Bad Guy: Episode 17 (Final)
by javabeans
Here we are, the finale! I thought it was better than Episode 16, but frankly that isn’t saying much. At least 16 was entertaining and off-the-wall. This episode, as the wrap-up, was more puzzling.
I know there was a three-episode cut-down and all that scheduling madness. HOWEVER, the drama finished filming two weeks before the last episodes aired. In the world of the live-shoot production system, that is a luxurious timespan with which to work some post-production magic. Or, you know, throw up your hands in defeat and give up.
SONG OF THE DAY
Bad Guy OST – “웃지마 울지마” (Don’t laugh, don’t cry) by 4Men, Jang Hye-jin
[ Download ]
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FINAL EPISODE RECAP
At the psych ward, Jae-in and Tae-sung find Gun-wook’s room empty, so they split up and scour the grounds for him — where, we must note, every single psych-ward extra plays up the I’M CRAZY act like they’re auditioning for a Park Chan-wook movie. Or maybe they were just trying to one-up Gun-wook. Cringes all around.
In Madam Shin’s office, a perfectly sane-looking Gun-wook sits in her chair, his back to her. Rain pounds the windows and lightning gives an eerie strobe effect to the room, which is lit in a blood-washed tint. But when she whirls the chair around to confront the seated figure, he disappears. Poof.
She whirls around — he’s walking away from her. Then he flickers into nonbeing again. Her voice recording starts playing — the one where she gives the veiled kill order — and she is seriously spooked. Is she going mad, or is somebody in possession of a super-elaborate hologram projector? She screams at her invisible tormentor to come out and confront her.
After their unfruitful search at the hospital, Tae-sung drops Jae-in off. He has seemingly come to grips with her choice, assuring her that he won’t come looking for her anymore so she can go and be happy with Gun-wook. I appreciate the maturity, but the writers keep jerking Tae-sung from one extreme to another and it’s jarring. Emotional whiplash.
Jae-in thanks him for his understanding, then hurries away to see Gun-wook. It isn’t until he’s alone that Tae-sung allows himself to drop the smile and feel the blow of losing her.
Assuming Gun-wook has returned home, Jae-in rushes into his apartment excitedly… only to find Tae-ra instead, staring at his Wall of Revenge. For a brief moment we get that “back off from my man” glare so beknownst to the denizens of Jerry Springer, but Tae-ra drops the hauteur when Jae-in reveals that Gun-wook is alive.
Tae-ra registers Jae-in’s disappointment that Gun-wook didn’t recognize her, and guesses that they were closer than she thought. She also makes a few mental connections and asks if she and Gun-wook were in it together to ensnare members of the Hong family. (No, alas, that was PURE COINCIDENCE.) [Just like my hatred of these last two episodes. Pure coincidence. -GF]
Tae-ra accuses Jae-in of breaking up with Tae-sung because he’s no longer the president’s blood son, but that’s news to Jae-in, who hadn’t known this latest development. She answers that it doesn’t matter to her — what matters is that she wants the person for himself, which is why she can’t be with Tae-sung.
Can we take a moment to mourn for Tae-sung, who eats alone at home that evening? Solitary eating can be such a powerfully sad image in dramas (it comes in just below the crying-into-food imagery on the Pathetic-o-Meter — which, we might note, Tae-sung has also done). After Jae-in leaves, all Tae-sung has left of her is the packed food she had made for Gun-wook.
Always a step behind everybody else, the two cops arrive at the mental ward recently vacated by Gun-wook. At least they make up for it with one discovery: a small gadget is affixed to a wall-mounted speaker, which appears to be a video camera in disguise.
Gun-wook has reportedly been transferred to another hospital, and the nurse hands over an envelope left behind by Gun-wook’s guarantor for the cops. Opening it, they find a voice recording device. Lucky for these two that the clues keep falling into their laps, eh?
We don’t hear the contents, but the evidence is strong enough to arrest Madam Shin for ordering Gun-wook’s murder.
Unsurprisingly, she is hardly cooperative during the interrogation and answers questions with “Ask my lawyer.” This leads to the unintentionally hilarious exchange whereby she scoffs that he’s asking questions he knows the answers to, and he demands that she answer them anyway, growling, “Shin Myung-hwa-sshi! Give me your name!” Oh, lulz.
Tae-ra watches anxiously as her mother, joined by her lawyer, is questioned by the police. Super pet peeve: Upon the lawyer’s exit from the room, Tae-ra asks for a status update and the lawyer says, IN FRONT OF A COP, “The evidence is pretty clear so she doesn’t have much room to make excuses.” WTF, lawyer? [Thankfully, the cops are equally stupid, so it’s a wash. -GF]
As Gun-wook is alive, Madam Shin won’t be facing the worst-case legal scenario, though it wasn’t for want of trying on her part. It strikes me that for such a rich and powerful woman, Madam Shin sure has trouble hiring minions who can do their jobs properly.
Tae-sung enters, in shock at the news that Madam Shin tried to kill Gun-wook. He learns that Gun-wook presented proof against her and grows angry, growling that he’ll have to meet him. (So confused at all the weird emotions. So… Gun-wook was just supposed to let her get away with trying to killing him?)
Gun-wook’s partner meets with Secretary Kim. The two speak frankly about Gun-wook’s Ultimate Plan, indicating that they are in cahoots. We aren’t told how long Secretary Kim has been working with them, but it appears to be a recent partnership.
The partner says how Gun-wook had been surprised to find that Tae-sung was as much a victim in this as he was, and says that “one person” has caused quite a lot of grief for everyone. It has the ominous ring of a Madam Shin takedown, or so we can hope.
Infuriated that Gun-wook is responsible for Madam Shin’s arrest (though I’d put the blame on the one who committed the crime, myself…), Tae-sung arrives at Gun-wook’s apartment and bangs on the door. Inside, guess who’s perfectly healthy and sane? So much for the insanity act being real. [Aaaaaaaaaargh! -GF]
Gun-wook ignores Tae-sung’s shouts and looks enigmatically at his lighter, then burns more stuff. Wait, did he steal this lighter back from Madam Shin? How… and when?
Gun-wook narrates resolutely as though addressing Tae-sung: “Even if the life you hated till now is a lie, it changes nothing. The hurt you caused someone while living recklessly doesn’t get erased. Is that unfair? It can’t be helped. That’s you, and that’s me.”
Madam Shin is tried for her crime, and here’s the gist of her cross-examination::
Prosecutor: “Did you order Gun-wook killed?”
Madam Shin: “Nope. Never.”
Prosecutor: “Really? For sure?”
Madam Shin: “Yup.”
Defense lawyer: “The defendant didn’t order a hit.”
Madam Shin: “Why would I? My life is great. He could have been my son. I deny everything.”
(Worst trial ever.)
Next, the recording sent to the cops is submitted as evidence. Now we hear its contents — it’s taken from the scene where she ordered Secretary Kim to take care of Gun-wook, who should have been offed twenty years, and threatens that she is not a patient woman.
Madam Shin is unruffled because the tape isn’t actually that damning — I mean, it implies things, but it’s not conclusive proof. She calmly identifies the voice as hers, but says she never ordered Gun-wook killed. She spoke out of anger, and points out that people say “I’m gonna die” all the time and don’t actually mean to drop dead. You know the prosecution sucks when Madam Shin is the one making the most sense in the courtroom.
She even keeps her cool when Secretary Kim testifies against her and reveals that after getting the order, he had instead warned Gun-wook of what she was planning. (Ah, this explains how he was able to ride with him in the ambulance to the hospital, then act as his guarantor.)
However, one more witness is brought in, and this ruffles her composure. He’s the hit man ordered to kill Gun-wook the third time (or is it fourth?), and he confesses under pressure. After the previous attempt failed, he was ordered to kill Gun-wook.
Clearly she hadn’t anticipated yet another trusted employee turning on her, and she loses it. She shrieks, in her nails-on-a-chalkboard screech, “When did I say that?!” She starts babbling about a setup, insisting that this is a trap and that she has no idea who the guy is.
However, that’s not all: More evidence is submitted, this time a video. Now we see what the hidden devices were for (keen eyes will have noticed a glimpse of this device in Madam Shin’s office as well). The clip shows Madam Shin’s paranoid rant from the top of the episode, where she screams at an invisible Gun-wook about how she should have had him taken out twenty years ago.
