Rooftop Prince: Episode 18
by javabeans
So much unintentional comedy in this episode, where you just have to laugh at the disconnect between what was meant and what you actually feel. I guess the alternative would be to get aggravated, but I prefer laughing, even if I wasn’t meant to. After all, it doesn’t matter so much why I’m entertained, as long as I am, right? And really, isn’t that what performance art is all about?
SONG OF THE DAY
Urban Zakapa – “Beautiful Day” [ Download ]
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EPISODE 18 RECAP
Having overheard Se-na’s comment and deduced that the dynamic duo (dynamic duds, more like) were behind Grandma’s death, Yi Gak punches Tae-mu. They grapple for a bit, then Yi Gak punches him again. Ah, this drama’s double-smackdown can be so satisfying.
Yi Gak accuses Tae-mu of killing grandma, calling him a liar and murderer (ooh, dangerous words to repeat—they echo Impostor No. 1’s accusation—even if he’s in Tae-yong guise right now). Tae-mu is actually a much better liar when he’s acting in defense of Se-na, and he fights back… only to get a third punch to the face. Yi Gak vows to reveal the crime and make him pay.
Yi Gak returns to the hospital, this time to see the real Tae-yong, who’s still comatose. He apologizes for not being able to protect Grandma in Tae-yong’s stead, thinking, “I have committed a huge sin against you.” He vows to punish Grandma’s killers, then beg for his forgiveness.
I suppose there’s nothing wrong in giving Yi Gak even more motivation to bring down the baddies with Grandma’s death, but for the fact that he has plenty of motivation already. You know, the attempted murder (Tae-yong), the cover-up, the take-over plot, the other attempted murder (Park-ha), and now the new murder? C’mon drama, three episodes left! Focus!
Park-ha meets Yi Gak at their favorite tree, and he offers a few encouraging words about her finding her mother, and noting that the relationship mirrors their Joseon counterparts. Park-ha’s reaction is conflicted, though, since it’s a bittersweet discovery to have made so late, and she cries a little.
Yi Gak steps behind her to embrace her, only to find that his arms go right through Park-ha—he’s fading again. Eek! This is his first experience with the phenomenon, since the first time was with the ducklings, and the second time only Park-ha noticed.
He stares at his translucent body disbelievingly, trembling in horror. When Park-ha turns to face him, he’s back to his solid self and she wonders at his shocked expression. He regains his composure and tells her nothing is wrong, but walks away feeling spooked.
Park-ha catches up to him, and this time he admits that something’s wrong with him—that he couldn’t hold her because he’d faded out. She knows what he means, and asks, “You saw yourself disappearing?”
He’s upset that she didn’t tell him when she saw it, but she says tearily that she couldn’t bring herself to. He reaches out to touch her again, but he hovers over her shoulder, afraid that he might not be able to. When his hand makes contact, he breathes in relief and pulls her to him. They stand there for a long while, holding each other.
They puzzle it out together; Yi Gak supposes this is a precursor to his return to Joseon. It’s a thought that makes Park-ha rueful, and he replies, “I think the reason I came here was to meet you.” His reasoning is simplistic, though sweet: that it’s because the only thing he has done here was to fall for her.
Park-ha reminds him that he has to solve the princess’s murder, but he says, “I want to use my remaining time here for you.” But there’s still Grandma’s death to solve as well, and he sighs at the lack of time.
Yi Gak returns to his ducklings, who report their findings. The police suspect more to the death than a mere accident, and are investigating.
The most pressing goal right now is to find evidence to pin Tae-mu for the crime, and Yi Gak wants to get it before the police, so he can punish Tae-mu himself. Er. That’s admirable and all, but I’m pretty sure the police are perfectly capable of this one—don’t mess with their investigation!
Grandma’s lawyer addresses the family regarding the upcoming will reading, which will leave the entire company to Tae-yong. Talk about a transparent plot device—you gather the family now to tell them to gather again later, so they can hear the reading of the will, which you disclose here anyway? What is even the point, other than to give us a plot conflict to fill out an episode? I’m trying not to roll my eyes here, but the drama’s really starting to lose steam.
The will’s contents are unsurprising, but really, Grandma’s tunnel-vision love for Tae-yong is starting to get annoying. Duh, there’s a reason everyone else is dissatisfied, when you can’t get over your blood-line purity bullshit and only leave an inheritance for the one person who shares your genetic line! Sheesh.
But wait! There’s a provision: That if Tae-yong doesn’t show up for the reading, the company goes to Tae-mu. Ruh-roh. Lordy, Grandma, were you blind, or just stupid? In her defense, the will was drafted while Tae-yong was still missing, and the lawyer points out that the clause is moot since Tae-yong is sitting right here. Oh, so that tidbit served no purpose other than to Give Tae-mu Ideas? Trust me, he doesn’t need any more of those.
Tae-mu and his father leave the reading fuming helplessly. It’s a will, and without a valid reason to protest it, there’s nothing they can do to prevent Tae-yong from taking over.
A reason, you say? Why, that’s nothing a good mastermind can’t invent. Tae-mu lands on his recent fight with Tae-yong, and now those words belatedly sink in: Yi Gak’s accusation that he’s a murderer and a liar. Arg! I knew that would come back to bite him. This tips Tae-mu off that Impostor No. 1 is also Impostor No. 2, and he goes looking for proof of the hunch.
He replays the video taken from the hospital room when Tae-yong “awoke” from his coma, and sees something he missed earlier—the way Yi Gak hid his hand from sight. The couple ring he’s trying to conceal isn’t very visible onscreen, but it’s a suspicious gesture and it gives Tae-mu confirmation that something is up.
A detective comes to Se-na’s door to ask questions regarding Grandma’s death. Gulp.
Tae-mu goes to Grandma’s house, where Tae-yong’s car is parked. Opening it (why do people not lock their car doors?!), he plants a bag of cash and a plane ticket (in Tae-yong’s name) in the armrest compartment.
Yi Gak mulls over the case in his mind, so distracted that Park-ha teases him to get his attention. As they walk down the street, he sees a news report about the helpfulness of car black boxes in accidents. This gives him an idea, since he recalls seeing traces of that accident in front of the house—the same one that Se-na had passed by on her exit from the house.
That gives them a lead, and they canvass various neighborhood auto shops asking about a recent accident. They get multiple nos, but one mechanic recalls doing repairs a couple days ago, and that sends them to talk to the appropriate driver, who confirms that the accident happened in that neighborhood. The only hitch is that the car belongs to a relative who lives quite a distance away, in Gwangju.
That puts them in a good mood, and they plan to head down right away. But on their way home, they’re stopped by a detective—the same one who spoke with Se-na—who asks if he’s the “real Tae-yong” and then orders him brought in on suspicion of Grandma’s death.
Wut? You can arrest people based on a tip now?! ‘Cause I’m pretty sure they can’t have any real proof on Tae-yong, even with that bag of cash. This drama, I SWEAR.
The cop sits Yi Gak down and asks smugly where the real Tae-yong is. He plops the stack of hundred-dollar bills down and accuses him of faking an identity, entering the house, killing Grandma, stealing company money, and preparing to flee to the States. Wow, what deductive powers you have; I suppose if those conclusions aren’t going to jump to you, you go to them. Garrrr, you’re killin’ me here.
Yi Gak insists he’s never seen this cash before and the cop laughs in his face. Tae-mu is called in, and naturally he isn’t going to be his cousin’s alibi, so instead he lies and says he was with Se-na. Convenient, for them to corroborate each other’s stories.
After the cop leaves, Tae-mu tells Yi Gak that it’ll all be over tomorrow, so he can sit here in jail till the will is read, leaving the company to Tae-mu. Twirls evil mustache.
Yi Gak is shut in jail, and he protests that Tae-mu’s the real bad guy. The cop just handcuffs him and threatens to charge him with obstructing justice if he doesn’t shut up.
Tae-mu takes Se-na out for a fancy dinner, telling her to cheer up since everything is almost at its end. She’s a lot more worried than he is, but that makes sense since she was always smarter than him.
