Asian Addicts Anonymous

We open with Man Ok trying to cheer Tae Ik up. He then asks for something and Man Ok mistakes it as him wanting her hand. Tae Ik smiles. Not her hand, but the keys to her scooter. Man Ok’s embarrassed and Tae Ik is happy. He promises to come back after getting some fresh air. He drives to his house where he recalls vowing to Joon that he will get everything back on his own. He then tells himself that he can do and he will do it. Yes, yes you will.

Meanwhile, Go Dong is sticking to Kang Hwi-nim like glue. Poor Kang Hwi is trying to have some peace and quiet in the sauna, but Go Dong keeps banging on the door and asking if he’s really inside. When there is no response, Go Dong opens the door and goes in, annoying Kang Hwi. How can he come into the sauna with dusty clothes just because Joon told him to watch him like a hawk? Go Dong’s response? He starts stripping. LMAO. This startles Kang Hwi who tells him to never mind—he’ll just leave the sauna.

Go Dong then stays right by his side while Kang Hwi gets a golden facial. Go Dong asks why he does such thing and then starts talking about the crazy price of gold these days. Up springs Kang Hwi. Seriously! Why is Go Dong likes this? Go Dong again iterates that Joon told him to watch Kang Hwi 24/7. Kang Hwi snaps at him and Go Dong tells him not to yell otherwise the precious gold will fall off. Go Dong then says he doesn’t want to take it this far either, but if he gets on Joon’s wrong side again, he’ll be fired. Go Dong doesn’t have any other place he can go. Will Kang Hwi be happy if he’s out living on the streets? Awwww 😦 Poor Go Dong. He’s always on the losing end (a lot like Kang Hwi-nim these days). Kang Hwi promises that even if Go Dong doesn’t follow him, he won’t escape so Go Dong won’t get fired. However, Go Dong must do him a favor.

What is the favor? Go Dong nervously goes to Joon’s office. Looks like Kang Hwi is asking Go Dong not to get the tape recorder and original pictures, but the cell Man Ok gave him. Go Dong flashes back to his unhappy talk with Kang Hwi and Kang Hwi threatening to run away and get him fired if he doesn’t comply. Poor, baby Go Dong. He goes into Joon’s office and desperately begins his search. He quickly finds the phone and goes to leave but there stands Joon. Carp. What is Go Dong doing there? Go Dong explains that Kang Hwi wishes to return the cell back to its original owner. Joon tells him to leave the phone and go. Go Dong refuses as he’s made a promise to Kang Kwi. Joon flares up. He belittles Go Dong and his skills as road manager.

Go Dong reminds him that Joon promised to make him a singer if he worked hard as a road manager for a few years. Joon then tells him that’s never going to happen. Good looking kids who can sing are a dime a dozen these days. Ouch. Wait…is that implying that Go Dong-ssi isn’t good looking? He ain’t ugly…well…average? But still. How rude. Fueled by Joon’s rant, Go Dong vows to return the cell phone to Kang Hwi. Go Dong goes to leave and Joon yells after that he will be fired. Does Go Dong know what that means? Joon can make it so that Go Dong can never get back into this business ever again. Oh, you arse! I wish to use stronger language, but won’t. Go Dong pauses and you know he’s conflicted, but he’s bent on doing the right thing. He walks out and Joon’s blood pressure goes up. Haha.

Talk about an AMAZING actor. Lee Hoon makes me cry and hurt for him in May Queen and he makes me hate him in Full House. 🙂 He’s awesome. I must drama-stalk him now.

Go Dong meets with Bum Soo for drinks. He’s crying about what he will do now and Bum Soo tells him not to cry. Go Dong wonders why he did such a thing and why Joon did such a thing. How long has it been since Joon coaxed him to become a singer? Now the poor Go Dong has no job and was just kicked out of his apartment. He really wants to die. Bum Soo hits the table. How can Go Dong say he wishes to die over such a petty matter? He hands the young man tissues and says that he was planning on getting him out of U Entertainment soon, so this all worked out. Will Go Dong trust and follow him?

