Money Flower Episode 23

Money Flower Episode 23

Jang Kook Hwan (Lee Soon Jae) receives a call stating the men were sent to Mo Hyun’s family home.

The men break into Mo Hyun’s family home. They enter her father’s room. The bed is empty!

Chairman Jang receives a call stating Congressman Na is gone. He’s surprised.

Eun Sim rushes into the room and turns the TV on. Chairman Jang’s eyes widen in surprise.

Kang Pil Joo (Jang Hyuk) watches the news report with Congressman Na saying he’s alive and will reveal all. Pil Joo’s eyes widen in surprise.

Yeo Cheon watches the same news report. He’s not happy.

Jang Boo Cheon (Jang Seung Jo) watches the same news report. He calls Mo Hyun. She doesn’t answer. He decides to check out of the hospital.

Jung Mal Ran (Lee Mi Sook) watches the same report. She knows Boo Cheon must be shocked. She considers her next move.

Pil Joo visits Chairman Jang who has seen the same report. He wants to know how Congressman Na made a video and what he plans to do next. He doesn’t want Congressman Na to implicate him in his attempted suicide. Pil Joo is on it. Chairman Jang states he’ll visit his son Sung Man (who is detained by prosecutors) tomorrow. Pil Joo tells him not to bother. Sung Man will be released tomorrow per his interactions with the prosecutors. Pil Joo states he arranged Sung Man to be questioned to eliminate him from the competition for chairman. Chairman Jang chuckles at Pil Joo’s power move to win the role of chairman. Unwillingly Chairman Jang is forced to admit that Pil Joo is just like him. Chairman Jang returns Pil Joo’s necklace that his father (Chairman Jang’s son) gave him as a boy. Pil Joo’s eyes fill with tears. He also gives Pil Joo a copy of his mother’s will to digest.

Returning Pil Joo’s necklace was the right thing to do. I’m a bit surprised Chairman Jang did so. It was good to see Chairman Jang internally admit that Pil Joo is a carbon copy of himself. What’s with Pil Joo’s mother’s will?

Pil Joo returns to his apartment to find Boo Cheon waiting for him. Pil Joo locks his mother’s will in his desk. Boo Cheon wants to talk about his alive ex-father-in-law Congressman Na. Pil Joo admits that he stashed Congressman Na in a safe house that Boo Cheon followed him and Mo Hyun to. Pil Joo says he doesn’t know where Congressman Na is now. Boo Cheon is irked he had to carry his father-in-law’s photo at the funeral which turned out to be a sham. He asks why Pil Joo allowed him to be duped. Pil Joo states Chairman Jang killed his father. Boo Cheon states Pil Joo should have told him the truth. Pil Joo points out the secrecy protected Congressman Na. Boo Cheon doesn’t like that Pil Joo didn’t trust him. Pil Joo shrugs. Boo Cheon asks what Pil Joo is going to do about Congressman Na. Pil Joo states this isn’t his problem. He’s no longer the family “fixer”. Boo Cheon knows that Congressman Na could get Chairman Jang and Pil Joo in trouble if he reveals all. Pil Joo tells him to add his mother to the list that would be affected. Boo Cheon asks Pil Joo not to expose him as illegitimate. He’s been stripped of the chairmanship, gotten a divorce, and claims he can’t take the loss in status if his birth secret is revealed.

Boo Cheon can’t help but go the Pil Joo for answers and help. But Pil Joo put the kibosh on fixing this problem stating that’s no longer his job. Pil Joo seems unfazed that he could go down. Is winning the chairman role, displacing Boo Cheon, and crushing Mal Ran all he needed? He doesn’t want to savor and hold onto what he clawed up the rock cliff to earn?

Congressman Na watches his video while being tended by Mo Hyun and his wife. He asks if Mo Hyun has spoken with Pil Joo. Na Mo Hyun (Park Se Young) informs him that Pil Joo is now the chairman of the company. She states what they do next may put them in direct conflict with Pil Joo.

Congressman Na’s aid is transcribing Yeo Cheon’s conversation with her father in the hospital before he attempted suicide. Mo Hyun enters and reads Yeo Cheon’s words. Her eyes widen in surprise as she reads Yeo Cheon’s boast that he has the evidence that Pil Joo fabricated Boo Cheon and Mo Hyun’s marriage. Yeo Cheon promised to use it. Yeo Cheon suggested that Congressman Na end his life. Mo Hyun states that Chairman Jang and Yeo Cheon will both be arrested for inciting her father to commit suicide. She tells the aid that keeping her father at his house, repays his debt.

