THE POTATO LAB
What are you doing?
What about you?
What are you doing here?
- This is-- - Mi-kyung!
Who is it?
What are you doing?
Damn it.
What?
Hey, where did she go?
Finally.
Damn.
Oh, gosh.
I did offer to drive.
I'd rather have my heart explode
than bruise my pride by getting in your car.
Damn it.
So honored you'd deign to accept my water.
Now can you explain what in the world is going on?
Hey.
You're the one who should be explaining yourself.
You're the one who came to my house in the middle of the night!
"House"?
That's your house?
Unbelievable.
Don't act like you didn't know.
Oh, I see.
You came down from Seoul, wandered around Pyeongwon,
got lost, and came across the first place with lights on
and it just happened to be your ex's house?
Wow, what a peculiar coincidence.
You're really living up to your nickname, Park SOB.
Wait, don't tell me
you still have feelings for me.
Is that why you're showing up at my house and at work?
Don't be ridiculous.
Then why are you acting like this?
It's pissing me off the more I think about it.
Was ruining my life not enough for you?
Are you enjoying this?
You sleazy bastard.
Stop it!
I'm not here to see you!
Then who else were you coming to see at my house?
Yoon Hee--
So Baek-ho!
I'm here to see Mr. So.
Corporate received this address as his temporary residence.
I see.
What's this all about?
Why is So Baek-ho living at your house?
Ridiculous.
Living with me?
He's not living with me. He's a guest!
At USB Guesthouse.
Then, a few days ago!
Yoon…
You also met…
Why did it have to be here? Why?
Mr. So, right, So Baek…
Is he out of his mind?
Director So. Hey!
Where's Director So?
Why are you causing a scene?
Mr. So went to sleep hours ago. Just leave.
How do you know that?
- Goodness. - Are you two close?
Are you?
You didn't call him Chief So…
or Director So.
Just Mr. So.
Don't worry about it.
I can call him whatever I want, all right?
I'm not worried!
Why is he so insistent on staying somewhere like that
instead of a nice hotel?
- What? - What's the deal?
Are you two more than just friends?
Yeah! We're best friends.
We soak in the bath together and scrub each other's backs.
Whoa.
Jeez Louise.
Freaking ridiculous.
- You jerk! - Whoa!
Yikes.
By the way,
I won't be held responsible for what happens
if and when you run into Ong-ju.
She bought a hatchet two days ago for self-defense.
Just so you know.
Gosh.
Get lost!
Man…
Good grief.
Of all the bad luck in the world, it just had to be him at my door.
ONE HOUR AND 50 MINUTES AGO
I propose a truce.
I'm so exhausted. I can't do this…
Sending this is as good as admitting defeat.
SO FROM WARD B
Hello?
You can stop apologizing now.
Why?
Are you too exhausted to continue?
No.
When I saw you just now,
you looked pale and sickly.
It concerns me that this might affect your performance.
What?
Seems like you're also worn out,
seeing that you're already getting ready for bed.
I'm not worn out--
Just say you accept my apology.
That you've gone soft-hearted seeing me try so hard.
Isn't that why you called me?
You're right.
I accept your apology.
Okay. Then…
the Ghost Bird incident ends here and now.
Here and now.
Oh wow, look at the time.
Please get some rest.
I'll do the same as well.
All right.
Ms. Kim?
Yes?
Sleep well.
Yes.
You also,
well…
Good…
You sleep too!
Oh my gosh. "Sleep well"?
Who does he think he is?
Sleep well…
EPISODE 6 FALSE GOAT'S BEARD
Mr. Lee.
Hello, Mr. Park.
I didn't wake you, did I?
No, of course not.
I'm sorry, but you're the only person I could call
at a time like this.
Something to do with your ex-wife again?
Mr. Park.
Just make the announcement that you're divorced.
You're in this tired routine of keeping it a secret from everyone
and staying single for years,
just following your ex-wife's trail of crumbs.
What kind of a miserable life is that?
Of course, I know that it's hard to relinquish the title
of the chairman's son-in-law--
Gosh, sleep talking is such a bad habit.
Things got a little complicated.
Hee-jin is currently staying with my ex-girlfriend.
Wait, she's with your ex-girlfriend…
That's crazy.
That's crazy!
No, not like that.
The guesthouse in Pyeongwon is managed by my ex-girlfriend.
So Baek-ho, Yoon Hee-jin, and Kim Mi-kyung,
they're all there together.
