Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 17
by javabeans
I think I have to start out with an apology, because I’m just so emotionally checked out of this drama that I can’t tell a good episode apart from a bad one anymore. I’ve read a lot of comments about how Episode 17 is so much better than the previous ones, which was promising to hear, but in the end all it gets from me is a resounding “Eh.” There are two conflicting adages that come to mind: “Better late than never” and “Too little too late.”
SONG OF THE DAY
Lemon Tree – “또 운다” (Crying again) [ Download ]
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EPISODE 17 RECAP
Hyo-sun comes home in a daze and tells Eun-jo, “Mom ran away.” With her initial anger now replaced by little-lost-girl fear, Hyo-sun says dully that Mom ran away because she felt sorry to Dae-sung. Eun-jo looks at her in a mix of pity and disbelief, like she can’t decide whether Hyo-sun is that good or that stupid. Hyo-sun admits that she had used Jang ajusshi as a reason to hold onto Mom — that she didn’t want to kick her out, so if she could forgive Jang ajusshi, she wouldn’t have to.
Hyo-sun asks who Eun-jo and her mother are to her that she’s like this, but Eun-jo has no idea and asks the same thing back: “Who are we that you can’t let us go?” Hyo-sun counters by asking who’s acting more absurdly, her or Kang-sook. Touché, although frankly I think everyone in this drama is operating on some absurdity clause.
Eun-jo can’t take this — she and her mother have incurred so many sins against Hyo-sun and her father that she can’t stand it. She asks Hyo-sun to kick her away, but Hyo-sun refuses. If you feel that bad, you could try for some self-kicking, you know. You could ask Ki-hoon for tips.
Eun-jo starts to leave the room, but Hyo-sun grabs onto her leg and clings. Eun-jo tries to wriggle out of her sister’s grasp, but Hyo-sun grabs onto her arm, her ankle, her shirt — whatever she can hold on to drag Eun-jo back down. There’s a darkly funny undercurrent to this moment, reminiscent of that courtyard punch-a-thon in a long-ago episode, one where you can’t laugh outright but which has its own sort of pathetic-comic tinge.
Unable to get free, Eun-jo screams that she hates this, hates her, hates everything. Hyo-sun cries out, “How can you not know?” How can Eun-jo be so blind to a person’s feelings?
Resting her head on her sister’s knee, Hyo-sun says that Eun-jo and Kang-sook are sick people (sick as in suffering from illness rather than twisted, although I think there’s an argument for both) — how can they turn the past eight years into nothing? If she’s not ill, how else could Eun-jo act like they’re unconnected? I guess she’s looking for an answer other than “Because my heart is studded with spikes, wrapped in layers of ice, and dipped in a coating of fun-killing toxic goo.”
Hyo-sun argues that Jun-su ties Mom to Dad and sister to sister. (It makes me wonder if anything would change if Jun-su turned out to be Jang’s son, which is something I’ve always wondered. Probably not, given the way things are going, but there were a few episodes in there that could have gone that way. It sure explains Jun-su’s mean streak.)
Eun-jo sighs, “You’re really driving me crazy, Gu Hyo-sun.” Hyo-sun returns the sentiment, then asks her to bring Mom back.
Hyo-sun is still ill, so Eun-jo puts her to bed and tends to her, wondering if she ought to hug Hyo-sun — that if she held her feverish sister, she’d feel the heat too and be able to understand her for once. You know what would help with the understanding? If people just DID, instead of wondering about doing, and oh, maybe talked about the things they didn’t understand so that they could get understood.
Eun-jo is not that shocked by her mother’s departure, and narrates that compared to the shock it gave to Hyo-sun, her own is nothing. She asks Jung-woo to meet with Jang ajusshi just in case Kang-sook went to him.
Ki-hoon feeds Hyo-sun some lies (or greatly improbable ideas) that give her hope, saying that her mother probably just needed time to think, which she couldn’t have with Hyo-sun always around. She’ll come back once she’s thought everything over.
Eun-jo walks a glum Jun-su to kindergarten, telling him that Mom will be back soon. He isn’t satisfied with that answer and demands to know if she knows who SNSD is, or T-ara, or U-Kiss. He does some of their age-inappropriate dances — pelvic thrusting and all — and is annoyed that Eun-jo has no idea what he’s talking about. Mom knew them all.
What a random bit, but I’ll take the comic relief wherever we get it.
It turns out that Kang-sook has come to work at the restaurant run by the old friend she had run into. It’s a humble place and the riffraff can get a little unruly with a few bottles of soju in them. Kang-sook intervenes to help her friend fend off the drunken men’s groping and shoving, and sees that the woman’s daughter watches the scene, crying silently.
Kang-sook takes the girl outside to get away from the ruckus, and it’s a little jarring to see her showing compassion for a random daughter when she has left her own. But this supports the point that Kang-sook has finally seen the error of her ways and while she can’t comfort the children she has wronged, she can comfort this one.
Eun-jo tells Jun-su that she’ll learn the dance for him for his kindergarten class. Jun-su yells that he wants Hyo-sun to take him instead of his ugly older sister. (And I wonder, are we supposed to feel sorry for this kid? ‘Cause he’s kind of a mean bully. And while he has just lost his Dad and temporarily his Mom, I’m not sure they’re showing him in the most sympathetic light…)
Eun-jo persists, to which Jun-su shouts that she’s lying, and besides, she doesn’t know how anyway.
She comes upon Ki-hoon in the office, who is transcribing Dae-sung’s notes into the computer. He had intended to finish it before leaving the company, but may not have time and tells her she’d better have a look. Plus, the books contain personal notes as well. Inside one she finds a sonogram of Jun-su, which Dae-sung has labeled “my third gift.”
Ki-hoon leaves the office to let Eun-jo use the computer, but a sound captures his attention — it’s a live performance of T-ara that Eun-jo has pulled up on the laptop. She looks at the computer as though it’s a video of an alien ritual — which it probably is, to her. Still, she gamely gives it a go, awkward hand gestures and all. Ki-hoon can’t help but smile, because he’s just as surprised as we are to see a booty-shaking Eun-jo make an appearance in this drama.
