I Remember You Episode 16 FINALE - It's the End of the World As We Know It

It's the final episode and with it brings so many emotions.  Anger, sadness, lust........I mean more anger.  *whispers ---- but did you notice how good Hyeon's new hairstyle looks?  Yum.*  It's time for the last of our questions to be answered and for our bad guys to finally get what they deserve.  Or is it?  Join Dongsaeng and I as we discuss the final episode as well as what we thought about the drama as a whole.  I know that I personally am a little teary eyed at the thought that this will be our last recap (at least for this drama).

HE GOT HOTTER!!!!

KMUSE: Wow, just wow.  Tell me I am not the only one to really really love Hyeon's new hairstyle.  I guess finding out that you killed someone makes hair just naturally un-gel and look artfully tousled.

DONGSAENG: I noticed how at one point it looked like it had been colored a bit. Just little hints of a beautiful brown to add to the overall gorgeous effect. This man has ruined me for other men. 

KMUSE: Hyeon finally remembers the day his mother died and it is a lot different than what I was expecting.  Instead of young Hyeon killing his mother (with his father's gun), he instead shot an intruder who had stabbed his mother.  Hyeon blames himself for Min's killer tendencies because he assumes that Min was emotionally disturbed on seeing and remembering the death of their mom and the killer.

KMUSE: Min is sad for his brother and says -- " I shouldn't have sent those cards to him."  What is interesting is that Min doesn't seem to be upset with who he is (a killer), but more sad that Hyeon is upset over the situation.  I recall Min saying earlier that he had always been messed up this way so I am guessing that Hyeon is just feeling guilt for a figment of reality.  He has to somehow justify why Min is the way he is, and the concept of "born that way" is not going to fly.

DONGSAENG: For me, this is just one of the many unanswered questions. Was Min really born that way? Was he just saying that to help his hyung not feel bad for the consequences of that day? Hyeon forgot the day his mother was murdered, Min did not. Did witnessing Mom's murder and Hyeon shooting her killer turn that young child into the psychopath he is today, ripe for molding by the true psycho Joon Yeong? It is a possibility. I personally am leaning towards a yes on that one and that Min is only saying he was born that way in an effort to protect his brother. It was said in a very protective way, long before Hyeon actually figured out what the cards meant and got his memory back. My gut tells me that this poor little adorable psycho was created through this traumatic experience and didn't pop out of his mother's womb that way. But we will never know and so it will always and forever be up to interpretation and opinion and the possible basis for fan wars going forward. Team Born that Way vs Team Made that Way. Ooh, this could get ugly. ;)

KMUSE: When Hyeon interacts and confronts the criminals (including Min and Dr. Death) it feels very natural.  When Ji An does it, I just think she is being stupid.  I am not sure when I started getting annoyed with her character, but everything she has done in the last three or four episodes has all been emotion driven and more or less illogical.

KMUSE: And before I get some Jang Nara fan hating me for saying this, I just want to clarify that I am talking about the character........not the actress. It seems like they have not known what to do with her character for a while now.  With the show focusing on the bromance and serial killer aspect, it kind of left our leading lady with nothing to do. Every now and then the writers will trot her out to move along the plot but for the most part she just hangs around looking unhappy.  I still like the character, but her responsibility on leading Min to do what he did and the consequences, make me like her character a bit less (more of that soon).  Sorry Ji An, but when it comes to either your character or Min, I have to kick you to the curb.  Min has stolen my heart.

KMUSE: And what was up with Ji An confronting Dr. Death by herself, with no plan other than to record him admitting his crimes? Especially when it is alone, with no back up, not even Hyeon?  The guy has killed countless people and you think that you can just go and bait the bear without getting hurt?  I used to appreciate her spunk and skills, but here both are absent and instead I start mentally chanting "stupid cop".  This is the perfect example of the Ji An character just being thrown into the story willy nilly.

