by: Raine

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I’m pretty sure this is the last episode before the next plot threads start emerging. All I have to say is THANK GOD. If I have to deal with more mommy drama I will pull all my hair out. The sisters start taking steps towards their own romances and also help Soon-shin out. I’ve been waiting for them to step up for ages.

AGB Nielson Nationwide had this episode coming in at 26.7%.

episode 16 recap

‘Cause what you see you might not get

And we can bet, so don’t you get souped yet

You’re scheming on a thing that’s a mirage

I’m trying to tell you now, it’s sabotage

I used to Beastie Boys to help me describe poor Soon-shin’s situation at the beginning of this episode. SABOTOGE!

Soon-shin has been practicing and standing firm against her mother’s cruel idiocy, but it was all for nought!

Shortly after Soon-shin and Joon-ho arrive at the audition, In-sung delivers the news that Soon-shin is not signed up. Joon-ho assures her it will be okay and goes to save the day. He  yells at the man who has all the auditionees paperwork, but that doesn’t help.

Instead, he goes after the big fish: Director Choi. He tells Choi there has been a mistake, which confuses the guy. Then Choi realizes Joon-ho must be complaining about Lee Soon-shin. Didn’t Mi-ryeong tell him what happened? She had Choi pull Soon-shin’s name from the audition list.

O.O

Off he goes to confront Mi-ryeong who is oh-so-casually filing her polished nails.

Pet peeve: I hate when people do that! It ruins the damn polish! Another reason to hate her, RAWR!

Mi-ryeong pretends not to know why he’s there and he angrily demands why she pulled Soon-shin from the audition. She had liked the girl a lot before. Mi-ryeong says that she overestimated Soon-shin’s ability and realized she wasn’t any good. She gave up on her.

That’s going to come back to bite you in the ass and I’m going to LAUGH.

Mi-ryeong says Soon-shin would’ve humiliated her and advises Joon-ho to give up on trying to make her a star. Joon-ho is furious and reminds Mi-ryeong about how excited Soon-shin is about acting. Mi-ryeong stirred her hopes and now plans to quash them? She acts all high-and-mighty about using her precious time to teach.

And then she reminds Joon-ho about his bet, which makes his jaw work in anger.

He may have a bet, but at least he ain’t messing with her feelings like you are, wench!

Mi-ryeong says it looks like he has feelings if he defends Soon-shin this way. He doesn’t deserve to be angry at her. She wonders if he can’t win without her help.

Wow, talk about 180. I hate people like that, who can change so quickly.

In her practice room/temporary home, Soon-shin tries to call Mi-ryeong, to no avail.

Yi-jung asks about Soo-jung’s meeting with Chan-woo and she breaks the news that he’s seeing someone. Soo-jung laments that he was so nice and humble, unlike the men in their family. If she could turn back time, she wouldn’t marry a man like Dong-hyuk.

I wonder if the writer is going to work on their marriage at all or just leave it as a source of minor contention.

Soo-jung promises to find Yi-jung a new man, but Yi-jung is going to steal Chan-woo. Heh, this should be funny. She goes to the hospital, but Chan-woo isn’t there. However, she spots Mi-ryeong who has come to meet with Dong-hyuk and ducks behind a wall to hide.

Great, two evils meeting. They will birth new evil.

Dong-hyuk thanks Mi-ryeong for her help with Yi-jung and invites her to dinner. When Mi-ryeong mentions his wife, he says that she always makes too much and he feels obligated to eat it.

Hrm, complaining about your wife to another woman..not a good sign. I SAW this coming, guys. I did.

Instead of dinner they go for drinks. There is jazz playing in the background and Mi-ryeong gets pensive. She doesn’t think her life has ever been lucky and that God hates her. Perhaps that’s why she started acting, so she could forget her unluckiness while pretending to be another person. Dong-hyuk is interested in her self-pitying speech and so she continues.

Her misfortunes make her who she is; she always has to fight. People think she’s lucky, but she knows better.

Stop whining. People have it worse than you.

But Dong-hyuk feels for her. People may think he’s lucky because he married rich and took over his wife’s father’s hospital. They talk behind his back and bow to his face.

