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Equator Man: Episode 10

I feel like the victim of a sudden accident with this episode – I never saw it coming, and I’m still in shock. I need a blanket and someone to tell me that everything is going to be just as awesome as this was for the rest of the series. Who says you need action to get your heart racing, your pulse pounding, your jaw on the floor, or all of the above? Sometimes all you need is a well-placed reveal. And maybe some more physical fitness montages courtesy of Sun-woo, because you can just never have enough of those.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

Sun-woo’s blindness is cured, and we go into a flashback to presumably see how. In a hospital room with Maybe-Dad Tae-joo, Sun-woo gets his bandages removed post-surgery. Unfortunately it’s a no-go and he still can’t see, so Tae-joo orders the surgery to be done again.

In the same flashback, Tae-joo takes Sun-woo to a bar while they talk over his past. He explains what he knows about Yong-bae being involved with his dad’s murder, as well as Jang-il trying to kill him. It’s interesting that Tae-joo offers a sympathetic-yet-not perspective in wondering how hard it must have been for Jang-il to do that to his closest friend.

Sun-woo replies that he’s well aware, and that he even feels sorry for Jang-il. Although Tae-joo is there to remind him, “You’re not even in in a position to forgive anyone. Real forgiveness comes from power. You can only forgive him when you can smite him.”

Sun-woo: “I have no intention of forgiving him.”

We even go back to see Jang-il pass the bar exam, until we’re back to Sun-woo, who’s not keen on surgery again. Tae-joo entices him by reminding him of the picture Ji-won left him along with a memo – Sun-woo will only get to read it if he regains his sight.

So it’s the surgery unwrapping again, and Sun-woo opens his eyes to a blur of blue that begins to slowly come into focus… and it’s Ji-won’s picture, right in front of his eyes. Tae-joo’s the one holding it up, since he figured that Sun-woo wouldn’t want his first sight since his accident to be him. I don’t know why that’s funny, but it is.

Sun-woo looks at the picture in wonder, continuously looking from Ji-won’s face to the memo she wrote in the back confessing her attraction as well as her will to stay by his side. Aww. Our boy is back!

Just having graduated from university, Ji-won finds a congratulatory bouquet left for her, with the sender remaining anonymous. The focus keeps jumping from her to Sun-woo, who’s attending university. (His classmate looks like Yoon-joo, Chairman Jin’s stepdaughter.) Ji-won finds another bouquet of flowers (roses this time) on Christmas, with a postcard from London, where Sun-woo was presumably staying. Then another bouquet on Valentine’s Day.

Still in the flashback but further into the future (stay with me here), Ji-won goes to the audiobook library to ask about Sun-woo. It seems he’s not in the country, but his teacher has no idea how he could have gone overseas without family.

Speaking of, we catch up to Sun-woo and have a much-needed talk with Tae-joo about who his real father is. Seems like Tae-joo isn’t it, but an extremely good samaritan who took Sun-woo under his wing strictly because he’s the son of the woman he loved. That pretty much narrows down the list to either his dead dad or Chairman Jin, which really just narrows it to Chairman Jin, since a future revelation that Dead Dad was his real dad all along just won’t be as dramatic.

He reiterates what we knew before – that he and Sun-woo’s father were framed and put in jail. I’m really liking that Tae-joo is taking the role of the wise sage in telling Sun-woo that no evidence exists of Chairman Jin’s hand in his father’s murder, so he shouldn’t get ahead of himself with his hate.

In return, Sun-woo wants to help his Not Dad out, since his business has suffered due to caring for his Not Son. To do that, he’ll need to go to the Equator.

Sun-woo works hard at one of Tae-joo’s coal mines in an attempt to resuscitate his failing business. Chairman Jin receives regular updates from Secretary Cha, seemingly pleased that his rival is having trouble. The only curious thing is the Equator project – it was something Tae-joo had given up on due to murderous locals, but now a Korean-American has taken over. Chairman Jin wants to know more about him.

The mining work proves exhausting, and Sun-woo collapses on the site after his vision goes blurry. Meanwhile, Chairman Jin only manages to get Sun-woo’s fabricated identity – that of David Kim – and is impressed by his work ethic. So he decides to go head to head against such a fierce young man by swiping development rights for Sun-woo’s mines.

Regardless, Sun-woo’s hard work pays off as he signs a successful international business deal with Tae-joo. Now that he’s helped Tae-joo’s business he plans to head back to Korea, where his Not Dad asks him if the real fight will begin now.

Sun-woo: “I’m not going to fight. I’m going to destroy them.”

Again, Tae-joo offers some sage advice. A tree infested with bugs falls when the wind blows – you don’t need to axe it down, you just need to become the wind. The tree represents Chairman Jin and his empire, too corrupt already for Sun-woo to waste energy chipping away at it. One fell swoop as a force of nature will do.

