Woman With a Suitcase: Episode 5

by TeriYaki

Geum-joo is so accustomed to caring for everyone around her that she doesn’t know how to turn to the right people when she needs a friend. The ones she can count on the most share her passion for her work, but one person in particular understands Geum-joo better than anyone else. Hopefully, that understanding will help her overcome her sometimes painful reality and help her find her place in the world.

 
EPISODE 5: “Proving the Fact That He Likes You”

Suk-woo walks up the street, smiling at the bag of snacks that he has for Geum-joo, but stops suddenly when he sees Bok-geo and Geum-joo standing ever so close. Bok-geo steps back, grabs the contract from Geum-joo and begins to rip the pages to her horror, despite her having asked for an end to their bargain. What ensues is a childish fight for the contract that ends with Geum-joo jamming it into her bag.

As Bok-geo walks away, Geum-joo cites the contract condition allowing him to summon her. She explains how hard it is for her to meet the time limit, so he thinks she is asking for a car, but she promises that she will meet him face to face for important issues— otherwise, she wants to be left alone to work. She gives Bok-geo a determined look and he readily agrees to her terms.

Suk-woo returns to his office, still carrying the snacks that he didn’t deliver to Geum-joo. He tries to work but can’t stop thinking of seeing Bok-geo and Geum-joo together. He finally opens a snack and stuffs his face.

At K-Fact, Bok-geo gets a report on Ji-ah, Tomy Kim’s right-hand woman, hearing that runaways like Min-ah were introduced to celebrities. Bok-geo asks about Ji-ah, but is told that she hasn’t been seen lately. He asks his employee to look into the actor who hosts the celebrity parties.

The painting of the Golden Tree is now hanging in the law offices. At Oh Sung, the female attorneys gossip about the price of the painting, calling Geum-joo sly. Hye-joo walks in as the women observe that the sisters are very much alike, even if they aren’t blood relations, and show her a photo of Bok-geo and Geum-joo at the art auction. Hye-joo can barely contain her jealousy.

Geum-joo walks into the Golden Tree offices where applicants are waiting to interview for the opening that was offered to Suk-woo. An-na reviews the test case that will be used during the interview, but Geum-joo seems to be expecting someone else to show up.

Before the interviews begin, Manager Hwang directs Geum-joo to the wall where the Golden Tree painting is hanging, explaining that Bok-geo hung the artwork himself. Manager Hwang shares that there is a rumor going around about her and CEO Ham and he asks her if it’s true, but she assures him that there is nothing to the rumors.

Hye-joo meets with a client, a woman whose husband, KANG HYEON-HO, just died. The widow, SONG MIN-JEONG, is claiming malpractice and Hye-joo asks her what proof she has to support her claim.

The scene changes to an operating room where the victim undergoes liposuction on his abdomen. Suddenly, the tube filled with blood.

Three days later, the victim returned to the hospital in obvious distress. The ER doctor notified the surgeon and explained that he ordered an X-ray, worried about a perforation. The surgeon instructed him to cancel the X-ray and prepare for surgery.

In the OR, the assisting surgeon noted that the patient suffered a perforation during his liposuction procedure. The surgeon who performed the liposuction announced that he would perform a resection of the intestines. The ER doctor wrote notes during the surgery, recording that it was necessary because of the perforation. But the surgeon put a suspicious stop to him, making it a point to wonder aloud about whether Kang Hyeon-ho was drinking after surgery.

Hye-joo shows Song Min-jeong a photo of her husband after his surgery, allegedly drinking. Despite his wife’s claims that he didn’t drink, Hye-joo argues that the court will conclude otherwise noting that Song Ming-jeong’s previous attorney quit after seeing that photo. Since Kang Hyeon-ho was a famous man, Hye-joo presents a generous settlement to the widow and explains that she must agree to publicly claiming that her husband’s death was a result of his own drinking.

Kang Hyeon-ho’s death makes the news because he was a famous major league baseball player in the U.S. The story reports that the family blames his death on medical malpractice and is suing the hospital. The hospital’s position was that the patient died due to improper post-surgical care.

At K-Fact, Editor Go agrees that Kang Hyeon-ho did have a drinking problem when he was playing baseball in the States, since Editor Go was once sued for reporting about a bar room brawl that the late ball player was involved in.

Attorney Goo and Geum-joo interview one of the hopeful applicants, CHEON DOONG (cameo appearance by Thunder, formerly of MBLAQ). He makes for a terrible interview, so Attorney Goo can only ask if there’s anything else he’s good at. Suddenly, Cheon Doong breaks into a rap song as Attorney Goo looks on in disbelief, and Geum-joo tries to stifle a laugh.

