The K2: Episode 10
by gummimochi
Ensuring Anna’s safety will be even more important this hour when nearly everyone around her is preparing for battle. Everything may be fair in love and war, but it’ll take everything in Je-ha’s arsenal to keep her out of the crossfire. When this world is full of people who are eager to use her for their own benefit, she’ll have one bodyguard who will shield her from any attack no matter what.
EPISODE 10 RECAP
Je-ha’s fingers are clasped around the door handle when Anna’s voice transmits through the walkie-talkie. He leaps across the room in silence, nearly hurting himself before picking up in an even voice.
She says he forgot to tell her goodnight, so he does. Content, she tells the radio to sleep well, as he does the same.
Mi-ran applies makeup on Anna’s face the next morning, and giggles that Anna needs to have her first kiss too. Recalling how Je-ha administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation following her allergy attack, Anna says she’s already been kissed.
Anna pouts while Mi-ran laughs at how that doesn’t count as a kiss—why, she was even kissed yesterday. Curious, Anna clings to that slip-up, and Mi-ran quickly changes the subject, explaining how she let Anna have Je-ha.
Anna rolls her eyes at that, and Mi-ran smiles that they’ll apply some lipstick that make her lips magically kissable. She runs out looking for Je-ha, and looks disheartened when she’s told that he left early this morning.
What she doesn’t know is why, as we hear the housekeeper recall how Je-ha had planned to meet Yoo-jin so she wouldn’t hunt Anna down anymore.
We see Je-ha get out of his car for a smoke when he’s sent a selca of Anna looking dolled up. He scoffs, and the text is quickly followed up with a call from Anna herself, who anxiously asks for his opinion.
She beams when he says she looks pretty and declares that he’s hers now. He’s initially puzzled and then sighs, telling her to think however she likes. She tells him to stay safe today, and he replies that he will.
He meets Yoo-jin outside her home and rides along in the car, where she asks if Anna likes her new situation. He answers “yes”, but when she asks when they’ll return, he says nothing, which infuriates her.
Secretary Kim later reminds Yoo-jin to keep her bubbling anger in check prior to her last interview regarding Anna. She’s already working on making sure the public forgets Anna soon enough.
Down in the parking lot, Chief Joo wonders what Sung-won may do next because he must know that Yoo-jin won’t let this current arrangement continue if her husband is elected. Which is why Chief Joo believes that Anna isn’t a shield to Sung-won, but a sword he can use to strike Yoo-jin.
Anna is makeup-free when she greets Sung-won, who hands her the case files regarding her mother’s death. During her TV interview, Yoo-jin is asked how she became Anna’s guardian. She explains how she and Anna’s mother became friends while she was working at JB Group and the latter was a commercial model for the company.
Anna’s mother had met her future husband, Director Go, at JB Group since the company had been producing one of his projects. Yoo-jin thinks calling herself a matchmaker would be a stretch, but she feels as if she’s the reason why those two had gotten married.
The interviewer picks up on that note of guilt, asking if it was because the marriage didn’t last. Emotions well up in Yoo-jin’s voice as she confirms it and tearfully nods that was why she later took Anna in.
Seeing those tears, the interviewer pauses for a commercial break. Yoo-jin stiffens and turns off her mic to remark how it would’ve been better to keep going, to which the host returns a casual apology, knowing how difficult it must’ve been for Yoo-jin to wring out those tears.
But then the host does a little fact check—to her knowledge Yoo-jin was studying overseas during the time she claimed to have been working at JB Group. While the makeup artist fixes her makeup, Yoo-jin softly answers she came back to Korea from time to time.
And to that, the host says her brother-in-law was at JB Group at the time, and even he couldn’t corroborate her story. Yoo-jin returns that an ordinary employee couldn’t have known, and the host answers, “He was a president there.” Oh my damn.
The host doesn’t bat an eyelash when Yoo-jin suggests that they stick to the script—her son is currently overseas, thus Yoo-jin won’t be able to use him to manipulate her. And this time, she’ll get the last word: “Will my son be separated from his mother and wander alone in this world for ten years?”
On that note, the host continues the interview, noting how Yoo-jin must’ve kept in touch with Anna’s mother, Um Hye-rin, following her divorce and return to Korea. It takes a few moments for Yoo-jin to snap out of her daze and formulate an answer about how much it pained her to see Hye-rin so distraught.
Her words get caught in her throat when Yoo-jin speaks of Hye-rin’s death. She confirms that Anna has been her ward since then, and that Hye-rin did not know the fashion designer who is currently searching for Anna.
Noting how it’s a pity Anna isn’t present, the host points out how Yoo-jin described how Anna was a “sick child.” Yoo-jin affirms that statement, describing how Anna is unable to even leave the house because of her social aversion and panic disorder. Uh oh, I see where this conversation is going.
It’s at that moment the host invites Anna to join them on stage. Yoo-jin’s eyes widen as she sees Anna walk in with Sung-won, who exchange nods with the host. Je-ha appears worried, but Anna boldly walks to the stage.
The crew has dimmed the lights for Anna’s benefit, and the interview continues. Anna explains how she knew who the designer was, but she had no idea he was looking for her. She claims her mother had brought up his name from time to time, because the fashion designer was one of her mother’s friends.
But this version of the story doesn’t match with Yoo-jin’s earlier claims, and Yoo-jin can’t come up with a defense. They watch a video message from the designer himself who speaks of how much Anna looked like his former muse: her late mother. He belatedly learned of the mother-daughter connection, and asks Anna to be his new muse so he can make her a star.
