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Nice Guy: Episode 8

So much good stuff this episode, especially since so much of it is just fallout. Dark, dramatic, narratively compelling fallout. Love. It may have taken a few good hits and a murder charge, but Maru finally proves that he has a limit, and Jae-hee passes it right on by with flying colors. Who needs revenge when you’re as mistake-prone as Jae-hee anyway?

Ratings took a bit of a dip this episode at 15.1%, but those numbers weren’t enough to knock Nice Guy from its first place spot.

 
EPISODE 8 RECAP

Jae-hee thinks she’s in the clear when she sneaks out of the house to take Maru her apology meat, but Min-young spies her leaving as he lurks in his parked car outside her house. Nothing good comes from that kind of face.

As always, more is revealed to us than what we initially saw, and Eun-ki’s confession gains a few more lines. The message is still the same: Even if she loses everything else she’s known in life, she doesn’t want to lose Maru.

She remains unaware that Jae-hee is watching, and after spending a moment staring at the both of them, Jae-hee sets the package down and leaves.

Maru tends to Eun-ki’s bloody and bruised feet, though he pointedly avoids any attempt on her part to even touch his own wounds, or talk about what happened. “The good-looking face is all ruined,” Eun-ki sighs, mirroring what she’d called him before.

After giving Eun-ki a set of his sister’s clothes, Maru shuts down any more discussion about his face: “To tell you the truth, I like my face now. It’s become more like a human face. Having a painting-like, good-looking face is getting really boring now.”

At Eun-ki’s look of disbelief, he adds, “I’m not kidding. I didn’t even apply medicine in order for it to heal slower.” Eun-ki, please slap some sense into this boy. (Any place but the moneymaker, though.)

Maru undresses privately to reveal a roadmap of bruises covering his whole torso. As he leaves to get food for them, Eun-ki talks to her Mom: “Tell me I did well. This is the kind of life you were hoping I would have, Mom. It will be difficult, but just this once, I’m bravely going to try and take this road. Give me strength, Mom.”

There’s a long moment where Maru stares at the food Jae-hee left, but in the end he chooses to ignore the package entirely, while Jae-hee sits in her car outside only to be surprised when Min-young knocks on her window.

Eun-ki’s asleep on the floor by the time Maru returns, and he carefully tucks her into his own bed. There’s a picture of an island locale on his counter that wasn’t there before, and an attached note from Eun-ki explains that she was bored and found it in his drawer.

She added that she wants to go there with him tomorrow if the weather is good. “The first trip we take together, only us two.”

But it’s an old photo, and unsurprisingly has ties to Jae-hee. Namely, she’d taken the photo and given it to him back when they were young and in love, telling him exactly what Eun-ki had written about taking a trip there, just the two of them.

It’s jarring to contrast that happy, smiling version of Maru with the one we see now staring lifelessly at the same picture.

Despite the flashback, he now brushes Eun-ki’s hair away from her face as he leans in close, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek while she sleeps.

Time for another Jae-gil & Choco interlude, so let’s just grin and bear with it. Jae-gil sobs at the water’s edge because their pension owner told him Choco died after eating rat poison, only to find Choco alive and perfectly well.

Turns out the owner was talking about her dog, also named Choco, something that Choco is used to since her dad gave her a dog’s name. She explains that the name came from her being a huge crybaby when she was small (you don’t say!), and how she’d stop when she was given chocolate. Hence the name.

So Jae-gil decides to give her a new name: Ji-hyun. And while she’s on a roll, she changes her last name as well to make her new name Jeon Ji-hyun. And as usual, she tries to pry some feelings out of Jae-gil, and as usual, he hits her on the forehead. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Maru heads out while Eun-ki’s sleeping to buy her some designer outerwear, but stops when he sees Jae-hee’s face on a newspaper along with her pre-marriage interview.

He can’t help but think of Jae-sik and his murderous intent on finding his sister, and how he’d mentioned her upcoming marriage to Chairman Seo.

However, when Maru gets a call from Jae-hee, he ignores it and turns off his phone.

Jae-hee’s more than upset that she can’t get ahold of him, and a flashback to her conversation with Min-young from the night before reveals why she’s so on edge – he’d shown her the CCTV footage and revealed that Chairman Seo knows everything about them.

To make matters worse, Chairman Seo already had a meeting with Joon-ha and his accountant to draft up a new will that gives everything to Eun-ki. This news hits Jae-hee like a ton of bricks, since even her son, Eun-suk, has been written out.

“Let’s beg the Chairman,” Jae-hee tells Min-young through tears. “Let’s beg until he forgives us.” But Min-young knows what kind of man Chairman Seo is, and he’ll never forgive them.

He also adds that Eun-ki knows everything about Jae-hee’s relationship with Maru, and he’s of the belief that Eun-ki’s holding onto him just to make Jae-hee squirm. Didn’t he make it so that Eun-ki would find out? What was he hoping for?

Jae-hee breaks down in the car, while Min-young tells her to pack her bags and get out of that house. With people like Eun-ki and her father who’ll never forgive adultery, Jae-hee can never win.

Back in the present, Jae-hee puts on a “Woe is me” face like a true actress before leaving Maru a voicemail that her brother is going to kill her, and she has no one to call but hime. “Just this once, help me just this once!” she cries into the phone, before smashing her mirror with a wine bottle to make her situation sound more violent.

