Tunnel: Episode 16 (Final)
by TeriYaki
Kwang-ho’s time in the future proves that he makes a difference in the lives of the people around him, no matter what year it is. Through his example, he’s demonstrated to his team what’s at the heart of being a good detective, and Kwang-ho has learned a thing or two himself along the way. If he was willing, Kwang-ho might be happy where he is, but he’s waited for so long to return to Yeon-sook’s side. The only question is, can he find his way back?
FINAL EPISODE RECAP
Jae-yi enters her apartment only to be thrown to the floor by Dr. Mok. He chokes her with his bare hands and promises, “Just like Corporal Park did to me, I’ll have to take away from him what he cherishes the most.”
The story then rewinds, and we see Jae-yi with Jin-woo’s journal. She reads how he marked the first victim with the fountain pen, a gift from his mother, and she realizes why Mok is desperate to have it back.
Just then, Kwang-ho calls, frantic to know if Jae-yi is all right, and she tells him that she’s Mok’s next target. Kwang-ho and Sun-jae meet her in her office, and Jae-yi explains that Mok knows that she’s Kwang-ho’s daughter. Sun-jae realizes that Mok’s target is actually Kwang-ho, and Jae-yi explains that he wants to make her father feel the same agony that he felt over the loss of the pen.
Kwang-ho reminds Jae-yi about the time that her doorbell rang but no one was outside, certain that it was Dr. Mok. Kwang-ho reasons that the killer will attack her at home, and Jae-yi proposes that they should act normally if they want to catch him before assuring a worried Kwang-ho that he will be able to protect her.
When Jae-yi comes home, the team monitors her from different vantage points. Sun-jae and Kwang-ho wait in a side yard, and when Mok attacks her, Kwang-ho breaks the side door’s window to get inside. Mok hurries to finish off Jae-yi, but her father manages to kick him away before it’s too late.
Sun-jae cradles Jae-yi while Kwang-ho tangles viciously with Mok. After Kwang-ho manages to throw him to the ground, his fist hovers until he sees Mok smile, then he lands a blow to his face. He’s about to handcuff Mok, but he offers the opportunity to Sun-jae and passes over his cuffs.
The partners switch places, and Kwang-ho tends to Jae-yi as Sun-jae finally arrests the man who killed his mother so long ago. After Tae-hee and Min-ha lead Mok away, Sun-jae sits on the floor as the reality sets in. His voice shakes with emotion as he offers Kwang-ho his heartfelt thanks (oof, these two).
News that the killer responsible for a series of little-known murders over thirty years ago, as well as two recent murders attributed to Jung Ho-young, hits the airwaves. After a call from his superintendent, the section chief apologizes to the Special Investigations Unit and cautions them, “If you find something strange, investigate it like a detective.” Sung-shik glances at Kwang-ho and comments that he learned that long ago.
Sung-shik explains to the team that even though the statute of limitations was reached with the old cases, he wants to make sure that Mok confesses to those crimes. He sends Sun-jae and Kwang-ho to interrogate Mok while he takes the Tae-Min duo to hunt for evidence at the doctor’s house.
Dean Hong pays a visit to Jae-yi at home and voices her regret that she came to Hwayang University. Jae-yi is thankful to Dean Hong because she met someone that she was destined to meet—but even so, Dean Hong feels responsible that Jae-yi met someone like Dr. Mok.
Dean Hong understands that because Dr. Mok blended in as a well-respected and accomplished doctor, he posed a more serious threat than an obvious criminal like Jung Ho-young. She wonders if Dr. Mok will confess, and Jae-yi predicts that if he doesn’t confess, he won’t say anything at all.
Kwang-ho tosses photos of Mok’s victims in front of him, and Sun-jae shows him the DNA results from the fountain pen. When Mok refrains from answering any questions, Sun-jae brings out his chess piece and tells him, “The game’s over, so just admit it.” But despite the detectives’ best efforts, Mok doesn’t say a word. Kwang-ho calls Jae-yi to ask if she’s found anything in the journal, but she says she’s still reviewing it.
Before they hang up, they have a sweet father-daughter exchange as Kwang-ho reminds Jae-yi to check her doors, and she reminds him to eat. Just then, Kwang-ho looks over at Sun-jae with concern as he sits and stares at a photo of his mother.
While forensic investigators scour Mok’s house for evidence, Min-ha summons Tae-hee and Sung-shik upstairs. They somberly take in the wall of funeral portraits, and Sung-shik tasks the pair with their identification.
An evidence board at the station lists the victims, and with the addition of the younger Park Kwang-ho, the total is twenty-six. Tae-hee and Min-ha agree with Sung-shik’s earlier sentiment that they must get Mok to confess to all of his crimes.
Sun-jae notes that Mok’s first victim was documented after his mother died. Kwang-ho offers Jae-yi’s opinion that Mok both loved and detested him mother, so he is sure to react in some way if they explore that relationship. Sung-shik encourages them to question Mok again.
As the team watches, Kwang-ho and Sun-jae begin the second interrogation with a photo of Mok’s mother. Sun-jae details his resentment towards the customers that she brought home and the gossip that he heard from the neighbors when he lived with his grandmother—the Vietnam soldier’s encouragement to get rid of dirty people and Mok’s growing anger for his mother triggered him to kill when she died.
Sun-jae quotes Mok’s entry from his journal: “Mom’s dead. But I’m not sad at all. She only died because she’s dirty.” Sun-jae concludes that he targeted women who wore skirts because they reminded him of his mother. Rattled by Sun-jae’s words, Mok struggles to maintain his composure. He collects himself and offers a tiny smile to Kwang-ho, who jumps up and grabs him by the collar. When Kwang-ho demands to know how Mok can call himself human, Mok’s laugh shocks everyone.
At home, Jae-yi notices that the dates of the dot murders correspond with those of the journal entries. She finds an entry where Jin-woo reasoned that he hadn’t been caught because he was doing the right thing: “I committed murder with a mission. I’ve gotten rid of people who have sinned.”
Jae-yi shows the journal to the team and explains that at first, Mok was triggered to kill because of his mother, but then felt a duty to rid the world of society’s evils. She believes that Mok will talk if they can break that conviction.
A chilling scene welcomes Sun-jae and Kwang-ho as they find Mok stretched out on the floor of his cell, smoking an imaginary cigarette. Inside the interrogation room, Sun-jae asks, “Do you think you’re special?” He immediately has Mok’s attention, and in spite of Mok’s impressive accomplishments, Kwang-ho declares him no better than someone like Jung Ho-young. “You’re just one of those murderers who kills innocent people. You’re not special,” Kwang-ho says.
Mok laughs and repeats, “Innocent?” He lists the ways that his victims were flirtatious and admits to Kwang-ho that that was why he killed them. When he adds that women like that can’t be good mothers, Sun-jae interrupts to ask, “Why did you kill my mother?” Kwang-ho urges him not to ask, but Sun-jae yells, “Tell me, you bastard!”
Sun-jae can’t believe it when Mok answers that she smiled at another man on the bus, and in flashback, we witness the innocent exchange that caught his attention: A soldier on the bus asked Sun-jae’s mother about her errand, and she had smiled politely as she answered that she bought a necktie.
Sun-jae trembles before reaching across the table to hit Mok. When he falls onto the floor, Sun-jae pounces on him as he struggles with the truth, “You killed her because she smiled?! My dad lived so miserably. I lived so miserably.”
Broken, Sun-jae tries to choke Mok. Sung-shik sends Tae-hee and Min-ha in to intervene, but Kwang-ho manages to pull him away. As Sun-jae heaves in rage, Mok massages his neck and has the nerve to say, “That hurt.” He gets back into his chair and tells Sun-jae, “This is why I didn’t tell you. It was for your own good, Lieutenant Kim.”
Shaking, Sun-jae spits out that nothing that Mok’s victims wore or did justified their murders by trash like him. He walks out, and Mok calmly comments that he should be thanked, but then he comes unglued and shouts, “I only did what I had to do!” Mok admits that he feels regretful that he won’t be able to kill again because the world is filled with people who need punishment, but Kwang-ho makes it clear that Mok is the one who deserves punishment.
Outside, Jae-yi sits with Sun-jae, and he learns that she already knew about Mok’s absurd justification. Sun-jae confides that he thought that if he knew the reason behind his mother’s murder, he would feel better, but Jae-yi acknowledges that there never was a reason.
Jae-yi encourages Sun-jae to recognize that he’s been strong, and that he endured. When Min-ha declares the case over, Kwang-ho reminds the team that the victims’ families deserve to know that their loved ones were never forgotten, and that the killer was caught.
Alone in the interrogation room, Mok insists, “I’m different, I had reasons for killing those people.” As he smiles to himself, a breaking story reports that the serial killer confessed while also revealing that he was a forensic pathologist. Reporters at Hwayang Police Station witness the official apology from the police force’s superiors, but when the section chief later enters the station, the Special Investigations Unit isn’t there.
Kwang-ho and Sun-jae visit Lee Jung-sook’s (Victim #1’s) mother, who collapses in thanks when she learns that her daughter’s killer was caught. The brother of Kim Kyung-soon (Haein River, Victim #2) tells Tae-hee and Min-ha, “I wish you came a little sooner,” and they follow him to a grave where he tearfully shares the news with his mother.
Sung-shik is taken to the bedside of Hwang Choon-hee’s (Victim #3’s) mother, and as she lies still, he sees a tear fall from her closed eyes when she hears the news. The brother of Jin Sun-mi (Hwayang Tunnel, Victim #6) sits across from Kwang-ho and Sun-jae and smiles through his tears as he thanks them for not forgetting his sister.
Kwang-ho walks with Sun-jae to his father’s house and waits outside as his partner walks through the gate. Upon hearing the news, Sun-jae’s father recalls, “A long time ago, that detective promised me that he’d make sure to catch the culprit,” but he’s thankful that Sun-jae did so. Sun-jae tells his father, “That man kept his promise.”
When Sun-jae walks out to the street, Kwang-ho greets him with white mourning flowers. In the late afternoon sun, the men pay their respects, and Sun-jae lays Kwang-ho’s flowers on the shore of the lake where his mother’s ashes were scattered as he entreats her spirit, “Please rest in peace now.”
