The King 2 Hearts Episode 19 Recap

There is very little I can write here that won’t completely spoil episode 19 of The King 2 Hearts, so I’ll keep it short. This drama continues to climb towards a climax when most other dramas are crawling to a whimpering conclusion. A few more twists and turns are revealed, and the road to ever after for a King and Queen is still not a given. Faced with an opponent with unlimited financial means and influence, even when he’s outed as a murderer, Bong Goo doesn’t necessarily get his just desserts yet. I wanted all the angst to wrap up this episode so I could spend the final episode just watching the cute and happy. But it looks like I’m going to gear myself for more bumps even until the very end. I won’t be able to recap on my normal schedule tomorrow since I’ve got a flight to catch. If possible I’ll drop a baby recap, otherwise the recap will be up when it’s up when I land at the opposite coast.

Episode 19 recap:

Princess Jae Shin is attending a small birthday celebration for the head court lady. She is happy to be there, and gives a nice purse as a present, which makes the birthday lady quite pleased. Jae Shin smiles, remembering Shi Kyung’s homework for her to smile three times a day. Oh, my Koala sense is not liking what this is meant to juxtapose as foreshadowing.

Back to where the cliffhanger left off at the end of episode 18, which is literally taking place AT a cliff in China – Shi Kyung points a gun at Jae Ha, who stares back in shock and disbelief. Jae Ha is made to sit on a plush chair right across from Bong Goo, so Bong Goo can pretend they are two heads of state negotiating. Bong Goo repeats the same demand – abdicate his throne and break up with Kim Hang Ah.

Bong Goo threatens the people of South Korea if Jae Ha doesn’t comply, giving him 10-minutes to make up his mind. Hang Ah is in a car with her dad and she wants to go back, she’s worried about Jae Ha. Her dad assures her that Jae Ha will be fine, but Hang Ah reveals that she made a private promise with Jae Ha that she didn’t tell her dad about.

Jae Ha asks Shi Kyung if he really intends to shoot him? Shi Kyung admits that he was shaken before – when Jae Ha wanted to abdicate and when Jae Ha didn’t want him to come on this mission. But he didn’t serve Jae Ha because Jae Ha was the King, it was because Jae Ha never gives up even when faced with the most hopeless of circumstances. So True! Not necessarily Jae Ha being that tenacious, but more like he refuses to be practical and simply plows ahead on gut and grit alone when he sets his mind to it.

Shi Kyung tells Jae Ha that he’s made his choice, and his choice is…..Jae Ha. Shi Kyung turns the gun around and points it at Bong Goo, ordering everyone not to move. We flash back to Shi Kyung and Jae Ha planning his undercover mission and setting code words. Turns out the moment Shi Kyung called Jae Ha, he had already given the code, allowing for Jae Ha to send Dong Ha off to input the code into a computer and find out where Bong Goo is planning to take Jae Ha. Ah yeah, I love it.

Suddenly a bunch of soldiers and guards come rushing out on the cliff, the South Korean led by Dong Ha, and the North Koreans led by Young Bae. Immediately the tables have turned and Shi Kyung yells at Bong Goo’s out-numbered guards to lower their weapons NOW! The guards lower their weapons. Jae Ha says if asked to choose between himself or his country, he’s instead going to choose…Bong Goo. Checkmate.

We see Hang Ah calmly walking up to a lighthouse overlooking the cliff. She’s wearing a pretty feminine dress but carrying a sniper rifle. A woman of my heart. She deftly assembles the long range rifle and then looks through the eye piece and locks onto Bon Bon. Back on the cliff, everyone has put down their weapons except for Bon Bon, and Shi Kyung points his gun at her and tells her to put down her weapon.

Bon Bon slowly puts down her weapon, only to pull back up and attempt to shoot. Before she can pull the trigger, Hang Ah expertly shoots her in her gun arm so Bon Bon’s shot goes wild. Then she is pumped full of bullets by Shi Kyung and Jae Ha’s guards. Ding dong, the witch is dead. Bon Bon goes down all bloodied, twitching one last time for good measure.

Suddenly ICC agents arrive on the scene, obviously also having been alerted by Jae Ha earlier, and move to place Bong Goo under arrest. As they are arresting Bong Goo, Shi Kyung lowers his gun and turns to Jae Ha, and the two smile in relief and happiness. Bong Goo’s hand is handcuffed, but he suddenly pulls out a small derringer from behind his neck and shoots Shi Kyung.

WHAT!?!?!? Nooooooooooooooooooooo………… No no no. NO. It’s clear Bong Goo aimed for Shi Kyung purposely, and not Jae Ha, asking why Shi Kyung did this to him. Shi Kyung crumbles and Jae Ha grabs him. Jae Ha tells Shi Kyung to stop talking and calls for an ambulance.

Shi Kyung tells Jae Ha that this mission was his own choice, and he succeeded at it because Bong Goo has been captured. He reminds Jae Ha to never give up in the future. Jae Ha cries and screams at Eun Shi Kyung to not die. He keeps crying and telling Shi Kyung not to die. OMG, I cannot see through my tears. This is as bad if not worse than when Jae Kang died. Drama, you are so mean. I kinda hate you right now.

Shi Kyung flashes back to all his poignant memories with Jae Shin and his father. Shi Kyung takes his last breath and dies in Jae Ha’s arms. We see Dong Ha and Young Bae standing to the side, Team WOC almost all present. Hang Ah watched this all from her perch on the lighthouse.

After returning to South Korea, Hang Ah has the task of informing Jae Shin that Shi Kyung died. Jae Shin doesn’t believe her, Shi Kyung told her he was taking a vacation. He would never lie to her, and he promised to come back to her. He even gave her homework while he was away. Jae Shin cries, completely heartbroken, while Hang Ah holds her and cries as well.

Secretary Eun is sitting in Shi Kyung’s office, touching Shi Kyung’s name plate and looking around. It’s always heartbreaking when a white haired person sends off a black haired person. I suppose the Heavens are fair, now Secretary Eun and the Queen Mother are even in terms of losing a son.

Jae Ha walks inside and asks Secretary Eun if he thinks Jae Ha caused Shi Kyung death. Jae Ha also thinks that, Shi Kyung died because Jae Ha was the King, because he was serving Jae Ha. But because Jae Ha is the King, he can’t afford to think like that. Jae Ha asks what Secretary Eun thinks of him? He’s got a totally different personality than Shi Kyung, but will he do as a surrogate son? Jae Ha hugs Secretary Eun and tells him that he will be filial towards Secretary Eun in Shi Kyung’s stead, as if Secretary Eun was his own father.

Jae Ha, Secretary Eun, and a bevy of royal guards and military officials are all gathered at the cemetery for Shi Kyung’s service. It’s totally touching that he’s being honored and sent off with such honor and with the people who he loved and served with and for.

Dong Ha speaks up, asking Jae Ha to call Shi Kyung’s soul back since he died on an overseas mission. Jae Ha steps forward and orders Eun Shi Kyung to return to his troop and then salutes him. The guards give him a rifle send off.

Bong Goo sits across from the secretary of the ICC, who asks if there was a trick when the video was recorded. Oh COME ON! He asks Bong Goo if he tried to kill King Lee Jae Kang. Club M’s lawyers arrive and present a bail request for Bong Goo. Jae Ha finds out and says he can’t be freed on bail.

Daniel Craig tells Bong Goo that South Korea is objecting to his bail, claiming he is a strong flight risk. Bong Goo finds out powerful countries that have dealt with him in the past are not stepping up to help him, such as China, so he order Daniel Craig to start threatening those countries to back him up.

Hang Ah is at a public service event when she gets a call from the Queen Mother. After she chats and assures the Queen Mother that all is well, she gets a call from Jae Ha. He asks for a date after she’s done with her event, but she plays coy, claiming she’s too busy with wedding prep.

Hang Ah asks if they can date like a normal couple, go have coffee and walk around holding hands. They agree to meet up afterwards for a date. We see Jae Ha has saved a new picture of Hang Ah as his phone background.

Jae Ha gets a call from the US stating that over 200 politicians from various countries are putting together a petition for Bong Goo to get bail. The US guy says it’s a tragedy arresting Bong Goo since he’s indispensible to so many countries. Jae Ha retorts that Bong Goo is a murderer, but the US guy says it’s up to the court to make a judgment. He wants South Korea to help them on the bail petition, otherwise North Korea will experience more sanctions. Jae Ha refuses to play ball with the political needs of the US and China and he hangs up on the guy.

