Solomon’s Perjury: Episode 12 (Final)
by Saya
The gavel falls for the last time, and Solomon’s Perjury finally gives up all its secrets as we find out what really, really happened on the rooftop that night, and who did it. But even though we are in the final hour, those answers don’t come easily—not for us, and not for our team. Ji-hoon and Seo-yeon go head-to-head to find out once and for all: Did So-woo fall or was he pushed? And perhaps more importantly, why?
FINAL EPISODE RECAP
Seo-yeon takes the stationery shop grandpa to the auditorium, where he points Ji-hoon out as the crying boy. Upon seeing them, Ji-hoon leaves.
He goes to see his dad at work. “Dad… can’t you tell the truth to me, at least once?” he asks, acknowledging that there were too many people watching at the trial for him to admit it there. “But right now, it’s just me,” he says.
“I spoke truthfully,” Kyung-moon answers, telling Ji-hoon to believe him. Increasingly upset, Ji-hoon calls Dad a good person, recalling how he saved him when he didn’t need to. He tells Dad that he plans to take the stand as the defendant tomorrow: “What happened that night… I’m going to tell them everything.” Kyung-moon stares in shock.
Ji-hoon returns the spot where So-woo’s body was found, and takes a quiet moment to gaze upwards. He messages Seo-yeon that he’s finished his preparation for the last hearing.
Elsewhere, Kyung-moon drinks at a bar where he’s joined by Seo-yeon’s dad, Detective Go. Surprisingly, there’s a genuinely respectful air between them, and Detective Go laughs a little at the irony of the parents of the defense and prosecution meeting like this. Kyung-moon praises Seo-yeon, and asks the detective for a favor.
Meanwhile, Seo-yeon meets Ji-hoon in the darkened school auditorium, with an apology for being late. He replies that he was even later.
The next day, Joon-young’s dad (wearing omg the awesomest cat-apron ever) sees him off to school, and asks if he should come watch the trial to see how cool his son is. Aw. Smiling, Joon-young tells him to come early to get a seat, since they’re so popular.
Min-seok opens the last hearing, and explains that after the final testimonies have been given, the jury will deliberate and a verdict will be delivered, after which the trial proceedings will be dissolved. But before he can call for Seo-yeon’s witness, she announces that she’s bringing a new defendant instead.
She explains to the audience that her defendant has gathered up all his courage to reveal everything, and asks them to hold their peace until the cross-examination is complete. To everyone’s shock, she calls Ji-hoon to the seat. Is that a sigh of release as he takes it?
Seo-yeon asks Ji-hoon where he was on the night of So-woo’s death. He replies that he was with So-woo on the school rooftop, flashing back to the moment in his mind. In answer to what his charge is, Ji-hoon replies: “The murder of Lee So-woo.”
He reveals that he made the five pay phone calls to So-woo, each from a location personally meaningful to him, which he says was part of keeping a promise to him. He tells the story of a woman murdered eleven years ago by her alcoholic husband. The sole witness, their seven-year-old son, testified against his father who then committed suicide while in custody.
“That child was me,” he says, adding that he needs to explain his past in order for them to understand the present. His story shocks them all, including the teachers and Reporter Park. Ji-hoon goes on to tell them about being adopted by the prosecutor on his case, but despite the love and care he received, he couldn’t forget the events of that night.
As he got older, things got worse and he suffered from sleep problems, auditory hallucinations and suicidal thoughts. Joon-young looks at him in anguish. Ji-hoon says that during middle school, he was at last admitted to a psychiatric hospital—where he met So-woo.
Seo-yeon asks him to explain the significance of the locations. Ji-hoon tells her that the first location was where he lives now, the second was the police station where he reported his mother’s death; the third was where his mother’s funeral was held, and the fourth was the columbarium where her ashes now rest.
The reason Ji-hoon made the promise was because So-woo had asked him, over the first call, to find him a reason why he must live. Seo-yeon asks if the plea had surprised him, but Ji-hoon says no, explaining that as So-woo’s closest friend, he felt that So-woo had been going through a particularly hard time lately.
“I wanted to show So-woo that though I had gone through such a [terrible] thing, I am okay now,” he tells her, but says that seeing his mother’s photo at her urn made him feel broken inside again, and he found he couldn’t tell So-woo that it would be okay.
He relates to Seo-yeon how he couldn’t bring himself to return to the place of his mother’s death, so headed home instead. But on the way, he stopped at a payphone and called So-woo again, “And I told him truthfully, ‘I can’t go on because it’s too hard.'”
So-woo had told him then to come to the school rooftop. “This is the last [one] now. I’ll wait for you,” he’d said. After the call, Ji-hoon had curled up in the booth. His face contorts in grief as he confirms to Seo-yeon that he had gone to meet So-woo that night, fearing that he might kill himself.
Min-seok tells Ji-hoon he can take a break, although Ji-hoon says he’ll continue. But Seo-yeon calls for a recess, and the team reconvene to the clubroom, although without Ji-hoon and Joon-young. Seo-yeon tells them that Ji-hoon asked her to put him in the defendant’s seat, and also discloses to them that he’s the current Sentinel.
She tells them how Ji-hoon engineered the whole trial to reach this finale, where he had planned to reveal everything. She admits she was angry and betrayed at first, but not anymore, since her intention was always to find out the truth of the matter. “But… my heart aches a little,” she says, “because it seems like he had a really hard time.”
Joon-young takes a spot next to Ji-hoon outside. Ji-hoon apologizes for not being able to tell him first, but Joon-young says he already suspected. He tells Ji-hoon that he saw him the morning he found the body, and knew it was him when he saw the same distinctive keyring on the bag in his wardrobe. Ji-hoon tells him it was a present from So-woo that he couldn’t throw away.
“Wasn’t it because you wanted me to find you out?” Joon-young asks, pointing out that it would have been easy to hide it. Ji-hoon says that perhaps he subconsciously wanted someone on his side. “To believe in you and fight for you?” asks Joon-young. Ji-hoon nods.
“Then I’ll be your defense counsel,” Joon-young replies, although he adds that he might not be so good at it. “Still, you’re a good friend,” Ji-hoon replies. “That much is enough. Someone who, knowing all about me, still likes me,” he finishes, turning to Joon-young with a true smile. Aww.
The trial resumes. Seo-yeon cites Joo-ri’s account of the runaway boy, and the blackbox footage that corroborates it. Ji-hoon acknowledges that that was him, and Seo-yeon asks him to relate what happened on the rooftop that night.
Flashback. On the rooftop, Ji-hoon had found So-woo perched precariously on the edge, and yelled at him to come down. He asked So-woo what was going on when everything had been going fine.
“I hate it all. Living,” So-woo replied. Ji-hoon pleaded with him to tell him about it, but So-woo didn’t think he could handle it. “Your dad is a crooked and cowardly person. He’s trash,” So-woo said. Shocked and affronted, Ji-hoon argued with him.
“I don’t know what I’m meant to do either! I hate your dad, I hate you, I hate myself,” So-woo cried out. He asked how Ji-hoon had managed to live like a normal person after witnessing his mother’s murder. “What is my reason is for living? Tell me,” he pleaded.
But fed up now, Ji-hoon turned away, telling him to come down himself. Wiping his eyes, So-woo had leapt up instead, saying he’d jump if Ji-hoon left. Angry and upset, Ji-hoon yelled, “Then do what you want! If you want to die like that, then die!”
