So, reading liveblogging spoilers for finale of 49 Days

[dangermousie]

ugh ugh ugh ugh raaaaage!!!!!!!!

I literally have tears of rage in my eyes.

WTF, that is idiotic and makes no sense! Has the maker been drinking soju while snorting cocaine and stuffing LSD down her face????

I have no objection to rocks fall type of ending (loved the end of both Bali and Hong Gil Dong, plus every period cdrama ends in doom and I adore the genre) but it has to fit and be effing appropriate and ugh ugh ugh ugh.

I cannot believe I wasted hours of my life on this drama. I am glad I am behind so I didn't waste any more.

And I am certainly not continuing. In fact, the eps are getting wiped as soon as I can get to them. If I could, I would salt and burn them. Wtf was that, seriously? Ugh.

What the hell was even the fucking point of this pointless drama? Yeah, learn your lessons, grow up, complete your quest to live, come back to life, then die anyway, for no reason? Making your family, friends, and the guy who loves you twice as devastated. What the fucking fuck! Seriously, what was the point? This might as well have ended in ep 1 and she could have died in that crash properly and saved us some time.

Oh, and YK is her long-lost sister? WTF and also why am I supposed to care.

Ugh, stupidest ending I have seen in a kdrama ever, and that includes Bad Guy. I don't think I am touching anything of this writer's again, ever.

Comments

[karened.livejournal.com]

Oh, and YK is her long-lost sister? WTF and also why am I supposed to care.

Ugh, stupidest ending I have seen in a kdrama ever,


Huh? Where did you hear this from?

*moves on to TGL after 49 Days*

[karened.livejournal.com]

It seems ok with some potential for positive twists based on the next episode preview though...

[cerealjoe.livejournal.com]

Wait. What? She dies at the end? That is so stupid! I thought the era of those kinds of kdramas was well over... but it's good that I read your post, I'll have time to prepare for the WTFness of the episode when I watch it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it made no sense to me at all.

[cleobulle.livejournal.com]

So glad I didn't watch it! I was following Javabeans' recaps and never could bring myself to actually start watching the drama . Looks like I saved myself a lot of heartache. Never trust a Kdrama, I say. You never know how it might end....

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is among most WTF ends out there.

[kitkat-cat.livejournal.com]

i must confess that i lost all interest in 49 days at about the ep5 mark. all that body swapping just did my head in.

with regards to the ending, i think i have an inkling about what you are going through. My baby sister felt it aggravating enough, to let me know, just how irked she is by the ending, keeping in mind that it's well past midnight where she is, and we are separated by an 11 hour time difference! :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heh. I know how she felt.

[jaydk.livejournal.com]

I so agree! It's so frustrating!!! What's worse is that everyone *isn't* devastated -- they write it so it's like her family and HK are like, "Well, we just had a very special gift when she woke up so we could say good-bye." It's horrible -- it reduces Ji Hyun, who was my favorite character in this drama and the one I wanted to see have a happy ending, into nothing more than an object lesson for her loved ones, none of whom I actually care about any where near as much as Ji Hyun. It's particularly awful with the whole YK is her sister twist -- cause now it's basically like hey, happy ending! Ji Hyun's parents have a daughter after all!

It also, IMO, reduces the special quality of the YK and YS farewell the previous episode. That was really earned and made sense -- YK's story wasn't about getting YS back, but about being able to let him go. But JH's story (and HK's, for that matter), really was about JH returning to life and getting back to her loved ones! Not about being a lesson for others on having a good death. Oh, it's so disappointing, and makes me feel like the whole thing was a big waste for JH at least, who is the one I cared about.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

In real life, her family and HK would be gutted - it would be even worse for that brief bit of hope.

And the sister thing wouldn't make it better. Parents who lose a child, even if they have another one, don't go 'oh well, we have a spare.'

[orangebreeze.livejournal.com]

What, really? :'(
But why? I really wanted her to have a happy ending. After all, it's a drama. Can't there be a little fantasy involved? :(
It's kinda cruel, I think. To have the viewers on the edge hoping that Ji Hyun will get those 3 tears and a second chance at life and then have her die again. Now I'm not really sure whether I want to continue watching this. :/

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it made no sense to me at all.

