Juat want to share this from Soompi in case those who thinks it doesn't make sense that Taek is the husband. @Meguna has summarised all the clues from the start:
"Hello, its been a while since I last posted here. (Because I felt quite intimidated when things started to get tense) I have no intention of offending anyone but I just cant stay silent about this.
I like Jung Hwan, he's sweet and very adorable to his first love but he already decided to move on. He already said his goodbye to DS when he confessed his feelings. It doesn't matter if the guys think its a joke because she knows the truth. That is his resolve already. He already realized the mistakes he did and for sure he has learned so I am happy and proud of him. One of his best qualities is his love for his family and it was once again shown in todays episode. He is happy right now, that's what matters.
I am also happy for Duk Seon, it must've been hard for her to act like nothing happened for half a decade (same with how JH kept his feelings for her) and she turned out alright even though a few years back she was unsure if she'll even get to college because she isn't very smart and doesn't have a dream. And for anyone who didn't like how she fell for 3 out of her 4 bffs, I can understand but that's actually normal. When I was at highschool, my friends often changed who they like. Often with the guys who they become close to or someone they feel that shows interest to them. So I don't blame her but it is interesting is how she fell for Taek. Her friends didn't tell her that he likes her or anything (unlike with JH and SW) instead, the opposite happened where Ja Hyun says that he probably thinks she's a fool. So when the kiss happened she tried not to let her feelings get carried away because she didn't think TK likes her. So she kept it to herself just like JH and even tried to move on by dating other guys. (Still hate the cheating bf btw) Also, she didn't fall in love with him just because of the kiss. Before the dream kiss happened, she was already developing some feelings for TK and it probably got solidify with the kiss.
And lastly with Taek, for those that say it doesn't make sense that he is the husband, I hope you'll try to read my defense. While it is true that he had limited screen time at first, I believe that it was done on purpose since we eventually see him more as the story progressed. They did have a lot of moments together too and he also showed that he cares for DS, examples of it are: saying sorry and giving her the gift she wanted, protecting her from the beach ball, going with her to the rest room and comforting her when she broke down, asking her what's wrong when she cried in the steps, worrying about her foot and telling her to go home and rest. He even has the traits of the husband; he reads manwha (if you guys remember from the 1st or 2nd ep when they gathered at the kim's residence and DS was suppose to arrive with TK, she told them she asked her to get some manwhas and it would be strange if he is getting it from her place since he was being fetched and as seen in another ep, I forgot which. TK seemed hesitant to enter DS's house.) he smokes (imo JH would never smoke because SW strongly dismissed the idea when his mom asked and when SW asked on what basis does he decide whether a guy is good or bad, he replies with "he doesn't smoke" or something along the lines) he can have light arguments with DS (from being taught by the girl herself to say no and curse and later on we see it develop and also after the time skip, he can start reprimanding her like in the scene where she wanted beer and he said no) the mention of the husband saying it took him a while to use banmal with Noeul, we can see in the episode where he brings fruit to DS (the same one with him waiting by their front door and I think since DS and the 3 guys grew together, JH probably never felt awkward with NL as he must've seen him in his toddler years and we see him scaring and kicking him when he wanted NL to give his gift to DS) we can see that he is rather shy and silent when NL talks to him and even hesitated in saying "arasseo". In the first few scenes of present day DS and husband, we see that he wears a rather light clothing unlike DS and the others and TK is the one often seen wearing light clothing and I think most of us know that like the husband, he is not fond of interviews. I may have missed some things but it is clear that his development wasn't rushed, as a matter of fact, it was well planned.
Sorry for the long post. I love this series so I just want to clear that the characters and the story isn't rushed or anything. I do hope they show JH finding new love but as long as he's happy right now then I think that's good. His confession also touched me and left me feeling bittersweet. But its not true that he was the only one who suffered, SW had to deal with getting dumped, BR had to stick with her decision of choosing studies over love, DS had to keep her feelings to herself as well and TK too, he even tried dating other girls. So please don't say the drama sucks or has a bad ending, that TK doesn't fit being the husband or DS is not good or something 'cause he fell for 3 guys who're all his bffs and over a kiss/friends influence. Sorry again if I offended anyone. I hope you guys can still support the drama because there is more to it than just the husband hunting. Today maybe a bad episode for the JH shippers but tomorrow might be better. I hope everyone's day get's better/stays good."
also in episode 2 I think there was a flash back that showed DS piggy backing TK, plus all the times DS have said to TK "hurry and grow up so he could marry her".
Here's another good one by @Pacmule3 (Soompi)...
"Taek as Forrest Gump"
"Taek as Forrest Gump"
A few of you asked me how TK knew to go after DS at the concert hall. I don’t believe he heard his manager and the GF's conversation about DS. Besides, if you listen to that conversation again, there was NOTHING that the two people were saying that TK didn’t already know. As a matter of fact, what the two people were discussing was only hearsay; TK had actually witnessed DS leaving for the concert unaccompanied. So, he knew “better”. lol.
