147

Liar Game: Episode 5

It’s our heroine’s first round fending for herself, and she’s got a thing or two to learn about when to cut people off. While she takes a pummeling this hour, our hero finds himself on the brink of a major discovery that could change everything. He’s not just a conspiracy theorist with a tin foil hat anymore—whatever he’s about to find out is real, and the possibilities are as endless as they are frightening.

SONG OF THE DAY

TVXQ – “Humanoids” [ Download ]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

 
EPISODE 5: “Layoff Game I”

The moment Dal-goo steps out of Da-jung’s house with her stolen prize money, he gets a call from Woo-jin. He’s a nervous mess over the phone, especially since Woo-jin continues to ask questions that make him uncomfortable.

So while he tries to pass his nervousness off in order to get off the phone as quickly as possible, Woo-jin knows exactly what went down. That’s why Dal-goo finds him waiting outside his apartment door before he gets home.

Caught red-handed, Dal-goo has no choice but to try and defend his actions—in his mind, Da-jung is better off being indebted to the show than his boss. Woo-jin disagrees, and Dal-goo switches to blaming him for being the reason Da-jung is still playing the game in the first place.

He tries to throw a punch, but all Woo-jin has to do is move aside for him to miss. Now chastened, Dal-goo is more willing to listen when Woo-jin tells him that it was Do-young who sicced the creditors on Teacher Hyun—what does he think would happen to Da-jung if she became indebted to the show? What if she loses?

Dal-goo’s eyes go wide as he asks Woo-jin to help Da-jung if things are that bad. “This is a game of survival,” Woo-jin replies coldly. “Nam Da-jung and I have to survive on our own.”

Talking to himself more than anything, Dal-goo curses Da-jung’s father for investing all his money into “L Company,” since he bought stocks with borrowed money and got swindled out of everything in the process. The name of the company gives Woo-jin pause—he recognizes that name, doesn’t he?

He asks Dal-goo to explain, even though he already knows the story: Da-jung’s dad got an insider tip that L Company’s stocks would go up, bought in, and lost it all when the tip turned out to be false. Woo-jin doesn’t need Dal-goo to repeat the company name because he already knows it. Innnteresting. I wonder if his mother was scammed by the same company.

Da-jung wakes up the next morning and panics to find her briefcase gone… only to turn around and find it chained with something much stronger than her previous bike chain with a note from Dal-goo telling her he secured it better since he almost ran away with it. Awww.

Needless to say, Da-jung’s morning only gets weirder when she receives a call from Do-young asking if she’s free today. She barely gets to say she has to go to work before he hangs up—and moments later, her boss texts her to say he understands she can’t come in today.

Do-young calls again to ask her how much time she needs to get ready. Da-jung hurriedly runs to the window to find Do-young standing outside her house. She looks very confused, as she should be.

Once in the car, Do-young tells her they’re on the way to a magazine cover shoot because they had a sudden cancellation. (I somehow doubt it was an unplanned accident.) When Da-jung protests, Do-young says simply that she’s a star his station invested money in, and it’s time for her to start giving back.

Da-jung gets all dolled up for her shoot while Do-young approves outfits, and after it’s done he tells her it’s time for her next appointment. Since she’s still in her photoshoot clothes, Da-jung offers to change first. “There’s no need,” Do-young says suavely. “Those clothes look good on you.” Ooo.

But Da-jung draws the line when the next place Do-young takes her is his house, since that definitely can’t be in the contract. “Am I your slave?” she asks. “Or since I have to survive now without Woo-jin, should I try to appease you to get a hint? I’m sorry, but I’ll do it on my own.”

Her tune changes when Do-young tells her he invited Woo-jin as well—after all, the two of them have done wonders for their program. He just wants to show them his gratitude.

It’s only Do-young and Da-jung at the table at first, and it’s very clear from their surroundings (and okay, maybe the personal butler) that Do-young is incredibly wealthy. That wine Da-jung is drinking? Fifteen thousand dollars a bottle. Yeah.

Do-young tells her to give Woo-jin a call since he hasn’t shown for dinner yet, and we soon see why: He’s meeting with Reporter Gu on their secret rooftop to talk about L Company. That was the company he brought down out of revenge, but in so doing, Da-jung’s father lost everything he had.

Reporter Gu tries to take the blame off him by saying Da-jung’s father was in the wrong for using borrowed money to buy stocks, but Woo-jin doesn’t seem to register it. “What if it wasn’t a coincidence that Nam Da-jung and I joined Liar Game?”

If it wasn’t, Reporter Gu claims to have her own theories, most of them revolving around Do-young. Part of her wonders if he’s so rich that he invented a sadistic game for his own amusement, but the other part of her can’t figure out what he is. A man? A god?

“He asked me if I thought the revenge I took a year ago was a success,” Woo-jin answers. “And that I would find out the truth if I joined the game and won.” But he finally gets that call from Da-jung, and seems shocked to hear where she is. Something tells me he never got a dinner invite.

Do-young apologizes to her for that, and claims he didn’t ask because he didn’t think Woo-jin would accept an invitation from him—that’s why he had her call. “Aren’t you curious about why Ha Woo-jin helped you?” he asks.

“I thought I knew before but I don’t anymore,” Da-jung admits. Do-young takes it upon himself to explain, and tells her about her striking similarities with Woo-jin’s mother. The biggest similarity they share is empathy, and the fact that they’d both go into debt if it meant helping others.

It’s then that Do-young tells her that Woo-jin’s mother committed suicide after being scammed, and the reason he went to jail was because he took down the company who scammed her and tried to murder the CEO. How terrible Woo-jin must have felt, Do-young says, to not have been able to read his mother when he has a gift for reading everyone else.

“Woo-jin might see his mother in you,” Do-young adds. “Seeing you ruined would be no different for him than going through that same pain twice.” Icwutudidthar, Do-young.

Woo-jin is looking extra surly when he shows up for dinner, and most of his ire seems directed at Da-jung for being there in the first place. But he sees a painting on Do-young’ mantle that gives him pause. What is it?

After answering Woo-jin’s question about how the candidates were selected, Do-young seems a bit reticent when Woo-jin asks if there’s any connection between the participants. Do-young knows he’s talking about Teacher Hyun and Da-jung, and sticks to his story that it’s something they only found out during the broadcast. It was just a coincidence.

“If you must find a connection, it’s that everyone needs money,” Do-young adds. “The more desperate they are, the more entertaining the show will be.”

Da-jung can’t stop thinking about what Do-young said about Woo-jin’s mother as she and her guardian angel walk home, while Woo-jin can’t stop thinking about what he might’ve done to Da-jung’s father.

He even stops to ask her how she’d feel if she found out someone was behind her father running away because of debt. Da-jung says she’d hate that person. “Is that all?” he asks hopefully(?). Da-jung: “I think I’d want revenge, because it would be hard to forgive them.”

Dal-goo gets a taste of the ever-growing fan fervor for “Goddess” Da-jung while waiting for the broadcast, and makes it in time to see Do-young introduce the nine contestants for the next round. Jaime gets booed while Da-jung gets a standing ovation.

Woo-jin isn’t with them since he gave his winnings to Sung-joon, but he and Reporter Gu are on the hunt for the contestants eliminated in the last round. He wants to know if there’s a connection they all share, considering his newfound connection with Da-jung.

It turns out that Dal-goo attended the broadcast just so he could report the game parameters to Woo-jin, which he does in the men’s bathroom. He doesn’t know exactly where the next round will take place other than that it’s a shopping mall, that the contestants were told they could bring anything they wanted, and that only one of them will be eliminated.

Do-young then tells the contestants that this game has to do with layoffs that can happen to any employee. So in this game, they’ll be evaluating each other on job performance and productivity, and whoever gets the lowest score will be laid off/eliminated.

When a few contestants murmur that it’ll be nothing more than a popularity contest, Do-young proves it won’t be so simple by laying out the rules: They’ll have ten rounds to evaluate their fellow contestants using a phone app. They’ll have three stars to give out to contestants other than themselves each round, and whoever has the least amount of stars by the end loses.

But, in true Liar Game fashion, they can also make deals using virtual money they’ve been given through the app—each of them gets three hundred million won (three hundred thousand dollars). If they survive the game, that virtual money will turn into real money.

Since they were told to bring anything they wanted, they can sell those items to other players if they choose, and can purchase anything they’d like in the mall using the virtual money. Any trades, purchases, or contracts made with the other players through the app will be uploaded to the staff, and if any of the terms are violated, all the player’s prize money from this round or any previous rounds will be confiscated.

Dal-goo reports all this to Woo-jin dutifully, while the contestants (minus Jaime) share a meal. Sung-joon cutely calls Da-jung “noona” as he urges her to eat up more, and that he defends his noona when she suggests that they all make an agreement to split the final round prize money amongst themselves and Woo-jin if one of them were to win. That way, each of them would be guaranteed to get one billion won/one million dollars.

They agree, but they want to start next round. Da-jung wanted them to start this round, though they don’t think they have to when they already plan to eliminate Jaime.

Reporter Gu leads Woo-jin to the rundown home where the female contestant who was in the final four in the Minority Game, Lee Min-jin, lives. Reporter Gu hasn’t been able to reach her for days, and when they see the trash piled outside her door… well, things aren’t looking good.

When she doesn’t come to the door, Woo-jin picks the lock. The apartment looks ransacked, like she left in a hurry—but the fact that her dog was left behind proves that she didn’t leave on her own accord.

Woo-jin asks the apartment security guard to take a look at the surveillance camera footage, only to be told that the cameras are just for show. But Woo-jin is able to quickly pick up on the fact that the guard is lying, and guesses that he was paid off by whoever kidnapped Lee Min-jin. Woo-jin has to only intimidate him to get the license plate of the car used for the crime.

