Post by TheBo on Oct 1, 2010 9:41:43 GMT -5
Grand Chef recap Ep18—as I said last week, this is more of an overview, but with everything included, not necessarily in the order it happened. We'll try it this way for a bit, maybe it will be less oppressive. LOL. If you have any specific questions, ask me.
Rockhead’s Mother. Although Sung-chan misses Joo-hee at the ferry, she is not there to see him anyway. She's come to see Rockhead (actually named Suk-dong, but I think Rockhead is better). Except S-C has gone after Rockhead, who thinks he's found his mother, a woman with a second family. It turns out, the woman is his mother's friend, but she refuses to introduce them after initially saying she would. When S-C goes to confront her, he learns Rockhead's mom died but didn't want him to know that, so swore everyone to secrecy. S-C ends up telling Rockhead, who is devastated. Later, Rockhead serves everyone abalone, which surprises S-C (earlier, he'd told S-C he was sick of the stuff). He tells them it was the last meal his mother ever served him, and she stuffed him full of it--even though she'd always complained it was too expensive to eat--and then disappeared. Now he understands why. Now he can eat abalone. Nobody ever explains when she died or how or why, but I'd guess it was very soon after the childhood abalone meal.
Joo-hee and Sung-chan take some time off. Before this meal, however, and after returning from the first visit to Rockhead's "Mom," Sung-chan finds Joo-hee in the town. He takes her to a hotel where she gets a room for a couple of days (it's not clear if that was her original intention, or if she had planned to leave). She says she just wants a few days off. She's shut off her phone, so Bong-joo can't reach her. S-C and J-H spend a couple of idyllic days together. During this time, she tells him about the theme Bliss in Waiting which only makes his head hurt. My favorite quote: "These people are so bored, they like to torture others [with impossible tasks]." We do find out how S-C and J-H met; they were in Jr High, and he made her birthday soup when everyone else had forgotten. Sweet.
Un Ahm Jung and the banquet. Back at U-A-J, Bong-joo's worried, and Joo-hee’s dad is furious that B-J let her go "just when you need her!" (Her dad is a real treat. He doesn't seem to care that she's upset or disappeared, only that U-A-J will suffer due to her absence.) Even though everyone in the kitchen is desperately searching for dishes that demonstrate “bliss in waiting,” B-J is not satisfied. He finally settles for pickles and preserves. Loser.
Rockhead interferes. Meantime, Rockhead (before he found out about his mom) secretly called Jin-soo to come see Sung-chan, telling her S-C was lovesick (because he thought Joo-hee was here as romance spoiler). Which is true, S-C and J-H come close to kissing and they are having a sweet little romance. But J-S (not knowing J-H was there) shows up while S-C is off telling Rockhead about his mom's death, and the girls have a discussion about the situation. J-S tells J-H not to tell S-C she was there, only J-H does tell him and says to catch J-S before SHE leaves on the ferry. He doesn't get there in time, but they see each other as the ferry is pulling out. When S-C returns is when they have the above dinner party.
Joo-hee sacrifices her feelings. Next morning, Sung-chan comes to take Joo-hee to the ferry, but she has come to a decision. In the hotel cafe, she tells him about Jin-soo's boss stealing her notes and publishing the story without her consent. Then, she says, the reason you overreacted was because that's what you do when you love someone and they hurt you. She insists on taking a cab and tells him, by the way, I'm getting engaged soon, please come to the party. As she drives away, longing looks from both parties and tears. I cried too.
Jin-soo’s jobs. J-S is working at the ox bone soup restaurant where she was supposed to meet with Sung-chan. The reason she heeded Rockhead's call and went to Wando was her reporter friend (HER name is Mi-ran) convinced her that S-C had made Rockhead call her because he was too embarrassed to do so himself. When J-S protests she is over him, Mi-ran points out where J-S is working, hoping S-C'd show up. Also, the night before this, J-S had received a visit from Bong-joo, telling her that he understood what had happened with the article and he wanted to start at square one with her. B-J had earlier told J-S's boss that he wouldn't let Point magazine do an article on U-A-J's gourmet banquet unless J-S wrote it, which is how he found out where she worked.
Sung-chan has a brilliant idea. Later, S-C is feeling down after Joo-hee left. He's working on the abalone farm with Rockhead, and after some horseplay Rockhead tells him that abalone take five years to grow and you must have patience before you get the bliss of eating them. Ummmm....you know where this is going, right? S-C's lightbulb goes on, and he anonymously sends boxes of super fresh (still living), fine quality abalone to U-A-J. J-H comes to Bong-joo's office just after he learns it arrived, and they apologize to each other. He tells her she can tell him where she went later, when she's ready to. She is a bit shocked to hear about the abalone, but covers. B-J goes to the kitchen. After some discussion about this gift from the gods, B-J remembers they take 5 years to grow and realizes the theme can be fulfilled. He serves as many permutations of abalone dishes as he can think of to the gourmets (many of whom sound like Germans speaking English--why?), who are delighted. It's a huge success.