The second the message is saved, Jae-hee drops the act. The broken mirror reflects her many faces back to her, but this much is clear – she knows exactly what she’s doing.

Eun-ki finally wakes up to the sound of Joon-ha calling, but like Maru she ignores her phone. She’s surprised at how late she slept in, wondering, “Is this house that comfortable?”

Maru finally checks his voicemail against his better judgment, his eyes widening at Jae-hee’s message. He tries to ignore it as he heads for his house, and even lies that he called the police to help her when he calls her back.

It’s interesting that we don’t hear Jae-hee’s side of the conversation, and can only see Maru’s reactions go from “I’m not falling for this” to a DEFCON 2 level of concern. Didn’t take much for her to get him hook, line, and sinker. And she knew just how to do it, too.

Unaware, Eun-ki waits blissfully for Maru’s return. When she takes a peek outside his gate, all she sees are the shopping bags he left.

She looks like a kid on Christmas when she pulls out her new digs, especially happy when she see’s Maru’s note inside: “Let’s go on vacation.”

So she’s disheartened to get a text from him saying he can’t make it today, but cutely tries on the shoes and jacket anyway because she’s so excited. Aww.

But a text message from a private number arrives to rain on Eun-ki’s parade, with only Maru’s name, Jae-hee’s name, and where they are currently. (A vacation home, by the looks of it.)

…And, strangely enough, Jae-hee is behind the text. The room is torn up and her lip is bloody, which means she literally inflicted pain on herself to back up her lies. I shouldn’t be that surprised, but somehow I am.

Maru rushes in to find Jae-hee huddling on the floor, with bruises and scratches littering her arms. He’s reminded of the first time they met as children, and suddenly sees Child Jae-hee in Jae-hee’s place, all cut up and miserable.

Wow. So Jae-hee purposefully replicated the moment when Maru fell for her? That’s sick, but crafty. (Or, Maru could just have some very serious issues.)

She puts on the pitiful act for him, and it works. He goes off to get her first aid kit and she drops the act while alone in the blink of an eye.

Just when you think Maru’s getting a call from Eun-ki, it turns out to be Jae-sik, calling from a police station in Busan to see if Maru will bail him out. Oh crap. But oh, sweet fallout.

There’s a moment before Maru realizes what this call means, and once he puts it all together that Jae-sik being in Busan means that Jae-hee lied, about everything, the look on his face is honestly frightening.

Still, he saunters back into the room silently, and begins to tend to Jae-hee’s wounds. Eun-ki arrives outside in the meantime.

With tears in her eyes, Jae-hee appeals to the Maru she knows still loves her, claiming that she was crazy for leaving him. Oh hell no, did she really do all this to get Maru to take her back? What an opportunistic ——–.

Maru considers her for a moment, as though he’s reconciling the goddess image he’s always had of her with the cold hard proof that she’s using him. “Noona, you know me very well. You know me much better than I know myself.”

He basically calls her out for knowing just how to get to him, despite his best intentions to not indulge that part of himself she appeals to.

Eun-ki arrives during this conversation, though she doesn’t reveal herself while staying within eavesdropping range. She hears Maru tell Jae-hee that he really didn’t want revenge – he just wanted to see her that desperately. “I also knew that it was my pathetic obsession with you.”

His voice grows graver as he goes on, imitating her when she called him six years ago and now with her “Maru, help me” line. The Maru from six years ago abandoned his sick sister to run to her like a crazy person. (Can’t argue with that.)

Maru: “You knew I’d come to you like that. No matter what Noona did, I understood, I was patient, I forgave you, and endured it all. You also know this, right?” Whoa, is Maru finally having a breakthrough?

Maybe not, since he admits that even after all that, he’s still crazy about her. “I’m still a lunatic. Someone with brain damage. Someone with amnesia. And someone without pride.”

Eun-ki stays until Jae-hee interrupts him to desperately tell him: “You told me to just come down, right? Okay, I’ll come down. As long as I have you, I can throw away everything. I will throw away everything and give up everything. I will go down to the old me.”

This is all Eun-ki can bear to hear, and she starts to zombie her way out of the house as Jae-hee continues her complete and utter lie, totally unaware that she’s digging her own grave where Maru is concerned.

It’s too bad that Eun-ki didn’t stick around for Maru’s reply, since he finally(?) puts an end to all this craziness with Jae-hee. He basically tells her that he doesn’t care where she goes, whether it’s hell or utter destruction. Jae-hee still, somehow, doesn’t understand what he means. Or she just doesn’t want to.

Maru: “I’m saying that the unyielding feelings I have for Han Jae-hee have come to an end.”

He means it, but is only able to keep his cool until he gets outside. Tears slip out as he flashes back to all his good memories with Jae-hee, which manage to make me both sad for him and for her – at least, sad for what she’s become. And the fact that it’s destroying him.

Maru sees Eun-ki racing out of the driveway, but only vague curiosity registers on his face. Jae-hee calls him from inside to ask if he’s leaving her because he’s fallen in love with Eun-ki.

Relief floods her face when he says “I made a mistake. I’m regretting it.”, clearly thinking that he’s talking about the breakup. But no, he’s regretting that he drug Eun-ki into this mess.

He calls Eun-ki as she drives away, and she pointedly refuses to pick up.

Joon-ha tends to Chairman Seo, who looking like he’s already got one foot in the afterlife. He’s only thinking of Eun-ki despite failed attempts to contact her, and stresses to Joon-ha that Jae-hee is to receive nothing when he dies. That’s the only way he can think of to protect his daughter.

