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Mok-ha opens the door when an opportunity to achieve her dreams comes knocking. She didn’t expect it to arrive so soon nor did she anticipate the aftermath that followed. But one thing is for certain, she enjoyed the moment and every single second of the experience when it happened.

Castaway Diva Episode 7: Seo Mok-ha vs. Eun Mo-rae

Mommy Kang chats with a customer at her hair salon and shares the story on how she met her husband, Daddy Kang. She explains that they met back when he was a civil servant at his workplace. Daddy Kang also tells his side of the story to a curious Woo-hak who wants to know the truth about him and his family. Both parents met each other when Mommy Kang visited Daddy Kang at his workplace to inquire on how to change her name without her husband’s knowledge. This, of course, caught Daddy Kang’s attention and he offered to help Mommy Kang with her request, fully aware that the police weren’t going to be of any assistance with this process. Though Mommy Kang denied Daddy Kang’s help, Daddy Kang was determined to help Mommy Kang and he caught up with her as she exited his workplace. From there, they got to know each other better and eventually became acquainted. So how exactly did both parents get them and their two sons some new names and identities? Though Daddy Kang knows it’s bad and they shouldn’t have, he reveals that they stole the identities of a family who’s been missing for two decades now. Both parents were desperate and afraid so they had no choice. Daddy Kang is also doubtful that the missing family will appear or return. It’s been 20 years since they’ve disappeared so it doesn’t seem like there’s a chance they’ll come back to reclaim their identities. Footage of the same river that appeared in episode 6 is shown while Daddy Kang is talking about the missing family. Hmm.

Woo-hak overhears staff members of the ‘Heyday Again’ show chatting about the situation with Ran-joo and Mo-rae. CEO Lee isn’t so thrilled with Bo-geol either, but Bo-geol defends himself. He was fair to Ran-joo too. Neither Ran-joo nor Mo-rae are allowed to lip sync and if Ran-joo wins, she’ll have to reveal the truth to everyone and apologize. So Ran-joo panics when she returns to the waiting room with Mok-ha. Will Mok-ha really go on stage to reveal her identity to everyone? She feels threatened by Mok-ha even though Mok-ha claims that she won’t steal Ran-joo’s stage and spotlight. Ran-joo has trust issues after Mo-rae said the same exact thing only to betray her in the very end. So Mok-ha shares a story of a seagull who she befriended back when she was on the deserted island. Even when she had no food to eat, she didn’t betray the seagull by eating the seagull’s eggs. Similar to that situation, Mok-ha would never betray Ran-joo. She’s different from Mo-rae.

Speaking of Mo-rae, she rants to CEO Lee and Manager Park about the show. She angrily rejects her participation but CEO Lee attempts to calm her down. He’ll take care of everything afterwards and come up with a bunch of excuses for Mo-rae’s performance. But Mo-rae doesn’t buy into it. She feels as if she’s rolling the red carpet for Mok-ha’s debut. Ho ho ho. A make-up artist and stylist who was sent by Bo-geol enter Ran-joo’s waiting room to help get Mok-ha ready for the show. Though Mok-ha denies that it won’t be necessary, Ran-joo allows for the preparations to begin and she steps out into another room to review the script for the show. She breaks down into tears upon reading a line from the script: one that would acknowledge that someone has been singing for her. CEO Lee stands outside of the room that Ran-joo is crying in to prevent folks from entering. He accidentally entered the room while she was crying and stepped out just as quickly without her knowledge.

While Mok-ha and Mo-rae get ready for the competition, Woo-hak calls Mok-ha and requests to meet with her. Unknowingly, he had walked past her so he backtracks to reunite with Mok-ha who’s all dolled up. Even Dong-min is surprised by Mok-ha’s appearance when the two head down for rehearsals. While waiting for the elevator, they chat for a bit about Dong-min’s volunteer trips with Bo-geol. Now that he thinks about it, he finds it strange that Bo-geol is no longer as active with the club. He never took a break from his volunteer club that went out to clean up deserted islands. This detail grabs Mok-ha’s attention and she’s reminded of how she saw Bo-geol back when she was discovered on the deserted island.

Mo-rae watches as Dong-min walks Mok-ha through rehearsal. She’s reminded of CEO Lee’s conversation back in the waiting room on how she should view her competition with Mok-ha as an opportunity to beat Mok-ha. To show everyone why she’s on top. So the two walk past each other on set and Manager Park has some time to take a few jabs at Mok-ha. But Mok-ha doesn’t back down so easily. She was never waiting for this opportunity to take over Ran-joo’s position. If life was so perfect, she wouldn’t have gotten stranded and she would have become a singer already. While walking away, Mok-ha trips on her heels but thankfully Bo-geol is there to catch her just in time (woahhh, so swoon!). He checks in on Mok-ha and brings up the worried look that she has on her face. In life, things are 50/50. They either happen or they don’t. There’s no knowing how things are going to turn out for the show so Mok-ha shouldn’t worry too much.

