The action starts in Los Angeles, California. We know this because we lots of shots of the HOLLYWOOD sign and white people on the beach. Plus Mickey and Minnie Mouse and the Walk of Fame. And there is our hero: Kim Tan. He surfs. And I just realized as I watch Tan surf that they’re singing *just* English lyrics. Not that it’s too obvious because of the pronunciation. I guess the Loof is on Fiya.
And when I look at the lyrics. What are these lyrics? “The legion of my heart is bleeding”. That is not what he’s saying. I can’t tell what he’s saying, but it’s not that. That makes no sense. “Don’t tell me so hard.” No sense. VIXX’s Ken needs some more Engrish lessons so his pronunciation is better. (Leo’s pronunciation seemed better, but I couldn’t really hear it in the promo.) And since they’re in sunny California, at least they could get someone WHO SPEAKS ENGLISH to look over the lyrics, just SO THEY MAKE SENSE. But I’ve paused the show, which I’ve been eagerly awaiting, so on with the bad Engrish!
Tan is surfing with his friends. Now they’re walking up the beach with some girls in bikinis and a really annoying beach dude. He’s got long hair and everything. Not a stereotype at all. He’s whoo-hoo-ing and giving everyone high fives, because that’s what Californians do before they go party. I’m not kidding. He announced a par-tay! Tan leaves to go take a shower as Annoying Buddy tells a girl he’s going to have a hard time sleeping without her there, if you know what I mean. And I swear the blonde girl practically rolled her eyes as she said good bye to the hero.
As Tan showers, I notice a sign for no dogs allowed on the beach. He’s thinking about the day he left to study abroad in America. His hyung was ‘very affectionate’ and dispassionately told him: “Studying? You don't have to do it that hard. English? If it is annoying, don't do it. Just live as you want, without worrying or even thinking. Usually, that's what heirs of rich families do. Rather than having dreams. And if possible, don't even come back.” Tan thinks: “At that moment, I realized that I wasn’t just going to America to study abroad, I was being exiled.” And his hyung was doing it to reclaim the things that Tan was set to receive.
This is our brief moment with Choi Jin Hyuk as older hyung Kim Won. I was a bit shocked that he was being so mean, but now I suspect that hyung doesn’t hate his brother but is protecting him. That’s why he’s telling him not to come back. Why else would Jin Hyuk take this role? He was so awesomely awesome in ‘Gu Family Book.’
Tan is now drinking coffee and eating with Surfer Buddy. The waitress is nice enough to ask if Tan wants more coffee (in Korean) while Surfer Buddy clunkily give us some exposition: “You don't blame them? Your brother who hates you. Your mother who gave birth to you, or your father who never takes your side?” Tan doesn’t answer but looks at the sunset and people playing sand volleyball and thinks that he’s too lazy to blame someone.
The nice guitar fades and we hear a clunk of something, almost like a ball bouncing. It is a ball, a baseball. Choi Young Do (Kim Woo Bin) is sitting in a chair, throwing the ball at a wall. Except, he’s not just innocently throwing the ball, he hurling at the head of a smallish boy with glasses who is sheepishly standing still while Young Do harasses him. Two of Young Do’s buddies are standing by, watching the ‘fun,’ laughing as he torments this kid. Young Do calls the kid, ‘friend,’ and asks him what ‘s he planning to do on their vacation. How Young Do is talking reminds me of Gu Jun Pyo, ironically.
Young Do says that he’s going to miss his ‘chingu.’ As he picks up the ball again, he venomously adds, “You won’t miss me?” He mutters that the kid is asking for it and hurls the baseball at his arm, hitting him around his elbow. Chingu cries out in pain. Young Do and his lackey start laughing and Young Do ‘apologizes.’ And this is when I decided I was really going to like this show. Kim Woo Bin, with his sweet, angelic face, is an absolute jerk. I always thought that Jun Pyo did what he did because he was bored and annoyed at all the fan-girling. But this guy? He’s enjoying tormenting this kid, like this is what he does for *fun.*
Young Do laughs and asks his ‘chingu’ if he’s hurt. The kid just clutches his arm and glares at him. And he has glasses, too. Picking on the kid with glasses… One of his friends tells Young Do to be more careful or people might think they’re bullying the kid. Of course, he’s laughing as he says it, because he’s that kind of lackey. The smile leaves Young Do’s face and he tells his friend to go stand where the kid is (if it looks that way). Whoa. He’s *that* type of sadistic bully, where even his friends are afraid of him. The friend blinks, no getting it, but he’s not smiling anymore.
Young Do repeats his command that his friend go stand next to the wall. The other lackey asks Young Do why he’s being like that and, Young Do asks Lackey 2 if he wants to go instead. Lackey 1 laughs and tries to diffuse Young Do’s wrath, saying he’ll go stand next to the wall. When he gets to the wall he *throws the baseball BACK to Young Do.* He tells Young Do to throw it. Young Do catches it and replies, “I didn’t say I’d be the one throwing it.” Who does he mean instead? He yells over to the Chingu and tells him it’s his turn and to come throw the ball. Young Do tosses the kid the ball.
Chingu just stands there holding the baseball. He says Young Do’s name and Young Do starts to laugh. Get hit if he throws the ball. Get hit if he doesn’t throw the ball… Will it be the stronger guy or the slightly less stronger guy? He laughs again and muses that this is Chingu’s problem, even in the future. Why? Because when all of them grow up, the guys bullying him are going to be his boss. The lackeys laugh at this. Young Do taunts Chingu as he tells him to decide who he wants to be beat up by. Chingu struggles internally and then throws it over Young Do’s shoulder, breaking a mirror in the background. Young Do starts to laugh – I think partially because of the brass the kid has – but then his lackeys grab the kid. Young Do tells him that even though he’s poor, he seems like the type to protect his pride. He should at least protect his body.
Young Do gets up, telling Chingu that a healthy body is the best. The sarcasm is dripping off of his fingers as he gestures. As he grabs his bag, he snarks that he’s scared now, so he should escape. Of course, his buddies are pushing Chingu around. Young Do tells his buddies to have a nice vacation and leaves the kid to be beaten up by his lackeys. They oblige.
Bike Shop. Now Young Do’s looking at a motorcycle. It’s custom ordered. The parts are rare quality, from overseas. Young Do comments about the shop owner making a profit at the price he’s charging. Shop owner smarms that Young Do is a loyal customer, so he did extra to take care of the man. A girl enters, our heroine, Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye), who is delivering chicken. Young Do’s wrapped up in the bike so he doesn’t notice her.
The guys at the shop hassle Eun Sang about the price and then start hitting on her. She keeps trying to get her money and ignoring their flirting. One of the guys calls himself her Oppa. Slimy! She rolls her eyes and dials her phone. She tells whoever is on the other end of the line that she’s in her second year of high school and is working a part-time job. Oppa is laughing in the background. The other guy asks who she’s calling. She answers, the police station. She starts to continue about some adjusshis when Oppa grabs the phone and quickly hanging it up, protesting that it was just a joke. He gives her the money and she polite as she leaves. She’s running as she hits the door. Somewhere she caught his attention, because Young Do watches her leave. Then he goes back to him new bike.
Cafe. Eun Sang is behind the counter. Various shots of her working, making drinks. The girl works hard. Because she’s poor, she has to. So hard, she’s sweating. Now she’s come out onto the floor to wipe down tables and notices a boy sitting doing homework. She asks him when he came. About 30 minutes ago, he replies. She’s appalled that he’s been there all that time and didn’t order anything. The boy is Yoon Chan Young (Kang Min Hyuk). He laughs as she worries about the manager being upset. He tell her that Bo Na’s not there yet and he’ll order when she comes.
When Eun Sang starts to complain about why Chan Young’s at *her* coffee shop, he holds out an umbrella and tells her that it’s supposed to rain while she’s walking home from her job. Aw, nice chingu. She begrudgingly takes it and sits. She wants to know what his girlfriend would say. He says something cheesy about Bo Na always being his movie star. As she tries not to gag, he laughs and tells her to hurry up and get a boyfriend. Eun Sang replies that she doesn’t have time (or money) for a boyfriend. That’s why you need to get a nice, rich chaebol boyfriend. But, of course, you won’t take his money because you’re not that type of girl, but he’d help a little.
