liddi

What a devastating episode to watch, to see what I fear the most unfold before my eyes. My heart lost hope little by little as increasing signs of foul play is revealed, up to the moment she is found, and her condition relayed back to the station. Even then, I clung on to the last sliver of hope until the sight of her body being carried down to the station and her bagged bloodied belongings drove home the reality that we had really lost her, bringing me to tears. Why? Yet I should have remembered who the scriptwriter was, and this can only be the beginning of the relentless death knell that she is sounding. Then even before I managed to collect my emotions, SYG' attempts to go into the mountain had me tearing up again, seeing her bereft of anyone she could trust, fueled by guilt that she had indirectly sent LDW to her death, desperate to reach the one person she wanted to see. We are not spared in the past timeline, ominous signs looming even in the midst of what should be happier moments. Much as I love the sweetness of JYG and LYS's climb up the ridge and their subsequent agreement to meet her mother, I cannot shake off the dread that the worst is around the bend, and their happiness will soon be cut short. Likewise PIL's dazed look as he comes out of the clinic has me fearing that all might not be well with his newborn. From the looks of it, Chief Jo is on the verge of quitting to try and reconnect with his daughter who has returned. Could it be he had been estranged from his family due to his overwhelming commitment to his work, and neglecting his family in the process? Then the disquieting portent with the collapse of the mountain spirit flag, the indication that the killer has claimed another victim in the distressed female hiker, and our introduction to the infamous Black Bridge village and the strange happenings there. On the other hand, the crotchety ex-chief now-guide is a such pleasant surprise, passionate about conserving the mountain, wise and clearly a good friend and mentor. However, I too fear for him as he goes head-to-head with the now-deceased YGT and his cable car plans. By the same token, could that be the real reason YGT was targeted in the end? Which brings me back to my original theory about the killer trying to protect the mountain in his twisted way. Speaking of the killer, it is extremely troubling that he is in the know of the marker locations from LDW's notes, and leaving his markers in lieu of KHJ's. Will this lead to misdirection, luring SYG and anyone else to exactly where he plans to kill them? It is also telling that he appears to be very well-versed in how to set up the markers. Is it based on LDW's notes, or is he already very familiar with such methods of communication, being the one to first tell SYG and KHJ about it in the past? However, we now know that KHJ can be heard by those who could see him, which gives us hope that he may somehow be able to speak to SYG going forward, and foil the killer's plans. Capt. Jo's reaction when being treated as a suspect is unfathomable as well, almost resigned in his attitude, making no excuses nor explanations. We know that he is definitely not the one who killed her, so why is he keeping quiet? Could he be protecting the killer while trying to stop others from getting hurt? Yet who could it be?

Am finally caught up. At this juncture, what frustrates me the most is watching GHW still persisting in her path of self-destruction, hell-bent on destroying JHJ and possibly SWJ, even if it means losing her life as well. I don't believe she intends to come out of it alive, but she is still pushing on. No good counsel could get through to her - not her grandfather's, not the bar owner's, who is now proving to be one of the few sane people left in the entire drama - because she would not let go of the rage that has twisted her psyche until she can no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel. Is she merely punishing JHJ who, despite all that she has done, is that much more blessed with a husband who would overlook it all because he loves her that much; a lover who remains instinctively drawn to her even when he cannot remember their past; a brother who adores and defends her unconditionally? Does she intend to tear down SWJ as well, or is she hoping that somehow, he would choose her this time round? Whatever her motivations, I really wish someone would snap her out of her insanity before it is far too late. She has already crossed the line by manipulating LJY's father to kidnap Hosu. Whatever her grievances are with JHJ and even AHS, she should never have involved the children. But then again, is she still thinking straight anymore? To be honest, I do not even know whether the regrets JHJ professes to her husband are sincere. She was conducting an affair right under his nose, even when he came to visit her and their daughter in Ireland - going between her husband and her lover, only leaving the latter, apparently due to his recklessness. My interpretation is that if he had been content to just be her lover, she would have continued on the affair, enjoying the best of both worlds - living in the lap of luxury with a doting husband and family while having a young lover at the side who adored her. Since he forced her to choose, she made the most pragmatic decision and resumed her perfect life and seeing her dreams come to fruition one by one. AHS' capacity for forgiveness when it comes to his wife is moving yet terrifying, his determination to fight for and protect his family, formidable. We know he is not above trampling on others to achieve his goals. He told his wife not to walk on eggshells around him, but is he really able to erase the terrible scars of betrayal from his mind? Or is it merely a matter of time before he too snaps. How far would he protect the family he has determined to be his? It is now clear that he deliberately ran over SWJ in 2018. Is he above taking it one step further to ensure his family remains intact? I had no sympathy for SWJ before, and now, knowing even more of what happened in Ireland, has not changed my stance towards him. To have treated GHW as shabbily as he did, to be so ludicrous as to be jealous of JHJ being with her husband when he is the other party, to continue to make promises to GHW which he would very likely break yet again just pegs him as an irresponsible coward. Which is all the more reason why it riles me so much that these two women would destroy their lives over him. One thing though - was he in an altercation or accident with GHW in the past, seeing her left hand and his right side were injured? Or is it just a coincidence. Also, GHW has been having repeated dreams of drowning. We know she tried to drown herself in the past, and was saved by grandpa. Is that the trigger, or is this her premonition, a foreshadowing of her being killed by JHJ and dumped into the river? Questions questions. Will anyone come out unscathed in the end?

