Post-Mask Withdrawl -- Medical Top Team Review

After watching Mask, I have decided that I love Joo Ji Hoon. I mean, I liked him in Goong (aka Princess Hours aka Imperial House), which came out in 2006. But I just liked him. But his performance in 'Mask' has made me a definite fan, to the point where he replaced Hyun Bin in my list of Acting Favorites.

So, since I finished Mask and didn't feel like taking up recapping the rest of Oh My Ghostess quite yet, I thought I would check out his 2013 drama, Medical Top Team. Ji Hoon played Han Seung Jae, the youngest chief ever at Kwanghye University Hospital. He just happens to be the son of a Chairman and the mistress. His father is a dictatorial piece of bat guano who doesn't want to acknowledge Seung Jae as his blood and who treated Seung Jae's mother horribly, to the point that the woman became a drunk.


Seung Jae spends most of the drama trying to win the Chairman's approval, which leads him to make some terrible choices and to act like a horse's heiney. Seung Jae carries a torch for fellow doctor, Seo Joo Young, who is also a brilliant and ambitious surgeon fighting for respect from the doctors around her. And if that wasn't enough, he's at odds with his sister-in-law, the Assistant Director of the hospital, who has plans for Top Team that don't quite jive with what Seung Jae wants it to stand for.

Mask Episode 20 Recap

Okay, I think I’m procrastinating on watching this last episode not because I don’t want it to end, but because I’m worried that my questions are going to go unanswered. I am sad that it’s ending, because I have loved watching Soo Ae and Joo Ji Hoon, individually and as a couple. I think they’ve made it into my favorite actors lists. But it will really annoy me if they lead some very promising threads hanging – like Oma’s murder and how Doc Kim’s betrayal fits into the scheme of things, and most importantly, WHY Seok Hoon targeted Min Woo for all these terrible things. We’re starting the last episode in a place where I can’t see these things being tidied up without a lot of deus ex machina and that just annoys me.

Our episode starts with Min Woo asleep. Birds are chirping outside as he wakes up – indicating that it’s morning, because birds don’t usually chirp in the afternoon. He rolls over and the bed is empty. He calls for Ji Sook – louder as he gets no answer – and starts to get worried. He jumps out of bed – fully clothed in the clothes he was wearing the day before, minus overcoat, which means that they still haven’t done anything where Ji Sook might be pregnant – and quickly exits the bedroom door, slamming it behind him. Starting to pant with panic, he grabs his coat… and Ji Sook enters with a smile on her face. He sighs with relief and immediately hugs her.

Ji Sook is surprised and asks what’s wrong. After hugging her a moment, he lets go and asks where she has been; adding that he was worried. She smiles and says that she went out to get something that will make him handsomer. She touches his whiskers and says that they grew out this much just in one day.

Instead of Min Woo shaving himself, Ji Sook is going to do it. His cheeks and chin now covered with shaving cream, he asks if she’s sure she can do this? She’s confident. Hasn’t he seen her with knives when she was cooking? Not really. Just the one time, since the maids freaked out that she was doing it herself. But okay. She picks up the razor and he warily looks at it. She asks if he’s scared. Looking at her and then the razor again, he says, “Of course not,” in a voice that isn’t convincing at all. Ji Sook laughs. She lightly shaves him. And they are doing this in the living room instead of the bathroom where normal people shave. They smile at each other, enjoying this intimate moment.

Mask Episode 19 Recap

Episode starts with Min Woo debating whether to jump into the lake. He does and sinks for a moment. Ji Sook collapses from the smoke inhalation. Min Woo sims for shore and makes it. He immediately runs for the house. Which has to be hard with wet clothes. He tries to get inside but it’s locked. He throws something through a window and runs inside. He frantically starts searching for Ji Sook. And I’m impressed at his where-with-all to pick up a chair and throw it through a door so that he can quickly see if Ji Sook is inside the room.

He makes it to the bedroom where she is and almost makes it outside with them when he is hit by a falling chandelier. It doesn’t stop him though. He collapses on the ground beside her once they are outside. As he loses consciousness, he makes sure that he’s holding her hand. He thinks of when they walked down the path together, the path that guarantees a couple will be together forever if they walk down it together. Of them crossing the river on the bridge of stones together.

