Nine: Time Travel – Episode 14 Recap

Episode 14 Written by EE

In gambling, they say you should never play with more than you are willing to lose.  Some games are strictly chance, while others benefit from some knowledge or skill.  For example, if you are playing a hand of Texas Hold ‘Em you might bet based what you see in the shared hand and what you are holding in your hand.  You have to know the ranking of poker hands (which is better? Full house or a straight flush?) as well as a sense of probability (if I am holding two Kings with one King on the table, is it possible for one of the other players to have a straight? Or four of a kind?).  Additionally, if you know the other players you might even respond based on their betting habits: someone who has been playing conservatively but makes a raise probably has something.  Sun Woo is putting all his chips into time travel but he doesn’t seem to know the rules of the game or fully understand the players at the table.  Can he walk away with a win?

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At the hospital, recovering from his 1993 stabbing Sun Woo receives a call from Min Young. He answers with hesitation.  It is the nurse Young Hoon left with Min Young calling from Min Young’s phone.  The nurse calls him Samchoon. (sigh)

It’s 11:05 PM, Bum Suk (the little intern) comes in and tells him they moved him into another room to shield him from all the reporters.  Sun Woo was lucky, the knife missed all of his organs and he should be fine.  Bum Suk gets a call and leaves the room, Sun Woo immediately calls Hyung Jung Woo and asks why nothing has changed.

Jung Woo is at the police station to give a guardian statement about Sun Woo’s stabbing.  He is relieved that Sun Woo is okay.  Jung Woo tells Sun Woo what he is currently remembering: confessing to the police.

After leaving the police station, 1993 Jung Woo comes home and sees Sun Woo, he tells his younger brother to not be bothered by things happening around him (like say, his brother confessing to murdering his father) but to be brave and find his own path.

It seems like he is about to confess his crimes to Sun Woo when Young Hoon comes out into the hallway, so it doesn’t seem like a good time to drag every skeleton out of the family closet.  Jung Woo goes into his room.  He starts another “Dear John” letter to future wife Yoo Jin, explaining that he cannot face her and say he is not worthy.

The Ajumma interrupts Jung Woo and tells him Choi is here to see him, Choi thanks her with his evil grinning face and locks the door behind her.  Jung Woo is clearly perplexed as to the purpose of Choi’s visit.

Present day Jung Woo continues telling the story to Sun Woo.  Choi steps into the room and slaps a shocked Jung Woo.  Apparently the cop Jung Woo confessed to was in Choi’s pocket as well.  Choi brings the video cassette out of his pocket and tears the tape out of the plastic case, destroying Jung Woo’s only evidence right in front of him.

Choi stomps all over the remains of the cassette and attacks Jung Woo, wanting to know the identity of the stranger is who is helping him.  Like always, Choi sees himself as center of the universe here: he calls Jung Woo ungrateful for the sacrifices Choi made to help him get away with murder.

Jung Woo is clearly on the verge of a mental break down; did Choi pull similar shenanigans on Mom as well? As present day Jung Woo relays this story to Sun Woo, he tells him that going back to confront young Jung Woo would be pointless, as he is now completely terrified.

In the present day, Seo Joon is at the pongmacha with two friends. He is clearly dousing his sorrows in soju and whatever else may be handy.  One of his friends is checking his phone and sees the story about Sun Woo’s stabbing and asks if he is Min Young’s uncle.

Seo Joon grabs a taxi (perhaps to check up on injured Sun Woo) when he receives a call from a friend saying they have traced Min Young’s phone, the friend reads him an address which he writes on his hand.  It seems familiar . . .

When he gets there, his suspicions are confirmed:  it is Sun Woo’s house. He rings the bell and the nurse recognizes him from the hospital.  She lets him in and he runs upstairs.

Min Young is still semi-conscious and eyes closed she says something about “Sunbae,” (meaning Senior which is what Joo Min Young called Sun Woo in the original timeline,) “What took you so long?” (hey, at least it isn’t “yobo” which is a word for husband/wife used ONLY by their spouse).  He sees The Bodyguard album on the nightstand.  He also notices her clothes on the floor, and that she is wearing a man’s shirt.

