Asian Addicts Anonymous

Oh, you just have to love this episode, though things are getting more and more complicated. The highlights are definitely Min Woo’s budding relationship with his daughter and Gae Hwa becoming a mother that Min Ji is proud of. Oh, and hearing Choi Si Won sing in English is always a plus.

Min Woo is worried about Gae Hwa getting in to her boss’s car. He is afraid that Shi Joon might take advantage of the vulnerable ahjumma. Gae Hwa and Min Ji have a happy little celebration and Shi Joon even tells Min Ji that Gae Hwa is an asset to the company (he’s not lying as he isn’t the type to do that just so someone else can save face). Min Ji then tells Gae Hwa that she is proud of her mother (aww, sweet moment).

When Gae Hwa gets back to the apartment with Ye Eun. Min Woo asks what she’s been up to. Gae Hwa replies she was at work and that something good happened. This makes Min Woo decide to sit down and have a talk with Gae Hwa. He tells Gae Hwa that she needs to find love, but she also needs to be careful, especially around married men who could use Gae Hwa’s innocence against her. Gae Hwa says not to worry, she can take care of herself and she can’t believe she is getting this lecture from such and immature person. (Poor Min Woo as he really does have her best interests at heart here) She then gives Min Woo the tape from Ye Eun’s school performance so he can watch his daughter’s dance.

Min Woo sits down and watches it. He starts to smile watching his daughter’s awkward performance. When a little boy pulls her hair, he gets upset (so cute!). He doesn’t like that Ye Eun got picked on by that boy. After watching the video, Min Woo even starts dancing the dance that Ye Eun did. Definitely a great moment that shows how little Ye Eun is slowly working her way into Min Woo’s heart (since the DNA test is so high, I definitely hope they don’t find out in the end that she isn’t his). I’m looking forward to some cute interactions between father and daughter later in this drama.

The next morning Gae Hwa is busy getting Ye Eun ready for school while also taking calls about the open auditions for the musical. Min Woo is surprised by Gae Hwa’s gun-ho attitude and a little irked by it as well. Why would he be irked? Probably because of Shi Joon and his “unclear intentions.” His schedule was canceled for the day leaving him with nothing to do so he tells Gae Hwa to come back early. Gae Hwa agrees and sets off to work.

At work, Gae Hwa’s ex calls her out and insults both her and the company. He then says that he will buy a house for her and Min Ji so please take the little girl off his hands (and he has the nerve to call himself a father). Byung Hak tells Gae Hwa that Min Ji stresses out his wife who then takes her stress out on him (what a whiner). Gae Hwa tells him that he needs to take care of Min Ji for a little longer because there is no way she’d be able to keep the house even if he pays for it initially. She then leaves as she has to prepare for the auditions.

The auditions seem to go well. We get to see some talented dancers and singers. Min Woo is bored at home so he ends up going to the audition site just for something to do. He then invites The Show Company out for lunch (surprising Gae Hwa and everyone else). As they are about to start eating, Teacher Han shows up with Chae (her lover) in tow. Gae Hwa doesn’t like this, but Shi Joon seems (outwardly) unaffected. Han tells everyone about Chae’s great girlfriend (omo, crazy woman talking about herself in front of her husband) and just how wonderful he is. Gae Hwa does her best to try to deflect all this from Shi Joon and Min Woo witnesses this, not liking it (jealous much?).

Min Woo gets called out by his manager. He leaves and Shi Joon announces they have to get back to work as they had finished eating. Oh and Kim don’t want to be with the boss as he seems to be in a bad mood so they force Gae Hwa to go with Shi Joon. While Shi Joon is driving, he asks a very uncomfortable Gae Hwa if she knows. Not wanting to reply, she tells him that she does know and apologizes. She then says how bad Chae and Han are to be flaunting their relationship in front of Shi Joon.

Instead of going back to the office, Shi Joon takes Gae Hwa for a ride and they watch a street performance of young men dancing (hip hop/break). Gae Hwa and Shi Joon really seem to be enjoying themselves. Afterward, Shi Joon sits down with Gae Hwa and begins talking about his problems with his wife. He says that Han is really too greedy and wants a lot of love which he is unable to provide her with. Gae Hwa doesn’t defend his wife, but does tell him that he is partly to blame as he knew Han’s temperament and he knew as well that he wouldn’t be able to shower her with affection like she wanted (makes you feel bad for both of them). Gae Hwa then tells a little bit of her story. She doesn’t regret getting divorced (with that jerk, who would?) nor does she regret getting married because she has Min Ji and that is what keeps her going.

