God’s Gift – 14 Days: Episode 3
by dramallama
Fate is the name of the game as our time-travelers are introduced to the opportunity of time. The suspense and heart continue to power the show while the underlying thread of fate weaves together the details of it all. There are rules to follow and challenges to pursue; there are people to trust and people to question. But most importantly, there are people to save.
EPISODE 3 RECAP
Back at the scene of the crime, Soo-hyun looks longingly at the water as her voice narrates the scene. She recaps the horrifying sequence of events through which her life’s irreplaceable treasure, Saet-byul, was kidnapped and ultimately found as a cold corpse.
Soo-hyun wonders how cold and scared Saet-byul must be at the bottom of the dark reservoir waters, and she is ready to join her daughter.
In the background, as gangsters prepare to drown him, Dong-chan desperately yells at Soo-hyun to call the police. His scene is paralleled with his brother’s, where Dong-ho cries for Dong-chan and his mother and begs the prison guards to save him from being hanged.
The three scenes with Soo-hyun, Dong-chan, and Dong-ho are juxtaposed as they all fall: Soo-hyun falls willingly into the depths of the water while Dong-chan is dragged to the bottom by a cinder block, and Dong-ho falls into death.
Dong-chan struggles to undo the ropes around his wrists and Soo-hyun lies peacefully at the bottom of the waters when suddenly, glowing green particles land at the bottom and surround her. Fibers from the green particles attach to her and wrap around her body.
Bits and pieces of past events flash before our eyes, the broken shack is restored to its original form, and Soo-hyun wakes up at the side of the reservoir, coughing up water. Confused, she looks around only to see a commonplace scene of fishermen by the water.
She walks back to the shack, but it’s no longer surrounded by police tape. Breaking open the lock with a rock, she opens the door and scans the inside of the shack. Then, she notices that Saet-byul’s drawings on the walls are no longer there.
Inside the shack, Soo-hyun gets a phone call — it’s from Saet-byul. She picks up the phone in disbelief, but it’s really Saet-byul, telling Mom to come home and make her food. Soo-hyun still cannot believe that her daughter is alive, but we are now told that this is fourteen days before the incident.
Shaken and frazzled, Soo-hyun walks into her home looking around for her daughter, but seeing no signs of her, Soo-hyun hopelessly falls down. All of a sudden, congratulatory music starts playing and Ji-hoon and Saet-byul pop out with a birthday cake.
Soo-hyun is in complete disbelief with her eyes brimming with tears and asks Saet-byul if it’s really her. Tangibly holding Saet-byul confirms Soo-hyun’s hopes, and she pulls Saet-byul into a tight hug. Ji-hoon and Saet-byul are surprised at Soo-hyun’s overreaction, and Ji-hoon sends Saet-byul off to get ready for school.
Ji-hoon looks more confused than concerned as he asks Soo-hyun where she went so early in the morning. Soo-hyun asks what’s going on, since Saet-byul was surely dead as they had completed all the funeral ceremonies. Ji-hoon takes Soo-hyun’s assertion lightly and assumes she just had a really bad dream, telling her to wake up.
Unable to believe this bewildering situation, Soo-hyun walks into her room with a calendar. She tells Ji-hoon that this is two weeks ago — exactly two weeks after her birthday, Saet-byul was found dead. Ji-hoon is more irritated by Soo-hyun’s persistence and tells her to get some rest.
Soo-hyun follows Ji-hoon to the living room, where he is ironing his own shirt this time. Saet-byul is looking for the same notebook she was looking for two weeks ago, but Soo-hyun knows that Saet-byul will injure herself in the process. Soo-hyun tries to stop her, only to burn her arm on the iron — the same place she burned herself two weeks ago.
Ji-hoon asks Saet-byul to get a glass of cold water for Soo-hyun’s burn, but Saet-byul ends up dropping the glass and cutting her finger just like she did two weeks ago.
On the drive to drop Saet-byul off at school, Soo-hyun tries to avoid the same situations as two weeks ago, and even tells Saet-byul that it’s okay to keep listening to her loud Snake CD in the car. Saet-byul turns it off anyway, and presents Soo-hyun with her birthday present. Remembering the close call with the bicyclist, Soo-hyun stops the car abruptly, but the bicyclist crosses the street safely this time.
Struck with déjà vu, Soo-hyun turns on the radio to news of the homicide victim whose body was found in the dumpster. Soo-hyun doesn’t want to believe that everything is happening again, but when she looks through the papers that fell from the car sun visor, she finds Ji-hoon’s same surprise gift from two weeks ago.
Along with the gift, she finds the picture from the mysterious café, Destiny, but the picture is only of her, with no Saet-byul next to her. Ack, that gave me chills.
Soo-hyun snatches the picture away from Saet-byul and pulls her into a hug, refusing to believe that this is happening all over again. Saet-byul squirms in the hug and notices her friend, Eun-joo, with her dog across the street. Uh-oh, everything IS happening again.
Looking for more answers, Soo-hyun goes back to the café, but it’s no longer there. It’s a different café owned by different people.
Soo-hyun then takes Saet-byul over to her coworker Mina’s place (she’s the one who was last seen with Saet-byul before she disappeared) since she couldn’t get a hold of Ji-hoon. She tells Mina to look over Saet-byul and not let her out of her sight.
In the meantime, Soo-hyun arrives at the crime scene, and when approached by police officers for crossing the police line, she asks about the details of the victim. She correctly describes the victim’s appearance, stab wounds, and even the position she was found in, prompting the officers to drag Soo-hyun into their investigation.
In the distance, the silhouette of a man in a hat is shown watching this scene with Soo-hyun unfold.
At the police station, Soo-hyun swears that this murderer will kill two more women and then kidnap her daughter and kill her. She tells the police officer to hurry and catch him, but the police officer is full of doubt.
The fact that Soo-hyun knew the victim’s appearance, wounds, and position is sufficient to consider her a suspect, and the police officer is not buying Soo-hyun’s claims.
In enters Dong-chan with the mobsters who would chase him down two weeks later. Dong-chan accuses the mobsters of attempted murder, as they threw him into the water weighed down by a brick. The mobsters have no idea why they would try to murder a guy they don’t know, but Dong-chan is convinced that they’re all acting.
Dong-chan then notices Soo-hyun and recognizes her from the reservoir. He’s glad to see her alive and well, and he asks her if she recognizes him — he saved her life in that water.
Now we see that while submerged, Dong-chan found shards of glass to cut through the ropes around his wrists, and grabbed Soo-hyun (the glowing green particles lifting from her body) with him.
Dong-chan is now sure that the mobsters can be convicted because Soo-hyun is a witness. He looks at Soo-hyun expectantly, but she denies any knowledge of his situation. She says she never went to the reservoir and has never seen Dong-chan.
Dong-chan claims that he saved Soo-hyun from committing suicide, but Soo-hyun sticks to her story. Dong-chan criticizes her for being so disrespectful toward her savior, but it’s no use: The mobsters are free to go.
Getting into an argument with one of his former officer colleagues, Dong-chan is dragged out of the station. Watching this scene, one of the officers shakes his head, wondering how Seoul’s legendary officer Ki Dong-chan ended up this way. Soo-hyun overhears and takes note of this conversation on Dong-chan recognized abilities as an officer.
Soo-hyun waits to talk to her ex-boyfriend Woo-jin at the police station, and she goes through the similar “long time no see” conversation she had with him the last time. He says it’s been ten years since they last saw each other, but Soo-hyun says they saw each other recently at the broadcast station. Woo-jin has no idea what she’s talking about, but Soo-hyun asks him to be patient and believe what she’s going to tell him.
Woo-jin repeats her claims in disbelief — she came back to two weeks before her daughter’s death and knows of the future murders — and starts rubbing his nose. Soo-hyun picks up on this habit, which he always did when he pretended to believe in her lies, and asks Woo-jin to let her leave.
Outside the station, Dong-chan gives Soo-hyun his business card and asks her to drop him off at the closest subway station since the mobsters are waiting to get him. Just as Dong-chan is about to get in Soo-hyun’s car, she drives away and he’s left to fend for himself.
Dong-chan runs into the subway station and gets on the train just as it closes on the mobsters. Catching his breath, he sits next to a man and tries to share his newspaper. Actually, he just butts his nose into the paper, so the man gets up annoyed and leaves him with it.
Dong-chan flips to the horoscopes, and it says that he’ll meet the one to change his fate today. He wonders who that is, then notices the date: it’s over a month old. He then notices an article in the paper on capital punishment and is reminded of his brother, Dong-ho.
Dong-chan meets nephew Young-gyu and asks him if Grandma mentioned anything about his dad, angling to see if he knows his father has been recently slated for execution. Young-gyu pouts that his dad must not miss him since he never came to see him. Dong-chan starts to tear up, and Young-gyu assumes that Dong-chan must miss him too, though Dong-chan claims it’s just the spicy food.
Soo-hyun and Saet-byul pack for a trip to Hawaii, and Soo-hyun picks out items that Saet-byul wore on the day she was kidnapped to throw out. Something tells me that avoiding isn’t the answer…
Dong-chan returns to his office complaining to his two minions, Byung-tae and Jenny, about the mobsters. The two have no idea what he’s talking about, and just as he starts describing the lady who requested husband surveillance service, she walks in.
While the minions are happy to serve their first customer in months, Dong-chan asks her to leave, thinking they’ve already slept together. He then complains about the calendar being a month off, but Jenny confirms that it is March 10, just like it said in the newspaper.
Dong-chan states the customer’s backstory, shocking everyone since she hasn’t told them yet why she’s here. He says he can’t provide any services for her and ushers her out as the pieces start to fit together, but Dong-chan shakes his head and tells himself it’s all rubbish.
That is, until he gets a call from his homeless grandpa friend, who is still alive in this reality. He gets goosebumps about this whole situation, and then celebrates the fact that he can still get his 10 billion won.
Soo-hyun and Saet-byul take off for Hawaii, and Soo-hyun finally feels relieved. All is well, and the flight attendant even offers Saet-byul ice cream.
Dong-chan returns home and is overjoyed at the sight of Grandpa Byung-ho. Dong-chan has brought home goodies (two caramel macchiatos), and tells Grandpa that he’s going to change for the better.
Anticipating a conversation about money, Dong-chan asks Grandpa if he has anything to tell him. Instead, Grandpa tells Dong-chan that he’s gone crazy, confused at the sudden welcoming attitude.
Belatedly Dong-chan recalls that Grandpa died of a heart attack. So when Grandpa tries to grab his coffee drinks, he snatches them away, barking that it’s bad for his health.
On the plane, Saet-byul suffers an allergic reaction to the walnuts in the ice cream, going into anaphylactic shock. Needing urgent medical attention, her condition forces the plane to land back at the Incheon airport. At the hospital, Soo-hyun tries to explain to Ji-hoon all the same events that are leading up to Saet-byul’s death in two weeks. But Ji-hoon is not believing a word and yells that Saet-byul could have died today because of her.
