Who Is She: Episodes 11-12 (Remaining)
by Dramaddictally
On the closing hour, our granny-girl is confronted with the selection of whether or not to remain or go. Whereas all of the threads are neatly tied and age-old grudges are forgiven, the drama doesn’t spare the last-minute reveals, making an attempt to ramp up the feelings, however making the story even more durable to attach with.
EPISODES 11-12
We knew from the outset that household issues had been on the heart of this drama, which is why I’m dissatisfied with the conclusion. Relatively than the uplifting feeling of seeing a heroine transfer ahead along with her future based mostly on her values, what we get seems like a tribute to youth — impartial of how your time is spent when you’re younger.
I’ll get to that, however first let’s speak concerning the precise wrap-up. Once we left off, Daniel and Doo-ri had been in a automobile being chased by Daniel’s stalker. The entire journey appeared like a wierd tour, tossed in for no purpose, and we study that’s as a result of it was a setup. Daniel wished the stalker to observe them and take photographs in order that he might later discredit her.
You see, whereas we had been watching Daniel and Doo-ri on dates, the remainder of the idol group, in addition to some workers, had been really there with them. It was a giant, beachy celebration of their debut, and so, all these photographs that the stalker launched of Daniel and Doo-ri alone had been taken out of context. At a press convention, Daniel reveals the complete image, along with the truth that the stalker was by no means his girlfriend — and that’s the tip of the stalker drawback. Case closed.
So, why would Daniel ever say this lunatic was his girlfriend within the first place? It compelled him into idol retirement and upset his complete life. Properly, we come to study it’s as a result of the stalker was holding a secret that Daniel didn’t need revealed to the general public: Ae-shim — who Daniel has been calling “aunt” all through the entire present — is admittedly his mom. He wished to guard Ae-shim, who had no concept that he’d found the household secret.
As a way to clear up the stalker mess, Daniel makes Ae-shim conscious of what he is aware of. She’s frantic and feels responsible that she’s the explanation his idol profession ended so abruptly. And it seems like we’re getting a counterweight to Mal-soon’s story. We all know Mal-soon devoted her life to elevating her little one, and right here now we have Ae-shim who deserted every little thing, together with her son, for fame.
However the drama desires no villains. The backstory is that Ae-shim wished to maintain her child. Nevertheless, she was already well-known (nearly 40) when she bought pregnant, and the newborn’s father tried to persuade her to not have a child in any respect. She promptly kicks that man to the curb and goes by with the being pregnant, however then provides Daniel to her sister to lift. When Ae-shim talks to Daniel about this within the current, she asks what she will be able to do to “make up for it” and he says he feels aid after their speak. Past that, he doesn’t need to disturb one another’s lives, and he leaves as if it’s water underneath the bridge.
And now that the pesky beginning secrets and techniques are out of the best way, we will get again to romance. We see that whereas Daniel and Doo-ri had been on their “faux” trip to arrange the stalker, that didn’t cease them from kissing (so, was the stalker actually unsuitable?). As they cozy up on the sofa to maintain heat, telling imprecise tales about every of their hidden pasts, Daniel leans in and goes for it. It’s really spicier than I’d have imagined for this present, and I’m not sorry in any respect that I noticed it.
And our leads aren’t sorry both. They’re again within the apply room in a while, making eyes at one another, and it’s clear Doo-ri has actual emotions for Daniel by now. When Jun sees how Doo-ri feels about Daniel, he questions her intentions with that “younger boy” and she or he solutions that she doesn’t care if it doesn’t work out, she simply desires to have that feeling of liking somebody once more. That’s honest sufficient, regardless that it should harm like hell for him to listen to that — even on a second likelihood, she nonetheless didn’t decide him. Oof. However, being the die-hard buddy that he’s, he will get behind her determination and says, “sing and love all you need.”
However wait ‘til you hear this mess. Unsurprisingly, “Emily” — the woman who disappeared — was really Kkeut-soon, when she had her likelihood to be younger once more, like Mal-soon is having now. When Kkeut-soon went again to her actual age, Emily ceased to exist, and that was concerning the time that Mal-soon grew to become Doo-ri and stuffed in for her.
None of that is too surprising. We knew Kkeut-soon had been given the young-again alternative by the magical cab driver. We heard her say that she had lived at UNIS for 4 months. And we all know she and Mal-soon are lookalike sisters. However the half I can’t recover from is that it means Kkeut-soon is the one which had a relationship with Daniel first! And no person is saying something about the truth that Doo-ri got here in and took over his emotions with hardly a heartbeat in between. You’re telling me that Kkeut-soon feels not even a touch of envy about that? I don’t purchase it.
Anyway, Doo-ri is now confronted with the identical alternative that Kkeut-soon needed to make. Her physique begins getting older little by little, and at one level, she collapses on stage throughout a pre-debut costume rehearsal. Then she’s nose to nose with the magical cabbie and learns that these are her choices: you may both return to your outdated self, or keep on this younger physique for an additional six months — however then you definitely die! (What?! That is morbid!).
