cherkell

January 29, 2012

Since I have a "No Commitments Weekend" ahead of me, I'm going to be doing some major overhauling on the Forum in fixing the broken links and putting the screencaps back and moving some stuff around. Once that's done (and starting from Episode 12), I'm going in and tweak the narratives somewhat. As always, thanks for your patience as I get this place organized again.

A few more selcas were posted via JCW's Twitter feed over the past few days. The first one you've already seen, so I'll add the captions below each shot:

In this one, he asks everyone, "Can you see The Sun?" (his character's name Tae-yang meaning "Sunshine").

Here he shows off some of the gifts that his Fan Cafe brought him during the filming in Hongdae last week.

He says about these two shots, "Always waiting..." Not sure if he's waiting for the scene to start, or just catching a breather in between takes, but dammit he looks so exhausted here!!

Okay, enough of a break. Getting back to work!!

January 26, 2012

EPISODE 12, RECAP, Part 2:

Back at the Market, we see Ga-on taking inventory of the veggies and trying to keep her mind on her work.. but ends up pulling out her phone instead to call Tae-yang.  It rings not 20 feet away from her, as Tae-yang is already there to meet up with her.  He picks her up and twirls her around in a big bear hug, and as she tells him that there's people watching, he says he doesn't care.  Tae-yang keeps looking around like they're going to get caught or something... but then resumes hugging the breath out of Ga-on.

Later at dinner, they're chowing down at the same place Tae-yang met Seul-woo a few weeks prior.  Tae-yang asks her if she knows why he's in such a good mood, when she says she never ever doubted that he wouldn't win.  Tae-yang is aghast that she already knew and why didn't she say something earlier?  Ga-on says back why didn't *he* say that he was entering the contest earlier?  Tae-yang mutters that he didn't want to be humiliated in front of her... and she mutters that the reason why she didn't ask him if he entered was because he would be humiliated if he didn't win.  Giggles all around!!

Ga-on knew he'd do well, but she didn't realize how well he'd do, so he must be pretty awesome!  Tae-yang agrees with her that he's a pretty awesome guy for sure (and humble too).  Tae-yang then decides to tell her that he met her dad at the Headquarters, but he didn't greet him properly at that time.  Next time he sees her appa, he will make sure to be a better gentleman at that meeting and introduce himself as her boyfriend.

Ga-on's face goes blank, and says that's probably not a good idea.  Tae-yang makes a lame joke about her being worried he would get slapped instead... or does she think he's not proper to be presented in front of The Chairman.  Ga-on says no, don't... never ask to meet him.   Now it's time for Tae-yang's face to go dark when he asks why he will never be told that he is Ga-on's boyfriend.  She tells him it's not that fact; it's because she's afraid it will hurt the business in the long run.  The boyfriend of the only daughter of the Chairman of the Mok Yeong Group?  People will talk...

Tae-yang sort of agrees with that, but asks if he could just quietly tell her father that they're dating.  She shoots down that idea as well, because if he appa gets close to him, people will still talk since there's so many eyes on him at the Company.  Tae-yang asks if the Chairman has any secrets himself, when Ga-on slams her soup spoon down on the table to get her point across and yells at him to wake up -- the real challenge for his work starts right now.  Tae-yang says that whatever challenge comes his way, he'll gratefully run with it, and goes back to wolfing down his food, still saying that he still wants to formally meet her father... as Ga-on gets that worried look on her face.

[Commercial Break #2]

Back at Mok Yeong Group Headquarters, Our Bachelors are in a conference room with the Contest Team getting ready to sign their contract for the six months' free rent on a veggie store.  Tae-yang thumbprints next to his chop and hands the paperwork back to the Team Leader.  He tells the boys thank you, you're all set, but they will be watched over the six months. If they don't do well during that time, they will have to leave the Store. Tae-yang just stares at the paperwork and tells the Leader that's not going to happen -- within six months, it will become an awesome shop that anyone will approve of.  At that point, an assistant comes in and whispers in the Leader's ear, and he tells Tae-yang that he needs to accompany the Leader somewhere.  Tae-yang looks stunned, but follows the Leader out of the conference room and leaves his hyungs sitting there wondering what's up but passing around the contract to stare at it once more.

Down the hallway from the conference room, the Leader tells Tae-yang that the Hwejangnim (CEO) requested him to come by after the contract signing.  Knowing that the Head Dude is Ga-on's father makes Tae-yang quite nervous, and he flashes back to the dinner when he said it might be time to meet Ga-on's parents and Ga-on kinda freaked out.  Hearing his phone ring snaps him out of his stupor, and when he looks at the screen, it's the Tosa Jung calling him!!  He must have told the Tosa that the Mok Yeong Group was setting up a store for him, because the Tosa repeats that back into the phone at Tae-yang.  Tae-yang was expecting the Tosa to call him about that, but that he's going to have to call him back because he's on his way to see the Chairman at that moment. Tosa says he understands, but come by the Market later because he has something to tell him, and hangs up.  He wonders what that crazy family has in store for Tae-yang.

And then we have Crazy Mom-to-Be sitting out in her Town Car taking a look at the baby book she's started with her ultrasound pictures.  Secretary Yang runs back to the car with an envelope from a registry office.  He hops in (and does he tell her she looks radiant and peaceful because of the baby?  EW.) and she tells him to drive on.

A knock at the Fake Dad's office door, and there is Tae-yang announcing himself with a deep bow.  Fake Dad looks positively pleased to see him.  Fake Dad congratulates him and invites Tae-yang to sit, looking all nervous like he's meeting his future father-in-law or something. Fake Dad tells him that he was pleased to see the crowd reaction to their little sales skit, and it is the sign of a great leader to pull off something like that. Tae-yang (being ever humble) says that it was his team that won the contest, and one of his hyungs was the one to suggest the Snow White bit. Fake Dad insists that his actions there show the sign of a great leader!

Tae-yang thanks him again for giving them the opportunity for making his dream come true, and that they're going to work really hard so that they don't waste such a precious opportunity. It's always been Tae-yang's dream to have his own vegetable store, to which Fake Dad wonders if he's not saying that just because he won the contest.... then Tae-yang must have a lot of interest in vegetables. Then playing Devil's Advocate, Fake Dad asks Tae-yang what if the business doesn't go well, and they have to leave the shop? Tae-yang says pffffft, that's not going to happen, but if it does, he's just going to have to work harder to find another way to open another shop. Fake Dad says if it ever gets to that point, for Tae-yang to come see him. Tae-yang goes DUH?, but Fake Dad says he will find a way to make a position for him at the market they're going to open soon. Tae-yang looks stunned.

We see Crazy Mom-to-Be's car pull up to the front of the Mok Yeong Group, where she gets out and enters the building... at the same time that Fake Dad is walking Tae-yang out to the lobby.  They exchange good-byes and promise to see each other again soon.  All of a sudden, Secretary Yang stops dead in his tracks and points to the mezzanine.  When Crazy Mom asks WTF is wrong, Yang says why is that guy there talking with Fake Dad?!?  Crazy Mom's face goes all blank but she proceeds on anyway.  As Tae-yang runs down the stairs, he gets a call from Woo-bong that distracts him from crossing Crazy Mom's path.  She and Yang get onto the elevator just as the doors close on Tae-yang, still not looking up from his phone while telling Woo-bong that there's no bonus check coming... (hee!)

In Fake Dad's office, Crazy Mom slowly steams as she waits for him to return after walking Tae-yang out.  She says she saw him talking to 'that boy,' and when Fake Dad can't figure out what she's talking about, he wakes up and suddenly tells her that he was the one that won the Survival Challenge.  She starts sputtering that he can't win and Fake Dad needs to cancel him winning the contest. Fake Dad says he can't do that; he likes the boy and wants to see how things work out. Crazy Mom-to-Be says it can't happen, because she knows that boy. Fake Dad wants to know how, but she waves him off with a "you don't need to know right now." Fake Dad tells her to back off because he can't do that on his own without a halfway decent reason. She then offers up her trump card -- that he's the boy that keeps hanging around Ga-on without knowing his position. Fake Dad is all so big freakin' what about them being friends from working at the Market, when Crazy Mom stands up and starts yelling at him to cancel the contract.  She apologizes and blames it on the pregnancy.

Tae-in comes running into their place yelling about hearing that Seul-woo's company went bankrupt, when she runs into Dan-bi entertaining Imo and Second Mom. OOPSIE!! She stops and apologizes for her outburst, and when Dan-bi introduces Imo as Seul-woo's mom, Tae-in gets all flustered and deeply apologizes before running into the kitchen for water. She voiceovers about so what that's Seul-woo's mom out there? His household is completely ruined anyway...

Dan-bi apologises to Imo, and she just waves it off.  Imo engages Second Mom into conversation about how Dan-bi never invited Second Mom over until this day (of all days), and that gives Imo the excuse to tease her a bit.  (I really like Second Mom's new hairdo way more than Seul-woo's new bowl cut.) Second Mom thanks Imo for calling her over, even when she's so upset right now. Imo explains that she had a good reason to call Second Mom over to Dan-bi's because she has something to give to her. Imo suddenly pulls out a ring and passes it over to Second Mom. Dan-bi's late mother was her friend, and she passed that ring on to Imo before she died. Dan-bi's dead mother told Imo to give it to her when she finally got married, but now with jail time hanging over Imo's head, it wouldn't be good to have this in her possession. Imo says she's always thought of Dan-bi as her own daughter, and reminds Dan-bi to be good to her (Second) Mom from now on.

Tae-in overhears all of this and wonders if Seul-woo's heart is breaking too... while Seul-woo is at the front door of Dan-bi's apartment, trying to ring the doorbell but ends up slouching down on the floor instead.

Crazy Mom is pacing awaiting Secretary Yang to arrive with the envelope he attempted to give her a few days prior.  When she opens it and sees that it's Tae-yang, breathlessly saying his name, Secretary Yang asks if she knows the man.  Crazy Mom then flashes back to the time Jin-shim told Crazy Mom that Tae-yang was not a bad boy and he's very remorseful about what happened to the real Ga-on. When she reads the address of his hometown listed on his CV, she's sure it's the same Tae-yang and drops the envelope.  She gets up and almost collapses into Secretary Yang's arms.  Later upstairs in bed resting, she flashes back to the time at the hospital after the real Ga-on died when she told Tae-yang to die himself instead, and the time when she basically killed their grandmother, and thinks...

We're now with our Very Happy Bachelors, as they run through the construction site of their new store yelling and screaming in delight.  They hug together and dance around, with poor Woo-bong being the tallest left out of the circle. (Awwww...) They all pick up an instrument of destruction (drills, sledghammers, etc.), and with a huge AJA AJA AJA, they attack the front wall to take it down.  All the hyungs are having a rough time of it, when Scruffy Guy comes up and with one big swing of his sledgehammer, takes it down in one shot.  The boys are really impressed and start feeling his arms for muscles!!  They then have to haul the debris away, as we see Tae-yang drop a big chunk of concrete on his foot and Woo-bong strains something picking up a refuse bag.  Wussies!

Later that night, Ga-on is on the phone with Tae-yang as she walks home as he tells her about his day, and she asks what he's going to do about acquiring the produce for his new store since he's banned from the Market by the Tosa. Tae-yang says he'll just have to find a way to get into the auction area, because no matter what, he still has to deal with them to get his products. They banter for a bit, when she reaches the door of her house and he orders her to go inside because it's cold. He tells her he misses her, and she tells him she misses him too and they need to hang up... but instead play the old "you hang up first -- no, you hang up first" routine. Sigh...

Crazy Mom is there waiting for Ga-on to return, when she flashes back to Ga-on telling her that he's just someone that she works with, and confirms that Ga-on was lying to her the entire time.  When Ga-on announces that she's home, Crazy Mom turns her head and yells at her "why did you not tell me that you were meeting Han Tae-yang, that bastard?!?"  Ga-on goes all white... and we end Episode 12!

PREVIEW:  Seul-woo meeting up with Ga-on again.  Tae-yang back at the Market, where the Tosa returns the keys to his truck to Tae-yang and apologizes.  Tae-yang driving the truck to the new store, where Ga-on meets him and tells him... freeze frame!  ARRRRRGH!!

Couldn't figure out what to put for the Teaser Picture, since there were soooo many good shots in this Episode 12. But I think my favorite was that few seconds before the Fresh Men realized... aw, I'm not gonna spoil it for those who haven't watched. And don't you agree that those uniforms need just a bit MORE FLAIR on them? LOL LOL LOL!! ::snort::

January 26, 2012

EPISODE 12 RECAP, Part 1:

We're back, basically repeating the last three minutes of Episode 11 -- the hyungs are at the Supreme Challenge staging area where they've received their cart full of apple crates.  The boys look at all their apples, and note that most of them are either spoiled or blemished.  Woo-bong calls over the lady assistant to tell her there must have been some mistake, but she tells them too bad, so sad, there is no mistake.  When Tae-yang told Fake Dad that he would accept a penalty in one of the rounds if he let the Fresh Men enter the contest, this round turns out to be the penalty one after all.  Tae-yang says he understands -- they will accept these apples, with the other boys going HYUNG!!

Scruffy Guy takes one of the apples out of the box and chomps down on it, as Chan-sol asks him what the hell he's doing!  Tae-yang then grabs an apple himself, and when Woo-bong protests to him, Tae-yang just shoves the apple in his mouth instead.  Tae-yang asks him isn't it good, to which Woo-bong has to agree.  He then pushes what's left of the apple into Chan-sol's mouth to shut him up.  Tae-yang just stands there thinking (and watching this scene with JCW wrapped in a head scarf, he sure looks a lot like Baek Dong Soo at that moment... )

The teams are then bussed to an area where the carts of apples are waiting.  In matching jackets, the boys are the last ones off the bus, and Woo-bong asks where are they?  Chan-sol says that they're in Hongdae (the entertainment area of Seoul where a lot of students hang out), and Woo-bong mentions so this is Hongdae -- he's never been here before.  Chan-sol is still complaining that his face only sells to ahjummas, not young girls.  Woo-bong says he has a hard time even talking to girls... as Tae-yang says that all ahjummas were once young girls and not to worry.

The leader of the Supreme Challenge pulls out a bullhorn and tells the teams the premise of their next challenge -- sell all the apples by any means necessary by a certain amount of time and they can walk anywhere they want around the Hongdae area, but they must return by 6:00 PM or be disqualified.  Also, they are going to be watched by members of the Challenge Team, and if they are caught breaking the rules, they will be disqualified on the spot!  Tae-yang asks Chan-sol if there is a 'best spot' in Hongdae, and when Chan-sol says to follow him because he knows Hongdae like the back of his hand, Tae-yang grabs him in a big hug and an OKAY!!  Ho-jae says the Pretty Boy is finally becoming useful!  ::snort::

Just then, a taxi pulls up and a shadowy figure in sunglasses gets out.  It's Chan-sol's sister Jung-ah, there to help I'm guessing...

The teams lined up waiting for the signal -- the whistle blows, and everyone is off and running!  Our Bachelors push out from the middle of the pack towards their destination.

Back at the coffeehouse where we left Seul-woo and Ga-on talking, Seul-woo is still going on about hesitating to even call her in the first place and not having her see him this way, but he really needs her help.  Eventually he gets around to his point -- please have her arrange to meet Ga-on's father.

Our Boys finally arrive at the best spot Chan-sol suggested in Hongdae where they're going to sell their apples.  When a rival team sets down their own cart right across from them, the boys protest as the other team tells them they're within their rights to sell where they want to -- nothing in the rules say that they can't (boo free enterprise system!!).  Tae-yang stands there thinking, but catches the label affixed to the side of one of the crates of apples.  He suddenly goes over and tells the Rival Team to BRING IT!

When Woo-bong says that capitulating to the Rival Team is basically the same as suicide, Tae-yang explains to the hyungs that there's something special about the apples they were given.  They're from Kang Ki Tae, and the rumour is that anyone who knows that their product is from that Orchard, they'll buy them sight unseen.  Tae-yang still thinks it's strange that their team would receive such a special apple, when Chan-sol says that it would have been a waste to just throw them away.  BINGO!

Tae-yang waxes poetic about the Orchard the apples came from was the one that was hit hard by a hurricane over the past summer. These are special apples that the Contest Organizers must have chosen for them to sell to test their marketing abilities -- yeah, they may be ugly, but when they bit into one back in the Conference Room, it still tasted great! They just need to figure out how to tell their customers that very thing...

At Mok Yeong Group, Ga-on is there to see Fake Dad.  She apologizes for dropping in like that without calling first, but formalities aside, he's happy to see her.  But she's not really there to see him, as Ga-on beckons Seul-woo into Fake Dad's office.  He enters and respectfully bows to him and introduces himself.  Fake Dad is wondering why he's there...

Back in Hongdae, the Apple Sell-Off begins!  Our boys on the left side of the street, and the Rival Team on the right.  Oh lookie there, the Rival Team has just sold their first apple... and their second... when our boys haven't sold a single one.  Then Jung-ah sneaks up and buys an apple from Chan-sol... when Chan-sol pulls her hood down to see it's his sister!!  He pushes the money back into her hand and tells her not to do that or else they're going to get disqualified and pushes her over to the Rival Team, who takes the money out of her hand and replaces it with an apple.  Rival Team is ahead by a long shot now.

Back at Fake Dad's office, Seul-woo is asked the reason why he is there.  Seul-woo explains that he's there at Mok Yeong Group without his mother knowing and hopefully she will never know.  He asks appa to help keep his mom away from jail, which shocks Ga-on and Fake Dad.  Seul-woo goes on to ask for the loan of one of its best attorneys to help their situation.  It doesn't sound like Fake Dad is wanting to help out the Seul-woo Group, and basically dismisses him... until Seul-woo falls down on his knees for reconsideration to help save his mother.  He doesn't know what to do to help his mother out of this mess, so this is the only way he can think of right now... pride be damned.  Fake Dad looks over at Ga-on, who attempts to help him up off the floor.  Fake Dad then says he will take this all under advisement, and see if there is a way to help.  Seul-woo and Ga-on thank him and leave.

