Nice Guy: Episode 18

175 November 9, 2012January 24, 2016

by girlfriday

Hey guys, just stepping in to recap this one episode because someone is busy ogling her Oppa in person (Priorities!), and because you really needn’t ask me twice to spend a day with Joong-ki. I’m easy like that. Let the melo and mayhem begin.

As finale week approaches, it’s fallout time for Maru and his precarious house of cards. Eun-ki begins to enact her revenge, unconcerned by the fact that the person who might suffer the most might be her own damn self. Can you call it karmic retribution if you have to throw yourself under the bus to get there?

EPISODE 18 RECAP

We catch up to the aftermath of Eun-ki and Maru’s not-a-wedding. He confronts her: her memory has returned. It rattles her, but she calmly asks how long he’s known and why he didn’t say anything. Listen if we’re gonna play this game, we’ll need a scorecard.

He says that he was going to let her do anything she wanted to him, to get her revenge. Well it sounds all noble, except for the fine print where you deserve what’s coming. She points out that if it were true, he’d have shown up to their wedding.

He argues that he can’t abide by this plan of hers because it ruins her too. He says there are plenty of ways to go after him and Jae-hee, without endangering herself. “If you made up your mind to stab, you should have stabbed Han Jae-hee and me. Why stab yourself too?”

She glares coldly and says that while she was infatuated with him, her father died. She admits she’s gone crazy: “Whether I stab you people or myself, whether I spill your blood or my own, if I can bring you two down, if I can kill you… I’m going to do anything it takes.”

She adds through gritted teeth: “That… is Seo Eun-ki.” Maru’s face falls. She throws him the same line he offered her once—the chance to run away. She says he did clothe and feed her out of pity, so she ought to give him one chance.

He has nothing to say in defense (and she mutters that he wouldn’t be human if he did) and tells him to call Joon-ha to pick her up. Maru watches dejectedly as she goes, asking Joon-ha to take her anywhere but Maru’s house.

He flashes back to their breakfast conversation when the sweet Eun-ki had said she wouldn’t forgive him if he turned out to be a bad guy, and his insistence that she stick to her guns and never let him off the hook. Feels different on the other side, eh?

Joon-ha drops her off at a hotel room and turns to go, but Eun-ki asks him to stay. Dude, is this part of your revenge too? She just says that she’s probably going to cause some kind of accident, and asks him to stay and watch over her.

Meanwhile, Secretary Hyun packs up Eun-ki’s things from Maru’s house. Choco is near tears, but she understands why Eun-ki would feel this way, and hands her a hair-tie, saying that Eun-ki liked it.

Jae-gil asks Maru if he wants a drink, but he asks for food instead, shoveling in his dinner as if it were just an ordinary day, which worries them even more.

Jae-hee comes home late trying to avoid reporters, and someone shows up… it’s Maru. They sit across the table in silence, with Min-young standing stiffly in the wings.

She asks if leaking the scandal was his doing, and he says casually that it was. She wonders what he gains out of it. Maru: “Han Jae-hee. That was my goal from the start.” Whaa? Why are you playing this angle?

Well whatever his reason, we can see that it stirs her. She asks (tellingly) if he doesn’t love Eun-ki. He smirks and calls it a guilty conscience. “Love… love is the thing I gave to you.” (He’s back to calling her noona now.)

He says he only figured out how much it meant to him when he lost it. Gah, he’s good. I mean, he’s evil, but he’s good.

Min-young trembles as he says to absolutely zero effect that Maru can’t be trusted. But we already know where Jae-hee’s inclinations lie. Maru counters that if he really loved Eun-ki, then why would he have risked everything to turn the wedding upside-down?

Maru decides he’s had enough of the peanut gallery and asks how much longer she’s going to keep Min-young around, because he has important, private things to discuss with her.

Out he goes. I’d feel sorry for you if you weren’t murderous and hateful… but you are.

Meanwhile Joon-ha checks on Eun-ki who’s been in the bathroom for an hour and a half, and panics when there’s no response. He gets hotel staff to open the door, and finds her sitting in her wedding dress in the bathtub, staring off into space.

She doesn’t respond until he finally drops the formalities and calls her “Eun-ki-ya.” She says, almost berating herself while saying it, “I didn’t hate him.” She says she tried with all the strength she had, but couldn’t hate Maru.

She knows that he doesn’t love her, that he’s only using her to get to Jae-hee, that he thought her easily manipulated because she had no memory, that he was only acting nice out of guilt… but it’s no use and she can’t hate him.

“That’s why I did it. Because I thought it would all end this way.” Joon-ha sheds a tear as he listens. Eun-ki confesses that she leaked the scandal because it would ensure that someone in the world would stop them.

You mean like a public, nationwide call for don’t-let-me-drunk-dial-my-ex? That’s quite the elaborate insurance policy against your feelings. She asks through her tears, “I did good, right? My father will be a little pleased, right?”

And then the truth: “But what do I do? I miss him. I miss him so much, oppa. What do I do?” She breaks down in tears.

Jae-hee and Maru sit down for a drink, and she warns him to be careful around Min-young—he might kill him. Maru just brushes it off and plays up the seduction, brushing her hair away and wondering if they ought to just use the scandal as their excuse to be together.

He’s clearly getting to her, but it’s the last bit that tips her off that he’s lying. She clenches her hands and says she was almost fooled, but she still knows Kang Maru better than he knows himself, and this is a lie.

She’s no dummy, and figures out right away what he’s up to. He intends to drag her down to protect Eun-ki, even if the cost is selling himself to do it. Maru doesn’t flinch, “So, will you buy me?”

She challenges his bluff—what if she says yes? He’s completely serious as he gives her the terms: she gives everything back, lays everything down, and the two of them go off to someplace where Seo Eun-ki doesn’t exist. Then they have a deal.

The thing is, you can actually feel it—that a part of her really wants to.

The morning brings another loop, as Eun-ki moves back home unannounced. It’s honestly a toss-up how Jae-hee will respond, but she chooses to act the doting stepmother and welcomes her. She says that it was Maru who leaked the story; it’s a surprise to Eun-ki that he took responsibility for her scheme.

The scandal spreads far and wide, even to little Eun-seok’s kindergarten class, where he gets teased and comes home crying that mommy is a bad person. She is, but still that hurts coming from your own child.

All parties are met with scorn at the office, and Min-young preps Jae-hee for the board meeting she’ll have to face concerning the scandal. He asks what she decided with Maru, and she refuses to tell him.

He grabs her by the collar, speaking in banmal, as he looms over her threateningly. He says she’s the one who brought him in, asking him to be her man, to protect her. “Who made you the way you are today?”

He shakes her as he calls her a prostitute’s daughter who could be rotting in jail for murder. “You can never go to Kang Maru. If you want, you can go dead.” Oh shit. It’s not a metaphor, coming from a man who’s killed before.

And then… he PROPOSES? Talk about misreading the mood. He demands that she marry him, and then forces a kiss. *shudder* You know you’re evil when even Han Jae-hee wants to burn her lips off after you’ve kissed them.

Joon-ha finds Maru at work and they sit down for coffee. He wonders why Maru isn’t asking about Eun-ki—if she’s okay, if she’s crying, if she’s already forgotten him and living well.

Maru says he wants to know, but is scared he’ll be hurt if he hears that she’s peachy keen without him. And if it’s the opposite… then he’ll still be hurt. Aw.

He goes back to his office and considers calling Eun-ki, when the phone rings from an unknown number. He answers, but there’s no response on the other end of the line. Suddenly a song comes on in the background—their song—and he knows it’s Eun-ki.

They don’t say a word to each other but have an imaginary conversation on both ends, worrying about the other. Maru thinks to himself, “I miss you.”

And when she finally hangs up, he says it aloud into the phone: “I miss you, Seo Eun-ki.” He says to himself that he’ll wait for her call tomorrow.

Jae-shik stops by to have dinner with Choco and Jae-gil, and leaves behind a scrap of wood he’s been carving into with the inscription: “Maru?” Jae-gil asks what the question mark means, but gets no answer.

Jae-hee drinks alone in her office, and then stumbles into Maru’s office to have a drink with him. She waxes poetic about the irony of people throwing away their youth to gain riches, and then growing old and spending all their riches to regain youth.

And then she picks up her phone and calls her brother and tells him to stop her if she starts acting crazy and saying that she’ll give it all up to run away with one man. It remains to be seen whether it’s a show for Maru or if she really called.

Eun-ki is working from home, doing background checks on Jae-hee’s personal accounts (like the one they tried to put in her name and get her caught for), when Jae-hee comes stumbling home drunk… with Maru helping her in.

