Highlights: "Pinocchio" Episode 13

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates (and to those who don’t, I hope you have an excellent Thursday)! Of course, it’s not just Christmas in the real world—it’s also Christmas in “Pinocchio”-land, with all of the awkward family gatherings and strange encounters with Santa that implies.

These were my five favorite scenes of “Pinocchio” episode 13:

1. Dal Po flirts with the dark side

I think that I cut Dal Po a lot of slack. I try to be generous with him, given just how terrible and traumatic his life has been. But this scene made that really hard—how could he even briefly consider ignoring the real death certificate? I’m pretty sure his revenge plan is based on him being a good reporter. Good reporters deal in facts, and they don’t suppress the truth just because they don’t like it. He should be ashamed to his bones that he ever thought hiding the real death certificate was an option, let alone telling In Ha to go along with the lie.

2. Grandpa and Dad come to visit

Even when separated, this family is the best. I love that Dad and Grandpa aren’t letting Dal Po get away from them easily—after 13 years, they truly are a family, regardless of blood. As such, I was incredibly moved when Grandpa told Dal Po that he wouldn’t un-adopt him, because Dal Po is his son for good. I can understand why Dal Po wants to use his original name, but he’s allowed to have two families that he loves equally! It’s so important that he understand that.

3. Dal Po recommits to the truth

Thank goodness! I was so worried that Dal Po would actually withhold the death certificate, but luckily he saw the light. I was really glad that he still took Cha Ok to task afterwards, though. Here’s the thing: the fact that Cha Ok happened to be right about this specific man’s cause of death doesn’t change the fact that she was a lazy reporter. She thought that the man committed suicide, but she didn’t bother to find out for certain. That’s bad reporting in and of itself—it was luck alone that made her right. Good for Dal Po for refusing to let her off the hook.

4. ’Tis the season… for kicking Santa in the face

In typically bizarre fashion, “Pinocchio” acknowledges the holiday by introducing a plot about a thieving Santa who escapes from police custody and gets kicked in the face/shoulder by Dal Po. The storyline develops into something quite poignant (and starts hinting that maybe Cha Ok isn’t the (only) Big Bad Mom of this drama after all), but it’s the sight of Lee Jong Suk kicking Santa that will stay with me forever.

5. Christmas Eve antics

I loved this sequence so much—Dal Po and Chan Soo getting drunk together was both cute and pathetic, them coming back to the Choi flat was sweet, and Chan Soo telling Dad and Grandpa how guilty Dal Po feels every moment of every day was heartbreaking. It was also a great reminder of just why I’m willing to be generous with Dal Po when he makes mistakes—he’s so messed up inside that it’s a wonder he manages to dress himself in the morning, let alone be a functioning adult.

A few thoughts:

I found with this episode that I had some specific thoughts that didn’t fit into the five scenes I chose. These thoughts are Bum Jo-related, because I can’t make up my mind about him! I know I said last week that I was warming to him, but I found him really unlikable in this episode. In Ha has made it clear that she doesn’t want to date him, but he continues to act possessive about her, and attempts to emotionally manipulate her (for example, he wants her to cover the story about his mother’s mall because then she might feel guilty before him, the way she feels guilty before Dal Po). I understand that he’s been sheltered his whole life, but no means no! He needs to back off.

What did you think of the episode? What do you think of Bum Jo? Let us know in the comments below!

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