I like this episode for the acting and the resolution of Guemganggo, but mostly, this is just a build-up for something else, which will hopefully be big and awesome and jaw-dropping.

Oh Gong basically offers money and wealth for Kang to get where ever he wants to be, “You and your people will call out the thing that I’m seeking.” The camera pans out to the gorge while Kang smiles that since this is a deal they are talking about, they should talk about the terms properly. He looks so offended and lashes out when Oh Gong dismisses him because he needs to rush back to watch his drama (LOL and that’s us on a daily basis).

Oh Gong doesn’t take his nonsense and puts him in his place, “I’m not striking a deal with you, I’m your leader.” Kang scoffs and retorts if Oh Gong thinks he’s a god or something. Well….Oh Gong laughs back right at him, “If I was a god, would I help you? You would be much more at ease thinking I’m a devil.”

Ma Wang comes home to find Oh Gong’s coat draped on his bull statue and has finally given up, resorting instead to patting his statue in sympathy.  He nonetheless grumbles about Oh Gong’s extravagant usage of his television subscriptions, but is taken aback when Oh Gong tells him to take his alcohol and his million dollar painting (in the toilet) when he’s not around.

Turns out, Oh Gong has finally figured out what the evil thing is. Ah Sa Nyeo will not be summoning a normal dragon, which is a symbol of prosperity, but a black dragon. Indeed, the world will be plunged into chaos when the black dragon chooses its human to latch on. And this human, is Kang. Oh Gong plans to defeat this dragon even before it comes into this world, but Ma Wang warns him that the dragon is so powerful that even Oh Gong, as a stone monkey, will be blown to smithereens. This is because Ma Wang had come across such a black dragon in the past, “His red fury eyes, sometimes I still see it in my dreams.”

Ma Wang is worried that Oh Gong will really lose his life and reminds him that the solution is so simple – Sam Jung’s fate is exactly to be that blood vessel to keep the evil spirit. Oh Gong protests that Sam Jung isn’t some secret container but Ma Wang grabs his arm and suggests cutting off his hand so that he can be free from Guemganggo. It builds up slightly hilariously, but Ma Wang pulls back last second – it will be a waste to cut off Oh Gong’s hand only for him to be still in love with Seon Mi.

Oh Gong is pleased that Seon Mi finally summoned him, but realises that she’s not in danger, only drinking. She cute-ly asks him to turn some rice into stars, and he indeed sends it up into the skies. Seon Mi shows off what she can do too and the spoon in the soup starts twirling on its own HAHA.

While talking about having a garden full of side dishes for drinking  and living in such a garden with Oh Gong, Seon Mi starts tearing. She has never hated Oh Gong, not even when he wanted to eat her up. “Ever since you said you loved me, I’ve been so happy. The candy floss is sweet; the tteokbokki is blissful. When the Guemganggo disappears, we won’t be able to meet again right? What to do…I really….like you.” She sobs into her arms and Oh Gong carries her home.

Kang informs Ah Sa Nyeo that he has found a powerful backing. Ah Sa Nyeo already knows this is Oh Gong’s doing and recalls her conversation with him, where she found out that the thing she is going to end up summoning is a black dragon; it’s a evil spirit. She was in disbelief because the dragon she called a thousand years ago was golden and shining, and even though the king betrayed her, the king nonetheless enjoyed wealth and a peaceful reign. Oh Gong enlightened her that that’s because she’s now an evil spirit, and that’s why she can’t feel the blackness of this place – even Seon Mi who hasn’t been physically there, could feel the terror in her vision.

“Still think that you chose Kang? No, it’s Kang the evil human who attracted you, the evil ghost.” Ah Sa Nyeo clenches her fist and looks hurt. Back in the present, she observes Kang’s evil face, and murmurs that it’s because Kang killed Se Ra, that’s why she was attracted to him.

Seon Mi goes to office the next day to find that Oh Gong has already ordered hangover soup for her. She recalls their first few meals together and starts crying that they will not be able to have candy floss nor tteokbokki any longer.

Oh Gong has since moved out of Ma Wang’s house and he’s SO restless watching tv by himself, so he decides to wipe his bull statue, “I’m so bored.” He walks over to the monkey statue and prepares to spit on it, but sighs and cleans it with a spray instead. The door opens and he beams, “Oh you’ve RETURNED~” only to realise that it’s just Secretary Ma hahaha.