Lying beside Saet-byul, Soo-hyun remembers the prophecy by the Destiny café owner to fight — not avoid — fate. Soo-hyun makes the decision to fight, starts to investigate the cases, despite the disapproval of Ji-hoon.
The villa security guard brings back the bag of Saet-byul’s unlucky clothing, chastising Ji-hoon for not managing his waste disposal properly. Ji-hoon assumes it’s Soo-hyun’s doing and takes back the clothes with a frustrated look.
Soo-hyun sees Young-gyu lingering outside the villa again and notices his feet, which are wearing slippers. Soo-hyun takes Young-gyu to a store to buy him a pair of sneakers, asking him to be sure to run and protect Saet-byul in these new shoes if anyone tries to harm her. After making the promise, Soo-hyun apologizes to Young-gyu for her harsh treatment of him the last time.
Dong-chan packs up his office intending to start anew in this life as an improved human being, which is when Soo-hyun walks in. Dong-chan would rather not deal her, peevish for her disavowal at the station earlier. but she urgently asks him to help her find the murderer. She knows he came back two weeks with her and explains that they have two weeks before Saet-byul is kidnapped and killed.
Nobody believes Soo-hyun, and she knows Dong-chan is the only person who can help, but he flat-out rejects her. He doesn’t want to risk his life getting involved with someone else’s business. He shows even more distaste when Soo-hyun offers money, telling her to take her money and leave.
Soo-hyun leaves her number with Dong-chan’s minion Byung-tae and leaves asking where to get a gun. Oh my goodness, making me so nervous.
Dong-chan broods in his room and looks at the picture that Soo-hyun slipped into his hands. He recognizes Saet-byul, thinking of the cheery way she promised to rescue him from jail, and then strikes upon a reason to save the girl’s life. If Saet-byul is saved, the pressure on capital punishment could be relieved enough to save his brother Dong-ho.
We also get a flashback to when Dong-chan was part of the police force. Child Young-gyu is held hostage by a gunman on top of a roof, and Dong-chan is the one to shoot. The impact and result of the shot is not shown, but it’s clear that this incident is part of the reason that Dong-chan feels a heavy guilt and obligation towards Young-gyu and Dong-ho. And maybe also explains why he quit the force.
In her car, Soo-hyun stuffs something wrapped in paper (a gun?) into her purse and drives off. Looks like she was given information by Dong-chan’s minion on all the clubs in Gangnam that start with the letter “R” (where the next victim will turn up tomorrow), and she heads out to prevent the murder.
It’s pouring rain outside, and Dong-chan is hanging out with Grandpa Byung-ho in his house. Soo-hyun is still on his mind, and he’s obviously worried for her safety, especially now that he knows that she’s actively looking for the victims and possibly armed with a gun. But he chooses to ignore his worries and hides under his covers.
11:00 PM: Soo-hyun arrives at the final “R” club, and after checking the dumpsters (where the victim was found), she goes into the club looking for a girl with a skull-printed shirt. Soo-hyun spots skull shirt girl after a careful scan of the crowd and notices a man eyeing her from afar, who looks similar to the police sketch of the murderer.
In the bathroom, Soo-hyun takes out her paper package and walks through the crowd with it hidden under her jacket. Oh my goodness please don’t be a gun.
She slowly approaches the suspicious man, and then suddenly the lights turn off and Soo-hyun is pulled away with a hand over her mouth. The lights turn back on immediately, and she turns around to find Dong-chan yelling at her reckless plan to kill someone, asking if she knows how painful it is to do so.
Soo-hyun tells him she’s not going to kill anyone, and now we see that she’s holding a taser, not a gun. Thank the lord.
She tries to get back to her mission, but Dong-chan stops her, saying that if they want to catch the guy, they should just wait at the dumpster. Soo-hyun argues against his logic: the dumpster is where they found the victim, so while they may catch the guy, the girl could still die. Saving lives is the priority.
Soo-hyun asks why he changed his mind, and Dong-chan kind of brushes it off, claiming that he’s doing this for the money. Just then Dong-chan’s minions, Jenny and Byung-tae, enter the club. Turns out they were the ones who turned off the lights.
Jenny goes off to dance with Byung-tae trailing behind, and Dong-chan has to go retrieve both of his minions. In that time, Soo-hyun notices the skull shirt girl leaving and the suspicious man following her out. Soo-hyun follows the man, leaving Dong-chan to look for Soo-hyun.
Skull shirt girl is out for a smoke, and the man slowly approaches her with one hand in his back pocket. Before he can do anything, Soo-hyun takes out her taser, and whacks him in the head with it. She calls out for help, claiming the guy’s a murderer.
Everyone ends up inside a short while later, sorting out the mess. The assumed murderer was actually just a guy trying to get the girl’s digits, and he threatens to pursue legal action against Soo-hyun.
Dong-chan catches his ring finger tan and doesn’t miss a beat in threatening him with that fact — they can call his wife to see what she thinks of her husband skulking around hitting on women. So the man backs off grumbling, no charges pressed.
Before skull shirt girl leaves, Soo-hyun holds her back and tells her not to leave because she’ll die. She doesn’t believe a word, so Dong-chan is left with the job of following her.
Soo-hyun checks the dumpsters again and notices blue plastic boxes next to them. They won’t be picked up until tomorrow afternoon, which doesn’t match the timing and description of the dumpster the victim was found in — the blue plastic boxes were not a part of the crime scene.
Convinced that they’re looking at the wrong place, Soo-hyun walks around and finds one last “R” club with flickering lights that made the “R” look like a “P.” She looks around in the club and ends up in the bathroom, trying to get in contact with Dong-chan.
In stumbles another skull shirt girl, visibly drunk and wearing a cross necklace, which was one of the victim’s belongings. Soo-hyun can’t get in contact with Dong-chan, so she ends up following the girl herself.
She tells the skull shirt girl that she can’t leave or she’ll die, but the girl is too drunk to comprehend what Soo-hyun is saying. Soo-hyun finally gets in contact with Dong-chan, who followed the wrong skull shirt girl all the way to her boyfriend’s motorcycle posse. He’s facing an angry-looking mob (who thinks he followed the girl to hit on her) but ignores them to talk to Soo-hyun, who sounds like she’s in an urgent fix.
Soo-hyun starts to tell Dong-chan that he followed the wrong girl when suddenly, a masked man with a knife holds Soo-hyun hostage from behind. She freezes. On the other end, Dong-chan yells at Soo-hyun to tell him where she is.
COMMENTS
This show really knows how to do cliffhangers. That last scene gave me intense chills, and I’m scared and full of anticipation at the same time. I took a quick look behind me to see if anyone was there. You know, just in case. Or maybe I’m just being paranoid.
Despite the scary element, I still really enjoy the progression of the story and the characters. We learn more about our two time-travelers, and we can already see how going back in time is changing them. The shoe promise scene with Young-gyu was really heartwarming because we can see Soo-hyun wanting to be the best mother she can. Of course she’s doing everything for the sake of her daughter, but the shoes seem to symbolize a trust that she hadn’t had before. Her sincere apology and the trust she expressed really made the scene.
Also, seeing Soo-hyun’s resolve to fight fate was a great point. I’m glad she was quickly able to realize that avoiding fate was not the answer. The previous episodes and her background gave her more ground for her investigative determination, and it’s so refreshing to see a heroine taking matters into her own hands without any reservations. It’s the time travel that is giving her the freedom to be so determined, but if that’s what it takes, then keep doing it and show me more.
We also learn much more about Dong-chan in this episode. His role in the police force was implied in previous episodes, but his reason for resigning from the job had not been explored. I thought it might have been just his testimony for Dong-ho that broke him, but it seems to be more than just that. The flashback to when Dong-chan shot at the gunman holding Young-gyu hostage seems to hold equal if not more importance in his rejection of his police identity. The complexity of his character is starting to make more sense, and I’m enjoying his character quite a lot.
I think the supernatural element of time travel was handled pretty realistically. Confusion and frustrations over what happened and what will happen are necessary complexities in time travel, and we could definitely see that in Ji-hoon. He lives in the present time and is most affected by Soo-hyun’s actions, and he expresses an appropriate frustration for his situation. I’m still curious to see what he has to offer because so far, it seems that he’s just playing the placeholder father role.
I am consistently impressed at how well executed this show is. Everything from the characters, plot, the suspense, and the warm fuzzy moments are done so well visually and emotionally. The focus on the details is particularly impressive, and I feel like I am a part of uncovering the murder mystery. This is how the show keeps me engaged, but I feel like I’m on a crazy emotional rollercoaster ride. But I’m already on, and it’s not stopping, so bring it on.
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Tags: featured, God's Gift – 14 Days, Jo Seung-woo, Lee Bo-young
Interview with Kim Yoo-jung
Hello Dramabeans series
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1 Sae
March 11, 2014 at 8:14 PM
I'm officially hooked! It's a refreshing change from the usual kdrama - not that I don't enjoy those :)
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2 buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:19 PM
Ahhhhhhhhhhh I was waiting for this!! Thank you dramallama, wonderful recap and spot-on comments! Hahaha I agree that the time travel was done pretty realistically and yes, with all those cliffhangers, I am becoming paranoid as well hehehe! Soo-hyun, FIGHTING! I am so immersed and invested in this show!
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:22 PM
Whoopsie, I accidentally deleted part of my comment. It looks as if I am randomly laughing in the middle of the phrase. What I meant was that thanks to dramabeans, we really developed a fondness of using the word 'minion', right :D?
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3 buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:20 PM
Now, on to the episode
OH. MY. FREAKING. GOD. OMO. OMO. SERIOUSLY.
I am writing this before watching episode 4, so no worries, no spoilers about it in this thread. Just finished watching the third one and I still feel numb and can’t really process everything. It’s overwhelming. Intense. Everything you ever wanted from a drama thriller. What I loved about this episode was that it had its lighthearted moments as well – it wasn’t just about Soo Hyun’s anguish while realizing that she went back in time, but also about Dong Chan’s wackiness discovering that he went back in time as well. This comment/analysis will be once again a long one. I am sorry, I know…I just can’t stop writing; every person who reads my awfully-long posts is a brave soul.
So let’s start with the bullet points (hope I won’t bore you guys to death). Red herrings galore.
1) To my disappointment, the guy with the boxes who bumps into Soo Hyun is NOT the same one who is watching her in episode 3 at the crime scene, across the street. His Dumbo-like ears are quite recognizable and different from the person carrying the boxes in episode one. And no, it’s not the puppy guy either.
