The thread is open for Episode 8 rewatch.
Join the lively discussion of @Growing_Beautifully, @WEnchanteur, @Cleopatra, @Welmaris, @Janey, @Fern, @FGB4877, @Carolina and @salteddust tomorrow.
14:00 UTC
10:00 am EST
07:00 am PST
10:00 pm Singapore, Philippines
09:00 pm Indonesia
05:00 pm Greece
04:00 pm Paris
10:00 am Caracas
Enjoy the rewatch.
Thanks @pkml3!
I’ve been doing some ‘homework’. I’ve watched ahead so that I get the context too, like the Killer. The way the Killer kept asking questions, sounded familiar, the way I was asking questions. LOL.
Show deliberately hides information that is only explained several episodes later, so that it creates a mystery. Watching ahead, it becomes apparent that so much of the logic of the ‘W’ dramaverse had to be revealed through exposition. Over and again someone had to talk it out to someone else or in voiceover with flashbacks and even with new/previously hidden scenes, to finally give us the missing information.
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
I noticed one seeming plot hole… Killer needs to call in order to have a channel to communicate and find a character, except there was that one time in the airplane with Sung Moo, … he simply speaks in chryons without having to call Sung Moo first. And promptly takes physical form to accost SM right there in the real world, on the plane.
We do not see any portal opening (I don’t think the drawing tablet, which is the usual portal is on, since SM is on the plane) but Killer’s hand appears next to SM. So this part is hard to explain.
There seems to be a ‘W’ rule conjectured by KC who thinks through the logic of how the Killer exists….KC believed that because Killer was created without context, only to keep killing his family (and himself), that Killer could wake himself up/become self-aware, and could enter the real world too, to carry out his purpose.
Ironically, the Killer who is without context is more supernaturally powerful than KC, the main character. Simply because he exists to kill specific persons, he is able to will himself to be wherever they are in order to kill them.
However the reason he locates and appears before SM is not to kill him but for something else.
Kalispera my friends,
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend tomorrow’s rewatch party.
I will read you all though and then write my thoughts!
Enjoy!
The hot spots of the episode 8.
It’s hard to say, so much the episode is dense.
It’s more based on my opinion than something obvious.
Kang Chul is typing a report.
– Normally, a scene like this is rarely among the best scenes in a drama. Someone typing on a keyboard, and reading his report with a voice-over. But this scene always amazed me. Even without rewatching the whole episode, I often wanted to rewatch it for its goosebump effect. The mise en abyme / meta effect is amazing.
Dream scene.
– Here, it’s the only scene I don’t like in the whole drama. It is disconnected from the plot, unnecessary, but provides a good fan service. Actually, the dream was much longer in the script. Really too long. On the other hand, it contained the interesting elements for the story, and most importantly, it was terribly funny. I’ll post this. It was necessary to remove this content to keep the episode length. Only the beginning was kept to keep the cause and effect flow of the script.
Kang Chul is thinking in his car.
– He is excessively intelligent, it’s hardly believable. But thanks to this scene, there is a huge montage with lots of sub-scenes that show so many elements of the story, with many explanations. Again, not easy to achieve this quality with a voice-over. Yet, it is all nervous, striking and chilling.
This is the main scene of the episode, interspersed with other scenes. It begins in a shattering way at the problem of Yeon Soo-Hee. From there, background music “red alarm” type: something happens, we don’t know what, we don’t understand, but it’s sure, we must run, it’s urgent! So… Kang Chul runs! Here this BGM “hidden context”:
https://www.nhaccuatui.com/bai-hat/hidden-context-w-two-worlds-ost-va.IG9JGSP8nvxd.html
Yeon-Joo receives a telephone call.
– Another scene that I can watch just for what it is, without anything else. I like the silence at the beginning. Then the feeling that something serious is screwing with the reality concept.
Final cliffhanger.
– At this point, the first 9 episodes of the script join the 8 episodes of the drama. And so we have the same cliffhanger. It was important to end episode 8 with this scene, which cuts the drama in two with a fierce edge.
But the real final scene is centered on Yeon-Joo, with the drama song. The excerpt chooses lyrics that fully fit the situation. Here this song we hear often, with subtitles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elPmYH6g-zc
Song start in this scene at 02:55.
Other scenes deserve a highlight and you certainly have your own different list.
@GB,
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!
SPOILER, YEAH, I REPEAT, SPOILEEEEEEEEEER!
So here, not really a plot-hole (there is more as that, in the episode). I think it don’t really matter. Because the Killer is already here. He don’t communicate from distance. It’s just, his presence is here, just he don’t appear physically yet. Of course, as you could watch… the scene is much more striking like that!!! So, you can take my explanation, or just think about: no matter too precise rules, one rule is better. I guess you know which one? Rule of cool. 😀
The reason why the killer is here. Scene before, he’s in Sung-Moo office and see the plane reservation, with all informations needed. Then… cheating with plot, cheating with the story (his special super-power)… Ok, let’s teleport to that plane then.
You are right, because Sung-Moo didn’t define the killer and because he always made him appears and kill without needing a context or something logical related to a plot, then… the killer can act like in any very badly written story, where writer can do anything, like in the worst makjang ever, or even worst than that. Appear and kill for no reason without any logic related to a cause, an event. Use obvious plot-holes for his purpose.
He’s much more powerfull than Kang Chul. And because his motivation is from “meta”, he’s the killer because it’s how the plot makes him…
He’s the best killer ever seen in a movie. Usually, all killers need a motivation (except pure evil ones, like Halloween or Freddy). This killer don’t need a motivation on his own, because the writer didn’t set any, the writer made him a plot-device, and now he do what he’s supposed to do according to that. A plot-device that doesn’t really exist, but… in W universe, he becomes aware, just like Kang Chul, because he’s the main antagonist, and have to become aware like the hero. Only, what can be an empty character when becoming aware? Just when I watched this scene (Kang Chul typing report), you know… I was so amazed… it’s next genious level. ahahah, W made me mad. 🙂
Hi Everyone, I’m getting myself some tangerines and I’ll be back.
Hi GB!!
Good to see you @WE! A rewatch of ‘W’ feels odd without you.
I was sleeping a bit. 😉
I should have slept before this. I was binge-watching The Sound of Magic.
OK…it’s time… let’s begin!!!
You finaly watched this episode?
Starting
Ok I launch with the 3 minutes resume.
Hi slateddust
@WE, I watched all the episodes until the end last week. So that I’ll know which parts have been explained in the later episodes.
Hi there @salteddust!
I’m starting slow …
@GB, ahahaa, it ends a part of your frustration. Lot of explanations so, maybe some are blurry or missing.
Thing I don’t like, in many episodes, first scene replay the end scene of previous episode, and it makes it quite long.
Here, he ask why End goto to be continued.
We have a chance to guess about the order of events.
I’m amused by all the questions Killer asks.
Interesting that SM thinks that there is no killer because he was a set-up, but the killer decided to be a main character all by himself and refused to vanish. Also since he defined himself by his role, as long as KC was alive or had family, Killer would keep existing.
@GB, yeah, and main goal of the killer is to kill Kang Chul family first, a fact that explain a lot of thing later.
Now the “typing report” scene!! Goosebump!
The killer…. ITA!
No one explains why the words ‘The End’ changed to “To Be Continued”… are we to guess that it was the Killer’s will that kept the ‘W’ world published and existing.
Actually I’ve finally taken the title literally – there really are Two Worlds that co exist and both continue regardless of whether there’s a manhwa being published or not. SM only controls a part of ‘W’ but he thinks wrongly that he controls it all.
Goosebump piano music
@WE, here’s your meta report by KC on the Killer.
So we get the explanation from KC’s point of view, but as he’s the one with the right instincts and superior intelligence, he is supposed to be right.
Kang Chul is not a hero without fear, and he’s scared by the killer, and mostly the fact he could kill Yeon-joo. Because he consider with logic the abilities of the killer.
So we have a hallucination scene.
As he’s woried, he say stupidies to yeon-joo “go away”, when he know it don’t work that way.
In the real world the Killer does not need a portal but only in ‘W’ we see that he steps through a portal.
Here comes the fan service date and party scene, but sadly only YJ’s dream. LOL his expression makes her think that she looks bad in the dress.
@GB, yeah, both a way to makes characters smart, and for us to get explanations. When they don’t know, they ask themselves questions (but even here, we get some informations).
The show confused with the hallucination. And with the dream. In the end we believe more in the manhwa world than other semblances of reality that Show presents.
@GB, at this point of the story, killer can’t change worlds (just as kang chul), so he have to stay in the world he is. In this world he can do any weird tricks he usualy do.
@WE, it looked like they spent a whole lot of money just to set up the ‘ball’. for a few minutes of a dream but for what purpose!! Only to get a laugh, you say. A bit of a waste of money!
