Big Episode 13 Recap

When Gong Yoo cries, I cry. Its days like this that make me wish I was just an ordinary drama watcher without the recapping stint on the side. Writing about episode 13 of Big is challenging, because the story went into hyperdrive at the same time all the emotions exploded from all sides until I feel fairly suffocated with hurt for Kyung Joon. On an ambition scale of 1-10, the Hong Sisters pretty much wrote themselves into the corner with a 11 with the humdinger of an ending to this episode, and it will take quite a herculean feat to tie unwrap this all.

Normally birth secrets are already a big shock and hard to accept, but here Kyung Joon has to learn that not only is he the brother of the man whose body he is currently occupying, not to mention the very reason for his existence was predicated on saving his brother’s life in the first place. I think Kyung Joon held himself together quite well all things considering. I, on the other hand, felt like throwing plates and punching Mari and Yoon Jae’s mom out. I never claimed to be genteel, and Big never promised it was going to be only rainbows and unicorns all the way through.

Episode 13 recap:

Kiss! Kiss…… Sigh, so so sweet. Kyung Jae kisses Da Ran and she leans into the kiss, though the abominable camera pulls out so that the rest of the kiss is seen from what appears to be 100 yards away. If I wanted to see what a park looked like at night, PD-nim, I would get off my butt and hike to a park. So quit it and get me back to the close up of the lovebirds. Kyung Jae pulls back and stares at Da Ran, who still has her eyes closed and is still in the moment.

When Da Ran snaps out of her reverie, she starts nervously fretting. Kyung Jae teases that she’s cheated already (on Yoon Jae) so she might as well just go with it. Da Ran confesses its been so hard on her recently, and she blames Kyung Jae for being so good to her with the flowers and the fanning that she can’t help but be affected. Kyung Jae drags her off, saying they are going to celebrate the birthday of the guy she cheated with, Kang Kyung Joon.

Se Young is doing her charts at the nurses station when a nurse gives her a piece of Kyung Joon’s birthday cake. Se Young notices that the decoration on the cake says KKJ for his initials. She startles for a moment, but then dismisses the possibility that it’s the same KKJ on the watch Da Ran bought. Think outside the box, Se Young.

Yoon Jae’s dad comes by and greets Se Young as Yoon Jae’s colleague and also Kyung Joon’s doctor, knowing that she knows the truth about the two men’s relationship with each other. Se Young agrees to keep Yoon Jae’s dad informed about Kyung Joon’s progress since he’s also Kyung Joon’s dad.

Se Young sees Mari and encourages her to keep visiting Kyung Joon every day. Mari chases after Yoon Jae’s dad through the hospital. She finally calls out to him and he turns around and stares at her quizzically. She asks if he’s Dr. Seo Yoon Jae’s dad? And is he also Kyung Joon’s dad?

Kyung Jae is embarrassed as employees of a restaurant sing him a happy birthday song and he wears a birthday hat. He grumbles to Da Ran that this birthday celebration is suited for a kid, which Da Ran reminds him that he still is. Kyung Jae snarks back, reminding this ahjumma that she was just kissed by this kid.

Da Ran shushes him, and then makes up this ridiculous excuse that the kiss earlier was a birthday kiss per US custom. Kyung Jae scoffs at her, pointing out that she was trying to run away to teach elsewhere because it’s too hard for her to deal with things. He asks her to just stop worrying about everything else, but she can’t since she’s an adult.

Da Ran doesn’t have the courage to just toss aside her concerns and worries, so Kyung Jae offers to give her the strength to do so.

Mari confronts Yoon Jae’s dad and confirms he’s also Kyung Joon’s dad. She calls him a bad guy, asking him who is more important, Kyung Joon or Yoon Jae? Dad apologizes and says there is a situation, but Mari walks away, not wanting to listen to him anymore. She realizes that finding Kyung Joon’s dad may bring him more pain.

Kyung Jae draws a picture and writes down a place in Da Ran’s phone and wants to go with her. He shows her what a twenty year old guy can do. She keeps trying to resist, but he vows he’ll wear her down and seduce her eventually to the point she won’t want to leave him.