The scene starts out funny, but it develops a sad undertone as Eun-jo thinks of the ridiculousness of dancing in such a situation: “My mother is a truly, truly unbelievable woman.” And not in the good way.
Eun-jo finally receives contact from her mother, who calls from a pay phone. Kang-sook reminds her that she had said she’d be happy living without her mother, saying that it would have been nice if Eun-jo had let her run away, and maybe then they could have met up once a year pleasantly.
Eun-jo talks urgently, telling her that Hyo-sun and Jun-su both want to see her. “Mom, do you think it’s fine to just run away like this? Are you saying you don’t care what happens to everyone else as long as you can get away? Even if you go, you can’t do it this way.” Perhaps those words connect with Ki-hoon, who may have not considered his own departure in those terms till now.
Kang-sook says that she hasn’t decided whether or not she will leave, and will let her know when she has.
Jung-woo tries to urge Hyo-sun to eat something, but she remains stubbornly sitting on the steps of the house, waiting for Kang-sook. Jung-woo tells her that she’ll come back, drawing upon his experiences with her in the past, when she occasionally went away but always ended up returning. She’d never leave her kids behind, which means she will come back to retrieve them. However, as Eun-jo won’t leave this house, that means Kang-sook will end up staying, too. He says all this with enough matter-of-factness to give her some hope.
Upon hearing that Eun-jo has made contact with Kang-sook, Hyo-sun insists on going with Jung-woo. They haven’t located the exact whereabouts, but Ki-hoon and Eun-jo are able to narrow down the source to a particular city.
Eun-jo tries to insist that Ki-hoon go back home to be with Hyo-sun while she can go on to meet her mother. He tells her that he feels relieved now that he has told her everything he has to say — it doesn’t matter if she hates him now, because he feels free to worry about her. He couldn’t do that before, burdened with guilt as he was, but now he’s unfazed by her glares and her ire.
A wrench is thrown into their travel plans when the car breaks down and they have to wait for a repairman. On top of that, it’s likely they won’t be able to fix the car right away, so Ki-hoon suggests leaving it with the mechanic and taking a bus for the rest of the way.
Eun-jo hates losing time and in her irritable mood grows angrier at the sight of Ki-hoon’s smile. But now that he’s finally been unburdened, it’s like nothing can ruffle his good mood or wipe the smile from his face: “Even in this really serious situation, I want to talk about things that have nothing to do with this. It feels like they’ll burst out. Will you listen to me?”
He grabs her by the shoulders and pushes her toward the car. If ever a moment called for a kiss, this is it — but by now I’m not even fazed when they don’t, because when faced with the option to either satisfy or frustrate, when has this drama ever chosen against frustrate?
Instead, Ki-hoon leans against the car and tells her to lean, lest she tire herself out. He starts to reminisce, saying she hasn’t changed in eight years. Eun-jo can’t bear to go down memory lane and turns away, but he grabs her arm and tells her, “Just lean somewhere,” and this time he doesn’t just mean the car. They wait.
This means Hyo-sun and Jung-woo arrive in the neighborhood first, and without much to go on, they walk around asking locals for information. They have no luck all day and Jung-woo suggests they stop for meal break, overriding Hyo-sun’s resistance to arrive at the restaurant run by Kang-sook’s friend.
Kang-sook is in the kitchen cooking, and recognizes Hyo-sun’s voice. Seized with panic, she escapes to the adjacent room and urges her friend not to say anything about her, and to serve the kids as slowly as possible so as to buy her some time.
However, the woman’s daughter asks her mother where the ajumma went, especially without her wallet, which Hyo-sun immediately recognizes as Kang-sook’s.
Leaving the car behind, Ki-hoon and Eun-jo take the bus, and Eun-jo nods off during the ride. Her head lolls uncomfortably, and as Ki-hoon watches her sleep, he slowly moves her head to rest against his shoulder. Watching her sleep, he smiles like a little boy.
Jung-woo texts him to say that they found Kang-sook, whom Hyo-sun faces with indignation.
Kang-sook keeps her gaze firmly fixed away from Hyo-sun and tells her to leave — even if she and Jung-woo dragged her back home today, she’d find a way to run off. Hyo-sun demands to know why, and Kang-sook answers that for the first time in her life, “I’ve realized what it means to not be able to show my face.” She can do so when she’s here, but not at home — not in front of her children. Not wanting to accept her mother’s departure, Hyo-sun tells her to live with her with her head bowed, then. That was her punishment.
Kang-sook urges her to ask Eun-jo all about the horrible things she had done in the past without even batting an eye, as though that will convince her that Kang-sook isn’t ready or worthy to return yet. She says she will go home if/when she finds that she can. Hyo-sun tearily agrees to leave now, but only if Kang-sook promises that she’ll come someday, and that until she does, she’ll stay here with her friend. Kang-sook makes the promise.
When Eun-jo wakes up, she’s surprised to find herself leaning against Ki-hoon and the bus now empty. He’d asked the driver for ten minutes, but now it’s been thirty since they arrived.
He tells her that Hyo-sun found her mother, which is why he agreed to meet them back at home. There’s no need for them to also seek her out, so they can head back now. Eun-jo naturally balks at that — no decision is satisfactory unless it was her own, and even then she’s hardly ever satisfied — and insists on going to seek her out anyway.
With her usual charm, Eun-jo harangues the restaurant ajumma, calling her a liar (for saying Kang-sook isn’t around) and demanding that she tell her where she went. The ajumma tamps down her irritation and says that Kang-sook immediately packed up after the other kids left, which Eun-jo doesn’t believe. Finally the ajumma has enough of Eun-jo’s shouting and retorts that even if she DID know, she’d want to lie because of Eun-jo’s attitude. Seriously, you’d think the girl would have figured this out by now, with all her business experiences. Instead she keeps yelling, which gets her kicked out.
And even then, she continues to bang on the door and insist that the ajumma tell her where her mother went. Ki-hoon stands by quietly throughout this whole exchange, but finally he steps in and pulls her away from the door, grabbing her in a hug.
