Big: Episode 10
by girlfriday
Now that Da-ran is cluing into her feelings, we get some great stuff – the right kind of angst, a flurry of confused feelings, and a lot of crossed wires between two people who swore not to love each other. Oops. This is why you should always leave a loophole in your fake contract marriages, people!
EPISODE 10 RECAP
While Kyung-joon listens to the Walkman outside the theater, Da-ran stares up at him, surprised by her own reaction to his arrival. She starts, “I feel strange…” and Kyung-joon clicks the tape to stop.
She continues, “Why am I so happy you came?” He totally hears her, but pretends not to and asks what she said. She gets so flustered that she runs back and forth blathering on about buying snacks, and he just watches her curiously.
He spends the entire movie staring at her, and finally asks in the middle of the theater, “Gil Teacher, do you like me?” Eeek! Her eyes grow wide, but his question is cued to a screaming moment in the horror movie (awesome) and she averts her gaze awkwardly.
As they walk out of the theater, she finally answers, “So you heard that…” she attempts an explanation about not wanting to watch a horror movie alone, hence the happiness at his arrival.
He asks why with the moony eyes then. She says she makes those eyes whenever she’s thirsty. She demonstrates to hilarious effect, “Ah… so thirsty.” Kyung-joon: “Are you sure what you were thirsty for isn’t this?” He points to his face.
She finally admits she’s been confused lately, and she doesn’t know why, but she was really happy he came. He takes it in but also notes Yoon-jae’s ring on her finger, and sighs.
He tells her that he promised he wouldn’t go to her so he’ll keep his end of the deal, but if she comes to him, he doesn’t have the confidence to stop her. “So stop being so clingy.” Her jaw drops, “Clingy?”
Just then, a couple with a super clingy boyfriend walks past her and she screws up her face in embarrassment. She imagines the clingy version of her confession, complete with Star Wars opening crawl to define the word he used to call her clingy (the sound of chugging a drink but also used to describe the needy clucking of a significant other).
Meanwhile, Choong-shik finds Mari in a sour mood at the hospital. She asks if a person goes to see a movie they don’t even like just for another person, that means they like them, right?
Choong-shik says that if she had gone to the movies with him, he’d have guessed she liked him 80 points. That crushes her as she wonders, “If it’s eighty, then there’s only twenty left…” For you? Aw, sweetie. Not how it works. She leaves Choong-shik wondering if she has a new crush.
Se-young walks away reeling after conveniently overhearing Yoon-jae’s mother talk about Kyung-joon. She wonders if he could be a second son that she abandoned.
She braces herself and goes to meet her, where Mom asks her for regular updates on Kyung-joon’s condition. While Mom steps away, Se-young eyes a hairbrush with determination. Aw, yeah. You might be evil, but right now your nosiness is serving the plot quite well.
Kyung-joon takes Da-ran to his uncle’s restaurant to eat dinner, and takes every opportunity to use his clingy word kkul-geuk to describe the sound of swallowing stuff, like “glug glug.” She scowls.
He asks if she knows anything about a person Yoon-jae was looking for, someone Mom didn’t want him to meet. She doesn’t, and he guesses it must have been a clingy ex. She chokes at that.
Uncle comes by the table and starts to wonder at all the coincidences—the Doc sure knows a lot about Kyung-joon. Could he… maybe be… someone sent by Kyung-joon’s father?
That’s an unexpected twist for Kyung-joon, and he asks what Uncle knows about Dad. And in case we weren’t suspecting it, we get a shot of Yoon-jae’s father, who takes out a hidden picture of Kyung-joon’s mom Hee-soo.
Uncle says he only saw the man once, right when Kyung-joon was born. All he knew was that Hee-soo called him “Teacher.” (Which is a title for all sorts of things, not just teachers – for instance, doctors.)
Da-ran asks Kyung-joon if he knows anything about his father or wants to go find him, but he balks at that, since to the rest of the world, Kang Kyung-joon is lying in a coma.
Se-young checks in on Kyung-joon and wonders if he’s really Yoon-jae’s little brother, as she suspects. She takes a hair sample from him as well and asks her friend for a DNA test between Mom and Little Bro. Is it weird that I’m cheering her on? I might need a shower after this.
So then more dot-connecting: On the way home, Kyung-joon shows Da-ran the cherub picture in his wallet. Mom told him that Dad drew it himself.
Da-ran gets this niggling feeling that she’s seen this picture before, but Kyung-joon dismisses that as impossible, since only one exists in the world. What, did he go around drawing one for each son he left behind? If only that weren’t true.
She puts the wallet back in his hand and holds his hand in hers for a moment, saying sincerely that if he ever changes his mind about wanting to find Dad, she’ll help in whatever way she can. He teases her about the handholding, and she pounds her head into the window as he laughs.
He asks if there isn’t something she wants to do on her last night of freedom before work, and she drags him to a gift shop to find stuff that’s made in China to give to her coworkers. Kyung-joon finds little white bears and figures if they color them in, they’ll be little pandas. Score.
But they argue on the proper parts to color, and it devolves into a competition. They gear up at home with a basket full of bears and a pair of permanent markers, and get to pandafying the teddy bears. The winner gets to live like a panda – do nothing but eat and sleep.
It actually is sort of confusing when you think about which parts are black, and Da-ran gets tripped up, while Kyung-joon is confident and refuses to share.
Time for the unveiling. Da-ran’s panda looks almost right but wrong, and Kyung-joon proudly presents his.
Da-ran googles pandas disbelievingly, and Kyung-joon comes out the clear winner. I love the way he describes it: “See! Long-sleeve super-cropped belly shirt, bare stomach, rain boots, no panties.” Hahaha. When you say it like that, pandas have weird outfits indeed.
He lifts his panda’s arm up to declare him the winner, and Da-ran makes her panda attack. He immediately requests a back massage and a drink and she complies grudgingly.
They finish up the panda gifts, and we see Gil Panda and Kang Panda hanging up above them. Cute.
Mari goes to see the newlyweds first thing in the morning, and Choong-shik tags along to try and deter her, insisting that it’s rude. They peer in the window and see the couple arguing over the fact that Kyung-joon won’t eat the beans in his rice.
Mari says that he doesn’t like beans. But as soon as Da-ran leaves, they watch as Kyung-joon closes his eyes and swallows the beans with a glass of water, as if they’re pills or something.
Her face falls, and she asks Choong-shik how many points he likes someone if he eats beans for her. Choong-shik says 90 points, and this time Mari says aloud, “Then there’s only ten left for me.”
Choong-shik bites down on his own fist in shock. Does Mari like… Doctor Seo??
Mari finds Da-ran at school and makes sure that they’re still on the same page: “You want Kyung-joon-ie to hurry up and return to his place, don’t you?” But this time Da-ran sighs, “I suppose that’s how it should be.”
Mari asks, “You don’t like it that Kyung-joon is here. You want Seo Yoon-jae ajusshi to hurry back, right?” And this time Da-ran can’t even answer. Aw. Mari asks her to scold Kyung-joon if he ever says that he wants to stay this way.
Da-ran sits there a while longer, lost in thought. She looks down at her ring and sighs that Kyung-joon should go back. That’s what’s right. But she doesn’t look happy about it.
She comes home to find Kyung-joon staring at the cherub picture in his wallet, and she asks if he’s really not going to look for Dad. He says that he’s not interested in seeking him out—he never needed a dad, since he was perfectly happy just him and Mom.
At the same time, Se-young gets the DNA results back, and they’re a 99.9% match. So Kyung-joon is definitely Yoon-jae’s mother’s biological son. She wonders if she should tell Yoon-jae what she knows.
Kyung-joon asks if Yoon-jae’s family situation is like his, since he never once met his father the whole time he was in the States. Da-ran just knows that Yoon-jae’s parents live apart, but that’s about it.
