City Hall: Episode 20 (Final)

178 January 25, 2010January 24, 2016

by samsooki

(written by samsooki, with mead33, 0timelost and cleown)

Episode 20 – The Greatest Ending Ever.

Last episode, Mayor Shin Mi Rae faced BB’s awesome threat of literally destroying Inju City and everyone in it. And so Mi Rae had no choice but to sign the MOU and Authorization, the documents that would allow the building of a toxic waste recycling plant in Inju City – an act condemning the city to a slow death rather than a quick one. Mi Rae worked out a deal prior to the signing however, resigning her position as Mayor and only going through the motions of signing even though she had no authority to sign anything. This allowed Jo Gook the time he needed to secure hard evidence of the Dae Han Group’s intentions as well as getting legislation passed to prevent future toxic waste recycling plants from being built on Korean soil. The combined actions of Mi Rae and Jo Gook have saved Inju City, but the cost was steep. Mi Rae is no longer Mayor and is probably going to jail for fraud, losing everything she owns including her freedom.

Jo Gook looks at Mi Rae with profound sadness. Why couldn’t she have just hung on for just a little while longer? Mi Rae notes, eyeing Go Hae, that she had no choice as there were too many lives on the line. She had to act.

SONG OF THE DAY

Park Sang-woo – “사랑하고 사랑합니다” (I love you and I love you) [ Download ]

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Go Hae might be beaten, but she is not through. She swears that she will follow through with the criminal complaint, and make sure that Mi Rae will pay dearly for her actions. Jo Gook stops Go Hae and tells her to stop; if she doesn’t stop, then he will have to continue as well, and ultimately, the Dae Han Group will be forced to take responsibility. This makes Go Hae flip out.

Go Hae: Responsibility?! Responsibility??! I may not know what is inside these documents, but you should damn well know that this isn’t yet the time for those kinds of words. Don’t you know that I haven’t confirmed anything yet? You should have waited and given me a chance to find out what is going on!

Go Hae is actually right. Jo Gook said that he would not let go of her hand until she let go of his hand. Saying those words means something. If you hold someone’s hand, you better well mean it, and that means that Jo Gook has to take responsibility for Go Hae. Not only did he fail to do that, but he outright betrayed her, all the while, holding her hand. If Go Hae files the criminal complaint and Mi Rae goes to jail, will Jo Gook still hold Mi Rae’s hand through the jail cell during visiting hours?

And yet, through it all, Mi Rae has won. Despite not having an education, despite having no money, despite being attacked at every turn, Mi Rae has beaten every single opponent she has faced. Just look at everyone she had to overcome:

All of the younger women at the Miss Baendaengi Pageant. Then Joo Hwa. Then the Bureau Directors, the Secretariat and fellow assistant. A bunch of thugs throwing eggs. Then the corrupt Mayor Go. Then she had to overcome her own lack of confidence in herself.

Then Mi Rae had to beat all of the candidates for the mayoral by-election, including more gangsters assaulting her. Then the Deputy Mayor, Joo Hwa, and the Bureau Directors again. Then the landowners opposing her. And then BB and Go Hae…

What does Mi Rae want, now that the end is here? Mi Rae still wants an expensive handbag from Jo Gook. Jo Gook might see it as an attempt at humor, but I see this as both an attempt at humor, and something that touches on truth. After all, getting a brand name handbag from a boyfriend who cares about her is the only thing that Mi Rae hasn’t done yet in her life. In less than a year, Mi Rae has done more than most people do in a lifetime, except she still hasn’t gotten that name brand handbag that every other girl has gotten from their beaus. Jo Gook, you idiot, you could have at least gotten her a bag!

It’s time to get back to City Hall and say goodbye. Mi Rae waves bravely and starts to walk away but Jo Gook grabs her and holds her tight. At last, Mi Rae loses her composure and weeps in Jo Gook’s arms. Jo Gook is out of bright ideas, and the only thing he can do is just hold a sobbing Mi Rae.

Mi Rae appears before the entire staff of City Hall, stating only that she has tendered her resignation. Her entire staff, all of whom are now behind her, cannot believe their ears. Resign? Why? Boo Mi, Jung Do, all the Bureau Directors, everyone who has finally seen the light and supported Mi Rae, they all feel the huge loss that this is.

But Mi Rae won’t get into the details about how everyone’s very livelihoods were threatened by BB and how she had no choice, but merely states that this is the best thing she has ever done. She merely asks that they give her a cool send-off, but before she can finish the thought, the tears again come unbidden. She cannot finish her thought.

The next day, Mi Rae speaks before the landowners and announces that there will be no purchase. Most of the landowners are angry and depart without listening to the reasoning, but a few remain behind and cheer for Mi Rae… including, I really REALLY hate to say it, but the two shop-keeper “friends” who betrayed Mi Rae by signing affidavits charging her of corruption. They apologize to Mi Rae, saying they had no idea of how much burden that all of this had caused her. I am less than moved. In fact, I am angered. Are they trying to excuse their felony perjury because they weren’t aware of what a teensy charge of corruption would do? I won’t spend any more time thinking about them, they are a waste of breath to talk about. But they and many others stand and cheer for Mi Rae, knowing in their hearts that whatever it was that Mi Rae did, she did to protect them.