Yi Gak sits in jail overnight, and with just one hour till will-reading time, he begs the cops to just let him out for an hour, promising to return. Ha, the only thing that would make these cops less competent is if they complied. It’s too bad Yi Gak couldn’t have a convenient fading spell right now, to let him slip through the bars; for once he could use it to his advantage.
At home, Park-ha catches a glimpse of Yi Gak’s embroidered handkerchief, and this time she notices something they’d all missed: In the bottom corner are initials. Just as Tae-yong’s postcard featured the hangul initials for his name, this set is for Bu-yong’s.
She visits him in jail, finding him dejected at his inability to do anything. She assures him that the baddies won’t get away with it, then takes out the handkerchief to show him what she noticed. He sees that they’re Bu-yong’s initials, and realizes that Hwa-yong lied when she passed it off as her handiwork.
Yi Gak reaches out a hand to the glass as if to touch the embroidery… but it goes right through. Aww, yeah! Hurry, jump! Why are you hesitating? Move!
And then, he disappears right in front of Park-ha’s eyes, fading entirely this time. Yi Gak finds himself rematerializing outside, in the hallway. They’re still in hostile territory with cops all around, so Park-ha grabs his arm and they vamoose out of there.
Once safely outside, Yi Gak takes off running. The family waits nervously with three minutes left on the clock, while the evil ones laugh to themselves. Yi Gak tears inside the building, racing against the clock, while the executor begins the proceedings.
Seeing that Tae-yong is not here, the executor proceeds to the second-case scenario, naming Tae-mu the inheritor. Tae-mu takes the forms to stamp his seal, and just seconds before he puts ink to paper, Yi Gak bursts through the doors.
Tae-mu declares that he’s a phony, but Yi Gak points out that if he’s a phony, he wouldn’t have been able to make the proceedings. (Being in jail and all.) Tae-mu has no rebuttal, and so Tae-yong is named the new CEO after all.
Pyo Taek-soo congratulates him on outwitting their foes, and advises him to kick Tae-mu out of the company right away. Yi Gak asks to be allowed to take care of Tae-mu (“I have an idea”), and asks Taek-soo to take over as administrator of the company, naming him President Pyo.
The ducklings have taken over the task of tracking down that black box, and bring it back to Yi Gak for review. What he sees has him gaping in shock, and he summons Yong-sool with an ominous voice.
Next thing we know, Tae-mu is walking out of the Home & Shopping building, and Yong-sool grabs him from behind and shoves him into a car. The ducklings drag him in to face Yi Gak, who orders him to call Se-na here.
Tae-mu growls, “You think you can get away with this?” Yong-sool literally slaps him upside the head. HA. I love how relatively wimpy this use of force is, and yet it’s perfectly adequate to subdue Tae-mu. See, not everyone needs ice trucks and yachts to do their bidding for them. “Call Hong Se-na here,” Yi Gak commands again.
Cut to: Se-na and Tae-mu, sitting in the hot seat together. HAHA. I don’t think it was supposed to be a funny transition given the dark lighting, ominous voices, and heavy music cues, but the smash cut is hilarious.
They replay the black box footage, and now we get to see it too. It has a clear view of Grandma’s front gate, with Se-na walking out of it clutching the stolen laptop.
Se-na’s already shaking in fear, but she summons her composure to argue that there’s nothing strange about her leaving the house. Yi Gak paints the picture more exactly, saying that she left the house at the very same time that Grandma died.
Tae-mu claims that projected times of death can be off by an hour or two, and tries to leave. Yong-sool sits him right back down. Yi Gak tells them what he wants: They are to mete out their own punishments by resigning their jobs and returning the money they stole (to frame him with). And I go, Whaaaa? That’s your bright idea? C’mon, and here I thought you were gonna get all badass up in this hizzy.
He does tack on the warning that if they don’t, he’ll make them feel the agony of dismemberment. But unless that’s through actual dismemberment, I’m thinking it’s not much of a threat.
He looks particularly at Se-na—who seems closer to the breaking point—as he says this is the last chance he’s giving them, and that they don’t have much time.
Once they’ve left, Se-na anxiously asks Tae-mu what to do. Her face was caught on camera and she’s on the hook—what now? Tae-mu glowers and vows, “I’m going to kill that bastard.” You mean you’ll try. We all know how this goes.
That night, Park-ha huddles outside Yi Gak’s door, asking if he’s sleeping and disappointed when he says he is. He asks what has her so worried that she’d camp out in front of his door, and she says she’s scared he’ll disappear.
So he brings her inside and tucks her into bed right next to him. Aww. They lie down with hands linked, but her concerns aren’t totally relieved. She muses that he’ll still have to return to Joseon and solve the princess’s murder: “That’s what has to happen, isn’t it?”
He turns to face her and says, “Since thinking of having to say goodbye at some unknown point is so painful, I have decided to only think in the moment here, which I spend just with you. I like this moment.” He proposes that they make lots of moments together and tells her to think of something to do tomorrow night.
With that they go to sleep, still holding hands.
The next day, Tae-mu gives Se-na last-minute tips on what must be their new plan. That involves Se-na bringing Tae-yong here to this lake, “by any means necessary.”
Se-na arrives at the rooftop with something to tell Park-ha, attitude meek and head bowed. She affects the demeanor of the self-pitying penitent, saying Park-ha must hate her and apologizing for everything.
Starting to cry, Se-na says she’d like to die; thinking of her wrongs has her so ashamed she can barely hold her head up. Nor can she turn to Mom, or her birth mother, or Park-ha: “Should I just die? If I die, could I be forgiven?”
Admittedly Se-na is pretty convincing; if we didn’t know she was up to no good, I might almost believe her. So Park-ha can’t help feeling sorry for her as well, and softens a bit. When she steps aside, Se-na sees her phone lying on the table and reads the incoming text from “Dummy ♥” that asks if she’s decided where to go tonight. Ughhh. This is just too easy, isn’t it?
Se-na replies as Park-ha, telling him to meet her at the reservoir tonight for some night fishing. He replies that he’ll meet her there, and adds that she should wear the couple tee that he left out for her (which is Chi-san’s, HA).
Se-na hurries out with an excuse (and the phone), then swipes the couple tee for good measure. Park-ha comes running out to flag her down, though she doesn’t seem suspicious as she gets into the car. Instead Park-ha extends an olive branch by offering to buy unni dinner, since she doesn’t want to part ways on such abrupt terms.
Then she sees the reservoir on Se-na’s GPS screen (oh thank goodness), and jumps to the helpful, but mistaken, conclusion that Se-na might be planning to kill herself there. Se-na says she just entered the wrong address, while Park-ha urges her that she can always atone for her wrongs and not to take her life so lightly.
Just then, Park-ah’s ringtone sounds, and it comes from Se-na’s handbag. Se-na cringes, but Park-ha, THE IDIOT, lets her off the hook by saying she has the same song for her ringtone. O RLY? WHAT A COINCIDENCE.
Now Se-na has to answer the phone, and she can’t take it out without Park-ha recognizing it. She sticks a hand inside to quiet the phone, which goes unanswered for Yi Gak, calling from the fishing supply store.
Yong-sool tells Yi Gak that nighttime is dangerous and offers himself as chaperone, which Yi Gak firmly dismisses. No third wheels necessary. I do love Yong-sool’s protective streak, and since it has saved royal ass before I’m thinking it should really not be taken so lightly. Ahem.
While Yi Gak has his romantic date, the boys have plans to go see a baseball game. Unfortunately, Chi-san has left the tickets at home; he’ll have to hurry home to get them.
Se-na drives Park-ha to the restaurant, then excuses herself by saying she’s not hungry. Lol. That’s the best excuse a master liar could think up? She literally strands Park-ha in the street and drives off.
Yi Gak gets to the reservoir first and busily sets up for the date. Park-ha, oblivious to the plans, looks all over the house for her phone and totally doesn’t suspect her sister of a thing. Thankfully, Chi-san arrives to pick up his tickets, and he wonders why she isn’t out on her fishing date.
NOW Park-ha thinks over all of unni’s highly suspicious behaviors, putting together two and two (and two and two—seriously honey, there were a lot of clues).