The gesture is partly to contain Eun-jo’s reaction and partly to soothe her, and he holds her tightly as she fights him at first, then gradually calms down as he pats her head like a gentle father might. Eun-jo says, “She said she’d never once considered abandoning me, but she did anyway.”
Ki-hoon continues to pat her comfortingly, and shares a story of his own. How back in his youth, he had been taken away by these big men, against his mother’s wishes. She had run crying after the car, even though she wasn’t supposed to run. And that’s how he was separated from her.
One day, his mother had come to find him in the house where he’d lived with his brothers. That’s when his brother had given her the runaround — literally — to lose her, and she had run after him. (That’s how she had died, as we already know from Ki-jung’s admission.)
Eun-jo hears him recount a part of his life she’d never known before, possibly feeling a certain bond with the scars they carry because of their mothers. He promises, “I’ll find her for you. Don’t worry.” And for once, she lets him comfort her.
She arrives home late that night to find Jun-su crying for Mom, and Hyo-sun trying to comfort him, making up a story about how she’s nursing her sick friend back to health. To help him back to sleep, Hyo-sun carries him piggyback in the courtyard, murmuring affectionately just like Dae-sung used to do, “Our puppy, our adorable, awful kiddo-kiddo-kiddo…”
As they lay side-by-side with a sleeping Jun-su between them, Eun-jo asks if that’s what “he” used to do for Hyo-sun when she couldn’t sleep — is that what Dad used to say?
Eun-jo’s use of the word “Dad,” which she so scrupulously tried to avoid in the past, makes Hyo-sun sit up immediately in surprise. Sadly, Hyo-sun asks, “Why am I hearing this for the first time? You should have said that sooner.” Why did Eun-jo insist on being such a brat before?
Everyone has been saying that they’re sure Kang-sook will return — as though there’s no way she wouldn’t — but Eun-jo needs to voice her fears and she asks Hyo-sun what she’d do if Mom never comes back. However, Hyo-sun would rather answer the question of why she believes that Kang-sook WILL come back: “Because Mom said she can’t hold up her face.” But abandoning Jun-su is an even worse act that should make it even harder for Kang-sook to hold up her face; ergo, she will come back.
That so surprises Eun-jo that she sits straight up in disbelief. This is the first indication that Kang-sook is really feeling remorse for her actions and, more than that, shame. Hyo-sun adds that she believes that Kang-sook won’t want to spit on the last eight years, no matter how hard they were, because that’s like spitting on Dae-sung. Doesn’t Eun-jo feel the same way?
Eun-jo’s narration: “It was really hard to believe, but she’s telling me that Mom has realized what shame is. Without me knowing, Hyo-sun was growing up from the ridiculous girl who used cutesy antics to gain anything into an adult who knew how to respect the time that had passed. Only I with my bared claws stayed the same.”
And can I say that I’m greatly relieved that Eun-jo has finally realized that she has not changed. Well, she has mellowed out since Dae-sung died, but her view of the world and unwillingness to bend has remained a constant. Perhaps this will prompt some real progress in her, which has been a really long time coming. Again, it’s better late than never, but rather too little too late to make a convincing impact at this late stage.
Ki-hoon returns to the restaurant the next day to try approaching the ajumma’s daughter for information, as he’d seen her the night before. He flashes his winning smile at her and asks about her mother’s friend, but the girl is wary of the strange man (smart girl!) and says that the woman is gone. Rather than pressing her, Ki-hoon employs some reverse psychology and backs off, affably saying that that’s too bad. Oh well.
As he leaves, he sees the girl running for her mother. An important phone call sends him away before he sees Kang-sook, however, who hears that a man had been by inquiring after her.
The call is from Director Park, Ki-jung’s resigned Hong Ju employee. And this drama is making it WAY too easy to joke about Ki-hoon’s lethal telephoning powers, because apparently Mr. Park is dying. (For reals!) He feels burdened by all the shady dealings he has been a part of and is giving Ki-hoon vital information about Hong Ju misdeeds via email. How convenient! It’s like he knew this was Episode 17 and swooped in with a deus ex machina plot point!
Also on the docket for today is a last-minute visit by the Dae-sung Co. elders. Knowing it can’t be good, Ki-hoon tells Jung-woo to make sure Eun-jo doesn’t return to the winery today, as he doesn’t want her present for this meeting.
They are here to inform him that Hong Ju has accepted their shares in Dae-sung Co. in exchange for Hong Ju stock. Ki-hoon asks for the conditions of the exchange, arguing that this company cannot be swallowed up by them. The head elder cuts him off curtly — they came to tell the two daughters, not to consult with him. They will return tomorrow to talk directly with Eun-jo and Hyo-sun.
Ki-hoon tries to explain that the two sisters are going through a lot right now — if they hear about this, they’d lose the will to endure. He asks for more time and the details of Hong Ju’s offer. They remain silent and leave.
Next, he meets with Director Park to ask about his intentions — the sudden help is a little suspicious, to say the least. Park merely explains that part of him would like for Ki-hoon to take that information and stick it to the Hongs in his stead, but more prominent is his desire to die with a clean conscience. At the end of the day, no matter his personal motivation, what’s wrong is wrong.
Ki-hoon warns the man that he’s inviting investigation of his own deeds, but Director Park is prepared for even worse than that. He tells him to use that information however he wishes, whether it’s to publicize Hong Ju’s deeds to the world or to help restore Dae-sung Co.
Jung-woo has done as ordered and taken Eun-jo away for the day, ignoring her insistence on returning to the winery. For once he even yells at her to listen to him, which is quite a surprise since she’s the only one who’s ever yelling in this relationship.
Still, she continues to complain, until he whips out his hidden (but probably faked) card: It’s his birthday. He hadn’t wanted to be the guy who insists that someone celebrate his birthday with him, but he’ll take it where he can. And that finally convinces Eun-jo to go along for the day. She even enjoys herself.
