[OFFICIAL THREAD] DDONGI COUPLE ~ (Eric Nam ❤ MAMAMOO Solar) LEGGO~!

[Le_Sanguinea]

Disclaimer: This is not an episode review, or an episode analysis. It's more like, a blog post or something. Until now, I'm still not quite sure what to feel about their ending, but it's not as bad as it was 5 days ago. I'll still post additional stuff once I get my head on straight.  

 

PART 3: OF SWAN SONGS AND EVER AFTERS 

When is accurate to say you’re already feeling a sense of Nostalgia? A day? A week? A month? Does a sense of time matter when it comes to missing something you’ve had in your daily life for a certain period of time? I’ve never really thought about it too deeply before, since Nostalgia is a complex emotion that needs to have both sentimentality and sadness, as well as some sprinkling of happiness, for it to be recognized as such.

Looking back, it’s been 5 days since their last episode aired, 16 full days since they filmed their last episode, and I still don’t know how to express what I’m feeling right now. Is this Nostalgia? Or perhaps just some lingering feeling of emptiness because their parting still seems so recent?

To tell you honestly, this is the first time I’ve actually watched a finale right as it aired. Most of the time, I wait for a couple of months between episodes to lessen the feeling of separation and inevitability that comes with watching something you’ve emotionally invested in. I still remember downloading the farewell episode of Chun-Hee and Yejin from Family Outing Season 1 and stashing it somewhere in my hard drive, with the intention of watching it 2-3 months later to lessen the melancholy. It didn’t work – I still teared up watching it no matter how hard I steeled myself beforehand.

I guess I can attribute this aversion to Last Episodes to the fact that I watched Adam Couple, my first ever exposure to WGM and Korean Media straight to the last episode, where reality hit like a ton of bricks after watching them sing their goodbye songs to each other in ShimShimTapa. Even with Western Shows, I hated watching the last episode of a show as it aired, for the same reason why people find it hard to let go of something they’ve become used to – something that became part of their identity. People might argue that it’s overdramatic to feel this way over a TV show, but I disagree. It’s natural to attribute a sense of attachment to things that resonate with you on a personal level, whether it’s a thing, an event, a place, a person, or even a TV show you’ve come to love. Of course, the argument on realism will play a part on whether that attachment is healthy or not (overzealous shippers beware), but it’s perfectly normal to embrace something you’re passionate about as part of what defines you.

That being said, I don’t claim to like any of my past ships any less just because I didn’t watch their final episodes on time. More or less, some of the reasons came at the expense of real life, but I did watch them nonetheless, to bring about a sense of finality – to remind myself that nothing can really last forever in WGM, even though it pains us to accept that fact. From the very beginning, we knew that they would eventually film their last episode; we just didn’t know HOW and WHEN they would end. We don’t know whether they would grow together, or grow apart. We don’t know if they would end happily, or end in tears. We don’t know if they would end their last episode as friends, or as mere acquaintances. That sense of curiosity and hope are fundamental emotions that encourage people to join a ship – driven by the desire to see a happy ending for the couple that they support.

These two - Eric and Solar – these two are probably the few people in WGM that I’ve genuinely wanted to ship not just for entertainment. I don’t claim to have any logical basis for that fact, because I don’t have any, nor would I try to use logic to rationalize myself. No, it’s just pure intuition, the same reason why I was intrigued by their segment in the first place. After watching their first episode back in August up to the point where I joined the forum, gut feeling is what drove me to support them as a couple, without knowing any of their previous history nor their personality. I wanted to explain this reason before their last episode aired in this article, but I felt that I was missing something, so I opted to post this after watching their last episode to confirm something.

I wanted to see if it was their Swan Song or their Ever After.

Even the most cynical WGM viewers recognize the merit of people appearing on WGM.  They know that at some point in time, they were bound to connect with each other as they filmed their segment, even after arguing about whether their actions were plausible or sincere because of a script. However, more often than not, you could tell by their last episodes if they’re still going to be in contact after filming, or at the very least treat each other as friends outside the show. There’s always this subtext that would be evident beyond the sad and heavy atmosphere of the filming and no matter how subtle and difficult to spot it may be, there will always be some clues as to whether they would be able to maintain that connection over time. Cinnaminskies and enko20 already tackled some of those subtexts in their earlier articles, and most of them correlate with earlier details we already pointed out in previous details provided by our thread detectives. I wasn't actually looking for those details to be honest, I was more focused on reading the mood rather than looking for minute details in that episode. Like for example, Solar's celebratory dance after presenting the cake lacked her usual joie de vivre (which means brightness and joy), as well as Eric's somewhat flat reaction to her dance. I simply attributed that feeling to the fact that both of them knew it was their last day, but were trying hard to celebrate the little things that they could before they opened that red letter. Perhaps it was for the best though, as that somber atmosphere added to the mood leading up to the tender moment they shared right after Eric read the letter prepared for her. 

Honestly speaking, having them fill out their resumes again after having spent the past 8 months together was a brilliant idea. All throughout their segment, we knew that they made a conscious effort to connect to each other by tiny little details that they share in WGM that show us they pay attention to each other more often than not. Watching them fill out their resume with bits and pieces of their quirks, albeit jokingly at times, was heartening to watch, because it illustrates how much they were able to connect to each other throughout their stint together. Things like listing their witticisms – “I like it!” and “Okay!” – we’re signs that they pay attention to each other’s habits, things that would usually be overlooked by people other than the ones who truly know the person on a personal level.  Fundamentally, this concept is different from just reminiscing over past events, as was the norm for most WGM final episodes.

Over the past few days, I tried to put in time to rewatch some of the other couple’s final episodes as reference, and the format is almost always the same – an event, a message, and a tearful goodbye. Not that I discredit the emotions that the other couples felt while they were filming that episode, but oftentimes I wonder if it was simply because they got caught up in the sad atmosphere of filming their last episode rather than being truly sad that they were going to separate. I’m not saying that that’s the case though – it’s more of an observation since we all know that it’s highly likely that the mood of a situation can affect how a person acts. In contrast, I liked how Solar and Eric chose to approach their last episode, by trying to preserve a somewhat happy and nostalgic mood instead of a somber and depressing one. They didn’t entirely succeed though, as was evidenced by the awkward and gloomy pauses in conversation during their taxi ride. But it seems as if they forgot about that during their final photoshoot that was reminiscent of their wedding photoshoot. I like to think that the hug they shared in front of the camera was their final shot before the director said “CUT!”, with them holding each other tightly before wrapping things up to shoot their BRIs.

 

Another thing - I can count on my fingers the number of WGM couples that gave each other gifts before separating. Prime examples would be Yonghwa’s guitar gift to Seohyun and Leeteuk’s pair of shoes. None of them however, were as personalized as Eric and Solar’s gifts to each other. Both of their gifts obviously took time to make and compile, which tells us how much of an effort they made just to make their remembrance all the more meaningful. All those little details that they added were things that held special meaning for them, even down to the heart that looked like a steak (Lol Solar, you meat-lover you  ) How did they squeeze in the time to make those given their busy schedules? 

