The Problematic of the Unproblematic

I really didn't want to write this last recap. It's like when you're reading a good book - and the last few pages come up. And you do not want to finish reading it because once you're done, you're done. It's over. And I really don't want this show to be over! It gave me everything I want from a show: a great story, great character to love and hate, and this certain heartache, which comes with things you don't want to lose. But damn ... it has ended and so I must write this. I refuse to believe it. You don't end a show on an odd number!! It's like unlucky or something. I'm pretty sure. I wasn't in any hurry for this to be over, either. It wasn't perfect, but it was perfect for me.  Season two begins when, writer-nim?  Soon? Tomorrow is not soon enough, so make our wishes come true!

Episode 9 brought us so much heartache ... and Episode 10 just adds ten truckloads to it. This is the penultimate episode and everything starts to unravel. In the worst kind of way. Bromance? We had bromance? Let's see what that is worth in the face of ultimate grief. Just look at them :( I swear to God, I hear Barbra Streisand right now singing The Way We Were. Am I just going to cry through this whole thing? *smiles we gave to one another for the way we weeeeeeere....* Why you play with my emotions? Why???

Is he or is he not (a killer), Part II! Things are mighty fishy, I'd say. Prosecutor "The Creepy Smiler" Oh for example? I'd rather not meet this guy at night. Squadleader "I Don't Care About Rules" Oh looks very suspicious too. Missy "Not Sure What I'm Doing in This Drama" Yoo better get her act together. And the two Bad Guys I like most (Tae-soo and Tae-soo) should appear a bit more often, please. It's not like Jo Dong-hyuk gets a ton of roles per year. That said, Kim Sang Joong is such a goddamn good actor. And the cinematography of this drama? Just wow. JoAnne: I am preeeetty certain Hot Prosecutor is a bad bad man. I am THOROUGHLY disappointed in one Mr. Oh Goo Tak right now, but I can't say enough good about Kim Sang Joong. My first thought about the unholy marriage of Hot Prosecutor and Wet Blanket Mi Young is: oh shit, THAT'S why she's here. My second thought was: I hope you regret it, bitch. As for my boys, my ...

Did he or did he not? That is the question. And we're starting to get answers. Unpleasant ones. I'm pretty sure the bromance isn't strong enough to survive this! TT_____TT JoAnne: I say you can't take anything anyone says as the full truth yet. bcook: Things aren't adding up!  Well, maybe that's why this episode is called: "The Shadow of Truth"  

OMG, how is this SO GOOD??! It certainly helps my enthusiasm that this episode is all about Tae-soo's pain (and his beauty, of course). And it helps that Jo Dong-hyuk plays this character with so much depth and passion (and beauty). We also make headway, finally, with the answers and not only the questions. ooooohhhhh!!

JoAnne: In which mysteries within mysteries are revealed... but not solved. Oh no. No answers for us, none at all. Just more questions. kakashi: I didn't like this episode all too much. I actually only like episodes with loooooooots of Tae-soo. That means I REALLY like episode 7. 

Last week's episode forged our Bad Guys together - this week's rips them apart. There's more insights into all the mysteries and characters, but new ones are added at the same time. We also get two new cast members who remain puzzles for the moment. While this is definitely not my favorite episode, it makes me want more. Actually, I want answers. bcook: I just want an answer to one question. Who is that sneering man? *swoon* JoAnne: My realization in this episode: it feels like we've spent way more time on Tae Soo than on anyone else, and the series is half over! There's a LOT still to do. I agree. Tae-soo is very much our focus ... and I like it. Maybe he is the key to the grand mystery? Tae-soo, be my key! Poor, sad and angry Tae-soo. Hey, and maybe they're saving all the answers for Season 2. I told you OCN likes to do that. In fact, we often don't get any answers because who knows when the next season will be produced. If. JoAnne: I sense bitterness,...

Best episode yet, I think. What say you, ladies? kakashi: Best episode yet, JoAnne. I loved it.  bcook: *hugs self with glee* It was just....THE BEST!! Our beloved dogs hunt down a big beast, plus they make some serious bromantic strides. I actually can't decide which makes me happier! You know I'm all about the bromance, but that beast was pretty ghastly, and I'm glad, glad, glad they took her down. kakashi: Let's hope there's no more of that organ trafficking stuff in the next episode. *shudders* bcook: eung! That woman is just plain scary.

Take a bunch of killing criminals and make us like them? Yes, of course. The best way to do that? Show us scumbags so low even the mere thought of them makes you sick. The crimes in this episode are once again utterly, utterly disgusting (it's borderline for me, to be honest), but they do serve a purpose: show us that our Bad Guys have morals. And there is no denying it anymore ... there's the first blossoming of bromance. It's very slight still, but it's definitely there. JoAnne: I love the smell of bromance in the morning! (Yes, I watch this in the daylight. It's full of really scary people.)

This drama is dark, people. No unicorns, fluff and fairies in this one. The crimes are very gruesome and scary and the bare brutality of this world is quite shocking. People are using people and are being used and at the moment, there is a lot of talk about trust, but almost zero of it between people. Also, this is an episode centered on Tae-soo - and seeing him vulnerable isn't exactly helping me get rid of that feeling of dread I have when looking at this band of not-(yet?)-brothers. Also, sorry for the delay with this recap. Even though this is the only show I'm currently watching, moving is a bitch, but now I'm here and all is well. bcook: *rushes in out of the rain* Omo! omo! I wanna comment! not to late? JoAnne: Trust us... this show is worth the wait. And be careful with the subs, because they're still all being ripped from DSS and wayyyyy too early. Go to the source!

