My Father Is Strange recaps – behind the scenes

 

As we bid a final farewell to the cast of My Father Is Strange – here are a few parting shots. We hate to see you go! Entertainment Weekly interviewed the cast at the filming of the last two episodes and at the after show cast party. With one last look at the highlights we find way to keep the Byun/Lee family in our hearts a bit longer! ♥ (links to the episodes below)

Surprise! Min Jin Woong (Jun Young) – happy birthday! His fellow actors threw a party for him on the day before the final shoot.

And although Mi Do (Yoo Joo) would like to work with Ahn Hye Seop (Cheol Soo) in the future, she has her eye on the best couple award for Yoo Joo and Jun Young couple! Still, maybe her next partner will be Hye Seop with his boyfriend-like charms!   

My Father Is Strange – ep 52 recap, Final

Aw, we’ve come to the end of My Father Is Strange, how will we part with such a wonderful family? As far as endings go, this one is tops! Thanks for following cimiart recaps for the past six months. I hope you enjoy the conclusion of what has become one of the more endearing kdramas to date.

Final Episode ~ The Perfect Wedding Gift

As is the family tradition, everyone comes to congratulate Dad on the retrial application hearing. They all attended yesterday’s solemn court hearing and were quite nervous.

Min Ha offers Hye Young his respect for her awesome court presentation. The rest of the family follows suit. Hye Young doesn’t put on false modesty airs, but it true to herself and accepts the compliments. There are also lots of online comments in support of Lee Yeon Seok’s story and the retrial application. Mom and Dad haven’t looked so happy since, ever. Jun Young reminds Dad that he will receive a new ID with his name: Lee Yeon Seok.   

My Father Is Strange – ep 51 recap

Mi Young thinks she is going to surprise Joong Hee when he enters his apartment, but she is the one who gets the surprise of her life when his mother enters. With a look up and down his mother asks, “Who are you?” Joong Hee arrives a moment later and quickly assesses the situation, wincing at how awkward it is for both women.
“Mom! When did you get here? You should call before you visit your 36 year-old son’s apartment….” Standing there in a perfectly adorable candy striped shirt, he introduces Mi Young as his girlfriend; she bows. Then he awkwardly tells Mi Young to grab her bag, here’s the door, weren’t you about to leave? She practically trips over herself running out. He texts her that he is sorry he can’t bring her home with his mother’s sudden appearance. So much for a nice, relaxing evening together.   

My Father Is Strange – ep 50 recap

Dad can’t believe that Lim Jong Hwa is willing to testify. It feels like a dream to him. He thanks Hye Young for all she has done to make this happen. But she warns Dad that this is only the beginning and they will have to see if a retrial is granted. If nothing else, Dad can resolve the forty years of hard feelings. For that, he is thankful.

Mom is recuperating at the hospital. Mi Young and Ra Young give her plenty of attention. Dad asks her on a date so they can talk alone – how cute. But Dad’s expression looks pensive and Mom wants to know what’s wrong. She asks if he found out the biopsy results . . . but that’s not it. Dad tells her the shocking news: he met with Lim Jong Hwa – he and Hye Young went – and he said he would testify. Dad chokes up. Mom beats her chest and cries out, “I’m so grateful.” Never in their wildest imaginations did they dare think this day would ever come. Dad lays across Mom’s chest and sobs at the lifetime of being wronged he suffered and the prospect that finally he can lay that burden down. 

My Father Is Strange – ep 49 recap

“Jong Hwa?’ Dad asks twice. But the man in the hallway turns and leaves. “Let’s go,” Dad says to his family. Only Hye Young knows that it was, indeed, Mr. Lim Jong Hwa.

Everyone waits for Dad and the others to return from court. They are all relieved at the probation sentence. Grandma is so happy and cutely offers to treat everyone to Chinese food, but Uncle won’t hear of it; it’s pizza and beer on him! Mi Young steps into the hallway to call Joong Hee. He is relieved to hear that things went as good as one could expect. The conversation is brief.   

My Father Is Strange – ep 48 recap

Hye Young shows Mr. Lim the newest article mentioning Lee Yeon Seok. She tells him that’s her dad. Along with Byun Han Soo, the three men went to judo school together. Mr. Lim looks shocked. She continues that her father didn’t kill the student back then. She thinks he was the witness. Mr. Lim denies that he saw anything. She tries to prompt him, reminding him that he even described the students’ uniforms. But he claims that he was only trying to help Lee Yeon Seok and repeated the details he gave when in fact, he didn’t witness anything. Hye Young knows he is lying and informs him that the statute of limitations has expired; he won’t be charged for false testimony “What? false testimony?” he angrily shouts and says that if she doesn’t leave, he will call the police for trespassing. Hye Young is discouraged by his response.