Oh noes. Did you not know Eun-ki moved back in? Aaaargh. They stand there frozen, and Maru pulls away from Jae-hee awkwardly.

She drunkenly asks if the three of them should have another round. How like you to relish the pain. Maru does what he can to evade the worst cocktail party known to man, and takes Jae-hee to her room. It doesn’t go over well with Eun-ki.

As he turns to go, Jae-hee murmurs, “I regret it. I regret it. So, so much… I regret it.”

He walks through the empty house, and decides to go back up and knock on Eun-ki’s door. He asks if she’s doing okay, if she’s eaten, if she’s not sick. All she does is give a curt “Yes” to everything, and he turns to go.

She gets up to go after him, but can’t bring herself to open the door. He stands on the other side doing the same, as they take turns reaching for the handle and then pulling back.

And then he calls her, from just on the other side of her door. He asks if she really didn’t have anywhere else to go but here, and why she looks that way—does Jae-hee not feed her?

He sighs that he’ll go now, and says goodnight. She thinks to herself, “I’m happy that I got to see your face today.”

The next morning Maru gets ready for work, only to find Jae-gil lying in the entranceway like he’s on a one-man strike. He says they have to go to the hospital today.

Jae-gil argues that he’s out of excuses now, and that if Maru should die, he’ll spend the rest of his life looking after Choco, and that if Maru should become a vegetable, he’ll spend the rest of his life nursing him and cleaning his bedpan.

Aw. That is the sweetest proposal in the entire run of this show.

Too bad he hasn’t thought the whole leave-over-my-dead-body plan, ’cause Maru just laughs and steps on his ass to get to the door. Ha.

Eun-ki tells Joon-ha that she’s doing her own investigation into her father’s death. She assumes her father didn’t know about Jae-hee and Min-young’s affair, but Joon-ha surprises her with the truth—Dad knew, and he was having Joon-ha prepare a scheme to cut them both loose and leave them with nothing.

She asks angrily why he’s kept this from her, and asks what else he’s hiding. He doesn’t answer.

He broods over it in the park, helpfully reminding us why he’s holding out on her (because I’d forgotten, actually). Min-young is keeping him from talking because he has evidence that Joon-ha’s father was the one who killed Eun-ki’s mother.

He comes to a decision and goes straight to Maru’s office to tell him something, insisting that it has to be now before he changes his mind.

Next thing we know, Maru is walking through the park that night. He finds Jae-hee trembling, and holds her hand.

He silently puts his arm around her and comforts her. She breaks down and sobs into his chest.

And then, in the distance, Eun-ki watches it all. Her cryptic voiceover:

Eun-ki: Memory plays a game that no one can avoid. Memories will be rewritten, will decay. Are my memories whole? Can my memories be trusted? What was it that I saw that day?

COMMENTS

This writer has an interesting approach to the cliffhanger, choosing to skip ahead to the dramatic moment while leaving us purposefully in the dark, wondering how we got there and thinking it’ll be one thing when it’s really another. It works better in some cases than in others—at times it’s downright confusing, and at others it’s not really all that interesting or enticing a question.

But this is a pretty good one, in that there is what looks to be a moment of sincerity from Maru, towards Jae-hee. It’s a notable shift, so the question is what’s driving it. My guess would be that Joon-ha has told Maru everything he knows, and he’s confronting her about Min-young and the murder, but we don’t have much to go on other than the scene that preceded it. I’m sure the B-side will turn those expectations upside-down, which is the fun.

Frankly, I’m a little surprised that this is all we got in the episode leading up to finale week. We’ve only got two more episodes to go, but nobody (other than Jae-gil) knows about Maru’s condition, and Eun-ki still doesn’t know how her father died. The pacing of the big secret reveals (which WE have known from the beginning) is the one really conventional thing about this drama that I find staid and uninteresting, because with such unpredictable characters, you could do so much more if you just outed the expected secrets and took the story to new territory. At this point what I want to know isn’t how they’ll react to the big reveals, but what they’ll do afterward that will subvert expectation. We’re just running out of precious story time for them to do anything in the aftermath.

While I do understand what Eun-ki means by leaking the scandal to, in essence, protect herself from her own feelings for Maru, it’s a rather convoluted thing when she’s still calling him and missing him at the end of the day. You sort of want to tell her it’s okay to want what she wants since they’re all headed on the road to hell anyway, but I guess if she were my sister I wouldn’t be advocating a reunion with a known lying sack of bastard.

What has me torn is that we see Maru in such a different light than the other characters do, because despite his opaque nature, we do know that he never acts out of a selfish desire. He does the really twisted thing of making himself the bad guy in order to protect others, but that alone doesn’t buy my sympathy either. No matter the noble motivation, he still does the bad guy things, and if he never explains himself, never clears it up, then at some point I just stop feeling sorry for him and figure he wants to die a martyr.

He’s a fascinating character because he’s SO selfless that he’s willing to go down in flames to protect the one he loves, but that’s just as frustrating as the noble idiot who’s going to throw himself in harm’s way like a big ol’ hero. This guy is just willing to go down as the villain to do the same. Would it kill him to be selfish for a day and just decide he’s allowed to be happy? This show. I mean, it’s riveting, and dark, and really well done. But at the end of every episode I always find myself saying the same refrain: What I wouldn’t give to take you all to a round of therapy.

175

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1 ladida

November 9, 2012 at 8:11 PM

Wow, this drama is exhausting.

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ladida

November 9, 2012 at 8:11 PM

Oh, thanks for the recap, hope Heads is having fun!

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 7:14 AM

hey GirlFriday--
thanks for stepping up to the plate and putting your flare on this recap. i appreciate you.

HeadsNo2: how dare you have a life outside of dramabeans. i thought we were homies. i'd catch a grenade for you, but you won't do the same. he better be worth it. :)

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Rachel

November 9, 2012 at 8:38 PM

Wanna venture what can be more exhausting? Netizens on dcinside website are posting rumors on spoilers. The most absurd one I've ever read was that Eunki's memory is tempted and Maru actually died in the car accident at the tunnel. Another one is she is recreating her memory because her pride and heart were scarred for Maru never loved anyone but Jaehee. I'm hoping for Eunki and Maru couple to end up as a lovey dovey, visually mindblowing couple, but who knows..

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kdramapedia

November 10, 2012 at 9:10 AM

I would be very upset if this drama pulled a Fight Club and none of this actually happened.

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mskololia

November 10, 2012 at 10:13 AM

IDK, but I'd breathe a sigh of relief to know that none of these characters were this crazy.

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Silverteem

November 10, 2012 at 11:04 AM

You mean just not crazy enough to have JUST been imagining everything?

mskololia

November 10, 2012 at 11:55 AM

Yes, like someone's memories are seriously scrambled.

Awe

November 10, 2012 at 12:10 PM

tbh---after this episode---i think i'm imagining things AND my memories are scrambled.
thanks, SHOW. thank you very much.

Mama J

November 11, 2012 at 6:14 AM

oh it would be ON then - I will BEAT s-one

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J-Pooh

November 10, 2012 at 1:49 PM

OMG - After reading the recap, I have to agree with girlfriday - so much reveals (of what the audience already knows) and not enough aftermath story time. Now, the rumors you've brought into light, I'm getting that sneaky suspicion that indeed, Maru/Eunki could have died in the tunnel and the rest of the story since then could have been one of his/her imagination to deal with the loss...makes me mad to think that that could be a possibility, but if that's the case, I don't think I'd be as shocked as "Lovers in Paris."

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Aliiiiiiiice

November 10, 2012 at 9:03 PM

NO NO NO NO.

No "Dallas" in the realm of Nice Guy.

If everything after the accident "was all a dream, after all" I'm going to kill something.

Violently.

I don't even think I'll need to explain myself as to why.

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JO

November 14, 2012 at 3:05 PM

Honestly, it's exhausting BUT I have nooo idea why everyone is angry at each other. Like Maru is angry at his Park Shi Yeon. He is the one who volunteered to go to jail and he also erased all evidence...is he angry that she didn't visit him in jail enough? I mean, it makes sense that she would try to move on.
Also, idk why EunGi is angry at Maru about her dad. He didn't kill him. asdflksdf
I also don't hate Park Shi Yeon. She sort of makes sense to me. Whereas Maru was a complete enigma to me until in recent episodes he started to have voice overs where we actually know what he is thinking. lol.

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2 costshort

November 9, 2012 at 8:12 PM

"He’s a fascinating character because he’s SO selfless that he’s willing to go down in flames to protect the one he loves, but that’s just as frustrating as the noble idiot who’s going to throw himself in harm’s way like a big ol’ hero. "

In essence, he hasn't really changed much.

