I Summon You, Gold Episode 3

Hyun Soo pulls a bunch of money out of his wallet and offers it to Mong Hee to pretend to be his wife for a couple of hours. Getting the wrong idea of what he means, an offended Mong Hee slaps the money out of his hand. Hyun Soo tries to explain exactly what he wants but Mong Hee has just been tipped off that the police are coming and she is too busy packing up her little truck. Before she can get away, Hyun Soo jumps into her truck with her. It's kind of funny seeing her trying to get him out of the cab but he's tenacious. 

With the cops closing in, the truck refuses to start. Mong Hee makes Hyun Soo get out and push. Ah, it was a trick! The truck starts just fine and Mong Hee leaves his ass behind. 

A family meeting is called so Big Daddy can fuss at Yoo Na because she was caught with the young son of a rival jewelry company. Yoo Na admits the only reason she was with that particular man was because she knew it would piss Big Daddy off to high heaven. Yoo Na's about the only person in this family who will stand up to Big Daddy. You gotta love her for that.

Hyun Soo and Yoo Na are out having dinner with Hyun Joon and Seongeun.  Yoo Na just can't have a nice evening out without bringing up the D-word. Hyun Soo, who really needs to grow a pair, admits he doesn't have any since Duk Hee raised him to do whatever she told him to do so he never learned to think for himself. Yoo Na asks Hyun Joon if his mother did that on purpose so he would grow up to be the stronger son.

Yoo Na changes the subject and asks Seongeun why, when they first met, the other woman acted like she already knew Yoo Na. Seongeun simply says Yoo Na reminded her of someone she used to know. I bet Seongeun and Mong Hee are going to turn out to know each other. Maybe from jewelry school or something.

Hyun Soo tells Yoo Na he'll give her a divorce. 

Mong Hee is out working and missing her stalker. She worries that perhaps he's not here to stalk because his grandmother passed away. Mong Hee digs out Hyun Soo's phone number (they exchanged info back when they almost had a car accident) and calls to check up on him.

They meet for coffee where Hyun Soo explains more of why he wants to hire Mong Hee. Thinking about her own grandmother, Mong Hee decides to agree to help him. She's all ready to leave for the hospital right now in her shorts and T-shirt. Hyun Soo insists on getting her some stylish clothes so she'll look more like Yoo Na. This way the Show can get in the required Makeover scene. I have to laugh at the fact that for every fancy dress she tries on she's still wearing her sneakers.

Finally Mong Hee is all made up and ready to go meet his grandmother. But who should drive up as they're entering the hospital but Yoo Na herself. She only sees Mong Hee from the back so doesn't notice how the other woman looks just like her. Thinking her husband has another woman, Yoo Na puts her car in gear and drives off. 

Up in the hospital room, Grandma asks "Yoo Na" not to break up with Hyun Soo or else his father will treat him even worse. Mong Hee promises the dying woman she'll never leave Hyun Soo. Grandma asks why they aren't trying to have any children together. After a moment of silence from the young people, Mong Hee assures Grandma that they'll have lots and lots of kids. 

"Yoo Na" steps out of the room for a moment. Grandma bids Hyun Soo to find his birth mother. Granny doesn't believe his mother had an affair and was instead set up by someone. 

After the visit, Mong Hee and Hyun Soo are down in the lobby about to part ways when Big Daddy arrives. Big Daddy jumps all over "Yoo Na" for talking back to him earlier and is shocked out of his loafers when she apologizes for her bad behavior. In order to get her out of there, Hyun Soo reminds "Yoo Na" that she has an appointment she needs to leave for.

As Big Daddy visits with Grandma, Hyun Soo thinks about what she said about his mother. Was she set up? Was it by Duk Hee or Young Ae? (Sounds to me like Big Daddy needed to keep his pants zipped.)

Hyun Soo returns to his home and asks Yoo Na to put off the divorce for at least a year or two until he can gain his father's recognition. Yoo Na tells him she had come to the hospital and saw him with another woman. She starts packing her bags as Hyun Soo tries to explain things. She won't believe him. So it's okay for her to be running around with other men but when she thinks Hyun Soo has another woman on the side, Yoo Na gets all righteous. She throws the divorce papers at Hyun Soo. If he has anything more to say to her, say it through her lawyer. 

Ji Hye, you need to play bitches more often. You just so much better at playing a cold fish than your usual perky Mary Sue roles.

Young Ae goes to Big Daddy's business and makes a loud spectacle of herself as she demands Soon Sang come out and talk to her. Shim Duk tries to defuse the situation and get the crazy woman to calm down. When Young Ae learns this is the mother of her son's intended she agrees to go off and talk. Is that Donna Summer's Hot Stuff playing in the background? I'm distracted again. I'm not paying attention to what the two women are saying as I jam to the music. I'm guessing its the same old "I don't want your daughter marrying my son" argument Young Ae is always making.

