Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 10

by dramallama

Team Persevere makes great strides together as a team, finally getting the deserved attention for their efforts and talents. But individually, they find themselves stuck in struggles. It’s their own obstacles that they’re going to have to persevere through, especially with those who are ready to bring them down. With their lives so intertwined with Team Persevere at this point, they depend on each other and expect to have each other’s backs. When you’ve got so many forces (or just one evil force) pushing against you, each other is all you’ve got.

 
EPISODE 10: “To you who wish for my despair”

A news broadcast covers the recent news surrounding Scarlet and Team Persevere. Our beloved Team Persevere has been taking over the charts while Hwangje attempts to cover up the scandal regarding the similarity between Scarlet’s and Woo-ri’s voices. Hwangje plans to take action against whoever leaked the comparison video, which only adds to Persevere’s publicity.

Se-jong comes clean with Hae-ra about everything — the secret contract, the fake scandal — and confesses his feelings for her. He kisses her, but she pushes him away when she comes to her senses. Conflicted, Hae-ra walks away in the rain.

Ray finds her walking drenched from the rain and escorts her back home under his umbrella. Before they go in, Hae-ra tries to tell Ray something, but he avoids the confrontation and suggests that they go back in.

Se-jong broods in the practice room holding his undelivered gift for Hae-ra, and Ray broods from the balcony. He thinks back to the rain earlier, and in a quick flashback, we see that he witnessed Se-jong and Hae-ra kissing. He quickly turns around and pretends he didn’t see it.

Joining the sleepless night, Hae-ra stirs in her bed and eventually gets up to open an old box full of her dad’s belongings. She picks up an old tape player and looks at the unfinished musical score that her dad wrote for her.

In the kitchen, the mothers drink soju while lamenting for Hae-ra’s dad and cursing Hwang Je-guk, whom Hae-ra’s mom calls a piece of trash. Se-jong’s mom asks if she really won’t tell Hae-ra, and Hae-ra’s mom responds with tears, asking how she could possibly tell Hae-ra about that night. When Hae-ra comes out of her room, she quickly quiets down and pretends that nothing is wrong.

President Hwang digs through old contracts and finally finds the one he’s looking for. It’s dated 1998, but has no official contract termination date. Manager Pyun comes into his office to assure him that Scarlet’s scandal and Tae-poong’s kidnapping accusation were taken care of. He asks President Hwang why he’s so concerned about Hae-ra, but he swiftly dismisses the question.

Manager Pyun has one more update, a request from Impact to reduce their busy schedule. They’ve been fulfilling every request regardless of conditions, and their van almost slipped in the rain yesterday. President Hwang scoffs at such request and reminds him that this is business. They have a contract, and contracts are made to be met. He points at the one he’s holding, and we see that Hae-ra’s mom signature for their villa.

Team Persevere arrives at their scheduled event, surprised to see the amount of fans in the crowd. Henry and Woo-ri awe together at the sight of the fans, but the air turns awkward when the make eye contact, remembering Henry’s kiss. Hae-ra expresses her amazement to Ray, but he doesn’t give much of a response. She notices his uncharacteristic behavior, but he brushes it off claiming that he’s tired.

Team Persevere takes the stage singing Jo Yong Pil’s “Bounce” and seem as excited as the crowd. It’s gratifying to see them finally receive their deserved praise and attention.

On the van ride home, Tae-poong scolds Henry (ha, what’s new?) for spraying water in the crowd out of excitement, but Woo-ri defends him, saying that she was getting excited as well, which is new. Hae-ra gazes off sitting between Se-jong and Ray, who take turns glancing at her.

On the balcony, Hae-ra thinks back to her kiss with Se-jong. He joins her and shuts the door behind him so she can’t slip away. Showing her the musical note keychain, he explains to Hae-ra that he bought this for her with his first paycheck. He ran as fast as he could to find her at the guitar shop that night, and he acknowledges that he was too late then as well.

He then throws the keychain off the balcony and vows that he won’t be late anymore. “As much as I hurt you, I’m going to work harder to get you back. That’s what I decided last night.” But Hae-ra responds that it’s unnecessary effort. “You’re my childhood friend, a friend who’s always by my side and knows everything about me. I always felt supported. But that’s all. I’ve already started with Ray, and I want to try my best in my relationship with him.” With that, she walks back inside and leaves Se-jong with those sad puppy eyes.

Tae-poong arrives at the broadcast station to congratulate the newly appointed music program head. Tae-poong asks him to cast his Team Persevere kids, and he responds favorably. Manager Pyun arrives in the office, bearing many more congratulatory plants and gifts, much to Tae-poong’s annoyance. Outside the office, the two bicker about the fate of Team Persevere, and Tae-poong gets the last word, calling him a mongrel.

Before Manager Pyun can retaliate, he’s approached by “Nam PD” who asks about the Impact kids’ preparation for their show Four Meals a Day (HA). He also commends Tae-poong for producing his Team Persevere kids without any company backing. The fact that the kids have no signed company catches Manager Pyun’s attention.

Hae-ra works on finishing her dad’s song, and Henry nods in approval of what she has so far. She reminds him that Se-chan’s bucket list included winning number one with this song. Ray belatedly reacts to her statement, and Henry notes that he’s seemed anxious recently. Ray says that he’s just conflicted on whether or not to learn the piano and sits next to Hae-ra to learn.

Henry sits by Woo-ri to show her something, but he suddenly gets a message from a high school friend. It’s a picture of the girls during their high school days, and Woo-ri points at Grace, asking if Henry liked larger girls like her. Henry shakes his head, saying that she’s not his type, which disappoints Woo-ri. He gets back to what he meant to show her and brags that he was the one to make the video comparing Woo-ri and Scarlet’s voice. He naively claims that there are only good comments, but when she looks, she sees netizens criticizing her looks and storms off.

The Impact boys get into a scuffle at the Four Meals a Day filming, which causes the broadcast station to threaten President Hwang with the casting of Team Persevere on their music show. President Hwang demands that Manager Pyun block this by any means.

At home, Hae-ra tries to lift Ray’s mood by teaching him piano, and he finally smiles for the first time in a while. In the practice room, Woo-ri collaborates with Jang Goon on a duet and thinks back to when she signed the ghost-vocal contract with Hwangje. Jang Goon notices her dispirited mood and tells her to smile.

Hae-ra turns on the metronome and plays along with Ray. They sing Kim Hyung-joong’s “She Is Smiling” along with Woo-ri and Jang Goon in the practice room. It’s a sweet encouragement for both Ray and Woo-ri. By the end, Ray inches his hand right by Hae-ra’s, and they’re all smiling.

Robin has been bailing on his music program MC duties for other overseas activities, and the music program head takes offense to Hwangje’s irresponsibility. He notices the attention Team Persevere is getting online and decides to cast the whole team for the program.

Almost a year later, Team Persevere revel in their return to the backstage spot at the music broadcast. Manager Pyun walks in with Ki-joon, who notifies everyone that he’ll be the special MC with Scarlet today. A jajangmyung delivery ajusshi walks in, looking for Jang Goon. He says that his father asked him to deliver food for his team, since they’ll be making their broadcast appearance today. They happily dig in, and Ki-joon watches them with a tinge of jealousy.

Manager Pyun turns on the voice recorder on his phone before purposefully running into Henry. He accuses Henry for uploading the comparison video of Scarlet and Woo-ri’s voice, and Henry tries to feign ignorance. But Manager Pyun continues on, imagining the publicity Team Persevere would get if he revealed that someone within the team had created that video. It would seem like Henry had made that just for the attention.

Manager Pyun assures him that he won’t be telling anyone and says that he’s merely regretful that Henry doesn’t get the attention he deserves for his talents. He asks to talk to him separately sometime soon and saves his number on Henry’s phone. And of course, he is to tell no one about this encounter.

Team Persevere’s performance is about to begin, and Hae-ra voiceovers the sentiments of the group: “Despair can sometimes become hope. Now, we begin.”

