Entourage: Episode 10

by gummimochi

Getting away from it all may sound great, but the escape doesn’t help the ones taking care of business back home. When one decision creates a ripple effect that affects many, it’ll be up to our hardworking agent to do his best to contain the danger. But every choice comes with a consequence, and choosing to protect someone’s feelings can end up being riskier than anticipated.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

Our foursome is in geek heaven at Electro Mart, but Young-bin is still annoyed at Eun-gab for pulling So-hee out of War Terminator. It doesn’t matter if Eun-gab had good intentions because it’s made Young-bin rethink their professional future together.

He isn’t too broken up to hear that none of them have talked to Eun-gab, but then they’re all distracted by a drone.

Joon and Turtle stare at a Catwoman figurine, but they aren’t the only admirers—an attractive young woman also fawns over the model. She stares up and them and smiles in recognition while they shuffle away.

They find Young-bin and Ho-jin tiptoeing around the topic of War Terminator and So-hee with a friend, who then introduces them all to that same woman: photographer Seung-hyo (Kyung Su-jin), who remembers them from the Busan International Film Festival.

Since Young-bin’s decision to drop War Terminator hasn’t hit the newsstands yet, he still needs to speak carefully. But Young-bin would like nothing more to take time away, and Seung-hyo pipes up that she knows an acquaintance who has a villa in Jeju Island.

Young-bin jumps at the offer and decides to head out there tomorrow. Ho-jin looks to the others for help, but they’re just as excited.

Eun-gab’s face falls when he finds out that his meeting with CEO Jo isn’t private and sees CEO Kang dozing after a few drinks. CEO Jo explains that they’re decompressing after working for days on end; they were out celebrating their success yet there’s still one hiccup: Young-bin’s refusal to star in their movie.

She’s disappointed at this turn of events after breaking her back out of consideration for Young-bin, but Eun-gab remains firm that his actor’s decision stands. CEO Kang stirs at those words and drunkenly tells him to drop her off at home.

CEO Jo is rather tipsy herself and angrily orders Eun-gab to get Young-bin back on the project. She assures him that a breach of contract fee will be the least of his worries, but Eun-gab doesn’t waver. Instead, he tucks CEO Kang in and downs the rest of CEO Jo’s expensive drink.

Eun-gab only grows angrier when he calls Ho-jin and hears that Young-bin is still upset with him. He feels betrayed by how Young-bin would prioritize his ex-girlfriend over his longtime agent, then fills Ho-jin in on his sour meeting with CEO Jo.

They’ll need to get Young-bin on another project soon in order to cover the breach of contract fees, but at least that’ll be the end of it, Eun-gab says. He advises the boys to stay quiet at home since the media will have a field day once the news breaks about War Terminator.

Eun-gab takes his frustrations out on Joey’s car and snaps at her for caring more about her car than for him. They agree that she is loyal, though, and she reassures him with a pat on the shoulder that everything will be okay.

While Eun-gab finds it rude that she would treat an elder that way, she replies that it doesn’t matter now since they’re jobless. He gets worked up when she calls him by name, over and over again.

Ho-jin finds the other guys lounging in the living room, where Young-bin nips the topic about Eun-gab in the bud. Joon can’t shake off this eerie feeling about Seung-hyo because an internet search about her turned up nothing. He and Turtle think that she might be scamming Young-bin, but Ho-jin thinks she extended an innocent invitation.

Young-bin doesn’t care either way, and next thing we know, the guys climb into a tiny red coupe in Jeju. While they get cursed at by a local granny, Eun-gab is told that there aren’t available projects because casting has closed for the rest of the year.

Eun-gab asks his CJ colleague and friend to take pity on him since the exorbitant fees will kill him, but then gets worked up when he hears that there are rumors swirling around Young-bin too—no one will want to work with him. He barks at his friend for starting that rumor, but his friend cries that he’s just a salaryman, and Eun-gab tries to appease him.

Eun-gab works up a sweat calling everyone he knows in the industry, but nothing is available. He worries that the rumors are having an adverse effect on Young-bin’s reputation and voices his complaints through Joey’s car.

He knows Young-bin is stubborn about only doing movies, but they’ll need to expand their parameters. It occurs to him that he has no idea where Young-bin is right now, and then proceeds to complain about the car again.

Our boys take time to unwind upon arriving at the picturesque villa. Turtle can’t find any headlines regarding War Terminator just yet, and Young-bin changes the subject by suggesting that they go out for groceries.

They return to quite a surprise: Seung-hyo getting dressed (and we see a flash of her “Serendipity” tattoo). Joon and Turtle are flustered as she explains that she’s staying nearby and wanted to say hello. Young-bin politely declines her offer to hang out today, though both Joon and Turtle readily agree.

