Be Strong Geum Soon 129

Last night I fell asleep and slept through the first 15 minutes of the evening prayers. I didn't mind getting an extra of thirst etc. but my usual schedule is disturbed. I should have put the alarm clock on but my sister watches the TV with the sound on so loud that I actually thought I wouldn't be able to sleep through that since I could hear it clearly in my room upstairs. So I thought I won't be able to watch 6 episoses of Geum Soon as I usually do but I did. It just is a roller coaster.

Jae Hee refuses to give up on Geum Soon and while I admire his loyalty, it is a bit stalkerish. We know that Geum Soon loves him back but chooses not to be with him - Mama, her career, her in laws etc.- but how can he be so sure that Geum Soon loves him back? It is turning to be a bit stalkerish. He got beat up by Useless Bro twice and it was not for comic effect either. Well in between the beatings he went up to Grandma and announced his intentions and explained the situation. This is a good move. Real Mom is also trying to get Grandma's approval since Geum Soon told her it is the only way she'll speak with Real Mom.

Meanwhile the police station incident was not the catharsis I hope it would be and the situation still remains unresolved. FIL told them they should move on, he just is not ready to forgive them and it is so hard to keep this a secret from MIL since FIL is scared that she'll be very shocked and sad. But I have a feeling that MIL is made of sterner stuff since she started to clue in on the matter and even asked to meet Sung Ran alone.

Meanwhile Sung Ran's son is coming back to Korea and wished to stay with his mom. Everything is happening so fast. They had an argument with Bank Bro over this.

In the non existent drama of Geum Ah and Useless Bro the families are slowly warming over to their marriage - Camp Grandma because they think Geum Ah crossed the line and slept with him, Camp In Laws because Geum Ah is a good candidate, better than their own son. But I don't think Useless Bro is that much into Geum Ah and there is a threat of a pregnancy but I think it is Aunti in Law (now that her husband is back)

Oh Jae Hee also told Mama that Geum Soon is Real Mom's daughter which has shocked Mama (who now slapped Geum Soon a total of three times and fired her twice but Geum Soon is determined to stick with the saloon and giving up on Jae Hee)

Nana just got more interesting but still I want it to end as soon as possible so that I can start reading something else.

Be Strong Geum Soon 123

Things are accelerating fast. Eun Joo nastily told Mama that the one Jae Hee loves is Geum Soon (but she never told about Geum Soon's Real Mom or kidney donation) and Mama after slapping Geum Soon twice told her that she is not good enough for her son. And right when Jae Hee actually proposed, Geum Soon broke up with him, saying that everything was a dream and she woke up.
The next day is the day of hair colouring test and Geum Soon practised hard for it. Mama told her she is fired but Geum Soon asks why? Well Mama tells her that if she promises never to see or talk to Jae Hee again, she'll let Geum Soon keep her job. And when she does that, she insists that Geum Soon swears on Hwee Sung. Geum Soon does and passes the colouring test. Also Geum Soon now knows that Eun Joo knows (it is becoming similar to that Friends episode where everyone knows!!!)

Eun Joo told Real Mom that she should tell Geum Soon to break up with Jae Hee if Real Mom really likes Eun Joo. Seriously woman, Jae Hee will not love you so please stop this nonsense. 

Meanwhile Sung Ran was listening to the insults and threats of her ex fil when Bank Bro came and ended it. He was upset that she didn't tell her but fortunately she had asked him out that morning so he knows that she intended to tell her. Sung Ran said that she will not be black mailed and that they should tell FIL everything. Bank Bro said he will do so but on his own. FIL is so very shocked at the news - and to give him credit I think he is most upset that Bank Bro actually lied to him rather than Sung Ran's situation. No one tells MIL anything though and FIL doesn't speak to either Bank Bro or Sung Ran.

Seeing that his black mail scheme is not going to work, nasty ex fil went to FIL's work place and when he was bad mouthing Sung Ran FIL finally had it and punched him bad. The episode ended with MIL getting a call from the police station.

Geum Ah and Useless Bro talk separately to each other's parents. But that storyline is the least interesting to me so no details on that one.

Nana keeps not being interesting and I listen to 22/11/1963 really liking it a lot. I wish Nana would end soon.

Be Strong Geum Soon 117

Geum Soon is still rocking. Unbelievable. I thought I'd get sick of it by now but no. Everynight I cry and I laugh with the characters to whom I feel very close now.

Ok Sung Ran/Bank Bro crisis is averted by the sincere apology and explanation of character differences. Also a very romantic letter from Bank Bro helped but despite having reconciled they both acknowledge that this matter is not put to rest yet.

And fate brings in another obsticle to this problem. Sung Ran's old fil surfaces by a chance encounter at a restaurant and he is a nasty piece of work. He wants Sung Ran to pay him a large amount of money saying that this is for his son (Sung Ran's ex) and their child together. The exes business in Beijing is not going well and he needs money. Ex fil piles on the guilt saying that Sung Ran never did anything for his grandson. Also there is the veiled threat, ex fil nows that FIL has no idea of Sung Ran's previous marriage and son. And instead of sensibly discussing it with her husband, the kind and smart Bank Bro, she talks with her accountant about how much ready cash her company has.

