Cinderella and her Four Knights - Episode 2 (A SqueeCap)
Shuk: It's no great secret that I don't have a lot of patience for Kang Ji-woon / Han Ji-woon / Crybaby Emo Biker. It only gets worse I'm afraid. But this episode isn't solely focused on him. Our heroine gets a few arrows to the heart, too.
Trotwood: I feel sorry for her. I also feel sorry for him because the writer has made him so unlikable and not sympathetic at all. Being an orphan does not excuse self pitying behavior or sarcastic condescension.
Jaehyus: What I'm finding weird is how our heroine is just out of school, and looks like she should still be in 7th grade, by which I mean 7th grade back in the 1970s, and our Emo Hero looks 30, but is also the same age since they use first names, right? I don't know, I'm confused.
JoAnne: I think he has a chip on his shoulder but I in no way think he's as bad as you guys make him out to be.
And to make things more fun, we are bringing in a Guest Squeer! DramaNoona has agreed to come on in and join! But you can't touch PA Lee; he's mine (no matter what Jo says).
DramaNoona: Hello Squeecappers! I am so excited to be here as a guest squeer! I’m a long time fan of these posts. I run the Asian Drama blog The Drama Noona. Thanks so much for taking me along for the ride!
She is sadly mistaken, but this much is true: Touch him and die.
Episode 2
I call Jerk-play on Biker. The rest of the gang doesn’t move as the final few bills drift to the floor. Player picks some up off the ground and stuffs it in Biker’s pocket, warning Emo not to mess with his woman. Biker is still staring at our Lady in White, Player is staring at Biker, and Fashion Girl is staring at Player. It’s like a Mexican standoff without Mexicans. Finally the words “my woman” sink into Biker’s brain and he incredulously repeats them. Fashion Girl has had enough, and is the first to leave, followed by Biker.
Another thing I don't understand. Why does he hate her so much? Why isn't he in Player's face more over this? Even if she were one of Players girlfriends, why is it her fault that he's being a jerk to Fashion Girl?
What is Player's problem with Fashion Girl? Is it her stalking? A restraining order would do wonders.
Biker has made a point of acting like money will not change what matters to him. He dislikes her because what he sees is a girl who will do anything for money. He's wrong, but he doesn't have as much of the story as he thinks he does. He'll regret his behavior soon enough, I am sure. As for Player, to me it seems very clear that he does care about Fashion Girl, but believes that keeping her at arm's length is necessary. I somehow think that this is not for himself, but for her. I'm not going to worry about it. Clearly the story will tell us at some point.
I agree with JoAnne, Player has a serious case of Noble Idiocy going on, Biker feels that Cinderella is a gold digger and believes money will change her lot in life, and Fashion Girl believes that she can still save Player.
However, in the next scene Cindy stops Biker’s headlong exodus from the building. How did she catch up up to those long legs while wearing those spikey heels? She brings his attention to the wad of cash and admonishes him for callously throwing around cash when so many people don’t have enough money to survive. He looks away for a moment, then tries to bull past her. She grabs to stop him, which seems to be his cue to push her back against the wall. He first demands to know who she is, then tells her he’s not interested and to leave. He promises things will get ugly if she continues to hang around Hyun-min.
Why? Why does he care? If he really cares about Fashion Girl, he'd want her as far away from Player as possible.
Again, Hyun Min and the advisors around should get a restraining order against Fashion Girl. That should get the message to her.
Her response? Cindy spins him around and slams Biker into the same wall. Is it bad to say that made me happy? She warns him not to talk about things he doesn’t understand, and to never touch her again. They have a staredown before he peels off her hands and leaves. She still has the money in her fist.
I totally cheered when she reversed the hold and pushed him against the wall! It was great!
The reverse spin made me happy too.
Oh ME TOO.
Fashion Girl is sobbing by his motorcycle. He sighs, his heart hurting for her. Without saying anything, he puts a helmet on her head.
Jeez, she's pathetic.
She's been brought up on a steady diet of 'acting so will make it so.'
Finally, Player has caught up with Cindy, and tries to stop her. Is she upset? She pulls her arm away, wondering if he always thought she was easily manipulated. She starts stripping, handing off purse, train, jewelry, until she is down to the tiny white dress. He doesn’t even know what to think, as she turns and makes a dramatic exit. At least, until a heel breaks. She just chucks the broken pump at him and dumps the other one onto the sidewalk, walking away with a slight limp.
Well, you have to admit, that WAS dramatic.
He watches her leave, then picks up the broken footwear and muses that it’s midnight and the magic is gone. Biker and Fashion Girl drive past her, but neither pays attention to the other.
Emo Biker drops Fashion Girl at home. She is still spacing out, until he addresses her directly. Does she still like Player, even though he could care less about her? She quietly tells him she loves a good dysfunctional relationship. Actually, she promises that she will do everything to make Hyun-min look at her. Which, really, is the same thing I said.
She needs some serious counseling.
Despite her cuteness, she's seriously getting annoying.
I'm not annoyed yet because I want to know why they are this way.
I think she and Player had something serious once, and now he’s doing anything he can to avoid a true relationship. I’m not yet annoyed with her, but I do hope that as the episodes go on she matures and grows some.
At Sky House, PA Lee is waiting for Player as he whistles out of the shower. He plays ignorant about the repercussions of his little “present”, until PA Lee shows him a picture of a chaebol woman, his grandfather-approved fiancée and next matseon choice. And no chance of becoming Heir Apparent if he doesn’t meet up with her. Hah!
Again, how old are these people?
I'd say they're older than Cindy despite the pointed familiarity of speech earlier. Mid-twenties. Let's go with that. And there's no saying they're all the SAME age, either. Player is first in line because he was there first, I think. Emo could be older, but found later. Ibeol is not enough of a known story to even guess.
And waay up a high-rise (but not the rooftop, unfortunately), Ji-woon casts a lonely figure gazing out over the twinkling lights of the city.
And this scene is necessary to the plot because . . . ?
Actor-contract screentime.
He doesn't live in Sky House - refuses to live there, in fact - but will use Grandpa's money to furnish a pretty nice bachelor pad. That's what that's for.
I thought this was to emphasize just how alone Biker is, you know to really make sure the audience knows how tough it is for him.
It’s a nice clear morning. Gramps is sipping some Earl Grey with lemon and a shot of soju while surveying his domain. PA Lee arrives, and Gramps chuckles that last night was the best wedding ever with that strong-armed woman easily handling his grandson. He wants her investigated for possible use.
At home, Cindy is scrubbing dishes when Mom shows up. She barks that Cindy hasn’t made any food yet. After breakfast, AssMom ignores Cindy, until she asks her for a favor. Can she help with her college tuition? AssMom uses this an excuse to lay into her stepdaughter as an ungrateful malingerer who wants to steal a college education from her own beautiful daughter. Cindy just takes it and scurries out.
I always wonder why these drama Candies don't collapse from exhaustion. I run two errands, and I'm on my couch for a couple of hours at least.
And I want to know why the girl who isn't afraid to stand up for herself takes this behavior at home SO meekly. This is beyond filial duty. It does not fit.
Cinderella takes the punishment from her stepmom because she’s a filial daughter, at least that’s what I thought. This woman is the lady her dad loves now and she feels that she owes it to be respectful lest she ruin what her father has built after her mother’s death.
Outside and everywhere, people who have nothing better to do are buzzing about the mysterious ugly girl that Kang Hyun-min brought to his grandfather’s glorious wedding. Even at AssHouse, the Evil Pair are watching. Dad calls in, and AssMom waits no time in spinning a tale of domestic felicity, while StepBiatch mute-giggles. And Dad is coming home! I hope he straightens this family out.
I remember thinking at the time that I hadn't much hope of this. If he is tricked by these people who are so obvious, then I can't imagine that he will change when he gets back. I mean it isn't like he's never come back before, right?
Right. I figured they act nice in front of him and Cindy goes along with it to keep Dad unworried.
