Scandal Episode 14

Myeong Geun and Hwa Young are waiting in their private dining room when they are joined by Ah Mi and Fake Eun Joong. The two men stare at each other in shock while the women remain oblivious.

 

Real Eun Joong lies unconscious and bleeding all over the driveway as a masked Kang Ho searches through the cop's stuff to retrieve the missing cuff link. To cover his tracks, Kang Ho empties Eun Joong's wallet so it will look like a harsh mugging.

 

Myeong Geun and Fake Eun Joong continue their staring contest as Hwa Young rattles off legalese concerning the crumbling building.

 

In another private dining room, Go Joo Ran goes on and on about how Hwa Young is cheating on the husband who cheated on her. Joo Ha doesn't believe or wants to hear a word of this crap. Joo Ran start interrogating her daughter about this lowly detective Joo Ha is supposedly dating.

 

Tae Ha asks Jo Jin Woong to quit his current job and come work at Taeha Construction.

 

Meanwhile, in yet another private dining room, Kang Joo Pil continues to torment Deputy Chief Whatshisname about knowing Ha Myeong Geun was the kidnapper and Ha Eun Joong is really Tae Ha's child. At least we get a flashback as to how Deputy Chief learned his co-worker and friend was a criminal. Deputy Chief begs the former reporter to just let sleeping dogs lie since Myeong Geun loves Real Eun Joong like his own son. Joo Pil hints that he plans to use what he's learned to torment Tae Ha into giving him the position of president at Taeha Construction.

 

Real Eun Joong continues to bleed.

 

Joo Ran and Joo Ha see Hwa Young leaving the restaurant with Fake Eun Joong, thus damaging Joo Ran's speculation of her rival being here for a rendezvous.

 

Ah Mi returns home and finally someone finds the unconscious Real Eun Joong.

 

Deputy Chief Whatshisname tells Myeong Geun about his long and tortuous meal with Kang Joo Pil. When a weary Myeong Geun returns home he sees the blood stain and the mess in the driveway.

 

Fake Eun Joong is trying to figure out why Myeong Geun kidnapped Real Eun Joong in the first place as well as how to prove that the former cop is the kidnapper.

 

Myeong Geun joins Ah Mi at the hospital where they wait for news on Real Eun Joong. Ah Mi gathered up his stuff from the driveway so when his cell phone starts ringing she answers it. Before she can get a word in edgewise, Joo Ha starts talking and talking and talking which is how Ah Mi learns that this was the woman Eun Joong had a date with. Ah Mi finally gets a chance to speak and explains about finding Eun Joong seriously wounded. My girl knows this wasn't an anonymous robbery and that Eun Joong was targeted by the same man that killed her husband.

 

Joo Ha comes down to the hospital, probably out of guilt because in a sense she's the one who instigated this attack by telling Kang Ho to get that cuff link back no matter what. She asks Ah Mi how Eun Joong is doing. He's still not out of the woods with the worse case scenario being brain damage or brain dead. Ah Mi lists her husband's death, her baby's death, and now the attempt on the life of the detective investigating the case. She asks what is Joo Ha and her family guarding that is worth all these human lives? They may seem like trivial and insignificant non-entities to the powerful and rich Jangs but to each other they are the universe.

 

Ah Mi, I wanna send you a valentine.

 

A sexually frustrated Tae Ha demands Hwa Young start living in the main house with him and, more importantly, start sharing the same bed with him. When he sees she's working on the paperwork to file suit against the company, Tae Ha wigs out and starts smashing stuff, accidentally cutting Hwa Young in the process. So I guess the booty call is off now. Hwa Young does the right thing, grabs her purse and gets the hell out of there.

 

Eye Candy Time: Jin Woong is back at the gym wearing that tight shirt. This is also Comic Relief Time as Joo Ran once again interrupts his workout to display what an idiot she is. She's here to tell Jin Woong the "good news" about Real Eun Joong being knocked silly. If they're lucky he'll wake up with amnesia or as a half-wit. At least Jin Woong has the decency to look concerned, although I can't say for sure if that concern is for Eun Joong or for the thought of Joo Ran being his future mother-in-law.

 

While everyone is away at the hospital, Joo Pil seizes the opportunity to pose as Eun Joong's uncle, rifle through his "nephew's" desk at work and take a razor to gather DNA from.

 

Tae Ha orders Fake Eun Joong, Joo Ha, and Joo Pil to find out who the whistle blower is. Furthermore he tasks Fake Eun Joong for being the lawyer to defend the family company.

