Surplus Princess - Episode 4 (A SongJaeRimJob)
Pervy Mermy gets a couple more allies in her quest to be close to Rim! But is it enough? It seems to me that in this universe, EVERYONE is looking for a jeob. Err... job.
JoAnne: I prefer to think of it as Second getting a jeob. Job. Because I'm all positive like that. No other meaning. None at all.
kakashi: Please give everybody a joeb-Job. Joeb-less people are so sad.
becca: I just want food. Sheppu-nim! Please feed us!
Anyway, I'm just glad she's still pervy as ever. It just makes jeobbing so much easier.
becca: This show literally jeobs itself!
Ha-ni freaks at seeing her tail again. She tries breathing underwater to check if she's back to being a Mermaid. But she can't! Ach! (ah, mary's back to German. She does that in states of great agitation) She calls Ahn Ma-nyeo who goes back to Cheonggye Stream and looks for the used potion bottle, which comes with a warning label. LOL: "For Use By Mermaids: When legs contact water, they turn back into a tail. Remove moisture to return them to legs."
kakashi: She should have known - always read the fineprint.
Ahn Ma-nyeo orders her to find out who knows her secret. They mustn't let humans know of the existence of mermaids.
JoAnne: I was going to say 'but they do know' and then I remembered that was just her dream.
kakashi: Of course we know about mermaids, duh.
becca: Ah, but there are a few unbelievers. They're just afraid of the truth, poor things.
Ha-ni exits the bathroom (w/ dry legs) and watches her housemates fearfully. Everything is shot in this nightmarish vibe with Big's smirk and Hye-young and Sun-kyu munching on some fishies. Haha. Ji-yong offers Ha-ni some water but accidentally(?) spills some on her legs. Her legs start sparkling with scales again when the lights suddenly go out.
JoAnne: You would think Ahn Manyeo would have covered this before he dropped her off at a house full of humans. It's not the first time this has happened in the world of mermaids, after all. These things should not be unexpected.
becca: I think the label said something about it not happening with EVERY mermaid, though, right? So maybe no one else has had that problem yet.
The guys bump into each other looking for candles (is this scene a parody of some horror film, too? - all those paradies I have no clue about make me passive aggressive) Someone flashes a light on Ha-ni lying on the floor with her tail on. It's Hye-young! She tells Ha-ni to be careful, she can't always be there to save her!
JoAnne: At some point in the comments below, someone will lament that we do not have a good word for the feminine equivalent of bromance. Over the years, we have all agreed that sismance just doesn't have the same cachet. My completely innocent suggestion of lesbifriends was not well-received. Today I will offer 'chickclick' because you know how you just click with someone...yes. Do not leave out that third C, though, otherwise you are back in the lesbifriends territory and people get ornery.
kakashi: It's not new to me that JoAnne is a genius. JoAnne, you're a genius! ckickclick may be hard to spell, but it's the BESTESTEST Word.
becca: *tries to say "chickclick" five times fast* That's HARD.
Mary: What IS?
They hide in the bathroom while Hye-young dries her tail with a hair-dryer and says she doesn't mind Ha-ni being a mermaid as long as she doesn't eat people. (But! We She wants to eat Rim's butt! Doesn't that count???) Hye-young treats her well because Ha-ni reminds her of Julie, her beloved pet fish who died last year. She warns Ha-ni that not everyone is weird enough to accept her mermaid-ity though. She should still keep it a secret from the others.
JoAnne: Hye Young is a freak, pure and simple. I love her.
kakashi: Hey, yes! I really wanna be friends with somebody whom I remind of her dead pet fish.
becca: In my subs, she also said that she thinks Ha-ni IS Julie, reincarnated! And yes, I want that friendship, too. :)
Hye-young is curious about Ahn Ma-nyeo. Is he really an uncle? Or was he a mermaid too? So later, Ha-ni introduces them to each other. Hye-young eyes Ahn Ma-nyeo and tries to imagine him as a mermaid. (Sparkly, fish-tailed Ahn Gil-kang undulating underwater is just... pwahaha! - hehe, that was the show at it's best) Ha-ni corrects her. Mermen have fish heads. (Ooooh! Just like the Philippine merman/siyokoy?) Hye-young imagines a large fish with legs running along a beach and laughs in Ahn Ma-nyeo's face.
