Recap: The Heirs Episode 6

Written before live recap

I’m incredibly excited about this episode. All these strong personalities in one place, especially Tan and Young Do. It is going to be like we are watching the animal kingdom, seeing two alphas fight over territory and mate. I know what Young Do is capable of, but Tan has been soft in comparison so far, and I can’t wait to learn more about his past with Young Do, and to see the tiger rear his head.

The order will go like this. I can’t post updates while the drama is airing, unless the episode is moving slowly. I will be trying to capture as much as possible while I am watching the episode.  When the episode is over, I will go back to my notes, fix them up a bit and update part by part on each recap post while waiting for the torrents. If you can leave a link here, that would be great. When the full episode is available, I will fill in more blanks and screencaps, and continue to update. Finally, I will leave my comments.

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Character Index

 Kim Tan

 Cha Eun Sang

 Choi Young Do

 Kim Won, Kim Tan’s half-brother, President of Jeguk Group

 Lee Bo Na

 Yoo Ra Hael (Rachael Yoo)

 Yoon Chan Young

 Lee Hyo Shin

 Jo Myung Soo

 Kang Ye Seul

 Jun Hyun Joo

Han Ki Ae -Kim Tan’s birth mom

 Kim Nam Yoon- Kim Tan and Kim Won’s father, Jeguk Group CEO

 Park Hee Nam- Cha Eun Sang’s mom

 Yoon Jae Ho- Yoon Chan Young’s dad, Chief Secretary in Jeguk Group

 Jung Ji Sook- Kim Nam Yoon’s second wife, birth mom to neither Tan or Won.

 Esther Lee- Yoo Ra Hael’s mom, RS International CEO

 Choi Dong Wook- Choi Young Do’s dad, Zeus Hotel CEO

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Episode 6

Tan and YD stare each other down.

Tan: “I’ve missed you, friend.” YD: “Welcome.” Tan: “Loosen up. I’m not going to do anything right now.” YD: “Let’s just say hi now. You’ll scare the kids.”

ES walks into the circle of kids without realizing while texting CY. She stops, feeling the gaze of everyone and sees Tan and YD. YD whistles, “What is this complete gift set?”

Tan says to ES, “You came here without a uniform?” Now YD really suspects something between ES and Tan. CY realizes the danger that Tan has just put ES in and comes to help ES. He says, “Come with me” and drags her away, while giving Tan a dirty look. Wow, ES is making quite a name for herself already. BN expresses her annoyance and R agrees.

R wants to leave with Tan but YD grabs her and holds her tight by her side. “The oppas are still talking, sister. How can we end this without a hug and tears?” Tan says there is no need for hugs, “But let me know if you need tears. I can make you cry.” YD: “See! It’s already fun. I am going to be excited coming to school everyday.” Tan grabs R back. “If you are worried about that, think about transferring. Since I can’t because my mother is the chairman here.” YD nods, “Oh! You differentiate between mother and mom.” Tan’s face hardens. YD: “Did I go to far on the first day. I was just glad to see you. See you around often.” YD struts off with a smile on his face.

The crowd disperses after R and Tan leave. BN’s friend is finally seeing this Tan that she’s heard of as a devil who can surpass Young Do. “Still he is so good-looking.” BN says Tan is the devil because he bullies kids with that face. BN tells friend that Tan was her first love.

R and Tan talk.  R wants to know if Tan had anything to do with ES coming to this school. Tan says a bit since his mother (JS) is the one show signed the transfer papers. R clarifies she wants to know if Tan had any say in ES coming. Tan says, “When was our say of any importance in the decision our families make? I didn’t even have a say in my engagement.” R looks slightly surprised? R says now she wants to talk about them two, but Tan walks away, saying that what was said till now WAS about them two.

CY and ES talk about CY not telling ES that Tan was Jeguk Group’s son. CY asks if that would have changed anything with her current situation. ES has no answer.

CY tells ES that there is a strict hierarchy in school. The first is financial management heirs- the chaebol kids. (The kids talk about their parents’ businesses).

Second- the stock heirs- they won’t take over business but they already are major stockholders.

Third is prestige, honor heirs- children of lawyer and government officials.

Fourth and final is the heirs of society’s charity- like CY and ES. Even though CY is not as poor as ES, still, he is only the son of a head secretary. ES wonders if she will be able to survive in school. CY reassures her, saying that at least she has someone on her side. He had no one, as did the other kids in their rank.

CY tells ES that he is the grade rep, and that is why he gets the call from the teacher. ES is called in by teacher.

