A new week is here which means two new episodes of Prime Minister and I is right around the corner. Thanks to the one-episode extension there are three more weeks left of this drama and I’m going to savor every minute of it. One benefit of recapping dramas (among many) is that it provides a good reminder of typical drama trajectory. I can safely say that a drama that has a precipitous second half decline starts showing the cracks around episode 9 and by episode 12 it’s rather gone off the rocker. The remaining four episodes after that tend to be painful reminders of what could have been. Thus far PM has avoided incurring my ire because I thought the last few episodes were just fine. Not particularly energetic as the whiz bang start but managed to deal with the turn towards the serious with a deft hand. We all know it’s not fun and games between Yul and Da Jung despite how easy they made getting into a contract marriage. I’m taking Yul’s job serious enough that I don’t want him to lose it for Da Jung, and definitely not lose his life in the process either. His getting stabbed at the end of episode 11 looks to provide angst for the characters but not pull us through the ringer. I appreciate that. If the drama is going to quickly resolve a life threatening moment then it’s better not to string the audience along.
The latest stills showing Yul all bloodied and being wheeled into the OR does make my heart twinge. Poor baby had it rough and whoever was behind his stabbing better pay the price for hurting him. Da Jung doesn’t seem terribly worried while standing over him but I’m sure she’s going to be a wreck until he’s safely in recovery. KBS also released new stills of In Ho crying, and by crying I mean there are three new stills of just him crying big fat tears of man pain. I’m not complaining because my darling Yoon Si Yoon can cry with the best of them, but I’ll hazard a guess that he’s not crying over Yul getting stabbed but over something involving his brother. Perhaps he learns the full truth of what happened in that car accident 7 years ago, and even better if it involves what really went on between his brother and Yul’s ex-wife because I really need to know that as well. Whatever it is, chances are it’ll resolve his anger towards Yul and bring him to the good happy shiny side completely, and that is where all the tears fall since he’ll feel like such a dunce for bearing a wrong grudge all these years. This is just my conjecture but I hope Yul’s stabbing leads to tons of revelations all over the place. Once that stuff is out of the way, the drama can focus on Yul and Da Jung making their way towards making out.
As long as zombie wife’s return (which we’re all now expecting as a near certainty) is done in a good way. Meaning painting her as a coward who gave up on her family, because if they go the amnesia way, I will be very disappointed.
The article Yool’s OR visit came from spoke of a surprise considering Na Young. Oh boy…
Maybe the “surprise” is that she was cheating during her marriage with Yul. Not necessarily that she is coming back alive. Na Young possibly cheating has never been confirmed, it has always been implied and vaguely at that.
Let’s hope so, because we’re all preparing our brains for the possibility of uber-makjang coming. It would be lovely if they were simply trolling with the video preview.
I have a strong feeling that Na Young is alive. (1) When Kang Soo told Kang In Ho that he was going to the USA with Na Young, maybe Na Young is actually going to the USA with yet another lover. (2) Those snap shots of Na Young with Kang Soo were taken with Na Young on the driver’s side of the car, i.e., Kang Soo is actually dragging Na Young along to somewhere and her face didn’t appear to be happy in those pictures. (3) For someone to disappear from the scene of South Korea, Na Young must be abroad somewhere. (4) The locked piano room was kept that way in case she ever comes back. Also, that piano room is not one that Na Young used to play in because they lived in Jeju Island where Kwon Yul was governor and their family has moved to Seoul (their house were shown in the first two episodes, not the mansion). So that locked room has a symbolic meaning only, not the actual one Na Young was in. (5) Since Kwon Yul was the governor and he was the one reported the accident, he perhaps has the power to hide the fact that Na Young is alive and sent her abroad to her lover. I am sure everything I say makes no sense, but just a try on my part.
