Notable Actors/Actresses
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[Cast&Crew]
Yoo Yeon-seok: Baek Sa-eon
Chae Soo-bin: Hong Hee-joo
Hangul Title Translation
The Number You Have Dialed
The Number You Have Dialed
Recapper: FanFanX
Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 4.06/5
First Impression: 4.06/5
Cast
 |
 |
| Yoo Yeon-seok: Baek Sa-eon |
Chae Soo-bin: Hong Hee-joo |
 |
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| Heo Nam-jun: Ji Sang-woo | Jang Gyu-ri: Na Yu-ri |
Romcom / Romance Checklist
How much of the plot is angst/romance?
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
The ML:
Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Tsundere / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General /The FL:
Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Depressed / Falls in Love First / Better Than ML / Noble Idiot / Describe the Relationship (the tropes):
Annoying Love (F/M) Rival+++ / Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Friends to Lovers / Harem / Hidden Identity / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Secretly in Love (F/ML) / School to Adulthood / Star-Crossed Lovers
Relationship Progress (officially together; first (official) kiss; breakup*):
Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11* / 12 # of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Ending:
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad / Rushed+++FanFanX: Living out my past romance paperback fantasies. 🤭
- Baek Sa-eon and Hong Hee-joo have been married (of convenience) for three years and don't talk much as she's mute. She works as a sign language interpreter, while he's the youngest presidential spokesman from an influential family.
- Hee-joo gets kidnapped and when the kidnapper calls, Sa-eon treats it as a prank call and even hangs up on him! Kidnapper calls back and says he’ll kill her unless he complies with the ransom. Sa-eon replies that he won’t deal with a ransom and hangs up on him once again.
- Now the kidnapper tries to choke her even as she's driving. He then cuts her on the neck before calling her husband again. This time Sa-eon tells him to go ahead and to call him when there’s a corpse. He hangs up on him a third time which truly infuriates the kidnapper.
- Kidnapper calls again but Sa-eon has been pulled away to deal with a work emergency.
- Hee-joo continues driving until the car hits a bump, spins out of control and manages to knock out the kidnapper.
- Her husband returns to his phone and decides to get the call traced. He speeds home like a maniac and finds her after she's showered, covered up her cut, and quietly seething as she's putting together her dinner. He’s secretly relieved to see that she’s alive while she’s secretly fuming.
- Three years ago. He gave her prenup terms on their wedding day:
1) She cannot initiate a divorce.
2) Especially not during the election period.
3) She’s not to publicly disclose her name or face as his wife.
Any violation results in a penalty of 2B won. So their wedding became a private affair as he’d known that she was sent to him as a hostage. - During their next work outing, Sa-eon receives a call from the kidnapper who tells him that he’ll hurt his wife, and vividly describes the venue. Sa-eon starts panicking and runs to look for the kidnapper now. Kidnapper goes on about who his wife should be (Hong In-a), versus who she (Hong Hee-joo) is… and how he’ll hurt her. He’s told to get rid of his wife and be with his intended wife.
- Heol... This time, the caller is actually Hee-joo as she's using the kidnapper's phone with its voicemod software. The previous day, she’d been so angry that she'd crashed the car and then stolen the kidnapper’s phone. She’s pretending to be mute?!
- She tries to goad him into agreeing to leave Hee-joo but he refuses as she’s “his person”. She asks if he knows what happened to his precious person yesterday – choked, grabbed by the hair and had a knife held to her throat. She suddenly hears a loud thud. He then quietly says “Forget about getting arrested, 406. I promise to catch you.” Her timer goes off and she quickly hangs up the call. Meanwhile… Sa-eon has a bloody fist from punching the wall.
- A visibly upset Sa-eon corners Hee-joo to ask if she was hurt. He then checks her body himself for the bruises and cuts as 406 mentioned.
- He later checks out her car. But she's much more concerned about the dashcam exposing her voice but there's nothing on the chip.
- Later, Hee-joo runs into a college friend, Ji Sang-woo and Sa-eon receives photo evidence of their interaction. (~22:00) Jealous husband mode unlocked. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
- Sa-eon wants the sign language interpreter position at the presidential office filled… CEO-esque behavior also unlocked. ㅋㅋ
- Hee-joo / 406 calls Sa-eon and then sends a photo of her own stockinged thighs. When he doesn’t recognize it, she taunts him about not knowing about his own wife’s unique [red] mole. He says it’s a fake photo… and she angrily tells him to check for himself and then hangs up on him. *snicker* She really didn’t mean for that to happen...
- Na Yu-ri and Sang-woo meet-cute: He saves her from a fangirls’ stampede as her heel gets caught on the sidewalk, and she accidentally spills her hot coffee all over his arm. He’s also the guest appearing on her show.
- Hee-joo visits her father at the nursing home, and he seems to be living in the past. When he talks about her dream of being an anchorwoman, she starts sobbing about how miserable she’s been living in In-a’s shadow, pretending to be mute, and not even knowing who she is anymore. T_T
- Sa-eon won’t let 406 lead the calls and answers the call just to hang up on her. She angrily calls back and he tells her to wait for him. She calls back but there’s no answer. After waiting a while, she calls again but still no answer.
- She goes home to wait for him... and when she wakes up in the morning, it appears that he never came home last night. So she turns on the news and learns about his workplace explosion. Just as she’s fretting about when she did this, a filthy and bloody Sa-eon barges in. He backs her onto the dining table and then sets her down. He then reaches down to lift her skirt…
- Epilogue: Three Years Ago. In-a had told him to call off their wedding or else she’d expose all of his family’s secrets. He’d asked about Hee-joo being engaged to another man, which In-a confirms as being true as Hee-joo's mother would sell her to that piece of trash. So he’d asked for the wedding to move forward with Hee-joo as his bride. O_o
- He wants to know who the real Hee-joo is and tries to return to trying to check out her thigh. He grabs her and dumps her onto her bed and he tries to continue...But she shoves him off to ask what he’s doing right now. They’re interrupted by a call from his right-hand man, Hong Do-jae.
- This amazingly awkward lunch with Sa-eon, Hee-joo… and their “love rivals.” Jealousy meter elevated.
- Sa-eon and Hee-joo have known each other for 20 years. But now he thinks that he doesn’t know her as well as he’d thought as he didn’t know anything about this Sang-woo.
- Later when he returns home, he grabs her the beer and ice cream she wanted. And then tells her that he won’t divorce her as he won’t let his name be dragged through mud.
- And he’s sleeping in her bed with her tonight as he’s worried about their safety.
- Flashback. Young Hee-joo was in a car accident with her sister and brother. She wakes up and her mother tells her to not make a sound as her husband’s biological son is now dead and his daughter is deaf. So if she makes a sound, they’ll both get kicked out...“[as] not every life holds the same value, Hee-joo. We can only stay if the Chairman feels sorry for us.” O_O
- Kidnapper calls her and wants her to keep using his phone to get the divorce she wants. He then shows her her father's freshly pulled teeth and warns her that she can’t back out in the middle of this. She rushes to the nursing home and her father delivers a message from the kidnapper: “Call, call, call him. Eonni a.”
- While in the squad car to give her statement, Hee-joo starts dry-heaving at the thought of the kidnapper being so close to someone she cares about. She manages to get out of the care and falls in a heap to sob on the sidewalk. (~1:03:27)
- Suddenly, Sa-eon arrives loudly with his police escorts. He then gets out of his car to stalk towards Hee-joo… (~1:04:00) *fans self*
- He tells them to leave and he'll give them the statement later. When the officers ask who he is, he says that they’re family. He then helps her stand and further clarifies that she’s his wife… She stares up at him.
- Sa-eon explains that he's listed as one of the contacts for her father, who he'll have moved to a different nursing home. She starts crying and he marvels that she’s able to make sounds. He then offers her his handkerchief and lets her cry as much as she wants to.
- Later, Sa-eon’s father disparages Hee-joo in front of Sa-eon, so he confronts his father about filming him en route to dinner and then goes to walk out. When his father throws a glass at him, Sa-eon pulls Hee-joo out of harm’s way. Sa-eon tells his father that he isn’t interested in becoming a stepping stone to help his father become the next president.
- During the interpreter interviews, Sa-eon shows up in the flesh and repeatedly tests Hee-joo.
- Sa-eon also had a miserable childhood with his family, as he had to play his part to stay in the Baek family. (~46:00)
- From Yu-ri, Sa-eon learns that Jang-woo is an orphan at the place that Hee-joo once worked at. He then receives a call from 406 to take care of get rid of Hee-joo before In-a returns. [She's already back.] He replies that the last person In-a saw was him, as he’d made a deal with her so In-a can never become his wife.
