12 Nights Kdrama Recap Episode 1

We are kind of sort of watching 12 Nights just to see what it is all about. So far I really like the melancholy undertones of two foreigners who are also of Korean descent who are traveling around Korea for the first time. It is an interesting take on travel around Korea that I am peaked about. Fate runs all around this show in a serendipitous way that I am enjoying. So I think we’ll check out the next episode.

We still plan on watching The Beauty Inside, but we might try and binge it in sections and then write our comments about it after each binge session. All the peeps on here and on twitter keep saying that it is great, so I want to really find some time to check it out and say all my feels about it.

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12 NIGHTS KOREAN DRAMA RECAP EPISODE 1

OPENING
We open on a melancholy and expecting scene where Yoo-kyung is looking out on the street as if waiting for someone. Hyuno runs up the street and stops. He takes a deep breath and then notices Yoo-kyung on the other side of the street. They see each other.

VO – Finally
VO – Finally

They walk to each other and meet in the middle of the street.

VO – I couldn’t get ahold of you
VO – I couldn’t leave you

2010 NEW YORK CITY
Yoo-kyung works in a dinner in New York city. Her boss seems nice and but stern and tells her not to think about slacking off, since she is counting down the days until something. But she just tells him that she has never been a slacker and waves as she heads out.

This entire opening is in English. She gets a call from a friend. She says she did not get her text message and finds out that something has been delayed. But nothing has been decided yet. She tells the person on the phone that she is going abroad, is it still okay? They hang up and she heads home (this lock is so high on this door). She gets inside and has a roommate who is sleeping on the couch and watching an old movie. Yoo-kyung goes to her room and starts looking at her itinerary for travel. her friend wakes up and goes to Yoo-kyung’s room.

She starts to help her find her lost passport. She finds her Korean passport, it looks like it is an old one. her friend finds her US passport. She then tells her that she is always nervous and points to her photo in both passports. She looks nervous in both. But her friend gets a call and steps out. Yoo-kyung wonders if her face is really nervous all the time.

She starts to look at old photos and writes in her diary. She will be in Nepal tomorrow.

VO – Over there, everything is different, what will wait for me?

The next day she hops on the airplane and puts her carry on in the overhead bin, but another man helps her out. Yoo-kyung tells him that she could have done it. Another woman comes in and puts her things in the overhead bin. She tells Yoo-kyung that it is so obvious that they broke up, can I have him now? YK does not really answer and instead starts thinking about an interview she had that did not go well (her American name is Jennifer). She wakes up in the plane to a message that says her results will come out soon (oh good Lord, don’t tell me she is dying of cancer).

She gets out and meets with the rest of the trip team, it looks like quit a few people are going to Nepal and her ex-boyfriend is one of them. Actually, he might be the leader of the group. She sighs and walks away to text her friend about her trip. She says that they are in Korea for a layover and then will be in Nepal.

But she starts to get these text messages about the interview she went on. They sound like they are from the woman that gave her the interview. This woman tells her that she is disappointed in her and that she failed. But then her ex-boyfriend came up to her and tells her that they are going. Yoo-kyung snaps at him and asks if he recommended her for that company? He asks her if she failed? Just say that you passed. But she wants him to apologize to her. He just smugly chuckles, you want me to apologize for helping you? (I guess he tried to help her get a job?)

Yoo-kyung is furious, so she goes to the bathroom to calm herself a bit. She tells someone over the phone that she did not know that he did something like that. Can I have one more chance? Jennifer basically tells her that it does not matter about that guy, she is the one that is untalented and and bad and would have failed anyway.

Yoo-kyung gets out of the bathroom and looks miserable. The words that the interview woman said echo in her mind. She thinks about the guy telling her to just send him anything, they all look the same. If you fail this time, then you should stop being a photographer. The right picture but it has no feeling, so it is not fun. That is you limit, the right answer with no fun and common themes. I am just giving you advice for your success because you want to be a professional photographer.

ANOTHER PLANE
Another plane comes in from Tokyo, this plane has Hyuno on it. He is a thousand miles away as he leaves the plane and accidentally leaves his bag behind. The flight attendant tells him he left it, but he decides not to take it anyway.

At the airport, Yoo-kyung has money problems because she missed her flight. She needs to catch another plane, but she does not have any money to pay for the next flight ($900). Cut to her standing in line at customs. Hyuno is also standing in line, in another line. he is able to make it through customs. But Yoo-kyung is having a hard time and starts crying. She tells the person that works there that she is not a strange person, she is there traveling.

Fluffy music plays during this section which makes the scene more playful than sad. YK is able to make it through customs and Hyuno is able to catch a taxi somewhere. Inside, Yoo-kyung texts her friend and tells her that she is in Korea. But then she realizes that she lost something – her wallet! She thinks she left it at customs on accident.