Where's my Donna Summer CD?

At home, Shim Duk calls Duk Hee to tell her what Young Ae's been up to today. Weird music plays as Big Daddy orders Hyun Tae to get out of his house and cuts off all financial support to Young Ae. Seongeun stands there taking up space. Why was she even in this scene? She doesn't say or do anything. 

Hyun Soo is trying to find where Yoo Na ran off to when he receives word that Grandma has passed away. Everyone rushes to the hospital. As expected, the question of where's Yoo Na comes up. Now Hyun Soo needs to come up with a wife for the funeral. It's back to Mong Hee for another favor.

Mong Hee isn't so willing this time. Fooling a dying grandmother is one thing, but fooling the rest of the world is another. No deal. Hyun Soo gives her his sad tale about his mother just up and leaving one day never to be seen again and how lonely his life has been without her. It totally works and Mong Hee agrees to one last impersonation.

At the funeral, Seongeun tells Duk Hee she needs to leave for a little bit to go check up on business. She's out in the parking lot getting into her car just as Hyun Soo and Mong Hee are arriving. Mong Hee just gets a glimpse of Seongeun and (as I predicted) she seems to recognize the other woman.

Inside, Hyun Soo has to stop "Yoo Na" from being polite to people. Now if he would just stop her from eating other people's leftovers. 

I Summon You, Gold Episode 2

I can't help but feel this show could use a whole lot more crazysauce. Love that crazysauce. Let's see if they get it right in this episode.

Mong Hee, wearing yet another toboggan, is stuffing her face as she sits by her truck when she notices Hyun Soo is watching her. He still can't believe how much this woman looks like his wife. She gets tired of him watching her eat and I don't blame her. Go get your freak on somewhere else, dude!

Seongeun and Yoo Na go to see an art show. What the hell is that painting in the background? Did that come out of Michael Jackson's house? Seriously, what the hell is up with that freaky painting of children?! But I digress...  So the two women are looking at -- WTF, there's another one! What sicko is painting these pictures!?! I'm totally distracted now. I don't know what these women are talking about because I can't look away from these artistic atrocities. When I said crazysauce I didn't mean this. I'm going to have nightmares tonight from those paintings. 

Stuff happens with other characters that I don't care about.

Hyun Soo and Yoo Na are out at a restaurant having a very uncomfortable dinner together. She taunts him about being with another man when she had a car accident. Hyun Soo shrugs it off which infuriates Yoo Na even more. He doesn't give a damn who she has her fun with but they are not getting a divorce. She throws a glass of water in his face.

Ji Hye is so much better when she plays the bitch.

Monghyun finally learns other people are making plans for her life.

Yoo Na, running around in yet another evening gown, stops by the big house to try and get her mother-in-law to help support her getting a divorce. Duk Hee tells the girl even if she gets a divorce she'll be back within a year. The two women bitch at each other. Seongeun sits there like a bump on a log. 

Hyun Soo is at home, drinking and thinking back to when he was just a little boy and Duk Hee was oh so sweet enough to break it to him that his mother was a trollop and that's why his dad hated him. Yoo Na comes into the room to tell him which wedding gifts he can keep. Hyun Soo admits to her he never loved her but that was because he was never loved himself so he doesn't know how to love.

Just because Manager Yoon may become her in-law doesn't mean Seungeun is going to treat Shim Duk any better than before. However I'll give Shim Duk credit that she's starting to push back just a little bit.

Ah, that old woman in the hospital room is Hyun Soo's grandmother. She's not doing too well and wants to see Yoo Na. As expected, Yoo Na's not interested. Hyun Soo (who's coming off as a bit of a wimp) asks his father to reconsider the divorce. Big Daddy is totally against it because he needs the money from Yoo Na's father to expand the business. No divorce!

Since her family is so middle class poor and Hyun Tae's is so rich, Monghyun agrees to sacrifice herself on the marriage altar. Hyun Tae's mother, Min Young Ae, swears to fight against it. As she argues with Duk Hee over the marriage, Young Ae hints that she knows the truth about why Hyun Soo's mother was kicked out of the house. Duk Hee looks wary. 

Hyun Soo begs Yoo Na to go see his dying grandmother if only for ten minutes. Yoo Na again refuses. We all know where this is going.

Mong Hee is stuffing her face with messy noodles when she again notices Hyun Soo is watching her. Caught, Hyun Soo slowly walks over to her and awkwardly tries to spit out his business proposal. He wants to hire her for a couple of hours to pretend to be his wife. She advises him to seek psychiatric help. 

I Summon You, Gold Episode 1

Also known as Gold, Appear! Also known as Let The Gold Come Forth! Also known as Show Me the Gold! Also known as... eh, you get the idea. Somehow gold is involved.

