Commentary and Watch of the Absolutely Perfect First Half of Episode 16 of King Flower

The first half of episode 16 of King Flower was so good I was crying and smiling simultaneously. I would have recapped this sucker already if I didn’t have girlfriends in town to entertain. This episode was one successive revelation after another and everything was fantastically done. Terry came clean with President Du, Qin Mo made his usual Dr. Crazy Eyes appearance to take responsibility for his involvement for why Liang Yen’s situation was kept from her dad, and President Du asked all the right questions and started to work through his grief. That is all good and fine, but it was the Terry-Da Hua moments (and there were TONS of it) that turned me into a gibbering mess. That and seeing the preview for episode 17 when Da Hua and Terry meet to exchange Grey Bear and he ends up piggybacking her (HOMG I need this now). I haven’t watched an episode of a drama that captured my heart so wholly in months and months – all the build up between Terry and Da Hua just flowed amazingly into the most squeeworthy and heartbreaking separation sequence that needs to be watched immediately. Perfect music, perfect directing, perfect acting – what more can I say. It was perfect. I’ve linked to the sequence below with my discussion and quickie recap.

There was a moment of fear around episode 12-13 that the writer may have to blacken Terry to validate Guan Jun, but that hasn’t turned out to be the case. It’s clear this drama is being written on the fly, since Lene Lai has completely disappeared from the drama for the most part since episode 11 and this girl is actually on the drama posters itself! I feel like the writers are stepping into Da Hua’s shoes, maybe initially fixated on the Guan Jun ship, but with the time spent developing Terry’s awesome character and writing one perfect Da Hua-Terry scene after another (and there are so many to count, in fact Terry gets all the good scenes with Da Hua in this drama), there has been this gradual realization that it’s not so simple to go back to the way things used to be. The rain kiss, and everything before and after that scene with Terry and Da Hua, was absolutely perfect. It was a kiss that was meant to be a goodbye from Terry, but in Da Hua you can see it triggered a new beginning. The way he said “Da Hua, I love” and then a smile and “Thank you” before he strode away. I think my heart did a high dive with somersaults there. This drama is now crack that I don’t have to be angry about loving, it’s back to being my most fun drama addiction this year so far.

Episode 16 (Terry and Da Hua cuts):

Terry’s refusal to explain himself in front of President Du is telling. He feels guilt, mountains and mountains of it, and he’s willing to take any punishment. Despite not deserving such censure, because he was as much a victim of Qin Mo telling him Liang Yen just needed a year to recover. When Terry goes home and Da Hua cooks for him, her happiness at making a good meal for him is such a wife wanting to take care of a husband type contentment. It’s so bittersweet that she picks this night to make those cute little hog dogs cut into squid shapes that he loves. He notes with a sad happiness that she remembered his favorite secret snack. Then he allows himself to eat her dinner rather than tell her right away she can leave, because its the only bit of comfort he has after one of the hardest days of his life. And she notices that he’s down, that something is on his mind. When she hears its all over, the first thing she asks is whether they are really going to be parted this time? And of course, when she packs, her reluctance is imprinted on her face. The way she is loathe to leave Terry is so impossible to deny, and impossible to explain away as her loyalty to finish that contract. When poor Grey Bear got knocked down, she completely forgot about it. This is her most precious present from Guan Jun, and she forgot about it.

EVERYTHING about this segment was perfect. Their final conversation in the car, how she keeps worrying about him, how he tells her honestly that he’ll probably lose everything and its something he’s ready to accept. When he compliments Da Hua on being such a kind and considerate girl, he actually says without jealousy but only acceptance that “Lin Guan Jun is very lucky to have a girl like you who loves him”. Yet Da Hua’s expression when he says that is this awkward look. When he pulls up in front of the store, she looks so startled that they are back already, and sits in the car not even moving to get out. When he grabs her suitcase and walks her out, she just stares and stares at him. I love how he keeps smiling during this entire time, from the car ride til now, even though we know his heart is breaking to let her go. And then he urges her to quickly go in because if she catches a cold he’s not going to be around to make ginger tea for her anymore. The way he grabs her hand to make her hold the umbrella because she doesn’t do it on her on. The way he pulls her hood over her head. The way she just stares and stares at him. When he sends her off and she starts walking, that is when his smile drops. And then the look on his face – utter pain and longing. And the kiss! What more can I say about the perfect perfect rain kiss. The way he called her name so decisively – she is Jin Da Hua. She is not Du Liang Yen. And he knows that, he knows that in his heart and mind. The way he walked forward, his determination and decision made. The way he pulled her in and held her head as he kissed her. The way he just sank into the kiss, it wasn’t too aggressive or passionate, it was filled with emotional heartache. After he pulled away, the two things he said to her just made me cry. “Da Hua, I love you. Thank you.”


Comments

Commentary and Watch of the Absolutely Perfect First Half of Episode 16 of King Flower — 35 Comments

  1. Thank you for this short recap! The first haft this episode was freaking awesome but I kinda skipped through the second half. I don’t like Da Hua’s brother. Idk he seems like player. Anyways, I know nothing is perfect but Terry is pretty damn close to being perfect!

    • I could care less about Da Li. Seriously. A meteor can fall on everyone in KF not named Da Hua and Terry and I wouldn’t even notice they were missing. So I also snoozed through the second half of 16. But the first half was perfect and so was Terry. He cannot do anything wrong in my eyes at this point. XD

  2. Wow Koala you are fast! The first part of the episode was breathtaking… so glad there are others out there as addicted as I am! My bf thinks I’m crazy for liking such a “senseless” drama, only you guys understand! lol.