- 406 asks him why he keeps Hee-joo around as she’s gloomy, lacking social skills and just… supplementary pages that came with In-a. She hates rich families yet succumbed to money and became a coward.
BSE: Hee-joo isn’t gloomy. She’s observing her surroundings. She doesn’t lack social skills. In general, people are rude to her first. Also, she didn’t succumb to money. She just loved her mother. There was a time when I hated to eat or speak with my mouth. I was surrounded by greedy, noisy and bothersome people. And she was the most quiet. When I stared at her… strangely, I could breathe easily. What did you say? Supplementary pages? If you don’t know, listen carefully 406. Hee-joo isn’t supplementary pages. She’s a brand-new language. She’s repeated the same hand movements thousands of times to become who she is. People don’t know that. So don’t talk about my wife like that.
- 406 tearfully asks why did he treat her like she was invisible? If he knows her so well, why did he do that? Why tell her to not think that they were a couple. But then he finds her on the rooftop with the phone to her ear.
- Epilogue: At the police station. After giving the report and having a photo op with the fanboy police officer, Sa-eon learns that she had screamed in the car… He then watches the in-car cam footage and listens to her panicked voice screaming to be let out of the car.
- He finds it quite curious that when her brother died, her sister became deaf and somehow Hee-joo has had selective mutism for 20 years now.
- Back to the present. On the rooftop, she ends up slipping off of the bench and he catches her. He then admonishes her for being so close to edge and if she’d been trying to kill herself. He wonders why she was on the phone too… Just as she’s leaving, Do-jae calls to tell him that the call has been traced and 406 is here with them right now.
- Hee-joo gets the job! She mulls over what to text her husband and after a few drafts… she accidentally sends 😍. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ He notices and becomes quite distracted from his meeting and even readily agrees to have the company retreat… for the sign language interpreters. He really wants to ask why she sent that and instead sends a simple message congratulating her on passing. She thanks him and then offers to treat him to a meal. He wonders what to get her… and ends up ordering her to meet somewhere after work. CEO vibes be vibin’.
- Shopping time. She gets a simple navy suit... and doesn't like the other (light blue) dress he picked out for her. Outside a second shop, he notices a gorgeous black and white dress. When she appears in it, it makes him pause on his call with Do-jae about 406 being a woman.
- They then end up at dinner with Yu-ri and Sang-woo... which gets very awkward when Yu-ri points out Sang-woo's crush on Hee-joo. She ends the men's bickering and suddenly leaves the restaurant.
- Then 406 calls Sa-eon who says that he refuses to let Hee-joo go. As he's walking, he starts saying that his true feelings for Hee-joo are – but an oncoming car starts speeding towards him. Hee-joo screams his name and runs towards him and then pushes him out of harm’s way. Afterwards, he badges her up and admonishes her for injuring her hands as her hands are precious for her line of work.
- Later, she receives a call from the kidnapper… who has the most annoying way of saying eonni, who taunts her about how he’d been the one who tried to run over Sa-eon. He wants the divorce to happen and to destroy Sa-eon.
- Sa-eon now wants to learn sign language from Hee-joo for QA at work, but it’s really due to Sang-woo already has that advantage. 😏
- He later shows off at their team dinner by cooking all the gogi and then signing what he just learned from her: “Looking forward to working with everyone.” 😅
- Later, Sa-eon asks for the audio of Hee-joo’s voice from in-car footage to be compared to 406’s. He then becomes quite drunk and Hee-joo just barely manages to get him inside their home before the two collapse together in a heap on the floor.
- Sa-eon gets the results: 406 and Hee-joo’s voices are a 99.99% match.
- Hee-joo meets up with In-a... who is no longer deaf. She even magnanimously allows her to speak now. 😤 She had known that Hee-joo wasn't allowed to speak because of her. And she'd let it continue as she hadn’t wanted to fall apart and suffer alone. 👀
- On their next nightly call, Sa-eon admits to having nightmares as a boy, and what had calmed him was watching the girl who practiced sign language every night. He’d thought he’d taken her out of her prison to live freely but he’d never imagined that he’d created a new prison for her instead.
