HIGH SOCIETY - EPISODE 7

"Trust me, you don't want to see this drama..."

They're planting the seeds of something big, but I'm not sure exactly what:

Yoon Ha shows up to join Chang Soo on their arranged date, but our second lead takes off, leaving Yoon Ha with Joon Ki, and rings up Ji Yi. She is still smarting from earlier, and refuses to see him. Yoon Ha's family is talking about her part-time job, now that it's trending on social media. Eldest sister Ye Won decides to try stealing Yoon Ha's thunder, taking pics of middle sister So Yeon to post online. Yoon Ha shows up at Ji Yi's that evening to comfort her. Chang Soo shows up later and they both gang up on him, making fun of him and using his words against him. Joon Ki shows up, and they all pair off again. Joon Ki takes Yoon Ha home, and Chang Soo apologizes to his lady. 

When Yoon Ha walks in, her mother berates her for wanting to leave the house as well as confronts her with the stock bought for her by her brother. Our heroine puzzles over why he would do this. Yoon Ha takes a key that her brother gave her and fruitlessly rifles through his desk. Kyung Joon had left a cryptic hint of his death (and possible murder) -- "If anything happens to me, I have something for you. Use this key and get it." The next morning, Yoon Ha's dad confronts her about working at the department store and orders her to take her rightful place as head of Taejin Group. She agrees to his surprise. That evening, after outfitting Ji Yi and showing her around stately Jang manor, Yoon Ha and Ji Yi head out to a chaebol formal event with Chang Soo and Joon Ki...


"Ah, daughter! Just in time. What's a 7-letter word for soap opera?"

Which, of course, makes you think "Why would I watch the next episode?" Okay, if the lack of a taut cliffhanger doesn't convince you, perhaps the trailer for the next one will. Fists fly between Joon Ki and Chang Soo, Yoon Ha's mother approaches dad with a divorce request, and Ji Yi gets angry at an unknown someone on the phone. I wanna see that one!  It seems like this show sort of has an uneven good episode-bad episode swing. Perhaps they should have cut it to half its length? Either it's getting better or I'm getting used to it, one of the two.

So, it seems like Kyung Joon was murdered, or at least that's what they appear to be hinting at. Mom won't believe that he's dead, or at least pretends to because she almost admits it and then catches herself. He bought stock in the company for Yoon Ha, despite the fact that she wants nothing to do with her chaebol heritage. Then there's the key that he left his sister and the mysterious missing whatsit that she's supposed to find. Even Ye Won believes his death to be less than accidental (although she's so scheming I'd be willing to believe she was complicit). I love a good conspiracy -- let's hope they deliver!


"Now I know that chaebols have a heart...I can hear yours"

I think Chang Soo is starting to re-evaluate his friendship with Joon Ki. He keeps dropping hints here and there, asking him questions, confronting him with things. The past couple episodes Chang Soo has been more confrontational and less easygoing with his friend than in the beginning. I'm hoping it's more Chang Soo than Joon Ki. Joon Ki seems a bit unflappable, and I worry a bit. Is there some kind of monster lurking under that calm exterior? Based on comments from other netizens, people seem to think that he's cold and calculating, and wonder why Yoon Ha can't see it? I dunno, she seems to be pretty happy with it, but then again, look at her family.

This show seems to be occasionally clunky. It's got a story to tell, but it takes its own sweet time to get there. It's kind of socially anxious, lurking in the corner and giving us occasional glimpses, instead of walking up and saying "Hi!" I guess what I want is more things to happen to move the story forward, not merely dumping every trope wholesale into the drama - just less hints and more direction. If things start disintegrating, maybe just have them disintegrate rather than showing us piece by piece, crack by crack. Though that was handled less than skillfully where mom was concerned, so maybe not.


"Reading is fundamental, sir. Now, are you ready? Let's begin: 'See Dick. See Dick run. See Dick run high-powered company...'"

I'm still watching. Every time I'm ready to give up they show us an episode that gives me hope. What about you guys?

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