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The King 2 Hearts: Episode 20 (Final)

War is declared. And even though you really wish they’d run for the hills, our heroes have to be heroes, and they run into the thick of it to put their lives on the line. They say love is war, but damn, have you ever met these two?

SONG OF THE DAY

King 2 Hearts OST – K. Will – “사랑이 운다” (Love is Crying) [ Download ]

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FINAL EPISODE RECAP

Hang-ah gets dragged to the border by Dad, kicking and screaming that she can’t be separated from Jae-ha. Dad spins around on his heels and asks, “And it’s okay to be separated from me?”

Oh, Dad. Now you’re making me feel bad. He says that it took 35 years to see family members after the first war—does she think they won’t end up that way? He says he can wait decades for her if he has to, but his body won’t hold out that long.

Hang-ah starts to cry, as Dad tells her that even if they meet again, it’ll be at his grave. Okay, that’s some hardcore parent guilt right there. What is she supposed to do when you say stuff like that?

He leaves the choice to her – if she really wants to stay, she can. He tells her that South Korea has turned their backs and declared war, and Jae-ha will prove to be no different.

Jae-ha meets the prime minister to ask who the hell approved DEFCON 3. Uh, well if it wasn’t you, I’m gonna say it’s the other guy in the room with the power to do so. The prime minister admits caving to U.S. pressure.

Jae-ha tries calling Hang-ah over and over, growing more panicked by the second. She finally answers, against Dad’s wishes. They check on each other and suss out the situation—Jae-ha needs time to talk to both the U.S. and North Korea to stop this from happening.

The trouble is, North Korea has cut off all lines of communication. Hang-ah turns to her father to ask if he did this, and he reminds her that this is WAR—of course they cut off communication (though it was his superiors, not him personally).

He tells her to come back, but she hesitates, as more tears start to fall. Oh no. “I’ll go to the North. If this is the situation, then North and South have completely split apart. And the only thing that remains is war.”

Jae-ha says that the South always has their end of the line open. It’s the North that cut off their end. Hang-ah knows, and that’s why she’s going: “I’ll open the line.” Oh, wow, what a great mission for the heroine. She says that she’ll convey the king’s position and stop this war.

He protests – there’s no way for the two of them to communicate once she crosses that border. There’s no way to know how bad things will get, so how can he let her go? Hang-ah: “Isn’t your heart my heart?”

She asks if the change in situation will change their hearts. They know the answer, but he still puts up a fight, asking if she’s really going to go, knowing full well that war might break out?

Hang-ah: “I want to see Father for a long long time. And I want to see you for a long time. That’s why I’m going. So that I can see you.” He starts to cry. “Hang-ah-ya…”

Hang-ah: “You’ll stop the war, right? I’ll do the same. If you just remember that, then we’ll see each other again. I love you.” And then she hangs up, before he can even say it back. He just looks down at his phone in tear-filled shock.

They both cry for a moment, and then Hang-ah braces herself. She spins around on her heels as the music turns along with her. She marches through to the North, a woman on a mission.

Jae-ha lingers for another moment in the hallway, and then he wipes his tears and mirrors her walk. I love the double badass turn.

Bong-gu gets the confirmation that the U.S. has approved an attack on North Korea, and calls Jae-ha to gloat about it. I love that till the end, Jae-ha’s like, “Who is this?” which drives Bong-gu crazy.

He passes along the military operation as proof and says that it’s really Jae-ha’s fault for attacking via ICC. That day on the cliff he gave Jae-ha the choice between himself or his people—”You chose yourself. You killed them.”

Jae-ha: “No. YOU did.” Aw, yeah. He says that all he’s done is try to bring Bong-gu to justice, according to the law. Bong-gu laughs that in the end the Koreas will be at war and he’ll walk away.

Jae-ha: “No. I’m going to stop this war. And you’re going to be put on trial.” For all of Bong-gu’s blustering, it’s really Jae-ha who has the upper hand when it comes to poker faces, because he believes in what he’s saying. The report is confirmed to be legit, and the situation escalates as Jae-ha signs off on DEFCON 2 and the country prepares for war.

Hang-ah meets with the prime minister who praises her for her loyalty to country, and then proceeds to ask about what she’s learned in her time in the South, like where are the secret bunkers they can attack.

But when she tells him that they need to reopen the lines of communication with the South, he argues that the king is preparing for war and accuses her of caving to her womanly weaknesses. Oh, because that’s evil, right? Ass.

She narrows her eyes but rises above it and asks the very logical question of why on earth she’d come back home then, if she were just madly in love and ready to forsake her country for a man. I would’ve added a knee kick but clearly you are more civilized than I. But he tells her it’s too late for communication, because both sides have their missiles pointed right at each other. Gah, the art-imitating-life of this situation is so unnerving.

Jae-ha prepares for a public address, and Secretary Eun reminds him that he needs to appear strong before the people. He starts to write his speech, calling out the U.S. for their attack plan, and urging the North to show that they are willing to discuss peace.

He starts to write, “But if North Korea attacks Seoul… then South Korea will by any means necessary…” He flashes back to his moments with Hang-ah, on their 60km trek, and when she held him in her lap. He finishes his sentence with a pang in his heart, “…repay the whole of North Korea in kind.”

Meanwhile Hang-ah’s last conversation with the prime minister has put her father in a sticky position, and he goes entirely in the other direction and presents her with plane tickets for them to flee the country.

He says that war is inevitable now, and even here in the North, they’ll be seen as South-friendly and therefore a liability. He doesn’t trust Jae-ha either, since he heard the speech above.

Hang-ah defends Jae-ha’s need to make an official statement as such, but Dad asks how he could, knowing that Hang-ah is here. He says that a preemptive strike isn’t that uncalled for in this situation. Her eyes widen, “A preemptive strike? Are we going to attack first?” He says nothing has been decided yet. Oh crap.

Jae-ha sits down with his general and asks what kind of casualties have been projected if war does break out. In day one: 200,000 soldiers, 1.5 million civilians. In week one: 1 million soldiers, 5 million civilians. And the cost of course in the tens of billions. He looks up in horror, and the general says these are all numbers projected in 1994, so they can probably double them.

Jae-ha sits, literally the weight of the world on his shoulders. He thinks back to hyung’s dreams of peace and reunification, Shi-kyung’s dying pleas to never give up, and Bong-gu’s words that if a single life were to be lost, it would be on his hands.

Hang-ah in turn thinks back to Jae-ha’s promise during the WOC: “Trust me, and I’ll trust you,” and Jae-kang’s question in presiding over their engagement about joining their strength in a time of war.

Her doorbell rings with a delivery. A mysterious man drops off a package and she asks if he’s from China since his accent is different, but he disappears without a word. She opens it up to find Jae-ha’s I’m-sorry-thank-you-I-love-you skincare set for her (aw) with an envelope buried underneath: a copy of the U.S. military strike against Pyongyang.

This is exactly the leverage she needs. She takes what she knows to the prime minister, but only offers to give him the date of the attack if he’ll reopen the line to Seoul. Awesome. Jae-ha is headed to the border to try and speak to someone from the North, and she asks to be the one to go.

He scoffs at her gall to negotiate with him, so she gets up and breezes that she heard about the preemptive attack, “But it’ll be too late.” He offers to let her go as a representative to start the talks, but only if she gives him the date. She says she’ll give it after she comes back from the meeting, since she’s not about to throw away her bargaining chip. Ha.

The prime minister says he needs something too then, and presents her with the only copy in existence certifying her engagement to Jae-ha (that seems like a big leap, but it’s the gesture that’s important). He tells her to rip it up: “What do you need an engagement for when you are going to meet your enemy?”

She doesn’t hesitate and rips it to shreds. Now he has proof of her loyalty and she has access to meet with Jae-ha. The prime minister adds a caveat, to make sure she gives him the information promised—he’ll be holding her father as hostage until she hands over the brief. Damnit.

Jae-ha arrives first and waits for the Northern diplomat to arrive. Hang-ah calls her father to check in, and he assures her that the prime minister won’t do anything hasty (he’s totally lying through his teeth), and the two men watch the meeting via live feed.

Hang-ah walks into the room and Jae-ha lights up to see her. He approaches her warmly, but she remains distant and formal. She puts out her hand for a shake and he sees the earpiece in her ear.

He takes her hand but he sinks when she just shakes it and goes to her seat. She asks everything she’s supposed to—is he really preparing to join hands with the U.S. and go to war?

Jae-ha sits through her barrage of questions silently, which is doubly infuriating for Hang-ah who’s desperate not to lose this chance to show the prime minister Jae-ha’s true intentions.

He finally sits back and asks casually if she knows that they’ll be attacked on May 24. The prime minister freaks out, and Hang-ah’s father hands over the brief to prove it. It’s less than a week out.

Meanwhile Hang-ah flips out that he gave away her bargaining chip. But Jae-ha is still smiling, calm as you please. “What’re you doing May 24? Going to war?” Hang-ah finally loses the cool exterior, “Comrade Jae-ha!”

He just keeps going, “I’m getting married. To you.” Hahaha. Okay, that’s crazy but kind of brilliant. He’s going to set the date of the attack as his wedding day?

The prime minister barks into Hang-ah’s ear for her to get out, and Jae-ha sees her flinch. He looks up at the camera and orders him to say it directly, and stop using Hang-ah as his shield. Love it.

It works, and the prime minister calls to speak to him directly. He shouts that they weren’t behind the terrorist attack, and Jae-ha shouts back that threatening Seoul is the definition of terror.

He calms down. “You die. And then we die. The U.S. hits you, you hit us, and then if China gets involved… do you think that even one person will be left standing on this land?”

The prime minister scoffs at his solution—if they get married, does he think the U.S. will just pat their heads and wish them well? But Jae-ha makes it clear that he’s not talking about sneaking off and eloping, but standing with both countries behind them.

A wedding is cause for congratulations and if North and South officially present a united front, the whole world will rush to congratulate them. In that situation, on that day, can anyone launch a missile at them?

“I’m not doing this so that South Korea can live alone. I’m saying let’s get married and live together.”

The prime minister says he’ll put it under advisement and orders Hang-ah to leave the room. But Jae-ha presses the Big Red Button and suddenly soldiers from both sides charge into the room, guns drawn.

Oh noes, Young-bae and Dong-ha, guns pointed at each other? I don’t like this one bit!

Jae-ha barks into the phone that he has five minutes to make a decision, “Or shoot me.” He figures that even if they say no, he’ll be dead anyway, so why not just die here? He hangs up.

Then they have to sit like that in the room for the five longest minutes ever. Jae-ha: “Young-bae-ya, you’re a sniper, right? Aim so that I go in one blow.” He points to the center of his forehead. Young-bae’s eyes dart back and forth, Dong-ha tenses up, ready to shoot him if he shoots. Hang-ah looks back and forth between them all.

The prime minister paces back and forth. Hang-ah’s father pleads with him to decide. Time’s up, and Jae-ha calls. Has he made a decision?

There’s no answer on the other end. Jae-ha takes the silence as a no. “Then, war?” He orders Young-bae to shoot. If their leader wants war, shooting the king is the way to start one.