Ma Wang and Secretary find the peddler’s grandson and obtain an outdated version of the Geumganggo for experiment. (Can I just say that ONE is really quite good looking here hehe) – for Journey to the West fans, this is basically THE Guemganggo which Son Oh Gong wore in the story – a headband. Secretary Ma hesitantly and politely orders Ma Wang to raise his right hand, but he cheekily raises his right and is subject to a splitting headache. She orders him to walk but he wants to run and kneels over in pain. Secretary Ma quickly removes it from a whining and crying Ma Wang and they test it out on Secretary Ma instead. He orders her to raise her right hand, and she does. He grumbles that she has to do the opposite, so she answers, “Okay, I understand,” but the moment he says, “Sit,” she descends onto the floor with as much enthusiasm as…a dog HAHA.

She bows in apology and the Guemganggo slips right off her head. Ma Wang is bewildered and asks her to put it back on, but she removes it easily again the second time, much to Ma Wang’s annoyance – the grandson sold him a defective good!

Ah Sa Nyeo is pleased to hear that they are summoning the dragon behind Sam Jung’s back – I think because it makes her feel special and needed. She gets into the mood and asks about Oh Gong’s penthouse, not realising that he’s being sarcastic when he asks if she wants to take a look. Oh Gong scoffs, wondering if that’s all she thought about while being held in the coffin, much to Ah Sa Nyeo’s dismay. “Did you become an evil ghost because you felt lonely? Then you should have found someone who made you happy.” Ah Sa Nyeo’s eyes welled up as she tells herself that she’s a priestess and not an evil ghost. I like Lee Se Young’s acting here – it has quite a few layers! We can clearly see that Ah Sa Nyeo is reluctant to be the villain here. She only is evil insofar as trying to show the world that she still retains her former glory. She’s hurt, she feels inferior and she feels lonely.

Seon Mi hears from Han Joo that Kang’s party’s leader has passed away from a heart attack, and knows that something is wrong. She finds him at his workplace and is struck by yet another vision of the gorge and stirring waters when she sees him. Before she reacts, Ah Sa Nyeo greets her and smirks that she will not answer any of Seon Mi’s questions, much least “Why are you helping that man?”. Seon Mi stands up and fiercely orders Ah Sa Nyeo to shut up, “I’m not asking you, I’m asking Bu Ja. Bu Ja, please reply.” Ah Sa Nyeo rolls her eyes, but the blood butterfly suddenly pulses and Seon Mi grabs Bu Ja’s hand. She gets struck by another vision of Se Ra being knocked down by Kang and now is even more sure that this is the evil guy. “That person is the one who harmed her right?” Ah Sa Nyeo’s eyes widened, “You stole my powers, and yet you have this kind of ability now? You were so powerless -” Seon Mi interrupts her, enraged that Ah Sa Nyeo is helping the person who murdered Bu Ja.

Kang joins them, but is snubbed by Seon Mi, who rushes off after telling Ah Sa Nyeo that she’s stronger than before and she will find the gorge herself. Kang wonders if Seon Mi is stronger than Ah Sa Nyeo, much to Ah Sa Nyeo’s indignation.

Seon Mi rests outside of the building and the peddler approaches her, advising her that she has to give up what she treasures the most. “it’s not something any human can do, but because it’s you, you can do it.”

Ma Wang shows Oh Gong the old version of the Guemganggo, and Oh Gong is pleased that his is a bangle instead of headband, thanking Ma Wang for the latest version. LOL, listening to this guy, you would think he received the latest phone. Ma Wang grumbles that he received a defective good and nags at Oh Gong to think properly – what if the Guemganggo is taken off and he’s just like, “Oh who is this ugly person?” when he sees Seon Mi? Oh Gong jokes and asks if Ma Wang loves him, but Ma Wang tells him it’s because he feels uncomfortable, knowing that a thug like Oh Gong is plunging into danger for love.

Ma Wang leaves after giving Oh Gong some medicine and tries to return the Guemganggo. The grandson insists that they do not sell defective goods and tries on the Guemganggo instead. It works so well and gives him such a splitting headache such that he has to own up he still has the money from the sale of the Guemganggo and it’s in that pot right there. Since it’s not defective, Ma Wang is going to bring it back. He forgets his cane and the grandson calls out, “Ahjussi, your umbrella.” Ma Wang smiles because no demon has called him an Ahjussi before, but after he leaves, the grandson grumbles, “They told me it’s not a normal demon, it’s half deity psh.” Very cryptic message here – is he referring to himself? To someone he knows? This is definitely a ‘clue’ thrown in about Ma Wang’s kid, since his son is half demon, half god.

