X really does mark the spot… the Spot of Extreme Embarrassment and Shame that one experiences after being called out for acting like such a butterfingers!

We’re back to repeating the last few minutes of Episode 5, where Ji-ho bursts into the auditorium and Professor Ha telling him his performance has been cancelled, so make like a tree and leaf.  In-ha struts out again and tells Ji-ho that Professor Ha is going to stage the piece he composed.  Ji-ho tells him In-ha doesn’t compose, as he asks Professor Ha to forgive him  for losing the ‘secret composition,’ but that he’s taking things way too far.  Professor Ha tells him that if he wants to return, he’ll have to put things back into their place.  Professor Ha tells In-ha to get over to the piano because they have no time to lose, and with the smuggest of smug grins on his smug little face, In-ha settles in to rehearse.

At the Boosung Board Meeting, the directors discuss why there has been a problem with the Company’s attempted purchase of some land in Incheon where they plan on building apartments.  Attorney Choi states that another development company swooped in and bought up the land before they could finalize the deal.  He says they are determined to buy back the land, even if it takes more money than expected.  Crabbypants Director #1 (geez, not HIM again!) says that the Company is growing too fast to make deals like these… and by the way, you’ve already spent $20M won for development work on that Butt-Ugly Piano.  Why haven’t we recreated that piano in the 14 years since Yeong-rang promised us to do so in order to be named President, hmmmmm?

Yeong-rang says they need a little bit longer; the Alaskan Spruce has just arrived and they should get started with production soon. Crabbypants Director #2 snorts that he realizes President Choi has been working hard, but she’s limited by only being a housewife and all that.  Yeong-rang goes off and demands how that chauvinist pig can say that to a person who has grown the Company so much in the last 14 years?  Crabbypants Director #3 says that since he’s the largest Boosung shareholder, it’s now time for Yoo Ji Ho to step up into the President’s position.  Yeong-rang says that Ji-ho is still a music student; does it make sense for a composer to run this Company?  Crabbypants Director #1 says that Ji-ho would be perfect, because who else would be a music management specialist other than a Ji-ho person?  Crabbypants Director #2 says that it’s time to end Her Majesty’s reign… he will submit a petition to the Board of Directors for a new President.  Much Director Mumbling occurs over this news.

Yeong-rang returns to her office and goes into a mini-hissy, muttering how ungrateful those bastards are — Her Majesty’s reign?  PAH.  Those eedjits got fat bellies from all the hard work she’s done over the past 14 years, and now they want to stab her in the back?  Attorney Choi tells her to calm down, because it’s not like they didn’t expect this eventually.  Management by the largest shareholder is the norm in Korea, as Yeong-rang asks if he’s telling her to hand everything over to Ji-ho just like that?  He says that Ji-ho is not that hungry to lead the management as she is… but a moment of crisis can turn out to be a moment of chance.  (To put it in non-lawyer-speak, ‘eat or be eaten.’)  Yeong-rang takes a call from Professor Ha, which makes her stop her evil thought process…

Ji-ho is outside massaging his hurt left hand, when he receives a video message from the underprivileged students he teaches pro bono.  They tell him they can’t wait for his show tomorrow and heart-up a big saranghe-yo FIGHTING!!  (Everybody go AWWWWWW!!)  Ji-ho tries to fight back tears, when Yeong-rang sits down next to him.  Ji-ho asks her if she knew that In-ha was composing now, and she lies that she just found out from Professor Ha… who also said In-ha is taking his place at the Alumni Concert.  What happened?  Ji-ho is still stunned that In-ha even had a talent for composing, as Yeong-rang tries to downplay it by saying he never received formal training, so how talented could he be?  She’s more afraid that he’s going to be embarrassed by performing without much preparation.  Ji-ho says even with In-ha’s participation, he made a promise to the audience, and he’s still going on with his performance no matter what.  Yeong-rang says yeah right whatever… but she’s going to go see Professor Ha and see what happened, because he wouldn’t give up on his best pupil now, would he… unless Ji-ho thinks Professor Ha is jealous of his innate talents?  (Plant that ‘seed of doubt,’ woman!)

And she does just that.  Meeting with Professor Ha, Yeong-rang thanks him for giving In-ha a chance, and even though she feels sorry about what happened to Ji-ho, this chance will help In-ha in the future.  Even though the ‘secret composition’ work fell through, she feels his disappointment and apologizes.  He accepts only because he figured she’d just cover up for her son, but Ji-ho is still a kid.  (Kid?  He’s 25 now, fer chrissakes!!)  He has the ability to become the best, but there’s no room for mistakes and he needs to learn that.  Professor Ha gets up and leaves for another meeting, as Yeong-rang mutters to herself that Ji-ho has the ability to be the best?

Nam-joo and the Nurse Ahjumma meet at a coffeeshop, as Nam-joo insists that Nurse Ahjumma knows where they moved CrazyGran,  Nurse Ahjumma says that she really doesn’t know, since they took her away in an ambulance so fast.  Does Nam-joo need to find CrazyGran so much?  She replies she does, because there’s something very important she needs to tell her.  Nurse Ahjumma remembers that CrazyGran called Mr. Park (the older gentleman at the other nursing home) the other day.  Nam-joo then waits outside the gate, as Nurse Ahjumma runs back out and hands her a cell phone that she stole off the sleeping Mr. Park and hands it to Nam-joo.  Nam-joo thanks her and will not forget her kindness until the day she dies.  Dialing one of the numbers, she asks if she has the right nursing home…

Louis is excited about something, and rounds up the staff members to make an announcement.  Big big big big HOT news!  He asks if everyone saw the internet video of Da-mi playing the piano last night?  It apparently was a huge hit with a boatload of views… Da-mi is now a famous pianist!  (And there’s nothing better to boost your customers like a scandal…)  But Da-mi is not happy because Louis lied to everyone, saying that she studied at Berklee.  Bitchy Manager Girl says you have to be careful of the netizens too; it’s not long before they realize she’s a fake!  (snerk snerk snerk)  Do-ri asks how can she call her a fake — it’s not like she had a recording playing.  The video was uploaded because they liked her performance!  Louis says his owner friend was totally happy; he said she had a Berklee technique and doesn’t know it was a total lie!  Bitchy Manager Girl reminds them about resume forgery; no one cares about a high school graduate, but bought that Da-mi was a Berklee graduate.  Da-mi sighs and asks what can she do?  They’ve already paid her a week’s wages in advance, so she can’t quit now.

