Reading between the lines on Heirs

There are certain scenes or lines from each episode that has me lingering over the underlining meaning behind the words and expressions. Instead of posting them on the side widget, I thought I would share them here each week.

E6

Tan certainly isn’t making it easy to stay away when he pulls moves like that just to check if she had smoked. Then his insecurity gets the best of him and guesses she had been bad mouthing him instead when she came to the wine cellar to be alone.

I am reading way too much into this scene. When he stood there behind that sheet as she talked to herself saying “during the day I am nouveau riche and at night I’m a maid -how can a life vary so vastly,” I thought the sheet was symbolic of what’s dividing them – their social status disparity. He was only able to see a glimpse of her feet – meaning their relationship has a limit and can only go so far and he can’t ever marry her. So when he went over to watch her nap, that was all he could do – just stare and dream and hope- anymore and it would end up hurting her and he didn’t want to be the one to cause her pain. Not to mention Eun Sang isn’t going to make things easy for him. This was his only chance to be close and stare at her all he wants since she wouldn’t let him if she had been awake. She won’t allow herself to fall for him when she knows how hurtful reality can be. That’s why when she woke up and saw that dream catcher, I thought it was a reminder that what she is living in right now is a dream. One that she will need to wake up from some day. Whatever they have together will be short lived cuz happily ever after for them just wasn’t meant to be. There are circumstances and people with power controlling their lives and the two of them are pawns to be moved around. Getting their way and staying together is a dream they both have right now, but maybe they know that when they open their eyes, it will be over so they are trying to keep their eyes closed and keep moving. Meaning they are going to ignore the obvious and try to have what they can now – these stolen moments in the wine cellar, at school, pretty much anywhere they can be together just the two of them. Most of this applies to Tan more than Eun Sang cuz she is still holding back and hasn’t caught up to his emotions, but I can’t help this is what Tan might be thinking. He really does believe if she stays close to him, he can protect her at school just by being Kim Tan and his family’s reputation. He still doesn’t get that already the play is in motion. Just by putting her in that school, his father has set into motion their eventual break up. So by staying by Tan’s side, she will in reality need protection from his family. How ironic that Tan could be the source of her joy as well as her heartache.

I don’t know if it’s LMH or the character Kim Tan, but he does this look of love better than anyone I’ve ever seen. Swoon factor just skyrockets each and every time.

Maybe it’s just me, but I love how Woobin is playing this character. There is such hostility underneath the smirks and affectations of concern that makes his threats just as intimidating as a growl.

Young Do sticks out his foot and makes Eun Sang trip and grabs her hand before she falls asking – are you ok? Eun Sang: but you tripped me. YD: If I didn’t trip you then I wouldn’t have been able to catch you. he holds up their hands as evidence so she pulls her hand away saying you are a weird kid huh? Young Do: Am I just weird? not scary? ES: why do I need to be scared of you? YD: cuz I am going to keep making you fall. so let me ask one thing again -this time answer properly.  what is your relationship with Kim Tan? ES: if you are interested in Kim Tan – will you go talk to him yourself. YD: ah – I didn’t introduce who you are. starting from today you are mine. ES: what? YD: others call it a shuttle. now if you understand what I’m saying how about answering. how do you know Tan? Tan’s voice asks: what are you going to do if you know how she knows me? ask me. ask me yourself. Then Tan says to ES -I asked to talk so why are you running off? don’t think of running away. go ahead first. (meaning wait over there). YD says to him – I wanted to make friends with the transfer student but you are getting in the way too aggressively. Tan: not having friends suits you. you are going to throw them away soon so why bother making them.

I think it’s interesting to note how differently Young Do is bullying Eun Sang. He is still making threats and trying to scare her, but he is going easy on her for now since he needs to confirm her relationship with Tan. I wonder what is going to set him off and make him more aggressive – the fact that Tan likes her or that she isn’t wealthy after all.

After Tan texts – can we meet for a second? ES texts back – where are you? Tan pops out and says “here” scaring the crap out of her. ES: why did you hide there? you startled me. Tan: it’s cuz you are dumb – couldn’t you see how bright it was over there. ES: how long were you there? by any chance were you there before too but just acted like you weren’t? Tan: why ask. I was there. ES: when? Tan: why? he takes her hand to sniff asking – did you do something you shouldn’t be doing here? ES: what are you doing? Tan: you weren’t smoking. did you curse me? ES pulls her hand away telling him to get away.

I really hate that Tan showed himself. I really loved their moments here – sitting back to back with only a shelf of wine separating them. She really needed this space to get away from her troubles and have some peace and quiet. It was the only place she could be honest about her feelings and just allow herself to feel whatever – anger, sadness, resentment, bitterness, longing, hope, regret, etc. Now she will be more careful and check if he is in there from here on. Then again, maybe he revealed his presence so that she doesn’t have to feel all that alone. To let her know he was here those times she felt that way so maybe now she can have those feelings in front of him so they can share them.

