^I totally agree with you about Dong Joo (Minwoo).
I'm just gonna post my thoughts I had for my blog here, hope you don't mind:
I've noticed a habit with dramas, they start the week on a very high note, then end it on an extremely low one. But in Korean dramas, there are no gray areas, they don't make compromises, they get you on Cloud 9 then drop you flat on the ground without any notice. I was finally able to to watch episode 13, after reading recaps for it on dramabeans, while I was out of town. Last week ended with Dae Woong and Mi Ho vowing to protect each other, and this week ends with both of them vowing to never die for each other. This is exactly what you think, Dae Woong finally finds out what Mi Ho finally knows.
This week, Mi Ho knows about both of their fates and she decides to give up her own life in order to protect Dae Woong. After all, the only reason why she wanted to become human was because she felt Dae Woong would love her. But now she's completely content with knowing Dae Woong really likes her, even if it is for 51 more days. At this point, Dae Woongis finally willing to put his all into the relationship, because he realizes that Mi Ho trusts him with her life, and he wants her to be able to have one, with him. He asks her out on an official date, and she willingly accepts.
He takes her for some ice cream, and instead of buying her normal flavors, he buys her flavors: cow=brown, chicken=yellow, pig=pink. He sees a couple, the same ones that Mi Ho learned her love arrows from on their fake date, and tries to express his feelings for Mi Ho in similar ways. He basically does what she tried to do the last time, but she barely notices LOL. It's funny to see the tables turned, to watch Dae Woong try to get Mi Ho's attention with cute signs of affection, only to get overlooked. Serves him right for last time.
They take a walk by a fountain with lights, and Dae Woong shows Mi Ho how to make a wish. She wishes that Dae Woong won't be too hurt once she's gone, that he'll never forget her, and to occasionally call out her name so that she can always remain in his heart.
They go back to the loft where Mi Ho sees that Dae Woong has added her name to her life plans. She takes the paper down, telling him she was rushing into things, and that she just wants to focus on the next 50 days, which kind of disappoints Dae Woong. So he starts sharing his thoughts on their future, of spending seasons and holidays with her, while Mi Ho is imagining it. He asks her specifically about the things she would want to do and the first thing she mentions is going to the zoo. Daewoong subtly tries to reject the idea, but ends up compromising.
The next day, Mi Ho goes to see Dong Joo, just to find where he put his dagger. That confirms Dong Joo's suspicions because he remembered her watching him when he put it away the last time. It upsets him when he realizes Mi Ho is willing to kill herself just to protect Dae Woong. He points out that even if she dies, Daewoong will just move on and love someone else, that he won't be devoted to her forever. I think in a way, he is kind of letting her know that no human can be as devoted as he as been to Gil-Dal. He just rains on her parade, bursts her bubble, like he always does with every negative hypothetical situation possible. She ends up discouraged and begins to doubt Dae Woong's devotion. I think she takes Dong Joo's words to heart everytime, because she trusts him, and she feels they have something in common. If she didn't care about him, she wouldn't take his words to heart all the time. That's what I love about her, even though Dong Joo is trying to separate her and Dong Joo, she's still his friend and she still trusts him, something Dong Joo needs to learn about people in general. I feel that she's more human than any real humans in the show. She's more caring, honest, loyal, thoughtful, and selfless than anyone on the show. Everyone has had their selfish moments, but not her, she has always thought of Dae Woong and everyone else, that's why I love her character so much. She's supposed to be some monster, but she's a lot more innocent and trusting than humans.
When she gets to the loft, she starts asking Dae Woong hypothetical life or death questions like: if we were hanging off a cliff and there is only one rope, would you let me have that rope? He doesn't take her seriously, so he responds with jokes. It's strange, normally he answers her questions truthfully because he knows she takes everything he says literally, but now he is always joking her. I think it's because he thinks she knows how he feels about her, when she doesn't. At this point, all she wants is to hear him tell her he would save her first, without having to tell him the truth. Even as humans, hypothetical questions lead to dangerous territory. People will always respond hypothetically, because the questions all depend on the person asking more than the situation.
