A Thousand Kisses Episode 15 Recap and Link

Episode 15 link: http://joonmedia.tv/videos/play/41671/5

Recap 15:

Woo Bin’s mom waits for Woo Jin’s mom at a coffee shop. As Woo Jin’s mom sits down, Woo Bin’s mom throws a full glass of iced water at her face. Shocked, Woo Jin’s mother asks why she’s acting this way. Woo Bin’s mother tells her that she’s come here not as her sister-in-law but as Min Ji Hoon’s older sister. Had it not been for her, Ji Hoon would never have gone to the United States and still be alive today. Again stunned, Woo Jin’s mother asks what she means, not alive anymore. Woo Bin’s mother clarifies that her brother died because of Woo Jin’s mother, who once again apologizes and says that she’ll live the rest of her life regretting her past actions and with the consequences. Woo Bin’s mother tells her that she’ll never forgive Woo Jin’s mother for what she’s done as long as she’s alive. (OK, I’ve got to stop and rant for a bit. I understand that Woo Bin’s mother is a sister who’s grieving the loss of her brother, but seriously, her brother was old enough to understand what he was doing as well. Why isn’t she putting part of the blame at his doorstep? I really despise the whole let’s blame the woman—Eve phenomenon—whenever a man does something stupid. C’mon…it takes two to tango, not just one. It sucks that Woo Jin’s mother has to keep getting this past event thrown in her face all the time by Woo Bin’s mother. It’s not like Woo Jin’s mother hasn’t suffered greatly for her past mistake, too. She had to leave her two daughters, never to see them or talk to them, and suffer the breakdown of her family and is now living as a caretaker/wife to a grumpy old man…Talk about great consequences for foolish actions. What a great reminder to live life wisely. OK, sorry…had to get that out. Woo Bin’s mother is exasperating, placing all the blame on Woo Jin’s mom when her brother was also involved. I wonder if this is part of the old Korean mentality that the men can do no wrong…ugh.) After saying her piece, Woo Bin’s mother walks out.

Woo Jin’s mother returns home and collapses from stress in the kitchen. (Who wouldn’t collapse after all the stress--trying to negotiating with her ex-mother-in-law to allow Joo Mi's happiness--she’s been under in addition to the constant stress of dealing with her demanding and volatile husband?) Her husband finds her lying on the floor.

At Woo Young’s house, the grandmother asks why the young man came to see Joo Young as they prepare dinner. The grandmother worries and asks if the man likes Joo Young, who promptly denies the speculation, telling her grandmother that she won’t do anything to further worry her grandmother.

Woo Bin swims off his frustrations. (LOL…all right, ladies…I’m sorry but I’m going to have to squeal a bit. Kyaaaaa. OK, that’s out of my system now. But seriously, I’ve always thought Ji Hyun Woo was cute, but now he’s...wow~LOL. Take a look and see if you don’t agree with me.) He slowly sinks to the bottom of the pool and wallows in his misery and continues to nurse his hurt as he showers. (Yup, there’s the requisite shower scene for our Korean drama male leads. LOL…He’s definitely come a long way since The Old Miss Diaries!)

Woo Jin’s mother sleeps in bed, hooked up to an IV, while her husband and Woo Jin look on in concern. Wheeled out by Woo Jin, Woo Jin’s father calls Woo Bin’s mother to see if there was anything wrong when they met. Woo Bin’s mother lies and says that they talked about Woo Jin’s upcoming wedding plans.

Joo Mi tells her grandmothers that Woo Jin’s mother has collapsed in the kitchen. The grandmother silently comments to herself, “Yes, if you’re human, you must have been under tremendous stress, too.” Joo Mi asks her grandmother to fix her future mother-in-law some porridge. The grandmother minimizes her great cooking skills but still refuses to cook the porridge for her ex-daughter-in-law.

Joo Young and her fellow employees get ready for a shoe event in Daejeon. However, before they can leave, Yoo Kyung walks in and tells Joo Young that she’s going to have to oversee a photoshoot. When Joo Young’s friend says that they’ve never gone in person in the past, Yoo Kyung says that things will be different with her at the helm and that she refuses to leave their shoes like abandoned children. She then tells Joo Young that she will be held responsible for everything relating to that photoshoot. (How much do you all want to bet that Yoo Kyung’s plotted something?)

At the Jang residence, Woo Jin’s father tells his wife to rest and that the doctor will be visiting shortly. He and Woo Jin leave for work while she recooperates.

