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I Am Legend: Episode 4

As frustrated as I am with the divorce storyline being dragged out, it’s literally one of the best parts of the drama. It’s all about Ji Wook’s eyes and the dramatic tension that oozes when you put him, Seol Hee, and Seung Hye in the same room.

Oh, and Noo Ri is also the other best part of this episode. 😛

SONG OF THE DAY

I Am Legend OST – “기분 좋은 날” by Kim Jung Eun and the Madonna Band [download]

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By the time Seol Hee has finished telling Ji Wook to go shove it, word has spread to the other members that Seol Hee’s in-laws have canceled the documentary. They’re not entirely surprised; in fact, they wondered why the in-laws didn’t act sooner. Seol Hee promises to fix the situation, but a drunk Ran Hee doesn’t believe her, because experience in the industry says that once something is shot down, it’s hard to restart it.

True to Ran Hee’s word, the director of the documentary tells Seol Hee that he can’t do anything about the program since he, too, must listen to his bosses. However, a colleague of his recognizes Seol Hee as Ji Wook’s wife. When she tells the director that punk-rocker-Seol Hee is the same as refined-elegant Seol Hee, his interest is piqued. Looks like the documentary is back on track!

Now that she’s ripped up the divorce papers and vowed to see Ji Wook in court, Seol Hee throws herself further into her studies about divorce law and consulting with lawyers. One lawyer tells her that it’d be much easier to prove her case about a bad marriage if she could prove infidelity. (It’s kind of maddening how everything about this case revolves around adultery, as if no other reason BUT adultery is cause for divorce. Either this detail is shedding light on Korean society, or it’s a big, glaring neon sign from the writer saying, “HELLO SEOL HEE – YOUR HUSBAND’S HAVING AN AFFAIR!”)

Back to the band. Ran Hee is grudgingly thankful that Seol Hee got the documentary crew back to the studio. She invites Tae Hyun back to the studio so that he can help them improve their playing. However, the band isn’t too happy to see him, nor are they generally happy about Ran Hee’s presence, so when they rehearse it’s a lackluster performance.

Tae Hyun drags Ran Hee out for a “talk” – and we all know what that means: “I said I’ll write you a song. Who said I would teach those ahjummas?” Ran Hee pouts and whines a little, saying that he just has to do it for a little bit for the sake of the documentary, and if not for the doc then do it for her. Tae Hyun looks like he just swallowed a bitter pill.

But! We skip his hissy fit with the rest of the band members and go right to a drinking session, because that’s when the truth always comes out. Everyone toasts and chug down their beers, except Tae Hyun. Seol Hee snipes at him, saying that since he chewed them out on their skills, he must be so full he can’t even drink. Tae Hyun retorts that the stage is for pros, and they’re just amateurs who think they can perform onstage. They trade barbs back and forth, until Seol Hee asks him to just change them completely – make them the pros that they ought to be by teaching them – and Tae Hyun says, “You think that will make a difference?”

The Madonna gals all take offense, but Seol Hee is the first to stomp away from the table.

As she heads back to the table (presumably from the bathroom) she overhears a group of wannabe-punk boys making fun of Tae Hyun for sitting at a table with ahjummas. Seol Hee dares them to repeat what they just said, and the boys think she’s insulted about the “ahjumma” comment. However, Seol Hee fires back, “Who said I was talking about that? Before that, you were saying this and that about Firebird!” And of course, Tae Hyun chooses that time to step away from the table to answer a call, and witness Seol Hee’s scolding.

Tae Hyun is mighty interested – after all, Seol Hee is the one that everyone is claiming was his number one big fan and he doesn’t remember her at all. Seol Hee scolds the boys, “If it weren’t for a band like Firebird in our country, do you think the likes of you would be able to sing today?”

[I personally find this entire argument a little contrived. Funny, but contrived, for the following bit:]

The boys ask what on earth Firebird has to do with her, and she says:

“I’m…the fan who made a necklace with the discarded guitar picks of Firebird’s Jang Tae Hyun and wore it every day until my wedding! What are you going to do?”

Oh yeah – she’s proud of it. One of the boys gets so frustrated because to them, she’s really just a crazy lady. But he gets a nice whack on the head… from none other than Tae Hyun. Whoops – Seol Hee realizes that he probably just heard about her unhealthy obsession with him that she would have rather kept to the grave. Tae Hyun demands that the boys apologize and leave for insulting Seol Hee.

The boys shuffle off, and Tae Hyun adds, “You say you’re my fan nearly every day, so why is it that you keep picking fights with me?” before walking away.

Seol Hee pretends to be aghast, but the moment he’s gone she becomes that Oh-my-God-the-cutest-guy-in-school-just-spoke-to-ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!-school girl.

Hee. Oh Seol Hee, you silly girl. This was one redeeming moment for their relationship for me, because it makes them unequal to each other.

They return to the table, and Seol Hee mixes drinks for everyone. They all have to drink in a wave pattern, starting with Hwa Ja. The wave stops with Tae Hyun, however, who still refuses to drink. Party pooper. The girls try to get him to drink up, but Ran Hee comes to his defense and says that he can’t drink well. (Yeah, I think Ran Hee’s got a *big* crush on him.) Everyone gives him a “look” – and it’s worth seeing Hyuni act in this entire scene solely on facial expressions (she literally has no lines during this outing).

