Kwon Sang-woo has not much to do or say in Curtain Call, I don't even know if I should call Dong-je a tertiary character, but Kwon Sang-woo and Dong-je made me feel and wish he and Se-yun would be the endgame. Is it too greedy to wiah for that.
I guess this will be another classic case where two people can't be together not because of themselves but because of family. I haven't felt this classic case since Search: WWW. I'm heartbroken.

Oh God! Finally someone is knocking some decorum into Se-jun's head. And I'm glad it was Secretary Jung doing the chastise, without any restraint of any sort. Each time Se-jun talked about the hotel sale I wanted to...it's overbearing. I quite understand where he is coming from, I'd do same. But freaking read the room. He did the same thing during Guem-seon's final party, and he's doing the same thing again. Once is a mistake, but his own two, I'm this close to calling it a patch from his skin. I am not liking his character at all, and it is getting hard to feel for the character except for the conflict he is bringing to the drama. You can get under my skin and I'll still like you but not Se-jun anymore. He just knows when to stop but still keeps on going, just to what end... You have a major share in the company? Like really? Like your stake can't be stripped away from you? Like your shareholding rights can't be stripped away, leaving you with just the money without the power it affords you? It's a family business and anything and somethings go. Like...Calm down dude.
'Ungrateful bastard'...There's no one fitting for that adjective better than Se-jun, irrespective of what drove him to that point. Secretary Jung described him succinctly in two words.

I hope Guem-seon has a trick in place to protect her hotel. Even if she was content with the hotel being sold, with the way things are going I want it sold on her own terms, her own designs. If only someone is there to carry out her intentions, someone who sees her.

I love Se-gyu. He took it in stride and now I'm content with how the truth came out and seeing his take on it. He might seem irresponsible to his siblings but with the way he reacted, he definitely is the most matured of the three. I guess he matured early, waited for Se-yoon and Se-joon to come up to speed, and then left the baton for them to battle with. But they've clearly forgotten about that time.

Ji-won...one character I wish is doing more than she is allowed to. I hope she stands up to Se-jun next week. No, I want her to.

For a slow paced drama, I am as eager to see how it ends.

Trying to pack an entire OST into two episodes to attempt to tell the story better than your actors is not well conceived. As expected, keeping the truth from Grandma was a bad idea especially now when the consequences are dire. In an undertone of regrets, everyone tries reflect on their actions. The Real Moon-seong is channeling his pain against Grandma and her SK family. He said it was not about the money, but the pain. Even Se-Joon was taken aback by his true motivations. I thought they would use the old trick and have Grandma die on the breakwater in a silent moment, but no, putting her in a coma further delays the release of the Truth. Besides, who takes a very old and sick grandmother to a cold and damp seaside?

The truth and reveal of the real Moon-seong was too drawn out and so anti-climatic that taking a seltzer for heartburn would have been more poignant. The real Moon-seong is more of an outcast after meeting his family, who did not take the time to even get to know him or ask him questions. Ironically, if the family knew at the beginning of Mr. Jung’s Grandma’s play, they probably would have been on board with it. None of the grandchildren have done anything to comfort Grandma in her last days. Mr. Jung should have given that blasting speech at the beginning of the show instead of deceiving them. Spoiled and selfish grandchildren blaming everyone but the fates was true but it is too late to make any difference. Greed is more important than grief or regret.

The corny ending is on the horizon. Jae-Heon’s guilt drives him to spend all his performance money to stage a play about his deception of elderly Geum-Soon? Instead of telling the truth directly, he hopes she can see his play. All of this seems absurd since Grandma is on her death bed; a playwright does not bang out a brilliant script in a matter of days; and a performance in a large theater does not happen in a blink of an eye. And Se-Gyu becoming a stage actor with no training because he misses his fake cousin is a sad commentary on his family situation.

It is hard to tell how this one will end.

Secretary Jung's private, solemn breakdown in Geum Soon's hospital room had me teary-eyed. Really felt for him. The kids totally needed to be scolded by him with all the inheritance talks and fighting too.

With all the references to acting and performances, I didn't think about Jae Heon going into producing a show. I like this more positive direction instead of more angst and sadness. Still, the angst should come before things can be fully resolved. I don't think Geum Soon will die before she learns the truth. I would like her to know and meet the real Moon Sung. Things have been dragged out so time is running out before the finale.

Cracked me up during the scene with Jae Heon and Se Gyu talking about acting! Se Gyu being adamant that he passes all the tests. And then he doesn't want to play himself lolll. I really like him. It's been a pleasure watching Choi Dae Hoon here.

Same goes with Kang Haneul. It's crazy how he can flawlessly act & look dorky one moment and strikingly handsome the next.

The show had many interesting characters that were never given the chance to take the spotlight. Ji-won, Mrs. Yoon, Dong-jae and Moon-seung are some of them. Why didn't we get more of the relationship between Mrs. Yoon and granny? She left the hotel to take care of granny. That means they are close so Why is she sidelined? Ji-won also exists for almost no other reason than hang out with Yoon-hee just for PPL purposes. Dong-jae is an interesting character and I wanted to see how his relationship was with Se-yeon in the past. But the show only made him into an annoying man forcing his first love to marry him.
Also Moon-seung is a many-layered character but he had barely any screen time in the first half and was portrayed as an evil person when he is a heartbroken child. I am not saying his evil deeds are excusable but I wanted the show to dig deeper into him. Also, I am really mad at everyone who keeps telling him to just leave without even giving him any chances to express himself so I understand his anger towards granny's SK family but still, that doesn't give him the right to inflict pain on granny just because he is hurt inside.
The show had great potential but the slow pace and the repetitive conversations between the characters made it lose its spark.

I wouldn’t call the drama perfect, but it keeps me wanting to continue watching. Mostly because, I like the characters and their interactions. The reveal was kinda sad. When people questioned if every interaction was fake, you knew that they made a bond with our actors. When the DIL asked of the original Moon Sung came with a wife, I felt for her.

Also I was happy that Se Gyu chose to meet them and maintain a relationship. I hope the rest of the family will also do so.

I still feel nothing for the romance. At this point it looks like she is just leaning on to anyone who shows her affection and is willing to talk to her. She is lonely and will be more so after grandma’s death. Not that Jae Heon isn’t a great catch.

Also, no idea why he looks exactly like the grandfather!!

I enjoyed the reveal and but for the awful punch, I appreciated that no one screeched and screamed like some chaebol family members do in other dramas. I also liked the way there was real sadness and perhaps even grief in saying goodbye to the fake family and how Jaeheon was inspired to write a screenplay that has a roman à clef character. Aside from the unrealistic nature of how quickly he wrote it, was workshopped and cast, I was glad that he could use the money that he earned to fund its production and so lucky to have Yoonhee who despite being heartbroken over him, is still such a devoted friend to him.
And I have loved Sung Dongil in everything I have seen him in and this flawed but enjoyable drama is no exception. To be such a great comedic actor and also to be believable as someone like Secretary Jung is indicative of his range.
The real Moonsung doesn’t cut anyone any slack here and shouldn’t have to. Noh Sanghyun has such a presence and is full of anger, contempt, grief and bitterness. Great casting there!

I hope there is an element of surprise in the final 2 episodes as I have sketched what I think will happen in my head and would like it subverted!

I think CC’s writer Jo Seong-geol in episode 14 may have written for me the best piece of dialogue in 2022.
Secretary Jung (Sung Dong-il as only he could deliver this line) to Grandmother’s gathered clan:
“Ungrateful bastards”.