Korean drama reviews and other Asian goodies
Protect the Boss
Protect the Boss episode 18 language-challenged live recap
21 year ago
Apologies for being away, ya’all. I’ve been so busy, and I’ve been staying with a pal who has no Internet connection.
Well, can you believe that it’s now the last episode? I am actually rather sad about it all. I’ve had such a fun ride with Protect the Boss – it’s the first Kdrama I’m recapping after all. (And I’m woefully behind, I know.) Although the drama wasn’t as engaging from episodes 15 onwards, I still love PTB – purely because I love the characters. I’m just wondering what the last episode brings us.
As usual, I’ll be writing while watching the show, so just refresh once in a while.
The reporters surround JH and ES, demanding to know about their relationship. ES hotly denies it but JH happily says that he fells in love the first time he saw her.
ES gasps – news quickly spreads on the ‘net. MW laughs while his mum nearly goes crazy. Na Woon’s mum is amazed.
JH drags ES to the park. They have this really long conversation and MW calls and JH says something to him. ES and JH continue to walk in the park, holding hands. So sweet!
The chairman is sweeping the grounds. Two students pass him and he remembers ES.
Jang comes running towards the chairman … he’s probably telling him about the big news between JH and ES.
MW speaks to someone on the phone, his secretary comes in.
He walks with his mum. He mentions the word “scandal” so could he be talking about JH?
Board meeting! They mention Chairman Cha’s name. Suk Hui looks upset. MW speaks… and the chairman suddenly barges in.
Protect the Boss episode 16 language-challenged live recap
21 year ago
(I’m recapping as I watch so just keep on refreshing this page every few minutes. The benefits of being able to type 100 words per minute… 
Ji Heon breaks up with Eun Seol. But as he leaves in his car, he sees her walking away calmly and reverses. He gets out and yells at her – apparently, he’s asking her why she’s taking this so calmly. Eun Seol’s mad at this and tells him to go.
[Sorry, had to run around and missed a few minutes]
Moo Won receives a call from Na Yoon telling him that JH has broken things off with ES. He follows him to JH’s room and asks if he’s crazy.
ES, Myung Rand and Na Yoon hang out at the top of their home drinking soju. When the MR and NY fall asleep ES broods – and so is JH in his room.
ES is packing up her things, getting ready for the transfer. She says goodbye to the secretaries cordially. Sec Kim comes running in. Next, ES is in MW’s office.
(I’m so proud that ES is not a crying, moping mess because of the break up. She’s a strong gal! Way to go, woman!)
ES goes into JH’s office and remembers the first time she gets instructions from JH. She remembers, smiling, how JH applied medicine after the slap incident. And that time when JH gets all close to her and how she headbutts and twists his arm.
Protect the Boss episode 15 live language-challenged recap
01 year ago
This is the language challenged version!
The tax men are raiding JH’s offices. A press conference is held detailing the crimes of the chairman, and Grandma watches upset.
JH attends meeting with Chairman and the board (I think).Manager Park is very nervous during the meeting, especially when the chairman speaks to him. The Chairman clutches his chest in pain. Oh man, are they really going the “chaebol daddy gets sick” route? I hatez that.
Manager Park calls Na Yoon’s mum who says “Understood!” Suk Hui doesn’t look too happy. Na Yoon storms in angry.
Eun Seol cleans the office – paper is scattered everywhere. Ji Heon is angry and storms out. Eun Seol runs after him.
The other secretaries say something to MW’s secretary and Moo Won comes out, looking worried. He mentions her name.
Eun Seol manages to get into the lift with JH. But he’s mad at her. He keeps trying to avoid looking at her, so she grabs his face and forces him to look at her. Then some people come into the lift. The chairman is wheeled out in stretcher – it’s all pretend? Heh. The chairman yells at Eun Seol and Ji Heon pulls her aside. Jang gives instructions to the people pushing the stretcher. Reporters swarm the stretcher. They then surround Ji Heon who pushes himself out of the crowd to the car. He says something to the reporter. Eun Seol blocks their path. Ji Heon’s car drives away and he’s upset to see her surrounded and pushed around by the press.
The Chairman is in the hospital … in bed eating. But he looks rather healthy. Heh. Grandma pops in, and she’s scolding him.
Moo Won is talking to his mum. (Is it me or does Jaejoong look really tired?) Wish I know what he’s saying but he looks upset with her. I think he’s telling her to stop.
Na Yoon calls him and he meets her at the park. Na Yoon, I believe is telling Moo Won that her mother is behind the leak and Moo Won tells her that Eun Seol is going to be blamed for it. She gets upset. He hands her a handkerchief.
Ji Heon is in his study, remembering what Eun Seol is telling him.
