Prosecutor Princess: Episode 16 (Final)

by kaedejun

*sob!*

That was my first reaction to the last episode, knowing that I won’t have any more to recap or go crazy about. Hence – this one might be a bit long… and that’s because I have aberdeen_angus’ final comments as well!!!

Thanks to javabeans for allowing aberdeen_angus and I to recap this wonderful little drama. It certainly has an avid following, and it’s been a joy to be part of it! Special special thanks to aberdeen_angus for being the awesomest writing partner!

And now the weather forecast: cloudy, with a chance of sunny skies later in the hour…

Song of the Day

(I figured I should do something upbeat…)

Color of City (White) – Taru feat. MC 한길 – 예뻐할께 [download]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

We begin with Ma Sang Tae going crazy because his lines are ringing off the hook, and the public has just gotten word that this murderer from fifteen years ago just may be him. With loaners asking to be paid back right away, Ma Sang Tae has no choice but to return the money earlier than expected so as to save the face of the company.

Hye Ri is worried about her father, especially with news about her father’s company being all over the Internet. She hurries over to In Woo for some comfort, who reassures her that passing a case on to the Investigations Committee will not necessarily mean indictment. He also tells her that he finally got Congressman Kim Ki Hwan to testify.

Turns out, Ma Sang Tae gave In Woo his personal diary, which clearly showed a link between Ma and Congressman Kim. In Woo then used to convince the Congressman to testify everything – that Ma Sang Tae had pushed Yoo Myung Woo out of self defense, and to put the blame on Seo Dong Geun.

Just then, Jenny appears at his door. In Woo tells Hye Ri to stay, since Jenny knows she’s there, but Hye Ri is uncomfortable enough that she chooses to leave as soon as Jenny comes in. Once alone, Jenny admits that Hye Ri is more interesting and unpredictable than she thought. She had sent the envelope of evidence to the Chief because she was afraid that Hye Ri would want to cover up the crime. But instead, Hye Ri allowed the investigations to continue – like a true prosecutor. Suffice to say, In Woo blows a gasket.

In Woo tells her that she’s supposed to help him as a friend, not interfere and do things behind his back (especially since he was the one who suggested hiding it). Jenny apologizes for butting in, but explains that she felt betrayed as well. She came to help him for this one purpose, and he couldn’t even complete it.

As much as I want to hate Jenny, I can’t. She acted as a true friend and protector, and as a lawyer. I would have done the same – and I identify with her position as the female bestie in many ways. Anyways – on to the story…

The next day, Ma Sang Tae goes in to meet Se Joon for a second interrogation, this time with In Woo beside him. The day before, Se Joon had interrogated Congressman Kim, and we get a nice cross-cutting between the two men’s stories.

Congressman Kim admits that Ma Sang Tae called him and said that he was attacked by Yoo Myung Woo. He had advised Ma to frame it on Seo Dong Geun so that Ma would have time to take care of his next steps. All this correlates so far with Ma Sang Tae’s second testimony. Se Joon then asks Ma why he called Congressman Kim, and Ma Sang Tae replied that only Kim knew the reason why he was going to meet Yoo.

When asked the same question, Congressman Kim says he did not know why Ma Sang Tae called him first at all. (LOOPHOLE!!)

Hye Ri paces back and forth in the hall, and finally her father and In Woo emerge from Se Joon’s office. At the end of the hallway, the Chief and the other three prosecutors are watching the scene unfold. Realizing that they’re intruding on a private moment despite their rumbling stomachs, they quickly go back to where they came from. Hye Ri, as brightly as possible, asks if the interrogation went well.

Ma Sang Tae tells her to leave, and pretend she doesn’t know him at all. He brushes right by her and enters the elevator, and In Woo silently follows. Ma Sang Tae refuses to look straight into his daughter’s eyes until the elevator doors are halfway closed. In the elevator, he wipes away his tears and sniffs as discreetly as possible (’cause, you know, his enemy’s son is standing right there).

Ma Sang Tae: When you get old, you become like this. Sorry. Seo Dong Geun’s son, I am sorry. Really sorry.

This admission is enough to make In Woo think back to his own father, and he holds back his own tears. I’m also holding back my sadness… and relish the idea that every time someone says “sorry,” he/she says it three times for sincerity.