Madam Shin shrills at the court that she didn’t kill anyone, but her desperate reaction is pretty damning. After she has regained her composure, she gives her last statement, taking the martyr’s stance that she’ll endure all this to get to the bottom of the mess. You and OJ both.
Now it’s Jae-in’s turn to lose her mind. Just as Madam Shin says she had no reason to kill the boy she once treated as a son, Jae-in stands up IN THE MIDDLE OF COURT and starts screaming that Madam Shin is a lying horrible murderer who ruined Gun-wook’s life and stole away his family. She’s dragged away by the bailiff.
Outside, Old Cop comes up to Jae-in to give her the recorder containing the evidence, explaining that there was additional material on it. Gun-wook’s message says, “Moon Jae-in, are you listening? This is the truth of the world you longed for. What will you do now? You choose. I’ll always be in the same place.”
Having lost her case in this alternate universe where conspiracy-to-commit-murder crimes are tried in a single day, Madam Shin is loaded onto the prison bus. She turns to address Gun-wook, who is watching nearby, and asks how he feels after messing with his father and sister — and reveals that yes, he’s the real Tae-sung.
Explaining that she’d kicked out the true child and brought in the fake, she taunts him with the truth that he lost everything for himself. She smirks, “I won.”
This delivers a huge blow to Gun-wook, as well as Tae-ra, who has overheard. The housekeeper now turns to face him, addressing him as “Young Master,” apologizing for not telling him earlier.
Tae-ra has such a shock at this news that I wondered if she was somehow unaware of her own paternity and thought she and Gun-wook were full siblings. (Gah, this drama has too many birth secrets.) It turns out she does know they’re not related, but her reaction makes me think wistfully of the awesomely dark drama we might have had if they’d actually gone there and made them blood siblings. Oh, Bad Guy, you leave me with so many what-ifs.
With this revelation comes the knowledge that Gun-wook destroyed his own family, and he finds his father. President Hong is conscious and aware, but still recovering and unable to speak as Gun-wook breaks down clutching his hand. Although he’s mostly reacting in remorse, I have to believe there’s a tiny bit of relief mixed in at finally reuniting with his father. [Such a waste of a potentially interesting relationship. -GF]
The two longtime servants muse over the grievous sin they’ve committed against Gun-wook. Secretary Kim explains the reason for his defection from Madam Shin’s ranks, relating how he lost his wife to illness during the time he was serving prison time after taking the fall for the president. When he was released, the president expressed no interest or care about the wife.
That had shattered Kim’s illusions and his unwavering loyalty to Haeshin, and afterward he sought out Gun-wook’s dead parents (and cared for their graves) in an attempt to ease his guilty conscience.
Tae-sung submits his resignation letter to Tae-ra, who tries to talk him out of it. He answers that he wants to live on his own now: “And if I come to work for Haeshin, I’ll come on my own merit. I want to live not because I’m somebody’s son but just as myself.”
He’s come a long way, hasn’t he? Now he acts the part of concerned brother, explaining that at least she and Gun-wook aren’t related. Therefore, he advises her not to agonize too much about it.
With a smile, Tae-ra asks for a hug, and I wonder if it’s a first for them. He’s always been the troublemaking rebel, and she’s always been the censuring older sister who took her parents’ side. Funny how Tae-sung is acting the part of son and brother now, after realizing he’s not their blood relation.
Tae-sung guesses that Tae-ra still cares for Gun-wook and urges her to protect her relationship with him. That prodding is enough to send her to Gun-wook’s apartment, where she finds him on the ground, lost in a daze.
She tells him that she’ll call him by the name Shim Gun-wook for the last time today, as they still have some things to settle. First of all, she doesn’t regret meeting him — she felt thrilled and excited for the first time in a long time. Even though she knew he wasn’t being honest about his interest in Mo-nae, she couldn’t help falling for him.
He falls over, and she rushes to his side. Seeing that he was clutching an old family photo — back when he was part of the Hong family — Tae-ra makes a keen insight, that this all (the revenge plan) was his way of returning to the family. Did he miss it so much?
She confesses that she had a tough time after he was kicked out of the family, and even though she knew it wasn’t his fault, she had felt betrayed by the young Gun-wook. She apologizes for that, and adds that perhaps that thought might be a comfort to him now. Tae-ra’s voice starts wavering with emotion as she says she’ll try to call him Tae-sung.
Tae-ra returns to the auditorium, where she imagines the spirit of the young Tae-sung greeting her enthusiastically. She kneels down and hugs him, and says sorry. The boy cheerily tells her it’s okay.
(Is this whole family prone to hallucinating now? These fantasy bits can be quite evocative when used sparingly… but Little Tae-sung has made an appearance in multiple people’s imaginations now, which would be more apropos were he a paranormal specter and not a metaphorical device.)
Tae-sung interrupts Jae-in’s lunch to tell her to be with Gun-wook now, because he’s bound to be in a lot of pain with the discovery that he was the real Tae-sung all along.
Shocked, Jae-in heads to Gun-wook’s apartment right away, just as Gun-wook takes out a gun. He contemplates it for long moments before lifting it to his temple… which is when Jae-in bursts in.
Quickly, he tosses the gun aside. She approaches silently and puts her arms around him. She speaks consolingly, saying that she understands that he must be feeling upset after harboring his revenge plans for so long.
Gun-wook starts to protest, but emotion wracks his voice and he can barely get the words out. Jae-in says that the family can forgive him, then takes his hand to turn him around to face her. She introduces herself as though this is their first meeting and they’re starting afresh, and prods him to introduce himself as Hong Tae-sung. He struggles, but gets the words out.
Jae-in holds him, and they share a moment as the embrace turns into a kiss. Which is when Mo-nae, back from the States and wearing a peeved expression on her face, arrives at the apartment.
Mo-nae lets herself in, further incensed at the sight of YET another woman making out with Gun-wook. Quickly, she turns and goes without being seen.
(Does nobody in this drama lock their doors, either? Have they been watching Personal Taste? ‘Twould save everyone a lot of grief, is all I’m sayin’.)
Mo-nae waits outside in the shadows, biding her time until the opening presents itself. Jae-in invites her sister over and leaves the apartment to meet her in the street, which is when Mo-nae lets herself in. Gun-wook isn’t in sight so she looks around, further pissed off to see that photo of Jae-in and Gun-wook. So much pain hath that Polaroid wrought.
And then, she sees the gun on the ground and picks it up.
When Gun-wook enters the room, Mo-nae points the gun at Gun-wook and blames him for wrecking her family. All her earlier bitterness of being passed up for her sister is multiplied by her fury at hearing about her family’s misfortunes and the knowledge that Gun-wook was behind it all.
Mo-nae makes her accusations, which are all fairly on the mark, her voice shaking with rage as Gun-wook tries to calm her down. He takes a few steps toward her, but she shrilly yells for him to stay away. How dare he even use her name?
She blames him for making her this way — she’d been happy before — and shrieks, “I wish you were dead!”
She fires the gun.
Out in the street, unaware of any trouble, Jae-in greets her sister. As they chat, Won-in expresses her approval of the match, saying how much better this is than Gun-wook and his rope.
In a bit of dramatic irony, she points out that his rope would have taken him to heaven, which would imply death. Little does she know how prescient that sentiment actually is.
Gun-wook’s not dead, though, and when we return to the scene at the apartment, both parties are still standing in their original positions. Mo-nae looks startled with herself at the gunshot, but when Gun-wook starts to approach her again, she gets all worked up again and keeps the gun fixed on him.
Gun-wook speaks to her gently with a hint of a smile and says, “I’m sorry.” He asks her to call him oppa just once, like old times, but she refuses — he’s nothing to her now.
Finally, Mo-nae lowers the gun and drops it on the ground, the fight sapped out of her. She leaves quickly…
And it’s only now that the camera pans down and reveals to us that he’s been shot. Ahhh!
He falls to the ground and holds his bleeding side, but for some reason he doesn’t call for help. He’s fixated on the gun and grabs a towel to wrap it in, intent on getting rid of the evidence.
Staggering to his feet, Gun-wook leaves the apartment, headed for god knows where, doing his best to stay upright while keeping the gun hidden. He attracts some curious stares but nobody intervenes.
