Woohoo Waikiki 2: Episode 16 (Final)

by LollyPip

Once again, it’s time to bid farewell to the Waikiki Guesthouse housemates. There’s still a lot to cover regarding life, love, and career dreams, but somehow you get the feeling that they’ll all be fine. The most important lesson in life is that things may not always turn out like you’d hoped, but you can always make the best of things and be happy anyway — and that sometimes, not getting your dream means making way for an even better life that you didn’t even know you wanted.

 
EPISODE 16: “Goodbye, Waikiki”

After doing too much while he was sick, Woo-shik collapses and is taken to the emergency room. Soo-yeon hears from Yu-ri and rushes out of a work presentation to go to the hospital, but Min-ah beats her to Woo-shik’s bedside. Min-ah confesses to Woo-shik that she has feelings for him, and when they finally notice her, Soo-yeon pretends that she didn’t hear anything.

Disappointed, Soo-yeon leaves. The writer she’s been working with calls her to say she made the presentation alone, and that the director loves their idea and wants to make it a regular program.

Back at the guesthouse, Jun-ki still feels a little sick after challenging Jung-eun’s date, Min-joon, to go drinking. Jung-eun says he should know better, but she brings him honey water for his upset stomach.

Yu-ri and Ki-bong head out together for a day running the food truck. A cute girl approaches, calling Ki-bong “oppa,” and brings him bread to thank him for helping her the other day. He doesn’t seem that close to her, and insists on speaking formally, but Yu-ri still gives the girl the stink-eye.

Ki-bong tells Yu-ri that the girl’s a part-timer at the nearby bakery, and that he only helped her move a plant. He doesn’t think it’s a big deal, but Yu-ri can recognize a girl who’s interested in her man when she sees one.

Later, Woo-shik is feeling better, and he finds Soo-yeon in the kitchen looking distracted. He’s thrilled to hear that her proposal was accepted, and he decides to have a party this weekend to celebrate. Min-ah shows up (unannounced as usual) to pamper Woo-shik while he’s sick, so Woo-shik starts to tell her that he’s not interested. But she stops him and says it took her years to work up the courage to confess, and asks him to think about it for three days before giving his answer.

She sends him to rest and tells Soo-yeon that she’s liked Woo-shik since she was in high school, so it took a lot of courage to confess to him. She asks Soo-yeon for support, but something in Min-ah’s expression tells me that she knows about Soo-yeon’s feelings for Woo-shik.

After work, Ki-bong gets a text that he hides from Yu-ri, and he runs outside saying he needs fresh air when he’s been working outside all day. She lets him go, feeling unsettled again.

The following morning, Jun-ki asks Woo-shik what he plans to do about Min-ah’s confession, but Woo-shik says she’s just his student. Jun-ki asks if he’s conflicted because of Soo-yeon, and Woo-shik loudly denies it. Jun-ki has his own bout of jealousy when Jung-eun heads out for a date with Min-joon, their second date in two days. She says dreamily that she thinks they may be fated, but Jun-ki cringes at the cheesy line.

When she’s gone, Woo-shik points out that Jun-ki is acting jealous, but Jun-ki says he’s just bored since Jung-eun is gone all the time. Woo-shik tells Jun-ki that he should date, too, and Jun-ki lights up at the idea. He sets out, determined to meet the love of his life, but unsure how to go about it.

At the park, he decides to close his eyes and count to three, and the first woman he sees when he opens them will be his fated love. When he opens his eyes, there’s a beautiful woman standing in front of him, but she already has a boyfriend. Jun-ki tries his trick again, and this time, the first woman he sees seems a bit more open… to converting him to Taoism, lol.

While looking for Ki-bong, Yu-ri sees his phone light up with a text that says I’ll meet you where we met last night. Yu-ri wonders if it’s the cute baker girl, and if Ki-bong might be cheating on her, but she doesn’t mention it to Ki-bong.

In a meeting with Min-ah’s agency, Woo-shik is told that the song he wrote isn’t really right for Min-ah’s voice, so they’re cutting it from her album. Instead, she wants Woo-shik to release the song as his own single, because the guide version he sang for Min-ah sounds much better. Woo-shik is stunned but happy, since he’s wanted to sing his own song all along.

After escaping the Taoist, Jun-ki tries finding his fated love one last time, determined that the first person he sees is The One even if it’s a guy. He closes his eyes and counts to three, and when he opens them — it’s Jung-eun standing in front of him. Startled, he bites her head off and runs away.

Woo-shik hurries home to tell Soo-yeon the good news about his song, but again, Min-ah shows up as they’re talking and Soo-yeon wilts. Min-ah brought food and beer, and Soo-yeon sits morosely drinking as Min-ah and Woo-shik chat about music. Woo-shik notices Soo-yeon getting quietly drunk and gently suggests she stop drinking, but she insists she’s fine.

