If we go by the rules of the “Five Fingers Drinking Game,” if he drags her into another county, does that mean he has to chug a pony keg? *hic*

Back to where we left off in Episode 8, Attorney Choi is man-handling Dong-yi out of the line of sight of the just-arriving Yeong-rang.  Telling her that she promised to never return to Korea, he’s convinced that she’s back to extort more money out of him.  Dong-yi says that 14 years is enough to stay out of the country, so just leave her and her extortin’ ways alone.  (Nam-joo is still listening around the corner.)   As the cab pulls away, Yeong-rang walks over toward where she thinks she heard her name being called, but just shrugs it off and walks inside the hotel.  Everyone relaxes, except for Nam-joo, who vows that she’s mad as hell, and won’t take it any longer!!!  (I’m sorry, what?  Wrong movie?  Oh.)

Yeong-rang saunters in and takes a seat, as Dong-yi is then next to her shoulder saying hello.  Yeong-rang asks how she’s been over… oh heck, how long has it been now?  Dong-yi looks much better since she got married, and Dong-yi says that the Madame has gotten much prettier since she became Boosung’s President.  BTW, that’s a huge stretch from the time all the Madame could do is arrange flowers.  That statement takes Yeong-rang off her game a step, as she asks why she asked to meet; what’s this about the Chairman again?  Dong-yi reminds her of the many years taking care of CrazyGran and turning a blind eye Man-se’s incessant sleeping around, that there was bound to be fallout from it.  Yeong-rang tells her she’s not clear on the concept, as Dong-yi drops the bombshell that she saw her fight with Man-se in the library on the night of the fire.

Yeong-rang goes pale and reminds her that she had sent all the servants on a break that day after Ji-ho’s birthday party.  Dong-yi said she was worried, so she returned to the house just in time to see Madame pushing the President to death.  Yeong-rang has trouble picking up her coffee cup, but Dong-yi tells her not to worry since she’s on Madame’s side.  She wants her to be happy, since she’s already paid for her silence; nothing further will come out of her mouth.  Yeong-rang asks what it is she’s asking for, as Dong-yi thinks for a second and tells her it must be something significant to hop a 10-hour flight to find out.  All she wants is enough for her family to be treated well… and Yeong-rang can start by deeding her the restaurant building in Yeoksam.

Yeong-rang’s mouth drops to the floor and says she can’t do that; is there anything else a little less ‘expensive’ she might be able to accept instead?  Dong-yi sits back and tells her that Attorney Choi is on his way to the hotel; since he was very close the Chairman, she thought he might be interested in finding out how he actually died.  Yeong-rang tells Dong-yi to call him back and stop him from coming, but lo and behold, there he is!  He makes his pleasantries and says he didn’t know that Yeong-rang  was going to be there. *winkwink*  He’s pleased to see that Yeong-rang is still taking care of Dong-yi all this time.  Dong-yi lays it on thick and tells him that heck, they’re practically family — the Madame was going to give her the Yeoksam Building while the Chairman was still alive, but if it’s gonna be a stone drag, then never mind.  She’s not THAT greedy.  *snerk*

Dong-yi then asks Attorney Choi if it is okay if she meets CrazyGran sometime, as Yeong-rang glares at her.  He says it shouldn’t be a problem getting her an appointment, but turning to Yeong-ran, he wonders if she’s feeling well… she don’t look too good right now.  Yeong-rang regains her composure and says she’s okay; start getting the paperwork going on the Yeoksam Building right away, arraso?  He agrees, and Dong-yi and him exchange knowing glances… flashing back to earlier outside the hotel where they agree to disagree.  If Dong-yi must meet Yeong-rang, then go ahead since he won’t stop her.  But in exchange for him keeping his lips zipped, she needs to wrestle control of the Yeoksam Building away from the Madame.  Dong-yi doesn’t quite understanding, but Attorney Choi hisses her into submission by threatening to call her out as an arsonist.  And… we’re back in present time where everyone glares at everyone else.  THE END.

Oh crap, it’s not.  Ji-ho is in his room, staring at a picture of him and CrazyMom.  He flashes back to his meeting with Reporter Gal over why the negative press was allowed to go through even with his mother’s standing to kill the newspaper reports.  I guess Mr. Clueless is still that, as he sighs heavily and puts the picture aside.

 It must be Happy Hour, as Yeong-rang pours herself three fingers of Balvenie at the kitchen table, hearing Dong-yi’s admission of witnessing the fight in Man-se’s study.  Suddenly EvilStep’s voice rings out, asking why she’s drinking with the lights out… did Yeong-rang commit some sin or something?  She lies and says she couldn’t sleep, but now she can so seeya!  EvilStep wants to know why Yeong-rang met up with Dong-yi; hasn’t she heard the rumours about her?  She took off with a bunch of money and the business that she bought with it failed miserably; now her family is beyond poor.  Dong-yi didn’t happen to come by sniffing around for money, did she?  That sets off Yeong-rang, spitting back that she’s got better things to do than hang around the Hired Help and stomps off.  EvilStep takes offense at yet another attack on her good nature.  (Heh.)

Attorney Choi returns home to his apartment, which pretty much is a mess with clothes and old ramen cups strewn about everywhere.  (Let ye without Swiffers cast the first stone — you should see MY place when I’m stuck in trial work!!)  Taking off his socks (and just throwing them onto the floor), he looks up to a painting on the wall (that has a horrible wallpaper job done to it).  Taking down the picture, OF COURSE there is a safe right behind it, as he takes out a plastic bag and a tape recorder.  The tape recorder we’ve already seen, but the bag contains a blouse with blood all over it.  Flashing back again to the night of the fire and Yeong-rang cleaning herself up in the hospital washroom, Attorney Choi is hanging around outside and sees Yeong-rang running down the hall.  Attorney Choi says in voiceover that he has the conclusive evidence that could send her up the river.  Expecting a BWAHAHAHA out of him over this revelation, he just calmly says he’s gonna bide his time instead.