Seol Hee tells him, “I’m offering you the drink as a fan who, back in her schooldays, poured all her passion into Firebird.”

Well now, how can Tae Hyun argue with that? Especially since he overheard her admitting that she saved every single one of his guitar picks.

Hours into the drinking session, Seol Hee drunkenly tells Tae Hyun off; she knows he’s not happy being stuck with them because he thinks he’s too “cool” for them. She’s not offended by that though. Instead, she’s disappointed that Tae Hyun can’t be more honest with his feelings and admit that the person he really hates is himself. Tae Hyun puts her in her place and points out the flaws in each of them: Soo In is too stiff in her wrists, Hwa Ja is too over the top, Seol Hee plays the guitar without enough commitment to her strumming, and Ah Reum… well Ah Reum is better than all of them by a bit. But in the end, they all just suck.

Hwa Ja mumbles that Seol Hee isn’t left handed, but in order to play the guitar left handed, she does everything using her left hand – eat, write, sew, etc. For Seol Hee, to play the guitar left handed is cool, even if unnatural. Tae Hyun scoffs at her reasoning, but he cannot deny her passion for music.

Back in Tae Hyun’s home, the dishes are left unwashed, music sheets are scattered around the kitchen table, garbage is littered around the living room, and Seung Hye is steaming mad. Noo Ri says that Daddy didn’t know Grandma wouldn’t be coming in to help with the housecleaning, so can Mommy not yell at him? And he gives Seung Hye a big smile with both his front two teeth missing.

How can you say no to that!?

Seol Hee is left as the only somewhat-sober one in the bunch, and is forced to drag a very drunk Tae Hyun back home. As she struggles up the hill to his house, Seung Hye spots the two of them together from inside her car. She is shocked to see that of all people, he had to get drunk with Seol Hee. Guess Tae Hyun is not going to take heed to her advice of staying away from Seol Hee. (I foresee bad things in the court case.) But as she drives on the highway, Seung Hye is actually more disturbed than she initially seemed. She’s not too keen on her husband dallying with Seol Hee, because of all people, why must it be her man’s wife?! (Methinks she’s mighty jealous because Seol Hee is getting everything that she wants, while Seung Hye isn’t quite there yet.)

Seol Hee manages to find the key to his house and she stumbles in, falling under Tae Hyun’s weight and landing at Noo Ri’s feet. She smiles, embarrassed, at Noo Ri, who only gives her a reproving glare, hands on the hips no less. She drops him on Noo Ri’s bed, and suddenly a glass of water is in her face. She gulps it down gratefully, but then realizes that it’s Noo Ri who gave it to her. Uh oh – time to answer some questions…

Noo Ri: Ahjumma – are you my dad’s girlfriend?
Seol Hee: N-no way! No way! I’m just a fan of your dad’s. A fan!
Noo Ri: Then why were you drinking together so late at night?
Seol Hee: Ah that… as a pure fan I was talking with him about music. Anyways, from now on, I’ll just continue being your dad’s fan.

The next day, Seol Hee meets with one of the housekeepers of her in-laws’ household and asks her to testify that her husband lived apart from her for most of the marriage. The housekeeper is deathly afraid of Mother of all Evil and doesn’t feel comfortable testifying in court. (Sorry I keep calling her ‘Mother of all Evil’ – I just don’t have the heart to learn her name unless I REALLY have to.) Seol Hee asks if she can get a recording instead, but the housekeeper lets out a look of pure terror at the recording device and apologizes – she can’t help even though she knows Seol Hee is having a hard time.

During rehearsal with the documentary crew, the director begins telling Seol Hee to step up closer to the camera. Ran Hee doesn’t think much of it until she notices that the camera is now mostly focused on Seol Hee.

Then to add insult to injury, the director says the feel of the song is off: Ran Hee is singing too expertly while everyone else is an amateur, and so can Seol Hee do the vocals instead? Everyone else is excited, but Ran Hee is not too pleased. Seol Hee is also shocked, and thinks that Ran Hee should just do it – after all, the documentary is about her.

Ran Hee stomps off and bumps into her manager, who then tells her that the director has changed the focus of the documentary. It’s more interesting to focus on the wife of an uptight lawyer than a has-been singer. Seol Hee is willing to let Ran Hee just do the vocals, but Ran Hee refuses to let Seol Hee be the “bigger” person and just hands off responsibility to Seol Hee.

And of course, Tae Hyun arrives outside the studio just in time to witness this entire exchange.

Tae Hyun: What are you agonizing over? From hearing you talk last night, it sounded like you’ll sing well.
Seol Hee: What a backhanded compliment…In any case, thank you.
Tae Hyun: Oh. The next time you see a drunk person, just leave him there, instead of trying to be nice.

He walks into the studio, with just a mini smile on his face. Seol Hee is all aghast, but once he’s gone she goes back into silly school-girl-mode. *Sigh, what a goof. 😀

And now it’s the Madonna Band front and center! Everyone’s playing much more animatedly, since this is how it should be. Tae Hyun is even nodding his head to the beat.

Only one person is not happy – Ran Hee, who sits in the office area, unable to block out Seol Hee’s singing. In her frustration, she throws Seol Hee’s bag at the couch and a bunch of papers fall out. Curiosity getting the better of her, Ran Hee peeks at them, and finds out that Seol Hee is filing for divorce from her husband. Jackpot!

