A light episode, nothing too big. What gets me in this episode is Joon Young’s confession in the beginning, how she anticipates to meet with her real dad yet she only wants to see him, not reunite. It’s telling of her personality and how she chooses to bond with people. Sometimes, it’s not the blood but the connection.

Adopted Dad calls Young Bum (Real Dad) to state a time and date for their meeting. Young Bum quickly rushes out of the house but In Joo burns her arm in order to stop her father from rushing to see the Real In Joo (now Joon Young).

Adopted Dad cooks one last meal for Joon Young before he sends her away to her real family. He tells her to stay strong, and if someone messes with her, she needs to fight back. Joon Young’s tears stream down her face, not wanting to break the bond they’ve cultivated over the past 10 years.

After sending In Joo to the hospital, Young Bum leaves, placing In Joo in the care of Jae Ha. She wakes up, and angry tears burst out because dad still left her after the major injury. Jae Ha comforts her with chocolates but she screams at him: she’s not a little child anymore, and that she’s allergic to chocolates. Jae Ha is drowned in guilt and pats her shoulder, giving her space.

Meanwhile, Joon Young, though sad about her separation with Adopted Dad, is anticipating the meeting with her real father. She breaks out into a run up the hill and waits.

Minutes turn into hours, and Joon Young berates herself for believing Adopted Dad. Aw. It breaks my heart that she thinks her real dad won’t come. Da Eun comes up and relays something about the restaurant and that is enough to have Joon Young run down the hill, crossing by Young Bum, who is driving in a car. They miss each other. Not like we didn’t expect this.

Joon Young finds out that her Adopted Dad has sold BOTH the house and the restaurant. Furthermore, he has left on a ship…to someplace.

Facing the sea of waves, Joon Young’s misery and the feeling of abandonment piled up and she breaks down into longing sobs, all the while calling, “Appa…appa…”

Another time skip – 10 Years Later! Yeeehaw.

We’re now at Arirang with the grown up In Joo (plays by Seo Hye Jin) as she makes rounds with her mother. In voice over, she explains how she has become a chef at Arirang but still can’t put a finger on why her mother, Song Doo Hee, is obsessed with the production of a sauce.

She continues, the ingredients in making the sauce was split into two books – known collectively as the Heavenly Method. As the executive chef, Doo Hee has one book, the other one is lost, and for many years until now, she has failed to re-create the taste Arirang is known for. Grandma Noh In looks on with disappointment and urges Doo Hee not to break the pot and waste their effort.

At a press conference, Baek Sul claims that she has found the second book of the Heavenly Method. Watching the conference live is her son, Kim Do Yoon (Lee Sang Woo, yay!), who mildly mocks his mother for her ambitions.

Elsewhere, a grandpa is also watching the television. He eyes Baek Sul, goes into his closet, and takes out the second book. Grandpa proceeds to call Grandma Noh In and reveals to her that he has the real second book. Upon hearing his name, Lee Chun Hee, she is taken back but he hangs up abruptly. Grandma has her people tracked down his location.

She calls her grandson and we get a first look at the grown up Choi Jae Ha (Joo Sang Wook, 😀 ), who has just arrived at Incheon airport after a business trip to China. Grandma instructs him to go to Udo Island and confirm that the book Grandpa has is real. She hangs up, and he turns around to his assistant, nervous, do we have to use a boat to get there?

Cut to three old men nagging a worker. Turns out she is Go Joon Young (Sung Yuri). When the boat engine comes to life, the ajusshi clap excitedly and Joon Young sings as she steers the boat. The same Grandpa calls Joon Young and lists off his favorite dishes – he wants them in 10 minutes! Or else she’s fired!

Jae Ha is sea sick and pukes continuously to the dismay of his stomach. He lightens up when Joon Young’s cheery disposition distracts him from the waves. He takes the initiative to wave at her when her boat passes by. hah!

Finally, Jae Ha enters Grandpa’s home uninvited and finds Joon Young cooking. He grimaces when she stabs a fish. Moments later, he gets enveloped into her world and smiles adorably as she glides across the floor, cutting and tasting different plates.

Grandpa checks on his food and sees Jae Ha, demanding to know who this strange guy is. Jae Ha explains he’s here to confirm the authenticity of the book. Grandpa plays dumb: what, is it something to eat? hahaha

And Grandpa chases Jae ha out of his room with a cane. Unfortunately, Jae Ha collides into Joon Young and her table of food. Everything comes crashing down onto his expensive tux.

Naked scene! I kid…just Jae Ha, shirtless, speaking to his grandma. She is firm and refuses to let him come home – you can’t return without seeing the book! He sighs.

Joon Young washes and hangs up his clothes. Jae Ha steps out of the bath house…wearing Grandpa’s clothes and she cracks up. His jaw drops when he sees his expensive tux hanging like dried fish on the rope. Joon Young is all smiley, telling him not to be thankful, and he looks down grudgingly.

