Live Recap: Trot Lovers Episode 15

Our penultimate episode. Willl Soo In finally get what she deserves?

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

SI is at the stage where JH’s accident happened, 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.” Soo In tries to explain, that JH misunderstood, it isn’t her! But JH won’t take her lies anymore and points out that their eyes met that day. JH asks why SI became this way, she wasn’t like this before. SI explains she wasn’t trying to hurt JH. JH demands to know if it was CH. Is it because of GW? SI screams it wasn’t. It just seemed like CH was stealing everything from her!

JH calmly confessed that he liked her from a long time ago because he liked how she was always working diligently and patiently all those years while she was training. She was the type that didn’t know how to cheat. JH gently holds SI’s shoulders and asks her to turn herself him. Although regretful tears fall from her eyes, SI throws off JH’s hands. She can’t turn herself in. She worked so hard to get here, ever since she was 14. She endured a lot of pain to stand on the stage so there is no way she will walk off it on her own. Disappointed, JH says, “You made your choice.”

JH leaves the auditorium and SI chases after him, asking if he is going to the police. SI then begs for time, she will turn herself in soon. JH takes out a recorder. He has recorded what she said on stage. He gives her three days.

SI sits waiting for CH inside a cafe. JH had told her to apologize to CH, sincerely. CH comes in, surprised. She did not expect SI to be here. JH had set this meeting up between CH and SI.

SI apologizes to CH. She confesses to CH that she caused the accident. She was blinded by jealousy and wanted to get rid of CH. CH grows cold with anger at the fact that JH got hurt because SI tried to harm her. SI gets on her knees to beg but CH won’t forgive SI- JH almost died then! SI claims she will turn herself in but she needs time. CH has a dad, right? She has a mom that she needs take care of first. If she goes to the police like this right now, her mom might faint.

SI stands in front of the bathroom mirror, wiping off her tears and re-applying lipstick. She repeats, “I just need time.” Coldy, Soo In continues, “Time to take care of things.” Uh-oh.

JH takes CH home and CH asks why JH didn’t tell her about SI, taking on that burden all by himself. JH explains that CH, with her temper, wouldn’t have waited and he doesn’t know how the other side might have retaliated then. He didn’t have evidence against them except his word. CH cups his face and compliments him. JH does the same to CH, thanking her for believing and waiting patiently.

Next day. Dad quickly hides the medicine he is taking when CH comes out of room. CH is going to sing to the homeless again. Dad asks,”Isn’t it tiring?” CH explains that things have worked out too easily for her, because famous quickly. Comparing this to a marathon, she’s only just run the first kilometer. Even if things start to go well for her again,  she wants to continue volunteering. She feels happy to see the homeless happy and she learns a lot through the experience. CH leaves. Dad (MS) gets a call.

Yang hands MS an envelope. MS slides it back, saying CH isn’t the type of person who would do that, referring to Yang’s lie about CH causing JH’s accident. He trusts his daughter. Yang insists she saw the CCTV recording but MS says Yang must have been mistaken or the recording was tampered with.

GW tells JH that it seems Yang is the one who stole the theater recording and also ordered the photos of JH and CH in her house together. JH asks to meet the paparazzi reporter who took the photos.

SI is with HS (JH’s mom) shopping. SI asks for help, it’s not just CH but JH too. He has his eyes on CH.  There is evidence showing  those two cheated in his room. HS agrees to help, although she says her son is not the type of person to do that.

HS digs through JH’s room, which JH catches her doing from behind the door.

GW and his dad (Jo) eat watermelon together and GW asks Jo how far he thinks SI and Yang will go. Dad explains that he had one principle he kept while running his business. To properly recognize the hard work and talent of people, even if their thoughts are bad and actions mistaken. He believes that if he and GW properly recognized the work and talent of those two people, things would not have come this far. GW whines, “This is hard. I hate complicated things. This job is totally not for me!”

At the TV station, JH walks past his juniors without really giving them a glance even when they bow deeply to him. This changes when he spots CH among the crowd.. He awkwardly says hi and goes into his room. He finds out from TS that CH is there to be an attention diverting opening act before the official recording. JH wants CH to come in so she can rest but TS warms him he can’t only invite CH. So JH tells everyone to come it. Unfortunately, CH is called away, and only the other singers go into room, which makes JH mad. When one of them tries to drink the tea CH makes for JH, JH yells at them to leave and they curse him outside in the hallway. CH overhears this.

