Doctor Stranger - Episode 7 (A SqueeCap)
BIG things happening this episode: Hoon finally gets a clue about what's going on, we get a few more hints about Jae-joon (yay), and just as Soo-hyun starts eyeing my ship, I'm eyeing the one she started out on. Because let's be honest, Hoon has a few too many issues to be healthy. I still love him, but I'm not sure she should. Still. They're So. Cute.
bcook: I'm right there with you. The KRK* SooJae is the healthier ship... well as healthy as you can get in this drama. (*korealand republic of korea)
JoAnne: Ha, because I'm sort of shipping SooJae too. They have done too good a job of making us understand why he wants to be the villain, and I totally swoon over his feelings for Soo Hyun in a way I just can't for HoonHee.
Becca: HoonHee is that ship you squee over as it passes by. SooJae is the ship you book a one way ticket on. Because there's no going back.
Episode 7
Hoon pulls Broom-Alike into his arms, and as he listens to her heartbeat his eyes widen. She pushes him away and asks what on Earth he's doing, as he searches her eyes. Soo-hyun starts to demand he apologize, but Broom-Alike says to forget it and retreats, while he stands there in shock.
bcook: I'm really hoping this means he knows she's a fake. I have watched ahead tho...
JoAnne: Right? I totally read it as shock, not confirmation.
Soo-hyun asks if he's gone crazy, and he tells her that the only two people in the world who have the same heartbeat are each other's fate. She actually falls for it and starts to ask about Broom-Alike's heartbeat, but he cuts her off and brushes it off as a joke, which tells me Broom-Alike is Jae-hee because otherwise he'd be the type to say it. Right?
bcook: ugh.
JoAnne: So she IS her and he's keeping her secret because...
He says even if such a thing were true, Broom-Alike isn't the one. Then he starts to have fun messing with her, asking if maybe she's his fate. He moves toward her and asks if they should check, then pulls her to him. Being in his arms flusters her, and she pushes away and slaps him, saying he shouldn't mess with a person that way and rushes out.
bcook: maybe he should have listened a little more carefully! He might have felt something. I'm sad because this "our heartbeats are one" line will never ever ever work on me. Ever. because I shall remember this show...and instantly burst out laughing.
JoAnne: Has he never considered that it only works in NK, where uniformity is key?
She chases after Broom-Alike, but Hoon gets there first. He bows at the waist and apologizes, acknowledging that he mistook her for someone else.
JoAnne: So wait, then. IS she, or ISN'T she?
Broom-Alike and Soo-hyun's phones both ring at that moment. Broom-Alike tells him to act in a way befitting a doctor from now on and walks away. Soo-hyun comes up, saying they're needed in the emergency room, and when he doesn't want to go, she grabs him by the ear to drag him along. Hee.
JoAnne: I could be happy with them being best friends, I think. But it has to include Hoon and Joon as totally bromancing, too.
Becca: Pretty sure that bromance is a requirement at this point. If it doesn't happen, heads will roll. *sharpens sword*
Moon tries to convince the guy in charge of the medical records to let it slide this time - they were making sure she wasn't a spy! Record Guy says what we've all been thinking since the last episode: if she were a spy, she would have tampered with her records to keep the one-kidney-thing a secret.
bcook: I don't quite understand moon's logic though. Why is she a spy if she's Jae-hee?
JoAnne: Because anyone who came from NK who would hide that fact and pretend to be someone they were not MUST be a spy, I think? To an alcoholic doctor in a FFFFed up drama at least.
The emergency patient is a pregnant woman, who is bleeding severely, and her blood pressure keeps dropping, which is dangerous for the baby. KimChi calls Dorky Doc for help, but Hoon uses his MagicHands™ to diagnose the problem: one of her lungs has ripped. They have to operate immediately or risk losing or disabling the baby. As they wheel the patient into the emergency operating room, Hoon casts a glance at Broom-Alike.
As they begin the operation, Hoon reminds her that it's vital she maintain the patient's blood pressure. A crowd has gathered outside the room to watch, and Shopping Ajusshi remarks that anesthetizing a pregnant woman is difficult, but Broom-Alike managed it well. Moon sighs that if only she weren't a spy, she'd be perfect for their team.
JoAnne: Didn't they determine that she is NOT a spy? She has two kidneys, which they agreed would mean she wasn't one.
They relocate, and after explaining the situation, Moon asks if Shopping Ajusshi has any ideas. He does, but first he wants to know if he can get an advance from his salary. Moon is surprised Jae-joon hasn't handled it yet but agrees to make sure it's taken care of. Ajusshi's idea is this: just tell Broom-Alike they can't accept the test results from her last hospital, and have her examined again here at Myung Woo. They'll be able to see the results before she has a chance to fix them.
bcook: Again...don't understand this (what's new). Well I guess it makes sense right? Pretend he's been abandoned so that Moon looks on in sympathy.
JoAnne: Now you are confusing me, Cookie.
The mother's blood pressure starts dropping again, and Broom-Alike hurries to stop it. She says she's got it under control, but he yells at her that it's still dangerously low for a pregnant woman. She's having trouble bringing it up because the lungs are damaged, and he asks if that will be her excuse after she kills the patient.
JoAnne: No, it will be the REASON. Don't be that guy, Hoon.
He continues operating, even though it's hard to see. As he works, Soo-hyun tells him he was too harsh with Broom-Alike and he should go easy on her. She thinks he's mad at her because she isn't Jae-hee. Hoon is more concerned with the patient right now, though, and tells her to call for a gynecologist: they're going to do a C-section.
Choi passes Moon in the hall, looking like he's up to something. Which, of course, he is.
Hoon repairs the mother's lungs, and they're just finishing up when suddenly we hear crying. Huh? The baby's out already? Make that "babies" - they're twins. But seriously, when did you do that? And how, when she was on her side and you had tubes stuck into her side? Anyway, the delivery is met with applause from the crowd.
bcook: I know! I was definitely laughing in WTF. First it was just one baby now it's two? And when did the gynecologist come in and magically pull out two babies? Don't worry readers...the WTF with these babies will continue.
JoAnne: I kept rewinding this part, positive I was falling asleep and missing a segment.
Moon tells Record Guy about the new plan and says they're in this together, so he should follow his orders or they all might end up in jail.
As Baby Mommy is wheeled away, she takes Soo-hyun by the hand, thanking her with her eyes. Soo-hyun's feeling pretty good about it when Jae-joon finds her, and she figures he's experienced this before - that feeling of happiness and fulfillment when a surgery goes well. She says Hoon was pretty amazing and says she's glad she can work with him, smiling when she sees him nearby. Before she goes, Jae-joon compliments her on a job well done but asks her to remember she's a vital part of his team. She laughs and says of course, then heads off. As he passes by, Hoon shoots him a smile, and Jae-joon returns a very small one, which slides away once Hoon's back is turned. Fake civility, it is, then. That counts as a tiny step toward bromance, right?
bcook: His jealousy is kinda cute? no?
JoAnne: It's cute because I'm considering jumping ship. If I were signing up for all the activities on Ship HoonHyun, I would be irritated by his two-facedness. Now I just want to hug him.
Moon comes to find Hoon, still worried about whether or not Broom-Alike is Spy Jae-hee. Hoon tries to brush it off, since they already confirmed she's not Jae-hee, but Moon tells him she could've tampered with the records. They're going to get to the bottom of this today.
JoAnne: OMG. It's not just Hoon-Joon-Moon. It's Hoon-Joon-Moon-Broom.
Broom-Alike is told she has to have another physical and goes to be tested, scanned, and measured. Once it's all done, Record Guy brings the results directly to the Moon-Hoon duo, as Shopping Ajusshi watches from around the corner.
