Rooftop Prince: Episode 10 Recap

by: the Madcap Duo, Raine and MadDino

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Raine: Ratings went down 10.4% for this episode. Why? It was so good! Lots of character development and key plot moments.

MadDino and I would like to thank you for reading. This week has been absolutely crazy with three episodes. I, for one, enjoyed the overdose, but am ready for a regular schedule!

“Happy ending” –  Instrumental of song sung by Jay Park (from the Rooftop Prince OST)

(“Na neo joahae…saranghae…/I like you…I love you.” Who wrote this? Did it get sent? Read on to see what happens!)

episode 10 recap

Raine: After evil incarnate hugs the poor, deceived Panda to make Park Ha jealous, poor Park Ha walks away with tears in her eyes.

And just a note, Se-na is still wearing Tae-mu’s ring.

Deeno: Why shouldn’t she be wearing the ring? It’s precious.

Raine: It’s offensive to my intense shipping of Park Ha and the Panda.

Deeno: Can I ship Park Ha and Tae Mu?

Raine: …no.

So after the hugging, Park Ha is crying, the Panda is happy, Se-na is gloating.

Deeno: Deeno is happy that Park Ha is crying. If only she could get Panda to die…

Raine: Deeno likes to talk about Deeno in the third person.

Deeno’s kamikaze toaster: Deeno is happy that Park Ha is crying. If only she could get Panda to die…

Raine’s third answering machine: Nice move, toaster. You’re a brave little thing, coming out amongst these psycho recappers.

Deeno’s kamikaze toaster: Hey! I’m not a psycho recapper!

Raine’s third answering machine: You better watch it, Raine likes smashing the likes of us. Quick! Flash a picture of Park Shi-hoo!

Deeno’s kamikaze toaster: Park Shi-hoo engraved in a piece of toast?

Raine’s third answering machine: She’ll have it preserved and framed.

Raine: After that most disgusting hug, Se-na makes up some spiel about never having been to the top of the Seoul Tower. She wants to go up with someone who has never seen it. He falls for it. I barf a little inside my mouth.

I have to give her props. She’s sooooo slick.

Deeno’s kamikaze toaster: Like butter on a bald monkey’s head.

Raine: That is almost as disgusting as butter. My third answering machine knows better than to say that word…ew, butter.

Park Ha reels from shock as she slowly makes her way home. she passes by a basketball court and decides to shoot some hoops. This is where I decide that she’s the best character ever. I LOVE BASKETBALL! I’ll even forgive her for being an idiot and playing in heels.

Deeno: I hate basketball. Or I hate people who asking me if I play basketball because I’m tall. I don’t go around assuming short people play miniature golf.

Raine: Hey! We’re not miniature! We’re vertically impaired.

Deeno: Vertically stunted is more like it.

Raine: Again, I will point out that little like me nip at the heels of big people like you. I enjoy various flavors of big people: BBQ, Mexican, Cajun…

Deeno: Buttery?

Raine’s third answering machine: I believe she’s off relieving her stomach…

Deeno: …press “pound cake” to make her throw up again…

Raine: As they look out at the city from the top of the Seoul Tower, Se-na winds my poor Panda Prince even more tightly around her finger with some BS about how all of the lights far away seem happy, but inside is a different story. Star must be like that, too.

You brought up stars? SERIOUSLY? The sad thing is that the prince falls for this cheesy crap. He even asks if she’s more beautiful up close or from far away.

Nice metaphor, writer. Now when will he learn the answer to that question?

She dodges it by saying that she can’t see herself.

The prince tells her that if wants to be somewhere, it is as beautiful from afar as it is up close and that applies to people.

You poor, poor, panda.

To keep the Panda from returning to his Peppermint, Se-na suggests a cable car ride.

Raine: On their way home from work, the Tracksuit Trio spots Park Ha playing basketball by herself and ask why she’s not with the Prince. She went out to eat with friends instead, she lies. To divert them from further questioning, she tosses a basketball at them. Yong-sul gives it a whirl and turns out that his future incarnation is Dwyane Wade because he slam dunks that sucker like a pro.

This show just got even cooler.