Jae Ha meets with some South Korean politicians, who say that refusing to grant bail to Bong Goo will affect the South Korean economy. This time Secretary Eun is on his side, saying they cannot agree to bail because Bong Goo will surely flee to a country without extradition laws. Bong Goo must face justice. Hang Ah walks by and overhears this.

Hang Ah sits down with her dad and asks if it’s true, that China has cut off aid to North Korea to pressure them? She tells him that Bong Goo can’t be released, doesn’t he know what Bong Good did to her? Her dad confesses North Korea is under immense pressure right now. Releasing Bong Goo on bail is technically something only South Korea cares about. Hang Ah tells him that protecting the King is her job, wasn’t he the one who told her to become a South Korean? Hang Ah begs him to be on her side, she loves South Korea.

Hang Ah finds Jae Ha all stressed out while reading documents in his room. Hang Ah walks in and tries to assure Jae Ha that everything will work out. He apologizes for not being able to keep his promise to bring Bong Goo to justice. Hang Ah tells Jae Ha that North Korea is on his side, and she’ll help as well. She can be a witness and testify before the ICC, since one of his alleged crimes is shattering the peace between North and South Korea.

Jae Ha doesn’t want her to do anything, just stay by her side until Bong Goo is punished. He is clearly worried about her and doesn’t want her to go anywhere. She wants to help him because right now there is no one else. She doesn’t want them to hide here because that would mean they are scared of Bong Goo. Hang Ah gets upset and stalks out.

Hang Ah grumbles about Jae Ha when she gets a call that she needs to head somewhere because there is an elderly person who needs to see her right now. Hang Ah gets out of the car at a completely dark location and the car drives off. Suddenly fireworks go off and all the lights come on in the pavilion before her, plus the water in the fountains all turn on. Jae Ha is standing there, doing his smooth guy thing. He walks up to her and apologizes her earlier.

Hang Ah smirks and asks “oh no, what is Kim Bong Goo suddenly shows up here”, pretending to be all scared. Jae Ha smiles, knowing she’s using his worry for her to mock him. He apologizes for always getting mad at her and speaking in a loud voice, and he’s sorry for that. He’s booked the entire amusement park for their date tonight. He tells her the reason he’s so afraid of losing her is because he’s nothing without her by his side. Hang Ah hugs him, and he hugs her back.

They climb on a roller coaster, though Hang Ah is initially reluctant and Jae Ha has to drag her on. After the ride, Hang Ah is super thrilled and wants to ride it again, while Jae Ha looks dazed and sick. They ride a car to tour an animal park, where Jae Ha feeds Hang Ah snacks.

As Jae Ha and Hang Ah are walking around the amusement park, suddenly he kneels down to tie her shoelaces. She looks down, completely touched.

Later they sit on a park bench. Hang Ah convinces Jae Ha to let her go testify, everything will work out. He confirms that she’s made up her mind and intends to go. She asks him not to see her just as a woman, but as someone who can assist him.

Jae Ha asks him how she plans to confront Bong Goo on the stand or if she sees him. He wants her to pretend that he’s Kim Bong Goo and practice. Hang Ah flips Jae Ha back on the bench and drives her arm into his neck, being all bad ass and fearless with “Bong Goo”. Jae Ha smiles and responds with the same words he said when she pinned him on the ground in the bathroom when they first met – I’ll do whatever you want, you just tell me what you want me to do. Heh, so cute. He relents and allows her to go, telling her to return in 3 days.

Hang Ah promises to come back safe and sound. Jae Ha gets up and pecks Hang Ah on the lips and she smiles. She leans in and returns the peck, which is when Jae Ha pulls her in for a long kiss.

Hang Ah walks into the ICC and greets the chief prosecutor of the ICC in charge of Bong Goo’s case. She starts her testimony and is curtly told to keep it short and simple. She’s then told that Bong Goo has been freed on bail twenty minutes ago because his health was deteriorating. Hang Ah is furious but nothing can be done. She’s told that the US is opposing them. When he gets up and leaves, Hang Ah asks why they are being disregarded. The douchy prosecutor says he deals with many countries, and there is no reason for him to speak with the North Korean delegation for more than two-minutes.

Hang Ah walks out of the ICC building when Bong Goo’s car pulls up and he gets out to talk with her. He asks if the North Koreans have gotten more powerful recently? Probably, since she got engaged to the South Korean King. Hang Ah looks him up and down, noting that he looks quite healthy. Bong Goo snerks that his heart is in pain. Hang Ah says that he ought to be in pain since he knows he’s about to go to prison.

Bong Goo asks how the wedding plans are coming along? Hang Ah says its coming along fine, as long as Bong Goo doesn’t disrupt it. He promises he will do so.

Jae Ha is in his office meeting with a US official, and asks in shock if Washington is planning military action against North Korea. The official says no, it’s just a physical action they are discussing at this time theoretically. Jae Ha says his video code word and starts the recording. The US official notes the video is on.

The US official refuses to divulge US military strategy to foreign countries. Jae Ha tells him that if Washington wants to invade North Korea, they will not be able to enter through South Korea.

Back to Bong Goo and Hang Ah, she tells him that Lee Jae Ha is a difficult opponent for him. He dismisses Jae Ha as just a King, as if he was just a street sweeper. Bong Goo advises Hang Ah to be docile and not cause waves. Bong Goo claims that he can see Hang Ah wavering in her eyes. Hang Ah calmly tells him that her training as a special ops agent taught her that her gaze was of upmost importance. Bong Goo leaves, not before telling Hang Ah that he’s sending an email to Jae Ha as a wedding present.

Secretary Eun discusses with Jae Ha and Hang Ah about tensions with other countries due to the North-South impending alliance. Jae Ha and Hang Ah get on a flight heading to visit other countries on their goodwill tour to win more allies.

Jae Shin is given a box by Dong Ha, who says it belonged to Shi Kyung and was intended for Jae Shin. It’s locked with a code, which Jae Shin cracks by entering her birthday. Inside is a video tape. OMG, it’s seriously a VIDEO TAPE. As in a VHS tape. Even better would be if Shi Kyung recorded it on Beta. Oh god, how out-dated is this silly boy. Oh Shi Kyung! I miss you dearly. We see Shi Kyung setting up this giant prehistoric video camera to record himself.

The video plays and Shi Kyung appears on the screen. He confesses that he initially wanted to write a letter but his writing was too ugly so…… He apologizes for the kiss earlier. He’s a coward, a stick-in-the-mud coward without any passion, so he was afraid the Princess would one day get tired of him. So he intended to just protect her, but it’s not working.

He started liking her from the first time he met her. She was so independent and free, so confident. All the things he was not. He knows he’s not suited for her. But if she sees this video………… No, she won’t ever see this video since he’s not intending to go on a suicide mission.

He promises to come back as a cool guy, come back with jokes to tell her. He will come back and tell her in person that he loves her. Jae Shin cries and cries and cries. I don’t blame her.

Bong Goo sits with Daniel Craig and discusses how Jae Ha is in Germany meeting with the Chancellor. They watch TV coverage of a bombing in the US that is being attributed to North Korea, with the bombers calling out “Death to the US” before blowing up a facility in Michigan and killing 40 US citizens. The douchey US official smiles to hear this news and calls the White House, demanding action for the North Korean attack.

Jae Ha is on a ship when Dong Ha runs out to show him news of the alleged North Korean terror attack on the US, with the US vowing physical retaliation as an option.

The North Korean Prime Minister meets with Hang Ah’s dad. The Prime Minister is pissed at Hang Ah’s dad for suggesting peace with South Korea in the first place. The South Korean President gets a call from the US joint command General in South Korea. Obviously is the US is prepared to take action.

The North Korean leaders are gathered watching South Korean news to hear how South Korea is reacting to be caught in the middle. They are upset to hear the South Koreans are cooperating with the US. The Prime Minister of North Korea orders action to be taken. We see the royal guards gathered to watch North Korean news reports that if the US attacks Pyeongyang, then the North will attack South Korea.

Dong Ha gets call about this tense situation. He’s told to get Jae Ha off the ship first and keep Hang Ah behind, because her dad is here to speak with her. Hang Ah and Jae Ha are initially confused but Hang Ah tells Jae Ha to go first, she’ll follow shortly.