This sequence injects some much-needed levity into the episode, and is worth it just for the cake scene alone, which I admit was the one truly winning moment in this episode for me and made me laugh out loud. Eun-jo dips her finger in icing to dab it on Jung-woo’s nose, displaying a rare flash of her playful side. Jung-woo takes this as encouragement and dips HIS finger in the icing, holding his finger out toward Eun-jo’s face, which is when she levels THIS stare at him:
“You are writing your epitaph” seems to be the closest translation of that sardonic look, and Jung-woo sheepishly retracts the finger and licks the icing off himself.
They go on to enjoy the date-like atmosphere, where he compares her to a round-faced stuffed animal (to which she protests) and even persuades her to wear a silly pink headband. She’s reluctant to do it, but the guilt of “It’s my birthday present” is too strong for her to deny. She does, however, refuse to succumb to the supreme cheesiness of allowing him to wear a similar set of ears, and he pulls his off with some disappointment. So cute.
All in all, not a bad night. Upon arriving home, she bids Jung-woo good night and heads on to her room, but just as she rounds the corner, there Ki-hoon is, sitting out in his pavilion.
He calls out to her, “Eun-jo ya,” and gestures her closer. She thinks he’s crazy — has he forgotten all the angst between them? (And I’m like, honey, we’re all trying to forget that!)
She thinks, “He’s smiling. He’s definitely crazy.” But then she starts to head toward him, thinking, “And I’m definitely crazy, too.”
COMMENTS
I’ve been hanging in there because I’d committed to finishing this drama, and there’s only one more week left, and I do feel a sense of responsibility to projects I’ve taken on. I’m trying not to let my personal fatigue weigh down the recaps although I’m sure it comes across, plus I’ve never made it a point to leave out opinions just because they weren’t positive; I don’t want to write recaps as a mere dry recounting of events. But just know that this is me being as positive as I can, which is nowhere near how frustrated I feel on the inside. It’s gone beyond Will It Snow For Christmas levels of angst (bearable) and is hovering right on the border of A Star’s Lover (unbearable).
One light at the end of the tunnel is this: As with Will It Snow For Christmas, I was pretty certain we had to get a happy(ish) ending because otherwise, the angst wouldn’t make any sense. There can’t be a point to all this Sturm und Drang if we were going to end up on a depressing note, because I firmly believe that a tragic ending would require more up and down in the middle. Not this solid plateau of moodiness. This drama isn’t tragic enough for a tragic ending, so we’ve got to be angling for a (semi-)happy one. I don’t mean wedding scenes and trumpets blaring, but a hopeful ending that points at a satisfactory end for most of our characters.
One thing that struck me with this episode — though it has been the case throughout the drama — is that I really hate how the men treat the women. Like they’re helpless idiots incapable of doing anything for themselves, and must be “shielded” from the truth. It’s as though these men must keep secrets from the frail women because their frail women minds and hysterical emotions wouldn’t be able to handle the hard truth. I mean, WTF?
For instance, Ki-hoon taking the meeting with the elders and keeping it a secret from Eun-jo because she wouldn’t be able to endure this news. What drama have you been watching, Ki-hoon? Girl is about as soft and weak as a cast-iron skillet thrown at your head, which is what I’m tempted to do. She is less tough with emotional traumas originating from her mother, but in other respects she’s pretty solid; she’s hardly going to have a breakdown because of some sold shares. Jung-woo isn’t as bad (for example, worrying that she’s not eating seems like a reasonable concern) but he displays the same tendencies. Then again, you can’t blame the men that much since the women do have a history of collapsing from emotional blows. I’m annoyed with the men for treating the ladies like this, but I think I’m more annoyed with the drama for supporting their beliefs.
RELATED POSTS
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 16
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 15
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 14
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 13
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 12
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 11
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 10
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 9
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 8
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 7
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 6
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 5
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 4
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 3
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 2
- Cinderella’s Sister: Episode 1
- Cinderella, Prosecutor, Taste: First episode impressions
Tags: Chun Jung-myung, Cinderella's Sister, Lee Mi-sook, Moon Geun-young, Seo Woo, Taecyeon
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51 colourmad
May 30, 2010 at 7:56 AM
I've given up on this drama already. I've been fastforwarding through the latest episodes. D:
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52 Xy
May 30, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Thanks. I must have some sort of sm fetish for staying with CU this far. Hopefully the last episodes will be at least (pleasepleaseplease) satisfying.
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53 FS
May 30, 2010 at 8:21 AM
I agree with Ri (#43)...eps. 17 & 18 made me fall in love with CS again, maybe because I'd been rooting for EJ & KH from the beginning. I did felt the story was dragging a bit (I considered ditching this drama when still nothing major happened in 15 & 16......3/4th of the storyline and the main characters still didn't show any signs of being together?!?! ....it was torturing me!!), but I agree with Aigoo (#40) that such "sick" characters need time to develop, and in that sense, the characters actually seem real and I felt in that way more invested & connected with them.
Shame though there are only 2 more episodes left, I was hoping we would be able to see how Eun-jo's character develops after being open with Ki-Hoon (like showing us there first date etc.). There could've been many cute-funny-loving scenes if only they had speeden up the pace just a bit!
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54 Judy
May 30, 2010 at 9:09 AM
I, for a fact, am really easy to please. I still love CS! Any angst I have against the show can easily be wiped away with a cute scene with Ki-hoon <3
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55 :(
May 30, 2010 at 9:14 AM
gave up on this drama a few episodes ago but im foloowing these reviews...the drama was sooo good in the beginning and then it just starts dragging...kinda...i looooove the actors though so i might come back and actually finish it but right now its my interest is lost... :( so sad...it was so good
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56 MGYlovaaah
May 30, 2010 at 9:38 AM
I'm no longer MESMERIZED by this drama, but I'm still hopelessly interested with it; especially with that juicy scene at the end of episode 18.