My Father Is Strange – ep 47 recap

Mi Young runs to Dad’s side as he gets pelted with eggs by Joong Hee’s fans who have read the most recent article. Dad doesn’t want her to clean up or defend him. He understands how the fans must feel. The whole family is shocked when Dad walks in the house covered with garbage.

They are angry–who did this? Those jerks! Hye Young asks Dad if he saw their faces. Dad doesn’t want a fuss. But Hye Young says that strangers used violence against him. Still, Dad would rather take the anger against him that he deserves. It’s the same reporter as before, she tells everyone, who posted an article about Dad. While Hye Young wants to take legal action, Dad won’t let her.  

My Father Is Strange – ep 46 recap

Joong Hee walks Mi Young home. “Sweet dreams. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says. But Mi Young walks inside without saying anything, leans against the wall, and cries so hard she can barely breathe. His words, “I love you, Mi Young,” are painful for her to hear right now.

The next morning, Mi Young avoids looking at Dad when they run into each other.

Yoo Joo keeps getting phone calls from the office. Mr. Kang wants Yoo Joo to convince Mi Young to take a few days off and not resign. Hye Young steps into the bedroom and tells Mi Young that she understands how she feels but she shouldn’t quit her job over this. Mi Young erupts–it’s too much. “Should I ask Actor Ahn to find another agency?” she shouts. Her sisters tell her to hold it down; she’ll upset Mom and Dad. Mi Young snaps back; they deserve to be distressed, they did something crazy. Why are they worried about Mom and Dad? She is worried about Actor Ahn. Anyway, shouldn’t they all be worried about the victim?   

My Father Is Strange – ep 45 recap

Hye Young introduces herself to the police officer at the station as Byun Han Soo’s attorney. But Dad doesn’t want a lawyer, especially his daughter. He will face the investigation alone. He’ll tell the truth and receive the punishment he deserves.

Mom has told the other children the whole story. To say they are shocked at this devastating revelation is an understatement. The atmosphere is tense. Dad posed as someone else for 35 years? Dad was accused of murder? He used his friend’s identity and that friend was Ahn Joong Hee’s real father? He even pretended to be Actor Ahn’s dad? Mi Young’s voice shakes. Mom knew all of this all along? Ra Young is upset – “You’re lying. How can Dad do this to us?” she cries out. Jun Young asks where Dad is right now. Mom tells them that he has gone to turn himself in.    

My Father Is Strange – ep 44 recap

Mom finds Dad cleaning out the refrigerator at Father’s Snackshack in preparation for selling the business. He tells Mom to sit down, he has something to say – he will turn himself in tomorrow. Joong Hee left this morning and told him to leave things as they are. He didn’t want their children to suffer and lose their Dad like he had. Dad felt so ashamed to hear this and wanted to disappear. But he can’t stand to live as Byun Han Soo any longer. The hurt that he’s caused Joong Hee–it would be less than human not to own up to his crimes. Mom never imagined that Joong Hee would forgive them. She confesses that she went over to his apartment the day she found the DNA test results and begged Joong Hee to pretend none of this happened. Dad is upset at her for doing that but Mom explains that she was scared to death.   

My Father Is Strange – ep 43 recap

Mi Young is surprised at the food Dad has prepared. “When did you make all these?” she asks. Dad has packed a lunch for her and Joong Hee to take to work. He wonders if the fight and threats to sue between Joong Hee and Director Ryu got straightened out. Mi Young explains that the company apologized and Joong Hee went late last night to clear things up. It seems all is well.

Mi Young waits for Joong Hee at the van and drives him to work. She tells him to nap on the way to the shoot which is about an hour away. But she is the one yawning as they drive, and Joong Hee tells her to pull over. He puts on a cap, runs into a coffee shop, and  brings her a large iced mocha with plenty of whipped cream. That does the trick and Mi Young perks up at the first sip.   

My Father Is Strange – ep 42 recap

Joong Hee drops the bomb that he and Mi Young are not related. He explains that Mi Young’s father was his father’s best friend. His father died, and when he showed up, her father took him in like his real dad would have. He only found out this truth recently. “You’re not insane,” and he tells her not to resign or move out.

Realizing that this is a shocker for Mi Young to hear, Joong Hee explains further that he needs time to sort things out. He asks her not to tell the rest of the family just yet; after all, he only found out the truth that her father isn’t his father. He needs to work things out with him first – it’s all quite confusing and he doesn’t know which end is up.