Master's Sun: Episode 16 » Dramabeans Korean drama recaps

208 October 2, 2013January 24, 2016

Master’s Sun: Episode 16

by javabeans

We’re almost at the end!

Even though I’d never argue that the one-episode extension did this show (or any show) good, I did find myself pleasantly surprised with how the show seems to feel on track with its pacing as we head into the finale. Granted it wasn’t exactly a fast pace and I do wonder how the writers had intended for the story to unfold given the original episode count, but in a situation where they had to fill up one more hour, I think what we have generally works. Then again, I’m also used to the (in)famous Hong Sisters Finale Week Slowdown, so I’m just glad this is one of the better versions of the scenario. (Fingers crossed. I didn’t just jinx us for tomorrow, did I?)

SONG OF THE DAY

Kim Ji-soo – “Black Skirt” [ Download ]

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EPISODE 16 RECAP

Gong-shil makes her pained departure from Joong-won, who accepts her decision to leave despite feeling crushed by it. She gets sent off by her sister while he sits in the terminal dumbly after she’s gone, where Secretary Kim finds him.

Joong-won says that he thought everything would be fine if he shouldered the burden for the relationship, but she’d said she was hurting and scared: “Thinking about it, I don’t think I have once tried to understand her position or take it into consideration.” Secretary Kim asks rather incredulously if that’s what he’s doing now, sending her away out of consideration and understanding.

But Joong-won scoffs, “Are you crazy? Send Tae Gong-shil away? Why would I do something I’ve never once done in 34 years of life at this crucial moment?” He bolts up, saying that he has no intention of letting her go all nicely and thoughtfully and stalks off with purpose. Yaaaaaayyy! Also, walk faster!

Joong-won calls her repeatedly while walking toward her gate, and misses her just as she passes through. Aaaaarrrrrrghghghghhghhdaskjf;lfajkdf. He keeps calling, but gets no response.

On the plane, Chun-hee asks whether she was able to settle things well with Joong-won, and she sighs that no, she had to force herself to leave. It’s a different story for Yi-ryung, who’s on the same flight and clinging to her phone as long as possible, grumbling at Kang Woo for not calling.

Joong-won decides to follow on the next flight to LA just as Kang Woo storms up to chastise him for letting her go, then barks that he’s going to get her back. Secretary Kim worries that he’ll lose her in the interim, and Kang Woo hands over a handheld device—a satellite tracker. He’d slipped its mate into Gong-shil’s bag earlier just in case, which is hilarious but also really nice of him. Kang Woo basically orders Joong-won to get her back, and Joong-won breaks offers to rehire him with double pay.

Yi-ryung spots Gong-shil on the plane and has a brief chat, while also givin gChun-hee the narrowed-eye once-over. Is it too much to hope that she’s a Gong-shil-Joong-won shipper too?

Ha, and then she calls Kang Woo to inform him that Gong-shil is on her flight. It hasn’t taken off yet… muahaha. Joong-won takes over the call and instructs Yi-ryung to act her little heart out. Oh, I hope this is good.

So Yi-ryung collapses in the aisle, gasping loudly in pain, bringing Gong-shil to her side. She grabs onto her like a leech while moaning ohgodithurts, and Chun-hee actually chuckles, catching on. Thankfully Gong-shil is totally suckered by the act and gets dragged along in the ambulance (thanks to Yi-ryung’s death-grip, ha).

Watching with satisfaction, Joong-won says, “I never knew there’d be a day where I’d be moved by Tae Yi-ryung’s acting.” And now that he’s managed to ground Gong-shil here in Korea, it’s time to turn to the understanding and caring part of the deal.

He asks Secretary Kim to stay with him and help with that, which, aww. We all knew he wasn’t going to cut him loose, right? Omg, and then he bear-hugs him. Adorable.

In the hospital, Gong-shil notes suspiciously how healthy Yi-ryung seems, and Yi-ryung chirps that she was just putting in some acting practice—oh, and also Joong-won asked her to. She says that she actually can’t stand the idea of Gong-shil’s relationship with Joong-won going well, but it has to (I presume so that Kang Woo will be able to let go peacefully). I’ve been liking Yi-ryung more and more, and I have to say this is my favorite version of the antagonistic second lead—she says she doesn’t like Gong-shil, but she totally does! She just doesn’t want to admit it, like a reverse frenemy. Enefriend?

Gong-shil says that Yi-ryung’s stunt was misguided since she was leaving in order to seek happiness, but Yi-ryung tells her to stop playing Candy—as in, don’t push him away thinking she’s not good enough while hoping he holds her back. Gong-shil informs her that there’s something Yi-ryung doesn’t know, and leans in close to share her secret: “I see ghosts.” She nods to one in the corner and leaves Yi-ryung cowering in fear at the idea of ghosts. Ha, she’s almost as big a scaredy-cat as Kang Woo is. Maybe they really are perfect for each other.

Outside, Gong-shil is confronted with a familiar ghost: the dead boy Woo-jin. Oh, right, that case still has a few loose ends. He leads her to a room where his grieving mother sits, still clinging to her missing child flyer.

But today, seeing the boy is too painful a reminder of Joong-won dying to save her, and she leaves the room despite his plea for help. Secretary Kim finds her outside and guesses that she’s avoiding Joong-won, but she says that people must be misunderstanding her actions as Candy-esque. Candy’s the girl who would nobly (-idiotically) push away her suitor for his own good, but Gong-shil defines her trip as something she’s doing for herself. She says that she can’t be as pure and sweet as Candy, which at least makes her much more interesting. I definitely do like our main couple better than the traditional sacrificing rom-com archetypes, since they’ve got enough selfish motivation in the mix to make them seem real.