Never have people waited for subs more desperately, it seems, and never before have I found the time to actually help with subs for a show. But this? Totally worth it. And editing over at Dark Smurf Subs? Highly addictive. The editing is so much fun, I'm now 100% more excited for episode 2. But ... I'm signing up for that clone, alright? Heck, make it two! JoAnne: I love it. I love it to pieces. It's so much fun. kakashi: Even more fun: at the time of writing, all the streaming sites have taken the unfinished subs. Including all the crazy stuff we just sucked out of our fingers!!! Let's do some funny stuff with episode 2, shall we? :D So. This show. It's exactly what I expected it to be and this makes me HAPPY. I want to spend a lot of time with this show to maximize that happiness. So we will recap. Even thought he Big Sisters also recap. This cannot be recapped enough. And only here do you get gifs. Of beautiful, beautiful men. JoAnne: I want to have this...

After the waves of emotion that episode 10 created between the Hoon-induced rage and the Jae-joon-induced feels, my heart is left pretty cold during this episode. It is neither crazy bad nor crazy good. It just kinda... is. But there is some cuteness, so the squeeing is back, though a little subdued and the worse for wear. Hoon is still on probation, though. bcook: I don't remember much about what happens in this episode so my guess is it was a meh as you thought.  JoAnne:  I sort of rely on the pictures and the recap to remind me.  It's all really just a montage of Hoon's mouth and Joon's nose, as far as I'm concerned.

Stick a fork in me and call me done. This episode dashed all my hopes of seeing a smart hero any time soon, as Hoon continues to simply react, without to stopping ask why any of this is happening. I want to see you beat the bad guys at their own game, Hoon! But you're not even trying! Jae-joon, on the other hand, is throwing his everything into the game, so I'm just going to focus on him and try to hold back the waves of rage that you inspired. I. Will. Try. *growls* JoAnne: Joon makes me so sad. bcook: Flashbacks. I would like an episode without flashbacks please. KThanksBye

What happened in episode 9? The short version: a lot of running around and hurt feelings, with a little baby-saving and attempted murder on the side. Oh, and we finally  get to the big competition everyone's been talking about for what seems like forever. But yeah, a lot of running around. As if to make up for the it, though, this episode is especially pretty. So many great screenshots unused, ladies. It killed me. JoAnne: Email them to me in a plain brown wrapper, please.  Call it Vitamins or something. bcook: There's nothing that says we can't do a screenshot post. It's your duty to the public.

It's time for musical surgical teams! The plot advances a little, but mostly this episode is all about doctors switching teams because they're jealous, spies (both international and in-hospital), being threatened, paid, or cast aside. Thankfully, we get some great character stuff to keep it interesting. JoAnne:  And then there's the really important thing - dem BOYZ. bcook: I'm on ship bromance. KRS (Korean Royal Ship) HoonJoon

BIG things happening this episode: Hoon finally gets a clue about what's going on, we get a few more hints about Jae-joon (yay), and just as Soo-hyun starts eyeing my ship, I'm eyeing the one she started out on. Because let's be honest, Hoon has a few too many issues to be healthy. I still love him, but I'm not sure she should. Still. They're So. Cute. bcook: I'm right there with you. The KRK*  SooJae is the healthier ship... well as healthy as you can get in this drama. (*korealand republic of korea) JoAnne: Ha, because I'm sort of shipping SooJae too. They have done too good a job of making us understand why he wants to be the villain, and I totally swoon over his feelings for Soo Hyun in a way I just can't for HoonHee.  Becca: HoonHee is that ship you squee over as it passes by. SooJae is the ship you book a one way ticket on. Because there's no going back.

Politicians and spies continue to weave their plans around our oblivious hero, while he remains consistent in his single-minded fixation on his first love. In some ways I envy him because the world must be so much less confusing without trying to understand all the agendas. My head hurts. bcook: There's this thing called belief that you have to suspend when you watch this show. There's also the matter of trying really hard not to ask questions. JoAnne: Ask the questions! Ask them! We must expose WTFery at every turn!

The search for Jae-hee is back on! Ya.....ay? We don't get any definitive answers about what happened to her, but we do get a few more questions to fuel our wild conspiracy theories. So, that's fun. JoAnne:  When I watch this show I come up with THE most outlandish fanta...errr...theories.   bcook: I've never laughed in disbelief so much in my life. 

Doctors are encouraged to play with lives and relationships are put to the test, all in the name of competition. In other words: just another day at Myung Woo Hospital. WTF, Doc? JoAnne: Oh look, he just noticed me. bcook: hehe

We take a temporary break from the search for Jae-hee to spend some time getting acquainted with our new setup and introduce Hoon to the characters at Myung Woo Hospital. This means that the drama starts to look a little  bit more like what you'd expect from a medical drama, but you don't have to worry: it doesn't last long. The weird is here to stay. JoAnne: Cute judgy faces would like to know if you have a PROBLEM with that. bcook: Nope. WTF is good. Normal is bad.