The Innocent Man (Nice Guy) episode 16

Song Joong Ki as a happy Kang Ma Roo

Episode 16 of The Innocent Man (Nice Guy) was painful for me. From the very start of the episode when Ma Roo and Eun Gi (Moon Chae Won) relive the scene from episode 8 when Eun Gi confesses her deep love for Ma Roo and her desire to love him, live with him, and have babies together, my stomach started churning. I knew when I saw that scene the first time (a beautifully shot scene taking place in front of Ma Roo's old house in the pouring rain) that it was significant because there was something perfect about it. Ma Roo's fucked up face, Eun Gi's uninhibited release of her feelings, and the tense conditions surrounding their relationship gave birth to a emotionally charged moment framed by a beautifully crafted mise-en-scene. Thinking back to that and the tragedies that followed, made Eun Gi's marriage proposal seem more ominous than romantic. As they walked hand-in-hand and talked about the lovely idea of a wedding, honeymoon, and nine kids, I started to tear up (of course) because I could tell by the look on Ma Roo's face, and the previous 15 episodes, that things were not going to go like Eun Gi wanted.

Eun Gi and Ma Roo looking at wedding dresses

Ma Roo tells Eun Gi that they shouldn't marry until after she regains her memories and can then decide if she wants to marry a jerk like him. At that moment, I thought, "Maybe Eun Gi will forgive Ma Roo even after regaining her memory. Perhaps she will see through his bad guy facade into the nice guy heart buried deep beneath his hatred and desire for revenge." I know that thought is dead wrong now, but at that time I was too distracted by the pretty picture in front of me and not thinking about what Ma Roo put Eun Gi through. She has every reason to never let him into her heart again. But before I get into that, I want to mention the fact that Jae Hee is a crazy bitch. I know I am stating the obvious right now, but when she said that giving up Ma Roo to become Taesan's Chairwoman is the thing that anyone on the street would say is right, I was, once again, baffled by her thought processes. Her brother appears to be involved with some deeper perversion in Jae Hee's life, though, so I am sure that there is some hidden reason why she is so twisted. I am certain we will find out more about her dark past.

Jae Hee

Later in the episode when Jae Gil approaches Ma Roo about him being very sick was where things started to get really painful. It became clear to me that Ma Roo is the guy who doesn't think is good enough for love or that he deserves happiness. Obviously he wants to live a normal life with Eun Gi, Choco, and Jae Gil since he was happy and truly smiling while listening to them cook and play in his house all together, but he thinks that he is an unlucky person because of the horrible things he has experienced in his life. I understood Ma Roo much more after this episode, and I cried just like Jae Gil did when Ma Roo was asking Jae Gil to let him have a little bit more time to enjoy his ridiculously happy life. Why can't Ma Roo just live normally like most other people? I guess it's not what he is destined for.

Lee Kwang Soo as Park Jae Gil. I cried like this!

The most gut wrenching scenes begin, though, after Eun Gi faces her most painful memory and recalls that it was Ma Roo who was in the other car that she collided with and that Ma Roo tricked her into loving him in order to get close to Jae Hee. I was both proud of Eun Gi for becoming her strong-wiled self again and feeling nauseous for Ma Roo because I know now that he loves her, but that she can't forgive him because she was raised not to trust anyone. Eun Gi let her guard down for a fleeting moment with Ma Roo, and he trampled over her heart while showing no mercy. As the episode came to a conclusion we saw Ma Roo trying desperately to continue to enjoy his brief bliss with Eun Gi, while she had the spark of hatred gleaming in her eyes. Which, frighteningly, popped open at the very end while the two were kissing in the park. As the music turned form romantic to menacing, I began to prepare myself for the awesomely dramatic road ahead.

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Watch The Innocent Man (Nice Guy) with english subs episode 16 here http://www.viki.com/channels/7995-nice-guy