Whoa, somebody tie the cameraman down! He's up there! He's over there! No, wait, he's over here! 

Finally he settles down to allow us to watch a young street vendor trying to hock jewelry she's made herself. This is Jung Mong Hee (played by Han Ji Hye. I hope you've learned to act since your last drama.) She gets into a fight with the owner of the store she's selling knockoffs in front of. Confidentially what Mong Hee is selling looks to be cheap crap, like the kind of costume jewelry you'd get at a store that starts with K and ends with Mart. 

Mong Hee stops by to see her mother who works in a real jewelry store where real jewelry is designed. Mom Yoon Shim Duk (played by Choi Myung Gil) has to dash off and take care of Jang Duk Hee (played by Lee Hye Sook) who is here to buy a gift for her daughter-in-law. The customer chooses the necklace that Mong Hee had been drooling over earlier. I must admit, it is major bling. Pardon me while I wipe away my own drool.

We now go to a private dining room where Duk Hee and her family are celebrating the DIL's birthday. There's Yun Jung Hoon of Vampire Prosecutor. He's playing Park Hyun Soo. And there's Lee Tae Sung of Rooftop Prince. He's Hyun Soo's brother, Park Hyun Joon. The DIL, Yoo Na, by the way, is also played by Han Ji Hye. She doesn't appear too thrilled by the gift. I'll take it if you don't want it.

Yoo Na is the bitch character of the show. Her in-laws are planning to throw a big shindig for her birthday and invite all the bigwigs to it. Yoo Na tells them to cancel everything. She has mother/father issues because she was adopted and her parents never loved her. (Kdrama adoptions are rarely happy ones.) Instead of a big party and an expensive necklace for her birthday, what Yoo Na would rather have is a divorce from Hyun Soo. Way to be a party pooper, Yoo Na.

Back at their crib, Hyun Soo and Yoo Na argue. This is so we the audience can learn that the mother from earlier is not really Hyun Soo's. His mom got kicked to the curb apparently. More mother/father issues. No! Yoo Na rips off the necklace and throws it on the floor. It's in pieces. No!

Mong Hee is back on the street selling her cheap crap when the cops show up to bust the illegal vendors. She grabs what she can and makes a run for it. Tired of being constantly hassled by the police, Mong Hee considers buying a small truck to sell her wares out of so she can be more mobile. 

Yoo Na (wearing a pink evening gown?!?) goes shopping. In an evening gown? Duk Hee is hoping this shopping spree will pacify the young woman. Yoo Na just picks whatever off the racks, not even bothering to try anything on. As she heads back out to the limo, Yoo Na is approached by two children who are collecting donations for charity. Yoo Na takes the HUGE wedding ring off her finger and drops it in the collection box.

Mong Hee pulls out all her savings to buy the used truck. She considers it a business investment. Of course the truck breaks down on her. The cost to fix it up is more than the truck is worth. This hits home for me as I recently had a similar experience. 

Park Hyun Joon is giving a presentation to the board of the family's jewelry business. He's a hit. Dad Park Soon Sang (played by Han Jin Hee) takes a tour of the store. Ah, there's Mong Hee's mom. Business is down and Soon Sang thinks would be good to have Manager Yoon at the next meeting since she's the one who deals directly with their customers. For some reason Hyun Joon looks rather startled at the idea. His wife and business partner, Seongeun (played by Lee Soo Kyung), later subtly threatens Manager Yoon into coming up with an excuse to not be able to make it to the meeting. So we've got two bitches in the show.

At home we're introduced to the rest of Mong Hee's family. There's Grandma, Dad, Brother and Little Sis. 

Duk Hee stops by the jewelry store to give the pieces of the necklace (sniff) to Manager Yoon with orders to fix it. Shim Duk's daughter, Jung Monghyun (played by Baek Jin Hee), stops by the store and Duk Hee gives her an odd eye. The older woman asks to have tea with Monghyun. I'm getting a strange vibe from Duk Hee. What is she up to?

Back at the mansion, Duk Hee tells her husband about what a nice and polite daughter Manager Yoon has raised. Soon Sang reminisces about how Yoon has worked with him ever since the early days. 

Seungeun continues to give Yoon Shim Duk flak at work. 

Shim Duk is pushing Monghyun to land a rich husband.

Mong Hee, wearing a mighty orange toboggan, is on the search for the guy who sold her the lemon truck. She finds the guy's mother, who is living in a shack and struggling to raise her grandson. I bet this means pure-hearted Mong Hee will give up on making the guy return her money.

Ha! That evening Mong Hee and her family sit around and watch A Hundred Year's Inheritance. Speaking of 100YI, there's some other family drama going on in this show that doesn't interest me here so I'm not going to bother to mention it.

