Man of Honor Episode 5

There is this strange and odd person who repeatedly insists that I change the title of my recaps from Man of Honor to Glory Jane, claiming that is the official English title. Setting aside the fact that the majority of the English blogosphere has been using MoH instead of GJ, plus this is my blog and I can call it whatever I want, this week KBS partnered with Dramafever to have fans select the official English title and ended up with
Young Love Jae In (seriously?).
Way to have your petard handed to you, kiddo. Anyways, I’m still tempted to call this Sir-Munch-A-Lot Episode 5 Recap, because now I’m inexplicably fond of that random name I pulled out of my ass last week. But because episode 5 of MoH continues to make me happy and more enthralled of this drama than ever, I shant punish it for the sins of another. Man of Honor, you make my day!
Episode 5 recap:

This episode starts with a series of flashbacks to fill in the gap for scenes that happened in episode 4 but actually had more details than was initially shown. Young Kwang kneels before Jae In and apologizes to her for not being able to fulfill her wish and hit a home run for her. He gives her a deep bow as he says sorry to his fan, using this moment to say goodbye to his 17 year baseball career. Jae In voiceovers that she first became his fan in high school.

As Jae In nears her high school graduation, she receives a letter of referral to work for a company as an entry-level assistant. She tells the kind sister that she wants to go to nursing school, but is told the orphanage cannot pay for her education beyond high school. Jae In dejectedly walks and thinks that she is at the crossroads of her future profession at this point.

She sees folks gathered watching a baseball game, with the announcer discussing that Kim Young Kwang player is at bat. His team is trailing 5-2, but right now there are loaded bases and two outs. So Young Kwang can win the game with a home run. Jae In hears the name Young Kwang and she takes out her baseball to read the note.

She is pleased to know there really is a baseball player with the name Young Kwang. Jae In hurries into the room to watch Young Kwang at bat. Young Kwang doesn’t swing at a series of balls and strikes, so pretty soon there is a full count on the board. Of course there is. This drama can’t let a bases loaded, bottom-of-the-ninth, full count moment to pass it by.

Jae In nervously watches and grips her ball tightly. She suddenly stands up and screams at the TV for Kim Young Kwang to hit a home run. She voiceovers that she bet her future on Young Kwang at that moment – if he strikes out she’ll give up college, if he hits a home run she will continue to pursue her nursing dreams. Jae In is so so adorable as she screams for Kim Young Kwang to hit that home run!

The pitch comes and Young Kwang swings his bat. With a resounding smack, he sends the ball flying towards the outfield. The ball clears the outfield and lands in the bleachers, a clear strong home run. Young Kwang rounds the bases to the cheers of the crowd. Jae In dances with joy in front of the TV, thanking him. Because of him that day, she did not give up on her dreams.

Jae In asks Young Kwang why he is giving up his baseball dreams. Young Kwang can’t selfishly pursue his dreams and stay in the minor leagues with no future. He is the head of the household now and he has to support his family. Young Kwang cries as he says that he needs to be a man now and make a clean break. Don’t cry, PIE! Jae In can only watch without any reassuring response.

In Woo drives his car and flashes back to earlier when he confronted In Chul about a newspaper report that he took bribes and is now retiring from his baseball career. In Chul says he’s investigating where this report came from. In Woo doesn’t care, he just wants it cleared up so he can return to the team next week. In Chul tells In Woo to talk to his own dad about letting In Woo stay with the team.

In Woo screams back that his dad won’t talk with him without losing his temper. If he allows his dad to blacken his name and force him to retire from baseball and come work for the company, that will destroy him. He will likely revert to his previous condition, making him a ticking bomb of a mess. In Chul smiles and says that might not be a bad thing. That is the only way for In Woo’s dad to change his mind, to see In Woo destroyed first.

Young Kwang cleans out his team locker. He looks at his bat and thinks back to his dad cheering him on and being proud of him. As Young Kwang walks out on the baseball field carrying his box of belongings, he imagines the imaginary crowd calling his name and cheering him on. Young Kwang sighs and shakes his head, then runs into In Woo who is getting ready to practice by himself.

