Bad Guy: Episode 8
by girlfriday
Finally. This is the episode where I felt my first emotional connection with Gun-wook, who used to be an impenetrable wall of cool, but will heretofore be known as Big-Bad-Wall-of-Defenses-Guy. We all know that guy. And it doesn’t makes us love him any less. Tae-sung continues to be equally adorable and horrendous; Jae-in continues to be ambiguous and useless; Mo-nae continues to pout; and Tae-ra continues to be in heat. But the real star of this episode? Soju.
EPISODE 8 RECAP
We backtrack a little before the kiss. In the street, tears streaming down her face, Jae-in muses bitterly if those rich people are really so different. She now feels the sting of receiving those throwaway clothes—the ones which might pay for rent next month—at the expense of her dignity. Her anger, her shame, her bitterness at falling for the trappings of wealth, are all intensely palpable, and it’s the first time I’m digging her performance.
It’s here that Gun-wook tells her that he’ll pretend to be Hong Tae-sung, so that she can get all this off her chest, since she’ll never be able to say any of it to the real Hong Tae-sung. Then he kisses her, with Tae-sung watching incredulously from across the street.
When Gun-wook pulls back, Jae-in does not get reduced to a puddle of goo, as most women might in this scenario. Instead she says, “What are you doing?” Ouch. She asks, teeth clenched, if he thinks she’s a pushover too, like they do. Gun-wook: “It’s not like that.” Jae-in: “Then what…do you like me?”
There’s an awkward pause, with Gun-wook unable to answer. Jae-in says she’s grateful that he followed her to make her feel better, but she tells him, much like a noona, to get it together. She warns him that Madam Shin loves Mo-nae most of all, and that he’ll run into the same opposition, in due time. I think most of us, including Gun-wook, forgot he was even dating Mo-nae, so you’re not really scaring him away.
Tae-sung drives off, angry. I would call your mother about the angry driving, if she wasn’t so damn scary.
Jae-in drowns her sorrows in soju, pouring drinks like she’s sitting across from herself, offering up a sympathetic ear. I get why Gun-wook and Tae-sung might be friendless, but how come you have no friends? Gun-wook, who has followed her all this time, watches her from his own table.
Tae-sung tries calling Gun-wook and gets ignored, only adding to his fury.
Gun-wook continues to shadow Jae-in, even intervening when she throws an empty beer can at some couple in the middle of a makeout session. Drunkenly oblivious, Jae-in just continues to stumble towards home. Gun-wook catches up with her on the steps in their neighborhood, where Jae-in is nodding off to sleep.
He sits next to her and leans her head on his shoulder. He lets her sleep like that until dawn, when he sets her cell phone alarm and hides behind a pillar. Jae-in gets up, none the wiser, and runs home. Gah, that silent hero thing always gets me!
Gun-wook finally calls up Mo-nae for a date, maybe because Jae-in reminded him he was supposed to be her boyfriend. Mo-nae is, of course, ecstatic to see her Gun-wook oppa, and continues to be both adorably naïve, and spoiled and pouty all at the same time.
Tae-ra tells her husband that she’ll be taking over the department stores for Haeshin, and he nary takes an eye off his newspaper to tell her to do as she likes. She asks him about his meeting with her father, which shakes him up. He insists that everything’s fine, and that his father just wanted to grow his business, so he just needed a small loan. Paid back in no time. Tae-ra notes offhandedly that her husband has not paid back one cent he’s ever borrowed from her father. Oh, snap.
She tells him to stop his father before things get out of hand financially. He’s like, what’s gotten into you, all of a sudden? Methinks that steamy fondling session in the elevator gave someone a boost of much-needed confidence, eh?
Across town, Tae-sung comes out to greet Gun-wook first thing in the morning with his trademark volatile disposition. Pushing Gun-wook against the car and grabbing him by the collar, Tae-sung shouts in his face, “What is Moon Jae-in to you?! What’s going on between you two? If you lie, you’re dead!” The contrast here between their demeanors says everything you need to know about them:
Alas, as it turns out, Tae-sung’s imagined it all. Heh. Do you Hongs have a mental handicap that runs in your family or something? The only thing Tae-sung manages to do is chastise Gun-wook for not answering his phone. In the car, he asks if Gun-wook’s made any progress on Tae-sung Number 1. Gun-wook gives away the child’s hometown, lying that he learned it from President Hong’s secretary. He plans to check it out today.
Jae-in gets back to work and takes Madam Shin’s venom in relative stride. She apologizes for her rash behavior, while Madam Shin lays down her “Rules for Working Under a Haughty Chaebol Wife”: 1) Know who you are (read: know your place); 2) Know why you’re here (read: to serve my every whim); 3) Know for whom you EXIST (read: for ME ME ME). Awesome. I’m totally going to print those out and put them up on my wall. Right next to my platitude-a-day wall calendar.
The gallery has an emergency, so Jae-in runs out to get Madam Shin a car, but the drivers are all out to lunch. Gun-wook is conveniently outside with his car, so Jae-in asks him for a favor.
At the same time, Old Cop enters the gallery asking for Madam Shin (only he calls her by her first and last name, which irks her to no end, heh). He takes out a sketch of Tae-sung Number 1, and asks her if she recognizes the child. She tries to deny any knowledge, but he catches her in the lie, only to be brushed off when he asks further questions.
