Recap Korean Drama "The Fabulous (2022)" Episode 5

Episode 5 of The Fabulous starts with Nam-hee interviewing Thierry about his work in the fashion industry. At the same time, a famous designer talks to Ms Oh and Ji-eun about partnering with Audrey only when JD makes an Instagram post with one of their scarves. Ms Oh is pissed about having JD in the middle because of the influencer’s recent issue with Audrey as a brand.

Ji-eun accepts the challenge and promises to make things work. Seon-ho is concerned about Woo-min’s recent behaviour as he avoids talking about Ji-eun’s rejection. She consoles her friend when Woo-min finally breaks down and it helps him feel better now. Ji-eun is trying to act normal now that she is dating Nam-jin again and the Rublani CEO gifts his girlfriend exclusive Manolo Blahnik heels.

She is initially overwhelmed but jokes that gifting one’s partner heels means allowing them the opportunity to run away. Ji-eun seems queasy about the gift and puts them back in their box as she wears her own shoes while Woo-min is taking his time before getting in touch with Ji-eun after the rejection.

The next day, Ji-eun tries avoiding the heels but ends up wearing the gift from her boyfriend. Joseph is shocked to see that Do-young was actually auctioning the t-shirt that the designer signed for him. Do-young meets Woo-min offering to pay for his help with his portfolios and randomly asks the photographer to let him stay in his apartment.

Woo-min is unsure what to make of the offer and unwillingly agrees. Ji-eun has a meeting with an influencer trying to get her to model one of Audrey’s products on her Instagram but the model agrees to do so only if Ji-eun would let her borrow her Manolo Blahnik’s. Ji-eun ends up agreeing to do so and Seon-ho is amused by the extent to which Ji-eun has to stoop in order to get her job done.

Ms Oh and Jis-sun meet for drinks and slips up that she wanted JD to model the scarf for a luxury brand in exchange for being its International Ambassador. Ji-sun is determined to make it work and agrees to get JD to wear the scarf on her way to the Airport. Woo-min makes it to Joseph’s mother’s birthday party a little later than the other three friends and Mrs Jang senses the tension in the air immediately.

Woo-min ends up telling Mrs Jang that Ji-eun rejected his proposal because she was seeing Nam-jin. Ji-eun asks to see Woo-min outside and the two chat about the incident. Woo-min claims that he not only lost a potential partner but a friend of Ji-eun’s rejection. Ji-eun argues that she was overwhelmed and did not know what to do with Woo-min’s proposal.

Ji-eun adds that Woo-min is not the only one who is upset since the incident and the two decide to maintain a cordial friendship for the sake of their friends. The four party in the club but Seon-ho notices Ji-eun taking off early. The next day, Ji-eun is at work and Ms Oh tells Ji-eun that she had kept one exclusive purse in store for JD to use one day.

She also shows the PR agent how JD had modelled the scarf on her Instagram as per their plan. At Woo-min’s house, Do-young finds his photo journal with pictures of Ji-eun and decides to confront his ‘girlfriend’ for allegedly cheating on him. An upcoming influencer meets with Joseph and Esther hoping for a collaboration that benefits her more than the designer.

Joseph kicks her out and hopes that his brand gets someone really influential. Ji-eun asks Woo-min to help her escort the CEO of the scarf brand they are collaborating with to impress the woman. The woman is all-buttered up thanks to Woo-min’s charms and she starts treating Ji-eun well trying to get into Woo-min’s pants. Woo-min is visibly head over heels for Ji-eun and takes a secret photo of her during the shoot.

Ji-sun is a Mr Joseph to get Joseph’s designer purse from the pop-up shop for JD but Esther kicks the stylist out stating that the brand was no longer collaborating for free and that Ji-sun would have to buy the purse if she needed her client to be seen with it. JD is adamant about using the purse and throws a tantrum when she is denied the chance to do so. She changes her schedule for the airport look.

Nam-jin sets up a special dinner for Ji-eun with Nam-hee, her idol. Nam-hee is impressed with Ji-eun’s knowledge of the fashion industry and the evening ends for them on a positive note. After dinner, Ji-eun gives her scarf to Nam-hee further impressing her. Ji-eun meets Woo-min that night and he puts her to bed at her house after Ji-eun passes out in his car. Woo-min recalls the time they spent there during the time they were first dating.

The next day, Ji-sun apologises to Ms Oh for cancelling the airport look because JD changed her plans last minute. Ji-eun tells Woo-min to keep the handbag that JD was supposed to model with him because she did not need it for that day anymore. Do-young is at a restaurant and he starts hitting on a girl named Chae-young who he had recently met. He manages to convince her to follow him on Instagram.

Seon-ho meets her parents and they are proud to see her magazine pictorials but wonder why she is not on many covers off lately. The model tells them she hasn’t been doing many off lately but her parents reassure her that they were very proud of her. Ji-sun shows up at Joseph’s shop and starts sobbing in order to reconcile with him. Upon hearing her sincere apology Joseph melts right away and the two sworn enemies become friends.

Do-young meets Ji-eun and gives her Woo-min’s photo journal playing cupid for the ex-couple. Ji-eun is shocked to see how Woo-min kept so many memories of her that she did not even know about. Nam-jin picks her up to see his friends but she is not feeling herself at the event. Ms Oh calls Ji-eun to tell her about the sudden change in JD’s plans asking her to get the bag to JD.

Ji-eun bails off from the evening with Nam-jin’s friends and calls Woo-min, asking him to bring the purse to the airport as soon as possible. Since Woo-min was away for work, he is not able to make it to the airport in time despite rushing back. JD is on time and makes it inside the airport without the bag and Woo-min arrives a little too late, missing the influencer altogether.

Ji-eun is upset about not being able to deliver the photo but Ms Oh does not mind this. The Audrey CEO praises Ji-eun for her tactfulness because Nam-hee had posted the scarf Ji-eun gave her on Instagram causing their product to get extremely popular.

Woo-min apologises to Ji-eun for being too late and Ji-eun is upset about the fact that their timing never seems to fit. However, Ji-eun’s emotions come off all wrong and Woo-min gets angry at her for blaming him for being too late in asking her out. Woo-min swears to be there for her going forward and states that he would wait until she is absolutely ready. 

The Episode Review

I am not sure what we should make of Woo-min and Ji-eun going back and forth. I am sure that timing plays a vital role in relationships but Woo-min actually had all the time in the world to tell her how he feels about her. He chose to avoid expressing himself when he was seeing her and look what we have come to.

Joseph is a baby for how he deals with Ji-sun and I like her being apologetic with him but the way she talks to Ji-eun at the end of this episode just proves that Ji-sun is a manipulative character and I will never like her. I suddenly feel bad for Nam-jin because even after all he did, Ji-eun should not have accepted his proposal if she was still very much in love with Woo-min.

With three more episodes left, I am predicting Ji-eun leaving Nam-jin heartbroken for Woo-min by the season finale if we are lucky and The Fabulous won’t be ending on a cliff-hanger.