Back to the fun stuff: in In Woo’s apartment, he chalks up the dead body while Hye Ri starts dumping random pieces of trash in areas where they were placed according to the crime scene photos. They are re-enacting the crime scene. Hye Ri wants them to try to trip over each item and see if any of them could have caused the slip – and she slides tight over a plastic bag.

Good thing In Woo is there to grab her (by the wrist of course) and they test it out – but it’s definitely not slippery enough to cause the fall. In Woo has her pretend to be Yoo Myung Woo and pretend to choke his neck, like Ma Sang Tae testified. Hye Ri grabs him, but she keeps wincing prematurely, afraid of how In Woo is going to push her off.

Not wanting to hurt her, they switch places, and Hye Ri pushes him away. It only causes In Woo to step backwards and bang into the closet, but not enough to make him fall. So he had to have slipped on something. Thinking back to the evidence and testimonies, they figure out that Yoo had drunk soju before meeting Ma. Since Yoo only drank soju in cartons, he must have slipped on a smashed soju carton.

In Woo goes and buys some soju cartons, and has Hye Ri smash one of them. They do the scene again and this time, when Hye Ri pushes him back, In Woo slips on the carton and falls on the floor with a hard thud. (Good thing that instead of a rock, his head falls on a large pillow). Hye Ri makes sure that he’s ok, and then they look at the carton – it’s gone flying a short distance away, similar to wear the carton was in the crime scene.

TA DA! Se Joon reports to the Chief that Seo In Woo will be announcing Ma Sang Tae’s innocence with evidence from the Korean Science Research Center. It is a case of assault, not of murder.

In an impressive slideshow, In Woo explains that the soju container caused Yoo to fall down and crack his head on the rock. Only a person of Yoo’s size and weight could have had enough force to bounce off the closet and then slip on the container. A witness and a detective even noted that Yoo had bought soju beforehand, and the crime scene had a strong liquor smell.

Jung Sun asks if it’s possible that the mark on the closet could have been there before, and not caused by Yoo crashing against it; In Woo states that another witness said the closet was ok before he left. After the witness had gone, only Ma Sang Tae, Yoo Myung Woo, and Seo Dong Geun entered that room. It also could not have been anyone else, because anyone of a different size and weight would have made a different indentation than the one at the scene. Also, anyone of a different size and weight would have bounced back at different distances, and their heads would not have hit the rock exactly the way that Yoo’s head was hit.

In Woo concludes that pushing someone against a closet disproves a motive for murder. All Ma Sang Tae did was push the guy. On top of that, the briefcase markings were tested and showed that someone had swung a wrench against it. The only fingerprints found on that wrench were Yoo’s. And finally – if Ma Sang Tae wanted to kill Yoo, he would not have done it on land that he owned and had under 24-hour surveillance.

BOO YA!

The Chief tells Se Joon to reinvestigate and see if In Woo’s explanation is plausible, but that’s just a formality. The next day, Se Joon says that he won’t indict Ma Sang Tae and simply pass it off as assault. Since the statute of limitation for assault already expired, the case is now fully closed.

Unfortunately, the case verdict does not save Ma Sang Tae’s company, because the stocks continue to plummet and loans aren’t coming in. The news does reveal the congressman’s past corruption though, so he does get punished. In Woo sees all this online and is torn up about it. He even asks Jenny if they can do something about it, but she says its out of their hands. Alongside a recessive economy, the construction industry was suffering, and this case just made a fatal blow at Ma Sang Tae’s company.

Ma Sang Tae is officially bankrupt.

Ajummas rush into the Ma Residence and start trashing the place. Hye Ri’s mom does her best to protect the place, and won’t let the ladies go upstairs. (I always wonder – why is it ajummas in particular that do the trashing? Is it because they really have that much time in their hands? What about their husbands? Why aren’t they doing the trashing?)

Hye Ri returns to a broken home and the sight of her mom huddled in the corner. She asks if she’s ok, and it turns out her mom was hugging their one last treasure tightly – the Grace Shoes. She didn’t want them taking it because, “It’s my daughter’s ticket to happiness.” (Mom – my ticket to happiness is my computer, ok?!)

Truth be told – everything in Hye Ri’s closet is GONE. And In Woo, with his stellar timing, calls.

She meets with him, and refuses his offer to help her, just like he refused her help for his father’s retrial. “I can receive help from anyone in this world,” she says, “but not you. Don’t you know?”

He can’t even protect the girl he loves from afar.