I have to say my heart stopped during the ‘hallucination’. Even though I have seen this before!
@GB, I’ll publish the script of the dream scene later, it was not supposed to be just that. 😉
*SPOILER*
@WE, are you saying that Killer is stuck in the real world and calling KC on the phone? We know he’s in the real world because he can reach SM on the plane.
Ahh the comedy scene when KCH don’t know where are the ramen. Silly.
SPOILER….
@GB, next scene, we see that, the killer is in frozen W and take the portal to reality.
@salteddust, yes the hallucinatory shot was really heart dropping.
@WE the music changes to something light before we get proof that YJ can now be killed.
KCH moved when he understand that OYJ could die now… of course… “to be continued”. 😉
At this point, KCH don’t know the killer is awake, and suppose he could be drawn.
Then he ask himself “variables have changed, what is the context?”
Ah…’There isn’t a principal in the world without a variable”,
@WE, I thought the frozen ‘W’ was a flashback in KC’s thinking that that’s how Killer could go to the real world. But I didn’t think it was the case that he was still in the frozen ‘W’ at the current moment.
I’ve got to go backwards now to see if Killer is in ‘W’ or not when he is calling KC.
So Hee call, KCH annoyed, like he don’t care of her (what make her disapear even more), he have more problems now. Except the scary scene when she disapear, all is linked.
Then it’s the rush!!! “unknow context” BGM.
Frustrating to have your beloved disappear every time something unexpected happens!
Poor So Hee. KC had to say aloud that SH would be important to him in order to keep her from disappearing.
@GB, it was the only way for the killer. W world is frozen during two months. if we redo the chronology, probably the killer go into the portal a few day before the two months. (as time in two worlds are different).
Now KCH guess everything.
@salteddust, not only frustrating but scary since he cannot protect YJ or know what’s happening. At least YJ can check the manhwa that publishes itself.
Well the chronology is more: before OSM take his tablet back, because we see the tablet on the roof. I don’t know exactly how many time the killer spend in the real world. But at one point, he go on the bridge and strongly decide “the manhwa can’t end like that”. Then the manhwa restart, and Yeon-Joo go in the river.
I noticed that So Hee’s suits are chosen with black outlines so that even before this, she looked like a drawn character. Now she’s really looking like a drawing only.
ANd how…. The OYJ receive a call scene.
Awwaa aaa acaaadefdsqfsqdfsqf
@WE, the time the Killer attached the 2 men on the bridge, I believe that was the real world and not ‘W’. The news report mentioned 3 people were killed. These 2 and the office worker.
The killer see informations about where live OSM. He’s not omniscient. He have first to go to the publisher house to know that. Like he need later the information about the flight.
@GB, yes, it’s in the real world. I suppose it’s the night before OYJ go into the blind-date.
Only hole or weird thing about the killer is “how he could phone from one world to the other”. I don’t have explanation about that.
Slow motion bullet scene. ^^
I like how they both come to the realization that OYJ is a web-character at the same time.
I think the writer makes us believe the killer is in W worlds first, because it’s a good plot twist than the killer is in real world. And even more than he can use his abilities in the real world. What make the story so crazy.
@WE, the drum music is nerve wracking LOL.
Poor Soo Bong is always asking so many questions too and getting few answers.
@Salteddust, yeah, it’s in the script.
The fact is: OYJ is now half real-half cartoon.
And it’s the same for KCH, just he don’t know what he can do with that for now, but episode 12, he know. 😉
The plot hole here is that YJ appears in KC’s car instead of back at the penthouse in the kitchen.
KCH don’t even say to OYJ they go to So-Hee home, during he drives the car. That’s guy! lol!
@WE, KC hates to answer questions except from his mentor.
Poor Soo Bong! He always gets the short end of the stick! Ha ha.
@salteddust SB banging into the car instead of the car bumping into him was so funny.
@GB, I observed they return to where they was in real world, but when they go in W world, it’s not always the same place. It can also be a place with same setting. Here it’s in KCH car. And it’s probably why the writer make her come back in the car. She could do it later, but she do it in the car.
The flashback with the too old So-Hee/KCH to be highschooler was in another part of the drama in the script, but was used now finally.
@WE, that makes YJ’s appearing in ‘W’ to be connected to where KC is, even in a moving car!
OYJ devastated… it’s not her romance manhwa, ahaha, it’s even worst than a thriller story with gangsters.
In the end it was not SM who gives a more than one reason for So Hee to live but KC. He becomes the re-creator of his friend’s characters.
He also decides to reset ‘W’ in his own way.
@GB, yeah, the context is the most important. Also, at this point, KCH don’t control invocations. In episode 7 (police station), he want OYJ come back, but it takes 5 minutes. Here in the penthouse, he think of her, but she don’t come back. She come back when it’s the highest point of the story, in the car. It’s a bit like the manhwa think also to make invocations more storytelling. (and the screenwriter too, ahaha, that’s cheating, but I’m ok with that ;-))
The very sad “draw me a dream” scene.
Lot of explanations. But first time I watched, I just got the main principle. Later, when thinking more, I was wondering a lot about that.
Main point is to make loose the killer his purpose. If OYJ don’t know KCH, so he won’t look for her and will remain the same character than before. A guy doing quite nothing, because he needs to kill OYJ before KCH.
There is still a blurry point: the killer is in the real world and awake. So, how the dream reset makes him come back in W worlds? I’m not sure it’s so important to know. I can takes that as a major change in the manhwa, and the reset process makes him disapear and return in W.
So strange that it does not occur to her immediately that he’d deliberately fall off the building roof.
In both scenes, DO YOON drop his tea bag for 2 different reasons. lol.
@GB, in the script, OYJ see “to be continued” when KCH jump. But it wasn’t done in the drama.
Last scene… TEARS… with the words of the song saying the will meet again. 🙂
Another small plot-hole a friend of mine found: How the killer know on what road are Soo-Bong and OYJ, because he appears here. As we know he’s not omniscient and get information first about where he goes.
In the script it’s said: the killer see them going into the car when they escape, so we suppose he’s able to follow them (by teleportation). But in the drama, the scene of killer in OSM house don’t show us that part.
Good ending for Ep 8. The frequent change of music is really something. There must be a lot of music pieces on the OST list for ‘W’.
@WE, yes that plot hole about how Killer could appear on the right road to shoot YJ bugged me too.
@GB, many background musics are excellent. Same musical team than Save-Me, Memories of Alhambra and Signal. About songs, there are two one I really like, some other I like, but some I don’t really like.
Part I forgot in the episode: when the killer go in the house… he walks 3 step, then teleport… Just a few meters away in OYJ room!! The scene here is so good. He stay still just a few seconds, see there is no one, then vanish.
@WE, I seldom take the entire OST album. I only choose some melodies I like from each show.
OK. I’ll read your script later. Sleepy now. Good night @salteddust and @WE. 😪 🥱 😑
Good night!!
Good night @GB!
I couldn’t comment or read the comments as much on this episode. I just wanted to see what was next (I guess it has been long enough since I saw this last- ha ha). The pacing is really good in this episode AND a lot of information about how the webtoon world and the real world interact. The scene with Soo-Hee is especially compelling. The ‘and this is all a dream…’ trope works well here. Instead of having the rolling eyes reaction, I just want to know what is going to happen in the next episode. I think this is part of why I like W so much; it uses well known tropes (the MFL overhears the MML telling the SFL he loves her; the ‘this is all a dream’), but changes them slightly. OYJ overhears but knows that KC loves her and is not bothered by KC’s statement (and professionally treats Soo-Hee); KC chooses to have everything be a dream (implying he still has autonomy) rather than just having the ‘dream’ happen to him.
@salteddust, it’s very meta. It’s because it’s tropes in a story, so KCH know he can use these tropes to manipulate the story of the manhwa, as it’s sure it will work. Else, he would just jump from a roof and kill himself. 🙂
How to use the amnesia trope, while making it meta.
@WE: Aahh. I see it now. Thanks. I keep forgetting that the meta concept would be in play here. Part of me still thinks of KC as a ‘character’ rather than a person. And the converse also, which is why it is so affecting that Soo-Hee becomes translucent.
Ahaha, the metaconcept is everywhere in W. The drama is like a sponge. But instead of water inside, it’s meta. 🙂
You get it in most of the dialogues, and the comedy ones. It’s always like you were sitting in a chair, but… you are sitting on empty space and the chair is next to you.
Hi @WE, it’s Sunday and I’m bright-eyed and bushy tailed and I laugh at your ‘sitting on a chair/empty space’ analogy. I think I missed a lot of that… instead I was upset about how the Killer could just be more powerful when it suited the story.
Here I indulge myself to lay out my understanding of the Killer (and maybe the chronology), just so that I have some peace of mind about what I didn’t understand up to Ep 8. I’ve added a SPOILER tag for those watching this show for the first time.
