Summary
Although the ending was somewhat flat, episode seven has intriguing twists and revelations that make this drama appealing.
This recap of Netflix K-Drama series Bulgasal: Immortal Souls season 1, episode 7, contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
Bulgasal: Immortal Souls continues with much more even pacing in episode seven, feeling like a more comfortable watch as a result. It starts with Sang-un challenging Hwal, wondering whether she is actually the one he wishes to take revenge on. Naturally, the two then go to check. Meanwhile, Do-yoon and Hye-suk make the safe house more homely, whilst Ho-yeol and Si-ho bond in a father-daughter type of way, a nod to their past life.
Bulgasal: Immortal Souls season 1, episode 7 recap
In his first attempt to evoke memories, Hwal takes Sang-un to a spot where her 1971 incarnation, named Kim Hwa-yeon, resided before a fire burnt their house down. Forever living without stepping outdoors, her parents desperately tried to change her fear of Bulgasal, but they died in the lethal act of arson as Hwa-yeon escaped. Her younger sister was the only survivor, and the story strikes a resemblance to the one namesake Kim Go-bun relayed at the hospital.
Although this attempt fails to get Sang-un to recall her past life, Hwal is still convinced that she was Bulgasal, and that she recklessly killed in an attempt to flee Ok Eul-tae. As such, he refuses to return home until Sang-un remember something, and the pairing search for a place to stay.
Elsewhere, Ho-yeol pokes around for information on Ok Eul-tae, requesting information from both his private detective partner and Captain Han, his former colleague. There, he sees the Sangyong City Mayor, and theorises his involvement in the swimming pool case that was mysteriously wrapped up, and potentially his power over 15 years ago. Han warns Ho-yeol not to go after the Mayor who is allegedly dangerous, but it’s no deterrent. The former detective tails him, and ends up at the luxury building Ok Eul-tae lives in.
After we’re given further context on the political powers Eul-tae has, we see that Sang-un starts to remember her past life through a brutal nightmare. Hwal says he’s “relieved” that she is suffering, but doesn’t prod for much information the next day, favouring talking to Kim Hwa-yeon’s neighbours from 1971 instead.
At the Hwal household, Si-ho and Hye-suk begin to bond slightly, the former offering to look into the old lady’s past due to her doubts about Hwal’s apparent kindness. Later on, we do see that Hwal is telling the truth, through a flashback to the scene of the fire, and the subsequent rescue. It’s something confirmed by Si-ho too, once she reads the hand of Hye-suk. But that part doesn’t go to plan, the two women both shaken by the reading.
Continuing, Hwal and Sang-un continue to look for things that may lead to recollections, but come across arson attacks that could be the work of the monster Gapsangoe. They track a suspect down, but Sang-un fails to sense anything, only for her to later get a feeling that the culprit is indoors. There, a frail old woman, one who claims she couldn’t leave the world without seeing the reincarnated Kim Hwa-yeon, is confirmed to be the monster. They talk, and Gapsangoe discloses that her last wish is for Sang-un to die, Hwal surmising that this means the son has gone to start a fire at the accommodation the pair stayed at.
Fortunately, Hwal stops him in his tracks, while Gapsangoe tells Sang-un that the person she associated with is no different to Dark Hole. The monster claims to know his secret, though, something which could ultimately aid in Sang-un’s mission. This is said to be Sang-un herself.
Soon, though, we’re greeted to a major twist, as Eul-tae’s visitor is revealed to be the boyish, still somewhat innocent Do-yoon. They play board games together, Eul-tae prodding for information on Hwal. It’s revealed that the orphan’s mission is to watch Dark Hole’s ideal partner, the monster claiming it’s to protect him from Sang-un. It does appear that Do-yoon is being used, though, with his older brother being treated by Eul-tae, effectively making the young sibling a pawn.
When leaving Eul-tae’s house, Do-yoon tells him where Sang-un and Hwal went, which irks the desperate monster as he mutters Gapsangoe’s name. It gives the old woman power too, as she chokes Sang-un in the hopes they die together. Such occurrences make Dark Hole collapse in breathlessness, but Hwal prevents catastrophe. It’s no comfort to the bloodied and beaten Eul-tae, however, who wants to kill Sang-un as quickly as possible.
The ending
After digging up the remains of Kim Hwa-yeon, Sang-un ponders the type of person she was in her past, disassociating from it by saying she feels no attachment or emotion to who she was. Her and Hwal seem to bond here, with a piggyback ride given, as well as his full name, before she wraps her arms around him in a show of trust and faith.
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