He wakes up to find himself alone. And not where he lost consciousness. Now he is down by the edge of the lake. He catches sight of a piece of Ji Sook’s dress, but no Ji Sook.

[Episode 19 – A Vacancy]
Back at Casa Choi, the police are questioning Min Woo. Why did he have a piece of clothing covered in Ms. Seo Eun Ha's blood? Does her really not remember that incident? Min Woo says nothing. He’s sitting next to Seok Hoon. Seok Hoon tells Cop that it hasn’t been confirmed yet whether it's Seo Eun Ha's blood. Cop should only ask Min Woo about what has been confirmed. Cop sighs and looks in his notebook. Behind him, Dad, Stepmom and Mi Yeon are watching the interview.

Cop says that Min Woo’s car was found about 10 kilometers away from the villa, near the lake. This needs to be explained. Min Woo asks if his wife is still alive. She is, right? Cop says that they found a stain of blood on a rock near the lake. If it is indeed her blood, the chances of her still being alive are very slim. Min Woo shakes his head and says that she will be alive. She’s not the type to die that easily. Cop2 enters with Ji Sook’s hairbrush. He declares that if the DNA matches, it is very likely that she is dead.

Mask Episode 18 Recap

Episode begins in the grove with the memorial trees. Min Woo is helping Ji Hyuk to plant Mom’s tree. He asks Papa – calling him Father-in-Law – is he likes the tree. Papa doesn’t say anything, just cries. Ji Hyuk declares that the tree’s sturdy so even if a typhoon comes, it won't budge. And Ji Hyuk and Min Woo are calling each other ‘Brother-in-law.’ Ji Sook asks if Mom’s tree will grow and bud flowers and bear fruit.

Ji Sook goes over and touches Mom’s tree. She thinks about when they planted their and Ji Eun’s tree. When a person dies, where do they go? When a person dies, they go to the heart of the person that they love. Holding Mom’s ring to her heart, she tells Mom to be born as her daughter in the next life and cause her a lot of heartache. She leaves the ring by the tree.

Ji Sook and Min Woo are in Mom’s room looking over Mom’s things. Memories looking at the apron she made Mom. She looks at Min Woo and says that she thinks she understands now. All this time, she thought she came this far because of her family… if she had a lot of money, her family would be happy. But it's not like that. It was because of her… her greed. Min Woo tell her that she did her best and it isn't her fault. And Mom’s death is more the fault of Mi Yeon. Ji Sook weeps and smells Mom’s apron. Min Woo kneels beside her and holds her as she cries.

Mi Yeon is sitting at Casa Choi’s bar, drinking. I wonder if she knows she killed someone else. Seok Hoon takes the bottle away from her. She asks if he was distressed. He’s not sure what she means. She says that she’s asking if he felt distressed when he did bad things. He asks what that means. She says that she feels so distressed right now, like she’s going crazy. She pours herself another drink and chugs it. He asks what bad things she did. And I can’t tell what his face means… what this moment means… Mi Yeon says that she just wanted to interfere with the surgery. She didn't know it would go this far. So she does know that she killed Mom. She tells herself that that’s right. It was an accident. Even if she didn't do it, ‘she’ would have died anyway. Seok Hoon asks who Mi Yeon is talking about. Instead of answering the question, with a distraught voice, Mi Yeon says that it’s all Loan Shark’s fault. If Loan Shark didn't say those things…. Yes it was like that.

Mask Episode 17 Recap

Our episode starts with Ji Sook and Min Woo back at Casa Choi. Aw. We could see the kiss again? Please? She’s just gotten done telling him everything and says that she feels relieved now. She apologizes for not telling him earlier. He reaches over and takes her hand and says that it must have been hard for her all this time. And I am swooning. Sigh. How lonely it must have been all alone, Byeon Ji Sook-shi. She looks at him and asks him to say her name again. He does and it makes her smile, which makes him smile.

She says his name. His face says, ‘yes?’ She puts his hand back on the couch and says that they still need to get a divorce. He asks if it’s because of Seok Hoon and says that he will resolve that. She replies that she said that this is her problem. They can't continue living like this. How is this just her problem?! Can I shake her?! He asks her why – as in why can’t we continue being together? He repeats that he doesn’t mind. You tell her, Min Woo. He’ll tell Dad that Seok Hoon tried to kill him. They should talk about the divorce after that. He says that they can keep living like this, Byeon Ji Sook-shi. And you know that she’s swooning every time he says her real name. Although, I’m not really sure what her face is saying right now.

