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City Hunter: Episode 20 (Final)

Am I dead? I think I might be dead. City Hunter may have gone killed me dead.

This finale hits all the right notes for me, wrapping up the plot and giving us some emotional payoffs along with the narrative resolutions, and doing it with suspense, tension (my blood pressure is still spiked, I swear), and satisfaction. The ending leaves me feeling wistful and bittersweet at the cost it took to get to this point of resolution, but the series signs off with enough openness that I can imagine my own continuation of the story from here.

Or, you know, they could give us a Season 2.* JUST SAYIN’.

*Seriously! We have such ideas for another season! Really good ones. Auuuuugh, Season 2 aja!

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Let me just take a moment to talk about Young-ju’s death, which I freaking love and yet totally am shattered about. He was the one person — aside from Yoon-sung — whose death would have really meant something to me, which would’ve knifed me in the gut and then twisted the blade, and I’m totally in awe that the drama went there. Even if I’m also feeling a little raw and upset about it.

Just when we thought they weren’t going to actually get dark and serious and kill anybody to add that bit of gravitas you can’t fake with near-misses, the drama went and knocked one off that really, really counts. Nana and Shik-joong had their moments, and if they’d been killed at this stage, I would have been dissatisfied — it would’ve been too late to have impact, and lost its shock factor, and I would have argued that both characters would have been more effectively killed earlier.

I may be one of a minority who loved the Young-ju character the whole way through — so determined, so passionate, so upright and fair — but even more than that, his death has such resonance because it makes a difference on an ideological level. As was pointed out in the previous recap, these two men were capable of doing what the other couldn’t, and therefore they both needed each other to mete justice. Now with Young-ju gone, he practically mandates that Yoon-sung do the right thing, without distractions or wavering or letting personal feelings interfere with the truth. It sets us up for a pretty dramatic conclusion in this episode, for sure.

They way he dies is so thematically perfect, and consistent with character. Of course Young-ju would choose to face the bad guy over his own safety; he always has the greater good in his sights, even if he’s sacrificing his own health to ensure it would be protected. When he took out his phone to ward Yoon-sung away from him, gaaaaahhh that just about killed me.

So I was already half-dead when starting this episode, which killed me all over again.

FINAL EPISODE RECAP

Beaten to a bloody pulp by Chun Jae-man’s minions, Young-ju dies, hand clasped in Yoon-sung’s.

And then…Kim Jong-shik wakes up in his hospital bed. Oof. What timing.

You know what? Now I’m glad Kim Yong-shik is alive, because waking up to find that his cohort-in-crime killed his son? It’s the perfect way to make him regret his actions for the rest of his life, in a way that his suicide attempt would never have achieved.

(I’m sorry for doubting you, City Hunter. I should have had more faith. *sobs*)

Yoon-sung takes Young-ju’s phone, and sees the text message supposedly sent from the City Hunter that directed him to the junkyard.

He asks Jin-pyo why he did it, and Jin-pyo replies that all he was doing was sending the prosecutor to find the truth. Yeah, if you put the truth in the middle of a lion’s den and strapped a bloody steak to his chest.

Yoon-sung says that Jin-pyo essentially killed the innocent prosecutor, to which Jin-pyo says that his comrades were innocent men who died, too: “Now Chun Jae-man will die at my hands.”

Chun arrives at the port for his getaway, only to be stopped by Jin-pyo, who takes out the two minions swiftly with his cane. He doesn’t even break his stride, much less a sweat.

Chun stutters, “What do you want?” Jin-pyo: “Your life.”

Chun makes feeble excuses for the 1983 massacre, saying he had no choice. Jin-pyo turns that right back on him, saying there’s no choice now, either: He’s gotta die.

Chun dashes for the boat, scrambling away from the slowly advancing Jin-pyo, who at one point is beautifully framed by the Korean flag behind him and the ship’s light casting him in shadow — now there’s an avenging angel of death if ever there was one.

As Chun kneels and begs for mercy, the camera shifts focus to their two shadows. We hear Jin-pyo drawing his sword-cane, then striking.

Yoon-sung arrives at the dock and makes his way to the boat, finally finding the bodies of the minions unconscious, and Chun Jae-man lying in a pool of blood. He shouts in frustration.

Yoon-sung flips through the secret book, reading about Operation Clean Sweep’s origins and the five men who orchestrated the affair: now-dead Senator Lee Kyung-wan, former presidential candidate Seo Yong-hak, recently comatose Kim Jong-shik, freshly killed Chun Jae-man…and President Choi Eung-chan.

The last name is the surprise, and Yoon-sung understands now: “This is what it all comes down to?”

In the morning, he goes to his father to tell him he’s responsible for Young-ju’s blood as well as Chun’s. Jin-pyo says calmly that Chun was the one who killed Young-ju, but Yoon-sung counters, “You’re no different from Chun Jae-man. He didn’t kill those special agents himself, either. He merely borrowed the hands of others.”

That pushes a button, and Jin-pyo whips his blade around to point at Yoon-sung’s throat: “You dare put me in the same category as Chun Jae-man?!”

Surprising Jin-pyo with his knowledge of the full truth, Yoon-sung asks if the final step in Jin-pyo’s cruel revenge was to have President Choi Eung-chan die at his son’s hands: “You’ve had quite a lot of fun these past 28 years, stealing me from my mother, making me believe a different man was my biological father, and telling me to take revenge against my real biological father. That revenge — I don’t think I’ll be able to do it.”

Jin-pyo asks if it’s because of their blood tie, but Yoon-sung says no, and that he’s seen up close what a good president Choi is. Jin-pyo counters that he didn’t get to his current position with clean hands, and says, like the sadistic bastard that he is, “I look forward to seeing your expression when you find out what he’s really like.” Yoon-sung says, “Don’t look forward to seeing my expression, period. Things won’t happen the way you want.”

Seo Yong-hak — ironically, he’s the safest of the targets in prison — sees the impending shitstorm and tries to pre-emptively strike to protect himself. Calling the press, he announces that the fifth City Hunter target will be the president, and that the five targets had been involved in Operation Clean Sweep together — but that the first four were “scapegoats of revenge.” The actual leader, he declares, was the president.

This forces the president to also speak to the media, and he calls an emergency press conference. He plays the “I know nothing about this” angle, though — and why do I feel like you’re reliving your childhood regret of refusing to cop up to the stolen lunch? The harder you insist now, the more disgraceful this is going to be later…

The president ends the press conference having stated nothing of relevance, but is stopped by one last question: Was he aware that the Seoul district prosecutor who was in search of the confidential records has died? Judging from his reaction, this is a surprise.

When Sang-gook hears the latest news, things finally click into place for him. He’d wondered all this time why Jin-pyo was wasting his time talking up senators and high-ranking officials when he had the book in his possession, but now he guesses that Jin-pyo was purposely bribing the people around the president, to feed the corruption before taking him down for it.

Sang-gook pleads for Jin-pyo to end this now, to restore honor to the dead and stop there. Jin-pyo ignores him, as usual.

The mood is heartbreaking at Young-ju’s funeral. Sae-hee collapses in tears, his father weeps quietly, and his co-workers mourn his loss. Surprisingly, more than the tears or apologies, I’m moved by his boss’s reaction; he says in a shell-shocked voice, “Dead or alive, you’re one of my boys. What you couldn’t finish, I’ll do it for you. I’ll catch all the bastards who did this to you and feed them prison rice, and that society of justice that you so wanted to see realized… As long as I’m wearing my prosecutor’s robes, I’ll do everything to preserve it.”

Oh, that breaks my heart. Why does this make me cry even more than his actual death? It must be that painful understanding that Young-ju’s death carries narrative purpose, and that makes it particularly poignant to see that people are spurred by it. When you live a life so passionately and unwaveringly, your conviction moves people, even if it’s belatedly in death.

The president arrives and pays his respects, and a few moments later Yoon-sung steps through the doors. Young-ju’s assistant Pil-jae gets in his face belligerently, asking why he’s here: “This happened to our prosecutor because he was chasing you. The City Hunter! That’s you!”

He calls Yoon-sung a murderer and screams his vow to catch him.

(Aggggggh, this is such a perfect setup for Season 2, it’s kills me. No really, there are little bits of my sanity dying right now, so aggrieved are they that such a fantastic setup won’t get to see fruition — ’cause this means we have the dumber, slower, but now incredibly impassioned second prosecutor taking the place of the first, but operating under an incomplete understanding of the truth, vowing with all the best of intentions to capture the City Hunter…)

Without confirming or denying the City Hunter accusations, Yoon-sung tells the president quietly, “I came because of the loss of a worthy prosecutor, but I’ll go.”

