Asian Addicts Anonymous

How funny. I am posting this recap for the 13th on the 13th. Sheesh 2.25 minutes of recapping + another more backtracking this episode. Are they going to keep this up for the last episodes as well?

Okay, so we are slowly heading back to musical territory, but this episode still deals mainly with the changing relationships between people. Jin is revealing his feelings more and more, putting Ra Kyung more in despair and making her turn to Joon Hyuk more and more for comfort while Eun Bi and Jae Yi just can’t do without each other.

7 minutes into the episode we finally get some new material. Jin’s mother Sun Hee has been involved in a car accident, but the doctor says her problem wasn’t getting hit by the car, but by her head hitting the ground as a result of the accident. Jin Young wonders if surgery is possible. The doctor tells him it isn’t because of Sun Hee’s tumor. So it isn’t Alzheimer’s or dementia, but a tumor in Sun Hee’s brain stem that’s been causing the memory loss. Jin asks his father just what the diagnosis was. Jin Young replies “malignant brain stem glioma.” He and Sun Hee even went to Johns Hopkins when Jin was studying in the states, but Sun Hee couldn’t be treated thanks to the location of the tumor. Jin Young then tells Jin that Sun Hee was given a max of 3 years to live. Poor Jin is really upset that he couldn’t be with his mom for those years. I don’t blame him. It’s one thing not wanting to be a burden, but its quite another to completely cut someone out of your life when they love you that much.

Sun Hee then is brought out and Jin and his father run to her side. In her room, Jin Young explains not wanting her to be a burden or ruining Jin’s life. Jin wonders if the future they refer to is the one his grandfather set for him. Jin Young replies that he through it all away for Sun Hee and both Sun Hee and himself didn’t want to rob Jin of that opportunity as well. A light bulb turns on and Jin realizes the extent of his grandfather’s duplicity. Yu threatened to cut Jin off completely when Sun Hee was diagnosed and Jin Young left. Jin cannot believe that he was fooled by his grandfather into ignoring his parents for so long. Jin then gets up and leaves followed by Ra Kyung who wants to know where he’s going. I think that’s kind of obvious. Jin tells Ra Kyung to leave him alone and continues off by himself. Not what Ra Kyung wanted to hear.

Jin returns to Seoul by himself. He goes to the study where he plays the music box. Yu comes in wondering what the racket is that late at night. “Whatever the goal is, once it is set, find the best efficiency for the lowest cost. You taught me that that’s the path that I should walk,” Jin says to his grandfather. Yu wonders where this is going and Jin wonders what goal his grandfather had set for him that Jin wasn’t able to be with his sick mother and was led to hate his father who was only caring for her. And all for a goal that was not Jin’s, but rather his grandfather’s. It’s a good question. Yu understands that the cat is out of the bag and asks after Sun Hee. Jin replied that you can say his mom is still alive, but she had a convulsion just from seeing him and got into a car accident. They have no idea if or when she will regain consciousness. Yu wonders which answer Jin wants. What is the goal, or why that path was chosen? Jin wants to hear whatever his grandfather is willing to explain. The old man doesn’t think his grandson is ready, but he does go on. He does not make excuses or apologies and just tells it like it is.

And just what is it? Yu explains that there isn’t enough time or money to buy everything that touches him. So why did he make such cruel decision? Jin doesn’t understand still? Oh, Jin knows, but it doesn’t mean he understands. Jin knows its all for the company, his grandfather’s empire. Jin Young was better than his older brother, since he left, then Jin must shoulder the responsibility and burden of the company. Jin then demands to know why the corporation is more important than the Yu family. Yu says its because it is exactly the fact it is a corporation. Someday they will all die, but the company needs to survive and get the job done. Jin replies that the company exists for the people in the company and Yu counters that a promise is made the the employees, shareholders, consumers, and the government. The company needs to do well and continue and keep the faith of that promise. Okay, so Yu does have a point, but I counter with the point that while keeping that promise is necessary, that is not grounds to completely ignore and destroy your family. You can be both a lucrative businessman and a warm and loving father and husband. Yu says he must always put the company first. Even if he could turn back time, he wouldn’t change his decision.

Eun Bi returns to Seoul and immediately returns to the company to do her early cleaning. While doing this, she gets a call from Kang Hee and goes out to meet the other woman. Kang Hee wants to see Eun Bi for one thing – did the girl know about the contract and producer? Eun Bi replies that she had no idea and Kang Hee wonders how Jae Yi and Eun Bi came to this end. Was Jae Yi only a composer to Eun Bi? The girl cannot say anything, just recall the last conversation she had with Jae Yi in which he confessed and she rejected him as she just cannot believe that love can last. Kang Hee is very unhappy. She doesn’t asks for any explanation since Eun Bi can’t seem to get one and gets up and leaves. I really do wonder why Kang Hee is so concerned about Eun Bi and Jae Yi now that the two have gone their separate ways? Is it because she feels Eun Bi is less of a threat or because if there is that connection, that means that there’s a possibility for Kang Hee and Jae Yi? I don’t know, its confusing as all hell.

