by: Raine



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Episode 16 9.2%.

Ovary explosion in this episode. (Thanks JoAnne unni for that delightful term.) All I can focus on is Yoo Ah-in’s lips. Everything else I’m ignoring because I don’t want this post-cuteness euphoric haze to be wiped away by the angst that I know is coming.

Lips…lips…



“???” – You’ll get more when they give me more! (from the Fashion King OST)

episode 16 recap

The Young/Young pair is super awkward and she looks away, pretending like she didn’t see him. Smooth, Ga-young. Real smooth. Young-gul says “hi” and they sit awkwardly beside each other on the flight. He calls An-na for business and Ga-young pretends not to pay attention and he pretends not to notice her pretending not to pay attention. In order to escape the tension, he closes his eyes. She remembers their first flight and how sincerely he thanked her.

Jae-hyuk comes into a meeting and notices Ga-young isn’t there. Director Kim says he sent her to New York on an educational fieldtrip. Uh-oh. Who else is going on a fieldtrip to New York that Jae-hyuk knows? Jae-hyuk is perturbed but starts the meeting anyway.

(Put neon yellow and neon blue together and what do you get? An eyesore.)

Young/Young awkwardly ride the same elevator, awkwardly walk in the same hallway to get to their rooms which are awkwardly side-by-side. (I don’t know how rooms can be awkward, but I just wanted to say “awkward” again.)

Young-gul agonizes in his room; Ga-young agonizes in her room. Finally, they both can’t stand it and rise to take care of business. She opens the door to find Young-gul standing there.

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‬Young-gul: Where are you going? Ga-young: To you. Young-gul: Why? Ga-young: I wanted to talk to you? Young-gul: Can I talk first? Ga-young: *makes puppy eyes* Young-gul: I feel like I’m dying. Can you forgive me?

Her phone rings and she tells him not to go away. Of course, it’s Jae-hyuk and wanting to know what she’s doing.

Young-gul has had enough of Jae-hyuk stealing his woman and so he takes the phone, tosses it on the sofa, and lays a damned sexy kiss on Ga-young.

At first, she’s too shocked to move anything but her lips. He pulls away, leaning his forehead against hers.Then she slides her arms around his neck, making him smile and they go in for another.

In case my description or the screencaps aren’t enough, I’ve made an aniGIF and watched it a million times. You’ll find links to it all over this recap. Why? You KNOW why.

Jae-hyuk freaks out when she doesn’t answer. Did he hear moaning? Did they start going at it? I suppose since they’re both in New York City and they were together before…and it’s K-dramaland. Raine, stop rationalizing. Just stop it, you fool.

Anyway, he’s flipping a shit when she won’t pick up and ignores calls from both of his parents. She’ll be back in 4 days, Kim reminds Jae-hyuk. Does he have to go? Jae-hyuk threatens Kim with death. But his plan to intercept Cassanova Young-gul fails when his father calls Assistant Kim.

Ga-young and Young-gul are relaxing on the bed, fully-clothed, on top of the sheets.

Young-gul, I’m disappointed. Really, really disappointed. I suppose it’s nice he’s respecting his woman, but they’ve been dancing around each other long enough. She started two of three kisses…

Make. Some. Moves. Boy. You owe her, and me, the pervy Raine voyeur extraordinaire, some action.

Anyway, they’re cuddling and she asks why he rejected her before.

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‬Young-gul: I was afraid of the fact that someone loved me. Ga-young: Why is that scary? Young-gul: Because it was you. I didn’t want to hurt you. That you might hurt me. Ga-young: That won’t happen.

He smiles and presses a kiss into her hair.

So cute!

I suck as a detective, but at least my reward for sucking is that I got that AWESOME KISS and cuddling.

But, as we know, this won’t last long and they will end up hurting each other or playing noble idiot. We still have four episodes left. That many? Can my heart take two more weeks of this?

Young-gul misses a meeting in New York and An-na has to deal with the fallout. For once, a legit reason for her to be pissed.

Personally, I super dislike unprofessionalism. A lot of this show has really irked the professional in me. But again, suspension of reality, Raine. Suspension. And…you got a kiss out of it. *watches again*

The Jung’s are hosting some Western guests and they chit chat about how awesome the food is, and how awesome Jae-hyuk is and basically show off Koreans speaking some pretty good English! Jae-hyuk gets yelled at for not talking, but he’s brooding.

An utterly depressed Jae-hyuk goes home and calls Ga-young who ignores his call and quickly shoves her phone in her purse. Yes, she may be flirty with her man, but she knows that her man and her boss aren’t exactly bf’s.