Kyung Jae and Da Ran walk home and outside the front gates, Kyung Jae asks Da Ran if she hasn’t forgotten something for him? She takes out the watch and he looks inside for the initials KKJ. He asks her to put it on for him as the first present she ever gave him, but she hesitates. So Kyung Jae switches tactics and tells her to look at the watch face and remember the time 10:10. From now on, every 10:10 she will think only about Kang Kyung Joon. Mari pulls up in a taxi outside the house as she spots Kyung Jae and Da Ran talking.

Kyung Jae says he’s hypnotized Da Ran now and she’ll always be thinking about him. Mari looks peeved as she listens. Kyung Jae heads off to buy Da Ran a new toothbrush since he threw the last one away when she tried to leave him. He startles her by putting his hands in the 10:10 position as he walks away with a giant grin on his face.

Da Ran turns around and sees Mari, who asks if the watch is a present for Kyung Joon? Da Ran invites her in to wait for Kyung Joon, but Mari says that Kyung Joon is important to her and she has important things to say to him. Mari runs off after Kyung Jae.

At the convenience store, Mari asks Kyung Jae why he’s not picking up or returning her calls. She can tell Kyung Jae is super happy right now, and her jealousy starts to rear its ugly head. She reveals that she has news to share with Kyung Jae, but she doesn’t want to tell him right now. She’ll have Da Ran tell him later, because he won’t be happy when he hears it. Kyung Jae is cool with that, he’d rather hear news from Da Ran anyways. Mari walks away and asks if Kyung Joon will think his dad is more important or Da Ran is more important.

Da Ran is laying in bed and looking at the doodle Kyung Jae drew on her phone, about taking her away on vacation. She remembers Kyung Jae teasing that the Great Wall of China can be seen from space. In her dreams she also goes under water in a submarine. Da Ran sleeps and puts her hands out in the 10:10 position.

The next morning, Da Ran brings fresh bread to Kyung Jae and opens the fridge to find it stocked with Vitamin Water that has Kyung Joon and Mari’s faces on it. Kyung Jae reveals it was Mari’s birthday present to him. He can’t help it if Mari is clinging onto him. Da Ran doesn’t look terribly jealous so Kyung Jae says that Mari is very pretty and has a rich father.

Da Ran starts getting a little affected. Kyung Jae pulls out some bread and complains about eating bread again. Da Ran says kids are like that, they like one thing and then suddenly decide they don’t like it anymore. When Da Ran is about to eat the bread, Kyung Jae takes it from her and tells her to starve as he eats it.

The Vice Principal sees Kyung Joon’s uncle outside the mandoo restaurant wearing his old high school uniform. He goes inside hoping Da Ran’s mom will recognize him. She welcomes him inside and looks in shock at him. Clue sappy old school music. She walks closer and gives him some money, saying that he’s clearly needing help. She tells him to cheer up and take good care of himself. Kyung Joon’s uncle walks out in a daze. The VP tries to comfort him. This is like the stupidest most pointless side plot ever.

Da Ran sits at school and looks at the watch, noticing that the clock reads 10:10. Mari and Choong Shik come over to talk with her, and Choong Shik notices her wedding ring is missing. Mari is furious and says it must be found. The three of them go back to the park to find the ring. Choong Shik wonders if she has been fighting with brother-in-law and took it off on purpose. Choong Shik goes to find park management to help their search.

Mari tells Da Ran that she met Kyung Joon’s dad yesterday. She lies that the dad won’t talk with her since she’s just a kid. Da Ran realizes she should go meet him since the guy is Kyung Joon’s dad. Mari thinks that once Kyung Joon meets his dad, he won’t need Da Ran around anymore. Da Ran looks down and doesn’t answer. Mari notices it and asks Da Ran if she wants to stay by Kyung Joon’s side. Before she can answer, Choong Shik comes back.

Kyung Jae is at the hospital and finds Teddy Bear sitting by himself in the hallway. Teddy Bear reveals Rabbit is very sick. Kyung Jae holds Teddy Bear’s hand and they walk around looking for Rabbit. And somewhere in the world, women of a child bearing age feel their ovaries spontaneously combust.