See comparison screencap:
http://s30.postimg.org/aos5b6jmo/vlcsnap_2014_03_11_07h03m30s122.jpg
I am wondering if there are several people dealing with deliveries who might be involved in this, because they do look similar and are dressed similar as well. Do they look almost the same as a mean to throw us off? You know who else has similar Dumbo ears though? THIS GUY:
http://s14.postimg.org/ciwbqenyp/vlcsnap_2014_03_11_06h59m04s20.png
Young-gyu’s kidnapper does have (or had, although I have the sneaky suspicion he managed to escape the police) big ears, but it’s really really hard to tell if it’s the same person. My first instinct is to dismiss the theory that the guy watching Soo Hyun and Young-gyu’s kidnapper are the same (stalker guy at the crime scene has a bigger right ear), but in time, people change their appearance. Plastic surgery could also be involved. Who knows. I was never good at recognizing faces LOL. I just wonder why the hell do they all have to wear caps LOL. They complicate my existence. Can’t believe I am actually analyzing ears now.
2) Is it just me or do these two look awfully similar?
http://s23.postimg.org/7p1eecoyj/vlcsnap_2014_03_11_08h20m22s156.png
This woman is sitting alongside Young-gyu’s granny when he’s being held as a hostage. Was she in any way related to the kidnapper? Dong-Chan’s family? Could it be that the guy kidnapped Young-gyu in retribution for the death of the woman’s daughter? Am I fantasizing LOL?
3) The Soo Hyun narration in the intro was heartbreaking. Even after finishing the episode, that thing stuck with me.
4) Seriously, the date on the newspaper that Dong Chan reads is 10th of March 2014 and the episode was broadcasted on the exact same day. It almost feels as if the events of the show are happening right now. I am guessing the episodes will be 24-style, with each episode representing a day (and yes, I know in “24” one episode was the equivalent of an hour). It was already past 11 PM when episode 3 ended. Wonder if there is any meaning behind Dong Chan looking at his watch in the subway and seeing it was 2 PM or if it’s just meant to make all this feel more real-time. Thrilling.
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:25 PM
5) I am a bit at loss with the math. Maybe I am miscalculating, since it’s very late here and I have a mixture of numbness and tiredness, so if I don’t make any sense, please forgive me. BUT…Soo Hyun goes back in time 14 days before Saet-byul is killed, right (10th of March 2014)? Dong Chan goes back a month, right (He thinks the newspaper/calendar is one month old)? But Soo Hyun kills herself 49 days after Saet-byul’s death, which would mean that Dong Chan goes back 63 days before his death and not 31, as he says. Now either my subtitles were off the rails, either there is a goof here with the timing. Or maybe this will all this make sense somehow in the show’s logic, with the two of them time-jumping at different points, but co-existing.
6) Dong Chan! He was so endearing in this episode, although I am trying not to get too attached to him, since he is still a suspect LOL. I am wondering if all the hints about Dong Chan are there as in: “Let’s see who caught this clue!” or as in: “Let’s see who falls for this red herring!” Maybe a bit of both. After all, we have the advantage of being able to replay scenes and such, but during a broadcast, most things we discovered could go unnoticed for the average viewer (strawberry hairpin, for example, since it happens in 2 seconds). Also, giving us so many false alarms about him could have the effect of making us dismiss him as a killer completely, which might be exactly what they want in order to surprise us later on. OK so while he obviously isn’t the Gangnam murderer, my gut still tells me that they are in fact looking for two criminals without knowing. I feel that while Soo Hyun (+ Woo-jin ??) will resolve the case with the killings, Dong Chan will solve those with the kidnapping. This means that Dong Chan could still be involved in one way or another with the kidnappings (not consciously though). We haven’t seen him drinking or having any blackouts since his return and that’s the one side of Dong Chan that I don’t trust. And apparently, he even gets fewer chances now to get drunk, since he is so busy with Soo Hyun’s case. As he is right now, in this state of mind, he couldn’t do any harm to an innocent person. The split personality is the only option left, but I am starting to dismiss it more and more, since the Gangnam murderer seems to be killing to satisfy his blood lust, while the other one (if there are 2) wants to make a political statement and stance with the kidnappings. The political statement could mean that the guy has connections – and who would use someone with a frail mind like Dong Chan, if that would be the case? Split personality only works if he is acting alone. I’m stuck! Oh and wasn’t that like the hugest red herring possible when he’s following the girl with the skull tee? When his phone goes off, they were trying so hard to make us believe he would kill her. Also, those gangsters WERE not the ones who tried drowning him, unless I have poor eye sight (well, I do have LOL). Why is he insisting on that? Was he so distressed that he mistook them for other people?
Screencaps: http://s9.postimg.org/8w11zz11a/vlcsnap_2014_03_11_06h56ms08s42.jpg
7) Poor fishermen, they want to catch fish so badly, but all they end up seeing are shoes, dead bodies and suicide attempts. Wonder if they thought about changing their hobby.
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Chesquared
March 11, 2014 at 8:33 PM
I've learned not to trust the back of people's heads. Ex. Reply 1994. They may also be using a "body double"
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:37 PM
That would destroy me LOL, but with the distinctive features that some actors have, maybe they use indeed a body double, since otherwise, it would be fairly easy to spot them.
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ilikemangos
March 11, 2014 at 9:19 PM
LOL,
Yes. i was just going to say this.
Do not pay too much attention to bodies, back of heads, etc. cause those are meant to throw you off sometimes. Only look for obvious clues. Some are red herrings, others not.. Either way this show makes us carefully dissect each scene as to not miss a single thing..Buticut, you are perhaps the most observant one of this thread. But you enlighten us.
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 9:33 PM
Thanks for the warning - I am fairly new to dramaland and I am not familiar with the deceiving body doubles :). The back of the head is so not helpful lol.
Thank you for your compliment, I like playing the detective and paying attention to every detail, no matter how insignificant it might look, although I will probably end up eating my words here and there hehehe. Hmm had a point 8, 9 and 10 as well, but the post might be held for moderation.
CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 10:48 AM
so true.
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whimsyful
March 11, 2014 at 8:36 PM
Yeah, they could be using multiple body doubles, a la the Great Body-Double Confusion of Gaksital.
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 10:51 AM
gosh, i love your posts! Now am wondering about the time issue.
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buticut
March 12, 2014 at 4:28 PM
@Carole You mean you love mine :) ? If yes, aww, thanks! That time issue irked me (Dong Chan going back a month, when in fact there should be 2 months) and I doubt they will explain it, since it would probably be too overcomplicated. I think I just might write it off as a goof, although it's a bit surprising, since this show is so meticulous and carefully constructed. But hey, nothing is perfect.
After watching episode 4, there is even more foreshadowing. The way she puts her life on the line without caring gives me bad vibes. Also, I keep going back to the story from the intro - it will either be "live and let go" or "Take me and leave her". Soo-hyun gets a second chance, but is it really so that she can save her daughter or will she in fact save herself, as in learning to cope with the pain?
As much as I want both the mother and daughter to survive, I have a bad feeling about it.
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:26 PM
8) I feel more skeptical now about Elfie a.k.a. Woo-jin and this breaks my heart LOL. Woo-jin be good! By the way, I call him Elfie because I think he is freaking adorable with those pointy elf ears LOL. The good news is that I’ve seen Jung Gyu-Woon in enough K-dramas to know that this: http://s29.postimg.org/ixaxolplz/3_11_2014_9_07_53_AM.png is definitely not him, because there are too many wrinkles around the eyes. That guy looks way older. Yeah, I’ve moved on to wrinkles now. Also, to me there doesn’t seem to be a great height difference between Soo Hyun and the killer, while Woo-jin is pretty tall in comparison to her.
Screencap: http://s29.postimg.org/d6c2qaw9y/vlcsnap_2014_03_11_07h15m12s220.jpg
Also, wanna bet that the killer is wearing a cap?
If I am mistaken, I will never be able to live this down, since I am so familiarized with him by now that I even see his face in my noodle soup (ok, not quite). Also, she recognizes his habit when he’s trying to believe what she is saying when she is lying. See? He is trying :P. He wants to believe her. Why I am skeptical of him though is that obviously, the killer won’t kill Soo Hyun and if it’s Woo-jin, since he has feelings towards her, I doubt he would harm her. Maybe he lets her go, maybe he knocks her unconsciously, maybe she escapes. Wonder though if she will manage to stop any other tragedy except the one she is involved in. Also, if Woo-jin would believe her time jump story (Which I think he will), it’s not necessary because she proves him she is right, but maybe because HE KNOWS what will happen, since he is orchestrating it, so he knows she is right. Something seems iffy about how Woo-jin liked that gangster looking student better. Why gangster? Dude, you are a cop. Gangster? Get your sh-t together. One thing is for sure though – since the meeting from the kidnap happened now, it won’t happen again on D-DAY, which brings me again back to the bumping delivery guy with the boxes, who gets away without her getting suspicious of him, just because Woo-jin appears. I am beyond suspicious of that guy who only appeared there for a split second.
Please don’t involve my babe in this LOL.
9) Love how she tries to (unsuccessfully) avoid Saet-byul getting her finger cut, while she is careless about herself and still gets the same injuries (hand burn). This makes me think that Saet-byul might be saved at the end, but at the expense of Soo Hyun’s life (please no!). Saet-byul even gets a band-aid which was previously missing. Maybe Soo Hyun will sacrifice herself so that her girl can live on. After all, the ajumma from the DESTINY shop said only one of them can survive. Both can’t die, that’s for sure – the suicide attempt was a failure. I found it interesting how the same things are being told even if it’s the other person who says it. For example, Soo Hyun said that the music was annoying her and now Saet-byul said that her mother is surely annoyed by the music.
10) I freaked out with that picture from the DESTINY shop, without Saet-byul. We need to find ajumma! Although, I assume the DESTINY shop doesn’t exist in this reality, because she had just deviated from her path and tries to fix things up the second time around. But the ajumma could have an apparition.
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 10:53 AM
There definitely is this feeling that there is a heavy loss awaiting our heroine. I'm sure it's not literal with her eyes being given but some great loss.
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:28 PM
11) Hello once again, adorable puppy! Seriously, that dog is so cute!
12) Interesting how there’s grass and glass at the bottom of the river, when the two revive.
13) Oh God, why is she letting her daughter AGAIN with Min Ah? That made me so nervous
14) Wait, so they were really ready to fly away without daddy? But hey, you can’t trick destiny – you have to fight it.
15) Her marriage will definitely crumble
16) Loved her interactions with Young-gyu, asking him to protect her daughter. Bet that camera will also come in handy. Also, since the last time we saw Young-gyu, his slipper was ripped, this won’t happen again with his new sneakers, which could represent important clues. Making a promise with him just like Saet-byul did was so cute!
17) Returning a bit to Dong Chan, I think there is definitely a murder which he committed in the past and is traumatized by. I doubt he killed Young-gyu’s kidnapper, since he was only shot in his arm and maybe even escaped, but at some point, he killed someone (maybe self-defense) and it left him shattered. Why? Because when he stops Soo Hyun in the club from committing a madness, he asks her: “Do you know how painful it feels to kill someone? So he does know! Hmmm
18) How come Saet-byul never mentions Snake in her diary, despite seeing live the lead singer and loving him so much? That would be something worthy to write about, right? Could the mysterious missing page be related to that? Since she mentions her friendship with Young-gyu, I find it hard to believe that she would omit such a thing.