@laurisse I hope not, especially since the alternate title to Jirisan is "Cliffhanger" too KEH-nim, please be kind! And yes, we are still waiting (im)patiently for Signal S2, especially seeing the J-adaptations have already given us a movie and SP this year

@laurisse We don't know for certain. KEH's works have barely any romance in them, and even if there is, it is usually subtle, taking a back seat to the main plot. SYG's words at the end of Ep5 seem to hint at some unspoken words between them, which could indicate her feelings for him. Fingers crossed that KEH will keep her promise that this is a healing drama, with both of them meeting again by the end and SYG able to express all that she intended to say to him. We shall see.

The only person I like in the entire drama is very likely dead by the end of Ep9 and I am cursing SWJ to high heavens for it. Grandpa has been GHW's only rock, the one who saved her when she tried to drown herself, the one who loves her unconditionally... and I cannot imagine what it would do to her if he is gone. She is already in a dark place, clinging hard to a man who is not worth it at all, playing a dangerous game, taking on those who are clearly more powerful, more privileged than she is, making deals with the devil. Is she out of her depth? I believe she is, and yet she is determined to go down this path and to what end? Payback for all that she suffered, first at the hands of JHJ who took SWJ away from her, then due to AHS deliberately keeping him hidden at Sligo hospital after the accident, if it was an accident? She has allowed her love for SWJ to fester into an unhealthy obsession, and it is utterly frustrating to see her spiraling downwards over a man who does not deserve the love she had to give, reliving the pain of the past as she watches him drawn towards JHJ once more, losing him all over again. Every scene with SWJ sets me on edge, every time he runs into JHJ, coincidentally or otherwise. I have zero tolerance for every tortured look they give each other, with utterly no sympathy for them. To her credit, she is trying to keep him at arm's length, but that is more because she is unwilling to lose everything she has worked so hard, and put up so much to obtain. She clearly has her own ambition, and tolerates her MIL's insults as she patiently waits for her goal to be fulfilled. GHW hit the nail on the head when she surmised that JHJ could have gone on the way she did because she shed herself of any guilt of what she had done. And it's true. Each time they confronted each other, JHJ never once admitted her wrongdoing, choosing to lay the blame on GHW for it all, and this is the kind of example she has passed on to her children. Therefore I find it so laughable that she would have gotten so upset over the seeds of doubt that is sown in her trust towards her husband, coming from someone who broke that trust long ago with her flagrant affair, exhibiting no remorse, merely fear of being found out. Despite GHW using LJY's father to thwart AHS' plans of building Taerim Gallery, I am beginning to see flashes of her original self in her concern for the girl's well-being, trying so hard to get her father released so that she is not alone. I wish I could say the same for JHJ, who blatantly admitted to Dongmi that she was more concerned about herself than her daughter who had not come home. Yet the moment she saw Li-sa, she put on a big show that her daughter is the most precious to her, which is utterly nauseating. Right now, I am still uncertain what the abusive lawyer LYS has to gain from working with her. Is he trying to bring down AHS, so that he and his wife can take over the foundation? He is coercing his wife to side with him against her family, but the real question is, why she is doing so. Is it merely out of fear for her husband? Yet, she appears to be gloating at all hints of JHJ and SWJ's connection, knowing that her mother is dead opposed to affairs and divorce. Does she resent her brother for being the favoured child as the son, over her? While we're on the topic of AHS, it is clear there is far more to him than meets the eye. He admitted to GHW previously that he really loves his wife. As such, is everything he is putting up with - the terrible knowledge of her infidelity, accepting Ho-su as his own - due to his fear of losing her? Or is it out of deference of his mother's obvious objection to affairs and divorce? Is he ensuring that JHJ will not be able to envision a life without him as a form of payback in the future? He is very much a mystery for now. This is probably the only drama that I have sat through, rolling my eyes, raring to consign most of them to the depths of the lake where JHJ dumped the suspicious bag. The saving grace for me is the music, gorgeous cinematography, particularly of the picturesque scenes in Ireland, and the amazing works of art that are being showcased. Will that be enough for me to soldier on? I hope so. Almost everyone is a trainwreck waiting to happen but I can't bring myself to look away just yet, because I need to believe that we will see justice being served in the end.

It is a sad state of affairs that I only felt sympathy for the two women only twice in 5 eps. The first is when JHJ tearfully had the video call with Lisa in the early days after she was sent abroad. In that moment, KHJ really made me feel her emptiness and longing for her child, and I teared up with her as the call ended far too soon. The other is the poignant reference to the sound of radishes being chopped being associated to feeling safe, and GHW's grandfather promising to chop all the radishes in the world for her when things get difficult. I cannot help but wish that she had reached out for help during her darkest hours, found comfort among those who love her, instead of going down this destructive path she has set foot on. So most of my initial theories were thrown out by the beginning of Ep3. Clearly, JHJ and SWJ embarked on an affair even before his marriage registration with GHW, which they then carried on in Ireland away from prying eyes, him having cruelly and irresponsibly abandoned GHW totally with no explanation whatsoever. She on the other hand, had no intentions of cutting ties from her own marriage, and ultimately abandoned him with no passport in a foreign land and went back to Korea with what appears to be their son in tow. How did she manage to convince everyone that Hosu was her husband's, unless she was already pregnant with him before leaving for Ireland? Was that the reason SWJ went along with her? If so, does AHS know the boy is not his, despite caring for the boy like his own? Hosu is a kindergartener, which makes him around 5 or 6, so JHJ must have abandoned him around 2015. We are still no closer to finding out how SWJ ended up comatose for so long. It cannot be JHJ since she snuck away before he woke up, nor can it be GHW since she waited in vain for him to return. So was it AHS's handiwork after all? SWJ was admitted in Sligo hospital Mar 2018, soon after JHJ's 1st solo exhibition back in Korea. Was that not long after his call to GHW, which hinted that he was on his way back? If so, it could very likely have been AHS who made sure that his wife's lover does not come back to break up his family once more. 5 episodes in and I am no closer to liking anyone... if anything, most of the characters have only annoyed me even more. JHJ is being revealed to have a frightening capacity for facades and lies, self-absorbed, her ultimate priority being only herself. GHW on the other hand is making incomprehensible choices after giving the initial impression of someone who has meticulously laid plans. How does it make any sense that she would choose to let SWJ loose around JHJ with no preparation nor inkling of what he might or might not remember. Likewise the run-ins in Taerim hospital - did she honestly think that it would not happen, knowing that it belongs to JHJ's family? And now she could be toying with manipulating his memories to her advantage? Unless I am very much mistaken, the plot appears to be heading in the well-worn direction of having two women fighting over one man. Please don't. I would be very much loathe to see the promising, mysterious setup relegated to something so mundane and makjang.

