The thread is now open for wedding celebrations and babies!
“Why are you crying?”
Enjoy the show!
58 Comments On “Hometown Cha Cha Cha: Eps 15 & 16”
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The thread is now open for wedding celebrations and babies!
“Why are you crying?”
Enjoy the show!
Comments are closed.
Thanks @pkml3! My goodness, are we down to the last 2 episodes already??
This Show, the last quarter and even the whole year seems to be galloping past.
What I am looking forward to … and because of that it feels as if it’s taking longer to happen, is our re-watch party next week. That cannot come fast enough!
Oh Ijun. You know, I don’t like your parents to get back together. But if only for you, I’d want you to have your family back. Yours was the best scene for me of the entire episode.
@Where’s @GB?????? 😊😊😊
@CheekyChu, I felt for Ijun, too. Poor darling. I was wondering how he was so mature about everything, then bam, his scene. What a poor sweetheart. Frankly, he is the only reason that makes me sincerely wish Hwa Jeong and YG the best. 🙃
Episode 15 is just right on time, starting to tie the loose ends. And I appreciate that the episodes are written in a way that there will be no more surprises(hopefully) by tomorrow’s Episode 16. And so we continue on with the “healing”/good vibes theme… 🙂
@pandamilktea Ijun best child actor!!!! So mature. But holding it all in. I like it that the parents apologized also to their son.
He was so good. Indeed the entire case is so good. I read over some forums that many are theater/musical actors and the guy who played DoHa is an indie actor.
And conveniently, a white truck of doom appears out of nowhere!
While it seems like HJ-DS will get their happy ending, I feel sad about Gamri passing before their wedding. But it seems like she can die content, having eaten all the squid she wanted. There was really a sense of foreboding when after the filming crew left, she was left alone to clean her house. Good thing her friends came over, and they had a sleepover before she died peacefully in her sleep.
@CheekyChu, me, too. I’d have wanted that everyone stayed “intact” by the end of the series. Everyone attending the OTP’s wedding, Gamri watching her house (herself?) on TV for the second time, sunshine and daisies yadda yadda.
Oh well. I guess this plotline is needed as the final push for HJ to stay in Gongnim. 🙂
Seems like Gamri was holding on until DS finds himself again, finds someone he can depend on. She also found joy and some purpose feeding the filming crew and cast. But after they have wrapped up filming, she was left alone again.
I suddenly have a thought… Could it be that she is the one who won the lottery (3rd Gongjin mystery)? I thought at first it was Eun chol with the lavish gifts he was giving Mi Seon only to find out that he was selling his toy collection.
Could Gamri’s letter to Dusik contain money? For DS to start over, after having sold everything to sustain Doha’s family?
Hi Everybody, I. Just finished Episode 15 and need to dry my tears. Granted that I feel absolutely manipulated, but I loved every minute of it. With this, I am going to post many of my random thoughts.
There are dramas that I think tie things up in a pretty bow with lots of false notes and weird coincidences. However I think what we saw this episode was not farfetched and flowed from what we saw before. The magic of the show is that the star of this show and the major character is the town of Gongjin. The town is the catalyst for all that is good. The reality show production crew was set to go elsewhere but landed in Gongjin. HJ opened her dental pract I certainly there upon her escape from Seoul because she had childhood memories. The townsfolk knew about and were part of the outside world but chose to stay. It’s sort of like a Korean Brigadoon without the kilts. It does things to people.
I also liked that the stories of many townspeople were developed. They weren’t characters solely in service to the leads. And the same can be said for members of the production crew. And all of the children and our teen girt behaved in age appropriate ways.
I also enjoyed the fact that this drama hascc9stujes that 8dent7fy characters through clothing down to young B9ra.
Looking forward to our final episode to also bid farewell to Gam ri, a favorite character played by a favorite actress, Ms. OK, my favorite court lady in The King and my favorite tractor driver in Dear My Friends.
Thank you @packmule3 for providing this spot to ramble on and to read all of the great comments
Haven’t had the time to catch up here in ages so thought I’d stop by. Hello @packmule how have you been? Am curious why you are banning folks on the thread!
I’m still at Ep 13 for this but am loving this show (still not a fan of KSH though). Like @old American lady, I liked how the stories of the townspeople were developed, without the show meandering and losing the main plot. One thing that really amused me initially when I started watching this show was seeing our chief prosecutor morph into bohemian singer Oh Yoon, and Mr Stalker guy turning into a bumbling, rather dense police officer lol.
@JT7,
Please read my “Welcome” (or not-so-welcome) post found in the upper right hand corner re banning.
Res ipsa loquitur.
Pm3
Hi Everyone and thanks so much @pandamilktea for asking about me!
I’ve emerged from a sea of tears, good grief!!! I need several glasses of water to replenish what I lost over Episode 15!! I felt like Show deliberately stuffed in all the sweet stuff and sickly aegyo in the last 2 episodes, only so that it could overwhelm us with angst and emotional-quakes in the penultimate episode.
I did so hope that Show could manage the painful aspects without killing off anyone, but no. There was enough to cry about over the joy of reconciliation, the pain over past hurts, the forgiveness, and the acceptance, but it had to throw in grief over new loss. Was there even 1 aspect of how tears could be jerked that was not milked by this Show???
