I really hate family reunions, especially when that Crazy Uncle no one likes always shows up, yelling PULL MY FINGER!

Attorney Choi’s ruse to get everyone together to fink on Jung-wook being Elvin Kim seems to have worked, as our four protagonists converge in the Geumdan offices.  He sticks out his hand to introduce himself to Elvin Kim as Yeong-rang gets all stunned saying it couldn’t be true!

Attorney Choi retorts that if it wasn’t true, why the hell is Kim Jung-wook hanging out in the Geumdan President’s office then?  So face the music, Yeong-rang – all this while you have been hoodwinked by no one other than Jung-wook.

Yeong-rang runs up to Jung-wook and begs him to say it’s not true, as Attorney Choi tells him he messed with the wrong person.  Jung-wook tells her it was to be revealed eventually and feels greatly relieved now.  Yeong-rang asks how he could be the one to screw with her like that… and you over there, Ji-ho.  Did you know as well and the both of them intentionally deceived her?

Ji-ho looks over and says he’s not sticking his nose into this one, and that he and Attorney Choi should hit the bricks in advance of the shitstorm that’s gonna happen now that Yeong-rang knows everything.  With Attorney Choi’s parting words that Jung-wook’s confidence isn’t going to stay with him for much longer, those two take off.

Attorney Choi catches up to Ji-ho and says he needs to know who made the witness testify falsely about the whole oxygen mask removing thingy.  Ji-ho tells him no matter what he says, Attorney Choi won’t believe him anyway.  Attorney Choi calls him a fool for being deceived by Jung-wook and running his father’s company into the ground, but Ji-ho should keep his hands off Boosung for now.

Because of his slavish devotion for over 20 years, that company should be Attorney Choi’s by now.  If Ji-ho and Jung-wook think that it’s going to easily fall into their hands, then they’re sadly mistaken.  Ji-ho says that day will never come, because Attorney Choi will not have the chance to touch it with his dirty politics.  As Ji-ho saunters off, Attorney Choi yells that he’s not going to stand still so Ji-ho had better wait for his next visit.

Jung-wook tells Yeong-rang that compared to what she did to him by treating him like garbage and betraying him to marry another man, his treatment of her was child’s play.  Yeong-rang still insists that she never tried to kill him, but Jung-wook doesn’t believe it after hiding for 15 years after killing her husband.  Pffft.

It’s finally sinking in with Yeong-rang, who accuses Jung-wook of not trusting the woman he loved for so many years and calls him pitiful.  (oooooh burn.)  She twists the knife further by saying it was a good thing she left him, as Jung-wook orders her out of his sight NOW.

As Yeong-rang pulls off the engagement ring Jung-wook presented her with, she tells him that at least she was sincere with her feelings… not unlike the bastard that stands in front of her right now.  He stares at the ring on the floor, but there is still hate in his eyes.

In-ha just cannot believe what he’s heard – Jung-wook is actually Elvin Kim?  Attorney Choi explains that since he held a personal grudge against his mother, Jung-wook concocted this ornate plan to bring down Yeong-rang and Boosung at the same time.  So since it looks like Attorney Choi is now offering to hold hands with In-ha, he admits they both have two formidable opponents to go up against.  Attorney Choi says the only one who holds all the cards in keeping Boosung out of Ji-ho’s hands would be him… so what’s it gonna be, In-ha?

Yeong-rang decides instead to hold hands with a bottle of wine and a charcutiere plate, as In-ha sits down to join her.  He says that she shouldn’t be all broken up over Jung-wook’s true identity, since he found him kinda creepy and squicky.  In-ha reminds Yeong-rang that since the truth has come out, they should circle the wagons and protect Boosung from falling into enemy hands.  Especially since In-ha’s own DNA test on Ji-ho definitely proved that he is not Dead Burnt-Up Dad’s blood son.

Looking rather shaken, Yeong-rang tries to change the subject but In-ha continues to twist the knife by saying if he lost Boosung to Ji-ho, it would be like killing his father all over again.  Yeong-rang confesses that she’s run out of ideas to save Boosung, but In-ha spits back that they need to put together a plan and run with it.  And she needs to come to her senses and guard the Company in order to receive forgiveness from his dad.  In-ha asks Yeong-rang if she has the stones to risk her own life to fight against Ji-ho, as Yeong-rang lets that statement rattle around her brain pan for awhile longer.

Da-mi is flabbergasted to hear that Ji-ho wants her to quit Gloria ASAP.  Ji-ho lies and says it’s because he is too annoyed to see her face day in and out.  Da-mi insists he say those same words while looking her in the eye, since she’s scared that he keeps acting cold to her.  Ji-ho finally does lift his face and staring straight into Da-mi’s eyes, tells her he’s tired of acting like a sinner in front of her.