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3 Romita

November 9, 2012 at 8:26 PM

Thank you for the recap. I can go to bed happy, now.

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4 LuvJooWon

November 9, 2012 at 8:31 PM

I can't believe I have to wait one more week for the next episode. Thanks for the recap.

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 6:25 AM

heya Luv--

i feel your pain. i'm like, SHOW! moar moAR MOAR!

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5 dathy8

November 9, 2012 at 8:31 PM

So, basically, Maru is an ignoble idiot. Ironic.

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Mama J

November 11, 2012 at 6:15 AM

snort *high five*

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6 msk

November 9, 2012 at 8:32 PM

i stopped predicting this drama from episode 12. I am afraid to know the outcome but cannot help myself from finding out

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7 hana

November 9, 2012 at 8:37 PM

Thanks for the recap! Can't wait for the big finale..

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8 Village Mrembo

November 9, 2012 at 8:38 PM

So if we r still keeping secrets at this stage then am guessing we gonna have a 'Gaksital-like' ending, kill everybody and just leave one person standing, got it!

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Rachel

November 9, 2012 at 8:43 PM

That's not going to happen because Maru will die because of the disease, Eunki will kill himself because why would she live in the world without Maru, Mr. Lawyer will follow in Eunki's footsteps because of the same reason, Jaehee will be killed by that creepy looking ajussi with terribly unfashionable glasses and hairdo because he never got his love returned, the giraffe will leave choco because he needs to shoot running man, and Jaehee's brother will get out of the picture because he has to direct a movie, and choco.. I don't know her much, so don't have an ending for her.

See, this is why you shouldn't live because of one cause.

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glitzmadrb

November 9, 2012 at 9:13 PM

Ooof. Great ending.

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meecheellee

November 9, 2012 at 10:29 PM

Amazing. This ending seems logical to me.

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foolmoon

November 9, 2012 at 11:00 PM

That creepy looking ahjussi will go to jail for double murder, while no one's left, Choco will have to take care Eun Sok. TADA ! Best ending ever.
Every one will get his own share, and every one is happy.
End of discussion. :)

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Mayakho

November 10, 2012 at 2:17 AM

LOL. You guys so hillarious..

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J-Pooh

November 10, 2012 at 1:50 PM

LMFAO!

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ar

November 10, 2012 at 2:18 PM

" that creepy looking ajussi with terribly unfashionable glasses"--- LOL! Describes Ahn Min Young perfectly, down even to the glasses. Do those glasses even have glass in them? It's like he's trying to be trendy with the thick black frames, but just ends up looking creepy!

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ar

November 10, 2012 at 2:18 PM

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alicia

November 16, 2012 at 2:01 AM

DIED LAUGHING HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA. That is such a probable ending I wouldn't be surprised. Since well my senses and logic practically jumped into the Han River when they had that imaginary conversation.

LIKE GOD CAN IT GET ANY MORE MELO. JUST TELL EACH OTHER THINGS. THINGS, I SAY.

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9 FishFillets

November 9, 2012 at 8:39 PM

ahhh.... The last screencap.... It broke my heart.... T.T

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10 angelfaye101

November 9, 2012 at 8:41 PM

First time commenting & I have to say that I'm glad I stuck to the recaps. I think I'd die if I had to wait a week for the episodes. With the recaps I don't feel as emotionally involved--although I'm still somewhat emotionally invested in Nice Guy given that I can't help but to read the recaps whenever a new one is posted

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Bakachild

November 9, 2012 at 8:56 PM

it's torture believe me.

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 6:32 AM

beyond torture...even babies giggling can't make me smile. just give me some answers, SHOW. now, like.

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melodrama is...

November 16, 2012 at 6:35 PM

I'm beginning to think that's what the meaning of melodrama is: torture. Torture for the viewer. :(

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11 Tanya B!

November 9, 2012 at 8:44 PM

So happy I get to post here! Greetings from Chile!

I'm a sucker for these dark melos, but the whole brain tumor thing has me on pins and needles...I mean come on, how much misery can we put up to? I think things will be more challenging if we don´t have that call of death waiting around the corner.

But still, at the end of the day, i fall in my own delusion and I just want eun ki and maru to be happy away from everyone.

Agh

This. Show.

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shirin-noona

November 9, 2012 at 11:58 PM

I think that hematoma thing actually is Maru's road to redemption.I don't know,but I think the writer will somehow use it as a way to give the couple a happy ending.That's what I think and hope...!
Thanks for the recap:)

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lee

November 10, 2012 at 12:47 AM

Like he has a bleed and get permanent amnesia, forgets everything for the past ten odd years including Jae Hae. Then he jae gil and chocco move to somewhere where he can become a doctor, Eun Ki meets him by some act of serendipity and they live like they wanted in a place where no one knows them?

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Kang Choco

November 10, 2012 at 1:14 AM

I thought of this too!

Eungi will be super stunned at first to see Maru and then she goes on and says "Kang Maru-ssi?". Maru looks at her blankly, as innocent as a kid and says "Who are you?". Eungi freezes as Maru speaks again and asks, "Do you know me?"

Oh the effects of having the San Francisco song on repeat. ;____________;

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AFD

November 10, 2012 at 5:23 AM

I like that option

Awe

November 10, 2012 at 7:01 AM

really don't know why SHOW used the 1960's version of this song.

better version: San Francisco by Club Sounds Allstars from the album #1 Club Hits 2010 - Best of Dance & Techno

exquisitemelody

November 11, 2012 at 8:35 PM

that is a very very very possible ending, especially for kdramas. i can totally see that happening, and i don't think I'd mind it :D

Silverteem

November 10, 2012 at 7:15 AM

I'm pinning on this ending actually. Although a genuinely happy ending with the epilogue and everything is my hope. Knowing the writer though, the whole amnesiac ending is a good compromise.

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shirin-noona

November 10, 2012 at 1:10 PM

Lol.Well not exactly that ,but the amnesia thing could happen!

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korazylady

November 11, 2012 at 7:29 AM

Me likey that ending!

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12 ailee

November 9, 2012 at 8:49 PM

we should all buy some ice cream and candy floss for these people. argggh it feels so frustrating about each of them loving the other in silent. someone just needs to bring the reality stick into the dramaland and just stop all these stupid sufferings for once.

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13 crazedlu

November 9, 2012 at 8:53 PM

there's been too much praise for this show that i'm thankful for dramabeans' comments. i'm in meh territory when it comes to nice guy. in definite love territory when it comes to song joongki though. heart.

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pogo

November 10, 2012 at 4:32 AM

I can see why it gets that praise, because it really is very good - slick, well-written, VERY well-acted (seriously, the leads are just amazing) and not quite as overboard with the makjang as some melos tend to get.

I really like it, and have ALL the feelings when I'm watching, but it's never going to move me to tears or anything, and unlike, say Arang and the Magistrate, I'm not feeling sad about it ending from, like, episode 14 onwards.

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 7:19 AM

heya pogo--
i agree with you. in addition to script, direction and actors, this drama is mature and the reveals are, for the most part, laid out right away. (enjoy that run on sentence).

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mel

November 10, 2012 at 1:37 PM

i loved it until I marathoned another drama with a much better couple in it and now EG/Maru just bug me with their actions and i find the romance poorly developed romance. It's pretty meh to me right now. Though as long as they have a glorious trainwreck everyone dies ending I'll probably end up liking it again. Lovey dovey EG/Maru babies end just doesn't fit for me.

The only thing I'm really interested is what JH did to her mother, but I think they forgot about that.

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pogo

November 10, 2012 at 7:21 PM

yeah, the initial Eun-ki-falls-for-Maru stage happened much too quickly and felt a bit forced, but it's the stages after that when I found them most fascinating. Especially after she found out the truth.

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gaeran.mar

November 11, 2012 at 5:28 PM

I thought I was the only one who didn't ship maru/eungi together,to be honest I don't care much for this couple and wouldn't care if maru or eungi died(it's not that I dislike them).I just don't have any emotional attachment to any of the characters.I think the romance could've been developed a loot better.btw do you minding naming this drama with a much better couple?

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14 Bakachild

November 9, 2012 at 8:54 PM

This drama is just plain exhausting and I love it.
I don't know where I read someone saying this, but they said that the show is frustrating because it's essentially a tower of misunderstandings and lies that's culminating to make their lives miserable. That's barely part of the problem here. Even if they all sat down in a circle and talked out the misconceptions, the situation isn't going to suddenly turn into happy hugging kumbaya. These people are fucked up to put it bluntly. There are trust issues, emotional scarring, inabilities to let go of the past and self-hatred/ martyrdom galore they have to deal with, and more. They have to get over those things first and like girlfriday said only a really good therapist can help them out there.
That being said I love watching the journey of these messed up people and they tear at my heart and have me more emotionally invested in a drama than I've been in a while. Gearing up for Finale week because it's going to be intense!

