Angry Mom Episode 16 (Final) Recap

Angry Mom Episode 16. We waited and it happens…the slippery bad guys finally learn what it is like to be held accountable for their actions.

Hong Sang Tae (Baro), our Mom, Jo Gang Ja (Kim Hee Seon), and Park No A (Ji Hyun Woo) meet Sang Tae’s mother at the airport.  She apologizes to Sang Tae for abandoning him. Sang Tae cries. He apologizes for not being able to protect her in the past. He claims he can protect her now, he’s all grown up. So sweet!

Gang Ja and No A introduce themselves and tell her they will apprise her of the details enroute to his house.

A henchman calls Chairman Hong Sang Bok (Park Yeong Gyu) with the arrival news. He is not happy. He orders his henchman to bring Sang Tae and his mother to him.

In the parking lot, Gong Joo introduces herself. She spots the Chairman’s henchmen coming their way. Sang Tae stays behind while the others make their get away. That is ridiculous, to leave Sang Tae to deal with his abusive father.

The Chairman and Sang Tae argue. No violence. The Chairman takes Sang Tae’s cell phone and locks him in the room declaring he’ll be there until the trial is over.

Again, I must say, it is ridiculous that they left Sang Tae at the airport.

The Chairman uses Sang Tae’s cell phone to call the mother. He threatens her. If she cooperates, Sang Tae will not be hurt. She better keep her mouth shut.

Sang Tae’s mother apologizes but decides not to testify. Her son’s well being is her priority.

 
The Minister of Education tells reporters he has been too soft on his son Principal Do. He claims it is time for tough love. His son has the face the law like anyone else. The reporters are impressed with this tact. Watching his father on TV, Principal Do has the opposite opinion. The prosecutor observes that “power is cold hearted”.

Principal Do is granted a phone call. He calls Ae Yeon and asks her to visit him. She is not interested. Principal Do piques her curiosity when he tells her there is a gift for her that he did not have the courage to giver her before. He tells her how to retrieve it.

Chairman gives Principal Do’s father a tape from his son’s safe deposit box. The Chairman admits his son’s mother is in town. The Minister of Education is NOT happy. The Chaiman tells him it will be ok. He has Sang Tae. She won’t be able to tell all. The Minister of Education suggests a gentle approach. He’ll meet with her.

Yi Gyeong’s mother tells Sang Tae’s mother she understands her reticence to become involved. She felt that way too until her son said something that made her realize if he went to the school he could have been hurt or killed. She saw, in that moment, that silence was tacit approval. Nice moment between the two mothers. I like that they have kept Yi Gyeong’s memory alive and brought her mother in to be an advocate for change.

No A and Gang Ja tell Sang Tae’s mother they can go get her son from his father’s clutches. The Chairman is meeting with the Minister of Education and is livid when Sang Tae’s mother, No A, Gang Ja and a police officer come to the house to get Sang Tae. No A declares they have every right to liberate Sang Tae.

Wow! No A goes superhero and rams the door to Sang Tae’s bedroom until the padlock is broken and the doors swing open. Sang Tae is stunned (join the crowd).

The Minister of Education meets with the mothers and claims to care about their feelings. Gang Ja calls him two faced and tells him to get to the point. A briefcase of cash is displayed. If the mothers keep their mouth shut, there can be even more. Yi Gyeong’s mother is gobsmacked. “Your son killed my daughter!” Gang Ja tells him “you made your son into a monster that killed our children.” He offers to make Ah Ran Korea’s shining star. He tells Sang Tae’s mother that Korea’s well being and Sang Tae’s life depend her on silence.

Sang Tae and No A enter the room. Sang Tae declare he’ll decide his own fate. His mother tells him they must leave. The Chairman yells they cannot leave without his permission. No A tells the Chairman the reporter are outside and they’ll tells them everything. I love this line “do you think we came into the tiger’s lair without some preparation?” The Minister of Education declares he controls much of the media. Yi Gyeong’s mother counters she knows several reporters that are not under his control.

The Chairman tells Sang Tae that if he leaves he will be betraying his own father. Sang Tae caves and agrees to stay with his father. He tells his mother he’ll only be locked in his room. He tells everyone to leave. I do not like that plot point.

The Minister of Education begs for another 1 week delay in the trial. He needs to get through the election before he is arrested. He directs the Chairman to bring him the ledger in the morning.

The Chairman pulls the ledger from his safe. Sang Tae watches.

Ae Yeon is curious about the gift Principal Do told her was in Mr. Kim’s hands for safe keeping.

