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Scent of a Woman: Episode 12

We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy road for Yeon-jae, but the moment she gives in to her despair, it cuts like a knife. Her hope and her desire to fill her time with meaning starts to give way to resentment and fear of what’s to come, and everything around her that points to the future starts to magnify the damning truth… that she’ll never have one.

What aggravates me is that it’s getting harder to watch the couple continually angst when there’s such precious little time left for them to even do anything. We’re on a clock here, people! Not just a drama clock, but the grim reaper kind, and not a friendly neighborhood Scheduler version either. I just want to smack some sense and some urgency into somebody, or everybody. Except for Poopypants. He gets a hug.

 
EPISODE 12 RECAP

Ji-wook asks one last time if Yeon-jae really wants him out of her life, and she sticks with Operation: Die a Noble Idiot, and says yes. Aaaaaargh. *stomping of feet*

He cries, she cries, and Eun-seok can only watch and be frustrated like me.

Eun-seok asks if this is really what’s right, and she tells him that she loved her dad, but sometimes she resented him. She wondered why he had to have cancer, why he wasn’t like other dads. And every time she caught herself laughing, she immediately felt guilty. Aw. My heart breaks for little Yeon-jae.

She says that she couldn’t do anything without feeling that survivor’s guilt – eating, sleeping, laughing. Ji-wook will have to go through the same, and long after she’s dead, which she can’t have. When she puts it like that, it’s hard to be mad at her for pushing him away.

The next day Mom catches her cleaning out her closet, and she takes Mom shopping to fill her closet as she empties out her own. Mom eyes a new winter coat for Yeon-jae and insists she try it on, but Yeon-jae looks at it wistfully and says, “I don’t think I’ll need it.”

I don’t know why, but that’s sadder than when people are crying in this drama – I love the implication of something so simple as a winter coat reminding her that she won’t be around to see winter.

The moment stays with her, and at home even the ticking clock on her nightstand starts to take on an irritating power, as she starts to envision it ticking faster and faster and taking precious seconds off her life.

She runs out of the house and back to Teacher’s bakery, and this time as she looks in from outside, we see a bit of the backstory in flashback. Yeon-jae ran away crying from Teacher, and then Mom later asked if he did anything inappropriate to her. He was promptly fired.

This time she blurts out right away that she’s sorry. She tells him that she hated the fact that he liked her mother. It reminded her of Dad and she wanted to split them up, so she lied. She asks for his forgiveness.

He asks why she’s doing this now, after so many years, when he’s buried all that in the past. She tells him that it’s been weighing on her all this time, and asks again for his forgiveness. But he’s not ready to forgive, and walks away.

Hee-joo congratulates Eun-seok on his impressive tango, as does the entire hospital, now that they know the stony-faced doctor moonlights as a latin lover. Who knew a little tango could go such a long way?

Hee-joo asks why he danced with Yeon-jae, and he tells her that they’re grade school friends. She gets adorably jealous, asking how serious Yeon-jae’s cancer is. Pfft. I really love how this girl doesn’t treat death like death.

Eun-seok stays too preoccupied with Yeon-jae to enjoy his new popularity though, and calls her out for a walk. She sighs at all the happy people passing by, now just reminders of what she’ll never have. She tells Eun-seok that she’d prefer if time just passed quickly now. Oof.

Ji-wook is as depressed as Yeon-jae, barely even registering the people around him. Sae-kyung shows up to ask for another chance, admitting that what she’s shown him thus far isn’t her true self. Yeah, that’s not a comfort really.

He walks away, but then apparently a shower changes his mind. Damn that shower. I have equal love and hate for you right now.

He takes Sae-kyung out, but then proceeds to just drown his sorrows in drink and she tries to stop him. He asks what it is she wants – to marry? “Fine. Let’s get married. Within the month.”

She can read the situation well enough to know this isn’t what she wanted. It hurts her pride something fierce to have him use her as a bandaid when he’s clearly a wreck because of Yeon-jae.

He scoffs at her, asking if she wants to date or fall in love, as if she just asked for a purple unicorn that lays eggs. She confesses that she was serious when asking for a chance, and tells him that she doesn’t dislike him, but he doesn’t have the right to step on her pride, and storms out.

Hye-won comes to see Yeon-jae with news, and Yeon-jae gives her a brooch that she’s been wanting for a long time. Hye-won thanks her for making her reconsider the guy who proposed, because it turns out that she’s pregnant.

She’s getting married within the month because of the shotgun nature of the whole deal, and Yeon-jae happily congratulates her. Hye-won says she’s sorry and Yeon-jae does the right thing, refusing to let her feel bad for her own happiness.

Mom gets suspicious when she sees Hye-won crying yet again, and Yeon-jae tells her the news. Once Hye-won leaves Mom blows up at Yeon-jae for being the last to be married, wondering how she can just be happy for her friend with no recourse for her own dead-end life.

She screams at her to get a job this instant, because she’s too embarrassed to even introduce her to people. Yeon-jae refuses and blows up right back, saying that Mom doesn’t even know what she’s going through. “Do you think I’m just endlessly happy for Hye-won?” She sobs into her pillow.

Ji-wook continues his zombie existence, until he finally can’t stand staring at Yeon-jae’s plant any longer, and asks the housekeeper to get rid of it. He shows up at Sae-kyung’s place, intent on starting over with her.

Eun-seok calls and Yeon-jae tells him that she’s going wedding dress shopping with Hye-won today, and he tells her not to eat anything bad or drink anything, and she tells him that he must be busy, so he doesn’t have to call every day to check on her.

He stammers, genuinely surprised, “Did I do that?” AW.

Hye-won tries on a wedding dress and Yeon-jae looks up at her happily, but with mixed emotions fighting beneath the surface. When Hye-won gets a call from hubby-to-be and has to run off, Yeon-jae starts to walk away, but then stops in front of the window.