Jae-in goes grocery shopping with her sister, intending to make Gun-wook that home cooking he loves so much. They figure that he must have stepped out on an errand and wait for him to return, but the night grows long.
Finally, Jae-in spots a hand-written note, which says that his adoptive parents from the U.S. called him about an urgent matter, which she interprets to mean that he dashed out on a last-minute trip to the States.
All the while, Gun-wook continues to stagger in the streets until the camera blurs and fades out, denying us confirmation of his whereabouts.
When we fade back in, it’s some unspecified time later. President Hong sits with his daughter, able to speak now, and asks about Tae-sung. She answers that both are doing well, assuring him that “that child” will return someday. He muses that he’d like to bring the whole family together for a nice meal when that happens.
Tae-ra receives a box in the mail, which she opens to find a care package. The note is addressed to So-dam, but the contents are meant for Tae-ra — a DVD of Dirty Dancing, for example, recalls her memory of her long-ago day of playing hooky. The note tells So-dam to smile a lot in front of her mother and is signed from “So-dam’s loving uncle.”
In Jae-in’s apartment, a crane falls as she walks by — it’s the one she found that day in Jeju, upon which Gun-wook had written the names of the Hongs and described them as “family.” Underneath that he’s added “Jae-in, Won-in” and a non-word that seems like he was about to write “family” but cut out one character short.
Won-in brings in a care package from the mail, and this one contains a glass mask, similar to the one Ryu-sensei had made. [One-of-a-kind my ASS! -GF] A note reads:
“How would the world look out of the eyes of the one you loved? Jae-in-ah… I’ve had that thought. If I look at the world through a different gaze, how would it be? Jae-in… how are you? You have to be happy no matter what. If you look at my world through those eyes… I’ll be able to laugh, too. Now, won’t you look at my world instead of me?”
Excited at this indication that Gun-wook is back (clearly she read the note without actually READING the note), Jae-in rushes to his apartment — but it’s empty.
Apparently justice is swift but short in this universe, because Madam Shin is let out and resumes her place in Haeshin Group. Tae-ra takes over, while Tae-sung appears to be traveling on his own, and Mo-nae continues her dilettante lifestyle of yoga lessons and spa treatments.
Meanwhile, Jae-in thinks over Gun-wook’s note, which ends with the words that began this journey: “In the complete darkness of night, it’s hard to tell which is the sky and which is land, and whether the light is fire or stars. Where is it I’m going? Is it heaven? Or is it hell?”
And then! A body is found by the water: Gun-wook.
As Jae-in wanders by the police station, she misses the notice posted directly behind her, which is an announcement of a dead body bearing Gun-wook’s resemblance, replete with back scar, asking for people to help them identify it.
Jae-in wonders, “Gun-wook, where are you? Is the world you’re looking at happy now?”
THE END
Bad Guy OST – “어디에” (Where) by Mi (美) [ Download ]
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JAVABEANS’ COMMENTS
WTF, finale?
First, the things that don’t make sense (and there are many):
For instance, the lighter. Gun-wook got that back how? I’m sure there are ways to fanwank this so that it’s technically possible for him to have gotten the lighter back from Madam Shin’s possession, but it doesn’t fit with what we’re shown. It’s a tiny detail, but when you take lots of little details and add them up, the plot logic of everything starts teetering.
Let’s even say we forget the lighter. What about that crane? Jae-in has had it in her possession since the day she found it in Jeju Island, only now it bears her name and Won-in with “famil–” written on it? When did Gun-wook steal the crane, open it up, add to the note, fold it back up, and return it to its place? I don’t doubt that there’s a way to fit this into the technical timeline, but it was clearly done for dramatic impact without considering all the pieces fitting into the overall logic.
What about Madam Shin’s hallucinations? Was she really just suffering from guilty conscience? I don’t buy that she HAS one, so while her mental breakdown is greatly satisfying to watch, I find it out of character. I read a Korean blog that was greatly disgruntled with this point, having thought (and hoped) that perhaps Gun-wook was medicating Madam Shin’s water or some such with the aid of the maid, which would have been great.
Also, it’s ridiculous how she keeps killing people to clean up after herself, which requires more killing, which turns into this whole mad cycle. There’s a Mad TV sketch where a character kills a pet by accident, but is seen by the postman at the door, so he kills the postman to keep him quiet, and then a neighbor comes by and sees the dead postman so he kills the neighbor too, until there’s a ridiculous pile of bodies heaped at the front door.
One murder, chilling. Two murders, probably still chilling. But when murder becomes her go-to solution for managing a problem, it becomes laughable.
Watching Bad Guy is like looking at a piece of lace. At a distance, you’re not quite sure what the pattern is but it looks pretty enough. But then you get up close and realize those are huge honkin’ (plot) HOLES, not lacework.
All that aside, however, my biggest beef is that NOBODY GOT WHAT THEY DESERVED.
I guess Gun-wook let himself die because it was more important to clear his little sister of the shooting, but why didn’t he go for help? The fact that he doesn’t try — and it must have been a survivable wound if he was able to walk all the way to the river — suggests that he was ready to go. Maybe this is the punishment he said he would accept “later,” after his revenge was meted out.
Only, I’ll contend that Gun-wook hasn’t actually done anything deserving karmic retribution. In fact, I recall griping that he’s hardly a bad guy at all, because he didn’t do anything that illegal. He uncovered the Haeshin Group’s corruption and Tae-kyun ended up dying, but it was Tae-kyun’s own behavior that got himself killed — he was the one conducting shady deals, and he was the one drunk driving.
Even if we were arguing karmic retribution, the drama is woefully inconsistent on this score, because Madam Shin gets out of prison in a matter of days. (Perhaps weeks, but if Gun-wook mailed his care packages before dying and they were delivered after Madam Shin was released, we’re talking a very short time.) And Mo-nae must have seen that Gun-wook was shot — so she just gets away with murder? She ends the drama blithely indulging in luxurious activities while Gun-wook’s body lays unclaimed and moldering?
HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE. WHAT IN THE HELL. WHY DID I WATCH YOU.
Perhaps one could argue that that was the point, that revenge plots will result in your own downfall. (And murder plots won’t?) So then Bad Guy becomes this exercise in futility, because Gun-wook’s life served no purpose and the ones who created so much misery and stomped on people like bugs are just going to keep on keepin’ on.
A brief note on the acting. Kim Nam-gil was good. Not brilliant — he unfortunately did not live up to his performance in Queen Seon-deok for me, because his Gun-wook was just so damn enigmatic and impassive all the damn time that I couldn’t connect with him or understand him. Han Ga-in reminds me a lot of Han Ye-seul in Will It Snow For Christmas — that is to say, serviceable at times but really nothing worth particular mention. Jung So-min was a lovely surprise and I’ll look forward to seeing her portray a (hopefully) more enjoyable character in Playful Kiss.
Oh Yeon-soo was the shining star in terms of acting technique, and I’m sorry I haven’t mentioned her before. However, as much as I appreciated her performance, I felt absolutely nothing for her character, so my admiration remains on a purely technical level for her restrained, repressed performance. In contrast, even though she was better than Kim Jae-wook, his character was much better written, and therefore his performance had greater impact for me than hers did, because I felt for Tae-sung. That was a trait missing from everyone else, which may explain why there was so much praise directed his way. Is he a better actor than Kim Nam-gil? I wouldn’t say yes or no — but the alchemy of his performance and his character was stronger, for me.
On the direction, music, and cinematography score, this drama gets an A. Maybe A+. On the story score, I don’t even feel able to score it properly because right now there are not enough letters to do it justice.
GIRLFRIDAY’S COMMENTS
This whole final episode was one big steaming pile of crap. I hated it with the fire of a thousand suns. With a cherry on top.
Dear writer: you took seventeen episodes to tell us that the rich stay rich and the struggling middle class DIE, people who have money can get away with murder, and that blood purity somehow washes away all sins. Yeah. Hitler thought that too. If you wanted me to be bitter and angry about the human condition, you should have set up your drama to, oh, I don’t know…BE a dark and insightful commentary on the human condition. If I hadn’t donated my heart to science to pay for my overpriced education, I’d have shed a tear.
For the sake of my fragile sanity, I’m going with: Gun-wook died twenty years ago that rainy night along with his dog, and Ghost of Gun-wook has been haunting us ever since. Think about it. It totally works. Yeah. I’m done.
