Recap: The Heirs Episode 10

Written before live recap

Ah, we can look forward to a back hug AND a forehead kiss today. What’s a k-drama without those? A back hug is the ultimate expression of love filled with longing, and the forehead kiss expresses a protective love.

Although, Hyo Shin’s feelings for Hyun Joo were hinted at, these stills surprise me as the kiss seems to come too fast and too suddenly. Hyo Shin felt a bit like a playboy to me, winking and smiling at all the girls, so I didn’t take his feelings for Hyun Joo too seriously. I guess we’ll see how serious those feelings are this episode. The writing is a bit choppy and sparse for many of the side characters, who don’t get as much character development as the main leads. Hopefully, Hyo Shin’s feelings don’t end up looking like they were thrown in by the writer simply to create conflict for Won and Hyun Joo. I see a lot of potential in the secondary actors and their characters in term of development; for now, their scenes and side-stories feel  like little vignettes that are not integrated well into the main plot. Hyo Shin has some real issues with his parents; I would like to see them resolved by the end.

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 10

Outside, Tan and YD talk. Tan: “I’m sorry I thought of you lightly. I didn’t know you’d be this much of a bastard. ” YD: “Now that you know, is all that is left you kneeling in front of me?” Tan: “Is that what you wanted? Then this not a good plan.” Uh Oh, YD sees ES walking up. YD: “I think I set a good plan.” ES also now sees YD and Tan. YD: “ES even comes to your house? I didn’t come for this, but…Jackpot.”

Tan  lies, telling YD that he had a previously promised date with ES today. He apologizes to ES, saying they should go see the performance next time. ES gets the hint, and turns to leave. YD calls after her, but Tan tells her to just go. ES hurries off.

YD finds it curious that ES comes to Tan’s house so freely, which is full of secrets- “It only means one thing. Are you siblings?” Pfft! Tan calls YD stupid. YD is actually not that stupid; he just wants Tan to give some excuse. He asks if R knows. Tan replies that he is dating ES- this is an explanation, not an excuse. He adds that R knows too. Tan also announces that he has something to do right now.

YD asks if Tan is running way. Tan replies, “I’m going to get my revenge.”

Tan goes to meet YD’s dad at the Zeus Hotel. YD bursts into his dad’s office all pale, trying to stop Tan. Tan apologizes to YD’s dad, saying he got into a fight with Young twice, hitting him. Daddy Choi replies it’s okay since they are boys, but his face hardens. Tan thanks Dad for being understanding, smiles, and leaves.

With Tan gone, dad hits YD, mad that he got hit twice by Tan. He yells at him for not winning against Tan, doing anything he can. “The result should have been that you won!” Dad takes off his belt, ready to hit YD some more, but a noise goes off somewhere in the room. At this, dad tells YD to leave, but YD recognizes this sound and why his dad wants him out. He walks over to the closet and opens it. The woman from the photo shoot, the past girlfriend of dad is there. Dad is cheating on E. YD asks if dad did this when his mom was around. Or was his mom one of these types of woman too? He leaves the office.

YD stands in front of elevator and thinks back to the past.. He and Tan were playing games together when they had to hide in a closet when they heard someone coming in. While hiding, they saw YD’s dad with a woman.

YD gets on the elevator. Tan gets in after him. Tan says to YD, “No more family in the fight between you and me. We went through this once. This is my last warning.” YD replies, “If you say no family,  then there is only one thing left for us. Poor Cha Eun Sang.” Tan warns him not to bother ES. YD finds this even more annoying and replies, “Don’t encourage me. I want to try even harder then. I’m warning you, too.”

YD is washing dishes at the hotel. E comes, trying to be the loving future stepmom, saying she was worried about YD; she heard he got into a fight. YD is cold towards her, and E leaves.

In the lobby, E sees that woman she saw at the photo shoot.This makes E want to make  call. She calls Secretary Yoon. She wants to see him. Yoon is already at the hotel. They talk about old times- it was over twenty years ago. E asks Yoon if she is still the first love of someone, wanting to know if he still has good feelings toward her. Yoon teases her, saying she is not that pretty. E laughs.

