Family's Honor

Foreword
Aristocratic practices and modern values clash in a family. How can
this traditional family keep up with the modern times? This drama may
be able to provide an answer.

Story/Introduction on characters

1. He Dan Ya – Yoon Jung Hee
Dan Ya is is the only daughter of the family and is a univeristy
lecturer. Her mother passed away when she was nine and she was sent to
a relative. She returns after many years as a pretty woman who is
perfect in everything so all view her as their living example of
traditional practice.

She is participating in a seminar in Jeju island and learns that her
great-grandfather is dying. She wants to rush home to see him for the
last time. She is peeved when all flights are full and approaches Kang
Shi to get a ticket. Kang Shi demands a million won and she walks
away.

When all flights are cancelled, she intends to get a boat back to
Seoul. The boat captain agrees unwillingly as the bad weather can put
them in danger but he is moved by her filial piety. Just then, Xiu
Ying calls her to tell her he is dead so she is devastated. Her pupils
come to pay respects and also study traditional rites.

Dan Ya meets Kang Shi once again. Kang Shi realises why she is in a
hurry then. He sneers at her for refusing to pay him the money and she
slaps him. He stubmles on her childhood photograph and a weeping Dan
Ya later at the funeral leaves a deep impression on him.

During the funeral, she has to handle the disturbing news that Ying
Yin is pregnant and that her sisters-in-laws want to divorce her twin
brothers. After the funeral is over, they leave them. Now she is the
only lady in the household and is now in charge of preparing the
ancestral rites. She has a sad past. She is married to Zhen He who is
also from a aristocrat family. They register their marriage and plan
to go overseas to further their studies while on honeymoon.

Both are involved in an accident. Upon seeing a lorry swerving in Dan
Ya’s direction, Zhen He shifts the car to his side and is killed
instantly. She becomes a living widow. Although she survives, she has
to bear with the pain in her right leg and shoulder in the winter. She
also can’t stand for too long as a skin draft will not help her. The
scars remain and she can never forget him after ten years.

Her name is inscribed on his tombstone as his wife and she still talks
to the photo they have taken daily. San Yue and his family advise her
to let go of the past but she can’t burn her wedding agreement. This
will indicate that she has divorced him. Although she likes Zhen Kui,
she is determined not to be with him as he is 6 years her junior.

Xian Kui tries to help her during these difficult times. Meanwhile,
Kang Shi is a thorn in her side as he keeps showing up and creating
problems for her. Then, she has to grapple with the news that her
father wants to marry Ying Yin. Every member in her family enters new
romantic relationships, including herself.

Ying Yin and Xi Hao get married according to traditional custom. Kang
Shi and his parents attend it. Dan Ya explains to Ying Zi that wild
geese and half gourds are used to symbolise everlasting love. Kang Shi
watches Dan Ya with a deep glance. Dan Ya asks Kang Shi to bring her
for Ying Zi’s class even though her leg hurts. Upon seeing her
sweating in pain, Kang Shi cancels the class and brings her to the
countryside for a breather. He doesn’t understand why she refuses to
wear a coat even though it is cold.

Kang Shi tries in vain to hit a bear at a games stall after many
tries. The stall holder becomes frightened of him and offers to give
him the bear as he looks hideous after losing. Kang Shi refuses as he
doesn’t want it for free. He is surprised that Dan Ya manages to
secure it with one try. He insists that it is his since he invests
money on it. He calls it slap bear to remind him of how she slaps him
repeatedly, to her amusement.

Kang Shi is driving when a car suddenly cuts into his lane. He stops
his car abruptly and Dan Ya turns pale. He doesn’t know why she
behaves this way and recalls Xuan Kui requesting him to drive
carefully. It seems that he knows her better than him. Ying Zi
mentions that she is looking for other matches for him. Seeing that
Dan Ya shows no response, he isn’t happy and reminds her that they are
acting so she must be natural. Dan Ya doesn’t understand why they need
to act in front of so many people.

They return to the stall again. She doesn’t understand why he is so
bent on winning. Seeing that she feels cold, he puts his scarf on her.
She rejects it, replying that she will not need it since her loved one
is already in the cold. When she declares that he has a mental
problem, he declares that it is the same for her when love is
concerned. He hugs her tightly and she is about to slap him again
when he stops her. He wants her to ask herself why she likes slapping
him so much.

She thinks over it at home and suddenly has no courage to face Zhen
He’s photo as usual. Kang Shi trains Dan Ya in her singing and dancing
so that they can surprise her colleagues and students or his friends
in future gatherings. He keeps picking on her singing and does his own
selection at the karaoke. Be entertained when we see how flexible he
is in dancing while she is so rigid.

Kang Shi doesn’t get enough sleep as he worries over Hui Zhu’s case.
He sleeps in the car after bringing Dan Ya to the countryside. He is
touched when she gets him a warm drink when he wakes up. She still
returns to the university to clean the exhibits in the school
vacation. Kang Shi gets bored cleaning with her and keeps dropping
them. He is adamant that she should go out with him.

She is offended when he questions her love and is peeved when seeing
that he keeps her childhood photo. Kang Shi has learned that Zhen He
sees her the first time when she is only 10 and this photo is also
taken at 10. He feels a pang of jealousy to know further that Zhen He
even goes to Seoul to see her to wait for her till she walks out of
her home as he is shy. The more he refuses to return it to her.

Dan Ya is the only person who dares to hang up on Kang Shi. Even
though she might tell him that she is taking transport after work, he
will still come to fetch her. Thus, she gives up telling him after
that. Kang Shi knows that she finds it hard to kill time so she
returns to work even during the holidays. He hopes that she will not
dwell on the past but she reminds him the importance of the ancestral
book. Each person has his/her unique presence in it.

Kang Shi is disturbed to know that Ying Yin is introducing a
propsective match for Dan Ya. He is relieved when she has no intention
of meeting him. They start doing what lovers will do – watching
movies, smsing to each other, cycling together. Kang Shi gets her a
scarf and she promises to wear it for every date. She thanks him for
doing the things that Zhen He is unable to do with her now.

Dan Ya lies to San Yue about staying back at the university for work.
In reality, she watches the sunset and sunrise with Kang Shi. She
starts to call him by name. She is stunned when Kang Shi suddenly
tells Ying Zi that it is the last day of lesson. He initiates a
breakup and she tells him to take care of himself to forget struggling
with himself. She learns from Hui Zhu the next day that he has started
to buy over her family shares through some shareholders.

She accepts it calmly and falls ill later. She is unable to wear a
coat in winter as she feels letting Zheng He down. Yet now, she can’t
remove the scarf that Kang Shi gives her from her neck. Kang Shi also
feels miserable for being unable to see her to get drunk daily. They
are together again after he learns the cause of Zheng He’s death from
Xuan Kui. She brings him to Zheng He’s grave. Dan Ya needs time to get
Zheng He out completely from her heart. He gives his promise that he
will return Dan Ya to him when in death but he wants her to be by his
side for now.

He hesitates holding her hand in front of him to give him respect. Dan
Ya has to tell him whenever she wants to meet Zheng He. She must not
see him alone again and he will wait for her in the car. She is
unhappy to meet Kang Shi’s earlier prospective match and is curious
why Kang Shi doesn’t pay for the woman’s meal. She also demands to
know why Kang Shi is in the hotel earlier with another woman. The
usually eloquent Kang Shi has to gulp a glass of water down as he
doesn’t want to reveal Qian Jia’s secret.

Dan Ya is initially relieved after Zheng He’s death that she has scars
on her body. Now, she doesn’t know how Kang Shi will react to them
after marriage. This will definitely remind him of her past. Kang Shi
is touched that she is finally walking towards him now.

They face a lot of obstacles from their families. The toughest part is
on how Kang Shi offends Ming Cheng company as he buys it through
force. The third son, Jin hates him and demands compensation but he
will not give him. He knocks Kang Shi down, nearly causing his death.
Dan Ya prays to the gods, promising that she will leave him when he
recovers.

