Reach of Sincerity: Episode 11

by TeriYaki

Nothing brings a couple closer than a dangerous threat, and that’s exactly what happens, but not just for our attorney and actress. With the return of Yoon-seo’s stalker, Jung-rok learns more about what she’s been through and is ready to offer his legal help, but he can’t do anything until Yoon-seo is ready. Will the support of Jung-rok and her new friends be enough for Yoon-seo to face not only her fears, but yet another threat to her career?

 
EPISODE 11: “Gang-joon approaches Yoon-seo”

Yoon-seo’s eyes widen when she sees Lee Gang-joon. Jung-rok gets out of his car to confront him, blocking Yoon-seo from his sight.

Gang-joon claims that he thought the woman was someone else and returns to his car. Jung-rok moves towards him, relenting only when Yoon-seo calls out and shakes her head.

Once Jung-rok and Yoon-seo are safely back in his car, she asks, “What did he say? Why did he follow me?” Jung-rok tells her, “He said he mistook you for someone else,” but Yoon-seo knows better.

Yoon-seo is about to tell Jung-rok who the man is, but he already knows, “He’s the one who made your life difficult. That’s why I didn’t want to just let him leave.” Just then, Yoon-seo gets a text, “I felt betrayed to see you happy. Until next time, Ms. Oh.”

Jung-rok drops Yoon-seo at home, but overcome by worry, he chases after her and asks to keep her company for the night.

Inside, a shaken Yoon-seo confides in Jung-rok, “At first, he approached me as a fan.” In flashback, we see that CEO Yeon and Yoon-seo met Gang-joon to discuss a blockbuster movie that he wanted her to headline.

Gang-joon drugged their drinks and Yoon-seo woke up the next day to find him staring at her. When Gang-joon admitted, “All night, I was able to watch my woman,” a terrified Yoon-seo got up and left.

Sometime later, during a wrap-up dinner, Yoon-seo was summoned by her director. When Yoon-seo was shown into a private room, Gang-joon shut the door behind her.

In a drug induced fog, Gang-joon pinned Yoon-seo against a couch and shouted, “I love you!” Yoon-seo screamed just as the narcotics police arrived to arrest Gang-joon. Even though she was safe, Yoon-seo’s nightmare was far from over.

Yoon-seo tells Jung-rok that her presence that night was enough to trigger her scandal, even though her drug test was negative. Yoon-seo cries when she recalls that no one believed her claim that Gang-joon was a stalker.

Unable to endure the flood of malicious articles that followed, Yoon-seo decided to take a break. Tears stream down her face as Yoon-seo confesses that she was scared of Gang-joon and hurt by the people who turned their backs on her.

Yoon-seo tells Jung-rok that she wanted him to know the truth, “I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea about me.” Jung-rok pats Yoon-seo reassuringly, “I don’t think that at all.”

Once Yoon-seo is in bed, she confesses that now that Jung-rok knows the truth, she feels better. Jung-rok reminds her that criminals are the ones who should suffer, not their victims.

Jung-rok urges Yoon-seo, “You should forget all your bad memories,” and promises, “I’ll make you happier than anyone…let’s overcome it together.” When Yoon-seo wakes up in the middle of the night, she smiles at the sight of Jung-rok asleep next to her bed.

Jung-rok wakes up in the morning and finds a cheerful Yoon-seo in the kitchen making breakfast. When Yoon-seo catches Jung-rok staring at her, she vows, “I will…overcome it. With you, Mr. Kwon,” and they both add ‘hwaiting’ fists for emphasis.

Se-won tries to proceed with his case against Jung Ji-ho, but his boss orders him to wrap it up. Se-won asks who he’s more afraid of, Attorney Choi Yoon-su or the person behind him.

Attorney Choi meets with a new client who wants to divorce her husband because he’s not as attentive as he used to be. Attorney Choi counsels her against divorce and when she starts to cry, he hands her his handkerchief. When she uses it to blow her nose, Attorney Choi urges her to keep it.

Attorney Choi walks his client to the elevator and then answers a call from his mother. Attorney Dan is nearby and learns that Attorney Choi’s birthday is the next day.

When Dan goes for coffee, Ms. Yang and Hye-young notice that she’s distracted. Dan explains that there’s a new man that she likes who has a special day coming up.

After Dan mentions that she owes him a drink, Hye-young encourages her to dress prettily and Ms. Yang suggests patterning herself after his ideal woman. Uh-oh. Dan walks out with her coffee and when she sees Yoon-seo at her desk, she smiles.