After answering Da-mi’s question that he told her he loved her, Ji-ho surmises that a person’s feelings cannot be the same forever.  Seeing her every day at the office is becoming a burden he can’t handle, but Da-mi begs for him to tell her what she’s doing wrong so she can correct her ways!  (*headdesk*)  Ji-ho stands up and tells her to wrap up her duties so she can hit the bricks.

EvilStep herself is flabbergasted to hear from In-ha that Jung-wook is trying to take over Boosung and relays everything to her that Attorney Choi spilled to him earlier.  EvilStep asks if all the coincidental meetings and gifts and everything was just for show?  Boy, does she feel like a fool pushing Yeong-rang towards Jung-wook now!

In-ha says he needs to get over to Boosung to find enough money to block the bankruptcy, as EvilStep spouts out that Jung-wook must be even eviler than Dead Burnt-Up Dad.  Maldandwae!

Yeong-rang returns to her office to find In-ha still brooding that she isn’t doing enough to save Boosung, as she retorts that she’s been out all day trying to persuade the banks to extend their loans.  But it’s too little, too late since the bankruptcy will proceed whether or not they come up with the scratch.

In-ha totally does not take no for an answer, as he says he’ll go to Jung-wook in person and call him out on his usurious loan practices.  Because if Momma ain’t gonna do it, he’ll do it himself.  And on that note, Secretary Oh runs in and says Yeong-rang’s appearance is required at the shopping mall management meeting.  Yeong-rang looks like she’d rather hide under a rock.

In-ha stomps into the Geumdan offices and pushes his way past the receptionist, only to stop short at the door overhearing Ji-ho and Jung-wook having a tiff over going/not going after Boosung.  Ji-ho is still hell-bent on pushing forward, and Jung-wook tries to remind Ji-ho that Yeong-rang is already in ruin so why go on with their Evil Revenge Plan?

Ji-ho says he must see it through to the bitter end, if only to punish the people who used and abused him.  Jung-wook tells him he only wants to see Ji-ho happy, as Ji-ho sneers that he doesn’t even know the meaning of the word… especially since he found out that Yeong-rang was his true birth mother.  In-ha nearly gets whiplash doing a double-take on hearing that news flash!

Jung-wook tries to calm down his son, but Ji-ho continues on and on and on about being the most pitiful person in da world being born to a woman who hated him on sight and who he thought was his father using Ji-ho as a pawn in his game to torment his wife by lying to his face.  He’d rather be an orphan again than utter the words eomma and appa.

Ji-ho takes off out of Geumdan with In-ha tailing him from behind, until the events of the day finally catch up with him and he stands at the window taking in the beautiful view of Gangnam-gu from 40 floors up.  (In-ha Bot processing… processing… )

Yeong-rang walks the shopping mall with her management team and reminds them that it is the most profitable member of the Boosung Group.  So don’t screw anything up and keep the cash flowing in, arraso?  Looking inside one of the men’s shops, she asks the salesclerk which one of the shirts is popular with the youngsters these days.  Salesclerk says the blue shirt combo seems to be selling well, so she’ll take one.  But Yeong-rang stops for a second… and says to pack up another combo as well.

Arriving at Ji-ho’s apartment with gift shirt in hand, she’s just about to break in enter his place when she hears the elevator bell ding and runs around the corner to hide.  But Ji-ho actually did see Yeong-rang’s disappearing act after all, reaches into his treasure box to pull out that infamous handkerchief, and runs out the door only to find that Yeong-rang is already heading down the elevator.

Yeong-rang returns home to find In-ha glaring at her from the living room sofa.  Thinking that there’s yet another problem at Boosung, In-ha tells her he’s just tired and she should get some rest.  As Yeong-rang pads off to her room, In-ha burns a hole in her back thinking that he’s the third wheel now.  If he’s not there, then she and Ji-ho and Jung-wook can be a happy family again.

Da-mi and Team Leader Kim survey the wrapping of the Gloria pianos to be delivered to Hanguk University by 2 PM that day, and she sends a text to Ji-ho saying the same thing… and reminds him to not skip lunch if she’s not back in time.

Secretary Oh comes in to tell Yeong-rang that Gloria is getting ready to deliver their pianos over to Hanguk.  But Yeong-rang still has In-ha’s words ringing in her ears about not giving up and trying everything they can to hold on to Boosung.

The trucks are all loaded and will take off as soon as the drivers finish up with lunch.  As Da-mi and Team Leader Kim head inside for their own meals, shady characters come out of the shadows, hop into the trucks and take off with the Gloria pianos!  Da-mi hears the truck engines starting up and runs out to confront the piano stealers!

