May Queen Episode 13

My virgin mind has recently been violated by knowledge of what "butt chugging" is. Kids, you're going to be getting plenty of enemas in the latter part of your life. Why rush things? Preserve the sanctity of your rectum.

 

 

 

Kang San drives up and confronts a stunned Chang Hee, telling him about Gi Cheol attacking Hae Joo just now. San rebukes Chang Hee that if he's not man enough to defend his woman, then he should let her go. Chang Hee, still reeling from what the loan shark told him, breaks away from San and goes to home to face his father.

 

Hae Joo returns home, trying to act like everything is okay although her cheek is red (from the slap) and her clothes are a bit torn. Dal Soon's dirty mind immediately jumps to the idea that the two youngsters have been fooling around. Yet later she sees Hae Joo is upset.

 

When an angry Chang Hee comes home, Gi Cheol thinks its over the latest abusive act he perpetrated on Hae Joo. (There have been so many I can understand how he couldn't keep them all straight.) Chang Hee shows Gi Cheol the picture in the paper of the arrested loan shark and demands to know why his father would do such a thing to a little girl. Gi Cheol doesn't deny he told the loan shark to make Hae Joo disappear, but his excuse is he was worried Chang Hee wasn't concentrating on his studies for mooning over her. Quite frighteningly his father warns he's ready and able to do the same thing today if Chang Hee doesn't break up with her.

 

Chang Hee packs his bags and finally (Finally!) leaves the big house. He drives down to Hae Joo's house, but instead of going up to the door, he texts her to come out and meet him. Dal Soon, still worried about what's going on, orders sister Young Joo to basically follow Hae Joo and spy on her. Hae Joo asks how the interrogation of the loan shark went. Did he find out why the thugs did what they did to her family? Chang Hee changes the subject and asks her to run off with him and get married. He tells her San told him about Gi Cheol attacking her and so he's left his father. Saint Hae Joo urges him not to be so unfilial and to not abandon his father.

 

Young Joo returns with her report of Gi Cheol's attack. Sang Tae is his usual idiotic self. Dal Soon stews.

 

Saint Hae Joo refuses to abandon her (idiotic) family. She and Chang Hee argue and she walks away. She comes home to be confronted by her family. Dal Soon yells at her for not telling about the attack. Whereas before Mom was all for Hae Joo marrying into Chang Hee's family, now she's forbidding it.

 

We get a music video of our three leads all being miserable.

 

The next day at work, Hae Joo discovers the shipbuilding is going to be behind schedule because the production costs have been severely cut. She goes to ask Il Mun about this. He just tells her it's not part of her job to be concerned about this and runs her out of his office. We can tell from the dramatic music playing that Il Mun has something to hide.

 

Kang San has drinks with Lee Bong Hee. He flatters her up one side and down the other. She totally buys it. San then gets to the heart of the matter. He asks her just why Jang Do Hyun is so interested in drilling ships when everybody knows there are no domestic oil sites around Korea. Bong Hee brings up a name from the past. Has San ever heard of Dr. Yoon Hak Soo? (Hae Joo's murdered father. The first murdered father, not the second murdered father.)

 

Dal Soon goes up to the big house, kicks off her shoes, and proceeds to attack and bite Gi Cheol. (Pregnant Bitch Mom, I don't know how this happened, but suddenly you're my favorite character ever!) She tells him if he ever hurts Hae Joo again, she's going to break both his legs. As she's leaving, Dal Soon pulls out a bag of salt from her purse and starts throwing it around. (In Korean culture, salt wards off evil spirits.) 

 

Just as Dal Soon starts to leave, Geum Hee sees her and invites her inside. (Inside the big house, where the Jang family live. Not the little big house where Gi Cheol lives.) Geum Hee apologizes for her visit back in Geoje. Dal Soon asks what happened to Geum Hee's lost child. She tells the story of how Park Gi Cheol accidentally (on purpose) dropped Yoo Jin in the ocean. Geum Hee goes on to explain how her daughter had a burn scar on the back of her neck just like Hae Joo. She also had a yellow knitted top like the one Dal Soon threw away, which explains why Geum Hee was asking the questions she was before.

 

Changing the subject, Geum Hee knows that Gi Cheol is opposing the marriage between his son and Hae Joo. Geum Hee offers to help straighten things out with him. Now that the marriage deal is off the table, at least in Dal Soon's mind, she gets all rude and tells Geum Hee not to stick her nose into other people's business.

 

Il Mun calls Kang San into his office for a meeting. Il Mun wants to build the ship with propellers made by another company. This is the exact opposite of what his dad wants to do. Do Hyun wants to build his own propeller here in Korea. San points this out to Il Mun. Il Mun claims the company doesn't have the funding or the technology to build propellers. Oh, and can San not mention this little private meeting between friends?

 

Yoon Jeong Woo and another prosecutor discuss their budding case against Il Mun for embezzlement and other stuff. Ah, so the production costs at the shipyard haven't been cut so much as Il Mun has been chopping off a big piece of the pie for himself.

 

Chang Hee drops by to visit with the Chun family. Dal Soon tears into him and throws him out (but not before Sang Tae hits him up for some money.)

 

Jang Do Hyun meets with Grandpa Dae Pyung. Do Hyun suggests they marry San with In Hwa and let bygones be bygones. Grandpa accuses him of using his own children to achieve business goals. Do Hyun brings up the stories he's heard about Kang San's parents, so it's not like Grandpa is so wonderful. (C'mon, tell us the stories! What is the deal with Kang San's parents??)

 

Chang Hee has pulled out the old file on Chun Hong Chul's accident. (Oh, is he suspicious?) He's interrupted by an urgent call from Do Hyun. Turns out that prosecutor from earlier, the one working with Jeong Woo, has gone and tattled to Do Hyun about Il Mun being in trouble. Now Do Hyun orders Chang Hee to put a stop to it any way he can.

 

At work, Hae Joo is in a meeting with the development team. There's some kind of talk about propellers that just makes me fade out of consciousness. The end result is Il Mun throws her out of the meeting for asking too many questions. A half drunk Kang San runs into her in the hallway and asks what's up. Hae Joo confides in him that she thinks something fishy is going on around here.

 

Chang Hee rushes into Jeong Woo's office and informs his boss how that other prosecutor is a spy. That Do Hyun knows all about Jeong Woo's case against Il Mun. Chang Hee advises Jeong Woo to drop Il Mun and instead go after Do Hyun.

 

Speaking of Do Hyun, he's brooding in his office when Nameless Minion (who hasn't changed a bit in 15 years) brings in a box. Do Hyun opens it to reveal the bent and bloodied license plate off of the truck that Gi Cheol used to hit Hong Chul. (How did they get a hold of the plate?) The two men discuss what the statute of limitations is on a murder case.

 

Dal Soon brings a packed lunch to Hae Joo down at her office. The two women go out to the seaside for lunch. Dal Soon realizes this is the first time she's ever packed Hae Joo's lunch. This causes the woman to start feeling guilty for all the times she's been so mean to our heroine over the years. Choked up with tears, Dal Soon confesses that she's not Hae Joo's birth mother. (Hae Joo already suspected this years ago so I don't understand what the big surprise is. But perhaps now she'll get to ask some questions about the past.)

Office Girls Episode 13

Xing Ren shows her counter designs to Cheng Feng in hopes of gaining some insight into just what We Mi Na wants. This just tears Zi Qi up to see Xing Ren spending time with the designer. He later once again warns Cheng Feng to stay away from her. Older and wiser Cheng Feng informs Zi Qi that if this is how he's going to conduct his relationship with Xing Ren, they won't be together for long. Zi Qi needs to learn to respect Xing Ren and communicate with her.

 

Since trying to get Yu Cheng Feng to stay away isn't working, Zi Qi goes to Plan B. He plots to get Cheng Feng and Mi Na back together so they can leave Taiwan and go back to Paris.

 

Xing Ren shows her designs to Mi Na. Mi Na announces she's changed her mind. She's not going to have a Yu Cheng Feng counter in the store. However, she would like to hire Xing Ren on as a personal assistant/manager and take her to Paris. Xing Ren would have to sign a contract and work for at least three years. The job would take her to Paris, New York and Tokyo. The money is very tempting to the poor gal. However, on the con side that would mean leaving her mom behind. And now there's Zi Qi to think about as well.

 

On Zi Qi's advice, Shi Te Long stands outside the girls' apartment building and serenades Le Le. She threatens him with a pair of shears.

 

Cheng Feng takes Mi Na out for brunch. They start off alright but end up arguing. Mi Na tells him about her job offer to Xing Ren. He feels Mi Na is using Xing Ren to get to him.

 

Xing Ren is away from her desk when her cell phone receives a message. Zi Qi takes it upon himself to see what it is. Cheng Feng has texted her, asking if she really wants to go to Paris. Not knowing about the job offer, Zi Qi immediately jumps to the conclusion that Xing Ren is going with Cheng Feng. Xing Ren later clears things up with Zi Qi, yet also jumps all over him (as she should) for reading her private messages. The two argue.