Young-bae hesitates. Dong-ha, “Just try and shoot.” And then Young-bae adorably trembles and stutters, “I-I-I j-j-just can’t …”

But then Hang-ah stands up and grabs Young-bae’s gun out of his hand. She walks over and sticks it in Jae-ha’s face. Dong-ha raises his gun to her head. OH SHIT.

She says (at the prime minister), “Do I shoot? Why, do you think that because it’s the person I love, I can’t shoot? I can kill this comrade. And die with him.”

Well, now we know why Romeo and Juliet weren’t given guns. Because then shit like this happens. Everyone just put down the deadly objects!

Jae-ha looks up at her, his eyes full of love, and her eyes soften, “I’ll follow right behind you.” She cocks her gun. Dong-ha raises his to her temple…

And then in the last possible second before my heart bursts, the prime minister tells her to put down her weapon. Everyone starts breathing again, including me.

He asks Jae-ha if this means he’s really going to help them, and Jae-ha says yes. Hang-ah finally lowers her gun and Dong-ha does too. Jae-ha takes the gun from her hand and hugs her tight.

Bong-gu watches the North Korean news report in shock and demands that the U.S. attack anyway—why not the wedding? The contact refuses because somehow the story determined he should suddenly stop stupidly listening to the crazy man. Whatever, fake America. You are so weird.

Jae-ha gets ready to cross the border on his wedding day, and the U.N. tries to stop him. But the Korean troops help get him through, saluting their congratulations. Aw, that’s cute.

And I frickin’ LOVE that they’re getting married in the DMZ. Hang-ah smiles as she gets ready when she sees two officers North and South laughing together at their post. Dad says it’s too bad their wedding has less fanfare than their engagement and fusses over her hanbok, wishing her mother were here to see her.

She hugs him and says she’s sorry for being such a troublesome daughter, but he says as long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters to him. And then he breaks away from her so that she won’t see him cry. N’aaaaaw, Daaaaad. Okay, I forgive you for the guilt trip earlier.

Everything goes as planned and the U.S. backs off their military strike and offers up their congrats, and then the wedding begins. They each walk down the aisle from either side of the 38th parallel to meet in the middle.

Jae-ha holds out his hand. Hang-ah puts her hand in his, and then he crosses to the North. They face southward and bow.

And then together they cross to the South, and bow facing north. It’s simple, and lovely, and says everything.

And then he picks her up and twirls her around as they beam.

Then sometime later Bong-gu faces trial before the ICC. And the reason you couldn’t have kept him locked up till this point and therefore not make Shi-kyung’s sacrifice moot IS? BAH.

He gets sentenced to life in prison. That’s it? What about the tank of carnivorous snakes?

Jae-ha pays him a visit in jail, and Bong-gu muses that he must’ve been dying to see him like this. Bong-gu: “I won. You went to the brink of war. You were scared.” He chuckles that they’ve experienced trauma now.

“When you hear fireworks, you’ll jump in fear. When you hear sirens, your heart will race. Only Korea is like that. A country that has experienced war. That’s why you will become more anxious. You’ll be scared of what you encountered, and only amass more weapons.”

Jae-ha: “We stopped it. I did. We did. Now we have the confidence that we can stop it. They say that the scariest thing in the world is war. But we stopped it, so what can’t we do? Thank you… for making us powerful.”

He turns to walk away. Bong-gu screams after him that locking him up will do nothing to stop Club M from existing, and attacking. Jae-ha stops for a moment, but doesn’t turn back. He squares his shoulders and keeps walking ahead.

Four years later.

Dong-ha (wearing a much more decorated uniform) comes to find Jae-ha, and he comes to greet North Korean soldiers for the new WOC team. Behind him are Dong-ha, Young-bae, and (YAY!) Kang-seok. Where have you BEEN?

They’re old-timers now, the guys who train the newbies. Jae-ha asks about the female soldier for this team and Kang-seok says she’ll be from the South this time. Jae-ha leans in close to whisper at Young-bae that southern girls are really pretty, and Dong-ha sighs that it’s already too late—Young-bae took one look at her and he’s smitten so bad he can’t even train her properly. HA.

Once it’s just the four of them, Jae-ha greets them happily saying it’s been a really long time since they’ve all been together, and asks them out for a drink. Young-bae adds dejectedly that it’s not really all of them. Aw. Young-bae.

Jae-ha looks down and Kang-seok reminds Young-bae that they already poured a bunch of alcohol over Shi-kyung’s grave—he’s probably already drunk enough. Jae-ha muses that he’d probably have collapsed. It at least warms my heart that they still talk about him.

Jae-shin sits on her wall at the top of the city, and makes a phone call to confirm a concert and says that she can make it there on her own. We pan out to see that she’s sitting up there with her parrot, speaking to it as if it’s Shi-kyung.

She says that she’s supposed to go on a blind date tomorrow. Should she go? She looks over at parrot, only this time it’s Shi-kyung that appears. *Mmmrrmph* He opens his mouth to talk and just that alone makes me cry. Gaaaaah, I don’t know if I can do this.

He tells her to go. She asks if he’s mad and he says no. Jae-shin: “I can’t say that I’ll die old and alone only thinking of you.” He laughs and tells her she shouldn’t do that.

“But you’ll always be in a part of my heart. Like a shadow.” They smile at each other. And then when she looks back at him, he’s gone. It breaks my heart all over again.

We pan over to see that she’s actually at the foot of the wall, in her wheelchair, Birdie at her side.

Hang-ah’s father coos over pictures of his grandson prince, and squeals when he gets to talk to him over video.

Later, Jae-ha rushes to meet Hang-ah for a ribbon-cutting ceremony (for the first joint bank serving both countries) and little princey runs up to daddy for a hug. All the reporters swoon, and then princey calls out for Mom, but uses the North Korean dialect version (omani), which causes a giant ruckus in the media.

The queen mother tells them it’ll blow over, and Jae-ha pretends to be stern, but once she leaves the room, he dies laughing. They’re so cute.

But it turns into an issue (with chatter from Club M) and Jae-ha says he’ll make a statement. Secretary Eun thinks it might be best to leave it alone, but Jae-ha argues that all of his people matter, and he’ll win them over one by one, until they accept Hang-ah.

He gets to work, and Secretary Eun smiles proudly.

Jae-ha and Hang-ah stand side by side, ready to go in for a press conference. He tells her the situation is getting more serious. She chides that saying omani twice will lead to war. They chuckle, ’cause, well, been there done that.

Jae-ha: “We’ve already stopped a war. Hang-ah: “That’s true. Just as long as we don’t give up. The doors open. Cameras flash.

Jae-ha: “You ready?” She says yes. He takes her hand. “I love you.” They smile at each other and with a “Let’s go,” they walk forward in step.

 
COMMENTS

There were a lot of things I wanted for the finale that I didn’t get, and a lot of things that still felt satisfying anyway. The main trip-up for me is the Shi-kyung/Bong-gu war which hit its high at the end of Episode 18 and then fizzled out as soon as Shi-kyung died. It’s not really his death so much as the consequence of it that went so wrong. Had he died to put Bong-gu away, had Bong-gu remained in custody during the almost-war (which by the way was completely feasible and would in no way change the way the final chapter went down), and then be prosecuted, it would have all made sense and I wouldn’t have to tear my hair out. Because how do you even explain that he was brought to trial in the end if the first time took that much effort to get him in cuffs? HUH?

Mishandling that actually took a lot of the villain’s steam away, which I have to assume was inadvertent (because who would do that on purpose?). Sure, Bong-gu was the evil one who set the war into motion, but once that happened, the immediate threat became the world powers and I forgot that Bong-gu even existed. Despite the simplicity of containing an almost-war to four characters, I did like the dramatic climax for the couple, in putting their lives on the line. It’s you-have-to-get-through-us-to-get-to-war, and the culmination of everything they’ve built, from becoming comrades, to finding love, to trusting each other, to letting go. That felt both thematically on point and dramatically riveting, even though you don’t really expect a show to go out with a pair of dead lovers and a world war. Hello, hate mail.

What the two-part finale really lacked for me was breathing room on one score—Shi-kyung’s death in Jae-ha’s eyes. Jae-kang’s death, for instance, happened so early on that we had full episodes to mourn his passing and have Jae-ha learn and grow. And yes, Shi-kyung did already make his crucial impact on Jae-ha before he died. But I wanted that emotional beat. Jae-ha would never have become the king he is without Eun Shi-kyung. And though I loved Jae-shin’s moment remembering him, I wanted the same from Jae-ha. It was the biggest way the finale failed to deliver for me. And now I have a giant Eun Shi-kyung-shaped hole in my heart, and the show ended without patching it up properly.

There were a lot of things that this show never got quite right—the overly simplistic Club-M-is-all-powerful mantra, the over-reliance on wooden day players to give exposition, (Seriously, I can barely stand exposition when it’s served by the most talented of actors, and you’re going to give every bit of explanatory dialogue to extras? Foot, meet gun.) the slow progression of Bong-gu who took a really long time to become an interesting or effective villain. The international incidents were colored in the broadest brushstrokes possible, leading to more than a handful of countries whose leaders seemed more like silly dingbats than powerful movers and shakers. It’s not so much that I take offense, but that I would prefer the opposition to always seem bigger and badder (which makes for better drama) only they were more like dumb and dumberer.

But of course, there were many more things that the drama DID get right. It was shot gorgeously (the cinematographer and lighting team deserve like a medal, or a parade), the music swept me up in every moment and made me feel like it was a living, breathing world I was looking in on. And the cast was brilliant. I’ll be honest—I’ve always thought Ha Ji-won was over-hyped, but here she was amazingly tough, vulnerable, and believable, no matter how insane the situation seemed. She grounded everything. Perhaps it makes a great deal of difference to play a character who’s consistent from beginning to end. Lee Seung-gi had less gravitas than her going in, but gained it through his performance, and though his is still not an effortless kind of acting, it was his breakthrough to the other side—past the façade and into raw emotion. He stole the show, hands down (which isn’t really a surprise, since he played the king in The King). Jo Jung-seok played what was probably everyone’s favorite character, but I really think he’s to credit for a lot of that, because so much of who Shi-kyung was came from the physical performance. A great deal of his character’s innocent/earnest nuance could’ve been lost to a wooden actor, or worse, made to seem dumb, which would’ve been a travesty. And everyone else was already good in an established way—the parents, the hyung, and even Lee Yoon-ji, who’s always been fantastic.

When this show was funny, it hit that darkly funny sweet spot where my blackened heart resides. And when it was badass, it made me pump my fist in the air. And then, when it was deeply earnest about a soldier’s faith in his king or the partnership between a man and a woman in the face of insurmountable odds, it actually got through to my gooey earnest center.

You could say this show is about a lot of things, but it’s clear that the romance is the central metaphor – man and woman as two parts of a whole like a war-torn Korea, always at odds, but always kin. And though actual politics is far more complex than a pair of lovers being able to bridge that gap, it’s the idealistic view that they could, in such a world. What grips me most is actually not that larger idea, but the mechanics of what that relationship needs in order to make it to the end – not just love, but friendship, complete trust, and an equal partnership. A hero who saves the girl is swoonworthy, sure. But a hero who confides in his girl and trusts her to save the day is the winner, by a mile.