She goes back inside and asks if she can try on a dress, and the sales associate is really sweet about it, saying that she’ll probably be married soon, since trying on a dress is a sign that she’s ready to be married.

She opens the curtains and Yeon-jae looks at herself in the white dress, barely able to hold back the tears. It’s heartbreaking and lovely, all at the same time.

Ji-wook gets called to dinner by Dad, who jumps the gun and invites Sae-kyung, wanting to skip the engagement this time and go straight to the wedding. Exasperated, Ji-wook tells him that they just barely started, and that if they end up liking each other, they’ll date, and maybe get married, just like other normal people. Seriously, Dad.

When Ji-wook drops her off after dinner, she asks when he’ll start being happy to see her. He wonders the same thing, and drives off. Ha. Way to tell a girl you have totally indifferent feelings towards her.

Yeon-jae comes home and goes through her bucket list, adding the picture of her in the wedding dress and marking that one with a teary face. Aw.

She starts to cry as she looks at the page, the tears turning into angry sobs as she comes to resent the fact that she even has a bucket list to cry over. She tears it in half, wailing out loud.

She grabs her half of the plant she gave to Ji-wook and shatters it on the ground, and knocks down the rest of the plants along with it. She goes straight for the kitchen sink and starts gulping down soju straight out of the bottle, desperate to numb the raging anger and heartache.

She ends up in front of Ji-wook’s house, but hides as he arrives. He stops and turns around, perhaps feeling something, maybe just missing her, and she stays hidden from view, tears falling.

Mom comes home to find the empty bottles and the mess in Yeon-jae’s room and gasps. Yeon-jae comes home and just collapses on the floor, washed out from her emotional tornado.

She admits to having a really tough time, and Mom just hugs her and apologizes for making the Hye-won situation worse when she’s clearly upset about it already. God, I don’t even want to think about how sad it’s going to be when Mom finds out.

Hye-won invites Ji-wook to her wedding, and asks if he’s really going to end things with Yeon-jae this way. He says that this is what Yeon-jae asked for, and she tells him that Yeon-jae fell for him at first sight, and she’s doing this to protect him.

He knows and doesn’t dispute it, and says that he’s doing what she wants.

Meanwhile Eun-seok gets an invitation to dinner from the chief of staff, who was impressed with his tango and wants to thank Yeon-jae for giving other patients hope. He calls but Mom picks up her phone instead.

She says that Yeon-jae went out without her phone, and then she looks around the room feeling that something is off – she’s been weird the last few days, and then overnight she cleaned up the mess and left without her phone.

She calls Hye-won, who calls Eun-seok, who paces and worries, and then calls Ji-wook. He asks if he’s with her and to call if he sees her, but doesn’t say anything else. But Ji-wook knows it’s serious enough that Eun-seok would even call him, and starts pacing too.

It turns out she’s skulking outside Teacher’s bakery. This time she sends in a note – that she knows asking for forgiveness with one “I’m sorry” isn’t going to cut it, but that she really wanted to say one thing…

She thanks him, for covering up her absurd lie, and for taking the fall. She tells him that she always wanted to say thank you and sorry, but never had the courage to do so. Her letter finally moves him, but when he comes outside to find her, she’s gone.

Day turns into night and everyone’s worry turns to fear as they sit and wait for word from Yeon-jae. Eun-seok runs all over town looking for her, in the dance studio and in the neighborhood, but can’t find her.

Ji-wook runs out to do the same, and finds her at the Han River, sitting there in the place where he proposed and got rejected. He walks toward her, but then he remembers her pleas that he not be around to watch her die.

It rips him up as his heart races toward her, but his feet stay firmly planted in their place. Just then Eun-seok calls to see if he found her, and he tells him where she is.

And then Eun-seok walks up to the same place where Ji-wook was just standing. God you boys are taking turns just gutting me. How can you both be so heartbreaking one after the other?

Eun-seok storms over to Yeon-jae, pissed at her disappearing act when everyone is worried sick. I don’t think his worry is unwarranted since he knows how depressed she is right now, but technically, she’s a grown woman who just forgot her cell phone for a day. His worrying is cute nonetheless.

She wonders how he found her here, and he doesn’t lie about Ji-wook being the one who found her. I love this guy. She’s clearly disturbed to realize that Ji-wook came and went, and Eun-seok gripes about her breaking up with him if she’s going to be like this.

Yeon-jae: “Eun-seok-ah, I wish my life would just end right now, like this.”

Nooo! It’s crushing to hear her be so sad that she doesn’t even want to cling to her remaining days.

At home, Mom starts putting more of the pieces together and decides that something is definitely going on with Yeon-jae. She asks Hye-won if she knows, and Hye-won tries her best to play dumb to Mom’s worries.

Eun-seok brings her home, and Mom wonders what the hell is going on with her, but Hye-won intervenes and takes her to her room. Mom does get distracted long enough by the presence of Eun-seok, and walks him out.

Her Future Son-in-Law Radar goes off, and she asks what his relationship to Yeon-jae is. She’s a little disappointed to hear that they’re just grade school friends, but when he asks her to take good care of Yeon-jae, she sends him along cheerily, practically plotting their wedding march in her head.

Hye-won asks if she shouldn’t get married, and that maybe she should’ve been more considerate about Yeon-jae’s feelings. Yeon-jae tells her that’s ridiculous and assures her that it’s not because of that.

Eun-seok calls Ji-wook, who’s now sitting in the spot where Yeon-jae was. He tells him that Yeon-jae is home safe and sound, and thanks Ji-wook for his help. Aw, such a well-mannered curmudgeon.

It’s time for Hye-won’s wedding, and her coworkers stream in, but Yeon-jae is nowhere to be found. Hye-won worries and waits, and Yeon-jae finally arrives just before the ceremony starts.

Yeon-jae looks at her friend and tells her that she looks beautiful, and tells her to live a long and happy life. Hye-won cries and Yeon-jae walks her into the room.