The person you hate.
The person who hates you.
And the person who presumably loathes you.
Wow.
The three of them
must be spending every night badmouthing you.
They can say whatever they want about me. I don't care.
The most important thing
is that they do not find out about each other.
Kim Mi-kyung can't find out about Yoon Hee-jin,
and Yoon Hee-jin shouldn't know who Kim Mi-kyung is.
Wait a second.
Kim Mi-kyung?
Wasn't the assistant manager you took to your office for a talk
Kim Mi-kyung?
That's enough of that.
Mr. Lee.
I have a favor to ask.
POTATO LAB
Yes, come in.
What is it?
I'm here to get this confirmed.
It's a report of the contract farms and purchases for next year.
Simply put, it outlines the quantity and variety of potatoes
we will be planting and purchasing.
It's basically the same as this year's, so you just have to sign it.
Understood. You can leave it and go.
You don't really have to look over it.
It's essential to review something before confirming it.
I see.
Okay.
I'll leave it then.
Assistant Manager Kim.
What?
At the lab, please address me properly as Chief So.
Sure thing!
Interim Chief So.
- One more thing. - What now?
Have a good day.
They say this is really good for your back.
Wow, you're so flexible.
Where's the report?
He said he was going to review it and then sign it.
What?
But he's not going to understand any of it.
That's what I'm saying.
I guess he's trying to say, "I'm the boss."
We all know you're the boss, okay?
Hello, this is Bu Jae-joong, the general manager of Potato Lab.
Oh, hello.
Excuse me?
Sorry I'm late.
- What's this for? - I don't know.
Jelly?
Oh, thank you.
We're all here.
Thank you for coming.
Today, I'll be presenting Wonhan Retail's
Potato Lab's 2024 Potato Purchasing Plan.
You are?
What is that?
INTRODUCING NEW VARIETY MARSHALL
Marshall?
I saw it in an article.
It was developed for processing.
But what does that have to do with our purchasing plan?
Starting next year, Wonhan Retail
will be solely introducing the new American variety Marshall
to produce Potachips.
What?
Wait. What do you mean by "solely"?
We're planting just those and not Jangsaeng?
Correct.
Wonhan Retail will no longer be dealing with Jangsaeng.
Jangsaeng is the variety we developed here at Potato Lab.
Why are you pushing it aside
for this new variety?
- I just don't-- - In a nutshell,
because Marshall is a superior variety to Jangsaeng.
What do you know about potatoes?
A superior variety?
Have you grown Marshalls before? Do you know its resistance to disease?
Marshalls are an early season variety with a shorter growth time than Jangsaengs.
Their tubers are extra-large, and their yield
is about 2,000 kg per hectare more than that of Jangsaeng's.
In terms of raw material, that's what makes a superior variety.
A variety that can be harvested faster and in greater quantities.
We understand that in corporate's view,
Marshall seems more cost-effective.
But changing a variety is a huge issue, Chief So.
You can't fry any old potato to produce Potachips.
There are so many factors to consider, starting from their L-values.
JANGSAENG, MARSHALL COMPARISON GRAPHS
As you can see, Marshall and Jangsaeng aren't markedly different in numbers.
Their dry weight, starch content, reducing sugar content,
and the aspartic acid and glutamic acid in their amino acid composition
are similar.
Marshall's L-value is also between 63 and 68,
allowing for Potachips production without a change in quality.
It's not the same potato just because the numbers are similar.
Potachips have been made with Jangsaeng for over 15 years.
If the raw material changes, the flavor will also change.
- Isn't that a change in quality? - Right.
She's right. Jangsaeng is Potachips' identity.
That is why I would like to conduct the first blind test with you,
the Research Team, before putting the plan into action.
These Marshall Potachips have been made by the R&D Team
at Headquarters through the exact same process.
I'll give you all the time you need.
Please proceed with the taste test.
If there is a meaningful difference
between the original Potachips and the Marshall Potachips,
I will cancel my plan altogether.
Go ahead and cancel it.
I'll tell you the difference right here, right now.
Do I need to taste more?
The unique rich flavor, the crispiness.
This is Jangsaeng.
Yeah!
You got this!
Oh my goodness.
Would you mind trying the one next to it?
Is it really necessary? Yes, give her some water.
What is it?
This one…
is also Jangsaeng.
- What? - What?
What?
Wow.
I truly can't figure it out.
