Mini-recap (text only): I Love Lee Tae-ri Episode 13

Viva friendship!

Episode 13

Tae-ri is back early from a meeting while Soon-sim claims that she’s here for a word with Min-soo. And since it’s something Tae-ri needs to know sooner or later, Soon-sim suggests that they talk about it then and there. Min-soo gets all flustered and Tae-ri could sense that he’s hiding something from her. Min-soo promises to speak to her about it later and tries to drag Soon-sim away. She refuses to budge and Tae-ri reiterates that she wants to know what’s going on. He pleads for her to believe in him and to wait for him there. He will tell her everything, just the two of them.

Once alone in the car, Min-soo berates Soon-sim for putting him in a tight spot. He’s still denying everything but Soon-sim is confident he’s Eun-dong, having overheard his conversation with Coach. Furthermore, only Eun-dong knows her three secrets – her scar, engagement and smelly feet! Min-soo tries to explain but when Soon-sim pretends to call his mum, he gets all nervous and snatches her phone. His reaction only further proves he is Eun-dong. Soon-sim is all happy and tries to hug him. (Oh dear I still find her so irritating after 13 episodes.) Min-soo pushes her away but Soon-sim threatens to tell Tae-ri everything.

Tae-ri returns to her office to find it littered with balloons and candles and wonders what Min-soo is up to. Secretary Hong enters to announce that her guest is here. Ooops guess they can’t exactly meet the guest in her office now.

Min-soo is totally at Soon-sim’s mercy now. She pinches his cheek, amazed that a kid like him has become such a handsome man. Soon-sim recalls his question about the engagement and thinks that he’s become this way because of her. Min-soo explains brusquely that she’s not the reason for his change. Her phone rings – it’s grandma. In exchange for keeping this information from grandma, Soon-sim wants Min-soo to promise to obey her.  (See! How can I even like her the slightest bit? Grr…) Min-soo reluctantly agrees and she immediately explains to grandma that it’s just a kid who looks like Eun-dong. After she hangs up, she drools at his sight, completely ensnared by his good looks and the manhwa-like transformation. She runs back to the car, pleased that she’s got him tightly in leash.

Tae-ri is distracted even as she entertains guests from the Ministry who’s in charge of the process of converting the Sun-Clock into national treasure. She calls his handphone which is picked up by Soon-sim who locks herself in the car, preventing Min-soo from interrupting. Soon-sim tells her that Min-soo is not around when she asks to speak to him. Soon-sim aggravates her more by insisting that telling her is equivalent to telling Min-soo.  (Urg..Brat!) Tae-ri reluctantly tells her to inform Min-soo to come home early.

Soon-sim has finally gotten out of the car and asks if he’s staying with Tae-ri. Min-soo realizes belatedly that she had answered Tae-ri’s call and tries to snatch back his phone but to no avail. He walks away, warning her not to follow him. Soon-sim asks if he doesn’t feel sorry towards Tae-ri who still hasn’t realized he’s just a 14 year old kid. As a girl herself, she feels sorry for the pitiful Tae-ri. (Yeah right). Min-soo insists that Tae-ri is not pitiful at all, he wouldn’t let that happen. Soon-sim points out that’s why he’s just a kid – he’s only thinking from his shoes and not from Tae-ri’s.

Meanwhile, Tae-ri is still waiting for Min-soo in her office. She tries to call him again but only gets the voice mail. Frustrated, she kicks the balloons on her way out.

Seung-jae is displeased to learn that Coach and Min-soo have been staying at Tae-ri’s for the past few days. He tells Secretary Kang to stop the surveillance on Coach and asks about VP. Secretary Kang reports that VP has been seeing people from the Inheritance Department recently. Seung-jae knows he’s not into that kind of stuff and wonders if he’s up to something. He wants Kang to continue monitoring VP’s movements.

Tae-ri returns home alone but finds a mini welcoming party by Hong-sil and Coach who’s immediately aware of her frosty mood. Tae-ri asks for a drinking session. Hong-sil is worried since Tae-ri don’t tolerate soju that well. Well, it’s not soju – Min-soo told her it’s a confession. And she demands a confession from Coach. Coach takes it that she meant his relationship with Hong-sil and grabs Hong-sil’s hand. But she immediately negates that and he immediately releases Hong-sil’s hand. Muahaha. She demands to know just how close-knitted Min-soo is with Soon-sim that she continuously pesters him. And what is it that makes Min-soo so vulnerable to her threats.