Anna surprises everyone with her answer that she won’t be traveling abroad anytime soon. Her priorities are to treat her panic disorder and take care of business here first. When asked what that is, Anna turns to a tense and silent Yoo-jin, then answers that she plans on cracking the case regarding her mother’s death.
Rather than a refusal to acknowledge her mother’s death as suicide, Anna would like to know the reasons why her case was ruled as such. Her mother was still a popular celebrity at the time, and they were supposed to leave for the States. She had even prepared a passport for her, but she had died that night and hadn’t left behind a suicide note.
Sung-won appears satisfied with the interview and turns to leave while the host asks if Yoo-jin has any information to offer Anna since she and her mother were close friends.
Yoo-jin can’t think of anything, so Anna turns to the camera and makes a public plea, asking for any and all information regarding her mother’s death.
That gets people questioning the case, and afterward, Je-ha confronts Anna for putting herself in her enemies’ direct line of fire. He wonders if Sung-won was responsible for the surprise appearance, but Anna claims that the idea was hers and Sung-won had tried to persuade her not to. Oh, Sung-won, how sneaky of you.
Once they’re alone, Je-ha’s voice softens to concern. Anna says Sung-won will help her get back at Yoo-jin, and Je-ha will be there to protect her.
Needless to say Yoo-jin is still shaking when she returns to the dressing room. She admits that she must’ve miscalculated and that she should’ve listened to Secretary Kim’s suggestion of killing Anna when they had the chance.
As Je-ha reads over the case documents, Anna explains how her mother actually died a painful death because her nails were broken when they found her. CEO Gook meets with the police commissioner who says how the tables have turned against Se-joon now. He whispers the shocking reason to CEO Gook, though we’re not privy to hear it yet.
Both Anna and Yoo-jin get made up in separate salons. Secretary Kim reassures Yoo-jin that she’ll take care of things before she meets Se-joon later that evening, but Yoo-jin decides that it’s best not to strike Je-ha for now—they’ll find a use for him later. She wistfully adds that he still has the email.
While Anna is busy being attended to, Je-ha chats with Sung-won. He remarks on how all company chairmen must have a lot of free time on their hands, to which Sung-won chuckles that his employees are the ones making the money.
People like him are busy fighting wars over castles they’ve built and stolen from one another. He describes it as a vicious, never-ending cycle of battles and conquering and battling some more, which prompts Je-ha to retort that Chief Joo was right that Sung-won is using Anna like a weapon.
Sung-won is impressed and cheerily confirms that he’s correct; however, he doesn’t see anything wrong with helping Anna get her revenge if that means he gets to keep JB Group. He laughs when Je-ha accuses him of deliberately handing over case documents that contain graphic crime scene photos to a girl prone to panic attacks.
He reminds Je-ha that the woman he loves is no longer a child. Je-ha retorts that Sung-won must not know his noona at all, because he would never have brought Anna to the studio if he did.
Midway through Anna’s photoshoot, the photographer informs Sung-won that he’s limited without the use of flash. So Sung-won sends everyone away for lunch, and gives Anna some anti-anxiety drugs prescribed by Doctor Lee.
He claims the medication will kick in about an hour’s time, which should hopefully allow them to use flash photography. Having overheard the exchange, Je-ha examines the bottle and says she should be receiving medication directly from her doctor instead of Sung-won.
But Anna trusts that Sung-won wouldn’t give her anything dangerous and hopes that the drugs will work. Oh honey.
As Sung-won and the photographer’s crew leaves the building, a delivery man pulls up with a flower basket for Anna. He takes down the guards when he’s denied entry, then signals the other men inside.
Je-ha doubles back when he sees the men carrying in trunks containing gas masks and other equipment. He sees the men release anesthetic gas into the air, and he’s unable to get through to anyone since those men have disabled the wireless service within the building.
He hurries back to Anna and instructs her to escape through the ducts. She refuses to leave him behind, but he reminds her that he can fight his way out of this building. He’ll be at a disadvantage if she stays since he’ll need to protect her, but Anna argues that he’ll be useless against the gas anyway.
He sees the gas nearby, but Anna continues to protest, so he begs her to leave first lest they both die. Anna relents, and he sends her up through the air duct while the room continues to fill up with gas.
Thankfully Je-ha is able to use the landline to call Secretary Kim, and when she says Yoo-jin is busy, he realizes that it was her. Secretary Kim has no reason to call those men off since she neither likes Je-ha nor cares for Se-joon.
Everything was going according to plan until Je-ha showed up on the scene and threw everything into chaos, she continues. Now it’s time to place everyone back in their rightful place.
Je-ha manages to tell Secretary Kim that he’ll be coming for her before the line goes dead. He hides in the corner until the men in gas masks show up, then takes them down one at a time.
He swipes one of the gas masks and marches toward the next group of masked men who wield knives. He avoids their oncoming swipes, but his mask is ripped off of his face. Coughing, he waits for a masked man to attack, and avoids their jabs and strikes.
Anna happens to see the fight from above as Je-ha takes a few punches before grabbing one man to use him as a launching pad for a flying kick. He knocks the knife out of his hand and removes his gas mask.
Je-ha wields a knife against the two other masked men, slashing one man’s arm and twirling the knife in his hand before slashing another arm. Unfortunately, he’s kicked down to the ground, and just as the man is about to strike, Anna appears behind him and takes down both men with a fire extinguisher.
She screams at Je-ha to come to while one man approaches her with a knife. She runs down the halls, hollering Je-ha’s name. She hides from her pursuer, but is unable to stifle a cough, and that gives away her position.