YD’s dad comes out of the elevator and runs into E and Yoon. E introduces Yoon as college friend. YD’s dad is prickly towards Yoon. Yoon leaves.

Daddy Choi does not like Yoon. He gets angry at E, his pride hurt that his woman is being seen around with another man. E throws it right back at him; she asks if she should have met Yoon in the office like CEO Choi does, implying she knows about him cheating.  Daddy Choi doesn’t seem to get it, though.

KA is worried about Tan, unable to eat. ES’s mom  is next to her, worried about KA, and massages her hands. KA thanks her.

Tan comes home. KA rushes over and asks why Tan told YD about her. Tan asks why they can’t be honest; what did they do wrong? KA replies that while Tan did nothing wrong, she did. Tan immediately apologizes. KA asks with tears in her eyes, “What are you sorry about?” He says everything. ES’s mom is nearby, listening. KA runs off, teary, asking ES’s mom to prepare dinner for Tan. ES’s mom is about to go prepare dinner, but Tan asks where ES is. She is not home yet.

In his room, Tan calls ES, but she doesn’t pick up. He texts that YD is gone. ES simply thanks him for the text.

ES comes homes. Tan grabs her to talk to her in the wine cellar. In the wine cellar, Tan asks if ES is not curious about what he said to YD since they need get their story straight. He says he told YD that they are dating. ES can’t believe he told that kind of lie, but Tan replies, “Why is that a lie? I’m going to go out with you. Let’s date, starting today.” ES exclaims, “Kim Tan!” Tan points out that this is the first time ES has said his name.

ES asks if he is an idiot. Tan replies, “Let’s say I am. I am an idiot since I like you even when you get angry at me and when you smile.”

ES expresses her frustration, saying Tan doesn’t know anything about the world since he grew up in a rich family. “Fine, let’s go out. Let’s see you break off your engagement with R and get kicked out of the house. Let’s see if you continue to say you like me. Let’s date and see only me end up getting hurt after we break up after all that.” Tan asks, “Are you sure that you and I will break up after we go out?”

ES replies, “You didn’t know? If your mom finds out about us, my mom and I are out on the streets. So can you stop saying such foolish things, Young Master?”

Tan seethes. “Are my feelings a joke to you? Is my sincerity funny?” ES snaps back, “Is my effort funny to you? Do you and I go together?”

Tan: “Fine. It seems you and I don’t match. I am more than you deserve. Do you know why? It’s not because you hurt my pride or because you hurt me by bringing up my family situation in order to protect me. For you, I became brave, but for me, you aren’t doing anything. Fine, if that is your wish, I will stop paying attention to you. I thought you were a pretty dream, but you are a bad dream, Cha Eun Sang.” Tan walks off, and alone, ES cries.

Next day, Tan is being driven to school. The driver asks if they should pick up ES too, whom they see on the way, walking to school. Tan asks, “Can we ride in the same car? Me, her?”

Girls in school try to be friends with ES, thinking she is rich, but ES doesn’t want this. She just walks away.

In class, YD approaches R, asking how many times she has been to her fiancé’s house. Tan is right there listening. YD says he went to his friend’s house suddenly and saw something that his friend didn’t want him to see. Tan stops him before YD says anything more. R’s curiosity is piqued now, though.

Teacher calls out YD and Tan to clean the school windows. They do, grudgingly, each with one hand in their pocket, and getting in each other’s way. And I laugh hard. So childish, these two. In her own class, ES sees them outside. CY notices her staring. He writes her a note asking her about the parents’ meeting. ES write back that someone she knows went instead of her mom. CY points out that ES has a lot of secrets from him now. He asks if she fought with Tan. She writes, “I am running away right now.”

ES goes to the roof. She remembers back to the kiss. Tan is on the other building’s roof. They see each other from afar, eyes meeting. ES runs away.

ES is in the library, studying. YD comes and asks if she and Tan saw the performance together- isn’t that why she went to Tan’s house? ES says because of YD, they couldn’t.

