I Remember You Episode 1 - The Monster Among Us

Mystery, comedy, and horror collide in the first episode as we meet our OTP (one true pairing) and learn some disturbing background info on our leading man.  Which of the genre's will come out on top and will Seo In Guk deliver in his highly anticipated comeback?  Come find out the answers to those as well as other questions as Kmuse jumps right in and fangirls discusses episode 1

For those of you just discovering our awesome blog, I am Kmuse, one of the two main bloggers in The Crazy Ahjummas.  I will be bringing you my opinions on all of the odd episodes, while my blogner Dongsaeng will be chatting with you on the Tuesday episodes.  I am a mother of three and an avid kdrama watcher, in that I love to watch literally everything.  There are very few currently airing dramas that I am not watching so if you have any questions about them (or really any drama since I have seen an insane amount) feel free to ask me in the comments.  Or better yet come like our facebook page and ask me there. https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-crazy-ahjummas/336988683021748?fref=ts For those of you who have not read my past recaps, I am one of those bloggers that really likes to just discuss my opinions on certain scenes or concepts of the drama.  We don't go step by step through the whole thing.  So if you are looking for a more complete recap you might have to look elsewhere (and then come back and read ours of course).

So now that the introduction has been crossed off my to do list, let's jump into episode one and everything Seo In Guk "I Remember You".

I decided that just in case you are unclear as to what genre the plot is currently in........they move around a lot between romance, scary suspense, and mystery, we are going to break things up by picture.  Feel free to have the appropriate feelings depending on the symbol shown.

SEO IN GUK IS BACK!  WOOT!  I know it has only been a few months since "Kings Face" but for a fangirl such as I, that wait was too long.  Thankfully, he came back sooner than I was expecting and is looking spectacular (How does he manage to get hotter and hotter?).  Oh, and there is the whole plot, and a girl too.  Hahaha, sorry, sometimes my Heartrider mind is stuck only on our sexy leading man.  However I will try to be unbiased (phttt..... not going to happen) and give you more of a recap than just Seo In Guk screencaps.

The cops are called to a murder that has similarities to a previous murder.  Hypothesizing that this might be a serial killer, they travel to the crime scene where they find Lee Hyeon (Seo In Guk) waiting.  Thinking that he is their new team leader, the cops listen as he goes over his theories of the killing. 

Lee Hyeon states that the cops had missed a signature in the last murder and to look into that further.  He then goes on listing all of the aspects the killer will have, but the one female cop, Cha Ji An (Jang Nara) is not listening.  Instead Ji An says via inner dialogue, that she has finally found him.  Finally Lee Hyeon is in front of her.

Hyeon suddenly stops talking and points toward ceiling.  The cops circle in and as they are distracted Hyeon makes his exit right as the real new team leader, Kang Eun Hyeok (Lee Cheon Hee), arrives.

Hahahaha, with a cocky grin we see Hyeon walking out of the apartment complex with Ji An running after him.  Hyeon gets in a cab to drive away and Ji An continues to run after the cab (tenacious little thing isn't she?)   Before you start thinking "Seriously?  A girl running can keep up with a car?  What is she? A Cheetah?, keep in mind that Hyeon actually tells the cabby to drive slower so she can keep up with him.  Hyeon continues to smirk as he looks back at a winded Ji An.  Someone likes to play mind games.

Hyeon mirth is paused however, when he hears Ji An yelling his name out as she runs.  Ji An continues around a blind corner and runs straight into Hyeon, who had exited the car.  We than get a sexy chemistry moment where Hyeon pulls her close to him (YAY for sexy SIG moments).  "Who are you?  How do you know me?"  And so begins our romantic hijinks part of the drama.

Flashback 20 years where we see a young Ji An facing off with a young Hyeon.  Ji An's voice over claims that "it has been 20 years.  20 years that i have been stalking him".  We see various points in time with Ji An always following a serious faced Hyeon.  Rather than answer Hyeon's questions (SQUEEEEEE  He looks so good!), Ji An cuffs him and says "Sorry, I can't chase you anymore".

Turns out our mysterious hottie has a solid alibi since he was in the plane coming from America at the time of the murder.  We also discover that Hyeon is a genius profiler who has a snarky disdain for those around him.  Hyeon quickly finagles his release but is chased down by Ji An who inquires as to why he is actually in Korea.  Hyeon counters back that she should tell him how she knows him.  He than stares at her and says that it must not be important since he can't remember her.

 As Hyeon travels back to his childhood house, he reflects on how he received a mysterious email containing information pertaining to  the 1st murder scene.  Using his brilliant mind, Hyeon uncovers hidden clues that lead him to the scene of the 2nd murder, hence why he was there when the police arrived.  Hyeon continues to hypothesize about who sent him the hidden messages and whether it had anything to do with that person and that kid from his past?  Could that kid be alive?

We now go into flashback mode with the words of Hyeon drifting us into the past.  A past where his soul was created.  