Mo Hyun calls Pil Joo to meet. She tells him the video was made to protect her father from harm by Chairman Jang. Pil Joo tells her it has worked. He tells her to be careful and make sure she’s not followed. She says her father has will to recover and report his truth. Pil Joo is pleased. She wonders why Pil Joo saved her father when the truth could send him to prison. She believes Pil Joo felt bad about the pain she was already enduring due to her sucko marriage to Boo Cheon and the revelation of Boo Cheon’s affair and son. Mo Hyun says her new life involves revealing the truth. She asks if he has regrets. Pil Joo advises her to continuously check with the doctor. Mo Hyun doesn’t want to use Pil Joo’s doctor anymore. She thanks him for his help. She apologizes too. That gets his attention.

Subtle scene that shows the strength of Mo Hyun which is good to see. Pil Joo again refuses to address the possibility of jail time for his illegal activities.

Mal Ran tells Boo Cheon that she won’t leave the compound willingly. Boo Cheon wants her to live not entrench herself in this muck. Mal Ran vows to bring Pil Joo down and remove Chairman Jang. She believes joining forces with Sung Man will enable them to do this. Boo Cheon points out this isn’t necessary. Why not take the fortune they have and walk away? Mal Ran doesn’t want to give up. She doesn’t want Boo Cheon to give up the dream of being chairman. Mal Ran vows to nail Pil Joo as the master planner of his marriage. Boo Cheon counters that only the family made money off the marriage, not Pil Joo. Mal Ran counters that Pil Joo became chairman. She vows to tell the world that Pil Joo took the shares (she gave him) by force.

Boo Cheon looks reasonable compared to his mother.

Chairman Jang tells Sung Man that it is payback time. He saved his son from prison, now Sung Man must do the same. He must counter whatever Congressman Na does.

Mal Ran pings Sung Man for getting bested by Pil Joo. Sung Man says it will only get worse when he covers for his father’s illegal activities with the prosecution. She suggests a two-prong approach. Sung Man will use Congressman Na to focus on the bribe money from the company and she’ll tell the world that Pil Joo manipulated everything to become chairman. Once Pil Joo is gone, Yeo Cheon can become chairman. She reverses their split to 60 her and 40 Sung Man. He’s forced to accept.

Sung Man searches for Congressman Na.

Someone tails Congressman Na’s aid to his apartment. He goes in and stabs someone…it’s pillows and Pil Joo is there!

Pil Joo meets with Sung Man and reports his murder attempt failed when he hands over the assassin. Pil Joo states he has sufficient evidence showing Yeo Cheon instigated Congressman Na’s suicide and Sung Man for murder. He tells Sung Man to wait for a call. He stares at Sung Man and says this is a warning.

With murder being the norm to eliminate obstacles with Jang clan, why don’t they murder Pil Joo?

Pil Joo meets with Congressman Na, his wife, Mo Hyun and his aid at the hospital. Congressman Na thanks Pil Joo for moving him to a public place which is safer. Pil Joo approves of Congressman Na going public with his story. He looks into Mo Hyun’s eyes.

Jang Hyuk looks yummy in that cranberry coat.

Boo Cheon meets with his grandfather knowing his birth secret is known. He returns a gift (an abacus) grandfather gave him long ago. He sobs.

That felt genuine. Loss of status has to be part of those tears but that’s not all of it.

Pil Joo joins Mal Ran for a meal. She’s not thrilled to see him. Pil Joo tells her to move out. She doesn’t like that. He tells Mal Ran that moving out before being arrested for Chauffeur Oh’s murder will save face. She seethes internally.

Boo Cheon tells his mother he returned the abacus. Mal Ran dismisses the gift which was precious to Boo Cheon. Mal Ran shows Boo Cheon the news report that Congressman Na is at the company’s hospital. Mal Ran believes Pil Joo is behind installing Congressman Na at the hospital. She decides to make a counter move.

All dolled up, Mal Ran talks to the press before going to the prosecutor’s office voluntarily. After getting a text from Mal Ran’s secretary, Pil Joo watches Mal Ran tell the press that all the illegal doings were his idea to facilitate his quest to become chairman. Pil Joo’s right hand man Yong Goo calls him and recommends they ready an arrest of Mal Ran. Assistant Woo wants to how to respond to the buzz Mal Ran’s statement is making within and without the company. Pil Joo directs him to make a public statement that Mal Ran’s words are false and an attempt to reestablish the family’s control of the chairman role.