Stepping in front of the last truck, she yells at the driver in an attempt to get him to stop while backing up (with the camera focusing on her high heels, so you know that means something).  The hijacker hits the gas and knocks Da-mi into a pile of wood on the side of the building and peels out of the loading dock.  Ji-ho gets the call that Da-mi’s been injured, while Yeong-rang sits and thinks evil thoughts.  Or something.

Back at Gangnam Hospital – again – Ji-ho runs in to see a more beat-up Da-mi than her little kidnapping escapade a few episodes back.  Admonishing her for not leaving Gloria when he told her to the first time.  (Let’s hope the Magic Humidifier can heal her wounds!)

Jung-wook rushes over to find out Da-mi’s status, but Ji-ho yells back at him if he STILL wants Ji-ho to go easy on Yeong-rang since finding out she’s his mother?  Spare the company because she’s already lost everything?  Au contraire, mon frère!  Jung-wook can only curse Yeong-rang under his breath.

Attorney Choi toasts to a job well done with In-ha arranging for the piano shipment to be diverted, who says once they take care of Gloria, then the company will return to them accordingly.  Attorney Choi knew that In-ha would join his quest for world dominance, as In-ha realizes the two of them are the only ones that can take down Ji-ho with a vengeance now.

Attorney Choi says that Jung-wook and Ji-ho need to be separated somehow in order for that junta to be dissolved, so In-ha takes that opportunity to tell Attorney Choi that Ji-ho is actually Jung-wook’s natural son.  Attorney Choi returns to his car still not believing what In-ha just told him.  Ji-ho is NOT Dead Burnt-Up Dad’s son after all?  And since Yeong-rang and Jung-wook were past lovers… seolmah, man!!!

Ji-ho barges into Yeong-rang’s office spitting fire over the hijacked piano shipment.  Accusing her of being rotten to the core until the end, Yeong-rang truly has no idea what Ji-ho is talking about Da-mi being put in the middle of their Holy Family War and getting injured because of it?  He needs to explain his babbling in plain English… um, Korean… uh, whatever.

Ji-ho is still ripping her an “I will not forgive you x infinity” when he finally ends by saying the only thing they have in common as mother and son is that they both do not know when to give up.  Throwing the handkerchief at her, Ji-ho says that his decades-long yearning for his birth mother stops right there, and truly regrets the day she brought him into this infernal world.

The brothers meet in the Boosung lobby and In-ha reminds Ji-ho that Geumdan will not be able to get away with their usurious loan practices any longer – he’s ratting out Geumdan to the Korean SEC about their gangster funding.  Ji-ho reminds In-ha that the loans were all executed legally and above-board, so if he’s thinking about squirming away from the impending bankruptcy, then think again, dongsaeng.  Boosung getting ruined by dirty money?  Who cares?  HA.

In-ha attempts to get Ji-ho to admit that Jung-wook/Elvin Kim is his real birth dad, but Ji-ho says he doesn’t have a person in his life that he could call by that name.  In-ha reminds Ji-ho of all of Dead Burnt-Up Dad’s kindness in taking in the Beggar Boy, but Ji-ho tells In-ha he has the definition of ‘kindness’ all wrong… he’d better go find a dictionary and re-write the term.

Jung-wook intercepts Yeong-rang as she returns home and accuses her of hijacking the piano shipments, not to mention lambasting her for wanting to save Boosung over hurting Ji-ho.  She’s not sorry for harassing him for over 15 years?  Yeong-rang says that she has nothing to say to Jung-wook anymore, but Jung-wook says he’s going to be on Ji-ho’s side now… as his true birth father.

Yeong-rang runs into In-ha’s room to ask which one of them took the Gloria pianos; was it him or Attorney Choi?  In-ha wonders why she’s getting all hot and bothered by the recent events – he said he would take care of things from now on since Yeong-rang can’t be bothered with such trivial items.  Yeong-rang orders In-ha to stop his scheming since if there’s anything to be done further, SHE will do it.

In-ha slowly rises from his seat and tells her that will never happen.  In-ha knows all her secrets now and that she would never ruin HER REAL SON.  Yeong-rang is ready to faint, as In-ha asks how much longer she was going to deceive him.  Giving birth to Ji-ho, having feelings for Jung-wook, and STILL marrying Dead Burnt-Up Dad?  Did she intentionally kill him so that she could return to Jung-wook?

Yeong-rang demands that In-ha stop saying such terrible things to her, as In-ha grabs her to say he expects someone like her to do that very thing being all evil and bitchy and stuff.  Doesn’t it sound plausible?  Wouldn’t it make perfect sense for him to disappear so their Happy Family can be reunited again?

