THE HEIRS/ Inheritors Episode 1

The Heirs begins with the famous tourists spots in the United States where millions of people dream and hope to see  – Hollywood, Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, and the beautiful sunsets of Malibu beach. 

 

Accompanied by an upbeat opening theme song titled In the Name of Love by VIXXs, the first character in the premiere broadcasts is none other than Kim Tan, played by Korean superstar Lee Min Ho.  He is surfing the waters of Malibu beach.

 
Later, Kim Tan walks along the beach with his friends and tells his close foreign friend Jay that he will take a shower.

 In the open-air, public shower, is a well-toned Lee Min Ho taking a quick bath.  Then Kim Tan begins to unravel his thoughts... He clearly remembers his brother’s simple, short and honest message the day he was about to leave to study in the US. 

His brother Kim Won (Choi Jin-hyuk) says he doesn't need to study very hard and if he finds English annoying, he need not do it.  His brother tells him to do whatever he wants to do because that is usually what heirs of rich families do rather than having dreams.  His brother also tells him to never return.

In a restaurant near the beach is where Tan usually hangs out. While drinking coffee with Jay, his thoughts continue...

  
he reveals at that moment, he realize that he didn't come to the US to study but that he was being exiled.  And his brother is already reaping the things that he’ll be losing someday.

Then a Korean girl working in the restaurant approaches him asking if he wants more coffee.  Her name is Cha Eun Seok played  by Yoon Jin-seo.

Tan’s thoughts were interrupted when Jay asked him if he doesn't blame anyone about his plight?  As the sun sets behind him, Tan looks out at the window and sees a group of people playing on the beach.  He then continues his thoughts saying he is too lazy to blame someone.

In South Korea, Choi Young-do (Kim Woobin) is bullying a nerd guy with his minions.  He is throwing at him a baseball.  Young-do asks the nerd guy his plans on vacation and if he would probably miss them.  But when the nerd guy remains mum, he throws the ball hitting the boy’s arm.  Youngdo’s group laughs then. 

Young-do soon explains that getting hit or not is not really the problem. He explains the problem is not whether getting hit by a strong guy or by a little less strong guy because the real problem is in the future when they become adults because the heirs will be the bosses of those in lower social status. Youngdo bids goodbye and leaves the room while his minions beat up the poor boy.

Youngdo is in a motorcycle shop to pick up his order- a new motorbike. Youngdo is talking to the owner of the store regarding his motorbike when a major character comes in – Cha Eun Sang (Park Shin Hye).   She delivers the chicken the motor shop staff ordered.  The owner tells Cha Eun Sang to bring the food at the back and get the payment from his staff.  Cha Eun Sang tells them its 16,100 won. 

One of the male staff bullies if Cha Eun Sang will buy candy for the extra 100.  Ignoring the man, Cha Eun Sang gives the change and asks for the payment.  Another guy who just came in tells that Cha Eun Sang is a pretty smart part-timer.  He asked if she is in high school.  Cha Eun Sang tells them that the bill is on the box but one of the guys continue asking what time will her part-time job ends and then asks if he could take her on a motorcycle ride to which Cha Eun Sang immediately decline and asks for the payment.  The guy keeps trying to hit on Cha Eun Sang telling her not to play hard to get and he will pick him up from work.

Annoyed, Cha Eun Sang calls the police which startled the two adults leading the guy who was hitting on her to grab her phone.  He explains that he it was a joke and even called her student. The man immediately hands her the payment.  Cha Eun Sang is looking at her wristwatch as she runs towards the door.  It turns out, she has another part-time job – she is also working as a staff in a coffee shop and later as a dishwasher and assistant in a restaurant. 

Doing almost everything in the coffeeshop as a cashier and even preparing the drinks for the customers, Cha Eun Sang gets exhausted.   

When she left the counter with a tray on her hand, she sees a guy studying on one table – her childhood friend, Yoon Chan Young (Kang Min Hyuk).

Cha Eun Sang learned that Yoon Chan Young has been in the coffee shop for 30 minutes, which makes the young woman worried because her manager will get mad if he finds out about it.

Yoon Chan Young replied that his girlfriend, is not around but will be in the shop soon.  Eun Sang is telling her friend that there are many coffee shops in Seoul and was about to ask something when Chan Young cut her short by giving her an umbrella. When she asks what is it for,  Chan Young explains that it is going to rain on her way home after her work.  Touched by her friend’s thoughtfulness, Eun Sang asks Chan Young what about his girlfriend.  Chan Young demonstrates how they will share it under the rain with a jacket explaining his girlfriend always lives the life of a movie star.  Eun Sang finds it unbelievable. 