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Tags: Bad Guy, Han Ga-in, Jung So-min, Kim Jae-wook, Kim Nam-gil, Oh Yeon-soo
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151 nabi
August 12, 2010 at 2:57 AM
I'm actually okay with how the drama ended.. that nobody got what they deserved and how Gun-wook dies. It's the most depressing ending I've seen in a drama and I wasn't too happy with it, but for me it was less ridiculous than how Song Seung-heon dies in Autumn in My Heart or how SJS dies in Misa. I guess this ending wasn't very shocking to me cuz I kinda expected that KNG would die. Sure I'm bitter about Madam Shin but that's how it is in real life. I know there are many holes in this drama but I enjoyed watching it because of the directing, music and acting.
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152 rouby
August 12, 2010 at 3:21 AM
I'm not yet finish this drama( I'm in exam),,,, and when I read your recaps,,its make me never won't to finish watching bad guy.....
Why...why... KNG must die again??,,,, i love him since queen seon deok,,, and now in bad guy,,( I think he's great ),,,, but why the ending always sad and he must die,,,AGAIN...........
Thanks JB for your recaps,,,
And kim nam gil oppa,,, I really2 miss U,,,2 years....
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153 Hhuh
August 12, 2010 at 3:49 AM
HAHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAH
For a moment there the series had me fooled into thinking that it was gonna be a good one.
But whatevs, the expressions Tae-sung makes with that beautiful face of his are more than enough. KJW FTW!!!
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154 lulu
August 12, 2010 at 5:08 AM
Yeah! KJW beautiful face, but so so acting
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rose
August 12, 2010 at 7:08 AM
I second you on that comment lulu.
But why do people refer to KJW as having a beautiful face, not handsome.....
in my opinion,his looks is rather odd
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155 realm
August 12, 2010 at 6:07 AM
i did wish the drama could have developed in a more different direction, exploring more in-depth those family relationships, brother/father r/s, redemption instead of weighing on irony and revenge issues as it was too expected to kill gun wook off as karma for his revenge. preferred gunwook-taera r/s (not from the start though) they found some chord somewhere whereas jae-in-gunwook didn't work for me.
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156 Yoona
August 12, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Well , first of all I have to say : you guys are rock !!
really the recaps & the comment made me go for a lot of drama that I didn't think it would be worthy .
any way , about Bad Guy, the final really did piss me of, but I will never regret watching & it's a bad thing to think that it would be a lot better if Kim Nam Gill wouldn't have to leave the shouting that early, I mean the mess & the chaos did'n start until we reach the 15 episode , but the previews ones was really a pleasure to watch.
& that drama was my first time seeing Kim Nam Gil & unfortunately he had to go to the army, I feel in love with his voice & looks , beside that the one who blow my eyes away defiantly was Kim Jae Wook <3
thank you for this amazing blog <3
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157 zoe
August 12, 2010 at 10:24 AM
all i can say is KIM NAM GIL is the best actor..
he portrayed well the role of Gunwook..
If you have problem with the story..well its the writer to blame..
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kng
August 12, 2010 at 12:37 PM
to me, kim nam gil shi acting was awesome.
not all korean actor can play this character well.
before this, i really hate him because i think he was ugly among other actors like won bin, lee dong wook and cha seung won. but after i watch this drama, myself seem starting to love him...so, i think this is because of gun wook character in this drama. so, his acting skill in this drama should be praised.........
zoe - i totally agreed with you.
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158 OYS
August 12, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Thanks JB for you technical recap!
The most interesting part from you recap was this “Oh Yeon-soo was the shining star in terms of acting technique, and I’m sorry I haven’t mentioned her before. However, as much as I appreciated her performance, I felt absolutely nothing for her character, so my admiration remains on a purely technical level for her restrained, repressed performance.”
JB, this sounds very unconvincing and illogical for me to understand. Let me get this clear, I’m a huge fan of OYS brilliant acting! How can you appreciated her performance and not felt absolutely anything for her character? So do you mean that OYS didn’t delivered and brought out her character come to life? You can’t feel her emotions?
After you comment on OYS’s acting, you then start praising KJW brought out his character strongly or truly or whatever even though he didn’t preformed as well as OYS.
In addition, about your thought toward KNG performance, from the # of votes that he’d gained here. Altogether your ‘brief not on the acting’, it just gave me an impression that you’re wearing Ryu-sensei mask. You can only see and feel KJW-HTS character from this drama.
Okay I’ve finished my rant. After all, I understand everyone has their on right to their feeling and thought. Anyway, thanks JB & GF for 17 entertaining recaps.
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159 kng
August 12, 2010 at 12:31 PM
to me, kim nam gil acting was awesome.
not all korean actor can play this character well.
before this, i really hate him because i think he was ugly among other actors like won bin, lee dong wook and cha seung won. but after i watch this drama, myself seem starting to love him...so, i think this is because of gun wook character in this drama. so, his acting skill in this drama should be praised.
@157 zoe - i totally agreed with you.
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joy
August 12, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Hey username KNG, you’d brought up an interesting topic here. Regarding the ugly aspect, KNG knew it himself. Read the below part from KNG last interview with Allure magazine (translated by belva):
Q: As an actor, are there any particular stuff that you are worried about?
KNG: No idea since when I’ve come to realize that I don’t have the type of face that will grab people’s attention. Other actors, be it in the lead role or not, one look and you will be able to tell. As for me, I might not be spotted even if I were to be standing right behind. So I once felt dejected, wondering why this is the case. Was it because I was young and inexperienced? Or was my acting not matured? Or was it because of my image? There’s once when the cinemas was showing 3 different films that I’m starring in, but no one manage to recognize that the 3 roles are played by the same actor. I use to hope that this is not the case, but now it’s slightly better since I already know about it although I still feel a little sad when something like this happen. Thus I might as well focus all my attention to portraying my character well and go in this direction instead, so that even when people don’t know the actor Kim Nam-gil, they will still remember the character I portrayed. Furthermore this will be of great help in my journey as an actor. Have I found a way to make up for my own weakness? (Laughs)
Wow, his man is just amazing! For KNG fans who would like to read the full interview here’s the link http://community.livejournal.com/kim_nam_gil/2196.html
Thanks belva for the English translation.
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Ning
August 12, 2010 at 6:35 PM
@joy, thanks for the link, it was a really good read!
I was avoiding commenting on this episode's recap as I have no energy anymore after that mess. But it's nice to know what the artist thought of his role, when the writing has been disastrous (this is of course, said subjectively).
And despite the writing's WTF-ness, KNG still managed to convey GW's feeling with minimum lines (not even one full sentence in this ep). That's quite a feat in a drama, especially on a last episode where the writer wants to dump all the remaining information at once. So, applause for KNG and of course all the supporting actors/actresses for this drama.
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kng
August 13, 2010 at 4:13 PM
hey, thanks..
that was interesting..hehehehe
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kng
August 13, 2010 at 4:16 PM
hey..thanks..
that was interesting..hehe
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160 4everlove
August 12, 2010 at 4:56 PM
I just finished watching the final episode. The ending was awfully sad and left me with a big why, but having read some of the comments posted in here make it easier for me.
Above all, Kim Nam Gil has made such a strong impression for me. He was awesome all the way through and finish it with a brilliant performance in the final episode. His acting was so deep and intense,that I suffer along with him. And when GW is gone, it feels like KNG is the one who is gone, it hurts a lot. Glad it's just a drama.
I agree that KNG's performance should be praised.
@ Joy,thanks for the link.Reading the interview made me marvel him even more and become his fan.
I miss KNG already.
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161 müge
August 12, 2010 at 8:05 PM
god, relief! in 3 days, I've finished BG and enjoyed it in a genearl aspect. of course, I enjoyed not because of the weird storyline, ending or script holes and the mother's unbearable screams but because of the performances of some actors.
to just see KNG on screen is enough for me to melt but I have to admit that Kim Jae Wook was the best. he was awesome.
also -as I said before- whenever I see the scenes of KNG and OYS, I thought that the screen would blow out from the hottness. what a wonderful and sexy couple but WTF about their being step-siblings in the end, ıggghhh.
sometimes, I really don't know how the leads are chosen as I couldn't see any special thing about han ga in.
anyway, my fisrt reason was to watch KNG more and more till he returns. and my eyes got really satisfied, keke^___^
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Correction
August 12, 2010 at 10:08 PM
"what a wonderful and sexy couple but WTF about their being step-siblings in the end, ıggghhh". ---Correction muge, they are not blood-related. Tae-ra was Mrs Shin daughter from her previous marriage not with President Hong.
