DFR: Arang & the Magistrate ep 17

Sigh.  Don't you just love that screen shot?  I must have watched that scene over & over & over & over again last night.  Please tell me I was NOT the only person hitting that 30 second rewind button on Viki?!?!  

This is a little out of order as the kiss came somewhere in the middle BUT I had to get the fangirl squees out of my system in order to focus on the rest of this recap/review.  So just ignore me if you want to squee with me while I discuss the Kiss!

Such a good kiss.  Well, okay it was a good kiss when you got to watch it from Lee Jun Ki's point of view.  Look at that intensity, growl!  Shin Min Ah on the other hand just stood there.  Sigh.  But at least her eyes were closed.  Thank goodness it wasn't a squish kiss.  And the whole swelling of the music & her having just told him she loved him & his intense look of "What?!?!"  & then squueee a "Wrist Grab!!"  Yup, totally made me a happy Unnie watching that scene.  Over & over & over again.  Sigh I do love a good romantic sexy kiss scene.  That one wasn't the best I've seen BUT I'm so Jonesing for a good kiss w/ all these non kissing shows I'm watching.  

{{Is it wrong that I feel proud of the fact that I think the show I am reviewing had a way better kiss than this week's episode of Faith did?  Nope, not competitive at all.}}

One of my favorite quotes is from Audrey Hepburn explains why I love kiss scenes & romance so much!  She said, "I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”

I agree with her.  "I believe in Kissing, kissing a lot." And "...that laughing is the best calorie burner..." as well as the rest of that quote.  I can't help myself I am a hopeless romantic at heart.  It's why I love Jane Austen & K Drama so much.  Yeah I'm that chick.  *Shoulder shrug* deal with it...CA has to.  Maybe it's time to dive into Arang ep 17?  

So when ep 16 ended CMD was reaching out to grab Arang, who had just remembered everything that happened the night she died, including how she died & who killed her.  I was so happy that Ju Wal was not the one wielding the knife.  Whew!  But Eun Oh was not about to allow his woman to be grabbed or mistreated by CMD. Oh heck no!  He stepped in & grabbed CMD's hand before she could reach Arang & then told Arang to step back.  Of course at first Arang, who has just had that lovely memory come back just stands there.  

But CMD is not about to let Eun Oh get the last word & she laughs at him for trying to stop her.  reminding him that his mother is inside the same body.  He pulls out Mr Beautiful's special fan & opens it very dramatically because he's trying to prove at this point Arang means more & besides he believes there is no way to remove his mother safely.  

{{I got to say if it was me trapped in there I wouldn't be wanting to be kept alive.  I'd want someone to just off me & put me out of my misery.  But maybe that's just me.}}  

Unfortunately CMD is not put off by the fan & grabs one of her wicked sharp hair pins from that awesome head dress she's wearing & stabs right through Mr Beauitful's fan.  Then while Eun Oh & Arang are in shock that she penetrated the mystical fan from a god, she rears back her hand & prepares to strike Eun Oh down & once again Arang steps in the way & gets stabbed in the back again.  Only this time it isn't mortal.  Thank goodness, if she had died again I might have lost it, just sayin'.  But because CMD needs her alive & whole she rests from her wicked pursuits & allows them to leave telling him to make her better if he wants his mother back.  Then he does the dashing hero thing & sweeps her up into his arms & carries her back to her room.  

She's bleeding & in pain but he lays her on her bedding & tells her to rest because well she can just regenerate, she's immortal after all.  it's at this point that she lays the big bomb on him.  She explains that just before all this happened she remembered her death & what happened.  He gets all excited & asks & she starts to stammer & cry that it was...

I felt so bad for Lee Jun Ki Kim Eun Oh.  I can't even imagine the shock of learning your mom stabbed the woman of your dreams.  And can I say props to LJK for an amazing scene following the revelation.  I wanted to crawl over to him & help him feel better.  

{{No not like that!  Dirty minded AddiKts!  I meant by comforting him.}}

He looks like such a lost & disillusioned little boy here I wanted to give him a hug or maybe some stickers & tell him it would all be okay.  Stickers always work on my kids when they're having a bad day.  Stickers & kisses & hugs & snuggles.  It's magical.  Or maybe....I'm magical?!?!  o.O  {{kekekeke}}


Sorry back to the post...