 
We travel back 20 years where a young Lee Hyeon has just moved into a new house with his father and brother.  His father comes upon him playing in the dirt and when he inspects what his son was doing, we see the mostly buried body of a dead cat.

Okay, that went kind of spooky awfully fast.  It looks like dad might be worried that little cute Hyeon is a psychopath that is chopping up the local pets.

And father would know since he works with killers in a professional capacity.  He is a Superintendent/turned lecturer who is looking into the working of a serial killer played by the extremely talented idol actor  Do Kyeong Soo. 

Let's just take a second to stand in awe at Do's amazing performance.  He literally gave me shivers he was so scary.  His ability to play scary almost even overcame his hotness level.  I enjoyed his performance in "It's Okay It's Love" and now seeing him play a completely different type of character, I am excited to see what he does as an actor in the future.

We listen as the killer, Jun Yeong, talks about his childhood (mostly fictional) and the fact that he wondered about death and why people kill at a young age, which touches on father's internal concerns about his son.  This is turning out to be so much creepier than I expected, and I totally support this twist.

Father's fears are not alleviated when young Hyeon, with his emotionless face, asks his father "Why do people hurt each other".  The phrase which father had just heard a serial killer say, in a similar context, sends his worries into overdrive.

Back in the present the investigative team are obsessing like a bunch of fangirls.  While their new team leader is giving a rousing (at least in his own ears) speech about teamwork, each of the team members is lost in thoughts of Hyeon (totally can relate to them right now).  It is only when the team leader mentions Hyeon's name that they pay attention to their boss.

When team leader decides that it is in the teams best interests to have Hyeon work on the case, Ji An volunteers to go convince Hyeon to become a special consultant for the team on the serial killer case.

When her coworkers indicate that Ji An won't be able to convince the persnickety Hyeon, she says that if logic doesn't work, she will just use her looks.  Hahaha, I am actually enjoying Jang Nara's character so far.

So, this might not be your traditional romantic moment, but I personally find Seo In Guk Hyeon, in cleaning mode, to be one of the sexiest things I have ever seen.  What girl in her right mind (especially those ahjummas out their totally know what I am talking about) wouldn't want a guy who is not only hot, but will be willing to do some housework when necessary.  Add a cute bandana in his hair, a matching apron, and a broom, and you have my ideal romance cover in the flesh.

Hmmm, maybe have him shirtless as well.  Shirtless, wearing an apron, and headband, while pushing a broom.  Yup... there we have it.  The perfect moment.  SIGH...........

Ji An interrupts my cleaning fantasy when she calls Hyeon to try and convince him to work with the police.  Bantering is achieved, they are super cute together, and the end result is that she is rejected yet again.

We now go into another flashback as Hyeon begins to reminisce his meeting with the serial killer, Jun Yeong.  A young Hyeon is also cleaning with the same outfit as his older version (squeee.  Too cute!).  He notices that his father had left his briefcase at home and goes on a trip to return it to his dad at the police station.  Unfortunately for everyone, his father is interrogating the creepy serial killer when his son arrives.

I personally want to question the quality of a police facility that would be lax enough to allow a small child to wander into a interrogation room without any supervision in the first place (of course then I remember that this is a kdrama and in kdramas the Korean police are inept beyond belief).  But find himself with the prisoner he does.  Hyeon and Jun Yeong have a wonderful conversation full of why people kill and the imprinting of morals when they are young before Hyeon's father finds them together hand in hand.

Jun Yeong taunts Hyeon's father with the fact that he can tell that Hyeon is exactly what his father thinks he is (namely a killer).  I truly feel for the poor dad who knows that he is being played by Jun Yeong but literally believes that his son is a monster.  A monster who knows what is father thinks of him after Hyeon reads his father's journal.

Hyeon's father knows that he has to do something, but is unsure as to what.  Instead of seeking professional help he decides to do the home school killer program.  Father tells all the neighbors that Hyeon has gone to America to study.  He than builds a stark room in the basement where he says that Hyeon will live from now on.  "To keep you safe from the public, and to keep the public safe from you".  He tells Hyeon that they are going to study how to be normal and deal with things like a normal person.  So, pretty much you are going to try and teach the monster out of him.  OUCH... nothing like your father treating you like a killer to make the possibility a reality.

My Thoughts:
This is a lot deeper in content than I was expecting.  So far it reminds me of the drama "White Christmas" except with a glossier shine.  I am really excited to see where the serial killer storyline takes us both in the flashbacks as well as present time.  As for the romance side of things, so far I have not hated the leads chemistry and Jang Nara is showing a bit more spunk than i am used too. I am really glad that she seems to have a quirky personality and is not a doormat (at least so far).  I am also super excited to find out why she stalked Hyeon for most his life.  There has to be a reason beyond the fact that he is just super sexy hot?  Right?

As for the real killer, is anyone else getting some creepy vibes from Hyeon's little brother?  I know that he was only on screen for a few minutes, but I am guessing that there is a monster in the family and that it is not Hyeon.  Can't wait to find out if my guess is right.

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