JoAnne: I also need Shopping Ahjussi to get himself together and become a good guy.
(kakashi: I want him OUT of this drama and in TEN3 tomorrow!)
Broom-Alike calls Creep Cha, who is checking out an empty apartment, to tell him about having to get another physical. He doesn't like it, but he figures those records are protected by the law, so they should be okay. She has to hang up when Moon shows up.
He takes her to his office, where Hoon is waiting, and tells her they're going to check her CT scan to find out whether or not she's Hoon's spy girlfriend. Hoon hands him the CD with the results on it, and Broom-Alike starts berating them for looking at her medical records. Don't they know that's illegal? She tries to snatch it away, but Hoon grabs her by the shoulders and tells her to stay put. He shakes his head slightly, and she stops struggling, searching his eyes. Oh, that's nice, you can see their reflections in each other's eyes. I take back everything I ever said. These two must be soulmates. *sarcasm sarcasm*
bcook: This moment here...was when I started doubting. BUT I SHOULDNT HAVE! I had a weak moment because rational Hoon is just so hot. So I figured he could be rationally thinking (and by rational I mean in comparison to his normal reaction to Jae-Hee) "hey, she looks like her...but is not her...and that's ok"
JoAnne: Isn't that funny, this is totally the moment where I went, "Oh, ok, it IS her, and he's covering it up, and he just let her know it's ok, he's going to help her keep the secret."
Choi comes in just as Moon slides in the CD (Record Guy tattled) and stops him. Hoon ignores Choi's protests, though, and opens the file himself. Still two kidneys. So either she's had another transplant or he switched the new CD with the old one. Then again, Shopping Ajusshi is watching from afar again, and he smiles before making a phone call, so it could be him. But my money's on Hoon.
Broom-Alike swears she won't let this go and storms out (kinda - you can see the intent to storm). The guys follow, and after Choi and Moon offer apologies for this incident, Hoon saunters up all, "Yeah, we're sorry, so how 'bout letting is slide *wink*" - okay maybe without the wink. As Moon continues to grovel, Hoon just smiles at her. She casts him one more glance before leaving, with Moon chasing after her.
JoAnne: He knows. And she knows he knows. And he knows she knows he knows.
Hoon goes to the coffee shop down stairs and finds Chang-yi working there to earn money for Omma's hospital bill. When she starts unsnapping her shirt, he freaks out and tries to cover her with his jacket. Turns out she has a bunch of shirts underneath, though, for her other various part-time jobs. He borrows the keys to her truck and heads off, and Omma asks why she always calls him "hyung" instead of "oppa." Chang-yi says it's more comfortable for her.
bcook: Yeah... more comfortable. coz if she calls him Oppa all her feels will come out. (To borrow from Mary she has to keep her Hoon-cat in her kokoro. )
JoAnne: I do not know why but whenever I hear kokoro it makes me think of coochie and I just laugh and laugh and laugh because then I have a VERY different image.
I feel sorry for people on that ship. They're really cute, but he actually treats her like a real oppa, and I see no signs of that changing. *scatters flowers over ship's watery grave*
JoAnne: Yeah, as far as I'm concerned this is simply a model of a ship, one used to show you what a real ship might look like. It's not seaworthy and it's got no working parts. It's not even life-size.
Becca: Tiny and cute, but totally useless.
Hoon goes to Garibong clinic and opens up his laptop, which has been on for FIVE episodes now with the Jae-hee video still open. Do South Korean laptops never use up their batteries? Does he never use that laptop for anything but angsting??? This has been bugging me for weeks. Also, it's kinda creepy.
bcook: It's also clearly cgi. That's what annoys me. But yeah...how come kdramaland laptops are never shown charging?
JoAnne: You people. It's his screen background, and it's plugged in.
Aaaaaanyway, I was right - Hoon has one of those medical-record-CDs. He has to stash it away, though, because Choi pops in. (Doors. Locks. Jus' sayin'.) He still plans to continue the search for Jae-hee, but Hoon tells him not to bother anymore: he'll find her himself.
bcook: How did that switch happen?! *takes out WTFDoc list of WTFquestions and adds question number 150* I'm going to need more paper.
JoAnne: MagicHands 2.0; sleight of hand now included.
Choi has another reason for coming here, though: to tell Hoon why Dad went to North Korea all those years ago. He hands Hoon an envelope, and - hey, it contains that legal document from the first episode. Who else forgot that Dad was in the middle of a malpractice lawsuit against Myung Woo?
bcook: Honestly? I had no idea. So this little not-a-flashback was a revelation to me and quite revealing ^ ^
We flashback to 1994. Choi meets with Dad (I miss yooooouuuuu!!!) and asks if the lawsuit is really necessary, but Dad is adamant - the patient died. Choi tries to say that mistakes happen, and Dad tells him that as doctors, they're not allowed room for mistakes. The hospital hasn't revealed who did the surgery, so Dad tells Choi to pass on a message: that doctor should feel the heavy weight of his white coat. Choi fidgets guiltily, and Dad seems to know why. Aw, he was a good friend, too. Why did you kill him, Show? I mean, I know why, but WHY??
Choi goes directly to Chairman Oh, and sure enough, he's the doctor responsible. He's ready to admit to it, but Oh is having none of that: this is a critical stage for their hospital and admitting the truth could send them into bankruptcy. As they're arguing, JangBastard arrives.
JoAnne: That's bullshit, anyway. Doctors are human. If a mistake is not negligence or incompetence, is it unforgiveable, even if a person dies? I don't think so.
He takes them to one of those traditional restaurants where all the shady deals are made and offers a solution to their problem. He needs a doctor to operate on Kim Il-sung; they need the malpractice suit delayed while they get their ducks in a row. He proposes to send Dad to North Korea. Oh is practically gleeful at that, and I'm back to disliking him.
JoAnne: Me too! But I get confused by his flashes of humanity.
We then go into flashbacks from the first episode, briefly recapping Dad's introduction to (part of) the plan and his asking Choi to take care of Hoon for awhile until Mom comes for him. I think he knew even then that he wouldn't be coming back. Why else would he be sure that Mom would come, after she said she wouldn't?
Choi agreed, and when he hangs up we see that he's in a hospital room, where JB is lying in bed. JB tells him not to worry: he'll be responsible for Dad and Hoon.
bcook: Hiss
JoAnne: Booooooo
In the present, Hoon scoffs at that, and Choi says they did their best to bring them back. He seems to sincerely believe that's what happened, but Hoon's not having any of it: they tried to have them killed. Choi doesn't understand - the North Koreans must have lied to him. Hoon yells at him to cut the crap, and Choi says it's up to Hoon whether he believes him or not, but they were trying to prevent a war.
JoAnne: I do believe Choi on this. I completely buy that he thought the plan was to DELAY things, and I believe he had no idea that Jang had additional steps in mind which involved killing them off. Although what he thought a delay would accomplish, I have no idea. So maybe...hmm. And how much did Oh know?
Hoon sees that for the excuse it is - Dad went as a doctor trying to save a patient, and they used him to protect themselves, then abandoned them. Growing more and more emotional, he asks if Choi has any idea what they had to go through in the North. When Choi argues that Dad still raised him to be a doctor, we get a glimpse of Dark!Hoon. With wide, crazy eyes, he asks if he looks like a doctor to Choi. Sure, Dad had said that at least as a doctor he wouldn't have to kill anyone, but that wasn't true: even doctors are killers over there. Tears stream down his face, as he cries that he's killed so many people he can't even count them. Someone who cuts people open just because he's ordered to isn't a doctor but a mad dog.
bcook: I'll admit, I may have been chopping onions during this scene.
JoAnne: It was good. Poor Hoonie.