Back again to Hongdae, where Our Boys are not doing well with their apple sellings.  The Rival Team is still servicing to the crowd standing around them, and suddenly they are down to their last carton!  The hyungs stand around all dejected and trying to figure out how to unload their apples, when Tae-yang tells them AJA AJA AJA and not to worry, that there will be a miracle.  Ho-jae says that normal marketing of their apples won't work; they need some trick to disguise the apples or something.  Tae-yang thinks for a bit, and says that they have to make their customers see only THEIR apples and not anyone else's for sale.  Tae-yang then suddenly grabs Chan-sol and says he's perfect for what Tae-yang has in mind.  As Scruffy Guy and Chan-sol then take off running, Our Boys are still trying to unload their apples... as we see Chan-sol and Scruffy Guy running back to the apple spot with suitcases in their hands.

Back at Mok Yeong Group, Ga-on and Seul-woo are leaving Fake Dad's office.  Seul-woo is convinced that he's basically poison now, and that no one can ever be by his side because of the corporation failing.  They converse on the elevator ride down, as Ga-on says that the 'old her' would have just passed him on by.  But because it's his mother, so feels compelled to help and how they'd do anything for them... and that his mom had told Seul-woo that he and Ga-on were very alike be a good wife for him?)  Ga-on sends him off with an 'it's gonna be okay' and tells him to keep his chin up.  Seul-woo wanders off, thinking "chingu?"

We're back in Hongdae again, where... HOLY CRAP THEY'RE DRESSED IN COSTUMES AND DOING THE SHUFFLE DANCE!!!  (And I have just wet my pants from laughing so hard!!)  A crowd swarms around them (I think I see some familiar faces from the JCW DayRock Fan Cafe there!!) as Our Boys do a quite respectable job of dancing and getting the crowd worked up (Sung Ha really busting a move himself!!).  Suddenly, they stop and Woo-bong comes out with a title card that says "Our Show -- Snow White."  We then see a figure all dressed in black come up to Chan-sol (dressed as Snow White) selling apples.  When Snow White tells the figure that the apples it has brought are too ugly to eat, the black figure throws off the cape and it is... Tae-yang dressed as the Evil Queen!  (And huge screams from the crowd!!)  Commence scenery-chewing.... now!  (Dammit!!  I would have paid good money to see JCW dancing!!!)

With a large group of schoolgirls in the front row (LUCKY GIRLS!!), the Evil Queen tells Snow White how manner-less she is -- because she only picks perfect apples that turn out to be poisoned... YOU BEEYOTCH!  Evil Queen starts explaining the special way their ugly apples have been picked and presented for sale. Tae-yang explains that why do people buy watermelons with the tail still on -- do they think it's the freshest because of that? Crowd says NOOOO!! (I'm just staring at Changwook-ssi doing his best girlie impression -- gah, his guyliner is PERFECT!!)  The Rival Team is looking over at them with disgust in their eyes.  The boys finish up their little play, introduce themselves as The Fresh Men and say they've got ugly organic apples to sell, as the crowd swarms around them and throws $1,000 won ($1.00 USD) bills at them.  Looking on from a distance are the Challenge Team Leaders, who are taking notes and smiling.

The hyungs need to return to the meeting point by 6:00 PM, and as the other teams have already arrived, we see the boys hustle butt up the street with their cart and boxes.  Woo-bong asks one of the leaders how heavy the other carts are.  As the leaders walk away with the teams' paperwork, the Rival Team's head comes over to remind Tae-yang about the side bet they made before the competition started.  Tae-yang (still in costume, mind you) reports back that he sure as hell hasn't... and they have a stare-off right in the middle of the street.

We return to Courtyard by Crazyhouse, where Fake Dad returns home and Crazy Mom greets him, to which he gets all super-attentive and rushes her to the couch to sit ('cause she's all pregnant and delicate and stuff).  They talk for a bit on how this is going to affect Ga-on in the long run, and how Crazy Mom-to-Be felt bad about when she was pregnant with (the real) Ga-on, how she cried all the time.  Next at dinner, there's a nice spread set out for those two.  Fake Dad asks if there's any chance that she might be dating.  Crazy Mom-to-Be tells him there's no freakin' way that she would be dating, because she can only date men that Crazy Mom-to-Be chooses for her.  Fake Dad says whatever man Ga-on chooses will be a good man, and tells her to stop getting all worked up, just drop it and eat.

[Commercial Break #1]

Our Bachelors are back at the pochmajang where they got drunker-than-drunk, actually having a meal with their drinks.  And they're still in full makeup from the Snow White scene -- HOW PRECIOUS!!!  Tae-yang wonders how Woo-bong could possibly be a dwarf with his height, when he says that hey, he used to be short... when he was little!  Tae-yang suggests a toast amongst the hyungs for all their hard work, and they all raise their glasses in a loud HWAITING!!... except for Scruffy Guy, who puts his down and gets up to walk away.  When Woo-bong asks where he's going, Chan-sol says he's Robin Hood and he's going to disappear again.  Tae-yang gets up and drags Scruffy Guy back down into his seat.  Tae-yang then pulls out his wallet like he's going to pay Scruffy Guy for his bus fare, when Woo-bong says that nope, he's got it covered and to put your wallet away.

Instead of money, Tae-yang pulls out one of the cards he received when he won that small prize in Episode 5 (after the night of drinking and they woke up on the ground in front of the 7-11) and puts it in front of Scruffy Guy.  Then how cute is it that the other boys all pull out their cards as well... except for Chan-sol, who claims he doesn't have it on himself.  Tae-yang gets up as Woo-bong and Ho-jae grab Chan-sol, and Tae-yang frisks the poor boy to find the card in his wallet after all (he was just too embarrassed to say so).  Scruffy Guy is watching all of this with a curious eye.  They all place their respective cards in the middle of the table, and Tae-yang nudges Scruffy Guy to do the same, which he does.  Tae-yang exclaims that now Scruffy Guy is one of them, and raises his glass for another toast!  HWAITING!!!  And Scruffy Guy finally joins in with a drink (but still not saying anything).  Tae-yang picks up his chopsticks and bangs them on the table to lead Our Hotties in the Chonggakne Yacheagage March again, as we pan away from the pojangmacha with them not having a care in the world.

Back at the Market, the two Goofy Guys are watching a fan-cam video on the Internet Tubes.  Who else, but our Intrepid Bachelors dancing and hooting up a storm in Hongdae.  They converse for a bit about what might happen to the Market if the Mok Yeong Group ends up taking all their business away when their new venture opens, with Ga-on hanging back and giggling over their comments.  When Tae-yang's face as the Evil Queen comes up on screen, she pushes the two Goofy Guys aside to watch with the biggest poop-eating grin on her face.  The two guys just stare at her, when she realizes what she's done... but just doesn't care and continues to watch anyway.

Watching on an iPad is Fake Dad, who says "ah, that's Ga-on's chingu" as he's watching him cavort around as the Evil Queen.  He flashes back to the time at the registration for the Supreme Challenge, where Tae-yang told him he was making a big mistake by not seeing his product and passion, and that he'll take a penalty if the hyungs are allowed to compete.  Fake Dad says that Tae-yang is definitely not an average guy...

Back at the Survival Challenge HQ, the teams are milling around waiting for the results of the second round to arrive.  Woo-bong wonders why it's taking so long, when Ho-jae tells them they've only sold 264 apples.  Tae-yang just tells them all he's proud of them, and if they don't make it through, to hold their heads up and smile as they leave the room.  Then the Contest Leader arrives and takes the podium.  He speechifies a bit, as Our Boys all hold up each other for strength.  And the banner is unfurled... but our boys didn't win -- the jerks on the Rival Team win, but by only selling 23 more apples than Our Heroes!  Tae-yang tells the dejected boys oh well, they tried.

BUT WAIT, there's more!  The Contest Leader says that he's not done yet... that he has something else to say for the final result because of the 80%/20% balancing... and the boys wait to hear what it is...

Ga-on is pacing nervously in the Market Office waiting for the results as well.  She gets impatient and picks up the phone to call and find out rom the Event Team, but when the person on the other end can't tell her the results, she thinks about pulling rank to drag it out of her.  She thinks better and hangs up the phone instead, and resumes pacing again as the two Goofy Guys order her to leave if she's gonna be like that.  When she refuses, they more emphatically tell her to LEAVE and she goes out onto the floor to resume working.  The Goofy Guys laugh over the fact that they know she's dating and things at the office are much more relaxed now.

Back at the Contest Results Centre, the results the Leader actually unfurled were only the ones who sold the most apples, and the REAL winner was yet yet to be announced!  (Ooooh, BURN!)  The Leader looks at Our Boys, and then tells everyone that because of their unique marketing skills with the skit and the special way they came up with to promote the apples... that the Chonggakne Yachaegage Team gathered the most points overall and is the GRAND PRIZE WINNER!!  Our Fresh Men stand there for a second or two, and then it sinks in that THEY WON!!  (Of course they would -- we wouldn't have a a show if they didn't!)  They all jump around and start crying, when Ho-jae in his exuberance jumps over to the Rival Team and hugs them as well.  (LOL!!)  As they all dance around, Tae-yang catches the sight of Chan-sol standing off to the side soaking it all in.  When he asks Chan-sol if he's okay, he says that he's so proud that he's part of the hyungs, and when Tae-yang says that he knew Chan-sol had it in himself to be an integral part of the group, Chan-sol starts crying in Tae-yang's arms.  Awwww, he truly is the maknae of the group, ne?

And now I need to wipe up a bucket of tears from that last scene myself.  See you in Part 2!

January 25, 2012

EPISODE 11 RECAP, Part 2:

Our Lunchbox Couple finally arrive at their destination -- the church in the town where they both grew up.  (A ha!  It must be the 15th of the month again!)  Ga-on is stunned to see it after all these years, but slowly follows Tae-yang inside.  Of course, hanging on the wall are the two signs they made for selling their vegetables.  He explains that there's something important to tell Ga-on about, and that his friend Jin-shim made the other sign to help him out.  Ga-on stammers out if that is so, as Tae-yang caresses the two signs.  Tae-yang explains how Jin-shim was his best friend and his first love.  It wasn't until now that he could even think about loving another woman... until Ga-on came into his life.  Tae-yang sits and turns the card over to write the date on the back as usual, as Ga-on does the same and starts tearing up.

Finally Tae-yang catches a clue and asks if the baring of his soul is embarrassing her too much, but she shakes her head no and says it sounds like exactly something that Tae-yang would do.  Tae-yang goes on to both apologize and tell Jin-shim that he likes another woman now and he can't keep his promise, while Ga-on sits silently weeping.  When she asks why he wanted to bring her there, he explains that Ga-on is a special person in his life now, but he wants her permission to return here on the 15th of every month.  She suddenly decides to get up and leave the rectory on the premise that she can't handle the jealousy, she runs outside and dissolves into sobs (as do I as well) next to the kimchi pots.

Still inside, Tae-yang apologizes over and over to Jin-shim and sits there with tears running down his cheeks.  But then we see the bus pulling away from the village to return to Seoul  He attempts to take her hand, but she pulls it away much to his discomfort... only to replace it in a different position which makes him happy and smile again.  (Another song is playing in the background with a female singer, which I'm going to assume will be OST Part e when that gets released next week.)

Back at Mok Yeong Group HQ, the assistants are all going through the presentations and recipes sent in response to the contest.  As the lady assistant (the one who was giving Woo-bong a hard time about being late) walks off with a stack of submissions, she suddenly stops and grabs a water sprayer to give Our Bachelors' sprouts a spritzing.  She flashes back to Woo-bong explaining that they need to stay moist and shows her the little cartoon that shows the watering instructions ("We don't want to die!  Please keep us watered to make tasty Green Tea Sprouts!")  Woo-bong shoves the container into her hands, and he runs off leaving her there smiling.   But everyone else that works in the office has the same idea, so the sprouts are getting extra severe watering sessions.  (That may be a plot point later, so I hope you're taking notes.)

We then see Crazy Mom sitting at her OB/GYN Office waiting for something or someone with a smirky grin on her face.  Secretary Yang then runs up with a bag, where he pulls out a pair of walking shoes.  Crazy Mom takes off her kill-hell boots, as Yang helps her and asks why she needed (low?) shoes.  She barks at him to not ask so many questions.  Later on, she's pacing in front of the (fake) windows holding her belly and flashing back to the moment the doctor congratulated her on being pregnant.  (OH CRAP AGAIN!!!)  Sounds like she's only two weeks along, but that still brings tears to Crazy Mom's eyes.

She clasps her hands together to pray to protect her and the baby, that maybe she can forgive Jin-shim now, and then flashes back to all the stuff she did to Jin-shim to turn her into Ga-on, and maybe she can be free of that sin once she has a blood baby with Fake Dad.  Fake Dad runs in after he's heard the good news and asks if it's really true and tells her thanks.  Crazy Mom asks if he's not embarrassed to have a baby at his "advanced age," and he says he feels he's been reborn.

Seul-woo still has that chip on his shoulder while he's yelling at their lawyer (the best that their money could buy!) over why he can't help his mom out of her tax evasion situation.  When he disses his mom because there's no way they can afford the interest and penalties (not to mention the snowball effect this is going to have on the other tax evasion stunts), Seul-woo grabs him by the collar and pulls him out of his chair so hard it almost makes his glasses fly off his head.  He then runs off to the tax office, but finds it closed. Seul-woo must have done some investigation of his own, because we see him leaving the City Hall with a stack of papers.  Later we see him sitting on a concrete bench contemplating the events and calling himself a worthless bastard.

Back at the Contest Headquarters, the workers pull off the lid to the sprouts container, and everyone has a taste.  And another taste.  And yet another taste...

The hyungs are back at the gosiwon, attempting to get online to find out if they've made the first cut, but are running up against a blocked screen.  Finally, Ho-jae works his computer magic and he reads the names of the teams that made it ("Go-Go," "I'm A Winner," "Infinite Challenge" [LOL!!!] "Survivor" [LOL again!!], "Sea of Scallions," "Ooh-La-La?"  Yeesh.) ... and at the end... are The Fresh Men!  They made it to the second round!!  Much dancing and rejoicing abounds!!  Ga-on is also reading the finalist list as well, and smiles big time that she knew Tae-yang would succeed.  But then she voiceovers to wondering if Crazy Mom will find out that he's finalist, but her fears shouldn't get in the way of his dreams.  Goofy Guy #2 answers the phone, and stands up to receive an order.  He then turns to Ga-on and tells her that the Tosa Jung wants to see her?  Her?

[Commercial Break #2, and they run the Micky Yoochun ramyun commercial again... where the theme music is a cover of the Blink "Kiss Me" song that played earlier in the Pool Hall Scene.  And yes, my brain has just exploded again...]

In the Tosa Jung's office, where he waves her in to sit down and peppers her with questions about how she came to work there.  Ga-on does say that she came to the Market not because she is Mok In Beom's daughter, but to learn for herself the business on her own accord.  Then Tosa asks her why her parents are so inquiring about that Han Tae-yang person.  When Ga-on says that she doesn't understand...  oh poopie, he's just spilled the beans about Crazy Mom trying to drive Tae-yang out of the Market by taking the truck away from him and banning him from the Market.   Tosa asks what exactly is the relationship between her and Tae-yang, as she apologizes and says she needs to leave, Tosa throws out a "how well do you know your mother" at her, to which Ga-on answers to leave Tae-yang out of this... as the Tosa asks her even to the extent of seeing Tae-yang permanently banned from the Market?  Ga-on says... yes.  This situation will not be a bother to the Tosa again.  She then bows and leaves, as Tosa flashes back to Crazy Mom telling him to get rid of Tae-yang... and pay more attention to his own wife.  Tosa wonders what the heck she meant by that?

On the bus ride home, Ga-on is wondering what to do now -- maybe she should have just passed him by, and mulling over the Tosa's words in finding out her mom was trying to get rid of Tae-yang.  When she returns home, Crazy Mom is there to greet her rather overly, I might add.  Ga-on tells her that she really needs to talk to her about something, when Crazy Mom says she needs to talk to Ga-on too.  They enter the living room to see Fake Dad already there on the couch.  As Crazy Mom cannot stifle her giggles, she tells Fake Dad to say something, but he defers as Crazy Mom says that Ga-on is going to have a dongsaeng soon... and when Ga-on says what, Crazy Mom says that she's pregnant.  Ga-on is mortified, and then Fake Dad asks if she's deserving of congratulations and Ga-on finally stammering out a chugha hayeo to Crazy Mom-to-Be.

Fake Dad tries to apologize to Ga-on, saying he's sorry she's not going to be the only child in the house anymore.  (Does anyone else think it's stupid to have children 25 years apart like I do?)  When Ga-on places her teacup a little too forcefully upon its saucer, Fake Dad asks if there's anything wrong and not to worry.  She says nope, nothing wrong with having a sibling.  Fake Dad and Crazy Mom yammer back and forth a bit longer about whether or not a boy or girl is more preferred, while Ga-on just sits there are stares at them and conveniently forgets what she wanted to talk to Crazy Mom-to-Be about...

Later at the Contest Heaqdquarters, The Fresh Men check in with the strangest looking team uniforms I have seen on a bunch of guys in forever!!  They are given a basket to check their cell phones, as the boys worry about the task ahead of them.  Woo-bong seems particularly worried, as Tae-yang gives him a HYUNG! and reminds them to focus because THEY'RE THE BEST!!  Tae-yang wants the boys to join him in a big cheer before they head out, so they put out one... two... three... four... FIVE HANDS?  It's Scruffy Guy there to help, which pleases Tae-yang to no end, and with a FIGHTING!!, they're off to their assignments.

Inside the Contest Room, one of the assistants explains the rules of the first assignment is to test them on their selling skills, as the assistants rolls out carts of cases of what looks like apples and parks one cart in front of each team.  Tae-yang smiles big time (and tells his halmoni that he's made it there).  They will get 300 apples to be sold at $1.00 each, and depending on how many they sell within the time that they've been given (with 80% of the total score based on the number of apples, and the other 20% of the total score on the amount of publicity given to the Mok Yeong Group), will determine the winner of the Survival Challenge.

