Just to recap some of the things in the comment section —

One of the difficulties many viewers encountered with this kdrama is discerning when to take the words literally or metaphorically.

I understand these statements as LITERALLY true.

1. From Episode 1. Thanks @Storm_moon.

MW: I’m not dead. I still haven’t died. I’m just here.
CS: What do you mean “still”? Do you mean you might die one day?

She’s alive. She hasn’t died. She’s just surviving life without actually feeling and BEING alive. She’s just existing and not LIVING life.

2. From Episode 3. Thanks @GB.

MW: I also died. Why don’t they take me.
Mago: You didn’t die. I told you, you are tied to the Moon Tree and the flow of life and death has stopped for you.
MW: How long will you keep me tied up.
Mago: It’s you who are not budging.
MW: I’m dried up and shriveled. If you cut it up and burn it (the Tree), I will be on my way.

There she goes again. MW is self-pitying again. She’s whining that she’s figuratively “died” because she’s fed up. But Mago reminded her that, factually speaking, she didn’t die. She’s still living and breathing because she’s alive.

3. From Episode 16.

CS: Are you going alone without the Grim Reaper?
MW: I was the owner of this place for a long time. On my own feet…I’ll find the way.
CS: You’re strong.

This is her actual death because the Grim Reaper was supposed to have been there to attend to her. She didn’t die in Episode 14 when she escorted Capt Firefly over the bridge.

That time, the Grim Reaper’s car was waiting to return her back to Hotel del Luna. Remember? In Episode 9, the Grim Reaper said, “Even if they get off midway, they can’t turn around.”

But Manwol was a special exception because she was sent there on a mission by MaGo1. She was able to turn around halfway and was delivered back to Hotel del Luna by limo because it wasn’t her appointed time of death yet. She didn’t even suffer a memory loss from that trip; she remembered the firefly incident.

Also note, she didn’t get the lily. Only the Captain was holding a lily on that bridge.

Details. Details. Details. The director was good with details.

She became an exception and achieved an “impossible” task because she was only to the afterlife on a mission by MaGo1. It was her last punishment to help Capt Firefly crossover by carrying him. But MaGo1 also sent Chansung on his own “impossible” mission. He was sent back in time by MaGo1 to retrieve the flowers.

— lol. I really love how Chansung was able to leverage his mission and use it to his advantage by forcing MG3 to turn back time for him again because he returned her pair of scissors. See that? Monkey see, Monkey do. He quickly learned from the MaGos’ tricks.

But I’m taking these conversations to be METAPHORICALLY speaking of dying. It’s interesting that when death is imminent, they use euphemisms to talk about death.

1. From Episode 16.

CS: How much time do we have left?
MaGo2: Today, around the time of a full moon, all the energy from the hotel will be collected. Everything will disappear. And Jang Man Wol must leave.

To leave is a euphemism for to die.
Energy is a euphemism for life, her life-force.
Her death is scheduled at full moon, when the energy or life-force in her body leaves.

2. From Episode 16.

MW: Gu Chansung. I keep on getting sleepy. I’m falling asleep. I’m going to fall asleep and leave as if I were dreaming a dream. (And she leans on him.)
CS: I’ll stay by your side when you fall asleep. (and he carries her off to bed.)

To fall asleep = to die
To leave as if she was dreaming = to die in her sleep

As I said, most people missed this part. 🙂

I’m sure the Hong sisters have read the “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks and/or the ending scene of the movie adaptation.

Dying in the arms of the beloved as you sleep is the most romantic and peaceful way to end a beautiful relationship. To me, it was the fitting end to Manwol’s life that he literally stayed by her side, with his arm for a pillow and his hand patting her gently, when she passed away.

And I like what @GB said here.

Not only was he to be separated from her by death, not only was he to see her off at the tunnel, but he was also to be with her at her dying.

He was there every step of the way of her dying. I understand that the Manwol demonstrated the most growth in the drama — or what drama critics call the “story arc” — but I love Chansung’s character because he’d been a steady moral compass for her. In many kdramas, the heroes are ones who undergo transformation and the heroines are the static, goody-two-shoes, characters. So, I’m glad to see a reversal here.

Also, I like that we felt and understood his despair but his emotions didn’t distract us from the fact that the spotlight of the story is on Manwol’s death. Realistically speaking, that’s the right approach. When somebody has an incurable illness, and is in the late stages of her disease, for instance, the focus is on her, and not the caretaker. Similarly, we saw Manwol’s steady progression toward her death, and Chansung was the right companion to guide her and make sure that she departed from this life beautifully.

After all, he was the one who saved her from death more than 1300 years ago. The Grim Reaper was about to take her then but he and his father arrived at the scene. The Grim Reaper had said then that she couldn’t hold on much longer.

He was the one who spotted her dead family’s caravan.

And he was the one who was about to wrap her with his scarf when he realized that she was alive. He said, “She moved. Can you see me? You’re alive!” He proclaimed her alive when the Grim Reaper had been so sure that she was about to die.

