The shows starts off with a bang. I mean I wasn’t planning on recapping it, but here I am anyway. Our heroine, Byeon Ji Sook (Soo Ae) is precariously driving down a road, swerves to miss a deer, runs off the road, crashes through trees and then runs off a cliff, only to be saved by the guard rail that she had driven through. Some guy who was in the car with her is unconscious and falls out through the now-missing windshield into the ocean. Because she luckily drove off a cliff with the ocean below and not a deep gorge of hard things like trees and rocks and dirt at the bottom.
Ji Sook is, for some reason, handcuffed to the steering wheel. Did they mean to kill her? A man that her phone identifies as ‘Crazy Bastard’ calls. She begs for help but he’s all about her accepting his proposal. The car is starting to slip, scaring Ji Sook even more, and he refuses to help her unless she says yes. He hangs up on her. She starts to cry. She calls him back and agrees to do whatever he tells her to do. He tells her that he has one condition. She must die. Only if she dies can things go as planned. She asks if he wants her to die right now? He tells her that dying isn't so bad. But being able to determine how you die is something to be thankful for. There’s a pause and he asks what she’s decided.
Sadly, Ji Sook agrees. If it means that everyone will be happy, then so be it. He tells her that she, too, will be happy. She tells him that he will die and go to hell. I like her. Feisty to the end. He answers that she should worry about that after she dies. He hangs up.
Ji Sook can only wait to die. She looks at a picture of her parents and her brother on her handphone and decides to record a farewell message to them. She tells them that she loves them. She starts to weep. She can’t stop herself. She starts another message. She asks, angry and weeping, why she had to live like that?
Are you living to make money or making money to live? Aren't you even exhausted? Dad, stop making your family go through hard times. Please! Ji Hyuk, come to your senses! This world isn't that easy. You all take care. If she is born again, she will not live this way.She ends her message and waits to die. The cable breaks and her car plunges into the water.
Switch to Ji Sook lying on a slab, being identified by her family. Her voiceover says that dying isn't that bad, you say? What kind of dirty lie is that? Dying isn't good. 'The Blue Danube' starts to play.
Her funeral. Her voiceover says that there are some good things about dying. When someone dies, some cash flows in. Those co-workers who were born to bother her, she never has to see them ever again. Said co-worker – a big woman – is obviously only there to eat. She gets stares and glares from two women who actually look upset. She doesn’t care. Voiceover says that her loans and debts, all of them, will be wiped out immediately.
Mom loudly sobs as they cremate Ji Sook's body. Ji Sook says that she that won't be able to eat the soybean paste stew that her mom makes and that does make her a little sad. Not being able to see her dad's smiling face, Ji Hyuk’s silly actions, she won't be seeing them again.
Switch to Min Woo in his closet getting dressed. Ji Sook says that it's all because of that bastard. Min Woo? What’s with all the Woos? My last 3 dramas, the guy’s second name is Woo: Gun Woo from ‘Maendorong Ttottot,’ Sun Woo from ‘Oh My Ghostess’ and now Gun Woo. Oi. If only that guy didn't take away all her happiness two days ago. So is he ‘Crazy Bastard’? It didn’t sound like it would be him, all sinister and stuff.
[Two days ago]
Min Soo (Joo Ji Hoon) stares at two tie tacks and anguishes over which one to wear. Finally he throws one down, rolling his eyes at himself and telling himself to stop. He grabs his suit jacket and leaves his closet. His secretary, Chang Soo (Jo Yoon Woo) – who looks familiar… he was in ‘The Heirs’ and ‘Flower Boy Ramyun Shop’ – hands him his portfolio. As Min Woo leaves, one of the house workers – Kim Yun Soo (Kim Ji Min) – wishes him good luck.
Min Woo gives a presentation on SJ’s Shopping Mall, which made 1.217 Trillion RKW last year. Dang. Things have been growing the last three years. The meeting’s about building a new large-scale shopping mall, so that their revenue can exceed 30 Trillion RKW by 2020. That's crazy ambitious, given that they're wanting 2500% growth in just 5 years. Min Woo’s father, Chairman Choi Doo Hyun (Jun Gook Hwan) is there, as is his brother-in-law, Min Seok Hoon (Yun Jung Hoon).
Seok Hoon raises his hand and sets his coffee cup on the table. There’s a small drip of coffee running down the side and, as it sits on the table, Min Woo sees black ooze flow forth from the cup. And right before he raised his hand, it looked like Seok Hoon intentionally tipped his cup so that it would have that drip of coffee to infect the table, like he knows that it will bug Min Woo.
Seok Hoon starts to poke holes in Min Woo’s presentation and as he does, Min Woo gets distracted by someone coughing – it’s like the man just spit blood onto the table – and another man picking his nose and then putting the offending hand on the table. More and more ooze appears on the table.