Young-gul takes Ga-young to a penthouse apartment that has a wicked balcony and view of the city.

Ack! So high! I’m scared of heights and even watching them makes me nauseous, but it IS a breathtaking view.

He asks her if she likes it.

Answer: No shit, Sherlock.

But she doesn’t look at happy or excited as him. Kinda like that time he made her a dress on her birthday and she wore it to meet Jae-hyuk.

If she does that again, I’m going to pull my hair out. You all know I think her reasoning is the most…reasonable out of all this irrational bullshit going around, but if she isn’t straight forward with him now, she’s not dateable. She has a track record of keeping secrets and spilling later when the truth doesn’t really help. If she does that I will make a dartboard out of her FACE!

He points out where they first met up in New York and their old apartment. He’s so ecstatic he doesn’t notice she’s down.

Over lunch he says that he bought the apartment because he’ll need to stay in New York a lot for business. It’s very expensive. The wording bothers her.

Sooooooo, she was all hesitant at the apartment because he’s materialistic? I have too many theories and they’re making me confused. I think I’m just going to watch…

Anyway, Young-gul bought that snazzy apartment and she says she doesn’t need it. He’s still not getting her and offers to buy her a sports car to drive to school (I’m guessing NSF). She says he became another person. But he says that he’s just happy and he wants to do everything for her. As for school, all she needs to do is pay tuition. If he’d known, he’d never have gone to Jae-hyuk for help. What help? she wonders but he avoids her question. He’ll spend a million bucks on her!

She does not look happy. Girl, chill. He’s just showing off for his woman! He’s happy.

Come on writernim, stop creating problems in paradise. We just got there. Cut me some slack.

On the plane back to Korea, Young-gul promises to reclaim YGM, the first brand they made together. He’s so ridiculously happy while she’s unsure.

Yeah, that’s what happens when you lead on your boss who has pretty much given you everything. Now you have to give up all that to be with your man. Of course, that should be an easy decision. Again, writernim…make it easy and give us conflict some other way. If you make them make up in the last twenty minutes of episode 20, I’ll pull my hair out.

At home, Ga-young gives Bong Sook presents from Young-gul to all the sewing ahjummas. Bong Sook flips out over her purse and then asks if Ga-young and Young-gul, you know…

But Ga-young is saved by Young-gul’s phone call and flirts her way out of Bong Sook’s earshot. Young-gul already misses her and doesn’t know how he bore the pain for so long. they hang up but he immediately calls her back. “Resign tomorrow.”

Well, that’s your answer to your request in episode 14 Ga-young ssi. Now, will you accept it? You better. No take backs!

Jae-hyuk gets all sweaty as he runs and broods. Hmm…sweaty Lee Je-hoon. Nom nom nom.

(Is that hat really some kinda big thing? To me it looks like a black hat with shiny stuff…)

Ga-young visits a beaming Director Kim and gives him a hat, which he’s been wanting.

Okay, wasn’t Kim like Mr. Grumpypants in the beginning and now he’s all buddy buddy with everyone and their mother? Character consistency, please.

Anyway, Kim shows her the company magazine with her face on the cover. When Ga-young goes into the workroom, she catches Jung-ah scribbling all over Ga-young’s face. How childish, but funny.

Jae-hyuk calls Ga-young to his office, making Jung-ah jealous. He’s ready to cry, but pulls it together and plasters on a smile for Ga-young. He wonders why she didn’t tell him about her trip. If she had, he would’ve gone with her.

Chaebol, my love. You forced your way into her personal life. She has no obligation to you in any other way but in the workplace.

He wonders if Ga-young got him a gift, but she didn’t know what to get him since he has everything. That cuts him badly. He fails to hide his hurt and asks her for lunch. She refuses him because she has to go to the retail store today.

At least she realizes enough to know he’s feeling awful. In fact, he’s struggling not to cry.

HEARTBREAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!

Okay Ga-young. You may be naive, but not bringing him SOMETHING back was cruel.

The ahjummas fawn over their gifts. Bong Sook tells them that she thinks ssomething happened between Young-gul and Ga-young. They call Ga-young their real madam and snicker over the fact that An-na is just friends with their boss. Y0ung-gul comes in really happy and the women are like “Uh-huh. Something definitely happened.”

He practically skips into the office and gives a sullen An-na her gift. She wonders why she couldn’t reach him. Was he dating? At that, Young-gul merely smiles like an idiot.

Why yes. Yes, he was. And he wasn’t dating you.

