These are my gut feelings, so please don’t ask me to explain too much because my brains are in a totally different zone in my body.
1. “The last one is the best.”
My theory: the wine bottle that the Captain confiscated from her could have been used to incriminate her and/or Yeonwoo. The Princess’ men came after her. They probably found her through the Captain. He betrayed her. Yeonwoo was hung, and so was the rest of her gang. Captain and the princess were married. Manwol killed the princess first as revenge. She killed the Captain to complete revenge.
Remember: she saves the best for last…and the last is the best.
She wasn’t only talking about the last bit of snack there. To me, there were two hidden meanings there.
She said the ghost also left the worst guy for last. She meant that the ghost delayed her gratification so the revenge on this porno guy would be “sweetest” — just like the last snack is the best.
And she killed the Captain last.
That’s the key point and the significance of the Escapee Ghost’s vignette to Manwol’s past history. Remember now. The ghost stories aren’t random; they’re chosen to reveal an element of her past.
To continue…
Chansung is her last love.
The Captain was her first love that ended up in a heartbreak. But Chansung is her last love and he’ll be the best one for her. Even Ma Go #1 says so. He’s good for Man Wol.
2. Re. the married ghosts
Two ghosts were former spouses. They were arguing in the lobby and almost came to blows. They were fighting because wife-ghost had reunited with her First Love or her “oppa” to the utter dismay of the husband-ghost.
Btw, how coincidental was that @agdr03? Yesterday, I posted about about the “Rent an Oppa” YT videos. In one of the videos, the oppa demonstrated the proper way of shouting, “oppa.” I snorted when the wife-ghost called her First Love, “oppa” in a cloying way.
Anyway, for me, the married ghosts would foreshadow Manwol’s love triangle between the Captain and Chansung. The Captain referred to himself as “orabeoni” (that’s the old way of saying “oppa”) and he was the “First Love” of Manwol. The husband-ghost would be Chansung.
Like the wife-ghost, Manwol would cling to her memories of her “First Love” instead of enjoying her new, last and best love, Chansung. Like the married couple ghosts, they would fight over Manwol’s obsession and unresolved issues with her “orabeoni” from the past. But, of course, I’m predicting the direction of the story and I’m no fortune-teller.
Re-watch that whole scene and see of how clever the dialogue is. The wife-ghost yelled at the jealous husband-ghost that her oppa was three years older than him. “He died earlier.” hahaha. That’s so true. The Captain died earlier (1000 years earlier) although he looked just as young as Chansung.
Also #useless facts here. The actor portraying the Captain is three years older (24 years old) than Yeo Jin Goo (21 years old). lol.
Later, the Bellhop warned Chansung about the grudge of the husband-ghost transferring over to him as he’d been hit on the chest by husband-ghost. I thought that was alluding to Chansung becoming jealous, in the future, of Manwol’s obsession with the Captain.
3. Chansung isn’t the Captain
I’m quite sure now that Chansung is NOT Manwol’s Captain. The script and the director have been trolling the audience to believe that Chansung is the reincarnation. He isn’t.
Of course, feel free to have your own theories. Don’t take everything I say in this blog as the gospel truth.
For me, Manwol carried great hatred for the Captain because he had a part in the death of Jeonwoo. That hatred was the reason she knew that Chansung was NOT the Captain when she touched his chest.
However, she could look back at her romantic memories of Captain, like visiting him at the castle gate, being called a thief, wearing an un-bloodied scarf, WITHOUT hatred anymore.
Because of Chansung’s arrival at the Hotel del Luna and into her life, she’s slowly changing from an angry, grudge-filled, self-pitying woman into this new person who could look back without resentment and rage. She was being healed!
That’s why she looked at the tree with ONE blossom on it and thought that perhaps she could be colorful as Ma Go wanted her to be. And she kinda laughed that Chansung would be pleased and bragged about this change in her, if he should hear about this. Her transformation was due to Chansung.
Do you get me?
Remembering the Captain doesn’t mean that Captain is reincarnated as Chansung. To me, it only means that her memories of him are no longer filled with hatred. She could remember those times with the Captain and see them for what they are. They were indeed romantic. He was her First Love, but that doesn’t mean he was Last Love. Her Last Love will be Chansung.
As the married couple ghosts showed, First Love ≠ Last Love.