As the defeated-looking candidate leaves, Suk-woo walks into the offices wearing a suit, though Manager Hwang explains that Geum-joo is busy. It turns out that Suk-woo here to interview for the position he once turned down.

During the interview, Suk-woo correctly explains that he needs more information to determine the motive if he’s to decide on the test case. That information is necessary to determine if he should argue for an additional penalty or a reduced sentence. Since the answer is so good, Attorney Goo accuses Geum-joo of showing Suk-woo the test case before the interview.

Editor Go explains to Bok-geo that Oh Sung sent K-Fact the photo of Kang Hyeon-ho drinking, even including expert evidence that the image was not manipulated. Bok-geo decides not to publish the photo just when his younger employee comes running in to announce that Golden Tree hired a new lawyer. He and Editor Go figure out that it’s the attorney from Yoo-ri’s trial, the one who’s always with Geum-joo. Bok-geo unhappy to realize that it’s Suk-woo.

Geum-joo and An-na are getting Suk-woo settled in the offices when they notice Bok-geo casually enjoying a cup of coffee. He feigns surprise when he sees Suk-woo, but before Geum-joo can announce that Suk-woo is the new attorney, Bok-geo moves to leave, leaving An-na to observe that Bok-geo isn’t happy about Suk-woo.

On his way out, Bok-geo recalls the young lawyer once saying a paralegal shouldn’t select a lawyer when he first turned down the offer. Geum-joo ignores the attempt to embarrass Suk-woo and announces that he is now working for Golden Tree. Bok-geo and Geum-joo have a battle of pointed looks as Suk-woo explains that he chose Golden Tree, not the other way around. Called away, Bok-geo insists that they can talk about Suk-woo’s change of heart later.

Hye-joo is waiting for Bok-geo in his office to ask why he hasn’t published the photo of Kang Hyeon-ho that was sent by Oh Sung. Bok-geo replies, “I didn’t want to kill him twice. Please let Manager Lee know that.”

Geum-joo and Suk-woo are out picking up supplies when Geum-joo asks why he decided on Golden Tree, thinking that he had given up on her. He thinks of the close scene of Bok-geo and Geum-joo, but before he can answer, it begins to rain and the pair run back to their office.

As Hye-joo leaves K-Fact, Bok-geo invites her to visit Geum-joo. She makes an excuse, but takes the opportunity to ask about the rumors regarding him and Geum-joo. He answers that there are other rumors, and that she will know about them soon.

Geum-joo and Suk-woo walk into Golden Tree laughing, just as Bok-geo walks Hye-joo out. The atmosphere instantly becomes awkward as Bok-geo asks Geum-joo to report to his office, but she cites the change to their contract and agrees to attend to his matter later—she and Suk-woo have an appointment. Hye-joo notes how close Geum-joo and Suk-woo appear.

The Golden Tree team meets, and Attorney Goo asks Suk-woo if he brought any cases with him. He announces that he has two, a bankruptcy case and the medical malpractice suit for Kang Hyeon-ho. Attorney Goo is doubtful until he pulls the case from his briefcase, drafted by the victim’s widow. Everyone sits up and takes note of their new attorney.

Bok-geo tries to work in his office but is bothered by the earlier scene of Geum-joo and Suk-woo laughing together. He regrets changing the contract because now he can’t summon Geum-joo to his office… but, there’s nothing keeping him from going to her.

Wielding a hammer, he shows up at the Golden Tree offices under the guise of moving the newly hung painting to a more auspicious location. After hearing that Geum-joo is out working on a case with Suk-woo, Bok-geo takes his frustrations out on a nail as he it hammers into the wall while An-na, Manger Hwang and an appreciative Attorney Goo look on.

At Oh Sung, Hye-joo meets with her boss and the senior attorney on the malpractice case. The senior attorney suggests offering more money to the widow, but Hye-joo argues that she won’t compromise her husband’s reputation for any amount.

The senior attorney, LAWYER JANG, is nervous now that Geum-joo is working on the case. Hye-joo’s boss, MANAGER LEE, instructs her to determine why the client chose Golden Tree, and if Bok-geo has evidence to use in the case.

The Golden Tree team reviews the case with Song Min-jeong, and Attorney Goo wonders about the missing X-ray. There is also missing CCTV footage which was supposedly due to the emergency nature of the surgery.

The autopsy confirmed the resection of the intestines but couldn’t determine why it was needed, although there was evidence of a severe infection. There was no way to confirm if the patient drank in the days after the surgery. The team is frustrated that there are more questions than answers about the case, and Attorney Goo wonders if Oh Sung is interfering with the evidence.