Mal Ran is questioned by the prosecutor. She promises to provide him half the information he’ll need. She states Congressman Na can provide the other half of the information. The prosecutor is all ears. The other prosecutor watches and calls Pil Joo to report his co-worker is chomping at the bit for a high-profile case to earn him a promotion and believes this one will get it done. Yong Goo invites him for a rooftop coffee.

As they stare at the city, Yong Goo comments about Mal Ran’s tactics to destroy him. He suggests walking away from the chairman position. Pil Joo says he’s decided he’s going to fight to remain in the role. He wants the world to know the best skilled person should have a job. Yong Goo suggests that after Pil Joo finishes his 10-year plan for the company, he should switch to another and destroy the Jang’s company once and for all. Pil Joo laughs, and it is a real one.

Lovely! How many times has Pil Joo laughed this series? This may be the only one. I heart❤️ Yong Goo. He’s been faithful, direct, and Pil Joo’s “fixer” this entire series.

The prosecutor is pleased with what Mal Ran has told him. He asks how Pil Joo extorted the shares. Was is physical violence? Mal Ran states that Pil Joo blackmailed her. It’s obvious the prosecutor wants details.

Mal Ran returns home.

Pil Joo learns the lies Mal Ran told to the prosecutor. He directs Yong Goo to squash news reports about Mal Ran.

Chairman Jang doesn’t understand why the news reports are scarce. Chairman Jang turns on the TV and learns that Mal Ran went to the prosecutor’s office, revealed Pil Joo’s birth secret, and claimed that was Pil Joo’s ticket to the top of the company.

Boo Cheon listens to the same report which reveals his birth secret of being illegitimate which forced from the chairmanship regardless of his excellent performance. The staff stares at Boo Cheon in shock.

Pil Joo listens to the same report which states Pil Joo took her shares by force. The report concludes Pil Joo was elected chairman to keep the role “in the family”.

Mal Ran listens to the same report which states sympathy is on her side. Boo Cheon opens the door, sees her engrossed in the report and doesn’t interrupt.

Terrific job by the production team having 4 characters watch the news report sequentially. It was also done in the opening scenes. Writer Lee had each character watch the part of the report most impactful to them. Mal Ran was willing sell out the company, her son, etc. to make her point.

Mo Hyun calls Boo Cheon after watching the news report. They meet. She advises him to leave the family compound for his sanity and to distance himself from his mother. Boo Cheon says his mother only cares about beating Pil Joo and tossed him in the trash to do so. He declares Pil Joo only cared about revenge or suicide since she saved him as a teenager. He tells Mo Hyun they shouldn’t meet again. They are divorced and he doesn’t like reminders of what he’s lost. He takes off his ring and tells her to throw it away. He tells her not to call him again. He warns if they meet again, he won’t let her go.

Boo Cheon seems human in these scenes. Unfortunately, it’s driven by his pain not his humanity.

Boo Cheon meets with baby momma Yeo Seo and tells her the quest for the Jang money is over. He promises to rewrite his will to leave his inheritance to their son. She’s touched.

That felt like Boo Cheon’s humanity speaking.

Yong Goo tells Pil Joo he can’t suppress al the articles about Mal Ran. Pil Joo tells him to proceed with the charges of murdering Chauffeur Oh.

Pil Joo returns to the family compound at the same time Boo Cheon does. Boo Cheon stares at him and walk away. While waiting for his mother, the police call Mal Ran’s phone. Boo Cheon answers and is surprised to learn that want to speak with her regarding Chauffeur Oh’s death. Knowing what the means, Boo Cheon sags to the floor. He goes to his father’s old room. He retrieves the shotgun under the bed. He exits the room.

Mal Ran returns to her room. She finds a note from Boo Cheon that the police called her. She can’t believe that Pil Joo pointed the finger at her regarding Chauffeur Oh’s death.

Pil Joo watches his grandfather sleep. He’s too weak to go to the hospital.

Mal Ran calls Pil Joo and declares he’s won and she’s going to the police station. She requests a farewell drink.

Dude, don’t fall for it. The drink is poisoned or an assassin is waiting!

Mal Ran poisons Pil Joo’s glass. She also poisons her glass.

Covering all bases.