Deeno: Cooler? Or lamer?

Raine: Do you play basketball? You’re tall.

Fluffy Deeno: I play basketball in pink ballet slippers and instead of basketballs we use cotton candy, so no one gets hurt. Except Raine.

Raine’s third answering machine: Raine cannot be with you right now. She has passed out from sugar consumption. A warning to the Panda Prince, restrict sugar intake. The doctors in Joseon don’t know about diabetes.

Raine: *tries to ignore Fluffy Deeno* The Panda Prince finally ditches Se-na and calls Chi-san to ask where they are. He arrives at the court to find them in the middle of a pick-up game. TAKE OFF THOSE HEELS PARK HA!

Fluffy Deeno: But heels make it easier to dance with ponies!

Raine’s third answering machine: Please restrict the abuse of narcotics. These include opium and its derivatives, Coco leaves, cocaine and fluffy pills.

Fluffy Deeno: If everyone ate fluffy pills all would be right in this world.

Raine: *twitching and trying to use the third answering machine as a barrier so she can recap* Park Ha notices the prince and plays it cool, calling him over to join their game. Chi-san decides to referee and the winner grants loser a wish. The prince, Park Ha and Man-bo fight over Dwyane Wade. But when Park Ha slides her little arm around Wade’s bicep, he’s a goner and cheats during rock-paper-scissors so he can be on her team. The prince is not pleased, especially as he indicated to Yong-sul that he should cheat to be on the princes’s team..

Fluffy Deeno: Smile my little Panda Prince. Times will get better. Everything is going to be ok and you can ride off over the rainbow to my fluffy cloud castle.

Raine: No more fluffy!

Raine’s third answering machine: I’m sorry! I tried! Don’t smash me!

Raine: You’re safe until I buy another one. As for that fluffy monster, GO AWAY!

Raine: They play the dirtiest game ever (and Park Ha finally takes her heels off). The Prince would be benched for the amount of charging he does! But it doesn’t get him anywhere ‘cause Park Ha and Yong-sul win. He’s stoked until he gets a glare from the prince. Yong-sul lets Park Ha choose their prize and the prince takes out his magical credit card to grant it. They face off as he waits for her request.

Fluffy Deeno: He should use his magical card to buy world peace.

Raine: I’m going to use it to buy a guillotine.

Fluffy Deeno: No don’t chop off the panda’s head. Pandas are an endangered species.

Raine: You’re going to be extinct.

Fluffy Deeno: They should be preserved and protected like Park Shi Hoo toast.

Raine: *takes a deep breath* Must…continue…recap…must…continue…okay! I can do this.

Raine: Unlike us, Park Ha doesn’t want anything money can buy, oh no. She just wants to hit him, so she punches him in the gut.

Deeno: Yes! Next, you yank his head just so and his neck will snap…

Raine: No! You can’t kill him. You need to keep your hankering for panda steaks at bay!

Fluffy Deeno: I agree with Raine, killing people is not the way to go. Instead you should learn to control your anger issues with a few yoga exercises.

Deeno: How about I take my anger issues out on you, you stupid fluffy flowersaur.

Raine: BWAHAHA! Die fluffy flowersaur. His pandaness has just purchased my guillotine.

Deeno: You have no right to kill my fluffy friend! I need her. To keep you under control.

Raine: The flowersaur makes me twitch. *twitch*

Raine: After Park Ha’s wicked cool punch, the prince’s face is priceless and she triumphantly walks away. Then he swears to annihilate all the generations of her family. Hahahaha. When Yong-sul begs for mercy, the Prince gives it, saying that things like this happen too often nowadays. Ha!

Raine: At the rooftop apartment, they do the funny, hand-weaving birthday dance and she blows out the candles on her glorious cake. When asked if he prepared anything, the prince chooses not to give her the gift and heads to bed. They’re shocked he refuses to eat tasty, sugary cake.

Are you pouting because Park Ha didn’t show up? Well, that happens when you’re in love with a psycho. And I’ll take your piece of cake.

Deeno: *snatches out of Raine’s hands and devours in one gulp* Nom. Nom. Cake!

