[Ep.11 & 12] Empire of Gold Review + my thoughts

Episode 11

Tae Joo and Seo Yoon made a deal. In exchange for the 1 billion dollars in TJ account, SY will let go of 10 SungJin affiliates. A wise move on TJ. But MJ is not making a move to sign because he already accepted the terms and the borrowed money Jung Hee [stepmom] holds. He then made a move to let the government prosecutors seize the files and document of EDEN, TJ's company. The deal with SY came to a halt.

Seol Hee was detained for interrogation, but she was loyal to TJ so she won't say his name which was what the prosecutors were waiting for. meanwhile TJ did not immediately took action to help SH be released. He talked to MJ. They could not agree on each terms and conditions. TJ is ready to loose all except hand the 1 billion dollar to MJ, who was then holding to TJ's documents that would incriminate him on all frauds dealt under EDEN.

He then made a bet with MJ about it. Without his money, MJ would loose even if he has a new backer in JH. The shares and money won't be enough and TJ will never give him that. In the end MJ let SH go and signed the paper leaving the right to withdraw the money on TJ.

In the end he met with SY and told her that there was someone close who will hurt her.

Episode 12

In this episode Jung Hee's schemes were out in the open . Seo Yoon and her siblings were angry and could not believe. During the meeting set up by TJ, he asked SY to give him half of SungJin in exchange for the money. But of course SY can not decide on that, still hoping that her siblings will be on her side. She decided to make JH and her son Sung Jae pay for that three days they were not informed about their father. She decided to file for inheritance lawsuit against SJ.

my thoughts...so far about the drama

random thoughts as I watched...

1. after realizing Jung Hee's schemes and revenge

the hardest part for SY, making everyone feels nothings changed, that she hasn't uncovered step mom's duplicity and finally realizing there's no one she can trust in that house...even Sung jae?

2. Jung Hee continued to reminisce about the days with her father, and SY was crying but at the same time cringing away from the woman. Still pretending she doesn't know anything yet.

3. at the meeting set up by TJ

I think the most shocked here is WonJae....he is clueless up until now. The meeting was tense and to an outsider like TJ it's really interesting how the family is being divided.

4. on supporting SY by her brother and sister

sadly, the spouses are the one's making it harder for them to support SY. They are as greedy as a piranha when they are only from extended family and not blood related.

5.  when SY proposed marriage to TJ at the end...

She is not offering half of SungJin anymore but the whole of SungJin to TJ as collateral for making the company still in the family name. And this is all for the love of SungJin. Any daughter could have said at this time "oh..to hell with it! games over! i'm done!" to her siblings who doesn't care a bit. why sacrifies herself to a loveless marriage? We know that Koreans I think value marriage in real. But SY is different. She loves her father so much. The only thing she can give back for trusting her is to fight until the end and win. Maybe she thought, it's better to trust a total stranger than to just give in to her own blood who keeps on betraying her again and again. At least if the company will be lost, will be on TJ's hands in the end, all of them will feel the pain of loosing it, not just her.

I think this is the most calculated action she has come up that will shock everyone in the family, especially her siblings who are just waiting and continuing living a grand life out of SY's hard work. As a cunning businessman TJ will accept this, it's a win-win situation for him in all angles, He will defeat not only MJ but in the process, his "princess" also surrendered to him as a last resort.

6. the relationship between TJ and Seol Hee

on this, I am not sure if I am on the right track...

a.

this is the scene where I felt that TJ is really not in love with Seol Hee. "Would I be able to give up? Everything I have now? this was what's running inside his head. He remembered when it was SY offering SH something in exchange for him, but she declined and stayed by his side. That scene showed SH also contemplating, but I think just for a second. But this time, TJ took a long while to make the decision, but in the end, he also could not give up the money in exchange for SH. He just can't coz he is a gambler, all or nothing. He would rather loose all than succumb to MJ. But MJ was cornered, TJ surely is not going to authorize the withdrawal. In the end, MJ just got to let SH go and break up with TJ. MJ signed the documents, leaving the 1 billion dollar for TJ to have full access anytime.

b. 

TJ-SH

From the beginning  TJ is not showing any interest on any girl, even on SH. [I think it was what his character is.] what they have is friendship from long ago and continued as partners in business. he always stake a claim on her whenever someone shows interest on SH, but I think it was coz he thought that if someday he decided to get married, she  is gonna be the one, but not saying he is in love with her.maybe TJ is a guy who hasn't met love and too cynical to wait for it, that's why he will settle for someone he already knew and is fond of as a friend like SH. but now that another opportunity presents itself for him through SY, he being an ambitious guy, he is ready to drop SH for his own selfish agenda. 

clearly, he is not in love with SH. He just thinks that when the time comes for him to marry, he would settle for her. Ouchhh...any girl should not be flattered or hope much for this kind of relationship . Anyone should not be the one that someone settles for, anyone should be chosen coz he/she is loved.

 

c.

a bit confused about them:

 I watched again that part of convo between TJ and SH... I could surmise from that, that TJ felt obligated towards SH. His love for her is more than a friend but ... I'm confused now, coz he wants a better life for her and to let go of her and tell her not to look back. so he was making it clear that there is no future for them. between money and SH, he would still choose money.  what kind of love does TJ has for SH? I don't know. maybe I'l stand by my first post above after all. 

7. this episode is really awesome.

can't get enough of how things are turning. I feel how hurt/betrayed/furious SY was towards Jung Hee [she can't bring herself to call her omma..] and Sung Jae. How intense she uttered the words she won't forgive them for the last three days when his father was in the hospital. and he must be scared. [as a daughter, I know how it would feel knowing my father was looking for us but was helpless because he can't do anything and wait for his death with an evil person by his side.]

I am beginning to see a much more stronger SY, a daughter who takes a lot of courage from the memories of his dad. The scene where Jung Hee was telling her to let SungJin corp stay as holding company, while she told stories of her dad, it was a great acting from Lee Yo Won. she was crying for the betrayal, she was crying and cringing at the same time from this horrific woman who smiled at her reminiscing, but that's all she can do. she had to hide her true feelings. she had to control her outrage for this woman, whom she called "omma" for 27 years. 

SY learned to gamble all or nothing 

SY said: Let's fight together. Win first, after that you and me, one of us will own everything,  the other one will loose everything.

why do I sense that if it's gonna be TJ who will own everything, he would also loose "everything" - means "love". 

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