Back in the present, he tells Seo-yeon that he ran blindly away after that, only returning the next morning. But the snow had fallen thickly in the night, and he couldn’t see anything, but he says that he felt in his gut that So-woo lay beneath it. Seo-yeon: “Then why didn’t you confirm it directly yourself?”
“I was afraid,” Ji-hoon answers, “that I would again have to see the image of death in someone I treasured.” Compassion ripples through the audience. Seo-yeon asks Ji-hoon to confirm that So-woo had jumped of his own volition, and that he had not been present at that moment, which he does.
She asks then why he put himself in the defendant’s seat when he knew So-woo had committed suicide. Kyung-moon slips into the room as Ji-hoon answers with a heavy sigh that it was because he couldn’t be sure.
He reveals that he had three goals in conducting the trial. The first was to reveal Choi Woo-hyuk’s innocence, since he’d felt responsible about him being accused, and the second was to understand what drove So-woo to finally take his own life.
Ji-hoon says that although So-woo suffered from depression, he had great enthusiasm for his role as the Sentinel, and still had the will to live. For all his words to the contrary, he had affection for people, and a hope that he could make things better. “Then it wasn’t that he disliked living, but he disliked living like that,” Joon-young offers.
Seo-yeon asks Ji-hoon if he thinks something crushed So-woo’s optimism. He cites a cryptic post So-woo had made as the Sentinel about school as a necessary evil, followed by the lab fight, after which he hadn’t returned. Ji-hoon had figured that something had gone down with the school, but he’d failed to discover what.
That leads him to his final inquiry: “Whether I killed So-woo.” Unseen by Ji-hoon, his father looks at him in horror. Ji-hoon continues that it was too frightening a question to address by himself: “Because I couldn’t control my emotions, I told So-woo to die. Before he died, I left him alone and ran away. I turned my back on him.”
Crying, he says that he could have prevented So-woo’s death. He concludes, therefore, that he killed So-woo through willful negligence. It’s a conclusion that distresses them all, particularly Kyung-moon. Ji-hoon ends his story there, and says that he’ll await their verdict.
Upset, Joon-young bolts to his feet and tells the court how he saw Ji-hoon grief-stricken the morning after So-woo’s death. He argues that Ji-hoon must have wished more than anyone that So-woo hadn’t died, and so denies all the charges against him.
Seo-yeon calls a last witness to the stand: Kyung-moon. The room buzzes as Kyung-moon takes his place, and Ji-hoon looks uncertainly from him to Seo-yeon. She quietly tells him that Kyung-moon contacted her last night, wanting to appear at the trial one more time.
Beginning her examination, she asks Kyung-moon why he took the stand. He says it’s to tell the real story of what happened to So-woo, and how Ji-hoon bears no responsibility for his death. “That responsibility…is mine,” he says.
Seo-yeon asks about his previous testimony denying everything, and after a pregnant pause, Kyung-moon says, “I committed perjury. I was afraid the truth would come out.” She asks him why he’s responsible for So-woo’s death, and he admits now that the testimonies regarding illicit admissions at the previous hearing were true. The VIP list students also enjoyed further benefits, he adds, such as falsified extra-curricular activities, being given test answers in advance, and having infractions overlooked.
Kyung-moon says So-woo discovered that list, and he subsequently met with him to make him take the Sentinel post down and transfer schools. They met again after the lab fight, when Kyung-moon promised to erase the infraction from his record if he left. Since So-woo refused, Kyung-moon ordered the vice principal to make So-woo into the assailant and expel him. He confirms that that’s why So-woo stopped coming to school.
Seo-yeon asks if that was the last time he saw So-woo, but Kyung-moon says he met him once more, the night before his death, and that he had spoken cruelly to him, intending to crush him completely. Ji-hoon’s face twists in distress at these words.
Seo-yeon asks Kyung-moon why he was so angry with So-woo. He replies that So-woo disrupted the social order of the school by refusing to adapt to it. From the judge’s podium, Min-seok points out that what they wanted was obedience, not adaptation. Kyung-moon acknowledges that, and says that he had despised So-woo as impudently self-righteous.
In her final question, Seo-yeon asks why he thinks So-woo died. Kyung-moon says that the school and foundation had tried to conceal their corruption, “But more than anything, it was because I did not acknowledge my wrongdoing. I’m ashamed,” he says, lowering his head.
Seo-yeon thanks him for his testimony, and Min-seok adjourns the hearing. Trembling, Kyung-moon and Ji-hoon look at each other for a long moment.
Kyung-moon is met at the school gates by Detective Go, whom he thanks for waiting. He allows himself to be escorted into the police van, looking like a burden has been lifted from him. Police arrest the newly reinstated principal at school, while elsewhere, the foundation chairman is also taken into custody.
The students gather for the court’s verdict. Min-seok asks each member of the jury to deliver their verdicts one by one, on whether Ji-hoon is guilty of So-woo’s murder. The jury unanimously rules him innocent, bringing Ji-hoon to the verge of tears.
Min-seok further declares that the school victimized So-woo through their corrupt practices and subsequent cover-ups, and thus, they find the school and foundation guilty of instigating his suicide. And with that, Min-seok brings the trial to a close. The audience gives them a standing ovation, with Teachers Kim and Park being the first to get to their feet.
As the students disperse, the success of the trial is all everyone can talk about, and the Sentinel message boards echo with the judgement on the school: “Guilty.” Peace settles on the now-empty clubroom.
Three weeks later. Seo-yeon—now a senior—studies over breakfast to catch up on all her missed work. Mom says that she heard the school trial would look good on her college application, but Seo-yeon laughingly points out pulling down the administration is hardly likely to make her look good, and Dad agrees.
Joon-young picks her up for school, and tells her about a film he wants to see. He rambles awkwardly for a bit, until Seo-yeon asks why he’s so longwinded about asking her on a date. But his face falls when she says she’ll ask the others, too. Grinning at his dismay, she tells him she’s kidding and runs off. Aww, you two! A sequel called Solomon’s Romance right now, please!
At school, Min-seok runs for class president, pointing out his excellent leadership in conducting the trial. But he’s hapless as ever, and Seung-hyun makes fun of him after class for only getting two votes, one of them his vote for himself. I’m pretty sure the second was from Seo-yeon.
The decision about the VIP students comes out, and a notice is posted of their expulsion. The girls are saddened to see Yoo-jin’s name among them.
Reporter Park has called Detective Oh out for tea, and he struts in excitedly. They end up discussing the VIP expulsions, and Reporter Park unsubtly pries for insider information on a different story. Detective Oh scowls, and Park pokes fun at her, saying she must have expected something different. Oh you sillies, just date already!
After school, Joon-young’s dad meets him… with his mom in tow. They attend a family therapy session together, where the therapist recommends less aggressive ways for Mom to express herself. She advises her not to take out her feelings on her son, but to listen to him, too.
Yoo-jin meets up with the girls after school, somewhat the worse for wear—she’s studying for her high school equivalency and complains there’s not a single good-looking guy at the library. Soo-hee warns her that her boyfriend Min-seok won’t be happy about her saying that. Ohhh really? Yoo-jin announces that they broke up (again) and complains that he keeps nagging her to study so she can get into a good university for them to get married. Hahaha.
Ji-hoon makes a pilgrimage to the rooftop overlooking Jeongguk High, where he’d met with So-woo in the past. “So-woo-ya…” he says. The specter of his friend appears beside him, a face of infinite sadness. Turning to him, Ji-hoon tells him that he thought endlessly about how to answer his question, and whether he could have saved him.