Young Do doesn’t know it yet, but these little flirtations are piling up. He thinks he is giving Eun Sang attention to get at the truth about what she means to Tan, but each time Eun Sang matches him with her verbal sparring ability or stands up to him, he is becoming more impressed. Pretty soon he won’t need to ask what her relationship is with Tan cuz Young Do will know himself – the glaring truth will be felt in his heart as he starts to fall for her.

It’s interesting to note here that Young Do held onto her secret and didn’t tell anyone else.  He specifically said if you don’t save my number, I will ask you why a nouveau riche is working part time. He said the pronoun “you” clearly to let her know he won’t ask others like Rachel. He might even remember her from last time when she made a delivery and threatened to call the police when that worker harassed her.  That stunt amused him so he got a look at her face. Pretty sure he admires her gumption for thinking quickly on her feet in those types of situations. That’s why I am beginning to see that Tan and Young Do like her for more than just her looks. It’s like the whole package of who she is wrapped up with all that extra stuff they admire – like good work ethics, having principles, and most importantly pride – despite her circumstances. Tan hasn’t done it yet, but Young Do has worked at his father’s hotels in the summer. He knows about hard work like Eun Sang. He will know what she is going through a little better than Tan.  Even though it wasn’t overt, I get the feeling that smirk after she left indicates amusement -maybe even a touch of admiration and respect – something he has never felt for any of the kids he bullied. I hope that surprises him so that he keeps that in the back of his mind for later when he starts to tally up all the signs and indications that he was falling for her.

In the preview Tan’s dad said why he sent Eun Sang to that school “so that she will hear through hundreds of mouths why she cant get close with Tan.” The thing is he didn’t need to do that – Tan and Eun Sang are realizing all on their own why they are so different with every interaction. She has known that ever since California and Tan is now starting to understand it too. Even where they nap is different – her on an uncomfortable chair near the hanging laundry and him in his luxurious bedroom. Tan lent her his dream catcher to have a good nap, but she is going to need more than that to survive this school. Turns out Tan isn’t safe either cuz he has Young Do breathing down his back to get him transferred out. My hope for a possible bromance is looking pretty dim after tonight.

To tell the truth, I had to save this scene till I managed to tamp down my anger and frustration. it really killed me to see Young Do be so brutal with that poor kid. It made me wonder just how much hatred is inside of him for it to surface so frequently. Exactly how much damage did his father inflict on him to make him become this person. Then I wondered what it would take for him to step back and see himself doing these terrible things and have the truth register in his head that this needs to stop. I could go on about how awful bullying is and who it ends up hurting in the end, but I was more stunned by Tan’s indifference and his own admission that he ordered this. That this had been going on cuz Tan was the first one to order kids to do this and back then he joined in. It’s hard to wrap my head around the Tan we have been seeing and the one who used to lead the way with Young Do to torment all those kids. What’s even more shocking is they were young kids back then. How could those little kids hate so much that they would do that to others.  When Tan warned Eun Sang not to get involved and not to stand with the weak in Jeguk or else she would become the weak, it was the first time I saw a little bit of his father in him. Couldn’t believe he could say anything so despicable -his words were veiled as advice, but my respect for him dropped a few points. I wanted to remind him that he is better than this. That this sort of thing isn’t something that should be allowed to continue. If he realizes now that he was wrong to start this back then, he has the same power to make it stop as well, but I guess he sees the hypocrisy in that. I get why he has to look the other way, but what really got me angry was that his words made Eun Sang stop helping the poor kid. That kid was the one who knew the truth about her mom’s occupation, but kept it to himself and warned her to do the same so she wont end up getting bullied like him. He did her a major favor and not only deserved some concern, but earned it as well.  Just when my expectations were high cuz she was the only one making sure the kid was okay, she listens to Tan and backs down. It was the first time I questioned if she was with the right guy if she had to go along with stuff like this that goes against everything she believes in. She was basically told to turn her back and not show any compassion to ensure her own survival in this school so she obeys -in the process saving her own skin but sacrificing her own conscience. Kind of makes you wonder what kind of heirs are being educated in this school. Sure they would prosper at surviving in the business world, but how successful will they grow up to be morality wise. If they keep this up, won’t they all end up as carbon copies of future versions of these current parents? That’s a nightmarish thought if there ever was one.

When Young Do said “why do you always sleep in places like this – making me want to protect you,” I totally understood why she sighed so audibly. She realizes he has seen her sleep here before and she is still feeling intimidated by the fact that he knows about her part time job. What makes his words so meaningful is that it may be the most honest thing Young Do has said. Before when he didn’t know her, he did try to protect her from those loud kids all on his own volition. Back then, she was just a pretty girl so he took notice. Now she has his attention for more substantial reasons. She has a connection to Tan that he doesn’t know about. More importantly – there is something about watching her sleep like that being so vulnerable that gets to him. It is triggering a side of him that he didn’t know existed – a twinge of compassion. Here is a girl who had a long day at school then working at her part time job. Before she goes home, she rests her head for a few minutes to recover.  Young Do knows that now so this time he doesn’t stay quiet and kicks her chair to get her attention so she can hear him loud and clear. He is used to bullying kids around that he knows very well -to the extent that he knows exactly what to say to push their buttons, but with Eun Sang it’s not so easy.  She isn’t falling in line as easily as the other kids he threatened so that has him on the alert. Right now he thinks he wanted her number and for her to save his number for other reasons, but he isn’t seeing another possibility. A part of him is drawn to her and the more he gets to know her, it’s only going to get worse. I used to think he might use her as a pawn in his fight with Tan, but I think there is another danger. If Eun Sang shows him any ounce of sympathy and compassion, she just might end up taming this wild boy. That’s what scares me – the second that happens, I don’t know how he will react or own up to his feelings, but I bet falling in love is going to knock him down flatter than a punch.

