For those of us old enough to remember… “Mystery Guest, won’t you sign in please?!?”

Ji-ho struts into the conference room to the disbelieving faces of Yeong-rang and In-ha, and introduces himself to the Hanguk University Music Director as the President of Gloria Instruments.  It’s all Yeong-rang could do to sputter out and ask Ji-ho if he is truly the representative for Gloria?  In-ha says there’s no way Ji-ho could start up a company in his state!

Ji-ho differs with that opinion, as he tells them that he really wanted to go back to Boosung, but they didn’t want to take him back.  And since he’s still under the Music Society disciplinary action, he can’t play the piano.  The only thing he knows how to do is run a company.  Yeong-rang attempts to process that information.

In-ha starts out Boosung’s presentation by playing up the affordable cachet of their pianos using the Alaskan spruce left to him by Dead Burnt-Up Dad.  Boosung will throw 500% of their efforts into assisting Hanguk acquire the best Butt-Ugly Pianos if they are chosen.  Golf claps break out from the assembled crowd.

Now it’s Ji-ho’s turn, and he exchanges dagger-eyes with In-ha as they pass by each other.  He agrees that Boosung’s piano is in fact a masterpiece piano, but the downside is that it is too expensive for a university to obtain hundreds in their order.  Therefore, Gloria has designed a new soundboard using a cheaper material, thereby creating a less-expensive student piano.  Hearing that news makes In-ha and Yeong-rang squirm in their seats.  (And no applause for Ji-ho?  LAME.)

The three of them confront each other on their way out of the building.  Yeong-rang asks Ji-ho if this was his intent to go against his father’s company, but Ji-ho reminds her it’s not his father’s company anymore.  There’s no reason for him to protect Boosung, which has already gone astray from his principles.

In-ha says that it was their father’s will to create another Butt-Ugly Piano, which In-ha accomplished, thankyouverymuch.  But Ji-ho retorts that their father loved the piano so much, but then In-ha goes off and freeloads the spruce that was left to Boosung?  In-ha surmises that Ji-ho is way jealous that the spruce wasn’t left to him, right?  But In-ha still thinks it’s not right that Ji-ho goes up against Boosung like this, and Yeong-rang orders Ji-ho to QUIT NOW, since there’s no freakin’ way he’s the owner of Gloria.

Yeong-rang tells Ji-ho that he has no right to start a competing company, since everyone is going to point and laugh at her as the family’s betrayer.  Ji-ho says that’s like the pot calling the kettle black, because since he is not her blood son, all his stocks were stolen from him and he was kicked out of Boosung.  And Yeong-rang thinks she has the public on HER side?  Hah.

In-ha only wants confirmation that Ji-ho is ready for a fight, as Ji-ho says it doesn’t matter what the company is on the outside.  What’s more important to Ji-ho is to continue his father’s will.

But as Ji-ho starts walking away, he asks In-ha if he received a call from the Music Association.  Once both boys’ disciplinary actions are decided, that too will affect Boosung’s image.  Ji-ho tells In-ha that he’d better be careful, and walks away leaving In-ha to sit and stew in his own juices.

As they drive back to Boosung, Yeong-rang is convinced that there’s someone behind the scenes bankrolling Gloria because there is no way Ji-ho would be such an ass unless there’s real money involved.  In-ha instead is wondering if it’s true Ji-ho has found a substitute wood to produce a low-cost, great-sounding piano.  That would be a death blow to Boosung.

Yeong-rang says there’s no way since Ji-ho is bluffing – the world’s experts have researched a different wood product with no success for over 100 years.  In-ha is now convinced of the real reason Ji-ho returned to Korea… to ruin Boosung.  And on that note, In-ha says he needs to stop by their R&D Department to check on their progress.

Da-mi stares intently at a fly in the room a laptop screen as the video from the taxi’s black box is played.  She tells Jung-wook to stop it since she’s seen enough.  He tells her to get ready because she’s going to see worse things in the future, but does she NOW believe that Ji-ho is not Woo-jin’s real killer?

Jung-wook reiterates that Da-mi’s main focus should be creating a piano that will take down Boosung.  Ji-ho and he will handle the rest, so she should just trust the two of them.  But Da-mi decides that she wants proof positive that In-ha was Woo-jin’s killer.  After that, she will make her decision whether to stay or go.

Leaving Geumdan Construction, Da-mi sees Ji-ho waiting for her, as he asks if she’s made her decision yet.  Da-mi just sighs and walks right past him.  (And Joo Ji Hoon really needs a shave right now…)

Back at Boosung, In-ha enters the R&D Department to hear Team Leader Min (the remaining researcher) turn down an offer to jump to Gloria because there’s no one left at Boosung to carry on the work.  Thanks for the offer of beaucoup bucks, but he’s staying there.  In-ha tells Team Leader Min it looks they have something important to discuss.

Team Leader Min does admit that he was scouted by Gloria, but he has no intention to leave Boosung.  In-ha tells him to go ahead and accept the offer – if he really cares for Boosung, then jump to Gloria’s R&D team ASAP.  In return, Team Leader Min needs to be Boosung’s spy and acquire all of Gloria’s engineering and construction notes.  Team Leader Min looks rather uncomfortable, as In-ha will guarantee three times what Gloria is offering in salary and to bump him up to a Manager position. He’s not going to find such a sweet deal anywhere else, so what’s it gonna be, Team Leader Min?