Back at the Yoo Mansion, In-ha is doing his best with the Chopin ‘Winter Wind’ Etude… so much that boy is working up a massive sweat all over the keys.  Yeong-rang comes in with a snack and chides him for working so hard; his hands are all swollen and stuff!  In-ha says to not mind him, since this is his first concert and he’s gotta practice day and night for it.  Yeong-rang says that she’s really nervous about the whole shootin’ match — is there anything more she can do?  Outside of setting In-ha up with a few interviews?  In-ha says that’s all well and good, but the media will rake him over the coals if he doesn’t bring it.  He is uber-confident that with his skills alone he can defeat Ji-ho.  Yeong-rang reminds him of his 9 (out of 10) surgeries and would that be enough, as he crabs back if that makes him Professor Ha’s successor and the best composer, he won’t be afraid of anything ever again.  She reminds him to take care of his body too; no matter how much he practices, ya can’t fight with a piano.  (Oooh, profound!)  In-ha says that Ji-ho’s situation with the leaked unfinished composition won’t make him easy to stand upright ever again, but Yeong-rang warns him that even if a wolf loses its teeth, it’s still a wolf.  Ji-ho is not going down that easily.

At the Hong Residence, Da-mi has taken apart her piano facing in order to give it a quick tuning.  Looks like she really knows her way around the soundboard, as she gently pulls it out to clean off the felt hammers.  In the other room, Woo-jin is talking to Nam-joo about the Fake Investigator, as she apologizes for being so rash in handing over the piano delivery receipt.  Woo-jin crumples up the business card and calls them all out for being rat bastards — how much more is their family going to suffer?!?  Nam-joo says that Yeong-rang is grasping at straws now… they’ve got her cornered on a dead-end street.  Leave it to her (NOOOOOO!!!), and by the way, isn’t it time to tell Da-mi?  Woo-jin protests, saying that he doesn’t want her to live with such rage in her heart knowing the truth.  Knowing nods all the way around…

Da-mi heads back to the music store where she coveted yet another Butt-Ugly Piano (this time, an upright) to ask the Store Owner if it is still available.  The Store Owner says that she sure can, because it’s Hong Da Mi’s piano now… wherein he produces a little sign that says “Hong Da Mi’s Piano” and places it on top.  Confused, Da-mi asks why that is, and the Store Owner tells her that her piano teacher came by and bought the beast for her.  Only conditions are that she keep it there and come over to play it at any time.  More confusing looks ensue.

Ji-ho pulls up to the music store to see Da-mi standing outside.  Hopping out of his car, he is ever the gentleman by barking at her that he doesn’t have much time, so what the heck do you want now?  She wants him to confirm that he was the one that bought the piano for her, ne?  He affirms and asks if there is a problem here?  Da-mi’s pride rears its ugly head and basically tells him she’s not a charity case.  Ji-ho wonders why she’s making such a fuss; it’s a freakin’ present, you silly girl!  Da-mi says it’s not a present; it’s an insult to be playing around with other people’s money like that.  Ji-ho one-ups her by saying she should be embarrassed to be poor, but Da-mi won’t let it go, reminding him that it’s a great joy in life for poor people to go without food just so they could save for something they really want in life… so don’t put a downer on her dreams, dude.  Da-mi turns and walks away, but Ji-ho grabs her arm (*drink*) and tells her okey fine, he’ll return the piano and he’s sorry he stepped all over her ‘dream’ and let’s end our little fight by going out to eat, okay?

But instead of the ‘fancy place’ that Ji-ho wanted to eat, they’re outside at a noodle stand where Da-mi says the ahjumma there makes the bestest anchovy ramyun (it does look good…) and you can get free refills on the fishcake soup!  Ji-ho complains imo, imo, imo… she’s not your real auntie, right?  Anywho, he tucks into the ramyun and pretty much slurps it all down in one big slurp.  Da-mi asks if he was really hungry to eat it so fast; was it that good?  Ji-ho says naw, he didn’t like it… he’s had better.  Da-mi asks then why the heck did he Food Hoover it all down, as Ji-ho tells her that she brought him there so he had no choice but to enjoy it.  Now it’s Da-mi’s turn to be embarrassed, as Ji-ho tells her she’s got a warped way of looking at him.  He’s been dirt-street poor and now lives super-rich, so he knows both sides of the coin.  She should not judge someone’s motives that arbitrarily like that… but thanks for feeding him anyway.

Ji-ho’s phone rings, and on the other end is one of his concert promoters.  He rushes to their offices to find out that Ji-ho’s next sold-out concert has been cancelled due to the massive amount of refunds requested.  Their company cannot absorb the losses that this situation presents, but Ji-ho tells him that after five successful years of holding this concert, they’re scared of a few refund requests?  It doesn’t matter anyway; as long as there’s one person in the audience, he will still play for them.  Concert Promoter Guy says that the whole alleged leaking of the unfinished score still weighs heavily on the public’s perception of Ji-ho; the whole orchestra has walked out on the performance as well.  Concert Promoter Guy tells Ji-ho to clean up the mess between him and Professor Ha, and then he’ll be able to step onto a stage again with no problems.  As Ji-ho stands up to walk out, Concert Promoter Guy says that they’ve also decided to go with a different ambassador for their concerts going forward. Thanks for your time; here’s a copy of the Home Game for your troubles.