Yeong-rang grabs In-ha pleading that he is the only reason for living, but In-ha pushes her off and says she should save her crocodile tears for her REAL son Ji-ho, since he doesn’t believe her sincerity towards him any longer.  Yeong-rang says everything she did was for In-ha’s benefit and not for Ji-ho, but In-ha believes that her hatred towards his father was what fueled her revenge.

Yeong-rang says she did her best towards making a happy family with him and Dead Burnt-Up Dad.  Just as long as In-ha was happy, she could suffer the slings and arrows thrown at her by accepting Ji-ho into their family so long ago.  In-ha calls her out on her ‘motherly feelings’ as pathetic and disgusting, since every time he loses to Ji-ho, he’s actually losing to Yeong-rang as well.

Yeong-rang reminds In-ha that it was his psycho father who brought Ji-ho to their home so HE should be the one receiving the hatred, not her!  In-ha says nopes, ain’t gonna happen.  It’s HER turn to be hated now, and it’s only going to get worse because one of her two sons is not going to survive his trip to hell.

Ji-ho pleads with Hanguk University to extend their delivery deadline for one extra day; if he cannot deliver the pianos by then, they have every reason to break their contract.  And to a nice little tune which I cannot recognize, Yeong-rang has her ‘Come To Jesus Moment’ with both Ji-ho and In-ha’s words ringing in her ears.

Da-mi finally awakens in the hospital with Nam-joo fussing over her as usual and ordering her to quit Gloria for the 1,000^th time.  Da-mi says she can’t do that because she really loves Ji-ho and wants to stay by his side… saying all that while Ji-ho listens from the other side of the door.

Nam-joo says that will never ever happen – even though Ji-ho was instrumental in clearing Dead Deaf Dad from his accusations, he is still part of Chae Yeong-rang’s family unit.  It will be over her dead body for her to stay with Ji-ho.  Da-mi counters that Nam-joo always wants her to be happy and this is the way for Da-mi to be happy is to let her stay with Ji-ho.  So pretty please with sugar on top!

Nam-joo says she can’t do that; Da-mi and Woo-jin are everything to her and she cannot bear to see them continue to be sucked into Yeong-rang’s Crazy Land.  Nam-joo will do everything for them… except let Da-mi be with Ji-ho.  NEVER.  Woo-jin arrives just in time to see a dejected Ji-ho walk away from Da-mi’s room.

EvilStep brings a glass of juice to Yeong-rang’s room, only to find her missing.  Nam-joo brings breakfast to Da-mi’s room, only to find her missing as well.  Woo-jin tells Nam-joo that she probably went to chase after Ji-ho, as Nam-joo orders him to bring her back right now!

Woo-jin says Da-mi is probably safer being in Ji-ho’s sights than on her own.  Reminding him what a bitch-on-wheels Yeong-rang is, Woo-jin says Ji-ho will protect her with his life so stop being so worried.  Trust your daughter for a change, ne?

Still clad in her hospital clothes, Da-mi waits outside Ji-ho’s apartment door to confront him for not picking up her calls.  Ji-ho yells at her for being out of her mind to come see him in her fragile state, but Da-mi is more worried about finding the pianos and who did such a evil thing to Gloria.  Ji-ho says that’s not important right now – why did she go all Wonder Woman and jump in front of the truck to stop it?

Da-mi says she’s fine, ya big silly.  She’s more worried that something will happen to Ji-ho instead.  Now that Boosung is in bankruptcy, she’s positive Ji-ho is in their sights and she won’t let that be.  Ji-ho tells her to leave the worrying and business stuff to him… she’s took sick to worry about the company right now.

He turns to leave, but Da-mi runs up and invokes K-Drama Trope No. 125: The Back Hug.  Telling Ji-ho to stop being such an imbecile since it took them so long to get to their relationship state, she doesn’t care about the past troubles so why is he pushing her away again?  Ji-ho has no answer for that other than to pull her hands away from his chocolate abs mid-section.

Or not, as he turns around to tell Da-mi that he’s finally found his birth mother and she’s no other than Chae Yeong-rang.  THAT same Yeong-rang who is a bitter enemy to Da-mi’s family.  So does she understand why they can’t be together anymore?  Obviously it’s not getting through Da-mi’s thick skull what she’s just heard, because she asks him repeatedly what he’s saying.

Ji-ho demands that Da-mi run… run far away from him, because she will be in danger if she continues that way.  Looks like he’s turning out to be a man that cannot protect her anymore.  Da-mi yells after him that she doesn’t care; even if she dies, she will never leave his side!

Ji-ho walks away as Da-mi sobs on the landing, but then we cut to around the corner where Yeong-rang has just overhead their entire conversation and breaks out in quiet sobs herself.  (Hang on… my heart needs a time-out here because it hurts so much.)

