From our Emergency Couple chat this week, it is clear that Zombie Mamma, Tanya, and Karen need one thing from this drama: Backstory!
Tanya: So this week we were greeted with a few over-the-top situations. Does anyone else think Chang Min’s mother is a little excessive?
Karen: A little?
Tanya: Sarcasm... She was extremely excessive, for sure.
Karen: She did not have to put her life on the line for anything, yet she did.
Zombie: I was a little confused as to whether or not she was actually trying to commit suicide or just OD enough to get everyone’s attention.
Tanya: Well we already know she’s a drama queen, so attention whore wouldn’t be much more of a stretch.
Karen: There is no way she would try to kill herself. She still has so many goals to accomplish according to her. She needs family respect and Chang Min needs a new, respectable bride!
Zombie: I know you touched on this in your post Karen but if being a doctor is so important in her family, why in the world didn’t she become a doctor herself?
Tanya: Her family says she married a doctor and Chang Min had to be one because she was too focused on being pretty to become one herself. That totally makes sense, duh…
Zombie: Ummm… I might have to call that one a “fail.” Anyway… I don’t see how she possesses the right to berate Jin Hee, first for not being a doctor and then for becoming one, when she isn’t a doctor herself. I know Sung Sook thinks she’s the most important person on the planet but how does one live without any sense of decency at all?
Tanya: Because she’s poor. Apparently it’s always okay to look down on poor people. She’s just a ridiculous character.
Karen: I agree. I find it strange that her two sisters can become doctors, yet Sung Sook is not or cannot become a doctor. She must have been the black sheep of the family since birth. I think it’s another case of putting one’s dreams upon one’s children.
Zombie: So since she’s the lowest on her family totem pole, she has to belittle everyone below her to make herself feel more important? I suppose that makes sense in her warped mind but to the rest of us, she’s just ridiculous.
Tanya: That’s all the truth. She is the black sheep and she values herself so little that she had to use her husband, who now hates her, and her son to accomplish what she was unable to do herself. It’s really a crappy way to live, honestly. And Chang Min is such a mama’s boy that he will never have the ability to stand up to her.
Zombie: On the upside, watching Jin Hee put up with all of Sung Sook’s nonsense has won her a place in the hearts of both of our leading men. Not like it really matters when it comes to Dr. Gook since we all know she’ll never end up with him but it’s still fun to watch. It’s my favorite part of this drama, so far.
Karen: I think Dr. Gook likes her already. They are so similar and I bet he knows what Jin Hee is going through.
Zombie: Like I said in my post this week, I think he sees a lot of himself in her and is drawn to that. When you combine that with the way she’s treated at work, the way she’s treated by Sung Sook and the way she behaves at snack shops when she’s drunk, it’s a recipe for instant love. Or at least growing infatuation… Either one works for me. I’m just afraid that Dr. Shim is going to have some serious issues with Jin Hee if she starts stealing Dr. Gook’s attention. Jin Hee’s life could become even more difficult if Dr. Shim is out to get her.
Tanya: I think Jin Hee will be in the clear. Dr. Gook seems more like the older brother type with her than love interest. Either way, some jealousy is going to fly (because romantic comedy that is lacking the comedy part). That’s just how it is in Dramaland.
Karen: Dr. Shim is such a mystery to me. If she loved Dr. Gook or is at least interested in him, why would she go to the United States and then come back later to work with him again? Or is this all a coincidence? Dr. Shim and Dr. Gook are not getting any younger.
Zombie: I wonder if it has something to do with an incident in Dr. Gook’s past that perhaps, is somewhat similar to what has happened with Jin Hee and Chang Min and the death of the cancer patient. Perhaps she was involved in a similar incident with Dr. Gook and left to escape the consequences or perhaps that was one of the consequences???
Tanya: It could be as simple as she left to study further. There was probably an incident, but I don’t necessarily know if she was a part of it. This is why there is so much backstory that we need and aren’t really getting.
Zombie: I think all of us are ready for an episode’s worth of flashbacks, just so we can get some sort of idea of what’s really going on. How can we love these characters when they don’t really make any sense to us? We need to know why they’re doing what they’re doing so we can know whether or not we can really get behind them.
Karen: Yes, I don’t believe Dr. Shim would just leave Dr. Gook in a state of distress and go to the United States. Also, why isn’t Dr. Gook an official doctor, but is a resident? Has he been demoted or has he gone fishing too long?
