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Gu Family Book: Episode 16

Tuesday’s episodes tend to have the goods—plot movement, life lessons learned, stakes raised. This time we get a dash of humor and a little romance too, but more importantly, our new Big Bad reveals a little motivation, and it does wonders for the conflict ahead.

Time to check back in with ratings now that there’s a new show in the picture. Gu Family Book is still on the rise with a new high of 18.2% today, and in the absence of God of Workplace, Jang Ok-jung scored double digits this week with 10.5%, and KBS’s new show Shark brought in the rear with 6.7%.

 
EPISODE 16 RECAP

Wol-ryung introduces himself by name to Kang-chi, just as Seo-hwa unveils herself in front of Tae-seo. Wol-ryung: “You are Seo-hwa’s son?” Kang-chi: “That’s what the monk says.” To Kang-chi’s alarm, Wol-ryung asks if he’s looking for the Gu Family Book… because of Dam Yeo-wool. Gulp.

He tells Kang-chi to give it up if that’s the case, and tells him that if he just continues to live as he is, Wol-ryung will spare his life. Interesting. So he does have a flicker of humanity in there, as far as love for his son might go. He doesn’t want him to end up the same way.

Kang-chi: “What right do you have to tell me whether or not to be human, to give up or not? What are you?!” Wol-ryung: “Don’t you know better than me, who I am?” Kang-chi doesn’t much care to know him, and tells him to get the hell out.

At that, Wol-ryung super-speeds over to him and knocks him back into a wall with one hand. Ack! Kang-chi struggles against his hold, but he can’t do anything as Wol-ryung chokes the breath out of him.

Wol-ryung: “Trust me. If you trust humans, the only thing you’ll get in return is betrayal. They will never accept you. They will never trust you. For the sole reason that you are different, they will ostracize you and cause you pain. This is my last warning. Leave the human world at once.”

This is great. Phew, Wol-ryung is so much more interesting now.

Kang-chi: “Go hide away in the mountains as a monster like you? Never die, never get sick, all that time with no end in sight, without being able to see the person I love? Alone?!” He refuses to live a life so lonely, and sheds a tear: “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Living as a human is my dream.”

Suddenly Teacher Gong shows up behind them to defend Kang-chi. Aw, tiny man, that’s adorable, but I’m not sure it’s the best idea. I love that he even talks to a thousand-year old gumiho-demon like he’s a child, and orders him to let Kang-chi go.

Kang-chi screams no, but Wol-ryung complies, and though Teacher Gong puts up a good fight with his broom, Wol-ryung has him by the throat in no time. Kang-chi screams so loud that everyone inside hears him, but this time Yeo-wool is trapped by her watchdog teacher.

Kang-chi panics and does the only thing he can—he takes off his bracelet. Wol-ryung warns him to give up living as human, or else everyone around him will die. Kang-chi runs up to attack, and Wol-ryung swooshes away, leaving Teacher Gong lying on the ground. Please don’t die!

Kang-chi pleads with him to wake up, but he doesn’t stir, so he grabs the nearest rock and slices open his hand to drop some blood into Teacher’s neck wound.

But then, of course, this is the exact moment Master Dam and crew show up at the scene—when there is no bad guy, and Kang-chi’s wolfing out, and Teacher Gong is lying there unconscious or dead. GAH. This looks bad.

Master Dam raises a sword to Kang-chi’s throat. He just looks up with the saddest puppy eyes, and doesn’t budge until he sees the blue lights heal over Teacher’s wound.

Meanwhile Wol-ryung returns to the Moonlight Garden and looks down at his scraped arm. So we knew Kang-chi could hurt him, but does this mean he no longer heals? It would make sense, if the whole blue-light power over living things is sourced in gumiho regenerative blood. Huh.

Seo-hwa and Tae-seo take turns asking each other questions, and she answers honestly that she is a Joseon person, and that her connection to Jo Gwan-woong is for mutual financial gain.

Tae-seo tells her he’s aligning with Jo Gwan-woong only to save his sister, and then she asks him the question she really called him here for: “Do you want to reclaim the Hundred Year Inn?” She says if so, she can make it happen. Now we’re talkin’.

In the morning, Gon finally comes by to tell Yeo-wool what happened, and she of course finds it ridiculous that Kang-chi would attack Teacher Gong. Gon says that maybe he’s finding it harder and harder to control his beast side, and despite Yeo-wool’s pleas, doesn’t let her leave.

Teacher Gong still hasn’t woken up, and Kang-chi is kept under guard by a circle of classmates with giant spears. He nearly starts a fight just to get rid of them, but remembers Yeo-wool’s request for him to try and get along with people, and calms down.

Lee Soon-shin arrives to survey the damage and meets with Kang-chi alone. He demands to know what happened, and Kang-chi looks at him with a stricken expression: “Do you not trust me either?”

Now Wol-ryung’s warnings about humans doesn’t feel like someone else’s story, and he asks if he’s being suspected just because he isn’t human. But Lee Soon-shin teaches him that trust doesn’t come out of nowhere, and has to be earned day by day, through relationships—so if Kang-chi doesn’t have the trust of the people around him, he hasn’t done enough to earn it.

Kang-chi whines, “So it’s my fault?” Lee Soon-shin doesn’t ease up on his tough love lessons: “Everything that happens in your life IS your fault!” And then Kang-chi just breaks down in tears, like a little kid, all quivering lip: “It wasn’t me who did that Teacher Gong-dal.”

Lee Soon-shin softens a little and tells him that trust is the relationships between people, and if he wants to be trusted, he has to learn how to get along with people first. It immediately makes him remember Teacher Gong telling him the same thing.

He comes out to ask Master Dam for one more chance. He says the other students are afraid of him, but Kang-chi says he still has two days and five bells left, and he’ll think of it as his last chance. If he fails that challenge, he’ll walk away.

Yeo-wool’s sewing teacher makes the mistake of dozing off in class, and Yeo-wool smiles mischievously at her window of opportunity. When the teacher wakes up, she’s gagged and hog-tied, and Yeo-wool is back in her regular clothes staring down at her. Hee.

She apologizes and tells her to take a long nap and hops out her window cheerily. She finds Kang-chi brooding over Teacher Gong’s broom, and he lights up to see her. She grabs him and they take off running.

They don’t have much time though, because her teacher wriggles over to the door and alerts the guard.

Yeo-wool and Kang-chi run into the kitchen, and she tells him she sneaked away because Gon was being so frustrating and not telling her everything. She rattles off a litany of questions: is he okay, what happened to Teacher Gong, did everyone think he looked guilty, and did Dad hit him a lot?

Aw, it’s enough to bring tears to your eyes, the way he looks at her while she’s rambling—with her it’s trust first, worry first, and there’s no doubt in her mind that he might be a killer monster.

He just asks if her ankle is okay and tells her to be careful, and she asks him cutely, “Did you know that you’re nagging me a lot lately?” He laughs, so she keeps going, “Did you also know that you’re kind of like a man lately?”

He leans in close, “So, do you like it?” Rawr? They inch closer and closer as they tease each other, and then Kang-chi backs away first when it starts to get awkward. He tells her that Teacher Gong will be okay and updates her on the bell test, and she gapes that he’s already down to five with two days left to go.

As if on cue, Gon comes out of nowhere to slice another bell off. He tells Yeo-wool to hurry back and he’ll pretend he didn’t see her, but her teacher stomps in, fuming, to haul her ass back to Sewing 101.

Lee Soon-shin decides to face Jo Gwan-woong himself over Kang-chi and the rumors, and makes plans to go to the Hundred Year Inn. Teacher Gong finally stirs awake and whispers something into Sung’s ear (the little guy who’s the one nice kid at school).

Sung finds Kang-chi sitting in the kitchen on Teacher Gong’s stool, holding his broom and trying to figure out the damned riddle. He’s also imagining Teacher Gong sitting next to him like a ghost, but don’t you get any bright ideas, Show. Kang-chi tells Sung to try and grab the broom, which he does in one try.

Kang-chi is hilariously impressed and pleads to know how he did it, and Sung just repeats Teacher Gong’s mantra about the intrinsic nature of things. He explains that while the broom is moving, it’s Kang-chi who’s controlling it, hence he’s looking at Kang-chi, not the broom.

The even funnier part is that Kang-chi still can’t grab the broom after learning the trick, and Sung out-maneuvers him swiftly. He looks up, “You’re not… one of the Men of Honor, are you?” Haha.

Sung says he can’t even step on their shadows with his skills, and Kang-chi asks if Gon is really that good, still refusing to believe it. Sung tells him to buck up—if Lee Soon-shin is going to face an inquisition on his behalf, he has to be strong. Kang-chi looks up in surprise. Who’s doing what for whom?

He runs out to ask Gon if it’s true, and argues that he should’ve been told. Gon tells him not to make trouble and to stay put, but Kang-chi says he has a plan to quell the rumors and help Lee Soon-shin.

He asks for their help, but the students get all fired up, saying that he can’t be trusted. So Kang-chi yanks the belt of bells off his waist and offers it up in exchange—if he makes things worse, then he’ll walk away and never go near anyone from this school again.

Gon: “Including Yeo-wool?” He agrees, which is enough to get Gon onboard. So while Gon distracts Yeo-wool’s teacher, Sung sneaks in to give her a message from Teacher Gong.

Master Dam hears about the jailbreak (er, Kang-chi’s, not Yeo-wool’s) and is just about head out when Teacher Gong hobbles in to say he’ll explain everything. Good timing.

Gon is terrible at distracting Yeo-wool’s teacher, but he’s so awkward that she mistakes his questions as interest in her, which is hilarious. Once Yeo-wool sneaks out, she heads back in to find… is that Sung dressed as Yeo-wool? Hahaha.

Meanwhile, Kang-chi heads into town and shouts in the middle of the street: “Anyone curious whether or not I’m the child of a gumiho?” (He actually says gumiho baby, which is so cute I kinda squeed.)

Chung-jo is there, but Kang-chi doesn’t seem to notice her. Ma Bong-chul runs to Kang-chi’s side and asks what he’s doing, but Kang-chi just keeps asking until hands go up. He tells them to gather in front of the Hundred Year Inn where he’ll show everyone once and for all.

Lee Soon-shin arrives to meet with Jo Gwan-woong, and they exchange heated barbs, with Lee Soon-shin wondering why Jo Gwan-woong is so afraid of Kang-chi that he won’t rest until he’s locked away, while Jo Gwan-woong wonders why Lee Soon-shin is harboring a monster.

(This is random, but Jo Gwan-woong adds this EH? at the end of his questions that Cracks. Me. Up. I think I hit rewind five times.)

Lee Soon-shin declares his wild accusations baseless, and threatens him in kind, which makes Jo Gwan-woong blow up and ask if all of it—the turtle ships, the secret funds, and Kang-chi—are all in preparation for a war.

Lee Soon-shin just uses the opportunity to ask how he knows such things. Does he have a spy working for him?

Suddenly Kang-chi’s voice rings out, calling everyone to come out and see. The servants come running out of the inn, and Kang-chi’s father worries that he’s come at a bad time. But he says he’s here to squash all those rumors, “because I’m your son, not a gumiho baby!”

Jo Gwan-woong comes out, and Lee Soon-shin tells Kang-chi to go back home and not make any more trouble. But he bows and says that keeping the person who protected him from harm, and not disappointing him—that’s the best he can do to show his trust.

He asks Jo Gwan-woong what he needs to do to prove that he isn’t a gumiho, and Jo Gwan-woong orders him to take off his bracelet since that’s what keeps his beast half at bay. He looks down at it, and then out into the crowd. Looking for Yeo-wool, perhaps?

But she isn’t there, and Chung-jo and Bong-chul start to get antsy. Jo Gwan-woong demands he take off the bracelet, and Chung-jo finally takes a step forward. But Yeo-wool runs past her and calls out to Kang-chi. Yay.

He beams to see her, and she nods reassuringly. He takes a deep breath, raises his arm… and yanks the bracelet off.

A gust of wind blows through, but Kang-chi doesn’t change. Everyone, even Yeo-wool, is shocked. They look at each other with adoring smiles, as Jo Gwan-woong asks his minion what the hell is going on.

Minion figures he’ll stab first and ask questions later, and swings his sword. Eep. But Gon swoops in out of nowhere to block it. Woot! Kang-chi’s caught off-guard and looks over at Gon gratefully. Okay, that got the biggest awwwww out of me today.

And THEN, even Master Dam joins in on the lovefest, and pops out to declare that Kang-chi is his student, and anyone who attacks him will get his master’s wrath in return. Of course as soon as the big threat is out of the way, he’s back to being Disapproving Dad, and tells the kids they’re in big trouble.

He asks how Kang-chi took the gamble that he’d let Yeo-wool come, and he says he trusted in Master Dam’s trust in Lee Soon-shin. Nicely played.

As the crowd thins out, Kang-chi and Yeo-wool stand there grinning at each other like fools, while Chung-jo and Tae-seo each watch from a distance.

Back at school, Gon holds up Kang-chi’s bells and asks for a show of hands of anyone who still wants Kang-chi out. He’ll cut one bell per person who vetoes him. Two guys raise their hands, so two bells go, and then Sung pipes up to defend Kang-chi.

He says that Kang-chi was only defending Teacher Gong, and that many of them came to this school because they were outcasts somewhere else—so why are they doing the same to Kang-chi now?

Gon asks for a final count and no one else raises a hand, so Kang-chi asks for his bells back. Gon pulls one more off before giving it back, for his own vote. But! You heroically rescued him and everything. He tells Kang-chi to guard his one last bell until sunset tonight if he wants to remain here.

Kang-chi stays behind to thank the students for letting him stay because he doesn’t really have anywhere else to go, and bows respectfully. One by one they come around with a tap on the shoulder to say that they’re sorry too.

He thanks Sung sincerely, who smiles and says, “Now you’ve finally become one bean in the sack.” Lightbulb. Kang-chi runs to the kitchen armed with his bag o’ beans and declares to Teacher Gong that he has the answer.

“One sack! No matter if there are thousands or tens of thousands of beans, if they are in one sack, it’s one sackful.”

Teacher Gong remains cryptic and says that may or may not be the answer, and orders Kang-chi to do the dishes. He hobbles over to Sung and pinches him, nagging that he told him to help Kang-chi, not give him the answers. Hee.

But Sung swears he never gave answers, just hinted, and that Kang-chi is just quick on the uptake. Uh, you mean the guy standing there scratching his head and recounting the beans on his fingers? The more adorable part is that Teacher Gong looks over at Kang-chi proudly, believing it.