DONGSAENG: I agree in that I didn't like the way they took her character. And I swear if that girl wasn't getting herself into yet another scrape right up into the last episode! Agh! Hasn't she learned anything yet?! I liked her a lot in the beginning of the drama. She was funnier and more plucky without being a magnet for danger. I love how she has been in Hyeon's corner, quietly supporting him and always there for him. I just wish she had a bit more of that spunk from earlier and a little less of the constant damsel-in-distress doing really moronic things that no smart cop/human would ever do. 

KMUSE: I did love part of this scene because were were finally able to see the monster behind the facade of Dr. Death.  He surprisingly keeps it leashed pretty tight for most of the drama, so it is interesting to see when his killer breaks through.  His fractured reflection referencing his fractured mind was a fascinating use of directing.

DONGSAENG: It's almost like he finally got a really good look at himself, just as was suggested he do. All these years he's thought of himself as a savior of abused and mistreated children all in a misconstrued attempt to save his own child self from a tragic life. So he stands there and takes a really good look at who he actually is. And then gets a little crazier for the rest of our story after that. Yay!

KMUSE: Our police team have finally tracked down two more of the orphans that Dr. Death "saved".  Both deny knowing who the person in the photos is, much to the disgust of our inept cops.  But way to increase my disregard for your copping skills as you literally give the name of the person in the photos.  Isn't that totally illegal in US courts?  I could be wrong, but I think that is similar to leading the witness.  Which leaves evil cop as their one lead to Lee Joon Young.

KMUSE: They are "Good Cop"ing him to death.  Personally I think it is a bit unrealistic that he could easily kill the director and then feel so moved by the rest of his team talking to him.  A bit of sloppy and unrealistic writing right here.

KMUSE: They are determined to have these little table tête–à–têtes to the bitter end.  This time Dr. Death asks Hyeon to run away with him and Min to start fresh somewhere new.  I know that this might be a bit of a weird way of looking at this show, but it is almost like the three guys are in a crazy symbiotic relationship.  Sure it makes no logical sense because of the whole "killed my father" angle of the story, but there is a surprising lack of anger and more acceptance of Dr. Death than I would usually expect.  Sending kudos to the writers for getting me to be on board with the concept of this odd limbo concept because it surprisingly works for me.

DONGSAENG: I wouldn't have it any other way. It's been what makes this drama special - the odd relationships between the Daddy Killer/Brother Stealer and the two brothers. You can't logically explain it, but, if you've been along on this journey, you probably get it too.

KMUSE: Min overhears the conversation and quietly leaves after Hyeon threatens Dr. Death if he ever tries to take his brother away.  Makes you wonder what Min would choose if it was his decision without outside interference?

DONGSAENG: The most bromantic scene of the whole drama right here. Hyeon and Min go out to play for the day. Just two normal brothers out for a day on the town, forgetting for a moment that one is a murderer and the other kinda-sorta wrapped up in the whole 'capturing him' thing. It is so bittersweet and made me reflect on what could/should have been vs the uglier reality. One thing for sure, I think Min finally knows, despite the seeds of doubt planted by Joon Yeong, that his brother loves him unconditionally.

KMUSE: I totally teared up at this scene because it was just so beautiful, the two brothers together at last.  The smiles, the bromance, the feelz.  I might have also been crying because you could just tell that something bad was going to happen next.

Helllloooo boys! Ahh! I want a copy of this to carry around in my own wallet! These two perfect specimen of manly hawtness right here! Smiling and looking so happy and adorable! Can I just squinch them both??

DONGSAENG: I don't even know if I can talk about this part here. When the boys were smiling and happy and all was so good, I knew this was coming. Call me a pessimist, a realist, or what have you. It was inevitable that something tragic was going to have to happen with our dear Min. After all, how many times did Joon Yeong remind us that there was no way for these two to have a happy ending? And yes, it was what I feared most. Actually, no. Scratch that. It wasn't exactly what I feared most. What I feared most was Min taking himself out in an effort to save/protect his brother. Thankfully I was saved that detail as it wasn't Min dying by his own hand, but the hand of Joon Yeong. Joon Yeong who kidnapped him in a misguided attempt to save him and save Hyeon. Joon Yeong who raised the boy like his own nephew. Joon Yeong who has been there by this boy's side. Min goes to kill this man and ends up being the one stabbed and lying dead on the floor instead just as Hyeon runs in to the bloody scene and fruitlessly tries to save him.

