by: Raine

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Episode 19 remained stagnant at 9.5%. In the picture above, I imagine Jae-hyuk thinking this: “We can get through two more episodes of this nightmare. *fistpump* And then I’ll get to go visit Raine as she recovers from her bilateral carpel tunnel surgery that she’s having on Friday.” Of course, that isn’t what he’s doing at all, but a girl can dream.

I want to shoot myself when I watch this show. It’s so boring now. I don’t even want to know what happens. But, I have readers to attend to so onward we go!

“???” –  You’ll get more when they give me more! (from the Fashion King OST)

episode 19 recap

The show totally crapped out. It decided not to show us Ga-young’s reaction to Jae-hyuk’s confession. How are we supposed to know if she grew a pair or copped out like she ALWAYS does. I really think it should’ve been in there. It would’ve given her at least .0000001% increase in character development.

Young-gul and Ga-young are chauffered home by Il-gook who admires Jae-hyuk’s passion, although it must’ve been embarrassing for Ga-young.

An aside, Il-gook uses the word for “sister-in-law”, which establishes her as Young-gul’s girlfriend and therefore makes Young-gul, who has yet to confess his love for her, feel all broody and guilty.

Good. You’ve been a douche. You deserve some pain. I need to ask the Panda Prince to borrow his leg-screw torture device.

Anyway, Young-gul tells her not to worry because the incident wasn’t her fault. He only wants her to focus about creating her new clothing line under her own brand-name with his full support. Ga-young manages a weak smile, but Young-gul’s efforts were pretty much in vain.

That’s what happens when you give selfishly. It’s self-serving and not a true gift. He said he wanted money to get them out of poverty and take revenge on the people who hurt him, but now money is just hurting him and everyone around him. He’s “giving” and “doing things” for people, but it’s all selfishly, to prove how “giving” his is and that he can do things better than Jae-hyuk.

I understand why Ga-young is annoyed. However, they should’ve established this earlier. I kinda got that they were making Young-gul obsessed with money, but then they  had all that redeeming stuff about him – saving Ga-young and caring for her; remember he created (not bought) a dress for her?

He’s not taking any time to listen to what she really wants anymore and is forcing everything on her, just like Jae-hyuk and I’m pissed and annoyed. I think the writer wants to build him up and make him fall, to learn that money isn’t everything and love is what it’s all about. I think.

So Young-gul broods over Jae-hyuk’s confession.

Yeah, Young-gul, you should’ve confessed back in New York when you were holed up together for four days. Even sooner than that would’ve been appreciated.

At the factory, Ga-young sits at a desk, colored pencil in hand, but too preoccupied to work. The ahjummas sit on the cot behind her, drinking yogurts and staring at her. Of course, they’re gossiping about the drunken confession of love, Young-gul’s horror and whether Jae-hyuk’s actions were a good or a bad thing.

Ga-young can’t take too much of this and leaves.

Meanwhile, Jae-hyuk is eating with Mommy Dearest who is actually wearing her heart on her sleeve; it’s just her tone of voice is a little lacking. At first she suggests taking a vacation. When she doesn’t warm to that idea, she tells her son that she will bring Ga-young to him and give her the “what for” for hurting her son. When Jae-hyuk says her offer is embarrassing, she throws the line back at him: who embarrassed who? That makes him leave her at the table without nary a word. He receives a text from Ga-young and goes to meet him at a bar.

What’s she gonna say I wonder? Hrm….

She thanks him for everything (again) and remembers the first time they were at this bar. She was showing off her Michael Jackson knock-off creation. Because she asked to meet him, their futures became tied and it is her fault he hurt his hand last night.

Wait…huh? Events in the earlier episodes of the show make him falling down drunk like an idiot are her fault…how? I understand that she has a big hand in this whole debacle, but she sure claims responsibility for the wrong things.

Whatever.

Jae-hyuk says she’s doing a crappy job of comforting him and then she gets to the nitty gritty: she doesn’t dislike him, but she loves Young-gul. Ga-young is thankful for getting to know Jae-hyuk and feels pathetic for always troubling him.

Skizzzzzzzzzzzz-ouch.

Obviously, Jae-hyuk doesn’t really want to hear her confess her love to another man. She tells him that she’ll remember him as her savior and that he should forget about her; don’t hurt himself because of impossible love.

Stoically he agrees, and then cries in the car.

Poor little chaebol with daddy issues and an unrequited love. He really does have tons of reasons for being a jerk. But a lot of people are worse off and turn out way better. They don’t impulsively beat people and stalk the women they love.