He wakes up and is alarmed when she chooses to go to China for an
exchange programme for a year. He gets enraged to give her a slap to
remind her how they have gone through together. That makes her change
her mind. Her family sees how swollen her cheek is and thinks that he
has kissed her too passionately. Jin doesn’t give up and wants to stab
Kang Shi again.

Dan Ya shields him from the attack and her right lung is stabbed. Kang
Shi is so badly affected that he is past caring about the stab wound
on his left arm to leave it bleeding as he waits anxiously outside the
ER. He is relieved when she recovers quickly. He has not wanted to let
the wedding go ahead, fearing for her safety but Dan Ya insists it.

Qian Jia wants to buy the register from her but Dan Ya manages to
dissuade him. She requests to start a new one for their family. He
gets excited by the idea but Ying Zi is dismayed that he listens to
her. However, her attitude towards her changes upon knowing how nice
she is.

Kang Shi only feels her anguish after seeing the scars. Their
honeymoon is a special one when both return to Qian Jia’s hometown to
search for their roots. Dan Ya starts to write a family register from
then. She does a lot of chores during the first few weeks of their
marriage. Even the family maid feels threatened after seeing it. Qian
Jia feels the importance of being the head of the house when she irons
clothes for him.

Qian Jia allows her to continue working as she is about to get her
professor confirmation soon. He is glad to have a scholar in their
family and he is eager to see their family register soon. Dan Ya
prepares breakfast and doesn’t allow the others to eat unless Kang
Shi’s parents are awake. She also asks for the family birthdays and is
astonished that Kang Shi doesn’t remember at all.

She also cooks the traditional meal for Qian Jia’s late father on his
death anniversary. The old couple is so touched to tears as they are
used to go for on-line catering on this day. Ying Zi has forgotten the
way to do it. Kang Shi claims that he wants 7 children so he wants to
work hard daily. He is amused that Dan Ya can sometimes be so strong
to kick him out of bed.

2. He Xiu Ying – Jun No Min
He is the morally upright elder twin who is older by 10 minutes. He is
the senior manager of the company. His fate is sealed as the eldest
grandson. Under the arrangement of the elders, he can’t say no and
marries Ying Ji at the age of 20 while she is 24. He lives his life
too carefully and actually envies Tai Ying for his freedom. He is too
polite to her and has not treated her as a woman. He is hurt by Ying
Ji’s betrayal but still goes on his knees to beg her to prepare his
great-grandfather’s funeral with him.

They part after the funeral and while he is going to drive away, Zhen
Ya faints in front of him due to malnutrition. He pays for her medical
bills and she is grateful to him. He feels sorry to know that she
faces lots of setbacks in life despite her young age. When seeing her
working hard at a petrol kiosk, he helps her out at times. When he
doesn’t see her working there, he feels a sense of loss. Whenever he
sees her, he keeps asking if she has eaten.

Xiu Ying is later astonished to know that she works as a cleaner in
his company. When seeing her being scolded by Tai Ying or humiliated
by her ex-boyfriend, he comes to her aid. He also doesn’t like him to
call her names as he feels that even cleaners deserve respect. Xiu
Ying flares up at Zhen Ya when he sees her cleaning the windows on the
10th floor while perching in a dangerous position. Xiu Ying is
normally very composed so Zhen Ya is speechless when his voice can be
so loud at her.

She decides to resign as Xiu Ying can’t promise to like her. Yet, Xiu
Ying can’t sleep at night when he starts to miss her. He drives over
to her home and she decides to work for him again. Both continue to
have coffee at the rooftop of the office building. Zhen Ya teaches
him how to eat cup noodles at the 7-11 outlet. She even prepares sushi
for him and he pretends that the taste is fine although it is very
spicy. The poor woman is tricked when she eats it as he rushes to get
mineral water for both of them.

Zhen Ya also teaches him to eat roadside stall food and he even brings
some home for San Yue. San Yue notices that he is in a good mood and
he has tried something that is really unthinkable of. He bears with
Zhen Ya’s ex’s insult that he is going out with a gal who is so much
younger than him. But he hits Zhen Ya’s ex-boyfriend when he insults
her. He brings her to an expensive meal at a restaurant after she
washes his car. He also has his first try walking in the snow and
playing with him. The most memorable moment will be having plain water
at her home.

Tai Ying starts to get curious when Xiu Ying eats packed food that
Zhen Ya gets for him. He asks ZhenYa out on Christmas and relates how
he lets his ex-wife down by always walking in front of her. Upon
knowing that she has never been to a skiing holiday resort as it is
too expensive for her, he promises to bring her there next time. Zhen
Ya is amused to know that he doesn’t know skiing although he owns it.

Zhen Ya’s boyfriend still doesn’t let her off. Xiu Ying holds this
man’s arm to pull him away and has to admit that he is marrying her
soon by holding her hand. They finally confirm dating and she is
touched when he wants to know the orphanage that brings her up. He
thanks her for making his life extraordinary. Like Dan Ya to Kang Shi,
he also starts smsing to Zhen Ya.

Zhen Ya is frightened when Ying Yin detects that she and Xiu Ying are
in love. Not wanting to affect him, she decides to resign. Under Ying
Yin’s encouragement, he starts to woo Zhen Ya and discourages her from
resigning. After his divorce, he is afraid of letting her down but
Ying Yin reminds him that it should be harder for him to make the same
mistake again.

Zhen Ya gets encouragement from Ying Yin to be with Xiu Ying. She
stays back when he works overtime in his office to knit a scarf for
him. He gets the energy to work then. Although he learns of Zhen Ya’s
condition, he still marries her. She quits to become a housewife. He
has never celebrated his ex-wife’s birthday with her but gets the
family to celebrate with her.

Knowing that she works hard at home, he even brings water to wash her
feet. He jokes that he is like a father and elder brother to her.
Knowing that she is tired easily, he helps with the housework at home.
Indeed, he treats her so well that Mo Chun also demands the same
treatment from Tai Ying.

Seeing her envying Mo Chun for being pregnant, he takes the blame to
tell the others that he is the one being sterile. Knowing that Tai
Ying intends to let him adopt their second child, he dissuades him and
prefers to adopt a son through legal means. He adopts Dong Yu and his
adopted son is named as the eldest grandson of the clan.

3. He Tai Ying – Kim Sung Min
He is the younger twin and is a playboy. Unlike Xiu Ying who has never
been in real love before marrying, he has many women. Throughout the
years, he is only a small manager in the company. Tai Ying is caught
cheating with another woman by his wife, Xian Yu at the motel. As he
leaves the place, he sees Ying Ji come out of the same motel with
another man. A fight breaks up between the two men and are brought to
the police station. This is where he meets Mo Chun for the first time.
They don’t see eye to eye and quarrel.

He is very childish at times. Upon knowing that Dan Ya sews hanooks
for Wan Ji and Xiu Ying, he also demands for one. He also grumbles
when Dan Ya only makes tea for Xiu Ying. Why is his treatment so
different since he is only born 10 minutes later? The twins show their
difference when Qian Jia bring them to a nightclub. Xiu Ying is uneasy
but Tai Ying enjoys himself. However, he confesses to Dan Feng later
that he doesn’t feel the excitement now and feels bad letting Xian Yu
down.

He is mad when knowing that Ying Yin is becoming his stepmother. He
vows that he will not call another person mother. Yet, when he knows
that she only wants Dan Ya to call her mother and the twins not to if
they are unwilling, he deliberately calls her mother. He even pastes a
‘beware of driving as a pregnant mother is on board’ sign at her car
rear to agitate her as she knows that she doesn’t want her pregnancy
to be publicly known by the company staff.

Despite his repeated arguments with Mo Chun, he misses her when he
doesn’t see her. Mou Chun is left with broken ribs after a drunk
driver knocks her down as she tries to stop the car. Tai Ying stays
overnight to take care of her. He even spends money on an expensive
MP3 player and deceives San Yue to make nourishment soup for her.

He gets jealous when she gets to drink ox soup brought from her
colleague first and bickers with her. Knowing that she is bored, he
also reads to her or brings comic books for her. Seeing that she keeps
insisting getting discharged because of the cost, he is concerned of
her health and brings her out for nourishment food. Mo Chun breaks her
handphone out of rage when her younger brother asks more money from
her. He gets her a new handphone to make her happy.

Tai Ying is jealous upon knowing that Detective Piao is interested in
her. Mo Chun later returns his money daily and kisses him impulsively.
She doesn’t mind his past. They are finally together. But they keep
quarreling after marriage and he even has a bruised nose when she hits
him. Dong Dong has to make them write repentent letters. Wan Ji thinks
Dong Dong is too harsh on his parents but he cites that there is no
other way as his father behaves like a child.

Even though Mo Chun’s family gives him lots of trouble, he still helps
them. Especially when Mo Chun’s sister needs a job after her divorce.
When Mo Chun’s brother-in-law runs away with the company funds, he
settles it and doesn’t want to worry Mo Chun.

He loves teasing Kang Shi and never lets go of any chance. When Mo
Chun is pregnant, he also shows the morning sickness symptoms. Knowing
that Zhen Ya is sad that her handphone is broken by Mo Chun, he buys a
new one for her but never expects Xiu Ying to do the same. Both really
have affinity as twins.

4. He Wan Ji – Shin Goo

He grows up without a mother but with his father. His father later
remarries and his stepmother also treats him well. His father is the
head of the aristocratic clan and treats the ancestral book as his own
property. He reminds himself not to forget his roots. Through hard
work, he makes his promise to his father to build up his business and
buys over his ancestral home in Jong Tak. He is the chairman of the
company.

Tai Ying is upset with him for talking to Ying Ji and not Xian Yu over
his marriage problem. Wan Ji tells him that he is too ashamed to talk
to Xian Yu after what Tai Ying has done. He helps him later but also
fails in his try. He has to let his granddaughters-in-laws leave the
family.

To guide Dong Dong well, he tells Dong Dong to sleep with him. Wan Ji
teaches Dong Dong the correct manners but the boy kicks him to leave a
blue-black mark near his left eye while sleeping. His firm has
financial trouble but he doesn’t want Qian Jia to help him out but has
to give in later when he has no choice. Dan Ya buys a set of ‘The
Three Kingdoms’ for Dong Dong but he ends up fighting with him on
reading it.

Wan Ji even tries stealing it to read during midnight and is sleepy
during the day. His grandchildren are amused that he is no longer the
strict man they know. He is too disturbed by the fact that Ying Yin is
pregnant that he falls ill but he approves of Xi Hao marrying her
later. She is not the daughter-in-law he has in mind as she is a
divorcee and she is very liberal.

However, he accepts her into the family. Even though he isn’t a born
fighter, he is determined to protect the holiday resort by all means.
Thus, he starts to talk to all the shareholders. He is perturbed when
Kang Shi requests for Dan Ya’s hand for marriage. He has treated her
differently from the twins because of her sad past. He is skeptical of
Kang Shi’s behaviour but he cites that Dan Ya has changed him into a
human.

Being a great chess player, he and Kang Shi are at par for 2 matches.
Seeing that the third match also gets nowhere, Kang Shi begs him to
admit defeat as he wants to bring forward their wedding by 2 weeks. He
finally accepts the three new members into the family. He is very wise
and gives the young advice whenever necessary. Mo Chun is very wild
but is very tame in front of him.

San Yue is getting senile. Ying Yin intends to resign to take care of
her unborn son and San Yue. Wan Ji learns how to tie diapers as he has
never done it for any of his grandchildren to share out the workload.
Ying Yin is moved to tears by his gesture. He also discusses with Qian
Jia to set up an old folks’ home to take care of the aged. His
offspring will only get what they deserve and the other shares will be
given to the employees. All have no objection to his decision.

Wan Ji has a sad past. His mother was raped when his father was
brought to the army. His father is sterile but his mother was
pregnant. His mother committed suicide after he was born. His father
still treats him as his own to go to every family to beg for milk to
feed him. Wan Ji was touched when his father told him that he was his
son as he was bore by his wife.

Xi Hao recalls Wan Ji’s words when his grandfather died. No wonder he
was so upset that he nearly fainted then and took great pains to take
care of him at the hospital when he was critically ill then. One year
later, Wan Ji is busy with Dong Dong to take care of Dong Shan and his
youngest grandson, Zhou Ying.

5. He Zhou Ting – Park Hyun Sook
She is a television producer and is asked to write a story on her
family’s daughter-in-laws. She flares up as her grand nieces-in-laws
have left home. She has a weakness for wine and gets drunk frequently.
She likes to throw her weight around but all still respect her. She
doesn’t want to film her family but Wan Ji encourages her to do it.
She feels tied down by her family and dislikes it.

It is kind of strange – as part of the He family, she should be a
great cook. However, we don’t see her helping in the kitchen at all.
She only comments on their cooking and does nothing else. Ying Yin’s
making of the men doing housework is her biggest enjoyment.

Zhou Ting’s ex comes to look for her 18 years later and cites that he
hasn’t wanted to forsake her. He is chased away by her father as he is
their chauffeur then. She hates her father and Wan Ji for ruining her
wedding chances. He has a hard life and returns after a few escapes
from death. Thus, Zhou Ting asks Wan Ji to sell the land that she owns
to help him out. Wan Ji finds it strange when she has never mentioned
the issue of money before and checks on it.

Zhou Ting later learns that Wan Ji has given her ex money many years
ago for them to elope. He has known that their father will never agree
to the marriage. But he runs away with the money alone as he is
frightened of the burden. Zhou Ting blames her ex for wasting her
youth away. She is given the assignment of looking into the
traditional clan family.

It is from then she discovers that she is adopted from the midwife.
That badly affects her but Wan Ji and Xi Hao still treat her the same
way. She is determined to guard Wan Ji’s birth secret fiercely but she
doesn’t have the money. She realizes how much their father loves them
despite of them not being his offspring. She suddenly misses their
father and wishes to apologise to him.

It saddens her to know that all of them have no relation with Wan clan
at all. So she approaches Xi Hao for help. Xi Hao is also helpless as
he knows that the person can’t guard the secret and will keep
extorting them. Little do they know that Wan Ji is aware of this since
birth and he tells the rest about it.

6. He Xi Hao – Suh In Suk
He is Wan Ji’s only son and is also the eldest grandson. He is the
president of the company. He married a woman 5 years older than him
when he was 19. He became a widower in his 30s and doesn’t dare to
marry Ying Yin although she is his junior during his university days.
He gets upset when she refuses to marry him and gets drunk. He asks
Wan Ji to let him the woman he loves. He doesn’t want to follow the
protocol to get married 3 years later as he is getting old.

Everyone is shocked that he wants to marry Ying Yin – a divorcee of
several times. They protest over it. Wan Ji objects too as he wants to
marry within the mourning period. San Yue urges him not to be upset as
Xi He has been a widower for 23 years. This is the first time he
brings up the topic of marriage so he must be in love. Dan Ya also
helps to persuade Ying Yin. He finds it blissful to get married again.

When Ying Yin wakes him up in the middle of night wanting to eat roast
potatoes, he drives out to search. When he can’t find anywhere, he
roasts some at home. He is determined to meet the first request that
she makes. Tai Ying is sour over it as he isn’t that nice to his
mother when she is pregnant with them. He gives in to Ying Yin in
doing housework and is touched when Ying Yin intends to matchmake Dan
Ya with another lecturer. He himself has given up on her all these
years.

Knowing that Qian Jia opposes to Dan Ya’s marriage, he has a talk with
him and makes him change his mind. He also coaxes Ying Yin like a
child before their young son is born. He has the most shares in the
company besides San Yue but he still wants his sons to work hard.

Xi Hao was 13 when Zhou Ting was abandoned outside his home. Wan Ji
has wanted to adopt Zhou Ting but his impotent stepmother insisted on
Zhou Ting to become her daughter. Her first marriage failed due to it
and she longed for a child. Xi Hao has no hesitation to treat her as
his aunt from then on. That is why he doesn’t know how to console her
when she knows the truth. He is glad that she overcomes it later.

