Marry My Husband Ep 9 (A SqueeCap)

SHUK: The players are all in place for Act II, and I for am ready to see some slimy business washed away. Anyway, things are starting to get complicated and heavy as Ji-won starts snipping the twisted threads between her old fate and her new one. We do have lots of cute moments between our Ji-loves, and Ji-hyuk proves his steadiness over and over.

On the other hand, I have run out of words to describe how crazy Soo-min has become. And we have a long way to go until the end. Holy Schnikes!

Trotwood: I don't think we need to even think of more words for her. She is painting the picture all on her own. I was eager to see what they woud do with her story and how it would be similar and different from the backstory in the original. There are certain subtleties that you can't really achieve with less time, so how they do this in a show of 16 episodes from an original source of over over 58 will be interesting.

EPISODE 9

Everyone is congratulating the newly-affianced couple. Ji-won feels a slimey slug crawling on her shoulder. Oh wait, it’s Weasel. So this is a variation of Past Life: it’s still Ji-won’s birthday and engagement, but the New Life version.
I know this is part of the bigger plan, but I really really really really really really really really hated this. It was just so painful to watch. Especially, the sincerity of the well wishes by our best friend crew: Sunny and Yang Mom. It was worse than having to watch Ji-hyuk watch this because at least he knows the truth.

It turns out Weasel had no idea of the hi-tech high-class sky-show, but he’s happy enough to take the credit. We get a flashback; Boss told Weasel that the company will foot the bill for a villa and fancy party for Ji-won as compensation for the problems at work.
HA! I knew it. Weasel is just too dumb and too selfish to think of or pull something like this off.

Our egocentric little slimeball figures that Boss is in love with his fiancée, but rejects any idea that Ji-won isn’t blindly in Weasel’s pocket. He boldly tells his superior that he intends to propose that night and searches his face for any disappointment. Boss is righteous, though, and coolly offers some additional surprises.
He is not just righteous though. What Weasel can't understand is that Ji-hyuk is putting Ji-won's plans first. This is something that Weasel could never comprehend. He can only think from his own perspective, and if he were Ji-hyuk he would be seething with jealousy and a need to make the other man feel small not thinking about Ji-won at all. Even in this moment, Weasel is not really thinking about Ji-won, only about what he wants.

ShukNote: During this convo, Weasel grabs Boss’ shoulder. He then snaps his hand back like it was on fire. Did Boss whack him with his schmexy aura? I couldn’t tell, but I also ain't complaining. #HandsOffTheTree
I want a #HandsOffThe Tree t-shirt now.

Back at the villa, Ji-won and Boss look at each other and smile, knowing it’s all part of the plan.

A short time later, Ji-won is at the end of the pier. Snakey comes up behind her and plays the childish innocent looking for her apology to be accepted. But Ji-won remembers Snakey’s face when she was killed and jerks her hands away. In a tense voice, she states aloud that she can’t figure out Snakey’s game. It doesn’t matter, though, because they will never be friends again.
It's this added bit that makes their relationship so interesting and frustrating and scary. If Snakey straight up just hated Ji-won, why would she need JW to be her friend to like her to put her first to supplicate to her constantly? She could be doing everything she is doing to undermine JW that she is right now without this added bit. It makes her villainy more creepy than Weasel's.

 

As Ji-won leaves the pier, Snakey shouts. When Ji-won turns around, Snakey is backing to the edge of the pier and says she can’t swim. Splash! She sinks for a bit before Ji-won dives in after her. 

It’s just like the woods during the company treasure hunt. Soo-min gives a rictus of a smile and grabs Ji-won, preventing her from swimming back to the surface. WTF???

That look under the water. That look of victory by Snakey. It was here that I realized that there were levels of psychosis in her that have not been tapped or even realized by the others in her life until this moment. I'll quote what I said in a post elsewhere back on January 30, which I think still holds true even after having watched all episodes: "But she also believes that everything good she has is linked to Ji-won. She is the one who created this twisted fate, but she blames JW. She wants to be JW AND also wants to be the most important person to her." 

At the buffet, Boss hears the splash and runs to the deck edge. By that time, both women are out of the water. Ji-won dries off and changes into comfortable wear before meeting up with everyone in the living room. Snakey is nowhere to be found, but it turns out she went to go lay down.
Shuk, she's tired. You need to rest up when you try to drown people!

Sunny offers a cold drink. Boss counters with a better-received mug of hot chocolate. Sunny and Yang Mom are happy nothing bad happened. Weasel asks if Snakey deliberately jumped, but Ji-won covers. Yang Mom think Snakey will be grateful to Ji-won forever [shudders].
Oooboy. never say "forever" and Snakey in same sentence. That's bad mojo vibes.

Everyone goes upstairs, except Ji-won, who wants to finish her BossLove hot chocolate and think about the events.
All good people deserve some BossLove hot chocolate. I'm feeling a little sad I don't have some right now.