Woo-jin sends Reporter Gu to tell his buddy at the station, Detective Cha, about the case so he can pull information on the license plate they have. After reading Dal-goo’s text update, he texts back to tell him where the game is taking place.

Though Reporter Gu thinks the outcome of the round will be as simple as the rest of the contestants seem to think—that Jaime will be eliminated easily—Woo-jin disagrees. “Jaime might have the greatest advantage of them all.” What how why?

Jaime manages to cause a tiny rift in Da-jung’s group by pointing out that they may all be friends now, but they’ll go back to being enemies in the next round. Suddenly Da-jung’s suggestion that they remain a team and split the winnings in the end doesn’t seem like it matters so much to her teammates.

But they follow Jaime’s suggestion to get to know each other better by giving short introductions with subsequent explanations on how they got in a position where they desperately need money. Jaime interrupts their session to talk about herself, though somehow her “I wasn’t always a bitch” story doesn’t really clear her of that status now.

Da-jung prepares to say her few words, but Jaime swiftly takes over: “What’s your relationship with Ha Woo-jin? You two seem to have a special relationship.” Caught off guard, Da-jung just says that he was helping her.

Jaime accepts that for the first round, but how about the second? Why did they work as a team? And how does she even have her creditor helping her? Slowly but surely, it becomes clear that Jaime is insinuating that Da-jung is sleeping around for favors.

Sung-joon won’t stand to hear such accusations against his noona (I want one of him), while the others also stand up for her and call Jaime the easy one. Jaime doesn’t deny that she’s been around the block a few times, but claims that’s what makes her able to spot another of her ilk.

And to prove it, she tosses pictures of Da-jung’s makeover session with Do-young for all to see. PD Lee thinks it’s Director Jang’s doing, but she looks disbelievingly at Do-young when he’s so flippant about the reveal—the game would’ve been too obvious otherwise. He planned this from the beginning, didn’t he?

Now everyone thinks Da-jung slept with Do-young to get more attention, which isn’t helped by Jaime throwing all sorts of wild accusations her way. Da-jung is left with nothing and no one when her teammates turn away from her in disgust and disappointment. Even Sung-joon leaves her.

Meanwhile, Woo-jin follows up on the address linked to the license plate and finds an empty, dilapidated space filled with shredded papers and the shredder itself. When he goes to investigate the machine, he finds the remnants of papers bearing the L Company logo…

…Before a man comes up from behind him and bludgeons him with a baseball bat. Woo-jin drops to the ground, unconscious.

Jaime is the only one who stays behind to talk to Da-jung, and much to the naive girl’s surprise, Jaime admits she lied about Da-jung being a loose woman—she knows Da-jung can’t manipulate anyone to save her life, much less men.

And while she doesn’t say where she got the pictures from, Jaime explains that she showed them to everyone because she had to survive. “But how could you lie like that?” Da-jung then sighs, because she knows the answer: “This is Liar Game.”

“They changed their minds so fast,” Jaime says of the others. “That’s why you can’t trust people.” Contrary to Da-jung’s belief, she’s not there to rub it in, but because she’s figured out a way for both of them to survive the game.

If the two of them team up and give each other all three stars every round, they’ll end up with thirty stars and undoubtedly make it to the next round. Even if someone else figured out what they were doing toward the end, they wouldn’t be able to catch up anyway.

Da-jung says thank you, which seems to make Jaime slightly uncomfortable as she brushes it off—she’s not being kind, she’s just trying to survive.

Naturally, PD Lee and Do-young watch their conversation. PD Lee questions whether Do-young knew about the pictures beforehand, since the cameras were already poised to capture them at the correct angle… Man, I love how sharp she is.

Do-young laughs that he can’t ever fool her, and admits he gave the photos to Jaime. PD Lee can’t figure out why he’d do such a thing to Da-jung, but Do-young simply replies, “It’s fun.” Besides, he wasn’t going to let Director Jang have all the fun by using Jaime as a card—now he gets to use her too.

A sudden phone call sends Do-young outside, and PD Lee keeps a close eye on him via the security cameras. She can’t hear the conversation, but seeing Do-young’s cheshire grin after hanging up definitely unnerves her.

It’s time for the first evaluation, and like Da-jung promised, she gives all three of her stars to Jaime. The results start coming in: Jaime is in first place with six stars, all the other contestants have three, and Da-jung… has none.

Poor Da-jung looks at Jamie disbelievingly, but Jamie just smirks. She’s not at all sorry for deceiving Da-jung—it’s called Liar Game, after all.

No sooner does Reporter Gu hear the full story regarding the murder of the CEO who scammed Woo-jin’s mother that Woo-jin finds himself in the exact same predicament he’d once put the CEO in—he wakes up tied to a chair hanging precariously over the roof of a building.

Meanwhile, the third evaluation round comes and goes, and Da-jung begins to panic: she’s still the only one without a single star. Rounds four, five, and six go the exact same way.

Woo-jin struggles to free himself, but in so doing, weakens the rope that’s keeping him from dying to nothing more than a thread.

The kindly unemployed man called Director Jung is the only one to approach Da-jung, since he feels sorry for the way she’s been treated. But he couldn’t even help her if he wanted to, and explains why: Jaime approached the group as they were strategizing on how to split their stars in order to prove that one of them would surely lose if she and Da-jung stuck to their agreement.

Buuuut, since the rules said they could buy and sell anything, Jaime offered to sell them victory by betraying Da-jung. Instead of giving Da-jung her stars, she’ll give them to the group, and they could all ensure Da-jung would be eliminated by giving her zero stars.

So each of them bought Jaime’s betrayal with fifty million won/fifty thousand dollars of their virtual money and signed an unbreakable contract, Director Jung explains to Da-jung.

Jaime arrives to rub her impending win in Da-jung’s face, effectively turning public sentiment back in Da-jung’s favor since everyone feels bad for her. Dal-goo knows she’s in trouble and calls Woo-jin for help, unaware that Woo-jin’s in a much more dangerous position currently.

Woo-jin takes the bull by the horns and throws his weight into using the chair like a pendulum, which could either end in the rope snapping while he’s over the edge or when he’s over the roof. Thankfully it’s the latter, and Woo-jin lands with a safe thump.

He picks up the phone in time to hear Dal-goo panic, but doesn’t stay on the line long enough to hear about Da-jung’s predicament. He calls Reporter Gu first to tell her that whoever kidnapped Lee Min-jin knows him, since they used the same strategy he once did on the CEO. And they did it to tell him to back off.

A shopping-weary Jaime pays Da-jung another visit and proposes a bet. If Da-jung wins, Jaime will give her all her stars up to this round (since the rules said deals and trades could be made). If Jaime wins, Da-jung has to give her half of the game money she received.

The game is simple: They’ll randomly choose one of two cards—either a joker or a misprint of two card backs—out of a bag. Much like flipping a coin, they have to call which card they think they have before flipping it over. If Da-jung gets the joker card, she wins. Whoever wins ten rounds first wins it all.

Da-jung agrees since the chances are equal, and they make the contract official. But something about Jaime’s look makes me think the chances aren’t so fair. Does Da-jung still not suspect her? After everything?

Each time Da-jung pulls the joker card, she gets a point. Each time she pulls the misprint, Jaime gets a point. Soon the score is 6:9 in Jaime’s favor, which means Da-jung only has to pull the misprint one more time for Jaime to win it all.

So she pulls one card, takes a deep breath, and peeks at the underside… but it’s the misprint. Oh no.

Outside, Dal-goo meets Woo-jin when he finally arrives and panics that huge bouncers are guarding every possible entrance into the mall.

Woo-jin isn’t even fazed. They’re going to find a way inside, no matter what.

 
COMMENTS

And then what? And then what?! Da-jung has zero stars and half the money she started out with—if Woo-jin isn’t an active participant in this game and can’t bargain, buy, or sell on her behalf, how is he supposed to be able to help her? Arghhhhh. I can’t begrudge a show for having such a good cliffhanger without an easy solution in sight, but I can still be frustrated and itching for the next episode all the same. Which I guess is the point of a well-done cliffhanger, so I’ll bear the frustration with gratitude.

Even if we ignored all the betrayals Da-jung’s endured before and only focused on the ones that caught her off guard this episode, it’d be enough to make a normal person tear their hair out and lose all faith in humanity. But this isn’t Da-jung’s first rodeo, and while we know she has an instinctive willingness to trust people at face value, it’s a different story when she keeps trusting people who’ve betrayed her more than once.

You know why there’s not even a third option in the saying “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me?” Because being fooled twice is usually enough to get the point across. I admire Da-jung’s spirit and her willingness to only see the good in people, but it’s actually becoming detrimental to her well-being at this point and is more of a character flaw than a character quirk at this point. Which is fine, because I know it’s intentional—no one’s phoning this script in, so while the choices Da-jung makes may sometimes be lamentable, they’re always true to who she is. Even if she can sometimes be a bit of an idiot. (We still love you, Da-jung.)

This wasn’t the sort of game that allowed for a big twist, which is why it was a smart idea to follow both Da-jung and Woo-jin’s stories since they couldn’t be together. And while I’m definitely worried for Da-jung since she really can’t play this game without Woo-jin’s help, Woo-jin’s backstory is growing more interesting by the second. Having a hero who doesn’t have all the answers is a little frightening as a viewer, because as fascinating as it is to watch him slowly piece together clues leading toward a possibly massive conspiracy, it also leaves him vulnerable to the person who does have all the cards. Whoever that is.

I wonder if the reveal that Woo-jin might’ve inadvertently caused Da-jung’s father’s financial downfall isn’t all that it seems, since it’s not like Woo-jin needed another reason to care about Da-jung. Whatever he’s on the cusp of discovering seems large and far-reaching, especially if all the contestants are somehow connected by their ties to the once great L Company—the company that Woo-jin brought down with his own hands, but one which Do-young claims was only a front. If so, why? How is Do-young involved in all this? How will our hero outsmart him? Now accepting theories; spoilers need not apply.