Yi Gak wonders at Park-ha’s tardiness while she speeds over in a taxi. As he paces by the water, he tries calling her but gets no response again. He assumes she let her battery die, but then worries that maybe she got into an accident, and that has him looking around.
That’s when Se-na appears in the distance and waves to him. In the dark, all he can see is her silhouette, and she playfully turns in the other direction and dashes off. He takes it for a flirty game of Hide N Seek and follows as she leads him right toward Tae-mu, waiting on the other side in his car. Tae-mu revs the engine, readying to drive into Yi Gak. Well, I suppose he’s got a leg up, in that it’s not his first car-related almost-murder; maybe second time’s the charm?
Park-ha’s taxi drops her off and she starts to make her way toward the water. Se-na brings Tae-yong to the appointed spot and hides herself out of view, and Tae-mu starts to drive forward, creeping ahead quietly at first.
Park-ha sees Yi Gak first, then the car approaching behind him. Realizing he’s in danger, she calls out to him. He brightens to see her, but doesn’t see the car coming at him from the other direction. It picks up speed, and Tae-mu guns it.
Yi Gak sees the car at the last moment, just as Park-ha flies at him and shoves him out of harm’s way. Which leaves her right in its path.
COMMENTS
Okay, I give up. Rooftop Prince has always been a little sloppy, but here’s where it gets downright stupid. You can only endure so many dumb twists and turns before you throw up your hands and just disengage, right?
The thing is, I’d be more willing to sit through the lameness if it served a purpose I still cared about. Say, the Joseon mystery, or the time-warping. But the company takeover? Whoopdafrickindoo. I don’t know if there’s anybody who still cares about that home shopping channel or who runs it.
In fact, I’m a little conflicted about painting Tae-mu as the bad guy in respect to the takeover—in the murder(s), there’s no question—because I’m pretty sure he’s the only guy who does any work. Seriously. What does it say about your company that the only competent employee is a murderous psychopath? At this point I’m wondering why Tae-mu doesn’t just set up his own company and run that, since he’s got the experience and business acumen. That’s what LinkedIn is for; post that resumé and you’ll have a dozen companies knocking on your door who want to recognize your achievements. I almost wish the CEO were a withholding father figure instead of grandma, because I can see an illegitimate son driven to extremes to win Daddy’s love. Like in Cinderella’s Sister. (Although, yeah, that got tedious too.) But a crusty ol’ grandma who doesn’t care about you or your father? Psh. Whatevs. Move on.
I agree that the show should have been shorter, but I tend to think that of all shows, so that’s not particular to Rooftop Prince. And really, I do think there was enough material to work with to have filled out the 20 episodes with less stupidity. But I’ve always been more interested in the Joseon stuff, and am bummed to realize that basically all that potential is just gonna be stuffed into the first and last episodes. Boo.
As to the drowning mystery? I admit that this was the very first episode that I thought it might be possible that Bu-yong died in the lake because of a botched attempt on someone else’s life. I’d been aware of that speculation, but never saw much to support it. But this lake episode brings it together—and the fact that we’re thematically circling back to the beginning shows that the drama does know what it’s doing, and had its story plotted out well in advance. In that regard you can’t quite blame the live-shoot for coming up with story twists on the fly, since I think there’s enough evidence that a lot of this was planned. It’s just that the execution is so shaky.
The one shining light of hope: We get one new clue. Instead of the princess’s death being an attempt to kill Se-na that killed Bu-yong instead, now we can posit that Yi Gak was the real target, which is a theory I hadn’t really considered. The time-warp fits better in the context of sending him to safety in a moment of mortal peril, which makes a LOT more sense than Fate deciding he needs to solve a murder case. I like that. I wish we had lots more of that.
RELATED POSTS
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 17
- Thing vs. Thing: Time-traveling Heroes
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 16
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 15
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 14
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 13
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 12
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 11
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 10
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 9
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 8
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 7
- The untold love story: Rooftop Fashion King
- Rooftop Prince: Episode 6
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- Rooftop Prince: Episode 1
Tags: featured, Han Ji-min, Jung Yumi (2), Lee Tae-sung, Micky Yoochun, Rooftop Prince
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51 Akiddo
May 17, 2012 at 7:50 PM
The characters seem to be getting dumb and dumber as the episodes prod along. Gosh! How long do they need to get two and two together!?
The actors are trying their best to make the script work - but a bad script is a bad script. Argghhhhh...this always happen in kdramas when the show is nearing the end!
The plot needs to be tighter!
Still..I like Yi Gak's devotion to Park Ha. I hope the writer has some heart to let him continue his devotion to Bu Yong in Joseon. It will be sad for him to continue living in his old live without Bu Yong/Park Ha. what would happen when he gets back to Joseon:
1) Will his hair miraculously grow back?
2) Will he get the palace chefs to create omurice whenever he misses Park Ha? That would be a lot of omurice!
3) Will this journey to modern day undo Bu Yong's misfortune back in Joseon and allow him to protect her from evil sister?
4) And the part where Park Ha read about Joseon in the library - what did she read about him? Actually I have always wondered if Yi Gak has ever bothered to find out about himself in history...
TGIF everyone!
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52 siopao
May 17, 2012 at 7:50 PM
its not soo bad... park ha is recounciled with her mother, the prince finds his true love , the crown princess is exposed... but I still have no idea how they will deal with a spaced out TaeYoung. I reckon Sena will have a redemptive moment and save Park ha. Sena dies as the crown princess did. My imagination... hmmmm
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53 singhi26
May 17, 2012 at 7:54 PM
thanks for the recaps!
I hope they don't kill PH, I wish Sena will push PH, it's the least she could do, I am so confused and my brain is tired of thinking what will happen, I personally enjoy watching HJM and Yoochun, and don't want the drama to finish, but I want to know the ending lol Writers better give me 1 and 1/2 episode of sweet memories (i'm just giving them 1/2 episode to kill off TM and Sena, send them to jail, to a mental institution or whatever, i would like TM to go to vegetative state, being fully aware of his surroundings but unable to move and have TY come see him everyday hahaha)
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54 jelly
May 17, 2012 at 7:56 PM
Maybe Park Ha won't die after the crash but will have memory loss so she can't remember Yi Gak and there love story hahaha...there goes the amnesia plot. then Yi Gak solves the mistery that he was the real target for murder but it was the CP who ate the poison persimon...then presto...he disappeared completely and back to Jeoson with his ducklings...
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Kiara
May 18, 2012 at 7:56 AM
I want her to live without going through ANOTHER memory loss. If the writer pulls that crap again I'm going to be hating on him for the rest of his career.
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55 JenJen
May 17, 2012 at 8:02 PM
Why does the Korean entertainment industry like to run everyone over (especially the females)? I think I've seen the jumping-in-front-of-a-vehicle-to-save-a-person trope a few too many times. ._.
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En En Koh
May 17, 2012 at 9:31 PM
LOL Trucks/cars in drama DONT EVER STOP!! They ALWAYS run over ppl, causing accidents or deaths. LOL!!!
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skelly
May 17, 2012 at 10:55 PM
epic South Korean vehicles of DOOM
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Kim Yoonmi
May 18, 2012 at 5:42 PM
and most of the cars are black. I call carist. ^.~
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56 blergh
May 17, 2012 at 8:03 PM
This episode was all kinds of unnecessary.
And why is Park Ha SOOOO sloooooow? In just about every respect: sitting around while her bf is carted off to jail, not noticing anything strange about Se Na, not calling Yi Gak when she found out he was at the pond (there are other phones somewhere), and then hardly making a sound when she saw he was about to get run down. And that's just in THIS episode.
Also a word of advice to our princey: maybe if you'd turned your evidence over to the police, Tae Mu wouldn't be roaming around bent on sedan-based murdering. Putting people in prison isn't just a punishment, it's also to protect everybody else from violent criminals!!! GAH. Stupid.
Also wondering why nobody (in the show) seems to be wondering why the J F4 were being pursued and having arrows shot at them just before the time jump. Wasn't that a bit strange...?
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SoyB
May 18, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Good points... maybe that's why some people's theory that the prince was the target all along is correct.
