I love the way this drama is starting to leave me with some serious warm-fuzzies. Not only is our OTP starting to make some progress *squee* but our hero is as well; which means I have a lot to be happy with in this next set of episodes. Sadly, I have some things that have really riled me up as well but such is the life of any drama watcher. I’m just happy that, for the most part, the good seems to be outweighing the bad.
As much as I’d love to just dive into all of the cute OTP goodness we’ve got going on right now, I suppose it’d be better if I picked up where things left off last time. After that big song and dance by Hyuk and the janitorial team, you knew there was no way CEO Byun was going to let things go. It’s only natural that this man would be upset by the stunt Hyuk pulled but to go so far as to physically abuse both Hyuk and Je Hoon was going way too far. No matter how upset he may have been with his son, beating him and his subordinates is NOT okay. E.V.E.R. Having to watch both Hyuk and Je Hoon suffer from such violence is repulsive in so many ways. In all honesty, I’d find nothing more satisfying than watching CEO Byun being dragged off to jail where he’d have to stay for the rest of his life. I mean, if people can be locked up for getting into a fight on the street, surely such violence in the workplace can also be prosecuted. Shouldn’t someone be saying something about this abusive behavior? It’s not like this is the first time Byun Senior has swung a fist as his son and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I just can’t understand how anyone can pass this behavior off as okay. It’s unfathomable to me and I hate it but no one seems to be able to say anything about it. *sigh* Sometimes Drama Land characters can be so lame.
In some ways I think Papa Byun is trying to beat some sense into his wayward son because he feels like there’s no other way to get through to him. This is wrong on so many levels, not only because the physical violence is horrifying, but also because is shows just how little he knows about his youngest son. Hyuk is a gentle soul. He’s innocent and naive and at times incredibly stupid, but beyond all of that, he’s someone who can see the suffering of others and feels compelled to help. In these 2 episodes we learn that even though we may be inclined to assume that Hyuk has only taken on these more positive traits after being around Joon, he’s actually been this way for quite a while. Why else would he be willing to take the blame when Woo Sung caused that accident all those years ago. Hyuk didn’t have to take the fall for his brother, but because he loved him and wanted to help in some way, he chose to become the bad guy. I have to wonder if this wasn’t the moment when Hyuk fell from his father’s grace. After all, in the very first episodes, we saw that Hyuk was, at one time, a loved and treasured son. Could this one accident, this one decision to become the bad guy, be what turned his father against him? Could this incident have been what turned elder son against younger? You’d think that by taking the fall, Hyuk would win a permanent spot on his brother’s good side. But what if that wasn’t the case? What if somehow Woo Sung’s anger and bitterness stems from this very moment? Maybe deep down he feels ashamed? Maybe he’s trying to keep his little brother pathetic so he never has a chance to get back into his father’s good graces? Having Hyuk on bad terms with Papa Byun would inevitable mean more for Woo Sung, both now and in the future. But beyond that, if Hyuk is always being chased away, he’ll never have a chance to tell his father what really happened. Whatever the case may be, there’s some seriously bad blood between these brothers and Woo Sung’s constant determination to grind his younger brother into nothing really makes me hate him.
Sadly, my feelings for Je Hoon aren’t improving any either. I swear, this brat just keeps sinking himself lower and lower. Pretty soon, he’s going to find himself in a hole so deep, he’s never going to be able to drag himself out. Deep down, I want to feel sorry for this kid but his actions up to this point just aren’t making that possible. He’s allowed himself to be pushed and pulled, used and manipulated, for so long that he doesn’t know who or what he is anymore. He’s a lost soul, trapped in this awful world of lies and manipulation and the only thing he can think to do is to blame others for his problems and feel sorry for himself. Sorry kid but that’s not the way to improve your situation. If Je Hoon really wanted to be free of this awful tangled mess of a life he’s living, all he’d have to do is walk away. He has everything he needs to get out and move on with life, but he won’t because he’s too comfortable being everyone else’s punching bag lackey. Not that he’s actually physically comfortable in this role, he just doesn’t see a way out, so he stays. You’d think that after being hit so many times, he’d find the resolve to walk away but for whatever reason, he hasn’t. Maybe the pay at his current job is too good. Maybe he’s afraid of disappointing his father. Maybe he’s afraid of leaving his father in the care of a family who treats everyone like crap. Maybe he’s secretly trying to work his way up the ranks of the company so someday he can take it over and repay the horrid Byun family for all the horrible pain they’ve inflicted on Je Hoon’s family all these years. It’s really hard to say why Je Hoon is walking this current path but one thing’s for sure, he needs to get out and he needs to do it NOW.