At the convenience store, Cindy is hard at work mopping while her manager just plays game apps. She asks for an advance on her pay, but he puts the kibosh on that. At this we begin to hear PA Lee’s description of her life, as gleaned from his investigation. She’s a hard-working Candy with a slew of part-time jobs and a crappy home life where she has to support herself, and works to earn her own way through higher education. Gramps muses that she might be a good person to whip his grandsons in line.
To me she seems too busy, Gramps. And there are male martial artists out there who could come in and act as tutor/butler/guard.
I believe the idea would be to replace the many jobs with the one job. And it's clear he wants more than just having them fall in line physically.
The dreaded day has arrived, and poor Eun Ha-won sadly looks at her measly 800 won bankbook, having paid to get her mother out of storage. She muses that she can always attend college next year. She feels better for her good deed to her mother.
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. If her mother loved her, she would want her to go to college not care about her ashes.
Exactly. This goes to the idea of filial piety, I guess.
I agree, but it's not so easy to say it's not important. As a mom I agree with you, but as a daughter I can see why she might think this matters. Koreans treat their dead like they're in the next room, not gone. Death is not the end of things, in other words.
Also she is only twenty without any sort of adult support system, Dad doesn’t even answer her text messages. So she is left to make the choice of paying the fees or going to college it would be a hard and emotional choice. I can see why she did what she did.
After a moment, she decides to see if her dad has responded to her previous text. Except her phone won’t open! She finally realizes she has the wrong phone.
Cindy is walking down the sidewalk when PA Lee arrives and stops her. There’s a certain person who is interested in meeting her. Yep, it’s Gramps. Right away he starts with the cheesy jokes. She gives him a thumbs up sign, then apologizes for ruining his wedding the night before.
I really like how she is respectful but not afraid or even intimidated. She truly knows that station in life is not what defines a person.
I liked that too! She is very self assured but extremely respectful.
Gramps is okay with last evening’s events. He shows her a copy of The Art of War by Sun Tzu, and admits to doing a little snooping about her. He is surprised that such a young person likes the same books that a geezer like him reads. She smiles; her mom told her to stick with these teachings in her life.
Someone recommended this book to me once, I think I'm going to get a copy.
I have it. One day I'll reread it along with the Analects.
Yeah, it had a real vogue as a business tool here for a while. Art of War, Where's My Cheese, Five Conversations, all that stuff.
I’ve read it, well ages ago, but this makes me want to read it again.
PA Lee explains why she is there, with an audiovisual presentation. He explains Sky House, an architectural wonder and the home of the three grandsons, the oldest one a Player, the second a total Thug, the youngest a good-for-nothing. After living together for a year, they need help. And she is the right person for the job.
I love how PA Lee is trying to do this serious presentation and Grandpa is making snarky comments about each.
I don't get how Cindy is the right person for the job when there are so many more qualified people in this world, but whatever.
It's her attitude, which is not common. Grandpa recognizes that her innate decency and level-headedness, combined with a demonstrated willingness to stand up to his boys, could have a positive impact on them. He's trying to teach them, not coerce them.
Grandpa’s snarky comments throughout the presentation had me snickering. I like the old guy!
Cindy is taken aback by the offer. What is she supposed to teach them, finishing school lessons? Aren't chaebols supposed to grow up to be mean and greedy to prevent them from charitable donations and good works? Gramps laughs; maybe she can help give them an attitude adjustment. He has a plan that might work. If she helps him out with these boys for three months, he will pay for her college education, even if she goes overseas.
Not a bad deal.
He’s dangling the right carrot. With enough money, he can change the course of her life. She’s struck dumb for a moment, then respectfully declines. The two begin an exchange based on chapters of the book: take advantage of every opportunity, don’t waste effort on a lost cause, catch the chief and win the war, if all fails then retreat, etc. etc. etc. In the end, though, she leaves. PA Lee wonders why his boss went to such great lengths for this girl, but Gramps thinks it’s little effort for possibly big gains.
Frankly, I think he likes her. And he doesn't seem to be the kind of person that likes a lot of real people. I say this because he clearly likes his new wife, but that's like him liking a fantasy doll not a real friend or ally.
Agreed. I don't think Gramps is a bad person at all, but he's certainly not an infallible judge of character.
The exchange of quotes was the best! She calmly matches wits with one of the most powerful businessmen in this little world. That takes guts! I think Gramps truly likes her and wishes that his grandkids were more like her which is why he feels she’s the right person for the job.
At a swanky café, Player meets up with his chaebol matseon date. Shallow conversation aside, she thought this would just be business. Right then, though, Fashion Girl shows up at the same café.
I couldn't tell what her take on this whole thing was. I mean I know she didn't like him but did she think he would just play nice for the money and was she prepared for that? I guess it doesn't matter because this whole scene seems to be there just so we can see Fashion Girl get hurt again.
This scene just made me dislike both Player and Fashion Girl even more.
Business in the sense that these arrangements are business, not romance. They bring business families together, not lovers. As such, if they don't have a huge objection to each other, marriage would be a given.
Player leaps up, grabs her arm, full-body hugs her, AND steals a kiss. ChaeChick is not amused and leaves. Fashion Girl is getting into it when Player releases her, apologizes and walks away. She stops him and asks what he thinks of her? He carelessly shrugs and calls her his old friend. He tells her to stop bringing up the past. She calls him repulsive and hopes there’s a shred of his younger self inside him somewhere.
Instead of this making me feel sorry for her, it just makes me surprised that there was a time that he might have been nice and worthy of her crush.
Her words made no sense. He's repulsive, but she hopes he's still basically a nice guy? Just drop him already. You are cute and Jaehyo loves you.
I don't like his behavior. However, it's clear that he doesn't like it, either. There is some reason he feels this is necessary. I don't know what it is, and I doubt I'd choose the same method to distance her, but I'm not condemning him at this point. Or her. I think she should back off. He has made his wishes clear. She may also know that it's not what he truly feels and that the truth matters more than her pride, but my practical heart keeps shouting that there are other people in the world, and if this one is SAYING he doesn't want you, even if he does - go find another one. It's not supposed to be this hard. It's not like they're married and have a home and family to save, after all.
I really wanted her to slap him, hard, and tell him something to the effect of this is not who he truly is. The way she handled it seemed ingenuine.
Just then, an employee hands Player Cindy’s school uniform from yesterday. And someone is snapping photographs. I think this hotel is on the corner of Coincidence-ro and PlotHole-gil. Cindy runs in as Player walks out; neither sees the other. She tries to get up to the changing rooms to look for her phone, but the snooty bellhop sneers at her attire and refuses entry. Biker happens to be stopping by and grudgingly grants permission.
Sigh.
Her stuff is nowhere to be found, and the maids haven’t seen it. She’s stuck leaving without her belongings. She still thanks Emo Biker for helping her get upstairs. He tells her why not get her fiance to buy her more stuff? After all, don’t girls like her accept handouts from guys like him? She meets him with a steady stare as he demands she never show up again.
If he hates her, why help her? Make up your mind, Emo Guy!
He's so tedious. I might as well admit it. I'm here for the idol grandson and JoAnne's PA.
He is against injustice and against mistreating people who have less money. When he steps in, it's not for her, really.
That’s what I thought as well. Having lived on the other side of the tracks he can empathize with her plight despite the fact that he doesn’t agree with her choice to be with Player. Biker still can’t stand by and not help her in this instance.
He starts to put his helmet on, but not before she cuffs the back of his head. What about guys like him, who act arrogant and treat women like trash? Yay, she gets the last word in on that exchange.
Yay!
But she still can’t get a hold of the person who has her phone. Of course not, he’s playing a gig and no doubt it’s turned off and in the green room. She keeps trying, all the while being pestered by her barista coworker who squeals at the chance to meet the cousins and turn her life around. But she doesn’t believe in help; she would rather forge her own destiny.
Sometimes accepting help IS forging your own destiny. It's not always a bad thing.