But there are two instructions to follow:  First, you cannot sell more than one apple to a person at a time, as we see Woo-bong passing off a case of apples to Ho-jae.  That's an immediate disqualification -- OUT!  Next we see Chan-sol on his phone ordering a relative to come over and buy up all their apples (and that's why they took their cell phones).  Nope, that's another immediate disqualification -- OUT!!

The hyungs are concerned that they need to sell to 300 customers now, and since Scruffy Guy is not a professional businessman, the other three turn to Scruffy Guy to ask if he would join another team, and as Scruffy Guy glares back at them, they shuffle back in line still scared of him.  Scruffy Guy looks over at Tae-yang, and...

At a local coffeeshop (it's the same one that Tae-yang sang Happy Birthday to Ga-on), Seul-woo is looking miserable when Ga-on comes in and sits across from him.  Seul-woo tells her thanks for coming to meet him, and she's wondering what's wrong with him and asks how his mother is after her fainting spell the other day.  He says she's physically fine, but he apologizes for even thinking about calling her at a time like this.  Seul-woo basically spills his guts to her, and asks for her help.  Ga-on asks with what?

The Boys open their cases of apples, to find out that most of them are rotten and spoiled.  Woo-bong and Chan-sol call the examiner over to complain, and she tells them that they received some ugly apples as a penalty for being late to the registration!  Tae-yang turns around with a WTF?!? look on his face... because he was the one that told Fake Dad that he'll take a penalty on the second challenge if he would allow them into the contest.  And there we end Episode 11!

PREVIEW:  As what I'm going to call the "Chonggakne Yachaegage March" plays in the background, the teams race through the streets with their carts of apples in the rain.  Secretary Yang finally brings the envelope that contains Tae-yang's investigative report to Crazy Mom and she sees his name on his CV and mutters Tae-yang-ni?  Seul-woo is at Mok Yeong Group's headquarters, getting on his knees to ask a favor from Fake Dad.  Tae-yang and Ga-on hug and twirl around the Market.  Crazy Mom yells and accuses Ga-on of meeting Tae-yang and not telling her.  Tae-yang tries to figure out what to do with the apples.

Well, it looks like Our Hotties are on their way to bigger and better things, especially now that Sung Ha is playing a more prominent role. And Episode 12 is gonna be a doozy, so see you all here tomorrow -- remember to eat all your vegetables!!

January 25, 2012

EPISODE 11 RECAP, Part 1:

We begin by watching Our Boys watching the Professor and his assistant water the tea sprouts. They drop their watering buckets and hustle over to the girl (who was sleeping under the plastic tarp), wanting to know why she put them through getting the well water when they have water already available? The girl says she needed that water just in case her father couldn't get the taps working again -- Plan B! Tae-yang asks the girl if the gentleman is her appa, to which she nods in the affirmative. Tae-yang introduces themselves and humbly asks for his assistance, and he has the reputation of being the Sprout King (for lack of a better term). The ajusshi watering the sprouts then turns to and asks her what is up with these boys... SUNSENGNIM? She's the Professor Kim Yoon-soo! The other hyungs all go ape thinking they've been duped, as Ho-jae is fuming (a GIRL that's smarter than him?!? HA.).

Back at the Seul-woo Fitness Centre, we see Tae-in picking up used towels and water bottles, while Seul-woo is on the fly press machine, working out. Seul-woo tells her she doesn't have to do that, to which she says that she doesn't mind because she's basically getting free room and board at Dan-bi's (and to make Tae-in look good in Seul-woo's eyes as well). She asks Seul-woo if he might want some lunch; she'll bring something back to the fitness centre. He says he's brought his lunch already, as she says that she has things she wants to ask him. Tae-in wanders over to a local conbini for sushi (while checking herself out in the mirror, of course).

Arriving back at the Fitness Centre, Tae-in runs into a guy who yells out to her. Uh oh... looks like we've got an old (or even possibly current) boyfriend to deal with now. They bicker for awhile, as Seul-woo overhears a few steps away. Old Boyfriend is not happy to be tossed aside and grabs Tae-in as she attempts to walk away. Tae-in reminds him why she left, as he raises his arm to strike her. Tae-in says something to the effect of "that's your way of solving everything?" With Old Boyfriend's arm still up, Seul-woo comes over and pulls it behind his back.

Old Boyfriend asks who the hell he is, and Seul-woo answers that this is his business -- the Seul-woo Sports Centre. Old Boyfriend comes out and accuses Tae-in of going after the rich guys now (or has already been after rich guys -- truth in advertising, at least). To make his point that Tae-in is his chingu now, Seul-woo comes over and puts his arm around her (geez, he's a tall one or she's really short), basically dismissing the interloper. Old Boyrfriend gets pissed and takes a swing at Seul-woo... which he takes down in one quick movement.

Back at the greenhouse, Our Boys are attempting to make sense out of the situation by asking tons of questions of the Professor Kim Yoon-soo. Ho-jae is still incredulous, and Chan-sol is not happy to be put through all that watering stuff to raise his own fist against her. Yoon-soo says that she must have received over 100 e-mails asking about her sprouts (as Ho-jae looks rather sheepish being found out), as Woo-bong asks if she ever responded to them. She says PFFFFT! because she doesn't have that kind of time, but that the boys were the only ones that actually came out to see her. Tae-yang then turns on the charm to ask her if there is anything she can share with just the Fresh Men because they came all the way out there and helped work hard. She thinks about it for a second, and says... just give up. You guys can't do it. LOL!!

Again to the Fitness Centre! Tae-in is following after Seul-woo, thanking him for his help. Seul-woo turns and demands that Tae-in tell him the truth -- was she really scammed out of her old living quarters. When Tae-in turns it back on him, saying that he can't trust her, when Seul-woo asks if that was all part of her plan -- her getting close to Dan-bi to get closer to Seul-woo. At first she says no... but then changes that to a yes. She doesn't know any other way than to lie in order to make a person she likes to like her back, giving up the example of her being adopted twice and given up twice. She missed Tae-yang and even as he took care of her growing up, he still remained honest and amazing. Seul-woo says that her amazing brother needs to come and get her out of Dan-bi's place now. As he offers up his phone to have her call Tae-yang, she says that her brother doesn't have the ability to take care of her now because his truck has been repossessed. So let's let this all be a secret, ne?

Dan-bi comes out of the Fitness Centre locker room and sees all this going on. When she comes over to ask what's up, we see a huge poster of the cover of Men's Health Korea that Kim Young Kwang graced back in 2010. LOL!!! When Dan-bi tells Tae-in they need to speak in private, Tae-in excuses herself. Dan-bi wants to know what happened to the Fitness Centre -- she's heard it's been sold to another owner! Seul-woo thinks that his mom probably sold it to buy some more land, but Dan-bi orders him to go find out what exactly happened... and let's go get some lunch. Hunh?

At the Greenhouse again, Tae-yang asks Yoon-soo why her idea won't work/won't help them. What she says kinda makes sense to Woo-bong (being the resident farmer that he is). BTW, while all this is going on, Scruffy Guy just looks on and doesn't say anything. Anyway, she's not in the mood to deal with them anymore, and sticks her tongue out at them as she leaves the greenhouse. Tae-yang then asks Woo-bong hyung for his farming help...

Back at Dan-bi's house, we see her sitting in Buddah Pose, while Tae-in lazily daydreams in a side chair. Dan-bi asks her if she's in a funk because of her oppa, which makes Tae-in startled for a nanosecond... but she then recovers and tells Dan-bi that yeah, she's worried. Dan-bi tells her that if there is anything she can help with, to let her know... when Tae-in says that her brother did have a message for her. Dan-bi visibly brightens up, when Tae-in says that he said for Dan-bi to not worry about him anymore. Ooooh, burn!

Back to the gosiwon with Our Bachelors, bearing a bag of unsprouted mung beans with them. When Ho-jae asks if they have enough time before the deadline to submit their project to experiment, Tae-yang says they'll just have to try. Chan-sol turns around and sees that Scruffy Guy is not with the group anymore and has disappeared. Tae-yang says to let him be -- he's just like Hong Gil Dong (the Korean equivalent of Robin Hood). ::snort::

Next we see a montage of The Boys measuring, weighing, steeping, soaking, and finally setting aside a container covered with newspaper -- all under the direction of Woo-bong (apparently he's done this before). Tae-yang is amazed about Woo-bong's knowledge about sprouting vegetables and tells him he's daebak!, which he waves off with an "aw shucks" to his hyungs. Chan-sol still isn't convinced it's going to work, as he attempts to lift off the newspaper cover and gets threatened for it. God only knows how long later, they're still sitting there -- Tae-yang reading a marketing book, Chan-sol and Ho-jae chatting in the corner, and Woo-bong now trying to lift up the newspaper cover. Tae-yang slaps his hand away --

(As an aside, while the montage is unfolding, in the background we hear the real Theme Song to the "Chonggakne Yachaegage" musical that 's been steadily running in Korea for the past few years... but instead of the regular Musical Cast, it's being sung by Our Bachelors -- because I can pick out Changwoo-ssi's singing voice in the middle of a snowstorm, if need be.).

But I digress. We now see Crazy Mom in her bedroom which now looks like a drugstore, filling syringes from various vials of hormones and fertility drugs. She flashes back to the last time she was at the OB/GYN, who told her that she won't increase the dosage because she's showing signs of contraindications. She basically tells the air in the room that she doesn't care -- she will have Fake Dad's real baby by any means possible and not be removed from "her position" at Mok Yeong Group.

In the next scene, we see Seul-woo running for the elevators at his Mom's corporate headquarters. When one doesn't arrive in time, he heads to the stairs and starts running up. Inside Imo's office are people taking books and other possessions and placing them into boxes -- oh crap!! It's the Korean equivalent of the Internal Revenue Service -- Seul-woo Enterprises is under investigation for tax fraud!! He yells at the people leaving, and then tries to get an answer out of Imo's assistant by shaking him, as we pan over to Imo sitting on the couch crying.

It's now the Big Day of the Survival Challenge, as a conference room is being set up accordingly. The organizers sit at the check-in table, and as the doors to the elevators open, a huge rush of people spill out and start waiting in line to register. An assistant pulls a cord which unfurls a banner that says the contest is now open!!

Back at the gosiwon, Our Boys are sitting around the newspaper-covered container, hands clasped all praying for something to happen. Another montage at the contest registration desk, with the clock saying 9:00 AM... Lots of filing and pushing of papers by the registrants... and then back at Tae-yang's, they finally pull the newspaper off a corner of the container. They look dejected at first, because it looks like nothing had sprouted to the point they could be used. But then Tae-yang points at the container-- we have sprouts, baby!! They celebrate like there's no tomorrow... and then Tae-yang just happens to look at the clock.

We see our hyungs running down the street with Woo-bong carrying the container in his hands. They are so woefully behind, as Woo-bong gets an idea, hands the container to Tae-yang, and takes off running like a marathoner!! (This is where his 'Running Man' training comes in handy, ne?) Woo-bong gets to the registration table just as they're taking away the paperwork, and grabs the entry bin out of the assistant's hands. They fight over the box for a bit, as Ho-jae then arrives and pleads with them not to close the contest.

Tae-yang finally gets there with the sprouts in hand and runs up to the table, where the contest organizers still say they're too late to enter. The assistants start walking away, as Tae-yang sticks his arms out to stop them and says they will lie there on the ground until their entry can be accepted -- and they do that very thing!! As one of the assistants goes to the phone to call security, she quickly hangs up and then we see Fake Dad walking down the hall with his entourage.

As his assistants run over to pick the hyungs up off the floor, Fake Dad asks what the hell is going on. One of the assistants blurts out that they tried to enter their project after the deadline but now they're on the floor throwing a tantrum. Fake Dad addresses Tae-yang (and I see a slight glimmer of recognition in Fake Dad's eyes) and tells him that he's too late and act with some common sense, but Tae-yang (being Tae-yang) tells him he doesn't agree because of a stupid rule and his company should give him the chance to show his spirit and passion. Tae-yang further adds that if the Fresh Men are let inot the contest, then they will take a penalty in the second round of the competition. Fake Dad looks at his watch, states that *his* watch says it's still 9:00 AM, and tells the contest assistants to let Tae-yang enter the contest after all. They all bow deeply as Fake Dad leaves the room.

Back at Seul-woo Enterprises, he is going over the paperwork and asks how the failure happened. Imo and her assistant just sit there, saying nothing. Seul-woo attempts to get some sort of answer out of them by yelling instead. The assistant attempts to explain that it was all his fault, but Imo cuts him off and tells him to leave so she can talk to Seul-woo alone. She attempts to explain that it's all her fault she fudged on the taxes, because everyone else was doing it, so she thought it was okay. She tries to tell him not to worry, but he can only respond by yelling back at her that she might have to go to jail. Imo attempts to make him feel better by trying to send him off to his uncle in America in order for him to not see her be humiliated by society. When Seul-woo accuses her of making him feel like he's such a no-good son by running away and hiding, Imo just doesn't want him to be dragged through the same mud that she's getting ready to be dragged through and get hurt. With tears running down his cheeks, Seul-woo insists that no one will ever hurt his mother, and to stop saying things that break his heart.

[Commercial Break #1 -- and in one of the commercials for the Hanhwa Energy Company, we see the Young Tae-in as a child running around in a field!]

We're back at the Market, where Tae-yang flashes back to the boys being forceably picked up off the floor by Fake Dad's toadys. He ruffles his hair (swoon!) and asks himself why the heck did he do that and ruin his first impression (by Fake Dad, of course)? Just then, Ga-on comes out of the office and asks if he's waited long. With a hearty ANNYONG, he asks if she's tired from working all day, but Ga-on says nope, she's off for the next 24 hours... telling her parents that she's working overnight. Tae-yang gets a huge grin on his face, and says that they should go out on a real date today but he hasn't prepared anything (because that's what he's heard guys should do before dating). Ga-on says whatever, let's just go and grabs his arm to leave. As they walk out, Tae-yang in voiceover says that he should probably wait until they pass the first round before saying that the Fresh Men have entered her Fake Dad's recipe contest...

Meanwhile, Seul-woo is sitting in the darkened Fitness Centre, commisserating with the balance balls while flashing back to when Imo was in her office with the IV drip in her arm, and telling Imo to stop working so hard to make so much money. Next we then see Ga-on and Tae-yang entering a pool hall, and when she looks a little concerned about his choice of venues, he explains that he played a lot of pool (billiards) when he was not busy. The owner yells out to Tae-yang and he goes over to say hello, when the owner notes that he hadn't seen Tae-yang around the hall since he stopped working there, and Tae-yang apologizes for that. And when the owner looks over at Ga-on and asks if she's his yeojachingu, she smiles and bows and says yes... yes, she is.

The owner pulls Tae-yang over to ask him a favor, which is that he needs to run out for a bit and would Tae-yang mind watching the place until he gets back? Tae-yang protests a wee bit... but then we see him behind the counter taking cash from another player as Ga-on sits there alone. The room finally empties out, and she sees a boom box and decides to push play... when all of a sudden, Blink's "Kiss Me!" comes out of the speakers!!! (And this is where I fell off my chair laughing!!) And how funny when I watched the replay on DramaFever that another version of "Kiss Me" was used instead. LOL!!

She is mortified but when she looks back at Tae-yang, he has that look in his eye again and rolls a ball across the table to where she is sitting. When it hits the edge of the table, Ga-on looks around and is startled to see Tae-yang standing right behind her, which makes her jump out of her chair in fright! He backs her up against the table and leans in for what she thinks is a kiss and closes her eyes really fast... but he ends up just giving her a peck on the nose instead (and that groan you just heard were us disappointed fangirls' hearts breaking...) When he teases her over thinking she was going to be kissed, she punches him in the chest in response.

We then see our Lunchbox Couple sitting on one of the benches sharing a ramyun meal while kinda staring at each other. Tae-yang reaches up to push Ga-on's hair out of her face so she can eat. Next thing, we see a bus travelling through the countryside, with Ga-on sleeping against Tae-yang's shoulder. When he reaches over to pull the curtain to keep the sun out, she wakes up.

When she complains about Tae-yang watching her sleep and not telling her where they're going, he says not to worry (he's not kidnapping her?) but there's a place her needs to show her...

Continued in Part 2!!

January 23, 2012

EDIT: Thank you, sweetie. I think I've aged 20 years in the past few days trying to keep up with everything.

Our uploaders here are doing their best to figure out a better approach on how to keep up with the episodes. I know it's maddening right now, but if we all keep calm heads at present, things will get back to what passes for normal soon... Everyone take a step back and a deep breath and remember the main reason why we're here -- FOR THESE HOTTIE BACHELORS!!! ♥♥♥

January 23, 2012

ANNOUNCEMENT

Due to the recent shutdown by the U.S. Government of Megaupload, and the limitations that FileServe and others have placed upon its users, I had to remove all links to any file sharing sites with servers housed in the United States that were previously utilised by this forum. Torrents seem to be unaffected at the moment, so I'm keeping them in for now... until the next handful of crap hits the fan. PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR CERTAIN EPISODES TO BE REUPLOADED VIA [YOUR NAME HERE] FILE SHARING SITE or WHERE CAN I FIND ANOTHER WAY TO OBTAIN AN EPISODE/SOFTSUB or INSERT A LINK TO ANOTHER FILE SHARING SITE, as I will delete that request with prejudice.

Sorry to be so harsh, but we do not want Soompi to be shut down now, do we? PM me if you need further clarification about where to place a request or question -- just keep it off the boards here. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

January 23, 2012

Here is the written preview for ep. 11 if anyone will translate it:

새싹채소 명인 김윤수 씨를 찾아 헤매던 총각들은 의문에 김선생님이 다름 아닌 여자아이였다는 사실에 놀란다. 아무에게도 기대지 않고 내가 직접 연구했다는 당찬 윤수의 말에 태양은 힌트를 얻고!