Jae-yi uses her final lecture of the semester to explain the importance of studying murderers to prevent more crimes, and cautions that murderers develop all the time. In a tribute to Kwang-ho’s influence, Jae-yi states, “In the end, the most important thing is saving people’s lives,” and she smiles to herself as she recalls when she heard those words.
Dean Hong and Jae-yi have coffee in her office, and Dean Hong notes that Jae-yi seems happier. Jae-yi mentions that she plans to pick up her things, and Dean Hong is happy to learn that she won’t be returning to England as planned.
At the university hospital, the Special Investigations Unit stands before a drawer that holds an unidentified male. Kwang-ho speaks first to thank the younger Park Kwang-ho, whose investigation led them to Dr. Mok. Sung-shik bids farewell to the maknae who was supposed to join his team, and the others follow suit.
Kwang-ho carries the young detective’s ashes in a box that bears his name to the house that he shared with his grandmother. Kwang-ho suggests that he rest next to his grandmother, and as the team leaves for the columbarium, Min-ha finds the young detective’s phone in the garden.
Min-ha recovers the phone’s files, which contain proof that Dr. Mok was injecting his elderly victims with insulin, which would have been undetectable in an autopsy. Sung-shik thinks that anyone named Kwang-ho must be a natural-born detective, which is what Kwang-ho has believed all along.
Kwang-ho takes Sun-jae aside to tell him about his plan to go back, but admits that he hasn’t told Jae-yi because he feels conflicted about leaving her alone. Kwang-ho lets Sun-jae know that he was happy to meet him again and jokes that he must be happy to see him go.
Sun-jae lies that he’s thrilled, but when Kwang-ho thanks him for growing up so well, Sun-jae has to turn around to hide his emotions. Even though he says he’s not crying, Kwang-ho calls him a crybaby just as Jae-yi walks in. Sun-jae jumps up and turns away, only to look completely fine when he faces Jae-yi. She was hoping to go home with Kwang-ho, but he explains that the team dinner is that night. Sun-jae offers her a ride home, but Kwang-ho insists that she take a taxi.
Realizing he’s without cash, Kwang-ho’s sorry that he didn’t get fifty dollars from Sung-shik, but after Sun-jae declares taxis dangerous, he and Jae-yi leave together. Kwang-ho yells after his daughter, but stops suddenly to grab the back of his head like he’s an overtaxed father in a drama. (Haha!) On the way home, Jae-yi admits that she drove her car, but Sun-jae says he already knew before admitting that he would like it if they became a habit.
The section chief gives the team money for their dinner and announces a paid three-day vacation as a reward, but Sung-shik complains that it should have been a week. As they look forward to the evening, Sung-shik recognizes that it will be their last team dinner together.
At dinner, the team learns that Kwang-ho plans to go back. A drunk Sung-shik protests before admitting that he’s happy because it was hard to be a maknae again at his age. After reminding Kwang-ho to have an extra fifty dollars on him at all times, he tries to insist that he’s happy, but he only starts to cry, and Kwang-ho has to look away.
Kwang-ho reminds everyone that he’s not about to die—he’s just going home. Min-ha wonders how it will change the present, but Kwang-ho reasons that he has to go back for them to find out. Kwang-ho tries to lift the heavy mood and asks Tae-hee to mix some soju and beer, since that mixture doesn’t exist in 1986.
Tae-hee wonders if their maknae will be the founder of the famed mixture, but Kwang-ho reminds him not to call him that. Sung-shik declares it a soju night, and the team raises their glasses together as the party continues.
Later, after Tae-hee and Min-ha have passed out, Kwang-ho announces his departure. Sun-jae watches grimly as Kwang-ho pats Sung-shik and credits them for their help in catching the killer before admitting, “I don’t know whether we’ll be able to meet again or not, but I know I won’t forget you.”
Sung-shik begs Kwang-ho not to go, and Sun-jae tells him that they’ll all be sad if he leaves like this, but Kwang-ho understands that the longer he stays, the harder it will be for him to leave. Resolved, Sun-jae offers him a ride, and Kwang-ho stands to look at his team members affectionately before walking out.
In the car, Sun-jae is quiet, and when Kwang-ho wonders if he has anything to say, he comments that farewells should be short. Kwang-ho looks at Sun-jae and remembers their time together, from their first meeting to the present. When Sun-jae asks why he’s staring, Kwang-ho admits, “I just wanted to remember your face.” After that comment, it’s Sun-jae’s turn to stare.
Sun-jae drops Kwang-ho off at home, and when he lingers, he’s warned against going into Jae-yi’s home. Sun-jae promises to return and drives away. Kwang-ho calls Jae-yi and asks her to come outside because he has something to tell her, but she invites him inside instead for the first meal she’s ever cooked.
Kwang-ho tastes the food, and Jae-yi beams when he declares it delicious. When she asks what he wanted to tell her, his face lets her know that they’re sharing their last meal together. She’s surprised that he plans to leave as soon as they’re done, but he explains that her mother’s waited too long. When Jae-yi asks if there’s any way that Kwang-ho can stay, he falls silent.
Kwang-ho reviews what he’s taught Jae-yi and can hardly believe his words when he tells her to call Sun-jae if something happens. Kwang-ho makes sure that she knows he doesn’t approve of them dating, and Jae-yi sweetly voices that she understands.
With that settled, Jae-yi asks for a photo of them together, and Kwang-ho smiles as she snaps it with her phone. Kwang-ho sends the photo to Sun-jae along with the text: “I’m going to protect Yeon-ho.” Sun-jae is in front of Jae-yi’s place when he gets the photo and message, and he chuckles when he reads it.
The mood is somber as the trio drives to the tunnel. Once there, they walk together to the opening, where Kwang-ho tells Jae-yi and Sun-jae that they can go. They don’t move, so Kwang-ho announces, “I’ll be going now,” as Jae-yi offers a smile of encouragement.
Sun-jae wonders if there’s any way for Kwang-ho to go back to before the murders started, but sadly realizes that it’s not possible. Jae-yi urges her father to go back to her mom, but as Kwang-ho starts to walk away, Jae-yi cries out, “Dad!” He turns around to look at his daughter one last time.
Sun-jae places his arm around a tearful Jae-yi, and Kwang-ho finally cries as he gazes at the two of them. When Kwang-ho asks Sun-jae to take care of his daughter, Sun-jae answers with a deep bow. Sun-jae and Jae-yi can’t hold back their tears as they watch Kwang-ho walk into the tunnel.
As he walks deeper into the tunnel, Kwang-ho tells himself that he did everything that he was supposed to and can go home to Yeon-sook. He begs, “Please help me get back,” and a pulse ripples through the tunnel as Kwang-ho runs to the other end.
It’s 1988 as Kwang-ho and Sung-shik chase the elusive cow thief. Kwang-ho vows to catch him, adding that he even travels through time to catch criminals! The thief gets away after he knocks down a woman because Kwang-ho runs to her side to see if she’s all right—but the woman is pregnant, and the fall causes her to go into labor. At a local clinic, the woman lies in bed and stares at her newborn while the doctor tells Kwang-ho that she got there just in time.
Kwang-ho shares that he has a five-month-old daughter of his own and starts to leave with Sung-shik when the mother asks Kwang-ho for his name. Since her husband’s name is Park, she calls her son Kwang-ho and tells him that he can become an amazing detective. And so, we meet Park Kwang-ho, 1988.
Kwang-ho realizes that he’s a mess as he walks home and smiles at the thought that Yeon-sook will nag him again. Kwang-ho walks up the stairs and overhears Yeon-sook ask, “Sun-jae, our Yeon-ho is pretty, isn’t she,” and he realizes that young Sun-jae is over for a visit.
Happy to come home, Kwang-ho walks through his gate to greet Yeon-sook, who has Yeon-ho in her arms. He gives Sun-jae a pat, and his smile is the only proof needed to know that he’s back where he belongs.
COMMENTS
This episode should come with a warning, so be prepared for multiple tearjerking scenes. I can’t say enough about the writing and the acting, plus a soundtrack that underlined the poignancy of the heart-wrenching farewells, but goodness, it was tough to say goodbye to our hero. Choi Jin-hyuk breathed such life into Kwang-ho—what a great role for his comeback. And Yoon Hyun-min, what a revelation! I can’t imagine another actor in the role of Sun-jae, which is the best compliment that I can give him. Their characters were the foundation of the story, and they balanced each other out so well in scene after scene.
But as for the character, Park Kwang-ho proved that he had a place in the future where he once felt so lost. He reconnected with his former maknae, now chief, Sung-shik, and they proved that time had done nothing to weaken their bond. Kwang-ho took the loner Sun-jae and transformed him into a true partner as he helped him to close the most painful chapter of his life.
Kwang-ho also discovered that he was the father of the strange girl on the first floor, and he embraced his role with such dedication and joy that he melted Jae-yi’s heart and helped her blossom into the caring woman that she was meant to be. I’m going to miss those sweet father-daughter exchanges that they enjoyed and the private meals that they shared. It was a testament to Kwang-ho’s abiding love for Yeon-sook that he was able to turn his back on everyone who wanted him to stay, because the pull from the past is what kept him from becoming rooted in the present.
Kwang-ho’s promise to catch the killer was finally fulfilled, but it was strangely anticlimactic because the real impact came from the victims’ families—who, after thirty years, were deeply touched that their loved ones hadn’t been forgotten. Sun-jae, as both a detective and a family member of a victim, had a unique perspective and was able to fully appreciate Kwang-ho’s doggedness and how it led to the capture of Dr. Mok. Similarly, no one was better equipped than Sun-jae to know what it meant to bid those who were once lost to rest in peace, at long last.
If you take out the time travel and the crimes, Tunnel was a story about an ordinary man who found himself in an extraordinary situation. Our hero was a simple man — Kwang-ho was crystal clear about what was important: As a detective, it was about saving people’s lives, and as a man, is was about sharing his life with Yeon-sook and Yeon-ho. In either timeline, Kwang-ho was never about promotions, money, or accolades — he lived his life fifty dollars at a time in the fast-paced present. He had his flaws — he was awfully emotional in the interrogation room and oftentimes spoke with his fists (and let’s not forget his uncomfortable attitudes about women), but his strengths did much to compensate for his weaknesses. Kwang-ho was loyal (talk about a one-woman man), tenacious, caring in his own gruff way, empathetic, and a natural-born detective. He showed time and again how one person can make a difference in the lives of others. Of course, Tunnel is a work of fiction, but I’d like to think that there are people like Kwang-ho, making their corner of the world a better place.
