The Distractors’ Cut: Heirs 1

So we’re back (ExtraKun and I, that is) with another Distractor’s Cut for you on a drama I’m certain most of you have heard about or at least seen by now. This time we’re tackling and entire series! Like I said, I had zero expectations going into this drama and it wasn’t anywhere near anything I was anticipating but I knew that Drama Buddy E-kun and I would get a kick out of watching it together. So for the next 20 episodes, we’ll be chatting away during our live viewing of the episode. Have no idea how that is going to turn out but it’s been fun thus far. Hopefully, it’ll continue to be and you will have a little chuckle along with us.

After watching this episode, Heirs brings to mind several points of teenage nostalgia from cult classic films (Pretty in Pink) to crack popular shows (Dawson’s Creek). But for now, the jury is still out to which it will become, if anything close to either or a combination of both (90210— the original). Look out for the link to episode 2 at the end of the post.

Unnichan: ♫Welcome to Hollywood, Baby. Take my picture. You comin’ with?♫

Ekun: Mm. Ok Jay-Z. *sigh*Why do I miss Cali so much! Look at the beauty of this scene!

Unnichan: You know, I don’t know, cause I don’t. But the beach is always amazing! And I suppose Lee Min-ho surfing is supposed to impress me.

Ekun: Well it is my home, I spent the first 22 years of my life there, hard to let go. I am not sure about his surfing, but it looks fun! *Singing* “To live and die in L.A., it’s the place to be!”

Unnichan: Oh no! Shower scenes and Hyung hatred in the first few minutes! This show is on a roll.

Ekun:Omo omo! Hyung!

Unnichan: I love that he calls himself lazy. I really might end up liking this kid. Um, is that Kim Woo-bin bullying my boo?! What was his name in Cyrano Dating Agency? Arang?

Ekun: Woo-binnie! Hold on, my computer is slurring! F! What did Woo-bin just say?

Unnichan: Ugh, I’m not in the mood for bullying. Kill him Arang! Something about him being powerful and crap. I can’t stand him already. And I usually like bastards. Oh but he doesn’t count cause I’m pretty certain he’s just an ass.

Ekun: Me and Woo-binnie over before it started. And I liked him so much when I was watching Style Log. They pranked him! HA! Hilarious!

Unnichan: Loved his Style Log spot. [Kim Soo-hyuk and Hong Jong-hyun are one of my Boo Lists.] Yuck Oppas! Get it together, she’s looks 14! Good on ya Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye), you get it.

Ekun: These Oppas are nasty! I don’t like the way Woo Bin looked at her.

Unnichan: Girl NO! I don’t appreciate that one little bit. But that’s trademark Woo-bin…the side eye.

Unnichan: Min-hyuk ah!!!! One adorable boy half of why I turned this show on!

Ekun: My little boo! I love Kang Min-hyuk (and his group CN Blue).

Unnichan: Aigoo. The monster appears. I like this character Shin-hye. Permanent exasperation. LOVE IT! Eun-sang is always “so over it” in a likeable way. And at least Chan-young seems to like Bo-na’s (Krystal Jung) insecure crazy behind. I can handle that.

Ekun: I agree Eun-sang seems like good peoples. Let’s play a game called, “How many episodes before they ruin the leading lady because I like her” game!

Unnichan: Ok, I give it two because she hasn’t met Min-ho yet. After she meets Min-ho we’ll renegotiate.

Ekun: Girl, What the happy heck just happened?! Unni (Yoon Jin-suh) is dating this American that is slapping her tail all over the place?!

Unnichan: I know right! Why are White people violent and vulgar and Black people thieving gangsters in these dramas?!

Ekun: I was just excited it wasn’t a Black man going upside her head. But I hate to admit, Blacks and Hispanics tend to roll in gang activity more than Whites.

Unnichan: Over there maybe, but the whole of America is no respecter of persons. And just wait, a Black man will show up on the scene and steal her purse or swindle her once she’s in LA.

Ekun: Of course he will, or try to sell her some drugs girl!

Unnichan: If this Momma (Kim Sung-ryung) spits something else out of her mou—- OOOH! Jin-hyukssi! I think he and the Mom should hook-up. Wait, is that skankish of me? Is she still married to his dad? I don’t really care either way but you know…it’s not that kind of show, I guess. That’s more La Dolce Vita style. Though that scenario didn’t occur in that drama with either. These two just remind me of Lee Dong-wook and Oh Yeon-soo for some reason.

Ekun: Jin-hyuk Oppa! Why am I so excited to see you! I am glad it was not just Gumiho daddy that had me shook!I love to hear you talk too! You not skankish, but I do not share your sentiments in that regard.

Unnichan: Wasteful wench. My gosh. OMG! Min-ho’s the boss’ kid! No, I don’t like this at all.