ES hesitates writing what her mom does. She is about to write housewife, but teacher says she heard her mom was a house maid. Another student hears, the bullied kid. ES says meekly, “She is also a housewife.”

In class, ES starts to introduce herself but the other students snicker because she speaks formally to them. ES corrects herself tells the kids that she is average and plain in all aspects. So she doesn’t want any attention or help from them. Another student asks ES for what reason she transferred to this school. ES can’t answer. Tan gets up to help, saying he is also a transfer student. ES sits down. YD watches with interest. This other girl watches YD watch ES with interest. Tan introduces himself, saying he wants a quiet student life. He looks at YD. “Please help out with that.”

ES’s mom is cleaning and KA is surprised to see her since she looks Jeon Do Hyun in the movie “Housemaid” ( a movie where the maid and master of the house have an affair.) ES’s mom says she is wearing the costume for a mood change. KA asks about an outfit.

KA is at JS’s gallery. JS is about to just pass her but she comes back to ask how dare KA come here. KA says she is not some Rapunzel; she came to see the chairman of the school are son is in. JS is about to hit KA again but KA says she has a report from the doctor for her the injures (mental) that JS has caused her and she can press charges. JS. JS dares her. KA says if she can’t press charges, then she will hit back too.

Tan and HS. HS and Tan joke around in a friendly manner that shows that the two like each other well enough. BN comes in, and tries to walk right back out. Tan asks about CY, and BN says that CY is not at fault. She walks out in a puff. Tan asks HS, “Then what is my fault?”

BN is worried that Tan still has interest in her, and is going to fight CY. She says, “Gosh, I hate him so much, but he is so hot.” The friend thinks YD is better. This makes BN a little made.

MS is curious about ES. He thinks he has seen her before. He calls out to ES- he asks what group she is from- the society’s charity receivers or the nouveau rich (upstarts). ES says nothing, and she looks at BN. BN says nothing too. R finds out that ES and BN know each other, but BN is not going to tell R anything since R didn’t tell her about Tan being here. Friend wants to who ES is with Tan, CY, YD, BN, and R all knowing her. ES struggles to answer.

Tan arrives and calls her an upstart. He says he wants to talk to her, but ES walks the other way.

Outside YD trips ES. “Are you okay?” after he catches her. ES: “You tripped me.” YD: “I couldn’t help you if I didn’t trip you.” ES: “You’re a strange person.” YD: “Just strange? I’m not scary?” ES: “Why should I be scared?” YD: “Because I will keep tripping you.”

YD asks what is her relationship with Tan. ES: “If you are interested in Tan, talk to him yourself.” YD: “Oh, I didn’t introduce you. You are mine from today on. In other words, my chattel. Now that you know my heart, answer me. How do you know tan?” Tan arrives and interrupts. “Ask me. Directly.”

Tan sends ES away, saying, “Stop running away when I want to talk to you. Don’t think about skipping out.” YD angrily says, “I’m trying to become friends with the transfer student but your obstruction its too aggressive. Tan replies, “Having no friends suits you more. You’re going to throw them away soon away so why bother making them?”

Tan asks ES if she plans to keep avoiding him. ES replies she can’t since he is at home too. Tan explains that he didn’t hide it on purpose. ES replies, “It doesn’t matter since the fact that you found out about the worst about me remains the same.” Tan asks, “Did you cry?”

ES turns around. She wants him to leave her alone, because she doesn’t want any trouble and she really want to graduate from this school. What was he thinking making her an upstart? Tan explains he did it so she can have a quiet school life. ES worries what will happen if kids find out about the lie.

Tan tells her to stay by his side and what she is worrying about won’t happen. And avoid YD. But ES says it is because of Tan that all the girls are glaring at her and YD started talking to her. “The person I should try to avoid is not Choi Young Do, but you.” ES leaves.

Tan calls CY and wants to see him after school. They meet. CY is fixing MS’s computer. Tan warns CY to not say anything about ES to anyone. CY is mad that Tan is warning him about his friend whom he has been friends with for ten years. Tan replies that friends can be hidden enemies since they know too much. Tan: “That is the world I have experienced.”

BN comes in and immediately runs away when she sees Tan. Tan jokes that BN must still have feelings for him. CY retorts, “One doesn’t avoid a junk car because he or she has left over feelings for it.” Tan: “What?! A junk car?!”

At home, mom wants to know about ES’s school. ES cries, wanting to leave this house. Mom says she has to work here since no one else will accept her. ES asks if it is her fault that mom is mute. Mom asks if it is her fault, then. ES cries, “This is so unfair. Why do we live like this with no answer?”

