Asian Addicts Anonymous

Back at the club Woo Hyun turns Jin Jin down even after hearing her story and leaves to go back to his office. Kang Suk then asks his mother to leave and Jung Nan plays up the whole thing about needing to work to give Kang Suk money, which annoys him. Jung Nan tells him not to worry as Jin Jin already knows the whole story (lol, yeah the whole fabricated story). Jung Nan then turns to Jin Jin and asks her if she is just going to take Woo Hyun’s answer after having decided to live her life as Gloria form now on. Jin Jin stops looking like a statue and makes a move to talk to the boss one more time. After Jin Jin leaves, Jung Nan smiles and says to herself that the beginning is not perfect. She then looks at her son and says that it is fun to be there, doesn’t he agree?

Jin Jin bursts into Woo Hyun’s office and demands to know why she can’t be a singer. Woo Hyun says that Jin Jin was just a temporary replacement, so if its part-time work she wants she can look elsewhere. Jin Jin stands her ground and demands to be given a chance and Woo Hyun launches into a tirade against people who have an okay voice and think they can be a singer, ignoring all the people who’ve spent years training and sang until their throats bled. Jin Jin asks if she works hard and her throat bleeds, then can she be a singer? Woo Hyun seems to be taken aback by her passionate outburst. Thinking that she has failed in her last plea, Jin Jin turns to go and is stopped by Woo Hyun who tells her to start living her life as Gloria like she had planned. How she should live in this new role, it is Jin Jin’s job to work it out. Jin Jin is happy and promises to work hard and give it her all.

Back in the dressing room, Jung Nan kicks Kang Suk out. Before he leaves, he says that she is acting like a child and Jung Nan says that he may be her son, but he is rude. Kang Suk holds his temper and Jung Nan repeats again for him to leave. In comes Jin Jin and Jin Joo. Jin Jin tells her older sister the good news that she will be singing at the club again. Jung Nan is shocked when she realizes just who Jin Joo is. She asks what happened and Jin Joo says nothing and goes out to sell flowers again. Jung Nan then turns on Jin Jin and asks what happened to her sister who won the best newcomer award ten years ago. Jin Jin says that Jung Nan is right. Jung Nan then asked how Jin Joo became that way and Jin Jin reveals that Jin Joo was in a car accident with their parents. It was the first car she’d bought since getting her license. And thus we have the Jin Joo we have now. Jung Nan asks after their parents and Jin Jin tells her they were killed in the accident. Jung Nan cannot believe how horrible the fates of the two girls are. She now understands just why Woo Hyun did not want Jin Jin to sing. Jin Jin then reveals that Woo Hyun has given her a chance and asks Jung Nan to help her to sing well. Jung Nan smiles at this.

Back at the house, Jin Jin sits outside unable to sleep. Dong Ah seems to be having some problems sleeping as well. He gets up and leaves the room just as Jin Jin goes outside of the house. He follows his good friend who is looking up at the stars and screaming (practicing for singing I am guessing). Dong Ah scolds Jin Jin for trying to wake up the whole neighborhood, saying she sounds just like a pig squealing. Ah, Dong Ah is great at saying the wrong things. He also says that with Jin Jin running out in the middle of the night, people could think she was having an affair, so he came out to check on her (his horrible way of saying he was worried so he came looking after her). He then says that her having an affair is less likely to happen than the sun rising in the west. Ouch. Jin Jin ignores this insult to her womanhood and asks him what his dream is. This surprises Dong Ah. He then calls Jin Jin crazy for having a dream.

Jin Jin asks if she should become a singer. Shocked again, Dong Ah sits down and feels her forehead, saying that losing all of that money in one go must have adversely effected her. He tells Jin Jin instead of dreaming such dreams, she should stick to how she alwasy dreamed previously. She looks at him and asks what her dream is. Dong Ah says to work hard so that she and her sister can go to a nice retirement home – you know, what she’s always worked for. Jin Jin looks at the sky and says if that is really her dream, then her dream should be cussing her out. Dong Ah (who originally encouraged Jin Jin to sing at the club because she sounded decent and could earn some good money) says that since she was applauded for her singing, she has started to fantasize. Dong Ah then tells Jin Jin to get her act together because she knows better than anyone else just how hard that world is. In one night Jin Joo went from a success to crazy. If only Jin Joo hadn’t become a singer and married a good man, then Jin Jin’s life wouldn’t have turned out so difficult and Jin Joo would live more like a human. Jin Jin pushes him and tells him to go to sleep and Dong Ah says that he is her good friend giving her advice. He gets up to go and Jin Jin says that even pine needle catepillars have to have a reason for living and Dong Ah pauses and says that doesn’t apply to people like themselves as their only goal is survival. Jin Jin looks up at the stars and said that she thought that, too, but now she keeps having fantasies of something different.

