49 Days Episode 8 Recap

I can’t believe that 49 Days is close to the halfway mark today (its set for 20 episodes), partly because so little substantive plot has happened, and partly because it felt like an interminable slog for me to wade through 8 episodes of mostly boring and repetitive moments for a few striking scenes. There is a possibility that this may be my last recap for this drama, since I’ve given it plenty of time to click with me and it hasn’t. This is an instance where cast chemistry, which almost everyone has with everyone else, isn’t enough to elevate substandard fare.

I’ll likely watch 49 Days to the end, but if episode 9 doesn’t grab me then I’ll revert to being a happier passive watcher rather than an increasingly grumpy active recapper. Today’s episode wasn’t nearly as good as yesterday’s, but did have one scene that really stood out amongst the rest, and to no one’s surprise, it involved Scheduler. I do adore that boy, and Jung Il Woo has done more than enough in 49 Days to wash away his stinker performance in My Fair Lady.

Episode 8 Recap:

In Jung and Ji Kyung stare at each other, the mood tense and uncomfortable. Ji Kyung looks at the groceries that In Jung is carrying, clearly understanding that In Jung is playing the doting girlfriend and bringing over food. In Jung asks what Ji Kyung is doing here? Ji Kyung answers that Kang Min Ho hired her to be his housekeeper. It’s Ji Kyung’s turn to ask In Jung what SHE is doing here?

In Jung lies that she is bringing over soup for Manager Kang as per the request of Ji Hyun’s mom. Ji Jyung takes the food from In Jung, wondering out loud why a secretary is acting like an errand boy and also how In Jung knew the code to this apartment? Ji Kyung casually dismisses In Jung, who quickly lies again that Ji Hyun’s mom told her the code. Ji Kyung throws out the information that Min Ho isn’t coming home until after 11 p.m. tonight.

In Jung leaves, getting in the elevator just as Min Ho arrives, exiting from another elevator. Ji Hyung is angrily cooking, upset that In Jung just shows up and concocts lies like her mom gave In Jung soup to bring to Min Ho. Ji Kyung doesn’t want to cook for Min Ho, so she decides he can just eat the food In Jung brought over.

Min Ho walks in and startles Ji Kyung, who puts her hands on her head and yells out “daddy!” Min Ho finds out that the soup was brought by In Jung, who just left. Ji Kyung notices that he brought paperwork home, as Min Ho walks into his room to call In Jung and placate her. Ji Hyung tries to peek into his room to see where he stashed his important documents, but Min Ho tells her to leave work now and clean up tomorrow.

Ji Kyung leaves but sneaks back in after Min Ho goes to meet In Jung for dinner. Ji Kyung goes inside Min Ho’s room and rifles through his drawers looking for the paperwork. Oh sweetie, there is always a secret compartment somewhere. Min Ho meets In Jung at a restaurant and does his usual slimy excuse-making speech on her. In Jung asks why Song Yi Kyung is at his apartment, and Min Ho turns it around and is upset that she would open the door herself to enter.

While Min Ho asks In Jung what is going on in her mind, she turns it around and asks whether he likes Yi Kyung? Min Ho tries to explain that he simply needed a housekeeper, and that during the 2 years when he dated Ji Hyun, he never once betrayed In Jung emotionally and felt something towards Ji Hyun. In Jung is not happy, but there is nothing else she can say.

Ji Kyung goes home and puts on a track suit, taking Yi Kyung’s body out for a jog around the track. Either Lee Yo Won is the worst runner in the planet, or she was told to run like a madcap fool. Scheduler comes to meet with her, and finds out that Ji Hyun wants to take good care of Yi Kyung’s body, since no one seems to care about her, and Yi Kyung is doing so much for Ji Hyun.

Scheduler wonders why she is wasting her precious limited time doing this, when she still has tears to collect. Scheduler tries to goad Ji Kyung, telling her that her plan to work at Min Ho’s place to earn money and try to get the tears is surely a great kill-two-birds-with-one-stone type of grand scheme. Ji Kyung sits down and tells Scheduler that she spent 4 days just thinking about things.

She knows how long a day is, and how much time she had left in her 34 days. She wants to make the most of it. She thanks Scheduler for being so concerned about her, and finds out that Scheduler has 34 more days until his tenure is up, and Ji Hyun is the final soul he has to schedule. Scheduler secretly scoffs at how Ji Hyun dares to think of him as her friend.

In Jung goes to the restaurant to buy take out, and finds out that Yi Kyung has been fired from her job for supposedly trying to seduce Ji Hyun’s fiancée. In Jung is furious, but also perceptive enough to wonder why Kang is looking out so much for Ji Hyun, when it always appeared that Kang didn’t like Ji Hyun. Kang and the manager talk, with Kang expressing his worry that Yi Kyung is working at a bar in her condition.