It tastes and looks exactly the same.
Which one's ours and which one's theirs?
Even the machines can't figure it out.
The chip color is almost identical too.
What do we do?
Are we getting rid of Jangsaeng like this?
Hey!
Don't give up yet.
He knows how to punch numbers into a spreadsheet,
but he knows jack squat about potatoes.
I'm going to beat him with science and facts, like a true researcher.
Nice.
Breathe in, breathe out.
He didn't have to do this.
He could have at least discussed it with us.
Exactly!
I thought he was just loafing around, but he was actually
planning this scheme behind our backs.
Gosh, I can't believe it.
It's our fault for underestimating the Strategic Planning director.
I remember when I first started working here.
We used to refer to Mr. Hong as "Jangsaeng's Dad."
He wasn't the only one who loved it dearly.
If Mr. Hong is Jangsaeng's father,
then our Mr. Bu is at least
Jangsaeng's aunt--
Where did he go?
- What? - Mr. Bu?
Mr. Bu.
- What? - Is he not there?
NEW VARIETY OF STRONG RESISTANT POTATOES JANGSAENG POTATOES
NEW VARIETY JANGSAENG DEVELOPED
Wow, Mr. Bu. Your hair was thick back then.
What do you mean?
I broke a hairbrush just this morning
because my hair is so thick.
So silly.
Did you really quit smoking, Ms. Kim?
Why?
Don't tell me you started again.
I didn't.
I quit to commemorate
the registration of our Jangsaeng as a new variety.
But it's lingering on my mind today.
Well…
Let's make the calls to the contract farms.
Tell them we're planting Marshalls starting next year.
Mr. Bu.
Chief So made a convincing argument.
If we can get good harvests with huge potatoes,
it's a win for both the farmers and the company.
It is also true that Jangsaeng isn't like it used to be
with the temperatures increasing.
It's time we began using a new variety.
Even if we do use a new variety,
it should be one we developed at our lab.
If we're going to buy someone else's, why have a potato lab
and why have potato researchers?
Good lord,
do you have to rub salt in the wound?
I'm repenting as we speak.
The so-called head of the Research Team
hasn't put out a single new variety for the past 15 years.
What have I been doing?
I didn't mean it like that. I…
Why do you say…
we have no varieties?
Your eyes.
Why do you have crazy eyes again? What are you planning now?
Mr. Bu. Don't make any calls.
We aren't going to use Marshall.
- We don't have to. - Wait, Ms. Kim!
Get permission from me first!
You can't resort to violence, okay?
MAROO
- What is this? - Maroo!
Let's use Maroo instead.
A new variety that we developed in our lab.
You must have failed the blind test if you're redirecting like this.
Not the point.
You said that Marshall's yield is about 2,000 more than Jangsaeng, right?
A good Maroo harvest also yields about that much.
It's also an early season, extra large, just like Marshall.
If their qualities are the same, we might as well use
a domestic variety developed specifically for domestic growth.
Maroo is not an official variety, as far as I know.
Yeah, but give it two years.
It's undergoing biopsy tests right now,
so next year, it'll pass the local regional trials
and then be registered as a variety the year after. Two years.
That's not a long time in this field.
Two years will just fly by in the blink of an eye.
I'm sorry,
but Maroo completing the local regional trials in one year
and passing without any incident,
isn't that wishful thinking on your part?
Yes, but also a prediction.
Because I wish it will happen, then it will happen.
Based on what?
Yes, here.
This is Maroo being grown at Haeman Sweet Potato Lab.
I personally asked them to run trials on an open field.
Even in high temperatures, the potatoes are growing well.
Researchers there are surprised at how well it's adapting.
Is this enough explanation for my confidence in Maroo?
Well…
It's still closer to a prediction than solid evidence,
but I agree with your point that Maroo is more suitable for domestic growth.
Right?
So let's just put your grand plans on hold for just a bit,
and when we harvest the Maroo next month…
I'll be gone…
next month.
Well, I'm not impatient for nothing.
I'll go and see how it's growing.
It should be at its halfway point by now.
Right…
now?
Just wait a few days and go with me on the weekend.
What if you fall asleep on the road?
Driving ten hours round trip isn't easy.
I'd rather leave the weekend untouched
and ruin an already ruined weekday with more work.
And this is a pro tip for long-distance driving that only I know.
When you get sleepy, eat two Bbuldak fire noodles with no water.
You can't fall asleep then.
