Full Sun: Episode 13

by gummimochi

You know what they say: when one bromance closes its door, another bromance blossoms anew. Okay, that might not be what they say but it’s nice to know that Se-ro’s got people on his side when the hunt for one USB drive is what it takes to bring one corrupt chairman down.

While getting involved in a messy war is easy enough, getting out of one is another task altogether, especially when our wallflower heroine decides that she wants to get in on the action, too. So many people to protect in this hour and so little time to do it.

SONG OF THE DAY

Park Hyo-shin – “야생화 (Wild Flower)” [ Download ]

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EPISODE 13 RECAP

Eyes ablaze with fiery determination, Se-ro replays his conversation with Kang-jae, who had delivered Daddy Han’s message: leave Korea or risk being framed once more. Se-ro growls his response to himself. “I’m me. Do whatever you want.”

As Madam Baek nurses a rather large drink, she lies to her son that she didn’t tell Young-won anything and harps on about her own pitiful life. But Young-joon’s concern for his sister trumps pity for his mother at present, and to her shock, she’s told that she brought this upon herself.

It almost goes without saying, but Se-ro returns home to an empty apartment.

Jae-in sees the video of Daddy Han at HQ, and overhears Hong & Hama’s worries over how it would still implicate Kang-jae. Hong takes this opportunity to ask her whose side she’s on—who would she save first if Kang-jae and Se-ro were both drowning? She says she’s on her own side.

Jae-in then finds Se-ro up on the rooftop and muses that no one updates her at all anymore. Her eyes widen when she hears that Daddy Han found out everything about Se-ro, who sighs that his tail was bound to be stepped on without Jae-in spilling the beans already.

Se-ro says he’ll take care of himself and asks her what she plans to do. Just then they’re interrupted by Young-won’s arrival, and Hong hands off the USB (containing the video) to Se-ro.

They relocate to chat, and Se-ro chuckles at Young-won’s assertion that she’ll release the discrediting video to the public. He asks what her real reason is but doesn’t buy her answer that she would rather be the one to denounce her own family herself and that Se-ro should take himself out of the equation.

Unconvinced that Young-won wants to get her hands dirty, Se-ro walks her through the steps of exposing Daddy Han’s misdeeds and corrupted acts. He adds that Young-won should also unveil herself as the whistleblower, trying to dig a reaction out of her. But Young-won solemnly agrees to do as he asks, to his disappointment.

When Young-won begs for the video file, Se-ro tells her to use her own means to acquire it—only then will he truly believe that she actually wants to go through with this. Young-won conveys her regrets for how she treated him after seeing that video file, only to be told that Se-ro would have never brought her to his place if he wanted her to go up against Daddy Han herself.

If his end goal was to use her as a means to stop Daddy Han, there would have been a plethora of easier methods, Se-ro continues. “If it was a bit more for your sake, if I didn’t eat the food you made me, if I didn’t go to Gangwondo and wasn’t taken care of by you, if only I could pretend that I didn’t recognize you, then I would have used you to stop your father sooner.”

But if she realized that he’s gone through leaps and bounds to make sure that Young-won stays out of this war, then she’ll stay out of it, Se-ro tells her. If not, then she can return to her family and pretend that she doesn’t know him.

What happens to him once that video goes public isn’t her concern, Se-ro says. “To me, you’re just Han Young-won.” He walks away at that, and we see Jae-in not too far off, having overheard their conversation.

When Young-won returns home, she warns her stepmother to remain quiet because Daddy Han will be none too pleased to find out that his daughter now knows the truth. She assures Madam Baek that no harm will come to Young-joon, then asks if her father framed Jung Se-ro when he was still an innocent man. Madam Baek’s smirk is enough of an answer.

Hong & Hama use a run-in-and-switch method against Secretary Ahn in order to obtain crucial information off of their target’s phone. Ha, I love that their celebratory high-five totally fails.

Se-ro returns home to see a drunken Young-won by the elevator and silently follows behind her. He makes himself known in front of his apartment door, where Young-won simply asks, “Who are you?”