1차 미션을 무사히 치르고 태양과 가온은 둘만의 애틋한 데이트를 즐긴다. 태양과 함께 교회로 가서 그동안 쌓아왔던 태양의 기다림을 확인한 가온은 눈물만이 흐르고.

한편 슬우는 갑작스러운 사업위기를 맞은 황여사를 위해 백방으로 뛰어다녀 보지만 소용이 없다. 깊은 무력감과 좌절을 느끼는 슬우, 가온을 만나 힘든 부탁을 하는데...!

I'm gonna paraphrase here, because the literal translation made no freakin' sense. But it's gonna be a wild one!!

Tae-yang may have had a hint, but looking for the sprout vegetables Professor, the Bachelors are surprised to find out that Mr. Kim is actually a girl!

Even though her heart is breaking, Tae-yang and Ga-on enjoy their first real date. Seeing all the times that Tae-yang had written on the signs (cards?) at the Church brings many tears to Ga-on's eyes.

Mrs. Hwang is hit hard with a business crisis. Seul-woo attempts to help, but to no avail and he feels helpless and frustrated at first. But then he gets tough, and goes to ask for a favor...!

January 23, 2012

More BTS shots from the filming in Hongdae on 20 January... starting off with THE TONGUE!! So it's Shin Won Ho assuming the Snow White role -- LOL!!! And Oh Em Ji Chang Wook -- you just made a gazillion fangirls squeeeeeeeee with delight there!! ♥♥♥

January 22, 2012

Still combing through my news feeds, so here's a few more pictures that popped up -- Sung Ha (aka Scruffy Guy) tweeted these shots from the filming site. This one shows the first store Our Hotties will be opening shortly (given that they're three weeks ahead in schedule, we'll probably see this scene the first week in February):

This one is when he finally hits the stylist's chair for his transformation into Jung Ki-young (his actual character's name, so maybe I should stop calling him Scruffy Guy from now on...

But HOLY COW, look at what Chan-sol (Shin Won Ho) is wearing -- a Manchester United puffy vest!! LOL IT'S MY FOOTIE TEAM!! GO YOU REDS!!!

January 21, 2012

Here's some BTS shots from the filming in Hongdae Friday afternoon -- this explains the long hair and stuff. Looks like they're performing "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" in order to sell their apples. How ingenious... AND CUTE!! ♥♥♥

January 21, 2012

Slowly readjusting to the California Time Zone, and my newsfeed inbox is overflowing with goodies!! This snap is something that's gotta be posted right now -- Changwook-ssi's selca taken during a shoot this week, where he tweets: "Tae-yang in drag. Ha how good?" My first thought was, "Why is he wearing Woon-ah's hair?" My second thought was, "DAMN!! He looks really good in makeup!" My third thought was.... um, I don't think I can post that one without my evil thoughts turning me seventeen shades of red...

January 21, 2012

does anyone have a preview for episode 11? I love thurdays and fridays, but then realize that i have to wait another week. arghh . I really like how the drama is progressing and all the hilarious + cute moments. Ending of 10 was DAEBAK! don't think i could have came up with such an idea.

I'll look for one -- the raw file that I DLd didn't have a preview, but I'm sure there's one out there. Stay tuned!

Episode 10 mini-cap is done and dusted and put up, and now I need to catch up on my sleep deficit. But before I pass out, here's a picture to break your hearts... He's not acting here, folks -- those eyes are just so red and swollen that I hope he's getting enough sleep and eating properly. Sigh.

January 19, 2012

EPISODE 10 MINI-CAP, Part 2:

We then see Tae-yang and Ga-on in the back of the truck, firing up the space heater to stay warm. Tae-yang plops himself in front of the heater, as Ga-on complains that she needs the heat because she almost froze to death waiting for him by the truck. Ga-on decides he's hogging all the good heat and hip-checks him to the side. He does the same to get her away from the heater, and that goes on for a few rounds when Tae-yang turns to Ga-on and takes her face in his hands. He tells Ga-on that the heat from that heater is never going to be as warm as the heat from this sun ("Tae-yang" means sun), then smushes her cheeks together. When she complains that his hands are warm from hogging the heater, Tae-yang asks her what she wants more -- the heat from the heater, or the heat from his hands. A bit later, we see Tae-yang exhausted and asleep on Ga-on's shoulder, as she brushes away some hair on his forehead but looks troubled.

The next day, the hyungs are at a local restaurant having grilled pork belly and banchan. Tae-yang takes a tiny piece of pork, wraps it in a lettuce leaf, and hands it to Ho-jae. The boys are all pretty depressed, when Tae-yang explains to them because he's worked them so hard, this is the first time that he's treating them. Chan-sol crabs that he's really pissed off; aren't the other boys all pissed off as well? Woo-bong and Ho-jae both kick him under the table. (Of particular note is that Changwook-ssi is wearing one of the puffy down jackets that he modeled for the G Brand a few months back!!) Woo-bong asks Tae-yang what he was thinking about doing now, with Chan-sol asking Ho-jae that he's already looking into tutoring jobs (and sporting a nifty new Poodle Perm on his head), when Ho-jae shuts him up with a well-placed pork wrap instead. HA.

Tae-yang tells them that yes, he's disappointed and his heart hurts because they lost the truck, but this is no time to give up. The boys mope around the set table for a bit longer, when Woo-bong decides Tae-yang has fed them enough and shoves a pork wrap into his mouth instead. Tae-yang is stunned and sits there with the wrap half-hanging out of his mouth, when he remembers to start chewing and starts tearing up again. Awww...

Ho-jae and Chan-sol are on a bus returning home, where they are inspecting the contents of the pay envelopes that Tae-yang gave them at the restaurant. Chan-sol laments that they did so much work for so little money... but then shuts himself up after Ho-jae gives him one of those looks again. Tae-yang and Woo-bong are at another bus stop, and as the bus arrives, Woo-bong says that he doesn't want to go home. Tae-yang then jumps on Woo-bong's back and gives him a big hug. Woo-bong looks concerned for some unknown reason.

Back at the Market, the Tosa is wandering the grounds after inspecting the truck that he asked Tae-yang to return to him. He looks over to see Ga-on and the Lackey conversing over a fruit basket she has given him to deliver (to Crazy Mom, perhaps?). Lackey looks like he has a mini-crush on her, as he lights up every time she speaks to him. He speaks of something to make him cover his mouth in shame, and walks away cursing himself for it. Tosa flashes back to the conversation he had with Imo, asking if he knew that Ga-on was the only daughter of the Mok Yeong Group, and as the Lackey is slapping his mouth over his slip-up, he sees the Tosa and bows. As he attempts to walk away, the Tosa steps in front of him... when suddenly Tosa grabs his lapels and pushes him up against a stack a pallets, making him drop the fruit basket. Lackey attempts to get away, but Tosa's got his coat in a death grip...

The Tosa is pacing around his office in the twilight, trying to make sense of what he overheard, when he gets pissed off enough to throw a glass across the room. We then see the Lackey pull out his phone to call Crazy Mom and tell her of his confrontation with the Tosa. Crazy Mom is all WHAT?!? to him, and then runs off to his office to remind him of the terms of the contract she put in front of him earlier. Tosa asks if this was the 'great deal' he was promised if he got rid of Tae-yang from the Market, as Crazy Mom reminds him (paraphrasing here) that this 'great deal' would be for the Tosa to get in on the ground floor of a new business venture Fake Dad was proposing. Tosa says now she's sowing her true colors in attempting to protect Ga-on. Crazy Mom reiterates that she wants 'that boy' kept away from her Ga-on at all costs... or she could bring him down. The Tosa reaches over to the contract... and tears it in half and half again, refusing the provisions. Crazy Mom won't give up, though, and sounds like she's got some blackmail against the Tosa's family that she will not hesitate to use if she doesn't get her way.

Fake Dad is in his office reading the day's paper announcing the new business venture he's starting up, when Ga-on arrives to see him. He asks her to stay so he can ask her a question... over coffee, he wants her to join his business venture and get out of the Market work (since it's too hard?). Ga-on understands, but she'll think about it first... and then gets a bright idea that she has a friend who might be able to help.

We then see Ga-on making a business presentation regarding the new business proposal to a room of interested parties, as Fake Dad looks on from the doorway with a big smile on his face.

Tae-yang is reading the day's paper as well, when he sees an advertisement looking for a fantastic new recipe, with the winner's business venture being supported by the Mok Yeong Group as First Prize. Jumping up and down and yelling, he packs up to leave his gosiwon, only to run into... The Boys, all with the same idea and the paper in their hands! Woo-bong presents the ad to Tae-yang... upside down... and Tae-yang presents the advertisement himself, to big smiles from the hyungs!

Back at the Market, Ga-on is standing outside the main office when Seul-woo comes sauntering up. Ga-on asks how his mom is getting along, when he gets all snippy and wonders why she didn't ask how HE is. (What a brat!!) She tells him why should she? She then takes the lid off a crate of apples and wants Seul-woo to take a look at them (to give to Imo?). Seul-woo asks her why she didn't give these to Tae-yang instead; aren't they dating? Seul-woo still tries to woo her, when she attempts to walk away and he grabs her arm instead. He tells her that Tae-yang really needs his help right now because he's destitute, and why is she still with him? Seul-woo gets a call, which tells him that his Mom is very sick and he runs off.

[Commercial Break #2 -- hilarious that one of the commercials is for the new Toshiba netbook, where two ballet dancers are touting the device's lightness... while dancing in a San Francisco park. LOL!!]

Anyway, we're back to Seul-woo arriving at Imo's office, where she has apparently collapsed and is hooked up to an IV drip. Seul-woo complains that she should be in a hospital instead. She tells him she's just tired and wants to rest there, when he keeps yelling at her to stop pushing herself so hard! Seul-woo tells Imo he's still working on his Big Bright Plan... and does it involve vegetables? She pulls her hand out of his, where he complains for her to have some faith in him. (This is when he reminds her of his father?) Okay, do what you want to do, but do it well. She turns away, teary-eyed.

Back at his gosiwon, Ho-jae is reviewing the Contest Rules set out in the request by Mok Yeong Group, being looked over his shoulder by the Manager there.. We then see the hyungs back at Tae-yang's studying various vegetables by taste, smell, and in the case of Woo-bong, with a magnifying glass. They're trying various iterations of the recipe they have in mind, with varying (all bad) results. Tae-yang nearly coughs up a lung with his creation! Making notes, they discuss what's gone wrong when Ho-jae arrives with an insider tip about the contest. Ho-jae did good!

Manager Guy then sticks his nose inside Tae-yang's room to tell him that he has a visitor. The Boys all pop out of the room wondering who it is, when they see Scruffy Guy at the end of the hall! The other boys shrink back in fear, Tae-yang finally recognizes him, but Scruffy Guy then collapses to the floor. As Tae-yang tries to revive him, we see that Scruffy Guy is dripping wet with fever. We see Tae-yang pulling the blankets up around Scruffy Guy, as they have lifted him to Tae-yang's bunk so he can sleep. Clutched in Scruffy Guy's hand is a slip of paper, which Tae-yang pulls out and reads -- it's the same slip of paper he slipped into Scruffy Guy's Discman to let him know of his address if he needed a warm place to stay.

The next day, all our hyungs are at the bus stop, with Tae-yang and Scruffy Guy staying close and the other boys still in slight fear of him and keeping a respectful distance away. Woo-bong attempts to tell Scruffy Guy that he might not have any fun if he tags along with them. When Scruffy Guy just stands there, Woo-bong accuses him of being a mute. Tae-yang says Scruffy Guy did say one word earlier... he said that he wants to help!

Arriving at a local farm, where Tae-yang calls out the Elder but finding no one there, they wander around one of the greenhouses. Looks like a crop of bean sprouts or leaf lettuce, as they boys all fawn over the crops. Tae-yang says it was so hard to get the address of the place, they have no choice but to wait until the owner returns. Chan-sol looks over to see something hiding underneath a plastic tarp, and the boys all wander over to look. OH MY GOD THERE'S A PERSON UNDERNEATH THAT PLASTIC TARP!! Tae-yang pokes it to see if it awakes, with no response. Then he orders Chan-sol to pull the plastic off, and they see a woman there... who then suddenly opens her eyes and wakes up and scares the crap out of the boys as she walks out of the greenhouse.

She runs over to another part of the greenhouse, where she crouches down sobbing, as the boys run after her. Apparently she is crying over the water lines being frozen, because now she can't water the plants. Tae-yang offers to help, if it's okay with her. Ho-jae opens his mouth and says that they've arrived to meet some Professor Guy, but New Girl just cries and says her dad is going to be upset if she ruins his crops. Woo-bong asks her to stop crying and he's sure there's something the boys can do to help her out... when Ho-jae clamps his hand over Woo-bong's mouth to shut him up. Ho-jae pleads with New Girl that they need to meet her dad because it's an emergency. She says okay and she'll arrange for the boys to meet him... but only if they help her out and water all the plants. Chan-sol protests that they don't have that kind of time, but New Girl starts crying again. Tae-yang says okay, they'll help so stop crying -- what do they need to do? The boys all crab to Tae-yang...

... when we see Our Bachelors running up the path from the greenhouses looking for something. They split up, and Woo-bong's team come across a pump in the field which turns out to be broken. Tae-yang and Scruffy Guy go back to the main house to see if that pump is working, and when it isn't, Tae-yang takes a crack at it first. Then Scruffy Guy tries his best, to no avail. They all start walking back to the greenhouses, remembering the New Girl's words that they can't use tap water, only well water in order to keep their eco-friendly farm certification.

From the road, they see an old pump next to the barn. They run over to find that it's virtually broken. Ho-jae asks that there's nothing they can do, except Tae-yang says he remembers his grandmother's emergency treatment, since they had well water growing up. The next scene, we see all five Bachelors lined up against the frozen water pump, Tae-yang asking if they are ready, we hear a loud ZIPPPPPPPP... and THE BOYS ARE ALL TAKING A PEE AGAINST THE PUMP!! (ROTFLOMFG!!! My sides are hurting from laughing so hard!!!)

Apparently the emergency treatment worked, as Tae-yang pushes the pump handle up and down and water starts gushing out. They all carry large buckets of well water back to the greenhouse... and that's where we end Episode 10 (and I'm still laughing)!!

PREVIEW:

Oops, almost forgot... Episode 10 Teaser Picture. Commence hearts breaking..... now.

January 19, 2012

EPISODE 10 MINI-CAP, Part 1:

We return to the scene of the crime, erm... I mean, the scene of the kiss in the back of Tae-yang's truck, with Ga-on's voiceover alternatively apologizing for deceiving him for staying by his side a bit longer, to the detriment of him hating her later, and thanking him for growing up to be such a fine young man... her sunshine... Han. Tae. Yang... spoiling the whole moment. (I would have much rather heard their Theme Music again. Hmpf.) Ga-on is then back in her secret room, caressing the picture of her as Jin-shim and Tae-yang at their middle school graduation. She keeps tells him she's sorry, but the Jin-shim you knew back then no longer exists.

Our Boys are back loading up the truck for the day's sales. Woo-bong asks Tae-yang what makes him so happy these days, when Tae-yang tells his hyungs that the sun is shining and it's a great day to be alive. They all go back inside the Market, as Tae-yang sidles up to one of the persimmon ahjummas he danced with on the back of the forklift, clad only in his boxers and boots. (Sorry... I'm having my own flashback here...) Tae-yang starts sweet-talking the ahjumma for her to sell her crop to him today, when she reports back that she has received orders to not sell to him anymore; in fact, every vendor at the Market is under the same orders not to sell their produce to him anymore. A huge WHAT? out of Tae-yang...

... and he runs into the Tosa's office to find out why he issued such orders. The Tosa says that yeah, he did that very thing and even wants to confiscate the truck that Tae-yang "borrowed" and is using for his mobile business. Tae-yang flat-out refuses and demands an explanation, which the Tosa refuses to do and can't tell him why, and threatens to have him arrested for possessing stolen property. Tae-yang says that he's not afraid of him and refuses to return the truck, when the Tosa threatens his hyungs into being arrested as well, Tae-yang is visibly pissed off and balls up his hand into a fist.

The next scene we see the hyungs dismantling the truck to return it to the Tosa. They aren't real happy either, especially Chan-sol, who complains that if the business fails, they're out of luck as well. Ho-jae tells him to shut his mouth and grabs his lips to make his point. They scuffle for a while, as both call out to Woo-bong to settle their dispute... as Woo-bong sits there and is more worried about Tae-yang at this point.

We see Tae-yang in the truck with Jin-shim's lunchbox in his hand, as he packs everything up... and takes down the sign as the last gesture before admitting defeat. He starts crying, and the boys gather around him to envelope him in a huge bear hug.

Back at Crazy Chateau, Crazy Mom is grilled the Lackey (whose actual character name is Secretary Yang, BTW) to ensure that all has been taken care of at the Market, and Tae-yang is no longer a menace to society there. He reports in the affirmative, and produces an envelope with the investigative report that Yang prepared at the request of Crazy Mom. Before she can pick up the envelope to take a look, Fake Dad arrives home to interrupt their little session. Yang gets up to leave with the paperwork before Fake Dad finds out the scheme, but as he walks into the den for a drink, Secretary Yang drops the envelope with Tae-yang's personal investigative report. He looks at the contents and sees Tae-yang's resume inside.

Crazy Mom and Fake Dad are chatting over drinks in the den, where Fake Dad is being grilled by her insisting that it's work that is making him tired. Ever since the day that they ran into his ex-wife at the symphony, he hasn't smiled once. Crazy Mom asks if that was the reason they split up -- because she had Ga-on and his ex didn't? Fake Dad gets all huffy and said no, when she found out she couldn't have children, she was the one initiating the divorce. His ex-wife was nice and considerate that way, and even insisted that Fake Dad go and bring Ga-on and Crazy Mom to their rightful places. Still lacking in the Self-Esteem Department, Crazy Mom is still looking for validation that was exactly how the situation presented itself, when Fake Dad reminds her that Ga-on is his miracle and that will never change. As Crazy Mom gulps down her scotch, she asks Fake Dad not to stay up too long... that she cannot sleep alone without him (still trying to make another baby, it seems).