Come Episode 16, I look forward to the tears and dust settling and lots of quiet joy and hope at the end. Although it might not get the highest marks in some aspects of its execution, it gets top marks for milking every drop of emotion in me.
Special Hi to @JT7. yes, long time no see, and I hope you’re doing great!
LOL @pkml3 I only just went back to read your ‘Welcome’ message. When did you update it? I’m so chuffed to be named as one of your faves!!! Shucks, I’m blushing ☺️ (blushy smiley in case it does not render well!)
As always, thank you for giving us a comfortable lounge in your blog home, and bearing with our nonsense (or I should say, my nonsense!) It’s such a pleasure, joy and relief to be able to sit back, relax and even snooze here with your/our friends.
@CheekyChu @pandamilktea – I echo what you both have said about I-Jun 🙂 His delivery was incredibly moving, and also to the actress who played HJ (her quivering face as she took him in her arms… I was emotionally in a mess).
Couple of other thoughts over his scenes with his parents:
– YG and HJ are shown kneeling before him, looking embarrassed and contrite over their earlier “misdemeanour” of the back hug (I confess I was a little flabbergasted at that), each clumsily attempting to explain their behaviour. While at this juncture, YG and HJ stopped short at outrightly seeking forgiveness (which we see play out shortly after when they eventually locate him), I thought that their attitude/delivery/body language here displayed a longstanding internal guilt to their son over their separation and their repeated inability to express it. The image of them kneeling before him was a powerful one – reversal of the parent-child hierarchy.
– I-Jun’s tearful outburst was what it took for YG and HJ to open their eyes to the actual pain caused to I-Jun, to finally directly address the issue and to seek forgiveness. I’m glad the show did this to give I-Jun’s story a satisfying closure. It only goes to show how much pain/sadness he’s had to hide behind his mask of nonchalance all these years. It reminded me that children are such deep wells of complex emotions which cannot be underestimated! (I have a young toddler at home who is just learning how to express his emotions, so this really spoke to me.)
– That I-Jun got the chance to articulate his pain (even in child-like ways) contrasts with how Du-Sik probably did not get such a chance as a child (or at least not made obvious in the show), and coupled with the repeated tragedies he’s faced after losing his parents resulted in the burdens he’s had to bear hiding away in Gongjin.
@oldamericanlady @GB – looking forward to renewed hope and quiet joy in ep16 as well.
I was sad at gam-ri’s passing (though there was already premonition it would happen in the eps before, and just before she passed as well, that I thought it might have been a given). That said, it was a dignified and peaceful one, and in the company of the friends she loved and who loved her. From the teasers, it looks like we will see more of her final few moments, from her perspective, as well.
Just finished Episode 15, and I’m exhausted after all my crying. It’s cathartic: I’m not complaining.
I need to sleep on this and watch the final episode before diving into commentary.
@swiss_postscripts I like the point you made about Du Sik not ever being able to express his pain (especially before his parents who died, the way I Jun was able to before HJ and YG) at being left behind by those he loved, and at having a part in the tragedy at work. It is good that he has taken steps to deal with his overwhelming guilt, by seeing a psychiatrist, but he has not actually forgiven himself, and he is still buried in shame (although I/we? do not think he has anything to be truly ashamed about). He has not been able to bring about closure on his own, but now that he’s met with Do Ha and Seon A (his sunbae’s widow), received their forgiveness and acceptance, and even ‘met’ Yeong Gu sunbae’s spirit, I hope he’s well on his way to being healed.
Of all times for Gam Ri to pass on, it happens now, just as DS is about to get some peace. Poor DS. Gam Ri passed on in the best way imaginable, with her last thoughts being positive and thankful, peacefully in her sleep, and with friends near her. This is the ideal death situation, and I’m glad Gam Ri was given this privilege.
Sidenote: I was thinking about how great a character Hwa Jeong is. I recall that when Yeong Guk was telling her that he was going to date Cho Hui, she told him that he could date anyone except Cho Hui and she wouldn’t say why. That was already a clue about what she knew about Cho Hui, and how she protected her from gossip, while trying to protect YG from heartbreak. For a change, we have a show where the majority of the female characters are awesome.
I expect a few more tears in our finale and then smiles for a happy ending. 🙂
Yes, we’ve had several hints from Gam-ri that she was ready to close the book if Du-sik finds a good partner. She hinted to HJ to visit Du-Sik; perhaps she saw it happen and was content, so she could let go of life. But what a tear-jerker! I agree with @Old American Lady that I feel manipulated, but I couldn’t help myself. I’m a bit drained still this morning.
Gam-ri was my choice for lottery winner back when. We’ll see. She’s not one to spend money on herself, as people said. Now that we know Du-Sik sold everything to help Do-ha’s family, we can wonder why his house now has many nice things that a minimum wage worker couldn’t afford as well as a vehicle. Or was that part of his inheritance from his grandfather?
@Growing Beautifully, yet another white truck of doom. Tsk. 🙄 Do these vehicles have no brakes? Or are the drivers all psychopaths, drunks or addicts? I’m at the point where I think this is so lazy of the writers who still drag it out.