Early the next morning, Jin Jin is setting off on her morning paper route and is reminded that she must get several new subscribers. Jin Jin says she knows and sets off (on a borrowed bike since her first run-in with Kang Suk hurt her scooter). Meanwhile, Kang Suk has just finished his earlier morning jog and notices some bird poop on his car. He goes into the car to get kleenex to clean it off when Jin Jin stops having recognized him. She asks what he is doing in front of his own house and determines that he must have become a driver for the household. Kang Suk turns around and says nothing, letting Jin Jin jump to her own conclusions. Jin Jin asks how a driver can dress like he does and then figures out that he’s a live-in driver (lol, well he does live there). Jin Jin says that a live-in job is the best and an annoyed Kang Suk goes to head into the house when she tells him that she thought he was pitiful living off someone else, but it seems she was mistaken since he has a job. Jin Jin commends him for thinking properly and tells him that a younger person should be able to provide for himself (omo, it’s so funny, especially since Kang Suk is not setting her straight).

He goes to go in again and Jin Jin stops him and asks him to have his employer order a newspaper. Jin Jin knows how things work so all he needs to do is tell the housekeeper and get the process set in motion. Jin Jin believes his good looks will definitely help. He heaves a big sigh and Jin Jin thinks it’s because he won’t do it for free. She pulls out some coupons and sticks them in his jacket pocket. The annoyed Kang Suk takes them out and gives them back. Jin Jin accounts this to greed and gives him even more vouchers in his pocket which he gives back again and tells her to try her luck elsewhere. They annoyed Jin Jin then takes out even more vouchers and slaps them into his hand and tells them to order a sports paper because starting tomorrow she will start delivering them. Kang Suk can’t believe this and tries to stop Jin Jin. He calls after her, but she ignores him as she cannot possibly afford to give him any more of the coupons. If Kang Suk had actually opened his mouth and explained things, then maybe Jin Jin wouldn’t have continued to think that he was being supported by Jung Nan and that he is the Lee family driver.

After his frustrating encounter with Jin Jin, he has one with his stepmother. He comes in from jogging and runs into Mrs. Song who then complains about Kang Suk doing nothing about his mother (as if he could get Jung Nan to do anything he wanted anyways). Mrs. Song says that Jung Nan being Korea could cause another scandal and asks why she possibly keeps coming back. Kang Suk says he believes she’ll only be here for a short time (she’s settling in at the club and she’ll only be a short time? Yeah, right, keep dreaming). Mrs. Song is not happy to hear this and says that Jung Nan is giving Mr. Lee headaches. She then accuses Kang Suk and Jung Nan of only thinking about themselves (Jung Nan probably, but even she has moments where she cares for her son and with Kang Suk you can tell he does his best and thinks about his father and brother). Mr. Lee comes out and hears this and is not happy at all with Mrs. Song. He asks what’s going on and then he angrily sends Kang Suk up to shower.

Mrs. Song goes into Mr. Lee’s office to bring him some tea. She tells him that he seems to be sleeping less. Lee ignores this and asks why his wife can’t accept Kang Suk after 20 years. She tells him to stop asking her such thinks when he sees the way Kang Suk treats her. Firstly, Kang Suk does not treat her in any horrible or demeaning way. Secondly, Kang Suk treats her has he seems to treat everyone – even his father – with more of a cold indifference (probably because of the way he was raised and how his mother abandoned him with his father). Lee ignores Mrs. Song’s complaint of Kang Suk’s coldness and says that Jung Nan has no plans to leave, so Mrs. Song should stop saying such things to Kang Suk. Mrs. Song asks what Lee plans to do about Jung Nan, especially if she starts her gambling again. Lee says that is his problem and he will take care of Jung Nan. Mrs. Song says that Jung Nan is such a person that she needs to remind Lee just how bad she can be. Lee reiterates that Jung Nan is his problem and his wife should stay out of it. Of course Mrs. Song does not like to hear this and Jung Nan being her husband’s mistress is her problem as well.

