My sister and I started watching this without any idea what it was about and we just got surprised when we found out that it was actually a fantasy drama. We usually watch action/romance but this one was good. We enjoyed it and now I have a crush on Wang Chi ang/Lee Hong bin.
Warning: This post includes spoilers so don't read if you haven't watched the drama yet.
The story revolves around the mysterious Chintamani key that was cut into pieces and disappeared 18 years ago. Now there are people looking for it and one was Wang hao, Chi ang's father. Sensing that one of the pieces of the key is inside the Moorim Institute, a school deep in the mountains that teaches not just martial arts but also different virtues in life,Wang Hao sends Chi ang to study there. Chi ang doesn't really want to go so he tries to escape when his father sends men to drive him to the school. But when he accidentally falls into the water and Seon dook saves him and he finds out that Seon dook is attending the same school, he finally agrees to attend the school.
[aminoapps]
Yoon Shi woo, on the other hand, is a member of idol group Mobius. After becoming famous, his attitude changes and is now arrogant and prickly. But he's suffering from a painful hearing loss that doctors have not been able to pinpoint or cure. In one of his concerts, an accident happens where he isn't able to hear the people around him telling him to move away because the lights above him are about to fall but fortunately a fan, Seon ah, rushes to push him away. But before Seon ah could reach him, Shi woo finally notices what's happening and seeing that the stage lights are about to crash him, he raises his hands to protect himself and it's when, for a moment, the falling stage lights stop, giving Seon ah the chance to push him away. Seon ah witnesses everything and seeing that something is wrong with Shi woo, she tells him to go to Moorim school because she believes that her father, Hwang Moo song, can help him.
The paths of Chi ang, Soon duk, Shi woo and Seon ah finally cross when they all meet at the Moorim School where their friendship begins. It's also where they start searching for the truth behind the Chintamani key that everyone is talking about. Here they find friends, family and of course, love.
Everyone at the school is alarmed when the school's seal opens when Shi woon and Chi ang both arrive. They don't know who opened it but they are sure that the only person who can is their dean, Moo song. So when they meet Shi woo and Chi ang, they're not sure who's the one who managed to open the seal. They are also expecting one new student, Chi ang, but since Shi woo is already there, they let him decide whether to leave or stay.
- - -
Shi woo's only purpose on coming to Moorim School is to talk to Moo song, the one Seon ah told him about at the concert who can help him with his hearing problem. Shi woo gives Moorim a try because he has to fix his hearing problem if he doesn't want his career to end just because he can't hear. Also, on the peak of the scandal he's involved with, he has to find the girl who can testify with him on what really happened that night when reporters saw him leaving Da rim, a rookie from some girl group who he recently dumped, in the hands of some thugs. Everyone believes that he left Da rim to save himself but the truth is he left because some paparazzi were taking pictures of him and Da rim and he didn't want it published because he knew it could damage Da rim's career.
Uhh. Isn't that sweet? Anyway, the girl who witnessed everything happens to be Shim Soon duk, a student at Moorim school.
Moo song immediately senses a powerful aura coming from Shi woo the first time they talk and he's willing to help him but tells him that the problem isn't really his ear but something inside him and something about a large amount of power he can't control. Moo song also offers Shi woo to be a student at the school but Shi woo downright refuses. Later that day, Shi woo calls his manager to inform him that he found the girl who can help clear up the scandal about him.
Shim Soon duk is a diligent student at the Moorim School. When she's not at school, she's doing a part-time job at a fried chicken shop. Her father, Bong san, doesn't know that she's attending Moorim School and she keeps it from him because she knows how much her father hates that school for whatever reason he doesn't really talk about. Bong san is also blind and his hate for the school has something to do with it.
Soon duk is closest with Hwang Seon ah, Moo song's daughter. Seon ah is a fan of Shi woo and I loved it whenever she calls Shi woo
"Shi woo oppa" and her father would call Shi woo the same since Seon ah always calls Shi woo
"Shi woo oppa". Lol. She feels connection with Shi woo and they also share the same memory of a fire when they were young.