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162 leo
August 13, 2010 at 1:24 AM
All are victims and the evil Mrs shin won... so evil won over good? What a refreshing and different story. This drama had the best acting, Kudos all the casts esp. Kim Nam Gil.
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163 steve
August 13, 2010 at 1:33 AM
I loved the drama despite the expected tragic ending. Brilliant actor and actors/actresses, absolutely loved Kim Nam Gil's captivating acting.
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164 joyce
August 13, 2010 at 5:44 AM
To 147-Q, take heart, even if we are in the minority opinion we have to accept the addage re "different strokes for different folks". Their loss, not ours -- because we did not waste our time & we enjoyed the show.
To 159.1-Joy, thanx for the interview post & link. My 1st time to read a long interview of KNG. My my, it seems the man has brains, aside from a heart, and a good attitude towards his craft too. Again i am impressed.
To 145-Joy, isn't it a bit unfair to compare BD & QSD? They're of different genres after all. But if you look again, there is a lot of drama happening (crammed actually) in this last episode. Or maybe the problem is the fact that they were crammed like that, after we had been so used to the slow simmering pace at the start. As for "logic", QSD too has its share of coincidences & "conveniently timed" scenes (example: Yushin's arrival at the palace b4 QSD could pronounce his sentence, or the eclipse happening when QSD needed it, etc.). Or was it "logical" for Bidam to go leaping & slashing by himself against the whole army (even if he was Silla's best swordsman!) just so he could go say QSD's name to her face? Don't get me wrong here -- THAT was actually my favorite scene, i was deeply affected by it. Illogical but i think they call it artistic license... and it worked.
I'm a Filipina, by the way, but i enjoy some of your dramas, especially your historical ones. QSD is right on top of my list, yes, flaws and all. I was very impressed w/ how KNG fleshed out Bidam's character, starting w/ the wink. You have a gem of an artist there with you.
For the writers, please dont stop making more dramas like this. Take the criticisms positively and continue improving your craft. Ratings isn't everything. And for the viewers, continue commenting so writers can improve their craft... but positively please!
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165 be
August 13, 2010 at 6:09 AM
episodes 1 to 13 are only the interesting one, despite the fact that sometimes it's a real wtf!
I was smelling a bad finale when they said 3 episodes were cut...
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166 Star
August 13, 2010 at 12:17 PM
hey people,
Can you all just dun think about the 20 episodes issue?
Just spare this drama and treat this drama as a 17 episode instead of the 20..... and you will find this ending not so bad.
Come on, I know some people are just prejudice by the 20 episode where this ending is not as good as the "original" ones....
You all may think that KNG is rushing and going for enlistment and this ending is not the best they gave us. But just take it as it is the best they can give us and you will find this endign very meaningful and artistic.
I myself love this ending!!! It is one of the best that I had watched. At least no happy-ha-ha and treat as nothing has happen and live happily everafter..... dun u all find this type of endings are those that treat us a moron/no-brainer?
This ending have such artistic and philosophistic meaning inside spices with REALITY!
Yes! Reality is the main theme.
Why not a documentary or comentatry? Because they do not raise awarness as much as a drama.....
Seriously, look deeper into the ending and you will find some good stuff.
This drama is a very artistic pieces and I never once regret watching it. For thos who regret/regretted it, blame yourselves....
The ending is a "bang"! AN IMPACT! That make it stay longer in our heartsssss....... This is special and unique~
And I was dissapointed that some of UNDERLYING depth of the drama was not addressed in these recaps.
But afterall, I want to thanksss JB & GF was all these really wonderful 17 recaps!!! Work real hard huh? ^^ Thank you for all the hard work!
But there is some place for improvement: All these recaps are good summary of the episodes but they lack of some depths in the artistic and underlying meaning. And it will be wonderful if can look and go deeper. It will be perfect!
And although I dun hate second-lead syndrome but seriously, both of you have some serious disease going on......
KJW better than KNG? Not in ten years time or extra acting lesson~
I personally dun like KJW nor his character HTS. HTS is just someone who pray for love when he himself dun want to pay for it and KJW, all I can say is that his acting is blend, monotonous and boring. Same with HGI.
No offend people. And I dun think KJW have a pretty face not handsome face. Sorry, people may hate KNG mustach and I hate KJW hair!!!! That center parting!! OMG!!!!! No comment.....
Come on, look at things more objectively and "mature"...
Sometimes, once a while, things may go pretty biased huh? But we are all human right? LOL
Some comment on KJW an outshine in this drama? Please tell me where is it... for I dun feel it at all. Too Bad.
I dun meant to crticise or offend people... just ranting!~~~
Hey, JB and GF! Great job! Thank you once again for the 17 recaps and long hours! All the best and I will look forwards to next better ones~~!!
Best health!
-Star
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167 joy
August 13, 2010 at 1:47 PM
First of all (((Bravo Star))), I second every single comments of yours! Absolutely great job! Two thumbs up! I just love your “serious disease going on”!!!
@ Ning , 4everlove & Joyce glad that you all enjoyed the interview. Through this Allure interview, KNG is no longer simply an actor but rather an artist, an extraordinary person. @Ning I did lost my energy too, however my faith in KNG excellent acting had kept me going. Yup, it was sort of a chaos in the last 3 episodes, but it didn’t bother me much. Overall, the writer did convey the message to me. It showed the ultra ugly side of power and money. The gritty story about humiliation and desire (refer to director Lee Hyeong Min interview @133.2.1). Justice is not always served. Why does good people dies first ie. Sun-young and Gun-wook? Men don’t betray your women or else she’s going to create hell for you. The ending is haunting to me in the fact that GW is back to square one. He never gets the happiness he always longed for but instead ended with a pitiful, tragic and lonely dead. Every one else carries on with their own life normally. JI having to wait for GW forever? Overall, this drama was staged up not and never meant to give a happy ending but rather the most tragic one. I appreciate how the PD did not stick to the cliches and have done something new. This drama had left a deep impression on me.
In addition, I loved how the beginning and end did tied up well, refer to Yoonina’s review "Where am I heading toward -- heaven or hell?" The narration, spoken by character Gun-wook as he fell into the water in the first episode, was repeated at the last moment of his life which eventually ended with a suicide”. Secondly, I deeply feel for young GW running away with that wounding back injury and repeats itself again in the end on a more traumatic level ie. running away to the river to decompose of his body in that painful bleeding shot (ouch!!!). Finally, Monet who was referred by GW as rope, turned out to be the rotten rope (it can be seen as his savior). Overall, I would definitely re-watch BG while KNG is away proudly serving his country in the military, gaining more life experience to give his fans better performances in the future. He said in the interview that he’d reached his limit but to me he’s an unlimited artist.
@4everlove “KNG was awesome all the way through”, I can’t agree more! For example, I will refer to KNG’s sign language performance. Okay I’m not an expert to judge any actors’ performance when doing sign language. Fortunately, GF ep8 recap at comment #40 Victoria Stuard, who is an American Sign Language Teacher had commented that KNG was smooth when doing sign language. He also commented that “KNG is excellent at hiding his feelings behind his silence and observations”. To KNG fans, I urge you to go back and read Victoria Stuard lengthy but worthy comment, because it might shed some new light to his acting/behaviour performed in this drama. furthermore, how KNG can cry so beautifully yet so touching with that skillful 2 lines of tear in just one eye when he see President Hong, his father for the last time. Then finally the spectacular last scene with Tae-ra without having to say a single word, KNG managed to pull off a wretchedly heartbreaking performance. KNG surely is great at making viewers to feel his character's feelings. Actor like KNG is one of a kind. KNG, waiting for your safe and healthy return for more goods.
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168 Chloe
August 14, 2010 at 4:52 AM
This drama is very different compared to the k dramas that I've watched. The ending left me with an overwhelming feeling of sadness, emptiness, kinda lost.....but not angry or mad...In fact I will remember this drama for a long time because of the tragic ending.
