Haeundae Lovers: Episode 11

by kaedejun

For as much as I was annoyed with Joon Hyuk last week, he certainly has become less pathetic with this episode. I still have conflicting emotions about him, but I cannot deny that this man is smart and resourceful. At least, smarter and more resourceful than all the other characters here.

There is only one episode for this week, as a World Cup match has preempted the broadcast of episode 12. Stupid soccer.

EPISODE 11 RECAP

Tae Sung sees Joon Hyuk and Sora, and he clearly sees Sora struggling. But what does he do instead? He just gives them both a long, hard look, and goes right back up the stairs.

Sora runs up the stairs after him, hoping to explain that it’s all a misunderstanding. But Tae Sung won’t have any of it. He feels like Joon Hyuk only acted that way because she led him on. Tae Sung knows that Sora prefers Joon Hyuk to him (lies!) and he doesn’t like it when Sora and Joon Hyuk discuss the hotel behind his back. It’s as if Sora doesn’t trust him to get the hotel back for her, and is planning with Joon Hyuk a back-up plan should Tae Sung fail.

The two of them go to their own sides of the yacht, angry with each other for all the misunderstandings. At that moment, the captain of the boat spots a small boat cross in front of him out of nowhere. He turns the wheel sharply, making the whole yacht veer to the side suddenly. The moment of instability throws Sora overboard!

Tae Sung hears her cry and rushes over to her side of the railing. Unable to see her in the dark waters, he throws over a life saver, removes his blazer, and jumps into the cold waters after her. The waves are strong, and Tae Sung tries to stay afloat to find her. But Sora is being pulled underwater by the currents, and she can barely surface long enough to scream for help.

Having been gone for a while, Joon Hyuk ends up worrying over where she’s gone. He tries calling her, but her phone is in her purse, which is being held at coat check. Se Na helps out with the search, and that’s when she sees a jacket floating in the water. Could it be that they’re overboard?!

Joon Hyuk calls the coast guard for a search and rescue, and Sora’s family is notified. However, because it’s so late the coast guard officer decided to bring back the search boats and the helicopters. They can’t see anything in the darkness, but they know there’s a high chance they’re alive because the life saver is missing. Tam Hee overhears this and casually comments that no trained coast guard could ever beat the rocky waves, so what more Sora and Tae Sung?

Lady – sometimes you really just need to shut your trap. I’m glad you have the grace to be scared when the uncles yell at you.

Tae Sung must be a champion swimmer because he manages to find Sora and swim to shore. They end up on a deserted island (woohoo!) but Sora is unconscious. Tae Sung desperately begs her to wake up, crying that she can’t leave him just yet. He even promises he won’t call her “Rock-brain” anymore and apologizes for his harsh assumptions back on the yacht. When she still doesn’t open her eyes, Tae Sung yells, “Rock-brain! Open your eyes!”

What a way to keep your promise dude.

She finally opens her eyes… only to ask, “Who are you?” Are you kidding me? She has amnesia now?! She even says, “This is the first time I’ve felt this way.” BWAHAHA. Shocked, Tae Sung quickly comforts her. He knows exactly what it feels like to wake up and not know anything about oneself. It’s nothing! They can get through it together, since they know each other! Sora: “Okay, Nam Hae.”

HA! She was actually pulling a prank on him! Tae Sung is so miffed that he refuses to walk anywhere with her holding hands, and just wants to go anywhere she’s not at! Haha – so cute. They climb through the grassy areas, avoiding the beach and the rocks. Tae Sung jumps at every single thing that pokes him – from tree branches to an abandoned (random) flashlight. What a sissy!

He does hurt his feet though, so Sora lets him lean on her. They need to move quickly anyways to get out of the strong winds and find shelter. Tae Sung happily takes her up on the offer, since it means he gets to lean closely on her body, but then lets go a minute later because she’s too short for him to properly lean on.

They find a small area enclosed by rocks and decide to make camp there. Sora wonders if Joon Hyuk and Se Na are looking for them, but the mention of Joon Hyuk puts Tae Sung in a sour mood again. She just had to mention him again, didn’t she? Sora: “That’s why I added Se Na’s name!” It’s freezing there though, and Tae Sung removes his shirt… only to put it on the rocks instead of around her shoulder! He just wanted to sit on something less lumpy! Sora pouts and sits down on the rocks, and that’s when Tae Sung puts the shirt around her shoulders. Oh you two – stop playing so coy with each other.

