Imaginary Cat: Episode 8 (Final)
by gummimochi
All good things must come to an end, and I can tell you that my Tuesdays will be just a little less sweet without Imaginary Cat to keep me company. And I thought I was emotionally prepared for the end, until I saw it. Jong-hyun and Bok-gil are faced with one last hurdle that tugs at the heart, and they’ll learn just how precious they are to one another. Some conflicts are wrapped into a neat bow, while other dangling threads are swept under a rug, but none of that changes how delightful it was to spend eight weeks with this cute little series about the love between human and cat.
SONG OF THE DAY
Sung Shi-kyung – “두사람 (Two People)” [ Download ]
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CHAPTER 15: “Last Farewell”
Jong-hyun rushes to the animal hospital with Bok-gil barely conscious in his arms. He learns that Bok-gil is suffering from a nerve disorder, one that isn’t easily detected with a regular checkup or an x-ray. Bok-gil doesn’t have much time left either—a day or two, at most.
Despite learning about the symptoms that are soon to follow (including paralysis in the limbs), Jong-hyun fixates on the idea of treatment, finding it impossible that his perfectly healthy cat could fall ill so quickly. “You’re a vet,” he cries. “Then shouldn’t you do something for her?”
He jumps at the chance for surgery, but Wan tells him that would require amputating Bok-gil’s leg. Because they don’t know how serious the blood clot is yet and her age, Bok-gil has a higher chance of dying on the table.
“Would you feel okay sending her away like that?” Wan asks. Jong-hyun roars back at him that he has no intention of losing Bok-gil. He’s understandably overcome with emotion, and pleads with Wan tearfully, “Please do the surgery.”
If this whole situation wasn’t heart-wrenching enough as it is, we see Jong-hyun in the operating room with Bok-gil. He does his best to encourage Bok-gil to make it through, as the latter thinks of how scared she is.
He promises that they’ll see each other again soon, and leans in once more for a moment of telepathic connection. Bok-gil: “I want to go home.” Jong-hyun: “Bok-gil-sshi, let’s go home.”
Jong-hyun gathers Bok-gil up in his arms, which is when Na-woo bursts through the door, worried. And whereas Wan told Jong-hyun to prepare for the worst, he reassures her that Bok-gil will be fine.
It doesn’t take her long to realize that Bok-gil isn’t fine, and she refuses to accept the possibility of losing her long-lost Haru again. She begs Jong-hyun not go ahead with the surgery, sobbing when Jong-hyun wordlessly takes Bok-gil away with him.
As they walk in the dark, Jong-hyun tries to distract himself by thinking of what to do when they get home. Play games? Read a book? Give her a massage? He cries at the thought of such mundane activities, and Bok-gil thinks, “Yes… do all of that.” He promises to be by her side until she’s all better.
After climbing into bed together, Bok-gil admits that she’s feeling much better now that they’re home. She tries to reassure her owner that she’s fine, and promises to groom him later because she’s too tired to do so tonight.
Jong-hyun lets Na-woo in to see Bok-gil after receiving her next moments later. Watching her sleep, Na-woo remarks on how lucky Bok-gil is to have so many people who love her. Hearing Na-woo say it’d be nice for her to stay with them a little longer gets Jong-hyun choked up, and he blames himself for not picking up on her symptoms sooner.
He apologizes to Na-woo too, who tells him that this isn’t his fault. Instead of beating himself up, Bok-gil would want him to stay with her with a smile, she says. Holding back her own tears, Na-woo whispers, “Haru, I love you.”
Her eyes brimming with tears, Na-woo gets up to leave and declines to stay any longer. “There’s something I realized after being sick at a young age,” she tells him. “That each and every day was precious. I don’t want to steal away even a moment the two of you could have together right now.”
Some time later (maybe the next morning or a few days later; the time jumps are never quite clear in this show), Jong-hyun’s look of concern relaxes upon hearing Bok-gil’s cries. He does everything for her in the time that they have: give her a massage, cook her chicken stew, and feed her her medication.
Bok-gil obliges to everything without complaint, saying that she’s eating because her human made it for her, asking for praise when she takes her meds. Although a part of him is happy to see her happy, he also worries that she’s a bit too compliant.
Per Jong-hyun’s request, Hae-gong drops off camping equipment that evening. Even though he’s relieved to hear that Bok-gil is holding up fine, he’s more concerned about his friend. Telling him that Jong-hyun can call on him whenever he has need, Hae-gong leaves.