 

Joo Ran stops by the hospital and runs into Myeong Geun, the man she recognizes from the pictures she took of him and Hwa Young. When she learns he is Eun Joong's father she tells him she's Joo Ha's mother and she's hear to stop their kids from dating each other. This is the first time Myeong Geun learns who Joo Ha really is, as in Real Eun Joong's real sister.

 

The good news is Real Eun Joong wakes up. The bad news is he has DramaAmnesia! The good news is he's just kidding.

 

(Gosh I'm having a horrible lag.)

 

Thanks to Joo Ran's big mouth, Joo Ha learns Myeong Geun has met with Hwa Young so therefore the possibility is that he is the whistleblower she's been ordered to find. Furthermore, Joo Ha suspects Fake Eun Joong knew who the whistleblower was all this time but kept it secret from Tae Ha.

 

Now that he's recovered, Real Eun Joong is on the move. He's got the Ballcap of Revenge on. Eun Joong suspects Kang Ho and lures the man out into the parking garage so he can Hassan Chop. Eun Joong tells the downed Kang Ho that he's not going to kill or arrest the man as he wants to get the big fish that's behind Kang Ho.

 

Joo Pil is out celebrating the DNA test results he got back that prove without a doubt that Jang Tae Ha is Ha Eun Joong's biological father.

 

Myeong Geun gets a surprise late night visit from Fake Eun Joong who says he has something important to say. What Dad #1 doesn't see is that Fake is secretly recording with his cell phone.

Scandal Episode 13

Jang Tae Ha is sitting in his car and wondering, "Who is this guy laughing with my woman although technically she isn't my woman and hasn't been my woman in quite some time and I really have no right to be jealous but I'm going to be because I'm a putz." Myeong Geun, his back still to Tae Ha, takes his leave. Kang Ho slowly follows the mystery man with the car until they're blocked by another vehicle. Myeong Geun gets away - this time.

 

Tae Ha (whose hair roots are really showing) returns to his wife's office to blow his stack about her laughing and smiling with another man. Hwa Young keeps her cool, at least.

 

Real Eun Joong takes Ah Mi to a... I'm not really sure what it is but there's a lot of water faucets. Ah Mi is cleaning the seawood soup off of her as Eun Joong febreezes some of his old clothes he has in the trunk of the car. This whole incident has caused Eun Joong to forget he has a "date" with Joo Ha. (Which is good because no one should be dating their half sister.) Instead Eun Joong spends quality time with Ah Mi as they kick a ball back and forth.

 

(Bad weather is giving me a poor connection. I'll try to persevere.)

 

Play time is interrupted when Joo Ha calls to remind Eun Joong of their date. Ah Mi pushes Eun Joong to forget about her and go meet his girlfriend.

 

Real Eun Joong finally picks Joo Ha up and was planning on taking her to a gym so they can box (how romantic - not) when she gets a call from her father. Tae Ha insists she join him for drinks. Joo Ha expects Eun Joong to drop her off somewhere and end their date since she has to go do something else. Instead Eun Joong proposes he go with her so he can meet his date's father.

 

Fake Eun Joong has joined Tae Ha and Jo Jin Woong at the restaurant. The other guys are asking Fake Eun Joong what his problem is, he seems so despressed. Fake Eun Joong denies being down in the dumps. Joo Ha comes into the room and is surprised to see her unwanted fiancé as she thought her dad was alone. Real Eun Joong joins the party and makes everyone uncomfortable, especially Fake Eun Joong who is now covered in flop sweat.

 

Tae Ha makes Fake Eun Joong pour a drink for Real Eun Joong. Fake is so nervous he's rattling the kettle. Tae Ha assumes his not-son is ill and calls for Fake to go home but Fake claims he wants to stay.

 

Go Joo Ran is back to haranguing Hwa Young into divorcing Tae Ha. Hwa Young agrees to leaving her (unwanted, unloved) husband but warns that Fake Eun Joong is still a son to her so Joo Ran had better leave him alone.

 

Tae Ha asks Real why he isn't drinking. Real explains he doesn't want to get inebriated and wake up in the morning with a large check stuffed into his pocket and once again having to pack up and move to another department. When Tae Ha asks why the cop is with Joo Ha, Real replies he's developed feelings for the woman and they're going to start dating. If you thought Fake Eun Joong was flop sweating before you ain't seen nothin' yet. He's like Lake Flop Sweat when he hears this news.