Myung Ran is reading news about the incident with the tax officials. Eun Seol’s crying a bit and she talks to Myung Ran. Moo Won follows Na Yoon home. Eun Seol runs down to meet them. Na yoon excuses herself.
Eun Seol and Moo Won talk.Ji Heon appears and overhears what they’re saying … Moo Won says sorry for something. Eun Seol starts tearing up. Ji Heon looks hurt – probably because ES confided in MW when she didn’t with him despite how much he pleaded. Moo Won calls out Ji Heon’s name. Ji Heon leaves and Eun Seol runs after him, hugging him from behind. She says something to him and he turns around and cups her face and brushes her tears away… but he walks away. She marches past him. Moo Won watches them.
Eun Seol and Ji Heon are in the car. Ji Heon pulls over the car. And he’s all stern with her. He tells her to get out of the car? Hmmm. He’s really mad, huh?
Jang is being interrogated. Then it’s manager Park and then Eun Seol.
The chairman is being wheeled into the building. Maan … haha. Ji Heon stands stoicly beside him as the reporters bombard them with questions. Eun Seol watches them and Ji Heon gives her a small smile.
It’s Ji Heon’s turn to be interrogated. And then it’s Chairman! In the next shot he doesn’t have his coat and he looks angrier. Third shot – he looks really tired. Must be a really long interrogation.
Eun Seol waits at the side of the building. Manager Park runs out and she follows from behind eavesdropping as he talks to someone. She manhandles him and shows him a cellphone – she must’ve taped him. Heh.
She rolls up her sleeves and sucker punches him. Go girl! And then does it again – I think she’s “torturing” him for information. Manager Park finally speaks. 
Just then a bunch of reporters run past them. The reporters surround Ji Heon. Eun Seol watches him get into the car … and he spots her.
Eun Seol watches a news report on the chairman, and he looks all weak and tired in a wheelchair.
What the? The chairman is in jail with Manager Park. They talk. The Chairman clutches his chest at one point. Really, don’t let him be sick.
Eun Seol and Myung Ran are at the prison where the chairman is taken to the hospital. Maybe for a real reason this time?
Jang tells Ji Heon something.
Na Yoon’s mum reads some reports Moo Won gives her. It doesn’t seem to please her. Could he be striking a bargain with her or something? Ah they’re discussing Eun Seol. Na Yoon comes in. She tears up as she listens in and runs out. Moo Won stops her.He then takes her out somewhere.
Eun Seol walks towards the hospital. She walks casually towards the VIP area and tells the guards that she’s a secretary but they won’t let her in and pushes her out. Next, she’s disguised as a doctor. Na Yoon and Moo Won sees her and wonders what she’s up to. Eun Seol manages to evade the guards and Moo Won and Na Yoon watches in amazement. Eun Seol enters a room while the guards wonder where she has gone to. They split up to find her.
She’s in the right room – she hears Ji Heon.
As Ji Heon and Chairman talks about Eun Seol, she listens from behind a screen. Eun Seol sneaks out…andleans against the door. The guards finally find her and drag her away.
Na Yoon and Moo Won talk outside. Eun Seol manages to escape again. MW and NY stop the guards – Na Yoon by threatening to bite him.
I really wish I knew what the chairman is telling Ji Heon. Darn.
Anyway, MW and NY runs after ES.
JH is driving home, and he’s pensive. Eun Seol broods, thinking about Ji Heon’s reaction to what the chairman told him and remembering what he told her in the car.
Ji Heon drives past Eun Seol sitting at the bus stand …
At the art gallery, NY’s mum and Suk Hui walk together. Myung Ran and Eun Seol march towards the women. The guards try to stop them but the two just beat them up Myung Ran holds them in a chokehold. Eun Seol confront the women. Suk Hui looks a wee guilty.
Suk Hui mutters something behind Eun Seol’s back and she hears it. she says something to her. The two leave … later they hug each other. ES gets a call and pushes MW away when she sees who it was.
JH is in his room … while ES puts on make up and sprays perfume on herself. She smiles at herself in the mirror. She walks towards Ji Heon who looks really serious. She takes her hand.
They are at the stables! Can I mention how hot Ji Heon looks in that trenchcoat thingy … They look at the horses. And Ji Heon is leading the horse she’s on and then they ride the horse together. They later have a picnic and feed each other food.
JH looks pensive as he watches her sleep. She wakes up. They hol hands in the park and then he suddenly lets her go and says something and she looks sad….
Preview.
Ji Heon walks away and ES is in tears. MW talks to ES. ES, MR and NY bear hugs. ES cries when she sees something online.