All he knows is that Yoon-jae supposedly sees his father once a year on June 24, but doesn’t know the significance of the date. He prods Da-ran to see if she remembers anything specific about that date, but she doesn’t, and he storms into his room in a huff.
He can’t believe she doesn’t remember that it’s also his birthday, and fumes bitterly. She knows it’s something and searches her brain. The thing she comes up with? Her essay deadline for “Why I Want to Be a Teacher,” assigned by Vice Principal Kim.
He deflates at her answer. She scours the shelves looking for an essay that Yoon-jae once wrote on why he wanted to become a doctor, and says she’s going to use it as “reference.” He guesses more accurately that she’s copying it. *facepalm* Really? Plagiarism, Teach?
He picks up the article and reads a little, as we get a flashback to the warm and caring Doctor Yoon-jae. He writes about wanting to become a doctor at the age of eighteen, when he found out that he was saved by someone extending a warm hand to him.
He writes that he wanted to become someone who could offer a warm hand to others, and thought that if he did, he could extend the salvation he received. It sounds more and more like Yoon-jae discovered at eighteen that he was saved by a transplant of some sort (which he didn’t know at the time), and feels that being a doctor is giving back that debt he owes.
Yoon-jae writes, “I always ask the 18-year old me: Am I doing well? Is my hand warm?” Kyung-joon reads it and looks at his hand dispassionately, the larger meaning lost on him. He figures she can just change all the “doctors” to “teachers” and she’ll be set.
He catches her red-handed in her plan to copy the essay, but she counters that she wanted to become a teacher at 18 too. She asks what Kyung-joon wants to be. He’s more interested in what she thinks—what does she want him to be?
He tells her he can be anything, so she should think about Kang Kyung-joon’s future and spark an interest in something for him to pursue, and then adds oh-so-nonchalantly for her to think about his immediate future as well, say June 24.
She’s left baffled again, until she FINALLY remembers that it’s his birthday. She looks at him studying in his room and muses, “One year older. Kang Kyung-joon’s future…” She smiles.
Se-young meets with Kyung-joon’s aunt and asks about his birth – was Aunt present, and was his mother his birth mother, or was he adopted? But Aunt remembers Hee-soo having a pregnant belly and Kyung-joon being born on June 24, so nothing out of the ordinary.
That throws Se-young into another round of what-hell-with-this-family, and she works out the possibilities. If Yoon-jae’s mom is bio-mom, but Kyung-joon’s mom gave birth… then… surrogate?
The Unrequited Lovers Club meets again at the mandoo restaurant, and this time Uncle tells a ridiculous story about a woman King Sejong loved named Antakab, and he was so heartbroken that he couldn’t be with her, that he invented the word antakab-da (heartbreaking) after her. Pffft.
He calls the regret and heartbreak he carries inside an Antakabi, and they each reminisce about the cruel fate of missed dates with their intendeds, because of a lack of technology (no cell phones, no navigation). I sort of understand why VP Kim might still be moony, but is anyone going to remind Uncle that he’s already married?
Da-ran wonders what she should get Kyung-joon for his birthday, wanting it to be something special that sparks a dream for his future.
Meanwhile Mari thinks priority number one is finding Kyung-joon’s dad, since then Gil Teacher doesn’t have to be his guardian anymore. Da-ran says she doesn’t mind being around for Kyung-joon, but Mari counters that she can’t do it forever, which gives Da-ran a pang of sadness.
Mari tells Kyung-joon that they should look for his dad, and being in Yoon-jae’s body is the perfect disguise for it. Um… if they didn’t share a father, sure.
He doesn’t want to, but Mari says it’s for Gil Teacher’s good—she’s surely burdened by the responsibility of being his guardian, but doesn’t say anything because she’s too nice. He’s left wondering if that’s true, and thinks maybe he shouldn’t have been such a lazy panda then.
Da-ran tells herself that she can’t be around forever in Kyung-joon’s life, so inserting herself into his future is wrong. She convinces herself to focus on her future with Yoon-jae, and thinks back to Yoon-jae’s birthday last year.
She remembers waiting for him with a tandem bicycle for hours… and then he never showed. She spent the time doodling hearts on the bench where she waited. Seriously, this is your memory of his birthday? Sigh. She psyches herself up that she was able to wait for him for hours, so she can wait longer now.
As Da-ran cleans, Kyung-joon keeps giving her furtive glances, checking to see if she seems burdened by having to take care of him. But she’s glancing at him too, for different reasons: “The face is Yoon-jae’s, but why do I keep seeing Kyung-joon?”
They lock eyes and she awkwardly blurts something about the house being burdensomely large to clean, and he fixates on that word and jumps up. He grabs the mop and tells her to lie around, and he’ll clean and mow the lawn “so that it’s ready for army duty.” Ha. I don’t think you need to shave the lawn into a crew cut.
She wants to help but he ushers her up to her room and insists that he was perfectly capable of doing all this when he was living alone, so she doesn’t need to do any of it, and tells her to rest.
She goes to her room and sighs, “Kyung-joon-ie would be fine without me.” Aw, I love this—he’s scared she’ll go away if he doesn’t help her, while she’s scared he doesn’t need her around.
She tells herself to stop thinking about Kyung-joon and heads out to try and find “The Gil Da-ran who knows how to wait.” She rides her bicycle around the park looking for that bench, confused because they all look the same.
Mari comes by to tell Kyung-joon that she found a connection between his parents—an art professor that they shared. Dad happens to be arriving in Korea at the same time, and his first stop is to meet said professor.
The professor says that Yoon-jae came by once to ask about Hee-soo and her son, and asks if they’ve found the child. But Dad says no, they haven’t yet.
Kyung-joon tells Mari that he doesn’t need to find his father because that’s not the person he wants around in his future. Mari asks who that is. Kyung-joon says that even though he can become anything that someone else wants of him, he can’t expect someone else to act according to his expectations. “So I don’t care if I’m alone.”
Mari volunteers herself for the position, and then moves another purseful of things into her makeshift room.
Da-ran searches the whole park for that bench but can’t find it, and wills her heart to beat the way it did when she was waiting for Yoon-jae on his birthday. But it won’t beat faster for Yoon-jae, no matter how much she commands it to.
And then Kyung-joon calls and says he’s at the park looking for her, and she tells him where she is. She hangs up and starts to wait, and then feels a thud in her heart.
She puts her hand there, “My heart is beating just like it was when I was waiting for the person I liked. Why am I like this? The person I’m waiting for is Kyung-joon.”
She stands there waiting with her hand over her heart, and when she sees him in the distance, the feeling overwhelms her. “I must be crazy.” She hides behind a tree, not wanting to face it.
He calls to ask where she is, and she says, “I’m not here,” which is hilariously telling. But the moment he notices her behind the tree, she tells him, “The person I’m waiting for isn’t you. So don’t look for me. I can’t look at you right now.”
He gets the message and turns around, and she watches him walk away, her heart breaking. She says aloud to herself for Kyung-joon to go because she’s in the middle of waiting right now, but tears start to fall the farther he gets from her.
The art professor looks at the Miracle book and guesses right away that it’s the story of Dad’s two sons, one Yoon-jae the other Kyung-joon. Dad says nothing in response.
Kyung-joon gets home when suddenly another jolt hits him and his coma body lifts up as he goes there for a split second. He slumps to the ground.
The nurse sees Kyung-joon’s body move and runs to get Mari and Se-young.
Da-ran finally finds the right bench, though now her heart is faded and surrounded by other people’s doodles. She puts a hand to her heart, but sighs when nothing happens. She wonders why it’s not the same as before.
Mari calls in a panic to say that Kyung-joon’s body moved. Is she with him? Is it Yoon-jae or Kyung-joon? Da-ran says she’ll find out, and the first thought out of her mouth is, “Is Kyung-joon-ie gone?”
She races home and calls out his name, and finds him slumped over on the couch, in the middle of trying to call for help.
She asks hesitantly, “Kyung-joon-ah?” He opens his eyes slowly and she can barely contain herself as she waits for his answer. She searches his face and then he finally answers, “Gil Teacher. It’s me.”
She lets out a breath of relief and then the tears hit her like a wave. We know she’s crying in relief because her fear was that Kyung-joon would leave her, but he thinks of course that she’s crying in sorrow.
Kyung-joon: “I’m sorry that Seo Yoon-jae couldn’t come back.”
A tear falls as he watches her cry.
He calls Mari to update her on the non-change, and she says things are the same at the hospital. She asks if he’s okay, and he says that it hurt a lot. He wonders why they don’t switch permanently and instead just get bursts of searing pain.
She asks about Da-ran and he sighs that she must’ve been really disappointed because she cried a lot and went up to her room.
Upstairs, Da-ran sinks to the ground and breaks down in tears, “I must be crazy.” She cries and cries, and Kyung-joon hears her from the other side of the door. He murmurs to himself, “Seo Yoon-jae, hurry back.” To end her pain? You two are killing me.
The next morning, Ae-kyung gets word that Da-ran is too sick to come to work, and she bristles at Na Teacher’s concern for Da-ran. She pretends a customer service call is from a guy she’s going on a blind date with, and he walks away and leaves her pouting.
Kyung-joon comes to check on Da-ran and asks why she’s sick when he’s the one who was in pain: “Were you that disappointed?” She turns away from him and says that it’s her she’s disappointed in.
He says that he went back for longer, almost thirty seconds this time. He’s sure they’ll switch back soon, so stop being disappointed. Aw.
“Kyung-joon-ah, when you change back for good, will I be able to let you go?” He hears that as burden and responsibility rather than her heart, and asks with tear-filled eyes, “Am I really that burdensome?”
He tells her to stop thinking about those things and just not be sick anymore. He leaves to go get her medicine.
Se-young comes by to give Yoon-jae’s mother an update on Kyung-joon and decides to just ask her outright: “Isn’t Kang Kyung-joon your son?” Mom doesn’t need much prodding to spill the beans, and confirms how all the puzzle pieces fit together.
When Yoon-jae was twelve, he was really sick and needed a younger brother to survive (they don’t specify what, but we can guess it’s some kind of transplant). Mom wasn’t in the condition to have another child, so Dad and the woman he loved, Hee-soo, had the child.
She makes it sound like they had a child between them, though we know from the DNA test that what they did was get her to be a surrogate, since he’d have to be a biological match to Yoon-jae to help him.
She admits that Kyung-joon was born specifically to save Yoon-jae. Damn, that’s crazy. She adds that she can’t say that Kyung-joon is her child. Because then you might feel the insane amount of guilt that you should?
The art professor reads through the Miracle book and narrates that it’s the tale of two boys who save the other in turn. Se-young tells Mom that in their accident, Yoon-jae saved Kyung-joon without knowing who he was.
She wonders if they oughtn’t tell Yoon-jae, but Mom doesn’t want to do that ever and tells her to butt out. She has every intention of never seeing Kyung-joon again, barring Yoon-jae having more health issues. You are one cold fish, lady.
Se-young watches over Kyung-joon’s body, now realizing that he was born only to save Yoon-jae’s life. She worries that he might never wake up and just die this way. If you grow a conscience and meddle in this, I’ll totally forgive your other meddling. Really, I swears it!
Kyung-joon comes home with medicine for Da-ran but her room is empty. He finds her in the park and she says she’s okay now and asks if he is too. He is, but he figures it’ll hurt a lot more when they change for real.
Da-ran: “Us returning to our rightful places… seems like it’s going to hurt a lot.”
Kyung-joon tells her that if worrying about him is burdensome, she doesn’t need to waste any concern on him. “I’ll be patient by myself, and when I change back, I’ll disappear from your side.”
She looks into his eyes as he adds nervously, “I’ll disappear so you’ll never have to see me again.”
COMMENTS
Both a lot of development and very little at the same time, if that’s possible. I really wanted her crying outburst to be accompanied by a panicked confession of some sort, so that he’d know her fear and desperation is about him leaving and not about her disappointment that he’s still here.
But I’m grateful for at least the huge step in Da-ran realizing her feelings – no confusion this time, but a clear understanding that her heart no longer beats for Yoon-jae, but does for Kyung-joon. I liked the waiting motif, mostly because it doesn’t require their physical presence—she can’t be confused by Yoon-jae’s face if that’s not what she’s looking at when her heart thumps for Kyung-joon. Her heart seems firmly attached to Kyung-joon in that body now, so much that when she hides behind that tree and says she can’t look at him, it’s not Yoon-jae’s face she’s talking about.
I think it’s to this show’s detriment that her feelings came now (late for me) but I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Now that their relationship is charged with emotion and their equal desire to do right by the other person, it’s fraught with the right kind of tension that’s moving and sweet. I love the crossing of wires for them, because it’s not caused by some interloper (though Mari does keep trying). It’s really just that they can’t give up on the idea of what they’re supposed to do, to make the other person happy. It turns out their love triangle is soul-body-teacher, which is kind of funny and also really really hard to overcome. ‘Cause soul kinda can’t detach itself from body for the time being.
And there’s something really interesting about that problem because Yoon-jae’s shell is both the reason why she began to see Kyung-joon beyond his 18-year old shell, but is also their biggest hindrance in ever doing anything about it. And I like that in the end, it’s the same problem they would’ve had sans body swap at all. Her primary concern has shifted to Kyung-joon’s age and the lines she shouldn’t cross as his teacher, and hiding her feelings because they’re crazy and inappropriate. Well, they are till June 24. *wink wink*
I’m glad the family mystery has finally been revealed, and I’m happy that it’s more complicated than a simple secret illegitimate love child, half-brother scenario. But what the hell, family? You have a child by surrogate for the sole purpose of saving your son? That’s crazy. Now I’m curious how much Yoon-jae knew—did he simply think he was searching for a donor, or did he know he was searching for his biological brother, born to save his life? And if they chose the woman Dad was in love with to give birth to the child (which seems EXTRA crazy to me) it makes sense why Dad is more attached to Kyung-joon and seeking him out, whereas Mom puts herself at a cold distance.
The particulars of all of this still seem nutty to me, but I like the one-born-to-save-the-other connection, because they do in fact mirror the act eighteen years later without knowing why. Now the idea that only one brother might survive in the end seems more of a likely threat—perhaps according to Fate, only one brother was ever supposed to be born, but the parents took the matter into their own hands, to tragic consequences? I think we’re gonna need some major mojo for them to both walk away from this alive. Get that shaman back on the line! On the upside, this week felt a lot more like classic Hong sisters writing, full of twists and wordplay and double meanings from every other line. I feel like this drama’s been light on their usual flair, so it was nice to have that flavor back in action this week. Hope it’s here to stay.
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Tags: Baek Sung-hyun, Big, featured, Gong Yoo, Lee Min-jung, Shin, Suzy
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51 biglover
July 3, 2012 at 11:22 PM
im loving this drama because of GY and LMJ! =) they have such a good chemistry and they look good together..just hope that there characters will bring them more closer together and create more spark..hope they would date in real life! =)
i like this episode, since it now shows that DR is now falling for KJ, and clearly she see KJ in YG's body..but i also feel her pain and sadness because she's starting to fall for someone in a not so good situation..
why is it that i feel YG is really not coming back..but still i hope he does so that SWH will show his acting not just sleep..hehehe..
but im still rooting for DR and KJ to be together in the end! =)
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52 YY
July 3, 2012 at 11:27 PM
I know I should suspend all logic (Jomo says I should), but it still irks me that she hasn't cared to visit the man she was supposedly "in love with" in hospital. And falling for a younger (much younger) brother while being married technically to the elder one is complicating the plot. Wll they resolve this with her walking away? She seems to revel in that.