 

After work, and after a therapy session with his stuffed toy, Zi Qi grabs his guitar and sings an apology to Xing Ren. As he tries to convince her to stay in Taipei, Xing Ren gets a call from Mi Na. She's down on the street corner with a couple of packed bags. She asks if she can stay with Xing Ren for the night. Naturally Xing Ren takes her in. Xing Ren takes everybody in.

 

Mi Na and Zi Qi get rather plastered that evening and talk about Cheng Feng while a concerned Xing Ren looks on. Drunk Zi Qi promises her he'll get her and Cheng Feng back together. Then he goes to throw up. Mi Na hits that crying-in-her-drink level of drunkenness, asking what's wrong with her, why doesn't Cheng Feng love her anymore? She wants to go home! So Xing Ren has to escort a drunk Mi Na back down to the street and hopefully into a cab. (Gosh, I didn't realize until now just how tall Mi Na is.)

 

When she comes back upstairs to her apartment, Xing Ren finds Zi Qi passed out on her couch. She takes this opportunity to plant a very chaste kiss on his cheek.

 

This was the second Kai Er-free episode in a row. I was beginning to think the writers had realizes how useless her character/actress was and had written her off. Unfortunately I see from the previews that she'll be back. Darn. I didn't miss her at all.

Magnificent Century Episode 1

Oooh, this looks expensive. And long. Episodes seem to run around an hour and forty minutes. This is my first Turkish drama so I don't know anything about anybody. If there's a DramaWiki out there for Turks, I haven't found it.

 

The year is 1520. Prince Suleiman and his homeboyz are out hunting a tiny defenseless deer. (I have no idea who this actor is but he has piercing eyes. The kind of eyes that can stare right into your soul.) The hunting party is intercepted by a messenger bearing the news that all princes dread to hear/eagerly await: the khan is dead. Long live the khan.

 

Elsewhere, on the Black Sea, a ship is transporting a gaggle of slave women. One lass called Alexandra has to be cajoled into eating something. She mouths off and one of the guards slaps her around. She manages to grab hold of a knife and threatens to kill the man. Behind her, another man comes in and disarms her, ordering that Alexandra be tied to a post and given no food or water. Alexandra yells at them to throw her into the sea. Second Man tells her she is a slave of the sultan and will not die unless the sultan orders it.

 

Suleiman meets with his mother (who looks the same age as he does) and his sister Hatice. Mom presents her son with some new robes. As he gets dressed for his official presentation, Suleiman's voiceover fills the audience in on just who he is and what he's done so far in his life. Outside, some courtiers wearing major hat gear talk amongst themselves. (I'm trying to be culturally sensitive here, but those hats look like waste paper baskets.) Cafer Agha, head of the Ottoman navy, dares to bring up the name of Suleiman's exiled brother: Uveys, a potential rival for the throne of the Ottoman Empire.

 

Over at the Vatican, the Pope (quick Google check - Leo X) is informed of Suleiman's ascension. The Pope doesn't seem worried about the new guy.

 

Back to the Black Sea. As the ship plows through heavy weather, Alexandra (still tied up) flashes back to her day of capture. She was at church with her family when the Tartars attacked. Before her eyes she watched as her family and boyfriend were slaughtered. She was carried off and sold to the Crimeans, who in turn sold her to the Ottomans.

 

As Suleiman and his faithful right hand man, Ibrahim, enjoy fireworks, they are joined by the elderly Grand Vizier Piri Pasha. Piri served in this position under Suleiman's father, and now Suleiman asks that he continue as Grand Vizier. Piri gratefully accepts. However, when Suleiman makes known his intention to raise Ibrahim to master of his privy chamber, Piri looks unhappy.

 

Alexandra's ship has come in to port and all the slave girls are taken to the palace to be looked over. Alexandra still continues to mouth off and fight back.

 

While Suleiman beds a girl from the harem, Ibrahim gets a chance to do his own voiceover and tell us a little bit about his life. He was born a Christian in Greece and abducted at an early age to be sold into slavery and forced to convert.

 

Alexandra dreams of her slain family. She begs to die and go with them, but Dead Mom orders her to stay alive, become powerful and avenge them. After the dream, Alexandra becomes better behaved. (I'm sorry, but the woman playing Alexandra is neither very pretty nor very talented.)

 

Suleiman's wife, Mahidevran, and their son Mustafa are traveling to Istanbul.

 

Alexandra and the girls are being taken down a hallway when suddenly it's announced the sultan will be passing this same way. Everyone gets into a tizzy. The girls are ordered to line up against the wall and keep their heads down and mouths shut. As Suleiman walks by, Alexandra defies orders and boldly calls out his name. He's just curious enough to come over and stand in front of her. Alexandra dramatically faints into his arms. (To be honest this is kind of a silly scene.) Suleiman hands her off to someone else and is so rattled by this meeting he starts to walk down the wrong hallway.

 

No one is - ooh, who's that good looking man in the background? Anyway, no one is happy that Ibrahim, a mere convert, has been elevated so high.

 

A map of the world is spread out on the floor before Suleiman and his courtiers. (The nitpicker in me can't help but notice how complete a map it is for 1520. Magellan's expedition isn't even back yet.) With the empire's coffers in a healthy state, Suleiman lays out his plans for world domination. The Mediterranean will become the Ottoman's lake. First stop will be the island of Rhodes.

 

At another meeting, Suleiman orders the execution of Cafer Agha for corruption. The other councilors are worried about their own fates.

 

Suleiman's mother, Hafsa, is planning a big party for her son. Ibrahim goes to the harem to pick out some concubines to entertain the sultan. As the head eunuch discusses the girls with him, Ibrahim's interest seems to be captured when he hears that Alexandra is of the Orthodox faith. He chooses her to be part of the party.

 

At the same time Suleiman's wife and son arrive at the palace. While he's ecstatic to be reunited with his young son, when  Mahidevran enters the room you can feel the temperature drop. It's her first night back and Mahidevran is spending it alone, only now learning about the party being thrown and she's not invited.

 

Mahidevran, you're not missing much. Alexandra and the girls do a really, really bad dance routine for the sultan. Seriously, my dead grandmother can dance better than this. Still, it seems to be enough to get Suleiman all excited. He tosses Alexandra a handkerchief, a sign that she's to join him in bed tomorrow night.

 

As Cafer Agha is taken out and beheaded, here comes the Venetian ambassador and his snazzy chapeau. (Is the Mad Hatter part of the costume department of this show? These are some of the craziest hats I've ever seen.) Sadly, he has to take off his feathered creation before being dragged before the sultan. There is a translator in the room to handle the negotiations, but Ibrahim jumps in and shows that he can also speak Italian as his mother was from Venice. The Grand Vizier is outraged that a) Ibrahim is even in the room, and b) he's taken over as translator.

 

Alexandra gets ready for her night with the sultan. Before leaving the harem, she takes a private moment to say a Christian prayer and hide a little cross she's managed to keep in her slavery.

 

Suleiman eagerly waits in his bedroom for Alexandra. Yet when the doors open, the woman who walks in is Mahidevran.

Three Kingdoms Episode 30

Another milestone is reached in this epic long series, and still no sign of Ruby Lin.

 

Liu Bei and his small band of warriors reach the city of Xinye where they'll be stationed. He thanks young Liu Qi for convincing his father, Liu Biao, into taking the troops in. Liu Qi warns Liu Bei to watch out for his father's general, Cai Mao. Cai ain't too happy with bringing Liu Bei into the fold. Plus he's the brother of Liu Biao's much younger second wife, Lady Cai. You can tell Lady Cai is evil because she has horns! No, not really, but she does have a couple of hair pins sticking out that sure look like horns. Still, she's evil. Liu Qi fears she and her brother are trying to oust him and make his young half brother, Liu Cong, the heir.

 

Meanwhile, the Great Omniscient Voiceover informs us that yes, Yuan Shao is dead, and Cao Cao - after mopping up the last dregs of resistance - has taken over the dead warlord's holdings. This earns Cao Cao a spiffy new hat. Sadly, Xu You has enjoyed one too many glasses of wine. His mouth runs away from him faster than Red Hare. Another one of Cao Cao's generals, Xu Chu, gets tired of hearing the drunkard's mouth and decides to separate Xu You's head from his body. So long, Xu You.

 

Cao Cao has the writer, Chen Lin, brought before him. Chen Lin is the author of the manifesto against Cao Cao, written per Yuan Shao's orders. Chen Lin is fully expecting to be executed. Cao Cao, however, was truly impressed by his writings and spares the man.

 

Next up on the agenda is a box of letters, secret correspondence with Yuan Shao from various civil servants and military officers working under Cao Cao. Young Cao Pi, Cao Cao's son, is all for hunting down the letter writers and executing every one of them. Cao Cao retorts that if Cao Pi is going to kill every person who's ever written a letter to Yuan Shao, then he'd better start off with his own father. In this case let bygones be bygones.

