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Thousand Day Promise: Episode 2

I didn’t love the first episode, but I did love the second. The first rattled me, because it began so unconventionally, in medias res (and not the kind where you get the quick 48 hours earlier orientation either). But this episode takes a step back, not in time, but in breathing room. I feel like I have some space to learn who the characters are, which draws me in. I don’t know that the first episode alone would’ve hooked me, but paired with the second, it makes the world feel lived in, and whole. I’ll discuss this further in the comments, along with a note on melodrama as a genre.

Also, is anyone else amazed at how Kim Rae-won went to the army and lost his baby face? I almost didn’t recognize him. I know there’s the old adage of going into the army a boy and coming out a man, but in his case, it’s physical, and not in the abs-sense. It’s crazy.

Today’s Episode 2 came out the ratings leader for Monday/Tuesday dramas: Promise 14.6%, Kye Baek 12.9%, Poseidon 7.4%. Yesterday’s premiere was in 2nd place with 12.8%, but already it looks like Promise is set to climb to a comfortable lead, if Week 1 is already nearing 15%.

 
EPISODE 2 RECAP

Ji-hyung confesses to Mom that he doesn’t want to go through with the wedding, that he doesn’t love Hyang-gi, that he loves another. It’s probably the first time he’s ever uttered words of defiance in his life, judging from how meekly the words come out of his mouth.

Mom flips out, but in that really scary calm-and-collected-mom way. She decides she’s going to ignore what he just said. He sighs that never expected her to do otherwise. But that doesn’t change the fact that marrying Hyang-gi this way will make him a horrible person – a “con man for life.”

Mom thinks it’s just a matter of him never opening his mouth about it again. Oy. She tells him to clean up his mess, offering semi-threateningly to do it for him if he can’t. All Mom can think of is Hyang-gi and what this’ll do to her, pointing out that he’s the guy who cheated on his fiancée. She’s got you there, buddy.

But he can’t figure out what to do, because no matter what he chooses, he’s the bad guy. While I appreciate the predicament, if this was going to be a sticking point for you, being the bad guy, you should never have cheated, eh?

Mom reminds him of what’s at stake – his father’s position in the hospital (beholden to Hyang-gi’s dad, natch) and their two families. He lets out in a defeated tone, “My happiness was never a concern of yours, was it?” Mom: “This has gotten too big to be concerned with that.”

Oh. Damn. Just like that? Gee Mom, no hugs and a cup of cocoa to go with that?

Meanwhile, Jae-min (the oppa/cousin) goes straight from Ji-hyung’s confession session to go check on Seo-yeon. He comes bearing coffee, one cold, one hot, for her to choose. Um, can I have him?

He tells her that Ji-hyung came to see him, and that he knows everything. Her voice immediately changes – it drops a few octaves and she goes cold, palpably distancing herself. She wonders why he did such a silly thing, trying to downplay the situation.

Jae-min asks why she did it, fishing for evidence of Ji-hyung’s wrongdoing, like making false promises to her about leaving his fiancée. She doesn’t pass off blame, and instead says with an even tone that she decided to be a thief for a little while.

He starts to say, “You’re not that kind of…” and she cuts him off, repeating the phrase, saying she knew, but in the end she didn’t want to just sit there and regret her whole life. He worries about her, thinking she’s putting up a front (he’s clearly not wrong).

But she smiles and says it’s not like the earth is shaking. They simply parted ways, like they had planned to, all along. He asks how she’ll get over it, and she says, “Day by day, I’ll forget him, or day by day, I’ll miss him. It’ll be one or the other.”

Ji-hyung goes to pour himself the tallest glass of scotch ever, and Mom tells him that love is a feeling that fades. “Even boiling water, when the fire is turned off, cools.” Ji-hyung: “It’s still better than water that has never boiled at all.” Oh, you people with your delightful metaphors six drinks in.

Mom asks about the other woman, still curious. He tells her the rough outline (aka what she really wants to know) – that she’s without parents, she has a younger brother, she was raised by an aunt and uncle. Mom hopes she isn’t someone who will “cause trouble,” because that would be the worst. Yes, clearly, disrupting your life would be the worst thing that could possibly happen.