In the hospital, Joong-won gets called by name by Chun-hee, who introduces himself as the person Gong-shil was going to leave with. He explains his hunch that in tracking down Gong-shil’s memories from the time she was a ghost, she may be able to accept her talent without fear or perhaps lose it entirely. And then she won’t have any more need for Joong-won and his shelter.

Joong-won and Gong-shil come face to face inside the hospital, where she asks why he held her back, saying that she was going to do the Candy thing and let him go because she wasn’t good enough. Gratifyingly he rejects that out of hand, saying that he prefers her being clear and shameless, and that her sun is better than “that moon that always changes its faces.”

So she gives him the frank version: She was leaving for her own good, not his. She explains how it was nice way back in the beginning when she could just cling to him, having no room for thought other than fear. But once she started to care for him, she started to hate her own fear of ghosts, even though he offered to “lower” himself to meet her, because she felt too pathetic for being so low on her own.

That’s why she wants to take charge now and do something about it, and maybe even rid herself of this skill. Joong-won points out that she could come back to him afterward, but she says she can’t make that promise, and that if she can’t change things for herself, she won’t be coming back—she can’t be the unlucky sun at his side.

Joong-won asks her to wait until he can find something else with which to renegotiate, but she says she intends to leave as planned. He threatens to have her arrested if she tries to leave, citing—of all things—sexual harassment. HA. He lists all the times she’s felt him up without permission and clarifies that while he understands the situation, he has no intention of being considerate, haha. He refuses to let her go easily. I love it.

He heads to his office for a brainstorming session, pleased with himself for admitting his true feelings. Then he worries over his more troublesome comments, like how he’d once referred to his “I love you” confession as “the worst scenario” or how he told the matchmaker he had no intention of resuming their complicated relationship. He grimaces to himself, dismayed to have so little in his arsenal of, you know, nice things he’s said.

Aunt Joo hears about Hanna’s capture and hurries to Joong-won’s side to check on him. Ha, I love that he’s already moved on to his next emotional crisis but Aunt and Uncle VP assume he’s hung up on the last one. He dismisses them, and Uncle VP keeps talking up Gong-shil as having been a key figure in Hanna’s arrest and how she may be the warm presence Joong-won needs to soothe his nerves. Aunt doesn’t like to hear it, of course, but when he adds the bit about Joong-won chasing her to the airport in a heartbreaking display, she looks like she may be starting to unbend.

Gong-shil is a bit bummed when even her unni suggests that maybe she accept Joong-won now, since he knows about her ghost-affliction and still wants to be with her. Guess everyone’s always going to see a Candy in a rich-poor scenario like this. Then blabbermouth Han-joo tells unni that he’s glad things worked out well, because he was worried there for a while that he’d chosen the wrong side in the power game… which makes unni gape, “You were on the VP’s side?” He blabs yes, outing himself as the loose-lipped gossip. I’m just amazed he lasted this long.

Gong-shil gets called in by Aunt, who says she will be removing herself from the situation for now, because it appears her interference has only made the couple more ardent to be together. Lol, are we really going whole hog in reversing the Candy setup? Now Gong-shil finds Aunt asking her not to leave and further upset Joong-won, though it’s mostly because believes that if she lets things run their course, Joong-won will eventually return to his senses.

But Gong-shil replies that she doesn’t have the frame of mind for an ardent, heartbreaking love right now. As if to underscore the point, the ghost boy reappears in the room. Gong-shil says she’ll step back and let him go, so reasonable in her manner that Aunt wonders whether she’s playing reverse psychology or acting out of spite.

Chun-hee finds her to sympathize with her troubled mood, and she says that everyone seems unable to understand why she wouldn’t accept Joong-won when he’s all but begging her to stay. Chun-hee suggests that she could try staying with Joong-won and share the burden with him, because he thinks Joong-won is prepared to do that for her. Aw. But it’s not enough for her, even though the thought of being without him is heartbreaking.

The boy comes back, and Chun-hee asks why she won’t help this ghost. She says it’s because that’s how Joong-won almost died, and this is why she wants to leave with him. He tells her he’ll be at the airport tomorrow, and leaves the decision to her.

Kang Woo shows up at Yi-ryung’s hospital room with soju and finds her sleeping. He muses aloud that she let go of a big movie, and then adds that Yi-ryung seems quite all right when he sees her like this. At which point her eyes fly open (ha, faker) and she pops up to kiss him on the lips, then immediately hides under the covers.

By now he knows how to deal with her and he smiles that he was prepared for an attack of this kind, which is why he’s not upset with her. In fact, he’d been prepared for a much stronger attack, so it’s nice that she left things on such a mild note. At that, she pops back up to ask eagerly, “So I could’ve done even more and you wouldn’t have been angry?”

She starts to go in for a hotter kiss, but he stops her with the reminder that there are reporters outside. He leaves, and she pouts mightily to herself, regretting her lack of attack.

Gong-shil comes home to find Joong-won waiting for her, armed with a new grievance. Now that he’s thought on it, he notes that they’ve been so occupied with thoughts of how they’ll end their relationship that they’ve never properly started one—they’ve never eaten out or held hands without a ghost standing in as excuse. He holds his hand out and urges her to take it—because she wants to, not because she has to—and she tentatively does.