    • This drama personifies what makes a TW-drama work so well despite mostly being silly and pointless in plot. When the OTP is on, they are ON. The angst is amazing and incredible to watch as the emotion just flows.

  3. WOAH. I totally dont follow this drama but I watched this scene and teared at the end. What got me was the way he just smiled after he kissed her, he thanked her genuinely without expecting anything. Woah. that was something.

    • It’s incredible to watch him act. He gets better and better with each episode, and is doing way more than this drama deserves narratively. His face after saying thank you will be etched in my brain.

  4. The ‘Thank You’ after ‘I love You ‘ somehow made it perfect. Terry wasn’t expecting anything back. The Kiss was so emotional ……so perfect for the moment.

  5. I just noticed that Da Hua may have forgotten the toy but she certainly held on to the gold fish even through that kiss. Isn’t that symbolic? Just now, I also saw that she had a photo-shoot aptly called “the girl who fell in love with a gold fish” or something… lol! Is this a sign? 😀

    • That, and also how she clutched that goldfish like it was going to get taken away all during the car ride home. She’s so unable to let him go its delicious.

  6. Thank you. Thank You. Thank You. This is as near perfection as it gets. Right when you think Chris Wu cannot get any better . . . I talked about wet Terry snacks before, but this, my friends, was a meal–a full multi-course meal including dessert.

    • You’re welcome. You’re welcome. You’re welcome. I tend to speak in hyperbole more often than I ought to, but this is not an exaggeration to say Chris Wu is soooooo good he makes me quake with the emotions he invokes. If this was a Michelin rated performance, he gets a 3 stars.

  7. Aw. Just reading the recap makes me want to see the whole drama. Terry is a sweet guy. He deserves to be happy with Da Hua.

    • He deserves Da Hua, but more than that, he deserves to find happiness that is apart from a life spent trying to be perfect for everyone around him.

  8. Good god I am not even watching the series but I saw what you wrote, stopped reading and went to watch ep 16.

    Jeepers thanks for turning me into a watering pot even though I am not watching it but following the recaps.
    Terry looked devastated and the tender look as he said ” thank you” and left. Then look gutted when he got back into the car? MAN. You guys sure he is not ending up with Da Hua? If I was following the series I would absolutely go and give the writer my 2 cents worth.

    Even the scene with Da Hua and the President made me sad.

    Chris Wu’s eyes needs to come with a warning label. I cannot take another drama where he has his heart broken.

    And the preview, &^%#@)+^& think I might have to watch it. Too much excitement. I had a little scream when I saw the piggback and GJ’s answer. By the way, you guys keep writing him as a loafer. Does he actually have any qualification because he suddenly became a manager right? In that property company?

    Cannot believe I feel so much for a drama I do not watch. For a hero whom I don’t even usually like- like I am not a Chris Wu fan. I said usually. 🙂 He was the bad 2nd lead in Inborn Pair remember?

    • This happened to me with Ji Hyun Woo. I hated, hated, hated him in A Thousand Kisses, a horrible, frustrating drama where he – the supposed “hero” was one of the most frustrating and annoying and terrible parts. I vowed I would never watch another drama with him in it, because he shuffled through the last 300 episodes like the walking dead…then came Queen In-Hyun’s Man and I had to eat my words, every one, because he was marvelous and everyone adored him and I’ve watched that show about five times through now.

    • I actually loved Chris’ character in Inborn Pair. Such an idiot when he left but his heart was in a noble place. Chris Wu’s eye do come with a warning! I’ve been warning y’all left and right – beware that he zaps you with the emotion and intensity and love.

      I have no idea what GJ has ever done to deserve getting a free ride through life and now he’s suddenly a Managing Director of a company, a position equal to Terry’s position at Sheng Da. LOL, whut?

  9. Chris Wuuuuuuuu…. I love you too! Terry and Big Flower better end up together at the end. The whole emotional journey between them… How they have helped each other tackle their own issues as partners… The goldfish won over the forgotten grey bear… The kiss under the rain…

    If these are not signs that they will end up together, I believe a trip to Taiwan is clearly needed!

    • Terry and Big Flower FTW!

      SETTV is seriously driving fans nuts with their refusal to give a clear indicator of which ship is definitely sailing. They want to whet our appetites.

    • It’s Olivia Ong’s newest single called “Don’t Change”. I LOVE IT. Been searching high and low and its not released yet. 🙁

      Such a bummer. Actually I love all the songs and OST score from King Flower.

  10. Thanks for the recap! I have been a silent reader of KF here and a worried fan for Terry.. not knowing if the writers is going to give him a happy ending. Seriously, I just cried when I saw that rain scene. I’m soo praying for a Terry-Da Hua ending.

  11. Can I give Chris Wu a standing ovation. Seriously the best acting I have seen in a long time. He is just too good. I was not a fan before this drama and now melt every time he is on camera. Thanks for your awesome blog, its where I come to get my King Flower fix! Definitely drama crack!

  12. Although I was going to rave about the perfection that the first half of this episode was, I now have simply got to rave about your commentary, Ms Koala. I read this commentary with what I thought was a heart absolutely and truly full from the amazing perfection that this first half was, but your spot-on analysis and commentary has now made it overflow with happiness and contentment. Your analysis captured exactly what made this half episode so perfect and reading it allows me to savour every little bit of the perfection and to stretch it out to last as long as I want. Now off to rewatch, reread, rewatch, reread and sigh with contentment…Thank you so much, Ms Koala.

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