On re-reading some of the comments … yes, the existence of the Killer predicated on him killing KC’s family. That was his only objective in the past. Later, when SM needed to get KC killed, he brought in Killer again, but that was not Killer’s original purpose.
That explains why, when KC was still alive, but without any family, Killer disappeared. He had no more reason to appear.
*SPOILER*
*SPOILER*
However, unbeknownst to us at this time in the Show (I hate that Show kept this info away from us for SOOOOO LONG) when SM dragged Killer out to stab KC on the rooftop, SM himself who had entered ‘W’ to finish the job of killing KC, met Killer and was intimidated by him to change Killer’s trajectory completely. Instead of disappearing once his job was done, he was to become the main character in ‘W’. He also promised Killer that he’d give him an identity.
This explains why Killer was quietly waiting (for his identity?) in the in between periods. I did wonder why, if he was so powerful, he didn’t just keep popping up to kill KC, why he didn’t finish off his job of killing KC when YJ came etc.
KC learns that he’s a manhwa character and the world of ‘W’ freezes. However, Killer did not get frozen, again possibly because he was to be a main antagonist. Sometime soon after KC leaves ‘W’ for the real world, Killer who seems to know that KC was last at the prison visiting YJ, goes there and recognises the portal to another world. Presumably Killer had seen a similar portal when SM came into ‘W’. He guesses that KC has gone through the portal.
Killer steps through the portal. In the real world he speaks in chryons but without a phone, directly to the pedestrian. He does not know where he is yet… asking: “Where is this? Where am I? Where is Chul?”
Killer discovers in the manhwa that KC had made a death leap and that ‘W’ ends, while “The identity of the killer remains unknown.” This incenses Killer since SM had not kept his promise, and KC had no business dying if Killer was to have purpose after waiting for 10 years for KC to find him. Killer goes to the bridge to check if KC died. Killer attacks 2 passers-by.
(This part is not explained) KC is in suspended animation in the Han River, but somehow he ends up in the ‘W’ Han River. He straddles both worlds.
According to KC’s surmise, Killer’s great rejection of the ending that denied him his identity caused the ‘The End’ to change to ‘To Be Continued’.
Killer now goes on to look for SM. He locates SM’s address after killing the office worker. At 7:21am the next morning, in the real world, Killer calls SM’s home and YJ answers the call. Killer knows about YJ being SM’s daughter, and that she travels between worlds.
It’s not explained how at that moment when YJ should have been killed, she teleported to KC’s car. One presumes that she thought desperately of being back with KC and it was enough to make her reappear beside him.
Killer goes back to SM’s home (maybe) after failing to kill YJ, sees the flight information and then pops up in the plane toilet to accost SM for not giving him an identity. (I was impressed that so many extras were hired to play the passengers in a full flight to NZ).
Back in ‘W’ KC sees what is happening to So Hee and how YJ lives in fear of being killed… He says: “Isn’t it terrible how there is only one reason for our existence? We’re also human.”
YJ is upset that the sequel she’d been so happy to have created by saving KC, was turning into a mess. It was out of control. Instead of the real people writers/artists being the ones in control, the manhwa characters took over, to control the situation (KC makes YJ promise to draw the dream) and ultimately Killer controlled the real person, SM.
(META: This is what shows do to save themselves when they’ve gotten themselves into a mess. They turn the mess into a dream. LOL.)
KC accepts the set up he was given ie to continue living never being able to find the Killer. But he does not know at this stage that the Killer had changed the set up from his end.
The issue I have is that one has to watch far into the later episodes to know much of this. It would have been better if some of this had been known earlier.
I agree that the reset probably got Killer to return to ‘W’ as well since he was a drawn character. However he somehow still retained that deal with SM, ie… he behaved like the main character.
In the next episode, while SM is planning to give Killer an identity, we find that Killer even retained his memories from before the Reset, unlike KC who forgot everything. Thus I felt Killer had a very unfair advantage to add more conflict to the story.
@GB, I think now, you get most of the story. 🙂 CONGRATULATIONS!!
SPOILER
Next, because KCH was wrong (he didn’t know OSM meet the killer), he reset just after the stab (by killer then OSM), but before Yeon-Joo coming on the roof. Really too tricky to understand but said in episode 12.
Before, episode 9, Yeon-Joo is summoned in W. She ask “why? why I come back here?”. She’s summoned by the killer. (confirmed when she talk to the killer via the tablet episode 11, he ask, “you came back here?”, surprised than now she’s in the real world). I’m not sure he summoned here on purpose, but anyway, he know she come back into W. At this point, the killer in W can’t kill oh yeon joo. First, he need Kang chul remember she’s his wife. Else she’s not worth to be killed. (he tell it in episode 13 before to shoot her). Oh yeon joo is even summoned by prosecutor Chul Ho later (and her monologue give us information). The fact is: first the hero isn’t aware in episode 9, but the killer is, so he can summon her. Next, Episode 11, Kang Chul isn’t the hero anymore, accused of murder, vilains take more dominance in the manhwa, Chul Ho is able to summon her too.
Don’t be upset about how long answers come! It’s like that in any mystery drama. Just think about Mouse. But of course, you can be upset about how quick or blurry are the answers, given here or there.
When the killer talk to the drunk pedestrian, here no need of a channel or phone, he’s here. But of course… no face, no mouth.. so he speak in Chryons.
Yeon-Joo teleported in the car: probably she could be summoned in W before (because Kang Chul think a lot about her), but the car situation was perfect to match the setting. Also, just about storytelling and plot-twist, it was the best way to create a jaw-dropping scene. Just when a bullet will hit her skull… TELEPORT!
The faceless killer is much stronger, and… one thing I would have liked is one more episode with this deadly threath. Then, what is quite funny… the killer with huge super-power want to incarnate in a 60 years old man (and is very happy with that, because he share OSM soul). But about efficiency… damn. Hopefully he can know control faceless OSM to cheat as he was cheating before.
Notice one thing: as soon as OSM doesn’t have a face (and mouth), he can only speak with Chryons too. And Soo-Bong faint. ahahah Soo-Bong poor guy. he understand quite nothing and jump in worst than the worst of horror movies.
Shit, misword: “AFTER yeon joo come on the roof”.
Ah no no no… it’s BEFORE. ahahha. Damn I’m loosing my mind.
W isn’t so easy, but we get clues, ways to think and answers all the way. And if we understand that “all is meta”, it become even more easy. It was far more easy for me to catch than “Memories of the Alhambra”. Last episode of MOTA just broke my brain. There is so many unknow issues. So many to think, about “bug”, get the main concept “lens modify the brain”, then… other people affected by the bug. unknow situation about Marco. the brother situation, one year in a dungeon (so it can’t be a “lens modify brain thing”). Really MOTA was too difficult on last episode.
LOLOL @WE, don’t lose your mind trying to make sense to me!!! Don’t go mad on my account LOLOL.
I understand you.
I also gave up on MOTA. After a while, it was too much for my brain(s). I wonder if SJJ herself can explain it. The rules seemed to evolve, and I don’t like that if it’s not noticeably logical. Same issue as I had with ‘W’ before ie, the feeling of being ‘overly’ manipulated because rules changed just so that the plot could be more convoluted and show could fill up the 16 episodes.
Wow, how fun! Just happened to rewatch W right now and googled for discussions of this episode only to find out there’s a rewatch thread going on! I’ll be sure to pop in next time 😀
Quick add-on: The reason Killer keeps the deal with SM is just because that deal happened right before the period where Kang Cheol wakes up, so it’s still in-universe, not part of the dream.
And maybe the reason he also remembers everything that happened in the dream is because he was not in the comic universe while the dream reversal happened? He seemed to still be in YJ’s world, busy dealing with SM…
Hi @Isa, welcome and yes, please do join us next Saturday for another episode. We’re going episode by episode each Saturday. So you’ve watched ‘W’ at least twice already?
Thanks for your take on why Killer remains so powerful and does not lose his memories. They sound right to me. Deconstructing the drama and it’s logic is so much fun!
@Isa, Hi and welcome in the W madness! 😉
The reason why the Killer remember is probably this: The Killer is “awake” since the roof killing. We know that because in episode 12, he tell to Kang Chul he made a deal with OSM. The deal happens after the killer and OSM stab KCH. We don’t know since how long the killer is awake in real (maybe before the roof scene?). In episode 10, the killer say to OSM “I obey your orders”, so the killer was awake, but did nothing on his own, just obey OSM (trying to kill KCH with the truck murder, or the penthouse bedroom murder).
As the killer is already awake at the time the manhwa reset, he don’t loose memory. It’s hard to say how much the manhwa and the author can manipulate characters in the manhwa when they are awake. Kang Chul is able to escape manipulation many times (first time when jumping from the bridge). But for the dream 2 months before, he accepts the manipulation, so he forget. He hope the manhwa and all elements will come back as before. Except at this point the killer was already awake (what Kang Chul missed).
