It’s Okay, It’s Love: Episode 15
by HeadsNo2
It’s time for our hero to face reality, which means he has to confront some realizations about himself and his family he’d much rather shy away from. By no means is it the easiest of hours to sit through, but at least it’s not all doom and gloom—there’s always a light moment to break up the darkness, whether we like it or not.
SONG OF THE DAY
BTOB – “비밀 (Insane)” [ Download ]
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EPISODE 15 RECAP
Doctor Lee tells Sunbae Jo that Hae-soo has been reported to the disciplinary board for breaking the rules in going to visit Jae-yeol, and for now, she won’t be allowed to see any patients until a decision is made.
Sunbae Jo takes all of this in stride, but recommends that Jae-yeol’s family be allowed to visit him—it’s better for him to face them head on than continue to avoid them. He doesn’t see Jae-bum as much of a threat either, since he believes that Jae-bum is just like a kid acting out because mommy didn’t love him enough. So they agree to let Jae-yeol see his hyung first.
Jae-bum is forced to empty his pockets before being allowed to visit his brother, and when a folding knife is found to be among his effects, Doctor Lee orders that he undergo a full body search. She also orders that security guards be on standby, but for them to not interfere unless a physical fight happens.
And sure enough, the two brothers are barely in the same room for a minute before Jae-bum throws a punch after Jae-yeol says he’s sorry. He starts kicking Jae-yeol while he’s down, demanding to know what he’s sorry about.
“Are you sorry that you didn’t tell the judge that it was our mother who killed him, instead of telling him that it was your older brother who killed him? Huh?! Tell me what you’re sorry about!” Jae-bum rages as he continues to stomp on a defenseless Jae-yeol.
Finally, a nurse calls in guards to drag Jae-bum away. But he doesn’t go quietly, and we finally get to the root of his anger—it’s not that he rotted in prison for fourteen years, it’s how little Jae-yeol thought of him. Did he think that if he knew the truth about their mother, he would’ve told the prosecutor that she killed their stepfather?
“Do you think that you’re the only chid mom has?” Jae-bum asks, his voice softening just the slightest. “I’m her child too!” Jae-yeol just cries from his spot on the ground, unable to say a word until he has to ask Doctor Lee for a few minutes to himself.
He sees Kang-woo in his hospital room, and for the first time he says, “You’re not real. You don’t exist.” He shuts his eyes to try and shut him out.
Doctor Lee updates Sunbae Jo, and Hae-soo by proxy, that Jae-yeol seems much more at peace after receiving the beating he felt he deserved from his brother. Sunbae Jo seems relieved that there’s progress.
On the flip side, Jae-bum also seems much better since beating the crap out of his little brother, since Tae-yong and Mama Ok-ja notice how well he’s eating and behaving. He even asked when Jae-yeol would be released, which means a lot coming from him.
Hae-soo is only able to see Jae-yeol from a distance, but even that isn’t allowed—one of her residents warns her that if she’s caught, she can be suspended indefinitely. She reluctantly tears herself away from Jae-yeol’s window, but Jae-yeol knows she’s been watching over him.
When Mama Ok-ja comes to visit, Jae-yeol tells her that he doesn’t see Kang-woo anymore, and hasn’t for a week. But it’s only when they’re out of earshot of the nurses that he looks Mama Ok-ja in the eye and tells her he wants to be discharged. He’ll stay with her, and she can watch him twenty-four hours a day.
Mama Ok-ja says that Hae-soo texted her to warn her not to give in if he started talking like this, but Jae-yeol continues on like she didn’t say anything as he tells her about what he knows regarding Hae-soo, and how she tries to hide that she’s been looking in on him, but he knows it’s gotten her in trouble.
But despite knowing it’s not good for her, Jae-yeol admits that he can’t help but wait to see her. That’s when he tells Mama Ok-ja about the circumstances Hae-soo comes from and how she still has dreams for her future despite all she’s had to go through.
That’s when he tells her, with tears in his eyes, that his illness isn’t curable. He looks past Mama Ok-ja’s shoulder to see Kang-woo standing there as he tells her that he’d have to be on medication for the rest of his life. Is he already thinking that he’ll be a burden to Hae-soo?
Jae-yeol appeals to his mother’s love for him as he assures her that he can handle his illness on his own without dragging Hae-soo into it any further. He doesn’t want to humiliate himself in front of Hae-soo any more than he has, and asks Mama Ok-ja to take him home. He promises to keep up with his medication.
Even though he sees Kang-woo right there, he lies that he hasn’t and that he’ll re-admit himself to another hospital if he were to start seeing him again. Don’t give in, Mama Ok-ja!
She does, even though Doctor Lee tries to convince her that Jae-yeol does still see Kang-woo and thinks he’s real. But Mama Ok-ja has been convinced by her son, and thinks that this will be the start to his true recovery—all three of them will get to live together again. Uh oh. Someone’s in denial.
Hae-soo confronts Jae-yeol with tears in her eyes as she asks him not to leave. Jae-yeol is very matter-of-fact as he tells her that he will no matter what she says, and adds how he won’t let her become the Yoon-chul to his Hye-jin. He won’t let her stay with him and suffer like that.
He knows that she thinks love means being open in front of the one you love, even if it means allowing yourself to be pathetic in front of them—but that’s not what it means to him. When he and his mother were beaten when he was young, he swore to himself that he’d never allow himself to feel pathetic in front of anyone else ever again.
“I can’t help it if you call me a jerk,” he admits. “That’s how I’ve always lived, and I’m comfortable with it. If it’s easier for you to think that I love you less, then please, think that way. I’m going to do this my way.”
Hae-soo is sobbing when she asks what she can do to get him to stay, and he kisses her. “If you practice breaking up, it becomes more bearable later. Trust me, Hae-soo.” He leaves her crying pitifully after him, and doesn’t look back.
Jae-yeol remains stone-faced on the car ride home, and thinks back to Hae-soo’s assurance that Kang-woo is nothing but a hallucination while she is real. And that no matter what the doctors do, the only person who can figure that out is him.
“What are you, Kang-woo?” Jae-yeol thinks to himself, as he looks at the manifestation of his own imagination.
The next day, Jae-yeol flips through pictures he and Hae-soo took on their vacation with a smile—but no sooner is he happy that Kang-woo appears in the backyard, watering plants.
Hae-soo is slapped with two months’ worth of disciplinary action by the board, and will not be allowed to treat patients during that time. She tells Doctor Lee that she’s not even upset about it, because she’s got a bigger concern: How is she going to bring Jae-yeol back to the reality she occupies, and not the one where Kang-woo exists?
Mama Ok-ja makes sure Jae-yeol takes his medication at home, and receives a call from Tae-yong that Jae-yeol’s books are flying off the shelves now that the public knows about his condition. Jae-yeol doesn’t see this as a good thing, and heads out for an unsupervised walk. Why is he being allowed to leave?
He reads a text from Hae-soo saying that she’s doing well, but misses him like crazy. Then he gets a surprise visit from Sunbae Jo and Soo-kwang on the lonely country road he’s on. This… doesn’t seem real, even though I’m sure it must be.
Mama Ok-ja’s compulsion with cleaning and sleeping in open rooms finally gets explained when Jae-bum calls her out on it, because she all but scrapes the skin off his back when she was supposed to just scrub it. She admits that she developed her strange cleaning habits because of the time she and Jae-yeol fell into the sewage basin of an outhouse.
It turns out that Jae-yeol wasn’t the only one to figure out that the outhouse close to them was a good place to escape a beating, and that Mama Ok-ja had been hiding in there a day before Jae-yeol happened upon the same place.
We see the flashback from his perspective, like we did before, only this time we see Jae-yeol Lite in shock from finding his mother already hiding in the basin he was just about to jump in.
Back in the present, Mama Ok-ja tells Jae-bum how she felt like crying when they went to the river to wash up afterward, but how her spirits were lifted by Jae-yeol making light of the situation and laughing. Cue the sour memory Jae-bum has of passing by the river to see his mother and brother playing together without him.
“It was probably since then,” Mama Ok-ja muses. “Jae-yeol can only sleep in a bathroom, and I can’t sleep in a closed room. That memory has been coming to my mind often lately. Back then, should we have clung to each other and cried? Jae-yeol’s illness… I keep wondering if it’s because he couldn’t cry back then.”
