Lee Soon-shin is the Best: Episode 8 Recap

by: Raine

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Things are moving along and we have the big meet between Soon-shin and Mi-ryeong, which will bring along one of the parts I’m most interested in: the mentoring relationship. I’m also happy to see the other relationships go beyond a foot in the door, even if it’s not romantically.

AGB Nielson Nationwide had this episode coming in at 26.9%.

episode 8 recap

Joon-ho isn’t happy to see Soon-shin in his lobby until she tells him that she’ll sign the contract. He gives her a once over and then allows her to read the contract in his office. He wonders why she changed her mind and she asks how much the signing bonus is. Joon-ho scoffs that it was about money in the end so why did she decline at first? Then he offers her enough to cover her debt if she signs the contract that is valid for 6 months. She’ll get part of it every month.

I’m sitting here wondering how much cash he has to spend. She has a 10 million won debt plus interest. He’s offered her 12. ?!!! Guh, rich people.

She asks what she has to do and he basically says: do what I tell you to (duh!). She gets confused by the vocabulary he uses, including the name of his company. Pfffft. But she’s thinks the signing bonus is too much. She wants to pay it back while working at the restaurant. He doesn’t see how she’ll have the time and just orders her to move into the dorms. She, of course, refuses and promises to work hard. If she doesn’t, he threatens, she’ll pay back three times the amount. Her little brain goes into overload figuring out the amount. Hee.

Jung-ae comes home from work and Yoo-shin comes downstairs. She puts her bank book on the table and tells her to use the money for Soon-shin’s debt and the left over for living expenses. Then she orders Jung-ae to quit work and stomps out. Before Jung-ae can protest, Hye-shin stops her: use the money, she says. It’s for Yoo-shin’s wedding, but immediate expenses are more important.

Aw, Yoo-shin, the first nice thing you’ve done for someone else. Even if it’s only indirectly for Soon-shin and mostly for mom, the living parent. Yoo-shin is definitely starting to appreciate, even if only a little, and for that I am grateful.

Hye-shin is going to donate their father’s things to church and invites her mother. She refuses, but its so understandable.

Yoo-shin is at work and in a meeting over a line of clothing. She mentions that Hye-shin is really into clothes, especially children’s clothes and her subordinates are surprised to hear that Hye-shin is living in Korea.

She has her co-worker change the outfit of a mannequin, a very, very, built mannequin which makes her think of a nekkid Chan-woo in her bed. She blushes and a male co-worker calls her on it. She’s baffled as to why she would think of a nekkid hot guy in her bed…silly, silly woman.

Over lunch she pulls the, “This is my friend’s story” thing and explains that her “friend” had a one night stand with an old classmate. She wants to know how to deal with it. Her co-workers say it will be awkward and there is no going back to “just friends.” Cue her awkwardness. And I have to say I love it.

Mi-ryeong is brooding over the fact that Dong-hyuk saw her and Chang-hoon together that night. She asks Hwang if he’s heard of any eyewitnesses and he tells her not to worry. He has a policeman friend keeping an ear out.

Back to the clinic she goes to meet Dong-hyuk who is, as per usual, unhappy to see her (or anybody. He looks unhappy breathing.) She asks him what he saw that day. He tells her that the man he saw her with passed away. Mi-ryeong puffs up her chest and says she’s not afraid. He can do what he wants.

Dong-hyuk smirks and asks her if he really can do whatever he wants. Mi-ryeong says that he can, but his son will suffer if he attacks her. Dong-hyuk, happy to have the upper hand, tells her to leave it alone. If she pushes anything, then there will be trouble. He sends her on her not-so-merry way and walks out to perform a surgery, but not after telling her to get treatment for her wrinkles. Hehehehe.

Chan-woo is trying to contact Yoo-shin when Soon-shin calls him. He answers with Yoo-shin’s name, disappointing Soon-shin. She called to get his opinion on something (the contract) and but he doesn’t have time until tomorrow. Disappointed again, she hangs up.

Then she gets a call from Chan-mi and doesn’t seem too  happy. Shouldn’t you be happy to get a call from a friend? Anywho, they grab some coffee and Chan-mi gapes over the fact that Soon-shin has a real contract from Gabi. She laughs mockingly that Joon-ho chose her of all people. Maybe he felt sorry for her.

Wow, you’re such a great friend. Soon-shin…you can do better.

