Gaksital

This drama was never meant to have a happy ending.  A happy ending is almost impossible, regarding the past situations in the past 27 episodes. Bridal Mask reflects the history of Korea; it reflects the pain and loss people had to suffer for so many years back then. Lives were extinguished, and hearts were shattered. Pain and sorrow pocked the roads of this drama as it journeyed to the finale within three months of broadcasting. What this beautiful 28-episode drama has taught me, is that; it takes that much of sacrifice and determination to achieve what's right in this cruel world. It opened my eyes and it stretched my vision. Kang To's patriotism was ignited by grief and his will to do good in this world was fueled by realization. He was the leader of a rebellion, the one person who cleared the road to freedom for Korea.  Everyone he loved was snatched away from him by death himself, but he remained strong and powerful, and he managed to wrench himself out of grief's grasps and did what he must. 

"I will never let you go alone even if I die."

   “You won’t have to go alone. I’ll follow you to the very end, rooting for you. Whether it’s a thousand fathoms deep or through a fiery pit, I’ll always go with you.”

"You don't have to fight alone."

"I will always be there for you."

"Even if I die, I will still be there for you."

"I promise you with my life."

"I will follow you until the end."

An Untimely Death.                                         

    

"Don't cry. It's our wedding day, remember?"

"I wanted to make a warm meal for you everyday."

"I wanted to wear flower rings everyday."

"Promise me this. Promise me that you will be strong, even if I'm not there."

"I love you."

A single bullet shot away Kang To's world. It was fired to kill Kang To himself, but things took a twist and it killed him in another way, more torturous than ever. He has been whipped..

tormented in a cage full of nails...

but all of those are nothing compared to what happened at his wedding day. His loved one made a sacrifice that cannot be undone, and thus she has been taken away from him.

But Mok Dan wasn't the only one who had a tragic death. 

Never thought it would happen honestly. What a foul end to such a graceful and beautiful character. She respected Yang Baek as if he was her own father, and she gave away her life in exchange for his.  R.I.P comrade girl. 

Then we have our dear circus leader. I prefer not to post any images of him, I might die. 

Shunji was once again blinded by vengeance, and he was about to give Kang To chase after he carried a wounded Mok Dan off into the woods, but Shunji was delayed by the circus leader. He held onto his leg, refusing to let go even when Shunji started to hit his head with the gun. In the end, two merciless shots were fired into him, and he fell down dead with his eyes open.

My tears made no exception to gush out during that scene.

Last but not least....Shunji.

He is a person who has done countless evil deeds. It was as if the devil had conjoined with him to become one. After what he has done, I vowed never to shed a single tear for him when this drama ends. Even so, I'm quite surprised at my reaction when his death arrived. 

But before that, here we have Kang To visiting him in complete serenity. Then the most epic and gut wrenching conversation ensued. 

Credits goes to Softy for translating.

Translated by Softy: 

KT goes over and sits across from him. S gives him a drink. S: Kang To can't we at least have one glass of alcohol? Since it will be the last anyway. K drinks and then S drinks. S: did you send Mok Dan off well? K: Did I send her off well? S takes out the wedding pic and shows it to K. K looks at it and closes his eyes to hold back his tears. K looks at S staring at the photo. S: this is the first time I saw her smile like this. even though she was smiling cuz of you. if only she was alive. K: you must be tormented too cuz you didn’t mean to kill mokdan. cuz at least you would never have thought to kill Mokdan. S: I kept this to give you when you came. cuz it’s yours. K takes the picture and puts it away. K: you are letting go of mokdan now? after you killed mokdan with your own hands? S: don’t do that too much – I sent her off without seeing her face closely even once. K: do you think I came cuz of one person Mokdan? did only Mokdan die by your hands? He lists all the comrades S killed. staring with comrade park, the comrade who bit down on her own tongue and died in front of you, comrade who held the dynamite to him and blew up, comrade yoon who died by your gun, tailor park, leader jo, and also leader DS too. are those all? S looks down in guilt or shame with tears in his eyes as he realizes just how many people died cuz of him.  K: All those young kids of DJ’s,  someone’s sons, husbands, younger siblings, fighters who gathered to get their country back, they all died by your hands (S and his army). not killing you back then – I had no idea I would regret it this much. S: I know how that feels too. when you killed my father, I didn't kill you and chose to put my mask back on - I regret that.

This was where everything, every fragment of memories of their friendship was totally gone. And it all ended with regret.  With the background music and all, this conversation made me sob my eyes out. (Basically I was crying over 90% of this episode.) It made me cry so much at one point I was actually afraid I might pass out or something because I felt dizzy. 

Here it is. The death of Kimura Shunji. The end of the bloodline for the Kimuras. I was surprised at myself, because I shed more than a single tear. As a matter of fact, his death impacted me more than Mok Dan's death. At least she died in the hands of someone she loves, while Shunji died alone, regretting all that he has ever done. Even though he brought this on for himself, I can't help but still feel very sorry for him. He wasted his life away by causing pain for others, and it was all for revenge. Ever since he saw his brother get killed, something in him snapped. The old Shunji, kind and gentle Teacher Shunji, is nowhere to be found and this guy stepped in instead. Before he died, Kang To's words cleared away the fog that was obstructing his conscience. He finally realized, what he had done and how much pain and suffering he had cost. It all weighed down on him like a rock. In this case, regret and realization were his murderers. Memories of pain and loss drove him to slide his left drawer open and retrieve his gun. As his fingers enclosed around the handle of the gun, he had made his decision. He planned to greet death like an old friend. Tears welled up in his eyes as he slowly positioned the gun, pointing it at his temples. He cocked the gun, and closed his eyes. He was in full preparatory to commit suicide. 

He stared into space as the corner of his lips curled up. 

When Kang To heard the gunshot, he stopped in his tracks. The angle of his eyebrows defined shock, but he made no effort to turn back.  A single tear slid down his cheeks, his teary eyes illuminated by the oil lamps above him. 

He shut his eyes and mourned. Shunji was his friend and fiend at the same time. He took away what Kang To loved the most, but it was impossible for Kang To to kill him. He could never do it. Even after everything that happened.

As for the other deaths: President Ueno and Kimura Taro.

My hatred for them knows no bounds.

Whenever I see them:

Both of them were killed by Kang To himself as Bridal Mask. 

Where my reaction was like: 

Thoughts on the very last scene will be updated tomorrow. 

When Mok Dan died: 

(No kidding, my literal reaction. I backed up to the wall and crouched down sobbing like an idiot. Did not tell you that, Nelly.)

 

When Comrade Girl died: 

When Leader Jo held onto Shunji and resisted the shots and said "You can't do this" and then died I was like:

(Exactly what I did)

 

When Shunji blew his brains out: