Live Recap: Trot Lovers Episode 10

I can’t stand watching Ji Hyun Woo rolled into a hospital again, not after Queen In Hyun’s Man. That traumatized me for life.

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 10

Shim Soo Bong “I Only Know Love”

CH sits under the tree, quietly singing  Shim Soo Bong’s “I Only Know Love” as she listens to it through her earphones. JH slowly approaches CH but she doesn’t see him because her eyes are closed. He kneels down in front of her and gently kisses her. CH opens her eyes. JH takes off her earphone and says, “You always get into trouble when you’re out of my sight.” He kisses her again. JH gently says, “Sorry,” and they embrace. CH and JH walk down the hill hand in hand.

JH drives CH home. CH asks him to come in since Byul misses him. JH wants to see Byul too but they have to be careful. CH is famous now and all eyes are on her; he doesn’t want a scandal happening. CH says she doesn’t care about that kind of stuff. JH holds her hand and says, “Let’s be patient.” CH pouts- “Can’t we just hang out together like before? I want to be together.” JH cups her face and teases, “What did you say?” CH is too embarrassed to repeat it.

In her bedroom, CH smiles ear to ear holding the pin JH gave her. JH texts her to ask if she is you sleeping several times as she doesn’t respond. He asks, “How could you sleep on the day of your first kiss?” CH responds it wasn’t her first kiss, some “bad guy” was her first kiss. JH gets mad and calls her- who was this “bad guy”? CH reminds him that he kissed her before. TS can’t sleep because of JH so JH and CH hide under their covers to talk.

Next day at Shine Star, GW asks CH to eat lunch together, and CH reacts in surprise. GW asks why- it’s only one meal out of the three meals she eats everyday. “It’s not like I am asking you to marry me.” CH explains, “You asked me before if I had someone I liked. I have someone like that now. I am going to eat with him today.” GW replies slowly, “I feel embarrassed because your response is so long.” For GW, it would have been better if CH had just given a short reply of “no.”

Going to lunch and after, in the Shine Star building, CH and JH pretend to be casual coworkers in front of other people, but secretly hold hands inside the elevator, exchanged winks, etc. CH also secretly passes him a note that says see you later with hearts on it. SI sees this and smiles.

CH and JH are at a stream, splashing around with their feet. JH tries to take a picture of her feet, calling it cute, but CH is embarrassed. They continue to enjoy the fresh air and cool water together.

GW is at a bar with his friends playing poker. GW wins the play and his friends say he never loses. GW responds, taking a shot, that he came to lose today but that is not going his way. One friend asks about the girl GW brought to the equestrian center and he responds she is someone that isn’t responding the way he wants either.

CH and JH write a cute relationship contract, arguing who likes who more. Barf- each argue that they like the other more. The person who likes the other one more has to make the other person smile, compliment each other, pat each other on the head, etc.- all the things that are nauseatingly sweet. JH writes her name as “MJ” in this contract and CH teases him about it when he tells her it is the medal that brought them together. CH say she has a special name for him to on her phone and after some physical flirtation, JH sees that his ID on her phone is “Bad Guy.” He changes it to “Good Guy” (literally “pretty guy”).

GW is drinking away alone at the bar and SI shows up. SI tells him there is a couple now at Shine Star- CH and JH. Did GW know about it? GW says he did. SI says there must be something like fate- she didn’t think CH and JH would end up together. GW scoffs- does SI believe in that stuff? SI asks, “Did you know? I like you.” GW responds, “I’m sorry, but to put it in your words, you and I are not fate.” SI asks if it because of CH- “She likes someone else, are you going to keep waiting?” GW responds it doesn’t matter who CH likes, it is enough that he likes her.

CH and JH are watching TV together. JH turns off the tTV and the lights and leans in toward CH. CH says it’s too fst and she’s not ready yet, but JH asks what she is thinking. He takes a small projector out that shows JH and CH at the stream together. His song for her plays in the background.

SI’s mom (Yang) and Wang talk about SI’s competition who is dropping in the music charts, so SI should be number one soon. Wang gets a call.

