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Bad Guy: Episode 10

Sometimes I think this show was misappropriated into the revenge story genre. I know it’s a revenge story, but the drama itself isn’t actually a tightly-woven series of machinations—I know this because I keep wanting it to be, but it’s not. That doesn’t mean I don’t like it; on the contrary, I actually really enjoy this drama. But I only enjoy it if I let go of the premise, and just pretend it’s a melodrama. Because then? It works fine.

The drama at its core is really about who’s kissing whom, who knows what about who’s kissing whom, and the upstairs/downstairs drama between the filthy rich and the people who orbit their sadistic world. Gun-wook’s main goal is revenge, but that stopped taking center stage a while back, and now I’m sort of wondering if he forgot to take revenge because of all the pretty girls in love with him. It’s okay. It could happen to anyone, really.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

With Jae-in’s help, the detectives deduce that the original Tae-sung (that is, Gun-wook) isn’t quite as dead as the Hongs believe him to be. Sun-young was the only one who ever knew him as Tae-sung, and so they guess rightly that he’s going by a different name now. It only took you ten episodes. Bravo. If cops in the real world ever moved this slowly, people would be committing crimes left and right, knowing they’d get away with it for a good thirty years or so. Please, Show—if you’re going to have cops be characters throughout the series, then at least make them a legitimate threat to our hero, adding some much-needed tension in the grand master schemathon.

Jae-in drags the drunk Tae-sung into his apartment, marveling at the vastness of rich people’s living quarters. She tries to get him to drink a glass of tomato juice, which he knocks over onto her dress. Well, that’s as good a reason as any to get naked, I guess.

She changes into one of his shirts and checks on him, tending to him like a mom. He spends a split second basking in the warmth, then brushes her off coldly. He tells her not to treat him so well, since she’ll be the one hurt in the end. He thinks back to his mother’s harsh words about Sun-young earlier that day.

Tae-sung: I threw her away…because I didn’t have the guts to protect her. I might end up doing the same again. So quit now. Stop being so good to me. What do you get out of it? I’m going to see you like this, and then throw you away again. I’ll throw you away! Do you not understand me? I can’t change. Do you think my family can change? No matter who I meet, I just cause them pain. I’m that kind of bastard.

He pushes her out of the apartment and refuses to answer the door. He’s clearly drawn to her but can’t dissociate his guilt about Sun-young, so he’s doing the classic bad boy move: push her away for her own good.

Mortified, Jae-in slinks down to the lobby in nothing but a shirt, trying her best to be invisible. She doesn’t know what else to do, so she calls Gun-wook, who comes running to the rescue. See, this is why you always need girlfriends. Just sayin’.

Gun-wook arrives to find Jae-in standing pitifully in her socks and shirt. Without so much as a word, he takes off his jacket and ties it around her waist. He then takes off his own shoes and puts them on her feet. Jae-in sees him in a whole new light. He silently grabs her wrist and they walk outside, him barefoot and her clonking along in his giant shoes.

He takes her to a store where he buys her an outfit, with really, really cute boots to match. Seriously, knight in shining armor plus good taste in shoes? You’re not real.

While he’s putting on her new shoes, Jae-in stretches out her hand for a split second, hovering above his head, but he gets up and she pulls back. Don’t be an Eun-jo!

The sales clerk asks what she should do with Tae-sung’s shirt, and Gun-wook eyes it like it’s infested with mites. He tells her to throw it away, despite her protests that it’s a designer shirt. Can’t you tell by his death beams aimed shirt-ways that he’d like it to burst into flames, lady?

Gun-wook takes Jae-in out to eat, saying that she should eat up for strength if she’s not going to give up now. He puts kimchi on her spoon, and that last gesture, on top of an entire day filled with them, nearly makes her break down. She looks up at him with tears brimming in her eyes, then gathers herself and eats.

The next morning Tae-sung wakes up to find Jae-in’s dress in his bathroom, leading to an “Oh, shit” moment. Yeah, it’s a common side effect of drinking that much soju. And being an ass. He waits for her at work, but is stopped short by a coworker.

Meanwhile Tae-ra shows up at Gun-wook’s desk, and the two go into Tae-sung’s office for a chat. At the same time, Mo-nae is on her way up with a flower basket, headed straight for the two of them.

Tae-ra tells him that Mo-nae is earnestly learning the harmonica, sticking to one hobby (something she’s never done before), because of him. She says that if his intentions aren’t serious, then he should leave. Gun-wook challenges her, “Do you really want me to leave?” Tae-ra: “Then, are you saying you’re going to try something with me?” Gun-wook: “Is that something you can do?”