In Woo asks Young Kwang if he’s really going to give up? Young Kwang tells In Woo to stop bothering him today because he’s in a bad mood. In Woo asks if that is all Young Kwang has to show for himself? Young Kwang throws his box of stuff down and turns to grab In Woo by the collar. Young Kwang is pissed because he has no money and got hurt, he’s even more pissed that someone without talent could succeed while he can’t. He’s even more pissed that In Woo is retiring after simply breaking his nose.

That pisses In Woo off as well, who insults Young Kwang more. When Young Kwang moves to hit In Woo, the latter tells him not to fight since he doesn’t have a father or coach to cover for him anymore. Young Kwang lowers his fist, before raising it back up and punching In Woo in the face. Young Kwang may not have a dad to pay his debt or a coach to apologize on his behalf, but he will never ever lower his head in front of In Woo. He would rather go to jail than bow his head in front of In Woo.

The two start tussling and fighting in earnest until suddenly the light in the tunnel turns on and a woman’s sexy long legs walks out on the field. She stops before the two boys and tosses her head back. She recognizes Young Kwang as the guy she knew and teases that he’s just the type she likes.

Back at the office, Dae Sang tells Young Do that the two guys they are scouting for their team, one is a star #4 player, the other a washed-up #2 player. Theoretically the star player wins every time, but the washed up player has more desire and will always try to catch up, giving him greater potential. But they need something that can be a game changer to motivate the washed up player.

Jae In hands her savings to Young Kwang’s mom and offers to lend it to the family in exchange for allowing her to live with them. Everyone is shocked at her request but she remains firm and happy. Youngest sister Jin Joo can only complain about this situation and voices her objection. Grandma mentions the debt, and also Jae In having no place to go. Mom sits in silence considering the situation. Grandma says if they want to take her money, they need to accept Jae In.

Mom stares at the picture of her husband, remembering his last words were to return Jae In to her…….(and he passes before finishing the sentence). Young Kwang takes Jae In to the restaurant to spend the night. He asks her what she’s doing? Jae In smiles that jokes that she’s pretty, has manners, and can help pay off debt, they can get an extra family member if they accept her.
Young Kwang asks if Jae In has considered his mom, and whether Jae In isn’t scare after getting slapped last time? Jae In smiles, his mom won’t hit her since she’s come with money. Young Kwang asks about her job at the hospital, and she reassures him there is nothing to worry about there.

In Woo goes to the hospital and finds out Jae In has quit, leading him to wonder if it was because of her suspension. Head nurse arrives to talk with In Woo. Jae In tells Young Kwang that she can’t stand working for the head nurse who insists on her way or the highway and forces everyone to do her bidding. Jae In quit her job and got the severance money, which went towards the debt amount.

Young Kwang screams at her for quitting her job. He didn’t ask her to do it. Does she think he’ll just thank her for doing it? Does she think he’s just an elementary school student who can’t do anything? He already felt bad for being the reason she missed her nursing exam, and now she quit her job because of him. Does she think he’ll accept the money!
Jae In says she can take the exam next year, and can find another nursing job. Why is he being so difficult? The most important thing is getting the house deed back. He still refuses to take her money no matter what. He wants her to return to her original place, return the severance and go back to work as a nurse. Young Kwang leaves the restaurant, but stops to look back towards Jae In.

Head Nurse tells In Woo that Jae In left because she did something with a male patient. In Woo asks if Jae In was in love with a male patient? Head nurse refuses to answer that question directly. We see Head Nurse confront Jae In with Young Kwang’s letter, asking how long she’s been dating a patient? Jae In reads the letter and keeps reading the line where Young Kwang asks if he can still see her again.

Jae In is so happy Head Nurse has to yell her name a few times to get her attention. Head Nurse wants Jae In to write a letter of apology to reflect on her misconduct. If she refuses, then Jae In needs to quit. This hospital doesn’t need a nurse who refuses to follow rules. If Jae In apologizes to Head Nurse now, she can stay.

Jae In says she’ll write it. Jae In tells Head Nurse that she’ll write her resignation letter which will say that if she as a nurse needs to see her superior’s poor attitude at work every day, then her life is not worth living. Jae In writes her resignation letter while Head Nurse warns her that no other hospital will take her. Jae In says she has a place to go, a family. Her family needs her now, and that is where she is going. Good for you, Jae In!