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Jellybeaniebaby
July 5, 2012 at 6:04 AM
She might be able to walk away if they never registered the marriage...
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jomo143
July 5, 2012 at 11:11 AM
If they do not consumate the marriage, it is also not a marriage, right?
Or is that law not in SK?
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bigfan
July 9, 2012 at 12:24 AM
"I know I should suspend all logic (Jomo says I should), but it still irks me that she hasn’t cared to visit the man she was supposedly “in love with” in hospital. And falling for a younger (much younger) brother while being married technically to the elder one is complicating the plot."
My take on that is Da Ran is in love with Kyung Joon's soul, the one who's been with her all this time in YJ shell. The person in the hospital is Seo Yoon Jae in KJ's shell. I guess she hadn't thought about visiting the hospital since the person she loves is by her side. And if she does go to the hospital it'd be the body she's visiting, and technically not KJ since it's YJ in there. Also, she just recently came to the realization that she might be in love with KJ. She's still processing it.
And KJ is not much younger than her. He is only 6 years younger than DR, while she is 6 years younger than YJ. But yes, falling for the younger brother while being married to the older one is complicated!
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53 anonymous
July 3, 2012 at 11:30 PM
i looooooove Gong Yoo so much and i love the Hong sisters but i don't know why it feels like i haven't invested as much emotions like i did in their other dramas :(
seems like all the angst is just starting and i hope we get to hear YJ side of the story.. but i want KJ on GY body forever..ahahaha..
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54 mjfan
July 3, 2012 at 11:40 PM
I love this drama beyound words , Gong yoo and Lee min jung are great together , cant wait for next episode
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55 lilly
July 3, 2012 at 11:51 PM
i like thid epi the most
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56 IceFate
July 4, 2012 at 12:19 AM
I feel like Yoon Jae was about to leave for America to search for Kyung Joon.. a lot of things that could happen/ be revealed in the next episode. im excited >,<
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JBB
July 4, 2012 at 1:12 AM
Is it possible that YJ learned enough to find out that KJ's mother was killed?
He wouldn't tell his dad, because they never spoke and he wouldn't tell his mother because she didn't approve. So neither would not have learned of the death for another year.
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57 cocoloco
July 4, 2012 at 12:21 AM
Whatever happens, I need Yoon Jae to come back! I don't care which body he comes back in but I need to hear his side of the story. It's the only way we'll really get some questions answered.
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58 ilovek
July 4, 2012 at 12:41 AM
am i the only one rooting gor Mari and Kyung Joon?
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ilovek
July 4, 2012 at 12:42 AM
*for mari
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bunny
July 4, 2012 at 1:26 AM
I think Mari will be happier with CS...but thinking about their characters, if the whole story was set up as a love comedy with KJ and Mari (like bit crazy young teenage couple struggle body swap situation..etc), the story could have more funny/positive atmosphere...(I don't know why but I feel this show has too much negative atmosphere (maybe because heroine's passive character) and not much feeling as love comedy. I even feel grumpy after watching...
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Jellybeaniebaby
July 5, 2012 at 6:06 AM
Imagine if MR and CS marry, and DR and KJ are married... that would make MR and KJ inlaws... aaaargh! LOL!
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59 edelweiss
July 4, 2012 at 12:51 AM
Thanx for the recap, GF!
Have to watch the episode first, and then I'll be back for comments!
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60 scarlett
July 4, 2012 at 12:52 AM
now i know the reason why big bro is a gym buff and even prioritized working out than going out with his girl. he can't afford to get sick again.
And, as to "how much Yoon-jae knew—did he simply think he was searching for a donor, or did he know he was searching for his biological brother, born to save his life?" me thinks, being a doctor, he knows the biological connection between donor and donee.
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neonlaugh
July 4, 2012 at 6:02 AM
I like both of your points! I think you're onto something...
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cindy
July 4, 2012 at 9:03 AM
Err you know have donor who match and aren't brothers right? Is very difficult to find but they do exist.
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61 rochinipark
July 4, 2012 at 1:45 AM
did any1 notice in the scene LMJ by the tree with the bicycle talking to Kyung Joon on the phone, her eyes looked so damn tired. the make up artist ppl make a better job to cover up those dark circles. Hope the actors and crew not in overdrive for production. Damn you live shoot system.
other hand,Yoon Jae's mom is evil to just abandon her own son Kyung Joon. Though it appears she thinks that Kyung Joon was conceived as biological child of her husband and Hee Soo. But according to DNA done by Seyoung,Kyung Joon is Yoon Jae's full on brother.
hmm wonder how this will turn out as it would be DR falling for KJ who is YJ's brother. I do not see any benefit like its not beneficial at all to Seyoung to tell him of KyungJoon's DNA result as it will not to her break up his relationship with DR.Cause to her that's YJ she's looking at unlike for DR she's looking at KJ.
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jomo143
July 4, 2012 at 6:45 AM
Definitely tired.
No matter how fit you are, or how good your make-up is, you cannot hide lack of sleep from HD cameras.
Look at LMJ in the theatre where she does not get the benefit of strong lighting to hide the shadows. Very tired lady.
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62 reglest
July 4, 2012 at 1:58 AM
I understand what do you mean with double meaning, yes, it's Hong Sister trait..but hold on..it's only episode 10,and I feels like my gut wrenching..oh dear..I don't know if I can stand for ending episode like MGIG again..oh dear..
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63 Iranian Espresso
July 4, 2012 at 2:03 AM
Thanks a lot
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64 edelweiss
July 4, 2012 at 3:09 AM
Well, this episode was really good. As GF said, we find back the old 'touch' of the Hong Sisters.(not that they are really old.
Mm... I think Kyung Joon will be stuck in Yoon Jae's shell for some reason. Even when Yoon Jae was alive and kicking (you know, when GONG YOO played his part!) he had very little screen time. One may argue it was for character building, but I don't give into that. The hero of the show is Kyung Joon, and I see no reason why the hero should be played by Shin in the finale when Gong Yoo is here to grace the stage. I mean no offense to Shin fans, but you will agree, Gong Yoo is the better actor.
So I wouldn't be surprised to see a damaged soul or something, you know, like after a dementor's kiss. Or else why can one just switch back while the other cannot?
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65 sally_b
July 4, 2012 at 3:09 AM
Just for giggles and to lighten the mood.
If anyone was curious what the *Miracle* storybook had printed on it...as the professor turned the pages ~ ...I paused screen and typed it down.
Miracle Book text ....or as I like to call it ...WORD SALAD:
(note: the _______ is for parts where a hand obscured the text...all the other is word for word)
Bright sun-drenched land is a nature lover to live
Because there's been an angel. For two thousand and four trees and insects, and animals must have had friends.
The angels in the fields of peace the most forgiving bow
best friends and time as ever I saw in such a happy one.
Of fun was playing with a butterfly coming from the sky a beautiful song that has been heard.
Angels and friends head to the sky
Suddenly the butterfly flew away, let, the angel of the earth does not know
English was puzzled.
Even the angels sing ground chase butterflies reported, but Butterfly wings, towards the melody to be (blurred out)______ the only thing to do.
There is a butterfly led by the angel of the earth had never seen one up
there was a sky garden
There the angels of heaven ____
a beautiful harp playing ____
then the angels and _____
heaven and earth became the first encounter
____heaven, earth, given a welcome
Earth angel also has a new
______very happy.
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edelweiss
July 4, 2012 at 3:18 AM
LOL! They could have printed some proper English!
They wouldn't have thought crazy fans would be digging every bit of it!
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YY
July 4, 2012 at 3:25 AM
Hilarious, sally_b, you're amazing! All I can say is I totally understand the confusion of the poor non-English speaking angel of the earth. I must say though that this paradise is badly imbalanced with its 2004 trees and insects and one sole annoying butterfly.