She’s bought three days to resolve and she or he deliberates over how she will be able to go away the group and danger their likelihood to debut. She additionally meets with Ji-sook — who has realized that Doo-ri is her mother (Kkeut-soon returned and spilled the beans) — and Ji-sook tells Doo-ri to not come again. She desires her mother to reside the life she missed out on the primary time round, and it’s a tearful dialog on either side.
To tie up unfastened ends, Doo-ri additionally makes amends with Ae-shim. She’s determined that regardless that Ae-shim’s debut tune was written for her, it was Ae-shim’s voice and efficiency that made it widespread. So, after fifty years of holding a grudge, the ladies attain a aircraft of forgiveness and smile as they half.
Lastly, it’s the day of the debut showcase and, as Doo-ri takes the stage, she decides to remain in her younger physique. For the following six months, she’ll be writing goodbye letters to the folks she cares about, and spending a while with Ji-sook and Ha-na. After which, we see Doo-ri disappear, like The Little Mermaid dissolving into sea foam.
One 12 months later, everyone seems to be getting on with their lives. The idol group is able to go on stage with out Doo-ri, Jun is again to his older self, Kkeut-soon has determined to stay round (and play the a part of Mal-soon?), and Ji-sook has stop her high-stress company job to turn out to be an architect. Additionally, Daniel didn’t retire as deliberate, however as an alternative began a brand new leisure label.
We see Ji-sook take a telephone name, the place the individual on the opposite finish informs her that Mal-soon wants to return in for remedy. A while in the past, they despatched a letter to Mal-soon telling her that she had indicators of Alzheimer’s. We then see flashbacks to all of the adjustments Mal-soon made to her life after she obtained this info. She was making ready for the downward slide simply earlier than the cabbie picked her up and gave her a second likelihood at youth.
Now, there was a cut up second the place I believed they had been about to inform us that every little thing we’d simply witnessed was some type of Alzheimer’s-induced non-reality. Fortunately, that’s not what occurred (and I didn’t throw my laptop computer on the wall). However, the ultimate shot is just marginally higher.
We see Daniel at a café, the place the lady who serves him espresso is a Doo-ri/Emily doppelganger. The voiceover is a reminder of the second when Doo-ri informed Daniel, “Nothing is not possible on this world. Particularly with regards to relationships.”
What the hell form of finish message is that?! Anybody who seems like a younger Mal-soon/Kkeut-soon is sweet sufficient? Or, are we imagined to assume Doo-ri has in some way returned in one other incarnation? An excellent higher query is why we’re ending on speaking about relationships when this was imagined to be about residing out your goals. Keep in mind when Mal-soon had a long-unfilled want to be a well-known singer? What we noticed the least on this drama was singing.
In truth, the second the idol group takes the stage on this closing episode is tremendous thrilling and uplifting. And we spent the complete twelve episodes getting there. Think about if Doo-ri had buckled down earlier, slightly than working round with all of the unrelated, drummed-up drama that she spent her time on, and we had gotten to see her precise rise to fame, whereas watching performances all through the present. Consider all of the music we missed out on — and that our heroine missed out on.
Okay, you can argue that’s one other drama. We knew in Episode 1 that this was a household drama and that’s the place the main target can be. True. And I like the event we bought on Ji-sook, and the relationships Ji-sook has along with her mom and daughter. We see her hand over the profession she hates to pursue one thing extra satisfying, whereas she’s nonetheless at an age to do it — and she or he additionally permits her daughter to do the identical. It’s a pleasant trickle-down impact, the place all the ladies are affected by the adjustments in Mal-soon, and their bonds strengthen due to it.
However right here’s the factor. We had been informed all through the entire present how sturdy Mal-soon’s convictions are. And ultimately, she doesn’t make a alternative based mostly on these convictions. On condition that last-minute details about Alzheimer’s, her alternative turns into about avoiding outdated age, as a lot as it’s about pursing a dream.
Sadly, the drama had not one of the coronary heart of the film. And that has to do with our film heroine realizing who she is and what her values are — not getting sidetracked by each circumstance that comes alongside. If Doo-ri desires a boyfriend, yay! (Belief me, I’m not telling her to withstand Jinyoung.) However what’s her inner battle? What are the actual stakes? We spent the drama along with her saying she wished to be a singer, whereas appearing like her first precedence was her household, adopted by love. These ought to have been her decisions — those that made up the ultimate battle. And so they weren’t. We don’t see her make a tough determination based mostly on what she cares about most, however as an alternative select between two crappy options to evade the destiny she would in any other case reside out.
Given how a lot I liked this specific heroine within the film, I wished extra for her within the drama. So, I’ll need to disagree with the present’s closing logic: typically a doppelgänger simply can’t stand in for an authentic.
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