Meanhwile Jae Hee and Geum Soon are now a couple but they are hiding it from everyone. Geum Soon gave her kidney to her mother and the operation was succesful. Real Mom returned to her house and continued to live with Old Doc (I thought she was divorcing him!). Geum Soon asked Old Doc to tell Real Mom to keep the whole thing secret from Eun Joo for one year since she works for Mama and Eun Joo is the manager and she thinks, for some reason, that she would not be able to work there if Eun Joo finds out. Well Eun Joo finds out by listening to Old Doc and Real Mom's dinner conversation and even finds out that Jae Hee knew everything too. After having caught Jae Hee and Geum Soon flirting after the saloon is closed (Geum Soon stayed to practice, she also asked her supervisor to teach her more and fast since she may not be here at the end of the year), these news didn't make Eun Joo happy. She actually went to Jae Hee's house called him outside and slapped him without telling him anything. But we hear her internal thoughts through a voice over "If I can't have you, then you are not going to have her" Seriously Eun Joo, just when you were being so nice and acting mature you revert to your spoiled ways. Very dissapointed in you.

Meanwhile another couple is outed, and on TV too. Useless Bro and Geum Ah are seen entering a love hotel together (they went there on Geum Ah's insistance, she had too much to drink and wanted to sleep it off before coming home). The poor things were not aware that a TV news crew were there filming a news story about love hotels and their effects on relationships of the youth. They seperately told their parents the truth that nothing happened but after hearing her mother banning her from every dating Useless Bro again, Geum Ah tolds a lie saying that something happened. Stupid girl.

Now I want to know if everything will come out in the open with everyone knowing that Real Mom is Geum Soon's real mother and that Geum Soon saved her life by donating her kidney, and that Geum Soon and Jae Hee are dating now. Keeping secrets are so hard.

And I want to know how Sung Ran will deal with her nasty ex fil and whether she will tell everything to Bank Bro or not.

Not even remotely interested in Geum Ah & Useless Bro.

Be Strong Geum Soon 109, Portobello - End, Nana

Be Strong Geum Soon really suprised me (while it actually shouldn't) - well the kiss didn't happen but not from the lack of interest in either party but due to the untimely opening of the elevator door. Geum Soon actually felt disturbed because she wanted that kiss too and most probably felt like she shouldn't.

Anyway Geum Soon met Real Ma and she told her she must recieve her kidney. Whaaat??? But giving it some thought, I would have done the same, though for different reasons.

Geum Soon wants to save her mother firstly because she actually likes the woman and being a mother herself finds it in her heart to sympathise with her. The reasons she has given to Grandma, while being cruel, also made sense. Geum Soon asked Grandma how long will Grandma live? 10 years? 15 years? And when she eventually passes away Geum Soon will be left alone in the world. But now she has a mother and isn't it natural that she wants to protect her even though she knows it is hurthing Grandma a lot? Well this argument, while being not very sentimental, actually makes sense and we see Grandma visiting Real Ma (Real Ma early on shouted at the Old Doc that she will not take the kidney and she will die- but Old Doc said to her that she also has two more daughters, one her flesh and blood Eu Jin and the other her stepdaughter -with whom she has just reconsiled- and she has responsibilities for these two as well. This made Real Ma think but she still wants to divorce Old Doc for his cruel and inhuman behaviour).

But other than Geum Soon and her troubles (now that she is very close to Jae Hee and Eun Ju trying to learn something and also tell her to lay off Jae Hee since Eun Ju is the one who is in love with him but she was not able to tell the last part) there is other drama going on in Noh household. Sung Ran found out that Bank Bro has lied to her about FIL knowing that she is a divorced woman with a kid. And neither in law is aware of the facts. This made her really mad. She stormed out, didn't come home that night and when Bank Bro tried to talk to her and apologise, she said she wants to divorce. It is a difficult situation since I know Sung Ran loves Bank Bro but she has issues and Bank Bro lying to her in order to marry her didn't help. Poor guy actually had good intentions but what to do? He lied because he was scared and these are facts. I'm very interested in the outcome of this crisis. I feel that they will reconcile since they actually are in love and their marriage is a good one (despite living with in laws) but I hope that Bank Bro will have the guts to finally talk to his parents.

Portobello is one of my favorite Ruth Rendell books. I loved it right to the very end.

And now while I await my book shipment from UK there is no avoiding to read Nana. This book club thing will not work out since one of the members does not want to read Nana and doesn't have the book. Meanwhile it seems silly to me to have to read this edition with its average translation and lots of typos and the French names written as they are spelled. I don't want to be too formalist but it is not fun to read a book this way. I'm sure I'd liked it (since I like Zola) if it was properly issued with a decent translation and no typos.

Be Strong Geum Soon 106, Real Steel, Just Go With It, Unstoppable

Yes, all weekend, I have done nothing but sitting in front of the TV. I'm fasting so I should feel better about it but I don't. I should have at least gone out to shop or something. Not good.

I have watched

Real Steel It was watchable although not very good. I don't really care for Hugh Jackman except when he is Wolverine.

Just Go With It  I have no idea why I keep watching this film. I like it but it is not that good you know.

Unstoppable This film is nothing special (in fact it is ridiculous most of the time) but apparently I have a fondness for Tony Scott films. There was no other reason to watch it.

Meanwhile Be Strong Geum Soon is kicking up a strom. I feel like I should be bored with it by now since I'm very familiar with the characters now and they feel like my own family. And I find myself wondering whether I should give it a break and start to watch something else for a while. But as soon as the episode starts I'm sucked it.

Well at the end of episode 106, Geum Soon's secrets are all out to everyone.

