Viewers always notice when the hero levels up because the signs are visible. For instance, once JinWoo reached Level 5, the audience immediately took note that he could finally communicate with both the pirates (or mercenaries) and Emma in that Alcazaba Café.

But I doubt the audience even noticed when the heroine HeeJoo leveled up. Did you?

To me, she’s in Level 2.

😀

It has something to do with the clock. Did you notice them? It always strikes 1:16 am

From Episode 1

The news on TV is droning about the success of JOne at a recent tech show but she’s oblivious to it as she sleeps. Doorbell chimes. She wakes up and glances at the clock then goes back to sleep. But doorbell rings again so she goes to the door wondering who it can be. She opens the door and he asks, “Did I come too late?” at the lateness of the hour. She asks in return, “How can I help you?” And he replies, “Do you have any available rooms?” Then the church bells toll.

From Episode 5.

She’s sorting through her office materials. Phone chimes. She glances at the clock. She answers the phone, “Hola” and she hears, “Is this Hostal Bonita?” in Spanish. The caller orders her to get JinWoo. She resists at first but yields after finding out that the caller’s the wife.

See that?

In the first episode, it was the doorbell that chimed to announce the beginning of her involvement in the game. In the second episode, it was the phone call from the Wife that signaled her “leveling up.”  Both times, it was 1:16 am.

At the first encounter, she was given the opportunity to say no and close the door on JinWoo. But it seemed like she was caught in a trance and she allowed him in.

And I thought that the church bell tolling in the distance was ominous. You see, church bells are rung NOT ONLY to indicate the HOUR (besides at 1:16am, the church bell had no business ringing the HOUR anyway, because it was late by 16 minutes. Ha!) but ALSO announce the DEATH of somebody. That’s why we have the term “death knell” and the famous poem by John Donne that goes, “any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.”

The tradition of ringing the bell is said to drive out the devils hovering and prowling around the area to take control over the soul of the newly deceased.

So, here in this kdrama when the church bell tolled, I took it to mean that her brother is “dead” but there was the devil, in the form of JinWoo, lurking around to take over his “soul” or his creative and INTELLECTUAL property, the AR game.

And true enough, JinWoo’s smile as he and HeeJoo gazed at each other looked charmingly devilish to me. lol.

As for the second instance the clock showed 1:16am, it forewarned us that it was time for her to become more emotionally involved, more personally INVESTED in this mysterious guest at Hotel Bonita.

It’s just fitting I would say. JinWoo’s invested financially in the Augmented Reality software program her brother developed, while she’s invested emotionally in this person JinWoo who her brother secretly invited to their Hotel Bonita. The brother kept her in the dark about the program, even though she’s embedded in the game. And JinWoo was only continuing the secrecy by not telling her about their connection.

Granted two days seemed too fast to fall in love with a stranger, but at the very least she must have a jumble of feelings for him. He annoyed and insulted her, but he swooped in out of nowhere to rescue her and her family from a hard life. Then he alternated between ignoring her (e.g., rebuffing her effusive thanks) and then showing concern for her (e.g., telling her not to give her phone to anyone and not to be too trusting). His mixed signals would naturally result in her MIXED feelings, too.

So there you go.

While focusing on JinWoo’s game, let’s not be oblivious to HyeJoo’s game, too. She’s also leveling up. While the storm and the guitar melody signal the start of a mortal combat for JinWoo, HeJoo’s entry to the AR game occur (mind you, without her knowledge and consent) when she’s called upon to help and serve at the behest of a stranger at 1:16am. I find it interesting that JinWoo’s challenge is to protect his life from death whereas HeJoo’s challenge is to protect her feelings from a heartbreak.

😀