- He later says that if Hee-joo wants sincerity, attention, understanding and affection, he’ll give it all, everything to her. If it’s what she wants, he’ll give it to her. He’d kept her by his side knowing that one day he’d have to set her free. He’d been cruel to avoid further attachment to her. (~26:00)
- For the company retreat, Sa-eon gets these special lunch boxes for everyone… But he becomes super jealous when he sees another man sitting next to Hee-joo and even flings the man's gift of coffee. (~34:00)ㅋㅋ
- During the games, he insists on being paired with Hee-joo. He’s so terrible that she has to lead. ㅋㅋㅋ Eventually, they win and he celebrates by grabbing her and swinging her around in his arms as he’s forgotten where they are. (~49:00) What he wants for their victory prize: A photo together. (~50:00) Kyeopta!
- After the strenuous hike, they finally get to the vista point and stay for a group photo. But Sa-eon is recognized by strangers who all want photos with him. Hee-joo moves out of the way and silently falls over the railing and down Clifford. But she'd been shoved by someone!
- Night falls as a frantic Sa-eon also continues looking (rescue teams are here, too) for her. He finally gets the call from 406 (as she’d remembered this phone would only dial out to Sa-eon)…and he answers by saying her name! He quickly changes to calling her 406 and then gives instructions for Hee-joo to look for the first aid kit he’d packed for her, and to ignite the emergency flare.
- An injured Hee-joo slowly reaches over to grab the bag while Sa-eon frets about her being cold, thirsty and… She finally manages to ignite it and he starts running towards the bright beacon. He yells that she tells Hee-joo not to worry as he’s on his way.
- Epilogue: That night on the floor. She asks drunk Sa-eon what his true feelings were. He quietly whispers her name and then admits that he likes her. So she remains right next to him on the cold hard floor, and then falls asleep against his chest.
- Hee-joo finally wakes up with a relieved Sa-eon but he gets up to find the doctor. She grabs onto him and tells him “don’t go” twice! (~5:30) Their eyes show everything… Sa-eon now has the kidnapper’s phone. However, she decides to not speak again. He says either way, he’ll continue taking care of her. And when he carries her back to the hospital bed: “I like it. I like feeling your heartbeat.” 💀
- In-a knows the biggest secret [not related to Baek family] about Sa-eon, and assumes that Hee-joo’s mother had sent the DNA results to her. She also wants to help Hee-joo.
- Sang-woo saves Yu-ri again… from a revolving door. ㅋㅋ
- Hee-joo wants tteokbokki, fried chicken and something sweet, but Sa-eon refuses as it's not good for her health. ㅋㅋ He’s also staying the night with her, and even washes and dries her hair.(~31:20)
- After she falls asleep, he goes outside and waits for a call from 406… Next level flirting. He wants to work together to catch the real culprit. Press release with kidnapper’s face.
- Later, Hee-joo gets a threatening call and text messages from the kidnapper. Sa-eon finds her cowering in fear. So they sleep together on that small hospital bed.
- Eventually, Hee-joo calls her husband from 406 phone… she suggests they meet as she's decided that she's not running away anymore or letting him struggle alone any longer.
- He sends her to the amusement park. She hasn't been here since her brother's death as they'd been en route to the park that day. She goes to the carousel and rides it as directed. She calls him as he's still nowhere to be seen. He tells her to meet him at the ice cream stand, but he isn't there and she's handed a cone to enjoy on her own. When she's done, she calls him and asks where he is again. He tells her to look at what's in front of her. The great big tower and so she heads there... still no one there.
HHJ: Are you coming? I'm waiting for you.
BSE: What do you see in front of you?"
HHJ: In front of me? I came up. But there's no one here.
BSE: Just wait.
HHJ: What are you doing?
BSE: I'm getting you to relax. I've been waiting for the moment to meet you too. I don't want to see you looking all stiff.
HHJ: Don't get your hopes up. You'll probably wish you never saw me at all.
BSE: I guess you're not confident.
HHJ: Are you confident you won't be surprised to see me? I don't think so. You'll be shocked...and disappointed. So, you might end up feeling lonely.
BSE: Are you...worried about me right now?
HHJ: No.... I'm worried about myself. [I'm worried about seeing you... like that.]