Bong Sook comes into the office and enthusiastically thanks Young-gul for the purse. then Young-gul calls Il-gook to have him find an office for An-na. Everyone knows what that means; Ga-young is coming back unless writernim decides to fuck with my happiness.

Madam Dragon is meeting with her lawyer who tells her that there are three issues that Young-gul’s lawyer brought up:

Could she afford to purchase building at the time of purchase? Why did Lee Ga-young’s parents sell the land to the Dragon before they died. The question centers around the timing of the buy and sell. Where did the buy and sell money go?

The lawyer doesn’t think there will be a problem because any legal action will be based on the documentation since the other party passed away.

The Dragon is relieved until she hears that Young-gul asked for a re-exanination of the car accident. She is appalled that they think that way of her. She offers any amount of money to her lawyer to teach them all a lesson.

I don’t pity her.

Madam Dragon tries to convince Mama Jae-hyuk that Ga-young is evil incarnate, but mom won’t fall for the same ruse twice. Dragon was wrong once before. So mom tells the Dragon to mind her own business and to stop interfering with her son’s affairs.

HAHAHAHAHA! I think I like Mama Jae-hyuk a little better now.

Ga-young is at the retail store and the employee is giving her a hard time about changing the display until Young-gul swoops in and saves the day. He grabs Ga-young’s hand and guides her away, leaving the employee awestruck to see GG’s Young-gul.

Another person who is a bit on the shocked side is Jae-hyuk, who watches Ga-young walk hand-in-hand down the hallway with Young-gul.

Young-gul is lying with his head in Ga-young’s lap with their fingers intertwined. He’s euphorically happy and she’s enjoying the moment. He quietly asks her to go with him to visit his father who he hasn’t seen in twenty years. He doesn’t have the courage to go alone and she agrees, making him smile again.

They go for icecream and have a cute little date, sharing ice-cream and kisses by the fountain. They’re giddily happy and young and in love.

But Jae-hyuk the stalker isn’t. He’s ready to cry.

HEARTBREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!

Dokko Jin, putting you in this recap made this show ten times better. I thank you, your defective heart, and your love for Goo Ae-jung.

Young-gul returns to the factory and An-na starts in on him. Why is he distancing himself from her? The reason she came to this “ridiculous factory” was because she likes him.

His face falls.

She continues. He should at least thank her for bringing his business this far. And what’s more, she thought he liked her in return.

So did I. I thought you were making fashionista babies.

It’s time for Young-gul to come clear about their relationship. They are friends – drinking buddies. Nothing more. When she calls Young-gul worse than Jae-hyuk, it’s the last straw for him.

He never asked her to call him or follow him. She came looking for him. Young-gul doesn’t know or care about her relationship with Jae-hyuk.

I understand why she was confused by him. I was confused by him. But oh well, I’m going with the crazy flow…or lack of flow. Whatever.

Young-gul storms out and knocks the eavesdropping ahjummas over with the door. An-na is left looking completely crestfallen.

Both she and Jae-hyuk have the same problem. They tried to get with people who weren’t interested. Of course they’re going to get hurt.

At J Fashion, Ga-young can’t stop smiling, which makes Jae-hyuk wither inside. Later, Jae-hyuk receives a report from the excited ASsistant Kim about an offer from Italy. If J Fashion partners with little pop fashion factories like Young-gul did, they can make it big. But Jae-hyuk is barely listening. He’s a lovelorn zombie.

After a while, he asks about what happened between Ga-young and Young-gul in New York. Kim is hesitant to answer, but tells Jae-hyuk that they didn’t leave the hotel room for four days.

YES!

Okay Young-gul, you are a man. Thank the lord. This is the only thing keeping me going. Or maybe Ga-young made the moves. It’s always the shy ones…

Kim starts in on how shameless Ga-young is, but Jae-hyuk sends him away.

Why?

‘Cause he’s marched his mopey butt downstairs to Young-gul’s pad. He storms into the place and glances around, noting that Young-gul seems to have everything that he does: the apartment, the car, the driver.

Jae-hyuk asks Young-gul if he’ll take responsibility for An-na, although we all know what he’s getting at. Young-gul says he’ll take responsibility because they’re only friends. They get into which woman stayed at whose place and finally mention Ga-young. When Young-gul mentions that Jae-hyuk came looking for someone else’s employee last time but wouldn’t bother looking for his own this time, it comes to blows.

Young-gul declares that it doesn’t matter how they feel, but rather how she feels. Jae-hyuk can’t buy feelings with money. The chaebol tells Young-gul that he can’t take care of her just with money and it doesn’t matter who she’s beside, all he cares about is Ga-young.

