I’ve mentioned before that the experience of watching Lie to Me is just like Mary Stayed out All Night, and that the drama’s writing trainwreck literally takes the exact same trajectory (including writer switch at episode 11). After watching episode 15 of LTM, I have zero doubts LTM is M3’s adult sibling. Ah Jung just pulled a Mu Gyul at the end of episode 15 (same completely reversed behavior than normal), which means we’d better have Ki Joon pull a Mae Ri in episode 16 to pull this ship to its blissful conclusion. I know he will, but I have a sinking feeling in my gut that, like M3, the latest plot developments all point to an open ending of sorts.
I need to throw this out there to re-set everyone’s expectations. But while M3’s ending was pitch-perfect for their tender age of 24, I’m not thrilled if LTM pull the same stunt because narratively it makes little sense for their mature characters. Sigh, I’m not upset because I was suspecting as much (and even broke out in hives partially from the dramatic stress of worrying about my beloved OTP), but still it’s a bittersweet feeling to watch this episode. The penultimate episodes are almost always a total oddball to find tension where really there ought be none left. I’ll have more thoughts in the recap proper.
Episode 15 Baby Recap:
Ki Joon catches up to his barefoot Cinderella, who lies that she’s just not feeling well. He doesn’t press her further and simply offers up his back to piggyback her. A lady brings Ah Jung her shoes and tells her to feel better. Ah Jung goes home and ponders the issues looming – her firing and whether she’s Cinderella. Dad finds out about her firing but trusts in his Ah Jung, who consults Jae Bum and finds out she can gather evidence and petition for re-instatement.
Aunt informs Ki Joon that Ah Jung got fired because of him – the Ministry old fogies think she picked Gold Resort for the last convention as favoritism. Ki Joon tells Ah Jung to discuss the issue with him, it’s not just her problem, it’s their problem together. Ah Jung gets help from Jae Bum and her co-workers to go through the paperwork to show there was no bias. Ki Joon tells Hoon to assist in any way possible, spending money if necessary. Ah Jung tries to get signatures on her petition at the Ministry, and sees Ki Joon outside passing out flyers in support of her cause.
Yoon Joo confesses to her mom that she did something wrong and she feels really bad, and agrees to go back to Paris. Ah Jung meets with the disciplinary board again and shows them evidence that she properly vetted all the sites and the Gold Resort was selected because of substantive facts, plus she wasn’t even dating Ki Joon at that time a few months ago. Ah Jung gets re-instated and Ki Joon is thrilled for her. Aunt finds out from Ki Joon that he wants to marry Ah Jung, asking if there is nothing she can say or do that will deter him. He says no, not this time.
On Ah Jung’s first day back to work, Ki Joon sets up an ice-cream stand outside for her, complete with Park Hoon in a Pooh Bear costume. All her co-workers chant for them to just get married. Ah Jung pretends to not like the gesture, but finally concedes she liked it. Ki Joon asks what she thinks when people ask them to get married, but Ah Jung won’t answer.
Yoon Joo visits Sang Hee at his studio and bids him farewell. She promises to marry a better man and be happy. Yoon Joo meets with Ah Jung and apologizes for the way she’s behaved. Ah Jung says she would have done the same thing. Ah Jung asks Yoon Joo to hate only her, and not Ki Joon as well. Ki Joon cooks for Ah Jung and they are so cute together playing house. Yoon Joo asks to meet and Ah Jung tells him to go. Ki Joon meets with Yoon Joo and they thank each other for the memories and wish each other well.
Sang Hee shows up at the airport to send Yoon Joo off. Ah Jung gives Ae Kyung a makeover and Ki Joon takes Dad out shopping for a suit. They arrange for a wedding ceremony at the café, and Dad and Ae Kyung are married. Ki Joon and Ah Jung write down a list of all the attributes they want in their significant other. Ah Jung visits Sang Hee and sees the painting he drew of her, but he brushes it off as just doodling. Aunt asks to meet with Ah Jung and gives her a laundry list of things she will need to do when she marries Ki Joon, including pretty much quitting her job so she can follow him around.
