Flames of Desire Episode 4

A chip off the old block, eh?

Intensity is a bit low for this episode. Well, we can’t always have emotional outbursts every time. This is just one of those plain but then very much-needed character introductions. Expect for a tremendous catching up later on though.

Episode 4

NaYoung comes back and finds the apartment as messy as ever. Summoning all of her self-control, she manages to look calm and be passive about it. And then YoungMin snaps at her pretenses. He just can’t accept her manipulations or the ridiculous marriage anymore. NaYoung, however, assures that everything will be just fine as long as he follows her lead. She already called President Kim and told him she’s pregnant. She also talked with InSook and the latter agreed to give them the baby. And the problem is solved!

NaYoung: No matter who gives birth, that baby is mine.

YoungMin is enraged that she took the matters on her own hands. He hurriedly goes off to clear things up with InSook, but he was angrily driven away by her “brother”. Poor YoungMin. He’s been literally manhandled by his mistress and wife.

YoungMin is obviously heartbroken and disappointed. And so, NaYoung offers to leave just to end all of these. She says sorry for causing him the troubles. Since her father just died and her sister was raped, she was feeling lost, so she clinged on to him. YoungMin is taken aback and stares at her devoid of expressions. He then hugs her. I don’t know why, but I’m guessing coz it’s the logical thing to do.

Are those genuine tears? Now, I can’t determine the truth from lies. Arg, she’s good!

Later on, NaYoung relays that she won’t, or rather, can’t bear him children or else she might die. We know the real deal, right? She can’t have babies coz of the complications she had during childbirth.

JungSook visits an orphanage. She seems very interested to adopt this particular cute little baby. Hmmm, I have a feeling this is NaYoung’s child. We must still wait for a confirmation though.

This is definitely out of the ordinary! How can the mistress and the wife become the best of friends? Don’t worry. This is just an SOP to ensure that the baby will grow up healthy.

Per President Kim’s instructions, YoungJoon visits YoungMin and NaYoung. Of course, the couple is forced to act their charades. Just as YoungMin is extremely uncomfortable, NaYoung however, is so freakin’ relaxed.

Meet the pretty illegitimate daughter, MinJi.

One day, she was brought by President Kim from nowhere. We don’t even know if she really is his daughter or not. Mystery!

And when InSook was about to give birth, NaYoung comes to her rescue. It’s really funny that while InSook is already suffering from labor pains, NaYoung is still being overly cautious. She makes it clear that InSook knows what to do and lays down the drill. InSook must never forget that at this very moment, her name is Yoon NaYoung!

YoungMin thanks NaYoung for a job well done. And she answers him with indifference. She reminds him not to make a fuss coz in the first place, she also gained something- legal claim of the child.

But then again, NaYoung isn’t as heartless as we thought she is. Remembering her own child, she breaks down.

Meanwhile, JungSook was able to adopt the baby. Her name… HyeJin.

10 years later.

Meet the young MinJae and the young HyeJin.

The difference between their background is as vast as the Pacific Ocean. If HyeJin is living a carefree and uninhibited life, MinJae on the other hand, is bounded and constrained to abide by NaYoung’s rules.

NaYoung informs YoungMin that President Kim wants them to go back to Korea and help out in the family business. But he isn’t at all interested and refuses to return. Clearly, he doesn’t want MinJae to grow up like him too. He orders NaYoung to stop suffocating  MinJae. But then, NaYoung remains unyielding.

Living a life full of lies is hard, even for the ultimate schemer, NaYoung. Everyday, she fears that InSook would suddenly betray her and take MinJae away. And behind those supercilious smiles, she reminds InSook not to play tricks on her or she might become nasty. As if she isn’t already!

HyeJin grows up to be a notable bully. And her dream? Become a singer with lots of money! I’ve heard that somewhere before.

JungSook keeps HyeJin’s adoption a secret and further lies that her father died in a car accident. To satisfy HyeJin’s growing curiosity, JungSook is forced to show the child JoonGoo’s picture and claims it’s her dad. Of course, HyeJin is extremely happy and shows off the picture to everyone, not knowing that the person in the picture is actually alive and serving some prison time.