“And now, I can give you an answer. I don’t know my reason for living yet, I think nobody can know that.” We cut away to a scene of Woo-hyuk working in a convenience store, no longer burning with anger, while in voiceover, Ji-hoon continues that life is rife with possibilities, full of endless reversals and countless joys and sorrows.
Elsewhere, Cho-rong gets out of hospital and is met by Joo-ri, who starts to cry when she sees her. Cho-rong wraps her friend into a hug. “I’m sorry,” sobs Joo-ri.
Carrying on, Ji-hoon says that while they might want to remain solitary islands, their insecure hearts still want to hear the crashing of the waves:
“You were wrong. You left the world with the wrong answer. You turned off a beautiful piece of music after only listening to the prelude. You passed by a lovely flowering tree in the midst of rain. Your life, which you always thought was full of darkness, was a room where the lights had not yet been turned on. It could have changed. It could have been better. So you were wrong. I really wanted to tell you this.”
In custody, Kyung-moon receives a letter from his son, which makes him smile. Ji-hoon ghosts through his father’s study at home, gaze resting on photos of them together. Later, the whole club—his friends—meet up at his place in a joyful reunion. The scene melts back to the rooftop, where Ji-hoon tells So-woo:
“Now… spring is coming. I lost my mother in winter. I lost my father in winter. I lost you in winter. Still, spring is coming in my life. The snow is melting, and new shoots are coming up. The day is bright and clear, and the breeze is fine. So I don’t mean to get tired of it, even if life is only like this.”
He smiles at So-woo, who at last smiles back. Side by side, the two boys look out towards the horizon.
COMMENTS
I don’t know about you guys, but I teared up a little at the end there. It was not at all what I had expected, which shouldn’t surprise me with this show, because it never was anything I expected. I came into it knowing what I wanted but I left with something very different, and it kept me rapt from the start. At times intensely cerebral, at times brimful of pain and youthful uncertainty, this show really knew how to play its best hand, delivering both on suspense and emotion. And now, as we find out that So-woo chose death, we’re left with the message: I choose to live. Ji-hoon’s closing words are such an affirmation of life and hope that just writing this is making me tear up again. Seriously guys. My heart is so full right now.
We asked at the beginning whether the school trial was really an exercise in futility when it had no real-world legal standing. In one sense, that proves true in that they (rightly) don’t overturn the official verdict on So-woo’s death. But I really like how, in according the teens the respect they deserved, the show didn’t feel the need to compound it by serving a narrative of incompetent adults. While their guilty verdict for the school is largely symbolic (and perhaps localized to their community), several lasting consequences do arise out of it. Letting the law take its course after they rooted out the systemic corruption within the school and its managing body is something of an encompassing victory, and indeed, Ji-hoon’s true target.
It’s fascinating and perhaps a little Machiavellian that Ji-hoon really did orchestrate every meaningful move in the trial process. But it wouldn’t have been convincing without the tight plotting and careful foreshadowing that laid down the character moments so well that when that reveal came, it all made painful sense. Ji-hoon’s character could easily have been overburdened and turned into a convenient plot device, but he remained the anchor of the show. However, I wasn’t so sure about his moment of absolution as the court declared him innocent: Was it really their vindication he sought? Or did his true release come from his father’s admission? Did he calculate the whole trial, in fact, to culminate in Kyung-moon’s confession? After all, it’s clear Ji-hoon knew he was his father’s Achilles’ heel… did he just use that? I still can’t figure this kid out.
I was of two minds at first about receiving all the answers in-trial in such a straight-up spoken narrative. Was it too facile? Was it lazy exposition? But the more I thought about it, the more appropriate to the show it feels. Another way would have rendered the trial moot for a start, but also, although this show has masqueraded as an investigative pseudo-legal thriller of sorts, now that we’ve reached the end, we can retrospectively see that its nature was quite different. The driving force of this show was Ji-hoon’s guilt. “How did So-woo die?” was always the central question the show presented, but as ever, it was a feint. We come to realize that the more important question was, “Why did So-woo die?” Seo-yeon and her team sought the answer to the former, but already knowing that, Ji-hoon spent the show seeking the latter. Thus, his absolution didn’t come so much from his vindication in the trial as it did from finally being able to forgive himself and convincingly answer So-woo’s question: “Why must I live?”
Someone noted a few weeks ago that the title of the show is most likely a reference to the story of King Solomon and the baby—and so perhaps a proxy for parental love? The moment I realized Kyung-moon put himself on the chopping block out of love for his son, I felt like I finally understood the title. Like the mother who gave up her baby rather than see it come to harm, Kyung-moon finally gives up his self-interest too, in a complicated mess of guilt and pain that ultimately takes him to a single end: a pure and altruistic love for Ji-hoon which comes to outweigh everything else.
Would all of this have happened if So-woo hadn’t died? I don’t know. All I know is that I have an ache in my heart that So-woo never got to fulfill all the things he started, never seeing the sun rise on his dark night. That tiny moment last episode, where he messaged Seo-yeon (as the Sentinel) about that film recommendation nearly killed me. You should have been friends properly.
As Solomon’s Perjury delivered its just deserts, I found myself thinking, So-woo would’ve liked to have seen this. And that led me to wonder: Was his death necessary? Exposing Jeongguk’s corruption ultimately came about due to Kyung-moon’s testimony, and his testimony came about because of Ji-hoon, not because of the investigation. It’s strange yet characteristic of the show that its protagonists’ far-reaching endeavors were fueled by such private, personal motives. That’s also reflected in what really drove So-woo to suicide: It wasn’t the systemic corruption perpetrated by the school that led to his despair, but the deep personal betrayal he experienced from Kyung-moon, an adult he would have trusted and looked up to, especially as his best friend’s father and savior. The agony of his disillusion really comes through in his and Ji-hoon’s last conversation on the rooftop.
But enough agony. One of the things I grew to like most about Solomon was the engaging imperfection of its cast, and it saddens me that we probably won’t see these young actors together again. Twelve episodes was a perfect length for the show, but I could easily watch these kids for another twelve. A little less polished, they brought a bright immediacy to their performances that really emphasized their emotions. It’s a shame that ultimately, the boys overshadowed the girls in the narrative, but I’m glad that these last two episodes, Seo-yeon took back her half of the show so effectively, and it was refreshing to see the return of her naturally playful personality at the end. (Also, my ship sailed, so I don’t care about anything else!)
And there couldn’t have been a better denouement than Ji-hoon’s closing soliloquy (which, strictly speaking, we really need to call his So-woo-loquy), which provides such a sweet and powerful closing note that it’s washed away the hard-edged pain from my emotional palate. We’re left not just with the hope that a better day will come, but a conviction that it must. Winter is coming? Nah. Move over winter, spring is coming.
RELATED POSTS
- Solomon’s Perjury: Episode 11
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Tags: Episode 12, featured, Jang Dong-yoon, Jo Jae-hyun, Kim Hyun-soo, Solomon's Perjury
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1 hartofseeker
February 1, 2017 at 8:35 AM
Seriously... I bawled at the last scene... it's so so so sad that Seowoo never got the answer that JiHoon found and honestly that alone can make guilt overwhelming. Ah... all the could-have-beens! I sincerely appreciate this show for not sugar-coating or overly dramatizing the sadness of suicide-- hope that could have been but will never be experienced by the person who chose to leave too soon.Yet at the same time it gave such hope in JiHoon... one who lost so so much in the winters, but didn't get overcome by it and set his sights on the coming spring. That's why I love that last soliloquy so so much... beautifully written.