Now, I think two possibilities happened here:
a: the staff and GF were standing in front a window, right? They were discussing the rain. TK could have walked up to the window, saw that it was raining outside and decided to cancel his game because he knew DS wasn’t dressed for a rainy day. Thus, he called a press meeting and apologize to the tournament organizers and his opponent.
OR – I favor this, because this is more his typical behavior:
b: when we saw him in the restroom washing his face [Episode 18], he had ALREADY called the press-con and informed the event organizers and his opponent of his decision to withdraw from the game. Why do I say this? Because that’s HIS routine. He typically washes his face AFTER his match, then he leaves the place with his manager [rewatch Episode 6, after he beat the Chinese player]. I assumed that he washed his face because he had already told people he was forfeiting.
What does this mean then?
This means that he ONLY proceeded to go to the Baduk center to tell his people of his decision to withdraw. When he realized that DS was faking it [he was the one who looked down and saw her slippers], he decided to go after her.
TK +1000 points
On the other hand, JH had to process the information and weigh it BEFORE he acted. He 1) was told by DR that it was raining outside (did it click that DS didn’t have an umbrella?), 2) got on the phone with SW, 3) asked DR if they really wanted to do it together, 4) saw DS’ cheating BF with another girl, and 5) watched Forest Gump until halfway through the show, BEFORE he made a decision to go after DS.
[BTW, the scene where Jenny called Forest Gump and they ran towards each other in the Reflecting Pool is at 1 hr 7 min mark of the movie; I’m checked. He sat there in the theater for an hour with DR.]
Then and only then did he decide to go after DS. Now, that was a very huge mistake and JH admitted it in his monologue. It was his hesitation = his inability to cross the line that caused him to lose [Episode 9].
In a comment I wrote to a poster on the MT, I stressed that Ep 9 was a pivotal point in the show. Why? Because this is when the scriptwriter exposed JH’s character major flaw. You see, for this scriptwriter, like most Kdrama writers, the concept of “risking it all for love” is paramount. The guy (and the girl, too, of course) has to take that metaphorical flying leap off the cliff for another person.
But if the guy (or girl) wasn’t even willing to give up his coat to a freezing girl, then he wasn’t ready yet for the “flying leap.” And if he declared his affections at that moment, his words would ring hollow because actions > words.
However, the risks don’t need to take on an unrealistic, life-or-death proportion, like jumping in front of a train or taking a bullet in the brain as Bruno Mars promised. Most of the time, the “risks” demanded of the hero in kdrama is just a matter of rearranging life priorities. In TK’s case, he knew that DS came first before baduk in his life. He proved it.
Do you also understand now the scriptwriter’s intent in showing TK place his jacket on DS’ shoulders? That jacket-sharing was to directly contrast the two men. Two men, two concerts, two jackets, and one freezing girl. BTW, I said before that this is a standard trope for this writer. The guy “wraps” the girl in his outfit. I actually call it the “dog urinating on the fire hydrant” trope.
The nice thing about the way TK gave her his jacket was its simplicity. He just DID IT, without her asking for it or telling him that she wanted his jacket . When she protested that she wasn’t cold, he LIED and said that he was hot. Why did he lie? He did it to allow her to SALVAGE her pride after the relentless jokes on her abysmal dating life. He didn’t make her the object of spectacle and the object of his jokes. And that’s good sign for a husband.
Personally, I find those jumbo-tron proposals during baseball/basketball games VERY inconsiderate. You know what I'm talking about?
The guy suddenly kneels down, pulls out a ring and proposes with thousands of spectators watching them and waiting to see if she’ll say yes. It’s VERY inconsiderate because the pressure is on the girl to say yes, even when she’s feeling hesitant, unsure or just plain awkward. In some cases, a public proposal can be regarded as emotional blackmail because the girl is being forced – or placed on the spot – to reciprocate the guy’s feelings. Personally, I recommend intimate, private proposals with only the girl and the boy, with none of their family members and friends present as witnesses.
Lastly, who do I think is Forrest Gump? Since everybody must have an opinion on this, let me state mine then. I don't need a second invitation, really. :)
I know I’m going to hear howls and shrieks here from the peanut gallery, but you have to hear me out. On the surface, FG = JH. He was watching the movie with DR when he had an epiphany; then, he had his vehicle streak through the empty streets of Seoul. However, if you scratch beneath the surface, FG = TK. The first clue was of course TK’s standing in front of DS gasping for breath. We’re given the impression that he had the run of his life, although we didn't actually see him running. Curious, eh?
I know I’m going to hear howls and shrieks here from the peanut gallery, but you have to hear me out. On the surface, FG = JH. He was watching the movie with DR when he had an epiphany; then, he had his vehicle streak through the empty streets of Seoul. However, if you scratch beneath the surface, FG = TK. The first clue was of course TK’s standing in front of DS gasping for breath. We’re given the impression that he had the run of his life, although we didn't actually see him running. Curious, eh?
But there are also personality traits that link TK to FG …. and the costume. lol.
For instance, both FG and TK are stoooopid. lol. What’s the famous line from Forrest Gump? "Stupid is as stupid does." Now, how was TK described in the introduction? He was described as a genius at playing Baduk, “but what’s he going to do with that, when he’s an IDIOT when it comes to anything else?”