Turns out Jong-hyun wanted to bring that camping-themed cat cafe to Bok-gil as to entertain her. Aww, that’s sweet. When Bok-gil isn’t able to come to him, Jong-hyun wonders if she’s not moving on purpose so that he has to carry her. Uh oh, is it the paralysis?
He picks her up and softly asks if she wants to go inside the tent. Bok-gil agrees, and they curl up in the tent together. He turns on a lamp that shines stars into the tent’s ceiling, and Bok-gil’s eyes light up in amazement.
She’s impressed, and even more so when her human wonders if a “cat star” exists. She explains that an old cat once told her that when a cat’s time comes, it travels over the rainbow in the sky and to the cat star.
“Should we wish upon that star?” Jong-hyun asks. Bok-gil wishes that her human wouldn’t feel lonely even after she’s gone. She tsks at her human for saying that his is a secret.
Noticing that she’s getting drowsy, Jong-hyun reassures her that he’ll stay by her side. “Human, thank you for everything,” Bok-gil thinks happily. “I was happy.”
CHAPTER 16: “Stay By My Side”
Bok-gil is gone by morning, much to Jong-hyun’s shock. He calls her name, searching for her in every nook and cranny of the apartment. His face falls when opens his wardrobe. Oh no.
His agonized face says it all, but still Jong-hyun narrates for us how he heard that cats look for a place to die alone. Biting his lip, he tells us, “That morning, I found Bok-gil deeply hidden in my closet.”
3 Months Later. Jong-hyun tenders his resignation at the bookstore, and is surprised to find that his boss isn’t jumping with joy. Still, his boss wishes him luck in his future endeavors, in hopes to place Jong-hyun’s work on the bestsellers shelf.
At the mention of Na-woo’s cousin, Jong-hyun thinks his boss will be fine without him playing Cupid. He knows that because that cousin is standing ten feet away from them as they speak. I love the whispered argument about who should go talk to her before his boss finally musters up the courage to do it. Heh.
Hae-gong and Na-woo look through photos of Bok-gil with fondness at the cafe. She refuses to cry over Bok-gil’s passing, especially when Jong-hyun seems to be hanging in there. They try to hide the photos when Jong-hyun walks in, but he smiles and asks how the gallery preparations are going.
He gives her the green light to use one of Bok-gil’s photos for a poster, and Na-woo watches him work, sighing when he does. “Of course he can’t be okay.”
Jong-hyun returns to a dark apartment that evening and settles into his chair to work. Accidentally knocking over his pencils, he discovers the handmade brightly-colored collar that fell to the floor in the previous episode. He gives the bell a little ring, and then hears meowing. No, it couldn’t be.
He smiles to see Bok-gil sitting on the bed, but that apparition disappears moments later. Now that’s just cruel. Sure, Imaginary Cat, go ahead and drive that final nail into my emotional coffin by showing me all the heartwarming memories Jong-hyun and Bok-gil shared together.
Tears stream down Jong-hyun’s cheeks before willing them to stop a minute later. He looks back at the bed in silence.
At the agency, Dokko PD is pleased that Jong-hyun’s webtoon (which looks a lot like the actual webtoon “Imaginary Cat”) is a hit. She confesses that some friendly competition has its benefits—even Jin-sung’s next project looks promising. This is all to say that Jong-hyun needs to keep up the good work.
Jong-hyun congratulates her on her upcoming promotion, then hilariously takes his leave when she takes a call from Hae-gong.
Jin-sung looks annoyed when Jong-hyun stops him in the hallway. He fully expects another lecture from Jong-hyun, and is flabbergasted when Jong-hyun compliments him on his work instead.
Hae-gong is now a gas station attendant—he may have joined his father’s business, but he acknowledges that his father’s the wealthy one, not him. He mostly wants to be a man his successful girlfriend deserves, which spurs the question of how Hae-gong and Dokko PD got together.
Jong-hyun gets a vague-ish answer that it was all thanks to him and Bok-gil, and when Hae-gong tells him that he’s not free tonight, Jong-hyun says it’s fine because he has someone else to hang out with. Omo, Na-woo?
As Jong-hyun sits alone by the river, he thinks: “If you parted ways with someone, that means you loved them. One day, she appeared before me, someone with many wounds. In that moment when Bok-gil needed someone most, it makes me happy that I was there to find her.”