Also, Kang Chul judge the situation urgent and makes and urgent decision (with a lot to think quick as he also envision a plan and prepare a USB key for OSM). He say later in the story that his decision was poor. Maybe, he didn’t think that because the killer is awake, there is probably no way to really reset him. Or he know that, but anyway his plan is good enough because it makes loose the killer his purpose. The killer can’t kill Yeon-Joo anymore (he could but don’t want because his purpose is to kill Kang Chul family before to kill Kang Chul).
@GB, the rules have to evolve. I take this example: the kdrama “Extraordinary You”. In short, the drama take the situation from W episode 10 where Yeon-Joo is an extra (quite short situation), then the drama choose to dig into this because there is many more idea to get with that. What is a good thing in itself. Only, after a few episodes… the drama don’t evolve, bring nothing new. And it becomes deadly boring. The high-concept isn’t exploited! The drama start as a fun parody of “boys over flower”, then for lack of fantasy ideas, becomes really “boys over flower” like, serioulsy.
For W rules to evolve, it need triggers and various reasons. And now, as we dig deeper in the drama, we explain more all these reasons. Take for example the situation when Kang Chul is aware he’s half real/half-cartoon in episode 12. Thanks to that, he can invoke himself in the manhwa. At this point, the character get more control on himself and the phenomena. But if we think more about that, maybe the Kang Chul from episode 7 could also do that! Just he didn’t get enough experience with the phenomena to think about that. And it’s only in episode 8 he understand the floating nature of characters. Like Yeon-Joo “I’ve become a cartoon character too, it’s why I can die?”.
If I would write rules:
– Once a real character change statut and become half-cartoon, the character can die in the manhwa world.
– Once a fiction character jump into a portal to reality, he become half-real.
I did that, but I don’t remember where is this document, I wrote all the facts in W once, and the rules I could find in the drama. What I suppose was basic facts, what is an evolution of the situation. I really needed to do that for writing Season 2, and see what rules I wanted to skip, what ones I keep, and what new ones I can create myself. For example, I didn’t reuse this: The character go out of the tablet via a small portal, like when the killer threaten OSM in episode 10. I think it was too weird. If he can go half way and put is head in real world, why couldn’t he goes totally? It was a bit too blurry for me.
But what is crazy, even if I know the drama very well, I still understand more things while we have this rewatch here. For example, the fact that the Killer steal OSM face. For me it was a basic fact, without the need of an explanation. Or just the explanation is intuitive and it makes sens. In a philosophical/psychological way.
But now we analyse and get more information, the killer should be half-real too. He say “he share the same soul of OSM”. So, it’s like they are the same character, and there can be only one. So, OSM have to loose his face while the Killer takes his face. It’s better clear in the script because in the script, when OSM becomes faceless, he’s faceless like the killer (dark sillouette). But it was probably impossible to do (too much CGI), so the director made a scary faceless zombie instead, what is great too. But we loose a bit the link.
The cliffhanger of episode 8 in the script. It should be more like the cliffhanger of episode 7 in the drama. I find this cliffhanger less good than the ones in the drama. Again a scene that gives a lot of information to the actors, about the emotional state. We understand that the fear has caused a hallucination.
By the time the bullet arrives, the script is very detailed. Almost a version ready to be shot. Yet, the director manages to add his touch to it, like the moment when Kang Chul looks at the ground, little by little, and sees that there is no one on the ground. In the script, SJJ directly involves Yeon-Joo instead.
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#67. Penthouse Meeting Room (Night)
KANG CHUL – (E) He can show up and kill at any time.
Kang Chul was standing around with his laptop open.
When I think about it this far… A different kind of fear from certainty…
At this time, a knock is heard and Yeon Joo opens the door and looks in.
YEON JOO – Can I come in..?
KANG CHUL – (Looking back)
YEON JOO – (wearing a bright dress, high heels and earrings, hesitantly enters)
KANG CHUL – (expression)
YEON JOO – (embarrassed) How about this? Everyone says this suits them well.
KANG CHUL – (with expression)
The previous sentence popped up again…
{You seem to have a new family} {This time it’s the girl’s turn}
{I’ll put a gun hole in your forehead}
Realizing that it wasn’t ominous, fear creeps in again…
YEON JOO – (I’m embarrassed that Kang Chul keeps not responding) Oh okay, it’s very strange, don’t comment, just move on, I got it (I’m about to leave)
KANG CHUL – Let’s go back…
YEON JOO – (I’m sorry, I’m annoyed) I’m going, I’m going, is it that weird?
KANG CHUL – Go home, it’s dangerous here.
YEON JOO – Yes..?
KANG CHUL – (irritable) There’s no way back..?
YEON JOO – (absurd) No… How’s it going all of a sudden…? That’s not what I like.
(Had) But why?
Kang Chul I was about to say something, but at this time, the sound of glass windows breaking behind my back…!
Shattered glass shards flew to Kang Chul from behind and poured down…
Bullets swish in Kang Chul’s ear… With the slow sound of the wind passing by…
Kang Chul, …..!!
Then there is a small hole in Yeon Joo’s forehead, which is standing towards her.
Kang Chul, facial expression.
I wanted to see blood oozing around, but Yeon Joo disappeared from view…
Thump, falling to the floor. Kang Chul, facial expression.
instantaneous work. Memories of the dead bodies of the family unfolding in front of me flashed through my mind.
Yeon Joo collapsed and died in the same shape as then.
Kang Chul, it just hardens… I can’t even move…
YEON JOO – Why?
Kang Chul, when you wake up, Yeon Joo isn’t dead on the floor.
Yeon Joo is just standing there in her dress. Kang Chul, …!!!
There are no glass fragments that have fallen to the floor. Looking back, the windows are fine.
It was a hallucination of extreme fear. Suddenly, a cold sweat broke out.
Yeon Joo, who doesn’t know English, is standing there, Kang Chul, who runs straight to Yeon Joo and wipes her forehead to make sure she’s fine.
YEON JOO – (??)
KANG CHUL – (Sighs of relief when nothing goes wrong)
YEON JOO – Why…? (to do)
KANG CHUL – (Come and hug me tight)
YEON JOO – (!)
KANG CHUL – (Kissing Yeon Joo’s head and feeling the warmth of life, relieved)
YEON JOO – (I don’t know English, I’m held in my arms, my heart is pounding)
A marriage that was carried out by expedient, still a little awkward.
However, with Jin Beom’s words, Kang Chul clearly realizes that he has a family for the first time in 10 years. Now, Kang Chul and the real criminal have a new goal that must be kept or must be killed. The two hugging each other tightly
End of the 8th.
Oh Yeon-Joo’s dream in full. As we can see, this is a lot of scenes, it’s very long. It does not advance the plot much, which is why it is optional and could be removed in the drama to save time. However, as far as comedy goes, it’s excellent. I won’t give away a spoiler, but you’ll be laughing by the time you get to the end.
As always, I warn: the translation is unfortunately quite bad.
The sentence “I am a dog or a beauty” refers to episode 2, when Kang Chul says that if Yeon-Joo is beautiful, anyone can be.
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#5. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Inside the Limousine (Night)
Yeon Joo, wearing that dress as it is and sitting awkwardly…
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#6. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Road (Night)
Limousine on the road.
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#7. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Inside the Limousine (Night)
When the camera is out, Yeon Joo sits in the limousine holding a glass of champagne.
Kang Chul, in a tuxedo next to him, is busy talking on his cell phone.
Yeon Joo, sipping champagne and looking out the window, bustling.
KANG CHUL – I don’t think I’ll see you today. I’m going to your event. Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow morning and call you. Yes Yes.
YEON JOO – (My heart is pounding, half, three and a half)
KANG CHUL – (Puts in cell phone and looks out the window as the car stops slowly) We’re here.
YEON JOO – (Shocking)
KANG CHUL – Come down with a smile. because the camera (holding hands)
YEON JOO – (I was looking forward to it, but my heart was about to explode when I left) What should I do?
The door opens from outside, and Kang Chul gets off first and reaches out to Yeon Joo.
YEON JOO – (whispering) Does this make sense..? Does this situation suit me now…?
Frightened Yeon Joo trembled and took Kang Chul’s hand as she walked out… All white with flash baptisms pouring into Yeon Joo’s gaze. It feels like being the main character in a movie.
With romantic music (** It’s not a Blue House dinner, but it’s Yeon Joo’s imagination, so it’s okay to be unrealistic)
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#8. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Broadcast Screen + Talk Show Studio
The next scene is on video.
Yeon Joo, who appears like a goddess with Kang Chul’s arms crossed, comes out and the flash is pouring out. The screen only focuses on Yeon Joo and then stops.
{Kang Chul’s wife Oh Yeon Joo finally appears in public} The title is floating.
