Beethoven Virus: Episode 8

by Sevenses

Was blown around by the wind today. Side-effect of being short and little, I guess. There were so many excellent screencaps for this episode I was hard put to choose. A round of applause for Luv, please.

He works so hard, our Kang mae. (Feel v. stalker-y, but could not resist this picture.)

SONG OF THE DAY

Gregorio Allegri – “Miserere mei, Deus,” or “Have mercy on me, O God,” played in the previous episode. The song was historically restricted for use in services in the Sistine Chapel, and was prohibited from being taken beyond the Vatican by punishment of excommunication. [ Download ]

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Episode 8

So… Ru Mi jumps into the lake. Kang didn’t actually mean for her to do that, but anyhoo, she can’t swim and sinks into the water. (I think the scene is meant to be artsy and pretty, but it doesn’t say anything to me, beyond ‘omg second water shot, pwetty’.) Kang is panicking onshore and uses a long-poled net to poke at the water while yelling for help.

A random stranger runs over and jumps into the lake. Unaware of all the ruckus she’s causing, Ru Mi floats prettily underwater. She also has a near death experience and all she can think of is music, as evidenced by the underwater string quartet she sees…

Of course the girl wakes up in the back of Kang’s car, rescued and not even all that wet. Kang is angry at her, but his anger melts into pity when she talks about how silent it was underwater and how lonely it felt.

Gun Woo, back in town once more, goes to check out the red wine as a peace offering. Unfortunately for him, the bottles are all outrageously expensive (but good wine, says the shop owner). Gun Woo ends up choosing a bottle that he has to pay for in 12 month installments. (*headdesk*)

At Kang’s house, Ru Mi is happily eating hand-made porridge, courtesy of the grand maestro himself. Kang is annoyed at her nonchalance, while Ru Mi runs off on very very silly tangents on purpose to make him emote. When he does show sincere concern Ru Mi ends up all flustered and gets packed off into the shower. (Omg, are we going to have the obligatory shower misunderstanding? Note from the future: Darn. We are.)

Methinks the gentleman grumps too much! 😀

Aww, when Ru Mi comes out of her shower, Kang has thoughtfully left dry clothes for her. They’re a bit big, but better than nothing.

Of course, Gun Woo chooses this moment to enter, gift bag in hand. He doesn’t really go into the deep end of misinterpretation but is certainly rather puzzled to find his girlfriend in Kang’s clothes. Ru Mi’s rambling explanations do nothing to clear up what’s going on – and finally Kang has to step in with the completely made-up-on-the-spot story of Ru Mi being in a car crash. (Bet you that lie’s going to come back and bite painfully.)

Naturally Gun Woo freaks out about Ru Mi having been in a car accident because she lost her hearing halfway through driving. (I would too, but why do that to the sweet concerned boy?) Lol, and then supposedly a truck rear-ended another car, which sent Ru Mi flying into the nearby lake. Kang’s making this up to absolve himself of all responsibility for Ru Mi’s leap of despair.

Aww, I’d forgotten how adorable JGS’s smile can be.

Junior sets down the wine (Ru Mi having conveniently vanished) in Kang’s room and declares his unending devotion to this particular, prickly maestro – he won’t have any other teacher, and when he becomes famous, he will tell the world that the best conductor in the world was his teacher.

Well, what can you say to a speech like that? Kang is pleased, but masks that in a layer of grouchiness well-known and beloved by all. Gun Woo will continue being a member of the substitute/temporary group.

At the music hall, Kang is putting his orchestra through their pieces one more time before the official concert. Ru Mi, Bae and Gun Woo watch in awe as Kang yells at a professional violinist (who has much more impressive credentials than the three of them combined). Bae despairs of ever accomplishing anything in the new orchestra.

Junior goes off in search of their beloved oboist, who was granted permission to participate in this concert. Unfortunately, he finds Kim wandering the halls, having a temporary memory lapse. Kim recovers quickly and tries to hide his advancing dementia, but Gun Woo is worried for him.

This concert is small and for the private enjoyment of important city officials. During the middle of the piece, Kim has another episode. Yi Deun came especially, just to see him perform, and is very worried when she sees his dementia manifesting.

After the concert, Kang meets with the mayor, who really wants the concert to open with Beethoven’s 9th symphony. However, Kang knows that this piece is too difficult, especially as they’re proposing a voice and orchestra combination. The mayor takes the opportunity to press Kang to use the substitute group to fill in the missing members.

All the substitutes are called together. Kang agrees to a test of aptitude using the 9th symphony – and since everyone’s practiced this piece, the playing goes well. Even though he can tell they’ve obviously practiced this piece before, Kang decides to let them play in the upcoming concert when he looks over at Ru Mi.

Sadly, the only person not allowed to come back is the elderly Kim. Kang feels badly, but he can’t rely on Kim to perform well anymore, and dismisses the old man. Yi Deun, Ru Mi and Gun Woo, listening outside the door, hear Kim fervently protesting against the fact that he has dementia – his pride will not allow himself to accept his own decline.

Oh gosh, Kang actually has tears in his eyes, but he knows that reality can’t be changed. Ru Mi sympathises after seeing Kim leave, as her condition is somewhat similar in the inevitability department. Walking in the streets, she and Gun Woo look up to see Yi Deun running circles around the elderly oboist.

In order to prove himself, Kim has taken up the mantle of a street performer.