My gosh, how can someone be like that? Hardworking,
yet insane at the same time.
She works hard because she's insane.
Sane people don't do that.
You're right.
I'll drive you, Ms. Kim.
Are you going too?
Why? Seems unnecessary.
Maroo's current growth status
is data that will determine a crucial decision for the lab.
As the decision maker,
I have a duty to check the objectivity of the data--
That means you're going to watch her.
Ms. Kim may be overzealous,
but she's not the type to use cheap tricks.
This isn't necessary.
Well…
As the chief of the lab, even in situations like this,
- I must actively-- - Jeez.
Let's just go.
Before you start composing a thesis on why we need to go together.
I'm off.
Oh my goodness!
How did you know my knees were bad?
Thank you, young man.
The Korean way of respecting your elders still lives on.
I'll see you tomorrow.
- Ms. Ju. - It's not just me, right?
You felt it too, right? There's something there, right?
But,
it just doesn't make any sense.
To get into a situationship with the man who fired you?
That's insane.
To get into a situationship with the person you fired?
Pure lunacy.
Maybe lunacy is what brought them together.
But still, how is this possible?
Ms. Kim even said
that she'll never date someone from the same company again.
She said that if she ever does,
she'll change her name to Dog Mi-kyung.
Guess she'll be applying for a name change soon.
We should start practicing saying "Ms. Dog."
- Ms. Dog. - Ms. Dog?
- Ms. Dog.
- Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog - Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog
- Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog, yo! - Yeah!
- Ms. Dog, yo! Ms. Dog - Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog
- Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog
Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog
Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog
That was great!
- Yeah? - One more time?
Ms. Dog, Ms. Dog
Oh my.
Why is So Baek-ho all wrapped up in this?
How do I separate them?
EDITED ONE HOUR AGO
MK0531.
That's Mi-kyung's birthday.
Shoot.
POTATOES SAVE THE WORLD!
NO COMMENTS YET
Shoot.
Gosh, that scared me. Hold on.
Yes, this is Park Ki-se.
Hello. No, it's okay.
Are you uncomfortable?
No, not really.
How long have we been driving?
Around 10 km?
1.8 km, actually.
I see.
Should we turn on the radio? It's too quiet, isn't it?
Sure, you can if you'd like.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
What kind of a song is this? Jeez!
I mean, this song is kind of… You know what I mean.
Kids can listen to the radio, too!
Isn't it illegal to play a song like that?
My gosh.
Excuse me?
You know what?
I'll make a playlist of wholesome, nice songs.
Okay.
What kind of songs do you like?
I like rock, like shoegaze.
What?
Rock? You?
Why?
It's not what I expected.
I thought you'd listen to Bach,
Schumann or other people like that.
I see…
So you do have some good taste.
I don't know how you see me,
but I do have interests and emotions
like everyone else. I am a human being, after all.
Then do you cry when you're sad?
Are you being serious?
Yes!
I simply can't imagine you crying, Mr. So.
When was the last time you cried?
You're taking this long to answer?
Never cried in your life, have you?
Beep-beep. You are not a human being.
- You're stainless steel. - A movie.
I recently cried watching a movie.
What movie?
Coco…
Why would you ask me and then laugh at me? What is this?
Wow, just wow.
I could have had such a comfortable work life
holding this over you as leverage.
What a tragedy that I don't have much time left.
I didn't say it to make you feel guilty.
It was just a joke.
Gosh.
Oh my gosh, I'm only saying this
because you keep fidgeting like you're feeling guilty.
I don't blame you for the fact that I'm getting fired.
Obviously, I was furious at first.
I even mentally punched you a few times.
But the fact of the matter is,
you were just doing your job.
Just like how I have to cut off stems as a potato researcher,
you just did your job as the chief of the lab.
But, despite all that,
I really hope
that you'll continue to watch me work a bit more.
I work hard at everything I do.
I'm not saying I'm like, crazy talented
or that I'm extremely smart or anything like that.
But working hard and diligently,
that is something I can do.
So…
I just do it, whether it works out or not.
I try to be active and avoid sitting around.
Even the smallest dot can make a line if you draw enough of them.
Then that line becomes a road.
Don't take this as me begging.
I'm just saying…
because stuff like this isn't written on resumes.
You can decide for yourself whether I'm someone
who deserves another chance.
Yes.
I understand.
All right, time for requests!
DJ MK will play anything you want.