We learn Big Daddy Soon Sang has a young son, Park Hyun Tae (played by Park Seo Joon) who is nothing but trouble. Duk Hee thinks if he would just get married he would settle down. She brings up Monghyun's name as a possible candidate. Soon Sang considers it, but will the boy's biological mother agree?

It's Pregnant Bitch Mom! It's a May Queen reunion. Here Geum Bo Ra is playing Min Young Ae. She thinks Monghyun is not good enough for her precious rich boy. Duk Hee says too bad, so sad - it's a done deal. Um, does Monghyun and Hyun Tae know it's a done deal? Does Hyun Tae know he's wearing a woman's blouse?

Hyun Soo (remember him from waaaaay back at the beginning of the episode?) gets chewed out by Big Daddy because his wife Yoo Na was with another man and they were involved in a car accident. Big Daddy keeps harping on how Hyun Soo looks so much like his mother, which Big Daddy hates. Duk Hee thinks to herself the real reason behind Big Daddy's hatred is because Hyun Soo's mother had a lover and left with him. 

Hyun Soo goes to visit an old woman in a hospital room. Surely that's not his mother. Maybe it's his grandmother. Wait, is that the grandmother from A Hundred Year's Inheritance? 

Just as I expected, when Mong Hee finally tracks down the guy who scammed her over the truck, she allows him to keep the money since she's seen what a wretched life he and his family are living. Aw. You're so sweet and pure, Mong Hee. I hate you already. Go back to playing Yoo Na.

So since she's stuck with the lemon truck, Mong Hee washes it and blesses the vehicle with alcohol as she chants, "I summon you, gold!" Thus the title of the show. As she driving rather recklessly through the narrow streets, Mong Hee almost gets into an accident with an expensive car being driven by Hyun Soo. Both drivers get out to see if any damage is done and that's when Hyun Soo notices how Mong Hee looks just like his wife Yoo Na.

Jang Ok Jeong Episode 1

The story begins in basically a Joseon-era department store, complete with jewelry displays and mannequins wearing the latest in hanboks. Jang Ok Jeong (played by Kim Tae Hee) is overseeing it all. Everything must be in place for a very important customer: the young lady from the powerful Min clan who is in the running to be chosen as the Crown Princess. This is the future Queen Inhyun (played by Hong Soo Hyun.)

Inhyun is a bit of a snot but the customer is always right so Ok Jeong keeps her smile frozen on her face. In the end Inhyun decides she doesn't like any of the clothes she commissioned from Ok Jeong. She offers to compensate the seamstress for her business loss but Ok Jeong politely turns her down. As they're starting to leave, Ok Jeong catches one of Inhyun's young maids stealing a piece of jewelry from one of the dummies. To show the purity of her heart, Ok Jeong gifts the piece to the young maid. This is the future Choi Suk Bin (played by Han Seung Yeon.)

Cut to a young man having his future told by a blind old man. The man is Crown Prince Lee Soon (played by Yoo Ah In) and the old man is really Lord Baekeun, a legendary swordsman and musician. 

Back to Ok Jeong who is in the process of holding a fashion show using gisaengs as her models. You better work!

Somewhere else, Ok Jeong's mother, Lady Yoon (played by Kim Seo Ra), secretly glories in her daughter's business success. She's a slave in the household and the wife of the lord glories in making Lady Yoon miserable.

The fashion show is a raging success. Whoops, spoke too soon. Some woman comes up and throws a full bucket of water all over Ok Jeong. Oh, it's the bitchy wife from the previous scene. In front of all the potential customers, Bitchy Wife announces that since Ok Jeong's mother is a slave, Ok Jeong is a slave herself. To add insult to injury, Bitchy Wife has brought along a gang of thugs who set about breaking up the party with their clubs. 

Elsewhere another party is being held. Here the Koreans are entertaining some Qing diplomats. The Chinese were hoping the great Lord Baekeun would be there to perform but looks like they're going to be disappointed. To stall for time, the head eunuch begs Prince Dongpyung (played by Lee Sang Yeob) to play his music. (Sorry, I'm not familiar with Korean instruments. It is some long stringed thing. Maybe a gayageum?)

In the audience, a couple of Joseon courtiers who are against the Qing/Joseon alliance are hoping Baekeun doesn't show up. One of the men is Min Yoo Joong, Inhyun's father (played by Lee Hyo Jung.) The Qing are feeling insulted that they still haven't been entertained by Baekeun and they start to leave. Dongpyung, who's a bit of a flake, convinces them to stay and give his music a chance.

Lee Soon finally convince the blind old man to come play. As the prince is leading the convoy through the forest, ninjas suddenly drop down from the treetops. Finally some action! Lee Soon draws his sword and spins through the assassins as he strives to reach the carriage where Baekeun is. Swish! Stab! Kick! Alas he doesn't make it in time as two ninjas thrust their swords into the box, blood spraying against the paper windows. 