Mo-nae arrives, and cracks open the door…

She overhears Tae-ra telling him how much Mo-nae loves him, and that she’s Mo-nae’s sister, with a husband and a child.

Gun-wook: And you? Stop talking about Mo-nae. Tell me what you want, what you like, how you feel now. What I want to hear is your true feelings. Do you know what your problem is? That you always take yourself out of the equation. Without any feeling you live as a shell—family, work, the house, the company—is everything. For just this one moment, can’t you put yourself first?

Damn, does he know all the right buttons to push. Tae-ra spits out in banmal: “Listen, Shim Gun-wook. The most important thing to me is family. If I could go back to that moment…nothing like that would ever happen. Never.” Gun-wook: “Never? Do you know how dangerous a word that is…never? Time is a thing that passes. You can’t go back or lock it up; it’s but a moment.” She stops him short, saying that she can’t forgive herself for falling for him, even for a second. Gun-wook pushes further, saying that her swaying feelings were true.

Mo-nae’s face falls as she hears the very clear implications of not only their feelings, but of a moment when they acted upon them. Tae-ra calls that day a mistake. Gun-wook counters that mistakes are sometimes the most sincere. The best thing about this whole exchange is the way he looks at Tae-ra…it’s like a shark circling a guppy. She’s the kind of person who’s so concerned about looking all put-together that in the end she always gives every emotion away. She says she never wants to see him again, and leaves in a huff. Gun-wook just cracks a sly smile as the guppy swims away, thinking she’s getting pretty far. Mo-nae hides under a desk crying as they both leave.

Jae-in wants to do something nice for Gun-wook, and she remembers what he said about wanting a home-cooked meal if he were Hong Tae-sung. So she buys groceries and heads over to his place…only the apartment she cleaned for him last time actually belongs to his stuntman sunbae. So after enduring a delightfully awkward attempt at flirting from the sunbae, she realizes that Gun-wook doesn’t live there and heads out. She calls him to meet her at her place, and then cancels on him at the last second…so she can follow him back to his actual apartment. Ha. Nice spy moves.

She follows him all the way back to his place, and almost walks in on him shirtless (revealing his back scar), but he covers it just in time. Jae-in walks through the apartment in anger, noting how nice and clean the place is, wondering why he made her clean that other shabby apartment. She demands to know, other than the apartment, what else he’s hiding from her.

She wonders what kind of person he is, what he really does for a living, since he must be fairly well-off. “Are you a hidden chaebol son? Something like that?” Gun-wook: “Then instead of Hong Tae-sung, I guess you should be dating me.” Damn. She takes that about as well as you’d think.

Jae-in asks if he’s the Gun-wook she knows…if Shim Gun-wook is even his name. Gun-wook’s words might be cold and calm, but his face, which is turned away from Jae-in the whole time, is distraught and worried, because he’s got two sinking ships to save, and they’re both slipping pretty quickly here.

He thinks it over, then asks if it matters to her what he is. She asks, “What am I to you?” He throws it back at her, “Then what am I to you?” He adds (his own hurt feelings brimming under the surface) that she’s never cared about him from the beginning, so what does it matter who he is or where he lives?

She answers that he’s right—since they’re nothing to each other, she doesn’t know why she’s even here. She walks out, and on her way she sees their picture sitting on his desk, and stops at the shoes he had put on her feet the other day.

It seems as though she’s left and Gun-wook sulks alone. Uh, that’s why you have no friends, dude. But a moment later, Jae-in walks back in, groceries in hand. And the changing expressions on Gun-wook’s face…make him look like a twelve-year old all of a sudden.

He sheepishly watches her cook dinner, knowing he was clearly in the wrong. He asks, “Jae-in ah, do you trust me?” Jae-in, laughing, says, “How can I trust you when all you do is lie?” He doesn’t argue, and instead tells her not to trust him after all, and never to trust a guy like him. Heh. Duly noted.

But then she looks down, and adds, “I trust you.” This throws Gun-wook for a loop. All of a sudden, he’s like, oh crap, this went somewhere I was not expecting. Tae-sung and Gun-wook seem to suffer from the same I’m-such-a-bad-boy-so-you-shouldn’t-love-me-it’s-for-your-own-good-I-swear syndrome. Idiots.