Replay of Min Woo being shot and Mi Yeon seeing that it was Seok Hoon.

Now she’s in their room, standing before Seok Hoon, asking how he could shoot a bullet at her brother? Expressionless, he says that he didn't shoot the bullet at Min Woo. He was shooting at a deer passing by. She screams, “Please!” at him and begs him not to lie anymore. There are tears in her eyes. Why have you not turned him into the police? He looks down and says that it wasn't a lie. He was just hunting an animal. Humans are animals.

Mi Yeon picks up something and hurls it so that it flies past his head and smashes the glass of their wedding portrait. Seok Hoon says that he… did not lie. She’s done with it all. She tells him to get out. Get lost from this house. She can't handle dealing with him anymore. He just stands there. She says that if he doesn't leave, she will. She walks out of their room and Seok Hoon sighs.

Mask Episode 16 Recap

Episode begins with Min Woo reacting to Ji Sook’s announcement that she’s giving away half of her shares for a charitable foundation. Min Woo’s blinking tell me that his heart finally beat his head. Seok Hoon sighs. The light flares and Min Woo saves Ji Sook’s life. Why are people screaming? Why do people do that over something like this? Seok Hoon stands, livid that the light fell NOT on his order. Mi Yeon stands, too, horrified because that could have been Min Woo. Min Woo and Ji Sook look at the light and she asks if he’s okay.

They return home. Stepmom bemoans such an accident happening at the event. Dad asks if Eun Ha was shocked. She replies that she was. If Min Woo didn't save her, it would have been a big problem. Dad checks that Min Woo is okay. He is. Dad snaps at Seok Hoon for the accident. He should have paid more attention to make sure everything was set properly! Seok Hoon says that he’s going to investigate and find out who is responsible. He’s already taken measures so the story of this incident doesn't leak out. Dad nods and he and Stepmom go up to bed – but not before Stepmom orders a sedative.

Back in their room, Min Woo asks how it happened. How much does she know? She replies that she said that he is in danger. He asks from who. Perhaps, Seok Hoon? Ji Sook says that she’s not sure of that, because she can't prove it. They look at each other. At least he can look at her now, be in the same room with her now. She says that even though this might sound shameless, she must say this to him. She says his name and asks him to trust her. He laughs at that one and replies, “I to Seo–” He stops himself because that’s not her name. A twitch of his jaw because the wound is still fresh.

Min Woo asks why he has to trust her? She replies that it’s so she can tell him this. It isn't something she’d say suddenly. She thought a lot and prepared a lot. He asks what it is that she wants to say. She tells him they should… She pauses because it’s hard for her to get the sentence out. She sighs and finishes it: they should get divorced. Arg! And I thought that they were finally going to start working together. Min Woo barely registers a reaction on his face – but it’s like she just slapped him, the twitching his eyes just did. She tells him that they should just go up to here. Min Woo’s face says that he’s not happy at all.

Mask Episode 15 Recap

Ji Sook is waiting to tell Min Woo everything. He’s trying to keep her breathing steady. Min Woo is reading her bio and discovering the truth.

He leaves the meeting in a daze – oh, I hate seeing him like this! Practically about to pass out. He thinks about all the little things that she’s said and done that point to the truth:

I have a lot of secrets. I guess you can say I am wearing a mask.

The person that you married is not Seo Eun Ha.

He sags to the ground, overcome. And I find myself telling him to throw up, he’ll feel better. He loosens his tie and mutters that there’s no way. He staggers to his feet again.

Ji Sook is pacing. It’s after 8 pm and he’s still not home. She tries calling Min Woo. He’s sitting in a hotel, drinking. Even though it’s out on the table beside him, he doesn’t answer it.

Eun Ha asking if she needs someone to rely on. Their marriage is for business after all.

Ji Sook saying that they are a couple and that family should be on the same side, no matter what happens.

Min Woo wants to know when the switch happened. Since when?

Seok Hoon and Mi Yeon are at the shooting range, doing target practice. They both have loaded weapons. In their hands… right now. Mi Yeon is pretty lethal, but Seok Hoon is all over the place. He thinks about how Mi Yeon told him that now Min Woo will know everything… Seo Eun Ha isn't real. But Ji Sook is real and she’s really in love with him and has told him so. She says that because he kept telling her not to, she wanted to do it more. So she did it.