Just as her attacker is about to turn the corner, Je-ha appears from behind and strangles him. He falls to the ground moments later, and Anna removes the gas mark and manages to put it on him before she too falls unconscious.
Seeing the small group of protesters outside the prosecutor’s office, Se-joon says it’s about time for his release. The prosecutor agrees, but instead of coming back to collect Se-joon, the prosecutor announces that the politician is subject to be investigated for a different crime.
Both Se-joon and Yoo-jin tense at the news while Representative Park laughs maniacally in his office.
Mi-ran and Sung-gyu find Je-ha and Anna in the building. Everyone is awake by the time Sung-won returns to the building, and Je-ha suggests that Anna be moved to the safe house since Secretary Kim wouldn’t dare to strike JSS.
He calls Chief Joo to fill him in while the group led by Yoo-jin heads down to the Cloud Nine sublevel to find out about Se-joon’s newest investigation. Incensed, she tells her legal team to do whatever they can to prevent an arrest, then follows up with her accountants to make sure the documents they handed over to the prosecutors were error-free.
She’s unable to get through to the presidential chief of staff, Chief Min, because he’s busy asking if Representative Park is trying to force the president’s hand. But Representative Park insists that he’s simply taking preventative measures against Se-joon, believing he shouldn’t join their political party.
He admits he is scared of an ordinary man like Se-joon trying to battle the political nobility. So what he’d like is for Chief Min to stay out of sight until the election is over, at which point he’ll reserve a cushy position for Chief Min.
He hangs up to rejoin the celebratory party he’s holding for the other politicians he’s “saved” from the corruption case, welcoming them all back with open arms. Hearing that there are some younger politicians outside who would like to join in on the festivities, Representative Park instructs his secretary to set up a separate room for them.
Yoo-jin, meanwhile, tries to wrap her head around what Representative Park has up his sleeve. CEO Gook believes that Representative Park is using Chief Min to get to the president so that they can get an arrest warrant against Se-joon and drag on the case until the presidential election.
Even if they win the legal case, CEO Gook says they’ll lose their shot at the presidency. So what they need to do now is to attack Representative Park tonight. Yoo-jin questions whether or not that’s actually possible since the politician likely called upon the most elite bodyguards he could muster.
CEO Gook points out that they have someone even better than those men: Je-ha.
Speaking of whom, Je-ha sends the JSS agents to check out the safe house before collecting Anna. She confesses that she’s too scared, so Je-ha takes the blanket on her lap and covers them both with it.
Taking small steps together, Je-ha tells her to be careful since they can’t see what lies ahead of them. He turns to her to ask if she’s scared. She is, and their faces are mere inches apart. He gulps at the close proximity… and then her stomach growls. Je-ha: “Are you hungry?” Way to kill the mood, dude.
She asks if that was her, and he says it was. Feeling awkward, she says she was just surprised, and then declines his offer to make her ramyun. Je-ha: “Then why is your stomach making noises?”
She insists that her stomach is fine, and then they both trip on the steps. They walk for a few more seconds before he asks if she’s okay now. Anna says she’s still a bit scared, and Je-ha’s face draws nearer for a moment before he turns away and they both trip again.
He reaches for the door and once they’re inside, he asks what she wants to eat most. She thinks about it for a moment, then says she doesn’t know. They take a few more steps together before Je-ha says they’ve arrived. Anna: “Already?”
Je-ha asks if she’s still scared. She murmurs in agreement, and he swoops in to kiss her. In the kitchen, Mi-ran squeals when she realizes what the lovebirds are doing. Sung-gyu protects her when the housekeeper scolds her, only to be scolded himself. Lol.
Over at Cloud Nine, Chief Joo says that the best attack is one when the enemy least expects it. But Representative Park will expect them to retaliate tonight, which makes their chances of success slim, even for someone as skilled as Je-ha.
But it seems Yoo-jin is willing to act on that sliver of success because Je-ha answers the call on the condition that the safe house is protected. He tells Anna that he’ll be back, but Anna knows that means he’s headed for danger. She tells him not to go and embraces him.
Je-ha leaves anyway, and sits with Cloud Nine to learn that while he has a chance to assassinate Representative Park, it’s unlikely he’ll return alive.
He agrees to do it, but he has several conditions. Yoo-jin braces herself before hearing the first: he wants Secretary Kim’s head. Secretary Kim agrees to that, but has a condition of her own: Je-ha needs to off Representative Park first.
All parties agree that the deal is a fair one, and Je-ha names his next condition: Yoo-jin will promise to leave Anna alone. If Yoo-jin does that, he’ll persuade Anna to stay out of her way. Yoo-jin agrees to that.
Je-ha says he’d like reinforcements so that he isn’t the only one taking all the blows. CEO Gook agrees and asks if they can’t have the email Je-ha is holding hostage. But Yoo-jin says they don’t need it, since they’ll be done for anyway if Je-ha doesn’t succeed.
Everyone but Je-ha is dismissed, and Yoo-jin says affectionately, “Je-ha-yah. You can turn back if you think the situation is too dangerous.” He asks where this sudden concern is coming from, but she needn’t worry—he got rid of that email long ago.
“Je-ha-yah…” she repeats. Je-ha walks up to her and says, “I believe you’re someone who upholds her promises.”
Anna calls him just before the agents move out, and asks that he bring back some ddukbokki later. Tears well up in her eyes as she says it’s okay if it’ll be late, and refuses to let anyone eat some besides them.
Secretary Kim calls Team Leader Seo to issue an additional order: regardless of how tonight’s assassination goes, Je-ha must be taken out and his phone must be confiscated.