 

Lastly, here comes General Xu Chu with a bloody gift for Cao Cao: the head of Xu You. Cao Cao is enraged and is all for having Xu Chu dragged out and beheaded. He's barely talked out of this by Cao Pi and Xun Yu. Cao Cao is worried about what the people will think of him after this. Xun Yu plans to have Chen Lin write about how full of crap Xu You was and deserved to be beheaded. After calming down a bit, Cao Cao demotes Xu Chu.

 

Old man Liu Biao invites Liu Bei over for a dragon boat festival. Liu Bei is nothing but a wet blanket. I think he's having a mid-life crisis. He whines to Liu Biao about nearing the big 5-0 and having nothing to show for it but a spare tire. Liu Biao asks his guest his opinion of who should be the heir. Liu Qi is the eldest son, yet he's so timid and weak. Liu Cong is young and quick-witted, but under the thumb of Lady Cai and her people. Liu Bei, knowing Lady Cai is outside listening in, loudly advises his protector that putting the younger over the older always leads to disaster. Softly he adds that Liu Biao needs to chip away at the powerful Cai clan.

 

After seeing Liu Bei over to the guest house, Liu Biao returns to be confronted by his wife, who is crying crocodile tears. She puts it to her husband that Liu Bei, by using Liu Qi, has his eye on taking over for himself. Liu Biao scoffs at this but I have to wonder if he's now going to start worrying about whether his wife is right. Later that evening Lady Cai and her brother, Cai Mao, plot to assassinate Liu Bei.

 

Ah, a satisfying cliffhanger. They're few and far between. Also just as rare are female characters with more than two lines. Welcome, Lady Cai. Welcome.

Panda and Hedgehog Episode 1

Thank goodness manditory overtime has ended. Now I can go back to watching entirely too much television.

 

Lee Dong Hae plays Go Seung Ji. (No, I'm not going to squeal "Dong Hae!!!<3" because I have no idea who he is. This is the first time I've ever seen him.) Anyway, Seung Ji is running down the sidewalk, chasing after a guy who owes him money, when our hero is distracted by a young woman hauling an enormous panda costume on her back. He only has time for one "Aish!" before he receives a phone call from the bakery. The building has collapsed!

 

Seung Ji hurries back. Ah, turns out the collapsed building is a cake shaped like a building, and yes, it has totally collapsed. The confection is due to the customer at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Only Seung Ji can save the day. This gives the show the opportunity to get Dong Hae to take off his shirt as he changes into his baker's outfit, and the fangirls go wild. You would think they had never seen a half naked Korean man before.

 

We get an odd interlude of an older woman stepping out of a building. She buttons her coat. Cherry blossoms fall like rain. There's a shot of an older man. Someone is sitting on a park bench.

 

What the heck has this got to do with anything?

 

Back to the bakery and a montage of Seung Ji cooking up a storm. Instead of recreating a house, he makes a stack of edible gold bars. The people throwing a ceremony of some kind don't seem to notice the difference in what they ordered and what they got. Outside, Seung Ji and his co-worker are watching the proceedings. Seung Ji puts up a sticker announcing low interest loans. Ah, here comes that older man we just saw. Oh, he's Seung Ji's grandfather (played by Park Geun Hyung. He's the guy who plays Godfather Seo on The Chaser. That reminds me, I need to see if there are any more episodes that have been subbed.) Grandpa is not pleased to hear his grandson is an amateur loan shark. Just then a group of professional loan sharks spot the boy and Seung Ji must make tracks. (And when I say "make tracks" I mean he rather leisurely jogs down the street. He doesn't appear to be running for his life like he should.)

 

He runs/jogs/walks really fast past the Panda Cafe, not noticing the woman from earlier as she dons her gigantic panda head and passes out flyers. This is Pan Da Yang, played by Yoon Seung Ah. Business isn't doing so well and chef Kil Dong Gu suggests she move the business to Gangnam. (By God, show, if you start playing that damned Psy song I'm ending this right now.)

 

A customer comes charging in and demanding a refund. Finally after ten years the woman had met a man. She had bought a cake from the Panda Cafe which caused her man to get violently ill and break up with her. Pan Da turns to her aunt for help. The cafe is doing horrible but Pan Da doesn't want to sell it because it once belonged to her deceased mother and father. Auntie doesn't give Pan Da any money but she at least does pray over the girl.

 

We now go to Saint Honore, the high class bakery. Damn, I want cake now! If you're on a diet you may not want to watch this show. A young girl struggles with two black garbage bags (until she gets out the door and suddenly one bag is white). She's greeted in the alleyway by her friend Pan Da. If garbage girl has a name I didn't catch it. Furthermore, Pan Da goes upstairs to Saint Honore's office where she has a talk with another woman whose name I didn't catch. This woman tells how the son of the owners is coming in from America (Naturally. Do no Koreans travel to Uganda or Costa Rica? They're always going to America.) Anyway, the son is Choi Won Il, played by Choi Jin Hyuk, and he appears to have purple hair. Office girl is worried he'll be doing a lot of firings and hirings. Pan Da gets excited thinking perhaps she'll be able to get a job here at Saint Honore. I still could go for some cake. 

 

As Grandpa goes over his bankbooks (which are pretty empty) he flashes back to meeting the coat woman from earlier. He gifts her with a cell phone, one he assures her is pretty simple to use. Later we see her staring wistfully at a picture of a young boy. Who is this woman? Is she Seung Ji's mother?

 

Won Il's mom drags him to Saint Honore's kitchen so he can greet his dad, Choi Jae Kyum. Dad looks happy to see his son and goes to hug him, yet Won Il hangs back. There's also something about a scar on Dad's wrist. Later, at a formal presentation to the workers of the bakery, Won Il mentions how his mother has made him manager of the bakery. Dad looks surprised at this announcement. Hmm, is Dad really Step Dad?

 

As Mom shows Won Il around, Office Girl watches from afar. She calls Pan Da and gushes about ... wait, did she just call him Go Seung Ji? Does she think Won Il is Seung Ji? I'm so confused right now. Some cake would help make sense of this.

 

Seung Ji is once again running after the same guy from the beginning of the show. He still hasn't gotten his money. Once again he is distracted by Pan Da as she's carting her panda costume along, allowing the guy to get away. Seung Ji figures she and the guy who owes him money must be in cahoots. He learns she has something to do with a Panda Cafe but he doesn't know where the place is. (So there's no Yellow Pages in Korea? 4-1-1? The internet?)

As Seung Ji is out trying to find Panda Cafe he spots his grandfather and decides to follow the old man. Grandpa, like me, is technology challenged. He just learned the cell phone he gave his daughter/maybe Seung Ji's mother can be tracked through GPS. He's out to try and find out her location. He ends up going to a very, very small coffee shop and calling Mystery Woman to meet him there. Seung Ji spies through the store window. He thinks Grandpa is meeting a secret love. Mystery Woman walks right past him as she goes into the shop, but Seung Ji doesn't do any "Mom!" reaction. All he does is have a flashback to cherry blossoms falling and his grandfather, smiling this time, greeting him. I don't understand, Show. What is all this supposed to mean?

The next day Seung Ji is talking with Friend Whose Name I Didn't Catch and discussing if Grandpa's daughter comes back, then Seung Ji will have to move out of their tiny home to make room for her. So he knows he has an aunt somewhere yet he didn't recognize her. Or was the woman at the coffee shop not his aunt? I don't understand what the heck is going on!

To further confuse me (which isn't all that hard), Seung Ji goes to a butcher shop and gets into an argument with the butcher over meat his grandfather bought. Butcher tells Seung Ji how Grandpa thinks more of him (SJ) than his real grandson. So Seung Ji isn't Grandpa's grandson? That would explain why he didn't recognize the Mystery Woman, but why does Seung Ji live with Grandpa and call him Grandpa?

Seung Ji goes home to yell at Grandpa's picture.

Dressed in a business suit (with purple hair), Won Il shows up for his first day of work. It's a good thing he's the boss as he's parking illegally. He goes through the books and finds something fishy, which has no place in a bakery.

Seung Ji is polishing up his resume. He feels he is too much of a burden on Grandpa/not Grandpa. As he reads through his previous job experiences, we see that some of his training came from prison. Hmmm.

Mom makes Won Il go through a photo shoot for the papers. He doesn't look thrilled and cuts it short. Office Girl (what is her name?) hands Won Il some resumes to look through, including her friend Pan Da's. Once he sees Pan Da's picture and name, Won Il remembers her. They went to the same school together before he left for the U.S. She's his first love and he's been looking for her.

Seung Ji goes around applying for work at other bakeries. His criminal record doesn't help. When he returns to his bakery, his friends show him the flyers Pan Da has been putting up around town. Not only does it give directions to the Panda Cafe, it also gives notice they're wanting to hire a patissier, room and board included. Just what Seung Ji is looking for.

