Asian Addicts Anonymous

Episode 25 | Episode 26

Daily dramas, daily dramas. This is my first daily drama and boy can they drag a plot on. Also, like I’ve mentioned before, the typical plot conventions and connections between characters is almost insane in this drama. It really gets convoluted at times. But still, I love it.

The truth behind Donghae’s father is revealed! Not to Donghae, but to the audience, although we’ve probably known for a long time now just who Donghae’s father is. Saewa and Do Jin get consent to marry and Tae Hoon tries to figure out his place in his new family. It’s not a good one.

Episode 25

Donghae is destroying Kang Jae’s cabbages when he gets the call that the results are out. He goes back to the sauna where he silently promises to get the results and take his mother to meet Kang Jae. Meanwhile, Do Jin searches for his mother. I was right, she was in the exact same place that her husband left her. Why? She crazily thought he wouldn’t abandon her on the side of the road, but he did. She waited for over 10 hours for him. Hye Sook’s decision? She wants a divorce. Omo. That was 20+ years in coming. Again, in these relationships, if you end up miserable, it’s really also your fault and not just your spouse’s. I had to laugh at Jun’s and Do Jin’s faces when Hye Sook greets her husband with a big slap across the face. Do Jin puts his mom to bed who doesn’t even want to talk to her son. He then goes and tells his father that until Hye Sook forgives him, Do Jin won’t. Nice.

At the Lee house, Sun Ok worries over Tae Hoon. In spite of her anger and hurt over his lie, she still loves her son and wonders if he’s doing ok. Sun Ok then breaks down and calls Sool Nyeo as she doesn’t want to lose her son to her. Sool Nyeo pretends not to know immediately who Sun Ok is. She is unhappy when Sun Ok requests Sae Young’s presence to help make kimchi after Sun Ok kicked her out of the house. Tae Hoon knows this is an olive branch and wishes to go, but Sae Young doesn’t want to. She likes living in her mother’s house and she doesn’t want to make kimchi. When Sool Nyeo lets Saewa in on Sun Ok’s request, Saewa has a solution– send the housekeeper since Sae Young is useless. Really? They are all [minus Tae Hoon] missing the point of the phone call and will just make the situation worse. Saewa also tells her mom that Do Jin is from a good and classy family, so Saewa signed her mother up for etiquette lessons. Wow. What a burn! Sool Nyeo may not be the best person in the world, but you can tell how much she loves her daughters. How can Saewa basically say that her mom isn’t good enough?

Back at the Lee house, the family is gathered eating breakfast. Bongi eats peanuts and thinks of Donghae and Anna. Bongi always has Donghae on the brain, I swear. It’s cute really. Pil Jae then talks bad about “the boarder” which earns him a scolding from Kang Jae. Sun Ok then wonders if they should ask Donghae to leave as she is thinking about bringing Tae Hoon back and Sae Young back. Song Yi then wonders if Tae Hoon oppa can’t come back alone. This earns her a scolding as a new husband can’t be alone without his wife. True, what would that say about their relationship? Donghae leaves Anna alone again to get the results. A group of ahjummas talk about her situation and her mental state. A man overhears this and you can tell he’s up to no good. What will happen to Anna?

Hye Sook has been sick since her night out in the cold rain and she has also been ignoring her husband. Jun tries to talk and reason with her [it’s a little late buddy] when her assistant comes with a divorce complaint. This shocks Jun. Is this really what his long-suffering wife wants? Hye Sook has been miserable for years because of the “other woman” and she no longer wants this crap life. Took her long enough. Saewa learns that Hye Sook has been sick and immediately wants to go see her. Do Jin doesn’t think it is right, but Saewa insists that she must go as she is Do Jin’s woman now. Right. I do wonder how much Saewa really cares for anyone in her life. I want to think she has some genuine feelings for her in-laws, but it seems so hard to believe given her attitude.

Bongi is preparing her sea cucumbers for the test when she gets a call from Donghae. She arranges to meet him outside for a few minutes. She puts her stuff back in the fridge and Sun Ae takes it out and throws it away. How low! Now, of course, Donghae sees this and recognizes Bongi’s container. How convenient. However, he doesn’t say anything when he meets with Bongi. He just lets her know the results are in and he’s going to pick them up. Bongi tells him to cheer up and encourages him. She then gives him a cucumber [I think] that she carved with his likeness to cheer him up. He also wishes her luck on her cooking exam and they part ways. The exam starts but Bongi has no ingredients, thus she is disqualified putting her at the bottom after being at the top.