 
RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , , ,

147

Required fields are marked *

Thank you for the recap! This ep. was interesting, and I look forward to ep. 6 recap! The reaction of HWJ, in that storage like place, when he realized that he indirectly contributed to NDJ’s dad huge financial debt, I liked that moment. He might be right about him and NDJ not being in the LG by coincidence.

I am still getting confused by the game’s rules, and by the strategies needed to win. And to think, as a commenter said last week, that the games are only going to get more complicated, as the show goes on. I am glad “they” decided not kill HWJ, not that I thought that he would really die, since he is the hero in this drama (he has to stay alive until the last ep.). Still, that scene of him dangling was kind of intense, maybe because of the music.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'd say its the swinging.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i really don't think the game rules make any sense.

why have one winner in the previous game when the whole game show doesn't end there?

in game/variety shows, all contestants participate in the first game, then the number gets whittled down until there's a winner or in pageants a beauty queen...

so why is there one winner in the previous game and then here the contestants play another game, essentially they are saying winners and losers of the game do not matter, etc. well then, what does matter?

i don't think i can get behind da jung as a character. she's neck-deep in debts, and she joined the show so she can earn money to pay her debts, but she's essentially giving her money away so other people won't incur MORE debts (not cancel ALL their debts).

i understand how that's supposed to be selfless but in this world, in this reality, it seems logical to look out for myself first, before i look out for other people. i mean, da jung should probably worry about her debts first, and when she has paid majority of it off (or even just half), then she could help out others.

i mean, that's the case even in airplanes right, mothers/adults are advised to secure an oxygen mask on THEM FIRST BEFORE THEY HELP OTHERS, like their babies and children.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ jessica,
Because of Reasons had a discussion below with another beanie. I don't know if reading it (and making sense of it) might help you understand the games and their rules better (and their set-ups), FYI.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I wanted to comment about the complexities of this drama, but instead all I have to say is: holy mother of God Lee Sang Yoon is smouldering. I used to think he was just an ajusshi that couldn't convince me to watch anything - especially My Daughter Seo-young, and then BAM. Is it the hair? Is it the character? I have no idea what happened but suddenly I'm finding him unbelievably attractive?!?!

0
11
reply

Required fields are marked *

#2 here

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I could not agree more. He never really registered on my screen, not until now. So ridiculously hot all of a sudden.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Same here. I think it's the hair plus the genius brain!
This new found attractiveness is making me ship Woo Jin and Da Jung so bad even though I am aware that there isn't SUPPOSED to be a (explicit) loveline.

I am usually content with just reading recaps unless I REALLY like the drama (which or scarce and few). Lee Sang Yoon has made this a Watch for me rather than Read.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I second that notion. Definitely the hair, he looks better with the bangs. :p And how LSY he executes and portrays Woo Jin, there's an intrigue and edge to him that makes him so attractive.

After this I had to go back to the episodes when Lee Sang Yoon guested on RM which I first saw him in. He didn't really stand out to me then, or in Angel Eyes. But he does have a silent charm this second time round I see him in RM and is not spotlight thirsty which I appreciate. Love his eye smile and whole face when he smiles basically, too adorable and sweet, totally different from Woo Jin's tough exterior. :p

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Now I just want to see him as a vampire. I hear they're in fashion these days.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Kind of related but isn't Ji Jin Hee courted for a vampire drama? Although he's playing a human, I'll be looking forward to it regardless if he takes the role :D

0

Yes, he's hot in this show! I actually haven't seen him in other roles but his performance here is convincing me to seek out his prior work.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh gosh, I know right! I watched angel eyes and loved his beautiful dimples and smile (and thought he was frankly too good for Goo Hye Sun's really annoying character) but here? phew! *fans self* Boy has eyes that makes me swoon every time he turns that penetrating gaze on someone. Dayum he's fine. And he's brilliant too! He has a degree in physics from Seoul University. Beauty and brains.
Now where do I find me one of these?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Haha, loving this LSY love. Makes me feel like i"m not crazy in love alone. This is doing the brooding so right, I am just so glued to him every time he's on screen, my mind goes into a happy haze and I keep missing the subtitles. This is not good, he is literally making me swoon. Love his character so much, he comes off as s o cold but you stare into his eyes and see al that repressed passion inside.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Maria,
You made me smile. Definitely sounds like someone in love :-)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Its definitely the hair!!! its making him "hottttttt" as hell!!!!(sorry 4 my bad Eng)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

So Lee Sang Yoon drops unconscious after a baseball bat/piece of wood hits him in the back? Weaaaaaaaaaaaaak.

But overall, another intriguing ep.

P. S that Jamie bitch is getting on my nerves :c

0
11
reply

Required fields are marked *

I have to give it to the actress who plays Jaime, because she is doing a really good and convincing job of instilling hate for her. I 1st watched this ep. 1/2 subbed (or something like that), and when I would come to her scenes, I would just fast forward them, because I would think, "I don't understand what they are saying at the moment any way, so why bother watching?" The truth is that I just didn't want to see her on my screen.

And on one unrelated note, that purple lipstick really brings her lips out. She is really good here. I remember the small role she had in 7 Level Civil Servant. She was sweet (and helpful) in that drama. Good to see her being able to show a different color here.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I actually find her rather fascinating and really well-played. I'd love to know more on her story and why she became the way she is now. The way she protected Da-Jung from that thug, Bulldog, is really sort of moving now that you consider her real personality. Something really awful must have happened to her for things to have turned out this way.
This actress is definitely on my radar thanks to her stellar job playing this role.

0
9
reply

Required fields are marked *

She gave a superb performance as the crazy killer in "White Christmas".

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Aack! No wonder she's so familiar. I love that drama. Everyone in it were newbies but are now well-acknowledged. Great script and well acted. Too bad not many people know about it.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

GAH, I KNEW I SAW HER SOMEWHERE ! She was in White Christmas !!! (gotta rewatch the drama now lol).

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Major spoiler in this comment that probably just ruined watching White Christmas for me. :( Please delete.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Shalini, I 2nd what you have said.

@auntiemame, thanks for the recommendation.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think she's an awesome actress as well. ONe thing that doesn't make sense to me, though…why would she play that bet with DJ in the end? I mean if she's sure that DJ would end up "laid off", why would she bother at all? And the way DJ character is written also bothers me. Yes sure, she's honest…but honesty doesn't equal stupidity. There are so many stupid moves on her parts that truly grate on my nerves...

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think the premise -- which is a mixed bag really when it comes to liking Da Jung's character -- is not only that she is honest, but that she is naive. The first is believable, the second not so much given her age and experience.

But the other folks playing the game aren't exactly rocket scientists either -- going forward, the goal is to minimize uncertainty in decision-making so the two people they should most want to keep in the game are the ones whose behavior is most predictable -- i.e. the who always lies (Jaime) and the one who always tells the truth (Da Jung). After that -- eliminate whomever seems best able build a coalition.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I should add that this assumes I understand the rules of this round -- no guarantees there.

0

ugh, I know right. Honestly, im more interested in Jaime then I am Da Jung. Theres being honest, but she then theres plain stupidity. Da jung us starting to get on my nerves a bit. I really cant get invested in an character who acts more innocent and naive then a 5 year old. They way she acts completely betrayed when she gets lied to on a show called liar game and is getting rather repeatitive and old for me. Im really not into candy-like characters, which is really what she is now. I want her to stand up and do something for herself in the game without receiving help from someone, but i dont really see it happening. I hope we get a backstory for Jaime though. Right now her and the reporter are my favourite female characters.

0

I still have this (faint) hope that Da Jung will be the biggest liar of them all, like the one behind the scene, yet it really seems unlikely.

I admire her for being so honest and so frustrated that she keeps trusting people.

Also really like that this is so different with the original version, yet maintain that stylish liar game only aspect.

Watching Kim So Eun in both Liar Game and WGM is fascinating. Sometimes I just want her to be her Kim So Eun self in Liar Game instead of Da Jung.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

"Sometimes I just want her to be her Kim So Eun self in Liar Game instead of Da Jung."

I know, right? KSE is so much sassier and spunkier (and "violent", heh) than Da Jung. It's doing my head in. As if Liar Game wasn't doing that already.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This episode was really frustrating for me when I first watched it. I know Da Jung is a trusting soul, but how many times do you have to get burned by the same person while playing something called Liar Game to become suspicious of them? Sigh. Still, all of the hints about Woo Jin's past are really interesting. And I wonder what happened to those missing contestants....

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah, now I am curious about the missing contestants too.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was wondering the same thing. Why can't we have a trusting heroine who also uses her brain occasionally? I mean if you've been lied to consistently by the same person in a game about lying, then trusting them isn't an act of good faith but down right stupidity...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks Heads! It was a 'frustrating' episode in that Da Jung was so sincere that every betrayal was extra horrible, and yet she continued to give Jamie the benefit of the doubt, to even give her the excuse that yeah it's the Liar Game so of course you can lie... I think I was wincing at her encounters with Jamie.

Thinking about what you wrote:
"I wonder if the reveal that Woo-jin might’ve inadvertently caused Da-jung’s father’s financial downfall isn’t all that it seems, since it’s not like Woo-jin needed another reason to care about Da-jung. .... If so, why? How is Do-young involved in all this? How will our hero outsmart him? Now accepting theories; spoilers need not apply."

The reveal was by accident through Dal Goo's mutterings, so that does not seem to be part of the conspiracy, however it alerted Woo Jin to the fact that there was a connection between him and Da Jung.

