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Queen In-hyun’s Man: Episode 15

Awesome. Such a kickass exploration of the consequences of messing with time and fate. So you defeat the baddies and win your freedom and your love. What else is there to fear? As it turns out, a pissed-off mystical talisman is a helluva lot more scary than mere mortals, and more dangerous, especially when it wants its pound of flesh. It’s enough to make you go fetal, biting your nails helplessly. Gulp. Hold me.

I know the finale has aired, but be warned: If you spoil the ending for me, I will hex you.

SONG OF THE DAY

Yozoh – “동경소녀” (Longing girl) [ Download ]

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EPISODE 15 RECAP

That night, after Boong-do joins Hee-jin for good in the present day, Hee-jin lays in bed awash in giddiness. Unable to sleep, she takes out a keepsake box and looks at the talisman Boong-do gave her earlier, telling her, “I have no need of it now. Keep it for me.” Aw, in Boong-do-speak, that’s about as concrete a promise to stay with you as a person could give.

Hee-jin tucks it away in the box, then wonders if she should put it in a secure vault for safekeeping. She’ll take it to the bank tomorrow.

Boong-do calls from his own apartment to ask her a question: “On a clock, does the long hand have to hit the 9 for it to be 45 minutes past the hour?” She confirms, and he rattles off a whole slew of calculations to confirm more clock-related questions, saying that he’d guessed how to read a clock before, “But I should know for sure now.”

Then it’s on to things like “What is Christmas?” Hee-jin: “It’s the day Jesus was born.” Boong-do: “Who’s Jesus?”

I love that Hee-jin squirms at his questions, which are all very simple things that everybody knows, but which are annoyingly difficult to explain from absolute zero. Like his question about why people changed the direction of writing books from right-to-left to left-to-right.

She complains, “Why are you so curious about so many things?” but you can hardly stay upset when he reasons that he should get used to this world quickly so he won’t embarrass her by acting the fool. She’s adorably frustrated as he zooms along on his quest for knowledge: “This thing called a necktie. It seemed as though most working people wear them. What is the reason? They look uncomfortable.”

She thinks of an answer and chirps that there IS a reason for the neckties, and says she’ll go over in person ’cause it’s hard to explain. Are you going to grab him for a kiss? Hee. Either that, or throttle him.

Hee-jin runs across the neighborhood to his place, though he’s all, I wasn’t THAT curious. She picks a tie and explains that wives used to tie these for their husbands in the morning, and demonstrates. Then she pulls him in and gives him a kiss, HA! I knew it.

Hee-jin’s so proud of herself that she dissolves into giggles, crowing that this is the necktie’s purpose. But Boong-do raises not so much as a single eyebrow, and tells her, “When I listen to you, it seems as though the reason for everything in this world is to enable kisses. What kind of lustful world is this?” Hahaha.

She answers, “I didn’t realize, but you’re right. Why, do you dislike it?” He says in his awesome deadpan, “Why would I? It is lustful, and I like it very much.”

Giggling, she looks around for something else to “explain” and leads him away. He smiles, “I am curious for yet another absurd kissing explanation.”

It’s 3 am when Soo-kyung wakes up and finds Hee-jin gone, grumbling in annoyance. Hee-jin’s snoozing on Boong-do’s arm as he reads in bed, and mumbles sleepily, “Just twenty more minutes.” After all, her place is only five minutes away—a thought that makes her marvel, since it wasn’t long ago that he had to travel 300 years each time to be with her.

As she falls asleep, she arranges a date for tomorrow, telling him he can study in the morning, but after that it’s time to play. The next afternoon she leaves the drama set in high spirits, with Soo-kyung sending her off with warnings to be careful while they’re in public.

Hee-jin finds Boong-do waiting for her at a restaurant and notes his knotted tie. He tells her that his teacher taught him all the wrong things, so he had to resort to figuring it out himself. She promises to order him something tasty, but he says he already ordered: mushroom cream fettuccine. He has no idea what it is, “But surely it won’t kill me.”

Cut to: Boong-do, struggling to choke down his rich pasta. Hee-jin points out cheekily that he ought to have taken her recommendation, ’cause he probably feels like he’s dying right now. Boong-do manages a twisted smile and says it’s good; if his expression looks funny, it’s because he’s agog over its deliciousness.

Cutely, she keeps poking fun (“You’re done eating already? But you said it’s delicious”) and he refuses to admit he chose badly (“It’s so delicious, I am trying to savor it”).

She offers him her tomato-based spaghetti, but he keeps refusing it, determined to see his meal through. Then she feeds him a bite, he registers the difference, and immediately swaps plates. A-dor-a-ble.

They sit there with feet interlocked, sharing a plate, re-creating the Lady & Tramp noodle-kiss. Boong-do notes, “I should eat this every day.”

They’ve had a running conversation throughout the show about going to visit Florence, and now that he’s settling here, Hee-jin wants to take the trip. Say next month, after her drama wraps. As they walk through the park after eating, she notes that their big problem will be the passport—that might get complicated.

Boong-do assures her he’ll take care of it, because he’s doing some reading on how to create an identity. Ha. She says he’s turning into a criminal, and he says there’s no other way.

He wonders at the street cart selling cotton candy, and Hee-jin tells him it’s super-spicy. He knows she’s messing with him again and points out that everyone’s eating it happily, and she returns that it’s ’cause they’re “agog” at the taste.

He gets up to buy one (she requests three), and they send googly eyes at each other, perfectly content. I’m starting to feel uneasy because this much happiness can’t last… and then Boong-do disappears. ACK!

He literally just poofs away. Hee-jin looks away for a second and turns back to find him vanished. Whaaaa?

Boong-do reappears in the forest, registering the change with confusion. Then a piece of yellow paper flutters down from the sky and lands at his feet: his talisman? How’d it get here from Hee-jin’s keepsake chest? A chill just went down my spine.

Hee-jin missed the moment of disappearance and looks around for any sign of him. Her call doesn’t go through, and she starts to feel uneasy. Boong-do tries his phone as well, but gets nothing.

He sees a pair of travelers walking nearby, dressed in Joseon garb, and looks down at the talisman. Just as a dark shadow creeps over it, turning the yellow black. Oh holy hell. That shiver I felt a moment ago? That’s nothing compared to the one I feel now.

Hee-jin calls Soo-kyung and asks her to check her box for her, and confirms that the talisman isn’t there.

Boong-do thinks back to caveats that came attached with the talisman: that it wouldn’t necessarily “obey” his will just because it belonged to him, or Yoon-wol’s will because she requested it, or the monk’s because he wrote it.

He heads to the gisaeng establishment in search of Yoon-wol, dressed in black and hiding his face under a large hat. She’s currently entertaining at a party, though the other gisaengs note that she stepped aside to restring her gayageum and has been away a while.

With that tip, Boong-do heads for a back room, and finds not Yoon-wol but an enormous muthafuckin’ smear of blood on the floor. Oh crap. On the bloodstained step outside, he finds a hairpin. He follows the trail of blood and spots another pin and a red sash on the ground.

