Goddess of Marriage - Episode 9 (KimJiCap)

Yikes! No more cute. Tae-wook is turning into the Big Nasty or rather the Big Hurt Nasty in this episode and he does scare me a little. This is Kim Ji-hoon's darkest role yet and I understand why he took it: so different from what he usually plays! Overall, this episode was rather painful to watch (especially the last scene between the two) and though there will be a lot of Kim Ji-hoon pictures in this KimJiCap - as usual - there are no smiles this time. His heart has been broken - and he isn't one to mope around in silence. Nope, not Tae-wook. And you know the best thing about this episode? Hardly any Snore.
But at least, I got to admire his nose ...
***
We are back at the (chance?) meeting between the two rivals and Sourpuss at the hotel. It's the Kang family's hotel, by the way. They are introduced. While it seems more or less civil when they lock hands, they do stare at each other for quite a long time. Yeah, and if looks could kill, The Big Snore would be dead as a doornail. When the architects go sit down at another table, Tae-wook just stares after The Snore ... and then at his future wife. Who looks as if in shock. Tae-wook pretends not to know and asks her what the matter is ...  if it is nothing, she should just sit down.

The New Director Woman, formerly known as Abused Wife, has joined them and they eat. It's steak again. It seems to be the toughest specimen we've encountered so far, cause they saw away at it as if it were beef jerky. New Director Woman tells Ji-hye that she'll need her help after she gets married - but they'll have to see how she'll do. Meaning: Not every woman is as well-suited as me as a house-slave, biatch. You better toughen up, darling, cause the Kang house? No fun! Look forward to it, Sourpuss! You'll be expected to take Abused Wife's place, because she has been promoted away from there. Haha, Ji-hye isn't pleased about it. I wouldn't be either. Time to walk, maybe? Just board a plane and leave! I don't even care if they cut the drama short, I seriously want you away from Tae-wook!
Tae-wook looks at The Snore again, sitting there a small distance away from them, while the gloomy music plays. I dread the gloomy music. He puts down his cutlery (his steak is quasi untouched, I am not surprised, cause this man? He lives on broccoli and chicken breast), wipes his mouth, and declares he has something to discuss with them. And the bomb drops: He would like to move up the wedding date.
Oh .... shit. Not good! NOT GOOD!! Abort!!!!

But he wants to have it in two weeks, at this very hotel. Due to his promotion, he is super busy in the coming months. The only time he has are about three hours on Saturday or Sunday in two weeks. That's when they will get married. When Ji-hye is kind of. .. surprised, he quietly tells her to shut up and eat. I mean quietly as in super-scary.
Later, they are outside the hotel, waiting for the cars. She tries to talk to him, but ... not working. He's in broody lock-down. I would like to cuddle him a little. And I am really fascinated by his crazy hair.


She wants to know what he is doing? He states that he is getting married to her in two weeks, at this very hotel, three o'clock. She is upset he is doing stuff without discussing it with her again. He replies: "Did you discuss it with me?"

She doesn't get what he means, and he says: if i say do it, just do it. They bring the two cars (his and hers), he orders one of the lackeys to drive it after him - and gets into her car with her. He'll take her home, but will have to go to work again afterwards. He is reeeeally nasty and forbids her to go to a meeting she has and says it's better for her to stay at home. She really doesn't get it? I am beginning to doubt her sanity, really.
 
She says: "You are doing this and that now". And he says: "You've also been doing a lot of things unexpectedly". She wants to know what he is talking about all the time, he says he doesn't want to talk about it. He tells her again and again to shut up, also to get married fast, as he told her. She says she can't - he wants to know why. What's the problem? And don't you think about saying they're not prepared. They're prepared for it enough alright. Even if she walks into the wedding hall with a swimsuit on, he doesn't care and will take her home. Good line there, Tae-wook!
She still tries to reason with him, but he is beyond reason. He screams at her to be quiet. And almost runs over a red light. As in episode 2, he puts out his arm to protect her. They are both breathing hard and he says: "Don't even say one word - I don't know what I will do to you."