Raine: This is why they baked a five-tiered cake.

Deeno: So they could invite dinosaurs to their party?

Raine: And princesses. No flowersaurs.

Both Park Ha and the prince get all pensive in their rooms while thinking about the other.

Raine: Se-na asks Pyo Taek-soo if she can transfer to work under him and he agrees to ask permission. Of course, Tae-mu’s father overhears and tells her to quit now or he’ll take action.

Raine: In the bathroom at work, Park Ha is washing some fruits and veggies and heads out. She’s stopped by Se-na at the entrance of the bathroom. Se-na demands to know if Park Ha told Tae-mu’s father the truth about her mother in order to get revenge. Park Ha has no idea what she’s talking about but tells Se-na, “If you lie on your own and doubt on your own, what can I do about it?”

That’s the last straw for Se-na and she slaps the bowl out of Park Ha’s hand, scattering the fruits and veggies onto the bathroom floor. Ew.

Park Ha doesn’t take it lying down and shoves Se-na, demanding what she can do to end this. Se-na backs Park Ha against the wall, lips curled and eyes full of hatred, and promises to steal everything she has.

Whoa. Just….whoa.

Deeno: By whoa, she means awesome! Se Na looked downright evil when her grin turned into a snarl.

Raine: That was brilliant acting, but the snarl sent shivers down my spine and made me wish for that guillotine…

Deeno: No…guillotines are bad…I mean good…I mean..brain overload from fluffy. Explode. Sizzle. Sigh. Back to normal! Wait, I like Se Na, she can’t die yet. We need more evil in this world.

Raine: Se-na can’t die…we need her to make trouble. But guillotines could be used in the end. Don’t explode, Deeno. That would be sad.

Park Ha also gets in trouble for dropping the food on the floor. She never gets a break.

Raine: Daddy Tae-mu tries to get Tae-yong kicked out and Pyo Taek-soo, Tae-yong’s overseer, defends him. Grams decides that they’ll have a test to prove Tae-yong’s ability: he has to come up with a product and sell it.

In the hall, Daddy Tae-mu and Taek-soo call each other names and Aunt Wang overhears. She comes to Taek-soo’s defense, telling Daddy Tae-mu to be  respectful to his uncle.

Say wha’? Uncle? Who? What? Where? Aunt Wang wishes.

Taek-soo would rather die than be Daddy Tae-mu’s uncle. You know what, that’s good. Daddy Tae-mu has nasty yellow teeth.

Deeno: Whoa, he could be Daddy Tae Mu’s uncle. Even though he looks way younger than him.

Raine: Gross…I’m still stuck on the yellow teeth…how did I not notice them before…

Raine: Team Joseon finds out they have to create a product and it just so happens that Se-na has one she’s been saving for a special occasion. She takes the Panda to some kinda beauty place and shows him the product. Then they go for coffee and she acts all meek and shy, wondering if she was too forward. She informs him that she found out about Park Ha’s birthday and wants to know his relationship with Park Ha. She also wants to know if she got between him and Park Ha and he assures her that she didn’t. A buzzer goes off at another table which reminds the prince of Park Ha.

Raine: Park Ha’s buzzer goes off, too. Actually, it’s not her buzzer, it’s her phone. It’s a call from Chi-san who wants to take her to dinner with his first paycheck. Awwwww! She gives him a tickle under his chin. (I’m saving a tickle under the chin for my Malay friend Ricky!)

Deeno: Me too! I want to tickle his chin and while he calls me noona. I’d even stop myself from slitting his throat. It would be so cute!

Raine: I don’t even know what to say to that.

Deeno: *nod and smile*

Raine: The trio gets paid in cash because they don’t have bank accounts. Then, they hysterically tip Taek-soo by stuffing bills into his suit as though he were a male stripper. Taek-soo asks if they want him to dance and when he does, they give him more bills. He gets pissed, calls them poop heads and leaves. That’s what happens when you listen to Chi-san. He’s got a dirty little mind. I like him.

Deeno: What would happen if I gave you a dollar?

Raine: Do you really want to know?

Deeno: Ye….noooooooo?