In order to distract his mother away from her tears, Jae-bum offers his back for scrubbing again. Aw. But then Mama Ok-ja smiles to see that Jae-bum’s roots are growing out black—maybe the days of his white hair are over.
Soo-kwang plays in the river while Sunbae Jo updates Jae-yeol on the status of “the girl you broke up with,” and how she’s facing disciplinary actions from the hospital. “Because of love, she went against her doctor’s oath. If she told you she’s been doing well, it’s a lie. She’s not doing well.”
Jae-yeol acts like he didn’t hear anything, and switches subjects to Sunbae Jo’s wife returning from the States. Sunbae Jo turns things right back on him and tells him to stop acting cocky so that Hae-soo can comfort him. “Get treated at the hospital, and get back together with Hae-soo.”
He knows that Jae-yeol must still see Kang-woo, because if he didn’t, there’d be no reason to avoid Hae-soo like he is. But again, Jae-yeol changes the subject. Before the two leave, Soo-kwang plants a wet kiss on Jae-yeol’s cheek to thank him for promoting him to manager at the cafe.
“Hyung,” Soo-kwang suddenly says, “Hae-soo, Sunbae Jo, and I are real… and Kang-woo isn’t. We’re all waiting for you, Hyung. If you don’t come back, then I’ll stop calling you ‘Hyung.’”
After Hae-soo finds out her mother is selling the restaurant in order to give her money to either vacation or study abroad for the two months she’s not allowed to see patients, she calls Jae-yeol… only to swiftly hang up when he answers.
She finds the courage to call back and ask what’s really on her mind: How has he been after leaving her? “Are you at ease? I’m not,” she says, then hangs up again.
Then she calls again, and hangs up again when he answers. She struggles with herself on whether to call again, and when she doesn’t, Jae-yeol finally calls her.
In a level voice, she starts by saying that Sunbae Jo might believe that he had no choice but to lie like he did during the trial way back when, but she doesn’t.
“You made a huge mistake that day,” she says. “You didn’t consult with the brother who trusted you or your lawyer. And just like you did then, you’re making a huge mistake now. Abandoning me and refusing my help was a huge mistake. When I hang up now, I’m never going to call you again even if my life depends on it. Like you, when I say I’m going to do something, I do it. As long as you believe Kang-woo is real, we can’t be together.”
She asks him to listen to her carefully now, since she knows he’ll likely see Kang-woo once she hangs up. But she wants him to look Kang-woo in the eyes and realize that he’s just an illusion. “Only then can we see each other again,” she adds.
But Jae-yeol does exactly as she says, looks Kang-woo straight in the eyes, and replies, “Kang-woo exists, Hae-soo.” She tries to control her emotions as she entreats him to think of his memories with her whenever he sees Kang-woo—those were real. Their love was real.
“Kang-woo exists, I don’t know why everyone’s saying he doesn’t,” Jae-yeol replies. “I can’t figure out what’s an illusion or hallucination.” Hae-soo claims he can, he just has to look at Kang-woo very closely.
He has to focus, because every hallucination has an inconsistency, something that contradicts its existence. If he looks for it, he can find it. And when he does, he can come back to her. “I love you so much,” she cries into the phone.
Jae-yeol slowly hangs up, looks Kang-woo in the eyes, and says that he’s not real. Kang-woo retorts that if that’s true, then he’s a younger incarnation of Jae-yeol like Sunbae Jo said. Kang-woo: “I’m me. How can I be you? I can’t be you. We don’t even look alike. Those people are lying to you, just like how everyone pretended to not know when you were getting beaten up. They don’t care about a kid like me, so they’re pretending not to see me.”
But Jae-yeol tries to do as Hae-soo said, and focuses on Kang-woo, looking from his head to his toes. Looking at his school uniform, Jae-yeol haltingly asks, “How long has it been since we met?” Aahhh. Finally, the revelation.
Kang-woo answers that it’s been three years, causing Jae-yeol to ask what grade he’s in. Kang-woo says he’s in his second year—the same thing he said three years ago, when they met. He hasn’t aged. That’s the inconsistency. (The goosebump-inducing inconsistency.)
Tears well up in Jae-yeol’s eyes as the realization finally hits him, but that alone doesn’t make Kang-woo disappear. Jae-yeol heads away on his bike while Kang-woo follows, calling his name all the while.
After calling Tae-yong to find Jae-yeol via GPS, Hae-soo gets on a bus. Jae-yeol is still biking away from Kang-woo when he does as Hae-soo told him to do, and thinks of all their memories together—every smile, every kiss, every touch.
He swerves to avoid a car, and remembers Kang-woo’s recent run-in. Then he remembers all of his encounters with Kang-woo and how his feet were always barefoot and bloodied every time they met… which is exactly how his feet were when he ran away from his stepfather to avoid being beaten.
Jae-yeol sees his younger self in a flashback, as well as Kang-woo. He realizes the parallels between Kang-woo’s life and his own, and the two versions of himself run toward each other until they become one and disappear.
No sooner does Hae-soo make it home that Jae-yeol all but collides with the gate, having run all the way from his house. Between his gulping breaths, Jae-yeol manages to eke out, “Hae-soo… Kang-woo isn’t real. Kang-woo can’t possibly be me, but… he is me.”
Hae-soo embraces him in tears, as Jae-yeol entreats her, “Hae-soo, please help me. Please help me.” She blinks back tears of relief as she tells Jae-yeol that he did well. He’s going to be okay.
Jae-bum gives Mama Ok-ja the flowers he made out of prison food, arranged neatly in a clear box. She’s so touched that she’s moved to tears, and Jae-bum—in his usual brusque but caring way—says that she shouldn’t cry, since Sunbae Jo said Jae-yeol would be cured if he goes back to the hospital.
At home, Sunbae Jo administers a sedative to Jae-yeol, but the atmosphere is light and jokey for whatever reason. Hae-soo settles in bed next to him as he starts to drift off, and knows that when he looks off, he’s looking at Kang-woo. (If I never hear this OST again, I’ll consider myself lucky.)
So-nyeo tries to cheer Hae-soo up after her brother-in-law says her mother and sister are going to drag her home if she doesn’t go willingly, which Soo-kwang notes is unusually nice of her. “It’s because I’m worried you’ll leave me,” she cites as her reason.
Sunbae Jo tells Jae-yeol that the only way to make sure Kang-woo never shows up again is to be at peace with the choice he made when he was sixteen—or, as Sunbae Jo puts it, the lack of a choice he had. If he can’t forgive himself for what he did, then Kang-woo will continue to be a problem for him.
Jae-yeol then gets a text from Hae-soo’s mom begging him to let her daughter go, because while she knows he’s sick, she hopes he’s not selfish. He doesn’t tell Hae-soo about it as they meet before they’ll have to leave for the hospital separately. And once there, they can’t acknowledge each other’s existence.
But then she adds that if he does see Kang-woo today, she’d like him to relay her gratitude to him for taking care of her man through years of loneliness. “And also, tell him that since you have me by your side now, he can leave in peace.” Sure, encourage the schizophrenic to engage his hallucinations in conversation. What’s the worst that could happen?
Having readmitted himself to the hospital, Jae-yeol retires to his room that night to find Kang-woo waiting for him in the same uniform and shoeless state. He offers to wash Kang-woo’s feet, and does so over a bowl of water.
Kang-woo says nothing the whole time, and just watches Jae-yeol. After his feet are dried, Jae-yeol puts socks and shoes on him, causing Kang-woo’s eyes to fill with tears. “My girlfriend chose a really perfect gift,” Jae-yeol notes. (Hae-soo had told him earlier she had a gift for Kang-woo in her car.)
With a sad smile, Kang-woo asks Jae-yeol, “Should I not come back anymore?” Tears stream down Jae-yeol’s cheeks as he shakes with emotion, because both of them know that this is really goodbye.
COMMENTS
Only Jo In-sung could make the act of saying goodbye to a figment of his imagination one of the most touching scenes in the show. While his character has gone through the ringer these past few episodes and I’ve enjoyed how densely packed they’ve been, his internal struggle and its external ramifications feel a little late in coming to the fore when there’s clearly so much more to explore.
