Live Recap: Trot Lovers Episode 14

Choon Hee finds herself in deep water.

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 14 Live recap will be posted and updated as the episode progresses

JH finds CH’s tea in his practice room. He says, “I will drink it well, you gum patch.” CH has been hiding behind the door and when she hears this, she walks over to hug JH tightly from the back, realization hitting her. Tears form in both their eyes as CH hugs JH. They take this moment in before JH turns around and faces her. With a smile, he says, “I’m back.” CH cries and asks if his memory came back. JH nods yes, saying he wanted to hide it for a while longer. CH hits him, demanding to know how he could forget her. JH replies he wants to hug her right now but he can’t because there is something he has to do. CH asks what it is but JH can’t tell her right now. But he will return to her soon. He cups her face and asks, “Do you believe me?” She nods tearfully. JH asks for her to keep his memory gain a secret. She agrees. He rubs her hair like he used to.

CH runs into SI in the hallway. SI leads her to the stairwell and starts yelling at CH, saying she ruined the engagement. SI tells CH, while she holds the MJ necklace, that JH loves her right now, not CH. Unfazed, CH asks coldly, “Then why do you look so nervous? You don’t look like someone who is receiving love.” CH walks away confidently. SI turn around throw her bag at CH but trips over her own feet and falls flat on her face. And I laugh like a crazy woman.

Back at home, SI calls Hwa Soon (JH’s mom), saying she has something to talk about.

CH looks at her planner. She smiles as her note for JH’s upcoming birthday. CH is playing the piano happily when JH sits next to her. She asks if he can come to her house tomorrow. JH plays a melody to indicate yes. CH’s smile stretches from ear to ear.

GW wants to continue the project to cultivate a “second CH.” Wang and Yang protest, saying CH’s image is tarnished now. CH can’t be associated with the new singer. Yang asks if GW is taking CH’s side because of personal reason. GW can’t answer. Wang suggests that CH just sing the guide song for the “second CH.” GW doesn’t think CH, a singer who has already released an album, should be singing the guide song for a rookie, but Wang says CH already agreed.

CH practices the guide song in the recording studio. She assures Yoo Mi, the young student from before, that she is happy to, since she also received a lot of help. GW looks on from afar, his expression heavy.

TS asks JH how long he is going to keep his memory return a secret. JH tells TS that he hasn’t been able to find the definitive evidence yet. TS asks what JH will do then. JH roars like a tiger, saying he has to go into the tiger’s den in order to catch the tiger.

Hwa Soon comes to find JH at Shine Star.

CH is cooking food (seaweed soup, the traditional food for birthdays in Korea) at home and Byul asks what is is for. CH says it is for JH’s birthday. Byul asks if the secret is over and CH finds out that Byul was keeping the secret about JH. She’s jealous that Byul and JH always keep her out of the loop. She smiles, though, saying she forgive JH since it is his birthday.

CH gets a call from Wang, telling her to come to a hotel right now to sing a congratulatory birthday song. Wang hangs up before CH can refuse.

JH drives HS to the hotel. He thinks he is just dropping her off, but his mom tells him to come up. JH enters the hotel restaurant to find a surprise birthday for him. SI planned it.

JH looks at his phone and sees a message from CH asking for him to call. JH walks away and Hwa Soon and SI talk about the house SI and JH will live in. SI says the three of them can live together to get on HS’s good side. SI then starts to tell Hwa Soon that there is someone coming between her and JH these days.

As JH talks to CH on the phone, he runs into her in the hotel.

HS is unhappy to hear about CH and right then, she sees CH. SI tells her that CH has chased JH all the way here, too. HS goes to CH and throws wine at her, telling CH to know her place and keep away from JH. “Don’t tempt another woman’s man!” SI watches with a smug smile on her face from behind the corner. JH drags mom away before she says any more mean things to CH.

JH yells at his mom, but he can’t really explain the truth about CH, that she is not getting in the way of his and SI’s relationship, it’s really the other way around! HS says that SI told her about CH. HS says she feels pity for SI, She didn’t like SI at first, but she seems like a good girl now. JH is shocked to hear that SI told HS those things about CH.

