Rich Family's Son - Episode 8 (KimJiCap)

kakashi: Well. I wonder who the biggest fool in this really is. Tae-il? I'm voting for Tae-il. Sorry, Trot, I don't like him at all.
Trotwood: I know. You didn't like him before. Jo doesn't either. That's not true! No one does but me. He will turn evil because his heart will be broken even though he clearly has jumped in front of a train here thinking there was a possibility even though she has only ever admired him as a mentor and friend. Sigh. Personality wise though, I like him better than our cutie Golden retriever lead, who, as you know I find annoying enough to want to punch in the face, but clearly I'm in the minority. They are really setting up this second lead to be really boring from the beginning and not even a challenge to anyone. What is his point really in this plot then but to turn evil later? Sigh again. Can I still hold out for bromance? Because these two (2nd and Golden Retriever) are the only two who seem to care about the step mom at all. Bromance anyone? No?
JoAnne: I never said I didn't like Tae-Il! I think? All I am conscious of thinking about him at this point is he seems like a nice guy, but the actor usually ends up being a bad guy, so I'm wary. I would LOVE for him to remain nice and to have a bromance with Gwang-Jae. I mean, what's he going to have to be evil about? Plot synopsis is that Lee Dad dies and leaves the business full of debt, which Gwang-Jae works to resolve. What's Tae-Il going to have for leverage as an evil dude? Working for a bankrupt company? Has there been a rival company yet that he could go to and make things worse for Gwang Jae? I'd say we've got a good chance he stays good, if disappointed in love.

Episode 8

Gwang-jae demands to know when Young-ha will stop treating him like an annoying bubble gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe. She says: we broke up when I struggled the most. He: but YOU wanted to break up with ME?! She: yes, but I didn't expect you to turn your back so easily! If you had really loved me, you would have helped me with my debt! *massive facepalm*
So am I supposed to be rooting for them merely because they are both stupid and no one else deserves to be saddled with either of them? Am I supposed to think Tae-Il is actually saved by not winning her over?
So...the reason that she's mad at him is not that he was a jerk two years ago, but because when she was mad at him then and broke up with him, he took her at her word and respected her choice?  (Well, as I recall he had a fit, but still, he left her alone after that which is way more respectful than most KDrama rejected lovers.)  So...she wasn't really breaking up with him, but playing games?  Okay, it's official - I don't really like her any more than I like her sister. Am I going to begin feeling like it's Gwang-Jae who could do better?
He counters that he was massively struggling in the army at that time and she did not help him like other girls helped their boyfriends. And she lied to the camp too? That's not nice. When she calls him desperate, he gets really frustrated and angry. Frangry. Hahahaa, this face. Anyway, she tells him they'll never date again. Oh, cool, the drama is over.
(closing laptop) Wait. You were just joking. Sigh. If this were a normal drama with normal character development, I would hope for some working together on a project as friends growth as a way for them to find their way back to each other, but I know it will be shenanigans all the way.
Nah, once his dad dies she'll be touched by his pain and then impressed by how hard he works to pay off the debt, and there won't be shenanigans. She'll try to help him but I wonder if he'll ignore her or just not realize her feelings are changing back again? And really, what can she do to help except teach him some customer service skills? Well, maybe that will be enough.
After her strange date with the crazy lawyer (It says something about this drama that a character like him, one who I usually loathe, I thought was perfect and wanted him around longer to make her suffer more) and running into Yong's sister Seo Hee for some product placement (she gives her a cake she got from lawyer-loon), Kyung-ha sneaks over to look at Yong and to wish he were from a wealthy family.
Loser. If she were wishing this for his sake, I'd like her, but this is all about her and what she wants.
I guess she'll be redeemed in some way because who else is there for Yong to get involved with, character-wise? Make it happen fast, show.
He's so sad and broody (and sexy). After hearing whose cake he is eating, he tuns through the streets of Seoul all sexy and broody and ends up staring at the place she lives (I think).
I didn't even care. I just liked following him around. Do you see that jawline?
The jaw is good. He runs well, though he's no Beautiful Banker. I am certain he'll end up happy but man, I wish it wouln't be with her.

Choi the Driver is gambling again. Is that of any importance? Could be, but I'll be sad if he's an embezzler. In any case, have some comic relief (Gwang-jae cleaning the bathroom and glaring at a peeing customer):
This was the look on my face whenever I cleaned the bathroom and someone came in a second later to use it. 