Ah Jung is taken aback with that reality, and Ki Joon takes her back to his place to cheer her up when he notices that she’s down. He shows her his secret room that he’s never shown anyone, which is where he keeps all the toy models he’s assembled over the years. A toy train comes pulling up bearing a diamond necklace. He puts it on her and proposes. Ki Joon says that he’s lived his entire life for others, so finding Ah Jung is like a present given to him. He wants to share his life with her. Ah Jung looks at him and says that she doesn’t think she’s the right woman for him.
P.S. You guys exploded the previous LTM spoiler post. O__O I’m impressed. As for which post at the playground has the most comments – the GeunGeun Discussion Forum is currently past 6000 after 3 months. Those ladies are hardcore. I’m expecting the upcoming HwanHye Forum to be equally as rich in sleuthing.
P.P.S. If you guys can wait, I highly suggest watching episode 15-16 together. That’s how I survived the insanity of M3 (though mine was not by choice since I was somewhere on vacation that final week). Episode 15’s pain is to set up for episode 16’s pleasure (however non-boating involved I foresee), so if you can hold off, watching it back-to-back should be a much better experience.
P.P.P.S. Okay, collective LTM-fandom – Take A Chill Pill. All the ending for episode 15 told me is that we’re not likely going to get a wedding or boating. But we’re 100% going to get a happy ending. Ah jung is going to explain to Ki Joon her fears, Ki Joon will likely give her some time and space. Period. No big deal. And then they will work through their issues. Neither is suddenly going to stop talking and being candid. Or stop loving each other. So stay calm.
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I always knew that the hesitency would come from her part. After ep 9 when I saw how Ki Joon redeemed himself, and in all the episodes after that...I knew the hesitancy, the cliffhanger would all be on Ah Jungs part. Because, lets face it, even though she wants to get married and has her vision of what her marriage should be like, she is not and never will be a housewife. But instead of telling Ki Joon this, she just keeps it in and lets others words confuse her mind. I mean, the man tried hard to help you get back your job, I think he knows how important it is to you Ms Ah Jung. He would give you heaven and earth if he could. We know that, how come you dont?
Oh by the way I think I should point this out....
I did not hold my breath for the so called "Intense-love-scene" psh. Good thing or I'dve been blue in the face and wouldnt be able to watch ep 16.
And Suprisingly Koala, I didn't cringe at the ending. I guess I kind've knew it. But I so dont want it to end like M3. M3 ending was for M3, I want them to show us what the older version of M3 couple doo.
LOLs. Pffts. Hot ice cream scene indeed. :P
my thoughts exactly.. ki joon did his best to help her and entered her world without a care.. he just dived in when he fell for her while ah jung's afraid to drown when she hasn't even dipped her toes in the water. i'm just not understanding her character ATM.. (altho i know that it is a bit logical for her to behave this way.. giving up your job.. the one you painstakingly worked to get at.. that is hard) this was not the same ah jung who asked ki joon out.. or maybe it's the gravity of being married to a chaebol that has changed her.. i'm glad the previews are promising with ki joon fighting... but i so do not want an open ending for our OTP..
so to you writer-nim: ;)
there better be a wedding, a make out session, a boating scene and babies on the way come episode 16.. OR ELSE
i'm off to clean my shurikens.. >>
@Bella
Yeah, I mean ofcourse I understand that it would be daunting to marry into a chaebol world. But its not like Ki Joon is going to say "Oh well, your with me now, and so you have to sacrifice everything for me" No.
Did episode 14 really not teach her anything? When he said that he doesnt want her to lose her job because of him. Only if its her choice? Was her ears stuffed with cotton? She needs to stop letting that stupid Aunt scare the shit out of her. I mean, there she was crying that she's always the girl thats never picked and now shes finally picjed shes trying to run away? Dumbass--oops not you, Yoon eun hye, I'm merely cursing the writer. Gosh I feel like Red Foreman now.
