Three Kingdoms Episode 42

It has been exactly one year since I started this blog and started watching Three Kingdoms. One year and I'm still not anywhere near the end of this series, but I am at the end of this blog. So I'm going out the same way I came in: wondering where the hell is Ruby Lin.

Zhuge Liang is reunited with Liu Bei. Almost immediately our strategist is throwing out orders left and right to everyone. Well, almost everyone. Guan Yu, that crybaby with the long beard, whines that he's not getting to see any action. Wah, Guan Yu. Wah. Zhuge Liang, master of reverse psychology, explains he had started to send Longbeard to guard an important pass but he feared once a defeated Cao Cao came running that way, Guan Yu would allow him to get by in remembrance of past good times. Guan Yu puts down in writing that Cao Cao shall not pass or Longbeard will face execution.

Before Zhou Yu leads his forces out, he has those two Cao Cao spies brought forward and sacrificed. At the head of Zhou Yu's fleet is General Huang Gai. He's flying the banner of the Black Dragon. Over on his boat, Cao Cao sees the banner as a signal that Huang Gai is coming over to his side. One of Cao Cao's lackeys is suspicious of the oncoming CGI boats and makes his concerns known to his master. This enables Cao Cao to finally realize that he's wrong (gasp!) and instead Huang Gai is attacking. 

Just when I was about to complain that the filming was too dark for me to see what was going on, Huang Gai helpfully issues the order for the front fire ships to be lit. Thanks, Huang Gai. Now I can see. So can Cao Cao. Ooh, now Huang Gai's people are launching fire bombs through the air. Burning stuntmen are running all over the place. Now the fire ships are crashing into Cao Cao's fleet. 

Cao Cao's guard quickly whisk him away to safety as the grand fleet burns. But even on land it isn't safe as the fire bombs are bringing down the forts. With the chaos going on on land, Huang Gai lands his ships and orders his soldier to attack.

When Chinese TV gets it right, it's awesome.

Beavis would be in absolute heaven with this episode.

Huang Gai (Gramps kicks ass!) leads his men in the storming of a fortress. The defense is fierce until Huang Gai's guys start tossing in hand grenades. The gates come crashing down and Huang Gai and his soldiers rush into the opening. Fire! Blood! Screams! Money well spent!

Cao Cao and his peeps, all covered in soot, are in a disarrayed retreat. They've made it to the Wulin Forest only to have Zhao "I actually have a couple of lines" Yun ambush them. Somehow Cao Cao is able to escape. Defeated and terrorized, what's left of Cao Cao's guard start to run away. Zhang Liao tries to stop the deserters but Cao Cao says to let them go as terrified men are useless to him anyway. Only 27 soldiers are left out of the million man army. Cao Cao reminds everybody he's been in lower spots before and has come back swinging. This is just a minor setback. 

Ah, there's no rest for the wicked as Zhang Fei leads his own ambush on the straggling few.

Dawn finally breaks and Cao Cao and his remaining men are exhausted. Taking a moment to rest, he figures out why both Zhao Yun's and Zhang Fei's ambushes weren't full blast. They could have wiped out Cao Cao and his small band but they didn't. Cao Cao sees that there's a subtle tug of war going on between Liu Bei and Zhou Yu as to who will be made to kill Cao Cao and thus earn the eternal wrath of the Cao clan. Zhou Yu's been trying to drive Cao Cao into Liu Bei's territory in order to force a lethal confrontation. Liu Bei, through his brothers, has been trying to push Cao Cao into Zhou Yu's direction. Therefore Cao Cao and his twenty-seven men are actually quite safe from death.

Cao Cao orders everyone to follow him down the Huarong Road. He knows that eventually he will have to face Guan Yu and it will probably be along this route. Sure enough here he comes now with a large force of men. Guan Yu strokes his beard (because that's his thing) as he faces his old frenemy. Cao Cao reminds him of their past friendship. Guan Yu stays firm, declaring this is no time for sentiments to cloud his mind. 

Cao Cao draws his sword. He would rather die in battle than be incarcerated and there's no one he would like better to kill him than his old friend Guan Yu. The other twenty-seven men start to wail about how they want to die with their leader. Cao Cao continues to tug at Guan Yu's heartstrings (which, let's face it, isn't that hard to do.) Longbeard can't fight this feeling any longer and orders his troops to spread out and allow Cao Cao's men to escape.

Cao Cao refuses to budge. He's worried (or so he says) about what will happen to Guan Yu for allowing him to escape. Guan Yu forces Cao Cao onto a horse and makes him leave. At the final Guan Yu announces his intentions to return to base and accept his punishment.

I Summon You, Gold Episode 11

I was just about to go do some laundry when I saw this episode had been subbed. Curse my K-drama addiction paired with my hatred of housework!

Hyun Soo thinks Mong Hee is holding out for more money as the reason why she won't move in with him. He assures her over and over that he doesn't see her as a woman and isn't the least bit interested in her so Mong Hee shouldn't worry about him being improper towards her. But what to tell her parents?

Monghyun screws her courage to the sticking place so she can ask Duk Hee for permission to leave the house and go visit Young Ae. Duk Hee says no. (Grrrrr. Does a grown woman need permission to go anywhere she chooses? I chafe at the constriction. I'm trying to be open-minded towards Asian culture but this is just running all over me.)

