Friday, October 19, 2012

Oohlala Spouses Episode 2 Recap

  Body swapping already! Plus some references to other shows. Yay! Still not much brevity on my part, though. Oops. :}

  Yeo Ok is in the love nest with a handyman who is installing hidden cameras. He's not very happy about having to play Twister just to put them up. Yeo Ok gets a call from her son's teacher saying Ki Chan is playing hooky and has missed several days of school. After she hangs up, she yells, causing the handyman to slip and shock himself. Haha! She decides she needs to catch Ki Chan in the act and heads out. (P.S. I swear her ringtone is the elevator music version of "High High" from A Gentleman's Dignity OST.)
  She finds him at an internet cafe and swats him over the head repeatedly. When he tells her she's embarrassing him, she answers that he's just like his father and she'll show him what it means to be embarrassed, and grabs another kid's keyboard to hit him with. 
  Back home she oversees his studying. Like a hawk. A very angry and betrayed hawk. Il Ran pokes her head in to tell Yeo Ok that Soo Nam will be working all night and starts bickering with Ki Chan. Yeo Ok breaks out of her hurt reverie and starts hitting Ki Chan, venting her frustrations with Soo Nam on him. Il Ran finally pulls her off.
  Soo Nam tells Victoria about his first love, a woman who rejected his proposal and ran off to Africa, leaving him crushed. For the first time in a long time, he feels like love has found him again, and he won't let it go. Victoria hugs him, delighted by his expression of love. As they go to bed, Yeo Ok stews alone at home.
  Cut to: Yeo Ok presenting her video footage to Soo Nam. He breaks the dvd in half and asks if she was always this scary. She asks if he wants to see scary, and he curses at her. She tells him that she was going to fix his foul mouth, and wonders why she's the only person he ever speaks to in that way. She tells him that men never mature, but she's sick of raising a child like him. He rubs his ear violently while she talks. (I wonder if there's something wrong with his ear or if it's just another way of blocking her voice.)
  He asks if she's serious about wanting a divorce, and explains that it doesn't work for him to get divorced right now, since he's up for a new position. Right, because this divorce is all about what works best for you. She tells him she doesn't care and that if he doesn't comply, she'll show the video to the president of the hotel and his mother. He keeps tugging on and rubbing at his ear. 

  He laughs at her, and she laughs too, before revealing that she already sent one to John. He'd better hurry and get it before John sees it. He leaps over the railing onto other customers at the cafe, and tears out of there while Yeo Ok does her laugh/cry some more. 
  Soo Nam races into the hotel, slowing and acting casual any time he runs into any employee.  He searches the hotel for Victoria, who went to deliver the package, and even checks the kitchen. His excuse for being there? He heard they got new peppers, one of which he proceeds to pop in his mouth. But it's extremely hot, hahaha! 
  He finally manages to contact Victoria and snatches the package from her, frightening her in the process, before slamming it to the ground. Victoria picks it up, and he hides it away in his desk.
  Yeo Ok checks her preparations for the divorce. She and Soo Nam meet with Lawyer Lee and Ae Sook. Lawyer Lee says it's instinctual for men to cheat, and it's not really their fault. It's the Other Woman's fault for luring them away. (I have no words. But Lee hasn't proven himself to be very intelligent, so I don't feel the need to argue, either.) 
  When Ae Sook asks why she felt she needed a divorce, she answers that she will forever be haunted by the memories of what she's seen. Soo Nam has the grace to look at least a little ashamed (only a little), and tries to show empathy, begging her to wait a bit. She refuses, but compromises by saying that she'll keep their divorce secret for the time being. 


  A judge pronounces them man and stranger, and they leave the courthouse, passing many couples with violent and tearful reactions to their divorces. The Matchmaker, dressed as a police officer, and Moo San watch them leave. Moo San says that if they could remember their past life, they would never go through with this divorce.

  We see Sayuri carefully getting dressed. She then dances near a waterfall where her reporter love takes photos of her, mesmerized by her beauty. 


  In the present, Matchmaker literally throws a hit at Soo Nam's back, causing him to stumble forward several steps. He looks back accusingly at Yeo Ok, but she's too far away to have been responsible. He keeps turning back suddenly to catch her in the act, and she stares at him, very very confused. 

