You’re Beautiful: Episode 16 (Final)
by javabeans
Well, here we are: the final episode.
I liked it quite a lot, and thought it tied up our ends nicely. I enjoyed the way the main conflict was resolved, and while it wasn’t perfect, I like its balance between hitting that dramatic climax and reminding us of its sense of fun.
SONG OF THE DAY
Wheesung – “사랑해” (I Love You) [ Download ]
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EPISODE 16 RECAP (FINAL)
Mi-nyeo stops to look at some stars on display in a storefront, and turns just as Tae-kyung spots her through the crowd. The music stops and the world goes silent as the two stare at each other… until Mi-nyeo breaks the moment by bowing in greeting.
Tae-kyung tries to find his way out of the crowd, but when he looks over at Mi-nyeo, she’s gone. The background song (“Without Words”) echoes his sentiments as he asks, “She went without a word? She just bows in greeting and leaves?”
He returns to the agency, feeling dissatisfied. When he encounters Sung-chan with the stylist, he asks to see Mi-nam, who is supposedly out with Hoon-yi.
He’s not actually with Hoon-yi, however, as the latter runs into Mi-nyeo in the street and the two stop to chat. Mi-nyeo hears that her brother is currently making an appearance in Jinju, and asks if it would be possible to meet him before she leaves. She’s headed to Africa to join a nun acquaintance in charity work. It turns out she’s leaving on the day of Mi-nam’s first concert.
Tentatively, Hoon-yi asks if she’s going to leave without seeing the others. Mi-nyeo answers that she’s always watching them from afar, and has been keeping up with all their news. Hoon-yi asks if something happened between her and Tae-kyung, because Tae-kyung never asks about her, nor does he talk to Mi-nam.
Prompted by Tae-kyung’s questioning, Sung-chan wonders where Mi-nam is; he was supposed to have returned from an event with Tae-kyung. Nervously, the stylist calls Hoon-yi to tip him off, and warns that Sung-chan can’t find out that Hoon-yi sent him to Jinju without his knowledge.
A colleague mentions seeing Mi-nam in Jinju, so Sung-chan looks at the stylist suspiciously. They’re not doing stuff behind his back, are they? He wants to see Mi-nam in 30 minutes.
In a panic, Hoon-yi wonders how to handle this, then looks to Mi-nyeo with pleading eyes. In a familiar gesture, he gets on his knees to beg her (as he did in Episode 1) to become Mi-nam for one last time. Just for a short while, to prove to Sung-chan that he’s still in Seoul.
Mi-nyeo vehemently says no — she’ll be discovered right away. In desperation, Hoon-yi reveals the reason he needed to send Mi-nam to Jinju in the first place. He’s about to become a father, and Mi-nam is helping him save up extra cash by doing side gigs in order to prepare the baby’s essentials. The mother… is stylist Wang! Things happened on the trip to Japan, and now she’s pregnant…
HAHAHA. Mi-nyeo is no match for such a pathetic story, so she reluctantly agrees.
Still mulling over their encounter in the street, Tae-kyung tries to understand why Mi-nyeo disappeared:
Tae-kyung: “She may have not seen me. No, she bowed in greeting, so there’s no way she didn’t see me. She saw me and just ignored me. Pig-Rabbit, why on earth did you do that?”
This segues into another fantasy sequence. In the first scenario, Mi-nyeo is dressed in her habit and decides to become a nun. So did she disappear because she has decided to take her vows? But no, she definitely gave that up, and it’s not a path someone could return to easily.
Then, did she decide to become a pharmacist’s wife? No, he recalls that Dong-joon is still in the army and was going to seek her out after he had been discharged.
Then did she decided to join the fan ranks instead, content to be a spectator cheering him on and writing him fan letters? But no, he mutters, “If she’s a fan, she should have at least come to me to ask for my autograph. Is she no longer a fan at all? Have I been dumped entirely?”
Mi-nyeo uncomfortably dons Mi-nam’s clothes to be presented to Sung-chan. This allays Sung-chan’s suspicions, and he apologizes for doubting Hoon-yi.
Hilariously, when the stylist starts to energetically hit Hoon-yi for the close call, Mi-nyeo cautions her to be careful for the baby’s sake. The stylist wonders, “Huh?” Hoon-yi hurriedly brushes this aside, tipping us off that he invented the story to appeal to Mi-nyeo’s sympathies.
An angry voice calls out Mi-nam’s name: Jeremy comes storming down the hall, demanding that Mi-nam confess where Mi-nyeo is. Hoon-yi intercepts him to avoid subjecting Mi-nyeo to a face-to-face confrontation.
(I only include this screencap at above left because it’s hilarious to see Hoon-yi dragging away a persistent Jeremy by the feet. Oh, Lee Hong-ki, you’re adorable.)
Shin-woo arrives from the other direction and confronts Mi-nyeo, about to say something. The stylist ushers her away quickly and detains Shin-woo. Mi-nyeo turns back with sad eyes to say, “Shin-woo hyung, I’m sorry.”
After thinking it over, Tae-kyung comes to a conclusion:
Tae-kyung: “I don’t want to admit it, but I’ve been dumped. Believing that she would come back when she was feeling better was my delusion. Pig-Rabbit looked totally fine. I was the only one hanging on. Before things get any worse, I’d better reply that I’m okay.”
Mi-nyeo trudges down the agency hall, stopping a few feet away when she spots Tae-kyung. She thinks, “Mother Superior, I have to leave my star far away, but why is it twinkling brightly before my eyes again?”
As she turns to go, Tae-kyung calls out to her, thinking it’s Mi-nam. His tone is cool and sarcastic:
Tae-kyung: “Tell your sister that I saw her message that she was okay. If I’d seen her in person, I would have felt bad, but now that things have ended cleanly, tell her thanks. I saw her briefly earlier, but because of the fans, we couldn’t meet properly. Make sure to tell her I’m fine and doing really well.”
His sardonic manner is a front to cover his true feelings, but the words hurt Mi-nyeo. She thinks sadly, “It’s a relief to hear that you’re doing fine. From now on, I will be fine too.” So when Hoon-yi asks if she’s sure she doesn’t want to see Tae-kyung, she answers that Tae-kyung is fine without seeing her. It’ll be better for both of them not to meet.
Her exit is thwarted by an oblivious Sung-chan. He has prepared a meeting that Mi-nam had requested of him, and is enthusiastic to be of service. He drags her off for the meeting, and Hoon-yi furtively makes baby sounds to remind her of his sob story.
When she arrives at the restaurant, she’s shocked to realize that the person Mi-nam has been begging to meet is Heyi. Apparently, he’d been very good to her in the aftermath of her breakup with Tae-kyung, and now wants to take things another step forward. As Sung-chan greets Heyi, Hoon-yi hurriedly advises Mi-nyeo to not engage with her. It’s too bad for the real Mi-nam, but she’d better ignore her as much as possible.
Mi-nyeo keeps her head down and her answers brief, while Heyi adopts an air of annoyance. Her words express displeasure that he’s been following her around, and she has told him that she’s not interested, but her attitude indicates that she’s actually enjoying playing this part. She calls his plan to reveal his feelings for her at the upcoming concert “immature,” and tells him not to do it.
She adds, “Does Hwang Tae-kyung know you like me and keep following me around? Doesn’t that bother him at all? Anyway, you haven’t told Tae-kyung about your sister, right? If she meets him again, I won’t see you anymore.”
Back at the studio, Tae-kyung broods about the message he had given for Mi-nyeo: “Will he have told her what I said? When she hears it, she’ll think I’m over her, and won’t want to see me again. What do I do?” He makes a decision and calls Hoon-yi, asking where Mi-nam is.
At the restaurant, Sung-chan doesn’t take Hoon-yi’s hints to leave and is determined to stick around for moral support. In fact, he also called Jeremy and Shin-woo.
Dreading the impending scene, Hoon-yi fortifies Mi-nyeo with soju. She says she won’t be sober if she drinks it, but that’s exactly the point — if she is herself, she’ll be recognized right away. If she drinks the soju and collapses, Hoon-yi will usher her out and handle everything. He overrides her last protests by reminding her that Sung-chan will suggest going to the sauna together afterward. Mi-nyeo is horrified at that thought and chugs.
By the time the others arrive, Mi-nyeo is passed out. Tae-kyung grumbles, “What’s with him?” Happy to have avoided potential trouble, Hoon-yi announces proudly, “He’s drunk!” Heyi fawns over Mi-nam to make Tae-kyung jealous, while Sung-chan invites everyone to sit for a drink. It’s been a while since they were all together.