Sang-gook joins Team City Hunter to share what he’s found regarding the connection between the president and Chun Jae-man. There are signs of deals and favors being made between them, such as the large amount of Haewon Group money that funded Choi’s presidential campaign.

President Choi mulls over the accusation of Yoon-sung being the City Hunter. Not happy news for him. He looks over immigrations records that place Yoon-sung’s entrance into the country just months ago, and puts together the facts that have been there all along, such as Yoon-sung’s proximity when the City Hunter routed his incriminating videos through the Blue House’s network.

Those suspicions are confirmed when prosecutor Pil-jae drops by to fill him in on the City Hunter investigation. He explains that Young-ju had been chasing Jin-pyo and Yoon-sung, the former of whom is linked to the 1983 incident. Yoon-sung, on the other hand, was born to former Secret Service agent Park Mu-yeol…and Lee Kyung-hee.

This comes as news to the president, who clenches his hand as he registers the implication.

Nana warns Yoon-sung that the president may have caught on to his identity, and has requested his personnel file. Yoon-sung is called in to his office, and for a moment both father and son look at each other, both knowing the truth but pretending not to.

President Choi asks if he’d seen the press conference. Yoon-sung asks the loaded question about whether his statements (denying knowledge of Operation Clean Sweep) were true — will he cop to the truth, or deny it? He waits tensely for the answer.

Choi says, “It’s true.”

Aw, that’s disappointing. Choi explains that being president requires him to make decisions, too many in number for one person to handle alone, so he’s chosen to concentrate on two causes: the health and education of the people, which he will do his utmost to protect. It’s why he was against Chun’s bill to privatize health care, and against Kim’s methods of denying university students tuition. In a few days’ time, an amendment regarding these social issues will be up for a vote, and he’s determined to pass it.

Yoon-sung asks if he’d still stand by those causes even if the methods he uses are unjust.

Nana hears the truth of Yoon-sung’s paternity from Kyung-hee and asks Yoon-sung about it. She understands the dilemma he faces of going up against his father, and doesn’t want him to continue.

He tells her that Targets 1 through 4 all had corrupt skeletons in their closet: “If they hadn’t, I would have forgiven them.” When Nana asks if he’ll act against the president, too, he hesitates a moment before replying, “If he’s corrupt.”

Nana tries to argue that he doesn’t have to be the one to punish the president, but Yoon-sung cuts her off to say that that’s the dilemma faced by Young-ju, who didn’t act and covered up his father’s misdeed: “But was that really to his father’s benefit?”

In strategizing their next move, Team City Hunter focus their attention on Senator Lee Young-taek, who is under investigation for taking bribes regarding Chun’s privatized medical care bill. He’s a necessary figure in passing the president’s amendment.

True to expectation, the president meets with Lee Young-taek in a restaurant, asking for privacy. Lee asks what he’ll get in return for backing the bill, and President Choi offers to get the police to back off their investigation. Oh no, you just gave the City Hunter reason to go after you…

Choi isn’t happy with the deal — he clenches his fist tellingly — but sees it as a necessary evil. Lee accepts the deal and leaves, at which point Choi’s expression darkens.

And then, the sliding door to the adjoining room opens, and there stands Yoon-sung: “I had no idea you were so skilled in striking deals, Mr. President.”

Choi stands by his choice, though: He doesn’t regret the compromise made because it will enable countless students’ educations. People want this amendment to pass because tuitions are too high, but the people with power are the politicians and rich fat cats. He says that in politics you have causes that require you to make deals, and there’s no other way to effect change.

Yoon-sung asks the Jean Valjean question of whether it’s okay for orphans to steal in order to eat. I’m guessing he didn’t see Les Mis, because the whole tenor of that story runs counter to his point. But he argues that you can’t sacrifice things along the way when brokering your backdoor deals, and use them to cover up corruption.

He informs the president that he has the confidential book: “That decision you don’t regret — I’ll make you regret it.” Phew. Badass son.

Nana has been keeping watch with the bodyguards outside, but picks up on a strange noise and heads off in search of the potential trouble. She bursts into the president’s dining room moments after Yoon-sung’s departure, but the whole point of the distraction was to allow Yoon-sung this confrontation without Nana in the mix.

Posing as a reporter, Yoon-sung tracks down a man involved in President Choi’s presidential campaign and asks about the funding source. The man has his own suspicions, but suggests that Choi kept record of it somewhere, since he’s scrupulous about keeping ledgers.

The man then warns the president that a man had sought him out asking for information, and Choi guesses that Yoon-sung will seek him out soon.

Yoon-sung goes to the presidential quarters and cites tutoring for Da-hae as his reason for gaining entrée, but hides himself in a separate room. He goes through the study looking for that ledger, but finds nothing.

President Choi senses Yoon-sung is around and retrieves the ledger from its hiding place inside his pillow, and finds Yoon-sung mid-search. Holding out the book, he asks if this is what he came for, and wonders at Yoon-sung’s motivation for doing this.

Yoon-sung: “Because of faith. The faith that citizens have that the politicians they elect will act in good conscience. The faith that soldiers who enlist to protect their country have that their country will protect them. The faith that universities will turn out talented people, for the sake of our next generation. The faith that businesses will both suffer with and grow alongside their workers. And the faith of twenty-one men who were promised by their country to be met off the shores of Nampo. Protecting that faith is my cause.”

Goddamn that is a good speech. Young-ju is deeply principled in his belief in the law and the quest for justice, but despite their differences, Yoon-sung is just as principled in his own cause, even if that requires him to break some laws.

The president says, “In the past 28 years, I never for one day forgot Operation Clean Sweep. I understand well how much pain Jin-pyo felt.” Uh, unless you were shot in the chest by the bullet that pierced your best friend’s heart, I’m gonna say you don’t. But okay, we’re being figurative here.

President Choi gives Yoon-sung the book, calling this the record of the illegal funds “I had no choice but to receive.” Dude, I get that you’re a decent guy with a moral compass that’s relatively normal — not like the skewed megalomania of your Council-mates — but your tendency to frame everything as though you’re a victim of your own choices is starting to piss me off.

But at least he’s a man who understands that his actions will have consequences: He tells Yoon-sung that he’ll be grateful if he’s the one to handle this. Yoon-sung takes the book and heads out silently, stopped when President Choi calls out, “Yoon-sung-ah. The father who made you live this way is sorry.”

Ack! Yoon-sung is stunned at this admission, but not swayed from his own cause. He walks out quietly, determinedly, with tears in his eyes.

Nana asks if he means to continue to the end, saying that the longer this goes on, the person most hurt is himself. Yoon-sung says he must, as there’s nobody else to do it.

He’s disheartened as he swoops into action, but doesn’t stray from his path; he sends copies of the confidential 1983 file to media outlets, as well as the ledger pages detailing the illegal campaign contributions.

Voting begins on the amendment, just as the packages arrive at the papers. The amendment passes, to the president’s relief, but that elation is cut short by the breaking of the news of his two scandals. Calls are made for impeachment.

Choi tells an aide ruefully, “It’s okay. I feel a weight has been lifted. This is how it should have been from the start.”

The next delivery to the front of the prosecutor’s office is a six-parter, with the bribed senators roped together and delivered with photographic evidence of their misdeeds.

After monitoring the news, Yoon-sung gets up to prepare for the inevitable confrontation: “Father will be coming.”

Meanwhile, Jin-pyo readies his handgun and puts on the remaining dog tags.

Nana is entered into the system as being off-duty tomorrow, to her surprise. Aw, Yoon-sung, trying to take her out of harm’s way — and consequently putting her right in the thick of it, because what are the odds Nana is going to sit this out knowing that he’s planning to move? Thinking of the possible conflict, Nana contemplates her own gun.

Yoon-sung prepares his gun, too, and can I say that I do not care for this elegiac background score? I care for it NOT AT ALL. It’s making me crazy nervous. Also, there are too many guns for this to end well, I’m thinking… Damn you Chekhov and your gun rules!

Jin-pyo calls President Choi to give him the warning: He’s due for his judgment, and not from the people but from Jin-pyo. Choi is resigned to his future, and tells the lead bodyguard that he’ll be expecting an important guest, who should be led to him politely without being frisked. He asks for time alone and gets it, while Nana peers into the room to check — she didn’t take her day off after all.

Jin-pyo arrives and is told the president is waiting for him, and is led inside. Yet when he steps inside the hall, it’s Yoon-sung who meets him instead.