  Matchmaker blames Moo San for ruining things by letting Soo Nam fall in love with another woman, but she explains that she was his wife in a past life. Plus, she was shipped off to Sweden as soon as she was born, but fate stepped in. 


  Halfway down the courthouse steps, Soo Nam asks why Yeo Ok didn't ask for any alimony. She replies that he'll have a hard enough time making ends meet and paying off the apartment. He scoffs and says it's his, after all, but she corrects him and tells him that it's actually hers, along with their entire savings. In his anger, he trips and rolls down the stairs. Yeo Ok runs to him, calling him "Yeobo, yeobo!" and cradles his bleeding head. Moo San takes this as a sign that they still have some affection for one another. Yeo Ok asks Matchmaker to call an ambulance.

  A young Yeo Ok walks into a jewelry store to buy a ring for her mother. Matchmaker helps her while Moo San helps Soo Nam find an engagement ring. As they pay, Moo San and Matchmaker switch their rings. Soo Nam realizes the mistake and chases after Yeo Ok. As he runs after her taxi, the jeweler's is hit by lightning and explodes.

  "And this is the ring that saved my life," explains Soo Nam to his girlfriend, the intended recipient of the engagement ring. (Hey, isn't that Eugene? Why yes, yes it is.) She thanks him and says it's a good-luck present, since she's headed to Africa. This is news to Soo Nam, but she explains that she's not cut out for marriage. When he asks if she loves him, she replies that you don't get married just because you love someone. He drinks himself silly as she giggles over her gift.
  On a ferry, Yeo Ok spies Soo Nam sobbing over his lost love. She overhears as Matchmaker (whose name is Wolhwa) lectures him about pining after someone. Soo Nam begs him to help him marry his love, but Wolhwa refuses, saying it's up to fate. Plus, there are hundreds of years of connections that go into a marriage, and he's just there to tie the red string of fate. That's why you need to be good in this life, so your connections can come together. Soo Nam asks when he'll be able to meet his match, and Wolhwa says she's nearby.
  At her home, Yeo Ok carefully chooses an outfit while her mom searches through her things, muttering that the ring she bought isn't even gold. Yeo Ok comes out and refuses to go clam-digging because she has intentions to find a husband from Seoul, so "he'll" be sorry. She runs off to the beach where Soo Nam is fishing. She puts on a show for him of playing innocently in the water, pretending to be unaware of his presence.
  In the present, Moo San and Wolhwa watch the ambulance cart the newly divorced couple off. Moo San laments that Yeo Ok sacrificed her last life for Soo Nam, and has been wronged by him in this life, yet she's sticking by him. She suggests that Wolhwa break Soo Nam's legs so he'll use crutches the rest of his life, but he says that's not enough. 

  As the ambulance speeds toward the hospital, Soo Nam gains consciousness just before Wolhwa appears in the middle of the road, causing the ambulance to swerve and hit a tree. The paramedics get out and argue, then realize they now have 2 patients (Soo Nam and Yeo Ok) strewn across the back of the ambulance. 


  Back in the past, Soo Nam stares at Yeo Ok and falls off his rock into the surf. She hears him yelling, but doesn't realize he's drowning, thinking instead that she shouldn't look or it'll spoil things. She finally turns around and spots him in the water. She hesitates, but decides there's nothing for it and starts stretching before diving in after him. And, we have our Big moment, people! Beams of light flash from their hands when they touch, and she hauls him to the surface. Oh look, a Little Mermaid moment, too! Hahahaha! She begins CPR and then smiles to herself before administering the Kiss of Life. 

  As she goes to give respirations again, we see Soo Nam gasp for air in the hospital (in the present). Except it's not Soo Nam, but Yeo Ok in his body. Just a note: From here on out, while the bodies are switched, I'll refer to them using the name of the spirit inhabiting the body. Mmmkay? 