Later in his waiting room, CH asks JH to be nicer to people, for her. It hurts her to hear other people cursing at JH.

HS has sent something to SI. It’s the mic that recorded SI and JH’s conversation onstage before. SI listens and there is an extra recording of the paparazzi confessing that Yang hired him to take photos of CH secretly.

SI secretly enters JH’s house and searches. She also finds the CCTV recording of the stage accident. JH comes into his room and informs SI that he already secured everything and shows her his phone. He has sent an email with all the files of the audio and video recording. He asks SI again to turn herself in before this story hits the broadcast.

In a daze of despair, SI walks past a café and sees GW inside, working. Teary-eyed, she continues on. GW notices her and chases after. He grabs her back  as she walks into a busy street full of cars. SI screams that it’s over and GW shakes her and yells, telling her to get a hold of herself. Finally, GW gets SI to calm down. SI anxiously asks if she will be able to sing again. GW smiles. He responds, “Let’s go.”

At a park, GW seems to be busy playing a game and ignoring SI. But a band starts playing in the back and GW takes her closer to them. GW and SI enjoy the live music. They really a sweet time together, and SI, looking around at the smiling people band, tears up.

After the performance, GW asks how it was. SI replies she only heard about this stuff. This is the first time she has watched a performance like this. It was good. GW asks if SI was every happy like that band when she was singing. It seems she lost it and lost things should be found. SI smiles. GW tells her not to misunderstand, he is saying this as Shine Star’s head. He doesn’t like SI these days. He liked her better when she brought him a lot of money. She needs to go back to who she was before. He wants to make money, GW half jokes. He says, “I will wait.”

CM (the older loan shark) hands coach a note, telling her he found the first love she was searching for. CM says sadly, “I don’t know if this person was your first love, but you are my last. Please be happy.” CM runs out of the restaurant in tea

CH is in the practice room with other rookie singers. JH comes in with chocolate, saying it is leftovers from a commercial he filmed; they should eat it. CH smiles at this gesture. One of the young singers asks JH for an autograph, and JH, looking at CH, agrees. He allows them to take pictures, too, and CH frowns a little when the other girls hugs JH. Outside in the hallway, CH gives him a little snap on the head for going too far with this being nice thing. JH is left all confused.

JH asks TV producer guy to let CH on a show. Guy agrees to do this if only JH agrees to be a one-day DJ.

SI’s manager tells Yang that she can’t find SI. Yang asks the manager if something happened between JH and SI, but the manager doesn’t know.

CH runs happily into JH’s practice room to tell him that she is going on a radio show. Yang catches CH coming out of room and she seethes. She gets a message from SI: “Don’t look for me for a while.”

HY and CH wait in the radio recording studio. HY looks a little uncomfortable and nervous. In comes JH as the one-day DJ. Both HY and CH are surprised. HY noticeably asks nicer to JH, even calling him hyung.

For the show, CH reads a story sent in by a listener. It’s about a girl who is caught between two men- a temperamental neighborhood oppa and a handsome and skilled cafe owner. HY has to act the part of the cafe owner and JH gets jealous because HY doesn’t just read the lines, but acts them out too.

In the hallway, HY begs for forgiveness. He thinks JH is mad because of the time he told JH to clean his shoes. But JH is mad because HY, before at the radio show, looked like he was really going to kiss CH. HY begs continuously, saying he can’t have any feelings for CH since she isn’t pretty. He asks JH to help him go on more radio shows again. Now JH is mad that HY just called CH ugly. “WHAT’S WRONG WITH OUR CHOON HEE?!”

Walking home, CH thanks JH, knowing that he is the one that put her on the show. She tells him not to do that in the future. She will rise again on her own. Still she is grateful so JH asks for a pat on the head. CH tippy-toes to kiss him on the cheek instead when JH turns to make it into mouth-to-mouth kiss.  Smiling, CH goes into  her house. Outside, JH sees CH’s dad coming home.

JH urges MS to get surgery by MS says he doesn’t want to be separated from his daughters by staying in the hospital. He asks JH to keep his illness a secret. He also asks JH to continue to be with CH. JH replies of course. MS elaborates. He wants to see JH and CH live together in one house (in other words, marry) before he dies. JH tells him to not talk about dying, but MS asks for this favor.