What made his farewell so difficult was that Kwang-ho was going back in time, where those in the present could have no further contact with him. He joked that he wasn’t dying, but he might as well have been, since the disconnect would be so permanent. As he did his best to tie up loose ends, I was worried that he was going to disapprove of Sun-jae to the bitter end, but his entrusting Jae-yi to him at the tunnel (and Sun-jae’s subsequent bow) told us everything we needed to know.
I’ll admit that at first, I was disappointed in the ending. I was relieved that Kwang-ho made it back to the past, but deep down, I wanted a time jump to the present to be reassured that he and Yeon-sook were very much alive and part of Yeon-ho’s life (and that she never became Jae-yi because she wasn’t adopted). But after giving it some thought, I appreciate that Kwang-ho will be remembered as young and vibrant, full of love, purpose, and hope. With his wife and daughter by his side, Kwang-ho’s megawatt smile leaves us with the promise that he will treasure each and every day.
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Tags: Choi Jin-hyuk, Episode 16, Jo Hee-bong, Lee Yoo-young, Tunnel, Yoon Hyun-min
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1 azzo
May 24, 2017 at 3:03 AM
I cried a lot this episode, by the time it was over I felt emotionally drained but in the best way possible. I always wanted Kwang-ho to go back and be with Yeon-sook and have a happy little family but as I came to love our team in 2017, our Robot Jae-yi and broken Sun-jae, I found myself torn in what I wanted for Kwang-ho! Him being a cute and grumpy dad to Jae-yi and a friend to Sun-jae was the best thing ever but I still wanted him to keep his promise to his wife!
I started crying when they finally caught Mok Jin-woo and it's Sun-jae who made me cry, the shake in his voice when he was reading him his rights, you just know he was trying to hold himself together, I was happy for him yet my heart broke a little! I was so mad when Mok Jin-woo kept his mouth shut and smiled, I wanted to punch him so bad and wipe that smile off of his face! I loved that after they got a confession out of him, they went and found those victims' parents and relatives to apologize and tell them that the killer's been caught, that scene was so touching, imagining how all of these people felt hearing the news is both heart-wrenching and relieving, how long must've they waited to hear that, and when Sun-jae went to his father, I felt a lump in my throat, before I knew it I was crying again!
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 3:03 AM
And when Kwang-ho told Sun-jae he was going back, I knew Sun-jae cared about him but I wasn't expecting to see him cry, that was just so aww! Kwang-ho teasing him for being a crybaby was so funny especially when he was so quick do deny it when Jae-yi walked in, these two, so cute, I can't!
Their team dinner was also very emotional, Sung-shik having to say Goodbye to his Sunbae again was heartbreaking, I loved their interactions so much and the jokes that no one understood but them! Tae-hee refusing to call Kwang-ho anything but Maknae made me laugh, I loved this whole team so much!
I loved how Kwang-ho begrudgingly told Jae-yi to call Sun-jae if anything happens, so stubborn this man, but then he asked Sun-jae to take care of her because he trusts him the most! That "Appa" was the death of me, seriously I was a mess, I knew it was going to happen but, dammit, that scene was so good, I went on a full sobbing mode, LOL!
I loved how back in the past Kwang-ho was bragging about going to the future and catching the killer, and even if they didn't show us I know he caught Mok Jin-woo there, too, because Young-ja promised to testify against him. I'm happy that Kwang-ho made little Sun-jae a part of his family and it just makes me so happy knowing that Sun-jae and Jae-yi will grow up happy in loving families!
Tunnelers, this was such an awesome ride, Tunnel's been amazing from the beginning to the end, with a talented cast and a great writer and director, I loved it so much and I miss it already! Thank you TeriYaki for all the recaps, you and Saya did a wonderful job!
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gadis
May 24, 2017 at 4:44 AM
I love how all relationships in Tunnel is strange in its own way. A much older maknae, a partner who was also a potential son-in-law, a same-age daughter. Their uniqueness is what makes it so memorable. Who knows that jondaemal and banmal alone could make for a very funny scene.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 5:03 AM
Exactly! Seeing all of these awkward relationships form was one of the best things about this drama, just love everyone so much!
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Yanie
May 24, 2017 at 4:49 AM
seriously gurl, I am crying right now while reading your heart warming comment.....you just said what's on my mind actually! *hugs*
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 5:09 AM
Aww, thank you ❤
This was a great ride and I enjoyed reading the comments of you fellow Tunnelers!
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divyrus
May 24, 2017 at 5:21 AM
Breathe @azzo1 breathe!
I am breathless just reading your comment ?
You did summarize perfectly everything! I was a mess multiple times throughout the episode and it was such a good kind of mess that I am going to miss it so much!
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gadis
May 24, 2017 at 5:48 AM
Like what @azzo1 said before, I'm a crybaby and proud to be one. I don't regret all the tears I shed during this eps.
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divyrus
May 24, 2017 at 1:40 PM
This is a show worth shedding tears for! I think its one of my most favorite shows of the year!
azzo
May 24, 2017 at 6:58 AM
*takes a deep breath*
Thanks @divyrus, I needed that!
There is still so much more I wanted to say, I didn't talk about Sun-jae giving Jae-yi a ride, I didn't talk about the picture she took with Kwang-ho, I didn't talk about the birth of little Kwang-ho, so much more but I had to control myself and give other Tunnelers a chance so I stopped there, LOL!
Yes, the best kind of mess ❤
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divyrus
May 24, 2017 at 1:39 PM
Yes the little park Kwang ho. That was something so stirring and it felt like everything was meant to be!
And at same time it made me very curious how 2017 would have been to this new group of characters! Did Sun Jae become a doctor or police? What did Jae Yi grew up to be? Did Yoon Seok survive? Did park hwang ho grew up old to be a chief of police or more? In my head, he seems more to be the kind who is in a police academy disciplining all the young ones to be a detective in his old age!
rentenmann
May 24, 2017 at 8:24 PM
@divyrus, I'd love some kind of a spin-off or second season. I think this show deserves more time on our screens!
elsbotmary
August 12, 2018 at 9:39 AM
The drama overall is very amazing! But I hope they add in the present where Kwang Ho 1958 is still alive and will meet the detectives in serious crime unit one. Hope that yeon sook survived in the car accident and will be able to meet Yeon Ho also in the present. And they will become a beatiful complete family.
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Saya
May 24, 2017 at 7:26 AM
Also chiming in to say thank you all for making it a great ride, whether you joined early or late!
Despite its shortcomings, Tunnel brought such heart, warmth and humour that I'm going to keep it in my pocket a while, and I'm glad to see all the gifs and tributes on you guys' fanwalls! (especially @azzo1!)
@teriyaki, as the clock was ticking down, I was getting desperate, too! Like how are they going to have time to fast-forward 30 years so we can see the new 2017? But as much as I'd've liked to see it, I thought the actual ending was perfect. Also, it might have killed me to see a 60-year-old Kwang-ho, whether it was Choi Jin-hyuk in horrible makeup (nooo!), or someone else more age-appropriate as him (NO!). So I'm perfectly content with where it ended, and if anybody tells you I screamed out loud when I realised that baby was going to be '88-Kwang-ho, they're lying!
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vannerie
May 24, 2017 at 12:32 PM
Thanks for all the recaps @saya and @teriyaki I loved that the baby was '88 Kwang-ho and it was great that he had saved all that information on his phone in 2017.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 9:29 PM
I'm glad they left us in the past with the ending, it leaves more room to our imagination to draw the future how we want! Like you, I wouldn't want to see our Kwang-ho growing old, in my mind, he looks the same in the future, being the Sunbae he was to Sung-shik and his non-stop bickering with Sun-jae and not giving him permission to date his Yeon-ho! And maybe even have little Kwang-ho join their team, their maknae!
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 7:31 AM
The scene where the team goes around, informing the family members that the killer has been captured was so touching. They have so much respect for the dead that I wish they are the police officers serving my country. This is the kind of people we need in the world.
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2 ravennightstar
May 24, 2017 at 3:07 AM
*sniffs* *breathes a sigh of relief and contentment* ???
Wow, what a ride. Let me start by congratulating each of the actors for their hard work. Each of them made me care about their characters and left me wanting to know more about them every week. Kudos to the hard working team! ???
On the episode- I knew it! Jae Yi didn’t let us down after all! Woo hoo, so proud of her! Thank you Tunnel writers for coming up with that last minute plan! I was expecting it, yet I was still on my toes because it could have gone either way. I’m glad that Jae Yi consulted both Kwang Ho and Sun Jae before coming up with this plan. I didn’t want to go through another heart attack after what happened last time she went solo…
For me, Dr Mok started off being a bland character. I just did not want him to be the villain, when even the Show was saying that he was. I wanted the villain to be someone interesting, and not obvious. Well, the Show did give me the ‘interesting’, and boy am I glad. I loved the story of his childhood in the previous episode. Usually, villains don’t get such a detailed explanation of what makes them tick (I’m looking at you Girl Who Sees Smells). And the fact that Dr Mok went after Jae Yi for a pen, adds another layer of meaningful connection to not just the pen given by his mother, but also his past self and how he identifies himself as different from everyone else, especially the ones he considered “dirty”.
Onto our ‘cry baby’. Awwww!! You totally don’t want Kwang Ho to leave, Sun Jae! Admit it. And yes those were real tears!?❤❤
Sun Jae started off as a closed off person, and it’s so heart-warming to see him grow and accept being part of a team, and also let out his emotions every now and then. It was heart breaking to see him break down in the interrogation room after Dr Mok told him the reason for killing his mother. After years of searching for the killer, finally finding out the reason should have helped him accept what had happened to his mother. Yet, that the reason turn out to be something so incredulous and petty, it must have been even more horrific for him to come to terms with. I’m glad he got the chance to hand cuff the criminal and finally give him the punishment he deserves.