Pan Da is standing on a rickety stool when she receives a call from Office Girl (Her name might be Eun Bi.) It sounds like Pan Da's resume was accepted. So excited, Pan Da starts bouncing around on the stool. You know what happens next. Just as she falls to the hard pavement, she's caught at the last second by Seung Ji. As they stare into each others eyes, Won Il (his hair not as purple in this light) drives up and sees his first love in the arms of another man.

This is the most confusing show I've ever seen.

May Queen Episode 12

My time is short, so this is as well.

 

Before the situation gets out of hand, Hae Joo quickly defuses it by informing Kang San that the wrist grabber is his old friend, Chang Hee. They quickly go from glares to hugs. Chang Hee takes Hae Joo out to their spot overlooking the shipyard. She's still wanting to end their relationship so she won't hold him back anymore, but Chang Hee manages to convince her to stay with him.

 

Kang San drops by Chang Hee's office for a more relaxed reunion. It's here that Kang San learns the devastating news (for him) that Chang Hee and Hae Joo have been dating for 15 frickin' years and they plan to marry.

 

There's a business meeting with more ship building and propeller talk. Kang San can't stop giving longing looks at Hae Joo (which everyone notices) until finally he does his own wrist grab and drags her all the way out to the light house where he confesses he's liked her since they were kids. Hae Joo kinda almost sorta gently lets him know she's not interested in him that way.

 

Gi Cheol gives a large amount of money to Dal Soon to get her to stop Hae Joo from seeing Chang Hee. Naturally Dal Soon takes the money. She tries to ask some questions of her own concerning Geum Hee and the lost baby but Gi Cheol won't answer any of them.

 

Grandpa Dae Pyung suggests to Kang San to marry In Hwa and get Cheonji Shipbuilding that way. (I'm starting to feel sorry for the girl. No one seems to want to marry In Hwa for In Hwa.) Kang San asks about his mother and father, whom he's never known. Grandpa refuses to answer.

In Hwa tells Geum Hee she doesn't want to marry Chang Hee, but has her hat set on Kang San. When Do Hyun hears about this, he doesn't seem too displeased with his daughter's choice.

 

Dal Soon tells Hae Joo about Gi Cheol's visit (but not about the money). Once Mom learns that Chang Hee is a prosecutor and is serious about marrying Hae Joo, Dal Soon is like, "Go for it, girl!"

 

At work, Kang San insists on being formal and businesslike with Hae Joo.

 

Hae Joo feels up a large propeller blade and claims it is too big by a few millimeters. The guy who made it gets all up in her face. The hissy fit is witnessed by Do Hyun, who has the propeller measured with precision instruments to see who is right. Of course our gal Hae Joo is. Do Hyun is impressed and treats Hae Joo warmly. (I just don't know how to take Do Hyun. Sometimes he's a bastard, sometimes he's a sweet bastard.) He orders Il Mun to put her on the propeller project team. Il Mun protests but once again the son cannot gain his father's approval.

 

Then right in the middle of things Viki's website goes cuckoo on me and I have to go looking for the rest of the episode somewhere else.

Bong Hee and Dal Soon butt heads and it's rather funny, but why is Dal Soon wearing a dress from the 1940's? Bong Hee slips a love charm into Jeong Woo's suit jacket. Dal Soon goes to visit Chang Hee at his office. She gives him the money Gi Cheol tried to bribe her with. (Why Dal Soon, suddenly I have a modicum of respect for you!)

Il Mun and Hae Joo butt heads and she holds her own. (You go, girl!) In Hwa drops by to invite her old friend home for dinner. Everyone is there at the dinner table and Chang Hee decides to come right out and reveal he's been dating Hae Joo and they plan to get married. Everyone is shocked. Gi Cheol throws dishes on the floor and makes faces.

Later that evening Gi Cheol attempts to get Do Hyun on his side and against Hae Joo, yet Do Hyun admits he actually admires the girl's grit and drive. He wonders why Gi Cheol hates the young woman so much. Then Do Hyun growls at Gi Cheol about telling Il Mun the truth about how his birth mother really died. Gi Cheol makes more faces. I have a feeling the Psycho Volcano is about to blow.

(On a side note, sometimes I feel the writers have been forced to cut out entire scenes and can only give us the audience a line or two about what happened. This whole deal with Il Mun and In Hwa's real mother is still much of a mystery to me. All I can gather is she was still alive when Do Hyun and Geum Hee got together and then she died. I really can't make sense of it.)

Now that they're out in the open, Chang Hee goes to formally introduce himself to the Chun clan. Sang Tae continues to be an idiot.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Yoon Jeong Woo gets some dirt on Il Mun and decides to investigate.

Kang San mopes around. Gi Cheol goes to yell at Dal Soon. Dal Soon yells back. Chang Hee and Hae Joo go on a sweet date. As he reads the newspaper, Hae Joo sees an article about the arrest of the loan shark that was constantly harassing her family. Using his prosecutor powers, Chang Hee takes her to the police station to pick the thug out of a lineup.

That night as she's returning home alone, Hae Joo is confronted by that crazy cat Gi Cheol. He not only slaps her, he grabs her by the hair and tries to drag her off somewhere. Thank goodness Kang San drives up at that moment and saves her. He wants to give the old man a good beating (as we all do) but Hae Joo stops him.

Back at the station Chang Hee continues to question the loan shark about kidnapping 13-year-old Hae Joo with plans to sell her. (And when I say "question" I mean Chang Hee beats the answers out of the thug.) The loan shark confesses he was just doing it on the orders of one Park Gi Cheol. Needless to say Chang Hee is stunned. He stumbles numbly out of the building just as an upset Kang San drives up. Kang San grabs Chang Hee and orders him to give Hae Joo up.

May Queen Episode 11

Mandatory overtime is interfering with my pursuit of happiness.

 

Geum Hee finds Hae Joo in the ladies room. She asks the young girl about the scar on her neck. As before, back when kid Kang San asked about, Hae Joo explains she doesn't know how she got the scar as she was too young to remember. Geum Hee asks to speak with Hae Joo's mother but Dal Soon is still in Geoje.

 

Meanwhile, Gi Cheol comes bursting into the main office, which draws the attention of Il Mun. Gi Cheol mumbles he was looking for Geum Hee and That Woman Whose Name I Need To Learn explains to her boss how his mother was just here and looking for the new girl (Hae Joo). The women must be in the bathroom. With this knowledge, Gi Cheol dashes out as fast as he dashed in. Il Mun wonders why his mother would be interested in the new employee. (While no one wonders why Gi Cheol is running around like a chicken with its head cut off.)

 

The two women are just emerging from the ladies room when Gi Cheol finally catches up with them. He gives the excuse of how he just heard the good news of Hae Joo's return and Geum Hee mistakenly concludes how he was eager to see the daughter of his old army buddy, Hong Chul. Geum Hee makes an awkward exit. (She tells Hae Joo she'll see the girl later, then she just runs off like a bat out of hell.) Gi Cheol takes Hae Joo to that favorite spot where all Drama Koreans like to go for a dramatic talk: the roof.

 

Gi Cheol demands to know what she and Geum Hee talked about. Hae Joo answers honestly about Geum Hee asking about the scar and also requesting Dal Soon's address. This has the git in panic mode. Then he asks if Hae Joo is still dating Chang Hee. She apologizes about lacking a formal education and having social status, but she loves Chang Hee and plans to continue seeing him. Gi Cheol slaps her! Now would be a good time for an over the shoulder flip, but Hae Joo restrains herself. Gi Cheol gives a veiled threat to Hae Joo to never see Chang Hee again or else something bad may happen to her.

 

Kang San calls Hae Joo and asks her to meet him on his yacht so they can discuss work.

 

Oh, now I see why Geum Hee took off like she did. She's rushed back home to retrieve the yellow knitted top she's saved all these years. Gi Cheol gets back just as she's about to get into her car. He tries to talk her out of going to Geoje but she's adamant about going so he changes tactics and offers to drive her there himself.

 

Do Hyun is having a meeting with his son. Il Mun is surprised to hear his father wants to build their own propellers instead of buying them from other companies. (We the audience are supposed to care about this. Remember when we were supposed to care about quick drying concrete in Giant? What, you haven't seen Giant! Well by golly you'd better - it's good.) In Hwa comes into the room saying how she just heard Hae Joo is now working for Il Mun. Her brother is still too thick headed to remember Hae Joo but Do Hyun is quick to catch the name and be privately alarmed. He's further alarmed when Il Mun mentions how Geum Hee had also been looking for Hae Joo. She's a popular gal.

 

Once the kids are gone, Do Hyun calls Gi Cheol, who is at that moment driving Geum Hee to Geoje. Do Hyun orders Gi Cheol to end this annoyance once and for all. He then calls his secretary and orders all the information on their newest employee, Chun Hae Joo.

 

Il Mun tries to order his younger sister not to take up with that beggar Hae Joo again but In Hwa blows him off. Only now is she clued in to her future others have planned when Il Mun basically says, "Hey, has anyone bothered to tell you you're supposed to be marrying Chang Hee?" In Hwa is like, "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?"