Jin-pyo will not be thwarted from his final target and tells Yoon-sung there’s nothing for him to do anymore: “You can’t stop a revenge 28 years in the making.”

Yoon-sung counters that he’ll take care of this, leading to a standoff as they stare each other down…and then both grab for their guns. Ohhh, fuck.

Jin-pyo and Yoon-sung pull their guns out at the same time and level them at each other. Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck. This is just like that damned dream, only a hundred times worse ’cause it’s REAL.

Yoon-sung: “The cruel revenge that requires me to shoot my biological father — do you think I could carry that out and live well? Having to point a gun at the woman I love — do you think I could do that without a care? Having to fight the father who lost his leg for me — how do you think I’d feel? I wanted you to think just once of me, and stop. I…just want to live an ordinary life…happily with you. But…that was all a dream.”

And then he points the gun at his own head.

WHAT THE—?!?!

And for one moment, finally, Jin-pyo looks surprised. Yoon-sung vows: “If this is my fate, then I will end it by my own hand.”

NOOOOOOO!

Yoon-sung’s finger tightens on the trigger…hand shaking…Jin-pyo looking on in shock…

A voice shouts, “No!” It’s the president, standing with Nana, who points the gun at Jin-pyo.

Nana tells Jin-pyo to stop, and then pleads with Yoon-sung to lower his gun.

President Choi tells Jin-pyo he’s been waiting for him. Jin-pyo returns, “I’ve come for that life I promised to take.”

President Choi tells Nana he’s sorry, then shoves her out of his way. He closes his eyes, having accepted his fate, and awaits Jin-pyo’s bullet.

Jin-pyo turns his gun from Yoon-sung to President Choi — and there Yoon-sung is, with the choice to let one of his fathers die. He can let Jin-pyo shoot Choi, or shoot Jin-pyo first.

But no, he’s got to be a goddamned hero, because he jumps in front of Choi instead — and takes the bullet through the heart.

Nana recovers her bearings, turns to see Yoon-sung shot, and shoots Jin-pyo.

HOLY SHIT. They’re going all Hamlet on us. Blood, blood, everywhere. It happens so quickly that it’s almost over before anyone’s fully taken in what’s happened.

The bodyguards rush in and escort a thunderstruck President Choi away, while Yoon-sung collapses to the ground, wheezing in pain. Nana rushes to his side.

Jin-pyo is bloody and badly injured but still able to hold his gun up. Ordering the bodyguards surrounding them to stay still, he points his gun at Yoon-sung on the ground.

With effort, Jin-pyo addresses the room (not unlike Young-ju in his dying moments as he declares himself):

Jin-pyo: “I am the sole survivor of 1983’s Operation Clean Sweep, Lee Jin-pyo. To avenge my comrades who were betrayed by our country, I killed Lee Kyung-wan and Chun Jae-man with my own hands, dropped Kim Jong-shik from the overpass, and sent Seo Yong-hak to the prosecutors. Now I will kill the last, President Choi Eung-chan. I am the City Hunter.”

Oh god, he’s taking the fall for his son. He’s exchanging their lives, and now he drops the clip out of his gun. He whirls to face the bodyguards with an impotent gun, and they fire away reflexively.

Jin-pyo is hit with several bullets and collapses slowly, with Yoon-sung watching in horror, too injured to do anything but lie there in pain.

Yoon-sung reaches out his arm toward his fallen father, and with difficulty, father and son inch their fingers toward each other until they can clasp their hands together, both lying amid their own blood.

Oh god oh god. This is just like Yoon-sung’s nightmare, except waaay worse. At least his Nana fears were realized happily when they reached toward each other with his blood infusing hers, but this time it’s a literal death-dream come true.

Heartbreakingly, Jin-pyo looks at Yoon-sung with a faint smile.

And then, we rejoin our characters an unspecified time later.

Da-hae works in a small cafe — perhaps one she runs, or at least manages. Nana visits her, her usual upbeat attitude in place although her father has recently passed away.

Ki-joon and Eun-ah are finally an official couple, and come bearing wedding invitations. Eun-ah complains that the Blue House is a lot less interesting now that Nana has quit and Yoon-sung is “gone” (deliberately vague to keep us on the edge of our seats).

At Yoon-sung’s apartment, a wreath of flowers has been sent by now-former President Choi Eung-chan, wishing someone a healthy and happy recovery. They’re for Mom, telling her that he’s thankful and sorry, and that he wishes her happiness. Kyung-hee and Shik-joong have packed their bags and are ready to embark on new lives in the U.S.

Nana walks through the airport with her own packed suitcase in tow. Spotting a familiar silhouette in the distance, she hurries toward it — but to her disappointment, she doesn’t see him.

But the camera whirls around, revealing Yoon-sung standing behind her, alive and well after all. Not that we doubted. But still! Phew, relief. You can start breathing again.

She turns around and sees him…she smiles…and he smiles.

At the military cemetery, a large memorial has been erected to honor the memories of the 21 valiant soldiers who died for their country, the first two names being Lee Jin-pyo and Park Mu-yeol.

And later, Yoon-sung drives along in the night.

 
JAVABEANS’ COMMENTS

What a satisfying way to wrap up this story arc, yet leave the story open-ended enough that we can imagine Yoon-sung continuing on to become the City Hunter for hire that characterized the original manga story. Even if we never get more of this City Hunter, the setup works in creating an origin story with its own, complete wrap-up that still points to more in Yoon-sung’s life in the road ahead, whether or not we get to see it unfold onscreen. (Although, we really should see it unfold onscreen. Really.)

I think the idea of Jin-pyo’s death was pretty much a possibility from Day 1, so it’s not a surprise. But what it did was achieve a lovely sense of closure for this story, and while I think Jin-pyo wouldn’t have given up his quest for the fifth target on his own — I don’t really think he got to acceptance or forgiveness — if pushed to choose between that and saving Yoon-sung, he had no qualms in making his choice. *Tear*

The cruel irony of the sacrifice is that Yoon-sung now knows that Dad did love him after all, but it needed Dad’s sacrifice to prove it. And Jin-pyo gives not only his life to Yoon-sung but takes the blame, so that Yoon-sung could in fact have a happy life after all this darkness and revenge. That’s been the big question all series long, hasn’t it? Not whether City Hunter would survive, but how he would be able to live as a normal person as he so desperately wanted. And until ten minutes before the end, there didn’t seem to be much hope of that for him. It’s a pretty damn satisfying resolution, in my book.

As I said in the podcast, this drama isn’t perfect, and it has plenty of flaws along the way. But it had a special magic about the way it stirred my emotions, got me invested in these characters, kept me on the edge of my seat, and surprised me at multiple turns. It’s beautiful to look at, scored with music that fit every mood, and boasts a gorgeous melancholy ambiance; it would have made me a fan even before we got to the tight plot. (It wasn’t airtight, but it was well-thought-out and developed well.) But then you add in heaps of thematic and emotional resonance to the mix, and you’ve basically owned me for the past two months.

 
GIRLFRIDAY’S COMMENTS

Not a perfect finale or a perfect show by any means, but damn was it gripping all the way till the end. I love that the final episode’s central conflict was the showdown between Jin-pyo and Yoon-sung. To me that was always the heart of the show — the father-son relationship that was so fraught with pain and misplaced love. It was the central love story to me, above Yoon-sung’s relationship with Nana.

One thing I absolutely love about this show’s treatment of the paternal conflict is that Jin-pyo IS the real dad, in the only way that matters. The fact that the president is the biological father does not somehow transfer nineteen episodes of daddy-angst onto someone new because of blood. Yoon-sung remains, from beginning to end, Jin-pyo’s son. Not by blood, obligation, or anything else but unconditional love. And Jin-pyo’s sacrifice in the end proves that Yoon-sung’s love for Dad wasn’t unrequited. Finally, a story that acknowledges that blood is NOT the end all be all! Welcome to kdramaland!

Jin-pyo was the most tragic character in this drama, and I knew from the start he would never survive. (A character that extreme can only end in epic death; it’s like a law of the universe.) But no matter how totally screwed up his worldview was, his all-too-late realization that Yoon-sung was the only thing that mattered, and his final resting place alongside Mu-yeol as a soldier finally put his vengeance to rest and his soul at peace in a satisfying way.

I’m good with the open-ended relationship with Nana (and prefer it in fact to a candy-coated version), because no matter which way you slice it, their relationship will always be an open-ended one. I would’ve liked more interaction, more words, more time, even if the end result were just as open-ended. But I got the sense that it was a casualty of the live-shoot, which is too bad.

