Dae Jang-geum is Watching Episode 15: The Sudden Family Feud
While at the hospital with Seung-ah, San-hae makes one last chance to get things right with her. He might have rejected Seung-ah, but that was never how he truly felt about her. He still likes her to this day. Hiding not too far away is Jung-sik who had returned after buying some flowers for Seung-ah. He stands in disbelief upon overhearing his brother’s confession to Seung-ah and runs away after hearing the confession. Though San-hae might have confessed, Seung-ah’s feelings remain the same. She wishes to end things with San-hae; she isn’t willing to take any more risks.
When San-hae returns home, he’s confronted by an angry and upset Jung-sik. How could his brother confess to the same woman who he’s also in love with? Both brothers believe that Seung-ah is fated for them since their powers don’t work on her, but who will Seung-ah choose to be with?
Back at the hospital, Seung-ah paces back and forth and can’t stop thinking about San-hae’s confession. Sure, she finally got a confession from him after all this time, but is it what she wants now? She’s reminded of the wise words she was given from the psychic plus her mother: she should find someone who’s kind and makes her smile. So will that person be San-hae or Jung-sik?
The intense rivalry between San-hae and Jung-sik continues. Jung-sik prepares some simple seaweed and rice for his siblings to eat for breakfast as he fills his stomach with some delicious food. To make things worse, he purposely answers a phone call from Seung-ah directly in front of San-hae. The two decide to meet up later on that day, but San-hae isn’t too jealous. He’ll see Seung-ah that day at work anyways. LOL, please chill – the both of you!
The next morning at work, San-hae continues to make it up to Seung-ah by first giving her a beef sandwich (which is a big deal because he never feeds just anyone beef) and trying to help her bring up some boxes of soymilk gifted by a recent customer. However, the boxes are too heavy for him to carry and San-hae’s good deeds go noticed by Manager Lee who isn’t too happy with his actions. During a team meeting, she targets Seung-ah by giving her more work since she assumes Seung-ah must be ordering San-hae around to help her, but everything just backfires on Manager Lee. San-hae opposes Manager Lee’s decision and the rest of the team (except for Won Bin of course) complain about Manager Lee’s antics that bother them. The honest and hurtful truth is too much for Manager Lee to handle so she leaves the office.
Seung-ah voices her concerns with San-hae and expresses that she doesn’t feel comfortable with the things he’s doing for her. Plus, she’s going to give things a try with Jung-sik so he should cease all the nice deeds he’s doing for her. It’s a hard reality for San-hae to accept, but he has no choice. Meanwhile, an upset and sad Manager Lee is comforted by Won Bin who cheers her up with some encouraging and kind words. The two go out for some snacks.
Speaking of snacks, Jung-sik himself is preparing some for his date with Seung-ah. For his cooking livestream, he decides to cook some sundae, fritters, and tteokbokki. As for Jin-mi, she spends some time with Min-hyuk at their usual convenience store that they go to. She still has doubts about her position in the entertainment company and just how much of an influence Min-hyuk has as the CEO’s nephew. But as Min-hyuk will prove to Jin-mi through a phone call with his uncle, Jin-mi has worked hard to get to where she is. Her achievements within the company, such as starring in Min-hyuk’s group’s debut music video, was based off of her hard work and effort, not because of Min-hyuk. Aww, they’re so adorable!
It’s time for Jung-sik and Seung-ah’s date! He picks her up from work, but San-hae also ends up tagging along and crashing their date LOL. Jung-sik is unable to get San-hae to leave so he joins them on their date to a roller skating rink. Things can’t be that bad right? Except it is! From helping Seung-ah put on her skates to instructing her how to skate, the two brothers can’t stop fighting with each other. Seung-ah eventually gets the two brothers to stop competing in the skating rink by bringing up the topic of food. Now that’s how you do it, Seung-ah!