Mask Episode 14 Recap

Episode starts where the last one left off: Min Woo’s proposal and Mi Yeon walking purposefully toward them. When she reaches them, she wordlessly pulls out Ji Sook’s resume and holds it out to Ji Sook. She demands Ji Sook explain and when Ji Sook asks what it is, she cryptically says that Ji Sook will know when she sees it.

Ji Sook’s phone rings. It’s Seok Hoon. Ji Sook tells Mi Yeon that it’s her husband and he said it’s very important... Mi Yeon is forced to take the call. She wordlessly listens. And I wonder what he’s saying. She looks upset as she wordlessly hangs up the phone and shoves it back into Ji Sook’s hands. Min Woo asks her what’s going on. She tells him that he’ll soon find out. Giving Ji Sook one last glare, Mi Yeon leaves.

As she drives away, she thinks of what Seok Hoon said on the phone: He doesn't know what she’s thinking. But with her one action, their relationship may not be able to recover. Consider again whether she really wants it to happen that way or not and then take action, if she’s confident about her action. Seok Hoon looks like he’s got his mojo back. She pulls over and screams in frustration.

[Episode 14 – Spear and Shield]
Ji Sook and Min Woo are walking again. And she hasn’t given her answer. The moment was kind of ruined. He’s probably hesitating pressing now because of Noona’s craziness. Ji Sook worries that they should call Mi Yeon. Min Woo says that they’d only get yelled at if they call her now. He tells her not to worry about; Mi Yeon often barges in for no reason.

Ji Sook turns the subject back to his proposal. He says that he didn’t ask for her answer right now. He’s definitely nervous about what her answer is. He tells her to take her time and think about it. And when she is certain, then answer him. She starts to tell him her answer, but he hisses at her and tells her to think about it longer and more thoroughly. She could be saying ‘yes,’ dude. He definitely doesn’t want a ‘no.’ He uses those long legs of his to walk faster than her.

Mask Episode 13 Recap

Mi Yeon watches Seok Hoon cry at Eun Ha’s grave and realizes that she *killed* Eun Ha. Well, she didn’t actually kill her, but her inaction led to Eun Ha’s brain death and eventual death. She’s stunned. What did she expect when she walked away while the woman was drowning?

Ji Sook discovers Eun Ha’s diary, which asks if she could really kill Choi Min Woo? Seok Hoon tells Eun Ha that if Choi Min Woo is dead, Eun Ha will inherit all his assets. They could do many things with those assets. The next page says: If you marry Choi Min Woo, you must divorce him within a year. Otherwise, Seok Hoon will kill Choi Min Woo. So, she wasn’t going to go along with Min Woo’s murder. And she knows Seok Hoon will. There’s a business card in the journal for Lee Tae Seung. She was planning on the divorce.

[Episode 13 – Marriage Proposal and Divorce]
Min Woo puts the ring on her finger. She smiles. He’s remembering the moment. He groans. He left something out... He left something out! Bro time with Chang Soo. Chang Soo asks what’s wrong. Min Woo says that he gave her the ring, but he didn't ask her to marry him. He groans again and asks himself why he did that. Chang Soo points out that the two of them are already married. Min Woo asks him if marrying with contract a marriage? Marriage comes after the marriage proposal. Chang Soo makes a face like that makes sense. He is busy eating, too. Min Woo looks at Chang Soo and declares that he has to formally propose to her before it is too late. Chang Soo gives him a ‘Fighting!’

Mi Yeon is sitting on the bed, looking at all the baby stuff she’s bought. Seok Hoon enters and notices her. He asks if something’s the matter. She says that she went to the hospital because she wanted to see if the baby is alright. And… she’s not pregnant. Doctor told her that the hormone shots made the test register a false pregnancy. She even did an ultrasound to confirm. No baby. I was afraid that was coming.

Seok Hoon says that they can try again. Mi Yeon looks at him and says that they shouldn’t go back to the hospital until her delivery. She can't trust the doctors. How could the doctor say that to their baby? Seok Hoon thinks for a moment on what to do and gently says her name. She says that it’s her body. She can feel it! Seok Hoon nods and reaches over to pick up one of the bags with baby things in it. She tells him not to touch them. She jumps to the floor to body block him from reaching them. These are their baby's, so don't touch them. Don't touch anything! She looks at an outfit. Thinking of Eun Ha, she says that she killed her baby. Because of her, Sarang Hae is dead. She starts to cry. Seok Hoon reaches out to comfort her but she shoves his hand away. She weeps.