Coach, PN, and TS sit crying at coach’s restaurant. JH and CH come in and find out that TS failed to enter the radio survival audition show, “Voice of Trot.” JH can barely contain his laughter. TS asks JH to tell him truthfully if he really has no potential. JH can’t tell the truth as CH, PN, and coach both look at him meaningfully. He lies that he thinks TS has potential. TS exclaims, “Really? I was going to stop. I’m trying again because of you.”

JH films TS and PN for a demo tape. They perform as a Trot pair.

CH and Byul listen to the “Voice of Trot” radio show. It is running a “blind” audition for trot singers. CH calls into this show as “MJ” and sings her heart out. After she finishes singing, the emcee asks why MJ auditioned for the show. CH replies that is is because she became a singer too easily and wants to return to her roots. GW hears this broadcast while driving in his car.

GW walks past CH at Shine Star and calls her MJ. CH finds out that GW heard her on that show. She asks GW to keep her auditioning as a secret. She needs to pass this “blind” audition round in order to go on to the final. GW sees JH coming and he deliberately says to CH, “I will keep the secret,” with a mischievous smile on his face. JH hears this and gets jealous. He wants to know what the secret is.

JH follows GW into a café. JH starts to say that Shine Star has earned a lot of money because of him. GW admits, “Yes,” but elaborates, “Very little,” and tells JH to just ask. JH asks what is the secret between him and CH. GW teases him that CH didn’t tell him. JH is about to walk away but GW calls him back, saying he will tell the secret if JH wins the game.

Two grown met sit in café playing a rowdy game of “Cham Cham Cham”- the goal of which is to get the person to turn their head the same direction as the pointing finger. JH keeps losing.

Yang is at TV station talking to the news documentary reporters that CH caused JH’s accident out of jealousy of JH and SI’s relationship. They ask for evidence and Yang hands them the footage of JH and CH together at the stream, saying it is evidence that CH and JH cheated on SI.

The drama doesn’t show it, but it seems Yang went on the show to say that CH caused JH’s accident. We only see JH and CH sit with MS, and MS affirms to CH that he doesn’t believe what Yang said. JH says Yang doesn’t seem to know that JH has the evidence.

JH holds a press conference. He turns on the recording of SI admitting she caused the accident. The reporters asks why JH is only revealing this now. JH informs them that he had lost his memories because of the accident. He loves CH, not SI. He doesn’t want the person he loves to get hurt.

Reporters hound Yang at Shine Star and she escapes into her office. She finds HS in the room, however, mad that SI did that to her son. Yang warns HS to be careful. HS is not in the position to be so confident in front of her.

“Voice of Trot” is going on. Judges are blindfolded and three contestants, including CH, go into the room to sing. The senior trot singer who rejected CH before due to Yang’s favor is there. CH sings her heart out. The judges look pleased. During commercial break, CH and the contestants leave the room. The judges can now take off their blindfold.

That senior singer gives her remarks saying she can tell just from the voice a person’s life and attitude. Contestant number three (which is Choon Hee) has a great voice and sings sincerely. The trot veteran names CH the winner of the blind audition. CH comes in and surprises the senior singer.

Outside, the senior singer pouts and tells CH this is just the beginning, don’t be too full of it just because she was praised today. CH thanks her brightly and loudly and the senior singer smiles as she walks away.

JH brings CH a list of things he wants to do as boyfriend and girlfriend. 1.  Date in the streets holding hands. CH and JH date wearing matching shirts, sunglasses, and hat. 2. Eat street food. CH and JH eagerly enjoy the food. 3. Watch a movie together. JH and CH sit in the theater. They sit really close together, eating popcorn and drinks. JH explains the movie isn’t important in places like this, it is skinship!

Byul is walking home with snacks. GW’s dad (Jo) surprises her and says they can play badminton together. Byul replies she is going to play with her dad now and Jo finds out that MS is back.