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66 Kdramasuperfan
July 4, 2012 at 3:35 AM
While I was watching the scene where the professor was reading the book while Se Young and Mom were talking about KJ and YJ, I noticed that the text in the book was written in English. I paused to read it and I couldn't understand a thing. haha The professor was talking about the story but its totally unrelated to the text! hahaha... You guys take a look at it and tell me if I'm wrong. lol...
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67 Shia
July 4, 2012 at 4:19 AM
Honestly two things that this drama did wrong for me and are at the center of why I cannot imagine a Gil Teacher Kyung Joon endgame is the fact that:
a) Gil teacher and KJ had such little interaction at the beginning of the series and now because of sleeping YJ they cannot have any interaction. It makes it so hard for me to imagine her love for KJ in his actual body. I get her falling for him in his present state but when they switch it is going to be the most jarring love pairing ever. If YJ was awake and they had even slightly sexy moments in KJ's body then I would be able to believe.
b) Okay, if Gil teacher is now in love with KJ other than the ethics of being a teacher in love with a student...she is also a married woman. Did they she not think of the fact that she could be a divorcee if YJ's feelings weren't there? (She could not skipped registering for the marriage and therefore making it not legal). Not only that but but in the end, she could be a divorcee who likes her student (who is also her ex-husband's brother). I don't know where this story's romance train is headed toward other than with another beat down from Gil Ran's mother.
I am confused about everything except being here for Gong Yoo. Go oppa go!
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SuSue
July 4, 2012 at 10:17 PM
OMG! You said it! I just posted my two cents but I totally agree with you! Da Ran is confused! How can you not look at Yoon Jae's body and not develop feelings for that being when Kyung Joon's soul is so nice to her and affectionate and thoughtful. It's everything she was searching for towards the almost-end of her relationship with Yoon Jae or so she thought. Plus could she really love Kyung Joon in his own body?????????
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SuSue
July 4, 2012 at 10:19 PM
LOL! I am also not sure about anything but I know I love Gong Yoo too!!! He's too beautiful and he's beyond awesome in every scene!
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68 biglover
July 4, 2012 at 4:40 AM
i'm holding on as to how the Hong Sisters will end this drama..but i hope it will be a good one and not disappointing like the end of MGIG..fighting DR and KJ!
but i still hope Shin will wake up already, i want to see him act and not just sleep..even if he wakes up as YG or KJ its okay as long as he will act again.. =)
i think the main character here along side DR is KJ and not YG, since the first episodes, KJ's character is more exposed than YG so i would think it will be KJ who will be alive not YG just quite not sure if KJ will be in his body or in YG's body in the end..
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69 kdramalove
July 4, 2012 at 6:38 AM
So I guess YJ bought tickets to go to LA to look for his "long lost brother" Love this drama :)
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70 ar_arguably romantic
July 4, 2012 at 7:04 AM
Thanks for the recap!
I also get the feeling that one of them will die (99% sure it would be Yoon-jae because we know absolutely nothing about him), but I don't know in what manner. Would Yoon-jae and his body die? It's really hard to figure out because so many people are attached to Gong Yoo (and conflate Gong Yoo with his original YJ character) and if his body dies, then there will be riots. Or would Yoon-jae's soul and KJ's body die and KJ will be stuck in YJ's body forever? It could make sense that KJ's body is not as viable as it seems and that YJ is making sure that KJ lives a long life. And it would appease the Gong Yoo fans.
I'm fine with a Da-ran and KJ in KJ's body pairing and knowing that YJ was a good man who did care about Da-ran.
I don't frown upon YJ's parents decision to have a savior baby so that YJ's life could be saved. A parent would do anything to save their child and it's not like they would have done anything harmful to KJ's body in getting genetic material to help heal YJ. However, abandoning that child after they got what they needed is just messed up. I think most people who have savior babies end up raising their kids and treating them like how they would treat their other children even if they don't end up being successful matches. YJ's parents look like they have scads of money. Just hire someone to be the surrogate. It's so wrong that they would have Hee-soo do it.
I'm so glad Da-ran is realizing her feelings! I love their little misunderstandings in this episode because these misunderstandings came from the right place. Too many kdrama misunderstandings come from the other woman or the other man or evil parents. While Daran and KJ-in-YJ's-body don't sizzle up the screen, the way they care about each other makes them a couple to cheer for.
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71 samosvetlee
July 4, 2012 at 7:37 AM
Apparently this year's k-drama ''Big'' just got BIG ! What a crazy story..Not only KJ's been nrought to life,out of love but more of a need,his real mother is not his bio mother,n his father somehow managed to end up having an affair with his real mother,cheating on his bio mother..What kind of woman would agree on the crazy idea,of carring the baby of the man she loves n his wife ?! I guess a woman in love,who wants to have a child frm the man she loves n also wants to help another child would only make such sacrifice..Cause it's as crazy as it sounds..Further more,it does makes sense why the bio mother of KJ doesn't wanna hear anything for him..Not only she didn't want him,but once said she need to have him,she couldn't..Like that wasn't enough of a misery,the surrogate mother is noone else but her husband's lover..Such a fucked up story..that does predetermined YJ's choice of life..being a doctor,trying to return the favour..HAving all this in mind,i do like to know YJ better..n i do agree with what some of you say,that it's about time we see more of the real YJ,cause what has been shown n sai so far of him and ab him is misleaing..i don't know how the story would unfold,but i'm not sure who's love i should cheer for !? What's the main idea..besides the ''Miracle'' plot..Daran's choice ?! Falling for the younger of two brothers ?! She fell for YJ,first..and when she did it,she didi it for a reason..but that reasons doesn't seem to be solid enough ?! Cause from what we've seen it seems like she was more in that relationship,that YJ..Cause maybe he was absorbed n bussy,trying to find his lil brother,that saved his life ?! Cause he felt like not having the right to move on and make a family,without ending this painful n confusing chapter of his life ?! What were his expectations ?! Who was he n why he treated Daran like this !? Was the change of souls the key to repay for what's been done,in the past n how would this story end !?! Who's gonan make it out of this mess ?! Soo many questions n only a few more epis to come..The writters better give us a hell of an ending..Thank you for the recap !
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72 ssen18
July 4, 2012 at 8:07 AM
Gong Yoo will be on the show until the show ends---FOR SURE (if not, then I will longer be interested in watching this drama). It doesn't matter if DR will be with KY or YG, the kid's main roll is simply to sleep (nothing else).
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73 katiamon
July 4, 2012 at 8:33 AM
Am i the only one who thinks that this drama is getting more messy by time???
the other child story and the transplant story does not compute with me because: first, the parents are crazy!!!!... and second, because in real life any transplant patient has to take medicines for life so YG would have gotten seriously sick inmediately for not taking its meds for a week (this is a fact).
i know this is a drama and they are not usually accurate with real life facts, but i need some consistency if you want me to buy the story of love of love between a teacher and a student that knew each other for a couple of days and all the soul swap thing.
I'm grateful for the recaps, but i have to admit that reading them feels like a guilty pleasure ^^'
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jomo143
July 4, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Not a transplanted organ.
More like treatment for leukemia which doesn't require anti-rejection medication.
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K
July 7, 2012 at 12:39 AM
I think it's stem cell transplant. It's just injection so if everything went well, then he wouldn't lifetime medication. :)
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K
July 7, 2012 at 12:40 AM
*need
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74 Kiki
July 4, 2012 at 10:41 AM
So, I'm visiting my parents for July 4th, and found myself giving a very general explanation of the show so far to my curious mother. She said, even if one dies, they both live. So they both die, and they both live. Whoa, getting deep mom.