Hong-sil chips in the questioning: “What’s going on? Why is darling’s brother and Soon-sim –“ Muahaha. Coach and Hong-sil both realizes her slip of tongue and she’s immediately flustered. Coach shushes her and stuffs food in her mouth before she says anything more. But he needn’t have bothered. Tae-ri is too engrossed in her own plight that she notices nothing else. Just like the Dano Festival, she’s feeling upset with them again today. What’s more her office is decorated like a site for proposal. Coach explains that how they had spent the afternoon decorating the room for the proposal. Tae-ri is even more upset – why is a man who plans on proposing to her running away holding another woman’s hand? What third rated movie is this? LOL. Hong-sil and Coach both reassures her that there must be a reason he’s behaving like that.

Min-soo is still stuck with Soon-sim who demands to know how he turns into such a handsome man. Min-soo starts narrating the events from their engagement day and how he’d slipped their engagement wine into her drink during the commercial shooting. Soon-sim is delighted – that means they’re officially engaged!!! Technically no, since it’s supposed to be drunk during the ceremony but Soon-sim is still pleased. Min-soo wants her to keep this a secret – he won’t let her off lightly if his mum finds out. But that depends on his performance…sigh!

First, he must move out from Tae-ri’s home. That kind of thing is shocking to adults. Both his grandpa and her grandma might be so shocked and end in the hospital. Min-soo wonders if the only response to his change is just shock. A kid who suddenly becomes a handsome man – don’t girls dig that? Soon-sim is miffed that he’s still thinking about Tae-ri. But Min-so unabashedly admits that Tae-ri’s response is his priority. Soon-sim explains he’s being an impostor. Tae-ri would never accept that. She’s only accepting it because she’s his fiancée. She wants him to forget Tae-ri and return to her side. Even Min-soo’s rebuff doesn’t bother her. The more she thinks about it, the more she’s convinced that she’s the reason for his change. Didn’t she tell him to eat more and come back to her all grown up? Her wish has come true! Min-soo moans in frustration at her delusional thoughts. (Why didn’t he tell her the truth??)

Meanwhile, Tae-ri is still waiting for Min-soo. She looks at their photo together and thinks back to the wish she’d made to that application earlier: “I wish that my love would not change!” (Ah so that’s why Min-soo never revert back to Eun-dong that morning despite the hug?) Anyway, she deletes the application now, upset that it’s not granting her wish.

Min-soo calls up Coach and they meet outside. Min-soo tells him how Soon-sim already knows his identity and is using that to blackmail him into submission. He feels worse when Coach tells him how Tae-ri tried to drown her sorrow by drinking. Coach is worried – that means Tae-ri will find out sooner or later. Min-soo decides that the best course of action is to tell Tae-ri the truth, through his own mouth. For once, Coach says nothing, being at wit’s end.

They return home where Tae-ri is breakfasting with Hong-sil. Hong-sil moves away when Min-soo informs her that his brother is waiting for her outside. Alone finally, Min-soo is about to confess when her phone rings. It’s Secretary Hong with dire news that efforts to make the Sun Clock a national treasure have been stopped. Min-soo drives a worried Tae-ri to the Museum. There goes his opportunity to confess. Soon-sim words haunt him and he couldn’t bring himself to upset Tae-ri more by telling her the truth.

Elsewhere, Seung-jae is back at VP’s office. VP has been re-watching Tae-ri’s interview with displeasure. Seung-jae asks VP why he’s interfering with the national treasure issue – didn’t he give up on the museum? VP smirks at his naiveté. He had never said that – he just pretended to give up so that Tae-ri will work harder for the museum. And after all her efforts, the time is ripe to strike. Seung-jae asks if he must do this and VP reminds him of the reason Seung-jae left Tae-ri in the first place. Seung-jae insists he hasn’t forgotten and vows to tell Tae-ri the truth himself. (Please do, it’s been forever!!!!). VP could care less since from now on, he will personally ensure Tae-ri’s downfall.

Seung-jae receives a call from someone who has found the real Min-soo. Again?

Tae-ri is holding a meeting with Secretary Hong and Min-soo.  The official reason offered is the ministry is refusing to consider upgrading the Sun Clock to national treasure because DaeDong Museum has a couple of failed investments but Hong thinks that CLS Group is behind this somehow. Tae-ri asks Hong to arrange a meeting with the people from Inheritance Department and to check VP’s schedule. All this while, Min-soo is distracted by his vibrating phone so Tae-ri tells him to answer his phone outside.

It’s Soon-sim, calling because she misses him. She needs to listen to his voice or else she can’t go about her schedule. Min-soo hangs up on her when Seung-jae calls out to him. Seung-jae grabs his lapels threateningly, and declares that he knows his real identity. I doubt so but hey, when it rains, it sure pours.