They meet again at the trial, and the judge declares that based on Ma Sang Tae’s case, Seo Dong Geun is effectively pronounced not guilty. In Woo, though expecting this resolution, is startled – with relief, happiness, surprise, and some more relief. Jenny is completely happy (and probably acting as his lawyer), while Hye Ri and Park Ae Ja hold hands, knowing that justice has come.

Jenny hugs In Woo after the trial, but when he turns to Hye Ri and her mother, they can only look at each other. There’s a reporter there too (so no mushy or kind greetings now people). Hye Ri’s mom has a hilarious bit of first saying “Congratulations,” but then she stops herself and bows deeply, saying, “I’m sorry.”

All this happens in like, the first half-hour. Talk about fast, huh?

And now, let us add a few details to help tie up loose ends. Hye Ri is having her apartment up for sale, leaving all her furniture behind. The prosecutors all gather at Jung Sun’s house to celebrate because she’s getting transferred to another branch in Chuncheon (apparently, prosecutors get transferred every two years). They say their farewells, and the Chief notes that Se Joon has been growing more quiet recently. But it doesn’t compare to Hye Ri – who has completely zoned out.

Hye Ri wonders what they’re going to do about the house, and Jung Sun’s mother takes the opportunity to say that she’s moving out too and living with Jung Sun. She’ll follow Jung Sun wherever she goes! Do I have to add that Jung Sun is exasperated with that idea?

Jung Sun walks with Se Joon home, and he’s excited for her – imagine all the good food she can eat there! But Jung Sun says he should be worried instead. Why? There aren’t any handsome prosecutors there anyways.

Jung Sun says she doesn’t pay attention to men’s faces too much, and Se Joon stops in his tracks. He points at his face with a mini pout – really? Jung Sun says, “Do you think that I like you because you’re handsome?” All she can think about is where Bin is going to stay.

But that’s the least of Se Joon’s worries – because Bin wants to live with Jung Sun and her mother in Chuncheon. OMO! Jung Sun thinks that this is like skipping a step (ahem: like, getting married?) and Se Joon takes her hand and replies, “Like completing a jigsaw puzzle, let’s live like that.”

Hye Ri returns home and she’s picked up In Woo’s habit of mumbling to oneself. She mutters her goodbyes, and In Woo catches her. He wants to properly greet her the way he didn’t get to at his father’s trial. She offers congratulations, and he extends a hand. She takes it, slowly, hesitatingly – as though this is the last time they’ll ever touch – and they shake. It’s not like the time when she shook his hand so vigorously. This time, it’s more like they’re just holding each other’s hand – unwilling to let go, but knowing that all hand shakes don’t last forever. And they know – without words – that In Woo is leaving Korea. (And what – he doesn’t pull her into a hug?! What?! Come on!)

That night, Hye Ri has a dream, where she’s walking barefoot (!!!!) on a garden path outside their apartments. In Woo stands before her, holding a small carry-on bag. They look at each other with sadness and finality, and In Woo turns his back and leaves. Hye Ri is unable to move from her spot. This time she tries to touch him, but she’s only touching the air.

Hye Ri wakes from her dream, and she runs into In Woo’s apartment – it’s completely empty. He’s gone. (Goodbye My Princess has never been more irritating by this point). She runs out to the garden, and he’s not there.

In Woo and Jenny are at the airport, heading towards their gate. In Woo pauses. (OMO! Is my stupid prediction going to come true!?!?!?!?!?) And then he walks in with Jenny. (ah, well…)

Hye Ri looks up from the garden – a plane flies overhead.

AAAAANNNNDDDD it’s one year later. (And I actually like this time jump – this second half-hour elicited the most OMO’s and LOL’s that I ever had since…Shining Inheritance maybe? Oh – and that’s a coincidence too…)

Hye Ri walks to work, still in her heels and bright outfit. But as soon as she gets to the office (earlier than her coworkers) she changes into a black, prim suit. Hye Ri is handling a new case of assault on a bus, where a Korean forced a foreigner to get off the bus because he thought the foreigner was smelly. Hye Ri tries to teach him a lesson by saying that they’re in the 21st century. He shouldn’t make racist comments just because the foreigner is working hard in Korea (and might I add that this actor has fine Korean, even though he speaks somewhat hesitatingly). The assaulter is pissed and wants a male prosecutor. OOOOH – that is not the right thing to say to a prosecutor, what more Hye Ri. She tells him that his racist comments are considered a crime of harassment, and so he is effectively a criminal in everyone’s eyes.