They arrive at her place, the lackey arrives behind them. Hey pays him amply and drives off, right after gruffly telling his future spouse to go in, he'll call her at night. As he drives away, he calls her sister - to let her know they'll get married in two weeks. Well, he doesn't do things by half, uri Tae-wook .... poor baby.
Much later, The Big Snore texts her. Can't he leave her alone?! He wants to know whether she is okay. She is, she writes - and he is relieved. In his usual boring way. He tells her that he realizes what he has done for the first time upon seeing her fiancé at the hotel. Not sure you fully do, Snore, but I'll let it pass. Because this is kinda your only scene in this episode. At least she finally acknowledges that she cheated! Yes, you did, you hussy. "Fooled around" is how she puts it - is that what they did, he wants to know. Yes, she says ... But let's not belittle it to that, he says. Awwww .... you romantic, romantic man. She tells him that Tae-wook has moved up the wedding and that she'll agree. "Because that seems better than the current situation". I do not get this woman. Not in the least. Is this a cultural thing, maybe?
Sourpuss' father comes to Seoul; Tae-wook called him. Or course, Ji-hye is upset Tae-wook called her father, but he tells her once again not to bring up the reason for moving up the wedding and to be quiet. She asks whether he is going to hit her once they're married and she doesn't follow his will. Woah. Well. Yes, he does indeed have a rather violent side to him, this one. Maybe bondage games? But no. That's an interesting thought, he replies, But if he were one to hit, he says, he would have hit her already. "I might not be a great guy, but I've been a good guy. Therefore: the wedding, we're just going to do it".
It's those little things he says that break my heart :(

Next, Ji-hye is in a car, with a driver. She is in the back seat. Is she meeting him? There is a magazine there ... wait ... is it "Style and Erection" again?? No, it is a different architecture magazine ... but it also has the Kim Hyun-woo spread in it. And her eyes go wide. Uhm ... why exactly? Does it say there that you cheated your future husband with him? A scary Tae-wook walks to the car (which is now just sitting there. With her sitting in it, eyes closed. The driver has miraculously disappeared). He opens the door, asking her why she is not getting out. Let's go straight to the restaurant to meet her father, he says. But Cheating Cheatress looks at him, tears in her eyes. He notices the open magazine on her knees. And he now knows that she knows that he knows.
Where are they? Ah, it is a hotel room. He tells her not to misunderstand: they're not here to do "that". But it is the only place they can talk. She asks him how he found out. And he says that every man has his own trade (meaning he is a prosecutor and knows really well how to investigate lying people). She looks upset and he tells her not to ask anymore ... he also thinks he is very despicable. It was gnawing at his heart that he had to pretend he didn't know what she did for that long. How could he pretend not to know? she asks. Why is that important, he asks? Is it different now that he pretends to know? "You abandoned me and our marriage"
Is he cruel or is he kind? she asks. And he says that she was cruel to him. Despite of that, he was kind to her. She is scared, because that kind of kindness isn't reasonable.
And oh man, that really gets hims fired up. Unreasonable? He is unreasonable?! He grabs her by the arm, pulls her up. Watch what you say! he says: Her mistake, that is unreasonable. Not him.

And she says that it wasn't a mistake. Oh boy ... way to drive the stake deeper into his heart, Woman.
He shouts at her to shut up, shaking her violently. She is very scared of him. I am too ... don't go to the dark side, Tae-wook. Stay in the light. Stay with me!

This is the first time he ever was insulted, says a heavy-breathing Tae-wook, now at the window. How much he doubted. How could a girl that didn't allow a finger of his to touch her fool around with a bastard somewhere? But when he saw Kim Hyun-woo's picture and read that story, he knew immediately. This? Totally her type of guy. He knew that they would have communicated well. Because she is a girl that falls for men's words. Him? He has no talent in writing. The other guy probably said a lot of romantic words to her, like an architect would. Meeting him for her was probably like "a thirsty meat" meeting water (Hahaha, okay, this is funny, thanks for the laughs, subbers)
She implores him to stop, but he will not. Don't they have a problem they should try to solve to decide if they want to get married? The man she promised to marry? He only talks about law stuff. Compared to the guy that talks about things she adores, like paintings, literature, art, what kind of talent does he have? Fine. He knows he is lacking. And that is why he decided to overlook this misstep. He will let it pass, as if this were a high school student liking her teacher. Wake up from that dream - and get ready for their marriage.
What if it isn't? What if it isn't the emotion of a high-school girl? She says. And ... I really wished she would shut up. I am scared of this. He tells her to shut-up again. She doesn't, he shakes her again, yelling that there is a limit to his forgiveness and to what he can bear.
So don't accommodate me, don't put up with it! She says.
Must you be this cruel to me? He replies. Everything he devoted to her over the last three years got shattered into pieces. He felt like he was ripped apart. Shouldn't she at least say sorry to him first?
Yes ... that, she understands. She apologizes ... and it is sincere. And it makes me cry a little. She felt sorry towards him many times. She couldn't look at his face. She is not qualified. She is not qualified to marry him.