Raine: Give me a hundred and I’ll think about telling you. And it better be USD.

Deeno: How about a picture of PSH instead?

Raine: How big is it? What is the pixel ratio? Is he nekkid?

Deeno: Can a 1×1 picture be naked?

Raine: I’m not telling.

Deeno: Unni, I’m scared.

Raine: Se-na watches Tae-mu and Tae-yong play squash and me and Deeno drool. Sweaty men playing a fast sport. Nom nom nom. Tae-mu is impressed with Tae-yong’s improvement and they  pretend to be pals. After changing, Tae-mu warns Se-na away from Tae-yong, who he thinks isn’t really Tae-yong.

After work, the trio and Park Ha meet up to spend their paychecks. The prince isn’t there ‘cause he’s with Se-na.

Burn.

Deeno: Poor separated couple. Actually, I think I’m supposed to hate this couple. Why don’t I?

Raine: I actually, for real, outside of respect for writing evil characters, feel bad for Tae-mu. He really does love that wench. It’s so sad.

Deeno: Tae Mu! Why should you feel bad for him? He has me!

Raine: But he doesn’t love you.

Deeno: He loves me. He wants to take over the world with me.

Raine: I didn’t know dinosaurs were delusional. Did you listen to my third answering machine? Drugs are bad. BAAAAAAAAD. I’m going to get An-na’s sheep to tell you how it is.

Deeno: I’m not delusional the fluffy pills have completely worn off. Oh, look, a unicorn!

Raine: Park Ha wonders who they’ll buy for because they don’t have family. They remind  her that they have family in Joseon and she feels terrible. They each head out to shop and meet for dinner.

Chi-san bought patches for his mother who works too hard and always comes home aching. Man-bo bought his sixteen year old sister make-up. Sadly, he says that she probably thinks he’s dead. Stoic Yong-seul bought beef jerky. A noble killed his mother and sister and the only person he has left is his ailing father. He wanted to give him meat that would last.

I like that the writer took time to give us some background on these characters. They’re comic relief, but it’s nice to be able to relate to them as people.

Anyway, all the sad stories has Park Ha crying. Chi-san tells her not to cry and hands her a gift – it’s to show their gratitude. He asked the woman at the store to help him choose based on Park Ha’s age and personality.

And what is it?

LINGERIE!

Chi-san is super pleased with himself and she is mortified. The prince told him that her personality was sneaky. BWAHAHAHAHA!

She wants to drink beer.

Funny story: When I was sixteen, my friends bought me sexy lingerie…it was NEON GREEN.

Deeno: Ha ha? What? Did it have Gir on it?

Raine: I might’ve worn it if it did.

Deeno: I would have too. I must find Gir lingerie.

Raine: After the meal, they have popsicles and Man-bo muses how nice it would be to take some things from this time period back to Joseon. He asks the other two if they’d rather stay here or go back to Joseon. Both want to to go back home. Park Ha is saddened by the thought that she didn’t know they felt this way for all that time. To comfort her, Chi-san says that they’ll enjoy the time they’ve got. Then he jumps on his pony, Yong-sul, and rides away!

Deeno: The Tracksuit Trio and Park Ha visit an arcade. They take pictures together. They are awed by the machines ability remove blemishes, till they remove Chi San’s eyes.

Raine: Hehehe. This was so funny. You think they’re acclimated and then the writer pulls a stunt like that. Yay cleverness!

Deeno: Park Ha asks Man Bo when he estimates they will go home. He guesses that they will return when Panda Prince marries the crown princess’ reincarnation and solves the mystery of the Hwa Yong’s murder. He also reveals that Se Na is the crown princess’ reincarnation. The world stops and contemplates spontaneous combustion for a while as the creepy Lost-esque music plays. 

The planet hasn’t been destroyed, but Park Ha’s life as she knew it is completely vanquished. Everything makes sense: how Se Na will steal everything, the meaning behind Panda Prince’s words, the bracelet.