Seon ah and Soon duk
Chi ang and Shi woo don't like each other from the moment they meet. They start off on the wrong foot when a mistake of putting them both in the same hotel room happens. They're staying at the hotel until the concert which is sponsored by Chi ang's father. Chi ang wants to kick Shi woo out of the hotel room but Shi woo firmly refuses. And to make things worse, Chi ang tells his staff to take Mobius off the list of performers when he finds out that Mobius is performing at the concert. How is that for attitude? But unfortunately, almost all of the concert attendees are fans of Mobius so they just can't take Mobius off the list. Their fateful meeting doesn't end their because as Chi ang leaves the hotel room, he doesn't notice but he picks up the wrong jacket. He and Shi woo have the same jacket so he mistakenly takes Shi woo thinking it's his.
At Moorim, Shi woo and Chi ang need to share the same room which immediately starts another argument because both want to get the bed by the corner. And Shi woo has to be in the shower everytime Chi ang walks into the room. Hahaha.
As their hate for each other increases and it breaks a fight between them, Moo song decided they need to decide who will stay and who will leave because surely both of them can't stay. He then gives them a mission to climb the Moorim Peak and whoever gets the banner at the top and brings it back will stay.
Chi ang and Shi woo accept the challenge and they set to climb the mountain that same night without a preparation. Chi ang even lost a shoe when he and Shi woo were fighting earlier so then he's walking with only one shoe. It's not an easy journey for them especially when they both hate each other to the gut and they're not familiar with their surroundings. To make it worse, they run into a wolf on their way. Here, Chi ang and Shi woo get separated and to Shi woo's luck, the wolf found him first. The wolf attacks but his pendant suddenly shines, blinding the wolf for a moment. Chi ang then arrives with a stick on one hand and with his knowledge of fencing, he fights the wolf away.
It eventually leads to a serious talk and Shi woo thanking Chi ang for what he's done. Both of them begin to warm to each other and they start opening up. Chi ang tells Shi woo that he's only at Moorim because his father wants him to be there but he's also thankful because he got to meet Ariel/Soon duk. When Shi woo doesn't say anything, Chi ang thinks that Shi woo's reason for coming to Moorim is to fix whatever problem he has with his hearing because he knew about it too. But Shi woo also tells him that it's because he wants to clear his name from the scandal and to do that he needs Soon duk.
From that moment Soo duk saved Chi ang from the water, Chi ang started calling her Ariel and he fell for her instantly. It's rather cute everytime he calls Soon duk Ariel and Chi ang is so adorable. He also doesn't hide his feelings for her because he acts all cute in front of Soon duk even though Soon duk always pushes him away everytime.
Back to Chi ang and Shi woo, the two get along better now after that wolf incident and they seriously give us the bromance feels.
Though things worked out between Chi ang and Shi woo, Chi ang slowly loses his strength and because of the wound from walking barefoot, it becomes impossible for them to continue anymore. But they still push through until they run into another wolf and this time it's a wolf pack. Enter Soon duk and Seon ah who are worried sick for their friends and decided to follow and get them back. The four of them fight off the wolf pack and in the process hurting themselves but not severely.
Seeing that Chi ang can't continue anymore, everyone decided they need to go back. But thinking that they're almost there and it's a waste if neither of them can get the banner, Chi ang tells Shi woo to go ahead without him. He actually told Shi woo earlier to go on without him but Shi woo refused but now that Chi ang genuinely wants him to go ahead without him, Shi woo agrees. So Chi ang and Seon ah go back to the school while Soon dook and Shi woo continues to climb. But, it turns out, Shi woo decided not to continue any longer using the excuse that he's too afraid to face another wolf without Chi ang.
Before leaving the school, Soon duk made a video recording of herself telling what really happened that night when Shi woo was recorder driving off leaving Da rim with the thugs. So by the time they come back, everyone already thinks differently of Shi woo.
Shi woo and Chi ang talks to Moo song right away when they coma back, saying that the other needs to stay because he deserves to but the other says the opposite. In the end Moo song lets them both stay and it's the beginning of their new start at Moorim School. And except for Yub Jung who is selfish and insecure, the other students also finally accept them and eventually they grow closer.
[Chi ang-Seon ah-Shannon-Sang man-Dong gu-Choi ho-Jenny-Shi woo-Soon duk]
The story progresses as Chi ang and Shi woo start learning martial arts. With the help of Seon ah and Soon duk, Chi ang and Shi woo begin to improve their skills. Their closeness with each other also brings new feelings.