As they walk along the creek, Yeong-rang tells Jung-wook that it’s nice to get away from all the troubles circling around her brain these days.  He holds out his hand for her to take, but she recoils and sees that he’s slipped a ring into her palm.  Jung-wook explains that he’s getting impatient and asks her to live with him as he puts the ring on her finger.

Yeong-rang hesitates a wee bit too much, as he wonders if she’s not over her dead husband yet and still feels sorry to him.  She says that’s not the case and she’s been over him for the longest time, but it’s In-ha and Boosung that she’s more worried about.  Jung-wook says to forget that noise, since he’s got the money to ensure she doesn’t starve.  So forget about what the kids think, and they should just sit around and listen to music for the rest of their lives.

Jung-wook pulls Yeong-rang into a hug, but their idyll is interrupted by his phone ringing.  Looking at the screen, it’s Nam-joo calling and he tells her they will meet up first thing in the morning.  When she asks who that was, Jung-wook explains it was the mother of one of his ex-employees… he died in an accident awhile back, so he feels responsible for looking in on the family every now and then.

Yeong-rang says that’s terrible, but how could a young man die?  That poor mother… if she’s lost a full-grown child, Young-rang feels awful but the mother must feel worse.  Jung-wook promises to look after them well, as they continue their little walk.

Ji-ho nurses a scotch, as Da-mi comes by and sits next to him.  Without waiting for pleasantries, she pours herself two fingers and takes a baby-sip before announcing that she will join Gloria Instruments as Ji-ho wishes.  It is still a living hell seeing his face, but she can’t give up her mission just because of that.  She trusts Jung-wook ajusshi, and that’s what made her make up her mind.  Ji-ho tells her that it’s okay and will concentrate on his work so that she can join them in their Evil Holy Revenge Plan 3.0.  But Da-mi says there’s another reason why she’s asked to see him.

Leaving the grill restaurant where Da-mi had her second job, the ahjumma regrets have her quit so suddenly.  Da-mi apologizes, but hopes the ahjumma stays healthy and that her store becomes a big success.  Just as Da-mi walks away, In-ha strides over and obviously overhearing their conversation, asks the ahjumma why Da-mi suddenly quit.  The ahjumma says that Da-mi got a new job, but In-ha pulls out his wallet and gives a wad of bills to the ahjumma, insisting that she use these funds for Da-mi’s severance payment.  The ahjumma tells In-ha she will call her tomorrow and make sure she gets the cash then.

Looking pained, In-ha turns away to leave, but there’s Da-mi standing right behind him asking what the hell he’s doing there?  They sit at a café as In-ha looks like a little chasitzed boy sitting there, and Da-mi rips him a new one for having the balls to go behind her back like that.  In-ha says he’s sorry, but he couldn’t let her family suffer any longer after Woo-jin’s death.

Da-mi tells In-ha to stop covering for his brother – if he wasn’t guilty, why did he leave the country without a word to anyone?  He HAS to be the one, now that he’s back after being gone a year.  She will never forgive him!!!  But if In-ha still considers Da-mi a friend, he needs to help her out.  In-ha stutters to ask what that may be, as Da-mi says the construction manager at the Incheon apartment complex called her today.  Now that the work has resumed after the crime scene investigation wrapped up, some evidence was found amongst the rubble.

Da-mi asks why In-ha thinks she’s having a rough time – is it because Woo-jin died?  In-ha just sits there stunned, as she tells him she saw on the news that Yoo Ji Ho has returned to Korea. Da-mi then drops the bomb that she knows who killed Woo-jin, and that finally gets a rise out of In-ha (and The Tongue makes an appearance again!).  She tells him she’s certain that it’s Ji-ho, but In-ha tells her it couldn’t be since he was released for a lack of evidence against him.

In-ha looks like he’s ready to faint, as he asks her what type of evidence was found?  Da-mi says they found a button from a suit jacket, but In-ha says buttons are so common out there.  Da-mi tells him this was no ordinary suit button; the construction manager told Da-mi the initials MMB were engraved on the button so it must have been a luxury brand.  Has In-ha ever heard of that brand… as he looks down at the suit he is wearing to see that each button has the initials MMB engraved on them and gets all panicky.

Da-mi further rubs it in that MMB only imports a few items to Korea every year, so she’s convinced it must be from one of Ji-ho’s suits.  So she pleads with In-ha to help her and check out his clothing to make sure before she goes to the police with her findings.  In-ha backtracks and says that he’s never took an interest in what Ji-ho wears or doesn’t wear…

… as Da-mi flashes back to her conversation with Ji-ho at the bar.  Ji-ho tells her that her plan will just not work, but Da-mi begs to differ because a person who commits a crime will be overly-paranoid to the point of insanity.  Ji-ho tries to talk her out of it, because if Yeong-rang finds out, she’s in great danger.  Da-mi says this is her plan and what she wants to do, because they can’t take the chance for those two to start hiding evidence.  So if Ji-ho wants to help, tell her what special thing In-ha has that no one else has in that family!  And back at the café, Da-mi returns to present-day while watching In-ha squirm in his seat.