Joo Young introduces herself to the stylist at the photoshoot. Joo Young unexpectedly meets Woo Bin, who’s come to check on how his soccer player is doing. (I doubt Yoo Kyung knew Woo Bin would be there. heh heh) As Woo Bin and Joo Young awkwardly look at each other, the stylist interrupts their moment and demands what kind of professional Joo Young is to bring the wrong shoe size. Joo Young shows her the paperwork to prove that she brought all the shoes according to the request. The stylist says that they’ll sort out where the miscommunication happened at a later time; meanwhile since they’re short on time, she can only give her 1 hour to return with the required shoes in the proper shoe size. Joo Young then rushes out and calls the necessary places for the shoes. Unable to hail a taxi, she’s saved by her knight (WooB) who tells her to get in the car. When she tries to thank him, he merely speeds up in reply. As he watches her run inside one department store to get the shoes, he puts on his sunglasses in order to hide his eyes. (Kyaaaaa…OK, I’m not  only officially on board with WooB-JooY relationship, but dying from his touching stoicism) Joo Young runs back into the car and tells him the next location. Noticing his sunglasses, Joo Young can only look at him, knowing why he's shading his eyes. When she gets to the next location, she’s told by the salesclerk that they only have a size 250 and that the employee on the phone hadn’t checked inventory from last night’s sales. She then asks for the size 250 with foot inserts. She rushes back to the studio just in time to resume the photoshoot. As Joo Young watches in satisfaction, Woo Bin casts a pained look over her way. When she tries to walk over to thank him, he turns around and goes outside, calming himself outside the studio. He reflects upon her last words to him, that she’s thinking about reconciling with Chan Ho’s father and that he should simply mind his own business.

Joo Mi drops by a florist shop to pick up flowers for Woo Jin’s mother.

At the conclusion of the photoshoot, Joo Young looks around for Woo Jin, but finding him nowhere, texts him a message: “I guess you’ve gone. Thank you very much for today. Mr. Popeye…” But she reconsiders and erases the message.

Struggling with her bags as she leaves the studio, she protests when WooB wordlessly takes her bags from her and packs them away in his car. She keeps protesting that she can just take a taxi now that all pressing matters are over. WooB finally breaks his silence and tells her to get in the car. When she still resists, he tells her, “Shall I just drop off the bags then?” Unable to resist any longer and probably not wanting to, she climbs into the car and thanks him, telling him that she doesn’t want to keep imposing on him. WooB succinctly tells her to not provoke him. “I’m really mad at you right now, but I’m trying to hold it in. I’m like a bomb just about to explode, so just be quiet.” (Kyaaaa…love the way he says this…so much pent up emotion!) Joo Young gets a call from Yoo Kyung who chews her out on the phone. Joo Young tells her that she’ll report everything once she returns to the office. WooB listens to the conversation in silence, his frustration and concern for Joo Young growing despite his efforts.

The two grandmothers go shopping, and the aunt grandmother nags the grandmother for not sending Joo Mi with some of the grandmother’s porridge.

Joo Mi calls Woo Jin to let him know that she’s on her way to visit his mother. Woo Jin tells her he’ll call her back because he’s busy right now with resort business.

Pulling up to Joo Young’s company, WooB looks over at the sleeping Joo Young. Finding her lovable despite her less-than-glamorous sleeping position, he reaches over to gently caress the stray lock of hair from her face but quickly withdraws his hand when Joo Young awakes. They get out of the car and unload her bags of shoes. When she thanks him, he leaves without another word, still angry with her. Outside the office, Yoo Kyung notices Joo Young walking in. Unable to drive any further, WooB stops the car and tries to calm his raging emotions.

Inside the shoe company, Yoo Kyung lays the blame on Joo Young, telling her that Joo Young should have double checked everything and confirmed with the photoshoot people. Pretending to be generous, Yoo Kyung tells her that she’ll overlook Joo Young’s mistake this time.

At Woo Jin’s house, Joo Mi visits with Woo Jin’s mother, who’s lying in bed, and tells her not to get sick anymore. Soo Ah races into the bedroom and tells her mother that nothing tastes the same since her mother’s been sick. The mother tenderly holds Soo Ah’s hand and then reaches for Joo Mi’s hand, much to Soo Ah’s dismay. Against Soo Ah’s wishes, the mother tells the two girls that she thinks of them both as daughters regardless of whether Joo Mi is her daughter-in-law or not.

