Surplus Princess Episode 1

Surplus Princess tanked, so naturally I must watch it.

 

 

Kim Ha Ni (played by Jo Bo Ah) is walking alone along the shore and thinking how it has been 100 days since she has arrived here. Well, I thought she was alone until a man's hand reaches out to grasp hers.

 

After she turns into bubbles, we go back 100 days to when Ha Ni was a mermaid, the 18th princess in the undersea kingdom, and... she had a waterproof smartphone. Because, yeah, that makes perfect sense.

 

Ha Ni is swimming around the (filthy, I'm sure) Han River because she has the hots for human Kwon Shi Kyung (played by Song Jae Rim, the assassin from Two Weeks.) She finds his ass delicious and wants to take a bite out of it. Shi Kyung is a TV chef who is filming his show by the riverside. Ha Ni may have some competition from Yoon Jin Ah (played by Park Ji Soo) who works behind the camera and gives Shi Kyung longing looks. Gotta watch out for those longing looks.

 

Shi Kyung is taking a break between filming when he slips, knocks himself out, and falls into the water. Ha Ni comes to the rescue of ... his cell phone, then she gets around to rescuing him in the form of a hot makeout session under water. Ha Ni even works in a butt grab. You go, girl! Er, mermaid.

 

Darnit, they're interrupted by Jin Ah diving in herself to rescue her boss/love interest. Ha Ni sinks deeper underwater before she's seen, keeping Shi Kyung's phone.

 

Later that night at Surplus House (what kind of name is that?) we're introduced to Lee Hyun Myung (played by Ohn Joo Wan.) He plays his computer keyboard like a concert pianist as he fills out job application after job application. Jin Ah comes into the room and gets all kissy with him. But, I thought you wanted to get all kissy with Shi Kyung?

 

A roaming band of hippies complete the scene as they serenade Jin Ah who is planning on moving out of the hippie compound. There's Do Ji Yong, law school graduate and hard core gamer; BIG (real name not given at the moment); and the owner of Surplus House, Lee Seon Gyo. Throwing a wet blanket over everything is the last resident to appear: Ahn Hye Young (played by Kim Seul Gi.)

 

Shi Kyung is brooding in his shower (cuz this is a Kdrama after all), thinking about his time underwater today and the specific memory of a butt grab. A delivery guy from an all night dry cleaners returns Shi Kyung's clothes along with what they found while cleaning the suit: a large and sparkly fish scale.

 

Ha Ni has successfully unlocked Shi Kyung's smartphone. On the phone she finds information about a party Shi Kyung and DJ Random White Guy are throwing. Because when you think of high end cuisine, you think of dubstep. Ha Ni would love to go to the party but her fishtail is holding her back.

 

Ha Ni goes to her boozer of a sister, the 17th princess in the undersea kingdom, for advice on how to become human. The barfly sends Ha Ni up a canal to find Witch Ahn Ma Nyeo. (I'm feeling sorry for Jo Bo Ah. I know that canal, just like the river, has to be filthy. I hope the actress didn't pick up any waterborne di--

 

AHHHHHHH! THERE'S A SPIDER ON MY LAPTOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Okay, killed it. Now where was I? Oh yeah. So Ha Ni finds Ahn Ma Nyeo (played by Ahn Kil Kang who will forever be Jilsuk in my heart.) Ma Nyeo is a wanted witch since he stole the secret potion that can turn mermaids into humans. He refuses to help Ha Ni and makes a less than dramatic exit.

 

Jin Ah is unpacking in her new apartment when Hyun Myung stops by hoping for some Moving Day Nookie. Suddenly Jin Ah's mom shows up so Jin Ah shoves Hyun Myung into a cabinet. He gets to overhear Mom constantly putting him down as an unemployed loser.

 

Jin Ah has moved into the same apartment building where Shi Kyung lives and she's doing everything she can to "accidentally" run into him.

 

Hyun Myung has been feeling down in the dumps lately. All those "Thanks but no thanks" texts from his job applications aren't helping any. But wait! One text is positive. He's at least gotten an interview. The hippies work as a team to cobble together a suit for the boy.

 

The morning of his interview, Hyun Myung calls Jin Ah for some moral support. She's easily distracted by Shi Kyung and hangs up on her kinda-sort-almost boyfriend. Shi Kyung comments on Jin Ah's perfume which gives her hope.

 

Lastly we get Hong Myung Hee (played by Jin Hee Kyung), CEO of JH Food Corporation. There's also Jin Ah's boss who is frighteningly awesome but I haven't got a name. (I had to look up Attack on Titan's theme song.)

 

Ha Ni hasn't given up on the witch and has been hanging around that filthy canal for days now. She attempts to bribe Ma Nyeo with pearls and stuff. When that doesn't work she simply drags the former mermaid into the water and threatens to drown him if he doesn't hand the potion over. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

 

Animation and Xanadu-worthy special effects show us how the potion give Ha Ni legs. And then promptly throws her down hard on the ground. OMG, now we're getting Terminator music as a naked Ha Ni starts her life as a human.

 

Well, that wasn't so bad. It was kind of cute and funny. Don't know why the show didn't do so well.