Ji Kyung lays down to rest, and Ji Hyun pops out of the body. She talks to the sleeping Yi Kyung, telling her that she’ll feel better after resting for a few more days. Yi Kyung goes to work, and its clear that she notices something doesn’t feel quite right with herself. Dr. Noh comes for coffee, and he hilariously says that it may appear he is a stalker, but all he wants is to make sure Yi Kyung is doing fine.

Yi Kyung tells Dr. Noh that he did the best he could do back then, and it wasn’t his fault. There is no need for Dr. Noh to keep coming again. Dr. Noh says that when Yi Kyung came to him, he had just been married for 3 months. During the happiest time of his life, he met someone going through the worst time of her life. Three years after they got married, there was a car accident where his wife died but he emerged unscathed.

Dr. Noh continues – it’s hard to let go, but his wife would have wanted him to, even though he misses her greatly. Yi Kyung listens to this speech with her hands shaking as she makes his coffee. Back at the apartment, Yi Kyung takes out a faded picture of smiling two kids, one boy and one girl. She thinks back, and she hears a man’s voice yelling “I’m sick and tired of you.” (and it’s totally Scheduler’s voice).

Yi Kyung slaps the picture on the ground as she swallows back her impending tears. Ji Hyun reads the writing on the back of the picture, which reads Song Yi Kyung and Song Yi Soo. Ji Hyun asks Yi Kyung if the boy is her brother? Yi Kyung finally sleeps and Ji Hyun enters her body. The first thing Ji Kyung notices is that Yi Kyung burned her hand last night.

Ji Kyung tells Min Ho that her work hours will be 11-3, but Min Ho wants it from 10-6. They argue back and forth, with Yi Kyung telling him she has other things to do in the afternoon. She tells him that she only needs a few hours to clean his apartment, but Min Ho points out all the other stuff she didn’t do. He tells her that he pities her which is why he gave her a job, so she should stop it with her attitude.

Yi Kyung says that she quits then, but Min Ho stands up and asks for her ID card. She gives it to him, and he notices that her hand is burned. In Jung goes to see Ji Hyun’s dad at the hospital to report on work matters, and In Jung leaves without taking a look at Ji Hyun, which causes Ji Hyun’s mom to note that In Jung has always been a girl with a lot of inner complexity.

In Jung arrives at work just to see Min Ho driving off. She calls him only to have him immediately lie to her than he’s in a meeting and can’t talk. It’s pretty karmic gold to see the lying cheater (In Jung) being lied to and cheated on herself, and she can’t even do anything about it since officially Min Ho is Ji Hyun’s fiancée. In Jung finds out from another secretary that Min Ho claimed that he was sick and cancelled all his afternoon appointments and went home to rest.

In Jung immediately goes to see Kang, pretending to ask about the design project. Kang says that he’s not doing the project, but In Jung says that Min Ho is certain that Kang is still doing it. In Jung maneuvers it so that Kang goes to see Min Ho at his apartment this afternoon to hand over the design sketches and confirm he’s not working on the project anymore.

Ji Kyung is searching diligently in Min Ho’s room, finally deciding to open his closet and search it again for a hidden safe or other such hiding place. She’s about to discover a potential hidden crevice when Min Ho comes home. She pretends to be hanging up his clothes, and he doesn’t even suspect. He gives her ointment for her burn on her hand, and when she refuses to walk away, he grabs her hand. They start tussling, and she finally agrees to take it.

She opens the door to find the soup is burning on the stove. She quickly puts the burning pot in the sink, and Min Ho opens the door to let out the smoke, only to see Kang standing in front of his door. Kang stalks inside and asks what she is doing here? Ji Kyung says that she is working here, and Kang goes into a furious rage and tries to drag her out of there.

Ji Kyung throws off his hand and says that it’s not her concern that she is working at the apartment of Kang’s friend’s fiancée. Kang tries to give her the job back, and she tells him that she wants to continue to work here. Ji Kyung secretly apologizes to Kang, telling him that she needs to work here, but Kang doesn’t know who she really is and why she needs to continue to work for Min Ho.

Kang angrily leaves, and Min Ho listens to this entire conversation with a curious expression. After Kang leaves, Ji Kyung goes into the bathroom to wipe away her tears, upset that she has to be mean to Kang and lead him to misunderstand the situation. Kang comes back to the restaurant to see the two waiters giggling outside and watching a video.

Kang goes into his office and starts throwing furniture and display design around. Min Ho is reading the design portfolio Kang brought over, and Ji Kyung is making dinner. Min Ho the sleaze bucket thinks back to the contradictory statements made by Ji Kyung (when she told Min Ho that she dislikes him, and when she told Kang that she wants to keep working for Min Ho), and he smiles, perhaps under the delusion that Ji Kyung secretly likes him.