Jae-hyuk, sweetheart, give up now before you start something you really can’t finish and hurt yourself even more.

Next…

GIRAFFES! There are giraffes in a bar! Did An-na Bo Peep give up on her sheep?

Anyway, she’s called Ga-young to guilt her into leaving Young-gul. Basically, while they were acting like lovebirds, Young-gul missed important appointments. The client doesn’t want to deal with him anymore. An-na informs Ga-young that Kang Young-gul is a hot thing in fashion right now, but he could become a nobody overnight. If he doesn’t focus on his career, he could lose it all. Just because he loves you doesn’t mean he’ll forgive you from distracting him from his goals.

Of course, Ga-young feels ridiculously guilty and I’m hoping against all hope that she TELLS Young-gul instead of deserting him.

An-na, you bitch. What is up with people messing up other people’s lives when their own lives don’t go the way they want? She set her own trap and fell into it. Guh.

Ga-young broods at a bus stop and sees adverts for both YGM and GG. She remembers Young-gul promising to get YGM back.

And, surprise surprise, the company is now abuzz with some exciting news: Lee Ga-young has been promoted! Jae-hyuk gives her An-na’s old office with the awful chairs, a car and a fancy new title!

Oh Jae-hyuk. After what you said to Young-gul, you’re trying to buy her affections? *sigh*

The sad, but very understandable, thing is, Ga-young is very excited to have the promotion. She came from nothing and now has quite a bit. She pretends to talk on the phone then spins in her chair. Suddenly, Jae-hyuk appears and tells her to keep her dinner hour free.

What? Uh…what? Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.

Young-gul is directing a shoot and he’s in a fabulous mood. So am I. There are abs EVERYWHERE!

Abs…Abs…Abs… Hand me a napkin. I’m drooling.

*Ahem*

Young-gul get a call from Ga-young that kills his chipper mood. She got a promotion. Wait…didn’t he tell her to resign? He hangs up on her and is now in a foul mood. He tells An-na to ignore all his calls and barks at the staff and models. When Ga-young calls, An-na ignores her.

(Somebody, please feed her…)

Next we see the Dragon and her spawn chatting company secrets over coffee. Jung-ah, who has the skinniest arms I’ve ever seen, tells her mom about Ga-young’s promotion. The Dragon is furious that her attempt to kick Ga-young out didn’t work. Jung-ah tacks on that the Chairman gave her the car himself. Her mother is not pleased with her spawn’s spy work but the phone rings before the Dragon can rip Jung-ah a new one.

Apparently the attorney found somebody and that surprises the Dragon.

Please don’t tell me there are more super top secret family secrets. We have too many already.

Young-gul is in the process of trying to reacquire YGM. He takes a break for the night to set up a romantic dinner for two at the factory. He shoots Ga-young a text to meet him there, and she says she will after work.

Then he imagines a cute little scenario where he returns the ring and apologizes for getting it back to her so late. It’s a small world, he imagines saying, as Ga-young’s eyes fill with tears.

Back to reality.

He’s smiling, waiting for his love and then realizes it’s getting late. He calls her but she doesn’t answer. Instead, she sends him the same text as earlier: I’m in a meeting. I’ll come after work. Everyone knows what “in a meeting” means when it comes to Jae-hyuk and Ga-young.

HEARTBREAAAAAAAAAAAAK!

Comments:

Come to me and I will dry all of your tears…as long as you kiss like Yoo Ah-in… Just try me, cry me, all your tears. Why deny me the pleasure of dryin’ ’em, stopping you cryin’ ’em. (What musical is that from? Ten points for whoever gets it! Don’t cheat! Not like I’d know if you did…)



Okay seriously, if it goes sour this fast, Imma be pissed. There better not be a misunderstanding between them because of Jae-hyuk’s dinner and An-na’s threat. They need to team together. No more noble idiocy and fear. It seemed like they finally opened up to each other.

And what about Young-gul’s father. She better not let him go and do that by himself. Come on, Ga-young. Don’t disappoint me!

Also, so glad I was wrong about Young-gul and An-na. YAY! She was just coming on really hard. Desperate wench. She’s one of those who needs to be in a relationship all the time.

One last thing: Young-gul’s change in attire. Does he think dressing like a mafia boss is stylin’? He’s all bling bling and it’s driving me nuts! At least Yoo Ah-in can rock anything.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20



Character introductions.

Fashion King Episode 16 Screencaps.

So. Cute.