And Kim Nam Gil's acting is wonderful in this drama....
makes me craving for more of him....Miss you KNG
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169 rose
August 14, 2010 at 6:35 AM
i really like this drama because of kng,great actor and all the others except monet, the older sister is tolerable, this finale really happen in real life but i watch drama to feel good and not to be face with reality , if i want real story i watch the news so i clamor for a happy ending not a so real to life ending
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170 Linda
August 14, 2010 at 8:29 AM
@166 Star, you’re so hilarious, made me laughed throughout. I still can’t stop laughing because of this part:
“But afterall, I want to thanksss JB & GF was all these really wonderful 17 recaps!!! Work real hard huh? ^^ Thank you for all the hard work! … long hours”
Yup, Reality is the main theme. And the sub-theme is Injustice. Which was shown through Gun-wook’s character, how he couldn’t succeed to fight for justice. But rather end up with in a sorrowful tragic death. Here in Bad Guy drama Gun-wook is the victim.
KNG hard work and excellent acting has been overshadowed by ‘Mass Media’. His excellent acting could not be raised but rather sinking, due to injustice-recaps. Here in real life KNG is the victim.
KNG why in every drama of yours, you always had to play the victim? Why? Why?
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171 lonegirl
August 15, 2010 at 6:31 AM
All I can say is that Kim Nam Gil has really captured my heart in the last episode. Not that he didn't do a good job in the previous ones, because he acted excellently from the start. But in the last episode he was really truly extraordinarily awesome.
still can't shake off his heart wrenching performance from my head.
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172 Nulified
August 16, 2010 at 1:27 AM
Goodness...the English subs are not out yet but I skimmed the last episode and I can definitely follow suit and say WTF! Even more WTF after reading the episode cap above.
So much potential and yet the plot got twisted all out of shape. IF only they had follow the simple motto of 'less is more'. I think this show could've ended quite nicely by trimming off bits and bringing more definition to others.
Makes me wonder if the Korean drama scene is moving at a pace far faster then their industry can handle. I've seen too many of these half-baked shows that could have been fan favorites.
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173 starletbang
August 16, 2010 at 4:24 PM
THIS DRAMA HAD SUCH BULLSHIT ENDING I WANTED TO PULL MY HAIR OUT
I AGREE WITH YOU
NOONE GOT WHAT THEY DESERVED AND IT FRUSTRATED ME SO MUCH
i also feel like they started way too many storylines and forgot to wrap up many
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174 Anonymous
August 16, 2010 at 6:15 PM
Dear JB & GF:
I can tell from this action
http://www.dramabeans.com/2010/07/triple-threat-kim-jae-wook/
you gals already hearted KJW way back. I agreed with ‘166 star’ you gals have serious disease going to the point that there’s no turning back, no cure.
I’m with ‘128 Cherish’ view regarding the acting, ”his Gun wook was just so damn enigmatic and impassive all the damn time that I couldn’t connect with hin or understand him”, that “IMPASSIVE” description comes from know where. It’s very illogical and simply a bias comment. JB, the way that you couldn’t connect with Gun-wook had distracted you from developing and exploring the insightful story of Bad Guy. Therefore, your recaps are just summaries and lack some depths. I totally agreed with ‘166 star’ that ending is very meaningful and artistic.
Despite the plot loopholes, illogical etc, I still love how this drama ending. Gun-wook meaningless life and the ending, together has a poetic aspect. The clock continues to tick---the people continue with their daily lives---the Earth continues to rotate on its axis---nothing in this world stops moving just because a person is dead. It's a sad and cruel fact of life. You don't have to accept it but that doesn't mean the world must accept your version either.
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175 paris
August 16, 2010 at 11:03 PM
this ending was just depressed me!! I even can't sleep for many days!! .... >_<
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arantxa
August 17, 2010 at 1:31 AM
dear paris, you're not alone. I thought I was the only one who's being depressed because of this drama, and I blamed myself for being too sentimental and all. There were just too many unanswered questions...I have read the comments here that have made me feel a little better...but I still feel like there's a hole inside my heart.Isn't it crazy or what?.I don't normally feel this way. I wonder,Is it because of GW's tragic life, or because of KNG's heartbreaking performance in the last episode.
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joy
August 17, 2010 at 2:50 AM
Dear arantxa,
To answer your questions, I believe it’s both. However, you’re not alone this most tragic ending is still haunting me. I’m so glad my links cleared things up a bit for you. However, it’s just a drama so hopefully our sadness will fade away. Are you a fan of KNG? If so you should go to his thread in soompi http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=107604&st=880
and read cityyoung translations of KNG stories during his 4 weeks of basic military training (starting from page 45). The stories are hilarious, and cheered me up a lot. Also, have you read his last interview in the allure magazine? it’s very impressive, he’s a very talented artist. http://community.livejournal.com/kim_nam_gil/2196.html (translated by belva)
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arantxa
August 17, 2010 at 10:58 PM
Joy, thanks a lot. You've been very kind.
Yes, I know it's just a drama. Still don't know why I got carried away like this, and it's been 4 days. Hopefully this strange sadness will fade away, just like you said. Will always remember this as my first K-melodrama though.
I'm not a fan of KNG, but I think I will be. He is such a great actor and an amazing person.
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176 ilee
August 17, 2010 at 9:07 PM
I loved BAD GUY so much, but the ending totally fails I mean I don't hate it or like it.. it's more like ok what? But I totally agree on what you say, it was going so good until the final episode, everything just had to be ruin
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177 junsa 123
August 18, 2010 at 5:01 AM
u guys are retarded, kim nam gil had to stop his work due to military service. The drama had to be cut by three episodes, which means they could've changed the plot of the ending. Kim nam gil DID SAY he hope his fans would understand the situation of the ending they had to cast.
stop hating, they cut the episode by 3, wut u expect ROFL
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178 gigi
August 18, 2010 at 1:17 PM
i have to say that i looooooved this show so effing much except for the ending. Yes i did devote many hours to it and it ends up kicking me in the butt, but heck, it is a DRAMA and i suppose for that fact, i can't really complain that it had a sad ending. First k-drama that i've actually waited for episodes to come out--it will def. pull you in and make you it's bitch lol
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179 cinta
August 18, 2010 at 2:43 PM
Just watched the final episode yesterday and I'm quite surprised to see so many comments have been posted in here. Many of them are very interesting, never thought that there are viewers who had such deep thoughts about a drama. I guess Bad Guy can be regarded as quite successful because it had caused so much excitement after it's ended. As for me, I love this show because it had an impact on me, a strong one,and it's a lot better than a flat ending that leaves me with nothing. It doesn't matter if I ended up being very sad. And KNG's acting in the last episode was so heartfelt and moving that I got carried away.
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180 wakawaka
August 19, 2010 at 2:36 AM
love...love...love.... KNG in this drama
I'm missing those extraordinarily expressive eyes of his so much.
Can't wait till he returns...too bad we'll have to wait for 2 long years.
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181 Seliya
August 19, 2010 at 5:24 AM
1) how did madam shin get out of prision so soon?! after murdering 2 people and attempting to murder 1 more.
2) how is it that the FINALE doesnt show mo ne finding out she shot her own brother.
3) i woulda said this drama was alright if the ending wasnt soo WTF! If i didnt watch the last 2 episodes, and didnt use my brain too much throughout the drama, I woulda thought this drama was decent.
FAILL!!!!
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appropriate ending
August 19, 2010 at 7:28 AM
To Seliya, below are answers to queries:
1. Madam Shin’s released for lack of conclusive evidence of the charge: conspiracy to murder. She was not on trial or sentenced for the murder of GW's parents (the murder crime falls outside the statute of limitations ie. 15 yrs). Also in reality, people who are rich and powerful tend to get away with various crimes.
2. You should read comment @99 Ugh – the ending made perfect sense, here is part of the comment- “Why wouldn’t Monae go on as if nothing happened? Of course she goes on not caring she killed someone, she doesn’t know he’s dead – nor does anyone else. He was talking to her just fine after he was shot. Wouldn’t a sane person call 911 and get some help? Then again, no sane person would go looking for someone they shot either. Jail anyone?”
