Gu Family Book: Episode 22

186 June 18, 2013January 24, 2016

by girlfriday

Kang-chi finally gets ready to go on his quest to become a real boy, and Yeo-wool prepares to say goodbye, not realizing that he’s doing the same. It’s an episode of fallouts and setups, so there is a bit of an epilogue feel to some of the proceedings as we close a few chapters and head into finale week. Thankfully there’s a lot of cute to counter the angst to come.

SONG OF THE DAY

Shin Jae – “Will You Be My Love Rain” from the OST [ Download ]

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EPISODE 22 RECAP

As Kang-chi cries on Yeo-wool’s shoulder after his traumatic day, she starts to cry thinking of the conversation she just had with Dad. He said it was time for Kang-chi to go on his quest to find the Gu Family Book, and that she’d have to let him go.

She worries that things might go wrong and Kang-chi could turn into a demon just like Wol-ryung, but Dad asks, “Aren’t you the one who wants Kang-chi to become human, more than anyone?” You can’t argue with that.

He offers to tell Kang-chi himself, but she says she’ll do it, and asks for three days. She hugs him now, thinking to herself: “The time we have left… three days. Can I let you go in that time, Kang-chi-ya?”

He opens his eyes the next morning, and finds Yeo-wool sleeping next to him. He holds her hand and gently wakes her, asking why she’s here. She murmurs half-asleep that he cried so much she couldn’t leave his side. Aw.

He tells her that it’s morning and then counts down on his fingers for her to respond. Three seconds later her eyes dart open and she pops up. “What?” She flails about wondering what she’s going to do, while he laments sleeping through their first night together. Heh.

Her thoughts return to their three days left, and she asks him for three wishes. His first is food, which she finds trite, until he clarifies that he wants food she makes for him… and then her eyes glaze over.

Before he can say the second, Gon comes by to wake Kang-chi. Gasp. He opens the door and is about to turn back when he sees Kang-chi sleeping, but then notices a familiar-looking umbrella in the corner.

He slams the door shut, and Yeo-wool peeks out from under the covers and they sigh in relief… which is of course right when Gon opens the door again to catch them red-handed. Ruh-roh.

They can’t even get a word in before Gon rushes Kang-chi and lands on top of him. I know they’re fighting, but he’s half choking him and half stripping him. It’s getting saucy in here. And THEN, Yeo-wool’s teacher comes by, and this is what she sees:

Hahahahaha. Also, rawr. Guess what my new screensaver’s gonna be?

Teacher averts her gaze, and then asks what Yeo-wool is doing there. She quickly says she’s here to stop the boys. Teacher: “From doing what…?” Yeo-wool: “Things they shouldn’t be doing.” Pfffft. Scandalous!

Gon asks why Yeo-wool would say such a thing, and she just grins back and retorts snidely that fighting is a thing they shouldn’t be doing.

He freaks out that her teacher might misunderstand and spread rumors, and she says pointedly that that’s how misunderstandings can be—so he should stop assuming the worst about her and Kang-chi too. Nicely played.

Kang-chi sees Gon’s reaction to Yeo-wool’s teacher and laughs out loud. He thinks to himself: “It passes. Because of these people by my side, I laugh again.”

Wol-ryung comes down from the mountain to see So-jung, who nearly bursts into tears at the sight of him. “Is it really you? Is it my friend Wol-ryung?” He grabs Wol-ryung in the biggest bear hug. It’s so sweet.

So-jung comes to the school to see Kang-chi, and tells him someone really wants to see him. Aw, does Kang-chi finally get to meet his father without the death and mayhem and thousand-year curses?

Meanwhile, Yeo-wool asks her teacher to move on to cooking lessons, declaring that needlepoint isn’t enough for her anymore. This ought to be good.

Kang-chi approaches Wol-ryung cautiously and asks if this is his real face. He asks about Mom, and Wol-ryung says wistfully that she’ll be with him forever now.

When Kang-chi asks about Seo-hwa betraying him, Wol-ryung says it was perhaps his own fear that she’d betray him that started all of it in the first place. “Perhaps it was my own heart, my fear, that made me into a demon.”

Kang-chi says he wants to hate someone, but doesn’t know where to put the blame. Instead Wol-ryung tells him not to keep hate or thoughts of revenge in his heart at all.

Kang-chi confirms that he still wants to be human, and Wol-ryung advises him not to give into fear once he’s decided his path. “The moment you give into fear, you lose everything. The opposite of trust is not faithlessness. It’s fear.”

He walks over to put a hand on Kang-chi’s shoulder, which is just a nice beat, and an echo of all the father figures Kang-chi has had over the years. They exchange one small bittersweet smile, and Wol-ryung turns to go.

Kang-chi calls out after him: “This is the last time, isn’t it?” Wol-ryung says it probably is, and Kang-chi says hesitantly with tears pooling in his eyes, “Still, once in a while, once in a while… I’ll miss you.” *whimper*

Wol-ryung smiles back at him gratefully, and then walks away. Only when his back is turned does Kang-chi finally let one tear fall.

