Radiant Office: Episode 10

by LollyPip

A secret as big as Ho-won’s could never be kept secret forever, and her most recent collapse brings the situation to an inevitable crossroads. Meanwhile, the power players at Hauline are getting ready for a coup, and who will win is anyone’s guess. There’s a massive shakeup in the works, and everything could change as a new player officially enters the game.

 
EPISODE 10 RECAP

Hyun and Woo-jin arrive at the hospital only seconds apart, but they don’t actually see each other. Hyun rushes to a different section of the hospital while Woo-jin follows the gurney carrying Ho-won.

In her unconscious state, Ho-won relives the happiest days of her life, working at Hauline. She thinks of them as her last curse and her first gift from an unjust life, a time when she learned to say what’s on her mind and met people who would laugh and cry with her. She imagines seeing Woo-jin waiting for her with a smile, and she runs into his arms. She thanks him and says goodbye.

When she wakes, she finds Woo-jin waiting anxiously at her bedside. He tells her that the doctors have run every possible test, and that the results will be in soon. Ho-won confesses that the real reason she hasn’t come to the hospital yet is because she was afraid, and that everything else was just an excuse.

She says that she was scared that if she knew when and how she would die, then she wouldn’t be able to do the things she wanted to do. She continues that at first, she wanted to show the world what she could do, but after a while she realized that showing herself was more important. She starts to cry as she tells Woo-jin that she doesn’t want to die, because there’s so much she still wants to do.

Hyun is actually at the hospital to see his father, Chairman Seo, who’s had some sort of collapse. He tells someone on the phone to come when they can, then he says to his unconscious father that in the end, he’s the only one at his side.

The doctor arrives with Ho-won’s test results, confirming that she’s been in a lot of pain and having stomach troubles. Ho-won clutches Woo-jin’s hand as her fear intensifies. As the doctor is about to reveal her diagnosis, Ho-won claps her hands over her ears, too afraid to listen. All she hears is the doctor’s muffled voice as he gives Woo-jin the information, then leaves Woo-jin to deliver the news.

He tells Ho-won that she needs to have surgery in the morning, and she asks nervously if the surgery will extend her life. With a completely straight face, Woo-jin says that she has… gallstones. I knew it! She’s not dying at all.

Woo-jin is annoyed at all the fuss Ho-won made over refusing to get checked out, when all along it was just gallstones. He tells Ho-won that she should be embarrassed for not coming to the hospital sooner, and she bursts into tears.

She blubbers her thanks, hysterically promising to live life to the fullest. Woo-jin can’t help but smile at Ho-won’s dramatic wailing, patting her on the back indulgently.

Later, Woo-jin goes to the lobby to handle some business, and Hyun sees him there. He says that the chairman has had a turn for the worse, and that he’s sure there are some at Hauline who are glad. He tells Woo-jin of Chairman Seo’s tendency to categorize people as profits or losses, including his own children. Woo-jin guesses they aren’t on good terms, and when Hyun asks, he says that his relationship with his own father is simple but loving.

Remembering their tense lunch when Hyun had accused Woo-jin of being jealous of his power, Woo-jin says pointedly that his father doesn’t care if his son has power, only that he’s happy. He takes his leave, and Hyun watches him go with an unreadable expression on his face.

Ho-won calls Ki-taek to give her friends the news that she’s not dying. The boys are beside themselves with relief, and they hug each other tearfully right in the middle of the office. Yong-jae sees them and jumps to conclusions, ha.

Manager Park is one of those who’s happy to hear of the chairman’s collapse, since he’s anticipating his own advancement when Hyun takes over. CEO Han berates him for looking so happy when things aren’t going well with their plans to get rid of the marketing team. They marvel at Woo-jin’s continued success, wondering again if there’s someone higher-up backing him.

It’s interesting that the camera cuts to Woo-jin and Gu-dong in Woo-jin’s office just then, considering that Gu-dong is one of Chairman Seo’s oldest friends. Gu-dong tells Woo-jin that he needs to win Hauline’s Employee of the Year award, as previous winners have all gone on to be very successful within the company.

Manager Park also learns that Woo-jin is up for the award and has a tantrum in his office. He rants that launching a new product line isn’t so impressive, then he takes offense when Suk-kyung says that Woo-jin did a great job with the Hauliz launch. He can’t stand the idea of Woo-jin gaining the prestige and influence the award would bestow if he won, and he swears to make sure Woo-jin doesn’t win, no matter what.

