As to the lack of a romance between Ji-ah and Im-bum: It would have been out of place in this story. But that very fact is why there could be a second season.

Ji-ah used to be against marriage precisely because she did not want to burden a child with her gift- do not forget that the ability in inherited. But her attitude towards exorcism is completely different now- and that changes her attitude towards children as well. Now continuing the family tradition would seem like a good idea. And Im-bum would be the best father for them.

But, apparently he would stop being a medium if he looses his virginity. Does Ji-ah turn to other mediums again? Is there another way around this?

Assuming that Jang Na-ra were available these questions- and ones related to them- would be the foundation for a second season which would be a new story and yet a true continuation of the first season.

I’m a bit disappointed by the last two episodes. Separately, each of the plot elements is fine. Together, they felt kind of repetitive and interminable. Is it because the narrative started dragging, with In-bum being possessed by two evil spirits in a row and Ji-ah ending up in hospital twice? And although the old “trap his spirit in a magic pot and torture him for eternity” trick does suit Do Hak-sung's cartoon villainy, it seems a little out of place in a show about letting go and moving on. DHS dying ignominiously in the middle of assaulting the homeless and scrabbling for cash in a grimy underpass - now that is a fitting end for the guy.

Still, Mi-jin’s farewell to Ji-ah and Hwa-jung was deeply moving, and all in all, I feel this show has been put together with more thought and care than most other K-dramas. It isn’t just the plot and the characters, but also the costumes, the look of the set, the music, etc. And the cast of course! Jang Na-ra is a revelation here. She and Kang Mal-geum have been absolutely wonderful as the two alpha females leading Team Daebak.

This turned into such a beautiful drama about letting go of your past and starting anew. I'm so glad I persisted with it after those two awful episodes in week 5.
I'm even fine with them not pursuing a romance since I felt like Jia-ah and In-bum became natural partners instead.

I thought I should just pop up and share a few BTS stories. The writer has started a journal on the creative process of the SYHH script. On the romance, they never intended to develop it. The hand holding skinship was not a plot device for that (although I would argue it's the best hand holding excuse ever). Also, and I personally concur with them on this point, it's impossible for the two to get together with seeing how Ji-ah's mother died. The only unexpected element for them was that the leads generated way too much romantic chemistry (no surprise with JNR) which led to fans requesting for romantic scenes, which I agree with OldLawyer will look extremely out of place given the tone of the and the slow progression of their relationship. Romance was never on the cards.

Anyway, I'm not supposed to share this so if you guys want to know more (with the help of Google translate) you can register for a Kakao talk account and head over the drama fan cafe page to check the posts.

Back to my thoughts on the drama.

It would do much better if it had another ghost-of-the-day arc. 6 episodes were a few too many for wrapping up, especially if you want to keep up with the tight pace in the first half. Some of the mythology and background could have been introduced with another short story and that will make build up to the finale much more logical. I would still argue that world building is pretty good and the drama is generally consistent. It's a 9 for me till episode 12 and an 8 for all 16 parts.

I actually think it was stronger in the first half and missed the case-of-the-week format once we moved away from it

Agree. Case-of-the-week can be much better than 97% of the big story arcs that kdramas always have to inflict on us. Are you listening, Voice 4??

I loved this drama!

I was happy with the stupid death of Director Do, it's so funny that someone so powerful died in a such way. Our heroes are not killers, they couldn't kill him, but Ji-Ah got her revenche making suffering a looong time. I loved they had a special "bank" for that. I wondered how many exorcist exist.

This drama was the journey of Ji-Ah. She needed to let her mum go and even if she knew it, it was very difficult until the end. She needed to embrass her heritage as an exorcist too. She felt she had to do it but now she wants to do it. Their ideas to help her to find back her powers were so funny. I really liked the touches of humor in this drama.

Our con team was super cute and caring. I loved when Im-Bum said to Heo Ji-Chul that he loves him and he thanked him. Im-Bum formed a great team with Ji-Ah, he always trusted her and agreed she was the strongest, he didn't less a man for that, no ego issue! He was there for her, he gave her time to heal but good advices too.

For the love story, it didn't bother me so much. It was more about Ji-Ah and her mother. But for a second season, it could be fun to watch them finding a way for them to be a couple without Im-Bum loosing his powers as a psychic. I can already imagine a lot of funny moments :p

I'm very happy with this story. The story was simple but effective. We learned about the different ghosts step by step. The way to exorcize them was pretty inventive with the need of an exorcist and a psychic, the hairpin with the name of the ghost, the nail gun to stop them, etc.