Also, FG was patient and calm, exactly like TK. They both have a soft but monotonous way of speaking; they can’t sound like they’re hard to ruffle. When the TV baduk interview went far longer than the stipulated 30 minutes, TK didn’t shout like a divo at his manager’s incompetence. When he discovered that JH hid a secret from him, he felt betrayed but he didn’t strike back at JH. [I would have.] JH’s frustration at TK’s innate goodness made him wish that TK was a jerk.
Then, FG was intuitive. He can sense the emotions of the people and empathize with them. DR might be wise for his age and observant, but TK has the ability to sense what isn’t verbally expressed and empathize. That was how he was able to talk with DS’ dad about deceased mothers, to assure his Dad to remarry, and to voice concern over JH’s mom’s worry. Also, he of all of the guys understood DS’ need to nurture and take care of the weak [clue: the dead birds from the Olympic games] Hence, he lied about his chopstick skills, his being cold, his financial management skills.
There was also FG’s popularity. He became a media sensation because of his running abilities. In TK’s case, it’s obviously baduk.
And if you youtube the childhood story of Jenny and Forrest Gump, there was this scene when three boys chased the handicapped FG, and Jenny shouted at him to “Run! Forest! Run!” This scene echoed the vignette in Reply 1988 showing the first time the gang of four met TK. The three boys were all naughty and they scared the introverted TK, Suddenly, DS appeared on the other side of the truck and gave him a fish candy. The young Jenny was Forest Gump's protector, in the same way that young DS gave TK a piggy back ride.
Lastly, the costume. lol. Many of you are probably too young to remember this, but when the movie Forrest Gump came out, the FG and Jenny costumes were one of the most popular outfits for couples to wear on Halloween. The guy simply had to wear a plaid blue shirt with buttoned-down collars, and the girl wore a white lacey frock. Now, look at what the costume designer did for TK and DS.
Lastly, the costume. lol. Many of you are probably too young to remember this, but when the movie Forrest Gump came out, the FG and Jenny costumes were one of the most popular outfits for couples to wear on Halloween. The guy simply had to wear a plaid blue shirt with buttoned-down collars, and the girl wore a white lacey frock. Now, look at what the costume designer did for TK and DS.
She reversed the colors, but TK wore the uptight clothes and DS wore the casual outfit. That was an inside joke, too.
http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/hanseatic/media/reply%201988%20forrest%20gump_zpsskubgaly.jpg.html
So those are my reasons for saying TK = FG.
Enjoy the show tonight.
-packmule3
You're welcome :) here's another analysis, this one is from DS's POV by @otomame. Seriously I love reading all these insightful analyses on Soompi!
I'm back from work and backtracked the new posts (as well as K-netizens reaction) and it seems like people who feel disappointed/cheated still only look at the situation from Junghwan's POV. There's nothing wrong with that because we all have different favourite characters, but since I'm #TeamDeoksun and Deoksun is my favourite character I'd also like to write about her POV and how I interpreted the drama up until now.
So right from episode 1 we get to know that Deoksun suffers from middle child syndrome and because of that she is extremely sensitive and has low self-confidence. She starts crushing on Sunwoo after her friends tell her that he totally likes her. Her crush on Sunwoo lasts from episode 2 until episode 6, and then she was uncomfortable/annoyed around Sunwoo until episode 10. I think everyone knows why and how Deoksun's crush on Sunwoo ended :D
In episode 10, Deoksun is yet again influenced by her friends' suggestion that Junghwan must like her (and this time it's for real). After confirming his feelings by asking him if she should go to the group-blind-date she also starts crushing on him. Her crush on Junghwan lasts from episode 10 to episode 14. In episodes 11, 12, 13 and 14 Deoksun was very obviously trying to get Junghwan come out of his shell and make him confess to her (remember, Deoksun has extremely low self-confidence so she wouldn't dare to confess first). Junghwan however keeps on turning her down/away because he doesn't want to make Taek sad (you noble idiot, you </3). The pink shirt in episode 14 is the last straw and Deoksun's confidence is pretty much below 0 at that point so no one can blame her for not holding onto Junghwan. We as audience were able to see what he did and felt for her but Deoksun couldn't.
After that we have the conversation between Deoksun and Dongryong where she asks him why no one likes her and Dongryong answers: “I’m asking what you like. Not what other people like, but you. YOU. Who do you like? Without someone else liking you, you could like someone, right?” (translation taken from DB). These two questions by Dongryong are SO important, in my opinion. Deoksun, who has never had the confidence to like someone first because of her low self-confidence, gets told for the first time that the most important thing should be HER feelings and that it's okay for her to like someone without confirming the other side's feelings first.
After episode 14 Deoksun is focused on studying and on her future (and I'm so thankful to the writers for making Deoksun's life not only revolve around love and guys). I think it's safe to say that she was already moving on from Junghwan around that time because in her view it obviously looked like he didn't feel anything for her.
