dangermousie | Pick the Stars

I present to you ep 14 of Pick the Stars in caps. (Yes, I am insane enough to watch an ep raw, then subbed, then dl vids to cap. Whatever).

It's my favorite ep yet, but then I say that every time.

But before we delve into the lives of our cast of adorable and hissable characters, one observation. As I commented in a reply to

cleobulle, only in Korea would a breezy comedy have (1) heroine's parents die in a horrible staged car crash in ep 1; (2) heroine and her small siblings almost starve/freeze to death; (3) heroine embark for a while on the work in the flesh trade as a means to survive; (4) hero be an abused child; (5) secondary girl's Mom be a murderer.

Not to mention that the drama is full of individuals committing acts which are illegal, varying from blackmail to murder-for-hire, and could get them locked up.

I love this bit - unlike in the last scene with a drunken hug, she is actually holding him back - she is no dummy and she can tell something is majorly wrong and he HAS been really good to her and her sibs and hey, this ep totally proves she still loves him!

I really liked how when he was talking to himself to stop being upset because he's lived fine without love, it's shot through the blinds as if it's through bars.

I think this was probably my fave scene in the ep. I love how he can't help but ask why she fell for him 5 years ago and not for Jun Ha (he totally has issues about unworthiness of himself as a person in general) and I love her reply - see the cut quote. And he can barely get out the words, just look and try to get out that he is sorry and eeeee. Seriously. SHIP.

For God's sake, make out already!

I am rather darkly amused by how not even Hag's staunchest supporters can buy Kang Ha's change of heart - her Mom is all 'I just saw him sitting here mum and trying to leave asap' and Jun Ha is all 'did you get him drunk and rape him?' Seriously, Hag, give up. (Side note - Jun Ha, how dim are you? You are all 'something is really bugging my brother' and you know he just got engaged to girl he loathes all of a sudden and you also know he didn't suddenly fall for her. Put 2-and-2 together please). Also, I've seen people comment it's OTT for Kang Ha to agree to basically give his life away just so Jun Ha won't know they are half/step-brothers (not sure which one it is) to which I say - hah! It's a kdrama, of course it's OTT. But also, a normal person's reaction to blackmail would be 'so what, the dude is a grown-up and we've been living as brothers forever so can deal and if not, not my problem.' But with Kang Ha's screwed-up upbringing, abandonment issues, and a background belief he doesn't deserve anything good anyway, I can see how he views it differently.

Kang Ha getting drunk in a street stall. AA is that way, honey!

And picking a fight with 3 thug-looking guys. Healthy dealing, that!

I really really loved that scene! Because not only is there someone now to care if he comes home all messed up, but unlike passive Jun Ha, Pal Kang and Parang won't let him isolate himself with it.

I love the look on Kang Ha's face when Parang tells him he is crying because Kang Ha is hurt. It's as if such a concept never occurred to him before. AWWW.

She is putting medicine on him and their bickering is hilarious. He is usually icy or angsty or whatever but with her he is just a big dork. I love that he is all excited that she's upset he's beaten up and their bickering can be summed up as:

She: Why did you start a fight you can't win?
He: What drunk person thinks of that? Plus, there were 3 of them.
She: You work out! You couldn't even take on 3 guys? It's not as if there were 10!
He: I'd be dead if there were 10. OUCH!

It's funny, both of them change from the beginning where she was an immature airhead and he has an emotionless icicle but their basics are the same - she is opinionated and talkative, he is brusque and not a life of the party.

Oh, and did I mention how hilarious it is that Parang tries to interfere throughout and take Kang Ha's side? LOL.

I love how warm his eyes are when he looks at Parang. And awwww, Parang blowing on his cuts because Parang's Mom used to do it to him. AWWW.

More bickering next morning, LOL. They are so cute together! He takes her brood to the amusement park and I realize that unlike a lot of cinderella drama heroes who are rich just because, Kang Ha needs to be rich - nobody else could afford 5 little kids (plus whichever ones they'll get of their own). Heeee.

And then she takes him and the kids to the grocery store for a dinner of free samples. LOL. I love when they are repeatedly mistaken for a young family he doesn't contradict at all. LOL. He is even lugging her huge tacky pink purse as a matter of course (I didn't have a cap of it, alas). LOL.

I liked this little bit where she gets nostalgic because her Mom really liked those noodles and he asks her if she loved her Mom a lot to which she replies of course, who doesn't. Cue silence from Kang Ha and I love that Pal Kang is sharp and she asks him if he had problems with his so he totally switches the topic.

Too bad they get home to the Devil. Hag announces their marriage and invites Pal Kang to catch the bouquet. I wouldn't, it's probably covered in acid from Hag holding it. You know, Hag would not only make a bad wife (anyone so self-centered as to blackmail a person into marriage is bound to), she'd be the worst mother - if they ever have any kids she'd use them as pawns in her games.