She gets into Gun-wook’s car, not knowing that he’s driving her, and murmurs out loud to herself why they were asking questions about Hong Tae-sung. She sputters about when she realizes that Gun-wook is her driver, and he purposely goads her by smacking his chewing gum, a habit I’m certain he picked up precisely because it irks her so much. Madam Shin asks him if he studied abroad why he’s back here doing this sort of work. Gun-wook answers that he’s here to find his parents, to ask them why they threw him away, like a dog in the street…in the rain. That last bit about the rain piques her interest, but she lets it go.
She tells him to let go of any pipedream of luring Mo-nae and gaining something financially. Gun-wook scoffs audibly at that, then covers it up by laying on the charm, saying how Mo-nae takes after her mother for being so beautiful…which just pisses her off more. Ha. She demands to get out of the car, but Gun-wook insists they’re close, so he just speeds up…
They arrive, and Tae-ra is shocked to see him there, and doubly shocked to see her mother getting out of his car. Madam Shin dismisses him, and Gun-wook manages to use the opportunity to flash Tae-ra a tiny grin, which she coyly returns.
But just as he’s about to leave, Gun-wook sees two deaf children using sign language to say something to Madam Shin and Tae-ra. He translates for them, surprising Tae-ra. Intrigued and pleasantly surprised, she asks where he learned to sign, and he tells her he learned long ago…from his father. She watches him go, her face a mix of emotions.
Tae-sung tries to get some work done, but not surprisingly, work bores him to tears. He’s also plagued by the image of Gun-wook and Jae-in’s kiss seared into his brain. Old Cop comes by for a visit, and Tae-sung shares his latest nugget about the child’s hometown.
Old Cop heads out, while Tae-sung gets called to his father’s office. President Hong rips him a new one for not dealing with the latest company crisis (or rather, for not even knowing one existed). He tries desperately to give Tae-sung more responsibility, but this face should tell you how he feels about that:
On his way out, he stops to ask the secretary if he told Gun-wook about Tae-sung Number 1. He starts to ask about the child, musing that he’s quite unlucky, but Madam Shin arrives and interrupts him, wondering why he’s curious. Tae-sung asks if she remembers the kid, to which she answers no. He tells her flippantly to worry about alzheimer’s—at this rate, she’ll soon forget him too.
Gun-wook arrives in his hometown and follows his memories, chasing ghosts all the way to his old house. He sees visions of his parents, his happy childhood days, and as his father calls to him in the space between memory and imagination, he answers back in sign language: “Dad, I miss you.” It’s heartbreaking, and the first time I feel a real connection to this character.
Back at the office, Madam Shin asks the secretary if Tae-sung Number 1 didn’t die. The secretary replies that they couldn’t confirm his death, so he’s probably still alive. What? You people were planning on killing him? Well that’s a new low. And I thought the dog thing was bad.
Jae-in comes by Tae-sung’s office to drop off a gallery invitation. (Which just seems like a waste of time and resources to invite your own family members by formal invitation, but what do rich people care about that?) Tae-sung tries to apologize or say something, but Jae-in walks off, smugly shutting him down.
At his parents’ house, Gun-wook runs into a neighbor. Gun-wook expresses interest in buying the house, and the man surmises that it’s probably okay to do, since the couple passed away and their only son doesn’t even visit their graves. Gun-wook is shocked to tears at the mention of a grave; I suppose it never occurred to him that someone would take pains to give his poor parents a proper burial. The man also adds that the graves are well-kept, by an older man who visits once in a while.
In a fantastic sequence, Gun-wook visits his parents’ grave, pouring a bottle of soju as an offering. While his voiceover lays out the sins of the Hong family against his own, we are given a montage of each member of the family, indulging in the excess of money that imbues every part of their lives. It’s brilliant visually, thematically, and the words are poetic, spoken for the first time not only out of vengeance, but the heartache that fuels it.
Gun-wook: Here lie those whom no one remembers. They who were wiped from memory remain here, in wretched death…while those who pushed them towards death, are ever at peace. They’ve already forgotten—one moment, a despicably heartless decision. They don’t know…to what end it will bring them. I will make them know it, at any cost. If I can take everything from them, I will choose the devil’s path.
Of particular impact are Mo-nae, who shops with no interest but to spend, and Tae-sung, who spits out his food, dissatisfied with his steak. Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something extra gross about the excess of food in relation to pomp. Think: John Noble in Lord of the Rings, who ate his excessive feast while his son went off to war. Here it’s not nearly as gross, or as epic a moment, but there’s a similarity in the kind of disgust associated with wealth, cruelty, food, and excess.
As Gun-wook leaves the small town, the detectives pull up. Old Cop recognizes Gun-wook, raising his suspicion.
Tae-sung follows Jae-in, but she’s not interested in what he has to say. Instead of apologizing, like he should, he goes the indignant route: “What am I supposed to do, glue the mask back together?” No, but maybe if you dropped the attitude she’d listen to you, assface. She says it must be nice to be Hong Tae-sung, to do whatever you please all the time. She basically equates his antics to a tantrum, and says things are different for her. She’s got to be careful, and watch her mouth, and despite it nagging at her pride, she has to hold onto that job. So no, not going to do whatever you please, thank you very much. Heh. I like her whenever she gets a diatribe like this.