The ending was everything I wanted and more. I kept checking the time as I was watching, and knew somehow that we won’t be able to see the changed future. And as much as I wanted to see this, I’m more than happy with how things have ended. I had tears in my eyes as Jae Yi and Sun Jae said good bye to Kwang Ho, and when Jae Yi finally called him “dad”…it was a sweet moment, full of final good byes but also a hope for a better future. I’m grateful that Kwang Ho found Sung Shik in the past, and they are partners again. I can now imagine an alternate future where Kwang Ho is the team leader with Sung Shik by his side. ????
And also little Kwang Ho!! Awww the mother named little Kwang Ho after our Kwang Ho, and I loved how the Show didn’t...
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 5:39 AM
Yes, feel so proud of her, but I still was on the edge of my seat, couldn't breathe until Kwang-ho pulled Mok Jin-woo away from her! I think Sun-jae needed to be the one who handcuffs Mok Jin-woo because it felt like this was going to bring him some closure, all the pain he went through and all the hard work to get to him had finally paid off so I was really very touched when Kwang-ho let him do it! I'm so glad the show gave us an understanding of our killer, knowing the reason behind all of what he did doesn't justify it but it was good to explore him a little bit more!
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gadis
May 24, 2017 at 6:00 AM
I was just as angry as Sun-jae when I finally know the reason for his mother's murder. Though it also highlighted how twisted Mok was about all his definition of filthy. He couldn't even differentiate between flirtatious exchange and the innocent one. He never saw what they really do, just the fact that they (in his eyes) replicated what his mother usually did: wearing skirt and stocking, going out late at night, smiling to male strangers. And Jae-yi is right. After all, there was no justified reason for murder to begin with.
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 7:40 AM
I was a sobbing mess because of the ending scene. I was so touched by the heartfelt acting exhibited by all the actors, especially JY calling KH "Father". That moment was superb. I love how KH helped the pregnant mother to hospital, and how the baby was named after KH. At least, we have some closure why the young KH is called a similar name. It's all the more sweeter because we know the young KH grew up to be an upright police officer, just like his namesake.
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3 sunnyl
May 24, 2017 at 3:11 AM
Thanks for the recap! I was disappointed a bit also (I want to know if he caught young Mok Jin-woo) but happy Kwang-ho met his family. I will miss the show.
Kim Min-sang who played sociopath Mok Jin-woo talked about his character[OSEN]. "Mok Jin-woo was the most difficult character to play. Because he was sociopath, I had to act hiding emotions and I worried what if the monotonous, uninteresting way of speaking make the viewers bored. So even though it was awkward, I used Mok Jin-woo way of talking in daily life too."
Actually his calm and polite way of talking tone made his character even more scary. "It would've been easier if I spoke in my usual way, but I was afraid the character the writer built might fail if I did that, so I approached to the character the writer intended even though it was hard. I heard the production team had many meetings wondering if they had to cast a recognized actor for Mok Jin-woo role. I was lucky to be chosen and had no idea I would get this much recognition."
Mok was only arrested in the last episode and interrogated by Park Kwang-ho(Choi Jin-kyuk) and Kim Sun-jae(Yoon Hyun-min). "I actually felt murderous spirit from Choi Jin-hyuk who grabbed me. I was so shocked at that moment. When I justified the murder with no emotion, Choi had a fit of anger and clenched his fist and I really thought he was going to hit me. Choi Jin-hyuk is impulsive and has great ability to get himself absorbed in the role. In the script it was written as "Dangsin"("You" in polite form), but Choi said "You", "Bastard", so I even wondered he was mad at me for real."
The viewers mention about Season 2. "I haven't heard about Season 2, but it wouldn't be fun to have same culprit. Mok Jin-woo should rot in the prison, and if new psychopath appears, calling Park Gwang-ho to the future again, then it will be fun. I kind of hope that "Tunnel 2" is a project which deals with woman psychopath.
Kim's next project is the SBS drama 'Fabrication' (with Namgoong Min and Jun Hye-bin) which he will join once he returns from the reward trip.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 3:38 AM
I'm sure Kwang-ho caught Mok Jin-woo in the past, too! He did promise his team that he would and he also convinced young Young-ja to testify against him. Knowing Kwang-ho, I just know the first thing he did after getting home and seeing Yeon-sook, is go get Mok Jin-woo behind bars!
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gadis
May 24, 2017 at 6:05 AM
Yes, these characters learned from their mistake. So I'm sure the moment Kwang-ho came back, he would find a way to contact his senior and Sung-shik and tried to reach Young-ja again for her testimony. He knows now that he shouldn't underestimate the young Mok Jin-woo and would surely ask for backup to catch him.
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 7:46 AM
I enjoyed Kim's portrayal of Dr Mok. He managed to make his character seem so normal, and yet so twisted and chilling. I thought his portrayal was rather realistic because you often hear people say in real life when they find out their next door neighbor is a murderer, "He's such a nice guy. I can't believe he would kill anyone." I haven't watched any of his works, but I will be looking out for his next project.
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unitedred
May 25, 2017 at 8:38 AM
Me too. I thought he did a really good job. He made it easy for the viewers to distinguish between a psychopath and sociopath. Dr. Mok was true sociopath who can blend in and appear normal on the outside.
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4 happiness
May 24, 2017 at 3:15 AM
the ending was a happy one but for some reason i felt so sad especially the scene right before PKH went into the tunnel, i broke down into so much tears. tunnel was such a gem of a drama and i'll never forget it.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 3:43 AM
That scene got me real bad! Jae-yi finally calling him dad felt like she was trying to hold him back for a little more and he knew it but couldn't leave Yeon-sook waiting forever, him telling Sun-jae to take care of her and that bow, I just couldn't, I cried so much ?❤
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allaroundfangirl
May 24, 2017 at 4:30 AM
I don't know how I become a crybaby whenever there's time travelling involved. This was a beautiful ending and satisfying ending even though I wish to see them more in the present with different lives already.
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UmbrellaMan
May 24, 2017 at 7:47 AM
I wanted him to tell her not to cry because by going back she won't ever be without him! She can grow up calling him dad. I was surprised they never brought up how his return would alter their present lives.
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allaroundfangirl
May 24, 2017 at 8:53 AM
Me too. But as much as I badly want to see that megawatt smile again from KwangHo in 2017 with his YS and Jae Yi, I don't think we will see Choi Jin Hyuk playing the part of a 60 year old guy- which is enough reason I guess for them to just end it in the past.
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 7:50 AM
Yes! The scene was so sad. JY and the team couldn't bear for him to go, but he had to leave because of YS. But at least, when he returned to the past, he was back with almost everyone again, so that's good.
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5 ravennightstar
May 24, 2017 at 3:18 AM
Oops! My comment cut off...
Here's the rest:
and I loved how the Show didn’t forget this side character, who started off the mystery. He can be the maknae again in the team now!
And how cute was it that Sun Jae is now Jae Yi’s Oppa? I smell a friends to lovers’ story brewing…?
Of course, Tunnel wasn’t without flaws. Yet, despite this, it made me come back every week (damn you cliff hangers!) wanting more. And it will always hold a special place in my heart. Here’s to hoping that Choi Jin Hyuk, Yoon Hyun Min and Lee Yoo Young grace our screens again soon! Hwaiting Tunnel Team!✊???
P.S. I swear I was studying for my exams. I just needed to spend some of that energy to write the mini essay saying farewell to one of my favourite dramas…?
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 5:41 AM
Good luck for your exams, ravennightstar! I'm glad you made sometime to stop by, I loved reading you comments on the show ?
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ravennightstar
May 24, 2017 at 3:13 PM
Thank you so much @azzo.
I couldn't miss commenting on Tunnel! I just needed to say a big thank you as Tunnel took me to all sorts of places and squeezed my heart...in all the right ways. LOL!
I loved your comment at the top...so sweet to read and you said all the things I felt during the episode! ??
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UmbrellaMan
May 24, 2017 at 8:16 AM
This show was the king of cliffhangers!!! After every week I was left feeling like this: yduebgsnchdhhwjbxjsjs!!!!!!!!!!
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ravennightstar
May 24, 2017 at 3:15 PM
Tell me about it! Gave me a heart attack every single time!
Sad to see if go! But happy that it ended in a positive light. The characters all deserve it.
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6 mooninpisces
May 24, 2017 at 3:23 AM
This was the first time I "cheated" with a series by only reading the recaps and then only checking out the scenes that caught my interest.
I'll have to watch this in its entirety this summer when I've more time.
Love me a happy ending.
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etrenelle
May 24, 2017 at 4:03 AM
I would highly recommend watching it. Even though our recappers do an amazing job sometimes it is best to watch it the whole way through the raw emotions at points are just even more amazing then XD
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7 gadis
May 24, 2017 at 3:33 AM
This is a truly satisfying ending. They give me everything I want and more. I think I'd need to see how the future changes after Kwang-ho went back to feel satisfied, but turned out I love that small glimpse we get of their new past. Even without seeing their new future firsthand, I can rest assured that they'll have a brighter and better one with less heartache. And even if some sort of tragedy did happened in their distant future, I know they'll withstand it together. No one would live a lonely life anymore. And I'm content with that.
There are so many moments I love in this eps. From Kwang-ho's dinner team goodbye, Sung-shik's heart breaking "don't go" plead, Kwang-ho teasing Sun-jae for crying, his last dinner with Jae-yi, Jae-yi calling him dad, to Kwang-ho entrusting Sun-jae with his daughter. I think I spent almost half of the eps half-laughing half-crying watching all these lovable characters. It's hard letting them go, but I have to since I know they have a happy future waiting for them.
A big thanks to @saya, @teriyaki, and all tunnelers that made my viewing experience much more interesting and lively. Thank you for the thoughtful comment, interesting discussion, spazzing, and never ending fan post for the last 2 months. You guys rocks!! ?
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8 AussieGrl
May 24, 2017 at 3:33 AM
Wow! I only finished watching this episode 20 minutes ago, now here's the recap!
I loved this series, it was consistently good and each week this was the drama I wanted to watch first. Choi Jin-Hyuk did an amazing job, as did the rest of the cast and crew.
I am still processing the ending, I really wanted to see the present and how it has changed, but I am coming to terms with it, and I love that little Sun-Jae was included in their new lives.
Just a small thing, but Yeon-Sook was pregnant with Yeon-Ho in 1986, then in 1988 Yeon-Ho was 5 months old? In my head that math doesn't match up.