So-jung stands by Kang-chi’s side as they watch him go, and Kang-chi thinks to himself: “It passes. Another farewell passes by.”

Wol-ryung returns to the Moonlight Garden, where he’s surrounded Seo-hwa’s body with flowers. He takes her hand and lies down next to her, and closes his eyes.

The blue lights surround them and lay them to rest in each other’s arms, and seal up the cave and the Moonlight Garden forever. That was beautiful. I…I have something in my eye.

Jo Gwan-woong is still a listless zombie after losing Seo-hwa, and then we finally pick up that thread of Tae-seo being caught spying on the bad guys, which I had already forgotten about. He’s brought to Jo Gwan-woong to decide his fate.

Kang-chi goes to see So-jung, eager to find the Gu Family Book now. So-jung tells him he has to control his gumiho form on his own first, and Kang-chi yanks the bracelet off to show him proudly. So-jung is totally taken aback at how quickly he mastered that.

He reluctantly hands over a book (the book on how to get the Gu Family Book, because The Book is a big ol’ tease), and tells him the cliff’s notes version. For one hundred days: he can’t kill (including animals), he can’t refuse any human’s request for help, and he can’t show his beast side to any human in those hundred days.

Kang-chi asks what he’s supposed to do about the people who have already seen his gumiho face, and So-jung says he has to leave them. Kang-chi figures he can leave and then just return to them, which doesn’t sound so hard.

He reminds Kang-chi that he could end up a demon just like Wol-ryung, but Kang-chi says he can’t imagine a life without Yeo-wool, and wants to grow old with her, end of story.

So-jung asks if he really doesn’t know, and that’s when he tells him the fate he saw—that he or Yeo-wool could die. Kang-chi is stunned speechless at that, and puts the book back down.

Yeo-wool’s cooking lessons go about as well as you’d expect. It sort of looks like she attacked the kitchen with her sword. Teacher Gong finds them standing in there with his kitchen turned upside-down and practically has an aneurysm.

I love that Yeo-wool and her teacher are trying to play it off like it’s no big deal. Be cool. Be cool.

Back to the monk’s library, where So-jung says between Yeo-wool who’s human and Kang-chi who isn’t, who will probably be the one to die? Kang-chi argues that if something happens to her, he can just heal her with his blood.

So-jung tells him that only works once per person—once you save one life that way, that person can’t be saved again. What? These rules, I swear. It might’ve been nice to know this earlier, buddy.

Kang-chi says that if he becomes human, it’ll change his fate. But So-jung says the death warning isn’t his fate—it’s hers. When she met him under the crescent moon hanging from a peach blossom tree, that became her fate.

Kang-chi thinks back to the moment and wonders, “Was that Yeo-wool?” Wait, I thought he already remembered that. So-jung tells him that her fate is not something he can change by his will, and urges him to let her go. Augh, great. Now we have BOTH of them getting ready to compete for Noblest Idiot of the Year.

He sits on the front stoop for a while lost in thought, and Yeo-wool comes out to get him, having prepared his first wish. She excitedly brings him to the kitchen and makes a great deal of fanfare about the first meal she’s ever cooked… and then reveals a bowl of rice with kimchi on the side. HA.

He’s like, I asked for rice so you literally made just rice? And she pouts that this took forever, so he should appreciate it. He eagerly takes a giant bite and crunches on what sounds like a rock, but pretends it’s delicious and swallows it anyway. How cute.

As he eats, she stares at him and thinks, “Just three days… Will I be able to let you go?” while he thinks, “One of us will die… What am I supposed to do?”

They’re interrupted with urgent news that Tae-seo’s been captured, so the good guys head out to see Lee Soon-shin to discuss their next move.

Tae-seo seems to be handling himself okay though, because he uses the opportunity to tell Jo Gwan-woong that he’s been spying on everyone, and he could be persuaded to give up some crucial intelligence that would save Jo Gwan-woong’s life… IF he’s willing to deal.

Pil-mok and Co. think they have a leg up after raiding Lee Soon-shin’s camp and stealing the maps back, but they worry about the strange looking ships they saw being built.

Meanwhile Lee Soon-shin shows Master Dam and the kids the real map, and says the one they stole was a fake. I wish I could say I cared about this plot, but I don’t. It was tangential before, but now that we’re getting down to the wire, it feels even more so.

Kang-chi takes a moment to gape at the badass model ship in the room, and Lee Soon-shin introduces it as a turtle ship for the first time, which is cool.

Jo Gwan-woong mulls it over and asks Tae-seo what he wants in exchange for state secrets. Tae-seo wants the inn, of course, and his father’s name cleared. Jo Gwan-woong is skeptical that the information would be worth that much, but Tae-seo says that Lee Soon-shin has a list of names given to him by Seo-hwa… Whaaaat. Is Tae-seo seriously switching sides right now? It’s another fake-out, right?

