What could be more romantic than being drooled on in a public bus?
Side dish: Yong Gyu attempts to make his feelings known to Ah Reum using flowers and vague ribbon messaging. What he really should have done was have his message written out on cupcakes. Dlish Cupcakes only delivers locally to keep their products fresh, but Yong Gyu could be inspired by Dlish to request that his local bakery also use fondant cupcake toppers to “spell out the perfect sentiment” like unrequited love.
Episode Recap
After flying off the club stage and onto the floor, Oh Jin Hee (Song Ji Hyo) opens her eyes to discover that practically everyone she works with at the hospital is staring down at her. Jin Hee covers her eyes in embarrassment, while her ER supervisor, Kook Cheon Soo (Lee Pil Mo) picks her up, beating Jin Hee’s ex-husband and fellow intern, Oh Chang Min (Choi Jin Hyuk) to the punch. Chang Min looks miffed as he stares at Cheon Soo, who is looking over Jin Hee with concern.
Jin Hee finds herself trying to explain her crazy behaviour. She lamely tells her colleagues that she knows the singer a little (actually, it’s her sister) and she owes her money (actually, her sister stole Jin Hee’s wedding ring). Fellow intern, Han Ah Reum (Clara) rightly wonders how much the singer could possibly owe her to warrant Jin Hee’s attack. Jin Hee whispers, “Just a little”.
Fortunately for Jin Hee, Cheon Soo turns attention away from her to ask what everyone else is doing at the club. This backfires for Cheon Soo when fellow resident, Shim Ji Hye (Choi Yeo Jin) announces that she and Cheon Soo are on a date. Intern, Im Yong Gyu (Yoon Jong Hoon) exclaims, “You’re in that type of relationship?” to which Ji Hye responds by raising her eyebrows suggestively. Cheon Soo is quick to shut the speculation down, as well as the fun, telling the interns to finish up and go home, since they’re back at work at 6am. Yong Gyu has the cheek to ask Cheon Soo, as Chief, to take care of their bar tab, to which Cheon Soo asks if Yong Gyu only considers him the Chief in instances like this. Unexpectedly, Cheon Soo gruffly agrees to pay. Only 만 is right; between the no-nonsense compassion and his generosity at the bar, Cheon Soo is becoming pretty hot.
Yong Gyu enthusiastically suggests that they all stay for more drinks, now that the bar tab has been reset to zero. Chang Min perplexes everyone by visibly mouthing something to Jin Hee who does not appear to understand what he is saying either.
Ji Hye drives Cheon Soo back to the hospital and gifts him with a bag of snacks, to make up for hospital food. He scoffs that she must have a lot of time on her hands to do such a useless task. She responds with a playful guilt trip, stating that she took time out from her busy schedule to make the snacks herself. He claims that hospital food has become like home cooked meals for him. She wonders aloud if he would come over to eat if she called him after cooking dinner.
Cheon Soo asks with indignation if it is easy for Ji Hye to be so flirty, or if she thinks he is easy, whereas Ji Hye is amused that Cheon Soo always makes things complicated. She is not easily put off and invites him to sleep over at her nearby apartment whenever he is tired. Anytime. She even offers him a key. Cheon Soo beats a hasty retreat with his bag of snacks as Ji Hye laughs. They are so cute.
Back at the club, the remaining four interns toast each other and it’s bottoms up. Ah Reum asks point blank why Chang Min sent Yong Gyu as his substitute when she asked him on a date; was it revenge? This prompts Yong Gyu to ask them to elaborate. Chang Min glances uncomfortably at Jin Hee before brushing Yong Gyu’s question aside with vagueness.
Yong Gyu, Ah Reum and Chang Min all note how different (presumably, sexier) each of them look outside of the hospital. The only one left out of the exchange is Jin Hee who takes a swig. Chang Min, who has been surreptitiously glancing at Jin Hee, suddenly notices scratches on Jin Hee’s wrist. Even as Jin Hee spills her drink on him accidentally, Chang Min is undeterred from examining her wounds. Everyone is visibly uncomfortable about Chang Min’s familiarity with Jin Hee, including Jin Hee herself, as he ties his handkerchief around her wrist. After Jin Hee excuses herself to go to the restroom, Chang Min continues to fret about her, oblivious to the stares of his colleagues.