Out in his car, Ji-ho thinks back to what Yeong-rang told him back at the house — that it’s the Boosung Directors who are out for his blood; there’s not much more she can do for him with what little power she holds at present.  He wonders who it is in the Company to do that to him… who is the mastermind who bribed Professor Ha to kick him to the curb?  Pulling up his Galaxy Note Tab, he reviews what looks like Bad Delivery Guy’s phone records, and sees a common name repeated several times on the list… Choi Seung Jae… Attorney Choi.  Eyebrows up!

In the Boosung elevator, some of the worker bees are discussing Attorney Choi’s appointment as the chairman of their Cultural Foundation.  Salaryman #2 says apparently that will give him even more powers over the Madame when it comes to company matters, and the workers trust him more anyway.  Salaryman #1 says that he’s already holding 15% of Boosung stock; it’s like having the cat take care of the fish.  Salaryman #2 is worried about Ji-ho’s shares being eventually taken away, and the whole Boosung Group will be wrestled away from Yoo Family control.  The workers should join the winning team, no?  All the workers get off the elevator, except for one gentleman hiding behind a magazine… JI-HO.

In Yeong-rang’s office, Ji-ho signs away a good chunk of shares to fund the Boosung Cultural Foundation as he promised earlier.  Attorney Choi is besides himself, and tells Ji-ho that this was one of his late father’s pet projects; he would be so delighted to see it taken care of like this.  Ji-ho turns it on Attorney Choi, and tells him that if he was respectful of his father, Attorney Choi should give up the Chairman position of the Cultural Foundation.  Attorney Choi’s air has been let out of his balloon, and tells Ji-ho he’s not being greedy; he’s just following the Chairman’s orders.  Ji-ho says that he’ll be talking to Yeong-rang about that in a separate, more private conversation.

Yeong-rang sits and squirms instead, but thanks him for his sacrifice.  When should they welcome Ji-ho into the Company now?  Ji-ho says he needs to think about it; instead of working on another Butt-Ugly Piano, he wants to continue composing.  In fact, Gangil University has made him an offer to join their faculty as an adjunct professor.  Yeong-rang asks if that isn’t the school where Projessor Jang is in residency, and Ji-ho confirms that even though Professors Jang and Ha have an uncomfortable relationship, he still wants to continue learning original composing from Professor Jang.  Yeong-rang reminds Ji-ho that they’ve had a falling-out about a plagiarism issue, so can he handle it?  All the blame will then be heaped upon Ji-ho, but he doesn’t care.  Whomever can help him with his composing skills will work the best.  Ji-ho leaves to have lunch with Professor Jang, but thanks Attorney Choi for being on his mother’s side all this time… so continue doing that, okay?

They uncomfortably shake hands and Ji-ho heads off, as we see Attorney Choi’s head wheels turning at 70 kmh.  Yeong-rang breaks the silence by saying she believes there’s gonna be a shitstorm of epic proportions raining down on them soon — they’d better get prepared.  Attorney Choi wants to go in a different direction, and says that they should contact the media instead… this is the best time to weaken Ji-ho’s Director position.  With In-ha preparing for his show, it would make the publicity even greater if they could show that Ji-ho was the one who betrayed his teacher by his greed, and the humble novice composer In-ha with a disabled hand is quietly holding a charity concert.  Yeong-rang agrees to meet with the newspaper editors right away.

Ji-ho and Professor Jang are seen having coffee, as a hidden camera clicks away at their meeting.  Elsewhere, EvilStep is out and about spending more of Yeong-rang’s meager allowance on designer clothes.  She bumps into another ahjumma and they both hit the ground.  EvilStep jumps up and starts yelling at her to watch where she’s going, as the other shopper rises to her feet and apologizes, handing EvilStep her dropped purse.  She gets to the counter to pay, and asks the checkout girl if a lot of the same items have been sold — she doesn’t want to repeat the same embarrassing moment she had at the spa the other day, when she saw another woman wearing the same dress she had on.  Reaching into her purse to pay, she finds that a different wallet is inside.  The lady she bumped into earlier snatches it out of her hands and accuses her of being a pickpocket.  She yells out that this ahjumma is a professional thief — lock all the doors and call the police!!

EvilStep pronounces her crazy, and asks if she knows who she is?!?  The other shopper yells back that if she can’t afford the clothes, then live within her means… why does she have to steal from others to make herself look pretty?!?  You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, dammit!!  EvilStep’s indignity goes off the deep end and she raises her hand to give the other shopper a good slap, but another store worker comes by and pushes EvilStep against the counter instead.  All of a sudden, another voice asks the other shopper if she’s looked inside her own purse lately?  EvilStep turns around and is horrified to see that it’s… DAMSARI!!!  No actually, it’s Jung-wook.

EvilStep is left speechless (for a change), as Jung-wook tells the other shopper that someone else must have stolen her money and put that empty wallet into EvilStep’s purse instead.  Why don’t you just turn a blind eye?  Other Shopper can’t let that happen; until she sees the CCTV tape, EvilStep is guilty as sin until proven innocent and she’s ain’t leaving any time soon.  Jung-wook says that he can guarantee EvilStep’s innocence — if she in fact stole from her, he will pay back ten times of her lost money.  EvilStep gives him the once up-and-down accordingly.

