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Nice Guy: Episode 12

Here’s a line I never thought I’d say: Amnesia is doing wonders for this story.

Phew. With that out of the way, I was surprised and pleased by this episode, which delivered plenty of bang for its dramatic buck. Maru learns how to run a corporation overnight and takes Jae-hee to school, Eun-ki gets some girlish bonding moments with Choco, and Min-young gets a step closer to graduating from the drama school of douchebaggery and villainy. I’ll be taking bets on how many episodes it’ll take before he calls a hit on someone we like.

Ratings stopped declining and started rising again (yay) with Episode 12 bringing in 15.1%.

 
EPISODE 12 RECAP

We jump back a bit to the moments leading up to Eun-ki’s grand return, while she and Maru were getting dressed for the event. He’d given her the lines of her speech through telephone, which she’d parroted and memorized in front of a wall covered in pictures and accompanying information of important Taesan Group members.

He was coaching her, essentially, and added the finishing touch by giving her heels to go with her outfit. (Don’t give her shoes, Maru!) There’s a cute moment where he seems to take in and appreciate how pretty she looks all dressed up before they head out together.

This time we see the inauguration ceremony more from Maru’s perspective, as he’s unable to hide a proud smile when Eun-ki makes her dramatic entrance. More telling is the fact that he sends a self-satisfied smirk Jae-hee’s way the second she’s visibly rattled by Eun-ki’s appearance. Yeah, he’s enjoying this.

Eun-ki introduces Maru as her fiancé, and Jae-hee’s world crumbles. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying this too.

Jae-hee retires to her office with Min-young, still shell-shocked over what happened. She has a harder time believing Eun-ki’s back because she knew Jae-sik had clearly-… She doesn’t get to finish that thought, but it makes one thing clear: She did order the kidnapping.

Min-young gives Jae-hee the sobering news that Maru will be handling company affairs while Eun-ki recovers. At Jae-hee’s horrified face he asks, “What part of all this upsets you most? Was it the fact that Seo Eun-ki, whom we thought was dead, came back? Or the fact that the Kang Maru you’ve been searching for has come back as her fiancé?”

Eun-ki gets a tour of her office courtesy of Maru, though she’s suffering some exhaustion from the whole ordeal. He pulls her into a supportive hug and offers her words of encouragement, while she asks if she’ll have to fight against her stepmother. Maru answers yes.

When she asks why, he replies that Jae-hee started the fight first, “Because she is trying to get what isn’t hers.”

I love that he keeps a hand on her shoulder the whole time, as if to reinforce the fact that he’s there just for her. When Eun-ki expresses concern that she might not win, Maru counters, “I’ll do the fighting. You just stay behind me.”

It’s a sweet sentiment that takes us back to the tail end of his coffee shop convo with Joon-ha, who’d laid the rules out as such: Once Eun-ki regains her memory, Maru has to disappear. And if she doesn’t regain her memory, he can still be given compensation for his effort.

Very much like “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, Joon-ha can’t see past Maru’s lies and misdeeds to know if there’s actually some sincerity underneath. He calls Maru out for approaching Eun-ki for revenge and not love, but Maru points out that love is the driving force behind his helping Eun-ki now. So if it is love, what will Joon-ha do?

“I will have to block it,” Joon-ha asserts. “No matter what. I think you forget that I know who you really are.” He threatens to show Eun-ki documents proving how Maru used her, mocked her, and deceived her – in which case, it’ll be game over for him.

So the matter comes back to compensation, and Maru says he wants half. Wait, half of Taesan? Talk about high aspirations, but Joon-ha seems like he’s just crazy enough to do it.

Back in the present, Secretary Hyun finds Joon-ha brooding over the matter and sighs about how they couldn’t be where they are without Maru’s help. (Apparently, two months have passed in all this.)

While Joon-ha doesn’t trust Maru as far as he can throw him, Secretary Hyun remains a romantic and firmly believes that Maru’s love for Eun-ki accomplished the impossible. “‘Love gives us strength.'”

And then it’s back to the past, where Joon-ha agrees to give Maru half of Taesan in exchange for being able to tell Eun-ki that Maru traded his help for that kind of compensation. Maru agrees, and a deal is made.

An awkward elevator ride ensues when Jae-hee gets caught in the same car as Maru and Eun-ki, though she tries to cover it up by telling Eun-ki to move back home. Maru takes Eun-ki’s hand in his and responds for her, that she’s going with him.

He doesn’t make eye contact with Jae-hee, and she tries her best to look past him as she invites Eun-ki over for dinner, at least. She agrees on the condition that she be able to bring Maru, and Jae-hee has to swallow hard before she gives the okay.

After she’s gone, Maru only grips Eun-ki’s hand tighter.

While dolling up for dinner, Jae-hee tries on some red lipstick that doesn’t suit her, and makes a weird mess when she nervously smears it off with her hand. O-kay.

Maru brings Eun-ki to her house in the meantime, and looks concerned when she has to confirm with him whether her father passed away.

She’s curious to know what kind of person her father was, and asks to see his room once they’re “welcomed” inside by Jae-hee. I love that Maru sees straight through her, enough to scoff when she lies about being unable to prepare for such a sudden visit.

It’s becoming clear that the prosopagnosia is a cover for Eun-ki’s amnesia and brain damage, so Maru has to step in before Jae-hee can catch on that Eun-ki doesn’t remember where her father’s room was. At least he sends Jae-hee another knowing smirk when she claims innocence in making Eun-ki’s old room into Eun-suk’s playroom. Oh, this is going to be fun.

Jae-hee doesn’t miss a chance to get a barb in, and tells Eun-ki to have a party in regards to seeing her father’s study. “Because you were crazy about a guy, you weren’t able to stay by your father when he passed away. So go see your father, and come back after you have begged for forgiveness.” Ouch.

She keeps Maru with her while Eun-ki goes to explore, and probes him on his reason for coming back when his big breakup conversation had been all about not giving a damn about her anymore.

But Maru practically smiles as he tells Jae-hee that he doesn’t even remember their past together, or what he once did for her. “The only person I am interested in right now, the one who fills my head, the one who has me wrapped around her, the one who drives me crazy, the reason why I couldn’t eat or sleep… is not Han Jae-hee, but Seo Eun-ki.” Aww yeah.

So he explains it like he’s protecting his woman from “the monster” that wants to kill her. It’s funny in a morbid way when he even takes a bite out of all the dishes to make sure Jae-hee hasn’t poisoned them. He’s literally putting nothing past her.

He admits that he made Eun-ki the way she is, so now there’s nothing he can’t do to restore her to her original position. Besides, nothing Jae-hee thinks she owns is hers.

This is a hot button issue for Jae-hee, and one which causes her to spit venom as she asserts that everything in this house, even down to a single speck of dust, is all hers. Basically she’s the kid on the playground who’d steal another kid’s toy and claim that it’s hers just because she’s the one holding it.

Maru finds Eun-ki with her head on her father’s desk. She’s in tears as she asks him whether he’s the one she was with when her father passed. She’s both sad to hear the answer is yes and comforted at the same time, since she realized that she must have truly liked Maru to do that.

Once again, Maru comforts her by holding her shoulder as he tells her that they should call it a day and just go home.

In his dark and creepy office, Min-young looks over one of Eun-ki’s diaries/post-amnesiac handwriting books. He stole it while inviting himself into Secretary Hyun’s house, and seems about one step away from figuring out that she has amnesia.

In the back of the book is a cute little pep note signed by “J.H.”, and he’s quick to think of Joon-ha. This can’t be good, but nothing’s ever good with Min-young anyway.

He calls up Secretary Jo to do a handwriting check on Joon-ha just to be sure, while our lawyer in question drives by Eun-ki’s new house.

Eun-ki and Choco have an adorable bonding moment when they both end up staring at the sky to talk to their respective fathers in heaven. Choco even asks her father to forget about her wish (for Maru to stay healthy – foreshadowing, anyone?) for the time being and help Eun-ki instead.

Meanwhile, Min-young is able to confirm Joon-ha’s handwriting in Eun-ki’s notebook as well as the fact that she has amnesia.

Later that night, Eun-ki writes a sort of apology letter to her father for not being there to take care of him. And ha, her artistic rendition of herself includes angry eyes and devil horns.