She repeats the question, and her gaze remains fixed on him as she puts her hand to his face. He realizes that she’s having a hard time, and Young-won replies that she won’t ask him any questions anymore, to allow herself to be deceived by his words, and to do things his way.

Then Young-won calls him by “Lee Eun-soo” over and over until she whispers that it’s too painful to say his name. Se-ro watches over her as she sleeps, then leans in as if to kiss her… but then stops himself. He muses aloud: “Why can’t I forgive your father? Can’t I just love you? I can’t, can I?”

Se-ro returns to Scammers HQ to review the contents of Secretary Ahn’s phone and gets the ball rolling by sending a snapshot of a text conversation to one of Daddy Han’s business contacts. It’s the first of many it seems, and Daddy Han has to deal with the mess of his secretary’s phone being compromised.

Se-ro buys some new clothes for Grandma (aw) and then helps her carry her cart up the hill (double aw). Because talking about arising issues in the open is the best way word gets around in dramaland, Kang-jae overhears Secretary Ahn talking about how Daddy Han is getting bombarded by his angry business contacts thanks to someone swiping his phone.

Kang-jae is pretty sure that Se-ro was behind the act and declines Jae-in’s offer to meet up, until she says that she’s leaving soon. They meet by the river and Kang-jae is pleased to hear that she’ll go somewhere that neither he or Se-ro will be at.

Jae-in refuses his offer to help her get resettled elsewhere, and sighs that she just wants to see Kang-jae live happily, hopefully somewhere other than prison. She wants to see Kang-jae safe, regardless of her feelings for Se-ro.

She reveals one last tidbit that Se-ro possesses a video on Daddy Han in which Kang-jae appears on it as well. And with that, she bids him farewell. But when she turns to walk away from him, Kang-jae charges ahead of her, as if he must be the one to show his back to her, not the other way around.

Grandma is still in disbelief at Se-ro’s assertion that he’s back to stay. She asks after Young-won and showing her grandson the jewelry pieces that Young-won fixed up for her, she warns him not to do anything terrible to Young-won. Aw.

Misunderstandings must be dealt with words, not actions, Grandma tells him, and Se-ro figures that she likes Young-won, too.

Kang-jae and his lackey return to Scammers HQ to demand the USB and phone out of them, and when Hong & Hama play dumb about it, he orders Third Wheel Lackey to search the place. It’s hard to watch the former team members get into a literal tussle over it, along with Kang-jae’s tear-filled reaction as he tries to keep his composure.

Noticing the safe upstairs, Kang-jae pushes past them, and now it’s Hama’s turn to plead with him to understand why he sided with Se-ro. Hama knows that Kang-jae was indirectly involved with Se-ro’s father’s death, and while his death was an accident, Dad was still the man who raised him.

Kang-jae grabs Hama by the shirtfront at that, and it takes all of his willpower to growl at Hama not to use Dad’s name against him, especially if Hama doesn’t know what exactly happened.

It’s enough to get Kang-jae to step away for now, and Se-ro runs out at the news. He’s told that Kang-jae is en route to his apartment… where Kang-jae blows past Young-won to rifle through Se-ro’s desk without so much as an explanation.

Kang-jae reports back to Daddy Han that they found the phone and confirms that Se-ro was behind it. He also informs the chairman that Young-won is at Se-ro’s apartment as they speak and is instructed to drag her out of there.

Young-won won’t go without a fight and throws back that Kang-jae is no better than a lapdog to do her father’s bidding. Kang-jae retorts that she’s the reason why things have gotten this problematic, but that doesn’t faze Young-won at all. Unfortunately, the apartment is clean of the USB drive.

Se-ro arrives at his apartment two steps too late and picks up a call from Kang-jae, who says he wasn’t kidding when he said that he’ll make sure Se-ro can’t return to his old life. Se-ro demands to speak with Young-won, only to get hung up on.

Young-won has cottoned onto the threat made against Se-ro, however, she doesn’t get an answer. Back at the apartment, Hong realizes that they have to keep the USB drive someplace secure, but Se-ro says he thinks Young-won took it with her. Ruh roh.