Dramawise, it may not have lent much more weight to Woo Jin's desire to uncover the truth about his mum, but the realisation of the extent of the conspiracy added a sense of guilt over what he did to bring down L Company... ie did all the people in the game suffer because of what he did out of revenge? This (hmm how to phrase it) ... raised the stakes for him to unmask the game and Do Young. It is no longer a personal thing to him alone and where it has nothing to do with Da Jung so he can help her or leave her without guilt.

Now he may begin to feel responsible for many more, especially since people have begun to disappear.

But how he got into the game... could that have been manipulated? 1) He was due out of jail and the game started just before... 2) Dal Goo knew him in jail and is debt collector to Da Jung and suggests she enlists Woo Jin's help. (Cannot mention the spoiler in the next ep. so will stop here)

So far it does not seem to be manipulated. This is what puzzles me.

Then there's the big question mark about that painting on the wall. It depicts in a sense, 3 persons not facing each other but 2 of them shown only from the legs down to feet and the 3rd only suggested by a pair of shoes that face the viewer. Why did Woo Jin look at it for so long with that look on his face?? Was there a dark shape in the middle of the 3?

Questions, questions... what fun!!

0
13
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Growingbeautifully, Hello! *Waves* :-)

I just wanted to chime in to say that I absolutely LOVE your post, because you make me think, and you made some of the points I would have made (except I think you said better than I would have).

When I saw the painting and how HWJ was looking at it, I thought, "maybe that painting used to be in his mom's office?" But that sounded too easy, and HWJ would have asked out loud how DY got that painting, maybe? There was something intriguing in how HWJ stared at that painting, and how sad (?) his face looked like while he stared at it.

I really liked how you explained how difficult it might have been for DY to manipulate NDJ and HWJ being brought together in such a timely way. I hope that you will reveal tomorrow the 3rd reason why you find it hard to believe.

I have a few questions, if I may:

1--I was just wondering, did your translation said the bottle of wine was 15,000 USD? Because mine said 1,500 USD. It is still expensive, however I was just wondering.

2--At the beginning of the ep., HWJ apologized for not paying NDJ's debt (meaning her fathers' debt)? That was what it sounded like to me. I know he was going tho pay her penalty to leave the game, but then he couldn't. Did he need to apologize to DG, or was he just talking so he could "read" DG over the phone?
And even if HWJ was going to pay the debt/penalty, it was going to be to JVN, not to DG (or his boss). Even if HWJ would have paid for NDJ to leave, she would still be owing her father's money to DG's boss, and to the other creditors who now knew where she lived. So again, why apologize to DG?

And for some reason, I assumed that NDJ was left in the game to make more money (move up in the rounds), so she could have a little more (so she could pay the penalty) if she wanted to leave before the final round, (the very last one). We do know (now) that she probably wouldn't win, but that was what I assumed at 1st.

Last question (for now, maybe): When HWJ left, giving his money to cute puppy guy (Sung Joon, I think), he then didn't owe money to JVN, for leaving the game? It was OK to just switch players like that? (I guess?)

0
12
reply

Required fields are marked *

About this, " (except I think you said better than I would have)." I meant to say, " (except I think you said those [points] better than I would have).

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Post 1
Hi Ivoire *Waving back madly"
Awww, you're so sweet. Thanks for your nice comments. I feel the same about what you post lol!! I'm always interested to read what you've been thinking about the shows. So good be back in discussion with you!

Re: painting - only on 2nd viewing did I notice that the camera angle takes in Da Jung in foreground and the painting in the background with candles lit on the mantlepiece. It looked eerily like an altar in the background!!! Hmmm 3 lost souls (1 female and 2 male) who are turned away from each other. That's the impression I had but I have no clue what it means. Woo Jin leaned forward to look at it longer, seeming to be aware of some significance...again no answer as to what.

Re: manipulation - I was thinking it was amazing to think of Da Jung and Woo Jin playing together as manipulation, because it seemed like pure coincidence. The bringing together of DJ and WJ was through Dal Goo who seems pretty above board - no appearance of manipulation. And yet:
1) The timing of the game coinciding with his release
2) The fact that Do Young lured Woo Jin into the game knowing about his circumstances and with a promise that he could find out the truth of whether his revenge worked
3)Da Jung's father being in debt because of L Co.
4) Some other coincidence mentioned in the next episode (cannot mention as it may be a spoiler)
On it's own, Da Jung being on the show with Teacher Hyun might have been a coincidence, but taken together with the above it begs the question ... coincidence? Not very likely.

Re: price of wine. In my Dramacool subs it was $13K per bottle. I do not know whether they did a currency conversion (or even whether it was definitely US$) or whether it means 13,000 won per bottle lol! But very, very expensive. If I were DJ I'd have finished the glass and asked for more!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Post 2
Re: WJ saying he did not pay DJ's debt. In the subs (which I am re-phrasing) it was not an apology, just a statement. "I didn't repay the debt from the 500K won of the game" ... and later on he asked "...about her debt, (ie father's debt) is your loan shark company asking for her money?" So it was both the repayment to the Game and her father's debt that was included. But why 500K won? Should have been 250K won, right? I feel he was trying to gauge whether Dal Goo was going after DJ's winnings or not in that questioning.
Yes he would be paying to JVN and not to the Loan Sharks. But it was not an apology. Hope that helps.

Re: DJ continuing with the game. Yes I believe you are right. WJ in the end did not pay JVN so that she could exit the game, but I'm confused about which came first. Dal Goo accused him of keeping her in the game because he did not repay JVN because she broke her promise to quit the game. So was it DJ who wanted to play to get more money and so WJ did not repay? Or was it that WJ used that money to enter the game, so DJ had no choice but to continue?

Re: WJ being out of this round. I thought it was because as the winner, he was assured of going into the future rounds and would have to continue playing later. At the end of the last episode DY said everyone who had won something except WJ would be playing the next round...ie this Reinstatement Game round - I guess this game is to reinstate some from among those with money into the rest of the rounds, (and eliminate some?). Anyone else has a better understanding? Is this me the blind, leading the blind!!! lol!!!

Anyway, it's been great having to think it through a bit more. Keeping those grey cells active is mighty important! Thanks a lot Ivoire and read ya later!

0

Post 3
@ Ivoire
Oh... I just re-watched the part in Ep 4 about who stays for the Reinstatement Game... These are from what I see and the subs.

There were 8 bags of money. There was an opportunity for eliminated participants to be reinstated, ie those who won/got some money. "Except for HWJ who won this round, the 7 people are ... reinstated to the next round"...

So originally it was meant to be 7 who continued including Sung Joon. But Jamie got back in and took Sung Joon's money. WJ gave his money to SJ. Jamie gave some money to Bulldog. So we have 9 people entering the next game. WJ did not have to play... but as the winner, he should have the chance for the 10million Won in a later game.... I believe.

0

Hey there!
I heard $1500 for the wine bottle as well, so I was pretty surprised to see it on here listed as 10 times that amount.
The debt HWJ was referring to having not paid was from the first game when DG bought him the cellphone and other stuff. He didn't get to pay DG back as he used his half of the first game's money ($250,000) to enter the game.

I'm more curious about your last question. I've seen ep 6 and there was no mention of HWJ leaving. :O Is he going to leave, or something? :(

0
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Shalini, Helloooooo :-)

Thank you for clarifying things for me about the debt.

Re: my last question, it has to do with the end of ep. 4. When HWJ gave his money to SJ, I thought he would still be one of the participants (active) in the game, just you know, he had no money. But then Heads wrote today that he was not in the game anymore, since he gave his money to SJ, which meant that they were back to being 8 going through the next round (since HWJ left). And HWJ was going to be gone for good, until he found out that he had something to do with DJ's debt (her dad's).

I now have another question, because per Heads' recap, NDJ (originally) wanted to split the money with 10 people, including HWJ. But who would be the 10th person? Do you know? IF HWJ were to join the game again, that would make 9 of them, no?

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

hwj no need to participate in this game for he was the winner in ep.4. this game is for those who lose in that round to be reinstated into the game again...

0

@ anonymous,
Thanks for explaining (makes sense)! I actually forgot about that.

0

@ Shalini,
I have another question for you: you said you "heard" 1,500 USD. Do you speak and understand Korean? I was just curious...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Shalini
Those subs keep saying $ but maybe they mean Won? US$1,500 sounds likely... so it should be translated as closer to 13,000 or 15,000 Won?

No, I don't think the episode before mentioned him leaving, only that except for him, the others who had some money would continue to the next round.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think it's likely it can be sold for $15000, Google-fu tells me one such bottle of Chateau Cheval blanc 1947 was sold for over $300K!! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8138500/304375-bottle-of-Cheval-Blanc-sets-new-world-record.html

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ aentee,

I just read the article, thank you for sharing it here. Very interesting read. And you are right, that bottle could have cost 15,000 USD and the subs I read might have gotten it wrong (but I did see 1,500 USD).
Thinking now about who DY is, he WOULD have such bottles of wine (man has a butler, so... He can afford such expensive bottles of wine). I was just wondering if my subs were wrong, or if I read wrong.

0

Thanks for the recaps. It's the only way I can follow the show, because watching Da Jung is too painful. She just keeps being taken advantage of at every turn and it's driving me nuts.

I was looking forward to it because I like the mystery aspects of it, but ugh, that character...

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Same. I couldn't even really hate Jamie when it's all Da Jang's fault for being is so freakin' stupid. And then she gets lied to, on a game called Liar Game, and is shocked about it. Like really?!? Girl can't only depend on Mr. Hottie to save her EVERY. FREAKIN. TIME. Might be my least favorite character on the show at this point...rant over.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ dramapenchant,
I understand your rant. I couldn't help it, this made me LOL, "Girl can’t only depend on Mr. Hottie to save her EVERY. FREAKIN. TIME."