She agrees to a meal, and takes him to her favorite udon restaurant. He prefers cold naengmyun noodles, though his favorite place changed its recipe when the owner died so he hasn’t had any since. She offers to drop by and see if she can talk to any ghosts before she leaves, but he tells her not to do him a favor on her way to leaving him. He tells her to eat up and prepare to miss him every time she thinks about udon.

They talk a walk holding hands afterward, and aw, it really is bittersweet to see them on a normal date, talking about mundane things like favorite foods and sports and hobbies. Of course, he finds every chance he can to point out how unfair things are to end this way, like how she could’ve recommended all her favorite books that he hadn’t been able to read till now, and he could’ve taught her all his favorite sports.

Then it’s music in the park, and as the day wears on both moods grow heavier. She fights her tears as he asks her not to leave.

Unni drinks at work, fuming over Han-joo’s loose lips and how she fell for all his excuses to get info out of her. Then Han-joo shows up to steal her glass and drinks them (for courage?) before planting a kiss on her lips. He says that that’s the only kind of excuse his lips can make, and unni says, “Your excuse… is short.” LOL. So he offers a longer explanation, and they continue drinking in preparation for more kissing.

Joong-won does some roundabout talking of his own, saying that he now sees the appeal of Gong-shil’s apartment because it’s perfect for drinking beer on the roof. He asks hopefully if it would be okay to stock her fridge so he could come back for more, asking whether he ought to stock just one can for tonight, or as much as he likes for the future?

Gong-shil gives him the go-ahead for one pack—six cans—with the somewhat ambiguous explanation that since she’ll have one with him (holding his hand, of course), it’s enough to drink all in one night. Or save some for later. Well, he takes that as a good sign and goes to the store to pick up a pack, happy that he just bought himself six more days.

Gong-shil flinches when dead Woo-jin shows up again pleading for her to help his mother. She turns away and orders him to leave… but when Joong-won returns to the car, she’s gone. Oh no. You couldn’t, like, leave him a Post-It or something? Then she ignores his call while taking a taxi with the ghost boy.

Joong-won remembers the satellite tracker Kang Woo gave him and activates his end.

Gong-shil stops the car just under a bridge and sees Woo-jin’s mother preparing to jump, intending to join her son in death. Gong-shil grabs her before she can leap, and Joong-won runs up as she’s comforting the mother.

He joins her in the hospital room as she watches the mother being sedated and treated. She tells Joong-won of the boy being in this room, and how he asked her to help his mother even though she doesn’t know if that woman will try the same thing again. He tells her that she can’t be responsible for her life, but Gong-shil says that seeing the things she does keeps her in a state of confusion. Breaking down, she cries, “I can’t even handle myself, so how could you?”

So later, as they sit holding hands, Joong-won asks if her trip abroad will be able to take away her ghost-seeing abilities. She doesn’t know for sure, but thinks that she might be able to know how she came to be this way.

He accepts her decision now, and pulls his hand away, saying, “Okay, this is the end.” He declares that they’ve eaten one meal and held hands once, which makes their relationship a light, easily forgettable one. “I will forget you,” he says. She tells him to feel free to curse her if he wants to, but he says stiffly that there’s no reason he should feel the need to curse a woman he’s only dined with once. Aw. I know why he’s saying it, but it still brings an ouchy feeling nonetheless.

He leaves, and she breaks down in sobs. Joong-won stops at a fair distance and notes with some pain, “Even to the end, she doesn’t say I love you.”

Then, we fade in on a bright new morning. Joong-won wakes up in bed and the first thing he does is note that today is the 375th day since his sun has left. On one hand, that’s the first thought of his day. On the other hand, he declares, “I was not destroyed.” With that, he gets up and readies for his day.

He goes to work, conducts his business with his usual alacrity (competing, as ever, to beat Giant Mall), and plans to relocate to Shanghai next year. Aunt Joo is intent on marrying him off before he leaves, even though Uncle VP (soon to step into Joong-won’s shoes as president) suggests that Joong-won is still waiting.

Joong-won confides as much to Trash Can Ajusshi (aww), saying that he’s waiting for his sun to rise again. He even asks for a sign from the ghost that he thinks it’ll happen, and ghost man gives the trash can a whirl.

Secretary Kim checks with the other secretary about a meeting for today, coughing and shaking off a headache as he apologizes for getting the details wrong. Thus Joong-won arrives at the new meeting locale, only to find that he’s too early. Figuring Secretary Kim must have gotten that detail wrong too, he dismisses his assistants and puts in a call… and we see in the background that Gong-shil walks by, sits down, and pours herself a drink.

She’s approached by a man who asks to join her, and she declines stating that she has company. “But you’re alone,” the man says.

Gong-shil asks to be seated outside, and speaks aloud to her companion (whom we can’t see, though I presume it’s a ghost). Behind her another man asks to have a drink together (eeee!) and she all but rolls her eyes as she declines. She dismisses him with back turned and insists she has company, and he guesses, “A ghost?”

At that she turns to face him… but why does she look so blank-faced? Joong-won, on the other hand, confirms, “I was right. You are the Tae Gong-shil who bewitched me and left. The bitch.”

COMMENTS

That last line definitely sounds harsher written in English as “that bitch,” though it technically is what he says—it’s meant to be an echo of what he called Hee-joo early on. (It’s also a contradiction of his false promise to forget her and that she meant little to him, since he resorts to swearing at her after all.)