- Grandma knows that Geum Soon is planning to give her kidney to Real Mom and that Old Doc has arranged all this

- Eun Joo knows that the woman Jae Hee loves is Geum Soon

- Real Mom knows who Geum Soon is and that she is planning to give her kidney to her (now she doesn't have to give her kidney since Real Mom will not take it)

- Geum Soon knows that Jae Hee likes her

- Jae Hee knows everything

- Geum Soons In Laws know everything (and they lent 50 000 for her uncle's release)

- Uncle knows nothing

Hmmmm not a definite secret but worth nothing

- Geum Ah and Useless Bro are dating now.

- Sung Ran is slowly getting used to being married and maybe she is pregnant now (I hope so)


Real Mom went to  Mama's saloon to sneak peek at Geum Soon and Geum Soon saw her but turned her back (and when she decided to face Real Mom, she already left in tears). She went to Grandma begging her to let her do something for Geum Soon but Grandma is stiff as a rock and didn't give in. Now Real Mom has gone AWOL and she has to get dialysed tomorrow but yet nowhere to be found.

Jae Hee and Geum Soon went to dinner (they are sort of dating now but it is not officially out yet) and Geum Soon keep asking Jae Hee to get information about the whereabouts of Real Mom. She asks Jae Hee to text her next morming whether Real Mom came to the hospital or not and Jae Hee said he'll text her tomorrow morning with the updates but he wants to get a kiss in return. Also he stopped the elevator and started to kiss her (I don't think this will happen).

Be Strong Geum Soon 88

Oh it finally happened and Auntie in Law told Geum Soon that her mother is still alive and that she is Old Doc's wife. Geum Soon - very understandably- went into a shock. She took Dr.Jang's home address from Jae Hee - who was very rude to her- and went there and watched her mother from afar as she said bye to her husband and her child. Then she went to work but she is kind of like a zombie, going through motions but only barely and who shows up at the hair saloon? Her mother, she finally decided to accept the invitations of her stepdaughter (another shock for our Geum Soon) and came to make her hair done. At this point Geum Soon feels and looks so bad that they send her home.

Meanwhile Auntie in Law returns the money and feels so much better for it. I actually think Geum Soon needed to be told. I'd definitely prefer to know. Anyway Geum Soon's out of character behaviour attracts the attention of her in laws and she just cannot bring herself to visit Grandma. Auntie in Law understands how she feels and manages to distract her by offering to take her to prison to visit Uncle. Geum Ah has found a job and after arranging to give 2 years worth of her salary to one of the creditors, managed to reduce Uncle's time in jail a bit. Also she and Useless Bro kissed when drunk and now he doesn't answer her phone calls.

Finding Geum Soon by the door in a kind of semi - shock Useless Bro gets the details of what happened from Geum Soon with a promise not to tell it to anyone. Useless Bro is so shocked by the evil Old Doc that he visits him next morning shouting at him not to contact Geum Soon anymore or he'll make Old Doc's life hell. He only stopped from letting everyone in the hospital know how immoral he is because his wife is Geum Soon's Real Mom. Jae Hee hears all of these again unseen by either party and he -understandably - goes into a shock. He apologises to Geum Soon later in the evening for insulting her and her in laws (by commenting on how close she was with Useless Bro) and also for throwing the address on the floor instead of handing it out like a normal person. He FINALLY understands that Geum Soon is not a player but a woman with a heart of gold.

Just at the end of episode 88 Useless Bro tells the truth to Bank Bro and FIL, saying that although he promised to Geum Soon not to tell, he thinks his family should know (I think he is right but it would have been better if he discussed this with Geum Soon and not break his promise).

Be Strong Geum Soon 82

Yeah last night was another Geum Soon night and it was very very exciting.

Old Doc said to Auntie in Law that if she tells Geum Soon that her mother is alive, he'll give them the money Uncle owed to the creditors and get him out of jail. To her credit Auntie in Law didn't say yes right away. But after a bout of anger and dissapointment towards Grandma (who gave some money to Geum Soon - which Geum Soon gave back later on thinking it is not appropriate to take it when her Uncle is in jail and her Auntie in Law will need every won) she called the Old Doc and told him she'd do it. Well she came to her senses soon after but cunning Old Doc already wired the whole amount to Auntie in Law's bank account. She tried to make him take it back but just at that time Real Mom lost consciousness again (thank God she actually is in the hospital now) and she couldn't. She ended up being hospitalised herself because of severe stomach pains caused by stress. Everyone assumed that is because her husband is in jail and that he has gallstones that cause him pain. But we know the real reason.

Meanwhile Jae Hee treats Geum Soon really badly. Accused her being too close to her brother in law (Useless Bro in this case) and that she may have fooled many other men. Geum Soon went to the hospital to make him apologise but he shouted at her, insulted her more - in front of all the staff and patients- and told her not to even say hello if they see eachother again. Old Doc witnessed the whole thing and warned Jae Hee that if he wants to be professor he can't just date anyone - at this point I truly want to shake Old Doc's shoulders and insert some humanity in him. Yes he loves his wife but he is trying to destroy Geum Soon's life to save her (and against her wishes, he also lied to her that Geum Soon is a colleage student at another town - LIAR).

Well Jae Hee felt awful after his outburst and they went to drinking with Eun Joo (who is patiently waiting like a Hyena to pick up the pieces and date him again - well at least she is kinder to her family now) and he actually cried and said that he did a terrible thing just because he wanted to hurt her the way she hurt him. Of course Eun Joo has no idea that the woman in question is Geum Soon.

