Yong Pal Episode 3 - It's Tough Being a Successful Money Grubbing Sycophant

Tae Hyun is forced to bury his morals deeper and deeper as he enters the doors of diagnosing the elite.  But at least his talent at butt-kissery gets him in the doorway to meet his fated love. Even if he does have to sell his soul to get there.

We left off with Tae Hyun and rebel nurse doing a surprise late night surgery on the "about to die" charity case patient.  But even Tae Hyun's late night drunken surgery is interrupted by V.I.P interference.  This time in the form of our beautiful, yet bleeding, leading lady Yeo Jin.

Wow, that girl is seriously intent on committing suicide.  Although it is funny how gorgeous she looks.  More like a fashion model doing a CF for a hospital gurney then someone about to die from blood loss.

Just as Yeo Jin is about to cut her throat with a piece of glass she had hidden in her hand, Tae Hyun reaches through the door he is hiding behind and snatches it away.  Yeo Jin focuses in enough to stare at him in surprise.

Maybe the joy of his beautiful face will inspire her to live.  I know that if I saw him as my doctor, I would totally be inspired.  Inspired to have an illness that brings me to the hospital....often.

Thankfully Tae Hyun escapes undiscovered and also saves the poor patient.  YAY for stealthy skills. While he is relaxing the next day he is accosted by cranky resident.  I am still confused with this guy. Is he a friend or an enemy?  Maybe a potential frenemy?  On one hand he always seems angry with Tae Hyun, but that might just be because of the whole money situation.  The way he talks also makes me wonder if he knows that Tae Hyun helped that poor patient?  Guess only time will tell.

Time told and NO... he is just a jerk

You have to love how the VIP doctors are not really upset about Yeo Jin's attempted suicide, more that she even woke up in the first place.  She is supposed to be in a coma, how dare she start building up tolerances for drugs and wake up.  The director chews out Chief Kim, informing him that he is being paid the big bucks to keep her asleep.  Don't they understand how scary the chairman can be?

At that moment the chairman, Yeo Jin's half brother (Han Do Joon), is busy wondering if the companies board has figured out something is going on with his sister's hospitalization.  It seems that he is playing at their need to not make a fuss over Yeo Jin's possible mental disorder, to keep them in line.  It is interesting how he says --"This comedy of two families under one roof will be over soon".  What does that mean?  Is it a mistress and real mom situation?  And how does Do Joon plan on taking the company away from Yeo Jin?  So many questions.

One thing we can check off our list is finally meeting our 2nd lead female.  Namely Lee Chae Young, wife of Do Joon, and possibly a plastic surgery junkie.  She interrupts her husband's rant, offering to drop in and see her sister-in-law while she gets some slight lifting done on her face.  On the surface her words seem shallow, but underneath is there a hidden meaning?

Our diva wife, Chae Young, is quite a piece of work.  She comes into the hospital in a storm of demands and screeching.  Firing the poor valet for not knowing who she is and scolding the staff for having someone in her room, using her bed.  Turns out that the person in her room is a famous actor so she lets it slide this time if he will have tea with her while waiting.  This is all relayed back to her husbands secretary via a security guard.

But the second she is alone, Chae Young calls a man who turns out to be her father, telling him that Do Joon is up to something and will be making a move soon.  Her father tells her she is doing a great job, and the man next to him (the chairman of the board) informs Chae Young that he will take care of her father and not to worry.

Ever wonder about what people who are forced to be in a coma by their evil siblings actually hear, feel, etc?  Well consider this your answer.  It is a round, beautifully aesthetic, digital cloud room where you sit contemplating life.  And of course your mental hair is beautifully coiffed and you resemble an angel.  No snarly hair or bad breath for you.

Instead Yeo Jin is stuck in her mind room listening as life continues around her, but unable to communicate.  How creepy would it be being aware that your nurse uses you as a life size doll in some sick fantasy?  Last week we watched creepy nurse do Yeo Jin's makeup.  This week we get to watch her eat Yeo Jin's dinner.  But she just doesn't eat it.  She savors that food in a way that screams of crazy mental illness.  Lets just say that I would not be shocked to hear the psycho stab music start playing whenever she is around.

