With not much time left to live, Soo-ho has to learn how to navigate the remaining time to his life without giving away this crucial detail to anyone. He attempts to hide it from the person he loves and appreciates the most: Ji-hyun. But for how much longer can he keep this deadline a secret and more importantly, how will Ji-hyun react to the news?
Time (시간): Episode 12 Recap
Soo-ho shows Ji-hyun the new house they’ll live in together for the time being as a married couple. They each head to their separate rooms after talking. While Ji-hyun rests, Soo-ho starts to feel sick and falls down onto the ground in pain. Ji-hyun overhears noise coming from Soo-ho’s bedroom, but she refrains from intervening.
Soo-ho visits his doctor to receive more updates and details about his condition. Soo-ho is warned that if he suffers another seizure, he’ll lose his vision and may even become paralyzed. Soo-ho thanks his doctor for his hard work and bids farewell with him. Before leaving, he’s questioned by the doctor whether he’s told Chae-Ah about his illness yet. She came the last time to visit the doctor. Soo-ho is confused and shocked upon learning that Chae-Ah visited his doctor. Someone knows about his illness now.
Soo-ho confronts Chae-Ah about the doctor’s visit. He pleads that she not pity him or tell anyone else about his condition. At that moment, their conversation is interrupted by Ji-hyun who enters the restaurant and seats herself near the joint restaurant owners. She reminds Soo-ho of a charity event they have to attend so the two prepare to leave together. Chae-Ah asks for Ji-hyun to not stress Soo-ho out since he’s sick.
Before entering the charity event located at the W Department Store, Ji-hyun witnesses a senior executive of the shopping mall punishing a employee in front of the store. She walks over and demands that the man apologize to the employee. The scene is similar to what Ji-hyun herself experienced when she used to be an employee at the shopping mall. The senior executive finally apologizes when Soo-ho steps in to demand him to apologize. Min-seok presents the article about this incident to Dad, but Dad isn’t convinced it’s helping the company. He orders Min-seok to once again take care of Ji-hyun. Soo-chul and his mom worry about Ji-hyun who has plans of her own with the foundation. Soo-chul has an idea they can use to keep her under control.
Young-hee wishes that Ji-hyun can live like how she’s currently living forever. She can continue to donate money to charity and help people. However, Ji-hyun finds it difficult to be happy with the one person that caused her so much despair. Soo-ho hurt her and betrayed her. How can she be happy living with him?
That night, Ji-hyun returns back home exhausted and tired. Soo-ho offers her some of the food that he’s cooked for the both of them to eat, but she declines the offer. Ji-hyun feels guilty afterwards and almost changes her mind to eat with him. However, she refrains herself from doing so and stays in her room.
Chae-Ah meets with Soo-ho to present to him an option he can take to cure him of his illness. There’s a treatment in the United States that he can undergo for a month. Though the chances are slim (as if in 0.1% successful slim), there’s a chance that Soo-ho can be completely and miraculously cured. However, Soo-ho turns the idea down. He’s not willing to waste a whole month to undergo treatment with such a low rate of success.
Ji-hyun reads an article written about her claiming that she’s only married to Soo-ho for his money. The article also notes Soo-ho and Ji-hyun’s relationship and highlights the doubts they have about their marriage. When approached by reporters, Ji-hyun is taken aback and speechless. Thankfully, Soo-ho arrives in time to protect her. He admits that he and Ji-hyun did have a bad start at first in their relationship, but that he changed into a better person over the months because of her. He reiterates the same points to Ji-hyun in the car on their way home.
Ji-hyun rewatches the interview of Soo-ho confessing to the reporter his account of what happened the night that Ji-eun died. She asks him if what he said earlier about being happy is true or not. Soo-ho admits that yes, he is happy, but he can be unhappy if that’s what Ji-hyun wants. Soo-ho has to learn to not be happy since that’s what Ji-hyun wants him to feel.
Ji-hyun and Soo-ho visit the orphanage that weekend. There, the kids greet them excitedly and during lunch, one of the kids in particular warms up to Ji-hyun. When asked about Soo-ho, the kid exclaims that he wants Soo-ho to be his dad. Ji-hyun and Soo-ho discuss about the possibility of this, but Soo-ho is uncertain about it. Adopting the little boy would only hurt him and make things worse. Soo-ho and Ji-hyun’s marriage won’t last for so long so they shouldn’t be responsible for things they won’t be able to handle.
Later on that day in the house, Ji-hyun stops by Soo-ho’s bedroom and tells him to forget about what she said earlier that day. There’s no need to consider the idea of adopting children. Ji-hyun walks away after letting out her thoughts to Soo-ho, but she returns to his bedroom door upon hearing noise inside his room. Soo-ho falls onto the ground once again and is approached by Ji-hyun. He at first pushes her away, but a second later pleads for her to not leave. Soo-ho then shares that he can’t be unhappy like how Ji-hyun had wanted him to be. He wants to be a dad and he wants to have a family and he wants to be able to be happy. He tears up on the floor while Ji-hyun pats him softly in silence.
