"Whohhhh!" *said in my best imitation of a Korean "wow!" because that's just what I thought of this episode*
First I just have to thank the writers of K2H because apparently they listened to our most humble request last week. I'll explain later, don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but thought I'd start out with a great big thank you to them!
So, before I get too far ahead, let's back up and start at the beginning. When we left episode 14 it was obvious that Team Korea had a plan. In 15 we learn just what that plan was. Lee Jae Ha was brilliant! He realized/discovered that they had an alternative way to win. If they were to follow the rules of engagement and stay within the vague guidelines of the WOC (use whatever supplies and means available just as long as you don't injure someone so bad that they can't recover in 4 weeks), success could be achieved by taking out the other team's Communication, Supply and Command Centers, known as the "incapacitation principle". Jae Ha explains that because he was often bored while serving in the military, he learned some certain "talents", i.e. he was able to rig explosives using cell phones, wires and natural gas.
Part of Team Korea is sent out to distract Team USA while the explosives were set. We got some nice chase and battle scenes WOC style (like a game of laser tag with high-tech fancy schmancy gadgets). Long story short, Jae Ha is able to rig the supply shed and comm center without too much difficulty, but the command center proves a bit more challenging as there are a couple of guys holed up in there. Eventually, Hang Ah is able to coax one of them out (the team lead) and starts "negotiations" - i.e. blowing things up. Then it's down to the last one. The command center that Jae Ha is rigging and which still holds one US officer. We see she is in conflict - to push the button or not to push the button. Chance losing and losing everything that is on the line or chance blowing up the building with Jae Ha still inside? Hmmm...decisions, decisions. What's a girl to do?
We then get a flashback in which we see Jae Ha promising her that he will succeed and that they need to trust each other. He tells her that if she loves him, she will push the button before 8pm (the deadline).
Kablooey!
Sweet reunion!
Meanwhile, back home...
Poor Shi Kyeong is reliving his conversation with John Mayer and Bon Bon. He is in agony at what Bon Bon told him about Princess Jae Shin's suffering that night. The agony is so great that he collapses (with the aid of a traffic cone) to the ground and cries.
We then get a confession! Woohoo! Jae Shin tells him that she likes him. She promises to be stronger and to rededicate herself to her recovery, I'm assuming both physically and emotionally. She vows to gather up courage just like him and become a woman who suits him. Ahhh! So sweet!
We then return to the island where both Team Korea and Team USA await the official ruling on the results of round 1. It's been 3 days since the competition ended. The WOC is a little upset that the spirit of the competition wasn't followed by Team Korea by their use of what they deem to be excessive force. Team Korea of course feels that they followed the rules and regulations and therefore victory is theirs. Because their headquarters were taken out by Team Korea, Team USA has been sharing Team Korea's home base. We see them all sitting down, at opposite ends of the yard, to a meal. Hang Ah, as the bridge of peace she seems to be wherever she goes, takes some of their BBQd meat over to Team USA who is apparently just eating MREs. It's a little tense at first, but eventually they accept the meat and even share some dessert with Korea. Then Rhee Kang Suk gets hit in the back of the head by something thrown by one of the Americans. Oh no! Trouble at the OK Corral? Nope, medicine for his injury obtained during the games. Looks like tensions between our two teams are starting to thaw a little.
We then leave the island (no! I don't want to! Lee Jae Ha is there - don't make me!) and go to some gathering of some sort. Don't know what it is, don't really care. I'm assuming it's the Peace Summit or whatever from the last episode. All we really need to know is that John Mayer is there and he's not being too nice to the Royal family, calling them unmannered for the way in which they treated "VIP guest" Bon Bon. Who should show up to defend her family but Princess Regent Jae Shin! She boldly apologizes for her previous panic attack and defends her family.
Jae Shin makes a speech about peace, saying that it's not something that just falls from the sky. Peace is something we make little by little. She then dramatically stands up with the aid of crutches and calls on everyone's support for peace. You go girl!
Okay, now back to the island (ah! at last!). The WOC committee has apparently reached a decision in favor of Team Korea by one vote!!! They win!!! They are loading into the boat to leave while Team USA waits on the shoreline for their ride.
King Jae Ha personally goes to invite Team USA to join them on their boat. After initially declining, the US team is finally persuaded. Maybe they themselves have fallen victim to the powers of the Lee Seung Gi dimple? Who could possibly resist? And this is where I have to thank the writers for listening to us, these two crazy ahjummas and our humble plea. This time around the foreign actors were great. The lines weren't overly cheesy and no one was egregiously overacting. And they found peace and common ground. Any negative feelings were cast aside and replaced with a spirit of friendship.
Even staunch North Korean Rhee Kang Suk was caught up in the spirit of friendship.
At the celebration at the close of the WOC, Jae Ha declares that Hang Ah is indeed his fiance now. How cute was her reaction?!
But alas, all the happy feelings couldn't stay without a visit from psychopath extraordinaire, John Mayer. Gosh, won't that guy just go away and let us be? Sheesh!
He asks to meet the King at the airport upon his arrival back home.