Kang Jae goes out to get the cabbages for kimchi and is horrified to see them destroyed. It looks to be deliberate, too. Meanwhile, Sun Ok is waiting for her daughter-in-law to show up. So imagine her anger when she gets three housekeepers instead? She immediately calls up Sae Young and yells at her. Having enough, Sool Nyeo brings her son-in-law and daughter to Sun Ok to complain. Tae Hoon then takes Sae Young and apologizes. She follows suit half-heartedly. Sun Ok then asks them to stay, but Sae Young refuses. Sun Ok brings up that the marriage is not registered yet and tells Tae Hoon if he leaves, she’ll commit suicide. So Tae Hoon takes his mom’s side over his in-law’s and wife’s. What crap is this? Although, it’s about time that Tae Hoon started making his own decision instead of being railroaded in to everything. When will that happen?

Donghae gets the results and opens them alone. They are definitely not what he thought they’d be. Meanwhile, the man approaches Anna saying that he knows James and will take Anna to James who wants to see her, too. I wish Anna was just a little more cautions, but she loses what little reason she has when it comes to James. Pil Jae gets a hold of Donghae’s and Anna’s passports and rushes off home as he finds it suspicious that Donghae is from the US. Kang Jae comes home and tells Sun Ok the bad news and they ask for Pil Jae’s help in finding who did it. Pil Jae immediately suspects Donghae and rushes out where he bumps into the young man. He drags Donghae inside where Donghae confesses that he was the one who ruined the cabbages. It’s bad that all the cabbages got ruined as they were also going to Kang Jae’s suppliers and not just for personal use.

Do Jin and Saewa arrive at the Kim house to find Hye Sook and Jun talking about divorce. We have mentions of the other woman, how poorly Jun treated both his wife and son. Do Jin confesses to how hard it was growing up with the fighting and lack of love. That’s partly why he dates so many girls – he was afraid they all would have another man in their heart like his father had another woman. Do Jin then offers Saewa one last chance to confess if she’s dated anyone before. He won’t hate her for it, but Saewa insists that he’s the first. She figures her lie is safe since Donghae isn’t in Korea anymore. This really shows the scared little kid side of Do Jin, but I’m not sure it’s enough to make up for his bad character that is starting to shine through, especially in regards to Donghae.

Back at the Lee’s Donghae confesses that he destroyed Kang Jae’s cabbages because he thought that Kang Jae might be the father who abandoned him and his mother 27 years ago. Pil Jae takes the DNA results and looks at them. Everyone is startled, but Donghae gets on his knees and apologizes for his actions. He was wrong, Kang Jae wasn’t his father and he should never have done what he did to the cabbages. We then cut to Jun in his office. He accidentally drops a picture and breaks it. We then see a picture of him and Anna. Like I said, no surprise. I think it was kind of obvious from the beginning who his father was going to be.

Episode 26

Donghae explains everything and apologizes for his actions. He also promises to pay the Lee’s back for ruining their cabbages. Kang Jae, softhearted as always, understands that it must have been tough on Donghae all this time. He invites the boy to stay, but Donghae has to get back to his mother. Pil Jae warns him that he won’t be able to get away and leave the country as Pil Jae has his passport. Nice. Donghae leaves and bumps into Bongi who was on her way home distracted over not being able to take the test. Donghae is shocked to learn that Bongi lives there and that Kang Jae is her father. Bongi asks if Kang Jae is also Donghae’s father, but he assures her that the test came back negative. They can’t talk really as he must get back to Anna. Poor Donghae and Bongi. Bongi goes in and hears the story, but keeps mum about knowing Donghae.

Meanwhile, Anna follows the man who insists that he knows James and will take her too him. Anna doesn’t want to go without Donghae, but the man insists that Donghae is meeting them, so Anna goes off blindly believing. Donghae arrives too late and hears that his mom went off with some man. Jun is looking at the picture in his office and remembers how he met Anna. He was in the US and Anna was getting picked on by a bunch of hoodlums. Then in he rushes to the rescue, only to get beaten up. Anna takes care of him and the two fall for each other. Anna tells James that she will wait for him, that she is happy to wait for him. I think this is before he was going back to Korea. So that’s how it happened.