English subs for eps7-8 BTS are finally available on iQIYI Kdrama's Youtube channel. @ktcjdrama I think among everything else, this drama is a well-deserved tribute to those on the frontlines who risk their lives on a regular basis for the well-being of others, evoking respect and awe at everything they go through, the dangers and sometimes insurmountable odds they face. Well-said about the Thailand cave rescue mission, which kept me glued to the news, mourning for the Thai Navy seal who lost his life, and cheering like mad when one after another came out safely - the children, coach and divers - at the end. Agreed that the yoghurt drink appears to have been picked up, rather than prepared to be given to LDW. The one in the ranger uniform does appear to be slimmer built than Capt. Jo (JGY perhaps)? There are also theories that JYG might be the killer because it didn't make sense to give someone like OJS an insignificant role, but to be honest, he clearly has an alibi when KHJ was trapped in the warehouse, so I don't think it's him. Which brings me back to our chatterbox historical researcher... heh! Ah well... let's see what new clues are revealed this week.

@ktcjdrama Thank you for the recommendation. Am definitely on board even if I don't like anyone yet, which is a novelty, because I usually am invested in at least one character to continue watching. Am holding off backreading the thread for now as I am so far behind everyone else. Let's see if I do manage to catch up before the drama ends

The drama is oppressive from the get-go, and shows no signs of abating 2eps in. Tonally bleak despite the burst of colours - bright red, rich green contrasting each other just as the characters face off in a sly veneer of civility with charged undercurrents of barely concealed hostility. Almost everyone feels off-balanced, every adult character as well as the older children harbouring secrets, most of which appear interlinked with one another, whether they realise it or not. There is an unsettled air about JHJ, and she is like a tightly wound coil just waiting to lash out, buttons which GHW is deliberately pushing. By the same token, GHW's measured languidness belies her own walk on the edge... her previous brush with suicide and her self-preservation now kicking in appears driven by the carefully laid plans she has set in motion - claiming her comatose husband, haunting JHJ. A proverbial game of cat and mouse is being played out right now, tendrils slowly circling those JHJ holds dear - her husband, her children, her brother, her art. Is it malevolent? Very likely. JHJ is clearly being targeted, but while I feel for her, particularly for her lack of standing in her own home, the way her son is being clearly held hostage by her mother-in-law, she is not as innocent and helpless a victim as she initially is made out to be. Her narration of how she started painting stacks up like a pack of lies, claiming to have started abroad when she visited her daughter, blatantly taking credit for her own artistic accomplishment with no acknowledgement of the art student who was her tutor and very likely, once a friend. Did JHJ metaphorically rob everything that defined GHW - her love, her art, the future that should have been hers? There was obviously something going on between her and SWJ during the wedding shoot back in 2013 which GHW was at the time, blithely unaware of. What happened in the past, to have wiped the life and warmth from GHW's eyes? Did JHJ embark on an affair with the younger man, or was it one-sided on his part? By all intents and purposes, her husband appears to be an ideal spouse, supportive and loving. He must be aware of who SWJ is, to have squirreled him away in Ireland back in 2018, and keeping it secret from her the past 2 years. Is SWJ's condition of his making, or did she have something to do with it and he is covering up for her? Is he protecting his wife, or is there an ulterior motive? Thus far, there is a glut of unlikeable characters across the board with AHS and JSW appearing to be among the very few who are halfway decent. Certainly, I do not root for either of the two opposing women... and for now, it is with a sense of detached interest that I follow their progress leading to the fateful night that we see in the opening scene. Will I end up changing my mind down the road as I learn more about their backstory? We shall see. Last but certainly not least, the breathtakingly evocative opening scene so perfectly complemented by the beautiful soundtrack, which I keep revisiting. Gorgeous!

The article missed out the part where Joo Jihoon is cheering for SYG like crazy during the team building scene, then pan over to Jun Jihyun who is actually seated behind him, and the look on her face Watch: Jun Ji Hyun, Joo Ji Hoon, And More Carefully Rehearse Dangerous Wildfire Scenes In “Jirisan” TV/FILM Nov 17, 2021 by C. Hong tvN shared the behind-the-scenes video from episodes 7 and 8 of “Jirisan”! Written by Kim Eun Hee, “Jirisan” stars Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon as rangers at Mount Jiri National Park who uncover the truth behind mysterious accidents on the mountain. Spoilers The video shows how the cast and crew filmed the scenes of the wildfire that breaks out on Mount Jiri, paying careful attention to the safety of the environment and of the people involved. Fake smoke was used to create the smoky atmosphere of a wildfire on the mountain, while flames in controlled areas were carefully lit and stamped out for each scene. As mountain rangers heading directly to the heart of the fire, actors like Jun Ji Hyun and Oh Jung Se wore gear like fireproof jackets and breathing masks. The smoke created unexpected difficulties, however, as the wind blew it around and changed how it looked in each take. Jun Ji Hyun and Oh Jung Se repeated their lines for one scene several times as the director tried to get the amount of smoke just right. When the director asked for one more take, Jun Ji Hyun exclaimed jokingly, “Why! I thought it was good that time!” In the scene where Joo Ji Hoon is trapped with children in a burning warehouse, the window is lit with real flames, adding a sense of urgency to the room. Between takes, Joo Ji Hoon plays and talks with the child actors in a sweet way. After the firefighters rescue him, the cast moves to film a scene where the rangers head up the mountain to rescue the kids. Since the fire and smoke can only be used once, and effects might be added later in post-production, the cast rehearse with the director calling out stage directions such as, “Turn here,” “Step back,” “A pine cone comes down,” “The wind is growing stronger,” etcetera. To film Jun Ji Hyun’s epic jumping scene, the staff prepare dozens of cardboard boxes to cushion her landing. After the dramatic rescue, Jo Han Chul carries Jun Ji Hyun on his back, which she apologizes for as soon as the take is finished. Oh Jung Se plays rock-paper-scissors with one of the child actors and makes her laugh, while Joo Ji Hoon absentmindedly catches bugs with an electric swatter. The rest of the video deals with Jun Ji Hyun, Sung Dong Il, Oh Jung Se, and Joo Ji Hoon filming the Mount Jiri National Park rangers’ friendly competition and talent show. Jun Ji Hyun accidentally grabs the prop in the relay race before she can draw the lot telling her what prop to take, and Sung Dong Il jokes, “It’s like you already knew what it was beforehand.” Oh Jung Se pretends to box in thin air, and Joo Ji Hoon asks him, “Why did you learn it left-handed?” The video ends with the chaotic performance of Kim Yeon Ja’s “Amor Fati” with the rangers in flamboyant costumes. Check out the video below! cr. Soompi

At last we reach the end. There is certainly an improvement in pace in the last 3 episodes, after the snoozefest in the middle, with enough action to make up for it. Unfortunately, I am also left with enough straggly loose ends to make kolo mee, thus resulting in being a disappointment. So the real mole in the team was OKS, a Sangmuhoe double agent, who leaked intel to SSY, who in turn handed it over to Dir Kang to be passed to Dep Commr Lee? Say what? The whole conspiracy already involves Sangmuhoe (represented by CCW), BMS and RDC. As such, is there even any purpose to this whole roundabout leak of information? What information could HJH's team have given Dep Commr Lee through their surveillance on the man that CCW could not? Or am I missing something here? Sangmuhoe is revealed to be controlled by a group of shadowy elders (literally - since they appear to love poorly lit places which do nothing for one's eyesight) who have no compunction in getting rid of Dep. Commr Lee through BMS once he is exposed. Still, how is Planet's Chairman Shin able to identify everyone in the organisation, to be able to provide the full list to HJH and JKS? Was Dep. Commr Lee also keeping tabs on his higher-ups in that organisation via Planet? Can anyone tell me how HJH figured out the right time to send the videos to Chief Ha, who in turn sent it back to him? I do understand him wiping his memories clean so that he could reinvestigate the whole thing without the baggage of his terrible guilt, but how is the timing explained? We are never told why JKS was framed as a North Korean spy in the first place instead of being eliminated for her investigation into Sangmuhoe, so I presume this is just a plot device to keep her alive up to the very end to be able to get the encryption key from Chairman Shin. We know the OKS was planted in the NIS by Sangmuhoe. Was CCW a part of Sangmuhoe before joining the NIS too, or after his faked death in Moebius? To be honest, up to the end, the main drama and its spinoff never quite agreed upon his backstory, nor why he was still a known black agent despite supposedly being declared to be dead in 2012. BMS being the big bad was expected, after seeing his iron grip over HMS and his ruthless disposal of CCW. Nonetheless, the way it played out and how he was finally taken down felt flat. Had a good laugh when he revealed himself behind the molded mask in the NIS cell, which reminds me of 易容术 Art of Disguise from Chinese martial arts books and dramas. I find it unbelievable as well that a highly skilled agent like him would have left the man half dead instead. Was that intentional to allow CSK to finish the deed? I don't know. Also, the showdown at the roof of the data center failed to hit the mark for me, and I never felt any real tension because BMS was clearly already wavering from flashbacks of his daughter. Nonetheless, I thought it was an excellent touch having YJY revealed to have infiltrated among the hostages, which pushed BMS' vestiges of humanity to the surface. For all my gripes, HJH's broadcast using BMS' live stream was a masterstroke, effectively preventing any cover-up attempts, and his homage to the countless, faceless agents who gave their lives for their country truly moving. I too liked that both he and Dir. Kang served time for what they did, and the NIS now in the hands of new blood with the changing of the guard. Still, I have to wonder how he could hope to continue on as an agent, with his face already plastered everywhere for the world to see. At the end of the day, The Veil feels like an ambitious project that tried to incorporate too many elements, plots and twists, failing to make sense in some pertinent key areas. For the most part, the characters do not resonate much with me despite the heightened drama, leaving me with a detached viewing experience, which is unfortunate. Ultimately, I still rank Moebius higher despite its brevity and far simpler (but more comprehensive) plot, exactly because it kept me emotionally invested long after it was over.