Jae Ha disembarks and is taken away in a motorcade while Hang Ah watches from the ship railing. Her dad walks up to her but he looks solemn. It’s raining outside and Jae Ha dozed off during the drive. Hang Ah is in a car with her dad and notes that their car is not headed back to Seoul.

Jae Ha is driven not back to the Palace, but to base where a group of South Korean military leaders walk out and greet him. He asks what is going on, and Dong Ha tells him that war is breaking out. North Korea is preparing to attack Seoul.

Hang Ah is taken to the North-South border and forcefully dragged by her father back to the North. Hang Ah’s dad sadly tells her that war has broken out between North and South Korea so she needs to go back with him now. Jae Ha screams at Dong Ha, asking him where Hang Ah is right no! Hang Ah struggles, calling for Comrade Lee Jae Ha.

Thoughts of Mine:

Let’s discuss the giant ten-ton gorilla in the room first – the death of our beloved earnest little puppy Eun Shi Kyung. Surpised? Shocked? Enraged? Swearing off this drama forever? I’d say the writer did a great job of developing Shi Kyung as such a rich and meaningful character, staid and stoic, but everything good and decent about being a human being. He had courage and conviction, patience and thoughtfulness. He was a great son, friend, servant, and potential love interest. He left an imprint on me as strong as the main characters, making me cry buckets for the passing of a fictional character.

Was it necessary to kill him off? No, of course not. His death was not necessary to drive the narrative forward (like Jae Kang’s death), nor was needed as a catalyst to make characters reach a turning point. His death felt so meaningless and so cruel, which is how death always feel. Dramas like to write deaths like it has some overarching purpose, like we should expect it. But death of a beloved person is never expected nor do we care about its greater reason. We just hurt, hurt so much as we scream “why” over and over again. But the drama doesn’t owe us a “why”. His death didn’t need to have any meaning, as long as it was a logical development in the story, then that is what happens. It hurts, but the story doesn’t fall apart because we’re not given some grand purpose for Shi Kyung to die.

I’m upset at the drama but not angry at it. It’s rips me apart to know that Shi Kyung is gone, no longer there to be a friend and confidant to Jae Ha, to be a good son to his father, to be a good boyfriend to Jae Shin. If I tally up all the pain Bong Goo has inflicted on the royal family, it sickens me to the core. But as a villain he is truly a sociopath and it’s been a long time since a drama dared to have the villain keep inflicting more and more pain even as the drama nears the end. It wasn’t surprising that Bong Goo had another gun hidden or that he would use his last hurrah to take out Shi Kyung, who played him. Plus Bong Goo relishes in hurting Jae Ha any way he can. This was a devastating blow indeed.

I’m a bit dehydrated from all that crying, and somewhat numb inside if I think back to what I’ve gone through with TK2H’s for the last 19 episodes. It’s quite a roller coaster ride, yes? Am I disappointed Shi Kyung won’t get his happy ending, complete with Jae Shin by his side and a newfounded appreciation of his life after getting out from under his father’s shadow? Absolutely. But that disappointment isn’t in the drama electing to kill him off, the drama didn’t overreach and make his death improbable or out-of-the-blue. He’s the King’s right hand man directly in the line of fire when fighting a powerful mad man. He knew his life was on the line, and he did everything he could in his duty and to try and make it out alive. He didn’t, and for that I mourn him and miss him. But I don’t hate the drama for going there.

But then here comes the conspiracy theory – and I’m only going here because the PD recently said to the media to expect huge surprises and twists in the finale. What if Shi Kyung didn’t die but his death was made public so he could be considered dead by the world. Bong Goo clearly has it out for him, so that makes him no longer a target. And if he’s “dead”, he can operate under the fringes and potentially take out Bong Goo if the legal channels refuse to act. Since the ICC is a gutless institution and the major countries like the US and China don’t necessarily want to see Bong Goo taken out, perhaps the only route is to assassinate him. And phantom Shi Kyung is the perfect choice to do so. Of course, this is purely a theory based on zero evidence and would require Jae Ha and Shi Kyung to have planned quite a lot behind the scenes. But hey, just throwing it out there as a possibility. I would be thrilled if he could suddenly pop up alive in episode 20, but I’ve made my peace if it turns out he did indeed die in the line of duty.

As for the OTP of Hang Ah and Jae Ha, I continue to love them to pieces. I hope this war is just a feint, because I can’t handle too much angst when the OTP are apart since I’m all angst out from this episode already. I love how Jae Ha wants to protect her above all else, and how Hang Ah wants to protect him above all else. They have come a long way since their first meeting and ended with him on the floor in a bathroom and her threatening to kill him. I’ve loved this journey every step of the way, and I’m ready to send it off with a fond farewell tomorrow.


Comments

The King 2 Hearts Episode 19 Recap — 155 Comments

  1. I read spoilers of this and waited for this recap allll evening. I shall now read to see if the spoilers were true and if I should just go bawl my eyes out now :3

    • Okay so it’s true… that he was shot. Honestly I don’t quite believe he is dead either, I actually had the same thoughts that it was most likely faked so that he could go completely undercover. His mourning was a little short, no? If he really was dead, would Jae Ha and Hang Ah be happily dating? I think not.

      And of course, everyone would need to be fooled, which includes Jae Shin. I really do hope he comes back or I will be so, so disappointed 🙁

      Thanks for the recap as always 😀 Hope you can recap ep 20 properly too and have a safe flight ^^

      • Exactly! Jae Ha was way too happy right after Shi Kyung’s “death” when he should have been mourning. But they could have spared Jae Shin, no? But I guess they had to keep up the facade…

      • I think the truth is in why he used a VHS tape instead of modern technology.

      • I don’t think Jae Ha was happy per se, it’s just that life goes on. Since the beginning, the writer never really tells us how much time has gone by from one scene to another (remember Hang-ah’s pregnancy and how some people’s like: what? it’s been 1 month already? yea…). So I’m just taking it as some time has passed already and we’re not shown that because well.. it’s the 2nd to last episode, no more time to waste on mourning scenes when there are still so much things to talk about. Honestly, would you want to see 10+ minutes of mourning for Shi-Kyung scenes? At least I wouldn’t :\

    • Me too. Ticked off still. I am still wondering why they didn’t have BG (terrorist HELLO) patted down for a weapon, and restrained behind the back like normal. The whole thing was beyond words a slap to SK’s fans. I know I know it is a show, but why not have him die while the bullets were flying? WHY didn’t BG have as many bullet holes as BB? If he got shot a lot for shooting SK I would be more understanding I think. No he walks away just fine (to mess with the OTP some more). Not happy, nor will I get happy trying to rationalize this ending further.

      • About the pat down. Having read Ms. Koala’s recap prior to watching the episode, I paid more attention to that particular scene. Is it possible that the gun was passed on to BG by the ICC (?) man while being handcuffed by him? Could it be as someone else noted, that BG the magician had that trick up his sleeve (literally) and was prepared for SK being loyal to JH to the end?

        Thank you, Ms. K, for another rich recap and I do hope and pray that your conspiracy theory proves to be true. The VHS scene was beautifully conceived and executed.

  2. if shi kyung truly did die, im just warning the director, writer, and producers of this show that as of the moment, i am currently sharpening my long-bladed knives and taking out my Galadhrim bow and arrows. i have legolas-level skills in archery, just so you know. ;D

    • Count me in Vendetta. Form now on, you are the commander in chief…..

      Thanks Ms. Koala for your recap. Watched at 3 am without any subtitle/recap and seemed like I got a sudden heart attack. I hope the twist will be the return of Shi Kyung to his beloved princess *solemnly pray*

  3. I bawled, and bawled…
    and then turned to my laptop to scream at it a bit…
    drama… you just stuck a knife in my heart with shi kyung’s death, and then twisted the blade with jaeshin watching that vhs…

    but reading your recap made me feel much better, like I can finally see things in a rational way, thanks koala!

    and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that conspiracy!

  4. 1. About the earnest bot’s death, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! was the first reaction. next was the WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! AND Sputtering of the reasons that the death was totally unnecessary and absolute heartbreaking. Then came the quiet acceptance and making of a tiny memorial in my room; with candles and white roses petals.
    2. The squeal-tastic date sent me squealing like a pig. Jumping up and down as ahha laughed and smiled. holding my breath during the multiple kisses and embraces.
    3. Praying to all gods that are listening to my raw joy to not my this drama have a rushed and ridiculous and crappy and all the other horrible things that would describe the terrible things that happen to the present drama’s ending.