Soo-ryun has a spy over at the Hundred Year Inn because she’s awesome like that, and asks the servant if she’s found out anything about the mystery woman. She tended to the woman as she was bathing, and tells Soo-ryun that she has the tattoo of one of her gisaengs, and a scar on the other shoulder, a claw-mark.

That’s enough to make Soo-ryun think of Seo-hwa right away, and she gasps at the possibility that the girl could still be alive.

Tae-seo comes to see Seo-hwa to ask what her conditions are for returning the inn to him. Seo-hwa: “Become my son. That will be enough.” Whaaaa? Curious. I wonder if she thinks he’s her son, or if this is her way to Kang-chi. Hm.

Yeo-wool’s teacher nods off again, which means she ends up hog-tied with Yeo-wool apologizing profusely about two seconds later. She heads out to meet Kang-chi, who apparently asked to meet.

He proudly presents her with his last bell. Aw, he passed the test and gets to stay. He says it was really because of the other students who accepted him.

Someone comes by, so they run behind a bush to hide out of view, landing them huddled close with Kang-chi’s arm wrapped around her. This time he doesn’t chicken out and holds her hand, and starts to inch closer…

Yeo-wool closes her eyes anticipating the kiss, and then when he gets about an inch away, Sung comes running over, screaming Kang-chi’s name.

ARRRGGH#&$^#^%@!!

They freeze, and she gestures at him to answer, which he doesn’t want to do for obvious reasons, so she pushes him out. Ha. Sung says Master Dam is calling for him, and runs off. Damn, does Dad have supersonic boyfriend-dar or something?

She tells him to go, so he finally starts to trudge away, but then he stops to turn back. Eee, kiss her anyway! He marches back and grabs her by the shoulders, starts to lean in… and says, “Sleep well.” Pffffft. Goddamn it, I don’t think you deserve kisses anymore.

She stammers back, “You too…” and he walks away hanging his head. She smiles to herself as she watches him go, and then suddenly a hand darts in to cover her mouth and yank her away. Oh no.

Master Dam says Teacher Gong told him about the other beast, and asks if Kang-chi knows who it is. He answers hesitantly, “I do, but…” He thinks back to Wol-ryung’s warning to give up trying to be human.

Before he can answer, Yeo-wool’s teacher comes bursting in to say that she’s missing, and Kang-chi says she should be back in her room by now. Way to out your nighttime rendezvous with her father.

He runs out to the spot where he left her, and finds the bell lying on the ground. We cut to Wol-ryung pacing in his cave, as Kang-chi remembers his warning: “Give up trying to become human. Or I will destroy everything connected to you.”

Kang-chi tightens his fist. “Wol-ryung…”

 
COMMENTS

Okay, now this I can get behind. If Wol-ryung isn’t just a smash-and-grab villain with demon for brains, then there’s so much more going on that we can explore. He seems interested in looking out for Kang-chi, which is (a) terribly misguided at the moment, but (b) potentially a place for paternal love to take root. The point isn’t really for them to make up and be a happy gumiho family, but I like that he’s coming from a place of concern and hurt because he’s walked this same path and ended up a true monster. The warring motivation is both logical and the perfect opposite of everything Kang-chi thinks about humanity, and I’m digging the dark side version that’s worming its way into Kang-chi’s thoughts. Because it’s rooted in truth, and that’s why it’s dangerous.

The test of faith in this episode was similar to ones Kang-chi has faced before, but in light of Wol-ryung’s warnings about betrayal, it felt a little more desperate, like Kang-chi was one suspicious accusation away from exploding and giving up. But it’s always nice to be reminded of why Yeo-wool is special and different from everyone else, who jumps to the bad conclusion first without giving Kang-chi the benefit of the doubt. When everyone else reacts that way, she jumps into the fray concerned about him, and it really does feel like if he just has her, he can endure anything.

The public de-accessorizing was a nice payoff of Kang-chi’s newfound power to control his gumiho side (around Yeo-wool that is), especially because it coincides with the build-up of rumors and fear, and well, I always enjoy any time he can get Jo Gwan-woong’s panties in a twist. Seo-hwa’s motivations are still a mystery but I prefer her that way, in small doses with cryptic questions. I doubt that she really thinks Tae-seo is her son, but it does seem like she came to the Hundred Year Inn knowing that it has some connection to Gumiho Baby (which by the way is my new favorite thing).

It’s just great to see Kang-chi learning bit by bit what it means to get along with other people and earn their trust instead of feeling entitled to it. Now if he could just get his lips to be faster on the draw. I mean, who’s ever even heard of a gumiho with so much self-restraint? Piffle.

 
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Thank you so much for the fast recap.

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I personally am drawn to Wol Ryung's storyline more than the younger leads. Maybe it is because he is a more seasoned actor, but he and the other "opening" actors (those that started this Gu Family Book Journey with us... sadly, many have died :(.....) gripped me and haven't let me go. Even more sadly, however, is the lack of plot from our writer-nims. Choi Jin Hyuk (Wol Ryung) is AMAZING, but even I am beginning to tire from lack of story line. Every drama lags at some point... but the static started about episode 3 and has continued. How much longer is Wol Ryung going to be hanging out in the grass while his son makes moon eyes at Bae Suzy/YW? Don't get me wrong! The actor playing KC is great... but Suzy... well... she blinks... She speaks.... and that is about it. She is beautiful and she is cute, but *throws hands into air* I dunno. She is not convincing. Likable, yes. believable? Absolutely not. Oh, well. She will have to do for now.... I will be ABSOLUTELY satisfied as long as they continue to give believable motivation to our current characters and start moving our plot along. It saddens me if they have been stretching out these past few episodes just for filler and the plot suffers. Personally, I think that the entire series could have been tighter and our writing more intense if there had been (le gasp!) fewer episodes rather than the horrible rumor that an extension may be in the works. Sheesh. Let's have QUALITY not QUANTITY, my dear writers. Please, and thanks a million!

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I agreed, with your suggestion and views Miss DVM. I prefer to watch more Gu Wol Ryung Character. This drama plot was starting from his character and should be ended well. His offspring should have respect to his father at least and find out what exactly what happened to him (wol ryung) instead just make his own assumption. It does not make any sense that CKC don't have any feeling to his father existence and curiosity. I wish this drama will be more exciting with Wol Ryung expresses his care and loves for his child and Kang Chi accepting his father.

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I just wanted to say, "Thank you" for your nice comment. Adding to that...perhaps you can illuminate some things for me. I was a little taken aback by how *unfeeling*... uncaring?... even (dare I say it?...yes) *disrespectful* Kang chi is to his father...immediately. Perhaps someone would say that it is because his father "deserted him" in Kang Chi's eyes that he is being openly hostile and disrespectful even upon their first meetings. I dunno. Kang Chi, himself, proclaimed to WR that he "already know WR's story"... and that he did not want to discuss it further. That was...well... son... That was really harsh. You know the ENTIRE story, and you think your DAD was wrong? Really? No one else. Your father? *facepalm*

Kang Chi is supposed to be a more pure and improved version of his father (and mother, I suppose) to sell to us so that we will root for him and Yeo Wool as our new couple... but so far, he has (much like EVERYONE ELSE) judged his father based on other people's words and beliefs and fears... Pot calling father-kettle black, much? Hm... I don't think that Kang Chi should be so desperate to have other people give him a chance, if he won't even give his own flesh and blood a chance to explain himself. Kang Chi's rudeness was REALLY surprising. It did... however... make some reaction with WR, which was nice... and it did show Seungi's acting range... which was nice.

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@Emaan
KC told YW that he is curious about who his parents are, but he doesn't want to think too much about it, cos he may get upset thinking that they abandoned him, and end up being angry with them.

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Was KC rude? Can WR even be considered his father? Biologically, yes, but WR was NEVER KC's father in the real terms of what a father is. He did not take care of KC, feed him, give him the emotional support he needed, etc. There is no link between the two, except for their bood ties. Head servant Choi, Lord Park and even LSS were more fatherly to KC than WR.

I know that it was not WR's fault that he was not around for KC, but after 'resurrecting', what did WR do? Did he try to find KC to build a relationship? Did he try to make amends and find out more about his son? No! The first thing he did was to kill people and suck their chi, resulting in KC having to take the blame. Then he goes and badly hurts the Monk, who was supposed to be his best friend, and tells him that he wants to destroy everything that is related to SH, which includes his son. Then scares his usually brave gf, and then, when he first confronts KC, he tells him not to trust humans and give up his desire to be human. How else do you expect KC to treat him? What respect does WR deserve?

To KC, WR is not his father, but rather a demon, hell bent in destroying people. Isn't it ironic that while WR accuses DPJ of taking his innocent life, he goes around doing the same? In fact he's worse. DPJ 'took' his life thinking that he was defending SH, and he was ordered to hunt him down. It was an act of duty. But WR taking all those lives were definitely not for the same reason and was for evil intent. And please remember that he took more than one life, one of which was a fellow disciple of KC.

I also do not think that KC was rude. He was furious that this creature who was supposed to be his biological father has suddenly appeared, and caused so much havoc. So he tells him to go back where he came from, SO THAT OTHERS WILL NOT HURT. And HOW does one respect a father who grabs his son's neck, choking him, and all the while threatening him, telling him that if you don't listen to me, I'll destroy you?

Sorry, but I don't understand your idea of respect. Just because a character is good looking, doesn't mean that he deserves respect.

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Correction: "Then he goes and scares KC's usually brave gf..."

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The question is not who is more good looking; it is the story line. WolRyung's story is more convincing and realistic (loves, does everything to protect the loved one, gets betrayed and seeks revenge). KangChi's reaction towards his father and mother whereabouts have a gaping hole. He says he is curious only once but he is never shown to actually find out how his father died, who killed him and what happened to his mother.

To me the disturbing thing is that WolRyung wanted to become human because he loved his wife and wanted to be like her. But KangChi wants to do the same to be accepted, to be trusted and be seen as part of the crowd. I don't know, I do not think I am making myself coherent here ...I love Seung gi, His dramas are my favourites but in this one I cannot seem to concentrate on his love story with Suzy & his quest to become human. I am more concerned with the whole 'Gu Family' plot.
I hope it ends well though

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While I respect your point of view, I think that Emaan has said better what I was trying to point out. (Although Emaan thinks that they are not saying it well, I think that I understand and "get" what you are saying... and you actually nailed it much better than I must have.)

Dear Crazyajummafan. Again, *respectfully*, I have to say that I disagree with your point of view. I *DO NOT* think that because Wol-Ryung is somehow handsome that we should cut him some slack. I think that he is just as handsome as Kang Chi...but that their characters are utterly different in their understanding of situations. Wol-Ryung has been through the torment of loving a person, only to have them betray him and he was SEVERELY PUNISHED/ ****IS BEING PUNISHED CURRENTLY**** for his stupidity? No, his utter belief that his love for his lover would make everything alright. Kang Chi IRONICALLY CURRENTLY BELIEVES THE EXACT. SAME. THING. I almost laughed at how heartbreakingly ironic and sad it is that everyone is judging both Wol-Ryung AND Kang-Chi for doing the exact same things. The monk tried to warn Wol-Ryung and look how much that helped... now Wol-Ryung is trying to warn his son... and look how much that is helping. Neither man (WR or KC) listened to the warnings. And we can see where Kang Chi is headed if he doesn't heed Wol-Ryung or some other incident intercedes. I think that WR (in perhaps his own misguided gumiho/now demon-gumiho way) is trying to intercede to "save" Kang Chi, because he knows that if he isn't forceful (no one was forceful enough with him... and WHO COULD BE!? He was a friggin' gumiho! The monk could throw bracelet after bracelet on him, stand in his way, etc... but even *THAT* level of physical intimidation did not catch his attention hard enough, and now Wol-Ryung knows his mistakes) Kang Chi will just stubbornly brush him off, much like his father did a generation before him.

And yes, Kang Chi was rude to his father. I think that the ways that were pointed out by Emaan really explained it best. For instance, KC did not want to even hear out his father, meet him, or be near him. In fact, he wanted his father to go away and hide and never come out again (watch the episode again if you can't believe it!) ... Also, Wol-Ryung only grabbed KC by the neck **AFTER** his son's insults and **AFTER** KC said that he would not listen to Wol-Ryung. (Again, the timing of said actions is extremely important and make more sense.)

Don't take it too personally that we can agree to disagree. I think that the writers are going to further explain all the character's motivations and eventually your assumptions that WR is "evil" may actually come to fruition if the writers opt to go that route. (Sadly, in my opinion, though. :(...)

So don't be upset. I hope that you have a wonderful evening. Thank you for your comments! I do appreciate them.

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Thanks!

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This is quite late, however I thought I would still post my thoughts about this episode.

I really loved this ep. and I continue to like this show, a lot. The more I get to know the characters, the better I understand them, and the better I can understand and see their motivations. It makes a difference that the characters (good and bad) are portrayed well (for the most part) as well.

I thought the OK sign YW did was interesting, because I didn't know they had/did OK signs back then. I guess this is why this drama is a fusion sageuk? (things that look modern are OK here? :-) )

Like many viewers and as GF mentioned, I really loved that WR and KC finally "got to talk," even though it was not a conversation that was all warm and fuzzy. I was also relieved to find out that WR does/might care a little bit about KC and about his relationships with other humans. The sad thing is that because WR's relationship with (one) human did not go well (I know, that is an understatement. He was slashed because of her), his intentions are good (warning KC), however his methods are misguided, and that is part of the conflict. My hope is that WR will realize that KC actually has human (beings) who love him and care for him and have accepted him, the way that he is. Also I hope that WR will come to see that KC does benefit from caring about other humans, and that him (KC) being in love with a human (YW) is actually making him happy and fulfilled.
I know that WR came close to killing KC, however I hope that it doesn't actually happen (I don't think it will, still, it was kind of scary, what WR did to KC).

I also continue to love the relationship between teacher Gong and KC, the way that they care about each other, and the way that they protect and defend each other (and the fact that KC healed teacher Gong). So heartwarming! And I love that teacher Gong is one of the few people who know KC well, well enough to know how to confuse him at times, hehehe...

I continue to be intrigued by SH, by her motivations, I am curious about the power she seems to have and about how well she might be connected. There is a reason why GW wants to do "business" with her, and a reason why she is so interested in the gisaeng house (maybe she wants to buy it? If she does, it means that she can afford it). She also claimed that she could help TS reclaim the Hundred year Inn. Again, how? I also definitely look forward to her meeting/reunion with KC, and I hope that it will happen.

