I'm curious if the male student that prof Yeom talking to while throwing out the alcohol is actually exist or…
They dropped a hint in episode 4 when the professor said, paraphrasing, "not all of them are evil, some are people you always wanted to see again".
It was not obvious, especially since later in episode 4, they had that resident/mother scene who chose to entertain the ghost of her daughter who doesn't appear to have died peacefully.
Two similar scenarios of wanting to see someone. The resident… and I think the professor. One is holding on to a spirit with grudges. While the professor's to a student who probably died because of some sickness, but died "peacefully" (ie no grudges) nonetheless.
Huh. Who was that person who recognized the FL as Joo Won? O_O
Another thing that was weird, she called her 18th life name. The natural reaction, even for “gods” is to call a reincarnated spirit by their current name, not their previous name. So, that mysterious woman calling her by her 18th name can only mean that something is not right and she was definitely, 100%, not supposed to die early (18th life) and pushed her 19th life far earlier than it should.
Hence all the issues she's having now since her 18th and 19th life are overlapping.
So far, as of episode 4, I am very satisfied with how they depicted things. There were no exaggerations nor fantastical elements. It was purely based on folklore, legends, (not myth) and actual experiences of people.
As someone who came from a long line of, allow me to use the Western terminology, “occultists” and I used to be a practitioner myself, they grounded everything based on facts. So far at least.
1. For people who can see, like me: yes, there are the scary ones, the dangerous ones, and the okay ones.
The ML was mostly calm and nonchalant because that's how you actually act around them. You don't show them that you are afraid. You don't address them directly. You must never let them know, or notice, that you can see them. Meaning, never ever acknowledge them, unless you have some plan in your mind.
A good example is in episode 4 when the ML visited a resident. He never addressed, nor acknowledged, the ghost. He only talked to the living person. (This is actually how we can tell who is an amateur and who is a pro. You don't “hunt” ghosts, like those people who show up on TV and video streaming sites.)
2. For people who can only see through a reflection, like the FL (or Kim Tae Ri's character), they did well in that area too.
A person who doesn't actually believe in ghosts/spirits wouldn't suddenly scream their lungs out just because they saw something on the mirror that is not there. Which is the typical interpretation in horror and suspense shows.
People like the FL they remain quiet because they are struggling to reconcile what they are seeing versus their belief that they don't exist. They experience inaction, or are frozen in place, until their mind comes to at least two possible solutions.
For example, in episode 4, the FL was frozen when she saw the reflection of multiple ghosts. As usual, she was frozen in place because it was the first time she saw multiple ghosts. She has learned to accept there is a spirit latching on to her, or seeing one ghost at a time. But multiple ghosts? Plus the fact she just learned her mother was a native of that town?
The FL must have a lot of things going on her mind, and then boom, multiple ghosts behind her.
Eventually, her brain came up with one solution… to run.
Which is… quite frankly, the best decision she ever made, at least in that situation.
Because, as I've mentioned, you never ever acknowledge them unless you have a plan.
Yes, it can be argued that by running she just acknowledged them and told them she can see them… but based on the current situation of that town… and her not fully verse on how to deal ghosts… well…
All these, consider the fact that the story is based on Korean culture, folklore, and legends. Yet, they were able to write the story based on what people actually experienced, and what people who were born in a long line of practitioners and can see ghosts, actually know.
Wow, that was too predictable. They want to move the story faster and focus on the three-way fight. 1. The MLs 2. The father and his dog 3. Ji Soo / Joyce
I wonder if this Joyce-arc is the main plot. Or, it will end by episode 6 or 8, and Ji Soo will join the alliance of Ho Woo and Seung Jo in bringing down the father.
I hope it is only a secondary plot. The way I see it, them three joining together is itself not enough to bring down the cunning father. So having them three together is the best way forward, and the main plot will revolve around how to bring him down and outwit him.
I really, really hope that will be the case.
There were previous shows wherein the supposed main plot ended up as a secondary plot because they spent too much time with the real secondary plot. By episode 15 or 16, the bigger plot was just solved magically, with no fuss, no whistles. I don't like those type of writing, they're good for books with sequels, but for a 16-episdoe live-action show, they built up the bigger plot only for secondary plot taking too much air time, and the bigger plot ended in one episode.
I have * King the Land * Ms. DuRiAn * See You In My 19th Life * Numbers * Revenant
And now this, Heartbeat.
It makes my current "on-going" list well-balanced.
Although, why do they have to release all the shows of highly sought after celebrities at the same time? That only means we probably won't have enough later, after all these shows ended.
I wonder what's the word play why they chose Du Ri An. Probably the character is like the fruit? Judged wrongly on the outside but is diverse on the inside?
I mean, they chose “Ms. Durian” for the English title, so it must be a word play.
I mean, if you want to gender reveal, you definitely do it on the 70th birthday of the person you love who happens to be your mother-in-law. Hey, age doesn't matter, right?
And you know… they all repeatedly said she was all wrinkles and only a day or two ago… before her treatment.
But, hey, like it or not, I think the family handled it well. They did not discriminate against her, the issue was… they're mother/daughter-in-law and… well… the age gap. It was not about her gender, it was not about her as a person.
2. All this time I thought there was some person who needed help, and it was a chihuahua.
No, I have nothing against people treating their friends like a human child. Rather, they set the scenes and expectations in a certain way, and then surprise!