Then comes episode 16 and Deoksun's feelings being swayed by Taek. At first it was just that tiny moment on the soccer field that made Deoksun's heart beat faster and then she was just a little disappointed that Taek cancelled their "date". Then the kiss happened and as episode 19 confirmed today, Deoksun was so overwhemeld by all of these happenings and new feelings that she was the one running away and hesitating this time.
5 years go by and we see that Deoksun, Junghwan and Taek are all trying to move on, even though their old feelings were obviously still lingering somewhere. When Junghwan confesses to Deoksun, I'm 10000% certain that Deoksun knew he really meant it and the way she was looking at him seemed thankful and reminiscent. But after rewatching episode 18 after today's episode, I think, at that time Deoksun had already made up her mind regarding her feelings for Taek.
When she was dumped by her date it was Taek who immediately rushed to her and gave her a jacket to warm her. Remember the scene in episode 10 where she tells Junghwan that a guy should give a girl his jacket when she's cold? I think that moment when Taek gives her his jacket is the moment Deoksun really falls for him (as in, not only crushing on him but really falling in love). Deoksun is a girl who swooned over romance novels and the like, she yearns for that kind of ~dreamy~ love and Taek made that come true in that moment.
I think episode 20 is going to show Deoksun finally gaining the confidence to voice out her own feelings and fight for those feelings, and that's what I'm looking forward to.
TL;DR version: Deoksun was yearning for love and care throughout the whole drama and Taek was the only one who openly and actively (and consistently) gave her that love and care so I'm just really happy that Deoksun finally got what she was always yearning for <3 I'm in no way saying that Junghwan couldn't have given her that love, we all know and saw that he could. And that's the point, Junghwan COULD have been the one giving Deoksun the love she wanted but he hesitated too much and in the end all he could do was blame himself (Junghwan even literally says that it was his own fault in episode 18).
I'm back from work and backtracked the new posts (as well as K-netizens reaction) and it seems like people who feel disappointed/cheated still only look at the situation from Junghwan's POV. There's nothing wrong with that because we all have different favourite characters, but since I'm #TeamDeoksun and Deoksun is my favourite character I'd also like to write about her POV and how I interpreted the drama up until now.
So right from episode 1 we get to know that Deoksun suffers from middle child syndrome and because of that she is extremely sensitive and has low self-confidence. She starts crushing on Sunwoo after her friends tell her that he totally likes her. Her crush on Sunwoo lasts from episode 2 until episode 6, and then she was uncomfortable/annoyed around Sunwoo until episode 10. I think everyone knows why and how Deoksun's crush on Sunwoo ended :D
In episode 10, Deoksun is yet again influenced by her friends' suggestion that Junghwan must like her (and this time it's for real). After confirming his feelings by asking him if she should go to the group-blind-date she also starts crushing on him. Her crush on Junghwan lasts from episode 10 to episode 14. In episodes 11, 12, 13 and 14 Deoksun was very obviously trying to get Junghwan come out of his shell and make him confess to her (remember, Deoksun has extremely low self-confidence so she wouldn't dare to confess first). Junghwan however keeps on turning her down/away because he doesn't want to make Taek sad (you noble idiot, you </3). The pink shirt in episode 14 is the last straw and Deoksun's confidence is pretty much below 0 at that point so no one can blame her for not holding onto Junghwan. We as audience were able to see what he did and felt for her but Deoksun couldn't.
After that we have the conversation between Deoksun and Dongryong where she asks him why no one likes her and Dongryong answers: “I’m asking what you like. Not what other people like, but you. YOU. Who do you like? Without someone else liking you, you could like someone, right?” (translation taken from DB). These two questions by Dongryong are SO important, in my opinion. Deoksun, who has never had the confidence to like someone first because of her low self-confidence, gets told for the first time that the most important thing should be HER feelings and that it's okay for her to like someone without confirming the other side's feelings first.
After episode 14 Deoksun is focused on studying and on her future (and I'm so thankful to the writers for making Deoksun's life not only revolve around love and guys). I think it's safe to say that she was already moving on from Junghwan around that time because in her view it obviously looked like he didn't feel anything for her.
Then comes episode 16 and Deoksun's feelings being swayed by Taek. At first it was just that tiny moment on the soccer field that made Deoksun's heart beat faster and then she was just a little disappointed that Taek cancelled their "date". Then the kiss happened and as episode 19 confirmed today, Deoksun was so overwhemeld by all of these happenings and new feelings that she was the one running away and hesitating this time.
5 years go by and we see that Deoksun, Junghwan and Taek are all trying to move on, even though their old feelings were obviously still lingering somewhere. When Junghwan confesses to Deoksun, I'm 10000% certain that Deoksun knew he really meant it and the way she was looking at him seemed thankful and reminiscent. But after rewatching episode 18 after today's episode, I think, at that time Deoksun had already made up her mind regarding her feelings for Taek.
When she was dumped by her date it was Taek who immediately rushed to her and gave her a jacket to warm her. Remember the scene in episode 10 where she tells Junghwan that a guy should give a girl his jacket when she's cold? I think that moment when Taek gives her his jacket is the moment Deoksun really falls for him (as in, not only crushing on him but really falling in love). Deoksun is a girl who swooned over romance novels and the like, she yearns for that kind of ~dreamy~ love and Taek made that come true in that moment.