But the list he gives Jo Gwan-woong is the same as the one that Lee Soon-shin has, because as his men arrive to arrest the traitors one by one, they’re all found dead. Jo Gwan-woong’s men are hurriedly trying to do a clean sweep before Lee Soon-shin can get to them, and before they can name him as an accomplice.

Pil-mok demands to know why Jo Gwan-woong is murdering their allies, but he says this is their fault for not getting rid of Seo-hwa properly. He says that power and status can be reacquired later, but right now they have to kill the others to survive.

Both sides get word that the last three men on the list have come to the gisaeng house to meet Jo Gwan-woong, with threats that if he doesn’t come, they’ll go straight to Lee Soon-shin. Both men race to beat the other there.

Kang-chi, Yeo-wool, and Gon set out on a separate mission ordered by Lee Soon-shin, and just before they sneak into the Hundred Year Inn, Kang-chi tells Yeo-wool to wait outside. She refuses to sit out, so he pulls out one of his remaining wishes and says his second wish is for her to wait right here. Dude, you can’t do that. That’s no fair!

Yeo-wool argues that he can’t go mixing orders with wishes, but he insists and they go in without her. Lame.

Jo Gwan-woong arrives at the gisaeng house first, and Chung-jo tries to remain in the room to eavesdrop, but it doesn’t work, and as soon as he gets them alone, they’re slaughtered just like the rest.

Lee Soon-shin arrives just as Jo Gwan-woong is leaving, and says he’s here to arrest traitors who are selling state secrets. Just then a girl runs out screaming, and they find all three men dead.

Jo Gwan-woong looks totally self-satisfied at having beaten Lee Soon-shin to the punch, but the admiral doesn’t look very perturbed. He asks if he knows the proverb that to fight two tigers, you needn’t get your hands dirty at all.

He thanks Jo Gwan-woong for taking care of eleven traitors so swiftly, and then Tae-seo steps out from behind him with a smile. He fumes that they’re going to have to do more than this to frame him as a traitor, and Lee Soon-shin just calmly agrees that that’s probably true, and lets him go. Tae-seo smirks at him as he passes by, and Lee Soon-shin tells him he did a good job.

Kang-chi and Gon sneak into the inn where ninjas are waiting to attack them, because that’s just standard inn procedure now. Yeo-wool waits outside, but she gets attacked anyway by a ninja who happens to be checking the perimeter.

He manages to slice her in the stomach, so she takes off running. I’m not sure why she brings that ninja to the bigger fight, but anyway she joins the boys, maybe to get their help.

Kang-chi is so busy fighting that he doesn’t notice that she’s there, and turns around claws-first, swinging at the person who’s coming at him. Only it’s Yeo-wool, and he’s just sliced her arm. OH NOES.

They’re both stunned, and she starts to cry from the pain. Kang-chi just stands there frozen, his worst nightmare happening right before his eyes.

She collapses into Gon’s arms, and Kang-chi just looks down at his own hand in horror. The man who was Seo-hwa’s bodyguard comes outside and tells his minions to stop attacking, and Gon hands him a letter from Lee Soon-shin. Huh. Is everyone in this universe a double agent?

Kang-chi becomes frantic and grabs a rock to cut his hand and pour his blood into Yeo-wool’s wound. But nothing happens, per the rule we just learned.

But Kang-chi just keeps cutting into his hand over and over because his wound keeps healing over, while hers doesn’t. Augh, this is terrible.

He screams like he’s going to rip his own hand off, and Gon has to stop him before he slashes it to shreds with that rock.

Jo Gwan-woong throws a tantrum for being outsmarted for once, and asks for ten of Pil-mok’s ninjas so he can kill Lee Soon-shin. History says: nice try.

Once the kids get back home, Teacher Gong bandages Yeo-wool up and she’s back to her smiling self. Dad runs in after hearing that she was hurt because of Kang-chi, but she swears it was just a scrape, and Kang-chi was busy fighting ninjas the whole time.

She says it was her fault for joining the fight when he told her to wait outside, and it looks like Master Dam buys the story for now.

The bigger problem is Kang-chi, of course, who’s busy beating himself up for the mistake. She finds him sitting outside and he noticeably keeps his distance from her and gets up to go inside when she sits down next to him.

She knew he’d be this way, and says it wasn’t his fault. But he says he wasn’t himself—he was crazed with the smell of blood, and next time he could hurt her even more, or even kill her.

Now she knows why he’s extra-freaked out, and asks what he heard. He admits to knowing about her fate if she stays with the one she met under the crescent moon, and that it’s him. He asks how she could let things get this far knowing that she could die.

Yeo-wool: “I didn’t want to lose you now, just because of a future I don’t know.”

As he looks into her eyes, he thinks of Wol-ryung’s final words: “The moment you give into fear, you will lose everything.” He answers back in his thoughts: “But I’m scared. Yeo-wool could die.”

And aloud he answers: “Our fate ends here. That is my third wish, Dam Yeo-wool.”

Noooooooooooooo.