Boong-do quickens his steps and continues, until he sees something that makes him drop those clues altogether: Yoon-wol’s body, slumped over, her neck ravaged and bloody. Boong-do registers her death and breaks down in tears.

In flashback, we see what happened: Ja-soo attends one of the parties and is in a foul mood as he drinks alone outside. He spots Yoon-wol walking across the courtyard, carrying her gayageum, and follows her to the back room. He accuses her of feeling complacent now that Minister Min is dead, furiously cutting her down with his sword. Then he drags her body out, leaving her where she now lies.

Boong-do cries as he places the fallen pin back into Yoon-wol’s hair, then gets up with furious purpose. He finds a gisaeng, asking where the guest with the sword is. He bursts into that room with eyes burning, gripping his sword, and removes the hat to reveal his face.

Ja-soo is, naturally, shocked, since Boong-do is supposed to be dead. But he’s not too concerned with the particulars of how this is possible, because at least now he gets to kill him. He charges Boong-do, and the other partygoers run screaming as the two men engage in a knock-down drag-out fight.

Ja-soo’s the first to score an injury, slicing Boong-do across the arm. Boong-do is fueled by wrath and fights back hard, but he sustains a second injury, across the leg.

Their blades lock in a clash, with Boong-do on the defensive… and then Boong-do does something shocking. He lets his blade slide away, so that Ja-soo’s sword is cutting down directly onto his shoulder, and he grabs the blade directly with his bare hand. Ack! What can he mean to do?

Boong-do musters the strength to throw Ja-soo’s sword off with his bare hand, then hurls his sword at him like a javelin. (Ah, he was freeing his blade so he could launch it.) He misses and his sword embeds in the wood paneling instead, but Boong-do is so enraged that Ja-soo is spooked.

Boong-do is unarmed, but charges anyway right at Ja-soo, never mind the fact that Ja-soo’s holding up his sword and shoves it into his side. WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING. What happened to, I want to live? Boong-do’s charge literally impales himself upon Ja-soo’s sword, but amazingly, he continues his mission: Kill Ja-soo, no matter what.

With the sword still stuck in his side, Boong-do grabs his own from the wall and surprises Ja-soo with a slice across the throat, sending him slumping to the ground. Dead. Well, thank the lord for that, but what about YOU?

Hee-jin paces in the now-empty park, loath to leave it, while Boong-do travels to the temple to see the monk, who is relieved to see him alive after all. Boong-do tells him that Yoon-wol, however, is dead. He was unable to bring her body for fear of being caught, but he feels she would have wanted to be brought here and asks the monk to see to it.

In the morning, the gibang is a crime scene, with Ja-soo and a number of his minions lying dead. The police try to make sense of the bloodbath, and why the killer asked after Yoon-wol, who also lies dead.

The monk warns Boong-do that the authorities are looking for him and urges him to hasten his departure. Boong-do agrees that he should leave, lest the reappearance of a dead man breed new chaos, but wonders if that is no longer a possibility. Taking out the talisman, he shows it to the monk—it has turned completely black.

Boong-do says it changed the moment Yoon-wol died. Ah, so he sensed something of that sort when the talisman transformed in his hand. The monk seems to think Yoon-wol was what called him back, while Boong-do wonders whether the principle of the talisman will still hold, saving him at the moment of death.

Hee-jin is still in the park in the morning, telling herself that he’ll come back while brushing away tears.

Boong-do makes his way to his secret spot in the forest where he makes his time-leaps, finding his modern clothing. He changes, then takes the blackened talisman to test whether it works. Eeeek. It’s not a face of confidence he wears, and he must be bracing for possible death, but what choice has he?

He holds the blade to his throat, which must be how he has been making his leaps all along. (One quick slash triggers the jump.) He closes his eyes and starts to draw the blade… and poof. Oh thank god.

Boong-do reappears in the park to sounds of modern life, and now his phone turns on. Hee-jin answers in tears, and he apologizes for worrying her.

He’s surprised that she’s still in the park and spots her off in the distance, sitting where he left her. He makes his way toward her and says that there was some trouble with the talisman, then asks if she’d stayed the entire night. She cries, “Of course, where else could I wait when this is where you disappeared?”

She sees him now, approaching her, and he speeds up his pace to run the last distance toward her… and then he disappears. NO!

She looks around frantically. He sees his Joseon clothing on the ground, marking his return, and his eyes well with tears like he’s realized he’s in some sort of Time-enforced prison. Resistance is futile—how can you beat a mystical power greater than yourself?

He falls to his knees and cries. So does she.

That night, Boong-do says goodbye to the monk, saying that the head monk is his last hope. He’s making the long journey to find him.

Soo-kyung stews all day waiting for Hee-jin, then storms off to Boong-do’s apartment to confront her, only to find Hee-jin slumped alone in the empty house. Soo-kyung wonders what’s the cause of all her mood swings, then curses “that rotten bastard” for doing this to her, determined to fight this one out. Where is he? When’s he coming home?

Hee-jin says brokenly, “What do I do? I might not be able to see him again. I think that was the end.” She clings to Soo-kyung sobbing, “How can that be the end? How could this be?”

Boong-do rides all day, and the next. And then, we cut to one month later.

Hee-jin goes through the motions of daily life in a daze, while Boong-do rides on, nearly falling off his horse in exhaustion. Finally he arrives at his destination, clinging to his one hope. But it’s only bad news that awaits him: The head monk died last month.

Boong-do falls into despair, thinking of Hee-jin crying for him. He contemplates the talisman; he’d explained to the monk that when it ripped, the other world reset, as though he’d never been there. Uh-oh, are you thinking what I’m afraid you’re thinking?

He’d asked the monk if the same would happen again, and if Hee-jin would also forget him this time. He’d blinked back tears as he explained that there would be someone worrying herself sick waiting for him, “But I have no way of getting there. If it takes a year, or ten, if only I could go there I would. But I can’t go. If she were to wait for me in sadness, would it not be better for her to forget me entirely?”

Now he wonders if burning the talisman would erase all those memories.

Boong-do sits at a desk, putting ink to paper. He writes that this is a letter for both her and for himself, as he doesn’t know whether he’ll even remember that he wrote it.

“When I first came into possession of this talisman, I wanted to know what its cause and effect were. At first, I thought it was the realization of my frustrated dream. Then, I thought that its effect may have been meeting you. After that, I thought that effect could be to start anew in a different world. But now, belatedly I realize that its cause and effect is that for saving my life, I would lose everything. My future, my name, my values, my people. And you too. To gain life, one must pay a price and lose something else—that is obvious logic. That I believed I could keep one of those things was my own foolishness. How much more will I have to lose to satisfy that price? Not being able to meet you again—that such a thing is a luxury is something I have now realized.”

Both are crying now, in their respective times. Boong-do as he writes, and Hee-jin as she sits in the rain, back in the park. He continues:

“Memories. Our memories… Losing them is the final price. I do not know what happens now. Will we forget each other? Or will we live unable to forget, forever tormented?”

Hee-jin comes home soaked from rain.

“If I have a last wish, I want to remember you. In an aimless life, to not even have those memories would be hell. And you… and you… if you should happen to read this letter far into the future, I pray you will not realize for whom this letter is meant.”