Investigator Cha and assistant Jung Im smile at each other – another score for Hye Ri!

Then we see a bakery with diet bread, milk pastries, and a “zero calorie muffin” – whose bakery could it be BUT Park Ae Ja’s?! And who’s behind the counter kneading bread BUT our President Ma Sang Tae! Ma Sang Tae takes a break to see how Ae Ja flatters her customers into buying their goods, and she catches him. He makes up an excuse that his wrist hurts, and then complains how much longer he will have to continue kneading dough. He wants to bake a bread already for goodness sakes!

LOL.

Hye Ri enters, and immediately her mom mutters that dad has set up a new blind date for her. Daddy Ma comes swooping in with his reporter notepad – ready to rattle off the details. Hye Ri grabs some baked goods and rushes out, saying that she’s really busy. Hee. Poor guy – but that’s what you get when you live in a household predominantly female.

AND LOOK WHERE THEY LIVE – it is none other than Jung Sun’s old home!

Yoon Ah – oh how I missed your voice of reason for the audience – comes over to their home to do some online shopping. But now, instead of buying all seven designer bags, Hye Ri picks one that she will purchase with her savings next month. Yoon Ah notes this change, and feels bad that Hye Ri now acts like this. But Hye Ri says never fear – “Humans are adaptive creatures, as said by Ma Sang Tae.”

Yoon Ah asks if Hye Ri’s gotten over In Woo yet – Hye Ri hasn’t been crying to her recently. Hye Ri says she hasn’t – but she’s not going to forget him. He’ll just exist, there in her memories. Painful – maybe, but he’s a part of her and her new life now, and she can’t erase him.

AND LOOK WHAT WE GET – it is none other than our Seo In Woo, walking out of Incheon International Airport with his cool shades and hot purple jacket (that I secretly covet) pushing a luggage stroller with enough luggage to indicate that he’s staying for a while.

With as impeccable timing as he, Jenny calls him on the cellphone to make sure he arrived. (Gosh – the guy probably just got through immigration five seconds ago!) Jenny says she’s already bored in the States, but it’s not for long, since she’ll be going joining him in Seoul soon anyways.

He goes straight to the office to start work, and is greeted with a new assistant. On his desk is a basket of flowers from an unknown sender. My first instinct is to say that it was sent by Jenny – but the look on his face says, “Is it Hye Ri? I hope it’s Hye Ri…”

He walks out of his office building… and who should come in but Hye Ri herself! She’s on the phone, talking and laughing, and completely unaware that In Woo is staring at her through the glass doors with shock, and looking like he can’t breathe. But he gathers his senses and walks off. Just then, Hye Ri turns and sees his retreating back. She runs out to see if it’s really In Woo, but she can’t tell – so she just goes on her way.

AND THEN WE HAVE A WEDDING – or more like Jung Sun trying to prepare for one with Bin’s help, while Se Joon sits idly by.

Jung Sun mourns that there’s so much work to do and they only have four months left. Se Joon’s all about, “Ah – four months. We got time.” (What a guy.) Bin is all like, “Four months, still!?!?!? Why can’t it be sooner?!” (What a kid.) Jung Sun says that Se Joon’s being discourteous for not helping – is it because he already did it once before? Bin takes Jung Sun’s side on this and apologizes for her father’s behalf.

And here I get my major LOL-ing moment when Jung Sun tells Bin to pick a dress too – and she takes the USB out of the rosary pendant that she wears around her neck. (Can we get any bigger of an IRIS reference than that!?!??! ACK! It totally made me rewatch the scene to make sure I was seeing correctly! :D)

But Se Joon is not THAT discourteous – he’s just a sly romantic. He places a stuffed toy behind Jung Sun’s laptop and then gets up to wash the dishes. JUST THEN – Lee Seung Gi’s “Will You Marry Me” starts playing and Jung Sun pulls down her laptop to look for where the sound is coming from. TADA! It’s coming from the toy, and around its scarf there’s a huge rock of a diamond engagement ring. Jung Sun looks up at Se Joon, and they share a small smile.

Oh gosh you writers, you’re making my cheeks sore from smiling and laughing with all your last-minute references.

In Woo goes out of his apartment – hm.. same building as before… and starts running around a nearby track field. Who should appear but exercise-fanatic Ma Hye Ri! She runs right past him with a huge smile, but is surprised that he just continues running without acknowledging her. That’s not how it was supposed to go in her head. She turns and chases after him.

