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)