Yang and Wang arrive at the scene of SI’s accident. She is hiding in her car as the injured party bangs on her window to get out. Wang tries to calm down the man and handle the situation but the man finds out that the driver is the famous Park Soo In. He yells out that a famous singer was drunk driving.

Yang yells at SI as they are going home- how can she drive drunk when she is so close to being number one?

JH has made an omelet for CH and puts peas in a heart shape on top of it. TS comes home and thinks it is his and starts to push off the peas. CH comes out of bathroom and sees TS. Her face falls because TS has interrupted their sweet time together.

JH walks CH out. He, as the party that likes the other person more in this relationship, offers his head for her to pat in compliment. This is unbearably cute.

Inside, TS finds the projector and finds out CH and JH are dating. He teases JH about it as well as the song that JH made for CH.

SI cries in her room.

Next day at the broadcast station, SI sits worried. CH is also there and she gets a text message from JH asking for a selfie and if she will be number one today. CH says there is no chance and goes out to prepare to sing.

SI sees on the monitoring screen that she has been removed as a contender for no.1. The director tells her the news of her drunk driving incident is all over the internet so they pulled her out. It is these two other groups competing for first place now.

SI and manager are on their way out when CH sees them. Not knowing anything, CH brightly thanks SI for telling her about those photos- things have worked out between CH and JH. CH also loudly cheers SI, telling her she will win no.1 today. SI simmers in anger and violently kicks a pail.

JH calls CH and she rushes out to see him, but fans crowd around and JH can only quietly leave. But he leaves with a smile on is face after he sends her a heart. CH looks apologetic.

JH runs into GW’s dad who asks if JH is disappointed that CH only made it to third place on the show today. JH says no and GW’s asks why when he worked so hard. JH replies CH did that all by herself and he doesn’t want his album to be linked to her. He will make his comeback on his own. He leaves. GW’s dad says to himself that JH will be ready to come back soon with his own album.

JH is home (TS’s place) and CH comes and gives him a back hug, happy to see him.  They get a call.

Loan sharks, coach, Byul, and TS are there at the restaurant to throw CH a party for reaching no.3 today on the show. CM offers CH’s alcohol, but JH blocks it, saying he will drink instead, CH is too tired to drink. CM asks why JH is doing this when he is not her manager or anything special. JH agrees, but still! He drinks the soju and TS watches sadly since JH can’t openly declare that he is CH’s girlfriend.

At night, CH and JH talk on the phone. CH asks JH to sing at her concert, that song he made for her. JH refuses- anything else but this- and CH pouts. She hangs up.

TS asks if they are fighting already. JH tells him what CH asked but he can’t since CH can’t have anything to do with him. He doesn’t want her to be tainted, especially when she worked so hard to get there. Her dad still hasn’t returned yet and JH wants to stand on her stage honorably after he makes his comeback on his own. TS listens to this sadly and later on he secretly puts up a notice on a site for self-composed songs. He thinks to himself this is the only thing he could do to help right now.

Yang stops SI from taking pills. She yells at her daughter for acting this way, because of GW, because of someone like CH. SI says she suffered from the age of 14 after entering Shine Star. She doesn’t regret it because she wanted to stand on the stage, but Choon Hee! Yang slaps SI and tells her this is nothing, don’t fall apart because of someone like CH. “Step on her, or you will be stepped on!”

Yang meets a politician and offers CH as someone who can sing an election song for him.

Yang calls in CH to her office and tells her that a politician asked for her to sing an election song. CH gratefully accepts and thanks Yang.

CH and the politician sit alone at a restaurant together. He acts a little too friendly and CH starts to feel uncomfortable. Yang calls the politician to says something came up and she is not coming. Uh oh.

At Shine Star, Wang hands CH the election song she is to sing. He smiles to himself as he leaves. Uh oh again.

Yang and Wang sit in her office. Wang tells her that rumors will now spread about the politician and CH through chirashi (underground tabloids).

JH asks another composer to listen to his song but the guy refuses, saying he can’t work with JH yet.

JH runs into HY outside and HY provokes JH saying there is a rumor of CH and a politician going around, that he is her sponsor. JH gets mad and asks where it came from. HY replies CH must have a lot of enemies at Shine Star.