Tan is pacing in wine cellar. He hides when ES comes down. ES is listening to music on her computer. She looks up “Used jeguk high uniforms” on a search engine. No search results. She and Tan just sit, listening to music.  The song is called “Two People” by someone I can’t identify. Here is Sung Si Kyung’s version, though.

Tan texts ES, asking to see her. ES answers where. Tan appears from behind. He scares her. ES asks if Tan was ever here before. Tan says of course and takes her hand to sniff. “You weren’t smoking. Or did you curse about me?”

Tan asks that she eats lunch with him tomorrow. ES reminds him that she asked him to stay away. Tan says, “Transfer back to your old school. Or stay in under my shadow living as a nouveau rich until you graduate.” Tan insists she eats lunch with him tomorrow.

Next day, ES is eating lunch alone. Kid who heard about her mom says this is his spot. Guy warns her to stay quiet about everything or she will end up like him. He hopes she can bear this school well. He wasn’t able to and is transferring soon. YD shows up with his friends. Guy sit down, ready to be bullied. ES is about to help, but Tan takes her away.

Tan tells her to just eat quietly if she wants school life to pass quietly. ES asks if that is why Tan asked to each lunch together. ES asks how he knew that would happen. Tan says he created this bullying ritual and back then took part of it too.

YD shows up with his food and sits at the table. ES wants to leave, but YD pulls her down. Tan tells YD to just keep things between them too. YD ignores Tan and does aegyo to ES. ES says, “Let’s just eat.” YD to Tan: “See. How can I not be interested?” Tan is very annoyed. Definitely getting a headache.

MS, Tan, and others are inside the music room. MS is explaining to Tan that he takes photos and develops them. MS says there must be photos of Tan and BN, and Tan and Young… he stops mid-sentence. Tan calmly says after some time that MS can show him the picture later.

YD shows up and tells the other kids to leave. Tan wonders why YD is asking the other kids to leave. YD says he is about to say something that other kids shouldn’t hear. YD tells Tan to leave school, since they can’t both be in the same school.” Leave. I’m giving you your chance to leave before the words “Only being the child of mistress…” come out of my mouth.” Tan gets up, mad now. Tan warns that since he is still young,  he doesn’t understand the saying that one must lose to win. YD throws back, “Since my personality is still bad, it’s making me mad that long-gone Kim Tan is still acting tough.” Tan: “There is no hope for us to get along.” YD: “And too late to avoid.”

YD at bicycle shop. Mechanic says what YD want is illegal, since he is a minor. YD: “If you do it for me, I will grow up fast.” Pfft! YD sees ES deliver the chicken. ES leaves without seeing him. ES comes back later with another order. YD comes in. “This is your number?” YD ordered the chicken. He pays. “I have to charge my card to get your number. Should I just have asked R?” ES tells him not to call; she won’t answer. YD: “You’ll save my number, right? Or I will ask why a nouveau riche works part-time.” ES’s face is full of dread as she walks away.

Tan greets his dad. To dad: “One son came back, but the other has left.” Dad: “That’s unfortunate. I like both.” Tan replies, “But hyung and I both think you don’t like us that much.” Dad says: “That is the fate of a father.” He tells Tan to leave space open tomorrow. He is going to bring back the son that has left.

Won is being nursed by HJ. Won has been sick. He prefers being sick in the hotel instead of his house since in his house, the maid will make him the porridge, but being here, HJ has come. HJ jokingly tells him to stop making her do errands so she go go on dates. Won looks at her sadly. “You’re so mean to a sick person.” Before Won get eat the porridge, though, he gets call. Someone tells him that something came up at the office. Won is in a rush to leave. HJ and food are forgotten. HJ leaves silently.

Tan has been brought to the office. It is Saturday. Dad learns that Won has been sick. Dad says that if he is sick, he should leave the company, like dad did. Tan tries to leave, but dad stops him. He tells Tan that this is not for Tan or Won, but for him. “You have no right to avoid as long as you live under my roof as my son.”

All the other employees rush in. Tan sits uncomfortably. One guy comes in in golf clothes. Dad puts him on the spot to report on the company.

Won is stuck in traffic. Meeting goes on. Won has finally arrived. He sees Tan and is shocked. Dad at this point introduces Tan- “My second son. I brought him so you can remember his face.” Tan gets up and introduces himself, pursing his lips. That guy with the golf clothes is Tan’s uncle. Dad sends everyone home now. Dad leaves, but before Yoon can follow him out, Won says to Yoon that Yoon is always so ungenerous to him. Yoon leaves.