It was probably one of the more beautiful WGM farewells that they’ve put out in a while. Of course, I haven’t watched any of the more recent ones starting from LTE couple, but even if I did watch them, I’d still think that this farewell episode is one of the more poignant yet oddly heartwarming episodes I’ve ever watched. I'm thankful to the producers for the consideration that they put in, considering that other couples only get a measly 12 minutes to say their goodbyes. In retrospect, I realize that the PDs really were fond of our couple, not just in their interviews, but with how they acceded to the minor details that Eric and Solar requested. I doubt that it was the PD's idea to have them give each other personalized gifts on the show - they could have given it to each other offcam but I guess the PD agreed that it was a thoughtful moment that should be spent with the fans. I was a little sad at first, but after I watched it again and again and again, I was convinced that they’d still be friends outside this despite all the burdens of their idol status. As far as I know, Eric will still be a Solar-stan even after this - with him downloading all of her latest songs on his phone, and Solar will still send him her support via sneaky texts in private. Them getting together may still be a far-fetched idea, but who knows? Ever after doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the end – it simply means that something will continue after the fact.

And knowing these two, we have reason to hope, and believe.  

 

Side note: I'm seriously going to figure out how to make this image better. This is probably my favorite screencap from them. At least not until they release those images they featured on that album in their last episode.  

-  - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meanwhile, I’ll never be able to walk down a night street again without listening to this:

Spoiler

 

 

Or listen to R.A.D’s I’m in love without remembering this:

 

Or watch another My Ear Candy’s performance without remembering this:

Spoiler

 

 

This little gem got added to my playlist:

Spoiler

 

As well as this one:

Spoiler

 

And a lot of other soundtracks that will remind of them long after I’ve finished watching their segment for the nth time. Most of the background music from my favorite ships are saved in my playlist, like Happy Me from the time Jo Kwon sang in the ice rink, or Love Actually from PocaGuri’s street concert. Looking back, Ddongi couple gave me a lot of songs for my happy playlist (and probably some more that I have figured out yet). So yeah, it's going to take a while for me to completely get over them. Not that I want to, though.  

Why is their ending song so catchy though?? I'm supposed to be sad dammit! 

Thanks @gureentea for the link!  

[gureentea]

Eric's SNOW app update (didn't expect him to update here... need to check every account from now on )

trans: choreography practice ㅠㅠ

Spoiler

---

eric's magazine shoots and interview

Spoiler

ELLE

GQ

(i wanna know what's the article talking about.. look at the amount of RTs)

W KOREA (with translated article under this thread by ericnam_USA!)

 

---

i just watched solar's diary with moonbyul, solar was dancing to My Ear Candy's opening dance but stopped it right away haha (they did the titanic pose before this)

(whoops i shouldn't do this here)

[xHanaParkx]

Mamamoo For Simply Kpop

fancam version

 

[xHanaParkx]

 

[Ira Ajja]

@gureentea solar like us still not forget ddongie wgm 

@NamSeoYeon18 never expect they will make adlibs for blue dragon award it's so cool 

[Le_Sanguinea]

Lol I just watched that diary. It's funny how Solar added that My Ear's Candy to her random dance repertoire (kinda like the one she did while giving Eric his cake). She really can't help it.  

[enko20]

Annyeong yeorobun~

I am still working on my final piece of the series. It turned out to be quite more challenging to write than I expected. Because of the new development, there are many things I have to adjust. I will try to get it in as soon as I can put them all together into one cohesive piece.

I have written something else for chingus to read in the meantime.

- - - - - - -

A while ago, I wrote an analysis post on the entire rescue mission in Hongdae to explain the symbolism behind it. If you haven’t read it before, please pause at this moment and check it out first before continuing on:

~~~~~

[Rescue Princess Solar from Hongdae Tower – The Symbolism by enko20]

~~~~~

However, I purposely omitted many important parts from that post back then. The reason I did that was because I was waiting for further developments between Ddongie in order to expand on what was written. At this point, thanks to some of the other editorial pieces done by myself and another writer ( @cinnaminskies), I finally have enough information to chain link everything together for a complete version of this analysis.

I found this article thought-provoking to write about, and I hope chingus will enjoy it.

Hongdae Tower Rescue Mission – Echoing the Past, Foreshadowing the Future

by enko20

A beautiful day full of sunshine, what could possibly go wrong?

On that fine morning back in April, Eric went on a journey to Hongdae to find out who his prospective partner would be. Brimming with suspension in imagination of the days ahead with his ideal girl, Eric said goodbye to Wilson the Teddy Bear one last time before taking his first steps toward the path of sunlight.

Even though he already received a warning on the mission card that he would have to go through a trial to rescue the princess that was locked away, Eric probably couldn’t even imagine exactly how serious it was going to get once he’s there.

~~~~~

[Part 2: Solar – The Enigmatic Yeba]

~~~~~

The mysterious princess was briefly shown, confined in a tiny room full of combination locks and electronic keypads. She was instructed to put on a mask to hide her identity and stay quiet at certain time to not give herself away.

As discussed in the previous article, the room here is an image of Solar’s personal space, but It’s not just that. It represents many different images of her personality and her life. It’s a room that she used to lock herself in as a kid to do nothing but sing all day long (and as you could see, even Eric was forced to go through the same routine). It’s also a room that serves as an image of her loner self – a girl who stays away from the light, putting multiple layers of locks on any person that attempt to get closer to her.

What about the mask and her quietness then? The mask is a representation of what Solar uses to mask herself – specifcally, her bright smile that hides away her vulnerable sides, which might not be very pleasant to look at. As for her quietness, it is a depiction of the inability to express her feelings with words, something we know as a fact given to us from Solar’s own mouth.

- - - - - - - - - -

Stage 1 (Episode 1 – 14)

~~~~~

[Stage 1: Virtual Spouses (The Tower – Jeju Island) by cinnaminskies]

[Stage 1: Virtual Spouses (The Tower – Jeju Island) by enko20]

~~~~~

Is this real life?

When Eric arrived at the tower, his mission did not even begin in front of those room locks at first. He had to start further back behind the jail bars. Now, was this even necessary? Was it not a bit redundant to make him went through both that AND the room locks? It really didn’t seem to do anything but to screw with his brain and his patience. As if that’s not bad enough, they even made him wear a thick suit while doing this. It’s almost as if they were trying to get him heated up both physically and emotionally or something.

If that is your line of thought at this moment, then you certainly are on the right track. Yes, that was exactly the point. If you still don’t know what I’m hinting to, then keep on reading. By the end of this, you will understand what I mean, trust me.

     Writing on the Wall

Remember this?

A mysterious, nonsensical writing

This particular piece of code on the wall made little to no sense to me back then. It was completely out of place, and it suggested nothing useful at all compared to the other hints/tools given to Eric in that jail cell.

Looking back now, everything written on there was actually the most crucial hint of them all. I will decrypt this vague writing to explain why it was necessary for Eric to read this first before anything else, regardless of whether he understood it back then or not.