Ah Sa Nyeo happily arranges a meeting with Oh Gong at Summer Fairy’s pub but learns that Oh Gong is not coming. He has sent General Frost in his place to receive any messages. Ah Sa Nyeo wonders why she’s given water in a cup and not a glass.  Frost replies that all the glasses were treasured by the sister, and he doesn’t want her touching them.

He later tells Oh Gong and Oh Jong that in the ceremony to summon a dragon, Ah Sa Nyeo required a group of people signifying these objects – a stone which brightened the world, a bell that resonated the world, and a sword that governed the world. Basically, referring to the scholar, the media and the law. Kang is about to hold a party for the conglomeration’s 100th anniversary, and Oh Jong suggests that Oh Gong will be able to meet these people if he goes for the party.

Oh Gong is solemn, wondering how the people who would support Kang would react, if they knew about Kang’s evil side. While walking through the gorge, Kang learns that he will not be able to see the dragon because humans would merely treat it as the winds and the clouds. He notes Ah Sa Nyeo’s instructions to build a gate, to welcome the dragon into the world.

Kang then learns that there are rumours and media reports about the people dying around him – the party leader, the museum president, and even the reporter who tried to investigate his story. He feels more unsettled with the feeling that an enemy out there knows his secret, than the fact that there are these rumours. Oh Jong wonders if the evil dragon will go away since the people who used to support Kang might shun him, but Oh Gong observes that in contrast, it’s time for these people to show their faces – a stone which darkens the world, a bell that spouts nonsense, and a sword which goes against morals. We see the university leaders pledging to support Kang – because they have been brought prosperous by his family – if he goes down, so will them. The media also follows, and even the prosecution pledges not to investigate the “baseless rumours”.

Even though a passerby complains that Kang just slips through the law like this, his attention is soon distracted by another news of a celebrity who just got pregnant. And that, is how Kang gets away! I like this part. Although it is a quick sequence, it shows you just how problematic our human society is. Sometimes I wonder why the gods even send down Sam Jungs to save the humans! But I guess it’s because there are other innocent humans out there.

Ma Wang receives an invitation letter to Kang’s party but is disgusted with it. He calls Alice over to test out the Guemganggo on her but is distracted by the lotus scent of Sam Jung – seems like her scent is getting stronger each day. I guess this is because her doomsday is also impending. I think Alice is going to play some role in the eventual finale because he’s a dragon himself! It didn’t occur to me until I saw her in this episode – there must be some reason why they kept Alice/ Jade Dragon around for so long!

Seon Mi wants to know if what’s happening around Kang is done by Oh Gong, and angrily reveals that Kang killed Bu Ja. Ma Wang immediately realises that it wasn’t a pure coincidence Ah Sa Nyeo latched onto Bu Ja’s body. He is tired with Seon Mi’s questions and passes his invitation letter to Seon Mi instead so that she can ask Kang directly. Alice asks if they should tell PK the news, but is stopped by Ma Wang, knowing that PK would do something terrible if he found out. Alice is disgusted by Ah Sa Nyeo because he/she knows that PK still treats her like Bu Ja.

Ah Sa Nyeo visits Bu Ja’s mother only to find out that she has passed away this afternoon. Oh my, I kinda thought that Bu Ja will be able to reunite with her mother! Ah Sa Nyeo seemingly turns around coldly, only to come face to face with PK who hugs her as she tears, even as she insists that it’s Bu Ja, not her, crying.

Oh Gong watches as the scholar, the media and the prosecutor suck up to Kang and wants to leave at this sight, but smells Sam Jung before she even appears. Indeed, Secretary Ma introduces Seon Mi to Kang and leaves as she passes the message from Ma Wang to Oh Gong that Seon Mi is already seeking out the evil ghost herself and it will be hard to hide the truth from her. Left alone, Seon Mi interrogates Kang about his land with the gorge and claims that she’s interested in buying his land. Oh Gong intervenes and sends Kang away. Hearing from Seon Mi that Kang is the one who killed Se Ra, Oh Gong’s eyes turn cold as he puts everything together – Kang killed Se Ra, Seon Mi created Bu Ja and Ah Sa Nyeo the evil spirit latched onto Bu Ja. This trouble was all self-inflicted by Kang. Talk about coming full circle.

Oh Gong confesses to Seon Mi that the evil person he’s seeking is Kang and that from the gorge she saw, the evil spirit will appear and latch onto Kang. He is seeking an opportunity to get rid of this evil spirit before this happens.