Soon-shin scoffs that Joon-ho is not nice enough to offer her a condolence contract; he merely wants to test his own abilities. Time and money make people strange, she concludes. I concur.

Chan-mi wonders if she can really succeed and Soon-shin seems doubtful. She won’t dream of becoming an actress. She’ll treat the money as a loan, pay it back by working at the restaurant and bear with the six months. Then she can be rid of the loan and her mom will stop being depressed. And then she futilely warns Chan-mi to keep her mouth shut. Let’s see how long that lasts.

Jung-ae gives Yoo-shin back her bank book, telling her to save it for her marriage. Yoo-shin doesn’t want to marry and live gloomy lives like her and Hye-shin. Why save up money for suicide?

That’s a morbid thought. I’m not sure if she’s just saying it to get her mom to take the money or what. I hope she’s not serious.

In any case, she didn’t save the money for her wedding but won’t say why she saved it. Jung-ae refuses again and Yoo-shin gets angry that she’ll pay off Soon-shin’s debt by working as a cleaner but not accept her money. What is the point of having a daughter who makes money if she won’t share what’s going on. Jung-ae says she’s not working because of Soon-shin, but Yoo-shin doesn’t believe it. Does Jung-ae think she’s not capable of taking care of the family?

I see her logic, but it’s very skewed logic. Jung-ae doesn’t want to burden them, but Yoo-shin feels like she’s keeping secrets and not trusting them.

Then Yoo-shin asks: Who did you give birth to? Soon-shin has turned this house upside down. Why do you always protect her?

Wait, do the older sisters know but not Soon-shin? What? Why?

Soon-shin comes in, apparently not having heard anything. She tells Yoo-shin she already paid the money back by becoming full-time staff at the restaurant and getting paid in advance. Yoo-shin storms out with Soon-shin at her heels while Hye-shin comes in.

You know, I think Yoo-shin is pissed she can’t help and that Soon-shin took care of her own problem. I really think she wanted to help and receive some attention from her mother.

Yoo-shin crawls into bed and Soon-shin stands over her and begs her not to be angry anymore. She’s already self-reflected a lot.  (Don’t you mean you were really hard on yourself.)

Chan-woo calls Yoo-shin, but she pulls out the batteries in her phone and climbs back into bed, leaving Soon-shin confused.

Hye-shin kept a scarf from being donated at the church. It’s the scarf that Soon-shin was wearing when she came to them. Hye-shin says she could never have taken a child in like Jung-ae did; she would’ve sent her to an orphanage. Having Woo-joo showed her how difficult raising one’s own child is; how can she raise someone else’s?

Jung-ae whispers that Soon-shin is their youngest sister and Hye-shin corrects herself: she was trying to say that Jung-ae is great for bringing her into the family. Jung-ae doesn’t think she’s great or else Soon-shin wouldn’t have gotten conned. She blames herself. Hye-shin sighs that she understands why Yoo-shin acts the way she does.

Why? Please tell me. Jealousy isn’t a good reason. Well, in drama it is I suppose.

Jung-ae has kept the scarf in the stockroom and forgot about it. She remembers when Chang-hoon brought the crying baby home – he found her in front of a parking lot. He took her to the police station but was afraid something might happen. Younger Jung-ae praises her husband and takes the red-scarf wrapped baby into her arms.

An aside: That baby is sooooooo cute!

Jung-ae is mad that the baby isn’t probably wrapped against the cold and immediately starts to care for her. Aw, she’s a softy.

Back to present and we see the scarf has the initials “K.S.” which are obviously for “Kyung-sook.”

Yoo-shin and Soon-shin are in bed (in the same room! phew!) and Yoo-shin puts the battery back in her phone and calls Chan-woo for a meeting.

He waits anxiously for her and she takes a deep breath before putting on a nonchalant attitude and joining him. She casually asks why he called her so many times. Is it because of “that day?” She hesitates and then says “Sorry, it was a mistake.”

He tells her not to be like that and asks her to date. She is shocked and laughs at him. He thinks they have to marry because of it? It’s a possibility he says eagerly.

He tries to say something about that night, but she cuts him off, calling him old fashioned. Is he really trying to take responsibility for her? She’s the one who seduced him! He’s the victim. She frankly tells him that she doesn’t want to be serious. She doesn’t have feelings for him. That night was a mistake.

