Amazing ending and cliffhanger!!!

In a nice little twist, this time we didn’t have robot Shin narrating past events, but human Shin. When he told his mother to leave without him, it was the first time he lied. It was okay because it was for Mum. Later, after he grew up, he felt apologetic towards Young Hoon who had to take the beatings on behalf of him. I grew up well, Mum. He tried leaving the house but Grandpa stopped him with a subdued threat that he wouldn’t be able to find his mum because Grandpa would find her before he did.

Left with no choice, Shin continued to stay at that house and drowned himself in a life of frivolousness. I’m fine without you now, Mum. Even then, he didn’t sleep with the girls he brought to the hotels but used them as a front for him to sleep outside.

One day, Shin overheard Seo talking about how he had to silence the nurse who knew that Jung Woo didn’t commit suicide.

He thus decided to find his mother to find out the truth and that was why he went to Czech. Of course, he also wanted to find his mother. But did you leave me and make that robot? 

Back to the present, human Shin works up a rage and whacks robot Shin’s face. Robot Shin slowly raises his face but smiles at So Bong. Laura appears and calls out, “Shin.”

Robot Shin turns around and human Shin yells at him for responding, “I am the real Shin!”

We then cut to Grandpa and Young Hoon, where Grandpa finally reveals that he was the one who created the foundation which sponsored the upgrades to NamShin I. Young Hoon immediately apologises and clarifies that it was his idea, not human Shin’s, to bring the robot here. Grandpa confesses that he initially wanted to market a robot as a product, but once he saw NamShin III, he starts having a strange thought. “Who is appropriate to succeed me?” Young Hoon protests at Grandpa’s thought of replacing the real Shin with a robot replacement, but he turns speechless when Grandpa questions him, “Haven’t you ever thought that that robot was better than humans?” I don’t get why people think this is a plothole – it is quite believable that Laura never knew Grandpa was behind the foundation. I mean, do you guys actually dig behind the list of sponsors listed by the foundation??

While being taken care of by Laura, robot Shin murmurs to So Bong, “Don’t cry, I’m fine.” So Bong’s tears start falling and she leaves the room. Robot Shin turns to give Laura a slight smile.

Meanwhile, Ye Na feels heartbroken because human Shin must have been under huge amount of stress for him to do something like that. Human Shin tells her not to look like a wet puppy and to pass him his phone. He calls Young Hoon and demands to return to the company, “I don’t care if you get mad.” Young Hoon unexpectedly agrees but wants the two Shins to alternate until human Shin gets better. Because human Shin was expecting a fight, he becomes suspicious that Young Hoon agreed so readily.

After Shin gets fixed, So Bong asks if robot Shin wants to go for a walk.

Laura opens the door just in time to see the couple walking away hand in hand. She returns to the house and a defiant human Shin asks her if she’s upset that he broke her son. Laura tells him that he can break robot Shin even more if it makes him feel better, “You have every right to be offended.”

Human Shin tells her to drop the act and retorts that if she would do anything to get closer to him, then wait another 20 years. “Just like I did for you.” He yells for Ye Na, who obediently appears to wheel him back into the room. I’m beginning to think that he treats Ye Na like a dog.

While taking a walk, robot Shin asks if it’s better for him to change his name. So Bong indignant points out that he shouldn’t lose his name, or his face for that matter, since that was who he is since day one. She reaches out to caress his face and he holds her hand in his.

Even though they have the same name and face, she wants him to know that he’s nothing like human Shin, “So don’t be discouraged and be confident. Live with your name. NamShin.” She jokes that human Shin has a different name, “Jerk Nam Shin.”

After robot Shin leaves, So Bong finds Young Hoon waiting outside the gym. He informs her that Grandpa already knew everything about robot Shin from the start. He’s telling her this because something is bugging him, “Even if Shin comes back, I don’t think he will let that kid go.” Therefore, he needs So Bong’s help – when the two Shins alternate, he needs So Bong to stay by the real Shin’s side so that no one will suspect. They have the same objective, “I must protect Shin and you must protect that kid.” If So Bong helps Young Hoon, he will help her all the way too.

The next morning, robot Shin gets dressed for work but Young Hoon informs him that human Shin will be going to the office instead.