Ji-ho returns to Gloria to find Jung-wook waiting for his with the news that he will call in all of Boosung’s promissory notes, which will stick a fork in the company for good.  He apologizes to Ji-ho for briefly forgetting what type of woman Yeong-rang was, as Ji-ho tells him to not make promises he can’t keep, especially since Jung-wook continues to be dragged around by Yeong-rang and people they care about continue to get hurt.  Jung-wook apologizes again and tells Ji-ho this will probably be the last present he could give him as his father.

Da-mi returns to her hospital room and asks to be left the hell alone – don’t ask her any questions right now.  But then she checks her phone to see a text with a picture of the stolen Gloria trucks being held in Gyeonggi-do… at the Boosung Warehouse!  That makes her bolt upright in bed, saying the pianos have been found.  YAY!!!  Then we see Yeong-rang close her phone case, while standing outside of the Boosung Warehouse where all the stolen trucks are being held.  Um… WUT?!?

In-ha is trying his best to convince the Hanguk University powers-that-be that Gloria is trying some funny stuff by delivering the pianos late in order to negotiate a raise in price (“collusion” for those of you into semantics).  In-ha almost has them persuaded to give Boosung another chance and contract with them, when Ji-ho strides into the conference room to say their pianos are on their way.  If looks could kill, In-ha’s glare would have cut down everyone on the spot.

In-ha stands out in the Hanguk parking lot staring at the Gloria piano trucks wondering what the hell went wrong, when Ji-ho comes up and says a better use of his time should be to prevent Boosung’s bankruptcy and not chase after something he can’t win.  And if In-ha is curious about who tipped him to their location… go ask his mother. 

In-ha sputters a no way and then runs off to find out that very fact.  All the while, Attorney Choi is lurking around one of the truck cabs and curses Yeong-rang for turning into a Benedict Arnold on them.

Yeong-rang stands at the bank of her river meeting spot and stares out, until In-ha calls her.  She turns off the phone and sighs, because she knows this isn’t going to end well for anyone.  But upon returning to Boosung, Secretary Oh is frantic that she went missing for so long.  There is big trouble!

She runs into her office to find In-ha tossing her President’s nameplate into the garbage.  In-ha reports that an emergency board meeting was just concluded and the resolution to remove Yeong-rang from the President’s position was passed.  Now you’re lookin’ at the new President, lady – Yoo In-ha.

Yeong-rang yells that why should this all matter when Boosung is in such dire straits?  If the Board can oust her from her position, it’s just a matter of time before they come after the CEO as well.  In-ha says he knows… and even if he stays President for only one day, he wanted to be the one to fire her with his own hands.  He’s doing this for the future of Boosung – wait, strike that.  He’s doing it for his Dead Burnt-Up Dad instead.

In-ha says he wanted to abandon her first before she had the chance to do so.  Now she can leave and re-form that Little Happy Family with Jung-wook and Ji-ho – he won’t be hurt by her decision.  But Yeong-rang claims she knows how In-ha feels but still insists that the only person who can protect him now is HER.  So why is he insisting on acting like a crazy wacko?  (More than normal?)

But In-ha feels differently; if he is left alone, at least his suffering will be his alone.  If Yeong-rang has even a shred of motherly emotion for Ji-ho, she can no longer be his mother too.  And with that statement, In-ha orders Secretary Oh to come in and pack up her belongings.

Yeong-rang leaves Boosung trying not to be sad by telling herself it was time to leave anyway.  On the way out, she runs into Chief Weasel Attorney Choi, who insists on calling her Madame now instead of President.  Being surprised to see a fired employee on the premises, Attorney Choi tells her that President In-ha summoned him back to help with the restructuring of the Boosung debt.

She doesn’t believe that someone who only wants financial gains would hold hands with her In-ha, so what blackmail is he up to now?  Attorney Choi brushes her off with saying no matter how shaky Boosung is, there are still tricks up his and In-ha’s sleeves they have yet to try.  Oh and by the way, he’s just heard something interesting about Jung-wook – he has a son.  A son with a LOT of stories.

Yeong-rang calls him out on his statement, but all Attorney Choi can say is seeya later.  Madam.  He runs upstairs leaving Yeong-rang to… something.  Just can’t tell by the look on her face.  Must be gas.

EvilStep has called out Jung-wook to persuade him not to proceed with the Boosung bankruptcy, but he tells her it’s out of his hands now.  If they do not come up with the money to cover the promissory notes, then the bankruptcy will go through.  EvilStep figured Jung-wook to be a better person than that; can’t he prove himself a proper father for Ji-ho?  Pfffft, he’s no better than Dead Burnt-Up Dad that way.

Jung-wook asks her what exactly did she expect him to do with a woman who almost burned him to death while carrying his child?  EvilStep asks why he still holds that over her head – she wasn’t the one who set the fire!  Yeong-rang insisted on carry their child to term; even after EvilStep dragged to get an abortion, she escaped twice.  EvilStep had to eventually drag her back to Korea herself.

Jung-wook still isn’t convinced of Yeong-rang’s complicity – why was her earring at the scene of the fire?  EvilStep leans back and says it must have been Dead Burnt-Up Dad’s doing, since he was more than capable of being such a vindictive bastard.  She and Yeong-rang were already back in Korea the day before the fire, so there was no way she could have been involved!  That gets a NO. WAY. outta Jung-wook.

EvilStep says you men are all alike – not trusting the women they love to death is the start of all your unhappiness.  Jung-wook’s gotta agree with that, since he mumbles Yoo Man-se’s name all the way back to his car.  Turning to Assistant Guy, he orders that the Boosung promissory notes be stopped from processing.  Assistant Guy says it’s too late; they’ve gone through and Boosung has been removed from the KOSPI (Korean Stock Market Exchange) just a few minutes ago.

In-ha stares at a ringing phone, as an announcer voices over about Boosung’s failure to make good on its promissory notes and its bankruptcy has been finalized.  He goes on to say that after being one of the Top 5 chaebol corporations, rumour has it that it is now ripe pickings for acquisition by another domestic firm.

And right on cue, Ji-ho enters In-ha’s office with his briefcase.  (Holy CRAP, Joo Ji-hoon!  What the HELL are you wearing there?!?  Wardrobe FAIL.)  Ordering him to get out, Ji-ho smirks that HE should be the one saying that to In-ha.  Pulling a folder out of his bag, he hands it to In-ha saying it’s the merger papers for Glory to acquire Boosung.  In-ha tells Ji-ho to stop joking, because that will never happen while he’s still breathing.

Ji-ho reminds In-ha that if Boosung goes into receivership, the divisions will be broken up and sold off, and the entity they know now as Boosung will disappear into thin air.  Ji-ho asks if that is what their father wanted, as In-ha says he has no right to talk since he is not Dead Burnt-Up Dad’s son anyway.  Ji-ho tells In-ha that standing on what’s left of his pride is not a wise decision.  Whether Boosung collapses on its own weight or continues is up to In-ha now.

Standing out on the Balcony of Regrets, In-ha wonders what he is to do.  He begs his dead father for some sort of sign… any sign…

Announcing the retaking-over of Boosung, Ji-ho has decided to kick off the press conference with a snippet of the Rachmaninoff “Paganini Rhapsody.”  Jung-wook and Da-mi are seen in the audience, as In-ha pops in to view the proceedings while voicing-over his apologies to his father.  Glaring at Ji-ho, he says that as long as there is a Boosung, In-ha will rightfully bring the company back under his control.

Ji-ho tells the assembled press that leading Boosung has been his dream since he was in knee pants.  Now that his dream has come true, he’s starting Boosung 2.0 by cleaning house – a new management team will be put in place and an entirely different company will rise from the ashes.  Ji-ho looks over at Da-mi, who nervously looks away.

Returning to his new office, Ji-ho confronts Attorney Choi, who says no matter what the situation, he should still drop by since it is the new Boosung President’s inauguration day… and what’s this he hears about a new management team?  Ji-ho should not take lightly the founding members and their stock rights (i.e., HIM especially).

Ji-ho says he’s restructuring the capital contributions as well as the team, where payouts will come from a different business area.  Does Attorney Choi have a problem with that?  That sets off Whiny Boy, who reminds Ji-ho for the umpteenth time that he spent over half his life at Boosung and deserves the proper compensation for it.  Or the President’s title… you decide.

Ji-ho says he nor Boosung are indebted to Attorney Choi.  He guesses Attorney Choi has selective memory about he and Yeong-rang ousting him from the company the first time around… and now he’s asking for renumeration?  BWAHAHAHA.  So before Ji-ho calls security, maybe Attorney Choi should leave the building under his own power?

Grabbing Ji-ho’s coat, Attorney Choi says he ain’t budging one step out of there until he receives his wages for the past 20 years!   Ji-ho alerts the security team, who drags Attorney Choi out still sputtering that Boosung is his company, and that Ji-ho will shed blood for what he’s done to him!!!  Ji-ho doesn’t give a rat’s ass at all.

Hopping into his car, Ji-ho tells the driver to head home.  Only the driver nods, and two unseen hands press a cloth over Ji-ho’s face and gasses him asleep.  Yeong-rang picks up the phone and is told that Ji-ho has been kidnapped, and only a billion won will rescue him.  A car will be waiting, so come alone.  Oh and don’t go to the police or do something stupid or he will be killed, yada yada yada.