Ji-ho is finally getting his hand looked at by Doctor Kim, who asked how he could stand the pain because it’s a pretty bad injury.  His middle and pinky fingers are fractured, and his wrist ligaments are torn.  Doctor Kim orders Ji-ho to be casted so he can’t move his fingers at all until healed, but Ji-ho says he can’t do that because of his important concert coming up soon.  Doctor Kim tells him that he can’t play in the condition he’s in now; he could do much more damage that surgery won’t even be able to help.  Ji-ho stares down at his hand, but tells Doctor Kim to please not tell his mother.  One soft cast and splints later, Ji-ho is back in his home studio with the last words of Doctor Kim ringing in his ears:  He can do what he wants now, but he may never be able to play the piano again.  Looking over at the pictures of him and his little students with the awards they’ve won, Ji-ho starts tearing off the bandages.

Going over to the piano, Ji-ho attempts some chordal runs up the keys, until the pain becomes so great that he has to stop.  A knock at the door, and In-ha saunters into the room like he owns it.  Ji-ho asks him why In-ha didn’t tell him he started composing, as In-ha said he finally had something to brag about, but it probably seemed like child’s play to Ji-ho The Genius Composer.  Ji-ho tells In-ha to not diss Professor Ha like that; if he allowed him on the stage, then In-ha must have the talents for it because Professor Ha wouldn’t give a chance like that to just anyone!  In-ha says he meant no disrespect to the Professor, but why does Ji-ho sound all mad and stuff?  If In-ha even has a shred of composing talent, shouldn’t that be something to celebrate?

Ji-ho tells In-ha to quit being a fool; he’s asking why In-ha hadn’t said anything about it up until now.  In-ha’s smile dissolves into disgust, as he tells Ji-ho that he was sure Ji-ho would have been against it.  When Ji-ho asks why, In-ha says it’s because then they would both become even… because having nine fingers isn’t a weakness to a composer.  Ji-ho starts scolding him, but In-ha reminds Ji-ho that they’ve never had a fair competition against each other yet.  Ji-ho had Appa and CrazyGran on his side plus the use of all ten fingers.  In-ha puts Ji-ho on notice that they’re both starting from the same place now.  Ji-ho sighs and says yeah fine whatever… is In-ha confident enough to go on?  In-ha says you betcha… he has the confidence to not be embarrassed at least.  On his way out the door, In-ha sees the bandages and splints lying on the side table.  Ji-ho just holds his head and groans.

Completely violating any Korean HIPPA privacy rules, In-ha takes a call from Doctor Kim, where he finds out that Ji-ho fractured his fingers and wants In-ha to convince Ji-ho out of playing in the upcoming concert.  In-ha tells Doctor Kim he will try his best to talk him out of it.  Amazed over hearing the words “finger fracture,” In-ha snorts and digests that little piece of news.  (And am I the only one rooting for one more button on In-ha’s shirt to come undone?  Please?)  Popping open his laptop, In-ha sees the fan-cam from the night before of Da-mi’s piano playing.  Wondering if that was the song that Ji-ho had composed with Professor Ha, he searches for the name of this Mystery Pianist.  Scrolling through the comments, he sees that she’s a Berklee graduate… Hong Da Mi.  Chincha?  The same Hong Da Mi who took lessons from In-ha?  What a coinkydink!

Outside a local sanitorium, we see Nam-joo standing out in the driveway, all dressed to the nines.  As she is escorted around as a prospective placement, Nam-joo tells the Owner that her mother is a bit on the picky side, is it okay if they could look at the VIP area as well?  The Owner says that there’s limited access to that area, but that she will personally show Nam-joo around.  Following her to the VIP Section, the Owner goes over to sign them in as Nam-joo surreptitously reads the room nameplates.  Seeing one room with the lipstick drawing in its window, Nam-joo slowly walks over to the door and grabs the handle.  What she sees make her scream bloody murder — CrazyGran has hung herself from the ceiling!!!  Still screaming bloody murder, Nam-joo runs out of the building, but not before bumping into Secretary Oh first.  Stopping in the hallway, she asks why CrazyGran would do that to her?  WAAAAAAAAE?!?!?

Secretary Oh closes the door to CrazyGran’s room, as the camera pans up to show that IT’S JUST A DOLL TETHERED TO THE CEILING WITH NO HEAD!!!  He flashes back to earlier that day, where he bribed the Nurse Ahjumma, the Nursing Home Owner and several staff members in on the ruse just to get Nam-joo to finally leave them alone.  Chuckling to himself, Secretary Oh pulls out his phone and reports back to Yeong-rang, who praises him for a good job… that should be enough of a scare to keep her quiet now.  But make sure that the security is triple-beefed-up at the new nursing home where CrazyGran is staying, and report back to her when he’s done.

Attorney Choi stomps into the room and tells her that there’s huge problem with the Alumni Concert — as soon as the ticket holders found out Ji-ho’s performance was cancelled, they’ve been requesting refunds up to 30% of the sales to date!!  He tells her that if this downward trend continues, not only will it cause financial harm to Boosung, but the cachet of them ever sponsoring another concert like this will disappear.  Yeong-rang is amazed that Ji-ho has such an influence on a small potatoes stage; great composers like him are a dime a dozen.  Attorney Choi says that Ji-ho is somewhat of a celebrity to the young folks; he’s directly responsible for the new popularity of classical music in Korea, and they cannot deny that he is the main draw these days.  Yeong-rang asks him what is it that she should do — fill the empty seats with comps instead?  Attorney Choi says that other sponsors are strongly requesting that Ji-ho perform as well, or they will withdraw their support.  If that turns out to be the case, Hanguk University is just going to have to eat the shortfall.  Yeong-rang says that Professor Ha wouldn’t bow down to someone like Ji-ho; she just needs to be the instigator to make them fight each other.