The concert is over, and everyone is happy. Ibeol’s coordi gives him the phone, and he finally finds out about the switcheroo. Really people, I can’t believe they even thought the phones could be identical. I can't believe they took so long to use their phones and figure out they were switched. Anyway, he calls his phone, which, of course, dies in Cindy’s hands the moment it rings.
StepBiatch is doing some type of casting video, blech. She smears salmon on her skin?? Who knows.
Not the actual MEAT, Shuk. But I thought snail slime was all the rage these days anyway.
And it doesn’t matter, since the production crew realizes that the person walking through the home’s front door is Kang Hyun-min’s potential fiancée, now known as the National Jackpot Girl. Cue SB getting dumped! The StepEvils want to know what’s going on, and finally hear that the girl they like to beat down is now considered as the significant other of SoKor’s most eligible bachelor. They shoo the cameras out, basically call Cindy a money-grubbing slut and kick her out of the house.
So now they are evil and stupid? Why not try to weasel and guilt her into helping them. I mean she did when she had nothing.
After she’s outside, they suddenly realize Dad is going to be home tomorrow. But they still won’t let her back in.
I was under the impression that the cameras were there in the hopes of catching Cindy; stepsister was just pretext, right?
Not that I needed another reason to hate the step family, but this scene really made me hate them.
Player brings the school uniform home. He throws himself on his bed, but his mind returns to his confrontation with Fashion Girl. Irritated, he stands up and pulls down a faded photo of a young girl and two guys.
They better get to this back story if they want me to care.
Biker is at the front desk because his room was given to someone else. But all of his cards have been declined, so they can’t give him a new one. PA Lee gives him a call, alerted by the card use, and tells him that Gramps demands that he return to Sky House. Biker refuses, but the assistant warns he won’t be able use any perks associated with the family. Biker shrugs; who needs them? PA Lee doesn’t think he will ever willingly return, but Chessmaster Gramps already has a plan.
Of course he does. And if I have any problem with Biker, it's that he's so disdainful and 'above' all this, but uses the money that comes with it. If you're going to reject Grandpa, reject him. Don't pick and choose which part of being an heir you'll deign to accept. Then again, I feel like he has a right to family money if he's family, so...I guess it depends on whether I view it as Grandpa's money, or family money. I'm not sure at this point.
Cindy is working the theater, and one of the rooms has no patrons. It’s probably Suicide Squad. They both decide to grab some popcorn and sneak in for a private showing. Just when they sit down, though, her coworker gets a phone call and has to leave.
Aww, look who else can only watch a crappy movie. Our own little Elmo…errr…Emo. (Yeah, don't malign Elmo. He's always full of good cheer and positive thinking. He'd never hurt anyone's feelings.--Please insert pic of the muppet Elmo).
And in the entire theater of seats, he just happens to sit in the same row as Cindy. He looks over and sees her falling asleep in the chair. Does he recognize her? When she head-bobs herself awake, she certainly knows who was watching her. She decides to crawl away but stops short. After all, why should she run? She’s not doing anything wrong. She sits back up, only to nearly eskimo-kiss our homeless biker dude. She’s startled, but even more when he asks her for money.
And that seems TOTALLY out of character. I call foul, Writer. No fair just MAKING THINGS UP. Be true to your characters.
She, of course, uses the moment to give him some ribbing. He tries to walk away but she’s skipping beside him with questions. Is he actually rich? How come he doesn’t even have ten bucks? He finally snaps at her show him the money or shut up about it. She snarks that she would have plenty of money, if he had ACTUALLY paid his tab at the convenience store like he promised. She does happen to have a 5000 won note. He neverminds her and starts to walk away, at least, until his stomach growls. Popcorn time! She takes pity on him, and promises to feed him after her shift is over.
Her behavior, on the other hand, seems entirely in character. She would absolutely feed the hungry dog that bit her, then find a way to bathe him and give him a home.
Cup ramyun at a store! Yummy, cheap eats. She decides this is payback for his assistance when she was looking for her phone and uniform. He all but tosses his chopsticks – his help is only worth 1500 won? But she paid 1000 won for cheese, and that makes the ramyun special. But it was his suggestion to add cheese! Clearly, both their thinking is at a high school level. She’s ready to pluck the cheese right out of his bowl. As they tussle, he looks outside and sees Gramps avidly watching both. His appetite is gone, but she thinks it’s because of their argument.
Is the kid wearing a tracking device? Or was he there to check up on Cindy, since he knows where she works?
I liked the banter between the two here, it was adorable if a little childish.
In the end, he disappears while she is clearing up the table. She buys, he flies, she sighs. What a crappy day she’s having: homeless, phoneless, companionless, and broke.
And he wonders why she thinks he's a loser. He keeps skipping out on her and leaving her with a bill and not thank you or apology. The ramyun looked good though.
Elmo is in Gramp's car; the elder warns that this is penny-ante stuff and he can get a lot meaner. Biker doesn’t care, he has no intention of ever stepping one slipper into that house again. He wants his old life back; Gramps tells him he has the power to destroy even that. Okay that threat verges on bad behavior, Grandpa. If he returns to Sky House, he can wield that kind of power, too. He’s still not interested, he will live as Han Ji-woon from here on. As he walks away, PA Lee wonders if it’s okay to leave him on the streets, but Gramps is confident he will return himself. Oh, Gramps, what do you plan to do?
Also, why does he so desperately want him back? Player boy wants company. Give it to him. Or better yet, give it to PA Lee!!! So delicious and smart and steady and . . . (afraid to say anymore out of fear of Jo)(Discretion is the better part of valor.)
I suppose Emo Boy is the True Heir because of his Deep Heart, and Gramps knows that.
If I were Gramps I wouldn’t want to give the company to Player, not in his current incarnation anyway. I think he desperately wants to find the best businessmen and peron out of the three which is why he wants them all in the same place. Much easier to spy on them that way.
Cindy is both happy and exasperated; so is Herbie. Neither one could get a hold of the other, and they both want their respective phones. Herbie mentions she keeps getting texts; Cindy gives him the unlock code so he can read them to her immediately. He grumbles at the complicated pattern, but becomes sad when he realizes most of the messages are bitches from StepBiatch telling Cindy that she’s telling their father all the shitty things Cindy’s done to her, and that Dad only wants to see and eat with her tomorrow, not her slutty non-family self. He thinks for a moment, and settles on paraphrasing the last one; her father is coming home and everybody is having dinner together. That makes Cindy happy; when they finally meet, Herbie realizes she is his cousin’s ‘fiancée’. He decides to delete all the nasty messages before she gets it back.
Which makes me want to like him but makes me also know that this set up will NOT be good.
Why? Also, I hope he gets together with Fashion Girl. No, wait, I don't. I want Fashion Girl to get a life away from these boys.
Ibeol is a sweetie. He'll be her friend and gradually fall for her, but in the good way that has him happy if she can be happy.
He’s so my favorite! I know that he’ll end up the BFF and support when the other two have her down and his love will go unrequited, but I still love him so much.
They both are happy to get their stuff back. She wonders where all those messages he mentioned went to, and he sheepishly admits to ‘accidentally’ deleting them. What a nice guy, but it’s gonna backfire, you know. He thinks the same thing as she happily walks away.
Yup. Said that before getting to this line. We ALL know that this is going to end badly when even a character knows it.
Despite his good intentions this will so go badly.
At a nearby jimjilbang, she texts her father, plaintively wondering why he never bothered to contact her directly. The next morning, on her way to work, she gets all but attacked in the middle of a media scrum. Everyone wants to talk to the National Lottery Girl. She tries to push through, but they have her surrounded. Just then, Player shows up, whirls her into the crook of his arm, and hustles her into his car.
He's got that swoop and swirl thing DOWN, ladies.
They finally stop at a nearby parking lot, and he’s totally waiting for her to coo that he’s awesomely heroic. She wonders if he has any inkling of how serious the situation is. Her life is being messed up because of his childish lies. She wants him to tell the world they are not in any sort of relationship. He promises to remove her name from the internet, which, um, isn’t what she asked. Anyway, she wonders if he is that good a magician. Sure enough, he calls the main web portal company and threatens to remove all his corporate advertising dollars if they don’t remove his fiancee’s information. Poof! Done.