Then he asks something curious, in whether Sun-woo knows that there’s something more important than his revenge. We don’t know what it is, but Sun-woo affirms it, before Not Dad and Not Son have a farewell hug.

End flashback. We’re back with Ji-won in the present, who runs into some troubles at her management job for trying to do the right thing. She ends up working alone in one of the banquet halls and doesn’t even notice Sun-woo, who watches her from the doorway in sunglasses.

He stays and watches her for a long while, seeing her in person for the first time in thirteen years… then leaves without ever revealing himself. Only when he’s alone do we see him betray the emotion he’s feeling.

Geum-jool has taken up work as a mechanic, and comments that the car he’s working on is brand new with nothing wrong. The owner walks up in a fine suit, and Geum-jool’s jaw drops. “Sun-woo?”

With a smile, Sun-woo extends his hand, and out of it drops a gold chain. He told Geum-jool he’d get him one, remember? Aww. I’m so happy they’re reunited – Geum-jool is such a sweetie pie.

“You’ve gotten old,” Sun-woo quips – and that only sends Geum-jool further into shock. He can see? Sun-woo affirms it by noting that Geum-jool still has his signature gold chain, and that he’s still fat. Ha.

Adorably, when we see them catching up, Geum-jool is wearing both gold necklaces now. Haha. He rattles off a hundred questions, wanting to know everything and anything about Sun-woo’s life. He fills his old friend in on how he was overseas and now running an investment company, and asks after Jang-il and Soo-mi.

They’re both famous in their respective fields, as Geum-jool tells him. Sun-woo takes that in and then offers his old friend ten times what he’s making now if he’ll aid him. Geum-jool agrees without a second thought – and his first mission is to find the taxi driver that took his father to Chairman Jin’s villa, as well as the detectives who worked on the case.

Sun-woo goes to the police station to do some investigating of his own, and looks over the files pertaining to his father’s supposed suicide.

Jang-il is busy at work trying to nab another corrupt businessman, though this time they’ll need some outside help. Whichever Chairman they’re trying to get works in resource development, so they need someone trained in that field. Someone mentions a David Kim. Jang-il agrees to see him. I can’t wait.

He can’t help but think back to his meeting with Sun-woo, and remembers a key piece of evidence… Sun-woo didn’t have his cane. Oooh, nice.

He calls his father to get the number Sun-woo called him from, which ends up being a rehab center for the visually impaired. The man on the other end doesn’t know who Sun-woo is, even though Sun-woo is sitting right there and knows very well that Jang-il is the one calling.

Jang-il wants to know if it’s possible for a blind man to get around without a cane, and the man says yes. Ha, I love that Sun-woo smiles to himself – he knows he’s got Jang-il on the ropes.

Our favorite(?) prosecutor ends up attending a colleague’s wedding at the same hotel Ji-won works at. Now we see that she was preparing specifically for this event, and the moment he spies her from across the room he’s hooked.

She doesn’t seem to have seen him, so Jang-il follows her outside the hall and watches her with a smile. He finds out from a nearby employee that she works at the hotel managing VIPs, and couldn’t look happier at the news.

Ji-won, meanwhile, ends up being framed for accepting bribes solely because she’d recognized that her director was accepting them previously. In order to save her own hide and keep Ji-won silent, her director set her up. She won’t be fired, but she’ll be getting a pay cut. She’s mad, but there’s nothing she can do.

The sick mother trope is one that will never die. Ji-won gets a call about her mother being in the hospital, which doesn’t seem like a new thing. She’s going to need surgery, and Ji-won has to come up with the money. She claims she has it, but the look on her face says otherwise.

On the bus ride home, she takes out a business card (from a business called Head Hunters, which totally isn’t weird or anything) from a job offer she received only last week. They claimed that her salary would be a blank check that she could fill out, which is pretty shady, though she calls them anyway now that she needs the money.

Her fellow employees are giddy over a flower bouquet waiting for her at work, and joke that her admirer must have gotten married and divorced, since it’s been so long since she received the last one. But these aren’t from Sun-woo – they’re from Jang-il, who tells her in the attached card that he thought about her often.

Ji-won looks deflated. Perhaps she thought that Sun-woo had been sending the flowers – which he was – but now it seems like Jang-il has been sending them all along.

She learns that David Kim, one of the VIPs that will be under her care, is coming later in the afternoon. She has a meeting to attend first, however.

The day isn’t going well for her. Her mom is being hospitalized, and she’s running late for her interview (which is going to be with the president of the company… hmm) because of the rain. She tries to cut her time down by taking the subway, but a passing car ends up drenching her from head to toe.

She finally makes it to her interview a bit late, and apologizes to the president of the company, whose back is turned…

It’s Sun-woo. Gah! I knew it when the check was blank and the company was called Head Hunters. You don’t name your company that unless you’re out for revenge.