Chairman Dad yells Min Woo's name to get his attention. When he answers and calls Dad ‘Abeoji,’ Dad sucks air through his teeth to warn him about his bad behavior. Min Woo corrects himself and calls Dad ‘Chairman.’ Dad growls that the people of Korea may think that it's natural for a child to inherit his/her parent's company. but are there just one or two cases where incompetent heirs ruin a company? They shouldn't forget that. If any child shows they're incompetent, they'll lose the spot. Understand? Min Woo answers that he’s more than fully aware (and afraid) of that. Nice Dad. Completely dress Min Woo down in front of everyone. And Seok Hoon had a little smirk going, too. It was on purpose, the coffee drip.
Olivia Lauren Fashion Show.
This is a real designer in South Korea that Soo Ae is a spokesmodel for. I really like her stuff and Soo Ae looks beautiful in the pictures.
The parent company (Sejung)’s website says that “The brand name, OLIVIA LAUREN, was created by combining ‘Olivia,’ which represents abundance, life, peace and stability, and ‘Lauren,’ a beautiful woman pursuing a luxurious feminine style, Together, it represents women, who strive for luxury and stability in their homes. Also, it mixes the practical elements and the sensitivity of a character brand to offer high quality and value at a reasonable price.”
The target customers are “housewives and women with careers in their 40s, who are committed to their families and their own achievements, and pursue wise and practical consumption focusing on affordability and value.” Very cool that there’s a brand that doesn’t target teens and women in their early twenties. It always seems like the mall is full of those types of stores.
So we get to have a little meta moment.
Eun Ha is dispassionately watching the models. Min Woo is with her. Oo, like that dress. Like that dress a lot. As she watches she tells Min Woo that there’s a rumor that he doesn't like girls. She smiles at him like she’s enjoying asking an unsettling question. Min Woo, still watching the show, sighs and asks if she picked anything. She picks a few things. He tells her that she should have asked for the entire mall. She tells him to give it to her as a wedding present; people will be impressed by that for sure. He looks at her, his smile firmly in place. Although it wavers just a fraction here.
Eun Ha looks at him and asks if she’s asking for too much. He replies that it *is* too much. She answers that she doesn't like stingy men. Like that's being stingy. She changes the conversation to her lover. Even if she marries, she'll still meet him. If that causes a problem for them, she can't do this marriage. Min Woo sighs. Almost like he’s saying ‘if only.’ He’s read the contract, correct? If he does any unwanted skinship, she’ll press charges and he’ll never have a child. He needs to keep that in mind on their honeymoon since he could make a mistake when he’s drunk. Gosh, this is such a business merger. That’s really sad. But she knows how the world works.
Eun Ha mentions the company shares. Min Woo cuts her off to say that 20 days after they're married, they’ll be transferred to her. He reminds her that if *she* violates the contact, she’ll be asked to pay damages. Eun Ha smiles, a little bitter. Min Woo says that he hopes that it won't get that far since it won't be easy for her household to handle. Eun Ha coolly smiles and says that it’s a relief. She was worried that they wouldn't have the same idea. If they do well, they can even be friends. Min Woo laughs and says that you don't become friends with those you do business with. It doesn't end very well. Used to dealing with the sharks...
Fashion show is done. Lots of bags in Eun Ha’s car. They’re saying goodbye. Min Woo snaps his fingers and Chang Soo steps forward to present Eun Ha with a bag. Min Woo tells her to check it. It's the deposit. The wedding ring. Eun Ha's reaction says that it’s satisfactory.
Eun Ha turns to leave and Min Woo asks if the person she loves know that they’re going to marry. The slight change in her face says that this disturbs her. She doesn’t turn around and coolly says that he'll find out when they get married. Min Woo tells her that it's a pity. For both of them. He adds that he’s being sincere. She turns around, smile now firmly fixed, and asks if *he* doesn’t have anyone he loves. His expression doesn’t waver as he looks at her. She tells him that it’s a pity… sincerely. Min Woo checks his watch and after giving her one last little half-smirk – like ‘what a piece of work I’m marrying’ – he leaves.
As Eun Ha starts to get into her car, one of the workers from the mall yells at her, calling her Ji Sook. When Eun Ha looks at her coldly, the woman – Mal Ja (Hwang Suk Jang) bows her head with apology. Eun Ha leaves and Mal Ja says that it’s no way that it’s her.
Ji Sook is standing before her supervisor’s desk. Supervisor – the obnoxious woman who was only at the funeral for the food – proceeds to rant and scream at Ji Sook for her performance (or lack thereof). Ji Sook is the department’s lowest performing salesgirl. As Supervisor throws her fit, time slows down as Ji Sook starts to sing ‘The Blue Danube’ in her head. And I like this girl. Just for this. Just for this. Supervisor finishes and asks Ji Sook if she understands. Ji Sook smiles politely and says that she does. Supervisor dismisses her with a hand wave.
Lunch time. Her friend, Myung Hwa (Park Yun Soo) tells her not to worry about Supervisor. Ji Sook asks Myung Hwa if she makes money to live or lives to make money. Myung Hwa says that it’s neither; it’s to find a man. Mal Ja comes running up and declares that she just met someone who looks JUST like Ji Sook: round eyes, round mouth and round butt. Heh. Does she have a twin by chance? Myung Hwa sighs and says that Mal Ja is doing it again. Last time, Mal Ja said there was someone who looked like her.