You could say that Kang-jae has met his match when it comes to Young-won, given how she submerges her phone in water versus handing it over. At her question of why Se-ro is being threatened, Kang-jae replies that things will only get worse for Se-ro (as his alias as Lee Eun-soo) if Young-won keeps sticking up for him.

We learn via flashback that Young-won had seen Kang-jae at the door (yay technology!), then made sure to tuck the USB drive away before answering the doorbell. Smart girl.

Things aren’t looking well over at Belle la Fair, and Team Leader Kang hands in his resignation letter, having had enough of the way Young-joon does business. Young-joon is informed of his sister’s disappearance via text and bows out of the meeting, agreeing to at least keep the resignation letter on hand.

Young-joon meets up with Se-ro, who tells him that Young-won possesses the evidence that FL Gemstones is a sham. So Young-joon heads over to where his sister is being kept hostage, pushing past Third Wheel Lackey to loudly announce that he’s here on their father’s orders.

Once inside, Young-joon tells his sister that it wasn’t easy tracking her down and says that Se-ro is waiting outside. He escorts her out to where Se-ro is and reluctantly hands over his phone.

Reminded of Kang-jae’s words that Se-ro will be in more trouble if she gets involved, Young-won remains at a distance to call him. She tells him that she’s heading home and not to wait for her anymore, but all Se-ro asks if she’s okay. D’aww.

Holding back her tears, Young-won grits out that her entire life is a mess because of him, using his previous insults against her. Se-ro knows that she’s just trying to push him away, and he says that her efforts to do so are useless when they won’t work out anyway.

Se-ro is understanding to her words that she doesn’t want to get involved with him anymore. A tear falls from her eyes as she asks if he can’t leave, and he takes a beat before saying that he will, but adds that she stole something from him.

Young-won retorts that she’ll expose the video tomorrow and asks that he trusts her just this once and leave so that her father doesn’t hurt him anymore. She hangs up at that and walks past her brother, but Se-ro hears him call after Young-won. He chases after her, but she climbs into a taxi before he can catch up to her.

Secretary Ahn can only apologize to Daddy Han on his knees for ruining all of his business relationships. Daddy Han is most angry over the fact that he can’t show his face to the people whom he once had under his thumb and how all that power crumbled in one day.

Kang-jae makes sure to get in one last dig at Secretary Ahn by returning his phone. The latter doesn’t take it though, and Kang-jae shifts uncomfortably at Daddy Han’s intentions to move up his plans to frame Se-ro to tomorrow. He asks the chairman if he took care of the video, and is met with Daddy Han’s perplexed expression.

Afterwards, Kang-jae calls his lackey to say that they must find the USB drive first without Daddy Han or President Shin’s knowledge, since it could be a valuable bargaining chip for them. Er, couldn’t you have said that after you were out of earshot of Daddy Han’s men?

Kang-jae isn’t too surprised to hear that Young-won isn’t at the hotel anymore, but neither is he suspicious that Young-joon was the one to pick her up.

After Young-won ignores his call, Se-ro sends her a text (since she still has Young-joon’s phone) to say that if she’s serious about going through with this plan and get her hands dirty, then to meet him at a cafe tomorrow because that’s where he was going to meet a reporter anyway.

Or maybe Kang-jae is suspicious of Se-ro after all, as we see him return towards Se-ro’s place. At the same time, Se-ro explains to Hong that Daddy Han will have his hands tied once the video is out in the open.

When he’s asked whether Young-won will actually show up tomorrow, he deflects the question and says he sent Secretary Ahn’s contact details to an email account made for Jung Se-ro.

Se-ro lets Kang-jae in when he arrives and honestly answers that he doesn’t have that damn USB drive when Kang-jae demands it. Se-ro has until tomorrow to hand it over or risk having history repeat itself, but Se-ro whips back that Kang-jae should prepare himself too, since he also appears on that video.

Then Kang-jae spells out the risk Se-ro will face if he doesn’t have the USB on hand, to Hong’s confusion. Se-ro is positive that Young-won will show up and all they have to do is strike first.

The next day, Young-won goes to visit Woo-jin’s resting place and blames herself for his death. Even though she’s sorry that he’s passed away, she’s even more sorry about how she can’t help but think of Se-ro. She asks Woo-jin not to forgive either her or her father.