Boong-do finishes writing, folds up the letter, and takes out his talisman. It is entirely black, with no traces of writing still visible. He burns it.

 
COMMENTS

Glug… glug… glug… Drowning in tears, here.

I figured talisman issues would be the final stretch for this drama, now that Boong-do has seemingly vanquished all other foes and has only to live out his happily ever after to make the story complete. Or so we think. But I hadn’t expected things to turn so dire. It’s both terrible (for our hearts) and wonderful (narratively). The bigger the ditch you dig for your characters, the more gratifying when they find their way out. Some dramas get overambitious and can’t quite pull off that latter part, but I have faith in Queen In-hyun’s Man.

If the drama had ended with Episode 14, I would’ve been perfectly happy with the resolution, ’cause I would have gotten 14 episodes of taut storytelling and a satisfying romantic conclusion. It may have occurred to me, somewhere in the far reaches of my mind, that the talisman issue hadn’t been entirely explained, and I would have possibly wondered how Boong-do’s faked death would have been enough to satisfy the talisman’s demands, per Yoon-wol’s warnings of calamity. But I would have been, by and large, content to let those slide.

Thus it’s to the show’s credit that it doesn’t rest upon that complacency and pushes further, driving our characters completely off that cliff instead of teasing us with a fall and then pulling them back at the last moment. I’m impressed with how seriously it takes the issue of the talisman’s retribution, and a chill went down my spine during Boong-do’s letter when he outlined the cost required to put things to rest, because it made a damn lot of sense that he would have to give up everything, even as my stomach sank with the realization.

I’m tempted to blame Yoon-wol for short-sightedly giving him the talisman in the first place, only then he’d have died earlier. I don’t feel that his life would have been better without her giving it to him, but the cost is just painful enough to make you wonder. In that sense, it really is an equal exchange; you get away with some stolen time and a wonderful series of experiences, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Boong-do may continue on harboring a lifetime of grief, but he wouldn’t exchange what the talisman gave him for blissful ignorance, and for that I respect him and the depth of his feeling.

I love how the drama takes us to the darker side of the fallout of cheating death, in a way that so doesn’t gloss it over in rosier hues. Other stories do that because logic gets in the way of romance, and those that don’t tend to be horror stories (Final Destination and its ilk). I appreciate that this show doesn’t let its characters off the hook in search of that happy ending; yes it tends to put a damper on things, but when you can satisfy both cold logic and emotional gratification is when you really nail the question at the heart of time-travel conundrums. Otherwise they’re not really conundrums, just convenient plot devices.

When the show turned Boong-do’s (comedic) momentary panic over possibly liaising with Queen In-hyun into a bigger plot point, I mentioned being impressed with its thoughtful preparation of such a storyline. It managed not to give away the setup for the future slander by working the issue into the moment, so that when it came back later it was an unforeseen turn, but not one that came as a shock.

We have another of those moments in Episode 15, when Boong-do makes his last trip back to the present/future. I’ve wondered at the exact mechanism of Boong-do’s time-leaping in past episodes, but I’d assumed the drama was sparing us needless repetition and chose to cut those moments out. It wasn’t too hard to figure that he was somehow endangering himself, in the way that he once forced Han-dong to shoot him with an arrow.

But it turns out this was a calculated omission, because only now do we see what the actual act of leaping requires, and it makes this instance incredibly harrowing because we don’t know whether it will work. It’s a nerve-wracking scene, and purposefully so. Great choice by the writer/director to withhold that, because it almost gave me a heart attack in this episode. It’s human nature to want to use our tools right away rather than patiently saving them for delayed gratification, but it’s worth the effect.

A side note: Apparently the drama had completed eight scripts prior to the start of filming. It shows. This practice isn’t always a surefire thing (Thousand Day Promise, for instance, also had about that many scripts in the can ahead of time and that drama meandered painfully), but really, this should be standard procedure. If you must insist on operating within the frantic last-minute live-shoot system to satisfy fan demands, then so be it—revise on the fly. But write beforehand. At the very least, it gives your cast some idea of where they’re going; it’s a lot easier to put your faith in a show when it’s excellent for eight scripts than when you’ve just got an interesting synopsis.

Finally, I have to say I’m super excited that the talisman was burnt. Before this episode, I was generally fine believing Boong-do and Hee-jin could have their blissful ending, but felt uneasy at the idea that they’d have to live their lives fearing for the talisman’s safety. Now that it’s gone, if—when—they reunite, I’ll finally feel that they’ve cleared all obstacles. I have no idea HOW, of course, but I have no doubt they’ll get there.

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weeee! I'm so happy. I love this drama!

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JB thank you so much :). Love how you tell the story and explained important things I totally missed.

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dayyum, this drama is like roller coaster ride..

they give u honey
later they fed us with poison
and back to medicine
again to poison

we all live/dies again and again in this drama
like BD

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Thank you so much for your recap javabeans... i have not watch the finale yet, but can not wait for sub to be up. Well from what i notice, when Bong Do came back after killing Ja-soo, and when he was a feet away from Hee Jin, he looked at the talisman and had this trouble expression. i think at that time he realized that letter are disappearing too, coz it was there at the time when Yoon-wol died. i think its the effect of the death of that monk he got told when he got there at the temple. This drama never leaves anything out for nothing. it always as reason and that is what so awesome about this drama. So excited for finale.
Thank you again.

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Thanks for the recap, JB.

Really liked this ep, but have to be honest. I'm really forward to your next (and final) recap for QIHM - I
anticipate LOTS of discussion.

Oh, and the added bonus of JHW declaring his love for his leading lady at the finale fanmeeting yesterday. Chaos erupted.
:)

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"looking forward"
sorry....

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^ We should probably SPOILER!!!!!!!!!! the thing about ep 16. Even things like that could ruin it for some people

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I don't think this is a spoiler. I'm not in Korea and I heard about it. Anyone a friend of QIHM Facebook would have heard about it. Several blogs have posted the YouTube video. Now talking about specifics in ep 16; those are spoilers.

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But why do they make their private life public?. I mean wouldnt they be better off keeping it to themselves so they wont be hounded by the crazy media and fans etc. I guess its good for publicity but doesnt always ends well for the couple.

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It is not for publicity! JHW is a serious actor and never says things liek this without meaning it and thinking about it a lot!

He is sincere, so stop saying is for piblicity, the drama ended, how is that publicity?

Don't you know? Dating in Korea in secret is hard, and their companies also are against it, so what is better than tell everyone about it?

This way the companies can't do anything and the fans like when someone is honest!

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And we all do respect each other's opinion here right?. How the heck do you know for sure that you are right and I'm wrong?.

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No one is right or wrong. Unfortunately, once you are in the public eye, you don't have a private life. from fans, paparazzi, and sometimes your management company, all seem to control your life. Him making the declaration weeks before going into the service tells me he is serious. Whether or not the relationship goes anywhere, remains to be seem but here's hoping :-D

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Publicity is a good thing for them as far as their career goes but it may not the same for their relationship. Thats what I meant. I never said he wasnt sincere at all. For heaven's sake we are all crazy about the guy.
I agree that they basically dont have a private life but some have managed to keep their relationship private. I guess it depends, some celebrities are ok with it and some will do anything to keep it between them.