The two men go to Bum Soo’s house and Go Dong asks where he will be living from now on. Bum Soo tells him to wait, goes inside, and then comes back out with a bag and an envelope. He happily tells Go Dong he gave up his room and tells the younger man to follow him. NOT what Go Dong was expecting to hear at all. They arrive at Man Ok Kwan’s and Go Dong happily rushes inside to give Tae Ik a huge hug. He’s missed his hyung. This shocks Tae Ik. What’s going on? Bum Soo comes in and Man Ok comes out.

The four go into the office and Bum Soo asks Man Ok if he and Go Dong can stay for about a month until he receives the promised investment money. Tae Ik says that isn’t something Man Ok can decide—it’s up to Grandfather Jang. Man Ok tells the boys not to worry as her grandfather isn’t a man to turn away guests that have come to their home. This relieves our two managers. They thank her. Bum Soo then hands over the envelope of money. What’s this for? Bum Soo tells her to pay off the debt and sever all ties to Joon. Man Ok doesn’t think she can accept such a large some of money from him. Bum Soo says the urgent fires must be put out first. Go Dong then asks if that’s why he vacated his room. What a tactless person. Way to make Man Ok feel guiltier. Of course she really can’t accept the money now.

Bum Soo says that he thinks of her as family, so her rejecting his help with the Joon situation will hurt him. He puts it on the table and tells her to take care of Joon. Tae Ik then asks if she borrowed money from the president. Oh…that’s right. He didn’t know about the deal reneging. Bum Soo explains that her becoming the stylist was a contract in order for her to pay off the settlement for using the photo. Bum Soo then says that the sagaji Lee Joon says that if Man Ok doesn’t pay up now, she has to go back to work for him. This angers Tae Ik. The engagement was supposed to take care of that. Bum Soo knows this, but sagaji insists a verbal contract is null. Tae Ik angrily stands up and yells that isn’t right and tells Man Ok to hurry and go with him as he will be taking care of the matter. Man Ok and Bum Soo stop him and Tae Ik wonders why he’s the last to know when he should have been the first. Bum Soo says they didn’t tell him since there really was nothing can do.

Bum Soo again encourage Man Ok to take the money. Think of it as payment for the living expenses of all three men. Man Ok, idiot girl, still refuses. Tae Ik then turns and tells her to take it and use it to save herself from Joon. This all happened because of Tae Ik and he doesn’t want to see her suffer any more. Tae Ik vows to return the money a thousand fold. Awww. He even shocks Bum Soo by calling him hyung. Bum Soo comments on how being with Man Ok has been a maturing experience for Tae Ik. Go Dong then jumps in and promises to do whatever Eldest Hyung-nim (Bum Soo) tells him to do. Bum Soo-ssi please let him debut 😉 Bum Soo then laughs at how quickly Go Dong’s demeanor changed. Just a little while ago he was crying and whining and now look at him. Go Dong then says while he has this face, he was a marine. He strikes a pose and yells, startling every one.

We then cut to Jang training the four. Go Dong strives to follow along by mimicking Man Ok’s movements and asks Bum Soo what they are doing so early in the morning. Bum Soo states that to live there this is a must lest they fall out of Grandfather’s favor. Jang then attacks Tae Ik with a stick and the other three are shocked by how easily he avoids the blows. Did he learn Hapkido before? Tae Ik says he learnt some as a child from his father who had a black belt (and was Jang’s student). Jang says his basic skills are good and then attacks him head on, sending Tae Ik to the floor. Jang says that martial arts is to protect oneself no matter what and the next person who sasses off about their skills will skip breakfast. Yowza. Strict harabeoji. Tae Ik picks himself up off the floor and the training continues.

Kang Hwi calls up Joon and demands to know why Go Dong was fired. Joon says Kang Hwi should know better than anyone else. Why did he make Go Dong do that? Kang Hwi then complains that Joon should have come to him instead, but Joon then says it’s a road manager’s job to manage his singer—Go Dong couldn’t. End of story. Kang Hwi then again reminds him about the promise. He refuses to work if Joon can’t get him Man Ok. Dude. You should have tried to get her yourself since you know how underhanded Joon is. Joon has his secretary call Man Ok.