Zombie: I thought something was mentioned about him simply choosing to remain a resident as some sort of self-inflicted penance for something that happened in the past. I’m assuming whatever that was, it’s what sent him off fishing for a year.
Tanya: That’s a long time for fishing, seriously. I love fishing and I couldn’t even imagine… What do you guys feel about lovey-dovey Park Sang Hyuk and Lee Young Ae’s first fight?
Zombie: Personally, I find them utterly ridiculous. As for their fight, aren’t most fights between newlyweds pretty ridiculous? I can remember some of mine...
Karen: Why did I see that coming? And for no reason though I thought newlyweds are typically lovey-dovey. I guess that doesn’t last too long.
Zombie: Every couple has their moments, even newlyweds but I think we talked about this before… Aren’t they pretty much doomed to teeter on the brink of divorce before Chang Min and Jin Hee step in and save them at the last possible moment?
Tanya: Even the stress of work doesn’t mean you have the right to speak to anyone that way, much less your spouse. Honestly, he was trying to help. You don’t have to snap his head off the one time he says something. Unless you’re a Praying Mantis, in which case that is totally acceptable.
Karen: This couple has a long road ahead of them since they work together and live together.
Zombie: It’s not the easiest road to travel but it is possible. Though if they start snapping each other’s heads off, that’s not going to make life easy for anyone.
Tanya: I feel a little sorry for Im Yong Kyu having to be Chang Min’s substitute for the date with Han Ah Reum… And then my feels were ruined by his creeper almost-kiss. It would have been one thing if he was dating her, but why would you kiss a sleeping person you aren’t dating?!
Karen: Yes, that was creepy! If that was his daydream, I would have been okay with it. I did feel bad for Yong Kyu because Chang Min knew Yong Kyu’s feelings and Chang Min gave Yong Kyu the concert tickets knowing that Yong Kyu would be a back-up date. That is so rude of Chang Min because Han Ah Reum invited Chang Min and not Yong Kyu.
Zombie: I guess I’m the only one who doesn’t feel bad for Yong Kyu. Sure, Ah Reum isn’t all that interested in him at the moment but she doesn’t hate him and they seem to get along pretty well so he’s off to a good start. I might have felt sorry for him if Chang Min had any feelings for Ah Reum but it’s pretty obvious he doesn’t so I’m not feeling any sympathy for Yong Kyu. Plus, both Ah Reum and Yong Kyu seemed to be having a good time at the concert, despite the fact Yong Kyu was there as a Chang Min substitute so again, no sympathy here. However, if Ah Reum totally ditches Yong Kyu at the concert, once she realizes Chang Min is there, then I might have to feel sorry for him. Until then, I think he’s doing alright on his own so I’ll just give him a hardy “Fighting!” for now and move on.
Karen: I like that Yong Kyu knows what he wants and pursues it...or that person.
Zombie: I really like him as a character (which is nice considering I spent the entire run of Monstar hating Yoon Jong Hoon’s character’s guts).
Tanya: I think that his character is good this time around…. but you know who isn’t? Jin Hee’s sister, Jin Ae. I’ve already had enough of her crap and she was just introduced. How do you steal someone’s stuff to sell for money and then call and demand money because what you stole wasn’t enough? The audacity, really... Grow up.
Karen: Jin Ae is outrageous! Seriously, she is a grown woman and should be able to take care of herself. She has arms, legs, and good health. There is no reason for her to become a thief and use family relations to her advantage. Besides, Jin Hee worked very hard just to become a doctor, but that doesn’t mean Jin Hee has free money for the taking.
Tanya: Even if she thought Jin Hee didn’t NEED the ring anymore, Jin Hee obviously wanted to keep it. It wasn’t hers to sell and it was just a bad move.
Zombie: Once again we’re met with an utterly ridiculous character and are expected to just accept all of her crazy as normal.
Tanya: FALSE. These characters, really. I just can’t.
Karen: She’s not normal!
Zombie: I was really hoping Jin Ae would be a character I could love, the previews of last week made her seem like such a kindred spirit (Rock ‘n Roll!) but sadly, this is not to be. I cannot get behind a selfish, spoiled brat who demands her sister pay for her whims simply because she can’t. Grow up and get a job! (Geeze, I sound old now!)
Karen: On the other hand, why did Jin Ae’s family not look for her? That didn’t make sense to me.