Miles away, Go Hae has finally confronted her father, showing him the contracts that Jo Gook brought back from Europe. The contracts detail the toxic waste to be imported into Korea. Go Hae’s father, the chairman of the Dae Han Group, doesn’t even look. He ignores the question completely, saying that his company will be just fine – a few “The Environment is Important to the Dae Han Group” commercials and all will be better.

Go Hae is horrified. What about everything she learned from him, about business ethics, fairness, responsibility and morality? Were they just lies? Go Hae’s father ignores her questions, arguing instead that he and the Dae Han Group have been feeding Korea for decades, and now it is time for Korea to spoon-feed the Dae Han Group a little. Isn’t THAT what is fair? Go Hae cannot believe what she is hearing.

The biggest loser in this whole drama, since about mid-way through, has been Go Hae. She was played by Jo Gook from the start, but at least she knew that it was him using her and vice versa. That was the deal. And while she was played by BB, she could tolerate this since it meant having a man like Jo Gook. Again, that was the deal. But then Jo Gook betrays Go Hae for “true love,” and breaks the bargain they had struck and deep-sixes the arrangement with BB. And now, Go Hae learns that her own father had betrayed her and her principles for mere money. Chairman Go shrugs off Go Hae’s emotional response and tells her to go get married to Jo Gook, to solidify the deal with BB. Go Hae responds.

Go Hae: No, that won’t ever happen. I can’t go now. I can’t go to that man. Even if I wanted to, I can’t go now. Because of you, I cannot go!

Actually, Go Hae is mistaken here, since Jo Gook wouldn’t take Go Hae even if the Dae Han Group was going to build an environmentally sound rainforest populated entirely by cute baby pandas in Inju City. But Go Hae is physically unable to see beyond her frame of reference, and that frame of reference has never included “love” as a reason to do anything. This last part is perhaps the biggest betrayal of a father to a daughter, as Chairman Go never taught his own daughter that love can mean more than all the money and power in the world. BB never taught his son that you can climb high while protecting others, like a true man. And likewise, Chairman Go never taught his daughter that living can be about more than accumulating, be it money, power or people.

And again, we find ourselves in BB’s office. Jo Gook has given BB one last chance to change his ways and try to be a father to his son, but BB refuses to consider it. He has never once lived his life as a father, only as a leader. And so, Jo Gook can be BB’s successor, but he will never be BB’s son.

Jo Gook: No, you are mistaken. You will not live as a legend or as a leader, but only as a father!

Jo Gook turns around and calls in the press, and announces that he is the son of BB, and BB is retiring from public service to devote his time to learning to become a father to his estranged son, whom he had fathered but never raised. It is a death blow to BB, who sees his entire career evaporate before his eyes. BB never saw it coming. In the beginning, I just thought that BB was amoral. But BB turned out to be worse than amoral – he turned out to be immoral. With his intelligence and work ethic, BB could have been a great father and husband. He could have been President. And in the end, he gets nothing. It is a fitting end.

As her last act, Mi Rae writes a letter to the next Mayor, a tradition for politicians that crosses all cultures and history. The letter finished, she gathers up Boo Mi and Jung Do to escort her to the police station. It is time to go, but Shin Mi Rae lingers for just a little bit, looking around at this office of hers that she held so briefly, where she accomplished so much but left unfinished so many of her dreams to make Inju City into a great place to live and work.

As they head out, they are surprised to be met by a group of Mi Rae supporters holding signs, asking her to stay on. It is a tender moment, indeed. Mi Rae is overcome by emotion, as her supporters literally cheer her to stay and continue to protect them as she promised that she would. They chant various slogans in unison, pumping their fists in the air, as Mi Rae watches with tears in her eyes.

Eraser and Cat: Wonder Woman Shin Mi Rae! Take care of our Inju City!

Honey and Jessica: Shade of a rose, Shin Mi Rae, you are our only Mayor!

(Note: Korea, after the Korean War, had a series of increasingly corrupt governments that did not represent the people nor follow the rule of law. But as a reflexive response, Korean citizens developed an obsession with mass protests to effect democratic change. These protests proved effective, even as many were brutally put down. At one point, unified and synchronized demonstrations were so popular that they were called the “national sport” of Korea. These days, however, Korea tends to be much more relaxed, maybe sedated by relative wealth, comfort and technology. I think City Hall, with its heart-breaking one-woman protest all the way to this little gathering of Inju City’s citizens, is a little reminder of that legacy – that ordinary people can change their destiny, and change their world.)