As a series, City Hunter gave me that perfect combination of action and heart – what began as a quest to avenge a death became a young man’s journey to becoming a hero. It tapped into the core of what I love about hero fiction, in illustrating the cost of being an idealist in a corrupt world.

That’s why the death of Young-ju is so fitting in an ideological sense, because he was the most upright defender of justice, who paid the gravest price. To me that death is what seals Yoon-sung’s fate as the City Hunter. What came before are the stirrings of a hero; in taking up the mantle after Young-ju’s death, he becomes the hero both men were meant to be.

My biggest disappointment with the finale is the drama’s failure to nail this in a concrete way onscreen, at the end. It’s there thematically, and Young-ju’s death resonates with all the characters, but if I were writing this show, the last scene would’ve been Yoon-sung at Young-ju’s grave, overlooking the city he’s sworn to protect.

No words necessary; just that image alone would’ve satisfied the promise of the City Hunter’s future, spurred by the sacrifice of his brother in arms, the perfect mirror to the opening brotherhood between Jin-pyo and Mu-yeol, also separated by death. The moment was there in his death in Episode 19, and their relationship is the perfect bookend, but that tiny push of thematic resonance and closure would’ve been my ideal send-off for the City Hunter.

I loved City Hunter for a million reasons, but the biggest is this: it gets me right there, that place in my heart where my six-year old self refuses to give up on the idea that heroes fight evil and good prevails. It ran the gamut from hilarious and cheeky to kickass and epic, and though the finale’s delivery wasn’t pitch-perfect, as a whole the show swept me up in its world and made me want to live there.

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For those looking for LMH/CH Therapy Chatroom is open and available ....for those who needs major help ..like I do...

http://asiandramachats.spruz.com/

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Thank you for the link, Venus dear!

But I have yet to recover my energy to do much of anything yet, least of all, commenting at the link...

Miss exchanging comments with you so much, Venus darling.

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I can't stop crying when Jin Pyo was dead. It was tragic, and so heartbreaking :''

Though I hope they will be clearer with yoon sung and nana relationship, I still felt satisfied with it

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Ahhh... *tear*

Thank you Javabeans and Girlfriday, your recaps were awesome as always.

Thank you City Hunter, for City Hunting.

R.I.P. Young-Ju again, I don't think I'll be over that for a while.

Although, even though it was sad, I loved the way the last episode played out after Young-Ju's death. The parallel drawn between him and Yoon-Sung was beautifully done - the daddy issues, the fighting for justice, the way to achieve justice - it was one of my favourite parts of this drama.

Speaking of the way to get justice, I liked the conflict with Yoon-Sung the President because it harkened back to the old dilemma that any vigilante faces - do the ends justify the means? For the President, they do, but for Yoon-sung they didn't. At the same time, Yoon-Sung's means for achieving his 'greater good' are outside of the law as well - yet even the righteous Prosecutor acknowledge his effectiveness, and even (in effect) charged him with continuing to pursue justice. Sure, different means and different ends - but its the same argument. I find it really interesting!

Ah, thank you, Korea, for making awesome dramas. And Lee Min-ho.

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whatda!! seriously? that's City Hunter's ending? After the roller coaster and superman ride... badass daddy died and hotty-prosecutor died.. they should have killed Nana earlier too.. I hate kdrama endings like that, reminds me of Man Called God and IRIS.. These PD-nims hand over their jobs to the viewers at the last episode. But badass daddy's-YS father-son relationship is the best though. The was hoping the ending shows Nana wearing the RING.. or a kiss maybe where the camera takes a 180 degree hike.. Phildrama provides the best ending ever. What can I say, I'm a sucker for happy endings. I hope YS' driving along at night gives us another season.

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Thank you JB & GF for the recapps. This is one drama which looking forward to every Wednesday and Thursday for the last 2 months. Thank you CH cast & staff for making it a memorable ride for us. I thought it was a happy ending and was surprised to see the confusions. When NN came into scene with the white flower attached to her hair, for a moment my heart skipped as it is customs in Asia to wear that when someone in family pass away. It became clear that her father passed away & as some indicated earlier, who sends a wedding card to a someone who has passed away. Ahjusshi who has always said that he can live without YS was his bubbly self and YS's mother although wearing black did not have the white flower on her hair . All these concluded that YS is alive. The YS NN scene was a little too dreamlike, the PD probably wanted it make it look romantic instead it became confusing for the viewers. I thought it did reflect the opening scene where they were standing a foot away not realising each other's presence but they ended looking at each other at the closing scene. The last scene which showed YS driving alone into the night fits the storyline where the city hunter goes hunting into the night. The open ending allows probabilities in future. The ending was a little rushed though, I think the reason they spent so much time on the CJM could be because they have to lay the plot for YJ to be killed. Overall, we have closures for all parties involved and we viewers had a wonderful time spent chasing CH while Ch is chasing his enemies.

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Oh I mean Ahjusshi cannot live without YS , typo mistake.

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THE WONDERFUL JOURNEY CITY HUNTER PROVIDED ME

3 months ago. My hubby became my angel. I was floating, I was walking not knowing where I'm going. But living is important as breathing should be. And so there I was, trying my mightiest to LIVE for my little prince..And I live..

2 months ago. I went back to searching what would make me live as I am, and being a former kdrama addict, I tried to revived it. And so I reunited with DB while I tried to watched MGIAG and the most unforeseen happened, I came across CITY HUNTER AND LEE MIN HO. Then my journey with coping up begins….

No drama ever pushed me to watch it RAW. No drama left me sucking up for air for almost every episode. No drama left me magnetized on a laptop screen and leave me with a dried blood. No drama EXCEPT CITY HUNTER!

PRESENT DAY: I'd echo JB's first words on the finale recap.

"Am I dead? I think I might be dead. City Hunter may have gone killed me dead. "

CITY HUNTER, I OWE YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL TWO MONTH JOURNEY. Yes, you did have the downs but mostly you have the UPS. Which made me yours forever!

I SALUTE EVERYONE THAT MADE CTY HUNTER CAME TO LIFE!! AND FOR THAT I'LL GIVE YOU MY BOW FULL OF RESPECT *CLAP*CLAP*

Thank you JB and GF for THE 20 AWESOME WORTH OF RECAP. You ladies made the journey more incredible! :)

And last but the not least, THANK YOU WONDERFUL CH COMMENTERS WHO MADE THIS JOURNEY A PLEASURABLE AND ENJOYABLE ONE! CH SISTERS, WE'LL FOREVER BE! (OH,and the anti-ones, thank you too! )

LEE MIN HO, YOU'RE ONE GODDAMN HOT ACTOR!!!

(Would never missed a chance saying that? :)

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@smash

How are you doing?
Did you get the promotion?

I have been MIA these last two days because I'm still dealing with my heartbreak now that's CH is over.

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maymay dearie...thank you for asking..still here as always though not much energy to comment a lot...

not sure what promotion you're talking about but I haven't seen anything.... :(

anything that has CH/LMH in it, I would be happy to divulge myself in it....

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@smashingalou sweetie!!! ;)

How deeply touching and poignant your sharing is, dear!

Thank you so much for sharing.

I am so glad CH and the CH sisters here have helped you cope with your heartbreak and loss.

How are you doing, dear? Have not heart from you here. Maybe you need time to get over CH, just like you needed to get over your husband's passing. DO take care, dear. And know that even after CH's thread here is closed, we could keep in touch through our emails, and provide each other the support and love we all need.

Love you, smashingalou! ;)

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kaye, sorry if it took me awhile to reply to your comment....I think everybody from Camp #1 totally needed sometime to recover from CH withdrawal....

So far, I'm good though still in denial mode that I won't be looking forward for wednesday and thursday that much...Aaaaah, this is what I fear of, getting attached with CH/LMH that much that withdrawing from it takes a lot of strength...

And what I'm going to miss the most is our fun, incredible, awesome and lovely exchanging of comments...I'm typing but nothing is going on in my mind, It's blank, for some reason, I can't say what in my heart...Haiissst..I'm just sad that It has come to an end...

Probably I just wanted to say, thank you kaye...for all your kind-hearted, encouraging words. I felt like in you (though we haven't met in person) I found another unnie...And I'm so totally gonna missed my net-bonding moments with you...

I'll make sure to drop an email in your inbox anytime soon ok?!

Love you kaye. *hugs*

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My dearest smashingalou ;)

Please do not apologise because you have absolutely nothing to apologise for, my dearest sister! ;)

I agree completely with you about how being so completely attached to CH is going to cost me and now that its left us, I understand how you are feeling, completely because I am also feeling so empty, hollow and devoid of emotion...I just can't put it into words...

