: "Things I have to do now:
- Mother.
- Finish Gyeongseong Morning.
- Employees changing jobs (cleaning out office). [crossed out]
- Clean up matters with the Taesan contract. [crossed out]
- learn Braille.
- Welfare Facility for the blind."
Hope this helps :)
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ladysarahii
December 31, 2012 at 6:19 AM
Thank you! I guess the benefits of not understanding Korean very well is I can watch a preview without feeling spoiled... But the downside is I can watch a preview without feeling spoiled, haha.
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liza
December 31, 2012 at 5:40 PM
Thank you for taking the time to translate the preview.
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Arawn
December 30, 2012 at 11:45 PM
Yeah... So noble idiocy it is. It won't last so long as there are only 2 episodes left, but somehow I'm very bummed by this now. Don't really feel like discussing drama anymore. At the moment, I mean, once I calm down & especially after tomorrow's episode, I'm sure I'll want to talk about it again.
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Jaeminuf
December 31, 2012 at 11:18 AM
I don't see this as noble idiocy. It's what most reasonable, productive, responsible, and self-respecting people would do. Even if Go Eun were to want to stay with him, if I were in Anthony's position, I'd have a hard time taking her seriously. Any 20-/30-something who declares readily that s/he wants to spend the rest of her/his life with a person with a debility isn't taking things seriously enough. Who's to say that love and loyalty wouldn't turn into resentment and bitterness over time? Dealing with one's own debility is difficult enough. No need to add a sense of guilt for the other person.
Does that mean that I don't think those two will work? Of course not. I totally think Lee Go Eun is the type whose heart is so boundless that she and Anthony, sighted or blind, would have a really successful relationship.
But I have a hard time seeing Anthony's reaction as one of noble idiocy.
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Chickletta
December 31, 2012 at 11:18 PM
I absolutely agree with your. Anthony is not a noble idiot, he is simply noble and on top of it he knows firsthand how resentful he was of his mother's blindness and what hardship he had to go through because of it. So, what he is doing he is trying to save both of them of the burden. That's what love does - wants us want the best for the one we love. At this point he is not able to contemplate how this can actually hurt her. He thinks he is sparing her hurt. But, I trust the writer - he'll probably do the Jane Eyre thing. Jane sticks with Rochester and although he is blind he is even more dashing and loving to her.
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Jaeminuf
January 1, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Ha. Apt comparison to Jane Eyre. Rochester the cranky pants drama king = Anthony the cranky pants drama king.
30 Langit13iru
December 30, 2012 at 6:40 PM
I don't watch this epi yet. Just finish episod 8. but when I read about the meta regards on Best Actor Award. I like to think it refer to Kim Myung Min and Song Seung Hoon winning Daesang at 2008 MBC Drama Awards.
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31 Moonblossom
December 30, 2012 at 6:52 PM
It is awesome that Anthony executed 2 crying scenes naturally when Hyun Min looks totally weird as he waved off Kwang-soo with tears. It is like the off-screen persona cannot even cry, much less the on-screen persona so and I'm looking forward to seeing him practicing hard to deliver an outstanding performance for Kyongsung Morning.
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32 Ａｌｔａｒｉ
December 30, 2012 at 7:06 PM
Thanks for the recap. I love this drama.
I laughed so hard at Anthony sobbing while watching LL and then nearly died of second hand embarrassed when the camera panned to GE.
I hate drama cliches as much as anyone but at this point I don't care if the drama throws a thousand cliches at me as long as Anthony and Goeun have a happy ending. Where's the fun in producing dramas if you can't see them? Don't you dare make my Anthony blind, writer-nim!
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33 rainbow
December 30, 2012 at 7:23 PM
thanks :)
hopefully there will be a happy ending :D
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34 N
December 30, 2012 at 7:31 PM
Yeeeee!
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35 Ben
December 30, 2012 at 7:42 PM
The diagnosis just felt like a tightening of the screws on Anthony's career and his relationship with Go-eun. The trick will be whether the disease is treated as an afterthought in the last two episodes.
I loved the scenes between Min-ah and Hyun-min.