With his back still turned, Sun-woo chides her for being late and tells her to leave. She tries apologizing again, but stops short the moment he turns around. Shock and recognition register on his face, though Sun-woo’s expression looks as if it’s been set in stone.

He treats her coldly, acting as though he doesn’t recognize her. When she remains rooted to the ground in shock, he tells her that she can make an appointment next week – but there’ll be no excuse if she’s late again. He’s giving her another chance, basically, though I’m sure that’s the furthest thing from her mind.

She nods and leaves, walking away on shaky feet. Only when she’s outside the building does she sink down, taking everything in. Memories of Sun-woo flash in her mind, as she thinks to herself that it’s okay… he was blind before, so he didn’t recognize her because he didn’t know what she looked like. Right?

Ji-won runs back into the office to find that the president has just left. She asks after his name, surprised to find that it isn’t Kim Sun-woo, but David Kim. She wonders about the picture of herself that she once gave him – did he end up losing it?

Sun-woo is in his own quandary, as one of his fellow employees (Jo Hee-bong) wonders why he acted like he didn’t recognize her. Sun-woo claims that he left for too long without making any promises – so how could he ask her to take him back now? That’s valid, Sun-woo, but how about talking to her first?

However, we do find out that Sun-woo is on a ticking clock to beat the statute of limitations on his father’s case. He can’t waste any more time.

At home, Ji-won looks inside the keepsake box filled with Sun-woo’s things, as well as the unopened letter from Kwang-choon. Aah! Just open it already!

Judging from all his colleagues’ commentary, Jang-il is a workaholic. They urge him to go home even just to shower and shave, but he’s more interested to see if Ji-won might have called him. Alas, the only calls he’s received are business calls. It’s been thirteen years, man. Let it go.

However, he does receive a sudden call that his secretary takes. It’s from Chairman Jin, and Jang-il relays the message that he’ll call back later and avoids a conversation with him.

Chairman Jin, on the other end of the line, seems almost amused that Jang-il would dare to avoid him. His wife is unhappy, as usual, and claims that she can’t stand Jang-il gloating. She doesn’t believe her husband when he claims that Jang-il is easy to manipulate despite never listening – people who never change are harder to deal with.

When we saw Jang-il at the wedding, his colleague seemed excited about a case he was forming. He didn’t divulge any details at the time, though now we see what the case is as Secretary Cha informs Chairman Jin’s wife that they need Jang-il, because a colleague of his is investigating their company.

Soo-mi gives an interview about her upcoming gallery showing, and talks about why she uses a photorealistic style. It’s a perfect parallel for the way she thinks about all things, and not just art – she claims that the style is so close to reality, only it’s the reality in her mind which she can interpret at will.

I love that when Yoon-joo claims that Soo-mi is one of the top fifty artists that Hollywood draws inspiration from, Soo-mi is quick to correct her by saying it’s the top thirty-one. Which I’m taking as going to mean that Soo-mi is exactly thirty-first on that list.

She wants one invitation sent out specifically to Jang-il, a name which Yoon-joo recognizes as the recipient of her company’s scholarship. Soo-mi is immediately friendlier now that the two girls share an acquaintance.

Ji-won finds Sun-woo working out in the hotel gym, and is all business as she acts as his VIP manager. They speak on strictly professional terms until Sun-woo mentions her boss, citing that he doesn’t blame Ji-won for wanting to quit just based on the woman’s mean face.

He’s ready to just go on with his day, but stops short when Ji-won asks him if he doesn’t remember her voice. He takes a moment to collect himself, and then acts as if the question was never raised. She doesn’t press the matter either. Argh, Sun-woo. I hope you know how silly you’re being.

Yong-bae helps Jang-il into a suit, and entreats his son to join him at the gallery opening tonight, seeing as it’s Chairman Jin’s wife. Jang-il isn’t interested since he knows Chairman Jin will only ask for favors, though his father finally wins him over by asking him to come just so that he can show him off to all those fancy people. Can’t he do that just once, as a proud father of a successful son?

At work, Jang-il receives the invitation for Soo-mi’s art exhibition and asks about their resources development expert. He doesn’t know it’s Sun-woo, but we do, and he’s arriving tomorrow.

Sun-woo receives a call from the prosecution office confirming his aid, and asks specifically who the prosecutor overseeing the case is. He’s offering to help only because it’s Jang-il, I’m sure.

Later that night we find Sun-woo in a gambling den, since Geum-jool has tracked down the taxi driver who took his father to the villa. He has a gambling addiction and is practically homeless, so Sun-woo plays to his weaknesses by offering him as much money as the man wants – all he needs to do is remember his father.

Meanwhile, Ji-won gets a call from a man wanting to set up an appointment for a consultation. She’s unaware that Jang-il is on the other end of the line.

Having talked to the taxi driver, Sun-woo begins typing up his report the next day. The man remembered driving his father because Chairman Jin’s house was so far out of the city on the day his father died.