At that moment, Go Hae appears. In a surprise move, perhaps, Go Hae announces that she and Dae Han Group are not going to sue! She gives back the MOU to Mi Rae. Mi Rae stares at the document and then at Go Hae. Go Hae has a response waiting for Mi Rae:

Go Hae: I cannot lose to you, Shin Mi Rae. In my whole life, I’ve never lost to anyone. It would be a terrible thing, if I had to lose to a person like you. And so, you should give me the victory. Let’s start over from the beginning…. We aren’t going to import toxic waste from Europe. Rather, we will build you a great factory which will use only our own country’s recycled products. And of course, there still will be the municipal hospital. The only thing that I have left to protect is my pride.

Go Hae’s determination to see a positive project through, complete with a factory and a hospital, is noteworthy. Go Hae’s action here is undoubtedly against what her father would have wished to have happen, and so it actually completes and ends the cycle of betrayal. Go Hae has “betrayed” her father’s principles, destroying what is left of Dae Han Group’s ambition for profit at the expense of innocents. Go Hae has learned that she alone can protect her own pride – nobody else can do it for her, not Jo Gook, not BB, and certainly not her father.

Mi Rae responds that this kind of good news should be given to the deputy Mayor of Inju City, since she had resigned. But in a surprise, the deputy Mayor also appears out of nowhere, and rips up Mi Rae’s resignation! And the weasel of a secretariat has even washed the mayor’s car for transport back to City Hall! (Again, I’m not moved. You mistreated Mi Rae from the beginning and you think a car-wash is going to make up for it? Still, it’s a start…)

Woo-hoo! Shin Mi Rae is Mayor of Inju City again!!

Epilogues –

Mi Rae and Go Hae!

Mi Rae and Go Hae sign their new agreement, and then they shake hands. This is the second time we’ve seen Mi Rae offer her hand in mutual respect. First it was to Jo Gook, as one politician to another as equals, when she was elected Mayor. And now, to Go Hae, it is as one woman to another, again as equals. By offering her hand first, Mi Rae is proclaiming that she is no one’s pawn and no one’s inferior. By accepting Mi Rae’s hand, Go Hae (and Jo Gook, way back when) is acknowledging this truth. Way to go, Mi Rae!

Joo Hwa and Jung Do!

And the Mi Rae / Go Hae relationship isn’t the only one being mended. Thanks to Mi Rae’s remarkable sacrifice, career criminal Joo Hwa has finally understood what it means to be a public servant. And with that realization, she has understood why Jung Do had worked so hard for Mi Rae. Joo Hwa shows up at the government center to process her divorce documentation, but inside her folder, she finds a love letter written by Jung Do.

Jung Do expresses his deep love for her, acknowledging his own faults and hopes that whatever happens, she must be happy. It is enough to turn a reformed career criminal like Joo Hwa into a bucket of tears.

Joo Hwa doesn’t file divorce papers, and instead goes to a batting cage where she goes when she is sad. It looks like she has finally started seeing things as they really are, and she realizes how hollow her life has been. Jung Do finds her, though, and brings her back home. In a symbolic moment, Jung Do cleans Joo Hwa, scrubbing away all of Joo Hwa’s mis-deeds from her, and then they have the best make-up sex in the history of k-drama.

It is so good, that the next day, Jung Do is still smiling and chuckling about it the next day, grinning like a fool.

Months later, Jung Do is running the Miss Baedaengi pageant again, and this time he finds that his own wife is there submitting her entrance form! LOL! Jung Do is VERY surprised, but Joo Hwa is game. She has brought food… and the delicious aroma…. *urk*

*urk*

In a k-drama staple (what IS it about a throw-up face that indicates “I’m preggers!” to Korean people? see also Goong, Full House), Joo Hwa who had been unable to conceive, is nauseated by the smell… omg? A jubilant Jung Do then announces that his wife is preggers to everyone within earshot (extremely presumptively, I might add). I was going to ignore this part, but I include it for Jung Do’s sake. He deserves to be happy.

Jo Rang and Jo Yong Hee (Jo Gook’s son and mom)!

Jo Gook visits the flower shop in Inju City that he bought for his mom. With BB’s dreams shattered, Jo Gook’s mom feels more at peace knowing at least that her pain that BB did not ultimately profit from the pain that he caused her. Jo Gook is glowing with happiness, and Jo Gook’s mom is apparently naturally perky, so unlike her dour self throughout the series.

Jo Gook gets a pink rose to give to Mi Rae from the cutie Rang, no charge. Jo Gook, in turn, takes a white rose and gives it to Rang for him to give it to that girl…

Rang: Oh, you mean Kyung Hee? Dad, didn’t I already tell you that she’s not my style?

Jo Gook: Ahh, is that so… but you even know her name!

Caught by Dad! Rang gives a small smirk. Ah, the smitten kitten…

Jo Yong Hee, the woman who gave birth to an illegitimate son named Jo Gook, and had to live her entire life as a whore with no surname of a father to give to her son, smiles as well. Being in this place, freed from the stigma by BB’s resignation (which acknowledged that BB is the father), and watching her own son grow up to be nothing like BB, now… she can breathe a little. Now, she can live a little.