The director is super impressed with the passionate performance and starts clapping. Ran Hee comes in and puts on a fake squeal of happiness. She compliments Seol Hee, but then says, “But does your husband know how great you are at singing? Why don’t you invite your husband over here?”

The director’s eyes lights up – yes! Why don’t they get Ji Wook in the documentary too? Seol Hee tries to tamp it down and say that he’s busy. Ran Hee immediately jumps in – are the rumors of divorce true then? Hwa Ja thinks Ran Hee’s just being bitter, but Ran Hee starts pulling in phrases like, “For years it’s as if they have been separated already,” and “his family doesn’t treat her like a human being.” Seol Hee realizes she read the files.

Just as Soo In stands up to Seol Hee’s defense, Seol Hee confirms the rumor. She announces that she is filing for divorce, much to everyone’s surprise – except Tae Hyun. She asks if Ran Hee is now happy that it’s been said aloud, but Ran Hee has nothing to say. (Oh snap!) The director asks if it’s true, and Seol Hee apologizes, hoping that it won’t be a problem for the documentary. The director actually looks bummed out. I can get why he would be – after all, he sold the documentary to his bosses on the angle that they would get to reveal Ji Wook and Seol Hee in a different light, but now it can’t be done. But on the other hand, this is the news of the century! Perfect, youngest Representative Ji Wook is NOT successful at work AND home!

Seol Hee leaves the studio and as she passes Tae Hyun, he gives her a look of sympathy.

Hwa Ja and Soo In refuse to let Seol Hee be by herself. Seol Hee apologizes to them; she wanted to tell them after it was all over. Hwa Ja asks if it was because Ji Wook had an affair, and Seol Hee wryly notes that that is all she gets ever asked these days. She insists it’s not the case, and Hwa Ja says she should just live on being a madam. She has the good life already, and it makes no sense to go against someone who is considered the best lawyer in Korea. No love? She can just spend money instead!

Seol Hee says that life isn’t that great when all you do is spend money. There’s no point in anything she does; in the end, Ji Wook pays her no mind and her in-laws look down on her. Hwa Ja asks, “When a friend is saying she’s going to separate from her husband, which girl will cheer her on?” Soo In adds, “Can’t you just put up with it?” But Seol Hee shoots it down: “I don’t want to live a lie any longer.”

Girls’ Night In! The three of them have a drinking session in Seol Hee’s home, and Soo In and Hwa Ja have finally come to terms with the news that Seol Hee is divorcing. They ask how she’ll make a living after the divorce. Seol Hee doesn’t think she’ll get much alimony, so she hopes that she can just make a living performing as part of a band. Soo In and Hwa Ja scoff – the band is just a hobby, not a career. They joke that she should go seduce another old lawyer who will definitely love her.

Seol Hee says she’d rather stand on her own two feet this time. She wants to be Jun Seol Hee, not “So and So’s Wife.”

Word reaches Ji Wook that rumors have been spreading throughout the broadcast station. The bad thing is, the rumors all portray Ji Wook and his family in a bad light. Seung Hye advises that Ji Wook do something now before the rumors get out of hand. After all, Seol Hee really has nothing to lose. Even his mother has been telling him to hurry up and settle it as quietly as possible.

Meanwhile, Hwa Ja is angsting over Seol Hee’s situation at home, refusing to believe that Ji Wook has not had an affair. Her husband says Ji Wook must be – he’s driven home many couples late at night to hotels, so he knows. With that, Hwa Ja enlists Soo In and Ah Reum to go tail Ji Wook for a day.

The funny thing is, they’re SO BAD at it! As they tail him someone starts swerving into their lane, and Hwa Ja starts honking at her horn to get the car out of the way. Wow – what a way to kinda announce your presence right? The even funnier thing is, Ji Wook is SO OBLIVIOUS to it all.

They follow Ji Wook all the way to a hotel, where he meets Seung Hye at the lobby. Hwa Ja hurrahs – her husband was right! They watch as Ji Wook and Seung Hye go up to the hotel together, and call up Seol Hee.

Seol Hee is actually in the middle of meeting her chauffeur Hwang at a cafe. She begs him to testify, since he knows best on how Seol Hee lived. Hwang feels guilty, but he is scared to help her because if the in-laws find out, he’ll be fired. He needs the job to support his pregnant daughter too. Seol Hee doesn’t push any further, and receives Hwa Ja’s call just then.

She rushes to the hotel, and is initially mad angry with her friends. She didn’t want them to interfere, and she feels that spying on her husband like this is a cheap way to win. But Soo In says that Seol Hee is in no position to play fair, and so they drag her on up to the hotel room.

Hwa Ja leads the pack, Soo In with her camera, and Ah Reum with the video camera. Soo In presses the doorbell, and Hwa Ja pretends she’s a maid with fresh towels. Seung Hye replies that she never ordered them, but Hwa Ja is insistent, and so Seung Hye goes to open the door.

Immediately, Hwa Ja grabs Seung Hye’s hair and starts screaming, “You wretch! You have nothing better to do so you’re after another woman’s man?”

AAAAAAAAAAND it turns out it’s a business meeting, with Ji Wook sitting at the table with two other lawyers. Everyone falls into an embarrassed silence, and Seol Hee finally peeks into the room. Seung Hye is actually surprised that Seol Hee is there, because now it proves that if Seol Hee really wants to, she just might find evidence of their affair.