He can do that? I have not seen him working at anything yet, though.
He's a chaebol heir. No one knows what's going on inside the family, so the mere threat that he's unhappy leads to thoughts of Grandpa being unhappy.
When he hangs up, he totally expects her to gush and say she’s in love with him. He even amazed himself with his coolness, to the point of goosebumps. LOL, what are the colors of the trees in his world?
Cindy is only upset that her sites that she trusts can apparently be easily manipulated with enough power. Poor girl, did you believe everything in Wikipedia?
If I had a dollar for every student I had who was shocked, SHOCKED, that I didn't accept Wikipedia as a source for research I'd have a house in Zurich and apartments in both London and Seoul.
Stop, you're both hurting my heart which loves Wikipedia.
But even in grade school Wikipedia isn't an acceptable source. Did your students fall from one of the trees in that alternate world?
I loved that she was so not impressed by him, just his internet eraser.
Player is mad that she blew off his machinations and ruefully decides that he has found the one thing that money can’t buy – her smile. Hey, didn’t she get enough cheese in her ramyun? I’d like to think she’s at least as amused by his antics as I am. She thanks him for his efforts online and leaves him looking at her through his windshield.
A tiny bit of time later, she receives a phone call. Her father has removed her mother’s ashes from the columbarium. Yunno, the one the asshole DIDN’T pay for for a half-decade.
Umm. Plot hole. Why would he do that now when it's paid for?
Could we get our Cindy her money back?
She wasn't paying ahead, she was paying arrears.
I thought she didn’t pay the entire fine either, just a partial payment of what was owed.
Biker is all smiles when he shows up at his old mechanics shop. But the boys quickly stand up and look down. What happened, that none of them will meet him in the eyes? One of them tells him to leave, but Biker thinks he’s joking. His old boss tells him not to ask anything, but just leave the premises. Poor Biker’s smile fades as he realizes this is for real. He plasters on a fake grin and promises to return at some other time. One the employees chases after him, with his last earnings. He quietly explains that they were all bought off by his grandfather, who gave them riches in return for cutting him loose and never admitting to even knowing him. Bad Grampa! No Polident for you!! Still, Elmo puts on a brave smile. His friends at least should get their twenty pieces of silver. He forgives them.
That was nasty.
Very harsh but not done just to be mean. Intention matters. I don't think I agree with Grandpa, but his intention is not bad.
For the first time I really and truly felt bad for Biker; the mechanic shop was his safe haven.
But now, he’s parked next to the Han River, looking at the twinkling lights with tear-filled eyes. PA Lee shows up behind him, and Biker quietly asks if this is the “power” that Gramps meant. The assistant emotionlessly admits that his grandfather would erase any speck of “Han Ji-woon” off the planet if he could. I don’t think that wins any points with Elmo, PA Lee. It doesn’t matter, I suppose, because Biker is completely tied up and has no more options but to be caged at Sky House. And in the back of my mind, I’m wondering if Biker won’t go all Abraham / Isaac on Gramps and destroy all of his stuff once he gets “the power”.
Yeah. This is NOT the way to make friends Gramps or to secure line of succession. I'm still not sure what he is about. Does he really think that his behavior is going to do anything than breed resentment. Is he sure he wants to give them power after he breeds such hatred.
What is wrong with Han Ji Woon, though? That he was illegitimate? Because that's not his fault. Plus, he has the right to use what name he wants.
I'm holding out for the rest of the story. There had better be one.
Gramps is working with a different set of morals I think, not bad per say, but he seems to have been raised with the idea that money can make anything happen and he has the right to set things in motion as he sees fit. For him, the end result matters more than the actions that got him there.
At the club, Player’s buddies are gossiping that ChaeChick is spreading rumors about his peccadillos. What happens if his position as heir to the Haneul group is jeopardized because no suitable wife can be found. His face looks puzzled for a moment. Wait, is he just realizing this?
Biker has checked into a fleabag hotel, paying for a month up front with Ex-Boss’ money. All the identification cards in his wallet read “Kang Ji-woon”, so he just chucks it into the nearest recycle bin.
So melo, that emo.
His first honorable step, not that he keeps to it.
Gramps is finally telling Maleficent that Cindy is not really her step-granddaughter-in-law. She’s relieved, probably because it’s one less variable in her PUBES (Potentially Unknown But Evil Scheme). But Gramps admits he’s trying to get the girl to stay with the grandsons at Sky House, as an experiment to see which has more power, one’s money or one’s resolve. Mal thinks her PUBES might need a rethink if Cindy joins Sky House. PA Lee shows up and says Ji-woon’s issue is resolved, and he has someone keeping an eye on Cindy. He’s betting she doesn’t change her mind.
Cindy is home just as the plates are being filled. EvilMom covers up her surprise and StepBiatch trills for her donsaeng to have a cozy seat at the dinner table. Dad barely spares a glance. What the heck?? Cindy ignores everybody but focuses a laser glare at her father. What did he do with her mother’s ashes? He deflects the question, since her mother is that woman across the table. EvilMom is preparing to play the hurt mother to the hilt; Cindy rolls her eyes and heads into the storage room. After rummaging around, she finds the silk-covered box, and cries.
If he doesn't care, why bring it home?
She carries it to a now-motionless dinner table and demands her father tell her why he treated his wife in such a shabby fashion. He snarls back that he shouldn’t have to spend money on a dead woman. Ashes are worthless, and just need to be disposed of.
TBH, I kind of agree. Scatter them somewhere, don't pay for them to sit in a columbarium. Or set up your own table at home.
We all felt that way too - ashes aren't as important as people who are here - and yet we all bristle at his behavior. Intent matters.
Up until this scene I was really hopeful that Dad would come in and be there for Cinderella, because she needs someone in her corner badly. Then Dad turns out to be a tool.
Cindy starts yelling at her dad. Why did he cast her aside like she was nothing? Dad just yells at her to stop talking like this in front of her stepmother, who raised her with such care and love. I’m throwing up a little in my mouth. (a little?) EvilMomWhatever fake-sniffs a little and promises to put a little aside so they can take care of the urn. She can always use the money she set aside for college for both her children. What??
Cindy can’t believe it either. What about the fact that she lives in the laundry room? Except when Dad comes home and they throw her stuff in StepBiatch’s room while he’s there. EvilDadWhatever slams his hands on the table for Cindy’s attack on his wife. How dare she call her mother a liar, you ungrateful, unappreciative little girl! Cindy demands her dad take her seriously; he responds by slapping her. The two steps are shocked, then pleased. Dad drops a bombshell; he should have never tried to raise someone else’s child. What??
I know. My daughter and I had the same response, too. Another birth secret? We're just in the 2nd episode?
Even if he did raise another person's child, then he should know it's not that child's fault. What a jerk.
Wasn't expecting THIS. Like Cinderella wasn't already enough of a Korean tale!
I hates him I does Precioussss!
Apparently this is news to Cindy. EvilDadWhatever tells her that he always wanted her to be his real daughter, but his wife was pregnant by another man. EvilMomWhatever is overtly in Surprised Concern mode, but secretly gleeful. There’s no subterfuge in StepBiatch as she gives an evil smile. See, they weren’t family anyway.
So now it's okay they ate fried chicken in front of her.
Again, I'm torn. It's not okay to be mean, but expecting someone to share their fried chicken...
How perfect for this nasty little grouping of three. Dad looks down and refuses to make eye contact with Cindy, as EvilStepMom whispers that it’s better if Cindy quietly disappears and never shows her face again.
Cindy, you are smart and capable: leave these jerks.
What a bunch of terrible people!!
Cindy walks out into the rain, with nothing but her back pack, her mother, and the clothes on her back. She remembers happier times when Past Mom and Past Dad were happily running through the rain after her judo lesson. What the hell happened to Dad to change him this much? And is it germaine to the story? Let Deadbeat Dad die and end up on a rubbish heap.
