Lee Soon-shin is the Best: Episode 6 Recap

by: Raine

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And the ball is rolling folks! Things are happening on all fronts. Our characters may not know exactly where they are going, but Chang-hoon’s death is catapulting them forward. Death tends to do that. It causes massive amounts of change and for this huge family, it’s pretty exciting. At least for me to watch. Heh.

AGB Nielson Nationwide had this episode coming in at 26.2%.

“I don’t know” – Tahiti (from the Lee Soon-shin is the Best OST)

(Okay, when they say “mulah mulah mulah,” I keep imagining they’re singing “llama, llama, llama,” which is so much more fun…)

episode 6 recap

Soon-shin can’t keep from crying when she hears Joon-ho’s name and sees the card that started everything. She sobs for several minutes while Joon-ho looks awkwardly on. He thinks she’s overreacting and tells her that he understands that she’s touched, but people might think he made her cry. Nice moves, dude. That’s how you win her to the dark side.

She suddenly stops crying and says she’s not the least bit interested in becoming an actress. She’s busy and doesn’t want him to disturb her anymore. He tries to go after her, but she shakes him off. He seems baffled by her ardent refusal.

But we can all understand her, right?

Jung-ae has made a huge lunch, probably drowning herself in house chores to dull her pain. Yoo-shin comes down and immediately asks where Soon-shin is. Jung-ae informs her that Soon-shin is at work and that she needs to stop scolding her.

When Hye-shin asks her mother to go with her to the police station later, Jung-ae freezes and says she doesn’t want to go; there are too many house chores that have been left to the wayside. But it’s obvious that she’s avoiding everything related to her husband’s death. Both Yoo-shin and Hye-shin see it.

Jung-ae brings Granny some juk, but Granny doesn’t want to eat – she’s too depressed. Jung-ae forces her to sit up and Granny comments that she has a lot of energy. She agrees – she should use it to do the wash.

Ack, so sad. No probably about it. She IS drowning her sorrows.

On her way back to her room, Jung-ae finds her husband’s shirt that she was ironing when she got the news. No need to iron, she says. That’s good. Then she heads to the bathroom to do the wash and sings a song while she stomps on the laundry. The OST joins her and it’s such a quiet, sad, beautiful moment.

Jung-ae does chores to stifle the pain and Yoo-shin does exercise: rock-climbing. But she can’t focus and ends up slipping. Another climber notices that she’s not as quite on her game as usual. Their conversation is interrupted by Chan-woo, calling to see if she’s okay.

Aw, this one has started, hasn’t it? He’s already concerned for her and we know where concern goes…

She tells him to stop meddling and he feels better to hear her scolding him; means she’s back to normal. Then he brings the refund from the clinic and tells her that he’ll help her with it. She defensively denies that she ever asked for a refund and wonders if he’s pitying her. He tells her to stop pretending to be fierce. If she’s sad she should say it. If she needs to drink, he’ll go with her. She refuses: she wouldn’t drink with him even if she had the time, which she doesn’t.

You are such a prickly thing, but luckily Chan-woo knows it’s just for show. He tells his receptionist not to worry about the refund.

Young-hoon invites Soon-shin to have a welcome party and Mr. Waiter crankily asks why. Soon-shin politely refuses, saying she needs to go home early for the next few days. Mr. Waiter scolds her for missing her own party. Then Joon-ho comes to find her. She merely says her goodbyes and leaves both cranky men and her nice boss.

Young-hoon sits Joon-ho down for a chat, but of course Joon-ho starts in first. He wants help convincing Soon-shin to sign the contract and assumes she’s too shocked by the offer to do so. Or too afraid, but he understands that.

Young-hoon finally stops Joon-ho’s babbling and asks her again not to play with her and get her hopes up. Joon-ho says he’s giving Soon-shin an opportunity that hundreds covet. Young-hoon points out that Joon-ho doesn’t have pure intentions; why does he have so much free time to chase Soon-shin? Is Yeon-ah that important? Did she hurt him that badly.