And Rang and Kyung Hee? Could they be the next cute couple?

Mi Rae and Her City Hall!

Mayor Mi Rae learns from Jung Do of a World Cities Festival being held in Korea. The Festival hosts a talent competition and first place is a new car! Mi Rae leaps to action, recruiting all Bureau Directors and Joo Hwa.

They do their interpretation of the “Sorry, Sorry” music video dance by the Korean boy-band group, Super Junior.

And then winner is announced: it is Inju City’s City Hall!

Here’s Mayor Shin Mi Rae making the “sarang hamnida” (“I lub you”) pose with her hand.

(Rating their performances, Mi Rae looked outstanding! Most impressive! However, I am very sorry to say that Boo Mi did not keep the beat the entire time. Joo Hwa’s complete lack of coordination, I can understand, but Boo Mi is a Republic of Korea Ahjumma, and she should have been able to do it. I know, I know, let’s see how well I can dance if I give birth to three kids… but I’m not buying it. Boo Mi just isn’t a very good dancer.)

At the celebration dinner at Mexico and the Chicken, everyone is there, except for Soo In (glaring absence! grrrrrr.) Jo Gook gets up early, however, he has stuff he must attend to, telling Mi Rae not to stay too late. And Mi Rae surveys the table. These are her people now. It is good to be Mayor.

And lastly, Mi Rae and Jo Gook!

Mi Rae walks home from the Mexico and the Chicken dinner, singing and happy. She turns off the street lamps one by one as they flip on as she nears. But as one of the lamps turns on, she sees a sign hanging from the post.

The sign says, “I am someone who pays rent to live in Shin Mi Rae’s heart.” And then, the next lamp turns on as she nears, and this one says, “But instead of paying overdue rent, please accept this brand-name bag instead.”

Another lamp turns on, and Mi Rae sees the biggest bouquet of roses, wrapped up in a bow.

Mi Rae carries her huge “bag” to her house, but there is another surprise waiting for her. Jo Gook is there, with a candle-lit table in the yard. They look at each other, with smiling eyes, in the darkness.

But then Jo Gook flips the switch. This is so cool.

Jo Gook, okay. I didn’t support you for 19 episodes. But I think this is the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen, and so in all fairness, I have to change my mind. You rock.

Jo Gook has brought a stereo system, and plays “Moon River” as he dances with Mi Rae.

Jo Gook: I have had a dream form inside of me. I want to become President of Korea one day. And on my inauguration day when I become President, just like tonight, I will be dancing with my wife…

Mi Rae (unsure where this is going): …

Jo Gook: On that inauguration day… won’t you dance with me?

How awesome is that!!

In Korean dramas, there tends to be a recurrent theme of fate, about how people who are charged to meet, will meet, and those who are destined to never be together, will go their whole lives never being whole. In this instance, we learn of events that happened 8 years prior to Mi Rae being Mayor, when Jo Gook and Jung Do were still in school. On that night when Jung Do had carried a wasted Jo Gook to Jung Do’s bedroom, their phones were switched and Jo Gook thought he was calling BB, but ended up calling Mi Rae, both of whom were #5 on the speed dial.

And so, from that chance “meeting,” we are finally at the end of the episode. With the wedding between Jo Gook and Shin Mi Rae. If there is a more beautiful and elegant bride than Mi Rae, I’ve not yet seen it. After all the buckets of tears and heartache, after all of the struggles and the breakup, after everything that these two had to go through, we have the happiest ending in a k-drama ever.

Last Comments –

First off, I’d like to thank javabeans for graciously giving space for me to have fun with these recaps and to share that fun with you. And I’d like to thank everyone for being patient with me, as I had to take a break from recapping to attend to a preggers wife of my own (and no, she didn’t make throw-up faces like Joo-Hwa! But if I were living in k-drama land, how could I tell if she were pregnant?! Out pops a baby, and I would be like, “where did that baby come from, you never made the throw-up face…?”). Also, I am so thankful for mead33, 0timelost and cleown, who have helped me with these recaps, editing, commenting and writing, and without whom I would not have been able to start or finish.

City Hall turned out to be an unusual drama for me. I only started watching it after I heard some buzz about it from dramabeans Open Thread, and the beginning was a little bit rough. But starting with about Episode 4 or 5, I really started getting into it, and I couldn’t watch it in the same manner as I had watched most of the other k-dramas that I had seen. Instead of just watching the drama, as the episodes came and went, I basically lived the drama, one hour episode at a time. I lived and died with Mi Rae, and with every obstacle that she faced and overcame, with every stab in her heart, and with every victory she won for herself and for her people, I felt like I was right there with her. And all praise must go to Kim Sun Ah, who made this drama into an experience to had to be lived, and not just watched. And that’s really why I picked this drama as my Dramabeans 2009 Drama of the Year, and that’s why, despite issues with directing and editing and some choppiness, I have no hesitation putting this near the top of my list of favorite dramas ever.