Anyway, this calls for a fistfight!!! Seung-jae lands a few punches first before Min-soo retaliates with some of his own. Isn’t Hwang Min-soo supposed to be dead?! How can the dead appear beside Tae-ri? In the next scene, Min-soo is driving away. But a flashback shows Seung-jae telling him to leave Tae-ri quietly. He doesn’t care for his real identity or intentions but he wants him to leave and spare Tae-ri all the hurt. Min-soo calls Coach.

Meanwhile Tae-ri wonders where he’s gone to. Didn’t he just step aside to answer a call? Why is he causing her so much hurt? He should be by her side at times like this. Secretary Hong reports that VP schedule is full for the day. Tae-ri insists on meeting him and instructs her to make her an appointment in the following days. She wants to meet him no matter what. (Actually she sure is polite and rational, if it were me, I’d probably march up to him unannounced).

Coach is back in his own home, cleaning happily when Min-soo arrives. Min-soo confronts him about his brother’s death. Why didn’t he tell him? How could he have let him live a dead person’s life? How could he have let Tae-ri fallen in love with a dead guy? To be fair, Coach never considered his brother dead. And if he never says it, it wouldn’t be true. (Jang Seo-won is wonderfully here T.T). Min-soo storms off without a word.

He’s off brooding in the park, so miserable he couldn’t even be bothered to answer Soon-sim’s call and switched off his phone. Seung-jae is also brooding in his home, thinking about VP threats and Min-soo.  Tae-ri tries to call Min-soo but only gets the voicemail. She wonders what’s gotten into him.

Min-soo thinks back to all their times together feels sorry to Tae-ri. He had really wanted to be Hwang Min-soo but that man no longer exists. So he cannot be her man, Hwang Min-soo. (Actually I think this argument is flawed, but hey what do I know). He broods overnight at the park. In the morning, he checks his phone and finds a text from Tae-ri: “I’ve been mulling over this recently. Are you still the Hwang Min-soo I know?” He receives a call from Soon-sim next. Min-soo: “Listen carefully Ha Soon-sim. From this moment on if you tell anyone about my secret, we’re finished. So, do as you like.” Soon-sim doesn’t take kindly to his threats. She makes a call to his mum…Oh uh!

Turns out there are several reasons the Sun Clock could not be turned into a national treasure. The Sun Clock broke down once so its stability is in doubt. Second, the visitors to DaeDong Museum barely reach 30,000 people yearly. The Museum is also deemed low in contribution to the society. Tae-ri questions these conditions. Why haven’t they been notified of all these before? The person in charge insists that the conditions have been there all along, just not strongly enforced. And the museum should shoulder the blame for not seeking clarification.

Tae-ri asks if there is a solution to all this. The man tells her that she should merge the Museum to CLS Group. That way, their financial status would be strong and there would be no doubt of their contributions to society. Other problems would not be much of a problem then too. Tae-ri refuses to consider that and sends the man on his way.

Min-soo catches up with Tae-ri and asks to speak to her. She refuses to discuss their matter now so he offers to accompany her wherever she is heading to. She stops short and tells him how disappointed she is with him. For the past few days, when she needs and misses him the most, he’s not around and without any sort of explanation. He offers to explain now but while she really wants to know, there are more pressing matters to attend to.

Min-soo stops a passing Secretary Hong and asks if something is wrong. Hong updates him on the situation and informs him that Tae-ri is off to meet VP. Min-soo is worried and wants to tag along. Hong stops him. It’s something Tae-ri needs to do by herself and he’s more useful trying to figure out other ways to help. She hands over a stack of related documents.

Seung-jae receives a call from his teacher. Hmm…could it be Paul?

Meanwhile, Min-soo is cooped up in the library, racking his brains for ideas, specifically Hwang Min-soo –ish methods. He thinks of something and rushes out in a blink.

Tae-ri finally meets with her Uncle and demands that he stops interfering. She has no intention of returning the museum to him. Well, he’s making sure she’d have no choice. Why does he insist on getting back the museum? Because she’s adopted! She does not deserve to receive anything. Tae-ri does not understand why he keeps harping on that fact, especially since Grandpa has settled that before he died. VP does not agree at all. In fact, he’s been holding back because he didn’t want to be seen fighting over inheritance with his niece. But now, he’s going to make sure she leaves as penniless as the day she entered their home.