YW's sewing teacher was so funny in this ep. She was a hoot to watch. I really enjoyed her. I LOVED how KC and YW interacted (when YW sneaked out), and the concern they showed for each other. I also love the way they flirted with each other. When KC asked YW if she liked that he (KC) was nagging her more and acting like a man, his voice changed. It was more flirtatious and grave in a way, kind of sexy. Dare I say "rawr? :-)" I really loved that scene between the two of them, which confirmed again how awesome YW is.

LSS also continued to be his awesome self, showing KC some tough love and still standing up for him in front of GW. I always love any confrontation between LSS and GW, because LSS knows how to handle GW. LSS for the win!!!!!

And Sung, dressed as YW? Hilarious. I also love how little by little, Sung is coming to KC's side and defending him, seeing KC for who he really is.

My blood pressure went up when KC went to see GW (to prove that he was not a gumiho), and YW was not showing up. I was talking to my computer screen, I was that anxious. Like KC, I exhaled when I saw YW, and I thought it was interesting to see that CJ still does care about KC and that she stepped out, to intervene, only to be "upstaged" by YW. Another definite moment that showed that CJ had lost KC for good. That scene with GW was just such a winning moment (another "in your face moment," like the one that happened during the heist, so heartwarming!)

Love the thief (MBC), he was so funny here. Interesting how we have gone from MBC ratting out KC (when KC was fleeing), to MBC calling him his donsaeng, defending him, and being proud of him. And he almost fainted, funny!!!!!

When Master Dam came to defend KC, I didn't think that he did it because as KC put it, "he trusted in Master Dam's heart" (that was what one translation said, like KC trusted that Master Dam trusted KC, that was what the translation sounded like). I personally think that the fact that teacher Gong talked to Master Dam (at the right time), and yes, Master Dam's trust in LSS helped A LOT, though I question whether LSS specifically said anything about letting YW go to KC's side.

I became emotional when KC was thanking the students at the Academy. I felt sorry for him, and knowing that he would have no place to go, he was still willing to leave if he couldn't help LSS. Loyalty should be KC's middle name. I was glad to see that the students learned that the Academy was actually the best place for KC to be at.

Ah... the almost kiss! I didn't mind it. I know that the (real) kiss is coming up, eventually, and I don't mind being trolled and teased. That is just how KC is and I am OK with it.

As I said, a lovely episode that I definitely enjoyed. The plot thickens, and I look forward to the next episodes.

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omergard...things are finally actually happening it seems....

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Thanks!

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Episode was slow, not much better than yesterday's.

Tired of all the cutesy crap. How many times are we going to see KC and YW talk to each other's faces 6 inches apart? Also, why are we AGAIN doing the whole "KC is being misunderstood" in the school? We just got through that last week and suddenly there's renewed hate for him. UGH.

I don't see the whole "taking off bracelet" scene being any more important than a broadcast time padding. GW is smart enough to not fall for that kind of crap, and it's quite obvious he'll find out KC is a gumiho sooner than later, and he may even find out KC is the son of SH before SH does.

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He already knows that

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I think it was for public opinion to gather everyone from town

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On the "KC being misunderstood" in the school, I'd just like to put my two cents in -- wasn't the student that started liking Kang-chi after the forest incident the same one that was later found dead? I don't think he ever actually said anything to his schoolmates about Kang-chi being awesome before he died. They also never heard that there was a second mythical being in the mountains killing people because Kang-chi thought it would cause too much panic. All-in-all, the rest of the students in the school never got over their distrust, fear, and hate - just that one student who is now dead (courtesy of Wol-ryung). I think they laid off for a bit because as Teacher Gong pointed out, they had no clear evidence. With Teacher Gong down for the count and a pretty incriminating (in their eyes) scene, they felt vindicated in their hate and fear of Kang-chi and acted on it.

On the "taking off bracelet" scene, it was dragged out enough to do some time padding, but I think it has the other effect of dispelling the public's role in Gwan-woong's plot. Now he cannot discredit Lee Soon-shin by using Kang-chi without actively showing the public that Kang-chi is undoubtedly a gumiho. Frankly, with Kang-chi at the martial arts school, that would probably be more trouble than most people think it is worth. Unfortunately, I suspect that Gwan-woong noticed Kang-chi's dependency on Yeo-wool and has kidnapped her to get Kang-chi's gumiho-ness out in the public; it would have been difficult otherwise. If nothing else, Gwan-woong is an observant evil thing. Since he already knows that Kang-chi must be a gumiho, he attacks all of Kang-chi's weaknesses.

Sometimes I feel like the writer knows where s/he wants to be and by when, but lacks the ability to move all story-lines with sufficient pacing to make the episodes feel like they're going somewhere all the time. While I like the cute (and it is very cute) I agree that there is a bit too much of it when there is an entire interesting universe in the Gu Family Book world that I'd like to explore. Some of the scenes could have definitely been cut down and something else could have happened in the spare time.

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You're right. except for the student that died, no one else knew about WR before this ep except SJ, KC. So i can understand their animosity and distrust. That is why GW was able to pin the blame on KC so easily.

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Huh...and why didn't the student tell the other students the truth about what happened that night? He was so adamant to catch KC red-handed yet when he was confronted with the truth, he just kept silent and acted kindly to the misunderstood KC? Doesn't compute. You're also saying KC would rather keep the "2nd gumiho" a secret yet he sulks and sulks whenever he gets misunderstood? Poor and sloppy execution.

Well the public's "reaction/opinion" in this drama is just there for dramatic effect. People staring at KC while KC is sulking away. For the most part, KC still roams free wherever, and it actually doesn't affect him anyway. So even dispelling rumours of the (nonexistent) public is, again, pointless. The goal/objective that was already lost here is proving Lord Park's innocence, which KC never did. That's the best way to change the public's opinion, if that was the point of this whole bracelet-in-public thing, but even then the crowd has no bearing to this drama's plot whatsoever.

Now we're only left with 9 episodes but there's so much unresolved crap at this point. I kept my expectations in check because it's the Baker King writer and all that, but ugh I don't know. There are some parts in recent episodes that are good (WR and KC interaction, WR not completely evil, introduction of SH) but then again had they not been introduced, the ongoing plotlines of the other characters couldn't have sustained the drama. The constant shift in character focus is to blame. We've seen CJ and had a deeper impression of her in the earlier episodes and now she's reduced to an onlooker with a hideous thing on her head. GW, who was so brilliant (and totally the best actor in this drama) is now reduced to an always-sitting, always-angry, always-plotting villain who has no other lines besides "Capture Kang Chi!" or something. Lee Soon Shin is still the useless character that he is. YW's air time is just shoved in there for the romance and the cutesy teen bopper crap (Seriously, we're approaching the last 1/3 of the drama and we're being treated with a 20-year-old girl refusing to sew. Come on). Had it not been for the re-introduction of the parents, the plot just went nowhere. KC isn't doing anything to become human, CJ isn't doing anything to clear her father's name, etc. Suddenly the earlier episodes seem to be better since everything is moving, and something is always happening. The parts between the happy 100-year-inn to the point where KC moved to the school was the best "story arc". After KC and everyone else knew he was a gumiho it all turned into a sulk-fest, misunderstanding galore of forced cutesy interactions with a touch of KC?GW face-off that led to the land of nowhere. How many times will KC and GW face off only for NOTHING to happen?

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"why didn’t the student tell the other students the truth about what happened that night?"

That night Yeo Wool asked him to keep it a secret until they find out the identity of the creature in the forest.

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Appreciate your two-cents (or more), but not the angst.

Don't have to expect everyone else to accept your opinions and start thinking the same way. ><

& it is precisely because there are differences in opinions that's why there are different genres of dramas.

What we like and what we watch is our freedom, no?

If you really hate it so much; then maybe you should drop gu family book because it is (as I see it), affecting your emotions in a bad way and making you angsty and rather bad tempered.

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(1) As Osi pointed out, Yeo-wool asked him to keep it a secret. Why? Probably because they thought that too many mystical beings running around would cause too much panic. I'm not saying it was logical, but that's what they actually did according to the script. It resulted in the continued distrust by the other students of Kang-chi. I am guessing that was the point.

Again, I'd like to point out that there seems to be quite a few of us who think the writer knows where s/he wants to go, but not necessarily how to get there believably. The perfect example of this? Tae-seo's magic illusion/hypnosis attack-Kang-chi-on-sight thingy.

(2) As DesertStorm pointed out, this was about getting Lee Soon-shin in trouble, not just Kang-chi. The point was to back Lee Soon-shin into a corner with that contract he signed earlier.

I disagree a bit with your "it doesn't affect [Kang-chi] anyway" comment, and not just in the way it was meant. One of the other issues we have here is something that Wol-ryung touched upon while he was talking to Kang-chi -- about betrayal by humans. Kang-chi is being ostracized/avoided by these people he used to help. That's got to put a dent in his positive feelings for humans. Additionally, most of Kang-chi's recent movement has been in the forest or in-and-around the martial arts school. He no longer goes down to the town willy-nilly and helps out the citizens. (The one oversight I can think of on spot is that no one seemed to care that Kang-chi was at the festival, but it's also moderately believable that people were paying more attention to the festival than to the people around them.)

Part of the problem with Kang-chi not looking for a way to become human is that, as far as I know, exposition monk hasn't told him anything about how to become human, like how he told Wol-ryung. Kang-chi is trying to become human by living like one (which, I personally think is the best plan one can come up with considering his lack of information). If the monk *has* said something, I definitely missed it, which probably means it flew over Kang-chi's head anyway.

Chung-jo can't do very much at the moment to get revenge or clear her father's name. Again, I feel this has to do with the writer's inability to pace all of the storylines properly. By this point, Chung-jo should be able to do something (we feel, just based on the amount of time that has passed since she decided to make do with what she was dealt), but she's not really in a position of power nor autonomy to do much other than follow the Head Gisaeng.

All in all, I agree with your commentary that more needs to happen and that the action has stopped. But I have long learned to stop applying common sense to dramas and I instead try to figure things about a drama within the dramaland rules (or at least the ones I know apply to just about every drama). It makes the whole experience slightly less rage inducing. If I wrote a drama with common sense, I think it would be 2 episodes long.

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Great comment.

Good connection:
Chung-jo can’t do very much at the moment to get revenge or clear her father’s name.

Plus: but she’s not really in a position of power nor autonomy to do much other than follow the Head Gisaeng.

The entire basis for GW's untouchability is the power he accumulated. You won't overthrow him with mere truth. I think that's the point behind why the SH character disappeared, what she was busying herself with during her absence, and why she returns.

Re: "Again, I feel this has to do with the writer’s inability to pace all of the storylines properly."

The main thing I think about the writing is that it's been subtle. It has been weaving in threads of plot development; but not in an overt way. I'll continue watching a drama if I like the characters and their interactions. I kinda like when there are enough loose (but possibly connected) ends to keep me wondering how it will all play out. I also like it when I'm being forced to pay attention to details. To me, a drama is much more mentally engaging that way. The only thing I don't like is if there are major leaps of logic or rationality to reach the story's conclusion.

One general question about Kdramas:
If a drama is going to be extended, what (benchmarks) will cause them to start considering extension and at what point do they make their final decision?

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Since I can't reply directly, I do it this way!

@Gidget:

"It has been weaving in threads of plot development; but not in an overt way."

I agree with this - the plot has been given to us subtly and it's quite fun that we have to deduce some things from previous hints. My main gripe is that while I'm thrilled that Chung-jo picked herself up and decided to do something, the writer's pacing resulted in some of us feeling like now she's just being a jealous on-looker. A more tightly woven story, in my opinion, would have let us see that she has come to this decision (of revenge and clearing her father's name with what she can do now) and then, with the other plotlines, interweave her trials in becoming a more powerful, in-control person.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Chung-jo's character development is fantastic, but it is almost like the writer wanted to get through her development and is leaving her at the wayside while trying to develop the others. I think foulou has it right - the character focus is to blame. The writer is too focused on a particular character during a particular episode (or story arc) and it leaves us viewers feeling like no one else is doing anything important. That's what I meant by storyline pacing. A well-paced story would have all the character development we love with the bonus of making us think that everyone is doing something in their own stories at any given moment. It would add to the feeling of "something is happening" throughout the episode. I'm not saying this is easy by any means - it takes a lot of planning to make stories like that - but as a viewer, it's certainly something I look for in a show (or as a reader, in a book).

I know that totally wasn't in the previous comment - I blame typing while eating!

"If a drama is going to be extended, what (benchmarks) will cause them to start considering extension and at what point do they make their final decision?"

I think ratings play a good part in this. Probably actors'/actresses' availability as well. Perhaps even a bit of it has to do with the follow-up schedule and how far along that drama/whatever-fills-the-timeslot is. Someone with more Kdramaland knowledge should reply to this, since I'm going off of second-hand information and common sense guesses (which don't always work).

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Great comment Hairpin. Regarding why they have to keep it a secret, I may add that Kang Chi himself said that he didn't want them to worry when he hasn't even figured out its identity. The students are already in fear knowing him as half-man, half-beast, and he couldn't imagine how they would feel if they found out that there's another unknown creature in the forest.

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@ Hairpin

Oh, I see what you mean now about the pacing. It probably should have been obvious. But, as a newbie to the whole world of dramas, writing, story telling, I haven't been able to fully appreciate what the gripe has been.

Thanks for the clear explanation. I so appreciate all the smart participants on this site!

If someone could help me here: Iif a drama is being considered for extension, wouldn't that mess up how tightly the plot can be written? It seems that it would be really hard to architect good pacing if midway through the production you aren't clear how long the drama will need to be... and at the same time are doing audience-response-based rewrites.

If so, I kinda feel sorry for the writers. Thats a tough, tough working environment. They're bound to be criticized for one thing or another while operating under those kind of variables.

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I gotta agree with you that this drama has very bad pacing. KC's romance and struggle to be acknowledged were interesting enough in the beginning, but a lot of things just keep dragging out and don't really add up to each other as you pointed out. I'd have been okay with its pace if not for the fact that we're reached the halfway mark of the drama only for things to begin to unravel with the return of both SH and WR.