 

 ~~~~~

Quote

누곤지는 모르나, 우리(나의)편일거라믿네

I don’t know who you are, but I believe you are on our (my) side.

With pretty much zero knowledge of who her partner was, Solar stepped into WGM hoping that the man she met on the other end would be a person who’s on her side. There are two meanings to “on my side” here. The first one is referring to a sympathetic person who would want to understand her, and a person who can make her feel safe to be with. The second meaning is about a person who’s committed to the same approach with her to WGM – a marriage with a friend vibe, focus on truly getting to know each other rather than just going through the motions for the show.

Whether by coincidence or not, Solar expressed this once again six months later, when she serenaded Eric for their 200th day event going to Dubai:

Praying with all my heart, the person I’m yearning for
I believe that person is you

....

Quote

많은비밀 이감옥세포에있다.  어서탈출하다여기서

There are many secrets in this cell. Hurry up and escape from here.

Even though Solar’s feelings might be difficult to understand, she will drop subtle, vague hints here and there about what she wants, and her partner needs to have a keen sense to pick up on those. If he manages to do so, he will escape from these bars that separate him and her from each other.

But he needs to hurry up though, because Solar isn’t exactly a very patient girl. Every second of her not knowing whether the guy has the ability or the will to break this barrier between them will only make her feel more and more uneasy.

And to make sure he understood that, Solar knocked on the wall afterwards as if to tell him “Please hurry, I can’t wait any longer…”

Is this a haunted house or something?

Quote

이 셀에서 살아남은 사람으로부터

From the person who already survived in this cell

The person who survived here was none other than Solar herself. How do I know, you ask? Here is the answer:

Quote

“I was walking around Hongdae with a friend one day, when by chance there was an event where they gave you a present if you sang, so I sang there. In the audience, there was a person who worked in the business, so I had a brush of fate with the music industry.”

Four years ago, Solar was a girl who wandered the street of Seoul with little hope of a successful future. In a sense, she was living like a prisoner herself – a prisoner of her own past failures, a prisoner of her own fearful mind.

However, in this same place in Hongdae where Eric’s at now, her life was changed. The person in that crowd who noticed Solar free her from the jail that she once held herself in. Now, it is Eric’s turn to walk in her shoes, so he could have a taste of what it feels like to be her for a day.

“This is to give you a glimpse of what I went through. I hope that this experience you are feeling here will bring you closer to me, and I hope it will help you understand and sympathize with me for who I am.”

Eric was about to find out exactly what all of this meant in just a moment.

     Lived Like a Fool

 

This is Eric Nam – A classy gentleman with a Bachelor’s Degree in America wearing a manly suit – crawling on the floor, grasping at any piece of straw he could find, spewing English words loudly in frustration, and beating himself up over and over again In front of Solar for being dumb.

While all of that was happening, his “ideal” girl was over there banging on the wall and nagging at him for taking way too long. What’s worse, MBC even jokingly put many captions to mock his lack of Korean proficiency while he was reading and figuring out the clues, just to further emphasize how foolish and helpless he really was looking at that moment.

And after vexing himself out finding a way to grab the key, it turned out to not be the right one instead.

Nope, try again

At this moment, we began to see the parallel between his experience with Solar’s experience in the past. During her pre-Mamamoo days, Solar pretty much went through the same thing. She was a shy girl with a dream, a story she wanted to share with the world through her music, but soon she found out how miserable of an auditioning experience it was going to be for her.

I would like to tell a short, fictional story with images and a song to portray to us how eerily similar Eric’s experience probably was to hers:

Spoiler

 Solar’s Emotion Part I

 

Spoiler

One day, at the sound of leaves falling
I saw my empty mind

Felt the fleeting times
That flew by

Like the falling leaves
Have I lived my life

I lived foolishly
I lived foolishly
I lived foolishly, I lived foolishly

Is it lost?
Is it too late?
To return the times that have passed
Wouldn’t it be great?

I lived foolishly
I lived foolishly
I lived foolishly, I lived foolishly

I lived foolishly
I lived foolishly
Foolishly, foolishly
I lived foolishly

Foolishly, foolishly
I lived foolishly

 

Eric: Wilson, don’t you think I’m ready to get married today?

Solar: Omma, appa, I’m ready to become a singer today.

 

Eric: There’s no way you will lock me in here, right?

Solar: It will be alright, trust me. They won’t reject me this time around.

 

MBC: Look at this guy, he can’t even read Korean properly

Solar’s judges: Look here, how can we give you a spot if you can’t even do it right?

 

Eric: I… I’m here to get married. How did it turn out like this?

Solar: I… I really want to become a singer. You know what I mean right?

 

MBC: You really think we would let you out of jail that easily? Maybe you should try again for that other key over there.

Solar’s judges: We’re sorry, you should try again. Maybe you will have better luck next time.

Solar: Hello? Why are you taking so long? Just come here already!

Solar's parents: Hello? What did I tell you before? You're not going to become a singer, you stubborn girl!

 

Eric: Why am I so stupid?

Solar: I’m a fool, I’m a fool, I’m a fool, I’m a fool, I’m a fool, I’m a fool…

 

Eric: It’s okay, there has to be something I can use here. Stay calm

Solar: It’s fine, stay strong girl. I will find a way out of this eventually. Don’t give up yet.

 

Eric: Umm… Some help, anyone?

Solar: Someone, please give me a chance…please.

 

 

 

Now, I want you to scroll up and read through that again for at least forty more times. Would you do that? Of course you wouldn’t, but Solar did. She crawled, grumbled, agonizing over her own failure, asking for help in vain, over and over again, all because she saw the key to her jail cell hanging over there – the key that will let Solar escape her dark past for a brighter future - and she just wanted it that badly.

That was as close as I could possibly get in portraying the “dark” person that Solar was before RBW came to her rescue back then. Around four years later in the same place, Eric experienced the same thing she once did on a miniature scale.

     When There’s a Will, There’s a Way

In essence, all the hard work Eric was made to put in here served as a humbling experience for him, and it was a wake-up call to help him realize that the life he will spend with Yongsun ahead won’t be a road full of unicorns and happy sunshine like what he once thought he would get out of Solar the bubbly girl.

All Solar needed to know in this stage of relationship, and same here in this jail, was whether Eric will keep on fighting for the real key further away – the real her that he wants to become closer to. If that is his intention, then these bars will come falling down in front of him, and he will be one step closer to meeting Yongsun – the girl on the other side of the wall that he has been working so hard to reach.

Good thing Eric was probably just as stubborn as her 21-year-old self

Spoiler

 

The moment Eric escaped from his jail cell signified the end of the first stage of their relationship – the stage that was the most agonizing and frustrating for him, Solar, and for us to go through. Nonetheless, it was a stage that was necessary to define the direction that their relationship would be heading toward from this point on.

     But Wait, There’s More!

Soon, Eric realized that all that struggles he went through to get out of jail was just the beginning of what’s about to come.

Not one, but four?

Spoiler

Stage 1-  Jail Lock P Solution: The 2nd key

???

???

???

 

- - - - - - - - - -

Stage 2 (Episode 15 – 24)

 ~~~~~

[Stage 2: The Concept of Friendship (Jeju Island - Chuseok) by cinnaminskies]