When Jung-eun gets home from her date, Woo-shik asks her to take Soo-yeon to bed. Soo-yeon objects, slurring that she has something to tell Woo-shik right now or she’ll never be able to say it, though Jung-eun tries to stop her.

Jun-ki can’t stop thinking about Jung-eun showing up in front of him and wondering if she’s his destiny. Woo-shik asks what he thinks of his song, and Jun-ki tells him that the lyrics are the best he’s ever written. He can tell that Woo-shik was thinking about Soo-yeon when he wrote the song, but Woo-shik says vehemently that he doesn’t have feelings for her anymore.

Unfortunately, Soo-yeon is right outside the bedroom ready to tell Woo-shik how she feels. But she hears him saying that they’re only friends, so she leaves instead.

Ki-bong gets another mysterious text and runs off by himself again. Convinced that he’s cheating, Yu-ri follows him this time. She finds him sitting on a bench with someone in a hoodie, and Ki-bong looks guilty when he sees her, but the person in the hoodie turns out to be Ki-bong’s old baseball coach.

Yu-ri explains sheepishly that she thought Ki-bong was cheating, since the text she saw was from someone Ki-bong labeled “Bit-na” (aka Shiny) in his phone. HA, it’s not a girl’s name — Ki-bong was referencing his coach’s bald head, ha.

Coach has been talking to Ki-bong about rejoining the team as a batter, but Ki-bong says he doesn’t want to play baseball anymore, and leaves with Yu-ri. She asks if he’s sure he’s done with baseball, and he says he just wants to run their food cart. She calls him a liar, knowing that his too-bright smile means he’s not telling the truth.

She accuses him of being afraid of failing again, and sighs that she should break up with him for being a coward. Ki-bong admits that it’s not easy to switch from pitching to batting, so Yu-ri tells him to forget it, and that she wants to break up.

Ki-bong is scared of losing her, so Yu-ri tells him to try baseball again. She promises to support him however she can, because she wants to be with a man who keeps chasing his dream even if it’s difficult. She tells him to trust her and not to be afraid, because she’s right beside him. Moved by her support, Ki-bong kisses her.

In the morning, Ki-bong tells the housemates his news. Everyone is happy for him, but Yu-ri isn’t feeling well. Ki-bong insists on taking her to the hospital immediately, leaving Woo-shik and Jung-eun wondering why he’s overreacting.

A houseguest complains that her wallet has gone missing from her room, so Woo-shik reviews the CCTV cameras to see what happened to it. Instead, he sees Ki-bong and Yu-ri making out in the hall last night, and when Ki-bong leads Yu-ri past him on the way to the hospital, they see themselves on the computer screen, too.

Woo-shik angrily demands an explanation, so Yu-ri tells him that she and Ki-bong are dating. Ki-bong offers to let Woo-shik hit him if he wants, but he says that nothing will make him give up Yu-ri. Woo-shik raises his hand… then grabs Ki-bong in a huge hug and thanks him tearfully for putting up with Yu-ri and taking her off his hands. HAHA.

The guys are having a total bromance moment, but Yu-ri has a dizzy spell and nearly collapses, so Ki-bong gets her to the hospital where the doctors runs tests. As Yu-ri’s guardian, Woo-shik gets the news first — Yu-ri is pregnant. Well, that answers the question of what actually happened that night.

Woo-shik isn’t feeling quite as happy about Ki-bong dating his sister anymore. He throws Ki-bong across the emergency room, threatening to kill him. He punches Ki-bong then goes after him with a pillow, until Ki-bong bellows, “Brother-in-law, stop!” Unfortunately that just makes Woo-shik angrier, and he tries to hit Ki-bong with a chair.

Meanwhile, Jun-ki is backstage at his play signing insufferably long autographs. Seung-hyun, his costar, tells him to shorten his autograph or he’ll lose fans. A movie director comes to talk to Jun-ki about making him the lead in his next film, and Jun-ki is stunned.

Back at the guesthouse, Woo-shik asks a kneeling Ki-bong what he plans to do about Yu-ri. Ki-bong keeps silent, and Yu-ri finally tells Woo-shik to shut it. She says this isn’t Ki-bong’s fault and she doesn’t want to pressure him into anything, but Ki-bong tells her to wait while he goes to his room for something.

When he comes back, he asks Yu-ri, “Noona, marry me. I know I’m dumb and immature. I don’t have a bright future and I can’t do anything right, but I’ll make you happy forever.” He gives her his high school baseball championship ring, promising to become successful and buy her a real ring later, and Yu-ri accepts his proposal. Aw, yay!

Jun-ki rushes home with big news, but first, Jung-eun tells him about Ki-bong and Yu-ri getting married and having a baby. After all that, Jun-ki’s news doesn’t seem so exciting, but he tells Jung-eun that he’s gotten the lead role in a movie. It’s just a small independent film, but Jung-eun reacts like it’s the best news ever.

Jun-ki wants to go out for drinks, but Jung-eun has another date with Min-joon. Jun-ki asks her to cancel her date, and Jung-eun is surprised when he won’t accept her promise to drink with him when she gets home. Eventually he tells her to forget it and pouts that they’re no longer best friends, but she leaves anyway.

He stays home and drinks alone, but Jung-eun comes right back, saying that she canceled her date and telling Jun-ki to take responsibility if she gets dumped. Jun-ki says he will, seeming a little happy about the idea.

Soo-yeon goes to the guys’ room to get back something she lent Jun-ki. She finds Woo-shik’s computer open to the song he wrote and plays the file, and the lyrics remind her of everything they shared back in school, and the things Woo-shik has done for her since she came to Waikiki Guesthouse.

She recalls his confession, then later when he said he was fine and not to worry about him. But the song lyrics tell a very different story of a man who would give anything to love her, even if it’s only for a moment. Jun-ki tells Soo-yeon that Woo-shik is at the recording studio, and she runs out of the house.

But when she gets to the studio, Soo-yeon stops cold, because Min-ah is there, her arms around Woo-shik’s neck. Soo-yeon turns away, so she doesn’t see that Woo-shik just rejected Min-ah, telling her that he has feelings for someone else. He says that Soo-yeon has always been the only one for him, then leaves and heads home.

Soo-yeon is still outside the house, and they’re both surprised by the sudden arrival of her father, who apologizes tearfully for worrying Soo-yeon. He goes inside to thank all the housemates for taking good care of Soo-yeon. He gives them an envelope that looks like a check, but it’s just an ice cream cake coupon, since he’s still pretty broke, hee.

Soo-yeon’s dad tells her to pack — he’s getting back on his feet after being conned, and they’re moving to America to start a small business. Their flight is tomorrow, so Woo-shik asks them to stay at the guesthouse tonight. Later, Soo-yeon asks her dad if she has to go with him, because she has a good job here that she likes.

But her dad tells her that she can always start over in America. He lays on a guilt trip, asking if she wants to be separated from him, and saying that he’ll never leave her alone again.

In their room, Jun-ki asks Woo-shik to be honest about his feelings for Soo-yeon. Woo-shik says he has no choice but to let her go because she’s been struggling here, but if she goes with her dad she can study or do whatever she likes. He sighs that he’s fine as long as Soo-yeon is happy, and asks his friends not to say anything to her.

It’s late when Woo-shik finds Soo-yeon sitting alone in the living room. He muses that it feels like just yesterday that they reconnected, and Soo-yeon thanks him. He says he didn’t do anything, but Soo-yeon says meaningfully that she’s grateful for everything he’s ever done for her.

Woo-shik says it’s just because they’re friends, and Soo-yeon agrees, but they both have difficulty holding their smiles. As Woo-shik heads to bed, Soo-yeon calls his name and he stops expectantly, but she changes her mind and keeps whatever she was going to say to herself. Neither of them gets a wink of sleep all night.

In the morning, everyone gathers to see Soo-yeon off, and she says that ending up in Rebecca’s trunk after her disastrous wedding was the best thing that’s ever happened to her. She keeps trying to catch Woo-shik’s eye but he won’t look at her, and as her taxi drives away, Soo-yeon bursts into tears.

Inside, Jun-ki asks Woo-shik if he’s really okay. Min-ah comes by and learns that Soo-yeon left, and she asks Woo-shik why he’s letting her go when Soo-yeon obviously likes him back. He asks how she would know that, and Min-ah says she could tell by the way Soo-yeon came running to the hospital when he was sick.

Putting some clues together, Jun-ki realizes why Soo-yeon was crying while listening to Woo-shik’s song. He wonders why she didn’t tell him her feelings, but Ki-bong says there’s no time and tells Woo-shik to call her right now. He tries, but her phone is turned off, so Jun-ki tosses him Rebecca’s keys and they urge him to go get his girl.

But LOL, Rebecca is only capable of a snail’s pace, and time is running out before Soo-yeon’s plane leaves. Finally Rebecca sputters out and dies, leaving Woo-shik sobbing on the highway. He walks home, complaining that in dramas, everyone always makes it to the airport just in time, hee.

He passes the hotteok stand and remembers all the times he and Soo-yeon stopped for her favorite snack. He buys a hotteok for himself, but he doesn’t seem to be enjoying it — until Soo-yeon steps up and orders one, too. Wait, what?

She asks why he’s eating hotteok alone, and if he left his phone at home, like it’s any other day. She pouts that she waited for him at the airport all day, and Woo-shik stammers that Rebecca broke down before realizing that she just said she waited for him.