Geum-joo and Suk-woo school themselves in the particulars of Kang Hyeon-ho’s surgery. Geum-joo’s scarf falls and Suk-woo retrieves it for her, insisting on trying his hand at tying it. He jokes that she looks like a stewardess, so she grabs her suitcase and does her best impression. Suk-woo joins in the fun, pretending to be a passenger, which means they don’t notice Bok-geo jealously observing their antics.

Geum-joo wonders why he is showing up so often, and he reminds her that he isn’t allowed to call her. Suk-woo informs him that they are working on the Kang Hyeon-ho malpractice case, causing Bok-geo to inform them that the photo was authentic as he calls the case hopeless. Suk-woo recites that duty of an attorney is not be swayed by external pressure and argues to stay on the case, and Bok-geo backpedals by saying that he was just expressing an opinion as the firm’s owner.

Outnumbered, Bok-geo agrees that they can take the case, but attaches a condition. If they lose the case, Suk-woo has to agree to leave Golden Tree. Suk-woo accepts the condition and agrees to write up a formal contract.

Hye-joo reports to Manager Lee that Suk-woo knew Kang Hyeon-ho and his wife as they were regulars at his parents’ restaurant. Hye-joo is tasked with preparing the case for court as she is most familiar with Geum-joo’s style. Just then, they are informed that Bok-geo has shown up at the offices.

Bok-geo apologizes for the unannounced visit but wants to explain Golden Tree’s involvement in the malpractice case. He blames Suk-woo for entangling the firm in the case, and explains that Suk-woo will be fired if Golden Tree loses the case. He encourages Oh Sung to win the case to help free him from such a troublesome employee.

Suk-woo and Geum-joo meet with the ER doctor who attended Kang Hyeon-ho. He is already scheduled to testify for the hospital, but Suk-woo explains that they want him as a witness for their side as well. Looking uncomfortable, the doctor excuses himself, but Geum-joo asks if the patient was really at fault. He answers, “Yes. So…please don’t come looking for me again. My answer is set already.”

Geum-joo and Suk-woo try to meet with nurse KWON SEONG-SOOK at her home—but when Suk-woo introduces himself as the attorney for Kang Hyeon-ho, she slams the gate on them.

Over lunch, Suk-woo wonders how they should proceed with the case. No one will agree to testify for them, and he’s worried about the case because he doesn’t want to disappoint the victim’s family. Re-energized by the meal, Geum-joo encourages Suk-woo to follow her.

Hye-joo dictates a statement to the ER doctor as he types. It misrepresents what actually happened the day of the surgery, and the doctor tells Hye-joo that he can’t continue. Geum-joo calls him just then and Hye-joo, seeing the ID of the caller, casually mentions an old malpractice suit she dug up on the ER doctor, making her threat clear.

That night, Prosecutor Choi happens upon a drunk Hye-joo. She tells him that she must have been born bad. She excuses her abandonment of Geum-joo during her prison stay as necessary to her own survival. Now, Hye-joo admits to her greed as she tries to prove that she never really needed her sister to succeed as an attorney. In fact, she is so desperate to prove herself as being better than Geum-joo that she is doing all types of bad things.

While waiting to speak with the ER doctor, Suk-woo suggests leaving and gets a sharp look from Geum-joo for it. She explains that waiting is what she does best, so they stay and fail to notice the ER doctor, who hides when he sees them.

Hye-joo arrives unexpectedly at Golden Tree and tells Geum-joo she is there on behalf of the ER doctor, Dr. Kim, and instructs Golden Tree to not bother him anymore. Geum-joo points out that he is their witness too.

Hye-joo hands over the doctor’s statement, and after a glance, Geum-joo realizes that Hye-joo dictated the contents to the doctor. Hye-joo quotes her sister’s teaching not to trust professionals who only know about their specialty. Despite Geum-joo reminding her about a lawyer’s ethics, Hye-joo then cites her sister’s belief to rescue the client at any cost when cornered. But Geum-joo cautions her that there are limits, and looks at her sadly.

Hye-joo changes the subject and asks Geum-joo if it’s all right to use her body to win cases, telling her about the rumors that have circulated about her for years—she didn’t believe them before, but now she wonders. She then asks about the auction rumor, especially as the painting in question is hanging in the office.

Geum-joo reviews cases with Attorney Goo and Manager Hwang. Attorney Goo wonders why Hye-joo is turning into a monster. Calling her an expert, Geum-joo expresses satisfaction with a divorce case.

Since they are speaking about divorces, Manager Hwang asks Geum-joo if she’s heard from her husband, LEE SANG-YEOB. She informs him that she is seeing him tonight, and Attorney Goo asks Geum-joo if she is going to sign the divorce papers. She answers that she intends to make him suffer first.