YD wants to know who ES’s mom, the woman who showed up at the meeting and offered to pay for the camp when her daughter works all these part-time jobs. ES replies that it is someone he can’t even image, and go away- she has to study for the midterms. YD finds her spunk refreshing- “what is she,” he exclaims.

Midterms. Everyone is taking their test well, it seems, except MS, who tries to cheat of Tan. Tan looks confident with his answers. BN is also not doing well, her test paper with “Chan Young” doodled on it. YD too, who is just darkening in “A” for everything.

Results are out. CY is no.1 R is 2. BN is proud of CY. CY is proud that BN wept up 7 places. She is now #37. Tan asks how CY became number one. CY says he was born like this. Tan: “Like I was born handsome?” ROFL. 

MS looks at the list and laughs. Tan is last- 100^th place. MS is 99, and YD is 98. HAHAHAHA. YD, who just picked any answer got a higher score than TAN. ROFLMAO! He is completely embarrassed. ES comes, wanting to know her score, but Tan blocks her, saying she placed 52nd. She runs away embarrassed. Tan give a sigh of relief.

In class, the teacher lists the kids not signed up to go to the leadership camp yet. Tan and YD are on that list, but YD raises his hand to say he is going, knowing now that ES is going but Tan is not. R texts Tan to see him outside.

Outside, R tells Tan about E  wanting to eat brunch together. Tan says okay. R says whoever he is dating or likes doesn’t change anything about their engagement- it’s a different genre. She asks why Tan is not going to the camp- what if she bothers ES there. Has things fizzled already between him and ES? Or did he get dumped? It seems like they are avoiding each other.

Tan replies, “I’m thinking right now. How to protect myself, how to protect her from everyone, including you.”

R seems hurt, but her pride only lets her respond with sarcasm. She is also curious about what YD said before- what did he see at Tan’s house. Tan says if his and R’s engagement is as she says it is, then there is no reason for her to know.

HS shows up. He comments that it always seems like R is the one hanging onto Tan. She gets mad at that. He says he is envious of her; he didn’t even get to do that.

Yoon gets on elevator to go see Won at the Zeus Hotel. He sees that guy from before, who is doing the spy work for Daddy Kim. When he catches the guy in the act trying to pretend he was not going to the same floor that Won is on, Yoon knows for sure that this guy is spying on Won for Chairman Kim.

Yoon reports to Won about some business. He also relays that CEO Choi wants to play golf with him and Tan, including his own son. Won wants to talk tomorrow since he has to go somewhere now.

Yoon asks if Won is going to see HJ now. He warns Won against seeing HJ for now, saying that Chairman Kim has set a tail on him. “Chairman knows about the relationship between you and HJ.”

Won asks why Yoon is telling him this- wasn’t he on Dad’s side. Yoon says that at both times, when he was working for the chairman and now working with Won, Yoon is nothing more but a salaryman. Yoon says Won will have to choose, since the chairman is not one to be patient.

Won: “He’ll ask if I want the Jeguk Group or one woman.” Yoon asks, “What will you do?”

HJ, who has been waiting for Won, gets a text from him saying he can’t come today, don’t wait. Hyun Joo gets that sinking feeling, and says to herself, “Is today the day? We must have broken up today.”

HS shows up in a car. She scolds him for wasting his time like this when the college admissions test is coming up. HS says to HJ, “Since you quit tutoring, then I am not a student anymore.” He kisses her on the forehead. Embarrassed, he hurriedly says goodnight and leaves.

Meal between JS, E, R, and Tan. E brings up ES, asking who she is- ES’s mom (KA) said that ES talks about Tan a lot. R says Tan is friends with ES. She then suddenly asks, “What do I need to do to break off the engagement between me and Tan? I don’t want to be Kim Tan’s fiance anymore.” The parents send R and Tan away, saying they will talk over this. Right, because the kids don’t matter at all in their OWN engagement. 

