The Heirs

Chapter 3

In the movie theater, Tan translates the conversation unfolding onscreen for Eun-sang. Then he veers off-script, tacking on his own scenario about meeting a girl named Eun-sang that ends on: “Do I… like you?”

After a few charged moments, Eun-sang offers, “Probably not.” She points out that he’s engaged as though that’s explanation enough, and he brushes that aside impatiently: “What if I do anyway?” She says that’s too much like the movies, and Tan replies that this kind of thing happens in real life too.

Eun-sang gets distracted with the realization, “Are we really in Hollywood?” Rather, it’s her excuse to be distracted, and she marvels at the Hollywood sign while studiously ignoring Tan’s attempt to have a conversation about what he just said. Clocking her avoidance, he relents and offers to take her to see the sign up close.

She declines, telling him he’s done enough for her. Hers is the rational decision, but Tan is upset by the rejection.

They return to his house to pick up her luggage, by which time he’s become silent and gloomy. She says her goodbye and starts to head off… and then Tan grabs her bag from her and carries it back inside the house.

By now, best bud Chan-young has responded to her online plea for help and urges her to call him asap. But rather than relay that message, Tan tells Eun-sang to stay at the house until her friend calls. Trying to cling to any reason to keep her here.

He gets a call from Manager Yoon, one of Jeguk’s executives (who stood up to big bro Won the other day) and also Chan-young’s father. Manager Yoon informs Tan of the stockholders family gathering he is to attend, per Chairman Dad’s decree. Also, Won will be there, and Tan understands that his presence won’t be met with brotherly welcome.

On the other end of the call, Manager Yoon hangs up and gets accosted by a friendly Bo-na, who’s already calling him “Father.” Haha. I know she’s a ditzy girlfriend with a one-track mind, but I do find her attachment to Chan-young harmlessly cute. She complains that Chan-young is probably cheating on her already, but the moment Manager Yoon agrees that his son was bad, Bo-na jumps to her boyfriend’s defense. She’s a riot.

Bo-na is part of the broadcasting club and joins fellow club member Hyo-shin (prosecutor’s son and mysteriously vomiting sunbae). After dismissing annoying underclassmen who’ve come to fawn over Hyo-shin, Bo-na chats with him about one of their members whose family made him quit the club. I suppose it makes sense—why be a creative when you can own the creatives as some CEO or another? Hyo-shin himself would be forced to quit if his elders found out, and he figures that either he’s hid the secret well, or his parents have hid it for him. (So… grandpa rules his family, I take it?)

Bo-na wonders what pill he’s popping, and Hyo-shin waves it off as vitamins for his advanced old age—yunno, nineteen versus her eighteen. But we know better.

Tan dresses for the stockholders meeting and tells Eun-sang to stay at home till he’s back. And then, oh god, Terrible Stoner Surfer Meathead is back, make it stop make it stop make it stooooop. Never have I been so mad at beans for not killing somebody. I envy Eun-sang’s inability to understand him.

Terrible Meathead is happy to sidle up flirtatiously to Eun-sang, which at least gets Tan rethinking his plans for the day. Off she goes with him. I’m so relieved for her.

Tan’s mother, Madam Han, consults with her sister about grounds for divorce. Little Sis speaks with a conspicuous saturi accent (i.e., distinctly non-high-society), and Madam Han urges her to keep her voice down before slipping into saturi herself. (Ha, anybody else reminded of Julie “How dare he say I’m from Riverside” Cooper?) Little Sis gives her the name of a guy who’ll follow people to snap adultery photos, because adultery is her only viable grounds for seeking divorce.