Chan Young then tells his friend to get a boyfriend.  But Eun Sang says it is nonsense, it is something expensive plus she doesn't have the time for a boyfriend.  Chan Young asks how many part time jobs does she have now but Eun Sang just explains the only heaven permitted to her is the part-time job heaven. 

Then a girl screams at Yoon Chan Young telling him to lower his eyes.  When they turned to see who the lady is, it is Chan Young’s girlfriend – Lee Bo Na (Krystal Jung).

Chan Young is happy to see his girl offering immediately the seat beside him.  But it is obvious the Lee Bo Na is not happy to see Eun Sang as she immediately tells the latter that she already told Eun Sang to stop trying to seduce Chan Young.  Then Eun Sang asks Bo Na if she is that pretty to which the brat replied that she never said Eun Sang is pretty.  But Eun Sang said Bo Na is extremely pretty so she should stop wasting a busy part-timer’s time.  She stands up then asks the couple if they would like to order or leave the shop. 

Bo Na asks her how can she treat customers like that adding their service is awful.  Eun Sang answered that she got caught.  Annoyed, Bo Na stands up and tells her boyfriend to leave as he will be leaving the following day and spending time with Eun Sang is a waste. 

Eun Sang asks Chan Young where is he going.  The young man was about to answer when his jealous girlfriend covers his mouth and tells him that no one else should know his destination but her. Then Bo Na drags her boyfriend out who apologizes to Eun Sang and even tells his friend that they text each other, to which Lee Bo Na warns him not to do it.

Outside, Bo Na express her hatred on Cha Eun Sang whom she described as poor, bitch that looks down and doesn’t even get intimidated by someone rich like her.  What irks Bo Na so much is that Eun Sang knows half of her boyfriend’s life. Cha Young tries to comforts and pacifies his girlfriend. 

He adds that Eun Sang is just a friend to which Bo Na gets more furious saying there can be no friendship between teenage boys and girls.

In the evening, Eun Sang is talking to her sister on the phone about her friendship with Chan Young and that Bo Na is delusional that she can’t stand at all. 

While Eun Sang talks about her disgust on Bo Na – whom she doesn’t like for wearing different outfits, getting out of a large chauffeured car, and she is so happy and bright as if no worries.  But Eun Sang’s messages are all being recorded because her sister – Cha Eun Seok – is having a fight with her foreign live-in partner. 

She even gets slapped and gets ordered to leave the house by his drunkard, abusive boyfriend.

Eun Sang’s voice is all over the place where her sister lives.  She asks her sister to call her back even if she is busy and asks about her studies.  Eun Sang even tells Eun Seok that she is lucky for studying college in the US.

As soon as the call ends, rain pours down on Eun Sang.  She is glad Chan Young gave her an umbrella.  Unfortunately, the umbrella wouldn't open prompting her to run to the nearest establishment.  When she turned around, she finds a few dream catchers hanging on the display window.  And as she gazes at it, the troubled umbrella opens!

Chan Young, meanwhile, is contented looking at the window knowing his friend is safe because he left her an umbrella.  Chan Young’s father, Yoon Jae-ho (Choi Won-young)  asks him if he is not dating Bo Na.  He said he wants to eat with his father in this rainy night. 

Later in their discussion, Chan Young’s father said he spent a lot of money that day as he already purchased the plane tickets.  His father asks if he told Bo Na about him going to the US. Chan Young confirms adding Bo Na is making a fuss that she’ll come along.  His father asks if she wants to move in with him in the US.  Chan Young asks if his father wants to help her girlfriend but the later said she is not a very reliable investment.  His father also asks if Chan Young already informed Eun Sang about him leaving for the US.  Chan Young said he couldn't tell her because Eun Sang is really busy with her part-time jobs making it awkward to tell his friend why he is leaving.  Then Chan Young asks his father about Eun Sang’s mother if she is doing well.  His father replied that she is at the very center of Empire Group’s power play. And Madame Han lives under her total control.

 Then an aerial shot of the Kim mansion. A woman is preparing a juice in a luxurious kitchen.  She is Park Hee-nam (Kim Mi-kyung), the mute housekeeper of the Kim family and the mother of Cha Eun Sang.  Then another maid calls her saying Madame Han wants her meal.  She also warned her that the madame is hysterical because her son, who is in the US, is not picking up her calls.