But I hope CS continues to receive high viewership ratings, because I totally love MGY, and I would be sad if such a talented actress like her gets low ratings, it would be such a shame
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57 nixxochick
May 30, 2010 at 9:58 AM
i am with the minority here, i still love this drama and after watching episode's 17 and 18 i only loved it more.
i can see why most people are annoyed but i think it all comes down to people's tastes in dramas. i dont mind the angst and i dont mind getting sad endings ( i dont like them but i dont mind them) so if people are into the trendy dramas or those cutesy romance/comedy dramas then yeah Cinderella's Sister is not going to be for you. plot wise, it was slow, but i didnt mind the slowness of it...anyways its the last week so we'll see how the story ends
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58 Kay
May 30, 2010 at 10:11 AM
I feel like this story is moving at the pace of a snail....or a baby snail just learning how to creep.....it is beyond S-L-O-W...it's like going to a never ending funeral or something~
I'm watching because I'd hate to drop a drama so close to the end, I want to have the satisfaction of finishing this drama, although I'll probably be bald by the end of it since I've been pulling my hair from mid-way~ goodness.
I am so disappointed in how this story and plot turned out...so much potential from all the actors and all we've seen so far is these two emotionally distraught ladies, running around and crying, hating on each other and their mom and sulking in pity....a spineless man who can't make up his mind whether he's good or bad and a love-struck puppy who follows around his noona....
I'm sorry, but how can one little head tilt on the shoulder make up for 18 episodes of nonsense!
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59 Lahlita
May 30, 2010 at 10:20 AM
I agree that Ki-hoon is trying to buy time in light of this Hong Winery ridiculousness. It's obvious that he's acting from a place of concern. But I disagree with him leaving Eun-jo out of it. I DO think Eun-jo would be able to handle hearing it. She has faced Hong Ki-jung twice, and more than held her own. She has sworn to repay him for what his family did to hers, so I don't think she's under any illusions as to how the Hong Winery operates. I think she'd appreciate Ki-hoon telling her in light of how betrayed she'd felt two episodes prior, and I do believe she would have listened to what he'd had to say.
It just comes down to viewers' differences in interpretation. Some find Ki-hoon's actions protective and romantic. Others find his INTENTIONS protective, but the actual methods regressive. In a more consistently-written drama, we wouldn't have the same action resulting in two different outcomes (one the death of a man in a fragile emotional and physical state, and the other the heroic preservation of two women in fragile emotional and physical states). But as is often stated, this is not that drama. This is not going to be a main point of contention between them because we have to hurry up and finish, which means we're going to skip right along to all of epic romantic moments.
@ mookie
As for the kiss, I'm with you. If ever a moment called for a kiss, this is NOT it. Then again, I'm not really into any pairings in the drama, so I'm not able to make an objective call on when a kiss is appropriate since my answer would be "never".
By the by, I'm watching MNIKSS for the first time, and I'm really enjoying it. You mentioned that drama being even worse when it comes to the whole male behavior thing, and I agree. I gotta say, Sam-shik's bent towards controlling and violent reactions gives me pause. Even as I'm finding him somewhat charismatic, I'm having a really hard time with his entitled treatment of others, post-traumatic stress syndrome notwithstanding. I'm more into Sam-soon and Henry Kim (not as a pair, just as characters). They're lovely.
@ Jenn
In response to your query, let me quote @ MGYlovaaah. "I’m no longer MESMERIZED by this drama, but I’m still hopelessly interested with it"
It's to CU's credit that it so captured me in the beginning that I can't let go. Reading Javabeans' recap allows me to quickly see what happened without being subject to an hour of frustration and stomach aches.
That being said, I know it's really off-putting as a reader and viewer to to be enjoying something while people constantly kvetch about it. I'd promised to stop doing that, and I failed. I'd like to blame Javabeans for pointing out the male treatment of women because that's what really set me off. Still, I didn't have to spew all over her blog. I really will stop this time. I'm sorry!
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60 lilly
May 30, 2010 at 10:40 AM
In my view the most interesting thing with CS is what I find the most annoying is the viewers complaining. When I think some people here thought BOF was a masterpiece and "forgave" it's dragging plot and other mega flaws.
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61 Javabeans
May 30, 2010 at 10:50 AM
I don't think anyone thought BOF was a masterpiece. We all know where it was flawed. What it managed to do is entertain us despite all its weaknesses. I won't say it's a better drama than Cinderella's Sister because it isn't, but I will say that the latter is failing grandly to keep me entertained.
In answer to the question about why a person would bother to read a recap if one wasn't a fan of the show, I don't think it's so odd -- if somebody were recapping a show I had loved at the start and was finding progressively tiring, I'd want to read the recaps to spare myself some aggravation as well. And I think it's worthwhile to read opinions that aren't always positive; if a drama isn't always good, I don't see why the opinions must always be so. As Lahlita pointed out it can be frustrating to read negative comments when you're a fan so I have made a conscious effort to keep a lot of that out of the recap (honestly! this is an edited effort), but I also don't think it's a fair expectation to only ask for favorable opinions because half of the fans don't have those complaints.
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62 cille
May 30, 2010 at 11:07 AM
JB - tnx for the recap!
honestly, i thought out of the 3 dramas slated for wed-thurs - CS was the best of the crop, especially in the first 6 episodes. however, towards the end i found PP to have grown a lot more! i hope at least that the last 3 episodes will redeem itself a bit and give us a semi-satisfactory ending.
i mean i loved the cast of CS and i could see the they gave it their all, but the writer seemed to have taken the wrong meds during some episodes.. hehehe
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63 aya
May 30, 2010 at 11:42 AM
I couldn't agree with you more about the gender roles in Cinderella's Sister. I feel like the drama patronizes women without even knowing it. Like, it expects the viewers (who are mostly women) to accept the paternalistic role of men as the norm. I can't even support Eun-jo and Ki-hoon's relationship anymore because of they way he treats her.
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64 jt
May 30, 2010 at 12:43 PM
Thanks for the recap javabeans..
