Extraordinary You – Episodes 23 & 24 Recap & Review

Past, Present & Future?

Extraordinary You returns today with the past and present storylines beginning to echo one another’s plot lines. With some interesting teasers going forward and plenty of questions left hanging over this one, Extraordinary You delivers another solid episode here, one that leaves things hanging on a poignant note ready for next week’s set of episodes.

Following Kyung dropping the comic strips last episode, he approaches Jimmiche and asks him how the story ends. He talks about changing the scene too, prompting our Squid Fairy to admit he lost everything precious to him. After he leaves, Kyung returns to Dan-O and tells her she needs to break up with him on-stage and tell the Chairman it’s because she hates him. Before she can do that however, she spends more time with Ha-Roo.

As we cut back to the past, we see Ha-Roo and Dan-O breaking the conventional rules of the comic, stumbling across Trumpet Creeper and discussing Prince Kyung. As we cut back to the present again, Ha-Roo relays what fragments of his memories he remembers from this time to her. Soon after, Ha-Roo winds up in a confrontation with Kyung where they discuss the writer and their fate. Kyung sneers, asking whether he’s really challenging fate or whether this is all the writer’s plan to begin with.

Back on the stage, Dan-O finds herself in hospital talking about her condition. However, in the hallway she begins telling the Chairman she doesn’t want to marry Kyung because she hates him. In her mind she stares wide-eyed at Kyung, has he really changed the scene?

In school, Nam-Joo returns and grabs Joo-Da’s hand, calling her his girl while Do-Hwa watches from afar sadly. The scene suddenly changes though and the kids find themselves in a pottery class. Kyung calls Sae-Mi a nuisance and makes her leave while Dan-O laments the changed scenery while calling Dan-O his partner. At the same time, Sae-Mi and Soo-Chul begin to grow closer together.

When Dan-O’s heart monitor begins beeping, the teacher makes a decision to pair up Kyung and Ha-Roo resulting in a pretty frosty reception, until he drops the necklace on the floor. Kyung picks it up and seems to understand why it was so important to Dan-O, however outside class he speaks to Chairman Eun again and vows to make sure Dan-O remains by his side, much to the displeasure of Ha-Roo.

In the Joseon storyline, we see that it was Kyung who gave Dan-O the necklace originally, with her calling him “her beginning” rather than this line being used with Ha-Roo in the present. In secret and under the moonlit sky, Ha-Roo and Dan-O lament their feelings for one another while back in the present, Dan-O tells them she doesn’t want to marry Kyung; a sentiment that echoes back to the past too.

As the plot thickens, it turns out Joo-Hwa is self-aware of the story too. Kyung formulates his plot to marry Dan-O, proposing to her on the stage until Ha-Roo literally pulls the plug and plunges the scene into darkness. However, as the page turns the scene changes and Il Jin is the one in the spotlight this time as the storyline appears to have changed. As the group chant for them to kiss, Dan-O clutches her chest and passes out while Jimmiche watches the transfer student leave suspiciously.

When Dan-O awakens, Kyung speaks to her about the story before realizing alone that what happens in the shadow directly influences the stage and has done since the beginning. While he contemplates what this all means, Dan-O has flashes of the future too, as she spots herself in surgery. Throwing her arms around Ha-Roo, he stares at the scar on his hand, realizing this actually came from the Joseon period, as we leave our story hanging in the balance.

Unlike yesterday’s somewhat upbeat episode, Extraordinary You returns for a far more poignant and reflective slice of drama. Why is Jimmiche fearful of the transfer student? What does Dan-O’s flash to the future mean for our characters? And just who is the writer? There’s so many questions left unanswered here and every week Extraordinary You appears to be building up to a big plot reveal to shock us all. Still, we’ll have to wait for that moment to come but what’s here should be enough to keep you coming back for more.