She turns to see Ji-wook arriving, and they stare for a charged moment, until Yeon-jae walks into the room. He steals glances at her throughout the entire ceremony, which she watches in a mix of happiness and utter despair.

She makes a quiet exit before it’s over and he goes too. He drives along outside and then sees Yeon-jae doing a zombie walk right into the middle of an intersection, ignoring the cars zooming at her.

It’s unclear whether she’s dazed or actively trying to get hit, but Ji-wook sees the oncoming car and swerves in its path, taking the hit to save her.

She stops at looks up at the accident not two feet from where she’s standing, and sees blood streaming down Ji-wook’s face as he stirs.

Her jaw drops in shock.

 
COMMENTS

I’m not gonna lie – this episode was pretty much the definition of a downer, with Yeon-jae falling into the worst of her depression. It kills me to watch her come to resent even the little time that she has left, to the point that she’d rather die now than go through what’s ahead.

At this point I’m just desperate for anything to change her mindset, even if it’s something cruel like false hope of remission, just to get her living again. It’s like she’s already dead, which pains me more than the fact that she’s dying. Perhaps with Ji-wook’s reckless but heroic act, she’ll be jolted out of her misery and grab hold of something, anything, to live the rest of her days instead of just wishing they’d end.

It breaks my heart that Eun-seok is there for her but it’s not enough, and he knows it. To call Ji-wook, despite knowing what it means… it’s the kind of love that really gets to me, because it’s asking for nothing in return. This really is an interesting untraditional love triangle because I think Eun-seok is the better man, but Ji-wook is the person she loves, no question. And the fact that she only has a few months to live means that both get to be by her side in a way, and then both have to lose her. Without that traditional one-guy-winning-the-girl sort of setup, it’s a great way to not have to split loyalties. Sometimes you CAN have your cake and eat it too. For a hefty price, of course.

Just… somebody, please do something happy soon. I’m going to start picketing if this stupid denial continues any longer.

 

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ok, even if my heart is being shreaded into tiny pieces week after week... i will continue to watch SOAW as i will feel bad if i were to give up on Suna. Unnie, please be well and don't cry too much...

my heart aches when i cry too much. i just hope Suna does not ache so much while doing those sad scenes.

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Thanks for the recap!

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Felt like Scent of a woman was a dementor today after I watched it, it sucked all the happiness inside me. It takes really two brave people to make a choice to fall in love and even braver if the premise of your love is that it's bound not to be fated and that even if the love was so big and pure it just won't suffice. Yeonjae's actions are truly disheartening but you can't blame her, and not because she's dying but because in reality that's what the normal thing you will do.(but I don't want another episode of sadness again come next week) You don't want to drag people closest to your heart to feel your pain if it can be avoided. JiWook's accident for me was a "scary dare", and I have to wait for the next episode to either applaud it or hate why they needed to have it inserted in the first place. It's hard to push yourself when you know the aftermath of your decision will still be not what you are expecting, and for our lead couple, that thought is really not much of a choice. T_T

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This episode was heart wrenching but at the same time, I'm glad that the series went in this direction finally. The story has been very personal to me due to my own experiences and I just feel like I understand Yeon Jae completely. I had cancer very young right after getting married and my husband left me over it. So I can understand why she'd push JiWook away. As much as you care about someone, being rejected over your cancer is not something that needs to be added to the plate of misery one experiences. I also think it was time for them to show YeonJae descend into depression as it's part of the overall cycle. She's firmly descended into the pity-party-for-one and now it's time to finish up that party, clean up the mess and get on with the living.

And for having to endure these previous few miserable episodes? I demand some near-sex scenes. I realize this is kdrama, but after all this angst, if YeonJae doesn't get to get her groove on with the Wookie abs before she kicks the bucket, I'm going to be pizzed off.

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Oh Sis, I know how it feel, my mother died of breast cancer and i took care of her. Everyday, i was scared of coming to her room and check on her, cause i might find her dead. , she was like YJ, She lost interest of her remaining days. She died last April and I barely move on.
So, i know what Yj is going through.

Sis, God bless you!

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I cried reading this. Now I'm scared to even watch it.

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This drama gets heavier and heavier in the heart. Thanks for the the immediate recap, GF. Despite being able to catch up watching this show, I don't think I could watch any further until the show is over and I could see the rest of the story in one straight viewing in order to avoid feeling bad while waiting for weeks.

I really hope too that the writers would make YJ wake up from her current train of thought and behavior with Ji Wook's accident. It's just sad that JW had to get hurt just to make it happen. (Although, thinking about it, what significant event would make YJ get over the misery mode anyway?)

I'm curious, will this be a simple accident for JW or will he go into coma and she would have to (fight to) take care of him? It's the first time that I'd be seeing, in a drama, a terminally ill person taking care of someone who could outlive her.

I just hate the possible twist that when YJ is ready to be with JW again, the people around him (Businessdad and SG) would prevent her from making that happen because he got hurt because of her.

And also, there's an annoying question that popped in my mind: with this recent development, who will outlive who? who will take care of who?

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The scene when she just hear the clock ticking louder made me think. If tomorrow a doctor tells me that I have 6 months of life, I would be afraid to sleep, because that means that another day is gone and my death in near. Im afraid to leave this world and everything that means to me in it and Im afraid what I can find after death. I know death is the only certain, I should be prepared, but Im not.
It sad to se her so depressed. I wanted her to fill her bucket list and somehow get ready for the death. Its a common answer ("if this were your last day, what would you do? Something I've wanted to do and I couldn't do it") It sounds razonable and ideal, but its not that easy. And maybe at some point, if you're going to die anyway...No! Suicidal thoughts are not for me. And neither for her!
Please, just please, dont replace Ji-wook's life for Yeon-jae's life, no amnesia (the kind of funny amnesia a la Secret Garden happends...well never, and Ji-wook is not that type of character, he would only go back to his "I dont care" days) and dont kill both. Maybe I'm getting too much ahead and making wrong assumptions, but just in case.
I LOVE Eun-seok with all my heart.