Maru stays up to do some studying on how to run a business, only to be crippled with headaches. I was about to let this just fall under the category of “Thinking Too Hard”, but then I remembered he has that deadly hematoma he’s not getting treatment for. Sigh.

Joon-ha finds him the next day already with his own office and fancy nameplate, and gives him some ammo to use in his upcoming fight against Jae-hee. It concerns the takeover of a medical group Jae-hee was pulling for.

Jae-hee catches him before he heads into the meeting, acting amused that he’s running the business in Eun-ki’s stead. They trade some barbs about company management, and Maru matches her for every one. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m excited for this corporate meeting.

Min-young uses the opportunity to catch Eun-ki without her bodyguard after having rooted out where Maru’s new house is. He takes her out to the only coffee shop in Seoul, and Secretary Hyun proves too much of a pushover when she lets Min-young have a private chat with her. Girl, grow a metaphorical pair, please.

He confronts her about the schoolbook, which she passes off as having used in the initial recovery stages from her accident. He makes his suspicions clear under the guise of secretly caring for her, and entreats her to trust him with her condition so he can protect her.

Eun-ki wavers between whether to trust his words or go with her gut. Min-young gives her a test by asking her, “Who am I?”

His face flashes briefly in her memory, both from her Wall of Memorable Taesan Employees and a scene from her past. She takes the pen he gave her to write (and subsequently test her spelling skills, which were poor in her notebook): You are a bad person.

Oh. Snap. She leaves after that put-down, and regains some of her memories outside. Most of them are of Min-young being squicky to her and her hating him, so she had it right.

She collapses outside while clutching her head in pain as Min-young watches with satisfaction. Or something like it. It’s honestly hard to tell.

In the executive meeting, Jae-hee faces some heat from the same board member who’d questioned her authority during Eun-ki’s dismissal vote. Joon-ha sends a text to Maru that he’s doing their work for them today so they can lay low, and I’m kind of digging their reluctant partnership right now.

Strangely, Maru ends up defending Jae-hee against the errant executive by bringing up the bigger picture, and how Jae-hee’s spending is worthwhile in the scheme of the acquisition plan.

It gives Jae-hee just enough time to get comfortable and claim his words as coming from her own thoughts before he adds, “I think you’ve misunderstood what I’ve said. Compared to the problems I will point out, what you said right now is worth nothing.”

He’s done his homework about this Yesung Medical Group, and the fact that Jae-hee’s illegal succession will inevitably cause Taesan to be investigated, which equals bad business. Maru: “Being the owner of a company, you didn’t start this without preparation and thought, right?” Dayum. Way to go, Maru.

She tries to salvage the situation now that it’s turned in Maru’s favor, but doesn’t have the means to defend herself against his (warranted) attacks. The meeting ends on a bad note as far as she’s concerned.

Joon-ha finds Maru in the bathroom afterward and asks how he knew about Yesung Group’s secret fund, which he had used as ammunition against Jae-hee. Maru basically admits that he was flying by the seat of his pants on that one and just used the rumors he’d seen circulating in the stock market. Lucky for him, it worked out.

There’s definitely admiration coming from Joon-ha when he asks Maru why Jae-hee ever dumped him. “If she was with someone like you, she would have earned more. She would have been much happier.”

So… huh. It kind of seems like Joon-ha has a mancrush on Maru.

As fate would have it, Eun-ki’s doctor is Suk Min-hyuk, a face we haven’t seen since the first episode. (I wasn’t expecting to see you again, Jo Sung-ha!)

His report is mostly positive as he acknowledges that her test results are much better and she’s making positive forward steps. He knows her fiancé studied medicine and commends him for a job well done in helping to rehabilitate her: “He must have worked very hard to help you, a person he loves.”

Eun-ki admits that she’s been regaining fragments of her memory, first with Maru’s driving song and now Min-young. She’s a little surprised when Doctor Suk’s words of advice entail her facing her past as the only means of fully regaining her memory.

He’s of the mind that she’s suffering trauma from a horrible memory she wants to run away from. Because she doesn’t want to be hurt anymore she’s hidden herself behind the veil of memory loss, so only when she comes to grips with what she’s repressing can she heal.

Choco and Eun-ki share boy talk that night, which Maru gets to overhear by virtue of them not hearing him come in. Choco describes her secret ways of stealing skinship moments from Jae-gil, and suggests Eun-ki take a vacation with Maru.

Maru remains very focused on Eun-ki as she gives her answers, and you can literally see the wheels turning in his head as he processes each reply. Mostly because they did technically take a vacation before, or something kind of like it, which ended badly with the whole one’s-an-amnesiac-one’s-got-a-hematoma thing.

Of course, Eun-ki doesn’t remember any of that, so Choco tries to play cupid by telling Eun-ki that she needs to go on dates with Maru, too. Eun-ki keeps shaking her head “No”, which has Maru hanging on her every word until she finally admits why, in the shyest voice possible: “Because I am embarrassed. It is embarrassing.”

There’s something about this moment that’s just real, like this one line is the rawest peek into Eun-ki’s feelings we’ve seen. It’s also cute that Maru relaxes into a smile with this admission, at least knowing she’s not avoiding him because she dislikes him.

Min-young finds Jae-hee sitting in the dark of her office, though he’s not as blindsided by Maru’s meeting showdown since he expected at least this much from him. Regardless, Maru did put a stop to Jae-hee’s acquisition project.

She makes sure to remind Min-young of his official title as Department Head and his exact place in the room about one too many times, even though she’s trying to reinforce a point: Min-young will be in danger if he stays too close to her.

It’s hard to tell whether this is genuine concern or subtle manipulation, since it almost sounds like a challenge and Min-young takes it as one, standing physically closer to her before he says, “I will take care of my own business. So, Chairman, you too, stay only this far from me. Don’t go further away.”

Once outside, Min-young calls Secretary Jo to hurry up their plans to take Maru down.

Maru smiles in bed thinking of Eun-ki’s reaction to Choco suggesting a vacation, and drags Jae-gil out of his couch-bed to ask for friendly advice: “I want to go on a trip with a girl. Please recommend a place for me.”

Jae-gil’s in shock, and rightly so. The gigolo in this friendship is currently asking him for the simplest of dating advice, like he’s never entertained a girl before. Awkward Maru needs to stick around a little while, because he’s kind of rocking my world right now.

Jae-gil finally understands that Maru’s trepidation comes from this being his first “true” relationship. He tells him to just do what he did with Jae-hee, but Maru admits that he doesn’t remember what he did with Jae-hee when they dated.

The next morning, Eun-ki wakes up in the passenger seat of Maru’s car, still wrapped up in her comforter. He snuck her to a vacation while she was sleeping? I just… can’t. That’s just too cute.

She waddles out while Maru sits perched above the ocean vista he’s brought her to. Best “Good morning” ever, or greatest “Good morning” ever?

As they walk hand in hand on a beach, in a field, and generally share romantic moments together, Maru’s voiceover is heard:

“Father,

One day, a woman walked into my life. I hurt her deeply with the harshest words possible. I pushed her away as much as I could. But, she still came back to me. She is so much like me; I look at myself often when I look at her. She has the physical wounds that I have. The tears that fill my brain are flowing through her heart as well. I gave her those wounds. I made her cry. I should not have met her. I should not have allowed her to come into the life of a guy like me.”

He even plays the harmonica for her, and the simple tune continues as they make the drive home. Only the tunnel they drive through looks a little too familiar – it’s the same tunnel they had their car crash in.

She’s literally in heaven holding his hand, until the oncoming flash of headlights fills her vision. Flashes of the moments leading up to the accident assault her, and Maru seems to know it.

“Father, I’m regretting it. This is the first time… that I have ever regretted anything in my life.”

 
COMMENTS

That look on his face (or is it the absence of a look?) just kills me. Maru is still incredibly hard to read even if he wears his heart on his sleeve, which really resonates with “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, in that I do want to trust him… it’s just that his past actions make that pretty difficult.

If we’re to judge from what Doctor Suk tells us about the time Maru has spent working with Eun-ki to help her cognitive skills, then this final scene seems like a calculated maneuver on Maru’s part to help her regain her memories. Which is a noble sacrifice on his part considering what he might lose if she remembers everything.

And if dramas have taught us anything, it’s that one day of blissful togetherness always serves as padding for something terrible to come. At least Maru’s exercising some control over what might be the coming storm. There’s no way of telling (yet) if his love for Eun-ki goes deeper than his love for Jae-hee, since, frankly, he’s no stranger to self-sacrifice when it comes to the women in his life.