Chan Young asks Eun Sang how many job she’s holding now and she replies that the only heaven she’s allowed is Job Heaven. He sighs as someone yells for Yoon Chan Young to lower his eyes. I guess it’s Bo Na. She’s *that* type of girlfriend, I guess. He looks to his left and she’s standing there glaring at him for talking to Eun Sang. Eun Sang sighs because she doesn’t have time for this drama while Bo Na glares at her. He acts like nothing’s wrong, smiling and pulling out the chair next to him for her to sit in.
Bo Na sits and snipes at Eun Sang that she’s supposed to be stopping trying to seduce her (Bo Na’s) boyfriend. Eun Sang asks Bo Na if she’s that pretty (to be able to do that). Bo Na bites the bait, replying that she never said Eun Sang was pretty! Still tired, like they’ve had this conversation a thousand times, Eun Sang tells Bo Na that she’s extremely pretty (why Eun Sang wouldn’t be able to steal Chan Young). Eun Sang tells her to stop wasting a part-timer’s time. Eun Sang stands and tells her to order or leave. Bo Na starts grumbling about the service while Chan Young tries not to laugh in the background.
Bo Na jumps up and tells Chan Young that they should go, since he’s leaving tomorrow. By the look on Chan Young’s face, Bo Na wasn’t supposed to say anything. Eun Sang asks if he’s going somewhere and he’s about to tell her when Bo Na clamps her hand over his mouth and commands that he not tell her so that she (Bo Na) will be the only one who knows. She starts to drag him off but then begins to scold him for not wearing something red leather. It’s a summer jingle-bell concept. Whatever *that* means. He motions one of his feet, indicating his shoes. Bo Na complains that those are *dark* red and declares him hopeless.
Bo Na drags him out of the shop – and I notice how *short* her skirt is – and Chan Young apologizes to Eun Sang for wasting her time. Then he tells Eun Sang to text him. And I can tell that he really enjoys tormenting his girl friend. As they go, with Chan Young scruffling Bo Na’s hair, Eun Sang thinks about how they’re such wasteful, extravagant kids. She sadly looks at her umbrella.
On the street, Bo Na is declaring that she *really* hates Eun Sang. Like, totally, a lot. Chan Young tells her not to be like that. She sputters that she hates Eun Sang even more when he says things like that. Bo Na hates her because she’s poor and dirty but still looks down her nose and refuses to be intimidated. Eun Sang knows all about Chan Young’s childhood (which Bo Na doesn’t) which makes her hate Eun Sang even more. Chan Young laughs.
Sadly, I can’t attribute Bo Na’s jealous attitude to being a teenager, because I’ve met plenty of adult women who act just the same.
Chan Young teases Bo Na, telling her that getting irritated will give her wrinkles. She replies that she can’t help it and starts to pout. He gives her another nuggie and tells Bo Na that he and Eun Sang are *just friends* and have been since they were kids. She protests, like Billy Crystal, that boys and girls can’t just be friends. She stomps away as he laughs at her.
Evening now. Eun Sang is walking down the street, talking on her phone. She’s complaining about Bo Na, comparing her to girls who appear on reality television and calling her delusional for being so suspicious.
A really dirty house. Eun Sang’s voice is coming out of a machine. A couple is arguing in the background in English as Eun Sang leaves her message. Eun Sang hates how Bo Na wears a different outfit every day and gets dropped off at school by a chauffer. The couple is a Korean woman and a white guy. He yells at her that this is *his* house and why doesn’t she care what he does in his house. I’m thinking she’s yelling about the absolute pigsty that is *his* house. She replies that this is why he is trash. And he hauls off and smacks her hard. He yells at the bitch to get out of his house. The poor woman is sitting on the floor clutching her cheek. Eun Sang’s voice asks her unni if she even checks the machine. She asks how unni’s school is and tells her that she’s lucky to be going to college in the States. Unni puts her face in her hands as Eun Sang tells her to call and that she misses unni.
Back in Korea. Eun Sang hangs up the phone and it starts to rain. Eun Sang pulls out Chan Young’s umbrella, but the thing won’t open. It suddenly really pours, so Eun Sang takes refuge under an awning. She notices the shop and the dream catcher in the window. They actually call them dream catchers. There's a glint from one of the dream catchers and her umbrella magically opens. Eun Sang smiles and looks thoughtfully at the window display.
Apartment. Chan Young peeks out the blinds at the rain and smiles to himself, probably about Eun Sang and Bo Na earlier. It looks like he’s now wearing an apron and a sweater. Ah, he’s helping to cook. Only in k-dramas do boys wear aprons to cook. A man, that turns out to be Chan Young’s father, asks why Chan Young’s not eating with Bo Na. Chan Young replies that he wanted to eat with his dad. He didn’t want dad to feel lonely, especially with it raining. Aw, he’s a good son. And they’re wearing *matching* aprons. With a little bear in a pink sweater on it. Can it be any cuter?
Appa complains that his very exciting Friday night became extremely boring since Chan Young decided to stay home. Heh. Chan Young pauses for a moment and then asks his dad if he got a girlfriend. Dad grouses that staying home with his son is keeping it from happening. Not that the kid’s a teenager and can stay home by himself, or anything.
Chan Young tells Appa that he needs to be cutting the carrots smaller. Dad asks why and Chan Young explains that potatoes have more moisture which means they cook more quickly, so the carrots need to be smaller. And I get the feeling that Chan Young wants to be a chef or a restranteur, by how he’s setting the dinner table. Dad reasons that he can cook the carrots separately and Chan Young says it will take longer but shouldn’t impact the taste very much. “Cooking them separately will be economically unbeneficial.” Dad tells him to say all that in English. Chan Young pauses for a moment and then cries uncle. The punishment? Washing the dishes and running the washing machine.
Appa tells Chan Young that he wasted a lot of money on him today. Chan Young asks about plane tickets. Appa asks if he told Bo Na about the trip to the US. Chan Young comments that she’s fussing that she’ll come along. As Appa teases, Chan Young asks if he wants to pay for her ticket. Appa comments that she’s not a very reliable investment. Appa asks if he told Eun Sang and he replies that she’s so busy with her jobs, it would be awkward to say he’s leaving to study English.
Chan Young asks about Eun Sang’s mother. Appa says that Eun Sang’s omma is at the heart of the Jeguk Group and that Madame Han (Tan’s mother) lives under her control. The music suggests he’s being facetious. Chan Young is impressed and asks, “Really?”
Huge estate. The kitchen where someone is making juice. Ah, I love her! She played the aunt in ‘Master’s Sun’ and Court Lady Choi in ‘Faith.’ This must be Eun Sang’s omma. Another maid hurries in and tells her that Madame Han wants her food and she’s hysterical, so Hee Nam should be careful. And I think Hee Nam is deaf, since the woman is signing at her and makes sure Hee Nam is facing her when she talks. Madame Han is upset that Tan isn’t answering her calls. Hee Nam smiles to herself and goes to tend to her mistress.
Madame Han is on the phone, trying to get in touch with Tan. And she’s really young looking. She slams down her phone in frustration as the phone calling America reports that the person she’s trying to reach is unavailable, instead of just going to voice mail like any other phone in America. She samples the soup and asks what’s wrong with it. Then she’s really rude, complaining that Hee Nam can’t speak and can’t even taste food; what does she use her mouth for? But Hee Nam’s not looking. She’s writing on her pad. She says that she’ll prepare it again. Madame Han declares it would take too much time and motions for her to take the soup away. She takes another slug of her wine.
The other maid enters the dining room and declares that the President is there. This startles Madame Han and she almost spits out her wine, because he's early! She worries what to do with her wine glass. She starts to drink it down when the maid reports that he went up straight to his room. Madame Han spits the wine out. She asks why the maid always saves the important information for the end, as if on purpose, so she’ll get caught. Madame Han goes to drink some more, muttering that she should be able to enjoy wine with her meal, but Hee Nam grabs the wine and dumps it into the soup. As Madame Han protests, Hee Nam quickly wipes off Madame Han’s lips and hides the glass under her apron.
Just in time, because the President – Kim Won – enters the dining room. Why he has a problem with her drinking, I don’t know. But way to go, Hee Nam! She knows this family. Madame Han acts happy to see him and asks if he’s eating. He responds he’s had a late lunch and then completely ignores her. He asks who cleaned his room. The speaking maid did and he orders her to do it again. She also needs to bring him a glass of water to his study. Then he leaves, with no deference to Madame Han. Mother? Probably step-mother, given her age and the way he’s treating her. Speaking maid scurries off, leaving Hee Nam and Madame Han alone.