Thank you for the recap!

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I'm not sure I can take it if Yeon-jae actually dies. I thought this drama was gonna be fun and light despite having impending death as premise, but the depressing stage has finally arrived.
I don't think I'm ready for a sad, tragic ending. I'm just not. And LDW shower scenes don't comfort me as much anymore when people (and me) just basically cry every other scene.

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I might be in the minority, but I really like the last scene. First it shows that Ji-wook is willing to risk his life for the few months left of Yeon-jae's life. That no matter how little time she has left he still values it with his life. Secondly, it's a massive wake up call. Although morbid, we can all be met with sudden death at anytime, not everyone lives till they're 70. I think Yeon-jae will realise that she has the benefit of knowing she only has a few months left, so its up to her to use it to its potential instead of pondering her imminent death.

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it actually reminded me of MGIAG. for the last episode, both parties agreed on holding on to their love till the very end. even if the end, means none other than the END... one's death (or loss, literally) is another's death (or loss figuratively) it's succumbing to death with both hands clasping each other's ... MGIAG is fantasy that's why we got our fantanstically happy ending whereas SOAW is drama but i sincerely hope the writers could still a realistically happy ending... crying is not for me... my tears are precious, i don't want to waste them... lmao

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As a drama, we want a fairly happy or meaningful ending. It made me think today what would I do? Both my parents died of cancer. One fought, got treatment, and lived 3 more years. One gave up, and died in 3 months. So I don't think it's unrealistic for Yeon Jae to feel as hopeless as she does. I don't think anyone thinks rationally in the face of the unknown. You do what you can for your loved ones if you even have the capacity to think of them at all. Most of the time you're dealing with all the physical pain, nausea and depression that comes wt the disease. Who says one is rational? Some people have great support systems, and some people just have themselves. HW is trying, and ES needs to give her some more positive doctor encouragement abt treatment. YJ just needs to tell her mom. Minus the car accident/protection shield, JW should just be a man and protect and love YJ even if she doesn't want it. If he really loves her that deeply, he should do as much as he can for her, even if she rejects it. Otherwise he could wind up regretting like he regrets the last moments wt his mom.

Ok let's stop the depressing chat. I'd still like YJ & JW to get together for one good episode. It would leave me much happier than these last 2 eps!

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OMG two depressing episodes back to back, I want happier Yeon Jae & Ji Wook already, but if they pull a major Kdrama move & make him lose his memory, I'm going to go crazy.

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ahh this drama is getting to be such a tearjerker! I only hope that it isn't as sad as Autumn in My Heart, which made me cry like no other. On a happier note, I love Dr. Poopypants haha Kim Sun Ah is without a doubt a superb actress and Lee Dong Wong is quite a charmer. (: If Se Kyung only knew that Yeon Je had cancer, she would step back from being such a b----.

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recap!!! i'm excited reading this today but just right after skimming through the whole article, i felt so down. i can even feel a soft thudding in my heart. it's not yet pain though but i know we are getting there soon. I've been catching up with my watching (recap comes first and then watch eheh) i am now halfway of the recap here (episode6) so i am feeling giddy of the cutesy moments and then this... while reading *sighs*

i know it's gonna be painful to watch hereafter and i almost want to agree on gf's statement..

"Just… somebody, please do something happy soon. I’m going to start picketing if this stupid denial continues any longer."

but i've already invested my love and admiration to both actors here as well as their drama counterparts that picketing is pretty much like a suicide for me... not now, not ever for SOAW... be it a happy or a sad ending for this drama, just as long as it is not rushed and well-made, would work for me... i appreciate the writers for a well-crafted script and the directors for the overall aesthetic of this kdrama... love love love!!!

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All this talk about Jiwook having some serious negative repercussions from the car accident - you people are freaking me out! I just figured at most he'd have a concussion from the head injury. (Doesn't that sports car come with air bags?) It didn't even dawn on me that anything worse could happen. If it does, count me out. Even Lee Dong Wook's faboo abs and Poopy Seok wont' be enough.

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Watching the past 2 episodes reminded me of a quote from C S Lewis about love.
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”
Yeon Jae was trying to guard Ji Wook's heart as well as hers from hurting through denying herself and him to love. Eun Seok is the only one who truly knows the value of love. I love the ending of ep 12. Hopefully, Yeon Jae will snap out of it soon seeing how she cannot stop love without hurting both of them.

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Great quote!

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Am coypying this quote of CS Lewis. A good one for those who could not love or don't care to give their hearts to anyone/anything, heh heh.

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I have been reading all the comments and agreed that the last 2, no actually 4 episodes has been too angsty. ( love the angst feast that one of the readers commented) I was alittle disppointed that the scriptwriters chose to go down this path because what attracted me to this drama was the fact that the heroine has been librated and finally start living upon learning about her terminal illness. I wanted to watch a show that portray the heroine living fearlessly and courageously. Living how life should have been lived and reminding us how the many things we thought was important was meaningless. To inspire us to live better and care for what is truely important.

I watched episodes after episodes and even though the drama wasnt going exactly how I thought it was going to be, I was drawn in. The storyline is truely realistic. I dont think the writers and actors can do a even better job portraying the truth on the remaining life of an cancer patient. As much as we want to see courage and lots more romance, the show and acting has been truely well delivered.

I cant imagine the emotional burden that Kim Sun-ah is going through being in this role. The emotional and physical strain that is shown in every episode is so real. (bravo to her!) The fear of facing death, the resentment of it but most of all never underestimate the fear of seeing your love ones grieve because of your death. These two heroines are trying their best amid their pain to not have each other go through that.

I have to give plenty of credits for the whole scent of the woman team, I think this is a difficult drama to tackle and they have done a stellar job!

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*SunA was fainted after 6 days of not sleeping*
Poor Suna, I`m so worried about her health!