That list includes Choco, whose mysterious illness we haven’t seen pop up in a while, though I’m sure it’ll come at the most dramatic moment possible. Maru asking for half of Taesan in return for helping Eun-ki seemed like a move geared toward Choco’s welfare, even though her donating the money he earned by cheating people doesn’t seem to have put much of a hole in his pocket. But hey, now he’s got a shiny new job that must be paying him something. And he doesn’t have to sell his soul this time.

The inclusion of Jae-gil and Choco in recent episodes has been a complete turnaround from the place they used to fill in the story – a semi-sweet side romance totally removed from the main action. It makes sense with Maru and Eun-ki’s new trajectories that they’d each be more open to helpful influences than they were before, so it’s nice to see Jae-gil and Maru’s neglected bond spring back to life as well as the newer bond forming between Choco and Eun-ki.

And though I didn’t think I’d be admitting it, I’m actually surprised by how integrated the use of Eun-ki’s amnesia is to both her and Maru’s narrative arcs, respectively. There have always been more similarities between the two than there are differences, especially in regard to their level of devotion and passion for whatever they set their minds to. It’s not like being a gigolo gave Maru instant telepathic powers when it comes to women, but instead it seems like he’s able to stay one step ahead of Eun-ki because he’s been there before, and knows how she works.

It’s why he manipulated her so easily before, and why it’s throwing me for such a loop that he’s using that same knowledge to actually foster a real relationship with her this time around. He’s choosing to take Eun-ki by the hand and protect her while he helps her to stand up again in her rightful place, memories fully intact. The nicest thing about that sentiment is that unknowingly, Eun-ki is providing Maru the strength to live again. And I mean actually live, none of this walking dead stuff he’s been doing.

Just don’t remind me about the hematoma, because I’m finally starting to care about whether Maru lives happily ever after or not. And that’s something I’d sworn not to do after experiencing the super thought out, well-rounded, totally in-character and narratively fulfilling ending to Writer Lee’s previous work that cannot be swept under the amnesia rug, A Love To Kill.

 
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i am the first one :D

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just loved that scene where eun-gi answers shyly....oh moon chae won looks so good!!
Also the first pic when maru smiles while lying on his bed...
the most romantic episode so far.....

i have a doubt...the conclusion of his last voice over was that he loves eun-gi..right????

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Thank you!!

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I seriously thought the ending yesterday was a dream or sth cuz it seemed too rushed that comeback, forgot this drama has a thing for confusing us in 1 episode then doing a flashback of sorts in the next to explain it...

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thanks for the recap. i'm in love with this drama!

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Thanks for the recap! I was initially wary of this drama, because I hate heavy stories but I'm really blown away now. Awesome.

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I'm losing interest in the story it's not as interesting without the fierce and cold eungi.Plus I don't ship maru and eungi together,don't know why but they are meh to me never really liked them together...

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Thanks for the recap, HeadsNo2!

I also suspect that the trip ended up being a calculated maneuver to help Eun-gi remember so she can protect what is rightfully hers!

This episode was pretty awesome -only marred by the whole hematoma thing. Kdrama writers should stop associating death with redemption.

Can Joon-ha just go and hand half of Tae-san over to Maru?

Some fave moments:
-Eun-gi's return speech
-Lawyer Ahn asking Jae-hee if she was more upset over Eun-gi's return threatening her position or over the whole Maru is now Eun-gi's fiance reveal
-Eun-gi writing "You are a bad person" when Lawyer Ahn asked her to write out who he is. FACE! And very much like something a pre-amnesia Eun-gi would do.
-Maru's expression when he was listening in on Eun-gi and Choco's date convo
-the Maru- Joon-ha bromantic moment in the bathroom.
-Jae-hee putting that lipstick on for Maru, but then wiping it off because really, Maru is no longer hers!
-Every moment that Maru has mentioned his feelings for Eun-gi!

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"So… huh. It kind of seems like Joon-ha has a mancrush on Maru."

This got me thinking... what if Joon Ha is gay and he acts jealous because he wants Maru for himself? lol

Sorry I still can't move on after watching K.Will's "Please Don't" MV with smexy Seo In Guk!

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well in an earlier episode eungi did mention joonha being gay right?

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In the very first, character-establishing episode, yes. Except there's a character chart out there that has Joon-ha holding a one-sided love for Eun-gi, so it's been taken as writ that he's not actually gay.

Which has bummed me out, frankly, because I thought it was an interesting take on the usual love triangle: having the second male lead not romantically interested in the female lead and instead loving her platonically. Then it's less about, "you can't have her because she's mine" and more, "you can't have because you stink and she deserves better."

So I'm hoping the character chart turns out to be misleading. Because (a) the more interesting triangle is on, and (b) Joon-ha isn't painted with the sleaze-brush in lying to Eun-gi to stay close to her. (With, I'll admit, a little bonus addition of actual crushes. ;) )

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Haha! a replay from 1997?

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Exactly my point.

"You are a bad person."
Bam.
It's like she knows the lawyer ajussi is the type of person who reads everything between the lines.

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Agree with all your favorite moments!

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Can we just pretend Maru's headaches are just headaches and not hematoma? It would make me feel so much better....

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Nothing to worry, hematoma is not a serious illness that may cause death, unless they really want to kill the character of Maru at the end, like in Love to Kill series.

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but - - but - - Maru's conversation with his doctor seems to say otherwise...I am so lost.

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well, in kdrama context, not-so-serious illnesses usually turn into matters of life and death...=(

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You know it's funny, but I am totally feeling Jae-Gil and Choco recently. Kwang soo is also kind of rocking my world right now with being the only semi-sane person in this crazy crew, and it's so refreshing to see a different character for him. Usually I see him as the hilarious pathetic guy, or the nerd, but in this story I have found that he is extremely charming. I still remember in episode 9 when he cried when he was talking to Maru, and that descent from concern to fear is so clear that it made me choke up. Not to mention the event he did for event in the episode after.

Have I mentioned I love Kwang soo? XD

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Totally agree. i used to fast forward the scenes of Jaegil/Choco because it just felt so distant.
But now that they're actually IN maru/eun-gi's life, I am really diggin' their scenes.
Jae-gil does seem like the only level-headed character in this show, and choco surprised me with some advice that was wise beyond her years.
I also choked up with that scene because i really felt their friendship.

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I third this notion. The scene b/t him and Maru this episode where Maru basically admitted that he doesn't know how to woo a woman when he's not trying to con her was PRICELESS. Made me wonder who he was whistling to on the phone, though. Choco? Hopefully!

I'm hoping that Jae Gil and Choco will be able to act as voices of reason for Maru & Eun Gi in the angst/insanity that is surely to come for them. I just want these four to buy a condo on some remote island and play house together. They're all so freaking cute.

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I know right? I love Jae Gil and Choco together, because I think you really feel their closeness. You can sense that he always has been there for her. Especially after that picture event he did for her which I thought was adorable, and I was like...these two look really cute together. If you look at it, it wasn't even romantic, it was more being good friends with each other and ultimately that's what I like about Jae Gil and Choco. They actually have been companions rather than true lovers like eunki and maru. It also diffuses the melodrama into something less depressing.

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Fourth! :D It makes me understand a little more why we had those cut-away scenes with Choco and Jae-gil. We needed to get a sense of them for their inclusion to fit as well as it does now. I just wish they could have figured out a way to do it a bit more gracefully. But that's a small complaint. Because what we have right now is so good.

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Than you for the great recap. I really hope these two can hold it together. I can't wait to see Eun-Ki really tear into Jae-Hee. Jae-Hee needs to be taught a lesson. Thanks again for the great recap...

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The acting from the two leads in this drama is out of this world.

Moon Chae Won, particularly, killed it. Her acting as shy and embarrassed Eun-gi now is in stark contrast to the brash, straightalking and abrasive Eun-gi before. And she has nailed both so thoroughly that the amnesia is totally believable.

Joong-ki has been great too, although his skill is shown more in the subtle moments. Amazing.

Surely the drama of the year?

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no.....drama of the year is "the king 2 hearts" :)

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oohh i love both!!

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me too, is getting really hard to put only one on top of the list.

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amenn sisstuuhhhhhhh

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Word. But this is a very, very strong second for me. At least so far :).