Mal Ja says that Ji Sook’s look alike seemed like she has a lot of money. Just the look was falling over with sleekness. Does Ji Sook really not have a twin? Ji Sook slams her spoon down on her tray. She sighs and declares that it’s true. She’s actually SJ's second daughter. Dramatic gasps from Mal Ja and Myung Hwa. Before inheriting the company, she just wanted to experience what employees go through. Even more dramatic gasping. From now on, she’s going to run this company cafeteria and they will serve Han Woo beef (very expensive beef) every day.
Interesting article about the origin, domestication and breeding strategies for Hanwoo cattle:
Abstract says: Hanwoo (Korean cattle) is the native, taurine type of cattle breed of Korea and its history as a draft animal dates back to 5000 Years. In earlier times Hanwoo was used extensively for farming, transportation. Over the period of time, Hanwoo has changed to be meat type cattle. Full-scale production of Hanwoo as meat-type cattle has occurred since 1960s with the rapid growth of the Korean economy. Hanwoo is one of the most economically important species in Korea as it is a significant source of nutrition to the Korean people. Hanwoo beef is the most cherished food of Korea. One of the main goals of researchers is to increase the meat quality, quantity and taste of the beef. In this review we describe the origin, domestication of Hanwoo cattle and breeding program initiated from 1980’s. Moreover the advent of technological advancement had provided us a platform to perform genome wide selection on economic traits and its implementation into traditional breeding programs.
So back to the show. Ji Sook has just declared that she’s a chaebol’s daughter and she will make them serve only Hanwoo beef in the cafeteria.
Ji Sook declares that she will fire anyone who criticizes people for taking too long at lunch. Mal Ja relishes that by making fish-swimming hand motions. Myung Hwa asks Ji Sook why she’s saying this now. Is it because of SJ’s hidden third daughter? Myung Hwa grabs a chicken nugget and tells Ji Sook to show it to the girl when they meet. Ji Sook picks up another nugget and holds it next to the one Myung Hwa is holding.
Mal Ja fiercely tells them to stop. Ji Sook and Myung Hwa stop smiling. Mal Ja grabs a nugget and declares that she’s actually Ji Sook’s mother. Melodramatic looks as Ji Sook cries, “Oma!” Fake crying from the reunion. Myung Hwa cries 'Unni' and the three of them dramatically embrace across the table. I love her friends. Very cool.
Switch to Ji Sook being chewed out for not taking back a dress, even though the woman DOESN’T HAVE A RECEIPT. Woman yells for Ji Sook to call her manager and Ji Sook caves. Woman throws the dress at her and grumbles at how Ji Sook made her yell. Yeah, she made you not bring a receipt when you know it's required and then she forced you to be obnoxious. A man with a really bad hair – like it’s a wig – comes to buy a dress. But it’s the Loan Shark that Ji Sook’s father owes money too.
Once they're alone, Ji Sook asks for more time. Loan Shark walks forward, so that Ji Sook is shoved against a wall. He punches his fist through the wall next to Ji Sook’s hand and then tells her to pay at least the interest owed. He pulls out his bloody fist – like it doesn’t hurt at all – and wipes the blood on her shirt.
Ji Sook goes to the bathroom and tries to clean the blood off her clothes. She gets a text that her high school is having a reunion wine party get-together.
As Ji Sook hurries from the bathroom to get back to work, she accidentally collides with Min Woo. She immediately starts bowing an apology. He misses her face because he notices the blood on her shirt, blood that has touched his blazer. She hurries off and Min Woo runs back to his bedroom. He quickly strips off his jacket, shirt and tie. He grabs a new shirt from his closet and, as he buttons it, he slows his gasping breath, even covering his mouth to calm himself. He looks absolutely pathetic as he looks at himself in the mirror.
Ji Sook arrives at the high school wine party. It’s obvious that Ji Sook is nervous. She goes to sit at the bar and a girl moves a purse into the seat she's about to sit in to stop her. The mean girls talk about her cattily, that she’s probably there to borrow money. When they approach Ji Sook, she’s very friendly and they’re not. They act like they don’t recognize her. Head mean girl ‘remembers’ her – the one that used to beat up guys, right? A smug-looking man notices them from across the room. Head Mean Girl says that it’s nice Ji Sook came. They were making a a bet. Ji Sook should do it too. They pull out a huge decanter full of red wine. HMG says that if Ji Sook’s able to drink it in one shot, the reward is 300. Hearing the reward, Ji Sook agrees. Everyone’s watching now.
Ji Sook is able to drink the whole thing, with everyone cheering her on. Guy doesn’t enjoy the show. Ji Sook turns back to HMG, who says that Ji Sook never disappoints. She presents Ji Sook with her prize: 300 RKW. Not the 300,000 RKW that Ji Sook was expecting, but that was the point. Everyone laughs. Guy doesn’t. Ji Sook stares at the coins and tries not to cry. Guy walks up, shoves HMG out of the way and wrist grabs Ji Sook, telling her to come along.