I have no tears but I feel extraordinarily sad all the time...
I am still breathing but I can't remember breathing in and out...
I am going about my daily routine but haven't the foggiest idea how I managed to go through each single day...
I smile, laugh and function like I always have but I feel a distinct feeling that something is missing...a feeling of a deep sense of loss...

I know...I am in soooo deep...hehehehe...

And so, smashingalou darling, I completely understand how you are feeling, and so give yourself the time and space to get over CH... ;)

And I can't agree with you more about how much our exchanges here in CH's recaps have meant to me...

It has been an absolute honour, privilege and ultimate blessing for me to have met you, smashingalou dear, because even though we have never met, I too feel a special bond with you, much like how real sisters would feel... ;)

And so please accept my deepest, humblest appreciation for your lightness and generosity of spirit, warmth, kindness and spiritual, mental and emotional strength that have inspired me and many others here in DB in more ways than I have words to describe. ;)

I can't thank you enough for all that you have given me and I can't thank God enough for showing me to this path that led me to get to know you because I feel so blessed knowing you, dear smashingalou ;)

I too hope we can continue to keep in touch and be there for one another as we have been throughout the duration of City Hunter's airing.

I will definitely drop by your email and enquire on how you are doing very soon. ;)

Btw, I found there is a problem with the email address that I posted here for everyone to contact me after CH, and so please ignore that email address and contact me through this email address instead :

[email protected]

I so look forward to meeting you over cyberspace again through our emails someday soon because I am so going to miss you so dearly, my darling smashingalou!! ;)

You know what I just realised while typing this comment? I just realised that one of the reasons I am feeling so empty, hollow, lost and bereft of feelings is the thought that we, namely you, smashingalou, and the other CH sisters, may cease communication completely because CH has ended. That is why I am feeling this deep sense of loss. I am so going to miss our exchanges!!! *sobs*

So please do contact me at : [email protected] whenever you feel like contacting your 'unnie', ok. ;)

In the meantime, I will continue to look out for your comments here in DB and respond to them and look forward to exchanging comments with you through our emails. ;)

Take care, my dear, strong, precious sister, smashingalou. My prayers are for you and your loved ones to always be in God's Love, Care, Guidance and Protection, as He always has been. ;)

I love you, dear sister! Take care! *hugssss and kisses* ;)

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@smashingalou! ;)

Do let us know when you get the promotion (I know it is a matter of WHEN, not IF, you get the promotion), because I wish to congratulate you!! ;)

All the best, dear!! ;)

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Thanks kaye for everything you said....

I'll ensure to save your email address. :)

And I hope I do get that promotion, I'll be more than glad to share it with you kaye.. :)

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smash, as YS would say "it's fate" that you and CH/LMH had the most incredible journey in the past two months. and, "it's fate" we met here at DB. i know i am very glad to have exchanged comments with you. your story truly touched my heart. i wish all the best to you and your little prince.

as LMH would say "always be happy"!

fighting =)

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corntea, thank you so much...it was indeed incredible exchanging comments with you and I'm really glad that "fate" led me in meeting wonderful people like you...

i hope we'll still be exchanging comments in the near future...

and wishing you you're own happiness as well... :)

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"And I live"

Smashing... those words made me smile...

I wish you and your little prince the best. I certainly enjoyed our time spent together swooning over City Hunter and Prosecutor and I know we will continue to enjoy Kdramas together.

*sister hug*

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venus dearie...yep you're right... we will certainly enjoy watching kdramas together especially if it's a LEE MIN HO drama...

enjoyed chatting and exchanging comments with you...it was really incredible...

thank you for all those encouraging comments.... :)

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dear smashingalou

Thank u for sharing

Even I haven't been obsessed enough to watch any korean drama raw..and I did like some of them veeerrry much.

But, CH takes me to a whole new level.

I find it so hard to believe that it's over.

Oh.my.gosh. Actual tears are coming!

Ladies, we have to keep in touch!

I cannot deal with the CH withdrawal alone

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olsen...my baby CH sister...

thank u dearie for all those wonderful times...

Glad that we came across each other thru CH...Totally worth the ride..

Don't worry, we'll be in touch...

You won't have to deal with CH withdrawal alone... :)

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It's official.City Hunter IS my Kdrama for 2011.NOTHING will ever top this!

Now where do i sign up for rehab?

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here

venus angel has provided us with this link

http://asiandramachats.spruz.com/

see u there :)

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Damn its all over...

I believe that YS is still alive and he got together with Nana and they moved to the US. The way I see the last scene where YS drives, that might not even be in chronological order....maybe it happened before they moved to the US. Anyway YS death would make JP final act of love pretty much useless. The fact that Nana's dad died gave her closure so she could leave with YS to go US. I always believed that something will happen to the dad so she will be free to go, but I thought he would wake up instead of dying :(

There are some loose ends but are they enough for Season 2??? Sure hope so. I was kinida disappointed with the end, but only after YS and JP shot each other. They could've certainly given YS and Nana bit more attention seeing how they largely ignored Nana for like the last 4 eps....

AND WHERES THE RING!!! maybe YS felt cheap and wanted to buy a huge diamond LOL

one final thing, who actually freed CJM in ep 19??? I don't know if he/she was never shown or I just missed it. MAYBE, that's why YS is driving in the end, to catch him :) [insert season 2]

Still, best drama ever!

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Yeah, I too was seriously shocked, (like, in a jaw-dropping way) when Young ju died. I didn't think the writer was going to go there. I thought when Shik joong ajussi didn't die it meant the writer was wary about killing off characters. It makes sense in a narrative and thematic sense. But still, my reaction was "nooooooooo! he and sae hee were about the get together again!" I really agree with Girfriday though. That it's through Young ju's death that Yoon sung will be further spurred to be the hero both men were meant to be.

It was a great and entertaining series (with its own flaws but still a fun ride). Thanks for recapping girls :)

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I had to watch this week's episodes before coming here and reading the recaps and comments. Even though I already watched it, I couldn't help feeling so sad as I read some of the dialogue from the episode.

I have to say that the ending could have been better. I think the time lapse (along with some of the fluffy goodies) should have come BEFORE the impeachment, so that the the throw-down could have been followed by the scene GF mentioned. I think that would have made it a perfect ending in my opinion.

Having said that, this drama still made the list of my favorites. It had a great OST and it was so pretty to look at (and not just because of LMH)! Sure, it wasn't perfect, but at the end of the day what sealed it into a good drama was the way it made me feel. It was an action-packed ride that made me gasp, clap, and even clench my heart every time I thought someone was in danger. It was like a pimped out mash-up of Shakespeare's plays+007+Batman. AND WHO DOESN'T LIKE THAT!? I think the writers did a great job at making us root for the characters all along the way, and even love some of the villains in the process for being so good at being evil.

As always, THANK YOU for the recaps JavaBeans and GirlFriday; if it weren't for them I wouldn't have picked the series up in the first place. Keep up the good work!

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oohh.. i will miss City Hunter...

1 question: how can i civil servant work in a singlet and coat.. i'm drooling.... hehehe..

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Thank you as your recap keep me understand CH better. However, there's a few things that l like to highlight with regards to CH.

CH is indeed a good action drama. It is action packed, betrayal and love. But in my opinion, after watched it for 3rd. times, CH should be dragged more to episode 21 or 22. No harm, right. Just to let everybody's satisfaction filled. Perhaps that they do not have time, so every situation ends up at ep 19 and 20, all jammed and packed up. Wrongly done. After reading all the comments, there are more unsatisfaction than happily accept what it is. Why???

There's a few parts left unanswered. Do the directors and writer ask us to think ourself. As viewers, it is likeable not a thing we should do, right?

Among hundreds of korean dramas, l prefered Secret Garden the best as at a romance genre. And CH the best at its action genre. (my opinion, ok!)

As Secret Garden, l left the drama with fully satisfaction but not CH. Is it an action drama that totally give me a fear to watch it again cause of its ending. I'm not sure but is action drama is hard to direct for a satisfaction yet unforgetful ending?

Bacause of Lee Min Ho, l stuck with CH, but after a few episode, LMH sits 2nd. The plot, story had move my heart to watch it every Wed and Thurs, even without Eng sub, just raw will do. That is really stupid addiction to CH of me. Afraid of CH wil come to its end, l kept the last 2 episodes for few days, scared that it would not satisfy me, which it's true.

Nana and YS, what actually happen to them. Why Nana carry that luggage, going somewhere? With YS may be? After waited for 10 episodes, is that the only scene between those two? That's the 1st unsatisfaction and that were also most commented.