My favorite part of the show wasn’t actually the romance (though I loved their epic love story, I promise). It was the making of a king. What this show did right was its character development and relationships, and if you look at it from beginning to end, there are actually very few characters who change a great deal. Hang-ah and Shi-kyung are in large part the same (he gains a sense of humor, but starts and ends a hero, and she learns to play a player, but starts and ends a hero). Jae-shin takes a massive dip, but then gets back to her old self (albeit a better version) because of Shi-kyung.

But Jae-ha goes from a worthless thorn in his brother’s side to a ruler who can stop a war. He goes from someone who thinks the monarchy is a sham to a king who believes with all his heart that he is his people and they are the king. And it’s in the shaping of this character where Hang-ah and Shi-kyung are the traditional heroes of the story—they make Jae-ha kingworthy, through their tough love and indefatigable faith. It’s kind of equally admirable and stupid, but that’s why they’re the heroes. In that sense, Jae-ha really IS the people—he’s the most like us, doubting, questioning, pessimistic, jaded. Even till the end he’s the one who doesn’t want to let Shi-kyung go on his mission or let Hang-ah go on hers. Because that’s what a normal person would do. But they don’t let him be weak.

And perhaps that’s the final step he learns in becoming a true leader—to let his soldiers fight for what they believe in, to put the country and the mission before his heart. I still don’t think it justifies killing Shi-kyung (the lesson would’ve been learned without, thank you very much) but to be a true leader, he does have to live with the harsh choices and the deaths of his soldiers on his conscience. It’s the journey in making a king out of a man that hooked me through the heart, and kept me wholly invested no matter what international debacle came and went. And I guess what’s important is that I feel like the payoff for that was there in the end. And it was. Many other things may have fallen by the wayside, but Jae-ha became a king befitting his hyung’s legacy and his most faithful soldier’s trust. And I like that the point isn’t that he defeated one big bad villain (though of course we need his victory over Bong-gu), but that he finds out that he is strong, and forges ahead to fight more battles and more villains with that power.

And that’s why I really, really wanted Jae-ha to walk away from Bong-gu’s jail cell with this one retort: “I am king.”

BOOYAH.

 
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So many feeeelings!

Thanks for the amazing recap, gf! There are many quotes in here that are brilliant and that truly and eloquently wrap up the show.

What carried RTP for me was the main characters and their humor, but K2H did so much more by having such strong lead actors with complex, realistic and yet compelling relationships.

I do think too that this drama did speak a lot to our modern political climate. Coming from America, it didn't resonate with me as much as it could have, but it still struck an emotional chord on that level as well.

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Aww shows over, I really liked the show and the couple but WHY did Shikyung have to die, I don't see the need and sense in that, that was just so random. Also what ticked me off about the show were the depiction of foreigners, either stupid and whimpy (helper man), always without morals and overly arrogant towards the South, These countries (especially) USA are not like that and I'M saying this even though I am not american), it would be nice if korean drama could stop depicting foreigners so weirdly. You know koreans can conspire and be ruthless as well, and how come that all of the do everything that one crazy korean tells them? As I said loved the characters but the political scenarioes were just wtf.

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I think K2H depicts exactly what you're saying here. I mean...the main villian is a freaking Korean who is causing Koreans to go war. It shows how stubborn North Korea is...cutting all the hotlines and refusing to connect with South Korea. That whole carousel scene too. They are not portraying foreigners in the most accurate way, but they're definitely not portraying themselves as the better guys either.

Bong Gu has political influence because he has money...all those guys that are following his orders have benefited from him so he's blackmailing them.

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Adding to that we have the corrupt South Korean PM who got exempt from enlisting in the army. I believe in the first epi JH mentions that the PM's son did the same as well. Also, the PM wanted the Korean WOC team to lose so that they could maintain their int'l ties with the US!

We have the Royal Secretary who for the frickin' Beatles wreaked havoc in the lives of the royal fam!!

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...and his exemption was on baseless medical grounds. I remember JH trying to corner the PM into having him attend the WOC.

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I thought it was a little more equal than that.

You had the douchey and dirty American general but also the WOC American team they ended up befriending; you had the cowardly Chinese general and prison warden but also the kind Chinese woman who tried to warn Hang Ah; you had the warmongering North Korean general and prime minister but also the really nice North Korean family and friends; you had the cowardly Wormtail-esque South Korean president but also all the good South Korean characters.

It wasn't completely perfect but I thought the characterization was pretty fair.

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Also a few of the political decisions were made under the impression that some other country had attacked first because Bong Gu secretly arranged fake terrorist attacks to suit his purposes.

Take the incident last episode...Bong Gu arranged an attack on the US under the guise of North Korean terrorists. Thinking that NK had attacked them, the US (with some nudging from one corrupt general) signed off on a retaliation strike. Then he bribes/threatens the SK president into siding with the US against NK, so NK turns on SK even though they didn't make the first attack.

Bong Gu literally bribed only two people and let the pre-existing tensions make the pieces fall where he wanted.

The story wasn't necessarily saying that all of any one country is corrupt but that even one corrupt politician can influence an entire country.

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what an astute analysis! *clicks like button*

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@Yamashita-freak - Qn on why SK have to die... I have my intepretation which I hope will comfort you a bit. See comment #65.1.3

<3

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Thank you both girlfriday and Javabeans for recapping these two shows. Before this drama started, I said I don't understand the Lee Seung Gi madness. Now that the show ended, I can excitedly say now I understand the Lee Seung Gi madness. I saw 3 of his dramas and this is the one that totally, unequivocally, and definitely made me his fan. Love the story, albeit somewhat unreal sometimes, but the ride was thrilling. The music was badass. I think last year it was City Hunter for me. This year it is The King 2 Hearts. I like Ha Ji Won in here better than Secret Garden. And last, did HJW and LSG really have such a big age gap because their chemistry is smoking hot!

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Before TK2H, I watched two of Lee Jae Kyu PD's earlier works: Damo and Fashion 70's. Both can be described as different, ambitious, uneven, stylish, and never dull. Those descriptions fit TK2H equally well.

The unevenness in TK2H mostly can be attributed to the script, and, to a lesser degree, editing, especially in the earlier episodes. However, one thing TK2H has it over the other two previous dramas (relatively speaking) is the sparkling ensemble cast. I really wish in K-dramaland, when the awards season arrives, that such a category is created. And I am almost certain what my nomination will be.

Here is what Lee PD had to say about the two leads.

For Lee Seung Gi: "Lee Seung Gi is an actor with a head that’s clear like purified water and a heart that’s warmer than anyone else. I think his extraordinary passion is the deep foundation of his acting. As a director, I couldn’t be any happier seeing Lee Seung Gi evolving day by day. In ‘The King’, Lee Seung Gi clearly and passionately expressed how a smart young man hid behind so-called powerless reality but was reborn after breaking out of his shell. Now, I've started to feel the power of a mature actor from Lee Seung Gi." - credit to http://tryp96.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/the-king-pd-the-world-created-by-ha-ji-won-and-lee-seung-gi-will-linger-for-a-long-time/

For Ha Ji Won: "Ha Ji Won is an actress who can realize your imagination. An imagined world will turn into a real one in the hands of Ha Ji Won. She can express emotions that are hard to comprehend or accept in such a short time. As the shooting neared its end, I became increasingly amazed by her ability to hold so much stuff inside and make herself so effective." from http://tieba.baidu.com/p/1609605045 and translated to English by AnnMichelle

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WORD!!!

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The PD has nothing but praises for these two. And I agree, these two are so riveting in their roles. They make the biggest part of the show for me.

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Hear, hear ! Totally agree with you.

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Thanks, AnnMichelle!

In the following pic you can see that the leads shared a nice rel'p with the PD. HJW's linked her arms with the PD and Seung-gi has his arms wrapped around the PD's shoulder! =)

http://tryp96.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/tk2h-team-a-group-photo-lee-seung-gi/

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I know that PD Lee was a good friend to HJW since Damo days. She even did cameo role in Fashion 70s in honor of their friendship.

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aww, really!! Awesome!

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a cameo in Fashion 70s? Really? In which episode? I watched Fashion 70s too but I didnt remember if I've seen HJW doing a cameo..

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BRAVO BRAVO TO OUR LEE SEUNG GI AND HAJIWON. HATS OFF TO PD LEE JAE GYU. He is indeed a brilliant director.

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“Lee Seung Gi is an actor with a head that’s clear like purified water and a heart that’s warmer than anyone else. I think his extraordinary passion is the deep foundation of his acting."

Not only that, PD, his extraordinary passion is the deep foundation of everything he is - not only professionally as a singer, actor, MC but also as a genuine, polite, caring, intelligent, witty and super-talented man that we all admire and love.

“Ha Ji Won is an actress who can realize your imagination. An imagined world will turn into a real one in the hands of Ha Ji Won."

That, I think, is the highest compliment an actor can hope for. Such true words, too. Thank you, Ms Ha Ji Won, for making imagined worlds real for me. Can't wait to go on more journeys with you.

Thanks for sharing, AnnMichelle!

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@AnnMichelle

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

thanks for sharing!

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That explains a lot! Damo was the first HJW drama I saw and it was luuuurve at first sight! It explains why K2H would strike such a strong chord in me again.

I so think the last two episodes suffered in editing and script changes. The editing issues were much more obvious in the finale such that some people felt it was rushed.

However, it still does not diminish my adoration of this drama.

Hey, thanks so much for sharing with us. It's been a privilege.

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i've seen his works but not till i've seen this drama that i can truly say he is quite something and unique. all of those dramas are unconventional and i'm starting to think now that ha ji won is his muse. :)

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Yeah I think so...lol. He just loves HJW. He looked handsome in his younger years though.

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WOW... this is great news. The 3 dramas fared fairly much the same. I am glad that TK2H topped the Seoul rating on the average..that indicates the level of maturity and intelligence of viewers from this capital.

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Amen!

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thanks for the link, Osi! i said i don't really care much about TV ratings but I still got a kick out of that bit of news. :)

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woot!! :)

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The wrap up party, their smile :)

http://www.lsgairenint.tumblr.com/post/23720149406/the-cast-of-the-king-2hearts-relaxes-at-wrap-up-party

With translation:
http://www.lsgairenint.tumblr.com/post/23719203439/the-king-2hearts-wrap-up-party-pics-captions

With dong ha & young bae photo :)
http://www.lsgairenint.tumblr.com/post/23697925705/lee-seung-gi-the-king-2hearts-wrap-up-party-photos

At the end: seunggi are you slept at the shooting location? Why does your hair? @.@ Young Bae, what happened with your pants? And the shawl? I thought I see someone who goes 'siskamling' and EUN SHI KYUNG, WHY SO CUTE???

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HJW and LSG look like they are sitting quite close to each other. :)

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Apparently, Seung-gi wrapped up filming for the drama the previous day and the day they celebrated (24th) successfully filming the drama he also shot a CF!!

He needs rest, STAT!!

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and now he has concerts at the Budokan and then a variety show after, natch.

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we need to give him some nutella, for energy! ;)

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*Donates self to the Nutella For Lee Seung Gi campaign*

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But you are Nutella's Zombie... u can't donate zombie self to our Seung Gi! quick unzombie-fy yourself first!!

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Donedonedone ^^~ (And I upgraded myself while I was at it =3)

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OK we have truly truly lost our marbles. :) :) TGIF

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@Nutella
Sometimes I wonder what else you have in your Nutella...LMAO...did Bon Bon shared her chocolate secret ingredients to you? :D

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Just.. yunno.. a little bit of this and a little bit of that v(^_<)o

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This show must've taken quite an emotional & physical toll on him.