Ji Sook ends up in his car. He asks why she got fooled by those kids. She wasn’t like that before. He reaches over to take her hand and she pulls her hand away. So not an old boyfriend? Or maybe a bad breakup? Guy mentions how they used to date, right? She doesn’t sound like that’s the case when she starts to answer. He interrupts her to tell her that he’s missed her. He made the group text for today's meeting so he could see her. He almost sounds like a nice guy until… He tells her that they call her "Ah Jjang," a lower neighborhood's Ulzzang. Which means that she’s a pretty girl from a poor neighborhood. He asks why she was born so pretty and made him suffer. He could have dated her proudly in public if she didn't live in the lower neighborhood. Nice, dude. Scumbag.
They arrive at a hotel. Scumbag wants to go inside to ‘talk.’ Ji Sook resists and asks what he’s going to say. He says that he knows her heart. She may be shy at first. She shoves him away, so he falls over. And you should now kick him in his crotch for thinking like a creepy rapist. She declares that she’ll answer him clearly. They weren’t dating that time before. He was trying to use her, just like now. Go, Ji Sook!
Douche gets up, dusts himself off and gets back in his car. He pulls out a fat roll of 50,000 RKWs and tosses it at her. That's what she needs, right? Isn't it sad? Since they're all adults, they only meet if they need something. He tells her to take it and come back if she needs more. Whenever. Ji Sook stares at the money, fighting the tears. She slowly picks it up and tells Douche that she’s going to repay it. For sure. He snarks a ‘sure’ and drives away. Ji Sook begins to cry.
Ji Sook heads out to a pojangmacha and drinks a bunch of Soju. As she staggers home, she’s spotted by Min Woo when she stumbles and falls. He’s been replaying in his mind his last conversation with Eun Ha. He tells Chang Soo to stop the car. They back up and Min Woo gets out of the car. After making sure that it does, indeed, look to be Eun Ha, he asks what she’s doing and what’s up with her clothes. He noticed her clothes. That's an unusual man. She asks if he knows her. He sighs and says that it’s not very well.
Min Woo notices that Ji Sook’s knee is bleeding. He asks how much she had to drink. Ji Sook asks him why it matters to someone she doesn't know? He nods, remembering the contract terms. Right, they decided not to worry about each other. He straightens his tie and asks her about ending up in the paper. She laughs and smiles up at him. Is he flirting with her right now? Min Woo is understandably puzzled by that question. And a little disturbed.
Ji Sook lays down on the sidewalk and tells Min Woo to do whatever he wants, however he wants. Wow. He squats next to her and asks if she’s being like this because of ‘that person,’ the one she said she loved. Ji Sook laughs. Love? That's luxury. It's hard just to survive, what love?! Chang Soo asks Min Woo what they should do. Min Woo says to leave her. Chang Soo points out that Min Woo shouldn't do anything that will get him criticized. Min Woo asks why *this* is something that people would disapprove of. It's something he’ll give disapproval to.
As Min Woo starts to walk away, he imagines all the people around him talking about what he’s doing:
Omo, Oppa, is that guy leaving his drunk lover there and just going?A whole crowd of people are eagerly reading about how SJ's son left a girl on the streets. When they notice him, they give him disapproving looks. Min Woo looks away – and we see that no one’s actually at the newsstand. He starts to pant from the stress. Wow, this boy is tightly wound.
No way, he wouldn't.
Do you think he'll just leave her?
No matter how much they may have fought, leaving such pretty little lady like that on the ground?
If he does that, he'll get hit by lightning. (And the dog the woman’s walking barks its disapproval, too.)
Switch to hotel room. Min Woo is helping Ji Sook stagger in. He tells her that they’ve already agreed on two percent of the company's shares. She can't say something else later. I had to think about this one for a minute. He’s referring to the skinship clause in their marriage contract. Which didn’t say anything about *her* getting drunk and touching *his* body. She slurs that she’ll do 5%. Why is he so petty?
They stumble and fall into a chair so that she’s sitting on his lap. She starts to squirm. He asks what's the matter. She starts to gag. As she throws up on him, he screams and shoves her off him. Heh! I'm not a germophobe and I would have done that. He runs away, shedding his clothing as he goes. *All* of it. Well, maybe not that. He runs into the shower and frantically scrubs everywhere to get himself clean. Finally he stops to pant.
Ji Sook rouses from her stupor because she’s going to throw up again. She runs into the bathroom – where Min Woo is scrubbing away – but doesn’t even notice him. She hurls in the toilet. Her money roll drops and she can’t find the pockets in her coat – even though they’re right there. She spots a robe hanging on the wall and stuffs the money in its pocket – even though she’s wearing her purse and could have easily put it in there. She closes the lid and falls back asleep leaning on it.