Big Daddy blames Young Ae's poor parenting for the reason their son is such a man-whore. Oh, and you did such a wonderful parenting job yourself, Big Daddy? Young Ae (rightfully) points out that Hyun Tae must have got his man-whore genes from his father. Seeing as Big Daddy has several kids by several different women, I'd say she's right. Don't worry, Big Daddy - nobody can out-whore you.

Hyun Soo gives the excuse that the apartment is so empty is because they've done an early spring cleaning. Duk Hee doesn't buy it and orders her minion (Seongeun) to drop by the apartment every other day to check up on things. Duk Hee is unhappy about the change in relationship between Hyun Soo and Big Daddy and she intends to find Hyun Soo's weakness.

Hyun Soo and Big Daddy may be getting along just a tad better but Hyun Soo still needs to grow a pair. He's learned about Seongeun's scheduled visits and is worried that he'll be found out. Perhaps it is time to end this charade and come clean with the family about Yoo Na leaving him. Feeling sorry for him, Mong Hee gives in and agrees to move into Hyun Soo's place. She just tells her parents that at thirty years-old it is time to leave the nest. (You know sooner or later they'll find out she's living with a man and all heck will break loose.)

Monghyun accuses her husband of not being in love with Super Freak because he doesn't know what love is. Hyun Tae explains he feels comfortable around Super Freak because she doesn't treat him as a bastard since she's a bastard herself. 

(Monghyun kind of reminds me of Fanny from Mansfield Park. She's not proactive. She's a doormat. She just moons over the man she loves and hopes that eventually she'll annoy him into loving her in return.)

Monghyun learns how to lie and is able to get away and have lunch with Young Ae. She tells her MIL all about what Hyun Tae said about his relationship with Super Freak. That night Young Ae beats her son for dating an illegitimate girl and for wearing a really ugly shirt.

Uh-oh, Monghyun has been found out by Duk Hee. The shit's about to hit the fan. Will Monghyun be a real woman and finally stand up to her MIL? Of course not. 

The three DIL's go to a flower arranging class together. Although she's in Yoo Na mode, Mong Hee can't help the big sister coming out of her as she can clearly see Monghyun is unhappy. Monghyun just stands there as Mong Hee and Seongeun take pot shots at each other. 

Seongeun takes delight in reporting Monghyun's latest disgrace to Shim Duk. Mother is anxious to call Monghyun but is afraid it would only stir up more trouble. Somebody turn down the classical music please.

It's a beautiful spring in Korea and by God they're going to film outside as much as possible. Duk Hee has come down to see Hyun Soo at work and harass him in an effort to oust him out of the family business. Poor Hyun Soo. With his birth mother mysteriously gone, Duk Hee was the only mother he ever knew and even though he's a grown man you can see how terrified he still is of this toothpick of a woman. 

But wait! It appears Hyun Soo's testicles may have started to drop as he works up the courage to defy Duk Hee. He's on her shit list now but still, he stood up for himself. Now pass this on to Monghyun!

There's a big jewelry expo event thingy in Tokyo coming up. Big Daddy doesn't think Hyun Soo is ready to handle it. He orders Hyun Joon to be in charge and to teach Hyun Soo the ropes. Hyun Joon instead talks his father into simply dropping Hyun Soo completely and letting him take care of it all. Hyun Soo doesn't fight for it at all. Guess those testicles shot right back up.

Mong Hee packs up her stuff to move out. Wow, look at that shirt. Someone owns a Bedazzler. 

Were you expecting a cliffhanger? Too bad, you ain't gonna get one.

A Hundred Year's Inheritance (Abridged) Episode 38

It's a total flip-flop in character for Clingy Mom. One episode she's slapping Chae Won left and right. Now she's coming to Chae Won's rescue and asking the young woman if she's alright. And did I mention Chul Goo's jacket is trimmed in camouflage? He rudely tells the old woman to mind her own business. Where are you slapping skillz, Clingy Mom? Why aren't you ringing his ears like you did Chae Won and Choon Hee? 

After threatening to call the police on him, Clingy Mom surprisingly takes Chae Won by the hand and leads her back into the building. And here comes Joo Ri who still doesn't get it that the winds have shifted. She asks Clingy Mom to join her for dinner but Clingy Mom coolly replies she doesn't feel up to it; then she turns to speak warmly to Chae Won. Do you feel the change in temperature, Joo Ri? 

Clingy Mom goes up to Se Yoon's office to let him know she knows about his silly tragic loss of taste. Miracle Dad (who is really useless if you stop to think about it) comes in just in time to comfort his crying wife. Gah, you'd think Se Yoon was paralyzed or something. I can't feel anything but contempt for this plot point.

Chae Won's noodles have made it to the finals in the competition.

Chul Goo introduces his sister to the wonderful world of getting stinking drunk when the person you love rejects you because you're a crazy bastard/bitch. Chul Goo stumbles upstairs to have a freak out in his bedroom. Only problem is it's Hong Joo's makeup and stuff that he's trashing. 

Chae Won brings Se Yoon home for dinner. They're greeted by Choon Hee (his secret mother) and he presents her with flowers (just in time for secret mother's day.) After he eats and leaves, Aunt With Pink Lipstick (because EMIL bribed her with an orange handbag) starts trying to talk Chae Won into dropping Se Yoon and getting back with Chul Goo. Chae Won has a rare moment when she quickly figures out EMIL must have gotten to Aunt Pinkie. 