Ji Kyung asks Min Ho for money to buy groceries to cook dinner, and he says to go out to eat tonight since she can’t put her hands in water with the raw burn. He takes her to a very homey restaurant, where the owner asks Min Ho why he hasn’t been by recently. Ji Kyung thinks to herself that she’s never been to this restaurant with Min Ho before. Min Ho confesses that this is a restaurant his mother loved very much, and he used to come with her.

Ji Kyung asks why he is bringing her here, telling him that she didn’t stay to work for him because she has warm feelings towards him. Min Ho says that he would never look down upon the pride of a poorer person, but he wonders why Ji Kyung speaks so rudely to him. Is it a sense of pride? After dinner, he hands her the keys to his apartment, and her salary for the day.

Min Ho offers to drive her home, but Ji Kyung declines. As she walks away, she wonders why Min Ho is behaving this way towards a household helper (thinking back to all the things Min Ho has done for Ji Kyung), and her not-as-stupid brain immediately registers the possibility that Min Ho likes Ji Kyung. That night, Ji Hyun chattering to to Yi Kyung that it’s so ridiculous that Min Ho likes either Ji Hyun or Yi Kyung.

Ji Hyun calls Scheduler from the coffee shop, and she asks him to look for Song Yi Soo (which Scheduler asks if that is some sort of mushroom). Ji Hyun thinks the guy is Yi Kyung’s brother, but Scheduler says that he’s not some errand boy and all his time is booked. Ji Hyun reminds Scheduler that he used to be human, too. Scheduler tells Ji Hyun that he died too early, at 23, and perhaps he never experienced love before.

Ji Hyun asks isn’t it true that Scheduler doesn’t have any memories of when he was alive? Scheduler may have lost his memories, but the feelings in his heart remains, and he’s only a Scheduler so that he can live the life he ought to have experienced but didn’t since he died so young. Ji Hyun says that Scheduler’s story is so sad, and Scheduler tells Ji Hyun not to tell him to waste his precious time on a woman like Yi Kyung.

Scheduler turns to leave just as Yi Kyung turns to walk back to the counter after wiping the storefront windows, and the two of them pause and there is this frisson of awareness in Scheduler’s eyes as he stares as Yi Kyung. He tells Ji Hyun to never again call him to meet at a place where Yi Kyung is. He walks out and Yi Kyung’s eyes look red-rimmed.

In Jung asks Seo Woo whether she is planning to go to Kang’s restaurant today to celebrate his birthday. Seo Woo grumbles that Ji Hyun used to go with her every year, and In Jung offers to accompany her this year. In Jung asks Seo Woo what she would do if Kang liked some other girl? Ji Kyung has found the hidden safe, but she cannot crack the code to open it. Min Ho is at a work meeting when he gets a call that Ji Hyun’s dad is coming to work right now (the call is from the driver, who is in cahoots with Min Ho).

In Jung quickly texts Min Ho to tell him that Ji Hyun’s father has met with some senior executives. Ji Hyun’s father reprimands In Jung for telling Min Ho about his schedule. Min Ho wonders why Ji Hyun’s father came to work without telling him first, and met with those executives. He drives Ji Hyun’s dad back to the hospital, where Ji Hyun’s father suddenly runs into the bathroom to heave.

Min Ho thinks back to a previous instance where he saw the same thing, and he witnessed Ji Hyun’s father arguing with the doctor and clutching his head. Min Ho finds out from the doctor that Ji Hyun’s father is suffering from a brain tumor and is pressing on his nerves. It’s a dangerous operation with a low chance of success, but there is no other option.

Initially Ji Hyun’s father agreed to the surgery the day after the wedding, but after Ji Hyun got into the accident, he now refuses to have the surgery until Ji Hyun wakes up from her coma. Ji Kyung is at home writing down all the possible 6 digit combinations. She looks at the calendar and realizes that today is Kang’s birthday.

Ji Kyung brings seaweed soup to the restaurant for Kang, who is upstairs passed out on the bed from likely a previous night’s excessive drinking. The manager wakes him up and drags him downstairs to have something to eat. Kang asks what the occasion is, and is told that it’s Kang’s birthday. Kang sees that there is egg in the seaweed soup, and wonders if his mom told the manager about that.

The manager says that he didn’t make the soup, it was brought over by Yi Kyung. Kang flashes back to high school, when his mom brought seaweed soup with egg and a lunchbox to school for him. Kang throws the food on the ground and runs off, with his mom chasing after him. In class, Ji Hyun goes to the front of the class to perform a magic trick. Kang has a bad attitude, and Ji Hyun challenges him to a magic trick show down, and the loser has to do what the winner wants.