Walking out of the boutique, EvilStep tells Jung-wook long time, no see.  When did he arrive back in Seoul?  He tells her he’s been back for awhile now, and he should probably go now.  EvilStep thinks the best way to thank him for his help is to buy him tea.  Jung-wook says nah, her debt has already been paid and he’s going to leave anyway.  And with a quick bow, he does just that, as EvilStep complains that she’s going cray cray over meeting Jung-wook at such an embarrassing time… she’s a laughing stock now!!!  She does reflect that he’s actually turned out okay, when she was worried back then about him being able to make a decent living.

Jung-wook heads down the stairs, but stops at the landing and grasps the handrail with a death grip.  He flashes back to their last meeting over 25 years ago, where they met for coffee but a glass of water ended up in his face instead.  EvilStep claims she didn’t send Young-rang to study abroad so she could meet a poor nobody like him.  If she allows her to marry him, all she’ll be is nothing more than a kitchen slave for the rest of her life.  Jung-wook promised to not let Yeong-rang starve and will make her continue her piano studies, even if it means he has to give up *his* own dreams of being a concert pianist as well.  EvilStep reminds him that it’s just not Yeong-rang that he wants to marry; she comes with a package of four younger siblings and in-laws to boot.  Can he guarantee that he’ll be able to support them as well?  He’s an orphan with no parents; one cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.  (Enough with that saying already!!!)

Back to the present (filmed in Batman-Cam, it looks like), Jung-wook is seen with the other shopper and the clerks from the boutique standing in the hallway.  They bow to him, and he says not to make him dinner reservations for the evening.  He’s having a drink with Hong Woo Jin tonight.  IT WAS ALL A TRICK!!!  (Now *that* was impressive *clapclapclap*)

Da-mi is working her shift at Restaurant Louis, serving and meeting and greeting.  As she clears away a table, In-ha miraculously appears at the window and knocks to get her attention.  She steps outside to see him and he hands her the first invitation off the presses to his charity concert coming up soon.  (“Summons For Life Concert”… hunh?)  Da-mi pronounces it cool that he has the time to do good works like that, as he says that’s why he’s doing it — he wants to give presents to the young patients who normally don’t get a break, but couldn’t figure out what to buy for them.  In-ha asks her if she could possibly help?  She’s more than happy to help, because isn’t that what chingus are for?

In-ha loads up the Mini Cooper with tons of bags from a local department store.  Telling Da-mi that she’s worked so hard for him today (what, by shopping?!?), is there anything special that she wants to do?  In-ha will issue a special coupon for whatever wish she wants fulfilled, but it’s only good for today.  (Oooooh, smooth.)  Da-mi asks if it’s good for any wish, and In-ha says surely… but he needs to know quickly before he changes up his mind!  She thinks for a bit and asks if they can go to Namsam today — she hasn’t been there since she went with her Dead Deaf Dad, and has always wanted to go back but she’s been too busy.  In-ha asks if that is her real wish, then let’s beat cheeks and go to Namsam!

Yeong-rang paces while reviewing the transfer documents for the Yeoksam Building to Dong-yi, and right on cue, Dong-yi calls to remind her that the papers have yet to arrive.  Is there a hold-up, perchance?  Yeong-rang tells her that she needs to get CrazyGran’s approval first, since the building is in her name, but that doesn’t satisfy Dong-yi and she calls her out for changing her mind.  Well fudgies, she shouldn’t have dealt with Yeong-rang and gone to In-ha instead… after all he’s gone through, In-ha is growing up to be a nice young man.  Yeong-rang freaks and asks if she’s met with In-ha since her return, and tells her to not do anything rash.  Geez, she’ll get her freakin’ building!  Dong-yi leaves with the parting words that she has a present for In-ha… I wonder if he would like it, and then hangs up on Yeong-rang.  Quickly trying to call In-ha to head off that little confrontation, she finds that his phone has been turned off, which sends her Freak-O-Meter into high gear.

Running out to try and find In-ha, Yeong-rang runs into Attorney Choi, who confirms that all the newspapers have been contacted about In-ha’s upcoming charity concert.  She tells him yeah fine okay gotta go find In-ha, but Attorney Choi stops her in her tracks with the news that Dong-yi has sent a lawyer over to finalize the transfer of the Yeoksam Building.  Yeong-rang tells Attorney Choi to make up some excuse and stall him for awhile; she just doesn’t have the time right now to deal with that.  She runs off and he smirks.  Status quo.

Looking up at the cable car ride to Nansam Tower, In-ha turns to Da-mi and asks if that’s really what she wants to do?  (Uh oh… this ain’t gonna end well.)  She confirms that she’s heard that you can see all of Seoul from the sky, and she’s wanted to do that FOREVAH.  Da-mi says that this must be her lucky day for In-ha to bring her to this place, as he asks again if she really wants to ride it?  She yups and he capitulates, saying that if she wants to go, then he wants to go as well… all the while looking rather uncomfortable over the idea.  (But daaaaang, I love that black-on-black outfit he’s wearing. RAWR.)

They hop on and start riding up to the top of the mountain, as Da-mi is beside herself with glee but In-ha is getting increasingly nervous as they climb higher and higher.  Sweating profusely, In-ha starts getting dizzy and has to grab onto the handrail for support, all the while flashing back to him trying to escape the fire again.  Breathing heavily and sinking lower into the cable car, Da-mi is oblivious in her joy over watching the ground fall away that she doesn’t see In-ha suffering until he grabs onto her arm for support but hits the ground anyway and passes out.  Da-mi tries to wake him…

…as we see Yeong-rang running into their house asking the ahjumma where is her precious In-ha?!?  She tells her that the Young Master has not come home yet, which makes Yeong-rang even more nuts with worry.  The ahjumma says that oh yeah, a delivery came for In-ha as well.  Yeong-rang grabs it and rips it open to show the newspaper from 14 years ago which said that Yeong-rang was placed on the list of suspects in the death of President Yoo Man Se.  All of a sudden her phone rings, and seeing that it’s In-ha, proceeds to rip him a new one for not being around when she needed him. But she is stopped by another voice on the other end with a “who are you?”