Yoong Ju, why left the dead body there. At least call 911, may be can save him. No grave scene for YJ, pity him, the 2nd lead dies horribly. l scream at it, no, no, nooooo.

No punishment to President Choi, why? He may be not part of the complot but he knew, yet he just silent about it. Guilty as well, right??

The last scene of YS in his car, why looks so sad....

Anyway, a few last scenes really awesome. Heartbreaking with father-son's love tight to their hand. Should the camera shown to Choi's face, to show him who is YS's real father's love goes to?

After CH, l saw Protect the boss trailer, replace CH. Its ok, maybe. Now, l'm addicted to Eric in Spy Myung Wol. Hearstring, l don't know, it is too slow. Episode 9, still no love confession. Scent of a woman, a great one too. Try watching.

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>>"the last scene would’ve been Yoon-sung at Young-ju’s grave, overlooking the city he’s sworn to protect."
I would include Nana in this scene as well. At the same time give a romantic moment for YS and Nana. Not just a whirl and smile.

A lot of things to pack in 1 hr I suppose. I would imagine there was a lot of cuts from Nana & YS. They build up the tension between those 2 characters and left us by the edge of our seat.

YS caught a bullet for the Pres and Nana was just by his side? I'm not expecting a Pieta scene but really, just right there beside him doing nothing seems a tad unrealistic for me.

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she was probably shocked, she doesnt seem like the best bodyguard anyway

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I LOVED it .. enough said.

I will miss thee City Hunter but I won't miss the near heart-attacks you gave me .. well, not that much.

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First of all, thank you, Javabeans and Girlfriday, for the recaps through this glorious kdrama. I have been reading the comments (all bazillion of them) and laughing my head off.

A couple of observations:
1) This is the first time I've seen so many fans go into CAPSLOCK mode. Must be some sort of measure of mania...

2) Maybe show wrapped up in a bit of a hurry, but it seems to me that another couple of episodes would have dragged. I would have liked maybe 10 more minutes, but that's not very feasible.

3) I like the idea of the YS visit to YJ's grave - maybe it can be part of the season 2 teaser (yeah, right, I am dreaming) - and pan to Nana standing right beside him. They will, of course, be in this together.

Don't know what I'll do now that I'm going through CH withdrawal, but maybe Myung Wol the Spy or Protect the Boss will help with the symptoms...

Many many thanks again, JB and GF. It's a delight to read your work.

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After much debate about whether YS made it alive or not, I'm beyond happy to confirm that he didn't die.

(Here's the link: http://www.allkpop.com/2011/07/spoiler-city-hunter-the-producer-of-city-hunter-clarifies-the-ending)

I initially chose to believe that YS was live, yet a lot of viewers argued that it was actually YS' spirit shown towards the end so it really made me rethink the whole thing. I don't think I'll be able to accept that had it been the ending. Lol.

No words can describe how much I'll miss this drama. Overall, I can say that it had been one heck of a roller coaster ride. I just wish that we all got a better closure. There are just a lot of loose ends and questions that undeniably left me hanging. I'd really like to find out if there had been developments in YS' relationship with his biological father, how DH took the news about YS being her half brother, and the most important of all, how our couple continued their love story. What I wouldn't give to see more skinship between YS and NN.

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Yup - here's part of the lift from that article. Thanks to ALLPOP!
"Even though at the end, Yoon Sung and ‘Na Na‘ (played by Park Min Young) reunite, some viewers were left to believe that Yoon Sung was actually a ghostly figure. However, the producer, Kim Yong Sup, stated to TVDaily through a phone conversation on July 29th, “Yoon Sung is not dead“.

Kim Yong Sup elaborated, “Lee Min Ho was shot by a gun, and after much time passes, he eventually meets Park Min Young. He didn’t appear as a ghost as it was actually a time jump. Of course, I respect the arbitrary interpretation of the viewers. However, just the fact that Yoon Sung didn’t die is strictly speaking, the definition of a happy ending. The director and writer put in the scene with this as their mindset.”

:) :) :) :) :) :)

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NICE!

i posted it too. i knew someone was WAAAAAAAY ahead of me ^_-

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Thank you so much Dramabeans for the recap! Thank you! Please keep it up.

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Thank you thank you thank you =)

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I`m probably a day late already (as some may have already posted this article), but at any case, here`s the answer to the question whether YS died or not:

http://www.allkpop.com/2011/07/spoiler-city-hunter-the-producer-of-city-hunter-clarifies-the-ending

--

the theme is centralized on the revenge that JP wanted YS to accomplish. I too wanted a concrete "happy ending" for Nana & YS, but that`s just a subset of a much larger picture that this show has depicted all throughout.

but as what the article had stated regarding the director & writer`s perspective, the fact that it seems rather inevitable for the City Hunter to have a tragic ending, he DID NOT die ... which is GREAT GREAT NEWS!!!

so yesss ... HAPPY is the word, indeed!!!

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what I didn't like about city hunter was, they lack complexity, their emotion was too simple, their motive is strong, but many character were just one dimensional character, very underdevelop, including the male lead character. He lack human emotion, complexity which I loved in a hero leading man in any revenge drama. Instead, I more invest with 2nd male lead character, he is more real to me. his emotion is what I expect writers would develop his character, I'm satisfy. but I'm not invested with YS's character. I expect more complexity for his character, based on many conflict he has been facing alone, u would expect his character will more develop than this.for instance u expect about what his reaction after find out everything.

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But don't worry, I'm one of those who love city hunter, alot!
So I forgive that. But I really love revenge - action drama with alot of complexity emotion between character. It's very fascinating to watched. About unfortunately, I just found that complexity in Jin Pyo and Young Ju's character.

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I know Jin Pyo is bad.. but i cried so hard when he died. even more than Yoon-ju. I love this show sooo much!

EPIC. Definitely worth my time.

And yeah, Yoon-sung is ALIVE ^_^

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I still love this drama but the ending is urg for me! 100000 open questions like where the hell did that creepy emo guy go or what about the president? I hope they make a season 2, special or a movie like batman had! I also think CH would have a great plot for a 2 season, no doubt batman also has 3 great movies so why can't city hunter have a season 2 ?

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thats ol?''huhuh.what a sad ending..xna man lng ng proper goodbye c lee min ho kai kim na na..huhuhu..i am not satisfied with the ending...mao jd ng korean ba.....huhuh..lee min ho.i think im fallen for you..how i wish i could in korea someday to meet you

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i wish my season two..cont.of the love story of ys and kim na na..please..............................wer begging for season two

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just want to share my reaction to the final episode. so here it goes.

i cried. i cried like someone's funeral. truth is I'm still crying. someone please stop my tears from flowing. i'm crying for Lee Jin Pyo. his life is tragic. i cry for lee yoon soong, who took a bullet for one father, whose life was saved by another father. i cry for justice because at the end, it was not fully served because president choi is still alive and unpunished. i hate president choi. i think he is an evil man. he consciously makes the wrong decisions throughout the series - sending 21 soldiers on a revenge mission, operation clean sweep, taking bribes and executing political decisions - all consciously made decisions. then he admits to all this and says he deserve to die. as if admitting all his faults makes him a moral and decent man... i truly hate him.. if he really is good and decent, he shouldnt have done all those errors in the first place. i think he is also a horrible father to yoon soong. if he loves him, in the end, he should have just admitted his mistakes and not make him choose between covering or outing his blood father. i hate president choi for being an evil politician and an even horrible father. we hated lee jin pyo for being a horrible father to yoon soong, but in the end, president choi is no different. i hated it that the show didnot metted out a punishment that president choi deserves.

on a happier note, i also crave for a season 2. but that prosecutor assistant will not work. while the plot of avenging yoong ju is really good, the actor who portrayed prosecutor assistant does not stand a chance with his prettiness lee min ho. we need an actor who can stand toe to toe with his prettiness so it will be worth the watch.

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i don't think president choi is that evil...but i don't like the part when yoon sung take a bullet for him and was taken away by his bodyguards he just quietly follow he didn't bother to check or be on yoon sung side since he is his son!

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I agree. I'm glad the PD cleared that up. I need YS to be alive. That in itself IS a happy ending. That he was able to keep his promise to NN that he'd return to her alive. The sad part is YS has to heal himself physically and emotionally from all the events that occur in episode 20: watching a comrade and friend die, taking down his bio-dad who he had come to respect despite his jilted ways, and lastly seeing his father get shot as he finally requites YS's love for him by sacrificing his own life. All of that -- in a way did kill a part of YS. The cute, youthful YS we once used to know -- he is gone...