It was truly proper then he was the one to send her off to death.

And I also like what @GB wrote here:

Her death makes total sense. The energy of the moon was withdrawn. It was what had kept her alive indefinitely. With it gone, she lost energy and fell asleep. That also explains why she kept resting her head on Chan Sung so much towards the end and after.

I found it a fitting parallel, that the first time she heard that he had dreamt of her past, she was so put out and full of vigour that she teleported him to her bed and pushed him down repeatedly, ordering him to sleep and to dream so that she could check if he was entering her memories.

That time neither of them slept and his dreams were never shared by her in sleep.

This time, is the last time that he dreams of her past, and he has to carry her to the bed, and both of them sleep and see his final dream of their shared past together.

lol. That’s right! That scene in Episode 4 was a neat parallel.

She manhandled him and ordered him to sleep because she wanted to see his dreams. Back then, she was so fierce!

“You need to sleep so that you can dream. Whether you really saw me in your dreams or you’re deceiving me with something you overheard here. I need to confirm it for myself. Gu Chansung, go to sleep.”

He pointed out that there was no way he could sleep under duress. He added, “And even if you force me to sleep, I don’t always dream.” She replied, “Fine, then sleep next to me until you dream.”

lol. This scene

versus this scene couldn’t be any more different.

Also in Episode 12, he joked about sleeping with her. He said, “Then let’s go. Let me sleep comfortably in your room. Never mind the massager, I want an arm pillow. You’ll be my arm pillow and what’s the use of an eye mask? You should pat my head. So that I can sleep.” Ugh! It’s ironic that his wish came true but in reverse.

But it was fitting that the first time they actually slept together they both dreamed of their first encounter, too.

3. From Episode 16.

MG3: Because you found something precious of mind, I should pay you back.
CS: Although the gods don’t come when I want them to, it’s very nice of you to reciprocate.
MG3: Shall I sever the connection which is growing painfully worse?
CS: Has our connection continued? Can you see it? Are there still ties left to cut?
MG3: Well that’s… I cannot answer that.
CS: Forget it then. There’s something I want. I want to travel back in time.
MG3: That’s…
CS: I know you can do it. You made me do it when it was needed.
MG3: That’s true, but…
CS: It’s fine even if it’s for a short moment. Help me so that I can see winter with her.

As I said many times, he evinced surprise…no, shock, that there were still ties left to be cut because he thought her death meant the end of the connection. She was already dead at this point.

They both accepted her death and he thought her death ended all connection with them. But he was WRONG.

Her physical death didn’t terminate their connection. That’s why Mago3 was offering to cut this existing emotional, mental, and spiritual connection between them. MG3 understood that he was merely holding back everything hence her offer to alleviate his growing pain.

Remember, Chansung had always been stoic. In Episode 12, he didn’t show her that he was upset about her looming death. He excused himself and when he was all by himself, he released his feelings.

Later in that episode, he told her, “Perhaps the flowers that bloomed in your tree just like how the first leaf, they might be falling for me. They might pile up and become very heavy and painful. I will handle them as my share. So don’t be scared when you leave me. This, to the weak human that I am, who is now doing his best with all of his might, is love.”

He didn’t break down when he said that.

In Episode 14, he kept managing the hotel very well in Manwol’s absence for a month. He only broke down when he saw the bus with the comedian’s face on it.

Then, in Episode 15, he told her, “When I went back in time and met you, I wanted to take the drink you offered me to stay with you there. If I had done that, I would have become your 85th passerby and I may have drawn a portrait of you. I had this thought as I hung a picture we took together: That I will be your last manager, the 99th one. I won’t let you spend meaningless time with the 100th one. So don’t drink that.”

He didn’t break down when he said that.

So no. I don’t expect him to break down as soon as she’d left him in her sleep. He was still in his stoic mode. But that was when MaGo3 arrived. To me, she came at that particular moment because his grief was about to set in. She walked in  and offered to sever the connection exactly because his pain was about to worsen.

Growing painfully worse = euphemism for grieving because Manwol just passed away

It was obvious that he wasn’t going to let go of her easily. On the surface, he appeared calm. He accepted that he had to let go.

But deep inside, if he could turn back time, he would. This is a natural reaction, too, for somebody who just lost a loved one.

Why do you think he asked to travel back in time to see a snowfall that either happened in the past or future? 🙂

Note these:

One, his request to go back in time meant that he was still holding on to her. He wanted one more chance with her so they could see winter.

Two, why would he request to travel back in time if Manwol was still alive at that time? lol. It would make zero sense. If Manwol was still alive at that point, he should have just asked MaGo3 to DELAY her death for just a short while, so they could witness winter together.

Besides, producing winter wouldn’t have been a difficult task for MaGo3. It shouldn’t have flustered MaGo3 like that.

Three, the reason MaGo was flustered by his request to travel back in time was because Manwol was already dead. He was actually requesting to travel back in time when she was still alive. That would be an almost “impossible” request for a deity because it would require tampering with or “unraveling” death.