  5. Thank you for the recap. I am still numb and hope against hope that it was all a plan. What more does the king have to endure. Does it mean everytime the north and south have problems they will be wrenched apart again. It is hard to enjoy their sweet moments in this episode when just a few minutes before I was crying for Shi Kyung.

  6. hhhaaaa, I jjust cant believe this was happening. I was upset for the whole day, how am i going to think straight at work tommorow. sigh…

    Thanks for the recap, even if its short, but wel written.

    Stay strong everyone, one final episode to go.!!!! Love you Shi Kyung

  7. Thank you very much!! Always waiting for your recap after the episode before I’m going to bed!! Such a nice analysis. Totally my feelings!
    I can’t wait to see what’s coming next! I am gonna miss this drama like MAD!! And seeing Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won burning my screen!! Waah how am I gonna survive. I must book a ticket to Seoul and attend a Lee Seung Gi’s concert or something! He made me a new fangirl!!! haha! Thanks again!

  8. i feel so much right now . . . sad, depression, hate, disbelief, denial, i-don’t-know-what-to-do-anymore, regret, shock, like WTF!!!
    i really need a good episode tomorrow as closure, because you know, i might just end up numb

  9. WHYYYY???*scratching screen*
    ^that’s my reaction last night…

    And yes, Ms Koala, I have the same conspiracy theory with you..I know it’s silly that I’m hoping this drama makjangless and all..but at this point, I’m open for anything that could make shi kyung walk from his dead, including some time travel talisman, or deat-fake-announcement, just don’t get me with Twin Shi Kyung

    Thanks for your recap!

    • LOL to that twin shi kyung bit! if it does happen, words will just fail me…… but i doubt the writers are that cheesy??? and yesssss, even if seems crazy-never-gonna-happen, i’m all for that fake death announcement you mentioned. a little optimism never hurt nobody *tears*

    • haha true. I am now open to almost all possibilities, just to bring Eun Shi Kyung back alive. Bring him back, drama!

      I actually like the conspiracy theory, where Eun Shi Kyung fakes his own death and assassinates Boong Go later on because frankly, I don’t see how Jae Ha can end all this insanity without killing the villain.

    • time travel talisman? LOL. :)) Why am I thinking another drama? Yeah! I am open to all sort of plots, premises, gimmicks or whatever you call it just bring back our ‘happily ever after’.

      and how about soul-swapping Shi Kyung? hahaha!

      • HAHA we are all creating a whole nother drama of our own. but i accept every suggestion! come hell and high water i want ESK backkkkkkk *throws tantrums*

  10. “a rich and meaningful character, staid and stoic, but everything good and decent about being a human being. He had courage and conviction, patience and thoughtfulness. He was a great son, friend, servant, and potential love interest.” – the conclusion: it suck to be good, you’ll die first.

  11. I vote for Shi-kyung still being alive. After I got over the initial shock of SK pointing a gun at Jae-ha’s head I knew it had to be a ploy. Our little Earnest Bot would be tortured to death before he’d betray his Princess or his King. Therefore, this must also be a ploy. Because if it isn’t, I will cry my little heart out for Jae-shin and be inconsolable for days.

  12. What is with all the dramas making me cry with their second to last episodes?! I was left crying at the end of episode 19 of Rooftop Prince and then was crying through every Shi Kyung scene in episode 19 of TK2H.

    Oh Koala I hope your theory on Shi Kyung possibly being alive is true. I really want him to get a happy ending with the Princess.

  13. “Was it necessary to kill him off? No, of course not. His death was no necessary to drive the narrative forward (like Jae Kang’s death), nor was needed as a catalyst to make characters reach a turning point. His death felt so meaningless and so cruel, which is how death always feel. Dramas like to write deaths like it has some overarching purpose, like we should expect it. But death of a beloved person is never expected nor do we care about its greater reason. We just hurt, hurt so much as we scream “why” over and over again.”

    when you put it that way, it helps me (slightly?) come to terms with Shi Kyung’s death. although i have been expecting this outcome, i’m all for that conspiracy theory twist.
    it hurts, it hurt so bad when i was watching Shi Kyung die AND the princess watching the VHS. i couldn’t process what else i was watching after he died T_T
    writers-nim…… say it isn’t sooooooooooooooooo

    okay on a much lighter note, how cute was shi kyung in that little video of him??? so shy and in love *__*

  14. Thank you Ms K! Please make a baby recap… Have a safe trip! Now about this episode I totally agree with you Shi Kyung doesn’t need to die. I don’t see any reason for it the only character that needs to die here is BG since Bonbon is dead. The only drama where I find all the angst relevant except BGs bail… Come on he shot Shi kyung in front of everybody that’s clearly Murder! And he already have his handcuffs and everything! Then a bail!!!! Someone should have shot him right there and then… I love JS I know that this will make her stronger but I feel like she will never love again that’s why I’m hoping Shi kyung is alive! At least in the world they created. I love the sweet moments of JH and HA it was perfect! If only the BG thing is over. Are they going extend this drama? How can they resolve the upcoming war? Get married? Cath BG? And time jump if there is one or they just pulled ate leg to believe that there is a little JH?! I do hope it’s not going have a crappy ending I’d like to believe that since they started big and strong they owe their viewers to end this big and strong and lovely and sweet! After all the heartaches and tears us viewers shed since the death of JK and now Shi kyung give us a wonderful ending don’t opt for you guys to be called a cliche ending because everything is cliche now a days it carries on the executions and dialogues and of coarse the actors. So please give us the best cliche ending ever a happy one! Thank you thank you thank you!!!! Please ms k baby recap for tomorrows finale! 🙂

  15. To me no role is sacred, they can kill off Jae Ha or Hang Ah and I would still be fine if it is done well and with reason. I’m disappointed in the writing not because Shi Kyung was killed off, but the handling of his death.

    I appreciate that the writer has been really pacy with the time frame, leaving it for the intelligent viewers to discern the passing of time with each scene (eg. Hang Ah’s pregnancy). However this time it is handled badly, because while most viewers can analyze logically that it has been some time since Shi Kyung has passed away, it is hard to stomach seeing the OTP going lovey dovey while we are still grieving over his passing. What about Jae Shin who is all alone? All that swoon time was totally lost on me while I am still feeling sad for him.

    Of course the penultimate episode does not give for luxury of time, and that is precisely why this death should not have been done. If it is handled like Jae Kang’s death I can still accept. Poor writing and decision, and it smarts because we are already so close to the end with the brilliant 18 episodes we have before.

    • Btw even if he comes out alive as the twist in the ending, I will be still disappointed in the writer for this episode and the finale, because that just becomes blatant baiting and manipulation of emotions of viewers without any real solid narrative needs.

      • OMG I agree with you..
        just because we’re all head over heels with this drama and became a living TK2H hearties zombies in their world.. it doesn’t mean that we necessarily need a cheesy manipulation of emotion from the SW. Less is more please… no need to dramatically and abruptly kill ESK just to fulfill that greed….

      • Yes, the handling of the death of ESK could have been a lot better, especially since Jae Ha and Hang Ah looked way too happy after such a devastating event occured (a least in the audience’s sense of time frame–and yes, he did tell the Secretary that it was time to move on, etc.)

        The aspect that I am actually happy about in ESK death (Gasp! I know…) is that the scene makes the villain a viable character. I really despise when dramas, or any story for the matter, cops out in the end and makes the capture of such a “dangerous villain” WAY too easy for the kind of build up created earlier in the story. To show that KBG is not a push over and knows how to think on his feet (no matter how twisted) gives me a reason to hang on to the drama and find out how the King and Queen bring KBG down. That is what I invested in plot wise, and I am glad I’m getting what I payed for in villainy. What could have been better is the time frame in which they pulled this twist, and how they handled the aftermath.