Ji-ho paces the hallway outside Professor Ha’s office, and when he arrives, Ji-ho bows and attempts an apology.  He was wrong, and he will accept any punishment that the Professor may hang on him… but please do not cancel his performance.  He made a promise to his students that he needs to keep. Professor Ha calls him an idiot, bowing to the pressures of popularity.  True musicians should not hang themselves on such foolishness, and the requests for refunds must have made Ji-ho more stuck-up than usual.  If Ji-ho makes the announcement that his performance has been cancelled, then maybe (just maybe) Professor Ha will forgive him.

Following the Professor into his office, Ji-ho tries to explain how he lost the sheet music in the first place with the bikes being switched and all that.  He also doesn’t know how the score made it into the hands of another pianist, as Professor Ha wonders if the sheet music was actually stolen?  Professor Ha tells Ji-ho that if he thinks his decision is so unfair, then do whatever he wants… but he also knows that if the production loses Ji-ho, they will lose money hand-over-fist as well.  How can an old fart like him stand in the way of that?  By the way, Ji-ho is also no longer his pupil, so GET. OUT. NOW.  He bows meekly and bolts for the door.

Out in his car, Ji-ho is watching the fan-cam of Da-mi’s performance from the night before.  Tossing it aside, he peels out of the parking lot towards… Back at the Snooty Restaurant, the owner is praising Da-mi for helping him sell out all his reservations for the week she will be playing there.  Why don’t they put together a contract for a year’s worth of performances?  Da-mi flinches and says that is not necessary since she has other things to do; just find another pianist to fill in.  She takes her seat at the baby grand, and not even getting a chord in edgewise, a hand slams down on the keys and stops her.  It’s Ji-ho, calling her out for what qualifications she possesses to play such music – is this a joke to her?  Da-mi gets pissed and asks who he is and what is he doing?  Ji-ho asks her if she doesn’t remember him from the other day — the switched bicycles and the pasta recipe left behind by accident?  But Ji-ho ain’t done yet — he rails on her and asks if she received permission to play his music?  Does she not know what living hell he’s going through because of her insolence?  Da-mi apologizes and says they should go outside and talk because they’re upsetting all the diners.  Ji-ho waves her off, saying at least she’s polite… but she still ran off with someone else’s bicycle?

Right at that moment, In-ha arrives to see the scene unfolding.  Ji-ho says that because of her broken bicycle, his fingers are now as inoperable as her bike.  Da-mi calls him out for accusing her of being a bicycle thief, but Ji-ho does her one better — a person who steals music wouldn’t have a problem with stealing a bicycle too, right?  The Owner comes over and orders Ji-ho to leave, but Ji-ho tells him have you investigated this person yet?  She claims she’s a Berklee graduate?  Even if she’s busy making a living, how can she steal an academic record that people pay a lot of money for tuition fees?  In-ha looks on with a pained expression, as Ji-ho tells her to not insult other musicians with her cheap piano skills… because you can’t fake art.  And he stomps out.  Without his sheet music.  (Will that boy EVER remember to put Stick-Um on his hands?!?)

Owner Guy asks Da-mi how should could blatantly lie like that, so which college DID she attend?  All Da-mi could do is apologize and offer to return her entire payment to him.  Owner Guy says it’s not enough to just return the payment, she’s disgraced the restaurant in front of his customers!  He orders the fraud Da-mi to be thrown out, but In-ha yells for his thugs to take their hands off of her!  Pushing them off of her, In-ha explains that Da-mi did attend Berklee, but she never graduated because she had to attend to a family situation.  But she and In-ha entered the school together, and she was a talented student who won many awards while enrolled there.  When Da-mi starts protesting, In-ha calls her stupid because it’s not a crime to not graduate.  Has she done anything wrong to be treated like dirt this way?  Turning to the diners, In-ha tells them the Owner is not interested in how good the pianist is; they only care about their pedigree and status, so she should not be wasting her time at such a snobby place.  Grabbing her arm (*drink*), In-ha drags her out of there.

Da-mi keeps protesting as In-ha drags her up the ramp outdoors.  She demands to know who he is, and that he’s misunderstood that she’s a Berklee graduate.  In-ha says nopes, he didn’t misunderstand… because he’s not a Berklee graduate either.  Da-mi asks why he protected her like that, and he says it’s because he really enjoyed her playing from the night before.  It’s unfair for her to be insulted for such a perfect performance… is that right, Hong Da Mi?  She squirms and says it wasn’t a perfect performance; it’s true she picked up that sheet music off the street, but she played the piece without permission because she really loved the melody.  She wasn’t thinking clearly, and thanks In-ha for helping her get out of that mess.

She turns to leave, but In-ha grabs her wrist (*drink*) and tells her to wait a second… he’s kinda curious from who she learned to play the piano?  Da-mi says she didn’t have formal lessons, as In-ha wonders not even one lesson?  Da-mi tells him that when she was really young, she learned a few notes from a friend.  In-ha smiles to himself and praises this person who obviously taught her well because she has mastered the piano basics.  (Poor dumb dope.)  Reaching into his coat pocket, In-ha produces an envelope and hands it to her.  Saying that it’s the first time he’s going to be on stage with his first piano composition, it would be nice if a person who knows piano could attend.  Inside are two tickets to the Hanguk University Alumni Concert, as In-ha tells he would like it very much that at the next time they meet, they can talk informally as friends.  In-ha takes off, as Da-mi wonders what the hell just happened to her.  And that guy didn’t even tell me his name…

Da-mi shows the tickets to Woo-jin, where he sees that it’s sponsored by Boosung Instruments (which frown up his face big time), and she says she’s researched the concert and found out it’s the largest given in the country.  She asks him to go with her… she’ll use one of her days off so can he go?  Then we see Nam-joo going through some good ol’ nightmare fuel, reliving the CrazyGran Doll Hanging Scene and bolting upright from bed.  She pleads for forgiveness because she tortured CrazyGran so much for her to take her own life.  If CrazyGran happens to be alive, Nam-joo promises to stop looking for her right then and there.  (WTF?)