Choi understands how he feels but tells him he's still a doctor. He starts to talk about Dad again and Hoon yells at him to shut up. How could he know about his father's intentions? Dad took a bullet to make him a doctor again. What could Choi know about that, or about this son who ran away. He wipes at his tears and orders Choi out.
bcook: Yeah Choi. This isn't a good way to seeking redemption for something you were too cowardly to stop.
JoAnne: Agreed. Choi, do you honestly have no idea what poor Hoon has been through? Everyone else who knows he was over there seems to know, so how could you not? I'm talking myself into being suspicious of Choi.
Choi finally sets down the box he brought in and says he wasn't able to recover Dad's body. Inside are Dad's glasses and medicine bag. Oof. Choi walks away to give him some privacy, while Hoon is flooded with memories and clutches Dad's things to his chest, sobbing. He falls to his knees and cries and cries until he runs out of tears. He looks at Dad's broken, bloody glasses and softly says, "Abeoji."
bcook: So...how come his medicine bag looks like a purse?
JoAnne: Why the FFFF would they give him bloody glasses? Wouldn't you just NOT give him the glasses with the bullet hole in them? I MEAN COME ON.
After a while, Hoon comes out and thanks Choi for bringing Dad's things but asks him to not involve himself anymore. He asks about the family of the patient who died, and Choi tells him the wife died soon after and their son was adopted into an American family. (Omo! *jumps up and down* I know who it is! I know who it is!) He plans to look for him after finding Jae-hee. Hoon tells Choi to look for the son and apologize now and to stop looking for Jae-hee.
bcook: This moment was when a little bit of the plot made sense. Like 5% clearer.
JoAnne: Yeah I SUDDENLY went 'ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, now I get it.'
On his way to meet Chairman Oh, Jae-joon runs into Soo-hyun and they guess he must have something to say to them.. She looks thoughtful as they get into the elevator, then turns and leans against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. The move surprises him and he asks why, but she just tells him to hold still, and he holds her gently. I would be lying through my teeth if I said I'm not jealous of her right now. Also, I like this ship. It has a very nice view.
bcook: They're not even hugging properly. But i'm curious if she felt something or not. She was too calm.
JoAnne: She seemed to draw comfort from him. And I am absolutely convinced that he loves her. They make a gorgeous couple. I would like to change my reservation to this ship, please.
Becca: I'm packing my bags as we speak.
They pull apart when the elevator reaches their floor, and Soo-hyun asks if he believes in fate. He's surprised that she does, and she doesn't push the subject.
Turns out Chairman Oh called them here to start the marriage discussion, and Soo-hyun asks him the same question she asked Jae-joon. She reminds him that he said it felt like fate when he met her mom. At the mention of that, Jae-joon twitches a little. I'm guessing it's because this could throw a wrench in his plans and because he wants the girl and knows he's losing her.
JoAnne: But you know why I think he's losing her? Not because she doesn't love him but because he's so controlled all the time, and because he doesn't act from his heart but from his head. She sees Hoon's passion and she wants some of that in her life. I don't think it's Hoon himself she wants. I think she wants Joon - but with a little of Hoon's emotional commitment to something. Little does she know that he HAS that, in spades. He's just holding back with her because he's not sure how it fits into his other plans, or because he figures that his other plans are going to ruin any hope of a life with her that he might have.
He pipes up to thank Oh for his interest but says he thinks marriage is something for him and Soo-hyun to decide themselves. Oh asks if they're having problems, which Soo-hyun denies. She likes Jae-joon and he likes her, but she needs more time to think about marriage.
She gets a phone call and says she'll be leaving first. Jae-joon follows her to the elevator and asks if she's going to the hospital, which she confirms. When she reaches for the elevator button, he takes her by the hand (you're right, Jo, he has very nice hands) and tells her the fate he knows isn't something you believe in or not, it's something you make for yourself. I'm liking him more and more.
JoAnne: If you make it for yourself, it's not fate. Let's not play games with words. But I do like him, more and more.
Once in the elevator, she thinks back to when she hugged him earlier, but then her mind wanders to when Hoon held her, and that's when she finds herself smiling. Realizing what's she doing, she figures she must be going crazy and swats the image out of her head. I do the same because I'm trying to get over this doomed ship. There's a reason I always ship canon. *grumbles* *squees a bit in spite of herself*
bcook: I'm confused again. Which one does she really want?! Bet you 10K won we won't find out till episode 20! *realizes there's 9 more episodes left. Hopes the re-writes make more sense*
JoAnne: They may be doomed as a couple, both couples may be doomed as couples, but I'm starting to believe it really is JoonHyun and HoonHee.
Back at the table, Chairman Oh tells Jae-joon to be responsible for Soo-hyun and Myung Woo.
Jae-joon goes to the hospital later and calls Soo-hyun, wondering why she isn't here. Turns out she's looking at an apartment - the same apartment Creep Cha was in earlier. He asks if she's coming by later, but she's decided to go home after this. He wants to discuss the team with her, and she promises to talk tomorrow. After she hangs up, he leans over his model castle and speaks to his parents, telling him he's almost there, so they only have to wait a little longer. Yep, I'm right. *adds to wall of crazy*
bcook: Ok so I wasn't the only one who realized about the apartment. So does this mean that the NK end goal is Soo-hyun and chairman?!
JoAnne: It sure looks like they want to spy on Soo Hyun, but I wonder why. She's not that close to Hoon to make her necessary for that. Why would her dad even be important to NK?
Becca: I'm thinking Soo-hyun Omma was actually a NK spy, or maybe the daughter of NK big-wig, and sent Soo-hyun away for her own safety.
The next day, Moon gets down on bended knee, with flowers and everything, to beg Broom-Alike to forgive him and join his team, which has everyone staring because it looks like a confession. She's agreed not to press charges but still can't forgive him, and she's not interested in joining anyone's team. When she walks away, KimChi stops him from chasing after her. He points out that it looks bad: a married man pursuing a younger woman for everyone to see. It's been a week already. Moon snaps at him and hurries after her.
bcook: This was pretty funny.
JoAnne: Yep, it was.
Hoon hears about it from Moon later and figures it's a good thing - they can just forget about the team now. As they come up to the nurses' station, they hear Head Nurse and Baby Mommy discussing the unpaid bills. Baby Mommy keeps apologizing, and Hoon tells her to stop - it's not her fault she was hurt. He takes her back to her room to change her bandages (cheekily calling "Master" to follow along, heh). After they leave, Shopping Ajusshi comes by, remarking that it's hard raising kids without money.
Baby Mommy tells Hoon that the twins are sick, but she's having trouble paying the hospital bill. He promises to go check on them. Moon thinks he should be concentrating on the team right now, since the selection deadline is approaching, and I get annoyed at him again. Sick babies > in-hospital competitions, Moon. Hoon's with me and believes there's nothing more urgent to a doctor than caring for his patients.
bcook: It's so unprofessional to have this discussion infront of a patient. Especially when you're saying HER BABIES don't matter. Yet Baby Mommy plays along like a good extra.
In Moon's office, Hoon finally asks what the big deal is about the teams, and Moon tells him he wants to beat Jae-joon and take back his position as department chief. Apparently all of Myung Woo's directors were head of cardiology first, and being director is his dream. His father was a salesman for a pharmaceutical company and always had to bow down to doctors, and it was his dying wish that Moon become a hospital director so that all the doctors would have to bow down to him.
JoAnne: This whole drama is about fathers. Joon and Hoon want to avenge their dads, and if Jae Hee is Jae Hee she probably wants to avenge hers, and then there's the whole thing between Soo Hyun and her father...
Hoon passes him some tissues as he tears up, and agrees to help him with the team. He suggests they look for another anesthesiologist, but Moon is set on Broom-Alike because they need the best. Hoon finally asks who they'll be operating on that it's so important and doesn't recognize JangBastard's name at first, but Choi interrupts (whoa! he popped up suddenly) to say it's that JangBastard. Hoon's hand automatically forms into a fist, and his face hardens.