Yoon-seo may be able to fool everyone else, but Jung-rok isn’t convinced by her super-cheerful display after lunch. When Yoon-seo runs off to get coffee for the team, Attorney Yeon’s observation that she seems particularly happy only adds to Jung-rok’s concern.

An online article about Gang-joon has Yoon-seo so distracted that she doesn’t hear Jung-rok announce that it’s time to go home. When Yoon-seo runs off to make some copies, Jung-rok sees what had her so absorbed.

Jung-rok joins Yoon-seo at the copy machine but since Mr. Lee and Hye-young are still at their desks, he’s forced to write her a note, “Let’s go on a date tonight.”

Inspired by Yoon-seo’s dramas, Jung-rok covers two tropes with his date, a small amusement park near the beach. Jung-rok reassures a troubled Yoon-seo, “…let’s just take one step at a time. I’ll always stay by your side to support and protect you.”

Jung-rok soon regrets that promise when he and Yoon-seo go on some rides. He’s terrified but insists, “I’ll protect you,” before giving up and and screaming, “Please! Stop the ride!”

Yoon-seo has to help a shaky Jung-rok down some stairs and can’t keep from giggling. When she tries to get him to admit that he’s scared of rides, Jung-rok gets cranky, which reminds Yoon-seo of the first time that they met. She announces that Jung-rok is like a hedgehog, prickly on the outside but cute on the inside.

After seeing someone with a cotton candy bear, Jung-rok tries to buy one for Yoon-seo. Finding the vendor closed for the day, Jung-rok talks him into making one more.

With the cute cotton candy bear in hand, Jung-rok runs back to Yoon-seo triumphantly but when he bumps into someone, it falls on the ground. Yoon-seo tries to make Jung-rok feel better by eating from the clean side of the bear and even though she feeds him some, it fails to lift his spirits.

Jung-rok tries to redeem himself with some fireworks, another dating tip that he picked up from Yoon-seo’s dramas. He’s devastated when every single one turns out to be a dud. Unfazed, Yoon-seo asks Jung-rok to sit down with her and enjoy the fireworks that some other people just set off

Jung-rok pouts about his failures — he was scared of the rides, he ruined Yoon-seo’s cotton candy and his fireworks wouldn’t go off. Jung-rok realizes that he doesn’t measure up to Yoon-seo’s leading men, who always made her happy.

Yoon-seo puts everything into perspective, “I’m here…with someone I truly love. You’re my real boyfriend, and your feelings for me are real.” She adds, “When I’m with you, I feel certain that I’ll be able to overcome just about anything.” As fireworks fill the night sky, Jung-rok manages to return Yoon-seo’s smile.

That night, Yoon-seo is able to go home alone. In the morning, Jung-rok picks her up and drives Yoon-seo’s car to work. He notices a car following them and once they’re at work, Jung-rok stays behind under the pretense that he needs to make a call.

Jung-rok grabs a camera that’s snapping photos of Yoon-seo and explains that it’s illegal to do so without permission. When the photographer argues that he wasn’t taking photos of Jung-rok, Yoon-seo interrupts, “No, they were of me.”

Fed up, Yoon-seo calls Gang-joon and threatens to press charges if he continues to have her tailed. Gang-joon notes, “You’ve gotten bolder,” and Yoon-seo agrees, “That’s right. I’m not afraid of you anymore.” When she hangs up, Yoon-seo takes the camera’s memory card as evidence.

Once they’re alone, Yoon-seo explains to Jung-rok that she knew that they were being followed. She guessed that he was about to investigate and stayed behind to call the police, if needed. When Jung-rok asks if she’s serious about pressing charges, Yoon-seo hesitates, “I gave him a warning, so we’ll wait and see.”

When Dan arrives at the office, she surprises everyone with her Yoon-seo-inspired transformation, complete with sunglasses. A distressed Attorney Yeon jumps up, convinced that Dan’s transformation is retaliation for his criticism of her performance.

Dan giggles girlishly and borrows Yoon-seo’s ‘hwaiting’ pose when she vows to improve. Attorney Yeon turns to the others for help but Attorney Choi urges his CEO to be supportive. Dan hilariously mimics Yoon-seo’s hand wave and knee bend on her way out. Oh my.

Attorney Choi is startled to see the ‘new’ Attorney Dan in his office. He demands to know why she’s there, so Dan invites him for drinks and dinner, in honor of his birthday.

Attorney Choi laughs, “Why would I have drinks with you on my birthday?” He has dinner plans with his mother and after asking for a raincheck on the drinks, Attorney Choi tells Dan, “Please leave now.” Ooof.