I wouldn’t have shed tears over cutting some of the random patients, comedic interludes, and that one doctor who loved to talk about his marital problems if it meant we could’ve started this leg of the story just a little bit sooner, if only because this drama’s strength has always been in its characters more than the plot—which, frankly, I’m not quite sure I’d be able to reiterate to someone else if I had to.
Jae-bum has always been fascinating as a character, especially since so much of what we learn from him/about him has to be interpreted from his actions. We can’t necessarily believe Jae-yeol saying he’s all bark and no bite when he did stab him with a fork all those years ago, but we’ve gotten enough glimpses into Jae-bum’s trigger-happy personality to understand that his lashing out isn’t just because of his unfair prison stay, but because he just wanted to be loved by his mother like Jae-yeol was.
His confrontation with Jae-yeol over the lies he told was powerful because he didn’t blame him for throwing him into prison like one would expect, but because Jae-yeol didn’t trust him enough to tell him the truth. It brings up the question of whether Jae-yeol would’ve volunteered to take the fall for his mother had he known about it, and by Jae-bum’s words and actions it seems entirely possible that he would’ve. And it’s sad that out of all the things he could be mad at Jae-yeol for that would be completely legitimate, that’s what really hurts him the most: that Jae-yeol didn’t trust him to do the right thing. (Well, right by their warped standards, anyway.)
Speaking of warped standards, if there was a competition for the Most Dysfunctional Family Award between Hae-soo and Jae-yeol, I’d probably put my money on Hae-soo. Despite having a violent, emotionally-stunted brother and a mother who can’t even remember that she committed murder, at least they make an effort to understand each other and be there for one another. But as far as Hae-soo’s family goes, I’ve found the entire story thread surrounding her fear of intimacy related to her mother’s cheating to be oddly handled, especially with the most recent revelations about the part Hae-soo had to play in her mother’s ongoing relationship with Ajusshi Kim.
So while I could maybe understand where her mother is coming from with regard to taking care of an invalid, Hae-soo has spent an entire series saying what’s on her mind with impunity—but somehow she can’t sit her mother and sister down and clearly explain that schizophrenia =/= cerebral palsy? Does not compute. Then again, in a world where schizophrenia can be dealt with by thinking really hard, maybe anything is possible.
RELATED POSTS
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Tags: featured, Gong Hyo-jin, It's Okay It's Love, Jo In-sung
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1 Mandelbrotr
September 11, 2014 at 8:33 PM
Thank you!
I happily heard the OST on the radio today.
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Koi
September 11, 2014 at 9:41 PM
This drama seriously has THE BEST soundtrack.
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ShinRaeMi07
September 12, 2014 at 5:53 AM
I agree..I so love their OST..
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Adal
September 12, 2014 at 7:42 AM
Me too. Love it!
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carla
September 13, 2014 at 12:30 AM
Hi!do u know the song played when jo in sung realze that kang woo is fake while he is riding in the bike???
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Ann
September 13, 2014 at 4:43 AM
Agree 100% :) Now, I'm having difficulty with withdrawal symptoms coz I've had the songs(osts) in my playlist. I always remember the show whenever I play the songs.
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2 Anduril
September 11, 2014 at 8:33 PM
Actually, thanking the hallucination isn't necessarily a wrong move. There is an interesting TedTalk about how a schizophrenic learned to listen to her hallucinations to understand what feelings she was hiding from herself; how taking an antagonistic approach only made her disease worse.
It is an interesting feeling, wanting a character you like to go away and never come back.
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meimei
September 11, 2014 at 8:50 PM
I've heard that to. In some situations listening to a hallucinations can be extremely bad, but for other people they can find out things about themselves that can help them recover, as long as they understand that they're talking to a figment of themself and not an actual person. So i guess the treatment just depends on the person. The over the phone cure was unrealistic but i still liked it because it was satysfying just to see him come to the revelation.
Totally agree with you on the last point. I really like kang woo and i almost feel like i will him when he's gone, but at the same time i want him to just disapear forever.
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Cyrille
September 11, 2014 at 9:14 PM
D.O. did his job well in portraying Kang Woo. It's nice that eventhough this was the first time we saw him act, he showed his the role fit him.
I've always been a Gong Hyo Jin fan and would always be and I just realized after watching these last episodes that I've come to love Jo In Sung as well. Back then, I thought he's just another mediocre actor with a handsome face but he proved me wrong. His portrayal as JJY was stunning! The same could be said to all the other characters not mentioned. This has got to be those few dramas that I was impressed with all the characters.
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KDaddict
September 11, 2014 at 9:34 PM
I agree wholeheartedly.
D.O. proves that despite his idol status, he is worthy of the role given to him. He has done a good job. Tho the role is not overly taxing, in the last ep., he has to show more emotions, and he does it well.
I've the same feelings about GHJ and JIS.
GHJ is one of my two Korean goddesses. She is just amazing in every way. I hope that she'll be as happily in love as her char is, and gets her own HEA.
JIS is as handsomely chiselled as a Greek god. With a face like that, it's sure to detract from his acting. So it's not unusual for ppl to think him a mediocre actor w a handsome face. With this drama, he proves us wrong. His acting can make or break this drama, and I say he makes it the moving drama that it has become.
All the chars come off the page so well, except maybe for HS's sister and BIL. Love this drama more than Noh HK's previous ones, and also love it more than all the others in recent memory. And yes, it IS a drama not a documentary, nor even a docudrama after all, so I don't look for it to be accurate in the treatment of schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders. I enjoy the story, the acting, and the ride.
BTW, Softy on Cadence is writing with so much heart on this series, like she always does on anything she recaps. U can find her under "Linky" at bottom right of page.
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ilikemangos
September 11, 2014 at 9:40 PM
Love this drama more than Noh HK’s previous ones, and also love it more than all the others in recent memory
Agree, this drama by a long shot was better than TWTWB, although that drama also had great performances from our leads. Whereas that drama started going downhill towards the end, IOIL got progressively better. I'd rather have the latter.
I tire so easily of the typical cliche-filled kdramas so IOIL to me is already better than all the rom-coms i've seen this year, and the only one i have finished thus far.
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3 LIM SHU CHENG
September 11, 2014 at 8:35 PM
I was thinking the same too. If schizophrenia can be treated via a phone call then Hae Soo can be the telefairy (if you watch nine plus nine drama) and really don't need to study for her Phd, I will crown her the queen of psychiatrist. That part is so unbelievable but again I tell myself, a drama is called a drama for reasons.
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Midori
September 11, 2014 at 9:34 PM
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (M.D.). A psychologist is a Ph.D. The other difference is that the M.D. can prescribe medicine. Psychologists are usually the talk therapists.
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LIM SHU CHENG
September 12, 2014 at 1:17 AM
Yes, I know the difference so what is your point?
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kopytko
September 11, 2014 at 10:39 PM
Actually, I think it isn't that weird that she told him how to deal with his hallucination (she didn't "heal" him), and it really doesn't matter whether it is personally or over the phone. Being a psychiatrist she must have studied tons of cases as well as treated many herself. She is supposed to know this or that... It's like in this joke when somebody's car breaks and he calles in a mechanic. The mechanic comes, opens the bonnet, takes a hammer and hits the engine once. The car is repaired. The mechanic demands 100$. The customer says why so much for hitting only once? The mechanic answers, it is 5$ for hitting and 95$ for knowing where to hit.
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Jackeline
September 11, 2014 at 10:39 PM
My reason to myself is that Jae-yeol was already starting to doubt himself then because 1) after he gets beaten up in the hospital, he tells Kang-woo that he's not real, and 2) everyone around him who cares about him keep on telling him that they're real, not Kang-woo. So when he says to Hae-soo on the phone that Kang-woo exists, it seems to me more like a feable attempt to lie to himself. So with all this new doubt in him, I can imagine how he takes seriously Hae-soo's advice to look for an inconsistency. And since he's really, actually looking (plus he's on meds and has been medicated for a period of time), I can believe that he suddenly finds the inconsistency.
I'm not a doctor, nor do I know much about schizophrenia. I admit that relevation seemed a bit sudden but I think, for me, it's enough and I'll take it. Still love this drama.
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readlead
September 12, 2014 at 2:35 AM
LOL! Love your metaphor :D
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readlead
September 12, 2014 at 2:37 AM
I mean @kopytko
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Mia
September 12, 2014 at 11:20 AM
I am a licensed counselor who has worked with people with schizoaffective D/O, schizophrenia, bipolar d/o, major depressive d/o. It is realistic to treat the SYMPTOMS of the disorder by phone if the person is symptomatic.