I still say that gramps had a hand in this. I think he probably paid off the father to make Cindy so desperate that she really wouldn't have any place to go since it was clear, as our beloved PA Lee says, she really wasn't going to come back just for the money. Sigh. I suppose she has one thing in common with Emo ( I refuse to call him Elmo) Guy.
Then Gramps is the nastiest person of all.
I don't think this was Gramps. I think this was timing. *Looks at writer*
I think was a coincidence. The fact that dad hasn’t answered any of her texts foreshadowed this fallout. It was the perfect storm of events and Cinderella’s outburst and his collecting the ashes were just the last straw in the whole deal.
Cindy tried to make a phone call to her best friend, but there’s no answer. She heaves a big sigh, just when her phone begins to ring. It’s Gramps. Is she ready to make her decision and come to Sky House?
Hmm. *Potentially revises previous opinion, but then looks at writer even more suspiciously*
We don’t hear her answer, but the boys all get happy buzzy text messages: Emo Biker in his sad room; Player in the club with his friends; Herbie in his Idol Van.
And they all go running.
I thought that was interesting, too.
Their money and position in life is dependent on Gramps’ mood. They came running for the last text too. I don’t think it was too far outside the realm of realities for this world.
Still in the rain, Cindy stands outside Sky House, and asks her mother whether it’s okay to stay here. PA Lee brings her an umbrella as the other vehicles drive in. I ask, if his damn network is so efficient, shouldn’t there have been a car outside her Evil Family’s house?
I think he was. I doubt Sky House is easily accessible by public transportation.
But whatever, let the cohabitation hijinks begin!!
And the boys literally arrive to make a triangle around her. Geez.
Geez at the Cheez.
*laughs in delight*
FINAL COMMENT
What a shitty family Eun Ha-won has. She is well rid of them, and they better not come back and cry for child-support or something.
There's no getting rid of leeches like that.
I still don't like Emo Biker. Can his character development start ASAP, jusayeo?
How much longer can they make him so unlikable? I'm voting for Cindy to get with PA Lee, and if Fashion has to be with someone for her to have idol boy--but only if she figures out how to smile once every other month.
Idol boy seems okay for Fashion Girl. But I still think she should leave this situation altogether - oh wait, drama. Subsiding.
Cindy with Emo, Fashion Girl with Player, my PA Lee with Ibeol, since he can't be with me.
Despite some plot holes and the cheese I love this show. I think Biker won’t be able to remain so angry at the world for long, at least I hope. Player will be fascinated by Cinderella for a while because she’s so true to herself and real, but they won’t end up together.
Trotwood: I feel sorry for her. I also feel sorry for him because the writer has made him so unlikable and not sympathetic at all. Being an orphan does not excuse self pitying behavior or sarcastic condescension.
Jaehyus: What I'm finding weird is how our heroine is just out of school, and looks like she should still be in 7th grade, by which I mean 7th grade back in the 1970s, and our Emo Hero looks 30, but is also the same age since they use first names, right? I don't know, I'm confused.
JoAnne: I think he has a chip on his shoulder but I in no way think he's as bad as you guys make him out to be.
And to make things more fun, we are bringing in a Guest Squeer! DramaNoona has agreed to come on in and join! But you can't touch PA Lee; he's mine (no matter what Jo says).
DramaNoona: Hello Squeecappers! I am so excited to be here as a guest squeer! I’m a long time fan of these posts. I run the Asian Drama blog The Drama Noona. Thanks so much for taking me along for the ride!
She is sadly mistaken, but this much is true: Touch him and die.
I call Jerk-play on Biker. The rest of the gang doesn’t move as the final few bills drift to the floor. Player picks some up off the ground and stuffs it in Biker’s pocket, warning Emo not to mess with his woman. Biker is still staring at our Lady in White, Player is staring at Biker, and Fashion Girl is staring at Player. It’s like a Mexican standoff without Mexicans. Finally the words “my woman” sink into Biker’s brain and he incredulously repeats them. Fashion Girl has had enough, and is the first to leave, followed by Biker.
Another thing I don't understand. Why does he hate her so much? Why isn't he in Player's face more over this? Even if she were one of Players girlfriends, why is it her fault that he's being a jerk to Fashion Girl?
What is Player's problem with Fashion Girl? Is it her stalking? A restraining order would do wonders.
Biker has made a point of acting like money will not change what matters to him. He dislikes her because what he sees is a girl who will do anything for money. He's wrong, but he doesn't have as much of the story as he thinks he does. He'll regret his behavior soon enough, I am sure. As for Player, to me it seems very clear that he does care about Fashion Girl, but believes that keeping her at arm's length is necessary. I somehow think that this is not for himself, but for her. I'm not going to worry about it. Clearly the story will tell us at some point.
I agree with JoAnne, Player has a serious case of Noble Idiocy going on, Biker feels that Cinderella is a gold digger and believes money will change her lot in life, and Fashion Girl believes that she can still save Player.
However, in the next scene Cindy stops Biker’s headlong exodus from the building. How did she catch up up to those long legs while wearing those spikey heels? She brings his attention to the wad of cash and admonishes him for callously throwing around cash when so many people don’t have enough money to survive. He looks away for a moment, then tries to bull past her. She grabs to stop him, which seems to be his cue to push her back against the wall. He first demands to know who she is, then tells her he’s not interested and to leave. He promises things will get ugly if she continues to hang around Hyun-min.
Why? Why does he care? If he really cares about Fashion Girl, he'd want her as far away from Player as possible.
Again, Hyun Min and the advisors around should get a restraining order against Fashion Girl. That should get the message to her.
Her response? Cindy spins him around and slams Biker into the same wall. Is it bad to say that made me happy? She warns him not to talk about things he doesn’t understand, and to never touch her again. They have a staredown before he peels off her hands and leaves. She still has the money in her fist.
I totally cheered when she reversed the hold and pushed him against the wall! It was great!
The reverse spin made me happy too.
Oh ME TOO.
Jeez, she's pathetic.
She's been brought up on a steady diet of 'acting so will make it so.'
Finally, Player has caught up with Cindy, and tries to stop her. Is she upset? She pulls her arm away, wondering if he always thought she was easily manipulated. She starts stripping, handing off purse, train, jewelry, until she is down to the tiny white dress. He doesn’t even know what to think, as she turns and makes a dramatic exit. At least, until a heel breaks. She just chucks the broken pump at him and dumps the other one onto the sidewalk, walking away with a slight limp.
Well, you have to admit, that WAS dramatic.
He watches her leave, then picks up the broken footwear and muses that it’s midnight and the magic is gone. Biker and Fashion Girl drive past her, but neither pays attention to the other.
Emo Biker drops Fashion Girl at home. She is still spacing out, until he addresses her directly. Does she still like Player, even though he could care less about her? She quietly tells him she loves a good dysfunctional relationship. Actually, she promises that she will do everything to make Hyun-min look at her. Which, really, is the same thing I said.
She needs some serious counseling.
Despite her cuteness, she's seriously getting annoying.
I'm not annoyed yet because I want to know why they are this way.
I think she and Player had something serious once, and now he’s doing anything he can to avoid a true relationship. I’m not yet annoyed with her, but I do hope that as the episodes go on she matures and grows some.
At Sky House, PA Lee is waiting for Player as he whistles out of the shower. He plays ignorant about the repercussions of his little “present”, until PA Lee shows him a picture of a chaebol woman, his grandfather-approved fiancée and next matseon choice. And no chance of becoming Heir Apparent if he doesn’t meet up with her. Hah!
Again, how old are these people?
I'd say they're older than Cindy despite the pointed familiarity of speech earlier. Mid-twenties. Let's go with that. And there's no saying they're all the SAME age, either. Player is first in line because he was there first, I think. Emo could be older, but found later. Ibeol is not enough of a known story to even guess.
And waay up a high-rise (but not the rooftop, unfortunately), Ji-woon casts a lonely figure gazing out over the twinkling lights of the city.
And this scene is necessary to the plot because . . . ?
Actor-contract screentime.