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75 YChase007
July 4, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Loving the recap, the drama, & these comments.... My thoughts personally since KJ's fate is to be a miracle for YJ since YJ died for 30 minutes before KJ tookover... This could mean that A) he switches back & the shell is officially dead or B) everyone goes to there places but are in one very ackward predicament since GD is not exactly with the person she loves thus divorce is imminent
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76 kimchewchew
July 4, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Just a thought about DR & KKJ's marriage: I think omitting the whole wedding ceremony was done on purpose by the writers/director/producer. I think it'll turn out that the ceremony was held, but they never legalized it by registering the marriage. It was more of a show for the parents to get them off their backs. As far as I know from watching other Korean dramas, a marriage isn't legal unless registered in court. ("Can't Lose" with Choi Ji-woo & Yoon Sang-hyun comes to mind). This detail may be their "get out of jail card" in the end when & if YJ finally wakes up.
I know this theory is grasping at straws, but it still sounds better than DR actually marrying someone without their consent.
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folieadeux
July 4, 2012 at 7:50 PM
I think so, too. Unless the marriage is registered, theirs is a fake, legally speaking.
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77 redfox
July 4, 2012 at 12:39 PM
headmaster and uncle meeting, red roses by alla pugatshova lol
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kumi
July 5, 2012 at 6:14 AM
Lots of Russian references in this drama, aren't there?
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78 notreallyari
July 4, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Honestly what pisses me off even more are those KJ and M supporters. I get that it's your opinion, but it's those Suzy fans who support KJ and M together all because SUZY plays M who wants KJ..I even saw people making fun of Lee Min Jung (person who plays Da Ran) because she was "stealing Suzy's man"....Gosh I hate those people....
On another note, I'm glad there's people who agree with me on YJ. I don't think he should be with Da Ran AT ALL. How many times has it been that he has cancelled a date because of work? I'm sure there must be at least half a hour of spare time you can use to spend with ur FIANCÉ. (not anymore...lol)
I fully support KJ and Da Ran together even though the age difference....meh. (But I will say that in Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, there was also that Teacher-Student thing going on.
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79 Su-Kyu
July 4, 2012 at 2:21 PM
Wow! I think it's great that there are so many comments here & on the other blogs that I've reviewed for "Big"- I'm surprised the ratings aren't higher. I totally agree w/so many of you that Da Ran should be w/Kyung Joon in Yoon Jae's body. In all actuality, did she really ever know the real Yoon Jae? Their courtship was so rushed, that she really didn't KNOW him and always felt so anxious and IMO childish around him. However, her interactions w/Shin had a very comfortable ease; initially I thought it was because of her role as the teacher/adult and each time in ep. 1 & 2 w/Shin, she was very "motherly" in her comments and ways - i.e. the school uniform & stopping her brother from jumping him on the school yard. As the episodes progressed & she had to embrace her "new norm" that is Kyung-Jae... you could see that she was comfortable and dare I say on the same level; not w/relation to maturity, but obviously because those 2 are meant to be. I've read that a lot of viewers criticized LMJ's acting in the first few episodes and still regard her character of Da Ran as weak, but I beg to differ. Her character has shown a lot of growth since the 1st ep. and I think that's because LMJ has been great showing us the evolution of her character from a naive, accepting puppy dog to a stronger, more mindful woman who is now having to come to terms w/the fact that she's in love with a young man who is in an awful predicament. I have never been a huge fan of the Hong Sisters, but I really like this story. It may seem slow-paced, but I think it's just because it's taking a little longer for us as viewers to get our answers. Ep. 10 and we finally find out that the men are brothers? And now we only have 6 episodes left to tie up loose ends - ugh! I think that GY is doing a great job w/his role (and it doesn't hurt that he's so HOT). He has great chemistry w/everyone in the cast - even Da Ran's parents...I love those scenes w/the Dad! Anyhoo, thanks so much to Dramabeans and all the comments...they are so enjoyable to read as I wait for the next episode.
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80 Rice
July 4, 2012 at 2:30 PM
This drama has got me hooked; I'm so emotionally invested it's ridiculous. I want to address some comments that other people have made in regards to the show.
1. The pacing
I agree that the pacing of the show sometimes leaves much to be desired, especially in regards to the mysterious connection between Yoon Jae and Kyung Joon. Many of us had already figured out that they're brothers early on in the show, so that when the Hong Sisters finally revealed their connection (and confirmed our suspicions) in episodes 9 and 10, it didn't feel suspenseful at all.
In addition, I think it was around episodes 4 through 7 that I felt the transitions between scenes was very odd; many scenes felt rushed and a bit disjointed. The latest episodes have improved on this somewhat.
Overall though, I very much enjoy the pacing of BIG. It's not outrageous, it's not loud, it's not in-your-face. Thoughtful moments are given space to breathe.
2. Da Ran's feelings for Kyung Joon
Some of us wish that Da Ran has developed feelings for Kyung Joon sooner, but I think that, given her situation and considering the circumstances, it's totally understandable why she'd just start developing and recognizing her feelings now. She is a teacher, and he is a student - her student, none the less. If some of us watching can't even stomach a teacher-student romantic relationship, then how do you think this is weighing on her? Moreover, she recognizes that physically, outwardly, she is married to Yoon Jae, and not Kyung Joon. It makes sense that she would hold herself back, or at least not recognize her feelings until this point in the drama. I think it rather shows a maturity on her part to recognize all the issues involved in her falling for Kyung Joon, and I understand why she hasn't confessed her feelings. Their situation is a tricky one, rife with complications.
But I'm glad we finally focused on her side of the relationship in episode 10, and got to spend time with her alone as she figured out her feelings. It makes her more relatable, and makes the Kyung Joon - Da Ran relationship seem more equal by showing her struggle and inner turmoil.
3. The question of Yoon Jae's return
I used to want Yoon Jae to come back, I used to care about understanding his character more and finding out what he meant to say to Da Ran. Not anymore. I guess in this case, I've moved on with Da Ran. She's moved on from him, doesn't seem to have any lingering feelings for him, and certainly hasn't shown any desire to find out what he was going to say to her. While closure would be nice, if Da Ran's moved on, I don't think closure is necessary anymore.
Other commenters have argued that Yoon Jae deserves a (second) chance. I think he has a right to clarify what he meant to say to Da Ran, and explain his actions and behavior, but a right to a second chance with Da Ran? Really? As sweet as the guy was made out to be in flashbacks (and believe me, I totally swooned for him in the flashbacks during the earlier episodes), it's clear that before the accident, as their wedding grew closer, Yoon Jae was being distant and evasive.
While he may not have cheated on her, and his reason for keeping himself away were not hurtful (it seems like he was caught up in his plans to track down Kyung Joon), but he did nothing to reassure her of his love, if indeed he did love her. He canceled, time and time again, every time Da Ran tried to meet up with him. Even when she tried to make it easier on him by meeting him at his workplace, he still failed to show up. I just don't think it's fair that some people might think it's two-timing of her to like Kyung Joon while Yoon Jae is in a coma, given what happened prior to the accident and how much time has passed (it's almost two years now since the accident). To me, it would make sense for her to wait for Yoon Jae if he had made his romantic feelings for her loud and clear. Alas, that is not the case.
Finally, Yoon Jae is not the main character. Plain and simple. I think the Hong Sisters did a great job writing his character because he's so appealing despite being so enigmatic. Unfortunately, this also means many in the audience want more of him, when really he isn't the focus of the story at all. I'm actually rather relieved the Hong Sisters decided (so far, I don't know if things will change if Yoon Jae comes back) to keep away from the cliched two-guys-chasing-one-girl trope. I know technically Na Teacher likes Da Ran too, but he isn't competition at all, so he's out of the picture.
4. The romantic feelings (and possibly relationship) between a teacher and her student
I think situations like these depend on the persons and context involved. If Da Ran, as a teacher and therefore in a position of authority, had manipulated her way into a relationship with Kyung Joon, I would find this relationship completely unethical and wrong. But that's not what happened. I'm not saying, by the way, that all other teacher-student relationships involve manipulation and abuse of authority, just that if that's how the relationship had developed, I would find it deeply problematic.