Raine: Seriously, Park Ha is the writer’s scapegoat. Everything that goes wrong, happens to her. Well, post Crown Princess murder. I will have to use my princess powers to save her. But then we wouldn’t have twenty awesome episodes of Pandas horseriding behind Park Ha, or pretending to choke to get her to do mouth-to-mouth, or changing in elevators, or riding on tow trucks…

Deeno: Park Ha is upset and when Panda Prince, freshly returned from a date with Se Na, tries to talk to him, she blows him off.

Raine: He’s so clueless. He doesn’t even realize he’s been leading her on. I think I mentioned this before, but he was buddies with Bu Yong and had a similar comfortable camaraderie going. When will he realize it’s more than that? I can’t take this tension. AH!

Deeno: I love the tension. I love not knowing when things will be solved.

Raine: Ah! Tension. *twitch* Want…twenty…episodes…but… *twitch*

Deeno: The tracksuit trio are on their way to play a game a basketball when they are stopped by the evil witch. She invites herself over for a BBQ the next day so she can worm her way into their hearts from their stomachs up through their livers.

Raine: Start with the liver. It always works. But she knows that, she’s the greatest evil there ever was.

Deeno: The trio is happy to see Panda Prince and Se na get closer. Blue and Yellow Ajussis think it’s just a matter of getting them alone time together, but Green Ajussi realize that the biggest barrier is Park Ha. Yes Green Ajussi, Park Ha is a problem. If you kill her all your problems will be solved and you will be instantly transported back to Joseon times! Listen to this noona. She will never lead you astray.

Raine: No! Yellow ahjussi Chi-san, you’re supposed to be socially apt. Figure out that Se-na is an evil snarly, vegetable flinging she-devil and smite her! I will tickle you under your chin afterwards!

Deeno: I want to tickle his chin, too. And hug him. And I have no idea why.

Raine: And here you wanted to kill him a few episodes back. Chi-san has wormed his way into living a few more episodes.

Deeno: I only need one hug. Then I can kill him…

Raine: Chi-san, your mother told you not to talk to strangers, right? Don’t hug them either!

Deeno: I’m not a stranger. I’m a nice little noona.

Raine: She’s a tall noona. One of the few who don’t like to play basketball. So this minigolf hating noona plays it for her.

Deeno: Come to me. I have yellow sequins.

Raine: Can you imagine Deeno having sequins in her closet? Pfffft.

Deeno: I never said they were in a closet…they’re at the bottom of a spike filled pit.

Raine: It’s better to have a princess like me offer you sequins…which I actually own…but they’re black.

Deeno: Panda Prince tries to talk to Park Ha again. Rejected!

Raine: Ha! Think Panda! There’s a reason your friend hates your smirking she-devil. Actually, there is more than one.

Deeno: Se Na returns to her apartment. All the furniture has been moved out. Oh no!

Raine: My mom came into my room to tell me something while this part was playing and was rather shocked by how happily I was cackling. Oh the joy! Serves. You. Right.

Deeno: Tae Mu is driving his car and is so hot.

Raine: *drool*

Deeno: He gets to the apartment to find Se Na packing up her bags. He begs her to stay with him, but she refuses to listen to any of his suggestions and also takes leave from the company. She goes back to her mother’s house and her mom is so happy to have her back. Oh, she’s going to crush her mom’s heart again isn’t she?

Raine: This is one of the worst things about Se-na for me. Her mom hasn’t done anything. Park Ha hasn’t either, but her mom raised her, clothed her, fed her and she gets totally denied and rejected and looked down upon for earning an honest living. That pisses me off. Die spawn of satan!

Deeno: Live! Thrive. Stay another day to murder Park Ha!

Raine: DIE SPAWN!! Wait, how did this role reversal happen? Aren’t I supposed to be begging for people’s lives?

Deeno: I’d rather Park Ha died first. Then you can kill her off.

Deeno: Crazy Aunt meets with Nostachio. With all the youngin’s dating she asks if he wants to mate with her. She’s cruelly rejected, but vows that someday she will get that fine specimen of a man and start making Italian plumber babies.

Raine: *twitch*

Deeno: Park Ha finds out that Se Na is coming over for a BBQ so she borrows a bike and runs away. Panda Prince ignores the BBQ and chases after her. Oh cute, they are getting their bicycle date after all.