And yes, why couldn't she have called him from the house phone... or called out to him, watch out there's a car heading your way... *sigh*
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57 milllo blooom
May 17, 2012 at 8:07 PM
How about bak ha goes into a coma and when she wakes up she has forgotten the prince and the time travel thing. So when the real coma guy wakes up they fall for each other.
The prince and his minions actually died in the past when they were jumping, their ghosts appeared to help right past and future wrongs.
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singhi26
May 17, 2012 at 8:15 PM
maybe that's what PH read in the library, that the prince and 3 companions died when they jumped off a cliff. What if they really died and in the present, their reincarnations either died or are in a coma, so having them dissapear instead of going back will make more sense, they are just going back to the bodies...sorry i'm just rambling here, these soul, reincarnation thing is driving me crazy
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58 21
May 17, 2012 at 8:10 PM
I have been saying I will watch this show soon but after reading today's recap I am not so sure if it's worth the time. Still thanks for the recap!
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59 lovedramas
May 17, 2012 at 8:16 PM
I had thought about the possibility of Yi Gak being the original target simply because I have watched enough Joseon sageuks to know that a crown prince always has a huge target on his back. I always puzzled over the motive for killing either the crown princess or her sister BY. But from watching the first episode, I didn't get any feelings that YG was the original target... so I too am quite surprised and didn't really think that he could have been the target. So many things that come up and have me going... "oh! that makes sense now! but I didn't think it was possible before" I like that. Keeps me on my toes.
But I agree, the execution somewhere stinks.
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60 hanie
May 17, 2012 at 8:30 PM
Thanks for the recap JB. le sigh~ I'm sad that RP ended like this. At the beginning, they have so much potential and funny bits and just enough angst but it ended doing all the unnecessary reroute to makjang territory. Everyone knows that nobody left that territory unscathed. If only they focused more on the Joseon mystery, we won't have all this unnecessary (sub)plot. All the birth secret should have been solved ages ago and all this company matters is supposed to be minor than the murder mystery, not the other way around. And why is Park Ha never share with the Joseon F4 about whatever that she found out from the history book? Seriously, that may help in finding solution to the mystery.
*pounding chest* sorry for being bitter. it is because i had so much love for you guys.
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Florentine Lily
May 17, 2012 at 11:02 PM
It's because there was love that the disappoint cuts so deep. I can't ignore the floundering story line/writing because I used to be so invested. And it hurts that it's gotten this bad and I can't ignore that. At the end, I hope I haven't wasted time better spent elsewhere.
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61 jomo143
May 17, 2012 at 8:37 PM
OMG! I should have skipped the show and just read this recap.
Thank you so much for making me LOL after experiencing that karap-fest of a writing smooshup of EVERY SHOW THAT HAS EVER BEEN MADE BEFORE.
The writers didn't give up, exactly, they started to turn invisible, so their pets started to write for them.
btw, I guessed that the murder attempt was on the prince waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in Ep 1 comments.
I can't crow and say I was right since it isn't over till it's over!
But I prolly won't watch the last two anyway.
I feel like the juice has been squeezed out of the love story.
However, seeing the ducklings re-united with their various family members will be sweet, so maybe...
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62 Schmazel
May 17, 2012 at 8:40 PM
Just wondering...
Don't the drama writers write a drama with an ending in mind?
How do these dramas get picked up - or rather - how do the broadcasting companies know that a drama is worth the investment and the time slot if they don't know what they're getting into, in the long run?
I suppose the writers send in a synopsis and maybe the script for the first few episodes, but still...I wonder if they think of and ending for their dramas before they air?
Anyhow, all the best to the writer(s) of RTP in writing the final 2 episodes. :D
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Kim Yoonmi
May 18, 2012 at 6:22 PM
One writer and as far as I know, you can blame the live shoot (or shoot the live shoot) for this.
Writers are often told under this system to not finish the scripts ahead of time because they want adjustment time to do crazy things like cut or add episodes or play up a part because it's popular.
As for how they know the writer is worth it--there is a semi-apprenticeship that goes on in Korea if you look at any of the writer's creds on the show, you'll see they started with a collective writing job. Then they graduate and get a test run on something tried and true (like a story that's popular and structured). (See Lie to Me). If they get good enough then their rep spikes and then they get to do their own stories without backup material. If they fail, then they have to go back or drop out of the business. (From what I gather.)
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Schmazel
May 19, 2012 at 5:38 PM
Wow! Thanks for the detailed explanation. :D
I now see why some dramas keel off-center. A shame, really, when there's a a story with great potential but all that loses out to certain popular parts or a ticking clock. Oh well.
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63 mikimotoable
May 17, 2012 at 8:43 PM
the things that I dont understand about this drama is
why people didnt lock their houses, phones, laptops..
Im frustrated to the max!!
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ar
May 17, 2012 at 9:39 PM
Not too surprising. This is also a world where you can just snatch a body out of a hospital (when our guys stole Taeyong out so Yi Gak can replace him)!
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bd
May 18, 2012 at 12:22 AM
Or simply say something instead of saying silent (which is how the evil ones have gotten away w/ their not very bright schemes all along).
Basically, the protagonists have gone from naive or noble silent to just plain STUPID - which is how the not very bright evil ones have had the upper hand most of the time.
Also got to love how it changes from daylight to pitch black nite during a short car ride (done a couple of times) and how the color of Se-na's Ford Focus changed color.
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Kiara
May 18, 2012 at 8:10 AM
Another thing, I dont get is why Park-ha couldnt just yell at Yi-gak to move out of the way but nooooo she had to run in front of the car.
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64 lenrasoon
May 17, 2012 at 8:44 PM
damn it just gets confusing, i wonder since when this drama went down the drain, maybe it was when the missing daughters plot entered or way back when we started with the company shenanigans idk, i still watch this because i found Park Ha and Lee Gak adorable otherwise this drama got ridiculous for me :/
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65 lovedramas
May 17, 2012 at 8:49 PM
Also - why is TM's answer for everything murder??? This guy seriously needs to be put away in jail for life.
I still love our OTP - they are really cute together.
As I watched PH fret over him disappearing and YG saying that they could do something tomorrow night... I had the feeling that they wouldn't get to that point. It always happens that way. Besides, it is high time they go back to Joseon. I understand that why they have dragged it out until now but still I am far more interested in that than TM and his company antics.
I don't know much about TY but I think I could grow to like him too as much as YG.
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66 mas
May 17, 2012 at 8:53 PM
I think i like this ep very much.but again different person have different taste
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exquisitemelody
May 17, 2012 at 8:56 PM
I was at the edge of my seat screaming at my computer because I knew what was going to happen...but I loved it all the same. I liked this ep too...actually, I've liked this whole drama. Maybe I'm the only one? I do miss that they lost the humor, but I can understand it's hard to make time for that and keep the storylines going.
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pk
May 18, 2012 at 7:54 AM
Also like and enjoy every ep. Think the power struggle is necessary, if not how to mirror the power struggle in Josaen time, is greed for the wealth and power that we have Sena & TW and it would be a waste of Crown P and his gang's talents just to follow PK around and do some cute acts...then people will complain, so just relax and enjoy:)
From Ep1, already shown the bad guy set the trap to kill CP and they escaped to modern times....I would say the plot already set but of course there are imperfections....like ON AIR...
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67 exquisitemelody
May 17, 2012 at 8:54 PM
So many ending possibilities, all with legitimate reasons! For the longest time, I thought Bu Yong was the one that died in the pond, and I still thought so after this episode until I read the comments. I would really love it if Se Na saves Park Ha...I'd love some redemption for her!
I did realize though that Bu Yong probably isn't the one that died because wasn't there some time between when the princess died and when they time jumped? I'm sure if Bu Yong was in fact the one that died, her going missing would've been known...gahh I don't know.
I hope all the time spent on the company takeover will be useful next week, or I'm going to be sad with all the time we missed that we could've been in Joseon!
My one wish is that somehow, Yi Gak and Park Ha end up together...darn you era difference! How will it work out?