While Gae Hwa is becoming closer with Shi Joon, Yu Ra is annoyed at Min Woo (what else is new?). Apparently her plans aren’t going well. After her coldness to him, she expected him to call her, but he hasn’t even once (heehee, he’s been too concerned with the ahjumma to worry about the ahgassi). So she sends a “mistake” text message to Min Woo. He calls her worried because she told her unni that she was doing much better after her bout of the flu. Min Woo invites her out to lunch where she hardly eats anything and tells him to give up on his management company. Why? Because they don’t handle a top star like him well since they let him be in that dreadful musical (really, this girl annoys me more and more. WHEN will Min Woo finally see through the vixen’s actions?). Min Woo doesn’t like hearing this because he’s been with the company since the beginning (not to mention his manager has some pretty big dirt on him). Although…I do agree that it is probably best for Min Woo to leave that company if at all possible without harming himself, Gae Hwa, or Ye Eun.

Gae Hwa picks up Ye Eun and goes back home. As soon as she walks in the door, Min Woo complains he’s hungry and asks her to cook him dinner. Gae Hwa scolds him for asking her as soon as she got home for work as that is incredibly insensitive (Min Woo doesn’t know what to say to that). Gae Hwa notices a bunch of boxes and wonders if they’re from Min Woo’s fans. Min Woo tells her to open them and see. Gae Hwa does and they are all teddy bears. Min Woo is annoyed that Gae Hwa doesn’t immediately understand that all of these bears are for Ye Eun (what a nice thing for him to do! He even remembered that Ye Eun likes bears). Gae Hwa is shocked and happy. Little Ye Eun’s face lights up as she hears that all these bears are from daddy just for her.

After Gae Hwa puts Ye Eun to bed, she makes a snack for Min Woo (before he could even demand one). Gae Hwa commends him on starting to act like a dad, which he brushes his good deed off. Gae Hwa then tells him about her joy of finally working again and having her daughter be proud of her. She hopes that this musical can be a success so she can keep Min Ji proud. This touches Min Woo, too. These two being together is really a good thing. They are helping each other grow and become even better people.

The next day, Shi Joon learns that funds that were promised weren’t transferred into the company’s account like they should have been. He calls to find out what is going on and heard that there were some last minute problems. Shi Joon then rushes out to have a meeting with the investor to see what happened. Gae Hwa asks what does all of this mean and Oh replies that if they can’t find another funding source, the company will shut down and they’ll all be out of jobs. Meanwhile Min Woo has a fan meeting in Japan. The Japanese middle aged women and young girls just love him and he is getting tired from shaking hands and then he had to do an interview where his acting and next project choice were criticized again. His manager gets a call saying that the funding has been pulled from the musical. This makes manager Kim happy, but worries Min Woo. Min Woo doesn’t really want to do the musical, but he wants it to continue for Gae Hwa’s sake.

Min Woo rushes over to The Show Company (followed unknowingly by Manger Kim). Min Woo overhears Gae Hwa talking out loud about how she had finally found a place where she could begin again and do well and how she was so afraid of disappointing her daughter. This makes Min Woo feel even worse. He runs into Shi Joon who had just returned from finding out that the money was taken by his arch rival (who is working in cahoots with Byung Hak). Min Woo asks him what his plan is. Shi Joon says just wait and give him time, he’ll turn things around. Min Woo says he doesn’t believe him and then offers to pay for the production fees (this is overheard by Gae Hwa). Shi Joon threatens to hit him for offering the money and Min Woo says go ahead, but he wants to help. Go Min Woo!

My thoughts: Something big must happen in episode nine as they don’t show previews. But, anyhow, I am excited how things are going, especially between Min Woo and Ye Eun and Min Woo and Gae Hwa. I like that Shi Joon is softening more, but he needs to show that towards his wife, not to Gae Hwa. As bad as I feel for Han, I thought it was great that Chae told her that she had insulted both Shi Joon and him before patting her back and leaving. Chae isn’t a bad person and neither is Shi Joon or Han, but things are definitely complicated there.

And do we seriously need a character like Yu Ra? All the other complications are bad enough and she just makes things worse and I find it so annoying that Min Woo can’t see through her blatant use of him. Yeah, he has a huge crush, but the way she treats him and those around him is a pretty big give away. You have to wonder if Yu Ra will dump him as soon as she’s fully made use of his fame?

Anyways, can’t wait to see more good developments!