Ji Wook has a talk with Seol Hee down at the lobby. He asks if she’s so shallow as to think that he’d be having an affair just because he went into a hotel with a woman. (Well, yeah. Anyone would think that, but you Ji Wook are too smart for that anyways.) Ji Wook rails against her for practically going to the media about her divorce case, and dares her to try to defeat him in court – “My future can’t be destroyed by people like you.” Oooh – burn…..

In another hotel bar, Tae Hyun meets Seung Hye. She’s mildly surprised, since he never calls her first. Turns out, Noo Ri’s class made presents for their mothers and he wanted Tae Hyun to give it to Seung Hye today. It’s a clay model of their family, and Seung Hye is visibly touched. She thanks him, and notes that it’s Seol Hee and Ji Wook’s divorce trial the next day.

Seung Hye confirms with Tae Hyun once again that nothing is going on between Seol Hee and him, and he says, “Why? Does it seem like there would be?” But he then asks her to go a little easy on Seol Hee. After all, everyone she goes against ends up getting crushed so wouldn’t karma come back to her twice as hard? Now that Tae Hyun has said that, Seung Hye vows to completely trample over Seol Hee.

Seol Hee is busy preparing for tomorrow’s trial when she suddenly gets a phone call from Tae Hyun.

Seol Hee: What’s going on? I’m so honored that you personally called me. As a fan, I don’t know what to do.
Tae Hyun: I just… tried calling this once. To tell you to do well.
Seol Hee: Do what well?
Tae Hyun: Whatever. I’m hanging up.

Hee! Tae Hyun – you try too hard to act cool.

Then, Driver Hwang calls up Seol Hee and agrees that he’ll testify. I smell something fishy…

At the court house, the judge catches everyone up on the case and then asks Seol Hee to present her first witness. She asks Driver Hwang how long he’s worked for the family (seven years), how many times Ji Wook slept at home (once every two months), and if their marriage seemed good (“The truth is, it was hard to see it as a normal marital relationship”).

Satisfied, Seol Hee sits down, and Seung Hye cross-examines him. Seung Hye brings up the fact that when Hwang first worked for the family, he had to sign a contract that prevented him from speaking about private matters within the family. By appearing in court today, he was breaching that contract and thus risking his job. She asks if Seol Hee agreed to provide some financial compensation for appearing in trial. After all, in exchange for not revealing Seol Hee’s nights out in a club, didn’t she pay for Hwang’s daughter’s tuition once? Hwang carefully replies that she did give him money, but it didn’t have to necessarily be for his daughter’s tuition. Seung Hye asks again – did Seol Hee promise monetary compensation for appearing at the trial today?

Hwang casts a nervous glance towards Ji Wook, who gives him a meaningful look. Hwang finally answers: “She promised me that she’ll reward me when she receives the alimony.”

Seol Hee is aghast, and Ji Wook gives her a triumphant look.

And somewhere in the world, with tears in her eyes, Seol Hee and the Madonna Band perform on a stage…

Comments:

OK – for all my frustrations about Seol Hee not telling her friends about the divorce, I kind of get it now. After seeing how they played out the issue in this episode, I can see why she didn’t want to tell them. After all, Seol Hee did put up a front with them too in making it seem like her marriage was good. I’m still a little miffed (especially about her friends’ encouragement at working on her marriage), and it might just solely reflect my own views about divorce, but I can see why her friends think Seol Hee has the perfect marriage.

I’m surprised that the drama didn’t take advantage of her high profile status and go crazy with news about her divorce. After she revealed it in front of the director, I thought that the film crew would be hounding her with more questions about the divorce, or that reporters would start banging down her door wanting to get the first scoop to this salacious gossip!

As for our dear OTP – HMM. Something is just a tad off for me, and I think it’s because I just can’t buy into the pairing. Tae Hyun is just “that guy” who is always at the right place at the right time. It’s a little unbalanced and weird, but in retrospect, Tae Hyun is also the only one who knows what Seol Hee is going through. (It helps that he’s always at the right place at the right time.) Before everyone else, he knew that she was going through a divorce and would go against his ex-wife in court. That might explain why he feels a little protective of her. And when she goes and reveals that she’s his number one fan, she becomes amusing. But really – this divorce case REALLY needs to be resolved soon. I do not want to watch 6 or 8 episodes about this divorce. I think there could be plenty of opportunities to keep Ji Wook around without the case. If the writers can manage to keep Ran Hee around, then they can find a way to keep Ji Wook around.

As for Seung Hye, it’s interesting that some have mentioned that she’s a hypocrite. I haven’t seen her that way so much, even if she is. I think she’s more torn than anything else. She truly loves her son, and I think she’s still in love with Tae Hyun, but she knows that their lives won’t go well together. I don’t even know if she truly loves Ji Wook either; I’d like to think that she knows Ji Wook is simply a better fit for the life that she is pursuing. Seol Hee on the other hand is breaking free and pursuing what she really wants in life, and she could very well end up with Tae Hyun. Seung Hye is feeling jealous, because she can’t have it both ways!

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Thank you!

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good...^_^

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Thanks ^^!!

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i really liked this episode, especially the parts where the band was performing together :) can't wait for the next episodes!