Running into the hospital with Secretary Oh where In-ha is being treated, they come across an intubated and out-of-it In-ha.  Yeong-rang asks what happened, as Da-mi explained about riding the cable car and him sweating and not being able to breathe.  Asking who is this interloper, Da-mi explains that she’s In-ha’s chingu and the one who called her.  Yeong-rang regains her composure and now that she’s there, basically dismisses Da-mi from her sight.  Da-mi pleads for someone to call her when he wakes up so she doesn’t have to worry much longer, and then books out of there.  Yeong-rang takes the hand of the suffering In-ha and asks him why he went and did a stupid thing like go up in a cable car, and promises to never leave his side again, all the time flashing back to the times when In-ha was having his burn wounds treated, and when he jumped off the hospital balcony, all that stuff we’ve seen over and over and over again.

Must be time for more Comic Relief, as we’re back at Restaurant Louis where Bitchy Manager Girl and Louis stare at Nam-joo, who discuss that she has been sitting at a table motionless for the longest time.  Telling her to shuit up shuit up, Louis says he’ll get to the bottom of this… they don’t call him Dog Nose from Namgajoo for nothing!  Bitchy Manager Girl tells him to quit lying — he’s from Namyangjoo, and she starts rattling off his address until Louis runs back and puts a hand over her mouth to keep her from yapping any longer.  Yelling that if she keeps that up, she’s going to be FYIRED FYIRED FYIRED!!  Bitchy Manager Girl snaps back that you are one crazy person… Kang Choon Sam!  (Ah, so we finally get his real name out in the open!)  Nam-joo’s made a decision, and gets up to leave, while the other two just stare at her leaving.

Instead of going straight home (as we all wished), Nam-joo is in a cab waiting to see Attorney Choi come out of a building into a waiting driver car.  She tells the ahjussi to follow that car, and they both take off.  (LOL!!! In the background of that shot, there are two extras who quickly jaywalk across the street while pointing at the cameras filming them.  LOL!!!)  Attorney Choi’s car pulls up to his apartment building, where he gets out and she gets out and follows him into the building.  He sees a flyer on the community bulletin board and takes a number tab, as Nam-joo enters the building to read the same flyer advertising for domestic helper services.  Her internal lightbulb goes off, and she grabs one of the tabs as well.

Of course Nam-joo heads over to the agency to ask for a job.  (DUH.)  The intake man asks if she has a specific job in mind, and Nam-joo shyly asks that if the agency happens to hear from a Choi Seung Jae living at the Hangook Apartments asking for a maid, she would appreciate him hiring her for that position.  Intake Man looks aghast over her bold request, and dismisses her for being a crazy person.  (Hah, truth as a defense.)  Nam-joo explains that it’s not crazy, but that she is friends with someone who previously worked at Attorney Choi’s home and said it was a really nice place to work, so of course, she wants to go work for him now for that very reason.  (Nope, not creepy at all.  Not a bit.)  Nam-joo then pulls out her Secret Weapon — the Bribe Envelope — and asks the Intake Guy to take good care of her.  Intake Guy coughs and looks away while pocketing the envelope.

Jung-wook and Woo-jin are having a drink, as previously mentioned.  Woo-jin is asking why Jung-wook is paying extra-special attention to him; he’s not sure of what exactly his position is at Geundam Construction… just as some thugs burst into the bar and Head Thug #1 (you may remember him getting the crap beat outta him in Episode 5) demands that Jung-wook pay back his portion of ill-gotten gains.  Jung-wook just smugly sits there, as Head Thug #1 wants back the rights for the Boosung Construction work at Incheon.  Jung-wook tells him that ship has sailed, and since he’s having a drink with one of his employees, just make yourselves scarce now, arraso?  Of course a fight breaks out, with Jung-wook and Woo-jin taking them on TWO against NINE?  (Yeah, I called no way as well.)  Jung-wook stands back and watches Woo-jin almost get the stuffing beat out of him, when Jung-wook’s own thugs come in to beat off Group One’s thugs.  (You got all this?  Need a scorecard?)

So-yeol is pleading with Ji-ho to go see her dad (Professor Ha) and get down on his knees to beg for his position back.  Ji-ho tells her that this situation is not one that will resolve itself quickly, since there are things about it that she doesn’t know… yet.  She calls him out on them being so similar in hurting and making each other so miserable, that’s just messed up!!  Doesn’t he even care that In-ha is positioning himself to become the next successor?  That puts Ji-ho back a step, because he didn’t know the machinations behind the scene.  So-yeol tells him that her dad will see the results of In-ha’s charity concert and will make sure he’s the successor if it’s successful.  Ji-ho wonders what stupid thoughts are in the Professor’s head to make him think In-ha could ever be his successor.

In-ha is back home in bed, trying to rest after his ordeal.  Ji-ho stomps in and orders him to get up because there’s something he needs to say to him.  In-ha rolls over and tells him to come back later, but Ji-ho isn’t letting go about the rumour of In-ha’s becoming the successor… it isn’t true, is it?  In-ha asks why he shouldn’t be, and Ji-ho tells him to not go after that prize; he’s saying this in In-ha’s best interests.  That statement finally gets In-ha to sit up, and he tells Ji-ho he’ll make that decision on his own.  With Professor Ha still being a well-reknowned composer, why shouldn’t he accept it if it’s bestowed upon him?  Ji-ho says that it’s not worth it; doesn’t In-ha see how much Ji-ho has been suffering through everything?  In-ha suddenly finds the strength to jump out of bed to confront Ji-ho about his respect for the Professor, but Ji-ho plays the Hyungnim Card and doesn’t want In-ha to suffer what Ji-ho has suffered!!