In true Seo-yeon fashion, she only lets herself cry when she’s alone. I don’t know why it kills me – her squatting there, doing laundry, and crying silently. She gets a call from Ji-hyung, but ignores it, as promised.

But then Ji-hyung gets a call right back, and answers, “Seo-yeon-ah?” No, it’s Jae-min, calling because it’s keeping him up all night. He tells Ji-hyung that he went to see Seo-yeon, and she put on a brave face, never showed a tear, and said she’d forget him in a few months’ time.

But Jae-min knows what Seo-yeon’s been through, who she is. She’s the girl who learned instinctively to take care of her little brother by the age of six, without ever having to be told. She’s someone to whom putting on a brave face is like breathing – it’s in her bones.

Jae-min: “But I have to say this. You took advantage of Seo-yeon. If she were some important family’s daughter, you couldn’t have done what you did. So no matter what excuses you give, you’re a petty coward. The end.” Wooo! That makes me feel great, just hearing him say the words. I love this guy.

Early the next morning, Hyang-gi comes by with pastries for Ji-hyung’s mom, which is of course a flimsy excuse to see Ji-hyung. But she’s the adorably sweet kind of silly girl, not the annoying bratty kind, so it’s endearing that she tries so hard. It probably helps that he’s the bastard as far as she’s concerned, to help her win some sympathy points off the bat.

She sneaks into his room just to peek at him while he sleeps, and decides to lean in for a kiss. She kisses him again, and this time it half-wakes him, and without opening his eyes, he starts kissing her, landing on top of her.

He finally opens his eyes, comes to his senses, and stops abruptly. Dude, your head is in such a messed up place right now. He gets up angrily and tells her that it’s wrong, which stings her.

She starts to cry as she says it’s been too long. A year in fact, which means in some sense he’s been faithful to his affair, in the physical sense. She asks if it’s wrong that she wants to touch him, and he reminds her that his mom and aunt are sitting in the other room.

But he softens to see her so vulnerable, and apologizes. She stops crying almost as quickly as she began, making him feel even guiltier.

Seo-yeon has another tiny memory lapse that morning, as she tries to remember what she needed – some colored pens for copywriting, which takes her a moment to remember. Moon-kwon promises to bring some home, and once she’s alone, she wonders to herself why she couldn’t think of it right away.

She turns on the stereo while but then immediately shuts it off. It flashes her back to a memory of sitting in the car with Ji-hyung, listening to the same aria from Madame Butterfly.

They had talked about the aria, how sad it made her feel, and he had held her lovingly in his arms as they listened to it, not realizing then how prophetic and tragic that story would be for them.

Back in the present, she sits lost in her thoughts, until her phone rings with a call from her boss, wondering where she is. She’s forgotten another meeting, just entirely forgotten. It shakes her.

She focuses on work for a while, not noticing the kettle that’s been boiling for some time now. She happens upon it later, now burnt black on the outside. She’s so stunned that she grabs it with her bare hand, and then again as she tries to take the lid off.

She gapes at the rising smoke.

But then she does what anyone would do – she scrubs the kettle clean, trying to wash away the evidence. She scrubs furiously, talking it out to herself. How could she forget? She was focusing on work; it happens. But what about the meeting? And the pens? Shouldn’t something have come to her, instead of being a blank slate?

It’s followed by another incident, the next day – Moon-kwon sees her sitting in the kitchen, when she should be at work already. Moon-kwon: “Have you quit your job?” Seo-yeon: “Who works on a Sunday?” Moon-kwon: “It’s Monday!”

Again, panic washes over her face. He tells her to get herself checked out at the hospital, but only in that half-serious way, not legitimately picking up on the extent of it. She rushes to work, so lost in her thoughts that she nearly runs straight into an oncoming car.

At the same time, Hyang-gi tries on her wedding dress. Ji-hyung comes by to get fitted for his tux, and gives a rather telling lukewarm reaction to the whole proceeding. But she breezes that he’s always that way. Or perhaps just where you’re concerned, poor thing.