[timescout.livejournal.com]

Good thing I didn't have time to start this yet, saves me from a lot of grief. There's nothing I hate more than a WTF ending. I've blessedly come across just a few but those are sort of imprinted in my soul now. I still get ragey when I think about them.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is going to the top of the heap of nonsensical endings.

[enagwolo.livejournal.com]

Biggest time waster ever. Really enjoyed it up till ep 18 and they just killed it. Deleting this crap ASAP and not watching the last two. Total, utter, fucking retarded nonsense. What a bullshit, useless utter piece of trash. Asshole writer shouldn't be allowed near another drama. Fucking getting us emotionally invested in the characters only to stab us. HATE. HATE. HATE.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I don't mind misery if it's earned or makes narrative sense but this was beyond idiotic.

[jpookemon.livejournal.com]

What's more morbid... that there's actual people on the net that are happy that JiHyun died, just so they can see a HK-YK OTP.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

ugh really?

[phoenixbasilisk.livejournal.com]

just finished reading the last episode's recap.
OMG WTF.
breakage of the two main OTPs.

guhh. i dont want to watch the last two episodes.
ahh and i had such high hopes for this

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this one really crashed and burned.

[mionenoelle.livejournal.com]

I think there's some sort of poetic justice with Ji Hyun's death. The entire series is about making things right and living life to the fullest, however short the remaining time is. It is also about moving on but never forgetting the ones you loved that passed, and on the whole, 49 Days has delivered those messages beautifully. I am upset that she didn't get to have a happily ever after with Han Kang, but she did change him and make him better during her 49 Days, and that's enough for me. By the late teens episode, I got the feeling that she was going to die after all, so this wasn't much of a surprise.

The only thing I didn't like was the throwaway plot about Yi Kyung being her sister. Seriously, that kind of plot bit should have at least one or two more episode's worth of build-up.

P.S. I am still upset about YK/YS, but that one wasn't entirely unexpected, too, and on the whole, I am happy about the way Yi Kyung has turned out after the last kiss.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, but it makes no sense - in real life, people don't go "oh well, they died, I am a better person." A child's death breaks the parents, often for good, and a man who loved her for that long also won't be at peace.

My grandfather died five years ago and he was almost 93 and guess what - when I think of it, I still hurt. It's not some effing zen "oh, it's all better" feeling.

[spazzy06.livejournal.com]

Woah. JH actually did die? :0

The screenwriter has more balls than I thought she did...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It was ridiculous.

[bluviolet.livejournal.com]

Really? I didn't watch the drama, just read the recaps, but I thought the ending gave more meaning to the story. I liked that it wasn't a happy ending *shrugs* . I agree with Okoala's interpretation, but then again, I was "watching" the show through Okoala's "glasses", so... :) From what I read, the show really wasn't a rom com, so you can't just expect a happy ending :P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

The problem for me was that

a) it reduced JH's character to nothing but a conduit for others, not a person in her own right
b) I don't mind gloom and death ending in a gritty revenge drama, a melo, or a period drama. Even something like Hong Gil Dong makes sense - there were eps and eps leading up to it, despite the initial light tone, plus it was set in an execition-happy era. OTOH, 49 felt a step away from a romcom and was upbeat and optimistic, and sprang 'she is dying' on us out of nowhere an ep before last. WTF!

Plus, the drive of the story was her getting tears and coming back to life. It should have ended either with her failure or her getting it and living to old age. Otherwise, it's narratively messy.

[saraleo.livejournal.com]

I've watched the finale and though I cried and all but I am not devastated. Maybe because I am not utterly invested in Hang Kang and Jihyun chemistry and feeling more for the other hopeless couple Yisoo and Yi kyung.
I've cried more for episode 17 of Secret Garden and no one died there.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I was much more invested in Secret Garden (OMG, I bawled through ep 17) but this end is so narratively messy, to me.

[mookiehyun.livejournal.com]

I think the ending was pitch perfect and very befitting the drama, meaningful, poignant, one of the best Kdrama endings I've watched in a long while, but I watched it steadily paced, not too rabid but intrigued and looking forward to each episode increasing(much much more so in the last stretch).