Tae-sung totally sucks at this, and it’s actually kind of endearing to see him fail so miserably. He knows it too, and finds himself always watching her walk away, with a hangdog expression on his face.
She gets on the bus, and a few minutes later, Tae-sung shows up, driving alongside the bus to follow her. The bus makes a stop, so he gets on it, trying to pay with a giant banknote. (It’s like paying for a dollar bus fare with a hundred dollar bill.) The bus driver looks at him like he’s a madman, and Tae-sung literally doesn’t get why he can’t pay this way, which is just hilarious. Jae-in finally swipes her card to pay for his ride. They sit down together and he tells her he’s hungry. She doesn’t give a response, so he just shouts out his date invitation to the entire bus, making her smile. He’s overjoyed to finally make a breakthrough. These two are adorable together. Or is that just my second lead love talking?
Of all the bad luck (or coincidence), they happen to choose the same restaurant as Madam Shin. Luckily Jae-in has gone to the bathroom, so she narrowly escapes another bitch slap. When Tae-sung tells her that he’s here on a lunch date with his girlfriend, Madam Shin makes it clear that she disapproves of all his various women, and tells him not to bring them around to the house.
With a pained look on his face, he asks why she can’t ask if he’s eaten, or if he’s taking care of himself and eating right (the go-to phrases that all Korean moms greet their children with). She shuts him down with a, “have your girlfriend ask you,” and walks away.
Jae-in, who has overheard the entire conversation, returns to the table and acts sweet and good-natured with Tae-sung. He goes with it for a minute, then asks why she’s being like this. She deflects to say maybe it’s just ’cause she’s hungry. He takes her word for it, and uses the opportunity to broach the subject of Gun-wook. I love his awkward expression of dear god, let it not be true, and this is totally embarrassing but I have to do it.
She answers that they’re friends, to which Tae-sung wonders if that means they’re not anything special (to each other). Jae-in says that Gun-wook annoys her, which totally makes Tae-sung do everything short of a fist pump.
Gun-wook receives a message detailing Tae-ra’s increased role in the company, and it looks like he’s setting his sights on her. Wonder what body part he’s going for next. Some naughty footsy perhaps?
Tae-sung deploys Gun-wook to handle the construction theft crisis. I sort of love that Tae-sung is consistent in his cavalier attitude towards everything, including his nepotistic job. That along with his sad puppy side keeps him complex and interesting, because he’s sympathetic and a little hateful at the same time. Gun-wook finds out the people behind the scheme in less than a day, which I know is supposed to make me think Gun-wook is really smart, but it mostly makes me think that these are the dumbest thieves on earth.
Mo-nae orchestrates an awkward lunch with Gun-wook, herself, and Tae-ra, which just makes everyone uncomfortable but her. As if it isn’t bad enough to have your dirty little secret sitting next to your kid sister, Gun-wook is making eyes at her the whole time like this:
Mo-nae tries her darnedest to make her sister feel left out too, for no reason other than she’s young and in love. She asks Tae-ra to talk to Dad and get Gun-wook a position in the company; she doesn’t like that he’s relegated to being Tae-sung’s assistant. She doesn’t see it as a big deal, since she plans to marry Gun-wook anyway. Tae-ra reminds Mo-nae that Father hasn’t given permission for any such thing, and asks Gun-wook if he plans to marry Mo-nae. He says no, then deliberately puts his hand over Mo-nae’s, saying that she’s still too young. The gesture does not go unnoticed.
When Mo-nae steps away, Tae-ra wonders that Gun-wook got close to Mo-nae, then used Mo-nae to get close to Tae-sung…who’s next? Her? Gun-wook just smiles slyly. She asks if it’s about money. Gun-wook responds that he’s not rolling in it, but has plenty of money. He asks what will happen if he gets close to her. Tae-ra: “I won’t leave you alone.” (Which of course has a double meaning.) Gun-wook: “I look forward to it.”
Tae-ra leaves the restaurant in a huff and Gun-wook goes after her. She walks out in the pouring rain, and Gun-wook follows with an umbrella, saying he’ll wait with her until the car comes. She tries to get away from him, almost walking into oncoming traffic, when Gun-wook grabs her aside in an embrace. Their tension is sizzling, even when they’re drenched in cold water. SO different from his chemistry with Jae-in, or lack thereof.
Cutting down to banmal, she tells him not to come any closer. Um, you’re already standing on top of each other. There isn’t that much closer he could get, unless we’re getting lips involved. Gun-wook: “Are you scared?” Tae-ra: “Are you saying you’ll take it all the way?” Ooh, it’s like a challenge and an invitation all at the same time. I love how conflicted she is. All her double meanings are plain to us, and to Gun-wook, but she’s unconscious of just how obvious her desire is.
Gun-wook stops short, telling her not to stand out in the rain, as her driver pulls up. She gets into the car, and Gun-wook watches her leave, the air thick with unresolved tension and foreboding. Niiiiiice.