He'll also be heading to Manchester as a torchbearer at the London Olympics and according to tryp96 there're rumors that he may be performing with other K-poppers in China(?) for a Hallyu concert right after!!

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and his master degree!!!

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Loved it the evil dude was lame

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PLease, Hearties, after a year (March 21, 2013) lets' all come back here and celebrate the first year of the drama that we get to love and invest our emotions in. That day come, let us look back how awesome the drama is, and all of us Hearties, remember the great times that we all laughed, cried, argued (in a good and intelligent manner) about this drama. *sob* really, I'm crying right now. I'm going to miss you all.

P.S. Since I posted the "I was no longer an outstanding employee since March 21" some episodes ago, yeah, I'd come to a point of resigning in my current job, not that I blame The King two Hearts, at some point, something dawned on me that like these people, I need to grow.

Thank you drama, you've touched my life.

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I'll see you back here March 13, 2013.

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aww!! That'll be a wonderful anniversary to celebrate with fellow Hearties!! <3

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Aww must we wait a year? *pout*

And yay for self-growth! May the Godesses of Luck and Good Fortune smile upon you <333

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Thanks Nutella's Zombie, nut how I wish the saying to me that is the real Nutella... sigh, realized, yeah, a year is a long wait, guess we have to come here once in a while to keep in touch..

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rawr.. *nut -> but...

how I wish the ONE saying...really, my eyes are blurred from crying...

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Oh, but I am the real Nutella... all you have to do is believe and clap your hands ^^~

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that's a cool idea,,,,ok mark your calendars then! :)

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Kay, *put it in bookmark and my agenda * :)

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this is cool!!! already saved the date :)

wow, i wonder what happens to all casts a year later. (HJW finally finding someone special,etc. ) i guess, we can all discuss that next year when we have our anniversary :D

can't wait!!!

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After thinking about BG's punishment, I believe this is the fairest punishment ever. Rotten in jail for the rest of his life, alone and forgotten, without anyone who love, support & believe in him. It's a much better punishment than death. Because if he died, then he no longer feel any pain.

In this case, if BG still has any conscience left, he'll feel the pain of losing his people, losing his power (he's no longer the King that he claimed to be), and losing his money. He'll feel the pain that he killed so many people abruptly due to meaningless reasons. I blame Shi Kyung's death to BG, and I'll transfer all the pain & grudges I have to him and I hope he rots miserably in jail (I'm a bit overacting here :D)

Jae Ha has once again won against him, as he is now the King of the country which has people who love, support & believe in him.

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I agree with you completely.. as someone famously said, "there are things worse than death". However, I would have liked that he... suffer more pain during his incarceration, rather than just sit and rot.. I mean, he's already a rotten cookie..

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Yay, and don't forget, there are no bath tubs in prison! Will truly be the stinky person he is!

Love the line SK threw back at BG when BG asked him to come over to the dark side and help him get rid of the unsavoury people. SK said, "But you are the source of the stench!" Daebak!

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LOL @ "there are no bath tubs in prison"

so at least we wont see him having a bubble bath ;)

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What a ride, what a journey! Definitely to be played again, again, and again. Watching some earlier episodes as I mourned Eun Shi Kyung's passing (still not over it), you really get a sense of how their bromance grew! From the first meeting and ESK boldly sticking a loaded gun in the Prince's face to when he dies in HIS King's arms; amazing.

I cannot even complain about anyone's acting. Ha Ji Won, superb! Le Seung-Gi, outstanding; Lee Yoon-Ji and Jo Jung-Suk, phenomenal! Even Yoon Je-Moon as Bong Gu and Samantha Daniels as Bon Bon were impressive! Repeat factor for this drama, 100%! Purchase factor 100%! Can I watch ESK die again and Jae-Shin's tears over his death? Probably not! Talk about scenes that just tear you apart!

DB family, I hope to see some of you during the next round of dramas. I enjoyed reading the comments that made me laugh, cry, and spit out whatever I was drinking at the time. I have vowed to limit my live drama watching to 1-2 each week, it's just too, to quote our King, "Ah stress!" Love this site! Much love to all of the recappers! Hope to see you all again.

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BTW, I just came to the realization that the guy playing Bong Gu was in "The Good, The Bad, and the Weird". Who knew! Loved that movie!

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he was! loved that movie too!! :)

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just listened to the entire soundtrack, including the background music..

have to say ... this drama has some of the best soundtrack ever. favorite: Track #1 - The King

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Totally agree with you :D So much emotion in the OST alone.

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Warts, cringe-worthy American actors and all, I have to say that I love this ending. From a dramatic standpoint, there are many things to fault. But overall, from a plot and character standpoint, I think that it is a great culmination of many of the threads that have been weaving together throughout the past 19 episodes.

I certainly would’ve liked more of a final stand-off between Jae-ha and Bong-gu, but I appreciate this episode for reminding me what this series is about. It is, at its heart, about a man developing from a selfish and scared boy into a fully actualized king because of the love and support of his family and his country. The culmination of his character development is epitomized by the unification of North Korea and South Korea—and quite literally, the marriage of Jae-ha and Hang-ah. Jae-ha and Hang-ah have always been symbols of their respective countries, and the (rocky) development of their relationship has mirrored the rocky road to the unification of the two Koreas. I love that they are forced in this episode to trust each other fully, to band together to fight the world, and that their love is literally what brings the two countries together and prevents a probable third world war.

While the handling of Bong-gu’s punishment felt extremely anticlimactic to me, I do like that Bong-gu wasn’t the focus of this episode. Bong-gu has been established increasingly as a metaphor for the dangers of unchecked capitalism ($=power/the ultimate goal in life), and so once we discover the obvious limitations of money when applied to the relationship between Hang-ah and Jae-ha (and, by extension, North Korea and South Korea), Bong-gu is largely irrelevant.

This episode (and the last episode, painful as it was), reminded me that this series is at its core a social critique and a deeply cynical (but ultimately life-affirming) look at what it takes to build an honest relationship (both romantic and between countries marred by deep prejudices against one another), as well as what it means to be a leader in a capitalist society where money is viewed as the ultimate king.

I love love LOVED that Hang-ah took on an active role in this episode and I can’t think of another kdrama that gave the heroine such an integral role in the drama’s conclusion. But it was so appropriate, wasn’t it, because it hammered home the point that North Korea and South Korea are equals and that, in order for the two to unite, they must both be allowed to maintain their individuality while learning to communicate with one another.

I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts to share, but those are my immediate observations.

Ps. I love you all and I am seriously in denial about this being the end of the drama. I think I will miss the community in these recap posts almost more than the drama itself.

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^Love this! If only I could bump your comment up! XD

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Thank you, Raine!

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as usual rearwindow!! well, said :)

can't stop rereading everyone's comments here :)

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I have to give props to the American actress playing Bon Bon! Chills ran down my spine with a lot of her scenes. She portrayed evil really, really well. I had enough of Bong Gu! I felt the punishment was too light for 2 murders. But excellent comments!

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Think about those real murderers being tried in ICC in real life. For example most recently those involved in the genocide in Serbia as well as Cambodia. The most they can get is life imprisonment too.

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topper, u are totally right. but putting them on death penalty is doing an eye for an eye... whole world blind.

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For me I am actually a proponent of the death penalty, with it's flaws and all. Especially for mass murderers. But I'm just the vindictive type though, LOL.

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=)

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Sorry, know nothing about the ICC and the type of punishments that are meted out. Just seems that cold blooded murder deserves the worse punishment.

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@rearwindow! as always, agree with your thoughts. It is 'King2Hearts'.

I sincerely pray that one day Korea will be united. :) perhaps this drama will set the younger generation thinking what will bring about lasting peace?

Let's hope the seed has been sown.

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Amen to that.

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By any chance, have you watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZmbqfjJB-M ?

The title is: When That Day comes, sang by many artists you may notice se7en, lee hyo ri, kim jong kook, shinhwa, SES in this song. This is a song about the hope for Korea reunification.

At first, I don't know what this song is about, only watch it because there is Eun Ji Won there...but say... I bawled my self when watching the MV, I don't know why..I just bawling and cry, I don't understand even a bit of the song, but I only can cry...

Then I realize how emotional the song it is, it's not instrumentally poignant and deluxe, but it's simple, and the singers put their heart into the song. I sense themselves wishing for reunification, but.. I don't know what forces who retain them for doing so.

Me from deepest part of my heart, wishing peace and love for the world (OK, thanks for earnest bot, this should make me bawl again), as well as reunification of any country which get separated now

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Wow! I know what you mean, reglest. I don't understand a word of what's been sung, but the images and the music got to me. Really hope that they will be one nation soon.

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BTW someone posted the translation of the song "When the Day Comes". reposting it here... (credit to soompi poster simplefact)

When the Day Comes

수없이 계절은 바껴도
(Though many seasons go pass by us)
변치않는 단 하나
(There is one thing that doesn't change)
그대를 향한 내 그리움
(It is my heart longing for you)
그리워 너무 그리워
(It grows more and more every day)

우리의 이별은 너무 길다
(Our separation has been just too long)
이젠 만나야만 한다
(Now we must come together)
서운한 마음은 모두 잊자
(Let us put all of our past behind us)
우리는 하나니까
(Because we are one)

우리의 소원은 단 하나
(Our hope is one and only one)
다시 만나야만 한다
(For the day that we meet again)
너와 나 두 손 꼭 잡고서
(You and I holding our hand in hand)
기쁜 노래를 부르자
(Singing song of our joy as one)

모두가 기다리고 있다 우리 다시 만날 그 날
(Everyone is waiting for us, for the day that we meet again)
기쁨과 행복의 눈물로 세상 가득할 그 날을
(That day when the world is filled with tears, tears of joy and happiness)

그리운 백두산 산새 소리
(The birds in Baek-Doo-San starts singing)(Note: Baek-Doo Mountain is the most northern landmark of Korea)
한라산이 춤을 출 때
(Han-ra-san starts dancing) (Note:Han-ra Mountain is the most southern landmark of Korea)
가슴에 맺혔던 애달픔이
(Our long and painful sorrows)
이제야 녹는구나
(Is now melting away)
우리의 소원은 단 하나
(Our hope is one and only one)
다시 만나야만 한다
(For the day that we meet again)
너와 나 두 손 꼭 잡고서
(You and I holding our hand in hand)
기쁜 노래를 부르자
(Singing song of our joy as one)
통일 노래를 부르자
(And sing song of our unity)

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Wow what a beautiful and heartfelt song! They should have chosen this song as one of the OSTs. Would have been so meaningful and appropriate

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i hope one day they would be arm in arm again.

have you guys seen the latest news? while again it's not new but i feel more strongly now that some action should be taken and that i hope that both sides hasn't lost hope of reunification.

i also hope that NK man's up and oust the kim family. while i have respect for the first kim and feel his intentions.... you know the saying that goes the road to hell is paved with good intentions... but if this third kim goes on ... i don't think NK will survive much longer. then again, we could be deceived by the news.
it's always easier for us to talk and write about them when we're not directly involve but i hope that whatever this drama has tried to convey to the viewers which is "one korea" won't be lost.

lol. like ha ji won, i didn't have the intention nor any feeling of the divide. i felt sympathetic but now a level of concern and different emotion is felt. i do hope they become one !!