At that moment, Yeong-rang enters with a meal for In-ha and tells Ji-ho to shut his piehole!  Why is he yelling at his brother who was just released from the hospital — do you know why he got sick?  Does Ji-ho even realize why In-ha can never ride the subway or fly in an airplane or can stay inside a dark theatre and has to take sleeping pills every night at his advanced age of 25?!?  If Ji-ho was really his brother… really truly his brother… Yeong-rang then clams up and leaves the room.  In-ha sits there looking stunned and a bit embarrassed, as Ji-ho stares at him pitifully but then runs out after her.  In-ha tears up and voices-over that was the first time that their mom actually stood up for In-ha in front of Ji-ho.

Yeong-rang takes out her anger on the poor food dishes by throwing them into the sink trying to fight back her own tears.  Ji-ho comes up behind her and says that he didn’t realize In-ha was so sick, since no one ever told him the facts.  She apologizes to him for getting angry, but after seeing In-ha in the emergency room, she assumed everything was her fault that he was in that condition.  So she’s sorry for taking out all her anger on Ji-ho… can he forgive her?  Ji-ho tells her that she was right to yell, because you have to scold a child when they do something wrong.  Now she feels like a REAL MOM to Ji-ho now, but hearing those words just makes Yeong-rang put a death grip on the sink ledge while trying to contain her rising anger.

Back at the scene of the bar fight, Jung-wook has one of his minions tend to the injured Woo-jin, and tells him to get Woo-jin to the hospital.  Woo-jin throws him off, demanding that Jung-wook tell him the real reason he was picked as a candidate for Geumdan Construction.  Does Geumdan really building houses with bricks… or does it prefer to throw bricks at houses?  TELL HIM NOW!!!  And Jung-wook does, saying that if he needed brick-carriers, they would have never hired him in the first place.  Woo-jin spits back that it was not his intention to join what obviously looks like a gangster firm, so they picked the wrong person.  Jung-wook counters with an offer of paying back Woo-jin for saving his life; they’ll make a good deal and Woo-jin will stay in the Company’s employ.  Woo-jin says that even if they paid him ONE MEEEEEEEEELION DOLLARS, he won’t stay at a company that handles people’s lives like that.

Turning to leave, Jung-wook asks again if Woo-jin really does know a way to defeat Boosung Construction?  Then sell it to Jung-wook and he will let him walk away, but Woo-jin is confused and asks what exactly is it that Jung-wook is looking for?  Jung-wook says it’s simple… instead of building a house with bricks, he intends to bring Boosung down with bricks.  (Um, wasn’t that said a few lines ago already?  Whatever.)  Jung-wook goes in for the kill, and asks Woo-jin if he wants to continue the life of a choir boy, living like he doesn’t know whether it’s day or night, then he has no reason to stop someone who is faint-of-heart.  Woo-jin looks for confirmation that Jung-wook’s façade is all to bring down Boosung, then he’ll stay with him just as long as no one else gets hurt.

Ji-ho comes back to see In-ha in with a stack of research materials and a DVD from his last concert and gives them to In-ha, with the advice that it’s his first concert so these materials might help him out (or not).  In-ha must be feeling better, because he gets all feisty and accuses Ji-ho of still trying to teach him after all these years apart.  In-ha tosses the materials onto the floor, saying he doesn’t need them — he’s not going to be a Ji-ho impersonator when it comes to his performance.  In-ha crawls back into bed, as Ji-ho picks up the items and puts them onto the table again.

But after he leaves, In-ha gets up and watches the DVD that Ji-ho had left for him, where  it repeats the scene from the prologue to Episode 1 of Ji-ho playing the ‘La Campanelle’ showpiece.  Nervously chewing his lip, In-ha grows increasingly annoyed and frustrated, and eventually picks up his laptop and throws it against the wall.  Fade to black…

Yeong-rang and In-ha bow to an audience wildly clapping.  Suddenly, the police come out on stage at the same time and announce to her that she’s under arrest for aiding, abetting and most of all, the murder of Yoo Man Se, and is ordered to be taken away as In-ha stares incredulously at this scene.  He asks what’s going on, as Yeong-rang demands to be let go because today is her son’s first concert… let her go… LET HER GO!!!  And then Yeong-rang wakes up.  Again.  Fortunately her phone rings and wakens her up further after she hears who’s on the other end.

At the Police Station, Dong-yi is being questioned, telling the investigator that she and Madame Choi have been BFFs forevah; do they not believe her?  The investigator tells Yeong-rang that Dong-yi was picked up for theft last night, and insisted on her being called as Dong-yi’s “guardian.” [snerk]  Dong-yi gives a I told ya so back to the investigator, so now that Yeong-rang is there, she can do all the bailing out and settlement, since they’ve lived with each other for so long, they have no secrets together.  If it wasn’t for Yo0 Man Se’s death in that fire, they wouldn’t have grown so far apart.  Yeong-rang looks like she could throw up at any moment.