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I agree. I'm glad the PD cleared that up. I need YS to be alive. That in itself IS a happy ending. That he was able to keep his promise to NN that he'd return to her alive.

BUT, in a way, YS DID die. Not clinically speaking, I mean. The sad part is YS has to heal himself physically and emotionally from all the events that occur in episode 20: watching a comrade and friend die, taking down his bio-dad who he had come to respect despite his jilted ways, and lastly seeing his father get shot as he finally requites YS's love for him by sacrificing his own life. All of that in a way did kill at least a part of YS. The cute, playful and innocent YS we once used to know -- he is gone...

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Thank you so much. :) but he hasn't given her the ring. I am quite sure about it. Maybe he will give her the ring in a the next season? ^___^

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Anything with LMH in it I would definitely watch it. initially he is what got me to watch CH but then the show is just awesome which makes it the more enjoyable to watch. This show is not without flaws as many has pointed out in details even but I found myself just hooked up each week.
I am a bit disappointed though at the end maybe because I was hoping for more? But then Jaejoong's drama is next so YEY! & myungwol the spy..
As much as I love CH I have learned to cope up with withdrawal that i learned after SKKS ended :-)

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I have a Question // will there be season 2 of drama city hunter
???????? :(

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i'm trying to understand some POV of some of the ranters whose saying the prosecutor or the 2nd lead is alot better that the city hunter but sorry I can't :-/, i admire the actor who portrayed as the prosecutor coz he really gave justice to the role and i really cried a lot when he died BUT above anyone else it's still Lee Min Ho who gave the best performance whether action, drama, comic, happy or sad...

if i were the city hunter after having experience all those hardships and knowing all the lies behind my life, i will feel exhausted, drained and numb... and that's what i saw in yoon sung exhausted, drained, numb but still have the energy and passion to finish what he started and fight for what he believed...

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maeveen....

LMH did give a great performance... If they had to choose only one between both ... it would be LMH
LJH also did a great job and i think it's too bad there can only be one BEST ACTOR

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totally agree...LJH did give a great performance here..

BUT LMH OWNED THE SHOW WITH HIS EVEN GREATER PERFORMANCE...Definitely worth a BEST ACTOR AWARD!!

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@smashingalou ;)

"BUT LMH OWNED THE SHOW WITH HIS EVEN GREATER PERFORMANCE…Definitely worth a BEST ACTOR AWARD!!"

HEAR, HEAR!!!! ;)

NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE FROM CITY HUNTER, or from any other drama this year for that matter, deserves the BEST ACTOR AWARD than LEE MIN HO!!!

unless they are blind, deaf or dead!!

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@kaye..anyone who can't see that is probably dead (inside)... :)

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@smashingalou ;)

Yes!! You are right!! Dead inside!! Thanks for reading my mind, dear!! ;)

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So to my dear Lee Min Ho, you can't please everyone but for me and i know many will agree second to none it's you and only you who can give justice to city hunter!!! fighting!!!

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I just love this drama so much. Primarily, I watched this because of LMH, but then, the acting, the writing and all the supporting casts made up for a great series. I've never seen so much good looking actors squeezed into a drama. Lee Min Ho, the prosecutor, Jin Pyo, Kim Na na, even her best friend is cute, and YS's mom is so pretty too. Supporting casts like Ahjussi and Gu gi Joonare just so fun to watch. The thing I love most in this drama is that up until the last episode, I don't know what will happen. I'm sure nobody would have guessed that YS's last target would be his dad until the writers made insinuations past the 16th episode. And when we knew of that fact, there's still some suspense as to what happens on the final episode. And that shot of LMH on the last episode with Kim Na Na where he wore all black and just stood there looking so breathtaking, that sealed it for me !

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HOLY SHIT. They’re going all Hamlet on us. Blood, blood, everywhere. It happens so quickly that it’s almost over before anyone’s fully taken in what’s happened.

My thoughts exactly. I had to take a moment and ask myself if I was watching a Shakespearean tragedy on VLC TV.

Lee Min-ho and Daddy Badass seriously deserve a daesang. And the production, too.

SEASON 2, PLEASE!

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First episode in Season Two should be nothing but a makeout session of YS & NN. Show, you gotta pay back the debt you owe us from Season One!

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corntea, totally agree with what you said.... :)

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the best finale ever ...I cried so much seeing the only kind thing Jin Pyo Daddy did for Yoon Sung ....at least now Yoon Sung knows his father did love him

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i still can't get over Young Joo's death..... T_____T it still breaks my heart and have tears in my each time his dying scene flashing back in my memories...... it's so damn heartbreaking...... probably one of the most tragic death ever......

i think ppl can predict n know dad Jin Pyo will die in the end..... but not Young Joo.....

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Hey, you're not in a minority! I also loved Young -Ju!!!His death also made me cry!!!
I also cried and loved the scene and when Evil Daddy tries to take Yoon Sung's hand as he's about to die! That was so heartbreaking!!!'sniff

I thought this ending episode was a bit "muddled" at times, not as well-written as the other episodes. And the ending felt a bit rushed! I remember that I had also been a bit disappointed by Prosecutor Princess' ending!
I enjoyed so much this drama from the beginning and though this episode kept me on edge and there were lovely, heartbreaking scenes, I felt the writing was a bit disorganized and some scenes too dramatic...

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Thank you GF and JB for your entertaining recaps for this drama. I had enjoyed reading them. I did not feel the magic or love for this drama as much as you, but I did find it entertaining. The series started with a bang ,faltered in the middle and in trying to get back in the end rushed so much in that it forgot to breathe. Storytelling is organic. I think you lose that moment if you do not breath and let out. There were some scenes in the earlier episodes that were just beautiful. Well-done PDnim. Overall it did give us the story of City Hunter the Beginning.

As for Lee Min Ho- good luck on your next project.You have a great future ahead . Keep grounded. Hope you choose a role where you can get really rough and dirty,and not be a walking model for a clothing company.

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Many thanks JB and GF for wonderful recaps! They always served as my morning treats, even before my breakfast and daywork! As well as missing City Hunter every Wed-Thu now, I will miss also your insights and humors on the series! That is a double lost for me! But I am sure you have many other wonderful stuffs in stock that I can cling to to get over the withdrawal phase that I am in now after City Hunter! And for that, once again, thank you!!!

As for City Hunter, I am already in a coma after the death of MY Young Joo at the end of E19. After crying my heart out for him, I went on registering for a tumblr account and started writing to myself (yes, I made the account unsearchable!). Somehow I saw that it is a possibility that YJ can be killed off, I never have thought the writers could go there! Especially after the near-death events of NaNa and Ajussi! I have thought, well, CH is heading for a happy ending, with no casualties! I think I have seriously underestimate CH team! In the end, they just showed us, the death of NN and Ajussi could not serve their purpose, as those deaths will only add burden to YS at personal level. But the death of YJ, which I suspect has been thought of since the beginning, serves a much greater purpose. His death is a great loss, and not personal to YS, but to the "greater good", the society as a whole! And by that, the burden on our CH is much greater, demanding his effort to confront his role as THE CITY HUNTER.

However, I would love to see CH as a team of two great men, so contrast yet so similar, working together unwithholdingly but yet rivalry, for the greater good! That is why I am still grieving the loss of our Prosecutor!

Another thing I love about City Hunter the drama is the underlying questions it raised: the ends and the means! Anyone in life must make decision(s) at time and must face the questions: how to reach an end with what means? Even if the end is a good one, can "any" means be used and excused? Will the good end be void if the means are inexcusable? I am on YJ's team all the way for that exact reason: He deeply believed that only lawful means will be accepted. But I also love him for his recognition that the law is not almighty, it has loopholes, where City Hunter can operate and fill the holes. But that is also the downfall of this drama where ugly reality triumphs and we have to rely on the City Hunter alone, which I am not so happy with! I want to see many other YJs rise to the task! Although in E20, YJ's boss vouched to finish all the unfinished business that YJ left behind, it's all word no action for me (or rather there are no signs throughout the drama - they are all suck at the Prosecutor office, aren't they???). That rise of other YJs would couple beautifully with the dark image of YS, driving at night, an opening for the new era (or season???).
City Hunter also tucked at my heart at the last death of JPY the Evil-Dad. Afterall, father is a father! Whether that was the one saved you, or the one raised you, or the one gave you his genes! They are all your fathers! And all of them finally showed YS their unconditioned love! MY accepted mother and child with open heart! LJP took the final fall as CH! And CEC gave out evidence of his misconducts and accepted the bullet from LJP. And whether is it blood-related or not, unconditioned love is what defines father-son relationship! That is why it is heartbreaking to watch the fall of father and son in front of each other!