Seo-yeon manages to get through her morning without further incident, but then at lunch with a few co-workers, she gets into an argument with their waiter, insisting that she ordered something she didn’t.

The co-workers back up the waiter, having heard her order the dish he brought, but she insists she didn’t. It finally dawns on her that she’s having another episode of some sort, and leaves the table abruptly.

I like that she’s both frightened but fighting it with denial. I mean, what kind of smart, independent woman would realistically just allow herself to believe that she’s losing her mind? Especially the kind of girl who’s used to hardship and dealing with it on her own. It’s starting to get bad though, and she feels it, though she can’t face it.

Ji-hyung and Hyang-gi’s families meet to discuss wedding plans, and I just freakin’ LOVE that Lee Mi-sook is playing a plastic-surgery addict, whose introduction last episode was entirely bandage-covered. That cracks me up to no end.

Her husband sits down next to her, joking that this is really the last time she can go under the knife, because next time her eyebrows will end up here *points to forehead*. Hee.

Seo-yeon avoids her coworkers, eating a coffee-and-sandwich lunch, while trying to figure out what’s going on with her. Jae-min calls to check in, and she jokes that she’s going to have to change her number because of him, and not Ji-hyung.

He doesn’t think that’s a bad idea, trying to pre-empt any future calls from the ex. She agrees to do so, probably just to get him off her back.

Ji-hyung zombies his way through the family lunch, eliciting snide remarks from his future shark of a mother-in-law on his dour mood. I don’t understand how Lee Mi-sook does it – she’s got the least screentime of any of the major players, but she’s got more presence than anyone.

He leaves the lunch in a daze, flashing back to happier times spent with Seo-yeon. In one memory they play and make out in a pool, and then in another memory they walk along the shore in each other’s arms.

Ji-hyung: What will we be like, five years from now? In ten years, how will we be? How will our hearts change? What kind of person will you remember me as? When will I be able to let you go? Will I be able to let you go?

Seo-yeon: Five years from now… you’ll be a father. In ten years… you’ll be a 40-year old ajusshi. By then, today will have become like a faded, yellowed old photograph. Without even knowing that you’ve let go, you’ll realize one day that you already have. Days will continue to pile, one atop the other, and then someday I’ll become a fossil from the dinosaur age to you.

He holds her close as the waves crash on the shore.

We cut to Seo-yeon, staring at her computer screen, her desktop background an image of that beach. Perhaps it was her flashback, or a shared one.

She gets a call from a writer when she’s almost home, asking for her edits from the night before. She blames an email glitch, knowing that she sent it last night… but then starts to panic.

She rushes inside, ignoring Moon-kwon’s greeting, as she starts up her computer to check her email. She didn’t send it after all, which she admits to her brother. He blames her painkillers, insisting that they’re the problem. But she knows it’s something else…

Ji-hyung and Hyang-gi pose for their engagement photos, with Hyang-gi’s mom going vogue-nazi on them. Hyang-gi complains that she’s being rude and overbearing, and Mom yells back, “Rudeness is fleeting, but pictures are forever!” HAHAHA.

They finally get rid of her long enough to get some shots. A few are smiley, but damn, that’s a thousand-yard stare if I’ve ever seen one. He heads back to work, still weary and distracted. Hey, when did Alex join this drama? Is it a cameo or is he in this?

Seo-yeon finally decides to go see a doctor. Thank goodness she didn’t have to collapse somewhere first. He does a series of tests on her memory – she falters here and there, and it’s clearly a strain on her.

He tells her that they’ll have to do more tests to be sure, but she guesses that she’s on her way to dementia. He tells her it’ll take more tests, and possibly upwards of a year, to know for sure what it is.

Ji-hyung asks Jae-min to meet him, and passes over an envelope. Oh no you di’n’t just try to buy your forgiveness by proxy! Jae-min looks at it warily, asking what this is. Ji-hyung says he’s always thought that Seo-yeon shouldn’t waste her talents on other people’s work – she should be writing her own stuff.