Ga-young wanders home and on her way, she pauses a storefront and remembers the day she saw her Michael Jackson jacket hung on a mannequin. She was thrilled, but not quite as thrilled as the day she modeled for him in the bar. He, of course, thought she did a great job, and they laugh cutely together.

I’m honestly not sure what I think of all the side-changing she’s done. When Young-gul partnered with Madam Dragon, I would’ve left and found another job, but not with Jae-hyuk. That was betrayal, but it was also stupid considering how badly they’d both treated her.

Also, how did she not realize that she was using Jae-hyuk and milking him dry? How does she not think quitting was a kind of betrayal, no matter how horribly Jae-hyuk behaved? How does she think that going to Young-gul’s factory out of love is wise? Her talent needs to be nurtured and even though having her own line is great, at J Fashion she had guidance from Director Kim.

Or, maybe it’s ’cause I really think she should’ve stayed in scho for guidance. She’s so fuckin’ young. She needs to concentrate on growing, not man-pleasing. Young-gul shouldn’t be pressuring her like he does and Jae-hyuk shouldn’t try to buy her affections and loyalty.

Time for a man showdown in this show’s official chambers of violence: the elevator.

Young-gul and Jae-hyuk meet and enter the chambers, on guard and ready. They really need a referee to remain on call at each elevator these guys meet in.

Anywho, Young-gul sneers at Jae-hyuk, thinking he must’ve died from humiliation. But Jae-hyuk doesn’t think there is anything humiliating in confessing his love to the woman he loves. Why would Jae-hyuk embarrass her? Young-gul wonders. Has Young-gul confessed to Ga-young and does Ga-young really love Young-gul? Jae-hyuk wonders in return and gets slammed against the elevator wall for wasting his breath. Young-gul doesn’t want to hear about love; a man needs to work in order to care for his woman so Jae-hyuk better shuts his trap before it gets ripped out. Then he gets shoved out of the elevator.

Then Jae-hyuk says the most unselfish, giving words he’s uttered all drama long: give her a call and tell her who love her.

Young-gul threatens death as the door shuts, but is affected by Jae-hyuk’s words. Jae-hyuk’s drunken confession has turned into the catalyst that causes Young-gul to reflect. It adds heavy guilt onto Young-gul’s soul because the confession was delivered at a very inappropriate time, but Jae-hyuk didn’t care. He needed to tell the woman he loved that he loves her. Young-gul doesn’t even the guts to do it in private ’cause he has mommy and daddy and auntie issues and is afraid to love and be loved.

He still deserves to be ridiculously conflicted. Hopefully something good will come of it.

An-na is working at her new office when Young-gul comes over for a surprise visit from the European investors. Again, doing whatever the hell he wants.

It’s time for another wonderful father/son chat between Jae-hyuk and Daddy Tyrant. Basically, dad tells him to say no to Italy and to get rid of Young-gul so that Jae-hyuk can have Ga-young.

Jae-hyuk decides to do it anyway and meets with the double-crossing Italian label.

Let’s take a pause to enjoy how adorable Lee Je-hoon’s Engrish is. *squee* It’s sad that it’s the actor and not the character making me squee. It’s been a while since I’ve squee’d.

Young-gul meets Madam Dragon because he has just legally taken the boutique from her. She tells him he should’ve helped his father who is in a homeless camp instead of cavorting with a woman, which makes Young-gul’s expression turn icy. Obviously, she’s investigaed him. And warns him he can fail in an instant. She also promises to seek revenge.

There’s not enough time. There’s only one episode left. Maybe they’ll kill her off. We need a prince to slay this dragon. Where do we find one? Certainly not in this show. I pick Shi-kyung. Omigosh, I can’t wait until tomorrow. WHAT A CLIFF HANGER!

Oh…I’m talking about another show…perhaps I should get back on topic.

The Italian label signed the contract with Jae-hyuk and they have a little celebration at Young-gul’s. However, An-na is not happy, and pulls him aside to tell him that his greed has gone too far. Young-gul admits that combinging J Fashion, YGM and the Italian brand was both to ruin Jae-hyuk and to grow YGM. She’s worried that one misstep could make them lose everything. She doesn’t want to start from the beginning. Of course, he promises to take care of everything.

Young-gul is bent on revenge. No matter his genius in business, revenge lust impairs his ability to make clear judgements. It’s idiotic to put everything on the line to ruin someone who really shouldn’t matter in his life anymore.

The Dragon tells her lawyer that one important fact was forgotten.

Of course there was. Young-gul is going to fall and everyone in the show is going to bring him to his knees. Blah, blah, blah.

Chil-bok brings his shoes that Ga-young checked out for him. They’re doing incredibly well so he brought some for the factory workers. Young-gul isn’t there and the ahjummas comment on how he’s always at the office now.

Speaking of the arrogant, self-absorbed devil, he honks the horn of his fancy new sports car and grins like an egotistical freak before inviting Ga-young for a spin.

He drives her to Madam Dragon’s former boutique and Ga-young is hesitant about entering. He not-so-subltely points out the sign that says “Lee Ga Young Boutiq” and looks happier than a pig in shit.

Ga-young, of course, looks dissatisfied. She’s always dissatisfied. Nothing is enough for her.

Young-gul asks how she feels and she worries about Madam Dragon. He promises her that he took the place legally and now it came back to its original owner. But what he really wants to know is if she likes it. She’s not sure.

Wait, what? She’s not sure? The Dragon stole her company, made her live in misery for ten years and she’s NOT SURE? Ga-young QUIT Young Young Apparel because the Dragon partnered up with Young-gul. Why the hell is she worrying about the Dragon now? Why is she unsure? She was happy enough to beg for help a million times but can’t accept anything? Ungrateful little…

Understandably, Young-gul is distressed. He worked really hard to get this boutique back. But Ga-young doesn’t want it. She came to terms with the fact that she would never get it back. Instead she decided to live well with Young-gul.

Can’t she do that while having her mother’s boutique? Is the writer still causing problems? This reason is flimsier than wet paper.

Whatever. Ga-young wants to live happily with Young-gul by their own hard work and he asks if what he did was useless. She’s grateful, but hates coming near the place.

Young-gul slams the deed and the keys on the desk before telling her to do whatever the hell she wants with it and stalks out.

I understand that Young-gul has done a lot of things for his own benefit and been pretty selfish, but Ga-young was just too much. He promised her this a long time ago and did it through the proper channels. Why is she always dissatisfied with everything? It doesn’t seem like she loves him at all. Or that she respects him. Or even likes him. Does she like him? She criticizes everything he does…

Again, whatever.

As Young-gul broodily speeds away, he gets a call from his aunt. His father has passed and no one has come. His aunt wants to make sure he’ll pay for the funeral (and we wonder why he’s money obsessed). Then she tactlessly comments on the fact that he didn’t bring anyone to the funeral.

You didn’t either, ahjumma. And is it just me, or shouldn’t he have turned to his girlfriend for comfort? Why did he leave Ga-young in the dark? This pairing is so bizarre. The actors have chemistry, but the characters’ chemistry seems nonexistent. Is there such thing as anti-existent chemistry? Don’t forget he asked Ga-young during the cute episode to accompany him to visit his father.

A depressed Young-gul goes drinking and his buddies Chil-bok and Il-gook show up. Il-gook isn’t happy with the change in Young-gul and keeps snarking at him. Chil-bok is happy because of the success of his shoes but Young-gul doesn’t give a fuck. Il-gook calls Young-gul on how rude he is to both Il-gook and Chil-bok even when they are both older. Young-gul, drunk off his ass, replies with ‘tude and Chil-book tries to pacify them both, but the tensions escalate.

Il-gook is insulted by the fact that Young-gul treats him like a driver instead of a friend and prepares to get physical. YOung-gul, feeling like utter crap, challenges Il-gook to hit him, calling him names and even smacking the very, very large loan shark a few times.

Then Young-gul gets royally pounded. But he wants more. He wants the punishment. His life sucks. Chil-bok manages to send a furious Il-gook out and Young-gul sobs, begging for Il-gook to just kill him.

Is that where you’re going show? Is he going to suicide? *le sigh* What a fucking cop out. At least let him get murdered. By An-na. She’s the least pathetic character thus far.

Anyway, Young-gul stumbles to the factory where he is met by Ga-young who was waiting for him. After she inquires about his battered face, he asks her why she’s there. She doesn’t want to talk while he drunk. Although he really is drunk, he assures Ga-young he isn’t and demands to know why she was waiting.

Well, she thought all day and decides to give the apartment key, the boutique key and the deed back with an apology.

She should apologize. Apologize for being so high and mighty and selfish. Seriously, she has no true logic behind her actions. This character is so badly written. There is no consistency. She just crumbles and strengthens, cries and laughs only as plot motivators. It’s annoying.