Tanya: Once again: backstory. WE NEED BACKSTORY! (Think they heard me?) Also, Jin Ae is supposed to be what, 29 years old? So 28 years old in Western years… that would still make her older than me and that level of ridiculous is…. well, ridiculous.
Zombie: If you’re going to leave home as a rebel (as I’m assuming Jin Ae did since she’s the walking personification of the rebellious Rock spirit) you’re probably not going to keep in touch with your family. Even if she was never very far away, I’m pretty sure Jin Ae did all she could to stay as far out of touch with her mom and sister as possible.
Tanya: That’s what I did when I went through my rebellion stage. I was there. I just didn’t want to talk to anyone. I still wouldn’t have stolen from anyone, and if I did, it wouldn’t have been my family. Yeah, that still doesn’t sound good.
Karen: So Jin Ae is more despicable than most. I feel like she has a backstory as well and her family seemed to have ignored her. It doesn’t justify what she did, but perhaps she couldn’t handle her life anymore because of it.
We’re all in agreement that we need the backstory for these characters. How did you feel about this week’s episodes? What do you think will happen between Dr. Gook and Dr. Shim? Will Jin Hee continued to be trampled on by her former mother-in-law? Will Chang Min ever stop being the eternal mama’s boy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or tweet at us on Twitter! @Hallyu_Tanya @dapowerz @TheZombieMamma
Be sure to check out our blogs for more dramatic fun!
Emergency Couple:
First up, it's plainly obvious that Chang Min is suffering from a massive overdose of feelings when it comes to all things related, even remotely, to Jin Hee. While I love to watch the green-eyed monster of jealousy wreak havoc with Chang Min, I'm a little confused as to why he's feeling as strongly for Jin Hee as he is. What has prompted this surge of emotions that's gotten Chang Min so riled up he's asking Yong Gyu to explain the gnarled tangle of emotions that seems to be tearing his insides apart? Wasn't it just a few episodes ago that Chang Min was attempting to have Jin Hee kicked to the curb? So why the sudden change of heart? What has happened in the past nine episodes that is so traumatic that it can over-ride the past six years of hatred? Could it be that Chang Min never really hated Jin Hee in the first place? If that's so, why did they have to endure such a nasty break-up in the first place? If love was still there, shouldn't they have been able to work things out? It hardly seems fair to begrudge Jin Hee's growing emotions for Dr. Gook when Chang Min was the one willing to let Jin Hee go in the first place.
And speaking of Jin Hee... At this point, I really can't see her falling in love with Chang Min all over again. I know it's going to happen eventually (next week's previews pretty much proved that) but for the moment, I can't see why she would. Chang Min hasn't really done much to sway Jin Hee's feelings for him. Yes, he was the one who saved her from being fired but we can obviously see that she's feeling more burdened by this knowledge than grateful and she has every right to feel that way. Chang Min has done nothing to prove his feelings for Jin Hee are in any way tender or loving (and yes, I realize that's because he hasn't actually figured that out for himself yet) but to expect Jin Hee to be grateful, at this point, would be absurd. I can totally see how she could misinterpret Chang Min's actions as being purely selfish; as if he just wanted to have this to hold over her head and make her feel that she couldn't have made her dream of becoming a doctor, a reality without him. At this point in their relationship, Jin Hee would really expect nothing else from Chang Min. The very idea of him doing something for her out of the goodness of his heart seems impossible because let's face it, there's been nothing Chang Min has done for Jin Hee (at least to her face) to convince her that he's anything but the awful jerk she divorced six years ago.
Still, I am incredibly curious to see how Jin Hee's feelings toward Chang Min are going to change. I think I caught just a glimpse of it as she was watching Chang Min treat Baby Gook. I think the concern mixed with guilt, that was plastered all over Chang Min's face as he watched the suffering of Baby Gook, was genuine enough to pierce through the massive wall Jin Hee has built around her heart to keep Chang Min out. I'm pretty sure that moment, regardless of how small and insignificant it may have seemed, is what is going to start swaying Jin Hee's feelings toward Chang Min. I just hope there will be more moments of genuine sincerity between the two because, honestly, I think that's what they need the most to heal the breech between them.