I agree. I think there’s a very strong chance that Na Young is alive, particularly since that actress is quite well-known…or at least I recognize her from other dramas. However, as much as I love Yul and Da Jung, I don’t want to think that Na Young is a bad woman because how would that make her kids feel? I’m just trying to think in terms of the kids…ack but if she’s a cheater and continued to cheat during her marriage then all the more so for the kids to love Da Jung.
Thanks Koala for the update. Excited for tomorrow and hoping for a good episode.
See, I’m thinking that Yul’s wife wasn’t cheating but that it’s about Joon Ki’s wife. The two of them were standing about 8 feet apart in the photos, so it’s not like they were in a clinch. We know that Yul knows that his wife met up with In Ho’s hyung right before the crash, but it’s not apparent if he knows what it was about. However, he doesn’t seem too betrayed by that – he hasn’t told Joon Ki, etc. We know Joon Ki knows nothing about this, other than that he blames Yul for her death. Yet Yul hasn’t retaliated by telling him about his sister.
I think if it turns out that Yul’s wife met up with his wife’s ex, and that she and Yul were trying to protect him, than Joon Ki will have the shock of his life.
But Soo said he was in love with Na Young and that they would run away together. He mentioned her by name. And there is no way Yoon Hee lied about her name or something, because Soo was not an idiot. This happened 7 years ago, so they were all married with their families already.
And Yool was clearly upset over the pictures he saw of them and even mentioned the fact that one can’t turn another one’s heart around to In ho when he showed him the pictures of the snow fight.
The reason why he did not tell Joon Ki is because he wants to honor Na Young’s memory and the image Joon Ki has of her. Yool is a good man. He probably does not want Joon Ki to suffer with the knowledge that his sister was a cheater (as Yool might think she was, even if we might learn otherwise).
Yool said he wants to protect the fact that Joon Ki is the kids’ uncle. Maybe he feels that Joon Ki would never be able to show his face to them again, if he knew his sister wrecked their family and was maybe even planning to abandon them.
Ah…he used the name Na Young? I didn’t remember that. I still don’t think she was cheating or planning to abandon them. That just doesn’t ring true.
The only reasonable options are either cheating/considering cheating or Soo being in a one-sided love and obsession over her. We know for sure he wanted her, but we have not gotten anything from Na Young’s side of things yet.
I resisted watch this drama till now as I really hate waiting week after week for my favourite dramas. But Koala’s reviews makes it so hard for me to wait till the end. You make the drama sound so interesting and exciting, I had to start watching. Not regretting it either. Super show. Yoona’s acting has improved leaps and bounds. She is so cute in the drama. Good story development and good script. Thanks Koala for your recap!!
After the drama marathon, I have to add, I hope the last few ep will be exciting again.
Dang it, I hope the writers stay faithful to their idea and concept for the script: the initial, frequent allusions to Scheherazade and pitch point of making it Sound of Music-esque. The ratings-save at this rate is such a lost cause. Going makjang is hardly going to meaningfully raise ratings – at least don’t tank the drama’s hallmark rom-com quality! Since the beginning, they’ve had drama fans in stitches and rooting for their creation. The conceit was nicely modern and its literary allusions deftly handled. It would be quite sad to witness the “death” of that.
I read somewhere that shooting ends in two weeks. So it looks to me like they are not necessarily waiting for fan reactions to decide how this will all end. I have faith that I will be loving the rest of what’s to come, dame way I did the first half. *crossingmyfingers*
Thank you for Ms. Koala for the update. I still believe that NY is definitely dead. There’s no point really of bringing her back. It defeats the whole premise of the story. I think we should all just relax and wait for episode 12. I believe in the writers and they haven’t disappointed me yet.
Thank you for your recap. I’m glad that I caught on to the flavor of this episode even without eng subs. Your recap captured everything I hoped had transpired. The comments and reactions of some had me in a dither because I haven’t felt the same way as they do to what has happened in this drama. I didn’t feel like I was watching the same drama as others. As a result I haven’t commented on them. So thank you for your hard work and I appreciate it. It’s clarified that my viewpoint is relevant even if it’s only mine. Thank You!