In-ha rushes into his bedroom and pulls out every piece of clothing to inspect the buttons.  As expected, there are several that show MMB buttons on them, so In-ha yells as Seung-hee the Snitch Maid to remove everything from his closet… no, burn them instead.  Don’t leave a single stitch out!  Yeong-rang walks in on this little scene and asks why he’s being that way, as In-ha realizes the suit jacket he’s wearing at the moment also carries the MMB buttons.  Cursing and ripping it off his body, he yells at Seung-hee to BURN THEM ALL PALI PALI!!!  Seung-hee complies and picks all the clothing off the floor and leaves, but not before shooting Yeong-rang a look that says “That boy be CRAZEE!!”

Yeong-rang orders In-ha to calm down and tell her exactly why he’s being insane (at that moment, at least).  In-ha explains to her that one of his buttons was found at the scene of Woo-jin’s accident, but Yeong-rang still doesn’t understand him getting all agitated and stuff.  In-ha says that there’s only a handful of people wearing MMB-labelled clothing – him being one of them – and it’s just a matter of time before he gets caught!

Grabbing ahold of Yeong-rang, In-ha tries to shake out of her why she didn’t know about the button evidence – she was the one that cleaned up the crime scene, right?  Why now?  WAE?!?  Yeong-rang tells In-ha to get a grip because it’s old news now, but In-ha wonders that since the construction has started again, what more are they going to find, huh?  Yeong-rang reminds him that the police had combed the crime scene several times and didn’t find anything, so how can a button appear out of nowhere?

In-ha says that he can’t trust Yeong-rang anymore, and will no longer trust anyone until he sees the truth with his own eyes.  He’s about to be tossed from the Music Society, and then with a murder charge as well, that’s the end for him.  Moaning andwae andwae, In-ha collapses onto his bed holding his head and shaking like a leaf.

Yeong-rang tries to comfort her psycho son, but In-ha jumps up and yells for her to not touch him!  No matter how hard it’s going to be for him now, he doesn’t need her pity or help, and he stomps off into his bathroom, leaving Yeong-rang wondering what the hell to do next.

She comes downstairs and is startled by the sight of Ji-ho, who basically asks her the same thing since she looks as white as a ghost.  Yeong-rang wonders why Ji-ho is there since he’s the President of Boosung’s main competitor now, but Ji-ho says they are one family… of course they must live in the same house.  He used to think that a family shares everything from the highs to the lows, but he sees now that was stupid of him to think so.

Yeong-rang tells him that she didn’t think their ill-fated relationship would still be continuing, but Ji-ho says he didn’t come back to their house because he wanted to.  If he knew then what he knows now about Yeong-rang, he would have run far from her.  But Yeong-rang reminds Ji-ho of what humble island-dwelling stock he comes from, as Ji-ho says he had more fun collecting shells on the beach than feeling as miserable as he does now.

To compensate Ji-ho for the past 15 years of pain, even taking over Boosung Group will not be enough.  Yeong-rang scoffs at that idea, saying there’s no way she will ever hand over Boosung to Little Shell Collecting Son.  But Ji-ho thinks otherwise and reminds her that since she was the one who killed his father and took over his place in the Company… she doesn’t have enough balls to guard Boosung.

Sung-hee the Snitch Maid slowly comes down the stairs with the MMB clothing that In-ha just yanked out of his closet and told her to burn.  Ji-ho takes one look at that scene and just smirks, knowing he just loves it when a plan comes together!

Jung-wook escorts Nam-joo and Da-mi around a department store and tells them to pick out whatever they like.  Of course Nam-joo protests, saying they have enough in their closets as it is.  But Jung-wook protests over always eating breakfast at their house and giving back nothing in return.  (SAY!)

EvilStep comes out of one of the boutiques and wonders why Jung-wook is there… and with Da-mi as well?  WTF?  Trying to rush after them, she bumps into another couple and the other three escape from her gaze.  D’OH!

Downing some more pain pills at her office, Yeong-rang inquires of Secretary Oh as to where her nutcase son has run off.  He states that In-ha ran out of the office in a hurry somewhere.  Yeong-rang panics and tells Secretary Oh to head over to the Incheon construction site right now and drag him back to Boosung by all means possible!!!

Of course In-ha is there asking the Construction Manager about someone finding a button near the accident site – would he possibly know anything about that?  In fact, he does and tells In-ha he gave the button to Da-mi as soon as it was discovered so that she can hand it over to the police.  In-ha looks like he’s ready to drop dead upon hearing that news.

Jung-wook and Da-mi are observing all this from his car, as the Construction Manager comes over with a tape recording of his and In-ha’s conversation.  Da-mi grows ever impatient and asks why Ji-ho is not going to the police with all this information and get this situation over with once and for all!

He asks Da-mi if she even realizes how Ji-ho lived over the past year – he barely smiled and never went outdoors.  He basically lived like a hermit in order to face Da-mi yet again.  But Da-mi remains obstinate and says Ji-ho can’t keep his toes in both camps, as Jung-wook understands where’s she’s coming from.  So don’t hate Ji-ho too much… since his revenge is not only for himself, it’s for Woo-jin as well.

Wandering back to the Millet store, Da-mi runs into a waiting and agitated In-ha, saying he’s there because he was worried about her.  And by any chance, would she happen to have the MMB Evidence Button on her?  He would like to see if it compares to the ones on his hyung’s clothing first.  Da-mi tells In-ha there’s no need for that – they’re brothers and she realizes she may have overstepped her boundaries.  She’ll take care of it herself, so BYEEEE!