He stares at her as she babbles, then leaves. He is not a happy camper. That’s definitely the face of a man with a broken heart. Poor guy. But yeah, Yoo-shin definitely was trying to power through that encounter and get through her embarrassment and solve it the way she wanted.

Yeon-ah prepares a meal looking like frickin’ Rachel Ray in the kitchen, smiling and everything. Then she remembers Joon-ho telling her to wait for the signing of the girl’s contract and then her challenging Joon-ho to mentor the girl kneeling on the street.

Hwang comes in and compliments her cooking, wondering where she learned. I’m not sure if that interaction is important, so I stuck it in. Basically everything Manager Hwang I want to avoid…but it’s essential to the plot. Blech.

Then it’s time to begin the meeting to decide Lee Soon-shin’s concept. She’s short, a little too heavy for their tests, too flat-chested and difficult to make into a beauty. She also doesn’t have an impressive educational background. In-sung suggests that they focus on developing her acting.

Joon-ho isn’t happy with this analysis and the entire conference room of people glance down at their computers unsure of what else to say about the mediocre trainee he’s brought them.

Yeon-ah calls him and he takes it outside. She tells him that she remembers who that girl is, the girl from the street. She sounds condescending when she says she can’t believe he did it. Joon-ho asks if she’s afraid she’ll lose. She wants to know how long she has to wait. Six months, he says, and she hangs up laughing. Mi-ryeong asks why she’s laughing and Yeon-ah says that Joon-ho is adorable.

Yeah, calling him adorable makes me think you mean adorable like a child and that’s condescending. Oh wait, we already established that you were.

Back to the meeting. The managers who scouted Soon-shin suggest they give up the contract because it looks hopeless. One manager alters her face and makes her look like a freak and says they should make this into a long-term project; it’ll take a while for the swelling to go down. Joon-ho scolds them: are they creating a plastic surgery monster? Those are everywhere. He slams the computer shut and reminds him that they have succeeded where people said they wouldn’t.

Joon-ho gets up and gives a speech. There is no such thing as an easy road.

This one definitely won’t be easy. Especially not since that phone call reminded you about what you were already painfully aware of.

Joon-ho heads down to the cafe and hands Soon-shin a timetable for a diet. Young-hoon joins them and finds out that she joined Gabi. Joon-ho tells her to follow the timetable when she eats and that he wants her to build some muscle first. He scoffs that there is a long way to go.

Young-hoon asks what is going on, but Soon-shin’s phone rings and it’s Jung-ae, come to greet Young-hoon and thank him for the salary increase. Soon-shin tries to stop her and hide her lies. But he shows up and Jung-ae greets him. He’s confused by her mother’s sincere thanks.

Soon-shin tries to usher her out, but Young-hoon invites her to sit and enjoy a drink. All three sit and Soon-shin looks nervous. Young-hoon tells Jung-ae that Soon-shin is their cafe’s treasure. Then she spills the lie that Soon-shin is so desperately trying to hide: thanks for giving my daughter a year’s pay in advance! Soon-shin silences her by making her drink and Young-hoon quickly picks up on the lie and rolls with it.

Aw, he’s already protecting her.

Mr. Waiter comes over and Young-hoon guides him away.

Soon-shin sees her happy mother out and heads back in to thank her boss. She tells him that her home was thrown into chaos because she was swindled and then shortly after her father passed away. Young-hoon’s jaw drops and he realizes why she didn’t come to work. He also realizes that the lie was because of the signing bonus. Then our gentle, kind second lead offers to help her whenever she needs. She thanks him enthusiastically and he watches her leave.

I wish he’d tell Joon-ho and Mr. Waiter about her father’s passing ’cause it would explain a lot to them. But at the same time, Young-hoon really isn’t the type to spill other people’s secrets. Leave that go Gil-ja and Chan-mi.

Sexy baker Jin-wook is laying out some new pastries when he sees Woo-joo outside. He grabs her by the bookbag. He asks if she and her mother enjoyed the bread. Woo-joo says in her little kid attitude that it doesn’t. Of course, Jin-wook’s temper flares and he defends that everyone in the neighborhood loves their bread. Woo-joo says the bread in Hong Kong is way better.

Then he drags her inside by the bookbag to feed her pastries. She dislikes each one he feeds her despite his explanations. He says that a mafia boss even liked his bread and almost gives away that he was in prison.