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Not to compare to the j-drama too much, but this was exactly my reaction to Nao, at least until season 2. HOW CAN SHE BE SO STUPID???! In my opinion Da Jung has managed to be much less frustrating so far and I hope she wises up relatively quickly.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

kanzaki nao in the japanese drama liar game was fooled by DIFFERENT PEOPLE though. she meets someone new in a different round of the game, she gives that person her trust and benefit of the doubt that this person is trustworthy because her character is someone who trusts people and believes in people.

when she was fooled by the same person, it's because that person (fukunaga) was being deceitful behind her back and nao is someone who takes people at face value.

nao is also soon lying and cheating other people after learning a thing or two, but the difference is that other people are lying for their own selfish desire and greed, but nao is lying so she can SAVE EVERYONE, including herself. SHE IS USING LYING AS A STRATEGY SO SHE WON'T HAVE ANY DEBT IN THE GAME AND SO THAT OTHER PLAYERS ALSO WON'T INCUR ANY DEBTS.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It was a smart move to cast Kim So-eun as Nam Da-Jung. Da-jung is frustrating, but when it's Kim So-eun playing her, I can't seem to hate her...

0
19
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ orangepuffle,

I simply LOVE KSE in this role. I find her to be excellent, and I love the little things she does, like the way she bites the side of her lip when she is thinking, etc... There are little things KSE does that seem to embody who NDJ is. I agree with you, I find it hard to hate NDJ because it is KSE, though I find NDJ frustrating, like many viewers.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Kind of the opposite reaction for me.
I usually don't care at all about these kind of "too dumb to live" characters (neither like nor hate them), but with this very empathic portrayal, I find myself involuntarily cheering for every single opposing character.

0
10
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Jon G.

About this, "I find myself involuntarily cheering for every single opposing character."
Do you mean you find yourself cheering for the other side characters (the other 8 players, PD Lee? [I think you said you liked her or something like that], the contestants who disappeared maybe? What about Dir. Jang? and DY? And DG? And while I am at it, how do you feel about HWJ? Just curious).

0
9
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Ivoire

So funny! you took the questions out of my mouth!

@ Jon G.
Who do you mean by "opposing character". IE everyone who tries to get the better of Da Jung?

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Growingbeautifully,

"Great minds..." (Disclaimer: I don't claim to be a great mind, though I would agree to being inquisitive). Also, Growingbeautifully, we do seem to think about the same things, or along the same lines (quite a bit), don't you think?

0

@ Ivoire

Ha! Ha! Shucks, I do not mind being called a 'great mind'... no not at all :) Yes, we can say we are similar in several ways and it's been great discovering this! Liar Game is my favorite show among all that I'm currently watching and it is definitely because of your lovely responses and how we can discuss so many points in greater depth.

It was almost 3.00am when you posted! Nice and quiet and no interruptions, eh?

0

@ Growingbeautifully,

Yes! You guessed right (and you remembered), it is nice and quiet now (with no interruptions), my time being the time showing up on DB's posts. I have been up for a while, as can be attested by the time on my various responses.

I have not gotten to your longer posts (yet), I will get to them later (hope that is OK). I thought it might be easier and faster for me to answer the shorter ones 1st. How many times have you watched epis. 5 and 6, so far? You seem to have watched them more than once. What are the other shows you are currently watching? Korean and others (if applicable). You can list the variety shows as well.

OK Growingbeautifully, I won't mind being called a great mind, if you don't mind it. I think I like the "...think alike" part a lot :-) I love how we connected recently (a week ago or so?), and yet how much we are enjoying these discussions, and our chats. I personally think that you write beautifully, and I really LOVE your attention to details, how well you seem to remember things, and the fact that you would rewatch an ep. or a scene to give accurate information, as best you understand it. I am the same way, and I love that we are made to think while watching these dramas, and we learn a lot (I know I do).

Besides learning the language, (I love it when I recognize more and more words in Korean, the more dramas I watch), I am learning facts (like the 1947 Bordeaux wine, and why it is so prized. Even though I lived in France for many years, I never knew about that [and I even went to Bordeaux twice, LOL]. Now I can mention that fact in a conversation (if and when appropriate, and when asked how I know about that, I can toss my hair (I have short hair, btw) and say, "I learned it while watching a Korean drama," LOL, not when I was living in France mind you *SMH*.

Question:when you write, WRT, does that mean, With Regard/Reference To? I was curious about that.

Awwww... Thank you for saying this, " it is definitely because of your lovely responses and how we can discuss so many points in greater depth." And I would say the same thing about you. I really do appreciate how much in depth we can discuss and speculate about the plot, the characters, the different motivations, how we are experiencing the drama, etc... It is nice to be around people who do not mind doing so, and getting different perspectives in the process. I go to bed (when I do) less ignorant, and having communicated with people from around the world :-)

0

Hi Ivoire,
Wow! past 5am!! About the time I'll start waking up. I figure I'm 16 hours ahead as it's past 9pm over here.

Sure, take you time with the responses. Like you I check on them even after the next episodes recaps, so I'm sure I'll read you as and when.

LOL! I? remember things? *grinning so hard* I have a bad memory, REALLY, that's why I have to re-watch and make sure I do not mislead those who read and do not watch or those who take my words at face value :P or put my foot in it.

No I just watch some parts again, not everything. Time is the issue.

Goodness! I LOVE your positive strokes! But I have again, to say the same to you!! You're just so meticulous too. You admit it, you're the same way. Yes that's the great thing we have here, the means to just learn from each other and everyone who contributes.

Watched recently/Watching: My Spring Days, The 3 Musketeers, Misaeng, Pride and Prejudice, Cantabile Tmr, Bad Guys when subbed, Reset also when subbed, intermitently The Greatest Marriage, Modern Farmer, Legendary Witch, Birth of a Beauty (all depending on time and work, etc) ... WGM only the Jae Rim/KSE couple, RM and Roommates if I feel like it. Do not dare to try others... no time!!!:(

WRT = with regards to...

As for your last para... my response is: ditto that and that and that. :)

Good morning!

0

@ GB,

This is in response to this comment from you:
8.2.1.1.4 Growingbeautifully November 6th, 2014 at 5:54 AM

Yes, it was almost 6am, and I am still going :-)

I am glad you will be reading my current replies, even after the next recaps are posted. I will let you know when that happens.

About your 5th para: (about me being meticulous), I actually am, and I love details, which is why I SOOOO appreciate your posts.

your 6th para: I admire how you can watch all those dramas and not feel overwhelmed, and keep them straight. Do you participate or comment on all their recaps (on various blogs)? I am just watching LG, for now. I prefer to watch 1 or 2 dramas at a time :-) So I can process what is going on (and ask questions :-) ) and comment :-)

I LOVED this, "As for your last para… my response is: ditto that and that and that. :-) " Good morning!"

Good morning back at you (my time) :-)

0

No, I meant to say: any character who opposes Da-jung. I cheered for Dal-goo to "steal" her money, I cheer for Jaime to cheat the s**t out of her, and I enjoy Do-young playing her like the idiot she is.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Jon G., Oh OK then... (LOL)

0

@ Ivoire
I watch when I can and post if I feel like it, but only at 2 blogs and mostly at Dramabeans. I do not keep them all totally straight - thus the re-watching of bits of episodes - ah... now you can understand :)

Gotta get some work done! Good afternoon/evening!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@orangepuffle I agree, the actress makes Nam Da Jung appear sincere and sympathetic, she saves the character. I could not stand Nao, her original manga counterpart.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think KSE is doing great as Nam Da Jung. She's very convincing playing so innocent, pure hearted and having a good soul and yet so dumb and beyond frustrating that it will annoy the hell out of you but at the same time you will feel bad for her.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yep! I agree...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ orangepuffle and Ivoire

I believe that the reason we do not hate her although she lets herself be betrayed over and over is that she has a vision, if you will. She said in Ep 4 "We can show everyone what it means to trust one another." It is an ideal that still resonates with us, cynical though we may have become.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Growingbeautifully,

I (personally) do agree with those who say that KSE has a lot to do with why I don'[t hate NDJ (yet), though I really wanted to slap her, and talk some sense into her, when Jaime invited her to play the card game. I also remembered that, that is how the character is in the manga and in the J. version, so the K. version is trying to stay true to how the writer originally saw her (methinks).

I have liked KSE since her BOF days, and like some of the commenters have said, I appreciate the way she portrays NDJ more, having read how she seems to be in RL, based on the WGM recaps. I am following this show for many reasons, and one of them is to see if NDJ's theory about "the players trusting each other and winning" (and beating the people behind the LG show) will come to fruition, and will work. HWJ did state in what instance it might work, which led me to think that he could/might try to achieve that goal with her (maybe?) It is a lofty and mighty goal (and an ideal one) imho, yet I would LOVE to see all the players win because of that, except for Jaime and Bulldog (maybe, if he doesn't change).

@ Growingbeautifully, I hope I made sense. I like that NDJ has a vision, I am just curious as whether it will work, and the writing/plot will show us that (or so I think).

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hi Ivoire
Yes, not to worry, your posts do always make sense. I nod (in agreement and not in drowsiness!) as I read.

I have to agree with you that, that is why I want to stay til the end. Will the ideal in some of it's form (I guess there is no true perfection in our world) be achieved by Da Jung and will Woo Jin help her all the way to achieve this??? The burning questions that we await answers for - but this being Kdrama, dare we do so with bated breaths? ;)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Growingbeautifully,
I am glad my posts make sense, so far. See, we thought alike ...again! :-) And yes, we dare wait with bated breaths. It is part of the journey (of watching Kdramas), isn't it? :-)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The japanese version doesn't have a character exactly like Do-Young, who appears to have so much control over Liar Game. So, I'm really curious to know how everything plays out.

I like how this version added Woo-jin being involved in Da-Jung's debt situation. This gives extra motivation for him to help Da-Jung. In the j-version, he is only motivated by her resemblance to his mother.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Maybe He's going to be the Yokoya character in the J-drama in the upcoming episodes....