 

Hae Joo arrives at Kang San's yacht. He tries to impress her with his fishing skills. She impresses him with her knowledge that the very dead fish on his line is a fresh water fish which he bought at the market and put on his hook before she got there. As they talk about business, Hae Joo sees a picture of a propeller and gets turned on. (Girl, I'm worried about you.) This gives them the chance to discuss propellers, like how no large ones are manufactured here in Korea and such. Remember, we're supposed to care about this.

 

Kang San hears how Hae Joo wanted to go to school to learn ship design but wasn't able to, so he promises to teach her everything he knows. They pinky swear, which gives Kang San the opportunity to caress her hand. She threatens to beat him. Then I'll be damned, here pops up In Hwa. Why don't you sew yourself to his hip.

 

Geum Hee and Gi Cheol arrive at the Chun household, where mom Dal Soon is napping on the kitchen floor. (It's a very small house.) While Gi Cheol makes faces, Geum Hee pulls out the yellow top and asks Dal Soon if she recognizes it. It's very obvious from the expression on her face that Dal Soon does recognize it, yet she tells them she doesn't remember. Geum Hee then pulls out an old photograph of baby Yoo Jin and shows it to Dal Soon. Dal Soon realizes the baby in the picture is the same baby her husband brought home all those years ago, yet still she says nothing. Geum Hee explains she lost her baby and asks if perhaps Dal Soon found and raised it. Dal Soon acts all offended at being asked such a ridiculous question and she throws them both out of the house. Once they're gone, though, Dal Soon begins to wonder just what the real story is concerning Hae Joo. Is she Hong Chul's biological child or not?

 

In Hwa takes the gang over to her restaurant for lunch. While they're all catching up on old times, In Hwa's like, "Want to hear something funny? My family wants me to marry Chang Hee. Can you believe that jive?" Hae Joo sits there with a pained look on her face.

 

Back at the big(ger) house, Il Mun confronts Chang Hee. Il Mun thinks the other guy only wants to marry In Hwa so he can take over the family business. Chang Hee starts to say something when they're interrupted by the return of Geum Hee and Gi Cheol. Geum Hee looks traumatized and Gi Cheol acts like he's about to faint.

 

Geum Hee goes to her bedroom to cry, which is where her husband finds her. They discuss her trip to Geoje with Geum Hee admitting she feels Dal Soon was lying to her about the baby. Do Hyun (who still believes Hae Joo is Dal Soon's biological daughter) shows his wife Hae Joo's resume which shows her blood type is different from Yoo Jin's blood type. (This must be a Korean thing. I don't recall ever having to put my blood type on any job resume or application. It's a good thing, as I have no idea what my blood type is. Anyway, back to the story.) Do Hyun urges his wife to give up on her long dead child and instead concentrate on their living ones: Il Mun and In Hwa. Geum Hee tells him that Il Mun knows the truth, that she's not really his mother.

 

Do Hyun goes to Il Mun's room, locks the door, and bitch slaps his son around. (I can't say I'm upset by this. Sometimes bastards serve a purpose.) He yells at Il Mun to accept Geum Hee as his mother and to never mention his dead mother again. Il Mun explains he was upset over hearing his sister was to marry Chang Hee as to why he said such a thing to Geum Hee. Do Hyun continues to yell at Il Mun, this time for being such an idiot to believe he would actually allow his daughter to marry Chang Hee. That was all just lip service to keep Chang Hee in line.

 

Chang Hee is at that moment trying to get his father to eat something. Gi Cheol tells about his earlier encounter with Hae Joo and how he slapped her. He warns his son that he'll continue to attack Hae Joo if Chang Hee continues to see her. Chang Hee refuses to back down.

 

That evening Hae Joo is cleaning up her room when Dal Soon calls to tell her they'll be there by Sunday. Hae Joo brings up how Geum Hee asked for Dal Soon's address. Has she come there yet? What did she want to talk to Dal Soon about? Dal Soon gets all defensive and changes the subject.

 

Chang Hee rushes over to check up on her since learning about his father hitting her. She assures him she's okay. Hae Joo starts talking about how much difference there is between them; how he's well educated and respected and she's still down at the bottom of the food chain. (I'm thinking, "Uh-oh. This sounds like a 'This is for your own good' breakup speech.") But then she declares she'll never stop loving him and she'll work even harder to get his father's approval. Chang Hee cries.

 

The Chun family (unfortunately) arrive in Ulsan.

 

Hae Joo goes over to Kang San's apartment so he can teach her about ship design. Hopefully she'll teach him about better wallpaper than what he has now. As they discuss something about bubbles and propellers, (I don't know, I'm not listening), here comes In Hwa knocking at the door. Even though it's all innocent, In Hwa is not happy that Hae Joo is alone with Kang San in his apartment. She takes Hae Joo out for a little girl talk about property rights and backing off.

 

Gi Cheol reads his son's phone messages and learns how "The Chief" is Hae Joo's code name. He once again orders his son to not see that girl any more. Chang Hee threatens to move out of the house if Gi Cheol does anything to Hae Joo. Gi Cheol takes out his anger on an innocent chair.

 

Geum Hee tries to talk to Il Mun but he's still moody and calls her stepmother. She goes out to the seaside to brood. Crying like a banshee, Geum Hee sets fire to the yellow top and baby picture in an attempt to finally let Yoo Jin go.

 

Jeong Woo invites Bong Hee over for a welcoming dinner in honor of the Chun's. They all get loaded and do the Gangnam Style routine. (Okay, seriously, I'm over it. Stop playing that damn song!) Bong Hee goes to pass out in Jeong Woo's bed. Sometime in the night she rolls out of it onto the floor, where Jeong Woo is trying to sleep. She attempts to act like she's accidentally snuggled up to him in her drunken sleep. He just throws her off and goes outside.

 

The next day as she comes out to get on her bike, Gi Cheol steps out of the alley and gives her the evil eye. Hae Joo thinks he's about to slap her again but instead he takes the Falling To My Knees And Begging You To Leave My Son Alone approach. This seems to work as later Hae Joo sends a "Dear Oppa" text to Chang Hee. (Because the only thing classier than breaking up with someone through a text is breaking up with someone through Facebook.)

 

Do Hyun and Kang San discuss propellers. The younger man doesn't think the company is technically advanced enough to build their own. He's against the idea. Do Hyun dangles the bait that if Kang San won't work with the company to build a propeller, then a young Miss Chun Hae Joo may lose her job. (And yes, before you ask it, even Kang San says comparing one employee to a 20 billion won project doesn't make sense. But this is DramaLand, just go with it.)

 

Down in the lobby Kang San comes across a tearful Hae Joo. He demands to know what has made her so upset. Just then Chang Hee storms in and grabs Hae Joo to pull her outside. Kang San steps in and grabs Chang Hee. The two men glare at each other.

May Queen Episode 10

After recognizing Hae Joo as the woman who flipped him, "Ryan Kang" (Kang San) asks why they would consider hiring a gangster. Il Mun seizes this opportunity to dismiss Hae Joo from the interview. Not only does she not have a high school education, she's also a thug. Despite her pleas for another chance, Il Mun orders her to leave. Kang San smirks. Once she's gone, the two men continue to butt heads, with Ryan Kang finally revealing to Il Mun that he's Kang San. Good, now I can stop calling him Ryan Kang.

 

As Kang San is walking out the front door, In Hwa's San-Radar leads her straight to him. My God, she's a bloodhound. They need to put her on missing persons cases. Don't let these skills go to waste! Anyway, she demands to go with him wherever he's going, or else she'll tell her dad who he really is. A-ha, but he just confessed so now she has nothing on him. While her tracking skills are without peer, her blackmail powers are nil.

 

Hae Joo visits the seaside rock where she scattered her father's ashes. She spills out her sorrows to Hong Chul's spirit. Chang Hee comes up to join her. He's smart enough to have figured out that she would have come here if she hadn't got the job. She apologizes to him that she won't be able to live near him for now. He offers her a piggy back ride.

 

Chang Hee takes her to a Japanese restaurant where he already arranged to meet his dad at. Gi Cheol is surprised to see his son with an unknown woman. He's even more surprised when Chang Hee announces this is the woman he intends to marry. Hae Joo introduces herself, reminding Gi Cheol she's the girl who used to live near the pear orchard. Oh, Gi Cheol knows who you are, alright. He storms out of the room.

 

Hae Joo fusses at Chang Hee for handling this all wrong. He should have at least warned her so she could prepare. Chang Hee fusses back that she's had plenty of time to prepare and he's tired of waiting for her. He goes on to make me love him more when he says what we're all thinking: she needs to stop taking care of those losers she calls a family and put herself and her own happiness first. (He doesn't use those exact words but his meaning is the same.)

 

Damnit, just when he declares his love for Hae Joo, that old fussbudget Gi Cheol ruins the moment by coming back and dragging Chang Hee out of the room. Hae Joo follows and tries to apologize for how all this was sprung on him. Gi Cheol yells at her that she creeps him out and to get out of his sight. With a shocked look on her face, Hae Joo makes a quick exit. Chang Hee starts to go after her but is stopped by his father.

