Fantastic: Episode 6

by odilettante

Laughter! Romance! Friendship! Heartbreak! Betrayal! Revenge! Celine Dion! All the classic drama moments are somehow squeezed into one episode, and yet, despite the occasionally odd editing, it somehow still works. Then again, the main characters are so delightful that it’s no hardship to continue to fall in love with them and their lives as we watch them navigate their circumstances.

EPISODE 6 RECAP

So-hye laughs at Hae-sung’s bewildered, “What? Here? Now?” response to her “Do you want to sleep with me?” question. But it’s no longer a joking matter as he slowly advances towards her and, although she’s a little surprised, she closes her eyes anticipation of a kiss. In the worst timing ever, Manager Oh’s shocked little “omona” as he enters the room in totally ruins the moment, and So-hye shoves Hae-sung away from her and then hurries to leave, explaining that they were just working on the script. Yeah, uh-huh, sure.

As she returns home, she finds Joon-ki waiting for her with good news — the biopsy reveals that she can join the clinical trial treatment! Hae-sung has followed So-hye home and hides behind the smallest post ever as he watches So-hye tearful smiles of gratitude towards Joon-ki. After she leaves, he runs up to demand what, exactly, is Joon-ki’s relationship with So-hye.

Joon-ki challenges Hae-sung to a game of billiards, promising he’ll tell the truth about his relationship with So-hye if Hae-sung beats him. Joon-ki is clearly the better player, despite Hae-sung’s big talk, but he purposefully makes sure to lose. Hae-sung is thrilled to have “won” the game, and over dinner, Joon-ki admits that he and So-hye are not dating — yet. He warns Hae-sung that he hasn’t given up.

Hae-sung’s still in bright spirits from winning the game when he returns home, only to discover his manager is nowhere to be found. Again. He then checks his phone to see that Manager Oh has flooded him with messages warning him to not try to find him and instead find a more worthy manager. But all of Manager Oh’s sad-face selfies clearly show his location, and Hae-sung just sighs as he goes out to get him.

When Manager Oh sees Hae-sung’s car pull up to his location, he stands in the middle of the road, arms wide open as he cries that Hae-sung actually found him. HAHAHA, Celine Dion’s “Power of Love” playing in the background of this dramatic reunion makes it extra hilarious, especially because Hae-sung’s just trying to avoid being noticed by passers-by as his manager makes a tearful speech as though they haven’t seen each other in years, instead of just a few hours. I get the feeling Manager Oh’s dramatic disappearances are not all that uncommon.

Over a pot of reunion ramen, Hae-sung reassures Manager Oh that he doesn’t need to be worried about Jin-sook, since Hae-sung was the one who hired him. All that he asks is that his manager help him make sure he and So-hye get together.

Hae-sung is giggly and giddy as he goes to bed, thinking about being with So-hye. But he suddenly remembers her meeting with Joon-ki, and he replays the conversation, but all he could make out by reading her lips was that she was thankful for something and promised to “repay” him.

So he makes up a drama-worthy conversation between them where So-hye is desperate for money, which Joon-ki lends her, bragging about how much more money he has than Hae-sung. He tells her that he won’t give up trying to date her even though she tells him she likes Hae-sung. I’m laughing but I’m also pretty sure this conversation has been sincerely had in other dramas before.

As Sul does the laundry, she notices a lipstick stain on her husband’s shirt. Oooooh, she totally recognizes that shade, knowing it came from the assemblywoman. She’s not exactly thrilled to sleep next to him later that night and tries to quietly steal her pillow away, but he just pulls her next to him and climbs on top of her.

She literally kicks him off the bed as she fights his attempt to have sex with her, and he warns her that if she keeps pushing him away, she’s breaking the law for not fulfilling her marital duties. Whaaaaaa? Please tell me that’s not in the pre-nup.

But she angrily asks him if the law says anything about being with a man who has the lipstick stains of another woman on his clothes. Her husband is more annoyed that the assemblywoman was that careless, and Sul retreats to the cellar to find a quiet, safe place to sit as she googles marital rape. Yikes.

