Live Recap: Trot Lovers Episode 9

Is a song for Choon Hee in the works? Or a song about Choon Hee? Sometimes longing, heart-break, and love can only be expressed in a song- rhythm matching your beating heart, lyrics the poetry of unspoken emotion.

Apparently Ji Hyun Woo composed the song he is going to play in this scene for this episode.

For a taste of his skills, here is “Good Addiction” from his Crescendo album (composed and lyrics by Ji Hyun Woo, translated by Joonni)

 

I love you. Any way you are.
Thank you. I will always be by your side.

The girl I know shines too brightly. She is beautiful.
I unknowingly fell in love from the first moment I saw her.

At times like a father.
At times like a friend.
At times like a child,
I will show you my cute side (aegyo).

I love you. Any way you are.
Thank you. I will always be by your side.

The girl I know is sometimes unpredictable and awkward.
Even all that is too lovable to me.

At times warmly.
At times cozily.
At times sweetly,
I will take up the challenge of aegyo.

I love you. Any way you are.
Thank you. I will always be by your side.

At times we might fight.
In those moments, I will be the first to beg for forgiveness.

I am happy because I met you.
Let’s walk together for a long, long time.

Live streaming link –

http://www.kbs.co.kr/player/player_playlist.php?ch=12#kbs

http://www.kodhit.com/kbs2-online

Character Key for live recap shorthand

Leads

 Jang Joon Hyun (JH)- Hot kpop star

 Choi Choon Hee (CH)- loves the unsophisticated trot music

 Park Soo In (SI)- singer in training at Shine Star agency

 Jo Geun Woo (GW)- Shine Star’s CEO

Leads’ families

 Choi Byul (CB)- Choi Choon Hee’s sister

 Choi Myung Shik (MS)- Choi Choon Hee’s dad

 Yang Joo Hee (JH)- Park Soo In’s mom

 Jo Hee Moon (HM)- Jo Geun Woo’s dad

 Shine Star staff

 Na Pil Nyeo (PN)- Shine Star trainee for 10 years

 Director Wang (Wang)- a director (not film, just a title at company) at Shine Star

Other minor characters

 Kim Woo Gab (WG)- Midas CEO

 Team leader Nam (Nam)- Heads planning team at Midas

 Seol Tae Song (TS)- Jang Joon Hyun’s manager

 Lee Chul Man (CM)- loan shark

 Lee Yoo Shik (YS)- loan shark, Lee Chul Man’s cousin

 Bang Ji Sook (JS)- Choi Choon Hee’s marathon coach and mentor

 Shin Ho Yeol (HY)- Jang Joon Hyun’s rival

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Episode 9

JH walks out of CH’s house with his suitcase and gives it one final look back.

CH is done with the radio show and she runs out into the hallway. Hard as she looks, she doesn’t see JH waiting for her.CH rushes home but JH is not there either. All his stuff is gone too.

JH is at TS’s house and makes fried rice (out of the onigiri). He places down two extra spoons out of habit and he realizes this with sadness.

CH has also made fried rice for dinner. Byul asks where JH is, wanting to show off her perfect test score, and CH replies that he isn’t coming anymore- he has gone back to his original place.

CH sees and clutches the hair pin that JH had secretly bought for her.

Inside his suitcase, JH finds the note CH wrote for him at the instrument experience exhibition- “Your guitar- I will bring it back to you.”

SI’s mom tells SI about the deal GW made regarding CH and the photos and tells her to stop liking GW- he is a man who likes someone like CH.

At TS’s house, JH is restless, pacing back and forth and strumming his guitar and singing. He gets a call from SI and he goes to see her. SI asks for a song from JH again. JH says he gave her an answer before but SI reminds him in a thinly veiled threat he is no longer CH’s manager; if he produces her album, his near scandal with CH can be completely covered. JH asks how SI knows about that, but she doesn’t answer. She just says she will think JH has agreed.

CH is at the radio station and she hears JH’s voice and imagines him encouraging her.

PN has come to coach’s restaurant, and coach thinks PN is TS’s girlfriend. She says TS has been acting very happy these days. Coach promises to support PN.

PN and TS go shopping together for TS’s ideal type- TS describes that person as a goddess and PN thinks he is talking about her.