Lastly, I know I said that I wanted to do a special section for the “Best Of” City Hall, but going through each episode, one at a time, picking out the best scenes… in the end, I had about 24 awesome scenes (The Proposal, The Kiss, Jo Gook Eating Alone At The Porridge Shop, The Gazebo, The Taxi Scene After The Gazebo, Mi Rae’s Bedroom After The Gazebo, Dancing With The Jacket, The Seawall, The Staircase Breakup, The First Time They Hug, The Tango Dance, The Tent Sleeping Scene, The Back Of The Head Slap, BB’s Threat To Destroy Inju City, among many others), and I couldn’t pick just 5. And so, in the end, I think the way to end this recap series is just to say thank you. I really hope you all enjoyed this Cityhall Journey with me, and on behalf of mead33, 0timelost and cleown, I want to thank everyone for watching the series and following along with Soompi City Hall and these recaps! *wave*

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151 #1CityHallFan

July 12, 2011 at 9:17 AM

Thank you samsooki for posting such amazing recaps of such an amazing drama!!!! :)

I watch City Hall almost 2 months back, and am so surprised I hadn't watched this earlier! To be honest, I saw a poster for City Hall on another site a year or 2 back and read a short synopsis on what the plot was, but I always told myself that "I'd watch it later" because it didn't sound THAT interesting to me. Man, was I ever wrong!!!!!! When I did watch it, it was because I saw a few episodes of The Greatest Love and LOVED Cha Seung Won's acting in it. So someone mentioned him acting in City Hall on a Greatest Love fansite, and that's when it hit me and I decided to give it a try. And because The Greatest Love was airing and i was waiting for its episodes, I decided to watch City Hall in between. But after watching City Hall, I haven't gone back 2 The Greatest Love, to be honest ;) . Though now, maybe i should 'cause I miss Cha Seung Won greatly :(

All the actors in this drama in my opinion are amazing and brilliant!! Kim Sun Ah was perfect as Shin Mi Rae, and Cha Seung Won was dashing as Jo Guk. I adored the chemistry between the two, and now truly believe that this pair must be the greatest couple in KDrama. The dialogues that both said were simply superb (Hats off to the screenplay and story writer!!).

My favorite scenes were, like you samsooki, Jo Guk at the porridge shop ( I almost burst into tears myself after seeing his facial expressions), the proposal (Seriously, this is the BEST proposal I've ever seen!!!! I wish I was Mi Rae.... hehe), both breakups (Another 2 scenes where I cried), the gazebo, after the gazebo, (This looked quite real to me, kudos to both the leads in this scene--it was very touching and emotional!), the restaurant--when Mi Rae gives one of the best dialogues to Jo Guk, the Tango dance, Mi Rae telling Go Hae that she's Jo Guk's "parenthesis" (did anyone notice he used this symbolism in his own presidential candidate speech at the end? I thought that was rather cool and cute of him ^^), the Kiss--actually, every kiss they shared were breathtaking (but no kiss can possibly beat theirs in this drama!!), and...ok, wait. At the rate I'm going, I'll probably mention every great scene between Mi Rae and Jo Guk--and more! So for now, I'll stop with the scenes I've mentioned :D

Another thing is quite enjoyed throughout this drama was Jo Guk's humor and his jealousy..lol. The scene where Jung Do is drunk and Jo Guk is with him is rather funny. Especially when Mi Rae sends both of them text messages and writes in Jung Do's that he is her "North Star". The expression on Jo Guk's face as he reads this and the fact that he starts comparing how little of a message he got to Jung Do's is sooo cute and hilarious. Even more so when the next day he tells Mi Rae that he'd like to be called something like "North Star" . What an "awwwww" moment!! :D

All the other characters did their parts well too. I really liked Jung Do, Boo Mi, and Soo In (hey, what a cute secretary, no?). Go Hae and BB (though I didn't like their evil roles) did a good job portraying their parts well too. I mean, they must have done well if I ended up hating them so much, right? ;)

Overall, City Hall is my #1 drama of ALL TIME!! I'm really not sure if I'll ever watch something so wonderful and captivating (as drama's are concerned) ever. Right from episode 1 to the final, episode 20, I laughed, cried, awwwed, and held my breath to every situation Shin Mi Rae and the people around her went through. Whether it was getting eggs and tomatoes thrown at, to winning the election for mayor, and finally getting the love of her life, these were moments I'll never forget. I'll miss you very much City Hall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****Now on to the NG's and Director's Cut for this drama...LOL.. ;D

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152 samsooki

July 12, 2011 at 11:00 AM

Thanks for sharing!

I love reading comments on City Hall. It was a fun ride to watch, a labor of love to translate, and an honor to be allowed to recap this drama for Dramabeans.