JoAnne: yeah, they can't let Hoon operate on that dude. Actually, letting Joon operate on him is risky, too.
JangBastard looks over the report that Creep Cha gave them, then burns it. He wants to meet them, despite the risks: his life and career are in their hands, after all.
So then he has a meeting with... reporters? Is that who he meant? He talks about the dwindling amount of cardiologists (part of the reason for this public selection thing-a-ma-jig) and also reveals the names of the top contender. Myung Woo is among them, naturally.
JoAnne: Fails to compute for me. How does the shortage of cardiologists have anything to do with this competition? Just because they say it does? Ok. I ate ziti today because my shirt was black.
Becca: It's something about how they think this high-profile operation will inspire med students to choose cardiology for the fame and glory. Whatever. It's not really important to us.
Chairman Oh is currently at a board meeting where they talk about that very thing. When asked which team will be representing them, he tells them that it will be decided by a contest between Team Jae-joon and Team Hoon. Everyone is stunned that he'd give a defector the opportunity, but he holds firm.
Choi tries to convince Hoon that it's an honor to operate on the prime minister, but Hoon's having none of it. He wonders what Choi is up to this time and asks how he could expect him to operate on JangBastard. He reminds Choi of what he and Dad went through because of JB and says coldly that he'd rather kill him than save him. When Choi pulls the "your father even saved Kim Il-sung"card, Hoon sneers that he's not Dad.
bcook: yeah! He's not! Plus this do-gooder side of Choi irritates.
JoAnne: Again with the logic fails. Kim Il-Sung wasn't responsible for killing Hoon's grandfather; that would be the only way you could use the situation as a comparison.
He storms out (hitting an ineffectually eavesdropping Moon with the door - yes, I'm pointing it out every time!). He meets Broom-Alike in the hall and, as though speaking Choi and Moon who followed him, looks her straight in the eye as he says pointedly that he won't do it. He can't even pretend to be a doctor in front of that bastard.
bcook: At least he knows she's up to something.
Hoon then goes straight to Jae-joon's office and dumps his lab coat on the desk, saying it's his version of a white flag. Jae-joon agrees that doctors competing is a bit ridiculous. Still, he admits (condescendingly) that he was looking forward to seeing what would happen if he went up against the great Doctor Park. Hoon sarcastically apologizes for disappointing him, and Jae-joon asks if this is because he's afraid of losing. Hoon tells him to think whatever he wants - he's won.
Hoon walks out, but Moon scurries in to declare that they're not giving up yet. Then he chases after Hoon again, and Jae-joon laughs, shaking his head.
bcook: I would like to take a second and point out the ridiculous collar on Jae-Joon's shirt. That is all.
JoAnne: But look how handsome the face above it is. And then look at how broad Hoonie's shoulders are in the next picture. Sigh. Such pretty.
As he's walking past the nurses' station, Hoon hears babies crying and meets Shopping Ajusshi and Head Nurse, whose hand is injured, rushing up. He rushes down the hall to see what's going on, and finds Baby Mommy holding a knife as the twins cry and Broom-Alike tries to calm her down. Baby Mommy's desperate because they're about to be kicked out for not paying, and threatens to just die with her kids now. Hoon asks what's going on, and Broom-Alike explains that both babies have heart defects.
Shopping Ajusshi cleans Head Nurse's wound and scolds her for endangering herself. She was worried about the twins, but he asks who will take care of their child if something happens to her. I'm guessing divorced. Hoon rushes up to look at the twins' charts and sees that both kids have atrial septal defects, which Head Nurse knows to be particularly dangerous for infants. Her knowledge surprises Hoon, and Ajusshi explains that she started out as an OR nurse. I don't care about exposition right now, Ajusshi. LET'S SAVE BABIES!!
JoAnne: I guess secret lovers. Not divorced.
Hoon tells them to prep the OR for surgery, which is when Sang-jin (who will heretofore be known as Snotty because Let's-Shove-Pennies-Up-His-Nose-And-Give-Him-A-Swirlie takes too long to type) shows up to be all snotty. Bah. I don't care. LET'S SAVE BABIES!!
bcook: I was all excited for another MagicHands™ moment. But it was here that the medical magic began to go wrong.
Chairman Oh orders all of the department heads to gather at the main entrance to greet a VIP.
Hoon, like I, is indignant that Sang-jin is getting in the way of saving babies, and Snotty points out that the hospital has already spent a ton of money on Hoon's emergency surgeries. Operating on the twins will only be a loss of more money because Baby Mommy can't pay. He figures the best solution is to hand Baby Mommy over to the police for this latest incident and wash their hands of them.
bcook: *sniff* Dick.
JoAnne: re-read what you just wrote and join me in uncontrollable laughter, Cookie.
Soo-hyun arrives on the scene, right before another scream comes from down the hall.
JangBastard arrives at the hospital and is greeted by all the big-wigs (Jae-joon included). I still don't care because BABIES.
Hoon and Soo-hyun rush in and find that one of the babies has stopped breathing. Hoon orders Soo-hyun to keep Snotty from getting in. She closes the door behind her just as Snotty walks up. He orders the security guards with him to get her out of the way, but she grabs him by his tie and, with fire in her eyes, warns them all that she's Oh Soo-hyun, and if they move one step closer, she'll make them regret it. She shoves him away and glares daggers. So awesome. I want to be her when I grow up.
bcook: awesome.
JoAnne: I love her.
Inside, Hoon picks up the baby and starts performing CPR. He does mouth to mouth and compressions, over and over, as Broom-Alike and Baby Mommy watch anxiously, until the tiny baby starts breathing again.
bcook: By far the most awkward scene I have ever watched. I just... yeah.
JoAnne: I saw the picture before I saw the episode and I was sincerely confused. Why was Hoon making out with a baby? But I just kept looking at his eyelashes and soon I was ok.
He sighs in relief and hands Baby over to Mommy with a smile. Baby Mommy holds her child close, sobbing. Broom Alike smiles at Hoon and tells him he looks like a doctor now, holding her hand out to him. Yay! Babies saved! Even if it was a little awkwardly shot.
JoAnne: Seriously look at his face. Look at it. What is he going to look like at 40? I am dying to know. It could go horribly wrong.
Snotty gets fed up and pushes Soo-hyun aside, but when he flings the door open, he's met by a grinning Hoon blocking the way. Hoon orders the twins taken to the NICU and tells Snotty he'll talk to him later - right now he has somewhere else to be. He pushes past him and the guards and walks away, like the hero that he is. Aw yeah, that's my Hoon. Savin' babies, killin' noonas. (And me.)
JoAnne: Well he IS Park 'I will save all the things' Hoon, after all.
Becca: All the things except Soo-hyun Omma.
In Chairman Oh's office, JangBastard is shown Hoon's discarded coat and told that he's forfeited. Oh reasons that they still have Jae-joon, and JB can't really protest without giving away his ridiculously convoluted plans.
Hoon forces his way into the room despite the secretary's best efforts to stop him. He's come to get his lab coat and tells them he'll do the competition, under one condition: the hospital will cover all expenses. Oh asks if that's all, and Hoon takes that as acceptance of his terms.
He turns to go, and JangBastard speaks up to say, "Take good care of me." Hoon's smile drops, and he turns and locks eyes with the enemy.
bcook: If looks could kill. I'm so glad Hoon is the good guy...kinda.
JoAnne: Oh he's totally going to kill Jang Bastard.