Heh. Nice, upright Hye-shin with sexy, bad-temper, baker. I likes.

But Woo-joo doesn’t like the bread. He gets angry and hides the anger with a smile. He wants her to try more but she doesn’t want to. They taste bad. She sticks her tongue out at him and he gets even more angry. She walks away and knocks a ton of bread of his cart and he orders her to pick it up.

Woo-joo’s face falls and he apologizes. Hye-shin walks in and Woo-joo runs to her. Then Hye-shin goes to help him clean up and tells him that the bread was delicious. He gets all embarrassed and then when he sees her smile, he’s a goner.

Hooray! Well, I say “hooray”. Woo-joo doesn’t look too happy. That and I’m realizing that his introduction in episode 3 as the “creepy” man after Woo-joo is so appropriate. He is a little creepy about wanting to say sorry to Hye-shin and at the same time being freakishly proud of his baked goods. Creepishly proud?

Bok-man and Gil-ja are visiting Granny and Hye-shin. Gil-ja boasts that her phone rings off the hook with match date offers for Chan-woo. Then Gil-ja asks if Jung-ae went to work again and Granny, who doesn’t know the truth, says that Jung-ae went out to exercise again. She’s not home much anymore. Lukcily, Gil-ja gets the hint and doesn’t push it.

Jung-ae comes in as Granny and Bok-man head out to garden. Granny laments that the garden is a mess because Chang-hoon is gone. She sheds a tear and Bok-man offers to help her whenever she needs help.

Then Granny asks him if he has news of Kyung-sook and if he knows where she is. Bok-man’s face falls and he stutters he has no idea. Granny knows that Kyung-sook wanted to be an actress, but doesn’t know what became of her. Bok-man lies that she’s probably married and living well. Why bring up the past?

Granny wants to forget the past, but the picture and Mi-ryeong on tv is bugging her.

Gil-ja tries to awkwardly comfort Jung-ae by saying she’s better off without a husband. All they do is eat and sleep at this age. But Jung-ae doesn’t think it’s funny. She would do anything for him if he came back. She regrets not saying nice things to him, I love you or being able to be aegyo.

Gil-ja is annoyed Jung-ae won’t cheer up. But Gil-ja, sweetie, honey, you don’t cheerup that quickly after a loved one DIES. Just saying.

She and Bok-man walk home and she worries about Jung-ae. Bok-man says that they have a good relationship and Gil-ja shushes him. Then she spots Song Mi-ryeong in a car and gets mad at Bok-man for staring. But he’s not staring for the reason she thinks he is.

This better come together before episode 50…

And it’s time for Jung-ae to figure it out. She looks at the scarf in her room and seeing the initials. Then she pulls out the photo and sees that the woman is wearing the same scarf with the same initials. “K.S.”

Chan-woo is lost in thought at his office remembering Yoo-shin saying that he’s too serious and she’s not interested in him. Then his receptionist comes to get him for the company outing.

Dong-hyuk doesn’t go but instead asks his Soo-jungwhere she’s hiding Yi-jung. She denies hiding her but Dong-hyuk has stopped her card. If she wants money, she should come get it directly.

When Soo-jung calls Yi-jung to warn her that the card won’t work, Yi-jung is busy dancing at the same club where Chan-woo and his co-workers are partying. Well, they’re partying, he’s drinking away his love woes. Yi-jung tells her friends that the alcohol is her treat, which of course will go badly. She notices Chan-woo drinking alone.

His co-workers drag him out to dance but he heads right back to the table. Man, this dude knows how to brood. He won’t even shake that cute behind once for me. Meanie.

And it’s time to pay…card DECLINED. She’s baffled at first and then glances around for a knight in shining armor. This is when Chan-woo and his gang are leaving. Yi-jung jumps in front of him and tells him it’s his lucky night: he pays her tab, he gets a date with her. She tells the barguy that Chan-woo will pay, but he’s no amused and leaves.

YES!

Then this guy comes and offers to pay for her if she goes to play with him. Chan-woo saves her and tells her not to live like this from now on. He leaves her and she smiles after him.

Guh, so she’s Yoo In-nah’s second lead wench? I guess wench fighting wench will be fun.

Chan-woo gets in a cab to go home, pooping his party, and Yi-jung goes after the cab, but is too late. Ha.

