It is the finale episode of Legend of the Blue Sea and it doesn’t disappoint in giving us a proper happy ending. So please join us as we share our last thoughts on episode 20.
Memory swipes are becoming a habit
KMUSE: I admit that I am not a fan that Cheong took everyone’s memories away. Especially Joon Jae’s who said he would leave it up to her whether she erased them or not. Didn’t she understand anything about allowing people to have the pain of love along with the happy? I almost feel like she didn’t learn anything when it came to that concept.
CLKYTTA: I hate that she took everyone’s memories! It’s those noble idiot moments that just drive me crazy. She suffered alone thinking it was the best for everyone. I really liked that they explained how our favorite little girl could still hear her.
Dramarookie: But I was sad that the pint-sized cutie couldn’t be in the future scenes like everyone else. Unless they had an older child play her, and that wouldn’t have been the same.
CLSunbae: Yeah, I wasn’t a fan of this development – for all the reasons mentioned. It showed little growth on her part and it was noble idiocy at it’s worst because it wasn’t like anyone was really better off not remembering her. It felt contrived, like the whole point of it was to create that moment of nervousness when she came back and we were waiting to see how he’d react to her. But they could’ve created that tension in another, more plausible way.
Prosecutor in training Joon Jae
KMUSE: Cop bestie being part of Joon Jae’s life is also perfect. I could watch them being bromantic and drunk for hours. Not to mention Tae Ho trying to stick the coffee cup in his pocket was adorkable. Can we please get that boy a leading role ASAP?
Dramarookie: Luved the coffee cup bit.
CLKYTTA: Joon Jae goes into a career with law. Check. Cop Bestie Bromance is strong. Check. Tae Ho is still adorable and makes me grin so hard my face hurts. Check. Joon Jae’s Mom now has three sons and everyone is one big happy family, well, that deserves hearts instead of checks.
CLSunbae: I LOVED the cop-Joon Jae bromance! I could see the roots of grudging respect when they were working together so I loved that the writer’s followed through on that. I was grinning from ear to ear during that whole scene.
Kim Seul Gi is AWESOME!
KMUSE:There is never a drama that can’t be improved with a Kim Seul Gi cameo… or even a full leading lady role. Grrr… do you hear us international fans, Korea? We love her.
CLKYTTA: I was so happy with this little cameo I went and started watching Splash Splash Love again and pretended like she was going to have a leading role or even a hefty supporting role soon. Everyone loves her, why don’t we see more of her????
Dramarookie: Especially if that leading role is opposite Yoon Doo-Joon. Can you imagine a whole drama with them? Where’s the petition? I’ll sign it!
CLSunbae. *nods head firmly* Yes. To all of this.
Reunited
KMUSE: It was hard to get past the new Cheong outfit to really focus on what was going on. As usual, Cheong looks like a top fashionista regardless of how crazy her clothes are. I especially love the sunglasses. I did find it super sweet that Joon Jae had already regained his memories by the time she showed up. Also was impressed with his forethought to write everything down in case she erased his memories again.
CLKYTTA: Ok, 1994 called and said power suits with big pleated pants are back in. I also liked the sunglasses, but we’ve already proven she can look good in a paper bag and mismatched shoes. I’m still trying to find out where the clothes came from. Did she call from a clam phone?
CLSunbae: Um… how do I say this delicately? The draping of her pants was super distracting. Especially around the crotch area. For realz, that was an ugly outfit. Also, my brain was trying so hard to make the scenario work but I couldn’t… like… who comes out of the ocean in the middle of winter? Wasn’t she FREEZING? And would you waltz out in the middle of the day? Wouldn’t the middle of the night be smarter? And so she ordered clothes from a phone, but where did she keep the phone? And why couldn’t she just keep clothes in that same place? And where was she crouching naked while she made the phone call? The beach didn’t have a lot of hiding places….
CLKYTTA: This was the Little Mermaid meets The Notebook and it totally worked for me. I will admit that my feels were strong when I caught on that Joon Jae wasn’t as emotionless as he made out to be. Yes, this scene had several drama tropes, but it worked for me.
CLSunbae: I felt a little bit manipulated by how they directed the scene — him coming home and seeing her and having NO reaction and walking off. Then it was all, “just kidding! I lurve you furever.” HOWEVER. I still giggled like a school girl when he was recounting all the ways he’d loved her while she was gone.