Min Woo emerges from the shower and jumps because she’s in the bathroom. He’s wearing a towel, but still feels awkward. He tries to ease his way over to the robe hanging on the wall, but slips on the tiled floor and falls onto a table, knocking everything off of it. He stops to see if Ji Sook’s awakened by the noise. She isn’t. He notices that she’s about to fall over and whack her head on the tile. He dives to catch her and in the process loses his towel. They end up on the floor with him cradling her in his arms. They looks at each other and she mutters ‘thank you’ before passing out. Min Woo blinks and wonders what to do now.
Min Woo returns to his house, dressed in the robe. He tries to look dignified. Chul wonders if Min Woo didn’t like what he was wearing that day (since he's now wearing a robe). Min Woo gets dressed again. He flashes back to drunk Eun Ha. Why was she like that?
Next day, Eun Ha is at the department store. She’s flipping through a magazine and comes across a spread about doppelgangers. The first one who sees the other dies. Attendant arrives and says that they increased the size of her ring to 10. Wow, fat fingers. Maybe sizes are different in Korea, but my ring size is 5 ¾s. Eun Ha wonders how someone can not know their fiancée’s ring size. As she starts to look at the ring, she spots a woman wearing her outfit. She rolls her eyes and leaves – partially relieved that it’s not her doppelganger.
Ji Sook wakes up, leaning on the toilet in the hotel bathroom. She’s freaked out because she doesn’t know how she got there. She grabs a razor for protection. When she comes out into the suite, she sees the clothes lying on the floor, right where Min Woo shed them. This jogs her memory enough. She notices the time and quickly runs to work. Luckily, she’s not caught by Supervisor, who is currently yelling at another employee. Myung Hwa asks why she hasn’t been answering her calls. Her father is in the hospital.
Ji Sook hurries to leave and accidentally runs into a woman. The woman’s broach breaks and Ji Sook apologizes and starts to pick the pieces up. Woman is obnoxious: 'Seriously! She’s going crazy!' Eun Ha is riding the escalator down, trying on her wedding ring. Or at least trying to try it on. It’s still too small for her finger. When she pulls it off from where it was stuck, she loses hold of it. It falls and rolls over to Ji Sook. And Eun Ha, with her 5-foot heels – seriously, they are basically the length of her entire foot, like she’s walking on tiptoe – spots Ji Sook first. She’s understandably unsettled at seeing her doppelganger. They stare at each other and Ji Sook holds out the ring.
Ji Sook heads to the hospital. Her father, Byeon Dae Sung (Jung Dong Hwan), tried to kill himself. Mom, Kang Ok Soon (Yang Mi Kyung) feels guilty for momentarily wishing that Dad would die so that they would be free of the debt. Ji Sook asks about Ji Hyuk, and we switch to Ji Hyuk (Hoya) at a bank, robbing it. But that’s just in his imagination. He hasn’t robbed it yet. He’s waiting for his number to be called. He practices what he’s going to say. His number comes up. He hesitates and gets skipped. A security guard notices that he’s acting strangely. Ji Sook calls him. It’s enough to get him to leave. Ji Hyuk quickly leaves.
Ji Sook remembers her doppelganger and asks Mom if she, perhaps, had a twin that they gave away for adoption. Mom tells her to stop talking nonsense.
Switch to Chul getting slapped so hard by Dad that he falls onto the floor. Chul gets up and *apologizes to Dad* for upsetting him. He escorts the man who’s shown up uninvited out, even as the man pleads for Dad’s mercy. And I just have to say, no one should feel entitled to slap someone like that. It’s just wrong. Dad and the rest of the family – Stepmom, Noona – pretend like the guy doesn’t exist and their dinner hasn’t been interrupted. Min Woo and Seok Hoon are a little less stone-faced.
Dad smiles – like the whole thing never happened – and asks Min Woo if he’s met Eun Ha yet. Seok Hoon’s face looks like he’s paying attention but trying to look like he’s not. I wonder what that’s about. Mi Yeon starts to say that Dad shouldn’t be making Min Woo marry Eun Ha, but Dad acts like she’s not even talking. Mi Yeon stops. Dad asks how the meeting was. Min Woo responds by quoting Dad: “Those who have power make knees bend and those who don't have power bend their knees.” The marriage is either kneeling down or make them kneeling down.
Stepmom says that it’s unfortunate that he’s getting married. It would have been nice if his mom was there. Where’s his Oma? Dad glares at Stepmom and slams his silverware on his plate meaningfully. Min Woo nods and exhales. What was that about?
Yun Soo comes across Chul crying. She asks what’s wrong and he says that he’s crying because the flowers are pretty. Wow. She tells him that she found this roll of money in Min Woo’s robe. Seok Hoon happens to walk by and he says that he’ll give it back to Min Woo. What is he up to?
He heads to his quarters, where Mi Yeon is downing wine. He asks why she's like that again. She asks if he also thinks that she’s trying to take over the company and kick out Min Woo. Seok Hoon says that no one thinks like that. She should just ignore what Min Woo said. She knows he’s not a normal person, right?
