The Distractors’ Cut: Heirs 6

The more I watch dramas, the more I step into each one with little to no spoilers or expectations. And oddly, for the majority, projects I enter with that blank slate, I find, I enjoy much much more. Therefore, for me, this drama becomes more about what I think about it “after” I watch it, than what transpires minute by minute. And at times, I find myself having just as much on my mind as Tan, merely hours after “the cut” is finished. Perhaps, this is what Kim Eun-sook desires from us as viewers or maybe I’m just too pensive for my own good, but either way, it works in her favor, and mine.

***This week, episodes 7-8 will be available at Stone Cities.

Ekun: I just can’t with this scene. Every time I see it.

Unnichan: I’d be more understanding if they actually inside the building.

Ekun: Exactly. Young-do might be the only bad boy who turns me… I am scared.

Unnichan: Young-do!! That was too aggressive and this isn’t a football game. He’s a bad boy definitely but Tan needs to stop with Rachel. Truth.

Ekun: Chan-young, thank you for taking her away. She looking like an idiot between these two fools. Shut the F up Bo-na and Rachel!

 

Unnichan: Is this the way school is going to be everyday?! Sheesh!

Ekun: Rachel the heck! Why would he transfer this girl into school? Let’s use common sense today please!

Unnichan: Girl, she can’t. She’s blinded by envy and insecurity. Chan-young has a point. Yea, I thought that was his issue. It’s insane at this school for no reason at all. I did like Chan-young’s little Indian caste system Sunday School lesson though.

Ekun: The hierarchy is no joke, ne? See, school looks like college! It should have just been that way from 21 jump street! Why the teacher telling the business up in here?

Unnichan: I can’t stand educators perpetuating classist mindsets. ARANG!! I’m not in the mood already. Eun-sang, the best and most factual answer is— “I don’t know.”

Ekun: Tan is still bomb! Was that for Young-do? I think it was but what fun would life be without a little hostility?

 

Unnichan: He does what he has to to survive but boo. It’s going to be interesting. Girl yeauh! Of course. I need to know what happened. Heh! Where’s Lee Jung-jae!

Ekun: The Housemaid!!! Girl you know I am always asking what he (Lee Jung-jae) is up to…

Unnichan: Life would be more fulfilling if we saw him more in dramaland. Hmmph. Obsolete looks better. Thank god. I’ma push you in Momma. NEGA! A medical report? Please, girl.

Ekun: Just a bit, but I will take what I can get. Hyo- shin and Tan are buddies! YAY!!

Unnichan: Are they friends? This works for me.

Ekun: Bo-na! Calm the heck down… It’s not like that. Myung-soo ah!!!

Unnichan: Myung-soo makes me smile. His doe eyes, learning the new kids’ names…

Ekun: Bo-na! F your approval! Young-do!!!!

Unnichan: Mmk. Tan. Sweet. But why would she ever… Especially now. Young-do you suck man! He makes me giggle. I hate him! EEEEH! Young-do!

Ekun: I don’t think so Young-do!!!!!

Unnichan: Wow Tan… Of course she cried. I would’ve too and I don’t even do that crap.

Ekun: I believe you are trying to help Tan but this will not work with all the vultures in this dern school.

Unnichan: I know right. I get it but “No.” It’s not as good an idea as he thinks. Not now, not yet. Oh, so that’s what happened with you and Young-do? I agree though. Does that make me a cynical mess?

Ekun: Well, if you are a mess so am I so I cannot offer advice. Bo-na is absolutely ridiculous— it can’t be helped.

Unnichan: No, “she” can’t be helped. Chan-young gets a right chuckle every time he sees her overreacting. She’s so self-involved. Pfft.

Ekun: See Eun-sang, this is why I can’t with you and your mom. It drives me crazy all the time; that can’t be helped either (my reaction to her).

Unnichan: Parrots? Really?

Ekun: Why they always so dang sad! This is really turning into a drag. Kids are supposed to have fun in their teens! Floating and fleeting and fancy free.

Unnichan: I know right? 50 Sheirs of Sadness, girl. That’s all I think about when I see this show. He popped out like you wanted. You like?

Ekun: Heh. Yes, but she will never admit she does.

Unnichan: This won’t work Tan! But I so want it to. Arang! Wait? What I would love is— if she was really rich and didn’t understand why people were such jerks, for no reason.

Ekun: Arang back the F up…. Oh ok, I thought he was being a mess too. Young-do go away (to my house)!