She arrives and Joon is all gracious at first until Man Ok reveals she won’t be returning. Man Ok takes out the money and passes it over. Now, there is no more debt, right? Joon, being Joon, says that’s not it. To break a contract is to pay three times the amount. Man Ok only bought the original amount so now she needs the contract breaking fee. Why is he being like this? If he continues to do this, Man Ok won’t stand still and get kicked around any longer. Joon then demands to know what she will do. Man Ok reveals her friend is an entertainment reporter and if Joon keeps acting this way, she’ll reveal everything. Joon’s response? With what proof? Go ahead then. Joon will only sue her for defamation. Man Ok says she will then. She has nothing to lose and the rumors will really hurt the company. She goes to leave and Joon yells that he’s not doing this because he likes her and wants her to work there, but for Kang Hwi who has a serious problem. Does she know? Of course at this point, Man Ok isn’t willing to listen as Joon has lied too much. She leaves and Joon is just flummoxed. What to do?

As she leaves, Man Ok gets a call from Tae Ik. Did everything go well? Yes. So there’s no reason to confront Joon? No definitive answer on that front. But Tae Ik then complains about there being nothing in the house he can eat. Where’s the organic fruit, salad, and juice? Man Ok tells him there should be apples somewhere in the fridge. Tae Ik finds the apple, but doesn’t believe it’s organic. He says his gums have been hurting and he’s been unable to take his usual vitamins. Please get him some stuff for salads and a organic chicken breasts. Man Ok says since he’s living in someone else’s house he should have a sense of propriety and not make so many requests. However, she promises to shop only if he cleans the studio. Se Ryeong pops out of her van angry to learn that Tae Ik is living at Man Ok’s.

Se Ryeong immediately rushes to the studio where Tae Ik is busy having vacuum issues. He hears the door and thinks its Man Ok. She should throw that useless cleaner away. Nope, its Se Ryeong. This doesn’t make sense. He isn’t the Tae Ik she knows. She tells him to leave with her and she will get back everything he lost and let him stand on the stage again. She grabs his arm, but he shakes it off. How far is she going to go so she will feel better? Doesn’t she know that Tae Ik no longer has any feelings for her? Se Ryeong asks why he’s doing that. Is it really because of Man Ok? Tae Ik says it is. Se Ryeong can’t believe this. It’s only because he’s still angry at her, right? How else could he give up Full House? Stop lying. Oh, this is going to hurt her. Yay! Tae Ik replies that Man Ok is more important to him that regaining Full House. Snap! Oh, and he got over Se Ryeong a long time ago, so she should stop now. Se Ryeong says it isn’t over for her yet. She will definitely NOT give him up. Um…a relationship is two-sided not one, but people in dramaland never seem to understand that.

Se Ryeong shakily leaves and comes across the returning Man Ok. Se Ryeong immediately lights into Man Ok for having fun playing house with Tae Ik. Does Man Ok really think they are on the same level? How can she lock him up and use his weaknesses against him? Say what!? This crazy snowflake needs to be slapped. Although, she is right that Man Ok should speak up and clearly say she likes and wants Tae Ik. Se Ryeong won’t let Man Ok get a word in. She says Man Ok pretends to be nice and goes from guy to guy stirring up their feelings. Is she supposed to be acting as the goody goody Candy (famous and popular manga character)? Man Ok then asks if Se Ryeong is like the character Eliza who is always playing pranks, belittling and hurting others. Se Ryeong can’t believe this comparison. It’s now Man Ok’s turn to bawl Se Ryeong out. She goes to head into the studio and Se Ryeong plays her last card. She reveals Kang Hwi’s problem to Man Ok.  Tsk, tsk.

Inside the studio Tae Ik sits dispiritedly. He hears something fall to the ground. He rushes out. It’s the groceries and Man Ok is already on her scooter. He yells after her, but she doesn’t stop. She’s rushing to be by his side as she recalls Kang Hwi’s cryptic words and all the signs that were there pointing to his blindness. Pity? Compassion? Concern? What is it exactly?

She arrives at Full House and rings the bell. There is no answer. She rings it again and again and again before going in herself. Kang Hwi is inside with headphones on following the stars on the floor. Kang Hwi turns around and yells at Se Ryeong to turn off the lights. This shocks Man Ok and she tears up and calls his name. He…can’t see her?

End episode. I’m going to be annoyed. Why? Because a misunderstanding will explode due to Kang Hwi and Man Ok keeping Kang Hwi’s condition a secret. On the other hand, though, it does give Tae Ik stronger motivation to fight. That doesn’t make it any less annoying, though.