CH tries to clean off the wine in bathroom. She sighs. She runs into SI in hallway and SI acts all friendly, asking why CH came. CH replies Wang called her and I want to scratch SI’s eyes out.

Back in the restaurant, CH walks past GW, everyone, as she goes to the stage to sing JH his congratulatory song. SI also goes to the stage to introduce this party as both JH’s birthday and a congratulatory party for her and JH’s engagement. She calls JH to the stage and he has to go up because people start chanting. JH says he is grateful to the audience for coming. He looks at CH, worried. GW also looks at CH, worried. He walks up to her and says to her, “Let’s go. I didn’t make you a singer for you to do this.” CH insists she will sing. She can’t come off the stage now. Wang tells her to start and GW is forced to just sit back down.

CH starts singing a song- Lee Jae Hoon’s “I Love You”-  whose lyrics go “My love, I love you.” She looks warmly at JH but JH’s eyes turn red as tears line his eyes.

Yang and HS sit watching and talking about CH. HS says CH reminds her of someone- Oh Sung Joo. Yang pretends she doesn’t see the similarity.

CH is leaving the hotel but SI runs after her to say that CH has some guts to sing staring straight at someone else’s man. CH says she knows SI called her to this place. SI doesn’t deny, rubbing it in to CH that everyone is on her side. CH says she finds SI pitiful. She doesn’t know what SI is trying to earn from doing all this, but it doesn’t seem to be love. SI gets angry and runs at CH. They both fall into the pool and struggle in the water since neither can swim. I say, “Put your feet down!”

People come out and so do GW and JH. Both dive into pool but JH gets to CH faster than GW. He has to help SI instead. JH gently brings CH out of the water. People mutter about how JH didn’t say his fiance. JH takes CH to another location where he tries to apologize to her but CH tells him it is okay and that he should go back to SI.

JH chases after SI. She is mad, saying he embarrassed her in front of all those people, saving CH instead of her. SI’s face then changes, scared, asking if what she is thinking is true. JH replies it is. SI gets more scared. JH just says that he realized today that he likes CH. He asks for SI to give him some time. SI looks both relieved that JH’s memory isn’t back and astounded that JH likes CH, again.

GW chases after SI. He asks if she is dumb. CH says she is fine. GW asks if it is okay that only she is okay. He asked her to come off the stage before. He is angry because CH doesn’t listen to him, do whatever she wants, and then gets hurt. It hurts him too! CH can only nod goodbye and walk away. And GW can only watch her walk away.

At home, SI tells her mom what JH said. Yang asks if SI likes JH. SI says she is just mad to see CH, the person who made her like this, happy. Yang says she is actually relieved about this because it means JH’s memories aren’t back and they can make both JH and CH fall through a scandal.

Dad and GW sit drinking beer through a straw in front of CH’s house. Dad warns GW about Yang. GW says he knows. Dad regrets that he let Yang stay at the agency all these years even when he knew she was dangerous. But he wanted to keep the agency family together. GW looks sad so Dad can tell it’s about CH. He’s been rejected by her again.

Inside the house, CH and Byul clean up the birthday decorations they had prepared for JH while Byul tries to cheer CH up, saying it’s not easy dating a top star like JH. Suddenly, JH comes into the house and Byul jumps into his arms. CH is happy to see him too.

CH has prepared a huge dinner and JH can’t bear to eat it. CH and JH play footsy under the table, annoying Byul. After dinner Byul “plays” the ukulele to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” for JH. They have a great time together and JH comes home happy.

JH finds a note with a lollipop inside his pocket from CH. It’s a sweet, encouraging note, so he calls CH. CH says she is working on Yoo Mi’s guide song so JH hangs up.

Later, CH gets a message, telling her to come out to the living room. She goes out and finds it decorated with lights, candy, and candles. JH left a trail of notes hanging from the lights- Did the mermaid and the prince with his memory back live happily ever after? But the mermaid wasn’t pretty and had a temper. But what could the prince do, it was only her for him. To protect her, he became engaged to the neighboring country’s princess. So the mermaid was sad. The prince is sorry. Always thankful to her. And loves her. CH says out loud, “JH, you should say this to me personally.” Right then, JH comes out from the shadows and back hugs her. He says gently, ” You had a hard time today, right? I am sorry for hurting you. Thank you for waiting. And… I love you.” CH turns around to hug him properly. She says, “Thank you,” and he says thank you back.