[Stage 2: The Concept of Friendship (Jeju Island - Chuseok) by enko20]

 ~~~~~

Before Eric even attempted to solve the other locks in front of him, there was a piece of paper presented to him on top of the table:

나의 신부는 지금 옆방에 있다.

My bride is in the next room.

(If you change 신부는 to 신보, the word “bride” becomes “NEWS”)

이곳을 벗어나려면 그녀를 추리하며 문제를 풀어야 한다.

To escape from this place, I need to make inferences about her to help me break this problem down.

Raise your (virtual) hand if you actually paused and read the second line on that piece of paper the first time you watch it.

I bet not many of us did, because neither Eric read it out loud nor was it subbed/captioned. It’s only after watching again for the nth time did I notice it. Turned out, that line was actually the clue, unlike the first line which was just stating something obvious.

But why does that line matter? Well, let me rephrase that second line in a way that will perhaps click with us more:

Quote

“To move on from this stage, pay attention closely and try to understand her so that you could break this wall down.”

If the first stage was all about figuring out each other’s intention (Solar’s intention by putting Eric in jail, or Eric’s will to escape it), the second stage now is about soldifying the premises that was established in the previous stage.

     Passing Remarks

Right from the start, the first thing I noticed from this particular puzzle was how much It revolved around Solar’s personal information and personality. The first combination lock contained the keyword “YEARS” next to it. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the 4-digit number had something to do with Solar’s birth year.

You can’t just ask for her age, that’s cheating

But the lock is not what I want to focus on. Rather, it was the conversation happened during this time between Eric and Solar that were more intriguing to discuss about.

Scarily accurate statements

With one little conversation, Eric managed to guess two characteristics of Solar before even getting to know her:

(1) The “Yeba” that can’t do things right and always looks like a clumsy idiot.

(2) The girl that does things by her lonesome, not just during breakfast, but pretty much everything else in her life, especially before she met Mamamoo.

You could argue that it was just a simple reasoning process and not really anything special. However, what I’m trying to drive at here is that this was a prelude to Eric’s careful attention given to Solar and how much he relates to her emotionally in this stage.

If you would remember, this period displayed many trivial things Eric secretly know about Solar that wasn’t mentioned or only briefly mentioned before – things that Solar regarded as “passing remarks”:

She already gave him “the look” before he even gave her “the look”

Like the hint on that second line that was easily missable, little conversations or gestures that show how much Eric cares about Solar are the kind of things that touch her greatly, even it if it didn’t seem obvious at first. His caring thoughts did not only move her heart, but also something else – that is, the wall she once put up against him. The emotions she hid behind her laugh couldn’t help but be shown on her face, even if it was just for a brief moment in time.

And these moments were already foreshadowed by something that happened to her the moment Eric unlocked the 2nd lock of their relationship:

Spoiler

 

The mask that hid her surprised face briefly fell down

 

 

     Who Are You?

After opening up the upper combination lock, Eric received this piece of clue:

A dragon toy wearing sunglasses

Now, we move on to another aspect of relationship that was prevalent during Stage 2: The gradual discovery of Yongsun the girl.

In Eric’s hand laid a toy that wasn’t just a wordplay of her real name/nickname (용/용가리 – Yong/Yonggari) but also something that revealed an important trait about Yongsun – her dislike of 허세 (bluff) displayed by the sunglasses. This piece of evidence was exactly like what was written on the paper Eric read before this – that he needed to make inferences about her based on what was given to him.

Through the many activities they did together in this stage, Eric began to learn and understood Solar bettter as a girl. There were many things he was able to infer about her based on her words and behaviors.

For example, he found out that Solar actually hesitates a lot in doing things she’s never experienced before because he saw how afraid she was of fishing and decorating. Later on, he quickly pieced together that this must stemmed from her low self-confidence and her fear of making mistakes. He realized that the best way to keep her going is by surrouding her with support and praises, something that she desperately needs even though she never tells him that out loud.

You are actually good at a lot of things, you know that right?

Confidence is the one thing she needs the most

That dragon toy, her birth year, the board with letters (which I had no idea what the solution was) etc. were things that gave him hints to progress in this stage. The best way to build up trust and friendship with her is by showing how much he understands her feelings.

Even though Solar liked to play cool a lot of times, she definitely showed at certain times that she also gradually became more caring and understanding of him as well.

You know a day in Mongolian jungle is way more exhausting than a day at Moosical concert, right?

 

Spoiler

Stage 1 -  Jail Lock P Solution: The 2nd key

Stage 2 – Combination Lock 1 (YEARS) P Solution: 1991

???

???

 

- - - - - - - - - -

Stage 3 (Episode 25 – 31)

~~~~~

[Stage 3: The Honeymoon (Chuseok – Dubai) by cinnaminskies]

~~~~~

 

What is 나침반 (na-chim-ban), you ask?

Quote

GA

This is a hint about your wife!

It will show you how to use the compass to escape from here!

 

Eric: “나침반?? Ms. Wife, could you kindly explain to me what 나침반 is?

Solar: “나침반 (compass) is what you use when you are lost”

Let’s navigate through this together

Like the compass used for cardinal directions, this stage represents a challenge to realign the needle on the compass of feeling that fluctuated wildly the moment Eric and Solar reached stage three of their relationship.

Even though the BGM “Good for You” was played by MBC, I felt like there was a much more appropriate song for this part. That is “I Won’t Give Up” – the song Eric sang for Solar at Jeju pool.

 Why “I Won’t Give Up” though? Sure, it does have something about navigating in there which is related to the compass, but isn’t this song about a guy patiently committing his love to a girl who might be so-so about it? That doesn’t sound very promising for a stage of relationship that is dubbed as “The Honeymoon” stage.

But that’s exactly why it is relevant, and I will explain it very soon. For now, I will sum up the sentiment that I, and both Eric and Solar probably shared while going through this stage with this one simple sentence:

I don’t even know what’s going on anymore!

     Emotions Pouring Out

After the events that transpired during Chuseok, many new and strange feelings developed between them. These feelings that couldn’t yet be defined require them both to navigate through by constantly communicating their emotions to each other. The words they wanted to say, the feelings that’ve been building up inside them, everything came pouring out like a dam that was broken. It’s not just limited to love emotions though (something which we will get to), but this also involved other sides we barely, if never saw from them before.

Solar started cheating with Eric during games. Eric put in extra efforts just to make sure he won everything against her. Then he would turn around and make fun of her failures in a light-hearted manner too, especially her cooking, which we all know was something very sensitive to her. The best part of this was Solar getting bolder with her nagging and even her subtle innuendos toward Eric.

They became happy to show these hidden sides of them to each other, and Solar even wished Eric would do it more. It’s almost like they got tired of playing cool with each other – either Eric with his usual sweetness and kindness, or Solar with her innocent and reserved side. Chuseok has pushed them toward being more honest toward each other even more than they already did before. It definitely was the key to open the lower combination lock – the lock that contained feelings they once hid from each other.

Spoiler

Stage 1 – Jail Lock  P Solution: The 2nd key

Stage 2 – Combination Lock 1 (YEARS) P Solution: 1991

Stage 2-3 – Combination Lock 2 (KEY) P Solution: 1605 (?)

(The solution to the third lock was never shown. However, since the lock was displayed with the keyword “KEY”, I assume that the combination of the lock was: 1605)

???

 

     I Guess It’s Okay to Be Cheesy Now?

But along with those comfortable feelings came another one as well – a romantic one.  Like Eric said, it’s only natural to develop this kind of feeling after spending many months working together, regardless of how much stock they invested into it.

Their love expressions grew exponentially ever since Chuseok

It was absolutely shocking for me to see how casually they confessed their love to each other like that, knowing that they both have had problems expressing their romantic feelings before. I felt like I experienced a time skip in their relationship a few years into the future. It made me happy, but it was also a surreal experience at the same time.

Along the line, I kept wondering how they managed to make it happen between them. Then I remembered that it’s no different than their other feelings toward each other. Because they had become so incredibly comfortable at this point, they both knew that their love expressions would no longer rub the other person the wrong way. Whether they were serious or joking about it or not didn’t matter, the other person would gladly play along and tossed those romantic/playful gestures straight back at them like what two close friends would do.

At the end of the day though, love is a pretty serious word, and at some point, sincerity must be shown toward it for a romantic relationship to go anywhere. That finally begged the question: How much gravity did these two actually put into this word “love”?

     I Want to Stay Like This Forever (But… Can We?)

On that day, Eric - whether by an irresistible urge to blurt out his deepest desire, or by some careful considerations beforehand - told Solar that he wanted to stay like now with her forever. All Solar told him afterwards in regard to his wish was “I can see you really mean it.”

A sudden burst of yearning came out from him, and for a brief moment, everything became dead silence. Both him and Solar realized something that they had been unconsciously doing the whole time in that pool – they were inching closer and closer to each other until there was no longer any space left between them.

So, in both a physical and metaphorical sense, Eric was suggesting that he wanted to stay next to her like that forever – confessing their love while sitting so close that I thought they were going to become two lovebirds cuddling each other.

And there was absolutely zero response from her since that day for that particular wish up until Dubai. He fulfilled (or at least he tried) her wish to make her laugh to death with a Korean joke. She fulfilled his wish for unexpected skinship in ways he would never imagined. Not only that, she even put in effort to make a better version of fried rice that he asked for on that beautiful afternoon in Dubai.

Well, if she already took the initiative to make every wish of his came true, then it would only be a matter of time before she granted him that wish too, right? She just needed time for something of that magnitude, that’s all. There’s not much to be concerned about.

Or so I thought…

Why that song?

As the day darkened, and the end of their yacht tour approached, Solar suddenly requested Eric to play a song that contains a very somber message behind the cheerful tune. It’s a song that she’d been listening to for a while, and would continuing on doing so even a month after this.

What was that somber message? A detailed breakdown was provided here in this piece of analysis, which I not only consider to be extremely thought-provoking, but certainly is so accurate now looking back in hindsight.