Comments
*sings* Oh, I know that you know that I know that you know that I know! I'm SO glad that Hoon is (semi) in the know, now. He may not know everything that's going on, but he's starting to figure it out, and I'm excited to see him get some agency in his own story. And not a second too soon. We've had five episodes now of Hoon going about his business saving people and crying over Jae-hee (So. Much. Crying.), while everyone else plotted around him, and I'm ready to see him jump into the game and mess things up for them.
JoAnne: Yep. My least liked Hoon is the mooning over Jae Hee Hoon.
I was also really glad to see some time spent on mourning Dad. We've been so busy with scheming baddies, saving lives, and trying to figure out what happened to Jae-hee, that I was afraid we were forgetting about Dad's importance to the story. I may be tired of seeing Hoon cry over Jae-hee, but tears for Dad are an entirely different story. We can assume that he's cried for Dad over the past two years, but we haven't really been able to mourn that loss with him until now. And I don't know about you guys, but I needed that.
bcook: It was a beautiful moment...ruined only by the fact that Choi was standing there watching. Jong-Suk is pretty awesome. Would like to see him in a romcom next. Just light puppy fun.
JoAnne: Puppy is doing an awesome job portraying a character who could easily be very unlikeable (or even more unbelievable.) That being said, hands up for Joon, who is doing exactly the same work on a character you would DEFINITELY hate if he wasn't bringing in those little bits of feeling so precisely.
Onward to episode 8!
bcook: I'm right there with you. The KRK* SooJae is the healthier ship... well as healthy as you can get in this drama. (*korealand republic of korea)
JoAnne: Ha, because I'm sort of shipping SooJae too. They have done too good a job of making us understand why he wants to be the villain, and I totally swoon over his feelings for Soo Hyun in a way I just can't for HoonHee.
Becca: HoonHee is that ship you squee over as it passes by. SooJae is the ship you book a one way ticket on. Because there's no going back.
Episode 7
Hoon pulls Broom-Alike into his arms, and as he listens to her heartbeat his eyes widen. She pushes him away and asks what on Earth he's doing, as he searches her eyes. Soo-hyun starts to demand he apologize, but Broom-Alike says to forget it and retreats, while he stands there in shock.
bcook: I'm really hoping this means he knows she's a fake. I have watched ahead tho...
JoAnne: Right? I totally read it as shock, not confirmation.
Soo-hyun asks if he's gone crazy, and he tells her that the only two people in the world who have the same heartbeat are each other's fate. She actually falls for it and starts to ask about Broom-Alike's heartbeat, but he cuts her off and brushes it off as a joke, which tells me Broom-Alike is Jae-hee because otherwise he'd be the type to say it. Right?bcook: ugh.
JoAnne: So she IS her and he's keeping her secret because...
He says even if such a thing were true, Broom-Alike isn't the one. Then he starts to have fun messing with her, asking if maybe she's his fate. He moves toward her and asks if they should check, then pulls her to him. Being in his arms flusters her, and she pushes away and slaps him, saying he shouldn't mess with a person that way and rushes out.
bcook: maybe he should have listened a little more carefully! He might have felt something. I'm sad because this "our heartbeats are one" line will never ever ever work on me. Ever. because I shall remember this show...and instantly burst out laughing.
JoAnne: Has he never considered that it only works in NK, where uniformity is key?
She chases after Broom-Alike, but Hoon gets there first. He bows at the waist and apologizes, acknowledging that he mistook her for someone else.JoAnne: So wait, then. IS she, or ISN'T she?
Broom-Alike and Soo-hyun's phones both ring at that moment. Broom-Alike tells him to act in a way befitting a doctor from now on and walks away. Soo-hyun comes up, saying they're needed in the emergency room, and when he doesn't want to go, she grabs him by the ear to drag him along. Hee.
JoAnne: I could be happy with them being best friends, I think. But it has to include Hoon and Joon as totally bromancing, too.
Becca: Pretty sure that bromance is a requirement at this point. If it doesn't happen, heads will roll. *sharpens sword*
Moon tries to convince the guy in charge of the medical records to let it slide this time - they were making sure she wasn't a spy! Record Guy says what we've all been thinking since the last episode: if she were a spy, she would have tampered with her records to keep the one-kidney-thing a secret.bcook: I don't quite understand moon's logic though. Why is she a spy if she's Jae-hee?
JoAnne: Because anyone who came from NK who would hide that fact and pretend to be someone they were not MUST be a spy, I think? To an alcoholic doctor in a FFFFed up drama at least.
The emergency patient is a pregnant woman, who is bleeding severely, and her blood pressure keeps dropping, which is dangerous for the baby. KimChi calls Dorky Doc for help, but Hoon uses his MagicHands™ to diagnose the problem: one of her lungs has ripped. They have to operate immediately or risk losing or disabling the baby. As they wheel the patient into the emergency operating room, Hoon casts a glance at Broom-Alike.
As they begin the operation, Hoon reminds her that it's vital she maintain the patient's blood pressure. A crowd has gathered outside the room to watch, and Shopping Ajusshi remarks that anesthetizing a pregnant woman is difficult, but Broom-Alike managed it well. Moon sighs that if only she weren't a spy, she'd be perfect for their team.JoAnne: Didn't they determine that she is NOT a spy? She has two kidneys, which they agreed would mean she wasn't one.
They relocate, and after explaining the situation, Moon asks if Shopping Ajusshi has any ideas. He does, but first he wants to know if he can get an advance from his salary. Moon is surprised Jae-joon hasn't handled it yet but agrees to make sure it's taken care of. Ajusshi's idea is this: just tell Broom-Alike they can't accept the test results from her last hospital, and have her examined again here at Myung Woo. They'll be able to see the results before she has a chance to fix them.
bcook: Again...don't understand this (what's new). Well I guess it makes sense right? Pretend he's been abandoned so that Moon looks on in sympathy.
JoAnne: Now you are confusing me, Cookie.
The mother's blood pressure starts dropping again, and Broom-Alike hurries to stop it. She says she's got it under control, but he yells at her that it's still dangerously low for a pregnant woman. She's having trouble bringing it up because the lungs are damaged, and he asks if that will be her excuse after she kills the patient.JoAnne: No, it will be the REASON. Don't be that guy, Hoon.
He continues operating, even though it's hard to see. As he works, Soo-hyun tells him he was too harsh with Broom-Alike and he should go easy on her. She thinks he's mad at her because she isn't Jae-hee. Hoon is more concerned with the patient right now, though, and tells her to call for a gynecologist: they're going to do a C-section.
Choi passes Moon in the hall, looking like he's up to something. Which, of course, he is.Hoon repairs the mother's lungs, and they're just finishing up when suddenly we hear crying. Huh? The baby's out already? Make that "babies" - they're twins. But seriously, when did you do that? And how, when she was on her side and you had tubes stuck into her side? Anyway, the delivery is met with applause from the crowd.
bcook: I know! I was definitely laughing in WTF. First it was just one baby now it's two? And when did the gynecologist come in and magically pull out two babies? Don't worry readers...the WTF with these babies will continue.
JoAnne: I kept rewinding this part, positive I was falling asleep and missing a segment.
Moon tells Record Guy about the new plan and says they're in this together, so he should follow his orders or they all might end up in jail.As Baby Mommy is wheeled away, she takes Soo-hyun by the hand, thanking her with her eyes. Soo-hyun's feeling pretty good about it when Jae-joon finds her, and she figures he's experienced this before - that feeling of happiness and fulfillment when a surgery goes well. She says Hoon was pretty amazing and says she's glad she can work with him, smiling when she sees him nearby. Before she goes, Jae-joon compliments her on a job well done but asks her to remember she's a vital part of his team. She laughs and says of course, then heads off. As he passes by, Hoon shoots him a smile, and Jae-joon returns a very small one, which slides away once Hoon's back is turned. Fake civility, it is, then. That counts as a tiny step toward bromance, right?
bcook: His jealousy is kinda cute? no?