I agree with what everyone has said about I-Jun. His emotions all came out at once. I wonder how it will change his personality in the future. All I could think was if his parents can’t hold it together in the future, it would be devastating. Poor Bo-ra, crying along and saying that she wants to stay with I-Jun. They are so close.
I liked Cho-hee’s belated confession to Hwa-jung. It was well done and sensitive. I was so glad that Hwa-jung wasn’t portrayed as surprised, appalled or uncomfortable. It would be nice for Cho-hee to find someone special, too, but I can imagine that it’s unlikely that she could keep her job and be open about her sexuality. I know teachers here who are in same-sex relationships, but I don’t know if that’s exceptional.
I’m looking forward to tonight’s episode, but the previews may have been too revealing.
@GrowingBeautufully, I love I-Jun.I think his character is a nice contrast to Du-sik’s as a child. They both experienced childhood loss with all the trauma that went with it. I-Jun has parents but from his reaction to their news of reconciliation, I get that the divorce exposed how bereft he was at feeling abandoned. The contrast is that Du-sik was abandoned by his parents and grandfather and although Gam-ri and the townspeople took over, he did not feel secure until his college roommate sunbae came into his life who provided the second chance family he so needed. Both boys had similar traumas of loss that were resolved differently, but they showed how deep their hurt could be. To me that’s part of the beauty of this drama. We have seen everyday life from the outside but also get to see our characters’inner life too.
I know the boys’ feelings having experienced the loss of parents and grandparents who acted as parents when I was a child. These feelings can rear their ugly heads at many times and throw a monkey wrench into your life if you don’t get help. Our competent Du-sik was not confident and in a lot of pain.He over compensated. I-Jun seemed prematurely mature and was a model student. He is and Du-sik we’re both model students who brought pride to the town. Both could not allow themselves to just be kids. The only time I,-Jun is kid like is when he’s with Bora. There is not a false note in all of this.
Hi @Fern and @OAL
About the TOD. When Du Sik’s and sunbae’s car spun onto the wrong part of the street and they were still intact, my heart sank. I suddenly expected TOD. I was still horrified to see that it was approaching without braking too. All it ever does is horn and continue at the same speed. It’s inexplicable. And when the police arrive, there’s usually no TOD in sight. I’ve never seen a TOD driver getting hauled off by the police for irresponsible driving.
I just rewatched the episode of Goblin where the TOD made an appearance. All I can say about that is at least there was no driver and, yes … the brakes didn’t work, but it made more sense than all the other TODs with drivers where they were accidents.
@OAL, Thank you for sharing about your own loss as a child and throwing light on I-Jun’s and Du Sik’s lacking security. It explains their over-achieving so well. They were indeed over-compensating.
They both experienced childhood loss, but remained stoic, hiding the pain well. As usual, loud, inconsiderate neighbours at his grandpa’s wake, made it worse by speaking openly about what a jinx Du Sik was, if I recall correctly. The frequent portrayal of adults speaking in that way at wakes, while the grieving children are close by and can hear them, makes me feel it’s not just a dramatic ploy, but that it happens in reality.
Since you’ve brought out the ‘link’ in I-Jun and DS’s characters, I must give props to the Writing for offering us the mirror through which to understand DS better. Seeing his sunbae as the 2nd chance family he adopted, makes it understandable why he would not adopt a living creature, like the hedgehog. Anything he loved ‘was at risk’.
I believe that no matter how we try to assure them to the contrary that it’s not their fault, children take on a burden of guilt at any great loss. My heart aches over the amount of pain, and for years, that children who grow into adults without help to offset their trauma, must suffer. To make up for the guilt they feel, they make sure that they are as ‘perfect’ as they can be. What a heavy load to bear alone.
It’s nice to see that the towns women are such a powerful group for good. I get tired of the hair pulling, water throwing women. They certainly are kinder than HJ’s Seoul friends who have that snooty vibe. And I hope that Gm Ri gets a great send off because she was a true woman of valor. I’m glad that in the end Gam RI got to eat her fill of her favorite squid, got to be on TV and felt the love of all her friends. More important, because her biological family was absent, she did not die alone.
@OAL, the other thing I really liked was how Show portrayed being old. How so much can be contributed by seniors, and how graciously they receive as well. How despite the difficulties, no matter the state of the body/mind, the heart remains young. The capacity to love, laugh and enjoy remains always. At the end, the food of choice, good company, being appreciated and being able to appreciate one’s blessings makes of every life, a blessing in itself.
After all the crying of Episode 15, I’m glad that Episode 16 gave us all these lighthearted moments.
I wonder why they chose to have the wedding in Seoul and not Gongjin… I was hoping for a beach wedding. HJ’s father walking her down the aisle. And another encounter between DS and his father in law.
Would also wanted a community group photo.
GamRi’s send off was perfect!!!!
Yes @GB how nice how they portrayed the elderly here. Gongjin has always been a place where people lost something… and gained something. For the oldies,they’ve lost their youth and physical strength, but they have experience, endurance and wisdom.
Funny when Missoni thought she won the lottery. Hahaha.