A little while later, Mi-nyeo stirs in her sleep and ends up slumping over, onto Tae-kyung’s lap. At first he’s irritated and starts to move her — but he notices something odd. Touching her hand, he remembers how it felt to hold it and recognizes that this is Mi-nyeo. He keeps his surprise well under control, but Shin-woo notices his reaction and catches on.
Tae-kyng offers to take Mi-nam home, and when Hoon-yi returns to the table, they’re gone. Shin-woo tells him quietly, referring to Tae-kyung, “I think he knows who it is. The president hasn’t caught on yet, so it’ll be okay.”
Tae-kyung remains parked in the driveway for a while, until Mi-nyeo wakes up. She mumbles for Hoon-yi, but is shocked to find Tae-kyung beside her instead. Quickly, she tries to think how to act in this unexpected situation. She fumbles for the door, forgetting that she still has her seat belt on. He unbuckles her, and as she stumbles out of the car (still a little drunk), Tae-kyung says to himself, “I’ve caught a Go-Mi-nam-impersonating Pig-Rabbit.”
Mi-nyeo thinks she’ll have to confess her identity rather than trying to keep the lie going, but tummy troubles force her to make a quick decision: it’s too embarrassing to reveal her identity and then go to the bathroom, so she’ll have to go to the bathroom first. With that decision made, she hurries inside to use the facilities, rushing by Tae-kyung without saying anything.
When she comes out of the bathroom, she starts to tell Tae-kyung who she is… but is hit with thirst. Deciding to get a drink first, she ignores him and rummages in the refrigerator, trying to decide how to act.
From Tae-kyung’s point of view, this looks like she’s being rude, and he waits to see how she’ll act. Seeing her clumsiness, he tells her she’ll have to sober up first, and makes her some honey tea. He hands her the cup and holds up a hand, asking what it is. (This calls back an earlier moment, when she’d answered, “A palm.” He’d corrected her then, saying that the answer is five, as in fingers.) This time she answers, “Five,” and he replies that the correct answer is a palm.
At this, Mi-nyeo guesses that he knows the truth. He tells her, “Your hand has no scar, and your shoe size is a lot smaller than your brother’s. I know a lot more about you than that — did you think I wouldn’t recognize you?”
Curious to know if she got his message, he asks how long she’s been Mi-nam today — was she at the agency earlier? Mi-nyeo understands that he’s really asking whether she heard his message. She confirms that she did. Tae-kyung is uncomfortable and starts to explain, but she says, “I’m glad you are doing well.”
Having taken his statement at face value, she feels sorry that she messed things up — she had sung his mother’s song to make him feel better, because she was worried he’d still be feeling bad. If she’d known he was already over everything and feeling fine, she should have left things alone, but meeting again must be an inconvenience to him.
He asks if she’d intended to turn away earlier without seeing him. Tears start to fall as Mi-nyeo answers, a little drunk and sad:
Mi-nyeo: “I told myself I couldn’t see you, but you’re someone who draws the eye. But if I see you, it hurts and makes things tough for me. After only living at the convent, I came to live in this land of stars and was hit by electricity, and lost my senses. I flew up right into the heavens, and then crashed down to the ground. Fireworks exploded in my head, and in one moment a thundering rainstorm crashed down on me. Since I’ve left this star-land, I saw the path I am to live. I would have to leave the star-land and just watch it from afar. If I see the brightest-shining star close up, it’s so blinding to the eyes that it hurts. That is why I am going to go far away.”
After saying her piece, she falls asleep with tears on her face. Now he understands that she was only saying she was okay to make him feel better, not because it was true. He asks the sleeping Mi-nyeo, “Are you actually in pain, instead of being okay?” He wipes the tears from her face.
Tae-kyung: “Then I can’t hold on to you. I wanted to be able to see you well when you came back, so I was trying to see even in the dark. Every day, I even ate the carrots and spinach I hate, because I worried that I might lose you in the dark. Because I didn’t want to lose you. But I can’t even hold on to you when I can see you well.”
(Awwww……)
After this reminder that he’s still causing her pain, Tae-kyung tells Hoon-yi to take Mi-nyeo away. Hoon-yi says that if he lets her go now, it might be goodbye forever, since she’s going to Africa. But Tae-kyung is resolute.
In the car ride back, Hoon-yi gives Mi-nyeo a ticket to the concert. She’s not sure if she can make it because of her flight, but she’ll try.
Tae-kyung decides he can’t keep the Pig-Rabbit doll (now wearing the star necklace) in his room anymore. He thinks back to the times he had seen Mi-nyeo making the pig-nose, such as the time he had serenaded her. He retires Pig-Rabbit to the storeroom from whence it came, saying, “The Pig-Rabbit that only appeared in front of me is now extinct.”
Mi-nyeo has been living at the convent all this while, teaching at the orphanage. One of the girls gives her a book containing pictures of stars, because it’s one of Mi-nyeo’s daily habits to seek them out.
The little girl points up at the sun and says, “There’s a star in the sky in the daytime, too.” Mi-nyeo sees where she’s pointing, and corrects her: “That’s not a star, that’s the moon. The moon isn’t a star.” The girl wonders, “There’s no star in the daytime?” Mi-nyeo answers, “There is a bright, blinding star in the daytime. The bright sun is always in the sky.”
She continues to make her preparations to leave, meeting her aunt to say goodbye. Aunt Mi-ja says with dismay that the other boys will be disappointed if she doesn’t see them before going, because they’re always asking about her. And then she adds hesitantly: “There’s another person who wants to meet you, but I’m not sure whether you should. Mo Hwa-ran wants to meet you.”
It’s not an easy decision, but Mi-nyeo contacts Hwa-ran, who is grateful for the meeting. Hwa-ran gives her a CD containing songs that had been sung by her mother, Lee Su-jin. Hwa-ran had used her connections to ask around and collect them, explaining, “I felt I had to do this before I could say I’m sorry to you. When your father was with your mother, he never once came to me. As you said, he said my love wasn’t really love and didn’t accept it. Your mother would have known that the person he loved wasn’t me but herself.”
Because she hadn’t thought Mi-nyeo would want to see her, Hwa-ran says that it means a lot that Mi-nyeo called her. Mi-nyeo responds that this means a lot to her, too, because “You told me what I wanted to confirm. I’m glad to hear this before I left.”
Hwa-ran: “Are you really going far away? If you leave like this, Tae-kyung won’t forgive me. He won’t see me. This is the first time he’s been like this. Couldn’t you go and tell him you’ve forgiven me?”
Mi-nyeo: “Why don’t you go to him directly and ask forgiveness? The person you need to seek forgiveness from the most is Hwang Tae-kyung. Please ask his forgiveness, so you do not pain him any more. He has always yearned for his mother.”
Hwa-ran: “Why do you say this when he’s in your heart? If I’m with him, don’t you know that it will be more difficult for you to be with him?”
Mi-nyeo: “Because causing a precious person to leave you isn’t love.”
Concert day. Jeremy frets over whether Mi-nyeo will come and asks to borrow the Pig-Rabbit for luck, but Tae-kyung tells him that he got rid of it. Jeremy wonders, “Weren’t you waiting for her?”
Tae-kyung: “Why should I wait for someone who won’t come? It’s over.”
Jeremy: “Did you even say you waited?”
Tae-kyung: “Why would I say that?”
Jeremy: “Not saying that you waited is the same thing as not waiting, you arrogant butthole!”
(Hee.)
Next, Tae-kyung runs into Heyi in the hallway, who rubs it in his face that she’s here for Mi-nam, not him. She wonders if it’s really true that he got over Mi-nyeo as he insists, and guesses, “You’re faking that you’re over her, right?” Then she tosses his words back at him: “You aren’t embarrassed about being caught faking, but it’s embarrassing being caught for real, isn’t it?”
In the dressing room, Shin-woo also asks whether Mi-nyeo is coming; he can’t believe Tae-kyung just let her go the other night. Tae-kyung answers, “She said it hurt to be close by, so I let her go.”
Shin-woo: “I bet you didn’t let her go, you shoved her away. Letting go is only something you can say when you’ve held on till the end. Have you held on to her? What you saw in Japan was me holding on to her till the very end. It must have looked pathetic and laughable to you, but because I took it all the way, I could let her go. You didn’t do that, did you? You just stood there in your place, and didn’t think of following her when she said it was hard, didn’t you? Fine, keep preserving your pride and stand there until she runs far away, mighty Hwang Tae-kyung.”
Hwa-ran shows up at the concert, spurred by Mi-nyeo’s words. Even though he might not listen to her apology, she has to say it anyway, and for once her words sound sincere, not bitter:
Hwa-ran: “I’m sorry, Tae-kyung. I left you alone because I thought you were someone who would never abandon me. I only felt the pain of being abandoned myself, and hurt you. It’s natural that you wouldn’t call me mother.”