Gun-wook grins like a child at Jae-in’s newly earned trust, and her home cooked meal just for him. She sends him to wash his hands like a mommy, and he gets his shirt wet so he starts to change, which is right when Jae-in walks into the bathroom (a crazy thing to do when you’re a guest in someone’s house, p.s., but whatever, Show).

She sees his scar right away and it piques her interest. They sit down to eat, and Gun-wook asks if she’s never seen a shirtless guy before. (Do you not own a tv? ‘Cause that’s sad.) She asks him how it happened…the scar. She looks genuinely concerned and not at all suspicious, I DON’T KNOW WHY. She asks him if it still hurts, and he says it doesn’t hurt anymore; it’s just a reminder of the pain he once felt.

They start eating, but Jae-in gets a call from Tae-sung. She doesn’t pick it up, making Gun-wook smile like a fool. But she gets a text asking to meet, so she runs off in the middle of dinner, making excuses about her sister. Gun-wook thanks her sweetly for the meal as she leaves. This time she knocks the shoes aside as she rushes to meet Tae-sung. Poor Gun-wook’s shoes.

Tae-sung runs up to Jae-in, who plays it cool, pretending to have happened upon him, since she erased his number and didn’t know who texted her. He naively doesn’t see through her act and gets all mad that she erased his number. They go out to eat, and we get a nice segment of silent acting, as all three characters eat in silence, their own thoughts flooding their heads.

Gun-wook in particular shows some great moments of vulnerability, as he eats Jae-in’s dinner after his own, struggling to keep his tears at bay.

What is it about food + tears? It’s like the new formula for an Emmy. Or the dramabeans version of one. A Beanie?

After a long while, Tae-sung says, “I’m sorry. But that wasn’t a lie. I don’t have the courage to protect you.” Jae-in says she never asked to be protected, and that she’s not the kind of girl who’s so weak she needs protecting anyway. She takes another bite of her food, and out comes a diamond ring. What the…?

A waiter comes running over, apologizing that the ring was meant for another table who ordered the same dish. Hahaha. Tae-sung chuckles to himself at Jae-in’s bewilderment. He asks her if she expected anything. She denies it with a laugh, and Tae-sung beams, the ice broken once again.

He petulantly asks if she really deleted his number. She says she did, but he grabs her phone for a test, and smiles to know it’s a lie. So cute, these two.

Won-in sees her sister being dropped off and asks who the guy is. She says that she’s got a boyfriend already picked out for Big Sis, but she’s just trying to figure out what kind of guy he is. Kah, I can’t wait for that set-up blind date. My favorite scenes are the ones with Gun-wook and Won-in, and once she introduces Jae-in as her sister, I hope hilarity will ensue.

Mo-nae is missing again, so Tae-ra calls Gun-wook to ask if he knows where she is. Mo-nae conveniently calls him to meet her at the family summer home, so both Gun-wook and Tae-ra head over separately to retrieve her. The driver arrives first, finding a drunk and passed out Mo-nae, so he takes her home. Gun-wook stands by and watches, because his motive for coming? Had nothing to do with Mo-nae.

Tae-ra arrives, and Gun-wook feigns concern over her illness (she’s been coughing all day) and offers to drive her home. She refuses, asking why she should concern herself with him. Only she gets so worked up over yelling at him that she faints. Haha. Okay, what the hell, Show? I know subconsciously she really really wants to be alone with him, so I’ll let this one slide, but that was just silliness.

Gun-wook carries her inside and sends the driver a text from Tae-ra’s phone to say that she’ll be staying the night. Oh yeah, she will.

Gun-wook tends to her all night, cooling down her fever and making her tea out of wine and oranges. I know he’s putting on an act, but there are moments like this one where he does seem to at least be genuine in his concern for her, as a person. I don’t doubt that he’ll use and abuse her in the end, but I hope she’ll actually get under his skin more than he’d like.

They head back (What, no sexy fun times? Waste of a villa, I tell you. Waste!) and on the way home, Gun-wook pulls the car over dramatically. He then does his trademark silence to prod others to spill their beans, and Tae-ra spills some mighty ones. She tells him that day…was no mistake. “That moment, at least that moment…” but she can’t finish, for fear of his response, judgment, her own flood of feelings.

Gun-wook takes her by the hand, and she leans into him, a tear falling from her eye. She becomes completely vulnerable in that moment, and Gun-wook knows she’s putty. Damn, you Sexy Bastard!

