Panda and Hedgehog Episode 4 Recap

  Poor Won Il, he just doesn't get girls. And Panda is pretty clueless in relationships as well. 

  Won Il confronts Seung Ji about hurting Panda. Seung Ji tells him to just punch him if he's going to, and Won Il grabs him by the collar and tells him to just get out. "Who are you to tell me that? Do you own this place? Are you the owner's boyfriend?" Seung Ji really knows how to push all Won Il's buttons. Won Il swings, and Seung Ji dodges, twisting his arm behind his back and pushing him to the ground.

  Panda stands up for herself (yay!) and kicks Seung Ji out, telling him she never wants to see him again. She asks Won Il to come talk to her as Seung Ji storms out. He keeps pressing her to tell him what Seung Ji did to upset her so much, but she deflects by asking when she can start working and how soon she can get paid. Won Il persists that if he doesn't know what happened, he won't know whether to punch or kill Seung Ji. Sweet, but obviously she wants to deal with things her own way.

  On the way home, Won Il can't stop giggling to himself. Won Yi thinks he's lost it and asks what his deal is. He tells her that he worried over nothing—Seung Ji just loaned Panda money. That was all their relationship was, and he's still in it. He won. Won Yi snickers—"You got knocked down in front of the girl. There's no chance you'll get a date now. You'll never win over him." Way to be supportive, Won Yi. He asks who's side she's on anyway.

  "I'm on your side," Eun Bi tells Seung Ji. She followed him on the bus, and is trying to convince him to make things right. He asks who she is, and she tells him she's Panda's good friend and Won Il's assistant. She knows they were dating, and that's why they fought. He explains that people have plenty of reasons to fight—even chickens fight. She says she can tell by the look on one's face. He stutters "what about my face?" She tells him that she's never seen that look on Panda's face before—she must like him! Congratulations!

  Da Na tells Panda that she thinks it's a mistake to use money from Won Il to pay off Seung Ji oppa. "How can you call him oppa when he tried to take over our cafe?" Da Na explains that this is a misunderstanding caused by Panda believing that something said by Seung Ji's friends is the same as something he said himself. She gives the example if Eun Bi said that Panda used friendship to get money from Won Il, would that mean it's true? She refuses to cut Seung Ji off.
  Eun Bi tells Seung Ji that she'll do all she can to help him with Panda. He asks why she's so interested. She tells him it's because of Choi Won Il. "So, you're going to use me to get what you want?" She answers that he can call her anytime and gives him her card. At least she's up front with someone about her manipulation.

  Grandpa tells Seung Ji not to do things to jeopardize his relationship with Panda—like seeing other girls. "She's just some weird person I met." Grandpa asks if he got dumped. He asks where Grandpa learned to say such things—"from you, when you asked about Cherry Blossom." Heehee.

  Seung Ji asks Grandpa for advice in dealing with an angry woman. "Beg. That's all you can do." He tells Grandpa that he's old and knows nothing about women. You should listen to him, buddy. His years of experience are an invaluable resource, and he does get women. Grandpa asks just what Seung Ji did wrong, and he tells him it's all a misunderstanding. "Well, then, you have to explain it to her until she understands." He scoffs some more at Grandpa's knowledge of the opposite sex.

  Seung Ji goes back to the cafe and asks Panda to talk. She walks away without answering. He waits outside, and she comes out on the balcony to see if he's still there. He tries calling, then sends a text telling her he at least wants to explain things. He types two more texts that say that it's a misunderstanding and it's all true, he did come in to take over. He doesn't send either, though, and leaves.

  Panda tells a photo of her parents that she'll never forgive him, and she'll never lose their house. She goes back on the balcony to check if he's still there, but he's gone. "He sent one measly text and then left?! Fine, I'll stay on his level."

  The next day Host Club brings Seung Ji a bouquet of roses, and says that since it's all his fault, he'll help Seung Ji apologize. "Forget it! I don't want it!" Beom Bo brings cupcakes and tells him that Cherry Blossom made them for Panda. Cherry Blossom "There's no work for you here anymore, so you have to do something."

  He grudgingly takes the roses and cupcakes, but stops when he sees notices outside looking for a new patissiere. He leaves in a huff. 

  Da Na and Customer complain about Seung Ji leaving. Panda should consider her bank account before she fires her patissiere. Won Yi yells from the front of the store. She has brought some customers who want to place a big order. But the cupcakes have to taste the same as the ones from the promotional sale. Da Na agrees to everything, even with Panda trying to stop her.

  Won Il offers to help her by lending some patissieres, or at least giving her enough cupcakes. Step-dad overhears and asks what he thinks he's doing. Now he knows what it's like to lead a company, right?

  Won Il asks Glasses for help, but he says they're far too busy in the next couple weeks. There's no way they can meet that order. Glasses asks what happened to Seung Ji, if Won Il's acting like this? He smirks and says Seung Ji got fired.

  Seung Ji and Host Club are hanging out in the park, and Aunt drives up and sees them. She asks why he isn't at the cafe, and he tells her he was fired. She asks what the whole story is, and he tells her that he wanted to make Cafe Panda a bigger shop, help his Grandpa, and beat out Saint Honore. Aunt tells him if he can make that happen, she'll get him back in. He'd better not make Panda cry, and he can't make her move, but he can come back. 

  When they get back to the cafe, Panda's out at Saint Honore trying to work something out. Won Il is showing her their products, and Step-dad overhears their conversation. A secretary warns them that Mom is there, so he ushers Panda upstairs to a rooftop garden. 