Ji-won comes into the room with some complimentary champagne, and looks befuddled when Sun-woo doesn’t even spare her a glance.

Jang-il makes it to Ji-won’s desk before she gets there, and takes special note of a civil case studies book on her desk. She certainly wasn’t expecting to see Jang-il, though her shock isn’t all that great once she does.

He tells her that he’s there to plan a family dinner for his father’s birthday, and stares at her unnervingly the entire time she tries to talk business. Eventually he asks her about the book on the desk… she couldn’t be studying for the bar, so is it something he can help her with?

She looks uncomfortable, and simply replies that it’s nothing important.

It’s time for Soo-mi’s gallery opening, headlined by Chairman Jin’s wife and daughter. They all sing her praises, and Yong-bae is the first to arrive dressed in a suit. He’s shocked to know that Soo-mi is a high school friend of Jang-il’s.

And Jang-il, to his credit, didn’t seem to know Soo-mi was the artist of the evening. He literally walks toward the door, sees her, and turns around to walk away just that fast. Nothing on his face changes, it’s like a knee-jerk reaction.

Unfortunately for him, his father saw him. He beckons Jang-il into the gallery, and his eyes stray to Soo-mi. The two share a long, silent look.

He coldly congratulates her, and stays for all of five minutes before he declares he’s too busy and needs to leave. As he’s walking out he passes a picture of a bridge we’ve seen befo-… OH MY GOD. Nooooooooooooooo way. No way! No way.

…It’s a photorealistic painting of a lone figure on a bridge, the same one Jang-il walked right after he threw Sun-woo into the ocean. It’s him. Which means Soo-mi saw it all. Oh my Lord.

The shock is evident on his face as his eyes become as wide as saucers. He stares straight at Soo-mi, who doesn’t even look his way… but she knows full well what she did, as evident by her self-satisfied smirk.

Jang-il approaches the painting, and it’s 100% him. The scene becomes alive before his eyes as he flashes back to the memory of what he did.

He’s actually trembling from head to toe with shock. His world looks like it’s been properly rocked.

Chairman Jin finally arrives, and Jang-il is forced to collect himself. They have a private conversation where Chairman Jin divulges the name of Jang-il’s colleague and asks him to look into it. Basically, he wants Jang-il to put a stop to his colleague, which is something that he claims he can’t do.

“If I get investigated,” Chairman Jin warns, “nothing good will happen to you either.” Uh oh.

At work the next day, Jang-il prepares to meet with the resource development expert that’s supposed to help him on the case. We knew it was coming, but on the heels of Jang-il’s last shock I actually feel bad that he’s getting another big one so soon, since it’s Sun-woo who walks through the door.

Jang-il’s eyes widen and his face freezes as Sun-woo, with all his complete faculties, strides forward. “Are you Prosecutor Lee Jang-il?” Sun-woo asks, as he extends his hand for a greeting. “Nice to meet you. I’m David Kim.”

The two stare at each other. Jang-il doesn’t return the greeting.

 
COMMENTS

Oh. My. God.

What a way to turn things around. For most of the episode I found myself feeling rather disengaged and wondering why the fun factor in watching the episode wasn’t quite there this time around. This show has been unique in that it’s had so much setup, on par with the way sageuks set up their epic stories. The thing is, most of the time we end up dealing with one time skip (if we deal with any) from children into adults. Then we spend time re-establishing those adults in their new world, and move the story along.

In this show, we had our initial setup (the boys meeting and becoming friends), then the first time skip (Sun-woo’s blindness), and then this most recent time skip. So the writers have had to re-establish the world twice now on top of the initial establishment, which has a bad side effect of delaying the main story in order for us to get our bearings. I felt that a lot in this episode, the same way I felt it when we had our first actor switch/time skip.

I’m not upset that we’ve taken so long to get to where we are, but I was feeling a little tired with the camera jumping from character to character in the blink of an eye, which I wasn’t a huge fan of the first time it happened. I get why it needs to happen, but at the point where I’m just wishing that they could stick two characters I cared about in one room (rather than one main character plus a random secondary character I don’t care about) just for some interaction, it’s time to get past the backstory and start forming some teams and/or alliances. We’re getting the tip of that iceberg now, but we need some more face to face character interaction up in this hizzouse. That’s where the good stuff is, as opposed to watching Ji-won get in a cab, then going down the stairs into the subway, then going up the stairs out of the subway, then walking into the bathroom, then walking out of the bathroom, etc. I appreciate the attention to detail in watching each character move about, but I’m pretty sure we don’t need to see everyone’s separate days in minute detail to get what’s going on.

Thanks to everyone for being so spoiler free in the comments, because I wouldn’t have enjoyed the revelation of Soo-mi’s painting as much if I had known about it in advance. I was expecting something surprising to come from her this episode, but I wasn’t expecting that. That one moment, all the way to the end of the episode, swept any of my concerns right under the rug. Because that reveal? Awesomeness. Pure awesomeness. More, please.