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 6:29 AM

greets Baka--
exhausting, right? dang! and after a couple of hours and a cup of java, i'm now frustrated that i have to wait a week for what seems like an UNENDING ending to a wickedly well-written, well-directed, well-acted drama.
JKM now.

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15 kdramapedia

November 9, 2012 at 9:07 PM

I'm with you; I don't feel like we're leading up to finale week. With all the big secrets still hanging out there for our characters (none of which have been secrets to us since like episode 2), I wonder where we're all going with this. Is it the journey not the discovery? The means to the end? The destination isn't what you'd thought it be? What is it?

Well, aside from a whole lot of angst.

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16 glitzmadrb

November 9, 2012 at 9:10 PM

Even in this drama, we can see the "common" theme in most melos of having at least one main character being a martyr or a noble idiot for the sake of love. Story lines leading to this actually frustrates me and makes me not want to watch the drama anymore. For some reason, even if Nice Guy also went this direction (and even if my head and heart hurts because of them), I'm still quite invested in the drama because the drama is just too interesting to let go. Sigh.

"This writer has an interesting approach to the cliffhanger..." I actually praise the writer for being so good in writing the cliffhangers of the show. They really do make you look forward to what will happen in succeeding episodes, making you want for more.

I just wish, hope and pray that the ending next week will not be too melodramatic or sad. Is having a happy ending for our two crazy characters possible?

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17 Strawberry Milkshake

November 9, 2012 at 9:15 PM

Wow, I agree with you completely to the fact that we didn't get much out of today's episode. I honestly think this show is losing its initial touch of magic. I mean, the spunkiness of Eun-ki that we all adored is gone and that gets me sooooooooooo frustrated. I wish they'd just... I don't know... go back to it somehow. What frustrates me more is that, even though this show is slowing down and losing its magic, I STILL LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY WEEK. :(

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18 yumii

November 9, 2012 at 9:18 PM

Thanks for the recap.

Thanks for "He says he only figured out how much it meant to him when he lost it. Gah, he’s good. I mean, he’s evil, but he’s good."

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 7:25 AM

in all fairness---MaRu is regurgitating what JH said to him on the doorsteps of MaRu/EunKi's new house a couple of episodes ago. he was spewing her words back to her...and it seemed to me like he was doing it to:
1--eff with JH's heart/mind because she doesn't know if he is sincere
2--eff with creepy lawyer dewd because MaRu knows creep-law loves JH and knows creep-law knows JH still loves/wants MaRu.
so yeah, evil regurgitated.

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19 luz

November 9, 2012 at 9:23 PM

If NG ends with either Maru or Eun Gi's death , I think we will all need a group therapy session together. NG is a beautiful ,yet, remains a painfully torturous emotional mind game. All ends well if both of them have a chance to be happy together in the end. They deserve it and so do we as viewers.

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20 Anduril

November 9, 2012 at 9:28 PM

I was so relieved that Jae-hee saw through Maru. (firstly because I am also on the delusion train, hoping-hoping for the happy ending.) Secondly, because that was so cruel of Maru. I know that we always root for the defeat of the bad guys. But when they have this one good thing about themselves, that they manage to love something, I can never feel happy when that tiny precious love is used against them, or is destroyed. It just seems the height of cruelty.

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21 maxzzr

November 9, 2012 at 9:38 PM

Thank you for the recap
I'm loving this drama, it is unique and interesting. It is one of the very few dramas in which i wanted to know what is going to happen to everyone.
Personally I wouldn't have minded more twisted and convoluted plans and thoughts. I kind of wanted more mystery in the sense that things happen but we don't directly know how they happened and/or who was responsible ( I have been reading a lot of novels that use stream of consciousness in which almost everything is confusing at first but then things get clearer but some mysteries remain. )

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22 wowow

November 9, 2012 at 9:47 PM

Ahh all the angst, why wont they come around and just resolve this whole hullabaloo, peacefully? D:

Anyways, thanks gf!!! Really really wanted to know what you think abt Nice Guy and i loved your witty remarks!!
Heads, you're missed tooo! Hope you had fun:3 *drowns in envy*

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23 yumii

November 9, 2012 at 9:53 PM

Love means never stomping on someone heart and you chase after the twinkling things life offers.

Love means never hiring someone to kick a person in the ribs and stomp them into submission.

Love is not about close fists that hold someone against their will.

Love is an open palm that allows someone to choose if they stay or go.

No sympathy for the devil--consistently selfishly self-preserving.

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24 MariePhils

November 9, 2012 at 10:13 PM

This episode got no angst... many questions still left unanswered considering there are 2 more episodes left.

With that end scene ... does it mean that Eunki has again doubted Maru's true feelings for her?

And i noticed that Maru's character has lost its angst... and gave more spotlights on the character of Eunggi.

Towards the end of this melodrama, ive realized that Maru indeed is the Nice Guy...coz he decided to play silent and accept whatever revenge he will get from Eunggi. But it should not be!

If all melodrama would mean killing my hero, im done with u show! Life is not all about sacrificing or paying your dues, its also learning to face the odds and being able to fight - good fight and that's how i would want Maru to be remembered, not just a wasted Guy at the end of this show.

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25 Bunde

November 9, 2012 at 10:20 PM

I have been saving this drama episodes as I think it's one of the best kdramas I have seen for a while and I want share with my friends later. But, I have to say episode 18 was not very good.

Over many episodes, the great part of this drama was the mystery of what each character was really thinking. Maru, Eungi, Jae Hee, the creepy lawyer, etc. The story is about people saying one thing to each other AND themselves nuy hsving different thoughts. At same time, not only are they lying to others, but we realize they are acttually lying to themselves about their true feelings and desires. Why change all this method? Whyhave Eun Gee express her true thoughts in the bath tub in soliquoy? Her being in the bath tub like that would have been enough to convey to us that she was hurting baaaad. She didn't need to explicitly say that. Maybe by having her explicitly say, it filled up this episode, but for me, watching it was painful (I mean in not so good, unintential way).

And, my wife and I thought the 'conversation' they had over the phone seemed so weird. Ditto as both were standing separated by the door. I think it would have been better if it was only Maru expressing his thoughts this way. It would have been Maru hoping that the real old Eun Gee (not partial Eun Gee who only hates Maru) find her way back to him.

Jae Hee talking to herself to the phone when she was drunk made me wonder 'is the concept of this episode: phones and talking to self?'

I was also feeling uncomfortable when Eun Gee asked Joon Ha to STAY WITH HER AT HER HOTEL SUITE. I thought hmm something might happen here. After a while I realized he really is gay. Just kidding. Hah!

Finally, I don't think they built up the last scene very well. Nothing to lead up to it. So abrupt without any context. And, I said to my wife "What did we just watch?" as in not just the scene but the whole episode. She just nodded.

Some scenes were odd and painful today. My wife was fast forwarding in some scenes. And, we have never fast forwarded Nice Guy until today.

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Silverteem

November 10, 2012 at 7:10 AM

I think the phone-versation was a work of art. Melo to the max.

This episode IMO is all about trying to be explicit yet the two leads could still not be explicit towards each other.

Eun Gi crying her heart out and revealing and her true feelings and Maru with his internal monologue of actually longing for Eun Gi.

The non-talk conversation over the phone adds a nice touch on to that desire to SAY what you want but being unable to. So much lies has happened between the two that an ACTUAL conversation wouldn't cut it. But with them NOT talking but still conveying what they want to say in their own minds shows us that sincerity. And thus the phone-non-talk-conversation. They "say" what they want to say, without actually saying it.

Damn, makjang, but truly fitting.

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jomo143

November 10, 2012 at 9:46 AM

Different reactions to the same scenes.

This was the first episode that I didn't want to ff any scenes.
Usually my fingers twitch the second Ahn and JH end up together in a room.

The inability to say what is in their hearts, and always being separated, in this case, by a door sums, up MR/EG's relationship perfectly.

I do agree that it was incredibly painful to watch, but that the melo's gift to our lives. When you turn it off, you think, "Thank GOD that isn't me!" LOL

The true test of "Do I like melo pain or not?" is What Happened in Bali. I prolly said. "Thank GOD that isn't me." about 75,000 times watching that one. OY!