At the same time, Je-ha jokes that he’ll need to pick up the food if he wants to stay alive. Anna tells him to come back alive. “That’s an order.”
Je-ha: “I’ll make sure to come back to you.”
COMMENTS
Not if Secretary Kim has her way, that is. I know I should feel a greater sense of dread about Je-ha being thrown into the front lines of this mission, but I’m also reminded that we simply can’t lose a hero three weeks to the end. I do, however, fear that he might come dangerously close since the phrase, “I’ll be right back” is every hero’s parting words before he enters a fight he might not win.
Still, Je-ha hasn’t been beaten yet, especially when it comes to protecting those whom he holds dear. Now Anna is on the top of that list, and he’ll do anything it takes to come back and protect her from the wolves that are eager to devour her. Even if that means asking for Secretary Kim whose loyalty to Yoo-jin has never wavered. We’ve previously seen just how far that loyalty goes, from escorting a young Anna to the airport to offering to have Anna killed and even now, ordering that Je-ha be done away with. Despite all the evil deeds she’s carried out for her boss, she hasn’t shown an interest in trying to take a cut of the ambitious pie herself, instead sticking to Yoo-jin’s side like glue. It makes me wonder if her actions are an extension of her sense of loyalty or a deeper sense of affection.
Even though it seems like we’ve been waiting a while since Representative Park found out about Je-ha, I do realize that only a few days have passed in this dramaverse. Seeing him take down Yoo-jin’s whole world and network in a matter of hours did pump in some tension into the story, though the execution was rather underwhelming knowing that all of that was magically orchestrated offscreen. Luckily for him, we have Yoo-jin to walk us through her crumbling world with her emotions, which have been on edge this week.
She’s been losing a lot of ground in this ongoing war, and her anger and fear threaten to boil over the thin mask she puts on to hide them. Although she knows that Je-ha would do anything to protect Anna, her final conversation with him proves that she wishes to protect him too. She breaks down the emotional distance by calling him “Je-ha-yah” and even gives him an out, even though his escape would mean losing everything she’s worked for.
These two characters have toed the line between business partners and friends from time to time, giving us some crackling acting chemistry. Although Je-ha is devoted to Anna now, Yoo-jin is willing to admit her attachment to him. I sometimes wonder if it’s almost romantic on her end since her husband doesn’t love her, but at the very least, she would feel threatened to lose her own protector.
Speaking of which, it is nice to see Anna looking out for Je-ha. He’s always been the one to protect her, but her concern for others extends to him too. Sure she’ll still refuse to leave his side in clear danger and is still too trusting with Sung-won, but the girl has gotten a proper first kiss now, so you know she’ll want him to come back for a second.
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51 may2day
October 24, 2016 at 10:01 AM
I keep thinking about why some people are still drawn to the Jeha-Yoojin pairing even though this drama is not veering into that direction romantically, at least not his side. I was going to write about why I think that is and proof from previous episodes, but I'm trying to curb myself 'cause that's going to be a long analysis lol.
But anyway, as a Jeha-Anna shipper, I'll just talk about them and how happy I am that they're endgame. (I thought they were endgame from the start, but that's not important lol).
Several things I wanted to mention about this pair:
- I really enjoy their awkward, dorky, butterflies-in-your-stomach interactions like the face-is-too-warm scene, walkie talkie scene, and even the blanket kiss scene. It just reminds me how sweet falling in love can be. And how awkward it can be. I'm glad their scenes make you cringe sometimes, because real life is like that. You wish you could say the right thing at the right time but you don't, you don't want to show you like each other too much or too quickly, and when they're not watching you're almost tripping over yourself 'cause you like them so much. Some dramas make the romance too perfect, even more than the acceptable romantic fantasy level. I like that Jeha and Anna's romance is more relatable, even if the idea of walking and kissing under a blanket is pretty silly.
- I like that Jeha respects Anna's decisions even though he might not agree, or even if he's wary about her choices. In fact, unless it's related to her safety, he doesn't really influence her one way or the other. He gives her advice at times or draws her attention to potential dangers, but otherwise, he gives her freedom to make her choices freely. For Anna who's been restricted from making any sort of decisions for herself, it's really important to have a partner who will not hold her back, but instead, that will help her grow. The fact that Jeha is Anna's protector makes this even easier for her, since she knows he has her back literally and figuratively. Of course, Anna is pretty naive in thinking Jeha can protect her from everything, but I think she's quickly learning that her choices affect Jeha in a huge way. She tries to stop him from leaving the house because she knows he's going (possibly to his death) because of her, and perhaps that will make her more careful
before acting on anything in the future.
- Did anyone else notice Jeha's phone at that at the end of the episode? When Anna calls Jeha, the profile picture that shows up for Anna's number is the makeup picture she sent Jeha earlier! It's funny because he didn't seem to care too much one way or the other about the photo she sent him, but as gruff and unaffected as he tries to be, his actions shows how he really feels.
- I loved that convo with Jeha and Anna about tteokboki and him coming back. It just hit all the feels lol. The OST in the background helped too lol
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BossyPixie
October 24, 2016 at 11:36 AM
I really like how expressed Je-ha's behavior towards Anna. Your absolutely right that she needs someone who will allow her to make her own choices.
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Amy
October 24, 2016 at 2:00 PM
Love you dear...
I was too lazy to explain all causes and consequences. and also its really clear that Jae ha and Anna are the end game so the other shippers shud atleast get the luxury of ranting. Who knows if my ship wudnt hav sailed, I too wud have bashed and ranted out like this.....