 

When Weasel reaches his room though, there’s a surprise visitor. It’s Cray-Cray! She’s all snuggly and ready to get a little boot-knocking in. Yunno, a little bit of a thrill for her BFF’s fiancé after BFF saved her life. Geez, her thought process is so twisted and dark, even Beelzebub would think twice about going in there.
Look at his face. Even he thinks she's crazy, but that thing in his pants doesn't seem to mind at all.

We know the safety is off, so it will probably fire prematurely.

Boss sneaks downstairs to check on Ji-won. She spills out everything, especially that she deliberately jumped. While our eyes are tortured by the SleazePair in bed, Ji-won’s voiceover continues. She thought it would be easy to get the mannerless horndog and the jealous life-stealer to get together and be happy. But Cray Cray’s attempt to take both their lives has sparked her fears that Cray Cray doesn’t care about her own existence as long as she can remove Ji-won’s.
Yup.

Boss comforts and calms her down, but the moment is broken when they hear footsteps. It’s Sunny, heading to the kitchen for a drink. The pair is hiding behind a column, practically in each other’s pockets. Sniff him, Ji-won! You know you want to!!
She owes us to take up our fantasies at this point.

Once Sunny leaves, they break apart, and Boss promises to show her something good. Is it what we think it is? Nope, it’s a sunrise boat ride. Still nice, I guess. Boss tells her that he comes to the lake whenever he is unsure, just to clear his head. He tells her that nobody knows the complete future, so don’t be scared. If Cray Cray is acting differently than her past life, then Ji-won is doing something right and changing things. They click champagne glasses, and she thanks him for the best first birthday. Awww!
Double awwww. I love this. I love them as a team. I wish more shows had the main couple working as a team towards something rather than having them antagonists who spar and then come to admire each other through conflict between them.

At work, Ji-won flashes her TEMU ring to the folks waiting by the elevator, and they congratulate her. Boss is pretty calm and smiles at the farce. As the elevator packs in, they end up next to each other, and almost. Almost! Hold hands.

On the Rooftop of Rumination, Boss asks why she broadcasted her engagement. She replies that she wants Weasel to take a bigger hit when she calls it off. She’s pretty energetic about her plan of action; he is apologetic but will be heading to Japan this week and so will miss her next moves.
Nooooo!! Don't goooooo! I'm not worried. I just will miss him.

SleazePair is flirting in the meeting room, but the Nice Girls arrive before he can do too much slutskinship. They are talking about the engagement when Ji-won walks in. She says her fiancé has set the bar high, and she has great expectations for him. That puts him Deer-In-the-Headlight mode. Sunny start prattling on about all the accessories that the man buys for his woman before meeting her parents. Oh yeah, he wasn’t planning for any of that.
Because he is a small-minded, cheapass cheapskate who probably thinks she should be buying him things now.

 

Ji-won is at home working on her inventory when Cray Cray shows up. She offers her a belated birthday present of red shoes, which Ji-won barely acknowledges. Cray Cray tries another tack; in a soft voice she offers to pay for cooking lessons for Ji-won, since wives are expected to be proficient in the kitchen.
If she could use this laser focus for good or even at her job, she might be able to get out of the shadow that she has created for herself behind Ji-won, but you know the crazy is stopping her.

Past Ji-won had to endure her mother-in-law insisting on her making banchan in a certain way, learned from the same cooking class. She thinks about that, as well as the fact that Cray Cray didn’t offer to pay for this class previously. That means things are still in flux in her current life. She agrees for both of them to go to class.
Ji-won is good. She is going to be successful in ways that I wouldn't be because I don't think I could go through doing anything with Snakey after she tried to drown me.

Cray Cray promises to be someone Ji-won can count on, but whether Snakey or Cray Cray, our girl will never trust her as far as she could throw a fit.
Because she isn't dumb.

Once Cray Cray leaves, Ji-won looks at the shoes and thinks back. She wonders if she’s really cut out to be an actress since she can’t tell if the bait is working.  She give out a tearful laugh. These ridiculous bad people are so bad that their badness makes sure she will never falter in her resolve be more badass than she already is.
Cheers to you, my Queen of Revenge!!!

It’s the day of the cooking classes, and WeaselMom is being a typical entitled jerkwad, loudly arguing with the front desk about bending the rules just for her. Clearly, we can see why Min-hwan grew up to be a little sniveling weasel-like little boy. She is a teacher's worst nightmare. You know she was in that school every day complaining about why he wasn't doing better, getting more attention, or making waves because he got in trouble but it couldn't possibly be her darling son's fault.

 

In the classroom, WeaselMom commandeers the spot Ji-won has already chosen and throws the younger woman’s things across the table. Ji-won calls her out on her rudeness, and Cray Cray smooths things over. Clearly Ji-won is already on WMom’s bad list.