The questions drastically change the mood and Joon-ho tersely tells Young-hoon to mind his own business.

On her way home, Soon-shin is checking out posters for part-time work when Chan-woo walks by. He notes that she must be tired and that he hopes an eyewitness appears soon. Then comes Yoo-shin who glares at Soon-shin and strides right past them. Chan-woo grabs her arm and offers to buy them dinner. She coldly reminds him that she doesn’t eat dinner; she also reminds him that Soon-shin got a huge deposit so she should buy him dinner.

Girl, you know I’m understanding your pain, but damn, get over yourself. You let the steam off, now lose the ‘tude.

Chan-woo defends Soon-shin and again, Yoo-shin wonders how it’s his business; is he her oppa? He says that  he’s her oppa and he can’t stand by and let her unni treat her this badly.

Go Chan-woo!

Yoo-shin feels the blow, and probably a little guilt, and comments on how happy her father would be to know Soon-shin has a brother to watch over her. But oh yeah, her father’s dead. She forgot.

Soon-shin tries to quiet her sister, but Chan-woo is furious. Is it Soon-shin’s fault their father died? It was an accident. Why is Yoo-shin doing this? he asks. Can’t she consider someone else’s feelings? Yoo-shin says that she can and leaves.

Soon-shin follows her home where Yoo-shin explodes again, throwing Soon-shin’s things all over the floor. She orders her to get out. Share a room with Granny. Or since dad’s dead, she can share a room with mom. Soon-shin begs her not to do this but Yoo-shin throws her out, looking extremely conflicted.

It’s like she can’t stop herself from being mean even though she wants to. But I’m seriously unhappy with her behavior. She’s in pain, but so is everyone else. I know from experience that you can control yourself enough not to treat people that way.

Jung-ae tries to pack Chang-hoon’s things, but it becomes too much and she goes back to cleaning. Soon-shin joins her and her mother tells her that it’s not her fault. When Soon-shin tries to help with her mother, who has been a cleaning machine, her mother refuses the help and continues to putz around the kitchen.

Mi-ryeong is back to herself, strictly work, not acknowledging her pain. Hwang approves of her attitude even though that’ll tear her apart from the inside out. When her van hits a crosswalk, she has a flashback of the accident. At the drama set, a fender bender makes her heart race.

I don’t feel bad for her. She ran. She should’ve taken responsibility. All the choices she made led her there.

Yeon-ah joins her on set with handmade kimbap in hand. She explains that she’s been the “mother” of her household since her mom passed away when she was 10. Mi-ryeong is pleased to see her and enjoys the kimbap. Yeon-ah is happy to be praised by her and Mi-ryeong realizes something. She asks Yeon-ah to be her daughter and call her “eomma.”

Mi-ryeong says she doesn’t want a husband, but she’s always wanted a daughter.

Uh…you have one. That you abandoned. Don’t feel guilty about it now unless you’re going to DO something about it. Grr.

Yeon-ah is ecstatic and says that she chased after her in order for this to happen. She gets permission to call her “eomma.”

Uh-oh…is Yeon-ah gonna be the evil stepsister now?

In-sung asks if Soon-shin has signed the contract and adorably rejoices that his boss has come back to his senses. The withering look on Joon-ho’s face puts In-sung right back into his place. When Joon-ho rises, In-sung cowers. Who do you think I am? Joon-ho asks and In-sung hysterically crouches a little to look up at his boss and sing his praises. Godlike! Midas’ touch! Everything he touches turns to gold.

With mild amusement, Joon-ho offers to touch him and pats his cheek. In-sung clasps his hand and proceeds to praise Joon-ho’s soft hands and wonderful smell.

Pffffffft! HAHAHAHA.

Soo-jung calls to inform him that his father is coming back early because he doesn’t feel well and that they need to find Yi-jung before dad has a kanipshin.

Soo-jung hurries to get her daughter out of the bath and into her bedroom closet. But Dong-hyuk comes in as Soo-jung emerges from Yi-jung’s room. The music Yi-jung was playing in the bath is still on and Dong-hyuk immediately grows suspicious. It takes him all of two minutes to find his daughter, drag her downstairs by the ear and sit her down.