Yeong-rang calls Jung-wook and says Ji-ho’s been kidnapped and she needs a billion won to rescue him.  She needs his help since that isn’t walking around money, but Jung-wook says he’ll take care of this.  It’s too dangerous for her to get involved, so stay low.  Yeong-rang says there is no time left so she’ll send him the address when the car drops her off.

Jung-wook attempts to get her to stay put, but the car to take her to Ji-ho suddenly arrives and the mobile line goes dead.  She runs up a flight of stairs yelling his name, and runs right smack into Attorney Choi, who applauds her for her motherly feelings towards a son whom she hated so much.  Yeong-rang screams back how he could pull such a low stunt on her, but Attorney Choi reminds her of the stunt she pulled accusing him of murder back at her trial.  That’s no way to treat a loyal Boosung worker who dedicated his entire life to her.  But now he must find a way to live… so where’s the loot she was supposed to bring?  Yeong-rang says she’ll give him all the money he needs – just let her see that Ji-ho is safe.

Ji-ho finally figures out that he was kidnapped for money and labels Attorney Choi a scumbag.  Attorney Choi chortles with glee since money will do that to a person… at times you’re a scumbag, and the next you’re a king.  So make with the money already, dammit!

Jung-wook hops in his car and leaves with the cash, as Attorney Choi’s thugs pull Ji-ho out of the building to show Yeong-rang that he’s still alive (for now).  Asking if he’s okay, Yeong-rang starts running towards him but is stopped by Attorney Asswipe (my new name for him) insisting that he see the money first before their little mother-son reunion can continue.

Yeong-rang says the money is on its way; just wait a little bit longer.  Attorney Choi grabs her and screams that she was to come along with the cash – there’s someone else in on his plan?  Yeong-rang promises that if she has to sell everything she owns, she will get him the money.  But Ji-ho’s not too happy to hear that, since it’s not her concern whether he lives or dies!  Yeong-rang says too bad, it IS her concern and starts running towards him, only to be intercepted by Attorney Choi and pushed to the ground.

That sets off Ji-ho, who turns into Action Figure Ji-ho and breaks free of the thugs holding on to him.  A few well-placed punches and Ji-ho leaps over the railing towards Yeong-rang and orders her to leave before things get ugly.  She refuses as one of the thugs lands a right-hook to Ji-ho’s chin as he yells at Yeong-rang to leave.

Yeong-rang says she’s not going anywhere without him, as Attorney Choi grabs a nearby board and charges Ji-ho with it.  The windup… and the pitch… and Yeong-rang steps in between Ji-ho and the descending board, taking the brunt force right into the back of her head.

Everything gets all slow-motiony now, as Yeong-rang sinks to the ground while Ji-ho yells for 911 to be called and trying to get her to talk.  At that moment, Jung-wook’s thugs arrive with the order to KILL THEM ALL! *snort*  Attorney Choi drops the board and runs off before Jung-wook’s thugs can get to him, as Ji-ho tries to shake some life back into Yeong-rang.

Jung-wook finally makes his way up the steps to see Ji-ho cradling Yeong-rang’s head in his hands, which are covered in blood now.  As the thugs all fight each other around him, Ji-ho pulls Yeong-rang to his chest in a bear hug and screams.  And we end Episode 27 on that cliffhanger!

Air Date:  17 November 2012

Ratings:   AGB Nielsen Nationwide 12.6% (6th) / Seoul 13.0% (5th); TNmS  Nationwide 11.8% (7th) / Seoul 13.2% (6th)

Flowers and Brickbats

Ooof.  Hang on a second while I wipe my brow and pour another glass of wine first.  This episode more than made up for the dullness of Episode 26 with some action for a change!  Birth Secrets are out in full-force now, with the resulting carnage just beginning to appear.  And Mr. Noble Idiocy, come on in and sit a spell.  We’ve missed you at the dinner table, so welcome back!

We witness the further falling-into-madness of In-ha; although we know that he was already a bit off (no thanks to his upbringing and his own sense of inadequacy), what he went through over these scenes would have put a sane man into the Nutty Bin as well.  In-ha was always so used to being the victor in his battles with Ji-ho and Gloria that for him to be on the losing end time and time again has pushed him into a corner from where there is no escape now.   I see the look of resignation in his demeanor, but I betcha there is one last gasp left in In-ha before finally calling it quits.  Granted, there’s not much the writers are giving Ji Chang-wook to work with in his character over the past 2-3 episodes, but he’s doing an excellent job showing us the ‘Helter Skelter’ vibe eminating from his actions.  In-ha has decided it’s all or nothing at all in his quest to keep Boosung under his control, but then you have to realize that he doesn’t yet know the complete story of his Dead Burnt-Up Dad’s unhealthy quest for revenge.  Once that all comes out in the open, we can only guess which path he’ll take:  good, evil, or something in between?