And what a decent young man Eun Chol is. Despite winning the lottery, he did not become greedy. And he still wanted being a police officer more than being rich. Dont let him go Miseon
LOL, half way through Ep 16 and after Gam Ri’s fitting send off, it’s PPL time! I have to say, Domino’s must have paid extra for the PPL that had such a long segment and with those actors going crazy over the pizza and sauces! (*eye rolls galore!*) 🙄
It wrapped up everything nicely but it was so sugary I needed a Dentist by the end of the episode! Funny to see Bora and I-Jun playing with Dalgona cookies just like in the Squid Game. Curious if that scene was filmed before or after Squid Game came out.
It was an appropriate end to this ultimately feel-good show. It’s a pity that aegyo made it’s reappearance and that DS actually considered it cute in HJ, but that’s the way it is. That proposal almost became the most awkward wreck ever, but it worked as a collaborative effort LOL. And so did the pre-wedding photos.
I believe everyone had a nice ending round up, I-Jun was able to be more a kid with Bora, even Do Ha’s father gets a mention, and singer Oh Yoon gets recognised. Plus the relationship round-ups were pretty thorough: Hye Jin meets with her step-mum and I’m glad that they are having the wedding in Seoul near where Hye Jin’s dad is.
The relationships that I enjoyed were Gam Ri’s with Du Sik and her friends, Seong Hyeon and Du Sik, and possibly Mi Seon and Eun Cheol. And like Hye Jin who gave up the 1st class opportunity to take up the position in Seoul, I’ve also fallen in love with the little town of Gongjin.
@GB, even NamSook and Hwa Jeong made faces at HJ & DS’s aegyo. Ehehe
I luv HJ!!!! Such a go-getter, even beating DS at marriage proposal timing. And then after her excel file bucket list, she had to make another list of their married life roles and responsibilities, and push DS to become councilor or congressman. Haha
@CheekyChu, Hye Jin is fun in a drama, but in RL, she’d be an exhausting person to live with. It’s good that she doesn’t do the same with Mi Seon as she expects Du Sik to do ie agree to her goals and plans. Her competitive spirit gets pushy from time to time and Du Sik will have to stand firm if he does not want to end up in some high flown position where he’s back in the rat race, instead of being hands-on with helping people. Even just helping out as he does now, seems pretty hectic.
Their having to run to help when they are called, even during their pre-wedding photo shoot is a case in point.
Aegyo again: I believe even the actors in RL were cringing at having to do those embarrassing aegyo scenes. They were not short takes but longer sequences of action that I’d rather not have to waste time watching. I feel that those scenes are more for home consumption ie that SKorean viewers would want them or be disappointed if they were lacking. I wonder if the actors were able to do them in just a few takes or whether they were laughing so much that it took a long time. I might suss out the BTS just to check.
Came across this BTS video where Shin Min Ah was actually told to tone down the aegyo LOL.
Okay, Im a late bloomer, I didn’t cry while watching Episode 15 (despite the fact that I was touched for Ijun), but I cried during Gamri’s send off. 😭😅 It didn’t help that my own dear grandmother actually looked so much like Gamri (and Kim Young-Ok), and my grandmother’s 2nd death anniversary is in a couple of days. ❤ So I comfort myself with all the beautiful things you guys said about Episode 15 😅 — Gamri died peacefully in her sleep, she was content, she was able to eat squid to her heart’s content, she died in the presence of her best friends, she was happy, she was a good person she is now in a better place. Sniff. ❤
I also loved how all the stories were resolved nicely. Even the Gamri’s son ‘s story was resolved, which I thought was a thought-ful touch from the writers. When I first saw the son, I wanted to punch him in the face (in my head lol), but I liked it that he realized his shortcomings, and that he was truly grieving, and that DuSik made him (and me) understand that he shouldn’t think himself a bad son, etc.
No glaring plotholes, too, I think? All mysteries solved.
So I love it that the story is overall neatly and nicely written. It meets the lightheartedness and feel-good expectations of the show. 💗
I was fastforwarding some parts, but I think the director/writers were self-aware about the aegyo? At least the other neighbors was tired of it all, too. Lol.
Overall I’m happy for everyone. I like the Gongjin peeps more than I like the OTP (which is not a diss at HJ/DS — I just find the others more interesting than them). So I’m glad about how their own little stories were resolved. (The cop is cute!)
@pandamilktea, like you I didn’t cry while watching episode 15 but episode 16 did it. It brought back memories of my grandma, she’s gone more than 10 years ago but watching Gamri’s send off still makes me very sad. I have not finished episode 16 yet, I hope the rest of the episode will bring on smiles and not tears.
@GB, I saw that BTS and am surprised at Shin Min Na’s reply that it should be up to her to display the amount of aegyo. 🤣 Maybe HJ never had a chance to display aegyo in her 20s and so now she had to release all the aegyos that she had been suppressing all these years.