As to the separation: Yes, it’s a classic Hong sisters maneuver, and by “classic” I’m being nice. I’ll be a big ol’ apologist for some of their early instances, and I think they have written dramas where it makes sense, and dramas where it doesn’t quite so much. I actually like the emotional reasoning behind the split in this episode, which works quite well with the mythology built into the show and feels like it was a consideration the writers built in from the start. As in: It doesn’t feel like they shoehorned it in last-minute because they didn’t know what else to do.

In that regard I find the trajectory of Master’s Sun really very well-done. On the surface it feels a familiar rom-com, but at least the internal logic holds up with these specific rules and trappings. Gong-shil starts out practically delirious in fear, and therefore is giddy with relief to find her shelter.

Her explanation to Joong-won really ran true for me (which doesn’t always happen in these cases—so many dramas have me twisting my brain around to follow separation logic). It’s one thing to play a self-sacrificing Candy who decides unilaterally that her decision is best for everybody and robs the hero of the ability to have a say in the matter. (Or for a well-meaning hero to do the same for his heroine.) But it’s quite another for Gong-shil to not like herself very much, to have things about herself that she fundamentally needs to change in order to live as a normal person, not just girlfriend. And when Joong-won accepts that, there’s a heart-twisting moment of understanding for why he doesn’t fight it. (Although I will agree with him on her whole failure to say “I love you”—couldn’t you throw the man a bone? I suspect that saying the words might actually break her and therefore the need to hold back, but still. It feels so withholding.)

And all those ghost-seeing explanations feel like they were thought out and planned for, which I really appreciate. In fact, I really wish they’d brought in the Chun-hee character much earlier, so that her choice/dilemma had a chance to land with us. It’s a great dichotomy, pitting this man “from her world” against the one from the other world—Chun-hee’s the guy who not only knew Gong-shil in her other form, but acts as that link between her two lives. So you can’t just dismiss him, no matter how much I’m sure Joong-won would love to. It’s just too bad that I can’t deal with his character with any sort of tension or suspense, to the extent that I’m calling the character Chun-hee instead of whatever fleeting name they gave him and have never used.

Well, we’ve got one more episode to go, and I’m feeling cautiously optimistic. Not that the ending will be happy—the ending will be happy—but that it’ll come about in a satisfying manner. It had better be good! I’ve got my threatening fists out and everything.

208

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51 Crazynoona

October 2, 2013 at 10:36 PM

So...in this ep every other couples got to kiss but not our lead??! Why is it so hard to get a real kiss for JW and GS...really, why? Those kisses with Dokgo Jin was so much more satisfying.

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52 soprection

October 2, 2013 at 10:40 PM

Thank you so much for the recap and particularly the comments at the end. I agree that it feels as though the show was very well thought out and the separation (and the time skip) seem to make sense within the show.

I will say though that while I think part of Gong Shil's reason for leaving is to help keep Joong Won safe, I appreciate that she realizes now that she's no longer terrified of ghosts that she can't live her whole life just clinging onto Joong Won. She wants to be able to stand on her own two feet and no longer NEED to be with him just because he dispels ghosts. If her power doesn't go away at the end, I would ideally like for her to find a way to live independently of him but to still choose to be with him because she loves and wants to be around him, not out of necessity and fear.

The hug between Joong Won and Secretary Kim (and him forgiving him and asking him to stay by his side) was my favourite part of the episode. It was just so sweet and unexpected and I appreciate that the writers clearly know just how important that relationship is to both of them. I also like Secretary Kim joking that JW opened his heart so easily to Taeyang but he was never that open with him even though he stayed by his side for so long.

I also really liked the Kang Woo/YiRyung hospital scene. While I definitely thought the drink spiking in last episode was too much/too far, this interaction took them back to the playful, grounded relationship they had before except that this time Kang Woo was a little bit nicer and more open to YiRyung's advances than usual. She's really just such a petulant, occasionally misguided, amusingly bullheaded girl.

They finally had their date, yay!

Even though important things happened (like Gong Shil's sister finding out who the true gossip was (totally called that kiss) and Auntie Joo apologizing to Gong Shil and deciding to finally stop inhibiting their relationship even though she still doesn't approve of it), I found the first part of the episode slow going. I just felt like there was a lot of repetition (how many times can Gong Shil say she isn't Candy? We get it already). There were so many enlightening~ conversations but it felt like they all sort of said the same thing. From the date onwards, it became a lot more interesting though.

Can I say I love that Joong Won interacts with ghosts even though he can't see them? There's something really endearing about that. Even with Gong Shil gone, he's not totally out of her world and that's through his own choice.

Anyway, the ending was pretty interesting. Love Secretary Kim meddling as usual! I hope everything gets wrapped up well tomorrow, God willing. I actually didn't realize that she was speaking to someone at the end so she can probably can still see ghosts. I was hoping she might have lost the ability since she's drinking now. Anyway, we'll see.

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53 SmeeBean

October 2, 2013 at 11:07 PM

I found it weird that she did not remember his voice. And you say she looked at him with a blank face? What's going on?? Does this mean she can't remember him? *panicking* O__O

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54 noodlecious

October 2, 2013 at 11:27 PM

thank you very much for the recap ... ^_^

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55 jaglaine

October 2, 2013 at 11:30 PM

Someone said that they could have done without this episode. And I totally agree. Even though this episode was cute and satisfying because we see the OTP together, it was somewhat slow for me. It didn't really do anything other than give us false hope that Tae Yang would stay.
Pfftt!!! What a joke! Story twists are fine but too much of it and the viewers get blasé.
Instead of building up to excitement and anticipation, I'm like: 'Oh, huh? Oh, okay, yeah...I hope the ending's fine.'