At Shine Star, JH watches CH happily playing chopsticks in the practice room. He smiles and goes in. He puts his arms around her to teach her how to play the piano properly, making up lyrics about him and her as he plays. When people walk by, he quickly pulls away and pretends to yell at her.

CH and JH find a place to hang out outside. CH says she feels a little anxious since things are going so well for her these days, except her dad not being here. JH tells her not to worry since she is doing well and her dad will return soon. CH leans on JH’s shoulder and JH gives her a kiss on her head.

CH is at a radio show. She is asked why her concert is called “Hyo” concert, “hyo” meaning filial duty. CH explains it is because she started singing in order to find her dad. She has picked a song to sing today for her father and for all parents in the world. CH sings the song “Father’s Youth” by Park Jin Do.

Yoo Mi’s dad (Yoo Mi the talented girl we saw yesterday) sits in his car and hears CH’s song. He watches his daughter’s video and goes to her. He hugs her.

JH gets a call. Someone has found CH’s dad. JH finds CH’s dad (MS).

MS and JH sit at a restaurant. JH tells MS that CH became a singer to find him. “Please come home. They are looking for you.” Dad says he doesn’t want to be a burden to them; parents want to be of help to their kids. JH replies, “Whatever the story is, what is important now is that you are next to Choon Hee. Dad just asks JH to not tell CH that he met him. He asks JH if he likes CH. JH replies yes. Dad asks JH to take care of CH so that she can keep singing.

JH sees Byul sitting outside her house. She is playing the ukulele that she won. Byul asks him to fix the sound of her ukulele. Something seems to be wrong. He plays and sings “You Are My Sunshin,” replacing “you” with “Byul.” He plays another song – “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” “Byul” is “star ” in Korean. These two are too cute.

JH tells TS about the rumor going around about CH. TS says it is worse since it a politician and a “sponsorship” rumor, not just a simple dating rumor. It would be better if CH could say she had a boyfriend but JH can’t do declare that he is her boyfriend.

JH goes to a jewelry store with a design of a necklace. He explains it is to propose on stage with it.

CH is practicing in the studio and JH comes in and tells her that he will be the special guest at her concert. He has something to tell her then. CH asks what. JH tells her to learn to wait. CH smiles, saying she will.

CH and JH continue to act nauseatingly cute. It stops when CH gets a call from Yoo Mi.

SI sits at home drinking wine and thinks about what GW said about waiting for CH, what CH said about her and JH, and what mom said to her about stepping on CH. SI watches an interview of CH on TV and throws her wine glass at it in anger.

CH knocks on GW’s door, peeks in, and tells him about Yoo Mi. Yoo Mi’s dad gave her permission and she will start training soon during her summer break..

GW invites CH to come in. He gives her an envelope filled with money. The agency has earned a lot of money because of her and he is giving her a bonus. CH says she will take only half, the rest as JH’s guitar. GW asks, “Didn’t you say you needed money fast?” But if that is what CH wants…. CH nods and takes the guitar. As she leaves, GW places his hand over his chest again- “The dagger is nailed in.”

CH is extremely happy with the guitar.

Byul is playing badminton by herself outside the house. GW’s dad approaches her and asks why she is playing alone. Byul calls him the “Hawaii grandpa” since he wears those Hawaiian shirts all the time. He offers to play with her.

Byul and GW’s dad sit and eat ice cream. He asks what does CH’s boyfriend do- who is that tall guy that ate dinner before? Byul replies that CH doesn’t’ have a boyfriend and that guy is just a CEO to CH still. But it does seem CH has someone she likes and Byul can’t make up her mind between that person and the CEO- She thought the CEO was the best when he took CH to the hospital but the other guy seem to be the best when he played the ukulele. She can’t decide between the best choice for the current situation or being loyal. Dad grumbles to himself the GW can’t even win over a girl’s heart.

At coach’s restaurant, coach asks TS to help out CH at her concert since CH’s backup singers all got sick. PN comes and TS volunteers himself and her to go. PN unknowingly goes to CH’s concert hall and finds out there it is CH she is supposed to sing for. PN feels a little weird doing this but since TS asked her, she will.