Jin Hee makes a detour to ask the club manager for her sister, Jin Ae’s phone number, but is unsuccessful. On her return from the restroom, Jin Hee is intercepted by Chang Min who asks if she submitted her resignation letter, and if it was because of the dismissal notice. Jin Hee doesn’t feel the need to explain her actions since he wanted to get her fired anyway. Chang Min stubbornly insists that they should not quit over the patient’s death, because it was not their fault that he died after they did an emergency tracheotomy on him. Jin Hee scoffs at the idea of ‘fault’. She knows that the dismissal has everything to do with her lack of connections, whereas Chang has his family of doctors. Jin Hee removes his handkerchief from her injured wrist, returns it to Chang Min, then apologizes for ruining his date with Ah Reum. Chang Min obliviously asks “What date?” to Jin Hee’s receding back.
Meanwhile, Yong Gyu is either dense, or purposely undermining Chang Min’s chances with Ah Reum by insisting that Jin Hee and Chang Min are dating on the sly. Ah Reum is listening while fidgeting uncomfortably when Jin Hee and Chang Min return to the table. Jin Hee announces that she is leaving, and Ah Reum offers to accompany her. Both men looks disappointed with the withdrawal of their female contingent. Jin Hee gives Chang Min a pointed look, which Chang Min appears to want to address, but Jin Hee walks away before Chang Min can stop her. Yong Gyu, ever the trooper, still wants to continue drinking.
Jin Hee and Ah Reum stand like strangers outside while waiting for taxis. Ah Reum casually mentions that Jin Hee and Chang Min looked very friendly, fishing for the history of their relationship. Jin Hee cautiously refuses to answer Ah Reum’s questions, and asks Ah Reum if she is interested in Chang Min. Ah Reum boldly says ‘yes’. Jin Hee is shocked into momentary silence before she reassures Ah Reum not to worry about her and Chang Min interacting outside of the hospital.
Ah Reum is not so easily dissuaded and asks why Jin Hee and Chang Min speak casually to each other when Chang Min cannot be informal with any of the other interns. Jin Hee’s eyes widen visibly, but she challenges Ah Reum about how well she knows Chang Min. Ah Reum admits that she doesn’t, but Chang Min has suddenly become much more attractive, in spite of the rudeness he displayed today. Jin Hee scoffs, saying that Chang Min has always been rude; putting down her ex has become a bad habit. This causes Ah Reum’s suspicions about Jin Hee’s relationship with Chang Min to flare up again. Realizing that she is digging herself into a hole, Jin Hee spots a convenient exit when a taxi arrives. As she tries to flag it down, the taxi doesn’t give her any more breaks than anyone else on this show, and bypasses her to stop directly in front of Ah Reum, who climbs in without a glance at Jin Hee.
Chang Min and Yong Gyu are still in the club drinking, but even Yong Gyu is ready to stop, pointing out that they have a 6am start tomorrow. Chang Min ignores him and continues to chug. Yong Gyu guesses that Chang Min is upset about the supposed botched tracheotomy. Chang Min says resignedly that Jin Hee did the tracheotomy, not him. Yong Gyu attempts to wave off his concern by saying they’re interns so it doesn’t matter. But, for Chang Min, it is just another example of Jin Hee doing what he couldn’t do as a doctor.
Yong Gyu continues to butter up Chang Min with compliments as he places him in a taxi. Just before he closes the taxi door, Yong Gyu asks if Chang Min could clarify his relationship with Ah Reum so that Yong Gyu might have a chance with her. Chang Min drunkenly waves him away before closing the taxi door.
Jin Hee is woken up in the middle of the night by a call from a drunk Chang Min. Drunk Chang Min thanks Jin Hee for saving his mom, acknowledges that Evil Mom is not good at giving thanks, apologizes then hangs up. Jin Hee has been jolted awake by this unfamiliar side of Chang Min. Though she dismisses the call as a drunken Chang Min doing pathetic things, she is contemplative as she lies in bed.