He leaves, but calls her phone from the taxi.  He has the nurse put Min Young on the phone and awkwardly she sits up.  He tells her he thinks SHE is the one who made a mistake, that it WAS her who wrote that inscription on the record.  And he thinks she wrote it for a “sunbae”, and that sunbae is Park Sun Woo.

At the hospital, The Hussy walks in on Sun Woo getting dressed and lets out a little “omo!” and averts her eyes. (This is one more reason to hate The Hussy.  Us humans would take a good long look, jaw on the floor.  Just sayin’.)

Bum Suk is standing guard outside Sun Woo’s hospital room when the other interns show up.  They have a little giggle about the two reporters having private time.  Min Young calls Sun Woo’s phone, she starts to tell him she made a mistake when Seo Joon bursts in the door, looking for some two fisted retribution.

It’s hard to explain to a guy that you aren’t really scooping up his girl when he walks in and you are on the phone with her.  Plus it’s not like Seo Joon was giving time for a Q&A session.  He gets in a few blows  – which Sun Woo just accepts, somewhat guiltily – before the nurse and news team pull him away.  (Show of hands, who was hoping The Hussy would accidentally get an elbow to the face?) (Jomo’s hand up.)

One week later, Young Hoon and his wife are at a restaurant.  She is suggesting they return the jackets that Seo Joon and Min Young bought for Young Hoon as a thank you for introducing them.  It doesn’t seem right to keep them now that the wedding is cancelled.  Undoubtedly, Young Hoon’s wife is bringing this up to pump him for information about what REALLY happened.  Apparently the hospital is abuzz about Min Young having an affair.  Young Hoon drops his pastry, appetite clearly spent.

“You know what is even MORE scandalous?” his wife says,  “I heard Sun Woo . . .” and Young Hoon stands up “Drop it.  Drop it now or have a divorce.”  He leaves and she clucks mindlessly about how it IS a nice jacket, and she just wants the real story.

Sun Woo leaves his house, still somewhat sore from his wounds.  He finds a driver sent by the news Director waiting to escort him to the CBM building.  The hospital isn’t the only hotbed of gossip, the CBM building is fully aware of the rumors too.

The staff averts their eyes from Sun Woo and mumblings of “nasty” and “disgusting” can be heard.  The elevator opens and The Hussy is inside.  They exchange a bitter look before he steps in.  During the most awkward ride ever, she says he is not the one spreading rumors, because she is above talking about such sick things. She gets off at the 14^th floor (Does this mean she will get off at the 14^th episode? Please? Pretty Please?)

Everyone is a little surprised to see Sun Woo as he enters the newsroom.  The interns share a look and one steps forward to say he doesn’t believe the rumors.

Min Young enters and they glance at each other.  Sun Woo asks the intern when Min Young came back to work, he says she took the time off originally planned for her honeymoon and came back three days ago.

The Director talks to Sun Woo about the stabbing, despite the lack of evidence he is CONVINCED that Choi is behind it.

Sun Woo turns in his resignation, explaining his personal life will soon reflect poorly on the image of the station.  The Director crumples it up, and jokes about what is wrong with him and his niece that they both resign.  Obviously, the Director is NOT in the loop.  He asks Sun Woo if it is gambling, if so he can help him out and clear things up.  Sun Woo is playing games alright, but it’s not the kind of gambling the Director is thinking of; Sun Woo says he will find out soon enough.

Min Young is in the office when Sun Woo texts her to come out.  I think she says people will talk if they are seen leaving together. They meet in the conference room, where everyone can see.

She tells Sun Woo that she will act like she is taking notes; he should say what he wants to say.  He tells her she doesn’t need to quit, she says he is the goose that lays the golden eggs for the station, it doesn’t make sense for her to stay.

She goes on to tell him that Young Hoon explained about the incense sticks.  We see her drinking a lot by herself, she says it was impossible yet possible all at once, she remembered that he was the one who saved her mother.

Young Hoon also explained that the time travel takes its toll on Sun Woo, he will most likely die if he uses the last stick.  She also remembers Sun Woo’s offer to either 1) run away and be together openly 2) her uncle or 3) see her secretly when she wants.