JH buys a doll for CH and is on his way to the her ready room when he sees SI in a hat coming out of that room, wiping red stuff off her hand. He calls out to her but SI runs away without looking back.

JH goes into room and sees CH’s concert dress smeared with red paint. He gets a call from CH- she is waiting for him at the theater on the stage like he asked her to by text. But JH never sent a text like that and he connects the dots between what HY said enemies at Shine Star and SI’s behavior. He anxiously tells CH to stay put, he will come to her. He runs.

CH sits on stage alone and says out loud, “You’ll come to my concert, right, dad?” SI is behind the curtain about to pull a rope when JH rushes into the theater and stops. JH spots CH and is relieves to see she is safe. CH stands up to excitedly greet JH but JH sees SI behind the curtain pulling at the rope. SI pulls the rope and a stage prop starts to fall. JH runs and protects CH from the stage prop. CH is fine but JH gets hurt, unconscious and his head bleeding. SI shakes in fright behind the curtain and CH calls out for help.

CH wraps his head with her shirt and tells the unconscious JH that she will come back soon after calling 911. CH leaves and SI rushes out to JH then.

CH runs outside, limping. She sees a janitor and asks for her phone. CH calls 911, crying. Inside the theater, SI tries to wake JH. Other guys show up and spots SI and JH.

CH tries to get back into theater but other staff members won’t allow her, saying it is a site of an accident.

Through another door, JH is rolled out with SI running next to him, trying to wake him up. She is allowed to go in the ambulance with him. CH comes a little too late and she can’t get into the ambulance, although she keeps banging on the door. The ambulance drives away and CH collapses onto the floor, crying.

No preview for episode 11

Comments:

With the cute comes the angst. K-drama law dictates that the OTP can’t be too happy for long; something has to drop, literally a stage prop this time, to tear our happy couple apart. I know it’s coming, but it stills breaks my heart, especially when watching Choon Hee cry so sorrowfully.

Soo In goes off the deep end this episode, propelled forward by the drunk driving accident. As with all villains, Soo In needs someone to blame for her mistakes and she finds the answer in Choon Hee. We don’t know the exact story between her mom and Choon Hee’s mom, but for now can we say, like mother, like daughter? I’ve been able to give Soo In the benefit of the doubt so far because we see how her mother treats her and what she teaches her, but I don’t think I can anymore. I still hope for Soo In’s redemption, not because she deserves it, but because we don’t need two people like Soo In’s mom in the world. But please no Geun Woo and Soo In. It’s too much of a neat little bow to top off the drama.

We saw a bit more of the dark underbelly of the Korean entertainment industry where celebrities get mixed up, in rumors or in truth, with scandals that can’t even be printed in newspapers. This is “sponsorship” territory, where powerful and rich men “sponsor” female celebrities so they can have influence and money in return for who knows what. It could simply be companionship but sometimes the line is crossed and rumors like this is terrible for a celebrity, especially if they are untrue.

Rumors about Choon Hee and that politician force Joon Hyun’s hand. At first I thought he might let rumors spread about Choon Hee and Geun Woo, but after seeing him ordering that jewelry, it seems he has decided to reveal that he is Choon Hee’s real boyfriend. This is probably more harmful to Joon Hyun than Choon Hee, since it can appear he is the desperate, once-famous artist trying to share the spotlight with the rising hot star and Choon Hee can look like someone who is just too nice and innocent for liking someone like Joon Hyun. Ugh, if it weren’t for Soo In, we would have found out what Joon Hyun was planning.

I feared a little bit yesterday that Geun Woo might turn bad, but thankfully he hasn’t. It’s a little awkward to translate, but when Geun Woo said to Soo In at the bar that it doesn’t matter that Choon Hee doesn’t like him, it is enough that he likes her, he meant it in a way that means he doesn’t expect anything in return for his feelings. Typical jealous second leads wouldn’t even say such a thing like it is enough he likes the girl; it’s usually “I like you but why won’t you like me?” Geun Woo respects Choon Hee’s feelings and she tells him immediately that she has someone that she likes. My compliments to both- they know how to respect another person’s feelings, as well as their own.