I finally gave up on CS it's no longer interesting i've only been following your recaps and might watch the last episode just to know what happened. I stopped after it became super dragging and going nowhere-they finally kick it up a notch w/ this episode but at this point i'm getting too exhausted by the EJ-KH relationship that I really don't care about them getting together anymore they could end up w/ other ppl for all I care- I just don't see the strong bond b/w this couple nor every time she's cries about him I just don't feel that it's real just because they have no screen time together. The bond b/w them is quite weak. This drama FAILED big time for me
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65 Jenny
May 30, 2010 at 12:45 PM
oh my goodness. You have taken the words out of my mouth. This drama has become too excruciating to watch. It had so much potential. This drama has mutated itself. It should not be called Cinderella's sister but all the problems the Doga could face because well. what's the point. its not about the sister's rivalry. It's about how to keep the factory afloat. I thought since Monn Geun Young played in this drama, it would be awesome like painter of the wind but I mean come on. serisouly?
Ok, going back to this episode. This episode had the most WTF moments than any other episode in this series. It's as if fans were complaining about the gloom in the story and the director decided to put some scenes that does not match the overall fluidity of this drama. It total came out of the left field. I felt ripped off. This is it? Just some cute scenes in the middle and I'm suppose to be satisfied? I have nothing left to say except that this better wrap up nicely than it's letting on right now. Huge disappointment.
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66 snow
May 30, 2010 at 1:18 PM
just want to thank you and girlfriday for recapping and persevering with this drama even though you're disappointed by how it has developed. i'm sticking with it too only because of chun jung myung and hoping that it'll somehow end satisfactorily. it started out well and had a lot of potential, it's such a pity how it has turned out so far.
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67 mnstpdu08
May 30, 2010 at 1:33 PM
Ditto! I emotionally checked out several episodes ago. There were several episodes that should have been cut. Sad to say, but I'm happy that it will finally end this week. There was just so much potential in the first four to six episodes. =(
Anyways, I don't know what you guys think but JW's role is starting to be more and more pointless in the drama. He's just there, all the freaking time; there's no purpose for him beyond EJ directing him to do things.
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68 animedork101
May 30, 2010 at 1:38 PM
I faithfully watched this drama starting from episode 3 (I always scan the first 2), but after episode 16, I'm back to scanning. Don't get me wrong, I will watch it eventually, but it's just MEH to me now. Hopefully, the last 2 episodes (19 and 20 since I've already scanned through 18) will become the saving grace for this drama. I just feel they started out real good with Jung-woo's character, but then decided he didn't need much air time or character development, because obviously he's just there for props. Pft! For the rest of the gang? Ki-hoon can just suck it. Eun-jo is still my favorite, when she's not crying over Ki-hoon. Kang-sook was a great surprise, especially this change she's undergoing. Jun-su is a brat, and Hyo-sun's uncle is not around much anymore, but he is still annoying and not showing much remorse (the *&%$#@). And Ki-jung.... is still HOT!
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69 Pully
May 30, 2010 at 1:41 PM
I lost interested about this drama 2 week ago. It was too overdramatic. I can't be connected in anyways.
At some point, I wonder why they so concern themselves into other's business. Like, if my dad was in love with my stepmother but it turned out she wasn't. Ok, that's sad, but personally I'm not gonna go through an emotional breakdown over that matter. I have my own life. Hyo sun's bipolar behavior makes me scratch my head.
Kudo to the "shield from the truth" thinggy. I hate that when they use the excuse "I lied b/c I don't want you to get hurt". I would feel pissed off rather than relieved.
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70 animedork101
May 30, 2010 at 1:46 PM
(I couldn't edit my previous comment, but here are a few things I left out):
Hyo-sun, still has a lot of growing to do, but has also come a long way.
I think they should have kept it at 16 episodes if this is how it was going to be. But! I am still hoping for an awesome finale (even if awesome seems beyond reach at this point).
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71 sarangf
May 30, 2010 at 2:19 PM
thanh you Javabean for the effort because i have to read your recap to finish off my CS ritual: watch it without sub, watch it again eith sub and then your recap.only one eps to go.for some reason i stick with EJ and KH while i gave up Personal taste after 6 eps
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72 GaRa
May 30, 2010 at 3:43 PM
I see everyone is discussing about how they're either still hooked to this drama or bored with this drama. Honestly, I'm still interested but like someone else pointed out - I'm not particularly MESMERIZED with it anymore.
I found the idol group dances very random and a tad irritating.
HOWEVER.
Who else is still waiting for 'cinderella' like things to happen? At the beginning we had all this speculation about the hair pin/stick thing and it literally sent my mind spinning off in a million juicy possiblities - but alas! the accessory winds up buried in the shores of Enchanting & Enthralling which this drama has long since abandoned.
Sneekily though - I wonder if Dongsoo's wedding is going to be the Ball. Does anybody else share this hope? Dillusion? It is called Cinderella's sister for crying out loud...
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73 Hipployta
May 30, 2010 at 4:56 PM
I personally like EJ freakout at the very beginning of the episode yelling at HS that she couldn't reach her all night and where is she...and then when she runs out and sees her she's like, "What's wrong, are you alright?" I appreciate the display of sisterly affection dammit. They are tight now but it took SO MANY episodes to get there...and I feel like it's their love story more than EJ and the idiot.
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74 jamieguo
May 30, 2010 at 5:21 PM
thanks for the recaps, javabeans. I'm of two minds about the issue of how women are treated in this drama. It's true KH has been notorious for not informing EJ of what's going on. But is there really no one here who hasn't delayed in giving bad news at some time? I think that KH just wants to give EJ a breathing space as he knows she's really going through difficult times with her mom's leaving and his own betrayal.
I also understand where @26 Lahlita is coming from. But I think unlike a lot of dramas, this drama is really very female oriented and feature some of the most strong willed and determined women I've seen. EJ, HS, and KH all run rings around the females in PT for example. KH insinuated herself into a higher social position by her skillful charms, EJ helps save the winery through her brain, HS is the only female with what is known traditionally as female traits of great emotional intelligence and conversational skills. And of course, episode 18 will show again the strength of women in this show.
And about Episode 18, can I say how much my love for Eun-Jo has been restored? Course episode 19 might send that crashing down again, but love, love, love that last scene, and what she says.
Oh, and I think its okay to read recaps, and not watch, but I question how you can effectively criticize a show if you're just reading recaps because a show consists not just of plot points, but music, acting etc., and may look very different from what's on paper.