Madame Han definitely is angry at her treatment. She bitterly tells Hee Nam to bring her another bottle of what she’s been drinking to her bedroom. Hee Nam tells her (via the pad) that she should eat more of her dinner. I like how they have Hee Nam’s voice speak what she’s written. It’s like she’s talking. Madame Han replies that if she ate after how she’s just been treated, it would prove that she’s just a mistress. Ah, so she's the mistress. Hee Nam needs to throw all the food away. Madame Han goes to her room as Hee Nam thinks: whether you eat or not, a mistress is still a mistress. And a mistress who eats is better than one who gulps down wine. I wonder if that’s why Won doesn’t like her, she *was* the mistress when his mother was still alive.
Back at home, Eun Sang is looking at the spread that Hee Nam’s brought home. She’s not exactly happy to be eating leftovers. Hee Nam signs at her about her attitude and tells her to shut up and eat. Eun Sang asks if she’s the family’s garbage disposal. Hee Nam isn’t so proud. All that matters is eating well. How else would they be able to afford this type of food? This strikes a nerve. With a look that says she’s fighting screaming AND crying, Eun Sang asks her, “Is it my fault that we can’t afford this?” Then she tells her mother to eat it herself.
Eun Sang leaves the table and goes into her room, closing the door behind her. She sits down at her desk and opens a book. As she finds her place in the book, she mutters, “Bitch.” Whoa! What words about her mother! But then I realize she wasn’t talking about mom but the person in the picture sitting on the bookcase beside her. Eun Sang mutters about *her* (whoever she is) living in luxury, alone. Ah, an older sister.
Hee Nam enters and Eun Sang turns so she’s facing away from the door so she can’t ‘hear’ her mother speak. Mom sits and puts a bank book on Eun Sang’s desk. After Eun Sang continues to ignore her, Hee Nam slaps her hard on the back. Eun Sang yelps and turns to glare at her mother. Hee Nam tells Eun Sang that she won’t bring the food home anymore. Eun Sang doesn’t really look appeased. Mom wants to know when Eun Sang’s working the next day, because she needs to go to the bank. Eun Sang rolls her eyes and pleads with her mother to use internet banking. Mom responds that it’s more secure to go in person. How can money go to the States just from using the computer from home?
Eun Sang realizes that Hee Nam wants to send the money to her unni, Eun Suk. She looks in the bank book and it’s 8,338,443 won. Are you kidding me? Dang! Eun Sang has my reaction and asks why Omma is sending the money. Is she in trouble? Omma says to tell Eun Suk to buy a wardrobe or something; unni’s getting married. Eun Sang is astonished.
Someone else is getting remarried and her daughter is protesting, since it hasn’t been that long since her mother and father divorced. Since we’re at RS International, it’s Rachel Yoo (Kim Ji Won) and her mother, Esther Lee (Yoon Son Ha). Esther thinks it’s definitely been long enough and when Rachel asks whether her father knows, mom snarks about having to ask permission to remarry. Mom is fine with the dad finding out by seeing it in the news. Esther tells her secretary, using the intercom, to locate the dress they’ve now had to reorder three times, in a size small.
Rachel is clearly not happy but Mom doesn’t care. Mom tells her to go change her clothes. What she’s currently wearing is not making her ashen looking. They’re going to be eating with – not Dad like Rachel hoped – but the new stepfather. Looking at Rachel’s shoes, Esther tells her to change into flats because the new pops is not too tall. Rachel wants to know who the guy is, that her mother is planning on marrying.
We just back to Eun Sang and Hee Nam walking to the bank. Eun Sang is pestering her mother for details about Eun Suk’s fiancé. Is he rich? Old? American? Mom is not saying anything. Eun Sang makes Hee Nam stop walking, so she’ll answer her questions. Is unni sending them plane tickets for the wedding? Mom starts to sign, but Eun Sang stops her and tells her to text her answers. I guess she’s embarrassed to have a mute mother. Omma types that unni is responsible enough to be at an American college by herself, so she’ll have made a proper decision. I’m thinking unni hasn’t quite been honest with mom, since unni was arguing with said boyfriend, said boyfriend called it *his* house and said boyfriend slapped unni during an argument. Not a proper or good decision.
Hee Nam types that if they went, they would be an embarrassment (a stain) for Eun Suk. Eun Sang does not like that answer one bit. And I wouldn’t either. She wants to know why Omma is thinking and talking like that. Unni’s told Omma that the bohunk (her fiancé) is kind and hardworking. He looked like neither; he was a total slob and he hit her. Omma asks what more they could expect. Eun Sang’s eyes are glassy now and she protests as to why they *shouldn’t* expect more. She starts to say something about when unni left the house, but she stops. Something’s not being said that both of them is ignoring; the elephant in the room, so to speak.
Eun Sang declares that she’s not going to send the money; she’s going to California instead to go to the wedding. She preys on Hee Nam’s paranoia: will the money get to America just because they send it though the bank? Eun Sang declares that she’s going to take the money in person. So she can meet Tan, of course, but she doesn’t know that yet. Mom wants to argue, but whatever’s being left unsaid, it stops Mom from arguing at all. Before Mom can say anything else, Eun Sang declares that she has to leave because of her job and then she runs away. Omma is upset, but she can’t stop Eun Sang.
Restaurant. Esther is enjoying her, it looks like, pork. Rachel doesn’t look excited to be there at all. Seated across from them are future stepdad, Choi Dong Wook (Choi Jin Ho) and his son, Young Do. Young Do. That’s definitely someone I *wouldn’t* want to have as a stepbrother. Young Do doesn’t look happy to be there either. Esther compliments Dong Wook’s hard work in bringing in the restaurant’s new chef. Dong Wook’s pleased, too, since profits have increased with the new chef. He describes the old chef taking an offer at another restaurant a betrayal. Which is interesting. Very interesting. I think that’s telling about Dong Wook’s mentality and I can actually understand a little why his son is twisted. That type of thinking is twisted.
Esther says that everything happens for a reason. Dong Wook nods and says that you can say that in hindsight, when you see the results. He smarms that everything’s that’s happened has been to bring their two families together. Gack. Young Do laughs at that comment. Esther agrees with the sentiment, saying that their sufferings have made them all stronger, for the present. It’s Rachel’s turn to laugh. Dong Wook says that the bond between siblings is as important as husband and wife. The way he phrases it is really creepy and almost incestuous feeling. I get what they’re saying but equating the one with the other is just wrong. So wrong. Esther is more that eager to echo Dong Wook.
Esther says that she heard that Young Do’s birthday is earlier than Rachel’s. So I guess that means he’s supposed to be her Oppa. Gag me. Dong Wook tells Rachel to say hello, since she’ll be his dongsaeng (little sister). Young Do is practically squirming, having to sit through this. His face reminds me of something he might make to defiantly take the belt as Dong Wook beats him, ‘you’re not going to break me, old man!’ Young Do purses his lips to prepare for something that’s turning his stomach. He says, “Hello, sister.” (Sister is in English). Rachel squints and laughs at him, hating him already for the jerk that he is. Boy, this family’s going to get along great. The new Brady Bunch.
Esther tells Young Do that she hopes that he takes care of Rachel like an older brother would. Not taking his eyes off of Rachel, where he’s looking at her like a wolf, he answers that of course, he’d take care of her, she’s just *his type.* Esther stops to stare at him, horrified. Dong Wook stops, mid-sip, and puts his wine glass down. Way to stop the conversation. Rachel can believe that just came out of Young Do’s mouth. I’m predicting that by the end of the series, Esther and Dong Wook have broken up but Rachel and Young Do are dating, after he’s less of a jerk, of course.
Young Do stands up to leave. Dong Wook tells him to sit. Young Do’s clearly irritated at the order. He sighs that he has an appointment. Dong Wook pats his lips with his napkin. I get the feeling more and more that this man is really violent behind closed doors. He stands up and, oh, I was right, he slaps Young Do across the face. In front of people that Young Do barely knows. That says a lot about what happens when no one else can see. And why Young Do’s so cruel to people weaker than he is. Rachel is visibly shocked and Esther is surprised by the slap.
Young Do’s face says that he’s not going to submit as Dong Wook orders him to sit. Young Do says that now he really can’t, since it’s too embarrassing in front of his little sister. Rachel and Esther are uncomfortable. Young Do defiantly tells his father to enjoy his meal, and looking at the women, adds “as a family.” Dong Wook is clearly pissed.