The main problem is with these two guys. Tan and Young Do are at a time in their lives when they need a change – some sort of upheaval that will shake them up and rattle the foundation of complacency they’ve built up.  As if she didn’t already have enough problems of her own, Eun Sang just happened to step into their lives now when both guys are realizing a solution to their loneliness could be love.

He doesn’t know it yet, but Tan just gave away his secret. He looked over at Eun Sang first quickly checking to see if she is ok then he looked back at his former friend. That look of challenge on his face clearly says “stay away from her -don’t even think of messing with her.” We all knew these two guys would be vying for her attention, but who knew their little show down would happen so soon. Judging from preview photos, they have a fight. One guess as to why. Part of me thinks that Young Do picked that fight with Tan and got punched on purpose so that Young Do would look like the victim in front of Tan’s stepmom – the one in charge of the school and the one Tan addresses formally as mother. Young Do smiled and told her “I wont sue so don’t worry” and then we hear her voice telling Tan if he is going to do stuff like this then transfer to another school – exactly what Young Do wanted all along. It’s like he picked the fight and Tan played right into his hands by punching Young Do and giving him that bloody lip.

MS asks what have you been thinking of from a while ago? Young Do: I was thinking of Cha Eun Sang. MS: why were you thinking of that upstart? Young Do: why I am thinking of that upstart – I am thinking of it too (along with other stuff)

Somewhere in his head a bell will be going off soon – warning him he is dangerously getting close to forming a crush. One of my sole reasons for watching this drama was Kim Woo Bin so having Young Do fall in love with Eun Sang came with that package. I can’t wait to unwrap it and see how he reacts to her once he realizes he likes her. It’s going to change everything about him – I just know it. His persona, demeanor, attitude about bullying – all of it will be affected. Once she influences him, he will stop at nothing to win her over so for her sake he will change and be a better person. Of course I doubt she will reciprocate his feelings, but it won’t stop him from trying to win her affections. It will make it that much harder for him to reconcile with Tan, but I desperately want this to happen first. I want the love he feels for Eun Sang to make him open up about his own feelings so that he can see all the reasons why he has been bullying kids. He needs to see that what his own father did picking on Young Do for being weak in front of his dad is the very reason why Young Do fought back with kids he can always beat. Not one of those kids he bullied could have ever beat him in a fight and that’s the only reason he went after them – to exert the power he was never brave enough to use on his own dad.  Maybe it’s asking too much to hope that his first love can bring about all those changes in him, but as long he is able to stop feeling so much anger inside and be able to let go of it, it can free his spirit so that when he eventually finds someone to love him in return, he will be worthy of that love.

This scene will come out at the start of E7 cuz they are wearing the same clothes as the end of E6. it was the first time in a preview that I laughed – didn’t know LMH was capable of such comedy. Tan sneaks up on her and startles her in front of his house. Tan: how many times do I have to tell you to be careful of Choi Young Do? Eun Sang: he said he wanted to protect me. Tan suddenly points and blurts out: That’s the threat right there. Eun Sang had to pull back from being hit with his pointing finger and she has this look on her face that says – how you just said that seems more threatening. At this point, Tan doesn’t get how crazy he sounds. How could wanting to protect someone be construed as a threat. Going by the baffled look on her face, he is going to need a lot of luck explaining that so that it makes sense.

*Another scene I wanted to note from the preview is that Tan’s father was in a private room at the hospital. Without wanting to sound too callous, I suddenly found myself wishing and hoping the dad dies soon. Not just cuz he seems pretty evil for plotting ways to destroy his two sons’ happiness by messing with their loved ones, but story wise things will take an interesting turn if Won is left in charge of the group since Tan is still in school. Then there won’t be any question of who will be the current heir of Jeguk since it will be Won till Tan is of age. Sort of simplifies things if you ask me. Then Tan will have the option of choosing whether he wants to be an heir later on instead of being manipulated into the position at every turn.

**One of these days, out of all the numerous characters – someone is going to crack open a book right? This seems to happen in every high school drama, but there is an appalling lack of studying going on. I can overlook logic in this fictional world, but keep up the pretenses at least that these are students. Just cuz you wear the uniform doesn’t make you a student, but glancing down at a textbook once in a while might. Guess no one cares about their grades since their futures are already set in stone.

E5

Tan doesn’t have a poker face when it comes to Eun Sang. The second he sees her, his face softens and his whole being changes. Around her, he becomes a better person than he ever was. I wish his family knew that. If he is just allowed to love her, he will become a better son, brother, and friend.

