I already talked about this here, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the biggest lies told in this episode. I’m sure you can guess what those scenes are.

Heads-up: the drama has now been subbed AND DUBBED in English on Netflix. I think when the dub was released, the subs were altered to match the dubbed English edition, rather than the original Korean dialogue. If you go however to the “unofficial” sites like dramacool, the original subs are still there.

1. WooHak

MH: You mean really met KiHo?
WH: Yeah.
MH: For real? You met face to face?
WH: Yeah. He’s married and seems pretty happy.

That’s the lie.

MH: (stunned)
WH: He asked me to thank you for remembering him.
MH: (in disbelief) How do you know you met the right guy?

It wasn’t that she didn’t believe that WooHak met with KiHo. It was that her brain couldn’t accept that KiHo married somebody else. She thought that she and KiHo shared something so special and unforgettable that there was no way KiHo could find another girl.

WH: (handing her the USB) He wanted me to give you this. He said you’d understand.
MH: (recalling that night KiHo handed it to her)
WH: That’s got to be him.

I like how gentle WooHak was throughout this time. He was breaking the sad news to her gently because a) he knew that she would be despondent, and) he was feeling regret, too, that he couldn’t be KiHo. If only he had been KiHo, this sad moment didn’t have to happen.

MH: (looking at the music file and accepting) KiHo. It’s him. (looking up at WooHak) And you told him about his father? How he’s still out there?

I like how MokHa fixed her attention on KiHo’s safety. She prioritized his wellbeing over her sad news.

WH: Mmhmm. He’s aware of that. He said not to worry about his father or him, but he’s cheering you on and wishes you luck.
MH: (confused) But that was it?
WH: Yes. That was it.

Awww. She was expecting more from KiHo. She wanted more than words, like a reunion, an in-person meeting, or even a phone call.

To shake her out of feeling blue, WooHak resorted to dissing KiHo. He wanted to downplay KiHo’s importance and stress his unattractiveness so MokHa wouldn’t feel rejected by his snub and silent treatment. This is the normal “sour grapes” response.

WH: You’ve been going on and on about him. I thought he’d be like, really cool, but he was kind of just whatever. He didn’t age well.

This was a lie, too. WooHak always thought of his younger brother as cool. That’s why he copied his outfits.

WH: There’s a phrase we say now called “glowing up.” When someone looks better when they age out of their awkward phase. When someone looks better when they age out of their awkward phase. Well, he glowed down.
MH: (interrupting) I understand. My friend has changed.
WH: Huh?
MH: Thanks, WooHak. At least now I know, right?
WH: Right.

My comments:

There were two people lying here.

a. Obviously, WooHak.
b. Not so obvious: MokHa.

She wasn’t totally convinced that WooHak was telling her the truth. That’s why she cut him short. Sure, she didn’t like to hear WooHak criticizing KiHo. She had always been protective of KiHo’s memories and didn’t want him defamed. But to me, she also sensed that WooHak wasn’t being completely honest. If I were MokHa, I would suspect that he was deflecting by the way he talked animatedly about KiHo’s appearance.

Thus, she ended the conversation abruptly and acted as if she accepted WooHak’s story. She said, “My friend has changed.” Case closed.

But once WooHak left, she mulled over the situation and confided in RanJoo her suspicions about the brothers.

She told RanJoo that WooHak handed her the music file from KiHo.

MH: WooHak just gave it to me. He said he got it from KiHo.
RJ: (excited) KiHo? Does that mean he found KiHo?
MH: I’m not so sure he really did. He says that he did. But it’s hard to be sure.

See that? She was doubting WooHak. She didn’t want to say outright that he lied to her, but she didn’t believe his claim that he met KiHo.

RJ: Well, that’s great. WooHak is some reporter, huh?

See? In contrast to MokHa, RanJoo totally believed WooHak.

RJ: (shifting focus to KiHo) Where does he live?
MH: Uh, I guess he’s got a wife and stuff now. He’s out there enjoying his life with her.
RJ: (disappointed) Oh. I hadn’t even considered that. Hmm. So that’s why he didn’t contact you.

And this is when MokHa shared what was troubling her. She recounted what KiHo’s mom told KiHo about wishes. RanJoo misunderstood her and thought that MokHa was thinking of chasing after KiHo despite him being a married man.

MH: Uh, no. It’s about that thing he said. Ms. Song from downstairs told me the same thing.
RJ: (laughing I thought you were gonna go after him. Don’t mind me. Wait a second. She said that exact phrase to you?
MH: (nodding)
RJ: Same thing as KiHo’s mother? That’s weird. What could it mean?
MH: I never heard anyone but KiHo mention that saying. And I know he said it because his mom would say it. Those brothers find me on the island. And they also have a mother who says the same thing. That’s too coincidental. Right? That’s too coincidental. Don’t you think?
RJ: What else could it be?

She meant if it wasn’t coincidence, then what was it? She couldn’t imagine it to be anything but accidental.

RJ: Are you saying that one of the brothers could be KiHo?!
MH: (just staring at her)
RJ: (dismissing it) Nah. It can’t be.
MH: Yeah. It can’t be. What if it’s just wild enough to be true?

To me, MokHa already sensed that it wasn’t coincidental. She believed that something else was going on. But since, RanJoo insisted that it was merely coincidence, she didn’t try to argue her case.

2. MokHa and BoGyeol

MokHa was being encouraged by BoGyeol’s mom to take up hairstyling and give up singing because of her age. When she happened to look up at the stairs, she saw BoGyeol listening to their conversation.

BoGyeol was between the rock and a hard place. He defended his mother because he understood her worries. She feared that her abusive husband would find MokHa and, through her, the rest of the family. But at the same time, BoGyeol didn’t want MokHa disheartened. He wanted her to follow her dreams. Hence, he struck a conversation with her when they were alone at the rooftop.

BG: She really means well. Don’t take what she was saying to heart.

Note here: In the original subs, he said “Forget what she said about being a hairdresser.”

MH: (sighing softly) Yeah. No way you’re him.

This is the beginning of her lie. She was exasperated with him.

BG: What?
MH: Listen, you. Until a few days ago, I thought you could’ve secretly been KiHo. It didn’t seem so far-fetched.
BG: (turned to look quizzically at her. He couldn’t tell where she was going with this.)
MH: You could have lost your memories. I was thinking that.

My comments: 

a. Hmmm. These two sentences are interesting. They’re on Netflix in the English new sub as well as in the English dub. BUT they weren’t in the original subs.

Anyway, why is this change important for us to notice? Because it changes the context.

b. These two additional lines tell us that WooHak had been friend-zoned.

He shared the story of his amnesia to MokHa to sway her to think of HIM as KiHo. Since he liked MokHa, he wanted her to consider him as KiHo…just with amnesia. Unfortunately for him, however, MokHa reversed the situation. She projected WooHak’s amnesia story onto BoGyeol. She thought that BoGyeol could have lost his memories.

Lol.

c. This tells me that she so deeply wanted BoGyeol to be the one — to be KiHo — that she deluded herself into considering the possibility that he too had amnesia like his brother WooHak.

d. In the original sub, Mokha said, “You see, up until recently, I thought you could’ve been KiHo. But looking at your eyes, I know for sure now. You’re definitely not Jung KiHo.”

To continue…

MH: (taking a deep breath) I can see it in your eyes. There’s no possible way you could be KiHo.

By taunting him that he couldn’t be KiHo, she actually wanted him to prove her wrong. It’s a bit like “reverse psychology.” But BoGyeol wouldn’t bite. He resisted her hidden challenge.

BG: (coolly nodding) You’re right. I am not KiHo.

He turned to leave her, but her remark vexed him. He couldn’t let it go without lodging a protest.

BG: (arms akimbo) Why can’t I be him, though?

He said, “ani geunde waeyo?” which is translated as “no but why?” The way he said it was funny to me because it sounded like he was sputtering in indignation. He went from “Fine! Suits me! I’m not KiHo! What do I care?” to “But why not?! Why can’t I be KiHo?!!!”

That’s why MokHa just stared at him. He looked like a kid about to have a meltdown…or a man she had successfully triggered.

BoGyeol realized too late that he sounded triggered (which he was).

BG: Sorry. That made it sound like I care about this, and I don’t.

This was a lie, too.

BG: I was just wondering. What did Jung KiHo’s eyes look like?

Note: he actually said one of my favorite Korean words in kdramas. “Geunyang.” The usual translation for this word is “Just because.” However, when used by the male leads in kdramas, there’s often a subtext. The male lead is saying “geunyang” because he doesn’t have a ready answer, doesn’t want to talk about a touchy topic, or doesn’t want to reveal his feelings. It’s like he’s brushing aside the issue. To me, who’s not Korean, “Geunyang” sounds like “Nothing” or “Just nothing” in teenspeak. You know how it goes. Me: “Hey, what’s up? Why did you call me?” My son: “Nothing. Just nothing.” The “nothing” is actually “something.” Similarly, “Geunyang” or “Just because” sounds easy-going because the speaker is PRETENDING to sound nonchalant.

MoKha recalled KiHo telling her seriously that they were both leaving the island and that there was no turning back.

MH: They held your gaze. They were so strong. He looked like he’d be there always whatever happened.

Lol. As she was saying this, KiHo squinted his eyes, like he was peering at her.

MH: I knew if I trusted him, then things would be okay.
BG: So if that’s how you see him, what does that make me?
MH: You’re weak. You never pick a side. And it’s real befuddling. You’re like a whiny little puppy too scared to cross a puddle. That’s fine for dogs. You’re just pathetic.

BG was speechless. MokHa was ranting so he couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

MH: One minute you act like my friend, and then you treat me like you’ve never seen me before. And sometimes you speak up for what you believe, but then other times you just sit there and shut up. That makes me so dang sick. I never know what’s going on inside your dumb brain.

When she paused to take a breath, he spoke.

BG: You’re not scared to speak your mind.
MH: I thought that was clear.
BG: Then why clam up in front of YongGwan? Where was this side of you during that meeting? He was obviously asking for too much. Why didn’t you push back at him, too?
MH: That’s totally different. Uh…I had a good reason. Okay?
BG: What is that?
MH: Something I can’t tell you. It’s better that you don’t know.

This is about the secret. YongGwan knew that she had lipsynced and was blackmailing her with a video.

BG: Aaaah. It’s that so? Well, I’ve got my reasons for being this way, too.
MH: (nonplussed) What?

My comments:

So where’s the lie?

a. For MokHa, she lied that she didn’t think he could be KiHo. In fact, she was frustrated with him because he wouldn’t come out and tell the truth. She was almost certain that he was KiHo but she needed positive confirmation. She couldn’t understand his need for lies and secrecy until BoGyeol pointed out that SHE herself wasn’t forthcoming about some things. In the original sub, Mokha excused her secrecy, saying she had “unavoidable reason.”

b. For BoGyeol, he lied that he didn’t care if she thought he was KiHo or not. He was demonstrably agitated and aggrieved.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

That’s it for me. Next!