Ji-ho runs his hands along the Butt-Ugly Piano while asking Dead Burnt-Up Dad what should he do since the performance is tomorrow… if he was alive, he would surely tell him what to do, because he has no clue as to how to keep his promises anymore.  In-ha has the same idea later, as he asks Dead Burnt-Up Dad if he’s going to come see In-ha perform — In-ha is not the same spoiled brat he used to be, but until he is acknowledged through his piano playing, his composing and by leading the Company, he will never give up.

It’s time for the Comedy Relief portion of our program, as EvilStep comes down the stairs dressed in her nightgown and rubbing cream all over her face.  Yeong-rang scolds her for not dressing properly in front of others and In-ha looks peeved, but EvilStep tells her hey, it’s her house too.  Does she have to walk around in formal clothes?  She’s living there now, so she’s not going to be kept from what she has to say.  And one thing EvilStep has to say is that she wants her own servant — the hired help never pay attention to her because Yeong-rang disses her all the time.  Yeong-rang folds and says she’ll talk to the staff, so EvilStep should just shut her trap.

Asking if Ji-ho is not awake yet, EvilStep says that he up and left hours ago, and they’re just now noticing?  He’s getting prepared for the concert, dontcha know?  Yeong-rang says that Ji-ho is still going through the performance even though the Professor forbid him to?  In-ha says they have nothing to fear, because it’s going to be his Worst. Concert. Ever.  (And the lighting here was not kind to our little Changwook-ssi, as you can clearly see the outline of the scar on his left temple from his car accident back on 26 February.  Ouchie!!)

At the auditorium, people are arriving and Yeong-rang is is holding court with the press and other members of the Beautiful People.  Woo-jin and Da-mi enter as well, and take their seats.  Woo-jin looks down to the front of the stage, where she sees Yeong-rang offering congratulations to her staff, and he flashes back to the day Nam-joo was pushed to the ground and lost the baby.  The glare on Young Woo-jin’s face as Yeong-rang was driven away that day is hard enough to melt titanium, as he shakes it off and returns to the present.  Da-mi is all starstruck, as she tells her oppa lookit all the famous people that they only see on television here for the concert.  She cracks open the program to see Ji-ho’s name and picture, and finally puts two and two together… the Famous Pianist Yoo Ji Ho?  She’s such a fan of his!  SQUEEEEEEE!

Out in the lobby, Ji-ho tells his little students to enjoy the concert, and they give him back a rousing HWAITING!!! in return.  They go off to their seats, and then a set of feminine arms are seen wrapping around Ji-ho’s midsection.  Turning around, he is surprised to see Ha So Yeol (Lee Hae In), as she mentions that he just had to invite his pupils to today’s concert?  He’s such a softie sometimes… Ji-ho asks her if she’s returned to Korea for good, as she tells him he doesn’t look so happy to see her.  He asks if Professor Ha is happy to have her back, but she hasn’t had a chance to see her dad just yet.  Ji-ho scolds her for not doing that, but So-yeol says what’s the point? With that temper of his, he’ll still be mad one way or the other.  And she’s read all the articles while she was abroad; Ji-ho’s become quite the famous person now, and he still has time to provide charity lessons but not reply to any of her e-mails saying that she misses him.  Ji-ho says that they’re not just any ruffians he’s picked up off the streets; they’re just poor kids.  If he teaches them well, they will be in charge of Korean concerts in the future.  So-yeol calls him out for being too generous and Ji-ho makes his excuses to head backstage, but not before she grabs his hand which makes Ji-ho wince in pain.  Snatching it away from hers, he massages his wrist and walks to the dressing room.

And in the dressing room, In-ha and Professor Ha are already there going over In-ha’s personally-composed score.  Ji-ho apologizes to the Professor, but he tells him that there’s nothing for him to be sorry about since he isn’t one of the Professor’s pupils anymore.  Because he looks that way, Professor Ha asks In-ha if he’s nervous and gives him the age-old pointer to not look at the entire audience when you’re on stage.  Just pick out one face in the crowd, and fixate on it — you’ll be playing for that person only.  Professor Ha says that he’ll conduct In-ha’s piece tonight, and In-ha thanks him for such an honour… as Ji-ho thinks about his throbbing hand more than anything at that moment.

The Professor takes the podium and announces the important of this performance for the Hanguk University Alumni, and that one of the performers tonight will eventually become his future successor.  Glaring at each other in the Green Room, Professor Ha says that even though he’s retiring soon, he will continue his passion for music until death parts them.  He brings out Yeong-rang onto the stage for a few words.  She says that Boosung Instruments has been sponsoring these concerts to further the musicians’ works, so please support them as well so Boosung can continue their support and love for their music.  (Give it up for them, aiiiiight?  WOOT WOOT WOOT!!)  Woo-jin fumes and turns his program into origami, and says in voiceover that he has not forgotten her face for 14 years… soon she will not be able to forget his face either.

In-ha has the lead-off position and he walks out on stage kitted with a grand piano and different types of vibraphones and wood-block tables (hunh?).  Scanning the audience, he locks eyes with Da-mi and gives her one of his famous ‘come-to-oppa’ stares.  His piece starts off nicely, as we see an artist projected onto the back wall preparing a sand painting at the same time.  30 seconds later, it’s over and the crowd golf-claps its approval.  Da-mi and Woo-jin look a little bored afters.  (That’s it?  BOOOOOOO!  I want a refund of my free ticket!!!)