If you don't mind more spoilers....
before her final passing, she did come back and do and say things and final goodbyes and her 49Day journey enriched everyone in her life, they r all for the better and she lives on in them. I can't think of a better passing, most probably my own won't end with me getting the chance to say 'I love you~!' to both my parents, hugs and all.

It's very moving and thought provoking for me. I didnt see her death coming definitely till ep19, but I totally don't see it as jarring at all. Living and dying r both journeys.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

But everyone moving on happily is not realistic - deaths like hers break families.

It also felt narratively messy - sort of like a drama about someone getting revenge or getting married or whatever, and then at the end a truck comes out of nowhere and kills them.

[ockoala.livejournal.com]

How's the new job going, Mousie? Hope it's as suitable as you thought it would be.

My thoughts on 49 Days is pretty clear and much too verbose. What I do want to say is that it appears some people are judging the ending based on either not watching the drama or watching up until a certain point, ergo the ending is being viewed out of context of the plot development leading up to it.

The writer took her time to lay the groundwork for her story and the ending, which didn't come out of the blue or was shocking for the purpose of shocking.

Writer made it very clear that Ji Hyun was going to die by the end of episode 19, and 20 became a celebration of her life and how she changed the world of people whom she touched.

No, her death did not pave the way for Kang and Yi Kyung to be lumped together. Yes, her death IS unfair, FEELS senseless, leaving us numb with grief and anger. And isn't that what death means? And how awesome was it that Ji Hyun left having the chance to do everything she wanted to do in the remaining few days she had left, and to say her goodbyes.

Ji Hyun may be gone but she is never forgotten by those who loved her. I thought the ending (having been lead there by the writer in the second half of the drama) was fitting and challenging to ponder.

49 Days really took off for me in the second half, and the ending makes sense only if the entire drama is watched. Even if it makes sense, a viewer can still hate it because it's just so sad.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I love my job to bits and bits!

The problem for me was that

a) it reduced JH's character to nothing but a conduit for others, not a person in her own right
b) I don't mind gloom and death ending in a gritty revenge drama, a melo, or a period drama. Even something like Hong Gil Dong makes sense - there were eps and eps leading up to it, despite the initial light tone, plus it was set in an execition-happy era. OTOH, 49 felt a step away from a romcom and was upbeat and optimistic, and sprang 'she is dying' on us out of nowhere an ep before last. WTF!
c) Death isn't the happy acceptance thing like in this drama. Her parents wouldn't move on with their lives and neither would HK.

Plus, the drive of the story was her getting tears and coming back to life. It should have ended either with her failure or her getting it and living to old age. Otherwise, it's narratively messy.

I kind of feel the same way

[(Anonymous)]

Here's what I shared at soompi.

Oh Dear God! What an awful ending. I mean WTH.

First off, the thing I liked. The only thing I did like was IJ shedding the third tear. I KNEW IT. I wanted this redemption for her character. Before this episode, I hated how far gone IJ was. Right from the start I was wishing that the third tear would come from her. I wanted that tear and her sincere love for JH to be the salvation of her character. I remember there was an episode where IJ finally figured out that YK was JH. She confronted her and told her the reasons why she was doing all those things to JH. In the end, JH told her that she was sincere when she did all those things for IJ because she loved her. Then, IJ before she left also told JH that she also loved her. That stuck to me and I knew that somewhere in the darkest depths of IJ's conscience she knows that she loves JH.

Now onto the things I hate. I won't go through all the things I hate because I pretty much hate everything so I'd say the main things that pissed me off.

I hate that JH has to die. I mean that's just so uninspiring. We were taken into her 49day journey and I can't help but feel cheated. A part of me feels like everything was all for naught, especially in Kang's perspective (who let's face it, was the most awesome white knight ever). I know it's really not all for nothing because JH got to save the company, bring the family together and yada yada yada. Still, after that journey and realizations I feel like she has to have the chance to live out all that and experience the real love from Kang. Also, can you imagine how this would be so devastating on Kang. It's like he just had that chance to finally show JH how he truly feels (and I mean, in her proper body) but after a week they'd have to take it away. THAT'S JUST MEAN HEAVEN! MEAN! Worst, JH has to pretend like she didn't remember. IS SHE CRAZY? She's not really saving Kang from all the pains she's making it harder for him! She deprived him of that chance to love her with all his being even for the very last time.