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68 exquisitemelody
May 17, 2012 at 8:56 PM
Oh, my one qualm (well, not one, but...just thinking about it) - so what the heck happened with the birth mom? She went off to Hong Kong without EITHER of her daughters? We spend so much time on that storyline and then it gets dropped like a hot potato? OH drama...
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gg
May 18, 2012 at 5:37 AM
yea i know right! that was such a waste of time and so anti-climatic...
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pk
May 18, 2012 at 8:05 AM
SN too ashamed to see her mum and mum knows how loving her daughter PK and TY are so why bring her to HK. In the first place, she didn't intent to bring them back to HK but because of what SN did, she thought she has the responsibility to chg her before is too late. As someone mentioned, PY takes after the father, SN takes after her mum so i think she was like SN but now as she is dying, her value starts to change.....
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69 cielo009
May 17, 2012 at 8:57 PM
Maybe, just maybe, Sena grew a conscience and felt guilt for everything she's done and pushes Park Ha aside and gets killed... Unlikely right?
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SoyB
May 18, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Unlikely... she had so many chances to do the right thing and she kept chosing wrong right up to the end. At this point, I'm sad b/c there's absolutely nothing that can really redeem Sena or Tae Mu except death or jail.
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70 Kyuu
May 17, 2012 at 9:07 PM
When that lawyer dude was like "all assets go to Taeyong tomorrow at 12PM" or something, I just had to roll my eyes. It was such an obviously predictable attempt at extending the story. Why couldn't they just do it right there when everyone was already present? Some parts of this drama is so downright ridiculous and annoying.
At least the drama is getting somewhere towards the end, however, my interest in this drama is already long gone. I guess I'm just watching it because I'm already 18 episodes in and I might as well finish it. :/
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bd
May 18, 2012 at 12:25 AM
Or the whole matter of all the assets going to Tae-mu if Tae-yong wasn't present at the "hand-off."
So many ridiculous flaws (like the policeman not searching for the "escaped" prisoner), but this one really took the cake.
Just lazy, lazy writing.
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Sho
May 18, 2012 at 7:22 AM
TY's lawyer took care of his dissapearance according to Pyo Taek Soo (as PTS already had knowledge that he was at a Police Station).
At first, I thought PTS meant for the above line in terms of lawyers, how the lawyers took care of the inheritance transfer from Grandmas will, but him asked about his escape from the Police Station kinda reinforces the idea that his lawyers already took care of the situation after seeing YG at the meeting
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71 Yumi
May 17, 2012 at 9:13 PM
Thanks for posting.
How can there not be a Tae-mu in Joseon. These peoples fate have been enter-twined for centuries, so he must have Joseon a counterpart. The fact that no-one has acknowledge this is weird. Tae-Mu is probably the palace Eunuch.
Also, what up with Grandma's kids. Where is Tae-mu's mother and Tae-Yong's parents. Did Grandma consume her children. I miss the explanation of their demise.
I always assumed that if the Crown Princess was actually the one who faceplant in the Joseon pond, she got herself killed trying to disappear her younger sister.
Another weird to me conceit is the belief that the reincarnated will look like their prior self. It would be so much more interesting trying to find the soul/personality match is a radically different body.
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Night
May 18, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Tea Mu was in Joseon. He is police officer and crown prince brother-in-law. Rewatch first episode when all discussing with king about dead in the pond... It starts sth about 45 minutes from beginning.
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Yumi
May 18, 2012 at 4:59 PM
thanks.
i missed that!
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72 JYN
May 17, 2012 at 9:14 PM
I still wanna know what Park Ha saw in that history textbook. >.> I'll bet it'll be revealed in the end or something. Or did I happen to miss an episode or something? O.o
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73 Byj_angel
May 17, 2012 at 9:18 PM
This drama, I dare say is akin to a promising spectacular fireworks show that fizzled out in the middle. Kaboosh. Swish. Landed in deep ocean. No exclamation point needed. The previous episodes were like scattered brains it leaves the viewer fuming mad. Duh, are we dumb? Makjang!
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74 crazykel
May 17, 2012 at 9:21 PM
I still like this drama, but not as much as I used to. I agree that some of this has gotten incredibly stupid in the last two episodes. It's as if the writers want Tae-mu to succeed in killing someone, so they keep having to add near-death scenarios to match their obvious obsession with his character.
When I saw the interrogation scenes with TaeMu and SeNa, all I could do was laugh. My first thought was, "The prince and the ducklings have been watching WAY too many cop dramas." LOL. I snorted a few times I think. YongSool acted just like those old-timey thuggish cops too--a slap on the head to keep TaeMu quiet. And the light shining on the villains, bwahahaha.
What happened to Park-ha's character strength? Just when she began to amaze me at her ability to bounce back despite her circumstances, she becomes like so many lead drama women--incredibly weak-minded and vulnerable to attack. Does this girl have a death wish?
She continues to trust regardless of the knowledge of the evil which certain people possess. Then she talked about solving "halmoni's" murder? Why would she still call the woman who tried to remove her from TaeYong/YiGak's life "grandmother"? She was horrible to Park-ha, and as far as I'm concerned, Park-ha had every right to not care about her death. I understand that it would go against her nature, but I certainly wouldn't have bothered if I were in her shoes.
I can only hope that we get a big dose of Joseon in the final two episodes, and that the writers don't try to run us all over at the reservoir of answers.
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75 A-M
May 17, 2012 at 9:22 PM
I was okay with the crazy and sloppy mostly but yeah, this episode pushed the limits a bit. I'm hoping things start making more sense in the next episode and that this was the low point.
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76 ar
May 17, 2012 at 9:24 PM
I agree that most of this episode was pretty frustrating. Sena and Tae-mu have been so obviously evil towards them that Yi-Gak and Park-ha should have both been extra suspicious and wary. I mean, Sena and Tae-mu are crazy murderers! And Yi-Gak should have handed the black box over to the police. The worst punishment for those two would be bad press and a long stint in jail. And we need more of the other Joseon guys.
I do love how this ending scene is bring us back to the beginning Joseon scene - the idea of one sister pretending to be the other (very likely that people had mistaken Bu-yong's body for the princess's) and the potential death scene.
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Shiku
May 17, 2012 at 10:11 PM
How is it possible to mistake Bu yong and the crown princess when Bu yong has a scar on her face?
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ravens_nest
May 17, 2012 at 10:17 PM
Right? If it is Bu Yong, then they're telling me not one court official/maid was like, "Yo...dis ain't da crown princess." when they fished her out of the water for burial?
Ok, KDrama...You do you, homie...*side-eye*
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supernazu
May 18, 2012 at 5:47 AM
honey, if u watch episode 1, crown prince clearly said to his servant to cover the dead body without an inch showing. Then they show how those servant cover the dead body with white silk before they took her out of water. No one saw the dead's body face.
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Sho
May 18, 2012 at 7:28 AM
would you also like to see a Dead person's face? She was laying face down in the water, there's no reason to turn her around especially when YG clearly said to take care of it carefully. It's one of the reason's why we all had speculations on wondering if it was really CP or BY who died.
ravens_nest
May 18, 2012 at 8:52 PM
@supernazu Yes, I caught and understood that. That was the immediate reaction he had yes.
Still, wouldn't they have prepared her body for burial? For example clean her, change her into special burial clothes, etc. per whatever traditions they had for royal deaths in the Chosun era. A quick search tells me that there are actual procedures for burying the dead in Korea.
I guess I'm just supposed to accept that they wrapped her in a sheet and buried her as is.
Yeah, ok...
77 eternalfive
May 17, 2012 at 9:33 PM
...
BAHAHAHAHA. Okay, this drama just got waaay funnier and in all the wrong ways. *snigger* Is this seriously real? I mean, I haven't bothered with Episodes 17-18, so I'm just following the recaps atm, but has the show actually gotten THIS stupid?! And it had so much potential in the beginning too - why couldn't they have concentrated on the Joseon murder mystery instead of some random company shit that NO ONE CARES ABOUT? Or even the rooftop family, what about them? Where did the funny go? There was SO MUCH you could do with all that, I just can't understand why they would decide to concentrate on the two most pathetic characters in the drama and their constipated faces (I mean, look at that screenshot of Tae-mu's murderer face. It's hilarious XD).