We then see Tae-yang down a side street, looking for an address. Ah, he's looking for the Tosa's place to plead with him! Second Mom has just put out a spread to rival some Korean restaurants I've been to in the past, because they're expecting Dan-bi for lunch. Second Mom pleads with the Tosa to at least talk nice to Dan-bi for a change. Tosa and Second Mom chat for a bit, as the doorbell rings. Hoping that it might be Dan-bi that has returned to the house, she gets up all excited and runs to the door. We see instead on the intercom Tae-yang's smiling face, and when she asks who it is, he chirps that Tae-yang is there to see the Tosa. The Tosa comes over and is stunned to see 'that kid" standing outside his front gate.

As Tae-yang jumps up and down trying to keep warm in the cold, he asks Tosa to let him in to talk because it's freezing outside, and when he is dismissed away, throws a cute little mini-tantrum at the intercom instead. Second Mom then asks why he did that to Tae-yang -- why don't you just let him in because it's freezing outside, as Tae-yang is still jumping up and down outside the gate... but then turns away and starts coughing hard.

Returning to the Market, Ga-on is running through the aisles looking for Tae-yang after hearing the news about his 147th firing of the month. In voiceover, she hears that the Tosa has finally succeeded in chasing the Bachelor away from the Market and confiscated his truck. She arrives at the Market Office looking for the Tosa, as she bangs on the office door but it is closed and locked.

Back at the Seul-woo Fitness Center, we see Seul-woo himself, flashing back to when he grabbed Ga-on to protect her from the exploding fluorescent tube in Episode 9. As he starts lifting hand weights, he gets a goofy(er) grin on his face at the memory. (And he's sporting a new haircut which doesn't flatter his face at all!) He picks up his phone to call her, but thinks otherwise and goes back to lifting, telling himself he needs to stay cool... but her coolness is annoying the hell out of him right now. He voices out loud his wanting to stay patient, when he then picks up the phone again and yells at the phone to ring with Ga-on calling him.

Right behind him, though, we see Tae-in primping and watching over Seul-woo. When the phone rings, she mutters "Mok Ga-on?" as Seul-woo gets all excited while trying not to pick up the call on its first ring. When Ga-on wants to skip the pleasantries and asks if Seul-woo knows Tae-yang's phone number, he yells at Ga-on "that's the reason you called, was that you were looking for Tae-yang's phone number? What am I, 411 Information?!?" Tae-in leans over and asks Seul-woo what about her oppa? Seul-woo hands the phone over to her, and says it's someone looking for her brother's phone number. When Ga-on asks if the voice on the phone is Tae-yang's sister (and she replies in the affirmative), Ga-on gets all nervous and hangs up on her. (So now there are TWO Han members she needs to stay away from. Ooooh.) Ga-on says that she's missed Tae-in, and wonders if she remembers Ga-on at all.

Dan-bi returns to the Tosa's home to find Tae-yang still standing outside yelling at the intercom to be let inside because it's freakin' cold outside. When they see each other, Tae-yang quizzes Dan-bi as to why she's there. Dan-bi says that this is her parents' home... and then Tae-yang puts two and two together, confirming that the Tosa is indeed Dan-bi's appa. Suddenly the light bulb goes off over Tae-yang's head, and he asks if he could enter the house with her.

We see Dan-bi in the entryway of the house, as Second Mom rushes up to greet her... and then Tae-yang pops his head through the doorway and announces to the Tosa that he has arrived. When the Tosa comes out to ask how "that rat" got inside their house, Dan-bi steps in between and tells him that Tae-yang is a guest of hers and she let him inside. In the living room, the Tosa is stunned to hear that Dan-bi and Tae-yang are chingus, to which Second Mom apologizes for letting him stay out in the cold for that long. Tae-yang says that yes, it's pretty cold out there (as he coughs again). The Tosa asks Tae-yang why he always smiles like a clown whenever he sees him, to which Tae-yang tells the Tosa it would be easier to smile so he won't spit in Tae-yang's face anymore. (LOL!) He tells the Tosa he's not ready to give us like this and he wants the truck back. Tosa says ANDAE, you're not getting the truck back and this conversation is over.

Tae-yang is not about to back down at all -- he needs the truck back because they're working at the Thrifty Market, and needs to work in order to pay back the second half of the money owed for the ruining of the mushroom harvest during the snowstorm... all in front of Dan-bi and Second Mom as witnesses. Tosa orders Second Mom to get him a glass of ice water, so he can throw it in Tae-yang's face to wake him up. Tae-yang says the Tosa can throw anything the hell he likes, but that will not make him back down. Why did he take the truck away from him and have him kicked out of the Market?!? Tosa says that it was a business proposition... that if he kicked Tae-yang out of the Market, these people would come through on a huge business deal for him.

All three of them stare at the Tosa, when he ventures what businessman would say no to such a proposition, no? When Tae-yang demands to know who that person is, Tosa lies and says he doesn't know -- all he had to do was approve the deal. Tae-yang still demands to know who the person is, when the Tosa tells him it must be someone that Tae-yang did something wrong against for them to be coming after him like that.

Tosa says now that Tae-yang has heard the real reason, he can get lost now and gets up to leave the room. Tae-yang stands up and tells him that apparently the Tosa hasn't a good head for business. As Dan-bi and Second Mom stare at him, Tae-yang goes further and says that a great businessman would look past a simple deal to make other deals to broaden his empire? As Tae-yang accuses the Tosa of not knowing him enough, why wouldn't he choose Han Tae-yang as the product -- choose him instead of making a blind deal like that. When the Tosa calls Tae-yang a crazy bastard, Tae-yang admits that yes, he IS a crazy bastard (and that's Swear Word #3 from his gorgeous mouth!!), because he's crazy enough to follow his dream. "A smart man cannot defeat a happy man, and a happy man cannot be defeated by a set-back." Tae-yang is crazy enough that it's a given that he will succeed in opening his own vegetable shop! And because he's such a crazy bastard, he is going to succeed. The Tosa has heard enough, and he hauls off and kicks Tae-yang in the leg! Tosa spouts that the reason he got where he is in life is that he never listened to crap that is coming out of the mouth of a 'con artist' like Tae-yang. When Tae-yang stammers that he's not a con artist, Tosa tells him to leave him alone and worry about how he is going to live from now on and waddles out of the room. Dan-bi just sits there and stares at Tae-yang.

Ga-on has found the Fresh Men Truck, all stripped and bare of Tae-yang's belongings. She stands there and stares at the dashboard to see it empty with no lunchbox. She figures what the ahjummas at the Market told her was right all along... but Tae-yang, where are you now?

[Commercial Break #1]

As Tae-yang leaves Dan-bi's house, he gets a text from Dan-bi asking him to meet her at a cafe by the train station later. Dan-bi and Tosa having tea, where she demands the Tosa to leave Tae-yang alone. When he protests, she tells him she did something bad to him, and doesn't want to do anything further to continue apologizing to him. This is the first favor she's ever asked from her appa, but he hunkers down and continues to refuse. He says that he can't lose out on that deal, because it will cost him a lot of money. Dan-bi tells him he's more worried about losing money than losing his only daughter over some measly money? Tosa snaps back that yes, it's because of Tae-yang not having any measly money is the reason he's being kicked out of the Market. And if it wasn't for her mother bringing Dan-bi around, he would have never been able to see her. (Hunh?) Tae-yang is waiting outside, as Dan-bi leaves the gate wiping tears away. She sees him and crabs that she told him to meet at the cafe. Tae-yang says that he was never comfortable in waiting at a cafe, because he's never had such free time to kill like that in his life...

As Tae-yang brings drinks to Dan-bi at a coffeeshop nearby, they attempt to make sense of what the Tosa just pulled on Tae-yang. Dan-bi says to him that now he knows what type of man her father is -- he's only interested in money over other people's situations. Because of that fact, knowing how her dad is disgusts and sickens her. Tae-yang just smiles at her remark, and she's not amused. He tells Dan-bi that his own father ran away, leaving him and Tae-in to their grandmother, and he hated him for a very long time. But it got a lot worse after their grandmother died... they were both put in an orphanage and Tae-in was eventually adopted out to another family.

Dan-bi asks if these were the parents that Tae-in kept running away from, and Tae-yang confirms it... but that Tae-in's heart was always with Tae-yang and that's why she fought with her adoptive parents all the time. So he feels sorry to Tae-in, and that's how he eventually came to forgive their father for running away like that. Even though people accused him of favoring Tae-in all the time, it's because of Tae-in that he was able to withstand any crap that life threw at Tae-yang... because if his father didn't exist, then Tae-in would have never existed, and he was able to forgive him like that.

Dan-bi is incredulous, and she says she could never forgive a father like that, and how could he possibly do that? Tae-yang says he had to, in order to live. Tae-yang throws out the Ping-Pong Analogy -- you get more exhausted playing by yourself up against a wall, and it's the same as being angry all the time. Being angry by himself was not getting him anywhere. At least Dan-bi is lucky, because she has Seul-woo by her side to take her anger. Hearing Tae-yang's sob story must have struck a chord in Dan-bi, as she sits there tearing up...

Tae-yang returns to the now-stripped veggie truck and while standing there staring at it, he stars crying while flashing back to when he first asked the Tosa to borrow it, getting it all tricked out, selling the veggies at various spots, picking up the spilled chili peppers after the big brawl with the yakuza, etc. Tae-yang takes the Fresh Men Vegetable Shop sign out of the back, and breaks down while hugging the sign.

We then see Ga-on slowly coming up behind him and envelopes him in a back hug. When he attempts to turn around, she tells him to go ahead and cry... you can always cry when you're with me (with a quick flashback to Young Tae-yang and Jin-shim sitting on top of their old van hideout saying the same thing), which makes Tae-yang smile and grab her hand in response. Tae-yang asks Ga-on why she always knows the right thing to say in a situation like this, and that he doesn't have to pretend to be okay in front of her. Ga-on wants Tae-yang to promise her that she will always be the first person to come to when something bad happens again. Even if he doesn't talk, he has to come to her first... because she will know exactly what's going on just by looking at his face. Tae-yang turns around and with tears still streaming down his cheeks, smiles at Ga-on and nods his promise.

(Just as well... I'll break here and wipe my own eyes and continue in Part 2!)

January 19, 2012

Episode 9 Mini-Caps are in the can, chingus. As previously reported, Channel A has ceased the free viewing of all its content off its website, and has initiated a VOD (video-on-demand) pay-for-replay model instead. I've searched my other live-streaming portals, but none of them are carrying Channel A either. So that means no more instantaneous recaps from my fingertips after an episode airs -- I'll need to wait for an upload now. If anyone else knows of another venue where the Show can be watched live, please share. A huge reward is waiting for you!!

On a side note, Channel A's Twitter feed blew up today with tons of complaints about their abrupt change in policy, so they took down their site for a few hours earlier. Ha. That's what you get when you mess up, dudes -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!

On another side note, if anyone reading this is roaming the Hongdae District around 2:00 PM on 20 January (Friday), be aware that the BVS actors will be shooting some live scenes there and passing out apples for samples!! Hmm, lemme see if I can change my flight to take a detour through Seoul tomorrow. Tempting, but... nah. I wanna go home -- I'm craving an In-N-Out Burger soooo badly right now!!

So anyway, I've got to get packed up and ready to leave for Narita in about two hours. If anything exciting pops up between now and 11:30 PM JST, I'll post it ASAP. And how about one more teaser picture for the road? This is what I mean when I refer to someone giving out a 'saranghaeyo' -- I WUB YOU TOO, BACHELOR BOYS!!!

See youse back online as soon as Episode 10 hits my inbox! Mata ne!

January 18, 2012

EPISODE 9 RECAP, Part 2:

We're back at the Tosa Jung and Second Mom residence. She's worried about him coming home so early, but the reason he did was to accompany her to the Symphony like she's apparently been pressuring him to do for so long. And it's the anniversary of the day they moved in together. We see them there in their seats, she's enjoying herself and he's falling asleep. A few rows up, we see Crazy Mom and Fake Dad at the performance as well. Fake Dad is enjoying himself, and Crazy Mom is the one to be falling asleep. And a really bad out-of-tune version of "The Blue Danube" being played on stage. Ouch.

As they get ready to leave, they see Crazy Mom and Fake Dad walking down the stairs. Some people run over and bow to Fake Dad, when... uh oh... were Second Mom and Fake Dad the ones married (and divorced because she couldn't conceive an heir)? Second Mom attempts to make a quick exit, but accidentally runs into another woman with a large coffee in her hand and it spills all over her. As Second Mom bends over backwards to apologize, the woman starts yelling at her for spilling coffee into her fancy handbag.

As Second Mom attempts to wipe it off, Tosa grabs it out of her hands and throws it into the puddle of coffee, yelling at the lady the whole time. Second Mom is embarrassed beyond belief, as Tosa continues his rant at the lady for her bad manners. Fake Dad and Crazy Mom witness this whole incident, so as Tosa attempts to take his wife out of there, Fake Dad stops them and asks how she's doing... he's been looking for her for the longest time. Second Mom looks like she wants to run and hide, but stands there as Crazy Mom insists they leave. Tosa attempts to drag Second Mom out of there, but not before she finally stands up for herself, saying to Fake Dad to leave them alone and this is the man she married. Returning home, Second Mom insists they just go to bed, but not beforeTosa grills Second Mom if she's sure she's put "that man" out of her life...

Back at The Crazy Hilton, Fake Dad is in the study having a large, stiff drink. Crazy Mom enters and asks if he is really upset. Crazy Mom starts dissing both his ex-wife and the 'old man she married,' and Fake Dad gets pissed off and tells her to stop. She goes over and clings to him, as he apologizes. Crazy Mom still twists the knife in asking why didn't they just live together out of friendship, when Fake Dad said it would have been worse -- living a lie like that is unforgivable in his eyes, but it's still a relief to see her well and living happily. Fake Dad goes back to his drink, as Crazy Mom gets lost in her own crazy thoughts.

Seul-woo is working out in his namesake fitness center, where he asks Dan-bi about Tae-yang and Tae-in. Dan-bi confirms that yes, Tae-in is truly Tae-yang's brother and that he asked to use their kitchen for some project he's cooking up. Seul-woo gets up and tells her that they're going back to her house, when Dan-bi says to not do that to make Tae-yang uncomfortable. He leaves in a snit anyway, as she follows behind.

Much root and tuber washing via montage at Dan-bi's kitchen, where they slice up the veggies and Ho-jae fries them up in a pan (getting his glasses steamy in the meantime). Then Tae-yang takes the sauteed roots and purees them in a blender. The Boys then take that paste and start filling small plastic cups with the mixture. (A salve, perhaps?) The doorbell rings, and Dan-bi and Seul-woo walk in... Seul-woo is still pissed off and calls out Tae-yang for a talk. The boys hide behind the wall in the kitchen once they see Seul-woo, with Woo-bong bandishing a frying pan as a weapon.

Seul-woo leaves in a huff, as Tae-yang follows behind him (and Woo-bong offers up the frying pan for Tae-yang to take with him). They talk in the lobby of the apartment building about Ga-on, when Seul-woo asks what happened after he pulled Ga-on out of the party. Tae-yang says that if he's so curious, go ask Ga-on herself. Dan-bi looks on by the elevators, and busts Seul-woo for trying to pump Tae-yang for information about Ga-on. When Tae-yang returns to the apartment, Tae-in is in his face, demanding if possibly Seul-woo was asking about her. Tae-yang says he doesn't have time for that, and walks into the kitchen, leaving Tae-in standing there quite annoyed.

[Commercial Break #2]

The Fresh Men have rented the Community Room at the apartment complex to put on a presentation for the residents to have them vote for their mobile veggie stand to operate in front of the complex. A very pregnant Jung-ah is there doing her best to turn the assembled folks to their side, as the Boys pass out samples of their new... cream made from the stuff they dug out of the ground, which is apparently good for boils, rashes... and eczemas. (Plural?) Cut to Dan-bi at her kitchen table, where Tae-yang has left one of the samples behind as a thank-you to Dan-bi for the opportunity to use her kitchen to develop their new product... and for taking good care of Tae-in.

Tae-yang goes into his spiel, with the ahjummas staring intently at him (hee!), when Snooty Mom (with two other Snooty Moms) walks into the assembly room and calls Tae-yang out for going behind her back. Tae-yang says they're just there trying to promote their product, as the Snooty Mom attempts to derail the whole process. They decide put it to a vote whether or not the boys can get their approvals from a quorum of the residents, which would override the veto the Snooty Mom has already placed upon the Fresh Men.

It's much later that evening, and Our Boys are resting on the steps outside waiting for the results. Resident after resident walks past them, and then finally Jung-ah arrives. She doesn't say much, as Tae-yang says that it's okay, you tried. As Tae-yang sighs a deep Jung-ah breaks out into a big grin and tells them she was just fooling around -- Our Boys got the gig!! SUCCESS!! They're over the moon jumping around (Chan-sol making sure his sister doesn't jump around too much), and then we see them the next day with the truck and a tent in front of the building selling away as the Fresh Men Thrifty Market, with lots of customers and Woo-bong helping an elderly lady home with her purchases. They do another sarahengeyo to the assembled crowd.

Goofy Guy #1 and Goofy Guy #2 are standing in the Market Office, watching the fluorsecent lights flicker back and forth, and order Ga-on (as their gofer) to go get replacement bulbs. As she turns to leave, they then order her to put them in. Seul-woo shows up at that moment, so they put him to work instead. Goofy Guys tell him to go ahead, put the bulbs in... as they leave those two to "be alone." ::snort:: Ga-on tells him she can do it, and Seul-woo protests loudly! He first attempts to take out a live bulb, and burns his hand when he finds out its hot. (richard simmons.) Ga-on goes and turns out all the lights so he can take out the busted tube. Finally, he's all done and tells Ga-on to turn the lights back on. Seul-woo is standing there all full of himself, when suddenly the bulb shatters and Seul-woo grabs Ga-on in a bear hug to protect her from the shower of glass that hits him in the back. As they slowly pull apart, she asks if he's okay. He's got glass all over his back and as she tries to brush it off, he just stands there with a big goofy grin on his face watching her take care of him.