Mr. So Baek-ho from Pyeongwon.
What's your song request?
"Bit by bit…
slowly…
to you."
Okay.
"Bit by bit,
slowly,
to you."
Gosh.
There, there, let's go home.
That was a nice walk, wasn't it?
Let's go home.
What? What did you say?
You don't want to be alone?
Okay, fine.
Then both of you can get right into my belly.
For heaven's sake.
Just admit that you're an alcoholic.
And quit the dumb one-woman show.
Don't listen to him. We're meant to be together.
Let's go to my room.
UGLY KIM HWAN-KYUNG SO UGLY
You're all invited to the welcome party for Yoon Hee-jin!
This is your ticket.
What are you doing?
Why did you keep this?
Keep what?
This. The entry ticket.
Well, it's cute. That's all.
Why? What's wrong?
Ong-ju!
Damn.
What's wrong?
Did I do something wrong?
- Ong-ju. - I think I'm jealous.
What?
I'm jealous that you might like another girl.
What are you talking about?
A minute ago,
I didn't feel anything towards you.
But the moment I saw that sticker,
I saw a whole montage unfold
of you and the girl friend of the guest in Ward B
holding hands, getting married, and celebrating your baby's birthday.
And all of a sudden,
my mood dropped.
But it's not real. Right?
I'm just being possessive, right?
I'm probably just worried that I'll lose the guy
who cooks everything for me, right?
Lee Ong-ju!
Are you kidding me?
I confessed to you three times.
You rejected me when I was 17 because I was too young.
You rejected me when I was 20 because you were too busy.
At 23, it was because you'd known me too long
and didn't see me that way.
And the night before I enlisted in the army,
you said we should forget about it.
That you slept with me because you broke up with Hyun-sung
and not because you liked me.
And now you're upset
because I might like someone else?
What is wrong with you?
Am I just a toy to you? A placeholder?
You know how long I've liked you! So how could you say that?
You're so…
so freaking cruel.
Hwan-kyung.
Kiss me.
What?
What are you playing at?
- If you're playing with me again-- - Oh, come on!
Just do it!
It is…
doable.
MAIN BUILDING
Oh, man…
I'm sorry.
I didn't realize I fell asleep.
Are we…
What?
Wait, where did he go?
Having a good time?
Yes.
I haven't done that since middle school, but it's still funny.
Oh my!
What are you doing here by yourself? This is my job.
You were sleeping so soundly. I couldn't wake you.
I measured the above-ground height
from that end there to here.
Whoa, you did a lot--
What?
Wait a second.
You have to be freaking kidding me.
These are sweet potatoes, not potatoes!
You know, that viral meme? "It's sweet potato!"
- What? - What kind of potato lab chief
can't tell apart a potato and a sweet potato?
Yeah, look.
Look at that. You can tell it's not a potato just by the leaf alone.
I see.
I thought it looked strange,
but I assumed it was a different shape because it's warmer.
Jeez.
This is what happens when you just memorize potato facts
like test answers.
I can't even tell anyone this happened because it makes me look bad.
Gosh. Come on, get up.
Wait, hold on a second.
What?
Oh! Yes!
The Maroo are over there! Look.
They were right in front of you,
and you didn't even notice. Good grief.
So one thing you should know
is that I'm slightly blind at night--
Be quiet and follow me.
Jeez!
Good gracious.
What kind of crazy person parked their car like--
Wait. This is Chief So's car.
Emergency, emergency!
How many times do I have to tell you to speak softly in the morning?
I'm already in a bad mood just because I'm at work.
No! Outside!
Outside!
No, wait.
You have to see with your own eyes to believe it.
Come on, let's go outside. Come on, hurry up!
For heaven's sake.
- Let's go. Come on. - What is it?
What is this?
Wait.
Why is Mi-kyung here with Chief So?
They went down to Haeman
to check on the Maroo growth.
They must have arrived in the morning and passed out.
She's right.
They're just here because of work.
Don't be silly. Two single people
go all that way in one car,
work overnight together,
come back and fall asleep together
in this small, enclosed area?
Is this something "just co-workers" would do?
I mean, it is unlikely for someone like Ms. Kim.
Remember when Mr. Park from the Processing Team asked her out.
- Right! - She told him she was
selling her kidney to pay off her gambling debt.
It was a legendary rejection.
I thought Ms. Kim liked me.
What?
What on earth are you talking about, Hee-dong?