 

Ah Mi tells Myeong Geun that she's going to start a lawsuit. Since she and Gi Chan had put money down on a unit in the faulty condominium building, she has a right to sue Taeha Construction for selling them an unsafe apartment. Myeong Geun worries about her being in even more danger and tries to talk her out of the lawsuit, or to at least let him be the one to bring it to court.

 

We can't go long without a musical interlude in this show. They really wanna sell their soundtrack.

 

Drunk Tae Ha has to be brought home by his kids. He's in a belligerent state and orders Joo Ha to stop seeing "that bastard." When Hwa Young attempts to guide Tae Ha to bed, he pushes her to the floor and also orders her to stop seeing any bastards or else. Fake Eun Joong hugs Hwa Young and gets his flop sweat all over her.

 

Jin Woong is at the gym working out (my, that's tight shirt you're wearing) when Joo Ran barges in and continues to show what an idiot she is. "Do you make socks?"

 

Hwa Young hears that Joo Ha is supposedly dating someone. Mom wants to meet this guy. Fake Eun Joong just sits there. Are you going to say anything, Fake? Are you even going to sweat this time?

 

Hwa Young calls Myeong Geun to tell him she plans to confront Tae Ha about the faulty construction. She may be able to stop her husband, she may not. If not, then Myeong Geun needs to get a pre-resident (as in Ah Mi) to file a lawsuit as it can't be done by someone not directly involved with the building. They arrange to meet later that evening.

 

Ah Mi meets with Joo Ha to talk about the internal audit that was supposedly done on Gi Chan when he was alive. Ah Mi, showing off her new backbone and purpose in life, points out how half-assed the audit was done and how she plans to file a lawsuit against the company for shoddy workmanship.

 

Joo Ha goes running to warn her daddy (who is wearing a little skull pin on his lapel) about the lawsuit. She worries that Ah Mi will get other pre-residents to join in on the suit. Tae Ha is confident that he can make a phone call to all the big law firms and stop this suit in its tracks. The small law firms that would dare to sue him will be crushed.

 

Hwa Young stops by her husband's office to confront Tae Ha about the poor safety of his building. She gives him an honorable way out of this mess if he'll just fix the problem before it gets any worse. Otherwise she will fight him.

 

Fake Eun Joong pressures his not-sister to just go ahead and marry Jin Woong. More importantly she needs to stop seeing Real Eun Joong. Joo Ha refuses as she's hoping to win the cop over to their side. With that topic dead in the water, Fake Eun Joong switches to asking if she remembers anything from the time he was kidnapped. Joo Ha tells him to ask dad, or better yet ask Kang Ho.

 

Speaking of Kang Ho, Real Eun Joong has gotten the print results back from the cuff link. He has no idea who Kang Ho is but it's his prints all over the man jewelry.

 

Joo Ran is at a fancy restaurant where she's trying to get Joo Ha to meet her so they can talk about this detective. Around the corner Joo Ran spies Hwa Young meeting up with Myeong Geun. Suspicious about who he is and what is going on, Joo Ran takes a couple of pictures of them with her cell phone. Myeong Geun's face is pretty clear in the shots.

 

Kang Joo Pil is meeting with Myeong Geun's old boss, the deputy chief who had Real Eun Joong transferred to the pencil pushing department. Joo Pil lays it all out on the table (literally) that he suspects Myeong Geun is the kidnapper from the old days and that Ha Eun Joong is really Tae Ha's Eun Joong.

 

From the restaurant, Hwa Young calls Fake Eun Joong to come meet her there while Myeong Geun calls Ah Mi to come meet him there. As it just so happens Ah Mi is with Fake Eun Joong so that saves on gas.

 

Real Eun Joong is arriving home and just walking up the steps when he's attacked from behind by Kang Ho (wearing a mask). Kang Ho beats the tar out of Eun Joong.

Three Kingdoms Episode 45

We pick up right where the last episode abruptly ended: with Cao Cao quizzing his sons on what to do with the assassins hiding in the city. Third and Fourth Brother (who aren't important enough to warrant names) recommend all the city gates be closed and a hefty bounty offered. Cao Pei lamely goes along with these two. Youngster Cao Chong pipes up and says he'd leave all the gates wide open and let the assassins go. They've already failed in their attempt. This way they'll return to their master Ma Teng and tell him how Cao Cao lives, thus making the traitor quake in his boots. Cao Cao approves of this solution and preaches the very Christ-like message of don't hate your enemies to his other sons.

