Final Call: "Kill Me, Heal Me"

Another great show has finally come to a close. From beginning to end, there were bumps in the road and a few plot twists, but everything came together very nicely. But above all, we found that the couple’s chemistry ran far deeper than expected. Oh Ri Jin’s purpose was far more than simply healing Cha Do Hyun… It was healing herself, too. And I guess it’s safe to say that I’m not the only one that is seriously going to miss all of the personalities.

Last Words on the Personalities

Perry Park – When it was confirmed that his existence came from Cha Do Hyun’s yearning for the man his father was before he became abusive, I couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. And honestly, Perry Park’s final scene was the saddest out of everyone for me. Not only did he leave Cha Do Hyun in a somewhat painful looking way, his entrance into the other world seemed more like death than the others. To me, the “Parry Park” boat and final happy memories of his father seem to be what are going to take him to the other side.

The Twins –Out of all the personalities, I think these two were the most directly affected by Oh Ri Jin. While all the other personalities were created with direct connection to the original trauma, these two were created out of Cha Do Hyun’s attempted suicide in high school. I don’t think either ever mentioned knowing her beforehand, so Oh Ri Jin’s interactions with them are what built their relationships. Though Ahn Yo Na was still hesitant to leave, whether it be for Cha Do Hyun safety or her relationship with Oh Ri Jin, her brother understanding is what finally allowed both to leave.

Nana – This was the plot twist that caught me the most off guard: that Oh Ri Jin’s name was originally Cha Do Hyun. Nana, though that’s really the name of the bear more than anything, seems to have come into existence to preserve the girl as she was before the fire. Nana’s final scene was the most touching for me. Oh Ri Jin speaking to her younger self and saying out loud that she grew up well and loved, that she wasn’t the girl locked up in the basement anymore, and that what happened wasn’t her fault was something that hit me on a really personal level. This scene really showed Oh Ri Jin’s progress on moving forward past her trauma.

Mystery X – I was kind of broadsided by Mystery X’s random appearance. When he hadn’t shown up the entire show, I thought it had been a mistake on the Wiki page or simply forgotten. But however short his purpose was, I’m glad he was there. He was that last kick in the butt that Cha Do Hyun needed to fully confront his past and stop trying to imagine it based on what he knew. Being the manifestation of how Nana (Oh Ri Jin and Cha Do Hyun combined) perceived her late father, Mystery X seems to have been created to protect Nana while she in some ways protected Cha Do Hyun.

Shin Se Gi – I personally think that Shin Se Gi was the most significant personality out of them all. He shouldered nearly everything by being the one hiding Cha Do Hyun’s trauma. All of his pain and anger came from what he locked away. And yet his soft spot for Oh Ri Jin spoke volumes about his guilt towards not being able to protect her and losing her back then. He really did love her. He loved her because he was Cha Do Hyun, and his final scene finally had him accept that.

Last Words on the Main Characters

Oh Ri Ohn – Out of all the second-leads I’ve seen, Oh Ri Ohn is the most tragic in terms of love. He has no choice but to let his feelings for her remain unspoken because they are family. Even though it’s not by blood, they grew up as siblings, and that’s how Oh Ri Jin views them. She loves him so much, but it’s not the love he craves from her. When they fought before, Oh Ri Jin’s line really stood out to confirm this: “Don’t say that you won’t be my big brother. Ever since I was young, those were the words I was most afraid of.” But in the end, I really admire his strength to stick to his choice to be her brother and be her stronghold when Cha Do Hyun couldn’t be.

The Couple – These two were everything I hoped they would be and more. At first, I thought Oh Ri Jin was just going to be the one to be there for Cha Do Hyun when no one else would be and bring him out of his trauma, but she turned out to be far more than just that. She indeed did those things, but in a way that no one else but her could have. And though Cha Do Hyun originally wanted to keep her out to protect her from remembering the abuse, the fact that he realized that neither of them could heal without the other brought their relationship to a whole different level.

Final Overall Impression

I am very pleased with this show and its portrayal of the mental illnesses. Though some of it was a tiny bit too theatrical for me at times, it was primarily realistic. Particularly with the abuse and how that can affect someone throughout his or her life. The only thing that was a little too unrealistic for me was the father finally waking up after 21 years in a coma. I mean, it’s technically medically possible, but…

Let me take a moment here and just talk about the perfection that is Ji Sung. I don’t think I have ever seen an actor or actress portray so many different types of characters, let alone in one. And he nailed them! Out of all of the personalities, my favorite still holds to be Ahn Yo Na because let’s be honest here, Ji Sung played her so unbelievably well and did not seem awkward at all. In fact, there were times that I had to pause the show to compose myself because it felt so real and I just couldn’t stop laughing! Yeah, I’m most definitely a fan now!

The only thing that I’m not fully happy with is the lackluster ending with the characters in Seongjin Group. To me, nothing really felt resolved. Yes, we know that Cha Do Hyun’s grandmother will turn the company over to him when he’s better, but the entire situation with his uncle and cousin felt unfulfilling with all the build-up they had throughout the show. Same with Han Chae Yun in that her final conversation with Cha Do Hyun didn’t tie up every loose end.

But once again, overall I’m very pleased with this show and am sad to see it go. How do you feel about the ending? Anything you wish were different? Comment below!

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