~~~~~

[I Wish You Love: A Lyrical Analysis by cinnaminskies]

~~~~~

In a sense, Solar herself had become lost. She no longer knew where to draw the line between their relationship anymore. Even though the trip was filled with joy and heart-fluttering moments like a love story in a faraway land, she realized that all of this would soon be over. It’s not like they can be this way ever again once they wake up from this beautiful, yet fleeting dream.

The girl who smiles all the time could no longer hide the sadness on her face. Solar had been denying this feeling the whole trip so she could enjoy something she doesn’t get to do often, but when that fountain show ended, it all came crashing back into her. She finally understood the sentiment that Eric had one month ago in that inflatable pool, and it turned her happy mood in Dubai into a sour one.

And as she looked at Eric in the eyes, I personally believe that this was what she was trying to communicate, but couldn’t utter out a word in fear of bursting into tears:

I know what you want, I can see it in your eyes. I wish for it too, but… you know it’s not possible, don’t you?

Perhaps it was too little too late, the realization of this mutual desire. What good is a relationship with no security for her? After all, she and Eric both already knew that the end was near. When that end comes, they will no longer be able to chase each other on the streets yelling “I love you” anymore. It hurts, it really does, but it’s best that they should just pretend like this feeling never happened in the first place for the sake of their hearts and their careers (but not after giving Solar some time to get over it).

Of course, it’s not like they would suddenly become strangers after all of this. They have already become good friends with each other, and not even WGM could take that away from them. But this feeling, this fantasy of a honeymoon between two lovers – a romantic getaway in Dubai – was what felt like a daydreaming thought of a future that was only short-lived.

I… also just want us to stay here forever too

The lower combination lock was opened, but it revealed yet another electronic one behind it. Just when Eric thought Yongsun was finally within his reach, she still seemed so far away. The key was found, and it opened a heap tons of emotions from them. One thing it didn’t manage to open though, was her heart.

Where do they go from here now?

     This Is All I Need to Know

Fortunately, when all seemed lost, Eric figured out something crucial during that trip:

Quote

“They say you can see the true you when you travel. There’s a saying that not getting along when travelling means that you’re not supposed to be together. We (I) didn’t have to worry about that. That was really nice.”

I guess we’re meant to be together after all

Eric had been fighting so hard for his wish to “stay like this forever” with Solar – a wish that Solar understood but found impossible to be fulfilled – to become a reality. If there was ever any doubt that they aren’t meant to stay like that together, the days in Dubai with Solar have made all doubts went away for him.

Up to the last day, everything seemed to be smooth sailing like that yacht on the calm sea at Palm Jumeirah. Yet, at the sight of the sky darkened, Eric realized that he finally hit another wall created by Solar. But just like every other wall before this, he knew exactly what to do to get past it, because unlike her, his mindset was clear – he wanted this, and he will help her see it clearly for herself.

     The Light of Hope

After spending his time around piecing two and two together from the instructions given to him, Eric realized that the answer was inside the safe this whole time.

Even though the numbers scattered all over the place, the answer to this was in a dark place that required flashlight to be used.

(And it is here that I should remind you that the word “bride” can become “NEWS” with a slight adjustment)

The usage of flashlight by Eric here is analogous to the idea of a lighthouse guiding ships through the dark sea. To explain what I mean more clearly, I would like to borrow lyrics from Bruno Mars’s “Count on Me” that contain a perfect imagery for this:

Quote

If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can’t see

I will be the light, to guide you

The compass is very similar to the lighthouse(flashlight) in a sense that both of them are used for maritime navigation. As you can see, the two biggest hints given to Eric in this stage (beside the obvious “GA” that went over his head) were:

(1) Compass is what you use when you are lost (from Solar)

(2) Feel comfortable using flashlight for your own convenience [(4) from the instruction]

Solar was no longer certain where they stood. In a sense, figuring out what he was to her, and what she was to him, was like groping in the dark at this point.  She wanted to give up, she wanted to not think too much about this, so she won’t feel hurt anymore.

But Eric’s direction for their relationship was as clear as the needle on the compass or the light that he would soon shine to guide his bride (a.k.a the word “NEWS”). He spent a wish just for this, and like the first wish he made to drop formalities with her, he will again patiently wait for her to figure everything out. Her wish for him to truly know her was fulfilled even if she wasn’t sure it would happen at first, and now his wish for things to not change will be fulfilled the same way. Eric was ready to make it happen once more.

And with that, I will leave you with the song “I Won’t Give Up” to show how relevant it is to everything up to this point before we move on to the last stage.

Quote

Ultimately it was about, you know, regardless of what happens in this relationship, I don't have to give up on loving this person, or loving myself, or give up on whatever my dreams are…  For me, the true meaning exists in the bridge saying 'I don't want to be someone who walks away so easily, I'm here to stay and make a difference.' That is for all of us. We all have something that we're fighting for or that we're striving for. Whether we want to coach our soccer team to victory or lose five pounds in a month, whatever it is, there's nothing too small worth fighting for and there's nothing too big worth going after.

- Jason Mraz

Spoiler

I Won’t Give Up (by Eric Nam)

 

When I look into your eyes

It’s like watching the night sky

Or a beautiful Sunrise

There’s so much they hold