PK treats Ah Sa Nyeo to a meal and assures her that the wine is not spiked. Ah Sa Nyeo warns him that he wouldn’t be able to seduce her with his powers but he gently tells her that his powers are under seal. He comments that she used to be a priestess, which warms Ah Sa Nyeo’s ego a little, as she smiles proudly that truthfully, PK has no right to be drinking wine with someone of her status.

Just right after she says this, a waiter comes up and serves PK, asking him about the wine and the cheese. He even offers to change up the menu the moment PK says that Ah Sa Nyeo didn’t like the cheese. Ah Sa Nyeo tries to maintain her pride and points out that people in the past used to treat her like that too, to which PK smiles and asks if he has the honour to cheers with “the great priestess.” I must say this pig really knows how to get into the hearts of women eh? He even manages to get Ah Sa Nyeo to show him her coffin. He wants to know all about Ah Sa Nyeo and wishes that she will turn over a new leaf, so that she will not be exterminated by Oh Gong. Ah Sa Nyeo is noticeably touched and even feels comforted when he says that it’s no wonder she became so fierce after being cooped up for 1200 years in sadness and loneliness. He pats her head and she smiles, “I’m happy that you don’t make me feel wretched.”

On the other hand, we have slight comic relief when Seon Mi worries that even Ma Wang is afraid of the evil spirit and disbelieves Oh Gong when he says he’s stronger than Ma Wang. Oh Gong gets a little worked up and shouts at people to stop looking at him. Seon Mi is amused at how famous he becomes and notes that it must be troublesome not to be able to disappear in a poof. Oh Gong comments that it’s not hard to communicate with humans, but in the next breath, he talks down to a man who is old enough to be his grandfather, when the man knocks into Seon Mi, “Grow a pair of eyes.” Seon Mi reminds him that he can’t talk down to elderly humans but he’s like “that guy’s at most 80 years old, do you know how old I am?” HAHA.

Oh Gong nonetheless shows off his adaptability skills as he politely requests a waitress to bring a glass of champagne to Seon Mi. As Seon Mi laughs at his antics, a lady brings up her daughter to introduce to Oh Gong and even rudely intercepts the glass of champagne. Oh Gong mutters to Seon Mi, “Do I still need to abide by manners?” to which Seon Mi gives her permission, “Just be like your old self.” Oh Gong nods happily and snatches the glass away from the fat lady. This couple is like a bunch of kids, it’s quite funny.

Seon Mi then tells Oh Gong that the peddler told her to empty herself and she has thought about it – right now, her heart’s filled with love for Oh Gong and this is why she’s so hesitant. Maybe if she empties herself, she will be able to achieve this mission. Oh Gong tries to look nonchalant but holds Seon Mi back before she leaves, requesting that she empties herself in a place where he can’t see her.

While Seon Mi goes to the rooftop and cries over her past memories with Oh Gong, including looking at the stars in his room, Oh Gong furiously asks the peddler why she approached Seon Mi, “What are you planning to fill her up with once she empties herself?” Peddler reminds him that Seon Mi is a blood vessel for the evil spirit, but no one can force her and this is a choice she ultimately has to make herself. Oh Gong pleads angrily for the peddler to let Seon Mi go; he can sacrifice instead. Peddler smiles that the arrogant and rude monkey is finally willing to sacrifice himself and that he doesn’t need the bind of the Guemganggo anymore. Oh Gong realises that the Peddler was the one who orchestrated the whole Guemganggo incident.

At the same time, Ma Wang is frustrated over the mystery of the outdated Guemganggo but Secretary Ma’s words enlighten him – the Geumganggo will never work on her because it is meant to tame someone to listen to the owner’s instructions. Since Secretary Ma has pledged her loyalty to Ma Wang, the Guemganggo will never work. Ma Wang’s eyes widen at this seemingly innocent observation, and over at Oh Gong’s side, the Peddler explains that since Oh Gong no longer fights against the power of the Guemganggo and does not plan to let it go, the Guemganggo is useless on him now. She gently wonders if the death prophecy and the death bell might take a different route.

Oh Gong watches Seon Mi quietly on the rooftop and…the moment we have been waiting for is here!! As the music builds, Oh Gong slips the bangle right off his wrist….and there we go. He walks slowly towards Seon Mi and with tears in his eyes, murmurs that she now looks even prettier. Oh my god, Oh Gong you break my heart in all sorts of ways.