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HeadsNo2, I've been waiting for this episode like forever and its just here.. Thank you. You are such a blessing.

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awmegawd, and the first to comment too!!! Is it Christmast already???

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This ep has been nail bitingly great!! I haven't been able to watch it so its really awesome to read the yummy recaps! Thank you so much Headsno2! =D

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whyyyy is sunwoo acting like that. why is he causing himself and jiwon unnecessary pain?

thanks for the recap!

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I keep wondering why did Sun-woo have to pretend to be blind at their first meeting (after the time skip) if he was going to reveal himself like that at the end?

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I think Sun-woo wasn't expecting to reveal himself in the end like that. He had no idea that the Prosecutor in charge was Jang-Il, he only knew why his friend (?) told him on the phone. Well, since he agreed to help his friend out, I guess he had no choice but to reveal his David Kim self to Jang-Il.

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He knew it was Jang-il because he asked Jang-il's secretary what the name of the prosecutor was. I think Sun-woo pretending not to know Jang-il in the end scene is because, it provides an opportunity for Jang-il to act as if if he hasn't met Sun-woo before either. By this way, they can keep the professional and personal issues separate. And also, Jang-il's colleagues won't be in the mess either. It's actually a pretty smart move by Sun-woo, provides a bit of breathing space for both of them. And can you imagine, the tense, double-meaning conversations they will be having in front of the co-workers, I'm already giddy in anticipation!

I HATE the sick mother scenario, I mean where's the DAD? After failing in his business, did he give up on life as well. I feel so sorry I have to deal with such a beaten-up, cliched side story in an otherwise awesome drama.

And jang-il not knowing the exhibition was soo mi's is kinda hard for me to believe. I mean it was RIGHT THERE on the invitation card. I think he knew that the exhibition was soo-mi's but decided to go because of dad. But the scene where he just turns and starts leaving as soon he sets his eyes on soo-mi is amazing. He's like "Soo-mi's here...AVOID AT ALL COSTS!! XD

I just don't understand why sun woo just doesn't go talk to ji won. Why is he being a noble idiot. We have enough of those in the other million kdramas and it's never romantic, only annoying

Thanks for the recap

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I think the drama watching folks in Korea secretly love noble idiocy. I hate it though.

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"they can keep the professional and personal issues separate. And also, Jang-il’s colleagues won’t be in the mess either."
-> I don't know, it seems to me that would be the least of his concerns. In a drama that involves father-killing and revenge, I don't think the characters care about separating professional and personal issues. At first I thought he was going to pretend he was just a different person who really looked like Sun Woo, but then, he wouldn't have met Jang Il beforehand, losing the possibility that Jang Il would think this 10-year-older-looking man (is that English? ^^;) simply looks like his friend.
Now, I think he may just have wanted to make Jang Il more nervous first by just coming back, and then by revealing himself as a hotshot businessman... But I hope there's more to it, because it's not really impressing.

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I think that noble idiocy, in this context, is synonymous with cruelty. Ji Won so clearly recognizes him and is shaken up and hurt by his lack of acknowledgment. Sun woo has no problem revealing himself to Geum Jool. Moreover, as "Not Dad" :) mentions, there is something more important than revenge and that obviously is Ji Won.

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I can stand for those noble idiocy...well can't hate the noble tough but this:
I keep wondering why did Sun-woo have to pretend to be blind at their first meeting (after the time skip) if he was going to reveal himself like that at the end?

Yes, I'm wondering too @.@, hoping next episode will clear these

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Holy crap! That painting - I had a weird feeling that she knew all along. Especially when she kept telling her dad to keep quiet etc..., but what a way to reveal.

(I'm doing a City Hunter re-watch and LJH amazing prosecutor character in that makes me not want to hate him here. I'm so confused!!1!)

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This episode contained what I most hate about kdramas.

He had waited 13 years to meet this girl. He loves her. She loves him. He sent her a gift ever year. He's never seen her face. She treated him so well when he was blind.
She waited for him.

What does he do? He pretends he doesn't know her and then is really mean and cruel to her. I don't even understand why.

I was ready to throw something at the TV I was so angry.

The ending with the painting was awesome but by then I didn't care.

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I think because there isn't any organic big barrier to the 2 from getting together, the easiest way out for the writer to keep them separate for angst is to use noble idiocy. Anyway for me the romantic relationships in this show does nothing for me, the highlight is the revenge and man duel. The ladies are just like accessories.

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i hate this too...the leads couple actually have no obstacle from the very beginning of their relationship..even when sunwoo was blind..why can't they be lovers just because the man is blind?? then the man pretends not knowing the girl which is no reason at all...errrhh...!!