      • Wow, my spelling is awful, sorry! “payed?” really????
        oh, and I meant, “at” rather than “a”

      • @topper:
        yes..you have pointed it out before, and I remember, that we don’t know ho long time has passed away. This drama sucks in that term. We don’t get proper time for mourning too, that’s a bit awkward

        @anonymous:
        Truthfully, I’m agree with the core of your reason, it makes the scene more twisted and realistic…but (this is silly me speaking) …I don’t want Shi Kyung to die TT__TT

    • I’m only at the funeral scene right now, but just had to come here to complain 😀

      Whyyyyy, drama?! I mean, not only did you kill off Shi Kyung for no real narrative reason… I wouldn’t forgive that anyway, but what makes it worse is that it was done so tastelessly! Of course I hated Bon Bon, but did you have to show us those gory details with multiple shots and twitches? And then, like 3 minutes later (in narrative time I guess it’s around a week) Jae Ha just kind of tells Secretary Eun that he’ll just replace Shi Kyung instead of wallowing in grief? Jae Ha, you’re great and all, but you definitely can’t replace Shi Kyung. To suggest such a thing right after his dead is horrible 🙁

      • I don’t think JH meant to say that he wants to replace SK as Sec Eun’s son but to ask Sec Eun to accept him like a son so he can be filial to Sec Eun like how a son should be to make up for SK having to die for him.

    • 1 last thing to add, I guess the writer loves this character (Eun Shi Kyung) a lot out of all the roles she wrote, to the point she wants to immortalize him in the drama. Martyrs are always honored and remembered. Though maybe at the expense of the goodwill with the main couple here a little.

  16. “What if Shi Kyung didn’t die but his death was made public so he could be considered dead by the world. Bong Goo clearly has it out for him, so that makes him no longer a target. And if he’s “dead”, he can operate under the fringes and potentially take out Bong Goo if the legal channels refuse to act. Since the ICC is a gutless institution and the major countries like the US and China don’t necessarily want to see Bong Goo taken out, perhaps the only route is to assassinate him. And phantom Shi Kyung is the perfect choice to do so. Of course, this is purely a theory based on zero evidence and would require Jae Ha and Shi Kyung to have planned quite a lot behind the scenes. But hey, just throwing it out there as a possibility. I would be thrilled if he could suddenly pop up alive in episode 20, but I’ve made my peace if it turns out he did indeed die in the line of duty.”

    I am still in DENIAL with his death and I too think that he might make it to Ep 20 alive! The production stated that Ep 20 was going to have some unexpected surprises…and all I can do us just trust their words. I love TK2H and trust them as well 🙂

      • i know rightttt.i was expecting him to turn up during the arrest of Bong Gu OR be one of the snipers (a bazooka sniper, dont care if that sounds ridiculous) alongside Hang Ah to gun the bloody Bon Bon and Bong Gu down.

  17. Sobbed so hard!! Seung-gi and JJS’s acting was beyond awesome!!

    I’m hoping that SK is not dead….going by your assessment and the spoiler pix of JJS has me hopeful! Going by how SK’s death affected Jae-ha and Hang-ah it seemed kinda abrupt for them to go on a date!! :S

    Thank you for the recap and safe travels!! <3

    • Not just abrupt, irritating at best and infuriating at worst. Feels almost like an ironic moment, which of course the writer did not mean for. Poor writing.

      • Coming from me who’s a Jae-ha fangirl through and through this is BIG!! I wish their date would’ve been either very low key or happened perhaps at the end of the episode (or not at all). I think the placement of the date was the problem.

        I’m sure SK fangirls must be wanting to murder the writer and the OTP’s date must’ve left a bitter taste in their mouths.

    • I didn’t find Jae Ha and Hang Ah’s date, cute phone call, etc. odd or abrupt at all. Regardless of whether it was a week or a month since Shi Kyung’s passing, this drama doesn’t dwell on the maudlin or the mawkish. Jae Kang died and everyone mourned and grieved as necessary but then stoically went about their business as well. Jae Ha and Hang Ah had their bedroom date shortly thereafter when she did her Bo Beep dance for him and made him laugh, remember? Yes, he was still hurting and grieving for Jae Kang, but who’s to say they can’t all try to regain a semblance of normalcy in their lives. We see Jae Ha mourning Shi Kyung, with Secretary Eun, at the funeral. I don’t find odd that people are living their every day lives while at the same time still hurting inside. This drama has thus far refused to wallow in self-pity, and it continues now even with Shi Kyung’s death.

      • Showing the viewers little of that hurting to help the viewer’s own catharsis, like his break down after that Bo Peep Bo Peep routine, would have eased the transition.

        But the drama ran out of time, which leads me to not understand this writing decision.

      • I think the viewers got their catharsis with Jae Shin watching the video and grieving. Just like Jae Kang’s grief was magnified through Jae Ha’s grief (more than anyone else), I thought Shi Kyung’s passing was meant to get closure through Jae Shin. It was to Jae Shin he made the promise to come home. Whereas I thought Jae Ha got his closure with Shi Kyung by being there when he died, cradling him in his arms. Just my impression is all. I almost felt like the drama wanted to honor Shi Kyung but not dwell on his death by making it hang over everyone’s head.

      • My reply is 3 years too late, though I did watch the drama at the time of airing, but reading your re-caps and the comments again I just had to put in my two cents in case new readers come along. I wish everyone had understood this episode and Shi Kyung’s death the way you and I did. You said everything I felt about it at the time and it really irritated me reading people’s comments about how they “hate the drama and writers” all just because of this one incident. People die. It’s something we can’t control no matter how much we don’t want it to happen. Of course none of us wanted to see Shi Kyung die. We were all screaming and crying. Was his death necessary? No. Was it unnecessary? No. It’s just that death of our loved ones DOES happen. Someone mentioned it being cliché to kill him off, but honestly it’s more cliché to have the happy ending of the first and second lead couples. I just HAD to get that out, since it seemed viewers on other sites were so unreasonable.
        I admit that your views on recent posts clash with my own, but going back and reading your posts on TK2H makes me love you. It was so hard to find a sensible viewer three years ago regarding this drama, which I hold dearly in my heart.

        Lastly, you are right about the dating scene too. People do move on with life despite grieving. Death shouldn’t mean we aren’t allowed to laugh or smile and and that we should wallow in our grief. I’ve seen people smile and laugh at their own family member’s funeral, not because they aren’t grieving, but because as humans our emotions are complex an death does not mean we aren’t allowed a moment of respite from grief.

  18. Oh Koala I do hope your conspiracy is right, and that SK didn’t die, he’s on the side plotting to kill Bong Goo. Please please please! I want ShiKyung and JaeShin to have a happy ending.

    • I cried a lot for SK. It’s interesting how strongly attached you can become to a fictional character. I was (still I am) hoping that his death was part of a plan to bring down the devil….. but I kind of come to terms with myself now…..

      I would be so happy if Koala’s conspiracy theory come true – because I do want to see SK alive, and besides Jae Ha’s mourning was soo short – his happy date just after SK death was kind of off…… but then again life has to move on and as someone wrote we get the closure with Jae Shin and how hos death also bring together Jae Ha and The Secretary….

      Now I just can’t wait to know… so I can let it go.
      Koala – wish you safe flight and I am looking forward your recap. I just love your style of writing/ expressing yourself and your way of thinking.

  19. Call me crazy but my first reaction to the death was…. nah, it’s all a carefully planned act to mislead the “he who shall not be named of TK2H”. Say it’s denial, or whatever, but I’m going with the conspiracy theory. It’s what my gut is telling me. I can only hope I’m right.

  20. I saw the photos and I read the theories so I’m going down with the thought he is alive until the last second of the show airs…

    He is such a good actor…I cannot even see his What’s Up character in him at all

    • He’s leading man material. I feel this way about him as I do about Kim Jae Wook. They need to lead a drama STAT.

      • I believe he’ll be working on a movie next…dunno if he’ll be the lead or not but yeah he’s awesome….no doubt!!

      • He is on the movie Intro to Architecture, just not the main lead though. Bright future ahead.

      • ACK! Kim Jae-wook! (Why are you in the army?????) I don’t know if I could see them together in a drama, but wouldn’t that be so epic? Now I must pray to the drama gods to make this happen.

      • Truly. Though once many actors are promoted to leading status, they do not take up supporting leads anymore. Jo Jung Suk has taken on so many quirky and fun side roles that I would not like to see him abandon.

  21. this drama category is ‘dark comedy’.. what does this really mean? why SK?? why??
    are we still going to have a happy ending? or there will be more “people” killed?

    • So far the only kdrama that has been fairly consistent throughout with the dark comedy genre has been History of the Salaryman.

    • This drama genre is dark comedy and melodrama, so I did expect death but fingers crossed there will not be anymore death in the grand finale episode.