They walk into Rabbit’s hospital room and Kyung Jae is immediately uncomfortable because she’s getting a blood transfusion and has a bloody nose. Rabbit’s mother asks Dr. Seo to hold Rabbit’s hand because that comforts her. Teddy Bear stares at him expectantly. Kyung Jae excuses himself and leaves, despite poor Rabbit reaching out to him.

As he walks down the hall, he sees Yoon Jae’s face in the window and thinks back to the article of Yoon Jae writing about why he wanted to be a doctor, and thinking about how Yoon Jae used to comfort Rabbit. Kyung Jae rushes back to the hospital room and sits down. Rabbit looks at him with a smile and he slowly grabs her bloody hand. Awwww. Kyung Jae sighs, realizing he’s not going to freak out.

Teddy Bear asks if Kyung Jae is scared? He thought adults are never scared? Kyung Jae says he’s not yet an adult so he can be scared. Teddy Bear says he and Rabbit want to be adults one day, but they likely can’t since they are so sick. Kyung Jae grabs Teddy Bear’s hand with his other free hand and assures both sick children that the three of them will grow up well. The two kids smile at him.

Da Ran sits and school and looks at her empty ring finger. She looks up to see the VP disciplining two boys. Da Ran imagines that she’s a high school student getting disciplined by the VP. The VP asks if Da ran really wants to be with Kyung Joon that much? If so, she needs to find the ring and return it to Yoon Jae and ask for his forgiveness. She tells Da Ran that at 10:10 Da Ran can be sure of what she wants.

Da Ran walks out and remembers Kyung Jae’s spell that she will think of him every day at 10:10. She buys a Vitamin Water from the vending machine and thinks of him. She sees someone tying their shoelaces and thinks of Kyung Jae tying her laces. She goes shopping for clothes and sees the clock on the wall as reading 10:10 when it’s only 7.

Da Ran walks and sees a row of cars driving towards her, which reminds her of Kyung Jae driving. She then fans herself and thinks of him fanning her. As she looks up, everyone walking around her has their hands up in the 10:10 position. Finally she sees a giant clock on the ground with the fingers pointing to 10:10.

Da Ran runs into the real Kyung Jae by the bus stop, he’s waiting for her and wonders what took her so long. He asks if she knows what time it is, and she says 10:10. He starts to smile when she says its 10:10 inside her heart. He asks if she’s coming to him? He holds up his hands in the 10:10 position for her to hug, but she runs off saying that she needs to find the ring.

Choong Shik is still at the park looking for the ring and he hides behind a tree when he sees Da Ran and Kyung Jae arrive. Kyung Jae asks why she’s looking for the ring when she’s already cheated with KKJ. Kyung Jae asks if she needs to find the ring so she can let Yoon Jae go and accept KKJ. Da Ran needs to find the ring to organize everything first. Choong Shik gapes in shock to learn his sister is cheating on brother-in-law with a man with the initials KKJ.

Da Ran’s parents are getting reading to cut a watermelon when Choong Shik runs into the house. He kneels down like he’s making a sageuk drama. He informs his parents that their eldest daughter is an adulterer. Mom uses her fist and smashes the watermelon. Dad runs to the police station to report Da Ran for the crime of adultery.

Da Ran is still looking for the ring at the park, while Kyung Jae is walking around with the flashlight looking elsewhere. Da Ran’s dad walks up to her with a police offer and she’s taken into custody. Kyung Jae sees her being taken into a police car and runs after her.

At the police station, Da Ran’s dad personally shoves her into jail and locks her in. He orders her to reflect on what she did. As he turns to leave, Kyung Jae arrives at the police station. Dad apologizes to him, but Kyung Jae says Da Ran cheated because he also cheated on her. Both of them end up in jail. They are giggling which upsets Da Ran’s dad and he yells at them from outside. The policeman counsels Da Ran’s dad to forgive them, since they seemed to have made up.

Da Ran and Kyung Jae note that this is such a ridiculous situation to be in. Kyung Jae reaches out his hand and Da Ran grabs it. Kyung Jae points out that the jail isn’t all that bad, it has a nice floor and windows.