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ywcnois
May 24, 2017 at 4:33 AM
I think it was like November or December 1986. So let's say she became pregnant in November / December 1986, gave birth in August 1987 and it's now January 1988. That's possible.
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9 seoul_searcher
May 24, 2017 at 3:39 AM
Thank you Tunnel for being a show that i could look forward to for a great thrill and gain lots of laugh from after a shitty week. For giving great characters that grew wonderfully throughout the show and always leaving me breathless with its great character moments/emotions. I had high hopes for this show before airing and it only got better which is more than i can ask for. You will be greatly missed :')
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 4:59 AM
THIS!! And now I am crying all over again?!
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10 Grapes
May 24, 2017 at 3:40 AM
The most I loved in this drama that there's no corrupted cops or evil chaebol who bought everything with money, also the actors did an amazing job portraying their characters I loved the whole cast even Dr. Mok he's a good actor too, I've seen this actor in Chief Kim before Tunnel he transformed into a total different character in Tunnel .
I liked how the whole team went to the victims family to say that they cought the killer it was so touching and how they all thanked 1988 KH and went to spread his aches.
This show is strongest point was in the emotional aspect and it's team work and family ties.
Goodbye Tunnel it was a great ride.
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allaroundfangirl
May 24, 2017 at 5:06 AM
one of the most touching scenes that I’ve seen in a thriller/police drama is this: going back to the victims’ families to apologize for being late and confirming that they’ve caught the killer.
i have also seen this in one of their episodes when Sungshik talked to the dead victim and told her that her mom is waiting for her.
the police would be one of those professions who has the hardest job in the world whenever they tell someone’s family that a loved one is dead.
The way this show has captured that is what makes Tunnel stand out over some of the police/detective dramas that i’ve seen so far.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 7:16 AM
Exactly, that scene was one of my favorites in this episode, it was so touching seeing them go to all of these families to give them the closure they most needed, and also showing them that they really cared and never forgot about all of the victims!
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vannerie
May 24, 2017 at 12:46 PM
You're right. Even after such a long time it was important to show that care and respect.
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UmbrellaMan
May 24, 2017 at 7:49 AM
This show was more about the characters and their personal growth and connections than it ever was about catching bad guys. The lead trio and supporting characters all felt so real and alive. I was emotionally invested in all of them, Jae-yi especially. I need to see her act in more things after this.
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allaroundfangirl
May 24, 2017 at 8:59 AM
Just thinking about this weekend without a new Tunnel episode makes me sad already. For a character that I did not like immediately, I'm surprised that I grew to love her character (which also reminds me of Jang Hyuk's character for some reason in Beautiful Mind). Now I'm curious what kind of roles she will pick up next.
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11 etrenelle
May 24, 2017 at 3:43 AM
Okay this drama gave me an ending I didn't really know that I wanted. I had a different sort of expectation for the ending where he would return the past and we would get a flash forward back to the present with everyone back to their "original" ages. But the way that show pulled the ending was amazing! I loved it!
the ending gave us viewers the hope that they would have a brighter future and would be able to live happy youthful lives together. Although we didn't get to know if Mok was caught in the past I think the show did a good job with that. They allowed us to create the ending that we hoped for the characters.
But I have to admit when Mok gave his confession I didn't feel as good as I wished had felt. As you said TeriYaki it was really when they went around to all the families did I get hit with a truckload of feels. Also the scene at the tunnel where Jae Yi called out Appa.... God damn the tears were real.
Although as @azzo says the family that had been created in 2017 was amazing and the relationships with all the characters was amazingly unique and acted to perfection. I wanted him to go back to the past. So that they could have a better brighter future even though they had managed to create one already.
I dont think enough words will be ever said about this show because it was beyond perfection. For me anyway, of course that is up to personal thoughts.
I have to admit my favourite moment still was the joke about the Big Dipper and the two of them started crack up together. I just thought that moment was so real and special I couldn't help but love that scene.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 7:52 AM
Yes, exactly! Him staying in 2017 would've been great but it wouldn't make him the Kwang-ho we came to know and love! He was trying to go back from the moment he got here, I think one of the reasons why Kwang-ho survived in the present time was because of his belief that if he'll catch the killer he will go back, it would've broken him if he couldn't keep his promise and never went back to Yeon-sook, yes, he loves Jae-yi and Sun-jae and has Sung-shik and the team here with him but his longing for Yeon-sook would've made him miserable!
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12 dramamama
May 24, 2017 at 3:45 AM
Personally, I didn't need a time jump to tell me that everything will be alright in the future. To be honest, the only thing that I was worried about was SunJae and Yeon-ho's budding romance, but since I saw SunJae was already hanging around Yeon-ho at an early age I figured they will eventually get together (daddy objections be damned, it's destiny!).
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UmbrellaMan
May 24, 2017 at 12:34 PM
I figure he jerry-rigged bringing Sun-jae into their lives cuz he new in his heart that him and Jae-yi were meant to be together. He had to have gone out of his way to befriend the dad and introduce them to his little family. I wish we could have gotten at least a snapshot of a family portrait of all of them together in the future just to see them all happy.
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13 Mungbeanie 난 딩동, 넌 땡 ;)
May 24, 2017 at 3:49 AM
This was an amazing finale. Even though there's still a few things left unanswered, the little touches were perfection. Kwang Ho letting Sun Jae put the cuffs on Mok, baby Kwang Ho getting his name and Sun Jae "not crying" were among my favourite scenes. Im so recommending this to everyone i know, drama fan or not.
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14 justalurkingtree
May 24, 2017 at 3:52 AM
Tunnel was like a freshly baked apple pie. The anticipation of what it'll be in its announcement, to the slight questioning of how it will turn out at the beginning of the process, to finally ending with something you can enjoy and feel satisfied with whilst still wishing for more.
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15 hazelnuts
May 24, 2017 at 3:54 AM
Twas a rollercoaster ride! I have to give it to the cast and the staff behind the cameras and of course the writer for this beautiful story! Huhu. My heartu! It is smart they've given us that kind of ending, maybe they wanted us to be involved in how they could be in the past or in the future but in all means, kudos tunnel! I will never forget you! ?
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16 kdramaskimchi
May 24, 2017 at 3:55 AM
ha! i am a proud tunneler and all am gonna say is thanks. Thank you Tunnel for giving us choi jin hyuk as park kwang ho, thank you Tunnel for making the rest of the characters as interesting. Thank you Tunnel for making my weekends splendid. Thank you for all the hijinks, jokes and love that went around in circles amongst our police crew..Thank you for being a show that made it clear from the very beginning that this story was about devotion, love, justice, family and friends and thank you for being true to that to the very end. the future is uncertain but what matters in the very end is that kwang ho is back where he belongs - catching criminals while being a great husband, friend and father. I admit that I wanted to see the new future but i think this ending is better because now i can imagine the nicest, roseiest, strawberriest futures for everyone. Thank you for getting most scenes just right (there are so many of them) and thank you for making me never see a tunnel the same way ever again...now whenever i see a tunnel, i would wonder if i could use it to go to the future, i would remember the man who used it and i would remember how great he was and how much i loved seeing him on my screen every weekend.
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gadis
May 24, 2017 at 6:19 AM
I keep nodding in agreement reading your comment. Of course, Tunnel has its flaws, but the emotional punch and the character development are near perfect for me. I will definitely miss it. And yes, I will never see a tunnel in the same way ever again. I would always remember the earnest and gruff '80s detective who changes the live of everyone close to him, including us the viewers. Thank you for being awesome, Tunnel.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 7:24 AM
Same! I kept nodding at everything!
Thank you@kdramaskimchi for this comment and thank you drama gods for this awesome show!
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17 diniyuukie
May 24, 2017 at 3:56 AM
This episode was a crying fest. I could not stop crying during the good bye scenes ? I love how the writer decided to end this drama. I could not wish for a better ending ?
I'm glad I decided to try this drama or I would have missed a gem!
I want to hug all the cast for their good acting and chemistry. I'm definitely going to look forward to Choi Jin Hyuk, Lee Yoo Young & Yoon Hyun Min future works. I'm happy that Choi Jin Hyuk got the spotlight through this drama and he was awesome in this portraying a young father with his same age daughter.
Good bye, Tunnel ❤
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18 jessanno
May 24, 2017 at 4:00 AM
Tunnel was such a great show! I'm sad to see it go. I am completely satisfied with the ending because it stays true to who Kwang-ho was. Even though, I do agree with @teriyaki a bit.
One of my favorite things about this show are the relationships. They built such strong bond between the characters and supporting characters. Everyone was important and had a purpose. I loved that they emphasized how Sung-shik and Kwang-ho's relationship was just as important as Sun-jae and Kwang-ho's. My most favorite relationship though was Jae-yi and Kwang-ho. I desperately wanted him to stay in the future for her. And when she called him appa???!! Y'all. ?
All in all, it was a great show and I will miss it. Not sure if another show will ever replace the Tunnel size hole in my heart.
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19 allaroundfangirl
May 24, 2017 at 4:12 AM
Comment was deleted
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20 Sunflower69
May 24, 2017 at 4:22 AM
Will certainly miss this show. The ending was well done...one of the few kdramas that I will watch again.
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21 SojuSommelier
May 24, 2017 at 4:24 AM
"I wanted a time jump to the present to be reassured that he and Yeon-sook were very much alive and part of Yeon-ho’s life (and that she never became Jae-yi because she wasn’t adopted)."
Now that you mention it, I wonder if Yeon-sook will still be alive few years from that year in the ending. I'm probably watching too much "Final Destination," but many stories have been told about death as something that human cannot escape. So if, in any case, Yeon-sook escaped a car accident, she would've been dead in some other way.
Anyway, I think Tunnel has one of the most satisfying ending in the recent years. And I bawled when the robot Jae-yi called out his "appa" before Kwang-ho entered the "Tunnel." I knew that Sung-jae will still meet Yeon-ho in some other way. And I appreciate how "Tunnel" downplayed the crimes (not just the Dr.Mok case) because it was the emotion of the victims that mattered. I was reminded that in episode 1, Kwang-ho told Sung-shik that they have to inform Sung-jae's dad about the brutal death of his wife, and how difficult but important that task is for the cops.
I don't want to compare it to "Signal," but since both dealt with crimes and the interconnection of past and present, I'd say "Signal" was more of the brain, but "Tunnel" really is the heart.
