I watch Heirs/The Inheritors and I still have no clue what it is I am supposed to be seeing. A teenage love story between a chaebol heir and a really poor girl? A high school after school special against bullying? A dysfunctional family squabble? I haven’t felt so utterly clueless watching a drama in a long time. Things happen but I can’t see any thematic cohesiveness to it. If this was a sitcom, the pace and execution would work because we’re spending time with people over a long period of time, so it’s more about watching discreet situations without any urge for a bigger picture. That’ll come after the characters and their trials and tribulations have grown on the viewers. At 20 episodes, Heirs is a standard K-drama length but the dramatic pulse seems to have been iced down to barely beating. I can list all the major events so far in one hand – Eun Sang goes to the US and meets Tan, Tan comes back to Korea, Eun Sang and Tan both end up at Empire High with the current and past friends and nemesis. On the other hand, there is so much staring in this drama, staring at people, staring into nothingness, staring at things.
Part of my sense of disorientation is that all the elements I’ve described above is so not a Kim Eun Seok penned drama is her body of work is any indication. By toggling so many characters and so dangling so many threads, nothing is being developed with the depth and urgency I would like. It helps that Tan has quietly fallen for Eun Sang without a lot of self-wrangling chaebol heirs are wont to engage in when they fall for an unsuitable girl. Oddly I feel little in the way of stomach tingling romance from Eun Sang to Tan, it’s almost like girl is really too busy, too overwhelmed, and too tired from life to actually consider or have time for love. That’s awesome because it feels real in this universe of far out rich v. poor constructs. I can sense she could like and even love Tan, but she’s nowhere close to where he’s at in terms of being wholly consumed by her presence. And it’s not an obsessive fascination either, the way I see Young Do developing his interest in Eun Sang, Tan likes her because she’s a good person, a warm presence, a comforting friendship. She is the simplest of things he cannot have because he has riches beyond compare. Conceptually it works, just up the intensity a little.
Episode 7 recap:
Perpetually tired Eun Sang flops down on the table outside the convenience to sneak a cat nap. Young Do happens to be there grabbing some ramyun and he sits down across from Eun Sang and stares at her. After a moment, he kicks the table and tells her to wake up. Why is she always sleeping in such places, he’ll feel the urge to protect her.
Young Do’s phone rings and he picks up knowing it’s from Tan, who just happens to be right across the street. All the men around Eun Sang seem to be stalkers. Young Do naturally assumes Tan is here to see Eun Sang and tells her to wake up because Tan is here. Eun Sang gets up and is surprised to see Tan, telling Young Do she is not meeting Tan.
Tan insists he’s not here to meet Eun Sang as well heads off, but not before warning Young Do to behave around his neighborhood. Eun Sang says running into both Young Do and Tan is a coincidence and she leaves. Young Do still believes otherwise, and yet another potential thrilling scene ends devoid of any impact.
Eun Sang goes home and runs into Tan waiting for her in the garden. He’s upset she sleeps in random places but doesn’t realize she has nowhere to go. Eun Sang clarifies that Young Do just happened to be there and Tan takes the chance to warn her to stay away from him. Tan worries Young Do threatened Eun Sang, but she says he mumbled something about wanting to protect her. Tan huffs that it’s a threat! When Eun Sang probes for the reason for the two boys enmity, Tan lies that he doesn’t remember.
Eun Sang and Tan space their return into the house but both run into Ki Ae in the kitchen. She introduces Eun Sang as the daughter of the mute housekeeper and Tan cheekily says he knows her from school. Eun Sang doesn’t play around and says she’s never seen Tan in school. After Tan steps out, Ki Ae asks Eun Sang to keep an eye on Tan for her and report back. Eun Sang has to do something in return for going to private school for free, yes?
Tan hears this, and also hears Ki Ae warn Eun Sang not to get chummy or friendly with Tan. Just because they live and go to school together, Eun Sang has to act like she and Tan are in different worlds. Eun Sang understands Ki Ae means to treat Tan like the master and she the servant. Eun Sang goes back to her room where Mom surprises her with a school uniform.
Esther has plans to take a new family picture but Rachel wants none of it. She calls up Young Do and wants his help to end the engagement between their parents. Young Do suggests they date but Rachel doesn’t want her engagement with Tan to end. Young Do agrees to ruin the photo shoot but wants something in exchange from Rachel.
Eun Sang leaves the house at the break of dawn but Tan is waiting for her already. Tan is wearing a letterman jacket that has “A Boy” lettered on the front. As if all that pink lipstick he’s constantly sporting would confuse us. Maybe just a little, but Tan Tan is indeed a boy to me. They take a cab to school and Tan tells Eun Sang what to report to his mom. She’s to say Kim Tan is handsome and beloved and doing well at school. Tan does point out that Eun Sang is a yes girl to his mom, but a no girl to him.
Tan can tell Eun Sang wants to go to school early to avoid the parade of rich kids in their fancy cars, but he wants the taxi to drop them off at the front of the school today since it’s yet early and other kids won’t be there yet. He then leans his head on her shoulder to rest since he woke up bright and early for her. He murmurs quietly that she looks very pretty in the uniform.