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6 days of not sleeping! That's not even possible without drugs or being in a state of extreme stress and anxiety (ie. war, torture, life/death situation).

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Drama actually is drama. In real life, pancreatic cancer can be removed by operation and can live many years supporting with insulin and necessary pancreatic enzymes.
Really got heart pain when i watched those cancer patients with hopeless. Sigh :(((

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FYI: Pancreatic cancer is sometimes called a "silent killer" because early pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms,and the later symptoms are usually nonspecific and varied. Therefore, pancreatic cancer is often not diagnosed until it is advanced.

Common symptoms include:
■Pain in the upper abdomen that typically radiates to the back (seen in carcinoma of the body or tail of the pancreas)
■Loss of appetite and/or nausea and vomiting
■Significant weight loss
■Painless jaundice (yellow tint to whites of eyes and/or yellowish skin in serious cases, possibly in combination with darkened urine) when a cancer of the head of the pancreas (about 60% of cases) obstructs the common bile duct as it runs through the pancreas. This may also cause pale-colored stool and steatorrhea. The jaundice may be associated with itching as the salt from excess bile can cause skin irritation.
■Trousseau sign, in which blood clots form spontaneously in the portal blood vessels, the deep veins of the extremities, or the superficial veins anywhere on the body, is sometimes associated with pancreatic cancer.
■Diabetes mellitus, or elevated blood sugar levels. Many patients with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes months to even years before they are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, suggesting new onset diabetes in an elderly individual may be an early warning sign of pancreatic cancer.
■Clinical depression has been reported in association with pancreatic cancer, sometimes presenting before the cancer is diagnosed. However, the mechanism for this association is not known.
■Symptoms of pancreatic cancer metastasis. Typically, pancreatic cancer first metastasizes to regional lymph nodes, and later to the liver and, less commonly, to the lungs; it occasionally metastasizes to bone or brain.

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Sorry, i got wrong. it's gallbladder cancer which is not much suck like pancreatic cancer.
The actress should get yellow color skin n fever with chill in fact. Dram make very different from real situation.

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FYI: Gallbladder cancer is uncommon. When gallbladder cancer is discovered at its earliest stages, the chance for a cure is very good. But most gallbladder cancers are discovered at a late stage, when the prognosis is often very poor.

Gallbladder cancer is difficult to diagnose because it often causes no specific signs or symptoms. Also, the relatively hidden nature of the gallbladder makes it easier for gallbladder cancer to grow without being detected.

Signs and Symptoms
■Steady pain in the upper right abdomen
■Weakness
■Loss of appetite
■Weight loss
■Jaundice and vomiting due to obstruction

Early symptoms mimic gallbladder inflammation due to gallstones. Later, the symptoms may be that of biliary and stomach obstruction.

Disease Course

Most tumors are adenocarcinomas, with a small percent being squamous cell carcinomas. The cancer commonly spreads to the liver, bile duct, stomach,and duodenum.

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My Gallbladder was removed due to gallbladder stone,
Your right about the symptoms .
I was pregnant when I experienced the pain, Doctors thought that I was in labor pain and they advised us to have CS operation, but I was 6 months pregnant then, good thing we asked for 2nd opinion or else my son did not survive.
A person with cancer sometimes dies because of too much depression and not because of the illness. They wont eat, they don`t want to take medicine anymore and the sadness and the thought of leaving their family in some kind of pitiful situation, specially if they have children.
That trigger for them to lose hope to live.
I know my mother was like that when she was sick.

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Why she tried to kill herself? Whyyyyyy

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This drama is really bringing me on an roller-coaster ride.. through the different emotional cycle that a cancer patient will experience.. It's really too painful for me to watch and I am not a big fan of tearjerker drama. Still.. I can't bring myself to stop watching it because I am so attached to this show now.. I feel like I want to be here to give my support to LYJ.. I think KSA is such a great talented actress.

Ep 12 has ended on such a depressing note, I think I am going to be in depressed mood for the rest of the week. I hope the coming episodes will bring us up again.. I am not expecting happily ever after ending as it might be unrealistic but at least let LYJ live her remaining life in a fulfilling manner.

On the side note, I read in a report somewhere that KSA fainted due to SOW continuous shooting and lack of sleep.. The character in this drama must be taking a lot on her emotionally and physically. I really hope she takes good care of herself and continue to deliver superb works!

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I know a lot of people are not happy with the drama because they dislike Y's actions and character - I actually love the main conflict and characters including Y, but am not completely satisfied with this show because of its unnecessarily dramatic side-plots. And the fact that they waste time and potential for more character growth (which would make the others happy - like Y (eventually) actively trying to find new ways to show her love to her loved ones).

I love the doctor and JW and don't really find comparisons between them relevant at this stage, as they would be in other dramas - they both have their distinct types of relationships with Y and I think they've both evolved to deserve her practically equally, in different ways. It's unconventional; I like it. Life's not all about romance; friends are just as important if not more many times. I also like the unconventional setup that gives you no easy answers - when the misunderstandings are cleared up, everyone still doesn't know what to do, and yet everyone's choices are sad but make sense with their logic. I'm staunchly on YJ's side through all this and understand her actions, even if I would have preferred that she not ask J to date and instead just hung out with him while keeping a 'friendly' distance, OR said 'can we date for 3 months? I have to leave (somewhere) then and you most likely won't see me again' (despite the flaws of that... but it's been done before, like in TW-drama Silence!). I'm still on her ship anyway.

What I don't like:

This drama has so much potential with the camera and the leads that can do comedy and drama - why does it make every side-plot go the dramatic route? From Y's friend (wouldn't it be cute and nice if Hye-Won strongly LIKED the man she was going to marry, and we could see him?), to the teacher (this really gets me now - why does EVERY side-plot have to relate almost directly to the main conflict with no subtlety involved, especially to that theme called CANCER? We're getting that her dad's cancer had a strong impact on her decisions and mindset but now they're just sledgehammering that fact, and I don't even see it as realistic - couldn't it have been something else?)... there's just no escape. SK and the father are just predictable. I wouldn't mind them actually, as J angsts but keeps himself from selling his soul and (true) heart whenever they pester him, but then what are we left with?