While Tae-ra goes home to flashback to the scene we saw two minutes ago, Gun-wook goes to the office and gets a call from his contact to check the story that he told him to leak the day before. It’s up on the internet, and the headline reads: “H Group’s Second-Generation Heir Suspected of Rigging Stock Prices.”

Here we go! Finally, some real damage! Down goes older brother Tae-somebody, who we don’t really care about because he was only introduced recently. What about the rest? What’s the ETA on that? President Hong is mighty pissed, and calls Eldest Son into his office.

Jae-in finds Gun-wook sleeping in the lobby, and Jae-in, honey, how come you sometimes come to work dressed as Heidi the Milkmaid in the Big City? It puzzles me. She assumes Gun-wook is asleep, but he pulls her down next to him and leans on her shoulder for a quick nap. She’s nervous other people will see, but Gun-wook assures her that Hong Tae-sung is out.

She apologizes to him for the other day, saying that they should eat together next time. She leans her head on his, and reaches over to touch him, then stops short yet again.

THEORIES & SPECULATION

The first domino is down, so I hope we don’t waste the momentum, and keep knocking Haeshin Group down from here on out. There’s no time to waste now that we’re wrapping at 17. I know revenge isn’t first on your list of priorities at the moment, but you’re starting to lose your credibility as a mastermind with all your dalliances, Gun-wook. Let’s get it together, shall we?

There was a serious dearth of Tae-sung in this episode, but I suspect that he’ll become more of a feature the closer we get to the end. I do miss the days when Gun-wook was his secretary, since the fact of keeping them together always meant some sort of shenanigans were in play. I hope that once the Gun-wook-Tae-sung-Number-1 connection is made, that these two will butt heads over everything—family, inheritance, bloodlines, and of course, Jae-in. I don’t mind the slow burn when it comes to this kind of story, but I’m itching for some direct conflict between these two right about now.

I certainly hope that wasn’t the end of the seduction of Tae-ra. She came over (emotionally) a little too easily for my taste, although I suppose we’ve got a ways to go if the affair is going to be more than making out in broom closets. It looks like a sisterly war is about to erupt, and I’m all for that, because both actresses are fiery. And who doesn’t love a battle royale between sisters? I hope there’s hair-pulling.

Jae-in is becoming more interesting mainly because her friendship and comfort level with Gun-wook has natural and easy chemistry here, whereas their connection earlier was too forced. I like them much better as ambiguous friends, and wouldn’t mind if they never crossed into true romantic territory, because that seems wrong somehow. Of all the people in the entire cast, those two seem the most like brother and sister, so it would throw me a little. Not that I don’t see where their story is going; I just see more friend-love than lover-love there. I also like her as the wrench, gumming up his works, if she ever puts two and two together about the scar.

My guess is that Gun-wook will use Tae-ra as his strike point from within the company proper, since Eldest Son’s company was just an offshoot, and Tae-sung isn’t really useful in that department. In that respect, I’d like to see Gun-wook spend more time with President Hong, since their relationship seems to be the most complicated and guilt-ridden, while at the same time the most potentially volatile of all.

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Is it just me or does Kim Nam Gil get prettier every week?

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a beanie~ that would be a very cute award!

thanx for the recap javabeans~ :)

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@Leonardswench:

He DOES get prettier every week, damn him!

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I really want Gun Wook to be a mastermind that planifies everything.
Because he's getting entangled with every single member of the family, so I really want to know : where is it gonna lead ?

I really think that Tara has much more power than we think she does. She seems to be rejecting her marriage deep inside as much as her submitted situation. I really hope she's a powerful mastermind herself that doing some sort of hidden work to take over much more importance in the HaeShin group.
I feel she's the key to many things, her personality, how much Gun Wook is working on seducing her. Hope it's not vain.

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PS : He IS getting prettier and sexier week after week.
I'm still having major focus on his scenes 'cuz of the "stache. God it hate the 'stache.

Yet, I don't know if Gun Wook is growing on me or if it is Kim Nam Gil. Still, I enjoyed seeing smile like a child in this episode, that was excessively CUTE.

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Yes, lets have a beanie at the year end! After all, we know all the baeksang/daesang are all rigged.

Somehow I feel sorry for Tae ra. Monae is a young silly brat, so the encounter with Gunwook serve as a lesson for her. Taesung also is an immatured brat.

But Tae ra, so far I don't see her being a bad person. She does whatever she have to for her family so if she is hurt in the end, I really feel sorry for her.