Outside, Tan asks why R is doing this- “What is it that you want to gain by doing this?” R replies, “You getting disheartened and hurt. You seeing reality and falling apart.” Tan replies, “Still, I’m not going to go out with you.” R snaps right back, “You can’t date ES either. Do you think I did this to break the engagement? Just watch now how your family and my family react.”

Tan sighs, saying R is getting worse. R asks, “What were you doing while my affection turned into anger?” Tan gets a call. It’s from dad. R: “It’s started. Let’s see now. Whether you can exchange everything you have right now with ES.”

At home, Dad asks Tan why R asking to break the engagement. KA eavesdrops from outside the room, and scurries off to find ES.

Tan answers that he doesn’t like R. Dad says that is no reason. He adds, “I’m starting to think more and more that your brother was right. That it was better when you were in the U.S. For you and R. For you and your brother. For you and me. For your brother and me.”

Dad continues, “You’re different from your bother.” Tan finishes, “Because I am a bastard.” Dad explains that is why Tan needs R- Tan needs the insurance and R is the best insurance. Tan replies he doesn’t need that kind of insurance.

Tan: “This house becomes more lonely with me here.”

KA asks ES if she heard  YD going around in school talking about Tan’s real mom. ES replies she hasn’t heard anything like that. KA worries, “Then why did R say she wants to end the engagement?” KA asks ES if R and Tan don’t get along in school. When ES can’t answer, KA gets frustrated, asking what ES is doing when they are sending her to this school.

Tan comes in  and when he sees ES, he yells at his mom for making ES a spy. KA wants Tan to go to camp and be nice to R. Tan says he is not going. KA gets mad, saying she is spending so much money on this trip. Tan snaps, “Who told you to do that?” and leaves. That little brat.

ES follows after him, wanting to know why he is not going to camp.  He says it is because he doesn’t want to see her. He goes up the stairs, but ES stops before she takes a step up too. She knows and feels the unspoken division of space and places she can walk around freely in this house; as the maid’s daughter, it’s not easy for her to go upstairs to the family’s private area. Instead, she asks him for one minute to talk, but he refuses and continues up to his room.

Still, wanting to talk to him, ES takes that extra step and goes upstairs. Tan goes into his room, but he doesn’t close the door, wanting to see if she has followed him. She hesitates to go into his room, standing outside his door, and Tan waiting, expecting. When it takes too long and his patience grows thin, Tan opens the door himself, telling her to come in if she has something to say.

When ES hesitates again on going into his room, Tan is about to close the door on her, but ES speaks up and comes in, seeing the dream catcher hanging at his window.

ES says Tan should go to the camp, not her, since his mom is spending the money for Tan and his friends. Instead of answering her, Tan brings up YD again, asking what she and YD talked about when she went over to his hotel room. Before ES can answer, KA knocks on the door.

Tan quickly hides ES behind him and opens the door just a tiny bit to tell his mom that he is changing. KA wants to know what his dad said to him. Tan replies, “That I need an insurance like R because I am a bastard.” KA leaves, indignant.

Tan looks at ES and tells her to breathe. She gives a deep breath. ES asks Tan to think over going to the leadership camp again. Tan says he isn’t because if he goes, either he or YD won’t come back alive.

ES has nothing to say to that so she says goodnight and makes to leave, but Tan says she might run into KA if she goes right now. ES says she can avoid KA well, but Tan replies she won’t be able to because he will yell as soon as ES leave. Tan doesn’t want ES to leave so he is about to make good on his threat when ES blocks his mouth.

Tan: “Just a moment. Just a minute. This is the first time you came to my room.” ES replies, “I can’ t come here. The house you live in and the room I live in are different worlds. There are thresholds in life that I can’t cross. Your room is like that threshold.” ES turns to leave, but Tan holds her back and embraces her from the back.

ES gets mad, saying he isn’t listening to her.  Tan interrupts her, “Just wait a little. I will make it so that you can cross every threshold in this world. I am thinking of a way right now. Have a good trip. I will miss you.”

At the hangout, MS, BN, and YS.  BN texts CY, wanting to do couple things at the camp, like hold hands and such.  This couple is so adorable and fluffy today, but unfortunately, they seem to be here mostly for PPL.