Ever busy at work, Joo Young answers a phone call from Tae Kyung, who wants to take Chan Ho home for a visit with his mother. Joo Young tells him to reschedule the overnight for the weekend so as to not conflict with Chan Ho’s kindergarten schedule, but Tae Kyung says that he’ll drop him off at the school tomorrow morning then. He then calls Joon Hee and tells her to go home before Chan Ho comes. Joon Hee refuses and tells Tae Kyung's mother that Chan Ho’s coming for a visit. Chan Ho's grandmother can barely contain her excitement and reiterates Tae Kyung’s request for Joon Hee to go to her house. She waits outside the apartment complex, waiting for Chan Ho and showers him with hugs and kisses. Chan Ho warmly greets his grandmother and then goes inside his bedroom to play with his old toys, jumping on the bed in joy.

Joo Mi greets Woo Jin’s father, calling him father-in-law as he requests. She then wheels him into his bedroom where Woo Jin’s mother gets up to hang his clothes for him. (Her relationship with her husband pains me at times...it's like she lives on pins and needless. *SIGH*)

Woo Bin’s father asks his wife to go visit Woo Jin’s mother. She refuses, saying that it’s not as if Woo Jin’s mother has come down with cancer or anything, and that she’s just returned from burying her brother on foreign soil. The father relents and says that he understands her feelings but that he just thought she should.

Joo Mi takes her leave of Woo Jin’s family, saying her goodnight to Woo Jin’s mother. As the mother watches Joo Mi leave, she silently calls Joo Mi "my daughter."

As Woo Jin gets ready to take Joo Mi home, he mentions that he’s never called his stepmother "Our mother." Thanking Joo Mi for her kindness, to which Joo Mi replies it’s only natural since she and his mother have decided to be mother-daughter, he reaches over. Joo Mi closes her eyes thinking that he’s finally going to kiss her, but to her mild embarrassment, Woo Jin only reaches for her seat belt and secures her in. (LOL…ah the anticipation of their first kiss is sooooo drawn out. LOL)

Back at Tae Kyung’s house, Chan Ho and his dad and grandmother dance and laugh. However, all merriment halts when Joon Hee walks into the apartment unannounced with a gift for Chan Ho. (LOL the creaking noise that comes out of Tae Kyung’s mouth had me laughing out loud and startled my dog. LOL) Croaking out her name, he asks her what she’s doing here. Tae Kyung’s mom demands to know what Joon Hee’s doing here, and when Chan Ho asks in confusion what he should do, the grandmother tells him to just accept it since a gift is just a gift and has no sin.

Yoo Kyung meets Hye Bin and tells her that Woo Bin is dating a married woman. Pretending to be meek and concerned, Yoo Kyung tells Hye Bin that she’s only telling the sister because as his sister, she should know.

Blaring music loudly in his bedroom, WooB reflects on Joo Young’s past comments to him while woodenly drinking a can of beer. Recalling Joo Young’s comment about considering a reconciliation with Chan Ho’s father, he nurses his wound when Hye Bin barges in. He tells Hye Bin to just go sleep if she’s drunk. She demands to know if he’s really dating a married woman. He tells her to leave since he’s not in the mood to talk right now. At her insistence, he asks her if he’s crazy to love a married woman since it’s a crime to have an affair with a married woman in Korea. He clarifies that the woman is not married, and she's refused him. He’s the only one who was in love, chasing after her. He then tells Hye Bin not to meet Yoo Kyung anymore when Hye Bin says that Yoo Kyung told her everyting. Hye Bin allows herself to be pushed out of his room, warning him that she has a spy and will tell their mother everything if things are true.

Walking downstairs, Hye Bin calls Yoo Kyung to reassure her that she has nothing to worry about. Woo Bin was rejected. Yoo Kyung insists that she saw him drop Joo Young off at their company only today. Hye Bin speculates then that he must have been rejected only today. (Dang, Yoo Kyung really irritates me. Can’t we have an antagonist who’s not this underhanded and despicable?! She’s like Iago, presenting herself in the story on a filmsy pretext that she wants to start over with WooB after four years of silence.) Hye Bin hangs up and then wonders to herself what kind of woman Joo Young must be for WooB to have a one-sided crush on her.