In the next scene we see another lost little boy.  It's the next morning & Ju Wal is starting to get back all the memories of the various women he's murdered.  And he's got the shakes again because of it.  Just then his servant comes in & tells him that the "Lady" {{aka CMD}} is looking for him.  Perfect timing because he is freaking out a little more w/ each memory.  

While Ju Wal is heading out to CMD, Arang has awoken & changed into some fresh/not so stabbed clothes & has head over to Lee Seo Rim's old room.  She's confused.  It couldn't have been that easy, but she has all the memories back, right?  She knows who & how but not why.  Then she remembers what Mr Beautiful told her just before she was sent back immortal, that when she found out all the answers & the true killer he would ring the giant heavenly bell & she would know she was right.  So obviously there is still more to this story because there hasn't been any bell ringing going on around here.  Just then Eun Oh enters knowing she'd be there.  He asks if she is okay & explains that he doesn't know what to say or how to act.  Knowing his mother is the one who murdered her.  Does he apologize for his mother, get vengeance for you & then just send you to heaven or should I ask for forgiveness in my mother's place.  She explains to him he doesn't need to say anything.  She knows that there is more to the story...remember no bell ringing...yet.  They decide the next step is to find out why Ju Wal was there that night & why Eun Oh's mother was with him.  

So Eun Oh goes on another reconnaissance mission to Lord Choi's.  Only this time there are soldiers there.  remember Lord Choi had Geo Deol, just before he was arrested for killing nanny, go & bring back a bunch of mercenaries.  Their job?  To keep watch of Lord Choi's house & a few other things that Eun Oh is about to find out.  It would seem Lord Choi is definitely up to something naughty.  But before that he goes into Ju Wal's room & finds that drawing of a child, a Ju Wal child?  

Which he takes with him.

Then he discovers that Lord Choi has been preparing for something big...

He's got all these new guards & a whole building full of weaponry.  This can't end well.  While Eun Oh is exploring Lord Choi's little armory he accidentally knocks one over & the guards rush in to find him hiding & a really cool fight breaks out.  Eun Oh does manage to escape but not completely unscathed.  He's got a nice slice in his upper left arm.  

While he is doing that Arang has gone to the Shaman, Bang Ui Ri.  She's trying to figure out, like Eun Oh, how to get CMD out of his mother.  And she suggests that they have a seance & call down 9 generations ago grandmother of Bang Ui Ri.  So they climb up onto the roof of the Shaman's house & call out to her to appear.  Just as they are giving up hope we see that Grandma has arrived.  I loved how she picked on her granddaughter, who still cannot hear her.  Then they sit down & she has a talk w/ Arang about removing the soul from Eun Oh's mom.  She explains that they have to give Eun Oh's mom something she really really wants & the moment the evil soul leaves the body they have to stab her with the Jade Emperor's special knife.   I have to admit I was a little confused.  Is it what Eun Oh's mom wants the most or what CMD wants the most?  Either way someone wants something & that's how you lure them out.  Then grandma explains to Arang that they are all watching, taking bets, on what happens next & that when Arang goes to heaven she will forget all of her earthly memories, of course the same thing will happen if she goes to hell.  No matter what she'll forget Eun Oh.  Well that sounds depressing.  

So here's my question, Am I the only one that saw the plot hole here?  So you forget everything from earth.  yet grandma still knows her granddaughter, & all of her important lessons as a Shaman herself, otherwise she wouldn't be able to advise Arang so well.  So.....yeah?  I'm not the only one confused by this, right?  I'd say  maybe you forget really slowly over time but she's from 9 generations ago.  That's a long time to be dead & yet still remember all that.  Anyway I'll let it go & move on.  

So now Arang has a better idea how to remove CMD & that she will forget everything, IE Eun Oh.  Before grandma goes she does one more thing....

She smacks Bang Ui Ri

Who then gets mad & figures out that...

She can hear her grandmother calling her a brat!  She can hear the dead now!
Hallelujah!
She was so cute!

Now it's time for Ju Wal to find out why his murderous memories are coming back.  It boils down to the fact that CMD didn't get her feed on the last leap month & is all weakened by her lack of soul feeding.  And that if he wants it to all go away again all he has to do is bring her Arang!  Finally he comes to the conclusion that if he wants to be free he has to do as she wants.  So he asks & she tells him...