Well at the end of episode 82, Geum Soon visited her Aunt in Law at the hospital and when she saw Jae Hee she passed him by without saying anything the way he wanted her too. It is probably not necessary to say that this made Jae Hee feel very bad but I'll say it anyway.

Oh and before I forget, Old Doc told Geum Soon that she seems tired and pale and that she has anemia and she should not work hard and not stress herself (all the while arrainging Auntie in Law to tell Geum Soon that her mother is alive- mean old man) and gave her some pills. I'm not sure whether it is relevant or not but that's what happened.

Also Bank Bro (who is a great guy) took Sung Ran to lunch, made up with her and tought her how to get along with her mother. Sung Ran is totally right btw. She is just not so polite and that made her look bad. Well this time she conspired with Geum Soon and finally made MIL agree to a dishwasher (wheeewww)

Be Strong Geum Soon

Oh last night I had to give in to sleep and only managed to watch 5 more episodes (instead of my usual six)

Geum Soon is rehired after passing perma test with flying colours. Mama is very sympathetic to her and actually wants to know more about her life. Jae Hee is crushed and told Geum Soon that he doesn't like her anymore because mothers with small kids are not his thing. Well he mouth says these words but he is very unhappy and never smiles anymore.

And just as Old Doctor arranged a lunch meeting with Geum Soon and about to tell her the TRUTH, Geum Soon's uncle came back with  a bang. He is arrested and had to go to prison for possibly three years since he is under enormous debt (something about100.000 USD). Family is unhappy of course but there is nothing they can do at this stage.

Noh family is unhappy too since Sung Ran is a very different sort of daughter in law. Talking back to MIL and stating that she doesn't like to do housework especially after coming back from work and how come Bank Bro or other men do not have to do it while she has to, when she works harder than her husband. Well she has a point but she is also a bit harsh.

Real Mom is in hospital. She had to be given the ".. juoules clear!!!" thing after her heart stopped but she came back. Of course Aunt in Law told her that her husband knows all about Geum Soon gave her a shock but I don't think much will come out of it. She is not going to divorce him as she threatened him in earlier episodes. 

Be Strong Geum Soon 71

Ok Geum Soon owns me so much so that I actually talk about it in real life to colleagues (the horror!)

Well things are escalating rather speedily. First MIL and FIL argued over the fact that he retired without telling her and fooled her for a month - and she had to hear it from a colleague. MIL was her usual hysterical self and shouted to FIL and told him bad things. But later on they made up and MIL actually was so sweet in her apology (I cried at that scene)

Meanwhile SungRan's modernism doesn't fit with Noh family's old habits but so far no one is willing to upset the other party (especially since Sung Ran actually pays the household expenses -she offered since she is not capable of doing house work).

More importantly Geum Soon is now out of the secret mom closet. She was late to the hair saloon - after she and grandma lost Hwe Sung again. And Eun Joo heard them talking about her kid. Vicious Eun Joo fired her on the spot. And then in the evening she visited Mama and told her that she fired Geum Soon and that she had a son and that she was married and now is a widow. Unseen by them is Jae Hee, who heard everything. Jae Hee is suitably shocked. Mama on the other hand sympathised with Geum Soon and wants to unfire her but doesn't want to undermine Eun Joo's authority. Well Geum Soon is not going to give up and the two see her early in the morning cleaning the windows of the hair salon. She tells Mama and Eun Joo (who told her to just go) that she still owes 1 month advance payment plus the money of the shirt she ruined which costs slightly higher than her salary. She tells them that she is not a swindler and she is willing to work for the money. She doesn't have to be a hair designer trainee as before but she can cook, clean etc.
Just as Eun Joo was about to shout her Mama said leave Geum Soon alone since she'll soon give up. Well, we'll see about that.

Also Real Mom cannot forget the encounter with Grandma and the way she told her off. She asks Jae Hee to find her address - since she had a check up there she is registered at hospital records.
After getting the address she visited there but couldn't face Grandma. Next day she went there again and actually shouted to Geum Soon Aunt in Law. We ended the episode there but I doubt Aunt in Law will be lenient with her. She knows Old Doc's plan of getting Geum Soon donate Real Mom a kidney. Poor Geum Soon. I hope she never finds out about her useless mother who chose a life of luxury and comfort and not her daughter. I'm trying to not to judge but I feel no sympathy to see her crying for the daughter she left behind.
 

Be Strong Geum Soon 65, The Dragon and The Pearl - End, Portobello

My weekend - despite a wedding that I didn't attend and dinner guests on Sunday - was filled with Geum Soon. I love love love it and can't get enough.

Well at the end of Episode 65  Geum Soon is being blackmailed by her evil senior at work who makes things difficult for her and she is shouted at by Mama and Eun Jun at different occasions. Eun Jun's witnessed by Jae Hee who dumped Eun Jun (to be honest he was not that into her but he was not completely clear in telling her this - probably thought to listen to her constant whinning would be inconvenient. But now he actually told Eun Jun that he is in love with someone and he is. Geum Soon's charms caught Jae Hee under their spell but he couldn't tell Geum Soon that he loves her and Geum Soon cannot share with him her family situation because she has to keep it a secret at work (I think Mama would be sympathetic since he actually gave birth to Jae Hee out of wedlock and raised him on her own but what do I know?)

Auntie in Law figured out Old Doc's plan and told this to his face but for some reason she didn't share any of these with anyone else. Even Grandma is clueless on how an evil person Old Doc is (he is evil). Auntie in Law tries to prevent Geum Soon contacting Old Doc further but she cannot tell Geum Soon that her mother is alive and in need of a kidney but at least she could have told Grandma who hates Real Mom as much as Auntie in Law.