Tan to Won: “Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t come on purpose. Dad said we are going to see you. I didn’t know it would be the office.” Won asks why Tan always does things without knowing and never on purpose. “See what happens when you move without knowing anything?” Tan says he finds this unfair. “Whatever I don’t know or don’t do, my existence in of itself is a misunderstanding to you.”

At home KA wants to know about the meeting, where Tan sat, where Won sat. Tan gets upset and leaves.

ES and mom hang laundry. Mom leaves to check on the stew. Tan sees ES.

ES comments on the nice day. She also says, “What a difference between night and day- during the day I am a nouveau rich, but at night, a maid.” She rests on the chair and falls asleep. Tan sits and stares at her sleeping with a small smile on his face. He notices that ES’s bandaid has come off her hand. He fixes it. ES sleep talks, “Mom, just five more minutes. Then I need to go work.”

ES wakes up- “What time is it?” She sighs, relieved she is not late. She sees the dream catcher hanging nearby. Tan lies in his bed, wide awake.

Esther flashes back to kiss with Yoon. Phone rings. E thinks she is getting a call from Yoon. But she sees Yoon talking to someone in the hotel. Esther is disappointed. Yoon and E talk. E asks why Yoon didn’t call since that day. Both talk about why they didn’t call each other, a battle of pride. E doesn’t have Yoon’s number and asks how she, as the RS international CEO can find out the number of a mere head secretary. Yoon: “The person who wants it more will make up the excuse to obtain the number.”

Yoon comes home to an empty house with groceries.

ES asks about a scholarship. Teacher reminds her that all the kids in this school are smart, not just rich. Can she compete with them? She tells ES to pay the fees due for special activities in school. ES has to join at least one. School fee is free but not the activity stuff. Teacher asks until when ES will not wear a uniform. Ugh, what a horrible snooty teacher.

ES sees a notice on the bulletin board. She wants to get into the broadcast club because they offer scholarship. HS wants to know why a nouveau rich has no money for uniform. ES says it is because she used her money to buy a bag. ES sucks up a bit to HS, asking for a chance to take the test to get into the club.

Outside in the hallway, poor kid is getting bullied by YD because kid told on YD to teacher. Tan does his own thing on the side. Kid finally fights back and throws bag at YD. YD gets scratched. YD is now really mad. Kid tries to fight back, but YD takes him down. He catches ES’ eye. He steps on kid while looking at ES: “I look forward to see what happens to you in the future.” ES is completely shaking in her shoes. YD steps on kid and walks off. ES tries to help kid, but Tan pulls her away, telling her to not help. He warns her, “Do you see anyone else helping him? Don’t stand next to weak kids. If the weak stands next to the weak, all you guys become is the weaklings.” R sees this from down the hall.

At home, R calls ES with the info on ES’ re-entry card.  ES is forced to come over to R. R asks if CY told her about the ranks in school. She heard ES is only nouveau rich. R has been rich forever. “So Don’t let your name and Tan’s come from other kids’ mouths as a set. Tan and my level will fall then.” ES: “You may not believe, but I want the same thing.”

ES gives back R’s name tag. R says she threw out ES’s re-entry card. Throw some money (around $100) at ES.

The convenience store again. Same situation where ES is resting her head on the table, and YD sits down in front of her with his ramen.

YD kicks the table several times- “Why do you always sleep in places like this, making me want to protect you?” ES pretends she is still sleeping. YD’s phone rings. It is Tan. He asks, “Is your ramen tasty?”

Tan shows up across the street of the store. He sees ES and YD together.

Preview for Episode 7:

R: What are we taking?

Esther: A family photo.

YD: I may not be able to break up the engagement, but I can break up the photo shoot.

R: I am a crazy b**tch for believing you.

YD: You’re going to get curse stains on your expensive dress.

JS: We’re very sorry.

YD: I’m not going to press charges. Don’t worry.

JS: If you’re going to do this, transfer to another school.

Yoon: Why did you send ES to Jeguk High?

Dad: She will be told by a hundred people why she shouldn’t keep Tan close to her.

ES to Tan: Hello (in formal speak.)

Tan: Are you rebelling?

MS: What have you been thinking about?

YD: Cha Eun Sang.

MS: Why are you thinking about the upstart (nouveau rich)?

YD: I’m also thinking about why I would be thinking about that upstart.

Tan: How many times do I have to tell you to be careful of Choi Young Do?!

ES: He said he wanted to protect me.

Tan: That’s a threat. That is!