JoAnne: It's cute because I'm considering jumping ship. If I were signing up for all the activities on Ship HoonHyun, I would be irritated by his two-facedness. Now I just want to hug him.
Moon comes to find Hoon, still worried about whether or not Broom-Alike is Spy Jae-hee. Hoon tries to brush it off, since they already confirmed she's not Jae-hee, but Moon tells him she could've tampered with the records. They're going to get to the bottom of this today.JoAnne: OMG. It's not just Hoon-Joon-Moon. It's Hoon-Joon-Moon-Broom.
Broom-Alike is told she has to have another physical and goes to be tested, scanned, and measured. Once it's all done, Record Guy brings the results directly to the Moon-Hoon duo, as Shopping Ajusshi watches from around the corner.JoAnne: I also need Shopping Ahjussi to get himself together and become a good guy.
(kakashi: I want him OUT of this drama and in TEN3 tomorrow!)
He takes her to his office, where Hoon is waiting, and tells her they're going to check her CT scan to find out whether or not she's Hoon's spy girlfriend. Hoon hands him the CD with the results on it, and Broom-Alike starts berating them for looking at her medical records. Don't they know that's illegal? She tries to snatch it away, but Hoon grabs her by the shoulders and tells her to stay put. He shakes his head slightly, and she stops struggling, searching his eyes. Oh, that's nice, you can see their reflections in each other's eyes. I take back everything I ever said. These two must be soulmates. *sarcasm sarcasm*bcook: This moment here...was when I started doubting. BUT I SHOULDNT HAVE! I had a weak moment because rational Hoon is just so hot. So I figured he could be rationally thinking (and by rational I mean in comparison to his normal reaction to Jae-Hee) "hey, she looks like her...but is not her...and that's ok"
JoAnne: Isn't that funny, this is totally the moment where I went, "Oh, ok, it IS her, and he's covering it up, and he just let her know it's ok, he's going to help her keep the secret."
Choi comes in just as Moon slides in the CD (Record Guy tattled) and stops him. Hoon ignores Choi's protests, though, and opens the file himself. Still two kidneys. So either she's had another transplant or he switched the new CD with the old one. Then again, Shopping Ajusshi is watching from afar again, and he smiles before making a phone call, so it could be him. But my money's on Hoon.JoAnne: He knows. And she knows he knows. And he knows she knows he knows.
Hoon goes to the coffee shop down stairs and finds Chang-yi working there to earn money for Omma's hospital bill. When she starts unsnapping her shirt, he freaks out and tries to cover her with his jacket. Turns out she has a bunch of shirts underneath, though, for her other various part-time jobs. He borrows the keys to her truck and heads off, and Omma asks why she always calls him "hyung" instead of "oppa." Chang-yi says it's more comfortable for her.bcook: Yeah... more comfortable. coz if she calls him Oppa all her feels will come out. (To borrow from Mary she has to keep her Hoon-cat in her kokoro. )
JoAnne: I do not know why but whenever I hear kokoro it makes me think of coochie and I just laugh and laugh and laugh because then I have a VERY different image.
I feel sorry for people on that ship. They're really cute, but he actually treats her like a real oppa, and I see no signs of that changing. *scatters flowers over ship's watery grave*
JoAnne: Yeah, as far as I'm concerned this is simply a model of a ship, one used to show you what a real ship might look like. It's not seaworthy and it's got no working parts. It's not even life-size.
Becca: Tiny and cute, but totally useless.
Hoon goes to Garibong clinic and opens up his laptop, which has been on for FIVE episodes now with the Jae-hee video still open. Do South Korean laptops never use up their batteries? Does he never use that laptop for anything but angsting??? This has been bugging me for weeks. Also, it's kinda creepy.
bcook: It's also clearly cgi. That's what annoys me. But yeah...how come kdramaland laptops are never shown charging?
JoAnne: You people. It's his screen background, and it's plugged in.
bcook: How did that switch happen?! *takes out WTFDoc list of WTFquestions and adds question number 150* I'm going to need more paper.
JoAnne: MagicHands 2.0; sleight of hand now included.
Choi has another reason for coming here, though: to tell Hoon why Dad went to North Korea all those years ago. He hands Hoon an envelope, and - hey, it contains that legal document from the first episode. Who else forgot that Dad was in the middle of a malpractice lawsuit against Myung Woo?
bcook: Honestly? I had no idea. So this little not-a-flashback was a revelation to me and quite revealing ^ ^
We flashback to 1994. Choi meets with Dad (I miss yooooouuuuu!!!) and asks if the lawsuit is really necessary, but Dad is adamant - the patient died. Choi tries to say that mistakes happen, and Dad tells him that as doctors, they're not allowed room for mistakes. The hospital hasn't revealed who did the surgery, so Dad tells Choi to pass on a message: that doctor should feel the heavy weight of his white coat. Choi fidgets guiltily, and Dad seems to know why. Aw, he was a good friend, too. Why did you kill him, Show? I mean, I know why, but WHY??Choi goes directly to Chairman Oh, and sure enough, he's the doctor responsible. He's ready to admit to it, but Oh is having none of that: this is a critical stage for their hospital and admitting the truth could send them into bankruptcy. As they're arguing, JangBastard arrives.JoAnne: That's bullshit, anyway. Doctors are human. If a mistake is not negligence or incompetence, is it unforgiveable, even if a person dies? I don't think so.
He takes them to one of those traditional restaurants where all the shady deals are made and offers a solution to their problem. He needs a doctor to operate on Kim Il-sung; they need the malpractice suit delayed while they get their ducks in a row. He proposes to send Dad to North Korea. Oh is practically gleeful at that, and I'm back to disliking him.
JoAnne: Me too! But I get confused by his flashes of humanity.
We then go into flashbacks from the first episode, briefly recapping Dad's introduction to (part of) the plan and his asking Choi to take care of Hoon for awhile until Mom comes for him. I think he knew even then that he wouldn't be coming back. Why else would he be sure that Mom would come, after she said she wouldn't?Choi agreed, and when he hangs up we see that he's in a hospital room, where JB is lying in bed. JB tells him not to worry: he'll be responsible for Dad and Hoon.
bcook: Hiss
JoAnne: Booooooo
In the present, Hoon scoffs at that, and Choi says they did their best to bring them back. He seems to sincerely believe that's what happened, but Hoon's not having any of it: they tried to have them killed. Choi doesn't understand - the North Koreans must have lied to him. Hoon yells at him to cut the crap, and Choi says it's up to Hoon whether he believes him or not, but they were trying to prevent a war.
JoAnne: I do believe Choi on this. I completely buy that he thought the plan was to DELAY things, and I believe he had no idea that Jang had additional steps in mind which involved killing them off. Although what he thought a delay would accomplish, I have no idea. So maybe...hmm. And how much did Oh know?
Hoon sees that for the excuse it is - Dad went as a doctor trying to save a patient, and they used him to protect themselves, then abandoned them. Growing more and more emotional, he asks if Choi has any idea what they had to go through in the North. When Choi argues that Dad still raised him to be a doctor, we get a glimpse of Dark!Hoon. With wide, crazy eyes, he asks if he looks like a doctor to Choi. Sure, Dad had said that at least as a doctor he wouldn't have to kill anyone, but that wasn't true: even doctors are killers over there. Tears stream down his face, as he cries that he's killed so many people he can't even count them. Someone who cuts people open just because he's ordered to isn't a doctor but a mad dog.
bcook: I'll admit, I may have been chopping onions during this scene.
JoAnne: It was good. Poor Hoonie.