Outside, the taxi carrying Hyuno arrives at its destination. He gets out in his shirt and tie and walks up, as he walks, he remembers his life in japan and his father yelling at him about something. What the F is this! But his mother stops his father. Hyuno walks on the beach and thinks about all of this.

At the airport, we find out that Yoo-kyung cannot go back inside that part of the airport, but if they find her wallet then they will tell her. She goes outside and talks to her friend, Chae-won, who is Korean. They playfully talk. Her friend tells her that she can stay in her place, she will text her the number.

But Yoo-kyung does not have money so she has to hitchhike to her location. No one stops for her, but then Baek-man does stop. he tells her that he is going to Seoul and asks where she is going. When he finds out that she is going to the same location he tells her to hop in.

Meanwhile, Hyuno is still sitting on the bench at the beach deep in thought. his phone keeps buzzing but he does not pick it up and just tells whoever is calling to leave him alone.

Back with Yoo-kyung, Baek-man tells Yoo-kyung that he was born and raised in the neighborhood that she is going to. Yoo-kyung feels nauseous all of a sudden so he tells her that he will roll down the window! Don’t feel nauseous! Yoo-kyung breathes in the fresh air and sees the Korean landscape of tall apartment buildings. She also sees that it is World Cup season. Baek-man talks to her about it and tells her that she can stay at his guest house if she did not pick a place yet. Their guest house is really good.

They get to the neighborhood and get out, but Baek-man is on the phone and takes a minute to give Yoo-kyung her bag back. But when he gets off the phone he gives her her bags and tells her that she should stay at his place, they can all watch the world cup together. IT WILL BE SO FUN. But Yoo-kyung tells him that she does not really watch soccer. He tells her that she looks stressed, there is a wall nearby where you can scream and yell at the top, it will make you feel better. He also gives her a pamphlet for his guest house. If you change your mind, then come by.

She takes the pamphlet and sets off to find her way wherever she is going.

Elsewhere, the airport limousine drops Hyuno off in the same location. He goes to the information center where he passes Yoo-kyung. They don’t notice each other at all. Her face is in her map and he is looking around. She keeps walking with her face in the map until she finds the building she is looking for. It looks like this is her friends place. She gets inside and takes her shoes off this very messy apartment. Her friend said that she could take some money on her counter, so she does and then wonders what she is doing here.

Outside somewhere, Hyuno walks around. But he stops when he sees a guest house. Cut to the inside of the guest house where Baek-man tells his employee that he needs to work more, I am the owner! He also talks to him about all of this paper he is using. The guy tells him that this paper is an investment for when his book sells. The two fight over the paper and send it flying everywhere.

Hyuno comes in at that moment to all the white paper flying into the air and landing on Goo-wall. But they immediately straighten up when they see that a guest has arrived and apologize for being crazy for a moment. They are normally not like this. Goo-wall turns on his manager hat and gives Hyuno a tour of the place. But nothing is working, lol. The burner, boom box, bathroom, and shower don’t work properly.

He is shown the room last and talks to Baek-min about it, but he also asks him if he can have clothes to change into? Baek-min asks him how he can stay there for 4 days but not have any luggage? Hyuno says that he threw them all away. Baek thinks that is the best way to travel. He gets the clothing to change into and thanks them for it while letting them know that he will give it back to them tomorrow.

But Baek-man and Goo-wall get into another tiny argument about how Goo-wall should have given Hyuno better clothing. Those smelled funny. They were also super short on him, but he is very prepared for a flood.

Meanwhile, Yoo-kyung gets comfortable and waits for her friend. She thinks she is coming in, but Pierre comes in instead. They both scream. Cut to Pierre with a bloody nose and Yoo-kyung apologizing for not knowing that he was Chae-woon’s boyfriend. Pierre is understanding and tells her that he is actually staying as a guest at a house nearby.

Back at the Guest House, Baek-man thinks that Hyuno should change his shoes as well, so he gives him his shoes. Then he asks him if he needs a map, but Hyuno tells him that he will let his destiny decide. Goo-wall wonders why he is doing that as his first time in Seoul. Baaek-man tells him that he is doing it because it is his first time in Seoul, then he mutters about how Goo-wall does not have good feelings even though he is writing a novel.

Outside, Yoo-kyung thinks about how her photos are bad and lame. She wonders what she should do. She starts to take a lot of photos of everything she can in order to change the way she sees things. She promptly takes a photo of a photographer’s place and decides to go inside. The photographer is an older woman named Yi-ri who asks Yoo-kyung to help her move a plant.