He says it’s enough for her to live on for a year, so she can focus on her writing. Jae-min calls him out for trying to buy her off, and tells him that he himself has never once offered to pay her way – why? Because she would never take it. “You clearly don’t know Seo-yeon as well as I thought.”

Ji-hyung realizes that he’s being shortsighted. He takes back the envelope, insisting that it was meant with good intentions. Jae-min isn’t so begrudging that he thinks ill of him for his totally misguided attempt to take care of her, after the fact. He admits that he knows Ji-hyung isn’t THAT kind of guy.

Ji-hyung: “How is she?” Jae-min: “She’s well. She’s strong. She’s someone who acts stronger, the harder it is for her.” Ji-hyung: “I know.”

Jae-min asks how he’s holding up, in all this. Ji-hyung: “I’m… being dragged along.” In my mind I’m stabbing you with your salad fork right now.

It’s telling that Ji-hyung spends the whole exchange with his head hanging literally halfway down his chest. He can’t look Jae-min in the eye, which right now is the only thing I like about him.

Seo-yeon stops by her sister’s bakery, where her sister runs the front, her brother-in-law bakes in the back, and her little bro helps out, in one of his many part-time jobs. Brother-in-law fawns over Seo-yeon adorably, while her unni chides her not to get married. I love this family.

Moon-kwon walks her out and asks what she did with the car. The car? He has to remind her that she took the car this morning. She looks up, stunned. He asks if she left it at work and took the bus. “No… I took a cab…”

He cuckolds her, but the way you’d yell at your mom for forgetting where she parked or something. But to Seo-yeon it’s another red flag.

She paces back and forth at home, the fear crawling up until she bursts, screaming in fury as she clutches her head.

 
COMMENTS

Wow, what a stellar performance by Su Ae. I’m more impressed with her in the second episode, where she had less dialogue and many more quiet moments to slowly freak out. While the first episode’s rapid-fire dialogue was impressive, it felt overwritten to me – not the words themselves, but the volume of them, which seemed unrealistic, given the circumstances.

But here everything started to gel together a little more organically. It feels like everything is slowly coming to a boil, like that kettle she put to the side and forgot about. I feel like we’re at a rolling boil, which is a great place to be, dramatically.

A few things to clarify as far as genre goes: A melodrama is something that’s centered on emotions, not necessarily sad ones, though that’s the general way it goes. It also doesn’t necessitate a sad or tragic ending, though of course that’s a common route. This drama is a melo because it’s emotion-centric, that is, stories are drawn for the purpose of eliciting characters’ emotional responses. It’s essentially a character study, which is why javabeans compared it to a stage play.

But being a melo doesn’t mean it’s a makjang, which is a genre classification that sometimes gets muddled. Makjang is a tonal variation, and a conscious choice to use common story elements like amnesia or incest or what have you, to carry the narrative. It’s often looked down on because it’s most commonly used as a crutch, to snag ratings. But lots and lots of dramas, especially the older ones, have elements of these common storylines, without actually being makjang. Another way around it is of course to embrace the makjang head-on, and be meta about it. (See: Flames of Desire.)

It’s just a question that a few people have brought up, so hopefully that helps. I’d put Promise squarely in the non-makjang, full-on melo category. I’d almost call it old-school, except it’s rather experimental in a few ways. I’m most intrigued by the free-flowing use of relative time. I don’t know which flashback belongs to whom, when flashbacks occurred in relation to each other, or even when NOW is. But it almost doesn’t matter, because time is liquid in this drama. It’s fluid and it’s also quite possibly wrong, depending on who’s doing the remembering. How’s that for a mind-bender?

Stylistically it’s also got a great touch in its use of black space and physical distance from characters in long shots, almost making us conscious of their unknowability. I like that I feel both instantly drawn to, but totally distanced from them — the hero, for instance, who is in one sense the most bleeding-heart vulnerable of all the characters, and yet insists on being a spineless jellyfish. It’s that duality in the characters that I think will carry this drama from first to last. Count me in.

 
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yay im first thx for recap ....