Kang Suk finishes his shower and runs into Ji Suk who is in exercise attire as well (mmm, Kang Suk is definitely better built than his hyung). Kang Suk asks if he’s going to exercise and Ji Suk hedges and says he is just jogging around the neighborhood (I take it this is something he rarely ever has done). His idea of jogging around the neighborhood is bugging Yoon Seo. He goes to her house and asks for Yi Yoon Seo and the housekeeper replies that there is no one by the name and then asks if he might be looking for the house’s young lady. Ji Suk replies he is and the housekeeper replies that it is Jung Yoon Seo. This surprises Ji Suk as her last name does not match the nameplate out front.

Yoon Seo is sitting in her room when the housekeeper comes in and says that there is a weird young man downstairs asking for her. Hearing this, Yoon Seo recalls Dong Ah and goes down to see who it is. She is less than thrilled to see Ji Suk outside of her house. The housekeeper then says that he originally asked for Yi Yoon Seo. Yoon Seo tells the housekeeper to tell Ji Suk that no one by that name lives there (again) and goes back upstairs. Ji Suk is unhappy to be blown off, but you know he isn’t giving up. The guy should take a hint. Yoon Seo has very obviously showed that she wants nothing to do with him.

Ji Suk arrives at Double Sharp Entertainment for his first day of work and you can tell that he is less than enthused about his new post (which we already knew anyways). He walks in and seems less than impressed with what he sees. He even tears a falling poster off the wall and throws it out. When he makes it in to the actual office, they are complaining and yelling about the state of things with the talents and auditions. Kang Suk is spotted and the manger goes to kick him out and he states his name and everyone else recognizes it except for the manager. They explain who he is and Kang Suk asks where his office is. What a bad start.

In his office, Kang Suk’s new secretary is already sucking up when the manager comes in and kicks her out. Kang Suk does not mince words and says the atmosphere in the office is bad. The manager says that is what happens when companies lose funding from the main office. Kang Suk says that she cannot say something like that. Being unable to stand on their own while expecting bailouts from the parent company is why they are in the state they are. The manager doesn’t rise to this obvious insult and asks how long he plans on being there. Is there some relative or girlfriend he wants to debut or someone he wants to rent an apartment for? And what celebrities does he like? The company needs to know so they can make arrangements. Kang Suk does not like hearing this at all, but apparently that is what his predecessors did before him (no wonder the company is failing). Kang Suk asks what the manger is doing and she explains that is what happens with every new president. They come to Double Sharp for a vacation and recharge for a couple of months. Kang Suk then asks her name and she finally tells him that she is Manager Choi Ji Young. Kang Suk then says it seems that she is upset with the company. Ji Young says she is and has been stuck there. Kang Suk says he will gladly tender her resignation and Ji Young says the chairman refuses to let her go so she is stuck there until the company finally closes. Kang Suk then says that he will be around longer than Manager Choi thinks. She asks him why as there is nothing for him to do and since he is the chairman’s youngest son he won’t be in that position for long. Kang Suk says that he was insignificant in the main office and has no place now to go from Double Sharp. You can tell Ji Young doesn’t quite believe this and Kang Suk then asks her to help in understand just how sorry a state the company is in.

Dong Ah and Dong Chul are handing out fliers and Dong Ah seems to be in a really bad mood. People aren’t taking the fliers and some are even taking them and throwing  them out right in front of Dong Ah. Annoyed, Dong Ah starts a fight and Dong Chul steps in and manages to convince the other guy to let poor Dong Ah off (he tells the guy that Dong Ah has recently been released from the funny house, lol). They go across the street to the grand opening of what looks like a crafts store. While Dong Chul is trying to score free gifts, Dong Ah looks for alphabet beads. He then makes a big fuss when they are apparently missing a bead with the English letter he wants. He makes a big fuss and manages to get some more free stuff and scores his beads for free (he’s getting them to complete Yoon Seo’s bracelet). Dong Chul congratulates Dong Ah on his performance as he managed to score some pretty beads for Mi Na. Dong Chul tells him to throw the bead away and Dong Ah calls him crazy. He went through all of that trouble just to score the bead, he isn’t going to throw it away.

Dong Ah goes to the hospital but Yoon Seo is gone. He asks his nurse friend where she went and she digs out Yoon Seo’s information for him (which can get her into big trouble if Dong Ah kicks up a stink). Dong Ah takes the information and heads off to Yoon Seo’s house. He happily looks at the beads and goes to ring the house and gets confused by the complicated system and he also realizes just how out of his league the girl is. Instead of ringing the house, he decides to leave the beads for her to find. As he goes to leave, Yoon Seo and her mother return home with her mother acting like the typical *itch she is. Yoon Seo turns and almost sees Dong Ah, who ducks behind some trees. The two go inside and Dong Ah comes out of hiding and says he is happy that she seems to be doing well and walks away. You know they’ll see more of each other.