I think episode 20 is going to show Deoksun finally gaining the confidence to voice out her own feelings and fight for those feelings, and that's what I'm looking forward to.
TL;DR version: Deoksun was yearning for love and care throughout the whole drama and Taek was the only one who openly and actively (and consistently) gave her that love and care so I'm just really happy that Deoksun finally got what she was always yearning for <3 I'm in no way saying that Junghwan couldn't have given her that love, we all know and saw that he could. And that's the point, Junghwan COULD have been the one giving Deoksun the love she wanted but he hesitated too much and in the end all he could do was blame himself (Junghwan even literally says that it was his own fault in episode 18).
Wow, these are some great posts. Thanks for sharing them with us, Bongsookie ! :)
I was impressed with Taekie when he cancelled his game for the first time ever in his life (ASAP after reaching the baduk club). He did it so that he could accompany the girl he loves to the concert, because he noticed right away that she got stood up. He checked her from head to toe after all. JH failed to do so.
The same with the jacket scene. I just went "aww". Again, JH failed to do the same when he and DS went to the concert in 1988. The girl was freezing and told him so, but he didn't do anything about it..
I think that even if JH & DS started to date, it wouldn't have lasted very long..Because the one that matches her personality better is Taek. He can give her everything she needs and say the things she wants to hear and so on. They are very similar, but also complement each other like ying & yang. He the IQ, she the EQ.
DS & Taek are just made for each other aka soul mates. <3 They are on the same wavelength (Bora agrees :P).
Just like JH said, Taek wanted and loved DS more than he did. He paid more attention to her, was more courageous and passionate about her. He was always there when she needed support. Thus he "won" her in the end ;)
But I'm sure JH didn't feel too bad for losing DS to Teakie because he knows very well that he's a nice guy who'll take great care of DS. Fortunately, there won't be any hard feelings between them.
As for our girl, she came to love Taek naturally over time and more importantly on her OWN this time. With SW and JH, she crushed on them because of her friends' influence. It didn't come from her own heart. She was just searching for someone who would love her; it didn't matter who it was. She got over them as quickly as she started to like them LOL. Just another proof that neither case was true love.
On the other hand, with Taek it was a different story. After their dreamy kiss in 1989, she kept loving him for 6 years despite not knowing that he loved her back. She probably thought he regretted the kiss since he said "what a relief" back then. But all of that didn't stop her from loving him. So different than the times with SW and JH. When she confirmed they weren't interested, she forgot about them quickly.
From the start, Taek was always her first priority. She has always been more protective of him and she preferred him over her other male friends (see DR-DS convo). She loved to spend time with him. Taek has always been on the back of her head. Only time was needed for her to realize her (growing) feelings.
Imo, it was a beautiful and natural transition from friendship to love. Not something sudden.
In the end, she loved Taek. Taek loved her. And that's all that matters. JH accepted that, learned his lesson, and moved on.
I was impressed with Taekie when he cancelled his game for the first time ever in his life (ASAP after reaching the baduk club). He did it so that he could accompany the girl he loves to the concert, because he noticed right away that she got stood up. He checked her from head to toe after all. JH failed to do so.
The same with the jacket scene. I just went "aww". Again, JH failed to do the same when he and DS went to the concert in 1988. The girl was freezing and told him so, but he didn't do anything about it..
I think that even if JH & DS started to date, it wouldn't have lasted very long..Because the one that matches her personality better is Taek. He can give her everything she needs and say the things she wants to hear and so on. They are very similar, but also complement each other like ying & yang. He the IQ, she the EQ.
DS & Taek are just made for each other aka soul mates. <3 They are on the same wavelength (Bora agrees :P).
Just like JH said, Taek wanted and loved DS more than he did. He paid more attention to her, was more courageous and passionate about her. He was always there when she needed support. Thus he "won" her in the end ;)
But I'm sure JH didn't feel too bad for losing DS to Teakie because he knows very well that he's a nice guy who'll take great care of DS. Fortunately, there won't be any hard feelings between them.
As for our girl, she came to love Taek naturally over time and more importantly on her OWN this time. With SW and JH, she crushed on them because of her friends' influence. It didn't come from her own heart. She was just searching for someone who would love her; it didn't matter who it was. She got over them as quickly as she started to like them LOL. Just another proof that neither case was true love.
On the other hand, with Taek it was a different story. After their dreamy kiss in 1989, she kept loving him for 6 years despite not knowing that he loved her back. She probably thought he regretted the kiss since he said "what a relief" back then. But all of that didn't stop her from loving him. So different than the times with SW and JH. When she confirmed they weren't interested, she forgot about them quickly.
From the start, Taek was always her first priority. She has always been more protective of him and she preferred him over her other male friends (see DR-DS convo). She loved to spend time with him. Taek has always been on the back of her head. Only time was needed for her to realize her (growing) feelings.
Imo, it was a beautiful and natural transition from friendship to love. Not something sudden.
In the end, she loved Taek. Taek loved her. And that's all that matters. JH accepted that, learned his lesson, and moved on.