Dang, this has been a great year for kdramas, hasn't it?

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Oh yeah. This year was bangin'. So rarely do all the good/strong shows come all in one year..
Busy busy year for the recapping team.

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Yes, King2Hearts was my favorite, along with Arang andthe Magistrate.

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can't even compare!! they're both so good in VERY different ways!!

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you're forgetting Gaksital and the comedy, Dr. Jin.

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Sorry, as much i love K2H and Nice Guys, drama of the year is definitely Reply :D

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oh...haven't seen it yet..

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i also love K2H....
but NG so special for me...
So.,i put Nice Guy as the best drama of the year from KBS
METS best from MBC
SBS still did't found...
while Reply97 the best drama from tv channel..hehehe

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I think for SBS, it's A Gentleman's Dignity ^_^

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i'm with you Claire..!! AGD is sooo great!! ^^

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Agree with you..
and sbs for me..its rooftop prince..

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AM97 started greaaat but kinda fizzled at the end. Realized it's the endings that maketh a drama.

In any case, these shows belong to different genres so it's difficult to gauge these dramas from the same standpoint. So, perhaps we could have best dramas belonging to different genres. :D

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yo snape---

LMAO-this year we have seen some interesting turns in Korean Dramas.

Gives hope that Korean Writers are growing up and accepting that viewers respond to more realistic writing than, let's say, the over the top revenge chaebol crap from back in the day.

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Oooooh... Drama of the year question... *ponders* I think @BB is right, that the ending makes or breaks a drama. So I'd have to hold off on placing Nice Guy until it's actually done. (An end of drama fizzle is, unfortunately, not rare.)

For me the one to beat is Queen InHyun's Man: plumbing to the depths the story it's telling without getting distracted by side-dramas or forgetting what they're saying; compelling characters that stay with you after the story's done; an ending that ties it all together but leaves you feeling life continues for the characters and that world.

I can say the Nice Guy is heading in the right direction. At this point I'm certainly not writing it off.

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QIHM! Just. I can hardly speak about it, I love it so much. So cute, so well executed; you can enjoy it as popcorn distraction, but if you want you can plunge much more deeply into it; the characters, the music--it was the little drama that could. Have you seen the director's cut ending for the show? Like if Nice Guy and K2H are perfect steak dinners, QIHM is like a perfect little dessert that hits your sweet spot but has a complexity of flavor you can appreciate, too. 2012's been a good kdrama year.

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Director's cut ending? No, not at all. Where would I go about hunting that down? Because I'm totally willing to try and hunt that down. :D

Steak and dessert.... good analogy. Also, yummy.

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I'd say Nice Guy comes in 2nd to Queen In Hyun's Man for me :3 Aside from that, I agree with everything you said.

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The moon embracing the sun is drama of the uear for me:)) it was a hard choice, 2012 has been a great year for korean dramas. Lots of wonderful dramas!

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Never knew such a short date could remain so memorable :)
One week moreeeeee~~

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Thank you for the recap!

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"O-kay." Bwahahaha. I can't even explain why that's so funny, but my vote's for this for recap quote of the week. I'm pretty sure that's going to be my go to reaction to Jae Hee from here on out.

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Oh ladida, you are always laughing at the same things I am. ;)

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Haha yeah that made me laugh out loud, too.

That's my reaction every time she snarls, too. She just started snarling last episode, right? Because now she does it all the time.

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Heartless gigolo Maru is already deadly. But gentle, adoring, needs-dating-advice Maru? Gah...I can't even. It's almost too much.

Kang Maru, you are kinda ruining my life right now. Please get that surgery ASAP so I can stop worrying about you. And please start making beautiful babies with Eun Gi. That is all.

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i have a doubt…the conclusion of his last voice over was that he loves eun-gi..right????

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Yes, he loves her - SO MUCH! :)

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So this is the calm before the storm... Soo ready to ride the waves that is likely to become bloomin hurricane over next 4 eps.

Still tons of resolve to sort through:

> Memory recovery?
> Corporate take over/back ?
> Justice serve for Ahn and JH?
> Kiss and make up of EuMa (pls pls pls!!!)
> Hematoma miraculously a non issue
> Making beautiful babies together (before it is too late),
> JH's redemption? To Maru, brother, to self? What happens to the little boy?
> Will there be a wedding somewhere? Choco married tot he mob? (What happenedd to Jae-gil's backstory?)
> Joon-ha find a bf or maybe date the secretary?

So many things!!!

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But no matter what happens - we'll always have the date from episode 12

*puts on heart-helmet of protection against that which will come*

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I loved this episode...It was the first time I felt really connected to the two main characters...they feel real now. Amnesia really has worked wonders here. It's made Eun-gi's character child-like, vulnerable, and honest she is like Maru was pre Jae-hee betrayal. I am sad because I know it can't stay like this forever. But I am going to enjoy this while it lasts. Thanks for the recap.

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I'm pretty sure Maru asked for half of Taesan to prevent Joonha from making the deal in the first place: like a, fulfill-this-impossible-request-or-I'm-staying-with-her move.

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In my view, Maru asking for half serves two purposes:

1. It allows Maru to help Eun-Gi recover. After all, Joon Ha did say that if Maru helps Eun-Gi out of love, Joon Ha will not allow it.

2. It gives Eun-Gi a reason to drive Maru out of her life when she recovers. Maru knows that his time is limited given his illness. He wants to appear self-serving so that Eun-Gi will have less trouble letting him go.

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Aye on point 1. Hadn't consider point 2. It is plausible but I not as convinced as I am about point 1.

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I'm with you on both points. What we have been forgetting is who Maru really is. He's a caretaker, a fighter, and sacrificial volunteer type all rolled into one. He's guilty of so much harm to Eun Gee and now has the chance to right his wrongs before he dies. This is how I'm seeing this turnaround anyway. Without someone to take care of and fight for he abandons himself into lost soul land.

EG, whether he truly loves her or not at this point, is his way of redressing his wrongs. He's not taking care of his hematoma because he believes he doesn't deserve to live after all he's done. I'm hoping that EG can give him the strength to find himself worthy enough to heal himself.

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Definitely agree with you on both points, in particular point 2.
To me, it didn't seem like he wanted half of tae san to ensure a good life for Choco or for whatever reason. Jae-Gil is as wealthy as can be, and even if he doesn't live at home for majority of the time, Maru KNOWS that he'll always protect choco. Jae-gil's been doing it their whole lives.
I think joon-ha and Maru both know he made that impossible deal so that when Eun-Gi recovered, she would see a reason to drive him away.
Maru probably felt that her feeling betrayed would be preferred over prolonged pain? Possible death? Who knows what he's really thinking.
But i do agree with you.

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Yeah, I agree with you & snape. I don't for a second think that Maru intends to keep half of the company.

I still don't think that Maru feels worthy of Eun Gi's love or of happiness at this point, as illustrated by his final monologue. I think another dimension of knowing that he has a solid "out" is that he might feel justified in relaxing into his feelings for Eun Gi a little more than he would otherwise, since he has ensured that his happiness is only temporary.

He's still punishing himself. If love were reason enough for him to live, he would get surgery on his hematoma. But the more he loves Eun Gi, the guiltier he feels and the more he's locked into this suicidal mission of "saving" Eun Gi from himself.

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I just hope he doesn't fall into some noble idiocy..
That's one of the worst!

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I feel like Maru's cruise control is always set to "noble idiocy." Think about it--his most defining characteristic has pretty much always been suppressing his own desires for the (often misguided) sake of the women in his life.

So, for the sake of a character arc, I'm REALLY hoping that this show will be about him learning to value himself for a change. And in doing so, value Eun Gi for the love that she freely gives him. THAT HE DESERVES.

(Ya hear me, writer Lee?! Character arcs are important!!)

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I actually think there might not be so much significance to his asking for half of Taesan. First of all, it's not something Joon Ha can give him: he doesn't have the authority to give Ma Ru half the company. I mean, what about the board members/shareholders who wouldn't even let Jae Hee sell off Eun Ki's shares when she was missing?