Tongue smooching whiplash
KMUSE: Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a little bit of tongue slipped into the kisses at all. However, I am totally confused as to this director’s take on kissing scenes. It is all tongue kissing feast or awkward still framed famine. Just make up your mind and choose one or the other or even something in between. Even with a lot more intense kiss, all I could think about is what the director intended for this scene.
CLKYTTA: Boy they sure sped things up in the kissing department didn’t they? It was a good kissing scene, and I’m still kind of in shock that I saw tongue, but it goes with the “dirty love” that they promised us.
CLSunbae: I’m not even going to admit how many times I rewound that moment. Mostly because I was wondering if I’d really seen what I thought I saw. But agree, KMUSE. It wasn’t as hot as it could’ve been only because it came so out of left field.
Happy ever after
KMUSE: They are happy so I am happy.
CLKYTTA: They are finally together and all is right in their little world. There is so much sweetness going on that it’s making me jealous.
Dramarookie: Perhaps the happiest part of the finale for me was that we didn’t have to hear, “This IS love storeeeeeeee.” Did anyone else notice how they dropped that song like a hot goguma in the second half of the drama? I guess I wasn’t the only one cringing.
CLSunbae: It was cute. Not earth-shattering, this-is-the-best-drama ever-cute, but I wasn’t throwing things at my screen either. I kind of like the twist that he chose life with her in a dumpy, little house instead of the mansion he surely could afford. It made it feel more cozy and genuine.
Our Thoughts:
KMUSE: I enjoyed this drama… that said, I don’t think it will be one that I watch more than once. While it did have a lot of great scenes and a cute OTP, the length just was too long and the story felt like it dragged in the 2nd half. It also didn’t help that a lot of the cute spark that made Cheong so attractive as a character was missing in the last five or six episodes. So while I suggest people give this drama a chance, it isn’t a must watch for me.
CLKYTTA: My opinion is the same as KMUSE. I know that a lot of people don’t mind filler, but it really takes away from the story for me and I get bored. This drama is better done than some others I’ve seen that have dragged on, so I still recommend it. I like a happy ending and this one has one of the happiest endings I’ve seen in a while.
Dramarookie: It was nice. The end.
CLSunbae: I didn’t hate it. I didn’t LOVE it. Lee Min Ho was my original bias and before this, I watched everything he was in with big heart eyes, no matter how bad/stupid the drama was. In this one, honestly, my heart eyes were all for leading lady mermaid. She stole the show and was the best part of it. Lee Min Ho did a good job but he never really made my heart thump. For that reason, I won’t ever hate on this drama but I don’t think I’ll watch it again, either.
Thanks everyone for joining us. Be sure to check for future Fangirl recaps when we come across another drama we all want to chat about.
Til next time,
The Fangirls.
Agree with above comments about this drama. It is impossible for Jun Ji-hyun to look bad in anything, even outfits that would make many women such as myself look clownish. But as a dresser, not sure I would pick out some of those outfits I thought the bodice of the mermaid costume should have looked more like scales of a fish than a stitched and sewn evening gown bodice. Also, I think Jun Ji-hyun is gorgeous but seemed more mature, especially with her sultry sexy voice, than LMH, who remains boyish.
I agree with all of your comments…it was a nice drama, but I probably won’t watch it again. I hated the “baggy trouser suit outfit”…not even a man would look good in it…ughhhh!
For a fantasy romance drama, it sure does shot beautifully, and the fact that I loved JJH since her My Sassy Girl era really help me a lot in order to watch this drama. However, her romance with LMH doesn’t really clicked with me, unlike her romance with KSH in MLFTS whereas I could feel their chemistry, especially their kissing scenes. I really do feel that Korean mini series dramas should cut their episodes short, between 12 to 16 episodes, because 20 episodes does felt too long and stretching for me. Anyhow, thanks JJH for always being stunningly pretty, even in those one-of-a-kind outfits that is totally worked, if only being worn by her. Haha.
Am so excited for Kim Seul Gi’s new (mini) drama! It also stars the actor from Splish Splash Love too (albeit not exactly THE actor we want i.e. Yoon Do Joon) but the teaser looks cute and promising.
Both JJH n LMH r good kisser yet their kissing sceneu felt plan.Y did director show passionate kiss? I found drama lil stretched it could have finished in 14-15 epis.Drama is good but not rewatchable.Thank u Amber for all recaps