Next day, GW has something to say to JH. GW says he is not saying this as the CEO. He will tell JH a secret. GW tells JH that JH and CH loved other, although JH doesn’t remember. GW adds that he isn’t tell  JH this to appear cool but JH will find out anyway one day and keeping it a secret isn’t that advantageous to him either. But this doesn’t meant that GW is giving up on CH. JH starts laughing so GW figures out that JH’s memory has come back. GW is embarrassed he acted like in front of CH before. JH says he will tell GW a secret.

JH and SI sit at café. SI acts all forgiving, saying she will wait for JH and that she loves him. JH apologizes, explaining he told her about CH because he believes people in love should not keep secrets. He asks if SI has any secrets. It is okay to tell him since he is on her side, but SI denies having any secrets.

Later when he and CH are alone at the agency together, JH tells her that the stage accident wasn’t an accident; someone was targeting her. She might face more trouble but can she trust in him and wait? She nods.

Another day, reporters rush into Shine Star, and they go to SI, asking for her to tell them more about the stage accident. SI runs away to mom. Yang wonders why the reporters are asking about this now. SI wonders if JH suspects something and informed the reporters. He has been acting weird lately. Yang says trust her. She will stop TV reports from going out. SI replies, “I will believe you. Make me believe in you.”

JH and CH are in the piano room, playing around. Yoo Mi comes in because her dad prepared something to give to CH. YM asks if CH’s dad is back yet, her own dad cried when he heard CH’s broadcast. CH says she hopes dad returns soon since the anniversary of mom’s death is soon.

It is that day and Byul sits in front of her mom’s picture, saying mom must be sad because dad isn’t here. Outside, JH has brought dad home. Dad tells JH not to tell the kids about him being sick.

Dad enters house and CH and Byul rush to dad, happy to see him, crying and crying. They asks why he came so late. Dad apologizes and he assures that he has come back for good. Dad comments on how big Byul has grown. She brags that she ate a lot of carrots and cucumbers. CH hugs dad tightly as the tears rush out. JH stands outside, smiling.

Dad says to mom’s picture, “Thank you for taking care of the kids while I was gone. You know CH is a singer now, right? She sings well because she takes after you.”

Later on, dad thanks CH for everything- for growing up so well, for taking care of Byul, and for forgiving him. CH replies she is merely happy that dad is back. Dad says he regrets not listening to JH before, telling him to come home. Dad tells CH that JH gave him the courage to come back. JH asked for dad to protect CH until he comes back. Dad says JH is a good person. He is relieved. Through this conversation, CH finds out that JH helped to find dad.

At Shine Star, CH happily waits for JH. JH arrives and he knows what to expect from CH. He says, “Oh, you’re here to thank me for finding your father? To say I am the best and that is why you love me?” Because JH just complimented himself, CH replies that she can’t forgive him for forgetting her now. They joke around but CH eventually says thank you to JH.

MS (CH’s dad) goes to see Yang. Yang notes his ill face. Dad brushes it off, says he wants to meet Chairman. He thinks the chairman will know about HS. He needs to find HS to help solve the issue with Sung Joo. Yang gets a call from HS but she ignores it. Yang tells MS that Chairman left Shine Star. MS is disappointed. Yang says she will try to find out about HS. Yang gets message from HS, however, saying she is coming up to the office, so Yang tries to rush dad out the building. There are some tense moments but Yang is successful in getting dad to leave without seeing HS.

Yang goes back to her office to find HS there. HS asks Yang if she knows anything about MS. She is reminded of MS because of the yogurt on Yang’s desk. HS says she wonders what would have happened if not for that accident but Yang bangs her desk, telling HS to stop. “This topic is uncomfortable for the both of us!”

Dad calls CH and finds out she is still at that agency so he goes back. Waiting for the light, he sees HS leaving Shine Star so he runs across the street to see her, but he misses her as she drives away in a taxi.

Outside the house, dad takes his medicine and JH says he needs to get surgery soon. But dad says no, that is not important. He just saw his worst enemy today. The person who made CH’s mom lose her voice. The person who used to sing with CH’s mom. He let it go back then because of CH’s mom but he wants to solve this issue before he dies. He wants to ask that person how could she do that? Why she didn’t take her straight to the hospital?