COMMENTS

Why. We all knew it was coming, but still. I mean, your thousand-year-old father even told you not to cave to your worst fears but you did it anyway. Bah. The thing about noble idiocy is, being nobler doesn’t make you any less of an idiot. It’s not a reciprocal thing. You can still be just as idiotic, or cowardly, or both, no matter how noble your intentions. The girl you love is standing there telling you she chose you over some unknown future that has yet to be, and STILL you choose the other thing. Urg. Drives me batty, that move.

Even though this writer’s setups are clunky—you can see the puzzle pieces being carved to fit just so and then slotted into place just before you need them to be there, which lacks finesse and subtlety—they are arranged to make everyone’s motivations crystal clear. I thought the accidental claw swipe at Yeo-wool was a good setup to push Kang-chi over the edge, but I wanted it to be… bigger somehow. More dangerous, and more deadly. I actually wanted her to be hurt so badly that she could die. It’s horrible to say, since I don’t want her to be hurt, but for the purposes of making us feel Kang-chi’s angst so that we’re with him when he chooses to leave her, it should’ve been that scary and that dire.

They keep talking about death because it’s part of her so-called destiny (And really, I blame So-jung for telling them this in the first place. I mean, why isn’t there a Fortunetelling Monks Association rule that you shouldn’t tell human beings their futures?) but that’s never going to be as high-impact as an actual near-death experience. The fear that he might actually hurt the one person he loves most is a fantastic thing to explore in this genre, but it felt underutilized here. Kang-chi was feeling every bit of the guilt and fear, but she got clawed in the arm and bandaged up in a jiffy, before we had a chance to concede that he might be justified in leaving her. It lacked the visceral impact of seeing him as a bloodthirsty beast (c’mon, where was the green-eyed monster when you really needed him for narrative oomph?) and fearing for her life instead of thinking she might need a tetanus shot. The ingredients were totally there, but just served undercooked.

It was sad to say goodbye to Wol-ryung, but his story felt closed, so it seemed fitting that he’d lay at rest with Seo-hwa instead of lingering in this world for eternity as a shadow of his former self without the love of his life. As a person, you just feel terrible for Kang-chi because the poor kid just gets abandoned in like every other episode, but as a character, it seems better that he has to forge ahead on his own. Hopefully he’ll come up with some answers that he’s learned by being a part of something bigger than himself, and not forget why he wanted to be human in the first place.

186

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51 seohwa

June 18, 2013 at 10:27 PM

im satisfied with seohwa and wolryung's ending...
but
i miss my gumiho daddy wol ryung T.T
this show is no fun without him.he's like the main reason i watch this show.
i dont really care what's gonna happen to kangchi and yeo wool lol

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52 April

June 18, 2013 at 10:41 PM

Hm. I wished that kangchi had more time with wol ryung :( made me tear up when they had their last goodbyes. Sighs. And seohwa, what a brave woman. Shes my favorite.

Btw finally some drama between kangchi and yeo wool!!!! I was tired of seeing the whole thing of we kiss we make up we joke we hug etc. and now i think of it, the scenes of yeo wool and kangchi were pretty boring. All they do is "kangchi....*tears....yeo wool *tears" "hug" blah. Like finally. Some drama.

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53 Gufan

June 18, 2013 at 10:50 PM

The only people I care about in this drama are KC & YW. Hope they have a happy ending! Will miss them when drama ends next week.

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54 anna

June 18, 2013 at 10:50 PM

Well, she is human, she's going to die.. eventually. His fortune never said anything about when. She could die well into her 90s lol

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55 Jen P

June 18, 2013 at 10:53 PM

Argh. I know that Gu Family Book is far from meeting my lofty expectations of the show but noble idiocy? really? That feels like dropping the bar lower.

I'm also wondering where SoJung came from. Last I remember he was bleeding out due to Demon WolRyung's wounds. Now he looks conveniently back in good health to give us more rules that the writer decided to make up.

~sigh~

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56 memyself812

June 18, 2013 at 11:05 PM

Im also one of the people who care more about YW and KC love line.. Im really really hoping that they will end it with happy ending since the latest ost which not been played yet in the drama,has the happy theme that might be a hint for a happy ending for our kangdam couple.. KC-YW fighting!!

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57 just1

June 18, 2013 at 11:07 PM

Wait! I noticed something. Didn’t the Monk said,that it is illfated for Yeo Wol to meet someone under the crescent moon? And we all know that it was Kang Chi. But,Yeo Wol didn’t meet Kang Chi there,they were brought under that moonlight. And remember they met this ninja guy who were about to kill Yeo Wol but Kang Chi stopped him with Yeo Wol’s sword. Maybe,just maybe that was the guy Yeo Wol illfated to meet that will cause her death? And if Kang Chi wasn’t there with her,Yeo Wol might be dead by now. Because the monk said it was Yeo Wol’s fate and not Kang Chi. If one of them may die,the prophecy should be for both of them. I’m thinking right there Kang Chi changed Yeo Wol’s fate! They are actually fated to be together..Remember the first time Kang Chi knew he was a beast,the first person was able to calm him down was Yeo Wol,and the monk can’t believe it either he just said “oh no,isn’t it…” as if his prophecy was wrong.
Oh my this drama is driving me crazy!