The next day, she gets mad at him for not remembering minor details that she remembers about their relationship, especially about her wanting to go to the zoo, so she storms off. She only sees that Dae Woong can't even remember the simple but significant things when it comes to her. She doesn't know that humans never really remember those things. I think it's great that this drama pointed out that the simple things in life are the most significant. It shouldn't be overlooked because once that person is gone, you will always wish you took the time to pay more attention to those minor details and joys in life. She goes to see the chicken shop ajuhmma and asks her if people move on after they've lost a loved one and the ajuhmma points out that people have to move on, that they can't live their lives in mourning, it's not doing anything for the dead or the living.</div><div></div><div>She goes back to the loft but Dae Woong has locked her out and refuses to let her see him. Mi Ho apologizes but feels Dae Woong is angry with her, so she bursts open the door and sees that Dae Woong is packing a lunch for their trip to the zoo. Afterwards, they go to dinner at Daewoong's grandfather's house. Dae Woong uses it as an attempt to get Mi Ho back on her life plan. Mi Ho then finds out how Dae Woong truly feels about her when the grandfather told her how special she must be for Dae Woong to go to the zoo with her. He tells her that when Dae Woong was little, his parents got into a car accident on their way back from the zoo, and that was how he lost them. He tells her that ever since then, Dae Woong was never able to go anywhere near the zoo. It pleased the grandpa to see Mi Ho have such a positive affect on his grandson, but it only made Mi Ho feel guilty. All she wanted was to make memories with Dae Woong, but she didn't realize how painful it must have been for him.
Dae Woong had planned to take Mi Ho with him while he was filming in China, but Dong Joo ends up finding out through Hye In, and then tells her the risk of Dae Woong helping Mi Ho. She stops Dae Woong from meeting Mi Ho at the airport and tells him the whole truth that Dong Joo was keeping. Instead of running away, he goes to Mi Ho. Meanwhile, Dong Joo finds Mi Ho waiting and tells her that Dae Woong knows about losing his life without the bead. He tells her to let go of her idea of love (I swear, he is the poster boy for pessimism). He tries to convince her again how unfaithful and untrustworthy humans are when it comes to love. That is partly true even in real life. But then, he is half-human, so does that mean he is only half-devoted? Well, Dong Joo wants to take Mi Ho to Japan, since it's convenient they're at the airport, but Mi Ho finds the opportunity to run away from him.
She runs out of the airport and starts to walk away, but Dae Woong sees her from across the road and calls out to her. He tells her that he doesn't accept that either one of them has to die. He tells her to take the bead from him right now, so they can decide their own fates and not let fate decide for them.
They can bear with the consequences and that if they live or die, then they'll do it together. He's not sure of what will happen, but is just satisfied that Dong Joon won't know either. They say they love each other and that they promise to not die for the other person, which is when Dae Woong kisses Mi Ho, and she retrieves the bead.
Okay, I may have been on the fence about how I felt about Dong Joo, but now I'm sure that I definitely don't like him. At first, I was happy that he was so helpful and kind to Mi Ho. I commended him for being able to accept Mi Ho and tried to protect her, but ever since he found out she's a part of who Gil-Dal used to be, he's been completely selfish. He keeps saying he doesn't want history to repeat itself, of the gumiho he betrayed that died because of the betrayal from a human she loved, so he wants to avoid that, right? Well, he learned the wrong lesson. He learned that humans can not be trusted because they are selfish, and I can't believe he's basing his general view on one guy from over a thousand years ago. I get that he feels guilty, but no one told him to kill Gil-Dal, he chose to. What he should have learned is that he doesn't really know what's best, not for Gil-Dal, and definitely not for Mi Ho. He should have learned to respect someone's decision on how they want to live their life and focus on his own. If he truly loved or cared for either gumihos, then he should want them happy. He makes decisions for Mi Ho and tries to convince her that it's right. I understand that he wants to protect Mi Ho, but not at the risk of her happiness. I don't get why he refuses to see that her love is more important to her than anything in the world, maybe because his kind of love is the selfish kind. I hate people like his character, making decisions for someone so easily when they're not the ones that has to live with the consequences. Dae Woong and Mi Ho are the ones in the relationship, risking their lives for each other, what does that have anything to do with him? A gumiho wanting to become human for love, and a human accepting a gumiho to love, they deserve to be happy.
After reading recaps for episode 14 on dramabeans, I don't want to actually watch it until the last two episodes finish airing, because it does not end well, and I don't want to be left in tears with no way to console me. All I have to say is that I hate Dong Joo. I hate that instead of Dong Joo seeing Dae Woong's true love for Mi Ho and helping them out, he uses that to split them up. What a bastard! I'm sorry, but if Dong Joo doesn't sacrifice his life to save Mi Ho, then I'm gonna be pissed. I mean, what's the point in living for over a thousand years only to isolate yourself from the world? He is half human and half a damn mystery, why doesn't he give his half human part to Mi Ho so she can get to live in the world with the man she loves? That's the only thing he can do to redeem himself with Gil-Dal, Mi Ho, and me too.