Eun Sang and Tan are awkwardly walking up the slope to school, with Eun Sang in front and Tan ambling behind her. He keeps staring at her exposed neck with her hair in a ponytail, and finally he can’t take it anymore with the alluring sight and runs up to pull her hair band off. He messes up her hair and tells her she looks better this way.
They run into Myung Soo in front of the school, having been out all night clubbing. He still thinks Eun Sang looks familiar but Tan assures her that Myung Soo couldn’t have met her at his club haunts, with the implication that she’s not pretty enough to get in. Eun Sang notices the body trace on the ground and Myung Soo says someone keeps drawing it as a sort of protest, wondering if it’s the bullied kid Joon Young.
Ki Ae gets a visit from a friend and is envious when the friend gets a call to go to her daughter’s school. Ki Ae, you shoulda thought of that before you shacked up with a married man. Just sayin’. Friend ask about plans to remove Ji Sook or Won and is told neither have any weaknesses to exploit. Ji Sook is like a nun, and Won is like the son of a priest, neither have any scandals. Eun Sang’s mom is around cleaning and overhears again, which aggravates Ki Ae to no end.
Eun Sang goes to interview with Hyo Shin fo the broadcast club PD position, listing as one of her talents sign language. Hyo Shin notes that she doesn’t appear to need a uniform anymore but she still wants to join the club.
Bo Na runs in and refuses to let Eun Sang join since she’s her boyfriend’s best friend. But then another girl wants to join so Bo Na picks Eun Sang as the lesser of two evils.
Eun Sang walks around all pleased she got into the club. She’s putting her hair into a ponytail when Tan walks up behind her and pulls it off right away and keeps on walking.
Eun Sang is annoyed and yells at him, only to sense someone watching and turns around to see Young Do staring at her from the distance.
Chan Young and is hanging with his honey Bo Na and learns that Eun Sang joined the broadcast club. When Bo Na comes clean with Tan being her ex-boyfriend, Chan Young reveals that he knew already from Rachel. He asks Bo Na to keep Eun Sang’s background a secret but she doesn’t know why she should do it. Chan Young smiles and says he believes in her
Tan is in Myung Soo’s playroom and looks at all the pictures on the wall, which includes pictures of happier times between him and Young Do when they were younger. Chan Young arrives and Tan starts to probe about him and Bo Na. Turns out they’ve been dating for the past year and a half. Chan Young turns the conversation to Tan and Eun Sang, and Tan concedes he’s stuck at the stage right before confessing.
Tan wants to know if Chan Young ever liked Eun Sang and is not surprised to learn Chan Young did. But it was when they were nine, and Eun Sang was bigger and stood up for him. Chan Young wonders why Tan held Bo Na’s hand when they were dating and it was a simple as the day being cold and Bo Na was warm and strong.
Won comes home and runs into Ki Ae in the living room. He then goes to announce to Chairman Daddy that he is moving out for good. Good lord, you act like a 12 year old. Daddy thought Won would be more mature than this, and Tan is just a kid. Won plays his own pity card about losing his mom when he was 6 and getting a half-brother when he was 12. Oh boo hoo. He knows he’ll lost a lot if he leaves, but he gains because someone will be hurt. And that person’s pain will comfort him. That’s it, you are do dead to me Won.
Won goes to his room to pack and Tan comes in all happy that hyung is back. Tan, please burn that baby pink angora cardigan RIGHT NOW. Won is not back and is moving back, despite Tan begging for them to just live as a family. Won says they are not family, and he wants Tan to stop following him around like a puppy. Tan is taking away what belongs to Won.
Won goes down to the wine cellar, and if one is leaving the house might as well take some pricey wine with him. Tan comes down and grabs him for a hug, even knowing this is overstepping his bounds. Won doesn’t want Tan like this, he wants Tan to grow up and fight him for the inheritance. Tan has no intention of fighting because his heart doesn’t want to.
Tan sits in the garden just brooding. He notices Eun Sang coming home but she’s oblivious until he calls her name. She’s very formal to him and says it’s because she doesn’t know if Ki Ae will be around. Tan orders her to return his dream catcher to the wine cellar.
Eun Sang brings the dream catcher to the cellar where Tan is listening to music, the same song Eun Sang listened to the other night. Tan takes the dream catcher and says without it, he’s been having nightmares. She turns to leave and he asks that she stay to listen to music with him. Eun Sang stays and reveals this is a song someone likes. Tan gets jealous until he learns her unni likes it.
Tan wonders if Eun Sang still wants to go back to the US and she explains it wasn’t the US she wanted to go, she just wanted to get away from Korea. Here her life is the same routine of jobs and school and now a transfer. Tan wants to help but she doesn’t accept. She asks him what its like being the son of this family and he says its like having family members he can’t recognize in public. He wants to ask her a question but she books it since his questions are always so loaded.
As Eun Sang walks up the stairs, Tan holds up the dream catcher and uses it to frame Eun Sang. Later that night, both of them think about the other.
At school the next day, Bo Na arrives in class to see Young Do’s minions have barricaded it and inside is Young Do cornering Eun Sang. Bo Na goes in to demand he stop but Young Do takes the chance to empty out both their bags. A quick look at Bo Na’s rich accessories and Eun Sang’s normal items confirms for Young Do, who asks if Eun Sang really is nouveau riche? He asks Bo Na but she deflects and says it doesn’t matter. Young Do laughs and says it does because it means Eun Sang is deceiving the school.