Then Young-won texts Se-ro to say that she plans to meet up with the reporter on her own. She hopes that Se-ro will live for himself here on out, and wishes that the fact that she once loved his wounded self gives him some comfort.

Hong & Hama try to stop Jae-in from leaving, but she’s had enough of getting herself involved in this war between Kang-jae and Se-ro. Hama says they should come out to Kang-jae with the truth in hopes that will get him to step down, but Jae-in knows that it will be the end for both men if Young-won reveals that video.

Se-ro sees Young-won head inside to their meeting place, where she meets with the reporter as planned. He keeps watch as Young-won calmly explains the situation, and she’s just about to show the video when we see Kang-jae march up to the same cafe.

Se-ro refuses to back down and Young-won follows the reporter’s gaze to see the men outside. She hurriedly copies the video to the reporter’s laptop as Se-ro tries to buy her time outside.

Kang-jae asks if he should be thankful that Se-ro is trying to end things and throw their entire job away. When Se-ro tries to stop him from going inside, Kang-jae punches him.

Young-won hurriedly returns the laptop just as Kang-jae enters, but Kang-jae has already caught on and he destroys said laptop and tries to buy off the reporter. Eeek, hard drives are recoverable, right?

Right then Se-ro charges inside to return Kang-jae’s punch to the jaw and then gets the hell out of dodge with Young-won in hand. Kang-jae follows them by car, and Se-ro asks a shaken Young-won if she’s all right.

She asks if Se-ro always lives this dangerously, but he tells her that it’s only because he got involved to bring down Daddy Han. Young-won asks after the other time Se-ro had seen her five years ago, when he had seen her smiling.

“You hate me, don’t you? You find me cowardly and crude, right?” Se-ro asks. But Young-won presses for an answer, and Se-ro takes a long pause before saying that he once delivered a bouquet of flowers to her studio. “That’s when I first saw you.”

The memory is both painful for them to remember and for us to watch again, to be reminded that Se-ro was once an innocent man.

Right now their more pressing concern is their tail in the form of Kang-jae’s car. Se-ro speeds up without telling Young-won as not to alarm her… and then Young-won blows on his whistle over and over. Ack, that’s her answer that she know everything and accepts him anyway! But out of all the times, why does it have to be now!

Se-ro’s eyes well up in tears at this realization and swallows hard before asking if they should run away. She agrees with that plan and Se-ro steps on the accelerator.

 
COMMENTS

Yes, run away together and be happy! Sure I know that the success rate of that farfetched notion of happiness is slim in a car chase, let alone a melodrama, but a girl can dream, right? I must admit that my heart was beating quite loudly when Young-won answered Se-ro’s question of whether she would accept him when she learned the entire truth later down the road by whistling. That response alone speaks volumes to Se-ro, whom I’m sure immediately recognizes that she now knows everything and still cares for him.

In fact, I really enjoyed watching Se-ro and Young-won reciprocate their efforts to protect one another before Daddy Han’s fallout, both knowing that it was inevitable and neither wanted to see the other hurt because of it. But what I love more about them in particular is just how honestly they call each other out on their nobly idiotic words. It was really a great moment for Se-ro when he plainly explained that everything he’s done was to protect her, along with the assurance that his grudge towards Daddy Han is completely separate from his love for her.

It was awfully nice to see Young-won actually take action and think a step ahead of her enemies in this hour. Who knew that the girl had it in her? I really enjoy this assertive change in her character and her active participation keeps her engaging as we move ahead in the final chapter of this revenge storyline. As for the revenge itself, I could really do without everyone harping on that damn USB drive aka The Most Important Thing every five minutes, but if it’s a plot device that will get people moving, then I suppose I can’t really complain all that much.

So now that we’ve used this hour to set up the stage of (finally) exposing Daddy Han’s corruption, we can only await the payoff the next episode will bring. Well at least I hope it’s in the next episode, that way we can take another hour to see the consequences of that downfall and spend the last 120 minutes watching Se-ro and Young-won play on the beach together or something. What do you mean the first two minutes showed Se-ro with a revolver to his head?

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