Hot off the press…from my friend who is an avid KSH fan.
https://www.allkpop.com/article/2021/10/a-netizen-claiming-to-be-actor-ks-ex-girlfriend-claims-k-forced-her-to-have-an-abortion
Apparently Netizens are speculating that the man is KSH. If it’s true, he’s toast.
https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/ranking/article/144/0000768064
This article is already saying that it is him? 🤔
KSH has been implicated in a scandal
https://kbizoom.com/controversial-actor-k-is-indeed-kim-seon-ho-his-agency-is-aware-of-the-situation/
His agency has yet to release a statement. It’s been hours now since the news broke. It’s not looking good for him if the accusations are true.
Not a fan, but I hope this isn’t true. This sort of thing is nasty from any perspective.
@nrllee, if the blogger says it’s definitely him, he must think he has some evidence that would hold up in court. I think that otherwise he would be sued for defamation along with the ex-. Interesting that it surfaced after the last episode of the drama, right?
I still hope it’s not true. We need some stars who are upright.
The news broke last night when hccc was aired. The girl posted at around 5 pm but the news portal i.e. Busan Ilbo reported at 9.46 pm. DC gallery and qoo.net were buzz with it. The girl’s hint was pretty specific towards him. Him, his agency and all the staff are nowhere to be found, atm. 😑
@Feifei and @pandamilktea
Yes, despite the obvious points that we might grumble about, I have to admit that HCCC is one show that made the effort (and a thorough one!) to resolve all situations. I’d forgotten the good resolution for Gam Ri’s son. I, too, was not happy with his neglect and stinginess with regards to his mum, but it’s a question of perspective too … one has to balance taking care of one’s kids as well as one’s parents. The sandwich generation always has it tough.
I always look to see if there are plotholes or inconsistency in characters/plot at the end of each series that I watch. I have to say that HCCC is exemplary in not having either. It was pretty smart. It kept the plot and sub-plots relatively simple, and ensured that everyone behaved in the same way from beginning to end, except for a bit of growth in a few characters that needed it. And all this was done against a backdrop of the caring/busy-body folks of Gongjin.
In the end, even some of the nice outsiders who came to or through Gongjin, were affected/influenced by its people. Not just Seong Hyeon, but even Hye Jin’s father, and of course Hye Jin and Mi Seon too.
Show introduced 3 Gongjin mysteries (why Hwa Jeong initiated the divorce, who won the big $$$ in the lottery and what happened to Du Sik in the hidden 5 years) in the course of the series, but kept them to situations that were entirely plausible in real life, and explained them thoroughly in due course. That has made for contented viewers and a very satisfying Show.
If not for the scandal (which will leave something of a bad aftertaste) and the aegyo (but I feel it’s maybe mostly international viewers who cringe), this Show would have remained at the top of the fun, fluffy, healing and delightful shows list.
We should be careful to not jump on the rumor wagon. If, indeed, KSH has a dual nature, kindhearted only in public, then he’s a far better actor than any of us has sensed. We’ve complained that he doesn’t have depth of emotion, and isn’t convincing when trying to convey anything beyond Mr. Nice Guy. If niceness is only a mask he’s been hiding behind, that’s one heck of an act.
@Welmaris, agreed. It would be extra-creepy. 😱 Like when Sam gets possessed by the Ring.
@Welmaris, My husband has a theory about actors. He says those that seem the nicest on screen are probably awful people and vice versa. That may be the case here. Who knows? But here in the States this scandal would be par for the course. The actor would be placed in Hollywood purgatory for an appropriate period of time, then rehabbed, and would reemerge to grand applause. Korea is not that forgiving but some performers have actually weathered scandal and gone on to great success. I think Ju Ji-hoon had a drug scandal, took his punishment, was shamed and is now doing quite well. Perhaps the gambling and sex scandals are treated differently. To be honest, before I read the story I thought he might be gay because so many in show business are still closeted. If it is our guy the agency is on heavy damage control.But I’m sure the victim is probably being advised by someone in the know given the timing of the accusations. As others have said, to be continued.
For those if you who are interested, read anything about the Hollywood studio system, how they built images, drugged stars to make them thin(Judy Garland as a child),did plastic surgery, changed names, created buzz and covered scandals. It’s fascinating. My take on all of this is to enjoy the illusion because that’s what this business is about. If you look at art, music, literature, theater-full of scandal from time immemorial-so in a sense, even giving our own moral senses, nothing to look at here,especially if the victim was an adult during the relationship. And even the article hinted that she was discussing money. I think I’ve become too old and too jaundiced when I read about these things. I’ve just seen too much,even in my former work place where a woman I knew slept her way to the top while being a terrible boss to women she thought of as threats to her. Bad behavior can be found across the sexual spectrum (to use modern parlance). Anyway I’m happy we got to see the series with all the other players and crew’s good work before the scandal broke.I know I enjoyed it and will rewatch because there were wonderful moments and story lines, especially for me, Granri.
@GB, I agree with your thoughts on the show. 😊 Me, personally, I would rather watch a simple show with very simple ambitions and have it written nicely and neatly, than a complex show that becomes an inconsistent and tangled mess midway or at the end.
In passing, HCCC’s story flow is _almost_ too neat/organized to a fault. Like the viewers can almost imagine the outline — its major points and the subcategories — that the writers made and followed. 🙂 But still, for me, an organized story, no matter how simple, is still better than a hot mess.)