Through Yeo Jin's voice-over we learn that it has not been a few months, like I original thought, but instead 3 years since she was forced into a coma.  Which makes it seem a bit odd that the board of her company would be OK with not seeing her for literally years while she is supposedly in the hospital.  But whatever, I will continue with imagining this as a fairytale and go with the three years thing.  Yeo Jin comments on how the first year she just wanted to wake up.  The second year she prayed to die.  And now in the third year she wants to kill everyone involved in her detainment and those that work for them.  Hmmmm.  Do I smell a scent of revenge wafting from that hospital room?

I had a bit of an "awww" moment when rebel nurse stood by Tae Hyun when all the other residents were shunning him for leaving their department.  I enjoy their simple friendship forged in the fires of their rebellious nature.

But Tae Hyun doesn't have time to feel ostracized for long.  There is an emergency where a hallyu star's girlfriend is bleeding profusely and they can't leave because of reporters.  So what does the hospital do in this type of situation?  Send in their newbie who specializes in house calls of course.  Looks like we won't be losing Yong Pal after all.

When Tae Hyun (and his handler Cynthia) arrive at the scene, Tae Hyun finds a crime scene where a girl was stabbed and sexually assaulted.  When he tries to say something, Cynthia shuts him down and tells him to do his job for the VIP and nothing more.  

Tae Hyun is just supposed to stabilize the girl, but when he sees she will die without surgery, he does his awesome Yong Pal instant surgery thing and saves the day.  This is despite his coworker urging him to not do anything since if he performs surgery and she dies, it is all on him.

Cynthia reprimands Tae Hyun once again on the way home, but even she is a little bit impressed with how awesome he is.  She gives him a little bit of advice -- if you want to have a shot at taking care of the sleeping beauty ask the Director when he is in a good mood.  If you ask Chief Lee, he will just assume you want to take away his money.

Advice that Tae Hyun puts into play as soon as he returns from his first house call.  The Director is so pleased with the new revenue that house calls will open up, that he agrees immediately to let Tae Hyun into the restricted section to "help" Chief Lee.  Needless to say, Chief Lee is not at all pleased.

SQUEEEEEEEEEE Joo Won makeover time.  I can't even describe how happy this makes me.  Not that he did not look amazing in his casual wear.  But Joo Won in a suit can never go wrong ****I might have spoken too soon. 

I love how they keep trying different hairstyles while he sleeps in between reveals.  Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't a few of those stylings from his past dramas?  At least one bears a striking resemblance to his Bridal Mask look.

Now add a pair of fake glasses to Clark Kent him up a little bit, and his uber styling is complete.  WOOT!  Next, new clothes!

Oh no... what are they doing to you Tae Hyun.  The clothes that Cynthia term as "chic" are horrible.  Not that I wouldn't love the hottness within the clothes, but the outside layer kind of hurts my eyes.  And judging from Tae Hyun's unimpressed and sometimes pained expression, he shares my opinion.

NO

NO

Oh Hell No!

At least the last look is bearable.  As my daughter (an avid Dr Who fan) loves to say--"Bow ties are cool".  Now on to a new set of wheels since we can't have our sleek doctor carpooling to VIP's houses.

Finally we get some back story on our sleeping beauty.  For being a lead in this drama, she sure doesn't get much screen time so far.  Turns out that our pampered princess fell in love with the son of a rival company.  The two lovebirds ran away to get married and her brother (yes the brother who has put her in a coma for 3 years) sends goons out to catch her.  The car accident occurred and the rest is history, or coma time, as the case might be.

We also finally arrive at the moment that Tae Hyun is officially introduced to the future love of his life.  Chief Lee brings him past all the security to meet the ultimate VIP.  Tae Hyun pushes past and says -- "Hello.  I am Kim Tae Hyun the new resident.......", his voice drifting off as he realizes that 1. She is in a coma.  And 2. She was the girl he saved earlier from committing suicide.  

Yeo Jin looks up from her bubble of inner reflection and a bright light shines into her prison.  "Kim Tae Hyun?" She whispers to herself.

My Thoughts:
So..........just out of curiosity........ is the whole romance going to occur while our leading lady is in a coma?  Don't get me wrong, it is an interesting concept.  And with certain level of actress, I think it would actually be possible (if not a bit creepy).  But Kim Tae Hee is not that actress.  So far she has been able to pull off being pretty really well.  She is pretty while being angsty.  She is pretty while being a living doll.  She is pretty running off with her boyfriend in that flashback we have had to watch four times already (the director really must have enjoyed shooting that sequence to replay it so often).  But eventually we need a bit more than pretty.  Awake might be a good place to start.

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