After Tan watched her run off to school, he went straight to the room she shares with her mom. I wonder if he noticed the same thing as me- in such a large home, she lives in the smallest room. She might not take up any space in the house physically, but right now, in his mind and heart, she resides everywhere. She occupies his every thought in every waking moment. Tan is giving new meaning to the phrase “She ran away with his heart.”

*I just realized something tonight. The minute he confirmed that she really was living here and that she is the maid’s daughter, he sat alone and thought about it. I was wondering if he was telling himself in his head to put the breaks on his emotions and stop liking her, but now I think he was worried for her. He must have been scared she would pull away from him. He watched her in America being so meticulous to pay for everything she used so he knows that her pride wouldn’t allow them to go any further than maid’s daughter and home owner’s second son. He probably thinks even friendship would be too much for her to handle. It makes me so curious why Tan doesn’t consider everything in terms of the long run. He doesn’t think ahead and his short sightedness is going to have negative repercussions soon – especially with Won. (In the preview Tan unknowingly showed up at a meeting and his dad introduced him as his second son so that whole incident put Won on the edge.)  When it comes to Eun Sang, has Tan gone too far to go back. Is this how he is with other stuff too? Once he makes up his mind- does he commit to it no matter what? Or is he simply a kid who is too much in love to even think of letting go.

When Eun Sang goes out to see the cause of the commotion at her school, she sees Tan standing by his car with sunglasses on. He takes them off and says – could you push the kid that looks like she has a sturdy kidney over here? Eun Sung walks over to him. Tan: you look really happy to see me. you must have thought of me a lot. Eun Sang: not happy to see you -I’m surprised. how are you here? did you come to Korea? Tan: as you can see. there was a girl I knew at your school so I came and right now I am looking at her. Eun Sang: what did you need to see me for? Tan: to ask something. she starts to say why do you have so many things that you are curious about me but he cuts her off and says it’s not about you. Eun Sang: then what is it. he asks for her friend Yoon Chan Young’s number in Korea. she asks why and he says cuz I’m interested. Eun Sang: why would you? Tan:why would I be interested? it’s cuz he (meaning her) is pretty. (he) won’t leave my head so I feel like I will die. Eun sang tells him to stop being interested cuz CY has a girlfriend. you know that. your former girlfriend. I will be going first cuz I’m busy. she walks away as he says to her back: stop there while I am saying it nicely. I told you to stop. just stop wont you.”

At her part time job she gets a call from Chan Young who asks how she has time to play around on SNS during her work -what is up with that photo so she checks her phone and sees the new photo Tan uploaded of himself with the caption “Kim Tan is really good looking.” She notices right away it was taken at her part time job café so she finds him. She points out he has to place an order so he asks again for Yoon CY’s number like it’s coffee “with ice” so she punches it into his phone. Eun Sang: take it and you go too. but he calls CY and asks for her number but CY wont give it out. CY told him to get it himself from her so Tan retorts – if I could get it from her I wouldn’t have called you. why wont you tell me? she gave away your number. Eun Sang grabs the phone out of his hand and tells CY sorry and she will call later. She asks Tan: what are you doing now? he remarks how she always said thank you in America but she is different in Korea. I wanted to know it in case I have to contact you. Eun Sang: what is there for us to contact each other. Tan: in case I have to say “look up at the second floor” “turn around” stuff like that. Eun Sang: what does that mean? Tan: are you curious? on his way out he grabs her phone and gets her number. she asks what he is doing. Tan: to let you know what I just said a minute ago. later on. I will log out of your SNS. let’s call it even with this. I will be going. he walks away as she calls out what he said to her earlier at her school –  stop there while I am saying it nicely. I told you to stop. just stop – wont you.” she gets a call from him instead. Tan: I will call. today I have someone I need to meet. Eun Sang: how long are you staying in Korea and going back? Tan: why? do you not want me to go? Eun Sang: before you go I wanted to buy you a meal.  Tan laughs and says: then you held onto me (meaning: and wouldn’t let me go back). but she hangs up on him. he turns to scowl, but she went back to work.

Tan was so adorable when he tried to hide from Eun Sang outside the front gate. He wasn’t quick enough so she asked what are you doing here. He tries to laugh it off asking how did we end up meeting like this. Eun Sang: what are you doing here? how did you know I lived here? Tan: you live here? Eun Sang: how could you come here? follow me cuz there are CCTV cameras all over the entrance. She leads him away by his wrist. Tan: why are we running away? Eun Sang: it’s right at this time. might run into this home’s second son. he comes in around this time. Tan: ah- that second son who is supposed to be very good looking? she stops to look at him and realizes she was holding his hand and lets go. He holds it out again saying – you can keep dragging me along. Eun Sang: is your home by any chance in this neighborhood? your home in Korea? Tan: yes. Eun Sang: which home is it? Tan: why? do you want to know where my home is? if I tell you – you will be surprised. Eun Sang: it’s ok. I was just wondering if the rumors went around throughout the neighborhood. (she meant she was afraid other maids would talk and mention her living here with her mom) Tan: what rumors? Eun Sang: I am saying this in advance in case you think it’s strange, you know cuz you saw everything in America so you are probably curious why I came out of a home like that…but he cuts her off and says I am not curious. I’m curious about something else. Eun Sang: what something else? He leans in close asking – when are you going to buy me a meal? Eun Sang: when it’s time. Tan: when is that? don’t you dare say under the right circumstances. Eun Sang: you said you would call but you didn’t. Tan: so you waited for my call. Eun Sang: I will be going. even if I leave now I will be tardy. He watches her go.