Comment:

Ah, Woo Bin. I love you, you sexy, charismatic beast! Kim Woo Bin is bringing it, totally creating the sparks between Eun Sang and Young Do. I love Woo Bin, but I hate Young Do because he is such a horrible bully. Kim Woo Bin has played this type of character before so he delivers that aggression, angry, and disdain effortlessly, making his performance magnetic even though I dislike what he is doing to other students.

It was hard not being reminded of Boy Over Flowers this episode, with Eun Sang the poor scholarship student coming to the rich kids’ school and wanting to live a quiet life. Isn’t it brilliant of Daddy Kim to cover her free tuition but give no extra money to help Eun Sang buy a uniform or pay other necessary fees? This keeps Eun Sang struggling and always reminded that she is different from the rich kids in school. She also can’t easily pretend she is rich.  Another similarity to BOF was the bullying situation, where Young Do is Goo Jun Pyo and Eun Sang is Geum Jan Di who struggles with whether she should help the bullied student or not.

We have Tan, who in California, seemed to be merely a playboy with a bit of a short-temper, but not someone with a mean streak. Here in Korea, we learn that Tan was the ringleader of bullies, and although he seems to have put that behind him, he is not ready to atone for his past actions by helping out the bullied now. He keeps telling Eun Sang to stay away from those weaklings, trying to protect her. For now, Eun Sang is letting him pull her away because she is scared too. I wonder how Eun Sang and Tan will transform, and Young Do too, although I am not sure the writer is going to be able to find a good balance between making this a type of “youth highschool” drama or a “romantic-comedy” drama. Perhaps the bullying story will just unsatisfactorily fall alway quietly like it did in BOF, with no realization or lesson learned by Goo Jun Pyo and others.

Admittedly, I missed Lee Min Ho’s Goo Jun Pyo a bit today since Kim Woo Bin was showing the same type of intensity Lee Min Ho gave in BOF. Tan here is a bit mellow, and while I think Lee Min Ho is doing a wonderful job portraying the fragile child within, I want his eyes to shoot the lasers I remember from BOF when he has a stare down with Young Do.

That said, ah…., Tan. Lee Min Ho always knows how to give those gazes at women, and as he stares at Eun Sang, I can feel the happy comfort Tan is getting from just watching Eun Sang. He is in pain because of his brother, and in that brief moment of quiet, his wound heals a little. He sees that Eun Sang is having a bad dream, so he hangs the dream catcher near her. Away from her, curled up on his bed, the pain opens up again, and I want to weep with that lonely little boy who never got to play with his older brother. A boy who believes that his existence brings pain to the people he loves most.

Eun Sang’s embarrassment and anger toward her mom’s disability is a fascinating aspect of her character. She isn’t really the sweet Cinderella, is she? She has a large inferiority complex that keeps rearing its ugly head in front of her mom. She seems to partly blame her mom for this difficult life she has, and it breaks my heart watching Eun Sang’s mom, Hee Nam, get hurt by her daughter’s embarrassment and anger.

I wish we have more of Won and Hyun Joo. Hyun Joo seems to know she likes him, but is staying away. Won doesn’t seem to exactly know if he likes her romantically or not. Either way, Won is too preoccupied with his dad and Jeguk, struggling hard to prove himself to his dad, trying to keep his position, and keeping his barriers raised against Tan.

Young Do knows that Tan is the child of a mistress and not really Ji Sook’s son; he is using this as ammunition against Tan. Tan and Eun Sang both have secrets to protect that Young Do knows about. Tan being a mistress’ son and Eun Sang  not really being rich. These are things that the Eun Sang and Tan both have to own up to break free from Young Do and other people so they can be with each other and take on life with more courage. Bear the weight, Tan and Eun Sang. Bear it with heads held high!

Translated lyrics  by Joonni to “Two People” by Sung Si Kyung

The exhausting day passes and under the moonlight one shadow of two people.

A faint happiness is still there as if you can grasp it if you close your eyes.

Even if a broken heart overshadows your dreams,

Do remember a person who loves you painfully is by your side.

Even though at times this road might seem too far, and tears fall in sadness,

Until the day everything becomes memories,

We, two people, will be each other’s resting place.

When I am walking with you and I can’t see the road we have to take,

I will remember the world of that day when it shined just because of you.

Although I am still clumsy and lacking, I will always be by your side.

Even if we lose our way during a dark night,

We, two people, will be each other’s lamp.

Even if in the future the dream we were searching for is not over the rainbow,

The time I am spending with you right now is more precious.

Even though at times this road might seem too far and tears fall in sadness,

Until the day everything becomes memories,

We, two people, will be each other’s resting place.