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Arhazivory
March 11, 2014 at 8:48 PM
I like your posts. They say most of what I'm thinking.
I wonder when we'll see Snake.
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:53 PM
Aww, thank you! Really appreciate that, since I often get carried away, making it hard to follow my chain of thoughts. I guess we will see Snake pretty soon, since Saet-byul should go see him with Young-gyu around these days. I hope/feel that nobody will be underdeveloped here and that the characters we've barely seen (Snake lead singer, Min Ah, Woo-jin) will justify their presence later on.
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ilikemangos
March 11, 2014 at 9:28 PM
One of my theories (and i have many, as we all do) is that snake played a role in the kidnapping, OR an indirect role.
Aware or not.
Considering that No Min Woo is playing snake and appeared in press cons for gods gift, i'd say his character is way more important than a simple cameo by a famous idol-rock band leader... Which makes me wonder: how will snake fit into the story?
Sorry if this might seem spoilerish to some, but it is mentioned in the character descriptions of him suffering a long period of depression following his hyung's suicide.
buticut
March 12, 2014 at 1:13 AM
We do have many theories, don't we :) ? I have the same feeling as well - we will probably get a flashback related to his brother and see what really happened there. I'd rather choose the indirect role instead of the direct one, since the show seems to go with normal people committing awful crimes and it might be too obvious to go with the kidnapper having a history of depression, just like it would be to pick on the mentally ill one committing a crime (Doubt that Dong-ho killed that girl).
CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 10:55 AM
The wiki about snake says he is wrongly accused. But I never know if I should trust wikis because dramas so often just veer away. Still waiting for my Min Woo. Yes, he's all mine.
pastmidnite
March 13, 2014 at 4:20 AM
Aah...so the leader of Snake IS played by No Min Woo! I thought it wasn't a sure thing, plus the fact that recaps only mentioned the picture of Snake without citing who the actor is, which kinda dissapointed me. Now I can happily wait for him to show up...soon, I hope.
thea
March 12, 2014 at 6:31 AM
I think you should watch episode 4 because there was surprised at the end of the show after watch it, I have thinking there are two killers in this drama, one is a real killers and other was a man who wants to take revenge to Ji Hoon. dont forget abot what the police said about Saet Byul deaths, she fell into lake because she try to escape. so, the kidnapper didnt killed her.
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 9:29 AM
I am sure there are two killers, but I thought the same thing in ep1 and ep2. The patterns are just too different, the kidnapper was piggybacking on the serial killer as a cover up, not sure how he will handle it now, but I am sure it is not over.
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Angela Teng
March 12, 2014 at 11:26 AM
Ahh so can I clarify something too! I was wondering how Soo Hyun was so sure that the serial killer is her daughter's killer as well! How did she draw that connection? And how does it have anything to do with the President? Sorry for the questions!! So many things happening in this show!
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Carmensitta
March 12, 2014 at 12:52 PM
She was so sure because of the live-call when she found out her daughter was kidnaped. The caller made a very accurate statement about the count of the stab wounds of course she would think that it's him and not someone else. So yeah, just go watch the end of episode 1/ beginning of episode 2 again (with good subs and concentration).
buticut
March 12, 2014 at 2:56 PM
I did get around to watching episode 4 and I even have some new theories - this show is so thought-provoking LOL. But I decided not to watch them back-to-back anymore, since I am afraid that in my analyses I could end up slipping details from the episode not yet recapped and I don't want to spoil people :).
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4 SH
March 11, 2014 at 8:28 PM
This show owns me! So good. I'm especially enjoying Dong-chan character the most- the way he's written and acted is so well done and very engaging.
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5 whimsyful
March 11, 2014 at 8:33 PM
Thanks for the recap dramallama!
I don't know if it's just because of the picture in the recap, but I now find Soo-hyun's co-worker Mina suspicious. And I find it strange that Dong-chan can change his fate with seeming ease (he threw out that client of his), but Saet-byul's fate seems to stay the same no matter what Soo-hyun tries to do.
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buticut
March 11, 2014 at 8:41 PM
I think it depends on how relevant those events are. I am guessing that Soo-hyun can't change the things which don't necessarily affect the outcome of the final events (see the finger cut). She can alter the course of events as well. After all, she did have that encounter with Woo-jin in this episode, thus avoiding the one she would have on the day Saet-byul should be kidnapped.
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6 Chesquared
March 11, 2014 at 8:40 PM
Man. Is it so wrong of me that I ship Dong Chan and Soo Hyun so damn hard? Lee Boyoung and Cho Seungwoo have so much chemistry it's so painful that this is not a rom-com nor an intense melo romance.
I'm jumping on board team Dong-Chan even though his character scares me. Something about him is just not right. Haven't felt this conflicted about a character since watching Joo Sangwook in Special Affairs Team 10 (Which people should definitely check out if you are a fan of this drama.)
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ilikemangos
March 11, 2014 at 8:51 PM
In the next episode, they've definitely formed a good rapport..
They make a good team.
Plus, lee bo young must be the happiest girl on the planet (aside from having a successful year and a happy marriage), she gets to act with Jo Seung Woo who she said she was a fan of.
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panshel
March 12, 2014 at 10:45 AM
Jo Seung Woo can have chemistry with a tree, he's that charismatic. *swoon* I can't ship in this drama due to the circumstances, but he and Lee Bo Young do have great chemistry.
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7 Arhazivory
March 11, 2014 at 8:42 PM
This show......is just so good. I'm eagerly awaiting softsubs for ep 4. I really love these characters and I think if she can stop the girl's murder, that will give me more hope for Saet Byul.
Dong Chan, he's so awesome. Can I get him please? Seriously. I don't watch much kmovies so this is my first time seeing this actor. I'm glad he signed on for this. :D
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8 TP
March 11, 2014 at 8:42 PM
OMG, this show is soooo good. The cliffhangers are killing me!
The writer definitely knows what he/she is doing. The story is unique, refreshing, and compelling. I love that the drama has an almost non-linear narrative stance, making the skipped scenes having a much bigger impact when finally shown. The filming is gorgeous, it has such a cinematic quality to it. Lee Bo-young and Jo Seung-woo are killing it! They always get my attention and keep me emgaged with the story.
Dong-chan is a very interesting character to me. On the surface, he seems sleazy and sneaky. A few commenters have expressed suspicion on his character because his actions are never shown while actually drunk. I don't know if that will become an integral part of the story later on, but I dismissed him as a suspect because 1) so far, there is nothing suspicious about him to make me consider him a suspect; 2) his personality is so out there, I would think the actual culprit will be a lot more secretive. His past also cancels out that theory, too, but I am intrigued to see how his inner turmoil of guilt will turn out.
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9 ilikemangos
March 11, 2014 at 8:43 PM
I agree with your thoughts. This show has managed to sprinkle in some heartwarming moments through small character interactions that could go a long way (more on that in the next episode).
I find Dong-Chan to be a rather intriguing, complex, layered character(and i think we will all fall in love with dong chan in the next episode).. Until this episode his story felt disconnected to the central story-line, but i realized that the writer included those character-driven scenes to develop his character (which is something that is a must in every story. So that people could give a damn about the characters, you must create compelling characters with depth, purpose, and stakes). Well, this episode and the next episode has solidified my investments in both Dong-Chan and Soo-Hyun.
I really am enjoying Jo Seung Woo's performance (lurve him) as much as i did Lee Bo Young in the first 2.
I have to give it to Jo Seung Woo who is playing dong-chan with many facets and charm..I am completely drawn to him whether he's being a cold jackass, an unintentional goofball, or a jaded ex-top detective.
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10 mylove5555
March 11, 2014 at 8:48 PM
Wahhhhh....this story is sick
I'm scared 4 soo hyun
She's so braved....
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11 choco
March 11, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Very happy there are fresh concepts explored and great scripts are written in kdrama nowadays.... really enjoying gods gift, 3days, beyond the clouds, bride of the centurym lets eat !! even if the episode is slow the actors make it brilliantly, if there is a fast sequence the PD makes great shots ...overall very satisfied with how kdramas is going ! Thanks for entertaining us !
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12 snow
March 11, 2014 at 9:07 PM
I'm in love with this show....from the heart-warming moments to the chilling thrills.....everything is awesome...
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13 ilikemangos
March 11, 2014 at 9:11 PM
To add to why i think many people are so drawn to Dong-Chan, he's like an multi-colored, zig-zagged onion that needs careful peeling...l've actually never been as conflicted about a character as I have before him in the sense that he makes me really think about him, as a character, along with this thoughts and feelings.
So far the writer has done a swell job in setting up his character from the first episode till now and yet, still keeping us guessing and filling in the blanks.
Despite it all, somehow the character elements are tangible to us.. He's a complex character but he's not a caricature, and he's not your typical hero either (in the sense that he fits under 1 of the 2 only categories in dramaland: he's a cold jackass with a soft underbelly or a really nice guy with a persistent nature). Dong-chan seems so much more than that, and that's on of the many reasons i stay tuned..
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SH
March 11, 2014 at 9:42 PM
Dong-chan is like the core to all the other emotional underdog side stories, his mom, his brother, his nephew. They don't appear on screen a lot. So through him, we get to mentally picture glimpses of other side characters and mysteries as well.
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14 owl
March 11, 2014 at 9:37 PM
It seems like Soo hyun and her husband don't have a trusting relationship, or at least one where they can't rely on each other and blame each other when something goes wrong (esp regarding Saet Byul). Also, remember in episode 2, Young gyu said Saet Byul wasn't dead? So I wonder if he is a time traveler, too.
This show makes time travel feel so real.
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 9:37 AM
Her husband did not impress me much the first time around, and this time he is being a bit of a jerk. I still have some suspicions also that he had something to do with the kidnapping.
In short, I think that marriage will be gone down the tubes in the end.
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 11:00 AM
He definitely had that "I'm no longer interested in you" vibe but am not sure if he was totally thinking of ending the marriage or just kinda pondering it. His ending the marriage so quickly just seems like an excuse because he already had one foot out of the relationship already.
And the way she looked at her old beau...well, it shows that she also felt the marriage was unfulfilling or that her hubby wasn't quite there for her.
Unless Ji Hoon discovers that his girlfriend killed (intended to kill) his daughter, there's no way this marriage is salvageable.
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15 rearwindow
March 11, 2014 at 9:54 PM
OMG I've been waiting all day for this. I decided to watch episode 1 yesterday and--what do you know, three episodes later I am HOOKED. I just love the tense, spare, emotionally grounded tone of this show. The writer and director have done such a great job of giving us just enough answers to propel us forward, but not so many that we feel that we're ahead of the story. I love how sparingly the time travel was treated--no theatrics, no major exposition, just plop Soo Hyun into the past and let the audience figure out the rules of the new world right along with her. What a way to build tension--I was gasping along with her when she realized that history was repeating itself. That scene with Saet Byul in the morning, getting ready to go to school and cutting herself on the glass could have been such a nothing scene, but the way it was handled was heartstopping because we were figuring it out with Soo Hyun.