Writer Lee and her producer meet with CEO Yeon and Hyuk-joon to deliver bad news. Yoon-seo can’t be in the drama after all because their only investor rejected her. CEO Yeon asks for the investor’s number in hopes of changing his mind.

CEO Yeon calls Yoon-seo at work with the news and she insists on meeting the investor too. When Jung-rok walks in and asks, “Is something wrong,” Yoon-seo smiles and tells him, “It’s nothing.”

Attorney Dan overhears a ruckus coming from Attorney Choi’s office. His latest client is back with her husband, who accuses Attorney Choi of hitting on his wife and he uses the handkerchief as evidence.

After being accused of using his position to seduce women, Attorney Choi loses his temper and warns, “Watch your mouth.” The agitated husband takes a swing at Attorney Choi and his wife screams when his hand ends up entangled in Dan’s hair.

Attorney Dan defends Attorney Choi, “He’s not someone who hits on his clients…” Dan reminds the couple that they’re in a law firm and they leave as soon as she threatens to sue.

Dan explains to Attorney Choi why she came to his aid, “I couldn’t let you be assaulted on your own birthday.” When she leaves his office, Attorney Choi wonders to himself, “What is this? The only person who protects me…is my mom.”

At quitting time, Jung-rok offers Yoon-seo a ride home but she has a meeting with CEO Yeon and leaves first.

While waiting for the investor, Yoon-seo tries to calm her nervous CEO and he wistfully notes how much she’s grown up. They’re both taken aback when Gang-joon saunters in and sits down.

CEO Yeon gets up to leave but Yoon-seo stays put and tells Gang-joon, “I thought I made it clear…I don’t want to see you ever again.” When Gang-joon brings up Yoon-seo’s bold attitude, she adds, “Back then, I had a lot to lose but now, I have nothing left.”

Gang-joon reminds Yoon-seo about the drama but she doesn’t falter, “I don’t have to shoot that drama. Like you said, I’m more than happy right now.” After Yoon-seo and CEO Yeon leave, Gang-joon gets a crazed look in his eyes.

Hyuk-joon and CEO Yeon drive Yoon-seo home and after she goes inside, they agree that she’s taking the bad news quite well. Inside, Yoon-seo holds the script for Love Hurts and sighs.

Jung-rok tries to call Yoon-seo but she doesn’t answer. Instead, he gets a text, “I got home safely. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Even though he senses that something’s wrong, Jung-rok texts back, “Have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Alone, Yoon-seo weeps, not only for the lost role but over the possibility that her acting career is over.

Se-won watches a news report that details the light sentence that Jung Ji-ho received. When Jung-rok asks Se-won if he’s okay, he asks to go out for soju.

At a pojangmacha, Se-won explains that Jung Ji-ho didn’t just gamble, he illegally moved more than $20 million out of the country. Jung-Rok wonders how Se-won can give up the case but he doesn’t have a choice, for now.

Se-won senses Jung-rok’s mood and asks, “…why do you look so down?” Jung-rok asks about Gang-joon and Se-won guesses that he’s bothering Yoon-seo again. 

Jung-rok explains that Gang-joon had someone tailing Yoon-seo to take photos and that he has the memory card as proof.

When Jung-rok explains that Yoon-seo isn’t ready to press charges, Se-won understands, “It took so long for the huge scandal to die away.”

On the walk home, Jung-rok notices a sidewalk vendor selling stuffed hedgehogs. He announces that he has somewhere to go and soon he’s on Yoon-seo’s doorstep, with a large, cranky looking hedgehog.

Jung-rok sits outside with Yoon-seo and explains why he bought the hedgehog, “I can’t always be by your side. I thought it could keep you company when I’m not there.” When Jung-rok notices Yoon-seo’s subdued mood, she explains that she may not be at work for a while but she can’t explain why.

In the morning, CEO Yeon visits Always Law and has to quiet Attorney Yeon when he exclaims, “Yoon-seo won’t be starring in the drama?” As the founder and anonymous vice-president of Yoon-seo’s fan site, Attorney Yeon is disappointed on behalf of her fans who have been waiting for her return.

When CEO Yeon explains that Yoon-seo won’t be at work for the time being, the cousins decide to tell her coworkers that she’s sick. Everyone in the office is genuinely concerned after Attorney Yeon’s announcement. Jung-rok returns to his office and stares at Yoon-seo’s empty desk until his client, originally assigned to Attorney Dan, arrives for his appointment.

Jung-rok tells the client that he has a good chance of avoiding jail time for his gambling since he wasn’t a high stakes gambler like Jung Ji-ho. The client doesn’t understand that case because he heard through his connections that Jung Ji-ho visited the hotel for the first time the day that he was arrested. Jung Ji-ho wasn’t a habitual gambler as reported.