Last, Sung-chan drives through the countryside, thinking about Jin-soo and what Joo-hee told him about J-S. End.
Rockhead’s Mother. Although Sung-chan misses Joo-hee at the ferry, she is not there to see him anyway. She's come to see Rockhead (actually named Suk-dong, but I think Rockhead is better). Except S-C has gone after Rockhead, who thinks he's found his mother, a woman with a second family. It turns out, the woman is his mother's friend, but she refuses to introduce them after initially saying she would. When S-C goes to confront her, he learns Rockhead's mom died but didn't want him to know that, so swore everyone to secrecy. S-C ends up telling Rockhead, who is devastated. Later, Rockhead serves everyone abalone, which surprises S-C (earlier, he'd told S-C he was sick of the stuff). He tells them it was the last meal his mother ever served him, and she stuffed him full of it--even though she'd always complained it was too expensive to eat--and then disappeared. Now he understands why. Now he can eat abalone. Nobody ever explains when she died or how or why, but I'd guess it was very soon after the childhood abalone meal.
Joo-hee and Sung-chan take some time off. Before this meal, however, and after returning from the first visit to Rockhead's "Mom," Sung-chan finds Joo-hee in the town. He takes her to a hotel where she gets a room for a couple of days (it's not clear if that was her original intention, or if she had planned to leave). She says she just wants a few days off. She's shut off her phone, so Bong-joo can't reach her. S-C and J-H spend a couple of idyllic days together. During this time, she tells him about the theme Bliss in Waiting which only makes his head hurt. My favorite quote: "These people are so bored, they like to torture others [with impossible tasks]." We do find out how S-C and J-H met; they were in Jr High, and he made her birthday soup when everyone else had forgotten. Sweet.
Un Ahm Jung and the banquet. Back at U-A-J, Bong-joo's worried, and Joo-hee’s dad is furious that B-J let her go "just when you need her!" (Her dad is a real treat. He doesn't seem to care that she's upset or disappeared, only that U-A-J will suffer due to her absence.) Even though everyone in the kitchen is desperately searching for dishes that demonstrate “bliss in waiting,” B-J is not satisfied. He finally settles for pickles and preserves. Loser.
Rockhead interferes. Meantime, Rockhead (before he found out about his mom) secretly called Jin-soo to come see Sung-chan, telling her S-C was lovesick (because he thought Joo-hee was here as romance spoiler). Which is true, S-C and J-H come close to kissing and they are having a sweet little romance. But J-S (not knowing J-H was there) shows up while S-C is off telling Rockhead about his mom's death, and the girls have a discussion about the situation. J-S tells J-H not to tell S-C she was there, only J-H does tell him and says to catch J-S before SHE leaves on the ferry. He doesn't get there in time, but they see each other as the ferry is pulling out. When S-C returns is when they have the above dinner party.
Joo-hee sacrifices her feelings. Next morning, Sung-chan comes to take Joo-hee to the ferry, but she has come to a decision. In the hotel cafe, she tells him about Jin-soo's boss stealing her notes and publishing the story without her consent. Then, she says, the reason you overreacted was because that's what you do when you love someone and they hurt you. She insists on taking a cab and tells him, by the way, I'm getting engaged soon, please come to the party. As she drives away, longing looks from both parties and tears. I cried too.
Jin-soo’s jobs. J-S is working at the ox bone soup restaurant where she was supposed to meet with Sung-chan. The reason she heeded Rockhead's call and went to Wando was her reporter friend (HER name is Mi-ran) convinced her that S-C had made Rockhead call her because he was too embarrassed to do so himself. When J-S protests she is over him, Mi-ran points out where J-S is working, hoping S-C'd show up. Also, the night before this, J-S had received a visit from Bong-joo, telling her that he understood what had happened with the article and he wanted to start at square one with her. B-J had earlier told J-S's boss that he wouldn't let Point magazine do an article on U-A-J's gourmet banquet unless J-S wrote it, which is how he found out where she worked.
Sung-chan has a brilliant idea. Later, S-C is feeling down after Joo-hee left. He's working on the abalone farm with Rockhead, and after some horseplay Rockhead tells him that abalone take five years to grow and you must have patience before you get the bliss of eating them. Ummmm....you know where this is going, right? S-C's lightbulb goes on, and he anonymously sends boxes of super fresh (still living), fine quality abalone to U-A-J. J-H comes to Bong-joo's office just after he learns it arrived, and they apologize to each other. He tells her she can tell him where she went later, when she's ready to. She is a bit shocked to hear about the abalone, but covers. B-J goes to the kitchen. After some discussion about this gift from the gods, B-J remembers they take 5 years to grow and realizes the theme can be fulfilled. He serves as many permutations of abalone dishes as he can think of to the gourmets (many of whom sound like Germans speaking English--why?), who are delighted. It's a huge success.
Last, Sung-chan drives through the countryside, thinking about Jin-soo and what Joo-hee told him about J-S. End.