7. He Dong Dong – Park Joon Mok
He is Tai Ying’s son who wants to stay with Xian Yu after their
divorce. But his world is crushed upon knowing that she isn’t his
biological mother. His mother died after giving birth to him. He gets
even more upset that Tai Ying has yet to introduce her to his family
then. He is convinced that Tai Ying must have hurt her so much that
she died.

After Xian Yu leaves him, he stays in the same room with Wan Ji. He
teaches him manners and how to cope with the change. Wan Ji also
guides him to avoid clashing with his female classmate, Xian Zhi who
keeps beating him. A man should not bully a woman. Even though Tai
Ying begs Xiu Ying to teach Dong Dong taekwondo, Xiu Ying will not do
it as he himself will not teach his future son how to bully a girl.

Dong Dong signs up for a class to learn self defence and is down upon
knowing that the girl is in the same class with him. But he decides
not to give in and continue with it. He has no money to get Christmas
presents for his family so he offers to get paid by cleaning their
shoes. It will be free of charge for Wan Ji and San Yue as one is his
roommate while another cooks his meals. The adults are amused but they
bring their shoes out for him and pay him more than is required.

Tai Ying has thought that Kang Shi dislikes children but Kang Shi
enjoys skiing with Dong Dong. Dan Ya falls down as she doesn’t know
how to do it. Kang Shi immediately stops to come to her side,
concerned if she has hurt her shoulder or leg again. Seeing her doting
on Dong Dong, he cites that she will do the same to her future
children.

Dong Dong sees Tai Ying with Mo Chun and asks if he is having an
affair again. Mo Chun then gets to know Dong Dong’s existence and
wonders how he can lead a wild life in the past. Tai Ying takes Dong
Dong to the sauna and tells him of his intention of staying single all
his life. But Dong Dong accepts Mo Chun as his stepmother. He even
sides for her after she marries Tai Ying. He is the mediator between
them whenever they quarrel.

Due to him sleeping with Wan Ji daily in the same room, he becomes
very sensible and thoughtful. But he can be fickle-minded to like a
girl after another. He prefers to seek advice from Xiu Ying instead of
Tai Ying as he is more mature. Dong Dong prays for Kang Shi’s and Dan
Ya’s recovery at Wan Ji’s father’s altar. Mo Chun decides to treat him
no different from her daughter as he is also her son. Tai Ying is very
touched to know that.

8. Yin San Yue – Kim Young Ok
She is an old servant of the family and the siblings treat her like an
elder. She follows her young mistress who gets married to Wan Ji. She
talks elegantly and Qian Jia thinks of hiring her to be part of his
household. She is concerned about Ying Yin’s slipshod attitude and is
vexed when she has many more dishes to wash after the meal and also
lots of leftover food to deal with. However, she is amused when Xi Hao
roasts potatoes for Ying Yin. She has thought of him to be deprived of
the pleasure at his age.

The Lis are stunned to know that San Yue owns 5% of the shares while
Xi Hao owns 6%. Even Xi Hao’s children do not own anything and they
have no objections to it. Wan Ji has insisted that she has it although
she rejects it. Ying Yin sulks over it as San Yue behaves like her
mother-in-law. Both are on better terms as time goes by. She is alert
to know that San Yue is growing senile as she falls ill after Dan Ya’s
wedding.

Zhen Ya learns how to do housework under her and she treats her like
her own grandmother. That is why she opposes to her staying at the old
folks home and she is willing to take care of her. Due to her getting
senile, she blurts out to Dan Ya that she has liked Wan Ji all along.
That is why she stays single despite Wan Ji and his wife arranging
marriage proposals for her.

Wan Ji knows about her feelings for him all along but he knows that it
is impossible between them as he treats her as his elder sister. He
strongly opposes to her to sell her shares to stay in the old folks’
home as she is already part of the family. Qian Jia has made the
suggestion as he is afraid that Zhen Ya can’t take care of her alone
after Zhao Man gets married. He has wanted to let her stay there for
free.

9. Zhang Xian Yu – Lee Hyun Jin
She is Tai Ying’s wife who marries him upon seeing how bitterly he
cries at Dong Dong’s mother’s funeral. She later realizes that he only
needs a woman to take care of his son. She refuses to forgive him for
his frequent philandering. She reveals that she has aborted their baby
and he also gives up on her. He leaves their joint apartment to her
and stays in Wan Ji’s house. Worrying about his livelihood, she
promises to give him half the money from the sale of their house. She
later returns to her hometown to avoid seeing him.

10. Liu Ying Ji
She is 4 years older than Xiu Ying. Unable to bear with his cold
attitude, she pretends to have an affair with a younger man. Both have
not have sex for a long time so she suggests the divorce. Wan Ji
supports her decision after talking to her as he doesn’t believe that
she has an affair. She has buried her youth of 17 years with the
family. She decides to leave for the U.S. and Xiu Ying sends her off
at the airport. She loves him in the past and hopes that he will love
someone in future.

11. Li Ying Yin – Nah Yong Hee
She is Xi Hao’s subordinate and also lover. She is pregnant and
intends to have an abortion even though he desires to marry her. Tai
Ying can’t fathom her to be his stepmother and confronts her. She
makes it clear to him that she will end her relationship with Xi Hao.

Tai Ying learns that Ying Yin visits the hospital and assumes that she
has some terminal illness. So he doesn’t wish Xi Hao to marry her.
Upon knowing that she is pregnant, he opposes strongly. So is his
twin. Dan Ya knows the truth and is amused. Ying Yin is unable to let
go and can’t bring herself to abort their baby. Despite knowing the
different rules that she needs to follow, she marries into He family.

You will laugh when Dan Ya knows so much more than Ying Yin – she even
prepares her wedding reply letter for her! Tai Ying warns Ying Yin to
be mindful of her behaviour while she sneers at him for moving back
home with Dong Dong after his divorce. Ying Yin also promises to give
him a hard time when she moves into the family. She has to wake at 5am
to prepare breakfast for them.

Ying Yin is very liberal and expects equal treatment of gender. She
asks for the whole family to sit together for meals and Wan Ji
approves it. She is unhappy when San Yue asks her to return home early
to help with the dinner preparations as she has no idea how to carry
it out. Tai Ying gloats over it. It is tough for the members to get
different dishes for one another. Tai Ying even deliberately spills
his bowl of soup to make matters worse. But Ying Yin is a determined
person.

She makes all the men to get their food on their own instead of
getting the maids to spread on the tables for them. Wan Ji will be the
exceptional one due to his status. Tai Ying sulks when she tells him
to get water for her since he is his mother. She is sharp in her
remarks and Tai Ying usually can’t take it.

She lets Zhou Ting eat with the other men to show her seniority while
Tai Ying and Dong Dong eat with the women. Tai Ying protests in vain
as Xiu Ying is the eldest grandson. Ying Yin weeps upon knowing Dan
Ya’s past and seeing her washing Dong Dong’s hair. If not for the
tragedy, she could have been washing her child’s hair and not her
nephew’s. Knowing of Dan Ya’s pain, she tends to her as her mother.

She also learns of Qian Jia’s motive to do business with them. She
promises Xi Hao that she will not tell their sons and Xi Hao is
pleased that she is treating his children as her own now. However, she
isn’t ready to be a grandmother as yet. That is why she reminds Dong
Dong to address her as auntie when they are shopping but the confused
boy asks her aloud why he should only address her as grandmother at
home.

The whole family plays a game. The losers have to cook breakfast the
next day. The males end up losing and wear aprons to prepare the
breakfast. Tai Ying is impatient when Xiu Ying takes so long to cut
the onions. The dishes are half-cooked. Wan Ji shakes his head and
tells the males not to bet with the women anymore. They heed his
advice and give excuses to go out.

She makes them clean the house and wash the blankets. Tai Ying cooks
up an excuse to attend a funeral. Xiu Ying laughs to himself as his
friend’s father has passed away a few years ago. Tai Ying finds that
Zhen Ya and Ying Yin combine to change his boring life into an
exciting one. Knowing that Xiu Ying likes Zhen Ya, she asks Xi Hao if
it is a must for the first grandson to marry an older woman instead of
a much younger one. She even pays for her hospitalization fees when
Zhen Ya needs an operation.