 

(Argh! Windows 8 continues to piss me off!)

The next day Xun Yu brings the good news that the rebels have retreated with their armies.

Cao Pei asks his teacher, Chen Qun, about this Sima Yi. Chen Qun goes on and on about how great Sima Yi is that rainbows and unicorns come out of his ass. This gives Cao Pei cause to worry. Since such a great man has been appointed tutor to Cao Chong, that must mean Cao Cao plans to name the boy as his successor. If that's true, in order to protect Cao Chung, the older brothers would have to be done away with. Cao Pei sends Chen Qun to sound Sima Yi out on how things stand.

(I'm not sure what this has to do with anything but after Chen Qun leaves, Cao Pei notices a hole in the ground and looks like he's about to faint. Is that a snake hole? Does this have anything to do with the snake theme from last episode? Is Cao Pei about to wig out?)

Chen Qun and Sima Yi catch up on old times. When Chen Qun gets down to business and asks what Cao Cao's plans are for Cao Chong, Sima Yi doesn't say anything. This basically answers Chen Qun's question. Sima Yi assures Chen Quen that Cao Chong isn't the most clever of Cao Cao's sons. That title belongs to the man who sent Chen Qun on this fact finding mission.

But what's this? By the next scene Cao Chong is on death's door. He's been poisoned. Xun Yu suspects it was a venomous rat. At least that's what he says in front of the servants. Once he and Cao Cao are alone, Xun Yu explains he really thinks it was a poisonous snake. Furthermore, he doesn't think this snake just happened to wander by but was intentionally released in the boy's household.

Under duress ("Tell me or I'll kill you!") a shaking Xun Yu points the finger at Cao Pei as the one person who would benefit the most from Cao Chong's death. Wouldn't you know it, though: here comes a messenger to report that just this moment Cao Pei has been bitten by a poisonous snake himself. Cao Cas rushes over to that son's deathbed. Cao Pei (cleverly) acts more concerned about his brothers than himself.

Cao Cao barks to have his other two sons tied up since they're out having fun and being alive. Speaking of being alive, Cao Chong no longer is. Cao Cao has to be helped to Cao Pei's bedside when it is predicted this son won't live much longer himself. Yet when he gets there it's really to hear good news for a change. It looks like Cao Pei is getting better and will recover. Cao Cao is weak with relief.

(Chen Jian Bin, you're one hell of an actor. I hope you won all sorts of awards for this.)

Sima Yi and Chen Qun are having tea together. Chen Qun wonders who was the assassin of the young master. Sima Yi, who is really into the pattern on the table top, lays the blame at the boy's own feet. Cao Chong was too smart for his own good so this was bound to happen.

Cao Pei drags himself out of his sickbed in order to attend his brother's funeral. Despite his father's orders to go back and rest, Cao Pei insists on staying to keep vigil. Cao Cao tries to reassign Sima Yi to another son. Instead that crafty old man asks to build a hut next to the boy's grave and keep him company for three years. Cao Cao agrees but also names Sima Yi as his secretary in the future once the three years are over.

Cao Cao is still trying to figure out who was behind the assassination. He thinks to go to the mourning hall and spy on his three sons. In his mind the innocent will be sleeping while the guilty will be awake because they're feeling guilty. Cao Cao peeks around the corner and can plainly see Cao Pei is only pretending to be asleep. Father decides to cover up for his son and decree that everyone was bitten by venomous rats.

Sima Yi is holding his graveside vigil and getting all sorts of visitors. Chen Qun knows the real reason Sima Yi wants to mourn for three years is because the crafty old man wants to wait and see which Cao son would be considered heir to their father before Yi commits to being a teacher again. 

Wild Cat Episode 1

I continue my surfing around the South American boob tube by trying a taste of Venezuelan drama. Have you ever heard of the Venezuelan poodle moth? I hadn't until just now. Gosh, the things you find on the internet. You can find Wild Cat over at Viki.

 

 

We begin with rich and beautiful couple Luis Mario and Camelia Arismendi cruising through New York City (a very tropical looking NYC) in their expensive sports car to the docks where they take their expensive yacht out for a cruise. Ah, to be rich and beautiful. These two are so in love. And so greased up! Have they been oil wrestling?

 

They go below decks to work on having a baby together when a screen-projected storm suddenly strikes. The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. That's not all that's tossed as Camelia slips out of Luis Mario's grip (probably because of all the body grease) and is washed away.

 

Two years later...