EMIL once again threatens Hong Joo if she doesn't leave. The girl asks if EMIL will put her in a mental hospital like Chae Won.  Hong Joo remains defiant, declaring she's not weak like the first DIL and when she does leave this house it will be because she chooses to, not because EMIL pushed her out. In private, though, Hong Joo is showing signs that its all starting to get to her. 

Se Yoon comes home and is totally weirded out when Clingy Mom doesn't have a conniption because he had been with Chae Won. 

The next morning Hong Joo attempts to be nice and help make a big breakfast for the most dysfunctional family on the planet. No one eats it or appreciates her. With tears in her eyes Hong Joo sits down to eat the food, complimenting Mrs. Park (who is also crying) on her great cooking. Everyone over at Viki is crying over this scene.

Now that Chae Won and Se Yoon have finally gotten together, they're kind of boring. I'm almost tempted to start skipping over their scenes.

It's raining and for the first time ever, ever, ever in this show someone shows concern about the noodles being outside in the weather. Remember that time it snowed? Nobody seemed to care then.

Hong Joo (and Coco) decide to throw in the towel and leave the house of horrors. She says she plans to go join her mother in Paris but first she stops by the noodle house to talk to Chae Won. Now even Hong Joo is trying to talk Chae Won into taking Chul Goo back. Chae Won stays firm in her love for Se Yoon and her hatred of all things crazy.

The next day Chae Won learns the family's noodles have won the competition. This means a contract with Se Yoon's company. It's Boom Time at the noodle house. 

Clingy Mom and Miracle Dad unbend enough to give Se Yoon their approval of his relationship with Chae Won. He rushes straight over to the noodle house to tell Chae Won the good news.

Everything is going to so well that I'm starting to get bored. 

Chul Goo comes home from the office to find the signed divorce papers. The family celebrates. 

Clingy Mom receives a mysterious letter from the orphanage. It's from the dead nun. Knowing that Clingy Mom wouldn't feel any guilt after getting the purple thingy (I still don't know what the thingy is), Dead Nun writes that she's arranged for another sister to give her secret-laden diary to Choon Hee. Ah-ha, a diary. Of course! 

Careful, Choon Hee. With twelve episodes left, your life may just be in danger!

A Hundred Year's Inheritance (Abridged) Episode 37

Oh joy, the timed comments are back up on Viki. It's just wasn't the same watching this makjang without the snark.

Choon Hee rightfully raises her hand and is about to return the bitch slap Clingy Mom just gave her. Even though she doesn't see Se Yoon and Chae Won coming out of the building, Choon Hee stops herself because she doesn't want to lower herself to Clingy Mom's level. Did I ever mention I love Choon Hee?  <3 <3 <3

Clingy Mom literally drags Choon Hee off to the coffee shop so they can talk without being seen by the kids. Clingy Mom has it in her head that Choon Hee is deliberately staking her. Hey, last I heard South Korea is a free country; she can go wherever she wants to. Except the DMZ. 

Choon Hee has had enough of her friend's crap and comes right out and asks just what is Clingy Mom hiding. What is she so afraid of that it drives her crazy to think Choon Hee is nearby? Clingy Mom still demands to know what the other woman was doing at the office building. Thinking if Chae Won's name is brought up it will cause more trouble for her, Choon Hee tells the partial truth that she was there to submit stuff for the noodle competition. Now back to the real subject at hand: what is Clingy Mom's problem? Has she done something to Choon Hee and is afraid it will be found out? 

Oh, this gets Clingy Mom all panicky. She reminds Choon Hee of all she did for her after "the incident" thirty years ago. (What incident is that? Is it the incident where you stole Choon Hee's baby? You know that's what its going to turn out to be.) Clingy Mom once again warns Choon Hee to never be in her sight again.

Joo Ri, still trying to figure out why Clingy Mom has suddenly turned cold towards her, calls her mother and yells at her to go over to Clingy Mom's house. Perhaps Clingy Mom is still upset over that oops upside the head EMIL gave Se Yoon. Aunt With Pink Lipstick, back to being Clingy Mom's gopher, is at the mansion when EMIL drops by. EMIL, forgetting the old beating incident from an earlier episode, fawns all over Aunt Pinkie in an effort to get the woman's help in getting Chae Won and Chul Goo back together. 

Later, Aunt Pinkie makes an offer to Clingy Mom. If Clingy Mom helps Pinkie's husband get his old job back, then Pinkie will help convince Chae Won to go back to Chul Goo and leave precious Se Yoon alone.

Chul Goo brings home a briefcase full of American money in an attempt to bribe Hong Joo into signing the divorce papers. Hong Joo has a rare moment of intelligence. She still won't divorce him but she will accept the money as a gift. 

Joo Ri is helping sort out all the noodle submissions in the contest. When she comes across Chae Won's paperwork, it should come as no surprise that Joo Ri ditches it in the waste basket. Ah-ha, here comes Se Yoon who sees Chae Won's papers in the basket and digs them back out. He calls Joo Ri out on it in front of everyone. [Glee]

Later on, Joo Ri makes the odd decision of chastising Se Yoon for so quickly forgetting about Dead Girlfriend. Isn't he ashamed of himself for moving on with his life after three years? Se Yoon takes the high road and tells Joo Ri he hopes one day she'll find someone to love and then she'll understand how he feels. 