 Madame Han Ki-Ae (Kim Sung-ryung), mother of Kim Tan, sits down and takes a sip of the soup prepared for her since her son is not picking up her calls.  Then her irritation is turned to the food.  She asks Hee-nam what is the matter with the soup asking the maid what is her mouth for when she can’t talk nor even taste food.Using a pen and a notebook, Park Hee-nam answers her madam saying she will prepare the meal again.  But the madam tells her that it will take time so she should take away the food. 

Then the other maid announces that the president has arrived causing the madam to react and gets nervy.  She even spews out the wine she just sipped and scolds the maids for not telling her soon.  The Madam was in the middle of her scolding when Park Hee-nam grabs her wine glass, pours its content in her soup and hides the glass under her uniform.  Then president  Kim Won (Choi Jin Hyun) enters the dining hall.  The president asks the maids who cleaned his room and orders it to do it again. 

Madam Ha tries to invite him for dinner but president Kim said he had an early dinner and leaves the room immediately. Madam Han orders Park Hee-nam to get her another glass and bottle of wine.  The maid insists that she must have dinner.  Pondering about how she is being treated as a mistress, Madam Han orders the mute maid to throw away all the food. 

However, the maid packed the food for her and her daughter.  Unfortunately, Eun Sang refuses to eat the food her mother brought from the mansion.  An argument ensues between the mother and daughter.

  Obviously, Cha Eun Sang is a little stubborn in this situation.  She walked out and enters her room.  Anyone can feel her resentment on her sister seen on the photo whom she describes as someone living in luxury. 

When her mother enters her room, she promised Eun Sang that she would not bring any food from the mansion.  Then she asks what time will she leave the following day because she wants her daughter to help her go to the back. Eun Sang explains that transactions can be done on the online now.

Showing Eun Sang a passbook, Park Hee-min reveals she wants it done in person because she needs to send the entire amount in her bank account to Eun Seok in the US.  Eun Sang gets surprised to learn that her sister is getting married.

Yoo Ra Ae is complaining to her mother’s plan of remarriage since her parents’ divorce happened not too long ago.  Then her mother tells her to change clothes because they have a lunch meeting to go to with her new stepfather whose identity is still unknown to her.

Meanwhile, Eun Sang is asking her mom about the details of her sister’s fiancé – whether he is rich, Korean or American, the guy’s age, and even if her sister will invite and send them plane tickets!  Park Hee-min answers with hand gestures but Eun Sang reminds her that she should text to communicate since they are outside the house.  The mother answers thru text praising that Eun Sang’s sister is a responsible person and has made the right decision.  She said they would just be an imperfection to the celebration. This fueled Eun Sang’s anger.  She said she would not send her money and would go to her wedding instead.  She wants to bring the money in person to the US.  Then Eun Sang leaves her mom in the middle of the street to run to her part-time job.

The luncheon meeting between Ra Ae and her mom and Choi Young Do and his dad didn’t sit well because both children shows off their bratty attitude during lunch. 

The meeting even ended with Young Do getting hit by his dad while Ra Ae runs after him at the entrance to emphasize that she is already engaged to Kim Tan (Lee Min Ho).  But before he leaves, Young Do tells Ra Ae that he is not really against the marriage because it means mergers and acquisitions.

Then Eun Sang is seen having a hard time with her part time work as a dishwasher.  Later, her employer hands her pay and asks her if she has any plans to visit some places. 

Eun Sang revealed that she would go to the States because of her sister’s wedding.  Filled with resentment, Eun Sang spills that the wedding means her sister will stay for good in the US while she remains working on part time jobs living with her mother.

At home, Eun Sang tells her mother that she had the money exchanged and had her passport prepared, adding it is best to have a family representative in the wedding.  Then while putting some new notebooks in her mother’s cabinet, she took one of the notebooks and read what’s written on it. 

Reading all the answers of her mother, Eun Sang couldn’t help but cry.  Then she took back one of the notebooks and wrote an apology to her mom.  She brings the notebook to her suitcase together with the dream catcher she found in a store recently.

  She makes a promise that she will be successful when she returns from the US.

Yoo Ra Ae is choosing which shoes to bring when her mother butts in.  Then she puts her engagement photo in her luggage.

 And in the middle of her conversation with her mother regarding her opposing the marriage, Rachel’s mom threatens the young lady from not getting any inheritance.  To ease her feelings, she calls her fiancé.  

In California, Kim Tan reveals that eating lots of almonds is the first thing he thought about in staying in the foreign land.  He adds that like a scholar in exile, he was thinking if he should he rebel once.  But just like what his brother told him, he just ate and played which led police to be always on the lookout for him. 

He adds that in school, he gets a lot of attention and he also learned how to make her mother cry in Seoul.  Then his American friend Jay enters his room throwing him his phone, which has been ringing in the living room. 