@SilverMoonTea Thank you for the advice regarding My Roommate is a Gumiho. Will leave it then as I've been given a new assignment after my completing my foray into espionage, right @ktcjdrama? I noticed that you included Voice 4 in your list. Had thought of starting it when it aired, but changed my mind, opting to complete S2 and start S3 first. Will give it a go after I do finish S3.

Thanks for the shoutout @SilverMoonTea! Sad to say, my viewing fare is still as woeful as 2020, but anyway, in no particular order... Move to Heaven At its core, it is a poignant look at life through the final unspoken wishes of the departed; a beautiful, aching lens into life's fleeting nature, the need to embrace and treasure those we love before it is too late. An undoubted gem of 2021, that wrung my tears dry and introduced me to the amazing Tang Joonsang. Racket Boys I went in for the badminton premise, and stayed for the characters, young and old, who consistently make me love them more and more with each passing week, rooting for each of them through their ups and downs, cheering and crying with them every step of the way. Definitely my weekly happy pill. Moebius:The Veil It is an ironic, unexpected addition to the list as I had not watched the main drama before that. However, it drew me in from the get-go, gripping and tightly paced, characters well-fleshed out despite its brevity and I cared for them and their unique bond far more than I did anyone in The Veil, which I then watched because of it. Law School It is high drama within a law school setting, and I often find myself rolling my eyes over the theatrics that appear to have unreasonable amount of leeway within a courtroom. Nonetheless, it is the Hankuk Law Squad, their individual journeys and relationships with each other that had me utterly invested to the end. Is it telling that I was far more stressed waiting for Sol-A's results than identifying the real killer? Kingdom: Ashin of the North Brutal, devastating, chilling, each layer peeled off with deliberate precision, gradually laying bare the extent of betrayal that almost justifies the exacting vengeance that ensued, and the tragic reveal at the end. In particular, Jun Jihyun and Kim Si-a embody Ashin's tortured journey, esp JJH whose eyes emote so much with so few words, her cold, dead eyes at the end reflecting the state of a soul that died long ago. Jirisan If Signal was written on the premise of "Can Lee Jaehan be saved?", was Jirisan written based on "Can Kang Hyunjo be free?" It is a work in progress, but by the halfway mark, it holds a strong place in my heart despite a sometimes uneven delivery. Its semi-documentary depiction of the extent of the rangers' responsibilities and conservation message is well-woven into the fabric of the narrative, giving us fresh respect for the men and women who put themselves on the line on a regular basis. Plotwise, it continues to keep me drawn in on an emotional and cerebral level, even as I grow to care more and more for each core character. Fingers crossed it will outdo itself to the end. 琉璃 Love and Redemption Strictly speaking, this is a 2020 Cdrama but am including it as I only watched it this year. Never a fan of the xianxia genre but Crystal Yuan's impeccable delivery of Xuanji's cluelessness in the early episodes kept me watching and I ended up loving the dynamics between the characters (leads and supporting) and their individual character growth. 与君歌 Stand by Me / Dream of Chang'an The Cdrama that introduced me to Cheng Yi, though Han Dong's Prince Guang remains my favourite character in the drama. The romance itself never appealed to me, but I loved the riveting multi-pronged battle of wits, the measured plans that are laid, and the bleakness of its ending. Cold Case S3 Strictly speaking, this Jdrama started end of 2020, but overlapped into 2021. After the disappointment with S2, it is so satisfying to see everything I loved about S1 making a comeback here, excellent adaptations of the source material and equally interesting original episodes - haunting, painful, with or without closure at the end. Signal SP and movie The SP is a very well made J-adaptation of the Shin Da Hye case in the original, ingeniously tying the case and its perpetrator to the mystery behind Nakamoto's murder from the drama finale while giving the case its own twist, and a far kinder fate. The movie on the other hand, takes on a totally fresh plot apart from the original drama. Although there are too many unnecessarily drawn-out action scenes, it ultimately brings us one step closer to closure as far as the dynamics between the trio is concerned, while leaving us with an ending that leaves the doors open for another story. Dramas dropped My Roommate is a Gumiho This is an oddity because I really loved it in the beginning - captivated from the start by a big fluffy gumiho and zany girl obsessed with chicken, and loving how the narrative is imbued with a nice balance of tears, hilarity and sweetness without treading into saccharine territory or drawn out estrangement. Yet, somewhere along the way, I dropped it after the halfway mark and never got around to finishing it. Should I revisit? Daebak Real Estate Yet another one that I really enjoyed in the beginning, but somehow ended up dropping after losing interest and never quite going back. Deluxe Taxi Came for Lee Jehoon, but even he could not keep me on board after several episodes due to the drawn out violence. 上阳赋 Rebel Princess For the most part, I enjoyed the narrative and ensemble performances, but when life beckoned, I never quite found any reason to pick it up again.

@ktcjdrama Thank you for the motivational talk Was 20mins into Ep10 when Jirisan called (it's now a running joke in the family that Mummy's got mountains to climb and spies to catch, particularly on weekends ) Will try to finish it - certainly the reveal of what actually happened that fateful night when HJH's team died has reignited my interest, so I should be resuming sometime soon. As for RoY... I'm 10eps behind with the 11th on the way. Let's see if I manage to play catch up before it ends. Fingers crossed.