Eun-ki ignores yet another call from Joon-ha as she drives back to Maru’s neighborhood, but in a moment of decision, she peels back out just before Maru drives in. They barely miss each other.

Reminders of Eun-ki’s presence remain in Maru’s house, but the vacation picture is what he picks up first. Turns out he forgot Jae-hee had written him a love note on the back, which means Eun-ki had seen it. And it’s probably why Eun-ki suggested it as a vacation spot, because Jae-hee did so first.

After she’s cleaned up a bit, Jae-hee struts into a bank vault while Min-young’s advice to her reverberates in voiceover: Chairman Seo is pissed, and she has to keep her head down.

Inside her safety deposit box is a familiar looking crumpled envelope… cue a flashback of her during her reporter days getting a call from someone with scandalous information about Chairman Seo.

And in a very interesting reveal, that man turns out to be the man she murdered in the hotel room he’d been living out of since Taesan took everything from him.

The envelope she has is one he handed over to her in the hopes that she would air Chairman Seo’s dirty laundry to the world – all his bad personal and business dealings, including enough illegal deeds to put him away for a long, long time.

But Jae-hee doesn’t seem to think the same way, and seems to even come to Chairman Seo’s defense, going so far as to tell him to just sell his information back to Taesan for money. He claims he remembers hearing that Chairman Seo had his eye on a reporter, and guesses by her reaction that it’s her.

Unsurprisingly, this gets him riled up, and the harrowing scene that follows shows him trying to rape Jae-hee, ripping at her clothes while he shoves her into the mattress.

In a state of terror, Jae-hee smashes a bottle over his head and kicks him away, only to have his head fall back on a jutting corner. That blow to the head is what kills him.

Flash back to the present, where Jae-hee now has the envelope and the will to use it.

Meanwhile, Eun-ki drives to the vacation spot from Jae-hee’s photo, and takes a picture from the same exact vantage point. She sends it to Maru in a text, and he’s out the door the second he sees it.

While Jae-hee heads to Chairman Seo’s house with the envelope, Joon-ha looks torn over having to do his boss’ bidding by digging up files on Jae-hee and Min-young. Aw, it’s cute that he has a conscience.

Maru finds Eun-ki taking in the sights at the beach, though their discussion turns frank when she asks him whether he’s been here before. “It’s the first time,” he admits. “I decided to come here with someone in the past, but in the end we couldn’t go.”

Eun-ki asks him pointed questions she knows the answer to, but she’s determined to get him to admit what she wants to hear out loud. And when she finally asks who it is that Maru loved, he silently weighs his options before answering, “Han Jae-hee.”

 
COMMENTS

Not the most exciting cliffhanger when Eun-ki is just verifying what she already knows, but it’s an important step for both her and Maru to get some honesty where he’s concerned. He’s not a liar, but he has been deceptively good at using silence to his advantage up until now. And he’ll probably use it long into the future, too.

It’s a definite plus that she’s smart enough to realize that, and that her personality is strong enough for her to ask him what she wants to know point-blank. If she gives him an inch she knows he takes a mile, so it’s good to see her slowly adapt and change in order to make this dangerous relationship work, and to see how that positively influences Maru to do things he would never have dreamt of three episodes ago.

But when he does forego silence for, you know, words, he never fails to bring the house down. I was really pleased with the whole way that “Help me, Maru!” sequence played out, because we had just enough time to hate Jae-hee and worry over how long Maru would be trapped in her web… Only to have her brother cause a late-game reversal that got us straight to the fallout. That’s good storytelling.

The fact that Chairman Seo found out about the affair now and not in hour seventeen was also a wonderful surprise, since again, we got to skip past the inevitable meandering misunderstandings period and get straight to the good stuff. It’s never fun in dramas when one character manages to hold onto a big secret despite all logic and credibility, so to see Jae-hee’s secret out so fast, Maru’s secret out so fast, and even the secret behind the murder that started it all out already keeps the pace brisk and the scenes engaging.

If there’s one aspect I keep waiting for improvement on, it’s the comedic(?) derailments with Jae-gil and Choco. Their characters are inoffensive enough, and while I understand their role in Maru’s life, sort of (Choco’s at least had an impact, not too sure about Jae-gil), I was kind of floored when they got removed to their own godforsaken island.

Because, really? You’re going to take these two characters who already have problems integrating into the story, physically remove them from the main action, and hope that’s somehow better than when they shared a roof with Maru? Sigh. I want to like them, and I keep trying to like them, but they need some relevance. Inversely, if they are really just there for comedic relief, then they need to be funnier.

The shining moment of this episode definitely goes to Jae-hee and her master plan to fall back on Maru, aka Ol’ Reliable. I have to admit, her idea made sense, if you look at it from the standpoint of a terrible person: She knows she’s about to be homeless, and what better home to go back to than Maru, a man she described as being like a house that always has the lights on and a warm fire burning? I bet she wasn’t expecting him to go and change the locks on her.

The fun part about Jae-hee is that she makes a lot of terrible decisions, and most of them have already backfired on her. I don’t know whether it says something worthwhile about her in that she’s always able to scheme her way up when the chips are down, or whether all her failed plans just reinforce Maru’s theory that she doesn’t belong in her world.

‘Cause as far as the affair thing goes, Maru didn’t even have to lift a finger. Is that good revenge, or the best revenge ever?