He doesn't live in Sky House - refuses to live there, in fact - but will use Grandpa's money to furnish a pretty nice bachelor pad. That's what that's for.
I thought this was to emphasize just how alone Biker is, you know to really make sure the audience knows how tough it is for him.
I thought he just wanted to be Batman.
It’s a nice clear morning. Gramps is sipping some Earl Grey with lemon and a shot of soju while surveying his domain. PA Lee arrives, and Gramps chuckles that last night was the best wedding ever with that strong-armed woman easily handling his grandson. He wants her investigated for possible use.
At home, Cindy is scrubbing dishes when Mom shows up. She barks that Cindy hasn’t made any food yet. After breakfast, AssMom ignores Cindy, until she asks her for a favor. Can she help with her college tuition? AssMom uses this an excuse to lay into her stepdaughter as an ungrateful malingerer who wants to steal a college education from her own beautiful daughter. Cindy just takes it and scurries out.
I always wonder why these drama Candies don't collapse from exhaustion. I run two errands, and I'm on my couch for a couple of hours at least.
And I want to know why the girl who isn't afraid to stand up for herself takes this behavior at home SO meekly. This is beyond filial duty. It does not fit.
Cinderella takes the punishment from her stepmom because she’s a filial daughter, at least that’s what I thought. This woman is the lady her dad loves now and she feels that she owes it to be respectful lest she ruin what her father has built after her mother’s death.
Outside and everywhere, people who have nothing better to do are buzzing about the mysterious ugly girl that Kang Hyun-min brought to his grandfather’s glorious wedding. Even at AssHouse, the Evil Pair are watching. Dad calls in, and AssMom waits no time in spinning a tale of domestic felicity, while StepBiatch mute-giggles. And Dad is coming home! I hope he straightens this family out.
I remember thinking at the time that I hadn't much hope of this. If he is tricked by these people who are so obvious, then I can't imagine that he will change when he gets back. I mean it isn't like he's never come back before, right?
Right. I figured they act nice in front of him and Cindy goes along with it to keep Dad unworried.
At the convenience store, Cindy is hard at work mopping while her manager just plays game apps. She asks for an advance on her pay, but he puts the kibosh on that. At this we begin to hear PA Lee’s description of her life, as gleaned from his investigation. She’s a hard-working Candy with a slew of part-time jobs and a crappy home life where she has to support herself, and works to earn her own way through higher education. Gramps muses that she might be a good person to whip his grandsons in line.
To me she seems too busy, Gramps. And there are male martial artists out there who could come in and act as tutor/butler/guard.
I believe the idea would be to replace the many jobs with the one job. And it's clear he wants more than just having them fall in line physically.
The dreaded day has arrived, and poor Eun Ha-won sadly looks at her measly 800 won bankbook, having paid to get her mother out of storage. She muses that she can always attend college next year. She feels better for her good deed to her mother.
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. If her mother loved her, she would want her to go to college not care about her ashes.
Exactly. This goes to the idea of filial piety, I guess.
I agree, but it's not so easy to say it's not important. As a mom I agree with you, but as a daughter I can see why she might think this matters. Koreans treat their dead like they're in the next room, not gone. Death is not the end of things, in other words.
Also she is only twenty without any sort of adult support system, Dad doesn’t even answer her text messages. So she is left to make the choice of paying the fees or going to college it would be a hard and emotional choice. I can see why she did what she did.
After a moment, she decides to see if her dad has responded to her previous text. Except her phone won’t open! She finally realizes she has the wrong phone.
Cindy is walking down the sidewalk when PA Lee arrives and stops her. There’s a certain person who is interested in meeting her. Yep, it’s Gramps. Right away he starts with the cheesy jokes. She gives him a thumbs up sign, then apologizes for ruining his wedding the night before.
I really like how she is respectful but not afraid or even intimidated. She truly knows that station in life is not what defines a person.
I liked that too! She is very self assured but extremely respectful.
Gramps is okay with last evening’s events. He shows her a copy of The Art of War by Sun Tzu, and admits to doing a little snooping about her. He is surprised that such a young person likes the same books that a geezer like him reads. She smiles; her mom told her to stick with these teachings in her life.
I have it. One day I'll reread it along with the Analects.
Yeah, it had a real vogue as a business tool here for a while. Art of War, Where's My Cheese, Five Conversations, all that stuff.
I’ve read it, well ages ago, but this makes me want to read it again.
I love how PA Lee is trying to do this serious presentation and Grandpa is making snarky comments about each.
I don't get how Cindy is the right person for the job when there are so many more qualified people in this world, but whatever.
It's her attitude, which is not common. Grandpa recognizes that her innate decency and level-headedness, combined with a demonstrated willingness to stand up to his boys, could have a positive impact on them. He's trying to teach them, not coerce them.
Grandpa’s snarky comments throughout the presentation had me snickering. I like the old guy!
Cindy is taken aback by the offer. What is she supposed to teach them, finishing school lessons? Aren't chaebols supposed to grow up to be mean and greedy to prevent them from charitable donations and good works? Gramps laughs; maybe she can help give them an attitude adjustment. He has a plan that might work. If she helps him out with these boys for three months, he will pay for her college education, even if she goes overseas.
Not a bad deal.
He’s dangling the right carrot. With enough money, he can change the course of her life. She’s struck dumb for a moment, then respectfully declines. The two begin an exchange based on chapters of the book: take advantage of every opportunity, don’t waste effort on a lost cause, catch the chief and win the war, if all fails then retreat, etc. etc. etc. In the end, though, she leaves. PA Lee wonders why his boss went to such great lengths for this girl, but Gramps thinks it’s little effort for possibly big gains.
Frankly, I think he likes her. And he doesn't seem to be the kind of person that likes a lot of real people. I say this because he clearly likes his new wife, but that's like him liking a fantasy doll not a real friend or ally.
Agreed. I don't think Gramps is a bad person at all, but he's certainly not an infallible judge of character.
The exchange of quotes was the best! She calmly matches wits with one of the most powerful businessmen in this little world. That takes guts! I think Gramps truly likes her and wishes that his grandkids were more like her which is why he feels she’s the right person for the job.
At a swanky café, Player meets up with his chaebol matseon date. Shallow conversation aside, she thought this would just be business. Right then, though, Fashion Girl shows up at the same café.
I couldn't tell what her take on this whole thing was. I mean I know she didn't like him but did she think he would just play nice for the money and was she prepared for that? I guess it doesn't matter because this whole scene seems to be there just so we can see Fashion Girl get hurt again.
This scene just made me dislike both Player and Fashion Girl even more.
Business in the sense that these arrangements are business, not romance. They bring business families together, not lovers. As such, if they don't have a huge objection to each other, marriage would be a given.
Player leaps up, grabs her arm, full-body hugs her, AND steals a kiss. ChaeChick is not amused and leaves. Fashion Girl is getting into it when Player releases her, apologizes and walks away. She stops him and asks what he thinks of her? He carelessly shrugs and calls her his old friend. He tells her to stop bringing up the past. She calls him repulsive and hopes there’s a shred of his younger self inside him somewhere.
Instead of this making me feel sorry for her, it just makes me surprised that there was a time that he might have been nice and worthy of her crush.
Her words made no sense. He's repulsive, but she hopes he's still basically a nice guy? Just drop him already. You are cute and Jaehyo loves you.
I don't like his behavior. However, it's clear that he doesn't like it, either. There is some reason he feels this is necessary. I don't know what it is, and I doubt I'd choose the same method to distance her, but I'm not condemning him at this point. Or her. I think she should back off. He has made his wishes clear. She may also know that it's not what he truly feels and that the truth matters more than her pride, but my practical heart keeps shouting that there are other people in the world, and if this one is SAYING he doesn't want you, even if he does - go find another one. It's not supposed to be this hard. It's not like they're married and have a home and family to save, after all.
I really wanted her to slap him, hard, and tell him something to the effect of this is not who he truly is. The way she handled it seemed ingenuine.
Sigh.