KMUSE: I screamed and cried.

KMUSE: Still crying.

KMUSE: Nope, still crying and screaming Min's name right along with Hyeon.  100% devastated. I think that I could have handled anyone in the show (even Hyeon) dying before I would be able to contemplate this tragedy.  Amazing how Park Bo Gum wrapped me around his finger so completely.  Would never have imagined that he would be the character I connected with the most.

DONGSAENG: At least the brothers had a bit of a goodbye before Min passes. My heart was torn to shreds.

DONGSAENG: Having just witnessed his brother's death, Hyeon is on the warpath now and he's not stopping until Dr Death is dead. He rages and ends up with Dr D's evil little neck between his hands. He's squeezing and it looks like lights out once and for all for the murdering psychopath, when, from behind, Hyeon gets frying panned right in the back of the head and collapses. Who in their right mind would stop anyone from killing that dude? Why, Joon Yeong's girl of course. Which leads me into one of my many unanswered questions. Just who is she? I mean, we know who she is. We know that she was the girl that was nice to child Joon Yeong and therefore escaped the mass murder scene at his house. She was the one survivor of his revenge since she had been the one to show him kindness. But what is she to him now? She just shows up towards the end of the drama and suddenly is taking on a bigger role than even our leading lady in that she's always popping up at pivotal moments and changing the game. She's just there with no other explanation as to why outside of her backstory. Are they dating? Have they been in contact all these years? Did she know what he was doing with his killings and child saving and ignored it? Does she even like him? Does she hate him? We know that she at least in part resents him for saving her and making her deal with the trauma of that massive slaughter. But...but...I just can't get a read on her and it annoys me that she is there without being there. A character without development. An unknown entity going around smashing my boy with frying pans in the back of the head and making me angry.

KMUSE: I agree with saying "WHAT THE FUDGE" is up with this character?  She makes no sense and just shows up randomly.  Makes me kind of wish that the show was a bit longer so we can get a bit more depth into certain characters.  And then smack her for daring to damage Hyeon's beautiful noggin.  Although I do notice that he even looks hot with a concussed head.

DONGSAENG: No arguments there. I certainly wouldn't kick a concussed SIG out of bed.... You know, one thing that I appreciated about this drama was how there was so much interaction between the good guys and the bad guys. Instead of always running or chasing or just general fear, they actually talk and hang out. They all know each other, drink tea, and even dine together. The lines are drawn between them, but sometimes those lines are a bit fuzzy. At times one might even think that Hyeon and Joon Yeong are friends. They aren't, but they sure take the idea of "frenemy" to a whole new level. And you have to kind of admire Joon Yeong in a sense. Here he is, killer of who knows how many, and he gets a job working alongside the police as a medical examiner. Genius and ballsy. It's just hard to completely hate him. And if you know me, you know I like my bad guys to be complex and hanging out in that gray area on the black and white/good vs evil spectrum. Gets me all kinds of giddy.

KMUSE: A bit fuzzy?  Those lines are almost written in invisible ink. It almost deserves a word heavier than "frenemy", but I am still too emotional to think of a proper made up word.  Readers, feel free to brainstorm in the comments for anyone who feels the urge to properly explain Hyeon and Dr. Death's relationship to us.

So channeling Forrest Gump right here.

DONGSAENG: Here in this scene, the one has just killed the other's little brother. Yet they still manage to have a sit-down and chat. A very tense chat filled with vitriol and resentment, but a chat all the same. It ends with Hyeon asking Joon Yeong to return his brother's body to him. Heart ripping even more to shreds. Shreds of shreds.