Nam Tae-Il (who looks puzzled and slightly annoyed when he finds out Gwang-jae is working at the restaurant) asks Young-ha out for some tea. He puts the box with the rings on the table upon telling her he got her a present... she looks at it puzzled, since that's not the kind of present people get her when they return from trips... It's not a ring, is it, she asks? Awkward, dude. And yet, she accepts it. *massive facepalm*
She is so dumb. How can he like her? Oh yeah. He brought her a ring without having dated her first. Sigh. (all this sighing is making me lightheaded)
Tell me he didn't have the other ring ON already...because when she opened the box there was only one ring in there.
The relationship between Tae-il and his aunt is an uneasy one. Is he the horrible man's son? I guess. Anyway, Soo-Hee expresses a wish to see him gone, since he "worries too much" about her, and it makes her uncomfortable.
I thought that was really mean. I know she's struggling but damn, woman, he looks on you like a mother. (And yes, I think he's the horrible man's son.)
We get a nice scene between the Gwang-jae and Tae-il in the garden. Tae-il asks about his feelings for Soo-Hee (or rather, about calling her "mom") and Gwang-jae says how much he cherishes having someone he can call "mom", someone who is always there for you.
See?  See? This. This, my friends, is the relationship I want to see grow in this show. I don't care for the romance at all. I want these two to end up with a Chief Kim kind of relationship. I'm feeling bereft at the potential that this show will ignore for the typical romance in a family drama thing. (turning my face away). 
I do sincerely want them to be close. Gwang-Jae seems to like him, genuinely. Tae-Il has plenty of reasons to not like Gwang-Jae, on the other hand, but I really want him to overcome them! Do not give in to the KDrama conditioning, Tae-Il! Love your (basically) foster brother! Help him grow up!
The Bolivian salt appears on Young-ha's little shelf again - her mother did it. Because there's a paper inside. It says "not going anywhere". Awwwww.
Will she be shaken? Do I care? Pfft. 
Awww...he gave her a salt shaker.  Get it?  Hahahahahahahaha. Okay at least I made myself laugh.  Whatever.
At Myung-ha's school, there's a transfer student from China...  hmmmmm, who could that be? (haha. not) At Grandma's house, Mrs. Choi discovers a man fiddling around on Grandma's safe! But he's not a thief at all... he's Grandma's other son. haha. And he lies about trying to open the safe....
He must be married to the other daughter-in-law. What a dirtbag he is.

Comments

There are moments in this show that are almost good. Kim Ji-hoon's "mom-lines" for example... really moving. The charged relationship between Tae-il and his aunt... that's also good. He is lying to Gwang-jae about his knowledge of her past, of course (cause people lie in dramas that are 100 episodes long), but I like that we know he knows all about it and it gives him pain and guilt and... not sure, rage? Tae-il - though I can't like him at all, this Mr. Sourpout - feels like a volcano ready to blow. Working like crazy to forget who he is, maybe to right the wrongs of his father, looking for another family (and not really finding it anywhere) in a desperate attempt to belong. He is always losing against Gwang-jae, of course... which we could consider to be unfair... and I guess it is. But it's not Gwang-jae's fault. Gwang-jae is the lucky one (so far) and it's just the way it is.
Which is why I don't hate Gwang-jae in this relationship. I actually like him with Tae-il, ironically, because he acts the most mature when he's having conversations with him. I actually think that Tae-il and Gwang-jae's feelings about his stepmom are the things that make him a better person, someone who could grow to be worthy of having a real relationship with anyone not just Young-ha. That is why I think their story is more interesting. It's almost like there are two shows going on with two versions of Gwang-jae starring in each.
Oh, the romantic lead who has some growing up to do always has at least one relationship that shows us he's really a good guy at heart, so I'm not feeling like there's two versions of Gwang-Jae, but you're right to point out that if he could be that thoughtful in one relationship, why can't he in others? I think Kakashi's assessment of Tae-Il is on the money - and hadn't even considered that he might feel like his role there is an attempt to make up for the wrongs of the father. But I do like him, or at least feel sympathy for him. He's got all the markings of a decent guy - family devotion, funny, good at his job - and he works hard even when he knows he's not the favorite. Maybe he assumed he'd get the business someday since Gwang-Jae was clearly not interested? And he had hopes for Young-Ha, so I guess he thought his future was set romantically and professionally. Once that changes, I suppose all bets are off.