The OST was pretty good too! I like when an actor sings an OST :)

This show was love..or daebak!! xD
It was not perfect, some parts were weaker than others, but overall I enjoyed it all!
I binged it till ep 14 and then caught up with the last 2 episodes a few days later (once ep 16 aired) and I felt like the pace was great throughout. I really loved all the episodes, this finale included!
I actually appreciate the way they resolved Do Hak-Sung's storyline, both his "ridiculous" death (karma??) and the fate of his soul. I also liked how this was dealt with fairly quickly, so they had more time to give Ji-ah's mom a proper send off; can't explain it, but it was really satisfying to watch. Also some tears might have been shed, there, and surprisingly, what got me was when Mi-jin appeared to Hwa-Jung, probably because I wasn't expecting it..it was pretty moving!

Didn’t mind the time jump, because I feel like everyone needed some time off to deal with everything that had happened, and we didn’t have to see it, necessarily; but it was nice to know that in the end the squad would be back together again doing their thing! ^^

...and then who knows, they can still tell us more about that in season 2 maybe??? ahahah!!
I just loved it a lot, and loved the cast, and I need more of Jang Na-ra looking bad-ass in all black! xD
..Jung Yong-Hwa was pretty fine too hehe ^^

In the meantime I started a rewatch!! It’s just as good as the first time! <3

This was a delightful drama and I am happy I was wrong about Jung Yong Hwa's acting abilities, he has really improved. Luckily he was paired with one of the best in the business, but he still held his own rather well.

What I liked the most about this drama is that there was no relationship between Ji-ah and Im bum. I was not interested in that at all. It was a good drama all around.

The lack of romance was baked into the story early with the purity of the psychic being a requirement to be a medium. Besides, the series worked best as a "buddy" drama.

The Do story and demise was a weak point. The irony was lost that the poor people he trampled to gain power eventually led to his death. The sealing of his spirit also was anti-climatic. JiAh's hand burn injury had to fully heal in order for her to regain her powers. Is there a guild of exorcists to take her place for her year hiatus?

It would have been better to see how JiAh healed herself during the year off instead of a quick time jump. But my biggest issue with the ending is that the old neighbors came back restart their lives. However, none of them owned their buildings. At that point, everyone should have moved on. Even if Do Construction would not go forward as the developer, a new one could have taken over. Even the cancelation of re-development does not change the sales contracts.

I did like the weekly ghost episodes. I also found it consistent that JiAh did not know everything about exorcism consequences but forged ahead. It also gave us hints at future issues, including the egg ghosts. I felt the world building and mythology of the series was very good. The plot twists were well done. I also think Jang Nara's performance was excellent. This is the best drama so far this year.

I am not in favor of a second season despite some lingering questions about JiAh's family, her unknown father, the 10 year gap after her mother's death and how In-beom became a con-man.

I thoroughly enjoyed this drama, and it will probably be in the top 5 for me for 2021 (as things currently stand, though we do have another 6 months to go). I agree that Jang Na-ra was hugely the reason for this - she was absolutely incredible from start to finish, impossible to look away from whenever she was on screen. Ji-ah was incredibly real and fleshed out, and the emotional array she brought to the role was impressive.

I am also good with no romance, though I do think the drama teased the idea (whether or not they intended to). But as it never seemed to be more than In-beom having a little crush on Noona, it didn't really take up any space. In a way, it's perhaps a bit of a shame as they did have good chemistry - but it just wasn't that kind of a drama, and I'm okay with that. Instead, this drama gave depth to other kinds of love and togetherness, which was fantastic.

For a drama that was about the supernatural, there was something very fundamentally human and quotidian about it: the choices we make, the people with whom we keep company, the actions we take (or don't), and even the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and the life around us.

Finally, my only real regret is that I didn't wait to watch the episodes in pairs after airing got off-kilter. But that's on me, and not the drama! Thanks @branwen for excellent recapping all the way through!

Thank you @branwen for recapping this drama!
It's been such an enjoyable ride and I'm going to miss anticipating new episodes every week.