THEORIES & SPECULATION
I’m thinking the grave visitor is going to end up being President Hong. It may likely be his secretary, but I have a feeling that dear ol’ Dad actually misses Tae-sung Number 1, especially after he got Tae-sung Number 2 and realized he has no connection with his actual son. Gun-wook’s also shown a soft side in his memories of President Hong as opposed to those with scary Madam Shin, for instance. It’s possible that through that short but lasting father-son bond, President Hong feels some guilt or responsibility in the matter. Or he’s a heartless bastard who could care less. It’s 50/50.
Madam Shin may be even scarier than we thought, because it looks like she may have orchestrated some failed attempt to get rid of Tae-sung Number 1 altogether. Damn. Lady Macbeth’s got nothing on you, babe.
It still feels a little forced to me, that Gun-wook feels so deeply for Jae-in, especially when she’s so cold to him. Maybe he’s a glutton for punishment too. That wouldn’t be out of character. I just don’t feel a natural chemistry or pull, like I do between Jae-in and Tae-sung, although I totally feel for Gun-wook when he does the silent hero thing.
Now his chemistry with Tae-ra, on the other hand, raises my temperature to just above scalding. Their rain-soaked almost-kiss had me riveted, and again, I’m so much more enthralled by their slow-burning foreplay, as opposed to an out-of-nowhere coupling. I loved the ending of this episode, because it left me wanting more, in the best way possible.
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Tags: Bad Guy, Han Ga-in, Kim Jae-wook, Kim Nam-gil, Oh Yeon-soo
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1 ilukd
July 12, 2010 at 8:13 PM
real star SOJU ... hahaha girlfriday .... absolutely right..... i think all k drama's real star is SOJU ..... i will miss my Bad Boy ....
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2 sangria
July 12, 2010 at 8:17 PM
i really love this drama. no, it's not the best, but there's just something about it for me that makes me anticipate the next episode every time. i can't believe all the set-backs this drama has had, and if they manage to pull it all off, then kudos to them.
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3 ockoala
July 12, 2010 at 8:22 PM
I think this is one drama ship I'm going to be breaking canon with my Overlords JB and Girlfriday:
I don't feel anything real between GW and TR, other than a rich, lonely woman for the hot poolboy vibe. And I freaking hate that, the power inbalance, the cougar treating a hot piece of young ass like bait. Yes, TR is fighting her attraction to GW, but there is no basis for the attraction other than purely carnal, which is why I can't get behind it.
MN's feelings are along the same vein for GW, except less sex is probably swimming through her brain than maybe a piggyback ride.
I can't stand either Hong sister, and the actress who plays MN bugs me, but I think it's my distate for her sheltered and pampered character clouding my perception. So far she's a natural.
OYS is spectaculary classy as always. Yes, she has chemistry to burn with KNG, but character wise I feel nothing for TR-GW other than a vague distate in my hot. And whatever hot sensually fizzles leaving this acrid taste of cheap sex and hard liquor.
Not than I'm finding JI all that either, though I'm fixated by how unbelievably more beautiful HGI is looking each episode. Her character has mild growth, but still no greater purpose.
I think I ship TS-GW. Yeah, that's a good ship to be on. Sail me away, boys. I like BG, a lot, but something about the writing and pacing is just a smidge off, so it never becomes fully immersive like WHIB was for me (same dark mood, some character studies).
Each time I'm about to get sucked in, a scene ends abruptly or feels disjointed, jolting me from the reverie. Still not complaining, enjoying the ride. So far, I <3 poor HTS the way I completely got behind the pathetic shell of a man that was Jo In Sung's Jung Jae Min in WHIB.
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4 Natalia
July 12, 2010 at 8:25 PM
Thanks for the quick recap. I absolutely am in love with this show. I love how they executed the grave scene. So moving...
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5 momosan
July 12, 2010 at 8:28 PM
You know, I wonder if KNG really learned sign language. Between this and Goodbye Solo, that's quite a bit of signing. He obviously went to the Dae Gil school of eye sexing because that's some look he can turn on for Tae Ra.
For shows like this, I rarely pick a ship. I just sit on the dock and watch the ships go by. But I think I may join ockoala on the TS-GW ship and see where that heads. 8-)
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6 missy
July 12, 2010 at 8:32 PM
wow i did not expect this recap. usually its Coffee House which comes first before the last Bad Guy episode.
anyway i love every bit of this ep and of your recap too especially your theories for they make sense. President Hong might me the visiting old man? i was speculating that this man must be SOMEBODY and the president fits this role.
now, i love the contrast between Gun wooks parents and the Hongs. it makes me hate the latter more. urgh, they are the silliest people ever existed.
i say this episode must be the standard of the rest of the episodes. i hope their quality would not come low as they are rushed.
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7 pabo ceo reom
July 12, 2010 at 8:58 PM
Well let's hope the chopping of episodes don't affect the quality of this drama!
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8 ilukd
July 12, 2010 at 9:19 PM
@ Ockoala .... LOL ...."I think I ship TS-GW" ...... me toooo ...their chemistry is really something ..... way too hot .... hehehe ...
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9 Q
July 12, 2010 at 9:27 PM
Momosan: You're so right - KNG graduated with honours from the school of eye sexing.