The three panelists are chatting while watching Yeon Joo in the video.
(Atmosphere like Ssuljeon)
PANEL1 – Oh Yeon Joo, who was wrapped in a veil, has finally appeared. First of all, the first impression is that she looks like a pretty girl at first glance, right?
{Oh Yeon Joo Intensive Analysis. 1. Appearance } With subtitles
The video shows Yeon Joo’s dress and face and features one by one.
PANEL1 – That’s not the level of an ordinary person. To be honest, I am a top star among actors.
PANEL3 – Yes. Isn’t the mask classy and luxurious? I can understand why Kang Chul had a secret marriage in America in such a hurry. It’s definitely a different style from the women who have had scandals so far. In a word, she is a wife.
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#9. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Penthouse Living Room (Night)
Yeon Joo, who has just returned from the party, is watching a talk show on TV, wearing a dress and wearing high heels with sore feet, unable to hide her laughter. At this point, Kang Chul came out of the kitchen with a tuxedo robe in his hand and a wine bottle, only wearing a shirt.
YEON JOO – (Unlike when I was scared, I was excited) Look at that~ I’m coming out.
KANG CHUL – (Looks)
YEON JOO – They say that I am a perfect beauty~ (Laughs) You look at me and say that I am a high-class person~
KANG CHUL – …..
YEON JOO – Look~ There are only people who say that I am a dog or a beauty~
KANG CHUL – Do you believe those pros?
YEON JOO – All three are like that~ Kang Chul said he caught a goddess~ (Say) And didn’t you hear that earlier? Even the president looked at me and said I was beautiful. It’s a beauty recognized even by the president of the Republic of Korea.
KANG CHUL – (pretending not to hear) Won’t you come in? (I grab my arm)
YEON JOO – (Excited and persevering) Ah~ Am I not exhausted? I’m Mimon who can relate perfectly here, but I must have gotten married without looking at it too much hahaha~ I guess I should have beaten the doctor and entered the entertainment industry (though)
KANG CHUL – (Hugging Yeon Joo to stop talking)
YEON JOO – (!) Oh my~
KANG CHUL – It’s a waste of money, so it’s a big deal. (Turning off the TV with the remote control and holding it)
YEON JOO – Wait a minute, I have to watch that more~ Today’s Oh Yeon Joo special~
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#10. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Penthouse Bedroom (Night)
A bedroom with soft lighting. Kang Chul comes in with Yeon Joo, and the roommaid prepares wine and some snacks and sees it.
YEON JOO – (Continues chattering) Oh Yeon Joo is the theme of an hour-long special broadcast. I’m so ridiculous~ I’m so famous~ I’m a style icon~ It’s ridiculous~
KANG CHUL – (to roommaid) All right. Go and rest.
MAID – Yes. (Hurry out)
YEON JOO – (!! Talking about not knowing there is a roommate, I’m nervous, I’m shy) Drop me down..
Yeon Joo lays down on the bed.
KANG CHUL – (throws into a suit chair) I must have been very stingy just because I was a bitch or a beauty.
YEON JOO – That’s right. It’s perfect.
KANG CHUL – Just because you’re beautiful doesn’t mean you’re attractive. You said you were attractive.
YEON JOO – Even with the same words, it’s nice to hear that you’re attractive because you’re pretty.
Does it have to be called a sickly charm to make you feel cool?
KANG CHUL – Pretty things don’t last long, but the bad taste lasts forever, so that’s better.
I mean, you don’t get tired of getting old.
YEON JOO – (stupid) Is that what you call it now? no what…
KANG CHUL – (Laughs and rolls into bed, sitting next to Yeon Joo)
YEON JOO – (…!)
A strange atmosphere flows… Yeon Joo, shy and shuts her mouth.
If you point the camera somewhere else and then shine Yeon Joo again…
The moment Kang Chul lowered one shoulder of Yeon Joo dress with one hand,
Yeon Joo suddenly opens her eyes. With something on your face
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#11. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Thoracic Surgery Clinic (Daytime)
Nurse Kim sits in front of the monitor and screams of joy.
Other female interns 1 and 2 were sitting at their desks while working
NURSE KIM – Aaaaah~~~
INTERN1,2 – Why?
NURSE KIM – Bed scene, bed scene!! (pointing with finger) Finally!! Kang Chul bed scene! I’m here, I don’t know
INTERN1,2 – Where are you? / I want to see you too! (jumping)
I rushed in front of the monitor and looked around.
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#12. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Prof Park Room (Daytime)
Prof Park staring at the monitor.
Suk Bum walks in with papers
SUK BUM – Professor, please sign this…
PROF PARK – ….. (suddenly) Oh my… Mr!!
SUK BUM – (surprised)
PROF PARK – Ooh, (suddenly sits with his back and rubs his eyes) Oh man, I cut my eyes.
SUK BUM – Why? (He looked at the monitor) Oh~~~ Wow!
PROF PARK – What’s wrong with the reader!! What crime did the readers have for me to see? My eyes are rotting now!! Do you know why Korea is only like this? Blood ties and academic ties delay!! Do you know why W is going bankrupt? Blood ties and academic ties delay! A non-stop bed scene with a daughter descending on a parachute to her father’s work and marrying the main character!! W. Mangjo is the reality of Korea! (Excited to salivate in my mouth)
SUK BUM – (listening, wiping away the splashing saliva)
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#13. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Sung Moo’s Workshop (Daytime)
Sung Moo is staring at the monitor with a smashing expression.
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#14. Yeon Joo’s Dream – Penthouse Bedroom (Night)
Yeon Joo, after even imagining my dad, I was so scared
YEON JOO – (Grabs Kang Chul’s hand as he lowers the dress laces) No way!
KANG CHUL – (?)
YEON JOO – No, wait, no, this isn’t it!
KANG CHUL – What is it…?
YEON JOO – No no.. Turn off the lights first, I don’t think it’s this one.. (confused) I’ll be back someday… I know too many people there… If this happens, I can’t go and carry my face. Embarrassed, he tried to put out the light on the bedstand with his hands, but he lost his focus and fell from the bed) Oh!
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#15. Penthouse Bedroom (Night)
Yeon Joo, wearing a comfortable dressing gown, falls out of bed just like in a dream.
YEON JOO – Ouch!! (Screaming with thumping sound and smashing nose to the floor)
Guard 1, standing right outside the open door, jumps in.
BODYGUARD1 – (?!!) Madam!!
YEON JOO – Ah… (It hurts so much, crying)
The scene in the kitchen, where Yeon-Joo gets hurt and bleeds.
The main difference: in the script, the whole rack of knives falls on the floor. Yeon-Joo is injured in the foot, not in the finger. I don’t know all the reasons for the change, but being wounded in the finger is useful later, when Yeon-Joo puts a bandage on herself, and then she looks at her finger in wonder.
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#19. Penthouse Kitchen (Night)
Kang Chul comes in and goes to the sink, and Yeon Joo follows along in a cardigan. Guards 1, 2, and 3 also come in and stand in front of the door and by the window.
BODYGUARD1 – Who to call?
KANG CHUL – Nope. Because I have to do my homework.
BODYGUARD1 – (?)
KANG CHUL – Sit there. (pointing to the table)
YEON JOO – (I sit down with an uncomfortable mind, not excited because there are people all the time)
KANG CHUL – But to be honest… (smiling shyly) There’s only one dish I know how to cook.
YEON JOO – What is it?
KANG CHUL – Ramen.
YEON JOO – Is ramen the dish?
KANG CHUL – I like ramen noodles.
YEON JOO – (Sighs) Okay. Fill it with ramen.
KANG CHUL – (Laughing and looking through the sink) Ramen is… (I don’t know what’s there, let’s look in the wrong place)
YEON JOO – ……. (Watching what you’re doing)
KANG CHUL – Hey, where’s the ramen?
BODYGUARD1 – Ramen? (Coming and snooping in embarrassment)
YEON JOO – (confused as the two men wander) It’s a dishwasher. Why are you opening up there?
KANG CHUL – (Looks at the washing machine) Ah, yes.
YEON JOO – (I get bored and open the door right away and find the ramen) I usually leave it like this.
KANG CHUL – Huh?
BODYGUARD1 – (goes to the road seat)
YEON JOO – (Coming in) Come out. I’ll boil it.
KANG CHUL – I have to do one more homework after this.
YEON JOO – (Takes out the pot) I can’t be bothered. do it right later by studying
KANG CHUL – (smiling and sitting on a chair)
YEON JOO – (Raising the fire and looking through the refrigerator)
KANG CHUL – ……
YEON JOO – (While looking for green onions, eggs, etc. in the refrigerator)
KANG CHUL – (Watching) There is something I don’t quite understand…
YEON JOO – (?)
KANG CHUL – Why is your father like that..?
How do you give the real criminal an order to kill his daughter…?