But see... KJ already dealt with how Ah Jung kept shaking his world. She did so from the beginning and we see this in his interactions with Manager Park at the office and when they have drinks by the water. He's already considered what he'd have to give up for her... but AJ hasn't fully considered it yet. The glee of falling in love and having her love reciprocated (note her reaction after the drunk scene from ep 14 and from the first time KJ calls her Ah Jung-ah) meant that she hadn't considered losing everything yet.
When she dealt with the media at eps 13-14, this was about her being remorseful for her lies and taking responsibility for the consequences of her immaturity at the beginning. Eps 14's ending was where she really realized that she paid a high price for lying... but she still hadn't said "Okay, I'm giving this all up as long as I have KJ".
Now, at the end of ep15, we're really getting to Ah Jung finally understanding that life as Mrs. HKJ really means... and our OTP dealing with this situation sets up a partnership/love story that will become a good foundation for a long-lasting marriage. I think this is what the PD, KJH, and YEH know.
Now we just worry if writer-2 is going to give us the RIGHT ending. I don't care if it's a Goong-like ending... as long as there's a marriage and maybe a snippet of honeymoon in there somewhere.
Has anyone ever seen "Three Sisters" or "Golden Chariots"? These are previous dramas written by writer 2 (Choe Yun Jeong). Just wondering how those ended... if they were satisfying and fully rounded out the story.
@bella : I'm preparing my kunais. And grinding my axe. Hope we don't have to use them. *sigh*
Oh I so get what your saying @Best Luv...Ugh Your logic makes me see, my anger is slowing ebbing away. Nooo
But I cant help but think that, where the hell is the sensible Ah Jung? The one who should says frankly "I'm not like that, but so what. Whats wrong with me?" You know, that girl from the previous eps.
I can even understand that maybe she doesnt want to be a failure to Ki Joon, and embarass him ever. But still, the proof is there. Ki Joon wanted her to get back her job. He understoood how important it is to her. Does she simply think that because they make a vow to each other that he's going to let her give up who she is, when in fact because of who she is, and what she stands for, is the reason he fell in love with her.
But Still, Im blaming the writer. What kind of shit is she trying to pull here? With all the problem solving to be done in ep 16, it'll be less happy time
@Best Luv
Things do not look good. The writer lady's previous dramas were all daily dramas. You know the 56 and 123 eps kind. tsk tsk. Those rarely end favorbaly for me.
*painfully remembering I hate you but its fine* Gah, *shudders*
@Leishers,
It's true. Ah Jung has that fighting spirit... but she's grounded enough to know that she has to consider what marriage really means for HER. She's always had this sweet and beautiful idea of marriage, and in that 2nd/3rd episode, said she doesn't want to GET marriage, she just wanted to BE married.
Since she's never been in a relationship before (like someone previously noted in the last post), she never thought about consequences. Everything always seemed (naively at times) just simple. Think about her first visit to KJ's place.
This is what Ki Joon loved about her.
But if she's going to give things up for KJ, the only life she's known before KJ, as an independent woman who's never had nor WANTED to depend on any one else (remember why she hunted down KJ to pay for the medical bills), she needs to really think about it because she's had the sweet, loving part of this relationship... exactly what she'd wanted in the beginning. But reality has to set in first... which is why the 2nd half of today's episode was her slowly realizing it.
Hearing that she has to give up things to become part of KJ's life (like Yoon Joo's and Aunt's talk with her before her confession to the media) is different from REALLY thinking about it... which is something she hasn't really done yet. At least not in a context outside of her guilt for ruining KJ's business life.
@Best Luv
Hmm, now im remembering. Yes, I definitely see this clearly now. W.o the anger.
I really do see how this really could give her pause. But why not just tell Ki Joon this. It just bugs me that shes taking the aunts word to heart.
@BestLuv - that's where I don't think I agree. I think the Aunt gave HER expectations of what she wants AJ to do as KJ's wife. None of the stress whatsoever we seem to see came from KJ. (Sure he might be a bit of a - I want you to do nothing but shop, yoga etc. and *put on somefing sexy* (sorry, I added that)).
