I’m still mulling over the turn hard left direction Pinocchio took in the last episode 14. I’ve enjoyed all the twists and turns so far even if most of the events hinge on massive coincidences and what feels like three degrees of separation. It’s rough but more satisfying watching a story based on bad luck combined with bad decisions rather than outright villainy. News media isn’t bad per se but is not performed responsibly can have devastating consequences. That was a very hard hitting subject matter which feels especially applicable in the day and age of 24/7 consumption of information.
To take all that and then explain it away as deliberate sabotage and nefarious underpinnings feels like a cop out. I wanted to see Cha Ok squirm and struggle over being a reporter who took short cuts and sensationalized reports to climb the ladder, instead it might become Cha Ok was forced to do the bidding of her secret big boss who is Bum Jo’s chaebol mother. That Mommy Bum Jo may be bad isn’t all that surprising since she’s just way too weird. I’m just not sure if the story really needed an overarching secret evil orchestrating coverups whether 13 years ago or today, and that ends up being the reason for all the suffering rather than the more complicated discussion going on earlier.
Written preview for episode 15:
Don Quixote….
Chan Soo is falsely accused of being the one responsible for the fire breaking out at the waste treatment facility. Ha Myung and In Ha vow to clear his name and work together to find out the truth. Ha Myung is determined not to let Chan Soo become the victim of public castigation like what happened to his family 13 years ago. Seeing how her mother’s reporting destroyed Ha Myung’s family 13 years ago and now is pushing Chan Soo to the sword’s edge of public scorn, In Ha’s guilt continues to increase. To lessen her guilt, In Ha works through the night for an interview hoping to clear Chan Soo’s name….
Video preview for episode 15:
Operation Redeeming the Donkey begins.
It really is unnecessary to have Cha Ok be manipulated evil as opposed to just being straight up evil. The limits of the contrived coincidences are showing now. And we’re YET to find out how Yoo Rae fits in this picture. She might end up as the FINAL villain. Lol.
I would say that Yoo Rae is for comic relief. She is pretty funny.
I actually like this plot. I may be slightly cynical but i just see it as rich people manipulating the news to achieve their means whether for political or business reasons, which i am sure happens in real life too…
I also actually like this new arc. I didn’t think 20 episodes are necessary to beat in the point that sensational reporting can lead to disastrous consequences. I was a little apprehensive after watching ep 12, which I thought to be the emotional climax of the series, as I wasn’t sure what else needed to happen after Cha Ok’s mask was stripped from her. However, while the turn was a little rough, it was not out of character, and I’ll gladly accept this twist in exchange for the wonderfully fast paced storytelling we’ve had thus far.
OF COURSE she was going to be redeemed – she’s a MOTHER and mothers are NEVER guilty, no matter how evil, at least not the lead’s mother. The apparently hardcoded genetic incapability of KDrama writers to accept that bearing a child does not make one incapable of being evil is very disappointing, but no longer surprising.
A Twitter friend has been predicting an “Anakin” storyline for the odious Song since the beginning, and I fear that she is PARTLY right. I say “partly” because at least Anakin paid for his sins by dying to save his son. This witch, otoh, will end up getting a free pass, complete with tearful reunion and apologies from her victims for having thought ill of her. This will be especially galling when the daughter she’s treated worse than crap for decades begs her evil hag of a mother to forgive her for having ever doubted her love. I see a whole lot of teeth-gritting in my future getting through the last 3 weeks of Pinocchio now that it’s caved to the Law of Maternal Sinlessness
I beg to disagree I think she will pay the price.
Redemption? I dont know if i want redemption for cha ok, she really hasnt shown that she is a character worth redeeming because she still hasnt learned anything. At this point i dont know if i can truly be convinced if they redeem her, she has done too much damage and not even an ounce of remorse.
Aren’t they airing two episodes on Thursday?
yes they said they cancelled the wed, and redeem it on thurs with 2 episodes…. 🙂
I’m not against this kind of redemption. 😉
Yeah i like the newly revealed villain too. It doesn’t make SCO less nasty for carrying out orders but it gives some suspense to the next few weeks now that hyung is in jail and InHa’s mom exposed as a manipulator. And Beom Jo’s mother was creepy and manipulative from the beginning.
I think this turn is so good. Cha Ok has compromised integrity with regards to reporting. That is established well enough. She cooperating with a higher evil is not gonna undermine that fact. Imo,this plot turn is not just about media manipulation but it’s addressing a very realistic issue: public being village dogs and spreading rumors that may destroy families.
Cap Hwang’s words about dogs and all gave me serious chills.
I’ve really enjoyed this show so far, no gripes here.
Are they still showing two episodes on thursday?
I’m here to redeem my tepid evaluation about Pinocchio. I watched the drama for LJS because I’ve been a huge fan of this lead actor since IHYV. I was able to keep up with the hype of the drama for first few episodes. Pinocchio started really awesome with great plot development and awesome cast. I really loved it in the beginning but then gradually lost touch with the plot development when it focused a bit much on those rookie reporters at the police station. Also Hyeon’s murderer plot line is just too darkly depressing to see light through the tunnel at those episodes. So I quit watching at midway.
But thanks to fans for raving about the drama continuously, now I resume my viewership with Pinocchio and have been trying to catch up the most current development. After marathoned through the latest episodes, my love for this drama is rekindled. I love everything and really appreciate the writers/PD’s brilliance in bringing out one of the best K dramas ever. Not to mention the cast, they’ve been always fabulous since the beginning. This is one of those rare K dramas that are not only entertaining but also stay on point with substance, the ones that make viewers not just killing time for fun but think with deeper reflection. Compared with Healer which is my other favorite among all the dramas currently aired, Pinocchio is more sophisticated with depth. I really have tremendous fun watching those cool parkour moments and candy-sweet romantic scenes of Healer. But Healer is more a typical rom com + fantasy, mainly for entertaining purposes. However, the writer(s) of Pinocchio brilliantly make this drama beyond that horizon. Kudos to all the Pinocchio crew.
Ockoala, thanks for keeping us posted for the most update and your site is a great reminder for a lazy/impatient viewer like me to check out an almost forgotten drama from time to time. Now I’m so glad I almost missed this awesome Pinocchio but did not.