EMIL continues Operation Torture Hong Joo Until She Leaves.

Thinking about what Joo Ri said earlier, Se Yoon decides to burn all his pictures of Dead Girlfriend.

Clingy Mom and Miracle Dad are just now finding out that their son has no sense of taste. I thought they knew but I guess Se Yoon kept it a secret from them all this time. 

There's a cook-off for the noodle competition. Again, absolutely no one is wearing a hair net. (Uh-oh, I'm starting to crave noodles.) 

Clingy Mom has a talk with Se Yoon's buddy from the mental hospital. She asks him about Se Yoon's lack of taste. He explains that Se Yoon did want to keep it a secret from everyone, including his parents, and that it suddenly happened right after Dead Girlfriend went into the light. At least we find out Se Yoon has been to the doctor about this. Buddy tells Clingy Mom that he believes once Se Yoon lets Dead Girlfriend go and gets over her death he'll regain his taste sense. The best hope for getting him to heal is Chae Won.

Clingy Mom gets upset at the thought of her precious boy having no sense of taste. (Seriously, this is not that big of a deal. I mean if he were blind or deaf then yeah, cry a river. So he can't tell sweet from salty. So what.)

It's EMIL who tells Chul Goo that Chae Won is doing very well in the noodle competition. Mom gives son a bouquet of flowers and actually pushes Chul Goo to go and congratulate his ex-wife. He runs into her outside of the building. Chae Won refuses the flowers and orders him to leave her alone. In his ears it sounds like she says, "Grab me and act like an idiot in front of everybody," which he does. Clingy Mom happens to witness this. 

What's this?! Clingy Mom actually comes to Chae Won's defense and orders Chul Goo to leave her alone. 

I Summon You, Gold Episode 10

Forget that dinner from last night. It wasn't important in any way. It's the next morning and Monghyun is still trying to carve a place out for herself at the big house. Duk Hee criticizes Monghyun's mother for having to work outside the home and not having any time to teach her daughter how to be a housewife. Have we time traveled back to the 1950's or something? 

It's a beautiful spring day outside. Just the kind of weather for a MIL to bitch at her DIL. Monghyun gets a phone call from her other MIL, Young Ae, and Duk Hee insists on listening in on the conversation. Young Ae invites her DIL over but Monghyun can see the expression of disapproval on Duk Hee's face. The poor girl is stuck between a rock and a hard place. (Move out, Monghyun. Move out.) 

Duk Hee orders Monghyun not to talk to Young Ae on the phone so much. Monghyun tries to politely defy the orders but only gets chewed out for being disrespectful to her elders and being poorly brought up. (Move out. Get away. Move out.) Seongeun does manage to get a few jabs in herself, otherwise she's just there to take up space. If I were Lee Soo Kyung I would be pretty mad by now. Ten episodes in and so far her character hasn't done much of anything.

Things aren't made any easier when Young Ae comes over to pick Monghyun up for some shopping. Monghyun knows now this would piss Duk Hee off so she declines. This just pisses Young Ae off so now Monghyun has two mothers-in-law mad at her. Get a backbone, Monghyun, and tell everyone to kiss your ass as you do what you want to do. You're a grown woman, act like one.

Seongeun can't wait to get to work so she can rub it in to Yoon Shim Duk about Monghyun already getting on Duk Hee's bad side.

Late at night Big Daddy finds Monghyun is sitting up waiting for Hyun Tae to come home. Hyun Tae is out at the club with Super Freak. Big Daddy calls him on the phone demanding the boy get home in thirty minutes or the beating is free. 

The next day Mong Hee is talking (and eating, natch) with Hyun Soo about this upcoming party she's so worried about. Will there be dancing like the waltz or the jitterbug? No, they're going to be clog dancing, you idiot. 

Finally it is the night of the party. Hyun Soo and Mong Hee arrive in... a van? Who takes a van to a black tie event? So far so good as Mong Hee is able to get through it all, even though random white people keep trying to talk English to her. In her native language Mong Hee is able to regale the audience with the Greek myth of the origin of the amethyst.  Hyun Soo thinks back to all the times Mong Hee was stuffing her face. The girl's come a long way since then. 

Back to work. Hyun Soo suggests to Big Daddy that the company open up a store in Belgium and sell to the common people. Hyun Joon wants to keep selling to only the rich people. Big Daddy needs to mull over Hyun Soo's proposal. The brothers glare at each other. Hyun Joon goes home to complain to the women in his life. He blames Yoo Na for all his recent troubles, which makes sense because... wha?

Duk Hee orders "Yoo Na" to come over to the big house for a talking to. During the conversation Mong Hee slips up when she acts surprised to learn Big Daddy and Hyun Soo's mother were divorced because she was supposedly cheating. Yoo Na already knew this story. Now Duk Hee is suspicious.

The next day Hyun Soo is in crisis mode when he gets a call from Duk Hee. She's looking for Yoo Na and plans to stop by his house whether anyone is there or not. (Kinda rude in my opinion but this is DramaLand.) Duk Hee knows the code to the door so lets herself in and walks around like she owns the place. Rude, rude, rude! When she notices there is no make-up on the vanity, Duk Hee starts snooping through the drawers. Ah, I'm going crazy from her uncouth behavior. You just don't do that! And now she's opening up the closet and going through the clothes. Ahhhhhhhhhh. 