Ekun: Why we throwing away food ho! There are starving, swollen belly kids all over the world! Yuck! You didn’t know he was the illegitimate child? I thought you did.

Unnichan: I waste too but not to prove a point. She knows who she is and what she is to that family so she should just do her. Now Ji-won’s mom (Yoon Son-ha)… Oh these parents are hilarious. I’ma love this for about two full minutes.

Ekun: Momma! Why you asking me to put on flatter shoes!? It’s a crime! Crime! *Tears of despair*

Unnichan: Do I see a Cruel Intentions thing happening here? I sure hope so. Bwahahahahha.

Ekun: You know I love me some Cruel Intentions! Woo-bin the happy Heck! LOL! You are too much for me (Crown J and In Young Too Much)! Dammit! Daddy slapped him.

Unnichan: Woo-bin has on ruby slippers! Daddy, what the? You are ridiculous! Is this why Woo-bin is a bully? Boo, Show. BOO. Their parents seem to be a match made in Politically Charged Chaebol Merger Marriage Heaven though.

Ekun: And the loafers he is wearing are crazy popular! They look like slippers but everyone wears them! I hate them honestly…

Unnichan: I know and care nothing about fashion (except for Style Log)… so boop boop. Ruby red slippers— Alls I’m saying. There’s a Wizard of Oz reference here, I know it.

Ekun: Ara. You know, I am not feeling Eun-sang and her complex with money or her false impression of what her Unni is up to in the US. We are not all rich over here! I PROMISE!!!

Unnichan: I agree. I just think it’s a freedom that she feels must be the case here and I get it, cause for most of us there is, but she’s just pissed she’s young and saddled to Mom (Kim Mi-kyung). Unni got out and that sucks. I get that too, but abandoning Mom, without her knowing isn’t the best way out of a bad situation. From what we see here, Unni did it, and she’s getting the crap smacked from her so, I think it’s best if Eun-sang just has a good cry and comes up with a new plan. And what passport takes 3 days! Korea is doing some different thangs over there.

Ekun: Girl, I have no idea, but I need to get mine together now that I think about it. Why can’t she see how awesome her mom is? My heart really breaks for this mom and for Eun-sang since she has yet to realize it.

Unnichan: Having a Mother that loves you is a treasure. I think she gets it. She’s just weary, young and dumb. She should tell her mother she wants something different and then leave. I wouldn’t fault her for that.

Ekun: Shoes! Pretty green shoes!

Unnichan: GREEN *eyes aglaze* But I don’t like the shoes. Mom, family registry talk scares me (Thanks Japan). Rachel (Kim Ji-won), you trying to run away to see Tan? Pfft. I see that going badly. Very badly.

Ekun: They really did pick the most stereotypical looking American to play in this show! Surfer white boy with long hair? Ha! They a mess. And yeah, he not going to care you coming girl.

Unnichan: So Min-ho’s horrendous English is cause Hyung told him he didn’t have to learn, right? I’ma go with that.

Ekun: Pfft. Sure, you got with that.

Ekun: I don’t understand why Eun-sang is chatting with Rachel… We are not in Kansas and you don’t know me ho! What if Eun-sang was Western? That whole scene would look very different.

Unnichan: LOL!!! If it were you or me but Americans have a tendency to be chatty. Plus, per drama rules we needed a rivalry interaction. I just like that it wasn’t that bad. SURF BREAK!

Ekun: This the same scene we saw in the beginning.

Unnichan: Gotta love how having bigger breasts and hanging at the beach (during the summer) means we have great lives.

Ekun: Of course it does! Big Boobs= boys and so does hanging on the beach girl! UUMMMM, does Unni live on Skid road?

Unnichan: Heh! I definitely get a Jersey Shore vibe. Look at those two; Bimbo and Boozer.

Ekun: No, we in Cali! F the Jersey “crazy too tan for their own good” Shore!

Unnichan: Um, but she is pretty bleached and tan. Blrrrrr.

Unnichan: Oh it’s my song!!! MD’s love some Maroon 5. Aaaaaw, he ditched a party to write and drink cold coffee. Precious!

Ekun: Love him! I would do the same because I am old and don’t like loud places unless it is in the car driving.

Unnichan: Looks like board meetings are as boring to those participating as it is to us watching. Daddy Yoon’s (Choi Won-young) hair is a tad distracting. I like that it’s different from his last character, cause that man was INSANE but… Hmm. So it’s Won that’s the issue. *rubs chin* I like.

Ekun: I love the board room meeting! It was entertaining and I get to hear Jin-hyuk oppa talk.

Unnichan: And it seems our boy Tan is tad nosy too. It’s like he’s observing rare species in their natural habitat…That kinda cracks me up.

Ekun: In what cafe, besides Hooters is it ok to put tips in a ho’s bra strap?!