In-ha grabs her arm to stop her from leaving (*drink*) and says that he doesn’t want her to have her pride get in the way of him just wanting to help.  He’ll keep it a secret from Ji-ho, promise!  Da-mi wonders why In-ha wants to help, as he grows even more uncomfortable and says it’s because she’s having a hard time.  They need to find Woo-jin’s killer as soon as possible, right?

Da-mi finds that request strange, but not as strange as when the night Woo-jin was brought to the hospital.  He was covered in bruises like he was in a fight or something, but Ji-ho had nary a scratch on that perfect face of his.  In-ha says that may have been because Ji-ho might have had the upper hand in such a fight, but Da-mi wonders why she was told that In-ha had scratches all over his face that night.

In-ha starts sweating profusely and pulling at his collar, but explains that he fell down in a drunken stupor at a chingu’s birthday party that night.  It wasn’t that big of a deal for the police to even mention such an event.  Da-mi then asks why In-ha is sweating so much, as he claims he hasn’t noticed.  (Maybe filming in a wool suit during an October heat wave might be the cause?)

He gives her a weak smile as his phone rings – it’s the Music Association calling with their verdict on both boys’ plagiarism scandals.  He rushes over there to find Ji-ho sitting with the Board Members, as the President announces that they found no charges against Ji-ho so he’s back in the Association as if nothing had happened.  But as to In-ha, since they found conclusive evidence of him manipulating Ji-ho’s score and the allegations hanging over his head… they’ve banned In-ha from all composing activities for three years.

Stomping out of the building, Ji-ho was surprised that In-ha wasn’t completely expelled from the Association – guess that Yeong-rang’s bribes influence helped In-ha in the end.  But Ji-ho says it doesn’t matter, because In-ha will now know how it feels to not be able to stand on a stage for three years.

In-ha orders Ji-ho to shut his piehole, since he did not plagiarize anything anywhere anyhow!  Ji-ho reminds him that copying a fake score to frame Ji-ho is more shameless than plagiarism.  It’s kinda like… killing a person and then falsely accusing someone else for that crime.  (BURN!!!!!!)

Ji-ho says that he heard that In-ha even tried to kill himself after Woo-jin’s death.  Why did that event make him want to do that?  In-ha tells Ji-ho he doesn’t have the right to be concerned about In-ha’s life, but Ji-ho states that In-ha doesn’t have the right to die.  The torture In-ha is going through right now should be enough.

Of course, that sets off In-ha’s usual anger and he grabs Ji-ho by his collar, demanding that Ji-ho spill his guts about what he knows.  Ji-ho calmly pushes In-ha off and reminds him that as the President of Boosung he needs to be careful… one never knows when the reporters will show up unannounced again.  In-ha calls out Ji-ho for being such a jerk to him anyway – why did he show up again?  What did In-ha do to him that was so wrong?!?  Ji-ho mulls that over but says he needs to go check on his prototype student piano that Gloria will be submitting to Hanguk University.

Patting In-ha on his shoulder, Ji-ho says that whomever wins the bid from Hanguk, shouldn’t the other brother congratulate the winner?  Striding away, In-ha yells after Ji-ho that he has nothing to be scared of, since he will never lose Boosung to him.  His father willed the company to HIM – so BRING IT ON!!!  Ji-ho just gives him a wave back over his shoulder.

Returning to Boosung, In-ha is greeted by Yeong-rang wanting to know why he went to the construction site – wouldn’t that just arouse suspicions over In-ha about the accident?  He tells her they’ve already handed over the button to Da-mi, but Yeong-rang is far from worried.  His clothes have already been burned to a crisp and there is no outstanding evidence at their house.  She will take care of the rest.

That statement makes In-ha perk up and ask what exactly is Yeong-rang going to take care of?  Does she plan on killing Da-mi just like what he did to Woo-jin?  Yeong-rang tells him to lower his voice – Boosung may have spies listening in, dammit!  In-ha grabs her and says that if Yeong-rang even touches a hair on Da-mi’s head, then all bets are off with him.

Yeong-rang is stunned to hear that In-ha still has feelings for Da-mi, but In-ha states that his eomma has no right to tell him how to feel.  NONE.  He leaves in a huff and Yeong-rang stands mute to chew on those words for awhile.

Team Leader Min (the Boosung-Gloria-Boosung Spy) meets with In-ha and reports what he found out at the Gloria Laboratory today: Gloria is combining German spruce and Korean wood to create their new soundboards.  In-ha doesn’t believe it, since there’s no way two different woods can produce a better sound.  But Team Leader Min disagrees with his statement, since Gloria’s research results say that the soundboard was good.  Good enough to make a sample, in fact.

In-ha still doesn’t believe what he reads, and if a sample has already gone out, it means Gloria’s research is complete.  Team Leader Min says that doesn’t mean Gloria’s production was as detailed as Boosung’s, as In-ha pulls out his ace in the hole – Gloria does not have a copy of the manufacturing notes.  Team Leader Min asks if the construction notes even exist, as In-ha says he’ll make them available to Min and only Min under extra-secret wraps.

In-ha walks over to his safe and pulls the manufacturing notes out.  Saying the book is not to leave his office, In-ha turns it over to Team Leader Min for him to read over.  Which he does… and touches the earpiece of his glasses every time he comes to an important page.  (Ah, the ol’ ‘camera-in-the-eyeglasses’ trick.  Gets them every time!)