The solitude of the cellar isn’t enough for this family, though, and her mother-in-law chides her for going there and turning on all the lights at night, wasting money on electricity. Sul retreats back to the bedroom where she’d rather sleep on the floor than share the bed with her husband.

Her phone buzzes, and it’s Sang-wook with a quiz. OMG, has he really made a mood board of all the trendy pop-culture references someone born in 1981 would know? What a nerd. His quiz, though, is one of those “nonsense” quizzes that rely more on puns than anything else, and Sul manages to “win” a tank of gas.

He then tells her he feels bad that he now knows her name, so he tells her his as well. Aw, she’s cute as she quietly repeats his name to herself. When she doesn’t immediately respond to his message, he worries that she’s angry about them no longer being anonymous. In the morning, he sees that the motorcycle is gone and that she hasn’t read his last few messages. Even though he’s concerned, he doesn’t have time to dwell on it because he has to get to work.

The Hitman crew are ready to start filming, and while everyone else has to wear paper booties on their feet to avoid scratching the floor, Manager Oh proudly gives So-hye a nice pair of slippers. He then tells her that Hae-sung needs to tell her something important, and he gives Hae-sung the heads up that So-hye is on her way by calling him and literally going “Cuckoo! Cuckoo!” Pffft.

That means Hae-sung’s ready for when she enters, and can pretend that he was just coincidentally going through his safe, which just so happens to be filled with stacks of money. He waves around the cash, letting her know that he’s recently come into a windfall and is willing to loan her some if she needs it. Annoyed, she tells him that she doesn’t need money. What she needs is to make sure he’s memorized all his lines.

Hahaha, he then rubs his shoulder, revealing that he’s undressed under his robe. But it’s really just an excuse to ask her when their “D-day” will be, y’know, wink-wink nudge-nudge. Horrified, So-hye covers his mouth, worried that someone might hear, but he just seems to enjoy any excuse for physical contact. She tells him to forget about it. Besides, she has a meeting today so she won’t be around for the filming.

He jealously assumes it’s with Joon-ki, and she doesn’t deny it. It’s the truth, anyway. Or at least the partial truth, since he’s hosting the first meeting of the women who will be going through the clinical trial together.

So-hye listens to these women who have already gone through various treatments for their cancer, plus all the other hardships of their personal lives (husbands that left them or have their own illnesses, children to take care of, businesses to run).

So-hye realizes that she’ll need to learn to take courage from these women who have been through it all before her. When they learn that she hasn’t told her friends and family about her condition, they counsel her to tell them ASAP since she needs someone standing alongside her to help her fight the cancer.

Afterwards, Joon-ki asks when she’s going to tell Hae-sung about her condition, and she matter-of-factly says that she won’t, unless the clinical trial manages to somehow cure her. Joon-ki tells her that when he was first diagnosed with cancer, his girlfriend at the time stayed with him for a few years, despite his effort to push her away.

So he knows the temptation to protect a loved one from any unnecessary sadness and worry, but he also knows that, even if his old girlfriend is happily married to someone else, she at least choose to help him through his hardship for a period of time. He decides to take comfort in the fact that she wanted to stay and take care of him for a little while, even if she wasn’t able to commit until the end.

Sul’s husband calls in Sang-wook to his office, asking him to take over one of the firm’s pro bono pro bono cases. Oh, the irony of him handing over a marital rape case, but Sang-wook is confident that he’ll be able to win the case for the wife accusing her husband. He then notices how eager Sang-wook is to check his messages (all spam, sadly), and asks if he has a girlfriend.

Sang-wook practically blushes as he confesses that he does have someone he likes, and promises to introduce her to his boss when he gets the chance. Oh, I’d like to see that, especially since the woman he likes is currently married to his boss.

He then gives Sang-wook advice on relationships, telling him that if he respects the woman he likes, then she’ll respect him, too. Sang-wook marvels at this advice, adding that his boss’ wife must be so happy to be with a man like him. HAHAHAHAHA. Oh, you poor clueless puppy.