Now Attorney Choi (Seung-jae), he’s more of an enigma.  Not really acting like a true corporate general counsel, he’s been tasked with the shoveling the manure created by all the machinations created by Yoo Man-se and passed down to Chae Yeong-rang.  We finally get to see Attorney Choi (albeit a bit off-centre himself) showing his own true psychoses in demanding his piece of Boosung Group Pie.  (Mmmm, pie… *drool*)  I can see where he’s coming from, working like a dog for over x-amount of years while being promised the sun, moon and stars and then having them ripped away at the last minute due to a change in the corporate status quo.  It’s just that his methods are a bit, shall we say, unorthodox… because only in a k-drama would you kidnap your President over not getting your proper wages.  (The subbers are a bit off when it’s written where Attorney Choi ‘wants his wages for the past 20 years’ — what he actually means is ‘being paid above and beyond his standard salary for covering Boosung’s hinders for those 20 years.’  Cheeky, yes… but still uncommon no matter where in the world you’re located.)  Don’t count him out just yet — that guy still has something up his sleeve which we’ll be treated to in the next episode(s).

Chae Si-ra?  Geez, why don’t you just rip my heart out and show it to me before I hit the ground?  She wasn’t awarded a Special Daesung at the 2012 SBS Drama Awards for nothing.  EvilStep was spot-on when she told Yeong-rang that how much she tries to cover it up, that Alpha Mom instinct will eventually kick in, so she’d better wise up sooner than later or everyone is going to suffer.  The turmoil trying to choose which son should receive her favor made me cry even harder watching this second and third times than when originally aired.  You can also see the cracks in the armor Ji-ho has surrounded himself with; his own inner suffering is slowly coming to the surface but he still has four episodes left to reconcile his feelings.  Give that poor boy some time — one does not throw away 15 years of betrayal and backstabbing overnight now, do ya?

Da-mi, Da-mi, Da-mi… we get to see a bit more feistyness out of her in trying to keep the Gloria pianos from being ripped off, but by herself?  IN 4″ HEELS?  Couldn’t think to call for the piano loaders or anything since they were only on the other side of the loading dock doors?  I give Writer-nim a big FAIL for that storyline, as it felt unnecessary and kinda forced upon us as filler by watching her throw away her pride in trying to hold on to Ji-ho.  The deck is already stacked against you, honey.  Move on; nothing to see here.  (And I’m not sure how many days elapsed between her accident and the Boosung press conference, but all her facial injuries were totally healed by then.  IT’S A MIRACLE!! *headdesk*)

Apologies for the quality of the screencaps for Episode 27.  SBS was conducting a pledge drive for one of their network charity events, and instead of deciding on an extremely annoying crawl at the bottom of the screen, figured an extremely annoying ‘bug’ should be shown tallying the amount of pledges received during the broadcast.  I checked the other .raw files in my possession, and all of them are marked as well.  Eeedjits.

Music Nerd Ramblings:  A nice touch for the Music Director to get off the Chopin Kick and throw in some Rachmaninoff instead.  We are treated to the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, and is one of Rachmaninoff’s later works having been composed in 1934.  Written for solo piano and orchestra, the reason he entitled it the “Paganini” is because the combined works encompass a set of 24 variations on Niccolo Paganini’s Caprices for solo violin.  All but seven of the Variations were written in the A minor key, so we hear the Variation No. 18 (the Andante cantabile in D flat major) brought forth from Ji-ho’s fingertips.  Rachmaninoff preferred to perform his own works instead of passing them on to an eminent pianist for that time, so he did that very thing by premiering the Paganini in Balitmore with none other than Leopold Stokowski conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.  (Get those Bugs Bunny jokes all lined up, folks… )

Also at 33:16 in this Episode, there is a beautiful solo piano piece played under Yeong-rang’s internal turmoil over which son she’s going to protect and how to do that without pissing off one or the other.  The tune has a post-Romaticism feel to it; maybe written around the late 1890s or early 1900s?  It doesn’t ring a bell with me, and both Shazam and Soundhound do not recognize it either.  If anyone has a clue, drop me a line and I will edit this entry and give you glowing credit that you can put on your resume.  Or not.

Four more episodes to go!  I gotta finish before the anniversary of the first broadcast (18 August, wasn’t it?), or forever hang up my Squeeing Fangirl Title.  I’ve got a whole lot to say about Episode 28, so stay tuned!