As for the scandal, I rarely follow actors ‘ personal lives, but I do hope it’s not true, and that everyone rises above it. Other important things aside, it sucks for the other members of the team who put in hard and good work, only for the show to be tainted with bad publicity at the last and most crucial minute.
If I’m going to be completely cynical about it, perhaps there were already talks/negotiations even before (regardless whether the allegation is true or not), and that the teams just failed to agree at a price, hence that timely bomb drop. But I wouldn’t know. 🤷♀️ Maybe I’m just being too cynical.
@pandamilktea, You are very wise and not cynical at all. You are just stating present day reality. I’m with you about feeling horrible for the rest of the cast and crew, who to my mind, produced a drama that was such a pleasure to watch. Even when I knew that I was being manipulated, I thought it was so well done. There was not one dud in the supporting cast and I was very charmed by the setting. I enjoyed the stories of people of all ages and now that I’m old, I appreciate the way the drama treated senior citizens with great dignity. Our bodies do start to wear out, but most I f the time, apart from those if us with dementia, are still present and aware of the world and are making cintributions. How much Squid did those ahjummas peel and c dry and how much food did they cook and how much friendship did they offer. I will definitely rewatchl And children were not just cute, they were wise. I-jun and Bora were adorable from the ,out tooth to the end. But you also knew how they felt and were not subject to unnecessary aegyo. The pleasure of this drama outweighs any scandal. And let’s hope international audiences support this show.
Whoa! These are serious allegations. I don’t know much about K-ent. But early this year, there was another actress who also came under fire for her maltreatment of her boyfriend. But it also died down. So maybe just wait it out until the next scandal comes along?
Anyway it does not diminish my love for HCCC. I can separate the actors from their characters; their personal life from their roles in the show. During HosPlay days, some crazy fans actually want MiDo and Jong Suk to get together IRL. And I’m like, but they’re both happily married.
Oh, @CheekyChu, those silly Netizens shipping Mi-Do and Jong Suk! What would Gummy say? And they have a baby daughter! And Mi-Do has been married for I think over seven years. I’m thinking about who they’d ship Ji Sung with.I hope my fav, Lee Bo Young-lol
@Old American Lady, Ji Sung and Lee Bo Young is may fave ship ever, I hope they sail. hahahahah
I’m not affected by his scandal but lucky the show was finished already before it came out. I had to tell my friend who out of the blue said that she likes KSH even in Start Up. I said I’m not into him and I’m sorry but you might not see him for awhile? LOL.
I cried buckets in the last two episodes but I felt Gamri’s passing was written because Dusik needed to experience losing someone very close to him again, only this time, he has Hyejin to share the grief.
That’s how I want to die, in my sleep. Happy, contented.
I enjoyed the show especially because of Gamri. I’m happy for the couples and their happy endings. 🙂
I cried so much in ep 15. Particularly about the Yi Jun’s scene. No matter how mature and understanding the child is, perhaps deep down there is always a slim hope that the parents can be back together. I can relate to that. I have given up and forgotten about that hope myself, but seeing that really brought up how I once felt. I am happy for Yi Jun. Amazing child actor. How can he cry so real at such a young age!
Other things I love of the show overall:
1. Hwa Jung acting on her emotions over the ex-husband. I can feel her sadness and hurt. So I can work out how one person’s love can continue despite the other person is not worth it.
2. HJ looked out for Nam Sook over the deposit scam, despite Nam Sook was wrong to send her patients away. I like her character best when she is the bigger person. She does the right thing despite the other may not. No silly revenge.
3. Beautiful sum up of Ji PD and HJ past. Timing wasn’t right for them. They didn’t know how to progress. Ji PD didn’t find a right time to confess. HJ didn’t feel she was at her best back then.
4. OST and the seaside village setting. Much needed for me when I was stuck in lockdown to see sunshine and sea.
I guess this is a rose tinted version of life and probably designed to make us feel good. In ep 16 everyone got what they want. I am happy to watch it!
@Viva, reading your list, I remember @GB’s observation about Hwa Jeong telling YG that he could date anybody, just not Cho Hui. Back then we thought Hwa Jeong was just being jealous and thought it was just extra painful for her for YG to date his first love. But now that we know what we know, we realize she was just sparing YG from sure pain and rejection, and was also protecting Cho Hui.
I also remember that even DoHa’s dad even got a resolution/ “happy ending”. He is now able to walk, IIRC?
So yeah, it really is an optimistic, feel-good story. How do I move from the city (which is still on lockdown *SOB*) and to a simple, happy coastal town with cute grannies??? 🌊
@pandamilktea and @Viva, yup, Episode 16 is everything you can wish for in terms of a happy resolution for just about everyone (and dare I say even for Gam Ri who had a happy death). Even her son, whom we thought so heartless, got to face up to his shortcomings and received ‘pardon’, through Du Sik.
Yes Do Ha reported that his dad had just started on rehab to get him to walk again. The cherry on top would have been if he could have attributed it to the stuff that DS gave him to brew for his dad. But the effectiveness of home remedies is pretty hard to know for sure.
BTW, where are you located @pandamilktea and @Viva?