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lemondoodle

June 19, 2013 at 12:13 AM

That's an interesting interpretation. I heard some people mentioning that technically they didn't "meet" there since they met as children so it doesn't apply to them, but this makes more sense to me. The ill-fated one was the person who was going to kill Yeo Wol and Kangchi saved her. Though I think we'd have to go murder SJ if all this was the case.

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Peridot

June 19, 2013 at 4:40 AM

I agree, interesting interpretation. I have been wondering if there was more to 'the meeting.' Let's see what happens in the last two episodes.

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Rosalee

August 19, 2017 at 7:30 PM

Yeah me too cause technically they met as children.

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58 kdramafan

June 18, 2013 at 11:19 PM

Thanks for the recap.

Look forward to KC getting out on his own.

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59 dedew jjng

June 18, 2013 at 11:51 PM

nooooooooo......
cayo kangchi...
thanks for the recap..

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60 mailahana

June 19, 2013 at 1:40 AM

But romeo died too, WR wasn't cos he is immortal. It's suck being immortal and leaving alone like that
#kekeke I'm just joking

They took Choi Jin Hyuk to sing accoustic version of Best Wishes to You- The one. That's excellent idea IMO. Yup, Mom & Dad's love story is beautiful.

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61 athena

June 19, 2013 at 1:44 AM

Wow the Wol Ryung-Seo Hwa story is truly epic down to the very last moment that the Moonlight Garden was sealed. What a pretty burial. I really love their matching black-white outfits, truly a couple until the end!

Meanwhile, it's weird that I never saw blood or the stab wound where Seo Hwa plunged the dagger. Her dress looks clean and without any tear from the stabbing.

I'm so glad Wol Ryung was able to see his friend and son for the last time. His fatherly gesture and advice to Kang Chi was short but meaningful. Wol Ryung probably tried not to be emotional anymore, otherwise it would be more difficult to let go.

I have been wondering since the end of ep 2 if there are other gumihos out there who can guard the Jiri mountain in the absence of Wol Ryung, like who would take over his post as guardian.

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62 yza

June 19, 2013 at 2:17 AM

Thanks for the recap... love the episode although its heartbreaking...

2 episodes to go and it's really sad cause the reason to look forward every Monday and Tuesday will be gone...

Wishing for a second season but hopefully shoot in the modern civilization... Sometimes, I just hope Yeo Wool will die but get to be ressurected or reincarnated in modern time then Kang Chi will live immortal to find Yeo Wool... and in modern world they continue their love, new season, new conflict and continue of KangDam couple, really loving lee seung gi and suzy<3 hahaha, crazy thoughts again...

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63 Jennifer

June 19, 2013 at 2:55 AM

I haven't watched this episode yet but as far as Gu Wol Ryung's decisions go: I really am a little bit annoyed by the bad writing. A lot happens without making sense though the drama tries to make you believe that they do make sense. What I liked about Seohwa's story is that she repented for what she had done wrong, still tried to be a mom for her son in the short time they were together but sacrificed herself in the end to put everything back to where it belonged. I loved Wol Ryung and her arc, no, I was so invested that it made my heart bleed so much and I'm almost shipping them more than the main couple, but Wol Ryung sucks as a dad. It's romantic what he did on the relationship style but he just leaves his son there hanging. Instead of trying to live for the living, he chooses for death because his love died. What about Kangchi?
Maybe it's because I haven't seen the episode yet that it makes it so much worse for me but meh. Kind of understand the turn this arc took but I don't like it on the level of parentship or just story-wise.

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Lea

June 19, 2013 at 9:34 AM

I think Wol Ryung chose to die, yes partly because Seo Hwa and him could be at peace together.
But also Wol Ryung changed back to being good with the memory of all the horrible murders and bad things he did as a demon. Yea, he could live with Kang Chi but his life with humans was over because of all the havoc and death he caused.
It kind of reminds me of Joo Wal in Arang
(If you haven't seen Arang- DON"T READ!!!
SPOILERS)
------------------------------
When Joo Wal finally came to and remembered all the deaths he caused and how he kept seeing they're faces in dreams/nightmares he couldn't live with himself and killed himself.

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64 yukari21

June 19, 2013 at 2:55 AM

I'd just wish that they killed Evil Lord but there's still 2 episodes left. i'd just can't wait for the next one.

