My Name Is Kim Sam Soon: Episode 6

by samsooki

Here we go! Can we have the main characters stand and be accounted for?

Kim Sun Ah as Kim Sam Soon? “WHAT?! Er, I mean, Yes?”
Jung Ryu Won as Yoo Hee Jin? “Here!”
Hyun Bin as Hyun Jin Heon? “Yo.”
Daniel Henney as Dr. Henry Kim? “Right here, ready to help Hee Jin, any way I can!”

Hey, I know the k-drama audience is slightly more way more female than it is male. So I get it. Daniel Henney is good-looking, and that’s important. Mrs. Samsooki says so, and I gotta believe she knows what she’s talking about. Javabeans herself leaked a bit of drool onto her keyboard over Mr. Henney as well. He’s a hottie, not a nottie. But is it realistic for a guy, who could walk into a speed-dating shin-dig and come out 3 minutes later with every single phone number written on his arm, to follow a girl across the world when she likes someone else? Just sayin.

SONG OF THE DAY

Seo Yoo-suk – “아름다운 나의 사람아” (My beautiful person) [ Download ]

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Episode 6 – The Calories of a Kiss, The Calories of Love.

Okay, it’s taken 5+ episodes, but Dr. Henry Kim has personally arrived on the scene to help “heal” the wounds of Yoo Hee Jin. Dr. Henry Kim is a doctor of love, and he uses hugs and kisses to treat his patients. Not that Yoo Hee Jin seems to mind.

Jin Heon watches them head back up into Yoo Hee Jin’s apartment, where Dr. Henry Kim will administer some personal therapy to Yoo Hee Jin that possibly involves a physical. Jin Heon is… well, he’s got nothing to say. He watches them go up, he turns around and walks away. I guess Jin Heon has figured out what Hee Jin wanted to say that Jin Heon wasn’t aware of.

Back in Sam Soon’s neighborhood, Sam Soon’s former love of her life, Hyun Woo, has been waiting for Sam Soon at the bus stop. He starts walking with Sam Soon, and tries to restart things with Sam Soon even though his engagement party with Chae Ri is the next day.

Sam Soon tries to beat sense into Hyun Woo but he just doesn’t get it. He asks her to be his “affair woman” even if he gets married to Chae Ri. Sam Soon, as angered as she is, is saddened a bit here too. She has been trying to hold onto the memories that she had with Hyun Woo as something to cherish, but Hyun Woo’s true colors are tarnishing her memories.

What’s interesting is that Hyun Woo is 100% genuine about his wanting to get back together with Sam Soon. But earnestly being a dirt-bag doesn’t make him any less of a dirt-bag – it just makes him a sincere dirt-bag.

The next day it’s engagement partee-time!

Bon Appetit turns out for the party and the guests arrive in splendid fashion. The mothers of the two engaged kids arrive, decked out in beautiful han-boks that set them apart from everyone else. Even as Korea continues to modernize, the traditional aspects of life’s important milestones (birth, marriage, death) are kept, and I think that rocks.

Sam Soon herself is hard at work, building a cream-filled pastry tower cake. As she finishes the tower cake, she hears the cheers of the on-lookers as Min Hyun Woo and Jang Chae Ri are introduced as a couple. And as the couple take turns bowing before the respective parents-in-law, the final element is placed on the cake – an iced cookie to be used as a plaque, with delicate writing proclaiming congratulations on the engagement.

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Sam Soon wipes away her tears as she looks upon the cake that she had always thought would have been for her and Hyun Woo, not Chae Ri and Hyun Woo. As Sam Soon watches Hyun Woo and Chae Ri place promise rings on each other's fingers, Sam Soon's thoughts go back to when she first started dating Hyun Woo in France, back when Hyun Woo didn't seem like such a jack-ass.

Where did all that passion go? Back then, Hyun Woo wasn’t a jack-ass! He was kind, thoughtful and a romantic. Sam Soon wouldn’t have gone out with a person like that, right? What went so wrong?

Jin Heon sees Sam Soon’s tears and asks if she is okay. Sam Soon can’t hide but brushes away her tears. Jin Heon very gently and thoughtfully stops asking if she’s okay (no, she’s not) and moves on. Sam Soon’s cake is a rousing success, but this doesn’t make Sam Soon feel any better.