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I don't think this is a drama I want to watch - too much emotion for me - but I do enjoy reading your recaps. (And by that I mean it plurally, as in javabeans and girlfriday.) Thanks for taking the time to share them with us. ^_^

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me,either, thanks for your marvelous recap, enjoys how you describe the scenes, I would love to watch this story in a movie or on stage rather than in tv. I have a strong feeling, this will be sad in the end.

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Agree with you. Too strong of emotion-too intense for me also.
I'll read the recaps though-awsome!
Maybe after the drama is over, I'll think about watching it. LOL

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Same here! Dunno if i can handle it! But yeah recaps are fine ^^ Btw does it have a happy ending?

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Me, four.

JB, GF - I've a feeling that this story will be a mental challenge to recap and will take all your (considerable) skills. I won't watch this one either, but I am now looking forward to new levels of DB goodness with this drama.

For example, this is the writing that I found different from your usual style in this recap. I am referring to the paragraph that begins "It’s just a question that a few people have brought up.."

Normally each paragraph is full-on snarky comedy or full-on analysis, but in this paragraph there is something that I don't recall seeing before - the ability to turn a strongly analytical paragraph into some self-depracatory laughter.

Hope you don't mind the comments, I just saw something different today.

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Ditto. I mean, KRW's character already looks sooooo down in the dumps in the caps and it's only ep 2. I don't think I'll be able to watch this melodrama. The last melodrama I watched was Heaven's Tree and that was so sad. I'm just now gettign over it, lol. I think I'll stick to the recaps as they are great.

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Thank you for the recap :) Su Ae is mesmerizing. I'm enjoying the little details in the scenes; there are so many motifs, symbols, and metaphors hidden in them.

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I agree with estel. While I WILL read the recaps, I don't think I'm going to watch this. And really, Ji-Hyung kind of confuses me. Or maybe it's just me? I like how the girl is "stronger" than the guy though. There'll be lots of space for Ji-Hyung to step up and be strong for her. Su-ae's performance is stellar, too.

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Alex! Yeh!

The photo of him made the recap for me.

Think I have a crush...

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thanks for the recap..
i hope you will continue to recap this drama..
i feel that there's more to their story..
its very interesting..
'till your next recap!

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Thank you for the recap!

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Thanks for the recap.You have no idea how relieved I am there are recaps. Am too scared to watch this.

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Okay..that recap certainly evokes a lot of emotional response from me. How can I feel pain for them from even ep 2?

How long is this drama again?I am wondering if this is going to be a drama where even the recaps are too painful for me.

They say pictures say a thousand words.Your screencaps...wow.

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I'm crying and I'm only reading the recaps. OMG!!! This is an amazing drama. I want to watch it now. TT___________TT

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2nd episode is great! here we are already facing the main lead with her illnes.. its a quick phase after all.. I love Su Ae here.. she can express her feeling for being totally freak out and suspicious about having a dementia. I will also do the same if I am in her shoe.. I think I will love this drama.. thank you JB..

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yup, alex is here to stay.

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Wow. This drama is pretty extreme. But I want to stick around, because I'm loving the little insights given by jb and girlfriday.

P.S. I hope Alex sticks around because, hello, it's ALEX. I'm loving the actors and actresses so far, so I wouldn't think one more familiar face would hurt.

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I think I remember reading Alex was cast as Ji Hyung's best friend, so we'll be seeing more of him.

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oh my god...tears are falling in my eyes.. i have just read your recap..it's awesome..thanks for recaping this drama JB..

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oh and you too girlfriday..

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I'm feeling this drama. Tnx for the recap JB and GF!

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Thanks for the recaps! I don't know why but I feel like I'm watching a drama version of The Notebook or something. Like at the end of the story she'll have forgotten everything and he'll be there by her side reading her a novel of the life that they lived through together. Already I'm in tears :( I think this may be one of the dramas that really touch every once in a long while. Thanks again!!

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reading the recaps is emotional. i'm not sure i have the courage to watch the drama.

thanks for the recaps ... i'll go for the recaps for the time being ... till i muster enough courage.