And yet it was realistic because what prepared him and gave him the strength to keep living after the truth came out (note: he only had suspicions of why SeoWoo chose to die, but the full-blown ugliness of how his dad was so involved-- JiHoon never expected this)-- JiHoon could go on because of the new friends that he found in the club members... poor SeoWoo never got to the point that he could rely on others (and his relationship with JiHoon got complicated by KyungMoon's corruption)... but fortunately, JiHoon gained 5 more SeoWoo's (so-to-say) after all those losses... JoonYoung's story is a nice foil to that
This drama left my heart so full with the surviving(?) kids and at the same time so regretfully sad for SeoWoo
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hartofseeker
February 1, 2017 at 8:36 AM
I meant 6 SeoWoo's lolll can't count
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shalini
February 2, 2017 at 11:58 AM
You said it! My heart really feels full after this, though I'm still torn up about how much Sowoo would have loved to be a part of this gang :( This was such a beautiful show, one of those that impact you indelibly.
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skelly
February 4, 2017 at 6:15 PM
Totally agree. This is a show that you can't stop thinking about, and even before you know it the characters have endeared themselves to you because they are imperfect and capricious and multi-faceted, like real people. And I was tears through pretty much the entire last episode - and I normally do not cry about anything, no matter what - but there have been two suicides clusters at my daughter's high school, and all this hits a bit close to home. Beautifully done, though, and exactly what is wrong and so terrible about suicide very sensitively portrayed.
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2 Islander north
February 1, 2017 at 9:14 AM
Really like this show; however, personally, I don't understand how Ji-Hoon could have left his friend on the roof in that state and not told anyone...not even emergency services for immediate assistance. Seriously, how many of us would have left our best friend on the roof in that state after saying what we did? Otherwise, this was a wonderful drama.
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nanabot
February 1, 2017 at 4:40 PM
Yknow, now that you mention it, I realised that its true...I wouldn't actually leave my friend without calling emergency services or something.
But then again, I'm not Jihoon. And if we think about it, the poor kid had already had so much emotional upheaval for one night, coupled with the fact that he had been trying to be patient with So Woo over the past couple of days, that in that moment he was basically all about self preservation.
He was pissed and hurt and really didn't want to listen to anything. Then he was also scared (which probably led to a bit of denial - "If I didn't see So Woo-ya jump, then he didn't actually jump right?" ). Then gut might have totally paralyzed him afterwards, easing up a bit to only allow him check up on the spot the next morning.
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ar_arguably romantic
February 1, 2017 at 5:49 PM
I wonder if it was a mix of So Woo doing stuff like this before (said he was going to kill himself but didn't. After all he was a loner who loved interacting with people) and So Woo flinging accusations about Ji Hoon's dad that got Ji Hoon so angry, he just assumed So Woo didn't go on with it. And then things became clearer in the morning and he felt that So Woo really did kill himself.
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skelly
February 4, 2017 at 6:21 PM
It is very difficult for someone, especially someone who is a) a teenager and b) laboring with some very difficult issues of his own, to carry someone else's personal burden. By continually asking Ji-Hoon for a reason for living, So-Woo was placing the responsibility for his life in Ji-Hoon's hands. He was forcing Ji-Hoon to not only confront all of his own demons but also vanquish all of So-Woo's, an impossible task. As Ji-Hoon realized at the end, you cannot supply someone a reason for living - somehow, some way, they must find this and believe it on their own.
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thefabulistrowan
December 21, 2018 at 9:42 PM
I could ask Ji-hoon the same but as I was put in a similar situation before, I kind of get his response. Back then, my sibling told me she wanted to kill herself. I was only thirteen at the time, pathetic as I didn't take her seriously and dismiss it as a joke. But when I came home (my parents were out), I found out she'd done it, and I was terrified. For the first time, it hit me, suicides are a reality. I'm not sure for Ji-hoon, but for me, it was just difficult, in a sense, difficult to accept that someone so close to you would think of ending their life. And like I said, I was pathetic.
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3 tee kay
February 1, 2017 at 9:16 AM
I'm sorry that the first thing I have to do is to lay a complaint but I have to. Episode 11 and 12 have no pictures. I'm sure you posted it but I don't get why it didn't appear in mine. Whereas, Hwarang does have pictures. I have refreshed my page over and over and nothing seemed to change. I need some help because I love this drama and I have to see the finale pictures pleaseeee help
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okitokki
February 1, 2017 at 10:49 AM
that's really strange. the images are definitely showing up for me :/
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4 bmore
February 1, 2017 at 9:18 AM
All of what you guys said...my heart ached for those 2 boys. These last 2 episodes were so painful. Still I wonder at how difficult the internal battles are going to be that Ji Hoon will continue to have to fight. The knowledge that he left his friend after shouting at him to die is not going to disappear nor is the fact that his father basically did the same thing. That boy is carrying an immensely heavy load inside himself. It makes me hurt just thinking about it.
Which brings me to Jang Dong-Yoon's performance as Ji Hoon. Wow...his very first drama and he gets this kind of role! I would be fascinated to hear the story of how he was picked and the director's reaction. I wonder if we will see him continue to build his resume? One hopes this will lead to more roles. It would be a shame if he just disappeared. The ratings were awful...barely breaking the 1% mark. Seo Young-Joo's career is already a known and his and Cho Jae Hyun's appearances should have meant a bigger audience for this I would have thought. Whatever. I hope the other 3 leads will have bright careers ahead of them. I'm frankly surprised that the only one who seems to have profited already is Baek Cheol-Min.
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5 Martin J Simwaba
February 1, 2017 at 9:25 AM
I love that this show has been much light with less mystries.
Iam glady i got to send it off with no regrets. I'll miss our cast though, especially Kim Hyun Soo.
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6 oosiee
February 1, 2017 at 9:39 AM
Can't believe that Seo Ji-hoon is the same guy who made me hate him to shreds in Signal..and then here...he just melts my heart instantly the moment he smiles! ♡♡
I've already watched Legendary Shuttle and Matching where he was just wonderful..so really looking forward for his upcoming projects!
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koolsuni
February 1, 2017 at 10:06 AM
:o I thought it was Joonyoung who was is Signal and not Jihoon, or am I missing something?
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elfputri
February 1, 2017 at 10:52 AM
the actor real name is Seo Ji-Hoon. Ji-hoon in the drama is Han Ji-hoon played by Jang Dong Yoon.
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okitokki
February 1, 2017 at 10:52 AM
Seo Ji-hoon is the name of the actor that played Joon-young :)
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me
February 1, 2017 at 10:54 AM
It was Joonyoung but his real name is Seo Ji-Hoon lol.
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nomnom
February 1, 2017 at 7:03 PM
+1, he has such amazing range can't wait to see his career grow
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7 gadis
February 1, 2017 at 10:03 AM
In a way, I think this trial is a form of salvation for Ji-hoon. Just like what he said, subconsciously, he tried to find that one friend who believe in him and willing to fight together till the end. Subsconsciously, he wanted them to tell him that he is innocent, that now he can relieve himself from that terrible guilt because So-woo's death wasn't his fault. That made his last monologue extra touching, since he finally understand one important thing that So-woo couldn't till the end. That there are always never-ending struggle in life, but you can always find happiness too there that will make it bearable.
On a much happier and brighter note, Seo-yeon and Joon-young couple!! That was like the tiniest romance subplot ever, but oh-so-satisfying regardless.