Tae-kyung: “Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”
Hwa-ran: “I’ve become scared. You’ve decided to really abandon me now. I’m trying to hold on to my son.”
Tae-kyung: “How surprising. I thought you were someone who’d never beg.”
Hwa-ran: “That girl told me to come to you directly and beg for forgiveness.”
He’s surprised to hear that his mother met with Mi-nyeo.
Hwa-ran: “I thought if I apologized to her, you might meet with me. She’s going to go far away, do you know that? I have no right to say this to you, but I hope you don’t lose someone precious to you and regret it, like I did.”
Tae-kyung: “Why are you telling me this?”
Hwa-ran: “She said that making someone precious leave you is not love. Telling you this is the love I can show you as a mother.”
Tae-kyung starts to walk away, but pauses. Without turning back to face her, he says, “I can’t tell you now that I forgive you. I’ll hear out today’s apology someday later. Goodbye… Mother.”
After all this tough love from his friends, Tae-kyung is jolted out of his stubborn pride. He finds out Mi-nyeo’s location from Hoon-yi and speeds to the orphanage, where he asks a kid where her teacher went. Hearing that she has already left, he wonders where to go next. Then he spies the photos the girl is holding — they’re all pictures of stars. He looks around the room, which is plastered in similar pictures, remembering Mi-nyeo’s promise to think of him every time she sees stars — this is proof that she’s always thinking of him, and that she still loves him. The little girl notices him looking, and adds that there’s another “most handsome star,” which her teacher is going to see today.
She means, of course, the concert. Tae-kyung understands the implication and speeds back to the arena, where Mi-nyeo is one of a multitude of fans waiting for the concert to begin. She eyes her watch worriedly, sad that she may not able to see much — or anything at all — before she has to leave.
I love this shot, because we know that this comes from the filming event that opened its shoot to fans, and we know that the fan excitement in this scene is real, not just enacted for the sake of cameras.
When Tae-kyung comes back, he tells the others that Mi-nyeo is here, in the stands. But when he goes onstage, he can’t spot her among such a huge crowd. Trying to think of a solution, he changes their concert plan and decides to start things off with a solo.
Tae-kyung takes the stage, squinting at the fans to try to pick out Mi-nyeo as he sings “What Do I Do”:
As I let you walk another step away, it brings tears to my eyes
As you walk another step away, it brings tears to my eyes
I reach out my hand, but you go where I can’t approach
I can’t hold onto you, I can only cryWhat should I do? What should I do?
You’re leaving
What should I do? What should I do?
You’re leaving me and going away
I love you, I love you
I call out to you but you can’t hear me,
because I’m only crying out with my heartAll day, I try to erase you but I keep thinking of you
All day, I say goodbye but I think of you again
I reach out my hand, but you go where I can’t go
I can’t find you, I can only cryWhat should I do? What should I do?
You’re leaving
What should I do? What should I do?
You’re leaving me and going away
I love you, I love you
I call out to you but you can’t hear me,
because I’m only crying out with my heartWhat should I do? What should I do?
You’re still the one for me
What should I do? What should I do?
You’re leaving me
What should I do? What should I do?
You’re leaving me and going away
I love you, I love you
I call out to you but you can’t hear me
because I’m only crying out with my heart.
As Tae-kyung wraps up the song, Mi-nyeo starts to leave, working her way toward the back of the audience. Tae-kyung finishes his song and says into the microphone, urgently:
Tae-kyung: “You’re listening now, aren’t you? It’s so bright here, and your side is so dark that I can’t see you. Please, don’t be where I can’t see you! Come to where I can see you. Give permission to let me see you.”
The crowd goes wild! Moved to tears, Mi-nyeo turns back around and slowly starts to make her way toward the front again. But Tae-kyung still can’t see her, shrouded in the dark as she is, so Shin-woo tells the producer to cut the stage lights and turn on the audience lights.
When the stage lights flick off, Tae-kyung, now standing on the dim stage, scans the audience intently. It’s nice imagery, as Mi-nyeo emerges from the dark into the light. Tae-kyung spots her.
Keeping his eyes fixed on her, Tae-kyung makes his way to the edge of the stage, and steps among the fans as they scream excitedly. The crowd parts ways to let him pass, until he comes to her.
He grabs her to him in a hug, and says:
Tae-kyung: “I’m going to keep telling you, so listen good every day. I love you.”
Now for our epilogue: A short while later, Mi-nyeo and Tae-kyung look up at the night sky, enjoying a relaxed mood. She’s still going to Africa (which he doesn’t love), but she’ll return soon enough and tells him to wait for her. Responding to her lighthearted tone, he says, “You’ve gotten arrogant. Aren’t you even sad to leave the brightest, most handsome star in the sky?” She reasons, “Still, I can’t take you with me.”
Tae-kyung makes a sudden plucking gesture in the air, and tells her, “You pick [the star] out like this.” He opens his fist to show her the star necklace, and tells her to wear it.
She accepts it happily, then comments on the romantic gesture by telling him he’s changed. “Do you like me that much, to pluck me a star from the sky?”
Tae-kyung: “You keep getting more arrogant. If you’re going to do that, give it back!”
Mi-nyeo: “No, you cannot! This is mine!”
Tae-kyung: “They have lots of diamonds in Africa. Give that back.”
Mi-nyeo: “I cannot make that! I have no skill.”
Tae-kyung: “So treat me nicely while I’m here.”
The playful bickering settles down as Tae-kyung pulls her toward him and puts an arm around her. They look up at the sky as a shooting star falls:
Mi-nyeo: “I will never, ever let go of the star I have finally grabbed!”
Tae-kyung: “Yeah, don’t ever let go. I’ll only shine in front of you.”
THE END
Jang Geun-seok – “말도 없이” (Without Words) [ Download ]
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COMMENTS
Phew! It’s finally over, and I still have so much to say! (Big surprise.)
As for this episode in particular…
I really liked the ending. I have some quibbles, which I’ll get into in a moment, but for the most part I was satisfied with the way the big separation was reconciled and how the conflicts were resolved.
Some people are disappointed that we didn’t see more Mi-nam, but I for one like it this way. We all know that it’s Park Shin-hye acting the part, and they’ve made sure to keep the glimpses of Mi-nam brief and mysterious. If we were to get entire scenes featuring him, we’d just get more reason to nitpick at the boyish image, and I’d rather be left wanting a little more than feeling dissatisfied for little things that would likely stand out — the voice, the girlish face, etc.
What I particularly appreciate is that we get our big dramatic moment, but we also get a lighter, cuter moment to go out on. The concert scene was done well, I thought, and also satisfies our desire for a grand climax. For instance, the song: I freaking love this bit, and not just because it’s a big romantic gesture and Jang Geun-seok is singing, ooh wow swoon, etc. In addition to all that, it’s just so appropriate on multiple thematic levels.
He chooses this song because it’s a message to Mi-nyeo, so even if the words meant something else entirely, it would still work to the same effect. But it carries a double meaning now, because the lyrics that her father used to beg her mother to return are also applicable to Tae-kyung as well.
Furthermore, when Mi-nyeo asked Tae-kyung in Episode 15 not to let his mother redo the song, he didn’t answer, “Yes, I’ll stop her” — the words he used were that he would “return” the song to Mi-nyeo (and her mother). He’s not only returning it symbolically by making sure his mother doesn’t claim the song again, he’s quite literally returning it with this performance.
And then, after they affirm their feelings for each other, I think we need a little bit of a denouement to give us time to come down from that high, which has the added benefit of showing us Tae-kyung and Mi-nyeo in a more “normal,” everyday interaction. Their dynamic isn’t as extreme as the fantasy wedding sequence from Episode 15, but it’s still amusingly offbeat. I don’t see why Mi-nyeo has to go to Africa because that’s just a throwaway line and they could have easily left that out, but I’m not going to nitpick that (much).
As I mentioned previously, I liked the separation in this drama, if only because it could have been a lot more drawn out and contrived than it was. I thought it made a lot of sense, because the obstacle wasn’t necessarily insurmountable, but it wasn’t something Tae-kyung (or Mi-nyeo) could fix merely by pushing for it. He needed to let her grieve for her mother and learn to accept him again without pain, and while their love is strong enough to overcome this, it’s not ready yet. The solution here is time, and he gave that to her.
But of course, the introduction of time into the relationship also opens up the chance for further miscommunications, as we saw here. The culprit wasn’t just mistiming or mixed message; it was Tae-kyung’s pride, like his friends pointed out. Like Heyi, throwing away one’s pride over something fake isn’t hard at all. But it’s much more difficult when you have to throw it away for something real, which would hurt more. For Hwa-ran, that is the difference between her manipulative love for Go Jae-hyun — which she went out of her way to claim — and her feelings for her son, whom she was afraid to approach.