Robot Shin wonders if human Shin will detest what he has done in his place but Young Hoon smiles, “Thanks to you, we have gotten this far. Thank you…very much.” He tells robot Shin to go to the gym today.

Grandpa is resting in his bedroom when Hee Dong pays him a visit. He decides to pay Grandpa his respects even if he thinks Grandpa is scary. Grandpa chuckles but his face suddenly turns to rage and he grabs Hee Dong, “Shin! I told you not to cry for Mummy. I told you not to be weak!” I feel like his obsession with weakness has something to do with Jung Woo and his guilt of what happened.

Hee Dong rushes out of the room in tears and robot Shin comforts him with a gift that he left inside Shin’s room. Robot Shin incidentally learns of what happened and confronts Grandpa about calling Hee Dong ‘Shin’.

Grandpa fakes that he’s pretending to have dementia, but robot Shin grabs his hand and knows that he’s lying.

Grandpa works himself into a rage, and robot Shin tells him to take big breaths. He promises not to tell anyone that Grandpa truly now has dementia, but in return, Grandpa has to visit the hospital.

Human Shin finally arrives at work and callously tells Young Hoon to silence So Bong with money.

So Bong smiles at the sight of a phone call and you know it’s from her favourite person, who asks why she isn’t at the gym. So Bong tells him that she has to help jerk Shin and that she will be home soon.

Later, human Shin chases So Bong out of his office and closes the blinds before frantically searching his books for something. Young Hoon comes into his room and he lies that he just wanted to be alone.

Meanwhile, robot Shin changes into Dad’s warmup clothes and sidekicks comment that he looks just like a sportswear model. HAHA omggg Seo Kang Joon really looks good in anything. Dad mutters that he isn’t a human but turns the statement around with a, “He has really long legs.” He throws a bucket at Shin and some mops but ends up making a fool of himself when the sticks just wouldn’t stand up straight.

It’s hilarious because Dad wants robot Shin to earn his keep since he isn’t a chaebol anymore but robot Shin turns the place into spick and span with no effort. Robot Shin smiles that he can do anything – he can cook, do the laundry and wash the dishes. Sidekicks mutter that Dad would be caught for violating human rights and Dad splutters again, “It’s robot rights.” I love it how these quips by Dad are made in low-stakes situations and that the sidekicks wouldn’t believe the Dad anyway.

At the M-car meeting, human Shin now is disgusted with the way his team is so relaxed. The team members inadvertently reveal what robot Shin has been doing – putting together documents with abstracts and translations, taking the team to lunch on the company’s card etc. Shin is offended, “Are you guys here to play?” One of the team members asks if Shin has a split personality and he stands up in anger, only to waver due to a headache.

Human Shin rushes back to his office and finally finds a namecard with a number on it. He cannot hold himself up anymore and accidentally sweeps things off his desk. So Bong appears and settles him into his chair. Human Shin stops her from calling Young Hoon and insists on going home. Whilst helping human Shin to his car, they run into Seo who realise that Shin is sweating and therefore is the real one. Human Shin shakes off So Bong’s helping hand and gets into the car himself. Seo watches the leaving car and mutters that Shin has taken his bait, “He’s just as emotional as his dad. He will continue to act as I predict.” I’m not exactly sure what Seo is planning here because I do think they screwed up a little with regard to what Seo knows and doesn’t know.

Robot Shin gets a call from Grandpa’s doctor who tells him to come and visit Grandpa – preliminary tests show that he does have dementia. Robot Shin starts to suspect Grandpa, “How did you know that I knew you had dementia?” Does he know the truth about him?

Grandpa chuckles and shows his knowledge about Shin’s lie detector. He admits that he has a greater interest in robots than humans. Robot Shin knows that human Shin will be hurt to hear this, but Grandpa asks him if he wants to remain in human Shin’s place since So Bong and Laura are here – he can have the company, the M-car and the people. Robot Shin replies that he’s a robot and therefore, he has no ambition to take things from people.

Meanwhile, Young Hoon finds Shin’s office wrecked and accidentally sees the namecard on the floor.