*I translated those scenes for what comes out later and to relay how these two interact with each other. At this point, Eun Sang still thinks of him as some rich kid she met in California, but she can speak to him with ease cuz despite their social background discrepancy, they are still two kids who get along and are at the same age. She feels like she is on equal footing with him in a way as long as he doesn’t learn about her home life. Eun Sang doesn’t know it, but this will be the last time she ever acts normal around him again. That’s why his smile fades as he watches her walk away. He is the only one who gets to cherish this last chance encounter when she didn’t see him as anything but himself.

In one of my favorite movies “You’ve got mail,” a man and a woman met in a chat room and formed a friendship. They meet in real life through their jobs, but he finds out who she is first, but keeps it to himself cuz he doesn’t want to lose their online friendship since she hates him in real life. He waits until they have established more to reveal himself and in that moment, she cries from joy and admits “I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.” That made me think that all this time Tan had been pursuing her, maybe a part of Eun Sang wanted this. Maybe the part of her that loved that midsummer night’s dream was holding onto it subconsciously. She didn’t want to let go yet and if he kept pursuing her by stalking her SNS, she still gets to hold onto that dream for a little longer. You can’t blame her for that since it was the highlight of her life so far. What crazy girl doesn’t love all the attention he is giving her. As long as his true identity remains a mystery, she gets to continue to dream a bit longer.

That’s why it killed me to watch her realization sink in that he is the “good looking second son.” When she walked out of the wine cellar, he called and said “hello Sidney” as a running joke about her love for horror movies like Scream and since “hellosidney” is her online chat ID. She jokes back – this is why you took my number to do stuff like this. it isn’t scary at all. but Tan just tells her to look up at the second floor so she obeys and sees the dream catcher. her heart drops a little. then he tells her to turn around. this time her face drops in stunned disbelief as she stares at him standing there. I bet she is more terrified now than during any of her horror films. He quickly walks closer to her as she asks “how are you here?” Tan: think about it. You can tell she is barely keeping it together as she confirms the reality before her. fighting back tears, she asks -are you by any chance the second son in this home? Tan: um. Eun Sang: are you the Jeguk Group’s second son? Tan: um. She asks “then when we ran into each other in front of the house, you knew I was living in this home?” Tan: um. Eun Sang voice breaks as she asks: then did you know I was living in the maid’s room in this home? Tan: um. He didn’t have the heart to answer with yes so he mutters them cuz he knew how much this was hurting her. Her eyes filling with tears, she turns and walks away from him as he calls out “Cha Eun Sang – did I perhaps miss you?” She only stops for a second, but continues walking away from him cuz that last vestige of pride she had faded away like that dream.

As she sat in that room crying, I wish she knew that he had been the one turning the lights on for her each time she went to the wine cellar at night so she wouldn’t have to walk in the dark. Since they are both eighteen, there isn’t much that Tan can offer in the form of security and stability for their relationship, but she should know he is willing to do what he can -the small stuff like meet at her school, drop by her part time jobs, joke about her kidney, her love of horror films, and plan exactly how to tell her the truth about who he is. at the café he already told her he wanted her number so he can say “look up at the second floor” “Turn around.” He already knew the news of him being the second son of Jeguk group would tear her up so he thought this was the most merciful way of letting her know.  That is what makes him young and naïve. There was no easy way cuz this truth shattered any hope she had about him. Eun Sang isn’t your typical Candy girl cuz she isn’t after wealth at all. Protecting her pride matters to her above everything else. I can’t wait to see if her remaining  sense of pride will continue to keep Tan at bay from here on, but I’m more interested in how Tan will overcome their Mt. Everest of obstacles.

I like how the mood suddenly shifted the second Eun Sang walked between them. She was unaware of what’s going on and was texting Chan Young that she is at school and asked where he is. When she looks up in surprise to see Tan there, she looked a little scared when Young Do grinned at her. Right now the entire school is focused on Tan and Young Do, but how cool would it be if what Tan’s mom fears comes true. What if Eun Sang takes first place in her studies above Tan and the others. She might not be affluent like the rest of them, but if her intelligence outshines them all, then her potential to succeed in life was handed over to her by Tan’s father. That would be the sweetest revenge ever.