BSE: I swear, you don't listen. I'm sure I told you. Underestimating yourself is a bad habit. How should I... fix that for you, Hong Hee-joo? He appears right next to her.
HHJ: [Turns around and drops her phone in shock.]
BSE: [Picks up her phone.] Thank you...for all your hard work, 406.
HHJ: You...knew everything? Since when? No... If you knew, why didn't you...
BSE: Why didn't I what?
HHJ tearfully: Why didn't you hate me?
BSE: Tell me...Hong Hee-joo, tell me how to hate you. Tell me how to not love you.
He walks closer and then wipes the tears from her cheeks. He then leads down to kiss her gently and then it deepens. (~1:06:00) This kiss. 🔥 He pauses and looks at her before returning to kiss her again… Melting screen! Halp.
- Hee-joo wakes up from a bad dream about Sa-eon going missing. So she runs to check on him and barges into his room, where he’s dead asleep until she strokes his face. She turns to leave but he pulls her down into his arms. She talks about imagining their lives, living an ordinary life as a couple. (~17:00) Rita 🐶 cameo! She asks how long he's had feelings for her. He replies that it was her long ago… but he won’t tell her exactly when.
- After receiving texts from the kidnapper, Hee-joo asks Sang-woo about seeing the house where the missing orphans went into and then never came out of. At the same house, Sa-eon has received a message declaring that they know he’s the murderer.
- As they're driving back, Hee-joo receives a call but Sang-woo tells her to answer it. She asks what he means by that, and he says that someone else besides him must know that she can speak. They’re loudly interrupted by a car honking at them. It’s Sa-eon, who swings around to cut him off on the road. Sang-woo is forced to stop, and watches an angry Sa-eon get out and stalk towards them. Hee-joo goes to open her door and Sang-woo tries to stop her but she opens the door and willingly leaves with Sa-eon who places her inside his car before walking back to tell Sang-woo to stay away from her, and to stop digging into the missing children’s case. Sa-eon tells him that he's suspicious about him as everything started happening after he appeared. Sang-woo asks who he is to demand this at all.
- Hee-joo had gone to see Sang-woo about the case because she’d been scared to lose him, if he’d known about her discovering whatever his secret was. She finally tells him about her bad dream about him disappearing. (~38:00) She asks him to tell her everything, not to hide anything from him. If he knew she was 406 and didn’t abandon her, then… they can show each other their worst and make it even. He replies if something happens to him and the Baek Sa-eon she’s known disappears from this world, the only Baek Sa-eon he wants to leave behind is the one that belongs to her, Hong Hee-joo.
- Sa-eon and Hee-joo have a private conversation (using sign language) in a full elevator at work. (~57:00) Cracking up at the one for smile. Angry Bird → Smiling Husband. ㅋㅋ
- Yeong-woo gleefully closes the blinds on Do-jae to give Sa-eon a phone message from a man at a fishing shop: “He’s alive.” The call came from a fishing business.
- Long ago, Sa-eon had seen something he shouldn’t have at night: A man trying to drown a child in a lake. He arrives at the shop and finds the man from his memory laying on the floor, and then the place bursts into flames.
- Hee-joo wonders where Sa-eon as he hasn’t returned after work like he'd told her he would. She worried calls and texts him but doesn't hear back. She then has a surprise visitor: In-a, who shows her Sa-eon's DNA results.
- Epilogue: Company retreat photos. Hee-joo tears up at the small smile lingering on Sa-eon’s lips whenever he’s looking at her.
- When In-a tells her that she doesn’t have to be fooled and stay married to Sa-eon, Hee-joo replies that it’s her choice as she actually chose him. Her sister is taken back by her speaking voice, and tells her that her voice is very pretty. She also adds that she thought it was always nice to be called eonni by her. She continues to surprise me. Hee-joo wonders what Sa-eon’s real name is, and In-a remembers meeting 15-year-old him but not before then.
- A worried Hee-joo wants to his parents to report him missing but they won't go for it. Later she receives the news that he's at the hospital. She rushes there and Sang-woo tells her that he’s been in surgery for two hours now.
- Sang-woo had gone to the fishing shop to ask Jeong Jin-seok [the fish shop owner] about the missing children. He’d gotten thrown out and driven away. But he’d seen Sa-eon driving towards the shop, so he'd turned the car around and followed him. He'd then discovered the shop engulfed in flames and gone in to save both men.