Mi-ryeong smirks at his story and says she knew they had something in common. Isn’t that why he hated her? He laughs.

She admits that the man he saw her with that day died. Isn’t Dong-hyuk curious as to who the man was. Dong-hyuk says that if she knows they are similar, she should know that he doesn’t care about that. The man is probably her past and she shouldn’t let that hold her back.

Guh, this sounds like romance talk to me…

Then he proposes a cosmetics business venture between them through his hospital. Business is the best distraction for people like them, he says. She smiles.

guh. Guh. GUH!

Yi-jung comes home dejected about Chan-woo and refuses to answer her mother’s questions. She already ate, too, which makes Soo-jung complain that no one eats the dinner she prepares. Dong-hyuk is out with friends, she supposes, which makes Yi-jung suspicious of what she saw at the hospital. Soo-jung hopes that her husband would hang out with her friend. Yes, she still considers Mi-ryeong a friend. Yi-jung sneers and leaves. She’s good at that.

Mi-ryeong is studying her script when Hwang comes in and asks where she was. She was with Dong-hyuk who she gets on with famously now. Hwang suggests they move out of the house, but she doesn’t want to. She also ignores yet another call from Soon-shin. I think she may look a little depressed, but then she calls Joon-ho to have him take care of Soon-shin’s incessant calls.

Young-hoon (who still hasn’t had any real development) asks about the audition and is shocked by the truth. When Joon-ho comes in, Young-hoon demands how this could happen. Joon-ho isn’t in the mood and basically drags Soon-shin to a table and SERVES HER a drink. HEHEHEHE. He likes her. He’s being nice!

Anyway, it’s time for “the talk” about Mi-ryeong. He starts out by assuring her that he’ll get her another audition. He didn’t like this script or the character anyway. He starts badmouthing the whole thing in his very Joon-ho way, but Soon-shin says she liked it. He’s confused, thinking she liked action better.

She changes the subject: where is Mi-ryeong? Soon-shin is worried Mi-ryeong would be disappointed that she couldn’t do the audition, which has Joon-ho steeling himself to break the news to her. He starts with: you’re going to study with a new teacher because Mi-ryeong is busy. Soon-shin is really disappointmented because Mi-reyong was the first person to make her feel good about herself.

Ooof. That seriously just socked me in the gut. And from the look on his face, you can tell it hit Joon-ho hard too.

Soon-shin wants lessons from her no matter what, but he refuses. He also warns her not to call Mi-ryeong anymore. She’s too busy.

Joon-ho fumes in his office, angry at Mi-ryeong’s cruelty and hypocrisy. In-sung listens and then says he did some digging into the situation. Turns out Mi-ryeong met with Director Choi and asked him to cast Soon-shin. The next morning she called and asked him to omit Soon-shin. Joon-ho is stunned by the news and now knows that something must’ve happened to make her change her mind.

His first guess: Yeon-ah. He accuses her of convincing Mi-ryeong to rescind her recommendation for Soon-shin. For once, Yeon-ah is innocent and is utterly confused. But he is adamant. Only Yeon-ah would do something like that.

Yeon-ah guesses that he thinks she sabotaged Soon-shin, but she assures him she didn’t do it. She’s not afraid to lose the bet. Yeon-ah is genuinely insulted and baffled as to why he’s taking this bet so seriously. It was supposed to be for fun.

Yeah, for you. You think playing with his self-esteem is fun. You think stepping on him like a bug is fun. Well, it’s not. I’m glad he yelled at you even if he’s wrong. You’re MEAN!

Oh yeah, he’s upset because, y’know, he cares for Soon-shin and he doesn’t really want to play with her.

Then Yeon-ah asks if he’ll blame her every time something goes wrong and accuses him, again, of having no ability.

She’s a $%@#$%@#$^@#$@#$^@$.

Hye-shin calls Yoo-shin to pick up Soon-shin because she didn’t do the audition. Yoo-shin is suspicious, but Hye-shin thinks that if they don’t bring Soon-shin home now, they might now be able to later. After she hangs up, Chan-woo calls and wants to go out drinking, but she turns him down to get Soon-shin.