JoAnne: I googled siyokoy. Wow. That's a scary looking fishhead, Mary. It is very much Creature from the Black Lagoon (cheesy Sci-Fi movie from the 50s or 60s. Possibly the 70s.)
kakashi: *Is suddenly VERY intrigued by Philippine mythology and goes and looks for a book on it*
His face twitches in irritation and he strangles her. They cannot let ANYONE know about the underwater world! He has a human family too, children to protect, etc. Ha-ni stops him, assuring him that Hye-young is totally good and loyal. She then asks Ahn Ma-nyeo for money, promising to give him another pearl necklace later. (Maaaan~ I don't like it when she keeps asking money from Ahn Ma-nyeo, knowing now how hard the guy works.)
JoAnne: It's okay, he's gonna have peaaaaaaaaaaaaarls.
kakashi: Well, he wouldn't have to GIVE her any money, wouldn't he. Or is it like a command from a royal and he has to? Then it's mean.
becca: It always felt like a command, to me. She's still got a ways to go, our goldfish princess.
JH Food posts an ad for this year's internship opening. Everyone (as in lots of random extras) read the online ad and get excited about it. Ji-yong sees the ad and calls Big over. He's tired of studying for the bar and Big needs an internship too since he's almost graduating. They should try applying! Oh, but it's hard to get in unless you have "inside know-how"... which they can get if they join this "elite study" group composed of kids/friends of top JH execs.
JoAnne: Everytime you say Ji Yong I think 'GD is in this?' and then I remember.
kakashi: That's WTF random. Or should we know these people? Is this another insider thing?*feels old and clueless* >.< (GD/G Dragon from BigBang, his real name is Kwon Ji Yong)
becca: Really? That makes what's coming SO much funnier!!
Hyun-myung catches them talking and tells them not to censor JH Food recruitment news around him. He needs a job too! He won't let his past with Jin-ah affect his job prospects! With that, they decide to apply for the elite study group. Problem? There's only one open slot. And you need to pass their interview. O____O Good lawd, Korea, how much of this is a parody of your job-hunting situation and how much of it is real???
JoAnne: It occurs to me, and not for the first time, that all those people who failed to get a real job must become KDrama writers.
kakashi: That's just mean :)
Next day, the three boys are group-interviewed together. Hyun-myung's problem is he's been job-hunting unsuccessfully for two years, while Big's is a lack of relevant work experience. But Ji-yong is criticized the most. From his age (34), to his "cheap" CV pic taken from a subway photo booth, to his face. Wha-- these people are just. *foaming at the mouth*
JoAnne: *elbows Mary* is that a wig he's wearing?
kakashi: *dies laughing*
In the end, the elite group chooses Hyun-myung for his experience with job interviews and getting into the final interview of Palsung Corp (the one that asked him to draw on the spot). They leave the interview in different moods. Halp! Ji-yong seems to be parodying a movie line about human rights and Korean constitution. Isn't he? There's something about that line... is it from a Joseon King? But then, there's no constitution yet. Gaaaarrrrrgh. This is so frustrating!!! *eats apples to calm down* Anyway, Big and Ji-yong decide to form their own study group.
JoAnne: I don't remember what the line was, but I remember it catching my ear, too.
kakashi: I don't remember any of this because ... I shouldn't even be commenting on this, I think. I'm not qualified.
becca: I thought he was ranting about human rights and discrimination.... *shrugs* I didn't think about it much.
Mary: He was! But the way he said it and the music sounds familiar. I feel like I've seen it in a movie trailer before. Squeeglets, HALP?
Hye-young takes Ha-ni shopping and eating then encourages her to meet her "Prince". When Ha-ni says her Prince is a workaholic, Hye-young tells her to go to his workplace, duh! Go she does, bringing some of Ahn Ma-nyeo's takoyaki and stealing a dropped ID in the ladies' toilet to get inside the building.
JoAnne: Nothing like a little encouragement from your chickclick.
kakashi: Oh yes. She's an enabler.
becca: These two are such perfect besties. *hugs them* Btw, it just occurred to me that "clickchick" is waaay easier to pronounce.