Anyway, Duk Hee sees that Yoo Na's things are no longer in the apartment and now she wonders if Yoo Na no longer lives there. Just then Mong Hee (Hyun Soo must have called her) runs into the apartment to see she didn't beat Duk Hee there. Duk Hee comes right out and asks if "Yoo Na" has separated from her husband. Mong Hee assures her that they are still a couple and there's a rational explanation for why there's no makeup or feminine clothing. Of course we the audience don't get to hear that rational explanation.

Fearing this may happen again, Hyun Soo asks Mong Hee to move in with him.

I Summon You, Gold Episode 9

Ah dangit, before Mong Hee (as Yoo Na) can have that revealing talk with Seongeun, here come Big Daddy and Duk Hee to interrupt. (Orange is The color for this drama. Either that or they're all Vol fans.) "Yoo Na" apologizes for not attending the wedding and promises to be a better elder DIL from now on, which means she'll be taking back the role in the family currently overseen by Seongeun. 

Big Daddy totally falls for it but Duk Hee is worried. She continues to be worried when Big Daddy muses over giving Hyun Soo more responsibilities at work. Responsibilities Duk Hee thinks should go to her own son, Hyun Joon. 

The girls are still downstairs talking and "Yoo Na" asks Seongeun if she ever dated anyone before she married Hyun Joon. (Is this what it's all about, Mong Hee? She stole your boyfriend? I'm disappointed if this is all over a man.) 

Hyun Joon thinks back to a meeting he had with Hyun Soo earlier in the day. Now that Big Daddy is treating him better, Hyun Soo is flexing his muscles at the office; asking about projects and snooping through accounts. In other words encroaching on Hyun Joon's territory. 

Hyun Tae and Monghyun went on separate honeymoons with plans to meet up at the airport to appear they've been together. 

Mong Hee is still agonizing over the upcoming party. Geez, it's just a party. You walk around and make small talk with everyone. How hard is that? Brush up on some current events for subject matters and there you go. The pressure gets to Mong Hee and she gets intoxicated. As she cries into her Soju glass she flashes back to the past when she threw her pride to the wind and begged a younger Seongeun to not steal away her man. (What she should have been doing is begging Seongeun to not wear such a bad wig.) Young Mong Hee, still without any pride, then begs for Seongeun to not be playing around with the unseen man's heart. Take good care of my baby. Seongeun advises Mong Hee that the next time a man dumps her to not act like the weepy dishrag she is now. 

Back to the present. The drunk Mong Hee makes her way to Hyun Soo's house.  She wants him to be the Professor Higgins to her Eliza Doolittle. And now its time to pass out. Shim Duk is desperately calling Mong Hee's cell phone to find out where she is. Knowing her family is worried, Hyun Soo acts like another street vendor and explains they were all going out for a drink after work. He tells them how Mong Hee drank too much and is now sleeping it off at the home of the flower shop lady. 

Aw man, Hyun Tae went on his honeymoon with Super Freak. That's cold. Monghyun (who has to watch all this as they meet up at the airport) threatens to tell Big Daddy. Hyun Tae doesn't think she'll do it. They argue about scars.

This has nothing to do with anything but actress Baek Jin Hee reminds me a lot of Lee Yo Won. They should totally do a drama together playing sisters or something.

Anyway, they get their act together for when they visit her family. Mong Hee has to wear those big glasses again so Hyun Tae won't recognize her. She achieves a personal record of waiting a whole thirty minutes into the episode before eating something. 

Next stop is Young Ae's house. Will no one help that cameraman? He's fallen and he can't get up! Young Ae gets sauced and maudlin again. Someone needs to put a lock on the liquor cabinet. Right after they help that cameraman behind the couch. Monghyun rats out her husband and tells his mother about Hyun Tae taking Super Freak on their honeymoon. Young Ae beats the tar out of him. Take notes, Monghyun. This is what you need to be doing. 

Finally it's to the big house where the young couple will be living. Already there's trouble. Duk Hee takes the young girl aside and strongly reminds her that while Young Ae may be Hyun Tae's biological mother, Duk Hee is the head woman in this family and should be respected as such. 

Duk Hee and Seongeun push Monghyun out of the kitchen (which would be no problem for me. Have at it, ladies.) Hyun Soo and "Yoo Na" drop in for dinner and so Mong Hee can check up on her sister. At the dinner table Duk Hee praises Seongeun for her cooking skills. "Yoo Na" criticizes the food as well as women who partied hardy before getting married.

There's absolutely no cliffhanger to this episode as the cameraman goes zoom happy. Calm down, cameraman. Just because you're out from behind the couch doesn't mean you need to zoom in on everybody's face. 

I Summon You, Gold Episode 8

Mong Hee has to act like she's never met Monghyun before. I knew it - the very first scene and Mong Hee is eating. Only this time she's in Yoo Na mode so she has to eat slowly and carefully, not stuffing her maw as she usually does. Monghyun is making conversation at the dinner table, talking about how much her sister and "Yoo Na" look alike. When Monghyun mentions her sister sells accessories on the street, Hyun Soo finally gets a clue. "Yoo Na" comes to the defense of street vendors. Is it just me or does the background music sound like a variation of The People's Court theme?