Now, onto the bigger thing that did not make sense to me. YK DID NOT NEED TO BE JH's SISTER. I mean that's just patronizing the audience with a seemingly happy ending. I don't buy it. What they thought "oh how sad for the parents, don't worry your other daughter is alive *voila* YK!!!" WTH Writer!!! You can't just do that! You can't whip out of thin air that JH had a long lost sister. That's just insaaaaaane! There must have been at least some indication of that side plot in the earlier episodes and should not feel as if it was thought of at the very last minute (because it seems like it was so). If they wanted YK to have a family, I would have preferred it if JH just asked her parents to take care of YK as if she's their daughter. Like she entrusted YK to their care. I don't think there was a need to make YK a blood relative of JH's parents to drive that happy ending that they wanted to give.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. I still think it was a pretty good drama. A good drama which I would have preferred a different ending that's all.

Sorry for ranting here. I just had to vent out my frustration. >.<

After thinking it through. I may be fine with JH dying. I can convince myself that it is supposed to make sense. However, that part about YK I just can't fathom how stupid that sudden sideplot is.

Hagrid here.

Re: I kind of feel the same way

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Word word word word WORD!

[(Anonymous)]

Thank freaking God I stopped watching after ep 5, I just read the recap and even reading it made me so angry I wanted to punch a baby. I'm fine with sad endings (all those korean melodrama back in the day) when the drama hints @ it since the beginning. With 49 days, I felt like I was enjoying a pleasant stroll in the park when someone came with a bat and smacked me with it. like WTF?!? I felt like the whole three tears crap is so pointless. WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST LET HER DISAPPEAR ON THE LAST DAY (and not get the last tear)?! WHY WOULD THEY BRING HER BACK TO LIFE AND THEN JUST OFFED HER 15 MINS INTO THE FINAL EP.?!?! WHATTT THE FUUUCCKKK???

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is beyond insane.

[(Anonymous)]

Perfect ending, imo.

The main point of the drama was to show two ways of facing fate: graciously or not.
Ji Hyun did right, Min Ho did wrong. One accepted her fate, staying good and compassionate till the end. The other choose to destroy an innocent family to get revenge against fate.
Ji Hyun died "in peace". Min Ho still have a chance for "redemption" (happy ending for him...).

As for the scheduler he can go in peace, too.

Emma

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

As I put above:

The problem for me was that

a) it reduced JH's character to nothing but a conduit for others, not a person in her own right
b) I don't mind gloom and death ending in a gritty revenge drama, a melo, or a period drama. Even something like Hong Gil Dong makes sense - there were eps and eps leading up to it, despite the initial light tone, plus it was set in an execition-happy era. OTOH, 49 felt a step away from a romcom and was upbeat and optimistic, and sprang 'she is dying' on us out of nowhere an ep before last. WTF!

Plus, the drive of the story was her getting tears and coming back to life. It should have ended either with her failure or her getting it and living to old age. Otherwise, it's narratively messy.

Totally

[siloschronicles.livejournal.com]

This ending feels very empty.
I really wanted JH to be with HK. I really thought that at some point her death will be reversed by some miracle. It was such a betrayal.

PS Should I watch bad guy?
(you need to do a best of drama list again :))

Re: Totally

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I know :(

I thought Bad Guy was amazing until about 2/3 through the drama and then the writer was kidnapped by aliens and replaced by monkeys. I think the first 2/3 are so good it may still be worth it, but MMV - the ending made me want to kill things.

[kitsune714.livejournal.com]

...argh.

And to think, I just finished episode 1 and went, "well, hey, that's not so bad!"

Well...

I'll probably end up watching it anyway? Depends on just how bored I am.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Hey, there are better dramas out there, imo.

[rupsana.livejournal.com]

So I was googling spoilers for this drama because I had watched up to ep 11 and found that I literally forward watched most of it. Came across your post and gurrrrrl am I glad I did. I skipped straight tO ep 19, watched the scheduler's ending thing, watched the last part of ep 20 (skipping a lot of it haha) and that was me done. Thank you for saving me from wasting 9 hours of my life! X

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the ending made me spit nails. ARGH!!