Ji Hyun performs the magic trick, and Kang has to guess where the bottle cap went. Kang guesses that it’s in her sleeves, and she shakes it out to show that it’s not there. She tells Kang to come with her, and she drags him outside to eat the lunch that his mom brought. Kang realizes that Ji Hyun likely saw his confrontation with his mom and later got the lunch from her.

Kang tries to push the seaweed soup away, and Ji Hyun smacks him on the head with her spoon and tells him to finish the food or else he’s in trouble. Kang tells her to turn around and he’ll drink it. She happily turns around and eats her food, telling him to keep drinking and then checking to make sure he finished it all.

Kang asks the manager if it’s true that Yi Kyung brought the food over. Kang gets upset, and confirms that the seaweed soup is the same that his mom used to make. He tells the manager that he’s really confused right now, whether its about Ji Hyun or Yi Kyung he’s not sure. Kang rushes off and barely spares a glance at In Jung or Seo Woo, who are arriving at the restaurant.

Kang goes to Min Ho’s apartment and rings the doorbell repeatedly until Ji Kyung opens the door. He walks right up to her and asks her again why she is here? He tells her that it doesn’t matter if she likes Min Ho or not, he doesn’t care. If she doesn’t like Min Ho, then she should not be here anymore. Kang grabs her and her bag and proceeds to drag her out of the apartment.

Thoughts of Mine:

This drama has way too much hand/arm grabbing from two of its three male leads. In fact, I can count on Ji Kyung getting grabbed and/or yelled at by either or both Min Ho and Kang in every single fraking episode. Stop it, writer-nim, it’s not cool or meta anymore. Frankly, Kang is turning increasingly annoying for me to watch by how he treats Yi Kyung. He treats her without much concern for her feelings or considerations, what with the constant yelling and belligerency in his attitude.

Yes, I know he’s confused because he likes her and can’t figure out why, but that doesn’t excuse the hot and cold he blows towards her on a consistent basis. So what if she works for Min Ho? It takes two to tango, if they were in fact cheating on comatose Ji Hyun, so why isn’t he telling Min Ho to back off? I really don’t much like grabbity and yelling heroes, so I hope Kang lays off soon.

Min Ho is such a complicated character, and it appears that the driving factor behind his deceit is a sense of insecurity from likely a childhood of want and (near) poverty. I like that he’s the first person to know that Ji Hyun’s dad is one-foot in the grave as well, because I want to see what he’s going to do about it. Let his conscience (if he has one) stop himself from going any further, or go all the way regardless of an even more devastating consequence of his betrayal.

It’s a testament to how much I adore both Bae Soon Bin and Seo Ji Hye that I don’t want to instantly stabbity their characters when they come onscreen, but instead I’m able to hate them on principle but still find them gorgeously fascinating. I love how strong Ji Hyun has become in the short two weeks she’s been inhabiting Yi Kyung’s body, and how she’s taken to both taking care of Yi Kyung as well as doing her best to handle the mess surrounding Ji Hyun’s life.

I can’t say 49 Days is a bad drama, really it’s not, but it’s a drama that has turned out to be not at all what I expected. I don’t mean plot, because I had no expectations of plot, but rather the tone and direction of the drama feels rather scattered. In 8 episodes, we’ve had less than 30 minutes combined worth of plot developments related to Ji Kyung getting those 3 tears.

It’s been mostly about Min Ho and In Jung’s cheating and their swindle plot, and Ji Kyung’s attempt to expose them. In the last two episodes we’ve gotten some Yi Kyung back story as well. But what about getting those 3 tears, which to be honest is the most important part of the story actually. I feel like the subplot of Min Ho-In Jung have taken over the main plot of Ji Hyun getting her three tears.

If Ji Hyun had more than half a brain, she would realize that getting those tears are paramount to stopping In Jung and Min Ho, because she has one chance to do that, whereas she can easily alert the authorities and have In Jung and Min Ho arrested afterwards once Ji Hyun is back in the world of the living. Furthermore, the fact that her dad and mom have pretty much given up the house and office to live in her hospital room should indicate to her that they would gladly give Min Ho their entire fortune to get Ji Hyun back. Priorities, lady!

It’s because I find 49 Days so frustrating a watch that I just can’t emotionally get invested in this story. With a cast I love (even little doll Nam Gyu Ri has grown on me with her chirpy performance) and a concept I find fascinating, it’s really a shame I can’t like this drama more. With the lack of comments for this recap series, it appears that most folks either aren’t watching or don’t like it much either. So I don’t feel as bad potentially dropping it next week.


Comments

49 Days Episode 8 Recap — 51 Comments

  1. And he wasn’t even wearing a dead muppet this episode. 😎

    OTOH, who knows if she’ll remember any of this if/when she wakes up?

    The Scheduler…he is very cute, no? He’s really the best thing about this show. Actually I was watching while chatting with someone and when they got to the handgrab, I was wishing for some k-drama heroine to just right cross to the jaw the next guy who did that.