Enough chitchat.
Even to me,
they look like they have something going on.
Now the problem is, how do we deal with this?
Firstly, for me…
I'm against this marriage.
What? Why?
They're adults. They can date if they want to.
Where else can you find someone as thoughtful as Ms. Kim these days?
She needs a man who's deep and thoughtful like her,
instead of a calculating guy like him,
so they can live happily ever after.
Yes, I also agree that MK has a great personality.
I really do.
But consider their looks.
Consider their qualifications. Their assets.
Chief So really does shine brighter.
If I were a woman,
I would've been hitting on him nonstop.
Oh, that son of a gun.
It's already been 30 minutes?
I feel like I just closed my eyes.
I'll count yesterday's work trip
as today's workload.
Go home and rest.
You're breaking your own principles?
I'll take a half-day and come back at lunch.
I need to organize all the numbers and run the Maroo growth report by you,
so you can decide on whether to make the call.
By the way,
what was the answer?
The blind taste test with Jangsaeng and Marshall.
I tasted them carefully, but I couldn't find a difference.
Of course you couldn't.
Both bags were Potachips made with Marshall potatoes.
What?
Wow.
Wow. You conned the researchers?
I never lied.
I asked you to find a meaningful difference
between the Jangsaeng product and the Marshall.
I didn't say you had to pick either A or B.
Wow.
You know that's a really cheap trick, right?
Is it cheap?
It was a trick, but it proved my point
that there wouldn't be a difference in quality.
Gosh…
You're so annoying sometimes.
Because you always say the right thing.
Don't tell me "sleep well" today.
I wasn't even thinking about saying it…
What?
What are you all doing here?
- What? - Stretches!
What?
One, two, three, four.
Two, two, three, four.
- Research Team, stand up! - And up!
Deep breath.
One, two, three, four.
- And down again. - Down again!
- What is this? What's going on? - Two, two,
- three, four. - What is this good for?
- Five, six, seven-- - Me too! I want to do it too!
- Eight. The end. - What is this?
- And up again! - What is this?
Oh my!
When did you wake up?
Thirty minutes ago.
Yeah, me too.
Why didn't you say you were up?
The awkwardness was suffocating.
Because I was scared
you'd wave this one off too
and friendzone me again.
You worry way too much.
I wasn't drunk and it wasn't a one-night stand.
I made the decision using my brain with an IQ of 130.
So,
don't worry.
Ong-ju.
We're dating now. Yes?
Yes.
We're dating.
What do you want for breakfast?
It's the first meal I'm making as your boyfriend.
Tell me everything you want to eat.
Come on.
Is food really important right now?
Give me a kiss first.
Ong-ju!
Hwan-kyung!
- What? She didn't go to work? - I don't know!
Pants, your pants!
- Put them on! - Hwan-kyung!
Yeah! Just a second!
You're here?
Clean your room once in a while!
How do you have maggots in there?
I know, right?
I was so shocked.
I almost fainted.
Thank you for helping me.
You two…
have some sandwiches, if you're hungry. They're in the fridge.
Why are you home right now, anyway?
Did you sleep somewhere else?
Yeah. I went on a work trip.
Overnight? Alone?
Who else would I be going with on a work trip?
Wait a second.
You two didn't know I didn't come home until now?
- Wait, what? - What?
Well…
I was a bit busy last night.
Yeah, me too. I was busy too.
Both of you? Busy doing what?
Did you two…
play cards all night long again?
I told you to be careful!
A small bet snowballs like crazy,
and before you know it, you go bankrupt!
Gambling should not be taken lightly.
Okay, we won't do it again.
Be careful.
- Okay. - I'm watching you.
- Yeah. - Don't you dare.
Go, rest up.
Lord, have mercy.
I was so nervous.
But just in case, come down after five minutes.
I'll have coffee ready.
Hey.
Aren't you forgetting something?
Whoa, my gosh.
Baek-ho.
Oh, you didn't have to.
How come there isn't a single café around here?
I wouldn't have come empty-handed otherwise.
What brings you here? I wasn't expecting you.
Oh, I see. You don't want me beating around the bush.
I'm sure you're not here just to chat.
I have work to attend to.
I'm sure you do.
Director So doesn't waste a minute of his time.
Here.
What is it?
You know Director Lee is rolling in money, right?
I heard his parents had a vacation home here,
so I begged and begged him for the keys.
It's not that far from the lab
and has a caretaker too.