 
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I don't know what to say. After 8 episodes, still most of the times my brain refuses to process this obsession. Revenge is almost primal need, but is also a heavy stone that draws you into the depths. I can understand to motives, cause I really believe we must understand the past to explain the present and plan for the future. Only then we can learn from the past and avoid repeating the same mistakes. Instead most of you see the development and growth, I see Maru as a dead end street, and with all my love to our OTP, this relationship destructive as his previously he had with Jae Hee.

Maybe Eun Gi attracted to bad guys, lots of young and inexperienced women like them from some mystery reason, but it KILLS me every time to see how easy it's for her to accept his past. I know, she is in a very vulnerable and fragile place, but I expect from her to a healthy logic also in her love line like she have in business. She can't give just like that all control of the situation to Maru and leave herself so exposed. I still want to scream Run, Eun Gi, R-U-N, but I know I'll fall on deaf ears.

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Almost forgot. Thanks for awesome recap, HeadsNo2. I found your insights fascinating as ever.

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I don't think Maru's in a healthy place now. In some ways, he has simply replaced Jae Hee with Eun Ki. It's no coincidence that the scene where he starts to open his heart to Eun Ki somewhat mirrors the scene where he first met Jae Hee - both times he tends to their wounds. He's still distant, though. I got the feeling that Maru is dealing with other Eun Ki's wounds to keep the focus off his own - both literally and metaphorically speaking.

I think running is the next thing Eun Ki is going to do. I like about this drama that its characters don't decide on one line and stick with it. Instead they waver and change their course with every new bit of information. Eun Ki will feel her vulnerability and it's probably too much to take, added to what she witnessed from Maru's conversation with Jae Hee. Even though she ran into the storm with both eyes open, she will pull back now.

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EG's emotions are too raw and MR will reject her. Also, she does not strike me as being mature in this regard not having much experience with romantic relationships....So like her father, she will want revenge for his "playing around with her" for JH.

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Agree. Maru replaced one obsession with other one. Like you, I wish Eun Gi will pull back now, after (almost) all the truth out in the open. If that will happen, that means the next stage is Eun Gi's accident and amnesia. Well, maybe you'll get me wrong, but I'm waiting for something dramatic impatience. I wonder what will happen then. How Meru's need for revenge will be compared to his need to rebuild destroyed Eun Gi.

Amount of my words in English over. So tiring to think in native language and move everything in coherent English, I am completely exhausted! Gotta some sleep.

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Once again, a great recap, HeadsNo2. Thank you!

I agree about the Choco/Jea-gil scenes being a lot pasted in. I'm still trusting the characters will be brought into the main story at some point (otherwise, why keep reminding us of them?) but it'd be nice if that point were sooner rather than later.

Though, I did like the insight Choco provided regarding her and Maru's childhood. I thought it was fascinating that their dad didn't care much for Choco so Maru stepped in. That must have been extremely formative for Maru.

Also, Chairman Seo is a piece of work. Yes, be angry at Jea-hee and Min-young (though there's a saying about pots and kettles that would fit in right about here), but the little boy is an innocent. He's totally willing to ruin his son's life to salve his pride. Definition of ick right there.

And finally, I bet Ji-hoon sends many letters home to his mom and dad thanking them for being normal and raising a decent, well-balanced son. And if he doesn't, he should. ;)

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Ugh, the chairman. So looking forward to his death.

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oh man. just got back from work and 150 comments to catch up on!

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^___^ Choco and I have the same stripey red Quiksilver short shorts w/ the drawstring and elasticated waistband! ^___^

I don't know why, but I get so excited when I see characters where the same items I have in my closet. Like that somehow makes us friends or something.

I'mmawhale'spenis, see: dork.

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I just wanted to weigh in on the importance of Jae-gil, at least in Maru's life, if not the whole story. I mean, who took care of Choco when Maru was in jail for five(?) years? Jae-gil. Who took Choco to the hospital whenever there was an emergency? Jae-gil. So, it makes sense to me why Choco worships him and why Maru sleeps with the woman who conned Jae-gil to get him back the money he lost. Jae-gil was there from the beginning and he's still with them and there for them. That makes him important, at least in their lives.

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Let's not forget that when EK is enraged, she channels the Chairman, her father, wishing the full destruction on a person who threatens her plans. She might turn on MR, who knows. I would like to see that.

The pretty lawyer is not going to get a girl with lies about sexual orientation, like in Personal Taste. Lies and schemes, betrayal and manipulation. The little boy and the dog are the only ones left to like.

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LOL I'm just really happy that the chairman changed his will this episode. when they said that I did a little happy dance because it's the thing I was dreading.

Also does anyone else notice the Snow White parallels in this drama??? I know it's very played out in a lot of shows but it's pretty well done here. they really explore the dark side of the plot as opposed to focusing on some pitiful princess. Especially with JaeHee's mirror scene. And I think the mention of Maru's attractiveness every episode also plays into that lol. :3

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Omg, yes! Love this. What I noticed was the other fairytale elements, like Sleeping Beauty with Ma Ru kissing her and Rapunzel with her escaping from her room, even a lil' Beuaty and the Beast, what with Ma Ru's face and all. But Snow White focuses on Jae Hee's position rather than Eun Ki's.