Hye Ri: Just a second! Wait. (catches up to him) It’s been a long time.
In Woo: What are you doing right now?
Hye Ri: You’re acting extremely weird Lawyer Seo. It’s been a year since we’ve seen each other. What’s with the odd greeting? You should first be asking, “How have you been doing?” or “I really missed you.”
In Woo: Did you know that I had come back?
Hye Ri: What? Really?! You’ve come back?! And you’ve moved to this neighborhood?
In Woo: It’s nothing then. Well…
Hye Ri: Wait – where’s your house?
In Woo: (remembers his promise to Ma Sang Tae) Why don’t we stop this Prosecutor Ma?
Hye Ri: What do you mean?
In Woo: I have no intention of restarting our past relationship. I’m sorry.

He runs off. Wow – you’re such a daddy’s boy Seo In Woo. So good at keeping promises like your daddy.

Hye Ri: (running alongside him) If you need a friend, please call me. When you want to drink or eat to the point of throwing up. When you’re lonely or when you’re sad. When you’re sick or need to spill your guts. When you’re stressed – call me. (she pulls out a card)
In Woo: What are you doing right now?
Hye Ri: I’m hoping you’ll become a great lawyer.
In Woo: Are you playing around right now?
Hye Ri: My cell phone number changed.

He takes it and shoves it in his pocket. Hye Ri says he’ll lose it that way, but he doesn’t care. He just wants to get out of this chit chat.

Hye Ri: I want you to be part of my life again.
In Woo: Forget it.
Hye Ri: I know we’re going to see each other again. We’re intertwined as we can be. Let’s see each other when need be.

At this point – Hye Ri’s reciting line for line everything he’s said to her when he was first trying to become her friend. This is not lost on In Woo. Clearly, she hasn’t done anything BUT think of him the last 12 months.

Hye Ri: I won’t ask you to take responsibility, so stop being so cruel.
In Woo: Stop playing around!
Hye Ri: Does it look like I’m playing around?
In Woo: If you’re not playing around then we have a big problem on our hands.
Hye Ri: Then why did you come back?
In Woo: It’s none of your concern. It’s not because I had any interest in you.
Hye Ri: That can’t be!

And In Woo bolts out of there. Hye Ri wonders if he really did forget about her, and she gets a phone call just then. It’s none other than Seo-In-Woo-clone-and-bestie Jenny Ahn, calling long distance from the States. Jenny wants to know if things are going well, and Hye Ri pouts, saying that it isn’t.

Six months earlier – Jenny had made a side trip to Seoul while on her way to a business trip in Tokyo. She came to see Hye Ri, and had no idea that Hye Ri’s life did not stay the same as she had said in episode 15. Hye Ri really did lose everything too – not just material things but also her zest for life. Jenny’s purpose was to ask Hye Ri to save In Woo. Ever since they returned to the States, In Woo just works morning to night at his adoptive father’s office, never going out to meet friends, never having fun, never meeting girls. Jenny is sick and tired of seeing this In Woo and knows that it’s because of Hye Ri.

She’s tried to get him to go back to Korea to meet Hye Ri, but to no avail. (That dratted promise!) Jenny even says that In Woo had wanted to move to Korea, but ever since hardship came to Hye Ri and her family, In Woo blamed himself for it and couldn’t stay. A Korean law firm is contacting the two of them though, so if they do decide to take the job then Jenny will let Hye Ri know.

Back to the present and it’s clear the two of them took the job. Hye Ri mopes that In Woo is avoiding her, but Jenny reassures her that it’s all an act. She knows for sure that Hye Ri is in In Woo’s heart, and that’s why she let her know. (Is Jenny the best bestie/third-leading/rival-in-other-ways female or what!?!?!?!?!?) She tells Hye Ri to go visit In Woo’s house if she won’t believe her.

And so Hye Ri goes to In Woo’s house. It’s actually Hye Ri’s old apartment. The decor and the furnishings are exactly the same as she had left it – pink sequined couch pillows and flowers and vanity set and all. Even the house key code is the same. Hye Ri is touched, and she cleans up the place a bit for him.

When In Woo returns, he notes that the apartment is a little different from before – it’s just neater. But he doesn’t think much of it. It’s only when he goes to the bathroom to see that he has an extra towel hanging, and a fully stocked medicine cabinet that he begins to suspect something’s off. Immediately he goes to the kitchen and starts opening all the closets and drawers – thinking that he too might have a weird shared-living-roommate as well! HEEE! I love how his mind goes there first. But he’s safe.