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

in someways, maybe. Do-Young isn't a contestant on the show though.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Arghhhhhhhhh!

Commenting with mobile version is as frustrating as Da-jung!
I lost my comment twice!

I really want to slap some sense into Da-jung, how can she not have some sense of preservation?
But what frustrated me the most was the fact that she lost hope so quickly, like girl think of the game and do something instead! It's a game!
What's worse is that she knows she's being an idiot and does nothing about it!
I hope that deep down, she has this master plan and fools everyone.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

"master plan"??? LOLOL

Maybe very, very deep down, and with lots of help!!! :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

A lot of people are saying that Da-Jung is frustrating. Compared to the j-drama's version of her, Da-Jung seems like a genius.

0
30
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agree! Omg finally someone said it!
Maybe 'genius' is an overstatement, but until now I haven't been really frustated when watching Da-jung, while I was really annoyed and frustated at how 'stupid' Nao was in the Japanese version. Like, somehow I can believe that Da-jung learned something from her mistakes but she just couldn't ignore a part of her that wants to believe that maybe this time she can trust and will not be betrayed, and so she did try to trust them because that's how she is. She wants to prove and show people or maybe just herself that it's okay to trust, that not all people are not to be trusted. And it's not easy, but it's also not easy to give up the moral that she has held for her whole life.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Aletta,
Well said! You explained your understanding of DJ well. I found your perspective interesting.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ united,

I loved this, "Compared to the j-drama’s version of her, Da-Jung seems like a genius."
I know you meant it, and from the comments I have read, you must be right. I still could not help but laugh, considering how many of us are frustrated with her (with reason). And when one looks at her behavior in this drama, one wonders, "how can you see genius in her?"

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Like Aletta said, "genius" is an overstatement. The Japanese drama's Da-Jung, Kanzaki Nao, was soo annoyingly stupid. She was like a character that came straight out of the manga while Kim So Eun's Da-Jung seems like a real human being who thinks and learns. I also think that Da-Jung is sort of ignoring a part of herself that is questioning the trustworthiness of people. She wants to believe that people can be trusted.

I understand why people are annoyed with her. Because I've read the manga and watched the j-drama, I can say that I like really this version of her.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

How exactly is NDJ considered a 'genius' compared to Kanzaki Nao. She joined the game to earn money, but she ends up giving the money to other people when she has actual debts to pay. And NDJ's description is "like the male lead's mother, she will help others even if it meant she will end up ruined/in debts." Definitely not the definition of genius.

In the Jdrama version, LIAR GAME is orchestrated by an underground organization (like a mafia) that has wealth, is far-reaching, and with connections (even in the police/legal system). People who play the game and lost ended up with actual MILLIONS of debts.

The prize money of the winner in each rounds is essentially the debts of the losers in each round. Kanzaki Nao wanted to win so that she can help save others, because if she splits the prize money with the other contestants then everyone will have enough money to return to the organization... No one will end up in debts, and the losers instead could cut their ties cleanly with the organization. Pretty smart actually.

0
11
reply

Required fields are marked *

Her plan to save everyone was pretty smart, but a person this smart was way too easily tricked over and over again for no good reason. At a certain point, you can't say she was too trusting of other people. Her stupidity is just a character flaw.

I like how this drama makes Da-Jung think and reflect over her actions. Also, this show has made her getting tricked more believable. (maybe not this card game though lol). For the first round, this version added the flashback of her former teacher helping her out and the teacher actually going to the bank with her and giving her the keys. In the j-drama, Nao just gave her money to him and the teacher said that he would transfer all their money to the bank. Since this drama hasn't finished yet, we don't know if she might end up like Kanzaki Nao.

0
10
reply

Required fields are marked *

I liked The Kanzaki Nao character, her childlike naïveté / stupidity. And her character, and the whole world in the Jdrama 'made' a lot of sense.

I can't say the same for NDJ though. Her character does not make sense at all, and the set up of the Kdrama version itself is a world full of questions too.

What kind of game show would have the second round have one winner, but wait this is not the end end because there is another round later and there can not be only one contestant in that round... Just have a reinstatement round then. This Kdrama version of course. *rolls eyes* This can seriously make one lose brain cells... Every. Freakin'. Time.

So I'm dropping the show, and will just read the drama recaps.

0
9
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't think the format for the reinstatement round is that weird. If you think about it like American reality/competition shows where the winner is immune from elimination in the next round, it's kind of like that. So what Woo Jin really won, apart from the money, was immunity; because he won the round before, he doesn't have to compete in this one, but the runners-up do to see who will go forward with him. I've seen several American reality shows where they have actual reinstatement rounds where previously eliminated competitors get to compete for a chance to make a comeback. So it's not like it's just some dumb idea that the show pulled out of thin air, and that doesn't make sense. It's actually fairly realistic.

0

@Because of Reasons
Except this is a game in a variety show that is planned in advance. So it does not make sense for the production to design round 2 to HAVE 1 actual winner when they have other rounds planned after. The reinstated game was for "the people who earned money in round 2 that did not win," a concept that became possible only because the male lead thought of that strategy... the male lead that was not even an actual contestant picked for the show, he only helped NDJ in round 1 and then joined as a contestant in round 2.

To put it in perspective, in the Jdrama LIAR GAME there are supposedly other clusters of games/rounds happening all over the country. And ONLY the winners advance to the next round. The only reason why there was even a reinstatement round is because Akiyama Shinichi won in round 2 when he substituted for another player so Kanzaki Nao did not win and was therefore out of the game. LG Secretariat actually wanted Kanzaki Nao back in the game, so they made an exception this time for the reinstatement round.

0

It's perfectly normal for a reality show to have one winner per round. Take, I don't know, something like Project Runway. Only one person wins each episode, which exempts them from elimination in the next round. Of the people who didn't win, some of them get eliminated, and the rest have to compete in the next round to stay in the game. The Liar Game Set-Up over rounds 2 & 3 is similar. Woo Jin won round 2, so he didn't have to compete next time, some of the other contestants got eliminated, and the ones who didn't, had to compete in round 3 to go to round 4 with Woo Jin. They phrased it differently in the Liar Game (and I think the in-show producers did it that was purposely to whet the audience's curiosity for the next round), but it's essentially the same outcome.

It's my understanding from seeing behind the scenes things from reality shows that the producers tend to have (or quickly come up with) contingency plans for different game scenarios. For example, if there's a tie, or if someone gets eliminated due to injury, or if someone chooses to drop out, they go to their plan B, C, etc. to keep the game going. I think that they were counting on a few things in round 2: one, that someone would figure out the solution to the game (and two people did, Jamie and Woo Jin) and that people would use the opportunity to cut various deals, so that more than one person would end up with money at the end. But it's safe to assume that even if those two things hadn't panned out, they had a back-up plan in place to bring players back. As you said, it's a pre-planned show and the producers aren't stupid; they know it can't end at episode 2, so obviously they would have some device to carry more than one player into Round 3, even if they had to resort to an audience vote or something.

0

Oh, to add: the fact that you're irritated by the method they used is also actually pretty true to life as well. I recall when similar saves or second chances or competitor reinstatements were introduced on actual reality shows, and the viewing audiences tended to not like them very much; they thought they felt gimmicky and set-up and disrupted the flow of the competition that they'd become accustomed to.

0

That is the point exactly... The rounds and rules in this game does not make cohesive sense.

In Jdrama round 2 ended with Akiyama as winner, andhe'll compete with other round 2 winners. The reinstatement round is for the eliminated to have a chance to come back - this is a bonus round, and not an actual round. Round 3 will take place after. It was very clear who wins (just 1-2 person), and who loses/gets eliminated (everyone else).

Here in Kdrama, the winners in round 1 proceeded to round 2. But then they let other people join as long as they pay ie Jamie, the male lead in round 2. The round 2 game was designed to have 1 or 2 winners. But then people with money compete for reinstatement round where only one loses, the rest proceed to next round. What is the logic behind that when the people without money were already eliminated? What is the value in eliminating one more person "that earned money in round 2 but did not win?" Why not just skip the reinstatement round and have the 8 people who technically won round 2 because they made a team compete for round 3 instead?

0

I think part of the point is that they're trying to keep both the players and the audience on their toes because nobody knows how the eliminations will work from round to round, because the format is different from round to round, and it's planned that way. And the lack of clarity also makes it easier for Do Young to manipulate things, as he obviously has his own agenda for the game. The "inconsistency", as you see it, is built in on purpose, both as part of the game design, and as part of the larger plot.

If you are using the jdrama as the criteria for how the game "should" work, then the kdrama will suffer by comparison, because the kdrama is doing its own thing with the Liar Game concept. But what the kdrama has done in terms of how the victories/eliminations in the reality show are handled is well within the realm of reality compared to how those things actually happen on reality shows. Your original comment asked "what kind of game show would [work this way]..." All I've been saying is that there are several kinds of actual real-word game/reality shows that would, and do. Obviously you don't like it, which is fine, but it's not just some dumb thing that the kdrama producers made up.

0

LOL LOL

0

@ Because of Reasons and @ kpopholic1:

Thank you for your discussion. I don't watch competitive reality shows (shows like WGM don't count, since it is not a competition, and I have not watched it in a long while), so I am not familiar with the different formats and possible constructs of the games (or shows).
Your discussion helped, and knowing that I can come back to it is a plus.

0

i agree.

this korean drama liar game is a mash-up of japanese dramas liar game and the quiz show. and it's frustrating that it is not a better version considering that it copied its concepts from already existing dramas.

liar game - genius psychologist jaded about the world, innocent heroine trusting and optimistic
the quiz show - host who is all-knowing about the contestants (even their dark pasts) and controls the questions being asked in the show, producer who manipulates the host and planned everything to get revenge.

in this korean liar game drama, shin suk ryong who is the combined host and producer characters in the quiz show is running this show. and that's a shame considering that the production people bought the rights to 'liar game'. they should have gone with 'the quiz show' one instead

0

I don't know the Japanese one. And now that you said that, I'm probably don't want to.