On the other hand, both Jeremy and Shin-woo expressed themselves fully, so they are frustrated with Tae-kyung for stopping short of that. It’s also why they’re able to be happy for Mi-nyeo even after they’ve lost her, because they could give her up cleanly. Tae-kyung’s need to keep his pride is understandable, and I don’t blame him for it — with his upbringing and lack of maternal affection, all he had to cling to was his pride, since he sure as hell didn’t have love. He just needed a big push in the arse to realize that there things worth giving up that pride for, and now that he DOES have love, it’s worth the risk. Thankfully his friends are there to give him that push.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
A few criticisms:
The plot of a drama often drags about two-thirds of the way through. It’s inevitable, and is partly due to writing fatigue, and partly viewer fatigue. The Hong Sisters are better than most at avoiding this problem, and although they aren’t immune to it, at least the episodes with some drag still have a lot of funny moments to balance it out. In You’re Beautiful, those slower moments tended to be about the Hwa-ran storyline, because for the longest time she was out there on her own, drinking and moping and not really connecting to the main story. In the end, it came together nicely and I appreciated how this resolved with our main characters, as I mentioned in the previous recap. But for a long while, she was off on her own tangent, and whenever the story cut to her, I felt the energy drop. She was a fascinating character, to be sure, but only slightly connected to the main plot.
The song remake plotline was rather overwrought, and Hwa-ran’s manipulations in relation to that. In resolving the big mystery of the parents’ generation, we got an answer that works for the story and for our protagonists, but on the downside, it reduces the wrongdoing to one single person. I don’t love that.
The Hong Sisters are great with twisting funny beats out of dramatic and/or emotional moments, and they have a great sense for plot pacing. I think they’re so good at keeping our interest high with their fun-filled, energetic developments that they don’t NEED to rely on makjang elements like birth secrets, evil mothers, and other overly melodramatic devices. So when they do use those elements, I think it’s a waste to highlight moments that aren’t as fluid with the rest of their material. They don’t need those plots, because I think some of my favorite episodes were the ones that didn’t focus on them. And even in episodes where the melodrama came to the fore, my favorite moments were the funny scenes tucked in around them.
Furthermore, I think that they have done a great job creating new situations to keep audiences laughing, but sometimes their dramatic beats feel recycled from prior dramas. When a scene is tweaked and reused, the second time may lose a lot of its punch, because it no longer feels organic to this particular story — it feels like it was tweaked and reused to fit a square peg into a round hole. It fits very WELL, of course, but one can’t help notice that it wasn’t something that arose naturally from these circumstances.
(Mi-nyeo’s hairclip is one such device, as is the Hong Sisters’ tendency to drum in Significant Metaphors a bit too long. The stars, light, darkness, and seeing motifs are all excellent analogies that correspond to the emotional developments, but would pack as much — or more — punch if they were more judiciously applied. They don’t need to be in every scene for us to Get The Idea.)
But those are essentially quibbles in what has been an overwhelmingly enjoyable drama-watching experience.
Of course the Hong Sisters have flaws. Perhaps more than some less-famous writers of more well-regarded dramas. They don’t write the most polished or intellectual scripts around. They are sometimes clumsy and/or heavy-handed. Occasionally they take their humor too far; sometimes a gag is too obvious to be witty or sharp.
But they don’t condescend to their audience, either, and their dramas aren’t pretentious. I loved their comment in the interview post where they say that they each have IQs of 100, which makes their writing team a collective 200. While their dramas aren’t intellectual, that doesn’t mean they’re dumb — their brand of comedy can often be quite smart, actually. (And sometimes it’s silly, jokey, laugh-out-loud funny. That’s cool too.)
They approach writing with energy and joy. Their skill isn’t in creating perfect dramas, but in establishing heartfelt characters and situations that tug at the heart. They manage to tap into that source of giddy, youthful wonder that we may have thought faded well into our adulthoods, and for that I am not only pleased, but grateful.
RELATED POSTS
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 15
- Profile on Hong Sisters writing duo
- A.N.JELL holds its last concert
- Drama theme-song ringtones
- A.N.JELL to hold a second mini-concert
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 14
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 13
- Chinese fans show support for You’re Beautiful
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 12
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 11
- Pig-Rabbit for sale (calling You’re Beautiful fans)
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 10
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 9
- Cast of You’re Beautiful buoyed by fan support
- You’re Beautiful’s passionate cult following
- Small dramas stay afloat amongst blockbusters
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 8
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 7
- Jang Geun-seok flooded with CF offers
- Park Shin-hye is tired but happy
- A.N.JELL’s music is a hit
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 6
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 5
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 4
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 3
- Behind the scenes with You’re Beautiful’s cast
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 2
- You’re Beautiful: Episode 1
- FT Island’s Hong-ki ready to return to acting
Tags: Jang Geun-seok, Jung Yong-hwa, Lee Hong-ki, Park Shin-hye, You're Beautiful
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251 Kdramafan
November 27, 2009 at 9:00 PM
OMG! I don't want this drama to end. I pray that they'll extend this drama. I love all the characters and I'm not satisfied with the ending. I want more! PLEASE BRING BACK YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!
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252 slim
November 27, 2009 at 9:01 PM
so sad...and happy that it ended nicely..^__^..
im going to look forward to the YB outtakes hehehe..
JB..by any chance do you have that song "what do i do" in TK version ( in this last episode when he sings to MN )..i like his version a lot more than the original...
thanks as always!!
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253 Kaisen
November 27, 2009 at 9:35 PM
I am so sad that this had ended.
At the moment, I'm out of words.
Withdrawal maybe? Anyway, Thankyou. :)
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254 abc123
November 27, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Thanks Javabeans for the wonderful recaps on YAB!
Was wondering if you could share with us your thoughts on the individual cast?
To be honest I wasn't a fan of any of them before the show, and sort of stumbled on this show. But totally love each and every one of the cast now!
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255 ghail10
November 27, 2009 at 9:47 PM
really love this drama, i am going to miss YAB so much!!! YAB is going to stay in my heart for a very very long time.....
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256 claudiapham
November 27, 2009 at 9:50 PM
:[ aww its over!
loved it though, definitely one of the top viewer-pleasers of 2009
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257
November 27, 2009 at 9:54 PM
2nd season!
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258 sucker for romance
November 27, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I really like You’re Beautiful a lot. What a charming drama!
It is chockfull of laughter and funny moments with the right amount of angst thrown in.
1) Kudos to the Hong sisters for the great script. This has got to be my favourite Hong sisters’ drama to date.
2) Two thumbs up for Director Hong Sung Chang for the competent direction.
3) 100 points to the fantastic cast members from the main characters, intense Tae Kyung, lovable Mi Nam, Prince Charming Shin Woo and adorable Jeremy, to the supporting roles, President Ahn with his random English phrases, wacky and sentimental Manager Ma, quirky Stylist Wang, wise Mother Superior, fan club president, the selfish mother, the aunt, the diva, Heyi, the pesky reporter, and yes, even Jolie, the dog.
4) A big applause for the songs which are catchy and beautiful.
The icing in this delicious cake is of course Jang Geun Seok. What an amazing performance and great screen presence! His melting rendition of “What Do I Do” in the last episode really pulls on my heartstrings and was so romantic! Which girl wouldn’t be moved, huh? Like the character he played in this drama, Jang Geun Seok is indeed a shining star!
The drama may have ended but the warm and beautiful memories will remain.
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259 sweetaddiction
November 27, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Hello everyone. I just couldn't keep this to myself. I just bought my ticket to go see Jang Geun Suk in Tokyo tomorrow. It's not too far from where I live, in Chiba. AHHHHHHH....I'm so happy and excited and speechless. I can't wait. I'm making a sign, what should I write on it?? any suggestions? I don't know any korean at all. I hope I get an autograph. I'm a little nervous since this is my first time to a fan meeting. What should I bring, do? I wish my pigrabbit has arrived already. It would be awesome to bring that along to show him how much we love YAB.
What a great way to end this journey with YAB; to meet the main actor in person!!! YAY...sorry, just rambling on and on. I can't help it!!!
Mee Xiong
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260 kiki
November 27, 2009 at 10:49 PM
Don't forget to rate the drama! <3
Loved it ~
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261 kerochan
November 27, 2009 at 11:05 PM
Thanks as always for the great recap, JB!
From what I have seen and read, it was a very honest ending, true to the story and the charachters and true to life - which is no small accomplishment.
