Asian Addicts Anonymous

Okay, please bear with me on this as this is a quote that I think really applies to this drama.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-9
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Yes, it’s a bible quote from the NIV, and I think it’s very apt, especially after this episode. Chang Hee’s love is more of a selfish love that is, in a way, more self-serving. Chang Hee wants Hae Joo as she is his lighthouse. Throughout this entire episode after Chang Hee has made his big decision, he talks of ending things so he can finally be happy and live in the light. I’m not saying Hae Joo won’t be happy to be with him, but his focus is not on her, but on himself and his own happiness. Hae Joo suffers from a more prideful love. Or rather her pride gets in the way of her love. We also have the part where it says that love always “hopes” and “perseveres.” Hae Joo has tried calling things off with Chang Hee in how many episodes since the adult part started? She is really a person without hope, without self-worth, and without the perseverance to pull through and continue. San’s love…is probably the closest to what this passage describes in some ways. Sure he has his issues and gets upset when he sees his best friend with the woman he loves, but at the same time, he’s always there. He’s not boastful and quietly watches out and protects (and I think always hopes that maybe someday Hae Joo just might look at him differently). Just my take.

Okay. Now on to May Queen episode 14 recap.

Dal Soon cries and confesses that she is not Hae Joo’s birth mother. When Hong Chul got home after working on a boat for some time, he brought Hae Joo with him. Dal Soon hated Hae Joo and took out all of her anger on the innocent child. She even had thoughts of abandoning Hae Joo when Hong Chul was away. Dal Soon bawls again and says that she was the one who should have died instead of her husband. Hae Joo quietly says that she has always known that Dal Soon wasn’t her birth mother as she picked up on that thanks to Dal Soon’s mistreatment of her. This shocks Dal Soon. How could Hae Joo stay and suffer if she knew? Hae Joo replies that she doesn’t regret being with Dal Soon nor can she forget that when Hong Chul died, Dal Soon didn’t abandon her. This increases Dal Soon’s pain and regret. Dal Soon goes to tell Hae Joo about Geum Hee, but Hae Joo tells Dal Soon that she doesn’t wish to know about her birth mother as Dal Soon is her one and only mother. Awwwwww. I like this mother-daughter bonding moment. While Dal Soon has reformed her ways and is trying to make up for her past mistakes, Geum Hee is the complete opposite. I don’t think there’s any redeeming her at all.

We then cut to San who learns from secretary Kim that it appears Il Moon has been siphoning funds from the production of the drill ship to continue with the failed oil in Indonesia. Knowing this information makes San happy—he can put it to use. Jang beats his son and says that Il Moon can never be left in charge of Cheonji if he continues to act like this. Jang throws the information Choi gave him and asks why Il Moon did it. Basically, I think Il Moon wanted to prove his worth and that he was not wrong to his father. Too bad that plan backfired. I like how even though Jang does dirty business, he knows never to anger your contractors. He likens what Il Moon did to not cutting the losses of one unprofitable business venture and basically cutting his own throat by souring the relationships with the people he needs to work with.

Enter San. He tells Jang that his company has agreed to let Jang produce the thrusters and propellers for the drill ship. This really makes Il Moon turn green. How can San be going back on his promise to use the Rolls Royce propellers? This really makes Jang happy. San says its all thanks to his influence and Jang thanks him for the opportunity. Afterward, Il Moon demands to know why San through him under the bus since they don’t have the resources for the propellers. San comments that Il Moon should learn from his father. Jang wants to challenge himself and help the country’s technology develop—isn’t that a good thing? San then waves off what he said earlier about using his influence. He states it’s lip service to make himself look good. He said that Jang pleaded so hard with his company that they conceded to let him try. San then turns the conversation to marriage between their families. San states that Il Moon was always following him in school. If San married In Hwa, then Il Moon would be above him (since San would be the son of the youngest child and Il Moon has the position of being the eldest and only son). San shudders and states that he can’t let that happen and he’s sure Il Moon doesn’t desire the connection either.

San leaves Il Moon’s office and asks Hae Joo to go with him to work. This earns her a death glare from Jo. San and Hae Joo end up in a shipyard and Hae Joo wonders how this place relates to their work. San points out a propeller and says that he brought her there to study. He wants to build propellers himself. Not a cheap one like that, but the azimuth thruster propellers needed for drill ships. He ants Hae Joo to help him build one. This excites Hae Joo. The chance to build the propellers she loves so dearly? Of course she wishes to do so. San then gets a call from Kang about marriage to In Hwa again. He reluctantly agrees to meet Kang after work.