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This episode actually makes me feel that the OTP can be real.. I mean their moments here are already some groundwork for the development of their relationship. Now we need to hope the writers will keep the momentum going for the OTP..

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great post and interesting commentaries! thanks!

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Awesome recap! I'm starting to dig this drama!! I love Seol Hee! Hehe

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What's OTP?

Yea, I really wouldn't want to see this divorce case getting dragged out. I thought episode 4 was going to be the end of it. I don't know how it works in Korea, but if the court deny me a divorce, I would become the biggest bitch in the household. Set up cameras and recording tapes to record their sarcastic and degrading remarks.

I like Kim Jung-eun's character of Seol hee alot. I love that she's a group leader, and people listen to her. I really liked the scene when the drummer girl got up to leave after Tae Hyun came to the table, and Seol Hee told her to sit down and temporarily resolved the tension That's pretty awesome. I want to see more of that. I want to see Seol Hee really looking out for her people, having the ability to put problems to rest. What could be annoying is if Seol Hee was one of those typical drama world leaders who says they'd protect people, and cares alot about values, blah blah, but doesn't actually have the skills to do so. But in that scene, Seol Hee's got it.

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One true pairing

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OTP means one true pair :)

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I'm really enjoying this drama and Kim Jung-eun in particular, but one thing absolutely drives me NUTS: her insistence on going the lawsuit alone without legal representation. That is supremely foolish, and flies in the face of her determination to be free of this family.

I get that she wants to symbolically stand alone and do this herself, but in a court of law, you don't get brownie points for courageously going up against the big guys alone. What matters is the quality of your legal argument, and she is unnecessarily compromising her legal stance by insisting on repping herself. Furthermore, she has SEEN Ms. Killer Instinct Divorce Specialist in action and knows how brutal she is -- so she has no business looking shocked to be steamrolled in court.

If she is so determined to leave that life behind her, she should put her money where her mouth is and GET A DAMN LAWYER.

Otherwise, I like this drama.

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You know, I'm usually the "Get a Lawyer" freak. I mean, in RL I won't even let people draw up their own wills without seeing a lawyer and not just any lawyer but one who specifically has probate experience. I mean, you wouldn't let your carpenter take out your appendix, would you? Not to mention, the insult to court lawyers all over the world, the suggestion that a bit of boning up in a library can conceivably get one to the same place years of study and practice real lawyers put in to get to.

But I think it says something about how much this show has charmed me that I'm merely annoyed at her/the show and not fuming angry I-can't-watch-this-anymore. :-)

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@ what is

OTP means One True Pairing - usually in reference to the lead couple that will end up together in the end

@javabeans

LOL - totally agree with the lawyer comment. it will KILL ME though if she uses Tae Hyun to back her up in court :P hehe!

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I also want to know what OTP stands for ^^

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thanks for the recap! =)

I loved the fleeting look between Tae Hyun & Seol Hee when she confesses to her divorce. Swoon.

The phone call was ridiculously adorable and I couldn't help but giggle at Tae Hyun's "smooth" moves.

I love everything about the drama so far. Especially the dynamic they all seem to have with one another. But I was sorely disappointed by her friend's reactions to her divorce. Not one of them asked to hear her side of the story. They were more flabbergasted that she was even divorcing. Before they even listened to her reasons they encouraged (heck they practically jumped down her throat) her to stay her husband. You've already suffered this long, couldn't you put up with it more? Gah. Need more support.

But I love how Seol Hee has been handling to situation though I think she needs to step down and hire a lawyer--pride isn't the main issue anymore, it's about freeing herself from this awful family. She needs to go above her pride and get that divorce!

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hi kaedejun! thank you! i love your recap... can't wait for the next episode :)

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i love it that she still acts like a silly school girl when he talks to her(after he leaves of course!). so funny

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I know! the way kaedejun described it had _me_ giggling like a school girl.

I must admit, at first I was worried I may not like kaedejun's writing style since I'm so used to javabean's (plus I haven't read any of kaedejun's stuff before), but I'm loving the recaps, man!!!! thanks so much!

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While reading your recap i was all "ahhhhhhhhhh" as i understand some things.

And yeah, the divorce thing is quite out of fashion but it let us see some points such as Seung Hye's so-called "hypocrisy" and Seol Hee's fighting. But then again it's kinda tiresome.

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The kid is from Cinderella's Sister right??? so cute!

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actually this drama reminds me of kim jung eun and kim sun ah's elle photoshoot where they both look like punk rockers...it was destiny!

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what's happening? i cannot see the other comments? oh it must be the PC i am using... i already restarted....

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sorry it's not related but i was waiting to read the comments since i'm not really doing anything significant at the moment... anyhow, it only works when i added my comment..sorry again!

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The director should know that when it comes to this sort
of thing, no publicity is bad publicity.

Because it can't be said enough, lil Noo Ri is just too cute!

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I Am Legend is like crack and I'm totally addicted.

I keep rewatching it until the next installment. Can it get any worse?

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Thanks for the terrific recap.

I loved the detective ahjummas! You just knew it wasn't going to end well. :)

I'm also in the group that says" for crying out loud... hire a lawyer NOW!"

Also, what's up with wearing Daisy Dukes to a court hearing? LOL! A mini skirt would have kept the look and also been a bit more appropriate.