The look on her face makes him realize that he went too far. Mi Yeon stops him and says that he’s right… but she’s not normal either. She walks toward him and says that she doesn’t know why she married a boring guy who knows only work. So she’s drinking because of their relationship. Seok Hoon smiles and says that he’s not normal either. Because he married a girl who has bad drinking habits and cries easily. Mi Yeon takes another few steps forward, so that they’re almost touching. She asks if he regrets it. He says he does. Why couldn't he find a girl like her sooner? Mi Yeon leans forward and whispers “Lies.” She turns to walk away but Seok Hoon grabs her and forcefully kisses her. They begin to make out on the sofa.
Min Woo is visiting with his psychiatrist, Doctor Kim. Doc asks if he’s still seeing something coming out of the water? Min Woo smiles and asks what Doc would do if he continued to think like that. But he’s fine now. Doc asks about Oma’s death. Min Woo says that it was an accident. Thinking that someone killed his mother was a child-like thought. Wow, he's really trying to sound convincing. He thinks someone killed Oma. Doc isn’t buying it. Doc asks if he’s been taken his medication. Min Woo says that he has. Doc is surprised and asks to see the bottle. Min Woo chuckles and says that it’s not necessary. He’s taking them well.
Doc sighs and says Min Woo's name. Min Woo pulls out the pills, unconsumed. He says that he’s looked into the pill's side effects and if you take a lot, you can die from a heart attack. Doc makes a note of “You can die from a heart attack”… Still looking at the pills, as if entranced, Min Woo says that he’s not crazy. He keeps saying it, eventually shoving the pills and everything else off the table and screaming that he’s crazy!!! And he totally sounds and looks crazy right now, especially in the eyes. As Doc looks at him, he pants. Mi Yeon and Seok Hoon burst into the room. Min Woo looks at them and defeated, he starts to cry.
Joo Ji Hoon is a great crier. I totally feel for Min Woo right now. I expected some angst, but not so early. Come on, Mask! More and more you’re looking to be totally awesome.
Ji Sook has just discovered Ji Hyuk’s plan and tells him he’s an idiot. She punches his arm several times. Ji Hyuk protests about needing the money. Ji Sook says that she has it and searches her pockets for the roll of money… but it’s not there. Because she put in the robe’s pocket, not her jacket. Dad wakes up and apologizes for worrying them. Ji Sook yells at him for trying to take the easy way out and for being a wastrel. What about them? She says that she wishes Dad wasn’t her father because of how he makes them suffer. She tells him not to run away like a coward. Repay the debt and don't leave until he makes their family happy. She leaves and Dad starts to cry. Ji Sook catches an elevator and starts to weep in spite of herself. The other occupants feel awkward. And I wonder how often we’re going to be seeing a crying Ji Sook. Not that I’m complaining, but she cries a lot.
That night, Min Woo can’t sleep, because he hears voices tell him that he’s crazy. He gets out of bed and turns on his stereo. He looks out the window and sees a woman floating in the water. He grabs Chul for help, but when they get to the pool, there’s no one there. Min Woo mutters that it can’t be. He chews on his thumb as he tells himself that he definitely saw her.
Stepmom appears and says that 10 years pass… even if 100 years pass, how can Min Woo forget something like that? She wouldn’t be able to for the rest her life. Min Woo being like this is a given. Her voice sounds so compassionate here. Min Woo says that he’ll tell Dad. Stepmom doesn’t see the need to bother Dad. They’ll pretend it never happened. She smiles kindly towards Min Woo.
Now freaked out, Min Woo takes one of the pills he didn’t want to take.
Ji Sook heads back to the hotel and hunts for the money. Instead she finds Min Woo’s business card holder, which fell out of his pocket when he was stripping off his clothes.
Lunch out by the pool. A stringed ensemble plays classical music. Maudlin music at that. Min Woo and Eun Ha sit at either end of a long table. One of the servants walks forward with wine, and as she pulls off the cork, she drops a pill inside. Then she pours it into Eun Ha’s glass. Who’s trying to kill Eun Ha? Eun Ha takes a drink of it and Min Woo waves the ensemble to stop.
Sounding bored, Eun Ha asks if Min Woo has a faster song? She’ll fall asleep soon. The ensemble starts playing something peppy. As peppy as a bass and viola can sound. Min Woo watches her as he chews. Eun Ha notices and asks why he’s staring. He asks if she doesn’t remember. She looks away. He nods and says that not remembering is better for both of them.
Eun Ha asks what he’s talking about. Min Woo chuckles almost bitterly. She repeats her question. Min Woo gets up and walks over to her. He asks if he should make her remember. She doesn’t look at him but continues to look at her plate. He looks down and notices that there’s no scrape on her knee. He squats down and wonders if Eun Ha is wearing skin-colored hose. He reaches over to investigate and Eun Ha slaps his hand away. Does he want to be prosecuted for that? Did he already forget the content of the contract? He looks at her like he can’t believe she just said that. And from his perspective, it’s totally understandable, since she’s the one that forced all the skinship the night before.