Ji-hyun meets with Chae-Ah to discuss about Soo-ho. If Chae-Ah is honest with Ji-hyun about why she should leave Soo-ho alone, Ji-hyun will disappear for months. Right before Chae-Ah is about to tell Ji-hyun about Soo-ho’s illness, she receives a phone call from Soo-ho himself informing her of his decision to get the treatment in the U.S. Since he’s made his final decision, he reminds her not to tell anyone about his condition. This then persuades Chae-Ah to change her story and she lies that Soo-ho is sick from remorse and guilt from possibly killing Ji-hyun’s family. He needs to be away from her as much as possible and Chae-Ah will do anything Ji-hyun wants so that she’ll stay away from him. Ji-hyun doesn’t buy the lies though. She knows there’s another reason.
Articles attacking Ji-hyun are released so Soo-ho’s Dad reminds Min-seok once again to get rid of Ji-hyun. Now is the perfect timing. Min-seok reluctantly agrees to Dad’s requests. Meanwhile, Ji-hyun is advised by Soo-chul and his mom to stop working for the foundation for the time being. Ji-hyun’s reputation is hurting the foundation so she can either lay low for now or just reveal everything to the public. Ji-hyun listens to the mother and son and contemplates her next move.
Ji-hyun approves Soo-ho’s decision to get treatment in the U.S. He should heal as quickly as possible so that he can continue to help her with her work. The two share one last meal together.
Soo-ho announces to the restaurant staff about his trip abroad. To celebrate their hard work, Soo-ho will treat the staff to a trip to whichever location they want to go to. He invites Ji-hyun to the outing while Chae-Ah decides to not attend. In a phone call with Soo-ho, Ji-hyun agrees to the trip and adds that she hopes Soo-ho will go through with getting treatment in the U.S.
Ji-hyun is investigated for the embezzlement of funds in W Foundation. Fortunately, she’ll be able to clear her name as she has obtained financial documents and reports about the funds of the company and is willing to cooperate in the investigation. The documents were sent to her by none other than Min-seok who first framed her and then sent her the documents afterwards so that she could expose the truth about W Foundation. This way, she’ll improve her image and name and be so powerful that Soo-ho’s Dad won’t be able to get rid of her. Ji-hyun is grateful for Min-seok’s help and hopes that he’ll be safe in all of this.
Everything starts to fall apart for Min-seok. He faces the consequences for secretly helping Ji-hyun. He’s not only fired from his job, but he also loses the income necessary to keep his father alive in the hospital. He comes to realizing that if he doesn’t kill Ji-hyun, someone else will do the job for him. Things aren’t looking so well for Min-seok.
Soo-ho, Ji-hyun, and the restaurant staff are at a beach for their farewell trip. Soo-ho hosts a treasure hunt for the staff and gifts them each with items and presents. After playing some fun activities and games, the rest of the staff ride go bike-riding. Meanwhile, Ji-hyun stays behind to talk to Soo-ho. Though Ji-hyun wants to know more about Soo-ho’s illness, he decides that he’ll tell her more about it once he returns from his treatment. In fear that she’ll miss the opportunity in the future, Ji-hyun gives Soo-ho words of encouragement and gratitude. He tried his best to help her and support her after the death of her sister and mom. Soo-ho really did the best he could for her. Ji-hyun leaves after voicing these words and walks away from Soo-ho.
Min-seok arrives at the same beach as Ji-hyun and Soo-ho in a desperate search for her. As Ji-hyun makes her way back to the camping spot, she’s kidnapped by Min-seok who drags her away and out onto the sea. Soo-ho searches for Ji-hyun and finds some of her belongings around the beach. He finally discovers her out on the sea on a small piece of boat, unconscious and close to drowning.
Soo-ho rushes over to save her by swimming out into the water, but he finds himself struggling halfway to make it to her. He eventually is unable to reach her and drowns in the water. As his body falls lower and lower in the water, we’re shown a scene of Soo-ho making his wishlist before his death, counting all the things he wants to do with Ji-hyun:
What I want to do before I’m paralyzed:
- Eat together.
- Travel with her.
- Say thank you.
- Put a necklace on her.
- Live my life for someone else.
Soo-ho opens his eyes in the water as he falls lower and lower into the water. He’s alive, but his chances of living are slim.
My Thoughts:
I CAN’T DO THIS. I CAN’T. It’s too painful. It physically hurt watching Soo-ho struggle to swim out onto the sea to save Ji-hyun. It hurts seeing him try to be happy knowing that his time is running out. It hurt watching him interact happily with his restaurant staff on a trip for what was probably the first time since he’s opened his restaurant. Now when Soo-ho is finally learning to become humane and to truly live the life he wants to live, he finds that he’s unable to.
