The Finale: Discussion

What are your opinions on the final episode and the drama in general?

I think the drama in general was great, but I had some issues with episode 15. The drama was so good most of the time at putting a supposed trope into play, and then resolving it in a way to say 'ha, you thought we were going to do that? You were wrong, that's not how it works in real life, let me show you something different'. But then all of a sudden in that second last episode we see the classic lack of communication scenario with Ji Ho ending the contract and taking off without telling Se Hee what she was thinking. It seemed out of character for the drama the way it had been written so far; in that there were 'momentary' misconceptions that they always resolved with open communication. Why didn't they do that this time? Why would she leave and just expect that Se Hee would be there to pick things back up as a non-married couple when she was ready to come back? How was he supposed to know? And why didn't Se Hee ask more about her reasons? He was so good at being intuitive in other matters, even when we thought he wasn't, so why not then? It was a disappointment in that it felt all the progress they were making came to an abrupt halt and was worthless. 

However, there were some really cute moments in episode 16, especially when Ji Ho finally gets to see Se Hee's emotional side, so I feel like they (somewhat) redeemed themselves. I loved those! Just wish they found a different way to come to that point. Also think that the conversation between Won Seok and Ho Rang as they were 'ending' their relationship was a beautiful closure that we don't often see in dramaworld, and is another form of realism that made the drama different. Choosing to have them get back together in the end felt odd, though not sure I would have accepted them moving on so quickly either. Would have been better to have an opening ending for them maybe. 

All in all, though, this drama was such a breath of fresh air. Such a unique, introspective drama with some lovely dialogue and great social commentary. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will live with it's  small flaws. 

@Rae - thanks! From the comments I've read so far, a lot of people are feeling the same too. I just really needed to get it off my chest! 

@Lynze I totally agree! I did not like how she manipulated him, so that he would show his emotions. She should have been honest, and just told them, that they should take a break until he figures out how he feels. She was also not honest about her feelings, just like him. But ep 16 redeemed all of it for me, and seemed like they learned from their mistakes. Just like real life, we say and do stupid things, and hopefully we can redeem those situations... and sometimes we can't. 

I' glad to see I'm not alone with the last 2 episodes and the way they ended the main couple's relationship. But let's talk about Won Seok and HoRang. I thought that we would see some growth in both of them but in the end she went right back to we are getting married and this is the plan. That's exactly how their relationship was before and it didn't work. I think we should have been shown more of how they went back to each other and not just last minute. Maybe they should have broken up in earlier episodes. Idk but I know that they were amazing as a couple and should have ended up together but I would have like their relationship to get more time. Suji and CEO MA were great though. I loved their relationship the most.

Yes!! Love does not buy groceries or pay rent!

yess, when she was talking about I choose love I was like really. And the fact that she had job offers coming in when she never even applied to them was very unrealistic in my opinion.

So, I have somewhat calmed down at the whole last two episodes and I am still trying to understand the reasoning of the writers with the last two episodes. So , I went and watched the graduate the movie, since they talked about it a lot and I hadn't seen it even though it's a classic movie. 

The thing that hit me was the ending scene of the film when their on the bus and she in a wedding dress, they did the whole dramatic running away to the bus scene and then their faces become sad just as she described it. But the drama copied the wedding bus scene near the beginning of the drama, I guess they wanted to show the aftermath of the ending of that film, i don't know. It still doesn't explain her reasoning's for leaving, maybe I should read to room 19, i heard it's a short story maybe it will better explain what the writers where attempting to show. 

Oh, this was a quote from the director of the graduate. 

“WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE GLAMOUR? WHAT HAPPENS BEYOND THE STORYBOOK ENDING? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EVERYTHING HAS WORKED OUT AND YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU’RE JUST A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SITTING ON A BUS, WONDERING WHO THE HELL YOU AND THE PERSON BESIDE YOU ARE?”

THE GRADUATE (1967) DIR. MIKE NICHOLS

 hope:

Wow, I am so glad I'm not the only one who felt that way about the last two episodes, this show was a breathe of fresh air, that main couple was so different in the fact that communicated well with each other, but too me her reasons for leaving disappointed me so greatly that I started to get annoyed. Even in the final episode, I still didn't understand why she had to leave. She gave all these speeches about love, marriage, blah blah but like her mother said, ' Stop talking crap' because that's all i was hearing. 

^this. You know what, I think the screenwriter knew deep down how ridiculous Ji-ho's reasoning was. (Or maybe I should say that her reasoning was not ridiculous per se, but her decision to just leave without talking it out first with Se-hee was.) The only explanation I can think of for Ji-ho's uncharacteristically passive-aggressive behavior is that the screenwriter and/or director decided they needed more angst, which they did by creating the (unecessary) separation in episode 15 & 16. (Either that or maybe @Sari was right, and that I was misreading Ji-ho's character all along, which is worse.)