- Jeong Jin-seok (who changed his name from Jeong Sang-hun) is the man who originally raised hee-joo's Sa-eon. As a child, Sa-eon had watched Baek Grandpa drown the real Baek Sa-eon… And then he’d been forced to live as Baek Sa-eon.
- Sa-eon finally wakes up as he hears his wife’s voice telling him “it’s okay” over and over. He later sees her text messages and phone calls wondering why he's late coming home.
- Back at home, Hee-joo finally locates the kidnapper's phone in his room and heads to the police station. But Sa-eon arrives to stop her and takes the phone back from her and tries to steer her away from the station.
HHJ: For once, I want to protect you. So that you never suffer... or get hurt again.
BSE: You know what? You could get hurt and be in danger if you stay with me. But I'm asking you to stay by my side because I can't let you go. You still don't get it? I lived because of you. I endured because of you. He hugs her. Hong Hee-joo. Even if I'm not the Baek Sa-eon you knew, does it not matter.
HHJ shaking her head: It didn't matter to you either. Whether I was the Hong Hee-joo who couldn't speak or could speak, even when I was 406, you knew but it didn't matter. She gently strokes his face. I'm happy to finally know the real you. No. I'm sorry for realizing it so late. He hugs her. (~35:00) - Yu-ri discovers an injured Sang-woo and takes him out for a meal. She's wondering who is trying to cover up their investigation into the missing children's story, and why.
- Jeong Jin-seok finally wakes up. Back then, he'd secretly saved the real Baek Sa-eon (who had lost all of his memories) and also taken care of the other black bags as ordered by Grandpa Baek. He gives him the location of these bags.
- Hee-joo and Sa-eon appear together on air for work, and her father watches with pride at seeing them together on one screen. Afterwards, he learns from his reporter friend, Jang Hyeok-jin that one of the missing children was a twin. He finds out who the surviving twin is.
- Sa-eon calls Hee-joo and Do-jae but neither are answering as she's unconscious inside Do-jae's car. He's drugged her. Meanwhile, Sa-eon learns that Park Do-jae's previous name was Yun Min-seong, the surviving twin.
- Hee-joo has a dream about the two of them living a normal life: Waking up together, arguing about toothpaste, and going on camping and picnic dates.
- Back to reality. Do-jae is the "Master" that the kidnapper has been texting with. Too late, he realizes that the kidnapper is the real Baek Sa-eon that he should have been seeking revenge on, instead of working with him.
- Thinking it's Hee-joo, Sa-eon opens the black bag on a boat and finds a wet and bloodied Do-jae instead. Sa-eon demands to know where his wife is, and finds out that the kidnapper is here. He sees the car with the kidnapper in the driver's seat and Sa-eon screams her name. She finally wakes up and makes him crash to a halt. She climbs out of the car and runs towards Sa-eon. Kidnapper tries to run them over but only manages to crash.
- Sa-eon drags him out of the car and demands to know what he wants. He'll give him the name, title, everything. But then the kidnapper asks what about Hee-joo being his wife. The two men start fighting but kidnapper has a knife. Do-jae manages to get in between them and gets stabbed in the abdomen. Kidnapper limps away and Do-jae tells Sa-eon to go after him. Sa-eon stays with the wounded Do-jae until the authorities arrive. Do-jae had thought that fake Sa-eon had killed his twin brother. He’d been the one who had shoved Hee-joo down that cliff. He now realizes that he's been on the wrong path. However, Sa-eon still needs Do-jae’s help to catch the true murderer, the real Baek Sa-eon and take down everyone involved in this covered-up crime and tragedy, including himself.
- Sang-woo helps with identifying personal effects belonging to three of the missing boys. Later Do-jae identifies the fourth boy as his brother. [Park Da-on cameos as young Do-jae.]
- Hong Yu-jin (In-a and Hee-joo's late brother) had seen the face of young Sa-eon. Soon thereafter, the car accident happened, and then the real Sa-eon had also disappeared.
- Hee-joo finally stands up to her mother and screams at her to stop gaslighting her and trying to control her. Later, In-a realizes who sent the DNA results to her the night before the wedding.