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"I love love LOVED that Hang-ah took on an active role in this episode and I can’t think of another kdrama that gave the heroine such an integral role in the drama’s conclusion. But it was so appropriate, wasn’t it, because it hammered home the point that North Korea and South Korea are equals and that, in order for the two to unite, they must both be allowed to maintain their individuality while learning to communicate with one another."

This comment is basically all of my Hang Ah feels. Mwah~! :)

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@rearwindow,

That's exactly how I feel. In ep. 19 I was complaining like mad about getting the US involved at such a late stage of the story, because I thought that just confused the REAL issue here. Thank goodness, the US, like the foreign actors, once they served their purposes, they were mercifully tossed away. And we are brought back, rightfully and thankfully, to where the HEART of this drama is.

I just watched the tense, face-to-face meeting again. (I will visit the scene forever I think.) When Hang Ah said, "What, simply because I love this man, you think I would not shoot him? Soon as I kill him, I will just kill myself." And then, immediately, she changed her voice, changed her expression, and said, as a promise, "I will follow right away, Comrade Lee Jae Ha." I thought back in ep. 4 where Jae Ha did almost the exact same thing. But his act originated from betrayal and hurt, hers was love and acceptance. Two persons, man and woman. Two peoples, the North and the South. Wow.

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@AnnMichelle
Wow to another wow comment!

"I thought back in ep. 4 where Jae Ha did almost the exact same thing. But his act originated from betrayal and hurt, hers was love and acceptance. Two persons, man and woman. Two peoples, the North and the South." So insightful. I'm blown away!

I can't keep up with all the wonderful comments and analysis that seem to be just flowing and flowing.

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Love your comments.

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I have nothing to say, but I love you and your comments!

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@rearwindow
"it hammered home the point that North Korea and South Korea are equals and that, in order for the two to unite, they must both be allowed to maintain their individuality while learning to communicate with one another."

Thank you and I will surely miss your well written thoughts

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@rearwindow
Also if I may add to your awesome insight...I really admire the writers in the sense that after 4 years had passed, they didn't show that the North & South have been totally reunited. Even though Jae Ha & Hang Ah are still working on winning the hearts of their people, they showed how North and South are in peace It's been over 60 years that the North & South has been divided so it will also take a long time to persuade the Koreans to be together as one. So I salute the writers for trying to be realistic as much as possible. :D

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as always, an insightful and beautifully written comment, rearwindow! so articulate.

i've got nothing to add except that i will always remember you and your outstanding writing with much fondness. the way you presented your thoughts in written form makes reading your comments a pleasurable and thought-provoking activity. ah. i wish i could write as well as you do.

a heartfelt thank you to you, rearwindow! it's been my pleasure.

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Excellent!!

Wanted to recommend this sublime fanmade MV of our swoon-worthy OTP. Watching it today made me teary-eyed. gahhhh, I'll miss them SO much!! Can't coherently put into sentences their impact on me!! T_T

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKh6o9eGcG8

And, much love for your articulate & insightful comments! They were always a pleasure to read. <3

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GF and many other commenters mentioned that JH should've had a punchline when resident lunatic was going off on his rant about Club M. The following is why I thought it was o.k. he didn't have a punchline and him walking off was just fine...

96.1 Saima May 24th, 2012 at 10:38 pm

JH has evolved from his wants-to-have-the-last-word Prince to a King who thinks strategically & wisely. When he sent BG that flash drive gift…he wanted to rub in BG’s face the strength of his saram. By doing so he endangered HA and his mum gravely.

In present times, he has avenged BG for all the wrongs he committed on the royal family (& SK)….it doesn’t serve his purpose to have a verbal sparring match with that lunatic. Let him have that last word….at the end of the day he’s still behind bars while JH is working hard in making his hyung’s dream come true and living by SK’s faith & trust in him!!

To add to this:

The following was edited out from JH's saram (Ep 13) speech. I wish they hadn't because it's so beautiful and illustrates JH's long-term goal for his people.

“Those people will only be able to live if I become stronger. Therefore my real revenge..is definitely not against people like you. During the battle period with you, I am only walking my own road. Together with those people I love, we are quietly walking our roads ….”

(eng trans lsgairenint and mickuan based on chinese trans of 71 at tk2h baidu tieba)

source: dc tk2h

http://lsgairenint.tumblr.com/post/22436351054/king-jae-has-edited-video-message-to-bong-gu

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Actually I thought Jae Ha & John Mayo's stand-off was wonderfully resolved with the prison visit. It was subtle, low-key but boy, did it pack a punch in the choice of words and the subtlety of themes and symbolisms.

The lighting, the long shots juxtaposed with close-ups ... it was like watching film noir.

Even the cadence of their conversation. And the finality of Jae Ha's departure. Literally, it was as if Jae Ha closed the door and threw away the key. "'Nuff said, Bong gu. Talk to the hand."

And he did it all with style, restraint and dignity of a true king. Who did not have to stoop to the shadow's level.

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@Duncerblur,

I totally agree with you. It feels fresh and different than the face off confrontation that we have seen many times before.

"And he did it all with style, restraint and dignity of a true king. Who did not have to stoop to the shadow’s level."

Just love it.

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Aw, thanks AnnMichelle. It's high praise coming from you as I have thoroughly enjoyed reading their insights.

Gosh, I am feeling quite bereft at the pending deprivation.

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Couldn't agree with you more, Duncerblur

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Thank you Girlfriday for you recaps!

This show was truly amazing. Never have I been so invested in a drama.
I love this drama and will really miss it.
And Lee Seung Gi was just awesome, Love him.

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hay...2kdrama recap endings in a day....i love them both despite the downs....LSG and HJW, what next?

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it would be perfect in the end to have another villian in phone like always in super heroes movie in order to show there are many bong-gu out there.
As for me the love story between the princess and her bodyguard was ended just right.
It was easily to guess that someone has to die to make the ending more cliche but deep down inside my heart...hhh...i want to see eun shi kyeong confess his heart directly.
At first...the reason i watched this drama is because of lee seung gi....after 2days 1 night season 1 was over and he steped down as strong heart's mc....i still want to see him in my weeks...
Seeing him acting in here is like see him growing and i swear that bong.gu just looks like Na PD...KKK...
One thing i will miss from this drama is lee seung gi's joker face...so fall for that....i cant wait to see him act as anoying bad.ass villian in some drama...kkkk

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@indria - when i saw BG (actor Yoon Je Moon) last night sitting in his cell, i thought he looked like 1N2D's Na PD too... haha! thought i was having delusions but glad I'm not alone.

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Well Bong Gu actually taught me something really valuable;

If u want to commit crime, don't do it with ur own hands, use others.

So u can pretend that u're not alone in carrying the guilt.

And that just make u one true devilish creature!

And blame others when anything bad happens to u. Like what Bong Gu did to SK.

wow, believe it or not, there are many ppl like this in this world.

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and plenty here in our country mostly politicians! disgusting people...

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The only thing I wished did not happen was Shi Kyung dying...otherwise, satisfying all round :)
THANK YOU so much dear Girlfriday!!!

Dr. Jin next? I hope and wish, *bows* cheybai? :)

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Thank you, GF! I am grateful for your recaps.
I can follow live recaps and read forums over and over, but it’s your recaps that I always look forward too - because your insights and thoughts on the drama just bring my enjoyment of it up by a few notches. Totally agree with your comments.

Now… I guess I have digested Eps 19 + 20 enough to put down my thoughts decently….

First, what I liked about Ep 20:
- I really liked the first 10mins, esp the phone call between JH and HA and when HA decided to return to N Korea. Ha Ji Won’s acting was DAEBAK– I really felt that was one of her best scenes in the whole series.

I’ve been saying that this show is a social/political commentary of the North-South divide. When I saw that scene of the phone conversation (and mind you, I watched this in RAW last night so I don’t have exact details of the conversation), I immediately thought: “This must have been how things were 60 years ago during the Korean War. This was how families got split up”. The emotions that HA and JH showed – them choking back tears, the stoic faces and look of determination – I felt both despair, but at the same time hope, because I know JH and HA will do all they can to stop war from breaking out across the 38th parallel.

- The scenes that paralleled previous episodes: - the gun-drawing (remember the SNSD incident in ep 4?), the meeting of the new NK soldiers (from ep 1). I also liked the link of the side characters from previous episodes – the S Korea WOC general, the N Korea prime minister (whom JH said, “Let’s grow stronger together” in ep 12.), and did anyone noticed that the evil US chap is the same guy at the WOC who insisted that JH apologise in his capacity as King (ep14)? It helped remind me of the WOC days and more importantly, JK’s legacy that slowly but surely became JH’s cause. I especially liked the reunion of the WOC men (san SK) – bittersweet.

- I really liked how JH handled the whole war crisis. It may have come across as a tad unrealistic (like, literally ‘War and Love’?) but it is how he was willing to bet his life on it for the people, and HA. Remember that this is the same guy who thought his bravado will save him from having to complete the 60 km walk during the WOC training (ep 4). The old JH would have tried to find the easy way out with his bravado, but the same bravado that JH displayed in ep 20 didn’t come from one who was finding an easy way out. I really felt he was ready to die to save the people from both North and South Korea (and of course his queen stepped up to it was well).

At that moment I felt that he did JK and SK proud, and he really became the King they wanted him to be (R.I.P both *sob*). I was once again reminded that their deaths served a noble purpose, because (yes) as JH said to BG: “Thank you… for making us powerful.” The message is clear: Peace is hard fought and it came with (two) huge costs. But Korea triumphed in the end and can do it again when evil forces come their way…. You cannot deny the nationalistic overtones in this scene and some of the other scenes in ep 20 (eg. S Korea soldiers defying the US soldier at the border). I can almost hear writers-nim telling the world that together Korea can be stronger.

What I wished TK2H could have done better in Ep 20:
- The supposed terrorists from N Korea who bombed Michigan – that was left hanging and not explained? I can’t believe the US would let them off that easily. They have citizens to answer to as well, and that wasn’t adequately resolved. Just an additional line or two to explain it would have sufficed.

- I would have liked to have a few more soldiers/generals in the showdown room, just to raise the tension by 2 notches. (I know, I’m a sadist :) It would have made it more realistic too cos’ technically they were on the verge of war. I’m sure there would have been way more soldiers with either party on both sides?

- The wedding: I suppose I can understand why HA’s hanbok look just a tad bit ordinary but WHERE WERE QD & JS? They should have been there, really! And the WOC chaps??

- One thing I really liked about the past episodes was how they built the other relationships in the show: JH/JS, HA/JS, HA/QD. TK2H wasn’t just about JA and HA’s N-S Korea love, but also how they loved the people around them. I wished the producer had weaved touches of it in the final episode, to give us a fuller resolution. For eg. Jae Shin’s scene with Earnest Bot would have felt more comforting if say, we saw JA or HA with her, coming to push her away. Another possibility that was lost: the exchange with QD, JH, HA and little prince. It would have been nice if JS and Senior Eun were there as well (to complete the family), or if they paralleled it with the scene of the family dinner in the hospital just after JK died (ep 8). Or a short heartwarming scene with JS and Senior Eun. Instead they tried to do fan service with the cute little prince… hmm. And, was it me or did it felt like HJW wasn’t too comfortable with little kid actor? I mean, she was playing with him, but not motherly enough? (thinking back about HJW’s interview where she said she wasn’t ready for marriage yet…probably some grain of truth here.)