There is quite the conversation. Mayer apologizes for killing the former King, claiming that he himself lost something dear - 100 billion dollars and therefore they should just call it even between them. A brother/King for 100 billion dollars? This guy is nuts. But of course we already knew that. Mayer goes on to explain how he and Jae Ha are really the same person, citing how both of them shot their girls (uh, big difference there buddy - Jae Ha didn't use real bullets and didn't shoot in cold blood - you did). Jae Ha responds to this by calling Mayer a dog-pig. Sure. Why not? Insult the crazy man. You've already done it many times before, what's one more, ay? Mayer asks him if this means that he's going to fight. Jae Ha says that no, he's going to ignore Mayer instead, otherwise he'll end up a dog-pig too.
In the meantime however, there was still some happy moments remaining in this episode, namely the engagement ceremony.
Aren't they cute?
And what a happy surprise! The secretary found a video of the former king practicing to officiate at this very ceremony. They use this video for the ceremony - very touching.
The king and Hang Ah officially become engaged in what is more like a wedding ceremony, but whatever. It was beautiful. They promise to marry and to defend their country together against whatever threat may come. Duhn duhn duhn...is that some foreshadowing I hear?
Why yes it is! Here we find Mayer playing a game of cards, deciding which of Jae Ha's people will fall first. He pulls the Queen of Swords and then the King of Swords, I can only assume that that means he will use Hang Ah to bring down Jae Ha. Yeah, couldn't see that one coming. Real original there Mayer, real original. You're losing your game a bit there buddy. 
So we get a hard-won victory of the underdog, peace between competitors, a confession of "like", a challenge to and from a psycho, a glimmer of the "old" tough Jae Shin returning and an engagement. All in all, a very satisfying episode and a happy ahjumma left in its wake.
I wonder what Unnie thought? Let's find out! Unnie?
Unnie's 2 Cents:
OMO OMO OMO OMO OMO!!!!!! I LOVED this episode!! Truly such an amazing episode! And I have to thank the writers as well. I realize you probably had no idea how these two crazy ahjummas felt. It's not like you read this here humble blog. But should someone ever give you the link & you should you ever check us out, I want to make sure you know that we are so truly thankful for this episode. And the director too. The actors were soooooo much better. They weren't as stiff & they were much more believable as a TEAM USA. Minus the one kid with a french (? sounded french to me) accent. LOL But I am so truly happy! And the best part was that Kim Bong Gu's henchman/sidekick was barely visible & had almost no speaking parts. Woohoo!! He gets to live to another episode. Bummer...I really want to take him out! It's the bad acting, & if I'm honest & I ALWAYS am, much to my friends & family's consternation, it's the toupee. Most ridiculous looking thing ever!Unlike Dongsaeng, while watching this show I had not really gotten so emotional that I cried a lot. Mostly because I don't like to cry in front of my kids & it seems like I have watched an awful lot of this episode when they are awake & home. So automatically, I just don't cry. Today, however, they were all at school. And while I did not cry, I did tear up quite often & could feel the emotion much stronger than in previous episodes.
The incredible faith Hang Ah had to push that button. To trust that Jae Ha hadn't screwed it up & was still in the command center....whohhh...like Dongsaeng said....was so intense & then her crying afterwards, right into his arms, was so precious, I totally teared up there.
{Lee Seung Gi your dimple winked at me when you had Hang Ah in your arms. Sigh. I think it was saying, "Hello, Unnie, I missed you too."}
Then when Eun Shi Kyeong was on his run & the emotion got to be too much for him as well & he lost his cool & collapsed to the ground in tears all while Jae Shin was watching? Totally teared up there too. When Jae Shin called Shi Kyeong to her & confessed to him & then told him that she was going to be the kind of woman that equals him, I teared up. But I really teared up when he choked on his words & had to turn his head to clear his throat, because he was so full of emotion too. Stinking man being all in touch with his feelings & secure enough in his manliness that he can allow emotion to show. Gets me every time.
When Jae Shin was standing & showing John Mayer he hadn't beaten her, that she was going to fight back, that she was stronger than he thought, that he should not discount her ability to be one tough kick butt chick! And especially when her mom smiled, shakily & said, "That's my daughter" so quietly but proudly, I teared up. That's the polite, royal way of saying, from a sitting down position, what I say from a standing position with a fist pump to the sky, nice & loudly, "That's MY baby!" And how my mom always said it, when we made her proud.
And watching Hang Ah bridge the great divide between the two teams, nay the two countries, was a cause for tears too. I was so proud of her, sharing meat with the American team. Way to be Hang Ah!! You go girl! As usual it's a woman that makes the world a better place. {giggle}
So many times that I teared up but the best & most emotional moment, for this Unnie, was when the former King, Jae Ha's Hyung, was there, via previously recorded practice video, to officiate the engagement ceremony for Hang Ah & Jae Ha. I had to grab Kleenex. How special & beautiful. To feel like your Hyung is there sharing this incredible moment with you. Just thinking about it I get all choked up again.
Yes, Dongsaeng I agree, John Mayer is totally ruining all the beautiful moments with his irritating psychosis. I am ready for a nice big kick butt show down, where Hang Ah & Jae Ha battle him & DESTROY him! You know it's coming. I am going to have serious K-DD when these 2 K-dramas are over. Thank goodness I found the cure just in time. Thinking about it & the fact that the cure has Lee Seung Gi (& sweet dimple too) it'll be a lot less painful to say goodbye to Seung Gi, (& his dimple). I'll just have to console myself with Jaejoong's new historical drama, which starts May 26th! Suh-weet!!
Well, that's it for me... for this episode anyway.
See you in the next review...up next for Unnie K2H episode 16. I'm psyched, I'm pumped, bring on the .... Kleenex.
Sarang,
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