August 2011
“SOAW SPAM TIME!!”
—JiYeon Shipper
Heechul's sweet gesture.
That’s the sweetest I’ve ever seen.
"Excuse me, are you trying to kill us along with them?"
She makes a quiet exit before it’s over and he goes too. He drives along outside and then sees Yeon-jae doing a zombie walk right into the middle of an intersection, ignoring the cars zooming at her.
It’s unclear whether she’s dazed or actively trying to get hit, but Ji-wook sees the oncoming car and swerves in its path, taking the hit to save her.
She stops at looks up at the accident not two feet from where she’s standing, and sees blood streaming down Ji-wook’s face as he stirs.
Her jaw drops in shock.
Source: Dramabeans
ANNNDDDDDD, we have these for the ending of Episode 12. I mean, really SOAW PD, you are trying to kill us right? Kill us with this angsty episode. Kill us with THIS. Why must you leave us with this scene, imprinted in our brain cells, which we have to carry with us through the week?! Why!
Gahh. SOAW PD, did you forget that we are only left with 4 episodes? We are running on a 16-episode series, not 25. So why must we have an injured Ji-wook NOW?!
So now, we have the leads trying to be the hero/heroine in their own turf. Yeon-jae’s trying to be the heroine, protecting Ji-wook from a broken love. Ji-wook trying to be a hero, protecting a dying Yeon-jae from an oncoming car. Why, SOAW PD. Why introduce such an ordeal. I demand you rewrite the script and give us happier times!
But I got a feeling that this will be used against Yeon-jae. I believe this will knock some sense into her. That one should love and live life to the fullest, even though one may be dying. Death is inevitable. What everyone needs to know and do now is to accept it, and use the remaining days to the fullest. Sure, Ji-wook will be a broken man when Yeon-jae pass on. But really, the memories that they shared, will be the fuel that keeps him going.
So back to my question, SOAW PD. Are you trying to kill us along with these fictional characters?! You ARE CRUEL. ROARRRR.
This hurts the most, doesn't it?
Photo Source: Dramabeans
The stills that killed me. This and when Ji-wook said “Saranghae” with tears streaming down his cheeks. It’s instantly killed me. You could feel the depth of his love, mixed with despair and hopelessness. This is just crazy…the emotions I’m feeling for them. I read through the recaps, with tears brimming.
Why does it hurt?
Ji-wook: “What is it you want? Is it for me to leave you?”
Yeon-jae: “Yes”
Ji-wook: “You’re saying that it can’t work. Fine, I’ll do as you want. I won’t see you again.”He walks off, and she watches his departure tearfully.
Photo and dialogue: Dramabeans
There you have it. The final scene of the episode. I’m at the verge of throwing my Mac in despair. Why does it hurt? I could foresee another episode filled with hurt and angst.
I would like to reiterate a point: Scent of a Woman is well written. And I hope the final scene would give us a closure, whatever the outcome. TT_TT
“But please don’t make me wait that long.”
Ji-wook returns to his time capsule tree, where he writes Yeon-jae a text message to tell her he has re-buried the old ring, intending to keep it there until she takes him back. Telling her that it’s been there 20 years and can stay there another 100, he asks, “But please don’t make me wait that long.” Yeon-jae cries as she reads the message.
Photo and dialogue: Dramabeans
Kim Sun-ah, you just made me feel like I was the one suffering from a broken heart. Yeon-jae, doesn’t a broken heart hurts you more than cancer itself? With cancer, you have Dr Poopy-seok to give you strength while you go through pain, and treatments. With cancer, you could have Ji-wook to give you his heart, love, warmth, strength. His love alone should be able to get you through any pain. But with a broken heart, you’re all alone. Suffering alone in silence. That hurts even more, than cancer.
Ji-wook texted ““But please don’t make me wait that long.” The first word that came to my mind when I read that was, “damnn, that’s selfish.” It makes it sound like as if he doesn’t want to stick around for long, if its gonna be a lost cause. But after further analysis, I would like to think that he meant that he wants to be with her soon, so that they could go through cancer together. And complete her bucket list with the one she loves. And close her eyes (dies) in the arms of her beloved. Not when it’s too late. That, would be really regretful.