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56 Trixie

October 2, 2013 at 11:37 PM

Can we trust these sisters or are they just jerking us around? Do they ever use passion or skinship? Surely the couple will get together and we will get one adoring kiss, one totally open and honest expression of their love. SURELY! No giggles under the covers though I bet. I have to work late tomorrow night so you all will know before I do. Please let it be good! Thanks Dramabeans you enhance the whole experience.

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57 wren

October 2, 2013 at 11:50 PM

its almost over :(
but omg! this episode was cute and sad. I don't know, but I really like the second leads. they're honest,open and very non-interfering types. even when they interfere it turns out to be good. and I always liked the kangwoo-yireoung chemistry even though ppl found them boring.also the part where JW hugs secy Kim. awwww
anyhow , fingers crossed and waiting for this last one.
and then I would miss all the comments on dramabeans :(

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58 bunnny

October 3, 2013 at 12:01 AM

i have a feeling that she don't remember meeting him . i hope there won't be another amnesia happening

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wren

October 3, 2013 at 12:06 AM

someone has posted a preview of ep 17 and it looks darn hopeful. its on YouTube.

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kit

October 3, 2013 at 12:43 AM

DYING FROM THE CUTE

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59 redfox

October 3, 2013 at 12:11 AM

blah
no exitement. it is sort of like a daily drama now, nothing happens, Kang Woo and Yi Ryung absurdly becoming a more interesting pair than the main "couple" who isn´t even a couple any more.

Will you be doing more recaps on Suspicious housekeeper?
I warn everyone: watching ep 3 of that can be very difficult. keyword: child slapping. I cannot tolerate that! Not watching any more.

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60 kit

October 3, 2013 at 12:41 AM

There are still good reasonings for everything (minus the lack of post it urgh), but sigh, Hong Sisters are known for their slower endings. Oh well, at least there's a good lack of angst of the I Am A Noble Idiot variety - that's thanks to the couple who from day one have been nothing but straight with each other. Even when one was lying, the other knew straight away.

Best parts of this episode were the secondary characters. I love them all. Are we to guess that the Secretary was manipulated by a (nice) ghost so the run in would happen? Whale goddess is flaw free as ever. Uncle VP to turn P is forever a shipper.

Excited for the finaleeeeeeeee.

Side note: I actually thought in the recap there'd be frustration about a man putting a tracking device on a woman, but there wasn't any. Hmmm I don't know how I feel about that. Also because it was a kind of loose plot point. The storyline hasn't been as tightly woven as before.

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kit

October 3, 2013 at 12:45 AM

Also, IF I CHANCED UPON THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AFTER A YEAR I WOULD FAIL AT BEING SUAVE. My voice would crack half way through the first sentence and I'd start blubbering.

And remembered my favourite moment. Joongwon's new hand move that he used for his aunt and uncle, hee.

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PlumWine

October 3, 2013 at 5:24 AM

I let the tracking device go because earlier he was spying on her for JW's dad. I considered it to be in line with his character. I mean he searched her room with gloves and a green light! (What does a green light show?) They never said when he put it in as far as I recall.

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61 Kristy

October 3, 2013 at 12:52 AM

The Chun-hee/Gong-Shil/Joo-won triangle actually reminds me of the Gumiho one.
how the tracker was the person who knew and understood what MiHo was and all....Just like with chunhee...
the diffrence bieng that Chunhee deosnt loveGong Shil...atleast i hope so.
Its not possible for her to forget Joo won right?Not another amnesia...?Its justthat she didnt seem to reckon his voice at the end of the episode....
Pretty sure that the show will deliver a happyending...
I just want the questions that we had to be answered in a satisifactory manner......

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62 Heartoppaya

October 3, 2013 at 1:28 AM

I just saw JW's crying scene and I bawled my eyes out like crazy. My heart was crushed and I had a hand outstretched to the screen. I was like, "Gong-shil unnie, go comfort oppa. Please, don't keep hurting him. Comfort him. Oppaaa. . .". I sounded like a fangirl, I know. I've seen Gong-shil cry, and that was a gut-wrenching feeling. But when the assy, money-hungry, cold, hot and hilarious Joong-won cried, I was in pieces. . . . Oh my poor heart. I ship GHJ and SJS in real life forever. . . . I mean, c'mon in the making of the second kissing scene, SBS has mentioned that with kissing like that, they'd probably end up dating in real life. See, even SBS ship them in real life. Ji sub oppa, get together with hyo jin unnie, you'll be making many nations happy. Many fans overjoyed. Many people scream and shed tears of joy. Am I right, guys?

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PlumWine

October 3, 2013 at 5:28 AM

First time for me ever shipping a real life romance. I'll be jealous as anything, but I'd be more happy.

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63 bd

October 3, 2013 at 1:44 AM

In a way, not much really happened in this ep. since the end result was the same as what was happening at the beginning of the ep, Gong-shil leaving Joong-won.

But Joong-won, as well as the viewers, got to know of Gong-shil's other reason for leaving with Chun-hee (poor Chun-hee, getting all that hate on Viki) and eventually accepted that as the best thing for Gong-shil.

Overall, I think the Hong sisters did an OK/decent job of it, not the greatest, but not the muddle trope that is all so common in K-dramas.

The time leap/return here was handled better than usual for a Hong sisters drama - had no real problem with it, tho the best for me is still "Coffee Prince" when Eun-Chan surprises Han-gyul and pretends to be another one of his interviewees for a barista position.