Although I do feel a little sorry for Tae-mu. Poor guy tries SO hard, but he STILL fails to kill his intended victim. :P
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ladyjumong
May 18, 2012 at 8:52 AM
hehehe-if Taemu were American, he would be on America's Dumbest Criminals---
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78 Ani
May 17, 2012 at 9:52 PM
And yet I'm still pretty interested in finding out how it all ends. Hahahaha. X)
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79 JheartsK
May 17, 2012 at 9:55 PM
RANT, not RAVE. I am so disappointed in this show which held all the promise in the first episodes but is now dragging unbearably. It was absolutely hilarious and fun in the beginning but has just turned into melodrama. Sigh. I love Bak Ha and the prince plus the ducklings but their adorable interactions have been too few and far between in recent episodes. And the acting has become a bit contrived, too. (I have to add that the opposite has happened with timeslot-sharing King 2 Hearts - the story has taken off into awesome territory and the acting is phenomenal heading into the final week.)
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Florentine Lily
May 17, 2012 at 10:56 PM
I think there is a lot of Ranting in the replies and reviews. Raving? Not so much.
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80 Florentine Lily
May 17, 2012 at 10:11 PM
In the earlier stages, this show had sooooo much potential. I could not wait to watch it. I am especially angry because I thought they would have raised the stakes by episode 10 (which is when I started to fall out of love with the writing). The comedy hid the cracked facade. The numerous plot holes are now glaringly obvious.
I still don't know why they had to drag out the take-over/birth secret. We got that Se Na is horrible and Tae Mu can't even properly kill his adversary by episode 12.
Se Na: She might be a lot of things but, from what I've seen, I don't think she has it in her to be a murderer. Tae "please, just let me kill somebody intentionally before this show ends" Mu? Yes! Se "power/class-hungry-parasite" Na? No!She talks big but she can't deliver. She nearly had a heart attack seeing Grandma fall! Now, she agreed to lure Tae Yong for Tae Mu to run over and drown? In front of her? Hmmm....smells like somebody is grasping at straws to advance the story.
I used to watch this show after TK2H because the first few episodes were superb while TK2H was still getting its footing. But now, I'm watching RTP before TK2H because TK2H consumes all my emotions and takes over my mind. Every week, TK2H writers bring it. They are not afraid to distress their audience. They don't play safe. It keeps getting better! The writing is solid. I keep crying and laughing and screaming at my computer screen but I wouldn't have it any other way. My emotions from one week carries over to the next and leaves me drained, waiting for the next episode. And when I think I have no more to give, TK2H somehow wrings it from me. I am in a perpetual state of suspense and happiness.
With TK2H, I am invested in the characters, even the villain. With RTP now, I don't even care if Park-Ha gets run over (and I want to care). I just want it to be over. And with the addition of QIHM, RTP looks ridiculous. I'm worried that if I start watching Equator Man now (I've been hearing rave reviews), the little bit of love I still retain for RTP will frizzle to nothing.
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Florentine Lily
May 17, 2012 at 10:13 PM
And it shouldn't be that way.
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JheartsK
May 18, 2012 at 1:00 AM
RE: K2H, you said it! It is A-MAZING, right?! I could go on and on but suppose it would be a bit inappropriate since this is the RP thread! Ha! I am going to slide this one comment in here, though: Jae Shin and Shin Kyung =
true love. Their recent scenes (and not only the ones with each other but those with the other characters, too) have just slayed me!
I fear it is too late to rescue RP but I will watch to see how the writers wrap this up.
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Sho
May 18, 2012 at 7:32 AM
I can't find TK2H interesting over RTP still. Maybe it's just me, but I do find QIHM much better than RTP especially since they both work with the whole time travelling issue. I don't disagree that RTP has gotten downhill since Ep 13 though
QIHM > RTP > TK2H
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JheartsK
May 18, 2012 at 12:11 PM
I've heard so many RAVES about QIHM...that's next on my list after my emotions recover from TK2H (which have run the gamut and have run deep and still have 2 episodes to go).
PLLLEEEAAASSSEEE, RP, for the last episodes, MORE BH, Prince, and his three fellow musketeers; LESS Sena and Tae Mu. Bring back the funny!! Bring back the joy!!
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JheartsK
May 18, 2012 at 2:07 PM
I've been watching K2H early in the morning when I have a bit of time before starting work. I now have to remind myself NOT to put on makeup before watching because I end up crying and messing it up! Ha! "And when I think I have no more to give, TK2H somehow wrings it from me." Yup.
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81 ravens_nest
May 17, 2012 at 10:13 PM
I don't really post about this show much because I'm not that excited by it anymore. The acting and the music are the only things keeping me entertained at this point. It started off strong and then tumbled into a tangled mess of chaebol machinations, near-death (and one actual death) experiences, amnesia, mistaken identities, birth-secrets, you name it...Blegh.
But this was the episode that made me want to give up hope that this drama will turn itself around before the end. I had hoped by episode 18 we'd have explored way more of the Chosun mystery, the Chosun incarnations Hwa Yong/Bu Yong, and that the Attendants Three would be more fleshed out instead of mere plot devices/comic relief. Instead I get crazy makjang story-lines filled with 50% plot-holes, 50% coincidences, and 100% Ugh. Makjang is all well and good when done right but this show didn't handle it correctly.
___________
So many WTF!moments in this episode:
1. How the hell did Lee Gak teleport from the cell to the hall? I don't remember that being a perk of fading back to Chosun. I'd have preferred if he'd faded and then walked through the wall. :/
2. No one has brought up the DNA issue again with all these "You're a fake Tae Yong!" accusations flying around?
3. Why in the world would Tae Yong be stuck in jail because Tae Mu didn't corroborate his alibi? What about the bartender/wait staff that served the cousins all their drinks? Were there no other patrons in that entire bar who can verify that you two were together? No security cameras? Come on!
4. Why not tell the police about the car black-box theory?
5. How many coincidences will this drama rely on? Coincidentally Se Na exited the house right during a car accident, coincidentally that car had a newfangled black-box installed, coincidentally Lee Gak stepped on the accident debris...This is not even including the many "coincidences" from previous episodes. At this point the most believable part of the drama is the time-traveling reincarnation magic stuff.
6. Apparently Bak Ha has forgotten when she slapped Se Na across the face, threw water at her twice, and declared them no longer sisters. And that was before all the shiestiness with their Bio-Mom, getting her fired, and actively interfering with Lee Gak and Bak Ha's relationship. Apparently Se Na needed only to shed crocodile tears and Bak Ha caves. :/
7. So is no one ever going to do a daring rescue from an oncoming car where they shout "LOOK OUT! A CAR!" and leap for the other person while allowing the inertia to carry both bodies out of harm's way? No? I guess a weak cry, a light shove, and a deer-in-the-headlights (literally) expression will have to do...
8. How maniacal can Yong Dong Man's laugh get before people start looking at him funny?
___________
Also about Tae Mu...JB is right. Based solely on his work performance he deserves the company waaay more than Tae Yong. He is an exceptional businessman and he's been working for that company for much longer with continued success. At times he seems like the only person who actually gets shit done in that company.
In the beginning of the drama, before all the shenanigans (read: attempted murder) in NY, Tae Mu's only fault was that his grandfather stepped out on Grandma and had a bastard child who then had Tae Mu. Um...What? So two generations later you're punishing this kid for what his grandfather did? Even though he is clearly the better businessman. Ok, Grandma, I see your sharp and analytic business mind is at work.
I don't excuse his heinous crimes--he should def go to jail for them--but part of me admits that if he wasn't a psychotic murderer, I'd be rooting for him to get the company, hands down.
IDK...Usually I can find nuggets of cute/funny/sweet in the midst of the ugly in this drama but not today. *sigh* Maybe next week will be better. Either way I'm stuck on this ride until the bitter end.
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Florentine Lily
May 17, 2012 at 10:54 PM
"Either way I’m stuck on this ride until the bitter end."
My sentiments exactly. It also annoyed me that Grandma didn't leave anything for anyone other than Tae Yong. Seriously, woman? Your tunnel vision love for Tae Yong and blatant disregard for Tae Mu's workman-ship and loyalty triggered all this. Karma made you fall down the stairs (even though it was unnecessary) and it was sorta sweet to watch.