Attorney Goo advises her to sign the papers and not waste anymore of her life. Geum-joo reveals that she was invited to her husband’s house, which causes Manager Hwang to have another one of his bad feelings. He urges her not to go, fearing that she will get into trouble.

The other woman, Mi-sun, worries about Geum-joo’s impending visit and runs to grab her shoes by the door as Sang-yeob lets Geum-joo in. Embarrassed, Mi-sun bows, and Geum-joo looks at the shoes as she tells her, “It’s okay. I wasn’t wearing them anyway.” She then notes with shocked disbelief that Mi-sun is visibly pregnant.

As Geum-joo packs some papers, Sang-yeob observes that it’s hard to be friends. He confirms that Mi-sun is expecting, and Geum-joo reminds him that he told her that he didn’t want a child.

Sang-yeob admits that he invited her over so that she could see that Mi-sun was pregnant, wanting to finish up the divorce. Sang-yeob tells Geum-joo that he married her because he knows she cares too much to allow a child to be born illegitimately.

Mi-sun walks in and kneels before Geum-joo, apologizing for the wrongs she committed against her. As Mi-sun cries about her baby, Geum-joo pushes back, “Don’t do this to me. Why are you doing this to me? I have no responsibility toward that child!” Once outside, Geum-joo takes a pipe to Sang-yeob’s car windows.

Tomy Kim kneels before a very much alive Ji-ah, wielding a pair of scissors. Tied to a chair, Ji-ah stutters, “I mean it. I’ve never heard who held the party… I just wanted to save Min-ah. I didn’t say anything else to Ham Bok-geo ahjussi.” Tomy Kim confirms that Min-ah is still brain-dead and that Bok-geo knows nothing. He wonders why Ji-ah went to Bok-geo at all, considering that she betrayed him once before.

Ji-ah recalls that betrayal when Bok-geo, then a prosecutor, questioned her. She apologized to him as she refused to answer his question truthfully. Manager Lee, also a prosecutor at the time, explained to the court that there was a mistake during the investigation. The judge chastised Bok-geo and he replied, “Today, I’ve become a crazy prosecutor who abetted perjury to the witness. If that’s the way to save this child, I’ll accept it.”

With that, he ripped off his robes and threw them to the ground before walking out of the courtroom. In the present, Ji-ah mutters, “I’m sorry, Ahjussi.” Tomy Kim thinks she’s talking to him and wipes her tears as she cries.

A stunned Geum-joo sits in a police station giving her personal information. When the policeman questioning her finds out that she works at a law firm, he assumes she is a lawyer. She denies that and all of his other guesses about her position. In exasperation, he asks her what she is and she answers, “I’m someone’s wife who got angry about finding out her husband who cheated on her is having a baby.” She asks why she has to be anything, yelling, “Can’t I just do what I like doing?”

Going over her information, the policeman realizes that she has a record and tells her to call a lawyer or a guardian. She claims that she has no one. The policeman shouts that she is much too confident just as a voice announces, “That confident woman… I’ll take her.” Bok-geo stands next to an embarrassed Geum-joo as he agrees to act as her guardian.

Bok-geo takes the policeman aside for a private talk and hands him his K-Fact card. It seems the man is a fan who’s convinced that the NIS formed the company, so Bok-geo plays along and fibs that Geum-joo works for the government. Of course, the policeman takes that to mean that she is an agent.

Bok-geo claims the destruction of the car was a diversion during an operation and agrees to pay the damages. The policeman promises to keep the matter a secret, and salutes Bok-geo before returning to his desk.

The policeman thanks a confused Geum-joo for her government work. (Hah.) Bok-geo explains that she has been dismissed and, giving her a wink, pulls her up from her chair. Bok-geo drives Geum-joo home while Tomy Kim watches from his car.

Geum-joo wants to know how Bok-geo knew that she was arrested, but he just advises her to burn the house down next time if she’s going to go crazy.

Bok-geo walks Geum-joo to her dorm and advises her to stay away from the police station, telling her, “I don’t like to see my employee sink that low.” She asks why he’s not leaving, and he admits that he’s not sure what she’ll do next.

Geum-joo walks away, but then turns around and asks, “Do you want to spend the night?” Bok-geo stops, frozen, before turning back to her. She repeats her invitation and Bok-geo answers, “Let’s do that.” Both stand there, unsure of what to do when Bok-geo adds, “Not tonight.”