That being said, there's been quite a lot of positive development in the Jin Hee/Dr. Gook relationship this week. They were such an adorable couple, walking back to the hospital after saving Emma and enjoying a meal together. It's no wonder Chang Min was jealous, Jin Hee was smiling and laughing and seemed at perfect peace... It was a sight Chang Min hasn't seen in years and I've no doubt, it hit a nerve because once upon a time, he had been the one that made Jin Hee happy. Unfortunately for Jin Hee, Chang Min isn't the only one jealous of the budding relationship between her and Dr. Gook. It seems Dr. Shim has quite a ferocious green-eyed monster hiding inside her as well and (as I was rightly afraid of) she isn't afraid to unleash it on Jin Hee whenever she's most annoyed.
I find it funny that Dr. Shim, who always comes off as such a cool and easy-going person, is actually the ferociously jealous type. No matter how hard she tries to keep her feelings buried, it seems Jin Hee has a way of bringing them to the surface. What I really love about Dr. Shim though, is how there is so much more to her than meets the eye. This woman has some secrets, and I have a feeling they're some pretty major ones. This week, I believe now, more than ever, that Dr. Shim and Dr. Gook were once a couple. Were they married? I still haven't decided (though my first thought is to say that yes, at one point they were) but I'm convinced they were in a relationship serious enough to suspect Dr. Shim is actually the mother of a baby Dr. Gook is clueless he ever fathered. I'm also fairly convinced that this child has some serious health problems, which is what that mysterious phone call to Dr. Shim was all about. If all this is true, this is going to cause some serious fireworks between Dr.s Gook and Shim, at some point and it will either drive them completely apart or bring them together forever. Which ever way this goes, it's going to be tough on everybody... I'm just excited to see how this, and by "this" I mean this entire storyline, is all going to play out as things are finally becoming very interesting!
Now that I've shared some of my thoughts, I'd love to hear yours... How do you see Chang Min and Jin Hee reconciling? What is going to make Jin Hee see Chang Min in a more favorable light? Do you think the relationship between Jin Hee and Dr. Gook will progress much beyond what it is now? Why do you think Chang Min is so troubled when it comes to Jin Hee? What has made him change his mind (and his feelings) about (for) Jin Hee? I'd love to know your thought, ideas and predictions so be sure to share them in the comments below!
At least running into everyone at the bar gave us a better view of the relationships of those around Jin Hee and Chang Min. It's incredibly obvious that Dr. Shim is doing some serious crushing on Dr. Gook. She flat-out told everyone they were dating and Dr. Gook's facial expression, in reaction to that announcement, was hilarious! He seemed just as shocked as everyone else by that news! I was shocked by Dr. Shim's brazen invitation to let Dr. Gook spend the night at her house anytime he felt like it. Wowzers!
That's not your typical DramaLand crush which makes me think, now more than ever, that Dr. Gook and Dr. Shim were once in a very serious relationship at one point. What happened in the past to get them to the point they are now is still a mystery but I have no doubt they were once very much in love.
Speaking of being in love... It's now painfully obvious that Yong Kyu is head over heels for Ah Reum and I feel so bad for him because you know she's not going to even consider him as a prospect until Chang Min is taken off the market for good. Why that other doctor had to mess with Yong Kyu's feelings by tying that yellow ribbon around Ah Reum's flower is beyond me but I feel so bad for Yong Kyu now! He was so adorable, the way his face lit up when he saw that ribbon tied in a bow. He's going to be so heartbroken when he realizes Ah Reum is clueless to that ribbon's true meaning. Poor baby!
And while we're on the subject of babies, it seems they're popping up everywhere this week. Not only are we shocked by the sudden appearance of Jin Ae's husband and baby (or maybe we're not really all that shocked seeing as how we're talking about Jin Ae) but babies also seem to be the point of contention between Park Sang Hyuk and Lee Young Ae. (Really you two, you've only been married a month and you're already fighting about having a baby? It's been a month! A month! Grow up already!) At least Yang Ja and Jin Hee had a reason to be upset about a baby. No doubt it was shocking for them to have Jin Ae's family show up out of nowhere, especially considering they had no idea Jin Ae was even married! It would be quite a shock to anyone. I liked how Jin Hee just kind of accepted her sister's family for what they were and moved on. Sure, she was in the middle of a medical emergency so there wasn't much time to process much of anything but still, she was pretty cool about the whole thing. I guess she expects nothing but crazy from her sister.
