At the end of the last episode, Soo Wan dreams of her father and when she awakes, she can see! She goes to the living room where Dong Joo is sleeping. She smiles when she looks at him. Soo Wan’s face changes and you can see the pain in her eyes. When Dong Joo wakes up, he finds a note from Soo Wan. He realizes she can SEE. He searches the cabin and woods but she has vanished. It really seems like Dong Joo is continually kicked emotionally.
Step back in time 12 years ago to the morning Dong Joo’s mother finds him unwell in bed and she takes the early morning porridge deliveries, the day she is hit by Ji Woon driving. EXCEPT Dong Joo’s mother isn’t hit by Ji Woon!
Ji Woon stops the car, apologizes profusely, and she returns home safely.
What? Are we in an alternative universe story?
In this alternative we see what could have been if Dong Joo’s mother had not been killed:
** We see Soo Wan gets her sight (with someone else’s donation),
** We experience Soo Wan’s first time seeing Dong Joo (she told him he was ugly as expected),
** the joy when Soo Wan and Dong Joo both get accepted to college,
** their cuteness as they attend college (they are a “CC” College Couple),
** then as young adults Dong Joo becomes a doctor that will work at the fire station while Soo Wan and Ji Woon are hospital doctors,
** their parents meet for the engagement dinner,
** their bliss as they marry in front of family and friends,
** finally they fish with Father. In short, you can see it was a good and happy life they were denied.
Returning to present day Dong Joo reads Soo Wan’s letter “Dong Joo if your mother hadn’t gotten hit that day, maybe we could have had a happy life. When I think about that, I cry. I’m going to follow your advice and go and find myself. I won’t get injured or sick for a long, long time (recall her promise to him in that regard).”
Now we jump forward 1 year in time. Dong Joo is working at the hospital. The ER team is still cute and protective of Dong Joo. Turns out a female drama star wants to date Dong Joo but he it NOT interested. He wears his wedding ring that he and Soo Wan picked out together. When the drama star confesses her hearts races when she sees him, Dong Joo thinks back to a similar confession Soo Wan made to him. Dong Joo tells her not to come back to ER again. As she exits in a huff, one ER doctors calls to her that he is a fan, that wins the ire of the nurse. They are still making the most of their scenes.
Catching up with Team Leader, Ji Mo, Teddy and Hye Joo is next. Turns out in the 1 year interim Teddy has done NOTHING to declare his feeling’s for Hye Joo. Team Leader tells him to man up and confess. Poor Teddy just can not get it out. Especially after watching a kissing scene on TV with Hye Joo.
Next Dong Joo calls Min Soo for a drinking buddy and to see if she has an update on Soo Wan’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, there isn’t any new information. Soo Wan has effectively disappeared.
Next Ji Woon returns to Korea from his travels and heads to see his mother in prison. His mother has taken the time to reflect on herself and her actions. She sees that if she had loved herself properly, she would not have obsessed over Ji Woon, would have divorced his father to end the abuse, etc. It’s good, she’s evolving and this gives Ji Woon some peace.
Next up, Detective Kim, working as a traffic cop, almost tickets Min Soo but instead hands out a flyer for his wife’s cafe. Those two are cutest.
Ji Woon visits the organization that he volunteers his medical skills for to get his next assignment. It is a remote island and when looking through the brochure he SEES A PICTURE OF SOO WAN. Thank goodness, half way into the episode, we know where she is.
Ji Woon visits Dong Joo at the hospital and is amazed that Dong Joo is patiently waiting for Soo Wan. Dong Joo admits he is not very patient and it is driving him nuts not knowing where Soo Wan is. Ji Woon presses Dong Joo to volunteer his time on the island.
On the island we find Soo Wan is an emergency worker. Turns out she’s rented a room from a single father and his young daughter. Soo Wan has been writing Dong Joo letters and they are stored in a box in her room. The little girl likes to take the letters. Her father admonishes her for stealing the letters. Personally I find the girl more bratty than cute.