After Young Do leaves the room, Dong Wook apologizes for the boy’s behavior. Rachel tells him not to, since she plans on getting the apology from Young Do, himself. She gets up and leaves as well. Dong Wook really loosens his tie and sits, blowing out a breath. He tells Esther that Rachel’s just like her mother. Esther answers that Young Do’s personality is just like the ex-wife’s. Dong Wook starts to tell her not to mention the ex, but Esther asks if she was very pretty. He laughs and he tells her that this is why he likes her. She says that she knows. He smiles at her affectionately. But I still think he’s someone I would *not* want to be involved with. I don’t trust him.
Outside, Young Do is walking towards that new bike of his. Rachel walks up behind him, calling him “brother” (in English). He’s annoyed that she’s there. He turns around to glare at her. She tells him that from what she can tell, he’s the kind of person who begs for punishments. Young Do snaps back, asking her why she didn’t stay and eat after the entertainment. If she’s there to make him stay… She cuts him off, telling him she’s there to lose him. Otherwise, she’d have to go back in there and eat with the folks. (She calls it a dumpster-like family meal.) Young Do nods and tells her to have fun losing him. He goes to get on the motorcycle.
Rachel asks Young Do if he knows that she’s engaged to Kim Tan. This is kind of random. Why bring that up? Just to clarify that *nothing* will ever happen between them? That’s what you think. And already, Woo Bin is making the jerky Young Do sympathetic. Young Do rolls his eyes. Rachel asks him what that would make them, when the parents get married. Would they be brothers-in-law? So Young Do has a past with Tan? Interesting. Young Do wants to know why she’s mentioning it. She says that he’s not the only one against the parents getting married. And he must be finding the thought of the marriage (and being related to Tan) even more disgusting that she is. So it must be *really* bad blood. Young Do’s face says as much. Rachel was just reminding him (of their engagement and being related to Tan), just in case he forgot.
Rachel’s finished and starts to go, but Young Do says, just to dig at her, that he never said he was against the marriage. He’s actually smiling now, because he knows just how much she hates the idea and how much she’ll hate him not hating it. She’s unclear why he’s not upset. He laughs and asks her how she doesn’t understand what marriage means in their world (with her engagement and all). She doesn’t get what he means. He’s really enjoying rubbing her nose in the truth. Although there’s a tinge of bitterness in his words, like someone who no one has loved for a really long time and someone who never expects to actually *be* loved. Sad. In their world, mergers and acquisitions are dressed up as marriages (implying that that’s all her engagement is to Tan).
Young Do further rubs the salt in Rachel’s face by asking who will end up owning RS International, after the marriage, implying that Rachel won’t be inheriting it. And that *he* probably would be. Rachel hadn’t considered she’d be losing her inheritance (which alarms her). He tells her that she can try her best to break up the marriage and not end up Rachel Choi. He starts his motorcycle as she glares at him, looking like she wants to punch him. She keeps the expression even after he rides away.
Kitchen. Chopping food. Coooking. Eun Sang’s at another part-time job, washing dishes for the restaurant. Is it Dong Wook’s restaurant, so that her path can cross with Young Do again? No matter how fast Eun Sang cleans, the sink never seems to get empty. When someone almost dumps an entire tray of dishes with food still on them into the sink, Eun Sang has a moment where she really hates her life. She has to fight hard not to break down in tears.
After the dinner rush, Eun Sang’s boss is handing her a paycheck, telling her that she worked hard. He wants to know why she isn’t going on vacation, since it’s the holidays. She replies that she’s planning on going. He wants her to let him know what days before she leaves and asks where Eun Sang plans on going. When he hears America, he’s enthusiastic for her. He asks how long her sister’s planning on being in the States. Eun Sang replies that she doesn’t think Eun Suk is planning on coming back. And it makes her feel like she’ll be washing dishes and living with her mother for the rest of her life, forever, pre-ordained, and she’s feeling so mad about it. Not to mention helpless. Her boss tells her she’s being too serious. Eun Sang repeats that she’s going to the States (to escape this fate) and adds that she’s been thinking about it since she was 8. Which is probably when unni left. That’s a long time. Unni, you're being very bad.
Eun Sang’s at the bank, looking at the bank book. The teller asks if she wants to withdraw money and then asks for the bank book and the ID.
Home. Eun Sang has her mother’s ID and she’s prepared some of the notepads her mother uses. She exits her room to find Hee Nam putting away groceries. Eun Sang tells Hee Nam that she withdrew the money. Hee Nam stops. Eun Sang assures Omma that she’ll give the money to unni and then safety return. She thinks that it would be good if at least one family member were at the wedding. Mom’s not happy, but whatever’s unspoken, it’s enough that Mom accepts this turn of events.
Eun Sang puts Hee Nam’s ID on the table. Eun Sang says that she already applied for her passport. It will be done in 3 days. That’s a fast turn-around, even for express processing. In the US, it takes on average 2 weeks. South Korea’s magically fast. Omma sadly nods and keeps putting things away in the refrigerator. Eun Sang goes and puts the new notebooks in the cabinet. She pulls out some of Hee Nam’s used books, that for some reason are being saved. And I notice that Park Shin Hye has stubby thumbs. She starts to get really sad as she reads the things that her mother has written, like ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘don’t be so mad.’ Although, I’m wondering if some of what she’s written is to comfort Madame Han rather than how you might be reading it, as an appeasement.
As Hee Nam works on the chickpeas, Eun Sang reads the notebooks and wipes away tears for her mother and their life. Three pages worth of just the phrase, “Dry cleaning only.” Which says to me that Madame Han really yelled at Hee Nam about that one. Eun Sang silently cries, knowing that her mother won’t see it if she doesn’t make any noise. Eun Sang asks Hee Nam if she’s making bean powder. Mom nods. Eun Sang starts to cry some more. She pulls out one of the new notebooks and writes: “I’m sorry, Mom.”
As Eun Sang packs her suitcase, she places one of Hee Nam’s notebooks in it. I guess she’s not just planning on going to visit Eun Suk, she’s planning on moving to America, which must be what Hee Nam’s so sad about, because she knows that’s what Eun Sang’s planning, even though it’s not being said. Eun Sang thinks, “I promise I’ll become successful and I’ll come and get you. Just wait a little more.” Is this maybe what Eun Suk said before she left for the good life in America? That she’d work hard and help them move there? Eun Sang silently weeps as Omma works on the bean powder.
Someone else is packing. Someone rich, judging from the shoes. It’s Rachel and those are some heels! Esther asks her if she’s immigrating. Then, since Rachel’s having a hard time choosing between two pairs of shoes, Mom tells her the ones on the left. Rachel sighs, annoyed. She tosses both pairs in the suitcase and declares that if something unexpected happens, she just might stay permanently. She takes her engagement picture with Tan and puts it in a suitcase (she’s got at least 3 she’s planning on taking). Neither of them looks at all happy to be engaged. At all. Merger indeed. Mom asks why Rachel’s the one who’s going instead of Tan coming to Korea. Rachel replies that there really isn’t any reason why he can’t.
Rachel asks her mother for one of her wedding invitations. She says that Tan wouldn’t want to miss the entertainment that will be his mother-in-law’s wedding. I wonder how long they’ve known each other. And who set up their engagement? Esther tells her daughter that she has no intentions of trying to convince the girl of being happy about the marriage. Rachel makes a face and turns around. She tells Esther that she (Esther) doesn’t have any confidence; it’s the only logical reason for this marriage.
Esther looks down and casually tells Rachel that she could always become emancipated. Which would mean no RS International stock for her period. And Young Do would be right! Plus, she’d have to fend for herself and earn everything. Rachel asks if she’s being threatened with disinheritance. Esther just smiles and tells her it’s the most effective method of getting her compliance. It works, every single time. One of these days, it isn’t going to work. Rachel makes an angry face but she can’t argue, because her mother is right.
Rachel asks what on earth does Esther like about Dong Wook. They both know the rumors about him. What rumors? Hmmm? Mob money? And Dong Wook will hit when he’s angry. Which is a red flag right there! Esther sighs. Rachel disdainfully asks if her mother fell in love. It’s interesting that they’re talking like this, more like friends than mother-daughter. “Yoo Ra Ae!” Mom uses her full name when she’s angry. So mothers do that worldwide.
In response to her name, Rachel asks Esther about feeling sorry for her father (Esther’s ex). I wonder what the ex did and why Rachel is intent on blaming Esther for it. I bet, by the end, it’s going to all come out… Maybe Tan’s his illegitimate son!!! Dun-dun-dun!!! Then they couldn't get married, regardless of him being in love with someone else, because they're siblings. Esther sighs and says that Rachel has a fiancé that she can run to, so her life must be pretty good. With the unspoken ‘and it’s all because of me’ in there. She passes her greetings to her future son-in-law and walks out of the room. Rachel sighs in frustration and mutters that her mother is so annoying. She picks up her phone and makes a call.