You just have to move in.
Right now?
What do you mean? Do you know how bad I felt?
I'm the one who sent you here,
but I wasn't able to take care of you at all.
It's fine.
I'm used to business trips,
and I'm fine with where I'm staying.
How can it be fine? You're such a quiet person
and you have to stay in that tiny guesthouse
with other people.
It's not as noisy as you think.
And you know
that it's more uncomfortable for me to owe someone.
Think of it as a gesture of goodwill.
While I'm here, I'll help you move your stuff. Let's go.
What?
Ki-se.
Is there a reason why I have to go there?
What about you?
Is there a reason why you have to stay at that guesthouse?
Do you?
That guesthouse, it's run by Mi--
Who was it?
Assistant Manager Kim at this lab, right?
She manages the place, doesn't she?
You hate getting personally involved with co-workers.
You have to keep interacting with her,
but I don't hear a single word of complaint from you.
How did you know that?
And! You forgot what yesterday was, didn't you?
Didn't you?
Yesterday…
The MOU with Final Global.
You devoted all your time to it for months.
The special resolution was yesterday and you didn't even ask about it.
Who are you spending time with these days
that you would forget such an important issue?
I've never seen you like this before.
You know that?
Seriously.
I mean…
I understand that you're focused on your work,
but in the end, you're here temporarily.
The goal is to downsize.
So don't lose your focus, okay?
Oh, hello!
Who is he saying hello to?
- I don't know. - No, he was just right there.
The son-in-law of Wonhan's Chairman Wang.
Director Kim. No, Director Oh.
- Executive Director Park Ki-se? - Yes!
You saw him here?
Yeah.
The news about Ms. Kim and Chief So must have been quite a shock.
- It made you see things. - No.
He was definitely right there, peeking in to look at us.
Goodness, do you think executive directors have that much time?
Why would he come to Pyeongwon from Seoul for no reason?
- No, I-- - Come on, Hee-dong.
Get it together.
Now you know.
Ms. Kim likes good-looking guys.
You had no chance with her.
I'm getting worried about him.
How did he even get into our lab?
FINAL GLOBAL MOU
FINAL GLOBAL CEO BAE SANG-HYUP
POWER OFF
It's Director So from Wonhan Retail's Strategic Planning Department.
I apologize for calling you back so late.
Right, yes.
ASSISTANT MANAGER KIM MI-KYUNG
What?
The person you're trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message…
Why aren't you picking up?
I had something to say.
I didn't see it.
Regarding our trip tomorrow to the PMI Task Force,
I'll drive your car for you. Let's go together.
Let me repay you for driving all the way to Haeman.
It's all right.
I'd rather go on my own.
I see.
What's wrong with him now?
Jeez.
When did you get here?
Hey.
Just now.
No kidding. It was yesterday.
Wow, I slept for 22 hours straight.
I really am living my best life.
Don't raise the TV volume over 20 when you're watching a movie.
Please. I'm a little tired today.
Where do you think you're going?
Don't you know I have an important problem that I have to solve right now?
What problem?
The person of interest that you've been hiding from me.
I'm going to find her.
I have an amazing plan, you know.
Even you can't escape it.
I'm already escaping.
You're right. Wait!
Would you look at that?
You're ignoring me, right?
Fine.
Let's see…
how long…
you can keep this up.
Well,
this was just the first step.
The second step is…
Why are you touching them?
Yoon Hee-jin's Tactile Play!
Oh, look at that. This is going to wrinkle so fast.
Look, it's already wrinkled.
The shirt's going to be ruined.
You're really making me bring out the big guns, aren't you?
Your provocations are childish.
This is more of a disaster than a provocation.
Do you know what these are?
These are my favorite sneakers.
That's right. I haven't washed them in six years.
I even wore these on the Camino de Santiago last year.
In the middle of summer.
- Hey, wait, Hee-jin, you-- - Here we go.
Where should I step with these first?
That pristine white bed is looking so appealing right now.
- Yeah. - Okay, fine!
Fine.
- You're going to tell me? - Yeah.
Fine, I will. So just get those
out of my room right now.
So who is it?
Where did you meet her? How long has it been?
She's from work.
Oh my gosh! An office romance?
Holy cow, this is so thrilling already.
Do you secretly hold hands?
Do you gaze longingly at each other across the meeting room?
Never. It's not a romance either.
Why not? Don't you like her?
I never said I liked her.