He demands to know what is going on and Soo-jung tries to explain it off, but Yi-jung has a surge of courage and says she dropped out of school. She found her path. But Dong-hyuk ignores her and calls to have a ticket to New York booked tonight. He won’t listen to his daughter’s please (she’s done this many times before) so Yi-jung runs out of the house in her bathrobe and slippers. Heh. Spoiled brat.

Joon-ho seeks out Soon-shin again and drags her to a table for another chat. He forcibly sits her down and tells her to listen. He slaps the contract down onto the table, something he assumes she’s never seen before.

She scoffs.

He tells her that she’s only reacting this way because she doesn’t know him, but he won’t let go once he’s drawn the knife. It’s not a bondage contract. If she has any objections, she should voice them. Once the contract is signed, she should go to actor’s school.

The phrase triggers her memory of President Fake who said the same things. She glares at Joon-ho, breathing hard, and he thinks she’s so happy that she doesn’t know what to do.

Aw, you’re delusional. how cute.

Soon-shin calls him a swindler and he repeats that he’s Shin Joon-ho, but she doesnt’ believe him. He gets a call from Yi-jung who is downstairs in front of a taxi in her bathrobe. She so looks like another woman and not his sister… He runs downstairs, telling Soon-shin to stay put. Young-hoon joins her and wonders where Joon-ho has run off to. She asks him if Joon-ho is really President Shin Joon-ho. Young-hoon avoids answering the question by asking if she was offered a contract. When she agrees, Young-hoon says that Joon-ho was just joking. He loves to joke.

Aw, he’s trying to protect her, but I see this going bad.

Outside, Yi-jung throws her arms around her brother, causing Yoo-shin’s jaw to drop.

Yi-jung complains to her brother that her father didn’t even listen to her. Joon-ho says that he would’ve done the same thing as their dad. Yi-jung doesn’t believe it. Didn’t Joon-ho do the same thing as a kid? Soberly Joon-ho reminds her that he had to sever ties with his father and leave home to do it. Is she ready for that? To survive without their father’s money.

Yi-jung’s answer: that’s why she has her oppa! Oh, you spoiled, spoiled brat.

To prove my point, she asks for his card for clothes and a hotel. It’s more like an order, but he refuses. So she calls her mom and works her aegyo magic on her mom to come get her and save her.

Then Yi-jung spots Soon-shin’s evaluation, opened to her pictures. She’s horrified her oppa wants to sign someone like that and not her. He just sighs with a shaky, worn out “aigoo.”

Jung-ae rolls a huge cart of groceries past Gil-ja’s store. The groceries are to make a huge, huge, huge batch of kimchi. Gil-ja complains that Jung-ae walks around like someone without a soul. Awwwwwwwww. She wonders who makes kimchi so freshly widowed.

It’s her way of coping, duh.

Bok-man wonders how Chang-hoon could’ve left this world. Perhaps he knew it and thats why he met with “someone” he would usually never met. When asked more about it, Bok-man says to nevermind it.

Oh he knew that Chang-hoon met Mi-ryeong! Why didn’t he say anything?! ACK! EEP! SPLURG!!

Hye-shin meets her friend for coffee. The friend wants to know why Hye-shin is looking for a job when she has a rich husband. Hye-shin gives the excuse that she doesn’t want to sit at home all day. It’s hard to find jobs, her friend says, and now she’s older so it will be harder. She advises that Hye-shin remain a housewife. The friend says she looks tired and that it must be hard losing her father. She remembers that Chang-hoon cried on Hye-shin’s wedding day because she was leaving.

On her way home, Hye-shin remembers her father sadly (to pretty cello solo!) and takes out his phone. when she turns it on, she has a couple of angry texts from the sexy baker. She goes to pick it up and sexy baker looks so cute sucking on his lollipop. He wonders if she’s Woo-joo’s mother and he nods: so lying and being rude are her charms.

Well, being rude (and sexy) are yours!