Soon-shin gets a text from Joon-ho that he’s found her a new teacher. Moments after, Yoo-shin comes to fetch her and Soon-shin resists. Yoo-shin convinces her to go home despite everything and by convince I mean she drags her home. Hye-shin and Woo-joo are happy to see her. Granny scolds her. It’s like nothing changed!

Except…when she meets mom who is as cold as ice. She might as well be ice. Then she wouldn’t speak and she wouldn’t be in scenes. Well, she might be in Joon-ho’s water…

Yoo-shin explains what happened and Soon-shin kneels before her mother who immediately says that she can’t stay if she keeps taking lessons with Mi-ryeong. Soon-shin clarifies that she wouldn’t be studying with Mi-ryeong because she’s too busy. Of course, mom finds fault with that, too. Soon-shin thinks it was because she wasn’t performing well enough and that Mi-ryeong is disappointed in her.

That strikes a cord in Jung-ae and she asks if Soon-shin cares if her own mother is disappointed in her or not.

And for two seconds I thought that Jung-ae sympathized with her daughter….selfish…RAWR.

Dinner is a quiet affair. Jung-ae frowns the whole time and grills the meat. Yoo-shin scolds Soon-shin for not apologizing properly. Granny scolds Jung-ae for scowling the whole time and actually makes a valid point: Soon-shin won’t feel better about anything with her face contorted so nastily. Jung-ae should just forgive Soon-shin.

Granny has so obviously accepted Soon-shin back with all of scolding she’s giving, but Yoo-shin decides it’s enough tough love and shoves a lettuce wrap in Granny’s mouth. Heh.

Soon-shin mopes outside and is shocked to see the sub-basement light on.

OH NO! No one told her there was a tenant. When sexy baker Jin-wook comes out to investigate the samgyupsal smell, he gets attacked by a bamboo stick wielding Soon-shin who thinks he’s a thief. Hye-shin runs out and stops her while Yoo-shin and Woo-joo smile at his misfortune.

Inside, Hye-shin cares for his wounds as he whines like a baby. Yoo-shin explains that Soon-shin hasn’t been home for a while and can’t stifle a laugh. Soon-shin apologizes. Jin-wook eyes the samgyupsal hungrily. Granny offers it to him.

Jung-ae goes to get rice for Jin-wook and Hye-shin goes into help her and convince her to be nicer to Soon-shin. She’s not going to act anymore. She also doesn’t look well or like she’s been eating well. Jung-ae says that she never told Soon-shin to starve.

Wow, you seriously reverted into a three-year-old.

Jung-ae storms into her room and thinks about what Mi-ryeong did to Soon-shin. She calls her up and asks to meet. Mi-ryeong says that she won’t teach Soon-shin anymore and declares that she’s disappointed in Soon-shin’s passion. Mi-ryeong worked so hard to teach her but Soon-shin missed the audition.

WHAT?! If Jung-ae believes Mi-ryeong over Soon-shin, I’m going to sucker punch her through the screen.

Mi-ryeong assures Jung-ae that Soon-shin will quit eventually and asks that Jung-ae not contact her anymore.

Jung-ae heads into Soon-shin’s room and spots the audition dress. Soon-shin explains that it was for the audition and Jung-ae throws it on the ground. Does Soon-shin treasure it that much? Does she know that Mi-ryeong said that she’s disappointed in Soon-shin? Why does Soon-shin respect her so much? The woman changes her mind too often; what kind of woman is she?

Soon-shin defends Mi-ryeong saying it’s that because she was lacking as a student. Jung-ae expods. “She abandoned you! Why did you come home? Just go live with her!”

Wow, talk about a heated argument…on one side. Soon-shin has NO idea why she blew up and that is all on Jung-ae. I’ve been reading comments all over the place and everyone seems just as sick of her as I am. Writer-nim. Do something.

Jin-wook heads outside in the morning and offers to help Hye-shin with the laundry. They chat awkwardly. He picks up another pile of laundry that turns out to be a pile of bras. Cue him dropping them in the dirt, fumbling around, knocking laundry over and getting got by Yoo-shin manhandling bras. She’s furious. Hye-shin just finds him adorkable. As she should.