The notes are transmitted back to Gloria HQ, as Ji-ho and Jung-wook watch them pop up on their laptop.  Jung-wook says that In-ha has just hoisted himself on his own petard, as he wouldn’t have realized that his own employee was actually a double spy.  BWAHAHAHA!  Ji-ho says that he didn’t even know there was a second set of manufacturing notes, and that must have been why he found that key inside the Butt-Ugly Piano, Version 1.  Ji-ho apologizes for not being competent enough to follow through with that issue.  But he is competent now and assumes that Boosung will attempt something risky now that they have false information on their side.

Attorney Choi and Jung-wook meet up at their usual watering hole, where Jung-wook cannot believe it’s been a year since they saw each other last.  And Attorney Choi reminds him of that fact, since it was a year ago when Jung-wook promised him he would be President of Boosung by now!  Jung-wook says thanks for the reminder, since it is probably now time for Attorney Choi to take over the Boosung Group… and here’s how he’s gonna do it.

Jung-wook tells Attorney Choi that the Geumdan Group has started a private lending service to companies in financial difficulties.  (That’s just a fancy-ass term for Loan Sharking.)  He tells Attorney Choi to ‘suggest’ to Yeong-rang that she use their services going forward.  Attorney Choi isn’t so quick to jump, because if things go sour, he’ll be on the hook for the suggestion.  Jung-wook tells him that staying by Yeong-rang’s side would be foolish, since Boosung is ready to collapse anyway.  Attorney Choi looks uneasy, as Jung-wook says he’ll leave behind the paperwork for him to go over.  And he shouldn’t worry about payment, since he’ll take Boosung stock as collateral.

Looking over an interesting spread of steak pasta and kimchi pizza, Bitchy Manager Girl and Do-ri throw Da-mi and Nam-joo a farewell party since they’re now off to new jobs and are quitting the restaurant bidness.  They thank her profusely for taking care of them during their tenure; in fact, Nam-joo is especially hesitant to leave because she was trying to get Bitchy Manager Girl and Louis back together again.  Bitchy Manager Girl says NO. WAY. she wants to go through that hell again, and orders them to eat up before it gets cold.

Yeong-rang wants to know more about the substitute wood that Gloria is proposing to use in their pianos for Hanguk University.  In-ha reminds them that the main reason Hanguk made them compete for the student pianos is because Boosung’s pianos are too expensive.  Attorney Choi says that the warehouse containing the Alaskan spruce has already been depleted, so they need substitute wood fast.

In-ha says they’ve already got that covered – he’s now going to weld German spruce and Korean spruce together to form their soundboards.  (*snicker*)  But he’s going to need 30 million won to fund the acquisition of the extra German spruce.  Yeong-rang says no way she’s gonna let loose that kind of coin on an untested process; but In-ha tells them they’ve done their research and have already produced a prototype that is ready for testing.

Attorney Choi reminds them that Boosung funds are not at their highest right now, but In-ha says he will take responsibility and get the funds no matter what.  Yeong-rang says fine, whatever, go ahead… but make a full-sized prototype first.  Because 20 years’ worth of pride is on the line now, they must put Boosung pianos into Hanguk Music University by all means possible!

Da-mi and Nam-joo leave the Louis Restaurant for (hopefully) the last time, as a motorcycle roars past and takes off with Da-mi’s purse.  She’s okay as Nam-joo frets over her, saying there wasn’t anything important in her bag anyway.  Da-mi looks across the street to a car where Jung-wook waits in the back seat, and they exchange knowing looks at each other.

Da-mi’s purse is handed over to Yeong-rang, who confirms with Secretary Oh that no one would suspect that she’s behind the purse-grabbing.  She rifles through the bag to find nothing inside except a note, which she reads and then puts aside.  Asking Secretary Oh that he’s sure this was Hong Da Mi’s purse, he confirms that it is and takes it away on her command.  Once out of sight, Yeong-rang picks up the note that reads “No secret will stay that way forever.”  Foaming at the mouth, Yeong-rang dares Da-mi to fool with her any longer…

Jung-wook and EvilStep are out for tea, where she’s flabbergasted that Jung-wook insisted he and Da-mi do not know each other.  She calls out for strange, since she’s sure that she saw them together the other morning laughing and joking like a family.  Jung-wook says EvilStep must need to get her eyes checked… and who is this Hong Da Mi anyway?  EvilStep tells him she was hoping Da-mi would become part of their family, but things went sour and their families are now enemies.  She still wishes that wasn’t the case, since things are not the kids’ fault anyway.

Changing the subject, Jung-wook asks what really happened the day that Yeong-rang and he were to be married.  She never showing up at the wedding hall and then there was a big fire at Jung-wook’s house later that evening.  EvilStep stares agape at him as he explains he barely escaped with his life and since is was too much of a coincidence, he assumes it was arson – culprit still at large, by the way.