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153 Webfoot

August 2, 2011 at 6:17 PM

I know it's late, but I am one of the late discoverers of CH, having come into kdrama only recently. Here's the funny thing: before CH I could not watch KSA (the cutie voice and the looking older than her years irritated me). I also could not watch CSW - that floppy mop on his head, that weird shaped facial hair, his 'old man' teeth.
Then I caught Best Love, and Javabeans' description of CSW being an actor who 'has to be watched to see how his charisma sucks up the screen space' ( I paraphrase).

Then I found the recaps by Samsooki and team.... and here I am, another rabid, drooling CH fan.

You know, some actors and actresses have career defining roles. Apparently for KSA it was MNIKSS, but for me this is the one for her. I'm watching her Scent of a Woman role now, but it's not quite fitting her. It's just that, a role. With her height, her facial maturity, her physique - she embodied SMR the point that KSA disappeared and only SMR existed.

The same cannot be said of CSW. Don't get me wrong, I think this was a great role for him, but it may be that with his range in drama, comedy and action, his magnum opus is yet to come. And ooh, I look forward to that. He has so much emotion and subtlety in his acting. I started CH in the middle of City Hunters' run and I have to say LMH, in all his genetically ordained hotness, has yet to grow into the man that CSW is. I actually quit watching City Hunter because I was comparing LMH to CSW as a leading man and in comparison, LMH started looking too much like a kid playing grown up.

Thanks again to Samsooki and team, as well as the fantastic subbers for bringing the beautiful story of CH to English speakers!

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154 Shel

August 8, 2011 at 9:41 AM

Oh. My. THAT was an amazing ride. I first saw CSW in Greatest Love, and maybe because I wasn't fond of the character that he played, I wasn't impressed. I read that he was great in CH, so I put it on my list of old dramas to watch.

In a way, it was a mistake. This show SUCKED me in and didn't let me go until I had watched all 20 eps. I didn't do a marathon exactly (I'm old, couldn't stay awake for 20 hours, lol), but my house is a wreck, my teenager is annoyed, my poor sweet mother in law thinks I"m somehow chained to my computer, I was late to church (where I play the organ....oops), I've gone through a box of Kleenex, and if I eat one more peanut butter sandwich, I'll hurl. But, I have to say I"m now a CSW fan, in a big way. I don't think he's particularly good looking, I prefer a little "cuter"....Kang JiHwan, Song Seung Eun, my own Sam.....but he has a presence that's amazing. And now that I've seen him play two very different characters, I'm impressed by his acting capabilities. I've always been a KSA fan, but I agree with whoever said that this was her best performance ever. Wow, what a strong, beautiful, righteous character she portrayed! And so well, that the actress was lost and her character was real. I wanna be SMR when/if I grow up.

And, Samsooki, you should know that even if I made it through an episode without bawling my eyes out, I was a goner when I read your recaps. I read them all. As a non-Korean, it's nice to find out the cultural tidbits that make the story more meaningful, so I do that fairly regularly. I appreciate your insight, and that it was coming from a man's point of view was a nice change.

Now, back to real life...a dirty house, piles of laundry. houseguests in a few hours and the real-life drama of trying to get a 14 year old daughter out of bed before noon.

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Shel

August 8, 2011 at 10:54 AM

OH, and I have to mention Go Hae....what an awesome portrayal of someone who can cut you down with a smile on her face. She made me wanna slap her, but I was glad to see in the end that she really did have a conscience. And BB gave me the creeps in a big way. <shudder?

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Gasenadi

July 21, 2012 at 3:33 AM

@Shel, my sentiments exactly. Those cultural tidbits that samsooki, mead33, 0timelost and cleown included in the recaps make a WORLD of difference to me. How awesome to know that the word "affair" is linked to the word "breeze", so that when JG uses "tempest", he packs a whole lot of punch to describe what he feels for MR. Likewise with the explanation for "politics" and the meanings that MR gives it. Just exquisite recapping! I also must return to housekeeping for guests despite going the full 20 hours non-stop. I had forgotten just how delicious this drama is and the recaps just made it better. Thanks to javabeans also.

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155 vebaroc

August 14, 2011 at 11:36 PM

oh wow! samsooki i could not believe i have been reading the thoughts of a guy recapping City Hall! i salute you!

i am relatively new to kdramas and i must admit that my friends and sisters who have been at it for so long now are always weedling me to go try some. i guess i was lucky i was introduced to kdramas by way of MNIKSS. then i got hooked to them when my second was Coffee Prince.

i'm only at this for like 2 years now and since you guys are so good at recapping and are THE experts when it comes to knowing what and which are the BEST of the BEST of Koren dramas, samsooki, can you please give me a list of your very own private 10-20 most awesome Korean dramas?

this early, i want to thank you for humoring me this request. my e-mail address is [email protected].

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samsooki

August 16, 2011 at 8:17 AM

Best of the best? This is entertainment art, and so what one person likes may not be the same as what another person likes. Also, if you want expert opinions, try here: http://www.dramabeans.com/about/ratings/ - Javabeans' and Girlfriday's ratings page.