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 12:23 PM

greets jomo!
great post. i agree with your take on the phone "non" conversation.
and indeed...i walk away from each of these episodes saying "thank God that isn't me".
about the kdrama "What Happened in Bali", whew, that was some messed up shizzz...all the way around. so yeah, i agree with you.

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Betsy Hp

November 10, 2012 at 1:38 PM

I also really liked both scenes. Eun-gi had to speak of her continuing love for Maru because it wasn't implicit. She'd just attacked him with everything she had. That despite all that she still loved and missed him, that she attacked him so publicly to put up an artificial wall between them -- I needed to hear that because I needed to know what her true feelings were. (Frankly, I think Eun-gi was just figuring out her feelings -- part of the reason she was so devastated.)

And the silent conversation and the one through the door -- I needed those to see that they're both still emotionally entangled. It's always been something deeper for them then simple revenge. (Otherwise, I doubt Maru would have used Eun-gi so much to begin with.) That Maru went to her room despite himself, that they both had to communicate with each other despite knowing they shouldn't -- I needed to see that level of commitment to keep caring about their story.

So that's why they worked for me, anyway. :)

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Silverteem

November 10, 2012 at 2:12 PM

Nicely put. Otherwise we'd be on a continuous charade of Eun Gi pretending revenge on Maru and Maru pretending to be a bastard.

Ofc some would have preferred more subtlety. But damn it's been 18eps already and NEVER, never had it occurred that BOTH of them confessed what they felt at the same time. The first time Eun Gi did it Maru was using her. The moment Maru acknowledged his feelings, Eun Gi was amnesiac.

This was the only time that both confirmed their love, albeit silently.

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26 Noelle

November 9, 2012 at 10:31 PM

What did Joon Ha say!? Argh. This is murder waiting for the last too episodes.

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27 kdramafan

November 9, 2012 at 10:49 PM

I love this show for many reasons but I realize my primary reason are the actors. At first I had to get used to the character development and see how they evolved (there were some that I couldn't stand and others I rooted for). But as the drama became over wrought with angst, greed, martyrdom, selfishness, nostalgia, etc., the actors were so good that you end up still hooked till the end. The range of emotion everyone goes though is amazing acting! Kudos to the cast and crew for a job well done.

Can't wait to see the fallout!

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28 BibiRouge

November 10, 2012 at 12:10 AM

Hmm... My prediction is : Jae-Hee decides to confess to her crimes, Eun-Ki forgives Maru, he goes in for surgery, which is successful and then... Min-Young kills him

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29 Anaïs

November 10, 2012 at 12:17 AM

Cause these people are messed up. And sometimes, even if the people themselves are not messed up, they may have been involved in an irreconcilable conflict in the past. There are such things. Or the psychic energy required to get past such conflicts is much too great for people to exert.

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Anaïs

November 10, 2012 at 12:19 AM

That was meant to be a reply to a comment, but whatever...

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30 foolmoon

November 10, 2012 at 12:44 AM

"What I wouldn’t give to take you all to a round of therapy."

You and I, GF. You and I ...
I give counseling in a high school, and I keep thinking that my students must not watch this drama until they find out their life goals for their own happiness. Living your life like Ma Ru is just a big waste of talent. Make me questioning his motivation to become a doctor.
This drama is romanticized obsessive love much in such a compelling way (and having clever handsome SJK in it really helps it a lot) that it might mislead some people.

Thought, I do enjoy watching this drama. I even cried a lot for this episode. It just shows that sometimes your emotion and your brain don't compute well. :D

Well, 2 more episodes to go and how are they gonna solve that murder secret and Maru's hematoma? Maybe they'll just solve the murder secret and let Ma Ru dies .. ( Nooooo ...! )

This episode was a sob - fest

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 6:40 AM

*hands over lunch money to go towards group therapy sessions*
here, take it, lunch is over-rated these days.

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31 Claire

November 10, 2012 at 12:57 AM

let me just tell a small detail on Nice Guy/Innocent Man..isn't Maru always holding a watch that goes backwards at every start of episode? Maybe that's somewhat a clue?

pls don't give me an "If Only" ending..*if u know that movie* coz it's really gonna be so sad if Maru dies..nevertheless if he really dies, as long as it's satisfying ending maybe i'll be contented but still sad..

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32 jubilantia

November 10, 2012 at 1:09 AM

Totally agree with you on the story pace right now. I was really hoping it would pick up and we’d see what’s going to happen, or at least get to the terrifyingly sad parts at breakneck pace, rather than at the contemplative speed of a snail dying from dehydration. However, if what I’m thinking is going to happen (Eun-ki comes back to Maru, Min-young tries to have Maru killed but is saved by Jae-hee who dies in his place, but then Maru gets dead from hematoma, doom tears boo hoo, Choco and Jae-gil console each other) is all that happens, I will also be very disappointed.

This whole drama has been Noble Idiot drama, but now we’ve reeeally entered that stage.

In that scene at the house with JH and MY- Maru’s trying to commit suicide by insane lawyer! Bwaahahahaa.

Also, Joon-ha, now would be a great time to tell Eun-ki about Jae-hee and Min-young murdering her father. Then she can drag them through the mud and maybe realize that Maru might have been misguided, but he’s all better now.

Ew ew ew ew force kissing ewwwww. I’m actually surprised this hasn’t happened sooner, but ugh.

“Worst cocktail party known to man”- heeee. Right?

Hooray Joon-ha/Maru bromance! Here’s hoping Sexy Lawyer will assess the true depths of Maru’s feelings and drop a few hints? I know Maru is distancing himself because of the hematoma, but she needs to come confess and make him want to live. Gaaaaahhhhh

That damn song! I’m not going to be able to hear it anymore without thinking of someone spiraling into depression and insanity.

Oh God, please tell me someone is on to Jae-sik probably being contracted to kill Maru, as he’s talking about “business.” While holding a KNIFE. On the bright side, if Maru gets a stab wound, he has to go to the hospital! Then they can stop the damn bleeding in his damn brain. Not that it would make a difference, ya happiness-hating moron.

OH MY GOD JOON-HA FUCKING TELL HER ABOUT YOUR DAD BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES. You’ve been with her through every-fucking-thing! She’s not going to hate you for something your dad did! Much. Unless you keep it from her AGAIN.

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pogo

November 10, 2012 at 4:21 AM

Actually, Maru did force-kiss Jae-hee for blackmail purposes in episode 4, I think? When she turned up to his bar and he took a pic of them and threatened to make it public.

And this:

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!!! (and he does need to tell her about the whole being-a-murder-witness-via-telephone too, he does)

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jubilantia

November 10, 2012 at 10:30 AM

True. The force-kissing did happen, but I meant specifically from Min-young.

And, seriously about the murder witness thing. The blackmail is uneven, because Eun-ki MIGHT not like you anymore, but Jae-hee and Min-young would DEFINITELY go to jail.

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jomo143

November 10, 2012 at 8:42 AM

"if Maru gets a stab wound, he has to go to the hospital! Then they can stop the damn bleeding in his damn brain."

Eureka! and THANK YOU!
You have found the hematoma's final entry into the story. Nobody tells anyone, they just find out.
Who is his guardian? Choco? If he in unconscious, they would HAVE to opt to save him, right?

So we DO get JS, once again, accidentally helping even though he is actually being evil - just ineptly again.

I will hold on to this possibility like a life line for the next few days.

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Big Unni

November 10, 2012 at 8:19 PM

Exactly! Now I feel really weird because this is the first time I wanted to say, "Some one please stab this man. It's for his own good." Weird, right?

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Anduril

November 10, 2012 at 9:10 AM

"suicide by insane lawyer" He he. I'll hold on to that lifeline too. (I'm going to be like Sheldon and use Jedi mind tricks: make the ending happy, make the ending happy, make the ending happy...)

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ar

November 10, 2012 at 2:26 PM

Amen about Joon-ha telling Eun-gi about her dad - he's waiting too long. I'm not sure if Eun-gi would forgive him now since she's had her memory back for over 3 weeks now and it doesn't look like he has told her.

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Mama J

November 11, 2012 at 6:25 AM

{I was really hoping it would pick up and we’d see what’s going to happen, or at least get to the terrifyingly sad parts at breakneck pace, rather than at the contemplative speed of a snail dying from dehydration.} hahhahahahahaha! except I disagree though- I was surprised to realize we are at the end now it feels as though show has been FAST

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jubilantia

November 11, 2012 at 1:46 PM

It has been fast- (and well-)paced, but these last two episodes I feel like have slowed down a lot. I just don't want the finale two episodes to be tortuously slow shots of Maru dying and Eun-ki spiraling slooooowly into insanity or whatever. I want it fast and dramatic, like a band-aid ripping off.

