Nine: Nine Times Time Travel ep 11 [Dramatic Review]

This episode made me so giddy that as soon as it ended, I moved my screenshots over and created my list of 9.  Yes, this was a week ago and yes, this is just now getting published, but a good core of the work was done when it was nice and fresh because I was so overcome with all sorts of feels.  This was an amazing episode I think.  But don't just take my word for it.  Let's remember back to some of what made it so amazing in the first place with my Nine's Nine.


Nine's Nine of episode 11

1.  Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Lies, lies, lies, and more lies.  Min Young is starting to get flashes of memories from her, for lack of a better word, previous life - the life she had before Mr Meddlesome went back in time and messed things up.  She's trying to figure out what all this means and Seon Woo is telling her that she's wrong, these aren't memories.  He explains the note in the album as being from a former girlfriend that just so happened to have the same name and handwriting (you know, because apparently all girls write the same).  He tells this story to fiance boy when he shows up looking for Min Young.  He tells this to Min Young and isn't necessarily nice about it.  After she starts crying in the cab on the way home, he tries to patch it up a bit by laying on the charm, but yeah, damage is done.  Poor girl is seriously messed up.  Can you blame her?  We see that she isn't alone in this difficult time - Seon Woo is in emotional turmoil over it all as well.

2.  Half Life

So, what's the deal?  You would think that this turn of events would make him ecstatic.  She's starting to remember him and their relationship.  Why isn't he celebrating?  Well, he explains this to Young Hoon, who, understandably has this very same question.  He explains that he is living a half life filled with pain of what should have been/was.  His life is exponentially harder now than it was before he started trying to fix things and he doesn't want his lady love to suffer the same consequences, so he hopes that she'll just eventually give it up as some crazy dream and forget all about it and go on living her life happily and oblivious.  See, he's not a monster.  He's not heartless or cruel.  He loves her and he's trying his best to protect her from the hell his time travels have created for him.

3.  Discussing Disgusting

Seon Woo's tough love continues when the ever-tenacious Min Young calls him and starts questioning things again, looking for answers.  You gotta admit, the girl earns major points for just not letting things go...ever.  She's had another memory - a memory about Seon Woo explaining to her about his mystery girl that he lost and found out was family.  You can practically see the lightbulb that goes off over her head at this as she puts two and two together and realizes that he was talking about her.  So she calls him on it.  And he goes into denial.  She won't let him off that easy, and so he breaks out the big, cruel guns and lays into her, calling her disgusting for entertaining and suggesting such a relationship between them.  His accusations hit hard and she is shaken and upset.  He gets off the phone and has his emo moment standing there on the rooftop of the building.  Our poor star-crossed lovebirds.  I sure hope they can work through their little "differences".

4.  How Dr Evil Started Earning His Name

This guy may not be directly responsible for the death of Cheon Soo, but he's still not a good guy.  We see kind of the birth of our super villian in this scene.  He's taking over the hospital and musing on what is to come during his "reign".  He's also working hard to ship Jeong Woo off to America to "study".  There's talk of this mystery witness that still has yet to come forward and/or be identified.  Jeong Woo shocks us all when he point-blank asks Dr Evil if he and his mother had had a relationship.  He dodges the question (and gives us a nasty little sneer to boot) by replying that obviously Jeong Woo's dad had won in the end.  Dude, the boy wants to know if you're his bio dad.  In fact, I think I speak for us all when I say that we'd all love to see that question answered.  I love how in 1993 his gloating over his new position and all of the great changes to come, all while 20 years down the road he's about to get hit with 10 years in prison.  And how epic was his latest temper tantrum?  I've raised children.  I have lots of friends and family with children.  I am surrounded by lots and lots of children in my daily, everyday life.  All of these children either are, or at some point in our acquaintance have been, toddlers.  Toddlers that throw enormous temper tantrums.  Temper tantrums that pale in comparison to this guy's temper tantrums.  Dude is psycho.  Lock him up and swallow the key!

5.  Time to Bury the Hatchet?

Seon Woo and his sister-in-law have a conversation and discuss their family issues.  Honestly, I forgot this conversation, but days ago when I created this bulletpoint, it seemed important to me (at least important enough to mention), so I'll at least put it in here and hope that if it really is truly important, it will help trigger those memories for you (and me later).

6.  I've Seen You Somewhere Before

The mystery witness of the 1992 incident has been discovered.  They have his face caught on camera.  1993 Dr Evil looks at it and wonders why he looks a little familiar.  As future Dr Evil sits there and remembers back, he sees the picture in his memory bank and boom...it clicks.  He finally recognizes the face as being none other than Seon Woo.  Not 1992 Seon Woo, but current day Seon Woo.  That's gotta be trippy.

7.  Moving On?

Trying to move on, and I'm sure trying to help Min Young move on, Seon Woo agrees to go out to drinks with his flirty coworker.  She tries all these little coy tricks on him, like not bringing an umbrella so that they have to share one.  Seon Woo is visibly uncomfortable with this whole situation, but is determined to move on.  Until his phone rings and he finds out that Min Young is missing.  What does he do in response?  He leaves his "date" standing there alone, holding his umbrella as he rushes off to find Min Young.  Ha ha!

8.  First Kiss

Seon Woo runs all over town in the pouring rain searching for Min Young.  Finally, he gets her on the phone.  She's toe up messed up.  She's remembered something new, something big.  Her memories of their trip in Pokhara have come back fully and she knows that it had been their honeymoon.  Whoa.  Yeah.  It was their honeymoon and the message she wrote (that he didn't know about until fiance boy brought it to him by the way) was her marital vow to him.  Double whoa.  She's beyond upset and depressed and frankly freaking him out.  When he asks where she is, she only responds by telling him that she is at the place where Joo Min Young and Seon Woo had their first kiss.  No other clue.  But what does he tell her?  He tells her to stay there and not to move.  Does he ask where it is?  Nope.  Not a word.  And then we get the requisite flashback at this moment where we get to witness their first kiss at this playground.  It started out as a clumsy "I'm going to conveniently fall right on top of you" thing that led to her kissing him.  Sure, she may have been a bit tipsy, but still...great moment.  And obviously memorable, because guess who shows up?

9.  Do You Know the Word I Hate Most in the World?

Oh yeah.  Seon Woo suddenly appears, confirming to her that, now hold on to your hats here, he remembers.  He remembers their first kiss and therefore acknowledges that she is indeed not crazy and that they really did have a relationship.  And the line he uses sent shivers down my spine.  He asks, "Do you know the word I hate most in the world?"  To which he then replies, "Uncle" and then pulls her in for a kiss.  And we're not talking an uncle/niece sort of kiss.  Oh no, this is a kiss kind of kiss.  A 13-frames-required-for-the-recap kind of kiss.  Ho baby - things just got hot and steamy up in here!

And this drama once again earns it's A+ from this ahjumma.

Can they keep the grade?  We'll find out next time on my Nine's Nine of Episode 12!  Will you join me?