EvilStep asks if he assumes it was their Yeong-rang who started the fire to kill him?  Jung-wook brushes that off now that they have met again after so many years; if they hadn’t, he would have misunderstood her for the rest of his life.  EvilStep just smiles, but voices over wondering if Yoo Man Se zipped over to the U.S. to kill Jung-wook out of jealousy?  Who could have stopped him at that time?  But what goes around comes around, as he ends up losing his own life in a fire.  Life is sure funny that way…

Yeong-rang is checking in with the person on the hunt for her missing son, asking if even the farthest provinces (in this case, Gyoungsang) confirmed that he’s not there.  She tells him to keep looking, all the while looking at the ring that Jung-wook presented her with on their last meeting.

In-ha jumps up and demands to know why their prototype is being recalled; Alaskan spruce has no faults for it to fail!  So-yeol tells him a crack developed because the wood wasn’t dried properly.  In-ha stomps over to his safe to pull out the manufacturing notes, where it is proven that no process was listed in them.  So-yeol tells him that maybe they should look into another method of drying the wood, but Stubborn In-ha says stick to the natural drying and he’ll take care of the rest.

Da-mi and Ji-ho meet with one of Gloria’s R&D folks to discuss the sample wood Dead Burnt-Up Dad left him and why that wood didn’t make the cut for their soundboards.  The researcher mentions that Dead Burnt-Up Dad was working with some arborists before his untimely death, so Ji-ho should go to them and ask.  (And NO ONE told them sooner about this?  GEEZ.)

In-ha paces while reading the latest report on the soundboard testing and the cracks that resulted.  (Oops, there’s an F Word in there that missed the censors!)  He calls Team Leader Min and asks when the next sample will be ready at Gloria.  Bring him EVERYTHING Team Leader Min can get his hands on over there – no matter what the cost, Boosung must succeed!

Da-mi and Ji-ho head out to the arborist’s, but Ji-ho grabs onto Da-mi’s arm (*drink*) to slow her down and to tell her to go somewhere with him.  She tries to beg off because she’s busy with work, and he says it’s FOR work, ya silly girl.  She stares at his back as he walks away.

Yeong-rang looks way too nervous as she and Jung-wook sit for tea.  He grills her over what she wanted to talk to him about, as she wonders if he still hates her for leaving him at the altar.  He said he took it in stride since feelings do change.  But she tells him to brace himself for what she’s about to say – she came back to Korea to give birth to his child.  With daggers shooting out of his eyes, Jung-wook asks where the child is now, as she responds that she doesn’t know because she was told the child died at birth due to a myriad number of health issues.

She continues to say that she’s found out recently that the child is alive.  In order for her to get married to Dead Burnt-Up Dad, it seems that EvilStep spirited their child off to an orphanage.  Jung-wook calls her out for standing idly by, but Yeong-rang insists that she’s looked all over hell and creation for a year now, and still can’t find their baby.   So help her, Obi-wan Jung-wook… he’s her only hope.

Jung-wook returns to his office and orders Assistant Guy #2 to search every outhouse, henhouse, whorehouse and boarding house to find the child who was born under the name Kim Jung Wook… and gather everyone together who were even slightly involved in this ruse so he can personally strike them down!!!  Assistant Guy scurries off, as Jung-wook asks how Yeong-rang could get married to one man while pregnant with another man’s child…

Out in the woods somewhere, Ji-ho and Da-mi meet up with the owner of a woodshop named Kim Byung Ho, where he describes the wood that Ji-ho possesses in the leaf sample Dead Burnt-Up Dad gave to him.  Byung-ho confirms that it is the Cheolwon spruce Boosung successfully developed to use in their soundboards.

Byung-ho pulls out another wood sample to compare with Ji-ho’s, saying that Dead Burnt-Up Dad told him someday his son would come to see him at the workshop.  So why did it take Ji-ho so long to do so?  Ji-ho takes the other sample and compares it to his own…

In-ha tells the Boosung workers that they must complete the prototype soundboard quickly, and that he has approved lots of overtime pay in order for them to do that.  So no rest for them until they succeed!  Lots of going-over schematics and nodding of heads ensue.

Ji-ho reads over the manual that Byung-ho and Dead Burnt-Up Dad put together regarding the processing of the Cheolwon spruce, all the while hearing Byung-ho’s words that Dead Burnt-Up Dad was so proud of Ji-ho.  He is so smart and will become a great asset to Boosung someday, so he trusted Ji-ho and waited all this time for him to show up.  That makes Ji-ho go all misty-eyed, only to be interrupted by Da-mi’s knock at his door.

She brings him tea while watching him wipe his eyes, and confirms that the secret method for the soundboard process is to naturally dry the wood first and then artificially dry it using plain ol’ pine wood in the drying fire.  The wood then becomes anti-microbial and will evenly dry thereafter.  Da-mi says then they need to get going ASAP if they’re going to be ready to have a prototype ready for the Hanguk presentation.

Ji-ho tells Da-mi that she’s worked hard today, so Da-mi should go home now.  Ji-ho picks up the manual to continue reading, but before she leaves, Da-mi places her handkerchief on the table for Ji-ho to use if his eyes start leaking again… which they do as soon as she closes the door behind her.

Jung-wook and Ji-ho sit down for drinks and finalize their plans to carpet-bomb Boosung.  Jung-wook wonders why Ji-ho wants to continue living at Rancho Dead Burnt-up Dad’s place, as he offers to put him up at an officetel nearby Gloria.  Ji-ho insists that it’s not time yet for him to leave, because his presence is part of the Holy Revenge they are getting ready to exact on the Yoo Family.