Since it is the weekend, Yang Mom is doing a bit of overtime when she gets a call from Tiny Cute. Yeon-ji has been left home alone all day and is hungry. Dirtbag Dad disappeared, so Yang Mom quickly collects her stuff and grabs a taxi. She calls the house and gets a video call of a crying hungry little girl. It seems she was left alone all day. Where is her father?
Her husband is so trifling. The married men in this show are all sooo terrible.

Yang Mom is totally stuck in traffic, until a Hot Henchman pulls up on a hot hot motorcycle. Yasss!

Get her motor runnin', head out on the highway...

In no time at all, Yang Mom has ridden the knight’s steed and arrived at her home. She throws her helmet and him, quickly thanks him, and runs into her building, leaving a bemused Mr Lee behind.
I like how when he's with her he is always so obviously in a fight with himself. His better person wants to help her and his professional survival person knows that people like her get squashed and he should stay away.

 

Dirtbag Dad is finally home, although he’s feeding his daughter little more than cup noodles. Yang Mom wants to argue with him, but she experiences a sudden stomachache. 
Dun-dun-dun!!!

At the cooking class, Cray Cray is chopping carrots like a champ, impressing WMom. Ji-won, in contrast, is slow and uncaring. (you know she is doing this on purpose, and I loved it) WMom is impressed with Cray Cray and very much less so with Ji-won. She makes a snarky comment, but Ji-won gives back as much, talking about how wonderful her boyfriend is and how he loves to take care of her. I suddenly realize that Soo-min knew Min-hwan’s mother was going there before she signed up.
Oh, yeah. I assumed it even before it was proven. There is no way she would have suggested it and offered to pay for it otherwise. She needs to take everything Ji-won wants.

 

At the end of class time, Ji-won has created the perfectly balanced sandwich. Even WMom is impressed. In her head, J-won thanks WMom for being such a biatch in her previous life that she is a cooking wizard in this one. It even tastes wonderful, that WMom likes it. Cray Cray looks on, not happy.

Outside the class, Cray Cray wonders where Ji-won learned to cook; she mentions her father taught her some food skills. While they are chatting, Weasel shows up to take Ji-won shopping. She decides to be clingy to her fiancé, so Cray Cray decides she has something else to do. But not before she offers a veiled threat to Ji-won.
She just can't help herself.

 

Boss is on a CloudAir plane in first class when the flight attendant brings by the duty-free catalog. I love those things, full of all kinds of weird stuff! But Boss focuses on the front picture of a pretty diamond necklace, and remembers when Ji-won talked about the cheap jewelry that Weasel usually uses to entice women.

Ji-won is the perfect shopper, and poor Weasel is left with a lot of bags and no money. She really shouldn’t spend his money when he’s down on his luck, but what the heck, she figures he would have spent it on other women anyway. Why not spend it on her?
All true, and I applaud you ma'am.

 

While they are talking, Cute Chef calls Ji-won’s phone. Nasty Weasel picks up the phone and tries to weasel a free/discounted meal out of him. Then he hangs up on him. It turns out Cute Chef is with the Mean Girls, who are trying to schedule an apology luncheon. Ji-won calls back, and he is cordial but pretty floored by the news of the engagement.
These Mean Girls are an interesting lot and an interesting take on the Mean Girls in high school, most of whom wouldn't give a shit about how they had been wrong in high school. But then you got to wonder how bad they really are if they hang out with Chef or if it's just that he's that nice that he's the only one who still talks to them. Then again, they did come to the funeral, too.

Boss was flying back home previously. He meets up with his grandfather, who is at a hospital, or a room at the mansion that looks like a hospital room. They chat, and we learn he also met with Yu-ra when he was there. Right away, Grandpa starts promoting Yu-ra and dissing Ji-won. What was his grandson thinking, using their villa, drones, and boat for an engaged woman? Grandpa plays the responsibility card, stating that without his father, Ji-hyuk is the only one who can take over U&K and bring it to bigger heights. 
And? Your point is what, grandpa? How does any of this go together?

 

Ji-hyuk doesn’t respond; he is thinking about his accident as well as his parents’ funerals. When he looks back at his grandfather, he wonders if Grandpa cried at his funeral. He gives the befuddled old man a hug and apologizes.
He clearly loves this man.

Ultimately, he ends up in front of Ji-won’s place, with a bag from the duty-free shop. He flips it into the backseat when Ji-won taps the glass and slides into the passenger seat. She’s happy he’s back; he tells her he misses her.
We missed you, tooooooo! (Ugly crying with relief that he's back)

In the car, he talks about how decided and set his life is. She decided the day that Weasel ended up covered in kimchi, that she would do her best to forge a new path. Boss thinks for a moment and asks for her hand. They entwine fingers and smile at each other. He tells her to get the SleazePair to marry and then go on and be happy.
Hurrah for the sentiment and the handholding.