Now let's talk about the Chintamani that started it all. It's believe that when you possess the Chintamani then you will have a great power and you'll be able to control the world. Eighteen years ago, Chae yoon was the protector of the key but a rogue martial artist called Juk Poong attempted to steal it from him. Little did they know that Chae yoon cut the key into three pieces and when they attacked Chae yoon's house, they found only one. When Chae yoon's wife sensed that there were people outside their house, she quickly hid their daughter and son who each had a piece of the key. Chae yoon's wife tried to fight the bad guys but she get killed. Soon after, Chae yoon came home to their burning house, his wife dead and his children missing. He was then knocked out by the Juk Poong. After that incident, he was in a coma for 18 years but everyone else thought he'd died. And now that he's finally awake, he's determined to find his children.
Later it was shown that before Chae Yoon came home that night 18 years ago, their son Chae joon was taken by a concerned man who witnessed what happened in the house. Only seeing Chae joon, he left with him but half way out of the forest, he thought that Chae joon has died so he left him there in the forest. It turns out that the man who took Chae joon was Shim Bong sun, Soon duk's father. On the other hand, Moo song took the daughter Chae young. Moo song was Chae yoon's bestfriend and when he came to Chae yoon's house that day it was already burning. He quickly took Chae young who was left at the house and ran away while fighting the remaining bad guys. He was able to get away with Chae young by creating a seal that concealed them from the outside world. It was by then that Moo song decided to build Moorim School deep in the mountain with the seal that would protect them from the outside. It was the start of his and Chae yoon's dream of building a school. Moo song also changed Chae young's name to Hwang Seon ah and from then on they became father and daughter.
But aside from the Juk Poong there are still other people who wants to possess the Chintamani and one of them was Chi ang's father, Wang hao. Proving his greed, Wang hao actually orders his men to kidnap Seon ah just to prove that Moo song has a piece of the key. It happens when the school decided to have a retreat at Seoul and it would be Seon ah's second time outside of the school. The first time was when she tried getting out but met Shim Soon duk in the woods instead and together they go back to the school. From then Soon duk decided to attend the school and that was when they became friends. Aside from those times, Moo song didn't allow Seon ah to go outside of the school for her protection because he knew that there are still people looking for the Chintamani. So when the retreat happens, Seon ah thought she could finally see Seoul but to her dismay, her father firmly instructs the teachers not to let her out of the hotel. But being a good friend and all, Soon duk agrees to exchange clothes with her and to wear the tracker the teachers told Seon ah to wear. It gives Seon ah the chance but just before she could go out, Chi ang pulls her with him thinking she's Soon duk. The two ride Chi ang's motorcycle and stop somewhere to talk. Chi ang doesn't realize it at first, just babbling things and confessing.
Back at the hotel, Shi woo and Son duk, now wearing Seon ah's clothes, start texting each other. They then meet at the lobby of the hotel and when Soon duk excuses herself to go to the bathroom, a woman just suddenly knocks her unconscious. Next thing they know, Soon duk is kidnapped and it's because those people thought she's Seon ah. In the process of rescuing Soon duk, Shi woo also gets to run into Chae yoon when his ear starts to hurt again. Chae yoon does that same thing Moo song did to Shi woo when his ear hurt back on his first day at the school. This makes Shi woo ask if Chae yoon is a member of the Moorim Association.
Chi ang and Seon ah also come to the rescue and by protecting Seon ah when they run into some of the kidnappers, Chi ang gets stabbed. He's rushed to the hospital but fortunately it was nothing serious. His stay in the hospital worries everyone including his mother. But after a few days of stay in the hospital and at his mother's home, Chi ang is able to return to school.
After the kidnapping incident, Moo song decided they need to capture whoever wants to steal the Chintamani key. And he thinks that's the best way is to make the Juk Poong show himself. So then he announces a competition where anyone could join. It's also a part of the Moorim School to hold a competition for the students but this time they're allowing outsiders to join and they would invite the parents of the students too. It also means that the school would be vulnerable to any attack and the Juk Poong could come inside.
