Emergency Couple: Episode 5

by suneedelight

As drama unfolds and relationships start to rekindle, our characters are faced with responsibilities and decisions that go outside their range as an intern. With an ex-mother-in-law coming into the messy picture and a hospital that tries to take you down at any time, our heroine has to harden up to face the storm that’s brewing.

EPISODE 5 RECAP

As an ambulance arrives in the ER with Chang-min’s mom, Chang-min is working on persuading Chun-soo that he is at fault for the tracheotomy of the cancer patient; he ordered Jin-hee to perform it. Chun-soo rightfully yells at Chang-min for the presumption of having any right to order Jin-hee to do something.

Our married intern couple is rushing to get work done and both are in a hurried, panic state wondering where Chang-min and Jin-hee had run off to. It’s hilarious to watch our wifey intern (whose name is Young-ae) snaps at her husband (Sang-hyuk) who had taken his frustration out at her.

Jin-hee thinks back to what Chang-min told her on the reasons why they got a divorce, that acting on her emotions first without thinking things through was what drove them apart. He again tells her that if something does go wrong, he will step up and take responsibility. He reminds her that she is a doctor and must learn to work on controlling her emotions.

The team of interns and nurses bring in Chang-min’s mom, who is identified as a VIP guest of the hospital. Not only has she overdosed on her anti-anxiety pills, she had taken a fall at the fishing pier and hurt her head as well. The head nurse sends Ah-reum to find a resident, and to find out about the medicine Chang-min’s mom had ingested. She runs into Chang-min, who rushes to help her find a resident.

Jin-hee arrives just as Chang-min’s mom starts to regains consciousness and wonders if she had taken too many pills, thinking her vision of Jin-hee is imagined (“Did I die and come to hell?”). The second Yong-gyu asks where Chang-min is, she snaps her eyes open to stare directly at Jin-hee, who recognizes her ex-mother-in-law. Both their expressions are priceless as Mom tries to grab Jin-hee before passing out again.

Chang-min has no luck finding a resident and rushes around. The team looking after Mom is especially careful because of her status as a VIP patient and her decreasing vitals. Jin-hee is practically frozen in shock until a nurse sarcastically asks if she should start diagnosing the patient. Jin-hee shakingly raises a stethoscope until the head nurse tells hubby intern Sang-hyuk to bring a resident, regardless of what meeting they were in.

The residents and head doctors are in a Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conference with Chun-soo going over the details leading to the patient’s death. He points out that if the tracheotomy was not performed while being the patient was stuck in the elevator, the patient would have most probably died before the elevator doors had opened.

Dr. Ahn asks who determined whether the tracheotomy was a success — was it Chun-soo? Furthermore, is Chun-soo expert enough in the area to determine whether a procedure done without guidance was in fact a success? Chun-soo is stumped for an answer as Sang-hyuk rushes in to ask Ji-hye for help on the VIP patient.

Mom’s vitals start to worsen and Ji-hye rushes in to check her symptoms. She asks the interns what it possibly could be and they answer from a possible stroke to a mini-stroke, all of which Ji-hye dismisses. Told that Jin-hee was in charge, Ji-hhye yells at her for dawdling instead of diagnosing the patient. Jin-hee snaps back to being a doctor and promptly orders the staff around.

We’re back to the M&M Conference where Chun-soo is grilled by the same snarky doctor who asks if an intern performed the tracheotomy. Dr. Ko, director of the ER, steps in to say that this unfortunate incident was more of the hospital physical system failing rather than human error. Dr. Ahn asks who this intern is and demands that intern be brought to the conference.

Young-ae runs over to Jin-hee to tell her that the M&M conference is demanding the intern who performed the tracheotomy come to the meeting. At the same time, Chang-min is told by another resident that the hospital is in disarray because of a big-headed intern who had the balls to perform an unauthorized tracheotomy.

Jin-hee slowly makes her way to the doors of the conference hall, trembling but stepping in anyway, pulling everyone’s attention to herself as she walks down the aisle. Chun-soo looks at her disapprovingly when Chang-min bursts into the room and takes the podium, at which Chun-soo mutters under his breath, “That dumb son of a bitch…”

Ah-reum recognizes the VIP patient as Chang-min’s mother and lets the room know who she is. The medical staff look up in surprise that Chang-min is possibly a more significant intern than they thought.

Chang-min explains what had happened in the elevator and the events that led to his performing the procedure, and states he will take responsibility if he needs to. Dr. Ahn asks Chang-min (can someone please shut him up?) how he will take responsibility, and how what he was prepared to do when he took his stand at the podium. He asks Chang-min if he is willing to step down as a doctor. Chang-min takes a deep breath and says yes, if necessary he will do so.

Jin-hee’s eyes widen at his confession, and now she speaks up to declare that no, she was the one who performed the procedure. At this point, Chun-soo looks like he wants to just disappear from the room as both interns try to take the blame. Chang-min is in disbelief at her confession when Dr. Ko finally steps in saying that regardless of who did it, it was an ER intern who performed the procedure. He ends the meeting saying that the ER as a whole will take responsibility.

The surgeon who was in charge of the tracheotomy patient thanks Dr. Ahn for his intervention and lets Dr. Ahn know that he heard through the grapevine that Chang-min is actually the nephew of the Yoon Hospital Chief and comes from a doctor family. Dr. Ahn purses his lip and tells the younger surgeon to put the blame on Jin-hee.

Chun-soo berates Chang-min and Jin-hee and tries to kick Chang-min, who evades the kick (why do I find that so cute?) It only angers Chun-soo more, and he kicks him again, finding his shin this time. He calls the two names and asks why they are looking for ways to make his life harder, and he knocks their heads together in frustration. He asks when they became such good friends to take the blame for one another.

Jin-hee looks at Chang-min angrily and demands to know why he is acting like this all of a sudden. What is he up to? Chang-min again argues that he was the one that did it and that he knows one of them will have to take responsibility for this to be over. Jin-hee asks if he really will quit and he reminds her that it was not their fault the patient died. Jin-hee wonders whether Chang-min actually thinks he was the one that did the procedure.

Ah-reum interrupts the bickering and informs Chang-min that his mother has been admitted into the hospital. Jin-hee realizes she hadn’t told Chang-min yet and guiltily tells him of his mom’s diagnosis. Chang-min rushes to the VIP room where his mother has been transferred to and Jin-hee looks at Ah-reum questioningly on how she knew that the VIP patient was Chang-min’s mom.

Dr. Ko wonders with Chun-soo why Mom, who is the sister of the Yoon Hospital Chief, was taken to their hospital instead. They find their answer as Chang-min rushes into the room, adorably screaming, “Mom!”

The interns sit around wondering why Chang-min took the responsibility and the credit for the tracheotomy procedure. Yong-gyu narrates like a talk-show host and submits all evidence pointing out to how Chang-min and Jin-hee do not have an ordinary relationship.

Ah-reum asks Jin-hee whether she really performed the tracheotomy and comments on Jin-hee’s bravery. Ah-reum asks how Jin-hee will shoulder the responsibility and Jin-hee in turn slams her locker shut and asks Ah-reum how she knew the patient was Chang-min’s mother. Ah-reum just shrugs, saying certain circumstances led her to know.

Jin-hee puts her hands on her waist and with attitude (and in banmal) asks Ah-reum if it’s a situation Jin-hee isn’t supposed to know. When Ah-reum takes issue with Jin-hee using banmal, Jin-hee points out that Ah-reum is younger than her, even younger than her little sister. Ah-reum mutters that being older (or just old) is the only thing Jin-hee has to stand on, and walks out leaving Jin-hee to scowl.

Chang-min sits by his mother’s bedside and attempts to call his father. When he steps outside for a moment, Jin-hee walks in hesitatingly. Chang-min sees her from the doorway and at first questions why she’s there. Watching his face change as he watches her straighten his mother’s blanket and tidy up her slippers makes me feel a tug in my heart. But the moment doesn’t last too long, and when she turns around he runs out to sit (stand?) on top of a lounge chair, as if trying to hide himself. He covers his discomfort with gruffness, saying that he was watching in case she tried anything nasty to his mother while she was sleeping.

Jin-hee comes home to find her room in disarray, thinking she’s been robbed. Her mom starts screaming when she sees the mess and Jin-hee checks her belongings, but something doesn’t seem right — nothing seems missing. Then she thinks back and takes out a ring box, which turns up empty. Jin-hee seems to have a moment of clarity on who it could be while her mother begs her to call the cops.

She asks her mother if she had ever changed the door passcode and her mother says no, she had left it at Jin-hee’s birthday in case her runaway sister ever came home. Jin-hee takes a deep breath and says this is the work of her sister.

Jin-hee’s mother asks why her sister would take what was in the ring box and Jin-hee explains how her sister had always wanted to sell her wedding ring for money. Her mom relaxes in relief knowing it wasn’t a robber, but sulks that her only two daughters were such disappointments — one’s a divorcee and one is a runaway. Jin-hee scowls at the family picture, yelling at her sister that she will put in a missing person’s report to track her down if necessary.

It’s dark in the hospital, and Jin-hee walks around an empty emergency room, signaling that this is most likely a dream. It’s eerie and it definitely doesn’t help that Jin-hee herself looks like a walking corpse.

By itself, a hospital gurney carrying a covered body slowly makes its way to Jin-hee and stops right in front of her. Jin-hee reaches out to check under the covers. (These scenes always have me thinking … Why do they always have to check?)

The person underneath is facing down, but then Chang-min’s mom flips around to accuse Jin-hee of killing the cancer patient. Jin-hee screams herself awake.

The next day, Dr. Ko, Ji-hye, and Chun-soo gather to discuss the hospital board’s decision, since Dr. Ko had said the ER would take responsibility. The outcome is that the ER’s budget will be cut, which can only mean there will be cutbacks whether it be in personnel, equipment, or other expenses.

The news travels down to the ER and the nurses complain that they’ll be first to go. A nurse with attitude storms over to the head ER nurse and asks how this is fair when it wasn’t the nurses’ fault, but they’ll probably have to pay the price. The head nurse snaps that no decision has been yet made and to not make snap judgments.

The nurse sees Jin-hee in her cross-hairs and turns her anger to her, saying that someone should take responsibility. A nicer nurse asks Jin-hee hopefully, “We wouldn’t get fired… right?” Jin-hee has no response for them.

Jin-hee goes to Chun-soo to ask whether their budget had really been cut, then says she will quit in order to make up for it. Chun-soo mutters that Jin-hee quitting would solve the budget problem, and Jin-hee’s eyes fills with tears.

Before she leaves, Chun-soo orders her to take care of the VIP patient since she had diagnosed the patient. With a shortage of hands in the VIP area, Jin-hee is sent to her room.

Jin-hee is preparing Mom’s food when she starts stirring from her sleep. Her first blurred vision is of Jin-hee, and she even shakes her head in case it’s just a vision. She’s shocked to realize that it’s the real Jin-hee in front of her.

Jin-hee calmly explains to Mom she had passed out, while Mom screams for Chang-min. When Jin-hee tries to set her food tray down, Mom slaps it away and sends it spilling all over the floor.

Chang-min rushes in at the noise and Mom keeps asking why Jin-hee is there — was she hired as help? She spits out more demeaning insults at Jin-hee, demanding that she leave, when finally Jin-hee had enough.

Jinhee: “I’m a doctor! I wanted to see how good being a doctor was firsthand. I wanted to see how much of a big deal a doctor family was too. I’m not leaving. I won’t leave! This patient is MY patient.”

After Jin-hee steps out, his mother asks Chang-min how Jin-hee became a doctor. She babbles non-stop, insulting Jin-hee, and demands her cell phone so she can call the head of the hospital to get Jin-hee fired. Chang-min stops her by reminding Mom that by doing so, the whole hospital would know he is a divorcé. Mom stops in her tracks to ask about Ah-reum, and Chang-min holds his head and begs his mom to leave, saying she’s well enough now.