Pil Joo arrives. He opens the wine. He pours Mal Ran a drink. He stares at her. He sits on the table. He tells her murdering Boo Cheon’s father Chauffeur Oh was the best bonus she ever gave him. He declares this only provided closure to his revenge. He pours himself a drink. Mal Ran raises her glass. Pil Joo raises his glass. Pil Joo downs his wine. She downs her wine. She tells him they both will leave the family compound dead. She says they both drank poison. Pil Joo feels the effects. He sags. He grabs his throat. He stops the charade and asks if he was convincing. He walks to Mal Ran. He tells her life can’t be ended that easily. She’ll have to pay for her crimes in prison. He won’t all her to die by her own hand. He states the detectives will be there soon.

Boo Cheon bursts in the door and aims the shotgun at Pil Joo. They stare at each other. Boo Cheon puts his finger on the trigger and fires.
My Thoughts

Tear down Pil Joo by any means possible was the theme of this episode. Mal Ran’s actions were egregious. She proved her desires out rank everything, including motherhood. Not that we didn’t know that. Mal Ran has used Boo Cheon to achieve the chairmanship to meet her desires not his. I must admit I was surprised that she revealed so much the dirty laundry. I expected the accusation that Pil Joo forced her to give him the shares. I did not anticipate the public revelation that Pil Joo was the illegitimate eldest grandson and that Boo Cheon was not a Jang. The poison was expected and thank goodness Pil Joo has an “inside man” in Mal Ran’s secretary to save the day.

Boo Cheon got pushed to the edge and he grabbed a shotgun. He couldn’t take it. His world is destroyed. He lost his wife, his job, his family, his father and realized the absolute self-centered witch of a mother he has. His logic is simple. If Pil Joo had never come into his life, none of this would have happened. Is he wrong?

Mo Hyun’s father dodged another Jang assassination attempt. Mo Hyun and her family thanked Pil Joo for transferring Congressman Na to the safety of the public hospital. Mo Hyun reached out to Boo Cheon after the news reports revealed that he wasn’t a Jang. But Boo Cheon couldn’t handle her kindness. Instead he gave her his wedding ring and directed her to toss it.

Pil Joo was attacked by the inner Jang family. Pil Joo’s determination to finish what he started never wavered. When Yong Goo suggested he walk away from the Jang family quicksand, Pil Joo declared that he was the most qualified person to be chairman. He’s not wrong. But is a job worth his life? I loved Pil Joo’s genuine laughter when Yong Goo suggested he dismantle the company after he builds it up. Joy is not something Pil Joo experiences. Boo Cheon aimed the shotgun at and pulled the trigger. Will Pil Joo spend the last episode dead or in a coma?
One more episode to go. Everyone on the planet knows what happens because the finale aired a while ago, but I don’t. Here’s my wish list for the final episode.

* Pil Joo doesn’t die or end up in a coma. The last thing I want to see if Pil Joo’s oxygen mask removed while he lays in a hospital bed. Pil Joo has been the force of this series. To have him incapacitated in the final episode destroys the rhythm and point of every episode previous to it. Writer Lee don’t disappoint me.

Assuming Pil Joo is functional, I’d like to see him retain the chairmanship of the company. I’d like his grandfather to acknowledge his merit in that role. As for Mo Hyun, I don’t see a romantic moment. Everything that Pil Joo has done has had ripple effects. Mo Hyun has walked away and Pil Joo chose to stay. He chose his revenge quest over her. I don’t think he should get the girl romantically but friendship and warmth would be welcome. The dangling detailed of Pil Joo’s mother’s will should be resolved.

* Boo Cheon doesn’t shoot Pil Joo. Boo Cheon is a shell of the man that started this series. Yet, for the first time in his life, he has a chance to walk away from his mother’s expectations and forge his own path. I’d like to see him do just that.

* Mo Hyun finds her own path. Whether it is in politics or something else, I want Mo Hyun to keep pressing forward with her life. I don’t want her to reengage with Boo Cheon. I do want her to be a friend to Pil Joo.

* Mal Ran rots in jail. She’s a scorpion that deserves to pay with incarceration for the Chauffeur Oh’s murder. Murdering Boo Cheon’s father left no doubt that she would pursue her goals and eliminate anyone in her path. I want the final scene with her to be in that prison uniform she distained.

* The rest of the Jangs. I don’t want Sung Man or Yeo Cheon to be chairman. I don’t want Chairman Jang to die, but if he does, he does.

Ranking the episodes (on a scale from 1-10) had me rank this episode as terrific. My episode ranking chart is below.

About KJT (aka kjtamuser)

Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.

‹ Hwayugi Episode 16 Recap

Money Flower Episode 24 (Final) ›

Tagged with: episode 23, Jang Hyuk, Money Flower
Posted in Money Flower, Recaps