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33 Momi

November 10, 2012 at 1:52 AM

the "close, but no cigar" moments with Maru and Eungi were so frustrating! and so are all the misunderstandings and selflessness going on. I get that they're meant to be sad and sweet but they just made me really mad D: hurry you guys and get together because WE ALL KNOW U DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT.

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34 Laurita

November 10, 2012 at 2:15 AM

"Maru pulls away from Jae-hee awkwardly". It was such realistic touch at that moment... somehow got in my head.

That aside, thanks for the recap. And I hope that thing called hematoma would not exist in this drama. It would go just as good without this detail (well, it still should be resolved at the end, so maybe it is important, but...).

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jomo143

November 10, 2012 at 9:33 AM

I loved that bit.
No matter what he says about doing all of this to be with JH, he can't stop his body from telling the truth to EG.
I don't want to be here with this silly woman. I don't want you to see us together because you will get the idea that I love her, and CHONGMAL (nod to OST) I don't.

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mskololia

November 10, 2012 at 9:48 AM

It's more like a guilty conscious to me.

He was up to no good (offering himself to both women before and after the marriage fiasco) and should just leave these unstable women alone....

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jomo143

November 10, 2012 at 9:54 AM

I considered guilt as a reason, and yes, there is a bit o that in there. But according to his own words, he has given up EG completely. He IS gunning to be with JH for ever and ever amen. Why not embrace JH closer with EG as a witness to sell his choice even better?

Why not? Because he loves EG, he LOVES HER!

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mskololia

November 10, 2012 at 10:06 AM

Given up.... That's rich because I thought he is waiting for EG to return to him by being patient and letting her know he's taking the blame for the releasing the news. He's stabbing himself since she could or would not being the masochistic character that he is.

Meh, on the MR/EG love story. I threw that away at ep 10 with the crash.

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Silverteem

November 10, 2012 at 11:22 AM

That's because as per Maru: Half of it is Eun Gi's fault too.

Yes, he's waiting for the real Eun Gi to come back. The Eun Gi that knows him and that he knew before. Right now he's just fulfilling his part of the bargain. Bringing Jae Hee down with him. What he's actually waiting for is the real Eun Gi, that which loved him despite of his past, to come back and punish him. After that, if she's still willing to "marry him", he will accept it. Maru has a hard time FORGIVING himself, that's why he's doing this. If only Eun Gi could just come forward, do her revenge and be over with it, then they could start off "fresh" or perhaps pick it up to where they were before pre-crash. Eun Gi's lack of action is what causing Maru to put this in his own hands and do what he does best. Being a bastard. But now that he's so much in love w/ Eun Gi, you would see those "slips" on his part: unconsciously jerking his hand off of Jae Hee. It's Maru's mission versus what his emotions are telling him to do, basically. He's still under the impression that Eun Gi hates him -- the indecisiveness on Eun Gi's part will only cause Maru to self-destruct for her sake. Otherwise, if Eun Gi does decide to hate him, Maru is still willing to self-destruct anyways. Only choice #3 will save Maru -- Eun Gi coming forward and forgiving him -- but that's so difficult when Maru is still trying to be a bastard still - DAMN these 2. I swear... they'll be shortening my lifespan too.

35 JuDa

November 10, 2012 at 3:15 AM

KBS is the best production this year..
at the end of this year at KBS Drama Award..
I really want Moon Chae Won to grab Daesang..Her performance in NG is unbelievable FANTASTIC!!! She and Song Joong Ki have a dozen praise from viewer’s bcoz of their outstanding natural acting.
that only my hope..
but all Korean already knows that Kim Nam Joo absolutely the only candidate who will grab Daesang in this year..SO.,i put my finger that MCW will one again grab the 2nd Daesang a.k.a Top Excellent Award a.k.a 2nd Grand Award after Daesang Award like how she and PSH take it from their performance in TPM last year.I don’t know if SJK will got TOp Excellent Award or not.,because he only become a leading in drama for the 1st time..
So maybe he will be grab Best Actor Award even he deserve more bigger award than that because of his briliant acting..but i still put him at his right..
TOP EXCELLENT ACTRESS~ MOON CHAE WON
TOP EXCELLENT ACTOR~ SONG JOONG KI AND JOOWON
BEST COUPLE~ CHAEKI(doesn’t need to say actually)
BEST DRAMA~ NICE GUY
BEST DIRECTOR~ KIM JIN WON
BEST WRITER~ LEE KYUNG HEE
BEST OST~ NICE GUY…
ARRRRgggHHHRR….the drama not even finish yet.,but if i was one of the panel i feel like i Want to give my all to NG team…
NICE GUY THE BEST of 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Village Mrembo

November 10, 2012 at 4:45 AM

My fav OST this year is hands down 'Carry On' for Faith. I think i sometimes enjoyed it much more than a full episode! Horse Doctor OST has to be my 2nd fav, i don't know who comes up with these awesome melodies!

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 12:31 PM

you're forgetting:
BEST COMEDY~ Dr. Jin Time Slip
MOST TEARS~ Park Min Young
TEARS ON A DIME~ Park Min Young
MOST AKWARD MOMENT: Breast Exam by Candlelight, Dr. Jin

lol
lol

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36 pogo

November 10, 2012 at 4:00 AM

Two episodes doesn't leave a whole lot of time to deal with the murder reveals, Maru's hematoma, everyone's tangled feelings and whatever's left, but I can't wait.

I'm really loving Cute Lawyer Joon-Hawtness (thank you to whoever came up with that nickname!) these last couple of episodes - LSY didn't have much to do except be lovelorn and endlessly protective/responsible, but he really shone in that memory-return scene in episode 17, and the look on his face at her bathtub confession just hurts to watch, poor bb and his red eyes of sadness. (and the grudging respect for Maru? LOVE IT.)

And when I wasn't admiring Jae-hee's awesome manicure, it was impossible not to feel sorry for her - I'm fascinated by the twists and turns of her moral compass.

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kdramapedia

November 10, 2012 at 9:00 AM

YES! I absolutely *loved* her nails! I couldn't help but stare at them. I want her manicurist's number!

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shelhass

November 10, 2012 at 10:24 AM

I thought I was the only one!
Her episode 17's manicure was awesome too

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37 pogo

November 10, 2012 at 4:34 AM

Also, additional note: if you're a lawyer in this show you may as well kiss your chances of a love life goodbye, villainous or not.

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Awe

November 10, 2012 at 12:37 PM

pogo---
fyi: lawyers lay down the law...not love. so no love, no more.

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pogo

November 12, 2012 at 11:18 PM

wasn't saying they were, only that unrequited love seems to be an occupational hazard here lol

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38 george

November 10, 2012 at 4:59 AM

Thanks GF for the recap.Points taken.So yeah,i would have preferred Maru's heroism to be realistic.As noble as he is,how would Eun-gi feel,if she will find in the end how many times he saved her life and all his lies was done to protect her(or so what i think Maru thinks),given that Eun-gi is a strong and proud woman that she would have given her share of nobility and heroism if she knew.

I'm just hoping it won't be a disappointing ending.

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39 anita

November 10, 2012 at 5:25 AM

Too much pain in this drama. If this drama is not happy ending, don't know what to say.
I wish I were a writer, I will make my readers are happy to read my story.
If we can make other people happy, why should make them upset?
Let's make people always be happy ...

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40 Chickletta

November 10, 2012 at 5:29 AM

I like Moon Chaewon; she is cute and all but a great actress?! Disagree fully. She has three facial expressions: stone-faced with tears (that she produces by staring without blinking - you try it, you'll succeed); stone faced with no tears; stone-faced with a smile. To me she looks like she had botox injections and nothing on her face ever moves. The lead actor is amazing, though, and the villainess is very good, too. I think an actress with a wider ranger of subtle facial expressions would have done a much better job with such a complex character. Now, I know we all love Eun-ki, the character, so don't hate me for thinking that the casting could have been better.

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Silverteem

November 10, 2012 at 6:57 AM

You kidding right?

Stone faced? Her character was meant to be stone faced because she was stone-cold.

Go watch TPM and her film Arrow. Moon Chae Won is by far one of the best actress in her generation. She doesn't over-acts. And her eyes.

HER EYES!

Just look at those eyes, and you'll feel all the emotions. This lady didn't win multiple awards for nothing.

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jasmin

November 10, 2012 at 8:38 AM

@Silverteem

Agreed! Moon Chae Won is really the best actress of her generation. I prefer subtle acting over bulging eyes and OTT acting.