Eun Sang stands her ground and tells Young Do to leave her alone. Young Do is impressed with her attitude. Chan Young comes in and asks what is happening? He tells Young Do to stop bothering other students. Young Do wonders why a mere transfer student has so many knights in shining armor at this school already? He walks out, bumping Chan Young on the way.
Chan Young goes to help Eun Sang pick up her items. Bo Na leans down to grab her stuff and then storms off all angry at both Eun Sang and Chan Young. Eun Sang sits down and hears the other students talking about her.
Yi Seul runs into another class and reports that Young Do was just harassing the transfer student. Tan gets up to go but the teacher arrives right then and class starts. Rachel can tell Tan is anxious as he sits there checking his watch the entire time.
After class, Tan walks through campus looking for Eun Sang. She’s by her locker, near where Young Do and the bullied kid Joon Young is talking. Apparently Young Do lodged a complaint against Joon Young for hitting him and Joon Young asks him to dismiss it. Young Do refuses and then tells Joon Young to beg on his knees and he’ll think about it.
Joon Young gets on his knees even for a chance while everyone stands around watching. Tan walks by and takes a deep breath before going up to Joon Young and telling him to get up. Joon Young doesn’t want Tan’s help and think Tan is no better than Young Do. Tan asks if he was mean to him before and Joon Young reveals that at least Young Do knows who he’s bullying.
Tan apologizes and plans to make it up to Joon Young and turns around to punch Young Do in the face. Everyone gasps in shock. Tan asks if he needs to kneel now? Young Do looks super excited it’s finally escalated between him and Tan. Before a brawl can break out, a teacher walks by and everyone disperses.
Tan and Young Do are dragged to the office of the school principal Ji Sook. She apologizes to Young Do as Tan’s mom and yells at him for being so much trouble. Young Do promises not to file a complaint. Ji Sook wonders who needs to put Tan in his place for him to behave? Should she tell Won? Young Do sarcastically takes this all in and says to let Tan off the hook this time. The two guys glare at each other some more.
After they leave Ji Sook’s office, the impasse continues with Young Do wanting Tan to transfer and reminding him that he knows who Tan’s real mom is. Tan says the person who got punched and humiliated should transfer.
As Tan and Young Do part ways, they walk pass their younger selves. Flashback to their falling out, and turns out when Young Do learned that Tan was illegitimate, he felt like Tan represents the bastard half-brother he would have one day if his dad married one of those women.
School is out and everyone heads out discussing Tan punching out Young Do. Bo Na runs into Rachel and chews her out for revealing her past relationship with Tan to current boyfriend Chan Young. Rachel bitches back that its Bo Na’s fault for not keeping her boyfriend on a tighter leash and letting him out to hang with other girls. Bo Na thinks Rachel’s reaction indicates there is more between Tan and Eun Sang than meets the eye. The two girls vow to get each other back if they keep pissing each other off.
Rachel gets into Esther’s car and she honks when she sees Tan walk by. She wonders why he hasn’t come back since he got back to Korea. She asks to grab a meal and neither Rachel and Tan say anything. Esther complains about Tan’s lack of social graces after they drive off and Rachel reveals that Tan punched out Young Do today for bullying another kid. Rachel says the kind of person Young Do is reflects who his dad is. One thing is for sure, Rachel has a better fiancée than her mom’s fiancée. Esther pulls over and tells Rachel to get out of the car.
Esther goes to Zeus Hotel to see Young Do but he’s not there. She asks the Manager if Kim Won lives hire and asks for the number for the Secretary of the Empire Group so she can call Won. She then calls Secretary Yoon, who answers but can’t talk right now since he’s at the hospital with Chairman Daddy.
Chairman Daddy asks if Secretary Yoon is in love and he confesses it’s more like an affair. Chairman Daddy says this isn’t worth it. Secretary Yoon reveals that once RS International and Zeus Hotel presidents get married, their combined shares in Empire Group will increase dramatically.
Eun Sang and Chan Young are at the library. She gets a call from Young Do but doesn’t answer. She tells Chan Young to hurry up and go before Bo Na gets upset. She finally answers Young Do’s call and he invites her over to his hotel to eat jjajangmyun since he ordered two bowls. Joon Young shows up and Young Do says if she doesn’t come, he won’t dismiss the complaint. Joon Young apologizes to her sadly.
Eun Sang goes to Young Do’s hotel room and asks what his intentions are to toy with them. Obviously he won’t dismiss the complaint against Joon Young. Young Do says he will because she’s with him now and he’s in a good mood, like a flower blossoming beside him.
The doorbell rings and its Rachel here to know why the family photo op hasn’t been cancelled? Young Do says he’s got an important guest right now so can’t talk. Rachel storms in to see Eun Sang sitting there and asks what is going on? She’s not interested in anything other than this weekend’s photo op being cancelled. She shoots Eun Sang a snarky remark that Eun Sang has many more tricks up her sleeve than expected.
Rachel calls Tan to tell him that Eun Sang is currently in Young Do’s presidential suite at the hotel. Eun Sang leaves with Young Do asking if she’s off to work a part time job but she doesn’t answer.