I think there are enough public freak-out, bean counting, sitting villains, mysterious bathing, brooding in the dark (which i actually didn't mind so much because WR is one hot gumiho appa), almost kiss scenes already. I'm ready to see all the players to throw down their hand and take action.

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I agree so much with your comments. Spot on. They NEED to move the plot along. Focus on characters does not need to be so random and splotchy. It is distracting. Also, (bless her heart),I know that Suzy is ABSOLUTELY a doll... but that is about it. MOVE THE SHOW ALONG! If I have to look into her big doll like eyes and beg for the camera to pan away so that I can know what OTHER CHARACTER arcs are doing, I may scream! Note to directors: Thank you so much for having Suzy in this drama so that money and interest will surround it. Thanks. Now, please create an interesting plot, some great dialogue, and focus on the STORY/IES that are moving, interesting and are working for this drama. *like the first two episodes...*cough* *Cough*....*COUGH*....

Thank you for your spot on assessment.

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Hey Foulou, cheerz and chillz !! u really clueless about gumiho creatures are you ? u will nvr find good drama or movie about gumiho from korean writer :) 'things happened for a reason ' is NOT in korean drama LOL.. one of the reason some people cant get the feeling bcoz empty plots but u must understand it,is korean drama..lovesick triangle, funny act and sad moment . just enjoy the show :) pretty sure u are laughing when funny scene between KC and his master and u smile when KC and YW scene right ? so.. u did get a feeling while watching even is not like what u wanted .. even is annoying :) already ep 16 u still watching.. well..is a good thing right ? even is empty plots?..:) this is Gu Family Book.. not Vampire Diaries :D

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First of all, I had a hard time making out what you wanted to say. Even then, it's completely presumptuous to be "okay" on the basis that "it is a Korean drama so it shouldn't make sense anyway". I don't know about you, but there are good and bad K-dramas just as any drama on any country there is. There are quality K-dramas out there, and no I'm not talking about Iris 2. I'm talking about Tree With Deep Roots, The Chaser, and more recently there's Nine. They don't have to be uber-serious as well. like History of a Salaryman or Gentleman's Dignity.

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my dear Foulou. glad to know u having a hard time..lol.. just teasing with you okay? no heart feeling..okay.. ?hehehe..cheers!! your comment for GFB all about reason and why right ? likes push and pull. You dont see any logic or realistic in every scene..i just saying here dont go too far asking those question.. watch from ep 1 till now again..note that writer always used plots flashback time (clue for this drama more interesting) and those line between WR.monk, Master gong and KC is main scene for Gu Family Book (my opinion ) i dont know about other people.. cuz what i wanted from GFB is KC to find those book and become human ( in process to become human) should hv scene about gumiho ability and weakness or story tales.. i dont think writer come up with good one here but writer show in other way..still nice to watch it not all weak characters.. just skip for a while about sick love triangle between CJ,TS.YW and KC ..ahh.. and skip about who dont trust KC..get your feeling more to clueless KC ..haha.. how he want to gains trust from human and his father.. how he will confront his father not all human bad..:) note this Foulou.. main story about GFB just a short scene :)
psss.. what i mean skip.. is dont bother! dont ask dont even about care it!! lol

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foulou,, you suck

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That seems harsh. We can't expect constant praise for every show from every person. There has to be room for dissenting opinion. People are allowed to say what they think here, without being subjected to personal attack.

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That's the best you got?

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& just to clarify; not that I agree to opavaganza either. D:

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This looks like one online drama :D... In a way, one can truly understand Wol-Ryung's point of view when it comes to humans. I mean people are misunderstanding, mistreating, betraying each other etc... all the time. Maybe my way of thinking it's a way too romanticized sometimes, but I can't get why people don't listen each other and accept each others differences. Everyone can say own opinion, that's why blogs exist, so that people can exchange experiences or thoughts.

To make a show it's a very difficult task, even though it seems to be quite easy. I can bet that half of us present here wouldn't be able to make it better. I agree with some of you about the plot but we don't take other things in count. For us it can be easy to judge but we actually don't know their reasons for making the plot this way. People get experiences through making shows. If they are reading people's comments on the internet they will probably pay more attention on specific things next time. There is a word for it: "Criticism". But let's write those comments in a decent way, please. No insulting, swearing etc.

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hey be nice.. lol.. you should understand foulou too.. she might be movie or drama lover.. so she need those feeling from all character for her to feel it.. but her fav character dont hit he..so... hahaha.. is why she say things like that..dont say things if we dont know what in their mind.. we cant pleased anyone in our life in reality , same goes to writer.. how good they are.. STILL..they cant pleased everyone.. cuz that way it is.. anyway enjoy the show guys!! cheerz!!

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I respect foulou opinion, that's why I said that I don't understand people who try to oppose to her's/his opinion or others people opinions. I think that we should listen at least what others have to say, but it's on us if we are going to accept it or not. Well, between the lines I said the same thing. They wrote the plot how they thought it should look like. Some people will like it, others won't.
I don't know how much those writers are popular or experienced because I am not from Korea. But it can happen that in some cases writers are in the begging of their careers, so we should not judge them so easily. Even if they are experienced and worked in this industry for many years, we still shouldn't judge. Life is an ever learning process. People build up their experience throughout their lives.
We can, of course, express ourselves and share thoughts even if we don't like something without attacking verbally other people or making judgments. Foulou shared own thoughts about the plot of this show and I don't see why some people try to change her's/his opinion by opposing it.

I personally find holes in the plot which girlfriday pointed out through the recaps. But on another side, there are funny and romantic moments which make this show interesting. I don't know why dramas are limited to 20-25 episodes, maybe the budget is the reason. I mean we can't really compare this with some big budget tv shows. These guys would definitely do their job better if they can make a 30-50 episode drama, or several seasons. But to be rational, could we do it better and put all our wishes in 24 episode show? Of course that some parts will be speed up or a little bit too slow.

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Bojana had spotted everything that I want to say, but I still want to emphasize it.

I love the drama, the cutesy, but I can't say what Foulou and other who oppose the drama wrong either, since I also feel the same. Tbh, reading the recaps earlier, I know some will oppose the development, which I think is acceptable.

Me too, though very very love the cutesy, but right now, I'm still wondering, "where will we go?", sometimes I forgot that the show's aim is to 'make human' and just following what served in my eyes along. Thanks to foulou, carole, and others who remind us. I really appreciate them for their mind, they sit down, watch it (really watch it, you know from their words, not just random insult) and speak their mind, that's what makes the discussion lively. We should keep our mind open, because, hey, that's what makes us human, isn't it? ;)

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Actually GW already knew KC is a half-gumiho after his minion reported him when Tae Seo removed the bracelet and that KC is SH's son too.

What GW was trying to do is trying to get the Admiral in trouble by having the public find out about KC's identity and causing fear into the people. Since KC is under the Admiral's care, it is the Admiral's responislbe if KC is causing trouble to the public. That's why the "removing the bracelet" is important. If KC shows that the rumor is true, then that will put the Admiral in trouble. However, KC foiled his plan again.

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You know, I have always felt that the writer just puts a story to happen anywhere and anytime, without considering the follow-up events leading to the event itself. For instance, Kang-chi proving his non-gumihoness in the public. There is such a dramatic emphasis on the removal of the bracelet that it made me wonder, 'Wait a minute....the public knows about the bracelet and what it does? Since when?" Did I miss something here?

So much potential, yet...I don't know about scriptwriting much, but I think the writer should re-learn the basics: how to connect the dots cohesively. She has interesting ideas, but it's like she has no idea how to execute it. Or maybe it's the time constraint, I dunno. I'll be mad soon if I keep thinking about what could have been. Sigh! *closes one eye and continues watching anyway*

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JGW and his minions know about the bracelet, hence the dramatic reveal.
And yes, the public also knows about the bracelet, because JGW has just informed all of them in this very scene, when he tells KC to remove it and that will satisfy him because he knows the bracelet controls KC's powers.

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Might this scene be about more than just the GW and LSS storyline? Could it also be a milestone in KC's quest to become human?

Slowly but surely KC has been growing in his ability to live life a someone who is fully 'human'. Yet it's being done without losing his gumiho side. Who knows, maybe they're going somewhere with that.

Maybe he won't have to lose his gumiho nature to live happily as a human.
Maybe through personal growth and the help of people around him, KC will reach a level of humanity whereby the "Gu Family Book" will appear.
Maybe the "Gu Family Book" isn't a book to make him 'officially' human - but is some sort of validation that he has already become part of the human family (that ol' sack of beans that we are).

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@Gidget ooh that sounds really valid!!

However the monk had all these things WR had to do before he could become human at the start. Were they steps so he could find the Gu Family Book?

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The waste of time on are they going to kiss was painful and irritating to watch.

This was the worst episode. Shame since it started well with the father and son confrontation.

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I love Yoon Se Ah! I mean...it's a little weird that she's playing Lee Yeon Hee, but I can deal with it.

Badddie Wol Ryung makes things very interesting...and is causing more problems than Gwan Woong at this point. I can't believe we're already on episode 16...does anyone else feel like despite it being a super cute drama not that much has really happened in terms of Kang Chi becoming human? The writer better not decide to solve Kang Chi's desire to be human in 1 episode (if he is to become human at all).

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"playing lee yeon hee"
wat

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Well they're both playing Seo Hwa...and Yoon Se Ah doesn't quite look like Lee Yeon Hee is what I meant lol. Sorry...it was late.

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I think the "journey towards becoming human" is more of Kang-chi's full acceptance of himself. This was a lesson Lee Soon Shin taught him previously, that a monster (Kang-chi) who shows compassion towards others is more human than an actual human (Jo Gwan-woong) who blatantly violates others to further his own interests.

In that sense, the Gu Family Book may not even be in existence but serves as an inspiration/driving force for gumihos who yearn to become part of the human society.

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absolutely agree on you.. The book will only appear if he was able to accomplish the things that needs to be done before acquiring it. So therefore, it would be nice to say that it is really accepting who you are. Maybe if he will succeed on those things, he will have the option if he still wants to become a human or keep his mythical persona and live both as human and a gumiho.. ^^

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I hope you're right too, I just don't want it wrapped up in an episode or 2 is what I meant, since we are on episode 16...8 episodes left I just don't want it to be like OK and it's over haha.

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I totally understand your point of view, but sometimes things should be speed up since that those kind of shows are limited to 24-25 max episodes, I think. At least that's how I got it. It's really difficult task to make all our wishes come true through 24 episodes :-). For example, The Prison Break was very engaging, story wise. But let's be honest, that show had several seasons. The writers were not limited. They could make 3 or 10 season, depending of the budget and how the audience react probably. Of course there are geniuses who can make it, and wrap it all in 24 episodes, but we can't expect from every single writer to be such a genius :D, right?

When it comes to kiss, it was irritating, I admit it :D. I wanted to smash my computer onto Kang-chi's head and say: "Kiss her once for all, you idiot!" :D

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Or should I borrow the bambus broom from Teacher Gong? :D hahahaha...

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Oh K-drama - that is why I watch korean dramas because of those romantic non-kisses! It is more romantic to me than actual kissing or fake kissing- it is the anticipation and the imagination that makes it sexy.

Too many impatient viewers. I actually like the slow process of character development and day to day interactions of the characters. This isn't a movie where everything happens in a blur.

I hope people just enjoy the drama as it is - and not get mad at other people's opinions. If you have a great story- do write one and share. Or make it fun and write your own story line eh?

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But why Kang Chi's father turn into a demon?

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Nice~~~
Looking forward to see their kiss in next episode

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I bet it's gonna come out of nowhere. And we'll all be like, "What just happened?" REWIND...

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Thanks :-)

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Thanks for the recap. Oh that faux kiss.....but I just can't hate on that adorable Song, especially after defending KC and dressing up as a girl (lol). KC's always staring at YW's lips, just go for it if you're really becoming more like a man! I agree that Tuesday's episodes move the plot along a lot more than Monday's. I hope the writer takes note and finds a correct balance every episode between the cute and the angst. Ahh CJ...poor girl's being ignored by KC. I still really feel bad for her, it's evident that she still cares for KC. Poor KC and his family troubles, why can't his real parents be like his surrogate ones.

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I also don't like the fact that the writers just wrote off KC's feelings for CJ. How do you go from liking someone for so many years to forgetting about them totally.

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Yup, 2 episodes ago he was leaving YW on the spot for CJ. Now it's as if CJ is invisible to him even though she's the only one with a lamp shade on her head in the crowd. While it was frustrating to see him ditch YW, it seems rather abrupt for him to completely forget about CJ.

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It really is both a convenience and an inconvenience in Korean dramas - that most characters don't have peripheral vision.

Meanwhile, yes, the transition of romance was quite abrupt.

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"as if CJ is invisible to him even though she’s the only one with a lamp shade on her head in the crowd" - bah ha ha ha ha!!

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tartani> u r hilarious!

"as if CJ is invisible to him even though she’s the only one with a lamp shade on her head in the crowd."

bwahahha..i burst out laughing when i read this line too!

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LAMPSHADE. HAHAHAHA.

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Hahahaha... Good one! :D

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Kangchi never really thought much about CJ unless she was there in his actual presence. It doesn't help that CJ constantly rejects him when he does see her. Comparing that to YW any sane person would move on. Especially when he saw that his running to CJ hurt YW. Though I'm sure his feeling for CJ have yet to be actually settled.

Though I find most of his love for her based in the fact that he loves and is loyal to the family, grew up with her and she was the only girl around. Once he got out in the world to see other girls his feelings changed.

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oh I don't know, I think he genuinely did love her and not just as an extension of her family but, as you say, things changed. Though KC was kind of a flake himself when it came to her, he left her in the gisaeng house after promising to clear her father's name and didn't seem to give her another thought until her idiot brother begged him to run away with her. (but there was plenty of time to be planning heists in the Hundred Year Inn? what.)

And hey, OTP has to be established somehow so the CJ ship is sunk via her rejection and then (unnecessarily) by her rape.

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I think we are supposed to see his love as having been genuine. It's hard to believe it since he pretty much left her forgotten -- as you point out. And then after she's raped and becomes a prostitute he's full on ignoring her. (Which has such ugly implications I just...) But I think that's because the writers fell down on their job not that they meant their implications to be taken seriously.

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Well said :-). That's exactly what crossed my mined. As I said several times before, it's difficult to show everything in 24 episodes. But I think that we could read it somewhere between the lines. Maybe this kissing scenes are going slow because Kang-chi feels insecure or you know "butterflies" :D. These feelings he developed for YW are new to him and that probably scares the crap out of him :D, taking in consideration that Kang-chi is inexperienced 20 years old boy :D.