 

Back at their home, Chang Hee reveals how he's secretly been seeing Hae Joo for the past fifteen years. Gi Cheol tries to lay a guilt trip, bringing up all the beatings and humiliations he's endured over the years just to get Chang Hee to this point of being able to marry In Hwa. (I still see no sign of anyone asking In Hwa what she wants.) Chang Hee says he's plotted revenge on Il Mun and Do Hyun more than Gi Cheol, but he also wants to be happy and only Hae Joo can make him happy. Awww. Gi Cheol gives his son two options: kill his dad or marry In Hwa. Many of us hope Chang Hee would opt for killing Gi Cheol, but of course that's not going to happen.

 

Il Mun is in his dad's office where Do Hyun has just been briefed about Ryan Kang's true identity. Speak of the devil, here comes Kang San in now. He's still smirking. Do Hyun asks if the reason Kang San has been so picky with the shipbuilding process is because of the old grudge over Do Hyun stealing the family company. Kang San claims to be just another employee of Noble (the company having the ship built) and doesn't have that kind of power.

 

Kang San returns to Cheonji's main offices and asks if some reports are done yet and is told the company is still interviewing for the position of the person who would get the stuff done. This makes him flashback to Hae Joo and he asks the woman (who was on the interview board) if the girl didn't get the job because of him. The woman assures him it was because the candidate, Chun Hae Joo, didn't have enough education. Finally Kang San learns who the grown up Hae Joo is.

 

Hae Joo returns to Geoje (I just learned the town's name where she and her family live) and to the little roadside restaurant that her mother runs. She tells Dal Soon about not getting the job. Idiot Sang Tae is at a table drinking with some friends and starts acting like the fool he is, announcing he quit his job that morning and is planning to run his own business. Hae Joo points out he has no money to start a business with. Sang Tae gets angry about being embarrassed in front of his friends. The other two men, sensing the tension in the air, are smart enough to plan on leaving. Hae Joo insists they pay their bar tab (which is pretty high, IMO, for a roadside stand.) Sang Tae tells his friends to forget paying but Hae Joo intimidates them into paying.

 

She goes back to the house to change clothes. Sang Tae follows her. He tries to start something. Hae Joo finishes it for him. Dal Soon comes in to break them up and she takes up for her idiot son. Sang Tae kicks the dinner table over. Hae Joo kicks his ass. Everyone is screaming and screeching. (This is what you call White Trash. Chang Hee, are you sure you want to get involved in this?) Hae Joo goes to her room to cry and talk to her father's picture. Baby sister Jin Joo comes in to comfort her.

 

Lee Bong Hee is dressed to the nines (and about to bust out of that dress) as she waits for Yoon Jeong Woo at In Hwa's restaurant. When he finally arrives, he's more interested in getting something to eat than looking at her killer shoes. In Hwa waits on them so she can glare at her aunt for wearing such a revealing outfit. Bong Hee flirts outrageously, then goes on to order the most expensive items on the menu. In Hwa continues to spy on the couple and calls her mother to give updates. Jeong Woo just wants to talk business. A frustrated Bong Hee throws a spoon at his head before storming out.

 

A moody Il Mun returns home and Geum Hee asks that they have a talk. She asks him how long he's known she wasn't his birth mother. (Ah, so it was a secret. My question is why? Why did they feel the need to lie to the kids in the first place?) She begs him not to tell In Hwa, at least not yet. Il Moody replies he sees no reason for his sister to hurt like he has. As he starts to leave Geum Hee cries out that no matter what anyone says he's still her son.

 

As Hae Joo washes the dishes at the restaurant she flashes back to Chang Hee's declaration of love and Gi Cheol's declaration of creeps. She silently cries. Dal Soon sees the tears and mistakenly thinks Hae Joo is crying about the fight earlier. Chang Hee tries to call Hae Joo but she refuses to answer the phone.

 

It's a new day and Hae Joo has quickly recovered her perkiness. As she goes outside to get on her motorcycle she's approached by a man in a suit. He claims to be from Cheonji Shipbuilding and asks her to get into his car. Hae Joo, who apparently never learned Stranger Danger, jumps right in. He drives her to a boat dock and directs her to get on board a yacht. Again she does just what he says with no questions asked.

 

Waiting on the boat is breakfast, as well as Kang San. She still doesn't know who he is other than the jerk from the club. He tells Hae Joo he's giving her another chance at a job interview. He asks a couple of business questions, then veres off into more personal history. Like, when she was younger was there anyone she had a crush on? Hae Joo answers there was one person. Kang San gets all excited and asks if she's seeing anyone now. If not, perhaps she'd like to see him. Hae Joo throws a glass of wine in his face and calls him a pervert. She gets off the boat with Kang San hot on her heels. He grabs her arm and tries to stop her. Hae Joo does a high kick to his head and knocks Kang San into the water.

 

As she heads back to terra firma she receives a phone call from Cheonji Shipbuilding. The woman asks Hae Joo if she got the message about meeting Shipbuilding Superintendent Ryan Kang so she can accept a job. Hae Joo goes running back, calling out for "Ryan Kang." Kang San, still in the water, acts like he can't swim. Hae Joo holds out her hand to him. He grabs it and pulls her into the water. She eventually gets him back up on the dock. He pretends to be unconscious so she'll give him mouth to mouth. When she realizes he's been fooling her, Hae Joo draws back her fist and is ready to pummel him. Kang San sees he had better reveal who he is.

 

Grandpa Kang Dae Pyung is down by the docks getting drunk when he's visited by Jang Do Hyun. Do Hyun congratulates his old enemy on having Kang San grow up to be such a fine young man. However, he warns Grandpa to not allow Kang San to do anything that would put his life in danger, so to speak.

 

Kang San wonders why Do Hyun is so eager to get into the oil drilling business. After all, the bastard is already rich and successful from shipbuilding. Why get into something so risky with very little chance of success?

 

Hae Joo is at the Ulsan light house enjoying the view. (Is that the same place where Do Hyun dangled little Chang Hee over the edge?) Speaking of Chang Hee, he must be taking tracking lessons from In Hwa as he finds Hae Joo right away. He claims his father feels awful for what was said but she knows Chang Hee is lying. She wonders if perhaps they should take a break. (No! Don't take a break. Didn't you learn anything from Friends?) Thankfully Chang Hee shoots down that idea.

 

Time to bring the mood back up. Hae Joo tells him the good news that she's gotten a job at Cheonji, all thanks to Kang San. Problem is she's supposed to start tomorrow and needs to find a place right away. Chang Hee takes her to ... a dump, if you ask me. No, he takes her to his boss's house. Remember, his boss is Yoon Jeong Woo who is renting out some rooms. While I was hoping she was going to leave all those mill stones behind, looks like Jeong Woo is quite willing to take the entire family in. That is such a bad idea, Jeong Woo. Bad.

 

Chang Hee returns home to a pouting father. (Seriously, Gi Cheol is hunkered up in bed, lower lip stuck out, giving Chang Hee the Silent Treatment. Did Gi Cheol suddenly turn into a fourteen-year-old girl?)

 

The next morning a hungover Bong Hee stumbles back home just as sister Geum Hee is fixing to leave. In passing Bong Hee mentions In Hwa's old friend, Hae Joo, is going to be renting rooms at Jeong Woo's place, as well as work for them in the shipbuilding division. Geum Hee appears startled. So is Gi Cheol, who just happened to be standing nearby. Geum Hee gets into her car and urges her driver to quickly get to the office. Gi Cheol also runs to hop into his car and races down the road but he gets caught at a red light. Geum Hee makes it to the office first and finds Hae Joo in the ladies room. The cut of Hae Joo's blouse allows Geum Hee to see the burn scar on the back of the young girl's neck. (Yeah, the same burn scar you saw before and didn't recognize. But anyway...)

May Queen Episode 9

This is one of the make it or break it episodes of a long drama. This is when the kid actors are shuffled off to Buffalo and the adult actors come in to take over the roles. If the adults drop the ball, I drop the drama.

 

Kid Hae Joo jumps off the cliff and into the rough seas. She sinks like a stone. Hae Joo thinks back to the happy times with her father, which gives her strength to start swimming back up to the surface. In no time at all she was carried out pretty far, but the shinning lights of the shipyard guide her back to shore.

 

Skip forward a whole 15 years. This would make Hae Joo (now played by Han Ji Hye) about 28 years-old. She's a steel town girl on a Saturday night looking for the fight of her life. She's a well-respected (if not well-paid) welder and she drives a motor bike. She's still living with her family. Dal Soon runs a not very successful sidewalk restaurant. Sang Tae is still an idiot. 

Back in Ulsan, a fleet of vans arrive outside of a business building. Men in suits pour out, including Prosecutor Park Chang Hee (now played by Jae Hee). He's with the Special Force Squad, which apparently gives him the legal right to throw a fire extinguisher through a glass door. They're here to serve papers and break stuff.