Se-won is surprised when Jung-rok pays him a visit. He assumes that Jung-rok wants news about Gang-joon, but he’s there to discuss Jung Ji-ho. Jung-rok suggests that Jung Ji-ho wasn’t a gambler after all and when Se-won shows him some video footage as proof, he recognizes the man who tailed Yoon-seo.

Se-won realizes that Gang-joon and Jung Ji-ho may have been overseas together. He knows with certainty that they share an attorney because Choi Yoon-su defended Gang-joon on his drug charge.

Yoon-seo is in bed when a text from Ms. Yang comes through and after she sees the many messages from her coworkers, she gets up. At the sight of Jung-rok’s cranky hedgehog, Yoon-seo makes a decision, and soon she’s back at Always Law to see Jung-rok, as a client.

Ready to press charges against Gang-joon, Yoon-seo hands over a memory card and phone with all of the photos and threatening texts that he sent her. She tells Jung-rok, “This time, make him pay for what he did.”

Jung-rok drives Yoon-seo home and she explains that even though she tried to forget what had happened, her pain never went away. That’s why she decided to put her trust in Jung-rok.

When Yoon-seo enters her condo, Gang-joon emerges from the shadows and announces, “I missed you.” Meanwhile, Jung-rok recognizes one of Gang-joon’s men nearby and turns around.

After Gang-joon insists, “I love you, Yoon-seo,” she threatens to call the police. Angered, Gang-joon starts breaking things and Yoon-seo screams when he grabs her and yells, “Say that you need me and that you’ll never betray me!”

Jung-rok is suddenly there and hits Gang-joon. After placing Yoon-seo behind him, Jung-rok orders, “Stay away from my woman.”

 
COMMENTS

Danger is the name of the game in this episode, not only for Yoon-seo, but for Attorney Choi as well. Of course, when someone you love is about to get hurt, protective instincts kick in and that was true for Jung-rok and Attorney Dan, who channels Yoon-seo but not with the same results. I honestly couldn’t decide whether to laugh or to cringe when Dan made her grand entrance, I think I did both. The shocked looks on the faces of Dan’s coworkers were priceless, especially Attorney Yeon’s. Huge props for Shim Hyung-tak and Park Kyung-hye. I can’t take my eyes off of either one of them when they share a scene together. Those two are comic gold.

Dan got the chance to reciprocate Attorney Choi’s rescue, that time that he stood up to the cafe owner creep who exploited her for legal help. Incredibly, intercepting that hit intended for Attorney Choi and defending his character is what finally puts Dan on Choi’s radar. It makes total sense, the way to a mama’s boy’s heart is by reminding him of his mother, and that’s exactly what Dan accidentally accomplished. Not her spot on impression of Yoon-seo or her invitation to a birthday dinner. Attorney Choi just got hit by lightning, only he doesn’t know it yet. This should be fun.

Jung-rok’s protective instincts kicked in as well after that harrowing car chase and Yoon-seo’s dreaded reunion with Gang-joon. He’s so determined to protect Yoon-seo that Jung-rok makes that sweeping promise to stay by her side and protect her, just as they enter what turns out to be his worst nightmare, an amusement park. Originally intended to take Yoon-seo’s mind off of her troubles, the date does just that, but only because Yoon-seo has to guide Jung-rok through one disappointment after another. He’s a total baby on the rides, can’t bring himself to look at the dirty cotton candy bear, and ends up with fireworks that fizzle, just like his ego. Jung-rok can’t keep from pouting and instead of cheering up Yoon-seo, she has to cheer him up, but he’s determined to stay upset. And how funny was it that he was comparing himself to Yoon-seo’s leading men, who have the benefit of a script and retakes? But Jung-rok is powerless when Yoon-seo confesses her love while fireworks explode overhead. Eventually, the date does exactly what it was supposed to do, help Yoon-seo to forget about Gang-joon for a few hours. I just love how these two help each other to navigate their ups and downs. They really do complement each other perfectly.

It turns out that Gang-joon is more of a threat than either Jung-rok or Yoon-seo imagined. He’s so dirty that he’s not afraid of the police, but thanks to the gambling client who ‘fired’ Attorney Dan, Jung-rok gets a tip that puts the case that’s troubling Se-won in a whole new light. Together, the two roommates may have stumbled upon an important discovery that will help each of them to catch a criminal. If Jung-rok manages to successfully sideline Gang-joon, what will that mean for Yoon-seo and how will it affect their promising future?

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