And we’re back at Tan’s place in California. It was night in Seoul but it’s daytime in Cali. It’s a nice modest rich person’s spread, complete with swimming pool and hot tub. As we pan through the house, Tan’s voice narrates that “While in California, a place I was practically banished to, the first thing I thought, was that I'll be able to eat a lot of almonds.” What a weird thing to think. Why almonds? And the house has some *nice* artwork on the walls. “That was my thought.”
The camera reaches his bedroom and he’s sitting on his bed, journaling. A surfboard hangs over his bed and four more are standing in a rack by the window. And Tan is wearing a huge peach watch. Peach. “And, for a short while, like a scholar in exile, I thought I should be as rebellious as they would expect from an illegitimate child. So, just as what hyung said, I just ate and played.”
Two photos sit on Tan’s bedside table: one of him and hyung; he looks happy, giving the camera the Korean V and hyung’s face is inscrutable. The other is Tan with a very pretty woman, probably his mother; they’re both smiling, but Tan looks less happy. There’s also a toy VW beach bum van, complete with surfboard rack.
“As a result, I've come to make a policeman be on the lookout for my face.” So Tan’s a known troublemaker with a cop watching him. Good to know. “At school, I've always been the center of attention. Also, I've learned how to make my Mom in Seoul cry.” That’s really quite introspective of him.
Ah. The stupid surfer dude is back. Surfer dude enters with the phone, announcing that someone’s calling Tan. He tosses Tan the phone. When Tan sees who’s calling – Rachel – he makes a face and tosses the phone onto his bad. Surfer dude – who is really a *bad* actor, could his eyes pop open any wider? But at least he looks the part of the surfer dude! – asks Tan why he’s not answering it, since it’s been ringing for a while. Major eye poppage as Surfer Dude accentuates the ‘for a while’ complete with hand waving. And now I’m going to be tortured with Lee Min Ho’s thick accent, which it seems like he shouldn’t really have since he’s been in the States for at least five years and he was young enough to be able to pick up speaking correctly.
Tan hops off the bed and says he already knows who’s calling: Rachel. Okay, so I’m not so tortured, because Tan’s being quite snarky. And he's funny. Heh. He snarks that either she’s about to get on the plane, or is on the plane, or is already here. Clingy much? Tan adds that it’s coming up on their engagement anniversary. Surfer Dude CAN’T BELIEVE IT! HE’S ACTING LIKE NONE OF THAT IS A GOOD THING! Had to use the caps since he’s so way-over-the-top in his delivery. Tan jokes, saying that he *always* looks this good.
Tan tells Surfer Dude to pack up his gear – I guess to go surfing. Surfer Dude can’t believe it. Tan SAID IT WAS HIS ANNIVERSARY! And then S.D. (my new abbreviation for Surfer Dude) chimes in as Tan says that he’s too lazy to celebrate.
Yup, they’ve packed up their stuff and are off to the beach. Wow, so I guess S.D. is *really* a beach bum, since he’s sponging off the rich guy. As they drive, S.D. declares that everything Tan’s ever wanted is here in California. And wow, there is no traffic except a lone car coming in the opposite direction. I have to tell my friends in California where this place is so they can move there and not have to spend at least 2 hours minimum in rush hour. S.D. sure is enjoying this ride because he’s ‘whoo!’-ing and laughing all over the place.
LAX. So it was a magic highway in LA, that only Korean chaebols know about. That explains why it was so deserted. Big LAX sign to declare that they’re actually in Los Angeles, California. Eun Sang is disembarking. At least the airport is crowded (like normal). She’s scanning the crowd, where there are people waiting, some holding up signs. Probably looking for her sister. She decides to wear her backpack in the front. Which makes me laugh because it looks really ridiculous. She sighs and tells herself not to chicken out. The piece of paper she’s holding is her English crib sheet and as she walks on, she practices her Engrish.
Eun Sang exits the airport. Rachel is standing by the curb, while her stuff is being loaded into the trunk of a car. Her phone rings. Why she couldn’t get into the car like a normal person while her things are being loaded… But then Eun Sang wouldn’t be able to hear her speaking Korean on the phone. We get a shot of her crib sheet. She’s got locations marked on a map as well as a bunch of phrases:
May I take your order?A decent list.
Are you ready to order? I guess she’s planning on getting a waitressing job.
I want
For here or to go?
Anything else?
Which do you prefer, meat or fish?
Would you like beef or chicken?
That’s all for now.
I have a headache.
Do you have medicine?
Can I have some water for my medicine?
I come from South Korea.
My name is Eun Sang Cha.
I am 18 years old. I’m guessing the number because it looks like the number 10.
I’d like to learn English.
Sorry but I don’t do well in English so I don’t understand.
What you say = pardon?
Rachel sounds really excited as she answers and reports that she just arrived. With her 8 pieces of luggage. I guess she’s talking to Esther, because she’s irritably saying that of course, Tan came. Eun Sang has noticed her and is checking out her outfit and cute shoes. Rachel says that Tan’s moving the bags to the car. My, Tan, you’ve aged and must be very sickly, what with your pale complexion. Rachel says that he’s become more understanding since she last saw him. I guess Esther knows about how he’s ‘too lazy to care!’ Rachel reports that Tan’s grown taller and his face is a bit tanned. Eun Sang definitely thinks Rachel’s full of it. And then Rachel notices Eun Sang listening. Eun Sang tries to act like she was totally minding her own business.
As Rachel watches Eun Sang, she tells Esther that Tan says that she’s become prettier. Eun Sang laughs at that one so Rachel knows that the girl understand Korean. Rachel’s not amused at the eavesdropping. Rachel signs off and hangs up. She yells over to Eun Sang to get her attention. When Eun Sang turns around, Rachel stalks over to her and sourly tells her, “I saw you were laughing. What were you laughing about?” Eun Sang thinks a moment and makes a face, but then she pulls out her Bo Na card. She answers Rachel in Japanese, saying that she doesn’t understand and that she’s from Japan. Rachel replies, in Japanese, that if Eun Sang wants to pretend she’s Japanese, she wouldn’t have turned around when she heard ‘you over there.’ Isn’t that true?
Eun Sang knows she’s busted but keeps up the ruse. She says ‘excuse me’ in Japanese and starts to walk away. Rachel yells, “Hey!” so Eun Sang turns around. Rachel demands to know why Eun Sang’s snickering. Eun Sang replies that she wasn’t snickering, just what Rachel was saying was different than what she observed. Snapping at her, Rachel asks if she looks like she wants to be debating with her. Eun Sang repeats that she wasn’t laughing at her. It was something like empathy; “So it’s not just me who’s not greeted.” She apologizes for pretending to be Japanese, bows and walks away. Her words affect Rachel, who looks after her pensively. When the driver asks if there’s a problem, Rachel tells him to just open the door.
At the Beach. More Lee Min Ho surfing. Am I watching the beginning again? Because it looks like the same footage. And an English song is playing on the soundtrack. At least this song’s lyrics make sense. ‘Everything I want, I want from you. But I just can’t have you.’ And it’s well pronounced, too. The blonde babe from the other day is watching Tan surf. It’s obvious that she likes him. S.D. is hitting on some girls, declaring party at Tammy’s!!!
Eun Sang’s decided to head to the beach, which makes sense since that’s where her sister lives. She’s within earshot of S.D’s whooping (unfortunately) and looks out at all the people on the beach. S.D.’s down there ‘dancing’ with four girls. Who aren’t hanging out with them because they’re rich at all. It’s because they like the boys’ personalities. Eun Sang mutters to herself about really being abroad. She pulls out her shirt and looks down and mutters about a difference in diet. And I had to think there because I was like, what? Your clothes? What does food have to do with it? But then I realized. Chest size. I sigh.
As we look up at Eun Sang watching the people on the beach, to the left is the state flag of California blowing in the wind. And for some reason, it’s flying lower on the pole than a deep navy flag with a bald eagle on it. I have no possible clue what this flag is representing. She watches as Tan walks over to his friends. The blonde walks up and fawns over Tan, who declares that his surfing was “Amazing!” Such great wave he caught! And as he says thanks, it looks like Tan’s noticed Eun Sang watching them.
Eun Sang sighs about how there are so many people with good fates. Tan would disagree, probably. Eun Sang decides to go and hunt down her sister. Tan plants his surfboard and watches her go. Because seeing Asian people is so rare in California.