Stunned, he asks why, and Soo-yeon says that she called the guesthouse because she left something behind, and a little bird told her that Woo-shik still likes her. He asks hopefully if she came back for him, but she says that leaving her new job just when she got her own program seemed like a waste, and besides, she can’t get hotteok in America.

Poor Woo-shik is so disappointed, but Soo-yeon adds, “More importantly, the person I like is here,” making him light up again. Soo-yeon says that she really likes her guesthouse friends, and GAH stop teasing him!

She asks Woo-shik to hold her hotteok, then steps in and kisses him. He wraps his arms around her, dropping both hotteok, but neither of them cares.

Three years later.

Landlady Kim shows Waikiki Guesthouse to a prospective tenant, and just like last time, one of her big selling points is that everyone who’s lived here has been successful in their careers. There are new pictures on the Wall of Success, of all six housemates having become hugely famous in the past few years.

The buyer isn’t convinced, having never heard of any of those people before (Landlady Kim: “They’re very popular overseas!” HAHA). Even her offer to throw in Jung-eun’s alphorn doesn’t stop him from leaving, so she gives it a good loud BLAAART to vent her frustrations.

The noise brings everyone running, and awww, Yu-ri and Ki-bong’s baby is so cute! Jun-ki snaps to Landlady Kim that only an idiot would fall for such blatant lies. He says that Woo-shik’s album only sold twenty copies, and Woo-shik fires back that only seventeen people watched his movie. Ki-bong chimes in that five of them are in this room, but Jun-ki spits that it’s still more people than attend Ki-bong’s baseball academy, hee.

Yu-ri chides them all for criticizing her baby’s father right in front of him, causing both Soo-yeon and Jung-eun to jump to their men’s defense. Landlady Kim wails that she’ll be stuck with tenants like them forever, and when they suggest she lower their rent to compensate for whatever sin she committed in her past life, she goes on the attack.

 
COMMENTS

I was worried when we only had 15 minutes left of show and two of our three ships still hadn’t sailed! I’ve been especially frustrated with Soo-yeon’s inability for the past several weeks to say anything to Woo-shik about her feelings, so much that at one point I just wanted Woo-shik to speak up first, because I think he knew that she was struggling but was too afraid to hope again. But it was really Soo-yeon’s turn to confess, because Woo-shik had already stuck his neck out and told her of his feelings and got friend-zoned. On the other hand, I liked that Woo-shik’s friends helped figure out that Soo-yeon likes him and urged him to go get her and bring her home — even though it didn’t work out that way, it showed that they all loved her and didn’t want her to leave.

Jun-ki and Jung-eun clearly ended up together eventually, but I’m okay with their romance happening offscreen, since Jun-ki’s love life was so front-and-center in the first season. I know that a lot of fans of the show were upset that he and Seo-jin broke up, so it makes sense to focus on his career this time around and not to shove a new love down our throats. His and Jung-eun’s friendship was cute enough on its own, and Jun-ki was late to start feeling more than friendship, so I’m glad the show didn’t push it. I like thinking that he and Jung-eun got together in their own time, with their friendship growing naturally into the kind of love that will hopefully last a long, long time.

While I liked the second season of Woohoo Waikiki a lot — it had the same sense of fun and silliness, and the couples were much more suited to each other — I don’t think it came close to the magic that permeated the first season. That may be because the first season was very unique, and gave the audience something it hadn’t ever seen before, while Season Two mostly did the exact same thing without adding to the innovation of the original. It seemed to take many of the same jokes and circumstances and just tweaked them to the new characters, but it didn’t really try to hide that fact, either. We had another character who wanted to be a chef, another friends-to-lovers pairing, and a lot of other situations that were simply recreations of the same jokes from before. Even scenes like Woo-shik threatening Ki-bong with a bat were yanked straight out of Season One. I still found Season Two to be bright and fun, and I loved the characters a lot, but let’s face it — once we learned that there wouldn’t be a Baby Sol-type character, we all knew that Season Two wouldn’t equal Season One, didn’t we?

It was a cute ending for a cute show, with everything wrapped up simply and easily and not too much drama or tears. But that’s fine, because Waikiki has never been the kind of show to draw out a lot of emotions, instead focusing on the silly day-to-day craziness of just living life and learning to balance chasing your dreams with the realistic need to pay bills and get along in an adult world. It wasn’t as funny or crazy or exciting as the first season, as I said, but I enjoyed the second season a lot just for itself. I even found myself loving the second generation of Waikiki housemates every bit as much as the first, just for being themselves. I love the idea that they’re “stuck” together in the guesthouse for the long haul, making the best with what they can get in life just like the majority of people do, and finding fulfillment in friendship and love.

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