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@Kiara: Sorry about that. I was worked up. lol

I was rude, sorry.

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@Lizzy no need to apologize. I think we are all feeling the effect of the talisman together with our OPT lol. I'm totally in a weird mood after watching the last eps (my claws come out easy lol). Knowing that was the end is depressing because I've never loved a show like QIHM before and I know it will be hard to top.

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That fanmeeting almost overshadowed everything else. I hope they can work out their relationship under the glaring eyes of the cameras, and the scary-fanatical netizens.

This episode had my heart in my throat over and over again. I felt that whole "too good to be true" vibe - no one in KDrama can be THIS happy and get away with it.

It's almost like a series of ever-worsening hurdles for our OTP, but I think it strengthens the bonds between them. If / when they get back together, their love will be much stronger and sure than if they hadnt had these prolonged separations and tinkering with the future going on.

On to the final episode! I'm rooting for you two!

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Yes, I was waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop! It dropped off a cliff!

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LOL - That thump was my jaw dropping along with my emotional whiplash.

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i have read the translated transcript of that fan meeting from Redpinkboxes blog ... luvitttt ... i think his confession is just one of his sweet moves as a "player" hehe ... just like the tiptoe kiss was also his idea ... it was like he directed that kiss himself lol!

thanks JB for the recaps ... can't wait for your thoughts on the final episode.

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thanks for the recap.. i love this drama whether i like the ending or not... I am also looking forwards the last recap and discussion.. i am sure a lot of ppl has a lot to say.. i have watched the last ep and not gonna give any spoiler..
to me... regardless how it ended... i love this drama no matter what..

i love this ep... the part when he put the sword around his throat... scary the hell out of me... even though i know he probably won't die... then the ending totally kill me.. i cried with him....

am about JHW declaring his love.. so cute.. and i really think they should get together... by looking at the drama... they looks so nature and sweet together... wish them the best.

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"i love this drama whether i like the ending or not"

Well, thats where I am at too although I would have been really happy if eps 14 was the ending.

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me too.. end at 14 will be perfect.. we got our happy ending... though i don't mind 15.. if it ended at 15.. i am also actually ok... it's sad ending.. but it explain the cause and effect of messing with fate.... but we got ep 16...

now it's over.. i think the time that i spent watching QIHM is well worth.

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Ill have to agree with jb and say that ep 14 was an awesome wrap up for the joseon saving-queen-in hyun storyline but we all somewhat knew that the talisman being destroyed was the end game- when we saw it being slashed and all the horrible effects, heejina nd boondo would always live with a nagging fear that hed warped back because with the talisman around he is still effectively tied to the past despite his own will - like yoonwol and the monk said. the talisman may be yours but it does not bend to your will. he would never truly belong to 2012 with it still around, and even if they stopped it at 14, the consequences of ep 15 wouldve happen as soon as yoonwol died, and given that their life span wasnt that long in joseon, even if it was 10, or 20 or even 30 happy years they had together, he still wouldve warped back eventually when the yoonwol and/or when the monk died.

just because we're happy doesnt mean they are, because theres not a "happy ever after" yet until the talisman goes. and given that its such a huge part of the drama, its existence needs to be addressed. so despite whatever ending happens, ep 14 wouldve just been OUR ending, not the end of trials for heejin and boondo, and i dont know about you but i want to be with them the whole way through despite the consequences and even if it kills my life :D

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im so happy that the talisman was burned because it only shows that their love would prevail and not be under the control of that magic which is given from YW.

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Seriously...they're a couple in real life? Why do I love that? So adorable.

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I have read and reread recaps everywhere where it's available, but haven't prepared myself when I actually watched it. Still cry a buckets. Tissue for my dripping eyes and nose please!

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Oh my God..now the recaps is even faster than the eng subs!!! *holding my breath*. Now I have to restrain myself to NOT read the entire recaps, and only the part which the spoiler I've read.

God, this episode is so sad yet beautiful! The way they parted, the way they suffered, the way Boong Do cried over Yeon Wol, the way he disapeared in front of Hee jin and criend on his knees, .. God, I feel that I wanna cry :((. And off course, the letter! It's so heartbreaking. I can feel Boong Do's sadness,dispair, loneliness, and love. I almost cried watching it. The choice of words are ao beautiful..full of love and dispair, and Ji Hyun Woo gave a good performance.

Really love the episode! This is a really sad one, but performed beautifully. Nice story, perfect script and directing!

*sob sob

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I have not seen this episode either. But if I did not, and watched this blind, I would be crying like I lost my best friend. This actually helps soften the blow; I will still cry, the visuals are totally different than reading it. I'm prepared for the heartache :-D

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Forgot one thing : thx dramabeans! :)

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Firstly, thanks javabeans for your recaps! I've watched this episode without knowing anything they said and yet I still emotionally invested in it. I literally scream to my laptop screen a screeching "NO!" when Boong Do put that sword of his on his neck. That's terrifying. It almost gave me a heart attack.

I was crying so hard watching the last part where Boong Do wrote his letter to Hee Jin. It was so beautifully written and didn't feel cheesy at all. But this drama is never about cheesy, it's always about logic.

And I didn't know that the writer have written 8 episodes prior the filming. That explains why this drama is so great and can make us so drawn in it, week by week. The only thing left is the recaps for the last episode. I can't wait to hear your thoughts about it!

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Ngeeekssss! Kept telling myself "don't read the recap. don't read the recap" but I ended up here before hitting the drama

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I was so anxious over this episode and the last one that I went ahead and watched them both raw. Even without understanding the dialogue, this episode about killed me. Almost makes me wish I'd waited until I had subs, but then it probably WOULD have killed me dead, and then I wouldn't have been able to read your awesome recaps :D

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Thanks for the recap and for the great review!

Yes I have watched the final episode but won't mention anything here because I am so looking forward to find out what you think about the ending!

This is a great drama because it surprised me almost in every episode with its twists and turns. I haven't came across one like this for a very long time!

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ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh, great episode !!!!

I was very sad and happy at the same time, sad , because of Hee-jin and Boong-do, and happy because finally that talisman is burned. I always hated that thing and never felt like it should stay with them in order for them to be together so, phew !
so now I'll be waiting for the recap of the final episode
can't wait !!!!
and thnx javabeans !!!!

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HAAAAAA! Finally, your recap! Not too critical, not too forgiving. I hate when other recappers are too critical of the technical stuff/flaws when they can't even write a coherent recap in the first place.

Anyhow, Episode 14 would have been fine as the finale but then again, there was Jasoo and the talisman's payback. It was always implied that there would be ramifications every time Boongdo cheats death.

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Thanks JB! I really loved this episode.

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*SOBFEST*

I think I just bawled my eyes out. Idk. I can't say anything else 'cause this ep. totally broke my heart. Fortunately, with the 1st ep's foreshadowing, though, I have hopes that happy ending is still what they will get.

Thanks for the recap and looking forward to the last one for QIHM!

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The storyline is insanely good!

Thanks JB for the recaps.