TV department head sits down for coffee with CH. He tells her about what JH did so her TV ban could be lifted- stalking him and getting hot coffee spilled on himself.

CH is waiting for JH outside TS’ house. She has learned about JH’s whereabouts from TS. JH is happy to see her but pretends not to be. CH asks why he left without a word and why he hasn’t called since then. JH asks coldly why should he call. CH replies because they are friends. JH counters they are not; they just worked together. He is busy since he needs to prepare his own album. CH stops him from leaving to say she heard how and why JH got hurt. JH coldly explains it is not because of her that he got hurt so don’t come see him again. He pushes her into her car and walks away. CH gets out of the car and calls out to him, but JH angrily yells back, “Go!” CH, upset by JH’s harshness, leaves.

Someone is taking photographs again but JH catches him this time. JH takes out the memory card and warns him not to do it again.

Lying in bed, JH thinks about SI’s offer.

Next day, JH agrees to help SI on her album. The two run into CH, but JH doesn’t say anything to her. SI tells CH that JH is producing her album. She asks if it will be uncomfortable for CH that JH, once CH’s manager, is now working on her album. JH says why, they are professionals.

CH is at coach’s restaurant. TS hears that JH is producing SI’s album. CH mutters bitterly that JH said he was working on his album. She learns from TS that SI is JH’s first love. CH is visibly upset as she  chugs water.

Coach asks CH outside the restaurant, “Do you like JH?” CH denies it, but coach says third parties usually notice this type of thing faster.

CH has come home and GW is also there with groceries to get more dinner off of CH.

GW makes steak dinner. GW is concerned about the cupboard door which almost fell on CH before, and Byul mistakenly slips that JH, calling him “our ahjusshi,” fixed the door. CH gives Byul a look at GW stands there in uncomfortable silence.

They are sitting down to dinner and Byul is eating well. She lets it slip again that JH taught her that medium rare steak was better. Again, GW looks a little disappointed. GW tries to drink from JH’s cup, but CH stops him, giving the excuse that the cup has a crack.

GW sits outside in his car, moping. His dad creeps up to the car window, scaring him. Hehe, like father, like son. They talk and Dad lets him know that he knows GW likes CH. Dad advices him, “You’ve never waited for anything so learn how to wait at this chance. If you wait, an opportunity will come.” GW shrugs him off, saying he is going to work hard at his job.

Wang brings papers for GW to sign, confirming JH becoming the producer of SI’s album. GW doesn’t sign in quickly and carelessly like he usually does, saying he will look at it thoroughly, and Wang is surprised by this change in behavior. Wang tells GW about a lot of people sending mail and videos to Shine Star wanting to be the “Next CH” and this gives GW an idea. He gives Wang a big hug and declares he is going to start a project to find the “Next CH.” This was not what Wang expected either.

PN is getting in trouble by the producer for fighting with the other backup singers, but CH comes to say hi to PN and the producer immediately forgives PN. PN is not grateful, though, thinking CH is just showing off and looking down on her.

GW asks CH to become a judge to pick the “Next CH.” She is the only one with trot knowledge at the agency.

Loan shark CM, the older one, comes to coach’s restaurant. He has come with a gift for her. TS sees this- he has also come with a gift but it is noticeably smaller. Suddenly younger loan shark, YM, barges in, disrupting the mood. He was looking for CM and they leave in a hurry.

TS can’t bring himself to give his gift to coach. He ends up just giving it to PN who has also come to restaurant wondering when he was going to give the gift to her.

GW and CH are driving somewhere to find the “Next CH” – trot prodigy Seo Yoo Mi.

JH and SI find out about this trip from Wang. SI yells at JH for not doing anything about CH when he likes her.

GW and CH have come to a school in search of Seo Yoo Mi. They find her singing alone in a hidden corner of the school. They approach her after hearing her sing. Girl says her dad won’t allow it because he is ashamed of her. She shows them her scar on the side of his face.

GW and CH find Seo Yoo Mi’s dad. He refuses to let his daughter become a singer. CH asks cautiously if it because he is ashamed of his daughter and her scar. He becomes really angry. CH tries again later to show Yoo Mi’s dad a video of his daughter singing, explaining Yoo Mi looks so happy singing. But dad refuses to see it and leaves. GW points out that CH really doesn’t stop once she starts.