She knows Zhen Ya’s condition and tries to dissuade Xiu Ying as their
family might harp on it. But she supports Xiu Ying after knowing that
he loves her deeply. Despite how demanding Ying Zi is, she gives in to
her as she doesn’t want Dan Ya to have a hard time after marriage. But
she pays for the engagement gifts willingly after Dan Ya’s stabbing
incident although Ying Zi tells her to discard the old list. Both
women are on better terms now as Ying Zi even brings tonics for her.

She is a career woman so she is terrible in cooking. That is even
after marrying into the family. Dan Ya returns home after her
honeymoon but Ying Yin doesn’t allow her to cook. She cooks without
San Yue’s help and the dishes turn out terrible. Kang Shi tries hard
to please her although the fish is burned while Xi Hao tries to find
an excuse to eat later.

Tai Ying shouts that she shows favoritism after she forbids Kang Shi
to wash the bed sheets with him. He stresses that they should be
treated equally. She feels shy when all visit her at the hospital when
she is unwell. Even the Lis know that she is pregnant before her
wedding then. She gives birth to a son, Zhou Ying and Wan Ji thanks
her to let him experience the joy of being a grandfather again.

12. Zheng Xuan Kui – Lee Hyun Jin
He is a sociology university student. He is not in Dan Ya’s class but
he turns up for her great-grandfather’s funeral as he has a crush on
her. He feels her anguish through the ceremony but is helpless in
consoling her. He doesn’t know that looking at him brings Dan Ya pain
as he resembles her late husband, Zhen He. Dan Ya finally brings him
to the place where Zhen He proposes to her. Her heart has died with
him and she is just letting time pass each day. Still, he will not
give up.

He is unhappy with Kang Shi for being rude to Dan Ya while Kang Shi
doesn’t like him either. He works part time at a café. He is incensed
when Dan Ya starts going out with Kang Shi. He knows what they are
actually up to and gets drunk. Hui Zhu worries and asks Kang Shi if
Kang Shi is dating Dan Ya for her sake. He denies and urges her to
stay by Xuan Kui’s side. He knows very well that love can’t be
possessed but he isn’t as noble as Hui Zhu to want to give up her own
happiness.

He is bitter when Professor Nan tells him that Dan Ya has started to
fall for Kang Shi. What is deemed to be a game has gone for real this
time. He starts to give up on Dan Ya. Knowing that Hui Zhu is scared
of seeing crying girls, he covers her eyes and asks her if she is
afraid. She isn’t anymore as his hand is warm.

When Jin kidnaps her to threaten Kang Shi, he rushes to save her. Qian
Jia and Mei Zi have a good impression of him so they try to bring him
and Hui Zhu together. He also manages to get into the masters to defer
his national service. Both have more time together and he starts to
like her. He sulks when her senior touches her head – can’t she say no
to him since he doesn’t like him?

He teaches her how to play basketball so that she can communicate
better with his friends. He stays over at her place to play cards with
Qian Jia. He even lets her keep their winnings. Kang Shi is jealous
when Qian Jia treats him so well. He wishes to marry Hui Zhu and asks
her to wait for him.

13. Jin Bing Dao – Shin Hyun Seo
He is Zhou Ting’s assistant and junior. He is captivated by the size
of the ancestral home. He wonders why she doesn’t agree to write a
story on it. He begs Zhou Ting to help him to pacify his elders to
pretend to be his girlfriend. Wan Ji helps him out by telling her to
meet his elders with him. Knowing that she has a serious drinking
problem, Bing Dao often watches on her.

Wan Ji is glad to know that his elders like Zhou Ting and makes him
stay overnight. Bing Dao witnesses the rites an aristocratic family
has to perform daily and is impressed. He helps Zhou Ting in her
research to shoot the programme – which starts with her family
members. Learning that Zhou Ting is heartbroken over her breakup, he
often brings tonics for her as she drinks too much.

Upon knowing the siblings’ real parentage, he promises to keep it a
secret. It isn’t mentioned if they get married in the end but it seems
so as he treats her so well.

14. Ju Mo Chun – Maya
She is a tomboyish cop who actually has a kind heart. Seeing that Zhen
Ya has no money and has to stay at a sauna house, she invites her to
share her apartment with her. She starts an unlikely romance with Tai
Ying after booking him frequent times for speeding. Despite her strong
front, she has serious monetary arguments with her family.

Tai Ying sees Mo Chun with a man but he doesn’t know that she is doing
undercover work, pretending to be a hooker with loud make-up. He
exposes her identity and ruins everything. She shows off her wounds to
him and cites that her dream lover must be one to admire them. He goes
to the sauna house with her and senses that she is lonely as she loves
watching romantic movies.

Her brother-in-law gambles away the money that Mo Chun borrows to pay
his debt. She bursts out crying and Tai Ying lends her the money. Her
28 year old younger brother is a failure and has the university
entrance exams 4 times as he keeps on complaining that the faculty
does not suit him. Tai Ying shakes his head – he always gets into
trouble while Mo Chun is always in debt although she isn’t the one to
get into trouble. Mo Chun’s new phone starts with a new number as she
doesn’t want her family to bother her again.

On the day of her discharge, Tai Ying demands to visit her home. Her
face starts to turn red when he visits the toilet. She has a sleepless
night, asking herself if he has fallen for her. She makes the first
initiative to kiss him and gives him 6 months’ grace to marry her as
she has gotten the flower bouquet at a wedding. But she changes her
mind as she fears that her family will implicate Tai Ying.

Tai Ying doesn’t mind this and she finally agrees. The He family is
amused when meeting the twins’ girlfriends for the first time. Mo Chun
keeps having hiccups while Zhen Ya is so young. Seeing seeing how
uncouth Mo Chun is, they decide that she is the best for Tai Ying as
both hardly use the respect language between them to get reminded
repeatedly.

She keeps making mistakes during her wedding to make others laugh.
Initially, she isn’t used to call Zhen Ya as her elder sister-in-law
as she is older than her. She often makes blunders in the kitchen –
same as Zhen Ya but both are willing to learn.

She has not stopped her sassy ways of catching criminals after
marriage and gets injured. She even wants to transfer to the criminal
unit from the patrol division. Tai Ying quarrels with her and Wan Ji
advises her to spare a thought for her family now. She gets a medal
and can pray to the ancestors as Wan Ji announces it. Tai Ying is
proud of her as he has never been praised.

Zhen Ya also hopes to get the same recognition for her part too so Xiu
Ying advises her that being a homemaker is also as important. Mo Chun
feels sorry for Zhen Ya as she knows how much she likes children. She
is pregnant and becomes more feminine after that. Strangely, she
doesn’t show the morning sickness as Tai Ying initially but she has to
get him food. She gives birth to a daughter, Dong Shan and all are
happy over the new addition to the family.

15. Wu Zhen Ya – Shin Da Eun
The twin brothers meet her for the first time in the police station.
Her ex-boyfriend dumps her for a rich girl and uses her money to pay
her back. Upon knowing it, she goes into an argument with her and
breaks her arm by accident. He sues her for it and in a fit of anger,
she rejects the money. She loses her job and faints. Xiu Ying
immediately sends her to hospital. She is grateful when he pays her
medical bill.

She starts waiting for him when distributing flyers on the street. She
later works as a cleaner in his company and wins movie tickets in a
contest. She notices that Xiu Ying is uneasy when watching it with her
and assumes that Ying Ji is waiting for him at home. She is taken
aback to know that Ying Ji has left him for good. She is amused when
he tells her to sit at the back of his car as he has not ferried
female friends before.

Zhen Ya tries in vain not to explain to him that he should not treat
her too well to cause her to like him. She has to tell him directly
that he should not give her false hopes. But she can’t resist falling
for him. Her ex comes to look for her later. His rich girlfriend dumps
him after she finds it tired of taking care of his sick mother in the
hospital for a day. Xiu Ying is affected when seeing them together but
Zhen Ya runs to him.