Aww...dad gumiho left...it kinda saddens me...but he's going to be with Seowha...forever...

i hope for a good ending between Kangchi and Yeowol...i'm disappointed that they have to break up :(

.
.
And about JGW..i wanted him to die slowly and painfully for the crimes he committed...i hate his character but not the actor who portray..nyahhh

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65 sparkle

June 19, 2013 at 3:00 AM

Okay, the monk is confusing me. He said that it was YW’s fate that either she or KC will die. Therefore, there is nothing that KC can do about it. But he still urges KC to leave YW? WTH! If there is nothing that KC can do about it, then just let KC do whatever he wants! Let him go on his trip for his 100 days fast, then come back to be with YW. But, I’m starting to think that after KC leaves to go on his trip, that is when YW will die. I think that what the monk meant when he said that one of them will die is because they will try to protect one another from physical harm; therefore one of them will die due to sacrafice. Maybe the perverted JG will try to kill one of them, so when the other tries to protect him/her that other one will die. I HOPE that’s what the monk’s prophecy means.

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66 Littlehearts

June 19, 2013 at 3:02 AM

Ah.. The same old thing. My love may get hurt bcoz of me. So i am leaving her. Y does every korean drama have this dumb situation arise??? If kang chi had just said it like that i don't think she would have listened. But he asked it as his last wish:( oh god... Kang chi.. You are such an idiot!!! N wol ryung... How am i going to live without you??? Love u love u love u...:-*

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67 Peridot

June 19, 2013 at 4:23 AM

Before I read both the recap and other comments, I must get some thoughts out of my mind before said mind explodes! Show, what are you doing to me? Must I become more frustrated and disappointed as you near your end?

Well, our monk friend had more of a presence in this episode, returning to fulfill his role as Exposition Man/Bearer of the News of Doom. So, now we find out that Kangchi can't heal the same person twice? What kind of (fill in the blank) news is that? It creates more angst as we realize that he can no longer come to the magical aid of Yeowool should she need it. And as the weight of their possibly tragic fate hits him, it hammers home the point that the two must be separated. I just don't buy this news. Another forced point is the fact that Kangchi cannot be around those who already know his identity...I guess they could compromise the secrecy he must maintain on his quest. Oh, well....

This show also continues to have more awkwardly filmed scenes. I know that Kanchi is troubled when he realizes that he hurt Yeowool (it was instinctual and not deliberately intended) and I expected him to be disturbed and shocked (his tears were moving), but the moment was undercut when we viewers were left to wonder what all the ninja assassins were doing at the moment (did they pause to watch the scene with us?). At the end, we see Gon cut down a ninja but there were all the others around them. I wish that scenes like that were directed more organically.

As I have been watching this show, I always wondered why it is assumed that Kangchi is immortal. He is only half gumiho; the other half is human. I always thought it would make more sense if he was not immortal but possessed a lifespan that was longer than the average (fully) human one. So, for example, if the average person lived to be sixty (due to stresses, matters of health, etc.), I could see him comfortably living to one hundred or even slightly passed that. I just don't understand why it is confidently asserted that he will live forever.

I had a strange thought as I was watching this episode. When the rules to finding the Gu Family Book were explained, and one of them explained that Kangchi would have to help any human who asked for his aid, I thought it would be odd if one such person was JGW, our Mr. Evil himself. Wouldn't that be powerful? What would it take for our hero to do so?

This has probably been the most frustrated I've been with this show, as one can tell from my post. There were moments of cuteness, but they were probably just fan-service moments. To me, they were out of place.

I apologize for the tone of this post. I just can't help it when I realize what this show could have been. It is not terrible, but it is disappointing.

The conclusion of Papa Gu's role in the story is also disappointing in some ways. I wish that he could have had more of a role in Kangchi's life instead of disappearing. Perhaps he could have returned as guardian of the forest and made atonement for his actions. Well, at least Kangchi has Lee Sooshin and Mr. Choi (let's not forget about him, although he did not make one appearance in this episode).

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68 bangsstory

June 19, 2013 at 5:12 AM

At least I'm hoping Yeo-wool knows that she only has to let go until he is fully human. She should smack him in the head and tell him that he MUST ABSOLUTELY come back after he finds that friggin' book. And I absolutely love Gumiho-daddy's ending laying there in the cave with mom. :)

AND. Where are our 'Women of Power'? I miss them! Why have they been sidelined as the Admirals helper? I mean Head Gisaeng pledged her devotion and loyalty but like a spy to report something. Doesn't she have anything to teach more to Kang-chi? Or at least something to show her prowess and Chung-jo's too?

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69 Feverlove

June 19, 2013 at 6:16 AM

After read comment and recap. I agree about your thought. But i understand what from commenter. If papa ho to focuse more roles ,it more mess . His role sort but perfect for him. I refer to mom for next but she dead. Maybe near end. If they more spot for papa, he for not thing to do. Now he good gu. Now,His good gu not fit this story or his act. Maybe he should more demon and not talk. His conversation with his son really dry or else. His eye not interest son. Only for mom. So he should relax. Hey, some commenter, i hear you only read recap , maybe watch for some spot but for your describe , i hard agree with. You think you 's smart but your idea really leak. writer and pd is really thinkfull. Now, i understand some why writer change name of story. Gu family book really real spot for this story but people around kangchi really mess in his life. I hope end of story end with happy and sad. Why me? Wait what will happen end.