Raine: Take it as a sign you dense human of the male persuasion! You ditched your supposed love for a bike-riding peppermint! READ THE SIGNS!

Deeno: Moose Crossing!

Raine: Don’t decorate your house with sheep! Oh…dammit. I keep putting Fashion King references in here…

Deeno: Decorate your room with a moose instead. Then you can start referencing Invader Zim, which is a million times better than Fashion King. At least it knows it doesn’t have a plot.

Raine: And that making three-piece suits out of curtains is really not cool.

Deeno: Panda chases after her and tries to relieve the tension between them. First, he tries barking orders. Second, he tries giving her a present. Last, he yells at her for making him care about her and promises to never care about her again and rides off into the sunset.

Raine: Okay, so he just used the word “care” and still hasn’t gotten the hint?

Deeno: He’s dense. We should call him Steel Panda from now on.

Raine: If we contract it, it would be – Stupanda.

Deeno: Wait wouldn’t that be Stupid Panda? You’re insulting your panda! Yay! I win!

Raine: No! That’s what it sounds like with my Miami accent! But yeah…he’s a little thick. We’ll stick with Steel Panda.

Deeno: Park Ha thinks that even though he didn’t come to the future to meet her, she still wants to like him. She tests out the words “I like you…I love you” on her phone and accidentally sends them. He comes back and tells her that they need to talk more and goes off to buy them a drink.

Raine: He came back! I love these characters who actually talk things through after initial blow ups! Or try until the drama gods thwart their efforts. And…I love that he came back. The romantic in me squee’d! And rewound.

Deeno: He leaves his jacket and phone. She tries to crack his password, but in her panic she can’t think straight. Instead, she buries the phone in the ground.

Raine: I seriously started cracking up so badly!!! Epic, Park Ha! Epic!

Deeno: Luck isn’t on her side as a dog starts barking at the ground. She tries to distract the prince by talking about the cherry blossoms, but he’s intrigued by the dog and retrieves his phone. He gets upset that she buried the phone and sent a message. Park Ha runs away before he can read it.

Raine: So cute when he reads it. Just utter shock. If the thought hadn’t occurred to him to like her romantically, it’s going to be there now, even if he rejects her, which he probably will.

Deeno: He chases after her and cuts off her escape.

Raine: Then he asks her to marry him and they live happily ever after.

Deeno: Till I pull out my lightsaber and slash through your lies!

Raine: Yeah, so the episode ends with them staring at each other…BOO!

 Comments:

Raine: We all know I’m the verbose one. So here I go.

This show is so good. Here’s why I think so.

1) Continuous plot: Although there is a lot going into it, the plot doesn’t stagnate. All the pieces keeping falling in, clearing up some of the puzzle and fogging up others.

2) Mystery: It’s actually mysterious and not completely formulaic and I appreciate that. We discover truths and lies with the characters and that’s awesome.

3) Villains: I keep saying this, but Se-na is awesomely written and well-acted. She is selfish, quashes whatever conscience she has and is downright shameless. But she’s not obnoxious like the evil moms of yore (I.E. Secret Garden mommy played by the same actress who plays Aunt Wang/Yong, whatever her name is, Park Joon-geum.) I admit, Tae-mu is still pretty underdeveloped and his villainy is a tad underwhelming, but I smell some plot thickening around him soon.

4) Tracksuit Trio: The chemistry is there. The clever writing is there. And the actors have comedic timing down to an art. They are loveable, pitiable, laughable and embarrassing. They do everything supporting characters are supposed to do and more.

5) Park Ha and Lee Gak the Panda Prince: Love born of friendship. My favorite kind. The prince was friends with Bu Yong back in the day. He finds the same with Park Ha and of course with Park Ha, he can now feel some chemistry. She’s not covered from head to toe and they actually have some skinship in 21st-century Seoul. He’s getting the chance to discover that being with Park Ha is something he loves in a way he was never able to with Bu Yong. It’s their incarnations second chance! Now get Se-na out of the way.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Character introductions.

Rooftop Prince Episode 10 Screencaps.