As Sul tidies up the household, she surreptitiously eavesdrops on Jin-sook’s conversation with Sang-hwa. Jin-sook makes a big deal about how Sang-hwa must be bringing her own ideas to Hitman’s script, and then reveals all the hospital bills Sang-hwa father has. She offers to pay for them, provided Sang-hwa takes over the script from So-hye. Sang-hwa is loyal, but Jin-sook fills her head with stories of how brutal the industry is, and it’s every woman out for herself.

Sul tries to text So-hye a warning about what Jin-sook is doing, but her mother-in-law catches her and demands she help her inventory everything in the store room. Sang-hwa is dejected to discover that So-hye isn’t in her studio, but that’s because she’s currently going through her chemo treatment.

When Sang-hwa calls her, the assistant’s hesitation makes So-hye assume it’s nothing important (or at least important enough to interrupt the treatment), and says that she’ll talk to her later. Sang-hwa studies the contract Jin-sook gave her and then cleans out her desk. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Sul is worried because she can’t get through to So-hye, who’s now turned off her phone. So she calls Mi-sun, and the two women arrive at Hae-sung’s place. Manager Oh hushes them, warning them that they’re in the middle of filming — but he’s also totally in awe of Sul’s beauty. Hee, I love that Manager Oh seems to always have specific soundtrack music to express his moods. This time it’s Minnie Riperton’s “Lovin’ You.”

The women wait patiently for the scene to finish, and I don’t know why a scene that’s just Hae-sung eating intensly is so hilarious, but it is. Sul explains the situation between Jin-sook and Sang-hwa, worried that they haven’t been able to contact So-hye. Mi-sun wonders if she’s with Joon-ki, and Hae-sung tosses his phone down in disgust. But he reassures the women that he’ll find out where So-hye is, and then proceeds to break Manager Oh’s heart by telling him Sul is married.

Hae-sung goes in person to the hospital to try and get Joon-ki’s contact information, but the woman at the desk politely informs him that she can’t give that out. It doesn’t help that he looks like a total creeper with his mask and sunglasses, but once he reveals that he’s actually “top star” Hae-sung, she’s charmed into calling the doctor for him.

Joon-ki has been tenderly caring for So-hye while she sleeps in his “secret garden” hammock, but returns to the hospital to meet with Hae-sung. I love how Joon-ki seems to be endlessly amused by everything Hae-sung does, and he reassures the actor that he knows where So-hye is, and he’ll let him see her in a little bit. Until then, he convinces Hae-sung to get a check-up to make sure his ribs are okay. Hahaha, he practically has to trick Hae-sung to get a blood sample, explaining that the best gift he can give someone is to be healthy.

Afterwards, Joon-ki promises to let him know when he sees So-hye again, and Hae-sung warns him that he shouldn’t just be giving out his phone number to anyone. He’s a top star, y’know. Hae-sung also grumbles about how smiley and friendly Joon-ki is, complaining that even he might fall for the doctor. Join the club, bub.

While waiting for So-hye to wake up, Joon-ki reads news articles claiming that, according to the unnamed assistant writer, So-hye’s script Hitman script was plagiarized. Augh, that’s one of the worst scandals a drama writer can have. He reluctantly shows her the article after she wakes up, and So-hye hurries home, desperate to get in touch with Sang-hwa.

She’s disappointed to discover that Sang-hwa’s desk is empty, and leaves her another voicemail, letting her know she’s not angry — she just wants to talk. Aw, Joon-ki did call Hae-sung to let him know that So-hye’s returned home, which he uses as his defense when So-hye grumbles about his sudden appearance at her studio.

Hae-sung is all for issuing a counter-statement and essentially throwing Sang-hwa under the bus, but So-hye knows that Sang-hwa wouldn’t do something like this without good reason, and is determined to talk it over with her first. If only she would answer the phone.

Sang-wook broods on his rooftop, staring down at the empty space where the motorcycle used to be. He sends another message to Sul, asking if everything is okay, still worried that the bike was stolen. Sul, sitting in one of the house’s expansive storage rooms, continues to ignore his messages even though she reads them.