And not that I'm complaining about all of the hot lip-lock scenes but it feels a bit cheap to use the "oh no that was just my imagination" trick twice. Hopefully there won't be a third ... but damn, KNG is good at making out, no?
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10 girlfriday
July 12, 2010 at 9:29 PM
@3 ockoala: About GW and TR "leaving this acrid taste of cheap sex and hard liquor"
I think that's exactly the point of the relationship. It's ALL sexual chemistry, not sail-off-into-the-sunset-and-make-beautiful-babies kind of stuff.
So the Overloads deem you safe, not jumping canon. :)
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11 loveydovey
July 12, 2010 at 9:31 PM
This doesn't really have anything to do with the recap, but so far, pretty much EVERYTHING bout this drama is like I'm Sorry, I Love You. I wonder if the writers will decide to keept the endings the same too?
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12 Q
July 12, 2010 at 9:32 PM
Oh oh wait, I misread D: haha he imagined the yelling, not the making out. My apologies :< ~
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13 Jo
July 12, 2010 at 9:32 PM
I feel so confused about jae-in. She gets offended about being shallow, but she willingly, wholeheartedly pursues it nonetheless. And there was ALOT of irony in this whole episode. She thinks that Tae-sung is the only one hurt, but Gun-woo and him both share aloot of similiar pain and tragedies.
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14 pat
July 12, 2010 at 9:56 PM
The boys can sail away on HTS2's yacht into the blue pacific (i.e. army) never to return. Steal the heir, find better women and leave the tearful heiresses behind in a puddle to mourn their fate. ( my ending for GW)
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15 Jt
July 12, 2010 at 10:11 PM
love your the recaps and how u say how the star of this episode is NONE OTHER THAN SOJU --- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH lol... that's the star we gotta watch out for GONNA be HUGE lol.. joking aside thanks for the recap.. I've been relying on the recaps since I'm in school and all and couldn't afford to watch them
Great Job
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16 muzik130
July 12, 2010 at 10:33 PM
Hello Girlfriday! Thank you for writing these synopsis they make me smile and laugh and sometimes make me feel like crying... I like your personal
opinions. ^-^
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17 amg01
July 12, 2010 at 10:37 PM
GirlFriday, thank you for your hard work.
Tae-ra has become my favorite character, I never seen her before in other dramas, but every scene they perform together they just own the screen specially Tae-ra, she may be and older Lady but she still sizzles with "IT", I must say that not many actresses have that strong presence on screen!!
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18 theebby01
July 12, 2010 at 11:11 PM
Same here girlfriday,
I dont feel GW and JI chemistry,
Z E R O!
However TR and GW chemistry.
I could tell.
all works of the eyes.
I love how they use their eyes!
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19 myra
July 12, 2010 at 11:35 PM
I know it's all sexual attraction between TR and GW, but still, it's fun. And it's waayyyy fun than watching GW/JI together. You know, even if they swap HGI and OYS roles, I don't think I would love HGI (as TR) and GW as a couple. Not because I hate HGI, it's because the ACTING here. Jae-in is already uninteresting as it is, but the acting made it worse.
LOL @ GW/TS ship. IA!
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20 Dele
July 12, 2010 at 11:36 PM
That picture of Tae-sung imagining he's yelling at Gun Wook is so funny. He looks like he's going to devour him or take a bite out of him like a vampire. I also am digging the second leas more. He's so riveting and you just feel pulled to him. One minute angry and the next empathetic. I hope he gets a semi-happy ending.
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21 Audrey
July 13, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Bad Guy certainly has a different feel from other "getting revenge on the chaebol" dramas I've watched.
Other dramas tend to focus more on the morality of the corrupt wealthy (ie. Story of a Man, The Devil) but Bad Guy is almost absent from morality questions. It's more like the wealthy present a front of civility while hiding their base desires.
Bad Guy also reminds me of The Great Gatsby in some ways. Not necessary writing wise, because the plot has gaps the size of sinkholes. I would say it's more similar to the novel character wise. Each character is also causing their own destruction because of greed, lust, pride, etc.
The drama also feels very modern. Most dramas tend to revolve around the "girl meets boy and falls in love, but their love faces opposition (usually from parents, illness, or evil secondary character) and then they overcome it and fall in love.)
But Bad Guy shows that love can face opposition from society and class structures rather than pure melodrama. Yes, it does have the typical rich parents who disapprove of people they think are beneath them, but it's presented more harder and jaded. It's not something that's explored very often in drama.
I too have second lead love. Tae Sung teases Jae In as if he were a schoolboy on the playground but it's so adorable. They definitely have more chemistry together than Jae In and Gun Wook.
The character Jae In will probably get a lot of heat for acting as a gold digger but I don't see a problem with it. First of all, most people don't mind that Gun Wook is getting revenge but not Jae In? It's nice to see a female character who isn't completely saintly or self-sacrificing. Plus, it would be amazing to see her take Madame Shin down a peg or two.
An article once said that Jae In is supposed to represent a certain archetype of a modern, fashionable woman living in the city. She's educated, has a 'nice' job, and saves up to buy designer items but struggles with the social ladder because of her background. It's interesting to see a female character who uses people to gain something since viewers rarely see this type in drama.