Mask Episode 12 Recap

Episode starts with a flashback, of Eun Ha and Seok Hoon. Why?! I don’t want to see this! I want to see now, with Ji Sook and Min Woo. Groan. It’s probably important. They’re sitting on a bed with Eun Ha’s birthday cake: July 2, 2014. She’s 26. She asks him if it’s that hard? She looks at him and says that it's not even that hard. Seok Hoon squirms. She’s trying to make him sing ‘Happy Birthday.’She smiles at him, encouraging him. He can’t get the words out and declares that he can't do it. She sighs, disappointed, and blows out her candle.

      He smiles at her and claps. She rolls her eyes at him. He presents her with a big basket full of flowers and wishes her happy birthday. She says that he didn't just get flowers for her birthday, did he? She finds The Necklace in the bouquet. She chuckles and acts like she’s not pleased. Who said she likes receiving this kind of gift? He smiles at her and says that she will like it. Because it's from him. He comes over to her and has her stand so he can put it on her neck.

Mask Episode 11 Recap

Episode starts off where the last one ended: Lackey talking about the sleeping pills, saying that Min Woo should just step down. The voting starts. Ji Sook enters. She looks at Min Woo and he looks up at her, surprised. He looks so pathetic right there. I feel so bad for him. She bows to the group and apologizes for barging in. She’s Executive Director Choi Min Woo's wife, Seo Eun Ha. And I have to laugh as the Gossip Trio look like they just lost control of their bowels. As they should since they’ve been some of the worst members of the gossip mill.

Ji Sook says that the sleeping pills they found in Choi Min Woo's hidden room were hers. Seok Hoon looks daggers at her. And I laugh. He so wants to kill her right now. Heh. Lackey says that he understands that as a wife, she’d want to protect her husband, but– She cuts him off and says she’s not there as Choi Min Woo's wife but as a 5% shareholder of SJ Group. Because of false information, Min Woo might be removed from his position, and the company's image will be tainted if this gets out to the public. As Ji Sook talks, Seok Hoon throws down his pen, disgusted. Watch it. Dad might see you’re upset. Is that what Lackey wants? Lackey shuts up.

Ji Sook says that if they need evidence, she has it. She holds up an envelope. Before getting married, she took medication for anxiety. Without medication, she felt uneasy, so she continued to collect medication even after she got better. She hid these in the room after getting married. She apologizes and says that she didn't know matters would get this out of hand. She apologizes again and bows to them. The Board talks among themselves. Min Woo’s face says that he can’t believe that she just lied to save him.

Min Woo drags Ji Sook out into the stairwell and asks her if she expects him to really believe that she hid sleeping pills in that room because she has anxiety? Why is she suddenly doing this? His face looks confused, hurt. Did he look pitiful to her? Did she suddenly feel sympathetic? His voice gets a little louder as the thought of that makes him angry. He demands she tell him. Say anything. She looks at him and says that she had no other choice. Because she's Min Woo's wife, Seo Eun Ha. This affects him.

Mi Yeon looks in the boardroom, where Seok Hoon is trying hard to hold it together. He takes off his glasses, defeated. She thinks about her recent interactions with him, how he smiled at the reveal of the pills and Eun Ha’s shock.

Mask Episode 10 Recap

Episode starts with Ji Sook inside Min Woo’s secret room. How she’s not distracted by the murder board, I don’t know. I would be engrossed. She finds the incriminating evidence. Where did Seok Hoon get that 2 Billion KRW? Min Woo returns. She stuff the evidence in her pocket and gets caught in his room. He demands that she tell him what she was doing in there. She says nothing, just stares at him. Say something! You’re driving me crazy!

Min Woo walks up the stairs with the book that holds the key to the room. At the top of the stairs, he asks how she got into the room? Is this also something that she can't tell him about? I love that this is his question. Not ‘how could you betray me?!’ but ‘is this another thing you can’t explain yet?’ Open your mouth, Ji Sook! She whispers that the door was open. Min Woo laughs. The door was just open? She won’t meet his eyes. Min Woo says that there are three ways to open that door. He pulls the key out of the book and holds it up as he says that you can open it with this key. Or with the spare key kept in the safe in his office. Or breaking the door.