Da Ran falls asleep on Kyung Jae’s shoulder, the two of them still holding hands. He blows on her and fans her with his other hand to cool her down. He puts his head on hers and smiles.

Mari shows Choong Shik a replacement wedding ring she made for Da Ran. Seriously get a life, girl. Choong Shik reveals that Da Ran is planning to end things with Yoon Jae once she finds the ring. Mari is upset and says that Da Ran must continue to like Seo Yoon Jae. She cannot like anyone else. Mari mutters that Da Ran has to keep her promise.

The adulterers are let out of jail and walk home. Kyung Jae asks about the ring and Da Ran sighs that she just feels so guilty to Yoon Jae when she stays by Kyung Joon’s side. Kyung Jae thinks that Yoon Jae will forgive Da Ran for moving on when he returns. He asks Da Ran to be by his side when they switch back, because he’ll be scared.

Kyung Jae teases that Kang Kyung Joon might run off when she’s taking care of Seo Yoon Jae, since kids get bored and change their minds easily. If she wants to keep him beside her, then she needs to put the watch on him. She puts the watch on his hand and he asks her what time it is? She says its 10:10, and tells him that all day is 10:10 in her heart.

He puts his hands up in the 10:10 position and she smiles and walks into his arms for an embrace. She hugs him while he slowly and happily hugs her back. They happily embrace each other, and the camera pulls back to reveal Mari hiding behind the wall crying as she’s witnessed this scene.

Yoon Jae’s mom freaks out as Yoon Jae’s dad informs her that Yoon Jae is sick again and that Mari has learned the truth. Dad wants to wait until Kyung Joon wakes up to deal with any surgery.

At school the next day, Mari asks Da Ran to go to Kyung Joon’s uncle’s restaurant tonight to meet with Kyung Joon’s dad. Mari asks if Da Ran found the ring yet? Da Ran says no, and tells Mari that she was the one who took the ring off in the first place. Mari is undeterred, saying all Da Ran needs to do is put the ring back on.

Mari goes to see Kyung Joon’s uncle and tells him to meet with Kyung Joon’s teacher Gil Da Ran and Kyung Joon’s dad tonight. She says Da Ran is married to Dr. Seo Yoon Jae. At the hospital, Yoon Jae’s doctor colleague comes by and asks if he’s fine. Kyung Jae says he got checked and his dad would know.

Se Young finds out from Yoon Jae’s mom that Yoon Jae is sick again and Kyung Joon is the best chance for a match for surgery. Se Young says a legal guardian must consent to the donation and Yoon Jae’s mom says that they are Kyung Joon’s parents. She wants Se Young to just draw some blood from Kyung Joon for the surgery. Afterwards she’ll take care of Yoon Jae and Yoon Jae’s dad will take Kyung Joon away. She wants this all done in secret, still intent on keeping this from Yoon Jae.

Kyung Jae meets with the doctor who did tests on Yoon Jae’s body and gets the results that Yoon Jae’s body is really sick. And it’s a recurring illness. Kyung Jae remembers the article Yoon Jae wrote about how he was given a second chance as a child and that made him want to become a doctor. He realizes Yoon Jae’s body is ill and the pain is not from the switch but because this body is failing.

Kyung Jae is rushing somewhere when Mari comes by and calls him. She tells him that Da Ran is going to meet with his father tonight. We see Da Ran walk into Kyung Joon’s uncle’s restaurant.

Se Young is in Kyung Joon’s hospital room with Yoon Jae’s mom. She begs her to inject Kyung Joon with a solution that will prep his body for the blood donation, all to save Yoon Jae. Se Young looks torn but she walks over to Kyung Joon’s body.

Mari tells Kyung Jae that the person Da Ran went to meet is someone he doesn’t like, so he’ll have to wait to hear the bad news from Da Ran. As Mari turns to walk away, suddenly Kyung Jae’s falls over in pain and he grabs his head.

In the hospital room, suddenly Kyung Joon’s body jerks once, which alarms Se Young and Yoon Jae’s mom. Mom asks if it was the medicine but Se Young confirms she didn’t inject anything yet. Se Young opens Kyung Joon’s eyes to check on his pupils. Kyung Joon’s soul goes back to his body and he sees a blurry image of Se Young and Yoon Jae’s mom standing over him. He hears Yoon Jae’s mom calling him Kyung Joon-ahh. Kyung Jae regains consciousness and walks off.