Chang Hee is with Jung Woo who asks if Chang Hee is really serious about taking Jang down. For Jung Woo he must see justice served regardless of social standing or power. Chang Hee explains he’s been collecting the dirt on Jang for years—shady business deals, tax evasion, etc.—and he has collected a fair amount of evidence. Jung Woo asks if Chang Hee can go through with it since he’s been living under Jang’s roof all of these years. Chang Hee explains that he wishes to get Jang out of revenge over how he and his father had to live these past years. Jung Woo can’t possibly know just how much Chang Hee suffered living in only darkness. Chang Hee wishes to shed his shackles and live comfortably in the light. Jung Woo is surprised to hear all of this and he also says that this new side of Chang Hee makes him seem like a scary man.

At the Jang house, the family is sitting down for a meal (well it looks like only Jang and the kids are eating). In Hwa brings up her presentation for her outdoor brand (which is actually one of the sponsors of this drama and supplies San with his cooler outdoorsy outfits). Jang says he will make sure to be there to see if his daughter passes muster. Geum Hee then says San will be there and will be joining them for dinner afterward. Il Moon slams his silverware down. First Geum Hee tried to foist In Hwa off on the “inferior” Chang Hee and now she’s trying to marry her off to San? Really, I get Il Moon’s objections to Chang Hee (even if they are snobbish and antiquated), but San? Before the company was taken over by Jang, San’s family was pretty much on equal footing. I think this is just Il Moon’s strong dislike for San getting in the way here. In Hwa angrily points out that she loves, San, but Il Moon doesn’t care. Aigoo.

San takes Hae Joo with him after work to meet with his grandfather. Kang happily greets her and complains that he can’t get that boat engine to work no matter what he does. He then says maybe its time it gets put out to pasture. He then takes San away to talk about the In Hwa matter while Hae Joo works hard (and quickly discovers the problem) on the engine. When Kang broaches the subject of marriage again, San angrily replies that both Kang and Jang are odd to be so insistent on the matter. What, are they going to have his babies for him, too? LMAO. Only San. This conversation is then interrupted by Hae Joo who calls out for Kang to come quickly.

The two rush over and Hae Joo has not only fixed the engine, but she has put it back in place on the boat. Kang is definitely impressed. How could that little girl know so much about engines? Hae Joo explains about growing up around boats and learning from her father. San then happily says that he’s in good hands with such a capable assistant. I am a little surprised that Kang didn’t really pick up on San’s intent bringing Hae Joo with him. 🙂 After this, Kang recalls what San asked him about knowing who Yoon Hak Soo was. Kang says that he could tell his grandson, but there’s someone even better for the job—Hak Soo’s little brother Yoon Jung Woo.

Hae Joo and San go back to his apartment where Hae Joo says that she knows Yoon Jung Woo. This surprises San. How does she know him? Hae Joo says that he is her uncle (if only she knew). San then quickly calls her a liar since her father’s name was Chun and her mother’s name is Jo (technically Yoon could be a relative by marriage :P). Hae Joo then explains Jung Woo is her landlord and has adopted her as his niece. San then asks for an introduction and Hae Joo says that it wouldn’t be free. What does she want? San’s meal on his boat was so delicious. San gets a big smile on his face and quickly starts preparing dinner for the two of them. He’s soooooo cute. He’s like a little puppy wagging its tail after receiving praise from its beloved owner.

Meanwhile, Jung Woo meets with Gi Chul who wonders why Jung Woo kept pestering him until Gi Chul agreed to meet with Jung Woo. Our prosecutor just hands over an assault complaint. Gi Chul bitterly complains about how mouthy Hae Joo is. Jung Woo doesn’t tell how his beloved niece denied Gi Chul’s abuse to the very end, and just states that while Hae Joo might be persuaded to settle, he won’t. Gi Chul asks why he is doing such a thing and Jung Woo explains once again that he is Hae Joo’s uncle now and he will not stand for anyone to treat her badly. I love this moment—Jung Woo and Dal Soon rock at how they go to bat for Hae Joo.

Back at San’s apartment, the food is done and Hae Joo happily starts eating the spaghetti. She asks how he learned to cook so well and he said he spent time under a master. Really? San can’t believe that Hae Joo would believe such a story. His cooking is 15 years of trial and error. LOL. Well, when it comes to cooking, that’s really the case—years of trial and error. Hae Joo then asks after his parents—are they currently in America? Looks like our smart Hae Joo completely forgot what In Hwa told her during the survivors’ party when they were kids. San sarcastically comments that Hae Joo was “fast” to ask. You know, this is actually one of the first times in 15 years that Hae Joo expressed and honest interest in San. Think about it—the only time she showed express interest in any personal matters regarding him was when she learned he was the grandson of Hae Poong and she could look at the shipyard up close. San tells her his parents died in a car accident when he was a baby and thus he was raised by his grandfather without really knowing his parents at all. Hae Joo cannot believe that Kang got rid of all pictures and the like of his dead son and daughter-in-law. When San mentions there is something he knows about his mother, he trails off and quickly changes the subject to the food.