After CJ rejected him and harshly said things, she shouldn't have, she can't expect that he would remain the same, since that she changed as well. People unconsciously change under certain circumstances. We saw enough of CJ love games, it was about the time for Kang-chi to move on.

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That's not really fair to Chung Jo. Both times that she rejected Kang Chi, it was with higher goals in mind - once to save her brother, the other with the charge that Kang Chi restore her father's good name, first. Which he then promptly ignored, as he and the other adults in the room focused on capturing all of her father's treasure.
The "adults" in the room take care of her father's silver, and they look after her worthless brother, but as for Chung Jo - there is no place for her at that huge, protected school, even though they are profiting off her father's money she is forced to leave the only protected space, ultimately left to be raped and become a gisaeng.

The writing in this show is abominable, to put such a bitter tragic story in with a cutesy love affair. It does not work. No doubt we will be made to hate Chung Jo in future episodes, so they can justify the terrible things that have happened to her.

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IMO, I don't think it it's a plain write off, I realized when Chung Jo's runaway from Gisaeng House, Kang Chi doesn't see her in the same light anymore. His longing eyes has changed into pity, and the embrace done in very carefully way-as if it'll hurt her-. (Or maybe it's me imagining things? :) ) Seung Gi's eyes is his window of emotion, and I love it

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ooh love that line:
"Seung Gi's eyes is his window of emotion" <3

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No reglest, you did not imagine it. I noticed it too. In that ep when YW saved CJ and she hugged him in the shed, The way he hugged her was very different from the way he hugged her back at the Inn the first time round. This time, it looked like he was comforting her more than hugging, if u know what I mean. He kept patting her back and didn't really hold onto her.

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Yes, he is... And he never after that time see Chung Jo in longing ways anymore... That time, I understand what So Jung says, sympathy, and by Kang Chi's case...pity. I love this drama, because their eyes talk much. And finally, I understand why Seung Gi says Suzy is innocent, I just can't but love her, look at her eyes...I know she is lack in experience and I hope she will do better...but her eyes just that innocent, and I love every way she tease and smack Kang Chi (though she isn't that well in express her emotion), because SHE JUST ENJOY IT with all of her innocent.

The bickering among the two leads is just that innocent,a la manga it is, and please forgive me, sometimes I want it to be that way, and sometimes I want it to be hotter. Their relationship (Kang Chi-Chung Jo-Yeo Wool) is just like Inu Yasha-Kikyou-Kagome, if you understand what I mean. I'm curious how the things will going on now. Please keep getting better show... :)

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Agree! :-)

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no, you're right - he holds her differently from the way he did before, no clinging to her this time.

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I don't think KC loved CJ as a woman, but as a family. Maybe he mistake it as love. So that's why when YW comes to his life, he can easily forget his love to CJ.

It happen actually. I have a friend who believed that she's in love with her childhood friends. For almost twelve year. He is like older brother for her. Then, he is engaged with another girl. He knew she is 'in love' with him so he wanted to broke the engagement and getting engaged with her instead but she forbid him. She said that, she don't want hurt the relationship she had with his family.

But then she talk to me that actually she is not sure if she really in love with him that badly. Maybe the feeling is not love. After separated with him for one year, and met with many people, she is not concern over him again.

sorry for my terrible english

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her childhood friend, i mean... -_-

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This. And who says that love has to be in clear black and white statement?

Being an abandoned child and not knowing the love of his own blood family, it won't be surprising that Kang Chi would yearn about it. And perhaps, thinking that perhaps by marrying CJ he'll properly be part of the Park family; made him convince himself that he loved CJ in that kinda way. Which, won't be too surprising either.

KC focusing his attention to YW shouldn't mean that CJ is outta the ditch. It might just be at that time, it slipped outta his mind. Or him trying not to think of CJ and her prev rejection in order to avoid accidentally going foxy.

How many of us can truly tell whether the love we felt for a friend, family or strangers was genuine or familial or casual or however you wanted to interpret it to symbolize true love? Love has many shape as well. And not everyone can panoramic view to consider everyone's feelings, ya?

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I agree with Minni and Izzu. KC very much wanted to be accepted for who he is. But as a child, he was mocked and taunted. Even though Lord Park accepted him and took care of him , KC was never really part of the family. This was clearly shown in the earlier eps where Lady Park vehemently protested against CJ's feelings for KC; where the family would gather together for drinks and poor KC could only look on from the outside. As I had mentioned in an earlier comment, he was treated 'like' a son, but never 'as' a son. And KC knows this.
Even CJ never really gave him all her love. Yes, she did hug him and ask if she could really leave him, but she NEVER stood up for her feelings for him. Her excuse was that she could not hurt her father and brother. I think that even when she hugged him in the courtyard, the nite before her engagement, it wasn't so much as a confession of her love, as a fear of leaving those familiar to her. And KC only realizes this when he meets YW, who is so unconditional in her love. This is what KC has been looking for all his life. Unconditional love and acceptance.

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Totally agree :-).

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After watching this ep, I'm pleased to find out that WR actually wants to protect his son from having to go thru the same fate that he did: being betrayed by the women he loved and wanted to become human for, and being ostracized and hunted by humans for being different. He just wants to spare his son the same agony, n so threatens that if KC doesn't choose to live as the half-beast, he'll kill KC. I don't sense that he has any real intention of harming KC tho. That's just his brand of 'though love' a la 1000 year demon former holy beast style! ;)

I was nervous watching Teacher Old fogey being on the edge of death. If he had died, KC's goose would be pretty well cooked! Fortunately he is revived, and so r KC's chances of living the way he wants.

KC definitely knows YW is his human-amulet-bracelet. So he scans the crowd for her presence when he has to take off the bracelet in front of everybody. It seems surprising that YW knows it too, cos she rushed there to stand in front of him to calm his nerves. CJ glares in anger n jealousy! Girl, you threw insults at him when he turned into a beast. The other girl held his hand n stood in front of her father's sword to protect him w her life. I'd say you have no right to be jealous or angry, except angry w yourself!

Near-kiss....Another near-kiss...No kiss!! Ha ha ha.

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"It seems surprising that YW knows it too, cos she rushed there to stand in front of him to calm his nerves."

Not at all. I think that was the plan: Kanchi knows she's a human shield and probably told Gon to set YW free and tell her to go meet him at the Inn.

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I know KC asks Gon to distract ajumma so that YW can escape to join him in front of the inn. But YW rushes there in to stand right next to him, and nods at him to get started as if to say: "It's OK, u can take off your bracelet now that I am here" seems surprising to me given that the two of them never broached that subjt b4. KC definitely knows that WY anchors him to humnity, but When does she know???

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Remember when seong sneaked in to speak to YW when Gon distracted her maidservant, and he told her he had a message from Teacher old fogey for her (the message he whispered to him before hopping to go find Master Dam)?...Well we're left to assume/imagine that that was it.

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And I thought it's as if she said,"Go ahead Kang Chi, do whatever you need to do. I trust you.." ow,well..

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I think that is what sung told her before the escape what bamboo master whispered to him about kc taking off his bracelet around her.

Maybe the twist next week will be WR did not kidnap her but the minion. because she was there at the inn before he took it off and figured it out. With smiles and chin dimple action :)

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WR wants people to believe he is innocent~~ not bad gumiho ..flashback again what he told yW .. :) WR ask YW to believe and trust him :) and master Dam admit he killed innocent :) he surely protect his son{his own way) ..lol.. if not, he already snap YW neck :)

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After this ep, there is some hope that maybe WR isn't altogether a 1000-year demon, that there is some sense of goodness in him. Here's keeping fingers crossed!

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I think that the hiding of his other eye (WR) is actually because he is now a half and half like KC too. But a half mythical good being and a half 1000 year old demon. The reason being that SH didn't actually reject him fully, I mean remember, she rejected him when he got struck but she repented when her son was born. She realized that she loved him for him. So methinks that he himself is stuck at half. I suspect that when he meets SH again and she finally confesses that she loved him he is going to go back to who he was. This would explain why he is actually not out right evil and wants to actually help his son.

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Nice theory, and it reminded me of the time KC was born. On how WR's voice stopped her and moonlight just conveniently shines over KC to show he's not a monster.

Like the old WR tried to save them since SH did plan to kill her baby and herself that night anyway.

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WR give his heart to SH, i dont think so he can hate SH so damn much even SH betrayed him, he choose not to stabbed SH with knife wood that monk gv to him in case SH turn back on him, that kind of love not easy to swiped away right? (logic thinking)..so.. :) hope SH gains back WR trust that she love him too..then again flashback what SH said to JGW when she try to kill him and left scarface killer at his face hahaha

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She's more useful alive than dead right now. She's the person who can actually hurt Kangchi the most and the reason he wants to become human. WR not killing her yet isn't because he's a nice guy.

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Remember how Kang-chi kept hiding that he took his bracelet off? I think she suspected but didn't know for sure, and just wanted to go and support him, because she's awesome that way. Her face looked surprised when he didn't change. Either way, I love them and I love her.

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Ya, that's what I thought too: That she just wants to be there to support him.
It's the director having her overplay it so Knowingly that surprises me. Anyway, maybe it's being nitpicking.

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Her face doesn't change because while she now knows of being his human bracelet (via the message Teacher old fogey passed on to her through Seong in the episode), she's never witnessed it first hand so naturally she'd be surprised to find out it's actually true.

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I think she knew via Sung (under instruction from Teacher Gong) to go where Kang-chi is but I don't think she knows she has something to do with Kang-chi not turning into a gumiho when his bracelet is removed. She looked as surprised as everybody else when Kang-chi took off his bracelet and did not transform into a (hot) monster.

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Oh yes. I love the little guy, Song Ah. He is so cute.

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Song Ah is so cute n so sweet. Do these 2 qualities always go together?

I love LeeSS's quote to Evil Lord:
A Buddha's heart sees buddha where he looks. A chicken sees chicken; a pig sees a pig. It is a demon's heart that sees a demon when he looks at a child.
That sums up Evil Lord real well.

Gon isn't much of a conversationalist, is he? It's funny to watch him try desperately to strike up a conversation with the ajumma, n she is flattered by his attn. Ajumma manages to steal every little scene she is in. Even her hopping is funny.

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I know Wol Ryung is evil but dang it if he ain't HOT!!!

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Thanks GF!

Gumiho Baby, you are doing GREAT!

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Kang Chi Ah, next episode, could you lean in faster, and give a lonnnnnnnnnnng kiss to YW? Please.......(rub hands together)

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Actually, I want YW to kiss HIM, that would be cuter.

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Yeah, I think one of these days she's going to snap and take over, which I would be totally on board with, since Kang-chi can't escape slow motion and silly love ballads.

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@ jubilantia
My thoughts EXACTLY! When KC walked away after returning and grabbing her arm, I thought to myself, "I think YW's gonna be the one to kiss him first!"

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You are reading my mind :D. First I wanted to smash Kang-chi with my computer but later the thought of YW doing it first crossed my mind. It was like: "YW please do it yourself or I will! " :D Hahahaha...

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Can you imagine them on their wedding night? That she has to take charge, or else it'd be slow-mo n love ballads till morning!

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Hahaha, I thought about that, too. If it's taking so long for them to kiss Kdrama style (just on the lips), how long will it take them to have sex? Perhaps it'd be better for Ganchi to continue to live as a Gumiho, that way at least one will have the energy of the youth (oh my... :P)

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I imagine YW punching his head as usual hahahaha :D... Or using the bambus broom instead :D lol

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Thank you for the laughs guys! You had me laughing straight for a good 15 mns with your comments.

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Hah!
I am not a huge fan of the drama but came to see if there were going to be fangirl howling at the twarted scene.

You know? The one which went on for way too long... all the PD's fault I am sure. It was a pretty clumsy execution. Not KC but the whole dragged out way too long scene.
It became a farce.

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Yeah, it happened last episode as well, when Kang-chi was staring at Yeo-wool's lips way too long. I wonder if it's a way for the PD to drag out time cause there isn't enough material or something. Or the PD just loves to linger on the romantic scenes, in which I squeed at first but got uncomfortable as time goes by (TOO LONG!) and the music suddenly blares in the background out of nowhere. Cheesy. Haha.

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You do know that rather than a farce, it's supposed to be a tease and a laughing matter!

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Well I prefer humorous situations.

Maybe it was the position. Kneeling on the ground a long time makes you shake? They looked forced rather than have the hint of awareness. That self conscious look.
The I want to kiss you but did we just almost do it look?

Or before the long prelude... maybe the look of anticipation? It took way too long to anticipate.

Then when the almost kiss was interrupted it they didn't have the self conscious laugh/look to say " oops."

Like I said, too long. By about 5 sec.

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i think its not long enough for me.. haha

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I think he did look pretty self-conscious after the kiss.

After Sung left, Kang Chi relaxed a little, then suddenly seemed to remember what had happened, because he started and shot Yeo Wool a side-glance, as though he was trying to work up the courage to actually face her after their interrupted kiss. And then she watched him not watching her, realised why, and smiled. I found it cute.

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Awesome!! Thank you!

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I've been waiting for this! Thank you....

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bahahaha gumiho!baby is my new favorite thing!
And i noticed the EH? after all of jgw's questions and laughed each time he did it...until i was almost in tears iono why hes still crazy creepy, but that was hilarious...also,probs bc i was thinking of the bts pics of the actor being silly kekekeke

also i just had a question if anyone knows - why does admiral lee wear all whire when he goes to see people? and not his admiral uniform that he wears at his...base? is this a military/rank thing, an...age? thing? i doubt its to make him more visible in a crowd...

anyway i find myself noticing how the different classes of people are dressed and its interesting...i never paid that much attention to it before besides...'pretty colors' =D

and as always, thanks for the recaps gf!!

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I also noticed it :-). I don't know why but I immediately remembered the Chinese guy from the drama "Return of Iljimae" :D. The one made funny noises in the end of every single sentence :D. Haha... Is it just me or anyone else felt the same? :D

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Usually Joseon's nobles wore white when they where exiled, condemned as criminals or mourning the loss of a relative...

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Dear GF,
Your best part of the comment: ARRRGGH#&$^#^%@!!

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^this. Most accurate description ever.

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:D

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BTW did anyone else find it hilarious that both Kang Chi and Gon where shocked when Dam Yeo Wool was actually scared of her sewing teacher! That was the BEST part of the episode!