I doubt (and hope) this isn’t the way that the drama takes Soo-ho out of the drama. I understand that he’s going to leave the drama earlier than expected and wanted, but I don’t think this is the way the drama will do it. It just seems so sudden and unexpected if he were to die like this and it wouldn’t really wrap up anything for Soo-ho who has always been the focus of this drama. If he’s going to leave, I would want for him to leave with a much bigger and more powerful impact. With the way that this episode ended, I somehow hope Soo-ho will find a way to save both himself and Ji-hyun (or maybe the rest of the restaurant staff will come to their rescue).
I actually have a feeling that the treatment in the U.S. is the method that the drama is using to eliminate Soo-ho. Once Soo-ho bids farewell with Ji-hyun (which they’ll hopefully give us an entire episode of because I’m going to need it!), he’ll leave for the U.S. and then never return because he unfortunately passed away there. I know this is cruel and it pains me to predict Soo-ho’s death because he’s such an integral part of this drama and I love Kim Jung-hyun, but if there’s any way that the drama takes him out, I hope it’d be through this way. All I know is that I’m really not prepared to say goodbye to Soo-ho, especially knowing that he’s leaving a lot earlier than expected. We all knew he wasn’t going to survive in the beginning of the drama so I was ready for that, but knowing that he’s going to die even earlier than expected is something I’m definitely not prepared for. I don’t want him to go just yet.
To be fair, I did notice the sudden change and shift in Soo-ho as a character but also Kim Jung-hyun’s portrayal of Soo-ho. In the last few episodes, he seemed a lot less energetic, intense, and charismatic as he used to be prior to the announcement of his departure from the show. When watching him the last few episodes, I could gain a sense of why Kim Jung-hyun felt the need to leave the drama early. He looks so tired in this drama and while a part of it might be to portray Soo-ho, another part of it might also be Kim Jung-hyun’s struggle in portraying such a multi-dimensional, complex, and complicated character like Soo-ho. He really toned down the portrayal the last few episodes and it was concerning to say the least.
You can tell that Ji-hyun is trying her hardest to keep her ground and to not become distracted by Soo-ho. She changed her revenge tactics so that she could achieve her goals and plans and even had to remind herself about this by rewatching the interview of Soo-ho. It was bittersweet to see her struggle to remain grounded. Her mom and sister died because of Soo-ho so she’s going after him because of that, but he’s trying so hard to make it up to her and to help her achieve the goals she’s set up for herself. Of course Ji-hyun would feel conflicted and I can understand why she’s starting to slowly warm up to him again after not trusting him.
It feels so weird and odd to see Min-seok want to protect Ji-hyun and not follow the orders of his boss. I can understand why he was so hesitant and reluctant in protecting her though. A part of it might be because he felt guilty for covering up the truth about Ji-eun and Mom’s death to both Ji-hyun and the public, but the other might also be because he still cares for Ji-hyun as a friend/former lover. He was able to carry out the murder of Kang In-bum and cover up the details about Ji-eun and Mom’s death as ordered so it just feels odd to see Min-seok struggle with the order to kill Ji-hyun. Granted, he committed the act at the end of this episode when he kidnapped Ji-hyun and threw her out onto the water and left her to possibly die and drown. I don’t think he has any plans of actually killing her, but threw Ji-hyun out onto the water so as to prove to Soo-ho’s dad that he tried to kill Ji-hyun like he was ordered. He wants to prove his loyalty to Soo-ho’s Dad and W Foundation. It was interesting watching Min-seok be so conflicted about killing Ji-hyun when the entire drama so far pitted the two against each other as enemies. I wonder what Min-seok will do next and whether he will be redeemed. It seemed like the potential for that redemption was sort of there in this episode with the way that Min-seok tried to protect Ji-hyun (which I feel conflicted about because he’s done really horrible things in the past), but at the same time, he needs his job to support himself and his family so he’ll go to whatever lengths to get back that job.
What’s even more interesting than watching Min-seok protect Ji-hyun is watching Chae-Ah try to save Soo-ho. I didn’t expect her to care for him that much at all and while I appreciate her efforts to save his life, a part of me also questions if she really did have feelings for him after all. Is Chae-Ah doing all of this because she truly and genuinely does harbor feelings for Soo-ho and wants him to live so she can be with him or is she doing this because she just cares for him as a friend/ex-fiance/restaurant co-owner? There are so many questions about her involvement in Soo-ho’s illness and it’s so interesting that she was the first one to know about his condition. Maybe the drama is setting up her character to also be redeemable (or at least more approving) like how it’s doing with Min-seok.
Ji-hyun has so many things up her sleeves and this wouldn’t be possible without the help of Soo-ho. As much as she despises him for killing her family, she’s also aware that he was the one who was truly there for her all along when she had nobody else. This conflict is what motivates her to seek out justice for her family, but what will eat at her even more is when she discovers that Soo-ho doesn’t have that much time left to live. He’ll spend a month away from her for a treatment with a 0.1% chance of success. How will Ji-hyun react to the news of his illness and potential death? Will be she be praying for a miracle to happen or will she stay indifferent as she’s recently been in the past few episodes?
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