Anyway, those are details that I have come to expect from this production team that has so far not missed details, so yes, I was somewhat disappointed on that front. I wondered if they rushed in the end and that’s why left these out? they weren’t exactly in live shoot mode but I’d say filming right up to Tue for a Wed/Thu show is cutting it wwwaaayyy fine (my sis, who is a non-k-drama watcher, was surprised to find out about this system). Another thing: the script for Ep 19 supposedly came out at least a week earlier so I’m wondering if they made changes mid-way…

I do agree that Show stumbled at the last leg but my love for Show surpassed the flaws. This is a one-of-a-kind keeper, and I’ll rank it 9.5 out of 10. (Just so u know my benchmark, haha – the other loves on my k-dramas list are Coffee Prince, SeGa and CH. All 9.5 as well. ;)

And thanks to all the Hearties chingus… you guys are the best! You made watching TK2H such an enjoyable experience. It would have been hell if I didn’t have the space the share my thoughts about the show (and vice versa), so thank you. ok now i've posted my thoughts, going down the 260+ comments one by one to read, write , etc, etc <3

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Great points!! I feel they just ran short of time to address the issues you raised (re core characters). According to the NKean PM they didn't commit that terrorist attack so we just presume after investigations the US must've found N.K. innocent.

Dunno if HJW's not ready for settling down or not but man Seung-gi seemed so at ease with that kid!! gahhh, is he only 25?!! I've been swooning non-stop since discovering that he loves kids!! Why so adorable and sexy all packaged into one, Seung-gi?!!

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@Saima - Seung Gi is very good with kids, ajummas, ajushhis, haimonis, harabojis... everyone. he is just such a personable boy. I recommend any one of the 1N2D episodes as detox theraphy to TK2H. u will see how he interacts with people. he is just soooo good :)

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That's what I'll be doing!! And, have been doing since the past couple of months.

I'm an emotional mess!! The following makes me cry --> the thought of not seeing my beloved characters onscreen next week, the thought of marathoning this series again (JH's growth = T_T), and watching another K-drama (my heart is just full of love for TK2H!!)

Final verdict: this show has spoiled and screwed me over for other K-dramas for a bit at least! No Complaints....it was a wonderful journey to embark on!

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(= yes, same for me. so i think i need to have some down time to recover from TK2H before I start on another drama.

BUT... oh Nos!! my Gong Yoo is back on the small screen... otoke??!

And i still have 'Padam Padam' that I haven't watched... Ah Stress!

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me, too!!! i just discovered 1N2D (thanks to all of you who've been mentioning about it) so there's quite a lot of material that i will happily go through to lessen the withdrawal symptoms in the next week or so. (AND watch What's Up? to satisfy my JJS obsession.) Hopefully, i can recover soon from all the emotional upheavals TK2H put me through.

But like you said, no complaints. I'd ride this rollercoaster again and again.

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"And, was it me or did it felt like HJW wasn’t too comfortable with little kid actor?"

As a mom, it definitely felt that way to me too. That's more like how one will play with someone else's kid not your own.

"I do agree that Show stumbled at the last leg but my love for Show surpassed the flaws. "

For me now, the last two episodes felt a little too rushed but I want to reserve judgement till I watch them with subs. But Ep 1-18 are definitely enough to make this my #1 k-drama & Ah-Ha couple my #1 couple for now and I suspect, for a long time to come.

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i think the kid actor soo cute but also too restless/hyper even in his other scenes.

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Yea, I noticed that awkward gestures too. Like she was not too comfortable with him. Seunggi, on the other hand, is more comfortable. He's actually quite a pro with kids.

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I liked her hanbok. I thought it was classy and subtle and reflected her North Korean low-keyness.

But I especially loved when Jae Ha crossed the line to her side to escort her to his ... LOVE!

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"But I especially loved when Jae Ha crossed the line to her side to escort her to his … LOVE!"

Jae-Ha is one a kind, eh? He put aside his stubbornness for his woman. *sigh le sigh*

I believe with repeated viewings we'll continue to find the intricate developments in his character. King Jae-ha=<3!!

His hyung and Shi-Kyung will be looking down from the heavens with a tender & proud smile on their faces!! Jae-ha you done them (AND us) proud.

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well well well another drama ended...and its a perfect one :) :) :) Thanks a lot Admin for all the efforts & recaps :) :) looking forward for next work..thank you thank you!
hug & kisses

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Thank You for the recap!!
I can not believe it's over now. No drama will come close to the addiction I had for K2H for a while!!!
I totally LOVED this last shot where we see Hang Ah and Jae Ha walking forward hands in hands..!!
It's like they are only going on their path and somewhere in the world, they are still living, being a badass couple who can get through anything being next to each other!!!!

Oh sad am I that we didn't get to see more of Jae Shin and the Queen Mother in the finale! I guess we didn't have enough screen time with all the problems til the end.. :)

How I LOVEEEEED Hang Ah's dad!! ahah! He was so FUNNY when voice messaging with his grandson!!! He totally acted like a SUPER HAPPY MONKEY. Haha! I was totally LOLing watching him!! So cute!!

I can't get enough of all the characters and I really LOVED all the family's interactions!! Seems like it has been a long time since I've watched a NORMAL, FUNCTIONNAL, and LOVING family in Kdrama world. No hateful sister or mother in law, lazy and clingy parents, stupid relatives, etc.

Haaaa! It's gonna be hard saying goodbye to this drama!! Hopefully LSG will really do this new variety gig so we can at least see one of our lead regularly on screen!!

Thanks hearties for this wonderful journey!! <3

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Yes, I've been hoping he signs on to do the variety show. He'll at least take a year off until he signs on to do another drama (compelling negative character or sageuk). A movie would be good (since he's been getting many a love calls) but there's nothing like falling in love with your characters over a span of 16 or more episodes!

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EUN SHI KYUNG DID NOT HAVE TO DIE. that is all.

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Dear TK2H

I'm taking back my ep. 19 rant…how could I stay mad after the DMZ marriage + the cutest *Prince there ever was + the WOC peeps, etc… :)

*He (mini JH) has mischief written all over his face; doesn't he? LOL

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aww, yeah!! When JH winked at him after granny excused them just warmed my heart. The kid's got his appa's brains as well...he heard the N.K'ean pronunciation of 'mum' once and he remembered it. Nicely done, Show!!

What a lovely family!! <3

Seung-gi and HJW, any chance you'll hook up and make gorgeous babies!! hahaa

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*excused herself

Typos suck!! :D

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Oh dear, how come I missed his wink! Have to go back and check!

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oh apologies, he didn't wink....he laughed!! hahaa

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I must have missed the wink. He definitely laughed! Mini JH so like his Dad!

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i agree. wouldn't it be splendid they'd make a sequel revolving around this new life of Jae Ha and Hang ah + their kids? heck! i would readily watch another 20 episodes of that.

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Its official. I love this drama.

The 20 hours I spent watching this drama was a lot like going on a long road trip, where you already knew your ultimate destination, but the road to get there was a
revelation. There were a lot of twists and turns on the way, some of it giving us magnificent views - of two people falling in love, strong and supportive familial bonds,
amazing bromances, the potential for strength and remarkable resilience of the human spirit, not to mention all the cute, funny, bickering and witty dialogues peppered through out.

Some twists and turns made us come face to face with things we would rather not have seen - greed, betrayal, how power and money can be abused and misused, psychological trauma, an uncomfortable glimpse into one rotten cookie's psyche, death and Kim Bong Gu's repeated bubble bath scenes.

The journey was not always comfortable and smooth. There were speed bumps and pot holes
all over the place. Some eye rolling and suspension of disbelief was required at some point. But this was the drama that got me to care about the characters, made me emotionally involved and invested in their journey, had me alternately watching at the edge of my seat in suspense, crying over the deaths and the losses and the injustice of it all, and then crowing in delight at their every triumph.

This has been one long and intense journey, and definitely not for the faint of heart. Or for people who expect rainbows and roses and hearts and flowers galore in their dramas. But I found it enjoyable, made even more so by the people here who made the journey with me. The recaps and the commentaries made me take a second look at, or see scenes in the drama from a different perspective. They were in turns, eye opening and sometimes educational and lots of times, downright funny! For the excellent recaps from GF and the comments, the communal squeeing, the group hugs, and the call for lynch mobs for BG and BB, I am grateful. Hope to see you again in another drama.

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@jasmine - <3

and your line "Some twists and turns made us come face to face with things we would rather not have seen – ... Kim Bong Gu’s repeated bubble bath scenes."

SO FARNI!!

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hahaha! everytime i see rants about bong goo's bubble bath scenes i cant help but to laugh out loud lol!

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And that rant usually pus at the end of some serious sentence just make is better punch line!
=))

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I think they reckoned there was no better way to illustrate John Mayo's full evil than in his inglorious nekkid self.

Never ... never ... has so many been so grateful for the invention of soap bubbles.

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so i still can't accept eun shi kyung's death but after watch Jae Shin's talk with Eun Shi Kyung's ghost, i felt that his death was not for Jae Ha or the country but rather for Jae Shin. Cause his death helped Jae Shin get back her confident and be like before and not to be too depending on the others. It was for the development of Jae Shin's character at the end. she would not let her legs get in her way from her dreams.

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His death is what sustains her, that's for sure. His last wish has come true. She is smiling and going out in public. All thanks to him. Dang, I cannot watch that last scene without crying! Still!

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I'll catch up on all the comments later - running to a training session. To me, the end was satisfying. Yes - I still miss Eun Shi Kyung but the beauty of this great drama wasn't ruined by it. Thanks Girlfriday for your awesome recaps and comments.

And - compiled from previous recap threads. I present. "20 Ways for Bong Gu to DIE"

By mtoth:
1. Throw him from the cliff
2. Put him in acid bathtub
3. Send him an anthrax gift
4. Cement his legs and push him in Han river
5. Lock him up with Hannibal Lecter

6. Chopping up and feeding him to the piranhas as suggested (drina)
7. Time-travelling back to Joseon to torture him. (me)

regi~
8.Chopping him seem too comfortable, I’d rather choose drown him directly in the lake full of piranha =)
9. As I suggested before, sent him to North Korea citizen, and let them deal with him, I’d suggest hoe, rake, or sickle to take action though
10. Extract his nails before tying him in the middle of desert
11. Locked him in a room with Bon Bon, but without her bonbon while replaying Shi Kyung’s words ‘Then what about your mother death’

Cha
12. That lunatic/psycho/self-centered Bong Gu should be tied down on a cliff,tearing him bits by bits and then throw him to the sea and let the whales and sharks toss
and tear him apart before they munch on his rotten body!

slfowie
13. burying him in a fire ant hill while slathered with honey
14. Peel his skin off layer after layer ( though you might not want to do this coz who wants to look at his body), then dip him in some thing like lemon juice, or water mixed with salt and chilli
15. Lock him up in a room with continuous instant reply of him in the bath scene…or with JH insulting him

Duncerblur
16. How about stringing him up with the godawful clown bow-ties he likes to wear, while making him eat stale cookies, and listening to Young Bae fart The Return of
the Valkyries? In a small, windowless (so he cannot write I am King) and badly-ventilated room and make him watch Cris Angel’s magic shows on telly

rearwindow
17. Mauled by the giant white toy bear in his room after it comes to life.

adjovie
18. Bong Gu should be locked away in a tiny closet (mud brown walls) room; he should be made to watch videos (updated throughout the years) of JH-HA couple’s happiness for the rest of his natural life.
19 Bon Bon should also be locked away in a tiny closet room (pink walls) with audio of SK (on repeat) telling her about what she did to her mother for the rest of her natural life.

