Oasis 2023 Recap Episode 11

Episode 11 of Oasis begins with Du-hak being shot by Captain Oh and falling into the water. The cops scour the sea but aren’t able to find him. The scalpers are sent to jail but they are miserable about Du-hak who they think is dead. Somewhere in the sea, we see his body floating.

It cuts to 3 years later with Hwang and Yeo-jin celebrating Cheol-woong’s birthday. While discussing his time in the countryside, Cheol-woong recalls memories of Du-hak fondly and Yeo-jin changes the topic to Jung-shin who visits him once a year on his birthday but is currently not present. Hwang hints that she is in trouble but Jung-shin rushes in finally. She and Cheol-woong banter and Yeo-jin watches them intently.

As the four return home, they spot Mrs. Lee waiting outside. The kids are excited to see her and she brings Cheol-woong his favourite side dishes. She reveals that every year she would drop by but never saw him and he feels sad. He hugs her and says he will visit her more often. As she thanks him, she smiles at Yeo-jin who stares daggers at her. 

Later that night, Cheol-woong goes to Hwang to ask about Jung-shin’s troubles. In a flashback, it is shown that Geum-ok is scolding her for making a bad investment but she refuses to accept her mistake. Geum-ok buys out her shares and gives her 100 million won but Jung-shin points out that her share should be 2 billion won.

It is revealed that 90% of the shares belong to Director Go. Geum-ok only owns 10% and Jung-shin owns half of that. Jung-shin tries to argue by calling her mom but Geum-ok reminds her that initially, she had promised to be her maid. Humiliated, Jung-shin walks out. Director Go tells her to apologise as Geum-ok loves her but she leaves.

As Cheol-woong learns of this, he asks Hwang to help her. He says Cheol-woong should help the person he loves with all his might, just like he did to get Yeo-jin. 

Elsewhere, Mrs. Lee gets drunk alone and Jung-shin visits her. As they drink and talk, Mrs. Lee rants at how Yeo-jin was annoyed when they met and reveals that she had actually paid Mrs. Lee to never meet Cheol-woong again. However, a few months after Du-hak’s passing, Cheol-woong himself visits her at her Yeosu home but the meeting is short. He hugs her and apologises. She says all she has is him and he tears up.

Jung-shin is moved by the incident and Lee lets it slip that is because no matter what, a fox returns to his homeland before he dies but the girl doesn’t get the metaphor. Lee hopes Jung-shin and Cheol-woong move on and marry but she starts crying over Du-hak as she can never move on. As they hug and cry, Lee finally reveals that Cheol-woong is her son. This sobers up Jung-shin who is shocked.

At the Paris Salon, Chairman Geum of a chaebol group meets with Yeo-jin for a favour. The president of his fashion branch is going to be interrogated by the prosecution for having an overseas slush fund and using it to buy land in Japan. Since she is actually his youngest daughter, Yeon-hee, he hopes that Cheol-woong can go easy on her. 

At that moment, we see Yeon-hee, a pretty and stylish girl strutting to the prosecutor’s office and announcing herself cheerfully. In a flashback, Geum reveals that the Japan plan was his and Yeon-hee had tried to dissuade him.

At the office, she admits to her crime despite no actual evidence and says she is against it because it is ethically wrong, can also be a major loss if the prices drop and she is the one who alerted the prosecution. She hopes to spread the news to the public so that her father will be forced to stop and even gives Cheol-woong actual evidence.

However, the naive chaebol princess is shocked when Cheol-woong not only indicts her but has her arrested and confined. She throws a tantrum and he says he is just doing what she wants and walks off. Meanwhile, Geum-ok waits for Jung-shin but she never calls.

At the Paris Salon, Cheol-woong finally takes Hwang’s advice, invites Jung-shin and serenades her on the piano. She smiles but suddenly remembers Lee’s confession. As they have dinner, Cheol-woong tells her about his day and Yeon-hee being strange but she is glum. She brings up Du-hak asking if he was the one who killed the bully in Yeosu and Cheol-woong is offended.