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That bit about Tae Hyun COINCIDENTALLY showing up at all of the most important conversations was crazy annoying to me. I love this show, so I'll gloss over it but they really need to tone it down a bit. Maybe just one coincidentally overheard conversation per episode instead of, like, ten?

Ran Hee's character doesn't seem poorly written, so I'm not angry at the the acting or anything. However, she's SUCH a hateful character that I prefer to just skip over the scenes when she gets psycho jealous.

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I must say, this sounds way more interesting than I first thought. Or at least your recaps are making it sound really tempting. I might pick this up after a couple of more episodes and watch it all in one weekend.

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thanks for the recaps!

you guys are right! it kills me that seol hee didnt have a proper lawyer to defend her. we know that defending herself symbolizes her indepence herself but please get yourself a damn lawyer!!!

and noo ri is so cute! i wish i could pinch his cheeks due to his cuteness!

will wait for the next episodes!

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Thanks thanks kaedejun! I think the divorce case was the most annoying part of the ep b/c of Seol-hee's poor, pathetic preparations. It also didn't help that she was wearing very short shorts for her trial (-___-). But I agree that the divorce case should be settled asap b/c the drama would lose major points for me, if it gets dragged on to ep 8 and so forth (ughhh). I still think Seung-hye is a hypocrite, but I guess the most fitting adjective would be selfish. It's her smug attitude over every issue (e.g. being a home wrecker, chiding Tae-hyun about his lifestyle and not to get close to Seol-hee, etc.). Anyhow, she's one of those characters that you eagerly wait for her downfall.

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Tae Hyun & Seol Hee is my One True Pair in this drama...

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I actually thought Seol Hee didn't want to hire a lawyer because her husband already is one of the best lawyers in Korea - she must be jaded, she doesn't want another lawyer in her life, and she doesn't want her freedo to depend on a power-hungry, easily influentiable old man. Besides, I'm wondering who would even dare to go against Seung Hye, a lawyer from one of the top firms in Korea, who could very easily crush them. Lawyers don't really like to take cases that they won't be able to win.

That being said, I do think she's being reckless. I just... kind of understand why she chose not to hire one.

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i assume that in korea, as in most places, everybody has a right to be represented by a lawyer in a court of law if he/she so desires. so she'll definitely get one if she wants to.

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I was thinking along the same lines. I think JB commented earlier that there's a sense that Seol Hee wants to take her husband and Seung Hye on, herself. I think that's true; as you mentioned, Seol Hee doesn't want another lawyer involved in her life with her future in his(or her) hands. While I also think it's a foolish decision on her part, I agree that it's likely that it'd be really tough to find a lawyer willing to go up against the best divorce attorney representing one of the best attorneys in the country in what will be a fairly high profile case. The writers really emphasized earlier that these two attorneys were pretty much the best of the best.

I also think the writers really wanted the impact of the overwhelming odds of a David vs Goliath type court fight.

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what lawyer would want to go up against the baddest lawyer and biggest law firm in korea? Plus his family is influential to sway any representing lawyer. either way she is screwed. lols.

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come to think of it, isn't it possible for Mother of All Evil and her lawyer-son to pull some strings when it comes to lawyers? pay them off, pull favors, that sort of thing? I don't think I'm explaining it right, but it's like, if you make an enemy out of a carpenter, isn't it possible that he'll put you on some kind of black-list or something so that the next time you bash a hole in the wall while opening the freezer door (in an effort to get ice cream, of course) you magically find that all the carpenters are "busy" for the rest of their lives or have randomly moved to Mexico?

I kinda hope she wins the court case with some kind of help instead of on her own completely. Lawyer-ing is not always about the truth, but rather how the lie is presented.

Even if she presents some killer evidence, the whole case could be thrown if she doesn't follow proper procedures or something equally ridiculous.

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I find the asshole ex-to-be so interesting, and I know I shouldn't like his character but I love his scenes.

And LOL yeah, about the male lead being at the right place at the right time. He always seems to be walking past hearing something; first with the in-law, then at the bar hearing the Firebird tirade, then with that bitchy friend. I guess they're kind of forcing the interaction a tad too obviously which is not great. But! Still really liking this show.

Thanks for the recap!

But I really do not get how you could not be able to get a divorce. Like, am I missing something? As far as I can remember she isn't asking for money. Is there REALLY some law that says you have to say married if there is no 'proof'? Because it sounds stupid.

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well, if both agreed to the divorce, I doubt it would be a problem. The thing is that her husband doesn't want a divorce. That's why they have to go to court. Right?

Unrelated question: what's with the yellow dot that appears on some comments. Does that mean the comment hasn't been admin approved? or that the "user" is online?

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Thanks for the recaps! Looking fwd to ep 5 and 6!
I hope they resolve this silly divorce thing and move on...

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I don't think the divorce thing will end very soon, it might drag on well to the end of the story~ seems this is the main backbone of the story, fighting against her powerful lawyer husband in the divorce case + gaining back self-esteem of the four women by playing an amateur rock N roll band successfully in the end.

But agree that it is getting boring to keep dragging on the line of Seol Hee and her lawyer husband, the story should move on to some other more interested characters such as the drummer, and Tae Hyun's little kid....