“However, now that I think about it, I wasn’t the one who found Bok-gil… but I think Bok-gil called out to me.” As his narration continues, we see a montage of Jong-hyun and Bok-gil’s relationship, from the moment they met, to the years they spent together, to the time Na-woo entered their lives. “She licked my wounds, stroked my heart, and awoke my dreams.”
Jong-hyun’s face breaks into a smile at seeing Na-woo walk towards him. He tries teaching her to ride a bike again, but like before, she struggles to stay on and just gives up. HA.
She claims that a thought came to her, about how she can’t ride a bike for the life of her. Handing him her camera, she tells him to take a picture of her because she’s determined to succeed today.
So Na-woo gets on the bike, and then eureka—she starts pedaling without assistance. As Jong-hyun struggles with the settings, she calls out, “Oh Na-woo likes Hyun Jong-hyun!” She looks back to tell him: “I like you!”
Jong-hyun narrates that he has vowed to himself never to run away because he’s afraid to part ways with someone. “Bok-gil-ah, do I seem like I’m doing all right?” he thinks.
We see both collars hanging from a window at home while Jong-hyun puts the final touches on his latest webtoon chapter, scribbling, “The End.”
COMMENTS
I’m not crying; my eyes are just a little sweaty today. Oh, who am I kidding? I bawled like a baby during this finale. Not only that, there were times I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find the words because I was on the verge of tears. And if I was this deeply attached to Bok-gil as a viewer, then I can only imagine that it’s infinitely times more difficult for Jong-hyun.
Even though I knew that something terrible might happen to Bok-gil in the story’s final act, I hadn’t expected that Bok-gil’s health would deteriorate so rapidly. Sure a part of me knew that the show had only thirty minutes to wrap everything up, but neither was I emotionally prepared to part ways with Bok-gil in any way. Watching her spend her last days with Jong-hyun both warmed my heart and tore at my heartstrings, since I knew that her passing was inevitable. I’m also glad that Na-woo stepped aside so that Jong-hyun and Bok-gil could savor every moment they still could together, and encouraged him to make that time a happy one. It certainly couldn’t have been much easier for Na-woo either, that her long-lost cat would now be gone forever.
Of course in an ideal world, I would’ve wanted the three of them to live happily ever after. So instead of focusing on the sadness surrounding Bok-gil death, it’s more meaningful to touch upon how her presence has influenced Jong-hyun’s life for the better. Both of them harbored deep emotional pain and learned to depend on one another over the years, creating a virtually unbreakable bond. That strong relationship plays out in the telepathic conversations they have and the lovable interactions between man and cat. I swear there must be some mutual affection going on between Yoo Seung-ho and that drama cat as well, because no cat, not even a Scottish fold can be that chill with smushing your face into its own face. Or maybe pets can sense the goodness in people.
So once Bok-gil was gone, seeing her again in any light was still painful, whether that be in a flashback or as an imagined manifestation. Over the course of these eight half-hour episodes, we could see how much she meant to her owner and everyone who knew her. It broke my heart to see Jong-hyun grieving over the loss of his feline friend, and yet seeing him slowly pick himself back up months later instills hope that life does go on. Gone, but not forgotten.
As charming as Imaginary Cat was for a short series, it certainly wasn’t without its flaws. The time lapses were mostly unclear, where we didn’t know how much time passed between episodes. Since I haven’t read the webtoon, I wouldn’t be able to tell you how much this adaptation has stuck or strayed from its source material, but I can say that Cat managed to capture a charm that successfully left us smiling and squealing from week to week. I’m still of the belief that if the drama sought to make its viewers happy, then it has been extremely successful.
We’ll never get to know what Jong-hyun had wished for in that tent., but I love that Bok-gil wished for nothing else but that her human wouldn’t feel lonely once she was gone. You’ll be missed, Bok-gil—we’ll be sure to look for you in the stars.
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Tags: featured, Imaginary Cat, Yoo Seung-ho
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1 mary
January 14, 2016 at 8:09 PM
I gave this 1 star for making me cry so much.
Sorry, I'm vindictive like that.
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blo
January 14, 2016 at 8:35 PM
Same here. I had bad dreams afterwards.
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2 Jasindo
January 14, 2016 at 8:31 PM
I'm not crying. I've just been cutting onions; I'm making a lasagna.