But the truth is, Da Ran and Kyung Joon are caught together in a very rare and special circumstance. I can see why Kyung Joon would hold onto his feelings for Gil Teacher even a year after the fact, because as he said, she's the only one who knows that it's actually him and not Yoon Jae; he can be himself with her, and that's so liberating and affirming for him. Furthermore, she showed him a thoughtfulness and concern that he had been lacking in his life; it's only natural that he would become attached to her. You can argue that he had Mari in his life before Gil Teacher came along, but he never harbored any romantic feelings for her, and prior to episode 8 or 9 where he finally got over blaming himself for his mom's murder and also told Mari it wasn't her fault, I think there was a strong mental association in his head between Mari and his mom's death, which probably resulted in his avoiding her.
I think Da Ran's mom had it right when she asked if Seo-seobang's nickname for Da Ran was "Gil Teacher" because she is his teacher in love.
5. The age difference between Kyung Joon and Da Ran
If Kyung Joon had been under the age of 18 (17 might be slightly acceptable, really depends), I might also find the relationship a bit questionable. But as it is, Kyung Joon was 18 when they first met, and at this point in the show, is 19 and going on 20. Da Ran, on the other hand, is just 8 years older. Many relationships with similar age gaps have succeeded.
Mentally, Kyung Joon is also more mature than his chronological age due to his experiences (witnessing his mom's murder, dealing with the loss of his mother, going through a body swap and having to change to suit his new body and social environment).
I can't help but wonder if some people can't accept the Da Ran - Kyung Joon relationship because the woman is older. I agree that Da Ran visibly looks older than Kyung Joon, and that Shin Won Ho (the actor) looks quite young for his age (20), but so what? Both Da Ran and Kyung Joon are of adult age, and both actors are also of adult age. Our society has become so conditioned to accept older-man-younger-woman relationships, why can't the same hold true for the reverse? It's a double standard that needs to go away. Mari giving Kyung Joon (in Yoon Jae's body) a quick peck on the lips gives me hope that if Kyung Joon returns to his original body, there will also be a kiss scene (however chaste or otherwise) between him and Da Ran. Gong Yoo is more than 10 years older than Suzy; if it's okay for her to kiss Gong Yoo, then it should be okay for Shin Won Ho as Kyung Joon to kiss Da Ran. Of course, who knows if that will actually happen, given the more conservative traditions of Korea and Asia in general. Heck, this attitude of "Older Man okay! Older Woman no!" persists outside of Asia as well. Sigh.
Those are my thoughts on some of the more common points of contention in this drama. I've written too much, but what can I say, lol. I meant it when I said I'm invested in this drama.
Lastly, I wanted to bring up something that javabeans and/or girlfriday had tossed around early on regarding the possible plot of BIG. One of them (or both? I can't remember) had written that maybe instead of a romantic angle on Kyung Joon and Da Ran, what would happen instead is Da Ran helping Kyung Joon to find a new family and home in this world, while Kyung Joon would help Yoon Jae and Da Ran to strengthen their relationship. I rather liked this potential plot; it's so rich with potential for heartwarming, life-affirming stuff. It would also be new and different, in that the main characters are not meant to fall in love with each other. I still love BIG even though this is not the direction the show took, but I hope that there's another drama that can take on this story.
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Rice
July 4, 2012 at 3:05 PM
I forgot to mention one more thing regarding the age difference between Kyung Joon and Da Ran and how they might look odd together. Some people want Kyung Joon to remain in Yoon Jae's body so the pairing won't look odd, but do you think it's fair to Kyung Joon to skip 11 years of his life, and to have to pretend to be someone else for the rest of his life? We saw how he misses being his actual age when he was observing the young boys at the hospital cafeteria.
Also, how else is Kyung Joon to know Da Ran really loves HIM for who he is, and not because of his shell?
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folieadeux
July 4, 2012 at 7:16 PM
Wow, I couldn't agree any less with everything you pointed out, well except on the last part which I think I have to come into terms with (because I'm still holding on to the OTP which is KY (played by GY)-DR). I don't know how this will happen, but I have faith with THS that they'll be able to pull it.
But setting aside the romantic arc, I do love that THS made the plot more twisted by making the brothers' relationship complicated than I have ever imagined. If not for this drama, I would not have known that such thing do happen (the savior siblings thingy). I haven't read/watched the "My Sister's Keeper" to which Big is paralleled with, so it's my first to encounter such an issue.
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Gom
July 7, 2012 at 12:55 AM
Definitely agree with the pacing issue. I love how the Hong sisters allowed us to breathe with each emotion. I now know exactly why I've never been a 100% fan of their past dramas: Because every single emotion is so outrageous, over-the-top, fast, and overblown that I feel very exhausted in the end (I felt this the most in Greatest Love).
Usually, when the heroins realize their feelings, they go through such exaggerated acts to conceal them and to finally confess. Yes, it's a fun roller coaster ride, but I'm so glad that they finally mellowed down into this kind of pacing. This is such a healthy change for them. :)
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81 Onewcondition
July 4, 2012 at 4:02 PM
I hope KJ finds out how she feels, it really hurts seeing him consider himself a burden and unloved :( I also kind of want to see a bit more of Shin acting as KJ and what YJ was going to tell Da Ran ^^
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82 mia
July 4, 2012 at 4:20 PM
I think Da Ran is going to confess to Kyung Joon on his birthday only to find that Yoon Jae's soul is back in his body. I can't believe there are only 6 more episodes of this drama left. ITA about the Hong Kong sisters not letting us know how Yoon Jae feels. But I believe he genuinely loved Da Ran and maybe he was distant and hesitant to get married because he was relapsing from whatever life threatening illness he had at 12. So many possibilities with the ending. Part that scares me the most is that Ma-Ri's whispers to Kyung Joon's body to wake up with no memory of this experience he's having will actually come true.
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83 rain
July 4, 2012 at 7:25 PM
we're past the halfway mark of the series now and the show has basically asked us to root for the DR/KJ ship because if DR & YJ were really meant to be together, the show wouldn't have invested so much time on developing the DR/KJ relationship - w/c from the outset i've never been on board. boundaries and all that.
but it sure looks like either KJ or YJ would die in the end. if KJ, fr episode 1, there was a howard's end moment there with the umbrella thing, and of course, the young man there died.
but i think it's YJ who is really going to die. he was already living on borrowed time, made possible by KJ's birth. in fact, YJ's already dead, but KJ's soul going into his body "saves" him. and i think they'll do an "english patient" here where the truth about YJ's love will be ultimately revealed. he really did love da ran, and all misunderstandings will be cleared in the end, and we'll get this sad, poignant moment when she would know it's really him because his hands would be warm and he would get to tell her he loved her and say goodbye. she then becomes a widow et le voila! she's free and all legal mess avoided. KJ gets to grow up and then he'll come back years later looking exactly like his elder brother. and so the show will have a happy ending.
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mia
July 5, 2012 at 5:45 PM
KJ coming back a few years later looking like Gong Yoo would be a hard sell IMO. KJ is pretty much an adult; in a few years he would just look like an older version of himself, he wouldn't look like a present day Yoon Jae. They would have only been able to pull that off if KJ was a little kid in this drama not a young adult. IMO, the true test of whether Da Ran loves KJ is if she still loves him in his own body.
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84 Duh-duh
July 4, 2012 at 8:19 PM
THis drama is SLOW~~~~~. And full of cliches'.
I am sorry but this drama blows Hong sister's reputation for me. Actors are awesome but story .. not so much. They left YJ out of pictures since day 1, Suzy is annoying, and I couldn't care less for any of them.
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85 Barbara Starks
July 4, 2012 at 8:48 PM
I don't get Da-ra tears about KJ leaving YJ body, It's not right to stay in YJ body especially since he has a young healthy body of his owned. De-ra needs to step up in take control of her feelings and understand what come with loving KJ. As this drama heads toward the finishes line I hope if De-ra decide to love KJ she demonstrate confident and not waver.
