Robin is on the decline. What he cannot cope with is the loss of memory, the loss of himself, the loss of his couple hood with the woman he loves. Ha Na takes a bold step to create the most important memory.
Episode 19 Recap:
Robin (Hyun Bin) heads home claiming he tired after his birthday surprise for Ha Na (Han Ji Min) went well. Except it didn’t because Robin didn’t pull the whole thing off by himself, Seo Jin did the heavy lifting then Robin phased in during the radio show.
Robin calls Seo Jin’s assistant, Young Chan (Lee Seung Jun) who thinks he’s talking to Seo Jin (Hyun Bin). He chuckles how no one knew that Seo Jin took Robin’s place. He is amazed that Seo Jin has decided to embrace Robin’s right to live a full and separate life. He muses the key to conquering a disease is acceptance. He feels terrible when he realizes he is talking to Robin not Seo Jin.
Ha Na (Han Ji Min) calls Robin and they agree to meet at his apartment. He gives her the special birthday gift, a piece of art that reminds them of Ha Na. Their time together is sweet. They discuss their their first time meeting. Accessing his memories causes them to fuse with Seo Jin who emerges but is not detected by Ha Na.
Seo Jin makes a video for Robin telling him that Ha Na is worried about him and needs him. Robin is saddened that Seo Jin has evolved to a caring person. Robin despairs, if Seo Jin becomes good, what is his role?
Seo Jin tells Young Chan Robin’s memories are coming to him more frequently. Not only the memories but the feelings associated with those memories.
Jealous at the press and accolades Seo Jin is receiving from leading a double life as CEO and webtoon author Robin, he tells the board that Seo Jin suffers from Dissociative identity disorder (DID). Not sure what further value to the story line this character has. Seo Jin is too busy to return to the company now. Enjoy what you’ve got!
Robin continues to suffer from fractured and fuzzy memories. Is this like dementia? He is losing his memory and losing his sense of self?
Dr. Kang confirms that his memories are indeed disappearing. That is depressing and unacceptable to Robin. If he doesn’t remember his life, he is not Robin. He tells Dr. Kang that he wants to disappear in 1 week. No need to stay until he cannot remember anything.
If he’s only got one week left, his going to make some new memories with Ha Na. To that end, Robin plans a weekend getaway with Ha Na. He declares he will stay up and not sleep so Seo Jin cannot intrude on their time together.
Robin takes Ha Na to the house his memories created for him as his childhood home. It is sad, knowing Robin’s core memories are false. He puts it well when he tells Ha Na “this is an illusion, this is who I am.” He asks Ha Na how she can love him. Ha Na tells him that her love for him is real therefore he is real. She declares her love for him.
They decide to make a time capsule they can visit later to remember their love. Cute scene on the bench when they write the notes for the time capsule. They bury the capsules near a tree.
They do cute couple things, photographs together, look at local murals, and enjoy each other. Robin writer on a wall, Ha Na and Robin were here.
That night at the bed and breakfast, Robin decides that he must tell Ha Na he is fading away. He goes to get snacks while Ha Na relaxes. She’s asleep when he returns.
The next morning Robin takes Ha Na to the house his manufactured memories created for him as his childhood home. She is stunned. He does not know they did this yesterday.
She excuses herself. She calls Dr. Kang who confirms Robin is losing his memories and losing his sense of self. Didn’t Robin tell her?
Stunned at the revelation of Robin’s memory loss and her complete ignorance of the fact, she runs to the tree they buried the time capsules in. She reads his note:
By the time you read this, I won’t be here anymore. We said our goodbyes. This is a trace of our life together. The last 2 weeks, being on the radio and interviewed, I thought it was all for me. But is for you. I left a trace for you. There’s one memory I never want to lose. The day you trembled, you helped me, that night I want to keep, if I cannot remember that night, I want to fade away as Robin.
She runs back to the house and finds Robin, no, it is Seo Jin. She is fearful that Robin is gone. Seo Jin tells her Robin is still with him. She rails at the injustice of both of them keeping the truth from her. Seo Jin assures her that Robin does not want to fade away. Seo Jin reads Robin’s note. Ha Na explains the story of the house.
Seo Jin watches of video from Robin where he explains that he’s decided to leave for good in 1 week. He explains what makes Ha Na happy, make her laugh, be polite, and comfort her. He tells Seo Jin to make Ha Na fall in love with him, so they can be together forever.
That’s a tall order for Seo Jin. He tells Robin to show Ha Na tons of love in their last week together.
Ha Na weeps at the wall Robin wrote on. Robin calls her. She is relieved and hurries to him. She finds him watching fireworks by the river. Quite the fireworks display. She back hugs him saying she’s not ready to have him leave. She wants more than a week. Robin is clear, if he loses his memories, he is no longer Robin. Awk! That gets me. Hyun Bun hit the mark with that line. He’s crying, she’s crying. He chokes out that the day they announced themselves to world as a couple, is the most precious memory to him.
Oh no, he has another memory fissure. The precious memory is gone. He loses it, there is weeping all around. It is a difficult to hear his cries of pain. The fireworks pop again.
Woo Jun (Hyeri) is the perfect person for Ha Na to confide in. She feels the pain of losing Robin and understands Ha Na’s pain.
Ha Na arranges a surprise for Robin. Everyone works together to make it happen.
Robin and Ha Na arrive with a poster that announces the night of the webtoon. Ah, she is recreating that special night to replace his lost precious memory. Nice job, it looks just like that night (minus the crush of reporters). Young Chang greets Seo Jin and pins a flower on him. He leads them into a room.
OMG! This looks like a wedding. Wow! That’s a surprise for me.
Ha Na tells Robin “the most important memory has not disappeared yet. From now on, I’ll make them for you. No, we’ll make them together. Robin, will you marry me?”
Robin places his hand in her outstretched hand to provide his answer. They walk down the aisle together. Love brims from their eyes.
Comments:
* The end of this episode was a surprise and touching. Ha Na’s surprise was perfect. Her declaration that the best memory had not yet been made was so true.
* Hyun Bin has delivered the heart of this series. This episode center around Robin and his emotional despair at losing his mind and himself. Hyun Bin delivered in these scenes. He got me. Think how Seo Jin has evolved to quiet thoughtful supportive man. He supports Robin and he support Ha Na. Even if Ha Na and Seo Jin do not end up together, she was a catalyst for his transformation.
* Han Ji Min as Jang Ha Na finally had something important to do. For much of this series she has been reactionary or the girl both personalities liked. But his episode Ji Min got to show some acting chops. Initially I was unmoved by her tears. And I don’t think it is because of the actress but because the character is not an emotional touch stone. Robin and Seo Jin are the emotional touch stones of the series. Every other character, including the leading lady, is secondary. Ji Min brought it effectively in the fireworks scene with her desperation for Robin to stay, her shock at him losing the precious memory, and their joint grief. She was sweet and sensitive in the final scene.
* Only 1 more episode. How much of the episode will be devoted to the loss of Robin? Will we only see if Seo Jin and Ha Na click as a couple with a time jump? I’ll find out tomorrow!
Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.
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