I haven't watched the subbed episode yet, not because viikii wasn't working properly, but because I know that when I do that YB will really, really be over... :-(
Still, it is a cheap trick and I cannot fool myself. Even listening to the OST on Friday morning on the way to work felt different... I had to stop after a few tracks because I was overcome with sadness and a feeling of emptiness :-(
Still, in spite of my present state of depression and withdrawal symptoms, I am so happy I've watched this drama, and I don't regret a single second I've spent over it. It's been a hell of a ride - as many people said already - and I've enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm so grateful to the YB team (actors and crew) and to all the fellow YB addicts from all over the world that made YB a wonderful and unique experience for me.
I won't say "Best drama of 2009!" or "Best drama EVER", simply because I know I am not in the position to express an objective judgement: I am too blinded by my absolute love for YB, so my opinion is completely biased ;-) One thing I can say for sure though: I've never loved any other drama the way I am loving YB! ;-)
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262 Norma
November 27, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Oh my gosh....what a great ending even without that hug that says "I love you" where both TK and MN embrace!!!!
I thought I'd end up dragging but today our local station announced it will be airing "You're Beautiful" from Dec. 3rd!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!! Station KBFD in Hawaii!!!! LOL LOL....guess it will mean having to go through all the trauma again!!!
Thanks JB for doing a great job....I found myself waiting to get your email before the video!!!
Have a safe rest of 2009 everyone.....LOVE, PEACE AND BLESSINGS FROM ACROSS THE OCEAN!!!!
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263 bumpkin
November 27, 2009 at 11:55 PM
After reading and internalizing ep 16 recaps, I had a ‘truman show’ moment. It’s the part where everyone goes: ‘ok, so what else is on TV?’ Haha. Seriously, since I discovered YB through looking for something to watch, I don’t think I watched any other drama besides this.
Thank you JB for your recaps. I haven’t been able to watch the last 4 episodes (shocking, I know) because of life and my Thailand trip. Your recaps really help me keep up with the story though I might have not been able to watch the actual episodes.
I didn’t really like the ending because after all the hype and the excitement, I think it fell short. I’m not saying the ending is bad…maybe just not what I expected? Throughout the drama we have seen unexpected events/ scenes that the writers surprised us with. Maybe that is why some people are disappointed…maybe we wanted a good, ‘unexpected’ ending.
I have a funny feeling this is all because there was so much material to be worked with only if it was just extended even for just 2 more or even just 1 more episode. It is bad luck indeed to be up against a drama giant and as I mentioned before, I am dismayed at how this series was promoted. I felt that the production company failed to do ‘buzz’ before the show started.
I really hope the production company surprises us with a great DVD. I hope for a lot of deleted scenes/ BTS and anything else they can cram in there. If they do that, I will seriously consider buying the DVD and that is a first for me!
It’s been great discussing YB with all of you and I will surely miss the drama/ discussion/ speculation…everything. Hope to see you all on another drama or season 2 (if we really use our imaginations hahaha)
Is there anyone who can recommend a great fanfic for this drama? Let me know! Will comment again when I get back from my Thailand trip... :)
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264 obsidian
November 28, 2009 at 12:03 AM
I absolutely loved this drama!! I've been looking for a good drama for a long time, and it finally came. Too bad it's over so soon!
I'm going to miss Taekyung's smirk, Jeremy's light-heartedness, Shinwoo's romantic gestures, Manager Ma's hilarious made-up realities, the entire cast, the writing...just everything!
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265 august
November 28, 2009 at 1:15 AM
I loved this drama, thanx db for the recaps for all the times i could not get to see the subbed eps you where my lifeline.
YB you'll be missed i hope they do "Making of Special" like coffee prince your fans worldwide will miss you all.
Thank you to all the cast and crew and writers who made it all so special and all the crazy YBADDICTS your comments were so funny lol .
Now how do i come down from this high, any suggestions?
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266 ayeee
November 28, 2009 at 1:19 AM
Does anyone know where to get the remix version of the "pig-rabbit" song? It is so cute!!!
I WANT!!!! :DDDDDDDDDDDDD
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267 moodeely
November 28, 2009 at 2:34 AM
finally after thanksgiving and crazy black friday shopping, i got to watch the last two episodes.
i love it even though from time to time, i kept yelling at Tae Kyung to suck it up and swallow his pride...good thing he came around in the end.
I'm gonna miss this drama so much.......really, really enjoyed it. And so far this is my favorite Hong sisters drama yet.
thanks for the recap jb, i'm grateful that with your recaps i was introduced to a very fun and heartwarming drama I'm truly going to miss. =)
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268 kkl
November 28, 2009 at 3:05 AM
Big thank you to JB for recapping this series and very fast too. I love your insights, as me who's a casual kdrama watcher I tend not to read that deeply into things.
YAB has given me 8 weeks of great entertainment, it's been a long time since I felt so engrossed in a drama. I am happy with the last episode, it resolved the issues nicely and TK & MN have kept true to their character till the end. The very last scene is very sweet, especially how TK gave MN the necklace and their usual bickering.
I love the whole cast, everyone fitted nicely in their roles. Especially 2 thumbs up for JGS, his acting is a joy to watch, very compelling and heartfelt.
My favourite scene is definitely the pig chase scene. Oh my, it's ridiculously funny, the look on TK face is hilarious!
Will look forward to the DVD version.
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269 lilybelle
November 28, 2009 at 3:09 AM
Thank You very much, JB!!! I really enjoyed your recaps. I am going to miss YB/YH so much, especially Jang Geun Seok. I would love to see him in FAMILY OUTING like Lee Hong Ki did. I really like that show too. They should have them do the after story specials like BOFdid after it ended. Thanks again JB for all your wonderful recaps.
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270 ber
November 28, 2009 at 3:53 AM
First of all, I would want to thank Javabeans for introducing me to this drama and for providing us YAB addicts AWESOME recaps. THANK YOU. :)
I started watching YAB when I encountered one of your recaps and found it interesting. wrong. It was BEYOND interesting. It was ADDICTING.>< I was never attached to a drama so much; the last time was FULL HOUSE, and that was a long time ago. I usually watch dramas when they(My Girl, HYD, Hana Kimi,Goong,etc) already ended so I can watch it without anticipating for the next episode that's why it was like HELL waiting for the next 2 episodes. LOL
As for the last episode, I watched it raw and even though I didn't understand a word, I was satisfied on how they ended the show. I read that some didn't like it because there was no kiss, etc. (I was one of those haha) but for me what mattered most was they were together at the end. maybe an SP or movie would do the fans' disappointment. I think a season2 would be impossible because they cleaned up the problems nicely in the last episode.
Here are my good and bad:
the good: okay, the best scene for me hands down was when TK was singing "What Do I Do" and when he told GMN the most romantic line I ever heard (it is swoon-worthy indeed!!!). <3
the bad: my only complaint was the lack of interaction between the twins. I thought as an "older" brother, he should be dead worry about MiNyeo right? LOL anyway, I would let it pass since playing a REAL guy is tough. (still kudos to PSH for a great acting :D)
for the actors and actresses who worked very hard to bring us a great drama that would be remembered and loved by fans in years to come, THANK YOU.
GMN/PSH- Totally love her in this. I never watched Goong S and only remembered her as the young girl in Stairways to Heaven. I must say for a role that can be either hated or loved, her role as the innocent nun totally pulled in the audience! (One of the reasons I stopped watching BOF because Jandi was really irritating, not like in HYD where Mao/Makino is adorable. Sorry Jandi fans). Her actions clearly depicted the characteristics that a Go Mi Nyeo must be. She is also so cute, i sometimes find myself having a girl crush on her. LOL
ShinWoo- I'm sorry i don't know his name. haha. As a second lead, I thought he did a great Job. I was never into the second lead characters in kdramas and tends to support the lead characters for i love bad boys but he is a very lovable character haha. Sometimes i felt his expressions were always the same but for a beginner he did a superb acting. :)
LHK/Jeremy- Omg, he is sooo cute and adorable. At the first episode, he was the first one that caught my attention. He was funny and lovable without overreacting. From the three, he is definitely the more outspoken about his love for GMN and that is a plus. The BUS scene was so touching, i nearly cried. The only comment i had was the bowl cut hair they gave him in the latter episodes T-T it was distracting that sometimes whenever I see him, he reminds of me of Rock Lee(Naruto). hahaha (only the hair people. ;p)
HTK/JGS- where do I start? hahaha. I can't even describe how I am so in love with him. LOL. When I first saw him in YAB, I was so shocked to learn he was the cute boy I had a crush on in Hwan Ji Ni. hahaha. anyway, like what the others say JGS definitely shines in this drama. He was so perfect for the role of HTK, you would interchange them. HTK is probably THE most charismatic/lovable first lead I ever encountered; he may act mean but the way he portrays it makes him more attractive and hot.*fangirling* I think what really makes him stand out is his facial expressions especially his eyes. I am so glad that he is older than me but not too much so I can have a crush on him without thinking anything LOL. <3
anyway, YAB definitely is one of the best dramas I have ever seen, maybe the best. It mixes the romantic and comedy so perfectly it doesn't fall in the cliche dramas. It may have flaws and underrated but the most important thing in a drama is how it connects with the viewers. YAB definitely is like a "breath of fresh air"(Simon Cowell LOL). I'LL DEFINITELY WATCH JGS NEXT MOVIE/DRAMA. ;D
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271 lilly
November 28, 2009 at 4:02 AM
Ok I finished this drama and Javabeans has already stated most of things I though about it.