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i think the whole law suit and court thing will be played out for as long as possible
why
cos both the leads need to have the angst of not letting one or the other have the upper hand in the divorce
and we already know that the husband of seol hee will fight to the bitter end cos 1. he doesn't want to lose face to his family and mum 2. he doesn't want the world to know about the prob and 3. if the media catches whiff of it, they both will be under a lot of pressure
so this will go on and on
think about this
if they suddenly finish the law suit in ep 6 or something, what will the whole story be about, tae hyun and seol hee will get together
i dont think so
it just wont work
they need to keep seol hee husband in the picture since he is part of the whole scheme of things

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Thanks for the recaps, kaedejun! Just to share some of my thoughts..

- Agree that there's just too many coincidences of Tae Hyun witnessing all that stuff about Seol Hee. Obviously it is lazy writing. The first one of him witnessing the slap was still ok...but there must be other ways of showing that she was indeed his no. 1 fan and how selfless she is etc other than through those contrived encounters. This part is really a letdown.

- And what's with those hot pants in court????? My jaws literally dropped when she walked up for questioning. For an event with such importance, you would think she would have the good sense to appear dignified and professional before the judge. Points off for the cordi-noona who put together that thoughtless outfit!

- I absolutely dislike shameless Seung Hye. Appearing all high and mighty when she's the one committing adultery.

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Cheonsa, I agree about Seol Hee's hot pants in court. What the heck?? I mean, I know that she has nice legs(as one of this recap's screen caps showcased)...but, c'mon...hot pants in court?

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"She truly loves her son, and I think she’s still in love with Tae Hyun, but she knows that their lives won’t go well together. I don’t even know if she truly loves Ji Wook either; I’d like to think that she knows Ji Wook is simply a better fit for the life that she is pursuing. Seol Hee on the other hand is breaking free and pursuing what she really wants in life, and she could very well end up with Tae Hyun. Seung Hye is feeling jealous, because she can’t have it both ways!" ===> WORD!!!

Yo lady, you can't have the best of both world...
and come what may, I hate to say this... but both guys will prolly someday realize(in the drama I mean) that they love Seol Hee the most... her past and her future...
Though I do want a happy ending for everyone, but am not sure if the writer is going to let lady lawyer have it...

I like this drama......

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For me I don't mind the premiss of the show, but I do mind the execution. Does every family member have to be soooo evil in that cinderella we hate you kind of way. Can they not have any true depth? I am sick to death of bad characters in these types of dramas being pure cartoon evil, while the lead is the one true bastion of decency. And what is with all her friends in the band being sooo poor and down trodden. Is there no middle ground at all? It is a haves vs the have nots on a crazy and epic scale that is getting farcical. Who would believe that every rich and powerful person around the world is EVIL. And every poor out of luck person is some hero for humanity. Even the two people who had power and success then lost it are mean or evil (most likely shall be redeemed in some way).

I don't think I would have a problem with this as much if it wasn't done allllll the time. I get cinderella stories are popular. I get making the person with no power be the hero who struggles to a make it. I get that the majority of viewers can identify with the common man best. I am simply tired of it. Yet another woman emotionally beaten and left for dead until she finally snaps and saves the world.

Ok all that venting being said, I do still cheer at the critical moments of well fought victory and nod my head in approval when things go the heroine's way. So, I guess am frustrated with my own weakness to this obvious and repetitive setup.

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i'm fallin' with this drama.. help... aaa...

leejunhyuk is so cute.. i remember seeing him in word within.. and i was thinking.. who is he.. and his character in city hall is so adorable.. i haven't seen 3brothers yet because of the numberous episode.. 70 is toooooo much..

and now his character in i am legend is so tempting.. can't wait for the next episode..

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@wulanastasiaz: what was his role in city hall and worlds within? i've watched both dramas but can't seem to remember his roles. ;p oops

sg channel u is showing three brothers. like his clean-cut image as a cop.

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I didn't watch Worlds Within, but I did watch(and loved) City Hall. Lee Jun-hyuk played Ha Soo-in, Jo Gook's assistant.
I had forgotten that, myself, and while watching this drama, I was scritching my head, "Where have I seen Tae-hyun before?"

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little kiddo there is so cute too..

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oh.... i like so much this drama...

btw, in this eps i like 2 scene.
first scene is seol hee proud of her self cZ she is a fan of tae hyun (firebird)
the second scene is tae hyun called seol hee to do well for everything..
yeah, i agree w/ U Kaedejun, tae hyun try too hard to act cool but it's look so cute.. hahhahaha
can't wait and so curious to see relation betwenn seol hee and tae hyun..

thanKz for recaps kaedejun

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would you pls do the recaps earlier? :) i dont mean to rush you but this is one good drama and i'd like to know your view abt the episode earlier - as in, before i start watching it. thanks...

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Surprisingly, what bugs me the most in this episode isn't the divorce case and all the stuff that result from it (friend's reaction-scary Seung-Hye-go get a lawyer-ect).

It's that bit about Seol Hee playing the guitar with her left hand. I couldn't help but think "did something happen to her right hand?" and right after that:"what kind of truth is she hiding behind that Kurt Cobain/looks so cool comment?"
If we're told later that, yes, she's really doing it just for fun 'cuz it looks cool, I don't get the point of turning that into an exchange between the leads.
I'll be disapointed if it was just to fill some air time, or whatever... :(

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cant wait for ep 5

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Thanks kaedejun for recapping! I AM so enjoying this drama.