~~~~~

 

And just like them old stars

I see that you’ve come so far

To be right where you are

How old is your soul?

~~~~~

 

I won’t I give up on us

Even if the skies get rough

I’m giving you all my love

I’m still looking up

~~~~~

And when you’re needing your space

To do some navigating

 

I’ll be here patiently waiting

To see what you find

‘Cause even the stars they burn

Some even fall to the Earth

We’ve got a lot to learn

God knows we’re worth it

No, I won’t give up

~~~~~

 

I don’t wanna be someone who walks away so easily

I’m here to stay and make the difference that I can make

 

Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use

The tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake

 

And in the end, you’re still my friend at least we did intend

For us to work we didn’t break, we didn’t burn

We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in

I had to learn what I’ve got, and what I’m not, and who I am

~~~~~

No, I won’t give up on us

Even if the skies get rough

I’m giving you all my love

I’m still looking up, I’m still looking up

 

I won’t give up on us

God knows I'm tough enough

We've got a lot to learn

God knows we're worth it

I won’t give up on us

Even if the skies get rough

I’m giving you all my love

I’m still looking up, I’m still looking up

 

 

Spoiler

Stage 1 – Jail Lock  P Solution: The 2nd key

Stage 2 – Combination Lock 1 (YEARS) P Solution: 1991 

Stage 2-3 – Combination Lock 2 (KEY) P Solution: 1605 (?) 

Stage 3-4 – Electronic Keypad  P Solution: 6385

- - - - - - - - - -

Stage 4 (Episode 32 – Final)

~~~~~

[Stage 4: My Aching Heart and I Agree (Dubai – present) by cinnaminskies]

 ~~~~~

We pick up where we left off at the end of last stage, when Solar scared the daylight out of him with the song “I Wish You Love”. Speaking of scaring Eric, there’s a certain image of something that was eerily similar to that:

Spoiler

 

Just when both Eric and I thought we were going somewhere, Solar sent us straight back out of the room. I mean, wasn’t she complaining earlier about how long he took to get to her? Look at this silly Yeba wasting even more time just to make Eric looks like garbage. But It’s okay, it’s probably just a funny prank for the camera, right?

Not. If anything, we all should be able to see at this point that everything happened in this jail cell was for a good reason. Now in this stage, I can finally explain what I meant earlier in my remark about the necessity of putting Eric in jail.

Unlike the last stage when I was left feeling lost out in the sea about where everything was going, this stage basically left me dumbfounded by another plot twist that I never saw coming at all.

Phew, hello there Yon…A MASK?

It didn’t take Eric long to figure out that even though he already went through all kind of trouble for those previous locks, he still had some more work to do. He’s in the room now, he’s there, but he’s not there. The mysterious Ms.Wife was still standing with a mask on her face looking at him without a word. He must have thought that he mistakenly went to the set of “King of Masked Singer” instead of “We Got Married’ at that time.

All of this really seemed like an elaborate prank to make him lose his mind. Hours of him crawling around in that jail like an idiot, and now MBC and this girl was about to turn him into a fool again?

     The Final Seal

During the days apart from each other after coming back from Dubai, Solar spent time on her own to absorb everything that just happened. She put “I Wish You Love” on replay while going into a deep brooding state of mind. Although I really have no idea what was going on in there (or if there really was anything to read in the first place), whatever that she thought about eventually drove her to set up a very elaborate scheme for Eric in their upcoming meeting. Her change of heart left me in absolute disbelief by what happened, and until this day, I am still left to wonder if there was any external factor that influenced her choice.

But she cares too much about Eric for that. She can’t just put him through the struggle without taking care of his health first. After all, Solar is a very kind and innocent girl, is she not?

Sorry you had to go through all that. Here’s a fruit basket for you

Oh, and another present for you too. It looks beautiful, isn’t it?

Thanks for taking me out on a date, oppa♥. Here, let me feed you

Done? Okay, let’s go to Hongdae for shopping… something beautiful like that♥

Poor Eric had no idea that behind that caring leader of Mamamoo Solar is an evil scheming queen called Yongsun.

~~~~~

[Are You on My Side? – A Test of Trust, Wit and Temper by enko20]

~~~~~

We began to see many parallels between that candid camera sequence and what Eric went through in jail. They both were a test of how much he relates to Yongsun, a test of his wit to find a way out of a sticky situation, and most importantly, a test to see if he has the calmness to withstand everything thrown at him.

But that wasn’t the only similarity that could be drawn, in fact, the mission given to Eric carried pretty much the same meaning to that as well. Remember what I said about the meaning of this confined room?

It’s a room that echoes the image of her own bedroom in the past – the room she locked herself in and sang to her heart’s content. Now, if Eric wants to enter her room, then he has to live by this one simple rule from the room owner:

Sing for me, like I used to sing for myself before (and make sure you get at least a 90)

“If you want me to take down this mask once and for all, then I want you to see my childhood first before you can see the me of today.”

“If you want a possible future with me, then show me that you accept and love me despite my past.”

    We Meet at Last

The perfect score Eric received from the karaoke machine, and the perfect score he received from Solar and Eun Ah from both test finally made Solar – a girl famously known for her skepticism – believe in something she never thought she would be able to. It is now okay for her to take off her mask and let Eric sees her face. It is now okay for her to open up her heart and trust again even though she was once let down by it.

It will be embarrassing and a bit awkward though, just like the feeling they had when they recognized each other for the first time. But soon, everything will turn into laughter and Eric screaming “Um Oh Ah Yeah!” off the top of his lungs in excitement instead. Solar doesn’t have to worry too much anymore.

~~~

Six months ago, Eric sang this song to break the final seal that prevented him from reaching the real her. Six months later, Yongsun sang it once again - this time to finally let him know many feelings within her that at one point she couldn’t, and wasn’t sure she could express to him, in fear of becoming vulnerable to tragedy and heartbreak.

Spoiler

I’m in Love (Narsha ver.)

 

To be honest, from the first time we met

Saying I like you wasn’t easy for me

If I don’t approach you first, I’m afraid of losing you

I wrote a message, hesitated a bit, then deleted it again

 If my love for you gets any deeper, it will only result in getting hurt

These fears are filling in my mind, this is the truth

 

Praying with all my heart, the person I’m yearning for

I believe that person is you

 I’m in love

I fall in love

 

I won’t be scared if I’m with you

The world is so beautiful

~~~~~

I thought I’m never gonna fall in love

But I’m in love

‘Cause I wanna love you baby

~~~~~

To be honest, from the first time we met

Somewhere deep in my heart

You crashed in like a strong wave

You’re the only thing on my mind all day

~~~~~

I can be a good lover

Wanna be your four-leaf clover

 

It feels like I’ve become the happiest woman in the world

~~~~~

You gotta believe me

Make you never gonna leave me

I won’t doubt, I will believe you