I think it was just a powerplay on Ma Ru's part. Joon Ha insists that he won't lt Ma Ru help Eun Ki unless he makes this deal, and Ma Ru turns the table on him and insists he won't offer his help unless Joon Ha makes this deal. It's a preposterous request, and he knows it. And anyway, Ma Ru is already helping Eun Ki. He made that deal after he'd taken her from Secretary Hyun's home and brought him to his, and then moved from his old home to a new one. It's a total bluff. He'd already decided to help Eun Ki: when he went to find secretary Hyun and he had that contrite look on his face he was agreeing to help her. The real deal is between Ma Ru and Hyun, not Ma Ru and Joon Ha. I like this theory because I feel Hyun is a better caretaker for Eun Ki than Joon Ha is, and has better intentions for her. It's no coincidence that right after we get the full conversation Hyun walks up to Joon Ha and tells him her views on Ma Ru's helping Eun Ki.

The entire conversation Joon Ha was attacking him ("You seem to forget, but I know who you *really* are," "I have evidence of you treachery," etc.) and this is Ma Ru's blow to him. I mean, why would Joon Ha need to reveal the deal to Eun Ki when he could just reveal the documents he has about their past together, after Ma Ru has helped her?

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*nods* That's my take, too. That the boys were playing who's the bigger bluffer and getting all, "Do this or I'll tell her." "Fine, go ahead and tell her." "Well, maybe I will!" "Fine, do it!" Only with better vocabulary. ;)

I actually thought it was kind of cute -- and made for a nice contrast to the, "you're kind of cool" "aren't I?" convo in the bathroom later. I like the prickly, not-quite-friendship between Joon-ha and Maru. I hope the show plays with them some more.

Nice call on Secretary's Hyun having the more accurate read on Maru -- and being the one to actually make the deal. I hadn't made that connection.

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I personally thought that he asked for half of Taesan not really for his sister, but just so Joon Ha would leave him alone.

Because I think he knows that Jae Gil will be able to provide for his sister so he doesn't REALLY have to worry about her financially (plus half of Taesan is just too much anyways). I think he asked for half of the company so Joon Ha would trust his intentions to help EunGi because otherwise Joon Ha will always have this doubt about him helping Eun Gi to hurt her again, or maybe even to hand it to Jae Hee. Now that Maru has a price for all his help, Joon Ha will think that Maru is just this selfish person wanting a huge amount of money.

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i think he did that, because if JoonHa couldn't give it to him, he would be able to be with Eun Gi. that's why when JoonHa said that he would give it to him, he put on that sad face

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Oh! I agree. I just made a comment above yours about how Jae-Gil would provide for Choco so I didn't feel like it was his first priority at that moment. Plus, half of taesan is ALOT. If he only needed enough to sustain choco he would have asked for a smaller percentage. Really what is he going to do with billions of dollars.

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That oh so satisfying first genuine smile out of Maru because of Eunki had me doing the happy dance, complete with clapping and giggles, for a good long while! I agree with the amnesia part. No wonder the ratings are going up again; it's simply getting good again!

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IKR!! I'm replaying Maru's smile over and over again!!
the one when he was overhearing Choco-Eungi talk and when he's lying on his bed!! SO CUTE!!!
And his awkward questions moment with JaeGil also made me giggles all the time!!

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This drama is killing me softly. seriously can't wait for next week!! Thanks for the recaps. I've watched it twice, read the live recaps, koalas recaps, and it didn't bore me to read recaps here also. lol...my drug right now.

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I have done exactly the same thing. I think I can't get tired of this drama and I like to read other points of view and opinions. It's refreshing.

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Oy. Eight more episodes now til the ending I'm bracing myself for, especially now that the stakes are so much higher, as Maru genuinely allows himself to fall for Eunki. Both Sangdoo and A Love to Kill were devastating. I really, really hope Lee Kyung Hee decides to surprise her viewers. Show us that she's got some innovations to offer in terms of melodramatic endings.

Nice Guy is daebak.

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Don't be too optimistic about the end, HeadsNo2. I watched 5 dramas written by Lee Kyung Hee, only one of them Thank you had kind of a happy ending. So, like you, I'll keep watching till the very end, Hopefully writer Lee will spare us and won't break our heart into pieces.

I find myself having trouble expressing my feelings about this drama. I'm probably still stuck in that place begging her heroine to escape, not revenge, move on and not look back. Each path we walk in life is a matter of choice. I don't feel sorry for Maru, I pity him. He keeps digging his grave with his two hand, blame Jae Hee for his own choices and like a kid persists not to take responsibility for his actions. My heart goes out for Eun Gi, please run. Just run!

Thanks for the recap, Heads. It was a dark pleasure as much as Nice Guy can bring us.

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Interesting. I don't see Maru as blaming Jae Hee for his own choices at all anymore. In fact, I think one of Maru's flaws is that he blames himself for things that aren't really his fault instead of confronting them head-on and moving on with his life. Granted, he is to blame for a fair amount--but most of his big mistakes (as I see them) were driven by his own guilt, rather than a shirking of responsibility. Do you know what it is that gave you this impression of Maru?

Now Jae Hee, on the other hand, tends to accept NO responsibility for anything she's done. What's more, she tends to only express remorse for her actions when they come back around to bite her in the ass.

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Let me know where I can reach LKH if this ends badly because my friend and I were talking about flying over to Korea and burning LKH alive.

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this episode moves me towards acceptance of Maru being with Eun Ki but that's not going to happen as the one thing I've been sure of all along is Maru's going to die, although if I'm not mistaken this writer wrote Thank You, one of the best dramas ever, so maybe we can get an ending kind of like that.

"The only person I am interested in right now, the one who fills my head, the one who has me wrapped around her, the one who drives me crazy, the reason why I couldn’t eat or sleep… is not Han Jae-hee, but Seo Eun-ki."

that's what worries me about Maru he doesn't seem to know the difference between love and obsession, so on the one hand yay finally on the other crap.

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I took that statement as both metaphorical and literal - "THe one who fills my head" -as in Eun-ki is half the cause of his hematoma, and that throwing up scene after the accident?

Yeah, I haven't seen Maru eat properly either...
I see the "me wrapped around her" as less as a wrapped around my finger sort of thing and more of a "This is me protecting what's mine". As someone mentioned above, Maru is very much the protecter.

But yeah, I also slightly agree on that worrying inability to tell love and obsession. When he falls, he falls HARD.

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Sigh i totally feel you, i'm just starting to like maru somewhat now and but the reminders of his illness? - just make me take a step back so as not to be attached to his character since i feel like all arrows are pointing towards a tragic death *sighs again*

I'm suprised this drama is only 16 episodes, i felt like i could handle it for 20, with only 4 more episodes to go ahhhhhhh i hope they don't tear out my heart, it's only going to end in sadness isn't it? (i'll be sure to try for a romcom after this!)

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Oh wait, scratch that, it actually is 20 episodes isn't it? *cheers*

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Im actually glad it's 20 episodes -- very rare do i feel this way in dramaland.
I feel like the writer started on a clean slate with this show mid-way. Really, their romance is just beginning. Plus, in no way can she resolve everything well in 4 episodes! Ha. I can't wait for the next 8 episodes!

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I could totally foresee Nice Guy's casts and staffs standing on year-end drama awards' stage.

SO GOOD!!

My heart just sinks everytime Maru smiles especially after hearing Eungi&Choco's talk. SO CUTE!!

TBH, i hate sad ending, so much! But if this drama ends with sad ending, then at least make it beautiful..
But pleasseeeeee... i'm still begging for happy ending!!

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The date at the end was so adorable and I just love Maru and Eun Gee together but oh know she's starting to remember Maru better start expressing his feelings out loud before its too late! Wow this show just keeps getting better! Thanks again HeadsNo2 for the recap!

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Only the tunnel they drive through looks a little too familiar – it’s the same tunnel they had their car crash in. [...] Flashes of the moments leading up to the accident assault her, and Maru seems to know it.

It's not the same tunnel. If you go back and watch episode 9 (or the screencaps), the tunnel they had their car crash is much, much narrower, almost claustrophobic.

Motivation-wise, it also doesn't make sense for Maru to want to force Eun-Gi to relive that crash (and I bet he never went back to that place himself either), when his sole reason for that morning surprise was to make Eun-Gi happy, give her new memories she could cherish, take her on a date she could remember forever. Why would he sully that by putting her through something she wasn't ready for just yet? That she did, that she had a flashback on that day of all days is what was so tragic about that ending.