At the WeaselHouse, WMom is barking at everyone. Weasel tries to ask if WMom will give him a house, but he’s interrupted by a Cray Cray text that she is outside. She cops a feel and offers a quick pickle tickle, but there’s not enough time.
Shaking my head and rolling my eyes over these two.

 

Cute Chef is arranging tables at his restaurant; his coworker wonders why he looks so sad. Once he walks away, Weasel rushes in. There’s no one there, so he calls Ji-won and browbeats her that everyone is waiting. He’s such a lying…weasel. Anyhow, the WeaselParents arrive just then, followed by Ji-won. She is dressed up like a vamp and it’s perfect!
She actually looks really good. It's not an outfit to wear to meet the parents, but she doesn't look like a harlot or anything more like she's going to go clubbing with her girlfriends.

Ji-won plays up her surprise at seeing her cooking co-student there. During the meal, she causes several amusing spit-takes. Weasel quietly whispers, wondering why his fiancée wasn’t wearing the clothes he bought. WMom immediately picks up on this, and Ji-won is happy to mention the clothes, shoes, and bags he bought for her. WMom gives him the stink-eye.
I loved this whole bit, and rewatched this scene several times because everyone is so uncomfortable except for her. Well actually, his dad is just there. It's very clear that he has given up on talking much in this family.


Boss is at his home, creating a trust fund that will take care of Cheese Tabby into perpetuity. Henchman is wondering why he feels the need to make sure the cat is taken care of, but Boss doesn’t elaborate. He also asks for another favor, but we don’t hear it.
This made me so sad. He really believes that he is going to die with no future with the two loves of his life, the cat and JW.

Once he is alone, he looks at the necklace he bought, and wonders how ‘she’ is doing.

At the dinner, WMom admits to not liking Ji-won, but with some additional training she might be a decent daughter in law. The older woman then goes on to say that equality is great out in the world, but in her household the woman takes care of hearth, home, and halfwit. Oh and the harridan MIL.
I love how she believes that she is doing JW a favor here. Like she really believes that JW would and should be bending over in thankfulness for this GREAT opportunity. Ugh.

Also, WMom also wants to take Ji-won to an OB/GYN for a complete pelvic exam to confirm that she can bear at least three or four births. 

Also Also, she wants to revive Jesa (제사), Korean ancestral rites, which involve nine separate steps including giving food and drink before the memorial tablets. It’s clear that WMom feels she needs to hand walk JiWon through everything, since she is a pitiful orphan. Did Ji-Won have to go through this ridiculous crap during her first life? At the end, WeaselMom finishes pontificating.

But…not until she insists that, on top of all this nonsense, Ji-won is to keep her career and contribute money to the household. Ji-won tells WMom that it’s impossible to do all this work at home and still maintain a job.
Exactly.
But from Ji-won's point of view, isn’t it the man’s responsibility to supply the paycheck? Ji-won corrects WMom’s previous discussion of Jesa, implying that the older woman doesn’t know anything about the ceremonies.

Hackles go up, and WMom is reduced to comments about Ji-won being poorly raised. Whoo boy, the gloves are off. Ji-won calmly calls WMom “Ahjumma” then slams the table. In a nice but inexorable voice, she intones, “The wedding is off, and your son isn’t all that great. Don’t forget, everybody is somebody’s precious child, so mark my words. I’m calling off the wedding.” Her arrogance deflated, WMom is speechless as Ji-won storms out of the restaurant.
The comment about her dad did it. Do not insult JW's dad, woman!

She not really angry, of course, but all smiley at how well that went! Weasel chased after her, ready to throw down. But Cute Chef and his crew are witnesses, so there’s nothing Weasel can do when she tells him to never darken her door again. Whoot!

Except he’s stupid. He grabs Ji-won’s shoulder. Judo Flip! In front of Cute Chef, she executes a perfect flip, flinging Weasel in the dirt. We see the feet fly over and over again; it’s quite entertaining. Her smile says it all.
I loved it. I loved it all!!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Yay, for taking agency Ji-won is carefully but thoroughly snipping those old faded red threads and weaving some new shiny red Fates! This was so satisfying an ending, even though we know we have a long way to go. 

Ji-won now looks bad in WeaselMom’s eyes, and Soo-min’s behavior at the cooking class will soon get WMom to acknowledge her, just the way our heroine and ex-bestie want it!

What I find so interesting about this story (both here and in the original) is how much the core of this battle is really between Snakey and Ji-won with Weasel and Ji-hyuk only involved because of their involvement with them. In other stories, the 2nd FL is fighting the lead for the man. But Weasel, despite what he thinks about himself, isn't the prize here. Snakey only wants him because he is/was something that JW has.

The hand has been taken!