  22. thanks for the recap…:) i have the same sentiments too…but still ep 19 a daebak episode for me with all those mix emotions rumbled…

  23. Thanks Koala! 🙂 a truly roller coaster ride.. down to one last episode. Im still shock and blank on our Shi Kyung..;(((
    but I hope your theories will happen.. then with that I will truly admire the writer..

  24. I was waiting for spoilers before watching the final episodes. I think I’m done with this show. I don’t like it when writers torture their characters (and us) too much, and what Jae Shin has been through is just unbearable. Ugh. I thought they had much better chemistry than the leads.

  25. Thanks for this recap.
    “And if he’s “dead”, he can operate under the fringes and potentially take out Bong Goo if the legal channels refuse to act.”
    I have this feeling too.

  26. I’m in on da Conspiracy Theory too . Hope its not because Im in denial .Its just that some things dun add up.Well ,when tonight ends off with no ‘ resurrection ‘ of wuri puppy SK, then I’ll give d face of the eternal scream. Arise again Kyunggi!

  27. Dear Koala, thank you so much for the recap. Take your time for the grand finale recap, safe travel.

    I’m still speechless with this episode, even though there was already spoiler that SK would die on ep 19, but deep down in my heart I still want a happy ending for SK, and JS. Considering this drama is a melodrama, death is expected. And he died as a hero.

  28. Dare I say ,for d last time ,that Hjw really isnt puckering up enough thru out d show.Even last park outing.She WAS a virgin kisser at d beginning but shes been there done that wt JH already. Whats up Jiwon?
    Hangah wants too but you’re holding back.

    • i thought so too. i havent watched any of her past dramas so i cant judge if she really kisses like that. although, almost all of the dramas i watched, its always the man who does the action and the woman just sort of..purses her lips. and it comes off like the man is sucking the life out of the woman lols (best example— Rain/bi and shin min ah in a love to kill). but yeah i would like for her to actually “recieve” lsg’s passionate kiss. oh well. im not really expecting any more deep kisses for the last episode, since there’s going to be so much more happening. its tad dissapointing though that the most passionate kiss was at the earlier episodes and then as a viewer, of course you’d expect something more on the following episodes, only to be a bit dissapointed. ah well you can’t have everything!

  29. Thanks for the recap! Love this episode as usual though sad that SK has to die. Hope that he gets “resurrected” in the last episode. The chemistry between the two leads is really the best, will not forget this drama for a long time to come.

  30. I kind of expected Shi Kyung to die. Not because of his role as the King’s right hand man but because of his role throughout the story, though that is another major reason (so yea I think there’s a whole overarching meaning to his death).

    Throughout the story we’ve seen the type of character Shi Kyung is and we as viewers have even given him the title of Earnest-bot, within a story with so much conflict, how can someone so pure and essentially good survive till the end? It’s just not logical or realistic (not that we’re ever looking for realism in drama’s but this drama has been pretty good with what would actually happen under the circumstances). By the end of episode 18 no matter what he and Jae Ha had planned before the matter, Shi Kyung’s innocence had died. It’s true that he’s faced a lot of stuff as a soldier but the betrayal of his father (it’s doesn’t really matter that he had forgiven his father by the time he left, the hurt was still there) and then the torture that he faced when he was with Bong Goo would have ruined him or made him stronger, but even if he came out of the situation stronger, he would have been forced to face the realities of the world and found it not to be as black and white as he had seen it before which would have broken a core component to his being as we already had seen that his father’s betrayal had done to him.

    So now I’m at a crossroads, I both want and do want him to come back from the dead/to have never been dead in the first place or whatever. I want him to come back solely because he is so love-able and he was too good to die, and this is dramaland where anything can happen, especially at the end 🙂 But at the same time I don’t want him to come back because though I’m sucker for happy endings, I feel like this is the kind of story that can’t be all happy rainbows and sunshine by the end. I know; Jae Kang is dead, but that was necessary to bring them to the point in their lives when Jae Ha would become king, and though the loss doesn’t hurt any less, he wasn’t as … vital to the lives of the main characters. They were hurt when Jae Kang died, but Shi Kyung was what probably would have mended those wounds, but not wounds are always meant to heal, some just get bigger and we have to live on anyways.

    If he came back it would also kind of ruin the part with Jae Ha and Secretary Eun at the funeral. Sure Jae Ha had forgiven him (well kind of) and welcomed him back, but Jae Ha wouldn’t have been able to trust Secretary Eun as his brother and father had. Shi Kyung’s death tied them in a way that -as cold as it may sound- settled the score and allowed them both to feel the loss of a close family member.

    And now I’m just patiently waiting for subs for 19 and episode 20 to come out so we can see how this will all play out by the end!

    • Totally Agree.

      Secretary Eun is the reason why I’m not holding on to the “conspiracy theory.” (albeit that would be wonderful if it happened) Like you said, this is the equaling event that pulls the Secretary and Jae Ha together in an empathetic way. When I saw the secretary’s conviction in bringing down Bong Gu in the Bail discussion scene, I realized that this was the Secretary’s way of carrying through what SK had started, and a way for the Secretary to avenge his son in some sense. Plus, Jae ha looked much too devastated to be simply acting during the actual death.

    • “He was too good to die.” Yes. I agree with everything you said but this sentence I quoted was my sole reason why I didn’t want him to die and why I felt extremely sad as if it was real. I hope they don’t make him come back because that’s be worse than him dying.

      • Lol i would love it if shi kyung was alive and well and this was all a plan from the beginning….I really love jae shin and shi kyung couple and it would be better if they got the happy ending they deserve =)

  31. I’m also for the conspiracy theory because if SK is alive ,BG will not leave him alone and for sure he’ll end up dying.At least JH has an ace up his sleeves which is SK and he could kill BG.

    • I guess HA shooting Mia was “justified” because she was protecting the king at that moment.. Mia seemed to let go but then try to shoot JH or SK and she was a threat.
      So she had to act. And after that, she already put her sniper away because the situation was supposed to be under control. If she was still looking at the scene through her sniper she maybe could have been able to also shoot BG before he shot SK but she wasn’t ready for that.
      As to why she didn’t shoot BG after that, it’s because THEN it’s not legal anymore. He is not threat anymore because he is handled by the ICC agents. He already put his little crazy gun away. To shoot him then, just like that would be revenge and not self defense. So that wouldn’t be legal..

  32. 1 more episode to go! THANK YOU SO MUCH MS KOALA for religiously recapping TK2H every wed/thurs. this is the first blog i check for TK2H recaps. i should be happy that JH/HA would have a happy ending… but i can’t seem to be happy enough. *sigh* missing SK and so sad for JS.

    have a safe flight tonight! and thanks for indulging us who eagerly waits for recaps 😀

  33. hi koala ! thank you very much for your hardwork, am a fan of yours for the past 2 years .. love reading your recap, opinion etc etc… have a safe trip to US and shall be patiently waiting for the final recap of tk2h !! bon voyage

  34. I’m also In board the conspiracy theory as well.
    With this new North-South crisis, no doubt instigated by BG, and only ONE episode left, I’m almost sure that the only way to resolve it is to trap BG again, have him confess and then KILL him cos it’s clear that no other countries will help South Korea.
    The only way to do this is to have SK do the whole undercover thing and take BG out.

    So the only people who know that SK is alive could just be JH, HA and possibly DH. The whole funeral thing etc is just for show, else how does one keep the “death” a convincing “truth” without the whole works like the funeral etc, at least for Sec Eun and JS, both probably do not know that he’s alive.

    I’m expecting JH to place a call early in Ep 20 to tell SK to take action.
    The only thing I can’t reconcile is how in the world can JH and SK plan the fake death on advance unless they were so thorough in their planning that they even anticipated that
    BG may shoot SK? But then it seems that HA arriving to shoot BB was planned too.

    Or maybe it’s just me being delusional?

    • That said, I can accept SK dying for real.
      I’m almost convinced that his death is real, and like Koala, am thinking that the conspiracy theory could happen only because the PD says that there is unexpected twist and also because it’s clear that BG cannot be apprehended by legal means, so the only way is to deal with him one on one, which JH and HA cannot do themselves without someone helping them, which is why I think (and hope) SK is still alive.