- Sa-eon returns home to a candlelit path to her in the dress he’d picked out for her. She gives him their wedding vows in the same manner he’d given her his before… by shoving him back onto the couch. She says that she knows that he’s loved her “way before” three years ago… as he’d been the one who had sent the DNA results to In-a. She also has the text messages between himself and In-a, proving that he'd wanted her as his wife always. She then proposes to him. He says no, as once all of this is all over, he’ll propose to her. Then he kisses her and kisses her... (~41:30) This is the way to use spinning camera angles... at this speed. 😏
- Back then, In-a’s father had found out who had caused the car accident and confronted Grandpa Baek at gunpoint. But they’d come to a deal: A life for a life, and In-a’s father would keep his money (investment) in Baek family… In the present, Grandpa's memorial service is interrupted by In-a’s father as he's now learned that the real Baek Sa-eon is still alive. Suddenly a fire breaks out. Sa-eon speeds over there but it's too late as Hee-joo has gone missing.
- Kidnapper calls him and says he’ll really kill his wife now as he holds a knife against her throat and forces her to drive. Kidnapper blames him for watching him suffer that night. Hee-joo tells him to not come as she wants to protect him. She then tearfully says that she loves him so very much… right before she accelerates and crashes into the guard rail.
- They've found the car in the lake but neither kidnapper nor Hee-joo has been located.
- Two days later, a haggard-looking Sa-eon holds a press conference:
a) He’s not the true son of Baek family.
He finishes by pleading for their help in bringing his wife home safely so he can finally make her happy.
b) He’s married with a wife, who has been kidnapped by someone who has been threatening to kill him.
c) He gives his wife’s name, her photo, and what Hee-joo was last seen wearing. - Epilogue: The fiery couch.
BSE: Why was I born? If I have to live someone else’s life against my will, why was I born? But I think I found the answer to why I was born and why I had to live as a Baek Sa-eon. It was… to meet you. The two tearfully hug.
- Sa-eon becomes suspicious of his mother's involvement with Hee-joo's disappearance.
- Yu-ri uses the newsdesk to ask the public to help Sa-eon find Hee-joo. At a press conference, Hyeok-jin plays a recording of Do-jae talking about the Baek secret: the real Baek Sa-eon.
- Sim Gyu-jin [Baek Mom] gets arrested for murder. Who did she murder?! Sa-eon has a video recording from Grandpa Baek's ring, from the night he was actually suffocated with a pillow by Sim Gyu-jin. She'd realized that this replacement was actually Grandpa Baek's son. [Makjang territory. Hee-joo's Sa-eon is the real Baek Sa-eon's uncle and brother to his "father."]
- Sim Gyu-jin had Butler Min rescue her true son from car wreckage and imprisoned... along with keeping Hee-joo alive but hidden away to torment her poor fake son. Sim Gyu-jin is exacting revenge for his existence and ruining her life for the past 20+ years. She had also ordered Min to to kill Hee-joo if anything were to happen to her. But he actually sets her free. Then Baek Dad arrives on the scene with a shotgun. Of course his psychotic son manages to escape.
- Hee-joo runs and trips through the woods and finally runs onto the road and stops a car. The driver gets out – it's her Sa-eon who hugs her and then carries her into the car. The police finally arrive and send them on their way. Our couple are then waylaid by the gun-toting kidnapper who gleefully whispers something to Sa-eon and makes him lose his composure and only watches Hee-joo with the most dispirited expression as tears rolls down his cheeks. What did he tell him?!
- Epilogue: What Ifs. If she had verbally told him that she’d liked him for a long time. That since they were kids, after he'd carried her on his back with the red sunset skies. Then they would've gotten closer and spent their Christmas together... leading to quality time on that couch. 😏 But they're interrupted by the acrid smell of something burning – his steaks! (~57:55) ㅋㅋ
- The reality is that her Sa-eon has disappeared as she sits alone in their apartment in the dark with only a lit Christmas tree for light. She can't reach him at all.
- Baek Mom gets sentenced to life in prison. But she can't live with the knowledge that her son is dead (shot by the police) and appeals to ask for the death penalty. Butler Min receives five years in prison for his involvement. Baek Dad shows vulnerability to the press and announces his plans to live as an ordinary plan, and he doesn't win the polls as a presidential candidate.
- Hee-joo visits Do-jae in prison, and then Yeong-woo to learn more about her husband.