GW and CH go back to where his car is parked, but it isn’t there. It’s been towed, but that place is closed too. They go to take the train station and GW lies the train is coming soon so CH starts running. She yells at GW who can’t keep up, calling him a broom.

Some ahjummas recognize CH and ask for her autograph and think GW is her boyfriend. GW doesn’t deny it. They give her some snacks to eat.

GW and CH eat the dried squid snack. GW tells her that he once at cooked and ate the squid while he was living in New York. People reported him to the police since it smelled so much. CH asks if he didn’t eat squid after that. GW replies, “Me?! I ate it even more.” A boy sitting on the next bench over starts crying for his mom. GW asks if they should run away since kids don’t stop crying once they start. CH ignores him and goes over to the boy.

CH and GW bring the boy to the police station- his mom is coming to pick him up. They get up to leave since their train is coming soon but the boy cries again, not wanting CH to go. So GW and CH stay, and CH sings to comfort the boy. GW watches and smiles.

GW and CH end up missing their train, which was the last train of the day.

JH is coach’s restaurant and finds out CH has missed the last train.

JH waits in front of CH’s house. GW’s dad is there too and JH tells him that CH and GW are together, not coming home. JH calls GW an ultra slime bag to his father and the dad reminds JH that he is GW’s dad after all. JH wonders if GW’s dad can’t do anything about GW- how did he raise his son? GW’s dad agrees- he can’t do anything about his son. There are some things in this world that he can’t do anything about it.

GW and CH wait for the first train at the train station. CH wonders if she overstepped her boundaries before with Yoo Mi’s dad. Her dad didn’t want CH to do marathon either. CH wonders if Yoo Mi’s dad didn’t want his daughter to get hurt by people because of the scar. CH wanted to Yoo Mi to sing even though she might get hurt but parents might feel different. GW says everyone is different and that is he on CH’s side, though.

It’s dawn and JH has spent all night waiting in front of CH’s house. He hides when he see GW and CH. CH goes in and GW starts to leave when JH comes out to block GW’s taxi. JH confronts GW, asking him if he is the CEO- didn’t he tell JH to leave because scandals can happen? What about a scandal between CH and GW? GW replies it doesn’t matter to him because he has the ability to stop scandal reports, JH can’t.

Tired from spending the night out, CH can’t get up even though Byul is trying to tell her about a family cooking competition at her school. Byul just leaves for school.

CH finally makes it to Shine Star and SI acts all friendly, saying she wants to buy CH food as an apology for before. They enter the restaurant and see JH who has been waiting for SI.

JH has already ordered food for SI, knowing what she like, and this pricks CH just a little. JH doesn’t really look at CH and he and SI talk about her album. SI asks why JH didn’t give a song to CH and he replies he doesn’t give a song to just anyone.

In front of CH, JH and SI act really close, in a way that shows how much JH knows about SI, and with JH acting with SI like he acted with CH.

After lunch, CH bitterly changes JH’s name on her phone to “Bad Guy.”

Byul peers into coach’s restaurant, not going in. JH has come to get keys from TS and runs into Byul in the front. He finds out Byul is worried about a family cooking competition at her school since coach and her sister can’t go.

Byul sits alone at school on the day of the competition. The teacher tells Byul she can be her partner but JH shows up in a wig and surprises Byul. They partner up for the competition and it is incredibly sweet and cute. Byul and JH win the competition! The prize is a ukulele.

Suddenly a kid calls that JH is not Byul’s family since Byul only has a sister and dad. JH calls out that he is family, although not related. With other parents protesting, the teacher takes away Byul’s prize saying they will re-evalute the results. JH gets mad but Byul calms him down.

Outside the school, Byul comforts JH and JH says she is just like CH. Byul asks him why he came and he replies, “We are family.” JH tells Byul to keep this a secret from CH. They kick the wall in sync together in disappointment.

At night, CH sees the notice for the competition in Byul’s schoolbag. She gets a call from Byul’s teacher saying Byul won the competition. CH asks Byul who came.

CH finds out it was JH. She is at the agency and sees JH’s notebook with a song title “To MJ” and CH wonders who MJ is- it’s not Soo In so who? JH comes in and grabs the notebook from her, telling her not to touch his things. Right then GW comes to the room and CH leaves, a little upset and embarrassed as she apologizes to JH.

