We were served endearing moments in the 6th episode of Jirisan as subtle but sweet romance stories were shared!
Meeting Yi-gang’s first love was sweet relief in the escalating suspense of the series. Inescapably, supporting Goo-young’s love journey is a given advocacy fans of the series would gladly support.
abbyinhallyuland watched Jirisan on iQiyi
Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03 | 04 | 05| 06 | 07 | 08| 09| 10| 11 | 12 | 13 & 14 | Finale Week + Review |
Jirisan Episode 6 Key Moments
In the 2018 timeline, two months after the bombing event, Se-wook’s body was not retrieved. In one of their patrols, Hyun-jo asks Yi-gang for her Holiday plans, but his senior spouts that she hates the Christmas season the most.
On Christmas day, Yi-gang and Hyun-jo find themselves manning Bidam shelter as Goo-young is set for a movie date with Yang-sun. After cleaning the place, the two chat and wait for the man who will visit the shelter to pick up his lost item.
However, a strong snowstorm erupts that night. With a report for a stranded hiker, Yi-gang goes out to check if the approaching guest is the man from her old memories. Amidst the snowstorm, Goo-young who got stood up, go to Bidam shelter to mend his broken heart. When he saw the name of the person that Yi-gang is set to meet, he tells Hyun-jo that Yim Cheol-gyeong is his senior’s, first love.
Yi-gang’s First Love
Down the mountain base, the police officers alert the rangers of a wanted man who turns out to be Yim Cheol-gyeong. Meanwhile, Yi-gang meets the person who called for help. She is a subordinate of Cheol-gyeong who wants to go to the shelter to help her senior be cleared from the bribery case accused of him.
Hyun-jo, who heads to check on Yi-gang, discovers the unconscious Cheol-gyeong. Back at Bidam shelter, Yi-gang finds Goo-young wounded and lying down on the floor. Rushing to phone for help, a man points a gun at Yi-gang. She managed to subdue him with pepper spray, but someone knocks her with a blunt object.
The two culprits were apprehended by Hyun-jo and Cheol-gyeong just as the backup police force arrive to catch the offenders. Meeting again since that Christmas night when they parted ways, Yi-gang and Cheol-gyeong lock on an “it’s been a while” gaze.
It was revealed how their fated encounters extended to when they both began new careers: as a budding detective and a mountain ranger. For their latest meeting, Cheol-gyeong finally made the confession he failed to do the last time they met. That is – he truly stole the money – to buy a motorbike for him to take her to the sea. He also mentioned that he’s married.
“Then, why don’t you save people from now on? I couldn’t save them but you’re different from me. If you are afraid of how people can die up there. Then save their lives before they die.”
Episode 6 of Jirisan recounts the rebellious stage of Yi-gang when she was young. How she struggled to live in Seoul while getting into college and working odd jobs. She reconnects with Cheol-gyeong whom she first met at a youth camp. They later work at a restaurant but were fired because the owner incriminated Cheol-gyeong for stealing money.
Moving back to her hometown, Yi-gang’s grandmother pushed her to apply as a ranger. Obviously showing her disinterest, Jo Dae-jin persuades her thinking she does not want to take the job because she still blamed him for her parents’ death. He encourages her to save people since she is far better than him.
Dae-jin’s words hit Yi-gang’s heart. Thus, begin her journey of saving lives as a competent ranger.
“She couldn’t leave because she loves the mountains.”
Yi-gang who just witnessed a mutual love confession between Goo-young and Yang-sun thankfully has Hyun-jo who kept her company while she wallows in alcohol. Uncaring about the potato makgeolli she drank, Hyun-jo confronts an adorable deja vu of Yi-gang’s ranger story.
Bringing back Yi-gang to her home, Hyun-jo sees the displayed photos of her mountain adventures since when she was young, and he smiles fondly staring at the photos.
He realizes how Yi-gang loves the mountain that she can’t bear to part with it. Just then, he gets a vision of a looming wildfire and he fears for its expected impact.
Jirisan Episode 6 Musings
How amusing Goo-young’s level of being unbothered in Jirisan really is. He’s like having his own “life is beautiful” moment amidst the tumultuous situations that befall on Mount Jiri. Finally, his unrequited love is no longer one-sided. Thanks to both his and Yang-sun’s dating inexperience, they gave us a laugh on why their first date was a failure.
Jirisan sweetly endeared us in this episode that I’m scared to watch the succeeding ones. It’s like they’re making us happy before we go for a thrilling ascend.
On that note, based on episode 7 preview, our weekly doses of the series expect even more heightened tension. While we pause for Hyun-jo’s ominous fate after his name gets listed on a death notebook, we are heading for a mountain wildfire next week.
Yi-gang’s first love story was a nicely placed emotional and mental break prepared by the series. Our very own “take 5” as viewers since we will be embarking on more mysteries and gripping cliffhangers as the story closes into its fulfillment.
In a way, Jirisan cleverly makes use of real-life hiking takeaways like enjoying the side stories before savoring the gratifying feeling of reaching the summit.
Jirisan Adorable Backstage Cast Synergy
In case you missed it, iQiyi released a behind-the-scenes look of the last two episodes. Gianna Jun’s ‘NG’ scenes brought roaring laughter on the set, especially in the scene with Ju Ji Hoon, Oh Jung Se and Cho Han Cheul where she delivered all her lines before her co-stars could speak.
Oh mused that he had lines yet to be heard, while Ju joked, “The three of us just froze in an instant.” The production team even affectionately called Jun a ‘script greed’.
In shooting the latest episodes, the cast members each had physically taxing action scenes. Gianna Jun and Oh Jung Se managed climbing Jirisan for location shoots. Ever the consummate professional, Jun always delivered soul and just the right tone to her lines.
Ju Ji Hoon looks dapper racing through snow and fighting to subdue the suspect in scenes that left him utterly exhausted. Ju Min Kyung was seen struggling after being poisoned, but as Oh Jung Se repeatedly tapped her face to revive her, she burst out laughing when the director cut the shoot.
More thrilling mountain adventures with Haedong rangers on Jirisan unfold on iQiyi every Saturday and Sunday!
Photos/Videos: iQiyi
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