1 
It was not obvious, especially since later in episode 4, they had that resident/mother scene who chose to entertain the ghost of her daughter who doesn't appear to have died peacefully.
Two similar scenarios of wanting to see someone. The resident… and I think the professor. One is holding on to a spirit with grudges. While the professor's to a student who probably died because of some sickness, but died "peacefully" (ie no grudges) nonetheless.
At least that's how I interpreted it. ^_^
Another thing that was weird, she called her 18th life name. The natural reaction, even for “gods” is to call a reincarnated spirit by their current name, not their previous name. So, that mysterious woman calling her by her 18th name can only mean that something is not right and she was definitely, 100%, not supposed to die early (18th life) and pushed her 19th life far earlier than it should.
Hence all the issues she's having now since her 18th and 19th life are overlapping.
As someone who came from a long line of, allow me to use the Western terminology, “occultists” and I used to be a practitioner myself, they grounded everything based on facts. So far at least.
1. For people who can see, like me: yes, there are the scary ones, the dangerous ones, and the okay ones.
The ML was mostly calm and nonchalant because that's how you actually act around them. You don't show them that you are afraid. You don't address them directly. You must never let them know, or notice, that you can see them. Meaning, never ever acknowledge them, unless you have some plan in your mind.
A good example is in episode 4 when the ML visited a resident. He never addressed, nor acknowledged, the ghost. He only talked to the living person. (This is actually how we can tell who is an amateur and who is a pro. You don't “hunt” ghosts, like those people who show up on TV and video streaming sites.)
2. For people who can only see through a reflection, like the FL (or Kim Tae Ri's character), they did well in that area too.
A person who doesn't actually believe in ghosts/spirits wouldn't suddenly scream their lungs out just because they saw something on the mirror that is not there. Which is the typical interpretation in horror and suspense shows.
People like the FL they remain quiet because they are struggling to reconcile what they are seeing versus their belief that they don't exist. They experience inaction, or are frozen in place, until their mind comes to at least two possible solutions.
For example, in episode 4, the FL was frozen when she saw the reflection of multiple ghosts. As usual, she was frozen in place because it was the first time she saw multiple ghosts. She has learned to accept there is a spirit latching on to her, or seeing one ghost at a time. But multiple ghosts? Plus the fact she just learned her mother was a native of that town?
The FL must have a lot of things going on her mind, and then boom, multiple ghosts behind her.
Eventually, her brain came up with one solution… to run.
Which is… quite frankly, the best decision she ever made, at least in that situation.
Because, as I've mentioned, you never ever acknowledge them unless you have a plan.
Yes, it can be argued that by running she just acknowledged them and told them she can see them… but based on the current situation of that town… and her not fully verse on how to deal ghosts… well…
All these, consider the fact that the story is based on Korean culture, folklore, and legends. Yet, they were able to write the story based on what people actually experienced, and what people who were born in a long line of practitioners and can see ghosts, actually know.
That deserves 10/10 from me already.
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Comment #1223
1. The MLs
2. The father and his dog
3. Ji Soo / Joyce
I wonder if this Joyce-arc is the main plot. Or, it will end by episode 6 or 8, and Ji Soo will join the alliance of Ho Woo and Seung Jo in bringing down the father.
I hope it is only a secondary plot. The way I see it, them three joining together is itself not enough to bring down the cunning father. So having them three together is the best way forward, and the main plot will revolve around how to bring him down and outwit him.
I really, really hope that will be the case.
There were previous shows wherein the supposed main plot ended up as a secondary plot because they spent too much time with the real secondary plot. By episode 15 or 16, the bigger plot was just solved magically, with no fuss, no whistles. I don't like those type of writing, they're good for books with sequels, but for a 16-episdoe live-action show, they built up the bigger plot only for secondary plot taking too much air time, and the bigger plot ended in one episode.
I have
* King the Land
* Ms. DuRiAn
* See You In My 19th Life
* Numbers
* Revenant
And now this, Heartbeat.
It makes my current "on-going" list well-balanced.
Although, why do they have to release all the shows of highly sought after celebrities at the same time? That only means we probably won't have enough later, after all these shows ended.
I paused after it because I want to keep it in my mind forever. I'll go to work for now and continue watching later. ^_^
Thank you very much!
I mean, they chose “Ms. Durian” for the English title, so it must be a word play.
The taste… IIRC, I've only tasted a sweet durian once. LOL. So, I still avoid it, even the processed juice sold by brands like Tang. Haha.
And those shown in the episode 2 preview are the two other ladies running after them?
There are 4 time travellers in total?
I mean, if you want to gender reveal, you definitely do it on the 70th birthday of the person you love who happens to be your mother-in-law. Hey, age doesn't matter, right?
And you know… they all repeatedly said she was all wrinkles and only a day or two ago… before her treatment.
But, hey, like it or not, I think the family handled it well. They did not discriminate against her, the issue was… they're mother/daughter-in-law and… well… the age gap. It was not about her gender, it was not about her as a person.
2. All this time I thought there was some person who needed help, and it was a chihuahua.
No, I have nothing against people treating their friends like a human child. Rather, they set the scenes and expectations in a certain way, and then surprise!
3. Ghosts.
Well played.
Episode 1: 8 out of 10