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I hope this series makes a home run and that you'll like the ending! Thanks javabeans x

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AND MAY I JUST ADD...THERE'S TOO MANY RECAPS LATELY...My eyes are hurting! Hahahaha. Too many dramas to track, good thing this one is finally over. One down, gazillions to go. Thanks lady recappers! :D

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Oh my God. I loved this episode (I feel like I've been saying that about every episode in this drama). How romantic is it that he'd rather her forget him than endure the pain of the memories but not being with him? Boong-do, you. are. perfect. Now, where can I find you in real life?

I like how you also felt that much happiness was a red flag. I kept dreading the moment when something terrible would happen, and when it did, it was worse than imagined. Yoon-wol's death affected me, but also their separation and desperation. So sad.

I'm really going to miss this drama. Also, I didn't know you weren't watching this live. I mean you mentions the no spoilers thing in other recaps, but I thought you were watching live but recapping later.

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damabean!!!!!!!!!!!!

...you should have special article regarding his public love confession to YIN

he also will get enlistment 3rd JULYb2012

he confess because he do not want to regret later...,lose YIN to other man and he know he can do it(public dating)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REAL SHIPPER NOW!!!!!!

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a STRATEGIST!!

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gaaaahhh!! kept myself from reading all the way.. sweat* waaaaaiiitttiiinnng for the subs! its inevitable that they will have their happy ending together as to how i cant think of any other logical way but i dont care anymore as long as they do! :)

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Thank you, JB, for this recap, and especially your comments!

I love this show. I loved this episode! (I know I said that about the previous episode, but . . . ) My heart was in my mouth all the time, and the tears . . . well, they just kept going.

It was exactly how I felt when (KING2HEARTS SPOILER) Eun Shi-kyung finally kissed Jae-shin in K2H; that much happiness could NOT possibly last, not in dramaland at least. And so this episode. But knowing it was coming didn't stop it from making it's impact.

To have Boong-do disappear, re-appear, then disappear again right in front of Hee-jin's eyes. . . to have him discover Yoon-wol disposed of in that ghastly manner . . . to see the despair in his eyes as he learns that the monk is dead . . . to see and hear him writing that letter . . . I doubt anyone could see clearly after this episode.

Just as he didn't want to distress her after he learned she was dating Dong-min, he decides that it would be more merciful to leave her without memories of him. Argh.

I am glad the talisman is out of the way, too. Now their relationship will no longer depend on its working, but on themselves (that is, if they can surmount the time-space divide. Hey, one more episode! That must be what it's about)

I'm also glad we were not shown how Boong-do managed to jump to 2012 on previous occasions; seeing it now, at this uncertain time, had much more impact than if we'd been shown it previously.

The whole cause-and-effect, choice-and-consequence, every-action-has-a-reaction concept - I'll glad the writer hasn't just let that slide, but Boong-do has indeed paid a terrible 'price' for that one decision. The writer led up well to it, though, he has been debating this concept for some time.

Do you think he'll still remember her after the talisman is burnt? (I mentioned this elsewhere, but I only realised in this episode that the talisman stood for 2 things - it was a means of jumping time, AND, it, physically, in its 'wholeness', was their means of remembering each other)

Whew. Once again, kudos to cast, crew, writer.

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DAE-BAK!!! i so love the storyline of this drama. One if not the best for 2012!!! thanks for the recap JB! =), gosh, i can't wait for the final episode!!! I think i'm gonna combust now...

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jb thankgod because im so glad the talisman is gone as well. i as a watcher felt it keenly whenever it was seperated from boongdo and when heejin put it in her chest draw i was like uh uh.. cuz if that were me, even if i kept it under a thousand lock and key in a hogwarts bank vault i would still fear it being lost, or stolen in the future. the talisman represents fate and a higher power of sorts that even though boongdo had control over heres where and when, he would never be able to control the whys and the hows.

this way, when they get back, no matter how they get back, itll be because of THEIR own will, their love which has connected them all this time regardless of the talisman, no one elses, not destiny, not fate and they can finally live without the nagging fear.

i love that boongdo even thinks it was fate that they met in the beginning but now nearing the end, it turns out that it was just all a coincidence. nothing is predetermined, heejin isnt some weird ancestor or reincarnated wife, she just happened to be the first person who was friendly enough to reach out to him and offer him a donut cookie. shes just an average girl who got landed with the most handsome time travelling scholar ever and it went and grew from there. its their story, they wrote and lived it on their own, despite how it come to be.

ill miss this drama so much no matter what the last ep holds, ive never felt this way before but i just need them together because i care too much about them and their happiness to be fixed on what should and shouldnt be. even give me an deus ex machina grandma like in my girlfriend is a gumiho and im good.

and boongdo. this isnt that lustful of a world, it just gets that way whenever we see you :P

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"This isnt that lustful of a world, it just gets that way whenever we see you"

AMEN.

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Yep. Just look at Javabeans’s first screen cap, he’s so hot when he’s mad. That is the face that launched a thousand kisses :P

My favorite episode it’s worth every damn tear. Thanks Javabeans, looking forward to your comments on the finale.

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Dear, you read my mind... dealing with a man with a charming smile, smart, resourceful, kind-hearted, good with people, animals, and sword, and not the least, a good kisser?
I want my lustful world!!!
Okay, now where is my Boong do? #sigh#

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"this isnt that lustful of a world, it just gets that way whenever we see you :P" Hallelujah!

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Okay, your comment is all sorts of perfect. "This isnt that lustful of a world, it just gets that way whenever we see you" - heehee. XD

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"this isnt that lustful of a world, it just gets that way whenever we see you "

totally agree with your comment !!!

No girls can resist not to kiss boongdo if he appears before them !!!

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This episode is awesom as it gives so much depht to BD's love for HJ. Imagine how he has to risk his life just to get to HJ, and the agony he has to go through before arriving at the decision to make that ultimate attempt to erase HJ's pain. It's one of the rare show that can make abyssmal sorrow so beautiful.

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very well put!

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Have to add, I have cried tears of desperation watching other dramas, but for some reason, this sorrow was so beautifully done, that I didn't feel manipulated.
It's strange, because I really should have, like 1000 Day Promise. (Seriously- They should have named it: Tears Will Fall.)

I just felt like I was watching real people react to achingly- impossible-to-overcome circumstances.
How can you cross 300+ years to get to your lover?
It is perfect in its lack of hope.

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i know im not allowed to write any spoilers, but ill just name a few. hee jin went on to make a film about a little black dress, a film that also stars korea's, ehem, no. 1 female hallyu star. also, she starred in another kdrama featuring another beloved korean female star as a kick-ass stuntwoman in love with a rich jackass of a boyfriend ;D

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Just left one more episode.. Will definitely miss this drama....

This drama... I think that Queen InHyun's Man is really a unique drama.. I wonder if I'm the only one who feel this way.. I really like the way that the director edit the drama.. I've never watch a drama that have slip here and there all the way.. And it makes it so interesting.. I'm sure that I'll definitely give a look to the writer's next drama.. or even previous one.. Hehe..