Min Woo says that he has no memory of leaving that door open. Because he didn’t and wouldn’t, given what’s inside. He asks if she’s still maintaining the door was open? She slightly nods. He tells her to tell him looking into his eyes. She can’t.

Min Woo interviews a maid. Did she clean his room today? Was the door open on the second floor? Is it the door he told her never to touch? It was open. How did Seok Hoon pay her off?

Min Woo arrives at his office. Minion is just leaving after returning the key. Min Woo checks his safe and the key is there. He sits at his desk and looks at the key.

Seok Hoon asks if there's a more miserable couple than a husband and wife who don’t trust each other. That was his first assigned case after he got appointed as a prosecutor. A husband suspected the wife of having an affair and the wife suspected the husband would eventually kill her for insurance money. The doubt created a bigger doubt and they both started to observe each other. Mi Yeon asks what happened. Seok Hoon says that everything started with a small misunderstanding. The man the wife was seeing was her cousin. And the husband never even took out an insurance policy. But the couple did not acknowledge the facts. They were looking to find the other's mistakes so they wouldn't have to admit their own mistakes. They didn't trust each other until the end.

Mask Episode 9 Recap

Episode begins right where it left off: Ji Sook struggling not to get her prints taken. Min Woo enters and walks over to her. She says his name. He looks at Cop and says that she’s his wife. He will take her. Cop lets her go. This could be some random dude. But I guess they verified *his* id.

As they leave the station, he holds out the car key and tells her to go alone, if going together is a problem. Could he *be* more awesome? She takes the key. He says that in return, she needs to tell him what is going on, when the time that she can say it comes. She nods and leaves. She should take him with her!!!

Ji Hyuk outside the hotel room. He sneaks in and turns on the light. Ji Sook drives and begs him not to do it, even as her low-gas light comes on. Ji Hyuk sees a ‘sleeping’ Scumbag and pulls out his syringe. Ji Sook has to pull over because she’s run out of gas. She gets out of the car and starts to run. Ji Hyuk slowly creeps toward Scumbag. As he does he sees pictures of Scumbag with his parents. Even in the pictures, he looks like a douche.

Ji Sook arrives at the apartment building and ducks out of sight of Loan Shark and Goon. Loan Shark is telling caller that they can't do it there! They'll take him up into the mountains first.

Ji Hyuk hesitates and thinks about how his debt will be paid off all in one blow. He looks at the pictures again. He leaves without doing anything.

Loan Shark is saying that they’ll bury ‘him’ there. Most likely the ‘him’ they’re talking about is Ji Hyuk. Loan Shark tells his Caller to just get the balance ready, yeah? They hang up and Goon asks Loan Shark why he’s telling them to kill Ji Hyuk all of sudden? Loan Shark doesn’t care as long as he gets paid.

Mask Episode 8 Recap

Episode begins with Seok Hoon tearing home. Ji Sook pushes Min Woo away from the kiss and says that she’s not Seo Eun Ha. He asks who she is, if she isn’t Seo Eun Ha. But before she can answer, Seok Hoon bursts in to declare that they have a problem. Did I call that or what? He says that the nanny who looked after her is in a critical condition right now. Ji Sook is immediately concerned. Which he knew she would be, because he knows that she’s doing all this to protect her family and not for herself.

Seok Hoon just wants to get to the hospital and Ji Sook is quite ready to leave, but Min Woo asks how Seok Hoon knows about the nanny’s condition * at this hour.* Smart man, Min Woo. Seok Hoon says that they don't have time for this. Min Woo says that he’ll go with them, then. Seok Hoon responds that Min Woo is drunk right now. Ji Sook seconds that Min Woo can just rest. She starts to walk away but Min Woo grabs her shoulder. He says that her nanny is in danger. How can he go to sleep? Such a good guy! She tells him to please, please just let her go. He lets go of her shoulder.

Mi Yeon appears. Seok Hoon is pleased that Ji Sook got Min Woo to back off. As they leave, Seok Hoon tells Mi Yeon that he’ll come back. Watching them leave, Mi Yeon says that she’s not even surprised now. Min Woo asks what she means by that. She answers that it’s exactly what she said.

