Asian Addicts Anonymous

Actually…this episode segment seemed a tad laggy. It actually wasn’t until the end that it started picking up. I think this is partly due to the fact we rewound quite a bit and wasted some time there. But, that’s okay. I’m still enjoying this show and am anticipating the next episode to come!

So we start with a brief reel of what’s happened to date and then pick up with Man Ok going out in search of Tae Ik. Yeah, so I’m not going there. Let’s fast forward 5 minutes. Yep. They wasted 5 minutes on showcasing stuff that’s already happened.

Man Ok returns to the dojo to find the police there busting a gambling ring run by Oh. Since Man Ok is the owner and knows Oh, she’s taken downtown, too. The police don’t believe she’s innocent even though she had no idea that Oh was running a gambling ring and not dance training. She throws a fit and demands to know why police are treating an innocent citizen who has also been scammed as a criminal. This is after she is told she’ll have to cease operations until further notice since she housed a gambling ring. Poor girl. Nothing is going right for her.

The next day Man Ok posts a sign saying that the dojo is closing down due to the master going to train. Ga Ryung says that its not the end of the world. She also says that her mom was completely duped by Oh as well. Man Ok wonders how she will survive now. Her online mall is closed, the dojo’s business is suspended for the time being—what will she do? Ga Ryung’s insensitive advice? Take out a giant loan. Oh, and don’t worry about paying this month’s rent. This makes Man Ok snap. This is all thanks to Ga Ryung’s posters and Mrs. Hong’s insistence on letting Mr. Oh use the dojo at nights. Enter angry mothers. Even though Man Ok has tried to keep the news from spreading, they know that she’s not closing for training, but because the police ordered the dojo cease operations. The angrily demand their money back from Man Ok who is seen as lower than low for housing gambling in a place that taught kids. I can’t believe these women. They know Man Ok, how can they easily believe that she allowed illegal gambling to go on?

Man Ok agrees to refund all their money and closes out her savings account. She goes home and begins filling envelopes full of money when she gets a call from her grandfather. Jang is worried as she sounds lifeless. Man Ok assures him she’s just tired from exercising hard. Jang then asks if  there’s a problem at the dojo. Of course not. Jang doesn’t know whether or not to believe this since he’s had bad dreams. However, Man Ok assures him everything is fine. She then goes out into the dojo and sees all the pictures on the wall. She then imagines her grandfather coming home and punishing her for tarnishing the dojo’s name. She yells that she’s too young to die and the nightmare stops. She then notices the Tae Ik posters under the coach. She picks them up and cusses him out for being the root of her downfall. She threatens to kill him and starts shredding the posters when a deliveryman comes in with a package. It’s the shirt Kang Hwi just had to have.

Man Ok decides that since this is her last sale ever, she’ll give it a special treatment and she drives all the way out to Na Nim’s house. She rings the bell several times. Tae Ik who’s filling bottles calls for Go Dong (the manager) to answer the door, but he’s not there. Thus Tae Ik goes out to the gate. At this time, Man Ok remembers she was supposed to call first. As she digs for her phone Tae Ik opens the gate and they both get a nasty shock. What? Is Man Ok stalking him? They then get into a fight. Man Ok starts bawling him out for taking away her precious livelihood and Tae Ik states she started it all by using his image illegally. Kang Hwi goes out when he hears the commotion and watches the argument. He catches bits and pieces and at first things that Tae Ik got a girl in trouble. Ah, this was a great scene watching Man Ok launch herself at the fence and throw the package at Tae Ik.

Man Ok is drowning her sorrows in soju complaining about how she doesn’t even have money for basic living expenses hence why she’s drinking without eating. How on earth can she pay the 30 million won settlement fee? Man Ok then picks up a scarf and wonders how much money she could get for it. She then recalls when her mother and father gave it to her. No, she can’t sell the last mementos of her parents yet. She’ll figure something else out. The bell rings and its Kang Hwi. Of course, Man Ok thinks she’s hallucinating and goes to head back inside. Kang Hwi grabs her arm to stop her and she flips him, knocking him out cold. She starts coming to her senses. Oh no! It’s really Kang Hwi.

Man Ok gets him into her room and wonders if this will cost her another 50 million won. Afraid that he might be dead, she bends close to him and then notices his eyes are opened. She jumps back. Is he okay? Kang Hwi sits straight up and notices something. He rushes out of bed to the other room. Man Ok quickly moves the alcohol and Kang Hwi picks up stuff and asks if they aren’t accessories for Man Ok’s closet. Man Ok wonders how he knows about Man Ok’s Closet. Kang Hwi hides his face and introduces himself as Na Nim. Wow. Man OK then recognizes the shirt she just delivered. I guess he managed to get the package this time. He grins widely.

We then flashback to him checking on the ETA of his shirt to find the website notice that the store is closing. He then goes outside where he overhears part of the argument between Tae Ik and Man Ok and starts putting two and two together. Looks like Kang Hwi feels bad as he was the one who showed Tae Ik the picture in the background, so this is all his fault. He apologizes to her and she tells him it’s not his fault since he didn’t know. Man Ok then apologizes for hurting him. She also says she will cover the hospital bills when she manages to earn some money since she is completely broke at the moment—so please don’t sue her. [I found myself wincing at this part of the scene as it seemed a little too forced.]

This shocks Kang Hwi. Sue? He’s perfectly fine, see? He rolls his neck, it gives a loud crack and he winces in pain. Yep, he’s fine. He puts his hand on his neck and sheepishly replies again that he’s fine so he won’t sue her at all. Kang Hwi then notices the vintage clothes. He’ll pay way over market value for them to help give her some cash and get himself some cool clothes. Man Ok refuses as those vintage clothes are the only things left to her by her deceased parents. Kang Hwi apologizes—he had no idea. He then takes a look at what she’s wearing. Did she make the trainer suit? Yes. So all the clothes she sold in the store were her own design? Yes. This gives him an idea. Man Ok should come to work for them as their stylist. Man Ok happily considers this until she recalls Tae Ik. She turns Kang Hwi down. He promises her a good salary and says they can take the settlement money for Tae Ik out of it.

When Man Ok keeps insisting she can’t, Kang Hwi does the puppy dog face. What, does she hate him? Man Ok quickly assures Kang Hwi that she likes him…but there’s the sagaji. Hmm, sagaji? Ahh, Tae Ik! Don’t worry about that, Kang Hwi has a plan. So what’s his brilliant plan? He has Man Ok dress in burka so she’s covered from head to toe! We end with Tae Ik getting spooked by her appearance.

Great hijinks are left to ensue. I can’t wait until next week!