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[Spoiler] The Thousandth Man: Episode 3 Recap

by: Raine

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I am so sad. This episode dropped to 3.9% according to AGB Nielsen Nationwide. Why? WHY?! I honestly believe this is due to the T-ara debacle. The cast is doing a stellar job, Hyomin very much included.

The beauty of this show is that it takes the same old story and portrays it in a way that gets me RIGHT THERE. It's very intimate, mature, and addresses real issues while also having some very well-timed humorous bits and realistic family dynamics.


Episode 5 - Introduction to Love: Chapter 1

episode 3 recap

Mi-jin watches over Eung-suk as he sleeps. He is covered in sweat and his brow is furrowed. As she dabs the sweat from his face, she remembers doing the same for his Goryeo Dynasty doppelganger, the general.

At that time, her mother and sister sought to kill the general and they have a sweet gumiho battle. Mi-jin beats them into angry submission. They don't understand how Mi-jin could protect humans. But she wants to become human her way.

Mi-jin wonders why Mi-mo wants to be human. "There is no mating season. Humans love all the time". Heh. She basically doesn't want to be lonely. As for Mi-sun, she wants to be human because they rule the world. Killing men and eating livers pleases her just fine as long as she becomes human. Mi-jin doesn't understand this: she believes in love and humans can die for someone they love. She'll only eat the livers of such men.

So she only takes them willingly, I suppose that's a valid reason to kill someone...one thousand someones...

At Last, Eung-suk recalls all the peculiar things he's learned thus far about Mi-jin. She wants to be human; she likes men who died for love; she's a woman who lives on death. Chef Seo comes by and notes that Eung-suk has been often lost in thought as of late - he should just call whoever it is. Eung-suk denies it but the chef knows better.

A forty-something (Jo Duk-hyun) comes in wanting to eat alone for his birthday. But he will bring his laptop so he can show his wife and his kids who are abroad that he is doing well. The man leaves and passes Mi-jin on the crosswalk and stares after her in awe.

Mi-jin pops into Last to bring Eung-suk herb tea that's good for the body. Eung-suk nervously wonders if he looks sick and the memory of last night comes to Mi-jin's mind. As she cared for him, she smelled sickness on his breath. She also remembers that his lips were warm when she kissed him so he must be passionate. With a smirk, she comments that he also looks skinny and even dares him to show her.

Then Chef Seo ruins the moment by calling him away. Man, I wish that had gotten farther...

The gumiho leaves and runs into her sister who is immediately jealous. She orders Mi-jin to sniff out Eung-suk's location when Chef Seo steps out of nowhere and jokes that humans can't find people by sniffing - only dogs can. The gumihos, of course, take this comment as a total BURN and glare. The chef bows in apology.

At the gumiho's shop, the forty-something sells Mi-sun insurance and is escorted by Secretary Park to finish up the paperwork. Well, he is supposed to be escorted. Instead, the anal-retentive Secretary Park spots a stray hair on the insurance salesman's shirt and struggles to keep from bothering him. In the end, Park's compulsion wins out and he declares that he "can't hold it any longer" and tackles the poor, unsuspecting man to the ground. The man fears he is being sexually assaulted and I don't blame him. The look on Park's face when he retrieves the hair is disgustingly ecstatic.

As the freshly assaulted forty-something is leaving, he passes Mi-jin and Mi-mo and calls Mi-jin's name. But she doesn't recognize him.

Forty-something flashes back his college days when he was an adorable kid (Jinyoung from B14A). He is late for class and sent to sit in the hall beside Mi-jin and immediately falls for her. He is checks her out as he attempts to make his pen work. She lends him hers before the professor comes out and assigns them to work on a project together.

SCORE for adorable kid.

Back to present. The man chides himself because this can't be the same Mi-jin he remembers, especially not when Mi-sun emerges and Mi-jin calls her "mom". Mi-sun wonders why he's still there and he stammers that Mi-jin looks like someone he used to know. She says it happens all the time.

I bet it does, you ancient gumiho, you.

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