Jung-wook then asks if Ji-ho knows the story behind his birth mother, to which Ji-ho can only answer with the stories he’s been told: she was a pianist and a rival to Yeong-rang.  Jung-wook takes that all under advisement, and thinks he knows who this person could be… but it is strange that Dead Burnt-Up Dad would like this person because she had an American boyfriend.

Ji-ho wheels around and asks how Jung-wook knows so much about his family dynamics – Jung-wook tells him that she may have been the woman he loved so much, but ended up being betrayed in the end.  He was so broken down that he decided to commit suicide by jumping in front of a speeding car.  Unbeknownst to Jung-wook, his future boss was in that same car and his actions saved Future Boss from an apparent kidnapping.  Future Boss was so happy that he adopted Jung-wook and inherited Future Boss’s fortune.  But Jung-wook says none of that matters now… if he loses all that fortune putting Yeong-rang and In-ha to ruin, it will be all worth it.

Ji-ho returns home and takes his birth mother’s handkerchief that Dead Burnt-Up Dad gave to him the night of the fire.  He sits and thinks and sits and thinks…

Attorney Choi meets with Yeong-rang and says Boosung is running out of money to produce the prototype for the Hanguk student pianos, so how about they look into having Geumdan Construction provide a loan to help them over the hump?  Yeong-rang flatly refuses, because they nearly lost their shirts the last time Geumdan tried to “help.”  Attorney Choi sits back in his chair and smirks.

In-ha is confident that they will get a substantial return on their investment once Boosung acquires the Hanguk student piano contract.  Yeong-rang asks him why he’s being so impatient, as In-ha reminds her that Yoo Ji Ho has returned – wouldn’t anyone be afraid of what he’s got up his sleeve?  If Ji-ho ends up taking over Boosung, then he’ll also come after In-ha for Woo-jin’s death.

Yeong-rang tries to talk In-ha down off the ledge, but In-ha is convinced that the main reason that Ji-ho came back to Korea was to tell the world that In-ha killed Woo-jin.  So everything has to end with Boosung winning the contract, or else In-ha goes on trial for murder.

A knock at the door, and Attorney Choi escorts in the Finance President of Geumdan Construction.  He pulls out the loan documents and instructs Yeong-rang to carefully review the terms and conditions.  She does, and asks why the interest rate is so high, which makes Finance Guy shift uncomfortably in his seat.  Attorney Choi jumps in and says it’s not that high for a short-term undertaking.  In-ha agrees and says that Boosung can pay it back as soon as the Hanguk prototype is completed.  Their stocks will go up and investors will be happy to front the bill since one month is all In-ha needs.

Yeong-rang asks if he’s positive that it will only take one month for the prototype with the composite wood soundboard to be finished, as In-ha nods his approval and Attorney Choi still sits and smirks.  The paperwork is then signed off on by Yeong-rang, as Attorney Choi does double-time on his smirking.

Sometime later, In-ha and Yeong-rang visit the R&D Department to check out the Hanguk prototype.  In-ha plinks out a few notes which sound like crap, as Yeong-rang panics and asks what the hell is wrong with the new soundboard!  In-ha asks out loud why the piano sounds like crap, since it was built to his exact specifications.  Attorney Choi asks if there’s something wrong with the prototype; do they not remember that the Hanguk presentation is tomorrow?!?  Yeong-rang starts yelling at In-ha over why this had to happen now of all times?  In-ha looks around for Team Leader Min for him to explain the situation, but So-yeol runs over to tell him that Team Leader Min resigned that morning!

In-ha pulls out his phone to call Team Leader Min, but his phone is switched off and In-ha looks like he’s going to faint.  Composing himself, he tells everyone to wait and he’ll take care of the problem.  As he rushes out the door, Yeong-rang orders Attorney Choi to intercept the Board of Directors and tell them an urgent meeting will be convened once they figure out what went wrong.

At that time, Secretary Oh runs up with Gloria Instruments’ list of investors.  Yanking it from his hands, she rifles through the paperwork to see who is backing Yoo Ji Ho’s efforts these days.  She stops and stares at one page in particular that lists the name of… Elvin Kim.  So Elvin Kim of Geumdan Construction is the largest shareholder of Gloria Instruments?!?  NO WAY, DUDE!!!

In-ha stomps into Ji-ho’s office at Gloria and yanks him out of his chair by the collar, demanding to know if it was Ji-ho who hired Team Leader Min as Gloria’s spy.  Ji-ho throws off In-ha and reminds him that stealing and cheating is Boosung’s modus operandi; not Gloria’s.  In-ha then figures out that it was Gloria who leaked the wrong information, and as he throws a hissy fit, sees the Boosung Butt-Ugly Piano construction notes on Ji-ho’s desk.  In-ha wonders if Ji-ho stole these as well, as Ji-ho asks if those original notes were for In-ha’s eyes only.  JI-HO DOESN’T THINK SO.

In-ha drops the notes and reminds Ji-ho that he was the one who always stole from In-ha, so suffice it to say that Ji-ho continues to harass him to this day.  How much more will Ji-ho want to take from him before he’s satisfied?!?  Ji-ho says he has never once stolen what was In-ha’s – the construction notes were never In-ha’s to begin with.  Apparently In-ha’s inferiority complex continues to make him unhappy, no?