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52 Dramaisnotreallife
October 24, 2016 at 10:02 AM
I feel like a lot of you here are like putting yourself in Yujin's character wanting the sexual attention from Jeha lol. I mean who doesn't want a hot guy to come save you.
So after 10 episodes, i classify shippers here as jehanna team are like the first love/Virginal team (mushy, sweet, cute, innocent and fun) and the Jejin team is the Ahjumma/aggressive sexual (dark, fire, sex and dominating) team
But it's either i am watching a different drama from you all or I am not feeling the Jejin chemistry as it seems so one sided? I see the fire in YJ's eyes but i see annoyance in his instead? When she asked when you coming back, he doesn't even bother to reply.
I think YJ has the Stockholm syndrome which is why she feels affectionate towards him. In the 10 episodes so far, i see him quite distanced from her? If anything, he seems annoyed at her everytime she tries to be nice. I thought he really slapped her in the face with that last part in episode 10. Walking up to the her face, i thought he would say something nice for once but instead he is still reminding her that his priority is Anna. What a SLAP!!! If I am YJ, it would be like a final stab in my heart that he does not even think of me at all when i beg him to come back alive!
As for the other team, i must say it only fares a little better, at least visually they look so good together. (Sya is also beautiful but she is the same age as my mom. So, the thoughts cough cough....) However, director trying to make cutesy MTV like romance ain't working well either. But at least i guess this team is aligned in affection for each other so no need to imagine.
Overall, i think both writer and director are just SUPER bad with writing romance. they were so focus on just writing action that they pretty much messed up the drama with both characters and romance.
Ps, one really annoying thing i see in this thread after 10 episodes.
i also see a lot of people say we should pity YJ because she really is not evil but is who she is because she is a product of her environment so everything she does is forgivable, but the same people argue that what Anna is for her revenge is irrational, annoying and unforgivable. BUT isn't Anna the product of the environment that YJ created.
Double standard yah ?
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may2day
October 24, 2016 at 10:51 AM
I agree with you about Jeha and Yoojin... I seriously don't see it either. I also feel like I'm watching a different drama because he doesn't react to her at ALL in any way romantic, so I don't see how there could be any sort of potential kiss or whatever some people would like to see.
I think this pairing is just a product of the first few episodes, when Jeha rescued Yoojin from that exploding car. And also that scene where he rescues her from her relatives using the fire alarm, with the umbrella over her head.
But to be honest, those scenes were there to show why Yoojin developed a fondness for Jeha, even though knowing that she can't control his actions.
I wonder, if Yoojin wasn't played by Song Yoonah and was played by another actress, say that actress playing Yoojin's secretary... but keeping every scene the same, every interaction the same, just different actresses. I doubt people would be wanting a romance with Jeha and Yoojin then. I think people are drawn to Song Yoonah's beauty and acting skills, plus on screen chemistry with Ji Chang Wook rather than any plot consistency that suggests a true romance with the characters.
Plus Anna is a more straightforward character vs Yoojin's more layered, ambiguous one. And Anna started out as your typical innocent, damsel in distress whereas Yoojin's is an antagonist with a heart. I feel like people are drawn to evil characters that seem redeemable rather than characters that are inherently good. It's cooler to bad, right?
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BossyPixie
October 24, 2016 at 11:25 AM
I agree with both of you regarding Je-ha and Yoo-jin. I don't see any attraction on his part. He flat out told her that he thinks she is no different than Park Kwan-soo. I also think that the scenes may2day mentioned are the source of some of the romantic notions. I do think that they were to show how Yoo-jin has become fond of Je-ha. I don't know that it is even romantic on her part either. She's never had someone protect her just because. It always been because she paid them to do so. Who wouldn't want to keep such a person around? I can see why she is conflicted. Her usually modus operandi is to dispose of anyone who threatens her plans, but she is having a hard time doing that with Je-ha. He just sees her actions based on how she treats everyone. From his perspective, of course she would only be concerned about the email and not keeping Je-ha safe for his own sake. So when he gets in her face, it is an aggressive and threatening move, not one filled with sexual tension. Put a male actor in place of a female actor and it would only be read as angry.
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may2day
October 24, 2016 at 2:09 PM
Ooh, I like your analysis about that scene with Jeha and Yoojin. I agree that it's an aggressive move to get into her face, possibly even an assertion of power. Jeha never viewed himself as one of her people and sees himself as her equal. (Back when Yoojin invited Jeha into Cloud 9, he quickly rejected it citing that there was betrayal with Master-Slave relationships, but perhaps none with friends).
So as one "friend" to another, he tells her he believes she's someone who keeps her promises. He says it in a subdued way - but with him getting right in her face, there's an underlying threat there to make sure she does keep her word. It begs the question of what will happen if Yoojin doesn't keep her promises...
Not to mention that the root cause of his demands from Yoojin stem from Jeha's desire to keep Anna safe. He wants the Secretary to die, because she sent men to kill him AND Anna. He also wants Yoojin to promise to leave Anna alone, obviously, for Anna's benefit.
Jeha's motivations have so little to do with Yoojin, that it's almost unfair to paint them as a "should-have-been" couple. Reducing that kind of power struggle to "sexual tension" gives the characters a major disservice.
And I like your analysis of Yoojin. I question any romantic feelings on her part as well... but I can see the potential of it too, I guess.
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BossyPixie
October 24, 2016 at 3:40 PM
True, I could see Yoo-jin feeling some attraction to Je-ha. I just don't think that it's a given. In some respects, I think that she still loves her husband, probably nit as much as she hates him at this point. Her real feelings are bit ambiguous. Except when it come to people she hates, like Anna.
