Gu Family Book Final Episode 24 Review

Bae Soo Ji (Suzy) as Dam Yeo Wool and Lee Seung Gi as Choi Kang Chi

So, before this drama began airing, I was thinking Lee Seung Gi + Gumiho = LOVE because my all time favorite drama is My girlfriend is a Gumiho which he stars in as the male lead. After watching the first 5 episodes of Gu Family Book, I wasn't convinced of Suzy and Seung Gi as a couple, and I was getting bored of this show. Overall, I am glad I got encouragement from my tumblr followers and finished this drama because it was damn good entertainment. It's not the best supernatural infused drama out there, but it has some redeeming qualities.



Admittedly, there were times when I was bored and my mind wandered, especially during the scenes when Yeo Wool's father and General Lee Soon Shin were talking strategy, but the two intertwining love stories were sweet. Yes, I am a sucker for romance, and I tend not to enjoy war/ fighting movies which this drama did focus on somewhat. Also it is a sageuk (historical) drama, a genre that I often find exhausting, but the supernatural elements kept it exciting. Also, the modern and romantic OST helped it feel fresh and not too sleepy.

So, this drama may not have turned out to be a relative to My Girlfriend is a Gumiho as I had first expected, but it has a similar feel to Arang and the Magistrate and Faith which are both fusion supernatural sageuks that I enjoyed. I don't think it's quite as good as the previous 2 dramas that I mentioned, but it took me for a mostly entertaining ride. Now I want to get into the Gu Family Book finale.

*************************SPOILERS BELOW*************************

So, episode 23 ended with a dramatic gunshot, and, sadly, we find out at the beginning of the final episode 24 that Yeo Wool was the one who took the shot. Naturally this causes everyone to rage, and finally they go after Jo Gwan Woong. Now, if ever there was a character who deserved a gruesome death it is Gwan Woong. He was constantly killing people, forcing young women to sleep with him, and just generally being an ass. I was like, "hell yes" when Chung Jo served up his comeuppance in the form of poison in the end. I wish Kang Chi would have slashed him up a bit more, though, because he didn't deserve any forgiveness or mercy, I mean, his reason for murdering countless people was just to "feel alive"? That's absurd.

Lee Yoo Bi as Park Chung Jo

As for our main couple, they had quite a predictable, yet cute ending. Now, at first I was upset when Yeo Wool died because I loved her character. Suzy is a scene stealer in every drama, and this time she pretty much stole the entire drama. Yeo Wool was a bad ass girl who supported her man and fought beside him. She never let fear part her from what she wanted even when she was told that she might die. Yeo Wool lived life fully even up to her last breath which she spent kissing Kang Chi.

The love story between Kang Chi and Yeo Wool was entangled with that of his gumiho father Wol Ryung (the hot Choi Jin Hyuk) and Seo Hwa (Lee Yeon Hee). The mistake that Seo Hwa made in letting fear take her over and betraying Wol Ryung cost them their chance at loving each other and holding hands while on earth. Since Yeo Wool was so strong and faithful, she trusted Kang Chi and they found each other in the end.

OMOOO, this drama ended exactly how I expected it to. Halfway through the last episode I thought, I bet she's going to bite it and Kang Chi's going to meet her reincarnation in present time. I'm serious, I honestly had that thought. I guess I've watched enough Kdramas to figure these things out.

Anyway, even though Kang Chi had to wait 422 years, he found Yeo Wool again. I loved Rooftop Prince, but I liked Gu Family Book's ending more. Rooftop Prince ended with a strange scene that almost felt like a dream sequence, but Gu Family Book left us with a concrete resolution which is often hard to do with supernatural dramas. I didn't feel tricked or cheated by the final scenes, and even though it may have been a wee bit cheesy, I ate up that cheese and loved every second of it! Yes it was predictable and not logical in any way, but I wasn't expecting anything deep or life changing from this drama. It's escapism and cuteness on max power.

I think my main criticism of this drama is that there were too many different elements, story lines, and episodes. It was like a big bowl of Chex Mix. I like simple and heart felt stories over flashy blockbuster types generally, but this drama had a certain quirk to it. I don't regret watching it, but in a way I'm glad it's over because 24 episodes for this type of drama seems like too much.

Click here to download the Gu Family Book OST

Watch Gu Family Book free and subtitled on DramaFever