Nice Guy Wrap Party Pictures as the Cast Celebrates Happy Ending and High Ratings

When I watched the final episode of Nice Guy yesterday I thought the ending was clear as to what happened. How it came about was awkwardly presented but what happened was not disputable. Then came those who felt the ending was a dream sequence, but today the production confirmed that sequence was meant to be taken literally. Song Joong Ki gave a post-finale interview where he confirmed: Maru did not die, the ending is not a fantasy sequence, and Maru did remember Eun Gi but was teasing her for a bit until he handed her the rings which revealed to her that he remembers her. Those two got their happy ending. A production member explained that the opening sequence in episode 20 was changed – the clock hand runs forward instead of backwards, and the final shot is of a smiling Maru instead of a crying Maru – as a clear foreshadowing that this episode would be a happy ending. Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that its the same haircut Song Joong Ki in both shots of the opening (crying and smiling), indicating that Lee Kyung Hee intended for NG to have a happy ending from the outset. I don’t know about that, but I do appreciate how clever with the little touches this drama has been, and the changed opening sequence from episode 20 is yet another example of how this drama pays attention to detail.

In the interview, Song Joong Ki also revealed the ages of the characters at the very end, Maru is 37 and lawyer Ahn is 50 (by the time he gets out of prison), so we can use that to figure out the rest of the character ages. He also said that the little girl pointing out that Maru goes every day to buy crappy food from Eun Gi is also a confirmation that he remembers her. She probably spent 6 years raising little Eun Seok and running Tae San while Maru was in medical school abroad. After Jae Hee got out of prison and Maru came back to open the clinic in the countryside is when Eun Gi left Tae San to Jae Hee and Eun Seok and followed her heart to Maru. The name of her bakery is Silvertop and in Korean silver is pronounced eun and top is pronounced maru. EunMaru bakery, that is just too cute. I suppose I could keep nitpicking the ending but I’m actually really content and at peace with it, flaws and all. Below are some pictures of the cast at the wrap party. For some reason Song Joong Ki wasn’t photographed but everyone else was there.


Comments

Nice Guy Wrap Party Pictures as the Cast Celebrates Happy Ending and High Ratings — 49 Comments

  1. I’m just going to post here what I just recently posted on the ep20 recap. So I stand corrected, Maru did recognize Eun Gi after all, sometimes getting spoonfed is fun too, but like I said the ending was good as it is. 🙂
    //
    Maru didn’t get amnesia, he just couldn’t recognize faces. The ending wasn’t much of a BANG but it was fitting. I think the entire point of Nice Guy was really redemption and not revenge. I think it’s pretty clear now, that not Maruo nor Eun Gi ever gotten their revenge. This drama was about 3 broken people (and some) fixing their lives for the better. The common complain that I have been hearing is that people were really expecting Maru to die but then BAM he lived despite getting stabbed and hematoma. But that’s where the magic of Nice Guy kicks in… I don’t know if we’re all at the same boat here but for me, Nice Guy’s strongest point was it’s pacing and sudden twists and turns. We’re never 100% sure of what’s gonna happen next, and even if we have clues, we have to always second guess ourselves. Not everything is what it seems. So here comes Maru, a nice guy with very bad luck, when everything else is pointing towards his demise, we get our rugs pulled off, and he suddenly gets a dream-like ending… and the Twist? NO ONE DIED (well except for the chairman, but that was kinda coming already anyways).
    Think back to Eun Gi’s words: Eun-ki: “Memory plays a game that no one can avoid. Memories will be rewritten, will decay. Are my memories whole? Can my memories be trusted? What was it that I saw that day?” And this synopsis of the drama: “No one escapes the “tricks of memory”: Memory is discolored, forgotten, and embroidered over time. So all of us become amnesiacs, forgetting loved ones and valuable emotions and insisting upon how we originally were.”
    The point is again, nothing is what it seems: All the while all of us are painted with a story where everything seems to be pointing towards Maru’s death. But just as the running theme of the drama suggests, what we know now, might actually be different in the future.
    Think back at all the cliffhangers of the drama, we’re always given a preview but ALWAYS in the next episode, we are given additional info of what actually happened prior the cliffhanger.
    Again, nothing is what it seems, and I believe the writer stayed true to her craft. Could the ending have been better? Absolutely, but I think it is truly fitting as it is. I don’t feel cheated at all.//

  2. I also started suspecting that MA Ru didn’t get amnesia based on the conversation between Myeong Joo and Ma Ru. His voice over, the couple ring that he gave to her at the bench scene was the same ring when he wanted to propose her. Then finally his smile he gave to her and his eyes when he look at her after that CONFIRMED that.

