Ha-eun’s life had always seemed perfect, without any major worries.
A peaceful life under the protection of a prestigious family, surrounded by people who truly cared for her. Her longtime friend and fiancé, her future was secure.
But Ha-eun, as the character Kim Jung-hyun, knew that her life was one where there was more to lose than gain. Having only recently acquired what she cherished, the weight of ‘loss’ felt distant and abstract to her.
Thus, when Kim Jung-hyun turned her back on everything she held dear and headed to Japan, Ha-eun found herself pondering the emotion behind this final gesture for days.
“Trying to act exactly the same is impossible. The independence fighters were incredible people.”
In response to Ha-eun’s question about Kim Jung-hyun’s emotional arc, Baek Tae-hoon replied. The firm resolve of those who fought for independence with their lives was something hard to comprehend. They chose paths that defied logic and were remarkable for it.
“We are, after all, messengers. So, first, we need to be clear about what we want to convey.”
The grueling, sad story of those who sacrificed everything for their country’s independence. Instead of forcing herself to mimic something she couldn’t fully understand, Baek Tae-hoon advised Ha-eun to focus on the overall theme of The Sunshine.
In a harsh reality, there are special people. Their journey started as enemies, but in the end, they help each other for something more important.
And through that process, emerged...
- Bang! - Bang, bang—!!
"Run!"
A deadly fight to save each other's lives.
Ha-eun’s expression, voice, and gestures were already predetermined to convey this.
She had seen it with her own eyes in her past life and had followed its path slowly in her current one.
- Crash!
“Hide until morning.”
“...Got it.”
A precarious and nerve-wracking scene.
Ha-eun had to adjust her acting direction all the way until the very end for that fragile moment in The Sunshine.
What was needed was acting that focused on the overall situation. The scenario where Kim Jung-hyun, disguised as Park Joo-ho’s wife, sneaked into Japan, assassinated a Japanese official, and then hid in a rundown warehouse to avoid the bullets of the Japanese soldiers.
“First light, we head straight to the embassy.”
“Do we really have to stay so close?”
“If you want to freeze to death, stay apart.”
“...You could at least be a bit kinder with your words...”
It had to look both shabby and beautiful. She needed to clearly understand what melodrama was more than ever before.
First, there was guilt.
Next, there was embarrassment.
Finally, she quietly embraced the man who became the object of gratitude and love.
In the end, it was a drama.
In the end, it was the actor’s performance, the lines from the script, and the direction on set.
Thus, Ha-eun had to make Kim Jung-hyun’s final moments in the drama unforgettable. The quiet, sorrowful, yet powerful glow of this little giant.
- Swoosh.
- Swish, swish...
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Ha-eun did her best to capture it in front of the camera, in the form of acting, as best as she could.
The Sunshine had to be remembered as the great drama it was until the very end.
So, she had to deliver an acting performance that matched the scale of the masterpiece.
The 'situation' she created with her hands had to fall within the realm of 'acting.'
Soon, letters began to form on the fogged-up window.
The weak index finger slowly wrote the words, which then clearly appeared in front of Park Joo-ho.
Lost
“...The current Joseon has lost its way. Swept by foreign powers, we don’t even know where we’re headed...”
The letter L.
It was the same letter Kim Jung-hyun had written over and over again in front of Park Joo-ho in the past.
What had initially caused unintended misunderstandings was now Kim Jung-hyun’s final request.
“...I’m not saving Joseon, I’m saving you.”
“Joseon has abandoned you, but you haven’t abandoned Joseon... Have you? ...Or maybe you haven’t...?”
That message was passed on to Park Joo-ho, who was sharing his warmth with her small back.
After that, her trembling voice, which had been fading, was cut off repeatedly and then barely continued.
Her gaze, which had gradually become more clouded, made it clear how much her remaining warmth was cooling off.
Still, Park Joo-ho didn’t know.
He thought it was just another heartfelt plea.
Another desperate request he had heard too many times before, asking him to fight for the damned Joseon.
“I don’t need to walk with you... It’s enough if I pass by and just look out for you with your kindness.”
He thought it was just an attempt to convince him, nothing more, nothing less.
He had no idea about the bullet lodged in Kim Jung-hyun’s thigh, or the continuous bleeding from the wound.
However, at the very moment the stillness that had been lingering ended...
- Tap.
“...I loved you. Without realizing it, even though I knew I wasn’t worthy...”
The genuine feelings that were conveyed with a single tear falling down.
It was a truth he could not ignore—the gratitude that had piled up, now transformed into love.
“I was happy, even if only for a moment, to be your wife. Truly.”
The gaze that was still fixed on the small bundles of luggage and the window, not on Park Joo-ho behind her.
The lady, leaning against Park Joo-ho, never looked back.
After all, her expectation wasn’t for an answer.
It was simply her desire to be understood in her personal feelings.
And that was enough for Kim Jung-hyun.
She had conveyed it—her feelings that had long been kept inside.
However, unlike Kim Jung-hyun...
- Swoosh.
- Swish...
Park Joo-ho’s hand, reaching slowly toward the window, did not remain silent.
A small curve was drawn on top of Kim Jung-hyun’s Lost.
Lose
“...I... lost. You’re a woman I can never beat.”
For a brief moment, the soft voice from behind caused her breath to stop.
Still, Park Joo-ho didn’t care.
He simply held her hand, just as usual, without hesitation.
Kim Jung-hyun’s gaze, still not on him, was focused ahead.
She knew she couldn’t let him realize her pale complexion.
She knew that he shouldn’t struggle in vain to save her, to salvage a person already lost.
But still, she couldn’t let go of the hand that gently but firmly held hers.
Even if it was just selfishness, even if it was only for a brief moment.
Just for that fleeting moment...
- Tap.
- Tap, tap...
“...I’m sorry... Truly, I’m sorry...”
Ha-eun truly wanted to be with Park Joo-ho.
She answered his heart through her voice, which was mixed with tears.
And so, time passed.
The dark night sky slowly turned to the faint blue of dawn.
The sun, which had risen over the horizon, began to change the blue sky into a deep yellow hue.
Not long after, sunlight streamed through the small window of the warehouse.
It warmly illuminated the two of them. Park Joo-ho opened his mouth, saying that it was time to head toward the U.S. embassy.
- Thud.
The hand Ha-eun had been holding until just moments ago fell helplessly to the wooden floor of the warehouse.
Only then could he see the heavy bleeding that had leaked from Kim Jung-hyun.
“...Hey.”
The call, directed at the clearly defined destination, received no response.
His hand began to tremble naturally.
“I told you I lost. But why...”
- Thud.
- Thud.
“...This can’t be. You can’t be like this... can’t you?”
The red-tinged eyes gazed hazily at the two closed eyelids.
Warm liquid, falling onto Kim Jung-hyun’s black suit, stained by the dust of the earth.
Still, the camera slowly began to zoom out, and Park Joo-ho’s head, lowered toward Kim Jung-hyun, gradually moved further away.
A few seconds later, the camera captured the entire rundown warehouse, not the two main characters.
The gentle background music, which had started playing quietly, amplified the already bitter atmosphere.
The screen gradually shifted, showing the places Kim Jung-hyun had been.
Eventually, the screen arrived in Joseon, across the sea.
The faces of many familiar people filled the screen.
Thus, the images of the many people Kim Jung-hyun had encountered in The Sunshine were shown, one by one.
- Swoosh.
“...A butterfly?”
A white butterfly flew toward Hwang Tae-seong, who was sitting alone in a vast tiled house.
After briefly seeming to look at Hwang Tae-seong, the butterfly spread its wings once more and soared into the sky.
What followed was like the epilogue of The Sunshine.
It showed how Park Joo-ho, unable to refuse Kim Jung-hyun’s final request, continued to live, and how Joseon progressed afterward.
And finally, at the moment The Sunshine reached its conclusion:
- Swoosh.
“...”
A photo of Kim Jung-hyun and Park Joo-ho, taken long ago when they had pretended to be a married couple, briefly appeared.
In Park Joo-ho’s gaze, fixed silently on the photo, were memories of the past.
“Director Kwon, the viewer ratings...”
“27.4%. I thought we’d only see these kinds of numbers on public broadcasts.”
“It’s thanks to all of you. Great work, everyone.”
And so, The Sunshine was completely wrapped up, with the last unforgettable moments marking the end.
The drama, which had ended on a sad note, naturally caused a stir on the internet.
On social media and in forums, discussions about the final episode of The Sunshine spread.
Yet, there were no major negative reviews, which was a testament to the drama’s excellence.
However, Ha-eun’s final performance deeply impressed everyone’s mind.
The attention on Lee Ha-eun, as a person, increased sharply.
Perhaps that was why...
[ Pinocchio (피노키오) _
One Day in Spring (봄의 어느날) ]
The day after the final episode of The Sunshine, Pinocchio’s new album was released.
Among the tracks, the music video for the title song One Day in Spring briefly became the number one trending video.
Her pure voice, the unpretentious lyrics, and many other factors contributed to the success of the album.
But, still lingering from The Sunshine, Ha-eun’s innocent emotions gave the song an effect reminiscent of a cherished memory.
Dressed in her school uniform, Ha-eun walked the streets.
Her school days, which everyone had experienced, passed through her mind.
“You and I—♪ Can we one day think it’s okay─♬”
The imagined future where the girl Kim Jung-hyun would have been happy and ordinary.
The sad ending left a long-lasting impact, drawing everyone’s attention.
And it was the same for Nael, a passionate fan of The Sunshine.
Her playlist always included Ha-eun’s One Day in Spring.
However, at least for now...
“─────♪”
She couldn’t have imagined that she would one day experience the dream-like moment of hearing One Day in Spring live, right in front of her, at the Illusionary Realm after-party.
“...I could die happy now...”
“That, uh, might be a bit much.”