Live recap of Protect the Boss episode 11
21 year ago
This is what I call the “language-challenged recap”. I don’t understand Korean, but thanks to how expressive the actors are, it’s not hard to guess what’s going on. Until Rebel Souls gets her recap up, hope this tides you by!
Eun Seol gets mad at the boys and hits Ji Heon then threatens to hit Moo Won. And then out of frustration she hits herself. Or was it by accident, lol.
Myung Ran and Na Yoon’s watching wrestling, and Myung Ran hits Na Yoon who cries. Eun Seol comes in upset and bangs her head against a wall.
Ji Heon has a talk with Moo Won about Eun Seol. And Ji Heon gives Moo Won a bear hug and MW says, “Are you crazy?” and marches off. But Ji Heon looks pleased.
MW and his mum discusses about business. MW looks concerned, and mum is defensive. MW mum calls Manager Park – the spy.
Chairman’s watching TV, flipping channels. Grandma comes in looking not pleased. She comes over to whack him. They sit down and have a talk. I hear MW’s mum’s name so I assume it’s about the whole business deal last ep. They also talk a lot about Ji Heon.
Protect the Boss episode 8 recap
91 year ago
Eun Seol is shocked to hear from the Chairman that Ji Heon left the car without his things. She sorts of scolds the chairman for letting it happen again, and he remarks: “Are you scolding me?” And she quickly apologises.
She then runs around the city in search of Ji Heon, nearly getting knocked down by a car and scraping her heel as a result of running around in her heels.
She finally finds him at night, calling out for her. But she’s not happy at all. “Why are you calling for me? Why?” she demands impatiently.
Ji Heon comes and hugs her, smiling. He thinks it is incredible that she appears whenever he calls for her – like some kind of superhero.
Eun Seol pushes him off angrily, snapping: “What superwoman?!” Ji Heon is shocked that she’s talking so rudely to him.
Chairman gets a call from Eun Seol that she’s found his “lost son”. The chairman barks at Ji Heon to return and decides to use reverse psychology and tells him not to come home. But it backfires on him when Ji Heon agrees not to come home and hangs up.
Meanwhile, Moo Won waits for Eun Seol. A waiter fetches him his phone and says that it was in his car. Moo Won finally reads the messages Eun Seol left for him about being late.
Watched Protect the Boss episode 9 live! (A half-baked recap)
01 year ago
Wow, I’ve gone and done it. I actually watched episode 9 live! Without subs! In Hong Kong! In my hotel room! (Am here for work.) Haha! Yes, it shows how much I adore the show. Thanks to Rebel Soul’s live recap of episode 9, I could understand what I was watching. Here’s the gist of the episode – don’t look if you don’t want to be spoiled!:
- Ji Heon kisses Eun Seol. She doesn’t deck him, and doesn’t tell him if she thinks he’s a man too but Ji Heon is happy nevertheless.
- Na Yoon runs away and ends up rooming at Eun Seol’s.
- Dad finds out who Suk Hui’s spy is. Dum dum dum!
- Eun Seol’s dad marches to DN hq, confronts Ji Heon’s dad and nearly gives Ji Heon a black eye. Needless to say, maybe-future dad-in-law is not impressed with his maybe-future son-in-law.
- And the biggest development of all: Chairman Cha finds out about Ji Heon’s phobia. Grandma already knows about it, oh my! He wants to put Ji Heon in the hospital asap, and Grandma says that that’s why she never told him. Tells him to keep it a secret. It’s really touching how he cries over Ji Heon and is all concerned and worried about him.
- Ji Heon’s trauma may be deeper than we think.
- Chairman Cha asks Eun Seol to tell him everything she knows about Ji Heon’s phobia and she tells him it has something to do with Ji Heon’s mum.
- Moo Won is upset when he hears about the kiss, but ups the ante by wooing Eun Seol in a big way at the end of episode 9.
Folks, episode 9 is spectacularly good. So many developments. The writers totally rock!
Thoughts on Protect the Boss episode 6 and 7
21 year ago
(Before reading on, do read my PTB recaps of episode 6 and 7 to get an idea of the episodes.)
My, how the plot flies! Now, episodes 6 and 7 is all about love. I was quite surprised that the show went there so fast, and I really appreciate them not beating about the bush. Usually we have episode after episode of the two leads denying or hiding their feelings for each other. But here we have Ji Heon and Moo Won declaring their affections for Eun Seol.
But to be very, very honest, I’m not a fan of love triangles. I rather loathe them actually. It is a tired plot device, and I was a wee sad that PTB went down the route when it is so obvious who’s gonna get the girl. Unless PTB ends up being one of those shows that surprise us but I don’t see (nor do I want it to) going that way.