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hehe i love how you guys are mentioning all these fairytale stories, considering i'm watching once upon a time

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Oooh! I did not pick up on the fairytale aspects. And I love it when stories reference them, especially Beauty and the Beast so I'm surprised I missed it and thank you Momi and ladida for pointing them out.

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I totally agree re the fairytale parallels. During Eun-ki's confession at the end of ep 7 / start of ep 8, I couldn't stop thinking, 'gosh this is beauty and the beast', especially considering that maru's outward disfigurement in a way matches his inward state. (The Beast got turned into a beast to match his brutish behaviour, yes?)

Also, Maru's response to Eun-ki's confession was the first time that I started to believe that he might actually care for her, and I'm wondering if it was what gave him the strength to tell Jae-hee that enough is enough. So just like Beauty's confession in the fairytale broke the spell that the Beast had been in for years and years, so Eun-ki's confession maybe broke the spell Maru had been under?

Let's hope the spell stays broken.. Here's to wishful thinking!!

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Regardless of Eun Gi's intentions why she asked Maru to go to the beach, and that Maru went there after he learned Eun Gi was there, the message that transpired in that scenario - at least for me - is this:

Eun Gi went there alone and "lured" Maru to go. That was the place that Maru and Jae Hee "failed" to reach because either of them never had the chance to. The beach for me represents the best thing that could ever happen to the characters who braved the storm to get there. Both of them came from shocking revelations and no turning back (I hope, especially in Maru's part) decisions. They started to flesh out their own weaknesses and accepted the challenges they have to face as they tread the water they have never put their feet on before. I just love the fact that as they sit next to each other, they decided to be honest with each other. They'll know what they heave to know though they have accepted before what they didn't know. Oh I don't know (hahaha).

It's been stated before that Eun Gi is the instrument for Maru's redemption and her going to the beach first and Maru following her tells a lot on the dynamics of their characters.

Acting and directing are all solid. Writing, still a bit shaky for me.

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Great observations and post!

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Love this. Makes me think of how they're sitting together at the beach mirrors them sitting together and overlooking the city, only that was a conversation where Eun Ki broke up with him because of what she knew, and this is a conversation where she asks him questions she already knows the answers to and he's willing to be honest. Like a contrast between an ending and a beginning. Actually, speaking of, I think ep. 7 and 8 represent a narrative turning point in the story.

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"Lika a contrast between an ending and a beginning."

...or night and day?

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BTW. Ahn's scene knocking on Jae Hee's car window gave me the creep. That guy is scary.

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He's a stalker.

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I don't want just to blame Jae Hee, but think about it: Till she didn't confess about her crime and kissed him, he wasn't like that. That means, Jae Hee's actions aroused his dormant passions.

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I think the change came after he met Ma Ru outside of Jae Hee room after she jumped in the ocean. Jae Hee kissed him, recruited him to be on her side, and then betrayed his trust by continuously going to Ma Ru. Then the chairman finds out about the kiss, one that Jae Hee instigated, and he loses all the years of loyalty he's given to the chairman in one fell swoop. So he gets nothing from the chairman and nothing from Jae Hee, who later told him to go ahead and use her instead of being infatuated with her.

He's still responsible for his own creepy actions, though. And it seems like he'll be getting even worse in the next few episodes.

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And it is all because of Jae Hee. Hahaha. She's awaken the monsters inside the men she's been with. Then Maru now Ahn.

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They do have eerily similar reactions and consequences to being in love with her, don't they? Romantic love is just something Jae Hee should stay away from. It is not her friend.

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It takes two to tango. She did not hold a gun to their heads and they volunteered.

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Still figuring out why JH is more alive and real than the rest of the characters. I remember when in The Moon that embraces the Sun I really liked the fake wife because of her performance and inner struggle, love and jealousy, also because she was just a pawn in her father's game since childhood. She stole the show away from HGI then.

I am having the same reaction to JH. I am surprised to see how many people feel empathy toward JH. thought I was the only one rooting for her redemption.

I wait for JH to show up on the screen and I wait for her little schemes to fail. She is such an unskilled villain. It's like watching a train wreck, insane. Oh wait, she reminds me of Gabi from The Salary Man as well.

Knowing the writer's work, it is quite possible that, after losing everything and everyone on her side, JH might wake up and live a decent life, at least for her child.

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I don't think she is a villain.

MR decided to let her go and take the rap for killing that man in the motel room. If I look at ep 1 where MR's skills as a doctor came into question only for him not to realize that his diagnosis was correct made him take that premature leap to leave that life behind. He probably thought himself a failure, but he was not. Sad.

It becomes even more tragic because he has convinced JH that she owes him his future when she never had a clue as to the real reason MR switched places with her...using her circumstance as an opportunity to escape from being found out that he's a failure. That was not nice and not true, but that was the image of himself quickly decided when we see him splash water on himself in the hospital and look in the mirror at his image. He questioned himself and came to the wrong conclusion it appears.

MR would have found out the next day at rounds in the hospital that he correctly diagnosed the patient.

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Really? I thought the doctor called him to say sorry and tell him that he made the right diagnosis. And that is the reason why he was happy climbing the stairs while holding the chocolate he bought for his sister.

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I doubt the guy called or relayed to the info to MR. If MR was happy bringing Choco some candy, it was because MR put his happy face on. At least that's what it now looks like to me.

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Wasn't there a voice-over to show Maru was just coming from that conversation? It seemed unquestionable to me that he'd been told by the head doctor that he expected great things from Maru's future.