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3 greenie
January 14, 2016 at 8:36 PM
well that was a full 35 min of bawling for me..
imaginary cat, i will miss you! bok-gil shi <3
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KDaddict?JCW
January 14, 2016 at 11:22 PM
The cat, Bokgil ssi, is very real in the show. Can some kind soul tell me Why the show is called Imaginary cat?
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vini
January 15, 2016 at 2:06 AM
Because we can hear her talking? Thats imaginary, right?
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blo
January 15, 2016 at 12:06 PM
Maybe lost in translation? Perhaps someone who is more familiar with the language can tell us.
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4 Bongsookie?
January 14, 2016 at 8:38 PM
This is a beautiful short series. As a cat owner myself I can't imagine the pain of losing your own cat. And haha actually my cat loves it when I put my face into his tummy/neck. He always purs so loud whenever I pick him up!
Ahh Bokgil-ah,such a cute cat, may you rest in peace ❤
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Bongsookie?
January 14, 2016 at 8:39 PM
Oh I forgot to mention how much this episode made me cry!!! Still, I would give this drama a solid 8/10.
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KDaddict?JCW
January 14, 2016 at 11:21 PM
I tell you, I lost a cat when I was ten, (he died), I'm still hurting DECADES later!
No more pets for me!
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Bongsookie?
January 14, 2016 at 11:58 PM
Aww I'm sorry to hear that :( this is my first cat actually. I live alone since I'm away from family so like JH, my cat keeps me company. I don't feel so alone anymore since I've had him. I can't imagine my life without him.
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aoiaheen
January 15, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Don't think of the impending pain of loss. Think of all the happy moments you'll have with your pet. Life is so much more fun with someone to love you unconditionally.
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5 amy
January 14, 2016 at 9:02 PM
dang, my eyes are leaking ?
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6 Em
January 14, 2016 at 9:33 PM
*sobs.
Saranghae, beautiful bok-gil shi
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7 blnmom
January 14, 2016 at 9:34 PM
Ok, so now I know not to watch this episode, or I'll be crying for days.
It was a sweet drama. I'm kinda bummed that it ended this way -- now I can't keep rewatching it for cute cat scenes because they'll just make me cry.
Thanks for recapping, gummimochi!
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8 Grace
January 14, 2016 at 9:35 PM
Oh my gah. I cried rivers of tears. I had a cat for 8 years and she passed away June 2013. She had feline stomatitis. She was a very loving cat and she would often welcome me at the door whenever I come home. When she fell ill, she became distant and she hid herself at the garage the day she died. My mom found her. It was heartbreaking. But now, I have three wonderful cats at home and they are all energetic. They make me happy all the time. I love Imaginary Cat very much. I'm going to miss watching Bokgil and Jonghyun together.
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9 Chiisan
January 14, 2016 at 9:42 PM
I'm crying from reading this recap :((
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10 Heartoppaya
January 14, 2016 at 10:18 PM
Oh gosh.
So I didn't watch the drama and I read like the first four episode recaps and this last one. I definitely was NOT prepared to get teary although it's the end of a drama and that's the only time I get emotional (happy or sad tears depend on my drama taste), but being a pet lover myself and owning one weird cat, I definitely did cry. I'm owning up for bawling my eyes out.
My wish for 2016 is to not own another pet. I get screwed up either way, my pet be DOA.
I'm pretty sure YSH and the drama cat has a deep affection already. My cat (pepper) squishes herself from my arms all the time and runs up trees or roofs. Traitor.
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sunnyl
January 15, 2016 at 6:28 AM
Here is my story about my cat.
One day I came home and heard some meowing somewhere, but couldn't find the cat. After a while, I found him stuck on the top of the tree. He must have chased a squirrel up to the tree in front of the house, but couldn't get down. I drove to the fire station (because I heard they rescue pets) down the hill, and talked to people, but a guy said by law, they can't rescue pets anymore, and told me to talk to their captain.
I told the captain that my cat was stuck up on the tree. And he came in all equipped in a fire truck later. It was dark and he said 'Where is your child?' I said 'what child?' Obviously he thought I said 'my kid was stuck' not 'my cat was stuck'. lol.
Anyway since he was there, he set up the light and climbed up the ladder and took him down. This ungrateful cat- he scratched the captain once they were on the ground and ran away. I was so so grateful and embarrassed at the same time.