Eun Sang’s wandering. S.D. is enthusiastic about this party that’s happening at the blonde’s – her name’s Jessie and she looks excited, with how she’s waving her arms enthusiastically. She’ll bag that rich Korean, yet. S.D. heard that Tammy’s coming, too! This guy has got to be on something. No one is *that* happy. Which would actually play into the whole beach bum stereotype. Tan shrugs, almost as if he’s struggling with what a bad actor this guy is, too. Where did they find this guy? I bet he only got the part because he’s blonde with blue eyes. Man.
Tan asks S.D. when he’s going to stop partying like crazy. S.D. jokes that it won’t be until the two of them fall in love. Tan plays along and I actually start to find it funny. Tan tells S.D. that his family would never say yes (it's so strict). Then he tells S.D. that he’s going to be in trouble if he (S.D.) lets Tammy’s boyfriend come over like last time. What happened last time? S.D. protests that he won’t. But Tan's not up for a party; he’s got to go do some thinking. Really? You’re not Aristotle.
Eun Sang arrives at her sister’s address. The neighborhood is no better than where Eun Sang lives with her mother. Maybe worse, because there’s random trash and a homeless man’s abandoned shopping cart propped by the curb. Eun Sang rings the doorbell. Someone yells, asking who it is. Eun Sang answers in Korean. The person comes to the door and it’s not unni, but a blonde chick. Who’s zipping up her skirt. Sleazy. Again, in Korean, she asks about Cha Eun Suk, adding that she doesn’t really speak English. Blonde chick seems like she’s drunk – maybe she fried her brain cells, with tan she’s sporting, complimented by her fuchsia lipstick – and yells for Chris. Awesome slob and girlfriend beater Chris appears in the doorway, sans shirt. Eun Sang averts her eyes, because he’s practically naked! As she hunts through her Korean-English dictionary, Chris recognizes her and says, “Eun Sang?”
Inside, it’s an even worse pit than last time. Liquor bottles and trash are everywhere. Eun Sang can’t believe her sister is living like this. Where’d all the money they sent to her go? Is she lying about college, too? And why would she want to date this slob? Chris is telling the blonde to calm down. As the blonde is jealous, Eun Sang sees that picture of her and Eun Suk and she knows she’s in the right place. We hear Chris tells the blonde that it’s Stella’s kid sister. The blonde stomps off, with his pantomiming hitting her. Because he’s a classy, classy guy.
He’s pulled out a can of beer and opens it. In English, Eun Sang asks if he’s Stella’s husband. Even though I don’t know why she’s calling her sister by her American name. It just seems weird. He’s like, heck no, we just live together. Oops. Eun Sang asks when they’re getting married and when he says they aren’t, she’s understandably upset. She asks where Stella’s university is. Finding this out, she screams that she’s asking where that bitch is!!!
Tan is pensively writing in his journal at Eun Suk’s restaurant. For some reason, besides a huge watch, he’s wearing a pink braided bracelet with a dangle charm on it. His sandwich looks really good. Shot of the outside of the restaurant, which is probably called Sandy’s. Eun Suk approaches with more coffee. She asks what he’s always writing. He says it’s a school assignment. We know that’s a lie. She replies that he looks like someone who doesn’t do homework. But that’s why he is doing it, to rebel against that image. Such a rebel chaebol boy. Eun Suk starts to ask more questions and he cuts her off by thanking her for the coffee. And even though this is a k-drama from Korea, I wasn’t expecting all the waitresses to be wearing such short skirts in the States. Korea, maybe, but not the US. And it’s really weird that he’s drinking his coffee like it’s iced tea.
More pensive thinking. V.O. as Tan says that as he’s writing his essay, he’s thinking that he’s thinking about something. Because that’s deep and he’s a deep guy. Exactly what hyung told him not to do: the thinking. And I notice he’s writing in English! Even more interesting and weird, because he’s thinking in Korean.
Korea. Jeguk Group board meeting. Won looks dead-faced as they discuss the first two earning quarters of 2013. The Premium Shopping Mall’s revenue is not that good. Chan Young’s father is there, taking notes. The speaker says that they need to do continuous publicity to boost revenue. Won asks whether that means that they’ve only been doing sporadic publicity (as opposed to continuous)? So, is he saying to use more money? You can tell that Won is a real jerk at work, hard, cold, demanding.
The speaker doesn’t answer, although he pauses for a minute. Then he continues. And I find it interesting that although there’s a projector and a big screen showing the presentation, there’s a monitor in front of every desk where the presentation is being shown as well. Why project it on the wall at all? He says that their target purchasers have been difficult to reach directly, since their spending habits are mainly overseas. And Chan Young’s father is doodling on a printout of what’s being projected. Why even both with the PowerPoint?
Won cuts him off and summarizes that the speaker is saying that their company will have difficulty making money. There’s some squirming in the crowd. Someone suggests changing the target customers from the top 10% to regular families. Won snaps that they should have built an amusement park, if that were their audience, instead of a premium shopping mall! Chan Young’s father (Jae Hoo) notes that this makes sense.
Won asks the latest person, who he just cut off, when the guy got the 2nd quarter;s earnings report. When the guy says a week ago, Won tells him that he should have fired him a week ago. Won asks the room if anyone saw the report beforehand. Jae Hoo puts down his pen and announces that the Chairman (Won’s father) also saw the figures. The room reacts and Won is not happy. Although, I’m not sure why. Won sums up: the Chairman, who doesn’t come into the office, has known for a week about his incompetence, but, he (Won), who has been going to work every day, has just found out about it. Jae Hoo looks down and doesn’t say anything. Won pointedly asks Jae Hoo to just let him (Won) be the only one who knows of his own incompetence, or at least keep it within the company? But isn’t the Chairman part of the company?
Jae Hoo replies that if he had reported it, the Chairman would be the one sitting there, rather than him. Looking around the room, Won says that it seems like he’s seated there anyway. How many eyes and ears does the Chairman have in this room? No one makes eye contact. Jae Hoo tells Won that the chairman sent a message for him: “If you want to continue farming, be nicer to the maintenance guy than the landlord.”
Won shifts in his seat. He names several positions and asks Jae Hoo up to which position is considered the maintenance guy. Jae Hoo replies that as the landlord, what does Won think? That’s deep. Be nicer to your employees than you are to yourself. Ouch. Won just looks at Jae Hoo. And it lasts for at least 6 seconds! Dang!
Restaurant. Tan seems particularly burdened at the moment, since he's now put his hands behind his head. He looks out into the street and sees that Korean girl from earlier (Eun Sang). She’s looking in his direction, or rather, scanning the restaurant for her sister. She’s got all her luggage with her. Tan notices where Eun Sang is looking and looks over at Eun Suk. Her customers act like she’s at a strip club and tuck her tip into her shirt. Eun Sang is horrified at the disgrace and getting angrier by the second. All the sacrificing she’s had to do while Eun Suk came to the States and frittered Omma’s money away. Ridiculous!
Another guy comes up and asks Stella if she made it home safely the night before. So now Eun Suk a floozy, too. The guy wants her to come work for him tonight, because she always looks her best when she’s working. So maybe she is a stripper when she’s not working at the café. Eun Sang starts to cry and Tan sees that, too. He's just drinking his ice coffee that looks like tea. Eun Suk comes up to bring him more coffee and Eun Sang notices that he’s looking at her, which all the more humiliating. Eun Suk notices him and follows his eyes to Eun Sang. She almost drops the pot on to the floor. She rushes outside.
Eun Sang turns so that her back is facing the café; she's so hurt she can't face Eun Suk. Tan’s still watching, but Eun Sang’s not paying attention to him. And dang, that’s a short skort. Eun Suk says Eun Sang’s name so Eun Sang wipes away her tears and turns to face her. Eun Suk’s face is not apologetic. She wants to know why Eun Sang’s in America. Did something happen to Omma? Eun Sang can’t believe words like Omma can come out of her mouth. And I don’t blame her. You’ve been totally selfish when your sister and mother struggle and your mother goes through humiliation as a maid to Madame Han and *now* you’re concerned?
Eun Suk doesn’t respond to the elephant on the beach but instead asks why Eun Sang didn’t contact her and tell her she was here. Eun Sang says that she tried but couldn’t. And Eun Suk says she’s going to school?!! Again, no response. Instead Eun Suk wants to know who told Eun Sang that she worked there. Who else but the guy she’s living with. Eun Suk’s actually mad that Eun Sang went to her house. Eun Sang can’t believe that she’s not only living with the guy but supporting him so all he has to do is drink. How long is Eun Suk going to keep lying?!!! At least she could have met a good man!!! And I totally agree. Why are you with that loser? Tan isn’t unaffected at what he’s seeing.