Ki-taek and Kang-ho sneak into the hospital to visit Ho-won, avoiding capture by lurking behind a sign (they’re afraid of being caught and forced to pay their past-due bills). Ho-won belatedly realizes that she’s going to have to pay her previous bill, but Kang-ho says that he’ll take care of it with the money he saved for her to see a doctor when they thought she was dying. (Okay, how sweet is he?)

Ho-won is humbled and grateful, and they think back to when they first met, when they’d all tried to kill themselves for different reasons. They cry together, remembering how hopeless they’d all felt that night. The guys grumble, knowing now that the adage about hard work always paying off only works in children’s stories.

Ho-won tells the boys not to be so negative, because they’re actually very blessed. She reminds them that they have jobs now, so they should focus on working hard. Kang-ho wonders who the doctor could have been taking about that day in the emergency room if it wasn’t one of them, and Ki-taek sniffles that there must have been another patient. Oh, I sincerely hope that’s true.

Ho-won walks the boys out, and Kang-ho offers to visit after her surgery tomorrow. Ho-won gets weirdly twitchy and tells them not to come. Ki-taek asks if she’s expecting someone else only to scoff at her weak denial. Ever the oppa, Ki-taek tells Ho-won that she needs to clean up the mess she left at the office by quitting in a fit of anger, then they head back to work.

As soon as they’re gone, Hyun sees Ho-won, and they find a place to talk. Hyun gently fusses at Ho-won for not telling him she was sick, but she says that he’s already doing a lot to help her.

Hyun mentions seeing Woo-jin and wonders why he didn’t say he was here for her. Ho-won defensively fibs that he actually came to see someone else and stopped by to see her, but she seems bothered that Woo-jin didn’t mention her.

As they chat, Woo-jin spots them from a distance away, having come back to visit Ho-won again after work. He watches them sadly, then he decides not to interrupt and leaves.

But later, Ho-won finds the large care package Woo-jin left in her room, and she goes searching all over the hospital for him. Just when she’s ready to give up, Woo-jin calls her name, and for a moment Ho-won looks like she could cry because he stayed.

They go back to Ho-won’s room, where she admits that she’s uncomfortable being alone. Woo-jin offers to stay with her, so Ho-won decides to clear something up. She asks about the time she got fired (HA, Woo-jin’s all “Which time, it’s confusing”) for sending out that email, wanting to know if Woo-jin voted to fire her or keep her.

Woo-jin offers to tell her if she answers a question for him first. He asks if she tried to kill herself after the Dongki Food interview because of him, saying that he saw her that night on the news. Ho-won admits that she made a bad decision because she felt like she was out of hope.

Woo-jin says that that sounds like silly whining to him, but the way he says it is actually very kind. Ho-won agrees, though she says that that day began a miracle for her because it led to her getting a job and meeting good people (she punctuates this last bit with a pointed look at Woo-jin).

With a kind smile, Woo-jin says he hopes she learned that you have to be alive to receive miracles. Ho-won agrees that she regrets trying to end her life, and she tells Woo-jin about the ajumma who gave them free rice and told them that there isn’t that much to life. She says that now she understands that each day is special, and Woo-jin gifts her with the most beautiful smile.

After Ho-won falls asleep, Woo-jin gently tucks her in and checks her temperature with his fingertips. He smooths her hair off her face, then drives home thinking about her words about each day being special.

Ho-won wakes later to find a sticky note on her forehead, with just a circle drawn on it — proof that Woo-jin voted to keep her at Hauline. She flails happily, then sends him a text thanking him. Woo-jin dithers over how to answer her, and Ho-won eventually gets a message that he’ll take her home after her surgery tomorrow. She collapses with bliss, thinking that the real miracle starts today.

In the morning, Woo-jin calls Ho-won to check on her, but Hyun answers her phone and says she’s in surgery. Woo-jin asks Hyun to take care of Ho-won, but Hyun snaps sarcastically that he certainly takes good care of his employees before hanging up on him.

Woo-jin presents his ideas for their latest product line to the company executives, who look pleased at his performance. But it makes Manager Park even more anxious that Woo-jin may win the Employee of the Year award. He orders Suk-kyung to write a detailed report listing everything the marketing team screwed up while releasing Hauliz and to emphasize how the sales team saved the launch.

After the meeting, Woo-jin tells Gu-dong that he’s leaving on time today for once, because he has plans. They’re stopped by someone named Mr. Lee from the audit department, who has some questions for Woo-jin.

Woo-jin learns that he’s been accused of taking bribes, and he’s thoroughly offended that he’s being questioned when the accusations haven’t even been investigated yet. Mr. Lee explains that according to his accuser, Woo-jin hasn’t received his end of the deals yet, which is why they’re asking him now.