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I understand the frustration of noble idiocy because I dislike it as much as the next person, but I understand why Sun-woo is doing it. I don't agree with it, but I can accept it at least for now.

First of all, he had the crazy dream about Chairman Jin killing Ji-won. Sure it is dramatic, but Chairman Jin is capable of doing that for real, ESP when Sun-woo gets more involved with him as he uncovers the past about his dad. And Sun-woo knows this.

Second, his father's case is closing so that's what is urgent to him right now. And this relates back to my first reason because in order to delve into it, he has to go against the chairman which would endanger her. Sure he could tell her and they could try to keep it secret, but he also knows that Ji-won is willing to sacrifice her well-being for him, which is the last thing he wants.

Third, yeah he wrote her that letter and all, but I honestly don't think he thought she would break into his house and find it. I think he wrote that for himself, expressing his future hope.

Fourth, he was gone for 13 years without saying anything, so it's true that it's difficult to ask her to be with him. Yes she shows it in her face and that one line about her voice, but she hasn't actually confronted him either, which can add to his hesitancy.

Why does he show up though? Well even though he is not wanting to reunite just yet, he still wants to keep her at a close distance, because he is human and can't help to want to see her. And yes, him not recognizing her is 'cruel' but if you listen to the dialogue he has with her, he isn't actually being mean with his words. His treatment to her is far from the usual cruel treatment that is shown in many Korean dramas.

Besides, he just came back this episode, give the man some time. Hahaha.

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LOL....can I just say 'i agree'. Because I do agree with everything you just said.

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totally drooling over UTW in his crisp shirts and tailored suits! oh...those bulging back muscles as he leaned against his office window~~♥ how bout letting me lean against your chest just once, Taewoongie???

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You are not the only one.

But am I the only one who, after the sageuk comment in Heads comments, started thinking this would be an awesome sageuk?

And also, I'm totally picturing Jang-il as the bipolar devil on the actual devil's shoulder. You know, the one that bats for both good and evil...

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thank you so much!! loving this show=)

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I will admit I was SO satisfied when Jang Il saw Soo Mi's painting. Previously, her crazed obsession with him while being in a lesser position made her seem pathetic. Now? Bring on the crazy.

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I agree. I said in a post about episode #9 that I had to work hard to be interested in the female characters here despite the fact that both are very clear about what/who they want (which is a refreshing change). MsB told me that I would like Soo-mi in this episode, and I do. I was put off by her focus on Jang-Il before, but I am liking her focused revenge bit here. The full on eye-contact smirk? Gotta love it. You thought you could just drop her like a used Kleenex, Jang-il? Think again. And she has Chairman Jin's women in her pocket. How the tables are turned.

It says something about this drama that even with that scenario, I am still more interested in the Sun-woo--Jang-il conflict. The revenge here is like dark chocolate. I just want more.

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Thanks for the mention! I made sure I did not say what Soo Mi did because I wanted everyone to be shocked and amazed as I was. Soo Mi did me proud and the look on Jang Il's face was priceless. Now where she is going with this information, who knows. People think she was there and based her painting on what she saw but it was actually on what she read when she translated the Braille!

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She was there. She didn't see JI hitting SW in the head BUT saw him in the same place that Sw suffered the ''accident''
that is why she keeps asking JI and SW about how the accident was. She suspected it but the braille letter from SW just confirmed it all. I bet she was paiting when she saw JI there. Then the next day she asked if he saw SW. He was all scared and said he didn't - but she knew he was there in that same place SW was found injuried. Then she keep asking SW how his accident was - trying to find something useful.

Her character description says she did saw the accident but chose to stay quiet about it.

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Ok, I am going to have to revisit that dreaded episode. Watching Sun Woo get hit is very hard to watch. :-(

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Wow! Soo Mi awesome.
this episode really daebak, that i dumbfounded!

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Great recaps!!! Just finished reading all 10 episodes at once... moving onto watching the drama itself now...

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BOOYAH! I feel like celebrating. That moment with the painting was just awesome.

Thank you for the recap!

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Now this got back to what I am looking for compared to the previous episode. Looking forward to the next!

There's some rumors from the grapevine that KBS is considering an extension, hopefully that is not true. Extensions usually does not bode well. Even a favorite one of mine like History of the Salaryman got it's pacing screwed by extensions towards the end.

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Ohhh, so that's what the revelation about Soo-mi's painting was about... I, honestly, totally didn't register why that scene was so important. It didn't even enter into my mind that she possibly had witnessed Jang-il's attack on his friend. Still, that does add to my murky feelings towards Soo-mi; she's privy to these truths but hasn't acted upon them...at least not in ways I would like. But, then again, like almost the entire cast, she's probably got a personal goal in mind. If she's out for her own little revenge against Jang-il, then that's fine with me.

Speaking of, I totally love the reversal in this episode with Sun-woo being the one fudging with Jang-il now. :) Makes it very sweet and I enjoy seeing Jang-il squirm.