Cute.

At the bakery, Jin-wook’s assistant asks about living with all women. He doesn’t want to talk about it. Haha. He says he even gets bruises from the nightmares he gets from the negative energy in the house. Hahahaha. So his assistant tests the theory out by poking his arm and eliciting an “ow!” Hehehe. Theyr’e cute.

Yoo-shin is working and thinks about Chan-woo’s speech at the movies, the one about secretly dating. She calls him and he hurries over to the cafe.

When he gets there, she hands him a contract. WAIT, they’re going to contract date?! Teehee.

Here are the conditions with Yoo-shin’s explanations:

1. If either of our families find out, our relationship will end. (Families ask too many questions.)
2. Respect both of our jobs. Do not come to the workplace without permission. (Co-workers are scarier than families and blame mistakes on dating.)
3. Do not control the other person. (No “why didn’t you call me?” business. No be overbearing.)

He has one condition to add, however:

While dating, we should respect each other and do our best to keep the relationship.

Awww.

She is totally touched by it and he continues in a teasing manner (but he’s not joking) and tells her not to call him “Hey you!” or hit him anymore. She casually agrees, but she’s pleased that he’s so serious about her.

They sign the contract and he holds out his hand to shake, but she thinks that he’s trying to old her hand. They shake and it’s totally cute.

He won’t let go of her hand until she agrees to their first date: a dinner date. She is totally won over.

Gil-ja asks Chan-mi if Soon-shin moved back home, but Chan-mi doesn’t know. She’s angry that Soon-shin is too busy to even talk on the phone. Chan-mi didn’t even know Soon-shin wanted to act.

You’re not a great friend, Chan-mi. No wonder you don’t get confided in.

Gil-ja thinks it’s because of the shared blood with Mi-ryeong and then gets distracted by Chan-woo coming home. His parents pick up on his good mood and wonder if he’s dating. What about that blind date he went on? The girl and the family loved him. Chan-woo doesn’t think they were meant to be and tells his parents he just wants to focus on work for now. His parents aren’t happy, but he hurries off before they can bother him further.

Chan-mi scolds Gil-ja for pushing Chan-woo too hard and Bok-man agrees. No one has match marriages anymore. He wish he’d married for love (jaw from from Gil-ja). Heh. She swears he chased her and Chan-mi leaves them to argue.

Hwang and Mi-ryeong run into Reporter Park, which makes Hwang really nervous. (If you don’t remember, Park was the reporter that Hwang might’ve drunkely babbled to.) Park and Mi-ryeong chat amicably and promise to meet. And then Park asks to have tea with Hwang.

Uh-oh.

Park smiles saccharinely and says Hwang got out of the last “crisis” (the rumors about Mi-reyong). He says that it hurt his pride without ever losing that smile.

This reporter has something up his sleeve, doesn’t he? He’s a thread we lost a while back and now have picked up. Oh, weekend dramas.

Hwang admits that he was drunk when he told that story and he was out of his mind. It isn’t true.

So he DID spill the beans. HA. It’s your fault! Asshole.

Park doesn’t buy it and dangles his power in Hwang’s face as Hwang begs for mercy. Then: is it true she has a daughter?

Hwang pretends not to know what Park is talking about, but the reporter hound has caught a scent. Park keeps pushing it: is she in touch with this daughter? How old is she? Does she know her mom is famous?

Hwang denies it all and Park warns him not to deny it next time.

Mi-ryeong keeps clearing her throat and ties a scarf around it. Then she remembers Soon-shin and Chang-hoon doing the same and unties it.

Yeah, that’s right, feel guilty.

A thoroughly unnerved Hwang comes in and asks about “that baby”. Chang-hoon probably took it to an orphanage right? Mi-ryeong is surprised by the sudden mention of the subject and gets snappy. She’ll fire him if he mentions it again.