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GF,

I was so totally sucked into the drama with the first episode. I think it's awesome that it took you until episode 2. But totally understand your point of view, with regards to why you needed two episodes.

I have to confess that with episode 2 I was skipping scenes. I totally thought the "let's try on the wedding clothes" was boring. And the "let's all eat dinner as a family" was irritating.

I think my reasoning is that I feel so much for Seo-yeon, I have no tolerance to see anyone with an appearance of being happy. The fiance, Hyang-gi is gonna make me want to walk onto the screen and just drag her off... Permanently!

I am totally blown away by Sue-Ae's performance. I saw her in Athena, but does Athena really count? I am beginning to come to the conclusion that watching Athena was a mistake because I associated incorrectly the actors/actresses were acting horribly because the drama was horrible. Cha Seung Won corrected me with his fan-spaz-tic performance in Best Love/The Greatest Love.

So, I am all the more eager to see Padam Padam with Jung Woo Sung to dispell my poor image of his acting skills.

Also, I was so happily surprised to see Park Young Kyu. I guess he doesn't like to take breaks between jobs. But he looked good (not tired and carrying eye baggage). Protect The Boss ended Sept 29, 2011 and ATDP started Oct 17, 2011. I absolutely loved him as Chairman Cha.

So glad that ATDP has both good acting and good writing. Plus, the cinematography... I'm trying to remember the last show/movie that did the distance thing. It's very effective emoting!

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LOVED seeing Park Young Kyu, too. He's gonna tear poor KRW up, I'm guessing. The pair of opposing parents will. Ji-hyung is so dead. As much as I want to call him a coward for not breaking it off with poor little fiancee, I understand why he is afraid.

To answer you, Athena doesn't count.

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Thanks for the recap, GF.

What I really like about Promise is that use of black space, but I didn't interpret it in the same way as you did. Rather, I see it as a demonstration of memory and the brain's ability to compartmentalize those memories (not knowing at this point what are memories or real time events) into boxes. But whatever the visual is, it sure is effective on centering one's attention to the specific scene/event.

I was also concerned about the reality and accuracy of introducing Alzheimer's in this drama (even though right now it's tentatively been diagnosed as dementia). The writer is doing it right so far - it's a truly horrific disease and I'm wondering just how far they'll take it during these 1,000 days of the story.

Su Ae is going to knock this one out of the park. It brings to mind Lee Da Hae's success in Miss Ripley. I really feel that Su Ae has been underrated, and unjustly so.

Still trying to find a site for this with Eng. subs. Anyone find out yet?

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Dramafever is simulcasting it...episode 1 is up

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Woot! Just got back from DramaFever. The subs are GREAT! Thanks! :)

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[http://www.darksmurfsub.com/public/subtitle_list.php?tid=QS.&title=A.Thousand.Days.Promise]

They are working on it, but it's going slowly.

It appears that am-addiction.com has them. They are a downloading site.

As with both websites, you have to join to be able to download them.

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It would make sense for them to come up with a non-specific dementia diagnosis for the character rather than call it Alz, or something the audience could check up on.

I know head injuries can cause all kinds of cognitive and memory related problems. Age would not necessarily have to come in to play. They could be vague about the cause, too. I just hope the medical stuff won't get in the way of the plot.

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Thanks so much for your recap! Although this drama is going to be sad, I can't pass it up because the cast is awesome. I agree that SA is definitely underrated and can act in a variety of genres. I also love seeing KRW in these types of mature and angsty roles. Looking forward to how the story develops.

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Great. I have to wait a WHOLE WEEK for the next episode!?!!?! *fumes profusely*

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Thank you for the recap! I don't think I could stand to watch Seo-yeon lose her memories. It's already tough enough reading about it. The girl has had a hard life and now this! Life's so unfair! Even in recap form, I can tell Su-Ae is owning this - even moreso than Kim Rae Won.

I wonder if the drama will really cover 1000 days..

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I'm starting to get scared of this drama. if it's amnesia, im good with it at least you have a chance of recovering your memory maybe in few years just as long as you have a tiny chance of recovering. but in case of dementia, it doesn't usually recover (as far as i know), it goes worst day by day, slowly losing your memory.
so for this drama, i hope Su Ae is not having dementia, which is nonreversible (that would be really rare for her age), im just hoping its some kind of brain disease that can be cured with surgery or something.