As they drive, the rain pours. Ji Sook asks if Seok Hoon got a call from the hospital. Where and how is Mom hurt? Seok Hoon says nothing. Ji Sook notices that they’re not towards a hospital. She asks where they’re going. Still nothing from Seok Hoon. When are you going to catch on? Come on, Ji Sook! Ji Sook finally gets it. She asks if it’s even true that Mom is in danger? In answer, he speeds up, which scares Ji Sook – understandably.

The car screeches to a stop. Seok Hoon says that he was nine and his father worked at the factory. He lost his fingers in an accident. They fired him with no compensation, pension. He fell from 15th floor while protesting. He’s talking like he could be relating the story of someone tying their shoe, or something truly mundane. Like there’s an emotional disconnect between him and the event she’s talking about. That's when Seok Hoon realized that power is the only way to survive in this world. From his father's situation, he resolved that he wanted to make the kind of world where you can still laugh even when you have neither power nor wealth. Seok Hoon says that to do this, he needed to gain some power. So that when he’s at the moment between life and death, he’ll have a reason to live. That is his purpose for living. Really? You’re saying you’re doing this for the good of the world? Manipulating and using Mi Yeon? Drugging and manipulating Min Woo so that he thinks he’s insane is for the good of the world? You have seriously lost your way, Seok Hoon.

Mask Episode 7 Recap

The episode starts with a recap of what’s happened so far.

Seok Hoon saying that they’re creating their own heaven.

Ji Sook doing everything so that her family will be safe – and I think she’s begun to think of Min Woo as family, too, which means that she’ll protect him, too.

Min Woo making the comment that “Aren't we just using each other?” Her reply: “I thought we were helping each other out.”

“You are my wife. Even if you are a puppet and are a liar. Please don't make me worry.” As he saves her from being swept away by the river.

“Choi Min Woo hates skinship with a passion. Make his body yours first. Then, you can get his heart. You can get everything that Choi Min Woo has.”

[Episode 7 – The One Chest That I Can Lean on to Cry]
Already, that makes me feel the feels.

Action starts back up with everyone at home, Ji Sook in bed. Min Woo at her bedside. As she looks at him, he’s wearing a small smile. Oh, the boy is starting to have it bad. With that smile on, he tells her that he hopes that she doesn’t misunderstand what happened yesterday. He had no choice but to remove all their clothing due to hypothermia. She nods and says that she knows. He adds that he thought about leaving her underclothes on. And I am blushing for her. Oi. But seeing as it was to save someone's life... Ji Sook says that she gets it. She won't misunderstand.

And then he is an idiot. He really thought of her as a rock during that time… Should he say that she was a rock that was cold and needed to be warmed up? He does a little hand flourish with this sentence, as if to try and lessen the embarrassment of it all. Ji Sook just sits there, no looking at him. He says that what he’s saying in conclusion is that she’s not a rock but... What he really means to say is... He’s… her lifesaver! That last part rushes out of his mouth, along with his question on how she’s planning on repaying him.

Mask Episode 6 Recap

Our episode starts with the magical dance… interrupted by Ji Hyuk. When Ji Sook sees him, she jumps back a little from Min Woo. He says her name again and all she can do is stare. Min Woo asks if Ji Hyuk is someone she knows. Seok Hoon is starting to sweat. Ji Sook has to lie. Poor Ji Hyuk’s face. She’s not very convincing and it’s obvious that it’s killing her to disown her brother. Min Woo nods for the guards to drag Ji Hyuk out of there. And he goes, kicking and screaming, crying “Noona” the whole time.

[Episode 6: Family, the memories that break the heart]
Breakfast the next morning. Mi Yeon brings up the incident the night before and says that Eun Ha doesn’t need to worry. The man that came looking for you while you were waltzing. The subtle glare from Seok Hoon shows his displeasure. Mi Yeon says it's already in the past. And she’s enjoying this way too much. She asks if it’s someone that Eun Ha used to meet. He called her "Noona." How old is he?

Dad looks over at Ji Sook, which gets Stepmom to say Mi Yeon’s name in a tone warning her to drop it. Min Woo, not looking up from his food, says that Eun Ha said it's a person that she doesn't know. Did Mi Yeon not hear? Or is she pretending not to hear? He sticks his steak in his mouth and it’s obvious he’s annoyed. Ji Sook is not eating.