Jung-sik feeds Seung-ah with the snacks that he made for her earlier while San-hae is forced to go buy himself a cup of ramen noodles since Jung-sik forbids him from eating any of the snacks. While he’s away, the two munch on the snacks and Jung-sik checks in with Seung-ah. Did San-hae make her feel uncomfortable? How is she doing? But Seung-ah reassures him that she still had fun even if the date didn’t go as exactly planned. Jung-sik surprises Seung-ah with a necklace which he puts on her. When San-hae returns to the table, he witnesses Jung-sik putting the necklace on Seung-ah and drops his hot cup of ramen noodles. Seung-ah and Jung-sik rush over to him and Seung-ah cares for him by giving him some wipes to cool his hand. The situation gets awkward and Seung-ah excuses herself to the restroom.
When the brothers get home that night, they each reflect on how the date went. Jung-sik remains honest with himself and notices that Seung-ah still has feelings for San-hae. San-hae wonders if it really is too late to win Seung-ah back. The next morning, Jung-sik merely manages to escape from San-hae in order to go on another date with Seung-ah. He picks her up from her apartment and the two decide on some plans in Jung-sik’s car. Though Seung-ah appreciates all the suggestions that Jung-sik makes, she also can’t help but be reminded of San-hae every time. Everything just seems to remind her of San-hae. The two eventually agree to head to a restaurant to grab some food. The date doesn’t go as well as Jung-sik had wished; he can’t simply ignore the signs that Seung-ah was showing. From not wearing his necklace to mentioning San-hae at every chance she gets to even referring to him as San-hae mistakenly, it’s clear who Seung-ah still likes.
Jung-sik meets up with San-hae that evening to engage in a competitive game of basketball. Eventually, Jung-sik admits that he’s giving up Seung-ah for San-hae and reveals to San-hae the location of where he can meet Seung-ah that night. Meanwhile, Seung-ah arrives at the ice skating rink with the assumption that she’s still meeting up with Jung-sik. However, Jung-sik gives her a call to inform her that he’s better off as a friend to her than a partner. He’s giving her the chance to be with the person that both he and she know is in her heart: San-hae.
At that moment, San-hae arrives at the rink and greets Seung-ah in exhaustion. Despite hearing from Jung-sik firsthand, Seung-ah doesn’t want to give San-hae another chance. She’s tired of being pushed around and doesn’t want to be with either Jung-sik or San-hae.
San-hae pleads for Seung-ah to give him at least a chance to explain himself. As he holds her hand, he confesses,
I’m someone who always enjoyed being alone. I liked working by myself, resting by myself, and eating by myself. I never let anyone join me. But, you’re the only one who I left my guard down and opened up to. That’s right… I didn’t know. I didn’t know I could smile so much. I didn’t know I could care for someone so much. And I didn’t know I’d be able to eat with someone.
And I’m sorry I hurt you on the day you confessed your feelings for me. I found out that Jung-sik liked you way before I could even admit my feelings for you so I was so flustered and confused. That’s why I was busy trying to get rid of my feelings like a fool. I’m sorry..
San-hae concludes his explanation by hoping that Seung-ah will never meet or see a man like him again. He eventually lets go of Seung-ah’s hand and walks away, but a tearful and emotional Seung-ah runs after him and wraps her arms around him. Though no words are spoken, her tears and the hug is enough for San-hae to realize how Seung-ah truly feels. Her love and affection for him never left; they were always there. Sometimes hidden, sometimes outspoken, but they never went anywhere.
San-hae wipes Seung-ah’s tears off of her face and gives her a kiss on the lips. Everything will be alright between the both of them after all.
The ending poem for the episode recites,
If you ask me in the far-off future, I’ll answer how I felt at that time / That when I still struggled for liking you despite my hatred your confession made me cry / I ran towards you to hug you / Because I loved you yesterday and even today / I love you
My Thoughts:
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, THAT ENDING KISS. GAAAAAAAH. THAT ENDING SCENE. IT WAS PERFECT. IT WAS SO GOOD. SO WONDERFUL. BUT IT WAS ALSO REALLY SAD. Control yourself, Mary. Control yourself!