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8 Greenfields
February 1, 2017 at 10:12 AM
Haven't seen the episode yet, read comments or the recap. Just wanted to say how excited I am about the last two episodes! A saving them for the weekend, to slowly savour the last of this delicious mystery. ^^;
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9 maieutikos
February 1, 2017 at 10:31 AM
Oh my god I love it. I love this show so much. I also cried though most of the last episode. I wasn't so sure about Jihoon at first, but wow did that change fast. These actors (especially the boys and Seoyeon) carried this show so well, and gave their characters youth and nuance and complexity. I really have no words. This is my new favorite drama ever (tied with Healer maybe?). It reminded me of one of my other favorites, White Christmas, but despite all of the obvious comparisons it was really its own show. AND the ending was good. I could watch these characters for another twelve episodes, but...I wouldn't want to ruin this ending for anything. I hate to say goodbye to this show, but I'm hopeful that these actors at least will start to pop up a lot more frequently.
Until next time, Solomon's Perjury~
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10 Maestra
February 1, 2017 at 12:02 PM
Beautiful show from beginning to end. I'm glad they preserve the father and son relationship of Ji-hoon and his dad. Joon-young also got an opportunity to start healing his family. It was a wonderful experience!
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11 Candy
February 1, 2017 at 12:45 PM
Thanks for the recap! I feel this show is right at the top of underrated gems. There were no loopholes,taut writing,raw acting,beautiful ost...my heart is full. Between this and WFKBJ,I'm really loving these simple offbeat dramas.
Ji hoon shouldn't be blamed for running away. Sure,his friend was depressed but let's not forget that they are just kids. How mature are we at that age? He did everything he could but when emotions take over your senses..well.. Suicide is a split-second decision sometimes. Ji hoon may not have fully grasped just how fragile So-woo was at that moment. Remember,he himself was emotionally shaken after seeing his mother's ashes. I do wish we had more information about So-woo's family though. Was there nobody who cared for him? It's a sad world where children have to grow up by themselves,starving for affection and wondering if anyone will ever care for them,warts included. Only when you move past that stage you realise that life can get better and that everything is just a phase which passes. But when the world you grow up in has never had any light,how can you know if it ever will? That's why such children need elders to tell them that it'll surely be alright one day. Imagine then,the trauma to his young mind when Kyungmoon tells So-woo that he'll never be accepted in the society? Ji hoon,Joon young and Woo-hyuk...3 boys who could have ended up like So-woo. And all 3 on different,better paths in life (partly) thanks to him. I wonder how many more lives will change for the better as an aftermath of this trial.
Closing with a line from Healer- "There are too many people who suffer unjust deaths but don't merit so much as a mention in the newspapers. Even if we can't tell all of their stories,we wanted to tell at least one of them. We remember you." Dear So-woo,I hope you didn't drink the tea so you can come back and see how you've touched the lives of the people around you. If you have,then farewell Magpie. You will be remembered.
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DoublePower
February 1, 2017 at 2:12 PM
+1000
Great comment @Candy! Has anyone else read that book '13 Reasons Why'? While Ji-hoon gave his testimony, I got really serious 13RY vibes. Just like here, the MC kills herself, and leaves behind cassette tapes for the other MC, which basically answers the question of the title '13 reasons why (I killed myself)'. It's a really painful book, as painfil as this show. I'm surprised nobody's mentioned it yet, maybe it's because the book is more than 10 years old. But it's a classic YA and a lot of high schools use it for assigned reading. When isn't teen suicide important?
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lostmysanity
February 1, 2017 at 8:53 PM
Oh damn I loved that book :) Didn't connect it to this show since I read it a really long time ago, but now that you mention it I can kind of see the resemblance
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12 earthna
February 1, 2017 at 12:57 PM
Cried a bit? I cried a whole river! I cried again while reading the recap. The ending was done really well, with everyone finding a sort of closure. I can't be any more grateful for them showing us Joonyoung-Seoyeon love beginnings! And Minseok as the nagger boyfriend? Thank you!
This show will stay with me for a while. It was really well done. Thank you Saya and SailorJumun for the recaps! The watch was so much more interesting and enjoyable because of you and the beanies here. Not a lot of my friends watch this so I had nobody to talk to. See you on the next drama~~
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13 Katy
February 1, 2017 at 1:22 PM
You know, at first I was really mad at how jihoon just left so woo. But while a part of me is still upset, his final interaction with so woo is an extremely important lesson. When ones emotions overcome their senses, awful consequences follow. Jihoons anger overcame his sense that his friend would commit suicide, and as a result his friend died. Sowoos depression overcame his sense that spring would come, and as a result he committed suicide. This is a valid and important lesson that everyone needs to know. And I'm glad that this show executed this lesson in many different ways throughout the show. This is a kdrama everyone should see. While not flashy, the show has a lot of impact, which is what truly matters in my book.
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14 goldeng
February 1, 2017 at 3:02 PM
Im sad to start my comment with discomfort because I cant really picture a brilliant kid like Jihoon leaving his friend like that... like, he talked with SW for like 20 mins. But couldnt call police to tell them his friends was on the rooftop before going? More after we know he indeed knows whats the procedure in a delicate situation...
Thats the situation I cant understand.. Ill have to leave it at it being JH's way to not relive how he went to the police to report her moms death...
I really liked the drama and I personally liked JY the most... to think he could have ended like SW did but decided to see the spring come because he decided to talk about what he was feeling. That really made a difference in his life and its the biggest lesson I can take from this show.
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Katy
February 22, 2017 at 1:59 PM
I didn't like that too! But I just took it as a lesson. That terrible things can happen when your emotions overpower your senses, and that this can happen to ANYONE. A sad but true lesson. That's the only way I can deal with the ending.
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15 silentreader
February 1, 2017 at 3:47 PM
I was rooting for this drama even before it started airing till the last moment. This is not a flawless drama, not the mindblowlingly amazing one, but it has earned a very special place in my heart and it will be remembered for a long time. I just simply loved it and believed in it since the beginning till the end and it left me without regret. It left me with full heart and gratefulness. It's been so long since I fell in love with a high school drama, the last one was School 2013. School was very different with Solomon, but both dramas are very special to me, I wish there'd be more drama like these in the future.
I love that Solomon made me both think and feel. There's a balance between the two and that's something that not every drama can achieve. This drama made me care for each of the character, even if that "care" is synonymous with "hate" (for the dean who reminds me of the one character that I hate the most, Dolores Umbridge). Each character feels alive as in they are not only there for the sake of the main story, but also able to make me believe that each of them has their own life and story. It's fascinating how my feeling about one character can change (drastically) throughout the episodes.
That final monologue by Jihoon breaks my heart because it's so true and I can truly relate to that. It's so sad that So-woo is gone before Jihoon can give him his answer, but at least now Jihoon found /his/ reason for not giving up living.
I'm also super glad that my ship sails!!! I wish I could see the movie date! Can dramagod gives me a special episode full of fluffy puppies being happy???
Anyway, I'm satisfied and happy with the ending. I believe each of these kids will love well.
I'm thankful that not only this drama gave me great story, but it also introduced me to some amazing actors. Jang Dong Yoon is really good as Jihoon that I can't imagine anyone else playing the character. The other actors also did a great job. I'll definitely look forward for their future works!
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ar_arguably romantic
February 1, 2017 at 5:55 PM
Ditto everything you said! And it really was an oddly satisfying drama and drama ending.