Final one by our lovely GF:
20. A tank of carnivorous snakes

^^

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A.W.E.S.O.M.E!! hahaaaaa

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i think the best best best punishment for a megalomaniac like BG is to ... ignore him.

He'll drive himself mad then. adjovie's suggestion is good too...

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@Bern75,

Brilliant! Yes, I think that's probably the most terrible thing to BG! No one knows about him. No one's heard about him. John Meyer? Who? Oh, that soccer player who got into a fight? Hahaha. Just imagine his rage in his solitary cell puts a big smile on my face.

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LOL!!! i will chose option #2 have him in an acid tub bath!!!

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me too! but boy, u guys watch too many CSI don't u? or criminal mind? haha

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OMG..I finally laugh out sincerely...

I notice that we are so blood thirsty, but to get twenty? And none of them being true, this is unexpected btw LOL

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L.O.L.

OMG. For once, I'm crying happy tears! Thank you, Arhazivory's Zombie!

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Lol hearties become bloodthirsty when dealing with BG....Thanks for the funny compilation ...really there's million of ways to kill the madman BG... We could use Bonbon's research on the subject of death and fear...
I need the laughter as I am attempting to rewatch 19 and 20 with subs and not be a blubbering mess watching SK scenes

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LOL Brilliant ideas right here!

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21. can I add? BonBon's revenge?
Bonbon's ghost visiting BongGu in his prison cell and doing all the things that BG made her do to others....

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I loved e finale I jst wish ernest bot wazent dead...... Nd BTW I looved ur line abt romeo nd juliet...... Had me laughing..... I'm gng to miss K2H.... Farewell K2H....

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I'm so sad this is really the end. I'm going to miss everyone in this drama. This drama is totally one of the best for me! I love you so much show. I even get teary in the ending scene when Jae Ha said 'I love you' lol I guess I love this drama a bit too much.

PS: I read from someone's comment (in tryp96's article of the warp party) that Seung Gi actually cried a lot when he was shooting ESK's death scene, and they said he continued to cry even after the director said "cut".

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@jane - yes i read that he couldn't collect his emotions together and by the time his fans saw him heading out of the filming site, his voice had become hoarse from crying...

*heart*

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Aside from a few faults it was a good drama. I'll pretend Shi-kyung didn't die and that the scene where he appears in Jae Shin's imagination is actually him reuniting with her. I'll rather be delusional than heartbroken.

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This drama is so brilliant that I won't settle for just a single viewing of these 20 episodes. I am sure to watch it again... at least a couple of times more. I love this drama and I love the Ah-ha couple so much. Their scenes together made me addicted to this show.

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I'm already re-watching :P And I forsee myself re-watching it time and time again~

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LOL I just realized that their wedding day is the day of the last episode 5.24 XD why am I so slow on picking that up hahaha
I should go smash my head in a wall

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Yes..the day of the last episode...lol. and the day the US is supposed to launch their attack to NK.

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"I should go smash my head in a wall"

puwahahaa

It's okay, Raine, there were too many things happening with our OTP that you would've paid attn to a 'lil detail. :D

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that's why this show is worth spazzing and rewatching. I bet you'll continue to get new insights

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Haha yea with all the crazy things going on in that finale, no mind to care about the little details. that's why I love rewatching the episodes, I always find something new ^^

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Well, I think I'm worst. Have been reading google translation text on MBC website and keep seeing Ducking Tuhacheu over and over again. All this while, I thought it was duckling or something.

Only this morning it comes to me that, that is the romanization of the king two hearts. It has been 3 months of seeing that and I only realised that this morning? Silly me!

*joining the smashing head activity*

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"All this while, I thought it was duckling or something."

ROFLing....TOO.FUNNY!! hahaaaaaa

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Oh i have made that mistake too, maeye86! ROTFL

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pls dun tell me u've realised it earlier. coz i feel like a loser for realizing it this morning. T_____T

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LOL You're really cute and funny!

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@Raine
Can you smash my head first before you do because I only find out the meaning of May 24 from YOU! LMAO! The writers are really freaking smart!

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LOL ok we'll all go smash our heads into the wall XD
but seriously I love it when writers put in details like this into the drama, it's fun to find out about them during re-watches~ and 5.24 will be etched into my mind for a long time I think
5.24 operation morning calm, Ah-Ha wedding, TK2H finale, cast wrap-up party
sigh I'm missing this drama already ;_;

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I thought it was really cool that the drama chose May 24th as the day that war was averted by NK and SK becoming partners because May 24th happens to be International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament. I don't think that hardly anybody observes the day anymore, but back in the 80's when the nuclear arms race was really heating up (I know, a lot of you weren't even born then!), a lot of events took place on that day. On May 24th 1982, exactly 30 years ago, about a million women around the world (but mostly in Europe) participated in a day of local actions and even our local trade unions secured the day off for female members who wanted to participate. It was rather impressive considering it was self-organising and in those days, there was no internet nor other social networking platforms to help spread the word. TK2H brought back a lot of memories for me of how scary "The Cold War" was at times.

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Thanks for that bit of info. The writers really do do their research!

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'Morning calm" I realize later that Korea is also known as "The Land of the Morning Calm."

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Just finished reading everyone's comments. Is it just me or is the atmosphere here really subdued today? Is this how it's like to mourn the passing of a great drama? A certain hollowness, emptiness at having nothing to look forward to on Wed & Thurs nights, no more sweet JH&HA and SK&JS moments, no more awesome QD & Dad, no more funny, goofy Young-bae (btw, all the best with the SK soldier), no more emotional roller-coaster rides, no more DB recaps and comments to read, no more.... sigh!

As a Chinese saying goes, there no party in the world that doesn't come to an end. Cheers, everyone!

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@babes - once Hearties come out from their zombie-fied state (which usually follows after a really good drama) and they start rewatching again, they may come back here and spazz some more...? hehe.

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Episode 20 was amazing. It felt like the satisfying last movement of a bold original symphony. So happy that the writers delivered the final piece!

Thanks for recapping! I would never have watched this drama if not for the first few recaps here that made it sound so interesting.

This drama has really achieved much - it made people think, sometimes really deeply. Like a true work of art, not just a cheap piece of entertainment.

And I'm glad that the writers did not bow to popular pressure and kept SK alive. Holding true to the aims of your work is the mark of a true artist. Pleasing the crowd will get you more happy people but that's just cheap in the long run. Ms Hong, applause for your guts.

I know that I'll be keeping an eye out for her work in the future regardless of the cast. (Coincidentally, amazing actors seem to be attracted to their script - in BV it was Kim Myung Min.)

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Dear random person,

I always feel Shi Kyung's character is not that fully developed. (The bot in his nickname is there for good reason.) I understand there is a lot love for him from fans, but for me, I am much more attracted to layered, complicated characters.

I love Kim Myung Min! Even in ordinary K-drama like "Bad Family" he shines. It's a shame I just could not bring myself to watch BV (because of another actor). And KMM won a lot of rewards for his BV performance. Sincerely hope the same will happen for Seung Gi. His Jae Ha really deserves it.

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I agree with you. I also feel that SK's character is too perfect. No one's like that. A little too simplistic for me. It's as if he's right out of a fairytale. I too prefer characters with multi-layers.

But I think that that is the attraction for many viewers. After all, which female doesn't like a knight in shining armour?

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I am just curious what it takes to be a brilliant writer and director just like Hong and PD Lee ? This drama is just so amazing, I can't fathom how "geniuses" in these fields are created. I admire them so much. I am privileged to experience their creation come into life in a drama called "TK2H". Simply the best.

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TK2H is definetely the most memorable kdrama so far for me!
Its wonderful n amazing journey, with all of rollercoaster or twister feeling, this make deep impact to me. And also reading GF recap n hearties comments, this unforgettable!
Thanks GF, all hearties, and TK2H....such as renaissance journey from Kdramaland!
Love...love....BIG LOVE!!!

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My thanks to you, dear girlfriday. I am really impressed by the way you know and love these characters. I treasure their beautiful moments, hopefully the same way you described and felt it since english is my second language. I will always remember earnest bot, dear dads and queen of comrades, comrades and all their cheerful dreams. I am taking my time saying goodbye. Dizzy-dizzy.

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Thank you for all TK2H recaps, girlfriday..
realy love your insight in this episode ^^

TK2H is one of the best Kdrama for me...
so addicting:
- watch it raw or live,
- followed and read its recaps & forums,
- watch it with subs on next day,
- download the video and subs,
- once again wacthing the video and listening the OST while waiting for the next wednesday-thursday episode

LSG, i'm falling in love with your acting
HJW, i love you more and more ^^

thumb up for all actors and production team!

TK2H Manse...!

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hey we are doing the same thing hahahaha! really tk2h virus in contagious hahaha!

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What an excellent thoughtful analysis! You really helped me wrap my head around the finale episodes.

My heart is still in pieces, Shi Kyung's death contributed to making Jae Ha the king he became, but I don't have to like it and as you pointed out in light of Bong Gu's bail and subsequent punishment it just seems like a waste.

I loved that the bonds of the WOC team lasted thru everything. Loved all of the leads but now I am a definite LSG fan-girl (ok...fan-old-lady). He really developed the layers of what started as such a flawed character, and I agree this is a break out for him. HJW was awesome.

Thank you for keeping me sane with these recaps! I enjoyed them so much and also reading the comments and generally sharing this experience. Though the ending is bittersweet, I will miss this drama and think about it for a long time to come. Gonna be hard to find anything close...

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Fan-old-lady -- LOL
You and me both!

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You know when watching this show, it actually remind me a lot of Ballad of Suh Dong. I'm not sure if any of you have watch it before but it was 2005's drama by Jo Hyun Jae and Lee Bo Young. It is one of my favourite Saeguk drama of all time.

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/index.php?title=Ballad_of_Suh_Dong&redirect=no

Somehow, the story line of Tk2H remind me of it. How 2 people from different countries (The man was an illegitimate son of the king and eventually became a king with the help of a princess from another country) fall in love and fight to be together. It was romantic.

Even the princess in Ballad of Suh Dong was kind of strong for me. Not badass as Hang Ah (Hang Ah was top notch. I will wait for another drama to create an awesome lead girl one day) but she did everything to help him and badass on her on way. Smart and everything. LoL Sorry.. I can't really explain it well. But basically TK2H reminds me a LOT of Ballad of Suh Dong.

Thou, I'm glad the ending of TK2H is not as gruesome as Ballad of Suh Dong, where I hate the last 3 or 2 (I can't remember) episodes.

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I almost forgot... >_<" I can't believe this..