Bank Bro finally got married to Sung Ran -they are on honeymoon, I think at Jeju island- but they didn't tell Bank Bro's family that Sung Ran is a divorced woman with a son. Actually Bank Bro lied to Sung Ran that he has told it to his father and that his father said to hide it from his mother. Of course things are probably going to get worse since Bank Bro and Sung Ran are going to live in the same house with Bank Bro's parents, Useless Bro and Geum Soon and her son.

Father in Law had to quit his job but didn't tell Mother in Law who has found about it by accident and she of course didn't confront her husband but tries to control the expenses of the whole family. When I left them she was shouting at Geum Soon why she never mentions her salary (meaning of course why she never shares it with the family) But Geum Soon already took three months of her future salary in advance and also took a 1500 USD loan from Bank Bro to pay for the debts of her Uncle (who is currently on the run from gansgters). And her Aunt in Law still dares to critisise her. Geum Soon is a poster child of being patient.

The Dragon and The Pearl is finished and it was not that remarkable to be honest. Anyway I started Portobello by Ruth Rendell which is bound to make me happy to read a good novel.

Nana is discarded for now and 22/11/1693 is waiting for this evening. It was too hot to do anything but marathon Geum Soon this weeked.

Be Strong Geum Soon somewhere between 36 and 41

Geum Soon still owns me.

Jae Hee finally started to get more interested in Geum Soon. He remembers her and looks for her whenever he drops by in the hair salon. But at the same time he hangs out with Eun Joo and even let her kiss him.

Grandma, after a fight with her Daughter in Law, took He Sung and gone to vegetable selling with him in tow. But of course He Sung walked away while she was making a huge sale and she lost him. Geum Soon, her in laws (except Useless Bro who got offered a job as floor manager because he is good looking and MIL since her leg is in a cast). But as luck have it, Old Doc found He Sung and brought him to the police station (not the one closest to where he found the kid but the one closest to where Geum Soon and her relatives live). The exchanged cards with Geum Soon's FIL.

Bank Bro and Sung Ran do not even speak to each other now but of course MIL went to meet Sung Ran and actually met her and told her how lovely her son Bank Bro is. She is right of course but what she doesn't know - and will probably flip out if she finds out- is that Sung Ran is divorced and mother of an 8 year old boy who lives with his father. Anyway she told Sung Ran to make up with Bank Bro - Bank Bro has no idea.

Geum Soon finally stood up to her MIL (after having a heart to heart with Grandma and thinking how old and fragile her Grandma is) saying that she always critisises her, never appreciates her and refused to baby sit her son, so does it really matter if she behaves respectfully or not? None of them had anything to say to this since she is right.

Oh, and she was about to be fired because she left the hair salon without telling anyone and when the hair stylist (not the bully but the real stylist) asked the reason she didn't want to say. After the Stylist fired her she said she'll tell the reason but only in private. Of course Stylist took her right back after finding out the Geum Soon left because her two year old son was missing and also that she is a widow. Geum Soon told the stylist that she not only wants to learn about the job but she actually needs the job to take better care of ther son. Stylist asked to keep this a secret between them since she doesn't think Mama would react favorably if she finds out. I think Mama, being a single mom herself, would be more understanding but we'll see.

Also before finding the kid, Old Doc approached Real Mom whether they should find her daughter or not and she reacted in a bad way. Throughout their discussion we understand that Old Doc at first said Real Mom that he will accept her daughter but in the end he didn't - his old mother was ill and she couldn't handle it if he brought home a widow with a daughter. So Real Mom said that she has left her daughter and chose to live nicely and she doesn't deserve any kindness now (well, I don't know about the kindness but she didn't do a good thing, at least she knows).

Well on her off day Geum Soon innocently cooked a sweet rice treat for Old Doc, to thank him for finding He Sung. And came across Jae Hee at the elevator. Jae Hee didn't respond when she said hello and he also didn't respond when his two subordinates went in to the elevator at a different floor. Geum Soon said to him that he has something on his white coat and made him looked down. And then she smiled cutely that he actually bowed :) She said to him why he never say hello back when people greeted him - in a very cute way and even though he remained stony throughout the whole jokey period, he started smiling after Geum Soon got off. And the episode ended with Geum Soon entering Old Doc's office while her mother is at the same hospital getting dialysis.

Oh and there is a lot of action now in The Dragon and The Pearl. I don't like the book that much though.

Be Strong Geum Soon 33

Be Strong Geum Soon keeps on being interesting and owning me.

Bank Bro finally finds out from Sung Ran that she is a divorcee with an 8 year old son who actually lives with his father (it is very unusual). And she tells him that he shouldn't take their dating so serious. This conversation happened right after he presented her with couples rings. He has gone into shock after hearing all these new things about her and took the rings back and went home. At night he asked Useless Bro what does a woman mean if she says the relationship is not serious, and Useless Bro replies that she probably just wanted to have some fun. This makes Bank Bro MAD. He actually throws the rings into the loo but doesn't flush and then Useless Bro came and peed and just as he was about to flush Bank Bro told him not to and took the rings out of the loo filled with Uselss Bro's pee. EEWWWWWWWWWWWWW. I can't even say that this dedication impressed me. I simply thought Bank Bro is a stupid man and I hope that he will not give those rings to Sung Ran. Sung Ran thinks that Bank Bro's feelings have changed after he heard her circumstances. But Bank Bro is just mad because Sung Ran doesn't take him seriously. Yes he minded that she is a divorcee with a child living with her ex husband but he was more hurt that she treated her relationship with Bank Bro as unimportant. Now this is a big misunderstanding.

