StormMoon

I'm glad to find this drama while I was having a hangover on Hotel Del Luna. After HDL, no drama seemed to interest me. But I saw a short video clip of Graceful Family on Facebook. The clip was about Picasso's Funeral. It's funny yet intriguing at the same time so I searched for this drama and that time, it was already on its 7th episode. I binge-watched to catch up and was hooked til the finale! ;)

I usually go for a drama with a strong female lead so I didn't give Gangnam Beauty a go regardless of recommendations. But since Graceful Family was the first Im Soo Hyang drama I watched, and Seok Hee was so adorable, I can't help but love the actress too. So while I'm on it, I finally gave Gangnam Beauty a try just because it's Im Soo Hyang. I did a marathon on GB last Wednesday. So imagine me watching Mirae on Wednesday night for the first few episodes and then watching Seok Hee the following days and then watching Mirae again the next day . The experience was so weird like any moment, the characters and vibes would clash and overlap. Hahaha

Omo! I'm watching the raw copy of Ep.16 now and the flashback showed Wan Soo actually stabbing Seok Hee's mom. My heart is sad. He's really the murderer. T_T

Oops. I didn't expect my first comment on this drama to be that long. HAHAHA! Can't help it!

On the lighter note, anybody else here who's confuse with our main leads' current score? I mean, I know this is not a romantic drama but I find it somehow funny that they are still holding back that much when it comes to their relationship.

They already kissed. Not just a peck. But a long slow-mo kiss. But after that, they're still feeling awkward with skin ship. There wasn't even a time when they've got to embrace each other.

Remember when Seok Hee had to sleepover Yoon Do's place? They couldn't even give each other a simple goodnight hug and kiss. Is that normal given that you already had a French kiss a day before? I'm not bashing. I just find it cute because they're not acting like 30-year old adults. If they're worried what his father would think of Seok Hee, he could have sneaked when he's already asleep. Hahahaha! Sorry if I sound like I'm wanting some naughty scenes. Not exactly! But if I we're to be realistic, they could actually share the same bed that night. Not that we're expecting for something steamy to happen but what's wrong with a little cuddling and bedtime talk? But anyway, every relationship is unique. So maybe they're just late bloomers. Oh my, we're they each other's first kiss??? Hahaha

EDITS:
Disregard these long lists of speculations below. Our previous theories were accurate. Sadly, Wan Soo is really the culprit. T _ T

QUESTION #1: Is it Wan Soo who killed Seok Hee's mom?

I don't think so. I admit I also suspected him for a moment because that's where the previous scripts were leading us. Like Ms. Han saying that he's a card she can't play with. And when Wan Soo asked why, Ms. Han looked at him intently and said, "You know more than anyone else the reason why." It sounds like there's a part of him that's totally unlikable.

There's also this scene when Wan Joon was kind of interrogating him saying something like, "You're supposed to meet your friend that day. I wonder why you broke your promise. It was the same afternoon An Jae Rim died."

Plus the fact that there were many instances where the episode showed Wan Soo acting like a psychopath: the look in his eyes, the tilting of his neck, the expressions of his mouth. So it's only sensible for us to suspect him. Only a psychopath can kill without personal motives.

However, after Ep. 15, I'd like to think that instead of being the actual killer, it's more like he's the one who dispatched the crucial evidence or someone who knew where the book and the wine glass went.

Back to his conversation with Wan Joon, he commented "You also know I often broke my promises to meet people." I don't know which was the exact meaning of this translation. Either he meant that it was just normal for him to call off his meeting with people or it could also mean that if he broke up his promise of meeting a friend, it must be because he had to meet someone else instead. I'd say, someone more important than his friend. And who would that be? None other than his mother.

Crime scene:
11:00 Wan Joon arrived
1:25 Ha Young-soo arrived
1:45 Wan Soo arrived (He came with a paper bag. I wonder what's inside it. Maybe the wine bottle?)

Wan Joon: What made you break your promise with your friend?

Judging Wan Soo's personality, he's the type who's more close to his friends than his own family but he has this burning desire to be appreciated and valued by her mother. So my guess is that, Wan Soo arrived at the villa due to his mother's request. He can't say no to her. He's desperate to please her. He came just 20 minutes after Ha Young-so.

Also, his statement, "I usually shine more during difficult times than good times" made me feel like there was an instance where he made a huge favor for his family's sake. Something that even his mother was pleased. Could it be that he did something crucial to cover up the family's 15-year old deepest darkest secret to the point where it can backslash on him? The look of shock and fear on his face when Ms. Han pointed her as the killer of Seok Hee's mom can be interpreted in two ways:

a long buried fact is now revealed OR such story can be made up to distort the fact

We know how Ms. Han works. She's expert on distortions and cover ups.