Seeing the name of the caller, Kim Tan ignores it.  It is his fiancé Yoo Ra Ae whom he thinks is probably about to get on board a plane or already in the US because its their engagement anniversary soon.  But instead of meeting his fiancé, Kim Tan chose to surf with his friend in Malibu beach. 

Meanwhile, Cha Eun Sang arrives at the Ley International airport.  Seeing a crowd in front of her, Eun Sang tells herself not to chicken out.  Then she practices some questions in English. 

When she gets near the bay area, she heard a woman talking on the phone in Korean.  Then a young lady describes someone to the one she is talking but Eun Sang is seeing a different person.  Yoo Rachel describes to her mom Kim Tan but Eun Sang is seeing an old American man assisting the brat girl.  Noticing someone is watching her, Yoo Ra Ae calls in Eun Sang after the call.  Eun Sang already walks away but the wealthy girl calls her again.  Eun Sang turns her head and talks in Japanese. 

Little did she know that Yoo Ra Ae could talk in Japanese, too.  Caught with her pretense, Eun Sang apologizes.  Then Eun Sang leaves.

Kim Tan is surfing while his friends are on the beach partying.  Not far from their spot, Eun Sang arrives with her luggage in tow. 

She is amazed to see people at the beach in two-piece bikinis.  Then Eun Sang’s attention focuses on a man walking with his surfboard – Kim Tan.  He gets praises from his friends who are at the beach. 

As Eun Sang leaves her spot, Kim Tan notices her as the latter sticks his surfboard on the sand.  He sees an Asian with her luggage walking away.

Eun Sang checks out the place of her sister based on the address she has.  But she gets horrified to find a different woman opening the door followed by her sister’s boyfriend.  When Eun Sang sees her and her sister’s photo near the phone, she is relieved she is in the right house. 

Eun Sang asks if Chris is the husband of Eun Seok, who’s known in the US as Stella.  The man replied that they are just living together.  When Eun Sang asks when are they getting married, Chris gives her a negative response.  Worse, when Eun Sang asks where Stella studies, she learned her sister doesn’t go to school.  Hearing all these lies, Eun Sang gets mad and asks where she can find her sister.

Kim Tan is at the restaurant in his usual spot.  Eun Seok/Stella approaches her with a carafe and refills Kim Tan’s drink.  She asks what he is writing, he answered that it is an essay.  Stella adds Kim Tan looks like someone who doesn’t do his homework.  To which the young man reveals that is the reason why he is doing it.

Then he returns to his writing.  He said he is thinking that he is thinking about something although his brother told him not to do it – not to think.

Back in South Korea, Kim Tan’s brother, Kim Won, presides a meeting.  Kim Won gets angry because the report he received is not a good one. 

Kim Won asked the officer when had he learned about the ill performance of their mall, he should have been fired since.  When he asked the board who else knew about the report, Secretary Yoon answers back that it is the Chairman – his father.  Offended by the situation, Kim Won asks how many are the eyes and ears of his father in the board.  Then Secretary Yoon interferes saying an advice he learned from the Chairman – that if Kim Won wants to continue farming, he should be nicer to the maintenance guy than the landlord.

Meanwhile, Kim Tan is stretching a little from writing when his eyes focused on someone – a young pretty lady standing in front of the restaurant with her luggage – Cha Eun Sang.  She is looking for Stella.

Watching Eun Sang intently, Kim Tan sees her reactions and follows the person she is looking at.  He sees Stella.

Then he gazed back to Eun Sang who is already teary-eyed and forcing herself from crying while looking at Stella.

Kim Tan is looking at Eun Sang who is in tears while watching Stella declining a guy who invites her to work for him tonight. Then Stella returns to Kim Tan’s table to refill his drink when she followed what Kim Tan is gazing at.  Shocked. 

She dropped the carafe on the table and run towards her sister. Kim Tan watches this heartbreaking scene as Eun Sang accosts her sister for all her lies while Eun Seok requests her sister to cover up for her once more. 

Worse, she opens the luggage of her sister and grapples for the money intended for wedding before running away.  Eun Sang begs her sister to give back the money but it only fell on deaf ears.  She even runs after her sister because she wants to go with her.  Knowing all her things were laid out on the streets, Eun Sang is torn between running after her sister and getting back to her things.  She ends up doing the latter. 

Kim Tan is still watching the drama when his friend Jay arrives at the table inviting him to come to the party hosted by their friend. Staring still at Eun Sang, Tan signals Jay to be quiet to which the curious American checks what his friend is staring at.  Seeing a girl with all her things spread on the street, Jay runs towards her.  When Kim Tan realizes what his friend is planning, he runs after him but too late because after Jay asks Eun Sang how is she, the blonde guy grabs the bean powder bag! 