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11 nysya
January 14, 2016 at 10:28 PM
I cried buckets of tear watching it and again reading this recap.. ((: ((:
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12 Loolu
January 14, 2016 at 10:53 PM
I rarely cry when it comes to most dramas but a cat did it! And I only read the recap! A cute relationship between human and cat like that over the course of 8 episodes can definitely do it. Goodbye Bok-gil! ='(
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13 Spring Sparrow
January 14, 2016 at 10:57 PM
As someone who didn't actually watch the entirety of most of the episodes (for some reason, I'm not really sure why) I really didn't expect to cry through the finale like I did. But boy did I cry. And I just teared up and almost cried again reading this review. x) I guess that's what I get as a pet owner.
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14 Remi
January 14, 2016 at 11:03 PM
This ep makes me so emotional :(( i wish the show would be longer. there's not much interesting series lately aside from remember, reply, and six flying dragons.
i definitely gonna miss this show.
still lowkey pissed about na-woo bc i feel like she always try to self-insert herself aside from that one moment when she leaves. and the whole her being all "she used to be my cat but i lost her. now i found her again and she's mine so i get to have opinions & it's totally okay and normal and i want to meet haru (not bok-gil!!! who tf is bok-gil) everyday and kidnap her when i get a chance" like ugh so annoying i'd rate it 5 on every ep if there's no na-woo
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Spring Sparrow
January 14, 2016 at 11:50 PM
I feeeeeeeeeel you about Na woo.. she got under my skin. I tried to like her, I really did. I failed.
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shinnokina
March 5, 2016 at 5:05 AM
she was soo annoying. The character and the actress as well. She's totally the kind of girl I would slap across the face. She lost her cat, well, could have been more careful. He raised the cat in love for years and then she storms in and demands he returns the cat to her? wtf?
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15 Bongsookie?
January 14, 2016 at 11:55 PM
Also...YSH have been crying a lot lately for both this drama and Remember. His crying scenes are so realistic, they make me cry too...
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16 Leila
January 15, 2016 at 12:23 AM
I've been a long time silent reader of this site. I haven't seen the episode but reading this recap reminded me of my cat.
Her name was Sam I had her for 15 years. She had kidney failure so I had to make the decision of putting her down (It'll be 3 years next month). It was an easy decision in that I didn't want her to suffer anymore but hard because I would miss her. I remember I spent the rest of that day crying my eyes out.
This recap made me cry so I think I'll pass on actually watching the episode because I don't want to be a sobbing mess.
Thank you for the recap.
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pinkytoes
January 15, 2016 at 2:22 PM
I am also a silent reader since 2011 and my cat was 15 too and suffered from the same condition. We had to put him down suddenly last weekend, as although he was as affectionate and loving as always he was suffering too much. I loved him more than I can express and there is now a huge hole in my daily life.
Although he was sick for some time I wasn’t expecting to lose him before this drama ended – I was almost in denial as the vet had said he might have a few more years left and I wanted to believe it. I never would have started the drama If I'd known. When I see Jong-hyun cuddle Bok-gil there is a physical ache in my chest because I want to cuddle my cat so badly but I know I’ll never be able to again.
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Susi
January 15, 2016 at 3:21 PM
My cat had a kidney failure too. But she wasn't lucky enough to have a kind vet.
Her vet told us that it could be treated, we spent a lot of money and we left her alone in the hospital (we visited everyday, but we could only stay there for a few minutes - hospital rules)and after a week she was worse. My dad picked her without the vet consent and brought her back home. (vet still tried to make us feel like bad people for denying our cat a chance of cure. Some vets love money more than they love pets.)
We gave her some comfort and love on her final days. But since then I hate vets.
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17 Miss
January 15, 2016 at 1:17 AM
I love cats so much but I don't own one.
I'm afraid of loosing them in the future.
I ain't crying though, I just got something in my eye. Thanks for the recap.
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18 vini
January 15, 2016 at 2:08 AM
How come they can make the cat act sick?
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sunnyl
January 15, 2016 at 4:10 AM
Bokgil was amazing, wasn't she? Yoo Seong-ho said he had the hard time first, but cat acted like she knew what was going on later on. Such a cute show! and I loved Bokgil's voice (Han Ye-rin/Yoon Lang in Six Flying Dragons).