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In the doctor's office there is a statement from the doctor about how Maru is systematic and professional in helping EG. While the drive through the tunnel may not be calculated per se, I'd bet he's not avoiding the moment when she knows everything. If the doctor in charge of her case thinks she should face her most painful memories, I would think that it's something Maru has already thought about. He already knows it's inevitable and is trying to follow Choco's advice to build some good memories to buffer the pain he knows she's going to feel soon.

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Two things:

1) The doctor doesn't know her fiance is Maru. He only knows that it's someone with some medical background, who's been instrumental with her recovery. But they're talking about recovery of her faculties, helping her with her alexia and agraphia, for instance. None of them (whether it's Doctor Suh, Maru, Joon-Ha or the secretary) are trying to force her or rush her into remembering anything, esp. (as the doctor pointed out) if her amnesia is a traumatic reaction vs. an event she's terrified to face.

2) Of course, Maru's readying himself for the day she remembers everything. Or he'd never have made that deal with Joon-Ha in the first place, giving Eun-Gi a legitimate excuse to dump him when she's "back where she belongs" at Taesan.

All I'm saying is that he'd never, ever, consciously or subconsciously have planned that day, the day of their first proper date, to be the day she's forced to face the most terrible day in their lives. That flies in the face of what he was trying to do, making amends for all the things they were never able to do together and which she dreamed about, even before she lost her memory. It's an incredible profession of love, and to suggest there was a hidden motive is to completely misinterpret the scene.

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I'm actually really curious to see how the doctor will react when he realizes Eun-gi's fiancé is actually Maru. I wonder how it's going to fit into the story.

Delusional me just really wants to see Maru get his old life back. Getting cleared for a crime he didn't do, going back to medical school, fixing whatever is going on in his brain and then marrying Eun-gi and having lots of babies. Is it too much to ask for?

I think everyone might be reading a little too much into this. I honestly believe he really loves Eun-gi, he finally took off that mask he's been wearing for the last 11 episodes. I think the scene that says it all is when he sees Eun-gi and Choco talking and then he when lays in bed smiling. Maru genuinally smiling gives it all away.

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re: the doctor not knowing the real identity of EG's fiance: that has to be a deliberate twist, and I think he's going to find out, and it's going to matter, though I have no idea how.

re: ep. 12's ending:

I think everyone might be reading a little too much into this. [...] Maru genuinally smiling gives it all away.

This is actually is the first time I've seen Maru's motivations questioned in those last scenes, esp. on the heel of an episode that was literally a testimonial of his love for Eun-Gi. The predominant reactions I've seen are people cheering the fact that his love for her came through loud and clear, while mourning the tragedy of their love story. So yes, lots of smiles and tears by the end.

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I kind of have a stupid question? Sorry! But why would Eun Ki need any reason other than her memories of Ma Ru lying to her and rejecting her to dump him?

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Another excuse/incentive to dump him?

But technically, the deal's for when she doesn't recover from her amnesia by the time she takes over the company. That's what Joon-Ha says at the beginning of their 'negotiation': 'When she remembers everything, you won't be able to stay in her life any more. But in case she doesn't, let's make a deal.' He was thinking of money (not realizing MR was in love with EG). MR had something else in mind. Amnesiac EG thinks he's doing everything out of love, and he is. But when she's back at "where she belongs," were she to believe he did it b/c he was after half of Taesan, then there's her excuse to dump him.

I think he's underestimating her ability to see through his BS, amnesia or not, but let's what happens in any case.

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@kristi: Ohhh, ok, thanks so much!

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So agree. Don't understand why people always try to see Maru as the bad guy (okay I know where they are coming from) but his feelings and motivations towards Eun Gi are so sincere. He LOVES her!

He even asked for Jae Gil's advice - still getting over the cuteness of Maru looking helpless. *swoon* It's a glimpse of the Maru we knew 7 years ago.

And his facial expression in the end was a expression of ease of mind. He was so happy after spending the day with Eun Gi... he would never ruin that with trying to provoke a flashback.

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Secretly hoping that a k-drama twist will happen & a Lee Kyung Hee show actually ends happily LOL.

The show keeps getting better with each episode. Everything just flows so well, here's to hoping they stay on track and don't stuff it up.

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Secretly hoping too, bud.

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Yup.

I'm hoping against hope that the slow start to the OTP's sincere relationship means that we've gotten the angst that would usually come at the end of the series out of the way in episode 9. Now, I just want to see Maru & Eun Gi kicking Jae Hee & Lawyer Ahn's collective ass. And then running off to get married and populate the earth with luminous, hot, brave, smart, otherworldly little babies.

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This episode is my favorite NG episode!! I loved that we FINALLY hear what Maru feels, and that smile at her shyness was... priceless!

I'm also dreading the whole hematoma arc.. there are enough twist and turns in this drama that we don't need another life endangering sickness. I wish he doesn't die... I want both of them to be happy.

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does anyone know what shoes she was wearing with her pink suit outfit?? they're so cute!!

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I love this show so much...all the actors delivered and the story just flows beautifully

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I am honestly loving the Joon-Hee / Maru couple (:

---Omgggggg Song Joonki, will you please stop your perfection??!! He did such an amazing job and Moon ChaeWon, goodness, this drama is addicting! I am honestly hoping and praying for a happy ending. These characters have been through so much, they deserve some happiness at the end at least. What would happen to Choco if Maru died? She'd be devastated! Nskshziwjsbsk. I just.. ugh. Just please--a happy ending.

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I really don't think the trip was calculated in any way to make her remember anything. Maru looks too blissfully unaware at the end, though who knows judging by his monologue. I also don't think he'd sincerely ask for advice on what to do with a girl if he was planning something like that. To me it's also not what he *might* lose when she regains her memory, he's pretty much resigned to leaving her and playing the bad guy when that happens.

JH has me confused about what she's going to do. She's not qualified to run the company, nobody really likes her, she's corrupt, she has zero rights to anything....so how is this going to be a fair fight? And I'm sure it's going to be with her probably on top again pretty shortly since this is pretty obviously the nice OTP episode before everything goes to hell. Anyway, will be interesting to see how evil she truly is.

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I agree with you mel.
I personally felt like he just wanted to take her somewhere. The night before, he even asked Jae-Gil what a guy would do on a date. I mean RED LIGHTS FLASHING that in no way was it calculated. Ha.
Usually he's doing that well on his own. It looked like he thought she was adorable when she said she was embarassed/shy, and smiling his way to bed.. I mean i think the guy just wanted to take the lady out.

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I agree. I don't think it was calculated at all.

But I still love that there's so much to interpret in this drama, that we can all come out of it with so many different interpretations. It makes the comments section of recaps lots of fun. :)

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Love the mancrushing going on. I know Eun Ki said Joon Ha was gay in the first episode... but I didn't understand that because they make it seem like he loves Eun Ki.

Jae Hee is ridic. I don't think she understands that she's in the position she's in because of Min Young. She believes she has all the power when Min Young actually has it all. If she breaks his heart he will end her. That's where Maru needs to be. He needs to be that tipping point between MY's obsession and murderous intent. Not hard from what I see.

I love Maru's progression even if I'm not entirely sure it's all for Eun Ki's benefit (I can hope!). I do like his selfless act. I just hope she remembers all of it and not the part where she saw him driving towards her because that would be hard to explain.

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He may have lied to get close to her.
We already knew pre-crash Eun Ki had trust issues and with her dad and her ex...yeah, methinks she was not too trusting of those of the male gender.

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"I just hope she remembers all of it and not the part where she saw him driving towards her because that would be hard to explain."

He didn't drive towards her as much as Eun Ki changed lanes and charged towards him. And he serenely accepted her suicide mission.

My interpretation of the accident was that neither Maru nor Eun Ki decided on suicide until the last minute. When Eun Ki changed lanes, it was like she had this thought of destroying Maru and she was challenging him. Maru looked very surprised when she entered his lane but then slowly his expression changed to a teary smile like he was accepting her challenge and going on a suicide mission. And then perhaps Eun Ki really decided that she will crash into him.

Of course, the scene ended without the full picture. There certainly was more to it. Something that I think may have retained the feelings of love for Maru within Eun Ki. Because that's what Eun Ki has the greatest impression of post-amnesia when she saw Maru again....and not a feeling of betrayal as I had thought it would be.

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"While dolling up for dinner, Jae-hee tries on some red lipstick that doesn’t suit her, and makes a weird mess when she nervously smears it off with her hand. O-kay."