The next morning, he hears a weird alarm:

“Seo In Woo! In Woo In Woo Seo In Woo! Wake up – you have to go to work. Seo In Woo, you have to go see Ma Hye Ri. You have to go see Ma Hye Ri!”

He goes out onto the terrace, and sees a newly jazzed up version of his gas-bomb alarm clock. And right then, he hears laughter coming from the floor above – it’s Ma Hye Ri on the phone, living in his apartment. The alarm clock then screams, “What are you looking at?” and right then, a bucket attached to a fishing pole drops right in front of him.

In Woo asks what on earth she’s doing there, and Hye Ri says that she’s now using the Wonder Woman coupon. He takes it out of the bucket, and she tells him that she’s redeeming it now – since she wrote it, she could use it. Her wish is to meet him at the park by midnight tonight. In Woo says he threw the coupon away long ago, but she says, “What do you mean throw away? It’s in your wallet. You didn’t know that I have psychic ability?”

In Woo yells that he’s not going, and she says she’ll see him there. And this is the last effort she’s going to ever make!! Hye Ri stomps off, and In Woo leaves his terrace in a huff.

Of course, Ma Sang Tae is not too happy that his daughter moved out. Ae Ja tries to brush it off, saying that their house is too small for a grown daughter. Besides, she’s spending the money she earned. Ma Sang Tae looks hurt at that statement, since he’s supposed to be the breadwinner. But Ae Ja says that In Woo and Hye Ri are having a hard time because they love each other so much. And Ma Sang Tae looks like he’ll have a heart attack after finding out that In Woo is back!

Hye Ri sits alone in the park. In Woo’s nowhere to be found, and it’s getting darker and darker. She only has a flashlight with her, but she’s mighty scared. She thinks back to when In Woo said he knew how scared she gets at night, and so reassures herself that he’ll show up.

In Woo is at home, being all angsty, and he takes out the Wonder Woman coupon from his wallet – the original one. Just then – Ma Sang Tae arrives at his doorstep, drunk.

Ma Sang Tae wants to know what In Woo is doing at Hye Ri’s old apartment. He’s really more worried about whether In Woo broke his promise or not. In Woo assures him that he didn’t, but won’t explain why he’s living in Hye Ri’s old apartment! He then tells In Woo that the real reason why he came to see him was because he had something to say. He apologized for making Seo Dong Geun suffer the consequences, but he never said that he was wrong. And so, he formally says that he was wrong… and then produces two muffins from his jacket pockets.

Ma Sang Tae: Eat this. I made them. Have one each with Hye Ri, or eat them all by yourself.

With this newfound admission, In Woo takes it as a free ticket to go see Hye Ri without breaking a promise.

He runs off to the park and on the way he slams spectacularly into a red phone booth. He trips and falls, but gets up again to look for Hye Ri. She’s not sitting at the bench. He looks down at his Wonder Woman coupon and sees that it’s still effective – the coupon cannot be used past 2am.

Hye Ri runs up behind him and yells, “You’re so caught!” She looks like she’s ready to give him a good scolding – but instead falls to her feet and sobs. She then sees blood on his jeans from his fall, and she immediately bends over and tells him to get on her back – she’ll piggy-back him home! LOL!

Not sure if this is real, In Woo slowly gets on her back, and she actually lifts him and takes a couple of steps. But he’s too unstable on her small back and refuses to stay on any longer. He gets off and then grabs her into a hug. YAYYYYYY!

She helps him home by holding on to his arm, and he wonders what she would have done if he had not come at all. In Woo then puts his arm around her shoulders – it’s better to hold an “injured” person that way anyways – and smiles. Hye Ri holds onto his hand as well – and they walk off into the night.

BUT WAIT! A DATE! – walking to the park holding hands, In Woo says they should have brought a camera – and Hye Ri produces the same camera that she used for taking pictures of him. She hands it to him and tells him to take her picture.

And suddenly she begins doing the same poses as he did before!

In Woo: I can take it for you, but why don’t you stop copying me now?
Hye Ri: Who copied whom? I didn’t get any photos taken that day.
In Woo: *takes a picture of her talking*
Hye Ri: What is this? You can’t take it without a notice!
In Woo: Let’s stop doing it separately and take a photo together!
Hye Ri: I don’t take photos with just any man.
In Woo: Just any man?