Head Nurse flashes back to Jae In quitting so disrespectfully in front of her and resumes telling In Woo that such a poor nurse won’t be working at this hospital anymore. She asks In Woo if nurse Jae In did something upsetting to him? In Woo smiles and says he’s even more intrigued by Jae In now. As he walks away, he mutters to himself, asking why it had to be Kim Young Kwang (who sent the letter to Jae In).

Jae In sits in the restaurant and takes out Young Kwang’s letter to reread it. She confesses that she came because she wanted to see Young Kwang again as well. Where is she supposed to go now? Young Kwang is tempted to go back inside the restaurant but he stops himself, walking away with a frustrated sigh.

In Chul is told by his lackey that Yoon Jae In has been found. There is an orphanage where Young Kwang’s dad donated money for 17 years, and they found her there. In Chul gets a file on Jae In, including her pictures. He’s told Jae In just quit her hospital job and hasn’t been located yet. In Chul wants Jae In brought to him directly.

Jae In ends up sleeping on a row of chairs in the restaurant. Mom walks up to her and kicks Jae In awake. Mom then grabs Jae In by the hair, screaming at her for daring to come here and sleep soundly. Mom would rather die than take Jae In’s money. Mom tosses Jae In out with her bag and money, throwing rice at her to ward off evil. Jae In cries as dramatic music plays.

Of course that turns out to be a fantasy….of Mom’s! LOL. Mom clenches her fist as she stares at the still sleeping Jae In. She remembers her husband asking her to treat Jae In well on his deathbed. She kicks Jae In awake, who stares at Mom with a confused sleepy gaze. Jae In greets Mom warmly, calling her ahjumma.

Mom berates Jae In for sleeping here last night. She tosses the money down and says that until she can repay Jae In, she will take rent and expenses from Jae In, who also needs to do her own chores. Yay, Mom is a softy! Jae In is so happy she’s been accepted, while Mom yells that it’s Jae In who wants to come, she’s not inviting her.

Mom brings Jae In home, where Grandma and the sisters are eating breakfast. Jae In happily comes in with all her bags. She greets Grandma and her older and younger sisters. Jin Joo is appalled while Kyung Joo remains impassive. Does Kyung Joo have any emotion other than a blank face? Grandma warmly welcomes Jae In.

Jin Joo whines to Kyung Joo about Jae In coming to live with them. Kyung Joo says Jin Joo can come up with the money if she doesn’t like it. I love how direct she is with annoying Jin Joo. Grandma takes Jae In to her room, which used to be Jin Joo’s room, but she is too scared to sleep alone and went to sleep in Kyung Joo’s room.

Grandma thanks Jae In for saving this family. Jae In says she’s a part of the family and this is what she should do. Grandma says Jae In is so understanding, and asks Jae In to come to her in the future if she has any problems.

Mom sits in her room and looks at the envelope of money. She asks her husband if he’s happy now? His daughter has been returned to her rightful place, that is what he wanted, right? She cries and calls him a bad man, a man who is so cruel to her. Oh poor Mom.

Young Kwang goes to ask all his former teammates to borrow money, but he hits a brickwall everywhere he goes. He also goes to apply for jobs, but he can’t even qualify since he didn’t go to college. Jae In also goes to apply for nursing jobs but she is turned away because Head Nurse has been badmouthing her to all the other hospitals. What an evil witch!

We watch cross-cut scenes of Young Kwang and Jae In continually get rejected at place after place. Jae In is more resigned while Young Jwang loses his temper, tossing a few things and ripping his resume into pieces in the end.

Young Kwang has drinks with his former coach, who understands it’s difficult for Young Kwang to find a real job. Coach hands him some money, not as much as he needs, but it’s all he can do. He tells Young Kwang to stop approaching the players to borrow money since they are all just kids and don’t have it either. Young Kwang wonders what he should do, just let his family get kicked out and live on the streets?

