Original subtitles

Da Jung...

Da Jung, I miss you...

Da Jung...

Writer Lim,

I think I should...

treat the guests to some food after coming such a long way.

Do you know any good restaurants nearby?

You don't need to do that.

You seem exhausted.

No, I'd feel bad sending them back without feeding them.

There's a beef rib stew place...

on the way back.

Is it any good?

I've only been once.

There isn't anything else around here.

Then can you lead the way?

Please eat, even just a little.

My poor Da Jung.

She didn't even get to eat anything.

I can't believe...

my worry on the day of my wife's passing is the bad beef rib stew.

I don't know how to process that.

I felt embarrassed...

for still eating all my meals...

on a day like this.

Why are you stopping yourself?

Does it taste bad?

I think I have heartburn.

Should I get you some medicine?

No, it's not that bad.

I'm fine.

Okay, then.

- Mr. Kang. - Yes?

Are you heading back?

I should've treated you to a proper meal.

I'm sorry.

No, don't say that.

But you should take this.

What?

Da Jung wanted me to give you this.

("The Tears of Japchae")

She said you'd know.

(Episode Twelve: Is This What That Was For?)

My wife...

didn't stop being a book publisher...

until the very end.

The last book idea she had...

was a recipe book of recipes for her.

Looking back,

all the recipes I posted on my blog...

were a diary...

of the happiest moments...

in the painful time battling cancer.

If she could eat anything,

it was a good day.

I tried to filter out the bad memories...

and only leave the happy ones.

But I feel like that's all I remember.

What are you doing?

I'm making some beef rib stew.

I know you don't really eat breakfast,

so you can have it after school. I'll have it ready by then.

It'll be good.

If you don't mind,

I'll have some now.

Now?

Yes.

Sure, then.

I've been a writer my whole life,

but I've never felt a stronger urge...

to keep a part of me alive forever.

I wanted to make...

the short and rare moments of happiness...

in the battle against cancer as long as they could last.

(Beef rib stew made with dates, radish, and mushroom)

- Thank you for the food. - You're welcome.

I don't want to ignore my wife's wish,

but I'd like...

to empty my head space for a while and not think about anything.

Many must be curious about this.

- Could you please answer it? - Sure.

What does the title mean?

A calendar becomes useless...

once it's done its purpose.

Of course,

housewives make every way possible to use it as much as possible.

But once the month or the year passes,

an outdated calendar has served all its purpose.

But if someone collects...

these outdated calendars,

what story do they have?

That small question...

is where my story began.

Did that answer your question?

- Then... - Hey!

- You're here! - Yes.

Hello.

How have you been?

I've been well.

I loved your lectures.

Thanks to you, I may not be good, but I'm still writing.

Really? I'm so glad to hear that.

Thank you.

So, I want to ask you a favor.

What is it? Ask me.

I told my friend in Jeju about how great you were,

and she'd like you to come to Jeju for a special lecture.

Jeju?

Those who don't live in Seoul...

are deprived of good lectures.

And, of course,

your transportation and accommodations will be taken care of.

I don't know.

Just think about it.

I will.

(To Won Hye Rim From Lim Hye Young)

Thank you.

Please autograph mine too.

Good work.

I was so nervous I couldn't even remember what I said.

People loved it.

Great work.

Good work to you too.

- Thanks for your work. - You're welcome.

Great work.

How are you these days?

I'm fine.

What do you eat?

Just a bunch of things.

Should I make you some side dishes?

- What do you like? - You don't need to do that.

I can easily get them at the grocery store.

I even made cucumber kimchi yesterday.

- You made your own kimchi? - Yes.

It wasn't as hard as I expected.

Would you like some?

I guess I was worried about nothing.

No need to worry about me.

I'm just fine.

It seems like it.

(E-Ticket Passenger Itinerary Receipt)

- That's good. - What?

You should tour around Jeju while you're at it.

Tour around?

It's just for work.

Why not do both?

Who goes to Jeju and only works?

Sure. I'll see.

I guess she's here!

Hello!

Hello.

Welcome.

His apron!

You can sit there.

That's great.

- You got accepted at Jae Ho's school? - Yes.

But our majors are different.

We went to the same school from elementary to high school.

And here she is, chasing me to my university too.

Stop it.

Do you like meat?

Yes.

I'm making stir-fried beef with bean sprouts.

I hope you'll like it.

You must be hungry.

No...

Yes, I am.

Here. It's ready.

When did you two get close?

I'm not that close to her.

(Stir-fried brisket with bean sprouts with Thai chili peppers)

- Thank you! - You're welcome. Eat up.

It must be the Thai chili.

Is it too spicy?

No, it's so good!

Thank you.

You're so bad with spicy food.

Thank you!

Is it too spicy?

Yes, it is.

Have some more Thai chili.

No, you can have it.

You're not late, are you?

No.

I think I made it just in time.

I would've been late if I had taken the subway.

Well, you didn't have much time,

and I thought it'd be a nice practice.

Right.

You can practice driving on your own now.

Thanks for the jacket, by the way.

I'll return it to you clean once I'm back.

- See you. - Dad.

Yes?

You're okay, right?

Why wouldn't I be?

You haven't really eaten all winter...

since Mom left.

You just spent the whole time in the study writing.

I'm sorry.

About what?

You've grown into a wonderful adult,

and I missed the whole process.

It's fine.

No, it's not.

It was my fault.

I'd be lying...

if I said I never resented you.

But now,

you feel like a dad.