Once inside the house, Yoon Seo’s mother starts yelling at the maid for being slow and falling asleep on the job. Poor maid. Looks like everyone must face her mother’s acerbic tongue. Why is she in such a foul mood? Yoon Seo and she went to visit Yoon Seo’s grandma. Her mother never likes how her mother-in-law treats her. Yoon Seo said that is why she wanted to visit grandmother alone. It would look even worse if her mother didn’t go with Yoon Seo, but grandmother complained about how Yoon Seo’s mother doesn’t visit often even though she doesn’t have a job or anything else. Yoon Seo goes up to her room after scolding her mother and being scolded in return. She looks at the bracelet and recalls Dong Ah. I think she wants to see more of him. He’s refreshing in ways (when he’s not being a complete ass intentionally).

Mr. Lee and Ji Suk are playing gulf with Jung (Yoon Seo’s father). Jung compliments Ji Suk’s golf game and Ji Suk plays if off as a lucky day. He is not happy to hear Jung ask after Kang Suk. Apparently Lee and Kang Suk have played golf together with Jung before and Jung was very impressed with Kang Suk. At lunch, while Ji Suk is in the restroom, Jung proposes a match between Kang Suk and Yoon Seo. Since Kang Suk is the son of Lee and his mistress, then he should be able to properly look after and take care of Yoon Seo. Ji Suk comes back at this and listens in. He doesn’t look happy about this. I don’t see exactly why he is so unhappy as of now he doesn’t know that Jung is Yoon Seo’s father. Is it just jealousy and inferiority towards his younger brother? He then makes his appearance, effectually breaking up the conversation.

At Double Sharp, Ji Young says she has notified everyone about the meeting the next day. Kang Suk says that if a boat is failing, then some baggage needs to be tossed, meaning he doesn’t need to see everyone. Ji Young protests this saying that these people have been training for years and some just made their debut. Kang Suk is not softened by this at all – business is business (can’t forget he was going to sue injured construction workers for starting the fire – which I didn’t necessarily think was wrong). Ji Young then explains that due to lack of support, none of the trainees has managed to make it big yet, so they are all precious. Kang Suk doesn’t back down and says that they need to prioritize them – meaning the ones that have a better chance at success should receive the most help and attention. Ji Young does not like that and explains that is not how the industry work. 99% of the industry and who makes it is based on luck and has little to do with actual talent. Kang Suk stands firm and tells her to pick out the best as he doesn’t want to see everyone. After he leaves, Ji Young says that he is going to start with cutbacks, which she is definitely not happy about at all.

At the club, Jin Jin is learning how to dance while the actual band leader wants to work on her singing, but the MC insists she needs to learn to be more sexy and appealing to the audience. Meanwhile, Dong Ah was sitting spaced out instead of cleaning and yells at Dong Chul when he gets splashed with water. Dong Ah then takes an interest in what’s going on with Jin Jin and can’t disagree more about her not being sexy. Dong Ah says that there is no way to make a person without sex appeal sexy. He then says that Jin Jin is the type of girl that men play rock, paper, scissors for to see who gets stuck with her. Jin Jin yells at him and he insist that even if you strip her naked, she’ll have no appeal. The MC then asks what he should do and Dong Ah says go for a transgendered person (a male becoming a female – ouch). Dong Chul asks if Dong Ah has an itch and Jin Jin winds up and throws something at him. This angers Dong Ah and the two begin their usual fight. The band leader asks why they always fight and the MC say they make the perfect couple which annoys both Jin Jin and Dong Ah (they are too much like siblings).

Eo Jin then comes running in calling for Jin Jin saying that Jin Joo is sick. While they were crossing the road an old woman got hit by a car and after seeing that, Jin Joo froze and wouldn’t move. Dong Ah asks Dong Chul if Jin Joo has been getting medication regularly. Dong Chul then replies that Jin Joo doesn’t get better with medication. They four keep running until they reach Jin Joo who is standing in the middle of a busy intersection. Jin Jin sets off followed by Dong Ah and Dong Chul who try to stop the cars. Jin Jin runs in front of Kang Suk’s car and safely reaches the panicking Jin Joo. She grabs her sister and tells her everything is going to be okay and asks if Jin Joo knows who she is. Jin Joo replies that she is Jin Jin and he sister. Jin Jin says that she is correct and says that she is there so there is nothing left to fear. Jin Joo collapses and Jin Jin holds her and cries while trying to comfort her sister. Seeing this does seem to have some effect on Kang Suk (and it’s not impatience at having to stop). Eo Jin, Dong Ah and Dong Chul all watch on as well, touched by the scene and unhappy with it as well because Jin Jin and Jin Joo are in so much pain (emotionally).