But that’s not the only thing that Bo-geol does for Mok-ha. While reviewing the LED screens for the set, Bo-geol makes sure that the background is that of an ocean – similar to that of the beach that young Mok-ha and Ki-ho visited when they filmed her music video together. In that moment, the two middle schoolers chatted about the aspects that Mok-ha lacked such as concerns, worries, and gloominess. But Mok-ha felt differently. She felt hopeful and encouraged after imagining herself as a successful singer. She was sure that things were going to work out. In the present, Mok-ha watches as Bo-geol and Dong-min discuss the ocean background on the LED screens. It’s another thing about Bo-geol that reminds Mok-ha of Ki-ho.

And so the live filming for ‘Heyday Again’ begins. The show starts off with Mo-rae and Ran-joo being interviewed by the show host. At first, the two follow the script. They greet each other and try to pretend as if things aren’t awkward or as if there isn’t any tension between the two. And when it’s time for Ran-joo to reveal the truth about Mok-ha, she hesitates at first. She pauses to reflect and think about Mok-ha. The staff in the control room where Bo-geol is situated grows nervous at Ran-joo’s hesitance. But Ran-joo pushes through with it and shares Mok-ha’s involvement in all of this. How Mok-ha sang for her for her past performances. How Mok-ha was stranded on a deserted island for 15 years. How Ran-joo gave Mok-ha the opportunity to sing after all that Mok-ha had been through. So Ran-joo ends her talk by going off-script and encouraging everyone to vote for Mok-ha. Many people watch the live show including Young-ju as well as Ki-ho’s dad.

So the performance begins and the song is none other than Ran-joo’s debut song “Open Your Eyes.” Mok-ha starts off by singing first followed by Mo-rae. CEO Lee and Manager Park watch anxiously in the waiting room and they can tell how nervous Mo-rae sounds. Even Mo-rae herself doesn’t feel so confident when the voting round ends and it’s time to select the winner. So the voting ends and everyone waits anxiously for the results. CEO Lee even asks Manager Park for Mok-ha’s contact information while they wait.

And as deserved, Mok-ha is declared the winner. She walks out on the stage to an excited audience waving their lightsticks in the air. Bo-geol watches Mok-ha walk out on the stage and he has a small smile on his face. He’s reminded of the moment back at the beach again – this time, Mok-ha asks if he’s ever thought about something so exciting that his heart was about to burst. And young Ki-ho responded that no, he had never experienced something like that.. until that day. In the present, Bo-geol’s heart is about to burst as he watches Mok-ha achieve her dreams and perform on stage like how she wanted to 15 years ago (wow, the parallels! Why does this make me want to cry? T__T). While Mok-ha finishes the rest of the song, everyone can’t help but be in awe of her. Ran-joo and Bo-geol have hearts in their eyes as she performs. Even Bo-geol’s parents show their support by watching the show at home. The audience chants Mok-ha’s name after her performance and Bo-geol smiles as a reaction.

And just like Ran-joo did to Mok-ha when she finished her performance at the village festival, Mok-ha runs to Ran-joo backstage after her performance. They celebrate by hugging each other. It’s an unforgettable experience for Mok-ha. Ran-joo and Mo-rae bump into each other in the restroom to hear immediate feedback from staff members on how the show went. Ran-joo warns Mo-rae to treat her fans better and to work harder so that she doesn’t end up like her. Ran-joo’s learned the hard way through experience and has some good advice to share with her hoobae. So while heading back into the company van, Mo-rae hugs one of her fans in the huge crowd waiting outside the building. She’ll try harder next time so as to not disappoint her fans.

After the show ends, Mok-ha heads up to the control room to find Bo-geol. While going up the stairs, she overhears Bo-geol and Woo-hak argue about Bo-geol’s decision to put Mok-ha on stage on national TV. Why did he do such a thing? Does he have a back-up plan? He put their family and Mok-ha’s life in danger by doing so. But Bo-geol defends himself by stating that he couldn’t pretend anymore. He doesn’t want to deceive Mok-ha any longer. He’s lived like this for 15 years and he’s sick and tired of it. Mok-ha’s wishes of reuniting with Bo-geol are interrupted and Mok-ha sneaks away without either brothers seeing her. To make things worse, she catches sight of Ki-ho’s dad waiting outside the building. Ran-joo contacts Mok-ha to communicate about their whereabouts but her phone dies on low battery. Right at that moment, CEO Lee shows up and offers to help by handing his phone to Ran-joo. He has Mok-ha’s number now so Ran-joo can use his phone if she wants. But wait, why does CEO Lee have Mok-ha’s number on his phone? CEO Lee reveals that he plans on asking Mok-ha to join his agency (nooooo!).