PN goes to TS’s house and he comes out of the bathroom dressed like a trot star. He puts a rose in her mouth and starts singing with a bit of performance. The lyrics say, “Will you love with me tonight?” We can hear PN and TS kissing off screen after this song finishes.

SI sits at home and sees that JH’s accident is ranking on real time search charts. She turns on the TV and sees JH on it, doing an interview about his accident, saying he will find the perpetrator.

MS calls Yang, saying he saw HS in Seoul. But SI comes rushing in, mad her mom didn’t take care of all JH’s TV appearances. Mom calls the TV director but he doesn’t pick up and SI starts to yell at her mom that her life is going all wrong because of her. She shouldn’t have listened to her. She won’t believe mom anymore. She will handle everything herself now.

Yang tells CH that GW’s dad blocked investigation into Sung Joo’s accident to save Shine Star back then. A story about the agency’s artists fighting that led to a hit and run accident- that would have put the agency is an even more difficult situation. Yang advices MS to not trust in the chairman. She advises MS to take CH away from the industry; she is hurting due to the scandal because she is in the industry. But MS says he can’t. CH is happy singing and he can’t take that happiness away. Yang says then she is forced to tell him that CH caused JH’s stage accident, jealous of SI and JH. She saw the CCTV recording herself. She got rid of it to protect CH who is MS and Sung Joo’s daughter, but if MS wants to see, she can get it back.

Later at home, CH makes dad his bed happily, but dad looks at her with concern.

SI digs through her mom’s office. She finds JH’s old phone with pictures of him and CH.

CH practices singing and the piano- the guide song for YM, probably. CH gets a message but she doesn’t see it immediately.

SI is the one who sent the message to CH and she waits anxiously for CH to respond. Instead of from CH, she gets a message from anonymous with a picture of what SI did to CH’s concert dress. The text says, “I’m the one who provided the information to the TV show. Come to the stage right now.”

CH reads her message- a picture of JH and CH’s feet at the stream and texts asks, “Do you remember this place?”

SI is at the stage, waiting, and she gets back CH’s response to her message- CH had responded, “Of course I remember. Let’s go back when all this is finished.” SI finds out that CH and JH were pretending in front of her.

Right then, JH walks out to the stage saying, “You came.” He grabs the “MJ” necklace off SI and says, “This isn’t yours.”

End of episode, no preview for next.

Comments:

It is such a pleasure to see Choon Hee and Joon Hyun back together again, being nauseatingly cute and lovey-dovey. Mixed in with some comedic scenes today, the episode was very enjoyable. Except, there was a lot of Soo In and her mom and it’s always aggravating to see them on my screen. However, Soo In made me laugh like a crazy woman when she fell flat on her face. I almost couldn’t type because I was laughing so hard. It was a good execution by the actress and the director and I wish there was more of this. Can we see her mom fall and bleed from both nostrils?

While the episode was enjoyable overall, it annoyed me, as it always does, to see the heroine kept so passive in the struggle to find her own justice. Is Choon Hee not curious why and who targeted her? It always strikes me as highly unrealistic when a character doesn’t question any further after he or she is asked, “Do you believe me?” Trust has nothing to do this, I want to scream. Let them find out about what concerns them. They are the one in danger, after all! Yet, we must let heroes do all the saving in most K-dramas, so in a act of absolute dumb trust, the heroine doesn’t push any further.

Thankfully, Choon Hee is given a little agency into her situation, as she stands up to Soo In and won’t take any BS from her when directly confronted. She knows she can’t be hurt by Soo In anymore. Choon Hee is wise enough to feel pity for Soo In, who is now desperately clinging onto the last remnants of her pride and status.

The real downfall for Soo In and her mom starts when they can’t trust in each other any longer. Director Yang has been telling Soo In to trust this whole time, but Soo In can’t any longer. Their team is breaking up and with these cracks of mistrust and anxiety, it is only a matter of time before Soo In and Yang expose themselves as the evil, conniving people they are to the world. I hope that moment is sweet because they really are awful people, with no scruples whatsoever.