At first, I didn’t know what to make of Tan’s father offering Eun Sang the opportunity to go to Jeguk so I just assumed he was compensating now for what he will do to her later. His dad appreciates the fact that Eun Sang’s mom was able to stick it out and work for Tan’s mom for the past three years despite her being super fussy so that most maids didn’t last even a year. I get that he didn’t want to cause any trouble with Tan’s mom by firing Eun Sang’s mom and eliminating the problem altogether, but there is a lot more behind his generous incentive.  That drama cliché where the envelope full of money is paid for the obstacle to break up with the wealthier party is happening in stealth and deception right now. As in Tan’s dad is giving Eun Sang the payoff for backing away from his son before she even realizes she is being paid to break up with Tan. By accepting that scholarship to go to that school, she will be obligated to Tan’s dad. Years from now after she gets a better education and even get to study abroad, she won’t have an envelope full of money to throw back at the dad cuz she will already have benefited from it. I don’t know if that dad is being clever or really evil minded. That’s why I am really rooting for Eun Sang to turn this whole deal around so that it bites Tan’s dad in the butt. By allowing her to attend the same school as Tan, the dad is basically helping to strengthen their feelings for each other. If Eun Sang becomes the star pupil of her class and makes something of herself later on, she will no longer be someone anyone can look down on. She still has the chance to have the last word on this deal so my fingers are crossed that she succeeds. Not to sound petty, but I do find some glee in the fact that both of his sons are in love with women he doesn’t approve of. Serves him right for putting a price tag on love.

We are still scratching the surface when it comes to Young Do. I still can’t figure out if there is some potential for him to become a real rival for Eun Sang’s affections. So far she doesn’t seem to like him at all and can’t get past his pushiness, but I wonder if she will give him a chance to open up to her or if she will lump him in with all the rest of the rich kids. According to the dialogue and preview, we are learning some new things about him. He knows which buttons to push when it comes to Tan. He knows that any mention of Tan being the son of a mistress gets Tan riled up cuz that is his weakness. Tan wants to stick up for his mom and won’t let Young Do speak ill of her. Coincidentally, Young Do’s mom is his weakness too. His mom abandoned him and left him behind when she divorced his dad. We can understand any woman not wanting to stay married to his dad, but I wonder if she ever regretted not trying to take Young Do with her. I bet that is why he feels so bitter. He was left behind to be raised by a father he can’t respect or love.  Young Do seems like a kid who shows so much coldness on the outside that a part of him as frozen in the process. The way he affectionately showed his love for his dog makes me think that there is still a humane side to him, but I wonder if there is enough warmth left for Eun Sang to thaw out all the iciness he accumulated over the years.

Judging from what Eun Sang said in the preview, he wasn’t wrong about being concerned that she will jump away from him once she learns he is a Jeguk heir since she asked him to act like he doesn’t know her. Little does she know that’s like asking him to stop breathing, thinking, and feeling. So far, in the movie theater he asked her “do I perhaps like you” then tonight he asked “did I perhaps miss you.” Now that everything is out in the open, how much do you want to bet that next time he won’t add the “perhaps” part to it when he tells her he loves her. It will be a straight declaration -as if all his actions so far didn’t already point to it.  Since he has a fiancé, Eun Sang kept her distance and tiptoed around his words, but once he says that, she won’t have any wriggle room for doubt. First love – she is about to find out that when it comes to her, Tan doesn’t have any brakes on this relationship. Starting from the first time they met, he has been accelerating this whole time. He might have slowed down just a tad to consider what this might mean to her, but his emotions gunned the engine so now they are speeding along again. I wonder what it’s going to take for Tan to slow down so Eun Sang gets a chance to catch up to his emotions.

Since this drama is 20 episodes, I am waiting with fingers and toes crossed that the bromance kicks in half way. I don’t want these two to stay enemies throughout the series. If anything, I hope their mutual feelings for Eun Sang doesn’t keep them apart and just brings them closer. As in Young Do realizes early on he doesn’t have a prayer of a chance with Eun Sang and just helps Tan out so Tan can keep dating her despite his family’s objections. Since it’s pretty clear in most of this writer’s shows that the main couple never seem to have a strong contender for their affections, I don’t see why she needs to put one in now. They have enough enemies without becoming one for each other. Young Do has to resolve his issues with his dad and Tan has to overcome Won’s fears of being ousted by Tan. Maybe it’s cuz I loved the bromance on School 2013 so much that it has seeped into this drama, but despite their chilly greeting, I still saw some potential here.

E4

When you don’t have much, the little things become a bigger deal. Tan has been alone for so long that I don’t think he even realized how miserable he had been all those years. It took a complete stranger to make him open his eyes and face his loneliness. If you think about it, I don’t think he is in love with Eun Sang yet. He is infatuated with her presence and what she made him feel. It’s like she walked into his dark world and turned on the lights and showed him what living really is. You fight with your sister sometimes and hate her. You resent the world for making you suffer so much, but you can still turn around and find joy in things like eating pancakes with orange juice. You can hurt your mother’s feelings by running off and abandoning her, but if you sincerely apologize and make it up to her, she will forgive you. This is what having family means and he started to understand that from observing her for those few days. Her emotions are real cuz she feels them. He hasn’t allowed himself to feel cuz he has been afraid that it would engulf him. Since he is all alone, if he drowns in them, no one would be there to reach out a hand to help him out.  I think that is why he turned in his essay. “He who wears the crown must endure its weight” in his case means that if he wants to go home, he has to deal with the repercussions such as alienating his older brother even more and taking up the burden of his legacy down the line. Even though he keeps insisting to Won that nothing Won fears will ever happen, Tan is saying that from a mindset of a teenager. Won knows better cuz he doesn’t see Tan as just a kid – the threat Tan poses to his current position is inevitable so that’s why it’s hard for Won to take Tan’s reassurances to heart. Tan has years before he can even be considered a rival for Won, but Tan’s mere presence in the household again will threaten to topple everything Won has worked so hard to build up. In Won’s defense, it really does seem like their dad is rooting for Tan to succeed and even Secretary Yoon seems to be on Tan’s side. It must feel so lonely for Won not to have a single person on his side. Tan may have felt alone in California, but it’s worse for Won since he felt the same way surrounded by his father and two stepmothers.