Mommy and Daddy Kang reflect on a conversation they had with Bo-geol back when Mok-ha and Ran-joo first moved into the rooftop room. It was just the three of them at the dining table and Bo-geol had a special request to allow his parents to let Mok-ha live with them. Even if it was just temporarily so that she could get back on her feet. Mommy and Daddy Kang accepted the request given that it made Bo-geol so happy to finally be reunited with Mok-ha. He had been searching for her for all these years. Plus, Bo-geol was confident that Mok-ha wouldn’t recognize him since he acted so differently towards her. In the present, Mommy Kang can’t help but grow worried. The happier her kids are, the more concerned she becomes.

Bo-geol attempts to search for Mok-ha but she rejects his phone call and turns off her phone. She confronts her fears and is fully aware that she can’t escape or run away from Ki-ho’s dad so she greets him. The two catch up at a cafe and Ki-ho’s dad is quick to ask about Ki-ho’s whereabouts. He uses his experience as a police officer to test Mok-ha’s knowledge and he becomes more confident that Ki-ho is alive after chatting with her. Mok-ha wasn’t confused when he mentioned that he had two sons which convinced him that Mok-ha must have met both of them. Though Mok-ha feigns ignorance and tries to pretend like she doesn’t know anything, she panics. She runs away from Ki-ho’s dad who follows her out of the cafe and hurries into a taxi cab across the street. Tears form in her eyes when she realizes what just happened.

Woo-hak and Bo-geol stop by Ran-joo and Mok-ha’s rooftop room when they realize that Mok-ha isn’t home. So Ran-joo checks her phone to find a text message from Mok-ha apologizing for her actions. It’s a farewell text message. Mok-ha realized that performing on stage wasn’t her dream; things weren’t exactly as sweet and nice as she imagined it to be. So she’s going to live a new life that is more fitting for her. Both brothers hop into the car to continue their search for Mok-ha. As for Mok-ha, she hops onto a train to a village far enough in hopes of escaping from Ki-ho’s dad. She doesn’t feel great about her situation, about having to give up on her dreams, about being alone, and she has to lie to herself to feel better about everything. But Woo-hak and Bo-geol won’t give up so easily and they run out and about to find Mok-ha. They’re so close to finding her, nearly passing her as she walks to a restaurant for some food.

The restaurant owner recognizes Mok-ha from ‘Heyday Again’ and excitedly asks for an autograph. But Mok-ha admits that she’s not a singer and she cries when she realizes that she lied to Ran-joo. She, in fact, did eat the seagull’s eggs because she was so hungry and tired. She betrayed the seagull even though she knew she shouldn’t have. Back at home, Ran-joo waits for some kind communication from Mok-ha but Mok-ha is busy crying her eyes out at the restaurant. She soon receives some special special company from none other than.. Bo-geol (ahhh, I’m gonna cry exactly like how Mok-ha is crying in this scene! It’s making me so emotional!).

When he enters the restaurant, he acts nonchalantly as if nothing ever happened. But wait, how exactly did Bo-geol find Mok-ha? Bo-geol reveals that he was able to piece together clues and hints thanks to photos that citizens posted of Mok-ha in public. From the cafe to the train to the train station, photos of Mok-ha were snapped and shared online. Mok-ha is a public figure now and she’s famous. And as for Bo-geol? Who exactly is he? Well, Bo-geol answers the restaurant owner’s question by confessing that he’s Mok-ha’s classmate from middle school (AHHHHH!! I. AM. NOT. OKAY. I AM GOING TO CRYYYYY).

Mok-ha storms out of the restaurant and is followed by Bo-geol. Mok-ha is frustrated. She’s angry. She’s upset. Bo-geol reveals that he’s Ki-ho once again but Mok-ha can’t comprehend it. She had been searching for him all this time. And this is how he appeared and revealed himself to her? He decides to finally show up now out of all times? Mok-ha won’t accept it. To her, Bo-geol is Bo-geol. He’s Kang PD. He’s not Ki-ho. But for Bo-geol, there was one specific instance where he wished he was Ki-ho for an instant. It was back when he discovered her back on the deserted island. He wishes that he had been the first one to find her. He wishes that he could have been the one to give her a hug and to embrace her. And since he didn’t get to experience that moment back then, he takes advantage of the opportunity standing in front of him in the present. Bo-geol cups Mok-ha’s face in his hands and he thanks her for being alive. He’s relieved that she’s alive and well and that the truth has set the both of them free. Bo-geol closes the gap between him and Mok-ha with a hug and Mok-ha returns the hug with tears rolling down her face. Not too far away, Woo-hak arrives and discovers Bo-geol and Mok-ha reunited. He watches as the two middle school classmates hug each other warmly. 15 years of waiting has led to this very moment.