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I was tearing for ep1 when su ae was weeping uncontrollably in the toilet! I can't imagine wat will I be when I watch ep 2 later. Can't wait! Thks for the recaps!

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too emotional a drama to watch..too intense and i hope su ae wont die on me...better to read your recap girlfriday than to watch the drama...

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Heart.wrenching. I love Su Ae.

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I love the concept of the significant other losing their memory. "A Moment to Remember" was a huge tearjerker and really got me back into watching korean films & dramas in college. I love Kim Soohyun's dramas, but I do agree they have a lot of depth and are pretty serious. So not for the casual k-drama watcher or at least for the faint of heart. My first Kim Soohyun drama was "Fireworks" with Lee Youngae & Cha Inpyo.

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I'm not 100% sure, but I think the woman owning the bakery is not seo-yeon's sister, but cousin (as in the older sister of Jae-min). In other part of the episode, Jae-min calls the husband as "meh-hyung" or husband of older sister/ brother in law. And also in other part of the episode, the bakery owner tells Seo Yeon's aunt: "Umma, the son you love is home" when Jae-min comes home after his coffee talk with seon Yeon.

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Yes, they're cousins. Sometimes I think "unni" in my head and in English it comes out "sister," without bothering to check if I'm making sense. They're cousins. Sibling family tree below.

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welcome back KRW, cant wait 2 watch it with subs

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really unimpressed that jaemin can't end up being a romantic lead. can he be her fake cousin. sobs. (I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR HIM O K.)

but this sounds devastatingly beautiful. getting on board as soon exams finish.

thanks for the recaps!

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Actually I feel refresh that Lee Sang Woo won't have a romantic links with Soo Ae's character. Otherwise I would feel terribly sorry for him again since 9 ends 2 outs.

I also notice how Rae Won aged so much, honestly he doesn't look as handsome but still better than some .. hehe.

I like Soo Ae best in here. I also like the supporting leads. I have a feeling no one is evil in this one. Maybe I'm wrong!

One thing I don't like is the lady playing Rae Won's mum, she pumped her face too much, I feel uneasy looking at her. Sorry!

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Well, after reading halfway, maybe Rae Won is the bad one. He couldn't tell whom's lips he's kissing. So his marriage with Hyang-gi won't be a problem. All he has to do is close his eyes when kissing her.. ha.

Does anyone actually still use the gas boiling kettle?

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People still use it

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I do!

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ooh thanks for clearing up that whole melo-makjang thing gf!

and huge question mark over this drama now... i'm.too.sensitive :(

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oh noes...not again..lee sang woo & soo ae's characters didnt get a happy ending in 9 ends 2 outs, and i see the same pattern here. just that this one will involve a whole lotsa crying on my part. =P

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I don't know if I'll watch the next episodes or not.

That is because KRW's character is SO FRUSTRATING.

When I see him I want to shake him and scream ''hello? is there someone in there or it's justa dead corpse?''

Not that I'm saying his acting isn't good or is stiff, it's the other way around, he is too imersed in this character, he seems really depressed and have no life...

His character is not much likeable, I love KRW but not his charactet, maybe in this drama I'll have a second male syndrome.. lol

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I meant ''just a corpse/dead body?''

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I am a bit confused. Seo-Yeon has two siblings? I thought she just had the younger brother.

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She has one sibling, a younger brother. But they were taken in by their aunt (their father's sister) who has two children of her own -- both are older than Seo-yeon, and therefore she addresses her cousins as "unni" and "oppa" rather than by name.

They're cousins who are pretty much siblings, since they were raised in the same house for a good chunk of their lives. Mostly in cousin relationships, you do the same as you would for regular siblings, like call their spouses what you'd call your sister's husband, etc. Same diff.

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Yes JB,

you are so right. kim rae-won seem like he lost one-half of his self, (or did he leave it in the barracks?), the way i know him previous to the army stint.

i miss the old boyish KRW, quick to smile and so carefree!