Jin-hee comes back to the VIP room, but gets a phone call before she can knock. She takes the call with the biggest look of relief on her face, only for the caller to hang up right away. Upon seeing that it came from a hidden number, Jin-hee correctly realizes it’s her sister.

We’re finally introduced to Oh Jin-ae (played by Jeon Su-jin), who sells her sister’s ring to buy a beautiful electric guitar. She kisses it and struts out of the pawn shop yelling gibberish in English, the only part of which I can clearly catch is ROCK AND ROLL BABY! Obviously she is quite a character, and completely different from Jin-hee.

Ji-hye stops Jin-hee, calling her big rock rock, and says, “It’s fine that you want to be hardworking but from now on, don’t step up. You keep causing problems. A troublemaker.” Chang-min sniggers while Jin-hee apologizes. Ji-hye has more to say to Chang-min and comments that he “slipped out quite well” from the situation because of his doctor family. Chang-min wonders what she means.

Chun-soo holds a notice of termination in his hand with Jin-hee’s name on it. He slaps it down and looks around in resignation.

Jin-hee gets another call from a private number and answers in a hurry, yelling, “Oh Jin-ae! I know it’s you!” Jin-ae confesses that she took the ring and sold it, adding boldly that the ring fetch much so she needs more cash. Jin-hee angrily yells at her sister, asking if she feels sorry to their deceased father for living as a runaway. Jin-ae retorts that their family isn’t that great for her to feel guilty over — Jin-hee is a doctor and should help her little sister out and send her money. Jin-hee is rightly seething. Jin-ae then has the balls to text over her bank account number so her sister can send money.

Chun-soo runs up to Dr. Ko, asking if it’s right to fire an intern. Dr. Ko stops Chun-soo as he gets a call from Mom, who demands a different intern be assigned to her.

Jin-hee gets a shot ready for Mom, who shrinks back in fear and starts chucking random things at Jin-hee. Mom threatens to get her fired and Jin-hee tells her to do whatever she wants but that as long as she is her patient, Jin-hee will be treating her.

Jin-hee grabs Mom’s arm to calm her down, only to have Mom slap her across the face. Just as Jin-hee is slapped, Chang-min and Chun-soo walk in. Both gape in disbelief at the scene.

COMMENTS

The story line is definitely picking up, and I’m loving how all the different characters, whether they be hospital staff or family members, deal with it. Our main two characters seem to be in a limbo on how they feel about each other — will they come to think of each other as respectful colleagues? Continue to think of each other as hateful divorcees? I’m glad that the more they find out about each other while working as interns, the more they grow to respect one another rather than falling in love right away.

I’m glad that the cancer tracheotomy patient’s story line is being more developed. With the patient’s story being a driver to the characters’ development, it’s interesting to see new sides arising while showing how hospital politics will be a major player from here on out. The interns see a new side of Jin-hee they never thought they’d see and hopefully, it will give them more confidence in her rather than have her be the stray dog in the group.

Chun-soo is definitely a hard nut to crack. I can never completely be sure whether he is being serious or not. I do realize that him telling Jin-hee to quit to help him budget the cut may have been tough love, but I don’t think it would have hurt to give her a little bit of a positive push. He has an odd pull as a character, making me want to cheer him on and hope that he does become possible love interest for Jin-hee because frankly, their interactions are just too cute to pass on. And seeing jealous Chang-min wouldn’t be all that bad either.

It’s funny how Park Joon-geum doesn’t stray from her usual character in every drama but it’s nice to see her hair loose in cute little pigtails and use her aegyo to her son. It’s almost infuriating how much power she has just from coming from a doctor family when she herself isn’t a doctor. It’s stifling to see how much of a hold she has on the hospital as a whole when it’s technically nowhere near affiliated with her, other than Chang-min working there. It kills me that this will have a huge impact on Jin-hee and it already shows with how Mom appears in her nightmare, telling her that she did in fact kill the cancer patient.

As I said before, I hope the story picks up on the relationships soon and show the chemistry between our main characters. A love triangle, perhaps even a square, would definitely spice things up, and a few flashbacks to the past wouldn’t hurt!

 
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