    • You may be right and how DH mentioned in the funeral that SKis still in a mission in a foreign land and how come he is so late giving the vhs tape and has to search for the lock combination to make sure it’s correct.Who would helpl JH except SK. Aggh stress I so wanted to have a happy ending for both couple.

      • wow! u’ve just found another good reason to believe in the conspiracy theory.

        who would DH called to get the password….. hurmmmm

    • HJW’s sniper moment was so out of the blue for me. though i must say she was really badass doing that in a beautiful skirt

  35. Thank you for the super fast recap… I was dying to vent somewhere. When I saw SK getting shot and dying I was in disbelief. Because I agree, he didn’t have to die, it didn’t push the narrative along, it felt too cruel indeed. I kept crying, “why????”. Sad to admit, when I was driving and the FIrst Love song came on that JS sang, I had to turn it off b/c it was making me cry too much.

    TK2H is indeed a roller coaster ride and boy they really didn’t want to let us off easy. I don’t hate the drama, but I am incredibly sad. I really wanted the happy ending for both couples after all the hurt BG inflicted, was that asking too much?

    As for the conspiracy theory… I would love that by JH’s reaction was too raw, too real, don’t you think? He made a sad scene utterly too heart breaking to watch, one of his worst nightmare came true yet again.

    On a last point, I’m so incredibly impressed with LSG. Everyone’s been great, but I feel like this show is his. I can’t believe I started this drama thinking he was a miscast… here I’ve turned into a total LSG fan.

  36. “Was it necessary to kill him off? No, of course not…But death of a beloved person is never expected nor do we care about its greater reason. We just hurt, hurt so much as we scream “why” over and over again. But the drama doesn’t owe us a “why”. His death didn’t need to have any meaning, as long as it was a logical development in the story, then that is what happens. It hurts, but the story doesn’t fall apart because we’re not given some grand purpose for Shi Kyung to die.”
    Exactly. He’s had his fair share of risks, and I could see ever since he pointed his gun at Bong Gu that BG had another card up his sleeve, I was just hoping it wouldn’t hit the target so accurately. Logically, I am glad BG went for it, for all his schemes there was no way he would succumb so easily to the troops. My heart didn’t and couldn’t believe he died until everyone gathered for the funeral, though.

    I went “omg” at Koala’s conspiracy theory. Though I’d sort of accept Shi Kyung’s death, how much more thrilling and gutsy would it be for the show to bring him back? It would be perfectly in tune with the nature of this drama, which gives us smart unexpected twists. And if Jae Ha and Shi Kyung foresaw Bong Gu’s ploy of using Shi Kyung as a double spy, they’d foresee this too… it would just be a matter of how fast they are to save Shi Kyung’s life, he seemed on the brink of death at the cliffs.

  37. Well I am left feeling somewhat bitter and broken. I was so afraid Shi Kyung would die last week and unfortunately my fear was well founded. Koala’s theory that he is not dead is making me very hopeful. I am willing to grasp at anything, although realistically seeing the internal bleeding and the fact that even if he was alive recovery would take time before he could go back out on a mission kind of makes that not sound very likely. I am at the stage of even if it makes no sense and he comes out alive I will be satisfied.

  38. Well I personally don’t find it acceptable for his death. He was one of the main cast. Its too depressing in truth. Scenes with him and Jaeshin were too lovely and mind you they had very few scenes together. By the way does no one care about Jaeshin’s happiness. She is a princess that once ruled too. She also has suffered more then her bother. FOR ME ITS ALL ABOUT JAESHIN’S HAPPINESS TOO DAM IT.

      • yeahh.. for me, the only reason i want sk to be “alive” is just for js.. after what happened to her in episode 17, is just plain cruel to let her lost another special people.. too cruel..

  39. Actually what bothering me about our cute little puppy Eun Shi Kyung dies is which part of his body was getting shot. how could he die so fast if just get one shot in back? What a scenario!
    And like The Pussycat Dolls song, I will say “I hate this part”
    Hope the conspiration theory which he is become a shadow man actually right

  40. SHI KYUNG should, no, MUST BE, in witness protection program. And he’s gonna come out in the next episode as an alive, heart beating, blood pumping person, during Bong Goo’s trial! That is the only way this show can be forgiven. :((( Shi Kyung can’t die :(((

  41. I am numb. I don’t even know what to say anymore. I kind of want to break up with you right now, Show. *sobs*

  42. thanks koala for the recap.

    grrrrr…i hate bong goo more. hope he get squashed tonight, that is all i require drama. that justice despite the political machinations will prevail. and then a kiss and more of the sweet to seal off everything please pretty please.

    last nigh with the king and hopefully the queen….

  43. “I’m sorry for kissing you today. I fell in love with you since we first met. But I feel that I am not a good match for you. That’s why I will go to China this time, and after I come back, I will prove that I am a good match for you. I even bring a pocket book (Humor Virus). I will practice so I wont be a “stuffy” person. And then when I come back, I will go to you and bravely say: I love you”
    — Eun Shi Kyung

  44. hi everyone. i just want u to know that im not new here for i became koala’s silent reader since from the beginning. i just i wanna share this knowlegde of mine about eun shi kyung and the princess. in one of tk2h facebook account ive since a picture of this 2 together with the crew.and it was tag as” team A farewell photoshot”.the princess wore new dress and different hairstyle. that’s why there’s a possibility that koala’s conpiracy theory might be happen.

    • Yup..that is exactly what i was referring to when i was thinking about the conspiracy theory. However, i am worried it might just have been a shoot from the farewell party or even him in a ghost form as koala mentioned. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will be alive

      • if they really do a “Jae Shin ghostly encounter with Shi Kyung”, i will be seriously pissed. how sad and pathetic would that be for her. i mean COME ON. the only way i will accept that scene, is them showing Jae Shin reduced to a crazy degenerate after Shi Kyung’s death. not that i would want to see that. so it’s either alive SK or not SK AT ALL.

  45. Shi Kyung dies? Nooooo…
    So Bonggu wins again! Not fair…tho he didnt kill Jaeha he hurt JH even more this way, its like SK swap place with Hang Ah..becos if either one dies it wil kill a part of JH too, didn’t he said if anything goes wrong & SK dies he’ll be guilt ridden all his lives especially BG was bail out..and Jaeshin? What abt her? The strength he gave her & the reason for her willpower…poor JS, after losing one brother in the most cruel possible way, now losing a man she loves…

    Thus I really hope Koala’s conspiracy theory wud comes tru…however my common sense gets better of me..becos JH never plan or intended for SK to be shot from behind, the camera focus on SK’s last breath, the blood, his eyes, being shot & in pain I’m sure anyone is beyond acting, unless sumone, perhaps Dong Ha, saw BG was abt to shoot Sk from behind, he quickly shot with a blank gun as warning & SK take the hint & drop b4 BG’s bullet reach him, thus the rest was an act

    But honeStly I dun think that is gonna be the twist the pd was talking abt, tho I hope he did.. Poor, poor SK….poor, poor JS…..

  46. I’m hoping you are right Ms K since that is what my thoughts were when posts of no-fun-Royal Guard being killed off….guess it’s my way of not wanting to accept the fact that it will be true in this episode just before the finale!!! *crossing fingers* what is this the finale week with buckets of tears not just K2H but RP too!??!! was there a May drama memo to make viewers dehydrate from crying… is it ep 20 yet? did ESK come out of hiding with a bang before we end with the long awaited sweet wedding….uniting N+S Korea..

  47. starting to feel like its a Romeo and Juliet with our two leads.. Separated by a border line and a war and alliances.. I hope its a happy ending tomorrow!! 😀

  48. I didn’t get my Shi-kyung / Jae Shin happy ending. I am mourning, grieving, wailing in agony right now. Yes, it hurts.so.dang.much. My earnest bot is gone. *shakes head… am speechless.

  49. i really want to believe it’s fake death and SK will show up again in ep 20 and have his happy ending. i think i remember somewhere on soompi thread, someone said SK tweeted that his character won’t get killed off, there’s change of script, when a lot of ppl suspected that he’d be killed off. not sure if it’s just rumour to keep all of us guessing into the wrong direction.
    there is little possibility of ms.koala conspiracy theory.. since LJH told SK before SK went undercover that they must plan this really really well.

  50. I can’t believe we’re at ep. 19 already. On one hand, I’m excited and want to see the finale but on the other hand, I don’t want K2H to end. It’s been so much fun reading & watching this drama with the online community!