The prosecutor gets approval to arrest the Minister of Education but not search the Chairman’s vault.

Ae Yeon gets the gift from Mr. Kim. It is a diamond necklace with a note from Principal Do requesting she wear it in court. Hmm, I thought the recording of his father would be the gift.

The Minister of Education is arrested. His cronies desert him like rats off a sinking ship. He realizes the Chairman has stabbed him in the back and likely given the ledger to the other political side.

Sang Tae’s mother testifies the Chairman opened an account in her name but it was really for the Minister of Education. She is forthright about his threats. She states she could not let her son remain in danger or evolve into his father. Awesome that Ko Bok Dong (Ji Soo), Sang Tae, Oh Ah Ran (Kim Yoo Jung), get to see his mother shine on the witness stand. When the Chairman yells at her, the prosecutor tells him to sit down and be quiet. Ah Ran takes Sang Tae’s hand. Bok Dong quips “having a rich father isn’t all good”.

The Minister of Education says the account was procured by the Chairman not him. He claims he never used the money. He claims he doesn’t know how his own campaign is financed.

The Chairman says the Minister of Education threatened the school if the account and funds were not provided.

LOL the Chairman and Minister of Education yell at each other in court, both accusing the other of lying and framing the other.

The prosecutor says he will bring in a witness that will testify the Chairman and Minister of Education colluded with each other.

Ae Yeon gives the press (Yi Gyeon’s mother) the recording of the Minister of Education. Ah, it was in the other side of the jewelry box! Principal Do sees Ae Yeon wearing his necklace. He tells her she looks pretty. A weirdly sweet moment between them.

Principal Do testifies to the collusion between the Chairman and Minister of Education. The defense lawyers say they will discredit his testimony. Principal Do says to check the evidence he just submitted. The recording is played. Everyone hears how the Minister of Education never wanted to acknowledge his son even with his mother on death’s door. He even threatens her life. The man is scum.

Principal Do finally says what he’s wanted to say for years. “You made me into a monster. If you’d only acknowledged me and my mother, I would not have turned out like this.” Unable to keep cool, the Minister of Education yells “You ruined my life! I should have killed you!” Finally…he shoots himself in the foot!

Outside court, the Minister of Education calls Principal Do names. Principal Do tells his father he will return to jail and wait for him to join him. Bam!

Outside court, the Chairman is livid that Sang Tae came. Sang Tae tells his father he’s scared they could become just like the Minister of Education and Principal Do. Bam!

The secret vault is stripped, the offices are stripped, Chairman’s safe is stripped, this is a major seizure! But the ledger cannot be found.

The prosecutor’s closing remarks skewer the defendants. In a nutshell he says these defendants represent the rotten core of corruption. He asks for 7 years for the Minister of Education, 6 years for the Chairman, life in prison for Principal Do, 1 year for Ae Yeon and 2 years for Dong Chil.

The sentences are lighter than requested and they are taken away to prison with the good guys watching.

3 months later…
Gang Ja, Ah Ran, and Gong Joo cajole mother to get out and do some shopping with them. Nice moment when mother admits her son loved Gang Ja.

Oh no, the Chairman is released from jail after his 2 year sentence was reduced to 3 months by a special pardon from the President due to the Chairman’s health issues (they are bogus health issues). Bok Dong and No A are in shock at the news.

The Chairman meets with the President’s adviser and asks him to take care of the ledger he provided. It is like political dynamite he claims.

The Chairman claims he will break only one of them to send a message. That doesn’t sound good. He says to get the one that took Sang Tae from him. That doesn’t sound good.

Being transferred in a police car, Dong Chil is surprised the Chairman has been released after 3 months. He worries the Chairman will take revenge against Gang Ja which could involve Ah Ran.  Dong Chil escapes from the police car.

The mean girls invite Ah Ran to join them. Ah Ran declines the offer.  Ah Ran gets a phone call from an unknown caller.

No A calls Gang Ja and tells her the Chairman has been released under a special pardon. That wipes the smile off her face. They agree to meet later at No A’s house. But Gang Ja is snatched.

Dong Chil intercepts Ah Ran. She tells him he must turn himself in. He tells her in a little while. She asks if he escaped to see her. Tears fill her eyes. He claims he is not her biological father, it is his brother. Dong Chil admits he killed his brother by mistake (not her mother). He hands her a precious picture of himself and his brother. She cries, He cries. Bok Dong runs up. Dong Chil tells Ah Ran to study hard and be healthy and listen to her mother. It is a lovely moment. A touching moment. A moment we’ve waited for.

The Chairman tells Gang Ja she must pay for the wedge she put between Sang Tae and him. As he stands to hit her with a bat, Dong Chil enters the room. The Chairman asks how he got out of prison. Dong Chil tells him the same way you did…dirty tricks.

The Chairman grabs Gang Ja. She turns the tables on him and disables him. Love it! Dong Chil starts beating the Chairman. As Gang Ja pulls him off the Chairman, Dong Chil shouts “I told you the law won’t work”.

Finally…the moment…
DC: Don’t you find me despicable?
GJ: I know you helped Ah Ran in secret. Because she’s your brother’s daughter, right?
DC: Because she’s your daughter. I was wrong.  I pushed to you what was mine. I’m sorry.

Like the cockroach Dong Chil said he was, the Chairman rises, pipe in hand ready to kill. Dong Chil pushes Gang Ja out of the way and pushes himself and the Chairman into a walls of bricks. Gang Ja pulls Dong Chil out.  Dong Chil tells the Chairman “this is what the kids felt, you should feel it too.” Bam! They leave him. His men leave him. White shoes guy walks up. He doesn’t save the Chairman either. The news reports him dead.

6 months later…
* Gang Ja opens a lunch box eatery. Gong Joo and her minions put up the sign.

* Bok Dong’s brother is released from prison. Sounds like Dong Chil is doing ok in prison.

* No A greets kids as they enter the school. He’s now respected and liked. Nice!

* Gong Joo and Gang Ja shops for shoes for Ah Ran. Gong Joo suggests they get some for Bok Dong too.

* Senior Trip: Bok Dong gazes lovingly at Gang Ja. Sang Tae gazes lovingly at Ah Ran. Sang Tae shares he plans to be a prosecutor one day, find the ledger, and expose those in the ledger. Bok Dong shares he has a dream too while staring at Gang Ja. No An and Gang Ja agree that the mothers made it happen. Gang Ja comments the fathers helped too. Yep, that means Dong Chil is Daddy!

They gather for a group picture and we fade to black.

Comments:
* Everything wrapped up. All’s well the ends well. The bad guys went to jail. The Chairman dies alone. The kids are safe. The mothers saved the day. Our Mom isn’t angry any more.
* How did we do on my final wishlist?
1. The evil trio is sent to jail and do not win on appeal. Yep, that happened, though the Chairman got out in 2 months. He died alone after trying to hurt Gang Ja.
2. Bok Dong lives with No A permanently. Yep, that happened. However, he may have moved in with his brother once he was released from jail.
3. Sang Tae’s mother involves herself in his life. Unknown, after she testified we did not see her again. I’m glad she stepped up and testified.
4. Sang Tae and Ah Ran have a shot at a real romance. Yep, they look like a couple.
5. Gang Ja finds satisfaction in her next step in life. Return to running the eatery, doing something else, whatever it is…she needs to feel some joy. Yep, Gang Ja opens a new eatery, she’s happy and ready for love. Do I support Gang Ja and Bok Dong romance? You bet! He loves her. She cares for him. In my mind, they eventually get together.
6. Gong Joo and her band of merry men stay fabulous and involved with Gang Ja and Ah Ran. Yep, they are the best!
7a. I’d like Dong Chil to acknowledge Ah Ran as his daughter and admit he cares.  He lied and said he was her Uncle in the best scene of the episode.
7b. I’d like Dong Chil to come to a resolution with Gang Ja. He does not need to reverse his opinion of his brother’s death, but Gang Ja is the mother of his daughter. That’s a big deal. They need to have some kind of closure.  In the second best scene of the episode, he  tells Gang Ja he’s sorry. They agree that Ah Ran is his brother’s daughter. They lie to protect their daughter. In the closing scene, Gang Ja notes the fathers played a role in saving the children. She is refering to Dong Chil.
7c. If anyone dies in the final episode, it may be Dong Chil or the Chairman per their threats to each other in this episode. Yep, the Chairman died. Good riddance.
* I will write a review of the series. Here’s my quick thoughts on the series:
* Compelling good versus evil. The evil seemed to gain the upper hand and avoid punishment until the end. It got a bit old waiting for the evil to face justice.
* The young actors had the emotional punch of the series. I had the most emotional connection with the young actors. Bok Dong, Bok Dong, Bok Dong…loved that kid.
* The evil in this series were evil and I mean scum of the earth. Even with that, some of them showed some heart (but not the Chairman or Minister of Education).

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