Birth of a Beauty - Episode 6 (A Wooki-Short-Cap)

Am I getting used to the crazy mood swings of this drama or is it getting better? In over 60minutes, nothing much happens. Well, revenge is executed and everything goes as planned. Plus, our hero is so beautiful.... O_____o
becca: I don't know if the drama's hitting its groove or not, but this was a fun episode. And I spent most of it admiring Joo Sang-wook.
Lafer: I liked it! I liked it! It stayed true to its crazy self.
JoAnne: I was delayed in commenting because the recap looked fun so I actually watched this episode. And then promptly went to sleep. At least it was AFTER the episode, right?

Episode 6

Get those feelings out of your system man, yeah! He runs for two hours, but the effects of that are wasted instantly when Sara turns up next to him and is all kinds of sweet. He keeps repeating "fake" and "wicked" to himself but it's very clear how futile this is. Trying to ignore her? Fail. Not getting involved when she stuffs her face? Fail. You're so lost, man.
becca: I kept remembering the treadmill scenes from Spy Myung Wol. That drama did have some very funny moments.
When he kept looking over at her face, then running faster--so cute. She has a way of making you believe that she IS the most adorable woman out there.
She's cute, cute, cute. The thing is, the other day I commented that he was looking at her boobs and hyperventilating, not taking note of her personality. Today I will revise myself. I think it's totally her behavior that gets his attention, and then her body just fuels the fire. Because he's responding to her KINDNESS. That makes me feel better.
He pep talks her into "doing revenge like a mirror", meaning giving back what one got, aka cheat the living heck out of Kang-joon and get them divorced. Become Korea's Monte Christo! (by the way, Diet Pills again? Is Joo Sang-wook their poster child or what?). Overcome once more by hormones, he vows to assess himself psychologically, to find out why he keeps having feelings. Ahahaha.
becca: *facepalms while laughing* Feelings are a normal human experience! How can he be so confused by them?
She's not very bright. Korea's Monte Cristo? She can't exactly come out and say she's the dead Geum Ran. Or can she?
At Winner Group, they're still trying to fix the virus-calamity. I particularly love the huge toolbox they have at the office (everyone knows that the key to fixing a computer is a good set of pliers). Cause Kang-joon can't come home, Chae-yeon throws a fit-li. We Swiss add "li" to things if we want to indicate that something is small. In any case, her nerves are getting blanker by the minute because the family treats her like a servant. Ahahaha.
becca: So satisfying, I tell ya.
God, that family is terrible. And Chae Yeon sure did let go of her calm, cool, logical approach pretty quickly, didn't she.
Dolled-up revenge-ready Sara makes a move - and has a little run in with Evil Han. Only: she doesn't see him, since he is behind darkened carwindowglass. Huh! He seems interested. That's a nice little twist, I like it!
becca: Me too! Is it wrong that I want him to pursue her?
I loved the crazy fierce look she gave that made him flinch. Sometimes I really adore her.
Why is she wearing a scrubby on her head?
He may have a shitty role, but I like him. He deserves an extra gif. I think he just needs a few hugz, becca.
becca: On it!! *happily runs to hug ajusshi* Honestly, I can't even hate his character that much at this point - Grandma is a monster, and a part of me thinks he's become this way because of the way she treated him and his mom. Of course, his mom is a problem, too, but again, I can't hate her completely. Let's take down Grandma!
I'm trying to channel back to his happier, nicer role that I remember him in, where he did lots of smiling.
He does look a little familiar. Very solidly in ahjussi land, yes.
At Kang-joon's office, Sara presents him with a virus vaccine. Which Tae-hee gave her, of course. It's not the only gift she carries: She brought food. Delicious food! And - she offers herself. Claiming she loves him, like Chae-yeon must have done so many years ago. And no, she doesn't care if she's just the mistress. On her way out, she takes great care to bump into Chae-yeon, who has come to see her AWOL husband. And she tells Chae-yeon to her face that she'll make sure they'll get a divorce. In three weeks. Huh.
becca: Kang-joon is stupid, right? I mean, he has a low IQ or something (I'm guessing sub-zero). He's sooooo ready to believe she wants him, and he doesn't even seem to be questioning all of these coincidences. I keep waiting for a twist to show us that there's more to this guy than just the cheating husband, but that's pretty much his only characteristic. Outside that, he has zero personality.
I'll tell you what's stupid. The wad of netting stuck to her head. I mean what the heck is that? Was she planning on taking him straight to the altar? Ok, she did kind of pull it off, but....*shudders in fear of it becoming a fashion trend*
Exactly. Her entire outfit is supposed to remind him subliminally of how she could be as a wife. Supportive, helpful, unselfish, skilled cook, pretty...
To find out what afflicts him, Tae-hee uses his brother's skills and hooks himself to a lie detector. To measure him "psychologically". Whatever, show. It takes Ji-hoon less than a second to find out that his hyung has a woman - and who that woman actually is.
becca: Oh, you idiot! You adorable, hot, yummy idiot!
I tell you, that brother is an amazing jack of all trades.
Is this Chae Yeon's actual brother?
He is
Halmoni now wears animal prints. Sheksi! She is looking for a dead person to buy time and to reduce Evil Han's influence. Well done, Halmoni. Talk about secrets while the bad guys listen very clearly visible at the door!
becca: Yessss, spill all your secrets so they can destroy you! I probably shouldn't as excited about this as I am.
I'm glad we got the back story spelled out here (she means that that Assistant who is now Han's mother got her son drunk and became pregnant). It makes it more understandable why she's so mean to her.
I figured that must be the case, but Kakashi's description of her as 'benign' grandmother I have never bought. She's not a nice woman.
Oh, I wasn't serious when I said that.