While that conversation is going on with Kang Hee, Joon Hyuk pays Gu Jak a visit. Gu Jak had stayed up all night working on the musical. Okay. I admit confusion now. Wasn’t the script completed already? So what exactly is Gu Jak doing? Anywho, Gu Jak explains the two main characters. One will be a wealthy nobleman who fails at everything, gets hurt in love and becomes a playboy who believes that love is just a temporary emotion. The female lead with be a gumiho who doesn’t know how to love. Joon Hyuk thinks about this and asks if Gu Jak wants to help Jae Yi and Eun Bi that much. Gu Jak doesn’t get it at first and Joon Hyuk says that the two characters resemble Jae Yi and Eun Bi quite a bit. Joon Hyuk then talks about downscaling the musical and changing it to center around their new lead actor Sung Woo.

Gu Jak goes to visit Jae Yi to tell him the news and meets up with Sung Ha who has returned. Sung Ha figures out who he is and the two go out for coffee. She asks why he wants to see Jae Yi and Gu Jak tells her about wanting to let Jae Yi know about the musical continuing production and to apologize for what happened before. This is exactly what Sung Ha doesn’t want to hear. She tells Gu Jak to keep mum or else Jae Yi will be distracted and face a $1 million lawsuit. This disheartens Gu Jak who doesn’t want to cause his friend anymore trouble. He asks if there is no way for Jae Yi to have any free time, but Sung Ha says there is no time with all that needs to be done on the album. Ok, I wasn’t predisposed to dislike Sung Ha, but she is starting to annoy me now. What right does she have to do what she is doing? You know it isn’t just about keeping Jae Yi doing the pop music and avoiding a lawsuit. Her getting rid of everyone else that Jae Yi is connected to is also kind of… borderline possessive psychoticness that I can’t stand?

Back in Dae Gu, Jin Young sits with the unconscious Sun Hee and sings to her. Ra Kyung comes with food and Jin Young has her watch Sun Hee while he gets some rest. Ra Kyung tells her unconscious mother-in-law to be about how she just wanted a love like Jin Young’s and Sun Hee’s. It looks like that dream isn’t going to happen now with Jin. Meanwhile, her rival in love Eun Bi is singing Do Hwa’s theme song. Looks like we all know where Eun Bi’s heart is and it isn’t with Jin. Kind of sad about that. I like Eun Bi and Jae Yi, but at times I think that Jin and Eun Bi just make more sense.

At Jae Yi’s, he plays the theme song for the album and Sung Ha is not happy at all. She sits down and begins playing Do Hwa’s theme. Yes, that’s right, the theme song for the album is the same song with a few differences in the melodies. Hearing this, Jae Yi tells her to leave and goes upstairs. What follows is then a montage of scenes. We see both Jae Yi and Eun Bi all sad and moody thinking about their moments together. Seriously these two. So annoying.

Jin works from his laptop while staying with his mom. Sun Hee’s eyes open and she looks over at Jin and asks if he had breakfast. Without realizing it, Jin just answers that he has. Then it hits him – his mom is awake at long last! And not only that, but Sun Hee recognizes who he is! Jin goes over to the bed and holds her while she cries and apologizes. Jin Young then comes in to see the touching scene. The doctor says that Sun Hee waking up and being in her right mind is not explainable by science. He then tells both father and son to be there for her and do whatever she wants as it is certain that he time is almost up. Say it isn’t so! How typical to bring people together at long last only to have them separated forever once more.

Ra Kyung visits the hospital once more, but draws up short when she sees Eun Bi and her grandmother. Jin thanks the two for coming. He explains that since his mom woke up, she has been craving Soon Yi’s kimchi. When Ra Kyung sees the little smile he shoots at Eun Bi, she turns around and leaves. I wish I could say I feel sorry for her, but for some reason, my sympathy towards her predicament with Jin has slowly ebbed. Her character didn’t really grate on me at first, but it really does now. I just can’t quite pinpoint why exactly. It seems like Ra Kyung has become an unneeded character, like Kang Hee has as well. Sun Hee thanks Soon Yi for all of her help. Soon Yi waves this off, but Sun Hee says she wants to thank her while she still can as she knows there is no getting better. She then asks Soon Yi to take care of Jin like Soon Yi took care of Sun Hee as he has no grandmothers and will soon have no mother. Awww. Of course Soon Yi will honor the woman’s dying wish.

Ra Kyung went back to Seoul where she has dinner with her coworkers. They go to Gu Jak’s pub to eat and drink. For once the boys aren’t singing and cooking, but just putting on a show. Joon Hyuk is the lead of the show and comes out singing about his angel Ra Kyung. Omo. How cheesy, embarrassing, and cute. Ra Kyung really seems to enjoy it too after the initial shock and embarrassment. When the performance is over, Joon Hyuk comes over and the other women give him their stamp of approval. They tell Ra Kyung that she is a princess who can support his musical dreams. The two should just live together. But what about Jin? Does Joon Hyuk know who he’s up against? He does and doesn’t care. He will be steady and try his hardest. I just love him!