Young-gul calls her on her inconsistencies.

Wait, how does a character see these inconsistencies, but the writer doesn’t?….

Anywho, he tells her she’s not grateful for anything that he’s done for her. She sleeps at the factory, accepts Jae-hyuk’s necklace and doesn’t understand that he made money and wants to do everything for her.

I admit, he’s kinda right. Ga-young wants to recreate the past by sleeping in the factory. Grow up. The past is the past. Keep the memory and create a new one.

Young-gul wonders if he made a public confession like Jae-hyuk if she’d accept his heart and actions.

So he is sincere in his efforts and well-intentioned desire to please her. It’s just those efforts are shrouded in revenge-lust. However, if Ga-young loves him, she should see through the bullshit and support him instead of criticizing all the time. If he had constant support and a woman who wouldn’t back down when telling him that what he is doing is stupid, Young-gul might not continue with this revenge shit.

The next morning, Young-gul wakes with a headache and shoves his head in ice water. An-na shows up and he avoids her questions about his face. So she decides to make him food and he tells her that he’s grateful for her. He feels badly he couldn’t accept her feelings and she knows something is up. So he tells AN-NA about his father passing, but he didn’t tell Ga-young.

Even if a couple if fighting, news like that shouldn’t go unshared.

Young-gul thanks An-na for coming on such a shitty day.

On her way out, she runs into Jae-hyuk and they go for steak.

Yummy. Steak. I love steak. I had steak today. Steak and eggs and orange juice. I gave my best friend my hash browns. I wanted room for the steak.

They chitchat. He’s buying her a meal as an apology for office party crashing. She admits she’s given up hope on them ever getting back together. Uncomfortable, he changes the subject to GG. An-na has been pushing for a lot of advertising and trying to expand the company rather than rake in a huge profit.

Jae-hyuk “jokes” about her returning to YGM to be marketing manager. She’s not amused and decides to spill the beans: That Italian label he signed with is owned by Young-gul.

SHOCK.

He should’ve researched before he signed, she says.

So Jae-hyuk runs to Young-gul’s place in a fury, slams Young-gul against the wall and demands what Young-gul is trying to pull. BAsically, he’s giving what he received. But Jae-hyuk should treat his partner better.

Ruh-roh. Partners…

Jae-hyuk punches the wall and Young-gul rubs salt in the wound: he’s thinking of making An-na YGM’s manager.

Hrm, didn’t Jae-hyuk just “jokingly” offer the position to An-na.

So Jae-hyuk flips out and beats the wall.

Then at the office, Daddy Tyrant beats Jae-hyuk for ignoring his order not to sign with the Italian label. Jae-hyuk apologizes and gets beat some more while Assistant Kim winces. Jae-hyuk wants to take care of it, but dad says he’s messed up one too many times.

Surprisingly, Jae-hyuk falls to his knees. But daddy ignores him. So Jae-hyuk grabs onto his leg, begging his father like a child for another chance. But Daddy Tyrant’s big ol’ pride has a booboo so he can’t forgive his son and leaves.

The only awesome part of this episode is that during that last scene, there was a WICKED cool cello solo. 😀

On the way home, Jae-hyuk broods but sees Ga-young outside her boutique. He follows her inside and she’s surprised to see him. When he sees the sign with her name, Jae-hyuk assumes that she quit J Fashion to work with Young-gul in order to get back the boutique. He’d heard a rumor that Young-gul had taken over. She tells him it has nothing to do with him and he agrees.

Suddenly, he pulls her into a tight embrace and repeats her words from earlier: stop loving someone who doesn’t love you back and forget about her. He promises to do that; to completely erase Ga-young and Young-gul from his memory. She can count on it.

 Comments:

Ga-young, go jump off a cliff. You’re annoying.

I was hoping for Ga-young to partner up with Young-gul and fight together against “the man”. Have  huge fashion show together. But all four leads are still mentally unhinged and aimlessly floating around Idiotsville.

Also, I kept meaning to mention this before but I kept getting sidetracked by other stupid things. Jae-hyuk is a horrendous businessman. His assistant has to explain everything to him. He researches nothing. He has no intuition. How did his father let him come this far in the first place? Is Daddy Tyrant secretly a big ol’ softy who can’t say “no” to his kid?

The ending of this episode sounds like a murder threat to me. Is Jae-hyuk a time-bomb? Will he explode at the least bit of provocation?

Honestly, I don’t care. But off I go to watch the finale.

c

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Character introductions.

Fashion King Episode 19 Screencaps.