I feel the same way about the romance. Even if our leads don't end up together I thought they would have at least hinted at the possibility. Even that hug could have been done so much better. Also it wasn't explained at all why Ji Ah and In Bum were both okay after exorcising the egg ghosts. I can only assume that they succeeded because they had a list of names of the deceased or that In Bum had a special energy combined with Ji Ah. I thought they would explain how/why their eyes glowed in the process of exorcism when In Bum made contact with Ji Ah as previously when they were kids. Other than that I enjoyed the finale. Ji Ah sending her mother off was touching and beautiful. I'm glad to see the Daebak team working together it the end. I think everyone was great in their roles, especially Jang Nara.

So, I’ve been waiting for 16 episodes to learn what is that thing she is shooting, what does it shoot and why is she shooting it? It looks a lot like a staple gun I once owned, so I’m willing to accept that it’s a nail gun 👍🏼 But did we ever find out why shooting nails is part of the exorcism? Maybe I just missed that?

Thank you for the recaps and insight, @branwen! I was a bit worried about the ending of this show - given the cliffhanger ending from the last episode - but it stuck the landing! Jang Nara is always a treat to watch, and I especially loved Ji-ah. I never fail to be amazed at what roles she could pull off. I was also pleasantly surprised at Jung Yong-Hwa's performance since I haven't really watched any dramas with him. His character perfectly complemented Jang Nara's. While I'm not too disappointed about the lack of romance given the tone of the show, it feels like a waste of such great chemistry... perhaps a second season, please?

I found the last episode deeply satisfying - Do got his deserved end (I just LOVED how fierce JiAh was when she pronounced his eternal punishment) and the goodbye between JiAh and her mum was beautifully executed (love the bonus apology to InBum and thank you to HwaJung). We also got some laughs when our DRE gang tried to help JiAh regain her powers and cringe-swoon with InBum and his sports car "date" that actually had a really sweet purpose.

Am so glad the drama ended strongly and stayed true to its overall logic and message. And while my brain could rationally understand why there simply was no place for a romance between InBum and JiAh within this story, my poor poor heart was yearning for so much more. Dang that CHEMISTRY between JNR and JYH! When InBum made his long awaited love confession, but to JiChul instead of JiAh, I literally laughed out loud at how the writers were trolling us!

I've also been following the writer's daily updates/essays in the Daum Fan Cafe and I can feel his love and devotion to the show. Even the director is out in twitter responding to fan tweets about the drama. I think that's what made this drama extra special, everyone who was involved from the actors, director, writers, set designers, stylists, cgi team, sound/music direction... and I'm sure I'm missing some, seems to have a deep love and pride for their craft. And that truly showed in this little gem of a drama about 'ghosts' that had so much heart.

A solid drama! Though it had like 2 weaker episodes in the last quarter, it was thankfully not one of those "it takes 4 episodes to get into it. Then it gets really good." dramas nor was it one of those "it went off the rails in the last half". I like solid dramas because they're easier to recommend people. I thought it had a strong and fitting ending. Whether it be kdramas or american tv shows, endings are hard and being able to stick the landing deserves a round of applause.

And Jang Nara made me cry a bucket of tears in ep 16. For her entire life she has been able to send off spirits and bring peace to the loved ones left behind. It was touching to see her without her exorcism powers and finally getting to be like one of the many people she has helped. She finally got her turn!

I love how supportive Ji-chul, In-beom, and Hwa-jung are. They've developed a bond. I love how Ji-chul told Hwa-jung that he will text every day. And In-beom may not be Ji-ah's future husband, but they have such a great friendship and partnership. I was touched when he brought her to the columbarium. He knew she needed that.

My only dislike is the underwear PPL. Underwear in a can seems so not environmentally friendly. Like I can imagine having them in vending machines at airports, but getting cans of underwear as gifts or for yourself? Just buy them at a store and wash before use. Bring back the chips PPL

I'm so glad the show gave ample time for Ji Ah to say goodbye to her mom. I also loved that Mi Jin visited Hwa-jung as well before leaving. I thought that was quite lovely. Special shoutout to combining the occult with Christianity in that scene (it's the second time we see Hwa-jung praying so I assume she's a Christian). The mood and tone of this drama was so consistent across its entire run, which is no easy feat considering 16 hour-plus long episodes. The characters stayed in character and their actions followed logically based on who they were and what situation they were in. They were allowed to have flaws and blinds spots and still remained highly likable. The worldbuilding made sense and the small details such as the quotidian work done at the Blue Salt manufacturing headquarters were delightful and imaginative. Truly a well-made and well-crafted show. I will miss it.