Which is all to say that God's Gift is anchored SO well by Lee Bo Young, who has rocketed to my list of fave actresses. Every beat, I'm right there with her. I am so invested in her relationship to her daughter, it's not even funny. I love that she was not a perfect mom, that she is filled with regret and need and fear and determination. The moment when she reflected on how she had treated Young Gyu was beautiful. I'm still waiting for his camera to come into play further down the road.
I'm sure I will have more to say tomorrow, but for tonight: I am officially obsessed.
Oh, and I can't WAIT to see Soo Hyun and Dong Chan form a truth-finding, crime-fighting duo. Assuming everyone makes it out of this show alive (please let it happen, drama gods), can we have that premise turned into a spinoff sequel? I am loving these two together. They have great chemistry and I look forward to seeing their relationship develop. Assuming he's not the killer, that is.
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ilikemangos
March 11, 2014 at 10:02 PM
Hi rearwindow! I'm glad you've decided to check this show out and are obsessed! I knew it would be your cup of tea :)
Also, i completely forgot about young gyu's camera. Im sure that'll have some evidence on it.. There's so many sprinkled clues everywhere, no wonder it took this writer 4 years to develop (that's what i've heard, not sure how true it is).
Lee Bo Young and Jo Seung Woo are enjoying each other's company and it shows through their onscreen chemistry. In an interview, Jo Seung Woo says Lee Bo Young is naturally very talkative offscreen, to which lee bo young says she's normally not.. Then he wonders why it's only him she's that talkative to.. They're going to make an awesome duo.
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rearwindow
March 12, 2014 at 12:29 PM
SO obsessed! And that info about it taking 4 years to develop makes me really optimistic that the story will hold together as the weeks progress. It really is quite masterfully put together. The pacing & story reveals are wonderful. I really, really hope this heralds a slew of more female-driven shows to come.
Also, that is so cute about the interview! I'd totally be shipping them if she and Ji Sung weren't already ADORABLE (and married, haha).
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latteholic
March 12, 2014 at 1:20 AM
I've been thinking about that camera though, in the second episode, I think the husband found out who the kidnapper is from pictures that were sent to his office. I wonder if those pictures come from Young Gyu's camera. Saet Byul had it fixed before and maybe the store who got the camera fixed sent the pictures that were stored inside the camera to the husband's office?
I really love Soo Hyun and Dong Chan together as well! Sucha great chemistry together. Sometimes I forgot that she's married here and just ship them to the goddamn moon and back
And I lurve Dong Chan as well --apparently a little bit too mucis h now that when the subtitle for episode 4 was out of synch earlier in Viki, I spent the last 2 hour watching Jo Seung Woo's movie :D -- Anyway, I do hope that Dong Chan is not the kidnapper. Just like what everyone else has said, I feel so conflicted with his character (esp after episode 4). Him being the kidnapper would be a great twist (although most of us already suspect him because of his drunk en blackouts), but I don't whether I'd be able to handle it... Why do you have to show me an adorable yet complex character and have me feeling so conflicted, show?
This show is just so intense and full of suspense, LOVE it!
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 9:40 AM
I don't suspect Dong Chan of the kidnapping, never did. If nothing else, it is just too obvious.
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magnus
March 12, 2014 at 3:20 PM
Him as the kidnapper actually makes no sense because the only reason he would've done it is because of some sort of split-personality disorder or his drunken blackouts are really violent the farther int he night it goes(past what we've seen of him drunk which was tame). Normal Dong-chan that we've seen on screen isn't a possibility I consider plausible anymore. And he wasn't drunk for 7 days to have been holding Saet-Byul so split-personalities is all that's left and I highly doubt that either. But we'll have the wait and see.
I just know I crossed him off the suspect list a while ago. It's a stretch for me to suspect him and look into what he does when it gleans no results so I'll save my brain space for picking up other clues. And it's more fun to just watch his antics :) he's hilarious.
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 11:01 AM
Interesting that the husband would know where to drive to to see the kidnapper/murderer. Someone HE knows?
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rearwindow
March 12, 2014 at 12:37 PM
Definitely. I think that the husband's corrupt somehow & connected tangentially to the kidnapper. Can't wait to see how this develops!
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rearwindow
March 12, 2014 at 12:35 PM
That's a really interesting theory about the pictures coming from Young Gyu's camera. In which case, I wonder who sent them to the husband & why? I still think that the husband is involved in something politically shady. I think that Saet Byul is a chess piece in a much larger game.
Haven't watched episode 4 yet, but I don't think that Dong Chan is connected enough to be the killer. I think that the Attorney General wanted Dong Chan's brother dead, for some reason (did he know/see something he wasn't supposed to?), and wouldn't be surprised if those storylines come together somehow. But I do wonder if his tendency to get blackout drunk will be used against him--maybe he'll be framed? Eeesh, so good!
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16 Megan
March 11, 2014 at 9:55 PM
I wasn't too into this drama before this episode- but now we're going a'mystery solving and I can see there's going to be bits and clues to be picked up in every episode. I'm in!
But ACKK! I don't know how Soo-hyun can just drop her daughter-who, for her at least, just came back to life- off with the last person who saw her alive before. It might not make me parent of the year, but I'd be taking my daughter with me everywhere from that point on, handcuffed together and me armed with my taser ready to tase anyone who looks at her.
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August
March 12, 2014 at 7:31 AM
"I don’t know how Soo-hyun can just drop her daughter-who, for her at least, just came back to life- off with the last person who saw her alive before."
I questioned Soo-Hyun's decision to leave Saet-Byeol with Joo Min-Ah as well.
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fab
March 12, 2014 at 9:07 AM
I thought that too, I would lock myself and my daughter home for the next 2 weeks or so. LOL.
But Soo Hyun has no reason whatsoever to suspect Min-ah is perhaps involved in the kidnapping. But we do!
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 9:51 AM
I don;t think her dragging her daughter around everywhere would be the answer. In fact it might put her in even more danger.
It seems obvious to me that the kidnapping was planned to be highly visible publicly. I am guessing that the kidnapper is out for revenge - just not sure revenge on WHO - her or the husband? But I am also back to suspecting that the husband had some hand in it somehow, and things went wrong.
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 11:08 AM
Agreed about the leaving Saet Byul with Mina. I would be so angry with her. It felt like yet another emotional glitch in this drama. The writer is trying to get the plot going and so sane "true" emotional reactions just aren't allowed to clutter up the plot. Even if it's to show that Soo Hyun is forgiving or that Soo Hyun doesn't trust the babysitter anymore, it felt "untrue."
Also... I'm wondering if Soo-Hyun is all alone in Seoul with no family -- no mom or sister to help her.
Another possibility is that the writer put Saet Byul in Mina's apartment because Saet Byul might see "something" while she's at Mina's apartment. If SB does see something, we might get to see that in upcoming episodes.
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17 domo
March 11, 2014 at 9:57 PM
Thanks for the recap dramallama!
Not that I needed another drama to watch -___- but this seems to good to pass up!!
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18 Sur
March 11, 2014 at 10:16 PM
wow this is going pretty good. I would really like to watch this drama but after completing Nine yesterday my mind has been on vacation. And another time travel drama THIS BRAIN can not take. I'll wait until halfway through or the end of the drama to watch it. Hope this one is good Fingers crossed
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19 Stephen
March 11, 2014 at 10:23 PM
OMGGG I can't wait to watch this week's episodes when I have time. I'm really loving what could potentially happen.
If anyone is interested, my friend and I will be recording weekly video podcasts about Gods Gift. We already recorded one about episodes 1&2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0hQjlAV0ac
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20 panshel
March 11, 2014 at 10:48 PM
Omg, did Dong Chan accidentally shoot his own nephew, and that is why Young Gyu is mentally challenged today? Then did Dong Chan quit the police force due to this accident?
This show really drives home the "you can't escape destiny" message. Even though she wasn't the one ironing, Soo Hyun still got burned the second time around. I was freaking out during the mother-daughter spur-of-the-moment flight because it eerily reminded me of Final Destination. I liked how our supernatural element was something real -- sea anemone -- instead of something make-believe, like a potion.
I understand Soo Hyun's desperation at stopping the killer before he can kidnap Saet Byul, but her gung-ho is going to get herself killed. Just because she got a second chance at life does not mean she has nine lives. And why do all k-drama characters not pick up their phones in urgent situations? What a cliffhanger.
Thanks for the recap, dramallama!
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 10:00 AM
"..why do all k-drama characters not pick up their phones in urgent situations?.."
Heh.. so true.
Still not sure what happened in the rooftop shooting flashback, but apparently he fired and hit the wrong person. If so, that was not the best decision, since they already had real snipers with real sniper rifles on the scene.
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21 Joseph
March 11, 2014 at 11:15 PM
Hey, no annoying questions from ivoire today, what is this?
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yenthi
March 11, 2014 at 11:47 PM
I think she's only into 3 days. ;-)
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john
March 12, 2014 at 2:17 AM
Was that comment really necessary ?
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fab
March 12, 2014 at 5:43 AM
Trying to be clever?
I actually wish she'd fire tons of questions, especially about this drama!
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topper
March 12, 2014 at 1:59 PM
What is this? Keep the comments to views related to the drama, yours look like cyber bullying.
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22 Sajen
March 11, 2014 at 11:45 PM
I have so many questions yet no answers so far.
The rules seem to indicate that Soo Hyun can't change things, as she stopped Saet Byul from tripping but still burned herself and Saet Byul still cut herself.
So what then is the point of the journey?
Will she perhaps have to sacrifice her own life or someone elses life to save Saet Byul?
Who makes walnut ice-cream?
What is the significance of Dong Chan's blackouts?
Who is Dong Ho Protecting? Dong Chan?
What was in the pictures that Ji Hoon got in the mail before Soo Hyun went back in time that set him off?
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Petmink
March 12, 2014 at 1:30 AM
Yes, who does make walnut ice cream? Does it also come as Gelato?
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zakin89
March 12, 2014 at 1:30 AM
I try to answer some of your questions though most of it is mostly me guessing because we will ahve to wait how everything develops.
"The rules seem to indicate that Soo Hyun can’t change things, as she stopped Saet Byul from tripping but still burned herself and Saet Byul still cut herself."
True but everything happened differently the second time around! The third murder for example took place at the woman's home so things definitely are changing and indicating that certain things can be prevented e.g. SB's death.
"Who makes walnut ice-cream?"
Walnut ice-cream is delicious and one of my favourites^^ And believe me...their are really weird tasting ice-creams out there! Walnut is a pretty common flavour (at least here in Austria/Europe)
"What is the significance of Dong Chan’s blackouts?"