Nam-joo is cleaning Da-mi’s room while they’re away at the concert.  Reaching into her trash can, she sees the bank book tossed in there.  Nam-joo finally catches a clue of the reason Da-mi decided not to go to college after all — she spent all her savings bailing out her stupid eavesdropping, alleged CrazyGran-killing mother!!

Ji-ho walks out on stage to the cheers from his adoring fans and his little students.  Suddenly, the conductor and several members of the orchestra walk off stage, and banners are unfurled in the audience that read “Yoo Ji Ho is an arrogant fool.”  “We refuse to watch his performance.”  Everyone looks around to see what the fuss is, but Yeong-rang sits there with a smug look on her face.  EvilStep, on the other hand, senses something strange is afoot.  Ji-ho is taken aback for a few seconds, but then shrugs it off and sits at the piano.  His composition starts off majestically, but when he adds his right hand in for the bass line, the pain is too great and he has to stop.  A murmur arises from the audience, as In-ha watches from the Green Room on the closed-circuit television with another smugger-than-smug look on his face.  Ji-ho attempts another shot, but the pain is too great and he has to stop again.  That’s too much for him to take, and he walks off the stage, as his little students start crying in anguish.

In the lobby afterwards, In-ha is meeting with the press as EvilStep, Yeong-rang and Attorney Choi look on.  EvilStep wonders how Ji-ho could humiliate himself like that in front of so many important people — she’s so embarrassed that she’s going to have to turn her cellphone off!  A reporter asks In-ha if he finds it difficult performing with only nine fingers, but a well-dressed gentleman walks out of the building to EvilStep’s astonishment.  She wonders if she was seeing things, but it definitely did look like… him.  Another well-dressed gentleman appears in front of Yeong-rang and her posse, and introduces himself as the assistant to President Kim of Geumdan Construction.  Yeong-rang says that the name doesn’t ring a bell with her, as the gentleman says he attended the concert with President Kim, and he wanted to send his regards to President Choi.  If she would be so kind to accept his business card… which reads “Alvin Kim.”

The assistant says that he hopes that Boosung Construction will join in friendship with his company, and he makes his goodbyes.  Yeong-rang asks Attorney Choi if he’s heard of this company, but all he knows is that they’re a newly-formed company that has a lot of capital funds behind them.  EvilStep snorts and tells her that any Korean person using an English name is evil, so don’t go near him.  Saying she’s hungry, she orders everyone to leave for dinner… as we see J.W. looking over his shoulder at them on their way out.

Later that evening, we see Ji-ho driving home while rehasing the events of earlier.  The next morning, Yeong-rang is looking over the morning’s papers, where they basically rip Ji-ho a new one while anointing In-ha the new face of Boosung Instruments.  Professor Ha is reading the same papers with a resigned look on his face, as So-yeol tells him there was something wrong with Ji-ho’s hand because a perfectionist like him would have never walked out on a performance like that.  Asking when she became Ji-ho’s attorney all of a sudden instead of learning how to build pianos, she asks him to meet with Ji-ho to find out what happened.  Professor Ha says that he has nothing to ask Ji-ho — all those words about him being such a genius must have gone to his head.  After the orchestra members left, he should have known — why did he insist on going through with the performance if he couldn’t finish it?  So-yeol asks her father if he doesn’t know the real reason he went through with the performance was because he wanted to keep his promise to his little students.  Professor Ha looks stunned over the word ‘promise,’ as So-yeol reminds him that Ji-ho gives free lessons to the underprivileged kids who can’t afford to take lessons.  She helped him with his lessons when they were both in college, and these kids were really looking forward to his performance so how could he give that up?   Could Professor Ha do the same thing if he were in Ji-ho’s shoes?

Da-mi is reading the online reviews of the catastrophe the night before, when Woo-jin wanders in and asks if the articles are that bad.  Da-mi says that she needs to apologize to someone, but what if he won’t accept her apology?  Woo-jin tells her that sincerity is meant to be delivered, so give it a try, whydontcha?  Da-mi thinks about it, but decides to head off to work instead.  She meets up with Louis in front of the restaurant and greets him warmly.  He doesn’t do the same, and tells her surry surry surry, but she’s fired and go away!  Da-mi is confused, as Louis explains that ever since she took charge of the pasta station, there have been too many complaints about the taste.  Da-mi still doesn’t understand why all of a sudden he’s being like that, but Louis just dismisses her outright.  Da-mi’s phone rings, and she’s surprised to hear it’s Hanguk University on the other line.

Louis returns inside the restaurant and complains why he always has to be the bad guy.  She was doing fine and he had to make up an excuse to fire her?  She may be off crying her eyes out — he’s freaking now!!  But sitting at the table is Do-ri, Bitchy Manager Girl and… Nam-joo.  She thanks Louis for helping Da-mi get back into college by firing her.  (WHAT.  THE.  HELL?)  Nam-joo reminds Louis how hard it was for Da-mi to work day and night to earn that tuition money.  Do-ri tells Nam-joo that Da-mi really enjoyed making pasta, so she can always play the piano as a hobby.  Bitchy Manager Girl sits down and tells Nam-joo that she and her daughter are both a piece of work; this is not a revolving door where you can come and go as you please!  And now they have to find a new pasta chef to handle all the reservations stacking up!  Nam-joo says she can do that until they find a permanent replacement, so where’s the kitchen?  Nam-joo puts the finished pasta plate in front of them so they can all take a taste.  They continue chewing, and Nam-joo goes to clear off the dirty tables while she awaits their verdict.

The Boosung Board is meeting to discuss the damage caused by the concert fiasco, most especially Ji-ho as their largest shareholder.  The importance of the concert series has diminshed in the public’s eyes, and the VIPs who purchased the most expensive tickets have all lodged complaints against Boosung.  And where the heck is Ji-ho?  Even though Director Yoo isn’t that type of person, he seems to have disappeared without an explanation.  Yeong-rang has had enough of that, and stands up to say that all opinions will be weighed and Boosung will take full responsibility for the situation.  She will personally burn some stock options to pay back the ticketholders for their troubles, since Ji-ho’s troubles are her troubles as well.  She makes no excuses for her son’s foolish behavior, but please keep your criticisms to yourself from now on.  In-ha stands up, and in what is obviously a carefull-scripted response, says that to help defray any monetary damages, he will hold charity concerts to repair Boosung’s reputation.