I really lost any kind of sympathy I might have had for Da-Jung with this episode. She's still an interesting character (from a sadistic audience point of view), but I'm suffering from a rather strange second lead syndrome variant:
For me, the PD took over the role of the moral heart of the drama.

0
8
reply

Required fields are marked *

I too noted with interest that the PD is questioning DY and is shocked by his cavalier attitude about backing DJ into a corner. She might feel badly for DJ, but can she take action to counterbalance the unfair intervention of DY and even of Jung?

And where was it that DY said to just let matters run their course and film the participants reacting? I'm getting my sequence muddled.... If it was before this time of giving the photos to Jamie, then he has gone back on what he said.

0
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Growingbeautifully,
By "Jung," I am assuming you meant "Dir. Jang," right? :-)

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oops! Yes, Dir Jang. :) Thanks again!

0

@Growingbeautifully, you are very welcome! :-)

0

What I like about the character is her good-natured professionalism. She doesn't get overly sentimental, she knows she is here to run this show.

I felt that her indignation about the various manipulations (by D-y and Jang) were less because she empathised with individual candidates (although she gave D-j some solid heads-up in an earlier episode) and more because of more general ethical considerations.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Jon G.
You have stated it accurately.

PD Lee - objective morality

What about Dal Goo - emphatic/sympathetic morality in returning the money or just guilt?

Woo Jin - began with sympathy to help the hapless, continued out of personal (subjective) motivation?

Do Young - unethical, immoral and a mystery we are dying to unfold? I cannot stand the fact that he is enjoying the game so much at the expense of others, some of whom may have been manipulated into entering the game. I cannot countenance especially that he staged the incriminating situations so as to create 'evidence' to humiliate Da Jung in public in the name of entertainment. Such a cruel smile, he has.

Now I have to consider, what it is like in other Reality Shows... am I enjoying them too much at others' expense!!! Are they scripted and stage managed? Did anyone get manipulated? Horrors! Watching Running Man will never be the same again!

0

@ GB,

I would like to comment on this if I may (which I have a feeling, you won't mind :-) ):

1--PD Lee:I agree

2--Dal Goo: both (for me). He looked guilty even as he was leaving NDJ's place, so to me he must have felt guilty for what he was doing. It was also why he was kind of mad at HWJ for "abandoning" NDJ (and why he yelled at him, and tried to hit him). He looked to me like he was trying to assuage his guilt. He meant well though, but he didn't realize the true and deep implications of his actions for NDJ, towards JVN. HWJ educated him about that, and (I think) used reversed psychology to get him to return the money (which worked, phew *wipes brow*). HWJ acted as if he would not care about NDJ (as if... :-) )

3--Do-young: I agree with your 1st sentence, wholeheartedly. I am enjoying him however, in big part because SSR is playing him, and he is great to watch here. I am also enjoying him b/c he is a worthy villain and a worthy opponent to HWJ. I can put up with what he is doing, b/c I am hoping that his fall will be monumental, like huge, and commensurate to the pain he has inflicted to many others, including HWJ's mom, NDJ's dad, etc... I am really hoping that that part of the plot will be well written, and that his descent will not just happen in the last 2mns of the last ep. of the drama. We need to be able to see it happen (slowly, preferably), so that like our most favorite dessert, we can enjoy watching it (OK, I won't ask if I am making sense, b/c I think I do :- ) )

I also really like Dir. Jang (again, b/c of the actor portraying him. He's edgy and malicious. I kind of like that, and I look forward to seeing what happens to him as well). I also like all the side characters (really good acting, so far. They are different from one another). Let's see what happens to each of one of them.

0

@ Ivoire
By all means, comment away! All are welcome :)

2 - I liked that Woo Jin, the master psychologist, is shown to be skillful in getting Dal Goo to change his mind, without Dal Goo being aware of it even! So he will feel that he owned his decision to return the money and can pat himself on the back. That is skilful psychology in action.

So this theme of getting others to do something they might not otherwise do plays out in many ways and areas. Broadly (maybe simplistically) - when we are giving advice and opening up a person to new ideas/info, with the others' good in mind, it is guidance so that he can make a sound decision. Re: the above.

When it involves changing the situation/hiding information, etc so that others have limited or no choices, it becomes manipulation. Which brings us to Do Young ... and I agree with you. It will be the height of unfairness if he merely gets chauffered off into the sunset at the end of this without ever feeling the pain he put others through!

So can we say in this game, even Woo Jin is being manipulated, and knows it? If yes, then I want him to be able to choose the way he will play by making the game rules work to his benefit, better still have them slap Do Young in the face and then take back control. *mental maniacal laugh*

0

Seconded! I could not bear Nao's idiocy, but Nam Da Jung is played so sweetly and sincerely - I have a lot more patience for the character. I hope this will continue to be the case. This adaptation had been improving on the original so far.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree so much! I loved the original j-drama but when I tried to re-watch it I couldn't get past Kanzaki Nao (Akiyama Shinichi/Matsuda Shota is still my favourite genius swindler, though). Da-jung comes off completely differently to me, like her "mistake" is choosing to believe in people rather than being too stupid to understand that they are lying.

I was however really disappointed the show reused the card trick. It is such simple math it DOES seem stupid that she wouldn't realise she was being tricked. I can buy a normal person being confused by strategy and needing explanations for some of the larger mathematical concepts but THIS? This is so simple I feel like it was a little demeaning to Nam Da-jung’s character to have her completely fall for it.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i don't think so. nao wanted to save everyone, including herself. she doesn't help other people at her expense. in most rounds of the game, she ends up debt-free, and she manages to make other players be debt-free.

kanzaki nao in the japanese drama liar game was fooled by DIFFERENT PEOPLE though. she meets someone new in a different round of the game, she gives that person her trust and benefit of the doubt that this person is trustworthy because her character is someone who trusts people and believes in people.

when she was fooled by the same person, it’s because that person (fukunaga) was being deceitful behind her back and nao is someone who takes people at face value.

nao is also soon lying and cheating other people after learning a thing or two, but the difference is that other people are lying for their own selfish desire and greed, but nao is lying so she can SAVE EVERYONE, including herself. SHE IS USING LYING AS A STRATEGY SO SHE WON’T HAVE ANY DEBT IN THE GAME AND SO THAT OTHER PLAYERS ALSO WON’T INCUR ANY DEBTS.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

also, she helps players not incur debts within the game.

she's not particularly concerned about creditors/gangsters after the players out of the game because that's out of her control and she has no money herself to pay for all the debts of other people.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@Anne - I agree with you on Nao completely, I was a big fan of Liar Game and hottie Matsuda (Akiyama) but was very pissed of at Nao at first, but then I began to realize what she was trying to achieve and began to see her in a different light, and as you said except Fukunaga who was a very convincing liar she was tricked by different people in every stage, but it got so better later on that Nao was using her stupidity as an excuse to trick others, even Akiyama was tricked by her one or two times and was pissed as hell with her, and pissed off Akiyama was a sight to behold, Nao did manage to keep her trust though and was willing to forgive after she had tricked them, she was not looking for any profit but for everyone involved to go home debt free.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Shin Sung-rok is so hot in each episode with his suits and glasses. As much as I enjoyed his quirky character in Trot Lovers, he makes for an awesome and suave villain.

Having seen the next episode, I will say (without spoilers, of course) that I really liked the resolution to Da-Jung's predicament.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

yes Shin Sung Rok is kinda driving me crazy. with trot Lovers I thought: he should always play the quirky, sweet kind of characters. Now I am back to: he should totally stick to villainism. But he puts the charming and eerie together. and he is also one heck of an attractive game show host. I bet he gets pestered to host all sort of events in real life now. I know I would pester for a christmas event I am planning... but I know how irritating that kind of pestering is.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

He can go either way and I wouldn't mind one bit, especially if he keeps wearing suits and/or glasses!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I really love the glasses SSR is wearing in this drama.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

good thing the wine was not poisoned.
good episode.

0
8
reply

Required fields are marked *

Lol I was literally thinking "don't drink it!" the moment she raised that cup to her lips :P The last girl that did that died (Han Yura) xD

0
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

I loved this, "The last girl that did that died (Han Yura)" LOL!

0
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

LOL... It took me a while to get it... I remember now. Drink, get drugged/poisoned, ... get pushed out the window?

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Growingbeautifully,

I see you saw that drama. And yes, you got it, except he didn't push her out of the window. She staggered out of the room and SSR (his character in YFAS) let her go, because he knew she would die very soon.

I always assumed she was trying to get people's attention, however she couldn't talk, as her muscles (tongue, throat, etc...) were quickly being paralyzed. She ended up falling above the railing of the boat (to her death) into the water, and DMJ saw that (in his vision), but thought it was CSY, since they had the same shoes, hence his presence on the boat that night. The viewers saw his version of the accident with CSY, I think (at 1st).

Don't quote me exactly on all I said, however I think I am accurate or close, that is if memory serves me right :-) (That is how I remember it). :-) SSR was such a good villain in that drama. His key phrases:

1--"How is your health?" 2--"You know I like you, right?" usually meant you were about to meet your maker :-)

0

Oh Ivoire,
I'm laughing quite hard :-D Yup, those words meant certain death and soon. I think your memory actually serves. I was just throwing in whatever came to mind without remembering which show it was lol! :$

0

Growingbeautifully (can I call you GB? Just curious),

I am glad I am providing some serious comic relief, and finding out that I can make you think AND laugh as well. It was my turn to LOL when I read that you didn't remember what drama the scenes mentioned where from. Next time, I won't mention them, to make you "work" a little harder, Ha!

