Asian Addicts Anonymous

I must say that with this Korean drama season that comedies Coffee House and Call of the Country are my favorites and give a nice break from the earlier melodramas. I anxiously await each subtitle releases of the dramas and watch them as soon as I can. I especially love the dynamic relationship between Oh Ha Na (Lee Soo Kyung) and Go Jin Hyuk (Kim Sang Kyung). Adding in Ryu Jin’s and Horan’s characters to the mix in later episodes also makes things more complicated and fun, well at least Ryu Jin’s character of Han Do Hoon makes things more fun. Horan’s Choi Eun Seo just makes things more complicated. 😛

Jin Hyuk cannot believe it when Ha Na hits the gas and barrels towards him, Geun Bae and the other goons at the scrapyard. He is even more shocked when Ha Na continues driving and leaves him alone. Apparently she wasn’t trying to save him. He is knocked out by an upset Geun Bae and has a nightmare where instead of saving Ha Na from the bus, she runs out of the way, leaving him to be run over. When he wakes up he is in the hospital, arm in cast, and Ha Na is busy counting money from the drinks she sold. Jin Hyuk asks why Ha Na is there if she ran away earlier. Ha Na replies they are partners. Before Jin Hyuk can say anything on Ha Na’s version of “partner,” Joon Min and Chief Shin show up, shocked by Jin Hyuk’s battered state.

Chief Shin asks how bad are the injuries and Ha Na replies other than a slight fracture in his hand, Jin Hyuk is fine. Shin and Joon Min are shocked by how lightly Ha Na is treating the situation. To make matters worse, it is revealed that Ha Na called the police in for backup to save Jin Hyuk. The NIA will never live that down, they have a competitiveness going on with the police force. Ha Na then takes her leave. Joon Min runs after her saying Jin Hyuk asked him to take care of an important matter. He then asks if Ha Na forgot anything. Ha Na thinks and then hands over something (the keys to the car?) and Joon Min takes out the calculator she left behind and the two make the exchange and part ways.

Chief Shin takes the injured Jin Hyuk home. Shin scolds Jin Hyuk for being so reckless and getting injured. He tells Jin Hyuk to take it easy for a little while and recuperate, but Jin Hyuk replies that there is no more time, the month Lee gave him is almost up. When they get to Jin Hyuk’s house, his mother is shocked by his appearance and immediately starts yelling at him. She then scolds Shin for letting her son come to such a state. Again, Jin Hyuk tries to step up and take responsibility for himself, but Shin tells him not to bother and takes the scolding himself. Both Jin Hyuk and Ha Na have feisty mothers who care a lot for their children. After Shin leaves, Jin Hyuk goes to his room where he receives a text from Ha Na saying she will become his right hand. He is mystified by the sudden change of attitude, but then she texts asking if her stuff is okay. Yeah, she doesn’t care at all. Poor Jin Hyuk.

Han Do Hoon meets with Lee and puts feelers out about the ongoing investigation into Joo Soo Young. Joon Min and the other agents go over the car Ha Na recovered with a fine tooth comb hoping to find something, anything, incriminating Joo Soo Young. Jin Hyuk goes and checks the progress, not listening to the orders that he should rest. So far there is nothing substantial and they are waiting to hear from various sources. Jin Hyuk asks where Ha Na is as she wasn’t at the garage with the car. And where is she? Ha Na is out selling more of her health drinks to Kim Byung Joon. Jin Hyuk can’t believe that Ha Na is selling her drinks during working hours inside the agency no less.

Jin Hyuk requests that Ha Na use her connections (which he dislikes so much) in order to find out any information on Soo Young. Ha Na then demands a seat at a desk of her own. When they get to the work room, a new desk and computer are being put up. Ha Na is excited thinking that they are hers, but it turns out they are for the new worker: Choi Eun Seo. Jin Hyuk is horrified to see Eun Seo is rejoining the NIA, and even more so, rejoining his team. He immediately goes to Shin and demands to know why he wasn’t told. Shin tells him that there is nothing Jin Hyuk can do, so he needs to accept this and keep his mind focused on the investigation.