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The head doctor's confidence in MR is not what I question. I question MR's confidence in MR at the time. [JH questioned why he did not go with any of the 5-star girls and mentioned his pride.]

I doubt the jealous doctor (JD) called MR that night with the patient results, apology or reaffirming remarks from the head doc. I think the scene is a misdirection, and I could be wrong. :) The JD questioned why he had to call a resident immediately so doubt the guy made the call as ordered, which sheds new light on MR's so-called "sacrifice".

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It's like we are watching two different dramas.

I agree with some of your points. It also bothers me when people think that JH owed the rest of her life to MR after he went to jail. She did not sign a contract in blood to wait for him and he was the one unable to move on. It's life. People come and go. First loves are beautiful. Sometimes they have to stay in the past.

MR is also delusional about the fantasy of JH, of what she should have been. Did he even know her? Apparently, she was involved with the Chairman at the time she had a relationship with MR.

She is scheming and lying. I dislike her choices but understand her limited range of survival tools. Men are not attracted to her brains but rather to her pretty face, body, and the screaming need for male protection. She gives her true power away, first to MR, then to Chairman, now to the creepy lawyer.

Moreover, I do not want her to end up with MR. I want her to be alone, to stop relying on men, to find herself and to be proud of her choices.

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Her involvement, as a reporter and not a lover,perhaps was trying to use the chairman's connections is what I gathered when she turned the snitch down.

No, I'm not viewing this drama as some mushy love story.

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Not sure it was all professional. The Chairman hugged her when she ran to him crying. She looked guilty when the blackmailer accused her of being the Chairman's mistress.

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Not sure indeed, but I going with no romantic involvement until after MR went to prison.

I did not take her look in response to the blackmailer's accusation as guilt but disbelief.

We will have to agree to disagree....

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It's kind of funny though that Maru now decided to move on and move away from Jae Hee when it was him who decided to pursue her yet again. I am still as conflicted as to what Maru really wants when he ain't really revenging. It seems he doesn't know what he wants and what he is up to either.

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I thought his speech to her in this episode showed us that he'd thought he was going after revenge, but when he realized what Jae Hee had done he came to a greater realization about himself, that he wasn't really trying to get revenge, that he was just finding a way to be close to Jae Hee, even if it was in a hostile way. Like he finally realized a truth about himself. It makes sense; I mean, Jae Hee is the only person he's ever loved romantically, so he has no experience with that kind of love outside of her.

It's such a cruel irony for Jae Hee, that this guy who wouldn't let go of her has helped to bring her world come crashing down, and now that she's willing to "return" to him, he won't have her. It's just pain and hurt going in a vicious circle. He really did get his revenge, only (irony again) he can't even find joy in that because he's realized that wasn't really his aim.

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They need therapy. ASAP!

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Yes! I want Jae Hee to, for once, take the brunt of the consequences of her decisions and not run away from them. I want her to be able to find safety without abusing power or others, without relying on others. I want her to be able to find a way to get rid of her fear, a way to function that isn't a reaction to that ingrained fear.

You mentioned before how people don't hate Jae Hee? I think it's because most folks see the vulnerability in her and the way the narrative has worked to contain her maneuvers. Jae Hee just creates enemies for herself, kind of like the way she was sitting in that room, with the wreckage she herself had created lying all about her.

I don't think she started being manipulative until after she heard the chairman say he'd give the company to Eun Seok. That man in the hotel room insinuated that she had a sexual/romantic relationship with the chairman, but I hardly think he's a reliable source. I'm sure she had some kind of relationship to him, because she went to him after Ma Ru took the fall for her, but so far that shows her journalistic hypocrisy, not that she was cheating on him, I don't think. Either way, the image Ma Ru had of her in his head was not an accurate impression of her.

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"It’s like we are watching two different dramas."

That's something I'm finding so strange about this drama. We're all watching the same thing, but we're coming away with such differing sympathies towards the characters. I think that part of the reason is that this drama gives us so many fascinating scenes that are full of bits and pieces of meaning, but then leaves us to put them together how we will. It's like we're working with a jigsaw that can be put together in more than one way. I'm not sure whether to be impressed or annoyed !

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I hope MR/JH are together in the end.

MR is the reason he and JH never made to that beach as planned (as presented in the fb). It had to do with his insecurities that are still looming only this time they have been brought to his consciousness based on his conversation with JH (and the ocean scene at the end). The image he had of her and their relationship has been smashed (broken mirror) because it reflected the wrong image to begin with. He was not honest with JH about himself, but I think JH was always honest with MR.

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I still haven't had the opportunity to watch episodes 7-8 yet (damn vacation!), and it's killing me to not be able to comment!!

I will say that, given Jae Hee's behavior in the six epis that I've seen, as well as in the recaps for the last two, I'm a little surprised that people are still shipping Jae Hee and Maru. I think that's a testament to how strong the writing is that after all she's done, she's still somewhat sympathetic. I actually think that she has the highest do-awful-things-to-the-heros-and-still-be-sympathetic ratio I've encountered in a kdrama. Maybe it helps that Maru is so flawed; perhaps people don't blame her as much for taking him down a notch?