He advises her not to force herself. Both become close when he gives
her lifts home. He often apologises to her over Tai Ying’s unruly
behaviour. He feels bad for her when she has no intention to look for
her parents who has abandoned her. Although the orphanage that she has
stayed in the past is burned down, it remains as a special place in
her heart.

Zhen Ya feels a sharp pain in her stomach at work. Ying Yin knows that
she doesn’t want to trouble Xiu Ying so she calls him for her. Both
send her to hospital and she has to remove her appendix. Ying Yin
suggests giving her a thorough checkup and Xiu Ying stays back to keep
her company. Xiu Ying and Ying Yin learn that Zhen Ya will never
conceive in future.

Xiu Ying doesn’t know how to reveal this to her upon her discharge. So
he puts the blame on himself during his proposal, lying, this is why
his ex-wife leaves him. She accepts it then. But she still learns it
from her doctor. She has not wanted to marry Xiu Ying but he assures
her that he will treat her well. They still get married and all envy
them for being so loving.

Xiu Ying never shows his emotions easily but his face turns white upon
seeing her cutting her finger. All joke that he looks as if he will
send her to ER immediately as he hurries her to bandage her finger for
her. They have decided that they will never quarrel as they have no
children. Both often go out for walks together so all feel that they
are no different from couples who are still at the dating stage.

She talks like a clan patriarch indeed when voicing her view on taking
care of San Yue. This makes Xiu Ying feel proud of her. Xiu Ying
doesn’t wish her to feel lonely as Wan Ji can tell that she is
stressful after seeing Mo Chun and Ying Yin being mothers soon but yet
the rest press her to go for a check-up. Thus, he decides to adopt a
son so that they can have their own family.

15. Li Kang Shi – Park Shi Hoo
No one will expect Qian Jia and Ying Zi to have such a refined son. He
is a bad guy with irresistible charm. Women who show their interest in
him end up quitting or running away crying. He only shows his humane
side to his family. His family gets rich overnight due to Qian Jia’s
foresight in doing business. He doesn’t feel ashamed of his parents –
in fact, he is a filial son who tries to fulfill their every single
wish.

He attends the funeral and meets Dan Ya again. Both treat each other
as bitter enemies after she gives him a slap for humiliating her. He
keeps her childhood photo after seeing it in a book. He offers to buy
a proffesor’s lineage book upon knowing his relative is hospitalized.
Infuriated, Dan Ya lashes out at him for harrasing her mentor. She
gives him a slap the second time when he hints that she is having an
affair with the professor. He later sneers at her for having an affair
with Xuan Kui too and receives his third slap.

Kang Shi has a head for business. Knowing He company is in need of his
help, he assets that he isn’t working with them. He doesn’t accept Xiu
Ying’s call. This forces Wan Ji to meet him personally at a garden.
Wan Ji does not wish to let his villages to lose the money they invest
to build a resort. Kang Shi reminds him that he is a businessman and
is a hunter. Wan Ji detects that he isn’t the kind who will backstab
him since he gives the warning.

Kang Shi goes to the hospital to persuade the professor’s relative to
sell the book. He is peeved to know that he has passed the book to Dan
Ya after Dan Ya forks out the remaining expenses. He scoffs at her for
helping an outsider instead of her family. When being asked the price
she is willing to sell it to him, she replies that he must pay with
his life.

Kang Shi keeps thinking of Dan Ya. He is uninterested even though Ying
Zi introduces different women to him. He even ruins a date by
critising his match. He points out that she has extensive plastic
surgery. And since she looks down on how he makes money, he will only
pay for himself for the meal!

Kang Shi and Qian Jia witnesses another rite for Dan Ya’s gread-
grandmother’s death anniversary. They stay for a meal and Zhou Ting
is curious of him. She pours him soup but ends up wetting his suit
jacket. Dan Ya offers to dry it for him and Tai Ying is shocked to
know that she does it even after harrassed by him and slapping him.
Strange indeed, Kang Shi isn’t furious after being slapped and can
forgive Dan Ya each time.

Kang Shi is invited to a party and he needs to bring a partner. He
tells Dan Ya to go with him so that he will not harass her professor.
He finds himself falling for her after hearing her sing at the party.
He coaxes her to keep the prize that she has won. He suggests that Dan
Ya pretends to date him so that Hui Zhu will be together with Xuan
Kui. To his surprise, she agrees to it. Kang Shi then turns down Ying
Zi’s offers to arrange blind dates for him. The two pretend to be
intimate in front of Xuan Kui.

Kang Shi learns of Dan Ya’s past and feels so sorry for her that he
loses his appetite for breakfast. He brings her for mountain climbing
and she thanks him for fulfilling her wish as she has given up midway
last time. Her leg ailment happens again and he has to carry her
downhill. When calling her at night, he realises that she is in pain
and wants to come over to send her to hospital but she declines.

He ends up having a sleepless night and is relieved when she returns
his sms to let him know that she is fine the next day. He is disturbed
when Qian Jia warns him not to fall for Dan Ya to prevent their plan
from failing. Kang Shi’s ex-subordinates threaten to beat him up in
front of Dan Ya when he dismisses them. Dan Ya cheers him up and he
kisses her forcefully. She doesn’t retreat as she finds him pitiful.

He sulks upon knowing how she meets Zhen He for the first time and
scolds him for being so heartless. Kang Shi brings her to meet his ex-
classmates and before going there, he wants her to doll herself up.
She refuses to wear a revealing dress and he presses her to do it
although it might be against her traditional values. She then reveals
that she has a scar on her shoulder.

Kang Shi recalls how she kneels outside the MTR station after a soccer
game and the mountain trip when her leg is in pain. He realises that
both scars are the side effects of the accident that happened to her
10 years ago. He feels bad and apologises for it.

They win a prize the second time again after a performance together.
You will sprawl on the floor as Dan Ya imitates all Kang Shi’s
gestures to try to act cute. Kang Shi’s senior, Tai Zhou is curious
that he has changed so much as he has not attended partner activities
before and now he seems to like to be in the limelight. He notices
that Kang Shi does not take his eyes off Dan Ya. He requests to have a
meal with them before he leaves for London. Dan Ya sulks upon hearing
Kang Shi say that she will do anything to his beck and call.

Kang Shi looks at Dan Ya with admiration upon knowing that she and San
Yue are the ones to sew the tablecloth and preparation of the tea
leaves as the skiing resorts opening gifts for the guests. Kang Shi
behaves like an unreasonable kid. His parents and servant are out so
he claims that he is hungry to get Dan Ya to spice up a meal for him.
Zhen Ya finds something amiss when he wants her to treat every day
like a last day to them. They start to do things that real lovers do.

Tai Zhou knows that Dan Ya has a hard time with Kang Shi. He jokingly
tells Kang Shi to accept his retribution as he has rejected women too
many times. He sees that there is affections in Kang Shi’s eyes but
Kang Shi is torn between his father and Dan Ya. He yells at the top of
his voice in the snow but Tai Zhou can do nothing to help him.

Qian Jia reminds him of his elder brother’s death. He becomes cold
again, wanting to take over the He company. He breaks up with Dan Ya,
not wanting her to give Ying Zi any more lessons. However, he promises
to pay them twice the price of the shares as the best offer. Upon
learning that Dan Ya is ill, he comes to her home immediately but
stays outside it the whole night.

He makes himself very miserable although he is at the pub daily. But
love conquers all when he meets her again at the games stall. Knowing
that Dan Ya suffers from the cold in the past, he buys her a coat. He
not only talks to her daily but also teaches her how to lie in order
to meet him. Dan Ya sometimes hangs up on him and he gets annoyed to
hit the slap bear.

He starts to ask Tai Ying how to make him like him and not to detest
him. Tai Ying is puzzled as this time round to get him to sign the
documents, Kang Shi stands up to greet him. He mumbles that he must be
out of his mind. Kang Shi decides to marry Dan Ya and approaches her
family. This drops a bombshell in her family as they are not aware
that they are dating.

It takes time to accept him into the family. Dong Dong is confused if
he is a good man or a villain. He endears himself to them later when
he treats the employees beter and can also crack jokes with them. Kang
Shi is forced to break up with Dan Ya when Ying Zi opposes to them
being together. He decides to leave Korea for the U.S. on the twins’
wedding day.