Two leads that are apart and depressed but have no easy way to get back together, and a doctor that especially lights up the rest of the drama because there's nothing else to enjoy.

So there - I believe and really really like the conflict that got the two leads apart, I really enjoy the doctor's scenes, I really like the realistic angst from both Y and J, but the 'everything else' that SHOULD eventually bring them back together is instead making this drama too melodramatic.

I would have made the 'everything else' something like Y making more friends at the cancer hospital and planning out a way to tell her mom in the best way while showing her love. And Y making a 'wish list' for J for things she wants him to do now, and then another for after she dies (which he could find in a time capsule), like all the things she had felt guilty doing when her dad died, so he can continue living for her. I don't care if it's like a video to mom like TW-drama Silence or like that movie with the letters and Hilary Swank, I just want an ounce of bittersweet cuteness and resolution in this drama! That's what I signed up for!

So anyway that's why this episode needed something dramatic and game-changing, like that car scene which I winced at because it was hard to believe (but loved anyway because I always prefer heroes in peril over heroines in peril although it would be overkill if he died from that scratch/whiplash/?). We'll see if the drama climbs or sinks from here next weekend.......

(And does anyone who's seen Silence have thoughts about whether it's more dramatic than SOAW, or the same? I never thought a recent Korean drama could be more melo than that one... (which I secretly liked anyway =P))

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This is definitely more melo than "Silence". It's been a few years since I saw it, when I was a newbie to Asian dramas.

As far as I remember, Vic Zhou's character told no one about his illness and he endured it by himself. He refused treatment, but had a change of heart when it was too late and died soon after.

The video he left for his mom made me cry buckets. I was depressed for sometime after that drama ended.

The last two episodes of SOAW have been full of tears (I worry that the actors may be dehydrated), but I'm not complaining because it is realistic to go through with such depressing mood and actions when comfronted with end of life situations as in the plot of this drama.

As viewers we want to have our happy endings, but what I love of some k-dramas, is that we don't always get it. Life is not a fairlytale and dramas sometimes remind us of that. It's great that they make us think and analyze their situation so that we may become wiser and more mature when confronting life's trials and tribulations.

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i'm optimistic.

ji wook just suffered slight head injury despite all that blood. yeon jae got jolted out of her denial and sorrow and the 2 of them spend the rest of the 4 episodes together creating beautiful memories ....

hey, i still want yeon jae's last few items on the bucket list to come through .... a wedding at the church in okinawa with her beloved ji wook ... tango dance at the beach .... before she xxxx in his arms .....

sigh, sad but can we have more beautiful happy memories of ji wook and yeon jae together please

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The whole depression hooha is getting on my nerves! Its getting soooo draggy and im getting sick of Eun-seok coming in between yeonjae and jiwook. yonjae should just open her eyes and get back together with jiwook already!!

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i think she's gonna fullfill her bucket list...her last breath will probably be in the arms of jiwook..kyahhh

this episode made me cry so much and just thinking about the time comes when the mom finds out about her cancer ill be bawling like a crazy person.

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no one know when is someone gonna die, maybe the writer gonna make ji-wook die first..

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I must be crazy, but I'm hoping that there should be a wrong medical diagnosis or something. :)) So that they'll end up together and have lots of babies. Change of plot much. =)) *fingers crossed*

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please let them both die....i mean its the only way they can be together......

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But not at the same time! JW has lots of life to live.

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Dear Episode 12,
Thanks for leaving me even more depressed than I was after Episode 11. I just love watching 60 minutes of people being miserable.
If this car crash thing leads to anything other than the two of them getting back together, I will be SERIOUSLY DISPLEASED.

SERIOUSLY.

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I'm not sure why people want to put him in a coma, have him die, have him have amnesia. None of that makes sense for the arc of HIS character or HER story.

It makes sense that YJ has affected him so deeply that he would sacrifice his own life to save her. It makes sense that YJ needed something to pull her out of her depression, and now that JW is injured, she may come out of her pain.

The story has promised us an affirmation of life rather than a melo for the sake of melo. I'm not saying that I know exactly where the writers are heading with this event, but it will NOT go darker now.

I want to say also this event is one of the most spectacular, surprising and game changing that I have ever seen. I LOVE IT!

The red car is the first thing we associated with JW. Both he and the car appeared simulteaneously in YJ's life. The car and the man began by saving our heroine from having to face the wrath of her dicky boss. The man in the car has shown us his innermost thoughts throughout the series.

The idea that the man and the car literally save her is outstanding.

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Wonderful analysis, Jomo!

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It just occurred to me that the car crash symbolizes the crashing end of the noble idiocy story line.
I agree that it can't go darker than this, unless the scriptwriters are total idiots and want to lose their audience.

That said, if they really want to keep true to their aim of telling the dying story of cancer patients, I have bad news for everyone celebrating stage 4 of 5 stages of grief. Um... the model is of a bunch of states of mind, not a linear set of steps. Meaning it's likely she can go right back into Anger, or Denial all over again.
Right now I'm just hoping against hope that they (the scriptwriters) realize that it's ok to give audiences 4 episodes of happy loving....PLEASE

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God I hope you are right about the end of the NI!

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I was thinking about the anger one, and the one where you feel sorry for yourself. I would spend a LOT of time in those stages.
It is very difficult to deal with things that are UNFAIR!
Why me? Why NOW?

If, on the other hand, you lived in a town where, at the age of 33.78, everyone succumbed to a fatal and painful disease, it would seem easier to get to acceptance. You watch your neighbors, sisters, enemies, first love, everyone. They basically wait their turn, and deal with it when it hits.

But if I "won" (irony) the genetic lottery and become the 1 in 14,560 people who get sick and die in a quick and painful way, it would be really really really hard to take. Really hard.