I'm...

so glad to hear that.

Can I ask you one thing?

Sure, anything.

I'm no longer curious...

about why you and Mom wanted to split.

I'm sure there are...

countless reasons for that.

But...

I want to know...

how you decided to come back home.

That's what I really want to know.

Jae Ho,

I thought...

I knew how much your mom loved me.

We found so many differences as we lived together,

and though it felt more comfortable to live on our own,

I thought...

your mom would take me back whenever I wanted.

That's why I left.

But...

what I really didn't know...

was...

how much I loved your mom.

So stupid, right?

I realized that too late.

I took care...

of your mom,

not out of responsibility...

or pity.

I did so...

because I loved your mom so much.

And about Yeo Jin.

She seems like a great girl.

Invite her next time too.

I'll make her cream pasta.

Okay, then.

- Have a safe trip. - Okay.

- Have a safe trip! - See you.

I began crying...

on the flight to Jeju...

for an inexplicable reason.

The thought...

of sitting between two strangers...

on my way to an island...

must've suddenly made me feel lonely.

I still need more training...

in controlling my emotions.

I woke up around 7 a.m.

Where have my memories...

of being a night owl gone?

There's nothing more ridiculous...

than still waking up early...

after sleeping so late.

My wife...

loved to walk.

It was hard to make time for it...

when she became the head of a company and had to prioritize work.

But after being diagnosed with cancer,

she began walking again.

I was always more than happy...

to walk with her when she went on walks.

And she said that one year of us walking together...

was the happiest time of her life.

Here!

Closer!

That's good!

Here I go!

I walked while thinking of the fields we passed back in the day.

When we hiked,

we'd always joke, saying,

"We'll live a day longer thanks to this hike."

Then, that fall,

her pain from cancer intensified,

and in about a year,

my wife passed away.

I'm reminded...

of my wife's desperate eyes...

as she told me this in her hospice bed.

"I just want..."

"to walk by the warm beach one more time."

I walked an unfamiliar beach...

as I reminisced our memories...

and looked up to the cliff...

piled with thousands of years of memories.

At the end of the path,

I met angry waves.

I wonder...

if my wife cleared all the misunderstandings...

that had piled up on her.

I stayed still and watched the waves...

until the waves calmed...

with an apologetic heart.

Here you go.

It's good, isn't it?

Yes.

But it's not much different from what I made.

I told you yours was good.

You're quite the cook.

Do you know...

how hard it was to make this?

What a show-off.

You're fine, right?

All is good?

Yes.

I'm fine.

Don't worry about me. I'm fine.

I still feel like you're my child I've let out in the water alone.

That's true.

Then why did you leave so quickly?

I finally felt like we were connecting.

Had it not been for my cancer,

we probably would've never connected like that.

That's true.

Thanks for letting me take care of you.

I'm not a good cook...

or a caregiver.

No.

Your food was great.

I mean it.

Really?

Thank you.

We went through so much together.

After getting old...

and a whole 25 years later,

we finally felt like we connected,

only to have one of us leave.

This is how humans...

begin and end their relationships.

We loved each other,

but it was hard.

Even so,

I'd say we had a good farewell.

Now,

I must get used to something I'm not used to,

but I'm not too scared of it.

Welcome to Nero Pork Cutlet!

Welcome to Nero Pork Cutlet!

We're giving free drinks to celebrate our opening day!

Hello.

Hey!

I guess you opened a restaurant.

Well,

you know, I won't stop challenging myself.

I'll make sure to drop by.

Not just once. Come often.

Okay.

Nero Pork Cutlet?

You like pork cutlets, right?

Of course. Who doesn't?

Right?

"Adaptation" means...

you're...

recreating something based on original work.

When daily life gets busy,

memories become buried.

So, the last homework my wife gave me...

became my earnest wish too.

Reminiscing the past days...

as I live on each day...

and bringing...

the dead and the alive together.

That's what I must do.

No, Dad, I can do it.

Good.

You did well.

Are they okay?

Yes, they're great.

(The sunset welcomed me on my way down.)

(Until the temple lights came on and the bell rang...)

Hello, Editor Choi. It's me.

Hello.

My draft is ready.

I'll email it to you.

Good work.

Not really.

I'm sorry,

I'm way overdue.

It's okay.

Everyone's the same.

Can you read it over...

and tell me if it's too emotional?

You don't need to be too forgiving...

because you feel bad.

Don't worry about that.

- By the way, Editor Choi. - Yes?

Are we really naming it...

"The Tears of Japchae?"

Well, it's just the draft title.

Do you not like it?

Well, I don't have a better idea or anything.

But I'd prefer not to have words like "sadness" or "tears..."

in the title.

Sure. I'll think about it some more.

Okay. I'll do the same.

Thanks so much...

for waiting for me.

The writer does all the hard work. I didn't do anything.

No.

I've never felt so healed...

from writing like this.

I just did what Da Jung asked me to do.

Still, thank you.

Read it over and let me know.

Okay.

Hey, Jae Ho.

Dad, I'll be a bit late today.

Is that right?

Okay, that's fine.

Don't worry about me.

Make sure to eat.

I was just thinking...

about what I should eat...

for dinner just now.

Have fun.

It's nothing like that.

No need to react like that.

It's okay to have fun.

Okay, see you later.

(Kimchi rice with perilla seed oil)

It hasn't been that long,

but it's now so natural for me to make food in the kitchen.

I wonder...

if my wife was so picky for this to happen.

(Subtitles are provided by KOCOWA.)