Jun gets a call and Hye Sook picks up the phone at the same time. It’s a fellow newman who has just come back from New York, The other man asks about Anna, but Jun hasn’t found her as of yet. Does he still do his charity? Jun reveals that the reason he does orphanage work is so no more children get adopted overseas. This floors Hye Sook. So all this time when she was jealous, yet proud of his volunteer work, it was because of the other woman? When Jun leaves his office, Hye Sook confronts him. She then berates him for coming back to her when she tried to kill herself. He should have just let her go and went back to Anna. It would have been better for the both of them

Saewa gets dropped off by Do Jin and she recalls his earlier words again. Does she feel bad at all for lying to him? Meanwhile, her baby sister is pigging away as she can’t let her twins starve. Sool Nyeo then says that Sae Young needs to use her head to win Tae Hoon back over his mom. Sae Young’s plan? She uses the same ploy she used when Bongi came over to yell at Tae Hoon – stomach pains. This frightens Tae Hoon and he rushes out. Sun Ok tries to stop him, but Kang Jae lets him go. Its important for Tae Hoon to be with his wife and he isn’t leaving the Lee’s forever. That’s true. When Tae Hoon gets to Sae Young and insists on going to the hospital, Sae Young says she immediately feels better because he’s there. She then makes him promise to never leave her side again.

Bongi comes to the sauna to find Donghae begging to see the CCTV. When she learns of Anna’s disappearance, she asks Donghae to remain calm and rushes off to her house to get Pil Jae for help. At that time, Pil Jae has found Anna’s passport. His perfect woman is that man’s mother? No way! Bongi arrives at home desperately yelling for Pil Jae. She then explains that she and Donghae are friends and that his mom is missing [a very abbreviated explanation as there is no time] – you know the woman she brought home the other day. Hearing that his handkerchief lady is in trouble, Pil Jae rushes off to the rescue. They go back to the sauna and watch the security videos only to see that the man’s face is hidden. Anna, meanwhile, is brought to a room where the men talk about selling her off to China.

Do Jin goes out drinking and thinks about his relationship with his father who is out drinking with his newly returned from New York friend. His friend couldn’t find Anna either. He tells Jun that it must be because Anna is doing well and is happy. Jun may not have a perfect marriage, but he should concentrate on his wife and son. Amen to that! Jun understands this is the right thing to do, but Anna is a thorn in his side. He promised her he’d return and its been 27 years of making her wait. He knows she is still waiting for him. Yep, he definitely knows Anna well. He and Do Jin arrive home only minutes apart and when Jun expresses concern for Do Jin, Do Jin just throws it off. It’s too late as Do Jin is an adult now. He warns his dad that he can leave as well and staggers upstairs.

Donghae goes back to the Lee house. He’s completely out of it. Bongi tells him not to worry as they will find Anna before it is too late. Pil Jae also comforts him. Korean cops are quite skilled and Pil Jae will do everything he can to find Anna. Pil Jae then rushes out and Bongi comes up with the idea of making fliers with Anna’s picture to hand out. So Donghae and Bongi start handing out fliers early in the morning. Kang Jae and Sun Ok come to relieve them so the kids can get some breakfast, plus Bongi has to go to work. You can tell Donghae is really touched by how warm and helpful the Lees are. Donghae then decides to go with Bongi as his mom might’ve gone back to the hotel. He also recalls Hye Sook’s offer to help him.

Saewa learns at work that her possible future father-in-law might be transferring to the New York station. She immediately calls Do Jin with the news after her initial shock. Meanwhile, Hye Sook and Do Jin are in a meeting on firing Mr. Kim. He got caught taking a small bribe. Others want mercy since he was a personal favorite of the Jos, but Hye Sook won’t spare him [especially since he doesn’t like Hye Sook or her son]. Do Jin then gets Saewa’s call and informs his mother. Meanwhile, Jun has the transfer papers on his desk, but he keeps thinking about what his friend said. What decision will he make?

Pil Jae goes back to the sauna looking for the criminal and immediately ends up spotting one the men who took Anna! That was easy. A little too easy. The accomplice is getting antsy. His partner still isn’t back yet and the time is fast approaching for the ship to leave. He grabs Anna and drags her out. Meanwhile, Jun comes to talk to Hye Sook who doesn’t want to talk. Jun then reveals he wishes to start over with his wife for their sake, if not for Do Jin’s. Donghae meanwhile shoulders past Do Jin to get to Hye Sook’s office and ask for her help. Will the truth be revealed soon? Nah, you know they’re going to drag it out longer.

Episodes 27 and 28 to come tomorrow me thinks as I still haven’t found a raw for Skip Beat! as of yet. Thanks for sticking with me on this drama! I will definitely finish it up…in a couple of months as there is still over a 100 episodes to go.