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annyeong
May 24, 2017 at 7:23 AM
+100000 last sentence!!!
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22 faith
May 24, 2017 at 4:30 AM
tunnel is such a great show to watch. never regret myself for watching it live. i applaud choi jinhyuk for amazing comeback and choose a character where he's a father to someone as same age as he is. how the hell he can express that fatherly instinct?!! amazing!! i anticipate more from him after this. and yeah @teriyaki his megawatt smile can brighten anyone days and give hope that everything will be different in the future.
yoon hyun min, he express those angsty feeling ...damn good. i watch him almost all his dramas except his weekend drama, but he nailed this sunjae real good.
Lee yoo young, a chungmuro actress who first foray into drama is tunnel. she beautifully turn robotic jaeyi into a loving and smiley lady who is happy to be loved by a family member. i hope she comeback soon to dramaland, as we know, to get chungmuro people into drama is not going to be easy.
to think this drama is helm by rookie writer, i am truly amazed. she really set the foundation of story, rock solid eventhough its not perfect. but to have a basic time travelling theme, but solidifies it with emotional punch,i really think she or he will have bright future in dramaland. i anticipate your next story author-nim.
THANK YOU #TUNNEL FOR BEING BOMBASTIC!
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23 allaroundfangirl
May 24, 2017 at 4:32 AM
i am crying my heart out during Kwang Ho’s last 2 dinner scenes especially with Sung Shik-- it felt like his heart was breaking with the second loss of Kwang Ho.
but then i burst into laughter during the part when Yeon Hee just kept saying yes even to the not dating or seeing Sun Jae part. girl, we both know that is never going to happen. ?
...and how petty and cute of Kwang Ho to still tease Sun Jae by sending that selfie with JaeYi.
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azzo
May 24, 2017 at 9:28 AM
And how cute was Sun-jae when he chuckled at that, Kwang-ho is petty but so adorable, he was all about them getting together until he found out she was his daughter!
I loved it when he thanked Sun-jae for growing up so well, he might not admit it but he loves him and knows that he couldn't find a better guy for Jae-yi!
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24 nelly
May 24, 2017 at 4:46 AM
Show, I love you. Thank you for that beautiful ending. You made me cry a lot and have nightmares. Emotionally you put me through the wringer. I'm so relieved it ended well. Sure, I would have liked to see some kisses, or a wedding, but I'm glad you stayed true to your tone. Thanks for this beautiful journey. In my mind our three heroes live on and Sun-jae is dating a very happy and loving Yeon Ho, while Kwang Ho might not like it, he totally gave them his blessings :)
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25 growingbeautifully
May 24, 2017 at 4:52 AM
Thanks TeriYaki!
That was one super satisfying ending. It's been ages since I've come across an ending to a time travel/warp show that it was just so fitting. I was smiling through my tears all the way in the 2nd half of the episode.
What I did not expect but found so right and which got me into pools of tears, was the resolution the detectives gave to the family members of the victims. It was perfect and all thanks to the warm-hearted consideration of Kwang Ho, who was so determined to fulfil his promise to catch the killer, that he could pass through time.
Thanks Tunnel, and all the Production Team and Crew who made this show! You're going to be a very hard act to follow. I wonder if I'll ever find such great contentment in an ending of another time-travel show. ?
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26 Martin J Simwaba
May 24, 2017 at 5:00 AM
I have to say, i didn't like the way Signal ended, but surprisingly, of all the time travelling, iam satisfied with the ending of Tunnel. I'd like to know what changed in the future, though.
When Kwang Ho went back the first time, the fountain pen and the red doll added themselves to Jae Hee's memories.
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27 TM
May 24, 2017 at 5:01 AM
That drama was amazing I really enjoyed watching it! I didn't feel particularly sad about Kwang Ho going back to the past because that's what I hoped for and to me it makes sense. Of course it's sad that he's leaving his new team and especially his daughter who wasn't fortunate enough to have a nice childhood. But anyway I always believed he would meet them again. The only 2 things I wondered were:
1) Did he catch dr Mok in the past too? According to some comments I read here you guys seem to think he did which I think is highly possible and well that would be great.
2) Will Sun Jae and Jae Yi have the same ? I really hope they do!
I really liked the fact that this episode was about the victims who finally can put a face on their family's murderer. That was really moving. And I really liked that we now understand the link between dead Park Kwang Ho and our Kwang Ho. I think that part was nicely done. Hopefully he won't die again.
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 8:20 AM
I think KH did catch Mok in the past timeline, that's why little SJ could hang out around KH's house all the time. Besides, he had the testimony of a witness and the pen whose DNA had not degraded with time.
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28 divyrus
May 24, 2017 at 5:07 AM
That 90 degree bow!
Man, I was a mess.
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divyrus
May 24, 2017 at 5:18 AM
Not just that scene, from start to end!
Comparing with signal, I have to say, I personally favor Tunnel. Because even though I marathoned both the drama, I kind of forgot what went on in many episodes and was impatient for the end. But here, every moment was heartfelt and I loved it. The characters wormed their way into my soul. Credits goes to writing and also acting. All three main actors did such wonderful job that it was actually believable. I liked Choi Jin Hyuk as a Gumiho but never in any further roles. Here, he made this character his own.
Kim Sun Jae - he was one another person who went from being prickly and a person who can stay without speaking a single word for whole night to someone who smiles, cries and jokes.
And Jae Yi - am having warmth in my heart just writing out her name. From a lost child, to this person who finally found her peace, she has come so far!
I knew she was gonna call him dad before end, but wasn't prepared for the tears I would have!
That final goodbye scene is one of my most favorite kdrama scenes. A beautiful goodbye!
Goodbye Tunnel, I love you and will think about you fondly often.
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moomincandylalala
May 24, 2017 at 2:16 PM
I too also choked up in the farewell scene. It was so poignant and well done. Really agree CJH impressed me so much in this drama compared with his others... and how the younger characters grew and opened up were not forced at all. I loved all the bromances - chief and KH, sunjae and KH...
So glad I marathoned through this Tunnel in the week before the finale instead of agonizing over it live like I did for Signal! I was initially a bit wary about starting as I was a bit time travel fatigued as the drama in this theme just kept coming one after the other, so in the end when I finally started I was so happy I waited. It was so satisfying catching up right before the last two eps were subbed!
So can anyone tell me what happened to the cab driver/reporter in the end? Did I miss out where they tied up the loose ends for him or he just faded out?
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29 UmbrellaMan
May 24, 2017 at 5:08 AM
Hmmmm....mmmm. I loved this show, the characterizations were lovely, esp Jae-yi, but am not completely sold on the ending. There were some holes that could have used filling. Plus, while I love happy endings, I didn't necessarily want a total happy ending for this show. I know that sounds a bit masochistic, but...
They completely bypassed any time travel complications in the future by not touch on them at all!! I was so disappointed that we didn't get to see the reset of the present. The only thing they guaranteed with the ending is that Jae-yi and Sun-jae would end up together since they will be childhood friends.
So, did Kwang-ho capture Dr. Mok in the past???
I was surprised no one brought up the fact that his return would mean an alteration to the present. He could have consoled his daughter with the idea of 'you won't need to miss me cuz I will never have left'. Sun-jae doesn't need to take care of her since Kwang-ho will still be in the picture once he returns.
To satisfy myself, I like to think of this story having two parallel realities. The first one allows the present to continue on as is, ie. Jae-yi is orphaned meets dad who came from the past etc. And life goes on for everyone after Kwang-ho leaves and they all remember the time travel and the time spent together. The other parallel reality is the reset version where Kwang-ho grows up raising his child and everyone is happy.
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gadis
May 24, 2017 at 6:38 AM
Comment was deleted
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gadis
May 24, 2017 at 6:40 AM
I also think of their story as some kind of parallel realities. That makes the ending fitting and satisfying. He said goodbye to all people in the present after touching their lives and make it a much better one. And when he went back to the past, he would make it a much happier one too with his presence in his family and friends' life.
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UmbrellaMan
May 24, 2017 at 7:21 AM
Thank god you understood my thoughts. It can be very difficult trying to put convoluted thoughts into words.
And I have to say, that little kid who played Sun-jae was so cute!!!
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Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
May 24, 2017 at 9:42 AM
Time travel is messy if either the past is trying to change the future or the other way round. They did well to end like they did instead of agonizing about catching the criminals in the past (both of them) and changing the future so much you'd never recognize it. Basically, then Kwang-ho returns thru the tunnel, our future goes "poof" and disappears, replaced by something completely different.
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unitedred
May 25, 2017 at 9:23 AM
I think Sun Jae asked about Dr. Mok in the past. Kwang-ho answered that he would just catch him again. I'm okay with the show not mentioning any alteration to the future. It was just left up in the air. It's up to viewers to think about their own ending. I would have preferred the show to go more in-depth with the time travel idea. Anyone interested in a show with more in-depth time traveling story, I recommend Steins;gate.
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30 debbie
May 24, 2017 at 5:27 AM
Hello, am not that good in commenting on recaps but I can say that I enjoyed this drama. It's quite touching.
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31 sunnyl
May 24, 2017 at 5:29 AM
Here is another interview. Lee Si-ah(27) who was loved playing Park Gwang-ho's wife Yeon-sook had an interview[Star News]. The words portraying the actress is 'First Love'. She played detective Lee Jae-han(Jo Jin-woong)'s first love in 'Signal'. She firmed that image in 'Tunnel', by playing Yeon-sook character. Her previous work was KBS daily drama "Strange Family" where she played a brave farmer. "I played Gang-dan character in the 'Strange family' who was farmer, strong and tough woman. This time I was happy getting so much love playing pure and lovely 'first love' character in 'Tunnel'.
Lee reads comments to learn public response. "I read all the comments that I can find. It is so fun. There were hurtful comments but it was still fun. They loved my character more than I imagined. I think they loved Yeon-sook because she was a sad character. I felt good when I read the comments like they became my fan after watching the drama."
Tunnel was well-received and had high ratings of 6.5% at the end. "Story itself is a little different from other dramas. Lee Yoo-young unni was my daughter, there weren't many love-lines, and there were exciting moments in every episode which you had to watch the next episode. Writer-nim wrote well, directing was done well, and actors acted well, so I think many factors contributed to high ratings."