JH and CH sit in a field at night, eating chicken and JH doesn’t like that this is the romantic mood he expected. There is some teasing from CH. Later, JH sings his song for CH, the one that he composed for MJ. CH adds the harmony, making it a duet. CH compliments the song and JH says of course, he made it for that special someone. CH thanks him. JH asks her to give him something in return. CH says, “Anything.” JH replies, “Let’s marry.” He thought about it, but no one else will do. He puts the MJ necklace on CH, saying, “The necklace finally found its owner.” He tells her not to lose it. They kiss in happiness.

HS worries, thinking about what Yang said, that if HS keeps her mouth shut, there won’t be any problems.

JH tells mom that he wants to marry CH, and mom calls him crazy- now? There are so many other things giving her a headache! JH asks, “When you married David, did you ask my permission?”

MS tells CH that he recently saw the person who hit her mom with the car. That person was someone who used to sing with SJ before. To resolve this issue with her is the first thing he wants to do. Second is to marry CH off. CH asks if dad is going somewhere, he is talking like he is leaving and she is getting nervous. Dad simply replies that he just wants to see her happy.

JH, HS, and CH wait for MS at a restaurant for he first meeting of future in-laws. HS starts talking about dowry, and JH is embarrassed and tries to get her to stop. Peeved, mom goes to bathroom. Alone, JH tells CH not to worry. Outside, mom complains that she doesn’t like anything about CH. She runs in MS. Shocked and rapidly connecting the dots, MS asks, “Is JH your son?”

CH wonders where her dad is and goes to look for him.

MS and HS are outside and MS is angry, demanding to know why HS did that to SJ (CH’s mom), hitting her and running away to America. HS says it was her car, but she didn’t cause the accident. The car was stolen from her. It was give to her by Congressman Park and she didn’t want a scandal. That is why she ran away to America then. MS won’t believe HS, saying SJ could have saved her voice if she was taken to the hospital quickly. CH overhears all this.

MS tries to drag HS to the police but HS begs on her knees. She asks MS to stop, for her son, JH; he is a singer and can’t have his mom in and out of the police station.

End of episode, no preview for next episode.

Comments:

Ah, how predictable. At the moment Choon Hee and Joon Hyun find happiness, their Romeo and Juliet story is unveiled. A plague on both your houses for never proving me wrong! I can probably write out the outline for tomorrow’s episode right here.

I take the curse back because I still love Joon Hyun and Choon Hee. Without the nonsense of the current generation’s attempted murder and previous generation’s hit-and-run, Joon Hyun and Choon Hee would be so perfectly normal and nauseatingly sweet as we got a taste of in this episode.

It doesn’t make my past grievances about Choon Hee’s lack of agency go away, but in this episode, we saw Choon Hee take charge of her own future and challenge the “Voice of Trot” survival audition show. Once Choon Hee made her intention known, Joon Hyun gave her the space she needed to do re-establish her career on her own. I also love how we see new growth in character for Joon Hyun, as he tries to be nicer to everyone, not just Choon Hee.

You could tell this is the penultimate episode, with the writer trying to quickly wrap up loose ends and suddenly finding easy solutions to everyone’s problems. Choon Hee’s singing career seems to be safe now with her senior singer opening up to her. Soo In is mysteriously gone while her mom causes havoc. And we haven’t even seen Wang for the past couple of episodes. He isn’t there to help Yang and SI.

Poor Geun Woo never had a chance, and in this episode, he is just the mischievous CEO who once happened to Choon Hee. Geun Woo seems to wrap up his feelings for Choon Hee prettily quickly, and I can respect this, because Geun Woo couldn’t be the guy to force his feelings on Choon Hee. He quietly works out his own feelings and receives comfort from his dad. I am glad that the writer didn’t decide to make Geun Woo the villain in order to create more tension and heighten the “love square” element of the drama. I am glad to see him get along with Joon Hyun, too, but I wish we could have seen more of Geun Woo’s eccentricies.

I am disappointed in Soo In until the end because she continued to plot against Joon Hyun and Choon Hee even after she received that warning from Joon Hyun at the theater. She couldn’t see her wrong and ultimately couldn’t turn herself in on her own. While I can make the excuse that her mom going to the reporters probably didn’t allow time for Soo In to turn herself in, I am not sure she ever would have on her own.

I want to clarify that Joon Hyun’s mom said her car was stolen.

What a decision Choon Hee’s dad has to make! Ruin the life of the mother of the man he wanted his daughter to marry or finally find justice for his dead wife. What would you choose?