@pandamilktea – Yes HJ also gave up her spot so YG can go to the meal with DOS. I was teary watching her doing so. Sometimes there is no need for grand gesture. Little things here and there she does can touch viewers like me. She is easily one of my favourite characters in the show. I also like HJ (and her collection of handbags too!), Jin PD and the three grannies. I remember them taking turns for the bathroom break in the car trip Seoul. It was so funny!!!
That’s a miracle for DH’s dad to walk again.
Oh are you in lockdown too? I found this delta lockdown is much tougher than the last one. We are still going (T_T) Fighting! 🙂 Hopefully we will be out and about once the vaccination rate is higher. It will be a new normal.
@GB, yes Gam Ri’s death is a happy one. She was thinking about going to a picnic the next day and was with two of her dearest friends.
I felt the ending is quite nice. Remind me of the nice ending we had with DAYS.
I am in New Zealand. We had a good run but eventually Delta got us. I am so looking forward for the day I can have a hair cut!
@Viva something like 60+ days lockdown already? I feel for you. 😔 I recall first seeing my colleagues during a lockdown after it had been going on for weeks, and laughing at the amount of hair. LOL. 😜
@GB, I’m in Manila, which I honestly think holds the record for the longest lockdown in the planet. 🙄😭 I could rant about so much stuff, but it’s off-limits per BOD rules 🙂, suffice it to say that I TERRIBLY miss travelling, let alone stepping outside to leisurely go to the mall! 😭😠🥴
@Viva, oh you’re so so lucky! 😊 Indeed, fighting! ✊✊ 🙂
To those like @Viva and @Pandamilktea who are enduring long lockdowns… fighting! We’re with you in words and spirit. Communicating, commenting, discussing dramas together on BoD is keeping sane many people around the world, thanks to @Packmule3.
@Cleopatra, we are in agreement about the old man who was in the prison. When we most recently saw the ring glow through Ha Ram’s clothing, and then the old man manifest by the king’s sick bed, the old man was all white, like the ring. In the prison he’d been mostly grey. During Ha Ram’s imprisonment, the old man’s advice for Ha Ram to take CK’s hand (who was wearing the ring) was to activate the powers of the ring, which had been dormant. I believe it took both parts of Ma Wang working together to release Balance God’s spirit. Before the ring was reactivated and his spirit released, the imprisoned old man in the wooden restraint was a manifestation of the shackled powers of the Balance God ring. That said, Show didn’t do a good job of making that clear, in my opinion.
Here’s how our forces line up by the end of Episode 14. On the dark side are Ma Wang, Prince#2 and his minions, and the evil shaman. On the side striving to control chaos and evil are Sam Shin, Mountain Spirit, Balance God Ring Spirit, CK, the King, and Prince#3. The Fellowship of the Ring, if you will, except no coordinated fellowship exists. They’re working independently and without full knowledge of each other’s efforts. That lack of coordination is what keeps bringing them back to square one, the temporary fix that has held for 19 years, with Ma Wang locked in Ha Ram’s body and Ma Wang’s eyes–his power–in CK.
Ha Ram, the current vessel holding Ma Wang, would like to be free of the fearful thing inside him. Most of his life he’s been unaware of what lies within, because Ma Wang is asleep. Whenever Ma Wang stirred in him and briefly manifested, Ha Ram was not conscious. It is only when Ha Ram has the Balance God Bone Ring with him as Ma Wang manifests that Ha Ram can retain his consciousness. Ha Ram wants Ma Wang removed because he wants to be fully himself, in control of his consciousness and actions. Ha Ram was horrified to learn how the Royal Guards had been killed when Ma Wang took over his body on the mountain, but he doesn’t seem to be concerned about the horrors Ma Wang could perpetrate if drawn out of him and not properly sealed. His thinking seems to go only so far as getting Ma Wang out, and exacting his revenge on the Royal family. His motives are self-serving. He’s not thinking of the possible negative effects on the kingdom, including its citizens. CK and her loved ones are part of the citizenry that may pay with their lives if Ma Wang is unleashed.
It has been frustrating during these recent episodes to watch CK and Ha Ram charge stubbornly into dangerous situations, making things worse for each other and their loved ones. For someone as clever as Ha Ram is supposed to be in his information-brokering alter ego, he hasn’t thought ahead about Prince#2’s possible moves. Targeting CK’s loved ones is a classic control move, so why didn’t Ha Ram anticipate it? I think Writernim is not being true to the character that was created if he suddenly acts so cluelessly.
Another problem I have with the way plot and characters have been developed is that bad players who seem to require punishment are let go free. The crooked art dealer who swore vengeance on CK is sent off with money and a weak promise. The evil shaman is ordered arrested and dragged off after the rain ritual, but back in unofficial capacity as Prince#2’s conspirator. Who let her out of prison, and how has she been able to support herself in such high style if she’s no longer employed by the Shaman Bureau? The obvious answer is that Prince#2 is sponsoring her, but at the time of the rain ritual he was a child and didn’t have the political power to order her release. Is Prince#2 just a puppet of the man who plays the role of his chief advisor?