Moo song also asks a former student, now taekwondo teacher, to mentor the students so they could improve their skills for the upcoming competition. Kang Tae oh is a skilled martial artist and he was actually chosen as the next successor of the International Moorim Association but backed out at the last minute because he knew that such position should be accepted with friends by your side to help you but back then he didn't have someone he trusted much. Tae ho starts by pointing out everyone's weakness but doesn't say anything to Shi woo. It makes everyone wonder again why Shi woo doesn't have any weakness. It's also funny how Shi woo and Ching ang get jealous of him because the girls seem to like him very much.
Students double up their training and Shi woo starts practicing Gi Chae sool, a use of power where you can protect yourself as well as those you care about. And by this time Shi woo and Chi ang are having a dispute again and this time it's because of Soon duk and because Chi ang wants to win the upcoming competition since his father will be watching.
Gah, I really love that love-hate relationship they have! Haha. One time when they are practicing, Chi ang accuses Shi woo of holding himself back which angers Chi ang more because he feels like Shi woo is belittling his skills. But Shi woo, ever kind and thoughtful, tells him:
"I'm just trying to find a way not to hurt anybody and still win."
By the time the competitions begins, everyone is ready and Shi woo puts his necklace around Soon duk's neck, telling her that the necklace has procted him a lot of times already. Soon duk appreciated it but tells him that on that day, they are rivals. But of course, Shi woo tells her that before they are rivals, she's the person he loves.
Shi woo also manages to use Gi Chae sool on Chi ang, defeating him on one of their rounds. Everyone is impressed and those who know of it recognize Gi Chael sool. They also know that there's only one person who can use Gi Chae sool and that was Chae yoon.
(By now I hope you get all the connections already!)
Losing to Shi woo makes Chi ang angrier because he knew that his father is watching and the last thing he wanted is to disappoint him. Soon duk runs after Chi ang but he talks coldly to her. Wang hao then finds him and he asks him if he has anything to do with Soon duk's kidnapping. His father admits it but also tells him that they were after Seon ah not Soon duk. It's also when Wang hao tells him why Moo song is concealing the school. By then Soon duk and Shi woo have arrived, listening to Wang hao too. They all listen as Wang hao tells him that Moo song has planned it all, the fire, the seal at the school, the truth about Seon ah's identity and everything else because he had the Chintamani key.
At the same time, an incident involving Yub Jung beating his older brother, who also joined the competition, to death happens. It alarms the parents so they immediately drag their children out of school thinking that the school is teaching them violence. Now with no students left and the Moorim Association thinks that Moo song is responsible and that he is the Juk Poong who had killed Chae yoon 18 years ago, the head of the Association asks Moo song to step down as the dean of the school.
Everything else starts to thread itself when Seon ah accidentally hears Shi woo and Soon duk talking about her real identity. Hearing that Moo song had taken her and killed her biological father breaks her heart. She is shocked and by this time she starts to doubt her father.
Moo song, having no choice, decided to leave. Seon oh wouldn't talk to him so he leaves without explaining himself. But the teachers remain even tough the new dean is Bub Gong, the zen teacher who also wants to possess the Chintamani. Eventually, the teachers are able to convince the students to return to school. But the school gradually changes and now they have a new teacher who actually wants them to hurt each other. Yub Jung initially likes the idea because he only cares for himself but the others refuses to use violence.
Chi ang, still conflicted whether to trust his father or not, decided to go to China to confront his father. He goes to Soon duk first to say goodbye and it's as if he's saying goodbye forever. Talking to his father isn't really a good thing because now Wang hao is only manipulating him, telling him what he wants to hear. In the end, Wang hao tells him to collect all the pieces of the key, even giving him the piece he got from the real Juk Poong who is actually the head of the Moorim Association.
There also comes a point when Bong san has to reveal his story. When Moo song pays him a visit, he finally tells him that he was the one who took Chae joon out of the burning house but left him in the forest when he thought that he was already dead. And when he thought that those bad guys won't chase him anymore if they saw that he didn't have the child anymore, he was wrong. Because they still attacked him and that was how he became blind. Bong san also tells Moo song that that child is Yoon Shi woo. He knew when he heard that Shi woo has a memory of a fire and that he was found in the forest.