Mary: But it's boringly safe to pronounce. JoAnne does not approve.
JoAnne: You're taking notes, aren't you.
kakashi: White doesn't suit him though. It makes him look even more like a pastry.
She stares and stares while Rim takes his pants off. And in case you forgot about his AppleButt, tvN made sure to let Rim wear a red one this time. The mermaid licks her lips and invokes the Lord's name in vain as she watches Rim shimmy his pants down and poke out his butt for the benefit of us patient viewers who prayed so hard for the drama gods to give him a role. Yes?
JoAnne: hahahahhaaha now I am the mood for some....apple turnover. Think about it.
kakashi: Hey, people ... mary made an apple-fier! Where is the link, mary? And there's no end to applebutt jokes on twiter. No end. Eating apples will never be the same again...
becca: Oh, that applebutt machine is great! Here it is! Go forth and applebuttom, squeeglets! And be sure to thank Mary and her genius.
Mary: Wait!!! That hasn't been tested thoroughly! *runs off to deactivate the Destroy Mankind switch*
Rim turns around, making her scurry out and into a random room. Some sort of training kitchen? Oh, but... she hallucinates Rim there too. PWAHAHAHA. Her FantasyRim is much more uhm... receptive to being jeobbed. He makes come hither gestures then turns around and wiggles his butt while Ha-ni watches and reaches out again for those juicy apple hips...
becca: Oh, I would love to see the NGs from this scene! They must have laughed so hard.
Mary: If I were Kim So-eun, I won't let Rim hear the end of it on We Got Married. Pwahaha~ He will be the butt of all uhm... butt jokes.
Rim's assistant chef interrupts Ha-ni's fantasies. (ME: Noooooo! No! Goddamit! Shisus! Buddha! Bring it back! Rewind!!!) They question this strange girl drooling in their kitchen, and things get worse when Jin-ah arrives and recognizes her. She calls security who dump Ha-ni outside the building's entrance, ignoring her pleas to let her in just one more time.
JoAnne: Jo Boa is a star. An absolute star. I wonder if she and Kim Seul Gi have become a real life chickclick and if they crack each other up.
kakashi: There ought to be LOTS of giggle-fit NGs ....
She goes back to Ahn Ma-nyeo to state that she WILL get a job. And not just any job, but a job with Rim! At JH Food Corp! Ahn Ma-nyeo laughs at her. Until she smacks him upside the head and orders him to fake her some of that CV stuff and get her a JH Food job. He explains that JH Food is THE top company, it's not something you can enter just by wishing.
JoAnne: Of course not, you also need the fake CV. She already SAID that.
kakashi: Hey, everybody fakes their CVs. The first thing I do when I start looking at applications is stick a needle in to make all the hot air go out.
Ha-ni goes home and interrupts Hye-young's mok-bang time again (with a Frozen theme, eating patbingsu and Olaf LOL - So. Awesome.). She checks Ha-ni's fake credentials and says it's almost impossible for her to get inside JH Food Corp... but not as difficult as a mermaid being human. *wink* Off to prepare CVs it is!
JoAnne: I'm really digging that pink light, though.
kakashi: somebody STOP her!
Mary: Someday I will Google this pink light. Is it related to red light districts?
They eagerly check out a studio with a dedicated makeup room and rentable suits and "digital touchup" process. But the cost? $300. Ack! All for a 1x1 photo?! So instead, Hye-young takes Ha-ni to those express photo-booth thingies. She presses some buttons and leaves her to pose properly. Except! She totally doesn't know how. LOL. Her CV picture ends up being really weird.
JoAnne: Her message is 'Hire me! My nostrils are really clean!'
kakashi: Something the desperate job hunter learns: be special. She certainly comes across as that.
becca: Heeee - she's so cuuute!!
Big laughs at it back home while Ji-yong tries to assure Ha-ni it's perfectly normal. And... here comes the part that blows another hole in my Rim-ship. Hyun-myung sees the pic and laughs so hard at it. Then he steals the pic and keeps it "for when I'm depressed and need to laugh".