Where is Eun Oh while they are planning his demise?  Remember he's walking back from his big fight & he's wounded.  He finds Arang sitting on her step & she sees him walking slowly toward her & realizes he's injured.  But instead of calling for Dol Seo, who'll just get upset that his Young Master has been so badly injured, he tells her to go to his room & get some bandages.  She finds his fan & looks at the hole from CMD's wicked hairpin but puts it back, there'll be time later.  

Almost time.....getting giddy!!

Ahem...while Arang is bandaging Eun Oh's arm they have a long talk.  

A: What are you thinking about? EO: That I'm thankful to you.  There are too many things happening at all at once.  You, my mother & this place too.  Only thinking that I was important all of my life...  I feel like I am being punished for that.  

A:  How can you say something like that?

EO: Not listening or seeing what others said, that's how I lived my life.  I always thought that each person had to overcome his own pains.  Can someone else do that for you?  But to the person I was back then, why could I see ghosts that others couldn't see or hear?  I was always angry about that.  But...  I changed after I met you.  I was able to understand my mother's pain more clearly.  And then, I was able to see other people's pain too.  Then one day I came to understand.  Ah, so that's the way it is.  I am in a position to help those people.  So that's why I'm grateful to you.  

A:  No.  I haven't done anything for you.  You've done so much for me.  I've never even made you a cup of honey water with my own hands.  The Shaman said, even though you feel like you can't handle the pain of parting ways, but that you'll live on that strength. Even if you feel like you'll be so bitterly sad to part, but that it's human nature for that sorrow to keep you alive.  That's what becomes love, memories and sentimental longing.  That one of those things alone are the strengths that keep you alive.  I be leaving something behind I thought that I would only you pain.  Like an idiot.  That's why I pushed your feelings aside and pretended like I didn't know.  

EO:  I know.

A: But... those memories can give those left behind strength.  That's what the Shaman said.  I... can't make your body warm. Or like other people stay by your side for a long, long time.  Just this, putting on one article of clothing for you.  And, too, as I leave this world I may lose all memories of you.  But still....I loved you.  

A: Rest well ...magistrate. 

And she walks away...leaving Eun Oh looking shocked.  Until he finally reaches out for her & grabs her to him.  

Finally!!!  {{Insert the Hallelujah Chorus here}}

It was at this point that I made good use of the 30 second rewind on my Viki on my iPad.  So good.  Sigh....

But this review doesn't end here....it picks up faster & faster guys...big stuff is coming!

Starting w/ Ju Wal who, while Arang & the Magistrate are having their um...ahem..."moment", is trying to decide whether he'll be helping CMD acquire Arang.

He finally decides that he is going to have to go along with her wishes so that he can be freed from his pain & suffering & I just wanted to scream at him, "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!  Ju Wal I have fallen for your puppy dog eyes & your sweet sad story please stay the good guy so that I can crush on you!"

He makes his decision...will I be able to live with it?

Ugh I have a bad feeling about this, especially as he looks a little off his rocker.  But then he grabs his ring, you know the mystical glow when he stands next to a pure soul kind of gal ring, that CMD gave him as a child, & he chucks it across the room w/ vehement force & it shatters.  Is that a good sigh or a bad one.  And how exactly is he planning on getting rid of someone who, once they get Arang will become immortal?!  I don't think he thinking w/ a full deck right now.

Meanwhile the next morning Arang & Eun Oh have a cute, awkward, we kissed last night, you said you loved me, moment in the morning.  {{Giggle - it was so cute}}  Finally she tells him that the Shaman's grandmother told her there is a way to get his mother back.  After she tells him she asks him to think of what his mother would really want.  And then she tells him, she is going to go & meet Ju Wal.  And she is going to find out why he was there that night, what was going on, why he was with Eun Oh's mom etc...  Of course Eun Oh doesn't want her to go but this is something she has to do.

Afterwards he gives Dol Seo the deets on what happened to mom & about CMD hiding in the woods & sends Dol Seo to go with the new patrolmen to go & arrest her.  But CMD somehow knew & w/ Ju Wal's help manages to escape & hide in a cave in mountain.  Once he arrives back home he finds Arang waiting for him.  She comes right out & asks him...

He explains what CMD was or is or... you get the idea....

Then he explains that the only way for CMD to share a body w/ a human soul is....

So she asks him well then what was it the magistrate's mother wanted so badly that she was willing to share? He says, "I....don't know to that extent."