Plan Attractive Mistress (not my words, theirs) is in full swing. Kang-joon is one of those dick-thinkers, apparently, because he "falls" really quickly and easily. And poor Tae-hee struggles with all his might. It's such a pleasure to watch.
becca: His face. It's a work of art.
His little mouth....and those little forehead wrinkles....and that mouth.....and... that mouth
He also has a really good throat. And nice ears.
The next step in the revenge plan is to attack at a VIP party. Part one: prepare for future mayhem with a photo of her and Kang-joon kissing (at Dunkin Donuts and through her mother and friend) (*screams of terror* Doctor Stranger flashbaaaaaacks!! *clutches head and does best Dr. Jin impression*
Talk about some product placement. Hot tasty Dunkin Donuts breakfast item, anyone?
I am drinking an Extra Large Hot Pumpkin Spice (cream only) at THIS VERY MOMENT.

VIP event is Evil Han's coming out party. No, not that kind of coming out. His "I'm the successor" party after years and years of hiding in the shadows. It's also a book launch, cause he wrote something about winning. Oups, it seems they forgot to tell Halmoni? Too bad. At the party, Geum-ram omma and friend cause the scene they were supposed to cause, confronting Elf Ears in front of everybody about his adultery. When they're about to be kicked out, Sara explodes some party bombs all around the room and it rains adultery photos. This was a little over the top for me, and rather anti-climatic, I thought. People just kind of stood there, including Kang-Joon. Tae-hee realizes who the boss in the room is: Evil Han. His half-brother. But he doesn't know that yet. Will there be bromance later?!
becca: Side-note: Winner was also the name of the big corporation in weekend drama Will You Love & Give It Away, and whenever they said it, it sounded like something very different. They're better at pronouncing the word properly in this drama, but I still think of it and laugh.
Honestly, I think I've heard Winner group in MANY dramas.
I was pretty sure he knew that Han was his half-brother. I agree, this scene was fairly anticlimactic. And I'm STILL not laughing...
Our bad guys are not having a good day.
becca: Which means WE are having a fantastic day!
Look at that little forehead wrinkle! Who knew furrowed brows and forehead wrinkles could be so sexy! (Looking at Joo Sang Wook's picture, not picture below. I still say that guy is one unattractive dude)
He has a meathead kind of face.
And while Tae-hee watches an upset Chae-yeon from around the corner, he realizes his heart doesn't really hurt for her. Cue beautiful pictures of Joo Sang-wook.
becca: *sighs and stares* The term "dreamboat" was invented for men like him.
I already obsessed over him in the above pictures, so I'll just stare silently.
He's just so handsome. Handsome, handsome, handsome. A real classic.
While Joo Sang-wook is being beautiful and out-of-love with his old flame, Sara uses some of her hacking skills to play the last Geum-ran video on her ex-husband's screen. Make that screenS. On an endless loop. Yikes, that's creepy. Kang-joon thinks so too.
becca: I think I might have cackled a bit.
They really don't give him much dialogue. He's just kind of a dud. Why did Chae-yeon even want him? Or Guem Ran for that matter.
So that was creepy but I kind of thought he overreacted a little bit. But maybe guilt is making him crazy.