I also wished the writer did not rely on the stereotypical chaebol-drama villain for Tae Mu. He accidentally punched his cousin--whom we assumed he had an okay if not a great relationship with--into the ocean because Tae Yong was causing distress to their grandmother. A grandmother Tae Mu has been trying to impress for a long time but whom hates him because of his grandfather's indiscretions. Thinking his cousin dead (Tae Yong looked pretty dead), his self-preservation kicks in and he lies about the event.
Everything he did after that was wrong but it would have made for an interesting morally-gray, conflicted villain instead of the black-and-white-company-takeover one. He would have been motivated to hide the accidental murder (which I got a sense of in the first couple of episodes) but the writers made it seem like he was motivated to kill Tae-Yong because of the company. This would have eliminated the company take-over plot, leaving the birth secret plot which would then have resolved itself in two episodes.
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ravens_nest
May 18, 2012 at 9:12 PM
Right? I remember a lot of people immediately hating Tae Mu in the beginning because of punching Tae Yong into the water and I couldn't figure out why. It was kind of an accident and it was dead wrong to leave Tae Yong for dead but it wasn't outright murderous. Tae Mu struck me as an opportunist. It doesn't excuse his actions but it had the seeds of a more interesting gray character that never came to light.
TBH, I kind of dug him in the first few episodes and I was hoping for stronger characterization. Especially considering his utter devotion for Se Na which I, frankly, found adorable and sweet if a tad blind. His love for her is an interesting contrast to that cold and ruthless nature which let him leave his cousin for dead.
Instead they went for the boring jealous chaebol route. *rolls eyes* I probably wouldn't be so mad if they hadn't made him such an incompetent villain. How many times is he going to almost-but-not-quite kill someone before he gets it right? Even Se Na has one up on him!
Ugh, wasted opportunities!
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lizzzie
May 17, 2012 at 10:58 PM
"8. How maniacal can Yong Dong Man’s laugh get before people start looking at him funny?"
I found it too funny. I really hope it was the actor poking fun at the whole scene.
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SoyB
May 18, 2012 at 12:07 PM
"7. So is no one ever going to do a daring rescue from an oncoming car where they shout “LOOK OUT! A CAR!” and leap for the other person while allowing the inertia to carry both bodies out of harm’s way? No? I guess a weak cry, a light shove, and a deer-in-the-headlights (literally) expression will have to do…
8. How maniacal can Yong Dong Man’s laugh get before people start looking at him funny?"
#7 - yes, why can't they shout that and even if you're pushing someone out of the way, why do you now stop to be the victim? UGH>
#8 - that made me snort out loud. Teehee!
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82 Sd
May 17, 2012 at 10:40 PM
After this kind of episode I officially give up RTP. I'm pretty disappointed.Inserting some cute and sweet moments between OTP is not sufficient to make a good drama.
Park ha became one of the dumbest heroin ever
Thank God ! at least the evil couple doing something.
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83 dee
May 17, 2012 at 10:56 PM
thanks for the recps.
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84 koe
May 17, 2012 at 10:56 PM
Why can't she just call him? Her phone is not the only cell phone in the world. This was like running instead of taking a cab like they always do in dramas. Please be smarter! It's not believable this way!
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Sho
May 18, 2012 at 7:35 AM
It's called Speed Dial, i don't even know my gf's phone # off by heart cause all I do is pop open my Contact List and call her by touching the screen. She can ask for anyone's Phone (on the street while waiting for a taxi, in the cab from the driver) but what good is a cell phone if she doesn't know YGs # or the ducklings # or anyone that matters?
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85 asdksjdnsjdjsd
May 17, 2012 at 11:06 PM
I stil love this drama no matter what<3
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Yuika
May 18, 2012 at 10:46 AM
This! Yes. I wholeheartedly agree.
I understand that people may have become frustrated with this drama because of how it's resorted to recycled plots and has lost its appeal. But I also feel that the more k-dramas people have seen, the more it should be known that it just might be a typical course of action that writers/producers make - to throw in overused company/greed for power/birth secret elements... it's probably not the first time anyone's been disappointed with how these dramas take the unfunny nosedive into a rushed-ending-my-questions-are-answered-in-the-last-episode kind of hell. I enjoy this drama no matter how 'boring' it may have gotten or how it 'didn't use its potential': For me, despite the (seemingly) increasingly dry storyline, the drama itself puts that plot under a very different light.
I am not unaware of the glaring goofs and flaws the drama exhibits sometimes, though. I realized something just as I was watching this episode: If in fact, the Prince and his ducklings had no knowledge of hangul at all (assuming in RP-land, hangul hadn't been invented yet), how could Bu-Yong have written in her initials ㅂㅇ on her handkerchief? Sure, the drama can be stupid sometimes, but to me it's more of an endearing mistake rather than an irksome nuisance - after all, dramas are made by other humans, and people aren't perfect!
On another note, I have entertained the (strong?) possibility of the dead-girl-in-the-pond being Bu-Yong. Ever since Tae-Mu tried to dispose of her after finding out that she was Chairman Jang's daughter, it occurred to me that Princey being ambushed immediately before being (literally) launched into 2012 wasn't a coincidence. In other words, I think that Tae-Mu has a counterpart as well in Joseon, who was plotting to either overthrow the government or just plain get rid of the Prince so he can seize the throne. Perhaps the Crown Princess and Tae-Mu's counterpart had conspired against Yi Gak (assuming she's just as heartless and evil as Se Na is here), and Bu-Yong found out. There are other plausible clues for this theory, but I won't make the post too long.
My point is, I love this drama for both the cuteness and its screw-ups. Screw-ups they may be - but they still keep me hooked. And that's all a drama needs to do for me! :)
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86 jasmin
May 17, 2012 at 11:12 PM
I really liked the idea and the way in which the show started... but they didn't use the potential.:-(
And I know we agreed not to compare this drama with "Queen Inhyun's Man" (OR any other time-travel drama) but I think this drama does its job better so far.
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87 SuziQ
May 17, 2012 at 11:18 PM
This Kdrama had so much potential, but the plot is getting more dumb and dumber. How can the audience buy into these lame situations without going into idiocy? My head wants to explode!!!! Yeessh!
How many times can Se Na and Tae Mu attempt to kill stupid Park Ha? Gee, Tae Mu puts her to freeze to death in a locked freezer truck. This is attempted murder! Poor grandma got accidentally pushed down a flight of stairs by Se Na, and grandma croaks. This is manslaughter. Is there no cops or justice?
Stupid Park Ha believes everything Se Na dishes out to her. Shame on her. Park Ha is the dumbest heroin! Se Na and Tae Mu, both are liars and murderers. How can they get away with it?
I love your comment that Tae Mu looks like he's going to take a dump with that expression on his face when he trying to kill Tae Yong/Yi Gak- whoever with the car.
I wish Tae Mu runs over Se Na instead and pushes her into the pond and dies. That way, it would coincide with the crown princess' death. I want her to pay for being so nasty and evil....
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88 pandora
May 17, 2012 at 11:31 PM
RTP follows live shooting system right? I don't quite understand how it goes.. Can anyone enlighten me? Like, do the writers have a definite script for the entire show, or do they change it along the way?
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jasmin
May 17, 2012 at 11:48 PM
The writers write the script for each episode from week to week... sometimes they are on time, sometimes not... But liveshoot here means... they started shooting this drama a few weeks before the start and now they are behind. So right now they are shooting the last episodes and it can take until right before wednesday.
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pandora
May 18, 2012 at 1:40 AM
Thanks Jasmin. I finally get it, no wonder the actors are often stressed out. I was thinking maybe the plot wouldn't have turned making if only they write everything at once, and not deviate from what the drama really stands for. :)
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jasmin
May 18, 2012 at 3:59 AM
I agree... sometimes I wish the writers would finish the script and story before they start shooting the drama.:-) I also agree with you that because they don't it might have an effect on the consistency and quality of the plot/characters. But that's Korean business, right!?XD
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Kim Yoonmi
May 18, 2012 at 6:36 PM
Studios don't allow them to finish the scripts before the shoots. 'cause that would mean no extra episodes or random cutting down of episode length. I bet that's a nightmare for the writers too.