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70 aguerrinha

June 19, 2013 at 8:34 AM

The ending of Wol-ryung and Seo-hwa was expected, and i kind of liked that they will spend the eternity together, but my heart's still in pain for then. Hopefully Kang chi will have a good finale, and my heart will feel at ease.

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71 shelly

June 19, 2013 at 9:27 AM

so my impression right now is this: male gumiho - or their babies - CANNOT get it right. it's a rule of nature or something.

i mean, the first time, seo-hwa wouldn't trust wol-ryung even if he was the love of her life.
the second time around, it's the male of the species making the same mistake while his lover stands strong.

they just... won't... get it already.

other than that, wth is WR doing, going to sleep forever in a tomb?! (i'm assuming he's not immortal-dying or something.) where is he when his kid needs him? detracting 10 points for lack of parental aptitudes.

LOL@the imma-beat-you-so-bad-after-i-undress-you part :D
do i feel some slash fiction in the works? :D

at this moment, i am not really sure where the story is going... will it be a HEA, will it be a HFN... a not-happy at all ending would be the worst.

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72 wag-a-muffin

June 19, 2013 at 12:35 PM

I thought WR's character stayed consistent (which is what I hope for in these dramas.) Remember in the beginning when he sees the girl (who he later falls for) dying on the tree? He doesn't run to save her immediately, he "ponders" his actions. Remember, he wanted to be human, but never got there. He never finished the book of gu. He has no idea what a "human" father would do in any situation, since he never accomplished becoming human AND since he's been a demon for a while, too. So his actions toward KC are very IN character as one who really has no clue how to be a father--since he's never been one.

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73 Wendilynn

June 19, 2013 at 3:44 PM

I really liked this episode. My heart just broke for Wol Ryong in the previous episode. We all knew the mom was going to have to die to fix the problem. Saying goodbye to his son was a very sweet moment.

I laughed evily when they convinced the creep to murder his own people. Talk about poetic justice. Loved it. And the smirk on Tae-Seo face was priceless. I just hope they let him live.

My favorite line is (paraphrasing of course): "Doubt is not the opposite of Faith, fear is" This is what is going to carry the two final episodes.

I hope I'm not the only one who thinks the person "who will die" is actually referring to Kang Chi becoming human and therefore having the ability to die. So far, it looks like this series is heading for a happy ending for our lovers and therefore, she can't be the one who dies. I've thought this from the very beginning that since the Dad did NOT succeed the son would and therefore he's the one who will die. The monk is assuming it means she will die, but if their relationship succeeds, then she won't be the only one who is human.

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74 KimLuvv

June 19, 2013 at 4:08 PM

I don't get why they're freaking out about one of them dying!? I mean everybody dies! The monk never said that if they get together, one of them will die soon. Like you said, there should be Monk Association that has a rule where they don't tell humans their future! If they do, then the people don't live their life the proper way and instead only try to block the bad future.... ugh -_- Still, my favorite part was when Gon and Kang Chi got caught doing things "they shouldn't be doing" :P

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lemondoodle

June 19, 2013 at 7:00 PM

That's why the monk shouldn't say anything at all. Kangchi just reached a breaking point after hurting her and finding out he couldn't save her.

I swear that monk is secretly evil....

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75 midwest mz

June 19, 2013 at 5:12 PM

Sitting here on my white picket fence, I find that it is as uncomfortable as some of the ‘story’ points in this last episode. This one should have been titled: “Titter Totter.”
Will this happen, or no will that happen, or perhaps that could, or this should???? Sheeeheee!

Ok, stupid question time. This is perhaps rhetorical, or just plain semantics???

“Kang-chi says that if he becomes human, it’ll change his fate. But So-jung says the death warning isn’t his fate—it’s hers. When she met him under the crescent moon hanging from a peach blossom tree, that became her fate.”

Ok, she dies because of how this meeting took place, because it did take place, or they met this way to begin with? What about the 2 times they met when they were young? Do they count or not?

“Kang-chi calls out after him: “This is the last time, isn’t it?” Wol-ryung says it probably is, and Kang-chi says hesitantly with tears pooling in his eyes, “Still, once in a while, once in a while… I’ll miss you.” *whimper*”

Ok, semantic . . . . “it probably is.” Not definite. A door open a crack for a maybe?? Hopefully not???

“The blue lights surround them and lay them to rest in each other’s arms, and seal up the cave and the Moonlight Garden forever.”

While I thought that this was beautifully handled, I did not get the vegetation growth until I watched the episode a 2nd time. I, perhaps myself hopinghopinghopinghoping, that this did not seal the Moonlight Garden for all time. When WY fell in the 2nd episode, he was covered with vegetation also, which covered and protected him until his reawaking. Again???? And since we have a ’blue light special’ going with mom attached, she comes back with him????????

Just wondering on all of this . . . . .

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76 CaroleMcDonnell

June 19, 2013 at 5:25 PM

What a great episode...and also what an annoying episode. Totally agree with what you wrote:

You said it perfectly.