Ki-joon starts to introduce Team Persevere by pointedly mentioning the scandal and incidents, but Scarlet cuts him off, steering the proper introduction along. Henry and Se-jong start out by playing on side-by-side pianos, and then Ray and Jang Goon join in by adding percussion beats played using the body of the piano. The girls walk in next, singing Lee Hyo-ri’s “U-Go-Girl.” They complete their performance, and the crown erupts in cheers.

Afterward, the music program staff celebrates at the chicken restaurant, with Team Persevere serving the food. Scarlet walks in with Manager Pyun in true Scarlet fashion, alarmed that the staff would start eating without her.

First she tries to flirt with Se-jong, but he gives a deadpan reaction to anything she requests. Then she assumes the sunbae role to pick on Hae-ra, pressuring her to show off her talents then and there. Hae-ra doesn’t hesitate and takes the stage with Woo-ri, and together they perform miss A’s “Good Girl Bad Girl,” which seems like the perfect song to diss Scarlet.

When they get offstage, Woo-ri finds Jang Goon staring at a message from his father congratulating him on his performance and telling him that his last wish is for him to get married. She pulls him outside and doesn’t allow Henry to follow. Acting as the devil himself, Manager Pyun takes this opportunity to point out his alienation and tempt Henry to consider his offer.

Ki-joon starts to walk into the restaurant when he sees Woo-ri and Jang Goon talking outside. Jang Goon admits that no one in his family knows and that it’s even more difficult, considering that he’s the only son. He says that it’s even harder with Tae-poong around. Thankfully, Ki-joon can’t put together the pieces.

When Ki-joon walks in, he doesn’t miss the chance to snidely comment on Se-jong’s situation. He came back to work at a chicken restaurant and lose his girl. He further provokes Se-jong by calling Hae-ra loose. Se-jong grabs Ki-joon’s collar, about to get into a fight, but Ray steps in and drags him out to save face in front of the music program staff. Outside, Se-jong reacts vehemently to Ray’s interference. Henry follows them outside and tries to ease the tension, but he gets told to step out of their business. They walk off to continue their conversation elsewhere.

Se-jong and Ray are back at the pojangmacha, ready to release their anger by getting blackout drunk. They’re bumbling messes when Hae-ra comes to join them, and she soon gets drunk (as we see her habit of taking off one shoe) with them. While trying to grab another soju bottle, she spills soup on her skirt, and Se-jong takes off his jacket to wrap around her waist, just like old times.

He asks if she remembers when their trio went out for drinks after getting into Superstar K and admits that he wrapped his jacket around her waist because he didn’t like other guys staring at her legs. He also recollects that time Hae-ra came to his school to drop off clothes and admits that she was really pretty that day. He didn’t want his sunbae making moves on her, so he tried to get her to leave.

Hae-ra sits down and scolds Se-jong for never honestly expressing his feelings. She calls him out for being oblivious to the fact that he hurt others by staying silent for so long. Se-jong apologizes, and Ray drags a reluctant Hae-ra out.

Manager Pyun reports his progress with Henry to President Hwang and plays the recording of the conversation. But President Hwang doesn’t even listen to the actual conversation because he’s caught off-guard by the tune Henry is humming before they speak. He becomes visibly anxious when he recognizes it as Gu Chang-je’s (Hae-ra’s father) song and orders Manager Pyun to find anything and everything related to this man who disappeared 15 years ago. If this song gets released, his whole company will be put in jeopardy.

The next morning, two men in face masks ring the doorbell offering their services to spray insect repellent throughout the home. They ask Hae-ra and the rest of the residents to exit the room while they do so, but Se-jong decides that he’ll stay behind to safeguard the home. The rest of the team leaves, coupling up and leaving Henry alone once again. Aw, poor guy.

Hae-ra realizes that she left her phone at home, so she goes back to grab it while Ray waits downstairs. Her encounter with Se-jong is still awkward and they speak very little. When she gets to her room, it’s in the middle of being ransacked, and she’s quickly muffled by the exterminator. Se-jong hears the door slam from down the hall and tries to open Hae-ra’s door, but it’s locked.