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Oh, he definitely gets prettier every week. I get older, he gets prettier. Damn you Sexy Bastard!

(What, no sexy fun times? Waste of a villa, I tell you. Waste!) OMG, PREACH IT.

(Heidi the Milkmaid in the Big City) *dies* She came waltzing around that corner and I went, what the what now? That's abusing the Business Casual a little too much there, missy!

People + eating + crying = one big ol' weepy langdon. :-(

Great recap!!

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ALAS ALAS ALAS, I think formal shorts are "in" this summer season.

They should never be in, as far as I'm concerned. (Okay, in some very very rare cases they are cute. But never business appropriate.)

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In my head, I captioned the episode as:

"If you've never eaten while crying, you don't know the taste of life."

I love the segment on GW's apartment with Jae-In. His happiness at her trust and the grin at the meal brought tears to my eyes.

I hope the reduction of episodes won't affect the drama too badly. Otherwise, it will be a real shame.

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hmmm
episode 10 was great .. I think GW is trying to destroy TR by making her get divorce from her husband !!
Ji and Gw chemistry in this ep is great .. I wish we could see more JI-GW moments ^^

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"Jae-in is becoming more interesting mainly because her friendship and comfort level with Gun-wook has natural and easy chemistry here...... I like them much better as ambiguous friends, and wouldn’t mind if they never crossed into true romantic territory, because that seems wrong somehow. Of all the people in the entire cast, those two seem the most like brother and sister........... I just see more friend-love than lover-love there."

I totally agree with above statement !!!!

I'm kinda hoping for a Jae-in and Tae-sung relationship.....

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JB thank you for your hard work, Tae-ra and Gun-wook still my favorite couple.
"What is it about food + tears? It’s like the new formula for an Emmy. Or the dramabeans version of one. A Beanie?". I think it will be a riot if at the end of the year you give the "Beanie" awards to your favorite Dramas!!!!!!!!
I am all for the "BEANIE AWARDS"!!!!!

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I'm so glad I wasn't the only one going: "WTF?!" when Jae-in didn't recognize the scar... this show is starting to get away with too much. On that note, I can't wait to see what JB will say about episode 11... I love that you guys alternate :)

P.S. I'm all for the Beanie too!

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Edit; Thank you Girlfriday for your hard work!!!! Sorry my bad! : O }

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gilfriday, you make my drama experience the best :)

It might have been just me, but I found Jae In's character very irritating in this episode.The Show has got to smack some sense back into their brains because not only was the scar scene a huge ?!?! but the scene where she gets all worked up with Gun Wook was confusing emotionally. I mean, she's the one who gets all offended with the "you-lied-to-me-biiatch?" attitude and then like 5 seconds later she comes in with this weird smile and acts like a mother? HUH? I didn't connect with her character whatsoever. Maybe I'm supposed to be feeling this way? Can someone explain?

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@1 Leonardswench

Oh yeah, not just you. 8-)

@ 8 javabeans

There is no such thing as "formal shorts." Unless you work for Hooters or Margaritaville, shorts do not belong at work.

But seriously Show, she's been thinking about that scar and didn't go "OMFG!" when she saw his back? Really? Whatevs...

That first screencap....yep, that's a keeper. It may be in my rotating list of wallpaper for the next (let me think here....) 2 years. 8-)

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Man, I Love Tae-sung, but i feel bad for Gun-wook too. I like Jae-in with Tae-sung, but the sadder Gun-wook is, the more I want hinm to have a support.... who's not married and has a kid mind you. Oh, how will this end. Thanks girlfriday.

P.S. Anyone else notice girlfriday didn't rant about the wrist grabbing? But then again, does it really count here? i would have preferred him holding her hand. Just sayin'.

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Hahahah! Every time I read your recaps I can't stop laughing. You've nailed it, girlfriday, this drama at its core is really all about who's kissing whom and who knows what about who's kissing whom.
The rest of it is just PR! Thanks a million!

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@15 she was all angry at first because Gun Wook lied to her. but after she saw the shoes - it reminded her of how he saved her when she needed him and a pic of them on the desk tells her that she is important to him so that softened her and she decided to still cook him the meal as a thank you for that day for saving her.

Makes sense to me. Heh. I cant wait till recap for ep 11 - things have an interesting turn for the characters.