As they have coffee after dinner, everyone is amazed and rather dumbfounded to hear "Yoo Na" praise both Monghyun and the parents who raised her so well. Yoo Na doesn't praise anybody. 

Hyun Tae takes Monghyun outside to fuss at her because she voiced the desire to go see his biological mother. At that moment Hyun Soo and Mong Hee are coming out of the house. "Yoo Na" jumps all over Hyun Tae for yelling at his future wife. Hyun Soo makes excuses of his wife not feeling well so they must leave early, thereby avoiding running into Hyun Joon and more importantly Seongeun. 

The other couple come home to meet the younger couple. In front of Monghyun, Seongeun and Duk Hee are all nice and fawning. Yet in the kitchen the two older women worry that Monghyun won't be so easy to push around as they initially thought. When she's back at home, Monghyun's mother warns her to be wary of Seongeun. Mong Hee, back to being Mong Hee, is once again eating. 

Like A Hundred Year's Inheritance, there are tons of other characters I don't care about and their storylines I'm not following. Let's skip ahead.

It's a different day but nothing has changed. Mong Hee has strapped on the feed bag already. There's another party coming up and Hyun Soo has to give her lessons in how a lady walks. Should I be worried that he sashays very well? 

We get another eating scene but this time it's Monghyun as she and Hyun Tae are making their official visit to Young Ae. Gosh that's an awful lot of food for just three people. Young Ae gets a little sauced and maudlin but its nothing Monghyun can't handle. 

Since she did so well with his mother, Hyun Tae takes Monghyun out to dinner. Good Lord, there's nothing but eating scenes in this episode. Stop eating! The cameraman and soundman can't make up their minds whether to be up close or far away. Hyun Tae can't help himself and quickly dissolves into dickhood. 

We follow this eating scene with yet another eating scene. Mong Hee is at Hyun Soo's house getting lessons in table manners. She's grossing him out by... drinking water? Weak. 

At the jewelry store Seongeun talks sweetly and bitchy to Shim Duk but Shim Duk talks sweetly and bitchy right back at her. 

Oh, I hadn't thought of this until Mong Hee brings it up. She can't be two people at one place. She wants to attend her sister's wedding as Mong Hee so Hyun Soo will just have to come up with an excuse as to why his wife isn't attending. 

It's the day of the wedding. Yeah, let's get this over with already. I will say Monghyun does look very lovely. Mong Hee is wearing big fake glasses to help her not look like Yoo Na. When Mong Hee goes out to the lobby to help greet guests she finally spots Seongeun. The camera zooms in and dramatic music plays. What's the story? It better be good.

The wedding ceremony begins. Is that Pomp and Circumstance playing? This is a wedding, not a graduation. Monghyun doesn't quite hide the misery in her eyes. Does no one else see how miserable she is? Young Ae has to hide behind a pillar to watch her son get married. This is the most depressing wedding I've ever seen. 

The photographer is getting all the family members together for the big wedding picture. Monghyun stops everything and goes to pull Young Ae into the shot. 

Mong Hee is back to work at her vendor truck. She's thinking long and hard about Seongeun. The next thing we see is Mong Hee dressed up as Yoo Na dropping by the big house. Seongeun is the one who answers the door. With a determined look on her face, "Yoo Na" invites Seongeun to sit down with her and have a long talk.

I Summon You, Gold Episode 7

You can watch I Summon You, Gold over at Hulu.

After the lame kick in the face cliffhanger from the last episode, Hyun Soo just laughs it all off. What the hell was that even for?! Anyway, Mong Hee asks to renew their contract and more importantly hand back that $100,000 she needs so desperately. Finally Mong Hee gets around to insisting she needs more Yoo Na training so there'll be no more slip ups like at the restaurant. Glad to see someone has thought of this.

Duk Hee is dusting the plants and thinking of ways to get back at that little snot Hyun Tae for making problems for her precious Hyun Joon. She comes up with the idea of asking for Hyun Joon to leave the family company and go sow his wild oats and experience the world while Hyun Tae goes to the office to work for Big Daddy.

And this is supposed to work in her favor how? Unless it's supposed to show how valuable Hyun Joon is and how useless Hyun Tae is. It seems to work as Big Daddy insists he can't run the company without Hyun Joon.

Seongeun just sits there like a rock, as usual.

Duk Hee's still not done nagging everyone to death. She argues with Big Daddy about giving her the power to dole out Young Ae's monthly allowance. Big Daddy doesn't want to deal with all these women he's gotten pregnant so he says sure, do whatever, just shut up about it. 

Hyun Tae has to break the news to his mother. (The soundman must be so scared he's afraid to get his microphone near Young Ae.) She goes to confront Duk Hee about the new arrangements. Duk Hee reminds her rival that they're in a recession; Young Ae needs to cut back on her expenses because her allowance is going to be trimmed. 

Mong Hee and Hyun Soo watch some videos of Yoo Na. We can't go five minutes without a scene of Mong Hee eating something. While Hyun Soo gives her lessons in being a bitch, Mong Hee gives him lessons in what its like to be loved by your family, a concept completely alien to him. 

Another awkward date is scheduled between Monghyun and Hyun Tae. How classy, his girlfriend drops him off at the coffee shop and waits for Hyun Tae out in the car. He's supposed to meet Monghyun's family tomorrow and she pleads with him to at least act like he likes her when he's in front of them. Hyun Tae's like, whatever, I'm just marrying you so Big Daddy won't beat me to death.

