Recap Korean Drama "Reborn Rich" Episode 14

Episode 14 of Reborn Rich starts with Lee Pil-ok in a car with Yoong-ki. They talk emotionally about Yoong-ki’s upbringing, and Yoong-ki tells her that he understands him. He was willing to do anything for his son and thus respects her for enduring his presence, being born out of wedlock.

Min-young receives a report on Pil-ok’s shares and sees that they were transferred to Do-jun. She is also informed that Pil-ok left the country. She meets with Do-jun and breaks off their relationship realizing that Do-jun would do anything to get Soonyang and keep the throne once he becomes the CEO.

Sung-joon wants to know why Hyeon-min said she could be like Pil-ok, regardless of knowing that she had attempted to kill Chairman Jin. Hyeon-min hands her a positive pregnancy test and declares that she would do anything to anyone who gets in the way of the baby becoming the owner of Soonyang. Sung-joon is ecstatic that he will become a father.

While conversing with his father, sung-joon admits that he is optimistic that he is holding the joker in the upcoming fight for Soonyang with Do-jun. During the annual general meeting for Soonyang shareholders, Sung-joon reveals his joker. He sends a message to all shareholders that Do-jun lashed out at chairman Jin at the hospital and speculated that the shock had killed the chairman.

He further suggests they use the room’s CCTV footage to ascertain the facts. The CCTV is unavailable since Do-jun had instructed Mr Lee to delete it. Mr Lee happens to have the conversation on record and plays it for the shareholders. They vote for Mr Lee as the new CEO, and Do-jun loses.

In explaining events, Mr Lee is seen talking to Sung-joon about the chairman’s condition. He makes a deal with Sung-joon to get Soonyang shares, and he will hand over the chairmanship to Sung-joon after he wins the shareholders’ vote. Mr Lee tells Do-jun that Chairman Jin would never have deleted the security footage.

Young-ki and Dong-ki celebrate that they finally got Soonyang. Yoong-ki advises that they should stay loyal to each other as it is the only way to keep the company. Sung-joon betrays Mr Lee because he knows about his slush fund. Mr Lee’s expression changes. It seems like he expected the betrayal and is still holding a card Sung-joon does not know about. Sung-joon seems puzzled.

Do-jun is still seated in the shareholder’s meeting room. Sung-joon comes to gloat about Do-jun. He tells him that he is no match for the Soonyang family in the war for ownership Do-jun scoffs and says that he has also been trying to decipher the meaning of Chairman Jin’s last will. He tells Sung-joon that one thing he is sure of is that he knows what their grandfather would do in such a situation.

Chang-je moves to influence the vote against the formation of the Soonyang financial holding company. Chairman Jin set the plan to avoid the legal responsibilities involved with inheritance taxes. Public opinion is against the Soonyang; if the bill against separation passes, the company will lose immensely.

Do-jun is behind the plan and is using Chang-je, who intends to run for president. A package is delivered to Do-jun at Miracle Investment by Mr Lee. There is a flash drive.

His grandfather explains why he changed his will. He was angry that Do-jun cared about him and pitied him. He left him nothing to push Do-jun to the edge. He knew Do-jun would do everything to survive, including selling his grandfather to get what he wanted. To chairman Jin, Do-jun is the grandson who takes after him the most. Do-jun breaks down.

The parcel also had a key to a bank deposit box. Mr Lee tells Do-jun that the chairman had instructed him only give him the key after he understands the meaning of the will. In the safety deposit box, Do-jun finds documents regarding the Soonyang Micro project. He remembers that he had received the same document as Hyeon-woo, which initiated the events leading to his shooting at the cliff.

Do-jun is puzzled why Mr Lee decided to give him the slush fund as directed by the chairman. However, to Mr Lee, it is his last act of loyalty to his master Chairman Jin. He felt he could not hand over the company to Chairman Jin’s children.

Chang-je loses the presidential nomination for the ruling party. Hwa-young confronts him wanting to know who will win the elections. Chang-je tells her that the one in favour has already been decided. Soonyang’s family gathers and sends donations to the candidate in favour.

Ye-jun advises her father, Dong-ki, that they need to find a way to survive. The joint voting rights at Soonyang cooperation, owned by Young-ki, are useless now that the financial holding company fell through. Elsewhere, Sung-joon and his father strategize.

They intend to become the majority shareholders of Soonyang cooperation since it is the only way to become the chairman. Young-ki acknowledges that Dong-ki will not hand over the chairman position to him. Ye-jun suggests they separate Soonyang’s financial affiliates from the Soonyang group to become independent.

Se-hyeon is dismissed as the head of Soonyang investment by the board of directors. Do-jun knows it is because Dong-ki has started making his moves to go independent. Do-jun decides to sell Soonyang’s card, and Min-young is transferred to the central investigation division. In his office, Do-jun holds an engagement ring

Dong-ki needs liquidity and a constant flow of income to go independent. He intends to buy a Soonyang card. His daughter thinks Do-jun will not sell, but his secretary thinks he will. It turns out Do-jun agrees to sell. He says he had given up the dream of becoming the CEO of Soonyang group since the shareholders would never choose him.

In his office, Dong-ki tries to figure out how much money Do-jun will likely ask for. His daughter notices that Dong-ki does not rely on logic or numeric intelligence like everyone believes. He follows the horoscopic analysis of his secretary and luck. His daughter is against it, but Dong-ki fails to listen.

Dong-ki calls Do-jun to set up the meeting for the sale while he is with Young-ki, who realizes that his brother will betray him. The next day he picks up Dong-ki for work and asks if he is buying a Soonyang card, but Dong-ki denies it. He rushes to meet with Do-jun, angered that he tried to put a rift between him and his brother. Do-jun says he is only doing business and asks for 1.6 billion dollars for the sale of the Soonyang card, the price offered by Young-ki.

Dong-ki agrees to pay in two instalments. Do-jun asks for 2 % of Soonyang corporation shares as collateral. Dong-ki agrees. Do-jun also asks for untraceable money as political funds for the presidential election. Dong-ki refers to him as a guy. The transfer happens in the basement of Miracle Investments offices. In-Hyeok and Mr Baek handle the transfer. Do-jun and Se-hyeon know Dong-ki’s weaknesses. The candidate the Soonyang family supported lost the election. The president offers Chang-je a job as the minister of justice.

Credit card defaulters are rising, and Dong-ki loses money from Soonyang cards. He decides to suspend cash advances from Soonyang’s card. The public is enraged. Young-ki offers to buy the bond from Do-jun in exchange for the shares of Soonyang corporation. He asks for 1.6 billion dollars. Young-ki agrees to pay. The 1.6 dollars was enough to help Soonyang card from going bankrupt, but he chose to buy the chairman position.

Do-jun remembers how Hyeon-woo’s circle of poverty began. It was after the crash of the cash advance services that his father took a private loan. We get a glimpse of the different lives of Hyeon-woo and Do-jun.

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The Episode Review

So much happened in this episode. The most significant development is understanding the meaning of the written will. We now know why the grandfather chose to leave nothing to Do-jun. After the shareholder’s meeting, it felt like Do-jun would be unable to make a comeback, but he always somehow had a card to play.

I have mixed reactions to Mr Lee in this episode. Did he intend to betray chairman Jin and Do-jun, or did he change his mind after Sung-joon double-crossed him? I’m curious to know what Do-jun does about the Soonyang card and how to help the many people suffering in debt after the Soonyang card’s bankruptcy. We’ll have to wait and see!