They start to talk about how strong she is and photography but Yoo-kyung is a bit nervous to talk about it and tells her that she will leave. But the woman tells her that she is too young to leave so quickly, just look around. YK takes her advice and starts to look around the woman’s studio. She sees a lot of film work and photos hanging on string. The woman comes into the room and asks her if she can come back with her roll later (she called her eunnie even though she is older). She tells her that she thinks her pictures will be interesting.

Yoo-kyung leaves and hops on a bus. Everyone uses their card to get in, but she uses cash. Hyuno notices this, he is also sitting on the bus. While on the bus, YK thinks back to meeting Ki-tae for the first time. He met her while talking about taking his photo. he told her that the wind was nice. In the present, she tries to close the window but hurts her hand and starts crying a little.

Hyuno gives her his handkerchief but she does not take it, so he puts it on her camera. However, the handkerchief falls to the ground when she grabs her bag and leaves the bus. But, she notices that she left her camera and runs back after the bus. On the bus, Hyuno picks up his handkerchief and notices that she left it.

On the sidewalk, Yoo-kyung runs after the bus, but it is too far so she tries to memorize the number. However, Hyuno hops off the bus and sees her so he runs to her to give her her camera. She thanks him for it, but he says that he does not want to just give it to her, let’s eat together. She asks if he wants her to buy him lunch? He says it she wants to. She asks if she can just give him money and then reaches into her bag to find some, but he tells her that he just wants to eat with her.

RESTAURANT
Cut to a local place. She picked this food because it is quick, so she can eat quick. he mentions that means they can say bye quickly as well. She tells him that he knows it, so he should eat. He tells her that she does not live there, right? Everyone there uses a card for the bus, but we are the only ones that did not. She asks him why he wants to eat with a stranger?

He says something in Japanese (a Japanese proverb). It means that they should eat first and then they can overcome all the hardships, my halabogi always says that. You should eat after crying. She remembers crying on the bus and starts eating. He smiles and tells her that he is from Tokyo, where are you from? She tells him she is from New York. She immigrated there.

He tells her that he was born in japan but his grandfather was strict on maintaining his roots, so he is like a native in Korean. She tells him that she did not ask him. He tells her that he is 25, he is jobless from today, and this is his first time in Seoul. She tells him that his grandfather should have told him to focus on eating. he wants to be friends since it looks like they are similar ages. She tells him that does not mean that they should be friends. But he thinks that this means she is 25 and asks her name. She does not talk to him and just keeps eating.

Afterwards, she tells him that she will pay him back for the food if he gives her his bank information. But he says that it is nothing for travelers. he tells her his name, Cha Hyuno, and asks if they can speak in banmal if they meet each other again and if he can know her name then? She agrees but wonders why he wants to see her again. They both walk away from each other. he is happy, but she is a bit confused about their encounter.

Later on, Yoo-kyung is on a mission to reach the top of that wall Baek-min told her about. While she walks the steps, she gets a call from her Mom. Her mom is worried about her and thinks that it is raining in Seoul. She tells her that she got the wrong forecast, it is sunny there. But then she says that it looks like it is about to rain! Ah, the clouds are coming in! her mother quickly asks her about the results, Yoo-kyung tells her that this is really what she wanted to know. I failed. Then she says she can’t hear her, it is because of the mountain, talk to you later! Click.

Yoo-kyung goes to the overlook area and tries to yell, but she is self-conscious and looks around. However, she gets up the courage and yells, KWON KI-TAE ARE YOU THAT GREAT YOU A-HOLE! that is exactly what she needed to say, it looks like a lot of her stress floated away over the mountain. She sits with a smile and takes a photo.

Meanwhile, a little boy shows up rolling his luggage to the guesthouse. Goo-wall is deep in thought for his book but looks confused at the little boy who came in. He yells for Baek-man to come to the door. The little boy tells him that he is Yoon Hong-joo’s son. It is nice to see you – I think you are my father.

Baek asks if he is really Hong-joo’s son? Where is your mother? he says he does not know. Baek-man tells him that he will go to the police station if he lies. But he says that he really does not know, she disappeared when he was 7. Baek-man asks about his father, who dropped you off? The boy starts crying. Goo-wall tries to comfort him and tells Baek-man to stop yelling. Behave like an adult.

Baek-man asks him how old he is. The boy says 12. Baek-man thinks back to 13 years ago – winter. Flashback to the important thing that Hong-joo wanted to tell him. He is in the army. She tells him that they should date. He gets up to leave. She tells him that she is going to get married in only two months, do you want to send me away like this? In the present, Baek-min shakes his head out of his thoughts and walks off. Goo-wall asks him where he is going?

