Flames of Desire Episode 1

Definitely NOT for the faint-hearted… Consider yourself warned.

I so love this drama already. The first 15 minutes were so fast-paced that even a blink is taboo. Flames of Desire premiered with a bang. And a resounding BANG it was! This is undoubtedly, undeniably, irrevocably a makjang! The storyline deals with everything and anything dark: from controversial real-life issues to twisted relationships, from over-the-top situations to unending emotional roller-coaster rides!

Episode 1

The opening scene is rather intense. No preliminaries. No introductions.

Meet NaYoung (Shim EunGyung) and her son, MinJae (Yoo SeungHo). NaYoung is ambitious and overly manipulative. She tries to control every little thing, even her husband and “son”. This time around, MinJae is determined to escape from her claws, leave home and marry Baek Inki (Seo Woo).

She tries every possible means to stop him: kneeling down, attempting suicide, appealing to pity, defaming InKi. Pretty much everything. But all these were futile. MinJae won’t be stopped.

She had no choice but beg InKi a.k.a. HaeJin (her daughter?!) to stop the whole marriage idiocy. Don’t worry. There won’t be any incest. We’ll know why and how later on.

NaYoung: Tell me! What do you want?

InKi: Ahjumma… I wish you were dead. Is that possible?

InKi’s hate for her Mom is exuding beyond measure. But blood is still thicker than water. Beneath the indifference and cool facade, InKi is in fact, yearning for her mother’s love.

InKi: MinJae won’t come. That person doesn’t belong to the world where people like us live. He’s not like us. That person is an angel.

And she passed out. The poor dear, committed suicide. NaYoung cries in regret and apologizes for what she did. But then, it’s too late.

Year: 1973.

Meet the young NaYoung (huh? it rhymes?).

Reality is harsh for NaYoung. She practically lived a life far below the poverty line. Her father, SangHoon is a simple man who doesn’t desire wealth or fortune.  She had a calm and kind elder sister named JungSook. All her life, NaYoung only dreamt of becoming rich. She loves money and she can give up everything just to satisfy her thirst for wealth. And for a young child, that is such deadly trait!

She then sees a small sparkle of hope when her father’s friend TaeJin, a rich businessman who thinks he’s indebted to her father, visits their humble home. A simple visit though it was, a betrothal (between JungSook and YoungMin) has been made. The promise wasn’t for NaYoung, but it was enough for her to think that she’s already a step closer to her goal.

Year: 1987. Seoul.

Years passed and NaYoung succeeded in having herself a rich boyfriend, DukSong. But still, life is cruel…

One night, she was attacked and gang-raped by thugs who warned her not to get hooked with DukSong anymore. Adding insult to injury, the thugs threw a bundle of money as compensation. But NaYoung’s desire for money is stronger. She stood her ground and never wavered. Until, she knew of DukSong’s upcoming marriage to a rich bride…

She confronts DukSong about the news and hopes against all hope it wasn’t true. But the truth is far more terrifying than she expected. DukSong is indeed going to marry someone else, and it was even he who planned the assault that fateful night. Making matters worst, she’s pregnant and doesn’t have the slightest idea who the father is!

There’s nothing much for a pregnant and helpless NaYoung could do but return home. She tries to hide the pregnancy from everybody, even to her family. But then, a bulging tummy can’t be hidden for too long. Subsequently, her sister knew about her condition. NaYoung solicits some help from JungSook. She wanted to abort the child and JungSook could only cry to what her little sister has become.

But NaYoung isn’t easily put down. With each fatal blow, she gets more and more driven to be rich.

NaYoung  had an early labor. She refuses a Caesarean operation for the simple reason that she doesn’t want any scar marks, or that may pose a problem later (for marriage that is). Yeah, when you’re in terrible pain and on the verge of death, you’ll still think of a trivial thing as that!

Hours passed, NaYoung regains consciousness and looks for her child. But then, the baby didn’t survive. Unexpectedly, she cries for her child’s death.