Outside as Hyun Tae is getting into the car, his girlfriend invites Monghyun to join them at his family's country villa. A menage a trois! Girlfriend is a Super Freak! 

Hyun Tae looks rather eager to hear her answer. Don't get your hopes (or anything else) up. Monghyun ain't down wit dat. 

Mong Hee comes up with an excuse not to be at the family meeting because she knows she can't be seen by Hyun Soo's brother. 

Hyun Tae stops by the big house to be berated and insulted by absolutely everyone in his family. Gee kid, I could almost feel sorry for you if you didn't act like such a dick.

He gets to Monghyun's house and pulls off the Perfect Gentleman act without a hitch. The family is completely fooled. 

Time to return the favor. Now it's Hyun Tae's family who are having Monghyun come over and Hyun Soo insists Mong Hee be there as his wife. Mong Hee tries and fails to come up with an excuse not to. She still hasn't told him Monghyun is her sister.

Dressed up as Yoo Na, Mong Hee arrives early to the party. Seongeun is conveniently still at the office so that storyline of how Mong Hee knows her is for another episode. Claiming she has a headache, Mong Hee goes upstairs to rest but she can't put it off forever and must go down and greet Monghyun. When the two women meet it takes a moment before Monghyun notices the incredible likeness and blurts out, "Unnie?"

A Hundred Year's Inheritance (Abridged) Episode 36

Too many characters I don't care about are getting too much camera time. Let's skip ahead...

Se Yoon and his father are at the office discussing an upcoming noodle competition. Dad gets it all cleared up that Chae Won is from the same noodle clan who were friends with Dad's dad. Back at home Clingy Mom is still stewing over the supposed betrayal of Aunt With The Pink Lipstick when she's surprised by the delivery of a package. The address denotes it was sent from the orphanage. Inside the package Clingy Mom is horrified to find a ... uh, string? Bookmark? Cat toy? It's purple whatever it is, with a little flower on the end. It was the dying nun's last request that this ... thing be sent to Clingy Mom.

Continuing her "Torture Hong Joo Until She Leaves" program, EMIL demands all her DIL's jewelry to be returned. Hong Joo easily agrees to, saying the jewels weren't up to her standards anyway. Downstairs, EMIL makes sure Hong Joo witnesses that several expensive gifts are going to be delivered to Chae Won's house.

Chae Won refuses the gifts and ends up dropping them back off outside of EMIL's house. Before she can get away, Chul Goo drives up. Like a broken record he begs her to come back and she vehemently rebuffs the idea. Ah, but this time she adds that extra kick of, "I'm in love with someone else now." There's also a funny little scene of Chul Goo trying to stop her little truck and Chae Won easily outmaneuvering him.

Chae Won returns to the factory where Se Yoon is fondling her noodles. (Get your mind out of the gutter!)  He suggests she enter the noodle competition under a business alias. Chae Won agrees, intending to win first place and help her family's business to recover and revitalize. Se Yoon helps her make a mess in the workroom (while neither one wears a hairnet) and sneaks in a kiss. 

Still holding the purple thing, Clingy Mom pulls out a small box and takes out of it some baby clothing. Secreted away between the clothes, Clingy Mom pulls out a similar pink thing. She wonders why the dying nun couldn't have just died and taken The Big Secret to the grave. 

She's interrupted by Se Yoon returning home. She hides the pink and purple things but Se Yoon notices and asks about the baby clothes. Clingy Mom gives him the brush off about the clothes. Thinking she's still mad over the Chae Won situation, Se Yoon apologizes and begs his mother to give his girlfriend another chance.

Chul Goo is playing his favorite game: Drink Until You Pass Out. Joo Ri, still hobbling although she's gotten rid of the crutch, asks why he's drinking. He tells his sister about Chae Won and Se Yoon now officially dating. Joo Ri urges Chul Goo to quickly divorce Hong Joo so he can win back Chae Won (and she can win Se Yoon.) 

Se Yoon and Chae Won take Grandpa to see the cancer specialist. Sadly the doctor has to agree with the fatal diagnosis. Gramps probably has only a few months to live. Grandpa assures the young people that he's lived a good life and he gives his blessing to Chae Won to continue the family noodle business. He also gives his blessing to Se Yoon and Chae Won's relationship.

Because of all that stuff I don't care about, Aunt With The Pink Lipstick and her husband are now jobless and homeless. Aunt Pinkie decides to try her luck sucking up to Clingy Mom again like she used to back at the beginning of this show. During their discussion it is Aunt Pinkie who spills the beans to Clingy Mom about how EMIL tried to frame Se Yoon as having an affair. 

Chul Goo tries (and fails) to get Hong Joo to sign divorce papers.

The next day Choon Hee accompanies Chae Won to Se Yoon's workplace with their entry for the noodle competition. Also at the office is Clingy Mom. She runs into Joo Ri who is still calling her "Mother-in-law" and talking all friendly and confidential. Now that Clingy Mom knows the truth about EMIL, she's rather cool towards Joo Ri.

Choon Hee is waiting outside for Chae Won when she's spotted by Clingy Mom. Without any word of explanation, Clingy Mom goes over and bitch slaps Choon Hee. Choon Hee's had enough of all this crap and she raises her own hand to return the bitch slap when Chae Won and Se Yoon come out of the building.