Human Shin returns home and Hee Dong rushes up to hug him because of the massive robot he found in Shin’s room. So Bong quietly sends mother and son away and tells human Shin not to act too differently but human Shin retorts, “You want me to act like that thing?”

At the same time, Robot Shin brings Grandpa home and promises not to tell human Shin about his dementia, just because of his rule to keep promises. Grandpa smiles and says that this is why he likes robot Shin, “You are close to the perfect human I’ve always imagined.” Nonetheless, robot Shin wants Grandpa to tell human Shin the truth soon.

He leaves the room and finds himself face-to-face with human Shin. Hee Dong’s mother appears and almost catches them but due to human Shin’s quick thinking, they avert the situation. The two Shins then talk outside of the house – while human Shin detests seeing robot Shin here, robot Shin also dislikes how human Shin is treating Hee Dong.

Human Shin smirks that So Bong is in his room right now, “Should I pretend to be you and mess with her? Should I hold her hand and kiss her?”

Robot Shin steps forward in silent rage but So Bong’s voice interrupts them, “When did you get here?”

The two Shins turn around to see So Bong smiling at Robot Shin, who smiles back too.

Human Shin mutters, “Give me a break,” when he sees how So Bong easily distinguishes between the two.

Young Hoon later tracks down the namecard which brings him to a long-term care facility. He learns that human Shin has already come down earlier.

At night, So Bong looks at the pool and recalls the memories of the couple at the pool. Human Shin appears and asks why she can recognise robot Shin right away, “Everyone gets confused but you.”

So Bong asks why he hates robot Shin so much even when robot Shin helps him so much – but human Shin asks So Bong how she would feel instead if someone who looks like her turns up and everyone says the replacement is better.

We don’t know if So Bong answered anything but in the next scene, Young Hoon finds human Shin thrashing all his clothes because robot Shin has worn them. Young Hoon surprisingly helps him because he thinks it’s his fault for not thinking about how human Shin would feel when he wakes up.

Human Shin learns that the empty space in the shelves used to house robot Shin’s batteries and demands to know about the manual mode, “How can I control him?” Young Hoon tells him that although people think he’s thoughtless, he knows that human Shin thinks too much, “Please don’t try to bear it alone. I know I’m lacking but you still have me.”

Laura soon falls sick and David tells Young Hoon to tell human Shin to come by after work. Human Shin merely scoffs and throws his file at So Bong. Young Hoon once again thanks So Bong. I find it sad and funny that Young Hoon thanks So Bong for staying each time human Shin treats her like shit.

Instead of human Shin, robot Shin is the one who turns up to take care of Laura. This is the first time we see robot Shin in bangs since Czech days! Laura murmurs, “Shin,” and David grumbles that she doesn’t even make clear which Shin she’s talking about.

Shin confronts David about the foundation and tells him not to call himself his dad anymore, “You lied to mum and me for money. I don’t need a dad who lies to his family.”

Unbeknownst to them, human Shin overhears the conversation from behind a pillar, “Grandpa…” On a side note, you know what this means? That human Shin did come by to see his mother.

Finally, it’s date time!! Shin walks past a preening So Bong and pretends not to see her.

When she walks past him in a huff, he holds her hand, smiling, “Just kidding.” My face seriously spreads into a smile every time I see his cheeky grin!

They visit a fortune teller who hilariously asks if he’s a hunk of metal because he has a lot of metallic energy.

They later walk past a pianist and So Bong watches in admiration, “So cooolll.”

Shin becomes jealous and searches for piano videos in his mind HAHA.

This is how Shin, who just a few minutes before has said that he can’t play the piano, suddenly marches up to the piano and plays a wonderful tune for So Bong.

I’m sure the show just cannot resist, especially since Seo Kang Joon is known to be able to play the piano.

Whilst he plays the piano, we see flashbacks of the couple’s time together and really get to see how far they have become.

So Bong is in love but she looks up and she sees many girls ogling. She quickly tells Shin that she wants to watch a movie instead, and he agrees obediently with a beam. Beaming Shin. Aww.

Later, Shin tries a popcorn but sadly can’t taste it. He gives one to So Bong, who comments that it’s sweet, so Shin atempts another joke, “Because you’re with me?”

So Bong’s eyes widen at the lameness of this joke and fakes a retch. Kyaaa adorable.