The next morning, Joo Young bids her grandmother good day as she leaves for work. Unpleasantly surprised to see Tae Kyung waiting for her outside her house, she asks why he’s here. Tae Kyung tells her that he has something he wants to discuss with her and thought to see her after dropping Chan Ho off at his school. Once inside the car, Joo Young tells him to say what he came here to say, and he admits that he only wanted to see her face. Arriving at her company without much conversation, she gets out of his car and enters the building, all under the watchful eyes of Yoo Kyung, who confronts her in front of the elevator. Yoo Kyung comments that Joo Young’s really audacious to have her husband drop her off today and her lover yesterday. She leaves before Joo Young can mount a proper reply.

Woo Bin’s mother comes to visit Woo Jin’s mother, telling her that she’s only come to visit because Woo Bin’s father kept insisting. She then goes on to explain that she can’t look upon her sister-in-law with forgiveness when Woo Jin’s mother is living such a comfortable life. Woo Jin’s mother stops her and tells her to not bring that up anymore. (Seriously, it's been over 20 years since the scandal.) She continues that as Woo Bin’s mother well knows, she was in a miserable state after the affair herself and was hoping that Woo Bin’s mother’s complete disclosure of what type of woman she was to Woo Jin’s father would dissuade him from wanting to marry her. However, Woo Jin’s father found her, even after she went into hiding so that no one could find her. In all honesty, she hasn’t lived a life of atonement because of Ji Hoon. She’s lived a life of atonement toward her ex-husband, a man who only knew his work, and her two daughters. Was the hurt received from a past love that traumatic for Ji Hoon? Woo Bin’s mother refuses to relent and can’t get over the fact that her brother, who had no reason to go to the states, went there and lived a lonely life. (Woman! He's survived by a wife and child, and it's been 20 years ago...get over it! I'm sure your brother came to terms with his past long before he died. I can't imagine a man pining over an affair he had with his professor's wife for that long, especially knowing about the resulting havoc that was wrecked on her family as well.)

Joo Young, unable to handle Yoo Kyung’s snide comments, goes to Yoo Kyung’s office to clarify matters. She explains that she has neither husband nor lover and that Yoo Kyung, as her supervisor, should refrain from making comments about Joo Young’s personal life. Maintaining her arrogant attitude, Yoo Kyung agrees to refrain, only giving in to her true emotions once Joo Young leaves her office.

Joo Mi calls Woo Jin and asks to meet him since she has something to tell him. Eager to see her, he quickly finishes his report to the head office and meets her at a café. She tells him that she could have told him the news over the phone, but she wanted to see his face since she won’t see him tomorrow and perhaps the day after that. She announces brightly that she’s going on a business trip to Jeju Island for the second installment of the resort series for her magazine. Slowly processing the news, Woo Jin asks if she’s going with that photographer? Just the two of them? On an overnight business trip? (LOL) Unaware of the storm brewing within Woo Jin, Joo Mi brightly answers yes. Woo Jin asks if that makes sense to her. How can she think about going on an overnight trip with another man? He categorically states that she can’t go. Especially since she’s going to be quitting once they get married. He tells her that he’ll give her the money that she earns from the magazine. Joo Mi refuses, stunned that he would even offer her money in place of her employment, and Woo Jin amends that he’ll call it household budget then. Insulted, Joo Mi asks him if he thinks she’s only working because of the money. Does he work purely for money? She enjoys what she does and finds meaning in her work. She plans to continue working once she’s married and hopes that her husband will give her shoulder massages and bring her coffee while she writes, be moved by her writing, etc. Woo Jin insists that he can’t agree to having his future wife go on an overnight trip with another man. He doesn’t want to have a wife who works. She counters that she refuses to quit, childishly repeating "no, no, no" as a way to taunt him and as answers to his future, yet-unspoken questions. He stands up, planting his hands on the table; Joo Mi stands up as well, meeting him head on.

Joo Young, walking back home slowly, stops by the playground and recalls her many memories with WooB, a man who has brought her countless wonderful memories of being cherished, especially during her hardest times. Climbing up the hill to her house, she sighs over WooB’s last comment that he’s really mad at her right now, barely containing his anger like a bomb ready to explode.

On the bank of the Han River, Woo Jin and Joo Mi continue their argument. Woo Jin then tells her that he’ll have to reconsider their upcoming marriage if she insists. Unable to believe her ears, Joo Mi repeats that she will likewise reconsider their upcoming marriage.