Chang Hee drives home to a big mansion. No, it isn't his. This is Jang Do Hyun's big spread. Gi Cheol still works for him and they still live with the bastard. At least Cringer has gotten a new haircut. As Chang Hee goes to change out of his work clothes, a text message comes in on his phone. Gi Cheol checks it for his son and sees the message is from "The Chief." Dad quickly informs his son. Chang Hee looks serious as he goes outside to call the chief back.

Turns out "The Chief" is Hae Joo's code name, so Gi Cheol doesn't know his son is still in contact with her. She's calling with exciting news. She's got a job interview with Cheon Ji Shipbuilding (a division of Do Hyun's company) and may be moving back to Ulsan.

Here come the Jang clan, all in separate cars for some reason. Do Hyun has changed toupees. In Hwa (now played by Son Eun Seo) owns a restaurant. Il Mun (now played by Yoon Jong Hwa) still gives Chang Hee the evil eye. Do Hyun asks Chang Hee to take it easy on President Ko (the old man served papers earlier and got his door broken) as this may damage the local economy, as well as Do Hyun needs the old guy. Since Chang Hee is living in his house, I guess the bastard thinks he's got the prosecutor's office in his back pocket.

As the menfolk talk business, Il Mun mentions the name of Ryan Kang, a young whiz kid in the shipbuilding business. In Hwa is walking by at that moment and catches the name. She obviously recognizes what the men don't: Ryan Kang is Kang San.

Cut to a yacht (a real one, not like that puny "yacht" of Do Hyun's that sank with the kids) filled with bathing beauties surrounding Kang San (played by Kim Jae Won). They head back to the dock and pile into his sleek convertible, cruising down the street and blasting Oppa Gangnam Style. Their destination is the office of Il Mun. It appears Il Mun sent the girls to "Ryan Kang" as a gift, and Kang is returning them. (And I don't blame him. None of these gals are what you would call Korea's Next Top Model material.) 

Kang San dons an electric pink suit and goes to a lame nightclub where he is constantly hit upon by random white girls. Time for a Korean woman to show them how it's done, as she's all over Kang San like a bad suit. Too bad this is Young Joo, Hae Joo's little sister, and here comes big sister to haul her underage ass outta da club. Kang San tries to intervene (neither one recognizing the other one) and Hae Joo has no choice but to flip him over her shoulder.

As Hae Joo forcefully drags Young Joo out, they pass In Hwa who is going in. Damn, after all these years her Kang San radar is still working. Now it's In Hwa's turn to forcefully drag someone out. Kang San/Ryan Kang manages to escape her clutches and jumps into a getaway car.

Back at the Chun hovel, Young Joo announces she's not going to college. Look at idiot Sang Tae. He graduated from college (how?) and he's no better off. Young Joo has the grand plan of latching on to a rich man. Anna Nicole Smith did and look how well it turned out for her. Hae Joo reaches her boiling point and spills over. She cries and screams of how she couldn't even finish high school as she had to drop out and support the family. She dreamed of going to college and now Young Joo wants her opportunity away.

Chang Hee does as Do Hyun requested and gives President Ko an easy out from the charges of tax evasion and smuggling. Chang Hee knows his boss won't like it so he tells Do Hyun to have a talk with their boss's boss to smooth things over. Turns out the Deputy Chief Prosecutor is Yoon Jeong Woo and he doesn't look like himself at all. In fact I had to go back and rewatch the scene, I was so clueless. Jeong Woo was wanting some prison time for President Ko. Chang Hee breaks it to him that the Chief Prosecutor is a-okay with the way things have turned out.

Lee Bong Hee stops by for a visit and she's another one I didn't recognize right off. I don't like her haircut. She's heard Jeong Woo is renting out a room in his house and she's upset he's renting "her" room. He argues she has her own nice house, why is she always crashing at his place? It's been fifteen years and they still haven't gotten anywhere with their relationship?

Chang Hee waits at the bus stop as Hae Joo arrives for her job interview. They're waving to each other as she rushes to him. Naturally she breaks a heel in the process. This gives Chang Hee an opportunity to take her shopping and buy her expensive clothes.

Gi Cheol is out with the Jang clan having dinner at In Hwa's restaurant. As she leaves to go get a bottle of wine, Geum Hee floats the idea of marrying In Hwa off to Chang Hee. All the menfolk have a shocked reaction to this, especially Il Mun. (Here's an idea: let's get In Hwa's reaction to this. It is her life you're talking about, after all.)

Chang Hee takes Hae Joo out for dinner. He warns her that the company she's interviewing for is run by Il Mun who may recognize her. She doubts he'll remember her from so long ago. Chang Hee is tired of keeping their relationship secret and wants to tell his dad the truth. Hae Joo is against it. She's afraid Gi Cheol won't accept her because she's so poor and a high school dropout. Hae Joo asks for more time, hoping she'll get this job and become more respectable.

When Chang Hee arrives home Dad is fairly busting a gut to tell him the good news about Geum Hee wanting Chang Hee to marry In Hwa. Chang Hee tells Gi Cheol to stop talking crazy. Meanwhile, Il Mun continues to stew in jealousy over golden boy Chang Hee. Geum Hee sees him making a mess with a glass of water and asks if he and his father had another fight. Il Mun confronts her with wanting to marry his sister to the son of a mere servant. Geum Hee points out that no one cares about status nowadays. Il Mun snarls that if In Hwa were Geum Hee's biological daughter she wouldn't marry the girl off to someone as lowly as Chang Hee. This hits Geum Hee hard. (A part of me is wondering if it was supposed to be a secret that Geum Hee was only a stepmother and her extreme reaction was because Il Mun revealed he knows the truth.)

Dressed to the nines, Hae Joo goes before the board (which includes Il Mun) for her job interview. Right away Il Mun notes that she didn't graduate from high school. How can they even think of giving someone like her a job? Others on the board bring up how well she tested, holds several engineer licenses, and is CAD certified. Il Mun still isn't impressed.

Then right in the middle of her interview here comes "Ryan King" bursting in. (Did I mention he also drives a motorcycle?) He's angry with Il Mun for not building a ship exactly to his designs. In disgust Kang San throws the blueprints on the floor. Hae Joo politely picks all the papers up to hand back to him. Only now when they're face to face to they recognize each other from Club Lame-O.

I Need Romance 2012 Episode 10

Yeol Mae is enjoying her new romance, leaving Seok Hyun unable to find anything at home because she's been absconding stuff and taking it to Ji Hoon's place. (And has Na Hyun simply just moved in with them? She is always there. You people need to make her start paying rent and utilities.) Anyway, Yeol Mae is at that stage where she bores her girlfriends to tears as she talks about nothing but how cute and great her guy is. She wants to spend so much time with him that Yeol Mae takes a break from the recording studio and demands a part-time job at Ji Hoon's cafe.

 

Since Yeol Mae is too busy elsewhere to keep up with her nagging duties, it's up to Na Hyun to step in and take over. She pesters and nags Seok Hyun about why he's not jealous over Yeol Mae's new relationship. This conversation goes on for way too long.

 

Yeol Mae is more than ready to take it to the next level, yet Ji Hoon chooses to act like he doesn't get her hints and innuendos. Don't tell me he's a virgin.

 

Jae Kyung and Jeong Min are out taking care of shoe business. They stop for lunch at a restaurant and get stares and animosity from the other patrons as well as the staff because of her cheating on their beloved TV personality, Lee Jang Woo. Since everyone is already watching and talking about them, Jae Kyung and Jeong Min decide to go on a very public date which generates pictures and news articles on the web. It turns out this is all free publicity for Jae Kyung's shoes and her brand starts selling like hotcakes. What's that old saying about the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about?

 

Yeol Mae comes home from the studio (I guess the waitressing job got old for her) with her new song she wants Seok Hyun to hear. She wrote it about their train wreck of a relationship and the audience gets lots and lots of flashbacks.

 

Seok Hyun goes to bed early, leaving the womenfolk to talk amongst themselves. Yeol Mae asks about the kiss between Na Hyun and Seok Hyun. Na Hyun replies he has threatened to sue her for sexual harassment if she ever kisses him again. Yeol Mae entertains her with a story of a very public fight she once had with him which ended with both of them being arrested. (Where's Dr. Phil when you need him? This is such an unhealthy relationship.)

 

Ji Hee and Tae Woo are practicing for a presentation at their movie theater. She's feeling nervous because this is her first one. Random white guys in suits come in to hear the theater's plug. Ji Hee and Tae Woo get through their painful English and the presentation looks to be a success. Afterwards, Ji Hee simply gushes about how well they match together. She's meaning in a working sense but he's thinking along a different line.

 

Yeol Mae is helping Ji Hoon wash the dishes when she accidentally sprays him with water. This just gives the show an excuse to have Ji Hoon take his shirt off. Yeol Mae is not disappointed.

 

Seok Hyun is trying to be the big man here and be happy that Yeol Mae is happy. He's even washing off the bicycle that Ji Hoon gave her. But then he starts having a gazillion flashbacks (this entire show is nothing but flashbacks) and as a tear falls down his face he angrily picks up the bike and throws it forcefully into the street. Right in front of Na Hyun.