Suddenly, Eun Suk grabs the suitcase and starts looking for the money. Eun Sang sighs and tells her sister that this is as far as she can go with this lie. She says she’s being punished for abandoning their mother to come here, and she’s being punished justly. Eun Suk doesn’t care. She just wants the money! Eun Sang tells Eun Suk to stop, especially after the used notebook of mom’s is thrown to the ground like it’s nothing. She grabs her sister and makes her stop.
Eun Sang announces that life really is a piece of shit. Her words, not mine. She (Eun Suk) was her (Eun Sang’s) last hope, her dream. At least now Eun Suk’s feeling a little bad. Because her life was predestined to be crap, Eun Sang gave up her dreams and decided just to go to community college and settle for a secretarial job. Why? Because she and Omma needed to survive until unni came back. With that college degree so that she can make good money! Eun Suk dispassionately, almost snottily, says sorry. She tells Eun Sang to cover for her one more time.
Eun Suk finally finds the money. Eun Sang tells her to drop it, but Eun Suk doesn’t care what Eun Sang wants. She tells Eun Sang to go back to Korea and promises she’ll call Mom. Eun Sang tries to get Eun Suk not to leave, but Eun Suk runs off with the money. It’s really pathetic how Eun Sang runs after her, crying, “Unni, don’t go!” Eun Sang can’t go very far because all her stuff is laying all over the sidewalk, so Eun Suk gets away. Why Eun Sang didn’t keep the money in her backpack, I don’t know. As Eun Sang packs up her belongings, she can’t help but call her sister’s name and cry. She’s practically hyperventilating and Tan is really bothered by what he’s just seen.
S.D. slides into a chair and blathers about the awesome party that Jessie’s having. Tan holds up a finger to shut him up. S.D. notices the girl and I can’t help but think on whether this kid could *be* a worse actor. He sees Eun Sang as a babe to bag and he’ll take care of everything. Even though Tan doesn’t respond to anything S.D. says, S.D. rushes off on project “Fallen Angel.” About 5 seconds later, it sinks in what S.D. says and Tan is annoyed, because that’s not what he was thinking or planning at all. He quickly starts to gather up his stuff – I mean, he could dash and dine today because his waitress already dashed – as S.D. has reached the target.
S.D. grabs a pair of shoes and offering them to Eun Sang, he asks if she’s all right. She squeaks out that she’s okay. S.D. declares that he’s decided to believe in God because he met her! Then he grabs the plastic bag she’s carrying and runs off. Eun Sang runs after him. Tan isn’t fast enough to stop him. He yells after S.D. to stop and that it’s not drugs in the bag. He ends up clothes-lining himself on a volleyball net. They fight over the bag and it splits open. And of course, he starts stuffing it into his face.
Then S.D. – whose name turns out to be Jay, but I’m just gonna call him S.D. because he’s that stupid – starts to choke. Tan runs up and tries to help S.D. out but S.D. keeps choking. He yells at Eun Sang to call 911. She says she doesn’t have a cell phone. And then, like S.D. isn’t choking over there, she asks him if he’s Korean. He looks at her like she’s crazy and asks if that’s important right now.
At the E.R., the doctor announces that S.D. went into shock because of an allergy. And in the background, there’s a scan of a brain tumor just randomly displayed, to prove it’s a hospital. And lots of people in freshly pressed scrubs. Freshly pressed. With creases. The doctor asks about the powder and Tan says, yes, beans. Eun Sang says that it *was* bean powder and Tan snarks at her that he knows it was beans. Great way to be rude. It’s not like S.D. didn’t steal the powder and then shove it in his face to begin with.
Tan asks when S.D. will wake up. The doctor says they gave him the medicine so they’ll have to wait and see. And the writers couldn’t at least consult the internet so that the ‘doctor’ would say something more than the medicine, like we gave him a shot of epinephrine? It’s like the first link that pops up when you put in “treatment for anaphylaxis.” She asks them to follow her to fill out some papers. Not paperwork, but papers. Again, you’re in America. You could at least ask an American there to check your dialogue so that it’s legitimate.
Before Tan can leave, Eun Sang stops him to ask whether his friend will be okay. He snaps at her, asking why she would be carrying the bean powder around. She’s surprised that he’s getting mad at *her.* After all S.D. was *stealing* from her, also the drugs! Tan declares that he was just drunk. If he was a junkie he would have known the difference between bean flour and drugs. So that’s why he’s saying that it’s Eun Sang’s fault. She’s flabbergast. And I love that the capper used the word flabergast!!! Tan snarks that the one that was hassled was *him.* Really? If S.D. hadn’t have stolen from her, none of this, or your hassle, would have happened. Tan stalks off. Eun Sang can’t believe the jerk she was just talking to. And just her luck, a cop walks up, asking about the bean powder, if it’s hers.
Outside of the E.R., Eun Sang’s trying to explain about the bean powder, but her English is limited. She says it’s not drugs. But the cop says they need to look into it, since people don’t normally eat their food through their nose. Was *she* trying to eat it through her nose? No, the idiot was, not the owner of the powder. The cop asks what her address is. She tells him she’s from Korea and he asks for her passport. As he looks at it, he asks where she’s staying and whether she’s there illegally. No, she has a plane ticket which says otherwise. Eun Sang is totally not following and asks the cop to talk “more slow please.”
Just then, Tan comes up, puts his arm around her neck and says, “It’s okay, baby.” He adds that she’s his girlfriend, just for a visit, but he stops talking when he sees which cop he’s talking to. It’s the cop that’s very familiar with him. Are there really that many overweight black cops in Los Angeles? Really? That he wouldn’t recognize the cop who keeps an eye on him, just at a glance? The cop declares that, of course, *he* was involved, while Tan is cursing his luck. Tan lets go of Eun Sang and says that the stuff in the bag’s not a drug and the cop knows that. The cop replies that regardless, now that Tan’s involved, he can’t just let it go. Eun Sang is really confused by what’s happening.
Mr. Cop tells Tan that until they get the results of the analysis of the powder, he’s keeping Eun Sang’s passport. Handing Eun Sang a card, which says that his name is Barbee, he tells her not to disappear (run away). Seriously, his name is Barbee? Where’s Ken? Barbee walks off. Eun Sang starts to ask Tan what’s going on. Why did he just walk off with her passport? When is he returning it? Tan isn’t helpful, answering “When the time comes.” “When is that?” “When it’s appropriate.” Why is Tan being such a butt? He knows she’s had a bad day and this is *his friend’s* fault!!! And she’s being totally reasonable with her questions. Then he gets on her case about speaking informally. Even though they’re in America, speaking informally is only the case in English. Butt head. She tells him to think of it as English, besides she saw S.D.’s chart and they’re the same age.
Tan reacts to the news that Eun Sang is his age by dropping eye contact. This whole time he’s been trying to act above it, but I’m starting to suspect he doesn’t know how to really connect with people. Sure, he’s got S.D. but S.D.’s not typically deep about anything and doesn’t demand any type of vulnerability from Tan. But this is a Korean, who understands his culture and what it’s *really* like, and it’s a girl that he actually really was moved by. I don’t think that’s something he’s used to. Eun Sang asks him if they are the same age. Tan doesn’t know what to say, so he clears his throat and looks away. Finally he’s rude, asking her if she’s still going to keep standing there wasting his time. He asks where she’s staying, but only so he can get in touch with her when the police call. He’s trying really hard to be haughty, but it’s not really convincing.
Tan also needs to know since she said she doesn’t have a cell phone. So he was paying attention. She starts to say something about her situation but stops and instead asks to borrow *his* cell phone, so she can call her sister. He asks her if Eun Suk’s going to take her call, after their big time fight. She’s surprised that he saw. She’s not planning on calling her sister so she can stay at her place, is she? Eun Sang tells him that he doesn’t need to worry about her situation with her sister. And because this situation isn’t her fault, he should give her a ride home. She’ll cover the gas.
Tan laughs and tries to get the upper hand by telling Eun Sang that she keeps trying to settle things with money. Does she have a lot of it? That question clearly makes her uncomfortable, because she doesn’t. And he *knows* that. He heard the entire fight. She tells him she was afraid he would just go. She adds please and her voice has gotten really shaky. So now Tan feels bad. As he should.