But you see, someone told me - you never know what you have to change, compromise or give up in a relationship. It's not about all or nothing. It's a partnership.
For me, I think both of the do know what it means. :) The extent of balance? Well, both could have lost their 'job' but they won it back fair and square.
And that's what I like about the meta-theme.
It's not as -_- as M3 (sorry bout that GG-lovers out there) - which for me I watched just for the interactions between the OTP too. Here, I think we may not see the nuancing until we review all together. Not just 15-16.
My take on the transformation in the characters? - I think it's a visible sign of love changing people. Their freaking OCD and independent streak? Well, who hadnt got their quirks before? But here, I think I like the melding between drama and real life. I like it that there might be room for them dating in RL. But I'm buying it also - that this is drama :) And the OTP is comfortable enough to let bits of their inner selves out :) :)
@Lynx,
I agree with you. My take was just how I understand the story from eps 1-14 since I've marathoned it from beginning to end, thus my unshakable faith in the OTP and why I'm content with the story thus far.
Like you, I think tomorrow's story will deal with them both (AJ & KJ) finding the compromise and assuring each other (really, KJ assuring AJ) that sacrificing everything isn't necessary since they work as a team (both in their personal and professional lives).
I think Aunt might even learn a thing or two from them... and may eventually sympathize with AJ's independence and AJ and KJ's way of finding balance b/w prioritizing love and work (again, harking back to convos that KJ had with Manager Park) since she herself is a self-made woman (whose top priority in life is business).
Didn't really see why she turned down his proposal,the writer just do not get it,how can you spoil a not so perfect drama right at the very end?what more does Ah jung wants? love she will get plenty of if she marries him,stability that she will get is she being selfish or what?He has done so much for her almost completely changed from the guy at the begining of this drama ....i am so crossed right now WORDS fail me.
@Leishers,
I mean they only gave us her first line in that monologue today. She does say more in the preview leading me to believe that they will have a full conversation about this matter and KJ will assure her not to worry.
Also why we get that 2nd scene with AJ giving KJ the aegyo. It's not over. They just have to converse about it. This is the first time AJ gets a chance to bring up the subject anyway in privacy with no job or other people to distract them and pressure her.
http://youtu.be/znKcl5YTYak
Credits to RebelSouls - preview translation --
after her rejection of his proposal, AJ explains: I love you -so much that I worry if I can live in a world without you
K says he cant let that happen -he hates the idea- but she begs him using aegyo – just until I find what I lost-it wont take long
another kiss at the airport
he asks if he can call her often as she walks away
@HwanHye Shipper
I just realized that. I am so hoping they have that long needed talk. Because i'd just go cray cray if she said no, then that first line and run out of the house. Shoot I'd be more than cray cray, I'd be homicidal And I know who my intended victim is already. Hmm-hm im talkin gto you writer-nim.
Thank you very much for the baby recap Koala. I was on this page refreshing it every 5 minutes from 2 hours.
WEDDING! WEDDING! SBS FOR BIG BIG WEDDING!
Thanks for the fast reclap. thanks a million! =)
I don't think we will have a wedding :( because they tend to put spoiler picture if they were going to be one
but here's hoping…
Am I the first???
Thanks Koala!
I can now go to bed!
Happy!
Yeah, Auntie's going to need a new face once we're done with her. :)
Bittersweet, not sure if i'm too happy to watch the uploaded ep 15 tmr >.< anyways thanks for posting the baby recaps.. now i can sleep in peace knowing the plot (not too satisfying though...)
hwan-hye makes a great on-screen couple, surpass all others.. pray LTM ending do justice to their perfect on-screen chemistry..
i felt so sad right now coz the bad ending for episode 15..i still want to cry.. but i want give a change for tomorrow episode..the last time we will se our OTP together..
i hate open ending but i think i have to accept it..oh gosh ho much i hate writer nim right now, i just want to....
btw koalas like always waiting fr your full recap tomorrow..nite2...
thank you koala....
finally.. cant wait for the full recap..