Lots of polite clapping from the directors, until Attorney Choi opens his yap and asks if the Board still thinks that Ji-ho should still keep running Boosung after what he pulled at the concert.  He can’t even endure a few minutes of performing; do they think he can lead such a large company as well?  Crabbypants Director #2 (someone please tell him to put a sock in it!) tells him that they will put the idea of Ji-ho’s successor on the back burner, but President Choi should be on alert as well.  If the work on the Butt-Ugly Piano continues to stall, then she should prepare to give up her position.  She has six months to perform, or else she’s out on her ear.  Yeong-rang promises on a stack of Chopin Etudes that she will be successful in recreating the Butt-Ugly Piano.

Yeong-rang and In-ha return to her office, where she asks if he’s seen all the papers today.  She expected good press, but not of this magnitude.  She hugs him, as he says it’s nice to see her in a happy mood for a change.  Yeong-rang says this isn’t the end, especially if he wants to be Professor Ha’s successor… but In-ha cuts her off to show Ji-ho waking up from sleeping on the living room couch.  She asks him if he really slept there all night, as he says he must have fallen asleep after reading some documents… and after ruining the concert…  In-ha picks up one of the folders, as Ji-ho explains it’s Boosung research material on the making of the Butt-Ugly Piano.  They were scheduled to be tossed after scanning, so he brought them back.  There were part of their father’s possessions, and maybe one of them holds the secret to the Butt-Ugly Piano’s construction.

Ji-ho apologizes, saying he’s caused quite a stir in the company.  She tries to brush it off as not being a big thing since it happens all the time in management circles, but why does Ji-ho look so exhausted — was he up all night because he was so distressed?  Ji-ho tells her he will bear the brunt of the damages, and sell the Boosung stocks that Yeong-rang asked him to a few days ago.  It’s his responsibility to ensure the deficit of the construction costs and the damages borne by the concert are taken care of; he will talk with Attorney Choi and finish the deal.  Ji-ho picks up the files, and as he heads out, squeezes In-ha’s shoulder and congratulates him on a good job; it was stable and strong for his debut.  In-ha asks him if he can even speak like that; isn’t he furious or in despair over such a situation?  Ji-ho says there’s many more chances awaiting him.  He and In-ha will be musicians for their lifetimes… but In-ha can’t be arrogant over one success under his belt so far.

In-ha jumps up and asks if Ji-ho may be underestimating him, but Ji-ho tells him In-ha has yet to learn subjectivity.  The most wonderful music can give an audience pleasure as well as pain, so just focus on making meaningful sounds and he will survive.  In-ha, ever being the dickweed, tells Ji-ho to wipe his own nose before he goes off giving advice.  Ji-ho gets a call from the Professor, who wants him to return to Hanguk — it looks like the Professor has had a change of heart.  As he heads out, both Yeong-rang and In-ha look rather uneasy…

Da-mi heads over to Hanguk herself and runs into Ji-ho scurrying to meet the Professor.  Stopping him to ask directions to the School of Music, they both realize who each other is, and she bows with a formal hello to Ji-ho.  He asks what brings her by, as she said that she’s there to make a sincere apology to him — she didn’t know that the music she played was for a concert.  Ji-ho snips that whether or not it was for a concert, playing someone else’s music is a crime… and she’s really stupid to think that an apology is enough to repair the harm.  Da-mi wants to know how to return his bike, because she still has the switched one at her house.  Ji-ho gets nasty and asks if there is anything that Da-mi actually owns; he doesn’t want it back.  Sell it or use it or whatever… he doesn’t care.  he stomps off, but Da-mi grabs his wrist (*drink*) and tells him she is neither a beggar nor a thief and that she was wrong, but Ji-ho should learn how to accept an apology when one is offered.  Quite being such a high-and-mighty famous person; maybe she’ll take him seriously if composed some music for the common people instead.  Hoo boy, does that set off Ji-ho, as he drops into banmal and scolds her — and she yells back that they’re not that close for him to speak so informally!  Anyway, she’ll leave his bike in front of the School of Music, so come get it and return my bike at the same time, dammit!   Ji-ho just stands there and shakes his head.

Ji-ho arrives at Professor Ha’s office to see a note to go find him in the practice room.  There Da-mi is being grilled for playing the score that she found in the switched bike without obtaining permission first.  She apologizes for about the 403rd time, but also explains that when their bikes collided, that’s when Ji-ho’s hand got injured and why he quit in the middle of his performance.  Professor Ha just chuckles after finally finding out the truth, and tells Da-mi that after hearing her performance in the restaurant, she sounds like she has some talent in arranging music as well.  He wants to hear the piece again, so would she do him the honour and play it?  Da-mi starts in, and like the Pied Piper, the tune draws Ji-ho directly to the practice studio.  Peeking in, he sees Da-mi playing away on his score… but realizes that is not his music.  She’s arranged it into an entirely different piece of work.

Back in the Professor’s office, he grabs Ji-ho’s bad hand and he jumps back in pain.  Calling him stupid for performing when his hand is so injured, Ji-ho asks him how he knows that news?  Professor Ha asks if Ji-ho didn’t even consider him his teacher; his pupil is injured and he was the first to criticize him.  Ji-ho apologizes and says that if he told the Professor the truth, that he wouldn’t allow him to perform at all.  The Professor tells Ji-ho to go back to the doctor and get his fingers fixed first; then he’ll decide if he will accept Ji-ho as a student again.  Ji-ho smiles, just as the Professor cracks him upsides the head for backstabbing an old man like that.  (Nothing like a little corporal punishment between friends, eh?)  Oh and by the way, the piece that Hong Da Mi played in the restaurant?  He gave that to her as a present.  So there.  Neener neener!

Da-mi is walking home while reading the gifted score, as Ji-ho pulls up next to her in his fancy BMW.  He rolls down the window and asks what she’s reading so intently?  Da-mi snipes back that she didn’t steal his sheet music again — even after protesting, the Professor just up and gave it to her.  Ji-ho says that’s good, because she’s too meek to be a REAL thief… and takes off down the hill.  Da-mi stands there thinking “I wonder what HE wanted?”  (Heh.  Just had to throw an MST3K reference in there.)

Woo-jin plugs the characters for Boosung Group into a search engine (Naver cleverly disguised as “Wiki”) and reads what comes up about the construction project they have planned.  Oh lookie, it’s been held up by Geumdan Construction making its own bid for the Incheon property.  Woo-jin tries to remember where he’s heard of Geumdan Construction before, as he plugs that into the search box. Their company website comes up with an advertisement for summer interns: “We are looking for a fool who tries to change the world with one piece of brick — no academic qualifications required.”  Woo-jin leans back and thinks… until we see him next at the medical school filing his withdrawal papers.  After crushing his student ID in his hand, he turns away and never looks back.

So-yeol arrives at the McMansion with a bouquet of flowers for Yeong-rang, with some buttering-up at the ready.  Yeong-rang reminds her that they just last saw each other in Italy, as So-yeol tells her she’s jealous that she’s getting younger every time they meet.  (GAG.)  Yeong-rang changes the subject and asks if she’s seeing anyone, and So-yeol says that she has no interest in boys right now… she’s here to work.  So-yeol asks if Boosung has recruited her regarding the Butt-Ugly Piano… as then she’s inside giving it the once-over, claiming the workmanship is exceptional.  Everything must have been made out of the absolute best materials.  Yeong-rang tells her that they’ve tried a gazillion different ways, but that they just cannot recreate the rich sound it gives.  It must be some sort of secret, but they can’t find the manufacturing records… but didn’t So-yeol study under one of the master craftsmen in Italy?  Se-yeol tried to find out exactly who the craftsmen were, but failed.  Yeong-rang wants her to start in the morning, but So-yeol begs for some breathing room and then asks where Ji-ho has run off.  Oh and by the way, has Yeong-rang heard that he and her dad have made up — he was really touched that he took the stage even with an injured hand.  And she even heard the Professor speak with the Hanguk Dean on the phone; that must mean that Ji-ho is about to be chosen as his successor!

So-yeol heads up to find Ji-ho in the process of tuning his baby grand.  He says he’ll be with her in a moment, since one of the keys is giving off a half-tone instead of a full-tone note.  So-yeol looks to see a loose string and tells him she’ll take care of it since his hand is all hurt.  He says not to touch it; the piano is so old that he’s worried the strings will break.  So-yeol reminds him that she majored in piano manufacturing, as she grabs the tuning hammer and no duh, the string pops.  Ji-ho grabs her to keep her from getting struck, and they both end up on the couch together.  As he almost face-plants into her boobs, he peels off asking if she’s okay and that’s why he told her not to touch it!  She thanks him for his concern and notes that he’s almost an expert now at piano maintenance.  Ji-ho reminds her that the piano is a fickle instrument, all affected by the temperature and humidity and even the temperature of the number of people in the room.  So quit acting arrogantly, because she’s going to get in big trouble that way.  He turns and gets back to the repairs, as Yeong-rang gives him yet another Death Stare From Hell in the hallway.

Yeong-rang runs into In-ha returning home from visiting Professor Ha to thank him for the opportunity to let him perform his first personally-composed score.  So as a gift to him, In-ha took one of his symphonies and arranged it into a piano concerto instead.  He liked it very much and gave him a compliment that he’s a good arranger as well.  But In-ha ain’t done there — he’s asked around about the Professor’s schedule and that he has a liking to visit art galleries.  In-ha’s going to use his patented Stalking Technique© to spend more time with him — he will try everything in the book to make him pay more attention.  Taking his bum hand, Yeong-rang tells him that’s a great idea — that was the main reason she called him back to Korea was because she needs him to help her keep Boosung under their control.  As long as In-ha doesn’t give up, his mother is confident enough to protect him from even the fires of hell.  (Um, was that the best choice of words for a massive burn victim?)

J.W. is in his office going over the resumes that were submitted for the open positions at Geumdan Construction.  His assistant tells him about Hong Woo Jin, the Hanguk University Medical School dropout, as J.W. asks why he dropped out of school?  Assistant Guy said that Woo-jin didn’t explain exactly, just that he left school because there is something that he must do that’s more important than becoming a doctor.  J.W. is impressed, and put him in the stack to come for the final interview process.  Assistant Guy hedges and says that Woo-jin seems to do nothing better than study, but J.W. yells back that is he wasting time collecting resumes to add to his gangster stable?  He needs a right-hand man who knows how to use his head — if you’re going to use a knife, it’s better for it to be hidden in a smart man’s head.  (And there’s a mental picture that’s gonna take some time to process…)

Sporting a brand new racing bike, Ji-ho is out riding on the trail looking for Da-mi, when he finds a flyer saying that she’s looking for the owner of the bike in the picture.  He flashes back to when he confronted Da-mi at the restaurant, basically calling her out as a bicycle thief in addition to being a music thief.  He returns home and takes some tools to the broken brakes on the switched bike.  All fixed, just like that…  now what?

For some unknown reason, Da-mi is standing out front of Restaurant Louie when In-ha sneaks up beside her and says that the owner told him he would find her here.  Grabbing her wrist (*drink*), he drags her away… as they walk and talk and he thanks her for coming to the concert.  Da-mi is amazed that he knew she was there, as he says that she was easy to find even from the stage with her wearing that dress with the blue dots.  She is amazed that he could even see her with all those people around, but In-ha says that there is something even more amazing.  If you long for someone you met when you were younger such a long time ago, it is said that they are destined to meet again when they get older.  Da-mi asks if that is so, because believe it or not, she misses someone that she met when she was much younger.