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19 rentenmann
January 15, 2016 at 3:14 AM
I've only read the recaps and I'm bawling. Next? I'm gonna go hug all of my critters (2 horses, 2 dogs, and 4 cats), if they'll let me.
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20 KDFAN
January 15, 2016 at 3:25 AM
Thanks for the recap and comments. Both YSH and the cat are cuteness galore .. I loved this series . It is saddening to see the cat die in the end. Growing up with lot of cats at home, I can understand Jong Hyun's pain of losing Bok-Gil.
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21 Darren
January 15, 2016 at 4:15 AM
Gosh...this week in drama land has been tragic for YSH. He's been crying a lot.
Give the poor boy a break.
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22 Cassie
January 15, 2016 at 4:21 AM
Thanks to gummimochi for all your recaps and opinions.
This last episode messed me up.
The emotions and words of Bok-gil at her last moments did things to me.
It's just one more reminder of the fact that I can't deal well emotionally with the death of anyone I care about even if they are fictional characters when I'm attached to them.
The series had flaws but I didn't care so much about them for several reasons.
The humans in front and behind the cameras did their best.
But the cat is an amazing actress and hard worker in every episode. The cat got me entirely.
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23 Anabella
January 15, 2016 at 7:12 AM
I presently have a Female Cat that's been my Life Companion for 14 years. So imagine what went throw my mind when I watched this Finale, it tear me apart! All I keep thinking about was how I will never be prepared for something like that to happen to me. I hyperventilated, felt nauseous and couldn't stop crying, that's how much it affected me. I knew exactly the emotions that Jong-hyun went throw because for him and just like for me "the Cat" wasn't a Pet it was Family and part of his identity. Needless to say that when the episode ended I run upstairs and buried my face in my cat's baby fur and Thanked the Cat's Gods for still giving me the opportunity to have a Long and Happy Life with her.
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24 Melissa Sternenberg
January 15, 2016 at 8:07 AM
I was really nervous early on that they would have the cat die at the end because KDRAMAS LIKE CHEAP SHOTS LIKE THAT SOB. I cried when I watched, cried during the re-cap...
...honestly I would've forgiven the drama if the OTP (??) had gotten a new kitten/cat at the end of the drama together.
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shinnokina
March 5, 2016 at 5:08 AM
it's not a cheap shot, it is part of life. And this is a webtoon adaptation, please don't forget.
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25 sonatine
January 15, 2016 at 8:50 AM
Was it in the source material that the cat had to die or was it another case of a director having a kink for seeing YSH's glorious tears. I'm starting to wonder, because between this and Remember, it feels like drama gods take a sadistic pleasure at watching this beautiful boy crying his heart out. I cried so much this episode and went to hug my cat afterwards. I really thought, seeing as the series as a whole was rather light hearted that we would get a happy ending, so Bok-Gil's death really hit me hard. I couldn't care less for Na Woo's finally mastering riding a bike in the end. I have nothing against the actress but when even a debuting idol like Mamamoo Solar does a better job than you, you are doing something wrong. Anyways, I watched this drama for YSH and the cat, because I'm the biggest cat and pet lover, so I don't regret anything. I also loved the supporting cast, especially the best friend and the editor girl. They were great. I hope Bok-Gil became a star to look over her human.
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26 dramabird
January 15, 2016 at 9:14 AM
Well, that was just traumatic.
I have birds rather than cats, but the love-your-pet-like-they are-people/family-members sentiment is the same.
Last Jan one of my babies (22 year old lovebird) was diagnosed with cancer. I literally spent all of 2015 learning to enjoy every moment/every day... just waiting for the worst that is inevitably going to happen. New things are lost (his feathers are very patchy now and he can no longer fly himself around and he's got a head wobble now) and new things are gained (he's trained me to carry him around... he uses his wings to make a loud flapping noise, and I come running to taxi him around). Astonishingly, he is still alive (the Vet is super suprized too... she figures the type of cancer he has must be very slow growing). But still, it's only a matter of time. I try to be thankful for the moments that I have had and am having rather than worry about the ones that I will not have. But it is hard, and I certainly NEVER would have watched Imaginary Cat if I had known this was the ending, it just cut way to close to home. I'm actually a bit upset because going in I never would have guessed from the marketing that it would be a makjang angst filled mess! I could forgive the "birth" secrets and "custody" issues but robbing my imaginary world of Bok-shil was too much. She was the best scripted cat I have ever encountered.