He remembers what he said to her: “I don’t take photos with just any woman. You’re not a lover, you won’t be one, you’re not a friend or a relative, they you’re no one.”

In Woo: Ah…seriously! How long are you going to copy me?
Hye Ri: I told you! Although I lack originality, I excel in imitation skills.
In Woo: Ok, ok, continue. But you probably won’t be able to say the following sentences…isn’t it? Try it?
Hye Ri: *ahem* You’re not my wife or my husband. I don’t know whether or not you’ll be one. If you’re not a friend or a relative, then you’re no one, isn’t it right?

In Woo:

Hye Ri:

In Woo: In your head, you just said “you lost,” right?
Hye Ri: How did you know!?
In Woo: But, will I be able to take a picture with you or not?
Hye Ri: If I say no, then how will you do so?

In Woo grabs Hye Ri around the shoulders and tries to take a picture. She pushes him away and he grabs her by the waist.

Once free, she jumps up and lightly smacks him on the head. OOOOOH – In Woo reels her in by the neck and she braces for a hit back…

But In Woo kisses her on the forehead.

Heheheheheheheh – and they take a good picture together.

Comments:

Dear Cast and Crew of Prosecutor Princess,

Thank you for making such an awesome drama. I know that the time with InHye was kinda short, but I’m happy with it. I know that they have many years ahead of them to do all that it is we want them to do. I also loved the kiss on the forehead. First off – instead of pay back for the hit, he kisses her. He’ll never hurt her again. Secondly – it’s an affectionate way of saying “I love you” without using those awkward-stand-still-kisses or those mouth-sucking-kisses that you already filmed last week. Thirdly – it’s an action so in line with this cute couple.

Like aberdeen_angus said, the last few episodes were fast paced but quiet – thank you. A LOT of things were crammed into the final hour, but it didn’t feel rushed. We all knew what the outcome of the case would be, so why waste minutes in showing them working or figuring it out? Just cut to the chase. But speaking from a completely video-editing point of view, it was very clear you did everything quite to the last minute (since you were supposedly shooting until a few hours before it aired) because the cuts were abrupt and the sound transitions were not smooth. I usually wouldn’t like that, but it kind of adds some flavor in this one – especially since most of the transitions take place when switching between past and present. So I guess overall – I was ok with the editing.

Thank you for making Jenny Hye Ri’s informant in the second half. It made me giggle with the thought because it was less nefarious and full of common sense – and so much cheaper than hiring a private detective! While Jenny never really hated Hye Ri with a passion, I’m mildly surprised that she reached out to her. Jenny is the true objective observer in the drama for In Woo, just like how Yoon Ah is for Hye Ri. The two of them know what is in their best friend’s hearts respectively, and will do or say something to propel their best friend forward. Thank you for writing in such awesome friends to be the voice for us viewers.

No thank you, however, for Hye Ri’s change of suits – I don’t think we needed to see her change into a black and white suit for that. Making her wear the same thing that everyone else did may have been a nice literal touch to her change, but also excessive. I’m not saying conformity sucks – but obvious, right-in-your-face symbolism does.

And don’t get me started with her shoes and barefoot scenes – although this particular episode showed her barefoot for the longest duration than all other episodes. But in homage to her shoes/lack of shoes:

Thank you for giving us the hottest kiss in the history of K-dramas. Twice.

Thank you for making such a satisfactory, well-paced drama. While it may have been over-the-top at times, I think it’s ‘heart’ stayed grounded. It was the excessive production design and styling of Hye Ri that made it look ridiculous. But we all know that looks are deceiving – come on, we had In Woo to help us with that! – and the story was solid. I never expected to have such a simple explanation for the mystery and crime, and it worked. On top of that – I never realized how fast the episodes went – no storyline was dragged out for longer than Hye Ri’s investigation of her father, and even then, that storyline moved quickly – it just managed to hold all our interest and our breaths for 6 EPISODES STRAIGHT. Brilliant. So thank you for your simplicity and your brilliance with timing.