Mi Yeon chuckles and says that if it’s someone she doesn't know then it's a relief. But why did that happen that day? It's so strange. Dad says, with a voice that demands the right answer, that there’s no way his new daughter-in-law could lie... He looks at Ji Sook as he asks “Agreed?” Ji Sook nods slightly.

Seok Hoon suggests that it also could have been a stalker. Wasn't there an incident like that when she went to study abroad that really worried her? I wonder how long it took for him to come up with that idea. You know he’s been trying to figure out how to do damage control since last night. He says that he’ll look into it. Don’t know if Dad quite buys that. Mi Yeon says that if it’s a stalker, when they should catch him and turn him over to the police. What if something big happens to her sister-in-law? Wow, that tone. Like she really cares. She is enjoying this too much. Seok Hoon says that he was thinking of that too. It could be big problem.

Mask Episode 5 Recap

Episode begins where it left off, with Min Woo finding Ji Sook weeping over her mother. He’s touched by the genuine display of affection he witnesses.
[Episode 5 – The Needy Rich]
Seok Hoon wakes after his car accident in the hospital, with Mi Yeon holding his hand. It’s not what he’s expecting. They look at each other. Mi Yeon’s expression almost seems to be begging him to understand her genuine feelings of love toward him.

Ji Sook rides in the ambulance with Mom, still crying. She caresses Mom’s face and begs her to be alive, eat lots of good food, travel more often, and move to a bigger house. Min Woo watches her from the passenger seat of the ambulance.

And then Ji Hyuk runs out in front of the ambulance, so it hits him. How does he run out in front of an ambulance? How does he not see it? It’s not like it was hidden and appeared at the last second.

Back at the hospital, Seok Hoon wants to know the time and starts to try to pull out his IV so he can get out of bed. Mi Yeon stops him.

The ambulance driver rushes out to check on the man he just hit. He wants to take Ji Hyuk to the hospital with them, but says that he really didn't get hit. He just fell because he was startled, so they can go. And he's limping, so it’s obvious that he’s lying. Driver tries to insist but Ji Hyuk refuses: He’s busy. Is Driver busy, too?

From inside the ambulance, Ji Sook is shocked to see that her brother just got hit by their ambulance. He looks toward the ambulance and she dives out of sight, but not before he gets curious. He looks inside the ambulance at the woman, but the EMT leans over Mom so he misses that she’s in the ambulance. As Ji Hyuk is about to open the door to investigate this woman who seems to be hiding her face from him, the Driver asks if he’s decided to come. Dad runs over because he’s gotten a call that they’ve found Mom. The hospital just contacted him. Dad and Ji Hyuk hurry away and Ji Sook stifles more tears.

As the ambulance gets underway again, Min Woo yells at her, asking if she’s okay. She sadly shakes her head ‘no.’ He’s bothered.

Mask Episode 4 Recap

Episode starts jumping back before the wedding. Ji Sook asks – a creepy-looking – Seok Hoon what he wants her to do after she marries Min Woo. He replies that she needs to get Min Woo to be on her side. She has to make him believe her. He tosses the dossier on Min Woo that he is holding onto the couch and says that Min Woo hates skinship. He actually uses ‘skinship’ instead of saying ‘being touched.’ Heh. Get Min Woo's body first. Then she’ll have his heart, too. All of Choi Min Woo. Ji Sook is a bit shocked. Is Seok Hoon telling her to sleep with him?

Seok Hoon asks – like the answer is obvious – if there’s a problem with spouses sleeping together. His inflection and expression is killing me. Heh. Ji Sook can only sputters as she reacts to this. At least she doesn’t want to sleep with a man unless she loves him. Another reason why I like her. And what kind of woman was Eun Ha that she didn’t have a problem with it? Seok Hoon says that in a year, Min Woo will become the successor to the SJ Group. She has to prevent that from happening. And how is he planning that?

He reminds her of reality: A father who attempted suicide because of money. A daughter who chose death because of her father. He almost seems like he’s enjoying this. The world where one sings and one screams. They are living in hell right now. Together they’ll make a heaven, Seo Eun Ha. What is his reason for doing this? Why is he thinking that he’s in hell right now? Why does he hate Min Woo so much?

[Episode 4 -- The Heaven created by the Devil]
Great title! Because Seok Hoon is the devil, trying to create his own heaven.