Dongpyung's string breaks at the same moment. 

The two traitorous courtiers are just about to celebrate their successful attack when the Crown Prince in his royal robes steps out onto the stage to introduce the one, the only, Lord Baekeun. A flashback shows us how inside the carriage the old man had been sandwiched between two bodyguards. They're the ones who got the business end of the ninjas' swords.

(I feel like I'm on the business end of a ninja's sword. I thought I was nearly at the end of the episode only to find out I'm barely to the halfway mark. It's been a struggle to make it this far.)

Anyway, evil Lord Min has some kind of power over the queen and presses her to make sure her son chooses Inhyun as his royal consort. 

While Dongpyung and Lee Soon are practicing their swordfighting, two female messengers come running up. They bump into each other and drop their packets. You know what's coming - the packets are mixed up. Lee Soon gets what he thinks is a message from his mother while Dongpyung gets what he's told is a message from outside of the palace. 

Ok Jeong is scrambling to save her business as most of the orders have been cancelled due to Bitchy Wife. One longtime customer agrees to keep her order and then makes the odd addition of ordering men's clothing, whispering the name of the man in Ok Jeong's ear. 

Meanwhile, the queen sends Inhyun out into the forest as part of the scheme to get the girl and Lee Soon to meet. Ruffians attack Inhyun's party with plans to hold her for ransom. (Is this also part of the queen's scheme?) Someone comes to Inhyun's rescue, of course, and that person is Dongpyung, of course, because he got the wrong message. 

Inhyun is quite smitten with the flaky dude. That is until she learns the wrong prince has come to her rescue. 

The right prince, meanwhile, has come to meet Ok Jeong. After much staring and dreamy music, she starts measuring Lee Soon for a new suit. He thinks she's one of the candidates for his wife until she explains she's just a tailor. More staring and dreamy music.

Then twenty more minutes of the show go on... but I don't.

A Hundred Year's Inheritance (Abridged) Episode 30

It's an elegant reception room where the engagement party is being held but I'm too distracted by trying to figure out what the heck is on Chul Goo's shoulder. It's furry, whatever it is. 

With only fifteen minutes to go, Joo Ri and the other womenfolk give a huge sigh of relief as they see Se Yoon has abandoned all hope and has shown up. But wait, he's not hear to save face. He's here to make the difficult announcement himself to the guests that the engagement is off. By golly this better not be a dream sequence! 

Joo Ri falls to the floor in shock. Se Yoon's dad starts to yell at him only to grab his chest in pain again. Oh, I thought you were miraculously cured of your stomach cancer, Dad. Chul Goo plays big brother and comes to his sister's defense, punching Se Yoon in the jaw. Seriously, what is that thing on his shoulder?! It goes down and across the back of the jacket as well. When this show finally ends I demand they have an interview with the costume designer so he/she can explain themselves.

Clingy Mom comes to her son's defense and finally gets to see the real face of EMIL as she calls for Se Yoon's blood. Chul Goo is more than happy to oblige and punches Se Yoon again. Ah, the beautiful chaos.

At home, Se Yoon's dad appears to have been miraculously cured again as he has the strength to finish the tirade he started at the reception. 

Joo Ri and her mother blame everything on Chae Won, even though Chae Won wasn't even there. Vengeance is sworn.

The two women drive over to the noodle house and start screaming for Chae Won to come out and face them. The only ones home are Chae Won and her stepmother, Choon Hee. Oh please let there be a cat fight! Please! Chae Won comes outside (my, it's windy the day they filmed) and only now hears that Se Yoon has broken off the engagement. Joo Ri raises her hand and is about to slap her ex-SIL when Choon Hee grabs her wrist before a connection is made. EMIL grabs Choon Hee's wrist to make her let go of Joo Ri's wrist. Chae Won grabs EMIL's wrist to make her let go of Choon Hee's wrist. They're all a human pretzel by now. 

Choon Hee recognizes EMIL as the one who made false accusations against her husband and had him arrested. More vengeance is sworn. EMIL declares Chae Won will get an even worse drubbing from Se Yoon's parents as they won't want him involved with a divorcee. EMIL and Joo Ri scurry off to their car. Choon Hee throws salt at them as they drive away. (I believe that's a Korean tradition to get rid of bad luck/spirits.) 

Back at the mansion, Mrs. Park informs Chul Goo that today is his wife's birthday. Oh thank goodness, there's Coco. I was getting worried. Because of Hong Joo's scandalous origins, her birthday was never really celebrated. Chul Goo is at least thoughtful enough to offer to take her out to dinner. She (and Coco) go upstairs to change. 

But while she's gone, EMIL and Joo Ri come home. He asks where they've been and EMIL tells him they've been out at the noodle house as they believe it was Chae Won who stole Joo Ri's man away. Without a word Chul Goo grabs his coat and runs out the door, leaving poor Hong Joo behind. 