 

Not really much of an ending. Now if the bike had hit Na Hyun, that would have been better. 

Nice Guy Episode 1

Also known as The Innocent Man. Also known as No Such Thing As Nice Guys. Also known as That Show With That Guy In It.

 

Kang Ma Ru, the Doogie Howser of Korea, is dashing through the hospital when he stops to hear a TV reporter talking about the latest scandal involving the Foreign Affairs office. The reporter is Han Jae Hee (played by Park Si Yeon.) Ma Ru is called over to join his group of medical interns as they follow around Dr. Suk Min Hyuk (that hot ahjussi from Romance Town. You  know the one: he paid for and opened up that bottle of wine like nobody's business. Oh, you didn't see Romance Town? Well, you didn't miss anything. I wouldn't recommend it.)

 

After doing a few rounds and consultations, Ma Ru dares to interrupt everything and ask why Dr. Suk isn't asking them, the interns, any questions. Suk is in the middle of cutting Ma Ru down (why ask someone a question when you already know they don't have the answer) when they're interrupted by a young boy trying to pull his IV out and demanding to go home. Dr. Suk takes this opportunity to give Ma Ru the floor. Here's a question for you: what's wrong with the boy? Ma Ru um's and ah's. Dr. Suk gives him two hours to make a diagnosis.

 

Left behind with the boy, Ma Ru is stumped. The boy, Chang Yong, insists on being released as his family doesn't have the money to pay the hospital bills. Ma Ru and Chang Yong argue a bit (with Ma Ru promising to pay the bills for the boy) and the intern - I wouldn't say hits the boy on the head, but he kind of rubs his knuckle along the patient's skull. This causes the strange reaction of Chang Yong throwing up (shown to us in glorious technicolor.) This gets Ma Ru to thinking.

 

He's able to come back to Dr. Suk with a diagnosis: Chang Yong has a brain hemorrhage. He's been denying his illness for awhile because he doesn't want to burden his family financially. Another intern can't believe an 11-year-old would not say anything about being sick so as not to worry his older brother. Ma Ru tells how his younger sister would be the same way, enduring pain so as not to worry him.

 

Dr. Suk listens to all this and they discuss the case, yet when he calls to check on the boy's latest tests, there are no signs of an arterial brain hemorrhage. Suk recommends the boy be released. Ma Ru goes to brood in the bathroom.

 

Yet later that evening guess who's being rushed back to the emergency room. This time the tests show there is definite bleeding in the brain. At least Dr. Suk is man enough to tell Ma Ru that he was wrong and the intern was right, so points to hot ahjussi.

 

Ma Ru returns to his hovel (how does he pay for medical school?) to discover his younger sister, Choco, nearly unconscious and burning up with fever. He rushing to put some socks on her and take her to the hospital when he gets a call from Han Jae Hee. She pleads for him to help her. She thinks "someone" may be dead and Ma Ru must come and try to save him.

 

Despite his sick sister begging him not to go, Ma Ru promises to be right back and he leaves Choco on the floor. (Eh, you deserve to be framed for murder, you ass.) He goes to the hotel room where Jae Hee said they were. Yep, there's a dead man on the floor. Jae Hee keeps protesting, "I didn't kill him. I didn't kill him," as she clutches a broken bottle in her hand. So why is he dead and there's blood all over the floor?

 

Ma Ru tries to convince her to turn herself in and claim self defense. Jae Hee refuses. If this gets out it's the end of her career as a reporter. If she has to go back to the gutter she climbed out of she would rather die. She races to grab some pills and attempt suicide but Ma Ru stops her, somehow getting a cut on his arm in the process. (This may be important later.) He finally confesses his love for her, asking why he can't be the reason for her living and not her career.

 

After a quiet talk (and conveniently forgetting his sick sister, who is waiting) Jae Hee starts to call the police and turn herself in when Ma Ru grabs the phone out of her hand and pulls her in for a passionate kiss. Did I mention there's a dead body in the room? Ma Ru starts cleaning up the crime scene, wiping off fingerprints and stuff. He tells her to leave as he will take the rap for the murder. Jae Hee protests (feebly) but in the end gives in to him.

 

Meanwhile, Director Choi (played by that guy who's been in three dramas in the past week, I swear) is coming out of a building when he's called over by Seo Eun Gi (played by Moon Chae Won of the greatest drama evah, The Princess' Man). She knows Choi wants to speak with her father and she offers him a ride in her home. This gives the audience the chance to learn that Eun Gi is a graduate of Harvard, is 23 years-old, and is Director Choi's new supervisor. As she scares the bejeesis out of the older man with her driving, Eun Gi spouts out business info and tosses around numbers with nine digits. What she's getting at is out of those nine digits, perhaps Choi has taken a couple of them home with him. She's nice enough to give him a choice. He can either return most of those digits and retire quietly, or he can be hauled off to jail.

 

As she squeals to a stop outside of her home, Eun Gi sees an unkempt Jae Hee hanging around. Just then Eun Gi's father, Seo Jung Gyu, steps outside to see about Jae Hee. (OMG, it's Kim Young Chul. It's a Princess' Man reunion! Where's Park Shi Hoo??) She hands Prince Suyang Jung Gyu a manila envelope and cries about what's she has done because of his orders. Jung Gyu pulls her in for a rather awkward hug. Watching all this from her SUV, Eun Gi is not amused.

 

As he waits in the hotel room for the police to arrive, Ma Ru finally gets around to calling his younger sister. He tells her how he's arranged for someone else to take her to the hospital, and how sorry he is.

 

Ma Ru is sentenced to jail and we time skip forward six years. We also skip over to Tokyo. Ma Ru is now working the boy toy for hire circuit. (I guess we're supposed to believe that prison hardened him. Instead I look at his baby soft face and figure he was probably somebody's girlfriend and traded around for a pack of cigarettes.) As he is dealing with his latest mark, we go to another room where Eun Gi is moaning in her sleep as Edward Lawyer Park Joon Ha watches over her. When she wakes up she's unhappy because a) who wants someone watching them while they sleep? Eww. And b) nobody woke her up in time for an important business meeting. Joon Ha mentions how she needs her sleep because of an existing illness. Eun Gi tells him to mind his own beeswax. (She also goes on to mention how he's gay, but the way he's looking at her... hmmmmmm.)

 

Eun Gi meets with a Japanese woman who claims to have sustained facial damage after using cosmetics made by Eun Gi's family business. They try to buy the woman off with money but she's not having it. Ah, but Eun Gi uncovers that a rival cosmetics company paid the woman $3 million dollars to damage her own face and file false charges. She orders Park Joon Ha to have the woman arrested and to prepare for war against the rival company. 

 

As Eun Gi leaves in triumph, she suddenly becomes dizzy and grabs her chest in pain. Han Jae Hee comes running over to see about her. She puts a hand to Eun Gi's face and fears the girl has a fever, they'd better go to the hospital. Eun Gi grabs Jae Hee's hand away and warns the other woman to drop the act. Just then a small boy runs over, calling Jae Hee "Mom." Well, somebody's been busy these past six years. The cute boy, Seo Eun Suk, goes to hug his big sis, Eun Gi, but she coldly rebuffs him and makes him cry. Seems big daddy Jung Gyu dropped Eun Gi's mother and married Jae Hee. 

 

Also outside the (restaurant?) Ma Ru meets up with his old friend Park Jae Gil (played by Lee Kwang Soo.) Turns out the mark he was working on had just conned Jae Gil out of his savings and Ma Ru was getting it back, plus extra. As they're flying back to Korea, Jae Gil notices his sleeping friend is being checked out by... why, it's Kang Na Hyun from I Need Romance 2012. Guess it didn't work out with Yoon Seok Hyun.

 

Anyway, Ma Ru wakes up and goes to wait his turn outside the bathroom. The door opens and a nearly unconscious Eun Gi falls out into his arms. The doctor in him can't resist starting to help her, but then her people run over to see what's wrong and he returns to his seat. An announcement is made over the intercom asking if there is a doctor on board. Ma Ru puts his headphones on and ignores the call. Too bad, cause if he had stuck around he would have run into Jae Hee who is now at her stepdaughter's side.

 

Thank goodness Jae Gil nags Ma Ru into helping. Jae Hee has gone to make a call to her husband so she's not there when Ma Ru comes up to examine Eun Gi. Ah, but then she comes back and we have a classic staring contest. He asks how she's connected to the unconscious woman and Jae Hee confesses Eun Gi is her husband's daughter. To further rock Ma Ru's world, little Eun Suk calls out for his mother.

 

After a moment Ma Ru gets a hold of himself. The plane is going to make an emergency landing but that will take at least another half hour. Ma Ru says Eun Gi won't last that long. He takes an emergency medical kit, digs out a humongous syringe and sticks the needle into Eun Gi's chest. The still unconscious Eun Gi coughs up some blood. Jae Hee accuses him of making a mistake and orders him to stop.