4. The Himalayan pink salt!
Hahaha. I get mine from Costco. I swear food tastes better with the Himalayan pink salt than regular table salt.
5. The fourth Ma Go
Who’s more powerful? #1 or #2? I thought it was sneaky that the Grim Reaper pointed upwards to reply to Mawol’s question. Nobody could accuse him of betraying the gods and giving away a heavenly secret. You see, he was pointing to the heavens, as if to indicate that, in general, “the heaven” was ALL powerful. However, to be specific, the #1 Ma Gosin was the most powerful.
I think the main difference between the Ma Go gods is their view on justice and MERCY.
Ma Go #4 is the Enforcer or punisher. Rules are rules. She makes sure that all evil-doers get their just punishments and that they don’t get away with their crime. There’s no mercy from her.
On the other hand, Ma Go #1 is the Apologist or advocate. She metes out punishment, too, but she defends the evil-doers from excessive punishment. She believes in their rehabilitation. And her justice is tempered by mercy.
Of course, both Chansung and Manwol think it’s cruel and unfair of the gods that it was Ma Go #4 who caught up with the Ghost Escapee of Room 13. They wanted Ma Go #1 to show up instead, because that would mean the Escapee Ghost would have another chance of healing, rehabilitation and redemption at Hotel del Luna.
Moreover, Chansung and Manwol viewed Go #1’s appearance as a sign that there’s HOPE for Manwol.
She had killed more than the Escapee Ghost. However, if the Escapee Ghost could be purified at the Hotel by a relative short stay, then Manwol, too, could-should-would be purified and redeemed at the Hotel del Luna. After all, she’s been there for more than 1000 years. She wanted to be finally forgiven and absolved of her heinous past.
She was looking for HOPE. And became bitter that Ma Go #4 showed up. Hence at the rooftop, she pondered, “Why don’t the gods come in the form that humans want?” She wanted Ma Go #1.
However, when Chansung met up with Ma Go #1 at their usual spot under the tree, Ma Go #1 explained that for the gods, it was a balancing act, too. She said, that if the gods showed up the way humans want, then no one would try hard enough. My understanding here is, if Manwol had been given forgiveness, absolution, and pardon right away, then she wouldn’t be exerting effort to reform herself. She needs to do what she can and work hard for her own healing and redemption. She shouldn’t expect the gods to do everything for them, she must do her share.
The sign on the office wall of the porno guy said the same thing: People should do their best, God will take care of the rest.
6. Chansung is a good guy.
I liked him when he refused to look at the video. He’s right. The production, distribution, importation, reception, and possession of such illegal videos is a serious crime.
7. Manwol’s listening to my fashion rant.
She ditched her ugly (dish)rags in the earlier episodes for more tailored clothes.
That’s it for now. Remember these are just my gut feelings or instant takes on the episode. I’ll do the real analysis later after I see the completed Viki subs.
Good morning!
thank god finally you’re here..i’ve been refreshing this page since morning..huhu
i’m hoping Chanseong is his own person..not the reincarnation or whatsoever..
sometimes when the Captain flirting with Manweol i can see attraction brewing in her eyes..like “what this guy doing?”, “what is he talking”..he makes girl confuse storming like that into girl’s life and with a face as cute as he is ( he know it too), he can seduce Manwol in no time..but i think, at best, the feeling Manweol have for Captain is infatuation..is it?like how puppy love,the idea of 1st love should be..
i’m a bit dissatisfied with how the Ghost Escapee end up..being ceased to nothingness..the perpetrators are at best been punished with death..sometimes i feel death is not the harshest punishment people should get especially whom ruined others without a care & remorse..
it’s been twice (or is it thrice?) Chanseong has clutching his chest…is there any clue why?i’m kinda worried for him..
also is Chanseong now can hallucinate Manwol’s past at any times not only in dreams?
Good morning and thank you very much for this ⬆️! 😉
I thought it was a great episode.
1 – You’ve completed the puzzle. 👍🏻 I believe your right. Yes, Captain was her first love and CS will be her last. I see it now, they are not the same person.
CS is starting to feel jealous now when Sanchez said he will pair MW with one of the yacht club members or from the tennis or golf club. 😄
2 – It was a funny coincidental scene with the ghost wife calling her first love Oppa. 😄 I thought it was very funny when MW said to the couple ‘cut here, chop there’. 😁 Lucky it did calmed them down.