They hope to be rescued by morning, but if not, Tae Sung still remembers some of those castaway movies he’s seen in the past, and will take survival tips from there. In fact, if they have shelter and food, they can probably just live here! He asks if she wants to live with him on this deserted island, and just forget about their families and the hotel. Sora can’t agree so easily; her uncles are everything to her and they’re not just strangers who are loyal to her and her father. They’re permanent – unlike Tae Sung, who wil leave her soon whether or not he’s the son of Man Ho or not.

That puts Tae Sung in a somber mood – no matter who he is, he’ll have to leave her? He goes out towards the beach to look at the night sky, and sees a couple of shooting stars. Sora reminds him to make a wish, and hopes that it means his memory will come back soon. Tae Sung: “I don’t think so. It’s been a while since I wished for my memory back.”

Sora made a wish too, but Tae Sung is afraid to ask what she wished for. She warns him not to get mad at her first, and tells him her wish… by kissing him full on the mouth. Like, passionate kissing. Like – YAY OUR COUPLE HAS ACCEPTED EACH OTHER!

The next morning, Sora finds that Tae Sung is out on the beach, catching random fish and shellfish for breakfast. Sora notes that he can’t even eat most of it, as he is allergic, and that they have no fire to grill it over. Oh bicker away you two… while your family is hassling the coast guard to search for them quickly. Joong Shik is fretting too – because he wants to go to his kindergarten class and beat all his classmates at the board games! He tries to run off, but Se Na catches him in time so that Dong Baek can go and properly “chase” Joong Shik and keep him occupied.

Se Na had joined the family at the coast guard office to bring them food, knowing that they must be worried sick but hungry. Soon Shin shuts her down immediately – they’re so worried they can’t be bothered with food, so she ought to go away now! Thankfully Joon Hyuk notices that it hurts Se Na’s feelings, and he goes to eat her specially prepared meals instead. Hum… another coupling in the works?

Soon Shin doesn’t want to stay still and wait around, so he decides to take out their own fishing boat and search for Sora and Tae Sung. Joon Hyuk offers to take Joong Shik to kindergarten so that he can get out of everyone’s hair. Uncle Hello Kitty is to stay at the coast guard office to wait for any updates, while he and Dong Baek go out on the sea. He even apologizes to Se Na for his rudeness, making the world all right again.

Meanwhile, Tam Hee is having the time of her life. With the likelihood that Tae Sung is dead, she’s perfectly well rested and glowing when she goes to her salon. the stylist fawns all over Tam Hee’s perfect skin – enough to make Tam Hee’s chauffeur nearly gag. I love that this chauffeur has more personality now, and we can see more clearly that he thinks his mistress is so shallow and ridiculous. Tam Hee is also excited because her son is coming back from Antarctica today. Wow – two months have already passed?

Back on the beach, Sora draws out a huge SOS on the sand, hoping that it will catch their rescuers’ attention. She spots a boat in the distance and starts yelling at it, calling for it to come. Yeah – like they’re going to hear her. The whole time, Tae Sung is just watching her, not helping her at all. He has less interest in being saved at the moment, as he wants to spend the rest of his life with just Sora on the deserted – but livable – island. He’s kind of annoyed that Sora is working so hard to get off the island because to him it feels like she doesn’t want to be alone with him for a second longer.

Joon Hyuk and Joong Shik arrive home, and he hurries the dad to pick up his things for kindergarten. Joong Shik boasts that he’s going to beat all of his friends in a game of ddak-ji, a children’s board game that involves slapping and flipping over others’ square paper pogs. He shows off his huge ddak-ji, which are made out of scrap paper and much bigger than the usual size. Joon Hyuk picks one up and unfolds it – it’s an oath written by Yang Man Ho, swearing allegiance to Joong Shik. (Looks like part of it is written in blood!) He accidentally steps on another ddak-ji, and Joong Shik gets all huffy. Joon Hyuk just stepped on a flyer with Tae Pyong Yang’s face!

Joong Shik points out that Tae Pyong Yang is Ga Joon’s real father, and that Joon Hyuk shouldn’t tell anyone, lest Yang Man Ho finds out! Joon Hyuk just keeps getting hit with revelations. He now understands why Tam Hee wasn’t worried about the DNA test – with Man Ho dead, Tae Sung and Ga Joon’s DNA would never match.