Mi Yeon arrives, so Min Woo steps back a few feet. Eun Ha barely gives Mi Yeon a glance. Mi Yeon tells her that she doesn’t know how Eun Ha can do it. There is no one in this house that will welcome her. Min Woo sighs. Seok Hoon arrives. He asks Mi Yeon what she’s doing. Eun Ha and Seok Hoon share a look that makes me think that they are more than just friends, that he’s the man she was referring to when she said that she was still going to see someone. And it sure looks like he’s trying to protect his lover from Mi Yeon. Mi Yeon puts on a mean girl smile and says that she just...wanted to hear what Eun Ha had to say.
Mi Yeon turns back to Eun Ha and asks how Eun Ha’s planning on enduring the place, since she has no one to rely on. Small facial reaction from Seok Hoon. Seok Hoon waves at the ensemble to go, so everyone but the four of them clears out. Min Woo just stands there. He seems annoyed that Mi Yeon’s going to do this, but he also knows that jumping in will only make Mi Yeon more obnoxious. Besides, Eun Ha needs to be able to defend herself, because Min Woo isn’t always going to be there.
Eun Ha takes a drink of her wine and smiles up at Mi Yeon. She asks if she really needs someone to rely on. This is business anyways. Min Woo’s eyebrows twitch, like he’s surprised she just said that. Mi Yeon stops smiling. One never knows. Eun Ha looks in Seok Hoon’s direction and says that they might get along after living together. Seok Hoon grimaces slightly at that, like he can’t stand the thought of Min Woo touching her. Mi Yeon looks at him and you can tell the wheels are turning in her head.
Eun Ha asks who it would affect more if the marriage fails. Her father would just need to find another sponsor to enter the Presidential Elections. But what about Chairman Choi? Malpractice, embezzlement, and secret funds...Prosecutors won't stay put with all that. So Dad's not only an abusive, control freak, but a crooked businessman to boot. When there's a change of power in government, you can see on the news many chairmen with handcuffs. Mi Yeon – who sounds absolutely bothered by Eun Ha’s attitude – asks if Eun Ha is aware of how many of the Prosecutors are *their* people? The Public Prosecutor General is her father's junior. Wow… Admitting that they have prosecutors in their back pocket… wow.
Eun Ha smiles and says that Mi Yeon can just arrange a marriage with one of them, then. And isn't the President the one who appoints the Public Prosecutor General? Livid, Mi Yeon starts to lunge at Eun Ha, but Seok Hoon stops her and drags her away. As Eun Ha watches him go, it’s obvious that it makes her sad. Mi Yeon doesn’t miss it, either. Eun Ha has another drink of wine.
Like nothing just happened, Min Woo suggests they set a date, since it seems that Eun Ha isn’t going to back out. When is she free? She says to talk to her secretary, since it’s really just a matter of making time to do it. Min Woo’s fine with that. Eun Ha smiles at the irony and asks him if it isn’t funny that they’re doing it. Humans are thinking animals but they're acting more like animals than thinking like humans, all because of money. It just must be the fate of a kept woman's child. Min Woo doesn’t appreciate the comment.
Eun Ha mentions that she heard that his mother is also a kept woman. So she was talking about herself. How interesting, that both of them are the products of affairs and yet are treated as full members of the family rather than illegitimates. Eun Ha asks if Min Woo’s mother will come to the wedding because hers won’t. So she doesn’t know that Oma is dead. I wonder why not. Eun Ha says that her mother threw her away and left a long time ago. That’s really sad that she thinks that. Min Woo doesn’t say anything. Eun Ha says that she’s heard the phrase “I left because of love,” but if you love, why leave? You should protect it to the end. Again, interesting.
Min Woo nods and walks toward her, knocking a knife from the table. He stops to stand next to her and she looks up at him. He almost looks pained.
Mi Yeon is leaning over a sink with the water running. Seok Hoon enters and says that he’s been looking for her. He sighs and tells her to stop being mad now. Eun Ha isn't so bad. Not the thing to say. He repeats what she said when she was being a mean girl and says that if Mi Yeon had said them to him, he would have been mad, too. He reaches toward her but she bats his hand away, screaming “PLEASE!!” He stops, surprised.
Obviously upset, Mi Yeon asks Seok Hoon not to take someone else's side in front of her. No matter how wrong she is, even if she kills a person, he has to be on her side. Isn't that so? Seok Hoon seems moved. Even if she kills someone? There’s a scream. They look out the window and it looks like someone is drowning in the pool.
Ji Sook decides that she will call Min Woo.
Min Woo is on the ground, lying on top of Eun Ha’s coat and purse. He slowly lifts himself up, obviously disoriented. His phone starts to buzz. Min Woo looks out at the pool. Eun Ha’s body is floating there. Seok Hoon comes running out. Min Woo is horrified.