He entrusts his duties to the twins and hopes that he can forget the
pain after he returns. Ying Zi can’t bear to see him leave so she
finally agrees reluctantly. He is overjoyed and becomes the wedding
guest. All are happy for him. He wants the wedding to be small scale
but Ying Zi will not hear of it till the two get attacked. Unlike the
twins, Dan Ya is dressed in a western gown for the wedding.

He behaves like a child after marriage. There is once, he wants to
hold Dan Ya in bed but she turns away with her back facing him. He
gets offended when she explains that she isn’t used to have air blown
onto her hair. He immediately places tissue into his nostrils to
protest against this. Dan Ya is amused that he behaves like a child.
He is very reluctant to return to work and wishes to stay at home. Dan
Ya has to coax him – what if he is given an overseas assignment?

Kang Shi discovers that Dan Ya wakes up very early. He is amused when
she follows her elders instructions that wives should not let husbands
see the weary side of them. He is quite startled that she wakes up at
5 am daily – even during their honeymoon. That means that he can’t
wake up late anymore as he can’t bear to let her suffer.

Knowing that Ying Zi brings Dan Ya out for shopping, he is worried for
her as Ying Zi will shop non-stop for hours. His nightmare turns true
as Dan Ya doesn’t know how to reject and her thigh turns swollen
later. He is very touched when Dan Ya even learns gambling for him
from Zhou Ting in order to please his parents. He treasures her a lot
after marriage.

Jin kills himself after hurting Dan Ya. He sends all the evidence to
the police. Kang Shi is guilty-stricken and cooperates with the
police. He is being let off and reflects his mistake. He becomes a
considerate man to treat subordinates better. Dan Ya gives birth to
twins at He residence while playing with the babies. He is overjoyed,
although dismayed when Dan Ya wants him to take leave to take care of
them as she wants to continue working. Although grumbling, he takes up
the task and have an enjoyable time with his family.

16. Li Hui Zhu – Jun Hye Jin
She is Kang Shi’s younger sister who is very timid by nature. She has
a crush on Xuan Kui and keeps all the paper cups that he has used.
When Ying Zi throws them away, she rummages through the rubbish dump
but Kang Shi coaxes her to recollect again. Dan Ya protects her and
she wants to learn from her.

Dan Ya pushes her to do a presentation or it will be hard for her to
grade her. She becomes tense and faints instead to be sent to hospital
by Xuan Kui. Kang Shi blames Dan Ya for it and she feels apologetic.
The doctor asks her to see a psychiatrist as she is physically fine.
Kang Shi soon observes that Hui Zhu has been eyeing at Xuan Kui
secretly and keeps staying long hours at the cafe.

She buys cakes from Xuan Kui’s café and keeps them at home till they
turn bad. Xuan Kui is injured after fighting with someone when drunk
and implicates Hui Zhu of getting hurt too. Kang Shi is upset that she
gets overly obsessed with Xuan Kui. Xuan Kui finally knows what Hui
Zhu is doing. He tells her off for trailing him and warns her not to
do it again.

Devastated, she gets drunk and being allergic to alcohol, she nearly
loses her life. Kang Shi sends her to the hospital immediately and
nearly beats Xuan Kui up after grabbing his collar. When Xuan Kui
appears in front of her, she suddenly turns breathless again and Kang
Shi realizes that there is something that money can’t be bought the
first time upon seeing her reacting like this. Is she trying to prove
this fact to him?

The doctor advises Kang Shi to let her undergo psychiatric treatment.
Dan Ya keeps him company and he puts his suit jacket over her when she
falls asleep. He thanks her for everything after her discharge. Xuan
Kui apologises to Kang Shi for being mean to Hui Zhu and she hugs Kang
Shi tightly after coming round. Kang Shi wants her to overcome her
fear of seeing Xuan Kui.

She returns to school and Xuan Kui wants her to stop liking him. She
agrees to it but ends up working in the café with him. Seeing Xuan Kui
torturing himself, she decides to get married. Kang Shi tries in vain
to talk her out of it and has to seek Xuan Kui’s help. Xuan Kui asks
him to leave Dan Ya in return but he refuses. Xuan Kui still persuades
her and she changes her mind. Although reluctant, Kang Shi thanks Xuan
Kui for his help.

Hui Zhu is in shock after a child has a slight cut in the shopping
mall. Xuan Kui comes to her and comforts her. He is amused when she
smiles again while he worries that she can’t breathe. She has another
relapse when seeing a crying girl. Through hypothesis, she has
recalled a man bringing a dead girl to their family in the past. Qian
Jia was poor then and was unable to send him for the burns treatment.
He begs a loanshark for money and he rejects him. So he has to let him
die in front of him.

Qian Jia vows to earn as much money at all costs. The same thing
happens to the loanshark this time and he carries his dead daughter to
their home, screaming for her life. Hui Zhu witnesses this while Kang
Shi is not home yet from school. Qian Jia has never regreted his
action and trains Kang Shi to be like him. Hui Zhu is glad that Kang
Shi is starting to stop his evil actions due to Dan Ya. She also picks
up driving again as she has to send a frequent drunk Xuan Kui home.

After Xuan Kui admits his love for her, she wants to run away instead
as she has thought that it is infauration on his part. But his
determination proves her wrong and she decides to stay in Korea
instead of going overseas. She becomes more chatty and open – even to
share with Dan Ya Kang Shi’s secret of being scared of cockcroaches.

17. Li Qian Jia - Yeon Kyu Jin
He and his wife are wealthy from selling through rags and bones. They
remain uncouth for many years although they take up plenty of social
etiquette lessons. He and Kang Shi hear about the death. They think it
will be a good idea to attend the funeral as a way to establish
themselves in high society and break away from their low status. He
urges Kang Shi to write down what they see so that he can learn how to
become a aristocrat. Kang Shi is tongued when his father exclaims to
Wan Ji how nice to die of old age.

Kang Shi is appalled that Qian Jia intends to give only 1000 won as
the monetary gift. He wants to see how magnanimous a traditional
family can be. Both father and son are surprised that they get a gift
pack with a red packet inside as the Hes reject their gift. Qian Jia
is unable to answer which lineage he comes from when asked as he
claims to come from an aristocratic family. He often has flings with
different women and has to get Kang Shi to cover for him in front of
Ying Zi.

The Hes think that he is an extraordinary man to allow Dan Ya into his
family sooner than Ying Zi. Although Ying Zi keeps blaming Dan Ya for
causing Kang Shi to get hurt, he consoles her and also speaks up for
Dan Ya. He even gets Dan Ya to stay with Kang Shi over the night in
the hospital as he knows how worried she is.

He is very determined to win in golf and also in game cards. He makes
Ying Zi play with him the whole night when she keeps winning and she
has to beg for his mercy. Kang Shi flees after a while as he wants to
chat with Dan Ya over the phone. So when Dan Ya marries into the
family, the practice still remains. He even drags in Xuan Kui to
gamble with him.

He feels his family is more like a home now as Dan Ya does her duties
well as a daughter-in-law. Dan Ya is a capable housewife who cooks
well, handwashes clothes, sews well and also irons clothes neatly. He
can’t stop singing praises of her in front of his friends. The fling
that he has with a woman – she has cancer and is dying. He pities her
and pays off her medical bills, showing that he is kind-hearted but he
has no more designs on her. Ying Zi refuses to forgive him and throws
him out of her room.

Dan Ya also chases Kang Shi out for having the same life as Qian Jia
when he was in his university days. Kang Shi has to sleep with Qian
Jia in the living room. Qian Jia is moved as Dan Ya is afraid that he
is too lonely so she wants Kang Shi to keep him company.

When Kang Shi is being questioned by the authorities over Jin’s death,
he regrets teaching Kang Shi to be despicable in earning money. After
the saga, he takes charge of the old folks home to leave Kang Shi to
manage the business with the twins.