"So ... let's not get married", she says, crying. Wait a second missus: not that easy! And indeed, he will not have it. HE will decide whether she is qualified or not. It depends on whether he wants her or not. And he shouts: What does she know about that bastard? How long has she dated him? He stayed next to her for three years. Is she that stupid and clueless to abandon a guy she has known for three years and choose a guy she met a few days ago?

Him: "If you do that ... you'll regret it"
Her: "You will also regret it. What you are feeling now is obsession and not love"

But to him, it is not important whether it is obsession or love. If she is going to complain, she should have complained before. What is important now is that she chose this marriage and the promise she made with him, his parents, her parents, and the rest of their family: "And you will keep that promise"



Other Stuff: 

- Doormat Wife meets her rival, the Anchorwoman Barbie. Barbie: 1 - Doormat Wife: 0. "Office Spouses"? buahahahaa. Like Condoleezza Rice and President Bush? Buahahahahahahaaaaaa. Afterwards, Doormat Wife goes back to attend English Language classes. Good on you, woman. There, she is told off by her "conversation partner", an obviously rather gorgeous young man (though uglied-down by a weird hairdo and oversized glasses, but you can't fool me, mister!) for not attending more. When listening to a song from Toy Story 2 she flashes back to all the "happy" moments with her husband ... and also the unhappy ones. Mainly the unhappy ones I'd say. She cries because she feels like a toy that is thrown away.
- With the help of Career Woman's son, they unlock Cheating Anchorman's phone and turn on the location tracker. She can now be her old stalking self and stalk him everywhere.
- Career Woman continues her dalliance with her Boss, who is still hospitalized due to boner reasons. That must be one powerful kind of Chinese medicine there! He has put his wig in the corner and happily eats the lunch she brings him. He says it's not that bad to have an office spouse. Hahaha, they're funny together. When his wive comes from America, he's in a big panic. Career woman helps him out with a hot water bottle, but in the process, she finds out that he has been quasi-abandoned by his family. And he tells her that his misery started when he became a director.
- New Director Wife cancels her mother-in-law's friend's membership cards to the hotel spa. Dragon Mother throws a fit. Lol. Revenge is sweet and comes in many forms. Later, she asks the Dragon Mother's special assistant to pay the incredibly high amount of money the Dragon Mother and her friends owe the hotel. Alright! She has claws ...
- Gross Brother gets closer to Bat-Ear (that's the Art-Woman) as does New Director Woman's brother. We are none the wiser about her bad intentions. But bad they are. Of course, because things are going much too smoothly for New Director Woman!

Final Thoughts and Comments

:-(
Oh man, I suffered while watching this! Tae-wook seems utterly insane until he isn't. A lot of what he says in that final dialogue makes sense (at least to me) and it is indeed HIM that has been thoroughly wronged. Nothing that he has ever done excuses her actions. So ... what is this "overlooking" he is doing? Is it pure selfishness? Because he loves her and/or is obsessed with her, he will have her, even though she is damaged goods? Yes, sure, he is a selfish and self-absorbed creature. But not only. He is always thinking about the extended group of people in the mix. His family, her family, all their acquaintances. He is caught in this just as she is caught in this. Therefore, not getting married is not an option for him. He will try to pretend that nothing has happened, he will forgive her ... for the greater good. And that is not selfish. Man, he is so deeply hurt ... and he even feels inadequate and lacking, this proud, accomplished man!
 
What about her, then? Hmmm ... I still have difficulties understanding her. But at this point in the story, she has decided against the Big Boring Snore. She is ready to go through with this marriage ... until Tae-wook confronts her about her infidelity. The interesting thing is that she does not talk about going to the Snore at this moment, but about something entirely different: She cannot get married to him because she is not qualified. What does she see in him, I would like to know? Something that is "too good" for her? Too different for her? Too rich for her? That woman comes with a bag of issues so big it may as well crush her soon. Tae-wook? Do not marry her. Do not. You may indeed regret it.

And what do you think, people? Will we get pregnancy next?