Her stuff is nowhere to be found, and the maids haven’t seen it. She’s stuck leaving without her belongings. She still thanks Emo Biker for helping her get upstairs. He tells her why not get her fiance to buy her more stuff? After all, don’t girls like her accept handouts from guys like him? She meets him with a steady stare as he demands she never show up again.
If he hates her, why help her? Make up your mind, Emo Guy!
He's so tedious. I might as well admit it. I'm here for the idol grandson and JoAnne's PA.
He is against injustice and against mistreating people who have less money. When he steps in, it's not for her, really.
That’s what I thought as well. Having lived on the other side of the tracks he can empathize with her plight despite the fact that he doesn’t agree with her choice to be with Player. Biker still can’t stand by and not help her in this instance.
Yay!
But she still can’t get a hold of the person who has her phone. Of course not, he’s playing a gig and no doubt it’s turned off and in the green room. She keeps trying, all the while being pestered by her barista coworker who squeals at the chance to meet the cousins and turn her life around. But she doesn’t believe in help; she would rather forge her own destiny.
Sometimes accepting help IS forging your own destiny. It's not always a bad thing.
The concert is over, and everyone is happy. Ibeol’s coordi gives him the phone, and he finally finds out about the switcheroo. Really people, I can’t believe they even thought the phones could be identical. I can't believe they took so long to use their phones and figure out they were switched. Anyway, he calls his phone, which, of course, dies in Cindy’s hands the moment it rings.
StepBiatch is doing some type of casting video, blech. She smears salmon on her skin?? Who knows.
Not the actual MEAT, Shuk. But I thought snail slime was all the rage these days anyway.
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| Sperm Salmon Body Cream and Fish Soap, anyone?? |
So now they are evil and stupid? Why not try to weasel and guilt her into helping them. I mean she did when she had nothing.
After she’s outside, they suddenly realize Dad is going to be home tomorrow. But they still won’t let her back in.
I was under the impression that the cameras were there in the hopes of catching Cindy; stepsister was just pretext, right?
Not that I needed another reason to hate the step family, but this scene really made me hate them.
Player brings the school uniform home. He throws himself on his bed, but his mind returns to his confrontation with Fashion Girl. Irritated, he stands up and pulls down a faded photo of a young girl and two guys.
They better get to this back story if they want me to care.
Biker is at the front desk because his room was given to someone else. But all of his cards have been declined, so they can’t give him a new one. PA Lee gives him a call, alerted by the card use, and tells him that Gramps demands that he return to Sky House. Biker refuses, but the assistant warns he won’t be able use any perks associated with the family. Biker shrugs; who needs them? PA Lee doesn’t think he will ever willingly return, but Chessmaster Gramps already has a plan.
Of course he does. And if I have any problem with Biker, it's that he's so disdainful and 'above' all this, but uses the money that comes with it. If you're going to reject Grandpa, reject him. Don't pick and choose which part of being an heir you'll deign to accept. Then again, I feel like he has a right to family money if he's family, so...I guess it depends on whether I view it as Grandpa's money, or family money. I'm not sure at this point.
Cindy is working the theater, and one of the rooms has no patrons. It’s probably Suicide Squad. They both decide to grab some popcorn and sneak in for a private showing. Just when they sit down, though, her coworker gets a phone call and has to leave.
Aww, look who else can only watch a crappy movie. Our own little Elmo…errr…Emo. (Yeah, don't malign Elmo. He's always full of good cheer and positive thinking. He'd never hurt anyone's feelings.--Please insert pic of the muppet Elmo).
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| He's cute on a motorcycle, too, |
And that seems TOTALLY out of character. I call foul, Writer. No fair just MAKING THINGS UP. Be true to your characters.
Her behavior, on the other hand, seems entirely in character. She would absolutely feed the hungry dog that bit her, then find a way to bathe him and give him a home.
Cup ramyun at a store! Yummy, cheap eats. She decides this is payback for his assistance when she was looking for her phone and uniform. He all but tosses his chopsticks – his help is only worth 1500 won? But she paid 1000 won for cheese, and that makes the ramyun special. But it was his suggestion to add cheese! Clearly, both their thinking is at a high school level. She’s ready to pluck the cheese right out of his bowl. As they tussle, he looks outside and sees Gramps avidly watching both. His appetite is gone, but she thinks it’s because of their argument.
Is the kid wearing a tracking device? Or was he there to check up on Cindy, since he knows where she works?
I liked the banter between the two here, it was adorable if a little childish.
In the end, he disappears while she is clearing up the table. She buys, he flies, she sighs. What a crappy day she’s having: homeless, phoneless, companionless, and broke.
And he wonders why she thinks he's a loser. He keeps skipping out on her and leaving her with a bill and not thank you or apology. The ramyun looked good though.
Elmo is in Gramp's car; the elder warns that this is penny-ante stuff and he can get a lot meaner. Biker doesn’t care, he has no intention of ever stepping one slipper into that house again. He wants his old life back; Gramps tells him he has the power to destroy even that. Okay that threat verges on bad behavior, Grandpa. If he returns to Sky House, he can wield that kind of power, too. He’s still not interested, he will live as Han Ji-woon from here on. As he walks away, PA Lee wonders if it’s okay to leave him on the streets, but Gramps is confident he will return himself. Oh, Gramps, what do you plan to do?
Also, why does he so desperately want him back? Player boy wants company. Give it to him. Or better yet, give it to PA Lee!!! So delicious and smart and steady and . . . (afraid to say anymore out of fear of Jo)(Discretion is the better part of valor.)
I suppose Emo Boy is the True Heir because of his Deep Heart, and Gramps knows that.
If I were Gramps I wouldn’t want to give the company to Player, not in his current incarnation anyway. I think he desperately wants to find the best businessmen and peron out of the three which is why he wants them all in the same place. Much easier to spy on them that way.
Cindy is both happy and exasperated; so is Herbie. Neither one could get a hold of the other, and they both want their respective phones. Herbie mentions she keeps getting texts; Cindy gives him the unlock code so he can read them to her immediately. He grumbles at the complicated pattern, but becomes sad when he realizes most of the messages are bitches from StepBiatch telling Cindy that she’s telling their father all the shitty things Cindy’s done to her, and that Dad only wants to see and eat with her tomorrow, not her slutty non-family self. He thinks for a moment, and settles on paraphrasing the last one; her father is coming home and everybody is having dinner together. That makes Cindy happy; when they finally meet, Herbie realizes she is his cousin’s ‘fiancée’. He decides to delete all the nasty messages before she gets it back.
Which makes me want to like him but makes me also know that this set up will NOT be good.
Why? Also, I hope he gets together with Fashion Girl. No, wait, I don't. I want Fashion Girl to get a life away from these boys.
Ibeol is a sweetie. He'll be her friend and gradually fall for her, but in the good way that has him happy if she can be happy.
He’s so my favorite! I know that he’ll end up the BFF and support when the other two have her down and his love will go unrequited, but I still love him so much.
They both are happy to get their stuff back. She wonders where all those messages he mentioned went to, and he sheepishly admits to ‘accidentally’ deleting them. What a nice guy, but it’s gonna backfire, you know. He thinks the same thing as she happily walks away.
Yup. Said that before getting to this line. We ALL know that this is going to end badly when even a character knows it.
Despite his good intentions this will so go badly.
At a nearby jimjilbang, she texts her father, plaintively wondering why he never bothered to contact her directly. The next morning, on her way to work, she gets all but attacked in the middle of a media scrum. Everyone wants to talk to the National Lottery Girl. She tries to push through, but they have her surrounded. Just then, Player shows up, whirls her into the crook of his arm, and hustles her into his car.
He's got that swoop and swirl thing DOWN, ladies.
He can do that? I have not seen him working at anything yet, though.
He's a chaebol heir. No one knows what's going on inside the family, so the mere threat that he's unhappy leads to thoughts of Grandpa being unhappy.
When he hangs up, he totally expects her to gush and say she’s in love with him. He even amazed himself with his coolness, to the point of goosebumps. LOL, what are the colors of the trees in his world?