I think Mo Gabi had a similar scene in History of a Salaryman.

For me, it's an indication of a descent into madness, where their sense of reality is irrevocably shifting.

Lipstick, as a symbol of a woman's public beauty and controlled expression of sexuality -- since it draws focus to los labios, the lips -- can also be symbolized as a weapon for women who use their beauty and sexuality as a calculated move for power.

It's what's served Jae Hee up until now -- her lipstick. Her beauty. Her sexuality.

She uses seduction as a weapon.

So it was interesting to see the use of her fading lip color in the past eppy or 2 and how no matter how much lipstick she puts on, she realizes it's not enough to get what she wants -- or, at least, to prevent her worst nightmares from coming true.

So for me, I saw her as smearing her lipstick as both a realization that her attempts of trading seduction for power are futile as well as her invitation to descend into Crazy Land. Well, at least, more crazy that now.

Cuz the lipstick's out of the lip lines, it's color out of control.

For me, this foreshadows her publicly, slowly, losing her sh*t -- or at the very least, her carefully crafted composure.

FLASHBACK -- remember, before she went out in the rain with the rejected bulgogi doshirak, she was spending all that time primping in front of the mirror, carefully applying her lipstick, before heading out to Kang Maru, as if her seductive powers could have softened the blow of the beating she had orchestrated in a mistaken act of revenge.

Speaking of revenge, Jae Hee just makes me cringe sometimes. It's not an eye for an eye, but an eye for your head. Or, to translate, if someone were to purposefully step on her shoes, Jae Hee will most likely retaliate by cutting off the offending party's foot.

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wow! I looked through the comments hoping to read an explanation about the lipstick and here you are! thanks! and I totally love the meaning of it IF this is what the director and writer wanted to convey :D

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This is, just, wow.
You're amazing. This is amazing.
I thought that might have been a visual symbol of her just losing her grip on the Maru situation (getting frustrated because there's a possibility he's actually in this for Eunki and not for her), but reading this has broadened my perspective.

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I have always wondered about the lipstick! Thanks for the explanation! :D

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Lipstick analogy = perfect

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Love this so much!

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LOVE. LOVE this analogy!
I was actually making fun of this woman. Jae-Hee always looked like she had her lipstick half put on.. lol
So when she smeared it off -- no wonder.

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Yeah, I love this and completely agree with your interpretation. Didn't Jae Hee say an episode or two ago that there's nobody she can't seduce? No man she can't manipulate into doing what she wants?

Well, now she's discovering the limitations of her sexual power. And it's not a pretty sight.

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@neener -- oh, good! you know what I find interesting about creatives, too? there are so many times when they unconsciously put very deep and meaningful touches to the story -- and sometimes they don't even realize to what extent until years later. i talk about this a lot with other fiction writers. :)

@icednoodles -- oh, thank you. ^__^ I know! When I look back, she's not the only character to wear lipstick, but the drama focuses so much attention to her lipstick application that it just seems to make sense that they were trying to say something with it.

@Vincy -- I love it when I feel like I'm not the only one who knows that something holds some kind of significance.

@arang_fan -- ^__^

@ladida -- I'm blushing. I really love what you add to the comments section for this drama in particular!

@ilikemangos -- you, too!

@rearwindow -- I know. Seduction is all Jae Hee knows and the only man she HASN'T used it on is Jae Gil. What's interesting, too, is that it's a man's desire for her, sexually, that lands her in trouble in the first place.

If anything, it's the dude who tried to rape her that instigated the situation that set off a tragic chain of events and stole the 2 most important things to Jae Hee: Maru and her career.

In some ways, it's semi-intelligent way to climb up out of victimhood. Being shrewd, she recognizes that men desire her beauty and her body. And instead of allowing that to traumatize her, she uses it as a weapon against them.

I'm super curious about the cultivation of the relationship between Jae Hee and Chairman Seo before the whole mess started to take some names.

I'm also curious as to whether or not something skeevy happened between her and her older brother when she was younger. After all, he was almost successful in selling Seo EunGi to a lady bar and he's an awful and pervy drunk.

If something did happen, JaeHee's psychological profile would make a lot more sense to me.

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There's something very "victim-ish" about Jae-hee. She seems to define herself as a victim constantly -- even when she's the one delivering the blows. (I'm remembering a prior episode comment about three stages of bad-thinking, one of them being "victim." Was that your comment?) And I think that's where she messes up. Because she doesn't seem to recognize when she has power, she's constantly grabbing for more. Which means she loses her grip on the power she already has.

(It's interesting that Joon-ha pointed out that if Jae-hee had stuck with Maru she would have done really, really well. But she had to grab more (the Chairman), and in the process lost Maru. Then did the same with the Chairman and Min-young.)

I think her sexuality was a powerful tool, but she's kind of squandered it (overused it? not used it wisely?) and now it's now serving her as it should. (Loved your take on her lip-stick smearing scene, btw. I didn't see it until you pointed it out -- and it's perfect.)

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*not serving her as it should.

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Woaaah... after reading your comment, it crossed my mind that I wish I was a psychology or phylosophy college student that write a thesis about the human behaviour in this drama....

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Thanks for the recap! I just caught up on all the episodes and I can't wait to see how this drama turns out.

Anyone that know's the name of the song Maru played on the harmonic please reply to post. I know I heard it somewhere just can't remember where. :D

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my grandfather's clock!

It's an old tune I used to listen when I was a little kid!

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Thanks!

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That tune reminded me of Tree of Heaven
Heavily used in that melo.

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I knew i heard in a drama a long time ago. I just couldn't remember which one

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please don't end like What Happened In Bali and Fashion King. i will seriously kill someone it ends like that!

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I was disappointed by the 13h episode, but this one... My interest came back :). I still don't allow myself to think about Maru's illness, because, yeah, that is such such common thing in dramas. I just loathe it. But everything else - very good. Very very very. And that conversation, which was overheard by Maru. Cuuuuute :)

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Please, dramagods, don't let Maru die ...... :(

Or anybody......

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I shake a fist at the Love to Kill ending.... but if the writer's invocation of that harmonica melody from Tree of Heaven is anything to go by, all signs in the dramaverse are pointing to Death via Noble Idiocy.

At least brain transplants are not an option, barring a complete rejection of plausibility.

Hopefully these will all turn out to be red herrings, the writer's been good with refreshing worn out drama tropes so far!

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I checked out of this show a few episodes ago. Maybe the lead guy just looks too young for me.

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pillowhead---

um. ok. and you're here now, just to post that you're no longer here?
lol.

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Jaegil and Choco, you've finally found your place. And while I still enjoyed the scenes they had in earlier episodes, I'm glad we've reached a point where they are actively helping to move the plot along in someway and shedding some light on the mystery that is Kang Maru.

And I loved the 'girl-talk' scene for a number of reasons, one of them being when Maru walked up and heard Choco tell Eunki how she's kissed Jaegil three times, and Maru's eyes just go 'o_o' for a moment. Brother!Maru moment right there. Subtle, but I'll take it.

Joonha, Joonha, Joonha.
You have to be at least the third/fourth greatest mystery of this show when it comes to characters.

By common K-Drama sense, my mind tells me that you love Eunki, you lied about being gay, and there's a part of you that wants to protect her from Maru for that reason and that reason alone. Oh, and her dad asked you to, but you would have protected her anyway because that's the type of guy you seem to be. Plus, Attorney Ahn hinted that you might love her, so there's that. But the two of you have never been close, I presume, so he probably wouldn't know whether you're gay or straight.

But then, you start complimenting Maru, and my 'bromance with more romance' senses are tingling telling me that you seem to be attracted, and then my memory kicks in and reminds me that you told Eunki that you were gay. What reason would you have to lie to her if you wanted to be with her? She wasn't with anyone at the time. Her father was quite fond of you, and she seemed to like you well enough and you were both close, and even if she didn't return your feelings, why lie to such an extent?

At this point, all I know is that he's trying to protect Eunki from the big bad wolf Maru, out of love. Whether it's 'I love you, I love you, be with me' love, or 'I love you, as a brother, you mean a lot to me' love, I still don't know. It doesn't matter much to me, I ship every ship possible in this Maru-Eungi-Joonha triangle. Except all three together, because that would never work out.

ATTORNEY AHN, THOUGH. He's out for blood.