So she takes them out (in an entirely new outfit) to see the lone tree in Jeju and takes a group selfie. Both boys get poetic when she shares how she used to be a loner in her school days, but that soon turns into a shouting match about how neither of them was actually lonely themselves.

Eun-gab and Joey look over scripts at their old office, where he brushes away an employee’s warning that CEO Kang is on her way. Joey hands over a drama script from a well-known writer that Eun-gab likes too, and then she says that she understands where Young-bin and Eun-gab are coming from.

She knows life is complicated and asks how long he and Young-bin have worked together. Young-bin is the one to provide that answer: They’ve known each other for about six years and worked together for four since Young-bin completed his two-year military service.

As Eun-gab explains that they’ve always stuck together even if they occasionally butt heads, the scene intercuts back to the beach where Ho-jin says that Young-bin has to keep working with Eun-gab. Young-bin knows it too, and we cut back to Eun-gab, who says that Young-bin will come to understand in time.

Joey remarks that Eun-gab is a nice person—how about he treat her nice too? Heh.

When Joon says that Eun-gab did nothing for him in these past two years, Turtle corrects him—he’s the one failing his auditions time and time again. Both Ho-jin and Young-bin are amused to discover that their buddies are fighting over a girl they were suspicious of, and it’s clear those opinions have changed.

Joon says Turtle likes every girl while he wants to protect the girl with a tragic past. Turtle fires back that Joon’s face looks tragic. But all of the bickering fades as they raise their drinks.

Later that night, Ho-jin shows Young-bin the drama script Eun-gab sent over. He hasn’t read it yet and says nothing as Young-bin feels a tinge of regret for walking away from War Terminator.

Turtle comes running out at the sight of a spider, and the three team up to scare Joon with the arachnid. As expected, Joon freaks out, and an amused Turtle remarks that all they need now is a female ghost.

Cue Seung-hyo, who bears a bottle of liquor. She enjoys it with Joon and Turtle outside, where she confirms that she was an art major at Yale University. Turtle marvels at her education and family, only to call it a blatant lie. Her eyes narrow at that, and he adds that people would think she was lying because it’s all too good to be true.

Turtle excuses himself, and Seung-hyo calls up another smile. She explains that she usually photographs idols and actors and is responsible for building a concept for their images.

So Joon asks what image would work for him since he’ll be participating in a variety show soon. Seung-hyo replies, “An animal. Africa… something long.” Joon: “A wild look?” He says he offers the best of both worlds, so Seung-hyo asks if he’d be interested in a nude photo shoot. Girl say what now?

She adds that it’s just art, you know, in case he’s getting any other ideas, and Joon readily agrees.

Eun-gab’s wife is concerned when she finds him drinking alone. It worries her that he’s taken up drinking again following his unemployment, and she softly says he can tell her if he’s having a hard time.

Eun-gab insists that he’s fine, but does mention that Young-bin is a cause of worry since they’re not really speaking. His wife nods understandingly, now having pinpointed the root of her husband’s worries. Adding that he’s been more worried about Young-bin than his own family, she jokingly asks, “Do you like men?”

He says he loves women, specifically her at that. He’s willing to prove it and has her sit on his lap and call him “Oppa.” Gah, so cute. It’s at that moment Yoo-bin walks in on them, and they break apart. When she marches back up disgusted, Eun-gab chuckles that it was this behavior that led to her being born. Lol.

Ho-jin wakes on the couch the next morning and immediately asks if Young-bin read over the script for the drama Stripe. Young-bin says he did and he liked how there wasn’t any romance in the storyline.

Turtle walks in just then to comment on how all the beds are polluted by bugs, and Young-bin remarks that Jeju isn’t much of a paradise after all. Meanwhile, Joon is in the bathroom and picks up a razor. He doesn’t know who it belongs to and he slowly brings it down to his nether regions. Cut to: Turtle shaving his face. Oh, ew.

Young-bin is relieved to hear that Eun-gab scored a meeting with the drama’s production crew. He isn’t ready to talk to Eun-gab yet, a response Ho-jin finds childish. That spurs them to have a go at the bars (Young-bin fails miserably, heh).

Joon arrives at Seung-hyo’s place and gawks when he’s told they’ll start the photo shoot right away. He’s led up to the bedroom where Turtle is already waiting in a robe. They both stammer awkwardly, having thought they were the only ones invited.

She leaves them to strip down, and Turtle tells Joon that he’s already nude and willing to do anything Seung-hyo asks. Joon says he is too, and it turns out that they’ll be taking these nude photos together. Joon agrees to disrobe first and calls Turtle out for watching porn instead of appreciating art.

Seung-hyo says she’ll photograph whoever’s “longer” first and they both drop the robes.