Aww, ruined a perfectly good cat fight.

A Hundred Year's Inheritance (Abridged) Episode 35

EMIL minces into the room and throws her arms around the startled Chae Won. With tears in her eyes the older woman apologizes for all the wrongs she's done to her former DIL and asks for forgiveness. Where's Grandma and her bag of flour when you need her? 

EMIL goes on to present a pitiful picture of Chul Goo pining away for his lost love and coming close to turning into an alcoholic if Chae Won doesn't help him. Only now since she's stuck with crazy Hong Joo does EMIL understand how good she really had it with Chae Won. 

Chae Won tries to walk away but EMIL follows her. Oh thank God, here comes Grandma and Choon Hee. Attack! EMIL gets all respectful and humble, apologizing to the ladies for past indiscretions and assuring them things will be different this time when Chae Won goes back to Chul Goo. Yes, Grandma threatens to go get her flour if EMIL doesn't haul ass! 

Se Yoon, not wearing a hard hat, just waltzes unauthorized back in on the construction site where Chae Won's Dad is working. He's here for the product placement of a drink called K. Dad still refuses to give his blessing for Se Yoon to date his daughter until Se Yoon gets his own parents' approval first.

EMIL is filling in her children about her plans to get them with their respective obsessions when she's interrupted by the unwelcome return of Hong Joo (and Coco) as well as Sour Puss and Prison Matron. EMIL doesn't want Hong Joo back and insists the kids divorce. Sour Puss doesn't want Hong Joo back and insists there will not be another divorce for the scandal mongers to talk about. Kind of feel sorry for Hong Joo at this point.

Upstairs in the bedroom we finally get to see a glimmer of the mother in Sour Puss as she explains why she wants Hong Joo to stay married. As part of her divorce agreement with her uber-rich husband, Sour Puss must leave the country for at least three years. There will be no one else in Seoul to protect Hong Joo except Chul Goo. There's an almost hug between mother and daughter. Coco gets a kiss in. 

Chae Won tells Grandpa that Se Yoon has made arrangements with a famous cancer specialist to get a second opinion on Grandpa's condition. Perhaps Grandpa will turn out to have the same kind of cancer Miracle Dad had. You know, the kind that can be cured with only one simple operation and no chemo or radiation. 

Back at the construction site, Se Yoon still won't wear a hard hat and now he's eating bad pork. Somebody sure has a death wish. What's next, Se Yoon?

EMIL tries to throw Hong Joo (and Coco) out of her house. When Hong Joo doesn't budge, EMIL starts grabbing clothes when she's tackled by Mrs. Park. Chul Goo must come to his mother's rescue from the prison matron. While he doesn't exactly come to his wife's rescue as well, neither does he order her out of the house. Instead he gives her a very limp comfort pat on her shoulder. (At least Chul Goo did a better job than Ji Heon's two finger comfort pat to Na Yoon in Protect The Boss.)

What's that, Se Yoon? You've got stomach pains and a cold sweat? Gee, could it possibly be something you ate? Se Yoon stumbles back to Chae Won at the noodle factory so he can spread his food poisoning to unsuspecting customers. 

With Chae Won going off to go get medicine for Se Yoon, it's up to Choon Hee to nurse her more-than-likely-secret-son. She asks why Se Yoon didn't taste the pork being bad while I wonder why he didn't at least smell the pork was turned. Chae Won returns before Se Yoon has to reveal his lame secret of having no taste sense. (Wait, I just thought of something. What if his taste loss is something hereditary and not just from the trauma of Dead Girlfriend. I'll be watching for Choon Hee to say anything about not having any sense of taste herself.) As Chae Won takes over the nursing of him, Se Yoon insists on holding her hand and spreading his food poisoning to her. Way to go, Se Yoon.

Se Yoon finally falls asleep in Chae Won's bedroom. Clingy Mom calls his cell phone and Chae Won chooses to answer it so she can explain Se Yoon's sudden illness. Clingy Mom drives over immediately to pick up her son. That's not a happy look on her face. She's about to storm in when she runs into her old friend, Aunt With The Pink Lipstick. When Clingy Mom learns Aunt Pinkie is aunt to Chae Won, she jumps down Pinkie's throat for aiding and abetting this illicit relationship between Se Yoon and Chae Won. 

Dad, Chae Won and Se Yoon come outside in the middle of this awkwardness. Clingy Mom gives them all The Glare. She's not a bit appreciative to them nursing Se Yoon in his time of need. Clingy Mom orders her son to get in the car right now. She heads back to her vehicle, never seeing Choon Hee when she comes outside.

Back at the house, Clingy Mom and Miracle Dad take turns yelling at their still recovering son. In his defense, Se Yoon brings up his parents past and how Miracle Dad's parents were initially against him marrying Clingy Mom. Uh-oh, Clingy Mom is getting dizzy. All that bitchiness must be getting to her. 

As part of her "Torture Hong Joo Until She Leaves" project, EMIL has Chul Goo's newest wedding picture taken down and his old wedding picture with Chae Won put up in the couple's bedroom. Hong Joo won't give EMIL the satisfaction of becoming upset. Instead she compliments the picture and when Chul Goo tries to take it down she insists it stays right where it is. 

There's just enough time left in the program to product place some more Lego's.

The cliffhanger to this episode has something to do with the characters I don't care about and the noodle contest I've not been following.