 

Luis Mario is still looking for his missing wife. He's advised to accept that his busty wife has drowned and to stop looking for her. Meanwhile back in Florida Eduarda laments to Cousin Luisana that the Arismendi family is facing ruin. Eduarda figures the only way to save the family estate is for her brother, Luis Mario, to marry Eva Granados. It's a very nice estate - I would want to save it.

 

We get a brief introduction to our heroine, Rosaura Rios, who operates a food truck and serves the field workers on the Arismendi lands.

 

Eduarda goes to visit her friend, the lovely and scantily clad Eva. Eduarda encourages her friend to go after Luis Mario. Eva knows the Arimendi's are in financial trouble and that her money is the only reason Eduarda has brought up the subject of marriage. Still, she's been in love with Luis Mario for years and is more than willing to marry him.

 

Back in New York, Luis Mario has been so busy searching for his missing wife that he's just now learning about the dire straits his family estate is in. He's urged to return home and make repairs to the family fortune.

 

Hard working Rosaura returns home to find her old father has been getting his drink on. She gets into a screeching cat fight with her step mother and siblings. With no help from Drunk Dad, Rosaura is tossed out of the house and ordered never to return.

 

Luis Mario and his friend Gabriel are flying a small aircraft back to Florida. Suddenly the plane develops engine problems. They're forced to do a hard landing in a field as witnessed by Rosaura. As Gabriel goes in search of help, Rosaura stays to take care of the unconscious Luis Mario. Our hero awakens in Rosaura's arms and promptly declares she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. So I take it he's finally over Camelia.

 

Back at Rosaura's former home, her evil step mother is looking for a picture of Rosaura's dead mother. Evil step mother has an evil plan to have her evil daughter pretend to be Rosaura.

 

Luis Mario thanks Rosaura for all her help and kisses her goodbye as he goes in search of Gabriel. Rosaura is instantly smitten. Gabriel and the clan spot Luis Mario walking along the road and pick him up.

 

Back at the very nice house, sister Eduarda lays out the plan to her brother about marrying Eva. Luis Mario doesn't want to marry for anything but love, not that he's over Camelia yet. He plans to save the family by taking off his shirt and working in the fields alongside the other peons.

 

Eduarda still thinks her plan is the best and invites Eva over for dinner.

 

After a hard day of sweating in the fields, Luis Mario goes to a nearby lake to wash up. Finally some male nudity. He's swimming around in the lake when some chick named Panchita stops to enjoy the eye candy and to steal his clothes.

 

Luis Mario is standing on the shore wondering where his clothes went when Rosaura walks up to deliver his lunch. He has to hide behind some bushes while she goes in search of his togs, which she does find where Panchita left them.

 

Eva is angry that Luis Mario is late for dinner when she really should be angry about that butt-ugly outfit she's wearing. Eva leaves in a huff. Panchita, who is a maid at the estate, claims this is all supernatural interference from the dead Camelia.

 

Evil step mother makes a call to an elderly woman named Cruz Olivares. Evil step mother announces she can tell the old woman where her granddaughter Rosaura is. Grandma Cruz is so shocked she drops her cane to clutch her pearls.

 

The next day out in the field Rosaura is trying to run her food truck when she's harassed by a field hand who declares what she needs is a real man for her fiery temper. Luis Mario (still unable to figure out how to button up his shirt) comes to her rescue. Luis Mario thinks to himself he could marry Rosaura, not so much because he loves her as it would really stick it to his ornery sister Eduarda.

The Del Monte Sons Episode 1

It's that time again. Time to expand my horizons. (Of course it's also time for me to fold my laundry, but let's get priorities straight here.) This will be my first TV show from Chile and you can catch it over at DramaFever.

 

 

 

As peppy Latin music plays we are introduced to the Del Monte sons one by one.

 

Juan (played by Jorge Zabaleta and looking a lot like Luke Wilson)

Jose (played by Francisco Perez-Bannen)

Pedro (played by Cristian Arriagada)

Gaspar (played by Matias Oviedo)

Lucas (played by Andres Reyes)

 

They're all riding their horses back to the big house so they can get cleaned up for Juan's engagement ceremony. Elsewhere we see the bride, Juliet, and her family getting ready. Man, fashion sense in Chile is way different than 'round here. Juliet's sister, Consuelo, looks more like she's dressed to work the street corner than to go to a wedding. Thank goodness her father feels the same way and orders her to change.

 

(I'm not five minutes into the show and the music is already getting on my nerves.)