After so many years, JungSook decided to visit JoonGoo. This is actually the saddest scene in this episode. I must admit. JoonGoo really knows how to act.

JoonGoo: Until the day I die, don’t forgive me…

JungSook: I think that was all destiny. If only I have told father that I liked you and got married to you then nothing would have happened to my family. You wouldn’t have forced yourself on me and father wouldn’t have collapsed because of that either. And you wouldn’t have had to kill people for me. Therefore this is all destiny. So don’t be sorry towards me.

JoonGoo: Still… I’m sorry.

Day after day, HyeJin becomes more and more like NaYoung. And for me, that is enough to prove that the child is really NaYoung’s daughter. The mere thought of HyeJin becoming a replica of his real Mom got JungSook so worried. Who wouldn’t be? One NaYoung is already a nightmare. Just imagine if there are two!

PS: Trailer for next episode is awesome. Finally, we’ll be seeing InKi and MinJae!

Flames of Desire Episode 3

Murder. Forced Marriages. Mistresses and illegitimate sons.

Indeed, her life is an endless gruelling battle. She’ll forever fight for the so-called good life. She’ll do whatever it takes- sever family ties, wage war against destiny, even spit in the devil’s eye if she must.

Episode 3

After the nice chat with President Kim, NaYoung is all happy and gay. Until, she sees the demand notice and red tags (collateral tags) scattered all over the house. Now, if your NaYoung what would you do? Cry in a dark corner and act pitiful?

Think again! You’ll pack your designer clothes and keep it somewhere safe. Haha! Yup. NaYoung did that. And this got JungSook so worried coz first: that’s illegal and second: that’ll piss some heartless loan sharks along the way. But NaYoung won’t be barred.

Our saviour JoonGoo arrives, looking down and gloomy, wearing the we-must-pay-up-or-else expression.

I pity this guy. He just have so many burdens to carry: the family’s debts, SangHoon’s death. He can’t even look at JungSook without being ashamed of what he did. But then, he doesn’t have the courage to leave. He’s guilty, alright, but he can’t say he regretted doing it coz he loves JungSook so much.

Despite everything, JungSook can’t hate JoonGoo. She knows that in her father’s heart, he already acknowledged him. Besides, he doesn’t need to worry too much coz they can always sell the house and shop to settle the debts.

When NaYoung comes back, JungSook informs her that she’s going back to the province. NaYoung is outraged and urges JungSook to fulfill Dad’s lifelong wish. She even insists on putting JoonGoo behind bars just to get rid of him. But JungSook remains adamant. She can’t live her life deceiving other people.

NaYoung: Unni, in this world everybody has a secret.

When logical reasoning isn’t working, NaYoung resorts to bullying and declares that if JungSook won’t do it, then she would!

That night, JoonGoo didn’t go home. JungSook is getting uneasy and anxious. NaYoung finds her concern overly unnecessary and blames JoonGoo for destroying her sister’s future.

JungSook: I don’t blame anyone. Not you or JoonGoo.

NaYoung: So what? What are you going to with me then? You have no right to have him coz you don’t want him as much as I do. You don’t have any desires and you have no greed. You never wanted something that belong to others. You never even hated someone who are more privileged than you. Is that being kind? Fine. You’re lucky for being so kind. Forgive everyone. Kang JoonGoo and me too. Forgive us all while believing that is your destiny. But that’s not because you’re kind. You’re just too scared to go against your destiny. You’re being a coward! Why are you giving up your life? You need to fight! I’m not scared of destiny. I’m going to fight by any means. And so, I’m going to have everything I want! Mark my words Unni. So don’t even say a word about my past. If you do, then I’ll kill you, like how I killed my baby! Promise me you won’t stand in my way. Promise me!

With that outburst, who wouldn’t be compelled?

Meanwhile, JoonGoo is somewhere doing some vain, shady deals to earn money. But then, the deal isn’t working well. Nice talks doesn’t do him good, so he goes into a frenzy. When his good friend got killed during the brawl, all hell breaks loose and in a flash, he  killed 3 thugs.

Meet the faultfinding mother-in-law, GuemHwa and smarty-pants daughter-in-law, Ae-ri (YoungJoon’s wife).