I guess we'll get to that in the next episodes but I don't have a really good feeling about those blackouts :/
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sandy80
March 12, 2014 at 2:49 AM
So what then is the point of the journey?
read the fairy tale its the inspiration for the show
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 10:15 AM
The rules seem to be a bit flexible, depending on the situation. It seems like the deja vu moments, such as her burning herself on the iron, repeat themselves because up until then she has made no conscious effort to actually change things. But even later on, even though they found the killer, they failed to prevent the same killings.
I am not a believer in fate or destiny, but a lot of k-dramas emphasize that a lot. But this is more of a time travel thing, so perhaps "the fabric of the universe" or some such things makes it much harder to change things that have already happened.
Did they say Walnut ice cream? In the translation I saw, they just said "nuts". I have never seen Walnut ice cream, but Black Walnut is quite common.
And also, carrying an Epi-Pen with you at all times is recommended and common for those with nut allergies, so not sure why the mother does not have one on hand.
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Lindy
March 12, 2014 at 10:33 AM
Maple walnut ice cream is a very popular type of ice cream in Canada. One of the top five most popular kinds, I believe. Maple flavouring with chunks of walnut. It's my favourite.
About your other questions, I don't think there is as yet enough information to give even speculative answers. But about the going back in time to change things, I think that the events of the 14 days prior to Sat-byul's death are part of an on-going situation starting with the murder 16 years ago of a woman (teenaged girl ???). Dong-ho has been sitting on death row convicted of this crime and nothing can change until this crime is solved and the real killer brought to justice.
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 10:38 AM
I am still thinking that the murder 16 years ago is the key also, but the show so far has not dug into it much. I am sure that somehow that is also connected to the kidnapping, but no clue yet as to how. I am back to suspecting the husband in this somehow.. perhaps he was the culprit in the original murder?
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Lindy
March 12, 2014 at 11:05 AM
I don't think it's the husband but he is involved somehow. Someone on the Episode 2 discussion made the good point that perhaps the courtroom scene is not the original trial which convicted Dong-ho but a reopening of the case. The husband is a human rights, anti-death penalty lawyer so maybe he was acting as Dong-ho's lawyer in this appeal and the original conviction is upheld. Maybe he was coerced or convinced to lose the appeal.
We still don't know anything about the 16 year old murder except that the convicted killer and his mother have maintained his innocence all along. If Dong-ho's confession was coerced or manipulated in any way, the husband would have to know this and he's therefore dangerous. Until Soo-hyun and Dong-chan return from the dead, the conspiracy seems to be holding. Soo-hyun is incapacitated and suicidal with grief, Dong-chan is being eliminated by a jealous gang boss husband, Ji-hoon is on his way to kill the person who has been fingered as Saet-byul's kidnapper and the original killer (who might also be the Gangnam spree killer) has been protected yet again. I'm still very curious about the crew that is dumping Dong-chan off the dock. They are not the same men who chase him from his house.
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 11:10 AM
I just wish we would see the countdown of the days. That is something that helped the intense suspense in three weeks. But here, we kinda don't have that external framing to help us watch as the days roll by.
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crayon
March 12, 2014 at 12:09 PM
They did count down the days. After they discovered the second victim in the beginning of ep. 4 it was written on the screen - 13 days left (or 13 days until the incident). The 13th day was the whole 4th ep. when they went on to catch the teacher-killer. In the next episode they'll count down to 12 days.
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ilikemangos
March 12, 2014 at 12:47 PM
I actually think God's gift has used the clock more wisely than 3 days in terms of keeping up the suspense. We don't exactly get a clue in every few hours, but the ride is more thrilling because we know what happens(the final destination of the characters), just not how. That makes it even more exciting for me, personally. That build up.. the chronological events that happen, albeit in different ways, now that Soo-Hyun has altered the past.
In 3 days, there was a presence of a clock that would help guide the audience through the time frame, but the way it was handled didn't exactly play much to the suspense (imo) because the audience doesn't know what exactly we're counting down to. However, the one time it worked was when it was ticking down to the day president would die(from the dead man who warned our hero that president would die on march 5), but otherwise, the show could get rid of the clock and it would not feel much different.
Gods gift seems to be following in 2 weeks' footsteps -- 16 episodes total, 2 episode set up, and the rest of the 14 days will follow her going back in time with each episode counting as one day (this is shown in the beginning of fourth episode).
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 3:50 PM
Thanks, guys! Thanks. I totslly missed the clock/countdown thingey.
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23 Fun-Lugha
March 12, 2014 at 1:04 AM
Where have I seen those green light thingies before? BIG? And thank God SB is back. About the new restaurant/cafe, good one to the one who pointed out last week it probably didnt exist to begin with-but thats so creepy! Plus seeing dead people alive again, am getting 9 kinda chills!
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August
March 12, 2014 at 6:44 AM
When the green particles (fibers/lights) and white tentacles appeared to surround and fuse with Soo-Hyun, it reminded me of the movie Avatar and Koo Wol-Ryung (Choi Jin-Hyuk) from Gu Family Book.
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latteholic
March 12, 2014 at 6:53 AM
Yep, made me think of Gu Family Book as well.
I really hope that this drama will not turn out like that one though
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fab
March 12, 2014 at 9:08 AM
The scene in the lake reminds of Padam Padam. BIG also had a similar scene...
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24 John Smith
March 12, 2014 at 1:05 AM
While I want to watch this show due to time constraints being a major factor I am unable to do so sadly. Fortunately this site knows just how to spoil us. Therefore thankyou for all these wonderful recaps and even though it doesn't recap all the shows that I am curious about or want to watch etc... I am still grateful for what I get. :)
All that I have to say about this show regarding the time travel factor is what Arnold once said in T3
"Judgement Day is inevitable you merely delayed it."
Therefore what is meant to happen is bound to happen you really can't cheat fate.
As someone who enjoys Sci-Fi this is the feel that I have when it comes to time travel.
Everything is alive even time just because we can't see it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist or it isn't alive.
Now when someone time jumps/travels (whatever you want to call it) and changes something you injure time. Now since time is alive like us it tries to repair and heal its injuries. Thus just like the film The Time Machine the hero may have saved his girlfriends life from one encounter but fate demands its due and claims what it needs thus who has to go will go one way or another.
A possible solution to save the daughter is if an appropriate price is paid to balance the scales. For instance the mother can sacrifice her own life in return for the daughter to live.
Interesting the cafe is now MIA. Clearly my early suspicions about it being more than meets they eye were correct to an extent. Then if it is not the mother then perhaps it is the daughter that has returned this time to save the mother to repay the favor. Granted that makes even less sense than my previous theory.
When I had heard about this show earlier I had assumed that there may have been to Soo Yuns in the show. So while one would live a normal life the one from the future would be working hard to uncover the truth and save the daughter and would try things like leaving with the daughter for the time frame of the events. Guess I was wrong in some aspects. But I am still interested to see things in other matters.
Frankly call me paranoid or something but I still don't trust anyone in this show as the murder suspect and Yes that includes the mother. Granted her kidnapping her own daughter and then killing her may be hard to pull of when she talked with the kidnapper. So I guess Dong Chan is still a suspect in my eyes.
Will wait some more before adding more weird comments in the future. :)
Till then take care and hope to read some more of your comments soon.
PS Carol I thanked you earlier don't think that you saw that post still thanks once again . Just wondering
Also thankyou to all previous posters who commented on my last post.
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buticut
March 12, 2014 at 1:53 AM
That’s my concern as well. There is some foreshadowing already about how one of them has to die and Sci-Fi has indeed taught us that you can’t cheat fate – not without giving something in exchange. Even in Hans Christian Andersen’s story from the beginning, the mother accepts God’s will and believes her daughter will be taken to a better place, thus she lets her go. This could also mean that even though she did go back in time, she still didn’t manage to prevent her daughter’s death, but maybe she learns how to deal with it, instead of killing herself. Maybe she goes back in time to save herself and not her daughter.
However, it should also be considered that since this is a show with a great deal of realism, time travelling wasn’t something Soo-hyun intended on doing, since she obviously didn’t think it was possible. Maybe it’s not really cheating fate when you receive this second chance without forcing it a.k.a. using a machine of sorts.
I totally understand how you don’t trust anyone. I loooove the main players, but I am still reluctant to fully embrace them because of my suspicions.
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 10:29 AM
There are actually quite a few SciFi movies where "fate" is cheated (assuming you believe in fate). But I emphasize the "Fi" (fiction) part - since we really don't do time travel, there are no real rules except what previous SciFi books and (mostly) movies have come up with for plot devices.
And none of the real SciFi books or movies I have seen emphasize the "fate" part - that something has to be lost - that appears a lot in supernatural type movies though. The idea that something has to be lost to gain something is pretty much a philosophical thing more than realistic, and at this point in the show I am not buying it.
And at this point I am still not sure if the time travel in this show is SciFi or Fantasy...
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25 Baek Song-yi
March 12, 2014 at 1:08 AM
Full confession: I have already watched episode four, so I'll be holding most of my speculation until the next recap. No spoilers to be found here though.
I felt that episode three was mostly a breather episode after the intense first week, understandably giving Soo-hyun time to accept that she had time travelled, and that she had no option but to fight fate. That's not to say it was badly done; those less dramatic moments were still beautifully played. I particularly liked the ironing scene, as Soo-hyun slowly realized that some events were repeating themselves -whether she liked it or not.
However, the episode did really pick up after she made up her mind to take matters into her own hands. And boy, did she: going after a murderer armed with nothing but a taser? Nerves of steel, this one.
I did wonder why it took Soo-hyun so long to team up with Dong-chan - and why she didn't help him at all at the police station. Surely she should have at least confided in him that she was a fellow time traveller? I do love their rapport once they did join forces, so I guess it was worth waiting for. On the other hand, why *did* Dong-chan remember everything? It could simply be that he too was on the brink of death, or that he touched the glowing green particles. But it looks like he is going to take full advantage of his second chance, and I can't wait to dig into his backstory. Although I adore Soo-hyun, her motivations are extremely straightforward; I love that with Dong-chan we get a chance to explore such a complex and layered character.
I am in no way religious, but the way that Soo-hyun and Dong-chan nearly died struck me as significant - those almost drownings suggested baptisms to me, a rebirth and thus a second chance. It also fits in with the title and the concept that these two weeks are 'God's gift'.
As for this drama's concept of fate, so far it has not been encouraging where Saet-byul is concerned. There's her creepy disappearance from the picture; the seemingly unavoidable cut to her finger; her inability to leave Korea; and the return of the clothes she had died in (time travel stories play havoc with tenses). Of course, these examples are from when Soo-hyun is attempting to flee rather than fight fate, nevertheless it does make us question how much she can really change. Naturally, I'm hoping for the best, but it does make me uneasy.