Eun Sang’s mom gets a text message to come to Empire High for a parent teacher conference. She has to decline, and Ki Ae can commiserate because she also can’t show her face at school as Tan’s mom. What is the parallel here, that being a mistress is being the same as poor? Neither can show their face in public?
Tan runs out of the house and goes to the café to make sure Eun Sang is there. He breathes a sigh of relief to see her there. He asks if she was at Young Do’s hotel and Eun Sang realizes Rachel told Tan. She also learns that the hotel belongs to Young Do’s family.
Tan asks how dare she go, isn’t she scared? Eun Sang points out she stayed at his place in the US even thinking he was a drug dealer. Tan calls her an idiot for doing that, there is nothing about Tan that said he was trustworthy. Tan learns that Eun Sang went to see Young Do because he promised to dismiss the complaint towards Joon Young.
Tan asks if she really wants to the Candy girl and trying to help others? Eun Sang blames Tan for being the reason Young Do is picking on her. Tan knows that which is why he’s even angrier. He asks her not to get involved and create more reason for him to be worried about her.
Eun Sang asks him to leave her another. She’s already so tired from dealing with so much. Now with Young Do bothering her, and it’s getting even more awkward to be around Tan. She doesn’t ask for more, all she wants is a life that is slightly better than now by the time she turns 20 and for that she needs to graduate from Empire High. Other than Tan leaving her alone, she doesn’t know what else to do. Tan tells her he has a solution. She can move out of his house and transfer schools. If she can’t do that, then she can start falling in love with him for real, because he’s already fallen for her.
Thoughts of Mine:
I wish Eun Sang’s character would get more of her own story arc rather than be an object sought after and reactive to the world around her. But compared to many characters in this drama, she feels proportionately easy to watch. Same goes with Chan Young and Tan. A lot of characters are so extreme. I don’t even know how to discuss them. Take Won – there is no reason for his degree of anger and lashing out at Tan. Ignore him, fine, but to send him away and now move out of the house because he’s back is bizarre. Even Won admits that he’s shooting himself in the foot with the action but he’d rather stick it to Tan, which makes him an imbecile. If I were Chairman Daddy I would give the company to Tan just because I wouldn’t trust Won to make decisions with a semblance of rationality. Young Do conversely is cruel to a degree that is hard to weigh against being raised by a mean daddy and having no mom. He exhibits shades of being a secret puppy killer in his spare time. He’s not interesting or redeemable in my mind, because one day he reforms like Tan doesn’t make it any easier for those he bullied and mistreated to feel better about all the torment they endured in his hands. I like Tan now, but that doesn’t mean I think he’s a good kid either. Watching Heirs, it feels a bit like Eun Sang fell into a dystopian Wonderland where she’s become the plaything of the rich and powerful. If she starts to fall in love with Tan in ways that make it obvious she ought to fight for a right to be with him, then it’ll all be worth it. Otherwise I wish she could leave the world of Empire High behind her and go back to her pre-Tan life. It was hard, but now it’s infinitely more complicated.
“I wish Eun Sang’s character would get more of her own story arch rather than be an object sought after and reactive to the world around her.”
Amen! I so totally agree with this statement. Heaven forbid she grow her own sense of autonomy and take direction of her future! It’s as if she is a ball in some kind of grade school recess game of keep-away. Whoever has the ball wins!!1
And I’m sorry Tan, you’re in LOVE with Eun Sang?! What kind of messed up love do you feel for her where you “respect” her so much you’ve boxed her in by choosing between either A) Moving and having her mom lose her job or B) forcing her to be in a relationship with you?! That’s not love! That’s an abusive relationship! Love is about consent and valuing the other person. What made Tan dreamy in the beginning of this series was how focused he was on asking Eun Sang what she was feeling because he wanted to know more about her and wanted to connect to her on an emotional level. This was so good, and it gave me high hopes for this drama. But now that we’ve tossed that bag out of the window… I just hope they focus more on her consent! This is such a bummer to watch without mutual respect.
// End of Rant
Tan is giving her two choices of having a (potentially) better future.
Either she completely stays away from him and have her peaceful future by not being involved into the “heirs” and their problems… OR he will protect her and they go through this together.
I think this is Tan’s way of protecting her.
Though I agree dialogue-wise he sound very forceful.
But I can understand his underlying meanings.
… Unless Tan is much more shallow than what I expect from him.
Personally I think Tan is a gentle soul.
Rlaaaax ! Its just his way of telling her he loves her ! Dont dictate evry word ! Back to the drama ! Its gorgeous but not min min vibe like in city hunter thougb I loved the preview and the way he corners hr to a kiss ! Ahhh so sexy ! But the lipstick come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn pls keep him more of a maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan if that is possible how pthetic for other actors he is more of amn with a pink lipstick !
Justifying Tan’s sexual harassment by saying, “Oh, but he’s actually a good guy, so he can do things like this” isn’t acceptable! By allowing people to get away with sexual harassment and justifying their actions we enable these people to violate others.
Reasoning like: “He’s just so overcome with passion! He needed some kind of action to satisfy his heart!” or “Guys not asking and just taking what they want is sexy!” might sound cool, but they don’t respect the girl’s autonomy nor the boy’s humanity. Here, the boy is reduced to a primal drive that completely ignores the girl as an individual. The boy doing things without the other person’s consent reduces the girl to a sexual object, a thing that can be used at their convenience.