Recently there're so many time-slip drama.. and at first I'm quite worry that it'll be the same thing over.. But there's no such thing.. Wonder if there will have another good drama like this! Seriously I'm quite sad that it is quite underestimate in Korea.. Just bcuz it airs on cable.. If it airs on KBS, SBS or MBC, I'm sure that its ratings will be significantly high..

I just watch finished everything today.. And I'm thinking that I should take some time to rewatch it in one go.. Have been a long time that I'm so into a drama.. I really hope that they'll be together.. in real life. Just as mentioned at above, Ji Hyun Woo confessed his feeling to Yoo InNa yesterday.. You just won't know how happy am I!!!! But I feel sad now.. cuz I saw the news that he's going to army on NEXT MONTH... >.< Suddenly have a thought that the confession thing isn't a good decision.

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honestly i got annoyed when people kept on going on and on in the forums about how he was getting himself to 2012 and why wouldnt they show it. because it was just so obvious after that first scene with handong that he was doing it himself- everyone was wondering if suicide counted, but in the first case was a suicide as well since he WANTED to be shot. the same ppl went on and on about how they loved that the writer didnt assume we're stupid and let us figure stuff out for ourselves but when she doesnt show one detail then everyone gets riled up.

it never bothered me cuz i knew he was being awesome all the while and putting himself in mortal danger by himself to come and glad to see it never bothered you either. who knows, he mightve used handong for all those other times as well seeing as handongs always with him in joseon and knew of the timejumping.

narratively speaking, ep 14 was an awesome wrap up of his queen in hyun restore to throne quest and joseon tribulations but youre right, it cant end there because the existence of the talisman needs to be address and further more, it needed to be destroyed. we knew it was coming even though we hoped, otherwise we wouldnt have been so scared everytime it was out of his possession.

from here on out, not that they werent before, they walk their own path to get back to eachother, not of fate or destiny, or mystical paper, but the path of love <3

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UM. EPIC SPOILERS, DUDE. I've seen the last ep but others might not have. And it's such a big thing you gave away, lol, please be more careful next time.

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Oh wait, I'm an idiot :( sorry.

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LOL no problem :)

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I found that, by the end, I was so desperate for their happiness I didn't care what kind of magical mojo the writers had to pull to let them be together.

-SPOILER maybe-

I know that there are a lot of people who feel that the last 2 episodes were very extra and (especially the last) mucked up all the cool-headed logic established by the previous episodes. And I understand all of their points. But in all honesty, I just didn't give a damn; it was heartbreaking and gripping and very romantically poignant. And that was one helluva kiss to end with!

-END OF maybe SPOILER-

Also, JB, I don't think he let himself be stabbed in the chest - he tucked it under his armpit, lol. Thanks for the recap! Can't WAIT for your reaction to the ending ep ...

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must also mention how much i love the concept of them moving along in exact parallel times, none of the i go to future for 1 year, only a day has passed in the past etc etc

AND that boongdo always materialises exactly where he disappears. it makes for just some great merging shots showing how there still in the same space but separated by time like the song.

oh show. i luff you like a fat kid loves candy and like heejin loves kiss inducing nonsensical explanations.

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"like heejin loves kiss inducing nonsensical explanations." bahahahahaha! I love this show and the people who love it!

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This drama was one hell of a roller coaster ride. Left me feeling whoozy and disoriented i could barely get myself together at one point. This episode left me drowning in my own river of tears! BEST OTP in kdrama land EVER.

on a side note. there must be something going on between the two behind the camera. Why would be confess otherwise? I mean the back massage, her feeding him chocolates or at the press conference where she slid something in his pockets.

She was probably caught off guard that he announced it publicly. lol she might have chastised him about it. BUT i must say, he has titanium balls for confessing that with his mom and brother in the audience and everyone else. kekekke

bye JHW! see you in 2 yrs with your toned hot abs and im sure youll be even more hotter.

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oooops. how rude of me! THANK YOU javabeans from the bottom of my emotionally battered heart T_T

I love all your recaps and its something i look forward to even after reading the recaps of other fans. <3 You are the queen!

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OH my god, I read that at AllKpop, and it sent me internally shrieking with joy as well...hmmm~, possible romance for these two???

Wait, Ji Hyeon-woo already up for army??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOESSSS~!!! DX

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Thanks JB for your kindness, squeeshing in this drama. I've now realized that I appreciate the fact that it's a cable drama cuz it's allowed more freedom in delivering the act i.e the kisses, the somewhat more dangerous swordfighting, which sometimes needed to better experience the story.

At this point, I also appreciate the character consistancy in this show. BD's in control most of the time, if he let his feeling show that would mean fetal, and love that he always kept his casualness when showed up before HJ after his life/death experiences, that he wanted his girl to stay worry-free. Tbh, when BD started the letter, I thought oh-no, not another Rooftop thing but turned out to be a much more effective transcend through time letter from Joseon top scholar, so like BD-the nerd.

If I stumble upon such letter of BD selling as a tourist souvenier in Korea, I will surely grab and frame it on spot, as it's the letter of Korean historical figure, Kim Boong Do ^^ In fact, one take-home BD would suffice a trip to Korea.

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@Dara

I, too, would buy that letter; I may even buy every copy of the letter I see so that I'd have the only one, and can then pretend it was addressed to me 8-)

Seriously speaking, that was an awesomely written letter.

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The tears that this episode brought!
One gem of a drama this is...

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The first 8 episodes come closest to a pitch perfect story setup/execution I've seen in Kdrama - the fact that it was pre-written definitely clarifies why. Definitely agree that dramas should be written first, and revised later.

Mad props to the writer for managing to throw in obstacles this late in the game which still made perfect sense within the context of the story - this is how you create tension and excitement!

Thanks JB!

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Waah! I'm really dying to see this and ep.16 but I have work...I really love Boong-do and this drama's my top pick for this year and maybe for all time (displacing MGIAG & CH). Why is it so good and why aren't all dramas like this? Boong-do has really set the bar high for kdrama heroes and I swear this director & writer is on my watch list. I loved Yoo Inna before but I love her the best as Hee-jin.

Thank you for the recaps!

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So in love with this show and its leads! I'm incredibly sad it's over, but on a lighter note: SUPER excited for updates on the Ji Hyun-woo confessional and official statements from YG and JHW's agency. It's like our fangirl dreams come true~~!

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Thanks JB for the recap! I watched the episode raw because I was just too excited, and now everything makes a little more sense.

I can say this drama, and this episode in particular, got the biggest emotional reaction out of me. I was expecting a week of fan service after last week's ending, so to get this EPIC penultimate episode was so gratifying. And incredibly heartbreaking.

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Javabeans!! <3 <3 <3 thank you SO much for this recap~ and your comments at the end because it is SUCH a clear way of expressing the same thoughts that I had when I reached the end of ep 15. You have no idea what that means to me!

My heart literally stopped when BD tried that one last time to go back to the modern times. and my heart broke to see Yoon Wol's body like that... props to the director... on showing how beautiful and sweet she is, even when she's dead (i'm not trying to be morbid)... i can't explain it... it's like seeing that angelic, sweet 10-year-old girl in your neighborhood dead and left to lie looking like an angel literally got her throat slashed... ='[

and boyyyy you gals are really speeding up the recaps... AND I LOVE IT! I'm very happy to have a share in the experience with everyone! =]

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and Sarah. forgot to say it, but with one ep to go, its now or never.

THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR RECAPPING THIS DRAMA.

I know so many ppl say 'thanks for the recap! off to read' but i think you truly underestimate how much you can change someones life (at least for 2 months) when you recap a first ep.

I would have never, in a million YEARS touched this drama if I hadnt seen that that fateful first line of your ep 1 recap:

"Now THIS is a fushion saeguk."

I think you know everyone on dramabeans has developed this weird placebo effect with you in that we NEED to know your opinion and are almost afraid if your opinion isnt in line with ours. youve got wonderful taste so if you said that this drama was crap in the first recap i wouldve never have tried it. and i saw the stills but it didnt interest me one bit, my mine glazed over it as most minds do when you dont have any invested emotions. for the first time in my life i understood why you and others didnt want spoilers when i was always a spoiler hoarder and always have been. i wanted to be along the ride in real time with heejin and boongdo and support them 100%

I cant even imagine not knowing boong do and heejin for the last 2 months, joining the facebook group, stalking tumblr for GIFS, downloading SOLIVE and desperately trying to decipher the korean registration to watch live, arguing and discussing it on soompi and hoping for some awesome, insightful or LOL badges, coming here to comment at the recaps even though id already discussed it to death in soompi, waiting for the raw to be uploaded at 2am in australia, staying up to watch it till 4am despite work and uni, desperately checking for joonis recap, then desperately checking for may mays recap, then desperately waiting for the subbed ep, watching the subbed ep for a million times while waiting for YOUR recap. wash, repeat. my life for the 2 months. it consumed me and ive loved every second.

all because of you. dont ever let anyone pressure you into not enjoying recapping anymore and know you make a difference. thankyou, from the bottom of my heart, for Queen In Hyun's Man <333

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lol..sounds like my life for last 2 month...keep on my idiotic routine...read joonni-watch RAW- read may may-watch sub ep-read dramabean..

glad to know im not alone..since your cases seems more ADDICTIVE than me

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Awhhhhhhh! JB has now outpaced the subbers and my routine is all in flux. Because the suspense ediitng is so good with this drama I don't want to read anymore until I watch the show. Can't hold out much longer . . .

I actually watched the first 5 minutes unsubbed and could pretty much understand the gist though no content.

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So, so true! Cheers to you, starlight, for saying it so well. Thanks javabeans, headsno2, and girlfriday, for recapping this fabulous drama and bringing it to our attention. This one is definitely a drama I'll never forget.

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i totally agree. if not for dramabeans i would never have watched QIHM and oddly enough if not for QIHM i would not have realised how awesome dramabeans is

dramabeans often came up during google searches over the years whenever i was trying to find more info on a drama i liked and to be perfectly honest i really never understood the point of this site and more specifically why it was always around the top search results that came back, it wasnt a streaming site, nor was it really one that posted LOADS of random goodies (like allkpop for example, that one i understood immediately), couldnt quite tell if it was doing recaps/reviews and either way just plain didnt understand what all the fuss was about cos it seemed just like any other kstuffloving blog to me

but then in an afternoon of super boredom when i was desperate for a new drama to watch i came across the end of year lists and as i read each subsequent one, i fell more and more in love with the writers who contribute to this site, their banter, their quirks, their awesome humor and taste above all, ended up checking out alot of cool dramas based on their recommendations, stuff id never heard of (joseon x files, the painter in the wind) or stuff id been inclined to dislike from the get go no matter how popular it seemed to be(sungkyunkwan scandal)

qihm was absolutely a birth of that boredafternoon, because exactly like you that first line was a real kicker
'now THIS is a fusion sageuk', coming off the high of rtp(yes yes i know, but the chemistry was so great that shit plot be damned i say), i was really interested to see how this drama would deal with it that would make the reviewer so enamored of it from page one. QIHM is really the kind of drama id NEVER have touched, id googled it earlier but didnt know who JHW was, and tbh his wiki photo is so unendearing that it really put me off, yes im shallow that way haha. i LOVE Yoo in na and she was the reason why id had a look at the wikipage in the first place, ARROW 1---but i didnt love her enough to try out a sageuk(really not my thing, ancient asian dramas-AAD of any sort),ARROW 2--- the name just seemed to suggest typical political intrigue blahblah of AADs, bo-ring, seen one seen 'em all, and im not lying when i say iv tried alot,ARROW 3--- the poster up on other sites where i was watching other dramas was just so uninspiring,aesthetically it just came across as a really typical girl guy thing and being as notinvested in the leads as i was already from the whole sageuk thing that was the arrow that killed my interest stone dead

but that one review...lordy that changed my last few weeks man, im so glad i came into it that late cos it meant i got to marathon about 10-12 episodes of loveliness and this is officially my favorite most obsessed about drama i have EVER watched,sigh of contentment, thank you DB

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oh forgot to add that because of following the qihm recaps, iv become addicted to depending on db's opinions on the new stuff as well, have based my watching habits entirely on it now, probably wouldv not decided to try gaksital till it was well over and id read good reviews everywhere (cos thats the case with most of my drama watching,hate wasting my time with crap even if theres an actress/actor i like in it), but im now addicted to gaksital AHH

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This is not a spoiler but just want to let ya know, Ji Hyun Woo (Boong-Do) cn

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Thanks for the recap!

This episode was just...oh my god. Speechless and yet wanting to word vomit all at once. Gotta read the recap first, though. Thanks again!

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This episode really fed my shattered-but-still-beating heart to hidden rabid vultures. I shall manage to write about the two things I really appreciated in hindsight, and then stop because my heart is breaking.

1) Yoon Wol's death: Speaking emotionally, that is one thing that should've never happened. I would've loved to see Yoon Wol going to the future and becoming a talented musician (gayageum player) or something of its ilk and being a successful person on par with every man, or even higher, because that is what she deserved. But then I look at it analytically, and find that her death was (and I hate writing this) a good thing. Firstly, now the Talisman is not dependent on Yoon Wol's feelings, so there isn't a chance that if she is feeling strongly enough about Boong Do's being in the future, he will suddenly be called back. And secondly, now Boong Do will not have any second thoughts that he may have had about staying in Joseon with Yoon Wol instead of coming to the future. I have read many commenters saying that Yoon Wol's death was like Eun Shi Kyung's, and I strongly disagree. Eun Shi Kyung's hit us hard not only because of him in himself, but also because we were lead to believe in the romance between him and Jae Shin, especially since Jae Shin was so traumatised by all the horrible things that had happened to her. In contrast, Yoon Wol loved only Boong Do, who already has Hee Jin, so she's not as entangled as Eun Shi Kyung in the emotional process.