If I had a dollar for every student I had who was shocked, SHOCKED, that I didn't accept Wikipedia as a source for research I'd have a house in Zurich and apartments in both London and Seoul.
Stop, you're both hurting my heart which loves Wikipedia.
But even in grade school Wikipedia isn't an acceptable source. Did your students fall from one of the trees in that alternate world?
I loved that she was so not impressed by him, just his internet eraser.
A tiny bit of time later, she receives a phone call. Her father has removed her mother’s ashes from the columbarium. Yunno, the one the asshole DIDN’T pay for for a half-decade.
Umm. Plot hole. Why would he do that now when it's paid for?
Could we get our Cindy her money back?
She wasn't paying ahead, she was paying arrears.
I thought she didn’t pay the entire fine either, just a partial payment of what was owed.
That was nasty.
Very harsh but not done just to be mean. Intention matters. I don't think I agree with Grandpa, but his intention is not bad.
For the first time I really and truly felt bad for Biker; the mechanic shop was his safe haven.
But now, he’s parked next to the Han River, looking at the twinkling lights with tear-filled eyes. PA Lee shows up behind him, and Biker quietly asks if this is the “power” that Gramps meant. The assistant emotionlessly admits that his grandfather would erase any speck of “Han Ji-woon” off the planet if he could. I don’t think that wins any points with Elmo, PA Lee. It doesn’t matter, I suppose, because Biker is completely tied up and has no more options but to be caged at Sky House. And in the back of my mind, I’m wondering if Biker won’t go all Abraham / Isaac on Gramps and destroy all of his stuff once he gets “the power”.
Yeah. This is NOT the way to make friends Gramps or to secure line of succession. I'm still not sure what he is about. Does he really think that his behavior is going to do anything than breed resentment. Is he sure he wants to give them power after he breeds such hatred.
What is wrong with Han Ji Woon, though? That he was illegitimate? Because that's not his fault. Plus, he has the right to use what name he wants.
I'm holding out for the rest of the story. There had better be one.
Gramps is working with a different set of morals I think, not bad per say, but he seems to have been raised with the idea that money can make anything happen and he has the right to set things in motion as he sees fit. For him, the end result matters more than the actions that got him there.
Biker has checked into a fleabag hotel, paying for a month up front with Ex-Boss’ money. All the identification cards in his wallet read “Kang Ji-woon”, so he just chucks it into the nearest recycle bin.
So melo, that emo.
His first honorable step, not that he keeps to it.
Gramps is finally telling Maleficent that Cindy is not really her step-granddaughter-in-law. She’s relieved, probably because it’s one less variable in her PUBES (Potentially Unknown But Evil Scheme). But Gramps admits he’s trying to get the girl to stay with the grandsons at Sky House, as an experiment to see which has more power, one’s money or one’s resolve. Mal thinks her PUBES might need a rethink if Cindy joins Sky House. PA Lee shows up and says Ji-woon’s issue is resolved, and he has someone keeping an eye on Cindy. He’s betting she doesn’t change her mind.
Cindy is home just as the plates are being filled. EvilMom covers up her surprise and StepBiatch trills for her donsaeng to have a cozy seat at the dinner table. Dad barely spares a glance. What the heck?? Cindy ignores everybody but focuses a laser glare at her father. What did he do with her mother’s ashes? He deflects the question, since her mother is that woman across the table. EvilMom is preparing to play the hurt mother to the hilt; Cindy rolls her eyes and heads into the storage room. After rummaging around, she finds the silk-covered box, and cries.
If he doesn't care, why bring it home?
She carries it to a now-motionless dinner table and demands her father tell her why he treated his wife in such a shabby fashion. He snarls back that he shouldn’t have to spend money on a dead woman. Ashes are worthless, and just need to be disposed of.
TBH, I kind of agree. Scatter them somewhere, don't pay for them to sit in a columbarium. Or set up your own table at home.
We all felt that way too - ashes aren't as important as people who are here - and yet we all bristle at his behavior. Intent matters.
Up until this scene I was really hopeful that Dad would come in and be there for Cinderella, because she needs someone in her corner badly. Then Dad turns out to be a tool.
Cindy can’t believe it either. What about the fact that she lives in the laundry room? Except when Dad comes home and they throw her stuff in StepBiatch’s room while he’s there. EvilDadWhatever slams his hands on the table for Cindy’s attack on his wife. How dare she call her mother a liar, you ungrateful, unappreciative little girl! Cindy demands her dad take her seriously; he responds by slapping her. The two steps are shocked, then pleased. Dad drops a bombshell; he should have never tried to raise someone else’s child. What??
I know. My daughter and I had the same response, too. Another birth secret? We're just in the 2nd episode?
Even if he did raise another person's child, then he should know it's not that child's fault. What a jerk.
Wasn't expecting THIS. Like Cinderella wasn't already enough of a Korean tale!
I hates him I does Precioussss!
So now it's okay they ate fried chicken in front of her.
Again, I'm torn. It's not okay to be mean, but expecting someone to share their fried chicken...
How perfect for this nasty little grouping of three. Dad looks down and refuses to make eye contact with Cindy, as EvilStepMom whispers that it’s better if Cindy quietly disappears and never shows her face again.
Cindy, you are smart and capable: leave these jerks.
What a bunch of terrible people!!
Cindy walks out into the rain, with nothing but her back pack, her mother, and the clothes on her back. She remembers happier times when Past Mom and Past Dad were happily running through the rain after her judo lesson. What the hell happened to Dad to change him this much? And is it germaine to the story? Let Deadbeat Dad die and end up on a rubbish heap.
I still say that gramps had a hand in this. I think he probably paid off the father to make Cindy so desperate that she really wouldn't have any place to go since it was clear, as our beloved PA Lee says, she really wasn't going to come back just for the money. Sigh. I suppose she has one thing in common with Emo ( I refuse to call him Elmo) Guy.
Then Gramps is the nastiest person of all.
I don't think this was Gramps. I think this was timing. *Looks at writer*
I think was a coincidence. The fact that dad hasn’t answered any of her texts foreshadowed this fallout. It was the perfect storm of events and Cinderella’s outburst and his collecting the ashes were just the last straw in the whole deal.
Hmm. *Potentially revises previous opinion, but then looks at writer even more suspiciously*
We don’t hear her answer, but the boys all get happy buzzy text messages: Emo Biker in his sad room; Player in the club with his friends; Herbie in his Idol Van.
And they all go running.
I thought that was interesting, too.
Their money and position in life is dependent on Gramps’ mood. They came running for the last text too. I don’t think it was too far outside the realm of realities for this world.
“Everything has changed at Sky House. Come and see for yourself.”
Still in the rain, Cindy stands outside Sky House, and asks her mother whether it’s okay to stay here. PA Lee brings her an umbrella as the other vehicles drive in. I ask, if his damn network is so efficient, shouldn’t there have been a car outside her Evil Family’s house?
I think he was. I doubt Sky House is easily accessible by public transportation.
But whatever, let the cohabitation hijinks begin!!
And the boys literally arrive to make a triangle around her. Geez.
Geez at the Cheez.
*laughs in delight*
FINAL COMMENT
What a shitty family Eun Ha-won has. She is well rid of them, and they better not come back and cry for child-support or something.
There's no getting rid of leeches like that.
I still don't like Emo Biker. Can his character development start ASAP, jusayeo?
How much longer can they make him so unlikable? I'm voting for Cindy to get with PA Lee, and if Fashion has to be with someone for her to have idol boy--but only if she figures out how to smile once every other month.
Idol boy seems okay for Fashion Girl. But I still think she should leave this situation altogether - oh wait, drama. Subsiding.
Cindy with Emo, Fashion Girl with Player, my PA Lee with Ibeol, since he can't be with me.
Despite some plot holes and the cheese I love this show. I think Biker won’t be able to remain so angry at the world for long, at least I hope. Player will be fascinated by Cinderella for a while because she’s so true to herself and real, but they won’t end up together.