He tells her it was ordered 5 or 6 days ago but probably isn’t edible (lies!) and he couldn’t sell it because he wrote on it.

This time, however, his temper doesn’t incite her. She merely apologizes and offers to pay for it. Then he hands back the reward money she gave him.

Jin-wook tells her to relay a message to her father: don’t look down on a small business. Don’t send someone else to pick up the cake. He should cancel the order himself and apologize.

Ah, so he’s doubly insulted that she thinks he wanted reward money for the phone and that her father “ignored” him. I know his holier-than-thou attitude should be annoying, but I likes him. Hehe. I’m weird.

Hye-shin merely apologizes even as he explains that he made the cake with sincerity. Then, holding back tears, she apologizes again. She can’t tell her father that because he passed away. This floors Jin-wook who is immediately contrite. The moment it takes for him to absorb the news is the moment she uses to leave. Even though he goes after her, he doesn’t catch her.

He may have been full of hot, prideful air, but I like that he knew when to regret his actions. Also, if he’s been jailed before, it explains his need to be taken seriously.

Jung-ae is making a HUGE batch of kimchi and listening to music really loudly. Granny comes out and turns off the music. What are you doing? she demands. Jung-ae starts babbling and Granny demands what she’s doing making kimchi when her husband’s dead.

Soon-shin comes in and Granny demands to know why the girl who killed her father is still there. Granny shoves Soon-shin towards the door as Soon-shin promises to do better and pay back the money.

Jung-ae fiercely separates them and orders Granny to stop. “Stop blaming her,” Jung-ae cries. “It’s not her fault. I pushed her to it. It’s my fault we were conned.” She admits she’s very sad; she and Soon-shin are as sad as she is. Everyone is having a hard time. Why doesn’t Granny understand?

She collapses to the floor and her daughters join her.

That night, Jung-ae remembers Chang-hoon telling her that they will live happily together and rests her hand on his pillow. Jung-ae tells him quietly that he didn’t keep his promise. 😦

In the kitchen, Hye-shin is preparing for breakfast so their mother doesn’t have to. Soon-shin joins her and Hye-shin shows her the birthday cake Chang-hoon got especially for her.

Jung-ae comes down, wondering why they’re all awake and sees the cake that says, “You’re the best, my daughter.”

Then Chang-hoon’s voice narrates the card:

Happy birthday Soon-shin ah. Dad’s too forgetful these days. I’ve forgotten about your birthday. It’s late but happy birthday. Soon-shin ah, do you know that you are mom and dad’s precious daughter? It’s okay to be ordinary. Your existence is special. Your existence is precious. You’re the best, my daughter. You’re the best, Lee Soon-shin.

AWWWW. I love that the title of the drama comes from a father’s loving words to his daughter. And I’m glad she knows how much he loved her.

Jung-ae says she should blow out the candles because it was the last thing her father did in this life. Yoo-shin joins them. Jung-ae explains that it’s her father’s way to tell her to be happy, be strong and live well. The family stands sadly around the birthday cake.

Jung-ae brings Granny food as a sign of her sincerity. She wants them to be strong and overcome this whole thing together.

Yes! Good Jung-ae. Good! You’re waking up now. I hated seeing you “soulless” as Gil-ja described.

Two small scenes: Mi-ryeong is doing yoga when she gets a call from whiny Yi-jung to meet. And Jung-ae finds the old picture of Mi-ryeong and Chang-hoon when packing up his books.

Yi-jung saunters into the cafe to wait for Mi-ryeong and orders an iced Americano. Then she calls her oppa for support in meeting Mi-ryeong. If he doesn’t come down, she doesn’t know what she’ll do.

Then Yoon-shin delivers her drink and Yi-jung scoffs and gives her a dirty once over. She says Joon-ho must’ve gone crazy. How did she seduce her oppa? Soon-shin is utterly confused but Yi-jung thinks Soon-shin is being sly. Angry, Yi-jung jerks the Americano towards herself and spills it all over her expensive jacket. Then she demands that Soon-shin compensate her for it.