When he asks what exactly he’s being accused of, Mr. Lee says that they have information that he was given money and a luxury watch from a subcontractor. Woo-jin wants to know where this information originated from, but we don’t hear Mr. Lee’s answer.

Yong-jae runs into Ki-taek and Kang-ho having ramyun at the convenience store and offers to buy them something more nutritious. After they choose their items, he realizes he forgot his wallet at the office, so he tells Kang-ho to pay now, and he’ll repay him later.

Then Yong-jae takes everything he picked out, leaving the boys with one bag of snacks. Lucky for the guys, the store owner says he still owes them (from his thug daughter roughing them up) and offers to let them pick out more. Kang-ho takes him up on it, but all Ki-taek chooses is a simple pack of boiled eggs.

Suk-kyung and Ji-na have dinner at a fancy restaurant, where Ji-na admits her surprise when Suk-kyung went to work under Manager Park. She says that she’s always looked up to Suk-kyung, but watching her has taught Ji-na that being capable isn’t enough to get ahead at Hauline.

Suk-kyung apologizes for not being a better role model and asks after Ji-na’s boyfriend. She’s shocked when Ji-na admits they broke up, since she’d always said she loved how focused he was on her, and Ji-na admits that was part of the reason for the breakup.

Suk-kyung says that that’s the sort of man Ji-na should marry, and that expecting both halves of a couple to have equal social status is unrealistic. She tells Ji-na that it’s good to have a husband who supports her while she builds her career.

Back at the office, Ji-na finds a small pack of boiled eggs and a drink on her desk. She freezes, remembering a time when Ki-taek had brought her this exact lunch and listened to her complain about her boss. He’d been happy that she liked eggs since they were all he could afford, and back then, Ji-na had been happy just to be with him.

When Woo-jin never shows up after her surgery, Ho-won realizes that she may have to get herself home. She calls Ki-taek to ask if Woo-jin is in the office, but Ki-taek says that nobody’s seen him all day.

Woo-jin is speeding home as fast as he can to open several packages he received but hasn’t had time to unpack. Two hold nothing of interest, but the third contains a fancy watch — the very watch he’s being accused of taking as a bribe.

Ho-won waits in her hospital room until she’s told she has to leave, so she dejectedly picks up her things. A knock on the door has her turning with an expectant smile, but the smile fades when she doesn’t see Woo-jin, but Hyun.

Hyun gives her a ride home and offers to walk her upstairs, but Ho-won declines his offer. He wishes for her to get better soon so they can have ddukbokki again.

Ho-won tells Hyun that he’s the best doctor she’s ever met. Hyun responds cryptically that she’s naïve and trusts people too easily. He asks her to remember that she said that if he ever does anything that hurts her, and not to think he’s a bad person.

Ho-won sits in her room frowning at the text from Woo-jin, which promised he’d pick her up after her surgery. She suddenly jumps up and hurries all the way to his building, but she stops without going up to his apartment. She stands outside for a while, then turns to go home.

Woo-jin tries to call Ho-won, but she left her phone at home. He goes to his balcony and sees her shuffling away, so he goes down to follow her. He nearly goes to her once when she winces in pain from her surgical site, but he holds back and just trails her all the way back to her building, watching until she’s safe inside.

The following morning, Woo-jin gets a call from the audit department letting him know that he’s on final notice, and to stay at home until he hears from them.

Ho-won is nervous to go into the office again after her outburst, but Gu-dong sweetly welcomes her back. Ji-na is a bit cold, probably because Ki-taek is hovering over Ho-won’s shoulder, and she’s definitely not happy to hear that they live in the same neighborhood now.

Despite being told to stay home, Woo-jin shows up at the audit department with the bribe watch in hand. He slams it onto the desk and says that it was delivered to him without his knowledge. The audit employee calls security to forcibly remove Woo-jin from the building, but Mr. Lee frantically orders them to stop.

He apologizes profusely to Woo-jin, explaining that they just learned that a subcontractor with a grudge tried to set him up. Woo-jin is incensed that they put him through all this without checking the facts first.

He goes back to the office, where he’s surprised to see Ho-won back at work already. He finds Hyun waiting for him in his office and learns that Hyun is responsible for his being exonerated regarding the bribe.

Hyun says that he just used this situation to remind Woo-jin that he can help him whenever he needs it. He says that he believes Woo-jin is innocent, but he asks if Woo-jin can say the same of others. Hyun tells Woo-jin that he just wants his help, not to compete against him.

In return for getting Woo-jin out of this jam, he asks for Woo-jin’s help with something else. Woo-jin agrees that this isn’t competition, but he feels like Hyun is grooming him for something. He asks what Hyun really wants, so Hyun says that he wants to run the company, and he needs someone to support him.

