With episode 23 we are hitting the midpoint and often even good weekenders drag just a bit here.

The "News Report" on Egle Brewery is beyond flimsy. There is security footage of the apparent sabotage as well. Sending the ‘whistlebower’ out of the country only adds to the circumstantial evidence- it is proof of intent (Note: As a trial lawyer I know that, contrary to the old Perry Mason shows, circumstantial evidence is tends to be very highly reliable evidence). We know already know that this will blow up in the faces of both the TV station and Silla Brewery. From the suspense standpoint it simply does not work except to raise the question as to whether or not this will be the big hint that finally leads Silla Mom to find out what Silla Dad has been trying to do to Eagle Brewery. That is when the real explosion will take place with the potential to destroy Seri’s family. Silla Dad’s performance before Silla Mom just about guarantees this outcome when the truth comes out.

Silla dad is supposed to be a successful business executive so why does writer-nim portray him as such a loser? Here is what we all know: Sooner or later the truth comes out. The most impressive thing I saw in the second confrontation between him and Gwangsook is that she did not let on that they are well on the way to exposing the truth. All his second visit to Eagle to offer to but the brewery did was provide her with a major clue as to who was behind the ‘news story’. Our FL said just enough to make him uncomfortable without giving anything away.

Mi-sun has her own security footage to add to the evidence regarding the ‘whistleblower’.

At the family meeting Seri could have spoken up but did not: Why not? What was Silla Mom thinking in Shanghaiing Seri off to that meeting? When will Gyeol get around to actually proposing? This charade has been drawn out too far. Gyeol’s pretty friend (and now colleague) can’t make a move on him until he is confronted with the truth about Seri. Why keep pushing this off?

Our Chairman financially rescues Eagle Brewery this week just as last week Baldy rescued FL’s mom.

Worst of all- are we now sending Maknae off to another city? What about Bom? Far too much time was spent on Zumba Brother in this episode and none on the story of Maknae and Bom. Has a decision been made to simply terminate that story?

Also has Hani’s Baby Mama decided to throw in the towel? That would make a lot more sense to me than sidelining Bom and Maknae.

We began the weekend with an increasing, irritating story non sequitur: any time an Eagle character gets into trouble, they don’t call a lawyer for help. With the libelous TV report, yes a police complaint is warranted but for full compensation you need to file a civil suit - - - under Korean law, civil claims are investigated solely by the parties not the police. You need a lawyer to investigate and assemble admissible evidence to prove damages. The nice convenience store owner is not a good substitute for sound legal advice (which often includes ancillary PR and contract interpretation options). We did find that CEO Han no longer jumps to conclusions about Eagle’s issues. In fact, he takes the logical approach (the makgeolli is too good to use stale rice) and merges it with his emotional connection to Gwang-Sook to buy the wholesaler’s returns in order to keep Eagle solvent. (The cases on the street probably will be lost since it lacks proper refrigeration so Eagle will have a financial hit.)

Can we just pray for the thugs to return to kill off the weak Heung-Soo and Hair Stalker story line for good? There is enough meat on the other story lines to have this rancid filler.

Silla CEO is very amateurish to think his saboteur would not stand out like a sore thumb after Eagle investigates the TV report. Stashing her “overseas” just adds more documents (and police trace for payments back to his company). Even Mi-Ae smells a rat of a husband when she hears the news. But she is too distracted by Seri’s marriage rebellion. Seri now admits she loves her prof, but at this time it is a one-way street. Of course Mom is ballistic: it is a bad, inappropriate match. At the dinner, you can sense even Gyul picks up on Seri’s discomfort on the prospect of their marriage. Will they have a real adult conversation to settle the matter their parents have put into overdrive? Seri has been brought up to obey and avoid conflict. We have no clue how Gyul will react. Likewise, Boem-Soo avoids conflict with Young-Eun by building an arctic wall in their interactions. Again, YE pleads for a reconciliation at last minute. One can get the sense that Boem-Soo has had fleeting thoughts about that plea, Ha Ni needs a mother after all, but the pain of YE leaving him alone with Ha Ni overrides everything. If the writer is foreshadowing a redemption path for YE, I think it will be a hard road to build since all the bad makjang chips are bet on Seri and her Professor.

The long road to hoe may be coming for Gang-Soo and Bom as GS tells Chun-Soo that he will be working for the defense contractor in Ulsan, about 200 miles from Seoul. Both will be starting new careers. Both will have new responsibilities and time management issues. Since they have not started dating, the distance will be more of a problem. It does open the door for the stalker’s return since Bom will be alone and vulnerable. Unless Gang-Soo forsakes his civilian career to stay at Eagle, it will be more...

Episode 23
Too much time spent on the Eagle Brewery slander story (and Zumba Brother... and Seri's wedding misery).

At least we got Chairman Han drinking tea at Eagle Brewery 🙂 (though they missed the opportunity of a meeting with Mom there 😁).