I also really think So-woo would’ve liked to have seen this. He would have been proud, touched, and hopeful. It's such a tragedy that this came about because of his death.
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silentreader
February 1, 2017 at 7:41 PM
I love how similar our names are. Lol.
If I could add a complain about this drama, it's the lack of So-woo's life outside the school context. I'd love to see his family's (besides his brother) reaction to the trials. I wished the show had showed more of his life. Like, I am still curious who he was living with and how Jihoon could come and go easily to So-woo's room and yet none of his family member's knew him? But I can understand that it's a 12 episodes drama and exploring that side of story too will take more episode so that the story will not feel rushed.
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shinya
February 1, 2017 at 7:46 PM
I watched "Game Development Girls," the one with RV Irene in it, and Jang Dongyoon was so cute! I watched it while SP was airing. I could say JDY really did a great job. With Game, he was awesome as the hopelessly in love puppy who pines for Irene's character, and here in Solomon, he was brilliant as that multifaceted character. I want to see more of this kid.
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16 nchoe
February 1, 2017 at 4:05 PM
I think Soo-woo wanted to be stopped from jumping so bad. He asked Ji-hoon to give him a reason to not die and even when Ji-hoon failed to do so he told Ji-hoon to go the rooftop. If he had really wanted to die so bad, he would have just jumped without telling anyone since they would have gotten in his way.
I'm a little bit disappointed with Soo-woo for making Ji-hoon carrying a heavy burden and guilt over his death. I'm also a little bit disappointed with Ji-hoon for leaving Soo-woo in the rooftop alone when Soo-woo was definitely not in his right mind.
But what's done is done. It's all in the past. Ji-hoon had regretted his mistake and done everything he could to set things right again by revealing the reason behind Ji-hoon's death. So it's alright. As for Soo-woo... I'm sure he's is currently working hard at his new job as a Grim Reaper.
And yay for Seo-yeon and Joon-young!!! *happydance*
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oosiee
February 2, 2017 at 1:39 AM
You mean Sowoo's death!
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17 Nanda
February 1, 2017 at 4:28 PM
This drama marks the end of my 2016 resolution of watching more drama.
2017 is the year I cut down on drama. So I feel withdrawal kicking in already.
I'm sad to let these kids go.. they were my babies! I want to hug each one of them tight and tell them to always remember this moment and that they did a great job.
Solomon perjury forever~
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18 nomnom
February 1, 2017 at 7:11 PM
The finale was everything I wanted and more. Jihoon's monologue at the end made me cry so hard, it was so beautiful. I'm also so happy for Joonyoung not only is his family life getting better but him and Seoyeon are going out (squeeee!). I'm so happy I watched solomon's perjury and extremely grateful for all the great rookie actors this drama exposed me to.
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19 nomnom
February 1, 2017 at 7:19 PM
I'd rather this than those overhyped dramas..
In this drama, i could feel their pain, their emotions..
For evil woo hyuk, i can't hate him after all his strories .. i even simphatyzed him..
Oohh Soo woo.. my heart tears for you.
This boy felt too much..whenever he appears, his eyes like tell that he needs help, he needs someone who will pull him back and unfortunately Ji Hoon doesn't have the chance .
So hard to say farewell to these 6 brave yet smart fellows
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shinya
February 1, 2017 at 7:49 PM
At first, I didn't like Woohyuk. But this is one show that tells us that not all bullies instigate the biggest cases in school. But then, his sincerest apology to all his victims was heartwrenching.
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earthna
February 1, 2017 at 7:58 PM
And after the apology, he did his best to live a better life. I'm glad he worked on making himself a better person after the realization of what he has done. It shows me that he really didn't know what he was doing before and how much it hurt other people.
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gamja
February 2, 2017 at 1:34 AM
me too! i didn't like woohyuk at first but after knowing his story i can't bring myself to hate him. Moreover after his house got burned and he sincerely apologize to all his victims at the court. idk if i'm the only one who notice this but he got softer after the arson accident (he started to talk with his sulky voiceXD). that's why he is my fav after joonyoung
unfortunately in the last eps, the writer didn't really show how woohyuk's life after the trial except he works at a store. i want to know his relationship development with his family, hyerin, donghyun, and sungmin.
after all this is a great drama with a lot of eye candies to boot!
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nomnom
February 2, 2017 at 8:12 PM
Indeed..
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20 130 mood
February 1, 2017 at 7:29 PM
I don't Know about you guys but I really need someone to cast So Woo un another drama and fast, the guy fan away with my heart even playing an already dead character.
And also, am I the only one who wonders what would happen if sowoo didn't die and seoyeon befriends him.
This, goblin and Age of youth were the best 2016-2017 dramas with a well tought plot and lines that touch the very centre of tour heart.
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lala land
March 17, 2017 at 11:18 AM
You're not the only one. I want to see an alternate universe drama where Soyeon tells the teacher in the office that she will testify for So Woo and then they keep in contact later. especially after I finish watching the series and re-watch episode 1 again. Their scenes together were short but it feels impactful. There's a sense of could have been that didn't happen.
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Eazy
June 15, 2019 at 3:21 AM
Lee so woo is in beautiful world (a 2019 drama) it's based on school violence. It's a good drama too.
But he's not in the main cast
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21 silentreader
February 1, 2017 at 7:40 PM
I love how similar our names are. Lol.
If I could add a complain about this drama, it's the lack of So-woo's life outside the school context. I'd love to see his family's (besides his brother) reaction to the trials. I wished the show had showed more of his life. Like, I am still curious who he was living with and how Jihoon could come and go easily to So-woo's room and yet none of his family member's knew him? But I can understand that it's a 12 episodes drama and exploring that side of story too will take more episode so that the story will not feel rushed.
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silentreader
February 1, 2017 at 7:46 PM
Omg I'm sorry. This was supposed to be a reply. Idk how it ended up here o.o
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22 shinya
February 1, 2017 at 7:43 PM
That last scene in the rooftop, it gave me all the feels. My hearteu was overflowing! I couldn't wait watching Ep12 that I had to watch it straightaway after Ep11! I didn't regret watching this show.
For a dead character, Sowoo had great influence and shook everyone to the core.
Maybe, Jihoon also wanted some "second opinion" whether he killed Sowoo by willful negligence or not, and thanks to the jury for declaring him innocent. It was also nice how, after Sowoo left, Joonyoung became a friend to Jihoon, and Jihoon to Joonyoung. These two broken boys just needed each other. Ah, my two handsome babies! ♥
I would also like to point out Seoyeon and Minseok's "rivalry." Yes, they are rivals in the classroom, but I like Minseok as a character because when Seoyeon would tend to have a lot of thoughts going on, Minseok complements her by being her voice of logic. Minseok also keeps her grounded and stay in the path. Ah, my Minseokkie! ♥
Speaking of ships, I had always thought I'd be getting a second lead syndrome with Joonyoung. Good thing Seoyeon also likes him back. I think it would be complicated if Seoyeon develops a crush on Jihoon (like how she always fangirls over the Sentinel, or Yoojin's initial crush on Jihoon) because Jihoon lied to her too much (although he had a purpose for doing so). I am glad that Joonyoung-Seoyeon ship is sailing. It was also a usual trope for a handsome guy to be paired with a cute girl, so I didn't really got shock over Minseok and Yoojin being lovers, though theirs was really funny because they broke up three times in a span of ten days. I think it had something to do with Minseok's uptight personality. As to why I expected the Minseok-Yoojin ship? If you remember the scene where Yoojin used her aegyo to Minseok to make him agree to join the club, Minseok left the room blushing. But the one thing I never expected was Seunghyun and Sohee not being together despite being at odds with each other most of the time. I thought they would be another typical trope where two people hate each other at first then start to show feelings afterwards. Good thing show proved me wrong.