18. Cui Ying Zi – Suh Kwon Sook
She is Qian Jia’s wife who takes up art appreciation lessons. She
creates laughter instead when she comments how women bare their
breasts in the ancient drawings. Wan Ji gets Dan Ya to be Ying Zi’s
tutor under Qian Jia’s request. This is a good way to know the Lis
better.

She and Qian Jia hope that Kang Shi’s future wife will be as gentle
and graceful as Dan Ya. She lets out a scream when Dan Ya doesn’t know
much on antiques. Ying Zi is pleased that she outshines the other rich
women. Kang Shi explains that history is her forte. But she feels
sorry for Dan Ya after learning her sad past. Dan Ya is shocked when
Ying Zi pays too much for her lessons and returns a big portion back
to her.

Upon seeing how the Hes eat by having dinner on the floor, she
proceeds to do the same at home but she and Qian Jia feel that their
legs go numb instead. Kang Shi doesn’t wish to join them as he finds
it too amusing. She finds Dan Ya’s attitude towards money very
different from them. She is also a nosey parker to ask Ying Yin about
San Yue’s relationship with Wan Ji.

She has made Dan Ya’s life tough upon knowing that she is Kang Shi’s
girlfriend. She keeps calling her a black widow. She approves of their
wedding reluctantly but makes many unreasonable demands on the guest
invitation. The Hes do not want expensive items but she buys them,
citing that Dan Ya should follow their family tradition. Ying Yin
nearly explodes but only tells Xi Hao about it to avoid upsetting the
rest.

After Dan Ya gets hurt because of Kang Shi, she is touched and treats
her better. She continues to have lessons under Dan Ya but she can see
that Kang Shi is very impatient to stop her lessons to be with his
wife.
She brings her out to show off to her friends as she is very
knowledgeable. She also attempts to bribe Dan Ya’s superiors with
money, hoping that she will be promoted to professor soon. She doesn’t
expect them to return the money instead and this might ruin her chance
instead.

Kang Shi and Qian Jia shake their heads over her stupidity. Qian Jia
even scolds her for insulting teachers whom he holds in high regard.
He was hungry when in school and he would never forget the teachers
who provide him free meals. He bribes business partners in the past
but he will never insult teachers. Luckily, the superiors know what
kind of person Dan Ya is to promote her or she will regret for the
rest of her life.

19. Liu Zhao Man – Lee So Min
She is another helper in He household. She is always breaking things
at home and can’t see eye to eye with Ying Yin’s attitude as she needs
to wash a lot of dishes after she moves in. Moreover, Ying Yin likes
white tablecloth to be spread over the dining table and it is tough to
wash it too. He family treat her and San Yue as part of them by
bringing them to the opening of the skiing resort.

She is worried that no one will take care of San Yue if she leaves the
household after getting married. She treats her as her kin as they
have the same surname. Thus, she keeps delaying her wedding plans.
This is so strange – why can’t the Hes engage another domestic helper
since they are so rich?

20. Nan Yan Shu – Jung Wook
She is Dan Ya’s colleague who tries to bring her and Xuan Kui together
as she knows that she has been troubled by her past for too long. She
is also Zheng He’s cousin who knows her well to treat her like a
younger sister. Although she disagrees with Dan Ya’s choice to be with
Kang Shi, she gives them her well wishes. She later finds out that
Kang Shi has transformed into a better person and is contented.

21. Li Zhang Qi - Shin Pyo
He is Mo Chun’s colleague who brings food to her during her
hospitalization. Knowing that she is lonely, he tries to introduce
Detective Park to her. Seeing her always with Tai Ying at the sauna
bath, he guesses correctly that they are dating although they deny
unknowingly.

It is love at first sight for him when he meets Zhao Man to send an
injured Mo Chun home. He starts wooing her but things always happen
when he tries to kiss her. Either getting hit by a ball on the head or
the siblings knock into them at the door. Knowing that she has a short
tongue, he introduces her to Chinese physicians to have her cured.

He is amused that Zhao Man keeps their dates a secret. She often lies
about returning her clothes to the department store in order to meet
him. He is upset when Zhao Man keeps rejecting him – when is he going
to marry her? Luckily, the elders are able to solve the problem for
him.

22. Cheng Hao
He is Kang Shi’s capable and loyal secretary. He knows every
shareholder’s move. Kang Shi will rely him on the updates. He also
keeps Kang Shi’s dating of Dan Ya from his parents. Knowing that Kang
Shi’s life is in danger as Jin appears, he shadows him everywhere.
Kang Shi once jokes that he should fire him so that he can replace him
with Dan Ya to see her daily at work. Upon knowing that Kang Shi will
be brought in for questioning, he offers to take the rap but Kang Shi
prefers to face the music.

23. Liu Chun Zhen
She is Kang Shi and Hui Zhu’s cousin. You will never get to like her.
Not because of her plump look but her tongue. She loves to say nasty
things about Dan Ya’s bad fate to cause Kang Shi to get hurt.
Initially, Ying Zi agrees with her but stops her after Dan Ya rescues
Kang Shi. I am very puzzled – the Lis dislike her so much but why do
they allow her to stay in their home for so long?

Favourite character
Kang Shi, he seems unfeeling but once he sinks into the love trap he
has set, he melts and becomes entangled. He also extends his warmth to
others. You will laugh upon seeing how he throws tantrums like a kid
later – it is so unlike him in the beginning.

Most hated character
Zhen Ya’s ex-boyfriend – he is shameless to approach her repeatedly
after being rejected so many times. Zhen Ya should not have agreed to
see him unless he is to return the money he owes her.

Interesting facts

Ending on a high note last Sunday with nationwide viewer ratings of
40.2 percent (AGB Nielsen Media Research), the hit SBS drama revealed
an untapped market. Jin Hyuk, the director won the 'Drama Director'
award and because of that, they also did not win any awards.

Shi Hoo was overjoyed to take up the role. He went to Han Jiang river
when he was tired. He said he gained 3 benefits from going there. He
went there and practiced voice training. He could enjoy a car ride and
also the scenery there. The main purpose is that he needs to train his
voice – Kang Shi is an authoritative man and he wants to his voice to
be firm as well.

There was a scene where Kang Shi ponders over his relationship with
Dan Ya when he is having a shower. All viewers envied his perfect
physique. His hard work was paid off when he won Special Production
Actor Award at SBS 2009 drama awards. The producers’ Award went to
Yoon Jung-hee.

Conclusion

It shows the importance of an extended family. When the grandfather
refuses to eat, his son and grandson also go to work with an empty
stomach. There is one thing which I was clueless about – must younger
men marry older women in the olden Korean days? In this aspect, the
Chinese view it differently. Most would not allow except for child
wives.

I am also surprised that arranged marriages is still the norm for
traditional families. Don’t the young have a say at all? It is a very
heart-warming drama. The family observes the customs to the detail.
Lets see how they have a ritual session with the ancestors daily. The
death anniversaries are important to them. Funeral scenes are
spectacular too. I believe that happens in fewer homes in the modern
times now. Even Chinese fail to keep up with details to this extent.

This drama is unique as it talks about preserving cultural practices.
How many of us have forgotten about it? How many of us will still
follow? What is the way in treating our elders? How do we show the
hierarchy of home identity? This sets us thinking. The drama also
explores on how new additions to the family change their way of lives.
This can also be the other way round too.

Ying Yin has introduced some ways – some work while some don’t.
Forefathers do have a lot of foresight in setting the rules. The
closeness between the family members can also be observed. All have
different personalities and ways of handling issues. But at the end of
the day, they show concern to each other.

This is an excellent drama despite its length. I will encourage all to
watch it. It also reminds us of our roots and to continue the
traditions which are long forgotten or neglected. Thus it is important
to cherish what we have before they are completely out of our reach.

The cast did an excellent job in their portrayal of different
characters. Yoon Jung Hee pales in comparison as she looks blur at
times. The chemistry between her and Shi Hoo only grows better in the
later part of the drama. I feel that this drama deserves more
attention than ‘Temptation of wife’ as the storyline is stronger. It
is sad that it gets lesser recognition.

Sukting’s ratings :

On acting : ***1/2 (Scale of 5)

On story : **** (Scale of 5)