The party over, Sam Soon receives congratulations from Chae Ri and her mom. Sam Soon also gets a cash gift from Chae Ri’s mom, who also unintentionally rubs salt on open wounds when she tells Sam Soon to try to get married quickly. Chae Ri follows with more inadvertent salt, when she says she wants Sam Soon to do her wedding cake as well. Ouch! A heavy-hearted Sam Soon heads back to the kitchen but is accosted by Hyun Woo, who still hasn’t learned his lesson. Sam Soon, speaking both for her sake and for Chae Ri’s, gives Hyun Woo one last piece of advice:

Sam Soon: Do you know that even the rear of a car has a facial expression? When a student driver cuts in front of you, the back lights are so bashful that you see exactly how nervous the driver must be. And a violent driver has blinkers that are intense as well. The back of his car has “Don’t mess with me” carved into it. When even pieces of metal have expressions, what do you think human beings have? Instead of sullying the memories we have, walk away with dignity and coolness, leaving a beautiful face behind you.

Sam Soon turns to walk away and she sees that Jin Heon has been standing there too; he has heard it all. An embarrassed Sam Soon runs past Jin Heon. Now, Jin Heon may or may not have feelings for Sam Soon, but one doesn’t need to be in love with Sam Soon to feel anger towards Hyun Woo.

An intense Jin Heon walks up to Hyun Woo and gives a warning to stay the hell away from Sam Soon. Hyun Woo brushes it off with a joke, perhaps not realizing how angry Jin Heon is. Is it “Go-Time”?? No, it’s not Go Time yet but bother her one more time, and it will be, Jin Heon promises.

PCB – Philosopical Comedy Break!

The female wait staff of Bon Appetit are out drinking their single-woman-hood sorrows away, thinking up reasons why they can’t meet great guys. Here’s what they have come up with:

1. The nice guys are all bad-looking.
2. The handsome guys, well, they ain’t so nice.
3. The handsome and nice guys are already married.
4. The handsome, nice and single guys are are penniless.
5. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys don’t have interest in them.
6. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys who are interested, are two-timers.
7. The handsome, nice, single and rich guys who are interested and loyal, are gay.

What a crock! Want samsooki to break it down like a fraction?

Know why y’all Bon Appetit agasshi’s are single? It’s cuz you are looking for a finished product. The most important part of a guy is not what he looks like or his wallet, but his heart. If you find the right heart, then the rest can be developed. Is he a bit overweight? Join a gym with him. Spends all his time watching Flames of Ambition? Volunteer together at a homeless shelter. Smokes and/or drinks too much? Sign up for a triathlon and train with him daily. A bit light in the wallet? Explore your passions together to see if any of those can turn into money-making activities. The point is, a great guy is built, not found. There endeth the lesson.

Late that night, Sam Soon still hasn’t left for the night. She’s drinking wine and playing chopsticks by herself. Until Jin Heon appears. He hasn’t left either. They bicker then play chopsticks together, which is nice, because chopsticks is one of those pieces better played by two people than one.

Then Jin Heon asks a mood-killing question – why did she cry earlier, does she still like Min Hyun Woo? Sam Soon says, nope.

Jin Heon persists, then why? Sam Soon wonders if she has to answer, and while Jin Heon says that she doesn’t have to, he still waits for an answer.

Sam Soon: Because I was so surprised.

People change, hearts change… even love changes. When it hit me that there wasn’t such thing as everlasting love, I was so surprised.

That’s why.

Jin Heon nudges Sam Soon to get more liquor, and Sam Soon heads off to the kitchen, leaving him free to play another piece on the piano. Sam Soon collects the bottle and a bit of nosh, but stops on the return when she hears him playing.

The look on Sam Soon’s face is interesting. Guys, piano-playing is a freaking awesome way to get a girl. My advice is to memorize three ballad-y songs and have at it.

Sam Soon and Jin Heon get to talking, and Sam Soon gives more of her life history and dreams to Jin Heon. Since they aren’t facing each other, it isn’t really like they are talking to each other. It doesn’t count. It is the kind of “date that isn’t a date” kind of thing that makes everything okay.