Yi-ryung as the antagonistic 2nd female lead was always pretty harmless and good for a few laughs. actually found her character more pivotal for Kang Woo than for GS.

KW's character was bordering on the too nice 2nd lead (which is a complete snore - like in "The Greatest Love"), but his interaction w/ YR kept him from that.

Not that KW ever was really mean to YR, but he know how to put her in her place/handle her (like when he told YR she could have been more aggressive w/ her kiss and that he wouldn't have gotten mad, but then wouldn't let her kiss him again).

YR, being self-centered as she is, needs a challenge, a guy who can keep her on her toes, where she is the one doing the "chasing."

As for big mouth/loose lips and big sis, didn't find the switch over to romance mode nearly as convincing despite seeing that romance coming from a mile away.
Just was too easy for big sis to get over the betrayal.

Another thing that didn't feel right/wasn't handled as well as Uncle VP now seemingly being totally in JW and GS's corner.

While Uncle VP wasn't a straight out bad guy, he clearly had a quasi rivalry w/ his nephew and took steps which he thought would be problematic for JW.

Don't really see the rationale for Uncle VP being totally like Sec. Kim and on the GS-JW love bandwagon.

As for the dead/ghost boy, he totally looks like a younger, male version of Sohee from the Wonder Girls (round face, same eyes, same full lips and same weak chin).

Hope the Hong Sister come up w/ some additional background/explanation for Chun-hee's character and his motives.

Lot's here which don't make sense or are simply inconsistent (not least of all, what Chun-hee was doing for the past few years when GS was back as a living person, tho in less than ideal circumstances).

At 1st it seemed like Chun-hee was in love w/ GS (or at least her spirit), but that kind of became muddled later on and Chun-hee showing himself and going on the trip w/ GS seems more to be about her learning about how she came to see ghosts.

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Berkshire Beanie

October 3, 2013 at 4:34 AM

I think the pivotal point for Uncle was when he wanted JW with GS and went from subtle hints to out right revolt to get the two of them together. That is when he took his stand against wife and ended the rivalry. It was always auntie who was the real problem causing the rivalry.

Chun Hee was in love, he was waiting to come back into GS life when she was emotionally ready, only his plans went awry when GS fell for JW, and Chun Hee had to come to terms with the fact that she wasn't going to love him. Taking her to the places they were together was a last ditch effort to win her back, but Chun Hee had already mostly given up on keeping GS and moved on to noble idiocy to do what was best for GS to be happy.

jmho

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64 Crazynoona

October 3, 2013 at 2:21 AM

I'm being random here but when the aunt said : "If he wants, i can get women lined up to the moon." i was like : If there such a line, put me in it!!!
Aside from that i finally (kinda) understand GS's decision in the scene where she watch the ghost kid and mom from afar, saying tearily to JW on how can he handle her when she can't handle herself. Althou all that understanding went poof! when JW cried (i would hugged my laptop in attempt to comfort him but others might think i'm crazy after all), girl...don't torture him for too long please!
One more thing, i know TMS ends tonight, you don't have to rub it in every.single.time with "The Heirs" teasers, if that supposed to be a remedy for my withdrawal syndrome, i DON'T need it.

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65 kdramaholic

October 3, 2013 at 2:35 AM

Master's Sun episode 17 preview with english translations? I think yes :)

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66 kdramaholic

October 3, 2013 at 2:36 AM

http://koreandramareviews.com/the-masters-sun-episode-17-preview-and-translation/

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67 Lilly^^kitty

October 3, 2013 at 2:58 AM

Too much kissing and arghhhh not from the ones we wanted

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68 mike

October 3, 2013 at 3:46 AM

When my step-sis personally confided in me that there are a family of ghosts living in her home, I never once step foot in her house since. I politely forbade her to visit my home. She accepted the fact that we are all so scared. Basically I heard fm her maids she behaved exactly like GS in this drama 24/7, always busy chattering alone?

How is she able to see and interact with ghosts? My siblings and I initially felt she has mental problems after her husband's sudden death.

However according to her, these ghosts were handed down by her late mum (died after giving birth to her) and she only discovered her ability after getting married.

I am curious to know how Gong Shil acquired this ability of being able to communicate with dead people.

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69 Me

October 3, 2013 at 3:50 AM

Does anyone know what 'Bangshil' mean? Cold aunty said that a lot. Thanks.

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Berkshire Beanie

October 3, 2013 at 4:25 AM

Auntie refused to remember Gong Shil's name. I don't know what Bangshil means in Korean.

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70 Berkshire Beanie

October 3, 2013 at 4:20 AM

This drama grew tiresome for me. GS is still too scaried cat for me to admire. JW has spun near GS but they have never really meshed as a normal couple. I just got tired of trying to follow their logic that kept them apart. I started not caring why they were apart, and frankly I liked bachelor number 2 and 3 better than JW. I would have fallen for the man who kept my spirit company for 3 years or the security guy who quietly protected me.

It all comes down to chemistry, I guess. GS ran to JW with no thought at all, it was knee jerk reaction that he made her feel safe when she was all in defense mode because of the ghosts. Somehow that shielding power became love for her. I may think that when she doesn't need him anymore she'll not have staying power with JW. On the other hand, JW's love for her seems quite genuine. This is a couple I can see marrying and then divorcing a few years later when their differences can't be masked by new love chemicals.

I liked Master's Sun. I just was disappointed in the long run with the OTP. Not my favorite pairing. I'm not sure I would make this drama a strong recommendation. I bet a few months from now when I look back, my feelings for this will be like flat soda, meh.