There were times during the weekend that I would have to call my clients to monitor them, to discuss the visual or auditory hallucinations with them, to give them feedback until I could see them during the week.
There were also times that I would ask them about their hallucinations, to investigate why these hallucinations act the way they do or for them to investigate the genesis of their hallucinations.
Unfortunately for them, they are unable to free themselves of their hallucinations as easily as Jae Yeol did. It has been fascinating watching this series. So many things that they did, I have done. HIPPA laws would have stopped me from talking so freely about the clients. I disregarded that part because it is K-drama.
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jozie
September 13, 2014 at 7:53 PM
Thank you for the insight.
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4 pumpkinattack
September 11, 2014 at 8:43 PM
Thank you for the recap! :)
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5 meimei
September 11, 2014 at 8:44 PM
Woah, so fast! Thanks for the quick recap!
I was tearing up this episode. I really liked the moment when it Jaeyeol suddenly clicked and asked kang woo when they first me. Also the last scene was beautiful.
I was realize surprised that Jaebum didnt care about being locked up, but just thet jaeyeol didnt tell him the truth. I think he really just needs some love from Jaeyeol and mama okja. Im really going to this show, its my favourite drama thats currently airing. I love that it stayed strong from start, middle and ending. Is it just me, or have recent dramas been starting off great then totaly losing it in the middle? Anyway cant wait to watch ep 16.
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6 Aria
September 11, 2014 at 8:51 PM
"Wow!!!"
It's all I could say after watching this episode and the ending after. This show has got to be the best drama of the year for me. I was really satisfied with the ending. Thank you for the recap HeadsNo2!
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KDaddict
September 11, 2014 at 9:35 PM
Satisfying ending to a finely moving drama!
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7 Sayee
September 11, 2014 at 9:13 PM
These past few episodes have been soo good! I am so glad I stuck around. I could care less about how his schizophrenia was "cured" and to be fair, it wasn't cured (schizophrenia can only be managed, not cured); the phone conversation only made him come to the realization that Kang Woo isn't real.
And if you ask me, I don't think Kang Woo is just going to disappear. It might be a 'beautiful mind' situation where JY can only come to terms with it.
I belong to the group(minority?) that loves this drama even though like Heads said, I wish they came to the crux of the problem sooner. But I did enjoy this and it will go on my recommend list :)
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Cyrille
September 11, 2014 at 9:18 PM
Well, I loved this drama too...
And yes, I would totally recommend this to others who love stories with depth and refreshing feeling. I guess it isn't everyone's cup of tea but I wish more and more writers would make stories like this one.
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readlead
September 12, 2014 at 2:41 AM
I dont think we're minority. :)
I've checked many popular forums/sites, IOIL's lover are mayority :D
I quote a comment from koala's site :
I quote a comment from koala's site : The quibbles about the authenticity of the medicine and psychiatry in this drama are a little baffling to me. I just finished watching all 15 episodes in one day, and was struck by the number of times that an episode opened with the disclaimer reminding viewers that it is indeed a work of fiction and that the medical and psychiatric procedures depicted had been fictionalized. Its message of acceptance and understanding was far more important than any deviation from actual medical IRL. ....
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8 ilikemangos
September 11, 2014 at 9:20 PM
You chose an amazing shot for the featured screen-cap, thank you.
Kyung Soo (kwang woo), you put in my favorite idol rookie performance of the year. Pat yourself on the back. It was truly sad albeit necessary for you to go.
Finding that contradiction in kang woo was one of the most goose-bump inducing, wonderfully shot, fantastically portrayed, and superbly acted scenes i've seen a while in k-drama.
The cast are true thespians. The director is magnificent. And writer noh, who more ways than not presented us fascinating characters that often times reflected her own troubled past and childhood, we thank you for pushing the envelope.
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9 Riya
September 11, 2014 at 9:21 PM
So no love triangles, candy characters, chaebol brats, noble idiocy, amnesia or angst for the sake of angst?Not even drunken piggyback rides? Or bad hairdos?NO? :P
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alua
September 11, 2014 at 10:22 PM
No, none of that, none of that!
Oh, writer be praised!
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...
September 11, 2014 at 11:02 PM
And people who use condoms, who also don't spend their time emptying soju bottles but speak honestly about their problems... This writer is not a fan of clichés and just for that she has my eternal gratitude.
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readlead
September 12, 2014 at 2:43 AM
Writer Noh is one of a kind! my most favorite korean script writer now. :)
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Rigby
September 12, 2014 at 9:39 AM
that is why this drama is one of a kind...at least this veers away with those regular characters/plots/twist that we usually see in drama...not to mention suffocating in-laws :)
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10 sierraimoet
September 11, 2014 at 9:57 PM
It's all about self control #justmy2cents
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11 JenJen
September 11, 2014 at 10:16 PM
This reminds me a bit of Russell Crowe's character in A Beautiful Mind saying buy to his hallucination.
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owl 🦉 🫰
September 11, 2014 at 10:56 PM
I was just going to post this when I read yours - I could feel A Beautiful Mind moment when HS told JY to look for inconsistency and contradiction in Kang Woo, and of course, it was that he didn't age/change.
I really liked that the outhouse story and river scene gave Jae Beom even more insight into the sad but symbiotic relationship between JY and mom; of everyone in this dysfunctional family I actually thing JB is more on the path to healing at this point than either mom or JY.
This was not a quick fix kdrama episode 15, but was thoughtful and continued the well-paced story in a way that left me satisfied and put it way up on the list of favorites.
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shiroikiwi
September 12, 2014 at 1:36 AM
I thought of A Beautiful Mind, too! "Marcy never ages!"
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12 alua
September 11, 2014 at 10:44 PM
The most heart-dropping moments for me in this episode were Jae-yeol's mom revealing that Jae-yeol's hiding in the public bathroom wasn't him hiding alone, but them together and Jae-bum realising that what he thought was a happy memory for them – and him being jealous of that – was the most painful one.
<if there was a competition for the Most Dysfunctional Family Award between Hae-soo and Jae-yeol, I’d probably put my money on Hae-soo.
<Hae-soo’s family goes, I’ve found the entire story thread surrounding her fear of intimacy related to her mother’s cheating to be oddly handled
I kind of agree with that – Jae-yeol's family has/had the more serious issues (life-threatening, life long ones), but Hae-soo's family has struggles that are difficult, but manageable... except that they decided to all be stubborn rather than support each other. I find it sad how little trust Hae-soo's family has in their daughter/sister, trust that she can make her own choice. It's one thing to tell her you are concerned and how you wish she'd make an easier choice, but Hae-soo's mom contacting Jae-yeol while he's in treatment and still extremely unstable, wow, how selfish can you get? Has she really no clue that reaching out to him, interfering like that, could have some serious repercussions? Do people not have boundaries? I mean, fight out your prejudice with your daughter (even if I find that sad as well), but what right does she have to contact and try to pull a guilt card on a mental patient who could well be at risk of suicide?
I did feel a couple things were a bit rushed – Jae-yeol's convincing his mom after one visit (and despite her being warned beforehand) to get him discharged. I think realistically, this would play out over a longer period, him pretending to be fine and trying to convince her over several visits. Very silly of her to agree to the discharge.
Not sure I also understand that they permitted Jae-bum visiting Jae-yeol without someone being presented in the room – not with Jae-bum's history of violence against Jae-yeol and his temper. They took too long to rush into the room to stop the beating.
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owl 🦉 🫰
September 11, 2014 at 11:07 PM
I think mom was in character by agreeing to take JY home - she does not have a clear mind anyway and just wants a happy family with her boys back with her. JY and JB always answered her with "okay mom" when she said stuff like let's take vacations together and let's the three of us live together. They humored her simple view of how things would be when JB got out of prison (and now, when JY gets home from the hospital). You're right that "it was silly of her to afree to the discharge" but I can understand that for her, JY saying he'd be good and take the medicine was proof that they could get on with her idea of a "normal family life" and wanted to quickly make it happen. Again, that is her illusion and denial of reality.
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alua
September 11, 2014 at 11:14 PM
I don't think it was out of character, but I just think it would take a little longer for her to be convinced – Hae-soo specifically warned her beforehand after all.