But then it starts to rain. Heavy rain. It’s a downpour. And Jin Heon reveals that his relationship with Hee Jin is all over. And then Jin Heon plays “My Beautiful Woman” on the piano while Sam Soon sings. And then it happens. Sam Soon bites a bit of cake and frosting remains on her lips. Jin Heon touches her lips to wipe it off. Awkward moment.

They get up to leave, but Sam Soon almost falls. Jin Heon grabs her tight but doesn’t let go. Sam Soon tries to get loose but Jin Heon interlocks his fingers at the small of her back and closes in for a kiss. Is this a patented Jin Heon fake-out no-kissy kiss? Jin Heon notes that this time, Sam Soon’s eyes are wide open.

Sam Soon, wide-eyed, doesn’t wait to see if Jin Heon is trying to fake her out. She kisses Jin Heon first! When Jin Heon doesn’t back away or flee or say something awkward, Sam Soon kisses him like she means it.

Woo.

Until Jin Heon starts kissing back. Sam Soon is startled and pushes Jin Heon away.

Then Sam Soon flees.

What? Can somebody explain to me why she flees?

Awkward Town has replaced Bon Appetit as the finest French restaurant in Seoul, and Jin Heon brings Sam Soon into the office to get things cleared up.

It was a mistake. He wonders how she was able to get him so drunk. Was it the cake? Well, whatever. Jin Heon apologizes. Sam Soon apologizes more. No, Jin Heon apologizes more. The Jin Heon accuses Sam Soon of being a fox. Sam Soon counters by calling Jin Heon a wolf.

Hey, hey, HEY! Can’t you guys just admit you guys are crazy about each other? Sheesh!

Still there’s a job for Sam Soon to perform. She is an actress and her role is “girlfriend.” Jin Heon needs to be at the grand opening of his family’s newest hotel in Jeju Island and that means that he’s gotta be there, and so does Sam Soon.

Meanwhile, Dr. Henry Kim has set up his room in a hostel and Hee Jin is visiting. Though Henry has come to see Hee Jin, that’s not all he’s here for. Henry’s mom is Korean and Henry has come to see her as well. Hee Jin opts to help Henry explore his mother’s origins, much to Henry’s delight. Still, it is apparent that Henry’s love for Hee Jin is just a one-way street, as Hee Jin just doesn’t feel the same way. Odd, but inasmuchas that would crush a man, Henry merely swallows his disappointment behind his megawatt smile.

And wouldn’t you know it, but Henry’s mom’s origins are in a Jeju orphanage. Guess it’s time to make that trip, right Heej? Maybe we go right now!

Still, that’s not quite enough people in one place who have issues with each other. Who else can we include?

Ahh, there we go. The more the merrier!

Comments:

First things first. Kim Sun Ah’s acting? Superlative. Kiss scene with Binnie? Hot.

Okay, let’s talk Hyun Woo for a second. You might think that Hyun Woo’s proposal to Sam Soon to be his “romantical affair woman” is just crazy. After all the time Hyun Woo spent with Sam Soon, shouldn’t Hyun Woo know better? Sam Soon would NEVER let herself be that woman for Hyun Woo, right?

Before re-watching this episode, I thought Hyun Woo was too stereotypical of the clueless evil guy. But now I think Hyun Woo isn’t clueless at all.

Hyun Woo’s tactics (financial stability in exchange for “friends with benefits” status) are actually likely to be the most effective when targeting realists – of which Sam Soon is most certainly a member. If Sam Soon’s dreams of marrying the perfect guy and opening her own shop remain unfulfilled for just a little while longer, it is possible that Hyun Woo’s tactics might work on her. Should Sam Soon’s dreams all go down the tubes, Hyun Woo is in the best position to manipulate whatever is left of Sam Soon’s shattered ego and heart.

Interesting then, that Hyun Woo and the person in the world most unlike Hyun Woo – Dr. Henry Kim, are both going to be in Jeju at the same time with Jin Heon. Can such a small island hold all three guys and Sam Soon and Hee Jin?

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