As crazy as Jin Hee's family is, you have to admit, Chang Min's family isn't much better. Well, at least when it comes to his mom and aunts. Seriously, how can all three of them be so incredibly immature? I thought the aunts were supposed to be the refined and distinguished doctors yet here they are, sitting around Sung Sook's hospital bed, gossiping like a bunch of old ladies (oh, wait...) and trying to plan Chang Min's life. I guess the only person in Chang Min's life with any sort of normalcy is his uncle, though if a guy who applauds his nephew for using his family connections to get what he wants is normal, it's a wonder Chang Min has turned out as well as he has (and that's not saying much)!
I'm beginning to wonder about Chang Min this week. It seems to me, his tough and spoiled brat exterior is finally beginning to crack (and there was much rejoicing)! The more Chang Min is around Jin Hee, the more he's beginning to see her in a favorable light and it's got me wondering if Chang Min ever really "saw" Jin Hee before. Yes, they were once married which means that at some point, Chang Min saw Jin Hee as someone special but that doesn't mean he ever really saw the real her. I think that seeing Jin Hee as a doctor, and a fairly capable one at that, is opening Chang Min's eyes to something I think he overlooked in the past. I also think this new revelation is shining a light on Chang Min's own downfalls and weaknesses. Chang Min repeatedly admits that he's pretty much worthless this week and honestly, I can't disagree with him. Up to this point, he hasn't been much of a help to anyone. Of course, I can't really get behind his "woe is me" attitude either (I find self-pity very annoying) but at least it's starting to make him look back on his life and maybe rethink some things. I can see that these feelings of worthlessness are stirring up memories of the past and it makes me wonder if Chang Min feels a certain responsibility for his failed marriage because he was just as worthless then as he feels he is now. If that's really the case, Chang Min needs to use this time in his life to objectively observe why he was so worthless in the past and how he can overcome that now and in the future. A little self-reflection is never a bad thing.
And now I come to my most favorite part of this week's episode... Jin Hee and Dr. Gook. *squee!* Now I know that nothing between Jin Hee and Dr. Gook is ever going to work out but the mere fact that she has such an influence on an otherwise unshakable man makes me squeal with delight. I love the stoic second male lead who finds himself pulled into all of our crazy female lead's antics and ends up falling for her without even realize what's happening. It's one of my very favorite plot developments in a drama and I love watching it happen to Dr. Gook. You could tell Dr. Shim was surprised to see Dr. Gook running to Jin Hee's aid when she called because it's so out-of-character for him and I just love that! Even better was Jin Hee's surprise hug of appreciation after they saved poor Emma from an accidental overdose Dr. Gook's reaction to it. But the thing that made me smile more than anything, the icing on the cake, if you will, was Jin Hee's smile as Dr. Gook slept peacefully on her shoulder as they rode the bus home. That smile was so adorable and it relayed such a sense of peace and contentment and dare I say, happiness, for one who has been kicked to the curb for most of her life, and I just loved it. Again, I'm well aware that this happiness is only temporary and that the only thing this budding relationship is for is to drive our OTP back together but I can enjoy these lovely little moments of contentment for what they are, an adorable albeit brief calm before the storm.
So now that I've shared my thoughts on this week's episode of Emergency Couple I'd love to hear what you thought of it. Be sure to leave a comment below and stick around for Karen and Tanya's take on this week happenings in parts 2, 3 and 4 of our Hallyu Zombie Drama Review, coming later this week!
Last week we were left wondering whether Chang Min or Jin Hee would realize his/her feelings for the other first, this week, we're left wondering which man will step up and be Jin Hee's hero/savior as she stuck in min-fall for an entire week. (Do I sense an homage to My Love From Another Star here?)
As we all know, last week we were left with a crazy hold-up in the ER in which Oh Jin Hee stepped up as the heroine and simultaneously saved the day and knocked Oh Chang Min out cold. While I loved the chaos that followed and loved even more than Jin Hee was the one to step up and bring Chang Min back to life (it was her kiss that brought Sleeping Beauty back to life), I couldn't help but wonder what happened to everyone else involved in that scenario? We know about the guy with the gunshot wound (and I just have to ask, can a bullet really travel through the bloodstream and into the heart?) but what about the officer that was bleeding to death before Psycho Ahjussi grabbed the gun and started threatening everyone's life? He was the one Jin Hee was trying to save first, did he survive? What about Psycho Ahjussi? Did he face a near-death experience like Chang Min? Who jumped up and performed mouth-to-mouth to save him? We know he survived because that's what we were told but how? I suppose I can understand why the writer(s) thought those details weren't all that important but I found it odd that everyone would be crowded around Chang Min and not do their duty as doctors and see to it that all patients were treated equally.