Joon Young receives a call from Da Eun, who still has the stuttering problem when she’s nervous. She says to Joon Young that her father saw Adopted father and he’s married, no less. Joon Young is shaken at the revelation and quickly hangs up. She glances at the calendar, still marked with Adopted Dad’s birthday. Aw.

Joon Young goes outside, and with her cheeriness gone, pushes the bag of loaches to the ground when Jae Ha insists to learn Loach Soup from her.

Baek Sul meets with Grandma yet again, this time she seems more confident than usual. Her request? Take her in again, and while you’re at it, join her restaurant, Sanarae, with Arirang. Of course, this is a no deal. Again.

With a mission in mind, In Joo meets Baek Sul. She wants to take Baek Sul’s offer in place of her mother, as the heir to Arirang. She’s willing join hands in exchange for the book, plus it’s a good promotion for both restaurants if the reporters see that they’re amicable with each other. Um. Kay…

Baek Sul notes that In Joo is different from her mom. She has a dark streak in her eyes, as if she’s trying to prove something to the world.

On the other side of town, Do Yoon parks his colorful van and goes into Arirang to accept his new job as a chef. The chief chef there is wearing a red collar uniform – he’s Im Do Shik. Interesting. He also played the main baker in Baker King Kim Tak Gu.

To return the hospitality, Jae Ha is ordered by Grandpa to chop up all the logs in the storage house. He complains but does it like a fool. Joon Young returns home to see his struggle and offers to show her prowess in log-chopping. Jae Ha is amazed, there’s nothing this girl can’t do! She plops down and casually apologizes for her temper yesterday. He guesses that she had a bad memory with loaches and she nods. A guy gave her loach soup and then abandoned her. He says she’s wise to break up with him – a guy with no chivalry and sense is hardly a catch.

Wearing a shimmering blue dress, In Joo goes wild in a club. Apparently, she has frequented this club enough to be known as the Shadow Girl with a sexy wave line. Watching her dance is an employee at Arirang, a chef who is there with Do Yoon. The young chef is determined to make her his girlfriend and pushes through the crowd to get near her. In Joo recognizes his face immediately and dashes out of the dancing floor.

She grabs Do Yoon and uses him as her shield. Do Yoon has no time to play but she reasons – if she’s caught by the police (her lie – she’s a drug addict), they would be waiting for hours in the police station. He has no choice but to follow her out.

They run for a few blocks and stop to catch their breath. He sees through her little lie, and she replies, then he should stop pulling the cool face. Smile! He playfully pokes her forehead and counters, he’d smile if he sees a pretty girl. She pouts and asks for his jacket, which he’s unwilling to give up at first but takes it off seeing how skimpy her dress is.

To thank him, she tells him her name – her real name Song Yeon Woo. He walks away and she fights back the tears, yelling: “Song Yeon Woo. 27 years old girl who lives in Seoul. Don’t forget it or you’re dead!” I feel a pang of sadness for her. She struggles to stay in mom’s good graces but secretly wants someone – anyone, to remember who she was before. It seems like she wants someone to remember that she was once good and feisty. And not a scheming and pathetic person that she is now.

Jae Ha massages his tired muscles when Joon Young comes in, knowing that he needs some pain relief patches. She applies one patch which is when Grandpa bellows at the door, “What are you two doing getting naked in here!?” haha XD

Clearly, the only time Grandpa looks for Joon Young is when his stomach growls. Grandpa is here to announce his lunch dish – a hard-to-catch type of fish called saw-edged perch. Hoping to appease the old man, Jae Ha agrees but the moment grandpa turns his back, Jae Ha kneels and begs Joon Young for help.

And they go fishing, or rather just her ’cause he’s busy puking again. She teaches him a pressing technique of the palm to ease sea sickness. Things get awkward when he asks about the bad guy who left her (still thinking that he was her Ex) until Joon Young receives Grandpa’s call. He says Adopted Father is back. And is trying to sneak away. Joon Young looks up, stunned.

Alice: Nothing much in this episode, still a setup to put our characters in their right places.

I know I’ve said this before but Joo Sang Wook’s voice is so distinct from other actors that I can’t help but point out again that he has the same voice whether he’s acting or not, it’s endearing to me. I like Jae Ha. He isn’t a snob and actually offers to do the work himself. He is the type to learn and survive rather than get spoon fed by others.

I’m intrigued with Do Yoon though and Lee Sang Woo plays the mysterious component with a dash of playfulness well. His van is an interesting entity. If you recall, there is a creepy scene in episode 1 where his brother died and he was sitting beside the body PLAYING with blocks/lego. The boy is seriously scarred. Feels like he’s forced to grow up too soon. I can’t wait to see him with Joon Young!