Tosa is looking over receipts as Tae-yang comes in to pay off a small portion the money he owes the Tosa from the mushroom fiasco, and tells him about his new vegetable selling venture at the Thrifty Market. He thanks the Tosa, reminds him to stay healthy, and walks off to his truck. Secretary Yang is there and they pass each other, with Yang flashing back to Crazy Mom telling him to get Tae-yang fired somehow from the Market. Secretary Yang tells him that he is to relay a gift to him -- the delivery rights to the AK Market, which the Mok Yeong Group will facilitate for the Tosa. Instead, Yang asks the Tosa for a favor instead...

Ga-on leaves the Market and sees Tae-yang's truck there. She walks around to the front, to see (ta da!) the lunchbox that she made for him 11 years ago -- flashes back to the time she gave it to him -- and starts crying. Tae-yang sees her and starts running towards her, but then morphs into Young Tae-yang running towards her instead. When he finally morphs back into Present-Day Tae-yang, she turns and quickly walks away from the scene. As Tae-yang stands there utterly confused again, he gets in his truck to leave, but drives slowly alongside her and rolls down the window. When she doesn't respond, he drives on past. Finally coming to her senses and not wanting to lose him again, she takes off running after the truck, as Tae-yang finally stops it and gets out to stare at her.

We see Ga-on and Tae-yang are on the back of his truck talking. He is concerned that Ga-on didn't like him anymore now that he said the things he said about Young Ga-on earlier, and that's why she was avoiding him. Tae-yang asks again for her confirmation that she is the only daughter of the Mok Yeong Group, to which she nods. Tae-yang ventures that he thought he and Ga-on were a lot alike when they first met. His head was filled with thoughts and figured he was less of a man for being the way he was. Ga-on stops him and says she thought they were also a lot alike when they first met. She kept smiling and had a light heart, which is not like her normal self at all... that Tae-yang had changed her.

Tae-yang asks Ga-on if she's hard a hard time of things being with him, to which she says no. Tae-yang says that she can tell him anything she wants -- he's had a rough life, with no parents, no college education and nothing to his name, and there were many times he wanted to stop, but he didn't. He just went ahead and put one foot in front of the other. So go ahead and cry... go ahead and cry for today and be better tomorrow. But she needs to remember, he has all the qualifications to like her.

She is besides herself and is all teary in trying to sort out her feelings for Tae-yang without actually telling him her real identity... and she says to him that Tae-yang is just as she'd figured he'd be (and in a voiceover, thanks him for growing up into a fine young man), as Tae-yang looks back at her with a WTF look on his face. She continues in voiceover, thanks for still being my sunshine... Han. Tae. Yang.

She looks over at Tae-yang, and with him looking back at her with tears in *his* eyes, she stares at his lips... and as she flashes back to the time in the playground with Young Tae-yang, when she wheeled around and kissed him in front of their classmates... Ga-on leans over to plant one right on his kisser!!

It's your typical chaste K-drama kiss that Ga-on initiates, and part of me went "aw crap, not again!!" But Tae-yang just sits there with his eyes wide open, when he finally realizes "oh... there's a girl kissing me." But Tae-yang decides "SCREW THAT," leans in and majorly kisses her back!! FINALLY WE HAVE REAL KISSING, with mouths moving and everything!!! Omo omo omo omo omo...

::dies::

Cause of Death: EXTREMELY ROMANTIC MOMENT!!!!

And there we end Episode 9.

PREVIEW: Tae-yang running from house-to-house looking for something or someone. Ga-in running through the Market, and Seul-woo having another one of his tantrums. Tae-yang and Ga-on fighting in the back of the truck for turns in front of the space heater. Tae-yang telling Ga-on that his hands will take care of her?

How can you *not* pass up these lips?!? My eyes are leaking now...

January 18, 2012

EPISODE 9 RECAP, Part 1:

And here we are again at the end of Episode 8, where Ga-on has just told Tae-yang her name. That look of shock on Tae-yang's face comes up again.

A black car pulls up in the background, as we see inside Fake Dad and Crazy Mom being chauffeured home by the Lackey. Fake Dad looks over and see Tae-yang and Ga-on talking in the driveway, and asks Crazy Mom who the boy is. Crazy Mom says he's just someone that Ga-on works with who lives in their neighborhood, and he replies that he'd like to go meet the young man (as he unbuckles his seat belt to get out of the car). Fake Mom stops him and says to leave them be because she hasn't told anyone that Ga-on is her daughter... and they drive back home.

Tae-yang slowly regains his composure and says that it's weird she has the same name as a friend who he may have accidentally hurt when he was a child, and she had died That friend even appears in his dreams every now and then, and he wants to ask for forgiveness, but he keeps running away. The look on Ga-on's face slowly goes dark...

And when she asks, he happily gratefully finally tells Ga-on his name... Han Tae-yang. His grandmother said that name would ensure he would be as bright as the sun (Tae-yang). Han. Tae Yang. Dun dun dunnnnnnnnn!

Ga-on returns home to Fake Dad and Crazy Mom meeting her in the entryway. Ga-on is aimlessly wandering in with her work boots still on, and doesn't realize it until Fake Dad calls her on it. She absentmindedly takes them off and hands them to Fake Dad, and walks upstairs to her room. Crazy Mom is right behind her though, but misses Ga-on closing and locking the door to her bedroom by a nano-second. As she pounds on her door yelling for entry, Ga-on goes into her fake room. Crazy Mom yells at her to ask what she's doing still hanging around 'those people' from work.

Ga-on falls down and cries out in the dark that after all these years, she asks Tae-yang if that is really him... please answer her... is it really you, and sits there sobbing. She cries out to Tae-yang why now... wae? WAE?!?

It's the next day, and our hyungs are wandering the neighborhood trying to figure out what to do with the weird Chairman Woman. Tae-yang is quite preoccupied with the events of the night before, and the boys try to cheer him up, Woo-bong especially thinking that he's worried about something he can especially help with (because he's a good listener, remember?). Chan-sol then dances around Tae-yang and asks him if he's having 'girl trouble.' Tae-yang gets all flustered and asks how Chan-sol knew that what was bothering him? Tae-yang pulls them in close as if he's going to give them some secret... and crabs at them instead to stop acting like children and to go and win that apartment account! Let's go!! AJA AJA AJA!! As he walks off, the hyungs all agree that Tae-yang is crazy...

They're back at the Bratty Kid's apartment again, as Tae-yang faces the boys and tells them (In English) to SMILE! (they all go SMILE!!) and they catch Snooty Mom and Bratty Kid leaving for an appointment. Tae-yang tries to explain to the Snooty Mom why they want to acquire the veggie selling business at the complex. When she continues to protest, Tae-yang asks her to apologize for calling them ruffians -- how it would be good for Snooty Mom's son if someone called him that someday. She's not having any of it and says that if her son ever grew up to be a vegetable seller, she'll be too embarrassed and will have to leave Korea! They push past Our Boys to get on the elevator to leave... but not before Bratty Kid sticks his tongue out at them. (Have them both killed. RIGHT NOW.)

Back at the 7-11, the three hyungs are hanging out, drinking milk this time (hee!) and conversing about why they can't get the ahjumma to sign off on the paperwork. There's got to be a way that those three can help him out without Tae-yang knowing? Then we see Tae-yang sitting on a concrete step outside the apartment complex with the contract in his hand showing the spot where the Snooty Mom needs to affix her stamp to make it all official. Tae-yang pushes the pieces of paper together and gets up...

At Ga-on's home, she is dressed and tells Crazy Mom she's leaving for work, when she is called over for a chat. Crazy Mom is upset that Ga-on lied to her mom and dad and all she can think about is going to work -- what was she doing with that boy again? Ga-on lies again that she told Tae-yang to stop following her around, that she set him straight when Mom and Dad apparently saw them in the driveway talking. Ga-on says that it will never happen again, as Crazy Mom reminds Ga-on of her edict earlier about not hanging around the other Market workers. Then Ga-on flashes back to the time when Crazy Mom refused to let Jin-shim say goodbye to Tae-yang because of what happened with the original Ga-on, and tells her she will never meet Jin-shim ever again if she meets up with Tae-yang again. She makes her excuses and leaves, but not before Crazy Mom thinks that it's weird Ga-on has never lied to her before...

Tae-yang is walking towards the apartment complex again, when he comes across Scruffy Guy rooting around in the bushes and rocks obviously looking for something. Scruffy Guy sees him, as Tae-yang smiles and pulls out the Discman that Scruffy Guy left behind during their fight the day before. Scruffy Guy runs up and grabs the Discman out of Tae-yang's hands and stares at him, with Tae-yang saying that he never did get the chance to thank him for his help the other night in fighting off the local yakuza. Tae-yang starts walking away, but turns and thanks Scruffy Guy for his help in not getting the hyungs more beat up than they were. As Scruffy Guy is walking away, Tae-yang tells him to be careful, and if he ever needs a warm place to sleep, to find him for one. Scruffy Guy stops in his tracks and smiles, but walks on.

Back at Stately Crazy Manor, Crazy Mom is issuing orders to the Lackey to have "that boy" investigated -- pull up anything and everything you can find on him, and as we saw in the Episode 9 preview, she comments "whose neck do I have to wring to get rid of that boy from the Market?!?" Lackey looks concerned, but doesn't question Crazy Mom's motives.

And we return for the gazillionth time to the apartment complex, where Snooty Mom is leaving her place. Next thing we see is a single rose... and Chan-sol at the other end of its stem. He goes into Total Ahjumma Suck-Up Mode and pleads with noona to help his hyung Tae-yang. She's just standing there smiling like a loon, and when Chan-sol asks why she's being that way... to sign the contract 'passion' (LOL!), she suddently remembers who she is, gets all defensive and takes the rose from him and throws it to the ground. (Continue killing her NOW!!)

The next one to try him luck with Snooty Mom is Ho-jae, all dressed up in a suit and hair slicked back up like Elvis on his head (LOL LOL LOL!!!). He is there with charts and graphs and business plans in an attempt to show Snooty Mom how tutoring her son would help in approving Tae-yang's business. This time, she's more abrupt with her denial, grabs a spreadsheet out of Ho-jae's hands, crumples it and throws it at his feet before slamming the door in his face. (DITTO!!)

Lastly, we have Woo-bong there at Snooty Mom's door with a trowel and bucket in his hand. Looks like no pretenses on Woo-bong's part, as the only thing he knows how to do is take care of plants and he heard that Snooty Mom really likes flowers. As she tries to pull the door shut on him, he manages to jam his arm in there while he continues to plead his case. As he attempts to stammer out that they are Bachelors, Snooty Mom the upper hand, and she pushes him out of the way and slams the door on Woo-bong as he falls to the floor.

Back at the Market, Goofy Guy #1 and Goofy Guy #2 and Ga-on are gearing up for another auction. They start the bidding, as Tae-yang runs over and jumps up-and-down to get Ga-on attention. She sees him waving and goes blank for a second or two... and looks down at the ground instead of looking at him. Tae-yang looks dejected and confused.

Over at the Market Office, Tae-yang is waiting for Ga-on to get off her auction shift. She sees him, but when he looks up to see her, she panics and starts walking in the other direction, with Tae-yang close behind. With a light hand on her shoulder, Tae-yang manages to make her stop and apologizes for getting in her way by waiving to her when she was trying to work. Tae-yang thinks that he scared her with the things he said the night before. It's all Ga-on can keep to do from crying, as she turns to Tae-yang and says she can't talk and goes back to the Market Office. Tae-yang is even more confused now.

An upset Tae-yang pulls out of the Market in his truck, as Seul-woo pulls up in his Hyundai and lays across the hood, thinking about the scene from the other night, when Tae-yang grabbed Ga-on by the wrist and dragged her out of the party. He runs up the stairs to the Market Office, where he comes upon Ga-on sitting in the stairwell with tears in her eyes. She flashes back to the last time that Tae-yang and Jin-shim had met before she left with Crazy Mom to become Ga-on -- Tae-yang saying she can leave now, but that he'll see Jin-shim at school tomorrow... and remember to put the battery in her pager! Seul-woo just stands there in the stairwell watching her clutch her chest and cry.

We see the Fresh on the street beside the apartment complex handing out flyers to advertise a presentation that they're going to give to the people who live at the complex. Then we jump to Ga-on sitting at the bus stop, with Seul-woo pacing impatiently in front of her. Ga-on stares out at the street, as a few buses whiz right past her. Seul-woo tries a few tricks to get her attention, when finally he hits the side of the bus stop with his foot to make the metal siding ring around her. She continues to stare out into space in silence, with Seul-woo trying to make polite conversation by basically complaining about her giving him the silent treatment. Unfortunately for him, when the next bus arrives, Ga-on finally snaps out of it and hops on, leaving Seul-woo at the curb and him cursing the bus for pulling away.

Back at Seul-woo ConHugeCo Corporation, Seul-woo has brought a sushi lunch to his Mom. As he goes to sit down, Imo pats his rear end and starts scolding him like a baby. Seul-woo then complains that everyone treats him like an unemployed bum, especially the one girl he's interested in. Imo perks up and asks him for sure if it's Ga-on? Imo accuses him of doing anything to get his beloved Monster back in his life, but maybe Seul-woo looking at Ga-on more as a woman than an arch-enemy; if not, give up now. And then she shoves a piece of yellowtail into his mouth. (Hey wait... I thought he was a vegetarian. Continuity!!)

Our Bachelor are out digging in a field, looking for something. They pull out of the ground several tuberous roots with green shoots on top. (AND IF THIS TURNS OUT TO BE GINSENG, I'M FLYING TO SEOUL AND WILL BEAT THE WRITERS TO A BLOODY PULP!!!) Actually, it's burdock root. Phew! Chan-sol complains about all the hard work he's doing because he's an idol, and Ho-jae as usual waxes poetic about the roots they've pulled out of the ground.

After they all return to the gosiwon with two full baskets of the stuff, Tae-yang figures they need a kitchen to work on the roots. He gets an idea, and when he pulls out his phone, we see there's a little aegyo picture of Tae-in on her contact card. Woo-bong asks him if that's his girlfriend, but when Tae-yang spits back that it's his SISTER, then Woo-bong goes all mental and complains that Tae-yang didn't tell him such an important thing as having a beautiful sister! Tae-yang asks Tae-in to borrow her kitchen, but when he finds out that she moved without telling him, they yell back and forth and she ends up hanging up on Tae-yang. Ho-jae sits there and contemplates how strange the situation is, when Chan-sol says that it's obvious why Tae-in didn't tell her brother -- she must have moved in with her boyfriend. Tae-yang and Woo-bong go WHAT?!?! LIVING TOGETHER?!?

[Commercial Break #1]

We then see Tae-yang at the door of a fancy apartment with an envelope in his hand. He rings the bell... and Tae-in answers (so he must be at Dan-bi's place). Tae-in gets all jumpy and nervous wondering what Tae-yang is doing there, when he says that he's delivering the mail left at her old place (and wheedled Tae-in's new address out of her old roommate as well). Tae-in will not invite him in, insisting that whatever needs to be said to her, say it in the hallway. Tae-yang says nuh-uh, and wants to see where Tae-in has been living these days, and that he should say hello and ask them to take good care of her (hee!).

As all this is going on, the other three boys are watching from around the corner of the apartment, stacked on top of one another like The Three Stooges. LOL LOL LOL!! Woo-bong gets the hots seeing Tae-in for the first time, but take special note of the look on Ho-jae's face when he sees Dan-bi come out of her apartment into the hallway, even after Woo-bong slaps his face a few times to snap him out of his staring -- that boy be done lovestruck big time!!

Tae-yang slips past Tae-in's protesting form, and rings the doorbell yet again... when Dan-bi comes to the door and they stare at each other for a bit. Tae-in asks if they know each other? Dan-bi invites him in, as Tae-yang sits on her couch all uncomfortable and Tae-in is in the kitchen making tea for the three of them. Then Dan-bi flashes back to when she dressed him (and his kind) down at Seul-woo's vegetarian party the other night. Dan-bi offers up a semi-lame apology for her actions that night, as Tae-yang just wants to forget the whole thing; just be honest and stop dancing around saying she's sorry. Tae-yang then gets a text from Tae-in from the next room and just shakes his head (basically telling him to not bust her in front of Dan-bi). As Tae-in serves the tea, she makes darn sure that she steps on Tae-yang's foot at the same time to get her point across.

Tae-in asks Dan-bi how they know each other, when Dan-bi says she really doesn't, but Seul-woo does. Tae-in ends up making excuses for Tae-yang to leave... but not before Tae-yang reminds her not to do anything to worry him while she stays at Dan-bi's place... as Dan-bi starts getting intrigued over this cute fellow who just happens to be Tae-in's brother...

See you in Part Two!!

January 18, 2012

I'm not sure I should be jealous (hee!), but here's a preview from Episode 9 -- OMO OMO OMO OMO OMO!!!!!!!!!! Will we finally see some REAL KISSING from this Show (and some actual emotion from Changwook-ssi's co-star this time)? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!

January 17, 2012

I know. that brought tears to my eyes, too. So sweet that he has held on to his first love like that. So I'm wondering when the pager is going to come into play, as well as the church on the 15th...surely they will work those in the plot. If you ever watched Snow Queen with Hyun Bin it had a pager that came into play years later (which I found a little crazy, but it worked for that drama).

P.S. That was cute when he was rationalizing with himself in the hallway once he knew she was rich. That line he said cracked me up...it was something like, "it's not like I'm in the such and such era"...

First Rule of Drama Scripting: Whenever a character or physical item is introduced in the First Act, it will most definitely play a huge part in the Third Act. And that pager is going to be the turning point in the Third Act.