Soon, Eun Sang is running after Jay.  Jay falls on the ground, Eun Sang had a chance to get her thing but the bag exploded with its powder all over Jay.  Suffocated, Jay passed out.  Kim Tan arrives and tries to wake up his friend.  Talking in Korean, Kim Tan asks her to call 911 but Eun Sang answers that she doesn’t have a phone.  Eun Sang is surprised to find someone she can understand and even asks him.  But Kim Tan is more concerned of his friend’s situation.  He asks people to call for help.

 At the hospital, the doctor tells the two that the patient is in shock caused by an allergy which is a reaction to the powder. Kim Tan tells the doctor it is bean powder.  He asks when is Jay going to wake up but the doctor just assured him that his friend will be okay. 

Kim Tan is about to follow the doctor to fill up some forms when Eun Sang asks her if Jay will be okay.  Kim Tan asks why is she carrying such powder to which the young woman inquired if he is mad at him.  Eun Sang explains that it was his friend who stole her powder and thought of it as drugs.  Kim Tan cuts her saying Jay was drunk adding if his friend was on drugs he would know the difference between flour and drugs.  Eun Sang asks if he thinks it is her fault when she is already the one shocked but Kim Tan stressed that he is the one who was hassled in the situation.When Kim Tan walks out, a police officer approached Cha Eun Sang and asks her about the evidence he found.  Outside the hospital, Cha Eun Sang explains to the policeman that the powder is just food and not drugs.  Noticing her age, the police officer asks Cha Eun Sang for her passport.  Eun Sang gives it. The policeman asks for more details of Eun Sang like where she is staying and other contact details but since Eun Sang is not that fluent in English, she asks the officer to speak slowly when out of the blue, Tan appears behind her.

Calling her baby, he puts his arms around her shoulders and assuring her everything is okay.  Just staring at Eun Sang, Kim Tan even explains that the young woman is his girlfriend who is in the US for a vacation.

But Kim Tan stops in the middle of his sentence with his high confidence dropping in nanosecond upon seeing who the police officer is in front of him.  The policeman seems to insinuate that he is not surprised that Kim Tan is involved. 

Kim Tan defends the evidence is not prohibited drugs.  The police officer claimed that even if he thought it wasn't he is now thinking twice because of Tan’s presence.  The officer then tells Tan that he will keep his girlfriend’s passport until the results of the bean powder has been released. 

The police officer tells Eun Sang not to run away as he hands her his business card. 

Unable to understand completely the situation, Eun Sang is worried why the police officer is keeping her passport.  She asks Kim Tan questions one after another but couldn’t get an answer that could pacify her.  Kim Tan then asks why she suddenly dropped the honorifics in their conversation.

Eun Sang explains she thinks people in the US are more casual but Tan says it is just applicable in English.  Then Eun Sang retorts that Kim Tan should think of it as English.

Tan asks Eun Sang where she is going to stay so he would know what to tell the police when they call since she doesn’t have a cell phone.  She wants to borrow Tan’s phone to call Eun Seok but the young man asks him if her sister will answer her call after their quarrel.  Eun Sang is surprised that Tan knows about her fight.  She explains that it not just her fault.  More so, she asks him if he could take her home.  She even wants to pay for the ride.  Tan asks if Eun Sang has a lot of money since she keeps settling things with money.

Later, Tan takes home Eun Sang.  As she gets off the car and takes her luggage, Eun Sang tells Tan that she will call him thrice a day.  He should only accept her call if he has her passport already.  Then she thanked him for bringing her home but Kim Tan just looked away and didn’t answer.  Eun Sang walks towards the front door while Kim Tan waits for her to get inside.  Seeing no one is inside the house, Kim Tan gets off the car and asks Eun Sang if she plans to stay and wait for her sister. 

He even makes Eun Sang realize how scary the streets are in the US at night and there is no chance for someone who ran away with money to be at home by that time. Stubborn Eun Sang believes her sister will come. 

Then Kim Tan leaves.  Sitting at the foot of the stairs, a bunch of rowdy men pass by and sees Eun Sang who immediately hides to avoid the gang.  Scared, Eun Sang pulls her luggage and walks out of the yard.

 As she walks along the pavement, a car pulls over beside her.  When Eun Sang turns to see who it was, she sees the handsome, concerned face of the young man who helped her earlier – Kim Tan.  Then Kim Tan invites her if she wants to stay in his place!