Unnichan: You can’t invite Young-do to your (real) residence. Young-do, what on earth? This aggression scares me. He’s going to abuse someone.

Ekun: I think he appeals to the masochistic side of me… I am so attracted to him! Or is it my second lead syndrome! F! I need help…

Unnichan: Masochist? I can’t. I can’t. He scares the crap out of me, though. Jinja. Maybe because I’d grow to enjoy it? I don’t know but I just can’t.  Ugh. Peace doesn’t come through classist *censored.*

 

Ekun: Young-do, I am not in the mood, there are many things I love about you, but poking at others hurt to sooth your own, is not what I am in to.

Unnichan: That’s what he does best to claim his lordship.

Ekun: Ara, but I still don’t like it. I think if you are his friend or girl, you have to pick your battles, but tell him everyday you hate what he is up to. Dammit! He remembers her.

 

Unnichan: Of course he does. Bastard. He did this for her number? Tell me “No,” Lord.

Ekun: Look, he is just as much of a mess to get a number as Tan. He is making life hard– but I secretly love it! It makes the show more watchable. Thank you Woo Binnie!

Unnichan: I can’t with Young-do. I can’t breathe with him around. That’s right… Where’s Hyung?

 

Ekun: Hyung is sick? Oh no! See Won, you give too much of your energy  to the company and hatred for Tan you can’t cultivate your love life.

Unnichan: Girl, he looks sick but you look lifeless. What gives with all these sad, pitiful, downcast characters?

Ekun: That’s exactly what I was thinking. This moping has got to stop!

Unnichan: Stop acting like a victim Daddy. Please.

Ekun: Daddy wants me to kick him in the face. What they are doing to you?! Kiss my Ass! I can’t get around saying that in this moment!

 

Unnichan: *censored* I can’t with Daddy either. Why can’t people try to keep peace in their own families instead of pitting them against one another like dogs? It disgusts me.

Ekun: This man is the worst thing in the world right now! He is a true *censored*!!!!!!

Unnichan: See Tan? This is what’s up.

Ekun: Won, I am not in the mood for your attitude! There goes another great quote from Tan ah. I got snacks at the house for you when you are ready.

Unnichan: Why is it so depressing that they’re both right?

Ekun: Momma Tan shut up! UGH!

Unnichan: This is what she wants but she’s an idiot. That’s why she gave birth to Tan. She doesn’t care as long as he’s the victor.

Ekun: She is too Stupid for me. If we going to be a scheming, husband stealing wench, we need to be the best damn one we can be. She is not putting that head to good use.

Unnichan: I need to try and make a sweater like that one. Oh he got close quick! Aw, he fixed her little band-aid. Those jokers never wanna stay in place.

Ekun: Of course he did!

Unnichan: I really don’t know who’s worse, Tan or Young Do.

Ekun:  Young Do. He puts fear in my heart as Tan lightens my heart.

Unnichan: Girl, the soul! Fear in the soul! Tan curled up on the bed just makes me depressed. Show!

Ekun: Momma you having a “Ms. Jones” meeting with Daddy Yoon tonight? That’s my song! *just the two of us… We can make it if we tried…*

Unnichan: Girl no! NOOOO! I can’t with Yoon. This episode is a bunch of can’ts. Cause “I CAN’T!!!” Wait, Momma Rae you’re mad? What is this? You are getting remarried!

Ekun: Daddy Yoon I really REALLY do like you. I was questioning you in the board meeting, but you are pretty cool and complicated.

Unnichan: Daddy! Cool and complicated does tend to equal irresistible, doesn’t?

Ekun: Teacher WTF!? You pose to help the kids not criticize them

Unnichan: Girl she’s outta pocket, for real. It’s like she thinks Eun-sang is sullying the school pedigree or something.

 

Ekun: Hyo-shin, put that cute away!

Unnichan: No, don’t put it away. Put it in my pocket, Hyo-shin. Thanks.

Ekun: Young Do!

Unnichan: Was that excitement in your voice? You can’t be happy to see him Dongsaeng, he’s dangerous. Next time, do it with disdain, like this — “Ugh Young Do!”

Ekun: But you don’t really mean it do you? ‘Cause I woudn’t. I need to be honest, with Young-do, myself and … well myself.

Unnichan: Uh, that’s not the point. Sometimes you have to fake it ’til you make it. Why do people stand around? Just keep walking. Shoot him Arang! This is why kids brings guns to school. Oops, this is Korea. Cut him Arang!

Ekun: GIRL I FEAR FOR HIS LIFE!!!  Arang that is…What are you going to do to her Young Do!? Rape her?!

