Mini recap: Unemployed Romance Episode 2

Ah...the show is picking up nicely and I'm pleased that this episode is not as boring as the first. And I credit that to this guy!

Episode 2

Seung hee rushes to the company with her nephew in tow. She hears about the company's dire financial situation. It's funny how they're thinking of grabbing some valuables as compensation but one moment later, they've calmed down somewhat. Seung hee is optimistic and feels that the company is just going through a rough patch. She texts CEO Kim, asking for his return and threatening to call the cops.

CEO Kim is somewhere remote and hitches a ride but ends up behind a truck transporting live chickens. At one point the lock to the cages is unlatched and he ends up wrestling with his feathery fellow passengers. It's even more hilarious with the oldies song playing in the background, a Leslie Cheung number actually  I think.

Seung-hee sends her nephew back to her sister who continues nagging her about accepting a teaching job. Seung hee is adamant she's not suited for that even though she's barely scrapping through with her current job. She does however reimburse her sister for making the long trip here. It says a lot about her pride because we already know she's pretty broke at the moment.

Kim finally calls and she ends up treating him to ramen. He's in pretty bad shape but still manages to convince her that everything's fine. He even gets her to loan him her car so that he can make the runs to borrow money. She's suspicious but he's pretty persuasive and appeals to her good graces by reminding her how he's always believed in her talents and all. She reluctantly agrees even though the second hand car is like a brand new one for her since she hardly uses it. Say bye bye now, is all I'm saying.

She returns home where Sun joo reminds her that her rent is due. She checks her cash and it's obviously insufficient. Too bad her one hope of salvation is heading into the mouth of the devil - literally. Haha.

A week later, the nosy ahjummas are having a meet-up of their own discussing Seung hee's plight, or rather what they believe is the truth - that Seung-hee's husband is heading for bankruptcy. And it doesn't help to see her walking dejectedly as she continues texting Kim pleading for his return.

The three employees left - Seung hee, assistant writer and PD Lee are in somber mood as they head to the programme meeting for their drama. As they emerge from the elevator, there's this totally random scene where they break into a song about zombies where the lyrics go something like this:

In a bad shape because of no money,

Empty eyes because of no money,

Lethargic legs because of no money,

Living but not really living,

A life without money, is no different from a zombie.

ROFL. And it's doubly hilarious because a group of idol boys are dancing and singing in the background as well. Well, I think it is meant to be hilarious. I can't tell. It is however a figment of Seung hee's imagination because we're back to normal when someone calls out to her.

A senior stops her to offer her a  job. She's more than happy to accept and agrees to wait for news. At the meeting, they receive belated news that Kim has already requested to be removed from the programme since they could no longer sustain producion. This is news to them. In the next scene, there's a mad scramble to grab valuable items from their office as they fight each other off, terminator-style. Seung hee ends up with the photocopier, a radio, a couple of computers, a chair and boxes of A4.

She dumps all that at home and goes for a cry by the Han river. She cries not because she's never quite achieved her ambition of becoming a well-respected writer who produces moving stories, but rather how far she's fallen at 32 years of age. Sun joo interrupts her crying session when she calls about the space occupying stuffs at home. Seung hee says nothing about her condition and promises to clear everything away. News have spread about Kim and Seung hee cries somemore, lamenting the mess he left behind. She screams for Kim over and over again.

Kim is having hallucinations of his own of a very angry Seung hee. He knows he deserves the slaps and all. And the scene is made more "dramatic" as the wind conspire to blow flyers into his face.

The ahjummas see Seung hee selling off her stuffs, further confirming their suspicions. Nosy ahjumma offers to find out what the husband does for a living. Meanwhile, Seung hee is cancelling her insurance policy - cue cameo by Lee Won Jong! (aww...a mini Vampire Prosecutor reunion).

Seung hee is so disillusioned she actually changes her motto from "Do and you will succeed" to "Pay and I will do". Her senior called with the offer and she asked to receive an advance first. It's against the norm but senior unnie agrees to try asking on her behalf.

Seung hee's sister learns she cancelled her insurance and drags her off to try teaching. She's not writing the stuffs she wants anyway and teaching will be a good experience to aid in her writing. Seung hee is concerned she's not up to teaching.