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I think Jae-in is getting more beautiful every week. I think Korean dramas actually do that as a matter of course. The hair helmet fringe disappears and the cute body is slowly revealed and you suddenly realize that your main motive for watching the show is to just see her lips one more time.
I know.......I am a shallow, shallow person ........very shallow. (walks away with head hanging)

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girlfriday.
i sincerely love you. i wish you were my sister. D:
a beanie, i was in the middle of baking while reading that and i nearly dropped everything! :)

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I really am loving this show right now. It knows how to press all my emoitonal buttons. I do wish they would keep the Jae-in and Gun-wook relationship as friends but I'm not really going to hold my breath for that. Tae-sung and Jae-in are adorable and this episode really made me feel for Tae-ra.

I know this show has its shortcomings but I am greatly enjoying it.

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@ JohnC, sorry, I started off very shallow, just finished watching and all I could think was "pretty Kim Nam Gil" and how the mustache is working for me in this case ... it's the way he holds his lips, the subtle brow lift in certain scenes, the wretchedness of his face during the 'trust' part ....... I'll have to watch again to critique when I've gotten "pretty, pretty Kim Nam Gil" thoughts out of my head! He's all male, and pretty, and its' doing my hormones in!

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O_o When did GW lose credibility as an evil mastermind? Looks to me like every single move he's been making except with Jae In( possibly including Jae In?) has had something to do with his master plan. I don't think that aspect of the show has gone anywhere. i just think that we've gotten to see GW in a different light; instead of a crazy mysterious serial killer, he's now a sad lost,angry, lonely soul. If anything about the story has sort of died down, it's the mystery if you ask me. We know pretty much what's what, just waiting to see how everything unravels.

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I loveddd episode 10 and 11 in that heart-stopping, let me catch a breath way. I hesitate to call them melodrama esque, though, because I feel like their "drama" is portrayed in a much more realistic sense. Usually with melodramas, I feel uncomfortable during those dramatic scenes because I think they're too exaggerated and therefore cheesy. However, this drama hits its biggest emotional moments when the characters are quietly stewing in their own thoughts and feelings.
For instance, the eating+crying scenes- they portrayed the characters' vulnerabilities so well. Their utter loneliness, their sense of loss, their pain, their desire for something more. And the way they tried to stuff those distressing feelings down with this otherwise simple act of eating was so ... pathetic and heartbreaking. You could see the damaged little boys in them both.

I honestly hope Jae-in ends up with Tae-sung. I think he is much too delicate to be left alone (and who DOESN'T want to be taking care of that cute puppy?! <3 ) and yeah, in his own way, so is Gunwook, but if he carries on with his revenge plan, he will be too conflicted and bitter for any relationship to work out. I wholeheartedly agree that Gunwook and Jaein are best as platonic friends. Although i feel the show may be trying to steer them together into more solid romance territory...... Anyway that thought will have to wait til ep 11's recap. Thanks for the awesome recap, GF! :)

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thanks, girlfriday! i share your sentiments on the shorts--- alas, i believe they are making a comeback, herefore heralding the cycle of fashion that takes us back to........... *dramatic pause* ......THE 90'S!!! *dun dun duuuuun* O_O

and YES TO BEANIES!!! jb, why not make that the year ender thingy instead? we love the year-enders, but it would be nice if the whole ritual had a name by now ("year-ender" aside hehe) you could form a panel and we'd vote like always, and it would be so fun!!!

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Forgot to say...the scene where GW is leaning against that post, watching JI cook? I'm not embarrassed to admit I rewound that one a time or two (or 12, but who's counting). *swoons*

That man is just so fine.

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GF,
i luv reading your recap...
you're just too funny!..

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You'll get disappointed if you expect brilliant revenge plan here since the show is not about that. It's focused more on those tortured souls and how their insecurities, ambitions and hatred affected their life in an extreme way. The revenge and the murder/suicide? case are only used as plot device and maybe that's why there's not much thinking on how it should be done properly...and I guess that's the only fault of this show.

Thus said, I LOVE this drama! In fact, very much obsessed...Love the interaction between JI-GW, as always. Love her spy moves, although the way she stalk is terrible, and GW is either blind/deaf for not noticing that he's being followed so closely ><.

I think GW is having similar issue with TS in craving for affection. He is better in hiding it under the coolness, but this episode shows that he's getting more vulnerable. Love all the pent-up emotions!

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I loved the fact that Jae-In left and then came back in to cook for Gun-wook. It was unexpected.. leaving someone in a theatrical manner is very repetitive in dramas, but that moment where she has the courage to be vulnerable, at the risk of being foolish, to show love and support for Gun-wook blew me away.
Made me wish I had that kind of courage- to trust in such a possible self-destructive way. sigh..