Geum Soon is being treated very bad at work by a girl and she even pushed her and caused her some minor injuries. The injuries were minor but certainly painful and Jae Hee witnessed all these without being seen. He was concerned about Geum Soon and even went as far as taking an oinment from the first aid case. But he was not able to give it to her since she only came back -from the pharmacy to get herself medicine- and Mama and Eun Joo were right there. Eun Joo slowly crawls her way into Jae Hee's life by cooking special food to Mama - who has got a cold - and spending their date at Jae Hee's house eating these with Mama and Jae Hee.

But at home her stepmother just returned from another dialysis session and she is a person who actually has to eat special food etc. When Eun Joo told Jae Hee that she felt more at home at his house than at her own house - due to the stepmother situation, not because she is a bad person but because her father remarried just one year after her mother died and this second marriage seems a much much more successful one- and Jae Hee told her that after living with her for 10 years shouldn't she feel like a family? She got upset and said Jae Hee is blaming her like everyone else does. I dislike Eun Joo more and more with each episode.

And the worst thing is that Old Doctor now actively follows Geum Soon. I just know that he will talk to her and make her life miserable. Is finding her mother better than learning that she lived a luxury life with another daughter and didn't look for her? What about her current situation? Her health is not good and she needs a kidney. Aaaarrrhh this is complicated.

Poor Geum Soon also has to hear her MIL's comments about Sung Ran (a magazine interviewed her and Useless Bro brought it to the house to show his family what kind of a woman Bank Bro is dating since he actually saw them outside the Bank). MIL kept commenting how smart and succesfull Sung Ran is not to mention her father being a retired school master. Geum Soon couldn't help but feel bad :( 

Be Strong Geum Soon 30, Villain - End, The Dragon and The Pearl

Last night was yet another great Geum Soon nights. I actually cried (usual for me) and laughed out loud (very unusual) and actually rewatched the said scene and laughed again (almost never happens). Kang Ji Hwan, I'm this close to liking you because you are such a good good actor. Geum Soon takes the job in the hair salon and actually Jae Hee's Mama (from hereon will be referred to as Mama) likes her since she is very hard working and genuinely interested in the profession. But her co workers are all bitches who hate her since she got this job by being insistent (in their words "begging") and on her first day she made them all clean the windows really well. Now no one speaks to her at work. But I have faith in Geum Soon to win them all because she is truly nice.

Meanwhile Real Mom is in a bad state and Old Doc actually contacted a prosecutor friend of his to find Geum Soon (I think it is for her kidney) at least Real Mom had the decency to ask him not to contact her daughter especially this time. The prosecutor even brought Old Doc Geum Soon's photo!

Also Jae Hee starts to respond to Geum Soon's charms. Not that he is in love with her or anything (yet) but he started to see that she is an honest, kind hearted and cheerful woman who actually wanted to pay him back for not suing her for the accident. He reluctantly agrees on the arrangement since she simply would not give up but he requests her to deposit the money to his account (avoid seeing her). But he often visits the hair salon and they often meet :) 

In the scenes that made me cry first the Useless Bro actually took Bank Bro's card without permission and signed to an acting school (the first instalment is 1400 USD - I love it that Korean money values, social concerns etc. are very similar to ours) and when everyone found out about it he tried to argue his way by saying he is not loved enough and this usually works but this time it made him kicked out of the house. He came across Geum Soon on the way and asked her to loan him her only money 3 USD. And he told her he blames her for his brother's death. And Geum Soon unexpectedly - for him that is- agrees and tells him that she has to live with this her whole life and now she needs to take care of her son and be a good mother. I was in tears by then and when she went to a quiet place shouting to her dead husband, complaining about the girls at saloon made me cry even more.

Grandma now looks after Hi Sung with the approval of Daughter in Law (the father is still absent) and her daughter Geum Ah is kind of into Useless Bro (they met only once yet). Daughter in Law complained to Grandma when drunk - she usually makes her point very clear but her words were more precise and more hurtful in her inabriated state.

Now comes the scene that got me laugh out loud. Jae Hee came to visit his Mama at the saloon and with Eun Joo they sit at Mama's office asking Geum Soon to bring them green tea (only Mama and Jae Hee asked for tea). Here Mama finds out that Geum Soon knows her son but Jae Hee doesn't explain and tells Mama that they only said hi to each other (I think he knows that if Mama knows Geum Soon is the one who fractured her precious son's little finger she'll be mad at Geum Soon). Anyway Geum Soon brings in two cups of steaming green tea. Gives one to Mama and as she was about to give Jae Hee the next somehow the thing fells on Jae Hee's lap burning his sensitive parts. He was hillarious in that scene trying not scream but making awful faces and asking for ICE QUICK and next we see him long sitting in the office wearing thin pajamas and holding an ice bag on his sensitive parts. Kang Ji Hwan - thanks man.


I also finished Villain yesterday and I have liked it even more towards the end. Great book, very good messages.
I have started a Historical Harlequin novel called The Dragon and The Pearl, this one came with very good recommendations -dangermouise at lj- and it is not bad but so far all about the UST and I want to read some action.  But if I know my Harlequin - and I do- we will be in for a treat soon.