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Thank you. I really enjoyed your recap! And I think this is definitely a drama that I will add to my current watch list. and Su Ae's acting was a very realistic portrayal of what Alzemier's would be like, and how frustrated one gets with forgetting things. i liked su ae's delivery of dialogue alot more in ep 2. Ep 1's tone just felt like it didn't match well with kim rae won's.

kim rae won is just expressionless in the first 2 episodes. or maybe thats his character role? but he's forever this chilled, nonchalent, non-smiling character. Maybe heavily weighed down by his guilty conscious on both sides. i hope to see more variations in his facial expressions in the next episodes.

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Thank you for the recaps!
I really enjoyed your writing and the way you express your thoughts about this drama!, I dont speak korean and its great to know what they are talking about!
Thank you again :)

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OMO this is gonna be interesting.. She is gonna forgot that lying coward bastard .. I'm looking forward for that moment when he sees she doesn't recognize him like he does with her.

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Thanks for the recap GF. I've only seen the first ep on Drama Fever, but I was completely absorbed... hope I'm not disappointed as it goes on. My first thought was good acting for a change in an adult drama (not for everyone). I like Kim Hae Sook as his mother. She's a terrific actress. I like Sue Ae and Kim Rae Won as the leads. I like the "movie feel" of the drama . Wow! I guess I Like it! And, of course, Lee Sang Woo, as a bonus for me. Glad you're recapping this one...I'm in, too.

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i love ur recap, i agree with everyone still need alot courage to watch this drama. because i love soo ae and drama life is beautiful, i should watch this drama.

by the way soo ae not underrated artist she already won best actress from movie ' sunny' and 'midnight fm'
and she play beautiful in drama '9 End 2 Outs', 'emperor of the sea' and ' a family'
she had wonderful performance history ...

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Definitely going to watch this one after my exams and when there are subs lol it's heartwrenching just reading the recaps already; don't know if I can hold my tears while actually watching it.

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thanks for the recap:)

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Thanks for the recaps. As much as I love Song Seung-heon, I am so glad he wasn't cast in this drama. The chemistry between Sue Ae and Kim Rae Won is simply off the charts, and I am already deeply involved in their characters.
I also LOVE the supporting cast: the little fella from "Best love" is still as cute as ever :)

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The dad is from protect the boss, loved his character in that show, lets see how his character shapes up in this show.

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Thanks! the recap was so spot on I felt I was reliving the episode. I watch last night when I got off work. I couldn't help myself. Someone mentioned they found the wedding dress and lunch incident unnecessary. I disagree.. it illustrates Ji Hyung's detachment from the whole proceedings. And the sleeping bed kiss.. the moment he woke up and realized it wasn't who he wanted it was like being doused with ice cold water.

I really want to see the progression of this story. There are so many questions raised that are begging to be answered. I already gathered that Ji Hyung and Seo Yeon originally met when she was a teenager and he was in college(?) and there was a spark. It seems to me both fought and denied it for so long. It hasn't quite been said but implied that they mutually decided to have their afffair until he could no longer put off his arranged marriage. At this point I find Ji Hyung to have a weak character and easily manipulated by his family but maybe a lot of that as to do with Korean filial culture. I can't say anything about that cause I am in the same position but for different reasons LOL.

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Oh... forgot to mention. I originally decided to watch this show because of Park Yoo Hwan. I loved him so much in Sparkling (aka Twinkle Twinkle). Normally I prefer something lighter and breezier (does that even exist in kdrama world?) but loving this melodrama already and glad Dramafever is carrying it.

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I first decided not to watch this one, but a co-worker talked about it, so I gave it a try. I am hooked! Where ever it goes, I'll be there with my box of kleenex.

I also think that Kim Rae Won looks fantastic, matured, he will be a reckoning force. It's just two episodes in, so ...

Thanks for the recap. You always do a great job, GF!

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is this worth watching i wonder? i always like KRW & this is his comeback drama but i'm not keen on the actress - still i think i'll hv a look at it! :)

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