Chang Hee is working hard in his office with one thought in his head—to finish things once and for all for his father’s and his own sake. Hae Joo goes to leave and San hands her the tablet he got for her. Hae Joo doesn’t wish to accept the gift as he’s already done so much and he said that he has put lesson reviews in there for her to keep the information fresh in her mind and study. Does anyone else find it odd that she readily accepts San’s help and gifts much quicker than Chang Hee’s? Enter our young prosecutor. He’s there to pick Hae Joo up. He thanks San for teaching Hae Joo design and states he will be picking her up from now on. This, needless to say, does NOT make San happy at all. He wistfully watches the two leave together and goes back to his empty apartment filled with memories of Hae Joo now.

Chang Hee is a lot lighter and happier now. Hae Joo just doesn’t know what to think. But there is one thing on her mind and that is the only important thing to her—did Chang Hee make up with his father and move back home? Chang Hee says that this topic is off limits as he knows her feelings on it. This is enough to signal he still hasn’t made amends with Gi Chul. Hae Joo urges him to, and he shushes her. Things will work out after they’ve married. NOT what Hae Joo wishes to hear. She then talks about not wanting poor Chang Hee to be in pain because of her and she also says how different he’s been to the point she’s frightened. Uh…really…because Chang Hee hasn’t been all that different, but whatever. This earns her a hug from Chang Hee. Really, you tell the guy you love that he’s been scary of late and cry about how you think you ruined his life and you get a hug. That actually doesn’t seem to fit the situation.

After that heavy moment, we get a nice comedic one. Sang Tae has used Chang Hee’s money to buy a chintzy white suite and a brand new car. He tries so hard to pretend to be classy, but fails epically and he creeps women out instead of attracting them. Meanwhile, Young Joo is back at that club again. She sets her sights on Il Moon who does exudes that wealthy air. She focuses in on him and slips her coat down her shoulder. This catches Il Moon’s eye and he has her brought to his private room. He asks after her age and she says she’s a 20—2 year-old (yeah, she’s probably only 20) college student from Seoul in Ulsan on family business. When she asks if he’s really the director of a shipyard, he yells at her to remain silent and morosely continues drinking himself into a stupor. Just when you think he’s passed out, he surges up and angrily talks about how he’s the only worthless one. He then propositions Young Joo who hotly says she’s not a bar hostess. Il Moon tosses rather large bills her way and leaves with a smirk. Young Joo’s eyes widen and she does go into a hotel with him. She tells him to shower first and when he’s in there, she takes all the cash from his wallet and leaves!!!! LOL. I am glad that Young Joo hasn’t really decided to sell herself yet even after all all that big talk to Hae Joo.

Young Joo goes home where she is met by a very angry Hae Joo. Where was the girl? Young Joo lies and says she just got out of her night lessons. Hae Joo knows lessons don’t go that late, plus she smells alcohol on Young Joo who points out that she is technically old enough to drink. Hae Joo doesn’t care, her little sister is still a student. Young Joo then lies again and says she met with an old friend from Geoje and they went out for drinks and girl talk. Hae Joo does choose to believe this, but does threaten Young Joo with a beating if her grades happen to slip this month. Young Joo then beats a hasty retreat. Hae Joo then goes to her room where she tinkers with the tablet and gets really happy after getting something to work. It was kind of a cute scene.

Geum Hee goes to visit Gi Chul out of worry. She goes into the Park house and is shocked to see the disordered state—apparently Gi Chul never cleaned up after Chang Hee’s display of temper. She goes into his room where she finds Gi Chul in a morose, drunken stupor on his bed. She asks why he didn’t answer and if Chang Hee is working on a Saturday. Gi Chul pops up and says he isn’t unwell and then says that Chang Hee left home. Can’t Geum Hee make him come back as Chang Hee is his life (how sick is that? You know, I have no qualms with parents saying their kids are their lives, but we ALL know by now that when Gi Chul says this, it’s in VERY unhealthy way)? Gi Chul then reminds her that she should know all about loving and living for your child. Yikes. You do know that you’re the reason that woman suffered losing her only daughter, right? That means you have no right to play that card.