Be Strong Geum Soon 25

Geum Soon is such a nice person. She tries very hard and I like her more and more each episode. But I kind of felt asleep during episode 5 last night.

Now Geum Soon found a job at Jae Hee's mothers hair dresser saloon (actually Jae Hee and his omma were all for Geum Soon who tried really heard while Eun Joo didn't want to hire her saying that she is too old to start) with her MIL finally accepting to take care of her boy. But of course the woman fell in the bathroom and her foot had to be in a cast for a month. So Geum Soon decided to use almost all of the money she earned from distributing health products to her Aunt in Law to stop her from yapping so much while Geum Soon's Grandma takes care of her child while she works. Well at least it is cheaper than the creche. And I think it is better for the 2 year old to be with Grandma rather than creche.

Meanwhile Eun Joo and Jae Hee are going on their agreed dates (10 dates before Jae Hee makes his decision) and they seem to be enjoying themselves - while I, of course ship Jae Hee with Geum Soon. If only I could be attracted to Kang Ji Hwan, who is actually a great actor. Meanwhile Useless Bro tries to get into a modelling career and Bank Bro and Architect Lady are getting very close. They are on the brink of truly dating - they held hands and everything!-.

But the true bomb of this period in the series is that the Real Omma collapsed since her body started to reject the kidney transplant. They are going to put a catheter and she will have to do dialysis. But coming to the bomb Old Doctor actually had Geum Soon's name & birthdate on a paper. I think he will try to contact her and request her kidney. You know I try not to judge people but if I were Geum Soon, it will be very hard for me to give my kidney to the mom who abondaned me. I would give it but still I wouldn't be happy about it.

Meanwhile I stopped reading Nana and concentrate on Villain which turned out to be very good. Great novel and I'll seek more from Shuichi Yoshida.

And Stephen King listening is also not going bad. I plan on getting off the shuttle bus at an earlier stop and listen to it while I walk. It is too hot really but I brought by wide brimmed hat and 50 sunblock for this. Let's see whether this will work or not.

Battle Los Angeles, One Day, Be Strong Geum Soon until 23, The Beautiful and Damned - End, Villain, 22/11/1963, Nana

Ok I realised I have not been writing for sometime so here is what I watched and read meanwhile

Batlle Los Angeles I loved it. This is suprising since was is my least fave cinema genre, the film was cheesy and predictable, the dialogues were silly but I could definitely see what was going on and the actors were all very good.

One Day I have been wanting to watch this for sometime and now that I finally did I can say that the best part of the film was remembering the book. I also didn't like the fact that they have omitted Emma's affair with her boss who is married. Emma was not a saint and this made the whole story so much beautiful and real. The two leads were also not bad but not so good that I'd want to purchase this one.

Be Strong Geum Soon Geum Soon and her troubles are on going but this time she is slightly more savy. Finally she met with Jae Hee and of course it was not a good meeting. He hated her on sight and she didn't like him since he prevented her work (of distributing health products) Eun Jae actually kicked her out. Her mother in law is not talking to her again but this time it is because Geum Soon started working - with good intentions since she has to be a mother and a father to her son so she needs to start as early as she possibly can, no? But her Mother in Law thinks she should wait a year so Wee Sung can go to creshe. The problem is that Mother in Law's health is fragile (and to give her credit, she is not faking it, she is indeed of a weaker disposition) and cannot look at the baby. Anway Geum Soon refuses to give in to her and continues to work.
Meanwhile Geum Soon's mother - who is living in luxury with her doctor husband - started to show symptoms of kidney disease again but hides it from her husband. Jae Hee is the husband's student. Real Mother's elder stepdaughter is in love with Jae Hee but her father doesn't want her to get involved. The reasons are that Jae Hee doesn't know who his father is and more importantly, he doesn't have a heart. Well we think he says the truth since when Geum Soon accidentally bumped him at the hospital parking lot with her scooter he not only pressed charges but also made her wait at the police station until she receives the fake medical report saying that it will take six weeks for him to heal. The thing is that it will take four weeks for his little finger to heal but he asked his doctor friend to say six since this is the time limit which will keep Geum Soon in jail. The policeman took pity on her and made her wait at the actual station all night while trying to locate Jae Hee. Jae Hee actually went to work next morning and when he found out that his colleague acted upon his request he goes mad. He says that doctors should have ethics and conscience and that the colleague should have refused his request. Now that his conscience is disturbed he goes to the police station and withdraws his complaint and also doesn't ask for monetary compensation since got treated at the hospital for free. Meanwhile Geum Soon first tried to call Father in Law when in Police Station but her Mother in Law has answered the phone so she kind of froze and couldn't speak. Then she called her grandma and told her to look after her kid for the night. She told the grandma that she was very tired and she needed sleep. Geum Soon is very nice, she didn't want her elderly Grandma to worry about her. But her in laws returned the same night and when they couldn't find her in the house, they assumed that she went to Grandma. They were a bit upset that she didn't call them and tell them that she'll spend the night at Grandma. So imagine Geum Soon's suprise when she finally walked to her house and found her in laws there worried sick (they called Grandma in the morning and now she is worried sick too) and at the end of episode 22 (if I remember correctly, I always got the episode numbers mixed up) everyone is looking at Geum Soon waiting for an explanation on where she spend the night.

I have finished The Beautiful and Damned and it was such a good novel. Yes it is not even as good as The Great Gatsby but still it is better than a lot of others. The book situation got a little bit complicated now.