YEON JOO – ……
KANG CHUL – He’s a character who follows his father’s orders.
YEON JOO – (Takes out chopping board) I don’t know.. Maybe Dad drew it..?
KANG CHUL – Then who…?
YEON JOO – (Removing a knife stuck in a sheath with multiple knives) I don’t know… but he can’t be a father. And my dad said he would never paint again.
KANG CHUL – (Yeon Joo looks at him and pulls out the knife, but the sheath looks like it might fall) Oh be careful!!
YEON JOO – Mom! (leaving back in surprise)
The sound of knives falling apart as the sheath fell before they could grab hold of it.
Yeon Joo also fell to the floor trying to avoid it and couldn’t see it.
When Kang Chul runs and bodyguard 1 runs, knives are all over the floor.
KANG CHUL – Are you okay?!
YEON JOO – (sits on the floor) Ah… Surprise… It’s okay…
KANG CHUL – (Seeing Yeon Joo’s foot bleed) You got stabbed!
YEON JOO – Uh…
KANG CHUL – (sadly) Call the nurse
BODYGUARD1 – (going back and forth)
YEON JOO – No, just bring me some medicine, I’ll do it myself.
KANG CHUL – (He quickly pulls out a tissue to stop the blood, then pauses)
YEON JOO – Ah… it hurts…
KANG CHUL – (strange)…..? (Opens the tissue and sees the blood flowing again)
YEON JOO – Why…?
KANG CHUL – Why are you bleeding..?
YEON JOO – Yes…?
KANG CHUL – Not a drop of blood is normal.. Why is it bleeding?
YEON JOO – (??!)
KANG CHUL – (Looking at Yeon Joo)
YEON JOO – (Looking in surprise)
KANG CHUL – This…
YEON JOO – (Face)
KANG CHUL – You too… are you saying if you get shot you die now…?
YEON JOO – (Face)
The moment you realize that you could really die, the two of you look at each other in horror,
{Continue} appears in front of Yeon Joo.
Yeon Joo sits on the floor and disappears in front of Kang Chul in an instant.
Kang Chul, …!!!
All scenes and montages when Kang Chul is in his car. The screenplay is complex in the overlapping of scenes. It will be even more so in later episodes, when there are also forewarding scenes, or with flashback resolution of the previous scene, or a non-chronological spreading of many events.
As you can see, the screenplay is precise: everything you see on the screen, the order of the scenes, the voice-overs, the fast flashes, it’s all in the script. This allows you to better understand the difference between the work of the screenwriter and the director. And often when you attribute something to the director, it’s actually the screenwriter’s work.
As far as the writing rules go, again I see that it’s not always rigorous. For example, scene #33, there is a flashback insert, but it is not said. Whereas scene #34, there is a place indication with the reference to the episode and the scene number. Sometimes there is the time indication, sometimes not. The voice-overs are indicated by (E).
Song Jae Jung indicates that the characters are “translucent”. Here we can admire the work of the director, who added outlines in pencil. As if the characters were returning to the original state of pencil drawings.
Ideally, all these scenes could have been a great montage, with “back to present” when we return to Kang Chul’s car. The problem is that there is a lot of content in the other scenes that are also montages. I guess for this reason, the scriptwriter used a scene-by-scene cut instead, even to return to Kang Chul’s car for a very short time.
Some details were not transcribed to the screen like “Driving and brushing my hair… “. It’s a pity because it’s a personality trait of Kang Chul, several times in the drama, he puts his hands in his hair when he has an emotional peak.
The moment when the assassin attacks the cyclists is also different in the drama.
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#33. In Kang Chul’s Car (Morning)
Kang Chul, while driving nervously, your head suddenly spins like crazy.
Suddenly, the tight-knit context begins to appear…
SOO HEE – (E) What am I…? What am I..? What did I do to you..?
Soo Hee’s voice and Jinbeom’s message appear at the same time…
{So you should find me}
{Why don’t you find me and die? You must not die now.}
KANG CHUL – (E) Character…! The character’s purpose…!
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#34. montage
C#1. Large bookstore (from episode 5, 40 scenes)
Kang Chul rips the comic book and turns the first page. At the front, on the {Characters} page, there is an introduction to W’s characters including Soo Hee.
KANG CHUL – (E) character.
At first, the characters were created for a purpose necessary for the story.
C#2. A cartoon cut of the real criminal (with a question mark in the shape of a black shadow)
SUBTITLES – The mysterious man. A murderer who annihilated Kang Chul’s family.
C#3. Soo Hee’s Manga Cut (from Episode 5, Scene 41)
SUBTITLES – Yoon Soo Hee. female lead.
C#4. Manga cut by Hyun Suk (in episode 5, 41 scenes).
SUBTITLES – Son Hyun Suk. The general manager of the W project. A close friend of the deceased Kang Chul’s.
C#5. Kang Chul’s office (ep 8, scene 38)
Talking to Kang Chul, Hyun Suk.
KANG CHUL – The real culprit is no longer needed.
Please don’t ask why. I’ll clean up the W project.
HYUN SUK – ….. (Sighs deeply.. It is difficult and frustrating)
C#6. In front of the station Kang Chul’s office (daytime)
Continued from scene 38 in ep 8.
Hyun Suk leaves Kang Chul’s room and goes with a disappointed expression…
Hyun Suk’s hand turns translucent… Hyun Suk walks without knowing it.
KANG CHUL – (E) When that purpose ceases to exist…
C#7. Soo Hee’s officetel (morning)
Soo Hee, looking at herself in the mirror and crying in a paroxysm. The whole body is translucent.
I stepped on a piece of broken glass on the floor and blood was dripping from my foot.
KANG CHUL – (E) Annihilated..? forever in this world…?
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#35. In Kang Chul’s Car (Morning)
Kang Chul, the more I get to the conclusion, the more nervous I get.
I keep on thinking while stepping on the accelerator pedal.
KANG CHUL – (E) Then on the other hand… if the character’s purpose becomes clear…
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#36. flashback montage
C#1. The scene where Yeon Joo puts on her wedding ring (in episode 8)
C#2. Yeon Joo bleeding scene
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#37. In Kang Chul’s Car (Morning)
KANG CHUL – (!! E) Fixed as a character..? Force..?
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#38. Sung Moo’s Studio (Morning)
Yeon Joo just came to the same conclusion.
YEON JOO – (whispering) No way…! Did I become a real cartoon character?
Married to the main character…! So I could bleed and really die?
Is it like that..?
Yeon Joo, startled to reach that conclusion.
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#39. In Kang Chul’s Car (Morning)
Kang Chul is getting more and more confused in his head.
Driving and brushing my hair…
KANG CHUL – (E) Then the real culprit is…?
Even though the real criminal has no purpose, why doesn’t it disappear… (Haha)
Messages that I didn’t understand before suddenly popped up.
{Where are you?} {How did you survive..?} {How did you get back..?}
KANG CHUL – (E) Maybe yourself…?
KANG CHUL – (with a sudden thought)
KANG CHUL – (E) Did the real criminal awaken…? like me…?
Kang Chul, astonished by the subsequent conviction…
KANG CHUL – (E) The real culprit… is he in the outside world right now…?
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#40. flashback montage
C#1. Detention center visit waiting room (in episode 5, 32 scenes)
The comic world where everything has stood still since Kang Chul left.
Do Yoon and the police, waiting for a visit, and all things stopped.
In a world full of silence, the sound of footsteps is heard from afar.
C#2. Detention center hallway (Situation after 36 scenes in episode 5)
After Kang Chul disappears out of the frame.
There are still stiffened cops and police dogs standing in the hallway.
In between, the only living and moving person walks…
The real criminal, dressed in black shoes, black gloves, and with a pistol, walks through the hallway.
Passing the hardened police and police dogs… Standing still…
I look around slowly looking for Kang Chul, but Kang Chul isn’t there…
At the end of the hallway, you can see the black frame where Kang Chul went out into the real world in front of me.
A true criminal walking towards the frame.
Standing in front of it like a stranger for a while and then immediately jump in
C#3. Motel Rooftop (Night)
The date has passed since the 37th scene of episode 5. (before the police collect it)
A bright light came out of the liquid crystal tablet lying on top of the rubbish, and the real criminal suddenly rolled down. I went to the railing with my gun and looked around… not recognizing the unfamiliar world…
C#4. Alleyway (Night)
Alley in front of the motel.
A drunken drunkard comes humming a song, and the real criminal stands in the way.
DRUNKARD – What…? (If you look, you can’t see your face well in the dark) Hey, get out of the way… (Go away)
A caption suddenly appears in front of the drunken who was walking past the real criminal.
{Where am I?}
DRUNKARD – (Rubbing his eyes while drunk) What is this…?
{Where is this?}
Drunk, ….??
{Where is Kang Chul?}
DRUNKARD – (!!!) What…? (more and more startled) What is this…? uh what~~~?? (runs in surprise)
C#5. in front of school (night)
A small bookstore in front of the school. The door is locked, but the real criminal stops in front of a display stand.
In the weekly magazine, the ending cut of Kang Chul’s death in the water is floating around…!
The real culprit, who finally found Kang Chul, smashes the glass without mercy with his gloved fist. The display case is shattered and he goes in and picks up the magazine.
Above the ending cut of Kang Chul, there is the title {The empty and empty ending of W}.
The subtitle is {Kang Chul commits suicide without revealing the true culprit}.
KANG CHUL – (E) Jinbeom followed me to the outside world and became aware of everything…
And I was angry. knowing that he doesn’t exist.
Seeing the real criminal crumpling a magazine and throwing it on the floor and going somewhere…
KANG CHUL – (E) Because he was the one who was more anxious than me for the true culprit to be revealed.
C#6. Hangang Bridge (Night)
The situation that continues just before the 7th and 36th innings.
The real criminal is heading towards the railing with hurried steps.
Kang Chul came to stand far away, and looking down, a black river was flowing.
I can’t accept that he’s already dead.
Jinbeom, I look down and my hands are shaking…
KANG CHUL – (E) He trembled in anger when he learned of my death belatedly.
At this time, two men in their 20s pass by on a bicycle.
The man riding in the back passes by and stops.
MAN1 – Hey wait…!
MAN2 – (goes ahead, stops and turns around)
MAN1 – There’s someone over there.
I found the real criminal standing in the dark by the railing…
MAN1 – Why are you there? Isn’t that… jumping off?
MAN2 – No way… Hey, let’s go. It’s late. (and want to start off the road)
MAN1 – (while trying to hide.. he was bored, so he parked his bike and headed there) Over there.
Jinbeom, look around…
MAN1 – Why are you there? It’s dangerous. Maybe something.. (Surprised as he approaches closer) Huh?!
Surprised when there is no face, he backs away, but the real criminal grabs the man 1 by the collar..
In the gaze of Man 1, who is struggling with being grabbed by the collar… Subtitles of anger are visible.
{Did you…?}
{Kang Chul is really dead..??}
Man 1, he was choking and struggling with his breath, but he couldn’t move due to the tremendous grip.
MAN2 – (surprised, parks his bike and chases after him) Hey! what are you?!
{Who wants to die? How long have I waited!}
{I waited 10 years!! He’s just looking for me!}
{But why is it over? How is this over!}
C#7. Restaurant toilet (in episode 7, 26 scenes)
At the same time, while calling Yeon Joo, water suddenly splashed…
C#8. In the River (Scene 7, 27)
In the cut where Yeon Joo, drowning, finds Kang Chul in the river..
The subtitles below change from {End} to {Continue}.
KANG CHUL – (E) He stopped the manga from ending. To see the end with me.
C#9. Hangang Bridge (Same scene as episode 7 36)
A man who is strangled, his eyes open, and lies on the floor, dead.
Then, the man 2 who was strangled and killed in the same way was thrown over by the real criminal.
The real criminal, unable to control his anger, walks in the opposite direction, and suddenly disappears like smoke in the dark.
KANG CHUL – (E) And now…
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#41. In Kang Chul’s Car (Morning)
KANG CHUL – (E) I don’t know how to get back… Are you still wandering there?
Reminds me of sending Kang Chul and Yeon Joo so… I’m terrified…
Oh Yeon-Joo gets the phone call from the assassin!
Then, a difference with the drama. In the script, the assassin doesn’t disappear next to the assistant he killed, he first goes into a corridor. But in terms of nervousness, it was better to make him disappear at once!
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#43. Sung Moo’s living room (morning)
The house phone keeps ringing on the table, and Soo Bong grunts and toss and turns at the sound.
Yeon Joo, puzzled by the early call, goes home and picks up the phone.
YEON JOO – (carefully) Hello.
let the silence flow
YEON JOO – Hello..?
{Are you back?}
In Yeon Joo’s gaze, the very message that Kang Chul saw appeared.
Yeon Joo, …?!!!!
{Are you Oh Sung Moo’s daughter?}
Yeon Joo, !!!!! I was so startled and frightened that I looked back at the subtitles…
{Are you Oh Yeon Joo?}
{The woman married to Kang Chul}
Yeon Joo, ….!!! I was so surprised that I turned the phone off and threw it away.
When the phone turns off, all subtitles disappear. Yeon Joo, ….!!!
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#44. Portal Company Webtoon Department (morning)
The real criminal sees the cell phone turned off.
Next to it is a female employee on duty (appeared in the 34th scene of episode 7), who was strangled while sitting on a chair. As if the female employee was watching a newly uploaded cartoon just before she died, an ending cut depicting the death of Yeon Joo is floating on the monitor.
Jinbeom, turn off the phone and leave immediately..
A female employee’s notebook is spread out on the desk.
Among the phone numbers of the writers, {Oh Sung Moo} and home phone numbers are written on it.
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#45. Portal Company Corridor (morning)
A quiet and dark hallway before going to work.
The real criminal who was walking into the darkness suddenly disappeared like smoke.
The assassin shoots Yeon-Joo!
From the beginning, when the assassin appears in the house of OSM.
In the drama, all this is done better. For example, the assassin appears in the living room and takes some steps.
When he is in Yeon-Joo’s room, he just stays still. A scary and intense shot.
However, there is a detail missing in the drama: the assassin looks through the window and sees them running away in Soo-Bong’s car. This explains why he can teleport in front of the car (which is actually in the street adjacent to the house). The time seems longer when Soo-Bong is driving (and gives the illusion that he is getting further away). But in episode 9, we see that the car is not far away because Soo-Bong goes there walking with Yeon-Joo’s mother.
A detail that appears in other scenes: although it is physically impossible, Yeon-Joo has time to understand or almost see the bullet coming. Even when an event is too fast, for reasons of dramatic intensity, the characters have time to have an expression.
The drama made this a bit more realistic yet. Except it keep Soo-Bong shaking head before the bullet arrive. The script indicate that is “slow motion”.
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#50. Sung Moo’s living room (morning)
From the dark corner of the kitchen, the real criminal appears like smoke.
A real criminal who comes out with a gun pointed. But no one.
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#51. Sung Moo’s house, Yeon Joo’s room (morning)
The real criminal comes in, slamming the door and pointing a gun. But it’s empty.
At this time, I look around the window at the sound of Soo Bong’s car leaving.
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#52. Alleyway + In Soo Bong’s Car (Morning)
Soo Bong’s car rushes through
SOO BONG – (Crazy) Are you going this way? Where are you going?
YEON JOO – Just go.. As far as possible from the house.. (I was scared, so I kept checking my back in the side mirror)
SOO BONG – No, I’m really excited~ What is it again?
I’m bored now. What else is going to happen?
YEON JOO – Don’t pick up your cell phone anymore! Never accept strange numbers! Dangerous!
SOO BONG – No, who’s calling me?
YEON JOO – Jinbeom is looking for me.. (Looking ahead…!!)
SOO BONG – What else are you talking about?
In Yeon Joo’s eyes… At the end of the alleyway, a man in a black suit suddenly appeared and stood there. Yeon Joo, ….!!!!
Jinbeom, slowly aim the pistol.
YEON JOO – (trembling) Go back…
SOO BONG – Yes? (He finds the real culprit and steps on the brake) What is it..? (Eyes droopy) Isn’t that a gun?
YEON JOO – (Laughs) Back…!! Go backwards..!!!
SOO BONG – (!!!! Reversing quickly in surprise) Mr.
Soo Bong, I was so embarrassed that I hurried out of the narrow alley and bumped my back against the wall.
Yeon Joo, ..!!!
Soo Bong, …!!!
Through the eyes of the real criminal.
Aim exactly at Yeon Joo’s forehead and immediately pull the trigger.
Bullets flew towards Yeon Joo.
Yeon Joo, …!!!
I never thought Kang Chul’s imagination would become real.
Slow bullets flying…
The bullet pierced the windshield and Yeon Joo, the moment I closed my eyes thinking that I was dead,
Soo Bong, whoa~!!! He screams and shakes his head.
The bullet went straight through and hit the front passenger’s head.
All of a sudden, Yeon Joo disappears.
Through the eyes of the real criminal, I see Yeon Joo disappearing.
The end of the episode. End of the scene on the roof + the cliffhanger.
At this point, the first 9 episodes of the script have been transformed into 8 episodes in the drama.
From now on, the script has the same speed as the drama, with the same cliffhanger.
This obviously has a slowing effect. We go from “very fast paced” to “fast paced”, lol!
We notice that the script indicates that Yeon-Joo sees “to be continued” when Kang Chul jumps. Here, the choice of the director was less good since he does not make the inscription appear. However, his decision is justifiable, he preferred to end on a shot showing Yeon-Joo’s desperate face. So, more focus on the emotion.
However, in the last scene, the director does a better job than in the script, as he shows Kang Chul’s drawing in the hospital on the tablet. The screenwriter could have thought of this, but didn’t. And she is at the top level! This shows the difficulty of writing a screenplay, which is something abstract that doesn’t have the consistency of the drama once filmed. As I assume the existence of a later version of the script, it is possible that the screenwriter added the drawing on the tablet in this version. I don’t know how many phases of correction and proofreading the version published here underwent. But despite these phases, the idea did not come.
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#72. Hotel rooftop (morning)
YEON JOO – (Face)
KANG CHUL – And most importantly. you can’t die
I can’t see it with my own eyes again.
YEON JOO – (Face)
KANG CHUL – If we go back to the time we didn’t meet, everything would be sorted out.
If I don’t know you, I won’t look for you, I won’t think of you,
Then you won’t be dragged here either, and then you won’t have to know the truth.
You won’t shoot your father, you won’t let the real criminal go out,
Not all of them will be in danger.
YEON JOO – (Face)
KANG CHUL – Thank you for saving me… Actually, I didn’t know how to live, but now I understand. I had to live according to my destiny.
If the reason for my existence is to search for the real culprits forever, then I should.
YEON JOO – ……
KANG CHUL – What do you think?
YEON JOO – (No objectionable words)
KANG CHUL – Do you understand my heart..?
YEON JOO – …… (with tears running around) I understand.
KANG CHUL – (My heart sinks as soon as I agree)
YEON JOO – (Tears are falling)
KANG CHUL – Then can you draw like that? It’s all a dream.
A dream I had while I was lying in bed… a dream I can’t even remember.
YEON JOO – (I can’t answer my throat)
KANG CHUL – Give it to your father (pulls out the micro storage device from his pocket and puts it in Yeon Joo’s hand).
YEON JOO – (…!)
KANG CHUL – I promise. When I get back, I have to draw right away. Don’t hesitate in the slightest.
He doesn’t need a context, so he can appear anytime, anywhere.
YEON JOO – ……
KANG CHUL – Answer me. I don’t have time. I don’t know what you’re doing now.
He has no personality.
YEON JOO – ….. I promise. (Tears are dripping down)
KANG CHUL – ….. all right. (and steps back towards the railing)
YEON JOO – …..?
KANG CHUL – Sweet romance. It’s a pity that we only have four.
I had a hundred things left to do.
YEON JOO – (Crying again at those words)
KANG CHUL – (Like a joke) I want to hug him once, but I can’t even do that… Because I feel regretful.
YEON JOO – (Crying) Where are you going..?
KANG CHUL – Because there is no time and this is the sure way. (and climbs onto the railing)
YEON JOO – (??!!)
KANG CHUL – (All of a sudden, the corners of Kang Chul’s eyes are wet with tears) Oh Yeon Joo. now i forget
I’m just a cartoon character. If you want to see me in the future, you can go to the bookstore and look at the book. Okay…?
YEON JOO – (!!!)
KANG CHUL – How are you? (Jumps straight away)
YEON JOO – (!!!)
Kang Chul disappears from Yeon Joo’s eyes in an instant…
Yeon Joo, on her face… As the words {Continue} appear, Yeon Joo disappears immediately.
The rooftop was empty in an instant. It went black.
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#73. Hospital admission room (night)
In the dark state, a small sound of news is heard.
(As is the comment in the 38th scene of episode 1)
REPORTER – (E) The hospital informed that CEO Kang Chul, who had undergone two surgeries, is now recovering in a stable condition… Now, the front of the hospital is filled with citizens who are worried about CEO Kang. .
Kang Chul, waking up from a dream and waking up, is wearing bandages, ringers, and medical devices. Through Kang Chul’s eyes, the scenery of the hospital’s special room becomes clearer.
Do Yoon is sitting on the sofa and watching TV. (Similar to scene 40 in episode 1)
The news keeps reporting about Kang Chul’s attack…
REPORTER – (E) The police are continuing to pursue the suspect who attacked Kang, but it is known that no clear clues have been released yet.
At this time, Soo Hee opens the door and comes in.
SOO HEE – Huh? woke up
DO YOON – Huh? (Looking back at the sound and lowering the volume)
SOO HEE – How are you? (oncoming)
DO YOON – I didn’t even know I woke up. I’ll call the nurse. (Go straight out)
KANG CHUL – ….. (locked voice) Did you find something…?
SOO HEE – not yet. I’m analyzing the CCTV, it’ll take a while. You know~ It’s slow.
(Pauses looking in) Did you cry…?
KANG CHUL – ….?
SOO HEE – (Looking at the tears spreading around your eyes) ….. (touching your fingers) It looks like tears…
KANG CHUL – (I don’t know) I don’t know… I think I was dreaming.
SOO HEE – What a sad dream, even tears?
KANG CHUL – I can’t remember.. Can I get you some water..?
SOO HEE – (Goes to the water purifier and pours water and nagging) Anyway, the problem is that you’re not afraid. Why are you going up there alone? I was determined to win. The waiter was just lucky to get up there. Why do you meet alone when you don’t know who you are?
KANG CHUL – (Meanwhile, touching the corners of his eyes with his hand. I wonder if there are real tears) …..? (I can’t remember the dream at all.. I see the tears on my fingertips)
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#74. Alleyway (Morning) + Hospital Room (Night)
Abandoned by Soo Bong, Soo Bong’s car with a broken windshield standing behind the wall.
In the car… I see Yeon Joo sitting in the back seat and just drawing with the tablet on his lap. Put the pen down and wrap it around your forehead.
The wedding ring is still there on Yeon Joo’s finger wrapped around her forehead.
There is no ring on Kang Chul’s finger, who wonders at his tears on his hands.
The appearance of the two is divided into two.
End of the 9th.
Thanks very much @WE. What a lot of reading that was!! I see that SJJ actually made a lot of the decisions/had the ideas herself and the PD’s work was mostly to realise them. Makes me appreciate the art of screenwriting even more!!! So many scenes to juggle together with flashbacks. I’d lose myself in my own script and never remember how I coded a scene so that I could find it again to refer to!!
I’ll just leave the script writing to the scriptwriters and try not to be too harsh when I critique shows! Bwahahahah!
@GB, yes the mass of text is so huge that it is like having to maneuver an oil tanker. And all this is put into a structure first, more or less precise. But with all the cause and effect links in W, it has to be precise. As with the drama “Mouse”, also impressive on the structure.
In W, what is quite incredible is the amount of background. Everything that takes place before the drama, and that is revealed during the story. And in the new events of the drama, an amount is also treated as “background” later, and thus revealed. And what concerns the initial background, I was not able to do the same (but maybe it will be more for Alien Surgeon, at least, it is well everywhere for).
About the chronological dispersion of the scenes. I did some in first writing, quite naturally. But often for events close in time. From episode 2, scene 3. I first create a hook, then what precedes is told.
But in going through some of the scenes I’ve already written, I’ve found that it’s better if I give the conclusion (the hook) first and then give the explanation in flashback. I changed two situations this way, after the fact, and not in the first writing. This is what SJJ often does.
I also did this: I had two episodes too short (out of 68 episodes). I wanted to delete them to get to 66 episodes. So I dispatched their content on adjacent episodes. But trying not to screw up the cliffhangers. I ended up with an episode that was way too busy. I put several scenes in a subsequent episode, in flashback. Overall, I still have a certain linearity. Of course, there are tons of flashbacks everywhere, but I don’t have such elaborate and long constructions as SJJ. But for that, it’s better to have hour-long episodes. These structures are often localized within an episode.
You can see it in episode 15 of W, the amount of events shown after the teaser is huge, before returning to the original situation. Episode 9, the chronological structure is also incredible, with the fictional story of W. And episode 12, the whole scene in the restaurant is also interspersed with flashback, and then afterwards, the restaurant scene itself is put into flashback, showing other flashbacks. There is also the incredible series of flashbacks in chronological inversion at the end of episode 11 (or the beginning of episode 12, I don’t know). If you’ve seen Tarantino’s movie Reservoir Dogs, there’s also a series of interlocking flashbacks, when the undercover cop tells his story.
It’s possible that SJJ writes her story in chronological order first, and then proceeds to dispatch the scenes in a non-chronological fashion. Like I did. But with good instincts, she can get straight to the point. You have to spot the hooks and ask yourself, is it better to parachute the viewer into the situation first?
The screenwriter of Military Prosecutor Doberman used this technique in an original way: Instead of putting the hook in the cliffhanger, he often puts it at the beginning of the episode. Then he unfolds the situation (with some possible flashbacks). But overall it’s much simpler than what SJJ does.
And all this is mostly kdrama tricks, because western series don’t use flashbacks or all these incredible chronologies.