Min Jo overhears Teddy and Hye Joo talking about his dead mother. He confronts his father late at night, late enough that is daytime in America so they can call his mother. Team Leader finally confesses to his son that his mother is in heaven. He apologizes for not telling him the hard news so many years ago. Min Jo is justifiably upset.
Yes, yes, yes, Dong Joo is on the ferry heading to the island. Meanwhile single father gets a call from a pregnant woman that needs Soo Wan’s medical expertise. At the medical clinic, young daughter meets Dong Joo. She tells him about 119 Unnie, the emergency worker that lives with her. The director explains to Dong Joo that 119 Unnie helps everyone on the island and is well loved. Dong Joo comments he wishes he could meet 119 Unnie. Just wait, it’s coming Dong Joo.
Soo Wan realizes that she needs a doctor. The case is beyond her skills. Single Dad goes and fetches Dong Joo. When Dong Joo enters the bedroom with the patient he asks for the patient’s vitals (Soo Wan’s back is turned to him). When she speaks, he is stunned…he has found Soo Wan! He says her name, she turns and stares, stunned Dong Joo is there. It’s like a moment frozen in time, but she isn’t exactly thrilled to see him. She breaks the tension and returns his attention to the patient. With Dong Joo’s help, a baby girl is safely born. Soo Wan smiles at Dong Joo who in turn isn’t exactly thrilled with her.
The next morning they meet and talk:
Dong Joo: Can you see me? Are you really ok? This is where you’ve been all this time?
Soo Wan: As you can tell, I’m living well.
Dong Joo: (with anger) Did I mean so little to you? You couldn’t even bother to tell me you were alive and well? Do you know I suffered every day? Soo Wan, say SOMETHING!
Soo Wan: Dong Joo. I like it here. What can I say except I’m sorry. Leave after breakfast Dong Joo.
Wow, that was more than a little cold!
Dong Joo has an uncomfortable breakfast with Soo Wan, single father and the little girl. Soo Wan and the little girl go play leaving Dong Joo and single father to talk. Single father immediately guesses that he is her Dong Joo. He explains that Soo Wan came to the island she was a shell of a person and slowly came back to life. The island people needing her skills made all the difference to her. Single father drives Dong Joo to the ferry. Dong Joo is bummed exiting the truck. Single father asks Dong Joo to return to the island to fish one weekend. Ahh, shades of Father. He tells Dong Joo that if he doesn’t return to the island, he’ll regret it. He gives Dong Joo an understanding stare.
When Soo Wan and the little girl return to the house, single father tells Soo Wan that he took Dong Joo to the ferry. Soo Wan thinks over what Dong Joo asked her, “did I matter so little”, and realizes, she’s blown it. She runs for the dock. Dong Joo’s on the ferry. The ferry is pulling out of the dock.
She calls to him.
Does he hear?
Comments:
* I have to say this was a stretch episode – stretch out the story line to make the required number of episodes of the series happen.
* We’ve gone full circle.
*** Episode 18 Soo Wan left Dong Joo. Episode 2 Dong Joo left Soo Wan.
*** Dong Joo had no idea where Soo Wan was for the last year. Soo Wan had no idea where Dong Joo was FOR 12 YEARS!
*** Dong Joo produced a box full of letters he never intended Soo Wan to read. Soo Wan has produced a box full of letters she never intends Dong Joo to read.
* Unfortunately Soo Wan comes off as an idiot for her parallel path.
* Teddy making no progress with Hye Joo – Ridiculous.
* Team Leader finally telling Ji Mo his mother was dead – Overdue.
* Ji Woon returning to Korea and helping to put Soo Wan and Dong Joo on the same island so they’d meet again – Fitting.
* Soo Wan running after Dong Joo after he was on the ferry heading away from the island – About Time!!! I must say I certainly felt irritated at Soo Wan this episode. It is time to jump into Dong Joo’s arms and say I’m sorry!
Angel Eyes
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