 

The bride and her family arrive to the poolside where all the guests are waiting. This must be an informal party as most of the guests have on jeans. Even the bride is wearing boots and jeans. Juliet's mother infodumps to the audience that the boys are all the adopted sons of the late Emilio del Monte who died in an accident. The rings are exchanged and more peppy music is played.

 

We switch to a private jet coming in for a landing. Wow, look at those mountains in the background. Onboard is Don Gustavo, a lawyer, here to read the will of the late Emilio. Along with him is Sofia Cananda (with hella cheekbones) and her daughter Paula (played by Maria Elena Swett). The trio crash the party and introduce Paula as the daughter of Emilio that he had with his mistress.

 

This is the first time the brothers ever learn they even had a sister and the camera zooms in on all their blank-but-supposedly-shocked faces. The group leaves the wedding party to watch a video left by their father. Dead Dad pleads with his sons, especially Juan, to accept Paula into the family and allow her to live in the house with them. The sons are not pleased.

 

Gustavo explains how Emilio divided up his wealth equally among his children, both biological and adopted. The portion of land that Paula inherits includes the large house. Once again the camera zooms in on all their blank-but-supposedly-shocked faces. Really wish the cameraman would stop doing that.

 

Mama Cheekbones insists Paula get the entire inheritance since she's the only blood related child of Emilio's, unlike the adopted boys. Paula feels the boys were very rude to her and so she also plans to take everything.

 

Juan, who appears to be the oldest son and therefore in charge, has a meeting with Paula where he offers to buy her out. More camera zooming. C'mon, Chile - you can do better than that. And stop that horrible porn music playing. Anyway, Paula is insulted he would offer her money and she starts to slap him. Juan grabs her wrist and the two exchanged heated looks when Juan's fiancée, Juliet, walks in and breaks things up.

 

Young and sensitive brother Lucas wants to welcome Paula into the family. Broody brother Pedro seems to have a thing for Juliet. Hot-headed brother Jose suspects Dad's accident wasn't just an accident and perhaps these women had something to do with it. Brother Gaspar blames Mama Cheekbones' existence for making his adoptive mother sicken and die.

 

Paula asks Juan to show her the land. Against his better judgment he takes her out for the horse ride around. They continue to exchange long looks while porn music plays.

 

Gaspar tries to spend some time with his girlfriend, Lupe, but her father does not approve of their relationship. And can someone please shut that barking dog up?

 

Jose is messing around with a married woman.

 

Gaspar warns Pedro not to be lusting after their brother's future wife. Someone should warn Gaspar not to be always standing in the background as next he notices the long stares and porn music between Juan and Paula. Get a life, Gaspar.

Scandal Episode 12

I know this is going to sound strange, but ever since all this bad stuff has happened to Woo Ah Mi and she's not half as annoying as she was in the beginning, I'm totally rooting for her. This girl needs revenge!

 

 

We backtrack a bit to when Hwa Young received the phone call from the most inept private dick ever. This time we see the conversation from his end. As he tells Hwa Young he found her son, nearby sits Fake Eun Joong who has told the private dick what to say.

 

As Real Eun Joong is leaving his house he can't stop thinking about the conversation he overheard between his not-father and Joo Pil. Specifically he keeps thinking of the comment of how Jang Tae Ha has killed before.

 

Soo Young continues to plummet in my regard. Even though Eun Joong tells her about Ah Mi losing her child, Soo Young doesn't act empathetic at all. Boo, Soo Young.

 

Hwa Young waits anxiously in the café for her visitor to appear. The door opens and... in walks Fake Eun Joong. She asks why he's doing this to her. Fake Eun Joong says he wants her to feel the kind of pain he's been feeling, knowing he's not her real son, she's never considered him her son, and not knowing who he really is. All valid points, I must say.

 

At a bar (with customers!) Real Eun Joong meets with Jang Joo Ha. She's heard about the fire at Gi Chan and Ah Mi's apartment and she's concerned. Real Eun Joong pulls out the little plastic evidence envelope with the cuff link and asks Joo Ha if she's ever seen it before. She starts to react before she catches herself but Eun Joong knows Joo Ha recognizes the cuff link as belonging to her father. Joo Ha tries to backtrack and say the cuff link looks similar to one she's seen before. Why does he ask? Real Eun Joong floors her when he explains the fire at the apartment wasn't an accident, it was arson, and this cuff link was found at the crime scene.