Where's my Bucket List?...just in case...

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Good thoughts, Jomo.

What I like about Scent of a Woman, in general, is that it has provoked lots of discussion about death and dying. This is sorely needed. We are all in LYJ's shoes, only that we don't know our 'date'. Everyone should have a bucket list and live aiming to fulfill it.

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Woah, I hadn't even realized this about Ji Wook and his car. I agree with birdscout, your analysis is fabulous.

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all i can say is i love all of your comments .....it is adds so much to the understanding of this drama and helps to appreciate that love with all of its angst is universal ...and so is death.....no one can escape it....

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I know karma is gonna come round and bite me in the ass for saying something so awful, but that last scene with KSH clapping her hand over her mouth...wow! She has MAN hands. Not the delicate lady-like ones we expect. Woah...

Now that aside, this drama has reeled me in, hook,line and sinker. It's a personal thing but I totally empathise with LYJ's character. When you find out you have cancer, it changes EVERYTHING. It pains me that the leads are not giving in to their feelings for each other, but it's so believable. Who would want a guy to mourn your death and not be able to move on after you die? And who would insist to stay by a dying woman's side when she had expressedly said she doesn't want you to? You're merely fulfilling her dying wish, no?

I don't think for a second anything fatal will happen to JW. But it will lead to a turning point in their relationship.

This drama has been a cry-fest foe me so far, but heck, I find it cathartic. I know the end is near, and I'm preparing myself for more tissues, esp when LYJ tells mom of her condition. Woo! I'll get my tissue box ready!

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As for me, i KNOW for sure karma will definately bite a huge chunk of my ass for being so shallow..... so here goes :

- why must KSA ( who's such a great actress) adopts that infuriating little girl cutsy voice for this drama? It really pisses me off, especially when i know this is not her natural real voice ( have watched MNIKSS, her voice is normal here)

-is it just me or has her nostrils expanded twice in size ( and even thrice when she emots) and it's all i can see during close-up shots

-losing weight so drastically in double quick time is the surest way to have suncken cheeks and flabbby skin and i almost could not recognize her. This is bad news for anyone above 30 years old

-she could almost pass off as lee jung-tae ( the actor who starred as the gangster in Miss Ripley) with her sunken cheeks and her bee-stung lips

Other than that, just love her acting. So, karma, please come bite me for this petty knitpicking. Apologies to her ardent fans who will definately see her as flawless.

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Of course, some of us are hoping for a miracle which seems most likely, but I remember in an earlier episode Wilson handed his lucky ring to JW to give to YJ saying that he hopes it brings her luck.

So can we all just hope for the best.

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Wilson's ring better pack some powerful mojo, then...

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seriously, dad.

that comment actually made me laugh! and thats A LOT considering how depressing this episode was. My eyes still hurt from crying though the whole hour....

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Well this is firmly in the depression stage of the Five Stages of Grief time. Thank Deity afterwards is acceptance. Still, I can see how this was a road that needed to be taken for awhile. However, can't wait for her to take her exit off and onto acceptance.

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For a while, I almost forgot SOAW is a melodrama. Not anymore. T.T

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Oh goodness - monday morning at the office / just finish 12 episode - totally ruin my day - i need to be on anti-depressant asap . How much more pain can we take . Cry a whole river already . Kim Suh-Na is a great actress already but i have to give it to Lee Dong Wook have really step up to their acting skills , he has improved so much after the services . Love this drama so much

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The "crossing the street while dazed" bit is not my favorite. :/

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Recommended watch because it is a wonderful movie.

Title of Japanese Movie: 1,778 Stories of Me and My Wife

Description: Based on an inspirational true love story. Sakutaro (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi), a science fiction writer, meets Setsuko (Yuko Takeuchi) in high school, and they eventually marry. Setsuko complains about stomach pains and finds out that she has colon cancer. Hearing that laughter could help, Sakutaro composes a story each day his wife lives. In total, he made 1,778 stories.

Japanese Cast: Kusanagi Tsuyoshi and Yuko Takeuchi
Release Date: January 15, 2011

The husband writes who is a science fiction writer finds out his wife has cancer, and decides to write her a story every day to keep her alive, and perhaps to cope with the inevitability of his loss.

go to this website to watch the movie listed below: http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-movie/1778-stories-of-me-and-my-wife/

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Thank you for this tip.......... but am keeping a wide berth from anything remotely smelling of cancer, colon or stomach or pancreatic afflicted.

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I havin' a thought here...decided to put up a guess:

How will she react when she realizes what JW did for her? I am guessing she is going to pissed off.

Instead of running over to him to comfort him, (once she finds out he isn’t that injured, that is) she may just let him have it with the full force of her pent up emotions.”What the hell did you do that for? YOU could have DIED!”

JW, relieved that SHE is ok, will counter attack with “What did you get in front of a moving vehicle for?!”

After a couple more back and forths, their verbal tango will end with both apologizing for scaring the other, and, *sigh* a make-up kiss? Please?

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Make-up kiss(es)?
I like the way you think.

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I have to agree with the earlier poster who pointed out this is one stage of grief. The woman is dying for heaven's sake! It's only natural she would become this deeply depressed. Wouldn't you? But I also hold out hope that the next episode will see her snapped out of it and mending fences with Ji-Wook.

Where I hope this drama goes: These last few episodes filled with them making memories, and then a fast forward a year or so to a grave scene (w/ Ji-Wook talking to her) - or even better he's talking to a grave and she walks up to him, and we realize it's his mother's grave. (Yeah, it's a dream, but let me have it while I can. lol) Eun-Seok is a popular doctor (having learned to be more empathetic) and is dating/married to the female tango instructor. Her mom is dating the bakery owner. Her friend has an adorable little baby and a good marriage. Annoying heiress has flown far, far away.