It was good (when one think this year most of dramas fell flat for me) and one of the best of the year (maybe because it reminds me a lot a japanese drama)
Performance wise :
It was the JGS show what doesn't suprise me this guy can act. He has talent and I can't wait for his next project. However at some funny scenes he did not make me laugh : the pig scene at first it was funny but I was not impressed by his acting when he ran away, or the bears sugery scene (I don't know his acting was a bit fake here...too robotlike)
Shin woo actor...acting is decent and the actor is charming but I think I was a little bothered by his character because his love for Minnam did not convinced me...It was too Jihoo like and I don't like Jihoo. Besides I am a little tired of the Korean-drama-formula where main lead and second lead male are "extremly" in love with the lead actress and second male lead is tooooooooooooooo nice, gentle, perfect..It looks fake.
Hongki I really appreciated his emotional acting. Some fake over the top funny acting but his character was likeable what is a plus. He is not an actor but I think his performance is striking because the character has his own personality and He was not overshadowed by his costars.
Park shin Hye was good but this kind of character (and this kind of evolving) is not new in Kdramaland. She succeded to act cute. She has talent but for me this not her best performance. I prefer her in stairway and tree in Heaven.
The second characters' actors were good too and the best was the manager.
The drama was not rushed so the relationship between the boys was believable and convincing. They had chemistry. For me the JGS-PSH chemistry didn't overshadowed the other ones (maybe because the couple storyarc was predicable) what is new and good.
So I enjoyed it overall and I wishe good luck to the actors.
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272 Grace
November 28, 2009 at 4:39 AM
Hi dramabeans! Is it possible to request for the song "what do i do" that Taekyung sang for mi nyeo at this ep 16? I dont know how to rip it from the drama... really hope you'll help, thanks!
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273 Atsirk
November 28, 2009 at 4:55 AM
Just like I said at Soompi, I am not quite satisfied but nonetheless I will miss this drama....gaaaah...
It had great points and bad points, but whatever. I will never stop loving You're Beautiful...the cast...and of course, JGS :)
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274 Bu Li Lit
November 28, 2009 at 4:55 AM
im gonna miss it. im missing it. im loving Geun Suk even more. :)
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275 sweetaddiction
November 28, 2009 at 5:20 AM
@188 Fran: Thanks. I know where Nakano is, but didn't know the place. I can't believe I'm going to see JGS tomorrow. I hate riding the Local Sobu, so I'll take the Rapid to Tokyo, then Rapid Chuo to Nakano. It's much faster than riding the local chuo/sobu. Thanks for getting back. I'll give a shout to him from everyone^^
Do you by any chance live in Japan?
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276 YAB fan
November 28, 2009 at 5:22 AM
Though this is happy ending, I still can't satisfy since I wanted to see smiling and kind TK to MN, more romantic scenes and happy moments of them. I think TK is still arrogant till the end , it seems MN has to tolerate as usual.
I only enjoy the scene that TK confess his love to MN in crowd. But this is also kinda weird to me, he just realizes not to let her go becasue of others' words (Jeremy, Shinwoo, his mom, even Uee). I wanted that TK realizes his feeling himself and grab her. Maybe I'm greedy, but really can't feel satisfaction on this ending.
Anyway, my weekly addiction is over now. I'll miss them (all 4 leads, especially JGS and PSH).
Love A.N.Jell (JGS, PSH, JYH, LHK) <333
Love You're Beautiful (the best drama I've ever seen) <333
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277 shiro401
November 28, 2009 at 5:42 AM
@223 serenity
"- I couldn’t really get into the issue. Didn’t compute why he felt he couldn’t hold on to her upon her drunken confession that she was still hurting. And thus didn’t get the logic of how the whole scenario was turned round just because he was willing to swallow his pride, sing her a song in public and make a public confession. What exactly had changed? They already knew she loved him. The only difference was how *he* felt (and they had even known *that* in the garden when they parted in ep 15; but it had to have doubt cast on it in ep 16 to create the conflict – yawn) – and he could have very well let her know in a letter to Africa (I know I know, K-dramas can not work with such ruthless and matter-of-fact logic). OK, with the new scenario she now has a star necklace. But I could not compute, and therefore could not feel, how we had gotten from doom to happy ending in a heart-beat."
This is what I think.
What exactly had changed? MHR happened. She apologized to MNy, she used her connection so MNy now know her mother's voice, and she confirmed that her parents loved and committed to each other. For someone who didn't even know her mother's name, to be given a gift of her mother's voice, it must be overwhelming for her. So I think when she accepted MHR's apology, she also put the resentment to rest.
It used to hurt her to be near TK because 1) every time she saw him, she was reminded of what MHR did and 2) TK said he doesn't want to see her. When she accepted MHR's apology, reason no 1 is not valid anymore. The only thing that stood in the way is TK's words. (She didn't hear what TK said in the dorm, since she had already passed out at that time. So when TK asked Manager Ma to take her home, she must have felt awful, thinking that TK really meant what he said.) So I guess that's why when TK said what he said in the concert, the path became clear.
Their love for each other is not in question... they both knew it. It's just the circumstances.
That's what I thought anyway when I re-watched the last episode... ^^
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278 leichin01
November 28, 2009 at 7:55 AM
JB..you're always my favorite in terms of Korean Drama.....Congrats on your review..
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279 lollyobsessed
November 28, 2009 at 8:09 AM
THANK YOU DB for all the recaps, news, commentaries (which are the part I like best) and for providing a platform for all of us to spazz! This last one didn't feel long at all to me, it was too short! :(
THANK YOU also to everyone here and all other YB fans for all the comments, the spazzing, the lovely fan projects...it's made watching this drama such an entertaining ride, seeing people of all ages and nationalities having so much fun. This is an experience I'm not likely to forget - first time following a drama like this!
And as for YB, it is now officially my favourite drama of all time, and I'm DEFINITELY getting the DVD set when it comes out with subs. I'm also really, REALLY hoping that they put in all the cut scenes and BTS and everything. As for Season 2, I was against it at first but now I wouldn't mind! If PSH can pull it off I'd love to see a real MiNam-focused storyline, he seems like an interesting character :D Maybe I'm just too reluctant to say goodbye to A.N.Jell...
The ending: I liked it. Even the Africa part - it shows that MN really has started doing things for herself instead of for other people. TK and MN have both changed, but they still maintain the dynamics they had in the beginning. The best part was that they managed to wrap up all the loose ends, meaning that they've closed a chapter of their lives but that there'll always be other challenges. I don't like when they have sappy endings that are too final, like there's no life after the last scene - YB is more real and gives potential for a season 2 that's not directly related to the plot of this one.
Overall, I loved everything about this drama. Beautiful scenery, gorgeous actors who really shone with their acting, memorable lines, cute props (Heyi and Minam had the same camera! I like it, and I want the Corby phone too, especially since 2pm's also endorsing) and the music. I haven't watched any other Hong sister dramas so everything was fresh and had maximum impact. I even love all the characters here, they all redeemed themselves somewhat in the end.
I know most people are sad that it's ended but it hasn't quite sunk in for me yet and I just feel content with this wonderful drama. <3
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280 yw
November 28, 2009 at 9:47 AM
i super super love this show very much and i am having withdrawal symptons right now...argh...there are so many scenes that i love that if i will to list all..it will take more than 1 page of the post! just wondering sometimes i heard them saying this phrase when they speak ..it sound like this 'bis-hepohepo'..usually spoken at the end of the sentence..anyone know what it mean? whenever i watch with the chinese subs..it always mean different thing..thanks!
i really wish TK and MN have more times together at the last epi..but my heart really melt when he said 'i love you' when he hug MN..omg..i think i can faint there...and the part where he pretend to catch the star and gave her the necklace..my heart 'melt' too..so sweet!!!..argh...i am re watching some of the fave episodes now to cure my withdrawal symptons...sigh....and their OST is on my repeating mode now...
hope it will have season 2 and all the main casts will stay!
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281 Norma
November 28, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Been re-watching this last episode and everything came down to the fact that TK knew in his heart that he loved MN....but his analytical mind really hurt more than anything else. What Jeremy and Shin Woo told him were right on! But....I also came to the conclusion that TK didn't know how to express himself or hold onto her because he'd never been in love before and never had love looking him in the face like that. He had all the right feelings.....but he never told her how he felt. Of course, she didn't know what the heck was going on either so that was like 2 fish flopping around on the sand out of water.