Still, I have a short list (non-exhaustive) of dramas that I enjoyed quite a bit:

Romantic Comedies:
Coffee Prince, My Name Is Sam Soon, City Hall, My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho, Dal Ja's Spring.

Sagueks (historicals):
Conspiracy in the Court, Hong Gil Dong.

Other:
Story of a Man, Snow Queen, I'm Sorry, I Love You

***

Also, if you ask about each of these dramas on Open Thread (fridays), I am sure you'll get TONS of responses on what people think about each, and more recommendations. =)

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156 sangay

August 24, 2011 at 8:15 PM

caught this drama on internet early last year and fell in love with mi rae (superb portray by kim sunah). storyline's beautiful and the cast's just fantastic.

love it so much, had to re-watch this drama 6 months ago.

yesterday, finally went in search in dramabeans for this drama's recaps ! oh my, i'm definitely NOT letdown :D

superb recaps !!! thanks a lot. i just couldn't stop once i started reading, but had to last night 'cos it was really too late and i didn't wanna skim through the last few episodes as i want to slowly savour ....

the last episode is so stuffed with goodies that i feel like i'm overstuffed ... there's one particular scene that i really like but guess it had to be forgo cos of the more interesting proposal setting (no arguments about that great scene).

the scene that i like ? i think samsooki will have no trouble remembering ... the 2 leads at the steps to their favourite hill. the conversation between jo gook and mi rae on what mi rae wants in her beau ... that was cute n sweet !

lol .... just saw samsooki's list of dramas that you've enjoyed ... hmm, the whole line of romantic comedies ... oh yes, they're in my list too ! amazing, 'cos very few people that i know ever watched dal ja's spring which i find it such a pity.

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157 piye

October 18, 2011 at 2:08 AM

Thanks a lot for recapping this very nice and interesting korean drama.

you deserve good dear and hundreds of hugs and k......ses!!!!!!!!!!!

thanx!

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158 lovecityhall

November 2, 2011 at 11:15 PM

Love love this drama! Best drama i have seen so far. Wonderful story, great chemistry between KSA and CSW. Fell in love with both leads. THey are great!

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159 Femari

August 7, 2012 at 7:05 PM

Thank you for the great recaps. I'm watching two years later and am very grateful for your explaining. I think eventually Jo Gook would not have stayed with GoHae, even if her father had only wanted good things for Inju City, they simply were not that kind of people. To get where they were, they had already stepped on a lot of people.Jo had warned Mirae about that side of him. At that time he could not comprehend that he would become another person, through MiRae, through love. Remember that the relationship of Jo and GoHae was not based on love. And it was in InjuCity that Jo learned to love and care, through Mi Rae. She changed him and he was not the same man anymore, the man to stay in such a relationship. He was constantly looking for a way out. To be honest, he began to lie to them, his father, about the new legislation, and to GoHae, when she wanted to go to lunch and he went on to eat porridge alone. Till the end she could not admit that he would leave her, that she had lost, that he needed more than she could ever give him with all her wealth and connections. She was an pitifull woman and cruel too.

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160 Hiba

March 15, 2013 at 6:46 AM

Ahh. Loved this drama very much and the passion each had to the other ! I loved the kisses they were gentle yet amazing ! The wedd the every thing ! J regret regarding this drama a while ago '! :O

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161 BGD

May 11, 2013 at 5:17 AM

I really find the recaps of dramabeans amazing. I mean everytime that I don''t understand some sort of things in each episode, I would definitely find it here merely by reading your recaps.. :)

I am happy that even if i am just starting out as a kdrama fan.. I was glad that you could help me find wonderful things about kdramas. ! FIGTHING!!~~ hihi

Whenever I watch kdramas, I would end up waiting for their magic word: saranghae/saranghaeyo

Now that City Hally has ended I really find the drama worthwhile to watch and very heartwarming!! I love the chemistry of CSW and KSA.

I hope there will be another project including them both...even if this show had ended merely 4 years ago.. huhu so sad that this drama had to finish.. :'')

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162 Samantha02

August 18, 2013 at 2:40 PM

@samsooki :)
Thank you very much for the recaps of my Favorite Korean Drama of All Time :)

I have watched tons of Korean Dramas and Movies but this was the First!(yes, and i'm not overreacting) drama that I was satisfied with the ending :)

Best ending, scenes, actors and actress, script, and best ost's for me :)

This drama deserved all the good praises :)
definitely a must watch!!!