Unnichan: Wait, Hooters? A cafe? Can’t compute. But no, that wouldn’t happen. Not in that kind of place and definitely not in the afternoon. I mean this place has a split personality. The soulful journaling Asian and the rowdy racist Gringos. If this was some back woods Texan spot or Seattle, I might buy it, but on the beach, in daylight, with teenage customers chilling on the patio? Not very likely. Though it is summer, so perhaps I’ll let this slide.

Ekun: Haha. I know, I know. Hooters is a wing place where scantily clad girls serve wings and liquor. But seriously, Eun-suk totally sucks!

Unnichan: Aigoo. That’s what you get for putting your hopes in someone else, Eun-sang. And Eun-suk does suck. I mean it’s one thing to not be financially stable and to paint pretty pictures of overseas romance and leisurely study dates under palms trees, to make you family less concerned, but you don’t steal from your sister and abandon her. How is Eun-sang supposed to get home? I’m ashamed of Eun-suk. I can’t even imagine treating my sister like that unless my mafia husband’s father was out to kill her or something.

Ekun: Ugh. So every man in the US is a predator? Ok, thanks for letting me know, Show.

Unnichan: Show, so not a predator, just a drug addicted thief?! The heck! No, I’m in shock Show. ME!

Ekun: We got a minority officer! Thank you Show! Thank you!

Unnichan: This show is dishing out that poison and antidote, it seems. Dang Tan! What the Devil are you into? Cops don’t even trust you?

Ekun: His friends seem like they are into drugs so… birds of a feather and whatnot…

Unnichan: Whatevs. Love how they turn the tables on the “money buys everything” bit on the poor chick. So perhaps Tan’s chill attitude or rather, perspective about money is supposed to originate from being abandoned and living overseas? I can buy that. Seriously, Eun-suk is getting the Worst Sister in a Drama/Miniseries Award this year. She’s probably purposefully not home to avoid Eun-sang. Watch. I bet she’s moved.

Unnichan: Cool Point #2: Coming back for the girl. Is that who I think it is crooning in the background? How poignant.

Ekun: It’s Hong KI!!!!!!! I heard he was singing for this soundtrack!

Unnichan: Yea I think I heard that too, didn’t remember until just now. Think that was a decent way to end things. Interesting setup. With so many characters, it feels like Game of Thrones. I guess the good part will be that soon they’ll all be in the same place at the same time. The world is pretty small already but with everyone spread out it feels a little sprawling and disjointed, so I’m ready for some cohesion. Also I like that Tan came back. Not because he’s the hero and she’s a damsel but because she didn’t actually “need” saving. He didn’t want to be concerned (and intrigued) so he turned around. I can dig that.

Ekun: I agree. The first episode was kind of boring, but I understand they are trying to lay the groundwork for the whole setup. I am MAD as fire I have not seen Kang Ha-neul yet; he is the only reason I decided to turn on this show! I like Tan and Eun-sang–though I feel she is a bit silly for her age, I don’t hate her. Tan, Tan, Tan!

Unnichan: Heh. Ha-neul is coming. And hmm. I’m not sure how old she is but I get it. Especially given her circumstances. But I’m cool with her (for now).

Ekun: I want him here right now! *Noona hissy fit* I thought they said she was 17 or 18…. Did I make that up?

Unnichan: Maybe, don’t know. She mentioned being the same age as Surfer Druggie… But I’m sure they’ll go over it soon. Either hers or Tan’s. So if you had to pick a favorite Heirs moment this episode, what would it be?

E-kun: I absolutely love a drama that involves business (especially when it is done well)! I love looking a hot guys with hot voices talk business *cough*Choi Jin Hyuk *cough*. My favorite scene in episode 1 (since I did not care about anything else) was the boardroom scene. Won talking, old men looking shook, and Won looking folks upside the head because of money lost! Good way to make me love your shady ways…

Unnichan: What I liked about the board meeting was Daddy Yoon. I would’ve loved if he was sitting there doodling a list for he and Chan-young’s next Friday night dinner. They are too cute. But there’s definitely something going between he and Hyung. Not sure if he just doesn’t respect Hyung, is trying to sharpen him or plain doesn’t like him. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what happens there. However, I’m not sure I had a favorite moment (besides pensive Tan) but something that stuck out to me was the significance of Eun-sang’s umbrella opening after she noticed (and was mesmerized by) the dream catcher…. I think there may be some symbolism there, given an umbrella protects physically, while the dreamcatcher brings emotional solace and freedom. For according to Native American myth dreamcatchers filter out bad dreams, so only good positive dreams remain. As of yet, there is no person attached to this object but I find it interesting that the rain came, she found shelter on her own and just as she was captivated by something else, the umbrella (Chan-young) opened.