I didn't "ship" anyone until episode 17 so I guess I got lucky. Once you get really attached to a character especially early on you're seeing stuff through a different POV than people who didn't get attached. I know I'm not watching the same drama as some of these people. I mean I am, but I'm not. I think if you pay attention and don't care as much through the drama it makes more sense.
Anyway Taek stole the show from my point of view - took me a long time to get there but I appreciated the earlier scenes a lot more with him after rewatching a lot of episodes. Became a pretty hardcore Taek shipper after that.
I liked how someone on Soompi compared Taek's late entry in the show to strategy used to win a game of Baduk. Lots of insightful posts too in both the shippers' threads and main forum. I didn't spend too much time analyzing the drama myself but it's pretty easy to pick out what is important and not important for gaining insight into who is going to get the girl. By the end of episode 14 the endgame was set in stone.
Anyway Taek stole the show from my point of view - took me a long time to get there but I appreciated the earlier scenes a lot more with him after rewatching a lot of episodes. Became a pretty hardcore Taek shipper after that.
I liked how someone on Soompi compared Taek's late entry in the show to strategy used to win a game of Baduk. Lots of insightful posts too in both the shippers' threads and main forum. I didn't spend too much time analyzing the drama myself but it's pretty easy to pick out what is important and not important for gaining insight into who is going to get the girl. By the end of episode 14 the endgame was set in stone.
@sweetmelissa, I agree with what you said about Taek and DS - their relationship had the most growth in the drama. Their natural transition from friendship to lovers is what made me jumped ship halfway through the drama. I realised early on that Taek was someone special to DS. She's always claiming him like "grow up faster and marry me" to always choosing him without a second thought. They had a special bond in the same way as the leads from R97 and R94 had with the husband. Glad I rooted for this couple, because i was able to enjoy their progression throughout and appreciate the level of detail the writers have put into the script.
@Imitation, oh I also read the analysis/analogy of Taek to Baduk as well! It was really good and very long as well. (Too long to copy over lol). If I can find that page again, I might share the link here :) there were also many good analyses by @pacmule3 that were great as well. Ah, I'm sad that this drama ended. Such a great family drama ❤
@Imitation, oh I also read the analysis/analogy of Taek to Baduk as well! It was really good and very long as well. (Too long to copy over lol). If I can find that page again, I might share the link here :) there were also many good analyses by @pacmule3 that were great as well. Ah, I'm sad that this drama ended. Such a great family drama ❤
Thanks for the posts!
Even though I didn't feel satisfied by the ending, it was pretty clear that Junghwan shot himself in the foot whilst Taek actively pursued his crush without hesitations. Just like Taek's love of baduk - it was clear that he has a competitive streak and he knows what he wants.
It's just hard to process this resolve because a lot of people (like myself) did watch from JH perspective and it's sad because as the viewer, we are omniscient, so we know about all the little things that he does that goes unnoticed by others - so it of course the viewers will sympathise with his unrequited first love. But like you've drawn attention to, we need to see it from the other character's perspective and fair dos, for Dukseon, the moment she misunderstood the pink shirt incident with Jungbong - it was more or less the end for him there. If JH had tried to correct her and explain what had happened then he would've had another chance, but the fact that he didn't meant that DS will never truly know what happened - she tried but JH really did hesitate too much. As viewers, we tend to sympathise with the guy that shows his affection through little things and secretly crushes on his first love because it's so innocent and fresh. But I do think that had JH been the end game, DS would probably never have loved JH as much as he did her - he is such a tragic character >_<
But I won't deny that I would've preferred JH as the husband; however, I can understand how Taek ultimately became the end game. This would've been a lot less conflicting for people had the writers given JH closure in that finale. It's one thing to make him confess under the pretence of a joke as a way of getting him to 'give up' on his first love, but another to tell us what happened to him after - where is he now? is he married? is he happy? The writers really gave JH the short end of the stick after making him so likeable in the first half - don't we all want our own secret crush whose watches us lovingly when we're not looking, someone who thinks about whether we got home safely and not being able to sleep until he's certain that we're home, or someone who selflessly tries to live the dream in place of his brother who can't. It was a little more difficult to relate to Taek because of his very unique circumstances (baduk star / very wealthy / recluse / not as up to date as the others [although that is what made him cute and someone that they wanted to look after]). It's just a shame that JH didn't get the resolve that he wanted. It was undoubtedly difficult watching him struggle for 18 episodes trying to come to terms with everything. In the end, I think more than disputing who the husband should be - it was ultimately a family drama, and the entire cast were brilliant.
Either could have been the husband - so it makes sense that Taek is the end game, but there were plot holes uncovered after that finale and I think many JH-DS shippers fell into them and haven't quite been able to crawl out yet. T_T
Even though I didn't feel satisfied by the ending, it was pretty clear that Junghwan shot himself in the foot whilst Taek actively pursued his crush without hesitations. Just like Taek's love of baduk - it was clear that he has a competitive streak and he knows what he wants.