GW warns JH that while keeping his distance from CH is good, he shouldn’t be rude to CH. JH just tells GW to watch what he is doing. SI overhears this.

SI searches for the pictures of JH and CH sleeping. SI calls CH over to tell her about the pictures and the deal JH made.

CH searches for JH and calls him. He can’t hear because he is recording a song. She goes into the recording studio coincidently and sees JH’s phone ringing. On the caller ID, it says “MJ” is calling- MJ the initials for Medal Jinsangnyeo, (jingsangnyeo basically a unlikeable woman), which is CH because of the way they first met at the marathon.

CH stands outside the recording studio hearing JH’s song for her. She finally approaches him saying, “I heard everything. You left the house because of me. To protect me.” JH replies he did it for himself, for his comeback album- he didn’t want a scandal like that. CH asks if what he is saying is true. JH says CH is misunderstanding something; she is nothing to him, he wants to get rid of all memories of her. CH takes off the hair pin he got her, asking what about this, why did you buy me this? JH pretends it is nothing, saying he wants to forget everything about her, the time with her was the worse time of his life. “Don’t block me. Don’t talk to me. Leave.” Tears fill CH’s house as JH keeps yelling, “Get out!” CH isn’t leaving, her feet glued to the ground in her shock and pain from JH’s words, so JH storms out.

JH runs into another room and cries as he whispers sorry.

CH slowly leaves Shine Star, clutching the hairpin.

JH is at TS’s home, strumming his guitar, feeling like he is suffocating. He gets a call from YS asking if he knows where CH is. She has been weird lately, and she isn’t picking up her phone. JH yells at YS for nothing do his job as manager.

JH runs around searching for CH. He can’t find her in the usual places. He remembers CH and the hairpin so he goes to to music exhibition place in Gangwondo. CH is there, but JH just misses her as she leaves.

JH goes to the tree where he took her before. He sees her sitting there listening and singing to Shim Soo Bong’s “I Only Know Love.” He approaches her slowly but she doesn’t see him because her eyes are close. He bends down in front of her and gently kisses her.

Preview for episode 10

Interviewer: It seems to mean that you have met someone.

JH: I’m going to propose with this.

CH: You once asked me if I had someone I liked. I have someone like that now.

SI: Choi Choon Hee likes someone else…

GW: It doesn’t matter who Choi Choon Hee likes. If I like someone, that is enough.

SI’s manager: SI can’t stand on today’s stage?

Producer: SI’s accident is all over the internet.

SI’s mom: It’s Choi Choon Hee again? You’re like this because of her?

JH: How dare you speak those dirty words?

HY: It’s spreading through chirashi (like a underground tabloid network)

HY: Choi Choon Hee must have a lot of enemies at Shine Star.

Comments:

This doesn’t happen often in K-dramas- the second female lead actually helping the hero and heroine get together. But since Soo In likes Geun Woo, she wants Joon Hyun and Choon Hee to end up together. If she wasn’t so conniving, bitter, and jealous towards Choon Hee,  she would be welcomed to Team Joon Hyun.

Geun Woo continues to be an interesting character- childish, strange, sweet, and cut-throat. He certainly knows what he wants and likes and has the brains and courage to pursue it, whether it be love, business, or dried squid. He hasn’t veered in to the villain territory yet,  but I felt how cold he can be when pointed out to Joon Hyun that he could block scandals while Joon Hyun couldn’t. I sympathized with how small and helpless Joon Hyun must have felt, yet it was the the cold, hard, truth laid out straight by Geun Woo. He isn’t Soo In or her mom, scheming and screaming in jealousy and injured pride, but what he said was harsh and Shin Sung Rok talking in his deep, low, and emotionless voice still scares me. Must not think of Jae Kyung!

Byul and Joon Hyun together continue to be the light of this drama, their chemistry sweet, their bond strong, and their actions in sync. Even though Joon Hyun tries to walk out of Choon Hee’s life, he can’t ignore Byul. If there only one thing Joon Hyun can walk away with from his time with Choon Hee, it is the relationship he has built with Byul, creating their own make-shift family. Family doesn’t have to be blood-related, contrary to what Byul’s classmate so adamantly wants to argue. It’s created through time spent and the love and responsibility members have for one another.