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75 maria
May 30, 2010 at 9:13 PM
whew, i am SO glad i braved it out, coz getting ki hoon's *winning smiles* back was way worth it--- perfect push for the last 2! YAY!
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76 sam
May 30, 2010 at 9:18 PM
Thank you for still recapping the series.
You know, I promised myself a few episodes back of not going to read the comments or commenting on it because it's distracting for my own enjoyment of the series. I really don't like it when people who don't watch or don't understand the characters giving their judgement just base on the recap.
I used the series to evaluate the happenings in my life and people around me. Time to contemplate and think. So the 'noise' is distracting. "When is the skinship going to happen?" is like hearing my children ask "Are we there yet?" when we go on a long drive towards our destination on vacation. It is irritating!!! "Enjoy the journey! Look around." That is the way to handle life too.
CS/CU is not fast food. It's a meal prepared old style. So when you eat it, chew slowly. Savour the taste. Some people don't like 20 course meal. They want things to move fast. So used to fast food, fast love, fast everything. Then go see other fast moving story. I wouldn't like it when I watch Yankee Kun... or Nodame..., some 'adult' (read here person with no sense of humor) comment that it''s unbelievable, etc. It is what it is. If you don't like it, move on to other things.
I'm not saying that it doesn't have flaws. It does but being slow is not one of it.. Lack of skinship is also not its flaw. In fact I like it. It brings out the best that the actors have inside of them to show how much they care without the common and easy way by showing physical love like kissing. Where a presence, "mmm?" with an earnest look, a sincere smile, and caring talk conveys how they really feel inside.
Some of the flaw is the consistency of character and their growth. I hate it when EJ keep pushing KH away for 2 (15, 16) episodes. I don't understand how HS who is supposed to be of high EQ yet cannot see when EJ is so down and broken. I don't like it when the writer don't develop JW character. When out of nowhere he demanded that KH not to tell EJ about his secret or dragged EJ everywhere with his wrist grip until I thought maybe she will break her wrist. I also don't know the real purpose of that brat brother, Jun Su. He's just there. Most of the time sleeping. And when he talks or acts rudely to others he just got away with it.. NOBODY told him it's wrong! The writer also don't use Ki Jung, Ki Tae, Dong So, KH's father. They are interesting side characters.
Despite it's flaws, I still love it. Have never cared for rating or how others view any drama I like. I see the drama myself and judge it for myself if I like it. So far I still love it. It wasn't as mesmerizing as before but still good.
TQ again JB for recapping this series.
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77 anonymo
May 30, 2010 at 9:58 PM
# 76
Amen to your every word, especially this line:
.. “mmm?” with an earnest look... conveys how they really feel inside.
Always gets me every time KiHoon does that to EJ.
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78 msles59130
May 30, 2010 at 10:48 PM
#76 - wow, I agree with everything you said. I cannot understand why people who are not watching the drama anymore read the recaps, and criticize the characters/plot/story development based on what they saw 6 episodes ago. It makes no sense to me. I'm not saying you have to like it, but if you are going to rag all over it, at least watch it!
Possibly because I have already seen episode 18, I think CS has totally redeemed itself. Any difference in plot development would have seemed forced and fake. They had to move slow, because of how damaged all of the characters are. The way the character arcs are resolving themselves seems realistic and natural (or as much as any melodrama could be)
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79 ashley
May 30, 2010 at 11:15 PM
@ 76
ok are you part of the CS crew =) jk.. hmm on your comment you watch it for yourself judge it for yourself ... like it for yourself - OK that's for you OTHER ppl don't like it and is just expressing their opinion jeez. are we scrutinized for our opinions and just expressing it here.. DICTATOR MUCH?
I personally followed the drama painfully up to 16 and decided it's a done deal for me just mean I no longer feel it's worth following. .. I also find Javabeans recaps extremely close to the story line. So i'm not some1 who makes bad judgments about the drama. t
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80 sam
May 30, 2010 at 11:39 PM
@ ashley hi.
No. I am not part of CS crew. I am not even korean.
I am not against people saying their mind. If you personally watch it, then rant all you want. I don't like it when people react on hearsay. It's like when you hear people say something about other people and you made judgement based on that. Normally no matter how bad a person reputation was, I made it a point to find out for myself who that person is personally. Some of the best people I know when I was growing up are people that others think badly about (misunderstood). Same case with this drama. Rant all you want if you watch it. That's why I don't mind JB's ranting. She watched it!
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81 ashley
May 30, 2010 at 11:58 PM
@ sam
hmm.. how do you know they are reading recaps and complain maybe they watched it? who knows lets not make any assumptions
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82 pabo ceo reom
May 31, 2010 at 12:36 AM
All I can say is thanks for keeping it as positive as you could (humanly) manage!
I feel awful that you hate this drama and still have to recap it for us fans. I appreciate your effort even if we don't get the same level of satisfaction from it.
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83 sam
May 31, 2010 at 12:45 AM
@ 81 ashley. how do you know they are reading recaps and complain maybe they watched it?
Because they usually wrote that they stopped at so and so episodes? Or they wrote that they checked out of it?
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84 mookie
May 31, 2010 at 2:32 AM
@ sam
I know where u r coming fr, and I have to say I've enjoyed reading your comments on this drama since the very beginning. *hug* I appreciate authentic criticisms, debates and discussions can be most amusing for me to read and would not damper my experience and have no effect on how I form my own opinion of my drama experience.
How should we form an opinion on a drama? I wonder if the experience of reading the exact script will be similar as the cinematic experience for many, but for me, there's no substitute. I enjoy reading JB's recaps, although my opinions and observations are very different but I respect that because we both sit down and learn about the object by watching it, analyzing it in its original form. I can't weigh opinions form by reading her review w/ as much significance.
@ Lahlita
re: KH keeping EJ Fr latest Hong Ju fiasco.