Overall, the story was well-paced, exciting, and with closure for everybody. I will miss this drama a lot. The kids hanging out in Jihoon's house and taking selfies, that was so cute. I am glad Jihoon finally found a lot of friends.
Living life, continue to hope, and never give up. It was such a nice summary to Jihoon's words at the rooftop.
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23 mistyisles
February 1, 2017 at 8:47 PM
I went into this expecting a thrilling mystery -- and I got it. Right from the start, it kept me guessing and re-evaluating what I thought to be true. I also got my heart twisted and pummeled and wrung dry of tears. (Though, admittedly, I'm kind of amazed I had any left after Goblin.) But what I really didn't expect was to be left feeling so full. I'm so proud of every one of these kids, like they're my own, and I miss them all already. (Especially my Joon-youngie! Hi, I'd like to introduce myself: I'm Seo Ji-hoon's new devoted noona fan.) This was my favorite kind of story: dark and sad and haunting -- at times delving crushingly deep into despair -- and bursting with hope. It left me wanting literally nothing more than just a little more time with the characters, to see what kind of amazing adults they turn out to be. Everything wrapped up very neatly, but it didn't have to -- they each made their own happy endings (beginnings, really) possible by never giving up or letting go, and instead learning to stand up and speak out against injustice. They proved they could change their world, and it makes me want to live in the world I'm confident they'll go on to create. I'm sad this show went so unnoticed because I find its message so powerful and inspiring and needed. We can't know what the future will be like -- good or bad -- but that should be a source of hope, not a destroyer of it. Uncertainty means we have the power and the opportunity to have a say in how things will turn out, both for ourselves and for others.
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mistyisles
February 1, 2017 at 8:47 PM
But I can't stop thinking about the darkness of it, too, because I'm so impressed and horrified that it went so deep. To think that Ji-hoon threw his whole self into trying to find an answer for why So-woo should live... and he failed. And he broke himself in the process. So when they were face-to-face on the rooftop, he could only lash out in pain and he -- who loved So-woo most, the one person So-woo turned to for a reason to live -- told him just go ahead and jump. And. So-woo. Did. And Ji-hoon was left, alone, buried in guilt, still without an answer to So-woo's question or even fully understanding why So-woo was asking it in the first place. I think that's what he was really looking for in the trial: more than just to expose the school's corruption or find out exactly who said or did exactly what to make So-woo lose all hope, Ji-hoon was still trying to answer that question for himself -- to prove that wrongs can be righted and things do get better. It's interesting, because the answer he finally arrives at is quite similar to what Seo-yeon told Joon-young way back in the first episode, but the difference is now Ji-hoon has learned it from the others AND proven it to himself.
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24 newgirl
February 1, 2017 at 10:26 PM
First of all, a big thank you to you, Saya and SailorJumun for your awesome recaps of Solomon's Perjury. It would have been easy for you to drop it, given its' low ratings in Korea and the low count of comments here on Dramabeans. I'm so grateful that you stayed faithfully to the end.
I hope at some point this little gem gets the recognition it so deserves. The writing, the directing, the acting: all so on point. (Javabeans and girlfriday, you really have to watch this!)
The writers (both the author of the original Japanese version, Miyuki Miyabe, and Kim Ho-soo, the Korean writer) have given us an allegory for life in an oligarchy, and its' link to the despair felt by those who can neither benefit from nor blindly obey the corrupt system. The story works because the children are the ones asking the questions. They are the ones who still have childlike ideals with a higher set of principles, a purer sense of what is right or fair. Even the children who have suffered unimaginable pain at the hands of adults have not entirely lost themselves to cynicism.
I've never really enjoyed watching high school dramas, or makjang melodramas, and rarely finish one if I start. But Solomon's Perjury's students are the closest portrayal of how I remember teenage years to be: both serious and light hearted, full of deep thoughts and silliness, planning to the nth degree and impulsive acts, high ideals and the choice to ignore evil. All of these heartbeats are there.
Solomon's Perjury always surprised me. It wasn't by the revelation of the mystery, but rather by where the story didn't go. After the first episode, I fully expected to see a story of the typical high school love triangle between Ji-hoon, Joon-young and Seo-yeon. Wisely, the writer did not let that happen, for it would have been a detraction from the dignity of the story. I expected a bromance, but the one we got was full of feelings of guilt and despair. Not your standard high school shenanigans. Finally toward the end I expected a tale of adults corrupting children with their cynicism, but instead saw a tale of hope and children teaching adults to live up to THEIR expectations.
Finally, I feel that Kim Ho-soo has given a gift to Korea (and humanity) in her treatment of suicide. I would wish that every teenage student could see this drama, because the message of hope is so important. Ji-Hoon, still a child, was unable to act to save So-woo because his survivor's guilt from his mother's murder was still a gaping wound. He really obviously still felt he had no more right to live than his mother, so how could he tell another to live? What So-woo needed at that point was an adult who could give him a reason, but Kyung-moon had obliterated his hope instead. The trial became not just a trial about bullying, or a best friends betrayal, or even corruption of a school, but a trial of society itself, and a guide for choosing to live in the face of despair.
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drawde2000
February 6, 2017 at 7:49 PM
Thank you for this.
And thank you Saya and SailorJumun
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25 ohlalaland
February 1, 2017 at 11:23 PM
Such a heartbreaking final 2 episodes. The writing and directing were really good. Even though I predicted how the case would end, it was still meaningful to watch. This show reminds us that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It is difficult to endure but if you live long enough, the tables always turn. All the main actors and actresses did so well. Looking forward to their future acting roles.
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26 oosiee
February 2, 2017 at 1:36 AM
Now that this drama's ended I wonder what the production team were thinking while trying to cast L for Jihoon..like really..Han Jihoon was an extra-ordinary character and Jang Dong-yoon did such a great job and to imagine L in this role is a nightmare! So glad he didn't accept the role..
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27 Bea
February 2, 2017 at 1:41 AM
I was waiting for the recap to see if you'd be inspired to quote Jihoon's closing words. I cried through them especially the part about losing his loved ones in the winter but still experiencing spring. That was so sad but so touching especially the way he said it.
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28 meera17817
February 2, 2017 at 2:38 AM
Wow! This was a really intense drama. I am not sure if such trials would occur in real life but thumbs up to the thought.
This particular ep ws soo heart touching, especially the epilogue was too good and very well written social message, Ji Hoon's words throughout this ep were so emotional and painful that it feel and realize his heart.
Wonderful job drama, I am truly impressed with the plot and the apt cast. Good job.
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29 Potato
February 2, 2017 at 2:28 PM
Noooooo, whatever will I watch now? Voice is all I have left. Solomon's perjury and the previously airing WFKBJ were my drama staples. T_T
Joob Young <3 Seo Yeon ship sailing made me super happy though. I always looked forward to their moments bc Joon Youngie is so cute.
On to the serious stuff:
It's funny how at the beginning of the drama I really didn't like Jihoon and I was so suspicious of him but by the middle-end, I really felt for him and whenever other people suspected him I was like 'noooo, you don't understand. He's a scarred muffin'. The actor truly carried his part of the show immensely well. Will look out for his next work definitely.