Ru Mi happily runs back to Kang with this news, but stumbles in upon him sleeping. (The poor man hasn’t slept well for two days.) She is astonished at his peaceful and kind face, but wakes him up anyway. Then she proceeds to break through his Icy Exterior (TM) and analyses his tortured psyche to bits. (In short, she discovers that Kang really is one of those people whose barks are much much worse than their bites.)

Um. I think they’re flirting. I’m not an expert, so am open to correction, but yeah, definitely flirting. At least Lee Jia excels at being cute.

Anyway, Ru Mi manages to convince Kang to re-accept Kim if he manages to hold out for 10 hours in the street.

Awww. The violin sisters, Yi Deun, Hee Yun and Bae have come to accompany Kim in his performance in the streets. Their audience is very appreciative of this new kind of busking. However, when the members hear that Gun Woo is bringing the conductor here, they all flee. (Yi Deun is dragged away by the straps of her backpack.)

LOL Gun Woo is carrying a man purse! Under false pretense of taking Kang out to lunch, he brings the conductor to where Kim is performing. They sit at a nearby cafe and listen to Kim all afternoon. Gun Woo has begun to study for his exams, to judge by the books he’s carrying around, while Kang is notating partitions.

During the course of the day, Kim is chased away from in front of a restaurant. Near the end of the 10 hours, the owner of a nightclub rudely kicks at Kim’s things and orders him to go away, even when the old man asks politely for 30 more minutes. Both Kangs watch the man and his employees pick on Kim with anger and concern.

When they attempt to drag Kim away, Kang stands up and confronts the club owner. (Beautiful.) The club owner proves stubborn until Gun Woo comes up from behind and channels his inner policeman. All three bullies run back to the safety of their club. (Ha.)

Lol, Kang pretends to be in a mood, but he allows Kim to return to the orchestra.

The next day, the full orchestra begins practice. The full timers get scolded for inaccuracies (in four different languages, impressive, Kang).

That night, Gun Woo and Ru Mi arrange a date for the next afternoon at five. This annoys Kang when he hears about it, because he’d wanted Ru Mi to help with partitions at the same time. Ru Mi compromises and goes over to Kang’s house right after his call.

While she’s taping the partitions together, Ru Mi surreptitiously watches Kang conduct in his head. To the maestro’s surprise, she can figure out what piece he was practicing just by looking at his hand gestures. Ru Mi coyly suggests that they share a soulful connection (there goes my tea, sry, com screen).

Lol. Ru Mi ends up accidentally comparing Kang to a lost puppy that one pities but feels the need to hug. (Of course you’re talking about the piece, Ru Mi dearest.)

The next day, Manpurse!Gun Woo walks around with Ru Mi after their date, but their happiness is shadowed. Ru Mi’s tinnitus strikes again, and due to a sickeningly comic series of missteps, Gun Woo isn’t there when she freezes in the middle of a crowded street. (But wait, if her cellphone no longer worked then what was she calling Gun Woo with earlier?)

Meanwhile, the concerned boyfriend rushes home and frets. Junior admits to Kang that he is really head over heels in love with Ru Mi, which I’m sure Kang would have lived without knowing. (Actually Kang looks kind of sick at the revelation.)

At the same time, Ru Mi is being escorted by a driver – it turns out she’d fainted in the middle of the street before even being hit. Gun Woo is driving around looking for her, without any success, with a worried Kang shouting suggestions on the phone.

When Gun Woo finds Ru Mi near a phone booth, he leaps out of the car and grabs her in a hug. (Um, dude, Kang is still on the phone with you.) Gun Woo whispers in Ru Mi’s ear that he thought he was going to die, his heart was going to stop, etc., and Ru Mi pats him on the back with some words of comfort and apology.

Anyway, their touching reunion is overheard by Kang, who for reasons unknown to himself gets super angry and severely abuses his orchestra as a result. The older members are used to it, but the newbie professionals are already under a lot of strain (particularly Mr. French Horn and the concert master).

The orchestra shows signs of cracking. Oh dear god. The concert master takes offense to Kang’s constant abrasive attitude and leaves, taking at least half the new instrumentalists with him.

End episode.

Commentary/Rambling:

– Halfway done! And also no resolution in sight, but that’s how we like it. Preview is worrying, as Kang’s hand seems to be seizing up, and oh god, must everyone walk away from this show a cripple?

– So… I’ve been thinking (:D see, it does happen) people are disgruntled that girls always go for the jerks. Well, as has been said very eloquently elsewhere, the Jerk Syndrome is motivated by that happy bubbly feeling of knowing that only you can make this repressed, unemotional guy open up. It’s a powerful thing, knowing that you can turn the beast back into the handsome princeling he is – and only you can do it. (See: Prince Lee Shin of Goong and possibly Hannibal Lector.) Unfortunately, girls, this is NOT recommended in real life. Most likely the guy will go back to being a jerk and then you’ll end up in a never-ending spiral of low self-esteem and being treated badly. When in doubt, choose he who loves you most – also not to be mistaken with the Nice Guy, who is definitely one to avoid – and not to be confused with the real nice guys – though our radars are pretty good at weeding those out. (PSA over.)

– Of course, this is a kdrama, so go ahead and enjoy – besides, Kang isn’t a real jerk. He’s just a bit rough around the edges. (Kdrama convention does generally give the girl to either Death or the first male lead. Unless there’s a second girl around, I guess.)

Sevenses

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