Se Young tells Yoon Jae’s mom that she can’t go through with this. Thank god you remembered taking the Hippocratic Oath, Se Young. She tells Yoon Jae’s mom to discuss this with Yoon Jae, and also get Kyung Joon’s consent first. Yoon Jae’s mom tries to plead and wheedle but Se Young is firm, she’s not going to do it. As she walks out, she sees Kyung Jae standing there, as he’s heard most of the conversation.

He asks the two of them what they are doing? He asks if Seo Yoon Jae and Kang Kyung Joon have the same father? Yoon Jae’s mom says yes, Kyung Joon is Yoon Jae’s younger brother. Se Young wants to leave but Kyung Jae stops her, asking what she was doing here? Se Young says his mother begged her to do something, so he needs to ask her.

After Se Young leaves, Yoon Jae’s mom explains it all – Yoon Jae was sick as a child and they needed a match for the donor surgery so Kyung Joon was born. All that is important to her is saving Yoon Jae. She reveals that she is also Kyung Joon’s mother, but she couldn’t carry him so they had a woman be the surrogate. Kyung Joon was born to save Yoon Jae, and now that Yoon Jae is sick, it’s by chance Kyung Joon is laying right here.

Kyung Jae’s eyes are completely filled with tears and he turns and walks out. Mari tries to talk with him but he ignores her.

Da Ran turns around and sees Yoon Jae’s dad and both their faces freeze. Kyung Joon’s uncle confirms that Yoon Jae’s dad is also Kyung Joon’s dad. Must be quite a shock for wuri Da Ran to discover that her current father-in-law might also be her future father-in-law. Only in drama land, people.

Kyung Jae sits at home with Mari and he discusses how his very existence has no purpose or meaning aside from saving Yoon Jae. His mom isn’t even his real mom. Kyung Jae postulates that when Yoon Jae saved him in the water, the soul switch was so that he could now save Yoon Jae again. And if he does so, then their souls will switch back for good. Mari tells Kyung Jae to return to the US with her after he switches back.

Kyung Jae refuses, he’s not leaving for the US. He’s going to stay because Da Ran will be beside him. He’s going to ignore everything and these people can’t do anything to him. Mari lies that Da Ran knew the truth from the very beginning. OH SHUT THE FUCK UP BITCH! Kyung Jae’s eyes freeze and he turns to stare at Mari.

Da Ran sits with Yoon Jae’s dad and looks at the Miracle book. She asks if this book was drawn for Yoon Jae? Dad says he drew it for both his sons. He says time is running out and begs Da Ran to convince Yoon Jae to have the surgery. He’s worried that when Yoon Jae learns the truth, he might reject the surgery and choose to die.

Mari tells Kyung Jae that Da Ran has met with his father and knows his true parentage. Kyung Jae looks at his watch and cries, saying that she would never have acted like she didn’t know if she knew. He doesn’t believe Mari, so she tells him to confirm it with her. Mari says Da Ran puts Yoon Jae first, and Kyung Jae starts to cry and look so much in pain. Oh god, you witch, how can you hurt him like this? For your own selfish love of him? HOW!!!! Kyung Jae rushes out.

Kyung Jae rushes to his parents’ hotel room and asks where Da Ran is? Mom thinks he’s changed his mind about the surgery but Kyung Jae wants to leave once he realizes Da Ran isn’t there. He shakes off his mom’s hand and gives them both a dirty look before leaving.

Mari is staring at a picture of Kyung Joon with his surrogate mom. Da Ran comes home holding the Miracle book. Mari asks if she’s met Yoon Jae’s dad, and heard about Yoon Jae being sick? Mari reveals that Kyung Jae already knows now. Mari blames Da Ran for Yoon Jae being sick and Kyung Jae hurting now. If Kyung Jae insists on staying by Da Ran’s side, then Yoon Jae won’t come back.