Mind you, they totally had on the edge every time when they let him go off on his own within days – "just turn on the GPS"! What's the bloody GPS going to help when he's thrown himself off a bridge? Or if he turns it off when he's 3 miles away already. Mom (and Jae-bum) should have been convinced to start their treatments already then...
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13 Viewer
September 11, 2014 at 10:49 PM
I feel like a lot of viewers take this drama at face value rather than on a deeper level( although i believe all of you guys in this comment section seem to have concrete theories and ideas) Mental illnesses are hard to understand and treatment is even more baffling. Of course, the writer is not a doctor of any kind but I'm sure she conducted extensive research throughout the script making process. I've done some reading on psychology myself and I don't find it hard to believe that jaeyeol would be able to remedy his self induced schizophrenia by talking to his manifestation of an alternate him. Granted, this story is thoroughly confusing but that's what makes this drama so great, you have to do more than a little thinking, it tickles your brain. Just because something in this drama seems ridiculous doesn't necessarily make it so, but I digress. This drama was a dry at the beginning but it has been an exciting roller coaster of twists and turns. Additionally, I enjoyed the side stories, this drama is not just a love story, its social commentary on koreas treatment of the mentally ill and it opens your eyes to the various mental illnesses that plague the people of this society. Anyway, can we talk about the cinematography, its truly stunning. The juxtaposition of kangwoo and teen jaeyeol over adult jaeyeol was nothing short of incredible. In fact everything was laid out beautifully this whole drama, the vibrant backdrop and the soundtrack really add to the ambience. I commend all who worked on this drama!
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loveprevail
September 12, 2014 at 12:53 AM
@viewer, for me, you're spot on with your comment. I totally agree. For this drama, I actually resisted in judging or even commenting on it here (only once I think I wrote at the start of the drama). I gave it freedom to reveal itself to me. And I'm so glad I did.
This drama can be likened to a roller coaster ride as you've mentioned and that's how I see it too, with it's twists and turns providing various levels of very uncomfortable moments making me feel queasy where at times I've questioned if I should get off. However, I chose to ride it to the very end and I'm happy to be gifted with the realization that I did right to stay on as I have no regrets because it delivered what I've hoped for, big time. :)
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readlead
September 12, 2014 at 2:49 AM
You said it very well. also the cinematography and music, the best in my 12 years watching kdrama :)
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Ann
September 12, 2014 at 8:03 AM
That's what I personally think too.It will take a while for me to find a drama such as this one.
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karened
September 13, 2014 at 4:38 AM
Yes, I love that scene! The juxtaposition was visually beautiful and carried so much meaning!
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14 Jackeline
September 11, 2014 at 10:59 PM
I totally respect your critism of this drama, Heads (and plus thanks for the recaps nonetheless!) but I think I must disagree. I love the beat/tone of IOIL and most things make sense to me. Yes, I was annoyed at and didn't understand Hae-soo and their relationship for a few episodes, but overall this is such a breath of fresh air and I love it.
"Then he gets a surprise visit from Sunbae Jo and Soo-kwang on the lonely country road he’s on. This… doesn’t seem real, even though I’m sure it must be."
At first I was also like "WHY IS HE ON A BIKE ON THAT ROAD ALONE" but then Soo-kwang and Sunbae Jo came. In my mind it can be explained by either a) they keep track of his location by the GPS on his phone, or b) Mama Ok-ja called them when she knew he was going out.
"Cue the sour memory Jae-bum has of passing by the river to see his mother and brother playing together without him."
I think this was a really emotional and important moment. Perspective is everything. Jae-bum thought they were having fun without him, but in actuality, they were laughing to hide their fear and disgust (of themselves) and couldn't cry even if they wanted to.
"Then she calls again, and hangs up again when he answers. She struggles with herself on whether to call again, and when she doesn’t, Jae-yeol finally calls her."
I interpreted this scene as follows: Hae-soo keeps on calling and hanging up because she wants JAE-YEOL to call HER. It's not that she's undecided on whether or not she should call him, but that she wants him to take the initiative and talk to her (because he was the one who broke things off) and reach out to her for help. I feel like this is reinforced by her telling him during that last phone call that she'll never call again once he hangs up, and will only respond when he reaches out.
"At home, Sunbae Jo administers a sedative to Jae-yeol, but the atmosphere is light and jokey for whatever reason."
The atmosphere is light because Jae-yeol just made the biggest step a schizophrenic can make by realizing that he is in fact schizophrenic and Kang-woo is his hallucination of himself. And he has agreed check himself into the hospital for treatment (not by force this time) so it makes sense for everyone to be relieved and happy for this progress.
"Sure, encourage the schizophrenic to engage his hallucinations in conversation. What’s the worst that could happen?"
He would eventually have to come to terms with this and confront Kang-woo at one point or another. Once he realizes Kang-woo is actually a manifestation of himself that he created, conversing with him shouldn't be a danger. I think it's such a powerful closure.
And can I just say how much I LOVE that scene of realization? When Jae-yeol finally figures out Kang-woo is a hallunication. So powerful, and so, so touching. Huge props to all the actors and actresses because their skills are amazing.
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Jackeline
September 11, 2014 at 11:03 PM
This is not to say the drama was without faults (I still don't get why it helps Jae-yeol for him to be beaten up by his brother). Plus I am in no way, shape, or form, a doctor so what I think makes sense might actually not make sense in medical practice.
Still, I think it says something that I enjoyed this drama as much as I did.
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Arianne
September 11, 2014 at 11:13 PM
I think it's the fact that Jae-yeol felt guilt during all those years that his brother was imprisoned because he (JY) didn't say the truth during that time at the court that it's okay for him to get beaten. Whenever he's beaten up, he feels that he deserves it. Also, after Jae Bum did that to JY, he kinda forgave him from all he had done especially because JY's also affected with what happened in the past and developed his sickness because of that.
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Jackeline
September 11, 2014 at 11:22 PM
But if everytime JY's beaten up and feels like he DESERVED the beating, doesn't that mean he's not over it? That he still feels guilty? I mean, he's the guy who didn't forgive himself when JB stabbed him with fork, so why now? This is what I don't understand.
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PeepsLeAwesomePotato
September 12, 2014 at 2:04 AM
Because in the past JaeBum never explicitly stated what JaeYeol did wrong; JaeBum wasn't willing AT ALL to forgive or embrace JaeYeol.
Guilt is a terrible thing in that it never relents, unlike feeling shame in front of the person one has wronged and in the case of JaeYeol, his guilt is so debilitating that he feels that he can never atone for his wrongs no matter what, unless he dies (which is the conclusion the show's psychiatrists have concluded themselves) but now, JaeBeom was telling him (albeit, in the most violent way ever) that it's okay, please heal.
This time, it was different because of JaeBeom's acceptance and (possible, reluctant?) forgiveness. The beatings are just side effect of JaeBeom's anger which is given little or no importance now.
It's not the beatings. It's the feelings behind it.
...
September 11, 2014 at 11:09 PM
Thank you. All the informations we need to understand why people do certain things or behave in a certain way are here. We may obtain them belatedly & then have an eureka! moment but those scenes don't come from out of space. Maybe older viewers/recappers who have more experience in life and/or storytelling are able to see this clearly.
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readlead
September 12, 2014 at 2:52 AM
maybe you're true... though I consider my self is still young enough :D
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owl 🦉 🫰
September 11, 2014 at 11:21 PM
hi Jackeline - "scene of realization' describes a lot of what happened in this episode. What I liked about these revelations was how it allowed the viewers to get a full picture, too. Like how the bathroom and river scene filled in the story even more, the important confrontation between JY and KW and the painful but needful farewell, yeah, powerful.
This is why I watch kdramas - for an interesting story, well-developed characters, relationships, and kdrama resolutions that don't disappoint. There were award-winning performances all around in IOIL.
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alua
September 11, 2014 at 11:30 PM
I agree with most of your points.
I think Soo-kwang and Dr Jo (and Hae-soo) were absolutely clear on the fact that it wasn't yet safe to discharge Jae-yeol, hence keeping an eye on him. They may have been in touch with the mother, or Tae-yong perhaps more likely.
The river memory – very, very powerful moment (as I said in my own comment).
Light atmosphere with Sunbae Jo administering sedative made sense to me too... I mean, these four housemates have build trust and have lived together with a lot of joy and happiness. It wasn't a scene that needed "distance" or "formality", they were joking about because when things were 'normal' that's how they interacted. They were happy in this instance because it was a breakthrough moment for Jae-yeol and they also wanted to make it 'normal'. Long-faces would not have done any good in this moment.
Enouraging to talk to his hallucination: I didn't find that per se problematic, I only wondered if that is encouraged by doctors – but some other commenter seemed to suggest that this is not out of the norm.
I'm not sure whether Hae-soo was undecided or whether she wanted him to call her... I interpreted more as the first, i.e. that it was a very, very hard phone call for her to make and she just struggled with it. Because she's human. Because she's not just a doctor treating patient x, but she's Hae-soo and worrying about Jae-yeol, her boyfriend. Maybe it was the latter, I don't think it matters too much.
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Jackeline
September 11, 2014 at 11:36 PM
Thank you for the reply. :) I commented on the things above because I had felt Heads was dissatisfied with/misunderstanding some of the scenes and just wanted to offer another perspective. Glad to know I'm not the only one to see things the way I did.
As for the phone call, for me, HS calling and hanging up right away or after only saying what she wants to say feels like a bait for JY to call back. But you're right, it is not so important in this episode.
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fab
September 12, 2014 at 5:58 AM
When she hung up the second time I was convinced she wanted him to call her, that way she could force him to really listen to her.
And I agree on all of your analyses!
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Riya
September 12, 2014 at 6:33 AM
Where did the like button disappear to? Coz I think you're spot on about your observations.
I am so eternally thankful for the recaps here on DB but I was disappointed that Heads was critical of certain scenes. It's like when you really like a movie, you want your movie soulmate to like it. And usually my reaction to dramas mirror the reaction on DB and this is the first time when the recapper's POV is different from mine :/ I still <3 you guys!!
The way I understood the scenes mentioned above are exactly how you, Jackeline, explained it and I appreciate the fact that you took the time to put your thoughts here. :)
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15 kopytko
September 11, 2014 at 11:13 PM
Call me cruel and heartless, but I think HS's mom and sis were right in telling her to break up with JY. They didn't want her to live with a burden of uncurable illness. It's true that it is different from tending to a patient like HS's dad, but still you must always be alert. The other thing is, you don't know what the schizophrenic can do, he might hurt him/herself (remember the girl almost drowning?), so in a way it is more difficult than caring for a palsy patient. It is hard.
Now, I don't mean to say that all mentally ill people should be abandoned. But being with them is a very difficult decision, with serious consequences, so it needs to be taken with full awareness. I prefer this to an attitude of blissful, careless optimism, which feels very artificial and that is shown so often. After all, both mom and sis do it out of pure concern and not to hurt HS's feelings for the funsies. They did the right thing.
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alua
September 11, 2014 at 11:22 PM
They were right to tell her their concerns, but they were not right to bully (and threaten) her about it without trying to understand her for a second and completely distrust her capability of making a choice – she's a grown adult and a doctor in this field and knows exactly what she's getting into. She's a 30-something woman, not a 20-year old naive, barely-adult that needs to be treated like a child.
They were also not at all within their right to contact Jae-yeol directly. Hae-soo's mom as extremely foolish (and manipulative) to do that.
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kopytko
September 11, 2014 at 11:58 PM
HS is a doctor, but she's just a person in love. Her being a psychiatrist doesn't make her behave more wisely than any other girl. A competent doctor wouldn't have gone to Jae Yeol when it was forbidden for HIS sake...
I don't see anything wrong with the mom telling JY directly that he's not a welcome addition to the family. They knew each other, they had been in contact previously, so she could very well be frank about how she feels about her daughter's relationship with him.
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alua
September 12, 2014 at 12:25 AM
Yes, she's a person in love but that doesn't mean she's now doomed as a doctor forever or that she can't make any sensible choices anymore because she made one mistake or that she doesn't know what kind of reality awaits her if she spends her life with Jae-yeol. She realised it was a mistake and obviously they would need to figure out how to deal with the situation – with the help of others.
Sorry, still think the mom was wrong. He's an unstable mental patient who has been at risk for suicide. He is a few weeks into treatment.
You don't call up someone at risk for suicide to tell them you've got problem with them. He could have had a breakdown just because she felt she needed to hash it out with him directly rather than talking to her daughter.
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Jackeline
September 11, 2014 at 11:26 PM
I see your point but I agree with alua. The intent does not justify the means. HS's mom slapped her twice and her sister guilt-tripped/threatened her. How about just normal, sensible conversation?
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alua
September 11, 2014 at 11:37 PM
I think Hae-soo's mom and sister were of the "old" character stock, you know, from dramas where people don't do normal, sensible conversation.
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Jackeline
September 11, 2014 at 11:44 PM
Not so old, I don't think. :P Dramaland would be a much more peaceful place if we can just file these character stocks away for the history books. But then where would the drama be, right?
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kopytko
September 12, 2014 at 12:05 AM
But you have little space for a discussion: HS will say that she loves him and she will be fine, her Mom and Sis will tell her to think a hundred times before she takes up such a commitment and rather choose a safe path. You cannot really say more in this situation.
Besides, HS doesn't seem to think clearly, so talking to her might seem pointless to Mom&Sis, so they used crude methods to give her their message.
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alua
September 12, 2014 at 12:33 AM
I think there's plenty of space for discussion. They need to specify their exact fears and Hae-soo needs to honestly consider them and think about how to deal with those fears or problematic situations (and the support she needs for that). They also need to inform themselves, because they were purely acting on prejudice, without knowing anything at all about schizophrenia (Hae-soo's sister reduced Jae-yeol to "he's crazy"). They can bring in other people into this discussion – Dr Lee, Sunbae Jo – who can mediate and address concerns/problems of either side.
I think HS's is generally thinking clearly, she struggles and she makes mistakes, but she has her 'other' family supporting her and Jae-yeol to help her when she's not seeing clearly. She doesn't (and shouldn't) be his doctor because a girlfriend she's too close to him, but she is capable of being his support.
readlead
September 12, 2014 at 3:12 AM
"Besides, HS doesn’t seem to think clearly, so talking to her might seem pointless to Mom&Sis, so they used crude methods to give her their message." That's it!
@alua sorry, I've to agree with kopytko :D
alua
September 12, 2014 at 3:57 AM
So hitting and threatening people to get your point across is okay? I'm sorry, but I'm not going to agree on that.
And how far you willing to go? What if Hae-soo rebels? What are they allowed to do then because they want a different future for her?
It's her life. It's her choice. They can state their opinion, they can state it repeatedly and never waver, but slaps and threats cross the line.
readlead
September 12, 2014 at 3:09 AM
I'm agree with you.
I have uncle that suffer schizo, he got married few years ago and even having child, but in the end, he cant control him self and now get hospitalized, while his wife and his child are neglected.. the wife is still very young yet she has to endure many difficulty for being single parent.
Maybe because IOIL it self, I dont feel annoyed at all by any bad attitude of character in IOIL... I just feel that they love each other genuinely and want the best for the one they love, so they act quite cruel toward HS, because HS isnt the type of daughter that could be advised in common style :D she is stubborn sass after all hehe
so once again, it's so understandable for me :) it just matter of different personality, some mother may ask her daughter in softer way, some mother may ask her daughter in stricter way, some mother even maybe ask their daughter to challenge their self... and in this case we have a quite straightforward mother (?) :D
after all, you cant deny that mom and sister do that to HS because they want HS having nice future, arent they? :) so that's why I can understand why HS's family act like that and dont feel annoyed
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16 liz
September 11, 2014 at 11:27 PM
Thanks Heads! Great drama, I wished HS's family could learn more about JY'S disease from HS but it didn't happy, we just had ''1 year after'' script excuse to fix everything between the families, great.
Btw, DO was decent. I don't get people praising him so much - guy only had to look cute 90% of time, and when he had to show rage/angry look he was always stiff.
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alua
September 11, 2014 at 11:31 PM
You're jumping ahead here... but I agree with you. But I'll wait for the ep 16 recap.
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ilikemangos
September 11, 2014 at 11:44 PM
Careful with spoilers, some people haven't watched finale yet
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kopytko
September 12, 2014 at 12:11 AM
I have no idea who that DO or D.O. guy is. I'm just sure that if he weren't an idol, pretty much nobody would bother to mention him ;P. He wasn't bad, but it's not like he had a difficult task to do. Any teenager from a community centre theatre group could probably do it just as well. But well, let the fans have their joy and praise the boy.
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readlead
September 12, 2014 at 3:45 AM
you know what, when DO was announced as one of cast, there was immediately dozen of negative comment. it's very rare a new and young idol do good in their debut acting, most likely they'll get much hatred comment everytime they do acting.
but this time, unlike most of idol who failed, he able to do well enough so that's why I think why it seem public being quite overwhelmed by him :) because if DO didnt do good enough, you would see dozen times more negative comment compare to new actor who isnt an idol.
seem DO is the one that lucky to get this drama as his debut acting because the team is well known as dream team. :)
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17 readlead
September 12, 2014 at 3:33 AM
I'm so happy that finally, JB can forgive JY and omma...
when he said that he is his omma child too, means that he wont let go omma go to prison and would protect her just like JY, JB hit JY for last time just to express how he is so angry because JY didnt believe in him back then...
and then JB get to know the reason omma and JY got closer, not because omma hate JB or else, just because omma and JY were not as strong as him...
and all scene of Kang woo being barefoot..... is one of most unforgettable scene for me! kudos to writer noh, director and cinematographer.
though I've been interested about psychology since long time ago, never I bordered to read journal about it since it's quite headache for me :D , but thank to IOIL, at least I get to know how I cant and shouldnt look down anymore to mentally ill people ever!
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18 Nessie
September 12, 2014 at 4:03 AM
I was suprised when this recap came out earlier than usual. I was like nooo I still gotta watch the latest episode to comment ahah
Once again JIS just pierced my heart with his acting. His tears just gets me everytime, and when GHJ was crying telling him not to leave. That helplessness, and sadness she expressed, just standing there watching him go. Oh lordy how many times must they make her cry, it's just painful gah
Onto discussion, when HS called JY I actually thought back to when JY told her to call him 3x if she wants to go out with him. So I'm not too sure if this scene was referencing that previous moment.
I think the main moment of realisation for JY was actually the fact that KW wasn't wearing any shoes wherever he went. Although KW did appear not wearing shoes in some places as we saw, majority of the time as the viewer we always saw him from the knee upwards. Whenever he rode his bike, we never fully saw his feet either. So in that sense, I believe the injured feet is the physical manefistation of JY's guilt and pain of the past. It referenced JY's younger self who was suffering and running barefeet in the field. (It makes me think back to when JY remembered JB giving him his shoes to walk back home after hitting him too) Which is why when JY was washing KW's feet, and putting shoes on them it was so symbolic. It's like JY's healing himself, by admitting to his past, and washing them away. I bet HS knew this as well, which is why she prepared the shoes for him, because he must've told her what he realised. Of course the whole age thing, is a big link as HeadsNo2 said. I find the symbolism in feet interesting, because they are part of our legs, which take us wherever we need to go. Without feet we struggle to walk, so in a sense it could be said JY is now starting a new journey to recover, or a new beginning.
One thing I loved about this episode, is how it tied everything into a full circle. We see things from Mama Ok Ja's perspective, and Jae Bum learns to understand his mother more. While JY thinks back to his earlier moments with KW, while at the same time using his memory of HS to help him.
When JY did his noble idiot thing to break up with HS, I got so annoyed thinking how the hell is he gonna go back into the hospital, he's still sees KW! Thank goodness it was resolved quickly, and we made progress real quick.
I kinda stopped caring about HS's family tbh...I feel like they are more a plot device on JY & HS's relationship.
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patinalee
September 12, 2014 at 8:38 AM
I thought giving the shoes was connected to the Koreans' belief that if you give someone a pair of shoes, that someone will leave you. We usually see this in a lovers' relationships. Does this belief extends to other relationships too?
Remember HS's message that she asked JY to convey to KW: that she is beside JY now, so KW can leave in peace. Thus HS's gift of, and JY's putting on, the shoes on KW, was them telling KW to leave.
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Nessie
September 13, 2014 at 1:43 AM
Oh thanks for letting me know! I didn't know about that korean concept.
True true, I love how HS presence is also used as a plot device to help JY overcome his illness. As in the past we could only see her as a cause for KW to appear.
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19 Jackal
September 12, 2014 at 4:23 AM
The Best Drama Of The Year
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Arianne
September 12, 2014 at 6:35 AM
I second the motion! :)
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20 rez
September 12, 2014 at 4:36 AM
Actually I left in the middle of this drama. Because annoying conversations and I couldn't get the point. Then I read your recaps l HeadsNo2, and watched again.
Finally I found an interesting point in this episode, yeah we're going to an end.
My favorite scenes were when Jae Yeol find that's Kang Woo isn't exist (finally) and when he wash Kang Woo's feet. They're unspeakable moments, I love it *slow clap*
Make me remember Russel Crowe in A Beautiful Mind, he made 3 different personalities. In the end, he realize that they're not real, because a young kid whom he always met, never grow up, but he's growing old. He choose to live normally, as normal as he could, and ignoring those hallucinations. And I should say, that I love those movie. The end-to-go of this drama remind me, just the end part ^^
Thanks for your wonderful recap HeadsNo2
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21 Rayn
September 12, 2014 at 5:59 AM
did i miss something? why didn't i know Sunbae Jo had a wife? O:
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kopytko
September 12, 2014 at 6:20 AM
You need to go back to the very first episode and learn why HS went to the TV show with JY in the first place :)
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owl 🦉 🫰
September 12, 2014 at 6:17 PM
Also, he refers to himself as a married man several times throughout the kdrama especially to Young-jin. Remember when he didn't allow himself to hug her after one of their talks...that's why.
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22 Adal
September 12, 2014 at 7:37 AM
I finally understood why Jae-yeol felt so safe in the sewage bin of the outhouse. It was because he found his mother hiding there and her presence was so comforting to him. Strangely, whenever he recalls the incident, he does not remember that his mother was hiding in there with him.
Jae-Bum finally rises to the occasion. I really am proud of him, for being pissed off with his little brother who thought Jae Bum wouldn't be able to handle it if he found that their mother really killed their stepfather. I'm glad he found out the truth about what happened the day his mother and younger brother were playing in the stream. They were washing off the filth caused by hiding in the sewer and it broke his heart. Now, hopefully the whole family can heal and move on with their lives.
This show.... it does tug at the heart strings indeed!
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Ann
September 12, 2014 at 8:07 AM
So true!. And there was never a moment that I thought that they were only acting their parts. All along, everytime I watch an episode, it feels very realistic to me.
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patinalee
September 12, 2014 at 9:28 AM
I won't fault JY for not trusting JB with the truth. Their relationship was abusive. It was JY's narrative that apart from the step-father, JB also beats him up, for being beaten by the step-father. How can trust exist in such a relationship?
At the same time, I believe that had JB knew their mother had a hand in the step-father's death, he would have stood up for her. He readily, unhesitatingly took the fall for JY when the step-father ran into the knife in JY's hands, revealed in JB's flashback during his 'amytal' session. JB would have readily take the blame for his mom had he known then. Unfortunately, his readiness to take the fall for someone else's wrongdoing was unknown to JY who was unconscious then.
JB's problem is his inability to convey his true feelings to others. He wanted to give JY his shoes, and did that only after beating up his brother. His gift of a can of fuel to his mom was realised only a week later, that it was a birthday gift for her. His intentions were good and he did have some redeeming qualities, he was however misunderstood and this misunderstanding caused grievances for the family down the road. The Show should have unravel more of his character.
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readlead
September 13, 2014 at 5:40 AM
agree with you. I would love too to see more detail about JB... 16 episodes are too short, IOIL should have at least 20 epsiodes :(
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23 Crystal
September 12, 2014 at 9:30 AM
The direction of this drama was great. After JJY's realization that Kang Woo couldn't be real (because of his feet), I realized that they never showed Kang Woo's feet (when he was in a normal state). We only got to see his feet when he was bloody/bruised. Just a small attention to detail that was appreciated.
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Peridot
September 12, 2014 at 10:50 AM
Hello, Cates :). I agree with your observations regarding the attention to detail. I've been trying to recollect some of the earlier scenes with Kangwoo and whether or not we actually saw his feet. Maybe we didn't. I do remember the camera focusing on his lower body when he was bloody and bruised.
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alua
September 12, 2014 at 11:51 AM
I'm pretty sure we saw his feet at least once or twice. I remember them being bruised and bloody, but I don't recall them being bruised and bloody and with the same cut every time (which makes me think we only had one or at most two scenes that showed his feet). Someone would have picked it up otherwise.
We definitely didn't see all the in all the scenes that were shown now with the feet included. Though I think in some cases we some him cycling in the distance, with him not wearing shoes but it not being obvious that his feet were injured.
Will have to go back to rewatch to be sure though. But that'll be a happy rewatch for a wonderful drama like this. :-D
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jozie
September 13, 2014 at 8:01 PM
I actually did a skim back through to check out the feet thing. From what I saw, the director did a really good job of not showing the feet.
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24 Jenniec
September 12, 2014 at 11:16 AM
This episode was so good. I'm really in love with this drama. Jo In Sung was amazing this episode and Gong Hyo Jin is excellent as well.
It was heartbreaking and chilling to see the contradiction between Kang Woo, and seeing the shock in Jae Yeols face was absolutely superb done by In Sung.
I'm in love with the OST as well. I love every song and how they choose to put it in.
Best drama, couple, ost for me this year.
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readlead
September 13, 2014 at 5:35 AM
best acting , best cast and best cinematography too for me!
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25 Mia
September 12, 2014 at 12:06 PM
"Then again, in a world where schizophrenia can be dealt with by thinking really hard, maybe anything is possible".
Heads, as a counselor, if I can get my clients to think really hard, I would feel so successful. Hallucinations are manifestations of the subconscious. These clients are reacting to stressors by creating an alternate universe. They can't think or REASON, they react without thinking.
This show is unrealistic in that JY is able to think, he is able to reason, he is able to discern, he is able to question, he is able to let go so quickly.
A better appropriate word for thinking would be to REASON which is a big hurdle for untold numbers of people with mental illness.
Thinking hard is a good thing to forward their recovery.
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26 The real Mr. Kim Taeyeon
September 12, 2014 at 5:34 PM
I've always love Gong Hyo Jin and she didn't disappoint one bit in this drama, but honestly, Jo In Sung stole the show for me. I felt his honesty throughout this whole drama. His dedication to executing each emotion was absolutely breathtaking to watch. I've cried so many times in this drama because of him and Hyo Jin. But let's not ignore the cast, because the whole cast did a phenomenal job with each of their portrayals of their characters. Great soundtrack, great cast, great writing. It's ok that's love is a drama I continue to watch again and again
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27 sanny
September 12, 2014 at 11:03 PM
It's okay it's love feels like a drama that's really about many forms of love. It's flawed, it's beautiful, and I like that the show generates this much discussion about how we view ourselves and others.
The characters are very much like real people and even though I do watch dramas for escapism, this show felt like it's fantasy that's rooted in reality.
Even though some or even all the characters are flawed and although I disagree with some of their behaviour (e.g. Hae Soo's mom, Jaebum's violence), I can understand that it's down to culture and personality differences, and surprisingly I don't dislike any of them. GHJ in particular brings out a lovely charm in all the characters I've seen her play. And JIS and DO's acting skills deserve props too, as are the rest of the cast.
Very rarely that I'd watch a drama over and over, but upon repeated watching I find that I discover something that I missed out on before and notice the details put into this project, and grow to love it even more.
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28 Janey
September 13, 2014 at 8:10 AM
Gong hyo jin manages to make a seller of every drama she's cast in. It's incredible how she's blessed. If she's not the one carrying the show, then it would be the male lead cast with her. In MASTER's SUN the male lead(so ji sub) nailed it. Here too, the male lead nailed it. It's truly incredible.
I have a question: is it a korean thing to be violent? Why are koreans violent? You see fathers always beating their kids when they do things they don't like, sometimes mothers too. What happened to HAVING A CONVERSATION LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE DO? It makes me wary of koreans, really.
Violence violence. It's just too bad.
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well
September 13, 2014 at 9:09 AM
Well, you can't judge that Koreans are violent because you have watched one of k dramas... especially this one describes families and people who have deep scars in their mind, so you have to know that it can be exaggerated for interesting story.
It is like thinking that all Americans shoot each other and all Japanese are Yakuja. Some of them are may be, but not all.
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29 ABcullen
September 13, 2014 at 1:46 PM
No offense to heads and gummi.
I like your writing, I really do. However, I don't feel it's suited for recaps and reviews about kdramas. I would love to read about other stuff you guys write, but I prefer reading the recaps written by javabeans and girlfriday a lot more. Really, I mean no offense. Just throwing my opinion out there.
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extracheeseplease
September 13, 2014 at 7:13 PM
Saying "no offense, but I hate the stuff you write, xoxo" without providing any tangible reasons why isn't just rude and hurtful, it's thoroughly unhelpful.
If there are actual problems you've noticed with the way Heads and gummi write recaps and reviews, point out the flaws in a constructive way so that the writers have the opportunity to improve in the future. Instead, you've opted for throwing out a casually paternalistic insult (and, yes, it is still an insult, even if its sandwiched between a hefty sprinkling of "no offense"s) and then wandering away in what amounts to the emotional equivalent of a drive-by.
You're, of course, entitled to your opinion as to whether or not Heads and gummi are bad at their jobs, but please recognize that calling them out in this way doesn't help anyone.
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ABcullen
September 15, 2014 at 9:18 AM
I never said I hate their writing nor did I say they are bad at their jobs, however, as you said, I should have specified. Here goes:
1) It feels too much as if I'm reading an article or a textbook summary instead of a fun recap. These are kdrama recaps and I like having witty/sarcastic/funny/cute side-notes every once in a while and not just summaries .
2) With the side-notes which ARE given, I haven't been able to relate like I usually can (those 'me too, OMO!' moments, for example). It feels like they had to come up with them, and they don't feel very natural.
3) Maybe this is just something I'm making up, but I also feel as if they are over-analyzing some of the characters (particularly Hae-Soo). If you read the comments, a lot of viewers disagree with the writers whenever they make her seem ridiculous. I'm not saying that they aren't entitled to write their opinions about her, just that their opinion about her is often negative, whereas she seems like a great character, representing the average as well as the not-so-average woman, but I digress.
I think these are just some minor kinks, really. Other than that, I enjoyed the recaps.
Hwaiting!
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kangaroo
May 31, 2015 at 12:25 PM
I tend to agree in general with AB_cullens. Did not realise that there are different writers.
Yes, many a cute moments and conversations are missed out from the recap - these cute moments being the essence of the show.
The quirkness of HS is somehow misconstructed too ...in a number of incidents. These are uncomfortable to read. Luckily, there are some readers who have written in to give the more comfortable view. I think if you like the show, it is nice to read the recap (it entrenches the nice experience) hence if the recap is off the mark, it tends to spoil the pleasure.
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30 Lisa
September 13, 2014 at 3:12 PM
Wanting him to talk with his imagination was the right decision for me. In some cases it may be troublesome-for example if the hallucination tells you to do things that harm yourself, but Jae-Yeol, once realising that Kwang-soo wasn't real had the power in that relationship and could find peace through talking with him. I think otherwise he would have never had a chance to get "rid" of him. Jae-Yeol can finally be at peace with his choices and finds closure in talking to him. Saying goodbye to Kwang-soo is what he needs to move on.
I think Hae-soo told him right here. If Jae-Yeol still believed Kwang-soo is real, then of course her saying to him that he should talk to Kwang-Soo would be the worst choice ever, but since Jae-Yeol now knew that he wasn't real, it was a good thing to have a last talk.
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31 seomin
September 13, 2014 at 6:50 PM
Nice recap! I hope you can recap the last episode soon~
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32 oleebeuyoo
October 2, 2014 at 2:18 PM
"Then again, in a world where schizophrenia can be dealt with by thinking really hard, maybe anything is possible."
^THIS.
I mean, go Korea for finally acknowledging mental illness, but (as messy as things are) I feel like everything is way too neat. And man, if all psychiatric hospitals were as beautiful and orderly as this one...
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33 kangaroo
May 30, 2015 at 12:48 AM
The show has such good flow that you forgive the flaws (which were not really so major after all, in any case). Encore. If they could do part II on the same format.
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