    • The amount of hand/arm grabbing done to Ji Kyung in this drama is astonishing considering its not an early 2000s Hallyu oldie. At this day and age, I would have swung my left hook and decked both Min Ho and Kang, and then kicked them in the gonads a few times for good measure before walking away.

      • Oohhh what’s with the violence, ahihihi 😉 I like the pink salmon trench coat anyways, posh…. 😀

    • It was originally a 16 ep drama, but looks like it may run for 20 episodes now. That’s good for the drama, it needs the extra time since so little plot has been dealt with.

      • Great! Because as you said, those tears are important, and well, we’re still waiting for that first one to drop. With some parts dragging, I don’t think 16 episodes would be enough to create a tidy wrap-up of the story.

      • i actually really like how this drama and am totally invested i feel this drama giving out lots of meaning about death, love etc and i like how they make each character equally as important as in i feel like they are all the main leads which probably is the cause of the slow development but it doesn’t bother me and i’m glad they did that i like being emotionally invested in every character before everything unfolds i was actually unsure about this drama but now i love it, beacuase all the characters are very different esp.. the antagonists i found this kdrama very different from the rest

      • like how this drama is going and is really a very good drama is what i meant to say in the first line

  2. You mentioned that it’s the halfway mark, but I am pretty sure it’s set for 20-24 episodes. Interesting recap, and I’m sorry that you’re not enjoying it more than you are. I personally didn’t plan to watch this drama and didn’t think I’d even like it, but I tuned in for the cast. I really like it a lot so far. Hopefully it gets better for you!

  3. no, no, no, I have been faithfully reading your every recap because you’re so fast. Please do not stop, unless you feel you need to pull your hair out.

    Even with all it’s flaws, 49 days is the only current kdrama that has caught my interest. I can’t get enough of crazy Scheduler and hottie Han Kang so it would be a sad day when you decide to throw in the towel.

    How about we make a deal and I will promise to post a comment after every recap until the end? Deal? Pretty please”?

  4. I will be terribly sad if you cease posting recaps for this show. But I understand that you have a busy life and that you shouldn’t cater attention to something, especially a hobby that you aren’t interested in. I appreciate the time and effort you put in producing such amazing recaps.

    I wasn’t really interested in watching this drama until you posted recaps.
    Probably the reason why I am more captivated into this drama because this is my 4th drama I ever watched. I am also currently watching the korean drama Can you hear my heart. I like it so much, it’s so light-hearted, the child actors play such winning roles.

  5. I feel like this drama is like a bowl of lukewarm ramen noodles – it would have tasted so good if it’s hot but it’s lukewarm.

    I guess for a drama to really captivate its audience there has to be some major plot development by 1/3 of the drama (let’s say knowing who Scheduler is or Kang decides to be more involved with Ji Kyung, as an example). Really the gem of the drama is JIW. (LYW is doing a good job too considered she’s occupying more than half of the screen time and i still find pleasure watching her) This is like a “harmless” drama for continual watching but there’s no urge to nervously waiting for its weekly releases.

    And yes, it’s not a bad drama. Just lukewarm.

  6. thanks so much….i love your recaps and your thoughts…i sorry to hear you are not liking this drama…i confess i feel the same but i always look forward to your recaps before watching the raw and the subbed version…*pouts wished it was like the PK days*

    may xoxox to you!!

  7. oh Koala…you’ll stop recapping? I haven’t been followed this drama much due to the busy crazy schedule @ this point. But your recap keeps me up-to-date… I like the concept even like the message behind the series. I haven’t watch so I can’t say much about the acting but based on the screen-cap, I like the scheduler’s presence. He gives so much life to the scene (almost in everything that he’s in..it could also be because we want to learn more about him, how he gets to where he is and what will happen to him?)

    Could he be the brother of KY? Could she be the cause of his death? Only a person who has done something she thinks she did wrongly would behave such a certain way. Could it be because he died in anger because of her? It’s truly a dreadful experience when someone you love die because of you.

    I think I’m more interested about the relationship between KY and the Schedule more than others.

    The other stories although are starting to piece together bits by bits are still a bit fragmented. The story at time is dragging…so hopefully the pace will pick up a bit!

    Fighting! ^_^

  8. I’m enjoying your take on the drama. Sorry you don’t seem to be enjoying it. I actually am enjoying the show. It’s a little slow but I think it really needed time to set the groundwork.
    Including fantasy elements into everyday life isn’t easy to write while letting everything flow but I think the writing has been pretty decent so far…I’m keeping my fingers crossed…If all else fails, there’s still Scheduler!! he really is the best :p

  9. I really like this show’s premise, but the flow and direction is slow. When watching it raw, I find myself checking if it’s halfway or 3/4 or near the end yet? I like the scenes with scheduler with the 2 girl leads or just the 2 girls. When Kang is on (first drama I’ve seen of him), I can’t help but stare at him at how good he looks compared before MS and that hairstyle (common trend now for actors) suits hims well. Back to the show, I can see instead of feeling more of the chemistry between the male/female lead (Kang/Ji Kyung). But I’m definitely sticking to watching this as I still want to see how things develop.