At the leadership camp. MS takes pictures. BN and R are both not putting up the tent. CY says he will do it.

ES is setting up the tent. YS doesn’t want to help. YD says he will help her. MS takes a picture of ES and YD working on the tent together. Looking at the picture, MS suddenly remembers that he saw ES come out of Tan’s house at dawn. YD: “Dawn?” ES says MS is mistaken, but YD is now all serious.

At school, Tan and HS talk. HS wants to know why Tan isn’t at camp when ES is there. Tan: “So she can miss me.” Tan is jealous that HS is talking about ES like they are close friends.

The conversation between these two continue, and we learn that HS came to the US last year and tried to commit suicide.  He is still getting treatment, taking medicine, and his mom is making sure that HS takes the proper amount. Tan asks if nothing at home as changed for him, and HS confirms. But HS says he is planning something right now, but he is not sure if he will actually do it. Tan tells him to not do anything that puts his life in danger. HS assures Tan that he doesn’t want to go to the hospital again.

At camp again, they play paintball. Funny MS, parodying a movie. BN and CY parody the movie “Shiri.” Omg, this is so ridiculous and hilarious at the same time.

ES is not doing anything when YD shows up. He asks why ES came out of Tan’s house at DAWN. ES says it wasn’t her. YD doesn’t believe her.  “Who are you? Are you adopted?” ES shoots YD. YD’s shocked face is priceless.

BBQ time. CY and BN sneak off, and MS captures them on camera. YD and ES eat together. YD eats, constantly looking at ES. She doesn’t meet his eye. He bothers her so when ES gets up to leave, he announces that ES will do the dishes. He offers, “Shall I help you?”

Except, he is not helping her. ES is doing the dishes. CY comes to help. He learns that YD made this happen. YD asks if CY and BN all knew that ES was a charity case. MS comes and YD is about to ask if MS knew too, but ES stops him, calling him away.

Alone, they talk. YD points out that ES only gives him attention when he does something bad. He asks once again, “What is your relationship with Kim Tan?” ES snaps back, “If we are something, what are you going to do? Who are you to do anything? Just bully me like you used to. I’m not scared of you anymore.” ES walks away from him. Again.

Alone, ES looks at phone. She finally calls Tan, but he doesn’t pick up. ES sees R. R is calling someone too. R comes over and takes ES’s phone. She sees ES is calling Tan. She slaps ES.  ES says since she got hit already, she will now do something that deserves that slap. She asks for her phone back, wanting to call Tan. R is about to slap ES again, but YD stops her, saying, “Ah, I forgot to introduce her. Cha Eun Sang is mine from now on. Only I can bother her.” He takes her away from R.

Alone together again, ES  says to YD that he thought well, this is much more like him. YD replies that ES has not even seen half of what he can be like. At this moment, YD  sees Tan approaching, calling someone. ES has not seen him yet. YD says to ES, “I will show you from now on.” He pulls ES in for a hug, and Tan sees.Fire burns in his eyes.

No preview.

Comment:

I have a lot to say about this episode, from the development and use of side characters, to writer Kim Eun Sook’s trademark abundance of wrist grabbing and forced or surprise physical contact, the friendship between Tan and Hyo Shin, the budding reliance of ES’s mom and KA on each other, the brief moments of comedy, the Hyo Shin, Hyun Joo, and Won triangle, and finally the characters of Kim Tan, Eun Sang, and Young Do individually. It’s actually like I want to write a halfway mark review or a midterm report of this drama now that we are done with ten episodes, but I am falling asleep at my desk, so not now. Coming soon.

But I will stay awake to write this. I love Tan and Eun Sang. Together. More now because Eun Sang is taking that extra step and showing a little bit of more courage. The feelings are mutual and out in the open, and Tan is finally taking that step back  to figure out a way for ES to not get hurt, and Eun Sang is taking that step forward, closer to Tan. It’s complicated, it’s imperfect, and these two are young and foolish. But they’re growing up, through and with each other. I look forward to seeing more of that.

Proper comments coming after I get some rest!