Back at the wall, Yoo-kyung sleeps on Hyuno’s shoulder. She looks very comfortable, but when she wakes up she sits up quickly and asks Hyuno when he came and all that. He tells her that he came from that side and she came from the other side. he is talking to her in banmal now, just like they promised each other. He asks her name. She tells him Han Yookyung. He tells her his name again, Cha Yun-shik. But she says that he said Cha Hyuno last time. He is happy that she remembered.

she asks if he is this curious all the time. he tells her that he is curious because it is her. But she says that she is not that naive. Stop asking all these things. He tells her that they are similar, why are you here? She mentions that she just wanted to take a break, that is why she ran away. He tells her it is the same for him. He was going to work, but he ran away all of a sudden. She asks why?

He stands up and starts dancing out of the blue. It looks like she wants to take a photo of him as he is doing this, but she stops. He finishes his dance and sits on the fence. Then he tells her that she looks like she will poke him in his face. She asks if he majored in dancing? He says no. She tells him that it will be too late then. He asks her if she is wondering about him now? He tells her that he likes dancing, that is it. He also asks her why she ran away.

She says that it is because the thing she can do well and the thing that she likes is different, right?

Cut to their goodbye’s. He tells her that they should see each other again, twice more. She wonders why he thinks this, so he tells her he just thinks it will happen since they met again just now. But Yoo-kyung says that is just coincidence why does he believe it? He says it might be fate, but she does not believe in fate. He does, he tells her that he will see her later and walks away. he does not answer her question.

While walking away, she takes his photo.

Outside the guest house, Baek-man drinks as he thinks about Hong-joo. He slept with her a week before her wedding. He takes a drink and thinks that this drives him crazy.

Yoo-kyung thinks as well as she meets with her friend to eat. They catch up about their lives as Chae-woon tells her that she is a screen writer, her dream was writing poems, but her dream does not fit her right now, it was difficult to wrap it up. But I will try hard to make time for our friendship while you are in Seoul. You toured me around in New York after all. But YK is melancholy and starts to talk about how she is just surviving now, no one says that she is good at what she does. Perhaps she is going through puberty.

Her friend tells her not to focus on their life and work. They also have love and romance to take care of, there is so much to think about. They end up leaving and happily walk up the street. YK asks how she met Pierre. her friend tells her that she was investigating something for work and met him while doing that. You know, like one stone and two rabbits.

They wait to cross the street, but on the other side is Hyuno. They see each other. He smiles at her as they walk across the street.

VO – Let’s meet each other again.
VO – Why, I don’t believe in fate
VO – I believe it.

She keeps walking with her friend and he happily walks back to the guesthouse. But he runs into the owner at a little corner store just outside. He asks him if he wants to sit with him so Hyuno agrees and tells Baek-min that he thinks he is a fate guy.

At Chae-woon’s place, Chae-woon tells Yoo-kyung that she has looked weird ever since they went across the crossing area. tell me. YK tells her that she met someone – a man. CW tells her that she is all grown up! You met a guy traveling? that is great. But YK says that it is not like that, they keep seeing each other on accident. We met each other on the bus and on the wall. CW tells her that those are obvious places when there is serendipity.

YK says that he thinks it is fate and says that they are going to see each other again. CW thinks that is strange, it seems like he likes her but is waiting to see if they will meet each other again serendipitously? What about you? YK thinks for a moment, but then she gets a call from Ki-tae (Eric). he is calling to apologize to her.

Chae-woon leaves and sees a text from her boyfriend, Pierre, he wants to see her.

Yoo-kyung talks to Ki-tae. He apologizes and says he worried about her. She tells him that she decided to go back to the US right away. He tells her not to think about things too much. It is obvious that you take pictures because you have to. Wait until your body responds. that is enough to anger Yoo-kang so she tells him to mind his own business. CLICK.

She washes up and thinks about him telling her that her photos are lifeless, wait until your body responds. YK thinks about this as she goes out and looks at her camera. then she runs out with it. She keeps running up the street as she thinks about her lifeless photos. She also thinks about why she ran away and the woman that wanted to print her photos. She thought that with her eyes, she would have interesting photos.

YK runs all the way to the photo studio. And guess who is there – Hyuno. They look at each other from opposite sides of the door.

Fade Out

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COMMENTS
So far so good. It is a cool blue show with melancholy undertones all fashioned around two people who are trying to find their happiness in the world. I like it so far.

PREVIEW
HO – Do you date anyone?
YK – What?
HO – I want to see you again.
YK – I met a strange guy. He said he wants to see me again…but.
HO – Are you asking me on a date?
YK – I shouldn’t have asked you….he talks about strange things. He said he is not hitting on me, but he has no hesitation. is this the Japanese way of flirting?
YK – What are you doing?
HO – You said you are envious of me because I don’t hesitate.
YK – What are you doing? I was hesitating because I was not sure of myself. I don’t need someone to decide for me.
HO – you are dating someone.
YK – It is not like that.

CHARACTER CHART

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