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This show sure likes making poor Kangchi cry a lot. Happy WR is finally somewhat interesting and no longer just the stalking evil dude. And somehow a demon is a better parent than SH? Go figure. I'm not 100% sure he was the one who kidnapped YW at the end. Seems too obvious. Though he's going to be blamed for it anyway. (and rightfully so really...)

GW is too smart to fall for Kangchi's trick forever, but it did put out the fire and kill the rumors which is good enough to save LSS and himself for now.

Sexy hands at the end were sexy, but seriously Kangchi kiss her before someone else does. I'm seriously loving YW and KC together. At times I feel I want some backstory about her, but then other I feel it's not really necessary. She's there for a reason, which is to be there for Kangchi and that's good enough for me.

The scene at the end with everyone defending Kangchi was so freaking heartwarming, minus CJ being there and having to witness the happy OTP again. I feel sticking it to her at this point is unnecessary. It's not like she's the evil 2nd lead bent on cockblocking them or something.

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Maybe that's what the writers intention is - to make CJ so jealous, so that she would become an evil character, an enemy and obstacle to Kang-chi's dream of becoming human. Before these last 2 episodes, it was Jo Gwan-woong as the hated villain. But after he possessed the 100-yr inn and CJ, he was replaced by WR as the antagonist to KC, at least in the last 2 episodes.

I don't know if it was mentioned in previous recaps whether WR's character will stay until the last episode. If he isn't, then I could see a need for another character to play antagonists/enemy for KC/YW, since I don't see Jo Gwan-woong's character can take on all of the rest of the good guys. So, I'm guessing CJ will become the additional antagonist to the story as a result of her extreme jealousy.

Thanks GF for the recap.

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Hmmm that would be interesting! The actress who plays CJ certainly has the chops to play a conflicted villain. Remember the fire in her eyes in the scene where she gets Jo Gwan Woong to throw out the other gisaeng and tells him she's planning to stab him in the heart? Bring it on!

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The way CJ and TS looked at KC and YW standing on the street, made me uncomfortable. It looked like they might team up to do harm to our OTP, esp after CJ threw away the jar. I hope not!

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I hope not too. But the recent abundance of cute scenes with the OTP may mean less of them in the coming episodes...What the writers giveth, the writers taketh away, as someone said...

Maybe someone has already thought of about this, but I'm wondering if Jo Gwan-woong might be the one to find and get hold of the Gu Family Book. Since he has minions that do disappearing acts and disguises, he may have the means to locate it. And if he does, then I think he can be powerful enough to battle the good guys, and remain the main evil/villain character of the story. With the Book, he might condemn KC, the hero, to gumiho-world for eternity so that he is free to rein over everyone. Then, since Tae-soo and CJ are supposedly on Jo Gwan-woong's side, they may aid him in finding the Book for their own selfish desires - i.e. condemn KC to gumiho-world for eternity so that Tae-soo can marry YW and CJ will be just happy in knowing KC will never be with YW...Oh the plot thickens!...

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CJ looks like she might be that spiteful. TS, however, doesn't. He just looks....numb. But then with this actor's performance in this drama, it can be hard to tell. I do think that he does hypnotized zombie really well.

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Agreed on all these, and Kang-chi definitely needs to stop kissing in slow motion and turn off the shitty love ballads. Go in for the kill, dude! I promise she wants it.

I feel sticking it to her at this point is unnecessary. It’s not like she’s the evil 2nd lead bent on cockblocking them or something.

After the good stuff for Chung-jo last week, I feel like they're spinning their wheels a bit with her again. I thought we were past the jealousy! I want to see more of her gearing up for revenge on Gwan-woong, not misdirecting her anger at the people who tried to help her. I want scens of her learning poisoning and sharpening hair pins into knives, not pouting at the be-dimpled ones.

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Me too! She should start planning her revenge on GW!

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Yes, I think going back to mess with KC/YW would just be against her character. Plus she has better things to do. So does TS honestly so I hope my new found like and respect for the siblings isn't ruined by them being petty about Kangchi finally being happy and belonging.

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Dude, well said! :-)

I hope there will be more emotional scenes between Kang-chi and WR, since that Kang-che is going to head on right to the cave to find him. Kang-che's accusations will definitely hurt WR, if he is able to feel anything. I wonder how this conflict will end up during next 2 episodes.

Even if it doesn't seem so, I would really like them to make up in the end and be a happy gumiho family. Well except SH, somehow I don't see her in that picture.

I think, as well, that YW back story is not so important. Maybe her mother died because of some disease. Adding that to the plot would be unnecessary. It's better to concentrate on Kang-chi's and YW's love story.

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That sewing teacher is hilarious! :D
The actress is awesome! Funny in every show i saw her in.

Thank you for the recap!

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Yay, she is funny. She is the Oktoke secretary in Nice Guy.

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omg! that's who she is. That's funny.

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Oh, she's guarding a girl again. And again fails in it(just like in "Nice Guy")!

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yeah... squirming towards the door part is hilarious~ love it~

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Every time she end up tied up, I was screaming and laughing... Like: "OMG... Again? LMAO :D" And YW's expression and apologizing made it even funnier :D... But Teacher definitely didn't learn a lesson after the first time, well not even after the second hahahaha... But this guy dressed up as YW, was definitely one of the best scenes in this episode!!! :D It reminded me on Iljimae, when he dressed up as gisaeng :D. I feel like crying from laughing every time I think about it :D.

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Sung dressed up as YW was really funny! I love you Sung! The things you'll do for KC and YW!
And I also love the scene with KC and the broom! It's so funny that Sung, can grab the broom, but KC can't! And when KC in all seriousness asked him if he too was one of the masters, was hilarious!

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Ohh yes that scene as well was very funny! In general, I love all the scenes where Teacher Gong, Kang-chi, Sung, and the broom are involved :D.

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seriously just kiss already? unless when they kiss something big/important happens with KC's gumihoness, i see no reason for all this teasing.

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I am at work yet reading your recaps. I really love the cuteness of this drama. Thanks GF!

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Dude, same here!!! :D

GF rocks BIG TME!!! I love her recaps...

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Thanks for the recap!

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Thanks so very much, girlfriday for your wonderful recaps. You have such a gift for insightful "gab" and commentary.

My enjoyment of this kdrama is heightened by reading your episode recaps.

An appreciative fan,

Garrdan75

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I also love that Wol Ryung is not a demon just to kill and his warnings are not totally false. I want him to see Yeo Wol and may be understand that not everyone is a fool like SH and KC has nice people around him. Why do I feel that it wasn't him to took YW though...

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me also feel that it is not WR who took YW cos didn't the show ended somewhere like that last week??

I was thinking it might be the creep's ninja but...

both is BAD...

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Im actually thinking it might be Chung Jo. Maybe she wants to talk with her 1 on 1... :)

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that is also not good...

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I'm leaning towards GW or Mom. GW because he's too smart not to figure out YW is the reason he doesn't change and Mom because....well, her bodyguard wasn't around at the end of the show when talking to TS (as people in the Soompi forum noticed) and I think there will be more to her than has been shown so far. WR is just a distraction that KC will fall for.

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It is possible that it is Mom. I made a comment on previous recap that I find SH as a villain. I don't know why, but I just have a feeling that her intentions are far away from good. Evil invokes evil. Therefore it's not that strange that her visit, woke up WR (who is suppose to be evil demon). Exactly in that moment, I got this feeling that SH arrival will bring no good.

I am afraid you are right that KC will fall for it. But it might bring some emotional moments and actually WR confession.

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Great.....
Merci GF.....u r wonderful.

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If Wol-Ryung wants to save Kang-Chi from the hurt and pain of being in a relationship with a human, we can logically deduce that he in some sort of monster way "cares" for his son?
Yet what doesn't make sense is that he then goes on to say that he will kill him if he doesn't do what he told him to do (i.e. give up on trying to become human). So we had some glimmer of "care" established, but then it is negated by the threat to kill his own son.

I think it's bad writing. It just doesn't make good sense.

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It makes sense to me. YW's dad isn't that different, minus being less evil. Forcing her to do something she doesn't want with threats. Though I don't think he "cares" for Kangchi. It's more about himself than it is about Kangchi. He's forcing his own issues onto someone else like him. I guess even demons have feelings. There is also prob some deeep part of the old WR inside him somewhere.

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It's very possible that Wol-ryung's currently twisted view of the human world leads him to believe that killing his own son IS "caring" about him. He's trying his best (albeit in a terrible way) to convince Kang-chi that aligning with humans will bring nothing more than hurt and betrayal, something that he has experienced. It's clearly also the reason why he is now a thousand-year demon of hatred and destruction. Deep down, he more than likely fears that Kang-chi will end up the same after suffering a betrayal by Yeo-wool. To save his son from the tragedy of living alone as a heartless being who can only bring about pain and death, Wol-ryung seems to genuinely think that killing him is the only solution. (The fact that he also thinks it's utterly hopeless for a gumiho to attempt at becoming human is another reason why he's led to believe that killing Kang-chi is necessary.)

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I second this opinion. Wol-ryung is misguided, but he has clear motivations and believes them, which I would argue is good writing. Being a demon that is basically the opposite of everything pure and natural is probably a fate worse than death for him, so he's trying to save his own son the strife he's suffering. I hope he can be redeemed! I'm excited for Kang-chi to meet his mother, although it ain't gonna be pretty.

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IMO YW's dad is even worse, because he raised her and lived with her all of her life, they have a real father-daughter bond, and yet now he throws away all the values and things he taught her as a child (being aware that she would become a woman some day) and tries to tie her for life to a situation that will make her miserable. At least if Gu father didn't taught his son "better" as a kid, preparing him for life, was because he didn't have the chance.

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Sorry, I disagree that he's a bad parent. As a parent myself, I can see where he's coming from. I don't necessarily agree with his decisions, but I can understand his fear and anxiety for YW. KC, is not a 'bad guy' that his daughter is in love with. He's half a gumiho! Whether he's good or bad, as a parent, it's natural not to want her to fall in love with him. More so if you know that you had killed his father, who was innocent. Not knowing how Kc will react, he'll naturally fear that KC may spurn her or hurt her if he finds out the truth. And no parent will want that for their child. But, the only way he can think of to stop the relationship, is to betroth her to TS.

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Mmm... I still think that he should've thought first about how to educate her considering what she would have to face in the future, because now he can't expect miracles.
But yeah, being a father for the first time must be hard. AND I see your point. It's just that on the one hand handsome Gumihos, even bad ones, make me forget their nature. And on the other hand, I can't help it, I keep applying modern ideas to analyze his actions, I think that parents can't force a teenager/young adult to do (or rather avoid doing) sth, advice and info usually obtain better results. But being a woman in this period... yeah...

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@bee
Thanks for replying! :)
I highly doubt that Master Dam or any parent would expect their child to fall in love with a half-beast! So how could he 'educate' her? He trusted her all these years, and yes, when you have a teenager or young adult who is in love, it's difficult to 'control' them. But even if this were not the Joseon era, where fathers arrange marriages for their children, would YOU as a parent, allow your daughter to have a relationship with a half-beast (that is if they did exist.) I know I wouldn't, even if he looks like Lee Seunggi and behaves like him. I would want him to be human first.

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@ crazyajummafan.

"... would YOU as a parent, allow your daughter to have a relationship with a half-beast ..."

In this case, I would, because thus I would have paid off my debt to the innocent person I had killed, through that person's son.

Plus, Dam was told that the kids' love for each other had been fated.

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I can't count how many times I've told my child I'd kill her if she didn't do or not do something I told her or heard other parents do the same, at one time or another.

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Yes, but in the case with Daddy gumiho, I don't think he meant it as an idiom (from parent to child). He is evil will carry out his threat (per monk and my opinion). Heck, he even started by choking Kang-Chi.

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I think you're very right. He means it.

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Papa Gu only seems to care for his son's 1/2 Gumiho side. He despises and wants to completely destroy the human or should I say his quest to be human. He even told sonny Gu that if he keeps up with his pursuit for humanity, he (Papa Gu) will not spare his (son's) life.

Its great writing. Papa Gu will have to face a dilemma. You cannot care for only half of someone. He either has to care for all of him or non of him.

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I want the story to move faster~~~

I want to know what is going to happen~~~

And WR kidnapped YW again!!!???
Why the drama ended with similar situation last week den this week too...hai...
But I am relieved that he has a little humanity and concern for his son's life though it is becoming a big problem for his son...

And Gon is really narrow minded... plucking off KC's second last bell and all... argghh... I really hope they can become good buddies~

Last qn, KC is becoming more and more charmingly handsome~~~ I love his smiles~~~ <3

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If the bad guy discover the reason why kangchi not turned into a beast might be yeowol is his next target, she might be endanger to him

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Gumiho baby!

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it just keeps getting better and better ♥

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So Yeo-wool has been taken, but by whom?

The way that Jo Gwan-woong was staring at Kang-chi and Yeo-wool - almost immediately after Kang-chi removed his bracelet - seems to indicate that he's realizing that there's a connection between the lack of beastly transformation and Yeo-wool's presence. Being the sneaky bastard that he is, there's no doubt that he saw that Kang-chi stopped looking around for her/gained the confidence to take his bracelet off once she showed up. Thus it's more than likely that Jo Gwan-woong demanded his minion to capture Yeo-wool, to use her as bait and lure out the gumiho in Kang-chi. Wol-ryung is absolutely not the type to kidnap anyone in the way Yeo-wool was kidnapped...no, given his demon prowess, he would have physically attacked in a much more dramatic or life-threatening manner. Wol-ryung is certainly not someone who would rely on the boring old hand-covering-the-mouth-and-snatch tactic, given how suave and evil he looked just when he smirked at Yeo-wool that time in the woods. Definitely a Jo Gwan-woong minion thing to do, in my opinion.

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Definitely a Jo Gwan-woong minion thing to do, in my opinion.

God, I hope not. It's telling that I would rather have her in the soul-sucking gumiho's lair than anywhere near Jo Gwan-jerkface. I feel like the grab has less to do with technique, and more to do with keeping us in suspense until next week, since there are two possibilities of people who wear black and would do the kidnapping.

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hahahahaha!Yeah the gumiho lair sounds better than the pedophile-rapist's lair for sure!

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You have a point; there's really no telling what the identity of the actual kidnapper is until the next episode. I just led myself to think that it could be the minion, since these shows are all about unexpected twists - and judging from the ending of this episode, it'd be too good to be true if it actually were Wol-ryung as implied.