And YET! Thank you for also making this drama more than just a “one-trick pony”, in the sense that you wrote a mystery AND a love triangle/square, and managed to keep our interest whenever one of those story lines waned. Instead of just showing the angst in love, you also made it believable because how else COULD Hye Ri and In Woo end up together with all that history? And instead of giving us a lame “cold, mysterious” lead male (whose issue would have been mommy issues, or heart-broken-by-a-first-love-issue), you made In Woo the perfect stalker who had a just cause, so we all REALLY wanted to know what was going on. And instead of giving us characters who were too noble to do anything (i.e. admit their feelings or keeping all their sufferings inside), you gave us characters who were outspoken and willing to say things when the time came, who were willing to take action to eventually get what they want.

And one last thing: YOU HAD ME GIDDY AT EVERY EPISODE, CRYING AT EVERY MELODRAMATIC MOMENT, AND LAUGHING AT EVERY JOKE!!!!! So thank you.

Love,

Kaedejun

aberdeen_angus’ comments:

First of all, I’m really thankful to javabeans for the space and to you for the support you gave us, the criticisms and the debates. All of that, added to the company of my partner in crime, kaedejun, enriched my watching experience and made me love this great drama even more (sob).

About the ending per se, I found it perfect. P-E-R-F-E-C-T [Shallow side note: Yay for no close-up kiss! Am I the only one who finds “kiss endings” awkward?]. Everyone reached a final, definitive peace of mind and sincere happiness (Jenny the fairy godmother was a great touch to the main love story); they grew, they forgave themselves, they moved on to a brighter future. As an added bonus, I believe that the leading couple will have the “happily ever after” they deserve, based on a personal analysis: In-woo wasn’t a bad guy, he was consumed by his tragedy and Hye-ri was the person who woke him up from his nightmare. After the initial hatred, he started to feel attracted by her singularities circa episode 3, and both his concerns and attentions for her were for real, even when he didn’t want to admit it at first. I’d dare to say that he enjoyed the flirting game a lot, because in those moments, he could forget about the crime and was free of his burdens. Through their childish relationship, his innocent and lovely pre-father-in-prison side came to life again and his good nature was awakened, thus triggering the game changing guilt in episode 9. Why would he leave her if she’s the reason why he’s breathing again? Why would she leave him if he’s the one who always cheered her up and was there for her? They’ll never break up. Love rocks.

In a general note, I’ll admit that we had a rough start, a pretty messy set up, a strange leading woman, two male leads who seemed perfect, and an incomplete story. It’s just a shame that the first two episodes didn’t fully sell this drama as the gem it would become. Why did I keep watching? Out of curiosity, I guess, and I’m so glad I did! After the first two episodes, the scenario changed, Hye-ri started being unique and amazing with her straightforwardness and particular common sense; and In-woo ruled as the torn, guilty but charming (anti) hero, while the plot kept on getting more and more complicated. But what drew my attention is how skillfully it handled and connected its three core issues: love, growth and forgiveness. The fact that everyone was kind hearted was crucial here: they scrambled through lots of difficult moments, but the trust and love they felt for each other helped them to learn more about life and eventually, redeem themselves in a natural and logical way.

Onto the script and writing, what was outstanding was that the characters were coherent (now that was refreshing) and when they changed their points of view towards the end, it was sustained by perfectly reasonable previous plot developments (even baker Ma Sang-tae was brilliant writing!). Also, no clingy second lead (I hate clingy second leads) or damsels in distress (our Hye-ri sure was strong!). It had its share of clichés (stop it with the wrist grabbing, for God’s sake!), but the lack of fate ridden events was awesome. In fact, I loved how the writer manipulated our so-used-to-destiny minds from the “coincidental” meet-cute onwards, making In-woo fake fate all the time – I’ll miss his oh-so-perfectly-planned timing! The drama grew gradually quality and story wise, giving us fast paced episodes, packed with clues and character development. I can’t pick a draggy, boring or too angsty episode, the “entertaining factor” was always there.

What can I say that hasn’t been said about the acting? I can’t love the characters more than I do, and that’s due to the actors’ and director’s wonderful job. Good acting + Good story = Unforgettable drama 🙂

Prosecutor Princess went against the “darker is more real” concept that’s so cool nowadays and succeeded. We got a bubbly but suspenseful series with no angst or crying overload. We could discuss about lots of deep topics, with a drama that had a fashionable, childish first lead who cared about shoes (!). Colorful doesn’t mean shallow, gritty doesn’t mean closer to reality. This extreme love-suspense-comedy mash-up was delightful to watch, making it my favorite drama for 2010’s first semester.

*waves white handkerchief in tears and boards the parting ship to new lands*

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