Tae-yang said "it was not like they're in the Joseon Era or anything"... which made me spit out my coffee!! Gotta give nice credit to the writers for the riff-back to WBDS!!

Glad to see that most everyone is enjoying this show -- I know there's gaping holes in the plot large enough to drive an 18-wheeler through, but it's been nice to just sit back and watch some mindless entertainment that doesn't make me need to run to an encyclopedia to confirm a reference (yeah, I'm looking at you, Tree With Deep Roots...). And after watching for a month now, I am happy that Channel A decided to push the start time up to 8:50 PM KST -- with all the awesome dramas now airing on the Big Three at the originally-scheduled 9:50 PM time, this little show would have been not watched at all. But I agree with the folks that said this run should have been capped at 20 episodes as Channel A had planned -- I predict a few episodes that are gonna drag big time in the next few weeks.

Hopefully my travel schedule won't screw up things too badly this week -- I return to Tokyo today (Wednesday) and will be able to watch and recap Episode 9 live. Episode 10's airing occurs at the time I'm at Narita to return to the States, so I'm hoping to get there early enough and stake out a place at the United Red Carpet Room with their free wi-fi.

And speaking of gaping holes... I have updated the first page with the download links to the episodes and softsubs (where applicable). When I finally do return home, I will go back and flesh out prior recaps with plot and screencaps and stuff. It's just been impossible to set aside the time while I've been away. Sorry.

Seeyas back here tomorrow!

January 16, 2012

Hi everyone! I only have a few minutes of online time reserved at my onsen's Business Centre, so I'll make it quick. A friend-of-a-friend sent these BTS pictures to me, taken during the filming of the Banana Selling Scene from Episode 7. I gotta say... CUTEST. MONKEY. EVER. ♥♥♥

(credit and kamsahamnida to @pimpimpim!)

January 12, 2012

Good point there! I really hope they realize who they are as soon as possible. because i kinda frustrated they never ask the names. omg. did i forgot or idk, what did they call each other?

Heh. Your mouth to the PD-nim's ears, sweetie. Wait until you watch Episode 8!! BTW, Tae-yang calls her "underling", and Ga-on calls him "Hole" (as what was written on the sign on Tae-yang's back as he was being paraded around the Market dressed only in his boxers -- The Black Hole). Oh my... I have to sit down now after thinking of that scene again... LOL!!

Thanks for the MV link, jun-soo. I had to run out to a meeting and missed the uploading time. Now I see why they delayed the release of this part, because it gives away major spoilers from Episodes 7 and 8 (YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!). Anyway, the link to both the MP3 of the OST Part 2 song and the MV itself is on the first page, so grab both of them there! I cried like a baby after watching the MV, though... I think this is going to be my new favorite song for awhile. It's just sooo precious!! ♥♥♥

It's past midnight now, minasan. I need some sleep because tomorrow (Friday) is my last full working day before I head down to Kyoto to meet up with my friends for a few days of rest and relaxation. Be back online later!!

January 12, 2012

EPISODE 8 RECAP, Part 2:

Back at the gosiwon, Our Bachelors discuss strategy again and what Tae-yang was discussing with Seul-woo. Woo-bong heard it was a large complex and there were a lot of ladies to sell veggies to. As Ho-jae attempts to open his mouth to explain the concept of a trade organization, Chan-sol puts his hand over Ho-jae to stop him from boring the group again. As Tae-yang reads over the paperwork, Chan-sol explains that his sister told him if they only opened two days a week, they'd clean up! Woo-bong says he thought Jung-ah was scary, but how does she acquire all this great information?

Chan-sol explains that the ahjummas chat while they're getting their nails done, so all the gossip is spread around far and wide. (Sounds like any Saturday at my local nail salon...) If the Fresh Men could get into the complex, they wouldn't have to worry about getting the crap beat out of them anymore, and they wouldn't have to worry about getting towed again... and if the ladies all chat about them giving great service, it will help the business as well!! We then cut to Jung-ah giving a lesson on who to go after for signatures and in what order (hey wait, is she pregnant?). There is a father and daughter who act as co-Directors. The Managing Director (the Dad) would be the final piece of the puzzle and the weakest link, so they need to target him first.

Out on the street, The Boys arrive at an apartment complex, where Tae-yang runs into the Managing Director and passes on a fruit basket as an introduction. They stand in unison and announce themselves as The Fresh Men, and request to be appointed the caretakers of the Great Value Market... and then pose like Power Rangers or something (hee again!). The hyungs then start doing odd jobs around the complex to win his favour... even stooping so low as to pull a saranghaeyo-ing in front of an embarrassed Director. Ummm... WTF?!?

Next thing we see is some scruffy guy rummaging through a Goodwill-type bin looking for warmer clothes. The hyungs assume this guy is a thief, and after calling him out like that, yell at the Director that they caught a thief... but the Scruffy Guy takes all three of them out and takes off running. Tae-yang goes after him as Scruffy Guy hides behind a concrete pillar. Thinking that Tae-yang has lost him, Scruffy Guy comes out and brushes himself off... as Tae-yang comes out from hiding himself and knocks the guy to the ground.

They scuffle for awhile, and then Tae-yang pulls of Scruffy Guy's hat to find... it's the Random Guy from a few nights before that jumped into the fight with the neighborhood bullies! They stare at each other for a bit, and then Tae-yang asks him if he was the one that helped out against the thugs and don't you remember me? Scruffy Guy kicks Tae-yang off of him and runs away... but not before leaving behind his Sony Discman, which Tae-yang picks up and stares at. (Isn't this in Present Day Time now? Who even has a Discman any more, ne?) Tae-yang looks concerned, because he never did get the chance to thank him for his help the other night...

Back out at the Complex, Our Boys are organising the recycling bins and sorting out bottles and garbage, when some Bratty Kid (bowl haircut and bow tie, so you know he's a Brat) walks by and throws his empty bottle at Woo-bong's head. Three of the boys get up and start running after Bratty Kid to tell him to come over and pick up his own freakin' bottle! Bratty Kid crabs back at them, saying why should he because it's The Boys' job to pick up all the trash. Bratty Kid yells for his mother, who walks up and sees the boys, and reminds Bratty Kid that she said to never talk to strangers. Bratty Mom proceeds to take offense at the Korean School System, by complaining that the reason the boys are out there 'scrounging' is because the school never teach children what they need to learn. Bratty Mom tells her Bratty Kid to not walk by places like this because you'll catch a disease (beeyotch!), but when Bratty Kid asks who these guys are, Bratty Mom dresses them down as people who do odd jobs and run errands. As they walk away with a stick up their butts, The Boys start going after them until Tae-yang tells them all to calm down. Ho-jae insists that if there's anyone smarter than he, show their faces! (Hee!) Woo-bong is besides himself, accusing parents like her are teaching their children the wrong way (you go, Kwangvatar!!)

Our Bachelors are back at the Complex Office getting the paperwork stamped and are thanking the Managing Director profusely, but he says it's too early for him to be thanked since the permit is not complete because it needs one last stamp on it... and it's gonna be a hard one to acquire. He waves them off with a "good luck!" and The Boys look confused. They arrive at the apartment of the person they need to request the approval from... which turns out to be the place the Mom and Bratty Kid live, because she's the co-Managing Director (the daughter of the father-daughter team)!! Bratty Kid opens the door, and when he sees the boys standing there, thinks that they've come back to harass him and slams the door, yelling that the weird guys from earlier are at their apartment. He opens it three seconds later and says she's not going to help them, because their apartment complex standards are way too high and it is not the place where ruffians like them are to have a business!

Tae-yang yells through the door that they are there to ask for a favor from his mom, which gets no answer and the boys turn around to leave. As they get on the elevator, Bratty Kid runs up to them and throws a bag of bones and scraps at them, saying that his mom ordered they to throw it out because it smells. Bratty Kid sticks his tongue out at them and runs back into the apartment. Woo-bong is then questioned why the hell he took the bag anyway, to which he said it was an accident! Tae-yang starts doing a slow burn, grabs the bag from Woo-bong, and goes back to the apartment mad as hell. But he suddenly stops, thinks about it for a long time, and decides to just leave. What good would it be to get mad at the one person who he needs help from? He gets back on the elevator, and the boys leave.

The Boys return to the Market, where Tae-yang drops them off but sits in his truck. As he watches them walk away through his rear-view mirror and enter the subway, he's trying to figure out why his hyungs came back, because he keeps letting them get beat up, getting their hearts hurt, with him continuing to apologise for putting them through hell. And then he starts tearing up... dammit, Changwook-ssi -- if you go into one of your patented 'chin-wiggles' (see: WBDS) before starting to cry, I'm gonna lose it big time!!

Later than night, Ga-on sees Tae-yang hanging out in front of the Market Office. Ga-on flashes back to Crazy Mom yelling at her that she needs to remember her place and to not hang around with the common folk anymore, but shakes that thought off. He asks if she is just getting off work, and she asks why he's there so late because the products haven't arrived just yet. He stammers that he just happened to be passing by. Ga-on asks him how his business is going -- anything else to get beat up over? Tae-yang says it's been really rough... that he would much rather get beat up instead. When he sees her surprised face, Tae-yang asks if she's going to beat up the next person who gives Tae-yang a hard time, to which she agrees to put them out of their misery. Ga-on then tells Tae-yang that she's hungry and would he like to join her to get a bite to eat? Tae-yang is all over that idea, but then suddenly remembers that he has a prior engagement to attend... Ga-on tells him oh well, maybe next time and she turns to walk away, when Tae-yang asks if she likes salads...

We then see them both at Seul-woo's shopping center, as Ga-on keeps asking why they're there and Tae-yang says they're going to a meeting for people who are on vegetarian diets... and she'll see soon who invited him. Apparently Seul-woo is throwing this Vegetarian Party for his Vegetarian Society members with a huge food table and a DJ. Ga-on looks over and sees Seul-woo, as Seul-woo comes over to greet them and is surprised to see them arrive together. Tae-yang asks if it was okay that he brought Ga-on to his little shindig. Ga-on then turns to Tae-yang and says that she's going to leave.

Seul-woo then calls out Ga-on as someone he didn't think would attend events like his. Tae-yang doesn't know why those two continue to fight or exactly what happened between them, but they're there now and can she let it go? Tae-yang says that he's talked to him and that he's a much better guy than he originally thought. They'll stay for a little bit, but instead of explaining why, he leaves Ga-on standing there with Seul-woo. Seul-woo suggests that he and Ga-on talk for a minute, as Tae-yang (trying to be the peacemaker again) pushes her towards him asking for those two to work out whatever differences they have, as he will be over at the buffet studying the salads. Seul-woo asks her how they can stop being so cold and get to know each other better...

Tae-yang then dorky-dances (WUB!!) over to the food table to take notes and sample the foods. (I find it just soooo adorable seeing Changwook-ssi attempt to pronounce the proper names of the various veggies spread out on the buffet -- butchering the English versions and calling mâche "mayache" instead... LOL!!!) He wonders why there's so much food on the table... as he takes the serving tongs and shoves radicchio into that precious mouth of his. LOL!!

[Commercial Break #2]

We see a few others arriving at Seul-woo's event -- Dan-bi and Tae-in, all dressed up and ready to party! They converse before heading into the party, as Tae-in asks Dan-bi if it's okay that she tags along to Seul-woo's party, to which Dan-bi tells her not to worry whether he likes it or not. Tae-in tries to confirm with Dan-bi that she and Seul-woo are truly Splitsville for good. Tae-in tells her unni that she thinks it's really cool that they still hang around together and stuff, even after breaking up. So let's go party, ne?

Dan-bi's face drops as she sees Ga-on standing next to Seul-woo, assuming that they came to the meeting together. Then as Tae-in scans the room, she gets scared when she sees Tae-yang at the food table, still taking notes and eating away. Tae-in feigns stomach cramps and tells Dan-bi she's going to the bathroom and runs out of the room, all the time asking why Tae-yang was there. If Dan-di and Seul-woo find out that Tae-in is Tae-yang's sister, then everything will be ruined! Cramping her style, dude!

Seul-woo and Ga-on attempt a normal conversation, with Seul-woo asking her what her relationship with Tae-yang is... to attend his meeting together, you two must be really close. Ga-on gives it back to him, saying that yes, they're close... what of it? Seul-woo calls Ga-on out on not being the friendliest person in the room, with her saying she wouldn't have come to the meeting if she had known he was going to be there. Seul-woo actually agrees with her, saying he hates meetings like these as well. Ga-on accuses him of being a poseur, but he tells her he didn't arrange the meeting just because he was a bored little rich kid.

Seul-woo then attempts to explain why he decided to put the meeting together with his list of contacts... it is his World Vision to get more Koreans behind a vegetarian restaurant concept. He openly wonders why there isn't a single vegetarian restaurant in Korea... is it because there are not enough people on vegetarian diets? Ga-on says that there are less than 1% of the country that consider themselves true vegetarians, but goes on to explain to Seul-woo the reason why there are hardly any vegetarian restaurants in Korea -- it's due to the rich traditions and consideration that one gives to their fellow diners to not upset them by refusing the foods served to them when dining out. No one ever goes out to eat alone -- just because one is on a vegetarian diet, does that mean one has to throw consideration out the window? And what does he know about consideration anyway?

Seul-woo has no answer to that, when a coin suddenly rolls across the floor to his feet. Seul-woo dances away from Ga-on (hunh?), leans over to the floor and then dances back with an 500 won piece in his hand. Ah, so he's gonna pull the old quarter-behind-the-ear trick on Ga-on to loosen her up a bit. And it is toooo cute!! It seems to work, as she finally gives him a small smile. Dan-bi is watching all this from the sidelines and still steaming, when she flashes back to the time that Seul-woo played the same stunt on her just to get him to kiss her.

Meanwhile, one of the other Rich Girls at the party comes over to ask Dan-bi who the girl is that Seul-woo is trying to chat up, because she doesn't look like the type to show up at a place like this. Isn't that the girl that used to work at her father's shopping center parking garage? Dan-bi gets all snippy and tells Rich Girl to go ask them herself. Rich Girl then asks if Seul-woo might be making any business moves on that girl, as Dan-bi explains to her friend that she is Ga-on, the only (rich) daughter of the Mok Yeong Group. Rich Girl still wonders why she's there because their money situation is way different from each other...

Tae-yang overhears this conversation while still chomping down on some romaine lettuce and flashes back to the mushroom scene at the Market, where Tae-yang attempted to get an explanation out of Seul-woo to figure out Ga-on's actions (and she told him to shut the hell up). He turns to leave, but not before knocking over a salad out of Dan-bi's hands to the floor. Tae-yang and Dan-bi stand there staring at each other for a few seconds... but when Tae-yang sputters an apology, but Dan-bi insists it was her mistake instead. Rich Girl complains about having so many uninvited people at Seul-woo's party. Tae-yang walks down the hall away from the party room trying to make sense of the situation (out loud, thank goodness). Tae-yang is almost sure he mis-heard everything, wondering what to do and trying to convince himself that Ga-on's standing doesn't matter to him. But what it's really true -- that she's the only daughter of the Mok Yeong Group -- it's not like it's the Joseon Era anymore and so what she's the only daughter? (And that's where I spit green tea all over my monitor -- LOL!!!) He's going crazy thinking about it, but then decides to go back into the party... but stops and thinks about going back in... turns around... and... (arrrrrgh!)

Back again at the party, when Dan-bi comes up and decides she's had enough. She shimmies up to Seul-woo and cuts in on their conversation, introducing herself to Ga-on and Ga-on still apologising for the day that Crazy Mom slapped Seul-woo in the face. After looking Ga-on up and down, she orders Seul-woo to get her a drink. Seul-woo then decides to play gentleman, and askes Ga-on if she wouldn't like a drink as well. Dan-bi stomps her little feet and tells her oppa that she's thirsty!! And he heads over to get the drinks, Dan-bi asks Ga-on if she's interested in Seul-woo, to which Ga-on says hunh? Dan-bi then accuses Seul-woo that the reason to throw the party was for someone else... Ga-on perhaps?

Ga-on looks at Dan-bi like she's an alien for being so curious about her, and tells her she doesn't have Interest One in Seul-woo, but she needs to leave now to look for Tae-yang. Dan-bi accuses Ga-on of not having an interest and ignoring Seul-woo because he's so uncouth... because she's exactly like her mother? Ga-on disagrees, and tells the both of them that there's someone else she likes, and excuses herself from the room.

Ga-on goes out to find Tae-yang sitting on the stairs. When she asks why he didn't coming back to the party, Tae-yang says that there was something he needed to think about first. Feeling uncomfortable, Tae-yang gets up to leave. But Ga-on tells him she's disappointed in him -- she was hoping they were going to someplace nicer, to which he just stares at her. Ga-on tells him it was just a joke (lighten up already!), and regrets coming to the party with him, as he admits the same to her. Ga-on says she'll be fine by herself, so he should go back inside to the party and continuing studying his vegetables. Tae-yang looks at her, and then asks Ga-on if she has any siblings -- he has one younger sister. When she responds that it's just her with no siblings, Tae-yang says to himself oh crap, it's true -- she's the only daughter the partygoers were talking about.

Ga-on gets all embarrassed, and apologizes for not being able to interact in situations like this because she's too 'prickly.' (Technically, the term is 'beeeyotchy,' so I don't know why the subbers are dumbing it down like that. Hmpf.) Tae-yang disagrees, and tells her she's not prickly at all. Tae-yang tells her that they should just blow this pop stand and instead of eating salads, let's go eat something filling. Ga-on tells him she's just going to leave by herself, but Tae-yang say no and asks Ga-on to stay with him... just for today. They decide to leave together, but not before they need to go back to the party to say their proper goodbyes.