If Kyung Jae refuses to do the surgery (either in Yoon Jae’s body or allow Kyung Joon to be a donor), just to stay Da Ran’s side, then Da Ran is the cause of everyone’s misery. Mari says this is all Da Ran’s fault for breaking her promise not to never ever ever like Kyung Joon. If Da Ran ends things with Kyung Joon, then everything can go back to its original place. Mari hands Da Ran the replacement ring she got, saying she found the missing wedding ring.

Mari tells Da Ran to keep her promise never to like Kyung Joon and return to Yoon Jae’s side. Da Ran takes the ring and says that she cannot do that now. Mari screams at her to do it even if she can’t. If she stays by Kyung Jae’s side, then both Kyung Joon and Yoon Jae will die. For Kyung Joon’s sake Mari can lie, so Da Ran can also lie to Kyung Joon now to return him to the life he had.

Da Ran sits in the living room staring at her wedding ring on top of the Miracle book. She picks up the ring and with tears falling, she puts it back on. She just sits there silently crying.

When Kyung Jae comes home, he sees Da Ran, now dry-eyed, sitting at the sofa with the Miracle book in front of her. He looks so hopeful as he walks over and asks if she knows everything now. She says yes without looking at him. He asks why she’s not reacting? He kneels before her and asks if she’s worried about him?

Da Ran finally raises her head and looks at him. Kyung Jae says he’s so angry, and so scared. He asks Gil Da Ran to save him. Oh my god, tears be spurting from my eyes like a geyser. He puts his hand on hers. When she raises her hand to push his away, he sees that she’s wearing her wedding ring again.

Da Ran says she can’t help him now, Yoon Jae comes first. She’s decided to hold onto Yoon Jae again. The 10:10 magic spell has broken, and the wind has stopped blowing. Da Ran asks Kyung Jae to save Yoon Jae’s life, and for him to return to his own life. Kyung Jae stares at Da Ran, and with his eyes red-rimmed, he asks if this is what Gil Da Ran wants, and they just stare at each other.

This is me crying forever ——————-> T____T

Thoughts of Mine:

It’s no secret I fell for the eyes of Shin Won Ho in episode 1 of Big. He was Kang Kyung Joon, all newly orphaned teenage boy with attachment issues and abandonment scars. I feel the drama did an incredible job of forming the broad boundaries of Kyung Joon’s character within a short half an episode period of time, so much that when Gong Yoo took over as Kyung Joon (i.e. Kyung Jae), he was in fact coloring within the borders of the Kyung Joon already established by my baby Shin under that green umbrella. But as we head towards the end of Big, it’s breathtaking to look back and see how magnificently Gong Yoo colored in the character of Kang Kyung Joon. He was Kyung Joon devoid of his own shell, tossed into another, and forced to live his own life within the boundaries of Seo Yoon Jae’s life.

Without an actor of the range and exquisite physical and facial acting technique of Gong Yoo, Kyung Joon would have a hard time reaching this level of depth and breadth of emotion. I feel even the tiniest emotional from him, the happiness that reaches the corner of his eyes, and the tears that pool in his orbs which he doesn’t dare let drop. We needed this badly for Big to even have a chance to succeed. Kang Kyung Joon is the center of the Big universe, and if he’s not fully realized, then this entire shebang collapses under the weight of its preposterous set up. We get soul swaps, taboo romances, donor siblings, and finally fatal illnesses. But I don’t feel the makjang at all, because the execution has been so restrained, and because Gong Yoo has taken the Shin initial creation of Kyung Joon and made me care and hurt for him. I don’t just like him, I’m invested in his future.

I want Kyung Joon to get it all, the girl, the life he deserves, the happiness and peace he so desperately needs. I don’t know how the Hong Sisters will get him there, but they must because they have made him so utterly sympathetic of a male lead. He doesn’t arouse my pity, he arouses my compassion because I see his maturation, his strength, and his longing. Big might shoot too high and fall apart at the very end, but in Kang Kyung Joon (and picking Gong Yoo and Shin to play him), the Hong Sisters have created their most memorable character for me in all their dramas.