At lunch, Yong-jae tells Ji-na the latest gossip — that Hyun is Chairman Seo’s son. At the next table, Ho-won and Ki-taek both listen in wide-eyed shock. Eventually, Ho-won speaks up to say that she doesn’t think it’s true.

Later, Hyun sits by his father’s bedside at the hospital, thinking about Woo-jin’s adamant refusal to help him. He’d said he has no interest in taking sides, but that he’ll remember Hyun’s “gift.” Hyun smiles to himself and tells the unconscious Chairman Seo that he chose the right person.

In his office, Woo-jin stews over Hyun’s audacity. A screech from Yong-jae alerts him to the announcement of the Employee of the Year, which turns out to be a member of the design team.

The sales and marketing teams get a bonus for their hard work launching Hauliz, though the three temps are disappointed to learn that they weren’t included in the bonuses. Later, Ho-won sighs that she’s probably not getting the permanent job either, because she’s made so many mistakes.

As Ho-won and Ki-taek work late that night, Woo-jin gives them each a box containing their own business cards. They’re both touched and grateful, and they exchange business cards just because they’re adorable like that.

They arrive at work the next morning full of enthusiasm, but they hardly get in the building before they notice a crowd gathered around the television in the lobby. They’re watching an author being interviewed about his book, and they recognize Hyun as the author.

He’s talking about how they all came into the ER after their suicide attempts, then later all three interviewed for his father’s company, so he made sure they got the jobs. The three stare as Hyun talks about being the son of the chairman, then Ho-won turns to see Hyun himself walking into the lobby.

Hyun stops to say hello to Ho-won, Ki-taek, and Kang-ho, but all they can do is gape at him in disbelief.

 
COMMENTS

Okay, I take back everything I just said about Hyun being a fundamentally nice guy. He just pretty much erased all the good feelings I’ve been having about him, and now I’m ready to smack him. He’s been deceiving Ho-won for weeks by not telling her that he’s the doctor who revived her after she fell into the river, and that he wrote about her and her friends in a book without their permission or knowledge. Not to mention that he’s the heir of the company where she works, and that he pulled strings to get them their jobs. It’s going to break Ho-won’s heart when she learns that the only reason she was hired at Hauline is because the owner’s son felt sorry for her. Hyun could have told Ho-won any of this at any time and she probably would have forgiven him. But he didn’t, not even when he knew that he was going to hurt her soon.

Hyun is an interesting character, but I don’t really understand what he’s up to — he says that he wants to run the company, but it wasn’t that long ago that he was telling his father that he had no interest in business or competing with his mysterious brother. Now he’s put all of his focus into Hauline, though we’ve been given no idea why Hyun changed his mind or when. At times he seems like a sweet guy, then at others he’s downright sinister, and he never gives a clue as to what his motivation is. He clearly has a plan for Woo-jin, but what is he doing with Ho-won? Sure, he shows up occasionally and takes her out to eat, but he hasn’t shown any real interest in her beyond the occasional conversation.

I’m so glad that Ji-na is finally seeing Ki-taek for the treasure he is and that she’s realizing that his worth as a partner has nothing to do with his earning potential. I can understand how she fell into the trap of thinking that the man in a relationship should have a steady career and bring in lots of money, but I loved Suk-kyung’s point too. She had the husband with the strong work ethic and the well-paying job, but that’s cold comfort when you’re basically raising a child alone while your husband works late every night.

I’m glad that Suk-kyung pointed out to Ji-na that a man whose priority is to love and support her is perfect for women like them, women who have their own drive to succeed in their careers. Ji-na could pursue her ambition in her business while always having the security of knowing that Ki-taek is right there with her, taking care of her and loving her. Ki-taek is a born nurturer, and though he may never have a fancy job title or be able to buy her expensive gifts, he would spend his life making sure Ji-na always felt loved and safe.

And speaking of relationships, as much as I’ve enjoyed the slow burn of Woo-jin and Ho-won’s growing friendship, seeing them acknowledge (even if just to themselves) their mutual attraction is even better. As I said before, it’s grown so naturally that it feels completely inevitable that they would shift from friendly to romantic feelings, and I can only imagine how sweet they’ll be when they finally admit it to each other. I adore the way Woo-jin fusses over Ho-won these days and how he still gives her the honest truth without sugarcoating when she’s wrong about something, but now he does it with a gentleness that proves he only intends to help. And Ho-won takes his advice in the way it’s meant, as genuine concern for her well-being and desire to see her succeed. When these two finally get together, their foundation of respect and caring will be so solid that they’re going to be practically unbreakable.

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