Coach is looking over his brother’s belongings when Min-soo turns up. Well, maybe I should call him Eun-dong again because he declares to Coach that he wants to be 25 year old Eun-dong as opposed to a dead 25 year old Min-soo. As Min-soo, he could do nothing for Tae-ri. What can he do for Tae-ri as Eun-dong? Even though he has a grown up body, he is still just a 14 year old boy. Eun-dong would rather live as a 14 year old boy than some other people’s life – at least he’s real!

Paul ask Seung-jae if he’s aware that VP is moving in on Tae-ri. Is he involved? Seung-jae denies it. VP is acting on his own this time. The time has finally come, even though the late president has warned VP against family feud. Seung-jae implores Paul to help him…

Eun-dong meets up with his buddies and describes events only known to them – Soo-bin’s special condoms and Tae-gi’s crush on the trainee teacher. At first, Soo-bin freaks out and wants to call the cops but a nonchalant Eun-dong continues to elaborate on the details of the condoms (Heh) and ends with a mention of their motto: Their friendship…needs no explanation. He extends his arms wide and the boys run into his arms for a hug. OMG So freaking cute. I love that the boys need less convincing than the adults. LOL.

Elsewhere, Soon-sim has asked Eun-dong’s mum out for lunch, dressed rather demurely. Mum literally shivers when Soon-sim calls her omoni (mum) as opposed to ahjumma like she used to. She also notes that Soon-sim is dressed differently. LOL. Trying to impress her future mother-in law no doubt. Mum notes that she’s behaving rather strangely and Soon-sim admits outright that she wants to be engaged to Eun-dong again. Mum is shocked speechless. LOL. SO this is how she wants to hold on to Eun-dong. Not a bad idea. And she being all shy and demure, I’m speechless too. LOL.

Seung-jae finds Tae-ri brooding before the Sun Clock. (On a completely unrelated note, LOL at the love shape motive on his white shirt. It’s so distracting.) He’s heard about VP and remarks that it would be difficult for her to handle VP and protect the Clock simultaneously. He’d like to help. Tae-ri does not believe him. He pleads for her to help him do something for her.

Min-soo brings his buddies to a roadside stall and orders noodles for everyone. And soju glasses – which he fills with strawberry flavored milk (LOL) much to the disappointment of his buddies. He shares his experience with soju: “Once you know the taste of soju, life becomes that much more tiring. You will face lots of depressing and troubling stuffs.” Soo-bin asks eagerly if he’s referring to his woman problems. Min-soo admits so and wants to fulfill his promise to tell them about his woman. The boys are curious since all they knew is the woman is 14 years older and very pretty. Eun-dong tells them his woman is Lee Tae-ri, Curator of Daedong Museum, Soo-bin’s cousin sister.

The boys immediately stop smiling as they realize the gravity of the situation. Tae-gi adorably downs the milk and says, “Today I realize that pink colored sweet drink can actually taste bitter.” LOL. SO cute! Soo-bin stops Tae-gi from drinking too much else he gets diarrhea. LOL. Soo-bin explains that he has never met Tae-ri in person but he’s heard of her from his dad. His dad does not acknowledge her as part of the family.

Eun-dong asks for a promise from the boys. In his short experience as an adult, he’s learned that all things change – dreams, friendship, promises. They may become like them too once they’ve grown up but for now, at this moment, he wants them to promise that they’ll never change. 

Eun-dong tells Soo-bin to treat Tae-ri as a woman his friend likes, without all the family baggage. Tae-gi and Eun-dong joins hands in acknowledgement of their friendship and waits for Soo-bin in anticipation. Soo-bin suggests that they toast on their friendship, just like adults and all three down their glasses of milk. Ah..so so cute. Soo-bin then asks Eun-dong what he plans to do. What can they do to help him protect his love?

Seung-jae shows Tae-ri his proposal –which is to build a memorial hall for the Sun Clock. That way, she can prove to her uncle her desire to protect museum and then report on it in a big way to stir interest. Tae-ri is not fully convinced so Seung-jae advises her to look through the details first. He offers to get her coffee which she accepts.

Eun-dong finds Tae-ri’s office empty and wonders where she is.

Seung-jae returns with the coffee to find Tae-ri asleep. In his heart, he’s also doubtful if he could hold on to her again. He covers her up with his jacket. At the sight of her serene sleeping face, he couldn’t help himself and leans in slowly to kiss her….which is how Eun-dong finds them.

Thoughts:

I haven't got much to say but Jang Seo-won is the find of this drama for me. He has great comedic timing but also nails the sentimental scenes so so well. I get that he's no idol but really he needs a meatier role in his next project. By the way, the kids really stole the show this episode. Love the boys' camaraderie. I guess life is that much simpler when you're still kids.