    I didn’t expect that my assumption was actually true, LOL
    BEcause deep down in my heart I just refuse to believe that MA RU is getting amnesia LOL that I start getting delusional and try cheer myself LOL

  3. Oh so I was wrong but it was so confusing heh heh. But then why the stabbing? So unnecessary!

    What is Lee Kwangsoo wearing like seriously?!

    Missing SJK I hope in his next project he gets to wear pants that actually fit and go past his ankle and socks.

    Is Park Shi-yeon pregnant? Everyone looks happy and healthy can’t wait to see all their next projects.

    • The circumstance that led to back stabbed scene kind force, too for me… Just don’t understand Jae Gil, the guy who are willing to drag MA Ru to the hospital, letting MR go who is sick and had plan to get surgery in the next morning exit from the hospital.

      Ahhh the traffic light scene, reminds me to the scene in MISA.. Wonder if traffic light scene like this is a LKH trademark? There is a traficlight scene in WISFC too..

      about PSY, I kind suspicious she is pregnant..

      • I think the stabbing part is the point that is use to push hanjaehee to confess everything to the police..

  4. I was one of the ones thinking it was a dream sequence. Thank you for confirming that it’s the real deal! My mood’s been alternating between sad and cranky today, so this is wonderful news! (though it makes me wonder what the whole point was behind him getting stabbed and passing out in the alleyway….).

    The actor playing Ahn Min Young looks loads better without the bad hair and glasses.

  5. The clock hand runs forward instead of backwards, and the final shot is of a smiling Maru instead of a crying Maru – as a clear foreshadowing that this episode would be a happy ending.
    Totally noticed this as well…so I did figure the ending wasn’t randomly tacked in…though they should’ve done something to flow better….I still think they should’ve foregone the stabbing sequence, instead having the monologue while he falls to the ground put into a scene where he was taken into brain surgery…or something like that…lol…and then cut to the epilogue as it was
    Overall I’m more than satisfied with the show…LSY and LKS are very cute….I wonder if SJK didn’t come to the party?

  6. actually I need more explanation from LKH-nim abt what what has happened in the last 7 years.

    but explanation from SJK is enough to reduce my curiosity.

    thanks ms.koala 🙂

  7. I am very happy to know that he never had an amnesia. Thank god. Luckily, I never thought that the last 10 minute was a dream sequence at all.

    I love the quietness and subtlety of the last set of interactions between the 2 leads, especially the last part. I would rather want to believe though that Eun Gi never thought Maru had an amnesia but that she just played along. They both tried to make their second meeting an entirely different one and so they pretended to not know each other. Both of them have come from the same shell as before but inside they are completely renewed and healed persons.

    I am at peace with the ending now.

  8. As for Gwang Soo’s outfit, I think he was inspired by Choco’s leggings. He loved the Choco character so much that he wore her leggings for the after party. 😀

  9. I think song joong ki did appear in the 5th and 6th picture. He’s the one holding onto “lawyer park’s” neck looking back and the one in the back of psy and “ahn” in between the two girls.

  10. Wow, I think out of everyone, the only people who looked normal are Kim Tae Hoon and Lee Sang Yeob…Hahah, Park Shi Yeon looked dead tired and Moon Chae Won looks like she threw a dead animal around her neck lol…and for Lee Kwang Soo, I’m not gonna go there

  11. i like the ending of NG period!!! and I LOVE the show and its casts…now my Wed-Thurs will never be the same… thank you again madam K for all the wonderful goodies…. 🙂

  12. Lee Sang Yeob is too cute! Aw … give him a leading role, Ms Director! He needs a break. And I need to see him win the leading lady.

  13. my wish was granted, it was indeed a happy ending sweet and endearing. ms. K thank you so much for the recaps and everything. great job!

  14. Why did writer put in such an abrupt end? How can two deeply in love people stay apart for 6 years (Maru doing his medical degree)? Why can’t writer give us more sweet moments even to the very end? We need more kisses, hand holding, warm loving looks, boating!!!! between EG and Maru without the “death sentence” overhang??? Urgh!!!