Jin Hyuk storms out of Shin’s office and is followed by Eun Seo who has overheard Jin Hyuk’s complaints. She grabs his arm and is surprised to see that he is injured. She asks if he’s all right and Jin Hyuk pulls away. Jin Hyuk tells her to speak formally to him as they are at work. Eun Seo complies and Jin Hyuk says he is unable to work with her so she needs to transfer to another team. If she is unable to do so, then Jin Hyuk will put in a formal request with Lee. Eun Seo says she wishes to help and Jin Hyuk replies he doesn’t need her help. Shin then appears and overhears this. Jin Hyuk asks if Eun Seo can really let go of the past as well and be just his colleague. Eun Seo says that she can, especially since Jin Hyuk already has someone new in his life. Jin Hyuk angrily agrees to be colleagues and stalks off. Shin goes up to Eun Seo asking what she expected after leaving so abruptly three years ago and she chides him saying he always sided with Jin Hyuk over her. Eun Seo then says she is happy to finally be back, she missed this after three years in the Middle East.

Jin Hyuk meanwhile, is angry from his run in with Eun Seo, and to top things off is having difficulty doing things with his injured hand. He ends up throwing files on the floor when he can’t get a door to open. Ha Na come and scolds him for his short temper and picks up the files. Jin Hyuk asks if the revenge is over. Ha Na thinks she means in regards to their situation, but I think it has to do with Eun Seo. Whose revenge? His or hers? Ha Na wishes to know what is wrong, but Jin Hyk refuses to tell her. While all this is going on at the NIA, Soo Young is happily buying expensive suits, until he gets a phone call from Do Hoon telling him to get out of the country and lie low for awhile. Soo Young does not like this at all and curses Do Hoon for being a coward.

At the NIA meeting, they learn that the car they acquired was Soo Young’s. Eun Seo hasn’t been briefed and no one had given her a file on the case. Jin Hyuk scolds her for not being prepared and tells her to leave and read the file and not come back until she’s fully briefed on the case. Eun Seo apologizes and the meeting continues. They learn that from Soo Young’s movements, it appears that he is getting ready to leave the country. This does not bode well for the NIA. If Soo Young escapes, Jin Hyuk will be out of a job and their entire operation will have come to naught. Jin Hyuk asks Se Mi to hurry and confirm the transfer location of the money so they can figure out where Soo Young is heading and stop him before he leaves. The meeting is then adjourned and Ha Na promptly rushes out for lunch, leaving behind stunned agents who still have lots of work to do.

Jin Hyuk corners Ha Na and asks what she is doing. Ha Na replies that she is going to the bank during her lunch break. He then tells her that he will find her a suitable escort. Ha Na is ticked off that he still doesn’t seem to be trusting her. She then tells him to come along as he makes everyone else uncomfortable. Joon Min and Se Mi are passing at this time and Ha Na asks if she’s right. Jin Hyuk turns to them expecting them to deny Ha Na’s words, but they both avoid the question, shocking Jin Hyuk. (Omo, that was such a cute moment.) Jin Hyuk’s smile is soon replaced with a glare and Ha Na laughs, overjoyed that Joon Min and Se Mi confirmed what she said about Jin Hyuk making others uncomfortable.

Ha Na is still laughing as she drives to the bank. Jin Hyuk is annoyed by this and asks what the matter is. She tells him she knows some bottles are missing from the boxes in the back and asks him to order a box. Jin Hyuk quickly tells her to pay attention to the traffic light and obey the laws so she doesn’t inconvenience anyone or cause an accident. She agrees and then asks him what he ate to have such long legs as she can’t reach the peddles. Jin Hyuk goes to move the seat and startles Ha Na who thinks he’s trying to do something inappropriate. Straitlaced Jin Hyuk? Nah. He fixes the seat and Ha Na pushes him away back to his own side of the car. Ha Na then asks if they can stop by her house so she can take the inventory home. Jin Hyuk doesn’t want to but eventually agrees to let her drop them off.

At the bank, Ha Na files the paperwork she needs to get the money for the next apartment installment. Man Soo is unhappy to see that Ha Na is going to continue using his branch instead of going to another branch of the bank. It’s Ha Na’s small revenge against the man who cheated on her and his fiance. As she is about to leave, Ha Na suddenly turns back and reveals that it was her on the phone to Man Soo’s fiance the other time when she got the information on the engagement party. The bank teller is shocked to learn that it was Ha Na. Man Soo asks Ha Na what she’s doing and Ha Na says she will continue to use the bank, that Man Soo is just a stranger to her now. Man Soo looks over at Jin Hyuk and asks if its because Ha Na’s found someone new. He then calls her easy and Ha Na kicks him for his impudence. He then says that she has to get over him and that he’s glad she found someone else. Anything to get himself off the hook.

At lunch, Ha Na asks if Jin Hyuk gets paid as much as a prosecutor. He refuses to answer and Ha Na gives him a card to write down all of his annoyances with Man Soo (i.e. Man Soo staring at him). Jin Hyuk refuses and asks if doing such things makes Ha Na feel better. She replies no, but she’ll keep doing them until her heart starts feeling comfortable again. She will keep doing it, keep telling herself to stop doing it and thus forget Man Soo and the betrayal because if she does nothing then she will always think of it. She also says she doesn’t want to keep thinking about someone who left her like a fool. This really strikes a cord with Jin Hyuk because of Eun Seo. Food is then brought out and Ha Na begins helping Jin Hyuk with his food as he can only use one hand. This also touches Jin Hyuk as Ha Na is doing it without thinking or for personal gain. She is honestly being kind.

Back at the office, Se Mi tells Jin Hyuk that they have confirmed the money was sent to Shanghai under the name Chang Oh. They confirmed the name with airport departure records. This means the Soo Young will be leaving the country under an assumed identity (no real shocker there, when running from the law, who uses their real identity?). Jin Hyuk asks where Soo Young is, but they are unable to confirm. Shin comes and asks if Soo Young is leaving for Shanghai. Jin Hyuk replies in the affirmative, that he is leaving in just a matter of hours – not giving them a lot of time to pony up and get him. Shin commands them to quickly formulate a plan and the NIA kicks into action, leaving Ha Na left out. Jin Hyuk goes to put on his gun with one hand and can’t seem to manage it. Ha Na asks him what he is doing with his hand in such a state. She goes over to help him, but Jin Hyuk refuses, hurting Ha Na’s feelings. He then tells Ha Na to hurry to the meeting when Eun Seo comes in. Eun Seo asks Ha Na to leave so she can talk to Jin Hyuk. Ha Na leaves the two alone.

Eun Seo helps Jin Hyuk on with his jacket and tells him that all the equipment has been prepared. She then asks just who is Oh Ha Na. Jin Hyuk says that Eun Seo doesn’t have to know and Eun Seo replies that as a team member, she has every right to know just what role Ha Na plays in the NIA team. Jin Hyuk suspects that Lee is behind her inquiry into Ha Na. Eun Seo doesn’t refute this and tells him that it is an important case and he can’t let his personal feelings get in the way. Jin Hyuk then says there is no personal feelings, Ha Na has helped out with Geun Bae and acquiring Soo Young’s car. Eun Seo then says that she knows Ha Na also had monetary transactions with Geun Bae. Jin Hyuk says that they haven’t had time to fully investigate and that right now all that matters is the result of the investigation. He then tells Eun Seo to leave if she knows everything she wants now.

Ha Na heads off to the meeting like she was told, only to have Shin tell her to leave as they have no need of her services. This surprises and hurts Ha Na who reluctantly leaves. When she retrieves her purse and cell phone, she gets a call from Chil Hyun asking if she meant it about giving him a finders fee for Geun Bae. Apparently Chil Hyun knows where he is and hopes to teach the young criminal a lesson. Meanwhile, at the meeting they are trying to find a good picture and identifying features to give to the airport, but it turns out that Soo Young is very unremarkable and average, which doesn’t help them at all. They look at the layout of the airport and figure out where the best place to grab and detain Soo Young would be.

Ha Na goes to Chil Hyun and helps make him food and asks what he means by settling Geun Bae. Chil Hyun says its just what he says and Ha Na asks if he really knows where Geun Bae is. Chil Hyun answers with has he ever disappointed his little sister before? Chil Hyun is then freaked out by how well Ha Na is treating him, from cooking for him to letting him eat before herself. Ha Na then springs her request – she wants to meet with Geun Bae. Meanwhile at the NIA, everyone is getting ready to head to the airport. Jin Hyuk asks Joon Min where Ha Na is and Joon Min says he hasn’t seen her since she left the meeting. This worries Jin Hyuk who goes off to call Ha Na who happens to be on her way with Chil Hyun to find Geun Bae at the docks. Jin Hyuk asks where she is when she finally answers. Ha Na says she was asked to leave and Jin Hyuk tells her to stop making excuses as she needs to confirm with him before leaving. Ha Na is outraged by this and more annoyed when Jin Hyuk tells her to get back to the NIA within thirty minutes or their deal is null and void. He then hangs up and Ha Na asks Chil Hyun to turn around. The problem? They on the expressway and can’t turn around.