Finally, props to the actress who turned her character from naive to having a hard almost cynical glint in her eye in eps 8-9.
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22 Ning
July 13, 2010 at 1:20 AM
This drama has finally made me delurked!
I really love episode 8, it shows many great and funny interaction. Some scenes where I could not stop laughing:
- GW-Mrs Shin interaction when he delay opening the car door for her at the ceremony, the evil look she gave him is priceless
- Jae-in little smug smile in the bus when she saw Tae-sung pursuing her
- The best! GW eyeing and smiling at Tae-Ra while Monae was whispering and feeding him. LOLLL!!!
I don't feel that HGI acting is inadequate, her interpretation of Jae-in is spot on from her transformation from a normal working girl to an ambitious one, the materialistic eye glint, the hurt pride, all is clear from her face. It's spurred on by Mdm Shin humiliation in the last episode. Although I didn't sympathize with her character, I couldn't help but cheer on her effort to ingratiate herself with TS and Mdm Shin, hopefullly with intention to bring them down later instead of more menial ones, like being married to a rich man and live luxuriously >.<.
Sure, now JI doesn't have a lot of chemistry with GW, but I think that's because she saw him more as friends with similar goal rather than a romantic relationship. She's a bit awkward when she was asking GW to help chaffeur Mdm Shin, which shows that she's actually ashamed to have him know her motives so well. No healthy relationship can arise from this condition. Thus, I'm still waiting for further change in feeling for her.
Plot holes and coincidences aside, I'm loving the direction of this drama so far. Some have mentioned this drama is slow-burn and I agree. I get more excited with every weeks that passed.
Finally, KNG is really great in eye movement and face-twitch!
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23 dramafan88
July 13, 2010 at 2:23 AM
Omo Tae Sung and Jae In is so adorable together! Please give me more scenes of them and am totally loving their chemistry. And omo - Tae Ra and Gun Wook sexed up scenes - blame it on her husband who is not satisfying her in bed at all - lol.
I would have to say that I think Jae In's character is very real. She has her pride and dignity yet to get the things she want she would have to throw them away - so she contradicts herself. She likes to think she is not THAT shallow but yet she does things without realising it which are shallow - again contradicting herself, which is very human. So far she always sees herself as a victim - I hope she awakens when she is the one who will hurt Tae Sung and realises she has changed to be as mean as them just to get what she wants.
On another note - I think Tae Sung actually likes Gun Wook to be around him cause he is lonely and likes Gun Wook as company and as a friend although he doesn't show it much.
Gah I just want to hug Tae Sung and ask him if he has eaten - if not I will cook a meal for him. Lol. Screw the evil stepmom!
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24 Belva
July 13, 2010 at 4:34 AM
Enjoyed this recap very much. Thank you GF :)
I love all the screaming HTS is doing, that's just so him. And the scene where GW piss the hell out of Madam Shin had me laugh out loud.
This show is getting better with each ep, can't wait for more.
My speculation is that in the past Madam Shin had mindlessly search for just any kid by the name of Tae-sung and found the young GW (he was Choi Tae-sung) and somehow misled president Hong that he is his son. That is why she was so nice to young GW because she knows he is a fake and thus poses no threat to her since she thinks she can pronounce him as a fake anytime she wants in the future. There's also this flash back where Madam Shin tells young GW to never forget that he is HTS no matter what anyone says...
So the point is to prevent the real HTS from joining the family, Madam Shin made use of little GW, breaking apart his family.
I guess this should make GW's revenge a little more logical? Provided this is the case and that he knows about it. ;)
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25 thisislyla.
July 13, 2010 at 5:23 AM
http://s630.photobucket.com/albums/uu26/dramabeans/drama/2010/bg08/bg08-00089.jpg
^ this picture will be stuck in my mind forever. taesung looks like a hippo. he can really stretch his jaw. :)
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26 paris
July 13, 2010 at 6:31 AM
why did madam Shin looks so worry when she learned about HTS no.1's returned?? she planned to kill that boy a long ago? I wonder if GW is the real Hong Tae Sung, and she planned to kick him away by manipulating DNA test result..
and GW realized it...!! :D
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27 glencorajane
July 13, 2010 at 8:21 AM
Ahh, talking about ships again. Makes me missed the idyllic ocean...
I wonder if Han Ga In's being married affected the way KNG's portraying of the role.
I think with Tae-ra, both the actress and the KNG can just go all the way, because KNG is hot and the actress is not married right? Or maybe GW really have some feeling for that older sister?? I dun knw, aftr all he lack mothering in his childhood! haha
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28 alloo
July 13, 2010 at 9:10 AM
the actress of Tae-ra is married and has a child actually .. but this is not the case ..
although both actresses are married I still feel the chemistry between GW and JI ..
.
.
His hidden emotions toward JI is killing me, he really falls for her :( ...
but JI on the other hand , doesn't feel anything towards GW ..
she only considers him as a friend ... so when she falls for him I'm pretty sure that we're gonna see more chemistry between those two ..