Margaux
October 25, 2016 at 6:56 PM
I thought I was the only one. I like the JH-YJ interactions but for me it's more like a boss-favorite employee type. I dont see something "sexy" ..lol..Maybe intense but no sexual tension whatsoever.
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DoubleFault
October 26, 2016 at 8:53 AM
The thing is, I find it hard to ship Je Ha with someone who initially wanted him and the people around him killed. While Je Ha has now been on her good side, YJ is still busy ordering hits on those that get on her way. I wouldn't brand YJ a victim just yet as we still do not know the real reason behind her conflict with her late father. The dad's mistress has hinted about YJ's apparent evil nature. Se Joon, while still married to YJ out of convenience and is not a nice guy himself, seems to also be scared of what she is capable of doing. She very well could be just a misunderstood character but given all of these, I'm not sure I'd like her with JH.
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53 niki
October 24, 2016 at 10:13 AM
i still cant understand why someone should dance for ramen! yes she can be happy but dance?!seriously?! why everyone in this drama pretends to care for others but in reality they want to tear each other apart!and many other whys! nobody is so black and white. people are gray.even evil serial killers have someone they care about. this drama needs a better screenwriter. i love actors and actresses in this one but i prefer to watch Jealousy Incarnate. good looking characters isnt everything a drama needs!
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zee
October 24, 2016 at 11:09 AM
I just wanted to say about your first why, because those dance moves are one of the few memories she has from making food with her mom as a child, and because she almost never gets to eat what she wants..that's all
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54 BossyPixie
October 24, 2016 at 10:59 AM
There are so many people talking about the kiss scene that it's hard to know who to reply to. So I'm just going to put my thoughts here. I did think that the whole slow-motion blanket twirl was cheesy, but I'm okay with a little cheese now and then. What I don't have a problem with is what follows. First, Je-ha checks the area before putting the blanket over them. There are several guards around and no immediate danger. Second, the length of the scene. I think that it is intended to show how they are both nervous and hesitant and also some attempt to resist his feelings on Je-ha's part. Considering his history, that seems only natural. Je-ha's inane conversation is just further proof that he turns into a total dork when he likes a girl. Some guys are like that. I don't find it at all strange that he can't resist any longer and finally kisses Anna. He already cares for her, and they are standing very close proximity. Anna keeps looking at him, let's be honest at his lips. She is leaning towards him clearly willing. Add to that the fact that she just saved his life. Je-ha, as far as we have seen, has no one. He's been betrayed and abandoned by those who should have been his comrads. No one has his back, until Anna. That's got to stir some pretty powerful emotions. He really had no chance of resisting. Finally, after saving Je-ha and surviving some found it strange that Anna was scared later. Some people are like that. They respond in emergency situations react when the adrenaline wears off.
Another scene people seem to have a problem with is the gas fight. I have a few thoughts on that as well. First regarding the length of time Je-ha and Anna run around without collapsing from the gas. I have a friend in the National Guard. During training they had to enter a gas filled room without masks. People lasted different amounts of time before collapsing. The effects were not immediate. Also, I believe that it was mentioned that while Anna and Je-ha were able to withstand for awhile the guards were all affected and went down immediately. Then guards did not go down because of the gas. Thye went down because of Je-ha. He knocks them out while they are still wearing masks. It's only afterwards that he takes any of the masks. All of this is not to say that Anna and Je-ha were not super durable, but that sort of comes with the territory of being a hero of the tale.
I know there were some other problems mentioned with this scene. First, the fire extinguisher. Namely, where did Anna get it. At 40:56 you can see it on the floor being Je-ha on the left side. Anna doesn't use it until almost a minute later. Also, I think there was some issue with how did Anna get down without being heard. If you watch when she is crawling the the duct, you will see that there are vents at regular intervals. We don't see what she is doing for sometime. It is feasible that she back tracked to a vent closer to the fire extinguisher and exited there.
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zee
October 24, 2016 at 11:21 AM
oh i'm totally with u on the kiss, your entire analysis is perfect.. i'm also watching this show with my fiancé who is in the police force and strangely enough he didn't say anything while watching that scene, he does point out flaws every now and then but overall he likes it and it doesn't appear to bother him to the point of cringe or laugh..i think that just depends on how much u're invested in a scene or a character, because when u're not flaws become more and more annoying
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BossyPixie
October 24, 2016 at 11:29 AM
My husband likes to point out flaws too. His take on this series is that it is of the action genre. That means you shouldn't expect realism, especially not in the action sequences. If everything was kept realistic the action would be kind of short and boring. It does make sense within its own genre. So, it's all good. He feels the romance is a little cheesy and juvenille, and I agree, but that's not the main focus.
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Amy
October 24, 2016 at 2:14 PM
I wish there was an upvoting button and editing button in DB. Since there isnt one let me write it out for u. I totally agree with ur comment. I loved that kiss too. and loved those little details too...loved how Jae ha was gulping down looking at her lips and how they both leaned toward each other. I know it was cheesy but I am alrdy used to level K2 cheesiness.
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may2day
October 24, 2016 at 7:48 PM
I absolutely wish there was an edit option and upvoting (like/love/thumbs up) button on here!
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neslinin
October 25, 2016 at 3:06 AM
IA that everything under the blanket was cute. My problem with the blanket kiss was the build-up of that scene.
Anna is in shock and scared to be back to YJ's house, I understand that. But telling JH that she is scared is being a needy-baby. If she was sent there with other bodyguards, she'd walk to the house without any problems, that I'm sure. She just wanted to be babied by JH, maybe expected that he would carry in his arms? How childish.