You know, for the messy love triangle that was pretty much the only plot in the second half of the drama, things didn’t end as bad as I though it would. I’m not surprised or disappointed or angry that the drama spent so much time setting up and dragging out the love triangle neither am I upset that the love triangle resolved within a single episode (actually within 30 minutes, but ya know, same thing). I’m just glad that the love triangle is gone and that the two brothers worked things out themselves and that it’s done and over with. I was so exhausted from watching the love triangle so you can only imagine just how relieved and content I am that 1) it’s resolved and that 2) it’s San-hae who Seung-ah chose to be with! That was the plan in the beginning and the plan in the end and I’m glad that the drama didn’t pull any ridiculous tricks on us (because I swear, the drama was playing with our emotions throughout its run and fooling us into thinking that Jung-sik was the endgame!). I didn’t enjoy the love triangle nor the silly set-up that made it seem like the drama was going to pull a Reply 1994 (yes, I’m still scarred from the drama), but hey, I’m satisfied with what we got in this episode. Yes, things were resolved so quickly and simply, but Seung-ah gave San-hae another chance and she forgave him. That’s more than good enough for me.
I really didn’t appreciate the falsely misleading hints that the drama would trick us with to make us think that Jung-sik was endgame for Seung-ah. I did, however, enjoy watching the two brothers in a competition of some sorts for Seung-ah’s heart. They were so engrossed in the rivalry that they sometimes even forgot about Seung-ah herself and the fact that it’s up to her as to who she chooses to be with in the end. It’s not them or their respective powers that dictates their fate; their fate depends on Seung-ah and that’s the power that she holds in the end. She’s the strongest one out of them and she revealed plenty of strength (both literally and figuratively) to both brothers when things were getting hectic.
(these close-up shots are soooo pretty!! *_*)
I mean, I couldn’t even blame Seung-ah for the way she treated San-hae and felt about him. Though it is true that San-hae rejected her only to protect Jung-sik and out of consideration for his younger brother, Seung-ah never knew about any of this. It’s not her fault for merely thinking that maybe San-hae simply just didn’t feel the same way about her. Then he would give her mixed signals and confuse her so I could see why she wasn’t willing to give him another chance; I could understand why she was so hesitant in accepting him back into her life when she might have had something better for her right in front of her. She had already given San-hae so many opportunities to prove himself to her that when he didn’t, she chose to spend time with someone else who was there for her all along. She made San-hae fight for her this time around and I loved seeing Seung-ah stand her ground a few times. She fought for herself instead of easily giving in to San-hae and it wasn’t until he pleaded for another chance to explain himself that she finally put down her walls for him again. Gaaah, that ending was so heart-wrenching and sad. No matter what Seung-ah might have said to San-hae or what her mind tells her, her heart leads her back to San-hae. She has a soft spot for him (and so do I, Seung-ah. So do I!).
Similarly, it was also great to finally hear from San-hae himself how Seung-ah has affected him and the impact she’s made in his life. He used to never eat with anyone or do things with anyone (and most important of all, he never gave anyone beef unless it was for a special reason!). She clearly meant a lot to him and it wasn’t until he realized he could possibly lose Seung-ah (to his brother of all people) that he faced a reality check and finally expressed his true feelings. San-hae has always acted coldly and nonchalantly to Seung-ah so I understand why Seung-ah was so frustrated after all this time.
As we saw in this episode, his confession was what she had been waiting to hear all along; she just needed some kind of confirmation and answer that it’s her who San-hae also wants just as much. Although Seung-ah had to endure many conflicting feelings and thoughts in the process, I think it’s safe to say that she’s content with the outcome and San-hae definitely is as well. It was worth it after all.
Extra screenshots from the episode~
MaryMeKpop 