KMUSE: 100% thought about Forrest Gump right here.  And again, you see their odd relationship shine through.  It amazes me how connected I feel to them.  It is almost to the point where I imagine if one of them died, it would be as if a part of the other man also dies.  Two sides of the same coin as the case might be.

DONGSAENG: The three visits. Hyeon fulfills a promise once made to Ji An and "stops by on his way home" three times to match the one time she did it. They are cute and sweet as they stand there gawking at each other, and then, as the voiceover tells us, he's gone. That was like his goodbye to her. He keeps his promise and then vanishes.

KMUSE: This makes me just roll my eyes.  Sure it was cute and all, but kind of felt thrown in there as if to remind us that she exists.  Again, poor use of her character and just did not feel like it really fit the mood of Min's supposed death.  Or does she not even know about Min dying, or Dr. Death escaping with Hyeon, etc.  So much about that scene just felt off despite its cuteness and smiles.

DONGSAENG: Absolutely disjointed and awkward in the transition for sure. This is kind of where they lost me. If any point in this drama turned me off to this drama, it was this odd transition post-dead Min.

DONGSAENG: One year later. I actually had once asked for this time jump, but under a totally different context. I had wanted it to come after Min's rehabilitation and jail time, when our brothers could get their happily ever after, not after Min's brutal murder. One year later and life is moving on and doing okay. The Special Investigations team has held together and has a new member to replace the murdering and now-jailed former member. Ji An is relatively happy, though she misses her Hyeon. Can you blame her? I'd miss him too. Like throw-myself-from-a-tall-bridge miss him. Thankfully, she's a little more stable than I am, and so she has not launched herself from a tall bridge in a fit of despair and grief. Good girl.

KMUSE: I am not completely against the time jump.  However some of the execution felt really off.  Especially when you get further to the part that involves where Hyeon was and what he was doing.  For such great writing, it felt a bit sloppy.  I kind of wonder if Jang Nara's real life car accident during filming this final episode had anything to do with the choppiness?

DONGSAENG: I had wondered about that same thing here. For those that don't know, Jang Nara was in a car accident on her way to the final filming at 1:00am the day this episode aired. I can only imagine she was rattled and there may even be the chance that they scrambled things around a bit in order to accommodate their rattled and banged up leading lady. Pure conjecture on my part, but it really was uncharacteristic of this writing team to get so sloppy and weird here and so I can't help but wonder.

DONGSAENG: Well, well, well, it really is a good thing that Ji An didn't go and get herself killed during this past year because look who is back! Unanswered question - is Hyeon now a medical examiner? Because he's talking like one. Or is he back to his normal profiling ways as before, just in a ME-reminiscent fashion?

KMUSE: I need more details.  So many blanks about what went on during this year long absence. It was cute to see them all happy to see Hyeon back.  Poor Grumpy Cop and his rejected reunion hug.

DONGSAENG: It's great to have the team back together again. Grumpy Cop and all. And that new guy is cuter than the old one now sitting in prison, so yay for that! It's the important things that truly matter, you know?

DONGSAENG: Min!!! Beautiful, wonderful, still a little scary but I don't care, Min!!! He's alive!! All hail the writers who knew we couldn't handle it if he were actually dead. Some of us never recover from such things.

KMUSE: OH THANK GOODNESS!

KMUSE: I don't even care that so many points are not answered.  He is alive and that is all I wanted.  I don't even care that it is not overly logical.  He is alive.  My world can start revolving again and I can stop crying.

DONGSAENG: More unanswered questions - Where is he? Hospital hospital or mental hospital? What is our time line here? How long as he been there? How long has Hyeon known he was alive? What happened when Hyeon asked Joon Yeong for his brother's body? A year is a long time people. I need answers!

KMUSE: Is it wrong that I wish the ten minutes spent on our OTP's reunion had been spent on explaining Min's situation?  Those questions need to be answered.  Sure I love seeing Hyeon finally getting his romantic smooch on (he really does do a wonderful kissing scene.  Knows exactly how to angle his head and move his lips all sexy) but I want more Min.