GeumHwa can’t get over the fact that his husband readily agrees to let his son marry a commoner. President Kim just brushes the topic off and advises his wife to treat it as a break from dealing with smart and rich daughter-in-laws.

President Kim officially accepts NaYoung as his daughter-in-law. He retells the story of how SangHoon saved him from being imprisoned. And from then on, how he had always felt indebted to him. He compares SangHoon to a saint in heaven, which made NaYoung laugh. Her suppressed giggles didn’t escape YoungMin’s observant eyes.

The news is out. JungSook was arrested for murder. NaYoung goads, saying that it should have been easier, if they reported him to the police outright. JungSook snaps at her sister’s unforgiving and indifferent nature.

JungSook: If you live like that, you’ll forever be  miserable.

NaYoung: I’ll probably be less miserable than you unni.

NaYoung informs JungSook of her upcoming marriage and warns her not to come.

It’s funny that while the wedding’s going on, President Kim just kept on dozing off. Whoever sleeps on their son’s wedding anyway?

NaYoung: Until the day I day, I won’t let go of you YoungMin.

YoungMin actually looks scared. And at the wedding night, he didn’t bother to show up and went to the States. Before leaving Korea, NaYoung had a one last look at the life she’ll leave behind.

NaYoung: When I started to hate the world and myself, I thought of you every time. Then it would comfort me a bit. The world if filled with evil, but knowing that in this world there’s someone as kind as you Unni…

Then she stopped writing. No. She can’t afford to show vulnerability. Not even for her sister.

JungSook visits JoonGoo at the prison, but he drives her away. JoonGoo: “Forget a guy like me and live on”.

Meet the mistress, InSook.

There couldn’t be a blunter insult for a wife to be picked up by the mistress if you’ll ask me. Again, if you’re NaYoung what would you do?

You’ll stay fairly calm and set things straight. You’ll exercise your rights as the legal wife and tells the mistress to back off coz you’ve arrived.

When NaYoung enters their room, undies, shoes, all kinds of mess, scatters around the place. She angrily tidies things up, and this is when YoungMin comes in. Awkward!

NaYoung: You should have told me not to come then I wouldn’t have. Do I not deserve that much?

YoungMin: You’re not the type of person who won’t come just because I told you so.

NaYoung: This is a good sign. At least you knew I was coming, but didn’t run like what you did on our honeymoon.

NaYoung originally thought of just dumping InSook’s belongings in the trash. But after realizing some things, she goes back to the room. Her temper is already under control then and decides to go back to Korea. I don’t know but this seems a reverse psychology to me. Basing upon her personality, she won’t give up that easily!

For the first time, they had a long chitchat. YoungMin relays his sad experiences living alone and then apologizes for not being able to end his affair with InSook. NaYoung consoles that maybe President Kim let him study there so he can learn how to survive and be his successor later on. As for InSook, NaYoung is still determined to be his wife, with or without love.

NaYoung: Loving some one isn’t inflexible. It changes. You don’t fall in love with that specific person as if it’s destiny. Imagine yourself ten years from now. You living with that woman.

YoungMin: Life isn’t controlled by money. There are things more precious than that.

NaYoung: Would you have said that if you weren’t the son of the President of Atlantic Ocean Group.

YoungMin isn’t ignorant of the things NaYoung is capable of. He already notices her frivolous character since they were young and can’t bring himself to trust her.

Later, YoungMin confesses that he can’t just break-up with InSook coz she’s carrying his child. In fact, when she heard of his marriage, she tried to abort the baby. NaYoung gets infuriated and is quite disgusted that InSook even thought of doing such a barbaric act.

NaYoung knows an opportunist when she sees one. She knows that InSook is only after YoungMin’s money. And since they’re just the same, she makes a handsome bargain. She promises to make the child the successor of Atlantic Ocean Group. And when that time comes, InSook will be known as the child’s biological mother (making her filthy rich!). But for the meantime, NaYoung will provide for her. If you’re InSook, you’ll definitely agree, right?

And again, the sweet wicked smile of triumph. I really find her smile creepy though. :p