From inside, Hae-ra manages to scream, prompting Se-jong to slam against the door to force it open. The second exterminator slowly creeps behind Se-jong with a chair, and just as he’s about to hit him, Ray jumps out to save him. Hae-ra crouches in a corner and eyes the box with her dad’s belongings, which shows the man exactly what he needs to know. Se-jong breaks open the door and starts fighting the intruder, as does Ray with the other one.

Hae-ra can’t stand watching Se-jong getting beaten up, so she throws books at the intruder, which angers him and causes him to approach her with a chair. She starts to backpedal against the wall, and Se-jong jumps in just in time to save her from getting hit by the chair. The man grabs the box and runs out, followed by Hae-ra, Se-jong, and eventually Ray. Se-jong and Hae-ra follow the man with the van, and Ray runs out too late to join the chase.

They stop in front of an abandoned building, and Se-jong orders Hae-ra to stay behind while he chases after the man. Se-jong finds himself lost, without a clear direction to follow the man. Hae-ra paces nervously downstairs, and when she sees smoke from the top of the building, she runs up there to find none other than President Hwang burning her dad’s belongings.

She asks why he would do such a thing, and he tells her that Gu Chang-je’s things should not exist in this world. He tells her to ask her mother and pushes her to the ground. Se-jong joins them on the roof and threatens to publicize all the dirty work President Hwang has been involved in. The two vow to never forgive President Hwang, and he replies to do as they please. They may need to beg him for forgiveness one of these days.

Back home, Hae-ra apologizes to her mom for losing her dad’s things. She then asks why President Hwang claims that all of her dad’s belongings are his. She apologizes profusely as she begins to explain. Back in 1998, Hae-ra’s dad had been taken to the hospital for his heart condition and required immediate surgery. As Hae-ra’s mom waited outside the surgery room, President Hwang approached her with a contract to sign, claiming that it was one to assure that the hospital bills would be paid. Little did she know, that contract would give President Hwang ownership of all the songs belonging to her husband.

On Hae-ra’s birthday, her dad had just finished composing her song when he got a call from President Hwang demanding that he hand it over. He said that his wife had signed over all the rights to his songs, so everything now belonged to him. That was what caused his heart failure, and consequently, his death. Back in the present, Hae-ra’s mom cries and apologizes to Hae-ra, who pulls her mother into a hug. They cry in her room as Se-jong watches by the door.

Se-jong confirms with Tae-poong that if this contract actually did exist, it would be evidence that Hae-ra’s dad was given unfair terms by Hwangje. He decides that he’s going to look for it, but Ray acts as a voice of reason, warning him that he can’t just bust into Hwangje. Se-jong looks him straight in the eye and tells him that he’ll do anything for Hae-ra, now and in the future.

Ray broods in the dark practice room, and his thoughts are interrupted by Henry asking him if he remembers what day it is. Not in the mood for conversation, Ray asks Henry to talk about this later, and walks away. Turns out, it’s Henry’s birthday, and he’s left to light his own candles and drink champagne all on his own. He gets messages from his mother asking if he’s having a party with his friends.

Inspired by this sadness, Henry creates a beat and background sounds with his message tone, guitar, and his food. He adds a melody on the piano and sings g.o.d’s “Road.” He wishes himself a happy birthday and blows out his candles. Then he suddenly gets a message, but we don’t see who it’s from.

Looks like Se-jong can actually just burst into Hwangje. He gets help from an employee he knows from his time there, and he gains access to President Hwang’s office after hours. He searches for the contract and finally finds it under the laptop, but President Hwang and Scarlet have just arrived. Scarlet spots Se-jong hiding under Daddy’s desk and quickly distracts Daddy so that he won’t be caught.

Back at home, Woo-ri and Jang Goon wonder where Henry went, but their worry is interrupted by a call from Ki-joon. He tells Jang Goon that he knows his secret about his sexuality and liking Tae-poong, and Jang Goon unknowingly confirms this on record. Ki-joon has sadistically decided to meet with a reporter very soon at his father’s Chinese restaurant. At that, Jang Goon busts out of the room to run to his father’s restaurant.