The next morning, Jin Hee is rattled by the sight of Chang Min when they run into each other in the hall. Chang Min is more concerned about his stomach ache, which Jin Hee shows concern about. However, it becomes clear that Chang Min does not remember calling Jin Hee the night before. Exasperated, Jin Hee tells him that he called asking to get back together, leaving him horrified.
As Cheon Soo looks over a list of possible foreign donors to make up for the annual ER budget cuts, the ER director comes in to report that the pressure is on from the hospital director to proceed with the dismissal of Jin Hee. Cheon Soo is determined to confront the higher-ups about the culpability of his interns in the death of the esophageal cancer patient. He tells his ER director to stay silent for the sake of his children’s college tuition. The ER director makes ineffectual noises as Cheon Soo flies out of the office to save the day.
Chang Min is working with a nurse to assess a diabetic patient when he learns from the nurse that Cheon Soo is on his way to meet with the hospital director to discuss Jin Hee’s dismissal notice. Chang Min has a momentary deep thought before he is preoccupied with communicating with his hard-of-hearing patient. Jin Hee steps in with her stethoscope to allow the patient to hear more clearly. She literally charms the pants off the old man, leaving Chang Min speechless. The dismissal notice seems even more unfair to Chang Min given how well Jin Hee is doing.
Chang Min goes to visit his Evil Mom (Park Joon Geum) who was secretly enjoying her meal in her hospital bed before scurrying under her blankets upon her son’s entry; she had hoped to create a sympathetic scene for her absent husband. She complains that the food is subpar, though her son points out how clean she has left her dishes.
Evil Mom enthusiastically asks how Chang Min’s date with Ah Reum went. More specifically, Evil Mom asks gleefully if they slept with each other. She is aghast to learn that the concert date had become an ER team outing, and warns him not to lose Ah Reum. Chang Min can only admit that he doesn’t have feelings for her, yet, thus keeping his mom’s hopes alive.
Evil Mom’s attention then turns to her second favourite subject: getting rid of Jin Hee. Chang Min only looks mildly troubled as Evil Mom admits to calling the hospital director for his ex-daughter-in-law’s dismissal. Chang Min points out that Jin Hee saved her life, only to ask Evil Mom not to think about his ex. As his mother continues to rage about Jin Hee, the most drastic thing that Chang Min can do is leave the room.
In the ER, Ah Reum is examining a patient suffering from shortness of breath when he passes out. Ah Reum resorts to the time-tested medical procedure of shaking the patient and shouting at him to wake up, while nurses run over with actual medical equipment. Ji Hye is called over, because they need her to order them to do the obvious. With Chang Min and Ah Reum watching on, Ji Hye places confidence in Jin Hee by asking her to prepare treatment, then compliments her on a job well done. Ah Reum looks on enviously.
To her credit, Ah Reum admits as much to Chang Min afterwards. When the patient went into cardiac arrest, Ah Reum’s mind went blank, and then, Ji Hye trusted Jin Hee to do the needed medical procedures. Ah Reum was jealous.
Chang Min asks Ah Reum why she became a doctor. It turns out that Ah Reum was a sickly child, and suffering from guilt about the stress she put her family through, she decided to become a doctor. Chang Min’s response to Ah Reum’s story is to smile and mutter to himself how different it is from someone else’s reason. This prompts Ah Reum to ask point blank about the nature of his relationship with Jin Hee. Chang Min spews his drink out, before coolly asking what she means by that question. Ah Reum then asks Chang Min if he wants to date, which sends Chang Min into a fit of coughing. Once he recovers, he can only parrot her words as a question to which Ah Reum nods enthusiastically.
Jin Hee is passing by Evil Mom’s hospital room when she decides to look in and make adjustments to the medical device that Evil Mom is hooked up to. Jin Hee is on her way out of the room when she spots Evil Aunts approaching. She quickly hides inside the bathroom as the Evil Aunts wake Evil Mom up. Evil Mom milks the moment by groaning and moving stiffly.