Both guys feel embarrassed afterward, though Seung-hyo assures them that nudity is nothing to be shameful of. Both of their bodies were beautiful, she says; in fact, they had the best bodies she’s ever photographed.

Joon and Turtle smile at her specific compliments toward their bodies, but that’s not all—she thinks Turtle makes people feel great and Joon looks after those he cares about.

Eun-gab proves that he’s done his homework on Stripe when he has his meeting. The lead character fits Young-bin perfectly and everything about the production looks great, so he suggests that they draw up the contract.

As it turns out, Young-bin would be considered for the second lead role since they’ve already determined the lead. Eun-gab walks out of that meeting since he believes Young-bin was never meant to portray a supporting role.

He gets a text from Ho-jin just then which says Young-bin is really looking forward to this drama, and he grows frustrated when Joey keeps asking what they’ll do now.

Eun-gab says he doesn’t know what the second lead’s narrative arc will be, so Joey says he should find out. That inspires him to reach out to the writer, who refuses to disclose where her story will end up.

She does, however, like the idea of Young-bin in the starring role, but she has no say in the matter when the broadcasting networks make all the calls. Eun-gab says he’s simply interested in what happens to the second lead, to which the writer says she doesn’t know and she can’t concentrate now. Eun-gab should know by now that she never reveals the plotlines in her dramas in advance, and she snaps at him for making her lose her game.

He asks what she majored in school—literature, perhaps? She mumbles, “Microbiology.” But then Eun-gab’s eyes land on the episode summaries on her wall and realizes that the second lead commits suicide in Episode 9.

Meanwhile, Young-bin and Ho-jin travel down what they think is Olle Trail. They stop short when they hear a rustle and jump when Ho-jin’s phone goes off. It’s Eun-gab, but then we abruptly cut to the boys looking out into the sea.

Ho-jin says Eun-gab was vague when he said Young-bin shouldn’t do the drama, but Young-bin is still gravely disappointed. Ho-jin points out that Young-bin’s decision not to film the movie was worse and agrees they should head back to Seoul and find him more work.

When Joey asks if Young-bin might be upset that Eun-gab didn’t tell him the whole truth, Eun-gab defends the idea that he’s protecting his actor. He shakes off the inkling that doing so will create more misunderstandings between them and nearly flips out when CEO Jo calls for a meeting.

Evidently, it isn’t a personal one since Eun-gab arrives to discover that she’s accompanied by three others including his CJ colleague. She knows that Eun-gab has been fishing for another project and they haven’t been able to secure a replacement for Young-bin.

What’s more is that the director is furious, and she reminds him of how he and his friend asked her to take Kang Haneul off of the project. She doesn’t plan on working with Young-bin again in the future, but he should take responsibility for a movie he agreed to film and star in.

She’s specifically brought company with her for the following reasons: Young-bin will be barred from being cast into any projects associated with the Korea Film Actor’s Association; she will not invest in any future film Young-bin is in; and the reporter will put out an article explaining the facts surrounding his professional irresponsibility.

Eun-gab shares how this meeting reminds him of when he was a young boy being bullied by four kids, and he really wanted to curse at them. Then CEO Jo tosses over the paperwork—he can go and curse at this instead.

Ho-jin and Young-bin find it strange to see Joon and Turtle work out in their downtime. Turtle says he’s working on his shoulders and barks at Joon that those exercises won’t make his butt any bigger.

The doorbell rings just then, and Joon and Turtle find a throng of fangirls who have heard that Young-bin is staying here. Turtle distracts them, but the numbers only grow once night falls. Turtle insists that he didn’t post anything on social media, which begs the question of how the fans found out anyway.

Young-bin says it doesn’t matter since they’ll be heading back to Seoul tomorrow. Ho-jin gets a call from Eun-gab and hands the phone over to Young-bin. Eun-gab gathers his composure and tells Young-bin that he has to film War Terminator.

He promises to explain the details later, but Young-bin cuts him off—he’ll pay the fees and apologize to the production crew himself. He’ll speak with Eun-gab once he’s back in Seoul and then hangs up.

While Eun-gab asks Joey to take him to the airport, Turtle and Joon both receive the same text from Seung-hyo who suddenly needs to borrow some fast cash. Ho-jin finds that suspicious, but both boys clamor to leave.

They arrive in time to witness Seung-hyo arguing with Young-bin’s celebrity friend, who demands to know if she’s a real photographer. She storms back inside, and the friend explains to Joon and Turtle that the woman is a con artist who makes up tales to get close to celebrities.They’re told that she was the one who told the world that they were in Jeju, and the friend checks that they didn’t give her any money.