At dinner or breakfast or lunch…I really am not sure what time of day it is…Geum Hee reveals that Chang Hee left home to Jang, In Hwa, and Bong Hee. This surprises everyone. Chang Hee really left home because of Hae Joo? Bong Hee is shocked. What do you mean Chang Hee and Hae Joo are dating? And then she learns about In Hwa and San. Wait! Are they seeing each other, too? In Hwa smugly smiles and says her relationship with San is just starting out. She then declares to her parents that they can’t oppose her marriage to San. Bong Hee is just mystified. These two young girls have someone and she can’t manage to tie Jung Woo down. She then says aloud that she won’t let the Jang family oppose her marriage either. Jang then asks if his sister-in-law is dating anyone and she quietly denies this. LOL.

Of course, after that talk Bong Hee heads straight for Jung Woo’s place. When she catches sight of Dal Soon, she goes to leave, but quickly changes her mind. Dal Soon doesn’t greet the younger woman and just states that she knows why Jung Woo is getting sick of her and Bong Hee should get a clue. LOL. Bong Hee then turns and gets livid when she sees Dal Soon handling Jung Woo’s boxers. LOL. Omo. How hilarious. A tug of war then ensues over his underwear. Bong Hee gets it only because Dal Soon lets go. The older woman then throws Jung Woo’s socks on top of her head. Bong Hee can only sit on her sore rear and complain about how much she hates Hae Joo’s mother.

Il Moon is leaving the house and Geum Hee stops him. She is really trying hard to go back to the way things are. Il Moon states that she is his only mother—at least that’s what Jang says. Geum Hee then begs him to recall how she raised him and cared for him. Il Moon then brings up that with Geum Hee’s dealings with In Hwa, you can tell that she’s never been a mother. Wait a minute. Pause, rewind. Did Il Moon say that she obviously doesn’t know what it means to be a mother because she doesn’t have children of her own? So…that means that while Il Moon knows about his mother (Oh, and I forgot to say in the previous episode’s recap that the timeline had been somewhat resolved as Geum Hee lost Hae Joo on the 100th death day anniversary of Hak Soo…I thought it was like immediately after the funeral), he isn’t aware that Geum Hee had a daughter? Il Moon then tells Geum Hee to go cry to his father again—he’ll accept the beating and leaves. Geum Hee once again falls to the floor. Dude, so one really needs to put both her and Gi Chul out of their respective miseries.

Chang Hee is working on his case against Jang when the devil walks in. Chang Hee quickly puts the papers away and Jang asks why he was so startled. Chang Hee just says it was an unexpected visit—no kidding. Jang then cuts to the chase—he heard Chang Hee left home and wants the younger man back. Chang Hee apologizes, but he can’t go back. Jang says that there’s too much between them for it to come down to this, and Chang Hee says it has to do with his private life which is none of Jang’s business. Burn! Chan Hee then states that he will move out of the hotel as soon as he finds a place to rent. Jang goes back to his office livid. How dare Chang Hee think he can sever ties now. He pulls out the license plate. Yep, it’s about time Jang did something evil. It’s been awhile.

Hae Joo and San are busy studying when In Hwa barges into his apartment. San shudders and says that his life is becoming more and more like Stephen King’s Misery (now that was a screwed up book—well, I technically only saw the movie version, but it’s essentially about a writer who goes up to a cabin to write his next book killing off his most popular character. He gets in an accident and is rescued by a fan who treats him, but she hates his ending for the character and basically threatens him to finish the book how she wants). In Hwa is definitely not happy to see Hae Joo there again. She reminds San about the presentation and he asks why he would go. This earns him a kick from Hae Joo and he quickly changes his tune. Things really haven’t changed as he then invites Hae Joo along. Reading In Hwa’s very obvious expression, Hae Joo quickly states she can’t as she already has plans. In Hwa then takes her downstairs and demands to know why Hae Joo didn’t listen to her. Hae Joo states she is only learning design—besides, she has Chang Hee, right? In Hwa then recalls that Chang Hee moved out and asks if Hae Joo is basically shacking up with him. Poor Hae Joo is being constantly misunderstood in that department.