The friendship between him and Joon Young was also just what the doctor ordered. I love how JY knew Jihoon was the boy from that morning but didn't tell the others bc he trusted Jihoon (or at least started to).
And then there's So Woo...
Ugh when he smiled after texting with Seo Yeon it was so upsetting to think she never knew who he really was.
That scene on the rooftop was just full of so much raw emotion.
I just don't understand Jihoon's dad though. You love your son that much but you torment his best friend, thinking he won't find out?
Lastly, am I the only one who feels like the female detective and the reporter guy's roles became irrelevant beyond the initial episodes?
Anyway, the show was great, I got a lot more than I bargained for; a lot more complex with deeper issues than your average drama. Also, yay for Joon Young's dad trying to be a good dad again.
xx
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30 Joanna
February 2, 2017 at 4:59 PM
what a great cast! So glad I decided to watch this drama.
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31 byeolbits
February 2, 2017 at 7:05 PM
I may be reading wayyy too much into it, but I stumbled upon a Chinese subbed video the other day and So-woo’s name was written as 昭武. The Hanja character 昭 means “bright”, whereas 武 can mean “fighting” or “valiant, brave, courageous”. I thought the name fit him really well -- So-woo was the shining light in many people’s lives as the Sentinel, even if they didn’t know it was him. Also, he steadfastly held on to his ideals amidst a dark, corrupt society. He actively fought back against authority, fought for what he believed in, fought for his peers. He embodied his name. Throughout the drama, we don’t get to see much of So-woo, but the other characters say his name so often that I feel it’d be beautifully poetic if the writer chose these meanings intentionally.
Rest in peace, our bright fighter So-woo. You will be dearly missed.
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32 Mariela
February 5, 2017 at 7:43 AM
As someone who has struggled many years with Suicide. The soliloquy at the end was beautiful, and even though I do not suffer from those thoughts anymore I agree wholeheartedly with Jihoon especially with his words "the life you always thought was dark was just a room with the lights not turned on" I bawled.
Life does get better and it is beautiful, It can be both ugly and wonderful most importantly it is worth living.
This drama was perfectly acted and it's a shame it didn't get the popularity or ratings it deserved but if it touched people's lives maybe even helped saved some That's good enough for me ! Really loved it
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33 Renegade
March 23, 2017 at 4:07 PM
I finally got around to watching this after much deliberation and hesitation and I'm really glad that I did. I'm also glad I was able to binge watch this because I don't think I could have taken the suspense of watching it live xD As someone who struggled for the better part of my high school years with depression and suicidal thoughts, this show really resonated with me, especially with the last few episodes and especially Ji-Hoon's soliloquy at the end. Like Saya said, I really loved how the writers were able to write it so that the students were not undermined and were able to shine all the while not undermining the adults or writing them as incompetent idiots either. The family relations in this show were at times heartwarming to watch and at times gut-wrenching but I feel like that just added to the drama's charm.
This show was written beautifully and I loved to see how the characters' friendships grew as they uncovered the truth, especially Ji-Hoon's and Woo-Hyuk's and Joon-Young's oh so adorable crush on Seo-Yeon. I also really liked how the show tied up all of it's loose ends and sub-plots throughout the story with Joo-ri visiting Cho-rong in the hospital and reconciling, Woo-Hyuk trying to turn his life around now working at a convenience store to ground himself, Joon-Young's family going to therapy, Seo-Yeon and Joon-Young (finally!) going out and being just normal high school seniors, and Detective Oh and Reporter Park's flirty banter with the possibility of something happening there in the future. A lot of times when a show ends it leaves a lot of questions unanswered because they put too much focus on the main plot, but I loved that Solomon's Perjury were able to wrap up it's main plot and offer conclusions to it's sub-plots as well. My heart is definitely so full right now, I love it.
High school dramas have a special place in my heart and I think Solomon's Perjury is going right up there with School 2013 in my books as my favourites of all time. Here's hoping that School 2017 can join it's ranks when it premieres!
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Renegade
March 23, 2017 at 4:13 PM
I should also add, Joon-Young's friendship with Ji-Hoon was also very touching and adorable. I really like just how far Joon-Young and Ji-Hoon's characters have come from the beginning as the "quiet tall guy" and the "cute popular musician". The writers did a great job fleshing out their characters
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34 PakalanaPikake
January 18, 2018 at 8:56 AM
Thank you so much, @saya, for your final recap and comments. It has been such a pleasure to read your take on SOLOMON'S PERJURY. This is one of the best dramas I've watched in months. Thank you so much, @greenfields, for your persuasive essay in defense of this fine show. It has been a rewarding experience, with much food for thought.
"So-woo-loquy" -- Yes! ;-)
And now I finally understand the title. Your explanation of the twist on the biblical reference makes perfect sense. Kyung-moon had been a prosecutor himself who later used his power to scapegoat students (and staff) in defense of the school administration's corrupt status quo. That was bad enough. But what made it intolerable for So-woo to continue living in such a world was the fact that it was his best friend's father -- the man who had rescued and raised a traumatized orphan -- who personally attacked him and sought to expel him from the niche he had created for himself.
To his eventual credit, Kyung-moon admitted his role in driving So-woo to despair, as well as his corrupt deeds on behalf of the school, and turned himself in to the police. In this case, it wasn't a contested child's mother who gave up her claim for her child's benefit. It was a father who admitted his sins against another's child -- and destroyed his own reputation and career in the process. In admitting his own guilt, he saved his son.
Joon-young's observation really got me. He knew firsthand how it felt. I don't know how he had managed to survive his mother's grief-stricken abusiveness for so long. Luckily, his father was open and responsive to his pleas for help. But I really don't feel optimistic about his mother. She seems to be profoundly disturbed. At the very least, Joon-young should be protected from her aggression. Sadly, I've seen the likes of her horrendous behaviour in other Kdramas, often perpetrated by a Mother-In-Law From Hell.
- continued 1/2 -
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35 PakalanaPikake
January 18, 2018 at 8:57 AM
- continued 2/2 -
I agree with you about getting to the bottom of why So-woo died as being Ji-hoon's objective for instigating the mock trial. What he hadn't counted on was discovering that his father had been instrumental in undermining his friend's will to live. As we finally learned Ji-hoon's personal history, I realized that he struggled to support So-woo and give him a reason to keep living, too. On the outside, Ji-hoon looked as if he had it together. Only his father and his friend knew the truth of his emotionally-devastated past. He put himself through the wringer trying to excavate his own honest reason to live to share with So-woo. In the end, he had to admit that he could not truthfully claim to have one. And he totally lost it on the rooftop when So-woo revealed that his beloved father was in actuality a monster. That has to be one of the most painful scenes I've ever watched. Two hearts shattered -- yet again.
It's only now that I realize that we've barely seen So-woo's family. His hyung's statement that they mutually hated each other still confuses me. I still don't know what to make of the movie tickets. Could they have been tickets to the same film he had suggested to Seo-yeon?! Had he been trying to mend fences with his brother, only to have Kyung-moon pull the rug out from under him? Strangely, there seemed to be no reaction from his family vis-a-vis his difficulties at school. Maybe that says something about the root cause of his depression. Or maybe it's symptomatic of it.
Thank you so much for transcribing that beautiful statement by Ji-hoon to his deceased buddy. All too often we can only retrospectively grasp the answers we search for. It has been said that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. If ever there were a case to be made for procrastination, this is it. Sometimes you just have to keep living long enough to experience a change of season.
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