Not respecting the person and forcing a kiss on them doesn’t show love – it shows a want to control the other person, and this is an abusive relationship.
Tan was sexy earlier asking all these questions about consent! “Do I like you?” “Did I miss you?” Here, he opens a forum to have a discussion with ES about weather their feelings are mutual, and what they can do about them. THIS is sexy, it shows respecting her and wanting to know what she’s also feeling.
I fully agree with your reviews. This is a frustrating drama to watch. ES character is so flat. There is no energy in her. She is not a positive person, she lives life feeling miserable. I dont think Park Shin Hye is able to bring the missing piece to this story. The story has so much talking and the pace is very slow. They are doing their version of Boys over Flowers but this is really not living up to expectation. I cannot see the ratings increasing. Secret is worth my attention more. I am fond of Lee Min Ho and I think Kim Woo Bin is doing a good job but I really dont think this drama will be a drama one talks about long term. I really hope I am wrong. I hope the writer gives us a clearer direction of where this is heading and she can add more energy in ES. Park Shin Hye can only act with script she is given but she cannot create and own the character.
I totally agree about ES’s character. I feel like I’m waiting for her “real” character to show up or something – especially since last week it really looked like the bullying annoyed her and was pushing her to the edge. Also, LMH’s character is so passive. I figure this is the concept of his character, but I’m so used to seeing him play such dynamic characters in his past dramas. The only character that really brings some action and spice to the storyline is YD’s character.
Let’s face it… if LMH, PSH or all the other big name stars were not in this drama, many people (me included) would have stopped watching a long time ago. I’ll probably just read the recaps and if something “big” happens in the storyline later, then I’ll start watching again.
I know this has nothing to do with this recap, but: What did you think about the final episodes of Scandal, Koala? I loved it.
I loved it. So so so amazing. I cried the entire hour through the last episode. T___T Fantastic drama from beginning to end. Best Kim Jae Won performance of his career, but Jo Jae Hyun, Shin Eun Kyung, and Park Sang Min were all brilliant.
Agree. SCANDAL was amazing.
That drama is like the saddest thing ever.
Gotta be my number one tearjerker drama of all time.
The 2 dad, mom and Eunjoong were just… MAN…
TTT____TTT
I might cry again now.
I will try Scandal , I like actors so didn’t watch it . Now I watch Secret , oh wonderful, same Nice Guy but more distress and pain .
That’s it, I’m done with Heirs. Well, at least, I will only read recaps because I feel I am wasting my time by watching it.
I kept with the show because I love Bo Na and Chan Young’s relationship so much but seeing how every single time they met, they always have to mention ES … It’s just freakin’ bothering because I don’t get why the whole show has to be around ES when as a character, she is flat. At least, for me.
I liked the dynamic between Rachel and Young Do too. How it will be a mess if the two of them began to date and fall in love or whatever. Especially after all these teases that YD loves to throw at her but … I don’t know. I think I lost interest.
It’s such a slow drama. Like really, I don’t find this as addictive as others KES’s dramas and it’s like I’m just watching it for the brand and cast which is such a waste because you should watch a drama for the storyline at least.
What’s the purpose of Myung Soo ? Hyo Shin ? I remember when there was an article about how new hot stars wanted to have a part in this drama even though it will be a small one but thinking about it, if I was them, I would have taken a role in a lesser buzzed drama but with a good storyline.
me too. this will be the last ep of heirs I am gonna watch. just read the recap now cause really would be wasting half my time with the staring contest.
Yup this drama really has poor use of actor ever.
I think had they casted an unknown person or just pulled someone from the street, I would been fine with it. since i would not feel that their talent had gone to waste in this drama of stare me down and no narrative.
And they only have to act there: stare with anger, stare with sadness and stare into nothingness.
I really feel bad about all those actors talent going to waste with all the staring.
OMG I know ! They stare at anything ! And the “Love is the Moment” I AM GONNA KILL THAT SONG ! It’s beautiful song but I don’t know, it’s just so cringing when they put it during ES and Tan’s scenes O.O
hahaha. I agree with you whole heartedly. the premise of this drama is incohesive and all over the place. had it been a long running saguek or makjang then the story telly would makes sense but right now its like plot upon plot, subplots upon subplots and characters upon characters of story with no real narrative.
If this was a sport, then the narrative is like a jab her, a straight here then a jab here, the story is more of a MMA tournament where the entertainments is all about beating each other but circling around the goal like it has all the time of the boxing tournament.
This story is all about the pretty to invite a cult following yet no story.
And the stare me downs, stare as we brood, stare stare stare. I don’t get that. usually that is used for impact but for this drama it is getting on my nerves, like for reals. it has no punch and no impact. makes me scream everytime they do the stare me down for like forever then change scene. and I go, ohhh-kay. it would have been more useful has talking been added, people talk, like for realities speak with words.
I don’t know if that stare me down is one way to show audience, “oh they are acting with their eyes” or “they are showing melancholy” or whatever wheezzies that the writer and PD are thinking but it showing that they are just staring out of nothingness and no usefulness.
or maybe the PD wanted to give the the time to screen cap everypretty there is this story. cause like, I can screen cap without blurs in this drama in real time. thats like great…
*sigh*
Ep7 has come and gone and I finally resigned to the fact that Heirs is a drama all from nothingness. I like I’ve been fooled. It’s like they gave me this very good commercial of a great product, then seeing all its uses and prettiness that I succumbed to buying it all excited and all just to have it at my hands and realize, for reals what again is this for? I go to the commercial again and well sigh and just stare… stare.. stare….
I dropped this after ep2. I couldn’t connect with the characters and I especially didn’t like the bratty girl who plays Tan fiance.
Miss Koala,
Just read that Miss Korea’s male lead is now rumored to be Lee Sun Kyun… thoughts? It’s almost like SM is trying its darndest to find male leads who are great actors for Yoona/Lee Yeon Hee to learn from.
Well, nvm, it’s actually confirmed…
I feel the same about The Heirs, what is the central message and plotline?
It’s so slow in its pacing, too much that amiunts to nothing.
I cannot connect to it at all but yet it is engaging in a way, like an outsider looking through a window into a house full of people doing their things and wondering what the heck they are doing.
I think my biggest issue with Heirs is that I feel like it’s been mis-packaged from the beginning. I read things like this: “romantic story of hot and wicked high schoolers” (quoted from ohkpop) but the reality is distinctly different. I was expecting smoldering, scandal, slight depravity, etc. But Heirs is simply tame, which is fine, they can keep just staring at each other, I just feel that they did the series a HUGE disservice by marketing it as “sexy.” I’m still waiting for it, right now nobody is truly sexy, or even intimidating, and they all seem like they just need to hug it out – KT and YD especially. This show seriously needs to add a bit dose of intensity, as it’s been mentioned numerous times before, or I’m going to keep watching it with only one eye open.
I am just as confused as you Ms Koala, there are too many things all jumbled up in a small pot. If only they would stick to the main plot and it should be fine. MHIYD has a better plot and easy to understand what the heck is going on! Hopefully this series won’t turn into another GOF.
I keep giving it a chance because I love some of the actors but I don’t think I can take it anymore. Episode 6 actually made me miss Jan Di from BOF, I thought at least she would’ve kicked their ass. ES character is just so flat and emo, in every episode she is just walking around with her head down feeling sorry for herself because she is poor and doesn’t even stand up for the one guy outside of that messed up clique that actually tried to defend her. Is really hard to sympathize with such character. And then there are the two male leads.. one is a sadistic bully and the other one emotionally challenged. At this point I’m only cheering for Chan Young and Bona but they don’t even show them that much and like someone else mentioned, and when they do show them whatever their interaction is it revolves around ES or KT.
My niece stopped watching this after the second episode and she is only 15.. Which I’m sure that is the main age demographic for this drama. Why am I still trying to give it a chance?! Ah!
Accept with you , almost said that ES is different to Jan di . But I think Jan di is more interesting than ES . Jan di love Ji Hoo and try to let him with his lover . She always happy , strong in everything happened to her life . I wonder why ES always seem to cry , sad about her life . I think difference between Go Jun Pyo and Jan di make him love her more . Jan di have nothing but she still happy , and she can stand up to resist the bad .
the main problem with HEIRS is the fact that there’s so many characters and so many stories of them to be laid down in only 20 episodes drama
this will be okay only if it’s a daily or weekend drama with at least 50 ++ episodes
and there’s also unnecessary side stories like the one with Tan’s mom and her friend or her feud with second wife, Chairman and Secretary Yoon talking about business, Myungsoo, Hyoshin and the tutor@ Won’s gf
Dont watch and dont recap if you dont like it. People this day… Huh!
There are good things about this drama, but it’s also important to talk about how the drama can be improved, right?
Don’t read this post and comment on it if you don’t like what the blogger says. People these days…
hahaha. True.
I mean if you don’t want to hear something bad then don’t read it.
Its koala prerogative to write whatever she wants to write, its her place and her blog.
But I think koala understand that we are freedom of opinion and still thanks Fairytale even though she has of different opinion..
hehehehe
Fairytale, dont look at Koalas’s website if her contents bothers you. She can watch and recap what she wants. It is her choice and her right. So rude of you to make such comments on someone’s personal blog.
“Won goes down to the wine cellar, and if one is leaving the house might as well take some pricey wine with him”
Won is grabbing the wine his mother made the year he was born
AH! That makes so much more sense … I was like “Can’t he just .. buy some .. at the hotel? …” But okay! Thanks! 🙂
i want to drop this drama since ep 1…but i gave it another chance..but after finish watching ep 2..,yeah,i should dumbed this drama..it’s suck so bad..i still did’t watch ep 3,4,5,6 and 7 bcoz i know its going to waste my precious time..but when i read Heir’s recap from Koalas & Dramabeans i just have to say your recap is more real and thoughful than Dramabean..I’m root for you bcoz you make some a good point..It’s funny how Dramabeans pretend like this is such a good drama…lol.
I understand where you are coming from and agree that Heirs is such a bore (also dropped this drama) but no need to point out who is right and who is wrong because no one is.
It’s all an opinion. Subjective and very personal. Much like how people hates black while some loves it. I also read other blog regarding dramas and I do think that everyone varies in opinion. Like there are some dramas that Koala loves that I cant take, there are some she gushes about and I’m in the same ship with her, there are also some she hates which I don’t understand why, cause I love them. That’s subjective and personal opinion, no right and wrong.
I understand that you’re opinion is in line with koala and you disagree with dramabeans but its just wrong to say that dramabeans’s opinion is ‘pretend’. That’s bad mouthing and I think it’s wrong. you can just say you disagree and that’s it….
Anyway peace…
thanks! i agree with every point you mafe
may be dramabeans really enjoy watching it, she’s not say that heirs is a very good drama, but she still enjoy watching it, some people have different taste and different opinion, i mean koala love lie to me and dramabeans hate it, that’s doesn’t mean koala wrong and dramabeans right, watching drama is never about who’s opinion is wrong and who’s opinion is right, it’s very subjective, depends on the people who watch it. Thats said, i really enjoy watching heirs, it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s easy to watch, and i like my drama light and simple, i don’t really like makjang type of drama. Can’t wait for ep. 8 🙂
“different taste, different opinions”… thumbs up 🙂 for example, i see “heirs” after “secret” just to relax and to get all the emotions and thoughts “secret” creates out of my head. “heirs” is light and in the latest episodes it’s getting funnier to watch the dialogs (a trademark of the writer i really missed in the earlier episodes), but i don’t see a story there either. even if you like dramas to be light, “secret” is worth trying it… it keeps you on the edge 😉
I liked something about this episode…hmmm… what was it again? There was that one part, where, no…not that…Well there was one part that made a LOT of sense, when, um…no, that didn’t happen either…Someone said something very very interesting during that scene where they…um…can’t think of it for some reason…
OK, I GOT IT.
I actually liked Bo No today. She didn’t narc on ES being the poor girl, and got picked on by that jerk. She wins points with me for that.
Everyone else at that school, blergh.
So what I love about this recap is that I don’t get out of school until around ten and I’m packed with things to do, therefore this helps me enjoy Heirs without watching the episode and spending an hour or so in class trying to hide my cell phone. I’m in one of my college classes now and I’ve just finished my work but I’m here till ten, so while we’re in the computer lab I read Koalasplayground’s recap. This was an amazing job and the descriptions make me feel as though I’m actually watching the episode right now. I really appreciate our time recapping this drama for me and I can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode to see Tan finally act upon his feelings and kiss his girl. Thanks again for the recap #Heirs
Thanks for the super speedy recaps! Stare stare away! Still can’t wait for the next episode.
I finally found out what is the best part of this drama
dun.
dun..
dun…
dun….
The PREVIEW… its the jjang part of everything
Hahaha
it has all the excitement I am looking for, fast pace and story narrative missing from the drama itself… hahahaha
I mean I JUst watched the ep8 preview (skipped Epp7) and its exciting. it hit me then, everytime I watch the previews, I always get pulled in. thenwhen I watch the ep, is bleehhhh… so never again…
and with Ep8 preview, LMH getting evil was this close to pull me to watch again but I learned my lesson with heirs, never again. Its just gonna be recaps and previews for me.
But let me just say, the ending of preview where YD tripped EU as Tan ushers EU away. Then the next thing happened that wanted me to pull out all my hair. Tan does what all chauvinistic donkey kong Bas****s do. He left her on the floor and went straight to grabbing YD’s shirt.
like really Tan? if you so like her so much why leave her on the floor like that, to show that you’d fight for her. like really?
Or is this like a symolic thing where two chaebols boys are way up in the level of standing fighting against each other for her, who is way down in the floor, dirt poor and pitiful.
hahaha See I have more opinion on the preview than the episode itself.
Jjang Preview!!!
Haha that’s a good point about leaving ES on the ground. I guess it’s supposed to make that scene dramatic. ES’ s hair will go flinging slowly across her face…..
Finally , people just love cast idol, not love content ..haha..and I ensure they will forget this drama as soon as it ends because nothing to remember for this and may be they will never watch it again . A bad or good , time will let you know .
I admit, the cast is a really big motivator for me. I have been wanting a Lee Min Ho + Park Shin Hye drama since FOREVER (namely, ever since their makeup ad), and now that I have it, I’m sure as heck not giving it up! And also .. I missed out on School 2013, so I never got the chance to experience the greatness that is Kim Woo Bin (he is wonderful <3)
But BoNa, I think, is one of my favorite characters! I love all the scenes that she's in <3
& I agree with all the comments ^^^^^^^^ … Eun Sang is so … depressing to watch. Seriously, is she incapable of cracking a smile? Hopefully there will be a turning point soon, because dang, she needs something (or someone like Tan) to help her ouuuut.
Kim Woo Bin (*swoon) is such a good actor. I could feel the "bad boy" vibe seeping through my screen. fjoajwvpojaoija. I love his character! Though he is a "villain" of some sort, I hope he is interested in Eun Sang not just because Tan has a crush on her, but because he is developing feelings for her.
Maybe it's because of the excessive "bad boys" that end up "good guys" in dramas (Ie;; BOF, You're Beautiful, Goong, the recent Mirae's Choice ..) because of interacting with the main girl, that I now see every bad boy as a sweet and sensitive man with a strong outer shell. Let's see Young Do's sweetie side soon, yeah? <3
It’s not just Eun-sang as a character that is flat. Most of the characters in the story are one-dimensional. There seems to be only one thing that they are preoccupied with and that one thing dictates their whole character…
Really I blame the cast size. The bigger the cast size, the more time needed to flesh them out, and the more qualities the writer has to think of for each character that individualize them. I think because there are so many “stars” in this cast, the writer couldn’t ignore them. I would have been fine if she flesh some characters out first, then the other set, because right now, now one is really connecting to me on a personal level. I like Tan, I like Chan-Young, but that’s it.
I may be one of the few that is enjoying this drama. Yes it’s a little slow and emo but I’m enjoying every episode and can’t wait to find out the who what when where whys of all the characters and their conflicts. I find when characters piss me off and there’s a lot in this drama, it makes me want more!! That’s what I don’t have with marry me if you dare. I love YEH but I find that drama boring and confusing and all over the place. But to each his/her own.
I now figured out what this drama is like. It’s like reading a Haruki Murakami book. You don’t know what it’s about but you keep on reading it for reasons you can’t explain.
I remember reading through 1Q84 and flipping through pages, wondering what the heck it’s all about. That book, if I can find a Korean word for it, is a Nappeuno (pardon my romanized korean) of a book. It doesn’t have a clear plot, it provides questions but doesn’t give answers. After reading it, you feel like you have more questions than answers and it’s frustrating because it’s already finished and there is no second book to explain everything about it. But then, you get a sense that it’s something really deep and has a very sensitive message to the readers, though for the life of me, I haven’t figured it out yet.
Yeah, this drama is just that.
With every episode, Eun Sang’s passivity annoys me more, even my wife sided with me on this at last watching this episode. I do like Chan Young and Bo Na They’re a cute couple with a sense of real affection, and Bo Na comes across as almost the anti-Rachel – with same sort of background and attitudes, but with added feature of actual humanity. I suspect I’ll be more invested in them than in the OTP, at least for the foreseeable future.
episode 7 was so interesting and entertaining! can’t wait for episode 8 (the preview seemed great)!
I thought the drama will get better when they are back in school but the pace is still slow. Some good moments but most of the time, i don’t know what to look forward to.
I think PSH and LMH has poor chemistry. The scenes that they were together were actually romantic and cute scenes, but i was so bored. They are definitely good looking people, but no chemistry at all.
Eun Sang is a boring character. I think the writer wants to write a character that is similar to BOF but maybe she wants to avoid making them too similar which resulted in a weak character.
In fact, I am most impressed and interested in kim woo bin’s character. He is the bad ass here but at least he is interesting.
And i really hope there are less scenes of the parents unless they are going to show me something different.
Yes, the tension is ratcheting up in ep 7! Finally! To some extent with the swinging punch Tan took with Young Do’s face! Yeah, I’ve been waiting for someone to do that for all his dastardly deeds! But too bad, the fire just sputtered by the arrival of teachers. Wow, Kim Woo Bin was really good in that scene; I could practically see the maniac glint in his eyes, that inferno of anger that was gonna be unleashed if not for the coincidental arrival of teachers. Yes, talking about coincidences, I finally realise what my major gripe about the drama is, whenever the drama builds up suspense and tension, it is always inevitably diffused and undercut by coincidental (or sometimes not so coincidental) arrivals of somebodys. It just feels like a cop out to me, like an overly used narrative device used just to prolong the drama. While I understand it is perhaps to make the tension simmer, shelve it which will eventually explode like a volcano, but some point, it is just overly done.
Yes, the tension is ratcheting up in ep 7! Finally! Well, to some extent with the swinging punch Tan delivered to Young Do’s face! Yeah, I’ve been waiting for someone to do that for all his dastardly deeds! But too bad, the fire just sputtered by the arrival of teachers. Wow, Kim Woo Bin was really good in that scene; I could practically see the maniac glint in his eyes, that inferno of anger that was gonna be unleashed if not for the coincidental arrival of teachers. Yes, talking about coincidences, I finally realise what my major gripe about the drama is, whenever the drama builds up suspense and tension, it is always inevitably diffused and undercut by coincidental (or sometimes not so coincidental) arrivals of somebodys. It just feels like a cop out to me, like an overly used narrative device used just to prolong the drama in the show. While I understand it is perhaps to make the tension simmer, shelve it which will eventually explode like a volcano, but at some point, it is just overly done, but I’m glad that there’s some progress in the narrative.
Somehow I actually like Eun Sang; she’s not like the typical Candy heroine, who is always upbeat and energetic despite being in dire straits, I can feel her frustration and anger. But I agree with what Koala means by her being too reactive and passive; I’m too used to heroines standing up for themselves (Jan Di, anyone?)and what they feel is right, so it took me a while to get used to Eun Sang. But I feel that she is a more realistic and complex character; she knows that it is wrong for Young Do to bully Joon Yong, but she is too afraid of the consequences of having Young Do’s malicious attentions turned towards her and she is paralysed to the extent that she can only stand quietly on the sidelines, unable to do anything about it, she can only bear witness to Joon Yong’s torment, flinching at Young Do’s every move like she is in Joon Yong’s shoes, to somehow assuage her guilt at her inaction.
It does say something that I’m more caught up by the bullying scenes than any of the other easily forgotten scenes where there’s nothing but gazes right?