[HanCinema's Drama Review] "The Heirs" Episode 8

Up until now I wasn't completely convinced that Yeong-Do's intentions toward Eun-Sang were romantic ones. This episode lays that doubt to rest, but not in the way I was expecting. It's extremely clear that Yeong-Do's aggressive cornering behavior bares a lot of similarity to when Kim Tan does the exact same thing, and Kim Tan's motives have never been in doubt. Especially since he helpfully engages in similar behavior this time around.

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What's problematic here is that showing Yeong-Do's behavior as similar to Kim Tan's doesn't make Yeong-Do look better- it makes Kim Tan look worse. Kim Tan's attitude toward Eun-Sang has always been somewhat discomforting in its sheer assertiveness, but this episode takes this way too far with the kiss. Eun-Sang just looks so incredibly uncomfortable that it's really hard to spin this leap forward in the romantic plot in a positive light.

I can't decide whether or not this was intended to be ambiguous or not. It's easy enough to see the drama progressing under the assumption that Kim Tan has crossed a line he should not have crossed. On the flip side, I'm pretty sure this kiss qualifies under one of Orion's categories in terms of "K-Drama tries to execute an effective kiss and screws it up somehow". The preview as well is deliberately vague about where Kim Tan and Eun-Sang are going to be next episode in terms of this romantic storyline.

Admittedly, if the drama's intent in delivering this scene right now was to maintain a spark of interest, it certainly succeeded. The rest of the various subplots are fairly weak right now. There's build-up and hints to as to strange going ons in the world of corporate hierarchy, but as yet nothing definite. Outside of the main plot, the most interesting thing that happens is a pillow fight. Which is funny, but not as funny as that sentence makes it sound.

So I'm concerned for the current narrative direction about "The Heirs", and my faith is slipping a little that this drama really is preparing to do interesting things. Still, the general quality of the drama so far coupled with this very ambiguity is still reason to have optimism. The preview clearly hints at a fight between Kim Tan and Yeong-Do next episode. The obvious reason for this would be a dispute over Eun-Sang. Hopefully the impetus will be something broader and more far-reaching than that.

Review by William Schwartz

"The Heirs" is directed by Kang Sin-hyo and written by Kim Eun-sook and features Lee Min-ho, Park Shin-hye, Kim Woo-bin and Jung Soo-jung.