It's just hard to process this resolve because a lot of people (like myself) did watch from JH perspective and it's sad because as the viewer, we are omniscient, so we know about all the little things that he does that goes unnoticed by others - so it of course the viewers will sympathise with his unrequited first love. But like you've drawn attention to, we need to see it from the other character's perspective and fair dos, for Dukseon, the moment she misunderstood the pink shirt incident with Jungbong - it was more or less the end for him there. If JH had tried to correct her and explain what had happened then he would've had another chance, but the fact that he didn't meant that DS will never truly know what happened - she tried but JH really did hesitate too much. As viewers, we tend to sympathise with the guy that shows his affection through little things and secretly crushes on his first love because it's so innocent and fresh. But I do think that had JH been the end game, DS would probably never have loved JH as much as he did her - he is such a tragic character >_<
But I won't deny that I would've preferred JH as the husband; however, I can understand how Taek ultimately became the end game. This would've been a lot less conflicting for people had the writers given JH closure in that finale. It's one thing to make him confess under the pretence of a joke as a way of getting him to 'give up' on his first love, but another to tell us what happened to him after - where is he now? is he married? is he happy? The writers really gave JH the short end of the stick after making him so likeable in the first half - don't we all want our own secret crush whose watches us lovingly when we're not looking, someone who thinks about whether we got home safely and not being able to sleep until he's certain that we're home, or someone who selflessly tries to live the dream in place of his brother who can't. It was a little more difficult to relate to Taek because of his very unique circumstances (baduk star / very wealthy / recluse / not as up to date as the others [although that is what made him cute and someone that they wanted to look after]). It's just a shame that JH didn't get the resolve that he wanted. It was undoubtedly difficult watching him struggle for 18 episodes trying to come to terms with everything. In the end, I think more than disputing who the husband should be - it was ultimately a family drama, and the entire cast were brilliant.
Either could have been the husband - so it makes sense that Taek is the end game, but there were plot holes uncovered after that finale and I think many JH-DS shippers fell into them and haven't quite been able to crawl out yet. T_T
Amen and hail to you for sharing this. I've seen a lot of commenting that the ending was "changed" but I don't believe in that one bit. The writer clearly knew who's going to be husband, not to mention the hints pointing to taek,, they were everywhere since the beginning. I agree with many others, that the ending seemed rushed, there's still questions left without answers. My biggest one is that why they put SW-BR wedding to the finale episode? it should've been the main Otp of the drama and we know the main otp is TK-DS. I was kinda disappointed to the fact that they we're only a cameo in the last episode, and JH was totally washed away??? It's great drama overall though, but I think for the next reply drama--there should be more episodes and they should really try not to drag this husband hunting till the last episodes, it's confusing.
After 3 seasons of the Reply series, I'd say that if the next season comes out, the way to guess the husband is to ask this question "does the main girl have a special bond/connection to her future husband?". Since this was consistent throughout the 3 seasons. I don't really believe the writer/PD when they say that they haven't decided on the husband yet. It's just a way of giving the media and viewers hope for their ship. When you want to write a story, you always have an ending in mind so I'm sure when they casted Park Bo Gum (and I heard he didn't audition for the role, he just got ask to be casted), that they probably have planned him as the husband from the start. I strongly believe now that Taek was meant to be the husband all along, the clues they gave were pointing to him anyway.
If we look at Reply 1997, Shi-won knows Yoon-jae extremely well to the point where she can even guess his passwords etc. Reply 1994, Trash lived with Na-Jung like her oppa so she knows him extremely well. And now Reply 1988, DS has always had that special connection with Taek. She likes to look after him and knows him very well (more than) compared to the rest of the guys. She's always comfortable to be herself around Taek and she knows exactly what he likes/his preferences without needing to ask him. With Jung-hwan, she doesn't know his preferences well (heck she even asked her friend to pick a shirt for her to buy him without knowing that he doesn't like pink) and he never bothered to find out. DS only liked JH (in the same way as SW) because her friends told her and she was more in love of the idea of 'romance'/having a boyfriend itself than to think of liking someone genuinely yet. She has always loved Taek, it's just she didn't see him as a man yet until she went to China and he princess carried her. After that talk with her dad about her future (she needs to focus on studies) and with DR, she realised that rather than worrying about who will like her, she should instead ask herself who she truly likes. I'm sure over time, she comes to realised that her bond with Taek was more than just friendship. She just had low self-esteem and thinking that Taek will not see her that way.