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blo
January 15, 2016 at 12:04 PM
I agree. Bok-gil may be fictional, but it hurt a lot watching her die. And I've cried a lot over fictional characters before and been okay with those tears shed, but this time it was different. I would also say traumatic. If I had known, I would have skipped watching the last episode and gone on believing that Bok-gil lived a long and happy life. This drama was self-advertised as a "healing drama". More like I now need healing from this drama. It would've been nice if the drama contained more stories about Jong-hyun and Bok-gil. Those moments were golden. sigh
I hope your bird will be healthy.
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Sue
January 15, 2016 at 2:07 PM
It's true, she was fictional, but the situation is SO real. It is hard not to identify with it.
I recently lost my 18 year old cat to a cancer. To say this cat was special is an understatement. My husband gave her to me when she was a kitten, straight out of the ASPCA, for our 5th wedding anniversary. She was sweet and SO smart. When I had a daughter she tolerated the baby without complaints, bites, or scratches. She was so patient she was gifted with my child's first word, CAT.
Then my world crashed. My husband died of cancer and I was alone away from family with my two-year old. I would take my daughter to her pre-school, go to work, come home, and only allowed myself to cry after my child was in bed for the night. EVERY TIME that feline angel would come to me, rubbing her face on mine until I gave up crying to get her off me. She was a god send.
I eventually moved back home near family, and as my daughter grew this cat would actually mediate our fights and disagreements. We would be standing arguing with each other and she would come between us, meowing loudly while walking back and forth between us. Most arguments ended in laughter.
As she grew older two more cats came into our lives, and my angel spent most of her days on my bed, away from the young-ins. Once I noticed changes in her behavior, I took her to the vet and was told she had cancer in her jaw and was starting to suffer. She also had megacolon and had problems going to the bathroom. There was little that could be done. I picked up my daughter at school later that day and we kept our little angel company while she was put to sleep.
Of course I am thankful that she spent 18 years with us. But I miss her every day. Our other two cats are okay, but they are just cats. There was something almost human to my first cat. That is why I enjoyed this show so much. I could almost imagine my little angel talking to me like that.
Needless to say, the last episode was hard to watch, but I'm okay, because that is just the way life works.
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dramabird
January 20, 2016 at 12:19 PM
What a beautiful and special cat! Animals can be so smart and amazing when it comes to their emotional intelligence!
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27 August
January 15, 2016 at 9:18 AM
IMAGINARY CAT (='o'=)
Thank you Gummimochi for recapping all 8 episodes of Imaginary Cat. Indeed, it was a "cute little series about the love between human and cat." The most adorable and best moments were with Yoo Seung-Ho's character Hyun Jong-Hyun and Bok-Gil/ Haru. Haven't read the popular webtoon yet, but very grateful and glad Yoo Seung-Ho was the human and Biteuli was the cat. Both were perfect in their roles.
Jong-Hyun and Na-Woo: The last thing this drama needed was a romance/ending hints of it between the two. Instead, Na-Woo should have been paired up with Veterinarian Lee Wan. After the loss of Bok-Gil, truly could have done without Jong-Hyun replacing her/moving on to Na-Woo.
First time seeing Jo Hye-Jeong in a kdrama...she didn't leave me with the best of impressions. With a different actress in the role of Oh Na Woo, I can only imagine how different overall the scenes would have been.
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28 mia
January 15, 2016 at 9:25 AM
Honestly I just forwarded the scenes with Nawoo, they were difficult to watch! Like all of you I cried with Jeonghyun with the loss of Bokgil-ssi. I teared up a lot at the scene in the camping tent with the talk of stars. How they were able to make the cat act like she did in this drama is just amazing in itself. Kudos too to Han Yeri for giving Bokgil a voice like it really was her own.
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29 owl 🦉 🫰
January 15, 2016 at 10:13 AM
Cat star *sniff.* I do think it was a weird and not well developed story with his former love who died, though. That part was a disconnect for me. I just watched it for the Seung Ho-cat story.