Americanese
- To start off (something) with a bang – to be exciting from the first moment that something begins
- To be all about (something) – to be singularly focused on or devoted to a specific goal
- a (real) piece of work - used in a negative connotation typically, meaning that the person being described has one or more extreme (and usually negative) characteristics
- Mean girl - a term made popular by the movie, 'Mean Girls,' it refers to a member of the clique of popular girls in high school that takes pleasure in making others feel as worthless and as unattractive as possible.
- germophobe - someone with a phobia of germs and getting dirty/contaminated
- to hurl - in this context, it is a synonym for vomiting
- the wheels are turning in (someone's) head - someone is putting the pieces of a situation together to, in a way that it will lead to an answer
- (someone) is (something) to boot - in addition to the something described before the 'to boot' phrase, the person is also some other thing that is not quite related; beyond the things already attributed to the person, that person is additionally something else. To boot draws special attention to the characteristic that is being attributed.
- (something) had me - I was engaged and invested
- right out of the gate - from the moment (something) began
- to be chewed out - to be yelled out in a severe and personal manner, most often used in the context of receiving the rebuke from someone in authority
- the get-go - the outset, beginning of (something)
Thoughts
Wow, this show had me right out of the gate. I can’t recall too many that started out so dramatically. Veering off a mountain highway, crashing through trees and eventually precariously hanging off a cliff…. Pretty intense. Almost immediately I liked Byeon Ji Sook, because of how Su Ae played the whole thing. It felt like it was something that I would actually do: crying, recording goodbye messages where I chew out Dad for how he’s living and tell my brother to live better. I continued to like her even more as she starts humming ‘The Blue Danube’ by Johann Strauss while being chewed out by her obnoxious boss.
By the end of the episode, I was a Ji Sook fan. And a Min Woo fan, too, but I kind of figured that one since I loved Joo Ji Hoon in ‘Goong.’ From the minute I met him, I loved Min Woo, too. I mean, intensely staring at identical tie tacks like your life depended on getting the right one? And being annoyed at yourself for it? That made me love him from the get-go. And then, to be so cleverly introduced to his germ issues… fabulous.
One thing I appreciate about Joo Ji Hoon’s performance is that you just feel really sorry for this guy. I mean, as I watch him struggle, I keep saying to myself: “Oh, poor Min Woo.” We’ve seen other chaebols with germ issues and other phobias, but this is the first one that I really felt sorry for, because he genuinely seems trapped and sinking, even as he’s clawing desperately to try and escape.
He also seems to be a genuinely nice guy who has to pretend to be cold (wait, that sounds like Crown Prince Shin’s predicament… but this is *not* Shin Goon at all). He feels bad for his fiancée for having to marry him, even though she’s in love with someone else. When he sees her on the side of the road, fall-down drunk, he stops to help her, even when she doesn’t want to be helped. He also dives onto a bathroom floor to keep that fiancée from cracking her head open, even if it meant losing his towel in the process.
The show is really cleverly written, too, because at the beginning, we have a faceless man calling on the handphone. We only know that his number is labeled ‘Crazy Bastard’ and we don’t know who he is. He’ll only save Ji Hoon if she agrees to some deal – that we don’t know what it is – and then, after she agrees, he tells her that she’ll have to die anyway… right before she crashes into the water. Who was she talking to? The show leads you to believe that it’s Min Woo because Ji Sook says that the deal is all because of that bastard and then we jump back 2 days and see him (doing the aforementioned tie tack decision).
By the end of the episode, we *still* don’t know for certain who she’s talking about, because we haven’t gotten to where she’s hanging off the cliff yet. We get enough information to know why Ji Sook would consider the deal: a really, really bad man in the form of a loan shark to whom her wastrel father owes money. The loan shark doesn’t even flinch when he punches a hole in the wall and bloodies his hand. That’s scary. There’s no way her family is going to be able to pay it – at one point her brother almost robs a bank before deciding against it – and her father tries to kill himself over the whole thing. That’s pretty desperate.
We also learn enough about her to know that she’s genuinely liked by some people: the scene with her two friends at work was awesome: pretending to be characters is a makjang drama, which is a funny little meta joke, since this drama looks to have makjang elements in it. She’s also really bullied by her old classmates and some guy pressures her to whore herself out to get the money she needs.
We also meet Min Woo’s family: his father barks at him and rules everyone, including him, with an iron fist and by using threats. His sister is so unhappy that she drinks during the middle of the day. Part of her unhappiness is over her husband, who she believes just married her for her money even though he says otherwise. BIL also seems to have a soft spot for Min Woo’s fiancée, Eun Ha, and might be out to get Min Woo, what with him pocketing that roll of RKWs. And on top of all this, Min Woo watched his mother drown when he was a boy and his stepmother kindly reminds him about it from time to time. It seems to be the root of his issues. He’s seeing a psychiatrist for treatment and desperately trying to convince Doc and himself that he’s not crazy. Even if he does hallucinate a drowned woman from time to time.
The episode ends with someone drugging Eun Ha. It looks like Min Woo drinks some it, because he collapses on the ground, and when he comes to, he sees Eun Ha floating in the pool. We know she’s been drugged, but no one else does. All in all it’s a very promising start to the series. `
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