At the company, the final practice for Monte wraps up. The show will be starting in a matter of days. Sang Won tells the cast to take care of their health and they do a fighting chant. Afterward, Eun Bi heads over to Jae Yi’s as she had just heard from Bok Ja that the musical is still on. They only have three weeks to prepare the demo and are working hard. Bok Ja wishes that Eun Bi would come by as they all miss her. But Eun Bi just can’t bring herself to knock on Jae Yi’s door. She turns around and walks away. I am actually surprised that the guardian of the gate Sung Ha wasn’t there ushering her out brightly and as cruelly as she could.

Back at the hospital, Jin takes his mom outside for some fresh air. She asks for coffee and chocolate cake which he brings. After they eat and drink their fill, Sun Hee tells her son that he must be determined to be happy. He needs to figure out how to become happy and what makes him happy. Sun Hee wants him to know that just trying his best will not bring him happiness and just make him more miserable in the long wrong. Jin promises he won’t live a miserable life. Sun Hee then says the same thing applies to marriage. Jin shouldn’t marry for someone or because of someone. Wow. It’s like telling him not to choose Ra Kyung because its what she wants [well, Sun Hee is right there]. Sun Hee wants Jin to marry someone for himself when he can’t marry anyone else but that one woman. Jin promises that he will do his utmost to be happy. Sun Hee then asks for some tissues and Jin goes to get them. And you know what happens when he comes back, right? Sun Hee has passed on. Sob. That’s just so sad. Curse you writer for that plotline.

Later that night, Eun Bi finds herself outside Jae Yi’s house once more. Looks like she just can’t stay away. This time she meets Jae Yi who had just returned from the store. The two are very awkward. Eun Bi says she is there to congratulate him about the musical going to the Musical exhibition. Before more can be said, she gets a call and learns that Jin’s mother has passed away. As much as she wants to stay, Eun Bi explains what happened and runs off. Jae Yi goes inside and is greeted by Sung Ha who had just finished showering. Awkward moment and she asks if she shouldn’t have done that. Jae Yi tells her its okay since she’s over there more than she’s not. Sung Ha wonders why he was gone so long, but he remains mute on the subject. She then tells him about Gu Jak showing up and how she basically told him to get lost. Sung Ha is willing to play the villain for Jae Yi as she knows how he is and how he can’t be bothered with troublesome things. This really annoys Jae Yi. Can’t say that I blame him. Sung Ha says that she knows him better than anyone and people don’t change. Yeah, right. The only thing is that Jae Yi has already changed thanks to Eun Bi. Sung Ha tires to kiss him, but he rebuffs her and says it won’t work before walking out.

Ra Kyung is at the office when she gets Jae Yi’s call. He’s on the road to Dae Gu and wants to know where Jin’s mother is. Ra Kyung doesn’t get it. Jin’s mother is in the hospital. Yowza. Ra Kyung wasn’t aware that Jin’s mom had passed on. She hangs up and starts crying. At the hospital, Eun Bi comes with coffee and cake [Jin’s mom’s favorite that they had just before she died]. Jin thanks her and puts his hand on top of hers. He wants her to stay with him for awhile. Poor Jin is hurting so much. For some reason, when Jin asks Eun Bi to wait, I just keep hearing Jun Ha from Can You Hear My Heart?. That was like his line, especially when he wanted comfort. Please, just a moment, just a moment. Eun Bi stays by his side as Ra Kyung and Jae Yi get to the hospital [after Ra Kyung had another conversation about duty and such]. Ra Kyung sees this scene and takes it like a physical blow. Jae Yi comes at the same moment and notices Ra Kyung’s reaction. He looks out and sees the same scene. Eun Bi looks up and is shocked. Ra Kyung walks away unhappily while Jae Yi just continues to watch. Kind of unexpected.

Afterward, Bok Ja gets a surprise when Eun Bi shows up with Jae Yi. Reading the atmosphere, Bok Ja excuses herself and goes to eat dukkboki. The two sit down and are back to their original awkward atmosphere. Jae Yi then says he is going to ask Eun Bi some questions and he just wants her to answer without thinking hard [meaning being honest with her feelings]. If she finds it too hard, she can just nod or shake her head. Jae Yi then asks if she loves Jin. The girl shocks me when she says yes. I never really got that vibe from her [as much as I kind of want her to get together with him] If she does love him, it isn’t a romantic type, but something else. After getting this answer, Jae Yi then asks if Eun Bi missed him and thought about him without thinking about musicals. Did the girl ever think that she missed him so much and got all the way to where she was without understanding why? Eun Bi nods! She then says she thought that Jae Yi had already moved on. Jae Yi then repeats the earlier question. Does Eun Bi love Yu Jin? Eun Bi’s answer this time is no. She just thought that she understood how Jin felt and how he was hurting. Jae Yi then asks if Eun Bi loves him. Before she answers this, Jae Yi leans in and they kiss. Eun Bi cries, but starts smiling. Oh, what a pathetic kiss to end the episode.

Wow. The previews, I tell ya. So while I am liking where this is going, we’s gots ourselves a whole lotta problems coming. And only 3 more episodes left. Sigh. I’ve seen better kisses in kdramas than the one above.