Oh so the dialogue was actually true when it comes to the actors age 😄
3 – Yes! MW is being healed and it does show especially in her spending. 😄 CS cancelled the yacht order and she couldn’t do anything about the sunflower field with $4 million.
She also initiated getting back at the porn guy with her hotel invitation.
I thought it was interesting when she said in the car with CS, ‘you did great CS. I wonder how the deity will reward you?’. It’s in relation to that sign on the porn guy’s office wall. I watched at kissasian by the way.
4 – Pink Himalayan salt is what I use too. I thought that sprinkling of salt was funny.
5 – Loved your explanation on the difference between #MG1 and #MG4. MW was feeling sad at the rooftop because she can be burned and ceased to exist like ghost from room 13. She wants the chance to change.
6 – He is isn’t he? 😊 I thought that was great too that he said NO in looking at the video. He’s worried too about the bellhop, the lady and the other man.
7 – How many outfits has she worn on the show? It’s incredible. I’m not into IU but I like her character here.
I think the story will move on now to the story of Ji Hyun Joong and the other two employees. Also, he’s sister was blind but she’s got a brother who has the same name as him. I thought it was sweet of him when he showed himself to everyone just so he could help Mi Na.
before i forget, how do you prefer the chemistry & love developments of the leads in a drama..?do you like the slow-burn one..??or the fast & intense love..?like they meet one day,blinking their eyes at each other then tomorrow they are a couple..
Different guts but same gut feel! LOL.
Ad Hoc Thoughts
I was noting how MW sat peacefully under her tree now, compared to how she stood before it in the first episode, as if confronting it. She has become accepting of the changes in the tree and what that portends. Of course, just as she’s getting warm-hearted, something has to come along to pull or push her 2 steps back.
Do you think the pattern/logo on 4th Ma Go’s hat looks like the hair stick pattern or the pattern on Captain’s hat?
I was surprised to see her painting her nails. That’s time consuming. She always seemed all dressed to the hilt in an instant, that I feel one of her powers is just getting dolled up and ready to go in a flash! 😁
I like that we’re still getting info on the world of ghosts through Seo Hee and bartender (yes it was exposition, but useful, and not too overboard), and through Bellhop and Intern. So far, I find the story world logic is still holding up well.
Now we understand why Seo Hee says she was sad for Ghost of Rm 13 and wanted her to be brought back to the hotel. It was her only hope of salvation, if only she would let go of her vendetta against all humans (I think mostly or only against all male humans while she was in the hotel, and particular guilty parties after she left the hotel. At least MW could look at her and was fine). Again it tells us what MW’s situation is going to be if she returns to her angry, vengeful self, and as if that’s not clear enough, CS has to double confirm that with Bellhop.
I’ve been waiting for her encounter with Mi Ra and so it becomes our cliff hanger.
*Sigh* I’ll only be able to watch tonight’s episode tmr afternoon or so.
Yes. I agree. I like what you said: her CONCEPT of first love. First love = puppy love = infatuation
The ghost escapee felt it had to take justice into her own hands. In this sense, she was an arrogant. She can only demand for justice but she can’t go around doling it out. Killing the porno guys out of vengeance — she actually became worse than they were.
And again, this mirrors Manwol’s vengeance (well, we’re not sure yet, okay?) of Jeonwoo’s death. On one level, she appeared to have justifiable reason to WANT to kill her enemies. But in reality, she committed cold-blooded murder. Killing is only justified in self-defense. Killing the princess and the captain wasn’t act of self-defense. It was revenge.
Not sure if Chansung actually conjured up Manwol’s dreams at the ending of this episode. I think he’s seen the dream before so he didn’t need another dream sequence. I think he sensed Manwol shocked reaction at the sight of Mira so he KNEW that Manwol recognized her.
Okay. I’ll stop here. It’s hard for my arthritic hand (lol) to type with one finger on my iPhone. Have to look for my laptop.
Yes, I didn’t focus on the Bellhop’s story didn’t I? I haven’t figured his sister’s story yet out. But that man called Ji Hyun Joong could NOT be the Bellhop because Bellhop died.
It must be another man who claimed to be Bellhop when Bellhop died. During the war so many people died, and bodies of the dead/missing soldiers were mixed. The story mentioned something about the gates in the afterworld being opened to let people in. The impression I got was the transition to the afterworld wasn’t orderly.