Where it will probably go: An episode of more angst (including screaming father and tormented mother), an episode of convincing everyone they want to be together, one of building memories, and another filled with the agony of watching her die.

I usually hate (strong word but true) shows that end with a main character's death. Usually I've become too invested and feel like I've been robbed in some way of my sympathy and my time. However, with this one, I'm okay with her death - though I'd definitely suspended my real life sensibilities if she had a miracle recovery. I'm mainly sticking with this drama because of the actors. They are doing such a great job with their characters, even the ones that are causing me whiplash with their sudden changes in attitudes (yes, Sae-Kyung, I'm talking to you).

By the way, anyone know anything about the actress playing Hee-Jo? Because she is really, really good, and makes me smile every time I see her on screen.

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The actress for Heejoo - She was fabulous in Jejoongwon.

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Ha. I cried reading this weekend's recaps. What more when I see the episodes.

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There are a ton of deep thoughtful comments here but I thought I'd just throw this one out here: I LOVE WHAT SHE WORE TO THE WEDDING? Looks like Jill Stuart.

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The second lead in Myong Wol had a similar black lace over skin tone dress. Very cute!

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Well we can console ourselves with the fact that she is in stage four of her grief. Isn't depression stage four? So, next is acceptance! YAY! So maybe the forced separation is over.

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AHHH yj, where do i start with you?

she lied about her teacher touching her inappropriately and then caused permanent damage to his career and reputation.

she decides to take up on her heart's desire to pursue a guy she's eyed for a long time and makes him fall in love with knowing very well she's not going to live long

she then is completely oblivious to her environment and only comes to her senses having heard a car crash (intended to save her) inches away from her

in the real world, i can understand why she's doing this. god forbid, if i were diagnosed with a deadly disease, i'd probably throw all the i'll-take-the-worlds-pain-with-me-and-die-suffering-in-silence bit but it's really hard to watch her be (justifiably) selfish all the frikkin' time...WHICH is funny because seemingly the ONE unselfish thing that she pursues, namely NOT telling her mother that she's going to die is not only the most irrational thing she does but is also so completely selfish. her mother's gone through this before and i get how it's going to be hard on her second time around but jeez could you respect another person enough to let them know what's going on with you? alright maybe not your lover cause you dont want him to see you dying but how about your mother? geez. everybody needs some time to make peace with such an awful news--she hasnt been able to either but she selfishly decides that she can shelter her mother from the pain until it's inevitable.

i feel bad for the main lead cause it seems he was happy living in his shell until yj skips along, tugs his heartstrings, abruptly breaks up with him and then the poor guy finds out that she has cancer. it really hit me hard when he told yj that she was really too cruel and selfish...cause that's exactly what she has been.

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You really think he was HAPPY living in his shell? Seriously?

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I admit that I'm contemplating a Romeo and Juliet ending. In a sense, the story has been kind of that way, though a lot of dramas do follow that format of an opposing family and two characters who love each other and are willing to do anything for each other. Nonetheless, I am not clinging to any false hope that she will somehow magically be free of cancer because that would just completely kill the depth and angst that the series has created. It would make everything into a joke almost. "I am dying of cancer, oops, false alarm." Not appealing in the least. I'm not sure how I feel about the turn of events. It angered me a little because this is just going to lengthen her wallowing; unless, it turns out not to be serious (which I hope it isn't) because two tragedies in a story is just killing it. It will be for the best, if it's not too serious because then it will be a wake up call for her to look left and right then left again before you cross the road.

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@So3: Hahaha, I laughed out loud when I read ur response to the post above u..lol (Agree completely with u though) Like seriously, how can he possibly be happy with himself the way he was previously living before he met Yeon Jae?? However, this is just my personal opinion too--nothing against the original commentator for this :)

On another note, thanks girlfriday for ur wonderful and insightful recaps!! :)

Like everyone here has been saying, episode 12 really has been a downer in all aspects, but at the same time, I feel it's actually a necessary and integral part of this whole drama. I don't think it would be all too realistic if Yeon Jae were to feel optimistic about her illness and continue on to live her life happy with Ji Wook with her time remaining. The fact that she feels that she made a "mistake" by somewhat "leading" him on without telling him about her cancer is a better scenario for her to deal with her pain and the concept of death. In this sense, we as viewers are able to see the pain and depression that also goes along with people such as Yeon Jae who deal with a terminal illness. However, the slight hope that she will fall out of her deep depression after Ji Wook's accident is a good way of also showing the "lighter" side of the present situation--by Yeon Jae coming to terms with herself. I believe if like everyone else says, and she does hit a sudden realization, we will see Yeon Jae witness in her final moments of life (I mean the last couple of episodes), that loving Ji Wook and the people around her is what will really give her her most happiest moments. Though it may sadden both her and those people, overall, these moments with them and her will also be the most joyous feelings she can have before leaving this world. And for that, even if she does pass away, I hope it will be shown in a sense where she will have been most the happiest and serene--like she said before, "In the arms of the one I love"........

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I think that the symbolism of Ji-wook in a car accident (however purposely) is that even though shes gonna die in 4 months, he could die tomorrow also, by...a car accident or something. Maybe that'll snap her back to her senses.

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Dang, this recap probably contains the most thoughtful set of comments ever.

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I've been crying my eyes out for the past episodes. This is so heartbreaking. I think this was some needed drama. I wish they jolt out of this madness already though. Its like a prelude to a good ending of her life, having experienced everything. Or, a very tragic one if they don't get out of this funk. I am really loving how things are turning out.

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It would be lovely to have tender love scenes and some light-hearted moments for the remaining episodes. This makes me recall the last episode of Snow Queen when lead girl's (Song Yuri) father relented and allowed the OTP (Hyun Bin) to be together until death did they part.

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@joy, i thought i'm the only one who really like her dress she wore on her friend's wedding, and you too! love all the positive feedback/comments all written here!!!

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Oh, I love that dress too and KSA looks so sweet when she was talking to HW. KSA sure is pretty.

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