We can agree to disagree but I could not see how EJ can handle it. She can handle KJ for sure, but in this latest twist, she has to deal w/ all the elders, and after seeing first hand how she regressed and completely flipped w/ the ajumma when looking for mom, you still have hope she can miraculously stay calm in her hurt and outrage of their (her extended family) betrayal?! She can deal w. KJ because he means nth to her, and she can totally outsmart him in all business fashion, but it's when she's to deal w/ ppl closer to her heart, the hurt is still disproportionally crippling to her. If the news was not held fr her, she will be given another blow that Appa was betrayed by his family even after death, the grieve they've shown at his wake was not genuine and it'll be another crackling on her already fragile faith in love, esp familial love.
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85 sam
May 31, 2010 at 4:42 AM
@ 84 mookie .." I wonder if the experience of reading the exact script will be similar as the cinematic experience for many, but for me, there’s no substitute"
That's what I feel too. *hug back* CS/CU is a cinematic experience. You can't feel it just by reading. The impact of some scenes is to be seen to be enjoyed or felt. I remember seeing the scene when EJ saw KH for the first time after 8 years. "This is the face I remember," KH said watching EJ. Right there and then in my mind flashing, 'yeah, like every day for the last eight years.' The longing and yearning was there on his face. And then he soften it to, 'u r HS's sister, right?' Making as if it is not significant. The acting is subtle and fabulous. Subtle and fabulous acting is portrayed by every actors in the drama. They are that good.
If only the writing can be consistent :( Even with that inconsistency, there will be at least one scene in each episode that will touch me emotionally. For this episode, it is when KH just smile even when EJ is glowering at him. When you are at peace with yourself, forgiven yourself, it is liberating. Only then you can love others unconditionally.
KS is changing. Being human hurts. Of her 3 children, she knows she damages EJ the most. When she looks at her friend's daughter, the girl reminded her of EJ. That girl life is a replica of EJ early life. That's why she brought the girl outside. Away from the bad influence even if just for a while. That is also why she called EJ on the public phone after that. Which mother, no matter how horrible, won't love their children? Especially when you feel guilty treating them bad.
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86 shin
May 31, 2010 at 8:55 AM
This was a wake-up call for the whole series! It did bring back my enthusiasm to keep me watch it. It showcases FUN especially the 'birthday date scene' between Moon Geun Young and Taecyeon.
All over the series I was really impressed by Moon Geun Young's acting abilities, such a talented actress. I also like Seo Woo, she had shown a lot in this series with her kind of acting capabilities, ables to act pretty well. A chameleon I must say but nothing tops Moon Geun Young's acting ablities, the best! Whenever its her scene, she always makes me wanna cry. Oh I love her! But as for the two leading actors, I don't know the series would even been better if different actors had been cast (in my opinion) . Well, as a whole I like Cinderella's Sister.
Fighting Moon Geun Young >33
Episode 18 is much better than this.
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87 Lahlita
May 31, 2010 at 11:28 AM
@ 84 mookie
No need to preface your post; I absolutely agree to differ. :-) Posting in an open forum implies a tacit understanding that what is said will be subject to critical analysis and/or disagreement. My opinions are just that--opinions. Not even Sarah is exempt from having hers challenged, and it's to her credit that she has created an environment in which discussion can flourish.
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88 ....
May 31, 2010 at 1:00 PM
I don't know I am still excited to see where they take this drama with two episodes left. I like the drama so far though I do admit that after watching the MV's I was expecting a different kind of story...
For example, I was expecting for the Doga to go bankrupt therefore forcing EJ, HS, and KS to lose everything. Or maybe KH actually going through with taking over the Doga...
The point is that while I dislike parts of the story, like how Jung Woo does nothing as a character, with only two more episodes I want to finish it...
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89 Jin Ari
May 31, 2010 at 1:17 PM
thanks for the recap. TY was so cute in the birthday date. the icing scene was heart warming.
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90 Joann
May 31, 2010 at 1:20 PM
I actually like this drama. The psychology of it is fantastic. The character development is a little slow but I can bear with it. The acting from Moon Geun Young and Seo Woo is flawless. FLAWLESS. So I disagree with you that this drama is a little slow. it's as close to reality as can get.
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91 jsk
May 31, 2010 at 3:42 PM
I am really enjoying this drama. Reading people's comments have added to the experience. I like the combination of quieter moments in the drama,the melodramatic scenes as well as the flights of fantasy. The one scene i thought was too melodramatic and unnecessary was when EJ ran into the water after conversation with Mr. Jang.
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92 Startulle
May 31, 2010 at 5:36 PM
i agree with you@24 Judy u read my mind ^_^ ........after the episode 5 i couldnt watch anymore only reading the recaps....but what relief now....a little lite in the end of the tunnel for EJ and KH....
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93 zaha
May 31, 2010 at 8:50 PM
too many wrist grabbing scenes >____>
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94 giddygirl108
May 31, 2010 at 11:13 PM
I'm in totally the same boat as some of the other readers of your blog: I've given up and am following the rest with your commentary b/c honestly, it's been such a drag four episodes ago (even further) and I'm not going to waste my time with it. Thank you for holding out for us. I'm more interested in seeing how the plots points are developing and what type of ending they'll weave.
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95 Amy
June 1, 2010 at 7:42 AM
Javabeans, I am a long time reader of your blog. I always enjoy reading your insights and opinions, so I wish you wouldn't "sugarcoat" your recap just because you are worried about upsetting fans. Honestly, I'm still enjoying Cinderella's Sister, but I would much rather read your honest review of the episode even if it is harsh. Thanks for sticking with the show to the end. I know it must be a real chore to recap a show you're not enjoying.
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96 Rika
June 8, 2010 at 7:34 PM
HOLY CRAP! i can't believe i got this far with this drama!!! im not insulting them or anything, but i tried watching a few of them, and they never got finished by me. However, this one caught my eye and i decided to try it and i ABSOLUTLY LOVED IT!!!!! XD this is probably going to be the second korean drama that i've ever finished (first being You're Beautiful). im going to be sad when i finish this T.T!!!
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97 Elizabeth
October 31, 2010 at 6:44 PM
I am looking for the song that plays in the background when Ki-Hoon and Eun-jo are in the bus and he moves her head to his shoulder, about 35 minutes in. I don't speak Korean or I would google some of the lyrics to find the song. Can you help??
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