Chae Won can't catch a break today as now she has to go outside and deal with her ex-husband. Chul Goo asks if she's really the reason why Se Yoon broke off the engagement. Chae Won says there is nothing between them. If he wants to know why Se Yoon called things off, then go bother Se Yoon and leave her alone. Chul Goo gives her his last "warning" that he would go crazy if she and Se Yoon got together. There's no telling what he would do. Foreshadowing!

EMIL (who has changed into a very hideous top) is trying to nurse her daughter when Joo Ri receives a call from Clingy Mom. Clingy Mom is still on Joo Ri's side and asks that she just be patient with Se Yoon; he'll come around eventually. EMIL grabs the phone and yells at Clingy Mom about how the family has been publicly embarrassed by Se Yoon because he's involved with that low class Chae Won. Ah, laying the groundwork for that drubbing you promised earlier, I see.

At the noodle house, Choon Hee comforts Chae Won and asks what was up with those two crazy bitches today. Chae Won fills her stepmother in on the last 29 episodes but she still doesn't know why Se Yoon cancelled the engagement. Choon Hee is one smart cookie. She thinks she knows why - obviously Se Yoon has feelings for Chae Won. I like you, Choon Hee. Sorry I couldn't stand Baker King Kim Tak Goo.

Se Yoon asks Joo Ri to meet with him. She keeps asking him what went wrong. Was it because of her framing Chae Won? Is it because of her mother? Her brother? Se Yoon cuts right to the bone: the simple fact is he has no feelings for her whatsoever. He tried, but when it's not there it's not there. Joo Ri, tears spilling down her face, asks one last question and wants only an honest answer. Is he unable to love her because he's already in love with Chae Won? Se Yoon answers he's not really sure but he's going to take his time and find out.

Chul Goo comes home late and is greeted by his wife. Only then does he remember the whole birthday thing. Hong Joo shrugs it off. Who would want to celebrate her birthday anyway? Chul Goo points to his watch. It's only 11:40 pm, they still have twenty minutes of her birthday left. He does that kdrama wrist grab thing and takes Hong Joo out to a convenience store and buys her a small cake with candles. As a present he makes her a flower out of a balloon. It's kinda sweet. I'll give you credit, Chul Goo, if no one else does.

And here we go with another musical interlude as Se Yoon and Chae Won separately try to figure out just how they feel about each other.

Uh-oh. Remember that crazy look Chul Goo kept getting in his eyes back when he kidnapped Chae Won? Well now Joo Ri is getting that same look. Now she's throwing a hissy fit. She's been hanging around Hong Joo too much, picking up her bad habits. Perhaps the demons have left Hong Joo and moved on to Joo Ri as Hong Joo is in a good mood this morning. 

That evening at work, Se Yoon goes looking for Chae Won. She's down in the kitchen storage room trying to get a box off the high shelf. You'd think those enormous heels she wears would help her reach the top. The box tips over and is about to fall on Chae Won's head when Se Yoon stops it in time. Awkward times ensue as the two stumble over what to say to each other. 

Chae Won fixes him a tray of food to eat. He asks if she's heard about what happened between him and Joo Ri. Speak of the devil, there she is in the background, seething as usual. 

As Chae Won and Se Yoon start to leave the office building, he stops her from going home just yet. He has something important to say to her. Joo Ri watches from her car as Chae Won and Se Yoon get into his car. Se Yoon barely gets in when he receives a phone call. He tells Chae Won he has to run back inside the building for a moment to get something so she should stay put in the car. 

After he walks away, Joo Ri runs over to his car and tries to pull Chae Won out. Good thing Chae Won is already buckled in. She's not budging. Joo Ri then goes around to the driver's side and gets in. She pushes the button to lock all the doors. Sadly, Chae Won still hasn't learned that she has the ability to unlock the passenger side door and get out of the car. She didn't do it last time she was kidnapped so why do it this time?

Se Yoon comes out just in time to see his car drive off without him. 

How many times is this woman going to allow herself to be kidnapped?

Cruel Palace Episode 1

Cruel Palace: War of Flowers can be see at DramaFever.

It is the Second Manchu Invasion of Korea and King Injo (played by the always dependable Lee Duk Hwa) has no choice but to surrender to the Qing forces. They further humiliate him by making the king walk like a regular human being all the way to Sam Jun Do where his sons are already being held by the enemy. 

Those sons are Crown Prince So Hyun (played by the tasty Jung Sung Woon - why haven't I met you before?), second son/future king Bong Rim (played by Kim Joo Young of Vampire Prosecutor) and third son In Pyung. The emperor himself, Hong Taiji, is there and has the defeated King Injo elaborately bow to him nine times. Also as part of the treaty, Injo must send his two eldest sons to China.