Cheon Soo returns from meeting with the hospital director with nothing more to report than wait and see. Ji Hye wonders what they can do if it is Jin Hee’s fate to be dismissed, but Cheon Soo insists that Jin Hee did nothing wrong, and he feels guilty about the predicament Jin Hee currently finds herself in.
Jin Hee’s most current predicament is being trapped in the bathroom of Evil Mom’s hospital room by the arrival of the Evil Aunts. She eavesdrops on Evil Mom and her sisters expressing amazement that Jin Hee has become a doctor in the same ER as Chang Min and Ah Reum. One of the Evil Aunts gleefully suggests that if Jin Hee got back together with Chang Min, Evil Mom’s dream of a doctor for a daughter-in-law could come true. Evil Mom reveals that Jin Hee is about to be fired with the snobby quip, “Not everyone can be a doctor.” The same Evil Aunt agrees, pointing out Evil Mom’s failure to become a doctor and cackles.
It is during the Evil Sisters’ discussion about the more desirable prospect of Ah Reum for a daughter-in-law that Jin Hee learns that her fellow intern is a minister’s daughter. Unfortunately, Jin Hee’s upset stomach chooses this moment to make itself known. Evil Mom deduces that someone is in her bathroom, and one of the Evil Aunts finds the bathroom door locked, as Jin Hee defiles the toilet. Under the threat of getting security, Jin Hee marches out of the bathroom with her white coat over her head. Yet, the Evil Sisters manage to identify her. Jin Hee is forced to reveal her face briefly in order to apologize before running out of the room.
In spite of the shit storm that the Evil Sisters will undoubtedly throw her way for spying on them, Jin Hee is preoccupied with Chang Min’s blind date with Ah Reum, fellow intern and, now, minister’s daughter.
Yong Gyu secretly places a pot of flowers on Ah Reum’s desk, which the ER junior resident discovers before Ah Reum does. The resident decides to read the note that accompanies it in which Yong Gyu asks Ah Reum to tie the accompanying yellow ribbon around the pot if she accepts his heart. Junior resident proceeds to tie the yellow ribbon, and run away giggling, kicking the note from Yong Gyu out of sight in the process. Junior resident does not respect privacy, but he does enjoy wreaking havoc in the emotionally charged and stressful ER environment. Shortly after, Yong Gyu runs into Ah Reum on his way back to their office, and he is buoyed by Ah Reum’s smile and compliment, “Good work!” Yong Gyu then spies the yellow ribbon tied around the pot of flowers on Ah Reum’s desk, and he becomes ecstatic.
Jin Hee has somehow made it to the end of the day intact, only to receive a call from her mom about an emergency at home. Standing before Mom is a young man with a baby who insists on bowing and calling her ‘mother-in-law’. When Mom directs harsh words at the mystery man, he reflects that Jin Ae has a mean streak, too. Mom clutches her heart (so, Jin Hee’s heart condition is genetic?), as the young man cheerfully reveals that he has no idea where Jin Ae is.
Meanwhile, Evil Mom is dragged out of the hospital on teetering stilettos by her sisters, and having a fit. She is stopped momentarily when one of her sisters bluntly states that her estranged husband will never come and visit her, before Evil Mom tries to make a final break for it.
After Evil Mom is successfully packed away in a car, her sisters report to Evil Uncle aka the hospital director. Chang Min is before his uncle, trying to argue his stubborn belief that he and Jin Hee did nothing wrong in regards to the dead patient. The uncle appears unmoved so Chang Min resorts to asking for one single favour. It is a request that his uncle taunts him about since Chang Min had bragged that he would become a doctor without ever asking for his uncle’s help. His uncle also wonders why he would ask a favour for a woman who dislikes him. Chang Min shows an unexpected streak of humility, admitting that he has been a loser to date, so he hopes to at least use his good family connections to solve this problem.
Jin Hee has arrived home and is staring at the baby that Jin Ae’s baby daddy has brought with him. She orders him to get out and try finding Jin Ae at the club where she saw her sister perform the night before; this is news to Mom. Before baby daddy departs to search for Jin Ae, he lists the baby’s details: six months old, a boy, and Jin Ae definitely gave birth to him.