QUESTION #2: Was it the knife stab that caused the death of Seok Hee's mom?

I now get the feeling that it was just staged. She died from something else. But of course, the most convenient way to frame up Yoon Do's mom is for her finger prints to appear on the knife found on the crime scene. Who knows maybe the bloodstains on the knife wasn't even her own blood? And the wet thing on the floor, was it blood or wine spills? LOL. I know this might sound crazy but this drama is a big bomb of surprise, isn't it? So let's wait for the finale tonight.

QUESTION #3: Why would an ambitious Ha Young-soo leave the art gallery's luxurious opening party just to visit the first wife?

She waited for this day. She wanted the glamour and sophistication that went with it. So it's out of her personality to cut the party unless there's a heavy reason for doing so. Although I hate her character so much, I can't picture her actually stabbing the first wife. She's trying hard to act classy. And besides, what for? She already ordered someone to overdose her with an addictive drug that would slowly and quietly kill her. Murdering her by knife stabs would just make it all messy.

From the CCTV footage, she's the only one who seemed to be in a rush to get inside the house. Again, she even had to escape the party. So my hanging questions are these:

Did she know her favorite son, Wan Soo, was there before her? Did she come to his aid? Who's covering whose crime? Or was there really a murder crime that day? But if there was no crime, why the heck were they all bothered by the past? Whatever. I believe Auntie Seok Hee will finally solve the puzzle. LOL

P.S. If in the end, it turned out that everything was did so that Ha Young-soo can keep her Wan Joon blemish-free even at the expense of Wan Soo, I wouldn't be surprise. Didn't she even utter back when Wan Joon was kidnapped, "Why did it have to be Wan Joon instead of Wan Soo?" What a mother! I really hope she'd rot in jail but I think she'd end up in a mental institution instead. I can clearly picture it.

Too many visually and emotionally satisfying scenes in Episode 15. Hard to choose which one’s my favorite. :)

While watching, I feel like I’ll be fine now with whatever ending they prepared for us. Since the episode itself gives the “acceptance feels”. Seize the moment then let it go.

About the dash cam scene. Was it there merely to insert an ad or will it play a part in the finale?

Sanchez: Goodness! Is that a ghost? I must be able to see them now.
(Startled at sight of an old man slowly crossing the street)
CS: Here. He was recorded clearly. He’s not a ghost.
(Showing the record on his phone)

Now my fun imagination plays like this:
The original plan still stands. CS will peacefully see MW off. So she must be non living now. In the world of the living, CS continues his life with the memories of Man Wol. Then one day, she will appear before his eyes and he would think that’s it’s just her ghost form or a figment of his imagination. But then he will see a record of it in the dashcam and surprise! Man Wol is a living person for good now. Giggles. ^_^ I don’t how they’ll pull it off though. But the presence of Kim Soo Hyun here plus the fact that HDL is directed by the same director of You Who Came from the Stars make me feel that an “unexpected come back” of a non-typical being like Do Min Joon or Man Wol is still possible.

Additional note:
I’m new to seeing more of Man Wol’s humanness now. I’m not used to it but I’m definitely pleased. You know she’s back to being a normal person with no super powers when she’s having a hard time carrying the heavy camera suitcase. Awww. She’s the weaker one now, physically. ;)

Let's laugh together! LOL.

A serious matter back then but a bit hilarious in the present time. I applaud the writers for surprising us with such a never anticipated shift.

We'll see later.. That's interesting though. ;)

The teaser is out now. Just saw it on IG but no sub yet. :D

I really like his character here. Calm, decisive, and can keep promises. If you stan YJG, then I'd say you'd like him even more here. It's my first time watching a drama with YJG in it and I appreciated him already.

Yeah. Honestly, I don't really have a problem with the drama as it is. If MW has moved on right away, there would be no 16 episodes for us to watch. But I find pleasure in dissecting the judgments, feelings, motivations and frustrations the characters are going through. It makes me indulge a lot deeper with this drama. ;)

Man Wol will remember him for sure. :)

Copy pasted this from my post and added some more at the bottom. ^_^

Just done watching Episode 14. Well, I must say I have to eat some of the words I said hours ago. The Captain is not the narcissistic dude that I thought. The Hong sisters clearly turned his character into someone pitiful.

Yes, he faced a seemingly helpless dilemma (MW’s people or my people). We can say he got cornered. He had known the situation a bit late since the princess had already sent the soldiers to capture MW's people.