~~~ 

I’m in love, want you my baby

I fall in love

…

~~~

Whenever I’m with you

You always touch my heart

You are so beautiful

 

     

     If Only We Had More Time

Everything is now solved. There’s no longer a need for gimmicks like locks or masks to test each other anymore. The Solar and Eric Nam of the first meeting has now made way for Yongsun and Yoondo to take their stage with pride.

Sadly, the moment they realized this was also the moment their time together on WGM was over. The months they spent together on this show were just like the time they both spent inside that tower in Hongdae. It was a safe haven, a place where they can play prank, crawling and screaming around like two kids. They were left alone on their own, with no one to meddle with their business, and they naturally found their way toward each other.

 

There’s a first time, and last time for everything

Every good thing in this world must come to an end though. The first day they realized what the other person truly meant to them was also the last day they would get to experience this newfound sweetness. It truly was a bittersweet experience, and something that they won’t be able to forget for a very long time. They can take solace however knowing that they made it happen before it was too late. Now it is time for them to walk out of the tower to finish up the mission - the beautiful story they created here once and for all.

Spoiler

Stage 1 – Jail Lock  P Solution: The 2nd key

Stage 2 – Combination Lock 1 (YEARS) P Solution: 1991 

Stage 2-3 – Combination Lock 2 (KEY) P Solution: 1605 (?) 

Stage 3-4 – Electronic Keypad  P Solution: 6385

 

The End

 

…Or is it?

------

Stage 5 (Episode 33 - Future)

Wait, there’s a fifth one?

(Notice the fan symbol engraved next to it)

Spoiler

Stage 1 – Jail Lock  P Solution: The 2nd key

Stage 2 – Combination Lock 1 (YEARS) P Solution: 1991 

Stage 2-3 – Combination Lock 2 (KEY) P Solution: 1605 (?) 

Stage 3-4 – Electronic Keypad  P Solution: 6385

???

 

    I Am Yours, You Are Mine

After the dust settled between Eric and Solar, they were shocked to find out there was actually another electronic lock to be solved. This time, this lock was an obstacle that prevented both of them from exiting the tower instead of something that separated the two.

The combination to this was hidden inside the three fans on the top. At first, I thought that it was just a spontaneous idea to put them there, but oddly enough, I might have made a connection as to why it had to be a fan and not something else.

 Now this might be the purest of coincidences ever, but the word “fan” in English has two definitions to it:

(1)  Fan – an instrument that produces air current

(2)  Fan – a supporter of a public figure

Technically, in Korean, there are two different words for this – 부채/선풍기 (1) and 팬 (2), but the term used to describe a fan (2) in Korean is also pronounce 팬 (paen).

Thus, this electronic lock represents their next stage, and the final challenge that they have to go through -  a challenge against their own fanbase. I call this stage “Post-WGM”, a stage where they will have to fight for the survival of their relationship now that they have moved on from the show.

You gotta believe me, make you never gonna leave me

However, this time, neither of them will have to face any trial alone anymore. They are now together, they now have seen and known each other too well. The entire event at Chuseok has taught them how to believe and lean on each other in tough times, and now they can finally put that to good use.

That red electronic lock was solved by their collective effort together. It was no longer Eric doing the dirty work while Solar sat in one place offering him advices or nagging him to come to her. Yongsun herself stepped in and became his active partner for the first time for this final puzzle, and she proved that she had just as much will and capability as him to find a solution for their escape.

As long as we hold each other’s hands, we can overcome anything together

As long as we hold on to these shoes, we will always be together

Her absolute refusal of the parting, and every ounce of effort she put into those shoes was the biggest sign that she wants to keep their relationship alive as much as he does. If there was ever any doubt before that Eric was the only sincere one, then this certainly just squashed all of that. Yongsun has now taken part in this battle that they will have to face from now on.

     Promise Me This: Don’t Change Your Mind

Solar had given Eric every sign in the world that she could. The meal that she cooked (with love I should remind you) for his birthday, the personal letter she wrote and decorated will all her heart, and finally the gift that emphasized her intention in the most obvious way, all of that showed how much gravity she put in the request for Eric to not change his feelings for her.

But long before she asked him for this commitment, Eric had already had this in him. Even back in the early days when he barely knew who she was, he already desired to become closer to her more than anything else. Everything he had done up to this point, from his sweet treatment of her to even his brutal honesty later on, he did it all simply because he truly cares about the relationship he has with her.

I have always been there behind you, watching and supporting you all this time

And from now on, you should know it will remain that way

If all of the souvenirs he brought back for her from foreign lands, or even the tiniest things he has remembered about her aren’t big enough of an affirmation, then the album that he has secretly been working on in what little time he has as a busy man just cemented how much Solar means to him.

There’s no reason to believe that he would give up now. He didn’t give up when Solar kept her distance before their Jeju trip, he didn’t give up when Solar pushed his wish to stay the same away. Now that it’s a wish Yongsun ask from him, it becomes even more of a motivation for him to make her wish come true.

Stay back Solar! This tunnel is dark, let me be the first one to go

The path post-WGM certainly will be very dark and filled with thorns. Many anti-fans will be against them. The future might contain things that could get out of hand before they even know it. Like the fan that produces blowing wind, the opposition they face from their fans certainly will blow them apart if they don’t hold on to each other tightly enough.

However, Solar can take comfort knowing that this time around, Eric will be the one to make that first venture into the unknown. She had already sent him down the path against darkness and hopelessness she experienced before, and now it’s up to him to use what he has learned to make sure that from now on, he will hold Solar’s hands and walk away from darkness toward the path of flowers and sunshine instead.

 

I believe in the happy days ahead

And we certainly have begun to witness all of this unfolding slowly in front of our eyes.

Spoiler

Stage 1 – Jail Lock  P Solution: The 2nd key

Stage 2 – Combination Lock 1 (YEARS) P Solution: 1991 

Stage 2-3 – Combination Lock 2 (KEY) P Solution: 1605 (?) 

Stage 3-4 – Electronic Keypad 1  P Solution: 6385

Stage 5 - Electronic Keypad 2 P Solution: 3224

Note: The actual solution was revealed when Eric and Solar read out the numbers on the four fans in this order: 3, 2, 2, 4.

~~~~

???

[gureentea]

Article about our oh-so-awesome yoonddongi

---

Eric's updates from IG snapchat SNOW 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

[cinnaminskies]

Hey everyone! Finally managed to do all the steps and log back in. Fortunately I wasn't totally cut off from you fellow ddongie shippers since I joined the Kakao chat. You all should definitely join that.

@enko20 I know I already like flailed to you about that article, but just... wow. You're amazing. You know, at first I was wondering why a couple so carefree and easygoing as Eric and Solar had to start their marriage out with something so dramatic, but now I am not only glad they did (for without it your wonderful article wouldn't exist), but also am thinking maybe it was our grand-gesture, movie-inspired Yongddongie who came up with the idea.

And, just... the fans. The symbolism of the fans. I can't even begin to describe how happy that made me.

I am going to try and keep my mind away from the "those pictures kind of make it seem like you're on a date, Eric" place for my own sanity, but.... it's going to be hard. Ahh I've been writing fic for too long.

Speaking of, I don't know if I mentioned, but I started writing a fic, because I figured we all need some new content on Saturday, since there's no episode and no subs to wait for/get excited about. It's been fun, but it's also leaving me a little more delusional than usual, so feel free to call me out on any of that. Still, Eric was the one to go through the tunnel first...

