Episode 15
Episode 15 is primarily Nan Gil preparing to leave. Like we believe that that's going to happen.
Na Ri's dad (NRD) proves to be just as much of a sleaze as we thought he was. He:
- Flat out lies when Na Ri asks about the trip they took
- Tries to muscle his way into taking over the dumpling shop and the special piece of land
- Acts like the current success of the dumpling shop was because of him. Even though he never actually made any dumplings but bought them from the local grocery store
- Guilt-trips Nan Gil all over the place about his sight (I'm left wondering if it's partly an act to freeload like so much of th rest of his life.)
- Guilt trips other people about his sight (again, that freeloader!)
- Sends his girlfriend back to Seoul once she's served his purpose
- Has the audacity to complain about Na Ri just living in the house and *not* working at the dumpling shop
- Tries to imply that Nan Gil is stealing Na Ri's money
- Meets and schemes with Deok Bong's dad (DBD) to steal the land and sell it to DBD
- Only turns himself in for faking his own death so that he can steal the land, not because he wants to be a dad to Na Ri
- Tries to push Na Ri at Deok Bong
Deok Bong is as cool as ever. He:
- Takes care of his sister
- Stands up to his dad about the land
- Rebukes his father for the shadiness of DBD's life
- Serves as Nan Gil's lawyer to get the land situation straightened out (and signed over to Na Ri)
- Serves as Na Ri's Dad's lawyer (for free) when Dad decides to admit to the law that he's alive
- Doesn't tell Na Ri about how sleazy her father is in order to spare her feelings
Yeo Joo continues to be redeemed as a character. She:
- Still a little snarky and testy, but she stops with the games
- Treats Na Ri like a friend instead of a rival
- Helps Na Ri with a date with Deok Bong, despite the fact that she wants to be the one that like Deok Bong likes
Nan Gil stays Nan Gil awesome. He:
- Is willing to leave everything so that Na Ri can be happy (with NRD)
- Sees through NRD but doesn't bust NRD to Na Ri because it would hurt her
- Holds back when several several opportunities present themselves There's several times where they could have kissed, but he holds back (partly out of fear, but I think more out of not wanting to hurt her more by deepening their relationship only to then leave)
On the Nan Gil-Na Ri romance front, I got a little annoyed because neither of them are really honest about their feelings. Plus, Na Ri started to get on my nerves, particularly because of how she was moping about him leaving instead of giving him an opening to be vulnerable. It's a little off character for her, since throughout the series, she's always been very mature about their relationship. Finally, though, by the end of the episode, Nan Gil decides to stay at the Dumpling Shop and finally rightfully kisses her.
Episode 16 - The Wrap Up Episode
Of course, I am left wanting and feeling like this last episode is rushed. Why couldn't we have just skipped the stupid stuff in Episode 15 and made the wrap up 2 episodes. Plus there were too many flashbacks (like they needed filler instead of fleshing out some legitimate story lines).
Grumpy NRD in jail. Na Ri strongly rejects to NRD's suggestion to choose Deok Bong instead of Nan Gil. Nan Gil respectfully does not take NRD's bait. Instead, he acts the good son-in-law to someone in prison.
Nan Gil gives Deok Bong the dirt on DBD at the same time telling Deok Bong to back off Na Ri.
Nan Gil makes a memory book for Na Ri and hides on a cafe bookshelf for her to stumble across - so sweet!
Na Ri is back to being awesome. I guess the show was temporarily taken over by bad writers. Na Ri purposely goes to Deok Bong and tells him that they are just friends.
Deok Bong shows how awesome he is. He backs off of Na Ri instead of clinging to her. There's disappointment but no real moping -- which is refreshing. It's not because he didn't care but because he respects her enough to let her go.
Deok Shim calls a mopey Young Gyu 'Oppa' - so there's that future romance that we get to imagine :)
Deok Bong get the dossier from Secretary Kwon and turns his father in. Standard apologies from DBD during the subsequent press conference.