However, I still feel he should have told Man Wol everything before his last breath. She might not have believed him right away because she’s consumed in her anger. But that’s up to her how she’s gonna process her grief after the whole truth. Many might find it sweet that he stayed as a firefly for such a long time to accompany her but if only he had given her the closure and backstories that she deserved, I don’t think it would take 1300 years for MW to empty herself of resentment. She might have been able to move on from everything and find her peace in a shorter amount of time. That's what makes CM's choices disappointing.

On the other hand, you said YW stopped CM to reveal it to MW? I'm not sure if I missed that part or if I misunderstood it or if there's a variations in the subs. But to my understanding, what YW meant was to be able to save MW, CM must made it look like he intentionally used MW to befriend the "rebels" and capture them all. As a consolation, MW's life should be spared at least because it was her that led him to the capture the remnants of Goguryeo. That's how it was played out based on the earlier episodes.

Just done watching Episode 14. Well, I must say I have to eat some of the words I said hours ago. The Captain is not the narcissistic dude that I thought. The Hong sisters clearly turned his character into someone pitiful.

Yes, he faced a seemingly helpless dilemma (MW’s people or my people). We can say he got cornered. He had known the situation a bit late since the princess had already sent the soldiers to capture MW's people.

However, I still feel he should have told Man Wol everything before his last breath. She might not have believed him right away because she’s consumed in her anger. But that’s up to her how she’s gonna process her grief after the whole truth. Many might find it sweet that he stayed as a firefly for such a long time to accompany her but if only he had given her the closure and backstories that she deserved, I don’t think it would take 1300 years for MW to empty herself of resentment. She might have been able to move on from everything and find her peace in a shorter amount of time. That's what makes CM's choices disappointing.

It's all cool. Whoever is our preference, we're always be weirdos for other people. ;)

More than the butterflies in the stomach, love for me, must feel like a refuge. It provides shelter and security. And I think that’s the kind of feeling MW gets whenever she’s embraced by CS. In the midst of her fears and anxieties, she can manage to relax even for a while. But it’s the complete opposite when she’s hugged by CM. CM’s role in her life was like a storm or a hurricane that wrecked, blew things up,and wiped off her people. But CS? Well, he’s like that eye in the storm– the calm region at the center of it all.

You're not the only one, dear. ;)

This thread is my tribe. I respect differences in opinion but I still don't find the MW-CM's past as endearing as that of MW-CS's present relationship. I don't know if it's because of my age? I'm at this point of my life where I would prefer a kind of love that feels like fire but doesn't burn and destroy. Instead, just the kind of fire we find in the fireplace: warm enough. The Captain may be full of charm but CS, for me, is full of warmth. The Captain may have mastered how to play with words. CS, on the other hand, has nothing but sincerity. His intentions were pure. Even if he's tempted to be selfish because of her growing desire to be with MW, at the end of the day, he would still choose whatever it is that's more beneficial for MW.

If I were MW, I'd be confused as well. Like what the fuck do you really want? What do you fight for? Where do you stand? On my side? Then why let all my people die like that? And what's worse, you even let me live as if that's something heroic! Now that I'm the only one who survived, do you expect me to be thankful for saving my life? Do you want me to continue living as if living is the most beautiful thing? What is beautiful with having to live in guilt? Had I not fallen for you, me and my people wouldn't have welcomed and trusted you like you're one with us. Is this your definition of love, that I stay alive even if that means living alone in misery? If you loved me the right way, then you'd know my heart. You'd know how I cherish YW and my gang. You'd know I would live blaming myself and could hardly live in peace after their deaths.

I'm not against those people who are more attracted to the captain. We all have different preferences and perceptions of love. It's subjective. So for me, personally, I may still find CM's action as a sign of love, yes, if that's how he understood the meaning of love. But I don't find it pure and selfless. Aside from it being on the selfish side, I also do smell a hint of narcissism. "I'll be a firefly. I can stay as a little light to be with you for more than a thousand year. "I'll be the moon that never falls that will always watch over you." "I'll be someone you'd wish to suddenly appear when you're alone drinking."

Googled some signs of a narcissistic personality:
*Grandiose sense of self-importance.
*Lives in a fantasy world that supports their delusions of grandeur.

No offense meant to MW-CM shippers. I repeat, this is just me. Not trying to convince or convert anyone to my side. Let our unique preferences choose side.

Sharing this quote I posted on my timeline 5 years ago:

She said, ‘I’m so afraid.’ And I said, ‘why?,’ and she said, ‘Because I’m so profoundly happy. Happiness like this is frightening.’ I asked her why and she said, ‘They only let you be this happy if they’re preparing to take something from you. — Khaled Hosseini —

The mood and tone feels like MW and CS happy sad scenes.