I still don't understand how she don't know YJ she was marrying him. I understand her doubt regarding his feelings toward her but there should be no doubt of his character. I'm so tired of this whole story line, I didn't believe that YJ cheated on her. I believe the girl was a past love, they had history which he moved on from but she return wanting to begin where it ended.
I also feel that it's been YJ this entire time, but we see where this mess is heading.
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86 MariePhils
July 4, 2012 at 9:13 PM
I have already left my heart on this drama... its becoz of the plot...and the chemistry between LMJ with GY...
I'm hoping for a Yoon Eun-hye and Gong Yoo reunion drama....
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87 Barbara Starks
July 4, 2012 at 9:26 PM
I have to say this because really, really people what K-drama relationship is not rush! 3 blind date then marriage. It's seem like De-ra and YJ dated for months in k-drama-land that a life time. Please, Please I beg of you all stop with the De-ra didn't know him because in reality of K-drama she knew him very well! The reason De-ra question YJ feelings was due to her own insecurity, not a reflection of his character. In the flash back of they relationship I wonder why De-ra need to heard the words were he has shown in action on many occasion. It's not about knowing YJ feeling but De-ra coming to term with her knowing hers.
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88 SuSue
July 4, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Pace: definitely slow on these 2 episodes, but intriguing enough. I have to remind myself that it's a drama and that's why I love these dramas so much because I love torturing myself, waiting for everything to reveal itself eventually.
I am so very much anticipating the soul swap into the proper bodies. I completely empathize with Kyung Joon's character and I love how he treats Da Ran, but he's still the kid at the end of the day. Plus, I think Da Ran and Yoon Jae's story is unfinished. There's too many questions and we don't yet quite know how he was going to respond to Da Ran in the beginning. Also, you can't blame their weak love all to him. She had some cute flashbacks of "better" times with Yoon Jae. She also found out that he actually saw her before her big fall at the wedding. So there's substance to his affections. Like Da Ran said, when Yoon Jae returns, she would be sure to be more affectionate and more open about her feelings for him. You can't expect a person not to second guess a relationship when the other partner is not expressive. Actions do speak louder than words. And when there are no words...it's nothing.
Yoon Jae needs to return and return soon! He BETTER return! He saved his little brother whom was born to save him. I think the Heavens could let the two live together happily. That much at least is owed to the two selfless individuals who had no say or control in what had happened to them or why they came into existence. Love...sacrifice...enough was done on their part.
I like both Kyung Joon and Yoon Jae! Da Ran needs to figure out her feelings for Yoon Jae and put the cap on her feelings for Kyung Joon. Mari is psychotic but she also does a lot for Kyung Joon so she's good for him. There can be tears, more drama, anger, more drama. But I love me a happy ending and I hope I get my ending............... A happy ending for everyone!
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89 anna
July 5, 2012 at 5:46 AM
gong yoo ...with that hot body..why soooo adorable?!*sigh*... he can really act like a kid in a man's body!...i'm really watching "hello teacher" soon...just wanna get that gong yoo overload..lol!
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90 claudefaye
July 5, 2012 at 6:05 AM
Kyungjoon: "I’ll disappear so you’ll never have to see me again.”
THAT LAST LINE!!! WHY DID YOU SAY THAT!!! You said that to your mom!! NO!!!!!!! Please.... I don't want any of them to die..
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mia
July 5, 2012 at 5:48 PM
OMG that's so true! My first few dramas had sucking endings where the OTPs would wind up dead and reuniting in some afterlife. I want them to live. Especially KJ. He deserves that much after all he's lost.
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91 Soyb
July 5, 2012 at 6:38 AM
Thanks for the recap. I know I'm hooked b/c I'm starting to watch without subs...
BUT - I'm so freaking conflicted about this drama. As others have mentioned already, wish they hadn't left KJ's body in a coma for so long. The longer DR is interacting with KJ in YS's body, the harder it is getting to ship DR and KJ in his own body. Not to mention the ick factor in that she's actually married to YJ's body. Even if the marriage wasn't legalized, how would you explain to all the family and friends if DR switches to the much much younger brother?
So, it makes more sense that YJ's soul is gonna die in KJ's body and KJ is going to stay in YJ's body to avoid all the confusion and messiness. BUT then what's up with the momentary swapping?
I just can't see how they are going to resolve this... it's either going to be so ingenious and daebak that I can't envision it or so f-ed up and disappointing and that I'm going to want to chuck my computer out the window.
I'm hooked, but nervous as all heck b/c I vested enough that I don't want to be disappointed and wish I had never bothered to start this drama.
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92 steadystrike
July 5, 2012 at 9:19 AM
When Kyungjoon enunciated his birth date in Chinese reading of numbers in Korean, 6/24 wasn't just random date they picked to be his birth date.
0 = Gong
6 = Yook
2 = I
4 = Sa
If you say it fast Gong Yoo Isa or Dr. Gong Yoo
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ilikemangos
July 5, 2012 at 9:45 PM
holy! just learned something new
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93 namcha
July 5, 2012 at 9:25 AM
I think YJ's soul is gone. The director doesn't show YJ trying to get back into his body, only KJ and painfully unsuccessful each time. Another good episode!
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94 hana
July 5, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Thx to all people about their thought and analysis about this drama. Some confusion also hooked me since the very beginning of the drama. Every one is demanding how possibly the end look liked. Even tough i shiped for sure KJ-DR at the end. but it would not fair to see KJ stucked in YJ's body..
moreover i curious how KJ act in Shin. somehow i also felt that i saw Shin when Gong Yoo act. I felt that Shin did a good job at the first eps. i loved the scene when they are at the lake..
i found some crazy thought about the ending. like other comments previously point out, KJ and Daran will have drink together and do confession, at the same time they are kissing then BANG!! the soul swap without Daran realized, instead of KJ soul, YJ soul was there.
Worried, Daran run to the hospital, and see KJ is still in coma. after that, She does everything in life with the real YJ as her husband, but doesnt feel satisfied at all, and do realized she loves his student. and go to the hospital and kiss the real KJ with tears (like Snow White)..CLOCK!!Miracle happened, he woke up... hehehehe
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95 MmA
July 5, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Thanks for the recap. Just a thought. I think the souls might switch back on KJ's birthday thats why the souls swapped briefly again because its getting closer and closer to the birthday. The day KJ was born to save YJ.
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96 bd
July 5, 2012 at 5:01 PM
LMJ as Da-ran is a lot cuter than she was at the beginning.
The Hong sisters are finally getting the "meat" of a romcom, the emotions and changing relationship btwn the leads, right.
Too bad too much of the rest is still a mess.
Blood brothers from a different mother, a cold-hearted mother, father who loved another woman, etc. - not only cliche, but a bad, over-the-top one at that.
The unrequited love club w/ the Uncle and VP also is just plain silly (how many unrequited love "couples" does this romcom need?).
And it took Daddy illustrator a year to find out that his love was murdered and that his other son had left the US?
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97 Viki
July 5, 2012 at 6:33 PM
Omg, I am loving this show so much!
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98 BIGAddict
July 5, 2012 at 8:34 PM
Wow...I really love Dramabeans and am eternally thankful for their excellent recaps but a lot of the comments here are so cynical or angst-ridden that it takes all the FUN out of watching the drama.
Thank you Girlfriday nonetheless:)
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99 amelia
July 5, 2012 at 9:00 PM
I heard from one of my korean friend that they are changing the script , since there is speculation tht no teacher and student relationship....Am not excat sure the detail but can anyone confirm on this ??
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100 Beebs
July 5, 2012 at 10:15 PM
Wow, there's a lot more people than me that are bothered by the mysteries still surrounding YJ. If this was just supposed to be another happy romance comedy in which I am supposed to happily ship the main couple and ignore everything else, then they would've been better off leaving out all the donor drama, coma, and possible death. Because they went down this road, there's a huge elephant in the room now and I can't even be bothered with the main couple despite how cute they are.
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