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DAEBAK!!!! We want more of the UHMFORCE
awesomenesss!!! can't wait for the next episode..

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She KNEW????? I read the summary somewhere that she did know about it, but it didn't really show in the episode.. she was real good at hiding that information because didn't she see him after the murder? She didn't even react at all.

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I think she only saw him walking on the bridge, not the actual attack. She is using emotional blackmail on him.
She has another painting to unnerve him, the one painted from the note written in Braille by Sunwoo. Heard this painting is going surface in episode 11.

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I agree... Everyone is saying that she saw it but I was under the impression that she only saw him in that moment on the bridge.

She has probably put two and two together with the whole braille letter and that would be the only reason she knows.

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Well, she knows where it happened since she met Jang Il not long after the deed, and she read the Braille text, so even if she didn't witness it directly, she may very well have painted the picture, since it doesn't give any detail that only someone who was there could have seen, she just needed the place and the certainty that Jang Il was there, then she could just paint him on the bridge.

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Thanks girl.

UTW looks smoking hot in his suit. Owh man, last Sunday's 1N2D he was so dorky and all groggy during the morning mission.. HAHA. Cannot imagine that its the same UTW. Oppa saranghe!

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the gallery scene was amazing!!.. I like watching the soomi and jangil couple .. i think this couple is much more interesting and juicy....i really like the gallery scene..it was so dramatically powerful...!! i never hate jangil and soomi, and i like lee jun hyuk who portrays character jangil vividly well!! i couldn't understand why sunwoo pretends not knowing jiwon..and yet sending her gifts..if he keep sending her gifts in the past 10 years, why pretends to be cool in the end??

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nice..... more please...

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Can I give a shout out to Geum-Jool? I sad before that he deserves more than a gold necklace, Sun-woo, and I mean it!! Talk about loyalty; talk about real friendship. My new year's wish would be for everyone to have a friend like him.

"Hello, I am showing up after thirteen years without contact. Will you help me?"
"Yup."
No questions asked, just faith. Wow.

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Trotwood - I agree 100% Geum Jool really is pure gold! A lovely, loyal friend. I wish that SunWoo could reciprocate Geum Jool's brotherly love.

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He already started by hiring him and paying him a salary making 10 times what he does now. What a friend!! Geum Jool showed how much a friend he was during Sun Woo's blindness. What til he finds out Jang Il was responsible. All hell will break out!! Sun Woo will have to hold him back!!

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Thanks for the recap Heads.

Soo Mi is weird. She's just really....weird. I realize now that I really can't stand her character. On another note, I just watched the actress in Joseon X-Files and here she is being...weird. Hehe.

Did I mention that I love this drama? XD

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true! nothing quite excited/scared/surprised me in this episode more than Soo-mi's painting! i never know what to expect anymore! in a good way, that is.^_^

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Soomi knows. I've always had the feeling that she knows but now we know that she knows and Jang Il knows that she knows and this just blows everything out of proportion. That scene was so superb that I felt goosebumps.

Oh and Jang Il, you don't get to treat her like trash anymore.

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I think she suspected! She always dropped those hints and watched Jang Il's reactions and his reactions were always suspect! I also think she has some second sight like her Dad who does have some (ergo the scene when he sees Sun Woo flying back on the plane).

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On another note, is the blue alien picture behind her supposed to be photorealism?
Realism of her inner life then >_>

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Soo Mi is the dumbest ho in the world, Jang Il's daddy is the worst daddy in the galaxy, and Jang Il is... No words can even culminate to what he is. I absolutely love this show. It's my new crack of the week!

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I was so confused watching that long flashback on Dramafever. Thank you for explaining the details of the mining deal. I'm happy that the story is advancing and I love the new David Kim identity. As to Soo-Mi, inviting one person, Jang-Il to your opening reception is not enough. We all know she knows what happened, but crushing over this guy still (but we all are, aren't we?) is just obsessive. I love how haughty she is with the gallery owners who previously snubbed her. I can't wait till the next episode.

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There seem to be so many Korean dramas about look-a-likes: even Tae Woong was in one, where he assumes the identity of his twin brother (which also happens in Cinderella Man). I would have liked it more if Sun Woo had just come back as himself. That would have been impressive enough: he's strong, confident, educated, successful...

This is a non-sequitor, but...Sun Woo's hair - Would a successful Korean businessman in his 30's color and style his hair like that? I'm just wondering.

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I am loving the hair so I am not mad at him!! :-D

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I can't believe Soo Mi was THERE when it happened. Remember when they noticed Sun Woo was missing? I think she only found when JangIll was acting suspicious and when she found out that JangIll's father killed Sun Woo's dad, through her father.
After all that is just a painting. Spot on though...

Who is with me...