Choi understands how he feels but tells him he's still a doctor. He starts to talk about Dad again and Hoon yells at him to shut up. How could he know about his father's intentions? Dad took a bullet to make him a doctor again. What could Choi know about that, or about this son who ran away. He wipes at his tears and orders Choi out.bcook: Yeah Choi. This isn't a good way to seeking redemption for something you were too cowardly to stop.
JoAnne: Agreed. Choi, do you honestly have no idea what poor Hoon has been through? Everyone else who knows he was over there seems to know, so how could you not? I'm talking myself into being suspicious of Choi.
bcook: So...how come his medicine bag looks like a purse?
JoAnne: Why the FFFF would they give him bloody glasses? Wouldn't you just NOT give him the glasses with the bullet hole in them? I MEAN COME ON.
After a while, Hoon comes out and thanks Choi for bringing Dad's things but asks him to not involve himself anymore. He asks about the family of the patient who died, and Choi tells him the wife died soon after and their son was adopted into an American family. (Omo! *jumps up and down* I know who it is! I know who it is!) He plans to look for him after finding Jae-hee. Hoon tells Choi to look for the son and apologize now and to stop looking for Jae-hee.bcook: This moment was when a little bit of the plot made sense. Like 5% clearer.
JoAnne: Yeah I SUDDENLY went 'ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, now I get it.'
On his way to meet Chairman Oh, Jae-joon runs into Soo-hyun and they guess he must have something to say to them.. She looks thoughtful as they get into the elevator, then turns and leans against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. The move surprises him and he asks why, but she just tells him to hold still, and he holds her gently. I would be lying through my teeth if I said I'm not jealous of her right now. Also, I like this ship. It has a very nice view.bcook: They're not even hugging properly. But i'm curious if she felt something or not. She was too calm.
JoAnne: She seemed to draw comfort from him. And I am absolutely convinced that he loves her. They make a gorgeous couple. I would like to change my reservation to this ship, please.
Becca: I'm packing my bags as we speak.
They pull apart when the elevator reaches their floor, and Soo-hyun asks if he believes in fate. He's surprised that she does, and she doesn't push the subject.Turns out Chairman Oh called them here to start the marriage discussion, and Soo-hyun asks him the same question she asked Jae-joon. She reminds him that he said it felt like fate when he met her mom. At the mention of that, Jae-joon twitches a little. I'm guessing it's because this could throw a wrench in his plans and because he wants the girl and knows he's losing her.
JoAnne: But you know why I think he's losing her? Not because she doesn't love him but because he's so controlled all the time, and because he doesn't act from his heart but from his head. She sees Hoon's passion and she wants some of that in her life. I don't think it's Hoon himself she wants. I think she wants Joon - but with a little of Hoon's emotional commitment to something. Little does she know that he HAS that, in spades. He's just holding back with her because he's not sure how it fits into his other plans, or because he figures that his other plans are going to ruin any hope of a life with her that he might have.
He pipes up to thank Oh for his interest but says he thinks marriage is something for him and Soo-hyun to decide themselves. Oh asks if they're having problems, which Soo-hyun denies. She likes Jae-joon and he likes her, but she needs more time to think about marriage.She gets a phone call and says she'll be leaving first. Jae-joon follows her to the elevator and asks if she's going to the hospital, which she confirms. When she reaches for the elevator button, he takes her by the hand (you're right, Jo, he has very nice hands) and tells her the fate he knows isn't something you believe in or not, it's something you make for yourself. I'm liking him more and more.
JoAnne: If you make it for yourself, it's not fate. Let's not play games with words. But I do like him, more and more.
Once in the elevator, she thinks back to when she hugged him earlier, but then her mind wanders to when Hoon held her, and that's when she finds herself smiling. Realizing what's she doing, she figures she must be going crazy and swats the image out of her head. I do the same because I'm trying to get over this doomed ship. There's a reason I always ship canon. *grumbles* *squees a bit in spite of herself*bcook: I'm confused again. Which one does she really want?! Bet you 10K won we won't find out till episode 20! *realizes there's 9 more episodes left. Hopes the re-writes make more sense*
JoAnne: They may be doomed as a couple, both couples may be doomed as couples, but I'm starting to believe it really is JoonHyun and HoonHee.
Back at the table, Chairman Oh tells Jae-joon to be responsible for Soo-hyun and Myung Woo.
Jae-joon goes to the hospital later and calls Soo-hyun, wondering why she isn't here. Turns out she's looking at an apartment - the same apartment Creep Cha was in earlier. He asks if she's coming by later, but she's decided to go home after this. He wants to discuss the team with her, and she promises to talk tomorrow. After she hangs up, he leans over his model castle and speaks to his parents, telling him he's almost there, so they only have to wait a little longer. Yep, I'm right. *adds to wall of crazy*bcook: Ok so I wasn't the only one who realized about the apartment. So does this mean that the NK end goal is Soo-hyun and chairman?!
JoAnne: It sure looks like they want to spy on Soo Hyun, but I wonder why. She's not that close to Hoon to make her necessary for that. Why would her dad even be important to NK?
Becca: I'm thinking Soo-hyun Omma was actually a NK spy, or maybe the daughter of NK big-wig, and sent Soo-hyun away for her own safety.
The next day, Moon gets down on bended knee, with flowers and everything, to beg Broom-Alike to forgive him and join his team, which has everyone staring because it looks like a confession. She's agreed not to press charges but still can't forgive him, and she's not interested in joining anyone's team. When she walks away, KimChi stops him from chasing after her. He points out that it looks bad: a married man pursuing a younger woman for everyone to see. It's been a week already. Moon snaps at him and hurries after her.bcook: This was pretty funny.
JoAnne: Yep, it was.
Hoon hears about it from Moon later and figures it's a good thing - they can just forget about the team now. As they come up to the nurses' station, they hear Head Nurse and Baby Mommy discussing the unpaid bills. Baby Mommy keeps apologizing, and Hoon tells her to stop - it's not her fault she was hurt. He takes her back to her room to change her bandages (cheekily calling "Master" to follow along, heh). After they leave, Shopping Ajusshi comes by, remarking that it's hard raising kids without money.Baby Mommy tells Hoon that the twins are sick, but she's having trouble paying the hospital bill. He promises to go check on them. Moon thinks he should be concentrating on the team right now, since the selection deadline is approaching, and I get annoyed at him again. Sick babies > in-hospital competitions, Moon. Hoon's with me and believes there's nothing more urgent to a doctor than caring for his patients.
bcook: It's so unprofessional to have this discussion infront of a patient. Especially when you're saying HER BABIES don't matter. Yet Baby Mommy plays along like a good extra.
In Moon's office, Hoon finally asks what the big deal is about the teams, and Moon tells him he wants to beat Jae-joon and take back his position as department chief. Apparently all of Myung Woo's directors were head of cardiology first, and being director is his dream. His father was a salesman for a pharmaceutical company and always had to bow down to doctors, and it was his dying wish that Moon become a hospital director so that all the doctors would have to bow down to him.JoAnne: This whole drama is about fathers. Joon and Hoon want to avenge their dads, and if Jae Hee is Jae Hee she probably wants to avenge hers, and then there's the whole thing between Soo Hyun and her father...
Hoon passes him some tissues as he tears up, and agrees to help him with the team. He suggests they look for another anesthesiologist, but Moon is set on Broom-Alike because they need the best. Hoon finally asks who they'll be operating on that it's so important and doesn't recognize JangBastard's name at first, but Choi interrupts (whoa! he popped up suddenly) to say it's that JangBastard. Hoon's hand automatically forms into a fist, and his face hardens.
JoAnne: yeah, they can't let Hoon operate on that dude. Actually, letting Joon operate on him is risky, too.