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pogo

October 3, 2013 at 8:28 PM

yeah, well, love isn't mathematics or logic, so what you would do isn't necessarily what Gong-shil would do. For that part, I felt the actors' chemistry and the way the characters were written was strong enough to establish that connection credibly, so it works really well imo. Relationship-wise, their connection is very 'show, not tell' (much like its timeslot predecessor, I Hear Your Voice) and that's why it's a good focal point for this show - and when the title translates to her being Joong-won's, it's a good thing.

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71 PlumWine

October 3, 2013 at 5:52 AM

Thanks for the recaps Javabeans. :) I also enjoyed all the comments even if I disagreed. Some of the discussions were very interesting.

I liked this episode. Especially after the last couple of ones. I am looking forward to tonight's episode (12 hours!) and dreading not being able to see more.

I for one never had any problem with So Ji Sub's portrayal of this character, but then I tend to watch for escapism, not comparison.

I don't think we will get everything answered about the ghost/ go away ghost abilities, because how can you explain something so ambiguous in a concrete manner? However, I'm fine with that. I need the tingly funny romance not answers.

Thanks Javabeans, I didn't even imagine she did not remember him, I thought she was in shock. I'll have to rewatch that part.

Could matchmaker Kim have known she was going to be there? Was the ghost she was drinking with the other Master? Can 't she have a tiny ( it really was) glass of wine without getting drunk and possessed ( although I wouldn't mind another of those scenes)? Can't 12 hours pass quicker?

CAN WE PLEASE GET A REALLY GOOD HOT KISS SCENE/S!?!?

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PlumWine

October 3, 2013 at 5:55 AM

Also I get why she didn't say 'I love you' to him. It would be to hard on both of them.

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72 Altari

October 3, 2013 at 5:54 AM

I LOVED this episode. I loved their date and their interactions.
TBH I didn't completely get why GS feels like she has to leave but this episode made me realize how cursed GS feels by having ghosts chasing her all the time. It's one thing to deal with it by yourself. I can totally understand her "I simply cannot/will not drag you into this." mindset.
I was moved by that scene where JW looks truly pained watching GS saving Woojin's mother and afterwards when he wordlessly holds GS as she weeps. I don't really get people's preoccupation with having them kiss. In my experience, I feel more love in those moments of wordless empathy than kisses.

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73 sixtyeightmonkey

October 3, 2013 at 6:34 AM

I find it very unsettling that she did not recognize his voice at the end and doesn't even seem to register recognition once she looks at him face to face.

Oh noes.

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74 sputnik

October 3, 2013 at 7:01 AM

does anyone know the name of the song that the duet in the park was singing during their date ?

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75 dramarookie

October 3, 2013 at 7:20 AM

“Also, walk faster!” LOL, so true!

After reading your summary of how Taeyang doesn’t love herself, it makes her decision a little more coherent for me. Until then, I’d written a whole section on “Tae Gong Shil is a Meanie". Thanks as always for the recap!

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76 houstontwin

October 3, 2013 at 8:13 AM

So many great comments!

I have to say, I am so annoyed that Gong Shil wouldn't say "I love you." She is just plain mean. Sometimes people who love each other have to break up. It doesn't lesson the pain when they lie about their feelings.

Also, whatever time is provided for the 3-year gap in Gong Shil's life, and for her relationship with the mysterious photographer, it will surely be inadequate, rushed, and less than satisfying! How could the writers fail to plan for such an important component of the story? There could have been mysterious flashbacks or hints throughout the drama to build up to this episode.

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77 luna

October 3, 2013 at 9:13 AM

So it wasn't just my imagination when I noted she looked pretty blankly at him!

There better not be any last minute amnesia shticks on Gong Shil's end where she remembered her 3 years and forgot her last four. BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE SOME STERN WORDS EXCHANGED, HONG SISTERS. I WILL HUNT YOU DOWNNNNNN!!!

Either that, or maybe she's not surprised because Joong Won is the person she's waiting for? Secretary Kim did say that he keeps on making mistakes like he was "being haunted." Maybe he really was, and the ghost did it so that GS would meet JW. WHEEEEEE!!

I have very strong feelings when it comes to this show lol.

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78 kdramafan

October 3, 2013 at 9:29 AM

Thanks JB for the recap.

I liked a lot of this episode but the parts with Chun-hee don't seem to fit seamlessly which makes me think his part came about purely because of the extension. Having him does serve a function but I also think it would have been better if he was introduced earlier and given more screen time.

BTW this show introduced me to So Ji-sub who I've enjoyed watching as Joong-won but it is Seo In-gook who makes my heart flip when he comes on screen. Might have to go back and watch Reply 1997 again:)

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pogo

October 3, 2013 at 8:21 PM

yeah, the Chun-hee parts feel a bit tacked on via extension - the character makes no impact, and it's hard to sense any real connection of his with Gong-shil at all. Maybe if they'd introduced him after the stabbing instead of at the last minute, it could have worked better.