Yeah. Right. You got CCTV, Young-hoon? Soon-shin’s gonna need it to deal with this rich princess.

Soon-shin tries to defend herself and Yi-jung orders her fired immediately. Mr. Waiter tells Soon-shin to apologize right away and she does. But when Yi-jung comments that this is why people need proper home education and asks, “Is this how your father taught you?” Soon-shin refuses to take anymore from her. Mr. Waiter is apologizing, but Soon-shin demands the apology.

Yi-jung grabs a cup of water, but Soon-shin stops her. When Yi-jung jerks, she splashes herself with the water. Everyone is shocked.

And in come the star Mi-ryeong (wearing a star dress) wondering why Yi-jung is screaming like a banchee.

Also, mother and daughter finally meet without knowing that they are mother and daughter meeting.

Dun, dun, dun!

 Comments:

Wow, can I say hateful? Yi-jung is plain hateful. She’s accusing Soon-shin of being badly raised when the girl is the most badly behaved person in the whole drama! I really want her sent back to New York. I don’t think Joon-ho likes her much either. Or her father. Maybe her mom ’cause she gives her stuff. Wow, that makes her even more horrible.

But how much do I love to see Soon-shin fight back even though it wasn’t for herself – it was for her father who loved her. I want her to stand up for herself against everyone who treats her badly. Jung-ae tries to shield her from Granny and Yoo-shin, but most of the time she’s ineffective.

Chan-woo on the other hand kicked some major ass. He can shut Yoo-shin down and make her think. He still has a long way to go in terms of making Yoo-shin control her nasty tongue, but like I said last recap, I’m really looking forward to it.

It’s hard for me to hate Yoo-shin. I don’t see actual cruelty in her. But I HATE what she does. Like just loathe. Poor Soon-shin just gets beaten at every turn when Yoo-shin suffers.

Joon-ho…man I totally see why he is so dependent on Yeon-ah’s praise. His whole family is either completely insecure, needy or domineering. There is absolutely no balance at all. He has to create his own balance and he’s centered that on his worth as a businessman.

A little aside: I love Jo Jung-seok as a straight man to Lee Je-hoon’s funny man. Such a crack up.

Mi-ryeong…see a shrink, admit your sins and go take care of shit you should’ve taken care of ages ago. Yes, it’s NOT her fault Chang-hoon died and she can be sad about that. But all the other stuff she’s always whining about just drives me batty. I do think, however, the lesson she has to teach Soon-shin will be good: you have to suffer a lot down a very long road and you have to work very hard to keep what you love.

This meeting between her and Soon-shin that’s going to happen at the beginning of the next episode. I have a feeling they might circumvent it like they did with the meeting of Mi-ryeong, Chang-hoon and Soon-shin.  We have a lot of episodes to go and time to develop that relationship and throw it down alllllll sorts of rocky roads.

Joon-ho will probably come down and throw a wrench into the mix as well. (Hopefully he’ll drag Yi-jung away by her hair…) Maybe Young-hoon will defend Soon-shin. Mr. Waiter will most definitely try to get her fired.

Yeon-ah. Anger. So pissed she got Mi-ryeong to call her mom. But at the same time, maybe the relationship will mature both of them. Maybe not. Mi-ryeong may need a daughter to assuage her guilt. Yeon-ah may need the mom she never really had. Right now, don’t care ’cause my anger is the dominant emotion. Forget reason. YEON-AH SUCKS!

I hope Jung-ae allows herself to really grieve instead of working herself to the bone. My mom does that, too. I have to stop her. I’m glad Granny did even if it wasn’t in the nicest of ways…

As for Hye-shin and the baker Jin-wook…so looking forward to them. He’s a harsh exterior with mushy insides, I can tell. He’s also got a hot exterior. I want to see him and Woo-joo. If he’s good with her, then he’s won ME over. But I suppose he needs to win Hye-shin over.

Okay, now the long wait until next weekend…*sob*

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Character introductions.

Lee Soon-shin is the Best: Episode 6 Screencaps.