Deok Bong brings champagne over to Na Ri's (which makes a jealous Nan Gil). Deok Bong and Nan Gil get tipsy and when Na Ri is out of the room, Deok Bong grouses about Na Ri's faults. Nan Gil counters each one with why they're pluses instead of minuses. Deok Bong get irritated because *finally* Nan Gil and Na Ri are acting mushy.
Yeo Joo finally values herself enough to give Deok Bong an ultimatum about their relationship, instead of clinging to him or being manipulative - if he calls her again, it means that they are dating
After Deok Bong helps Nan Gil's marriage to Oma get dissolved, Nan Gil and Na Ri go on a date and Nan Gil calls himself "the legendary Nan Gil, who's loved one woman his whole life." How's that for romantic?!
One Year Later
Couldn't we have stuffed the earlier stuff into Episode 15 so this part doesn't feel rushed?
Na Ri's back to being a flight attendant
Nan Gil picks her up at the airport and her attendant dreamily mention how handsome and attentive he is, because he *always* is on time and *always* picks her up. (Way to go, Nan Gil, driving into Seoul to pick up your girlfriend!)
Na Ri 'complains' about Nan Gil looking extra nice.
DBD complains about Deok Bong bankrupting the company - even though they *both* know who's fault it really is. DBD tells Deok Bong that he went to DB's ex and begged her forgiveness. It seems like DBD might have had a mea culpa moment, but no, it's to secure a business merger with her family's company. Oh, the trials that chaebol children face.
Deok Bong isn't having it - since it would mean that their employees would lose their jobs. He adds that he's already dating someone. Can't be Yeo Joo because she wanted to get her romance fortune read with Na Ri.
Na Ri drags Nan Gil to a fortune teller. His first card declares that he's settled all his unfinished business. His second one indicates that he's expanding his business. Nan Gil's reaction is to hurry Na Ri out. I'm guessing that it's not because on Hong Dumplings.
Na Ri demands to know what expansion the cards were talking about and Nan Gil confesses that NRD and NRUncle sold a Hong Dumplings franchise without the couple's permission. I sigh - can they not stop being shady? And wasn't his squirming because he was going to propose? Surprisingly, the franchise does well, so more and more people invest in franchises - which gets NRD and NRU to stop being shady. Who knew they just needed to find their niche: sales.
Deok Bong calls Yeo Joo to thwart his dad. Yeo Joo shows up dressed in a beautiful conservative outfit (which she gives Deok Bong the receipt for so he can reimburse her - heh). Deok Bong's family is shocked at how much she looks like his old fiance. Deok Bong gloats at DBD. I enjoy DBD squirming. When the couple is alone, Deok Bong tries to act like he *doesn't* know that they've just started dating, but it's obvious that he knows what calling her means.
Na Ri and Nan Gil continue to have their cute little couple spats.
The franchises take off and Nan Gil has become very popular with the ladies -- not that he likes their attention, but they give him a lot of it. He's always been in love with Na Ri and that's not going to stop now.
Wan Shik pops up -- yay, he's out of prison -- and Nan Gil offers him a job. The brothers are happily reunited. Why is this the only time we see him?!!
Na Ri's back from another flight and, this time, Nan Gil's too busy with the franchisees to meet her at the airport. He makes her some coffee and really wants her to drink it, but she falls asleep instead. He downs the rest of the coffee and we see his marriage proposal in the bottom of the cup.
He tries to sneakily propose using his phone, but that flops, too.
Ne tries to propose via talking teddy bear, but it doesn't start talking until after Na Ri goes to bed. Not for Nan Gil awkwardly punching it several times.
Finally, Nan Gil gets a really good idea. The pair go reminiscing at their elementary school and he's hidden his marriage proposal among the children's drawings. The engagement ring is simple and tasteful. I love his cheesy grin.
Na Ri's Dad and Uncle are thrilled at the engagement -- bad writers *had* to have hijacked Episode 15, because now everything is great between Nan Gil and NRD.
The episode concludes with Na Ri finally learning to make dumplings and the couple walking along a path, holding hands, all smiles.
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