A star drops back into Seon Mi’s hands and she realises it’s the rice she passed to Oh Gong earlier. Oh Gong goes home to a jubilant Ma Wang, who disappointedly realises that Oh Gong doesn’t need his amazing revelation because he has already taken the Guemganggo off. What they hope would happen, did not. Oh Gong wonders at which point he lost his escape from the Geumganggo, and Ma Wang answers that it was from the point he threw the sauces away. Haha.

Oh Gong slips the Guemganggo back onto his wrist for Seon Mi. He recalls how the stork was in so much pain, being the one left behind. If he dies and Seon Mi is left, he doesn’t want the love to remain – he doesn’t want her to know that he truly loves her.  When everything settles down and if he’s still alive, he will walk right up to her and take off the Guemganggo in front of her. I know it will be very cliche but this is what I think will happen! Some sort of foreshadowing? On a side note, it will be rather embarrassing if it all goes downhill in the finale because here I am being hopeful that it’s going to be a good, if not at least bittersweet-ish, ending and haven’t really given much though to either lead dying. Ma Wang scoffs that he’s a lunatic and guesses that he hid the sword in Suremdong, which is why he moved out of his house.

Oh Gong smiles that he has won the Guemganggo and he will too with the evil spirit. The camera pans to the gorge, and we see the outline of a dragon. PK naively thinks that he can mold Ah Sa Nyeo to be like Bu Ja, such that he gets his sister back. Alice is disgusted and reveals that Ah Sa Nyeo is a terrible woman helping Kang who killed Se Ra. PK’s eyes well up with impulse and rage as he mutters, “I am going to kill them both.” Well that escalated quickly. I’m also a little confused as to PK’s genuine feelings for Bu Ja – sister or love??

Seon Mi is pissed off at the rice and storms into Oh Gong’s house. Why should she hide in one corner to empty herself? She’s going to vent it all out on Oh Gong. Oh Gong thinks that she’s about to go on a rant, but unexpectedly, her words are, “I love you. I love you. I love you very much. I said I love you!” She hugs him and continues, “I love you,” before kissing him on the lips.

Oh Gong pulls back with passion in his eyes, “Since you are venting like this, I will not hold back.” She says determinedly again, “I love you,” and he moves in quickly to kiss her deeply.

They end up on the bed, and he caresses her face gently, before they kiss somemore.

-the end-

If I may share my honest thoughts with the last scene, it goes somewhat like this: Omg this kiss is damn hot. Oh but like, why is this making out so intense, I mean I get the intensity of the emotions and the fact that they are going off after to do great things so someone might die, but that really escalated. Oh, more hot kisses. They are really very good kissers. Oh are they going to make a monkey human baby now? 

As a fangirl, I completely loved it. As a drama-recapper, I guess I can see why it’s there in the plot and it has kinda been building to this moment, but I was slightly taken aback at the speed at which they are going to create Oh Gong No. 2. Nonetheless, don’t let my comment detract from the one big observation that they are very good kissers on screen HEHE.

I LOVE the resolution of Guemganggo here because it’s entirely in line with the classic – when they reached the West, they realised that Oh Gong didn’t need the headband anymore because he had internalised the values and Sam Jung didn’t need it to restrain him. I mentioned this in one of my earlier recaps, so it’s nice to see that it has ended up this way! I like it that he takes it off and there’s this bittersweet moment where he realises he still loves her as much, if not more. I don’t know if people would find it anticlimatic since the question of what happens when the Guemganggo is taken off is a vital question since day one of the drama, but I am personally very pleased with the execution! Let me know what you think about it!

I also hope that we get a good resolution of Ah Sa Nyeo/Bu Ja because now the identity has really merged so much that even PK is confused. Is Bu Ja gone forever? The fact that the blood butterfly pulses when Sam Jung summons Bu Ja to answer her seems to imply that Bu Ja is still intact inside the body, just silent, and that Ah Sa Nyeo’s changes in characters may be more to do with the fact that PK was understanding abut her, rather than because she was merging with Bu Ja’s identity. I do think they have created a convincing villain – imagine being betrayed by the man you love and being locked for 1200 years, knowing that the man enjoyed prosperity and peaceful reign at your expense. Talk about karma, or lack thereof!

Plot-wise, I think nothing much has happened – it is all just building up to that finale now so I hope it will be smashing good. For there to be effect, I suppose there must be a sacrifice somewhere, which is why I think Oh Gong will seemingly die initially, but only to reappear at the end of the show and to take his Guemganggo off before saying, “You are pretty”. Or something. I’m really looking forward to it! I want tears and I want laughter!!

<3thoughtsramble