The ones that succeed seem to have certain plot points they want to reach and then pray very, very hard there won't be an extension so the pacing will be OK.
The first Iljimae refused an extension and got better sound equipment with the money instead--I wish more shows would do that... save the writers and the show.
89 Swye
May 17, 2012 at 11:48 PM
If Yi-gak and Park-ha had done the deed and she was pregnant, what would happen when Yi-gak disappeared into oblivion? Would the unborn child also disappear like a lost TV signal?
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90 YChase007
May 18, 2012 at 12:30 AM
Oh the frustration.... Cant wait to see how they wl end this drama, hoping and wishing that tgey use their fantastical genre license and really provide a believable and satisfying ending next week.
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91 Joyce
May 18, 2012 at 12:52 AM
I'm watching RTP and TK2H right now, and since they both come out the same day, I have to pick one to watch first. This always ends up with me watching RTP first, mainly because it got...boring. I loved the story in the beginning, couldn't wait until the next ep, even thought it was better than TK2H, but sadly, it became one of those dramas that just spiraled downhill and landed at the bottom of the cliff. It just got way too ridiculous and predictable by this ep, maybe cuz its day to day? I'm only sticking through the end cuz I'm so far in, but, sigh, I really am disappointed. Its such a big contrast to TK2H right now, where everything makes sense and you're just falling in love with everyone, and everything tugs at all your emotions at once, and you're crying and screaming and in pain while in love...ugh, can't describe it, but it makes you so into it.
Oh RTP writers-nim, wae!! The Joseon F4 just got put into the background! They were one of the reasons why I loved it so much, but now its just a predictable chaebol kdrama. Its like check, got this next predictable thing, and check for the next. Just soo disappointed
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92 shirin-noona
May 18, 2012 at 1:07 AM
Your recap was way better than the actual episode.Thanks a lot JB.You are the best!:)
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93 Aden01
May 18, 2012 at 1:11 AM
i knw this is just a drama. and a drama supposed to contain a stupid scene. But RTP has downgraded too low. the scripwriter drag this story into something that i cant bear. so, i left My RTP for a while and cheated with QIM. and then i found my new Love!!
i stil wait for the last 2 ep from RTP. i really want the rating goes Up not bcoz there's Yoochun in it. but bcoz RTP has a great ending story line.
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94 supernazu
May 18, 2012 at 1:26 AM
" I don’t know if there’s anybody who still cares about that home shopping channel or who runs it."
Kind of disagree about this. As we know, this story is about parallel life etc. People who wanted to kill Lee Gak in the past is most probably because of the throne.
Hence, in the modern era, the company is the symbolic of the throne. Why Taemoo left Taeyong floating in the sea? Because he wants the throne to be his.
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dea
May 18, 2012 at 2:27 AM
I agree with you. The whole home-shopping CEO actually makes sense, because in Joseon era, I'm suspicious with LG's brother-in-law who looked like he wanted to steal LG's position from him. So that's why (maybe) he tried to kill him.
But the writer can do a better writing, by at least inserting some Joseon flashback scene about the brother-in-law or someone else who was eyeing for the throne. It will be very lazy writing if everything about Joseon is revealed on ep 20.
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JG
May 18, 2012 at 3:01 AM
Agree. Different strokes for different folks, but I have always been interested in the chaebol conflict for the exact reason. And I think that through this modern struggle, Yi Gak will figure out the mastermind behind his assassination attempt before J4 time-traveled and the identities of all the conspirators.
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pk
May 18, 2012 at 8:41 AM
agree, see my comments above.
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95 KDaddict
May 18, 2012 at 1:29 AM
Hats off to JB n GF! So many dramas become unbearable as the writers veer off into a void. It's a pain to watch even w finger firmly on ff, so I don't know how you guys can stand to recap when that happens, n you still have to maintain a veneer of politeness.
This story was full of promise when it started off, then by n by, I feel that it is treating the audience as retards. Enough said!
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96 sally_b
May 18, 2012 at 3:15 AM
...wanna give JB a high five for keepin'it REAL. ♥ (´ε｀ )“
You've said (in a much more clever way) what I've been thinking about this drama for a coupla weeks now.
I'll 'fess up that it has not yet entered the *Moon/Sun* level of head-shaking and sorrow for what might have been. Mostly because it was intended to be *fluffy* from the get-go....so I let A LOT of things slide ~
...and additionally the 'dark horse' time travel drama ((known to me as)) Sweet-Lips-Freckle-Ear & Shawty-Mc-Cutie-girl.....has blown away my expection of *Romantic Drama*.
Then there's K2H....plowing a field through my heart.
What an *overall* fantastic drama season....really....so MUCH to see, right?
p.s. I predict the only person Tae-Mu will be successful in killing is....Se_Na. (somehow) just'sayin ~
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97 JC
May 18, 2012 at 4:23 AM
16 episodes would have been enough.
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98 Tara
May 18, 2012 at 5:29 AM
Thanks for the recap. As a foreigner, made it watching Korean drama much more fun with your effort. Thank you.
But truly, besides enjoying watching Micky Yuuchun on screen the story line though it has one, the other scene are just lame and kiddy like.... seriously last night while watching the drama with all the lame turn of event and actions I thought this drama is not serious, it is for the 13 year old kids.
Still, I will be watching it for the fun of it and wanted to get to the end of the mystery of the death in the Joeson period. also wants to see how the romance on this present time will end (or lasts).
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99 gg
May 18, 2012 at 5:30 AM
The last two episodes have been fairly disappointing, I feel like the writer is just letting YG and PH take turns to be attacked by the villains and taking turns to save each other. That kind of stuff really gets annoying and doesn't do much to advance the plot. I mean how many times has TM tried to kill off YG already??
I also miss PH's spunky character at the beginning of the show. She has become this passive character who cannot think for herself, just following YG around and blindly trusting Sena. Serious, after all that the evil sister has done to her?? I hate it when the female lead gets dumber and dumber and has to depend everything on the male lead..
Like everyone else, I also wish YG and his ducklings could have been transported back to Joseon times earlier to solve the mystery.. for me the Joseon mystery was really much more interesting than the boring company takeover-plot.. how many times have we seen this same old plot in k-dramas already?! With only two more episodes to go, I hope the drama gets its act back together and not give us a messy ending like so many potentially promising dramas have...
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lizzzie
May 18, 2012 at 9:23 AM
About Parkha, there was this small recap sequence at the end of the ep. And I was so struck by how different Parkha feels now compared to then. Like a different character, almost.
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100 THEORYMEMEMORY
May 18, 2012 at 5:45 AM
Hi, I have a new theory.
Remember how Taeyong fell into the water? There's some parallel to what happened to the girl in the water. When Yi Gak was in mortal danger, he time travelled forward. Maybe this time Park Ha will time travel backwards right before she gets hit. It sort of makes sense, in a RTP way. She goes to the past where BuYong is already dead (if she was indeed the one who died), and maybe YiGak will fade back into his own era just in time to solve the murder and everything.
If this is what happens, then I'd guess the Crown Princess had a lover in that time too. And the lover also wanted to usurp the throne so the CP was helping him. She then goes into hiding, leaving the lover to make up the story that it was the princess who died, etc, etc.
The storyline is so hard to get! I can't think of a satisfactory way for it to end. if PH time travels, she leaves behind her two moms and the two baddies might go free. If she dies then BOO. if it really was the CP who died then PH's probably not gonna get hit/die... but then even if they live they still can't be together!
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pk
May 18, 2012 at 9:00 AM
and LG will return the soul to TY (as his body fade away)and TY continues his carefree life, PYoTS will run the co and J4 return to Joseon and found PK waiting....as for her 2 mums, the bonds are not that strong anyway, the J4 more like her family...she is more like an ophan and worst, abandond by her bio mum and her sis... that's why she was going back to US when her business flop...at that time she was really very lonely but put up a brave front, which she always does but LG see her true self...
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