Seol Hee's representing herself is NOT really bugging me.
I actually think IF she CAN pull it off (staying emotionlessly calm instead of reactive + credible in-depth research + rational logic to rebut and refute + lots of earnest honest sincerity, as opposed to his two-faced dishonesty, acting and manipulation) ..... it might actually sit down even better.

It's not always about fairness and what's really just in the judicial system. We wish.

In some ways, it might end up a rigged 'game' anyway regardless of whichever lawyer she engages. I have seen how the old boys' club work too often, in real life. Or how cases actually get settled behind the doors.

Ji Wook has more clout and manipulative experience than she has. And together with clinical pro Seung Hye - they're already near- invincible as a team.

Two things really bugged me in ep 4:
1) those shorts. it's all about first impressions, woman. anyone sane would never in occasions like these in those. especially not in more-conservative Korea.

2) her friends. Hua Ja esp irritates me a little.
= first, their reactions (to stick it out - how conservatively traditional. it's sad there are existing mindsets like these that make weak women justify staying in in abusive or disconnected, dead marriages in real life).

= next, the impulsive wild sensationalistic move ... to jump in and take pictures of what they ASSUME to be a scoop of the damning affair. this was soooooooo movie- drama.

hullom the couple could be doing a myriad of things before indulging in wild abandon (and naked) passion.

and true enough, it was a damn-incriminating flop! Seung-hye and Ji-wook could use this against her, as an example of how irrational Seol-hee was in marriage.

it totally lowers her credibility. i was cringing, and wished they hadn't done it, well-intentioned supportive though it was. leave it to a professional.

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I don't know about the friend's reaction bit. I mean, I've only read the recaps so far, but think of it this way:

As far as I know, Seol Hee never told them her married life was bad. They think it's all roses and puppy dogs. I agree that they're first reaction probably should have been "why are you getting a divorce?" rather than "why can't you just live with it?" I think that if they understood the depth of what was going on, they probably would have had her get a divorce sooner...at least I hope so. Again, I haven't seen the drama yet, so I could be totally off the mark.

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i usually watch show and then think.. wow! really such bad inlaw.. well! i can say.. its the truth...

am going thru this and my inlaw though the son is in the wrong, side him so much and make my life hell and worst.. i think i can write a script, does not really seem to like care about their grandson and want to fight n give nothing.... arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

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I dunno why, but one thing that bothered me throughout this episode was that she wore SHORT SHORT in court! What is that? Is that normal dress code for divorce court?

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i was watching this epis last night & i was just annoyed really with what she wore in court, that short shorts i agree w/you....so distasteful & there's quite a few ppl or viewers fr viikii who noticed it too! i mean ok she's got grt legs but baby it's not the time nor the hour to flaunt that in front of the ppl in court let alone the judge etc.
No way wld that be a normal dress code for court! this must be the first time someone who's trying to defend herself wore something inapprop. in court, the judge really if this was not a drama shld place her in contempt!
that was a turn off for me & so i don't know if this divorce is gonna drag on but if it is i'm switching to another drama hahaha

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KaedeJun, thanks for the recaps, they are really nice. I enjoy very much reading it.

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The main guy reminds me of someone, but I can't figure out who. Am I crazy or does his expression sometimes remind anyone else of...Han Gyul from Coffee Prince? I'm pretty sure that's it...

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I think the shorts in court were really bad too. But would it be perceived just as bad in Korea as in the Western World? I really don't know why the director/writer did that. To show that she is "free"? To me it shows that she is not quite ok/smart up there.

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Hee. For me, the "shorts in court" did two things:

1) it reminded me insanely of Prosecutor Princess where Ma Hye Ri was wearing somewhat "inappropriate" outfits in the offices - although it was fun and showed off her personality

2) it shows Seol Hee's personality. it surprised me she didn't take any of her more "refined" and "elegant" clothes when she moved out, but it's a way of signifying that she's going to do things her way, and she's returning to her "roots".

i wasn't as bothered by the shorts as i was with her interrogation of the driver, because that was a mighty simplistic and short interview. she needs to beef up her side of the defense.

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quote
"and it’s worth seeing Hyuni act in this entire scene solely on facial expressions (she literally has no lines during this outing."

YES! that had me falling out laughing....great scene!

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.....I am really enjoying I am Legend..however....

watching while other watchers make comments is a hoot, one comment caught my eye and I agreed wholeheartedly.
The comment ( about Seol Hee) She's Dumb. Why did I agree? because of a previous comment....while 'hating' the mother she agrees with her comments to Seol Hee..( that's all I am going to say...dont want to be a buster aka spoiler..

I understand she is a sweetheart and has a tender heart, but damn....wouldnt she wise up a little by now about her husband and his family and that chick lawyer....?

Rant over. Thank you.

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Ha ha ha! I assure you all, things will shape up in the next couple of episodes. :)

At first I couldn't get over that freaking extended divorce scenario before I finally understood that it was being used as a device to show certain aspects of the major characters' personalities and motivations.

In any case, I am not so fond of that Tae-Hyun "accidentally steps into a dramatic scene involving Seol Hee" thing going on. They've used this device for a couple of episodes and it would've felt really forced if not for the chemistry between the leads.

The music continues to be hit or miss. It's either you like it or you don't. I do hope they do a song featuring Seol Hee and Tae-Hyun in a duet though. Now that would be a major OST must-have.

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