This is not my type of main girl. I like main girls who are depending on themselves, not the main guy. She can be powerless, but must be brave. Even when she is scared, she can say "I need a moment", try to gain courage for a moment by herself. And then the main guy can offer help. But saying "I'm scared :((" is just being a whiny baby to me.
As for what JH must be thinking, he knew that she is not scared of daylight, or he for sure did not do the blanket move as a protective measure. He saw that his girl is asking for his attention, and he made a silly/flirty move to embrace her.
One more note on he poison gas, why he sent Anna to the air vent. Some poisonous gases are heavier than air, do not reach up to ceiling. That may be it.
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may2day
October 25, 2016 at 7:15 AM
Hmm... not sure I agree with the idea of JH using the blanket as a way to flirt with Anna.
I previously said that I thought the blanket scene was a bit silly, but I think I get now why he did it.
My take on it is this: Anna suffers from panic disorder. This one we know for sure she has. And it can be triggered by anything, but mostly with blinding flashes of light. However, the cause of panic disorders are unknown and they are unexpected. So in essence, Anna could be triggered into panic attacks with basically anything, especially if she's feeling afraid.
By putting the blanket over them both, Jeha is drowning out Anna's senses, especially her sense of sight. He's reducing any sort of stimulus that could trigger her into panic. Remember that Anna hates that safe house, she said it herself. If Anna sees anything as potential danger around her, especially at a place she dislikes, she could very well have another episode.
We could argue that Jeha could have put the blanket just on Anna and not himself, but by concealing them both, he's able to calm down her fears and help her feel more comfortable. His intention wasn't to have an excuse to get physically close to her... I really think he just did it to help her feel more relaxed.
But it backfired because he has feelings for her and she has feelings for him lol. Hence, what was meant to be a protective gesture, turned into an awkward should-I-kiss-you-should-I-not-kiss you routine all the way to the house.
As for Anna being scared... just because someone is beside you, doesn't mean your fears disappear (even if it is Jeha, hehe). Perhaps if it was someone other than Jeha, Anna would not be so vocal about it. But Jeha is the person she trusts the most, so she was open about being scared. You don't always have to be strong, is what I'm saying, especially in front of someone who cares a lot about you. So I don't mind too much that she kept admitting she was scared because she was saying it to Jeha.
But I do agree that Anna still has a lot of maturing to do. If she wants to get revenge on Yoojin then she definitely needs to get a better handle on her fears.
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BossyPixie
October 25, 2016 at 7:16 PM
Well said. This is why I feel the slow motion blanket twirl was cheesy, but I don't have problems with the rest of the scene.
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55 ashie
October 24, 2016 at 11:11 AM
I have decided to throw finding logic since this drama started, that is why I have no problem with this drama.. yes, there are inconsistencies and disconnect on the characters, some scenes are too long and boring at times, but the good parts outweigh the bad ones in this drama IMO.
I am not in anyone's ship, I am team JEHA..i agree on some we dont know much of his backstory, I hope the writer gives us that,I am starting to feel concern and care for his character, at the end of the day I want him to find his happiness. I think he deserves it
Anyway, despite everyone's negative reaction about the blanket scene, I appreciate that there are some, if not many who loved it, I agree it is awkward, but if you realize it, it is meant to be AWKWARD,
The close space, the eye contact, the body language, JCW and Yoona were very effective on that scene.. though the actual kiss itself does not look awkward tbh, it's soft and gentle .
On the other hand, his goodbye scene with YJ in cloud nine made my heart skipped a beat, I was lowkey rooting for him to kiss Madam but then that would make this drama even crazier..they need not to speak, their eyes speak for themselves.. very good acting from these two, SYA is a new discovery on the drama for me coz she is crazily good, and I know she over powers some of the other actors with her acting, BUT whenever She has her scenes with JCW, their acting always compliment each other.
See, I cant decide which ship I should root for.Ha!
And it's bec of JCW, and his chemistry with these two women..gaahh! We should give credit to this guy, coz he deserves it!
YJ-JH shippers should pray to dramagods to put these two in a different drama with them the main leads. I actually have a story in mind, I know secret affairs are overrated.. but it would be a story where JCW is the one who is married, and SYA is his mistress! Ha! Ok im gonna stop now.. :) happy viewing to those who still enjoys this drama just as much as I do.
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maryofbethany
October 26, 2016 at 8:53 PM
@Ashie.
exactly, SYA is a rare find in this drama. someone i lightly passby in the past without a blink . i loved it that you said "she over powers some of the other actors with her acting, BUT whenever She has her scenes with JCW, their acting always compliment each other." because she is that good, she made an otherwise overly 'Charcoal blackened" role into some villain with hearts, greys! this is real life where most of us are never the Whites: Snow-White, nor the Hunk, but a lot of Greys people around us. a good actresses compliment the younger actors around her, and make that scene sizzle with depth, even when the plot or events seems silly. So Far, its her scenes with Wookie, that bring out the best emo in him, make him less of the steretype "dorky guy who met his girl he wanted to protect", it make him darker, make him show he is capable to protect even the villain who wanted him dead, make him show his vulnerability in talking about Raniya (and boy, he has never even once tell A about Raniya), make him show his tenderness the best at umberalla-scene, make him waver should he trust her, even when the plot is leaking holes, and characters flaws, yet it the tone and looks in deliver them, that make the scenes sizzle. a good actress make her co lead shine together in a otherwise steretype scene.
that is the power of SYA.
back to YJ. there's already a lot of 'murmuring' and stereotyping calling people who rooted for JeJin as moral not correct, or
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maryofbethany
October 26, 2016 at 9:40 PM
back to YJ. there’s already a lot of ‘murmuring’ and stereotyping calling people who rooted for JeJin as moral not correct, or justify a villain or cougar lusting.... to steretype JeJin shippers as the agressive and sexual inclined type is a little off... whatever..
okay, i am not exactly for either ship also. it not that i believe the ending should be a twist to have Jejin.. but it just that the role of YJ is more than whatever everyone is desperate trying to paint her into. But nothing against the person Im Yoona, i did not start of expecting much from her, since i dont expect i dont find problems. its completely the character weak in Script writing.