    Thanks always ockoala for the recaps. On a different topic, your manga reviews are another joyful read!

  10. I think the writer like the handgrabbing very much. As I remember Lee Seung Gi (in Brilliant legacy) grabbed Han Hyo Joo’s hand a lot. Even after he is formally her boyfriend.
    And I can see that Scheduler is not comfortable with Yi Kyung’s soul, not Yi Kyung’s body. Because he can comfortably talk with Ji Kyung, but can’t stand with Yi Kyung is around.
    So, sigh… I hope a lot of Yi Kyung-Scheduler for next week, since Ji Hyun is not thinking of her 3 teardrops’ quest.
    Thank you for your recaps.

  11. I know the direction is abit lacking and the pace could be faster (sometimes the camera pan on the faces too much), but overall I think this is one of the better dramas, plotwise in recent months.

    The writer has managed to weave a web of relationships and kept the secrets well while revealing some infor to us bit by bit, ep by ep. Much like a poker card player holding her cards close to her but revealing one card at a time.

    I really like the show, finally a drama that I can chase for the story line and not only for the cast.

    My only grip is Lee Yo Won actually, I know many love her , but I find that she didnt portray Jihyun that well. I could imagine Nam Gyuri going over the top for some of the scenes and Lee Yo Won hadnt manage to portray those, she just look deadpan to me.

    • The writer has managed to weave a web of relationships and kept the secrets well while revealing some infor to us bit by bit, ep by ep. Much like a poker card player holding her cards close to her but revealing one card at a time.

      If this type of drama is what you are looking for, I highly highly recommend Mawang (also called The Devil). A brilliant script with the one of the best executions of any drama I have ever seen. Every scene is perfectly rendered and exquisite, with details revealed layer by layer like a French onion.

      I think 49 Days tries hard, but both the writing and the directing are just not up to snuff. It’s better than most trendy fare, but that’s not really a quality standard to aspire to.

      Oh, and my personal feeling on LYW, I’m not a fan, but what I find the disconnect is how over the top NGR acts as JH, which makes it seen like LYW as JH is deadpan, when really NGR’s overacting is what make JH unrealistically cartoonish.

      Just my 2 cents~ 🙂

  12. Hi Koala. Frankly I haven’t seen any episode yet. But your recaps had me hooked and I was planning to watch the series in the near future once I finish all the work I’ve neglected due to SH and a few others before that. I hope you won’t stop. Please?

  13. Yeah, I get you ockoala. 49 days is.. dare I say it… BORING. Watched the first episode and I dozed off twice. After episode 2 I just threw up my hands in the air and decided to stick to reading recaps instead. I don’t know.. it feels like this show hasn’t delivered on any of its promises yet (and I had expected a lot!), and it’s already episode 8. At this point, viewers (my) patience is wearing thin with nothing really significant happening (after the accident it’s all zombie walk). Just hanging in there for JIW…

    But great job making interesting an otherwise yawn-inducing drama in your recaps 🙂

    • Oh Liesel,

      It’s been challenging to say the least, which leads me to think that perhaps I ought to bank 49 Days and marathon it when its over. I don’t think this drama’s slow pacing and teeth-pulling plot developments lends itself to a week-to-week watch. Perhaps it’ll hold up better when watched in its entirety.

      LOL, I’m planning to screencap the hell out of Scheduler even if I don’t recap anymore. JIW = my heart be still, you cheeky boy, you!

  14. Aww. Now their is a HIGH possibility that the scheduler is JK’s sister. 🙁 I wish he was her boyfriend instead :((((((((((

  15. I always read your recap and always feel thanks for doing that. You are very fast for doing recap. You did such a great job. Actually I really enjoyed this drama because I really love Kang. I also think that this drama is kinda slow but it’s still good. By the way, thanks you very very much for doing recap. Please don’t stop doing that. If you dont want to do it, it’ s alright.