He’s convinced that whatever happened is somehow his fault, especially now that they know each other’s names. Sang-hwa joins him on the rooftop, and they drink their beer as they sigh over their respective sad circumstances.

In the morning, Sang-hwa joins Jin-sook and her mother for lunch. Sul totally gives her the side-eye as she works in the kitchen, eavesdropping on Jin-sook’s excessive flattery as she tells Sang-hwa that she’s made the correct decision. Sang-hwa goes over the details of the contract, and then wonders what will happen to So-hye. Jin-sook waves it off, telling her it’s not her concern — So-hye will just find another job elsewhere.

Jin-sook then hands over a designer handbag as a further bribe, and Sang-hwa accepts it gratefully — only to dump her lunch all over it. Standing up, she yells at Jin-sook for being a heartless bitch and then she throws the contract money back in her face. YES! Bwhahaha, Sul has to stifle her glee as she watches her sister-in-law be humiliated.

Sang-hwa reveals that she’s been secretly recording their conversation. When Jin-sook tries to insist that the recording is illegal, Sang-hwa reveals that she went to law-school and since she was part of the conversation being recording, she can release it to the press and it would be completely legal (and it explains finally how she and Sang-wook know each other!). Ha, and when Jin-sook orders her assistant to chase after Sang-hwa, Sul discretely trips him. Hee!

It turns out this sting operation was actually Hae-sung’s idea. After he left So-hye’s the previous night, he tracked Sang-hwa down and met with her. She bawls about how she’s betraying So-hye and is determined to reveal the truth, even if it means giving up writing forever and going to work on her family’s shrimp boat.

Hae-sung sweetly tells her that not everyone is cut out to work on shrimp boats, and he’ll personally hire her on as a writer on the promise that she’ll cast him in her first drama, despite his “foot acting” — and if she’ll support him instead of Joon-ki. Aw.

So-hye’s dozing in her studio when she hears the door open, and scrambles to greet Sang-hwa, who tearfully apologizes for what happened. She then reveals the hidden recording she took with the special glasses and pen, explaining that it was all Hae-sung’s idea. He wanted to make sure that Sang-hwa didn’t make the same awful choice he once did, knowing that So-hye’s already gone through that kind of betrayal once before.

Sang-hwa happily informs the surprised So-hye that Hae-sung has also convinced the rest of the crew to support So-hye, and that he’s got people leaving positive comments on all articles pertaining to her — and, in fact, a new top article about So-hye explains away the plagiarism issue, revealing it was made out from nothing. Aw, Hae-sung using his “top star” power for the good.

So-hye sends a message to Sul, thanking her for being the main reason the mess with Jin-sook and Sang-hwa was resolved (which is true, since if wasn’t for her, Hae-sung wouldn’t have known to track down Sang-hwa). She then calls Hae-sung, only to get Manager Oh. He explains that Hae-sung likes to go fishing when he has to think about something, and he leaves his phone behind.

But Manager Oh is totally in matchmaking mode as he tells So-hye where exactly they are, and is giddy as he repeats that she can go on ahead and to not mind him, he’ll just be leaving and won’t disturb them, nope, not at all. Except he realizes that Hae-sung can’t hear his warning “cuckoos,” so So-hye’s visit will actually be a total surprise.

When she nears Hae-sung, she nervously smiles to herself before calling out to him. She then runs into his arms and he lifts her up in a drama-perfect reunion as they lean in to kiss. Drama-perfect is right, because that’s how So-hye scripts it out in her head. However, the reality is totally different.

Hae-sung can’t hear her calling his name because he’s listening to music, and is more distracted by the mosquitoes biting him than anything else. She marches up to him and rips out his earbuds, which takes him by total surprise since he didn’t realize she was there. He worriedly asks if something else has happened with Jin-sook, and So-hye grumpily tells him that she came out to thank him for everything he did for Sang-hwa.