2) If I'm not mistaken (and I could very well be, seeing as how I watched this episode without subs) I think the reason why Boong Do was called back by the Talisman each time was because it's two creators were dying. Wasn't the news that the Monk had died something Boong Do heard after a month? If so, then the first time he was called back, it may have been due to Yoon Wol's death, and the second due to the Monk's, so it's not crazy, angry Talisman's unreasonable revenge, something I have to applaud the Writer for. For a writer to think so much through in every aspect... they just set a new bar for writing. In fact, I kept on mentally comparing this episode to Doctor Who... and if a rom-com-fantasy-sageuk makes you compare itself to Doctor Who... I think you have a winner.

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just to chime in =P : narratively, her death was also INSANELY powerful as to building up BD's complete devastation at the end of this episode--- he'd left joseon world for good, having meticulously planned for the well-being of the "family" (his servants in his household) behind... it was a VERY emotionally demanding decision. but then he comes back to find her dead, killed because he took down Min-Ahm (her murder was an act of revenge), because he was no longer there to protect her... can we even imagine the grief for BD? it's not just losing someone dear to him, but it's compounded by guilt, him not being able to protect this "little sister" of his *heartbreak*

so this, plus the realization expressed in his letter about his current "imprisoned" situation... it's hard to imagine him not breaking down... and i appreciate that it wasn't JUST because he's separated from the love of his life (don't get me wrong, i like romance too), but because having cutting himself off from everything in his previous life in Joseon, starting scratch in modern world was his only option and hope... and that was only possible through HJ (in addition to the fact that he loved her)... but now that LAST sliver of hope was forcefully wrenched from him as well tears*

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Yes, Boongdo was forced back to Joseon because the two creators died.

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Hi! I saw you on tumblr! Anyway, yes. Yoon Wol's death was a huge narrative blow. I've mentioned this before, but in 2012 he was nameless and homeless. He had no identity. But he had Hee Jin, and that, along with his knowing the future, was enough to make him decide to stay and build a life there. But now in 1694 he has no name, no household, no home, no station. And with Yoon Wol (and his entire family) dead, no one. He's completely, devastatingly alone. He can't build a life here, and everywhere he turns he has memories of Hee Jn and the hope of the life he could have had with her, and the memories of his old Joseon life. All that effort, all that work! My heart aches for them both. He has short hair and can't wear nobleman's clothes anymore because he's supposed to be dead. And metaphorically speaking he is dead here isn't he?

This episode...this show...ugh, so many tears.

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oh wow i hadnt clicked about the monk dying being the reason for the second vanishing, thats awesome, i love how everytime its not just the recap that brings new observations to light but also the comments, thanks :)

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i literally cried the moment he disappeared AGAIN after reappearing in front of heejin. damn! show lied to me... it gave me false hope to happily ever after.. sob2x..

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I had wondered about the price to be paid for each time jump because each time BD jumped, he was actually cheating death.

The price of cheating death once must be high. But, thre price for cheating death multiple times must be astronomical.

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oops, forgot to THANK YOU, Sarah, always for your great, great recaps everytime.

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AHHH!!! Be still my bleeding? beating? heart!

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I just got to say the most underrated drama of the year, and I'm confident in saying this even if the year isn't over! Wonderfully executed! We still got one more episode! WOOP WOOP~!

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This drama knows EXACTLY how to frustrates me and make me cry a river! I'd love to hate it, but, I can't.

I mean, REALLY? How can you start giving me hope and dreams of happily every after just to squash it like THAT. I cried when Hee-Jin cried, it was heartbreaking seeing her all broken up. It made me wanted to run to her - protect her.

And Bong-du, I love his reasoning and level headed behaviour. If I was in that much agony, I would have cut down more than just half a dozen men - I would go on a rampage.

But then... Why? Why do they have to make it so hard?

The monk died, he can only appear before her for a second and then vanishes again -- Every little detail broke my heart.

Please episode sixteen -- Don't pull a Rooftop on me - I would go on a rampage!

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Bawled. Like. A. Baby.

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i was seriously soo depressed on Wed night i had to keep reminding myself its just fiction, get a life! of cuz that never helped ; )

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I never look at this website during working hours at the office. This is the first time. What can I say... its's Friday. And curiousity got the best of me. This is how much I adore this drama.

This drama, thus far, is my favorite of 2012. This was an awesome episode. This drama could have ended with episode 14 but that would have been too easy and typical. This episode is why I adore this drama and why its so smart and awesome. The talisman had to be destroyed for any real hope for the leads. I'm glad the talisman was burned.

I can't wait to read dramabeans comments on the final episode!!! I saw the episode.

Again, takes dramabeans for the recaps. Really added to my enjoyment of this drama...

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Thanks for sharing. I read this blog before watching each episode and I found tiny story plots/lines that I would normally miss if I just watch the episode alone. This blog gave so much meaning and clarity to the drama.
I have to say that before this drama, I am no fans of either the male or female leads, but after this, I am totally converted.
I admire that they both cry so beautifully and so real. They made my heart ache with them.
I feel lost now not having this drama on Wed and Thursday. But I believe it ended beautifully, and logically.
Thanks for the recap.

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This was probably the most perfect episode of anything, ever. Narratively, I mean. I have such respect for this writer - you can really see the thought that went into even the smallest thing, and as a viewer and a lover of good stories, I am so appreciative that I have been able to see this. It's entertaining and thought-provoking and emotionally engaging and everything that a good story should be, and I am as thankful for the excellent material as I am for the wonderful actors.

And yes, I'm crying AGAIN. I think this makes the third time for this episode. First watching, second thinking, third reading. When the subs finally come out and I can understand all that is said...I'm sure I'll cry again.

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I am with you on that, JoAnne.
It hurst so good.

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The show is back to its gripping best again. Thanks for pointing out the calculated omission of how he did his disappearance - I literally hitched my breathe and only released it when I realised the tailsman worked. And my heart also skipped a beat when the tailsman turned black. Seriously, someone need to give the writers, actors and editors an award. Very tight written script, wonderful injection of life into characters, and the best use of flashbacks so far. I don't like the multi-angle shot favoured by the director - gives me a headache sometimes - but everything so far is 9/10. Let's hope everything smooths out for the final lap. Love you all for sharing your sentiments!

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I'm gonna miss Talisman the most (WTH~?! XD), and also Yoon-wol, who was the most emotionally-challenged character in all of this...

...and the latter part of this episode reminds me of the lyrics of 8eight's Joo Hee's song "The Same Sky, (But) Different Times" (part 3 of the OST):

As I wait for you with nothing to do
My welled-up tears are dyed with the sunset
You, who is waiting for me at the other side of time
Are rushing my heart again

*Under the same sky, in a different time
Our sad love has tangled
I place my earnest heart in the moonlight
So I can shine brightly wherever you are

A person like you, I’m so thankful to you
My love can’t be entirely expressed with just words
Though the rough times bruises and hurts me
You protected me in your embrace

*Under the same sky, in a different time
Our sad love has tangled
I place my earnest heart in the moonlight
So I can touch you wherever you are
My love...

Under the same sky, in a different time
This sad love can never be
I will become the moonlight in the dusk sky and shine on youSo you can find your way back to me

---------------

On a side note, I remain hopeful that Boong-do & Hee-jin reunite despite their 300-year gap...unlike that ending in "Rooftop Prince", which killed me...never was there anyone who was like Bu-yong, but there was still Yeon-wool...

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