JangBastard looks over the report that Creep Cha gave them, then burns it. He wants to meet them, despite the risks: his life and career are in their hands, after all.So then he has a meeting with... reporters? Is that who he meant? He talks about the dwindling amount of cardiologists (part of the reason for this public selection thing-a-ma-jig) and also reveals the names of the top contender. Myung Woo is among them, naturally.
JoAnne: Fails to compute for me. How does the shortage of cardiologists have anything to do with this competition? Just because they say it does? Ok. I ate ziti today because my shirt was black.
Becca: It's something about how they think this high-profile operation will inspire med students to choose cardiology for the fame and glory. Whatever. It's not really important to us.
Chairman Oh is currently at a board meeting where they talk about that very thing. When asked which team will be representing them, he tells them that it will be decided by a contest between Team Jae-joon and Team Hoon. Everyone is stunned that he'd give a defector the opportunity, but he holds firm.
Choi tries to convince Hoon that it's an honor to operate on the prime minister, but Hoon's having none of it. He wonders what Choi is up to this time and asks how he could expect him to operate on JangBastard. He reminds Choi of what he and Dad went through because of JB and says coldly that he'd rather kill him than save him. When Choi pulls the "your father even saved Kim Il-sung"card, Hoon sneers that he's not Dad.bcook: yeah! He's not! Plus this do-gooder side of Choi irritates.
JoAnne: Again with the logic fails. Kim Il-Sung wasn't responsible for killing Hoon's grandfather; that would be the only way you could use the situation as a comparison.
He storms out (hitting an ineffectually eavesdropping Moon with the door - yes, I'm pointing it out every time!). He meets Broom-Alike in the hall and, as though speaking Choi and Moon who followed him, looks her straight in the eye as he says pointedly that he won't do it. He can't even pretend to be a doctor in front of that bastard.bcook: At least he knows she's up to something.
Hoon then goes straight to Jae-joon's office and dumps his lab coat on the desk, saying it's his version of a white flag. Jae-joon agrees that doctors competing is a bit ridiculous. Still, he admits (condescendingly) that he was looking forward to seeing what would happen if he went up against the great Doctor Park. Hoon sarcastically apologizes for disappointing him, and Jae-joon asks if this is because he's afraid of losing. Hoon tells him to think whatever he wants - he's won.Hoon walks out, but Moon scurries in to declare that they're not giving up yet. Then he chases after Hoon again, and Jae-joon laughs, shaking his head.bcook: I would like to take a second and point out the ridiculous collar on Jae-Joon's shirt. That is all.
JoAnne: But look how handsome the face above it is. And then look at how broad Hoonie's shoulders are in the next picture. Sigh. Such pretty.
As he's walking past the nurses' station, Hoon hears babies crying and meets Shopping Ajusshi and Head Nurse, whose hand is injured, rushing up. He rushes down the hall to see what's going on, and finds Baby Mommy holding a knife as the twins cry and Broom-Alike tries to calm her down. Baby Mommy's desperate because they're about to be kicked out for not paying, and threatens to just die with her kids now. Hoon asks what's going on, and Broom-Alike explains that both babies have heart defects.
Shopping Ajusshi cleans Head Nurse's wound and scolds her for endangering herself. She was worried about the twins, but he asks who will take care of their child if something happens to her. I'm guessing divorced. Hoon rushes up to look at the twins' charts and sees that both kids have atrial septal defects, which Head Nurse knows to be particularly dangerous for infants. Her knowledge surprises Hoon, and Ajusshi explains that she started out as an OR nurse. I don't care about exposition right now, Ajusshi. LET'S SAVE BABIES!!JoAnne: I guess secret lovers. Not divorced.
Hoon tells them to prep the OR for surgery, which is when Sang-jin (who will heretofore be known as Snotty because Let's-Shove-Pennies-Up-His-Nose-And-Give-Him-A-Swirlie takes too long to type) shows up to be all snotty. Bah. I don't care. LET'S SAVE BABIES!!
bcook: I was all excited for another MagicHands™ moment. But it was here that the medical magic began to go wrong.
Chairman Oh orders all of the department heads to gather at the main entrance to greet a VIP.Hoon, like I, is indignant that Sang-jin is getting in the way of saving babies, and Snotty points out that the hospital has already spent a ton of money on Hoon's emergency surgeries. Operating on the twins will only be a loss of more money because Baby Mommy can't pay. He figures the best solution is to hand Baby Mommy over to the police for this latest incident and wash their hands of them.
bcook: *sniff* Dick.
JoAnne: re-read what you just wrote and join me in uncontrollable laughter, Cookie.
Soo-hyun arrives on the scene, right before another scream comes from down the hall.JangBastard arrives at the hospital and is greeted by all the big-wigs (Jae-joon included). I still don't care because BABIES.
bcook: awesome.
JoAnne: I love her.
bcook: By far the most awkward scene I have ever watched. I just... yeah.
JoAnne: I saw the picture before I saw the episode and I was sincerely confused. Why was Hoon making out with a baby? But I just kept looking at his eyelashes and soon I was ok.
He sighs in relief and hands Baby over to Mommy with a smile. Baby Mommy holds her child close, sobbing. Broom Alike smiles at Hoon and tells him he looks like a doctor now, holding her hand out to him. Yay! Babies saved! Even if it was a little awkwardly shot.JoAnne: Seriously look at his face. Look at it. What is he going to look like at 40? I am dying to know. It could go horribly wrong.
Snotty gets fed up and pushes Soo-hyun aside, but when he flings the door open, he's met by a grinning Hoon blocking the way. Hoon orders the twins taken to the NICU and tells Snotty he'll talk to him later - right now he has somewhere else to be. He pushes past him and the guards and walks away, like the hero that he is. Aw yeah, that's my Hoon. Savin' babies, killin' noonas. (And me.)JoAnne: Well he IS Park 'I will save all the things' Hoon, after all.
Becca: All the things except Soo-hyun Omma.
Hoon forces his way into the room despite the secretary's best efforts to stop him. He's come to get his lab coat and tells them he'll do the competition, under one condition: the hospital will cover all expenses. Oh asks if that's all, and Hoon takes that as acceptance of his terms.
He turns to go, and JangBastard speaks up to say, "Take good care of me." Hoon's smile drops, and he turns and locks eyes with the enemy.bcook: If looks could kill. I'm so glad Hoon is the good guy...kinda.
JoAnne: Oh he's totally going to kill Jang Bastard.
Comments
*sings* Oh, I know that you know that I know that you know that I know! I'm SO glad that Hoon is (semi) in the know, now. He may not know everything that's going on, but he's starting to figure it out, and I'm excited to see him get some agency in his own story. And not a second too soon. We've had five episodes now of Hoon going about his business saving people and crying over Jae-hee (So. Much. Crying.), while everyone else plotted around him, and I'm ready to see him jump into the game and mess things up for them.
JoAnne: Yep. My least liked Hoon is the mooning over Jae Hee Hoon.
I was also really glad to see some time spent on mourning Dad. We've been so busy with scheming baddies, saving lives, and trying to figure out what happened to Jae-hee, that I was afraid we were forgetting about Dad's importance to the story. I may be tired of seeing Hoon cry over Jae-hee, but tears for Dad are an entirely different story. We can assume that he's cried for Dad over the past two years, but we haven't really been able to mourn that loss with him until now. And I don't know about you guys, but I needed that.
bcook: It was a beautiful moment...ruined only by the fact that Choi was standing there watching. Jong-Suk is pretty awesome. Would like to see him in a romcom next. Just light puppy fun.
JoAnne: Puppy is doing an awesome job portraying a character who could easily be very unlikeable (or even more unbelievable.) That being said, hands up for Joon, who is doing exactly the same work on a character you would DEFINITELY hate if he wasn't bringing in those little bits of feeling so precisely.
Onward to episode 8!