Henry approaches the Hwangje Entertainment building and looks at the birthday text from President Hwang. He seems to have taken the bait from President Hwang, especially since no one else seems to have remembered his birthday.

From inside the building, President Hwang gets a call from Henry. After the call, he seems relieved that everything will fold out much easier than expected and tells Scarlet to hurry with what she wants to tell him. She tries to buy time and explains her dilemma in vague terms, which President Hwang interprets as something to do with Se-jong. She quickly agrees that it’s about Se-jong and hesitates in her conversation while Se-jong waits nervously under the desk. She glances at the desk and continues, “To be honest, Kang Se-jong…”

 
EPILOGUE

One week later. Hae-ra hums the tune to her father’s song and rewrites the score. “I have a special talent: the ability to write music right as I hear it. I’m going to fight until the end, to the extent to which my talent reaches, until I can let the world know about my father’s music. Because I, Gu Hae-ra, will persevere.”

 
COMMENTS

We have finally reached the essence of the show: the beginning of our main conflict and our original premise about Hae-ra working hard to reclaim her father’s songs. Though I wish it had come a little earlier, I’m glad we’re here with something to bind all of Team Persevere together against a common enemy. Hwangje has always been the enemy, but it’s never been clear to all the members of Team Persevere how malicious that entity can be. Now they’ve all got their individual reasons to hate and fight Hwangje, and I’m sure that revenge will be sweet.

Hwangje is the clear enemy here, and while President Hwang doesn’t do anything himself to make us sympathetic, I find it interesting that it’s Scarlet who humanizes him a bit. He’s always Daddy to her, naturally making him softer when he deals with her. But I think something about Scarlet also makes us sympathetic towards Hwangje as a whole. She’s a product of such a toxic industry created by her father, yet she’s still somewhat naïve with her expectations for attention. She’s grown adult stuck in the tantrum toddler stage, but even nasty little toddlers can have good intentions. Her logic is, almost 100% of the time, flawed, but she does win me over sometimes.

Se-jong is a great refreshing change from the previous episodes, and I appreciate how direct and honest he’s become for Hae-ra. It definitely catches her off-guard when he reveals some hidden truth and you can see her eyes softening with understanding. This just goes to prove how important clear and effective communication is in building — or in Se-jong’s case, rebuilding — a relationship. He’s still stumbling to reach her and gain his desired level of acceptance, but it only seems fair that this process takes time. After putting Hae-ra through all those uncleared misunderstandings, you don’t get a pass that easily.

I have some disagreements about the show always making Hae-ra seem weak by making her physically vulnerable and needing protection, but I like how she’s gutsy in her own right. We can see how she falters whenever Se-jong gives her the truth about his past situation, but she’s done her best to move on. That’s where she’s at right now, and Se-jong’s belated confessions aren’t going to reverse the painful acceptance of rejection she had to go through in regards to him. She’s going to remain loyal to Ray because she made a commitment, and I support that for now.

It was a nice change to see the more human sides of Henry, showing us that he’s more than just our comic relief in this show. Amidst everyone’s crises, they seemed to have forgotten (as I have) that Henry is also someone who needs their attention and care. It was heartbreaking to see him celebrating his birthday alone, and I can kind of understand why he’s tempted to actually consider Hwangje. Surprisingly, President Hwang was the first to give him the words he needed to hear on his birthday; they caught him in a weak moment. I don’t expect him to follow through with joining Hwangje officially, but everyone gets tempted by the devil at some point. I’m fairly confident that he’ll find his way back to Team Persevere, even if it’s just for Woo-ri.

Two more installments to go, and now with everyone sharing similar sentiments towards public enemy number one, I’m ready to see Team Persevere bring down the man by pulling themselves up.

RELATED POSTS

• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 9
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 8
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 7
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 6
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 5
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 4
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 3
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 2
• Persevere, Gu Hae-ra: Episode 1