If u put the loopholes and unresolved questions aside, the story is an artistic piece of work. Gun-wook said, “Everyone is born into this world alone and everyone leaves this world alone.” This fits together with "174 Anonymous writing: The clock continues to tick—the people continue with their daily lives—the Earth continues to rotate on its axis—nothing in this world stops moving just because a person is dead. It’s a sad and cruel fact of life”.
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182 chayenne
August 19, 2010 at 10:19 PM
I guess I'll be the latest one to post a comment in here,since I just finished watching Bad Guy.The show had caused quite a stir,hadn't it?
I have to be honest that I love this drama, despite all the plot holes and flaws here and there. But there is much more to this drama than that,and this is the first time I got so emotionally hooked up even after the drama ended.
All the casts had done wonderful job,but KNG....was just brilliant. It's the first time I saw him, and KNG turns out not just a hot and sexy macho man. He showed a wide range of emotions, so deep and intense. Just adore him for his acting ability.
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183 sadgirl
August 20, 2010 at 9:14 AM
What a sad sad ending. I can't figure out why GW decided that he didn't want to continue on living.
I've downloaded all the OST because I love them a lot, and now just hearing those songs makes me feel awfully sad. Can't get rid of images of KNG's sad eyes and sad smile, and GW's last moments every time I hear them. It's too bad because the OST are just beautiful.
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Why?
August 20, 2010 at 11:27 AM
To sadgirl, why GW decided not to continue?
GW – understandably why he wanted to commit suicide. After all his efforts to revenge Hong family only to find out that he had done evil things to his own family. That was a big blow. His entire life target (up till then) was squeezing his brain and energy to get Hong family down, now it turned out this target was whole meaningless. How could he face his family members now? No, he couldn’t. The father now became handicapped, the younger innocent sister now became ruthless like her mother, the older sister who he tricked with love, the oldest brother (whatever his name was) who died. All were done by him. He must have felt too ashamed to see them. That feeling counter-attacked him and momentary, he couldn’t get over it, that’s why he wanted to run out of it by paying by his own life. The love from JI could save him for a short while, but that love was not strong enough to keep him alive in long run. When MN shot, his guilty feeling came back and he dropped off everything. Of course he could have saved himself from that shot, but the most important thing was he didn’t want to live anymore, and the last thing he could do to his family was to save MN from trouble.
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Why?
August 20, 2010 at 12:07 PM
Worst of all is that he wasn't even a bad guy, he was always this kind, vulnerable soul who stayed a victim till the end. He was tortured his whole life, he lost 2 families & his beloved noona Sun-young, and in the end had to die lonely was very heartbreaking... Yes listening the OST is a killer.
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184 dramfun99
August 20, 2010 at 5:59 PM
@ Sadgirl, I do understand your concern
@ Why? Just want to share my thoughts about GW's death.
I think death itself is somewhat provocative and daunting for most of us. The one certain thing that inevitably will happen to us one way or another, and yet most of us are not willing to embrace that fact. We'd rather not talk about it, at least not just yet. And with suicide, it becomes more provocative. When somebody takes his/her own life, we don't seem to be able comprehend. We ask tons of questions about the things that were going on in their mind which may lead them to the fatal decision. And no answer seems good enough. Whatever reasons presented to us just never enough to justify their deeds, because for us life is far too precious to be thrown away.Most of us will talk to ourselves that we would never do stupid thing like that whatever difficulties life will throw at us. But human mind works so delicately and intricately that often times it is indeed difficult to understand.
As for GW, I agree with "Why?" that he is always been the kind, gentle, vulnerable soul that had been tortured all of his life. Perhaps the one thing that had kept him going on all this time was his desire to revenge. I believe that even if he's not the real HTS, he would end up taking his own life after he had done with the revenge. He in fact had said things about taking his punishment and that he will be destroyed in the end.
And he probably had looked into this world in a deeper way than others. Just remember how he was so touched by the painting about masai tribe in that cafe, or how he was taken by the idea of the glass mask, and also his poem can tell about how he sees his world.
To me he is one extremely delicate,fragile soul,so beautiful that it just doesn't fit into this rough unfair world.
If you're familiar with the song Vincent (starry starry night) by DonMcLean (I think Julio Iglesias and Josh Groban also sang this song), I think GW's character would fit properly to this song (actually it's about vincent van gogh) :
" And when no hope was left inside
On that starry starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you vincent
This world was never meant for one
as beautiful as you "
I probably have said too much already. Just amazing to read the wonderful insights and comments posted in here and to have this kind of talk as if it's not just about a Kdrama.
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Why?
August 21, 2010 at 8:43 PM
Dear Dramfun99,
Thanks so much for introducing the song Vincent (starry starry night) to me. I’ve done further search into the song lyrics and loved it a lot. It’s very touching and meaningful and I agree it does fit properly to GW’s character. Yes, GW is one extremely delicate, fragile and lonely soul. We learnt in ep15 that the innocent young GW stayed at Hong’s place for one whole year and during that time the Hong family did gave him some love. However when the Hong family realized that his not their TS, they just threw him out like a piece of garbage. I believe that GW must had felt abandoned, dejected and betrayed by love ones. And when the fragile soul GW comes back (whom is suffering from identity crisis Chae TS, Hong TS, Shim GW), he was seeking for justice , for the truth and perhaps wanting some acceptance more than just revenge. GW was harassing and attacking their pride and lack of affection, more than pushing things to the extreme like death. However, due to poor GW cruel and tragic fate, in the end he couldn’t find happiness. Dramfun99, I enjoyed this kind of talk as if it’s not just about a Kdrama too. Also, thanks for mentioning about the Maasai tribe, I missed GW’s insight into this one.
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185 ross
August 21, 2010 at 8:28 AM
hmm i started watching this drama in the middle of its run to check out jung so min because of being casted in playful kiss but later on watched bg coz i got hooked. i started to loss interest in epi 16 & till now have not watched the last final epis. i am not sure if i will bother watching it if ever.
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186 Jenn
August 21, 2010 at 12:55 PM
Has anybody noticed that throughout the drama Gun Wook wears a silver ring on his ring finger (left hand) and at the end of the drama when they found the dead person there was no ring? CONSPIRACYYYY lol
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187 FATOO
August 21, 2010 at 6:13 PM
i must say that we didnt expect this drama, but still it ended so well ... he was the bad guy and he got what he deserved at the end ... so i dont have any regrets watching it ....
i loved KNG in his role ... and will miss him so much
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188 star
August 22, 2010 at 3:56 AM
@185 ross
I just wanted to say that you are going to miss out some big thing in your life for watching until episode 16.
I myself was afraid to watch the sub at first since I already watch the raw live.
The reason for gaining up my courage to watch is because I want to pieces up this beautiful art pieces together and left them in my deepest memories.
I seek for completion despite that one last pieces of puzzle pieces is so hurtful.
After I wached the sub, I actually understand the whole thing and what going on and the most importantly, the hidden beauty meaning inside.
You will actually feel complete.
Although there are consequences of feeling bad and hurt and sad and miserable. I think they are all worth it.
Some people just cannot accept that bitter feeling and rejected them and called this drama a bad one.
I can't help it.
I really wish you as well as others to watch the last episode as I love this ending and also, reading this baised recaps doesn't help you at all.
So, please people, dun be scared by this baised recaps and bad comments.
Go! Be brave and go experience and feel this ending yourself and not judged by what other people are judging.
-Star
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189 FSOL
August 22, 2010 at 9:44 PM
It's rare for a Korean drama to have both eye-candy and good acting to boot, and that was precisely why I persisted with watching Bad Guy. Specifically KNG and OYS, and to a lesser extent KJW. Loved the underlying sexual tension between GW and TR. In the lift scene, it almost seemed as if they were going to do a Mickey/Kim (9 1/2 weeks) or a Michael/Glenn (Fatal Attraction)....
KNG is perfectly cast here as the babe-magnet, and manages to convey the myriad facets of his multi-layered tortured personality with aplomb.
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190 Angelique
August 23, 2010 at 2:12 AM
@ 183.1 WHY ?
@ 184 dramfun99
I thought GW was a tough, smart, intelligent and resourceful person. I know he's been hurt, but he managed to go through the roughest thing in his life and came out all right. He has a strong personality compared to HTS who had almost everything in his life,only lacked of a mother's love and turned out to be a loser.That's why I also don't understand why he chose to end his life like that. He shouldn't be so devastated after finding out that he is the real HTS...after all..he was the one who has been hurt and abandoned by his own family.
