[mslee's thoughts] Glamorous Temptation: Duplicity is How It Should Be Done To Start Revenge

[catching up my thoughts on the latest happenings in the drama...]

Halfway in the story and revenge is definitely starting in a slow pace to ensure it works in the end. Both Hyung Woo and Eun Soo have one goal and that is to make the Prime Minister and his daughter Il Joo pay for their crimes. For the painful past Eun Soo and Hyung Woo suffered and for making Mi Rae to be in a comatose state at present, Il Joo's downfall would be the sweetest revenge but of course not enough to make up for making Mi Rae that way. Still, I am most definitely waiting for Il Joo to realize she has been fooled by the duplicity of Hyung Woo and Eun Soo towards her.

What makes Il Joo detestable? It is her being unrepentant for what she had done. The way she dismiss easily her wrong doings, acting remorseful but in reality not sincere is really making me itching to pull her hair and wanting to give her a slap across the face if only to be satisfied as a viewer. (Yeah, she has been annoying and irritating me for the longest time now..)

For a 50 episode drama, I understand why the pace of the story is a little bit slow. The building of story line was a bit faster in the first quarter of the drama and got slower after Eun Soo and Hyung Woo's relationship broke after Mi Rae's accident. But since Eun Soo discovered that her husband would not abandon Il Joo despite his promise to her that anyone who had a hand in putting the documents in her bag in the past will be punished, even if now she had uncovered the truth about it and told the Prime Minister, he was able to forgive Il Joo, made her realize she had to think of another way to get her revenge. Even Hyung Woo had realized now what was happening which caused him to misunderstand the real intention of Eun Soo in marrying the Prime Minister and abandoning him. Now he learned how Il Joo was the real cause behind his father's suicide and Mi Rae's fall at the stairs. It was all because of that document containing the Blue Beauty which is the slush fund of the Prime Minister that he has been hiding all this time. The document that started all the sufferings for both Hyung Woo and Eun Soo.

I want to cringe every time Hyung Woo smiles at  Il Joo and when he kissed her or rather let her kissed him passionately that time they were in Moo Hyuk's house. It was all an act to make Il Joo fall for his lies again, still it is not really visually appetizing to watch. I want to pity Il Joo for her being gullible. For a sinister and calculating individual, she was so foolish when it comes to Hyung Woo. She never learned her lessons. I guess blind love can really make a person make a fool of oneself. Well, should I say, Il Joo got to get what she asked for!

I can't help but like Moo Hyuk even though he is a whining character. He makes it hard for Il Joo even if he tries his best to be the loving and patient husband. Just being there beside her as her husband, in an unwanted marriage is enough to make me smile while Il Joo suffers the situation. Of course, her love for Hyung Woo has a limit because she is in a marriage. Moo Hyuk's presence in her life may sometimes help her in getting her way when she uses her charm to ask for it, but mostly, it makes her helpless to be in that pretend marriage. At least, it was like a shackle that keeps her from wandering too much towards Hyung Woo.

Eun Soo is getting better now in hiding her thoughts behind smiles. She has learned the virtue of patience through playing baduk. Her goal now is to completely deceive the Prime Minister and Il Joo (although Il Joo is not as easily fooled when it comes to her) until she can have enough strength to take them down. Now that Hyung Woo is helping her silently and she him, the recent episodes showed that it is nerve wracking to see them pulling a stunt and getting away so easily without the Prime Minister and Il Joo noticing the unusual or little hints that should be questionable. It is as if everything is getting smoother for their plans that I am waiting for something to be miscalculated anytime. But so far, no one has caught on with what's truly going on. Like when the money transfer did not arrive but Eun Soo assured Prime Minister that it has arrived when in fact the money she has was the money she got from Il Doo's wife. That was to stop Prime Minister from discovering the plans of Hyung Woo when his IP address was discovered and the Prime Minister went to investigate. Eun Soo called Hyung Woo to let him know so he could get out of the room. Then Il Doo and his wife went back to the house after being kicked out and told the Prime Minister that Eun Soo pocketed the money. It was worrying if she has both the money from the gallery and the money wired in the vault where she said she had them keep. At the last minute, Hyung Woo was able to produce the money and get them inside the vault before the Prime Minister and his children with Eun Soo got there and see that the money was really intact and correct in amount. 

It is these little things that are really nerve wracking to watch and somehow I wait for that little mistake to be discovered that makes it even more anticipating while I hang onto the edge of my seat. Sighing with relief that so far, nothing seems to be amiss. But who knows, the Prime Minister is not easy to fool. He is more intelligent than what he looks like. He has his thoughts hidden as well especially when he stares at Eun Soo facing her or not. It is those times that he stares at her without her knowledge that is more dangerous because his instinct might tell him something is off rather than when he stares at her while she smiles at him endearingly because it will surely make him vulnerable to her charms.

Two faced Eun Soo and Hyung Woo against cunning Prime Minister and Il Joo. Two pairs of enemies against each other, one pair wearing masks to hide their true agenda.   Or perhaps the father and daughter are also playing the same game Eun Soo and Hyung Woo are playing. Who knows? Maybe they will catch up soon. But hopefully not too soon. Vindication has been a long time coming.

As for the rest of the characters, Il Ran's romantic life has been something that somehow put humor in the drama.  Aside from being a spoiled brat, it's good to see that she is not as annoying as her siblings. Maybe because her interest is not in politics or that she has no ulterior motive besides making the love of her life love her back.

For the younger characters it's interesting to anticipate what the writer has in store for them. It is going to be complicated if Eun Soo's brother will be paired to Moo Hyuk's niece. It really is a small world for them all.

As much as I want my OTP to get back together... why do I have this feeling that though revenge and vindication will surely be achieved, the aftermath may not be as good as what I should expect for a reconciliation. Anyway, it is still a long battle and looking forward on how the story will continue to unfold.

-mslee1107-

 screen caps

episode 33