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i think you should give out "beanies" during your end of year recaps.

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I may be in the minority. But, I don't see TR as being destroyed if she ends up getting a divorce.

If anything, a divorce would set her free to find herself. So, if a divorce is GW's intent, then, he may actually be doing her a favor, instead of a disservice.

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beanies would be sooo great! XD

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i never expected a full-on revenge tragedy because... well, plot-wise, it's pretty unimaginative.

but i have the hugest crush on Tae-sung right now, and he is totally working it as the bad boy who is secretly just wanting loooove. i want to wrap him in blankets and tell him it's all going to be okay. and he's so got me rooting for him to get the girl. he's just so aw.

i like Gun-wook with Tae-ra because the actors work the sexual tension but otherwise he just fades into only a shadow of a person, not fleshed out at all. It's strange because we don't get a whole lot of Tae-sung either as a person besides that he's also a tortured puppy. So why does he work for me but not Gun-wook? i was thinking that maybe Tae-sung's family *does* help to flesh him out and make him more real to the audience. he's still growing with them, with Jae-in, and evolving onscreen to an extent.
he comes across as younger too, and more vulnerable through that than Gun-wook, although i don't know whether they are consciuously playing on that.

Gun-wook as a character, on the other hand, is still locked in the past with all his back story (pretty laaaame backstory too, no offense). which is less effective, immediate and satisfying - to me, anyway.

so, basically; no onscreen growth is booooring and Tae-sung is hot. whoo!

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I think that most of the time Tae Sung works emotionnaly as a character where Gun Wook doesn't because...well...he at least shows some signs of emotions.
I'm having a blast in this episode because not only does Gun Wook shows emotions but he doest it pretty well.
I agree being a master of palanification requires some self control, but since Gun Wook showed nothing, not even the raising of an eyebrow, up to now I wasn't buying it. I was rooting for him but not lite 100%.

It's just that yes the flashback with thye puppy was "wth?!" when Mrs.Hong keeps on undermining Tae Sung that just hurts. I'm just glad we got to see Gun Wook finally break into a smile and tears. But you waited a looong time dear show.

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I'm so dying to watch this when I'll be finished with my work here in Japan. Be back home and marathon all of them. Just can't wait. 6 more days and I'll be on my way.

Both guys are just gorgeous. Can't wait to indulge:)

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still loveing the show ^^ i dont know why but i just cant get
over my obsession with this show. i dont mind that the drama is moveing away from the revenge plot but it whould still be nice to see what gun-wooks plan will be in the end ^^

cant wait for ep 12 and once again thanks for your great recaps girlfriday ^^

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@ Ximena "I think that most of the time Tae Sung works emotionnaly as a character where Gun Wook doesn’t because…well…he at least shows some signs of emotions.I’m having a blast in this episode because not only does Gun Wook shows emotions but he doest it pretty well."

pretty much. he does the mastermind, i-am-so-above-this character well, but the emotional resonance to the audience will typically be weak. the more he's broken down, the more we connect, which is what's starting to happen now (and i mean emotion about happening events, not just his past; i don't think it can work off just that). especially i think with Jae-in since he's the only genuine connection that i can safely assume he's made (and her sister; but she's, like, comic relief). but even that's tricky 'cause they seem to be leading it into romance and... i ain't feeling it. there's a nice comforting sense of connection in their interactions, like good friends, but with Tae-ra and Tae-sung they respectively have SO MUCH MORE chemistry.

anyway it's too late for me, no matter how much they try to inject a more emotionally sympathetic personality into Gun-wook - i've already chosen my camp :P

huge thanks to girlfriday for the recaps :)

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I'm definitely Team Tae-sung (^.^)v

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I agree, GF. This show is better understood as a melo, under the same melo fold as MiSa and What Happened in Bali. (I loved those two, and this.) I guess my bringing in a little bit of a thriller aspect they tried making it unique enough, but there just isn't enough thriller, so they should stop pretending. Otherwise I love this show for what it is.
Totally loved this episode. And I'm still rooting for Jae-in and Gun-wook, woohoo!

I agree with the commentory on those far too short shorts but I love her overall wardrobe and her hair.

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I haven't read the recaps.

I love this drama. Period.