Tam Hee picks up Ga Joon from the airport, sickeningly fussing over her grown son. He says that he scouted the Antarctic and found it a perfect place – no one but penguins around. Hear that? It’s crickets chirping. Joon Hyuk greets them at the hotel lobby, and considerately tells Ga Joon that they can discuss the Antarctic expansion after he’s rested.

They have a drink at the cafe together, and when Ga Joon leaves for the restroom, Tam Hee sidles up to Joon Hyuk – he’s being nice to them now since Tae Sung is gone, isn’t he? And doesn’t he think that she’s still a great catch? (Excuse me while I go retch in the toilet.) Tam Hee leaves the cafe and Joon Hyuk quickly requests for a plastic bag. He takes Ga Joon’s cup and wraps it up for DNA testing purposes.

Next, he goes up to Tae Sung’s room. After paying off the maid for her silence, he grabs Tae Sung’s toothbrush and razor. “Detective” Joon Hyuk then finds his lawyer friend and asks him to get a DNA test done as quickly and as discreetly as possible.

Back on the deserted island, Sora has miraculously conjured up a small raft to help with their escape. How she got all those materials… Tae Sung is still grouchy over how she seems to want to get off the island so badly, but she points out that she’s really hungry. He grudgingly helps her push the raft out to sea, and she climbs on successfully – only for their raft to capsize. HA. Tae Sung: “Now you made me hungrier!!”

But suddenly – a savior! A helicopter flies over them – they’re found! Everyone but Tam Hee is thrilled at the news. We then get a view at the whole beach; while Sora was busy making an SOS sign on the sand, Tae Sung was writing out a declaration of their coupledom – “Nam Hae and Sora” – because he’s so cheesy like that. They even get a little cute, blushing and holding hands in the ambulance.

Tae Sung gets checked out at the hospital and the doctor only gives him some medication that will help with recovering his memories. He heads to the bathroom – and tosses out all the medicine. Looks like he enjoys being Nam Hae! Joon Hyuk witnesses him tossing it all out in the bathroom, and then thanks him for bringing Sora back safely. Tae Sung just mocks him – isn’t it tough to be involved in a one-sided love affair?

Joon Hyuk ignores this, and informs him instead that he’ll be needing Tae Sung’s DNA because Ga Joon came back. Tae Sung refuses to hand it over, as he’s not ready to give it up yet and wants to get the hotel back for Sora first. Joon Hyuk tells him to stop caring for Sora, as he feels that Tae Sung is just using her. But that’s just not true.

Sora enjoys her bubble bath in the marble tub, and Tae Sung sneakily tries to find his way in by offering her a glass of wine, or putting rose petals in her bath, or offering to bathe with her. It’s a totally useless but cute scene between the two that shows only their growing amusement and love for each other. Also shows how immature Tae Sung really is.

The uncles drink with Tae Sung in the living room and, though tipsy, they thank Tae Sung for saving Sora and hope he will continue to take good care of her. Suddenly all the uncles have nothing but love and praise for Tae Sung – but they quickly fall asleep on his floor. Well – guess they’re staying with him tonight! Uncle Hello Kitty does manage to stumble into Sora’s room to sleep, so that puts Sora in Tae Sung’s bedroom. She refuses to share it with him, leaving the frustrated man out in the living room to cuddle with Dong Baek.

Se Na and Joon Hyuk have dinner together, with Se Na playing the ever-good girl because she’s so relieved “Nam Hae” and Sora are safe and sound. She does recognize that Joon Hyuk is in love with her, as she went through it before. Joon Hyuk’s lawyer friend then appears at the same restaurant and tells him that he’s got the results – very interesting ones at that. Joon Hyuk pulls a “classic Tae Sung” – opting to ditch Se Na so that he can get the results from his friend at that very moment.

Tam Hee returns to the hotel with Ga Joon to find the uncles all back and working, happy to have found their Sora. Dong Baek spots Joo Hee having a difficult time taking out all the shopping bags from the trunk of the car, and he falls for her at first sight too. He helps her with the bags, and escorts her to wherever she is going.

They encounter Uncle Hello Kitty cleaning the floors inside, and while Tam Hee looks down on him, Ga Joon greets him respectfully and thanks him for his hard work. Clearly someone raised Ga Joon well, and it couldn’t have been Tam Hee! Uncle Hello Kitty then sees Joo Hee and he excitedly mops the floor clean before her so that she can walk on clean floors. Joo Hee smiles charmingly… and then slides on the slippery floor. Good thing Dong Baek is there to catch her!