JoAnne: I've been following him on Twitter and I think I need to stop because he's doing something weird to his face and his skin looks like plastic and it's ruining him for me here.
kakashi: Whoever you are talking about ... yuck. Stop meddling with your faces, people.
becca: *weeps*
It's small comfort that we know he's going to do more than laugh at the pic later on. During the angsty part of the drama. *sigh* He will probably look at it and cry or exercise or whatever HornDogs do when they're pining for their loved one.
JoAnne: Mary. We all know exactly what guys do with pictures.
kakashi: OMG, mary! Don't write stuff like that T.T - *joebed*
becca: They put them in their breast-pocket or pocket-watch and take them out to sigh over every now and then? *refuses to play your sick little game*
Mary: This isn't a game! It's serious! Jeobbing is a serious job!
Next morning, Hyun-myung attends his first elite group meeting. They discuss their strategy. Which is basically: pay for the most expensive materials and hire the priciest instructors. Hyun-myung gets a doodle of the total cost near his head. The materials alone will cause him 5/6 of his monthly living budget! O.O
JoAnne: Ya gotta spend money ta make money.
Ha-ni is studying with Ji-yong and Big in the adjacent room. She tries to peek into the elite team's meeting. They drive her away. She goes back to her own group, but the boys are just playing games and talking about what they'd do if they got into JH Food Corp. Ha-ni rallies them into studying... but they have no idea where to start. For now, they discuss how to improve their CVs.
Big laughs at the $250 charge for the professional editing. He's been doing that retouching thing as a hobby(?) for 10 years now! He offers to do it for them for $50, which leads to this mini-celebration about the power of "po-shop-pu" (Photoshop?) Anyway, the elite team hears the racket and murmurs about how crass those other job-hunters are. And just in case we don't hate them enough. They scold Hyun-myung for not bringing a "top-secret"/important study material. Then the girl (I refuse to learn her name), kakao-talks the other guys to not share their stuff with Hyun-myung from now on. Except she also sent the message to Hyun-myung by mistake! Graaaaawrrrr. HOW DARE THEE STEP ON THE POOR HORNDOGGY'S FEELINGS????!!!!
JoAnne: The others should kick her out as being too stupid to get hired, after a dumb move like that.
kakashi: Who are these people anyway? Seriously.
Over at JH Food Corp, Jisoo gossips to Jin-ah that the reason Chef Rim can tell when a woman changes perfumes... is he's G-A-Y! (You mean like Kei???) Team Manager Kim catches them chit-chatting again w/ her Attack On Titan intro and orders them back to work. Jin-ah is asked to drop off some files on Rim's desk, so she sees that shiny, sparkly mermaid fin lying on his desk. (Back off, bish! That apple is mine-- I mean, the mermaid's!)
JoAnne: She is pretty. I just noticed, really.
kakashi: Oh, he's gay? Is that why he's going on We Got Married? (Mary: LMAO. Or he could just be beating up girlfriends on the side. Allegedly.)
becca: Pfft. That would be the worst beard ever, wouldn't it?
JoAnne: I got the impression that she used to be a mermaid, and that she is now divorced, and he keeps tabs on the kid for her. It will be fun to see what it really is, eventually.
kakashi: I had similar thoughts. I must admit to only being marginally interested though.
Next morning, Ahn Ma-nyeo goes to Surplus House to give Ha-ni the good news. He knows a "Team Manager Kim" in JH Food who agreed to have a chat with them to answer their questions. Ha-ni includes Big and Ji-yong in the invitation, but Ahn Ma-nyeo demands payment: they must help him with the takoyaki-chores for a day.
JoAnne: I want to try these takoyaki.
kakashi: KDrama makes me forever hungry.
becca: Me, too. I even took a break from commenting to eat, but now I'm hungry again. >_<
First task: go to the seafood market. It feels like homecoming to Ha-ni. She smells the fishy, salty air and dunks her head in the fish tanks. (LOL) But Rim! Here comes Rim!!!! He is shopping with his assistant too! He hears a commotion and heads over when he recognizes Ha-ni's voice (from the fall in love or die confession night).
JoAnne: I wonder if she stuck her head in the tank with actual fish in it, when filming.
kakashi: Why not? Unless they're of the flesh-eating kind.