I don't know, I for one think that she is pretty horrible and absolutely wrong for Maru. I see why she is the way that she is, and I LOVE that her motivations are so complex and believable. But just because I understand her does not mean that I like her or that her actions are excusable. Yes, she has suffered a life of abuse (though it is REALLY interesting that her brother hints that she may have been a bit more devious than Maru thought even when they were younger--I'm sure there's a story there), but that does not make it ok for her to consistently use and abuse and manipulate and exploit those around her for her own gain. It just doesn't. I can understand *why* she does this, but it does not in any way make it ok. Just like I can understand why Maru was withholding information from Eun Ki in the previous episodes, but it didn't excuse him from blame for doing so. And I can understand why Eun Ki lashed out at Jae Hee's son back in episode 1, but that's not ok either.

Furthermore, as toxic as Jae Hee is to Maru, I think Maru is equally toxic to her. We've had many conversations talking about the infantilization of Jae Hee, and I truly think that Maru's treatment of Jae Hee has reinforced a lot of really unhealthy behavior: that her security comes from those around her, not from within; that she can use Maru, and those around her, as doormats and yet they will always stick around for her; that as long as she is wanted or desired by the men in her life, she is "safe."

I think that, if Jae Hee has ANY chance of redeeming herself and living a healthy, happy life, she will need to stop trying to secure her stability through other people and learn how to rely entirely on herself. This will, of course, limit the "heights" to which she can rise (socially, economically). It will also mean that she will have to face the consequences of her questionable actions. But until she faces the fact that her consequences actually *have* actions, that she cannot manipulate her way out of dealing with the effects of her choices, she will continue living in the fantasy world that she has created for herself. Which may look pretty, but which leaves her completely empty inside.

And I think that her ambition comes largely from this emptiness. She doesn't feel a true connection with those around her because she is always thinking of them in terms of what they can give her--stability, money, position, etc. So she tries to fill that void with status.

I guess I just wrote a lot for a person who hasn't even watched the episode yet! I can't wait to watch & have more informed comments to make :).

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OMG, I meant to say "that her ACTIONS actually have CONSEQUENCES." LOL!!

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You wrote: "Furthermore, as toxic as Jae Hee is to Maru, I think Maru is equally toxic to her."

I totally agree. Part of what keeps me sympathetic towards Jae-hee is that I think she sincerely meant it waaay back in the beginning when she called the police to turn herself in. She looked like she'd genuinely steeled herself and I don't recall any furtive looks towards Maru hinting that she wanted him to stop her.

If Maru had let her do it, let her take the consequences, their story would have been so, so different. (Honestly, I think he was better equipped to be the person waiting.) But he made the decision that he was stronger than her. That he could bare to lose his dreams, but she couldn't and... here we are.

Yes, Jea-hee has done a lot of the heavy-lifting in creating her own hell, but that first step, that was Maru's choice -- taking away her agency. And I can't forget that.

(I do realize the show could easily retcon all of that opening scene. One line of "mwahaha, he took the fall just as I'd planned!" *evil lady-mustache twirl* will change everything. But based on what we have, those are my thoughts.)

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i have a prediction that the way Eun ki was driving her car too fast in the teaser for next ep might get her a car accident that will lead to her amnesia (lol hopefully not)..

i know most people (including me) don't want the amnesia plot to happen but I think there's no way it's not gonna happen..

this is also a prediction but maybe Eun ki's dad might die in the next few eps which may lead to different conclusions..

one is that if he leaves all fortune/inheritance to Eun ki (who might get an amnesia), Jae Hee might get to do something about it before/after amnesia and at the same time Maru will use this (amnesia) opportunity to get closer to Eun ki not only because of revenge but also because of money?

I also have a feeling something big might happen to Choco/Jae gil..I'd be disappointed if they're just fillers or a side story to balance the drama throughout the story..

Anyways i really don't like to watch makjangs oftentimes but what I like about this drama is the plot because it's unpredictable unlike other typical dramas with redundant plot even for romcoms plus the cast's acting is also superb..

this is a drama where you just can't stop watching it cause there's a lot of questions in your head that you want to be answered in each episode..hopefully the drama will not fall out in the middle part or in the end..

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Where is revenge?!!! Who is revenging against whom?

Frankly, I am done with analyzing JH, MR, and EK. It's time to see some action. I have big hopes for lawyer Ahn and JH's brother.

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Lawyer Ahn seems like he has the potential to be a terrifying antagonist.

I'm not so sure, however, about Jae-hee's brother. So far, I haven't seen him show any of the finesse that he would need to be a really capable villain. That's not to say he doesn't have it -- but so far all I've seen of him is a violent bully. Jae-hee is clearly terrified of him, but I'm not sure how much of that is rational fear and how much is residual fear from her childhood experiences.

Whereas Jae-hee's brother threatens and tries (unsuccessfully) to win Maru over, Lawyer Ahn has proven that he knows how to manipulate people.

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honestly, I'm actually waiting for the amnesia thing to come ..the story for now reveals every secret of every character...It will be a good event if we saw another highlights in the story...

Come to think of it, if the amnesia thing will not happen, the story will be too boring considering that the writer placed all his cards on the table and we're only at episode 8..

My thinking, the writer will blow up everything at the same time..Eun ki having an amnesia after a car accident, Jae hee revealing the TOP secret for Taesan's fall down to the Chairman (who's going to die after a sudden heart attack!) well, it was on the preview for the next episode.. :) then another story will be born..