"The second confession, the second rejection."
“I don’t care what sickness you have, or how long you have to live. I want to be with you.”
She tells him flatly that she doesn’t want him with her, and that he ought to go find someone he can be happy with for many years to come. He counters, “But you don’t care if you have to be unhappy?”
She says bitterly that it’s only for a few months.
Photo and dialogue: Dramabeans
My heart just shattered into a million pieces. That was insanely heartbreaking. The interview that LDW did…I got this feeling he was referring to this particular scene. Him finally realizing how deeply in love he is, and is prepared to be with her even though for a few months. He wants to be with her, make her smile, give her warmth and love, have her in his arms through the trying time. He was willing to go through the same pain again, just for her. But she rejected him, again.
I know right. Why couldn’t Yeon-jae just accept him? End everyone’s misery (including us). It’s an almost win-win situation for both. Why couldn’t they just love till death do them part.
But I know why she did that. Why she refuses to stay with him. She knows the pain of losing someone (her dad). She saw how her mother suffered when her dad’s days were numbered. She saw how Ji-wook broke apart when he found the time capsule his mother and him buried years ago, before she died in an accident. She knows how it feels to be left behind by someone she loves dearly.
And she simply, do not want to be the person who caused the same pain. Hence we see a second rejection, a devastated Ji-wook, and a broken hearted Yeon-jae.
Saranghae.
Ji-wook sshi, you just killed me.
“You don’t have the right to be with her.”
Photo Source: Dramabeans
I love how Eun-seok did not just swoop in and be the Prince, saving a distressed Lady. Instead, he hopes for Ji-wook to stay by her side. Because he knows that even though Yeon-jae loves him (as a friend, doctor, confidante), she definitely would have wanted to die in the arms of someone she truly loves.
I think Ji-wook’s words would have killed Yeon-jae faster than cancer would, if she had heard it. He actually regretted calling of his engagement, for a dying woman! Despite that, I honestly understand his choice of words. I know, deep inside, he did not regret calling of the engagement. Cos that was him cutting loose from the puppet strings that was controlled by his dad. He’s confused and upset at being lied to. But importantly, he’s heartbroken and is trying to come to terms with the fact that the person he loves, is dying. With a muddled head, I believe those words were said with the intention of hurting Yeon-jae, albeit indirectly, like how he’s hurt by her words.
But Eun-seok’s retort of him not having the right to be with her, finally hits him. Because it’s true.
“Do you think you can handle me in this situation? So go.”
The confrontation.
She confirms the cancer, and that she found out before meeting him. Ji-wook asks, hurt and accusatory, “And you still approached me? Then why did you change your mind now?” She answers that she only has a few months left to live: “Do you think you can handle me in this situation? So go.”
Struggling with his tears, he grits out, “Then you should never have approached me in the first place. You should have told me this before I fell so crazy in love with you!” She says, “I didn’t know that would happen.”
“I hate myself like crazy for liking you.”
Picture and dialogue translation: Dramabeans
I’ve got to admit. I was initially unhappy with the way this was going. We have to sit through, yet another kdrama tug-of-war. First Yeon-jae pulled back, and Ji-wook followed suit. Then Ji-wook decides to take a step forward, but Yeon-jae continues to take three steps back. He tries again, and Yeon-jae continues to retreat. And finally, Ji-wook decides to pull the rope, pushing himself away from Yeon-jae.
But as we sit through the episode, I realized and agreed (for the first time), that this tug-of-war was necessary to show the conflicting pain and dilemma of a person who is in love with someone, who is dying. I like that the episode did not go around, beating about the bush, denying the obvious (like most dramas do). But instead, this episode take us through Ji-wook’s conflicting thoughts. From anger and despair, to acceptance. Honestly, do you think you can handle a similar situation?