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56 kae
October 24, 2016 at 12:49 PM
What if Annie is the villain and YJ is the misunderstood heroine. Annie been pretending she's scared and lost but in reality she really did kill her mother for what ever reason and been lying about illnesses that magically disappear.
And YJ been trying to keep her safe because she loves her father and knows the truth would kill him.
See this is a drama i could get behind lol :}
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Growingbeautifully
October 24, 2016 at 6:16 PM
Talk about TWIST! LOL! Who knows?
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Sera The Ms Temper
October 24, 2016 at 11:49 PM
LOL this is twist that I thought off too. But I don't know if the writer would dare to go to this route. Because Anna is Yoona, and I don't know if the PD wants Yoona to become the villain. I don't know.
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kae
October 25, 2016 at 7:43 AM
Yea I know it's a long shot but man would that be fun to watch lol
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57 yoojung
October 24, 2016 at 4:07 PM
I love k2 n yoojin scene ! I don’t know why
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58 Healer-the-Best
October 25, 2016 at 7:40 AM
It would be better that Anna will be the "monster" here eventually... If JeHa doesn't come back, she would think that he betrayed her, something like that.. Then she will revenge and turn out to be a bad girl, since slowly she's getting the courage and power... A detour on her character.. This will be a great time to showcast Yoona's acting (I hope)... NO stereotyping...
That will be a great twist!!
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DoubleFault
October 26, 2016 at 8:39 AM
I actually enjoyed seeing the darker version of Anna during her interview with Yoo Jin. I think Yoona did so well opposite SYA in that scene. It would be great if we see this more, considering that she is angry over the death of her mom, her dad supposedly being held against his will by YJ and her imprisonment after all these years. What makes Anna's character exciting for me is that she is on the verge of breaking out of her shell and we don't know if she will turn dark and murderous, a la Yoo Jin, or if she decides to seek justice in a more humane manner.
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59 msheepops
October 26, 2016 at 8:11 PM
Dear gummimochi, thanks for the recap! I appreciate your works, but is this post proofread already? Well i'm a bit of a grammar(or writing as a whole) nazi and i found some tiny errors here and there and its been bothering me for a while (sorry!)
"Je-ha examines the bottle and says she shouldn’t be receiving medication directly from her doctor instead of Sung-won." (shouldn't it be "she SHOULD be..."? the sentence didn't make sense for me)
"Just as her attack is about to turn the corner,.." (i think you forgot the '-er' -> ATTACKER)
"Over at Cloud Nine, Chief Joo that the best attack is one when the enemy least expects it. " (chief joo..... said?...)
i know i knowwwwww this is a drama recap not an essay paper and that most of you doesn't give a cake about it coz well it is still understandable anyway but i just can't help myself (sorry again >.<)
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gummimochi
October 29, 2016 at 3:14 PM
Hi heepops, thanks so much for catching those. I apologize that these typos slipped through! I really appreciate that you keep reading despite these overlooked errors!
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60 blissfulennaira
October 27, 2016 at 4:45 AM
The camera seems unstable. Some scenes are shaky.
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61 rose
October 30, 2016 at 6:57 AM
Hello,this is my 1st comment ever here,I stopped watching from ep 5,i always a fan of heavy,dark,action,politics and thriller kind of drama,but i feel something off from this drama.the story was unbalanced.its kinda heavy and dark but sometimes it changes to sweet,cute romance?i was fan of ghost,cruel city,and many more so i had a high hope for this drama but now it feels light....or heavy?i dont know -_- sorry for my bad english
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62 yoonjaepuppylove
October 30, 2016 at 5:25 PM
Both of these theories might be a stretch but...
1. Choi Yoojin is Jeha's mother? We don't know anything about his background or family. If Anna and Jeha are somewhat similar in age and Anna's Dad, mom, and Choi Yoo Jin could be similar in age - wouldn't it be theoretically possible for Yoojin to have a (secret, abandoned?) son who is Jeha's age?? Her attitude towards him is very maternal (in her own twisted way lol). Plus, birth secrets = classic k-drama trope!
2. Chief Kim is obsessed or in love with Choi Yoojin. If she's not involved in all of this for money or power, maybe it's because of a longtime one-sided love. And she dislikes Jeha mainly because Yoojin seems to have some strange affection towards him and therefore is jealous of him.
Thoughts??!!!
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63 seniorita
October 30, 2016 at 7:20 PM
I'm feeling Yoo Jin more here. She has reason to murder her husband's mistress. Ok, it's wrong to kill somebody, point blank. But "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". She can and she did. Anna.. i'm an SNSD fan. End. Je-Ha. part of me just wants to him to end up with nobody LOL. I thought being titled The K2 will be about him. but this seems to be all about Yoona being needy and Yoojin's war and K2 being an accessory to both. but hey, just a drama! still watching.
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