As he holds the Magic Dolphin Keychain behind his back, In-ha asks who that might be, and Da-mi says it is the person who taught her piano for the very first time.  In-ha brightens up like a 10,000 watt lightbulb, and asks if she remembers that person’s name?   She says she can’t remember anything about him; name, house, nothing.. but she still thinks about him and if he became a pianist or not.  If they met today, would they be able to recognize each other?  In-ha wonders that maybe you’ve met already, but she didn’t recognize that person?  Da-mi thinks maybe… oh crap, she needs to leave because she’s got an important matter to attend to.

Nam-joo is out front of the restaurant, where Ji-ho has brought a super tricked-out upgraded girly-looking bike to her.  Nam-joo asks that all she has to do is give Da-mi this bike, as Ji-ho says that’s all.  Da-mi will know what to do once she sees it.  He hops in his car and drives off, not seeing In-ha and Da-mi walking up the street towards the restaurant.  All of a sudden Da-mi stops in her tracks when she sees her mother out front, crabbing that her mom is watching her 24/7 now?  GEEZ MOMMMMMMMM!!!

Back at the ranch, Secretary Oh has just told Yeong-rang that Professor Ha is getting ready to release an album.  Allegedly he’ll be producing it with the American Golden record label to perform his unpublished compositions, and the contract payment is massive to boot.  Yeong-rang says that if he’s collaborating with the American Golden people, then the New York Philharmonic will be involved somehow… that’s going to be a big deal.  Yeong-rang flashes back to So-yeol telling her that Ji-ho and her dad kissed and made up, and that might have smoothed the path for Ji-ho to become his successor now.  Yeong-rang asks Secretary Oh to find out what Professor Ha’s schedule will be later that day, especially when he will be away from his office for any extended periods of time.

She looks over to see Ji-ho watering the flower beds.  He waves and mouths “eomma” and waves the watering wand at her in salutation.  She grins back for a nano-second, until that dissolves into another Death Glare From Hell.  Slap the slate and roll the credits!

Flowers and Brickbats

Moving right along with the plot, are we?  Seems I wasn’t the only one, but I had a lot of quibbles with this episode, mostly over how much of a wussie Ji-ho had grown up to become.  Well, I guess if your mother gave you everything your little heart desired for 14 long years just to lull you into a false sense of security, I guess I would go through life quite clueless as well.  But the little nipper sure didn’t lose all of his spunkiness; it just depends on which side of the fence you sit with him and which side of his face he will show you.  Still can’t get over the hairdo, although the little flippy curl in the back brings back memories, since I had one when I was much younger too!  My Czechoslovakian-born mother would call it a ‘devil’s tail’ — a cowlick that will not lay down flat no matter what one does to make it behave.  Does it make you wonder if the Scriptwriter-nim stuck that little tidbit in to show that even though Ji-ho has an angel’s face, he could be a bit of a ‘devil’ himself?  Discuss.

Now that the Butt-Ugly Piano is getting more screen time than some of the main characters, I should probably describe the provenance of the beast.  I spoke about this before on the Soompi Forum, but for those of you who don’t get over there, here it is again.  That piano (which looks like something Tim Burton would put in one of his movies) is a piece of performance art called “Bless Us – Winter,” and was built by the artist Jang Seung Ho over a period of 7 months in 2011.  There is an LED screen embedded in the lid of the piano, and the entire cost to completion was over 250 million won.  It was just appraised for sale at 2 billion won (yes, that’s Billion with a “B”).  The premise is to invoke the loneliness of wintertime, but as one plays the piano, the warmth of their expression of the music through the keys makes the screen light up with images ranging from cold snow covering the city which morphs into the coming spring with cherry blossoms and sunlight.  Funny thing is that it was built as a player piano, so there is no need for the keys to be struck at all (it does all the work for you).  I guess if people were beating on it all the time that it would constantly break.  It was originally meant to be used as a prop piece for Episodes 4 and 5, but received so much publicity that the producers decided to actually write it into the plot.  Whatever… it’s still Butt-Ugly no matter how one looks at it.

And we MUST discuss that one scene that took what-the-fuckery to new levels — the Hanging Doll From The Ceiling With No Head scene!!  Really, PD-nim?  Unless there’s some sort of Television Law that says it is a violation of their Standards and Practices that you can’t show a hanging victim on screen (I checked with my chingus in Daejeon and there is not), that was just over-the-top wackyness.  Is Nam-joo that rock stupid to not see that it was a fake (yes), or was Secretary Oh counting on her to get so freaked out that she wouldn’t pick up on such a glaring error (and… yes)?  We will never know until the end, I guess… but I think I’ve decided what my Halloween Costume will be this year!!  🙂

BTW, the name of the college that Da-mi ‘attended’ is not “Berkeley” but “Berklee.”  The Berklee College of Music is in Boston, Massachusetts (berklee.edu) and second only to Juilliard in its prestige and music curriculum.  (Back in the Stone Age when I was looking at colleges, I thought about applying there… until I saw how much tuition was being charged.  OUCH!!)  If they’re talking about “Berkeley,” that should refer to the University of California at Berkeley, which is out here just just east of San Francisco (the hotbed of student protesting as we know it).  At least the subbers fixed that little glaring error in Episode 6 — kamsahamnida!!

Lord willing and the servers don’t crash again, Episode 7 to follow soon!  Seeyas on the flip side!

N.B.  NOW I remember why I kicked it to the curb years ago!  This will probably be my next-to-last last post under WordPress, as I am increasingly disappointed over its GUI.  It took over FOUR HOURS just to insert the screencaps for this one, which is massively unacceptable.  Time is money, people… and it seems you’ve gotten too big for your britches without upgrading your infrastructure first.  I’ll be investigating other platforms over this week while still trying to ensure that Episode 7’s missive doesn’t go missing again.