[xHanaParkx]

 

[xHanaParkx]

 

[xHanaParkx]

[MAMAMOO FUN FACTS]
Member's Zodiac Sign
Solar: Pisces
Moonbyul: Capricorn
Wheein: Aries 
Hwasa: Leo

 

[MAMAMOO FUN FACTS]
Solar wanted her stage name to be “DoReMi” but because of the fact that she can reach higher notes, her name became Solar or So La instead.

[xHanaParkx]

5seconds of Minhyuk x MoonByul =(MMs Couple) MinByul Moment

Mamamoo @ Today Music Core's 5 mins delay (featuring BTOB)

 

[trowabarton99]

@enko20 Great article as always. Very detailed insights! I envy all you Chigus that are such great detectives!

I went back to see the puzzles after reading your article. And I think the solution to the board with letters, should be what Eric found out "ACTRESS" (Eric is really an intelligent guy).

I listed all the alphabets on the board :

Green : A、C、E、b

Blue : f、g、h、i、j、k

Purple : l、m、n、o、p、d

Yellow : q、R、S、S、T、u

Orange : v、w、x、y、z

(Which contains all the 26 alphabets and just one extra letter "S")

And I believe you can find that there's only 7 capitalized alphabets ( A、C、T、R、E、S、S ). I tried shifting these letters around and the best solution I could get would be "actress".

Or I just lack of English vocabularies in my head 

[xHanaParkx]

 

 

 

1st snowfall

you didnt catch it together with appa eric

 

[gureentea]

so sad because we don't have new episode anymore this weekend :")

Spoiler

but i checked on kshowdaily, wow the new couple really got the all the airtime. Sleepy & gookjo got 34 mins, taemi only 18 mins, samsam 17 mins. and only samsam doesn't have preview for next week.. the show is screwed.. 

 

Eric for MAMA countdown! Of course tteokppoki is number 1 

---

Solar's diary ft. jjingjjing

Spoiler

 

 

moonbyul memo ft. solar

 

 

Solar today~ 

Spoiler

 

 

---

is this jjing plushie that she brought to ddongi's house?

Spoiler

 

[Ira Ajja]

Just check wgm clip at mbc yt ch, i watch the preview and no preview for sam2 cp...is this kind thing has happen before?

and like @gureentea i check kshowdaily too...under 20min for taebom and sam2, cao2 cp have 30+ min too for their beginning  ep and if i'm not wrong bbyu cp have under 20 min too that time

@enko20 after read your article i rewatched ddongie first meeting again...thanks for write this chingu

I'm glad to see update from yong sun and yoon do

[enko20]

@trowabarton99 That was also my line of logical thinking at first too, but... I think it's more complicated than that.

First of all, the word "ACTRESS" really isn't much of a hint for Solar. She's not well known for her acting career (with only one mini drama project thus far), so that's not what you would use as a clue to help Eric figure out who she is, nor would it be helpful to figure the solution to the third lock (which again, by my logic should be 1605)

Secondly, I think it's not just the capitalization of the letters, but the color of the letters also has some meaning behind it. If you notice carefully, most of the clues revolved around the use of colors like the hint NEWS - North East West South for the safe keypad.

Why do I think it's not as straightforward as it looked? Because the solution for the fourth lock was not that simple either.

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Judging by his solution, you would think that the color-coded numbers has to line up with the cardinal direction of the word NEWS - 6 for North, 3 for East, 8 for West , and 5 for South.

But when he pointed to the North direction,  the only number that's in blue was 4, while the number 6 was brown.

All the numbers on the wall actually had another smaller number written on it that's color-coded differently. That number was the real answer, like in this case for the South direction, the little number 5 inside the number 8 matched the hint.

Or for the North direction, the little number 6 inside the number 4 (it's difficult to see)

 

The letter board was use as a hint to solve the lower red combination lock. I suspect that it is related to the colored numbers on the wall somehow (kind of like letter-number code conversion -  A = 1, B = 2), rather than just simply putting all capitalized letters together.

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I really don't think ACTRESS was the right answer. It didn't suggest anything about the 4-digit code no matter how I look at it.

Even Eric had no idea if what he put together meant anything at all either, but he somehow figured out an answer afterwards, and the solution was never aired.

 

One more thing:

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I thought it was weird that the last lock only had 3 digits in it while the rest had four, so I checked again. There were actually four fans on the top, yet they only used three fans for the answer. How did they know that it wasn't a four-digit code but three-digit? They just flat out ignored the fan on the far corner.

 

[cinnaminskies]

@Ira Ajja Ahh I feel bad for the 33 couple. It doesn't look like they'll get to go out with a bang like Eric and Solar did. Also, they're always the couple I think about when I read the criticisms that Eric and Solar should've been more romantic with each other. Jota and Jinkyung certainly have that aspect to them, but I'm not entirely sure whether or not they're in contact outside the show. So, their fans are probably not in the best boat right now. Hopefully they at least get a heartwarming final episode.

Hmm... I wonder if Eric's ever gotten to meet Jjing Jling. 

[enko20]

@cinnaminskies 

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The last time I read an interview about 33 couple, Jota said he was busy in Japan so he didn't contact Jinkyung. He also said the question about dating her was a very sensitive subject.

http://www.soompi.com/2016/09/07/madtowns-jota-declines-comment-possibility-really-dating-kim-jin-kyung/

I think right now he's also busy doing Real Men (if they end soon, this could be the reason). I don't know if they are as close in real life as they are on screen, but I hope MBC doesn't just give them a terrible ending like they did to some other couples before.

 

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I watched Moonsun diary earlier and apparently not only did Solar imitated the Titanic pose earlier, she also started singing "And I..."  melody from "I Will Always Love You" (Isn't it supposed to be "My Heart Will Go On"?)

Then Moonbyul said this:

Sounded like Moonbyul told her to stop (again?) then she sneaked in the My Ear's Candy dance afterwards.

Full sequence:

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full delulu mode on

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Solar having flashback

And I......

Titanic

My Ear's Candy (She also sang the "La la" part from My Ear's Candy lyrics too.)

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Something off-topic

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I just checked Taejoon-Bomi thread and apparently they got a lot of hate for their photoshoot this episode, it was crazy. Now I wonder if Eric-Solar did one would they have gotten the same hate too?

Article: 'WGM' Choi Tae Joon "Isn't that too erotic?" to Yoon Bomi wearing a slip dress

Quote

1. [+849, -59] Me? Or her? -Seolhyun-

2. [+546, -23] So just according to script, right PD-nim??

3. [+533, -23] These two really seem like they're playing according to the script

4. [+48, -8] 100% PD made him say that. Men don't care if their girl is wearing a slinky slip or not, it's stuff out of a woman's imagination that they want the man to act concerned

5. [+43, -4] Seolhyun will run over there

6. [+38, -5] Her

7. [+32, -2] Ironic how girls wear it to show off but guys have to act like covering them back up is manners

8. [+20, -3] At least he's better than that rapper

9. [+19, -0] Don't act so naive

10. [+17, -15] Yoon Bomi looks pretty in that last screencap, Choi Tae Joon looks handsome too

And Taejoon apparently has some connection with AOA Seolhyun? I wasn't aware of this.