Should he maintain his baseball player’s pride and integrity even under those circumstances? Coach is shocked to find out Young Kwang’s family is on the brink of losing their home. Young Kwang says no one will offer him a real job because the only skills he has are playing baseball. He’s devoted his life to the sport, but all it has given him is pain and hurt. His pride and integrity as a ballplayer? He’d rather feed it to the dogs right now. Young Kwang leaves but his coach calls after him, saying he got Young Kwang a job.

Young Kwang suddenly takes out an envelope containing a contract which Cha Hong Joo handed to him that night when he was fighting with In Woo. She introduces herself as an employee for In Woo’s dad’s company. Young Kwang recognizes her name as one of his high school classmates. She smiles and tells them to read the contract and then do as it says.

They ask Hong Joo who sent her? She says her boss sent her. She tells them to submit their resumes and then they can meet her boss. Young Kwang crumples up the contract and tosses it in the trash, refusing to consider working for that company. He walks away, only to walk back and pick that contract out of the trash. Good boy, Kim Young Kwang.

In Woo reads the contract at home and sighs. He goes downstairs and runs his mom, who wants him to go to an interview with him. He brushes her off and walks over to his dad’s study. He takes a very deep breath before knocking very softly on the door. His dad tells him to enter. In Woo slowly opens the door and tentatively enters, turning around the close the door behind him, his fear barely hidden below the surface.

In Woo walks up to his dad, who already has In Chul standing there. In Woo hands his dad the contract, asking his dad for a trade. If he submits his resume, he wants his dad to extend the time for his retirement. In Woo asks for some extra time because he’s not ready to go to the company yet, but he’s so scared and nervous he starts stuttering and neck twitching again.

His dad slams down his book and walks up to grab In Woo by the cheek, asking if the boy is daring to talk terms with him? In Woo tries to say he’s not suitable to take over the company, and finally gets up the courage to blurt out that he doesn’t want to go to the company. His dad flies into a rage and tosses In Woo down on the sofa.

He grabs a giant vase and throws it on the cowering In Woo, but instead it’s In Chul who shields In Woo and takes the brunt of the impact. In Chul tells In Woo to hurry up and go upstairs because his father is in a rage right now. In Woo’s mother comes in to see this act of violence, but she does and says nothing to her husband. In Chul’s arm is bleeding from the shattered vase. In Woo quickly runs out of the study. His psychotic dad wonders why his only son refuses to obey him? Uhm, karma, maybe? He tells In Chul to clean up the mess.

In Woo runs into his room and closes the door behind him. He hurries up and takes some medicine from his drawer and swallows some pills. He then crawls to the closet and huddles inside, twitching in fear. Okay, that is just horrific to see. I hope In Woo’s dad gets eaten very slowly by rabid snails. I’m glad this drama dares to show such horrific abuse by a parent to a child instead of pretending that striking one’s child is okay in K-dramas. Violence is NEVER okay.

In Woo’s mom tries to counsel her husband to be less demanding of In Woo, who has just returned to them. His dad is angry to have such a weak son. Mom tries get In Woo’s dad to let In Woo play ball for another year, but dad says there is no time left for that. Mom wonders if In Chul is alright, while In Woo’s dad says In Chul got to this position for a reason. Mom asks in surprise if In Woo’s dad knew In Chul would block the vase. In Woo’s dad says In Chul can repay him with his body is all. In Woo’s mom smiles and calls his husband a bad man. Ugh, these two are so vile.

Young Kwang comes back to the restaurant and finds the gangsters outside. They are happy because they got their money and returned the deed to his family. They offer to lend money anytime to Young Kwang. He goes inside and finds his mom sitting alone in the restaurant. Young Kwang asks if she took Jae In’s money and repaid the debt to get back the house deed. She confirms she did, but argues that Jae In came to them willing to lend them the money. Young Kwang is still upset.

Jae In is at a coffee shop where she just got a job. She tells herself to work here in the meantime while still applying for nursing jobs. I love how pragmatic she is. Jae In leaves the coffee shop, where In Chul’s men have found her, and have informed In Chul. Jae In gets lost on her way home, stopping when she senses someone following her.

Jae In gets a call from Young Kwang and she immediately asks why he’s calling her. Young Kwang asks if she’s an idiot, and we see him holding a giant piece of paper where Jae In’s written a note asking him to call her. LOL. He says her note was written in such huge letters, how could he miss it. She was worried since he hasn’t been home in a few days. He asks where she is?