Kim Nam Gil ... U R one of the best actor I've ever known
Hope u'll b safe in the army ... we all love you and be sure that we'll be waiting for your return ... As a fan , I'm gonna send u of with a smile ^_^ Fighting
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29 Sakura
July 13, 2010 at 10:50 AM
Thanks girlfriday for your recap.
girlfriday I am wondering if SGW playing sexual charade got caught in his own trap and also can't resist Tae Ra for their sexual encounter, I am wondering whether he too can't resist her kiss and embrace from the almost stale marriage woman.
As for JI and TS, he is trying to "bait" again from his first forgotten failed love but I don't know if JI is interested in his baiting because she too have has good rapport with SGW.
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30 kdramawatcher
July 13, 2010 at 11:07 AM
thank you for the recap. yay~~i've just started watching the drama after getting interested from the recaps here.
am i the only one who gets really bored at gun wook-jae in's coupling? they look great n have chemistry as friends but i'm totally unconvinced about anything more than that. Jae in n Tae Sung on the other hand is just adorable. eventhough i find jae in's character really dull despite being a non-typical pure-righteous-saintly female lead. i don't know if the problem is the actress or the character itself or just myself, but everytime she's with Tae sung, she seems more interesting lol. tae sung seems to have this effect of making people in the same scene with him shine. not just referring to jae in. he's a really strong n twisted character yet he doesn't steal all the limelight to himself. well, that's the vibe i get. i even think that tae sung is capable of being a badder guy than gun wook, who's more like a revenge guy than a bad guy, although tae sung's rebellion is kind of revenge. gun wook, from the previous recaps i've been reading....well, i don't know if i like him that much or not, until i start watching from ep7 and continued with ep8 n 9 since the recaps haven't come out....i kinda like him. i think he totally shines in all his scenes with Tae Ra, well, his scenes with Tae Sung are great as well....
don't even get me started on Tae Ra. she's totally stealing the limelight whenever she's in the scene. although many might not like gun wook- tae ra pairing because of the simply sexual attraction, and that gun wook has a different plan n not really love tae ra like he love jae in(so called), some of their low key moments are very endearing. they actually make me believe in their coupling without even having to do anything. just the looks n smiles lol.
SPOILER(because the recaps aren't up yet)
i really like the way gun wook looks at tae ra when he makes the sign language at her during the masquerade party for both times. the looks in those scenes came off as.. well, sincere...to me lol. if he's really simply just acting it out to manipulate tae ra's feelings, than gun wook is definitely a superb actor. i'm not even talking about kim nam gil but gun wook.
-SPOILER END-
Tae Ra is actually quite likable to me as a character. although the Hong family members generally are so absorbed in their social standing, tae ra's not as bitchy as the mom or as mindless as mo nae although she has her own flaws and vulnerability. lol. she's definitely my fav female character in this drama. as for male, well it's hard, i like both Gun Wook n Tae Sung. Tae Sung is really lovable when he's being vulnerable or heartbroken over the lack of attention or when he's around jae in. Gun Wook...of course he's lovable, he's not such a bad guy anyway. let's say i like Gun Wook with Tae Ra and Tae Sung with Jae In. haha.
anyway, i like that in this drama, everyone can be bad guys/girls, n there's no completely-flawless character. (not counting on the dead people, they make the dead all the dead people here as the flawless-but-unfortunate characters lol)
sorry for the long comment.
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31 destriana
July 13, 2010 at 12:24 PM
was the rain fake? it's like fake rain. dang, i hate if people begin to use unmeaning effect in drama.
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32 Jin Ari
July 13, 2010 at 12:48 PM
Thanks for the recap.
I kind of can not sympathize with GW. His parents had lied to Hong Family about GW being the illegal son and they died while driving to get the son they faked to be someone else back. So why are they saints GW mourns for so passionately?
On the other hand, we have TS, the real son, who has been living in a hell house with a devil mother and an ignorant father who has let his wife abuse his own son. This TS, I really like, and as mentioned in the recap, TS and JI's chemistry is more understandable for me.
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33 ockoala
July 13, 2010 at 12:53 PM
@ Fafa
No way! I believe you are mistaken, GW's real parents did not lie to the Hongs. It was a genuine misunderstanding, probably started by the Hongs mistaking GW for their son. GW's parents are truly victims as is GW. Victims of bad luck exacerabted by extreme callousnous on the part of the Hongs once the mistake was discovered.
@ Girlfriday
Thank god I am still in my Overlord's good graces. :-)
I think my problem overall is a general dislike or disengagement with ALL the female characters, even tomboy fiesty Won In. Unlike in WHIB, where I connected with Ha Ji Won's golddigging poor girl Soo Jung right off the bat.
Hence, since I only like the boys, I'll ship them happily! It's not even in a slashy-way either. I ship them hoping they'd get a bromance started from having equally crappy childhoods.
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34 Tina Grg
July 13, 2010 at 1:51 PM
i love those scenes between Tae-sung and Jae-in....so so so cute..........can't get enough of this duo..........the only reason am hanging on to Bad Guy is cos of this duo.....i can't wait for ep. 10 now where tae-sung overhears that Jae-in is a gold=digger who allured Tae-sung the playboy towards her just for money and all............can't wait for wednesday....