Jin Hee receives a call from the financially challenged woman that she had helped previously (see episode 6 recap), and makes a house call. In a desperate bid to avoid going to the hospital, which they cannot afford, the woman has overdosed on painkillers. As Jin Hee makes a call, the husband begs her not to have his wife hospitalized, but Jin Hee asks him to trust her.
Cheon Soo is busy writing his email plea for funding in English when Ji Hye checks in on him. It is at this point that Cheon Soo receives a call from Jin Hee for help. Cheon Soo is outraged that she would demand he make house calls at her beck and call, but Jin Hee is not even listening, and simply tells him that she will text him the couple’s address. She then reassures the couple that the ER Chief would come.
Cheon Soo appears preoccupied with his funding request letter while Ji Hye expresses disbelief at Jin Hee’s demands. However, Cheon Soo is clearly distracted, and eventually abandons his writing to collect an emergency kit. Ji Hye asks if he is really going to help Jin Hee, and he simply asks her to complete his letter and email it out for him before running out.
Cheon Soo arrives to a weepy Jin Hee, and quickly assesses the unconscious woman. His emergency kit has an amazing array of medical items including an oxygen tank, and heart monitor. The woman manages to regain consciousness, and everyone is all smiles. As they leave, Jin Hee tells the grateful husband that his wife should not randomly consume pills, because his wife seems intent on having regular medical crises that they can’t afford.
After taking leave of the husband, Cheon Soo is in a huff, refusing Jin Hee’s offer to carry his emergency pack. Jin Hee latches onto his arm in thanks, laughing giddily, and Cheon Soo appears touched.
Chang Min is driving and thinking back to his meeting with his uncle as well as his ex-wife’s medical competence, when he decides to give Jin Hee a call. Jin Hee is on a public bus using her phone. Unfortunately, Chang Min’s call saps the last of Jin Hee’s phone battery power, and it shuts off, just as a sleeping Cheon Soo falls against her shoulder. The ER Chief doesn’t have a car?! Jin Hee thinks back to the numerous times Cheon Soo berated her, but when the ER Chief’s head rolls away, Jin Hee places it back on her shoulder. She smiles over a sleeping Cheon Soo, while poor Chang Min is frustrated by his inability to reach the woman he just sacrificed his independence of his family for.
Comments
I really enjoyed this episode as you may guess from my overly detailed and lengthy recap. I am glad to see Jin Hee becoming more confident about her medical skills, and having her competence acknowledged by others. The bathroom explosion scene was a little bizarre, but Jin Hee still came out relatively unsoiled.
Meanwhile, Chang Min’s guilt about his ex-wife’s impending dismissal, and admission to being a loser, is making him a more attractive option again. His chemistry with Jin Hee is undeniable; the hostility they have towards each other is giving way to genuine concern more and more frequently. True, Chang Min is still whipped when it comes to his mother, but Evil Mom has been sent packing by Evil Aunts, who I actually appreciated in this episode for mocking Evil Mom and ruthlessly telling her what she needed to hear regarding her estranged husband.
Cheon Soo is also continuing to be hot by being gruff then paying for alcohol and helping save a life outside of the hospital for free. However, I think his destiny clearly lies with Ji Hye as they have a spark that just does not exist between him and Jin Hee.
Enough gushing. I will say that the medical portions of the show continue to be painful, as the interns act like idiots. Less medical, more love triangles!
Emergency Couple (응급남녀)
Noonas Over Forks 
I found this episode to be really enjoyable too! I think some parts of the funny is overdone, especially when it comes to Chang Min’s mum. I think the only bit I appreciate with her is when she’s put in her place by her husband and siblings.
I can’t help but root for Chun Soo and Ji Hye. I wish for whatever possible stirrings of feelings he has for Jin Hee to be over as soon as possible so he can be happy and lovey with Ji Hye, lol.
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I agree with you: I enjoyed Chang Min’s mom a lot more in episode 4. Her craziness went on for waaaaaay too long. Cheon Soo and Ji Hye have great chemistry… More than anyone else on the show so far.
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