Aaaaaaand it looks like she just may fall for Dong Baek!

Sora and Tae Sung meet with Mr. Bae and President Jo and his wife, and all of them pledge loyalty to Sora and Tae Sung’s plans for Haeundae Hotel. However, since they do not have the majority of the shares, they tell the couple to try and get Chairman Son Young Dae on their side. Unfortunately, the chairman is currently fighting with his children over his money, and has collapsed in the hospital.

The couple goes to the hotel to visit, and they find Joon Hyuk exiting Son’s room. Joon Hyuk had just spoken to Son Young Dae’s son to ensure that he’ll get Son’s votes. Joon Hyuk requests to speak to Sora alone again, which irks Tae Sung to no end. He wants Sora to stop going around and meeting with shareholders, as she’s not going to get the result she wants. This comes just days after he had offered the list of shareholders to her. So because she rejected your advances, you’re going to work against her, huh?

But Sora won’t have any of it. She can’t stop now, no matter what the outcome is.

She returns to Tae Sung with a smile, and the two enter the room to find Son’s son and daughter-in-law shirking responsibility on cleaning up after the chairman. Because the son keeps feeding his father unhealthy food, he keeps crapping on himself – so much so that the caretaker they hired quits right then and there. The son and daughter-in-law leave the room fighting with each other, so Sora takes action. She cleans up the chairman’s mess, treating him with respect because she knows that the chairman must be embarrassed. She’s also a pro at this because back in the day, her father was in the same condition as the chairman.

Once he’s been cleaned up, Sora introduces herself and Tae Sung, and begins her speech about wanting to get Haeundae Hotel back. She realizes that this may all be inappropriate to say to a hospital patient, so she changes tack and decides to cheer him up instead by giving him hope. Since her father used to be like this but ended up getting better, so to can Son Young Dae. Yep – that’s sure to make the chairman happy!

Tae Sung is impressed with Sora’s iron stomach – how could she withstand the stench?! – but she says that seeing her father used to be like that made it easier for her to handle the chairman. In addition, it made her anger towards Man Ho even stronger. Though she was conflicted on how to react when he fell ill, she certainly became more determined to get her hotel back and take revenge on Man Ho.

That’s a scary thought – especially if Tae Sung is proven to be Man Ho’s son. Until then, she has no wrath towards him and they happily hold hands as Tae Sung drives them back to the hotel.

After the hospital visit, Joon Hyuk finds Se Na sketching in the department store. He wants to make up for ditching her at the restaurant the other night, and takes her out to a cafe. Se Na tells him that he reminds her a bit of “her Tae Sung,” which irritates him because he seriously hates the name. Se Na says that her Tae Sung was a sad person who also easily felt guilt keenly. She would use that to her advantage when she wanted Tae Sung to be around her, making herself be good to him so that he’d feel so bad about neglecting her that he’d come back to her.

She takes out her wallet to show Joon Hyuk a picture of him. It’s their wedding photo, and Joon Hyuk’s eyes widen when he sees the photo.

“NO. WAY,” he thinks.

Comments:

Wow – Joon Hyuk just knows everything doesn’t he?! It’s about time that the truth comes out – and unfortunately it’s all in the hands of the most untrustworthy person in the room. Surely he’s going to use the information to break up Tae Sung and Sora, and surely he’s going to withhold information to prevent Tae Sung from being the heir and being Sora’s hero in getting the hotel back. Dude, I hope you gave the lawyer the paper where Man Ho signed his oath, because that honestly looked like blood instead of red ink!

I already wished Tae Sung and Sora would stop misunderstanding each other about their feelings for each other. Their pettiness is cute, but only to a point. I’d rather have more moments like in the ambulance, where they playfully hit each other, or like the bath scene, where they keep teasing each other. But Tae Sung continuously misunderstanding Sora’s intentions and feelings for him in every episode? That’s a little tiring. And now the drama gods will throw me into another Bottomless Pit of Misunderstandings thanks to Se Na and Joon Hyuk? Thanks. Thanks really.

I have one more complaint about Se Na before I move on. I realize that she’s describing herself as a shrewd, manipulative woman who’s using love to her advantage to keep her hold on this great catch named Tae Sung. However, Nam Gyu Ri isn’t playing her with enough sincerity. I never feel that she is sincere when she says that she tries to manipulate Tae Sung’s feelings. I feel like she’s just saying it to make herself more pitiable, which is actually more annoying in my book.

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