Oh, and I can't have been the only one to notice that Saet-byul still had her strawberry hair clip when she was on the plane. Maybe that acted as an 'anchor' to her first fate and prevented her from leaving? I know that I'm grasping at straws here, but dammit I need Saet-byul to live.
Finally, I love Soo-hyun's scarves. On the shallow side, they are all unremittingly gorgeous; on the story side, they evoke the hangman's noose - a constant reminder of how high the stakes are, and how they weigh on Soo-hyun personally. There is obviously also the parallel drawn with Dong-ho's fate, reminding us that his life also hangs in the balance. That first scene - as Soo-hyun sinks down in the lake and the scarf slips from around her neck - was both eerily beautiful and rich with interpretation. As the scarf first begins to slip, it looks like a noose tightening around her neck, but ultimately it floats away and Soo-hyun escapes the 'noose'. Is it only supposed to represent Soo-hyun nearly dying and being brought back to life? Or does it also symbolise the (hopefully...
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Baek Song-yi
March 12, 2014 at 1:09 AM
(Cont.)
Or does it also symbolise the (hopefully permanent) revival of all the other dead and dying characters?
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buticut
March 12, 2014 at 1:42 AM
Ha, I've just finished watching episode 4 as well, minutes ago. Couldn't resist. It’s always a pleasure reading you here, especially your takes on the symbolism of various objects. I found it interesting how even when she avoids saying things, like to turn the music off in the car because it’s annoying, Saet-byul still says it in her place.
I believe she didn’t help him at all at the police station because otherwise she would have had to explain why on earth did she want to kill herself in first place. She might have been afraid that they would label her as being completely bonkers and maybe even send her to a hospital. It was bad enough that she was giving exact details about the murder (they almost thought she was responsible), so the suicide rescue would have only put more fuel to the fire.
Wow wow wow with your take on rebirth and baptism. The concept of faith is also God-related, since it is said that you can’t avoid God’s will and that every individual has his own path he needs to follow.
Bloody strawberry hairclip! Although with or without it, I am guessing the outcome would have been the same. You see, as for the fleeing/fighting faith element, even though she can’t stop certain things from happening (Saet-byul getting her finger cut), she decides to fight it in a way, without realizing it, by placing the band aid. This leads me to believe that she won’t be able to stop Saet-byul from being kidnapped – she will be kidnapped, but mommy will fix it (as in save her and maybe even sacrificing herself in the process). Also look out for the tiny things she is influencing. **MILD EPISODE 4 SPOILERS*** She brings Dong Chan home -> Young-gyu gets disappointed and doesn’t speak to Saet-byul.
She buys Young-gyu shoes -> Saet-byul won’t give him a pair of socks anymore. She reencounters Woo-jin -> They won’t chat again on the day Saet-byul will be kidnapped.
All these apparently small details will probably have a greater impact in the bigger picture.
Love the scarves as well, although I never looked at them as the hangman’s noose, despite the fact that the image of Dong-ho being hanged did haunt me. That’s some beautiful interpretation right there!
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buticut
March 12, 2014 at 3:18 AM
*fate, not *faith, sorry for the slip.
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 10:35 AM
"..and why she didn't help him at all at the police station..."
That was the one part that made no sense to me, unless she really did not recall any of it. There is a blank spot in the plot there - she ends up on the bank of the river, but it never shows until the flashback later what happened - but in the flashback she was fully conscious. Still a bit confused about that part.
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Tara
March 12, 2014 at 2:01 PM
Yes, I agree as well...that part was missing something there, and when you're watching it, you could sense it.
I don't think she didn't recall, I'm thinking she was partly in denial and also trying to avoid being entangled in that situation...although if she had chimed in, I think they (SH & DC) would have been better off. Shoot, who knows...maybe they might have been able to alter the upcoming events slightly enough (a la butterfly effect) that they wouldn't have had the need to look for the lady killer at night!
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Tara
March 12, 2014 at 2:19 PM
I've read your comments on the previous episodes, and I gotta say: your comments are so thought-provoking and eloquently written! :)
I like your interpretation of the near-drownings as baptisms thus second chances for both SH and DC. I'm not religious as well but in the way you put it, I never thought of it in that way...very poetic and symbolic.
As for the scarf as a noose...I agree, the noose seems to be symbolic to her fate of losing SB. Seeing the scarf float away in the water does seem to signify that she could escape that fate -- only if she fights for it, instead of simply avoiding situations. I think that she can't simply alter the future--as SB's cut on her finger and etc. proved--but maybe making better choices (a la the butterfly effect) could somehow make the outcome different. At least that's what I'm hoping...I don't want SB to die a second time either!
And I, too, thought it took some balls for her to go after the lady killer with a mere taser...alone!
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Jay
September 1, 2016 at 5:04 AM
Still confused about picture. She went to destiny shop before everything happened. She got warned and things started happening. So how can inher 2nd time the kid is gone from picture if this suppose to have happened already in 2nd life also? By time she woke up on her bday she shuda have took the picture already so she shud be in the pic. M i just makin shxt up in my head?
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Jay
September 1, 2016 at 5:18 AM
1st ep she gets warned about her future thats supppse to unfold. She took the picture, Got warned, then later her daughter get kidnapped n killed. She kills her self then wakes back on her bday.
So Then please tell me how is the daughter gone in the picture? The day she gpt taken back to is after the day she had taken the picture. So her timeline before that shud be not changed. She was okay n fine in her 2nd life also on her bday cus picture was taken before that.
If youre gona tell me its cus mistery shop really doesnt exisist, then please dont. BecUse if no shop then no picture period but thats not the case
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26 fab
March 12, 2014 at 2:31 AM
Episode 1&2 felt so much like a movie to me. Mother loses her little girl, is crushed about it, feels powerless and drowns herself. The end!
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27 aen03
March 12, 2014 at 2:40 AM
daebak this show! daebak!
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28 Hoang
March 12, 2014 at 4:45 AM
The drama is so great. I'm really hook. It is just getting better every episode. Our actors and actress are so good too especially Jo Seung Woo and Lee Bo Young. The only thing that is not right for the drama is that its ratings is yet to reach two digital number >"<.
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ilikemangos
March 12, 2014 at 10:42 AM
The ratings are not stellar, but they have been increasing steadily as the story gets more thrilling (which is a very good sign, as it shows more people are getting interested).
I think God's Gift has a good chance gaining more viewers even against EK.
Ep.1,2,3 and 4 recorded 6.9, 7.7, 8.9, and 9.1 respectively. That's definitely a good sign.
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 10:55 AM
The first episode of "Secrets" started out a 4.4, ended up in the final at 21.1 - and the last 4 episodes (I think) were up against Heirs. So it may end up a lot higher as the word gets out.
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29 Ariadragon
March 12, 2014 at 5:32 AM
I can't tell you guys how much I love this drama!! its really taken the suspense/thriller genre to another level in kdramas! heres to hoping the writor and the director don't mess up!! P.S. Lee Bo Young looks soooo beautiful!!
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30 Kaybee
March 12, 2014 at 7:02 AM
WOW!!! I am hooked!!! Wow! I love the premise and the way it is going...
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31 Abbie
March 12, 2014 at 7:10 AM
I'm so glad Dong-chan went back in time as well! I hope he finds some way to redeem himself and become less-suspicious! The hair pin! How does that connect? Looking forward to finding out.
I really enjoyed this episode. The mystery and the time-travel aspect are both well done. The actual method of time-travel was understated and believable, and the fallout from that was equally believable. The show and writer are doing a fantastic job of handling it.
There are some characters that I don't fully trust yet, like Mina. There's just something about her that puts me off. And Ji-hoon is aggravating. I know where he's coming from: his wife tells him their daughter will die soon, and he doesn't want to believe it because its ludicrous to him. But still, he seems too eager to blame her when something happens to Saet-byul. It makes me think he's looking for an out in the marriage. I still stand by my affair theory and he and Mina have something cooking. Or maybe I'm seeing shadows where their are none, I don't know.
Still, looking forward to seeing how this unfolds, and I'm not averse to something happening between Soo-hyun and Dong-chan, because, hair pin or not, he's looking better than Ji-hoon right now. Also, where is Snake?!
Thanks for the recap, dramallama!
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Abbie
March 12, 2014 at 7:12 AM
*there are none.
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32 CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 8:05 AM
Thanks so much for the recap.
Am really liking this show and am liking the speed and unpredictability of the plot. It'll have to balance being a mere thriller cop show with time travel, which it's kind of doing...for the most part.
I like how the characters are coming to terms with their own selfishness. They still aren't there yet, because they're still focused on helping others as means of helping themselves. ...although I love that hero has kinda decided he doesn't want ahjussi/halbae to die.
The reactions of the characters are a bit unbelievable at times. Maybe it's me because as a viewer of scifi, I know it's stupid to even try to get folks to believe you're in a time jump. But also as a regular person...I feel any regular person would be very nervous about telling someone about some weird pranormal stuff that happens. So I feel some unrealistic stuff is happening and is being written by the writer simply because the writer wants to push the plot ahead. One would think heroine would've jumped at the thought that someone else had experienced something in her timeline. But she is conveniently too distraught and emotional to recognize that hero could be of help to her...until her selfishness kicks in.
Same for the hero. He gets out of the lake, dripping wet, has time to somehow get all the baddies who tried to drown him into the station and conveniently forgot that his brother was just hung until he conveniently remembers.
Don't get me wrong. I like this drama a lot but when I saw those flaws I realized this wasn't going to be the perfect unflawed drama I had hoped for.
Hero and heroine are being set up for OTP and I think they'll work together well...bickering here and there. Husband is definitely in affair-preoccupied-mode and maybe the marriage will be saved in this second run-through. Wondering who was gonna spill the beans though. That's not clear.
Glad we understand more about hero's past.
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sandy80
March 12, 2014 at 9:24 AM
its pretty normal for a person from the future to try and tell ppl from the past about the experience not to mention its a woman who just exprienced a suicide attempt and time travel
and no according to the relationship chart there wont be any OTP maybe just a one sided crush
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 10:46 AM
I'm not sure it's normal. People are not fools. If someone sees a ghost or has some supernatural event happen near them, she/he is going to be very careful about how she presents this information. The story has a short little time-skip where we see her and the hero suddenly at the police station. This was a bad creative choice. I'll accept them both at the station because this is k-drama and coincidences happen and also because "Destiny" is bringing these folks together. But the heroine A) knows about how people behave when someone talks about the future as she herself treated the cafe-shaman-lady with a bit of scorn B) the heroine works in broadcasting and journalists are pretty skeptical.
The writer should've shown a bit of time where heroine worked all this through her mind and we would've seen her intention to not speak of the future, then how her stress at the situation made her blurt out what she feared to talk about.
I think if she was savvy and aware enough to realize that she acknowledging the hero would lead to having to explain her suicide attempt, she would be savvy and aware enough to know that they would think she is nutty for mentioning the time travel. You can't be savvy about folks might see you one minute and unsavvy at the same time. It's plot convenience.