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I seem to remember that Geum Jool asked Soo mi if she had seen Sun Woo and she acted as if she didn't care. But, maybe she's the one who called the ambulance. I even wonder whether she didn't pull him out of the water and up onto those rocks.

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Edit: found out*

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Thanks for the recap!
I loved this episode, and was on the edge of my seat watching it.

SW pretending not to know JW is, how shall I put it, oh yes: STUPID.
She has the same name, same voice.
For her to believe that SW doesn't recognize her is also: STUPID. That is why I think she does know that he is messing with her, and she is waiting him out.

OK, I understand that SW is afraid of facing his one true love, afraid that after all this time she would have moved on, and wouldn't still love him with all her heart. What I would like to see is his character start to drop little hints that he knows who she is without admitting he knows.

Little things, like quoting Hemingway, or asking her pointed questions about her first love, or somehting that makes us say, "Ah, he does love you, he's just being shy."

I really need her to one-up him in a future episode. She could trap him easily with an off-hand comment about his favorite book, or something only she would know, and then say, "ORLY? So you know me afterall?"

While I agree that their romance is not the most important storyline in the drama, I would appreciate it if the writers would work a little harder for us, the viewers.
I feel like they are justifying this ridiculous not logical behavior by saying, "Don't worry, folks! We know you know that she knows that he knows, we just want you to ignore that for now..."

By the way, Uhmforce in the tight work-out clothes was very nice, too. I liked how he stopped moving on the treadmill, but the momentum carried him closer to her anyway. Just like their luuuurrrrrrrve.

I don't think I can wait until Friday for subs!!

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I think soo mi defly saw what happened (or she knew they were together on the rock but when she saw jang il walk back by himself she knew something bad happened) and that is why she stayed so close to sun woo. To see if he would remember. That's why she also made jang il and sun woo live together. To torture jang il.

As for the noble idiocy, I hate like everyone else but I get why he is doing. There is only one thing that would stop him from seeking revenge and that is ji won. He knows that once he opens those doors to her, he won't be able to let her go. So he is staying clOse to her but at the same time keeping his distance. His fathers case is expiring soon do he needs to act fast and soon.

Now what I want to know is why ji won was looking at that book. Did she by any chance finally read that letter? I hope so because it would be awesome if she becomes sun woos secret helper.

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And let's not forget his ddream of Ji Won getting run down by Chairman Jin. He also wants to protect him. Once it comes out that they have a relationship, she will be in danger. Not by Yong Bae or Jang Il but by the Chairman himself! So this is one case of noble idiocy which makes perfect sense but its my hope that they get together secretly and he tells her how he feels but until this case is resolved, they have to be on the down-low!

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hello HeadsNo2
thank you so much!
I also really enjoy reading everyone's command thank you everyone:)

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Me too! I forgot to say thank you! I am totally addicted to your recaps!

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Am just gonna interpret all these annoying cliches like 'come on whats a good kdrama without some noble idiocy and sick mothers and girls who'll never get it that hes just not into u godamnit!' yeahs and as for Sun Woo pretending to be still poor (ish) and blind then showing up at the office i think thats him getting started on what he called going back to destroy them suckaz! Cuz if he was after a fight then he would have been sneaky and careful but here i think hes clearly establishing whos the boss like so whatchu gonna do about it? I lied, bite me!!! Aah i like watching nervous JI, not used to that but its soo satisfying seeing him squirm, like first Mr Chairman, then SM and now SW?! Poor baby!

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the painting moment was epic.

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So everyone. I think Somi didn't see JI hitting SW but was there in the place. She maybe was paiting and JI appeared on the bridge. She found it suspect/interesting and painted it.

Then she got to know SW was found near that place hurt - and JI said he didn't saw SW that day and wasn't there - but Soomi knew he was there and found his reaction suspect. Then she got to know JI had a reason to hurt SW - because SW knew it was JI's dad.

She then keep asking SW how he suffered the accident - asking if he remember anything.

And she also heard that yalk between SW and JI about, where you were that day? When was last time we met?

She just connected the dots - JI behaving weird... JI saying he didn't see SW - but he was in the place SW suffered the ''accident.'' then she read the braille letter and it was what confirmed what she suspected. That JI did try to kill SW.

Now after he treating her like trash over and over again, she'll start her own sweet revenge! Hehehehhehe

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aiyah, i always dun get this set up of "man comes back after many years, and during the years apart, still loves girl so much, send flowers anon wise, then when come back, pretend dunno girl because scared/dunno/feel girl will not feel the same and pretend indifference/dunno" urggghhhh .... nuf said - THIS DRAMA IS STILL AWESOMEEE kkekek

Thanks HeadsNo2 :)

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The ending with the painting - isn't is guesswork on Soo Mi's part based on Sun Woo's comments in the diary page she stole? So she is using guesswork to take the mickey out of him right?

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EPISODE 11!! More reveals!! Soo Mi!! WOW!! I continue to get blown away by this drama!!

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