Because the person at the center of the maelstrom is Kyung Joon, that is why I’m so FUCKING PISSED right now. I know we need angst, and I wasn’t surprised the OTP has to deal with some fall out from all the hard truths revealed, but damn it I hate watching them suffer. Yoon Jae’s mom continues to be all sorts of loathsome and is reaching skinning puppies for a fur coat type of evil a la Cruella DeVil land. To even ask Se Young to prep Kyung Joon’s unconscious body for a pending surgical proceeds offends every fiber of my being, as a mother and as a human. I’m glad Se Young snapped out of the madness and told her to take a hike, politely. I would have shoved that syringe up her behind before sauntering out of there. Strange how Se Young went from public enemy number 1 to the beacon of sanity in this drama, telling Yoon Jae’s mom to get consent from Kyung Joon first AND talk to Yoon Jae.

I’m glad Kyung Jae heard the truth from the witch’s own mouth, however hard it must be to hear this painful news. This episode had Mari playing pass-it-on with her own MADE UP information I was ready to shove a cloth in her mouth and then drop kick her back to the US. I once thought it’d be cute for her to end up with Choong Shik, but oh lord no man deserves her. Plus if Da Ran and Kyung Joon get their happily ever after, I want this chick nowhere near their lives. Her character wasn’t written poorly, as her personality was clearly laid out, but how she was integrated into the story felt so inconsistent. I know she’s young, but actively trying to split a couple apart, under the self-deluded belief that it’s for their own good when really its for her own selfish want of Kyung Joon, is shit even a raccoon wouldn’t do.

Despite wanting to eviscerate Mari, that doesn’t mean her argument is not right. Just because someone’s has ulterior motives for wanting something has no bearing on whether the path they are pushing is the best one. Like I suspected, Kyung Jae learns the truth and chooses what an injured person would choose – avoidance. He wants to ignore everything and just stay with Da Ran by his side. If he stopped to think for a second, he’s still in Yoon Jae’s body. Forget choosing to save Yoon Jae because Kyung Jae wants to, right now no one knows how/why the souls switched, much less the hows/whys to switch them back. I don’t think anyone in the drama wants Kyung Joon to stay in Yoon Jae’s body. Not even Kyung Joon thinks he ought to stay put for a chance with Da Ran. Everyone wants things back the way it was.

So Kyung Jae logically cannot just sit by and refuse to accept the surgery as Yoon Jae and refuse to donate as Kyung Joon. That is the path filled with the most risk. What if Yoon Jae’s body fails when Kyung Joon is still in it? Will he whoosh back into his own body at that time? Or will the death of Yoon Jae’s body mean the death of whomever’s soul is in that body at that time, namely Kyung Joon. No one knows right now. If that is the situation, then Mari’s position is the safest one – get Kyung Jae to agree to the surgical procedure for both guys. Fix Yoon Jae’s body first is really safest path for everyone to choose, especially Kyung Jae himself. There are so many unknowns right now, I can see why the two people who know the truth about the soul switch would push Kyung Jae to agree to the surgery. Both are trying to protect Kyung Jae (his soul) foremost, but their tactics are all wrong.

Mari resorted to lies and manipulation, always the surest sign a second female lead has gone to the dark side. The method she chose had two results, both of which were good for her. By curing Yoon Jae, either Kyung Joon’s soul goes back to his own body, or if it stays put, he’s still in a body that not failing. In forcing Da Ran to push Kyung Joon away, she’s actively trying to break up the OTP. If she was just concerned about doing what is best for Kyung Joon, she would align with Da Ran to convince him, as opposed to pushing him into the corner.

I know where Da Ran is coming from to. And boy does it hurt to see her do what she did. She isn’t just trying to protect Kyung Joon, she is deciding that being with him will hurt him in the long run. Whether it’s Mari’s guilt trip, or all her own worries bubbling forth, she decided at the end of the episode to play the “bad person” and push Kyung Jae away. It hurt so so bad to see the way she near broke his heart when she pushed his hand away and then told him to save Yoon Jae and then go back to his own place. We know she loves him, but he’s so confused and hurt right now, plus their relationship has always been so tentative on her side that he doesn’t have the foundation to know that she’s just being a noble idiot. My gut tells me once this is all discussed and resolved, it’ll bring them closer together, but I worry my heart will give out before then.