  16. Thanks for the recap Koala! I hope it gets better though so that you wouldn’t stop recapping it since I intend to see it through, and watching it without your recap is like, well, eating a banana split without the cherries on top, which is not, technically, a banana split at all — less colour, less flavour, less enjoyable. Maybe it will get better Koala, I think the dramagods are actually reading your recaps. I hope…

  17. To be honest with myself, everything you said about this show is right on the mark. But but but…I’m distracted by the yummy eye-candy at the moment, and enjoying my fill, which is why the plot recycling and the lack of focus of this show doesn’t phase me. At least not yet. (^^”)

  18. It amazes me how superfast and accurate you recap this show while you don’t enjoy it much. I won’t be able to do that, even if I get paid 🙂 I watch this show raw with Softy’s transcap, check out your recap since yours is superfast and the last DB’s.
    My Korean is limited to saranghamnida and mianeyo (did I write it right?) and a lot is lost in subtitle so I have to read the recaps first. Sooo, it’s too bad that you potentially dropping it next week but thanks for these 8 episodes. Please save your energy for May, I’m crossing my fingers that you’ll recap Best Love. Btw love your screencap in this episode.

    • Thanks, omo. The screencapping for this drama has been a dream, everyone is so beautiful and each stand alone scene looks great.

  19. Sooo…. if you say 49 Days is Boring,
    what’s the best drama for you

    MSOAN????

    ROFL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Don’t compare MSOAN, yes, she likes that drama, but she never said she loved the plot. Is just that the OTP was adorable and I too watched it and enjoyed that couple.

      About 49 days if she Actually doesn’t like the main actress and the main character like Kang, I think she can’t enjoy it like we do, so she isn’t forced to do recaps of a drama she does ‘t enjoy too much… I prefer she doesn’t.

      I like 49 days, but I have to agree some times the things are too slow, and they have to stop using a entire episode for for example look for a safe or finds out the code. I would like it more if she goes around looking for her friends or they showing us more about Yi Kyung and scheduler past. But I do not worry so much yet because it has 24 episodes and I know until episode 11 they will show us all scheduler past (Il woo said so himself^^)

      Btw, I really want to ask something, some people keep complaing about 49 days being slow, but when I think about secret garden for example, which everyone loved, how come everyone that loved KJW and that childish behavior and slow paced plot and not like 49 days? (I’m reffering to people from other site btw….)

    • @kwencya

      Perhaps if you used your brain before writing, the exercise might be good for it? I have a top 10 list above, which you ought to read before stringing random words together into a sentence to make yourself feel smart. I could care less what you like, but try not to assume and attribute opinions to me.

  20. I really enjoy this drama and reading recaps from Dramabeans and I’m sure others do too since it’s always written in a more positive way and because she enjoys it. So it makes reading the recaps a lot more fun. So I completely respect your decision of stopping this because I’m sure people are better off not reading all your criticisms and negativity about the drama and you shouldn’t recap and get frustrated…… and just watch it and enjoy it yourself.

    • Omo, you’re so right.

      I usually go to DB and AKP for my kdrama daily dose but I must admit that DB is much better recapping drama than AKP. I’m actually kinda annoyed with Koala recap on 49D because, hey, this drama isn’t THAT sucks.

      I was a frequent reader and always check on your blog and db for kdrama update but now I think I’m bit tired with so many bashing on your 49D recap.

      Did you say that you’ll talk about drama if you want to? I’m shocked you made it to ep 8 if you don’t like this drama THAT MUCH. And hey, maybe the lack of comments is not because people isn’t interested in the drama, maybe because people isn’t interested in YOUR RECAP because in dramabeans 49D get lots of love from their readers.

      So please, stop recapping this series. You don’t like it and your readers don’t like the way you recapping so it’s a lose – lose for both sides.

      • wahhh you are so harsh… Unlike the recapers, I really love the drama, and feel invested emotionally with the character, because some moment make me feeling close and related to the character. Maybe ockoala don’t find that feeling and feel the story didn’t progress well or below her expectation, and I recpect her opinion. I”m very thankful t read her recap. Reading a different perspective for a drama is fun to me.

      • @ 49D FTW
        “Omo, you’re so right”
        About what?? You lost me.

        As for me, I enjoy both their recaps, both enrich my kdrama watching since I just need to know every little things. And as for the review they make, it’s their blog their opinion. I don’t always agree with ockoala or jb or gf, but the fact that they write the blog alone, I appreciate and admire..a lot.

      • yeah yeah !!

        100% agree…

        you don’t like the plot, you don’t like the main actress and the main character, really you’d better STOP .
        unless this will add wrinkles in your face. lol

    • I don’t have a single criticism or so-called negativity in my recap. My recap proper for each episode has been plot-only and devoid of my usual flourishes, partly because nothing comes to me to snark or swoon about.

      If you are talking about my critique of this drama in my Thoughts section of each recap, well, (1) there is no need for you to read it, and (2) when does critical analysis equal negativity? I clearly explain my logic and the rationale behind why I have a certain opinion. Negativity is being negative for no reason, which I find you will have a hard time justifying when referring to my thoughts on this drama.

  21. Couldn’t they at least used younger actors to portray the high school years? I’m much more interested in Yi Kyung’s story, so I hope it moves much faster. Ji Hyun’s story has way too much drama.