Jin Hyuk tells Eun Seo to wait thirty minutes for Ha Na. This infuriates Eun Seo who asks Joon Min to confirm Ha Na’s location. Joon Min doesn’t want to listen to Eun Seo’s orders, but does when she tells him its an emergency. Joon Min tracks Ha Na and they find out that she is heading towards the airport (yes, but not TO the airport – there’s a difference). Eun Seo demands to have Ha Na’s phone records tracked and to have agents block off the airport from Ha Na. Joon Min looks to Jin Hyuk for his opinion and Jin Hyuk tells him to keep tracking Ha Na as Jin Hyuk will personally go and find her as she is his responsibility. Eun Seo is annoyed that Jin Hyuk is personally going after Ha Na as the mission is about to start. Jin Hyuk promises to be back for the mission and runs off. Eun Seo following behind as she can’t let him do it alone.

Meanwhile, Ha Na says that Joo Soo Young is stingy if he is flying to Shanghai while Geun Bae is sailing. Chil Hyun replies that Geun Bae bragged that he was sailing with the boss. Ha Na is shocked to hear this and immediately calls to report it to Jin Hyuk who believes that Soo Young is flying out. Eun Seo says it looks like Ha Na is really on her way to the airport from the GPS tracking. She then tells Jin Hyuk not to blame himself as nothing has been confirmed. Jin Hyuk answers Ha Na’s call and demands to know where she is. Ha Na says that doesn’t matter as she has information. Jin Hyuk demands to know if she’s going to Incheon. Ha Na says that doesn’t matter as she knows Soo Young is leaving with Geun Bae. Jin Hyuk cuts her off before she can tell him they are leaving from Incheon port instead of flying and he offers her double her reward if she turns around now. This hurts Ha Na deeply as she realizes Jin Hyuk still doesn’t trust her. Jin Hyuk tells her that if she leaks any information he will definitely not forgive her. Ha Na says his words are too harsh and Jin Hyuk replies that she is the type of person who will do anything for money. Ouch.

The other agents are heading to the airport and Shin demands to know why Team Leader Go is not there. Poor Joon Min is always put in such difficult situations. Eun Seo tells Jin Hyuk not to let his personal relationship with Ha Na ruin the outcome of the mission. Jin Hyuk is mystified that she keeps referring to his and Ha Na’s relationship as they don’t have one (yet). Apparently Byung Joon told Eun Seo that Ha Na and Jin Hyuk are an item. Before Jin Hyuk can say anything else, he answers a call from an angry Shin who says he shouldn’t have brought Ha Na in if he couldn’t trust her. Lee comes and overhears this part of the conversation. Not good at all. Lee then tries calling Eun Seo who ignores it. Guess he doesn’t have her in his pocket like he thought.

Jin Hyuk is surprised that Ha Na is heading towards the international docks instead of the airport, but they quickly follow. Ha Na has finally reached the port despite Chil Hyun’s slow driving only to have him refuse to go in because he doesn’t want to pay the parking fees. Annoyed, Ha Na jumps out and runs in on her own hoping to get to Geun Bae before he boards the boat. Jin Hyuk frantically searches for Ha Na at the port only to run into Soo Young. Recognizing him, Jin Hyuk quietly takes him in to custody and leads him back to the parking garage where his car is. Ha Na finds Geun Bae and handcuffs him to a pole while she gets her money back. Then comes Eun Seo who handcuffs Ha Na to another pole. Ha Na says Eun Seo will regret arresting her and Eun Seo calls Ha Na a horrible person for using people for money. Poor Ha Na is being misunderstood like crazy today. Eun Seo calls Jin Hyuk to let him know she apprehended Ha Na, only to have him not answer the call (with an injured hand and a gun in the other, how can he answer?). Ha Na then reveals that Soo Young is there as well and Eun Seo runs off to find Jin Hyuk.

Chil Hyun is mystified to see both Ha Na and Geun Bae handcuffed to stationary objects while desperately trying to pick up money. Chil Hyun asks if Ha Na has the key and Ha Na remembers that she is still carrying a handcuff key on her and as luck would have it, it fit. Ha Na unlocks herself, collects the money, and runs off to find Eun Seo and Jin Hyuk. Chil Hyun is unhappy that she left without unlocking Geun Bae as he wanted to take him with him. Meanwhile, Jin Hyuk realizes that Soo Young’s men are surrounding them. Jin Hyuk manages to fight them off and stop Soo Young from escaping, but then Eun Seo is grabbed and her life is threatened. Faced with a difficult decision, Jin Hyuk puts down his gone and kicks it away so that Soo Young can’t reach it either. Then comes Ha Na who points the gun point blank and Soo Young’s head. Thus ends episode 4.