DONGSAENG: That kiss!!!! More Min time would have been great, but I would not have wanted to miss that kiss! I KNEW he had it in him. Dude, he looked like he was going to suck her face off. So much better than the kiss of earlier with the wide-eyes and shock. When he's on point, he's on point, and boy, was he on point! 

KMUSE: It is a sad use of a leading lady when you don't really care if she is on screen or not.  Again, I love Jang Nara the actress, but the character definitely came in 4th on my interest meter by episode 16.

KMUSE: So in the end everyone gets their happily ever after.  Min is happy, and I assume coming back to Hyeon in some capacity (not sure how, but I don't care since he is alive!).  Dr Death is free to keep doing his vigilante thing and Hyeon is free to live with Ji An and kinda sorta chase Dr. Death sometime in the future.  Is this realistic?  Not really, but I like all the characters so much that I am OK with the chase going on in a future I don't have to watch.

DONGSAENG: So, did Min end up choosing to live as himself and face his crimes and punishment in an effort to live with his brother or did he choose the false identity, ensuring that he would have to live in hiding for the rest of his life? We saw the envelope with the new identity left lying on the hospital bed. That means he chose to come clean, right? So many questions I have left unanswered!!! If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that they had set this one up for a sequel. It totally had that kind of feeling at the end. Note to the kdrama gods - please don't make a sequel. As much as I'd love some closure and questions answered, a sequel would be a bad idea. Leave it ambiguous and frustrating, because ambiguous and frustrating beats ruining the whole thing with trying to squeeze another 16 episodes out of it.

KMUSE: I agree. Writers DO NOT DO A SEQUEL!  For once I was totally OK with an open ending.  Sure there are a few unanswered questions, but I am OK with that.  All that is important is that Min, Hyeon, and even Dr. Death are happy.  What more do I need?  Well, other than these three actors in another drama together.  I would be thrilled since their acting energy complimented each other so well.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
DONGSAENG: My final thoughts are that this was a fantastic drama with a decent ending, despite the few frustrations I had with aspects of it. SIG was a god and literally got hotter in each episode which is what proves he is a god, because getting hotter in each episode would be impossible for a mere mortal man. Min was the runaway sensation in my opinion, the kid that stole hearts and ran away with them. Joon Yeong's character was delightfully complex and sympathetic. As much as I hated him, I didn't actually hate him. I felt pity for him even as he was shoving the knife into Min's body, something I didn't think I'd ever be able to forgive him for. Is it weird that I'm glad he got away in the end? That he remained on the loose? As crazy as he is and with his long history of killing people, I just don't feel him as a threat to society. He's a warped vigilante out there, misguided but with a decent heart. All in all, I hearty two thumbs up for this drama.

KMUSE: I agree.  The drama was much more than your usual crime kdrama.  The characters interacted and for the most part were very intelligent. There is just something so satisfying about not having to wince at the stupidity of the cops every other scene.  The intricacy of the characters was fascinating and something I have not seen in many kdramas.  The writers took the usual kdrama tropes and twisted them into something new and entertaining.  Sure we had to give up a few things (like the OTP romance) to create the bromance and relationship with Dr. Death, but in the end I think it benefited the story as a whole.  If there was anything I would change, it would maybe be an extra 30 minutes added onto episode 16, so we could get a few of those pacing problems ironed out.

Just as our drama ended on a happy note, Dongsaeng and I also wanted to end our series recap on a high point.  So please enjoy these photos from the after party as we see the actors enjoying themselves (and for once,  no one looks evil!).  Be sure to check back in the next few weeks for our next co-cap and don't miss our recaps of "Yong Pal" and "Oh My Ghostess".  Till next time this is The Crazy Ahjummas wishing back hugs and fish kisses to you all.

 Check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter (@Thecrazyahjummas or @amberkmuse) for info on all our newest recaps, posts, and to join in our kdrama discussions. https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-crazy-ahjummas/336988683021748?fref=ts