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36 ladysarahii
December 30, 2012 at 7:43 PM
I really feel like there's some sort of major twist regarding Anthony's blindness coming down the pike. They've slowly crossed just about every Kdrama trope there's ever been -- remember when they led us to believe Go-eun had amnesia after the car accident? Now, I do think the diagnosis is for real, but I feel all is not what it seems.
Also, it seems like too much to wrap up in two episodes (possibly three, if the special is a continuation) to have Go-eun and Anthony get together, Hyun-min prove himself as an actor, figure out where he's headed with Min-ah, Anthony dealing with blindness, Anthony dealing with his Mom, and a possible storyline with CEO Oh and his evil minions, etc. I could be wrong, though.
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Mystisith
December 30, 2012 at 7:52 PM
We definitely have a blind spot about the end of that story.
Everything is possible with this show, even a man with a cardboard at the end of ep 18 with written on it: "By the way, the drama is 20 episodes. See you next week. Happy New Year!"
OK, wishful thinking here. Leave me with my illusions. :)
Show is too cruel with my little heart...
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37 SuziQ
December 30, 2012 at 7:50 PM
Went and watched Love Letter after hearing about in in KOD. Now I understand why AK and GE cried after watching it. Sob...Sad drama.
Isn't KMM doing exactly what Hyun Min wanted to do in his drama?(KMM's crying scene will probably earn him another best actor award again!)
Hate it when there is a cliff hanger has no next week previews. AK's world looked so rosy.. Hit drama.. new production company with larger office space
...getting his money and status back... falling in love with GE. Then he has the rug pulled out from under him with an incurable blindness. In the end, he is telling her all the bad things he did to her as a way for her to back out; however, I think he underestimates GE. She knitted the scarf with the initials BDK not AK. Although his blindness is horrible to hit him suddenly, it's not terminal and the rest of his body is still functional. He is intelligent and resourceful so he can learn Braille and get a service dog.When life give you lemons, you make lemonade.
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38 Noemi
December 30, 2012 at 8:03 PM
So far the writer has been awesome at turning k-drama cliches on their heads...I can only hope that the blindness cliche will be addressed the same way, right? RIGHT?! Oh my goodness, I'm so nervous!!!
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Pipit
December 30, 2012 at 11:04 PM
Right! If not it's going to be the biggest cliche ever because it's in KOD!
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39 wunderbar
December 30, 2012 at 8:10 PM
Thanks for the recap, HeadsNo2!
Anthony "uncharacteristically roars" at Hyun Min. LOL! Love it! I got scared too... heehee
Why didn't Go-Eun just tell her mom that it's Anthony who brought her to the hospital? I can't see the need for her to hide that.
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40 Aliya
December 30, 2012 at 8:24 PM
Wow I feel so much better after reading all these comments! I was all ready to get my pitchfork re Anthony's blindness issue, but then DB readers reminded me that the writer probably has something up her sleeve re this drama cliche. So I will put down my pitchfork (for now) and join the hopefuls club. Writer-nim please reward us for our hope and faith in you. JEBAL ;;
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Pipit
December 30, 2012 at 11:21 PM
I hate to say this for I'm one of those hopeful people but this writer is the same writer in Sign right? If so, we'd better prepare our selves. By the end of Sign (I wasn't even bothered by the sloppy editing) I was screaming WTH! And ready to commit murder myself.
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Koirv
December 31, 2012 at 1:01 AM
I mentally prepared myself last week too. Writer Jang Hang-joon killed Park Shin-yang's character without any second thoughts and possibly without any feel of regrets AT ALL. "At all" -- I wish I could over-emphasize this.
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Pipit
December 31, 2012 at 2:16 AM
Sigh...I know!
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41 gummimochi
December 30, 2012 at 8:33 PM
Thanks for the recap friend!
Just think of the possibilities, thanks to EPIC '90s era MVs. Go-eun can give up her eyes for him, or like you said, just the one. *jumps in seat* Or, or it can be like Full House 2. A trip to China and surgery later, it's all a-okay!
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jademwong
December 30, 2012 at 10:27 PM
LOL at the Full House Take 2 jab xD! Seriously, that China bit was so ridiculous I was too stunned to even sputter properly at my screen -_-
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42 watchumlots
December 30, 2012 at 9:28 PM
I am LOVE, LOVE, LOVING this drama because it is sooooo funny, touching, has good character development, the plot moves along nicely, AND it is blowing all Kdrama tropes out-of-the-water! Can hardly wait for the next episodes to see how the story develops and ends.