Moon Chae Won actually watched a really old drama/movie with a Korean actress (I forgot the name of the video) who has similar facial expressions to express the coldness of her heart - she did that to prepare for her role as Eun Gi. So not even is Moon Chae Won a great actress but also passionate when it comes to her job. :)

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ilikemangos

November 11, 2012 at 7:40 PM

You basically pulled the words out of my mouth.

@Chickletta -- Are you basing your judgement off of Nice Guy?
You should really check out her other works if you haven't.
She may not be the best but she's pretty good for someone who's only been in the spotlight in the recent years.

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Enz

November 10, 2012 at 4:21 PM

Which face was it that she put on for the confession scene with Ma Ru? Cos that face was brilliant!

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JuDa

November 10, 2012 at 10:37 PM

for me.,MCW is the best korean actress i've ever seen in my life...

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KiAile

November 12, 2012 at 10:20 AM

hey hey hey.. did you just insult Chae Won's acting skills?*serial killer loading*

haha kidding. But just as what most Kdrama fans (those who have already set their eyes on her before NG) will do after seeing your post, I will totally disagree!

FYI, this is her first time having this kind of role and it actually fascinating to see her act like that. It just confirmed how wide her acting range is. Try to watch her in Brilliant Legacy or My Fair Lady...totally girl next door. And who would forget Se Ryung in TPM?

"...the casting could have been better" wuttt? I even once told myself, "I couldn't imagine any other actress playing Eun Gi". CHAE WON IS EUN GI. She owns that character. EunMa is so like Korea's OTP right now BECAUSE IT'S JOONG KI AND HER. They have established a never-seen-before chemistry. Witnessing their exploding chemistry is like watching Brangelina, Chair, Peeta-Catniss, and all other OTP of OTP's in one. thanks to the presence of Chae Won.

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pogo

November 12, 2012 at 11:16 PM

EunMa is so like Korea’s OTP right now BECAUSE IT’S JOONG KI AND HER.

This makes me really happy keke, their chemistry is so amazing I'm glad the fans love it too.

And I actually think Katpiss and Peeta have NO chemistry despite the individual actors being really talented - Chae Won (and Joong-ki) deserves better comparisons than that! Dramas like these can be sunk by a lack of chemistry between the leads, and sometimes even skilled actors can't make it work together - thank goodness Nice Guy does not have that problem!

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KiAile

November 13, 2012 at 2:50 AM

hahaha..but I'm a hardcore Peeniss shipper (at least in the book version)!!..don't laugh at the name..taha..it's fine though..as long as you're a fellow EunMa/ChaeKi shipper, we are so gonna be friends.

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pogo

November 13, 2012 at 5:39 AM

haha I don't really care for the books, so maybe I'm not the person to ask about their OTP.

And I am absolutely an EunMa/ChaeKi shipper, it is so easy to ship Joong-ki with anything that moves - I've never seen a project of his where he DIDN'T have amazing chemistry with his costars, male and female (Sungkyunkwan Scandal....UNF).

But he and Chae-won just take it to another level in Nice Guy, though everyone's chemistry is fantastic - this show and Arang do really well on that front.

pogo

November 13, 2012 at 5:42 AM

also it feels very appropriate to be making this comment on Moon Chae-won's birthday somehow <3

pogo

November 12, 2012 at 7:38 PM

girl, she isn't even my bias but you are so wrong - she's OWNS the part of Eun-ki, and as for the facial expressions you mention, which of them was she using when she was playing amnesiac?

I wasn't very fond of her sageuk turn in Painter of the Wind so I'd understand if your criticism was of that, but in Nice Guy? Girl is FLAWLESS.

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41 hartofseeker

November 10, 2012 at 5:36 AM

On Maru's Motivations:

It can basically be incapsulated in 3 quotes of his: (1) Seo EunGi is back, she's not forgiving me, she's angry, she doesn't trust me (2) the repetition of: Seo EunGi is back, but not the same as she was before. SO I WILL WAIT FOR HER TO COME BACK (3) his anger in the car at EunGi to go this far to get back at him, that she said it doesn't matter if it hurts her or not-- as long as she gets them
Basically, he's waiting for her to be willing and ready to confront him, and-- though unlikely in his mind-- forgive him. Up until the car conversation, that's what he did, letting her do whatever she wants as she tries to gage and understand the situation. but then once the car scene happened, he must be ACTIVELY waiting for EG now... actively as in seeking out ways to take JH down; he must get a quick and thorough victory because otherwise, EG might do even more things to hurt herself.
Perhaps he's going an extra step... he probably understands that EG is still reeling from the "betrayal" so though he was anxious at her call (the silent phone convo), he doesn't push for her to speak up. He doesn't know what she's thinking (as in her side of the silent convo, obviously) but he knows she's struggling with her emotions. He waits and waits for her to confront him, to ask questions... unfortunately she doesn't, and that's why the convo ends when SHE ends the call, not him. He tries to give her an opportunity to speak again when he visited her house. She doesn't... but he at least gives a try on his end to show that he genuinely cares for her

I honestly don't believe that a simple open the door and talk will solve everything... i'd like to think so... but real-life seems to say otherwise. by talking it out, you'd be dealing with the intellectual side of things: clearing out misunderstandings/miscommunications... the more technical stuff... but in this instance... and i guess more and more in real life... emotions are a part of us that we can't ignore.

some, more than others, listen in conversations with their emotions as a base-- do i trust or distrust this person? does this person make me feel at ease and safe or does this person make me feel like i need to rile up my defenses and be on my toes alert because i think he/she might hurt/take advantage of me? for EG, she has the sharp mind to back her equally sharp tongue... but as we can see from her love for MR... she's also very emotional. MR knows that... as much as he knows the other sides of her so well (ummmm except the tenacity of her love for him... it boggles me! nevermind MR! it's like a miracle that she can still love him despite her own reasoning... after all the emotional damage that's tied to him). so even if they talk it out with each other... the emotional baggages are going to get in the way... it's going to skew the way the hear and interpret what's being said in the convos... words are never independent in and of themselves... they function within context, tone, intent of person speaking them, and the interpretation of the listener...

one of the highlights of this drama is this: trust may come quickly the first time... but it can be broken in a second, and take forever to rebuild....

It's like in their second breakup scene near Maru's house, Maru knew by then why EG was doing this... and he complies without a struggle. but he still shows his genuine care. He still acts and speaks with the tone that he normally would. he doesn't try to justify himself, he doesn't proclaim with words that he truly cared. At that time... he had no intention of keeping her. and it's his care (the medicine packet) that gives EG the resolve to discard her suspicions (her mind) and give in to her desire to go to him (her heart) But here, he loves her... he's waiting for her to come back. so again, he complies with her pre-wedding act without a struggle. He tries to take opportunities to show that he genuinely cares and loves her (taking the initiative to call and go to her defense if JH was picking on her, etc.) he's not going to justify himself, or yell out that he no longer loves JH, but loves her. and that shakes EG (as mentioned above)... though this time, because it's the second time she's felt betrayed by the same person... the process may take longer, but i'm hopeful

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missjb

November 10, 2012 at 7:16 AM

i love your point of view. And you perfectly pointed out my point of view, even revealing many details and subtlety that I missing when watching it ! as flaws as he is. Whether or not his act at this times will solved the problem or not, I appreciate his effort. He ever said to JG, he has owed her, and since the half responsibility is all in EK's hand. Maybe he is reffering this problem? he want the real EK he really want will come back with her own effort.

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42 dammy

November 10, 2012 at 5:37 AM

If am to predict the ending of NG I think none of ou character will get wat dey wanted:JH will lose her poSition as the chairman and also her status and won't get MR,EK will get her position back but won't actually end up wIth MR and MR will either end up ina vegetative state or with no memories of the two ladies no one is dying in this drama even evil lawyer will likely end up in jail who know dia cud be room for a season two,dat will really be badass

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43 muhloy

November 10, 2012 at 6:26 AM

that moment when Joon-ha called her “Eun-ki-ya"....i replayed it several times.

it just kills me.

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pogo

November 10, 2012 at 7:25 PM

ME TOO!!!!!!! And when she calls him 'oppa'....poor sad Eun-ki :(

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44 Awe

November 10, 2012 at 6:57 AM

ok--can someone please close the gate--you're letting the crazies out.

after watching episode 18, i was totally banking on the fact that SHOW would pull an "extension". and that's cool. but then...i come to dramabeans and NOOOOO...first thread i see is oohlala gets extension and nice guy doesn't. *shakes fist at -lol- i don't even know who to shake fist at*.

seems to me there is just way toooo much to be resovled in 2 episodes. and i will personally get in a plane and fly to korea and spank the writer if this drama has a rushed ending--simply because there was plenty enough time to develop, reveal and tie up loose endings. honestly, a rushed ending means the entire cast/crew/writer have zero ROI for the time viewers invested in them.

lol-i may be getting all worked up for nothing, but geez, it just seems like there is a lot left to be addressed.