Mary: She did! I saw a BTS vid somewhere. Major props to Jo Boa. She's no Kim Ok-bin but I love her too.
becca: I suddenly wondered if she kissed like a fish, too, but then I remembered we already know the answer to that is a big fat NO, and now I'm okay.
Ha-ni is arguing with the fish ajumma about the origin of her fishies. She describes the behavior and appearance of REAL sea-caught fish. She insists that ajumma lied and that her fishies were born and bred in tanks (ergo, not as yummy?) (no, I think not as expensive! And lower quality) The ajumma throws fishes at her to drive her away and Big and Ji-yong keep calling her name to calm her down.
JoAnne: I don't really know why it would make a difference but you do have to specify whether farm-raised or wild, when selling fish. Wild fish just makes me laugh hysterically, though. I picture a fish growling at me.
kakashi: Well, it has a huge impact on the price.
becca: I bet people care about what's being fed to the fishies they're eating, too. If the farmed fish aren't fed good quality food, the fishies will be lower quality, too.
She sees Rim watching the whole scene and runs to him, slipping on the fishies and faceplanting on his chest. (Good girl!) Then she stays leaning there and vowing not to take a bath after this encounter. (Spoken like a true fangirl!) Rim is impressed that she knows a lot about fishies and she lets it slip that she used to live with them. (I do, too, Rim! I know an awful lot about fishies. Won't you let me impress you? PLEASE?) Before she can explain it, Ji-yong inserts himself between them. Then the assistant calls Rim away. BUT HE TURNS BACK. He turns back and says "Your name is Ha-ni...?" YESSSSSSSSS! She gives him the whole name: Kim Ha-ni. And Rim says goodbye for now.
JoAnne: Does he remember her face or does he just recognize her voice?
kakashi: I think he is mainly interested in her fishknowing-qualities. You need people like that on a food network.
becca: She should put that in her CV! His surprised/amused reactions to her are so cute, by the way.
Waaaaaaaaaah~ did you hear? Did you hear how he said "keureom" at 38:47??? It was so awkward and dorky. *giggling* THIS IS MY RIM. You can dress Rim like a chic, corporate CEO shiz, tvN, but you can't hide the dork. You just can't! My Rim is in there trying to get out. *digs deeper to find original-flavor-Rim*
JoAnne: Tastes like fish.
becca: With just a hint of apple.
Ji-yong's heart breaks as he watches Ha-ni squeeing over her "true love". Big tries to comfort his hyung, but he doesn't want to be comforted. He runs away and does a parody of G-Dragon's Crooked here.
JoAnne: I thought I would DIE laughing.
kakashi: That was looooooooong, hahaha.
becca: Did they name him Ji-yong just so that they could do this? Yes or no, I love them. And I love him, too. (He does a good G-Dragon impression, too!)
The elite group calls Hyun-myung that night to schedule lunch tomorrow at one of JH Food's expensive restaurants. The meal will cost around $100 per head. He dejectedly joins the share house people eating takoyaki in the yard. (They couldn't sell their share so they bought a days' worth of takoyakis. Haha) They invite him to the meeting with Team Manager Kim tomorrow and Ji-yong walks out when Ha-ni keeps gushing over how she's closer to getting a job and her Rim.
JoAnne: Hurry up and start liking her!
Hyun-myung catches up to his friends over at the cafe inside JH Corp, just as Manager Kim walks in with Jin-ah in tow. AWK-WAAAARD. She lectures the intern-hopefuls about the most important trait in JH Food: CRAZY PASSION. (Me: *starts filling out application form*) They're looking for someone so obsessed with food that when he eats, he's always thinking about how the food was made and how it can be improved. Of course, if you can speak English or Chinese or Vietnamese, you'd be the perfect candidate. Just like Jin-ah. *cue Ha-ni staring daggers at her* *cue me staring daggers at Jin-ah too*
JoAnne: I'm just staring at Second.
kakashi: Crazy passion is a good trait for any job. Well ........ okay, maybe not. (Mary: Well, it's good for any jeob, at least.)
becca: You said that, and this is where my mind jumps: I want a sageuk about one of those executioners who swing their swords around all fancy before beheading people. I always wonder about them, and just think of all possibilities! So much rich conflict! Someone should write that drama. I'm thinking it should be on cable. (And yes, my brain is being random today.)