    But still, ultimately grateful that EG and Maru get their well deserved happy ending. Just wished that we get to see MORE of the happiness!

    • Also wish that TV station could produce a SPECIAL to fully explain what went on exactly between the time when Maru collasped on that darkened path and 7 years later. Just like the beginning of every episode would back track to show preceeding events connecting to the final scene of the previous episode.

  15. Great ending…this drama is really amazing…well packed, well prepared. Appreciate the details that the writer made for us. One in a million of Kdrama

  16. The ending is just fitting to the story-REDEMPTION.
    The plot runs very practical circumstances that may happen to our lives, it is just right to redeem ourselves after every failure or mistakes that we committed, just like Kang Maru.

    Even before the confirmation that the ending was real, I believe that it wasn’t a dream at all.For every broken soul, it takes a lot of time to heal… sometimes, it would take forever. Seven years is good enough for Kang Maru. Finally, for that period, he was able to take control of his life… to do the things he wanted to do, to get the things he desired. According to him (ep20), he was never selfish. He always puts the people he loves first before his needs. SO I think seven years is god enough.

    Further, regarding the stabbing part, I think that scene was also an essential plot of the story. Jae hee was very affected when she learned that Maru was very sick, but I think, the turning part when she thinks that she must turn herself in was when she realized that she created a demon wuth Atty Ahn. Jae hee finally realized the consequences of her actions by using the people who cared for to get what she desired.

    Definitely, the best Korean Series I’ve ever watch! I will surely miss the EunMa!!!

    ~thank you too Koala for the recaps 🙂

  17. Those little touches make me appreciate this drama so much more… And I never doubted that the ending was a dream sequence. I liked the ending.

    p.s. lawyer Ahn looks so different without glasses! Didn’t realize it was him for a second there.

  18. It’s relief me. I believe Maru dont die and can accept if he gets amnesia, but reading this make me more happy cos he still remember Eun Gi after surgery. Even I do really want seeing them have more kisses, hugs but I think their reunion scenes are sweet romantic and funny. Maru just plays like amnesian cos he want to have ordinary and normal date like other people that I think Eun Gi doesnt know this part so she’s quite surprise Maru gives her the old ring. I miss NG already and intend rerun this drama, and miss all the cast especially EunMa couple. I hope ockoala will still give me news about their abroad promo/fan meeting.

  19. actually i didn’t noticed about the smiling maru at the opening until you mentioned it and i had to go back and check it back again. wow! NG is just so thorough with the details.

    anyways, what’s with the Kwang Soo outfit, lols.

    and where is our Nice Guy? 🙂

  20. Wow… ep 20 is really great, I repeat it three times.
    Thanks LKH-nim you made my week end wonderful, I’m happy all days long.

    Thank to you too Koala, your posted of EunMa scene after surgery made me more understand about the ending. What a beautiful ending!

    • This drama of k drama out the make me cry ..i cry best the cast really really good and they got are amazing chemistry where we cant find out the with other cast.seriously i really good miss them especially maru and eungi.their love relationship its just to amazing for me and we never ever found type of relationship they in other drama..how they meet?how their in luv?and their never ever ever said ‘i love u’ words each other but their show their love by their manner ….

  21. Whoaaaa…Lawyer Ahn is so different when he smiles. He looks like a nice guy also. BTW the ending is so so.. but there is happy ending for everyone.

  22. So these guys love each other so much that…they spend six years apart with no contact while Maru goes to medical school? Talk about emotionally unsatisfying. When it comes to lovers reuniting, I kind of want to feel some urgency in the couple wanting to be together, rather than “oh, I’ll get around to it eventually.”

    I really hate time jumps at the end of dramas — I think they’re such cheats. It’s like the drama sets up all these conflict and rather than show everyone going through the events, you get a post-it note telling you that everything worked out in the end when they’d had enough time apart to become different people who got over all that stuff. But I was watching the people who weren’t over that stuff! If all it takes is time, why bother watching the previous episodes, when those conflicts mattered?

  23. The ending was clear enough, but giving it some thought, I think I would have liked it even more, that while they sat, he hands her the rings, smiles, then Eun-Gi without taking her eyes off Maru, takes out her cell and makes the call to Choco. “He’s back!”

    The reason; despite Maru’s protestations to the contrary, Maru’s heart, his state of grace as it were, extends to Choco and Jae Gil. That’s who is.

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