"The fear that he might actually hurt the one person he loves most is a fantastic thing to explore in this genre, but it felt underutilized here. Kang-chi was feeling every bit of the guilt and fear, but she got clawed in the arm and bandaged up in a jiffy, before we had a chance to concede that he might be justified in leaving her. It lacked the visceral impact of seeing him as a bloodthirsty beast (c’mon, where was the green-eyed monster when you really needed him for narrative oomph?) and fearing for her life instead of thinking she might need a tetanus shot. The ingredients were totally there, but just served undercooked."

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77 Inukikfan4ever

June 19, 2013 at 6:20 PM

Well, I liked this episode! I thought that the scene in the Moonlight Garden between SH and WR was quite beautiful.
Mwahahaha, take that JGW! It felt so good to see him throwing a tantrum over being out smarted. Go Lee Soon Shin!
I agree with some people when they said it doesn't matter how huge the injury was with YW, the point was that he hurt her. I completely understand why he fears the worst. I'm not really worried about them sooo....yeah.
You know, we only have two episodes and I'm disappointed that I didn't get to see more of CJ. Or the head gisaeng for that matter. I like those two characters.

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78 DeeDee315

June 19, 2013 at 9:04 PM

As everyone keeps repeating, the one thing our hero wants so badly is to be human & shocker, humans die. However, are we forgetting our Kung-Fu couple did not meet under the peach blossom tree. They met many years ago as children & therefore Mr. Monk's theory is flawed.

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Tartani

June 20, 2013 at 3:13 PM

I don't think the monk ever specified that it has to meeting for the first time, just the man she meets under the peach blossom tree.

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79 Julia

June 20, 2013 at 7:01 PM

O.M.G. I never saw it coming with the cave scene. I am a complete wreck. I can see the tragic poetry of it, but I just don't want to lose Daddy Gu.

Wails in tears and turns off the rest of episode 22 because nothing else matters at the moment other than my grief.

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80 Nunin9

June 21, 2013 at 7:24 PM

I am a bit sad that they should end up in this kind of set. But I think this is the best that the writer did to raise the conflict in their relationship. With the last two episodes left, I do hope that the writer can give such beautiful ending to the story and more sweet moments between KC and YW. I love them being together. Gu Family Book. Fighting!

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81 Lilian

June 21, 2013 at 9:40 PM

Hated the ending. The rest was lovely though. A fitting ending for Wol Ryung and Seo Hwa. I just hope that they won't separate the two for too long during the last two episodes.

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82 chan yuki

June 22, 2013 at 4:46 PM

thank you so much for the recap. i really like the story so much, each episode is worth waiting.

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83 Lolxoxol

June 22, 2013 at 9:06 PM

Hnmm..this is why kdramas (not applying to all) disappoint me sometimes. They start off really strong, and then i start to lose interest but i wanna know what will happen...and then the ending is rushed and things dont make sense.

After thinking about GFB, I didnt like KC & YW relationship. It was plain and they felt like fillers in the drama. I think GFB couldve done better on KC & YWs relationship. Also, what is going to happen to Joseon? Are they going to fight the japanese? I wished that they didnt save the fighting for the last two episodes. Idk i feel like if theyre going to add some war drama, at least make the episods worth it and show more war/fighting scenes.

Im starting to dislike how everything will be rushed into the last 2 episodes. I hope it goes well....

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84 Abbie

June 23, 2013 at 11:02 PM

Great episode, again. The best scene was Wol-ryung's last scene, I think. So beautiful, and so simple. Just amazing.

I knew we would be faced with something like this, with one or both of the mian couple taking the role of Noble Idiot. It gets so frustrating when it happens in every drama I've seen, nearly. I mean, is it too much to ask for someone to be selfish? Geez.

I really hope Jo Gwan-woong dies. He better.

Thanks for the recap, GF!

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85 exquisitemelody

June 24, 2013 at 3:03 PM

wait...wait wait wait. THAT'S IT?! THAT'S IT FOR WOL-RYUNG?! I'm so confused. I didn't know he could die?! NOO I WANT MOOOREEEEEEE!!!

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86 sizzlepink

June 26, 2013 at 2:57 AM

Well, I for one am satisfied with how the episode turned out. I didn't want anything dire to happen to YW for him to leave her. It shows how much he loves her to not even want a 'scratch' on her, especially when he is the cause of it, because as GF said, that's his worse nightmare. I mean, if he still stays with her and really do end up killing her one day, how can he live with himself then? So I totally get it.

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87 Happy

September 22, 2014 at 4:58 AM

Laughed so hard at Kang-chi ang Yeo-wool getting ready to compete for Noblest Idiot of the Year. Love reading your reviews.

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88 rose a lee

August 19, 2017 at 7:29 PM

What I don't understand is how is Wol Ryung able to die now with the blue lights? If he could die all along like this why bother looking for the book? I thought the only thing that could kill him was his son. Couldn't he just have done this at the end of her life anyways? Did I miss something?

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