After thinking carefully, she decides the only option she can live with is if they maintain the uncle and niece relationship.  And they both pretend it is great.  Sun Woo tells her that he is dedicated to fixing things, and that nothing is settled yet.  Regardless of her decision, he WILL use that final stick.  They decide as of twelve o’clock they will go back to being family, Sun Woo tells her to dry her tears before leaving the room.

She is in the parking lot, loading up her car and it is five minutes until twelve o’clock when he sends her a series of texts that say he has regrets since she became his niece, but his biggest regret is the fact that she loved him boundlessly for five years and he never gave her a proper response.  Even her wedding vows were made on her own.  He tells her he is sorry for that.  And that he loves her.  Forever.

Min Young goes back to her apartment to find mom waiting.  Mom is livid about the broken engagement and is convinced that Seo Joon is lying about Min Young having another boyfriend, especially since he won’t name names.  In an attempt to change the subject, Min Young says something about being hungry and goes through a bunch of take-out menus.  Min Young comes back from getting take-out and her mom tries to use her phone, as Mom’s nearly out of battery, but Min Young wrestles it from her and gives her the cordless (btw: WHY does she have a landline? This occurred to me before, when Sun Woo tried calling both her cell and her home.)

She runs into the bathroom to look at her precious texts. . .and deletes them one by one.  She can’t seem to part with the final text “I love you.  Forever” but mom shouts through the door asking if she is okay.  She claims she is fine, turns on the faucet to cover her sobs and deletes the final text.

Sun Woo takes one last sad look at the newsroom.  The Director comes back from a dinner with the news room head and can’t look Sun Woo in the eye.  The Director says his resignation will just be announced as him not being ready to return for work due to his injuries.

Sun Woo says thanks for the opportunity to save face and apologizes again.  The Director, who had been hoping for some defense or denial, flips his lid.  This time it is Sun Woo who can’t look at him.  The Director talks about all the time he spent with Sun Woo under his wing and now he is blowing it.  In a way, it is kind of like Choi at the beginning of the episode raining down on Jung Woo; only the Director isn’t talking about how this affects him.  He tells Sun Woo he is so disappointed, that he had such promise and that he meant so much to the station but doesn’t honor that relationship.  The Director screams and yells and kicks the set, but never touches Sun Woo.  Sun Woo sits in the studio alone and tears roll down his cheeks, while still in her bathroom the tears roll down Min Young’s as well.

Summary

Sun Woo has clearly lost this hand but he is not out of chips yet.  He is pot committed at this point, he refuses to grab the chips he has and just walk away.  He is playing for all or nothing, and I will be damned if those consequences aren’t killing me in the process.  I am still hoping our couple will opt for a secret getaway, and ultimately decide they MUST be together.  I think Sun Woo has been taking on far too much of this himself; his biggest strength is the support of his brother, and Young Hoon and Min Young.  If all of them are actively involved he might actually have a successful visit to the past.  He has 3 more weeks to formulate a plan of attack and carry it out.  No pressure, that last incense stick says he’s got time.

Jomo’s Comments

*Sob* cue Whitney to accompany my tears…

Despite the overwhelming wretchedness of how everyone feels in the episode, I did have a few giggle moments. When Young-hoon had his tantrum in front of his shocked wife, when Batsh^t Evil Choi was a-shakin’ and a-screamin’ at poor Young Hyung – Jung Dong-hwan, the actor playing him, is gobbling up the set whole and having a ball.  When OMG cute, Young Young-hoon came out of Sun-woo’s room with the roll…not sure if that interaction was scripted, but it really felt like two super goofy friends hanging out.

I am not rooting for Cute Hoobae at all, I was fine with his anger at Sun-woo. Maybe he shouldn’t have decked a stabbing victim, being a doctor and all, but it really couldn’t have been helped.

For the record – can you go back and undelete texts? I think she should have saved him under a different name and kept the text!!!!!!!!!!!!

One stick left and so much gymnasium floor to clean in the dark. What’s a Hero to do now?