 

Hwa Young and Fake Eun Joong have a very painful but at least honest conversation about the situation. Fake Eun Joong says there's not enough room in the house for two Eun Joongs so either throw him away or stop looking for her real son.

 

Random white guy alert: as Joo Ha and Real Eun Joong are waiting for the elevator, out of it steps Jo Jin Woong and some foreigner who quickly leaves the scene and had no purpose whatsoever. Joo Ha tries to use her real half-brother to make Jin Woong jealous. Eww. Jin Woong tells Eun Joong he can still mess around with Joo Ha until the wedding in September, then it must stop. Eww. When Jin Woong simply walks away to join the random white guy in the bar, Joo Ha asks Real Eun Joong to mess around with her for a month in an effort to get Woong to end this engagement. EWWWW.

 

(Dangit, this Windows 8 keeps getting on my nerves.)

 

Anyway, Real Eun Joong tells her he doesn't have time for her petty love problems because he's too busy investigating a murder. But then he realizes he can use Joo Ha to get closer to Tae Ha so he changes his mind.

 

Back at home, Hwa Young packs up all her Real Eun Joong material and hands it over to Fake Eun Joong for him to continue the search. She agrees to settle for just knowing if her real son is alright, if he's happy and healthy, and won't try to claim him. Hwa Young asks about the security camera video and when Fake Eun Joong claims this is the first he's ever heard of it, she quickly figures out that Joo Ran must have gotten her sticky fingers on it. She tells Fake Eun Joong they have to get that tape back before Joo Ran shows it to Tae Ha.

 

The next morning as Tae Ha is getting dressed, Joo Ha stops by to talk with him. The dude's got a table full of cuff links and yes, Joo Ha takes a peek at them. Ah, it turns out those particular cuff links were a gift from her and Joo Ha asks where they are. Tae Ha is like, "Oh yeah, I gave those to Kang Ho. Because I trust him more than I will ever trust you, flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone." (So screw you, daughter, and screw your thoughtful gifts to me.)

 

Real Eun Joong borrows a suit (probably the first one he's ever worn) to go to a high-end men's shop. He pretends to be on an errand for Tae Ha to replace a lost cuff link. The shop owner recognizes the one cuff link Eun Joong has and corrects the cop in that it was Joo Ha who purchased the cuff links to give to her father.

 

To protect her father, Joo Ha warns Kang Ho about the cuff link being found at the fire so he'd better make up some story about losing both cuff links or else take sole responsibility for his actions. And here I thought Joo Ha was on the cusp of being a good girl. Ah Mi, you have officially become the only female character I like on this show. All the others can go to hell.

 

While Real Eun Joong is already at the police station trying to get fingerprints off the cuff link, he decides to start digging into his not-father's past and find out why Myeong Geun suddenly resigned from the force in 1988.

 

Ack, Gi Chan's bitch mother makes a return appearance. Where's the Truck of Doom when you need it?

 

Myeong Geun goes to see Hwa Young at her law office. He shows her the evidence he has of the unsafe conditions at her husband's building site. He hopes Hwa Young will somehow convince her husband to do the right thing concerning safety.

 

Fake Eun Joong asks Joo Ran to allow him to see the video tape. Once he sees it he recalls that day and how the other boy introduced himself as Ha Eun Joong, the same name as the detective. I thought the similarity to the sketch was enough in Fake Eun Joong's mind but I guess now this solidifies it.

 

Real Eun Joong returns home to find that bitch mother dumping seaweed soup all over Ah Mi and telling her to die. Eun Joong yells at Ah Mi to stand up for herself and tell her mother-in-law where to get off. Bitch mother starts asking what kind of relationship does Ah Mi have with Eun Joong. Eun Joong drags Ah Mi out to his car and drives her away (leaving Bitch Mother alone in his house).

 

Tae Ha has driven up to the law office to meet with Fake Eun Joong. He's sitting in his car waiting when he sees Hwa Young escorting a man out of the office. It's Myeong Geun but all Tae Ha can see of him is his back. What he can see is Hwa Young smiling and laughing with another man. Tae Ha is consumed with jealousy.

Scandal Episode 11

It's not been a good day for me. I need to keep reminding myself that it could be worse. At least my fiancé wasn't murdered on our wedding day, my mother-in-law is a bitch, and my apartment was just blown up.

 

 

Oh no, Ah Mi lost the baby! Now I really feel bad for complaining about my day.