  22. yesss, you’d better stop recapping,

    i’m also tired to read all your critism about this drama.

    whatever, if you don’t enjoy this drama. don’t recap it, it just make the haters more to hate.

    PLEASE STOP RECAPPING 49 DAYS, KOALA

    yeah yeah, not many comments becoz DB has recapped this drama with a lot of fun. you can see HUNDREDS comments there.

    and also we have Rebelsouls for life recaps.

    49 DAYS lovers won’t loose any if you dropp these.

    STOP IT… PLEASE STOPPPP !!!!

    • whata! That was just utterly appalling!!! I am so hurt and I’m not even Koala. I think that you should stop visiting this site then, alright. That was just plain rude. How in the world could you say such a thing when you are just a “visitor” here??? HELLO! KNOCK KNOCK! This is Koala’s blog and we’re just here as visitors, you see. It’s like going to a house with a nice, warm host welcoming us, feeding and entertaining us but you just didn’t like the curtains and you just blow your top off, berating her with such nonsense. Where are your manners, dude? Jeez! If you don’t want the place, then just leave, my goodness. Why bother coming here and wreak havoc and spoil everyone’s enjoyment? I do love Koala’s recaps that’s why I’m here and if you’d go ranting and comparing this playground with the other site well then just go there will you. What are you doing here? Go dude! Leave and never return!

  23. I think the timer is the brother that was killed soo timer is song yi kyung brother cus the way they look at eachother at the coffee shop, his words to ji Hyun when he was next to song yi kyung so that they are related he said to never call him agian for this women which can mean that song yi soo is him because we never learned his name b4

  24. Hi, I just want to stop by and give you, ockoala, full support for whatever you do for this drama.

    I know it’s hard to recap something which doesn’t interest me. I did it before. I stop for recapping ep 3 – 5 of 49 Days because it’s easy for me to watch than recap.

    And I agree with larkspur, please.. please, don’t read her recap if you don’t like it. And if some of you don’t want to hear her comment but still want to read her recap, just stop at the comment section.

    Her recap is well done and objective. And it’s hard to do it, with some consistency (ockoala always drop her recap at seven or eight in the morning of my country). It took a lot of effort to do that. I know it, because of that consistency is what I am lack of.

  25. i can believe you actually enjoyed the piece of crap that MSOAN was that they even switched writers and so many people dropped it. Even the pretty cast couldn’t save that sinking ship. But yet it seems that here, a drama with a great cast, better storyline, and a better pace can’t get through you. I really don’t get it..

    and a lot of people are watching this drama btw.

    • This is becoming quite a nuisance, having to explain basic concepts of logic to fans of 49 Days. I never said M3 was a good drama, only that I happen to like it (like = a subjective emotion, neither correlated with quality nor meant as a validation thereof of the object of said like).

      I never said 49 Days is a bad drama, quite the contrary, I specifically said it wasn’t a bad drama, but merely that I find it has yet to coalesce for me and the plot is rather scattered and unfocused up to this point.

      Frankly, this type of discourse is completely imbecilic to begin with, since we are discussing K-dramas and not a subject matter in which there is an inherent right or wrong. It’s not like I profess to like genocide and hate humanitarian aid for orphans of AIDS in Africa – a preference which might indicate I had no soul and was perhaps a sociopath.

      On the subject matter of K-dramas, liking or disliking a certain drama certainly is a non-judgmental perogative. Ever heard of something called a “guilty pleasure”? I’m sure you have it, too, and it’s hardly anything worth being ashamed of or having to defend.

      The very definition of a guilty pleasure is itself an oxymoron – you feel guilty because you happen to like something that sucks. So what. Get it through your narrow mind that whether I happen to find M3 a guilty pleasure (which I do, it sucks but I happened to have enjoyed it for my own reasons) in no way precludes my reaction to 49 Days. It neither makes 49 Days better or worse.

      I highly welcome productive and intelligent discourse on why you think my critiques on 49 Days is incorrect or why you happen to like the drama for whatever reason. Your entire argument above rests on a faulty premise that completely undermines your position, and only highlights the limited intellectual grasp you have on putting forth cogent and persuasive arguments on behalf of your position.

      Come back when you can argue a valid point. Until then, verbal diahrrea is best kept to yourself.

  26. i’ve been following this drama and reading your recaps and though i like this drama, watching this is like doing a homework, definitely i’m not hooked with 49 days. If you stop recapping I fully understand. And yes I noticed that the collecting 3 tears are relegated in this drama when it has to be the most important thing.
    at the beginning I dislike Min Ho and his scenes and I like Kang a lot, but now I’m tired of Kang and even find Min Ho cute and want him to have good reasons for all he’s doing and get the girl? Besides the scheduler Min Ho is the character I like best.
    Thanks for recaping 😉

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