The royal family is allowed to return to their palace. Among the entourage we are introduced to So Hyun's wife, Crown Princess Min Hoe Bin, and their baby son.

Elsewhere, Commander-in-Chief Kim Ja Jeom (played by Jung Sung Mo) is lounging around with a half-naked woman when he's interrupted by a messenger who bears the terrible tidings of the king's surrender. Ja Jeom can't believe the king would have given up as they still have 30,000 men in their Korean army. To make sure no one else hears about the surrender, Ja Jeom kills the messenger.

Qing soldiers attack a village and I have major War of Arrows flashbacks. Acupuncturist Lee Hyung Ik (played by Son Byung Ho) rushes to warn one house to hurry up and flee as the barbarians are coming. The lady of the house quickly packs up her jewels but her daughter, Yam Jun (played by Kim Hyun Joo), doesn't seem too worried at all. She mulls over the idea that maybe it would benefit her to be carried off by the Qing. (I yell at the screen for Ma to leave her useless daughter behind.)

Too late - the soldiers have broken through the doors. Hyung Ik scrambles over a wall, leaving Ma behind. A soldier tries to drag her away but at least she fights back. He draws his wicked-looking sword and is about to stick it through Ma when Yam Jun finally gets her lazy ass in motion and thrusts a dagger into the man's throat. His blood sprays all over her. Ick.

At the palace, the princess is trying to get the depressed king to eat something. Kim Ja Jeom races up and begs for the king to fight back against the enemy. Enraged that Ja Jeom didn't use his men to come rescue their king, Injo goes out to give Ja Jeom a beating as only Lee Duk Hwa can give.

That evening in the village, Yam Jun needs to somehow get rid of the body of the dead Manchurian. Ma is useless so Yam Jun must seek the help of Nam Hyuk (played by Jun Tae Soo). I find it odd that no one seems to be acting like their village was just attacked that day. Perhaps this isn't the first time the Manchus have come a knocking and everyone is just used to all the rape and pillage.

Anyway, Nam Hyuk helps Yam Jun bury the body. Uh-oh, he's giving her one of those long, slow motion stares. Thwarted love alert!

King Injo has orderd Kim Ja Jeom to be beheaded but Prime Minister Kim Ryu is able to convince the king to rescind the order. Instead, Ja Jeom is exiled to a rocky and deserted island.

The Great Omniscient Voiceover tells us just how terrible things are for the Koreans because of the Qing.

The time has come for the princes to be sent away. The princess will be accompanying So Hyun but she has to leave her baby behind. 

[This is where the infamous breast-feeding scene comes in that has shocked so many viewers to which I respond, Why do you think women have breasts in the first place? Get over it.]

Yam Jun tries to see Nam Hyuk again but is run off by his mother. At least this allows the show to tells us that Yam Jun is the daughter of a concubine while Nam Hyuk is the son of a traitor. Hyuk (who so far has had only two or three lines in this entire episode) finds Yam Jun saying a prayer for the anonymous soldier she killed and buried.

And the episode ends there with no cliffhanger whatsoever.

A Hundred Year's Inheritance (Abridged) Episode 29

While I'm still not sure if I like the new Viki format or not, as always much love to the Inheritance Team there for making this all possible for me.

Even though she's down on her knees, Joo Ri's apology to Chae Won is so insincere. Chae Won seems to find it that way, too. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part. After Joo Ri dashes off in embarrassment, Se Yoon comes back into the room and offers his own lame apology to Chae Won for being such an asshole. I want groveling, damnit! Looks like I'm not going to get it. 

Joo Ri goes running to her mother, wailing like the immature idiot she is. The two women then go to the hospital room where Clingy Mom is making up the bed. Dad isn't there because he's off on a hike. (Dude, I had simple gall bladder surgery and I sure as hell didn't feel like going on a hike shortly afterwards! You're killing me, Writers.) Anyway, EMIL and Joo Ri make general fools of themselves and they confess Joo Ri did a bad thing but only because she went temporarily insane.

Chae Won is in the cafeteria dining room, making sure everyone is happy, when Crazy Wife walks in. (Still no sign of Coco. I'm getting worried.) Chae Won doesn't recognize Hong Joo at first and thinks she's just another customer. Hong Joo takes a seat and just stares at Chae Won. Chae Won finally realizes a) who Hong Joo is, and b) that Hong Joo is staring at her.

Hong Joo calls her husband and invites him out to eat. Chul Goo turns her down until Hong Joo mentions she's at the cafeteria of Joo Ri's workplace. The same place where Chae Won works. 

Hong Joo walks over to where Chae Won is standing and strikes up a very uncomfortable conversation. Chae Won keeps her cool and tells Hong Joo to step aside, she's blocking the customers.