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sonatine
January 15, 2016 at 10:31 AM
It's weird because it's the opposite for me, as short as it was, I really bought the love story between him and Soo-In, maybe because for some reasons YSH and that idol girl had good chemistry, especially in the scenes at the playground where he imagines she's sitting next to him. There was that loving sadness atmosphere over them. I found their story way better handled than whatever the writers were aiming for with him and the main girl. That's why I also understood why Bok-Gil was so important to him, as she literally saved him from depression after losing his loved one. It's like Soo-In herself sent him that poor lost kitten to try and heal his broken heart. It made the ending that much sadder and as I couldn't sense the love between him and Na Woo, I had a hard time, seeing him moving on that quickly. Also, about Na Woo, I think it's not so much the actress who did such a bad job, as her character being written in such an obnoxious way, it made her hard to like.
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30 CaroleMcDonnell
January 15, 2016 at 12:31 PM
I am so glad i didn't watch this drama after the fourth episode; i'd be a pile of mush right now. Steeling myself to actually finish it. It does seem to show the "value your friends and family while you have them" trope better than those weekend family dramas which just thrive on knocking off Best Parent evahs. Thanks for recapping. Your recaps spared me a bucket of tears at the end.
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31 Luna
January 15, 2016 at 2:15 PM
I can't believe that I cry so hard because of a cat. Bok Giiil!!!! :(( :(( :(( :(( :((
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32 Oohlie
January 15, 2016 at 3:47 PM
love to watch this because of YSH, but I absolutely hate cats so I'll just say I did by reading your recaps. ? Thanks a bunch!
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33 Claudia
January 15, 2016 at 8:14 PM
I truly enjoyed this drama. Thank you for recapping this show. I'm gonna miss seeing Jong-Hyun and Bok-Gil.
Does someone knows what is the name of the song played at the end?
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David
January 31, 2016 at 8:06 PM
디어 클라우드 (Dear Cloud) - 01. Silver Lining [Single]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpCgPzUm2Ec
This song was played at the end of episode 6 when Na Woo comes to visit Bok Gil after learning that she is Haru. I'm adding it because it's a beautiful song that fit the moment well.
새봄(saevom)_꽃, 그대(with 전소현)(Flower you)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3LIJhh9IYc
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kisaki
February 19, 2016 at 10:30 AM
Hi David. Do you know the title for ending song for episode 3, the time when Bok Gil is missing. I want to know the song but no one seems to know the song title. Thank you ^^
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34 August
January 15, 2016 at 9:12 PM
D'awww-inducing kittens are everywhere you look.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/walter-chandoha-cat-photographer_56992099e4b0b4eb759e200a
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35 Kaybee
January 16, 2016 at 7:25 PM
Can't stop crying now....
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36 DesOk
February 6, 2016 at 6:08 AM
I cried so much while watching this series and again while reading the recaps. I had pets, mainly cats, most of my life. My last cat lived with me for 18 years (most of my life) and I had gotten him from the pound when he was only a few weeks old. It's been a couple years now since he passed away, but I still think about him. We had another cat that passed away a couple years ago that lived to age 22 and our household's last cat passed away last year at the age of about 15.
Now that we don't have a cat in the house, it is very strange. My nephew's mom has been feeding a stray cat lately and letting her in sometimes just to look around, but my brother and I have decided that we cannot deal with getting another pet now. Losing them is difficult, especially when you have them from the time you are young into adulthood.
My cat was my baby, friend, pillow, footwarmer, guard, and everything else over the years. I'll always miss him. I actually had a feeling that this series would end the way it did since it did hint at that outcome multiple times.
I am glad I watched it, but it was very stressful. Thank you for the recaps.
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37 DesOk
February 6, 2016 at 6:10 AM
I cried so much while watching this series and again while reading the recaps. I had pets, mainly cats, most of my life. My last cat lived with me for 18 years (most of my life) and I had gotten him from the pound when he was only a few weeks old. It's been a couple years now since he passed away, but I still think about him. We had another cat that passed away a couple years ago that lived to age 22 and our household's last cat passed away last year at the age of about 15.
Now that we don't have a cat in the house, it is very strange. My nephew's mom has been feeding a stray cat lately and letting her in sometimes just to look around, but my brother and I have decided that we cannot deal with getting another pet now. Losing them is difficult, especially when you have them from the time you are young into adulthood.
My cat was my baby, friend, pillow, footwarmer, guard, and everything else over the years. I'll always miss him. I actually had a feeling that this series would end the way it did since it did hint at that outcome multiple times.
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38 DesOk
February 6, 2016 at 6:12 AM
Sorry if there is a double post. It said it posted, but I couldn't see it so I reposted. Still can't see my posts though.
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