Currently readin Suichi Yoshida's Villain and loving it. Also reading Nana by Emile Zola and not really loving it since the book is a cheap copy full of errors. And to top these of I'm listeing to Stephen King's 22/11/1963 because a colleague has lent it to me (I think the only reason he did that is he is listening to it now and wanted to discuss it as he reads it along). For whatever reason I enjoy it very much and listen to it while I do chores but sometimes I just sit and listen to it which is bad because I have to read Nana for the book club!
Also my social life went a bit nuts since I went to a wedding on Wednesday, a bbq party on Friday and a hen night on Saturday. This is too much for a not so social woman as I. 

Be Strong Geum Soon 12-13-14

Oh last night Geum  Soon made me cry cry cry. After she has been thrown out by her in laws, she tried to find jobs but  no one would give her a job and then she fell asleep on a park bench, then saw her deceased husband in her dream telling her to wake up. Meanwhile someone stole her carry all. And then she made a wise decision and went back to her in laws. After hearing her out (and after lying to her grandma who came to Seoul to check on her - but she told the Bank Bro that she was going to come to Seoul anyway and wanted to drop by - Bank Bro lied to Grandma and told her that Geum Soon was out and that she is doing well), oh what was I saying, after hearing her out the father in law - supported by Bank Bro, take her in, MIL shouts and tells her to leave but Geum Soon wouldn't. And finally the nasty in laws see the light and Geum Soon starts to live with them. One episode later Geum Soon has a baby boy - who is the darling of her in laws- and her Grandma, Auntie and Cousin moved to Seoul trying get away from creditors (her Uncle put the family in considerable debt).  Geum Soon also finds a job selling health care products.

In the Mother's end, she makes peace with her elder step daughter and they send her away to London to attend a course on make-up (they insisted that she stay but she actually decided that this will be her career). So we know that Kang Jung Hwan is Jae Hee and a student of Geum Soon's Mother's Husband (I'll just call him Old Doctor). Step daughter likes Jae Hee but apparently Jae Hee is a bit of a playboy so Old Doctor doesn't want his daughter to date him. Jae Hee's mom owns a posh hair dresser saloon - which is currently not doing very well.

At the end of the episode Useless Bro returns from Military service and while drunk enters Geum Soon and the baby's room and lies down next to Geum Soon. It was hillarious because Geum Soon first thought that he is a burglar - since his arm was in her neck, he passed out at that position- after beggin the "burglar" not to hurt her baby and telling him where all her valuables are, she realised that the burglar is not responding and his arm is not moving. These observations gave her courage and she starts to hit the now "pervert"  while screaming. :) I needed that sort of a relief after all these tears.

Spiderman 1, Spiderman 2, Modern Family Season 1, Be Strong Geum Soon 7-12

Spiderman is a great film. One to watch again and again and enjoy. This is the film that made me like Toby Maguire.
Spiderman 2 is just as good. No matter how many times I watch it, I still love it the same (maybe even more).

Due to a communication accident I have found myself loaned Modern Family Season 1 and Season 2 - I like the show but not that much of a fan of it. Gave Season 1 a try and I find it nice to be able to watch one after the other. It is more fun that way. Hawaii portion really made me miss Hawaii.

Meanwhile I have watched 6 more episodes of Geum Soon and it is getting better although poor Geum Soon is really suffering.

Geum Soon and Jeung Wan got married despite the opposition of Mother in Law. She also insulted Geum Soon at every opportunity. Well to cut a long story short during these 6 episodes Jeung Wan died at a car crash - he was coming to Seoul because Geum Soon got lost and called him. It is not actually to find Geum Soon but more of an opportunity to see her. When dying his last thoughts were of Geum Soon. The family is crushed when they have found this. Bank Bro and Dad went to the hospital and just as the doctor (Kang Ji Hwan) came out of the operation room telling them Jeung Wan couldn't make it.

Grandma sold her house to finance the wedding (well Geum Soon's part of it) and gave some to this invisible uncle (who didn't attend Geum Soon's wedding either) and moved to the aunt in law's house.

And now comes the worse thing: her in laws kicked Geum Soon out. At night, in the winter. Her father in law put a rather thin envelope of money in her shocked hand and they cut all the ties saying that the marriage was not registered anyway (it was only three days after the marriage Jeung Wan died).  How can one kick a pregnant woman, who became a widow after three days of marriage out in the cold. Furthermore despite not being stupid, Geum Soon is rather naive. She was sheltered by her Grandma (they never even told her that her mother left her, she thinks her mother is dead - she has no picture of her mom), living in a small with only high school education.

Now she is in Seoul, she cannot go back to her grandma - who is living with her uncle's wife and daughter and their economic situation is not very bright either - they were the ones who rented the room to Jeung Wan.  Her in laws didn't let her in despite her crying and banging the door  - to be fair Bank Bro wanted to take her in the house but Mom, Dad and Serseri Bro didn't want her. Mom never really liked her and according to her Geum Soon caused her son's death. She hates her and shouted her and kicked her out. I try not to judge people but I find it hard not to be angry with them. I felt my heart feeling cold as poor Geum Soon went to a jimjilbang, then in the morning had to lie to Grandma that her in laws are treating her nicely. And to top it all her wallet was stolen and we left her as she sat by the road, opened her carryall and take her photo with Jeung Wan out and look at it in tears.

Stupid in laws, but I know, I simply know that Geum Soon will forgive them. She is that kindhearted.

Bookclub told me to start Nana - I actually feel terrible as I further read The Beautiful and Damned since the characters are going through a bad period now -and I'm really into it.