To travel back in time = to return to a time when she was alive = another euphemism here. Most viewers didn’t get that.

And THAT was an “impossible” mission, too. As impossible as asking Manwol to cross the bridge to carry the stupid firefly to his afterlife. As impossible as going back to 200 years ago to retrieve flowers for MaGo2.

Four, that’s why it did NOT matter to him whether that snowfall happened in some past that they couldn’t remember or in some future. All that mattered to him was he’d be given ONE LAST TIME to be with her ALIVE so they can have one last winter memory together.

To me, this whole conversation must be understood in a deeper context. They were both tiptoeing around Manwol’s death.

At any rate, I find it ironic that, although all the characters were talking about Manwol’s death in the final episode, none of them said the word “death” explicitly.

In Episode 15, Manwol mentioned in passing to the housekeeper that she and Chansung knew about her coming death although they didn’t talk about it.

MW: It’s not that I returned because I’m still bound to the moon spirit tree. The new owner of the Inn of the Moon must be coming. MaGo Sin is getting ready.
Housekeeper: Does Manager Gu know too?
MW: Yeah. He knows…although we haven’t said it to each other.

And the reason is simple.

The truth hurts. Manwol and Chansung were both putting up a brave front for each other.

 

But then what about the Hong sisters’ post-production interview? Is she meant to be taken literally? Metaphorically? @nrllee brought it up here:

Hmm…Hong Sisters in their recent interview said this

“Hong Jung Eun commented, “The goal of Del Luna is to be a space where ghosts can rest before they are sent off to the afterlife. Since the initial creation of this hotel, the end was always meant to be Jang Man Wol’s departure, in which she is seen off by Goo Chan Sung. Since their chemistry was so good, many viewers must have hoped they would end up together, but knew in their hearts that Jang Man Wol would leave. Since Jang Man Wol is dead and Goo Chan Sung is alive, it was impossible for them to be together in that lifetime, unless unnecessarily forced.””

source: Soompi

So they had penned MW as “dead”. In which case she didn’t need to die in CS’s arms because she was already dead? What was she then? Like all the other spectral staff of HDL?

I’m reposting my reply here with minor edits so others lurking in this blog will see it.

Remember we’re reading a translation so the context could have been lost in translation.

Manwol is quote-unquote dead. Meaning, she’s alive but she feels dead inside, just like her spirit tree is alive but isn’t blooming.

All throughout the story Manwol was portrayed as a living, breathing, eating person who couldn’t die. That’s why CS was intent on feeding her. In Episode 1, SHE herself said that humans have to eat or they die. Lol.

So for this Hong sister to say that Manwol is dead would be so stupid as to be laughable. Like, Michaelangelo suddenly saying that he meant Adam to be female in his iconic painting, “The Creation of Adam” with his penis was there for all to see.

Instead, her words should be taken in context.

She would be like someone already exasperated with people (the critics and the fangirls!) insisting on the lovey-dovey moments. Instead of explaining thoroughly in detail or PARSING her words clearly, she just went for the crucial point that people kept on missing.

I think this is what she wanted to say. lol.

….I know that the chemistry was so good that many viewers wanted to then end up together with a wedding, honeymoon and two kids. But if the viewers were being honest with themselves then they knew… KNEW! in their hearts that MW must leave. Come on now, people!!! The Grim Reaper kept on saying that Chansung was the one to send her off. Think now!! How could it be possible for them to be together when she’s dead…I mean, she’s technically dying… no, she’s been wanting to die… no, let’s be precise here…for a thousand years, whoopsie! for 1333 years, she’s been waiting for death to come, and he’s still alive? Duh!

😈

As I said before, when reading the writer’s post-production interview, we have to take into consideration, his/her state of mind. To me, she sounded defensive. It wouldn’t surprise me if she found it irksome that people are hell-bent on a passionate romance when that was the opposite of the METAPHYSICAL romance that they were going for in this kdrama.

And I understand her frustration. I’ve been in these situations myself when I find both the interviewer to be deliberately obtuse and his questions so ridiculously biased that I avoid irony, sarcasm or hyperbole. I expect that interviewer to either miss the point given his wit or misconstrue my words entirely given his agenda. Thus, I limit myself to the most DIRECT answer so my exasperation doesn’t come through.

If I were her, I would have said, for emphasis, “LOOK HERE. This is the point: Jang Man Wol is dead and Goo Chan Sung is alive. It was impossible for them to be together in that lifetime, unless unnecessarily forced.”

And that’s how I interpreted the Hong sister’s answer. She couldn’t understand why people insisted on Manwol staying alive and didn’t get why a full-blown passionate love affair wasn’t feasible.

*************

I should edit this post some more but our trip tired me out. I dictated portions of it on my iphone. But I *might* do it tomorrow.

I haven’t forgotten to continue with my Final Challenge. Let me get some things out of the way first.