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79 Nikilann

October 3, 2013 at 1:36 PM

HAHA. Well, if that episode was good but less good than the previous ones - thank you extension. Or maybe we just want to think it's because of it. Why do they keep doin' that ? Seriously ? Whyyy ? - it had something that made me laugh to death. Joo Won is walking. Walking. Fast. But Walking ! God, even in that instance, he just keeps character ! I loooved it. I loved that he kept walking, and how it just mocks every KDrama, even Sister's Huong one's. It was a great great scene, fun and light, and sooo Dramaland. I loved the funny look Secretary Kim gives him when he just get up and go after Gong Shil like it was what he intented to do from the start. That was just SO like him. I also loved the scene when he tells Gong Shil "... Because it's the Master !", like he doesn't understand one bit how Joo Won can be so strange and how his brains functions.
I loved a lot of things, in fact, but it lacked a bit of the spark in the 10, 11, 12 episodes. I really found myself back in front of the Greatest Love, or My grilfriend is a Gumiho, with something more mature to it, more breathtaking in the alchemy between the character.

Even if the last episode is bad, I think I made up with the Huong's Sisters, because it can't fail like Big had. Because Big was a failure. When Master's Sun was a walk up to the ege of the mountain, and a slow going back. Or so I think it will be, in the end.

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80 jozie

October 3, 2013 at 2:24 PM

Final episode on Viki if you want to watch (not fully subbed into English yet). Can't wait for Dramabeans recap tonight, I've been thinking about this one a bit.

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81 Ros

October 3, 2013 at 2:39 PM

Are you ppl surprised of the "blank face" of TaeYang? I'm surprised about your surprise!! It's exactly the same face she has portrayed for the last two or three episodes when confronting CEO...

Sorry, but if her character was adorable, cute and nice at the begining of the drama, why if she theoretically has become more interesting, her character lately has been so dull? I don't like the personality that the actress is giving to TaeYang since she decided to go. It has no sense, no ground... Maybe it's the script, but I think it's something more... TaeYang does not convince me and it has more to do with her facial expressions, completely plane, excessively serious and cold. Yes, I get it... she is supposed to act like that in front of him in order to make the separation easier... but it does not convince... she is too dull.

The performance of this actress has worsened as far as her character has lost her "credibility" trying to gain it, precisely.

I don't like the TaeYang character anymore. By far the most consistent character in every single way from the very begining is the CEO's one.

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82 Ros

October 3, 2013 at 2:56 PM

And I didn't like the way they both took their hands... it was so cold... nothing to do with truly emotion when touching (for the "first" time) the one who you are in love.

If there is so much lack of sexual arousal in the series, they could have done so much better for this eagerly expected contact... it should have been shown the sexual tension, the sexual contention... Touching someone's hand can be as exciting as explicit sex if you know how to transmit that... And for two who desire each other as badly as they are supposed to do in this up-and-down situation that lasts so much (sexual tension non resolved), it has been so dissapointing...

That contact and some parts of their first date should have been much more romantic, feeling and touching, and much more physicall at the same time. I'm not even talking about kisses (I have lost the faith on that already... :( ), but in subtle physicall arousal... Their touch is so cold!

I mean that the only good thing in not having kisses, sexual environment and so on, is that you can maintain the sexual tension along the path. If finally you don't know how to benefit that, then you have failed and you leave all the emotion to be brought in by the mind of expectators (because they are so involved with this couple), who have to do the work for you.

Bad, bad, bad...

Despite those things, I enjoyed the chapter even when it was so repetitive at the begining. And even I have great expectations for the end today... (which I haven't seen yet!!)

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83 Sadi

October 3, 2013 at 4:22 PM

YEAH HONG SISTERS. DONT KILL ANYONE OFF AT THE LAST FCKIN SECOND. GOD DAMN I HATE WHEN PEOPLE DO STUPID STUFF. OR WORSE.

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84 Cheryl

October 3, 2013 at 5:09 PM

I've really enjoyed this show a lot and will miss it. I love JW and how much his straightlaced nature has fought admitting he's falling for GS and all the feels that go along with it. All his hand gestures were great. SJS's acting FTW!

I am so glad the angst of Hee-joo was over and done before finale week, leaving things clear to just focus on the main couple and landing them together (and maybe fixing up the secondary couples).

Chun-hoo definitely should have been introduced earlier. His character was woefully underserved by bringing him in so late, and he could have been used to flesh out and develop GS so much if we'd seen him sooner.

I didn't think I was going to like YR, but she didn't turn out to be as interfering and meddling and nasty as I thought she'd be and she has more of a heart and a conscience than I thought she would. Why can't more second female leads be like this (read: isn't driven to destroy the female lead out of jealousy/desire for revenge)? Kang Woo is such a great foil for her and they totally crack me up when they're together. He's a sweetie.

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85 pogo

October 3, 2013 at 8:17 PM

I DON'T WANT THIS SHOW TO END

But oh god, I died laughing at Yi-ryung's performance in the plane, and in the hospital too - I love how everyone in this drama has become a shipper, and now her too! Kim Yuri was hilarious, and much credit to the Hing sisters for writing a second lead girl who, for once, is not just a tiresome love-triangle third angle and is actually pretty great.

And I think I died again when Joong-won hugged Secratary Kim. He's really such a teddy bear, under all that grump.

And then I cried at pretty much everything to do with our OTP this episode, from their date (and yes, it was so bittersweet - couples who start off in these epic 'life or death hardly ever get to experience that), and I was somewhere between laughter and tears for most of the date and Joong-won refusing to save that other couple breaking up because 'mine is breaking up too', though t was full-on tears by the time of the hospital scene.

The handholding was sweet and the moment she slipped her hand into his nearly stopped my heart (they both have gorgeous hands) but I do wish we could have got one kiss that didn't have a ghost-possession excuse behind it. (they better be saving that for the finale - which I haven't watched yet). I get why they walked away from each other, it feels like it makes sense, but it still hurts.

(and I really hope she hasn't got amnesia now!)