Back in her office, Yeong-rang hands over the deed to the Yeoksam Building to Attorney Choi, telling him to go ahead and process it now.  But first, she needs a favor out of him… Dong-yi says she’s going back to America today.  She needs Attorney Choi to make sure she gets her ass on that airplane, and to call when he’s sure she’s long gone.  Oh and by the way, have the preparations for In-ha’s concert been completed yet?  (Nice mood swing there.)  Make sure the media writes some excellent lies… um, articles that will justify the costs of Boosung paying all the advertising fees.  Even if she has to spend her entire fortune, she wants to ensure nothing will go wrong.  Walking out of the building, she voicesover that she doesn’t care what happens to her, just as long as it doesn’t affect her In-ha.  Her plan needs to be finalized now with Boosung and the succession and In-ha.

Da-mi is relieved that In-ha is feeling much better; did he overwork himself preparing for the concert?  In-ha is so happy to hear her being worried about him that he says he should be sick every day to get calls like this.  In-ha does apologize for screwing up their cable car date, so what should he do for repayment?  Da-mi tells him to not worry about that since they can go another time; just rest and get ready for his concert.  Nam-joo yells for Da-mi to come downstairs for breakfast so she can get to work on time, as she says she’ll be down right after she finishes her homework.

Pulling out the girliest portfolio I have ever seen (pink with a rhinestone cat on its cover). Da-mi opens the first page to see a character of her sleeping that Ji-ho had drawn.  Flashing back to the time that he gave it to her after their Noodle Date, Ji-ho instructs her to make notes on a score she has practiced, what are its most significant parts, and her feelings about playing that score.  A music sheet diary, for lack of a better term; since he hates grading homework, this will be perfect for a noob like her.  Da-mi protests and reminds him she’s not a little kid anymore.  He runs off to an appointment, leaving Da-mi talking to his back instead.  And… we’re back in the present, where she draws a little Ji-ho on one of the staff pages.

In-ha is wandering around Professor Ha’s house when he spots a picture of Ji-ho and the Professor on one of the bookshelves.  As his eyes glaze over with anger, the picture slips out of his hand and shatters on the floor.  So-yeol comes in with drinks and asks what the hell happened here?  Coming out of his stupor, In-ha apologizes for it falling as he was looking through the books.  He’ll clean it up right now… as So-yeol interrupts him saying it doesn’t matter.  Just because the framee breaks, doesn’t mean their relationship will break as well.  Professor Ha comes downstairs and tells them never mind; just throw it away anyway… and he does.  So-yeol calls him on his temper and asks why he’s doing this, because she knows it’s affecting his sleep.  He dismisses her claims as nonsense, and orders her off to work.  Shooting a Death Glare at In-ha, she leaves the room.

In-ha tries the Humble Approach, and tells the Professor that if he still believes that his brother is more talented, then he needs to take him back now.  In-ha was happy to be by his side for the short time they had together.  The Professor tells In-ha that he’s heard much has been taken away from him by Ji-ho; from now on, watch out for yourself alone because a good heart does not promise a fortune.  In-ha visibly chokes up and thanks the Professor for telling him that, because so far in his life, he has never heard those words… because everyone else was on his brother’s side.  The Professor tells him to only concern himself with the upcoming charity concert.  Without talent, the Professor’s approval can never be earned.

Nam-joo arrives at Attorney Choi’s apartment and buzzes herself in.  Surveying the mess, Nam-joo vows to find that tape recorder that Attorney Choi was brandishing the night he man-handled Dong-yi.  But first, the obligatory Cleaning Up A Bachelor Pad Montage, with a little rummaging through his possessions for good measure!

Ji-ho is getting ready for In-ha’s concert, as EvilStep comes in and asks if he’s really going to go and subject himself to all the Negative Nellies that will be in the audience?!?  Ji-ho says there’s no way he can miss his dongsaeng’s first concert, and besides, he has no worries since EvilStep is his biggest supporter, right?  She chides that may be his biggest fault in life and tells him to wipe his own nose; don’t let others do it for him.  And she disappears with Ji-ho sighing… with worry?

At the concert hall, Da-mi arrives with flowers and sees Professor Ha and So-yeol arriving for the show.  She runs up and says hello, but only gets a grunt from him in return.  She goes on to thank him for introducing her to such a wonderful piano instructor.  Professor Ha orders So-yeol to go in first, as he turns to Da-mi and tells her she doesn’t have to continue those lessons because he has lost faith in Ji-ho.  Da-mi apologizes for speaking so roughly to an elder, but Yoo Ji Ho did nothing to disappoint the Professor.  The Professor wonders if those two are in cahoots together by switching the bikes and therefore, that’s how the score was lost?  Professor Ha gets all crankypants on her and calls Da-mi out for being more naive than he figured.  She calls after him as he stomps off… and there’s Ji-ho in the background, watching the whole thing.

A figure walks onto the stage towards a grand piano.  Pulling out a tuning hammer from a bag, the person loosens the strings in the middle register of the piano.  Meanwhile, In-ha is having his picture taken with the pediatric cancer patients for whom he’s performing.  One of the stagehands runs in and says they’re in big trouble — In-ha needs to come to the stage STAT.  Playing a couple of notes, there is definitely something wrong with the action of the B and D keys.  In-ha cannot believe it, since there was nothing wrong with the piano at the last rehearsal.  Yeong-rang, Professor Ha and So-yeol all run onto the stage and ask what’s what, as Professor Ha tells In-ha to go find the piano tuner!  In-ha dejectedly tells him that he’s already left for Jeju Island for another concert.  The piece that In-ha will be playing needs to have such precise tuning that a mere guy off the street cannot accomplish it.  Yeong-rang asks what will happen to the concert now, as So-yeol notes that they have 30 minutes before start time.