At the Chun house, Sang Tae is dressed up again and Jin Joo wonders why a reserve (proxy?) driver is dressed like that. Sang Tae replies it’s expected in this business. Riiiight. He then says he’ll buy Jin Joo treats and walks out. Jin Joo follows him and sees the car. Oh, he’s soooo busted. Meanwhile, Jung Woo returns home to find Bong Hee finally leaving. And what follows is a very sad scene that I don’t think Jung Woo 100% meant. Bong Hee basically declares her feelings outright for him to which he replies that he can NEVER think of her in that light because she is Lee Bong Hee—Lee Geum Hee’s little sister. Oh. How horrible (and this is after Bong Hee finally takes the initiative to kiss him and gets totally rejected). Jung Woo then goes inside after the hurt Bong Hee rushes off declaring she’ll sue him for sexual harassment and sees all the slightly creepy things Bong Hee did to declare her love. It took her so much effort to come right out and he quickly turned her down. But given his expression, you know it hurt him, too. I think it’s not that he doesn’t see her in that life, but he’s telling himself that he can’t because of what Geum Hee did.

Geum Hee goes downstairs to find her little sister sobbing her heart out. When Geum Hee asks what happened, Bong Hee replies that Jung Woo doesn’t see her as a woman all thanks to Geum Hee and her remarriage to Jang. Truthfully, if Jung Woo was this determined, he should have severed all ties with her since I don’t think he was really blind to how she truly felt for him. Meanwhile, Hae Joo has returned back home to learn from Jin Joo that not only did Sang Tae buy a car, but he got the money from Chang Hee. Hae Joo demands to know if that’s true and Sang Tae says that its only right since Chang Hee will be getting Hae Joo. This earns him a beating from Dal Soon for treating his little sister as something that can be sold.

This makes Hae Joo seek Chang Hee out. He’s coming out of his office to find her standing in the pouring ran. He rushes over with an umbrella which she knocks out of his hands. She demands to know why he gave Sang Tae money. Chang Hee then switches tact and wonders why he can’t help her and her family. Why is she so stubborn on this—they aren’t strangers? Hae Joo then finally yells that her family is much more important to her than he is and goes to walk off. Chang Hee won’t let her go and forces a kiss on her. Hae Joo struggles to pull away, but Chang Hee only pulls her back to him until she starts responding. Please tell me their first real kiss isn’t this one—that kind of cheapens it. During this heated, passionate makeout session, San is trying to get a hold of Hae Joo to invite her over for anther meal. Awwww.

Okay, and next we get a VERY misleading scene. Sure, the bed in Chang Hee’s hotel room isn’t messed up and he’s fully dressed in dry clothes and Hae Joo is wearing only his shirt and possibly an undershirt and underwear and he’s drying her hair, but…it just doesn’t seem like that simple of a scene. It’s misleading and hard to tell if something did or did not happen. Anywho, Chang Hee sees the scar and says he has the same one. He then pulls down his shirt to show the burn mark on his shoulder. Hae Joo is surprised—what are the odds? Chang Hee then says that these scars tied them together so they could find one another so they should be together as long as the scars remain. That’s…slightly twisted and disturbing to me. Hae Joo, of course, agrees to be with him until the scars disappear. Um…unless you get plastic surgery…they won’t, which implies forever. Not going to happen.

The next day is In Hwa’s presentation and she nails it. Jang even agrees to invest in her brand. When she asks San’s opinion, the boy couldn’t care less and can only manage to say he likes the color. In Hwa then says it’s a great color and he must wear it often when he goes out. LOL. Wow. Did she not notice he said that only because he really isn’t interested in clothing and brands? Jang, Geum Hee, In Hwa, and San then all go to lunch where Geum Hee states that he used to come over to eat so often when he was a child. San states she was a good cook and that whenever he thinks of Korean food—he thinks of her. Jang asks what san thinks of In Hwa and all San can say is she’s smart and cute—really he’s saying nothing which basically shows his disinterest without him saying anything. Jang then gets a call and abruptly leaves—something’s rotten in the state of Denmark—or rather, in the city of Ulsan.

Jang goes to his office to learn that not only is Jung Woo going after him, so is Chang Hee. Jung Woo breaks into Hae Joo’s and Chang Hee’s happy lovey-dovey moment to call and say that Jang knows everything and that they have to perform a preemptive strike before Jang can do anything. We then cut to Gi Chul going into Jang’s office where Jang threatens him with the license plate and basically tells Gi Chul to make sure he and his son don’t bite the hand that feeds them.

Hae Joo goes home to learn Young Joo has been arrested (looks like Il Moon turned her in more than likely). We end this episode with Gi Chul going to stop Chang Hee from arresting Jang. Chang Hee ignores his father until Gi Chul drops to his knees and begs. End episode.

Previews show things becoming more and more chaotic with plots within plots, backstabbing, blackmail, and for some reason it looks like Il Moon learns just who Hae Joo really is. Big props to Jae Hee in the rain scene as you could really see Chang Hee reaching his limit the more and more Hae Joo complained. However, his look as he kissed her…really made you think he wanted to kill her instead.