I loved the way TK sang that song with so much feeling....it seemed ironic that MN didn't even grasp what he was trying to tell her! I had to say....hmmmmm...when she turned around to leave....it's like she hadn't heard what he said. And perhaps that is what happens to many couples....one person just isn't listening to what is being said.
But what a very neat way to end a drama.....everything from the beginning to the end all tied in....
Personally, I wouldn't want to see a #2.....it just wouldn't work! Let it all be the way it is!
Again....thanks JB for being there!!!!
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282 strawberryfields
November 28, 2009 at 11:26 AM
we all appreciate the recaps, javabeans! thank you so much for the time and effort! for now, i'd have to feel sad because there's nothing to look forward to come the following week! YB has become a habit!
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283 alert
November 28, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Finally finishing the drama, even if I'm 2 days late from the rest of the gang... but at least the withdrawal syndrome hasn't fully kicked in yet. :P Gosh,.. I had to literally wipe up my tears every few seconds or so watching the final ep. Not sure whether it's due to the storyline, or the fact that the drama was about to end, or the mere fact of being an crazy emotional fan.
First and foremost, A BIG HUG goes to JB for I believe your reviews and great recaps of the drama are very crucial into getting us more addicted, and more absorbed in the drama. THANK YOU, JB! You deserved an award!
Secondly, despite the complains of the ending, I have to say that overall I'm still very much enjoying the drama, and believe that 3/4 of the excitement came from the craze surrounding the drama - the anticipation for Wed/Thurs, the ritual website crashing, the swooning over JGS, the irritations over the wardrobe malfunctions, the parodies, the fan gestures, the determination of reading ALL the commentaries (and keep coming back for more), the newly picked up pouting/plucking/sneering habits, and many more. It's been 2 great months, and I felt like watching the drama with my bffs that I've never met. I don't think I would enjoy the drama this much if it wasn't for all of you here!!
Thirdly, this obsessed lady has altered her MA thesis acknowledgment (which was done simultaneously with YAB addiction), and she's been thinking that the last para should sound something like this:
"...Last but not least, it is only right that I also thank Facebook, Youtube, Kdrama subbers, Dramabeans and fellow YAB addicts for providing me the occasional diversions and sources of relaxation, and for reminding me that there’s another world outside this thesis."
*seriously thinking of adding the part* [insert TK pouting lips here]
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284 estelle
November 28, 2009 at 11:51 AM
@277 shiro401
I really love your analysis. It made all the broken pieces (in my mind) fit into place. Thank you for making me see the light!
(Now i really need to rewatch those 2 eps...)
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285 Mandy
November 28, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Thanks, JB for the last recap. :)
I enjoyed watching the last episode. I don't have any complaints about the ending, I really liked it. I'm going to miss YAB so much. :( I hate withdrawal symptoms.
Anyway, thanks again for recapping all 16 episodes. Your recaps were the main reason why I started watching You're Beautiful. So thank you for helping me discover this amazing drama. :)<3
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286
November 28, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Thank you so much for the recap (and I adore the song by Wheesung too :) )
I am going to miss this drama so much. I'm currently suffering from Your Beautiful withdrawal. lol. I think everything was cleared up as much as it needed to be. (Though, I would've loved to see one more kiss scene but Im satisfied with that long embrace :D)
What is there to be excited about now?!!!! LOL
And I keep seeing rumors about a Season 2 though I doubt it. They can only stretch a story plot but so long before it starts to get old. (though TaeKyung/Mi nyeo love will never get old no matter how many times I end up watching this drama)
:p
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287 YABaddict
November 28, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Thank you JB again for the recaps...the last one for this wonderful drama. I will miss it and along will all the commentators here...but, I haven't seen the last 2 episodes yet so it's not really over yet for me...yes, delaying what I know must come to an end....
When I first read that MN was going to Africa I was like, oh, are they doing a parody of Successful Story of a Bright Girl? But no, it's really what was happening, I too wish drama endings were more satisfying, why always have some kind of conflict? From the recaps, it sounds like TK and MN had yet another "forced" conflict as you would call it as it seemed that it was somewhat unnecessary (the misunderstanding about their words to each other) unless the Hong sisters are really trying to get across that communication and miscommunication is very important in a relationship as demonstrated by our confused couple... i also don't like how TK needs to be told by everyone, even YH, to be convinced of his and MN's love...and YH and the real GMN together? Now that would be quite interesting as the four could then be potential in-laws...it really seemed that the ending was still trying to keep interest or something, by trying to still create scenarios, while maybe it should have just been a simpler ending as a conclusion to a beautiful story. Maybe I will feel differently once I see the episodes, one thing I do love is TK's line that he'll only shine for her. That is romantic!
Overall, this truly was a beautiful drama, fun, refreshing, and highly addictive. They do say what matters is not the end/destination, but the journey that takes you to the end, something like that, so our journey was quite beautiful!
Again thank you JB for sharing this with us, and thank you again to all the fans who really turned YAB into a virtual community!
YABaddict signing off...I will really miss this...
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288 serendipity
November 28, 2009 at 5:30 PM
@277 Shiro401
Your explanation does make a lot of sense. And I think that's where it was trying to go. But I think the execution was a bit flawed and rough round the edges. For me, I just didn't catch the sudden switch from despair to joy we were supposed to feel.
I think that the problem MN had with TK was not that he was his (nasty) mother's son, but because he was himself and behaved as he did -- lashing out at her, not listening to her, not giving her a chance, deeply wounding her. That's the way I read the necessary parting at the end of episode 15. Not "I can't stand the sight of you TK because your mother has wronged me", but "You TK have wronged me and I feel very hurt - all the more hurt because I love you and you knew I love you. I understand why you reacted the way you did, because you are hurt too, and I don't blame you. But my hurt is nonetheless very real and I need to go off and away from you to a safe place where I can heal". Besides, if MHR's apology really worked, why did MN still feel that she had to go away? Surely if she really loved him, she would have communicated her breakthrough to TK before leaving, if it were really the breakthrough?
(And by the way, can I say that I just LOVE this aspect: That in episode 15 TK is made to pay for his bad behaviour. Too often the heroine forgives the hero all his bad behaviour - misunderstanding her, making her hurt out of jealousy, wallowing in his suffering without due regard for hers - just because he declares his love, or really just because he is cute and handsome. Just because she Lurves him. But, hey, love is also about respect. And real people with real feelings. When you wound someone, you can't expect all to be well just because you apologise and declare your love. If MN feels that TK does not trust her, she can't trust him. I love it that this show is adult enough to make TK bear the consequences of his action.)
So, for me, because the sticking point is more TK than MHR, once MN is over her hurt (surely just a matter of time), it should all be done and dusted. Instead, we get this series of major miscommunications: MN deciding to disappear to Africa and at the same time send the false message that she's fine when she's not (why? not sure...). TK reading the message rather as she intended ("I'm fine, but I'm leaving anyway"), getting mad at her for running away, and pushing her away again (argh, surely he knows better by now? OK, maybe not so hard to imagine he hasn't learnt much...). MN accepting without much proof that his love is over (argh, again, surely she knows by now that when it comes to TK you can't just listen to what he says, you must read the tea leaves?...). TK deciding that he can't hang on to her because she is still hurting (Totally don't compute this - help me, someone!). And then all being well once TK decides that he WILL hang on to her (but she goes to Africa anyway) (once again, not computing...)
I realise that they had a serious time crunch. But I still feel that my anticipated time-table would have worked better: ep 15 - angst; ep 16 first half - resolution and reconciliation; ep 16 second half - tying up of loose ends and general fan service. Here's my theory of why things turned out the way they did: Since JGS was stealing the show anyway, they decided to give the entire show to him. So the last episode was all about TK, his conflicts, his redemption (from his own pride) and his making all things well. So to draw out the conflict, they had to take two steps back, as it were (having progressed one step forward in ep 15). In fact, PSH falling back to impersonation was a pretty good metaphor for that whole sequence being like stepping back in time, to all the miscommunication and wrong-headedness of earlier episodes.
Others have pointed out that they needed more A.N.Jell moments with MN for closure. While I didn't particularly feel that (and given the arc the story was taking, I thought that Jeremy and ShinWoo were given their key moments (telling TK what's what) quite satisfactorily), I do see the point, as one of the main charms of this drama has been MN's interaction with the three as an ensemble. And there are other aspects that are similarly unresolved.