I love those scenes when Tan imagined what he wanted to say to his parents and his brother. The words were simple and honest: “I want to come home father” “I miss you mom” “after sending me off that rudely, I trust that you hurt just once,” but it carried the weight of all his repressed emotions over the years. Little does he know that Won actually felt that. I was so relieved to see Won have a flicker of remorse when he glanced down at the photo of himself in LA just like the one of Tan- hopefully the look on his face was a bit of regret about how he mistreated his younger brother when they met. There just has to be some residual brotherly affection towards Tan. I still don’t get why Won feels so much resentment towards Tan over something he has no control over. I bet when they were younger, Won wasn’t this cold to him since Tan posed no threat as a little kid. It’s just now as Tan gets older that Won is feeling more territorial. He lives in a home with parents he doesn’t even seem that close to so you would think he would welcome an ally like Tan, but I guess greed and ambition is dictating all his actions and emotions. It’s too bad cuz you can tell that Won could’ve been a great older brother to Tan. If any sibling could look more eager to try and make their relationship work, Tan would be at the head of the line. You just know that one kind word from Won would make him break down in tears out of gratitude.

So many dramas lately have scenes like this – no words are spoken, but the clear message is longing. In this case, it’s not all one sided either. Tan seems to be pining for Eun Sang more than she is for him, but she is having her own little moments of regret too for not giving him her phone number. She might keep referring to her trip as a midsummer night’s dream, but the fact that she keeps thinking about it means her dream isn’t over. If you hold onto it and cherish it as much as she has, no wonder fate is making it come true little by little.

I am hoping and praying that Young Do doesn’t fall for Eun Sang just because Tan likes her. It’s hard to tell from preview clips, but they seem to have run into each other a lot before he even learns about Tan’s interest in her. I bet watching her being so bossy and bullying Rachel around was what sparked his interest even more than their run in at the convenience store. I get that Tan and Young Do are supposed to be attracted to her looks at first, but I want to believe these two guys saw more than a pretty face from the start. I have a feeling Young Do is going to appreciate her feistiness cuz she doesn’t seem like the type to back down from a fight she believes in. A quality he would like a lot. After all the bullying Young Do has been doing, he would be an expert at recognizing weakness. He probably saw the same types of shallow girls all his life so he is going to find her unique just for the fact that she guards her pride like a lioness. Having such an overbearing father himself, I bet Won is going to see a part of himself in her – how she won’t let life get her down no matter how many curve balls are thrown her way. I can’t help but root for these two to have a connection that goes beyond her being the object of a petty rivalry between Tan and Young Do for her. Just like she was able to give Tan the courage to go back home, I want her to influence some change in Young Do so he doesn’t bully people around anymore. If she could make Tan snap out of his apathy, then maybe she can root out a softer side of Young Do.  Someone more in tune with his emotions who doesn’t let his anger get away from him. I want Young Do to feel good about himself for a change. No matter how many negative things his father says, if Young Do has someone like Eun Sang, I bet it would be easier to drown out his father’s hurtful words.

This show really does a great job with their preview clips – they always choose the best ones that have us anticipating every single moment. It seems unusually cruel for this production cuz there were so many characters to introduce so we are just now getting to the meat of things, but we have to wait another week. As much as I looked forward to Young Do and Eun Sang meeting, I have been waiting for this showdown between the two former friends even more. I’m so curious what broke up their friendship. I don’t think it’s just cuz Tan decided to stop bullying kids with Young Do. There seems to be so much bitterness and hurt cloaked in animosity and it’s really evident in their greeting.

E3

Eun Sang: even if it looks close if we go it will probably be far huh?

Tan: it’s far away just from looking. let’s go home and wash up and take the car and go (there) -cant get there by walking.

Eun Sang: I’m not going to go there

Tan: why? I will take you there.

Eun Sang: no what you did up to now was plenty and i’m grateful.  I don’t want to impose on you anymore. let’s go home – my trunk is at your home. which way do we go?

They aren’t really talking about the Hollywood sign in this scene. Hollywood represents the fairytale she saw in movies. He is offering to take her there, but she is reluctant to see it up close cuz Eun Sang knows her limits. By now she gets how wealthy he is and knows his fiancé is the kind of girl he needs to be with – not someone like herself. That kind of wealthy lifestyle will always be beyond her reach and even if she gets there, she won’t know what to do. She won’t get to be herself. Tan is willing to take her there cuz he doesn’t see reality the way she does. By suffering all her life to earn a living, her eyes are clearer and she can easily recognize what’s beyond her grasp.  So without actually having that conversation about how different their lives are, they sort of had it indirectly here.