Ep8 continues to deliver - escalating suspense, easing into momentary relief before plunging us into even more tension, as I find myself continually fearing for the fate of the children - from the collapse of the burning tree and the sinking realisation that this was the vision KHJ saw of the burning old banner which he ironically put on the children to keep them safe; followed by the frantic rush to save them in the mountain where the fire continues to rage and at last the relief that they all escaped unscathed, with no casualties claimed that day. This incident finally succeeds in wiping away all the resentment the herb collector's wife previously had for the rangers who went put their lives on the line to save her children, and for a brief time, we are granted respite. There is so much to smile over the residents meeting in Feb 2019 when for once, everything seemed right with the world, which makes these all too few moments of happiness particularly bittersweet, as we head closer and closer to that fateful day in December. KHJ is starting to see a pattern in his visions as being deaths that were made to look like accidents, though he only listed 5, and excluded Granny Geum-rye's, whose death he had not associated with the killings yet. Based on his conjecture, the visions appear to be aimed at putting him on the trail of the killer who has made the mountain his hunting ground. It is interesting though that he omitted to include his visions of the missing boy, himself and the fire in the list. While the first two are unrelated to the killer from what I can see for now, the fire at the warehouse was definitely started by the killer. As such, I am unsure how the visions really work. Is it solely to stop the killer? If so, why did he have the vision of the missing boy in the first place? I don't have an answer yet. The danger remains so close and frighteningly real in present day. At the halfway mark, LDW is now marked and in very clear peril from the killer based on KHJ's visions. However, there appears to be two gloved men in the mountains with her - one wearing black gloves with red lining, blue ranger jacket and blue pants who was holding a plastic bag with a yoghurt drink inside whom she faced at the end of the episode. The other wearing black gloves, coat and pants who faced the sensor camera while tailing her, and was later seen in the preview dismantling the camera, appears to be the killer., since the glove KHJ saw pushing her had no red lining. If so, who was the person whom LDW greeted in (fake?) relief? Could it be Capt. Jo who is on the trail of the killer and undoing his traps (removing yellow ribbons and yoghurt drinks from the mountain)? From Ep9 preview, it would seem that LDW left a recording of a conversation, which I can only presume to be between her and the killer. I wonder just how much the killer knows. From the looks of it, the killer is aware that LDW is working with SYG and setting up motion sensor cameras. However, I am not sure if he is in the know about the markers KHJ is leaving, since the markers in the 2 locations she went were dismantled. Could they have been dismantled by her in the first place so that they would be able to tell if a new one was erected? Still, it does appear that my question to why LDW could suddenly see KHJ's spirit is now answered, which is to serve as a precursor to the impending threat on her life. I truly fear for her but take some solace in the fact that there are those who saw him but managed to survive the attempt on their life one way or another. As such, fingers crossed that she too will somehow escape with her life. Meanwhile, we have seen that KHJ's spirit appears to be bound by the spiritless days law, being unable to roam during those days. We do not know yet the consequence of his obvious struggle to rise when he perceived LDW to be in danger. Will it result in more physical injuries? At the moment, I doubt the killer is aware of any otherworldly intervention to his evil plans. However, if he does realise it, will he change his MO to only strike during those days, leaving KHJ unable to intervene or leave any signs for SYG to follow? We shall see. Is it Saturday yet?

@Chocolate It wasn't the old banner that was lit outside the storage shack but discarded Styrolution GPPS bags. As such, KHJ's vision must be of the fire in the mountain, which makes me afraid who the victim(s) are this time round. Interesting information about skeletonization. This would also explain why YGT's skeletal remains were found in 2020 despite only being missing for a month. In which case, could the body SYG came upon in the fire be that of LSW's?

OST Part 5 is released - Lee Sora's "In Color"... have been eagerly awaiting its release since hearing it at the end of Ep7 last night.

@Chocolate That doesn't sound very promising. Hopefully there aren't too many loose ends to make it incomprehensible. Will find out once I finish the last 3 episodes, whenever that is!