Joon and Turtle walk away with heavy steps, sighing at how their first instincts were right. Seung-hyo runs up to them and explains that that man is her stalker; she has no reason to lie to them. Turtle says she can take it up with the police and says she can keep the money he “lent” her.

They agree not to tell anyone about her, then later promise to take this secret of theirs to the grave. When Turtle says they should go for a drink, Joon reminds him that he’s broke. Turtle: “Should I go ask her if I can borrow 50,000 won?”

Eun-gab arrives at the villa and sees the fangirls waiting outside in the rain. He slips around the back where Young-bin lets him in. He digs into the ramyun Young-bin makes for him, and asks for a can of beer, to Young-bin’s surprise.

He asks whether Young-bin hit up any places to eat and thinks back to the days when they would go out to eat when Young-bin was a newbie. The conversation turns more serious as he asks if Young-bin is still upset with him. Young-bin replies that he understood why Eun-gab did what he did, but it still made him angry.

He says he felt left out of an important decision and like he was still being treated with kid gloves. Eun-gab says he’s always treated Young-bin like he was his own, and no parent would ever want anything horrible happen to their child: “Everything I do is for you. You know that, right?”

When Young-bin asks what Eun-gab really wants to talk about, the latter downs a large gulp and tells him that he signed Young-bin back onto War Terminator. He did it tonight because CEO Jo would bury them otherwise, so he went ahead with the plan.

Eun-gab thought about calling, but he knew that Young-bin would refuse. Furthermore, Young-bin doesn’t know the full scope of this situation because he was here in Jeju. Eun-gab admits that there were parts he didn’t share with Young-bin because that would just upset him, but he can’t ignore the fact that the current situation is bad. When Young-bin cuts him off, Eun-gab steps back and invites him to ask questions.

We then cut to Ho-jin, who has brought an inebriated Joon and Turtle back to the house. Joon won’t stop crying, while Turtle has wet his pants, and they’re sent into the bedroom.

Ho-jin mentions that he tried to return Eun-gab’s call but didn’t get through. Young-bin says Eun-gab stopped by and decides to find a new agency once they return to Seoul: “Because I’ve decided to end things with Eun-gab.”

Shocked, Ho-jin tries calling Eun-gab, who gets out of the taxi somewhere on the road and ignores the call. He walks out to the boardwalk and looks out to the waves crashing against the rocks.

 
COMMENTS

Watching Eun-gab battle one obstacle after another makes my heart break. I already felt for him when he was driven out of a company he helped build and felt encouraged when he chose to slowly pick up the broken pieces with Young-bin. My love for Jo Jin-woong is nothing new, and the actor always manages to inject pathos into any character he plays. Eun-gab could’ve easily been an aggressive agent who sought out his own ambition and success by pushing Young-bin to the brink, but instead, we’re presented with a man who has lost nearly everything he has and still cares about Young-bin.

It’s that kind of character depth that makes me care about Eun-gab as he faces all sorts of challenges, including the hurdle of communicating with Young-bin. While I can see the show attempting to show us where Eun-gab and Young-bin fell short because of their lack of communication which led to assumptions and misunderstandings, Eun-gab faces those problems head-on and acts as Young-bin’s voice. Conversely, Young-bin chose to hide away after making his decision and avoid the situation by waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It’s hard for me to believe that Young-bin would’ve been naive enough to think that a breach of contract could be resolved by paying off a fee and an apology. News travels fast in the entertainment industry, and one wrong step could jeopardize the future. Everyone knows everyone else in the business — did he really think he could cherry pick another project of his choosing? His breakup with So-hee was emotionally brutal, and yes, Eun-gab going solo gave him a tiny loophole, but he’s still attached to a project. So by refusing to work, he puts more than his own neck on the line.

Since so much of his decisions are determined by emotion and stubbornness whenever the script has need for it, I can’t invest myself in sympathizing with him. Everyone else seems to be looking out for his future except for himself, and the narrative conflict is driven by whatever decision he makes in the moment. He cares for Eun-gab, then distrusts him, then feels bitter by the decisions made, all without taking hold of his own career. Even if Young-bin didn’t have much a say in what projects he could choose, he still had the opportunity to ask Eun-gab how bad the situation is because if CEO Jo pursues everything she threatens to do, his career is, essentially over.

So thank goodness that Eun-gab has Joey by his side because she was his cheerleader, comfort, and voice of reason. Eun-gab isn’t perfect of course since he assumed he knew how Young-bin would feel and react instead of trying to call. He deals with Young-bin the same way he does with his wife: not admitting to the problem until he’s tried to take care of it first. Although his intentions are good, it’s transparency that both his family and Young-bin seek from him. Much like the rocks on the coast, Eun-gab has taken quite the beating to make sure that nothing trickles down to the people he cares most about.

 
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