Annyeong,
I can’t believe this show is over…. goodbyes always leave me melancholy. it’s been fun, BOD gang. sending virtual HUGS and appreciation to all! 💗
the finale was heartwarming… esp that last aerial shot of the seaside village of gongjin. awwwww wish i was there.
i agree with all who love Ijun’s acting (i cried as well). he’s such a cutie. i love the friendship he has with Bora. so endearing.
i am leaving this show satisfied over all. 💙
@GB,
i too fell in love with Gongjin and it’s villagers. such a wholesome show all around leaving no plot holes. all mysteries solved. 😃
just wondering… so is aegyo the same as flirting? i know there’s a flirt in me and i can do aegyo if i really really want to haha. but when it comes to Aegyo, i think Ruby is the Queen (from Yumi’s cells). i don’t think HyeJin does it well, sorry, just like Yumi. no no no. andwae! andwae! LOL
i think the proposal on Hyejin’s part was creative. loved it. even though Dusik was disappointed that she did it first. but HJ did initiate everything, didn’t she. the kiss, the confession, now the proposal 🙂 funny how this time, Dusik’s shoes (which i love) was taken by the waves. haha. so cute. just like their first adult encounter. awwww wish i can play in the seashore like them. LOL.
@cheekychu,
i felt for miseon when it was confirmed she did not really win the lottery. that’s how i would react if i thought i won the lottery… i was rooting for her. i love their moment with Eun-chul when he showed her the spot where they would build their future home. so sweet. He’s such a good guy. Miseon is blessed. too bad they can’t have a double wedding with her Bestie Hye Jin. what a reason to get married ASAP – so that Dusik will not have to be alone for long. coz he’s been alone too long.
Hyejin and her lists… married life roles. funny. she wants to be in the same page. i can understand that. like with my marriage… even though unsaid… i do the cooking and dishes. the hubby does the trash. i wish he would do the vacuuming. but we need a better vacuum. LOL. what an excuse! augh. i love cleaning. i wish i can clean his side, but he doesn’t want me touching his stuff LOL. sigh. i did like how she encourages him to have a more dignified job even though what he’s doing now is fulfilling. guess, it’s time for another try at an official job. haha.
@agdr,
i too want to die like Gamri… in my sleep, with the ones i love. my dad died in the middle of the night. we didn’t realize he passed (deathbed) while we were all asleep. i was told it will be his last night. i said my goodbyes before i went to bed, but i wished i stayed by his side instead. maybe i was still hoping he would last another night. 💔
@viva,
i do love the OST for this show – esp ROMANTIC SUNDAY 🎶 such a happy song.
what you said about “rose tinted version of life” regarding Ep 16, made me think of the song “la vie en rose” which i love.
Geonbae! 🥂
@HK_lady
Loved hearing your thoughts. I’m glad we have this thread (separate from the KSH scandal) where we can appreciate the drama for the story and characters and message it brings.
HomeCha easily resonated w me, as early as episode 1 where Hye Jin misses her Mom so she went to Gongjin on her Mom’s birthday. My mom died last year due to cancer. Prior to that, there was an option of transferring her to a bigger city for further treatment. But Covid happened. And she decided that she’d rather die at home than alone in a hospital. She got what she wanted. She died peacefully at home surrounded by family.
Gamri’s death was nice and peaceful. No regrets for her after living a full life. As much as it was sad, it was necessary for DuSik to experience loss. And with HJ by his side, he can now process grief.
@CheekyChu, thank you for sharing your sad, but beautiful, story with us. May you continue to be comforted by memories of your mother.
Along with many other watchers, my tears began flowing when I-Jun dropped his facade and–with emotions appropriate for a hurt child–told his parents how their years of separation really made him feel. The actors who played his parents have earned my respect for their skill inhabiting their characters.
I’m going to miss my weekly dose of seaside views, light sparkling on the water.
@Welmaris and @CheekyChu, I think that the I-Jun story was special, in a way that we don’t usually see in these dramas. In most we see kids portrayed as the main characters’ younger selves. We don’t get that much contemporary interactions. Here we see the direct impact of the divorce on this child and it is heartbreaking. This was handled so well in this drama allowing for this child to try to please his parents by acting like an adult leading up to his breaking point. Various feelings come to mind including this child’s feeling of loss, abandonment and lack of security. His one constant is his wonderful friendship with Bora. The two children are delightful. Bora provides a solid presence and a safe person with whom to enjoy being a kid. She is facing a life transition from being an only child to awaiting the birth of a sibling. We see her good nature in the care of her friend and the prayer for the safe birth of her sibling. The beauty of the picture of the townspeople is that the drama provides no false notes. Although I liked the main characters, it was the stories of the townspeople that kept me watching.
Yeah, kids are usually not heard from. HJ and YG were so focused on their own pains, they overlooked someone near and dear to them was also hurting. But kudos to the parents for encouraging him to speak up… and listening to him and apologizing to him. We don’t get that a lot.
@GB, yes I have been tracking out vaccine target daily. Hopefully a hair cut in December!
@Welmaris @pandamilktea thanks for your kind words! I enjoyed reading your reviews on HCha3 and everyone’s comments on the dramas I have been watching. It’s always wonderful to talk to others with the same interest. I talked to my family about Kdramas but I am not sure if they are with me lol.
@HK_Lady I love la vie en rose too!