A drama I didn't want it to end. EVER

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ahh GF,,i do crazily in love reading ur BG recaps! Thanks-

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I totally agree about the genre~
This drama should change it's genre,lol. Btw, I love 'don't be eun jo ya' part :)

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i for one was a little mighty dissapointed at the big GW-TR reveal to Monae
i was always secretly expecting that GW would flaunt his tryst with the big sister in Monae's face (similarly to how he flaunted his control over Monae to Taera in the beginning) and deliberately break her heart --- but this-another coincidence? it was a bit of a letdown
but yes jaein is getting prettier every episode (who cares about bad acting when you look like THAT!!) and i can forgive the casual outfits since she is in art, and all, nevertheless some of her clothes dont fit her very well, although that can also be explained due to reasons of limited budget

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I don't care what the Kim Jae Wook/Tae Sung fans say, this episode was the tie breaker between Jae In + Gun Wook vs Tae Sung. I followed Korean viewers' commentary at dcinside while watching the episode live and nearly everyone commenting was clearly rooting for Gun Wook + Jae In.

To say Gun Wook/Jae In's chemistry is of the sibling kind feels downright wrong (and makes me believe one's love for Tae Sung is clouding one's judgment). I'm boggled there are actually people who couldn't feel the pull, the longing, the yearn for Gun Wook and Jae In after watching this episode, especially when Jae In abruptly leaves Gun Wook and makes him eat alone. Especially because she's not only running off to meet the bratty manchild who kicked her out half naked, but she's also running away from the guy who saved her. When Gun Wook tells her in his hurt voice thank you and he'll eat her food well, it's impossible not to feel that lump in your throat. But hey, different strokes for different folks I guess. ;)

To me, Tae Sung is the kind of bad guy who treats you like shit. Bratty, self absorbed, always scowling, and yet has enough qualities (mostly material) to dupe women into falling for him. OTOH, Gun Wook is the kind of bad guy who you're suspicious of, you never know if you're on the right page with him, don't know what he's really feeling or thinking.

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Been waiting for this! Thanks for the recap, I enjoyed it :)

Lol at hair pulling of the Hong sisters. It will be a sight but I guess that’s not something Tae-ra would do.

You should have mentioned GW playing minesweeper and go “ouch” while the rest in the office was focused on the stock manipulation news. That gave me a lol. =D

I actually understand how JI don’t recognise the scar. At that moment she is only concern about GW, how he got the scar, does it hurt? It’s a normal reaction, at that point it’s just GW-scar-concern. Not everyone will be able to link up what they saw with what’s in the back of their mind unless prompted (like in ep 11).

@15 I believe when JI saw the photo she realise GW did treasure their r/s, at least enough to keep a photo of them displayed in his house, and not like what they argued about before (that they are nothing to each other). Also, the sight of his shoes reminded her of the fact that GW cares enough about her to come running for her when she is in trouble.

In fact the part where JI walks in with her groceries won me over. I’m so happy for GW that he is not left alone, and in addition getting a homemade meal. And this meal is much more meaningful now thanks to all the scenes we saw of GW eating cup noodles alone.

Unlike most here, I love GW-JI pairing especially after seeing this ep. I thought their quarrels and interactions before which gave rise to the current friendship will only make them a better and more believable couple in time to come.

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LMAO A BEANIE AWARD??

VERY ADORABLE YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IT. :)

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Hey people, why are you guys fighting over who’s the most pitiful and vulnerable character. I found it’s funny, this drama is about a real bad guy. That’s the reason I watch this drama. Not for the typical ordinary good guy character story. I’m not shipping any couples at all because they basically all won’t work out. The drama will surely have the saddest ending so get ready for a box of tissue.

Okay, Tae-sung is not a real bad guy at all, he isn’t a mean person at heart. Rather a pretty boy-play ploy-puppy boy. He’s just a kid who refused to grow up, refused to face reality. A lonely soul living with guilt for not been strong minded enough to have given up his love for Sun-young so easily. He’s good at hurting other people and himself. So far up until ep9, I can see and feel that he might be the most pitiful character due to his family abandon and his weak-self-destructive nature. All he needs is love and attention. But he needs to grow up, put his act together and be more mature to deserve these. However, he might be used to the luxury around him, and can’t imagine giving it up.

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GF i feel like i has to disagree a little with the police officers. I think they've been putting the pieces together pretty well given with what little they had to begin with/ how well GW has been trying to covering his tracks. They sort of figure out one major clue an episode...any quicker would out pace the rest of the story.

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thanks for the recap!! love kim nam-gil :)

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