In the cinema, Shin watches the advertisements in fascination.

So Bong tells him it’s just advertisements but he responds excitedly that it’s his first time being in a human theatre.

The lights dim and it’s time for the movie. While So Bong watches the movie, Shin watches So Bong – he feeds her the drink and smiles as she smiles.

I really love this scene (even upon re-watching it) because it’s so beautifully executed.

It’s so apparent in this short sequence that his world brightens because of her.

And as she cries, Shin looks so tenderly at her, “I know I don’t need to hug you.”

The tears are sparkling…as they fall.”

He leaves to get napkins for her and even so adorably takes more napkins, before measuring the thickness and putting some back.

Shin then returns to the theater and wipes So Bong’s tears. So Bong takes over the napkin and smiles, “Thank you.” Shin smiles a little and as the movie progresses, So Bong realises that tears are building up in Shin’s eyes.

The music cues, her eyes widen, and a tear rolls down Shin’s face.

His ‘gentle’ demeanour breaks as he wipes his own tear away and smirks, “You said you’d never confuse us.”

We then see robot Shin in a car, with his battery detached.

OMG what a way to end this episode!!! I loved all the previous switches, but this one is ranked one of the highest just because it strikes when I least expect it. I knew it was human Shin when he smiles just a little bit instead of beaming at So Bong at the end, but it was still unexpected (yet on hindsight, it totally makes sense) for the show to sneak in a switch during the date!

-the end-

I always love the introductions because the script just has a way of showing the little nuances which add to or change your perception of your character. I really appreciate it that this time round, we get to hear human Shin’s thoughts.

I really DON’T understand comments saying that this is the beginning of So Bong and human Shin falling in love with each other. Was it some mis-written synopsis somewhere? I see no indication that this is the ultimate end-goal of the show and it would be ridiculous if people are expressing “disappointment with the script” because So Bong doesn’t end up with human Shin. To make things clear, this is a different issue from whether So Bong will end up with robot Shin because that is the main issue. Ending up with human Shin was never the main point! (Ugh sorry for rant, but very triggered)

Yet another trigger is when people list down a number of plotholes and defend them to death, when it is apparent to most viewers that the commentator clearly isn’t following the drama that well (often times, they would later backtrack with excuses like ‘oh I fast forwarded’, ‘oh please it isn’t made clear’). When the switches happen between robot Shin and human Shin, it is always made pretty clear to the viewers either immediately after or through flashbacks.

So, I’m going to explain the ending scene again alright – So Bong definitely went on a date with robot Shin (look at his clothes, his mannerisms, and the way he learnt piano on the spot). The switch happened when robot Shin went out to get napkins (and you know that it was him who took the napkins because he was measuring the amount of paper he needed). What exactly happened between this napkin-taking and the kidnapping is left to the next episode to explain but it’s definitely not a plot-hole about the time taken because the switch could comfortably have taken place within 5-10 minutes, and it’s not strange to So Bong that robot Shin will disappear for 5 mins anyway. That robot wasn’t even watching the movie!

(inserted on hindsight: the drama gave us another clue! If you watched the scene again, the music abruptly stops once Shin finishes taking napkins – there’s no way the drama would use such lovey cutsey music when human Shin is deceiving So Bong!)

So why did human Shin gloat? You don’t really know how long human Shin was in the movie for – he could have been in there for 15 minutes/till the end of the movie before So Bong realised. Or he could just be gloating because So Bong didn’t realise it wasn’t robot Shin when she thanked Shin for the napkin – simple as that! He’s not trying to change So Bong’s view of his personality; he’s trying to prove So Bong wrong because So Bong claimed that the two Shins are different.

So viewers who are now confused by other viewers who are so adamant about there being plot-holes, don’t be! And for those who had come up with the wrong theories, just own it instead of being so embarrassed about it. I’ve made a few wrong guesses about plot twists before and it’s all plain as day written in my recaps, but who cares!

Anyway, I’m SO excited for next week’s episode because we finally get to go in depth with the notion of robot Shin being controlled by an external force. I’m thinking this is where he would really prove to be a sentient being/powerful force of mental will because his top priority to protect So Bong will win out!

<3thoughtsramble