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35 Lan
July 13, 2010 at 3:19 PM
@Fafa:
I believe you are totally mistaken about the whole situation. Gunwook or choi tae sung was an adopted child of his former loving parents, sweet mom and nice deaf dad loved him. They adopted him, probably because they couldn't have their own child, when he already had the name tae sung from the orphanage. The Hong family claimed him to be their son, and thus taking him away from his loving adopted parents, who had no choice but to give him back to his supposed real family. They really didn't want to but thought it was better for him - a real family and a rich one at that. They were mad when were told it was a mistake. They never wanted to leave him and thus rushed to his side and got into the accident.
Actually until now it is still not 100% evident who the real tae sung is. DNA test might be wrong, and it depends on whether anyone wanted to manipulate the situation. One thing for sure is that both guys had always had the name tae sung and can both be candidates.
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36 selina
July 13, 2010 at 6:04 PM
Thank you GF Enjoyed this recap very much. i like this drama and i like GW character. i dont want GW to die at the end T_____T
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37 supah
July 13, 2010 at 6:39 PM
Loved the recap, GF and the LOTR analogy. That scene lingers on with me, or maybe it was the crazy pairing of grapes with roast chicken part that wowed me.
''I would call your mother about the angry driving, if she wasn’t so damn scary.''
Isn't she? I loved this woman in Kyungsook's Father, but here, she's plain terrifying.
Interesting theory about her husband.
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38 Hohoho
July 13, 2010 at 8:18 PM
This drama is really misterious. Noone can guess the endings. I like the social facts shown in the drama and love Kim Nam Gil's performance of his character's feelings: holding back a burning flame in his revenge, crying like he'll never forget the hurts and disappointed/confused if he can heal his pains. The way he clean tears on his face shows a lonely but very strong man, painful but never weak in front of hurts.
So sad. I'm so moved about this character.
Thanks GirlFriday, Soju is really a star in this drama :D Another skill to PR for Korea, haha!
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39 Jin Ari
July 14, 2010 at 11:14 AM
My comprehension of Korean is near 50%. so maybe I have not understood some things. Was it mentioned that he was adopted by the first pair of parents he had?
About the manipulation, I think it is possible for the Madam Shin to have interfered with the results of the test, but to what aim? We have to wait a and see.
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40 Victoria Stuard
July 18, 2010 at 8:14 PM
Kim Nam Gil most likely had some assistance with sign language unless he actually has someone Deaf in his family. Actors in America generally take a crash course in American Sign Language when a movie calls for sign language. Such was the case for William Hurt in Children of a Lesser God in which he starred with Marilee Matlin. His signing was terrible, but he managed to get through it. It looks like Kim Nam Gil is much smoother in his transitions from one sign to another. He most likely has the aptitude be become an excellent signer if around the Deaf. I teach American Sign Language, have interpreted for over 33 years for the Deaf and have Deaf family members. Kim Nam Gil's affect, the silence he carries, (which causes some confusion about what he is thinking and doing) could reflect someone growing up in a Deaf family or spending the formative years, from one to seven with Deaf parents. A child of deaf parents first language is sign, then they learn the target language whether it is English, Korean, or French. One of my Korean students brought me a Korean Sign Language book about two years ago when he was in Korea visiting his grandmother. I was excited and thankful to receive it. I have been trying to learn Korean so that I might learn Korean Sign Language. (KSL) . It shouldn't be difficult, the the Korean fingerspelling will be a challenge, and I'm not sure I can manage that--signs no problem, fingerspelling a bit more difficult than our manual alphabet. Kim Nam Gil is excellent at hiding his feelings behind his silence and observations. Taking it all in. He has become calculating using the skills he grew up with to discover weak points and vulnerabilities. The Deaf are extremely observant and intuitive. This is another reason why he so easily locks onto how people feel because it is expressed in the nuances of body language. This would be an unconscious ability and somethiing that would be seen in one growing up or partially growing up in a Deaf home. Underlying nuances of facial expression and/or body language are like an open book to the Deaf and children/family members of the Deaf. Tae Ra, I believe, has a connection with KNG's character which is why think she is simpatico with him and drawn to him. It harks back to when they were children. Just my two cents. :)
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41 Victoria Stuard
July 18, 2010 at 8:18 PM
I also believe that Madam Shin, for whatever reason, may have manipulated the DNA findings. My question is why she wanted to get rid of him in the first place. Jealously, revenge for her husband's unfaithfulness?????? Something to think about. :)
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42 Belva
July 23, 2010 at 2:25 PM
@Victoria Stuard
Thank you so much for shedding a new light to GW's behavior. Now I understand him better. It's really interesting to know how being in a family with deaf family members can affect one person so much.
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43 beggar1015
July 24, 2010 at 12:06 PM
@Victoria Stuard Your post has given me a new way of looking at GW. I'd never considered how growing up with a deaf parent would shape his character in such a way. Thank you for your insight.
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44 engin
September 27, 2010 at 6:38 AM
bende izledim bu diziyi çok güzeldi harikaydı ama sonu kötü bitti adam hep acı çekmiş sonunda bari mutlu edin adamı be kadeşim güzel dizileri hep sonunu mahvediyosunuz en sevdiğim dizi ise ismini yazdığım şuan A Man Called God en güzel dizi bu bence assında devam etmeliydi bu dizi çok güzeldi harika bişey müzik olsun dizi olsun harikaydı
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