He tries to gaslight her and then changes tactics as he says he wants to help her but she keeps doubting him. She apologises and gets up to leave. He asks if she can finally like him but she says she can’t as he reminds her of Duhak. He gets frustrated and indirectly confesses to the murder as he says that hypothetically if he did kill the bully, it was for her. She tears up and leaves. 

Meanwhile, we see that Lee has opened a real estate business with the forgers and Poong-ho is the director. Poong-ho suggests buying up the land on the west coast. She is wary of him due to his history and he offers to put all his money in her bank account. She is surprised at his loyalty to Du-hak and decides to listen to his suggestion.

They visit the site and see the potential but she spots Yeo-jin and Oh. She hides while Oh and Yeo-jin discuss the business of his wanting 10% of the profit from the site. Lee concludes that they must be in the right place as Yeo-jin is also showing interest in buying the land.

Meanwhile, at a restaurant where a beaten-up Jung-ok is working, she is visited by the protest leader and she gives him food and money. She says she wants to meet him more often but he refuses as their plans will be wasted if he is caught. She wants to join but he calls her a liability.

She pleads and he goes with her to her room. He tries to sleep with her as she says she loves him but she stops him because she is scared. He tries to force himself but when she pushes him he walks off. Elsewhere, Jung-shin visits Lee and confronts her about the confession. She brushes it off and blames it on the alcohol.

As for the chaebol arc, Chairman Geum visits Yeo-jin and is vexed that his daughter got locked up. She apologises and says Hwang will talk to the head prosecutor. Geum reveals that he actually wanted to set Yeon-hee up with Cheol-woong and even she seems interested in him. That is the only reason she went to the interrogation willingly. And despite being locked up, she says she has chosen Cheol-woong.

The two parents are amused and Yeo-jin promises to get her out. As he leaves, Oh comes up with intel about him. His company is struggling financially and he needs a decent son-in-law. But Yeo-jin doesn’t mind as their reputation is still solid which can help further Cheol-woong’s career. Oh is impressed with her tactics and says she would make a good politician.

She even ropes in Geum-ok and turns out was the one to order her to kick out Jung-shin. They meet as Geum-ok feels guilty. Their deal is revealed as Yeo-jin will help her evade tax audit and make sure that her theatres are the first to get foreign films. Geum-ok realises that she is doing it all to separate Cheol-woong and Jung-shin and taunts that someone so pretty as Yeo-jin plays people like her pawns.

Oh warns her and Geum-ok says they should not interfere with her again and leaves. Once they are alone, Yeo-jin looks tired trying to hold everything in place and Oh promises to help her. Meanwhile, Hwang tells Cheol-woong that he wants him to be his special aide regarding a Northern policy.

It cuts to Japan and a man takes Du-hak to a gambling den. They take a briefcase full of money from the manager but are ambushed by some customers who want their money back. Du-hak easily beats them up and then goes to a restaurant. Turns out the owner, Chae Dong-pal is the head of the gambling den and has promised Du-hak’s return to South Korea.

The man who happens to be his grandson and Dong-pal were the ones who saved Du-hak from the sea while they were fishing and smuggled him into Japan. 

After their meeting, Dong-pal meets with some clients who happen to be Hwang and Cheol-woong. They discuss the Northern policy and ask for his help. He says his daughter, Ha-yeon will be his representative in South Korea. As they greet each other, Du-hak walks by from behind and sees Cheol-woong. He is shocked and hides.

---

The Episode Review

The new story arc in episode 11 of a K-drama trope strikes again. Gone are the 1980’s fashion, props, aesthetics and music of Oasis, replaced by a new age and new plot. Though the only one who seems to have got anything done in this time-lapse is Yeojin who continues to be the character we hate but also love.

Even Hwang holds no candle to her as she manipulates people left, right and centre. And this time even Mrs. Lee, Oh and Geum-ok seem to have noticed. 

As for the new characters introduced, the chaotic and confident Yeon-hee is definitely a favourite. Hopefully, she sticks around longer than Yeon-joo and Yang-ja and we get to see more of her.

With Du-hak and Jung-shin being soulmates, maybe something can brew between Yeon-hee and Cheol-woong. After years of pining, he deserves someone who loves him back. And she just might be the perfect foil to his troubled and moody aura.