Just from watching her sleep, it’s like he discovered what it feels like to love for the first time – to want to keep her close and not let her leave.

Bet his house felt more empty than ever before. Even though she stayed a short time, he already has so many memories of her. He is just now getting what real loneliness feels like.

That’s why she avoided returning his call later. Eun Sang  just wants to keep him as someone she will never see again once she leaves and goes back to Korea. It’s funny that someone she thought she could brush off so easily is actually trying his best to keep her around. When he rattled off all the legitimate reasons for why she should stay with him instead of her friend, Tan didn’t hesitate at all. His desperation to keep her here was more urgent than looking cool and aloof in front of Chan Young. Then at the airport, when Rachel asked “don’t you have any plans to come to Korea, Tan confided “I always planned to, but I just don’t have the courage.”  It looks like he found that courage from Eun Sang.

I kept wondering why Tan fell in love with Eun Sang so quickly and loneliness isn’t the only factor.  While he was exiled away from his family for the past three years, during all that time his heart yearned to love someone again. He had been building up all those repressed emotions of wanting to care and be thoughtful and the moment he saw Eun Sang crying on that sidewalk, a recognition was triggered. She was a textbook damsel in distress, but what he really saw was someone he could reach out and connect with on a personal level. She didn’t know who he was or his family. She was a fresh slate he could start over with and just be himself. It’s not ego that makes him feel entitled to her attention and interest, but pure hope that she will reciprocate his feelings. So many things in life came easily to him, but Eun Sang is proving to be difficult by avoiding and deflecting his affection. I don’t think he sees this as a game or challenge to his pride. It’s a genuine desire to be loved back unconditionally for the first time in his life.

E2

When Eun Sang looked up and saw him, she bowed first and realized how silly that was since they had been speaking banmal to each other cuz they are the same age. So she switched to a smile and it was that moment when something clicked for him. It wasn’t just her beauty that struck a chord with him. She awoke something in him – the side of him that had been slumbering. It was that realization that left him dumbstruck. He instinctively recognized this for what it was – the first stirring of an emotion he hadn’t experienced yet – love.

All that time, Tan didn’t surround himself with other Koreans cuz then he would miss home even more. Eun Sang represents all that he repressed. Once he hung out with her, he remembered how familiar this is – how comfortable – how much fun. He gets to joke around in a language he knows. He gets to be generous and take care of someone for a change. During those three years alone, Tan had a lot of time to accumulate a lot of love. By denying himself any connection to Korea, he thought it would make him more resolute about living here in California. He didn’t see the reality of his denial cuz he was blinded by determination to follow his brother’s order. By this time, Tan was ready for an upheaval in his isolated world. Eun Sang happened to walk into his life the moment he was on the verge of succumbing to a change. Just when he was about to own up to his loneliness and find the courage to do something about it. Hanging out with her and feeling how right it was, his heart just decided that he didn’t want to go back to the way things were before she came along. Maybe that’s another explanation for the look on his face on the balcony. That moment when he stepped over from complacency to the side that wants to experience real happiness again. This was when his mask came off. Now he was ready to show his true self. When it came to his brother and father, Tan wasn’t able to voice his objections and speak up for himself. But he wouldn’t make that mistake with Eun Sang. I think that is why he spoke so bluntly and asked her in the theater if he liked her. That was him making an earnest attempt to convey his feelings. The ball is now in her court and I bet the seconds seemed like an eternity until she answered.

E1

I get the feeling that Kim Tan has been sitting back watching the world go by all this time. He hasn’t really joined life – just letting things happen to him as he looks on. I guess Eun Sang is going to be the catalyst to stop being so passive about his life and actively pursue something for a change. Not necessarily his birthright, but just to go after something meaningful. Even if that something is love – what else could be a better start.

The look he gave her as he watched her cry on the sidewalk was bordering on accusatory – cuz for the first time in a long while – she elicited a genuine emotion from him. He tried to remain numb (over how his family treated him), but now he actually feels something real cuz of Eun Sang. I bet that scared him a little. Having a genuine emotion after suppressing them for the past three years has to rattle him. At least shake the foundation of his belief that he could actually continue doing this – not caring for anyone else – not sharing himself so he won’t feel pain again. The look on his face might as well say “why did I have to witness this. Now I can’t ever look away.”

Through Eun Sang, Tan is learning what real family does. They confront each other and say what’s bugging them. They don’t hide away in another country just cuz they are told. They don’t sacrifice their own happiness just to obey an older brother they desperately want love from.  I’m hoping the lesson he takes away from witnessing Eun Sang and her sister’s fight is that he needs to do the same with his brother. He needs to prove to his brother that he won’t fight for what Won has been working so hard to build. He has to show him through actions that his brother’s love and respect means more to him than any inheritance. He needs to stop denying himself love so that he can learn to feel again.