City Hunter, overall, is a unforgettable ride! I am not going as far as claiming it is the show of the year! But it definitely takes a piece of my heart and soul and brain along the way, and not so many dramas can do that! And for all the goodness it serves, I will definitely overlook the quibbles! I wish the CH team all the best in their next pursuits, with more achievement in the future! For Lee Min Ho and Lee Joon Hyuk, I will definitely check out their upcoming projects and my finger-crossed wishes for them to always surpass their roles in City Hunter! This definitely sets a new level in their career! For the City Hunter team, cast and crew, THANK YOU for a good drama! Your hard work is definitely paid off!

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Despite the producers and directors comments
to leave the CH ending "open" for viewer's
interpretations, and after watching the last
few minutes of Episode #20 a few times,
I still think that the ending is a jumbled mess.....

When the about-to-be-married-Blue-House-
couple give Na Na an invitation to their wedding,
she handed it back to them. Obviously, no insult
was intended. But is she going to be somewhere
else for that day and can't make it? The next scene
(we've all assumed) is that it takes place in an
airport, because Na Na is pulling along a suitcase.

That "airport" has no other passengers and looks
more like a nursery/garden overgrown with flowers
than any other airport I've ever seen. OK, Na Na
meets her...ALIVE....boyfriend LMH, because they're
about to leave Korea to begin their "normal" life
in the States? Right? Then why is LMH in the last
scene, seen driving around in Korea? Or was that
LAST SCENE supposed to be in Boston? As in.....MIT?
As in Massachusetts, where he went to school?

Or did LMH stay in Korea to watch out for Korean
crime, after saying "bye-bye" at the "airport" to
mom, Na Na and his buddy/cook/sidekick?
Sorry, folks. I just don't get it.

And a few people here might remember my previous
campaign to have "just a few more extra episodes"
added to "Personal Taste." (185 more, to be exact.) :)
So I should be YELLING for Season 2 for City Hunter.
BUT THEY WENT AND KILLED THE PROSECUTOR.

Doesn't anybody in Korea know about yin and yang?
Who is LMH's character supposed to bounce off of,
in Season 2? Shouldn't these 2 guys be joined at
the hip to.....BLEND.....vigilante justice with
courtroom proof. I really think that Season 2
would find all of us constantly whining that we
miss Young-ju ~ a lot. Very much a lot.

So as much as I would normally want MUCH MORE
City Hunter, I want it to be of the same high standard
as CH ~1, or not at all.

Go figure. :(

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OOPS!
Three things that I forgot to add:

1. LMH....DID NOT.....have a suitcase with him
at the "airport." Was he staying in Korea?

2. The only person left in Korea to "help" LMH
fight against crime is Sae-hee, who must now
morph (as did Charles Bronson in Death Wish")
and go from being a mild-mannered veterinarian
into an avenging-angel-lady-crime-fighter.

3. Who untied the rope and allowed bad guy #4
to escape? (Hint: the accomplace was wearing
a watch with a white face and a woven-look metal
watchband.) ????

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Answer to Q1: may be he checked it in??? just kidding...

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3 -LJP released CJM. i remember seeing LJP with those bracelet when i watched CH for the second time.
2 - in season 2 , it will be Mr. Creepy helping the CH! LOL

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maybe Kim Na Na came back from the States to smile at her alive Boyfriend or she was just on a trip? I think a season 2 would be great because there are like 1000 unaswered questions!

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Thank you Dramabean- see the episode w/sub and read your blog it's so enlightened - you bring it up another notch . Great drama - great casts - the best drama so far for me this year

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Grace@ - some of your questions were discussed early on in the threads. I'm too lazy to retype my comments, but I do invite you to go back to page 1, comment #29.2.1.1 and several replies, down.

:)

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Oh my god! i love Girlfriday’s finale! you´re so right! totally right! that would have been perfect, no room for misunderstanding! nice done.. I love reading dramabeans recaps because always have that smart view of the story... regarts from Venezuela! ♥

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one word: DAEBAK

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what does daebak mean?

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I think it means 'GREAT' or 'VERY GOOD'.

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roughly: big fortunes. hope i am right.

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Few days after CH ended and I am still recovering from my withdrawal.... couldn't start any other k-drama for a little while. Personally, I am glad that the PD clarifies that YS is alive... thank goodness! Although from the logical sense with that shot he most likely should die, but emotionally I totally would buy into it that he did not. Thank you, PD..

Imperfect may be (but is there really such thing as "perfect"?), CH is definitely good enough for me. It satisfies my thirst for a good k-drama from a loooooong while. This is the first k-drama that I watch streaming live, anticipating weekly for the two show time days. Thank you for all those who were involved that gave us such good show for the past 10 weeks.

And of course, a BIG THANK YOU for JB and GF for the speedy recaps. You ARE the BEST!!!

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It's funny that Lee Min Ho was in Boys over flowers which was soooo bad ( Aaalmost paaradise) and then he was in personal taste which was a little choppy and now city hunter which was so well done and clean and sleek. The polar opposite of Boys Over Flowers.

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HAHAHA! SO true!!!

Though still BOF is where LMH started to shine the most, so I guess he'll forever carry that with him..Though with CH success, I think that being LYS will be added to his already SHINING NAME...

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The EPIC finale scene with YS holding JP's hand and NN by YS side, I finally got it now..

NN stays true to her promise that she will stay by YS side until the end. She's always very brave and courageous when it comes to fighting for her love. And her being in that EPIC moment is as poignant as the scene itself.

I don't think one emotion can be conveyed on that scene. YS was shot, JP is shot, she knew YS doesn't want JP dead, JP admitting he's the CH which will save YS and yet YS still reaching for JP after everything. NN til the end was the kick-ass female lead I came to love.

(Though everyone can say what they can about PMY acting but for ME personally PMY did it well, maybe not as excellent and at parr with the two guys but SHE DEFINITELY PLAYED HER PART and I JUST LOVE HER! Just like what GF said, SHE'S ONE FEMALE LEAD THAT IS HARDCORE!)

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I agree with you completely that the emotion of the moment when YS and JP were reaching out to each other for the last time was too deep, complex, complicated, multi-layered, and overall too difficult to be expressed that no one can really know HOW to act in such a situation...and so PMY's portrayal in that scene, which may be less than perfect, was actually understandable because I believe not even the writer/s and PDs could have asked for more themselves...

and how could they...unless they have gone through just such an experience...the experience of losing a loved one...so tragically...so suddenly...

the feeling of utter helplessness, heartbreak and despair - no words can really express those feelings, much less action...

I know what I am talking about...because I lost my unborn child when I was shot in the stomach 3 years ago when I was caught in the crossfire between my husband and some armed suspects...

The feeling of complete and utter loss is still something I cannot find the words for...and even more difficult for me to talk about, until now...

I guess that is why, smashingalou, you and I seem to have felt such a bond because we both have experienced a loss that only those who have experienced it first hand can truly understand what it feels like...

However, I have never felt so lost that I have ever contemplated on giving up on my life because God has so generously showered His Infinite Blessings, Love, Care, Protection and Guidance on me all this while, esp with my husband and family by my side, and so I can't imagine not continuing my life...

And so, I applaud PMY for her courage and strength in portraying KNN to the best of her ability! Well done, PMY!! ;)

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That scene broke my heart

It was so real,so touching...

For me, Nana wasn't good enough in that particular scene
I like her in the past and still do
And I think she's super cute while still being sassy
But, that expression was just not 'the-love-of-my-life-just-got-shot' expression.
Just sayin' :)

If I start, I won't be able to stop
So, I'll just say that that scene totally blew me away

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Don't you guys noticed that LMH/YS did not actually cry with tears on the finale?

Which is more heartbreaking/heartwrenching for me..LMH did AN EXCELLENT JOB just with HIS EYES!!! The tears on his eyes not falling totally melted me! really good job, Min-Ho!!

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@smashingalou dear! ;)

You took the words out of my mouth!!! ;)

I feel exactly the same!!!! LMH's eyes were red with tears and yet he managed to keep them in so perfectly!!! Because he did not allow the tears to fall, to me it was more heartbreaking!!!

I so agree with you - Lee Min Ho, you did an astoundingly-admirable job!!! Well done!! ;)

Thank you so much, Lee Min Ho, for making my drama-viewing so memorable and meaningful!! ;)

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A similar scene with Ahjussi got run over and how he held back his tear... and then finally allowed his tears to drop when he learned that ahjussi is alive.... amazing acting!!

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