Okay, talk about shooting oneself in the foot. HJH's big reveal is a massive shock, especially for himself. To be told he was the one who killed his colleagues totally came out of left field. After leading us step by step, convincing us (and himself) that Dep. Commr Lee was the mole, and the one who had his team killed, only to find that he was the one who did it, came out of left field. So what exactly are we missing? Am I now to conclude that everything that happened has to do with politics, and Dep Commr Lee's actions are to wrestle back control for the organisation after being used all these years as tools by those in political power, and left to shoulder the aftermath without any defence for themselves? What exactly is that last step that he was referring to? Is he planning to use his manipulation of the public via Planet to dictate to the political powers what he wants from them, rather than be their lackey? If so, how does Ri Dong Chul's killing benefit him? A year ago, Sangmuhoe's cooperation with BMS involved exposing their agents in China and North Korea, and forcing RDC to defect. Was RDC killed because he refused to cooperate, and HJH's team silenced since they were in the know? Yet from what we have seen, KDW was the one who killed RDC. If so, why did HJH end up the one killing them? Likewise, how is CCW involved in this part of the killing? CCW was a test subject for ZIP which was supposed to treat PTSD. I have a feeling HJH was also a test subject for the same drug due to his childhood trauma over his parents' killing. I now wonder whether subliminal messages were planted in HJH through the drug, which resulted in the actions he took. If so, who was the one who gave the order? Was it really Dep Commr. Lee? Or is it someone else? BMS said the same words as CCW when referring to HJH's past. Was he somehow involved in this? The showdown between BMS and Dep Commr Do feels anti-climatic despite the explosions and shootings. To be honest, does it make sense that they would meet each other in broad daylight in an open space where snipers could be parked anywhere? Regardless of the getaway arrangements, it still boggles the mind that these two master agents would agree to a meeting at an exposed place like this. BMS is clearly ruthless and takes no prisoners, even if it means sacrificing his own people, and it would appear he is back for vengeance. Is his target Dep. Commr Do, or Dep Commr Lee, or is it the entire NIS? What was the deal he had with Sangmuhoe a year ago? Did Sangmuhoe provide the list to him, hoping to cripple Foreign Intelligence by the loss of their agents? What then did he have to gain? Was it his goal then, to see the two bureaus brought down to its knees? I still come back to CCW. From what I understand, Sangmuhoe is a private organisation of retired agents. If so, how can CCW be a part of that organisation, when he was acknowledged to be an active black agent? Was he infiltrating the organisation to get to BMS? Yet how did he know before then that the two would cooperate? Oh, so it was Dir. Kang after all at the resort. It still doesn't explain what exactly SSY had to do for him in conflict with her scruples, that left her trying to desperately right her missteps, losing her life in the process. As for CCW's picture of Vellani resort, unless we learn otherwise, I can only conclude that it is just a clumsy (and lazy) way of trying to keep the viewers guessing, which is disappointing. 3 more episodes to go. Dare I say that it took me quite a while to get through these last 2 episodes when the pace dropped with shift of focus to the internal manoeuvrings of the NIS. Hopefully it will pick up in the last 3. Fingers crossed.

Once again, the end of Ep5 proves to be deliberate misdirection, and Ep7 shatters any hope that we might have had that SYG did see KHJ's figure via the drone. Still, with the sensor cameras she has LDW install in strategic locations all over the mountain, there is hope that she will be able to see and perhaps hear him one day. Certainly it is possible for him to hear her via the walkie-talkie, so perhaps with LDW as the intermediary, they will be able to work together to finally bring an end to the killings. Is that what it takes for KHJ to finally be free? Is that the reason he is trapped in the mountain, since his visions started after Sgt Kim's death? Are we then to assume that Sgt Kim's death is the very first of the killings? Questions questions. So my theory back in Ep4 about KHJ's spirit only able to manipulate and touch things native to Mt Jiri is correct after all. Also, now we know that each time he attempts to touch anything apart from what is from the mountain, his physical body suffers consequences which may prove fatal for him in the end. What I don't understand is why he could not cross the hanging bridge to Haedong ranger station, unless that bridge itself marks the border that leads out of Mt. Jiri, which he could never leave, and the station is at the outskirts of the mountain? I am also curious why LDW could see him this time, but could not previously. Was she able to hear him? What circumstances allow some to see him, some to only see the after-effect of his movements, and others not at all. Also, how is it the sensor cameras did not show any glitches in KHJ's presence, but the drone footage did? Hopefully this will be explained down the road. KHJ is now clearly the next intended victim, with his belongings rummaged, and his notes at the station pored over. I think it pretty much safe to say that the core Haedong / Bidam team are very much in the clear, including team leader PIH since all of them were in the thick of fire-fighting and later recuperating at the shelter when the killer tailed and later trapped KHJ in the warehouse. Those without an alibi would be Capt. Jo, Officer Kim and Kim Sol. While Capt. Jo would be obvious since we already know he was at the station with KHJ, I am still not convinced, knowing what we do of him 12 years prior. Nor is Officer Kim on my list of suspects as he was at the station interrogating LYS's grandpa and arrived at LSW's home with another officer after the book was removed by the mastermind. My money is still on Kim Sol who drove KHJ back to the station. Despite him saying that he was going to join the mop-up operations after that, we have not seen any footage of him along with the rest of the team, and it is very likely he laid in wait until KHJ came rushing out and tailed him to the warehouse. Mere speculations for now of course. At the moment, I don't believe that the fire on the mountain is due to deliberate arson by the killer, but an act of negligence on the part of the herb collectors. In that case, what triggered KHJ's vision? SYG found skeletal remains when she fell at the pine tree habitat in Dalgwi Forest. Was it linked to this death? Or is it to forewarn potential deaths due to the fire? Ep7 (and indeed previous eps as well) sometimes feels like a documentary into the life of a ranger - their duties, the collective efforts taken, the risks they take to protect the people and the mountain. Still, I have no complaints about the insight into their lives, as it drives home just what it costs these brave men and women who put their lives on the line, and the hardships they face, from their work as well as the resentment and accusations of those who do not appreciate what they are doing. As such, the hilarious team-building activities is a welcome yet poignant break, as I wonder how much more of such light-hearted moments will we see going into the halfway mark. The one scene that brought me to tears. LDW's words broke my heart... very eloquently summing up KHJ's long lonely wait for her. SYG's reaction is far more muted than I expected hearing those words, but then again she has always had a crusty exterior, and perhaps only time will show us how she really feels inside.