They return to the party room, where Seul-woo is still staring at the 500 won piece with which he played the trick on Ga-on. Dan-bi says she now remembers when he was trying to tame his precious sports car, and Dan-bi tells him he'd better be prepared to see his beloved Porsche go bye-bye for good. Seul-woo brushes that off by demanding that he is going to capture Ga-on's heart and make her 'purr like his Monster.' Dan-bi then tells Seul-woo that his radar is off and there's no way he's going to capture Ga-on, because she told Dan-bi with her own mouth that she likes someone. Seul-woo is getting upset wondering if Tae-yang is the jerk that Ga-on is hanging out with... because Seul-woo needs to get her on his side before the month is up so he can get his Precious Monster returned to him! Dan-bi is amazed that Ga-on would be with someone like Tae-yang, when he doesn't have a 'proper' background.

As Ga-on and Tae-yang enter the party room again, they overhear Dan-bi and Seul-woo's conversation. Dan-bi asks who Tae-yang is, as Seul-woo explains that he's a chingu who sells vegetables out of a truck. Dan-bi is besides herself that Ga-on would come to the party with someone who sells vegetables, even though Seul-woo says it was him who invited Tae-yang to his party. Dan-bi considers that tacky, as Seul-woo tells her to just calm down already. Dan-bi reminds Seul-woo that she said to never hang around with business salesmen ever. She accuses Tae-yang of stooping so low just to make an extra penny -- they're just lowly salespeople, and that 'even a dog won't a salesman's crap' (OUCH). Seul-woo yells at Dan-bi to lower her voice if she's going to talk like that. Ga-on then walks over to tell them that 'birds of a feather really do flock together.' Ga-on calls them out for because extremely rude and crude for inviting someone and then insulting them so horribly!

Dan-bi says she made a mistake, but then turns it around and accuses Ga-on of being all high-and-mighty, because hasn't she even talked about anyone behind their backs ever? Dan-bi then attempts to quantify her statements by saying aren't her words true, when Seul-woo tells Dan-bi to SHUT UP! She looks stunned at her oppa as Seul-woo turns to apologize to Ga-on, when Ga-on demands that there's someone else that deserves the apology more than her. Tae-yang tells Ga-on to stop and just forgot it, when she yells back that they've upset her! Tae-yang insists that they need to leave now -- they just became the monkeys at the zoo. Ga-on protests that she can't leave without finishing giving them a piece of her mind...

(Cue OST Part 2 song...) Tae-yang grabs her wrist and drags Ga-on all the way to the bus stop (where posted is a poster for Saturday Night Live Korea!), where they get on and absentmindedly ride until the end of the bus line... still holding hands the entire trip (awwwwww!!!). They get off the bus and try to figure out what to do next, when Tae-yang says he doesn't know the neighborhood at all, but he's sure there's a nice place to eat somewhere because he's really hungry. The next scene we see them at a ramyum restaurant, where Tae-yang asks her if it's good ramyun and they're being all cute with Ga-on telling Tae-yang he's got something on his face, etc. -- all in slow-motion (which in K-Drama-Land, means they're falling in love!!)

Back at the party (for hopefully the last freakin' time), Seul-woo is drunk as a skunk and goes twirling around the room. He's munching on a piece of romaine as he leans up against the party room window and slowly sinks down to the floor, still chewing on the lettuce... and then cutting to a shot of Dan-bi at home, wiping off her lipstick and thinking. She opens a jewelry box, where we see the ubiquitous ballerina twirling around... and a 500 won coin on top. Dan-bi suddenly slams the jewelry box shut, as we pan over her shoulder to Tae-in at the other side of the room in a chair, reading a magazine. Looks like Dan-bi took pity on the poor homeless girl (ha!) and took her in.

Tae-yang walks Ga-on to her "home" and thanks her for protecting him from the big bad rich people, but Ga-on keeps apologising for making things worse, as Tae-yang says he's going to find her whenever he feels threatened again. Tae-yang agrees to leave her at that spot, but asks her if she doesn't think their relationship is a bit weird. Tae-yang says to Ga-on that they've seen each other fight and been absolutely humiliated, as he raises his hand and says they've even passionately held hands, but that they still don't know each other's names... which makes Ga-on gasp and look at him. HE THEN FINALLY ASKS FOR HER NAME... and when she hesitates, Tae-yang wonders out loud if it's a weird one and rattles off a bunch of names. As she sputters out that her name is Ga.....On... Mok Ga On... and then Tae-yang looks quizzically at her and you can see his face go all dark... and we end Episode 8!

(DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT!!! A whole week to wait for his response? CRAP!!!!)

PREVIEW: Ga-on is attempting to avoid Tae-yang at all costs. Seul-woo gets pensive again. Tae-yang and Dan-bi have their first meeting at the Market, which looks like it doesn't go well. Seul-woo attempts to get on Ga-on's good side. Tae-yang looking absolutely confused in the last shot. Crazy Mom's voiceover saying to find out who she needs to hurt in order to keep Tae-yang away from the Market... and Ga-on as well. Tae-yang pouting in the last shot.

Episode 8 Teaser Photo? I didn't get a lot of screencaps from this episode, as there was a lot more talking in static scenes. I really wanted to put up one of Tae-yang dorky-dancing at Seul-woo's, but the picture was too fuzzy. In the meantime, just enjoy staring at this for awhile -- I thought My Precious was gonna whip out The Tongue again, but it turned into a sexy little lip bite instead. Still... WUB!!!

January 12, 2012

EPISODE 8 RECAP, Part 1:

We push back a bit to Crazy Mom in the car with her lackey (that's Jang Jae Ho, not the other guy that works for Seul-woo's mom). She's arriving at the Market to see Ga-on, but the lackey can't find her. Crazy Mom asks if the lackey left the change of clothes for Ga-on, and then complains about why she has to work there in the first place. She orders him to drive away, when her lackey stops the car short and tells Crazy Mom if that isn't Ga-on over on the bench, tending to Tae-yang's fight wounds. Mom gets out, sees the scene, and then does a slow-burn over what she sees.

Ga-on later returns home to see Crazy Mom on the couch, still steaming. Ga-on apologizes for not being available when she stopped by, with Crazy Mom saying that she regretted seeing what she saw earlier and asking who the boy was. Ga-on tells her he's nobody, but Crazy Mom ain't having any of that and snipes that he looked so pathetic that he went a few rounds with someone. Crazy Mom asks Ga-on if he is a thug or a creep, to which she answers that he's just a boy who sells vegetables from a truck. Crazy Mom yells that back to Ga-on, but Ga-on doesn't back down and says that they met while working at the Market and that's all.

Crazy Mom is still crabbing at Ga-on over why she has to work at such a place with such a dirty kid when she is the only daughter of the Mok Yeong Group. Crazy Mom orders her to behave and don't hang around with the riff-raff at the Market. That sets Ga-on off, and she tells Crazy Mom that she works with honest and responsible people, and that she hasn't forgotten who she is... once in awhile, but she can't because her name is such a burden upon her. Ga-on rolls up her sleeve and sticks out the arm that has the tattoo, and tells Crazy Mom to not worry -- as long as she has that tattoo and it doesn't disappear, she'll never forget. She says she's sorry, and rushes up to her room.

Tae-yang is in his truck and arrives at the church in his old village. He enters the side room to see the cards he and Jin-shim made to sell his watercress at their local market. It must be the 15th of the month, because he then flashes back to the time Tae-yang and Jin-shim made that promise to always meet back there on each 15th. A young Tae-in reminds the youngTae-yang that Jin-shim left a letter with the minister saying she was leaving and to never look for her. Young Tae-yang tells Tae-in to not hate Jin-shim so much, because she'll be back someday. The last flashback shows Tae-in hanging up the vegetable sign cards in the rectory before they left for (a foster home or another place; not sure here).

Tae-yang reaches for the card he always wore, and turned it over to see that he's written down each and every 15th of the month that he came by the church, continuing on through working at the Market in the present day. He takes out a pen and adds the date of starting his vegetable business. To the air in the room (and with tears in his eyes), he tells Jin-shim that he's now on his own with his veggie business, but that it's very difficult and hopes it will get better soon. Jin-shim had always told Tae-yang he was the best in picking vegetables... as the young Jin-shim appears before him.

Jin-shim tells him she's sure he will do his best, but Tae-yang isn't done talking yet... he tells Jin-shim that he thinks he broke his promise to her to not look at another woman until she returned to him, because he thinks he looked at another woman. He says that even though he's a strange boy, he's not there to confess that he's cheating on her... but all Jin-shim does is look over and smile broadly at him. As he looks back over at her, she slowly disappears.

Back at the Market, Tosa Jung and Seul-woo's mother are having tea and a chat. Imo is there to tell the Tosa to do something about his daughter (Dan-bi), now that she and Seul-woo have broken up. This is news to the Tosa, who complains that he never liked him nor her choice in men anyway. Apparently Dan-bi is taking the breakup a little too well, and Imo is not going to leave the subject alone. Dan-bi's Mom then arrives with lunch for Tosa, but is quite surprised to see Imo there. (Ah, she's the Second Wife. I get it now.) Second Wife invites Imo to stay and have lunch with them, but Imo says she needs to leave.

Just at that time, Ga-on arrives to give the a Market Report to the Tosa. Upon seeing Imo, Ga-on bows deeply and asks how Imo has been. When Imo is amazed that Ga-on even remembers her, Ga-on apologizes for that day Crazy Mom slapped Seul-woo. Imo tries to wave the apology away, but Ga-on insists on apologising for her mother as well. Finally Imo accepts that apology and tells Ga-on to forget that day ever happened. Ga-on then makes her excuses to leave, when Imo turns to the Tosa and asks if he knows who Ga-on actually is. When he feigns ignorance, Imo says that she is the only daughter of the Mok Yeong Group. Apparently they didn't know that fact, as Tosa's face goes all white, as the Second Wife attempts to pour more tea for her hubby, she gets all flustered and starts feeling faint. Tosa goes to help her, as Imo makes her excuses to leave. As the Tosa tries to make sure Second Wife is okay, and reminds her it's been too long -- there's nothing 'that family' can do to her now. They both then sit down to a nicely-packed lunch.

Our Bachelors (minus Tae-yang) are wandering around the neighborhood on their way back to the Veggie Truck. Chan-sol is most worried to return to the truck, as he's afraid of getting his butt kicked again. Woo-bong wants to know what Tae-yang is up to now, to at least buy him a hot meal if they have to make a run for it again from the bullies. As they arrive at the spot where they were selling the chili peppers (and got their butts kicked), they see that the truck is nowhere to be found... but tacked onto the side of the building is... a tow notice! The truck was towed overnight... and they need to find Tae-yang fast!

The boys run off to the City Hall, to find Tae-yang in the Towing Department trying to get his truck released. The guy in charge is insisting that Tae-yang write up a memorandum saying that he will not set up a selling booth again so he can release the truck back to our boys, but Tae-yang refuses as he believes he has done nothing wrong and writing such a promise would be based on a lie. The Towing Head is trying to take pity on him, but Tae-yang never promises anything that he cannot follow through upon!! The hyungs tell him to SHUT UP and order him to write the memorandum, when Tae-yang turns around and sees his hyungs there.

Woo-bong tells the other two boys to drag Tae-yang out of there, as they do with him protesting the entire way. Woo-bong turns around and tells the Towing Head that as the oldest of the Fresh Men, he will write up the memorandum instead. He grabs a large sheet of paper and starts writing... but then cover his work, like he's taking a test and doesn't want his answers copied. After Woo-bong leaves, we then see the Towing Head looking at the memorandum left behind. It does say "We Will Not Set Up A Selling Booth Again," with the word "not" written really really teeny-tiny. Ooooh, BURN!!

The next scene is all four boys back at the same spot with the truck, stacking and sorting and cleaning and generally looking quite happy, which makes Tae-yang happy too. Chan-sol re-hangs the sign off the back of the truck, and kisses it for luck. Apparently It's Carrot Day at the Veggie Truck, and they break out the bullhorns to announce that the Fresh Men have returned -- get your carrots here!! (and those are some freakin' HUGE carrots there!)

Crazy Mom picks up the phone to call someone. Apparently it's a matchmaker, and she's trying to set up Ga-on with the second son of the Yeong Jin Group. She orders the matchmaker to jump-start the process. Next we see Crazy Mom at an art gallery, where she ends up seeing a woman admiring the paintings. On the ruse of being there for the same reason, Crazy Mom chats up the woman, where it becomes obvious she's the mother of the son she's trying to get Ga-on hooked up with. Crazy Mom is trying to sweet-talk Snooty Mom into "merging the two families" through marriage. We look over Crazy Mom's shoulder, and Imo just happens to be at the gallery as well. Snooty Mom reminds Crazy Mom that her first son married up very well, so why should her second son marry into HER uneducated family?

Snooty Woman dresses her down with her denial, and reminds Crazy Mom that her house doesn't meet her impeccably high standards because the other Snooty Women she hangs around with all accuse her of breaking up Fake Dad's marriage and having a mistake child out of wedlock. Being dirt poor at the time didn't help her standing either. Crazy Mom reminds Snooty Woman that her son is no prize either, getting into trouble all the time with his parents needing to bail him out. Snooty Woman tells Crazy Mom that since she has such a lowly status, she should look for someone that matches that lowly status, but don't put your daughter through that just to further your own agenda.

Snooty Woman turns to leave the gallery, and leaves Crazy Mom standing there with her mouth open. As she is walking out, Imo walks past Crazy Mom and gives her a wink. Imo then walks up behind Snooty Woman and steps on the long skirt that Snooty Woman is wearing, which then pulls it down around her ankles to expose her winter underwear with bright pink hearts all over it to everyone in sight! There is much fussing as Imo apologizes and attempts to help Snooty Woman fix herself up, which makes Snooty Woman actually fall down to where everyone can now see her fashion faux pas in choosing that thermal underwear to wear that day. Hee!

Later on, Imo and Crazy Mom are at a cafe having tea and a chat. Crazy Mom asks why Imo just happened to be there at the gallery, to which Imo said she didn't care about the paintings -- she was just checking the market prices (looks like this is a hint that her company is in trouble). Imo pushes the check to Crazy Mom, as Crazy Mom is surprised and says she's not paying it. Imo pulls it back and crabs at her about being superficial and aren't you worried about Ga-on? Imo presses Crazy Mom further about why she would marry off Ga-on to such a trashy boy like Snooty Woman's son!

Imo then drops the bombshell that she and her should become in-laws, where Crazy Mom say what, are you sane right now?!? Imo goes on to explain that they should tie the two people together who are the most similar together. Imo likes Ga-on, but unfortunately, not so much her mother (hee!). Imo says that Seul-woo will treat Ga-on right and will never hurt her heart, so let's all four of us set up a dinner. Crazy Mom stands up and warns Imo to stay out of their affairs, and tend to her own son's life instead.

Crazy Mom returns to her car, where she tells her lackey she's had enough for the day. Go ahead and leak to the media all the information she's gathered on Snooty Mom's family. She's been humiliated in public, so now it's their turn to suffer and she is going to ruin them completely.

[Commercial Break #1]

Back at the Market, Ga-on is in the office working with the Goofy Guys. Seul-woo keeps calling Ga-on, but she's avoiding him like the plague. He calls her mobile, then sends her a text, then calls Goofy Guy #1 (the guy Seul-woo bloodied his nose), where he tells Seul-woo to keep his 'lovers' quarrel' away from the Market. Ga-on is mortified, and mimics Goofy Guy #1 to instruct him to tell Seul-woo that she's not there. Seul-woo then calls Goofy Guy #2, who is fed up with all the calls and orders Ga-on to talk to her lover, dammit! She takes the call, and before he can utter Word One, she tells him that she could get fired if he keeps harassing her and hangs up.

Outside the Market Office entrance, Seul-woo grabs for the handle to go in, but stops short and flashes back to their conversation at the supermarket the night before. He thinks better of it, and closes the door thinking is would be a really bad thing to get her fired, because then Ga-on would never speak to him again. Just then, Tae-yang pulls up in his truck and Seul-woo waves at him, saying "Mushrooms!"

Tae-yang and Seul-woo sit down for lunch, where Seul-woo explains why he only eats vegetables -- he used to weigh over 100 kilos (220 lbs.) and because he was so miserable being a chubby child, vowed never to return to those horrible days, so that's why he became a vegetarian. "It was almost like eating the grass on a soccer field." ::snort:: Tae-yang sees the light bulb go off above his head, and jumps over the table to crush Seul-woo in a big bear hug... to which Seul-woo responds "Um, I like women." (ROTFL!!) Tae-yang explains that he has this great idea for a produce selling operation, and explains how he can make it work to be the happiest veggie seller in the world.

Seul-woo thinks that if a place like that existed, it would be nice but you still have to depend on a customer's point of view. Figuring he's still unclear on the concept, Tae-yang attempts to explain the definition of 'empathy' to Seul-woo: If you're around happy people, then you become happier too; if you're around crying people, then you end up crying too. If Tae-yang opens a fantastic store, with extremely fresh produce and happy workers giving exceptional service to all the customers, and if one customer leaves happy and all that happiness adds up, he'll become the happiest person in the world!

Seul-woo is intrigued by this plucky young lad, and tells Tae-yang to keep going. Seul-woo thinks for a moment, and says it sounds like it makes sense... or does it? Tae-yang explains that he is so lacking, and there's so much to learn before he can become a success. Tae-yang wants to learn from someone who really knows the taste of vegetables. Tae-yang sweetens the pot by making an offer to Seul-woo that if he ends up owning a vegetable store, he'll let Seul-woo eat salads for free for the rest of his life. Tae-yang is done explaining himself and asks Seul-woo about his idea, and if it's not bad? Seul-woo stops and thinks for a second, and then says (in Engrish) "Okay. Cool!" Tae-yang smiles big time, and gives him an "Okay. Cool!" right back at him.

See you in Part 2!!

January 12, 2012

Looks like Part 2 of the OST will be released in a few minutes! The tune will be called 전부이니까 ("Because You're My Everything") and ballad singer Na Yoon Kwon (나윤권 ) takes on the duties this time around. We've already heard the song played in the background whenever Tae-yang and Ga-on are together, but it was especially poignant hearing it playing in their scene at the end of Episode 7. I'll put up a DL link here as soon as it drops, but here's a copy of the cover at least:

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[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

[Drama 2011] Bachelor's Vegetable Store 총각네 야채가게

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