So no...I don't think it's normal to run to the police to tell them that. It's normal to tell your husband and your friends, perhaps. But either one is entirely savvy-while-hysterical or not.
As I said, this might give the husband and wife a chance to have their relationship repaired..and for their love to be rekindled. It seemed that husband was drifting away from her -- or maybe pre-occupied with some secret( adulterous or not) before the incident. And perhaps he was already looking for a way to either talk to her about the secret or just end the marriage. Seems like his love for his daughter was what was holding him to his wife.
I doubt the hero and heroine will be married at the end of the drama but there seems to be a possibility of her going off alone, or with ex-beau, or with hero, or to be reconciled with her hubby.
I totally love this drama. But I'm not someone who feels that something has to be perfect for me to love it. Some folks are like that. If they love a thing, then that thing has to be perfect...but most dramalovers are pretty accepting. And as I writer, I feel it would be wrong of me to praise something which I see as somewhat flawed.
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 11:15 AM
I don't think her and hubby will end up together at the end. He seems a bit off, just like he did in ep1. I am starting to suspect he may have had something to do with either or both the kidnapping and the original murder of 16 years ago. So he may end up out of the picture, leaving the hero and heroine to hook up (though I only give that part a small chance).
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 10:49 AM
"pretty normal"? Maybe in movies, but in real life it would instantly brand you as a total nut case, not to mention the fact that we don't have a lot of time travelers in RL.
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sandy80
March 12, 2014 at 11:11 AM
lol we are talking about ppl going back in time and fighting fate its a fantasy setting if you accepted fantasy and sci fi why are you going for realistic reactions when its not the reality in the first place
I think being exposed to very bad kshows made you overly critical its a habit
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 11:05 AM
Like Carole, I also find some of the reactions and priorities a bit "off". But in k-dramas I have come to accept the fact that if people really did the "smart" thing, they would usually end after the 3rd episode :)
The part I really did not get was the heroines reaction in the police station and after. He told her several times that he had pulled her out of the river, yet she just totally ignored that little fact, just like she totally ignored the original part where he was being dumped into the lake by the gang.
In many ways this is like Secrets - but with a few more plot holes. Still at the top of my list for dramas, but the little glitches in plot are starting to worry me.
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sandy80
March 12, 2014 at 11:31 AM
she denied it cause if she did agree with him she would have to explain why she was in the water and that she committed suicide
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windsun33
March 12, 2014 at 4:17 PM
That sounds plausible, but it still leaves questions about why it took her so long to change her mind and decide to get in touch with him.
Perhaps future episodes will fill in some gaps.
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CaroleMcDonnell
March 12, 2014 at 3:54 PM
So true! Where would drama be if heroines didn't do something silly or totally unrealistic? Although I still am shaking my head that she wasn't angry with Mina. Backward Time jump or not, Resurrected child or not, I WOULD still be angry at the woman who had lost my child to a kidnapper. I'm still going, "What?? The only one she could think to bring her child to was the very person who lost Saet Byul? Way way way too unrealistically forgiving.
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Tara
March 12, 2014 at 1:56 PM
I so agree with what you and said...that's what got me a bit miffed with certain parts of the episode. I mean, duh, time slip isn't real so nothing can truly be realistic...but at least be more feasible in her reaction to it--is what I'm sayin'.
I would have liked a further development to her discovery that she went back two weeks, not just blurt it out and seem like a crazy person. Her reaction to SB was to be expected, along with JH brushing her off (since he doesn't seem like the attentive type). But is there really a "normal" in this circumstance? Not really...but I'm with you on that, it was a bit off.
And her reactions to DC telling her several times that he knew...? I would have jumped at the chance to talk to him, if she had just listened...and you're right, she's only listening now for her selfish needs. If she had recognized him and helped him out at the police station...they might have made more progress.
Eh, I guess I'm being picky at little details but if you're watching and you catch parts where it seems off, it does make things not really add up.
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DayDreamer
March 12, 2014 at 4:00 PM
Carole, you brought up an interesting point about Soo-hyun ignoring Dong-chan. Personally, I didn't find it weird because to me, there was a natural progression of events. SH finds out that she went back in time and she sees that same events are recurring although with slight variations. She tries to tell her hubby of it but he doesn't believe her--that is understandable. Realizing that her daughter will most likely die a second death, she decides to go the police (right after the first of the three women are murdered) to inform them that deaths will happen and so they should help ensure the safety of Saet-byul by catching the criminal.
As viewers, we already understand that there are most likely two killers involved (how does a killer change the target from women to a small child all of a sudden? Plus, Saet Byul is more linked to the president through her parents and the killer has an animosity towards the president). Unfortunately, SH doesn't know there could be different killers and so believes that if the police can capture the culprit of the first woman killed by preventing the second woman's death, her child will be safe. So it's reasonable that she would go to the police, hoping that her eerily accurate description of the first murder scene would make them take her words seriously.
The police, of course, didn't believe her and she also realized that. So when DC came in, she decided to stop saying anything that would make her seem weirder than she already was (plus, admitting to suicide would make things worse).
So why didn't she confront DC immediately after about their time-travelling? I thought she should have but then I also felt that maybe she was too overwhelmed by the craziness of everything and she was so focused on keeping Saet Byul safe that she decided she would do everything in her power to isolate SB in a faraway place. Also, DC was an ex-cop...what power would he have to protect SB as SH hoped the police would?? Only when she decided to take matters into her own hands and seek the criminal out did she enlist him.
Hope that explanation makes sense....
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33 trish1622
March 12, 2014 at 9:05 AM
Dang! This drama is worth to watch and to read this recaps.
I am suuuupppperrr curious who is the mystery murderer.
this show is DAEBAK!
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34 sandy80
March 12, 2014 at 11:33 AM
"time slip" versus a "time travel" . The difference seems to be that a "time slip" is more of a paranormal event in which the person accidentally time travels. "Time travel" appears to be a more scientifically deliberate event.
finally I get the difference
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35 sirena
March 12, 2014 at 11:35 AM
"We also learn much more about Dong-chan in this episode. His role in the police force was implied in previous episodes, but his reason for resigning from the job had not been explored. I thought it might have been just his testimony for Dong-ho that broke him, but it seems to be more than just that. The flashback to when Dong-chan shot at the gunman holding Young-gyu hostage seems to hold equal if not more importance in his rejection of his police identity."
When I watched that scene I couldn't help but think that Dong-chan's decision to fire his weapon was a foolish one. He must've realized that potential risk to his nephew. Right?
I'm glad that this episode provided us with more details regarding his background. He is my favorite character because of his complexity. I cannot wait for more of his back story to be revealed.
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36 Tara
March 12, 2014 at 12:52 PM
With each ep, I am loving this show more and more!
I was pleasantly surprised but glad that SH made the time jump with DC in tow. At least she has someone by her side who's aware of everything...SH & DC FTW! Of course, still can't rule him out yet but for the most part, I don't think he's the killer. This ep was great that it unveiled the backstory behind DC...if the first 2 eps made him look sleazy, this ep made up for it. I was wondering how the whole ex-cop thing would come into play, but now it makes more sense. The incident with YG's kidnapper was done by quickly, but I think that has some stake into what's happening now.
I have to admit, he's been my fave character on here and this ep made me like him even more! :) (Oh ok, I happen to be a big fan of JSW as well, so that factors in it too, hee)
I was a bit worried how they were going to carry out the time slip bit, but it went better than I expected. Although, it didn't make sense for SH to tell people about it left and right...it just made her look cray-cray x/ I would have thought she kept that to herself, because realistically, wouldn't she be overwhelmed? And why bother ignoring DC, with his attempts to tell her that he made the jump as well?
WJ, JH and M are looking more and more suspicious. I just don't get good vibes out of JH because he doesn't seem like the loving hubby. He finds it unbelievable when SH tells him what's going to happen, but yet he goes bonkers-ish over anything happening with SB...it still looks to me like he's having an affair, likely with co-suspicious M. Not getting good vibes out of her either. WJ has me a bit dumbfounded, especially because of the timing of the supposed coincidental run-in with SH. Smells fishy to me...maybe an accomplice to ruin SH's family, but I can't tell yet if he's got ill-will towards SH.
I'm glad that DC didn't ignore HB this time (even though his motivation was obviously the $$)...thought it was funny how he prepared getting the caramel macchiato beforehand, then snatching it away when he realized he died of a heart attack (likely from staying outside in the elements than caffeine). Now to see if he does play a bigger role in all this.
The man watching SH is likely the killer of the women, but his popping up is overly obvious and I'm hoping it's a red herring of sorts. Although the lack of appearance of Snake the singer (even if he was mentioned) so far is kinda making it seem like he's a part of all this.
Off to watch ep4 (a day late) after work! Can't waittt :)
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37 ;)
March 12, 2014 at 1:04 PM
This drama is amazing, especially with those cliffhangers (ep 4 was tense). It has engaging plot and characters, and has just the right amount of balance between the feels and the suspense. I've checked out 3 days, and while it looks okay, I don't like any of the characters and I feel that pacing is slow/average at best. Visually, GG Is a stunner as well. Alas, it has empress ki to compete with - they should have really put GG on the wednesday/Thursday slot to maximise ratings. I'm just hoping that GG may be able to attain even 20% by the end of its run - it truly deserves more recognition rather than the middling 8% it seems to be stuck on right now.
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mary
March 12, 2014 at 3:12 PM
the stupid SBS killed it by putting against the deadly empress ki it has no chance of getting anything at all
what a waste of talent and effort
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buticut
March 12, 2014 at 4:44 PM
According to TNmS, the third episode had 11%, while the fourth one had 11.3 % in Seoul. Even though the rating doesn't really do it justice, at least it has an ascending tendency. Too bad it's up against Empress Ki. It's all good though as long as the numbers don't drop.
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38 ilikemangos
March 12, 2014 at 1:05 PM
Lee Bo Young mentioned in press-con that everyone you see in episode 1 is suspect from episode 5+6 onwards. Interesting, as we've been suspecting them all along, so what changes for next week? More questions? Makes me more interested with where the story will go from there.
More importantly, from this bit of information i'll take it that the real kidnapper who's orchestrating this is a face we've already seen (from ep.1) and not a random throw-in towards the end of the show.
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39 pigtookie
March 12, 2014 at 1:30 PM
just reading the recaps gives me chills. but it's a good start on this show!
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40 donsaeng
March 12, 2014 at 2:19 PM
Thank you for the fab recap! I hope you're adjusting to the recapping life... ㅋㅋ
I'm enjoying this drama a lot more than I expected to. Ahhhh sooogoood. I'll look forward to the next recap!
F i g h t i n g!
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41 DayDreamer
March 12, 2014 at 4:08 PM
The drama is a little flawed but enjoyable nonetheless. Hope the writing doesn't crumble too much that it even kills the enjoyment.
In this episode, I especially loved the scene between SH and Young-gyu. Very touching.
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