@SnowBlob It is almost mandatory for me to watch at least a 2nd time because I have found that despite always parked in front of the TV at 9PM KST, my live viewing is invariably interrupted by phone calls and other family demands, so there is no hope of watching it properly in one stretch! The upside to all the interruptions is that my family is now drawn to the drama and my girl could hum all 4 songs from the OST since it's been on repeat so often! I joined my mum rewatching Ep1 a few days ago, and still find myself just as emotionally invested this time round, tearing up with YSH's grandmother during the agonising wait, on tenterhooks as the rangers scaled the treacherous terrain in search of the missing boy. Really hope that the remaining 10 episodes will hit the right marks and deliver in every aspect to the end. Sweet potato makgeolli shenanigans cracking up the two JJHs that didn't make it to the BTS: From Ep5 montage: And the official "Yours" MV:

@Chocolate My impression was that JGY literally gave him no choice but to work over Christmas (KHJ himself threw SYG under the bus when first approached!), but if it makes anyone happier, then sure... we can see it that way too I must say I only notice the mention of the wife during the 2nd time round as well. Well... all's well that ends well - KHJ is probably dumped by the mysterious Seung A after leaving her high and dry over Christmas, and SYG's first love is taken... so now they are both free to embark on the next chapter of their lives together in whatever capacity they choose!

@SnowBlob Actually there was only 1 victim in Ep5 and none in Ep6, unless you were referring to LSW's list? We are only acquainted with 4 of the 7 that he listed - the 1st one being Sgt Kim who died from yoghurt poisoning, followed by 3 whose fate KHJ heard of in the news after Sgt Kim's passing. The last 3 are Granny Geum-rye, the herb collector who died due to the potato bomb, and Yangsun. As for the mastermind crossing off Yangsun's name and adding KHJ's, it could be that she was already drawing too much attention and with LSW missing, the killer wanted to avoid alerting them to the fact that there is a second killer. Pure conjecture of course. Interesting observation about the lottery girl. I am not quite convinced that she transformed herself into LDW within a year, but I do find it unusual that we have been seeing her at random places, which makes me suspect that we have not seen the last of her, and there is more to her than that meets the eye. Will she be a future victim, the latest murderous recruit, or just someone whose life is changed by the people she meets on the mountain? Or am I just overthinking it (as usual!). Time will tell.

Ep6 is a shift in pace, a momentary respite with a leisurely walk down memory lane into SYG's past interspaced with the present threat ostentatiously from the person she loved. While the slowdown and Christmassy feels initially threw me off, I came to appreciate the deliberate dialing back of the episode. By taking a step back, we take time to learn a little more about the characters apart from their jobs - the perseverance of a man in love finally paying off, a couple embarking on a budding relationship after so many missteps, a new father moved to tears at the first sight of his child. Their joy is infectious and moving, and I rejoiced along with them in their happiness. Likewise, SYG and KHJ's Christmas spent at Bidam Shelter, though cut short by sweet potato makgeolli and another rehash of her exploits from 6 years old onwards, enabled him to understand the real reason she could not bring herself to leave the mountain. However, we know that these are short-lived. The JGY of 2020 is markedly distant and hostile towards SYG, a far cry from the man we know, while we have not seen any sign of LYS and PIL, all of which makes me desperately afraid that either one or both of them failed to survive. As for SYG's past, rather than the story of her first love, her job interview moves me immeasurably more, Capt Jo's wise words giving the aimless, hurting young woman purpose and healing... bringing her back where she belonged. In this one brief scene, we are privy to the kind of man Capt. Jo is - seeing beyond her bravado to the pain she never expressed, perceptively pinpointing the real reason she kept running away - not because she hated being stuck in that place, but because she feared seeing more lives claimed by the mountain she loved, just as it did her parents. He addressed her fears directly - offering her a lifeline that she should do what he failed to do for her parents in the past, and prevent her parents' fate from befalling anyone else on the mountain. And in doing so, SYG found her calling and renewed love for the mountains. This speaks volumes of the man, his obvious compassion and wisdom, and this one scene is far more effective in making me re-consider the suspicions that have been cast upon him over the past few episodes. Yet, we also see that 12 years hence, he is all alone during the Christmas season save for his ramyun and soju, a lonely figure bereft of family in his home. Was it always that way or did something happen to have triggered such a drastic change in him, if indeed he had changed? There is also the other possibility that Capt. Jo himself is aware of the killings and is either protecting the killer, or trying to stay one step ahead of him, such as removing the misleading ribbons before it guides another hapless hiker to their deaths. Questions questions. KHJ has not had any visions in the two months after LSW's disappearance, whose body clearly had not been found during this time. Is the temporary lull due to the loss of the accomplice who has been effectively silenced, or is the mastermind just lying low until attention has shifted from the case? We know that the killings will start again, so either the mastermind recruited someone new by then, or personally took over. The last question - who is the mysterious Seung A whom KHJ was supposed to have a Christmas date with? Totally unrelated to the plot, but the depiction of how the rangers go, often above and beyond the call of duty to save the lives under their care evokes so much respect and awe. JGY and SYG's protective stance over the cardiac arrest victim as the helicopter arrives is one such eloquent example without the need of an emotionally charged narrative, and I teared up watching it. The episode ended on a warm, happy note for once, but as I should have expected, we are brought back to harsh reality with the preview for Ep7 that KHJ's physical body is failing, and may not have much time left. And my heart aches for them all over again. The official MV for Jin's "Yours", including scenes yet unseen, promising more heartache down the road:

@Chocolate Thank you for the sneak peek. Looks like the photo taken by JGY would be the one SYG showed the herb collector in the hospital... Poor JGY is clearly still stumped for ideas... Penguin Swimming Festival in the winter sea not much of an improvement from the Mud Festival! Hopefully one day his persistence pays off though I am suddenly afraid, because in 2020, there is no sign of Yangsun, and there was a footage from the highlight video where we see his devastation, which could mean that she did not survive to present day?