Sigh. Jaehee, use the guy properly. Leave your place in the company, ask him to support you and your son while you live a quiet life somewhere in the quiet suburbs, and be happy. Or maybe the both of you can quit and he can find a job elsewhere and you can both like a nice and quiet life in the suburbs with your son.

But, then again, maybe Jaehee isn't doing this just for her son anymore. Maybe she's doing this for the power, and the money, wanting to prove that she can and will be the queen of this jungle.

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Wait...this is the writer of A Love to Kill? Oh hell no...I am not watching anymore until I KNOW how the ending goes. I will not be a sucker again and stick around for an ending in the snow. Also the title Nice Guy suddenly reminds me of Bad Guy...just...no.

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I wonder if maru passed through that tunnel on purpose, because he wanted eungi to regain her memories. It's really hard to interpret the original intention of his actions, wherethe are they true and just coincidental on his part to invoke back those negative memories in eungi (car crashand will leadto knowing more about her past etc.) or have a purpose.

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I understood Joon-Ha's comment as an acknowledgement of just how much of a crafty bastard Maru is. As in: Jae Hee should have kept him by her side, because he could have helped her gain and keep so much more of what she craves - power. By using his skills Maru would have made her much happier than she is in her current precarious situation. I think Joon-Ha only acknowledged Maru's skills on an intellectual level. I didn't read the scene as Joon-Ha warming to Maru, although that would admittedly be nice.

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I agree. He certainly had this begrudging look. He seems awed by Maru's intellect and cunning but still hates his guts. That's one of the attractive things about Joon Ha...he's not someone who will reject/push someone away because of his personal feelings. He will definitely acknowledge someone's good points too.

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I think he was also pointing out the irony of the whole dysfunctional relationship JH and MR have.

Past JH used MR because he was a good guy who protected her, but did NOT stay with him. She used the Chairman and Ahn because they are men with power, and bad guys.
But because of how nasty JH was to MR, he turned into a bad guy with power, precisely the type she falls for.

But too late, JH! Mehrong!

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I will have a massive issue with dramaland if Maru dies. The hell with realism, that guy deserves his happy ending. Sure, he's a bit twisted, but - He's like... I swear, that Mesiah complex irritates me to no end. I was sworn not to be all romantic over this... But, dude, the narrative points made it so hard for me NOT to like Maru. He's a bad guy, but he's not a bad guy you'd wanna drop. He's more like -- The road to hell is paved with good intentions kind of bad guy. If that make sense at all...

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Absolutely makes sense. I like that he just takes things we usually connote positively to unhealthy extremes that turn him into something of a bad guy... but it's so easy to see that he would be the nicest guy, if only circumstances had been a little different or if he didn't initially make the mistake to go to jail for Jae Hee. That's the true tragedy of his character and why I'm invested in his journey.

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Amen. You said it all. Maru and Eun Ki are those tortured souls and I personally would love to see them with happy endings.

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"The road to hell is paved with good intentions kind of bad guy."

This is so weird. My english professor was just saying this a few days ago.
Are you in my class?! HA

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Agree, begrudgingly. Cuz, boy, did I HATE him as he was, as he himself admits in his monolgue, pushing her away as hard as he could. I couldn't BELIEVE the verbal blows coming out of that dude's mouth! And then, that LOOK of recognition as she's barreling into his lane, like "bring it on". OOoohhhhh, how I hated him....

But his "conversation" with Father, I just tear up recalling it. And I, for one, appreciate that look into his head and heart, cuz he was Unfathomable before.

I usually think all characters "deserve" a happy ending except unredeemed villains.

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I’m having total fangirl moment in this episode because there is that SLOW, SWEET, BLESSED ROMANCE. Oof. It’s definite. Kang Maru totally has feelings for Eun Ki and I can’t express enough how relieved I am that Jae Hee no longer has the importance she once had in his life. I know that already happened two (or three?) episodes ago but something in me was still afraid that he had traces of feelings left for her. I can breathe a little now, lol. It was just so sweet and heartwarming to see Maru take Eun Ki on a little trip without any sort of ulterior motives. And the simplicity of the date just got to me. *sighs happily* This is the kind of romance that gets to me….hate insta-love/love-at-first-sight, overboard bickering for romance, and anything else that doesn’t show it’s deep, meaningful, sweet, and has tinges of innocence.

Moving on…I am so wary of Attorney Ahn and what he’s going to do to Maru. :/ Just how much internal bodily damage are the writers planning to give my poor baby? But Maru is like some superhuman, and I know he will get through it with flying colors even though I feel like Attorney Ahn will probably do something and worsen Maru’s already fatal condition.

Eun Ki seems to be on a fast track to recovery which is just as well since there are only four more episodes left to go. There’s still plenty to be done and I don’t think spending so much time in amnesia world is going to do good. There’s still the matter of sorting her feelings for Maru post-recovery, a chairman position to fill in, and a Jae Hee to put behind bars. So much to do, so little time.
And since I’m on the topic of the end getting closer, I certainly hope it’s not tragic. Really, really, really, reeeeaaalllly hope it’s not tragic. My fragile heart won’t take it. And I won’t accept some vague ending either…like those symbolic kind of endings that can be interpreted many ways. I’m a bit simple and so I like simple straight-forward clear-cut endings. Is that too much to ask of the drama gods? Lol.

By the way, I’m not going to be conclusive about the episode’s ending because the beginning of the next episode usually adds more clarifying details to the ending scenes. But I interpreted it as Maru being regretful of hurting Eun Ki and that he actually does love her. Also, I highly doubt that he calculated for her memories to return. He seemed to have an expression of happiness and kinda living in the moment.

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Anyone else thinks that attorney mccreepy has more motivations in this other than the hots for JH? He seems way too smart for just a crush, it'd be nice if we could see more of a hidden agenda of his own...

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He wrong comment here... I meant to tell you, DayDreamer, that this drama has 20 episodes!

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OMG seriously??? Huh, well, I read somewhere it was 16 episodes but you just made my day!! Thank you...you are certainly Fab-ulous, lol.

Okay, then that changes my perspective on one thing: I don't think Eun Ki regained all her memories at the end of the episode. More like that tiny snippet of her accelerating her car towards the accident and what she may have felt then. Cause previously I felt it was too soon to happen (regaining all memories) but because I thought there were few episodes left over, then it probably was right that it should happen like that.

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Gosh MY totally creeped me out when he was testing Eun Gi in the cafe. I felt really sorry for her, but thank God she was capable of throwing him off.

I was in the impression that Eun Gi's condition of brain damage was PERMANENT, so if her memory is gone it's gone, she can only make new ones. I'm rooting for her to get her memory back, but is it technically possible?

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I think it's possible. I mean, I don't know how these amnesia and brain damages work technically but I assume that Eun Ki has enough brain damage that it's repairable. Her cognitive skills are improving and seems like her memories are coming back bits by bit. It's like brain tissue that might've been torn or whatnot and now it's...reconnecting? Lol, I am totally speculating.

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i dont remember much from my neurophysiology class but i do remember that in certain cases, where a certain part of the brain has been injured, it is not unheard of for another part of the brain close by to be "reassigned" with the function of the injured brain.

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also she probably has retrograde amnesia, which only affects the past memories, usually starting with the most recent ones.

the ability for her to learn new things and form new memories would be a different part of the brain and would not be included with this type of amnesia.

unless she has regular old kdrama amnesia, which probably has it's own rules.

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2 things puzzle me...Choco & EG's previous illnesses, esp EG i thought she was almost as bad as her father (healthwise) when they were talking about organ donations and what not...or have they been pushed aside to conveniently appear when the story needs them...mmhhh...

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I know! I was also thinking about Eun Ki's previous health conditions...but I also thought maybe during those 11 months she was rehabilitating in isolation, she may have been treated for that too. I guess in the past, her workaholic nature was causing extra problems for her existing problems but then when she was resting well for those 11 months, the problem may have been resolved.

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Yup.
I felt like her past health issues were of the effects of her workaholic lifestyle.
She was barely getting any sleep, and always striving to work hard for the company's success.

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Forgot to add...I'm not too sure about Choco though....the show made it seem her thing wasn't so serious as long as she had continued treatment. Kinda like having diabetes, I guess. You can be normal and live long but if you don't take your insulin injections, not exercise, and indulge in sugary food stuffs, then you're sure to die or something bad like that.

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