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Wol-ryung was shown alone in his cave at that moment. So, it's quite possible that the kidnapper was somebody else.

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What if there is another possibility that you are not considering. .......

Kang Chis mom could be suspect number 3.

Now you would be wondering why. Well the simple answer could be REVENGE. For instance she could be thinking that Since Yeo Wols dad killed her husband thus she had to abandon her own son (be separated from her child so now it his turn to feel the pain of loss)

The problem over here is going to be that the Big Bad has wronged so many people and that each one is plotting their own version of revenge which is bound to cause conflict and confusion with the other party. For instance Tea Soh and Yeo Wols dad are allies but unfortunately Kang Chis mom is not aware of this fact and she would consider him the enemy so she may foil one of his plans (ie an assassination attempt this will get the main bad guy to trust her but will hamper the good guys)

Granted I may be mistaken and this show does have some astute villains but lets consider some other facts.

Wol Ryung wouldn't want to get attention on him for this time I think that he can die for good. The only time that he survived the last time was because of the Demon Clause in his contract but since this time he has none he can actually die so that is the reason why he is powering up. If he wanted to do something he would have either drained Yeo Wol and left her for the others to find or have ripped her to shreds. Either way people would come after him (Kang Chi might go all feral as planned but I doubt that he wants that for his son at the moment)
The BG might have sent his minion to abduct her but I doubt that he would be so foolish to use her as bait to lure out Kang Chi (at present that is) Yes it might work but if it doesn't he is declaring war with the martial arts school and I don't think that he is prepared for it at the moment and also he would have to face Kang Chi as an opponent which I don't think is such a smart move on his part :) Again I may be mistaken.

In regards I think that Tae Seo is going to turn on Kang Chi once more. You see at the moment he has gone undercover to basically prove Kang Chi's innocence and the proof that the BD is responsible for those string of Murders (Poor guy is actually innocent for a change) and while the BD thinks that Kang Chi is the one responsible for them :) Naturally Tae Seo is not going to be able to find any proof and maybe the BD may be able to convince him that Kang Chi is the culprit. Thus we can expect another round of betrayal from that family :( Also it may be done out of jealousy.

You know what would be fun is that if Kang Chi finally manages to get his hands on the book and it tells him that the only way to be human is to kill the person that he loves the most. ie kill the girl and be human or not and remain as he is. He chooses to remain then the Wise Monk or Spirit will appear and tell him that this was the final test and that he passed (as no human would kill another for a foolish reason) and that he is more human than even he ever realizes. Now there can be multiple endings but I prefer the one where he remains as he is but because he is part human he still ages normally thus he can spend time with the girl that he loves and die with her but he also gets to keep his cool powers with which he can continue his guardian duties and bodyguard services. So he teaches at the school and when he retires he can go to the Fox Cave.

Speaking of that Cave I have to wonder if that cave is protected by some sort of magical barrier. I only ask this because Wol Ryung was surprised when the people came to capture him (the only way they did so was because they were led there by his wife). Then later when Kang Cho absconded with Chung Jo to the cave Yeo Wol and Gon tried to go there but couldn't seem to find the way it seemed that they were going in circles so was it some kind of ward that was keeping them from locating the place because Yeo Wol having been there knew the way or is it something like the Room of Requirements in the Harry Potter franchise.

While I am hoping that Kang Chi's parents can redeem themselves and can get a happy ending that doesn't seem likely at the present. Sure Redemption and forgiveness may be found but I doubt that they can be together anymore due to the different paths they have taken.

In regards to Chung Jo she shouldn't really be jealous of Yeo Wol she is to blame for her own actions. When she was not sure of her own feelings she just strung on Kang Chi and when she saw his true nature she ran from it and even when she accepted it she didn't. Wheras while Yeo Wol ran at first she accepted it just as fast and wasn't afraid to show it. By the time Chung Jo realized this it was to late. She either assumed that Kang Chi hadn't been honest with her thus when she found out about it later she would run like her then Kang Chi would have to return to Chung Jo who by this time may have accepted him. Unfortunately Yeo Wol is aware of this and has fully accepted Kang Chi thus causing problems for her. She is more angry that she has lost something that she considers as hers (property or BT to someone else) the complete opposite of what Kang Chi considers her ie a person.

All 3 woman were at first afraid of their men but eventually they came to accept them for what and who they really were but for some it may be to late. ie for the mom the guy died, Chung Jo pushed hers to another woman, Yeo Wol may still have a chance though.

Well I have a ton more points to make but I will leave them as I am being told that it is quite rude to write such short posts so I will aim to write a bit longer one next time.

Thanks for your time and patience would love to hear your thoughts and comments as well also what do you think of the points that I have brought uo

Till All Are One !!!!! :) :)

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ooooh it could totally be Kang-chi's mom! I totally forgot about her. We have no idea what she's planning, except for Gwan-jerk's take-down, so the possibilities are endless.

I agree with you- I much prefer this be the origin of Superhero Kang-chi, rather than Previously a Cool Forest Spirit Now Regular Guy Kang-chi. I hate when they're all "it doesn't matter what you are so long as you are kind and stalwart! But we'll make you a human anyway, because it actually does matter."

Also also, I think the cave does have an enchantment around it, since it can't be found unless someone takes you there who knows where it is.

I hope Kang-chi's parents get redeemed, too! I predict they'll reconcile and then sacrifice themselves so their child can be happy or some nonsense, but I would love to see them be in-laws.

I hope we won't see any more Park betrayal, but it's a definite possibility, especially if Kang-chi's mom manipulates them. It will be interesting to see how she plays into things.

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except there seem not to be any strong motive for her to kidnap YW?

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Thanks GF for the recap.

This episode is strengthening my faith in Daddy Gumiho.

He may be bad but there's something good in there.

Makes me think we may get a happily blended extended gumiho and people family in the ending. Highly unlikely but it feels like there is a chance.

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Darn it! Snails kiss faster than that!

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I KNOW, right? Damn slow motion and cheesy love ballads.

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it's here...it's here. Thank you so much for the fast recap GF

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Thanks for the recap!

POWER OF FRIENDSHIP FOR THE WIIIIIIN! Everyone was so heartwarming this episode! Like the Littlest Student, and the Admiral, and Teacher Gong Dal.

I just really hope it's Wol Ryung and not Jerkbutt who kidnapped Yeo Wool. I also enjoy the development that Wol Ryung didn't come back evil, per se, but is understandably jaded towards humans and trying to protect his son.

...ok, now I'll actually go read the recap...

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You know, I think I'd find Jo Gwan-Jerkface's verbal EH?'s more funny if he wasn't such a despicable person.

omg Kang-chi's puppy dog eyes are the saddest things ever.

Pffffft. Goddamn it, I don’t think you deserve kisses anymore.

That's what you get for kissing in slow motion with really dumb love ballads playing over the scene, Kang-chi. Gotta turn that shit off and go in for the kill.

I always enjoy any time he can get Jo Gwan-woong’s panties in a twist

AMEN to that, sister.

Anyway, I don't mind the Monday-Tuesday dichotomy, since I still enjoy watching non-plotty episodes. Give me Gon-surliness and Yeo-wool flirting over melodrama and the Root of All Evil any day of the week. I'm also excited for Seo-hwa's plot, and apprehensive about the upcoming Park sibling Petty Jealousy Games.

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Okay, so freaking good! They got so close to a kiss, then Kang-chi can't do it! URGH! Ha.

I love Wol-ryung's motivations. They do make him seem a little more human than demon. I don't think he's wholly demon. I think there's a part of him deep down that is clinging to his humanity. Why else would he warn Kang-chi about the bad side of humanity?

What's interesting to me, is that I think Wol-ryung and Kang-chi are two sides of the same coin. Both had/have a quest to be human. One failed and was betrayed by the woman he loved and became a demon. The other is just starting out on his journey and the woman he loves is far more supportive, and he is more likely to succeed. Besides, Kang-chi's already half-way there, so he's one up on his dad.

My point is, they wanted the same thing, at least initially, and we're seeing both sides of the coin come into play now. Which is excellent. In my opinion.

Thanks for the recap, Girlfriday! Can't wait for next week!

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I don't know about others and why, But I seriously loving the cute scenes, Cause you know it's really cute and lovely :"> I don't know if I'm just simple minded or what but KC and YW are really good if they are together and it always makes me smile. I agree with Ms.Girlfriday, Having YW is wonderful thing for KC, that when she's there, She can endure anything. But the kiss ASDGSKDK!!

And about being human, I think it's not really a big deal for me, Being human is easy remember WR? It seems easy hehehe Thanks for the recap :)

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When YW sneaked out with the help of Gon, she puts up the OK sign...and I go bahahaha!!

Fusion drama!

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Oh, that's right! So Fusion =)

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When turned back to Yeo-wool after kiss interrupted I was like, Yay! I wasn't expecting that! Then when he instead of kissin her told her to sleep tight I was like, sigh... I wasn't expecting that. Way to make me bipolar show! I love when evil is awesome (Wol-ryung) and not one note (Jo gwan-woong). (>_<)

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This is the second time it happened. The first time was at the lantern festival. When he returned and looked at YW so hard, we all thought he was going to kiss her, and then... bam! He said he was hungry!!! And all our hopes were dashed!

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nah... its the third time!!!
Plus the one in the forest when YW twisted her ankle and KC pulls her up~!

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three strikes already....

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Thank you soooo much! :D

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Tae Seo staring at KC and YW at the end of the bracelet scene, what was that? Jealousy? Worry?

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I hope it is sadness for his loving YW and LETTING GO~~~ please~~~

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Thank you so much for the recap, so interesting and excited to watch next episode.

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I think YW faith in KC will result in two happy endings.
YW and KC will end together and KC's parents will reunite.

Also, I'm not convinced that YW is completely devoid of a supernatural bloodline.

One thing is consistently, i'm bad at predicting kdrama plots.

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OMG!! That is so cute! I love these recaps. You are doing an awesome job and the wait is so worth it. I love how cute Yeo-wool and kang-chi smile at eachother! EEEEK! It gives me butterflies seeing them together. And then there's hot wol-ryung!! I' gonna die from happiness :] thank you.

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I'd like to think that it would be YW who's gonna kiss KC first..in his gumiho mode..when he went berserk. That would seal the deal. Huzzah!

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2/3 of the way thru and things are heating up! Can't wait till next week. So glad you got the recap done so quickly!

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I really, really want a happy ending with one big happy mother, father, daughter in-law, maybe a few grandchildren, adopted brother and sister and extended adopted family and accepting villagers and the family back in possession of the family business making regular visits to the Garden of the Moon on weekends and holidays but I remember the monk's warning to Yeo-Wool at the beginning, that she should runaway from the man she meets under the cherry tree under a crescent moon. That if she doesn't then she or he will die. That warning has me really worried.

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I think the monk said "she or he may die" so I'm thinking there's a whole lotta wiggle room, although I have the feeling that Chung Jo might die in the future (and redeem herself) to save Kang Chi. Unless she goes all dark and evil.

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What does Chung Jo have to redeem? What evil deed has she done? She threw Yeo Wool's salve into the water, so she deserved to be raped/be made a villain?
Why must Chung Jo save Kang Chi, when she asked him to save her brother and restore the family honor, and he has done neither?

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I'd LOVE to see a happy ending too but somehow... I have a feeling I will end up being really sad. The words of the Monk that one of them will surely die keeps lingering in my head and it doesn't feel good.

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A lot of people have mentioned it before, but Wol-ryung seems to be acting out of misguided (?) care for his son and not wanting his son to become like him.

Here's what I think of this entire thing, which is actually an addition to what some brilliant person (I'm sorry, if I knew your name I'd give you lots of credit) posted in the comments a few episodes back:

The Gu Family Book isn't really a book. It's acceptance, love, and probably all of the other "good things" about humanity.

Something tells me that the 1000-year demon is also not really a "curse", but rather the psychological state of whatever being had failed to complete that 100-day prayer. Notice the taboos listed (do not eat live things, help all humans who request help, and do not show one's divine nature) seem to help the divine creature fit into human society and not be ostracized.

(1) Not eating living beings: shows caring for all things alive and acknowledging that they deserve to live too - as humans, this is something one should do, even if one eats animals.

(2) Helping humans who ask for help: show kindness to beings even if they sometimes get on one's nerves - the capacity to help those in need.

(3) Not showing one's divine nature: prevents the hubabaloo that Seo-hwa, Chung-jo, and Tae-seo demonstrated the first time they saw Wol-ryung/Kang-chi in gumiho form - if someone doesn't know that one is any different from them, they're probably not going to freak out over that person.

Now, Wol-ryung had broken these taboos but he didn't immediately become a demon. In fact, if Seo-hwa didn't betray him, he'd be fine because the person for whom he was turning human accepted him (and then she betrayed him). But still he didn't technically become a demon immediately. It was only after 20 years that he came back as a demon. While I do agree that part of the reason is that he had to recover from Master Dam's attack, there's also the fact that Seo-hwa is back in town. The person who broke his trust in humans came back and he's anxious again because she is the one who can hurt him the most deeply again. It's a classic self-defense mechanism - fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

He clearly can think, talk, and do most of the stuff he's done before. Wol-ryung is just no longer innocent and able to trust. He sees his son falling into the same path that he once took and must stop that from happening, even with drastic measures. Wol-ryung can't trust people anymore, so he is going to kill rather than let himself be killed - kind of like a demon.

So, similar to the idea of the Gu Family Book not being an actual book, but being the acceptance/love/trust of the divine creature (as we see with Yeo-wool towards Kang-chi and her acting as a human-bracelet), the 1000-year demon is the mindset of a betrayed individual. Whether or not that person is a "demon" for the full 1000 years depends on those around getting that person to trust again.

As for the flower's rotting and plants not growing for him: nature is often said to respond to the "pure" or "happy" intentions of people. If Wol-ryung's mind is "poisoned" (so-to-speak) with distrust because of Seo-hwa's betrayal, nature would probably not respond well to him. Hence the dead plants. :(

I also suspect Wol-ryung had some kind of life-force draining abilities before (heck, he's a magic creature who is somehow forever hot; I call shenanigans) in the first place. He never really had to use them either since he regularly got meals and had healing blue lights of awesome.

Just a thought since trust seems to be such a huge thing in Gu Family Book.