Episode 24 finds me completely embarrassed: I fell for another head fake from writer-nim. It turns out that Maknae is not accepting the Defense Contract Company job but instead felt so validated by that offer that he could legitimately accept Bom’s job offer instead. Does this also mean that I should be wary of the idea that Young-eun has thrown in the towel regarding her baby Hani? I am going to say yes to that because there is just way too much dramatic potential in that story for any writer to pass up. Obviously, I would have made a lousy prophet- good thing I opted for Law.

The good news is that the story of Maknae and The Princess is now ready to move forward at a faster pace.

Gwangsook and our no longer grumpy Chairman have an orchard date. Yet another truly pleasant interlude. Complete with an old Han family retainer to offer sage advice to our Chairman. Our Old Orchardist even took photos. Although he does not say it we get hints that the advice of the old orchardist is being seriously considered. Ju-sil couldn’t be happier about this. I have to admire the way that writer-nim has arranged for our two leads to spend significant time together without having to call it dating.

My faith in Professor Brother was reinforced by the very emphatic and clear line that he drew with Seri. He clearly stated the facts even to the point of noting why Seri should not be romantically inclined towards him as well as noting why he is in no position to be even think about such things at this time.

Silla Dad has finally told Silla Mom that he is trying to buy Eagle Brewery- as an act of kindness. If it were not for Seri’s still pending wedding, I am sure that she would smell a rat by now. Actually Mi-ae does smell a rat anyway and proceeds to have coffee with Baldy- who fills her in on the fakery behind the ‘News Expose’. We also finally got confirmation that she is Maknae’s mother. If I understand their conversation (and the flashback) then Maknae’s baby daddy died three days before he was born and Mi-ae simply abandoned him at the brewery to be adopted and raised by the Eagle family. Maybe this was actually a really good call that she made back then: Maknae grew up to be the very finest of men as a result.

The only thing that Baldy got wrong in his meeting with Mi-ae was returning the money that she brought to her. She was attempting to repay a debt that she owes, and it was not his place to refuse the cash that rightfully belonged to Eagle Brewery.

Good move on the writer's part with Maknae's defense company fake out. I like that he was given an option to choose LX fashion, rather than take the job because he didn't have any other offers.

The Maknae × Bom screen time is criminally too little in comparison with Zumba × Hairdresser.
Z×H is easily the worst storyline in the drama, yet they continue to have a large portion of runtime dedicated to them. Heck, Gyeol and his doctor colleague have more potential - and they've only had two scenes together!

Episode 24 brought home the classic Old School K-drama montages between our leads like the pear orchard smiles in silence. Han’s open overwhelming support of Gwang-Sook is making him happier than she realizes. When the old farmer tells Han Gwang-Sook reminds him or his late wife, it is an immediate validation and confirmation of Han’s feelings. It confirms to him that something missing: the strange but simple adventures outside the corporate office space with a free spirit like Gwang-Sook.

The mothers have instincts about their children that is fierce and clear. Joo-Sil lays out the many HINTS of Han’s attraction to her daughter but Gwang-Sook denies it. Mi-Ae has quickly deduced her daughter’s terrible infatuation with her Professor. She correctly says that she can ruin Boem-Soo’s career if Seri continues her fantasy romance. It pushes Seri to confess . . . but she is surprised that Boem-Soo totally rejects her for the same reasons her mother had given. Boem-Soo has created an emotional desert to protect himself and Ha Ni from getting hurt. As a proponent of keeping this ship in dry dock, will Gyul be able on her rebound to convince Seri that he is the right man for her?

We finally get the full story of Gang-Soo at Eagle. Mi-Ae’s husband died just before birth. She could not survive as a single mother. She was not working at Eagle but knew it was run by a kind father. She left her newborn outside the gate to be found by the four brothers, with Jang Soo taking charge. She then hung around the brewery until a part time opening was made. Apparently, Brewmaster Go learned of her secret, and still holds resentment for her embezzlement. The writer is trying to give her the guilt of debt to the Eagle family for saving her son to be nice to the brewery, but she has no power over her husband’s greed.

Silla CEO’s power plan blows up in his face. He tells his main minion to take the fall for this mess. His secretary nods that he knows what to do . . . which I interpret as betraying his boss in the police investigation to save his own skin.

Gwang-Sook is running out of options to save the brewery. The multi-million dollar loan is due in days. As we learned many weeks ago, the post office does not give customer loans (this may be a translation or continuity error.) Again, the misuse of Chun-Soo was shown: with his financial background he should have gone with Gwang-Sook to the bank to discuss the loan. It leaves the door open for Han to ride in and financially pay off/assume the loan. But I hate the idea of a rich man having his crush literally “indebted” to him in order to move their relationship into dating and marriage. It is a power imbalance as bad as teacher-student, employer-employee.

As for Heung-Soo arc, why is anyone interested in such a LOSER? That includes the creepy Hairdresser Stalker who embarrassingly fulfills her teenage fantasy crush in the worst possible way.

I also did not care for Gang-Soo’s sudden and...