Hwang sits in the car and wonders what to do. When was the baby born? How old would she be? He makes a realization and pulls out the information on Chang-hoon’s family. He sees Lee Soon-shin was born in 1990 (on the same day and year as Lil Raine!) He calls his secret contact and asks for contact information for Park Bok-man. Hrm…

Soon-shin remembers Mi-ryeong’s praise as she dries dishes with the staff. She stands up and walks away. She’s on a mission to meet Mi-ryeong and goes to her house armed with red bean paste buns. But Mi-ryeong isn’t home so Soon-shin sits down to wait.

When Joon-ho looks for Soon-shin at the restaurant, Young-hoon tells him that Soon-shin went to class. Joon-ho takes off like a flash.

Yeon-ah goes home with Mi-ryeong to get advice on some scripts. I think she was jealous of the attention Soon-shin was getting and wants the same attention. In any case, she asks about Soon-shin and the audition. Mi-ryeong says she can’t be an actress. Yeon-ah is surprised because Mi-ryeong was so into teaching her. Mi-ryeong denies it: she only did it ‘cause Joon-ho asked her to.

Mi-ryeong asks if they can stop the bet and Yeon-ah smiles. She was thinking the same. “Waiting” isn’t fun. I think she means waiting for results and to have time with Joon-ho. I think.

Soon-shin excitedly approaches Mi-ryeong when she gets home, surprising her. Didn’t Joon-ho tell Soon-shin what was going on? Soon-shin knows that Mi-ryeong doesn’t have enough time and the older woman agrees. She wants to come in and offers the red bean paste buns, but Mi-ryeong claims she’s too busy.

Joon-ho drives up and watches Soon-shin get her heart crushed.

Soon-shin thinks Mi-ryeong is disappointed in her and that’s why she gave up. Mi-ryeong agrees, shocking Yeon-ah and breaking Soon-shin in two. She tells Soon-shin not to show up anymore, but Soon-shin wants to say one thing.

But Hwang steps in her path and shoves her on the ground just as he did with her mother. The buns spill to the ground.

OMG! Seriously? You’re fucking violent! I want to BEAT YOU!

Mi-ryeong and Yeon-ah pause, but say nothing. Joon-ho bursts from his car as Soon-shin begs for Mi-ryeong to listen to her for just a moment.

Joon-ho marches up to her.

Joon-ho: Yah! What are you doing here?

Soon-shin: Depunim

Yeon-ah: Joon-ho ssi. *she walks down the stairs towards him*

Joon-ho: Are you stupid? What did I tell you before? Why did you come here to get treated like this? Why?!

He and Soon-shin stare at each other for a heated moment so when Yeon-ah speaks, she really seems to be the outcast.

Yeon-ah: I’m glad you came. I ahve something to tell you. Come in. *she turns away, thinking he’ll follow*

Joon-ho: I have nothing to say to you.

She stops and turns back to him  in shock while Mi-ryeong smirks.

Joon-ho grabs Soon-shin’s wrist and drags her away. “Let’s go.”

Comments:

I’ll admit. I didn’t want to write this recap. It’s all because of the evil moms. Yes, there are multiple in this show. That’s just too much…guh.

I like slow paced romance, but it needs to speed up in order to make me motivated to watch. I love Joon-ho/Soon-shin and the other couples, but the mothers are taking over and they shouldn’t be.

The little beats in this episode are what saved it: Yoo-shin laughing at Jin-wook’s plight; Soon-shin smiling over her red bean paste buns; Chan-woo holding Yoo-shin’s hand; Hye-shin smiling over Jin-wook’s clumsiness.

And, of course, Joon-ho finally stepping up for Soon-shin. I can’t wait ’til he truly mans up.

I want Hwang to burn in a fiery pit and drag Mi-ryeong down with her. The only reason I don’t want Jung-ae to burn too is because it would make Soon-shin sad and I like Soon-shin.

I’m not going to rant about Jung-ae. I’m Jung-ae’d out. I will say that I want to see Soon-shin perform and train and Joon-ho start to shine. I want Jung-ae to come back to her family.

And yeah, that’s it. Anything you have to say?

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

Character introductions.

Lee Soon-shin is the Best: Episode 16 Screencaps.