Is it by accident that Sara bumps into Evil Han in the corridor a bit later? It seems so! Tae-hee sees how Evil Han smiles at Sara, but I think that he doesn't get what's going on yet. Hm, will he use her as a weapon against this person too, later? In the noble idiocy part, maybe? Oups, Evil Han is a bit TOO interested, it seems, and demands to see a list of all female security employees.
Yes, well, her cover is about to be blown, which will probably intrigue him more. Which should be interesting.
I wouldn't count on that.
At House Mango (or whatever the name of the place is), our Avengers are very happy about the rapid disintegration at the Kang-household. When Sara takes his hand to thank him for all his help, Tae-hee grows very quiet once again.
As expected, Kang-joon comes to Sara in this moment of despair. Look who's also there! The Twisted Sisters plus Mother, who had to run from Bad Dad (he found out about his sons's affair - I still can't believed he hadn't figured that out yet). Ahahaha, Kang-joon is so disappointed he doesn't get to explore Sara a bit closer tonight.
becca: Pffft.
What would they all do without Sara? She is the go to girl.
Too bad they didn't appreciate her way back when.

Upstairs, Tae-hee looks at the "psychological evaluation" report. He reads it and his eyes grow large. Downstairs, Kang-joon comes out of his room and finds Sara in the kitchen. Since everybody else is asleep, he goes for a little backhug (i.e. feels her up). Upstairs, Tae-hee steps out and looks down on them. And here it is. The results of the test show .... that he is in love with Sara.
OK, that whole test thing.....well, I'll just forget the negative thoughts and be happy that I liked this episode.
Yeah, that merits a 'puh-LEAZ' at best.

Comments

I'm so glad we got scientific proof, because hey, we wouldn't have been sure otherwise, right? But of course, it fits Tae-hee's character to actually spend money on a test that proves what he knows already, if he just admits it. He has fallen in love with this beautiful venus he created. But here's the thing: the show has tried to tell us that he has NOT just fallen in love with her beautiful exterior. No, even if she's in ugly clothes, he feels very moved by her (ahahaha, let's just go with it!). He has fallen in love with what she is: a kind, and lonely person who spent her whole life caring for others and had such a hard life (and is now out for wacky revenge!).
Really? Because it looks pretty much like wicked physical attraction to me. But if you say so.
Oh, he totally wants to bed her VERY much, yes.
I agree. He wants in her pants in the worst way... but more and more he's feeling flustered by her BEHAVIOR. He tries to dismiss it by saying her looks are fake, but it's more than that.

It's good that he knows after only 6 episodes, because this will create some nice tension. First, there already is tons of tension whenever she gets physically close to him, which is all the time. I mean ... nobody ever thought it was a bad idea to live in the same house?! Second, it will be damn hard to see her entice her evil ex-husband. Because entice (still) means: sex. How far will he let this go? Third, we have Evil Han, whom Tae-hee doesn't even recognize as his enemy yet. Evil Han is smart, much smarter than Dick-Husband. And while he is clearly attracted to Sara, he will also have a very close look at what she was doing at that party. Sooner rather than later, Tae-hee will have to go fight for his position, and that means fight Evil Han and his ugly mother. I think they're positioning Sara as possible weapon against Han too, but that will hurt Tae-hee even more. I'd say: well done, show!
becca: I want Grandma taken down and Ugly Mother sent off to some desert island. Or maybe a mental institute. And I want Evil Han to get in touch with his soft, cuddly side and find a nice girl to settle down with and have lots of tiny-cute Hans.
At least the show seems to have settled into itself. It's campy and funny but the story is emerging nicely.
I don't think they actually go far enough into camp territory - or maybe it's that they don't let the moments last long enough. I see it, but I don't feel it. Whatever. I didn't regret watching this episode.

What I liked: 
  • The usual of course: All of Joo Sang-wook and of Han Ye-seul. They're really good. Alone and together.
  • The load of punishment for Kang-joon and Chae-yeon in this episode. Ahahahaha. Bam, bam, bam, it didn't stop. And every hit a hit! 
  • Han's interest in Sara. I think this is going to be interesting.
  • Tae-hee's struggles against his feelings. 
  • Everything you just said. Yes.
  • I love how Han Ye Seul gets so excited about things. I love the two of them together. 
  • I liked how the show seemed more consistent in its tone. Or maybe I'm used to it now.
  • I appreciated not falling asleep in the middle of the episode.
What I didn't like: 
  • Far less than in episode 5! This one felt less all-over and kinda managed to keep the tension up.
  • This role reaaaaally doesn't suit Jung Kyeo-woon.
  • I still think the writing is a leeeettle lacking. 
  • I really can't stand Kang Joon. Or his acting.
  • Can we be done with the stupid family already?
Quotes: 
"Let's treat the virus together, Kang-joon"
"These days I'm showing an abnormal response to a strange life form".
"Smile to your heart's content - a loaded missile is headed your way".
"I, uh... forgot to get a quote."
"You took my quote - the abnormal response to a strange life form cracked me up"
"I wonder if I'll watch the next episode?"