But then I read your comments. Perhaps he was not as tough as he appeared to be. Perhaps deep inside he was truly a kind, sensitive and caring person.
Before,I was angry at the show for its ending because I thought suicide is an act of cowardice, people who did it are just too afraid and narrow minded and want the easiest way out of a problem in their life.
Well,perhaps that's not always the case.
And now instead of being angry I become so sad, very sad.
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191 fish name sepat
August 23, 2010 at 11:34 PM
Mr Director and Mr/Ms Scriptwriter,
I’m not Korean but I love Korean drama… so far, I’ve watched many other Korean drama/movie that have character dying/die.. But so far all are ok, with reasonable reason and situation. But this one???? We are so frustrating, so tired, so devastated. This is the worst…
How could you be so cruel killing our bad guy like that while he is even not that bad at all. He was being love by the entire fan and the character in the drama itself. After giving us a very good and addicted storyline at the beginning of the drama, you killed our enthusiasm and spirit with the ending! It’s ok he die at the end.. But please……….. Please make him die with dignity. Why so cruel killing our bad guy like some kind of dirt when everybody not even now he is suffering. Even his body is not recognized??? This is the cruelest ending you know… why he have to die that way.. why not while trying to endure the pain (at hospital etc) his family come and apologizing so at least he know everybody love him at the end and at least everybody know he is dying.
I don’t know how to describe the drama…. It is good? Is it bad?? How would I describe it? I like it but I hate it? Until episode 16, I still consider it one of the best dramas I’ve ever watched… But after the final episode… I don’t know. From all the comments, some of the fan didn’t even want to watch it after the final review. How sad… this is because of the poor ending. See… it cannot be help. I want people to watch this drama but at the same time feeling guilty because they will get frustrated just like me… so frustrated you know. This drama has kept me in bad mood for days… why SGW had to die like that. Total insane!!
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my view
August 24, 2010 at 7:11 AM
So sorry to interrupt, but this is my view, if SGW dies in the hospital or even at his house then Monet will find out that she’d actually killed her step-brother. Monet sure has turned bad but not insane/loopy, thus she might feel guilty for the rest of her life. This is not what SGW wanted, the last thing he wanted to do for his family was to protect his sister from trouble whom he’d destroyed her innocence. SGW was shattered and felt too shameful and guilty to carry on, thus if he wanted to end his life, there’s no other way around it. He must die alone without anybody knowing. That’s why this thoughtful, caring and calculative man had to make all the effort to run to the river to decompose of his body so no one can recognize it.
“Where did Gun-wook, who charmed everyone but ended up destroying himself, head toward -- heaven or hell?” --- it’s peace in heaven!!!
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fish name sepat
August 24, 2010 at 8:07 PM
To 191.1 my view
Emm… I like your theory, it make sense… I was too emotional to think like that. Actually I think the drama was so infectiousness to our emotion after all, right? So it is a success?… after a week, I think the bad mood will change to love again and I will think as you do. KNG and the casts of bad guy, it is the best. Sob… sob… (still trying to soothe the feeling). Thank you dear ‘my view’.
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Angelique
August 24, 2010 at 8:20 AM
Dear 191 fish name sepat
The ending of this drama has been bugging me for days too. This is the first time ever,a drama has taken my mind more that it should have. I've tried to understand, been reading all the comments here and other places. But still, I don't quite have all the answer yet. Or perhaps it should be left just like that. I kinda wonder what was the intention of the PD and writers to have the ending like that, because I do believe that it meant to be made like that,and not because the drama had to be shortened due to KNG leaving for MS.Everything that was in the final episode had been carefully showed one by one since the first episode, like the crane,the poem,the glass mask and the dirty dancing DVD. However, reading some of the comments here,which were beautifully written and very meaningful, have been such a comfort for me.I hope you'll find it that way too.
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fish name sepat
August 24, 2010 at 8:10 PM
To 191.2 Angelique,
My dear, we shared the same feelings right, I think many more are like us out there, moody and angry for the first 2 3 days… writing is one way for me to overcome my emotion. Yeah I agreed with you too, it doesn’t matter whether it 17 or 20 episodes. It was mean to end like that. Like you, I also read other comments from varies forums and yes it soothes me a little bit. In addition I also watch behind the scene video… It helps you know. Then I read KNG story at military camp. In fact he is a good actor and good in person also. Very humble, talented, funny and also a good singer.
Opss OK back to bad guy, yes I have to admit.. This drama is very good (until the final episode, because it ruin out emotion hehehe..), and the song is also a killer. Everybody, please just forget the sad ending and only remember the good days of our bad guy. For whom are not yet watched this drama, please watch and you will know why we all acting like this. Emm… now I feel a bit cheerful from yesterday. Thank you my dear Angelique.
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192 rob!
August 28, 2010 at 3:08 AM
-female villain goes crazy and then goes to prison - STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
-scene in snow on a bridge with hot guys - IRIS
-scene with shocked girl when she sees that her man went crazy - I'M SORRY I LOVE YOU
-character who shots other character out of jealousy - WHAT HAPPENED IN BALI
-poor family sends little son to a rich family because he will have a better life - ILJIMAE,SPRING WALTZ
i could go on like this for another 10 minutes.
I think that this series is good only for those who are not familiar with kdramas. But for those with experience, this is a big cliched kdrama.
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193 dramagassi
August 28, 2010 at 10:23 AM
KNG's acting is just awesome. He makes up for all the sub-par (un)talented pretty faces who calls themselves actors in the Korean entertainment industry.
Can't wait for his return!
Check out my review on Bad Boy @
http://www.koreandramas.org/review/the-highlight-of-%e2%80%9cbad-boy%e2%80%9d/
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194 sunflower
August 29, 2010 at 7:11 AM
"Kim Jae-wook, his character was much better written, and therefore his performance had greater impact for me than hers did, because I felt for Tae-sung. That was a trait missing from everyone else, which may explain why there was so much praise directed his way" ---> Oh really, have u counted the votes judge???
"HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE. WHAT IN THE HELL. WHY DID I WATCH YOU" ---> I've watched 2 biased & lost recappers.
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195 Sasha
August 29, 2010 at 5:20 PM
The biggest impact that this drama had on me is that I got to know KNG, amazed by his wonderful acting,his intense eyes and facial expressions, and also his charisma. I think this is the first time I got a crush on a K-drama actor. Can't wait until he returns with a new drama. Love you KNG.
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196 KdrLover
August 30, 2010 at 10:29 PM
I love this drama a lot despite the sad ending.
Adore KNG for his sexy charm and mostly for his brilliant acting.
Bogoshipda KNG !!!
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197 nom_kitteh
August 31, 2010 at 2:52 AM
Wow -- so, basically, Kim Nam Gil was called to duty, along with the ENTIRE WRITING STAFF???
I understand the madness of losing your star actor halfway through a story, but this--this--this was pure and utter garbage of an ending. It's like the entire writing team just...lost their minds. The last four episodes made. no. sense. The last episode even less.
They could have ended it easily by having the mother lose her mind (no need for prison), having the family ask for SGW's forgiveness, somehow. And then, fine, have SGW die -- since Korean melos love their leads dead -- but not in this utterly stupid way.
wut is dis i dont even.
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198 Married2ahero
August 31, 2010 at 11:01 PM
i'll take the ending as a muddled social commentary and leave it at that. i enjoyed this drama
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199 Gaia
September 2, 2010 at 4:15 PM
Just why did GW have to end his own life like that? He should have got angrier instead of feeling so devastatingly guilty. He didn't do anything that was against the law anyway...and he was the one who had suffered all this time. I just don't understand. And even if he felt guilty, he knew that his father loved and forgave him, also Tae ra.Probably the one that had not forgiven him was mo ne,but at that time she didn't know the fact yet. So sad why someone as smart and strong as GW ended up like that.
I do love KNG's acting though, but it makes me even sadder.
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200 Nigar
September 3, 2010 at 11:17 AM
please answer my question
why kimnamgil always must die at the end
i can't understand it is written in his face? hmmmmmmmmmm
still i can't accept the death of Bidam
and now Gun-wook
this scenario writers don't like him
or hates him cause they always want his death
so unmeaning ending
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