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163 Crazynoona

October 8, 2013 at 1:47 AM

I know this is beyond overdue, but reading lots of comments on how good it is i started to watch CH last week...boy glad that i did, it is indeed a very good drama and i Thank the dramagods that i only stumble upon it last week...i'd be such a mess if it's still airing and i have to wait for another week just to watch another ep. All of the praises and comments before me - i couldn't agree more but i do need to mention THE KISS, holyhell THE KISS! *kyaaaaaa*

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164 Lyn Danao

February 5, 2014 at 7:51 AM

hi i am going to south korea this march and i was hoping to see the house of Jo Guk. Can you please tell me where is the filming location of that house and how to go there from seoul? please, thanks. this is one of my top dramas

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165 Coccinelle

June 29, 2014 at 8:51 AM

I want to be Mirae. I don’t want to be in her situation (who would want to be in such a crappy situation) but I want to be LIKE her. She’s so inspiring. You said that more politicians should be like her, I add that more PEOPLE should be like her and I certainly would like to be one of them. I don’t remember the last time I was touched like that by a character in a drama. I’d like to say bravo to the screenwriter. I don’t really like drama like Secret Garden and Heirs… I was actually quite surprised to see that it was her that wrote City Hall. I haven’t watch any drama in 6 months and I’m really happy to have started again with City Hall.

There is no words for the amount of happiness the epilogue gave me. I was literally smiling at my screen like an idiot, and I may of may not have squeaked too. I often find things like that sappy, but here I never thought about it like that. The acting is simply too great and their happiness is just too contagious. Even the scene of “8 years ago” made me happy because Mirae is being so Mirae and empathizes with a complete stranger and it makes her so beautiful in my heart. I love her!

Thank you for the wonderful recaps! You helped me greatly with the cultural tidbits. I have watched 45 Korean drama before City Hall and it was the first time I felt so lost in translation before I discovered your awesome recaps after episode 11.

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166 gasenadi

September 10, 2014 at 4:55 PM

Samsooki, mead33, 0timelost and cleown, you were the icing on the scrumptious CH cake! I'm so grateful to you for all the cultural and linguistic clarifications.

Can you tell I don't want to leave the Magical World of Inju City? Where a country girl with barely a high school diploma can become Mayor with just a sincere heart? Where an illegitimate son can run for President? Where a true spirit of service trumps cynical, corrupt power?

I love the writing in this drama. How the patterns are so simple, consistent and satisfying. He frantically looks for her; she frantically looks for him. He doesn't introduce her well; she doesn't introduce him to Oppa. She won't ever let him go in her heart; he literally won't let her go "until the rain stops". And on and on. Oh! My heart!

Now, about GH's reaction at the start of the episode. You say,

"Go Hae is actually right. Jo Gook said that he would not let go of her hand until she let go of his hand. Saying those words means something. If you hold someone’s hand, you better well mean it, and that means that Jo Gook has to take responsibility for Go Hae. Not only did he fail to do that, but he outright betrayed her, all the while, holding her hand."

Granted, JG COULD have shown respect for their past relationship by giving her a heads up about his investigation, the allegations of toxic waste, etc. But given HER behavior, I can see why he didn't.

In ep. 16, when JG tells GH she would have to let go first, she calls him selfish, which is what she LIKES about him. ? In that case, replies JG, show me you're on my side by:
1. being patient, like Hillary;
2. ending her connection to BB;
3. telling Pres. Go to delay his campaign funding until JG can run, not in this election, but the following one.

What does GH immediately do? She conspires with BB in launching his new party, WITHOUT either of them telling JG! Later in the parking lot, JG asks her "Did you let go? Did you let go of my hand first? So you've decided for the Elder." GH just dismisses their "pointless" fight, then threatens to do something to MR if he doesn't accept the apt. keys.

This drama hooked me from the very beginning, maybe because I'm a political junkie. I've seen almost all of this writer/PD team's work, but nothing surpasses CH. A mature romance played by two veteran actors battling social injustices through citizen participation?! Can't get much better than that.

And nothing surpasses your recaps. 감사합니다!

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167 Schmazel

June 30, 2015 at 9:08 PM

It's 2016 and City Hall remains in my top 5 KDramas. I had some time on my hands this past week and decided to re-watch CH. I still get butterflies watching this couple. Love it! :D

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Schmazel

June 30, 2015 at 9:10 PM

Evidently the butterflies have gone to my head as it's still 2015, and NOT yet 2016. Hahaha. >.<

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168 Denali

October 16, 2015 at 12:27 PM

The "star rating" feature has brought me here because this has remained my very own personal fave ending after 6 years of watching kdramas.
And a little shoutout to Samsooki - the lawyer. :-)

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169 Tru2u

May 29, 2016 at 10:41 PM

Still my #1 drama

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170 Lisa

September 15, 2016 at 4:35 PM

After reading so much good things about this drama (90% of them from dramabeans) I watched the 20 episodes of City Hall. And that is the main reason I'm never coming back to this website. Good riddance.

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171 Mjfan

September 15, 2017 at 5:19 PM

I just finished rewatching and rereading recaps of city hall for the 4th time ???
It is my favourite drama , always getting on the same roller coaster emotional ride like it is the first time
I really really believe that Kim sun ah loved cha sung won coz I have never seen her as radiant, beautiful, energetic, as she was in this drama
All of their scenes were extremely natural and the skinship was totally natural like they r true couple , sad enough that he is married

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City Hall