Je Hoon also needs to stop giving Hyuk jealous death stares, every time Hyuk says something about Joon. Those stupid looks aren’t going to make Joon fall for him and if he doesn’t step up now and tell Joon how he feels, it’s going to be way too late. Though in all honesty, Je Hoon is never going to win Joon’s heart. He had his chance years ago and he blew it. Taking his anger out on Hyuk isn’t going to change that. In fact, being so openly resentful towards Hyuk is actually forcing Joon to acknowledge her feelings for Hyuk that much sooner. When Je Hoon decided to confront Joon and ask her, straight out, if she liked Hyuk, he was forcing her to consider feelings she’s been, up to this point, trying to ignore. When forced to answer that question, Joon was forced to admit that yes, there might be something there and we all know where that led. (Oh happy, happy day!) If Je Hoon hadn’t been so stupid back in college, if he hadn’t injured Joon’s pride with his stupid retort to her confession, if he could have found a time between then and now to be honest with himself and Joon, about how he felt, things would have been totally different now. But they’re not and Je Hoon has no one to blame but himself.
As happy as I am with our OTP’s romantic progress, it’s their relationship as friends/colleagues that has made me the happiest. I love that Joon is able to see the good in Hyuk. She’s able to see past all of the bumbling chaebol nonsense and see into his heart. She sees his potential, his capacity for greatness, and she’s doing everything she can to help him see that too. It’s not that she’s trying to change Hyuk, to make him something that he’s not, she’s simply trying to help him see that he is so much more than what he’s been lead to believe. Hyuk has spent the majority of his life being told he’s a worthless loser so, of course, that’s what he believes. But now that he’s found Joon, he’s starting to realize that he’s actually got the makings of greatness. He just needed someone willing to step into his life, look past all of his walls and defenses, and help he find the greatness within. And that’s all Joon’s doing. She’s helping him see that he is more than he’s been led to believe. Sure, he still makes mistakes, but who doesn’t? We’re all human, after all. Mistakes are a part of life. But now that Joon is in his life, Hyuk is starting to realize that those mistakes don’t have to define him. They can become opportunities for learning, for growing, and now that Hyuk is starting to see that… Well, things are changing and I couldn’t be happier.
I am sorry that Joon is being dragged into this world of corporate nonsense. She’s made it a point to never be a part of that life and yet, here she is. She’s applying for jobs she doesn’t want. She’s being dragged into the middle of too many fights. She’s quickly becoming an object of interest among various members of the Byun family, which makes me very nervous. You know she’s going to be put through all sorts of misery now that Woo Sung knows about her father’s ties to the company. Having Je Hoon try to keep her past a secret isn’t going to do her any favors either. I’m afraid to think of what might happen now that Joon’s family secrets are out. There are a whole lot of nasty people in Joon’s life right now who would be more than happy to make her miserable. Will Woo Sung try to use this information to drive Hyuk and Joon apart? (Most likely…) Will Je Hoon try to step in as the hero who saves Joon from further pain? (If he does, it probably won’t work and will probably end up only making things worse.) What about Hyuk? What will he do once he realizes his family’s company is responsible for ruining Joon’s life? He is already starting to feel the burden that comes with being a Byun. Will this added weight become too much for him? It’s hard to say what’s going to happen for sure but already I’m starting to feel sorry for him. He’s not going to take this news well.
On a happier note, we got a little more Yeon Hee/Officer Jang goodness in this new set of episodes and that made me all sorts of squealy. I know it was totally silly, having a drunk Yeon Hee force her way into Cheol Min’s apartment but who doesn’t love a little silliness now and then? Officer Jang was ridiculously adorable, trying to figure out how to handle this crazy woman and Yeon Hee was equally adorable, trying to fight off her embarrassment the next morning. All in all, I thought it was a cute way to introduce Cheol Min to all the neighbors and I’m really hoping for more of this silliness in the future. I don’t know why but I just really like these two together. Maybe it’s because they both seem so lonely? Maybe they’re just really cute together? It’s hard to say. All I know is, I’m very much enjoying these random bits of fluff.
All in all, I’m pretty satisfied with these next 2 episodes. Yes, there were some moments I wish I could forget but overall, but you can’t really have a good story without conflict. I’m just happy we have enough sweet moments to help us forget the bitter. But what about you? What are you thoughts on this next set of episodes? Let me know in the comments below!
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