Unnichan: Young-do! I’m serious. YES! Yes, he is. I’ve been thinking that all episode! He’s a rapist in the making.

Ekun: NNNNOOOOOO Unnichan! Auniya!

Unnichan: Look, when he saw how scared she was he should’ve felt bad. He should have seen that it was real disappointment, fear and appall but he didn’t care. The only consolation I get is that he didn’t get a rise out of it, so there’s hope.

Ekun: Rachel, do you need another slap from this Unni? “Cause, I feel the power in my hand calling for a B**** Slap.

Unnichan: Who gives a rats’ baby poop about your genealogical history? I don’t know why Eun-sang is playing with her. Jingjung.

Ekun: There he goes again! Young Do seriously!

 

Unnichan: He loves it and I hate it. ‘Cause I might love him having so much fun. Young Do, look stop saying crap like that. I might start to believe you. Eun-sang I’d play ‘possum too. He’s too much. And that’s more than anything Crown J and In Young could ever do. I’m beginning to think that Young-do needs a song.

Ekun: Girl I eat it up… I am a lost cause when it comes to him. He got me singing “Love the way You Lie” up in here! I want that Jacket Tan ah!

 

Unnichan: EEEEEH! Girl that is too ripe for me. What? You’re Rihanna, since he’s Chris Brown?! I can’t. I can’t. I just can’t. Though that may be his song… Crap! No.No. NO! I need to get my life together and hate Young-do the way I should. But I like this scar on his face. I was thinking that these two could be like Mufasa and Scar… And look…

Ekun: LOL! I mean they do have the appropriate hair color and whatnot. I tried with Young-do, but it seems there is something more to him that I can’t just count him out. Perhaps if he had a person who honestly loved him enough to be like, “*censored* what?!” He would get his life together. Lord knows in real life I detest “bad boys” but I think he now outranks Matsumoto Jun’s Domyouji. F!

Unnichan: Ok now, don’t blaspheme. ‘Cause that’s just ridiculous.

Ekun: Hmm. I don’t know…

Ramblings, Reactions and Remarks

Unnichan: That episode went by really quickly… I think the pacing is still wrong, but I knew we’d have more fun once we were at school and we did and it shows. I have hope for the future now. The third week is usually my dive or dip week and per usual, episode 5 picks up the pace, while 6 gives you a reason to stay. I don’t usually like bad boys and I don’t think that has changed but I see something more in Young-do. He’s a bad boy, yes, but it’s that little boy acting out and grabbing onto malice, perpetuated by his rage at his circumstances that I must resonate with. I hate it, but I love it and that makes me angry while my heart breaks for him.

Ekun: This episode did fly by thankfully. I concur this episode gave me something to care about. Still, it has nothing to do with Tan and Eun-sang, but mostly Tan and all the people around him, especially Won. I am FLAMING mad how I am reacting to Young-do, I thought I was cured of second lead syndrome for quite some time—- I blame Woo Binnie for this shift in my attitude. I was all ready to hate him from jump street, but I am trapped in his web. I was once a beautiful butterfly ExtraKun… NOW LOOK AT ME! I might as well be the Phantom. *Depressed*

Unnichan: Hehehe. Oh, I don’t do SLS (second lead syndrome) and I don’t have it here. Tan and Eun-sang are the OTP and this was the first episode where I see why they need one another. But I said it during episode 4, Young-do is a flame thrower. He’s always on fire and he proves it each time he’s in a scene. He literally sucks all the air away (I truly wasn’t breathing at some spots). I wanted to hate him too; he’s a bully, he’s abusive, he’s cruel. He threatens and manipulates but I don’t think even high school me would let that deter me from being his friend. I’m not at all like Myung-soo (bubbly and passive) but I get why Young-do has a friend like him. Myung-soo sees that Young-do isn’t harmless but he’s also not as evil or dangerous as he appears. He’s bad and he doesn’t want to be good, and I get that. I also don’t see redemption for him, you just have to love or hate him. And for now, I must love him.

Ekun: There are several other factors besides Young-do, that will keep me intrigued, though, they are the same reasons we started with in the beginning of the show: Won (Hyung), Hyo-shin, and Tan. I like that the show has kept that consistency with the fascination with these characters. To be honest I’d also add to the mix, Daddy Yoon. I am still trying to recover from that kiss in episode 5.

Unnichan: And yes, the status quo remains, what is central to us hasn’t changed and unfortunately, it has very little to do with Eun-sang and Tan actually getting together.