Right now, Moo Won’s love for Eun Seol feels “tagged on”. Like it’s there only to create some kind of dramatic tension. It doesn’t feel real enough for me yet, because one moment Moo Won’s all hot for Na Yoon and the next episode he’s into Eun Seol? I am seriously wondering if he’s actually into Eun Seol just out of habit of competing with Ji Heon. Ji Heon’s love for Eun Seol feels deeper, while Moo Won’s all due to Eun Seol making him feel happier. In a way I agree with Ji Heon – I don’t accept his reasons for chasing after Eun Seol.
Still, without this love triangle, we won’t get the awesome fight scene in episode 7. Ha! Lawd, I don’t think I’ve seen a better fight in a kdrama. It heightens the competition between the two cousins, and when this happens, Moo Won just regresses into a two year old. It makes it all worthwhile, I suppose.
There’s one thing that worries me, however. With all the focus shifting to the love triangle, will we forget the conflict in the background – the wresting of power from Chairman Cha’s hands? I actually like that subplot quite a lot, and I hope they don’t forget that – though, indications are with the whole share problems at the company, it’ll return at some point.
Also, with Grandma asking everyone to get along – including Moo Won’s manipulative mum Suk Hui, and then threatening her and Na Yoon’s mumfrom acting towards Eun Seol, I’m worried that the show will be devoid of formidable antagonists.
I personally believe that a kdrama needs a formidable foe. Defanging Suk Hui and turning Moo Won into a lovesick puppy competing for Eun Seol’s heart so early in the drama is worrying me.
I mean, this is the same Moo Won who wanted to use Eun Seol as a spy and also accessed Ji Heon’s medical records, found out Ji Heon’s weakness, and used it against him. There’s a manipulative and calculative spirit in Moo Won that I find compelling. I hope they don’t lose that.
Still, I’m enjoying the hell out of Protect the Boss. (It helps that the other two dramas I’m interested in – Scent of a Woman and The Princess’s Man – has “tragic, heart-crushing ending” written all over it.) Ji Sung and Choi Kang Hee are just bringing the laughs, and I’m impressed that Jaejoong is capable enough to keep up. He needs more practise, but for a relative newbie in the acting field, he’s quite all right.
But PTB is not just hahaha all the way – there’s a depth in it that is subtle and amazing. The relationship between Ji Heon and his dad is one. And then there’s the theme about one’s sense of worth running through the show. Can you be worth something if you have a crippling phobia that prevents you from being the best you are? Can you be someone if you graduated from a third-rate university? And if you’re already “someone”, can you be more than your successful facade? Yes, yes and yes – as Ji Heon, Eun Seol and Moo Won demonstrates.
Protect the Boss episode 7 recap
21 year ago
Poor Eun Seol doesn’t know what to say to Moo Won’s declaration. Like she doesn’t have enough man problems already. She blinks and nervously asks him if what he means is … Moo Won says yes, it means that he likes her.
He says that he’s happy when he’s with her. And Eun Seol suddenly thinks about the time she spent with Ji Heon and his many declarations of love to her. She shakes her head, wondering why she’s thinking of him at this time.
Moo Won tells her that he’s come to like her even more than he imagined, and Eun Seol sighs, and that’s when she spies Ji Heon at the window. He gestures at her to get out. She turns back to Moo Won and tells him that she can’t give her answer to him now as it’s hard for to say yes or no, and since she’s going to be dragged out soon…. Moo Won says that he will make arrangements for them to meet and for now, let them just get along like usual.
She excuses herself and runs outside to Ji Heon who tells her to go back to the office. She tries to he him to return with her to the office, but Ji Heon stubbornly insists that she leave.
In the cafe, Ji Heon tells Moo Won that he likes Eun Seol and that she’s special to him. Moo Won pipes up that he thinks the same way too. Ji Heon tells him that he will give up the company as long as he gives up on Eun Seol. He can’t live without Eun Seol. But Moo Won stubbornly insists that he needs her too because he needs comfort.
Eun Seol rushes back to the cafe when she spots two office workers mock fighting. It was then that she realised that the cousins could end up fighting.
Protect the Boss episode 6 little recap
11 year ago
In the aftermath of the kiss, Na Yoon pushes Moo Won away, saying that she won’t make the same mistake again.
Ji Heon and Eun Seol pull away and then stare at each other in a daze for a while … then her phone rings, and he quickly kneels, begging forgiveness while Eun Seol looks ready to clobber him. Later, they sit apart awkwardly on the sofa for a bit, and Eun Seol says she’ll forgive him for what he did. She reminds him that what he did is almost like what the pervert did to her on the bus. Ji Heon tells her that he doesn’t really like skinship, and the reason why he even did so was because he likes her.
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