  She calls out for "Chan's dad" and "Yeobo," causing all the men in her recovery room to look at her askance. Then she notices her manly hands, arms and chest. She feels her face and finally notices herself in the mirror. Only, she thinks it's Soo Nam behind her. She looks for him under the beds, terrifying everyone in the room. She finally realizes and asks the nurse where her husband is. All the roommates motion that she's crazy, and the nurse says that her guardian is in the ICU, in a worse state. 
  She finds the room her body is in while a heavily bandaged Wolhwa watches. Moo San pops up and asks if he really switched them. He says they'll have to see what it's like for the other person now. 
  She sees her body and starts to realize what's happened. She shakes her body to try and wake it up, but the doctor comes and sends her away. She goes back to her room, yells about going crazy, and throws herself on her bed. MIL and Il Ran come and ask after Yeo Ok. She tells them that she's in the ICU, and they start hitting her for cheating AND getting her wife injured so severely. She directs them to the ICU and clutches herself across the chest.
  Her wardmates are shocked that she had an affair, and she tries to explain the situation and accident to the cowering men. She grabs the bandaged hands of one and starts flailing them about, using him to gesticulate. She then bonks her head on his bandaged head. 
  The doctor explains the situation to a very distraught MIL and Il Ran. I'm not sure if they're so upset because they're concerned about her or if it's because she can't take care of them if she's in a coma. I want to believe it's the former. Yeo Ok watches from behind the curtain and realizes she has to do something. 
  She tries to convince the doctor that she's fine, and then kicks out MIL and Il Ran, telling them that she'll take care of everything. MIL criticizes the person she thinks is her son for not treating Yeo Ok better, like she said. She also wonders when he started to be so caring towards her. They finally think to wonder why the person they think is Soo Nam keeps calling them mother-in-law and agasshi. She finally gets rid of them.
  By her body's side, Yeo Ok comes to the realization that Soo Nam may not even be in her body. But decides it can't be so.
  Il Ran worries about not taking care of Yeo Ok, and what others will think. Plus it's strange that Soo Nam would try to take care of her. 
  Yeo Ok complains that this all happened because Soo Nam had an affair. In all their lives together she's never done anything to betray him. Why does she have to suffer more now? And he's being punished. MIL and Il Ran overhear all of this and now think that Yeo Ok is the one who had the affair. Yeo Ok starts to feel dizzy and decides it must be because Soo Nam's nose is so heavy. Haha!
  MIL and Il Ran discuss what they've just heard, and MIL decides there's no way the son she raised could have had an affair, so everything makes sense now. The run back in and force Yeo Ok to go home, since she has to work tomorrow. As soon as MIL is alone with Yeo Ok's body, Soo Nam wakes up. 


  He bolts upright, rips off his oxygen mask and starts demanding to know what happened to "that person" (meaning Yeo Ok, but MIL thinks he means Soo Nam). He also surprises her by calling her mom and being very forceful. He surprises himself when he pays attention to his voice and notices his long hair. He checks out his shapely leg and chest and demands to see a mirror, causing MIL to think there's nothing wrong. He springs out of bed and slowly peeks in the mirror. Then passes out. Haha.

  Later that night, he wakes up and sneaks out of his room, screaming when he sees shimself in the mirror. He struts through the halls of the hospital, even grabbing one guy's head to make sure it's not his body, and goes to the now empty reception hall. He drops into a chair and a figure approaches him from behind, scaring him when it places it's hand on his shoulder.

  It's Yeo Ok, and Soo Nam can't believe his eyes. He screams "My body!" over and over again and jumps up and down to get a better look, since he's used to being the tall one. He finally climbs on a chair and grabs his body's face. "MY BODY!!"
  Comments:
  I'm glad we didn't have to wait too long for the body swap. Or the divorce, for that matter. Although I can see the divorce being used as a leverage point later on by one or both partied to get what they want. 
  I feel really bad for Yeo Ok, though. Not only did her husband cheat, forcing her to get a divorce, but now she's in his body, stuck to him, and having to live with his face. Plus, now MIL is all to happy to beat her for Soo Nam's sins, and is constantly lecturing her on how he should have behaved. AND she gets to hear herself badmouthed now that MIL and Il Ran think she's the one who had the affair. It seems like she has to bear all the worst parts of every situation. 
  I love the little things with the body swap. Some things seem a little overdone, like the walks and poses, but the little things are perfect. Like Soo Nam constantly blowing the hair out of his face, or using a deeper voice. And Yeo Ok making fun of the size of her new nose, and all her little gestures. Kim Jung Eun and Shin Hyun Joon are nailing those things, and they have really taken on their new personas. 
  I also really liked the long flashbacks we were given. Getting to see Soo Nam have his heart broken and then seeing Yeo Ok pursue him was awesome. I love how capable and conniving she was in her quest to land her man. Even when things started to head south, she took it all in stride. 

No comments:

Post a Comment