I'm glad I watched this as it turned out to be quite enjoyable. In the beginning, I mentioned that I suspected it would take me a while to warm up to Jung Yong-hwa because I simply had reservations about him. But win me over he did. With Jang Nara, there were never any doubts. She always delivers.

For all the trouble our main villain caused, his death was almost too simple but the whole sealing situation definitely made up for it.

Finally, another nice detail was the goodbye between Ji-ah and her mother. So much of Ji-ah's life was consumed by the thoughts of what happened that fateful day long ago that Ji-ah was, dare I say, basically just existing rather than living. I'd like to think that Ji-ah now goes forward, feeling less burdened and able to find joy and happiness.

Thank you for the recaps Branwen!

This drama is definitely my cup of tea. I'm not into romance drama these days and this drama came and ended my drama slump.

What's magical about this drama is how well in beom and jiah understand each other. They supported each other through their flaws and behave like a wise people. They dont beat around the bush and solved their problem directly.

I'm definitely okay with no romance. Not all people in a boat will end up romantically. Man and woman can be best friend because why not.

Will definitely watch this again soon

I'm afraid this going to be lengthy comment so I'll be cutting it by parts. somehow I'll be extra carefree about it bcus, after all, this is the final episode.

This episode is really the resolution (at least of their first story) and the quietest among all. It’s so peaceful and I love it. I think all ends met and ties knotted. I was just smiling all throughout the second half of the episode and also at war to shedding tears because I know it’s the end (again of the first story).

Okay talking about Do Hak Sung’s death, as Ji Ah manifested, money would kill him and it did at least in the most poetic way. It isn’t satisfying for a villain to fell out that fast though and I would surely nag about it if that ghost possession-final battle between him and Ji Ah didn’t happen.

For a second, I actually want to question Ji Ah’s personal matter on sealing Do’s spirit and literally burning him to hell. But then, no. Let’s leave that character alone “forever”. After all, everyone here is human who acts, reacts like human. Ji Ah took over that authority, punishing him in her own way, and we don’t mind it, I’m sure.

I also appreciate the promise she made for In Beom and the way she kept it until the end. That’s just pure heart. I love how the production behind the story became so mindful of the character’s progression.
The way In Beom resisted the possession shows how great care he has for his Ji Ah. And then him, reaching for her hand, it’s a mix of assurance and love. They both always hold hands in the most heart fluttering scenarios (but still they expect us to not crave for romance lol).

I noticed that most fans and avid viewers of SYHH mainly ask for two events to happen or should've happened; the JiBeom endgame as a couple and Season 2.

So I learnt from the main actors (Jang Nara and Jung Yong Hwa) from their transcribed and translated interview after the ending of the drama that they both expect no love line even at the beginning of script reading.

I somehow trust this saying because they know the run of the story better than anyone here (objectively speaking, im sorry ), and actually kind of agree with that. Perhaps because I am not really into romance, or that I'm personally a fan of man and woman becoming best friends, or it's just refreshing to have this kind of relationship existed after all the drama I've watched. I'm sure they do love, care and will promise to commit with each other (are they already couple if this is the thing? again I have few ideas about love thingy).

But then, re-watching episode 9, that ending when Ji Ah and In Beom had this lovey-dovey, lowkey, sugarcoated thrilling fall on each other, isn't that a clear foreshadowing? Even in the eyes of non rom-com fan, that would be an enough teaser of future romance.

I understand though that in the period of 16 episode, it isn't enough to give spaces for romance. There had just been a lot that went on and I'm happy they stayed true and focused on healing.

Well this is a drama, I can say, that is shaped for such seasonal drama. They are master of perfect tonal combination, a lot of themes that diversified and whether they bring us romance or not between the leads, I'll still surely be tuning into it if heaven's provided. *fingers crossed

Excellent overall. Will remain as one of my most favourite kdramas ever. And I have been watching for 20 years. Lots of heart, excellent wit and comedic chemistry. Amazing cast ensemble. I cried and laughed, and swooned from the no romance romance. I am now a new fan of Jang Nara (she was electric, I agree) and as an old time fan of Yong Hwa (he is my first Kpop Bias), I am rather proud of him.

I don't mind a second season either. With the same production team please.