 

Ha Soo Young invites Fake Eun Joong into her home under the pretense of him needing to use her bathroom. Fake Eun Joong and Myeong Geun are both shocked to see the other one.

 

Jang Joo Ha and her potential husband jibber jabber. Now that Go Joo Ran has seen the old security tape of the real Eun Joong she plots her revenge. I can't believe I ever thought I would say this but I wanna get back to Ah Mi!

 

Fake Eun Joong starts to ask Myeong Geun about Real Eun Joong when Soo Young interrupts to offer refreshments. Since his moment has slipped away, Fake Eun Joong excuses himself and leaves.

 

As the Jangs are seeing the Jos to the door they all unfortunately run into Joo Ran. She makes a total ass of herself. Not that that's anything new. Joo Ran blames Hwa Young for keeping her out of the marriage talks for her own daughter. This strengthens Joo Ran's need for revenge.

 

Oh Lord, Tae Ha and the menfolk are hitting the karaoke club. Hmm, but this is interesting. As Tae Ha drunkenly sings (oh Lord), Jo Jin Woong watches with a hard gleam in his eye. What's his story? Is he out for his own revenge? Or does he just not like Tae Ha's singing?

 

Fake Eun Joong returns home and starts snooping around his mother's study. (He won't find the security tape because Light Fingers Joo Ran has already taken it.) What he does find is the old mini tape with the recorded message from the kidnapper telling the family not to look for their kid. Does Fake Eun Joong recognize Myeong Geun's voice?

 

Hwa Young catches Fake Eun Joong coming out of her study. Curious as to what he was doing in there, Hwa Young looks around and that's when she discovers the security camera video tape is missing, only she thinks maybe her not-son has taken it.

 

The private dick is taking pictures of Real Eun Joong as the cop investigates the cuff link Ah Mi saved from the explosion. He already suspects it somehow belongs to Jang Tae Ha, he just needs to find the solid connection. The private dick is terrible at covertly taking pictures and Real Eun Joong catches the guy. After some roughing up, the private dick spills the beans that he was watching Real Eun Joong for Fake Eun Joong. Real Eun Joong checks the digital camera and sees not only pictures of himself but also of his not-sister and not-father in front of his home. Real Eun Joong tells the private dick it's gonna be like this: dicky can take all the pictures of Real Eun Joong he wants but he's not to bother Soo Young or Myeong Geun any more or there will be hell to pay.

 

Fake Eun Joong receives paperwork on Real Eun Joong. It shows Myeong Geun appears to have changed his son's name from Geon Young to Eun Joong. So now Fake Eun Joong is starting to have doubts that Real Eun Joong is the real Eun Joong. Does that make sense?

 

Hwa Young is in her office and is beginning to think perhaps Fake Eun Joong knows he's a fake. To make matters worse, here comes Joo Ran barging in. Fake Eun Joong overhears the two women talking. Joo Ran discloses that she knows Fake Eun Joong (she keeps calling him Geum Man Bok, the name he had at the orphanage) is not really Hwa Young's real son. Joo Ran wants Hwa Young to disappear out of Tae Ha's life. If Hwa Young leaves quietly, Joo Ran won't say anything to Tae Ha about his son not being his son.

 

The Ha's take Ah Mi home with them since she doesn't have anywhere to go. The authorities are saying the explosion was caused by a gas leak.

 

Long musical interlude.

 

Joo Ha and Kang Joo Pil fight over the empty president's position at work.

 

Soo Young is a total bitch and won't share her room with a woman who just lost her fiancé, her baby, and her home. Real Eun Joong gives up his room to her and gives her a motivational speech not to do anything stupid (as in kill herself) because she needs to live to clear Gi Chan's name.

 

Joo Pil makes an unexpected and unwanted visit to the Ha household. The Ha's make it a point not to let someone from Taeha Construction know Ah Mi is here. Myeong Geun stays outside with Joo Pil to talk. Eun Joong gets a phone call and is leaving when he overhears the two old men talking. Joo Pil brings up the story of Dad #1 supposedly changing his son's name from Geon Young to Eun Joong. Rather fishy, don't you think? Myeong Geun counters with what is Joo Pil going to do about the dangerous condominium building and the fact that Jang Tae Ha has killed again.

 

Hwa Young receives a call from the private dick. He claims he's found her abducted son and asks for her to meet him at a restaurant. Hwa Young goes dashing off to the restaurant (empty, as restaurants usually are in Kdramas) and anxiously waits for her son. We see someone open the door and Hwa Young looks up with wide eyes.