She’s surprised that he enjoys fishing, though, since it’s not something she remembers him liking before. He admits he enjoys the peace to work out whatever is going through his mind. Finally So-hye admits that she’s there because it’s Saturday. He’s still confused, and she reminds him of his offer to share her with Joon-ki, and that he had claimed Saturday as one of “his” days.

He’s stunned that she’s really going to agree to “two-time” date Joon-ki and Hae-sung. Annoyed, she tells him to forget it as she storms off the best she can, but her dramatic exit is marred by her heels sinking into the soft ground. He hurries after her, demanding to know if she really came all the way out here just for a date. By way of answer, she quickly kisses him. He’s still suspicious that there’s a catch, but for now, So-hye tells him that they’ll just try it again — and they kiss! For reals!

COMMENTS

That last scene was just so beautiful — the lighting, the location, and then having them end with a mutual kiss and a promise to try again? I totally have the warm fuzzies! Of course, I know there’s a catch — hello, cancer — but for right now I’m happy to just enjoy the moment, knowing that they’re finally starting to rebuild their relationship.

I love that we got to see more of Hae-sung beyond the bumbling foot-actor. He’s genuinely a sweet guy who wants to do the best for the people he cares about, be it So-hye or his manager. He may not always jump to the correct conclusions (I’m still giggling over his dramatic reenactment of So-hye borrowing money from Joon-ki), but he wears his heart on his sleeve and tries his hardest. I’m really hoping that his attempt to break free from Jin-sook will mean that he can start his own agency, because I have a feeling he’ll be better at running an agency (where he can collect all the talent that Jin-sook has abused over the years) than acting.

How glorious was that moment when Sang-hwa stood up to Jin-sook? I love that Sul got to witness it, since I’m sure she was living vicariously through Sang-hwa right then (although she better get her own moment, and soon, please!). Anything that goes toward taking down Sul in-laws and their snooty belief that money cures all is a-ok in my book. I especially loved the juxtaposition from the last episode, where her in-laws threw out the totally still good leftovers into the trash, and here Sang-hwa threw her fancy lunch onto the designer handbag. Is it wrong of me to suddenly hope Sul’s grand departure from her in-laws includes a lot of food being thrown in their faces?

I also want more of Joon-ki being sweetly adorable. I don’t even need him to be part of the love triangle. I just need him to be So-hye’s friend and to make her tea, worry over scandalous news articles, and cheer her on when she succeeds at something. Can we just scoop him up and include him in the BFF circle, no romantic strings attached? I bet Mi-sun’s husband wouldn’t mind an extra guy around. Hey, even Hae-sung was falling for his charms (and smiles), so now I’m overcome with the desire for Hae-sung to have a friendship as loyal and good as the kind So-hye has with Sul and Mi-sun. I’d count Manager Oh among Hae-sung’s friends, but I’m also totally side-eying his crush on Sul. Even if I weren’t aware that we’ll likely be losing Sang-wook due to the actor’s medical condition, I still wouldn’t want this weird one-sided love from him. Let Sul be free of any unwanted romance!

Speaking of unwanted romance, I was appreciative that they actually brought up the concept of marital rape, even though it made me horrified to realize that Sul has been having to oblige her husband all these years without probably getting the chance to determine what she wants or likes. Ugh. I mean, it’s probably obvious in retrospect, but all the talk about her being infertile somehow made me foolishly assume that one of the reasons her husband is a cheating-cheater is because they don’t sleep together any more. I don’t know how she’s managed to survive in this household where there has literally been nothing of hers — not even her body — that she can claim as her own, but I’m relieved that she’s at least found a reason to fight back, and I hope she never has to share a bed with that asshat ever again.

Also, I realize that I should probably name him since it’s getting a little confusing referring him as Sul’s husband when Sang-wook doesn’t know about that connection, but all the names I can come up with are ones that would scandalize my grandmother. I suppose I could just refer to him by his actual name, Jin-tae, but that just seems so toothless, like the way you’d refer to a hideous monster as “Steve.” So if someone has any suggestions for an appropriate name for the worst husband in the worst family ever, feel free to let me know!

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