    I’m quite shaken by Shi Kyung’s death, but this show has always been gutsy. I’m almost in fear of what kind of move the writers will pull in. I guess those spoiler pictures didn’t tell us the whole story…. ;-P

    K2H has managed to hit all the right notes for me (except for the bad English-speaking actors). It’s been everything I love about dramas wrapped up in a beautiful package with our OTP as sweet as icing on a (wedding!) cake.

  51. I also cannot believe that SK is dead… And because of this bitter aftertaste, I can’t even enjoy the cute and sweet AhHa couple’s dating… urgh!

    But if SK did not die, wouldn’t he being tortured and all be in-his-face worthless as BG is still not captured or torn apart…

    Hai… I can’t believe that today is gg to be the last kingday and the last epi, there are still so many things to settle and an hour is SOOO short.

    No matter what, I will continue to love this drama forever!

    PS. JH’s reaction after the ride is too cute~

  52. Darn it Koala. I was so so close to accepting the reality of Eun Shi Kyungs death, until I read about what you wrote that the PD said. That was just too cruel. Basically telling us to have hope that Shi Kyung might come back. SAD!

  53. Thanks for the recap captain!
    This feels like the prosecutor’s death in City Hunter all over again! So if that were the case, then Jo Jung Suk seems to have a bright future ahead of him. He deserves a lead role, just like what Lee Joon Hyuk had with EM!

  54. mrinding disko aku sumpah…. eun shi kyung tewassssss… hooaaaaaaaaaa….
    dua episod ini menggoyakan hati bener bener… hormat buat kapten eun shi kyung…. lee jae ha… fighting :'(

  55. i bet his death is fake!!! he’s hidden somewhere on a mission! muahhhahhhhhhahjdhfjdahhhahd I REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS DEATH!

  56. Ms. Koala, thanks again for your recap .Reading your thoughts enlightens me and look on the brighter side and hoping your conspiracy be true . ^_^.. Though I cried with JS while she’s watching SK video.. Poor JS (T__T) .

    Jiwon shi & Suenggi yah.., They like a real lovey dovey couple. Love them both. They act natural hope they will be a couple in real life (Wishing & hoping (”,) )

    Credits for the writer! you really know how to make your readers go gaga per episodes. Especially me, this is the first time i watched a korean drama that i invested my all.*_^

    A few more hours for the most awaited ending ..

  57. Thanks a lot for the recaps! I love Jiwonnie & Suenggi, hope they will become real life couple, as love recognizes no age boundaries! In fact, Jiwonnie looks younger than Suenggi despite the 9-year gap!!! Love HJW & HB in SeGa, but after watching this drama, HJW & LSG looks better as real life partners!!!

  58. I totally ship the SK’s-Faked-death-theory and since we are wishing and hoping for impossibilities (I never get my hopes up) I might as well hope that when BS is surrounded and on the edge, JK and his wife come behind some curtain and be like “HAAHAA WE DIDN’T DIE! WE JUST FAKED IT!” And then it’d be a truly happy ending to everyone.

  59. I quickly skipped down here, not looking or reading anything. I’m gonna be tough and wait to watch/read both episodes together. K2H is definitely on my top 5 list. I’m so sad this is ending but what a ride! I am trying to get into Queen In Hyun’s Man and The Tasty Life but nothing is holding my interest. No interest in Fashion King or Love Rain. Been kinda of skimming Rooftop Prince. Looking forward to A Gentleman’s Dignity and Arang & The Magistrate, but you never know.

  60. sigh. i’m really so worried for the finale. all throughout episode 1 to 18 the writer and PD has proven that this drama is non-cliche and consistent in everything. Now I feel, I dont want to be dissapointed, i really hope episode 20 will tie all the loose ends together in the best and awesomest way possible. And why is it that we never got the explanation on why BG is so fixated on the royal family, him writing out “i am king” early in his teen years??? Writer-nim please dont dissapoint us. This drama has so far prided itself in the almost tight storyline but for its reputation to be wasted on the last two episodes? darniittt

    • I cannot believe how cliche was SK’s death. I mean, it was so expected and the way they did episode 18 reeked of death it was like, no, he will not die because they are being to obvious about it.

      • I digress, what was surprising is that there were fewer deaths in that scene, when everyone had guns. It was a plausible scenario because BongGu clearly wanted SK on his side and when he couldn’t have him – he killed him. It all goes well with BG’s character.
        BG is evil and evil does not need a reason to justify its actions.

        Now SK will forever live a hero in our minds. Every soldier’s dream to die an honorable death. He did his duty and died in the arms of his beloved King – telling his King to fight to the end!

  61. Seeing so many waves in this episode..
    i wonder if episode 20 is long enough to get a great ending..
    Mr.PD!! how about getting extra few episodes!! ^^

    Thanks for the recap again Ockoala =)

  62. Can’t stop mourning over SK’s death why such a kind and beautiful character had to end that way? I don’t think I have ever feel so sad over any drama like this :((

  63. I am the Happy Endings lover. I always refuse to watch melancholic dramas that have tragic endings . But it changed because of this drama. Well, though this drama has it’s flaws, for me, this is the best drama after The 1st Coffee Prince Shop because I never know what will happen in the next episode.

    Because I got hooked and fell head over heels with this drama, I prepare my self for the worst. I am afraid (close to terrified), that actually TK2H will have a tragic ending. Maybe they both died *knockknockon thewood* and before they died, they both have “WHAT IF” flashes ,WHAT IF the war never broken, WHAT IF hang ah never had a miscarriage (that’s why there is a photo with mini Jae Ha), WHAT IF Shi Kyung never get killed and now together happily ever after with Jae Shin.

    Please don’t hate me, but I’ll accept it if you call me selfish, since I share my fear with you all :(. I need a lot of people to tell me that JH and HA will have their happy ending. *hysterically crying*

    • Tbh…i dont care if hang ah and jae ha have their happy ending..which they definitely will…I was just more of a bigger jae shin <3 shi kyung shipper and was pissed at the fact that he died. It was a tragic ending for jae shin. She suffered through more crap than anyone else did. She "killed" her brother, lost her legs, then the person she loved died, and she had to suffer through watching that heartbreaking tape.

  64. Without revealing any spoilers can somebody tell me how was Ep 20?!! On DB commenters are calling it a disappointment!! ughhhhhh

    Show how could you fail Seung-gi and fellow actors in the end?!!!!!

    • @Saima

      Do not forget 18 great episodes just because of 1 weak episode. This drama still is great overall. Nice ending for our JH/HA couple.

  65. I agree about his death. It is a meaningless death in terms of plot. And that’s where the meaning lies. Death really doesn’t need an explanation. It happens, slowly or suddenly. It leaves devastation in it’s wake. It makes drama watchers weep. Things like this do happen. People who shouldn’t die, die. Things that shouldn’t happen, happen. That’s what I took away from it.

    I also took the fact that Shi-kyung left a LOT behind. He made an indelible impression on everyone he met. He’s the kind of man who makes history. When he died, I didn’t fret for Jae-shin. I thought, “Ah, she’s going to be okay.” Why? He left her with hope and courage. That’s pretty awesome that he could affect a person so much. He did it for Jae-ha, his father, even Hang-ah and the rest of the WOC team.

    It kinda makes me want to live in a way that makes people better for having known me. I cried out every last bit of H2O in my body, but he’s worht it!

  66. Jesus H. Christ, this was the world’s saddest episode!! When the video started, I completely lost it! When Bong Goo put his hand behind his head, I knew he was going to go for a gun, but I honestly anticipated Jae Ha being shot, so I wasnt anxious. And even when SK was shot, I wasn’t anxious because I thought there was no way they would kill him off. Boy was I wrong! Or was I? I toyed with the idea briefly that maybe SK wasn’t really dead, but I thought there was no way JH would have let JS completely break down like that if he knew. So that leaves the chance of JH actually letting JS think he is dead on the off chance she might somehow spoil it by not being able to act sad, or that JH doesn’t know, which doesn’t seem likely. But then, you had the same feeling too, and that PD’s comments have me hopeful!! 50 minutes left in episode 20 for me, and I am seriously, seriously hoping we are both right!!

  67. I know that I am so late in watching this.
    Did they really have to kill him???
    I lost my energy to continue with it.
    I’m gonna take a spoiler peek of the last episode. If he is not there then I’m not gonna continue with it. I shall be hating the writer and the director.

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