So Tan ends up taking Eun Sang back to Eun Suk’s house. She tells him that she’ll call him at 8, 11, and 3, about her passport. If he doesn’t have it, he doesn’t have to answer her call. Tan’s irritated because she’s obligating him to do something. She thanks him for bringing her there and he responds by looking over at the street. So she wheels her suitcase over to the house and goes and rings the doorbell, calling out Unni. The house is completely dark. Eun Sang knocks on the window. Tan watches it all and Eun Sang is clearly embarrassed by her predicament. He decides to help her.
Tan unbuckles his seat belt and gets out of the car. But he just stands by the car as he asks Eun Sang whether someone’s home. So why get out of the car then? Eun Sang says that Eun Suk will come home. That or Chris will wake up out of his liquor-addled stupor. Tan chides her, hasn’t she ever heard about American streets at night? Especially in this neighborhood. Eun Sang tells him not to scare her. He responds by asking her if she really thinks someone who ran off with the money is going to come home (so she can find her). Eun Sang says that Unni will come, but they both *don’t* believe it. This irritates Tan, her faith in an unni that clearly doesn’t deserve it, so he drives off.
Police sirens are heard in the distance. Eun Sang sits down on the stoop, waiting for her unni to return. A group of homies comes walking down the street. I mean, they’re sporting baseball caps. Although, if they were really homies, their pants would be a lot baggier. Eun Sang looks like an easy target, the way that she’s timidly cradling her bag as she waits. Immediately they start giving her catcalls. Because big bad Americans will, of course, prey on nice, innocent Korean girls. And like k-pop videos, it looks like they’ve recycled some of the actors from before to play multiple roles. Eun Sang scrambles up the steps to hide behind the kneewall (had to look up the term for the wall that’s part of a porch). I would have been sitting there from the beginning. And because they're not really thugs, they just talk to each other about how hot she is and then move on. Even though there’s nothing really stopping them from coming into the driveway or onto the porch. They were just some guys out for some beers who didn’t know that Asian women were that beautiful, yo! And now I had a flashback to Woo Bin in BOF.
After they walk by, Eun Sang peeps out to makes sure they are gone. Seeing that they have moved on, she decides it’s not safe to wait for unni, so she grabs her suitcase and starts to walk. And Tan has decided to come back. He drives on the wrong side of the street so that he can park next to the curb. Eun Sang is hesitant to look at the car that has just stopped and parked. As I would be. But she does and Tan is sitting there, looking at her. Doesn’t say hello or anything. Just looks at her. Significant staring. And finally Tan asks her if she wants to come to his house. Eun Sang is flustered but we don’t get her answer before the episode ends.
Thoughts
So, the first episode of The Heirs! I think that I will enjoy this series, even if Lee Min Ho’s haircut is bugging me right now. My initial reaction is positive. About halfway through this first episode, I thought to myself how recent k-drama viewing (Master’s Sun, Good Doctor, and Gu Family Book) have spoiled me in that they got good almost immediately, instead of having to wait as you warm up to the world of the k-drama. This first episode gave us set up for the dynamics in many relationships, but because it was exposition, it felt a little that way.
I noticed that I thought of Boys Over Flowers several times when I was watching this episode. I think it's only natural, given that the hero in both is played by the same man, Lee Min Ho. Also that it's dealing with high school students belonging to the ultra rich of Korean society, except for our heroine, who is dirt poor. But that's about where I see the similarities end. The second lead is not a good guy, but a tortured one who likes torturing other people. The heroine only has one parent. The hero does not have a good relationship with his sibling, who in this case is a boy. The mother is not the head of the largest corporation in Korea. And I could go on. I don't think the moments where I think of BOF detract from my enjoyment of The Heirs, partially because I'm noticing the nuances which show what a good actor Lee Min Ho is. And they also show how different this show is from BOF, even in the narrative quality and the way that they are filmed.
I’m sure I’ll eventually really like Tan, but I think that will happen when Tan warms up. What I mean is, right now he’s broody and standoffish and distant, which is kind of how my affections for him are right now. I like that he’s introspective, but I don’t have any real attachment to him yet. I think that Lee Min Ho is doing a good job of differentiating Kim Tan from Gu Jun Pyo. That purported laziness I think is evident in how Tan relates with people. He’s too lazy to actually be enthusiastic about pretty much anything. Even when he’s being snotty to Eun Sang, it totally feels like Tan is trying to put on this haughty persona, rather than how Gu Jun Pyo just was naturally like that. Which again, is props to LMH for his acting choices. Often, when Tan was trying to seem detached, there were cracks and places in the facade where Tan was visibly uncomfortable, something that Jun Pyo never displayed. I don’t think Tan has really had to be uncomfortable for a long time, whereas Jun Pyo was uncomfortable most of the time.
I do have to say that I’m liking Park Shin Hye’s take on Eun Sang. I know I’m in the minority with this feeling, but the character she played in You’re Beautiful really got on my nerves because of how mousy it was all the time (and how she scurried and skittered when she walked). This character is nothing like that one, to where I barely can tell it’s the same actress, which is good. I like that Eun Sang is a fighter and doesn’t let her intimidation or fear keep her from standing up.
I will be glad when the series moves back to Korea, because OVERACTING GUY (aka S.D.) is really grating on my nerves. Pretty much all the white people performances are bad acting. Except for the homie with the Mohawk. He actually had some sincerity to his performance. But everyone else is so flat it’s annoying. Yes, California is the land of the plastic people, but that’s appearance, not acting. Maybe they hired people who were SAG, because they wouldn’t pay the union fees. Who knows.
Of the songs that I’ve heard so far the second one, not the one at the beginning, was one that I actually found myself humming. I really hope that I can find the words for that first song because the legion of my heart is bleeding. Really. Whatever that means.
Kim Woo Bin is doing a great job of portraying Young Do as a multi-layered character. He could just be a sadistic thug, and yes, he does seem to like tormenting people, but there are little nuances to the performance to where he’s not just a sociopath in a teenager’s body.
I think the series might actually even address a little the class problem in Korean society. We’ve already seen it pop up in a realistic way in some of the conflicts. BOF’s class issues didn’t really seem to be pertinent beyond the money thing and Mrs. Gu being able to ruin Jandi’s life. This, however, is more the ways in which classism pokes its way out and is woven into how society operates. Young Do’s comment about how the kid’s bullies of today are his bosses of tomorrow – that concept is rather insidious, but true, when you really think about it. With how stratified Korean society is, this is a reality of life.
I’m interested in seeing more of Choi Jin Hyuk’s Kim Won. The character can’t be this cold and dead. It’s an interesting power struggle that Won’s dealing with. I actually think that he ‘exiled’ Tan to protect him from the crapfest that is Household Kim. And even when Tan comes back, that hard veneer is going to try to drive him out, when in actuality, hyung is really looking out for his bro. It would be great if the writers had it play that way than the typical sibling rivalry over money.
So what do we know?
- Tan was sent to America, seemingly by his brother’s machinations, in an effort to get Tan out of the way and so Won could be the successor for the Jeguk Group.
- Tan is engaged to Rachel and it’s been a year, with neither pushing for the marriage to happen.
- Tan views Rachel as clingy and therefore keeps her at a distance.
- Eun Sang helps support her mother through various odd jobs.
- Eun Sang’s unni, Eun Suk, has been living in America and has been lying about her life while taking money from their mother to support herself.
- Eun Suk has stooped low, living with an abusive, cheating alcoholic, probably tending bar or dancing in one of those kinds of clubs, or worse.
- Eun Sang’s mother is mute and works for Tan’s mother, who is Chairman Kim’s current mistress, not wife.
- Won is cold and distant with everyone and is some sort of power struggle with his father over leadership of the Jeguk Group.
- Young Do enjoys torturing the weak and has lackeys who cheer him on.
- Young Do’s father is abusive.
- Young Do’s father is engaged to Rachel’s mother.
- Eun Sang’s best friend, Chan Young, is the son of the Jeguk Group’s secretary.
- Chan Young is going to be traveling to America for school and hasn’t told Eun Sang.
- Chan Young is dating a very insecure and jealous rich girl, Bo Na.
- What is the bad blood between Young Do and Tan? That was hinted at during Young Do and Rachel's conversation and I'm just itching to know what it is.
- What happened to Eun Sang’s father?
- How did Eun Suk going to the States cause such bitterness in Eun Sang?
- Is hyung as evil as Tan seems to think?
- What happened to hyung’s mother?
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