In the event that Eun ki will suffer from amnesia, there goes our hero Maru (who falls in love with Eunki on this episode) who will also turn his table from getting revenge from JH into protecting his love EK..It will be oh so exciting to see Joon ha and Maru protecting EK against the evil JH and atty. Ahn..

well, I'm hoping for the best.. :))

I'm just so gonna hate this drama if Maru or Eun Ki or Joon ha will die in the end..I just so hate those kind of ending..It will make sense if Jae hee wil though..

thanks for

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can you kindly delete this one,,

sorry i double posted :(

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honestly, I'm actually waiting for the amnesia thing to come ..the story for now reveals every secret of every character...It will be a good event if we saw another highlights in the story...

Come to think of it, if the amnesia thing will not happen, the story will be too boring considering that the writer placed all his cards on the table and we're only at episode 8..

My thinking, the writer will blow up everything at the same time..Eun ki having an amnesia after a car accident, Jae hee revealing the TOP secret for Taesan's fall down to the Chairman (who's going to die after a sudden heart attack!) well, it was on the preview for the next episode.. :) then another story will be born..

In the event that Eun ki will suffer from amnesia, there goes our hero Maru (who falls in love with Eunki on this episode) who will also turn his table from getting revenge from JH into protecting his love EK..It will be oh so exciting to see Joon ha and Maru protecting EK against the evil JH and atty. Ahn..

well, I'm hoping for the best.. :))

I'm just so gonna hate this drama if Maru or Eun Ki or Joon ha will die in the end..I just so hate those kind of ending..It will make sense if Jae hee will though..

thanks for recapping :)

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I totally forgot about the amnesiac plot! Omg so ridiculous. Im started getting tired after each episode :(

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Yes, and EG still does not know MR is a gigilo. How's that for ridiculous.

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i think that info wouldn't affect EG though..she's not even shook up about JH and MR's past relationship how much more for MR being a gigolo..she just don't care about MR's past..

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No, being a gigilo is MR's present situation and she should care since this is the man she wants to marry and have his babies.

This is the problem I have with the character. Her tunnel vision of being in this all encompassing love does not feel genuine but heavily laden. The writer in her attempts to show something epic is cheapening it imo by shortchanging the EG persona.

I have a very low regard for the EG character.

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What I meant with being tired watching is after this we had to watch EG with amnesia, then Maru might be happy with EG for a short while, then BAMMM! she gains her memories back and Maru had to convince her again. HMPPH! I really hope that's not the case, or else I would be so disappointed cos it's too predictable.

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Yes @chulz08 I also think the same way. EG wouldn't mind about the gigolo thing, cos she's soo into Maru. But then, who knows :)

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sometimes the best thing about dramas is that they don't follow or focus on the plot..so viewer will get confused just what they've done to us..but not actually tired of it :)

LOL..if this make any sense

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Episodes 7&8 pretty much threw me out the window. Is anyone else feeling this way too? Now I'm having to ask....what is this drama about again? I feel like it's just all over the place now. I hope episode 9 and onwards brings me back in!

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I think the amnesia is going too happen this week :)

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I think the amnesia is going too happen this week :))

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oops ignore this one haha

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Actually, the ratings probably for this episode went down a little because of PSY's free concert which was held in seoul at the same time the drama was airing, otherwise the ratings would have still have been high. Apparently over 80,000 people went to PSY's concert.

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yes..that would be the reason :)

omo.. omo..omo..this weeks preview..

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I really hope Chairmen Seo's plan to leave everything to Eun-ki works, but I doubt it. Knowing Jae-hee, she'll use that envelope to blackmail him into leaving it all to her or her son. She's a really desperate, crazy woman. I hope she gets her comeuppance soon.

This drama moves fast, and I like that. Where most dramas tend to flounder in secrets and lies for most of the series, Nice Guy lets us wait for a little while, and then the secrets start to come out. I love that.

Thanks for the recap, Heads!

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Awesome episode . I especially love the scene at the villa. Please forget Han Jae Hee!! She is poison to Maru.

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I don't watch NG anymore. I just dl the episodes now and marathon it later.
I find waiting a day or 6 days between episodes disrupts the emotional flow of LHK's drama.

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Fine example of an Ugly American. Next you're going to ask why Koreans (or the rest of the world) don't drives Fords and probably end with a post saying "Buy American!" Fuck off. Considering the Samsung Galaxy series outsell Apple's, who giving jobs to who? Apple done a pretty shitty job of convincing that "Apple technology" (lol) was stolen. Touch screen, battery, processors are all from Samsung! (Now supplied by LG and Hynix, again from Korea).

Apple still couldn't overtake Samsung's 35% smartphone marketshare even after their little slander campaign. Ha! Cry more.

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Honestly, I think JH might still stand a chance to win Maru back if she had immediately run to Maru to apologize (and be honest), instead of going into her kitchen to cook! Of course, before Eun Gi reach there!

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"Meanwhile, Eun-ki drives to the vacation spot from Jae-hee’s photo, and takes a picture from the same exact vantage point."
Oh she didn't just take a photo. She pulled out her Samsung Galaxy S-III and used some special feature to take like 10 simultaneous photos. Sometimes product placement is so lol.

Anyway, I really liked this episode, as always. I'm dreading the amnesia at this point, but if "Nice Guy" can actually make me enjoy a melodrama so far, I guess there's a chance the amnesia portion of the drama could be just as interesting as eps 1-8.

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When did Maru officially and sincerely love Eun Gi?

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I like it the guy is nice and he is smart that's what I like about this it is a graet what he did.

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