I dunno, I guess if another Reply series come out I'm confident I can now guess the husband based on the girl's point of view and looking out for that special bond she has for the guy compared to others. I do admit that I wasn't confident about Taek since JH was narrating but now I realised it was the writer's way to throw us off but also give the spotlight to the actor playing JH. Just my thoughts :)
If we look at Reply 1997, Shi-won knows Yoon-jae extremely well to the point where she can even guess his passwords etc. Reply 1994, Trash lived with Na-Jung like her oppa so she knows him extremely well. And now Reply 1988, DS has always had that special connection with Taek. She likes to look after him and knows him very well (more than) compared to the rest of the guys. She's always comfortable to be herself around Taek and she knows exactly what he likes/his preferences without needing to ask him. With Jung-hwan, she doesn't know his preferences well (heck she even asked her friend to pick a shirt for her to buy him without knowing that he doesn't like pink) and he never bothered to find out. DS only liked JH (in the same way as SW) because her friends told her and she was more in love of the idea of 'romance'/having a boyfriend itself than to think of liking someone genuinely yet. She has always loved Taek, it's just she didn't see him as a man yet until she went to China and he princess carried her. After that talk with her dad about her future (she needs to focus on studies) and with DR, she realised that rather than worrying about who will like her, she should instead ask herself who she truly likes. I'm sure over time, she comes to realised that her bond with Taek was more than just friendship. She just had low self-esteem and thinking that Taek will not see her that way.
I dunno, I guess if another Reply series come out I'm confident I can now guess the husband based on the girl's point of view and looking out for that special bond she has for the guy compared to others. I do admit that I wasn't confident about Taek since JH was narrating but now I realised it was the writer's way to throw us off but also give the spotlight to the actor playing JH. Just my thoughts :)
I'm an hour and 23 minutes into episode 18 and I gave into the darkness, I just wanted to know. Ah well, it was going to be one of the two but I'm surprised, I was hoping to see a scene of JH smoking or something. I really did want JH to be the one but his damn hesitations is what prevented him from moving forward even when Taek gave him a chance when he cancelled the movie date with DS.
Ahh now I'm conflicted and I think this is going to take some time before I actually finish this.
Ahh now I'm conflicted and I think this is going to take some time before I actually finish this.
I haven't continued with Reply 1988 since yesterday. I was reading a bit more into the series and it seems that the finale was changed greatly for Taek becoming the husband and not Jung Hwan.
http://www.soompi.com/2016/01/11/reply-1988-weddin...
It seems that the rumours sort of forced a change to the ending. I just keeping thinking about how this series ends and it's just very disappointing for me. For me, I just never saw Taek as the husband but at the same time the present time interview hints at Taek being the husband (ah this is such a horrible idea) because if they're being filmed or interviewed (I'm imaging Reply 1997's Sung Shi Won working on the filming set in some sort of capacity...even though I thought she was a writer...ah I forget), why would Jung Hwan or Duk Seon being interviewed as the main focal point.
I'm personally not fond of how this series ended and apparently Jung Hwan doesn't even have much screen time in the last episode.
I do feel like the writer didn't stick to their guns and just changed it because of the leaked spoiler.
http://www.soompi.com/2016/01/11/reply-1988-weddin...
It seems that the rumours sort of forced a change to the ending. I just keeping thinking about how this series ends and it's just very disappointing for me. For me, I just never saw Taek as the husband but at the same time the present time interview hints at Taek being the husband (ah this is such a horrible idea) because if they're being filmed or interviewed (I'm imaging Reply 1997's Sung Shi Won working on the filming set in some sort of capacity...even though I thought she was a writer...ah I forget), why would Jung Hwan or Duk Seon being interviewed as the main focal point.
I'm personally not fond of how this series ended and apparently Jung Hwan doesn't even have much screen time in the last episode.
I do feel like the writer didn't stick to their guns and just changed it because of the leaked spoiler.
The husband was not changed because of rumors. That is actually a rumor and a false one at that. I read a few interviews with the cast and writers at the time the drama ended. (I can't remember where they were, but there were more than one.) It was always supposed to be Taek, but only the writers knew up until the end. They pointed out the various hints from the beginning, but they were all subtle. It was always supposed to be a guessing game for the viewers and even the cast, too.
A lot of Jung Hwan fans were understandably upset and so the rumor that he was supposed to be the original husband but that they changed it started up. That is not true, though. Nothing was changed because of any spoiler either.
A lot of Jung Hwan fans were understandably upset and so the rumor that he was supposed to be the original husband but that they changed it started up. That is not true, though. Nothing was changed because of any spoiler either.
Yes, I was sad that it wasn't JH - I'll admit it. But I also wasn't sad that it was Taek. While I really wished that JH had gotten his act together and ACTED on his feelings, I pretty much could see the writing on the wall that it was going to be Taek all along. I just kept myself in denial until I couldn't deny it any longer. Everything you posted makes perfect sense, and I'll need to go back and watch it again sometime just to look at it from another POV. I think I'll enjoy it more the 2nd go-around than I did the first just because I won't be so focused on JH that I miss all the special Taek moments. It was much easier in 1997 and 1994 because I was "on the right team" all the way through. This one was harder because I really felt the pain of JH's bad timing and inaction. We saw him being so caring to his friends and family that you knew he COULD be a caring a loving person even if he wasn't showing it to DS. It was really frustrating as a viewer to watch him miss chance after chance to show her and tell her what he feels. Going back, it'll be much easier because I'm going to focus on all the ways DS and Taek interact and care for each other. I really enjoyed your analysis and how thorough it was. When I'm in the thick of a drama, sometimes I miss little details because I've got to read subtitles while still trying to notice all the other surroundings. There's not usually time for me to pick up on all the subtle things, so I like to read things like this so I have something more to chew on. :)
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