Also, someone up there (Agatha?) hit something else I had been thinking about: if there really is a 1000-year demon curse, then I think Seo-hwa slightly redeemed both herself and Wol-ryung when she gave birth and didn't kill Kang-chi. So he's stuck being half himself and half a demon. I really want to stick a bow in his hair and see his right eye now...

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Good analysis!

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EXCELLENT insights! The gumiho thing seems to work like curses in Howl's Moving Castle- it's all in your own perception of yourself, how other people see you, and how you interact with them that makes you what you are.

Building on that, didn't Seo-hwa betray Kang-chi by abandoning him? Does it have to be Yeo-wool that betrays him to make him turn demon-y? OH NOES

But yeah, I love the trust themes, and how they're explored through friendship, not just romantically but teacher/student, father/son, father figure/son, servant/boss, between siblings and comrades.

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I think Seo-hwa's intention with Kang-chi's abandonment helped him out - she only gave him to the monk with the promise that he would have a good life. Since she was a runaway state slave, Kang-chi's childhood with her would have been very difficult. In the end, even though she left him, her intent was the same as any mother -- give the best opportunities of survival and happiness to one's child.

Also the fact that he was too little to really know of it, her abandoning him didn't affect him nearly as much as if she abandoned him several years later. Kang-chi was treated well (for the most part) by the people who took him in and he was raised in a relatively normal environment. It is from that environment that he learned to trust and love others. That is why I think Seo-hwa abandoning him had very little effect. No, if she were to come back, acknowledge that she's his mother, and then say she hates him and never wanted him... that could become a problem.

As for Yeo-wool betraying him to be the trigger, I think he'd have to feel like she betrayed him. Since all of her actions up until now show that she doesn't even register that he's different ("You're Kang-chi," etc), I think if Kang-chi himself doesn't believe that Yeo-wool really betrayed him, no amount of say-so would turn him into a demon.

With Wol-ryung and Seo-hwa, you could tell that Wol-ryung was worried she would find out and feel disgusted and terrified of him. That's why he never told her. He didn't place enough trust in that facet of their relationship and in her, so he betrayal was almost like a "well, it had to happen eventually" kind of thing.

I too love how the trust themes are being shown. It helps that they are showing the idea of mature trust (earning trust through hard work and deeds) versus naive trust (assuming one should be trusted just because) and how easily this can all go to hell.

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Paragraph 4, line 3: "[...] so the betrayal [...]"

Ah, typing errors... There's probably a few more there too.

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I was worried that knowledge of the abandonment would hurt Kang-chi, since I don't think Yeo-wool would willingly betray him, ever. As in, his mother died and that's why she couldn't come back for him, but if she's been alive all this time and he finds that out, it's worse. Also someone could misinform Kang-chi and say that Yeo-wool's betraying him when she's really not, Romeo & Juliet-style (ugh), so I guess that could send him over the edge.

As much as Wol-ryung hates humanity, he does have to take some responsibility for lying to Seo-hwa. Trust is the foundation of relationships, and as you point out, Wol-ryung didn't trust her. I'm looking forward to him observing Kang-chi's interactions, since the people behind him now actually do know his secret. I wish Kang-chi had thrown the fact of Yeo-wool's acceptance of his true nature in his father's face. Hopefully that will come soon, although I'm afraid it will come right before he informs Kang-chi of Master Dam's actions.

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"I was worried that knowledge of the abandonment would hurt Kang-chi, since I don’t think Yeo-wool would willingly betray him, ever."

I am taking the optimistic route and Kang-chi's personality into consideration here. I have a few friends who were adopted at birth and have now found their birth mothers. All of them have said that while at first they felt they might have been unwanted, they eventually understood that their birth mothers gave them up so that they could have better lives. One of my friends pointed out that sometimes the birth mother may feel like she is intruding if she tries to set up contact with the child again. In all of my friends' cases, I must point out that the adoptions were done by young mothers under financial strain, so the mother was most likely to have been thinking of the child's well-being.

I see Seo-hwa giving Kang-chi up in this light. She understood by the time she left Kang-chi to the monk that Wol-ryung truly loved her and that he was a beautiful creature, human or not. She knew that she would not be able to provide for Kang-chi, so she gave him up and pursued other things that she could (i.e. revenge). With Kang-chi's current personality, I feel like he would realize/assume his mother's good intentions before jumping to the bad assumptions, or at least see the upsides of her having left him in Korea. He, overall, seems to be more than willing to dole out trust to others. If Wol-ryung succeeds in getting Kang-chi to be more weary of humans, then there could most certainly be strife due to her leaving him behind. I'm afraid the show is setting us up for this, though.

"Also someone could misinform Kang-chi and say that Yeo-wool’s betraying him when she’s really not, Romeo & Juliet-style (ugh), so I guess that could send him over the edge."

I'd like to emphasize that I think it has to do with how much Kang-chi trusts Yeo-wool. All of her actions up until now are building trust with Kang-chi and she has yet to express any doubts about him as a person. So, someone can tell Kang-chi until they're blue in the face that Yeo-wool is trying to kill him or is betraying him, but if he trusts her enough, then I think it won't matter. Similarly, as with Yeo-wool's reaction to Kang-chi being accused of hurting Teacher Gong, even if the situation makes it seem like Yeo-wool is betraying him, as long as he trusts in her, it again won't matter. The point is that he needs to trust in her to remain in human form, not whether or not she is actually betraying him.

Again, I am feeling that the show is setting us up for breaking the trust between Yeo-wool and Kang-chi. If you add in Wol-ryung's warning to Kang-chi and the fact that Yeo-wool knows her dad killed his and she has yet to tell Kang-chi... I don't know about you, but in Kdrama land, this tends to be a big "NO" for trust and relationships. It may not be the breaking point, but I feel like Yeo-wool's knowledge, unless she personally tells Kang-chi soon, is going to be the starting point for some distrust in her words and actions. (If we applied common sense here, we'd have a Kang-chi that realizes that she would not have known without outside information and then he'd distrust that source as opposed to Yeo-wool... but people lash out weirdly under duress.)

I'm quite glad that Kang-chi didn't throw it in Wol-ryung's face that Yeo-wool accepts him. I think it wouldn't have made a difference to Wol-ryung -- it might have made him want to get rid of her more. I think it's better if Kang-chi shows Papa Gumiho that he and Yeo-wool trust each other. Wol-ryung needs his faith in humans to be restored, not people taunting him that they have it better off than he does.

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"Trust is the foundation of relationships, and as you point out, Wol-ryung didn’t trust her."

I think WR's problem is that he's bitter at being betrayed by SH and that SHE didn't trust him. Earlier on there was some discussion about who was at fault. I think we more or less concluded that both were at fault. One didn't trust enough, the other didn't build up much trust.

Thus, I think LSS's words to KC are very appropriate.
"Trust doesn't just fall from the sky one day. It's something you build thru time and relationships." That's something that WR needs to learn. his relationship with SH was literally a whirlwind relationship and he had withheld vital information from her, such as the fact that he was a divine creature and that her brother had died.

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Just re-watched the ep.
LSS also said if ppl don't trust you, it's because you haven't built up a good relationship. You shouldn't blame others. You are responsible for everything that happens in your life. That's some good advice. WR, you need to meet LSS for some lessons about life.

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interesting analysis Hairpin.. writer should gv you credit! lol.. well done :) taboos list eh ?..hmm..I want to know more about gumiho ..all about gumiho (nothing to do with this drama) :)

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very well said and good analysis! ^^

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Great insight!

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ooooooooooooh, you are good! Thanks.

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I <3 this comment! Very insightful!

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I actually think he became a demon right away. Because in the 2nd episode it seemed that the color of his skin is changing to red while the grass was covering his body.

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I thought about this point too - you also see the redness when his eyes open again at the end of episode... uh... 13? But then I recalled what a gumiho actually is. Gumiho are not humans. They are foxes who have lived for a thousand years while gaining mystical powers. It is my opinion that Wol-ryung, the hot human form, is basically like an illusion or a "skin".

When he was injured sufficiently, Wol-ryung was unable to maintain his human form and ended up something more similar to his original fox form. When he woke up again, he took the life-force of humans to supplement his power and complete his human form once again. This all came to me while thinking of Miho from My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and how she didn't want to go to a check-up at the hospital and how Wol-ryungs "demon veins" were disappearing when he took the life-force of the first human victim.

But as always with suppositions, I could be perfectly wrong and will happily admit to it if they give us a definitive answer. :)

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A lot of people IMMEDIATELY believe/d that Wol-Ryung has become "evil" as the curse implied. This may absolutely be the case. HOWEVER... I would be a *lot* more impressed with the skills of the writers if they didn't take this easy way out. How can this be done, you may ask? Well, here are a few ways.

1. Wol-Ryung was **intrinsically** good and loving as proved by his actions in episodes 1 and 2. Even to his own detriment, Wol-Ryung abandoned his "life" for his wife and reluctantly but with full knowledge became a "demon spirit" to allow his mortal wife to continue to live out her shorter lifespan- EVEN with the understanding that she may never forgive him for not telling her that her family was murdered and that she may never TRULY understand the depths of his love for her and the SACRIFICE that he was making for her. (Ugh. Stick a knife in my heart, will ya?!)

2. I would be GREATLY pleased if they continued this motif that Wol-Ryung is actually somewhat able to deflect evil or actively try to oppress it... For instance, I think that it would add depth to his situation if he has been *purposefully* in a trance or sleep-like state for the last 20 years. Meaning, he knows that he will cause trouble for at least 1000 years (as the monk told him) and staying away from humans and surrounded by nature (that apparently LOVED him as proved by its symbiotic relationship with him in episodes 1 and 2 especially) would be the most rational and "good" (as he is intrinsically good, remember? Even though he is being punished.) option for him to make. The return of his wife, however, throws some kinks into this! Maybe he is coming to confront her?? Maybe he is linked to her, unwillingly (ah! fate!). I thought that it was a little too obvious whenever the teacher was trying to teach Kangchi how to catch the broom. OBVIOUSLY, if you control the person controlling the broom, you henceforth control the broom. This is almost too obviously relating to Kang Chi's relationship with Yeo Wool, but EVEN MORE so to his father and mother's relationship. The best way to control Wol-Ryung is (blatantly) Seo-Hwa (Kang Chi's mother)

3. Everyone that is calling Wol-Ryung "evil"... what has he done?! Really? He killed a student. And.... and....? Really? That is all? He is a Friggin' FOX SPIRIT. hahaha! I am sorry, but please attempt to put this in perspective. His son killed (Yes... Kang Chi.... Mr. Innocent. Mr. I am in love with the female lead and we will make moon faces at each other until our happy innocent ending or bust). Nobody and I mean No. Body. has brought up the fact that his son has killed people... or... let's see... how about the real villain? You know, the one that killed his wife's ENTIRE family and servants, raped several girls/women.. Yes, you know the one. Or Dam? He willingly "killed" an innocent man to maintain his status in society (that would be Wol-Ryung, peeps). It frustrates me to NO END whenever people immediately claim that Wol-Ryung can not be salvaged or forgiven or saved because he has committed some level of unpardonable sin/s. I doubt the writers will take advantage of this, but honestly, Wol-Ryung absolutely *IS* able to be forgiven and redeemed. I think that the killing of that student was beyond misplaced by the writers and confusing. Why would they have him do that? It has not yet been explained and it goes completely against the story lines. It bores the crap out of me if they are seriously going to go the route that Wol-Ryung is not able to find redemption. Really? He is on the level of the rapist? O.M.G. What a fuggin' bad corner these writers have painted themselves into. Fix this, writers...or your story flops. Big time.

4. A very important point that a fan made in these discussions was that *technically* Wol-Ryung should not even be a demon based on the "rules" so far revealed (I am sure there are more that will be revealed later) by our amnesiatic monk. According to the rules that the monk originally told Wol-Ryung: He was to aid any human that asked for his help, he was to not kill a living thing, he was to not reveal his true nature/self. Well, if my memory serves me (and the fan that pointed this out!)... His very own WIFE was screaming for his aid prior to his killing of the guards and the revelation of his true self. Are we to not consider that he has broken the last two rules but only AFTER OR DURING the obedience to the very first rule? What is a gumiho to do if he is righteously obeying the first rule, but in order to do so, the other two rules are broken. Is he officially a demon? Is there some other layer of punishment that is dealt? Is there some level of lessening of his punishment due to his obedience to the first rule and/or intention of fulfilling his obligations? Oh, writers. Make us proud. Do the right thing.

5. Even more interesting (and I DOUBT SERIOUSLY they will take this direction) would be for the kidnapper of YW to NOT be Wol-Ryung. Why would this be interesting? Because we all KNOW and EXPECT it to be him. As do all the students and the entire village. The fact that he is guilty BEFORE he is proven guilty with evidence (even by our fan forums) just continues to prove that we expect this kind of behavior from gumihos-therefore they are "bad," "evil" and must be destroyed.... as Wol-Ryung has been trying to warn Kang Chi to avoid humans, because not matter what he does or how innocent he is, all humans (including us! And those villagers and the darned writers of this drama!), we ALL *EXPECT* the worse from them. *weeps for Wol-Ryung and Kang Chi a little bit* It would be BEYOND awesome if they played around with this and exposed this. I honestly think, however, the writers would blow this chance to make Wol-Ryung have a legitimate excuse to get his ex? wife out into the open... which isn't a bad idea...

That is a lot of information to consider, but I honestly feel (and have heard from others, that the parental story line is, by far, one of the most interesting and well acted story lines in recent dramas. I believe that it would do this drama good to make the characters as meaningful, consistent, and believable as possible.
Kang Chi's story line is SO MUCH richer because of his mother and father's story line. I am personally going to be EXTREMELY disappointed if they destroy his parents to make a point that Kang Chi is somehow wiser than his parents (he has not been in the last 16 episodes...in fact... I worry sometimes...;)...) or that his love for YW is somehow stronger or more pure than his parent's original love (I will retch if they try to pull that one on us. So. Unbelievebly. Lazy. Writing. if they try that one). Surely the writers won't succumb to the temptation of just writing a launchpad drama for Suzy or a lame drama. They have so much to work with. I hope that they will take flight with the plot lines and characters that they have set into motion. Here's to good (or better!?) writing!

Fighting!!

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Just saw episode 17....and it was....A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. on so many levels. It was deep, it was riveting, it was FUNNY, it was heart-rendingly sad... it DELIVERED. Great job to all those contributing to the greatness and success of Gu Family Book! Keep it up! Great, Great, Great episode. Just amazing.

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