The headmaster does not share her concerns. He assures her that anyone who knows hangul should be able to teach, especially since she's in charge of the last class anyway. It's a little suspicious since the last teacher left without a notice but sis tells her to give it a go anyway.

Three guys are drinking and having guy talks - one of them is Wan Ha. Another is pretty perverted while one more works with a pharmaceutical company. Jong dae joins them and it seems they have not met for sometime. Wan Ha asks after Jong dae in polite conversation but it's actually pervert guy, Park Kwang Pal who answers. Conclusion, Jong dae is doing good but it hardly seems so from his expression. A pretty hot girl enters and the guys gets all excited.

She's here as Jong dae's guest, calling him oppa. She's not exactly his girlfriend too and he looks all nervous when she claims she's interested but he's not. When they excuse themselves away, druggie and pervert discuss girls and libido while Wan Ha flashes back to his first meeting with Seung hee.

She's working part time at a pharmacy store where he fell in love with her at first sight. Awww...that puppy eyes. Of course he finds out later that she's Jong dae's girl friend. Back in present, he says aloud that he prefers Jong dae's previous girlfriend. Pervert guy seems to have quite the response to that, though we don't see why yet.

Seung hee is teaching, or actually trying to. Her class consists of a handful of students, most of which are pretty self-absorbed. She tells off a guy student for playing games aloud but the boy's fangirl attacks her instead. Woah..scary.

Sis finally gives up on Seung hee, since she's managed to botch the only job sis thinks is suitable for her. Seung hee is more upbeat, thinking about the job offer from her senior unni.

Cut to - senior unni apologizing to her. The production is aware of Seung hee's bad reputation of writing poor quality stuff for money and decides against using her. 

Senior is having a mini-crisis suddenly when one of her guest bailed on her.

She begs Seung hee to take over since she's in a similar situation, as in she's also currently unemployed. Her programme is a talk show which will be tackling the issue of unemployed youngsters and Seung hee fits the description for the anonymous guest. As she waits anxiously behind the screen, the MC introduces the other guest speakers - one of whom is Wan Ha!! They stare at each other in shock recognition. Ooooo nice!

Thoughts:

We’re already on Episode 2 in Unemployed Romance, and while I thought Episode 1 was a little on the dull side, episode 2 was mercifully better. I still think we spent way too much time on getting to Seung Hee’s unemployed stage, but there’s enough humour and some zany moments to smooth away my impatience. The totally random “zombie” song and dance cracks me up big time. Speaking of songs, I think the writer is a fan of Leslie Cheung. CEO Kim, for whom I have no sympathy, gets a sad Leslie number every time he’s down on his luck….although I’d argue it was by choice. I literally screamed at Seung Hee when she agreed to loan her car.

Nam Gong Min’s Jong dae had approximately 5 minutes of screentime, a big improvement from his mere seconds in Episode 1 but the one who really had my heart by now is Wan Ha! OMG the boy is so sweet, always a dangerous trait in second leads because I have a tendency to second lead-shipping. And the show’s format means we actually get to know the second male lead first before the male lead even makes his appearance, or rather re-appearance (since he’s her ex) in Seung Hee’s life. And it’s even more ironic because Seung-hee is probably Wan Ha’s unrequited first love, judging from the flashback. I’m already hurting for him. Imagine him crushing on a friend (Jong dae)’s girlfriend…and likely losing out again years later. I’m just waiting for my heart to break. I know…it’s early but I have a fragile heart!

To put myself back on track (partially at least), I have to remind myself that I’m in this for Nam Gong Min. Yes. Nam Gong Min. Repeat 100x to myself. From the meager minutes we saw of him, I learn that he’s in a close circle of friends with Wan Ha, a perverted guy and a drug representative since the time they were studying for public exams. He seems to have fallen on hard times, but it was not shown but rather hinted from his muted responses. He brought along a hot girlfriend for the get-together but it’s unclear whether it’s for show. Thus far, he’s still a big question mark so I’m ready for the next few episodes where we get to see the story from his perspective.

Anyhow, I’m in for the ride. Let’s hope this is a good one.