- For Christmas, she takes her father to a tonkatsu restaurant at his request. She finds out that he's been here before for a past birthday... with his son-in-law. (~19:00) Her father and Sa-eon. It’s heartbreakingly sweet.
- She returns home to her empty place and In-a drops by. Hee-joo ends up breaking down as she can't and won't forget about Sa-eon.
- Hee-joo receives a call from Argan but the caller doesn't say anything but hangs up. She later receives a letter thanking her for 2B won donation for the international sign language school in Argan, a war-torn made-up country. She also finds out from Hyeok-jin that they'd worked together there, and Sa-eon had been obsessed with the sunsets there. In fact, his phone is full of sunset photos.
- So she goes to Argan and looks for the place with the best sunset, a chapel in Bestin. She gets held at gunpoint and kidnapped and loaded into a truck. A man in black rescues all of them, and takes Hee-joo with him. It's a very buff Sa-eon! (~37:00)
- So what the kidnapper tell him that day? Grandpa Baek (his bio father) had been the one who ordered a hit on her brother Yu-jin. So he’s been punishing himself for ruining her life (her brother, youth and dreams) instead of protecting her as he'd promised to, until he could forgive himself. Noble idiocy. 🤦🏻♀️
HHJ: How much longer do I need to wait? You know it too. We spent more time misunderstanding and drifting apart than cherishing and loving each other. But if I still have to wait, how much longer will it take? If you have to be punished, I should be the one to punish you!
BSE: You're punishing me now. You're right in front of me.. and I want to hold you like crazy. Can't you see I'm holding back?
HHJ: I won't hold back anymore. She reaches up to pull him in for a deep kiss. He tries to resist but ultimately gives in and the two continue passionately kissing which leads to... (~44:40) - The prettiest bedroom scenes as the two are both bathed in sunlight, partially obscured by bedsheets... *wiping glasses* Why does he have so many sunset photos on his phone? Because the sunsets reminded him of her [her red cheek after her mother had slapped her].
- Time Jump. They're married. Again. Today, they're having people over for lunch. ㅋ His new name is Baek Yu-yeon. Only love, so one and only love in this world. *groans* Hyeok-jin's reaction is my mental one. Yeong-woo is the most proud of him for finally becoming a romantic husband. Sang-woo and Yu-ri are getting married!
- Later, Yu-yeon's call with 406. Wae? Because he misses her chilly tone as she threatened him. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He's on his way home back to her...
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Remarks
by FanFanX
Trigger Warning: Abuse, Assault, Cruelty, Kidnapping, Violence
[First Impression (Ep1-)] Big fan of the very versatile Yoo Yeon-seok, who has such expressive eyes (and "angry birds brows" his words. xD) I've watched Chae Soo-bin before but this is actually the first time I've actually enjoyed her performance and can sympathize with her character.
[Cast&Crew]
→ Yoo Yeon-seok: Baek Sa-eon
→ Chae Soo-bin: Hong Hee-joo
→ Heo Nam-jun: Ji Sang-woo
→ Jang Gyu-ri: Na Yu-ri
→ Yoo Sung-joo: Baek Eui-yong [Sa-eon's father]
→ Chu Sang-mi: Sim Gyu-jin [Sa-eon's mother]
→ Choi Kwang-il: Hong Il-gyeong [Hee-joo's stepfather]
→ Oh Hyun-kyung: Kim Yeon-hui [Hee-joo's mother]
→ Han Jae-yi: Hong In-a [Hee-joo's stepsister]
→ Park Won-sang: Na Jin-cheol [Hee-joo's father]
→ Im Chul-soo: Kang Yeong-woo
→ Choi Woo-jin: Park Do-jae
→ Jung Ji-hwan: Jung Won-bin
→ Yang Jo-ah: Han Jin-i
→ Ko Sang-ho: Jang Hyeok-jin [Reporter]
→ Park Jae-yun: Kidnapper
→ Director Park Sang-woo's previous works: Terius Behind Me (2018) and Never Twice (2019).
→ Screenwriter Kim Ji-woon's previous works: Doctor John (2019) and Melancholia (2021).
[Behind the Scenes]
[Spoiler] Per interviews with Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin, the first half will be thriller and second half becomes more focused on their romance. 🙌
Update: Second half barely held up...
[OST] See Comments.
[Ending] Happy but poorly executed.
[A Highlight]
[Review & Rating]