Thanks Girlfriday for the AWESOME recap for the past 20 episodes. It was awesome. I did not really ever comment here (I think. I can't remember if I ever comment for TK2H) but I have always looking forward for your recap. its AWESOME..

and I want to thanks other commenters too. You guys are again AWESOME! I love reading your theories and opinions. This drama really make one think hard.. ^^

Hope to see you all soon in another drama. let us hope, it will be as awesome as this or maybe perhaps almost as awesome as this..

P.S: I used too many AWESOME here.... Mian-nae.. kkkkk

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There is one thing that made me want to laugh constantly even when the scene was serious;

"It's war"

I blame MBLAQ for that! The music video kept popping into my head and I HAD to laugh...

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You did a great job with the recaps. I so love this drama. It's my first time watching a Korean Drama while it's broadcast in South Korea.. ^_^ Super love Ha Ji Won and Lee Seung Gi (oppa ^_^) together.. Hope I can see more from them.. Thanks again!

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ha, why does Jo Jung-seok keep doing that finger-to-cheek pose? (2nd time i am seeing him do this) v girl group!!! is he being cheeky??

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Is that a pun? LOL.

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Ah... Final episode recap - thank you GF !!!

As many have mentioned before, your recaps greatly enhances our experience watching TK2H

Not forgetting this wonderful TK2H hearties community which has given us common grounds to voice our thoughts and pour our hearts out .... thank you all !!!

I'll still be hanging around and clicking refresh very often :-) - just felt that it is important that appreciation & acknowledgement to GF and Hearties is declared first !!!

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When I think about the old Jae Ha, the first one who cowardly ducked for cover during their WOC exercise, the one who shot Hang Ah, the one who sent her back to North Korea because she dared called him a trash...the Jae Ha who always took the easy way out, who only thought about his comfort...I can only smile.

Look how far he's come, our Jae Ha. We knew he had it in him somewhere. Jae Kang knew, Hang Ah knew, Shi Kyung knew. But it was only when they took all these 3 people closest to his heart away from him that we really saw just how great he can be.

I cried buckets when Jae Kang died, I cursed and cried even more when Shi Kyung was killed in such a seemingly meaningless way, so angry that I was ready to dismiss this show. Then I started to question "What now?" with the threat of war and how Hang Ah was manipulated to go back to the North and be separated yet again so late in the game.

Until I realized that yes, it was all necessary. It was only when they weren't by his side -- no responsible older hyung to reprimand him, no earnest soldier to risk his life for him, no kickass lover to rescue him. Only then did we see Jae Ha's true strength and greatness. The one who can look at death in eye without flinching because he believes in something worth dying for -- his love for Hang Ah and his love for his people.

I am so very proud of you, Jae Ha.

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Gosh, you guys are making me cry with your thoughts... good tears though. :)

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@yeisha,

Great point about Jae Ha being solitary when the most difficult challenge was presented to him and when he had to work out a solution by digging deeper inside himself. In fact the flash-backs reinforced this point. We see all the past efforts in shaping Jae Ha are not wasted; they all left indelible impressions. It's so poignant. But it is also uplifting at the same time. A phoenix rising above the ashes came to mind.

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"It was only when they weren’t by his side — no responsible older hyung to reprimand him, no earnest soldier to risk his life for him, no kickass lover to rescue him. Only then did we see Jae Ha’s true strength and greatness. The one who can look at death in eye without flinching because he believes in something worth dying for — his love for Hang Ah and his love for his people."

I'm so proud of JH too!

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lovely. Lovely. LOVELY!! Got teary-eyed....2 days after the show's wrapped up and will continue to do so for a long time...

We've all contributed in teasing apart the complex layers that characterize King Jae-ha's ultimate growth. If we were to compile them into an essay it would be long, comprehensive, and poignant. Nothing short of over-whelming!!

As GF mentioned earlier, it's the people who make the King. In JH's case in addition to the saram it took these three individuals to be snatched away (two forever *sniffles*) for him to blossom into a wise, competent, and formidable ruler!! Respects!! <3

Much love to the writers in effectively accomplishing this goal!!

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@Minea, RearWindow, Arhazivory, Topper, Reglest, Nutella, MTOTH, Girlfriday and all the others I have missed since there are so many of you. It has been a wonderful venture shared through 20 hours of TK2H.

There isn't that much to say that hasn't been already said by somebody else but this drama to me had more pros than cons. Every episode starting from 1 all the way to 20 has been such a roller coaster ride. Like in Ep19 where Hang-Ah spent with Jae-Ha at the carnival. I keep coming back wanting more. That is how good it has been.

I know the ending isn't to everyones liking or maybe even expectations but it was great for me. It wrapped up most stories nicely with happy endings. Of course except for 1 but we can forgive the writers, can't we?

As for the PD/writer, just needed to say good job and wish there was more intimate scenes with the OTP yet still job well done.

Until next time we meet up with another great K-drama. Good bye and it was nice meeting you.

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I also noticed that in Ep20, Jae-Ha only press the red button after the chairman said that he has to send Hang-Ah back to North Korea. He wasn't about to let her go back so he took to plan B and threaten to give him 5 mintues to decide. I think that only showed how desperately he needed her back in his arm. That is how good the show really is.

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Aww, thankies, you made me feel very special <333

I echo your thoughts, everything has been a wild rollercoaster ride, and the fact that it's really over hasn't quite hit me yet. I'm sure I'm going to have a breakdown once it does.

And yes, after all that gorgeousness, I'm willing to cut some slack for everyone, though that doesn't mean I'm going to stop crying at the very thought of Earnest Bot. I sincerely hope for a season 2, because Show dear has left me wanting moar~

Goodbye sounds so final.. I prefer something along to lines of... oh.. iunno... "See you in a minute!"? It was lovely meeting all of you too. I'll be rolling around in the QIHM comments section if anyone wants to see me again ^^~

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I really love this recap. Thank you recap that share it and thank all comment that share stress and happy. I'm fan lee seunggi not fan k2h, sorry fan k2h, truely i watch it cus my favorit star. I'm really crazy because disappoint of 2 part end story. Love all cast.but sorry i hate writer so much and some time love.i agree all mind of recap, all thouht lee seunggi not good with powerfull and some emotion but i hope future he sucess like grow by grow. I love him from everything and true charm hisself. All commemt love sk because you find him best actor, i agree. You hope saw him in drama, he he but i think you want saw lee seunggi in more drama. Wasn't sg is not fantastic actor.sg fighting , learn more learn. Hope saw him in varity than drama cus he make viewer smile by himself not from actor. Sorry so long .

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I just needed to say how funny that the next minion in line after the 1st one died is named Daniel Craig. Isn't that the name of the latest James Bond actor?

Also Kudos to Secretary Eun for finally standing up to John Mayer and show his son that he can be the father that he looked up to. A outstanding outright citizen who helps the king. That should a least put his dead son at peace and redeem himself a bit.

Also did you see the black dress HJW was wearing in the last shot of the episode. I mean what outfit does this women not look good in. I kind of wish that they made her look prettier in her Hanbok. Like a real queen to be especially felt they should have done something more with her hair. The shoes she was wearing for the wedding was awesome though. Wonder where we can get a pair just like it. Ha!Ha!

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Oh oh, I admire all of her shoes in this drama. Went for window shopping last week but couldn't find anything similar to hers.

And did anyone notice how smoking hawwtt she was at the meeting with ICC rep?

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I know. The white dress and then the black one. So hot! I can understand why LSG is infatuated with her. Which guy wouldn't be but then they would probably be too initmated by her to really ask her out.

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Yeah, I think HJW looks fab in white. It sets off her tanned complexion so well and enhances her fan figure.

I just realised in this show that she kinda looks like my mum when she was in her early 20s with the flip up hair and my mum's penchant for white ...

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BG's first minion, did he ever have a name? I don't recall BG saying his name. ??

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I think his name is Collin. Thought I saw that in some previews

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never in my 39 years of life experience such a psychological roller coaster of excitement that beyond happiness of mind stabbing heart wrenching brain washing and painful awaiting enduring moment..... happened to be caused by a non reality event called a Korean drama The King 2 Hearts.

My life will never be the same since I upgraded it in so many levels, I am legally and totally dehearted....

The King 2 Heart.. I bow my head on the holly ground of mother earth 3 times.
RESPECT.

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lets all bow our heads together....Tk2h bravo!

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Bowing my head...

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Bowed.

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Totally agreed that this drama is off the chart.

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*joining the team bowing*

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Yeah, it's better than being in any amusement park ride.

*bows*

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Salute !!!

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Bowing deeply too. This drama is the best!

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Doing the traditional, formal Korean bow.

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You guys learn too much from Hodong~

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*stunned* I'm gonna do the same with @Duncerblur, so what should I do now?

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The points you made GF were on the mark. At least for me. I still think that the security people would have hosed John Meyer down for shooting Earnestbot. They were already pumped up from shooting Bon Bon.

But yeah killing Shi-Kyung deflated the balloon for me. I actaully did not really care for what was to come afterwards. It was all muted thunder.

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Love. Love. LOVE.
One of my favorite drama's of all time. I'm upset that they pulled a "City Hunter" on me (they killed off ESK) but I'm happy that everything worked out in the end.

Well.. everything except ESK. I love Jae Ha's character. How intelligent he is, how bratty he was, how gorgeous he is *Ahem.. Ahem*. Basically everything about him.
This drama wouldn't have been so great without the amazing actors of course.

Jo Jung Suk's acting amazed me so much. He is definitely an actor to look out. I'm gonna stalk all his drama's starting from now lol.
Lee Yoon Ji was perfect for Jae Shin's role. When she cried, i cried. When she laughed, i laughed. She showed a real depth to her character.
Ha Ji Won.... Do i really need to say anything? She was amazing. As usual. I think this drama is her best work so far. Yes, even more than Secret Garden. She is one bad-ass chick.
Dear Lee Seung Gi... Will you marry me? No joke. I could get a helicopter in South Korea in 30 minutes. We could elope. Lets face it people, nobody could have played Jae Ha's character as well as Seung Gi did. I mean Jae Ha was so lovable even when he was a brat. The proposal between Hang Ah and Jae Ha? Swoon-worthy. When he spoke french in one of the episodes, i was going to faint. I swear. SO. HOT.
Lee Sung Min was great too. But i think what really stood out, was how well they all worked together. For me, King 2 Hearts will always have a special place in MY heart.

P.s, How cute was the "Omani" scene?

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Did anyone else notice the small detail? The tiny-teeny one?

Wedding Date : May 24th...
Finale Broadcast : May 24th

Tell me I'm not a dork for noticing it...

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No you are not a dork but they did it this way to make a statement so that you will always remember this drama. How cool is that. Don't say the writers didn't do a lot of thinking before writing out this drama.

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I know! I was very impressed that they would include the detail. It made me smile thinking about how the drama ended on the same day of the marriage - even if it's in a fictional world hahah...

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Haha i totally did not realize that... Awesome...

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Isn't it awesome if the Director/PD/Writers drop us a sneak on our Royal couple a year from now as their 1 year wedding anniversary? Like how they actually celebrate their first year as a married couple before the 4 years jump ahead? hehehehe

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We could hope - or beg or just write fanfictions LOL

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I did not catch this! Brilliant writers!

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great observation. i didn't even notice. too busy this week and this drama kept on getting in my thoughts. LOL.

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