I loved this, "I was just throwing in whatever came to mind without remembering which show it was lol! :$" Loved that you were throwing in whatever came to mind :-)
Does $ mean "priceless, or precious?" I am not totally familiar with the internet lingo.

0

Hi Ivoire,
Yes you can call me GB, it's less of a mouthful ie so much easier to type ;) I toyed with the idea of changing to GB too but no, I'll stick with the whole hog and try to live it.

Ha! Ha! Re: your 2nd para :D *Really laughing long! Smiling like crazy.*

I was wondering how the emoticons got into the texts of the posts, so I looked up under "ascii smileys" or "list of emoticons" and found out in Wikipedia, how some smiley faces are done in ascii. :$ is supposed to bring out an "embarrassed" smiley, but it did not work here so you only saw the $.

Hmm, maybe I should not have told you... then you'd be in a curious state a little longer! :)

0

@ GB,

Tbh, I actually prefer "Growingbeautifully," which I really like. However, after I have used my computer for a very long time (like now), it slows down in its speed. So copying and pasting (which I usually do with your screen name) does not always work for me. Writing "GB" works best for me in those instances. Thank you for letting me do that. If I may, I also don't think you should change your screen name, you should leave it to what it is :-)

Re: my 2nd para, I literally imagined you in front of this huge pot, and getting images from your brain/memory, and throwing them in the pot, and trying to make sense of them, (ie, remember where the scenes belong, to what drama). That was what was so funny to me :-) Oh, and you were stirring the pot as well, LOL!

Re: my last line (about $), and I thought I was being so smart (with my guess)! Alas :-( And you wanted to give a me a taste of my own medicine, keeping me curious for a while longer *Smiles* That would have worked, btw :-)

0

My theory is... they are all prawns in a bigger game. That the L-company is just a front, it's true. Have you ever wondered where the money for the game comes from? I bet it's from the losses of those who previously invested (level 1). So this 'Liar Game' broadcast is like another layer into the conspiracy (level 2). The game never ends (level 3, 4, 5, etc). It's like there are a council behind all these, and they are really invested in the nature of humans.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Even though I know what is going to happen because of having watched Jversion, I really want this drama to do well because I love LSY, KSY and SSK, so far I'm really disappointed that the ratings are so bad, I had hope when episode 4 ratings went above 1%, now episode 5 and 6 has fallen down below 1 again, I think I might know the reason why, most viewers might have been confused with the games and rules, still I can't help but feel sorry for the actors/actress involved.

0
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

i understand how viewers might have been confused with the games and rules in this korean drama. these things are important.

- it established their world, what's acceptable and what's not,
- it informs on what the consequences of the characters' actions in that world would be, including how much suspension of belief is required,
- it helps viewers sort of predict how the situation will play out and what the characters will become due to their choices and actions in that world

if nothing is established in that world, and you don't understand the parameters, it's hard to get in any way invested in anything because nothing makes sense.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thank you anne,
Your posts are quite informative, for someone like me who IS confused, and comes here to try and make sense of things.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The main thing that's been confusing me about Liar Game, and that is a weakness of the show's exposition of how the Game works, are the arrangements with the money: how much they're playing for and with each round, who wins what, who has how much, and the rules surrounding forfeits, etc.

Like, the people who played the reinstatement game this round won money the last round, but it doesn't seem to have carried over to this round, because they all started with a new infusion of virtual cash, the same amount for everyone. So what happened to their money from before? Does Da Jung still have that suitcase chained up in her house, or what? It doesn't help that the subs can be inconsistent with their translation/conversion of the numbers, even within one episode, so I'm never quite sure exactly how much money is at stake, and who's in the black or in the red or breaking even money-wise.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think everyone still has the money that they earned in round 2, but I'm not sure why they couldn't use it. Maybe, it's because they might have to return some money after using the given money from this reinstatement game. In this current game, everyone was given around $300,000. Only the winner can earn money while everyone else has to return that exact amount. If they can't return it, they have to pay it back with their own money.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think 8 people(excluding Woo-Jin who gave his money away) from round 2 won $250,000 each. Bulldog also got some money from Jaime. $2,000,000 total.

What I don't get is what happens to your earned money when you lose. Do you have to give it back? Why was the woman from round 2's final 4 on the run? Do you only earn that money if you have pay the amount to forfeit the game?

0

THIS. SO. MUCH.

it's confusing.

in this recap, it was explained that money they won here and in previous rounds can be confiscated at some point,

and i paused and tried to figure out the rules on the money, winnings, and debts, and players, etc.

and then i just stopped and moved on, as it wasn't clear and i can't really expend much energy on that issue considering the facts aren't clear.

i wish at some point, someone explains the winnings.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Since it's a cable network, around the 1% mark is actually okay. I think 1-3% view ratings for a cable network are considered really good.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for the recap! I have been loving this drama, it's bringing me out of my year long k-drama slump.

I got tired of Nao fairly quickly reading the manga, glad to see that Nam Da Jung is played enough with subtlety. Her gullibility is still endearing, rather than enraging.

As for DY's wine bottle, Google tells me regular bottles of Chateau Cheval Blanc 1947 can fetch very handsome prices. I readily believe his bottle was $15,000 haha.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I like the double episode format (one episodic plot arc is covered by two consecutive episodes), but I feel that I need to watch them back to back.

I feel less irritated with the show now that I start to understand what they are actually trying to do.

I was mislead by what I thought would be the premise: The way the characters were introduced I thought that this show would be based on psychological/lie detection kind of stuff, instead it turns out to be plain mathematics (which is MUCH MUCH easier in terms of exposition), with just the usual kind of background scheming.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I did a double take on Kim So -Eun. Is it just me or does any one else thinks she looks like Shin Se Kyung? I didn't think SSK could be in two drama lead roles simultaneously.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

KSE reminds me of SSk, however KSE's lips are thinner, and SSK is a littler "heavier/curvier," I think. Regarding their faces, they don't completely look alike (though I do see what you mean). And then, there are the mannerisms of both actresses in each drama probably, (which might be different).

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Eh...I'm really tired if the game. I'm so much more interested in the background stories.

I know everyone seems frustrated with Da-Jung but I'm more frustrated with the other players if the game. They're actually supposed to be out for themselves and without the moral quandaries but...none of them think for themselves and they're so easily manipulated (something in the next episode especially annoys me).

I still like the actors and parts of the plot but I find the hands aren't actually that complicated (if you get the rules) and they could be played out more interestingly if more than the villain and the "hero" used their brains.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Before I say anything else I want to say I love Da-jung she's just so cute and adorable.

That being said does anyone else want to beat her, and everyone else, but mostly her with a fish for believing anything that comes out of Jaime's mouth?

Quick side note I recently realized as I was re-watching it that the first time I saw Shin Sung-rok was in Thank You one of my favorite dramas. Although until I re-watched Thank You I thought the first time was Man From Another Star, I'm not sure why I forgot him maybe he's become a much better actor in 7 years, or maybe he was just over powered by Jang Hyuk and Gong Hyo-jin.

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Sajen, Hello!

I agree with your 1st line, and with your 2nd paragraph. Please read some of the comments above, to see how many commenters share your opinion (why do you want to beat her with a fish, by the way? Any reason why you want to use fish instead of something else? Just curious).

1st time I saw SSR was in 3 Dads and one Mom. He was so different there, and so goofy. And I agree with you, he has changed quite a bit (more than quite a bit actually) over the years. My 2nd time was in YFAS. I always like to see how an actor has grown over the years, it is nice to witness their progress (or notice their lack of it, if that is the case). He is also a musical actor, so he has a lot of acting experience under his belt.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

The reason I want to beat her with a fish goes back to when I played this game called Shadow Hearts: Covenant still one of my favorite video games. Anyway there was a character in said game who was a bit of an oddball and used various things as weapons, a mailbox, cactus, etc. One of the things he used was a frozen tuna, since then I've been sort of obsessed with the idea of beating someone with a fish. Also as I don't actually want to hurt her, as she's as I said cute and adorable, it seems like a less hurtful alternative to practically anything else.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Sajen,
Thanks for explaining, LOL. I guess it wouldn't hurt her too much, depending on the strength you use to hit her with the fish. It might be all in the wrist :-) (or the arm).

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

thanks for the recap. Sometimes i dnt even know what to think about Da jung. Is she really so naive to trust Jamie!! I hpe Woo jin works up some magic to save her or else shes screwed.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

@ Edelyne,
About this, "I hpe Woo jin works up some magic to save her or else shes screwed." Quite a few of us thought so at the end of this ep.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks! Can't wait for the episode 6 recap! That episode was DAEBAK.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes it was!!!!!!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Every episode has been really great so far.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

My theory: Do-young is the CEO of L Company's son. He put together this game as an act of revenge. Why? I have no clue.

I really, really, REALLY hate that Jaime woman.

Good episode. I really hope Da-jung starts to realize not everyone is as nice or forgiving or honest as she is and starts playing the Liar Game. Because, yeah, getting frustrated that she keeps getting the wool pulled over her eyes by everyone and their mother. Woo-jin better get in their and save her butt!

Thanks for the recap!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It actually causes me to flinch at how many times Da-Jung keeps getting screwed over. I mean she's either an angel with the purest heart ever, only seeing good in people or maybe just a complete naive fool with her eyes clouded over. Makes me wonder how she survived life this far. You'd think the other contestants would want to keep her around for later when they advance farther and there's only a few of them left, so they can screw her over then. Gang up on the stronger ones first and eliminate them.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Great use of music as narrative in this ep: Ravel's "Pavane for a Dead Princess" during DJ's dinner with DY.

I'm a newcomer to k-dramas and am having a blast. Discovered Liar Game through this blog. Thanks for your excellent recaps and analyses!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *