I like YeoRi and GangUk’s opening conversation. It sets the tone of the episode.

YR: Are you sure about this?
GU: Yes, I’m sure. After all, I’m the only person you can comfortably share your everyday life with.

This. He doesn’t view her ghost-seeing ability as a curse, but as a godsend because it brought them together. If he hadn’t grabbed her hand to stop her from crossing the street, if he hadn’t been temporarily afflicted with the same ghost-seeing ability, and if he hadn’t experienced first-hand what she was going through alone all these years, then there was no reason for them to spend time together and for her to learn to be comfortable with him.

Earlier, he could barely hide his smile when YeoRi was explaining to her grandmother that she and MinHwan had no feelings for each other. GangUk knows for a fact that MinHwan cares for her, but he’s pleased to learn that MinHwan’s feelings aren’t reciprocated. Moreover, despite YeoRi friend-zoning MinHwan, she wasn’t even comfortable enough with him to unburden herself to him. GangUk ranks higher than MinHwan because YeoRi chose to approach him with her problem.

YR: I’m sorry. Because of me, you had to lie.
GU: No, don’t be sorry. I’m actually grateful that you trusted me enough to ask for help.

Not only grateful, but honored, as well. I think he should feel honored, too, because she chose him. It’s a sign that she trusts him, and feels safe and secured with him. I told you, right? Back in Episode 2, it moved her when he covered her eyes when they both fell into the sea and saw the dead body. For once, there was somebody who instinctively wanted to protect her.

GU: (curious) So why does the chairwoman want you to marry Kang MinHwan?
YR: It beats me. Whatever the reason, let’s make this work.
GU: Sure. Fighting!

YeoRi isn’t being forthcoming here. I could think of two reasons to explain her grandmother’s MH.

First, business sense. Her grandmother believes that MH’s strong business acumen will be a great asset to YR when her cousin’s family tries to challenge her succession. Back in Ep 3, she directly told YR that, with MH’s help, she can sign with this foreign hotel chain Raymond — just like what MH’s CL Group did — and prove her unquestionable leadership to the board. Although she later backed down and agreed to let YR carve the hotel’s future as she sees fit, from her point of view, MH still represents safety and security for her granddaughter.

Of course, she doesn’t know that YeoRi has something up her sleeve. YeoRi isn’t worried about HaRi and HaRi’s mother’s making an issue of her “shaman” abilities because she plans to expose their corporate malfeasance, e.g., acquiring artwork at hyper-inflated values.

Second, survivor’s guilt. YeoRi, JiHwan and MinHwan were childhood friends. It wouldn’t be far-fetched if her grandmother harbored thoughts of marrying her off to one of the brothers. Since YeoRi and JiHwan were in a boating accident from which only YeoRi survived, the grandmother probably thinks marrying her off to JiHwan’s twin is the suitable way to close that unfortunate chapter. Like, JiHwan would be happy to see his Hyung taking care of the girl he was crushing on, and he would approve of their marriage… or something along those lines.

Again, the grandmother is operating on ignorance. It never crossed her mind that MinHwan was involved in his brother’s death (if our theory is correct).

I find it funny that YeoRi doesn’t want to go into details with GangUk just like GangUk doesn’t want to divulge his grandmother’s paranoia about a woman born on the year of “black monkey.” Obviously, their “secrets” are connected.

Aside from the opening scene, here are what I consider highlights of this episode.

1. GangUk’s confessions = misleading with the truth

Instead of declaring himself to YeoRi, he confessed his feelings to YeoRi’s grandmother.

Grandmother: So your relationship with Mr. Ma isn’t purely business?
YR: What?
Grandmother: Are you sure you have feelings for each other?
YR: (glancing at GU) Yes, I’m sure.

She glanced at him to signal that she was about to lie, so he shouldn’t be taken aback about her love admission.

Grandmother: What about you, Mr. Ma?
GU: (flustered) Pardon?
YR: (helping him out) We feel the same about each other.

She stepped in because she knew he had a hard time lying and she didn’t want him to feel awkward about pretending an affection for her.

Grandmother: (sternly) Let him speak for himself. So how do you feel?
GU: (confirming) Well, of course. (then adding) I care for YeoRi deeply. Enough to want to get engaged. (smiling shyly)

To me, he could have stopped at his verbal confirmation. He didn’t need to expound on his feelings. But viewers like us get why he did it. He wanted to get it his chest that he absolutely liked her, and he was using this “fake” engagement to express how he truly felt about her. He was being honest in a subterfuge way so YeoRi wouldn’t feel pressured or uneasy about his love declaration.

Once he came clean, he felt lighter.

He played the same tune when her grandmother called them both to her office to warn them about Director Gong’s plan to cause an issue about their engagement.

YR: Are you okay with a meeting like this?
GU: Of course, I’ll be okay. It’s no trouble for me at all. (addressing her grandmother) Ma’am … Uhhhh … There’s a decision I made after meeting YeoRi. It’s that when she’s struggling, I’ll never let her go through it alone. No matter where she is or where I am, I’ll be there by her side.

On one level, he meant to reassure YeoRi grandmother about his resolve and determination. But on a deeper level, he wanted YeoRi to hear that he’s actively – not passively – choosing to be with her. And I like that he’s pointing this out because it puts paid to the argument that his feelings for her are only somehow attributable to JiHwan’s heart being inside of him. Sure, in kdramaland, possessing JiHwan’s heart may account for his initial attraction for her, but it’s GangUk’s mind, will, and energy that have transform those stirrings-of-the-heart into concrete commitment.

2. Babying the drunk GangUk

I didn’t expect YeoRi to be this attentive and fussy with GangUk. I thought she’d be annoyed that she was called to take him home.

YR: Excuse me, Investigator Ko. Ma’s neck looks a bit uncomfortable. Could you straighten him up?

Then, she worried about his hand.

YR: Is his hand wedged between the seats? Wouldn’t it get cramped? (GU groaning) It must’ve gone numb.

Then, she wanted PilDong to loosen his tie.

YR: Don’t you think he’d feel a bit suffocated? His tie needs some loosening.
PD: I think it’s loose enough but just in case…
YR: Yes, just in case.

But come to think of it, she looks after him, too. In the case of the murdered taxi driver, GangUk ordered her to stay inside her car, but she came to his rescue and hit one of the thugs with her bat. Then, in the case of the murdered girlfriend, when GangUk missed landing his kick, she pushed him out of the way and kicked the killer herself.

3. YeoRi and GangUk’s grandmother first meeting

It was funny that YeoRi mistook GangUk’s grandmother for a ghost wanting an audience with her.

YR: Grandmother! You should have come to my place if you had a favor to ask. Why did you come all the way here? Jeez.

So, she was shocked when his grandmother asked her, “Who are you?”

The other intriguing thing about this encounter is GangUk’s passing comment to his grandmother about the ownership of the house.

Grandmother: Why won’t you let me see off a guest in my home?
GU: (protesting) Will you stop it? How is this your house, Grandma? I own it jointly with the bank that gave me the mortgage. Go back inside!

I wouldn’t be surprised if his grandmother had many properties or landholdings, all of which would eventually be inherited by GangUk after her death. Hence, she got confused and thought GangUk’s current residence was one of her real estates. GangUk reminded her that his home isn’t one of hers.

4. Yes, YeoRi’s born in the year of the monkey.

Oh well.

As he’s born in the year of the horse (spoiler from Episode 8), there’s nothing really incompatible about a monkey person and a horse person getting married according to the Chinese astrology mumbo-jumbo.

I think the problem only arises because he’s carrying JiHwan’s heart, and JiHwan’s mother is most likely to object to him dating YeoRi because in her head, she blames YeoRi for her son’s demise.

5. Dating like a normal couple

Nothing new to see here. They did the typical activities aka tropes of a kdrama couple on a date.

They wore couple outfits (brown jackets) when they went to the arcade.
They played the claw machine, and he missed several tries.
They visited a photo booth.
They jogged by the Han River and ate ramen by the river (isn’t fried chicken the food of choice, though?)
They did something sporty, i.e., rock climbing.

But what really impressed me is that they found time to do all these things given that he’s a busy prosecutor, and she’s a busy CEO.

6. MinHwan’s villain story emerges

Twelve years ago, he and his younger “twin” JiHwan were both secretly in love with YeoRi. But JiHwan beat him to the announcement. He told MinHwan that he was proposing to her with a couple ring on their sailing trip.

Now, MinHwan’s again beaten by another man, GangUk, so he’s doing his best (or should I say, worst?) to derail the engagement. As to be expected of a chaebol, he uses his connections to stop GangUk.

MH: Why don’t you call off the engagement while you can?
GU: Why should I do that?
MH: The conclusion is already drawn. You won’t make it to the engagement ceremony, and YeoRi will only get hurt again. So I’m saying that you should give up now.
GU: (temper rising) I don’t believe this. How do you know a future I don’t even know and decide if I can make it or not? Are you not the head of CL Group but of a fortune-telling group, too?

It sounds to me like MinHwan believes that he knows better than GangUk. He’s looking forward to the appearance of the jealous ghost, scaring GangUk away. But there are three things that MinHwan isn’t privy to:

First, he doesn’t know that it’s his brother JiHwan’s ghost that appeared before YeoRi’s ex-fiancé. JiHwan’s ghost lingers beside YeoRi because he died in a wrongful death, and he seeks closure (like all the other ghosts that appeared before YeoRi). I wonder what MinHwan’s reaction will be if he learns that JiHwan’s ghost is the one haunting YeoRi? Will he feel terror, guilt or grief?

Note: As of Episode 7, we don’t know whether MinHwan had an actual hand in JiHwan’s death or the death was accidental.

Second, he doesn’t know that GangUk already experienced seeing the ghosts because he and YeoRi had touched hands. Because GangUk survived the ordeal, he isn’t terrified of seeing ghosts as long as YeoRi is with him.

Third, he doesn’t know GangUk received JiHwan’s heart during a heart transplant. JiHwan’s ghost most likely approves of GangUk being the future husband so he isn’t going to scare him off like he did with the ex-fiancé.

It appears to me that MinHwan believes that he’s safe from the haunting because he carries the amulet. Hence, he had the courage to touch YeoRi’s shoulder when they crossed path after the engagement announcement. The way I see it: if he has the real amulet, then he’s most likely spared. But if he has a fake one or a replica, then no.

However, regardless of whether he possesses a true amulet or not, I think he possesses a weak sort of love if he requires self-protection from harm before daring to approach YeoRi.

7. The new murdered ghost case

Parallelism to the plot? The murdered guy was the older twin killed by his younger twin for money. The brothers were identical twins. The younger twin wanted his older brother’s money.

MinHwan is the older “twin” who kills his younger brother out of jealousy. I guess their mother passed them off as fraternal twins.

Note: I google-translated the report that GangUk was reading on the sailing accident. This is what it said:

Accident history:

Four men (A, B, C, D) and three women (E. F. G) were enjoying a party at sea 15.7 kilometers away from the coast on a privately owned yacht in the name of men (B) near Daesan City.

A drowning accident occurred due to the carelessness of two people in the party.

A man (B) found the two people and reported them and dispatched. The two people were rescued and first aid was performed on them, but the man (A) died at the scene. The woman (E) regained consciousness and was immediately transported to the hospital.

Interesting, right? What do they mean “carelessness”? And who those two “careless” people were in the party?

Moving on.