The group heads back to the club where a perkier Jin Joo asserts her hunger. Jin Jin says of course she must be hungry as she had cried a lot already. Jin Jin then scolds Eo Jin and tells him to keep Jin Joo away from busy streets. Eo Jin says that Jin Joo wanted to watch the cars and Dong Chul says only bumpkins want to watch cars in this day and age. Jin Jin then asks Granny to give Jin Joo food and Granny refuses until Jin Jin says that she will pay for it. Jin Jin takes out the money and tells Jin Joo to eat everything and Jin Joo says she is not a pig and Jin Jin insists her noona eat a lot to regain all the strength she lost from crying. Granny is not happy that Jin Joo flared up again and asks what the cause was this time. Despite her not nice words, Granny is very kind to Jin Joo. While they are feeding Jin Joo, customers start showing up. This surprises Dong Ah who then reminds Jin Jin (rather gently considering its him) that she needs to prepare as well.

Jin Jin is in the changing room when Jung Nan walks in. Jung Nan asks if she has practiced her song and Jin Jin said sort of. Jung Nan then takes out a pretty black dress and tells Jin Jin that she will look good in it. Jin Jin cannot believe that Jung Nan is giving the dress to her. In walks the male singer who complains about the photo advertisement for the club. Jung Nan complains about the manners of the singer and then grabs the advert. She then takes Jin Jin into Woo Hyun’s office where he is trying to convince a more famous singer to appear at the club. Jung Nan says that he would never appear at such a place which annoys Woo Hyun. Jung Nan then says that he should stop crying about the people who refuse to come and should promote those who are there. The entertainers from the club then all gather for a photo shoot for advertisements. Woo Hyun takes the photos himself as it is his hobby and he has even won prizes for his work.

At the Yi household, Jung has finally come home to his wife (at this point I don’t know if they are actually married or what). Yoon Seo’s mother is happy to have him and wishes he would come by more often. Jung the broaches the subject of Yoon Seo meeting with Kang Suk. She doesn’t have to agree to marry him, but Jung would be happy if she at least met with him. Yoon Seo’s mother goes ballistic because Kang Suk is the son of Jung Nan who is Lee’s mistress. She wants her daughter married to a legitimate heir who doesn’t come from such a dirty background (what would she do if she found out that her daughter has a growing crush on a young hoodlum?). Yoon Seo decides to meet with Kang Suk because at least they have some things in common (this earns her a slap from her mother later in privacy – especially when Yoon Seo says she is a mistress’s child as well).

Of course at the same time, Lee is telling Kang Suk about Jung’s offer and tells him a little about Yoon Seo and her current situation (the ballet and injury). Ji Suk comes down and catches Mrs. Song eavesdropping.  They go into Ji Suk’s room where Song tells Ji Suk what she overheard and he replies that will give Kang Suk good backing. Song is surprised her son knew. On this point he doesn’t really care. He thinks its a good think for his little brother to be married. Song couldn’t agree less since Ji Suk isn’t married, how does it look to have the younger brother married before the elder? Ji Suk then replies that he was married! Omo, who knew? Song doesn’t consider that marriage a real one as it lasted for less than a year and there were no children. Ji Suk then says things will be better for his mother if Kang Suk marries and moves away. Song doesn’t want Kang Suk to have the advantages of being Jung’s in-law, but Ji Suk says it doesn’t matter because he can’t beat his little brother. Why? Because Kang Suk is the son of the woman Lee loves.

Kang Suk and Yoon Seo meet and Yoon Seo says that if her father requests that she marry him, then she will. Kang Suk says the same thing – if his father wants them to marry, then they will.  Wow. I guess that’s another thing they have in common – blind obedience to their respective fathers. I guess that makes them the perfect couple – the ice prince and the broken doll. I’m not saying that Kang Suk isn’t a good catch, but he is cold and will not be able to take care of Yoon Seo like Jung hopes for. That is what makes Dong Ah the better catch. He may be a penniless hood, but he is fiercely loyal and tells things like they are. He will protect Yoon Seo as well as wake her up to the reality that she needs to see. Will Kang Suk and Yoon Seo really end up married? We’ll have to watch on to find out.