It’s possible this fake JHJ claimed to be Bellhop and no one knew any better. He lived the life of the privilege man and took care of his younger sister.
There’s no way that JHJ could still be alive because the war was 70 years ago. The real JHJ would have to be in his 100s. If Bellhop’s very-much-younger sister was already this old decrepit frail octogenarian, then the real JHJ should be even more decrepit.
It doesn’t add up. I hope though that Bellhop didn’t disappear to plot some evil scheme.
I don’t think that CS is the reincarnation of the Captain too. I find the both character very different and I think if the Captain would have been reincarnated, he should have his own body.
By the way, Himalayan link salt is good but lacks in iodine! So it’s important to use other salts too.
I prefer the meeting-of-the-minds sort of love. Some characters are instantly on the same (brain) wavelengths so I understand that kind of love at first “sight” or love at first mind-meld. Lol.
But most people fall in love gradually as they become attuned to the other person’s character, personalities, and mindset. There might have been indifference or repulsion at their first encounter but they overcome the first impressions in time. That’s the slow-burn and I like that too.
What I don’t like is when two intellectually, mentally and emotionally incompatible people professing love at first sight. That scenario isn’t believable to me. 🙂
Yes, the lack of iodine in Himalayan salt concerned me at first but then I figured that with my regular yogurt and cottage cheese, I should still be fine.
Another “trendy” salts are black lava salt and red alaea from Hawaii. Lol! But buying salt for its color is such a “first world” problem. Many people would be happy enough to have food at the table regularly.
Now that we are in private info sharing mode: I confess to also favoring pink himalayan salt (from Hmart, packed in KR) 😛
And I really like your take on ep7. Very much on point — about everything.
It was a strange one for me because on paper it did everything right — it did a great job advancing the story and setting up real stakes, the ghost story was balanced by the cute (MW-CS; bellboy-intern too), strong cliffhanger… but somehow I was only left with a sense of dread and unshakable sadness. I remember MW sitting under her tree at the beginning of the episode smiling then her expression when looking at MR and I just want to cry…
I keep going back to the idea of justice and what it means to me…what it means for MW* and for the room 13 guest. And I think the idea of mercy needs to encompass the idea of empathy: crimes don’t happen in the void… the context matters. I wanted the gods to give them both a chance to atone so the resolution for 13 felt plain wrong.
(*Having spoiled myself with ep8 already I know that the past story went exactly as I had expected. )
About this universe’s punishments: is there a difference if the crime happened in human vs. ghost form? What happened to the spirit of that pervert? Why does MG#4 insist that MW is an ‘evil spirit’? I feel I still don’t completely understand the rules of this universe.
The last thought of the day before heading off: it’s been a long time since I last liked so much two characters, not just as mains but as people. So much that I’m starting to worry about my heart, should this all go south… I just want them together… you already can see how being together is changing them (MW is getting softer and more caring, he is discovering his inner violent streak when confronted with injustice), they are so much better together that I can’t see them as anything other than each other’s lasts… whatever that means in this universe. Now make it happen, Show.
I try that pink salt, but feel no different with the taste regular salt, still same, salty. And cost more money in here 😂 5 dollar for 250gram.
In my country regular salt cost only 0,2 dollar.
The pink color only best thing on himalayan salt. 😂
I’m still a hold out on the Captain. I rather think he did what he had to do to save Manwol’s life, knowing fully what the consequence would be for him – death by Manwol’s sword. That smile at the end, was not the smile of a man who is happy in his betrayal, is not the smile of one who has won everything.
@Flying tool
I am inclined to a similar interpretation.
But I still think that choice was a selfish one… given who MW is, making her watch everyone get killed while sparing her life is worse than killing her with them. His ‘protection’ inflicted the maximum amount of pain imaginable.
If he genuinely loved her, he should have told her the truth during their last meeting at the lake… just asking if he should desert, without context, was a cowardly way out of taking responsibility for his actions. Of course she would not have him destroy his future just to follow her into the rebel camp — not if she was the only reason for him doing that…
We still don’t know exactly what his train of thought was, but from MW’s perspective his actions seem irredeemable even if (or, more accurately, precisely because) of him having feelings for MW.