Her chemistry with Choi Jin-hyuk was good even though it was short. "I tried to immerse in the character. (Choi Jin-hyuk) oppa is a person who is considerate of his acting partner so that she can act well. We talked a lot about how we can show more sadness."
There are many requests for Season 2. "Of course I'd like to do Season 2. If you see objectively, you wouldn't know if Yeon-sook will have a car accident or not. I hope she does not die, but even if car accident is her fate, I think Gwang-ho will prevent it. And I think Yeon-ho(Lee Yoo-young) and Sun-jae (Yoon Hyun-bin) will be growing up happier. I wish they live happily. I wonder they get married."
Behind Lee's growth in acting there is a firm support from her management company. She is the first actress in her agency Artist Company built by actors Jung Woo-sung and Lee Jung-jae."After I did 'Signal' I didn't have any agency, but I was casted in 'Strange family' and I needed one. I joined in the company because I was introduced to a company staff. They are very family-like and CEOs, sunbae-nim all treat my work like their own and treats me well. We often go out to eat and I get acting guidance from them. I even practiced acting with Lee Jung-jae CEO for movie audition scripts. Kim Eui-sung(W) sunbae-nim gives me acting advice and suggested to watch movie together. Yeom Jung-ah(Mirror of witch) sunbae also told me to watch movie together.
She was disappointed not having done any sunny character. "I want to become an actress who can digest variety of roles. I'd like to try different characters and like to play a cheerful role...
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sunnyl
May 24, 2017 at 5:31 AM
(got truncated) next time. So far I have played quite roles. Modifier 'First Love'? It is something I want to carry all my life."
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vanillacoffee
May 24, 2017 at 11:29 PM
Thanks for sharing this with us!
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32 jillian
May 24, 2017 at 5:30 AM
I was at wit's end when I thought Dr Mok oursmarted them again. Because seriously, Jae Yi just cannot catch a break. But I was happy when in this episode they rewind back leading to the cliffhanger in the penultimate episode to show that it was a sting operation.
YeonHo is the smartest one in the bunch for figuring out Mok JinWoo's motivations and possible actions. Its with a sigh of relief that I am glad they finally outmaneuvered him.
And when KH let SJ cuff JW.. so poignant that he finally caught his mother's murderer after all these years. Ofcourse after KH got a lot of punches in for JaeYi's sake and the other women Dr Mok has killed.
Its quite appropriate that they show them inform the victim's families that the murderer was apprehended for closure. Since SJ wasnt the only one who suffered on the hands of Dr Mok.
Now I always half expected that KH will return back to YS. Since it will be hell for him to live without his beloved wife. No matter that YH will be there for him. But I was expecting more of an explanation on how that will be possible since it was established early on that Dr Mok was the key to make it happen. But I just suspended my belief and let it go for the sake of KH's happiness. Also for the happiness for little YH and cute SJ who made an appearance in the past. And that little scene with the other KH was also a nice touch.
I was satisfied knowing that YH may grow up with both her parents and that SJ will be a surgeon since I would assume that young Dr Mok will be apprehended in the past. And that we leave them all with better future than what was shown when the show started, made me happy with the ending we were given.
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jillian
May 24, 2017 at 5:31 AM
Thanks Teriyaki for the recap!
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33 lolalarue
May 24, 2017 at 5:48 AM
Not going to lie - I honestly wanted him to go back and stop Mok Jin Woo and save those later girls from their sad ends. I just find it hard to believe that after going to all those relatives and seeing them, that Kwang Ho wouldn't feel compelled to stop him.
But I did love that our team stopped Mok Jin Woo in the future/present. I guess I can't have it both ways.
I still think the police aspects were the worst bits and I think most of the evidence they've found was of dubious origin (the blood on the pen from the victims would have aged 30 years - surely the DNA wouldn't have held up?).
A user on reddit said it better:
u/Baygo22
I, Mok Jin-Woo, plead not guilty to all charges.
Confession statements provided to the court were beaten out of me during questioning, by an officer who was very convinced that I had killed his mother. This officer, Kim Sun-Jae, should have recused himself from the case. So violently extreme was this man to prove my guilt, that (as CCTV evidence will show) he attempted to MURDER me by strangulation during final questioning.
I also submit to the court that officer Kim Sun-Jae ordered me to cover up the killing of a police officer. Park Gwang-Ho, born 1988, was murdered by persons unknown during a transfer between police stations. On arrival at my workplace for autopsy, the identity of the body of the dead officer was fully known to officer Kim Sun-Jae, and he himself had miraculously managed to discover it in a remote location even though there was no report of the officer going missing.
Officer Kim Sun-Jae also conspired to commit identity theft and introduce another man under that name of Park Gwang-Ho, of which no fingerprints, background history or witness to previous work or education history will be available. After having conspired with officer Kim Sun-Jae to frame me for a series of murders, this identity theft perpetrator has now vanished. Prosecution will not be able to bring the man before the court to testify.
The only evidence that prosecution will bring before the court is that of a fountain pen, stolen from my office during an illegal raid without a warrant. Rather than immediately take that pen to be submitted for evidence, the pen was given to various persons over the course of many days under uncontrolled circumstances.
Defense will bring recordings to the court which show officers Kim Sun-Jae and fake officer Park Gwang-Ho were convinced the pen had made its way into a toy bear owned by criminologist Shin Jae-Yi.
Evidence will also be submitted, plus testimony from an English woman named Kate, to show that prosecution believe I was under the impression that my pen, stolen from my office the previous evening, had been living inside a bible in England for many years. Such a story is of course absurd, and prosecution will not be able to arrive at any sensible reason why I would imagine such a thing possible.
Given the illegal manner of obtaining the pen, the uncontrolled way the...
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lolalarue
May 24, 2017 at 5:50 AM
... pen made its way to evidence, and the desperation of officers Kim Sun-Jae and fake officer Park Gwang-Ho to frame me for murders I did not commit, I insist the DNA evidence is not admissible.
I also draw the court to the manner of my arrest. I had traveled to the home of criminologist Shin Jae-Yi to seek advice on the attempts to frame me for murder, when I was beaten up by the officers lying in wait. They claim that I had attempted to murder the woman by strangulation (although no reason will be given) and yet Shin Jae-Yi never afterwards went to a hospital to seek medical attention, and CCTV evidence of the next day will show no visible wounds on her neck.
Given the false evidence, confession by beating, fake identity of the officer Park Gwang-Ho, and personal vendetta by officer Kim Sun-Jae, I request the court to drop all charges against me.
Mok Jin-Woo
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Alessar
May 24, 2017 at 6:45 AM
The DNA in the pen HAD degraded. They showed him a faked report to get that confession out of him. But, I don't think the confession was instrumental to the conviction. They did have enough other evidence. I don't quite understand the subtleties of it, but it seems getting a confession on top of everything else is like the cherry on top of a sundae. It probably also allows them to get a harsher sentence for a major crime like this because it's a 100% not a 96%. But yeah lots and LOTS of dodgy cop behavior it's pretty much a "tv cop" cliche situation. That did lower the quality of the show some.
In any case the real conviction is going to happen in the past and the timeline is going to reset, unless it's the type of world where alternate timelines branch.
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vanillacoffee
May 24, 2017 at 11:32 PM
The police work worked for me in the drama... but hahahahha this is funny!!! :))))
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Serendipity
May 25, 2017 at 3:43 PM
WOW looks so real :-)
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34 Mungbeanie 난 딩동, 넌 땡 ;)
May 24, 2017 at 6:11 AM
Thankyou dramabeans team and "tunelers." If not for the comments in ep 7 and 8, I wouldn't have picked up this drama! This is THE one nobody should miss.
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35 Leejungsuk fan
May 24, 2017 at 6:13 AM
Best drama so far ?tunnel i know i hace saod it so many times for me
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36 _mplo_
May 24, 2017 at 6:17 AM
Choi Jin Hyuk, Yoon Hyun Min and Lee Yoo Young - definitely going to be watching out for these 3. Can't imagine anyone better in their respective roles especially Yoon Hyun Min who totally won me over. This show, although not without flaws, is certainly going on my list of dramas that left a huge impact and will be remembered and talked about for a long time. Favourite scenes :
1) Sun Jae breaking down when Kwang Ho said he was leaving
2) That team dinner
3) The farewell at the tunnel - Jae Yi calling out to her dad was simply heartbreaking
4) The little titbit about how young PKH got his name - that was a nice surprise
I'm sorry to see this show end. Duel will certainly have big shoes to fill next week.
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37 Yanie
May 24, 2017 at 6:18 AM
I'm an avid viewer of this show and it really makes me sad that it has to end. But I am more glad that I never felt disappointed or felt any regret watching it from episode 1 to FINALE. All the actors were superb in acting as well as the background music and effect in every scenes. And of course, the story line itself was brilliant. So let me say thank you very much for all the actors, staff and crews for making TUNNEL an unforgettable show that I am looking forward for the upcoming ones to be as good as this. :D
I will miss you Park Kwang Ho, Sun-Jae, Jae-Yi and everybody who made my Saturday and Sunday nights uninteresting. See you all again in the future! Cheers!
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38 Kfan
May 24, 2017 at 6:27 AM
I am still crying ... why kwang ho you did this oh i will miss you although i am happy he is back to his wife.this is one of the endings where i expected something else and it happend something else.I was glad they showed us how young kwang ho got his name. Choi jin hyuk oppa was talented and i knew he would nail this role and i love yoo Hyun min since heartless city days but the surprise package was lee yoo young, i can never think of anybody doing this role except her..loved her.Now she is someone i am looking forward to becoz i am fed up with all the pretty actresses with 0 expressions.The biggest strength of tunnel was emotional contact they made with us and becoz this new to suspense and thriller genre where i really cried a lot in some scenes.I really think they should get an award not becoz they were perfect but becoz of their effort they gave to make this a heartwarming show now i can say signal is much better than tunnel but still i will remember tunnel and for sure it has become one my fav shows ..Thank you tunnel for making my sat-Sundays so beautiful.
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39 theredsnowflake
May 24, 2017 at 7:06 AM
Pretty sure we all became crybabies because of the finale! There are so many tear-jerking scenes, from that moment Sung-shik delivered the news to Choon-hee's mom (I still remember when young Sung-shik felt guilty towards Choon-hee's death, I felt sorry for him; good thing there was Kwang-ho to pull him up), Sun-jae crying, the team dinner, the father- daughter dinner, and of course, the "appa" moment in the tunnel.