Jung-ae can’t sleep because she’s thinking about the old picture and the scarf. The next morning she goes to Granny to ask about Kyung-sook and when Chang-hoon met her. Granny tries to blow off the question, but Jung-ae wants to know about their relationship. Granny thinks she’s curious out of jealousy, but tells her to forget the past. They broke up way before Jung-ae met him. She should tear up the picture; it’s bad luck.

Breakfast is a subdued affair. Jung-ae stares sadly at Soon-shin. Yoo-shin is lost in thought…that is until Granny says her face looks swollen. Men won’t like her. Yoo-shin defends that plenty of men like her and Woo-joo asks why she ain’t married then. She says she’ll never get married. Granny says she doesn’t believe her. Neither do I. All people her age are marrying. Even Chan-woo.

Soon-shin seems surprised by that and I think Yoo-shin is. But she’s always pouting so it’s hard to tell. Hye-shin tells them about all the matchmaking offers and Soon-shin gets depressed. She’d be cute with Chan-woo, but she is Joon-ho’s!!!!!!! BWAAHAHAHAHA!

Ahem…Yoo-shin looks a bit down about the matchmaking news, too. Granny notices that Chan-woo’s marriage matches didn’t go over well with the youngest daughters.

And then Jung-ae asks why Soon-shin is eating so little: she’s on a diet! Granny thinks she’s skin and bones and so do I. IU is thin. I really don’t get why she should lose weight. I know, I know. The entertainment industry. But any thinner and she’d look emaciated…

Mi-ryeong is working at at Gabi’s gym, running like a madwoman.

Soon-shin is heading to work and a dude next to her is eating a grilled sandwich – a dangerous temptation to her underfed tummy. It’s a temptation she can’t resist and she heads to the cart and ends up ordering one of the same. Just as she’s about to take a bite, Joon-ho appears and snatches it out of her hands.

Nuh-uh! No you didn’t! You did not just steal a bitch’s food. That ain’t cool!

He asks if she’s breaking the contract on her first day and she shakes her head, looking mighty desperate to eat her sandwich. He orders her to follow him and takes a bite of her sandwich.

He takes her to the Gabi gym where she is to work out an hour every morning. She sullenly agrees. Joon-ho decides she’s not trustworthy and orders that she take a photo every day after working out as proof. Heh. He ain’t joking.

Mi-ryeong and Hwang bump into them as they are leaving and we finally get a formal introduction. Hwang laughs at her name and Joon-ho uses the same line that Soon-shin did on him: Our country’s hero. Did you sleep during history lessons?

Then Soon-shin bows to Mi-ryeong and thanks her for the help with Yi-jung. Mi-ryeong recognizes her and says it’s good to meet the new trainee. She holds out her hand and Soon-shin takes it with a very respectful, deep bow.

Mother and daughter have held hands!

Mi-ryeong finds her charming.

And then the episode ends…

 Comments:

Okay, I’m excited to see these two together in a professional setting. Still don’t care about them as family, but the professional stuff should be fun. And people will sing…

Dong-hyuk holding that meeting over Mi-ryeong’s head is a little annoying. I don’t know why he doesn’t like her but if he doesn’t, he should just out her. But I suppose the drama would be over faster that way. And then the way he treats his wife is atrocious. I think I may hate him more than his brat of a daughter.

She is definitely going to like Chan-woo. Bleh.

Yoo-shin was sooooo mean to Chan-woo. She keeps everyone at a difference with that biting tongue of hers. She wouldn’t have to be jealous if she just acted nicer. Hye-shin isn’t having mommy issues. But at the same time, Jung-ae really should show her a bit more TLC. I think she may have been so concerned with making Soon-shin feel welcome that she neglected the others.

Also, I like that there’s sex. Real people have sex. I don’t especially love Yoo-shin’s uber casual attitude (or Chan-woo’s stuffy one), but at least it’s addressed!

I know entertainment agencies stick their guys and gals under the knife, but it’s still a gross concept to me. Natural looks are so much more appealing, even if there are flaws in them. Leave Soon-shin’s face alone!

I love the chemistry between IU and Jo Jung-seok. It’s so natural. Mystisith mentioned in a comment that he lets go of his age when he acts and it completely closes the age gap. So true. Wise commenter!

And now…we wait…*sob*

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

Character introductions.

Lee Soon-shin is the Best: Episode 8 Screencaps.