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45 shelhass

November 10, 2012 at 8:13 AM

You know what? I wa reading some old news and I strumbled across this synopsis:

"No one escapes the "tricks of memory": Memory is discolored, forgotten, and embroidered over time. So all of us become amnesiacs, forgetting loved ones and valuable emotions and insisting upon how we originally were.
This drama will guide its characters to revive the previous values they have lost, but not with ease. The protagonists in this drama will be able to remember the love and sacrifice that is persists deep in their mind, which they will find at the final destination at they will arrive, through struggles and fights with each other.
We hope that you will go along with them, they who are to embark on a long journey of wandering, and help them with a guiding light, so that they can find their way by themselves.
We want you to side with them, not with the merciless writer, and become their friend on their long journey, encouraging them and boosting their morale.
You might well be given to reflect, after the drama ends, on from where our hatred, anger, grief, and pain come. And we expect you to remember they originate from love"

(http://www.hancinema.net/added-posters-for-the-upcoming-korean-drama-nice-guy-47180.html#PtW4syPUo0RhkZX8.99)

I'm sad to say but I'm guessing we're going for a amnesic Maru in the end, or a Maru was dead this whole time - Eun-ki is just plain crazy.

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Silverteem

November 10, 2012 at 8:29 AM

The problem with the whole Maru was dead the entire time was that we wouldn't have been able to come to the END of their journey -- which by the synopsis' own words will "which they will find at the final destination at they will arrive". In other words, Kang Maru's death is premature as to before Jae Hee finally understood her regrets, and even Maru himself has not absolved his feelings even before the car accident (I'm assuming that's where the "death" angle sprouts from), as was Eun Gi's own anger.

The only good compromise that I could really think of is the Amnesiac Maru.

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shelhass

November 10, 2012 at 10:14 AM

Well, that's prolly 'cause none of us understands why Eun-ki did that at the tunnel. Was that death wish or what?! I don't know, that part keeps nagging at me, so that's why I thought they are dead, or in some coma-second-dimmension of sorts.

Like the ol' tale of Dungeons & Dragons final episode.

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jomo143

November 10, 2012 at 8:31 AM

"or a Maru was dead this whole time – Eun-ki is just plain crazy."

That would be pretty awesome.
But that would only work if everything of Maru we have seen has been from her POV only.

We have seen him talk to other characters about her and their situation in her presence and out of her presence.

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mskololia

November 10, 2012 at 9:08 AM

Yes, but if amnesiac MR is the outcome, everyone is presupposing he is a "nice" like EG was with her reset briefly.

What if MR's actually inner self is a bad/selfish guy and is released with the reset?

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shelhass

November 10, 2012 at 10:19 AM

Please God no! That would just ruin my day - I think I prefer dead Maru.

But I wans't thinking he would be finally "nice", actually it never ocurred to me, I just thought he would end up normal, as in the boy next door, you know.

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mskololia

November 10, 2012 at 10:30 AM

Currently, JH knows him better than he does himself and MR more or less agrees with her....

If he gets to forget his past and the reason for his selfless actions since a child, his conscious is free to be... selfish. He's been toddling between both all series long and without any "responsibilities", which KMR will the ending show us? JS-like? LOL.

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ar

November 10, 2012 at 2:16 PM

That's a pretty awesome concept that I feel like amnesia dramas should tap into. Why are they always NICER and more stable when drama folks get amnesia? What if it is the guidance of good parents and role models and the experiences and memories of social interactions that molded the pre-amnesia character into a nicer, functional member of society.

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Big Unni

November 10, 2012 at 8:09 PM

Dear, that would never happen in a K-drama. Why? Because that reasoning is logical and not whatsoever dramatic enough for 16 to 20 episodes. Though I wish for it! lol

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febe

November 11, 2012 at 2:56 AM

Love this concept ~ Nice & stable pre-amnesia, nasty, selfish & unethicial post-amnesia.....Sounds like TBDAW!

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ar

November 10, 2012 at 2:09 PM

I think one amnesiac is already enough for this drama. It was already sort of stretching it with Eun-gi momentarily getting a new kind of amnesia on top of amnesia two weeks ago. I think at some point, EG and MR will have to stop mirroring each other in a belated sort of way and start standing on the same side and in sync. Only then could this cycle of pain end.

I don't think Maru's dead the whole time and Eun-ki's crazy since we get scenes of Maru and Jae-hee together where Eun-ki's perspective and consciousness isn't there with them.

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junkoftheheart

November 11, 2012 at 3:13 AM

On the other hand why do I feel like this journey will end on a happy note after reading the synopsis LOL

"The protagonists in this drama will be able to remember the love and sacrifice that is persists deep in their mind, which they will find at the final destination at they will arrive, through struggles and fights with each other."
Jaehee *check*
Maru *check*
Eungi *pending* anxiously hoping her final destination isn't a dead Maru. That'd be way too cruel of the writer. If anything, Maru deserves to live! But I'd prefer a dead Maru over an amnesiac Maru (which is simply ridiculous) anyday.
Okay I'll stop right there and continue being awfully optimistic.

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shelhass

November 11, 2012 at 11:13 AM

"That’d be way too cruel of the writer."

Sorry, this is a LKH drama - cruelty is one of her names. "A Love to Kill" anyone?

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46 mskololia

November 10, 2012 at 9:12 AM

Thanks GF and JB for the pinch hit for HeadsNo2.

Your recaps and views are always welcome!

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47 Buggy

November 10, 2012 at 9:12 AM

This is my first time posting a comment. I think Maru will eventually get his surgery and end up with amnesia and forget his painful past. He will then live happily ever after with Eunki.

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48 jomo143

November 10, 2012 at 9:17 AM

Thanks for the recap, written like only GF can!
I continue to admire your style and insight.

There were some things that struck me when I watched the second time:

EG wore her wedding dress for the first part of the episode. As a visual "trick," usually it goes for laughs, because everything about it is OVER THE TOP. It's big, it's white, it's traditionally HAPPY, but MCW pulled off the anger and pathos in the scenes with Maru and Joon-ha so perfectly, it seemed like a normal little dress one wears as you sit for hours in your tub.

SJK playing the attack-revenge-boyfriend made my skin crawl. JH and Ahn were looking at him like he had morphed into a giant cockroach. What he saying is completely incomprehensible to them. Disbelief. Fear. Disgust. More fear.

PSY is amazing. I am supposed to hate JH after everything she has done, but I just can't.

I loved both of the post wedding convos with MR/EG.
The choreography of the first cell phone scene was pretty amazing. It had all these different levels of emotion.
We see MR sitting slumped in his little boss chair. He sits up when he considers calling EG. He sits straighter after answering the unknown caller, repeating "Yobosayo" until he hears that damn San Francisco tune. When it dawns who is on the other line he stands up - at full attention now. Listening to her silence with every cell in his body.

I actually do believe they could read each other's thoughts at that point. They had become that close while they lived together. I am broken hearted every time I rewatch, but I keep rewatching anyway.

I don't know how they are going to resolve this. The actual events don't matter as long as they get the emotions right.

My two hopes: EG acknowledges ES as her brother and loves him, and EG has MR's baby. Even if it is posthumous, that would be OK with me. MR doesn't seem to just be the HERO according to LKH, he is the tragic hero. That is fine. I believe maybe he would suffer less if he shuffled off this mortal coil, and I believe he could be happier in the next life.

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49 ahjummaMAMA

November 10, 2012 at 10:16 AM

i am kicking myself now for breaking my own rule of waiting for a drama to end before i watch it. grrr...

seriously, i can't even watch anything else because i can't stop thinking about what will happen in the final 2 episodes...is it too late to announce a surprise extension?!?

i will be utterly devastated if maru and eunki don't have that happy ending that they both DESERVE. i mean, how pathetic are their lives, if not for the saving grace of a bright future for them?

pls, pls, writer-nim. i know most of your past work kill off the main leads, but can you possibly give this one to us? after all the angst and frustration that you put us through?

*hoping*

also on a side note, i can't stop listening to song joong ki's song for the drama. :)

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50 D'andra

November 10, 2012 at 11:14 AM

What does Eun Ki mean when she says "Memory plays a game that no one can avoid. Memories will be rewritten, will decay. Are my memories whole? Can my memories be trusted? What was it that I saw that day?"

Thanks for the recap!! :D

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