At this point we switch from sweet, confused Ju Wal to rotten, evil Lord Choi.  The servant is explaining to Lord Choi that the intruder/spy they had visit them the other day was the Magistrate & Lord Choi flips out & decides he's going to have to break Geo Deol out of the town jail.  Which he does almost sinfully easily.

The next morning Dol Seo breaks the news to Eun Oh who is NOT surprised but at the same time IS surprised, that Lord Choi would go to such lengths.  Just then a man from the town has come begging & beaten for Eun Oh to rescue his son from Lord Choi's men.  The  man couldn't pay his debt to Lord Choi so Lord Choi had his men take his 8 year old son & he was going to sell him into slavery to pay the debt.  Of course Eun Oh has turned this leaf of we're going to serve & protect so he mounts his horse & Dol Seo & the patrolmen & he race through town & rescue the little boy, which ticks off Lord Choi.  Make the little boy's family happy.  But not Lord Choi.  Because the entire town was able to witness & some even took part in the rescue they have come to Eun Oh with their complaints & requests for help.

Meanwhile Arang is still talking to Ju Wal.  She tells him she wants to meet CMD & talk to her.  And he asks her...

Well duh Ju Wal sweetie!  So he agrees to take her to CMD.  I couldn't tell if it was part of his plan to actually turn her over, to get even w/ CMD or because he was heartbroken that she chose Eun Oh over him?  Meanwhile, Eun Oh is so proud of how awesome Dol Seo was in the fight against Lord Choi's men & helping to rescue the boy that he decides that Dol Seo needs to be the "Chief" in charge of the new Patrolmen.  And even though Dol Seo is Eun Oh's slave & has no last name he is promoted to that of Chief. Much cheering from everyone there....minus Moe & Curly who are still trying to decide whose side they need to align themselves?  Eun Oh or Lord Choi?

{{EUN OH You morons!!  Larry figured it out a while ago!  And you called Larry the slow one.  Whatever!}}

Meanwhile we get to see in heaven that General Dead Dude is being sent back to earth, his detention is over. MB & Yeom Ra aren't made anymore.  He heads back to earth, sucks up some ghosties & heads to Eun Oh to try & explain the same thing Arang had already said that there is a way to rescue his mom from CMD.   Unfortunately the thing that CMD wants more than anything is Arang's body.  And Eun Oh, see he just got a kiss from her so yeah, he's not in the mood to talk about sacrificing Arang for his mother.  Basically Eun Oh says, "find another way & I'll be your ally all you want!"

And then we get to find out his & his dongsaeng's back story a little more via a flashback to CMD.

The gist is they were human together & fell in love...

















Then they were reincarnated as brother & sister but still loved, not a dirty love, just a really strong love.

And then they died & went to heaven where she continued to love him so much but he was trying to be a good grim reaper & forget.

But she couldn't.  She hated that she wasn't allowed to love anymore & that he wasn't fighting for her too.  I can see now why she's a little you know....O.O.


I think anyone that loves but is being told not to love that it isn't allowed & that you have to forget for the rest of eternity is going to go a little mad.  Especially when you never got the chance at that happily ever after love story when you were actually human.  She's still batcrap crazy & needs a rubber room & a while jacket that helps her hug herself but now I understand why.

And at this point it is Mr Beautiful who takes over explaining how Heaven's Fairy would become a nightmare.

Yep this picture is superfluous...he's just really pretty.  Sigh.
18 Unnie!  He's EIGHTEEN!!!
giggle

So now Ju Wal & Arang at the mouth of the cave & he warns her not to listen to anything CMD tells her. And slowly Arang goes inside...

Meanwhile back at the Magistrates office hordes of soldiers arrive & a man bellows out for them to arrest Eun Oh.  Did I tell you or what?!?!  I knew that Lord Choi's message to the head of the area was a way of trying to pull the same crap on Eun Oh that he did on Eun Oh's grandfather.  You know the one Lord Choi had framed for Treason, fasely!


And this is where our 2 leads are left at the end of ep 17....

One facing evil in a cave & one being led away like a common criminal...

So now what?!?!  I haven't the foggiest idea.  Guess I need to go watch ep 18 which should be done subbing by now.  It was at  95% when I last looked.  So I'll go do that.  I hope you guys enjoyed the review.  See ya tomorrow afternoon/evening.


Saranghamnida,