Why haven't you told her you like her when you do?
Are you going to keep nitpicking?
I'm not nitpicking. I'm asking insightful questions.
You like her. You miss her. You want to be with her.
So why aren't you dating her?
Jeez.
It's not as simple as that.
Dummy. The heart is simple.
It's a green light or a red light.
Erase everything from the world
and just imagine her, standing across the street.
What color's the light?
Yellow.
What?
The yellow light that comes on the moment you step onto the stop line.
That's what she's like to me.
That's so lame.
You classify everything as right or wrong,
but your own heart is a gray area?
Boo.
So Baek-ho, what a coward.
Boo.
I know.
If one cannot manage the work appropriately
and only focus on getting the deal through
or fail to efficiently maneuver through the merger,
it could become a failed M&A.
The major risks according to the life cycle of the M&A.
If you look at this graph here, it's divided between the size of resources
and the M&A cycles.
The two stages are approach and execution.
During the approach stage, you establish a plan for the M&A,
target screening, due diligence, and negotiations.
And lastly, the execution stage is the merger.
Now, if you take a look at the main causes of major risks per stage,
firstly, the approach risk
is focusing the resources on the deal itself…
Eat up.
Nice, pork cutlet.
I knew it! It's Kim Mi-kyung.
Kim Mi-kyung?
It is her?
Wait, she's looking at us.
What about her?
She dated Mr. Park.
- Mr. Park-- - Hey, be quiet.
And then she got kicked out of the company.
- She really got kicked out? - Yeah.
Just eat.
Wait, I can't see her. She got kicked out?
When?
Chief.
How long did they date?
I can't hear you. Speak up.
So you're saying she suddenly came back to the company
where her ex is an executive director.
Unbelievable.
SIX YEARS AGO
Isn't it so funny?
Seriously.
I know, right? It's so famous.
- No, it's not. - That's crazy.
- I thought it was someone else. - Really?
Hello.
Let's go to the bathroom.
I'll go with you.
I suddenly remembered I had something to do.
Hey!
Man.
Today sucks so much.
Hello, this is Assistant Manager Kim Mi-kyung.
That was a rather aggressive entrance.
- Have a seat-- - Shut up!
I came to tell you to never call me again.
I'm going to change my number today
and throw this phone into the East Sea and leave it to drown
in the salt water because I had to hear your voice through it.
That's how much I hate talking to you. Understand?
It was just one phone call.
Were you crying?
Get your eyes checked.
Why would I cry?
You can't fool me. You cried.
What happened? Did someone say something?
Okay.
Get to the point already.
If you called me here for something stupid,
I'm actually going to kill you.
I'll kill you even if it's something important.
I'll kill you!
Fine. Kill me.
Director So just sent up the form to fire you.
What?
Right now?
Not a few weeks ago?
- Today? - Yeah, today.
And here I thought you two were super close
the way you speak to him.
I'm not going to sign off on it for a while, so don't worry.
But I thought you should know that Director So made his decision.
What do you need me to do?
Sleep well.
I really hope
that you'll continue to watch me work a bit more.
Kim Mi-kyung.
What a fool you've made of yourself.
I…
I was so stupid…
I didn't even know.
Are there any other flowers that you like?
False goat's beard?
What's with the flower pot up there?
Why are you growing that?
Because it's a flower I like? Is that really why?
Can you just tell me I'm not your person of interest?
That I'm nothing, that I misread everything?
Can you just tell me that right now?
One day you're ice cold, then you're all warm and kind,
but just when I start to like being with you,
you pull back suddenly and act like I'm not even a passing thought.
It's driving me absolutely nuts.
All you talk about are principles,
but you come and go as you please through my heart, without any rules.
Why?
Do you even have a why?
Or do you just think I'm a total idiot?
- Ms. Kim Mi-kyung. - Just be honest with me!
What am I to you, Mr. So Baek-ho?
A line I want to cross.
- You want to talk? - Yes. Talk.
Okay, we can do all that.
But…
This first.
Stop.
A line? This country has only one line you can cross.
What should I do? I must be crazy.
What time were you born?
And what about Chief So? When was he born?
Please stop! Can someone sedate him already?
Kim Mi-kyung is not someone you can take advantage of!
Egg-kick!
It's about what happened six years ago.
Ms. Kim.
I'm here…
to ask you out.
Instead of having dinner, can we do something else?
Subtitle translation by Grace Kim