I think what I would remember about the show are the characters and those little moments they share that would either make you laugh out loud or cry your heart out.
I would still remember the banter(and fistfight) between Kwang-ho and Sun-jae in the earlier episodes that contrasts with the respect Sun-jae gives him in the latter episodes(and how tame he became), Kwang-ho's act of protection towards Jae-yi(esp. if Sun-jae is involved), Sun-jae becoming 100x more hyped whenever Jae-yi arrives, the Tae-hee-Min-ha duo and their priceless reactions about everything, dean Hong's concern towards Jae yi and Sung-shik calling Kwang-ho "sunbae" and all those inside jokes that no one else understood but THEM (who would forget the joke about the "big dipper")
Choi Jin hyuk, I don't think anyone else could play Park Kwang-ho as perfectly as you did. That goes for the rest of the cast too(though seeing Kim Byung-Chul aka Tae-hee freaked me out at first)
The cast really did an amazing job!
Thank you show for being Wonderful! You will be greatly missed!
How should I get ready for Duel?
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 8:09 AM
Haha. Crybaby. I love how KH teased SJ about being a crybaby. And how fast SJ reacted when JY stepped into the room, asking who was the crybaby. It's so hilarious.
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40 loveblossom🌸
May 24, 2017 at 7:11 AM
This show really excelled at the emotional element. Before starting this drama, I didn’t expect for it to make me cry several times.
The main characters and their personal stories were well developed. And even the side characters had memorable moments. Everyone was likable!
I’m mostly satisfied with the finale. I did sorta want some clear proof that young Mok Jin Woo had been arrested and locked up in jail in the past though. And part of me wanted to see more of Yeon Ho growing up with Kwang Ho. It was lovely seeing baby Yeon Ho and lil Sun Jae though. ^^ I guess the main plot of the drama was Kwang Ho saving his daughter. Saving people’s lives. I liked that they took time to visit the familiies of the victims. That made me teary-eyed.
Two main reasons I chose to watch this drama: Yoon Hyun Min and the drama's genre/plot. I’m so happy that he had such a rich, impressive role. <3 And now I’m glad I got to see Choi Jin Hyuk’s acting. Both of them nailed their roles. Can’t imagine anyone else as Kwang Ho and Sun Jae. <3
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 8:07 AM
I want to see Mok captured and jailed in the past time line too, but I suppose the writer thinks it makes no sense to repeat a scene that has already been done. The fact that little SJ is able to visit KH and his family seems to indicate that Mok has been caught and put behind bars. Otherwise, how else would little SJ be at KH's house? The writer probably wants to put more focus on KH's life after his time traveling expedition. Either way, I don't mind.
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41 Min
May 24, 2017 at 7:15 AM
This whole drama, I've been in lov ewith Kwang Ho, yes I seethed a little when he was so uncomfortable sexist and resistant in the beginning towards the thought of Jae yi working with them because she's a woman, but I get it, he's an old-school type of chivalrous where women need to be protected and cared for, but I think he learned to respect women in jobs not traditionally their's through his stubborn daughter.
I loved the bromance he had with Sun Jae, and how Sun Jae really became a better cop, a better partner because he was paired with the Analog Kwang Ho who didn't know anything about fancy advanced forensic techniques but knew the worth of dogged footwork, and dedication to saving lives.
The moment that will stick in my mind the most, was the moment that the Violent crimes unit went out to talk to the families of the murdered women, it was the most human thing to do. When Sunjae told his father that the detective from long ago kept his promise, I seriously teared up.
Kwangho and Sungshik's friendship was strengthened with the time traveling KH did because he realized how much he mattered to his maknae, and that he'd left a hole in Sungshik's life because he disappeared, so much so that when Sungshik was confronted with the most outlandish theory of time travel, he believed and he accepted it gladly.
I do have a little gripe in that I wish we'd gotten a little more time and participation from the Tae-Min partners. I liked them when they appeared, but they were used so frugally that it left me wanting more time with them.
As for his return to the past, I'm glad that he did because as I've said before even if jae-yi never actually becomes Jae yi and is never so broken as she was in the original timeline, that's a good thing, she will have all the love that she'd missed out on the first time and we can imagine a Yeon Ho who is more prone to smiling (kind of like towards the end of the drama) and who just because she's Kwangho's daughter will continue to be stubborn and headache inducing for her dad as she grows up.
Sun Jae, uri cutie Sun Jae, I was so glad to see that Kwangho continued to be in his life, and I'm guessing that he'll end up being a detective too anyways because he'll grow up idolizing Kwang Ho and of course trying to gain acceptance as a potential son in law.
So all in all... this drama was love.
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s9313071e
May 24, 2017 at 8:01 AM
I am so glad that at the end of the show, KH is reunited with SS, and working with him to solve crimes and capture the bad guys again.
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42 inna
May 24, 2017 at 7:28 AM
I really enjoyed watching Tunnel, everybody worked so hard. Thank you! *bow*
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43 Lena S.
May 24, 2017 at 8:52 AM
This drama was so special to me, i'm sad it's over.
It was a sweet moment when Sun Jae was visiting Yeon Ho and Kwang Ho smiled at him so affectionately.
Thank you for recapping this drama.
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44 Kestrel
May 24, 2017 at 9:45 AM
This drama was well edited, well constructed, well acted, and, for the most part, pretty well written. The only gripe I have is the absolute stupidity of YeonHo constantly putting herself in danger and the 180 personality change she made at the end upon discovering KwangHo was her father. Just because you find your father who has been missing your whole life doesn't mean you forgive and forget an entire lifetime of not so great memories.
Still a solid watch that gave me echoes of the great Signal at times. 4/5 stars.
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CrimeFighter
May 28, 2017 at 12:11 AM
She lived miserably at first cos she thought that her parents forsake and abandon her. But after knowing that KH is her father and what actually happened that made her became an "orphan" and got adopted, she knows that her parents didn't abandon her and that they really really love her a lot. That made the change in her personality towards the last part of the drama. She feel all the love, care and concern from his dad and that he was also feeling guilty over her bad childhood which started becos of his disappearance in 1986.
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45 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
May 24, 2017 at 9:48 AM
Wait just a minute....
I'm a little late to think of this, but victim number 5, the one who "survived" and was later murdered by someone else... Mok marked her with a fountain pen, and the ink didn't wash off after 30 years ?!? Earlier in the show I thought maybe the killer tatooed her or something.
At least it didn't take me 30 years to catch on :)
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CrimeFighter
May 28, 2017 at 12:05 AM
Dr Mok did mentioned earlier that the ink was waterproof but after 30 years the markings was still clearly there?? Well, I must applause at how good the waterproof ink was. Please let me know its brand name and all. Lol. ?
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46 Lunabird
May 24, 2017 at 9:54 AM
Why does this show have to end. Overall, it was such a good send off since it thoroughly broke my heart into pieces which then were tossed outside the window. I'm happy that Kwang Ho as finally reunited with Yeon Sook, but then, he is never going to see his future comrades anymore. I also loved how at the end, it stated how the future Kwang Ho's name came to be. Also, that moment when Jae Yi finally calls him dad was touching. I don't know what I'm going to do without this show.
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47 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
May 24, 2017 at 9:57 AM
A while back people were thinking there might be something special about Dean Hong. Maybe she's the genius with the time-transporter in her basement? :)
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CrimeFighter
May 28, 2017 at 12:15 AM
My colleague and I find the Dean so creepy at first but later on she put on a much kinder face. I Haha. I think it was meant to misled the viewers that she might be the killer or something like that. Haha.
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48 pipette
May 24, 2017 at 10:14 AM
Emotionally speaking, I really enjoyed this episode. It tied up all the loose ends and we got to see some really nice emotional scenes. ;__;
I really liked that they went back to all the victims' families to inform them of the news. Closure is so important, especially in cases like these. Those scenes made my eyes well over.
Was I sad that Kwang Ho went back? Yes, I really was. Especially since ever since Jae Yi and Sun Jae had gotten closer to him, they had themselves become a lot happier and lighter. But all the same, I understand him going back. He knows that Yeon Sook is waiting for him, patiently.
In think in the hands of anyone else, I'm not sure if Kwang Ho would have been so likeable. Choi Jin Hyuk did a great job. And Yoon Hyun was just so fantastic as stoic, angsty Sun Jae, sitting on some deeply repressed emotions. Lee Yoo Young too was amazing. You could see the clear difference between her being closed off and emotionless and bright and happy.
I also liked all the other characters in the police team. Min-ha and Tae Hee was hilarious and Sung Shik was adorable as the slightly stressed but considerate and thoughtful chief. (I'm slightly ashamed of the fact that I dont know the names of these actors)
Now that I've got that out of the way, I wish I wish I wish we had a better explanation for the time-travelling tunnel and I would have love to have seen the altered timeline.
Anyhow, this was an enjoyable drama. Slightly frustrating at times, but enjoyable all the same!
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49 tobecontinewed
May 24, 2017 at 10:49 AM
I am so glad Tunnel ended the way it did because I cannot think of a more satisfying ending for this wonderful show. Once I got to the last scene, I did not feel the need to figure out what the future would look like for our characters. I trusted that Tunnel would create a future that I could be content with even if it meant that some of our characters would have to endure some trying times.
The last episode was very emotional but still very well done. I liked how they payed attention to wrap up the stories for all the characters including the younger Park Gwang Ho. The detectives visiting the families of the victims was unexpected but also gave us some of the most touching moments in the show.
The cast definitely deserves praise. Choi Jin Hyuk was the heart of the show. I was also very impressed by the actor who played the villain. That was a very well written character who got the attention that such a story called for. I was most happy to see Yoon Hyun Min cast as part of yet another excellent friendship. There have been few K-drama friendships I have loved as much as his character's relationship with Doctor's Son in Cruel City. The Tunnel duo just got added to my list of favorites.
Overall a great show that deserves all the love and recognition it has been receiving.
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50 Arhazivory
May 24, 2017 at 10:51 AM
I too wanted to see a fast forward flash but it's okay. Kwang Ho was like an angel who swooped in to save the day, save lives and transform lives. What a gem this show was.
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