A confused Geum-joo doesn’t understand why Bok-geo followed her home, and he admits that he was just worried about her. Before leaving, he tells her that if she feels crazy, she should just cry. He drives away as the first tear falls down Geum-joo’s face. Standing in the street, she crumples down and sobs, unaware that Bok-geo is watching over her from a distance.

Later, Geum-joo sits in her room and reflects that the only thing left that has meaning to her is her job as a paralegal. Bok-geo sits in the back of a black van, calling himself crazy for leaving Geum-joo.

Geum-joo pores over the CCTV footage of Kang Hyeon-ho’s surgery when a text comes through on her phone, listing the real cause of his death as an intestinal perforation that occurred during liposuction surgery. She has a late night meeting with Attorney Goo and Suk-woo to go over the new information. They surmise that the informant must be someone who was in the operating room during Kang Hyeon-ho’s surgery.

Tomy Kim exits his car in front of a hospital just as Bok-geo’s black van drives away with Min-ah.

Geum-joo struts through the hospital in gold heels, a sparkly outfit and bright lipstick. She throws open the door to the office of the surgeon who operated on Kang Hyeon-ho. When he asks who she is, she grabs him by the necktie and tells him with a wink, “You don’t know me? Seongdamdong’s Madam Cha, the Heart Flutter.” She then informs him that if he drank, he should pay for it.

COMMENTS

Ham Bok-geo, how do I love thee, let me count the ways. Even though you are petty, jealous, immature, a bit conceited, prickly, and vindictive, you have a way of opening your heart to a damsel in distress, which buys a lot of goodwill in my book. Instead of a knight in shining armor, you are greatly flawed human, but you don’t have it in you to exploit someone who is down on their luck. Just the opposite, you use your resources to offer a helping hand. For someone who is all alone in the world, that makes you a special kind of hero.

Bok-geo’s ability to connect with those who have been abandoned anchored this episode as he searched for Ji-ah, transferred a recovering Min-ah, and rescued Geum-joo from her latest legal snafu. Even as his jealousy over Suk-woo and Geum-joo’s relationship became obvious to everyone, he didn’t take it out on Geum-joo and appeared at her side when she most needed a friend. I think Bok-geo is beginning to realize that not only does he like Geum-joo, he really likes her, and he cares most about what is best for her. It was very telling when he showed up by her side as she went a little bit crazy, and worried about whether or not she would be all right.

As we learned in this episode, Bok-geo has experience in self-destructive, crazy behavior as we finally discovered why he is no longer a prosecutor. The case that links him to Tomy Kim and Ji-ah led to a courtroom outburst, where he was outraged by his inability to uncover the truth. Calling himself a crazy prosecutor, he took the blame for Ji-ah’s false testimony in order to protect her. As troubling as it is to know that Bok-geo and Geum-joo have such brokenness in common, it was about time someone could offer her some heartfelt support.

And boy, did Geum-joo really need someone to put her first for a change. Not only was she abandoned by her husband while she was in prison, he blindsided her with the impending arrival of his child. To add insult to injury, he openly admitted to exploiting her kind nature to obtain a divorce. Everything ends up being about what he wants and Geum-joo’s feelings are just collateral damage. No wonder Geum-joo snapped and found herself smashing in the windows of her husband’s car.

Geum-joo’s identity crisis at the police station was especially heartbreaking. What is she? She’s not really a wife anymore, or a sister for that matter. She’s not an attorney and it’s obvious that Geum-joo is frustrated that being a good paralegal isn’t supposed to be satisfying, because she really is happy with her work. In fact, it’s the only time she feels good about herself, and that means a great deal to her as her personal life crumbles.

I’m not sure what to think of Geum-joo’s invitation to Bok-geo to spend the night with her. Was it because she was afraid to be alone? Is she attracted to Bok-geo, or is she just going along with the rumors that are spreading about them? Was it prompted by gratitude? Whatever Geum-joo was thinking, it was obvious that she was in a fragile state, and Bok-geo recognized that. He was as gentle as someone like him could be in such a charged situation. Even so, he did agree to be with her, so is he admitting to himself that he is attracted to her? These are two mature adults, so a relationship isn’t something to be shy about, but the sudden shift was surprising and I don’t know what to expect going forward. I am sure of one thing though: Suk-woo won’t be happy to see Geum-joo turn to Bok-geo.

Suk-woo and Bok-geo couldn’t be more different, and I think that is the reason that Bok-geo keeps trying to push him away. Suk-woo’s easygoing relationship with Geum-joo highlights the constant push-pull that Bok-geo has with her. Suk-woo is the boy scout to Bok-geo’s bad boy persona. I think Geum-joo has room in her life for both of them, if they can somehow get along. Geum-joo deserves some good people in her corner, so for her sake, I hope that they figure it out.

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