Jae In says she’s been walking around for awhile but may be lost since she’s new to Seoul. She tries to describe her surroundings to Young Kwang, who tells her to stay put and he’ll go bring her home. Jae In smiles and says she will stay put and wait for him to come find her. Young Kwang rushes out of the house, with Grandma trying to stop him with some dinner.

Jae In stands in the street and smiles, not afraid anymore because Young Kwang is coming to get her. Suddenly a car pulls up and a man rolls down the window, asking her a question. Next we see Young Kwang arriving at the spot but he doesn’t see any sign of Jae In. Young Kwang calls her cell and hears a ringing, looking down to see her cell phone dropped on the ground. He starts screaming her name out loud. We see Jae In has been abducted by In Chul’s people.

In Chul sits in his car, still in pain from where his arm met In Woo’s dad’s flying vase of rage. In Chul ignores In Woo’s dad’s call, who is angry that In Chul would dare not answer his call. He calls someone else and asks for In Chul to be found immediately.

Young Kwang rushes to the police station and asks them to please check the CCTV of the nearby convenience store. Police ask who is missing, and he replies Yoon Jae In, my younger sister.

Jae In is dragged to an isolated building and we see In Chul arriving. When walking up the stairs, Jae In trips and uses that opportunity to run away from her abductors. Jae In manages to hide and elude them for a bit. When the coast is clear, she tries to run away only to come face-to-face with In Chul. He reaches out and grabs her by the neck. You hear Jae In calling for help in her mind.

The police watch the CCTV footage with Young Kwang and see clearly that Jae In was forced into a car by some men. They immediately move to locate that vehicle. Young Kwang stares at Jae In getting abducted and he looks angry and terrified for her.

We hear Jae In’s repeated screams for help as the camera suddenly pans to the hospital room where Jae In’s mom has been in a coma for the past 17 years. Suddenly Jae In’s mom’s eyes slowly open. Jae In calls out for help from Young Kwang and we see her key necklace suddenly flash. Young Kwang appears to sense something because he suddenly calls out Yoon Jae In.
Thoughts of Mine:
This drama is getting goooood, isn’t it? I’m so happy to see how hard Young Kwang and Jae In are fighting for what matters to them. They can be handed a crappy deck in life’s card game, but Jae In uses her cheerful nature to cope while Young Kwang is like a bull ready to ram each and every obstacle in his path. Now that Jae In is living with the Kim family, I’m just happy that she got a family at long last. Even if it’s not her real family, I can see how this is the best resolution for everyone. I honestly believe that Young Kwang’s dad would have raised Jae In himself but for In Woo’s dad being a threat to her.

In Woo’s dad’s physical, emotional, and mental abuse of In Woo sickens me. I don’t believe we’re to assume In Woo must not be his real son, but more that he’s such a warped and twisted person that he would not hesitate to inflict pain on his real son at any moment, for any infraction. I see now that In Woo channels all his fear into a false bravado and uses baseball as an safe haven from his father. I think In Woo ought to thank Heaven he has a rival as proud as Young Kwang, someone he can compete with as men in all aspects of life. That will make them both stronger, and likely help them find a middle ground when they realize that they are really not all that different after all.

Jae In is officially my favorite Park Min Young character and performance. I love how she stood up to the unprofessional Head Nurse who clearly has it out for Jae In personally. The way she wrote her resignation letter proudly and just walked out of there, I let out a whoop of joy. Same with Young Kwang, who refuses to bow down to In Woo even when he has nothing left to fall back on. It’s nice to see how strong Young Kwang’s mom tries to be, even as she finally accepts Jae In into the family with a mixture of pragmatism and resignation.

Because I see this drama as operating under the umbrella of fate and fantasy, I love all how the story creates so many intertwined fates and unresolved issues all around. Now that Jae In’s mom is awake, she could either be offed by In Woo’s dad soon or be brought back into the story and allowed to reunite with her long-lost daughter somewhere down the line. All I know is that I care about this story and what happens to everyone, especially my adorable and perfect-for-each other Young Kwang and Jae In.