The ending was just too rushed. Which I think was why the concert scene didn't work for me. It SHOULD have. It had emotional punch. It had multiple layers of meaning. JGS rocked the simultaneous acting and lip-synching, oops, I mean singing (for those of you still too much in love to admit he can't really sing live). PSH was beautiful. And it was a dizzying confluence of real-life and fantasy life, with the key participation of real YAB fans. But it didn't work for me (possibly, as I said, because I was tired and had other things on my mind). Because I found myself instead of going "aw", thinking "but he could have just written her in Africa, or more likely sent her a CD of himself speaking and singing and the end result would have been the same. He could have even FedEx-ed the necklace". Now, when I go off on my logic hobby horse, you know the drama is not working for me. If I had been emotionally satisfied, my mind would not have latched on to the logic flaws. Case in point, I loved the ending of Delightful Girl Choon Hyang. I loved the flashback to the original Chosun Choon Hyang and Mun Ryong, and her saying, "In this life or any other other, I will always love you." AAWWWW! I didn't keep thinking, "But there's no way they could have inflated that thing in time!" I could easily forgive the logic fail because the ending was coherent and satisfying to me.
YAB ep 16 had too many points of incoherence and not enough emotional punch for me. For instance, how is he going to carry out his Great Declaration of saying "I love you" to her everyday, if she's going to be in Africa? I know I know, I quibble. But when I over-quibble, I know the plot didn't do it for me. I think there are just too many sudden turns, too many unresolved angles and too many logic fails all coming at me at the same time, for me to forgive them all just because I love YAB/JGS.
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289 eyebagsndramathons.com
November 28, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Vote for your top 3 Mi Nyeo Fashion Style!
http://eyebagsndramathons.com/2009/11/28/fashion-poll-vote-for-the-most-popular-mi-nyeo-outfit/
Invite other YB fans too! :)
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290 Show2007
November 28, 2009 at 7:27 PM
JB thanks for your nice written and insighful recap. I have a bless time reading your site for the past two months. YAB is such a great drama. I love every single ep and becuase of this show I fall in love with JSG. He is young but not too young, he is cute and has personality and most importantly, HE CAN ACT. Looking forward for his future project and praying for YAB season 2 or special or a movie (anything will do it, please SBS please)! What am I going to do for the rest of the wed/thurs.....sigh....?
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291 Tati
November 28, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Whew. Finally watched the ending. I have to say, i understand those who say they didn't like it. I too have some issues. Biggest of which, i think the concert scene is a bit too cheesy for my liking. Someone up there said she's not a fan of big gestures. I think, so am i. Although, truthfully, i love YAB too much that i simply decided to forgive everything.
Having said that, my most favorite scene would have to be, when drunk Go MinYeo slumped onto Hwang TaeKyung's lap. I was actually expecting it but i squealed all the same when it happened. And of course, the whole sequence when HTK realized who she was up until they get to the house.
I think we all agree that there isn't much of the sweet and cute scenes between HTK and GMN that we were all expecting. I too feel short-changed on that. But i guess, i can just console myself by re-watching all the previous episodes. Thankfully, there are still a couple of earlier episodes that i haven't watched yet, having been taken in late into the YAB bandwagon..
To everyone here, thank you for sharing your thoughts on YAB. I don't usually participate in such things but i just have to leave my own opinion on this show. Thank you all and hopefully we can find another show soon that would leave us breathless and all excited as this show had done, and for some, me included, is continuously doing.
Tati
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292 minavenus
November 28, 2009 at 7:52 PM
WOW and WOW the end of this beautiful roller coaster ride has ended.....and I feel very empty...my YAB addiction withdrawal syndrome......First off I want to thank u JB for your great recaps they had made this experience so much fun to watch....u are a lifesaver and a Kdrama god....lol...so thank u again for ur excellent job....Secondly I want to thank the Hong sisters for giving us this gem of a drama it was beautiful written and executed....thank u from the bottom of my heart....Thirdly the production team who made YAB possible, producers, director, editors, and the rest of the crew...and finally to YAB cast....who were made to play these roles to the T which made me fell in love with all of them....they did a perfect job for such young cast.....good luck in all future projects.....now on to last thoughts on this series and last episode.
I love the ending it was simple and not over the top...but it did felt rushed...and I hope we get those 30 minutes that were edit it out from this episode in the DVD director cut...(which I'm planning on buying)...the best scene for me was when TK recognizes MN just by touching her hand..it was the must touching and sweetest scene ever...it made me teary eye to see how TK loves MN and also to see that he is missing her like crazy....she literally landed on his lap..lol....the concert was a great idea but I wish they had show more of it...the TK I LOVE U was just perfect. The whole series has been addicting from beginning to end and love the fact that the Hong sisters kept us viewers asking for more...and ep. 16 was not the exception...they left us YAB addict asking for more...and I hope we get the movie/SP episode or YAB season 2.....I have read that people don't like the idea of season 2 cause what kind of plot can they used....come on!! there is so much plot in YAB for season 2 that I don't know where to start....I believe the Hong sisters have more material for YAB....and that why the ending was a open ending....the only story we get closure is TK and MN relationship....but the central story ppl...is not TK and MN but the IDOL GROUP...and I think YAB 2 can be based on the idea of..Anjell separating to pursue solo careers.....I'm sorry if i'm not making sense....but I really hope we get YAB 2 and I believe Hong sisters can deliver...and I believe the original cast is up to it......people we got to stay positive and keep the faith........YAB IS THE BEST DRAMA hands down.....
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293 moochi
November 28, 2009 at 8:08 PM
hi,
just wanted to thank you for your detailed review. you touched upon a few things that i agreed on...
THE GOOD:
This drama kept me going for quite a long time until the end of episode 14 where TK realizes that MN knows about his mother. But otherwise, the humour was quite original and TK is absolutely wonderful, his acting is just OMG DROP DEAD GOOD. Anyways I just think this drama succeeds in making all characters likeable, contrary to most people's opinion, I do like UEE and I find her very realistic. As for the music, it was pretty dead on (except for this episode where the random taylor swift and other english songs were just weird...). The metaphors were used very well but sometimes overused, I REALLY LOVE THE PIG RABBIT and the ending that still used the star. In the end it's one of the best dramas this year and I would totally recommend to all my friends (which I already have).
THE BAD:
The only let down of this drama was episode 14 and 15. They dragged mo hwa ran's story just a tad too much, I know it was the basis of TK's weakness however it didn't need to be focused on for 16 EPISODES. I just thought this part made the latter half of the drama very weak. Shin woo also became much of a pussy/ass near the end, kinda contradicted his usual self (I know this may happen in real life). Uee was not bad at all, if I was her I'd probbaly be more evil haha.
Thanks YAB fans, this drama made my term a lot more bearable =D
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294 lala
November 28, 2009 at 9:12 PM
LOVEEEDDDDDD the endinggggg
So sweet, and surprisingly....realistic.
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295 sheilapiglet
November 28, 2009 at 10:28 PM
I think that this drama wrapped up very nicely....I'm usually left unsatisfied at endings, but here I'm quite happy with how everything played out...the only bit that I didn't like was the glaring fact that no one seems to notice Min Nyeo now just because she's the girl version of herself?...lol...don't Min Nam and her look identical?...so i found it unrealistic that none of the fans recognised her and were gushing over her...even just the fact that she's Mi Nam's (who's apparently gained tons of popularity lately) twin sister should've been enough to send the fans into a frenzy but she managed to somehow "blend into the crowd" without a disguise and no one gives a hoot about her...lol...ah well, I guess they had to do this in order for the story to flow....other than that, this ending had just the right amount of angst and fluff=)
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296
November 28, 2009 at 10:37 PM
love your comments so much it made me cry....
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297 laora
November 28, 2009 at 10:47 PM
I loved the drama so much. Will miss it. Thank you, Javabeans, for the recaps! When you're alone and don't have anyone to flail about something, reading a review and nodding enthusiastically at the computer screen helps, too.
I loved it so much and I'm so satisfied, I don't even think I want a season 2. But what I'll miss most are the funny scenes. Aww T^T
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298 yabbbb
November 28, 2009 at 10:47 PM
This drama is definitely FIRST on my "favourite drama list"!!!!
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299 linz
November 28, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Yea, this drama wasn't perfect, but no drama is and honestly, I loooved this one! I thought the finale was very fitting and left me quite satisfied too. Omg when TK walked off the stage and found Mi Nam in the audience....gahhhhh I was totally freaking out . I was actually "squee-ing" for about 10 min after he said "i love you"....oh i will miss this drama!
Thank you so much JB for recapping this drama! I've had so much fun enjoying You're Beautiful with everyone :)
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300 serendipity
November 28, 2009 at 11:36 PM
@ 283 Alert
Yes, it's been great fun isn't it Who says that the internet kills community. All over the world; but united by fangirlism... what a blast! :-)
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