Chul Goo races over, as he should. Hong Joo continues to STARE. Chul Goo comes over and tries to drag his wife out but she easily shakes him off. After a scene in the dining room, Hong Joo gets up and leaves under her own power. Outside the building, Se Yoon just happens to not have any work to do and is walking by when he sees Chul Goo and Hong Joo fighting about Chae Won. Chul Goo jumps into his car and leaves Crazy Wife behind.

Uh-oh, Chae Won's grandfather is having a dizzy spell. You know what that means. He's doomed. 

Clingy Mom drops by the office to see Se Yoon. She's come to defend Joo Ri to him and to put all the blame on Chae Won. Clingy Mom says she understands where Joo Ri is coming from which makes me wonder if Clingy Mom was just this crazy and dirty-handed when it came to marrying Se Yoon's dad. Speaking of Dad (hope you had a nice hike), he wants to hurry up and announce the kids' engagement.

Chul Goo comes home drunk. What's new? Upstairs Hong Joo is looking at more pictures of her husband with Chae Won. This time the cameraman somehow managed to get inside Chae Won's office to take pictures and no one noticed him. Amazing. EMIL and Mrs. Park drag in the drunk and flop him on the bed. Right in front of his wife, Chul Goo starts moaning Chae Won's name. EMIL worries that Crazy Wife will tell Sour Puss about this.

Se Yoon comes home from work to find his stalker is there waiting for him. Joo Ri apologizes to him for all she's done. Se Yoon says she may have convinced his parents but he's still not sure he can trust her anymore. He needs time to think, so vamoose. 

This calls for a musical interlude as both Se Yoon and Chae Won have Deep Thoughts.

A depressed Joo Ri continues to have her engagement dress fitted. (No wonder she's depressed. That's an ugly gown.) Se Yoon is unsure of the whole thing and wants to at least put the engagement off. Clingy Mom pressures him to go on with things. After all, she's already sent out the invitations. Can't call the engagement off after that. Se Yoon remains firm, however.

Joo Ri stops by Chae Won's office to drop off an invitation to the engagement party.

This calls for yet another musical interlude with Deep Thoughts and Flashbacks.

Se Yoon and Chae Won bump into each other in the hallway. He sees she has one of the invitations. She congratulates him on his engagement. Se Yoon asks if she really means it. Before she can answer, Flunky comes running up with some great news: Chae Won's noodles are a big hit. They should all go out to eat in celebration. This includes the whole team, meaning Joo Ri will also be there. She'll probably be seething. It's her thing. (Good grief! For a moment there I thought one of the extras didn't have a shirt on underneath her jacket. Turns out the blouse was the same color as her skin.)

When Joo Ri sees her nemesis is going to be joining them for dinner, she bows out. Se Yoon is like, Okay, see ya later. At the rather cheap looking restaurant, Flunky and the others want to get their drink on. Both Se Yoon and Chae Won try to abstain but Flunky insists they drink. Chae Won at least is clever enough to pour her shots into another glass and just appears to be drinking. Se Yoon, thinking the full glass contains water, guzzles it all down before Chae Won can stop him. When she sees he can't tell the difference in taste (never mind the burning sensation of alcohol), Chae Won begins to suspect there's something wrong with Se Yoon. Again, this is a pretty lame handicap to hinge any drama on.

After seeing the other drunks off in a taxi, Chae Won worries about Se Yoon driving while under the influence. Se Yoon assures her he's not drunk as he didn't have any alcohol. (People, this is not how alcohol works! Just because you can't taste it doesn't mean it won't get you drunk. You're killing me, Writers. You're simply killing me.) Chae Won breaks it to him that yes, he did have something alcoholic to drink. 

Now that he's been caught, Se Yoon has no choice but to take Chae Won down to the Han River and confess the truth about his lack of taste. He tells her the story about the accident and Dead Girlfriend. Chae Won gives him a little pep talk about being strong and one day he'll get his taste sense back.

(I should mention here that some viewers are theorizing that three years ago Joo Ri was somehow behind the accident as a means to get rid of her rival. Don't think that's too out of this world for these Writers.)

The day of the engagement party, Se Yoon chooses instead to... go fishing? He just doesn't strike me as the fishing kind of guy, but I guess you'll do anything to avoid getting engaged to Joo Ri. Clingy Mom is desperate to get a hold of him. 

Joo Ri, wearing her ugly dress, thinks back to an earlier meeting she had with Se Yoon right before he left for his fishing trip. He tells her in no uncertain terms that he doesn't want to get engaged to her. 

EMIL is worried about being embarrassed in front of everybody but Joo Ri still believes Se Yoon will show up. Time is ticking down. It's 1:30 and the official party starts at two p.m. Will Se Yoon give in and be there as everyone wants him to be? Will Chae Won change her mind and suddenly show up at the party? 

It's five minutes til two. Se Yoon, wearing a spiffy suit and shiny shoes, gets out of his car.