Mary: A Genius Executioner who was traumatized by having to execute his first love. Now, he refuses to execute people even when threatened by the King. He will meet a forward-thinking slave who will teach him how to love people and execute them again. *wipes tears*
Manager Kim is oblivious to the weird vibes on the table as she leaves her card with Jin-ah and asks her to treat the hoobaes and tell them how it is to work at JH. As soon as Manager Kim leaves, Jin-ah drops the nicey-nice act and tells everyone that they definitely won't make it into JH. When Ha-ni disagrees, Jin-ah grills her on basic cooking terms like sauteing, trimming, basting, etc. Hyun-myung defends her. Memorizing terms can be done in an hour. What's there to brag about?
JoAnne: And it begins!
Oh, but Jin-ah is referring to attitude. She says aimless people like them who send resumes to anyone and anywhere who will accept, then lying that it was their dream to work at whichever company interviews them... that kind of attitude won't get them into JH. It's a bit true but totally a mean way of saying things.
kakashi: It's more than a bit true, unfortunately. And I'm starting to respect this bish. A bit.
becca: I don't think she's a truly horrible person, but her methods aren't that great. She always does and says things in the way that will cause the most pain to the people around her, and that's not cool.
Hyun-myung stops her from hurting the others further, if she has an issue with him. Say it! She admits that yes, it's HIM that got her mad. She thinks he's only applying for JH because that's where she is. But Hyun-myung lies that he changed his mind. He actually really wants to work at a large corporation now and just have a "normal", successful life with a person he will love.
Jin-ah doesn't seem affected by it. She tells them to go ahead and try getting in, then. It's only after she's out of sight that she takes a moment to compose herself. Was she hurt about Hyun-myung's claim that it's for entirely "professional" reasons that he wants to work there? Do I care? No. (Not yet.)
JoAnne: She still has the hots for little ol' Horndoggy.
kakashi: She does? I'm not sure. I think it's just difficult if your ex walks in like that.
becca: I think she regrets how they ended, and maybe she does still care for him. I'm not sure "the hots" is the right way to describe it, though. Otherwise, I think she would've been a bit more... receptive... when they were still together.
Ha-ni is now Officially Worried (I'm amazed she only started to worry now!) about getting into JH. She goes to the elite study group and gives them her resume, begging to be included in their study sessions. (Whelp. Poor Ha-ni. She really is serious about getting in at all costs but she totally lacks resources, just look what her study-buddies are doing!) The elite trio turn her down of course.
When Hyun-myung walks in, Ha-ni asks him to put a word in for her. The trio tell Hyun-myung to make this "classless" girl leave because even if she studies with them, she won't ever get into JH. Hyun-myung finally snaps at all these uppity people telling his share house family that they're good-for-nothings. He scoffs at the elite group. For all their posturing, they're just another group of job-hunters like his friends. "Let's see who gets a job first," he challenges them (hawt). Then he takes Ha-ni's hand and tells her not to hang out with trash like those.
JoAnne: Look at her look at him.
kakashi: Yes. But ... nope. This is no love-relationship, people. In fact, I don't see a ship at all.
COMMENTS
Nooooooo~ there's a slow-mo, repeat shot of the hand-holding! And Ha-ni smiles at Hyun-myung's white knight act!!! Nae shippu! Nae cheppuuuuuuu~
kakashi: Nope, there's no chemistry whatsoever. They'll be terrific friends.
Meh. Who am I kidding. I don't really mind them together. The Pervy Mermaid needs a Horny HornDog! I mean, they're going to be poor. But they're going to be all cutesy and horny all day. Though I really hope for their sakes that they do some family planning. And yes, a little responsibility won't hurt. We don't want them to bring a couple of cute half-fishies into this world and not raise said fishies well, do we?
JoAnne: I totally thought you wrote 'not raise said fishies in a well'
kakashi: I hope she doesn't get used to HornyDogging. Because once she's back in the sea with a fishtail, she'll not be able to ... ah, wait. So it's either kokoro forever or foam bubbles? No return to the sea? Damn.
becca: Go BIG or go HOME! Wait... that would be a different ship, wouldn't it?