And then it's time for Soon duk to hear the story. It's really heartbreaking because Soon dok thinks she doesn't deserve Shi woo after what her father did. So they moved away so that they can't both hurt Shi woo anymore.
While outside of school, Moo song starts investigating and remembering
what Shi woo told him about meeting a man who used the same method as
him, he suspects that Chae yoon might be alive after all. So he starts
gathering information. On the other hand, Chae yoon also suspects the
Moorim Association and starts working on his own. Later on, he finds Moo
song through Luna, one of Wang hao's goons. Unfortunately, Moo song
walks into a trap and is about to get killed when Chae yoon shows up,
surprising him.
Back at the school, the students
are having a hard time following the belief of the new teacher. In the
middle of a heated argument, Moo song and wounded Chae yoon finally show
up, surprising everyone. The other teachers quickly help Moo song but
when the new teacher's men try to kill Moo song, Chae yoon uses Gi Chae
sool to protect his friend.
Seon ah, still heart
broken, locks herself at her room. And when Shi woo informs her that
her biological fathers has come to the school with Moo song, she still
refuses to come outside. But after seeing that her biogical father is
alive and that her father, Moo song, didn't really kill him, it's
enough. She promises to find out the truth.
After
some days, Seon ah finallly goes out of her room to be greeted by her
classmates. When she comes back to her room, she finds a letter from
Soon duk. And it's when she and Shi woo find out that they are sister
and brother. Soon duk also apologizes to Shi woo for what her father has
done. She feels so sorry towards him because if her father hadn't
abandoned Shi woo in the forest that night, then his life wouldn't have
turned out like this.
The
new information from Soon duk confuses both Seon ah and Shi woo but now
they can explain why they share a memory about a fire and why Shi woo
loves that lullaby Seon ah always plays in the piano. As they piece it
together, Shi woo also realizes that his necklace must be a piece of the
key. But he's given it to Soon duk who is now gone and they don't have
any idea where she is. Knowing that Soon duk will be in danger for
possessing a piece of the key, Shi woo sets to find her. At the same
time, Chi ang finds out from his father that the last piece of the key
is with Shi woo, who now they know is Chae yoon's son. Realizing it must
be Shi woo's necklace, Chi ang quickly springs into action.
Now both looking for Soon duk, Shi woo and Chi ang meet again. They are back to being enemies and this time neither wants to lose especially when it comes to protecting Soon duk.
In the school, Seon ah and Chae yoon finally meet. They talk about starting the school to protect the world but in the end he and Moo song weren't able to protect it or his family. But then Seon ah tells him that now, she will be standing beside both of her father to proect the school.
Back to finding Soon duk, Chi ang finds her first. Chi ang tells her everything and tries to convince him to give him the necklace. But Soon duk thinks otherwise and tells him to stop looking for the Chintamani because it's the only way no one would get hurt. Chi ang replies that there's no way his father would stop so it's better if she gives the necklace to him now before his father gets involved because the last thing he wants to happen is for Soon duk to get hurt. Soon duk feels so sorry for him then because he's chose power over friends and the school. Right then, Shi woo arrives.
In the end, Shi woo and Chi ang choose to do the right thing. They form a plan to see if Wang hao is really blinded by the power of Chintamani and in the process Chi ang sees that somehow his father also cares for him. Then Shi woo and Chi ang agree on destorying the key so that it wouldn't fall on the wrong hands in the future. But of course, before destroying it, they decided to take a look and what they see make them laugh.
Seven Years Later
Seon ah is already the dean of Moorim school and Soon duk became a professor. Shi woo works in his room writing music and he always hangs at the school where he can spend more time with Soon duk. Chi ang, on the other hand, became the chairman of his father's company and is now supporting Moorim school. He and Seon ah are also in a relationship now but no ones knows about it yet and with both of Seon ah's appa's around, Moo song and Chae yoon, I think Chi ang is a little nervous.
Back at the school, Soon duk and Shi woo are now sending invites for their wedding and it's when we get an update about the other students from Moorim.
Then we see Shi woo and Ching ang one last time, reminiscing about their younger days at the school by having a match.
The End.
Also, also! Am I the onlyone who thinks that Hong bin looks like Seven? He does! Right? Right?!
[Shi woo and Soon duk]
[Chi ang and Seon ah]
[The Love-Hate Bromance]
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