Somewhere out there in kdrama-production-land I am certain there are people biting their tongues and stifling their laughter while this writer is on the big Get Even, lifting the skirts to show the not-so-glamorous undies of drama production politics/antics. It is H - I - L - A - R - I - O - U - S.
I also REALLY, REALLY, REALLY enjoy HeadsNo2's recaps! Thank you.
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43 Uhnny
December 30, 2012 at 10:07 PM
My feelings while watching Ep. 17 Preview. T~T
Writer, you don't have to go this far you know.
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44 Seri
December 30, 2012 at 10:18 PM
I know a girl who is blind and she walks 20 minutes to school, can navigate around the town by herself, she goes to English club from her middle school to the university campus alone... she just needs help with unfamiliar stairs... why do they represent blindness like this? It's non sense.
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jinglejings
December 31, 2012 at 12:07 AM
I am with you on this. I know of a blind PhD. student in computational chemistry. It is frustrating how sickness is represented as the end-of-the-world in dramaland/Asia. There are ways to accommodate these difficulties.
I will be disappointed if this is like any of those Korean sickness drama. Autumn in my heart was enough..
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news
December 31, 2012 at 5:33 PM
Sad but true. I don't think it's as bad anymore, but even being left-handed was looked down upon.
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liza
December 31, 2012 at 6:37 PM
They present blindness like this because it is more dramatic.
MY Granny was blind from an eye infection when she was a teenager but she got married and had three kids, she had help when they were babies but she took care of her familiy and home. Some funny stories though. Continued her journey at 98 years
We, the grand kids tried to fool her, lovingly of course, but couldn't even as adults. We never suceeded in getting her to give us a fiver for a dollar she could tell from the feel of the paper, I still cannot tell the difference. she knew who you were by your smell, footsteps, there is some truth to the saying "hearing a pin drop" because to me my granny could, She could hear you it seems,before you entered the house,Do not even think of telling her you were happy if you were sad, she could tell that you were lying.
when she got older and widowed she was still independant, fed, groomed herself with just a little help. I can still remember how gentle her fingers were when she would "See" my face.
The only thing that had to be done was not to move anything out of its place. It was fun going walking with her because you saw so many things that she brought to your attention and she was blind.
Being blind is not being dead,how you handle it is all about the character of the person
As soon as Anthony gets over his pride and sees that accepting help is not demeaning he will be fine. That is unless the writer intend for him to do the unthinkable, lets not even go there.
Now, I am all weepy
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autleaf
December 31, 2012 at 7:17 PM
Such a beautiful person and a beautiful life. Thank you Liza, for sharing this, it feels like you're sharing your Granny with us.
Tell you what, let's prepare sth to hit Anthony upside of the head if he takes the noble idiot path too far and tell him it's courtesy of Granny.
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45 jademwong
December 30, 2012 at 10:26 PM
Thank you for the recap!! I absolutely love your writing and your wit, HeadsNo2!
Also want to give a shout out to the commenters, you guys all really crack me up. I love coming to these recaps.
As for the show itself, I'm currently undergoing an internal frustrated battle with myself. I'm not surprised that the incurable illness card got pulled out because the drama did drop some pretty big hints but come onnnn really now? Have I really sat through 16 eps of this for it to end with Anthony going blind? -_- Sigh. I trust this writer though and I'm going to have faith that writer-him works some magic here.
All in all, this was a fantastic episode. KMM deserves another award for his performance in KoD regardless of the stupid ratings. You hear that you broadcasting moguls? You all better do right by him!
P.S. Happy New Years to everyone! ^_^
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46 racheose
December 30, 2012 at 10:49 PM
he promised that japanese investor that he'll see kyungsung morning aired, i wish he'd make that 'aired and finished' i know i am getting nervous blame that to those writers who spoiled me with happy endings... in ep 14 i told myself it was nothing just some side effects or something, but then when ep 15 came i saw it... word about seeing, eyesight, blindness.. everything was there... even in the song, but still i'd rather sing 'i believe' to you writernim.
whatever happens next week i just hope we'll still have a reason to smile. if he goes blind pls don't make it into a hopeless anthony i still want him to succeed and show everyone how badass he is, that he is really the king. if he doesn't go blind i hope it will be logical and not awkward. i really love this show to bits so whatever happens i'd still root for everone's happiness even min ah's.
so let me join everyone in our waiting torture.
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47 ririsan
December 30, 2012 at 10:50 PM
Comment was deleted
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jomo143
December 31, 2012 at 8:17 AM
I like the idea, I LOVE the idea.
But a placebo by definition should be inert.
No effects and no side effects.
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liza
December 31, 2012 at 6:57 PM
Oh hope, love the idea, love it. I am desperate I will grab this supposition with both hand, feet, teeth, Thank you, I will rewatch the episode.
ah, but a placebo ( sugar pill ) wouldn't have side effects unless he is diabetic, that would affect his eye sight
He is diabetic, G. will force him to go for a second opinion and bam, diabetic, controllable not complete blindness
pleasure! more hope.aahhhhhh
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peaches
January 1, 2013 at 4:27 AM
yesss i remember this! i found it was a bit odd that she seemed to be smiling and i thought maybe it was a placebo, but then again, i'm not sure if its legal to sell placebos over the counter. besides, like everyone else has commented already, placebos aren't supposed to have side effects...so i'm not sure how that would work:/
i agree that it would be new to have a character actually learn to live with his disease instead of a) wallowing in eternal despair and dying a tragic, noble death or b) recovering miraculously, and i could see a sort of jane eyre type of ending happening- but i would rather have anthony not go blind and just have a happy ending with go eun, with a full episode dedicated to their chemistry and lovey-doveyness. i would really prefer if the writer made it similar to how she handled go eun's "amnesia"...but the preview for the next episode seems to suggest otherwise :s
i really, really hope for a logical ending. preferably happy and sexy and free of noble idiocy and so on, but above all, i hope for a logical ending. that is all.
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48 Noelle
December 30, 2012 at 10:57 PM
I'm tearing up. Thanks for the recap.
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49 Ace
December 30, 2012 at 11:21 PM
Love this episode though I'm not sure about the melodrama. Please don't let Anthony go blind!
[Rant on another matter: See! There are perfectly good spaces to type your comments here below! No reason to cut in line at all. The reply button is self-explanatory.]
Happy New Year everyone!
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50 jinglejings
December 31, 2012 at 12:10 AM
Anyone knows what was written in the book for Epi 17 preview? It is bugging me...
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orinji
December 31, 2012 at 1:03 AM
From Soompi Forums' ChoBap:
Anthony's list: "Things I have to Do Now"
- Mother
- fulfill Kyungsung Morning
- employees to find new jobs/ wrap up company
- finish business with Taesan Group investments
- learn braille/sign language
- visually impaired center.
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Laurita
December 31, 2012 at 1:22 AM
oh. I send you big thanks for this. Strangely, there is no mention of Go-eun in the list...
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whitewire
December 31, 2012 at 2:34 AM
Don't worry, there are still 2 blank dots below his "bucket list" :-) If u look at the preview u'll see! High hopes here!
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Laurita
December 31, 2012 at 4:11 AM
Maybe SHE herself will fill her name in his list :D
This will be totally off-topic and seriously inappropriate with this serious theme but after a brake from seeing the preview, I thought about the wish lists that people must be doing now for the new year. In a way, it's a new life for him also.
ladysarahii
December 31, 2012 at 2:19 PM
Was the -learn braille/sign language a mistranslation?
Because why would he need to learn sign language if he's going blind? What good is that gonna do?
Or is there something we don't know? *panics*
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Chickletta
January 1, 2013 at 4:20 AM
Braille is not a sign language. It's a tactile alphabet designed for the blind and weak of vision. A system of dots represents different letters, numbers, etc. and the blind read by moving the tips of their fingers across the lines.
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ladysarahii
January 1, 2013 at 10:12 AM
I am aware of that. I can understand needing to learn Braille, but sign language? If he can't see, how can he see people sign? That's why I thought the sign language part was a mistranslation. If it's not, there's something weird going on.