In-ha’s heard enough, and starts to take a swing at Ji-ho, who catches his fist before it hits his face.  Claiming that all In-ha knows how to do is beat people up for fun and profit, he flings In-ha’s arm away in disgust.  In-ha again grabs Ji-ho’s collar and tells him that they are complete strangers now – neither brothers nor family anymore.  Ji-ho then grabs In-ha by his collar and reminds him that In-ha never once thought of him as his hyung, so the feeling is mutual.  I HAVE NO DONGSAENG EITHER, and throws In-ha up against one of the award cabinets.

In-ha spits out that if Ji-ho continues on his path like that, he will eventually collapse.  He’s just a loner that can’t even keep the woman he loves from distrusting him, because she still believes that Ji-ho killed her brother.  Suddenly, an anie is heard, and a hugely pissed-off Da-mi enters the room and tells the both of them that she knows for a fact that Ji-ho did not kill Woo-jin.

In-ha stammers out a Dami-ya, when Ji-ho realizes that proper introductions have not been made.  Ji-ho introduces her as Assistant Director Hong Da Mi, and In-ha is gobsmacked to hear that information.  He keeps looking back and forth at Ji-ho and Da-mi standing there, and we end Episode 21!

Air Date:  27 October 2012

Ratings:   AGB Nielsen Nationwide 11.4% (7th) / Seoul 11.9% (6th); TNmS Nationwide 11.9% (10th) / Seoul 12.6% (7th)

Flowers and Brickbats

Hi there!  Didja miss me?  Sorry for the large gap here, peeps.   I started writing this recap on 31 January, but then Real Life dealt me a slap upsides the head over the past two months that I’m still reeling from.  But things are sloooooooowly getting back to normal and I can concentrate on details other than what I’ve been dealing with lately.  And those of you who know me also know that I am a stickler for finishing a project once jumped into with both feet (5-year-old quiting projects notwithstanding). There’s only nine more episodes past this, so let’s get started!

Maybe it’s a good thing that there’s been some four months’ distance between the original airing and my recap, because I caught stuff that was missed the first two times I watched.  But one item has NOT changed at all, and that’s the Da-mi character.  I would think that (a) losing your father as a child, (2) losing your brother as an adult, and (iii) finding out your boyfriend’s family was the cause of both events would throw me off the deep end for awhile.  I sure as hell wouldn’t go through life with such a blank stare on my face all the time — Jin Se-yeon seems to have that perpetual “duuuuuuuuuuuuuh” look to her that I am now convinced the PD-nim made a serious mistake with her casting.  Which is strange, because I loved her character in “My Daughter, The Flower” (the daily that ran on SBS back in 2011) because she was a no-nonsense, take-charge type of girl.  And you can’t blame her insane work schedule for Da-mi’s lack of ‘oomph,’ because “Gaksital” was already done and dusted by the time Episode 21 rolled around (her shoot at the Gloria HQ was scheduled for the day before this episode aired, dangit!).  She’s got a few more episodes to redeem herself before I start reaching for the fast-forward button…

And I hate to admit it, but even Ji Chang-wook’s character was giving me tiny fits in Episode 21.  Yes, we know you’re a basket case.  Yes, we know you’ve got this underlying Oedipus Complex.  Yes, we know you’re a freakin’ murderer who got away with murder (for now).  But GEEZ.  The same getting-angry-and-throwing-punches-instead-of-stealthly-undermining-your-enemies deal over and over, ad infinitum.  I blame the writer(s) for that, because such a tortured soul could have been fleshed out with nuances instead of violence.  But he and Chae Si-ra sure have the “Makjang Stare” down to a science, don’t they?

Joo Ji-hoon… oh mercy, what can I say about that boy that hasn’t already been said?  Episode 21 was waaaaaaay before the Big Reveal on so many family secrets, but he and Jun Noh-min (Jung-wook) are almost in sync with one another’s strengths and weaknesses.  Emphasis on the ‘almost,’ as Jung-wook’s like a little puppy straining at his leash, and Ji-ho’s the one keeping a tight grip on Jung-wook’s lead until everything is in its proper place.  So when the Holy Evil Revenge does finally appear, it’s gonna be EPIC.  Can’t wait!

One good thing about this episode was the ratings, which started a mini-trajectory upwards beginning with Episode 20.  My friends over in Korea discussed the Show over their desks as it was airing, and they all agreed this was the turning point where Ji-ho and Jung-wook’s lust for revenge finally gelled into a serious take-off.  It was just kinda simmering under the surface for the past six episodes and I was told the Korean viewers were getting turned off by the constant spinning-of-wheels.  Also from what I read around the time of this airing, there were several last-second script revisions that took into consideration some of the bitching and moaning on the SBS/5F bulletin board about how much of a hot mess the Show turned into.  Without having a copy of the originals in my hand, I can only surmise these changes were WAY better than originally scripted.

Music Nerd Ramblings:   And as in Episode 20, there were no new classical pieces to discuss for Episode 21.  But at 46:12 in, there’s a wonderful guitar and piano piece that we’ve heard a few times before and used whenever In-ha is in a crisis mode or other annoying (to him) situation.  I would have loved to have had that included on the OST as well, but it’s just another example of all the lost chances this production had.

Ah… feels good to get back on the horse again.  Episode 22 is on its way, along with a slight detour to provide a treatise on some cutie pie’s latest role in this musical thing he’s so fond of appearing in.  Be back soon!