They all sit there pondering, when Ji-ho calls out to In-ha from the wings and asks if there’s something wrong.  In-ha wondered if Ji-ho was ever going to show up, as Ji-ho says he was just going to bring him flowers and then leave.  But what’s wrong with the piano, as Da-mi then enters from the other side of the stage.  Yeong-rang says that all of a sudden, some strings have slipped in between the last rehearsal and now.  Professor Ha says basically over his dead body, as he still doesn’t trust Ji-ho to do the right thing!  Ji-ho asks if the Professor is still doubting him; this is my dongsaeng’s concert.  Da-mi stands there, repeating back “dongsaeng?”  Instead of accepting his help, In-ha orders Ji-ho to leave since he cannot trust him to be around the piano.

Ji-ho asks if he still does not trust him, and In-ha tells him you got it, buddy; he won’t trust him until they found out who truly messed with the piano!!  Ji-ho calls him out for such a foolish thought, but Yeong-rang takes that opportunity to go in for the kill.  She slowly walks towards Ji-ho, accusing him of wanting to sabotage his brother’s concert, as Ji-ho swears it wasn’t him.  That was not the answer Yeong-rang wanted to hear, as she screams at Ji-ho to GET OUT NOW!!  Ji-ho looks stunned; In-ha smirks away; Yeong-rang glares; Ji-ho continues to look stunned… and we end Episode 9!

Air Date:  15 September 2012

Ratings:   AGB Nielsen Nationwide 10.4% (9th) / Seoul 10.5% (10th); TmNS Nationwide 10.1% (15th) / Seoul 11.2% (10th)

Flowers and Brickbats

All right, everyone who called a giant NO WAY on keeping a bloodied piece of fabric for over 14 years without the stain fading… just go line up at the end of my desk.  That was a little far-fetched, dontcha think?  And the overuse of flashbacks is really getting on my nerves now; does the PD-nim think that the collective viewing public hasn’t been watching every episode to date and we just jumped into the show at Episode 9?  Flashing back is useful only when introducing new plot elements (like what was done in the early minutes here expounding more on Attorney Choi and Dong-yi’s little side contract to get him the Yeoksam Building); any more usage than that, and it’s just padding and really unnecessary.

Still, the acting is so exemplary that when the final credits run, I wonder how the heck did 68 minutes just go by in a heartbeat?  I believe it was at this airing when the review articles started coming out about Ji-hoon’s rather lightweight acting in the Show.  Well geez louise, he had yet to discover the double-triple-crossing going on in his extended family, so of course he’s going to remain pretty naive about everything… and I think he did a fantastic job of portraying his simmering but controlled anger.  Boy, when Ji-ho later finds out how much he’s being yanked around, people better run for the hills.  Vesuvius will have nothing on the Wrath of Yoo Ji Ho!!

The Supporting Cast had yet another chance to shine in this episode as well, although there were some *facepalm* moments where I was yelling at my monitor “REALLY?  You’re going THERE?”  I could toss Nam-joo out the window without another look back; I mean, clueless doesn’t even begin to describe her actions.  Seeing it from her point of view, she will stop at nothing to avenge Dead Deaf Dad’s unfortunate death… but with her methods, it’s more like one step forward; two steps back.  Hopefully the writer-nim will have her grow a set as the storyline continues.  Not sure why Dong-yi was brought back to life except as a foil to Attorney Choi’s machinations, but bear with me here… I bet she came back to the house to hook up with Man-se.  And then there’s Implausible #1:  She didn’t see a birthday cake all lit up sitting on the dining room table until she backed into it?  In addition, Implausible #2:  For all that time she cared for CrazyGran, Dong-yi didn’t see her asleep on the floor?  Not like I’m losing sleep over them, but please answer these questions soon, Writer-nim!!

Even with my crack researching skills, I couldn’t figure out the meaning of what EvilStep was referring to when she felt like one of the Eun Bang Wol Sisters when she saw another woman at the spa wearing the same dress.  Anyone out there know the answer to this?

Music Nerd Ramblings:  It’s nice to see other instruments in a show revolving around pianos; in both In-ha and Ji-ho’s bedrooms are top-of-the-line Yamaha acoustic guitars, and I think I saw a Fender electric bass in the corner of Ji-ho’s room in one scene.  Could we hope against hope that Our Boys may perform a duet later on for the OST, since both are pretty awesome musicians in real life?  But I had to giggle when the scene of when Ji-ho hands the girly binder to Da-mi and explains her ‘homework assignment’ — my piano teacher (back in the Stone Age) did the same thing to me (without the cute little drawings inside), but was more ruthless when I couldn’t come up with a good enough description of the piece because I spent all my waking hours practicing the damn thing… like I had time to write after that?  Hmpf.  A nice memory nonetheless.

Sadly, the only new classical piece introduced in this episode is the Chopin ‘Winter Wind’ Etude (No. 11, Op. 25 in A-minor).  I guess the Music Director is going to work his way eventually through each and every flippin’ Chopin Etude; the one that In-ha plays at the beginning of this episode is the penultimate one out of the 12 known works.  It’s a very showy piece, but I’m surprised that this one was chosen because it makes so much work for the left (bass) hand — and remember, our little boy still has a dead pinky finger.  Maybe he switched to a heavier ring for the extra weight in getting through those passages?  Just suspend your beliefs, okay?

But my ear was drawn to a solo acoustic guitar number that way playing underneath the scenes where Nam-joo was cleaning up Attorney Choi’s apartment.  Very Spanish in nature, I’m hoping that little work joins the OST whenever it gets released.  If the production goes by standard OST rules, we should be seeing a full CD’s worth of tunes sometime around the first week in November.  That’ll make a nice birthday present for sure!!  ::sheepish grin::

Thanks for reading.  On to Episode 10 and many more hijinks!!