  She asks how he can give her so much, when their cakes are more expensive than she'll be charging. He tells her not to worry about it. She teases him about spending so much on her—because she hurt her back he bought an expensive massage chair. If she hurt her foot would he buy her a car? "Of course!"

  She replies that they aren't dating (perfect opportunity to bring it up, Won Il), so try making sense. He points out that Seung Ji isn't her boyfriend either, but she's more than willing to accept things from him. (Touché. She is a bit of a hypocrite there. However, Won Il goes a little overboard in trying to help her, so i get her reluctance on that front.) "I've known you longer, and you don't know anything about his background!" She tells him that she's using Seung Ji for her own purposes, and she'll be okay. He lectures her about not checking up on Seung Ji before hiring him. In business, things have to be done right, whether it's a large company or a booger-sized store. (Abort! Abort! You're saying all the wrong things!) 

  She yells at him, and he tries to take it back, but she tells him she won't need his help after all, and to take back his chair. She won't work for him, either! She warns him not to follow her, and he kicks himself for saying dumb things.
  On the bus ride home, Panda says both guys are bad, and tries to figure out what to do. Aunt calls Panda and tells her she has a present, but if she accepts, she can't back out.

  She relents when everyone tells her Seung Ji is the answer they need. She tells Seung Ji she has some conditions. First, he must get on his knees to apologize. Second, promise her parents' photo that he'll keep his word. Third, write out a new contract stating that he'll do whatever she says, or he forfeits his wealth. He balks at the kneeling and the contract, but eventually gives in. When she sees his id number she instructs him to call her noona from now on. She orders him to clean before coming down, holding up the contract to back her authority.

  Da Na and Panda celebrate having Hedgehog back, and Da Na warns her sister not to throw away Aunt's present. Panda wonders what the present is, and Da Na has to spell it out for her.

  Mom tries to get information on Panda from Won Yi, bribing her with credit cards. Won Yi staunchly refuses to give in, but snatches the credit card on her way out. Step-dad overhears and thinks that Won Il's Achilles heel must be women. 

  Won Il has decided he needs to work out more. Glasses comes and asks him what he's doing, and he asks if he knows anyone with martial arts training. He needs to learn to fight so he can win against Seung Ji. Cute, but misguided. He also asks what to do for a girl who's angry with him. (Pssst, ask Grandpa. He knows that some grovelling and a sincere apology are the best answer.)

  Seung Ji wants to borrow Grandpa's van, but realizes it's not a good solution. He and Cherry Blossom have a cute moment when he says "we need a car." At the cafe, he sneaks up behind Panda as she's worrying over her bank account and takes her shopping for a delivery van. He buys one, and she tells him she's as happy as if it's her birthday. He misunderstands and gets excited to celebrate with her. She tells him it's not her birthday, she's just happy, but asks what he was going to do for her? "Make you a cake." Obviously. When she asks if that's it, he replies that he already bought her a car, what else does she want? Seung Ji draws some stickers for the van and decorates it.

  Won Il is obsessing over Panda, and Won Yi suggests buying her a car. He tells her that's what started this whole fight in the first place. (Also, it's too late.) As they leave the store, Step-dad offers to buy Won Yi a car. She's so excited, she misses the implication that it's a bribe.

  The siblings pull up outside Cafe Panda, and stop short when they see the van, and again when they see Seung Ji in the window decorating a cake. He pretends to shoot Won Il and smirks to himself, while Won Il fumes. Won Yi tells him that if he gets jealous, he'll lose. They leave, and Won Yi sends a salute Seung Ji's way, but he doesn't look up. Aww, someone has a little crush, I think.
  Lamesauce is hiding with a bag of. . . something that's moving. Ewww. So gross!

  Panda and Seung Ji go shopping for supplies for their big order, while Won Il works out more and tries out some martial arts (he really sucks at it). Panda falls asleep during prep time and Seung Ji tenderly puts the giant panda arm behind her head as a pillow.

  Seung Ji falls asleep at his desk and wakes to the girls screaming. He runs out to see them huddled on stools as cockroaches scurry around. Da Na realizes this is the work of Lamesauce, and they go to the prep room to find all the ingredients ruined.

  Da Na and Customer decide to beat up Lamesauce, and Panda and Seung Ji try to decide how to finish the order while the cafe is fumigated. Saint Honore wouldn't help and Grandpa's oven is too small. They decide to get started at Grandpa's and finish up at the cafe after the fumigation. Panda tells him "1, 2, 3, Go!" and he smiles at her encouragement.

  Everyone pitches in to get the cupcakes ready. Late that night, Cherry Blossom takes over for Seung Ji so he can get some rest. He tells her he loves her. She notices the next day that Grandpa is humming while he works—he hasn't done that in such a long time. 

  Seung Ji finishes the cake and Panda gets so excited she hugs him. Beom Bo sees and keeps everyone out, trying to give them a moment. Panda realizes what she's doing and the moment turns awkward. 

  The next day they deliver the cupcakes and cake, and everyone celebrates. Panda puts her hands on Seung Ji's shoulders. "Everyone's looking. You're not going to hug me or anything, are you?" She tells him their cakes are just as good as Saint Honore's, and they all decide to have a celebratory dinner.

   Bright and early the next day, Won Yi surprises her brother by being at Saint Honore. She asks him why all their cakes are so sad when Cafe Panda's are so bright and lively. He goes and asks Eun Bi to help get Panda to write up an article on Seung Ji.

  The cafe is bustling when she gets there, and Panda goes to find Seung Ji. He's working on some sketches, and Panda is stunned to notice a tattoo (of a hedgehog, I'm guessing) peeking out his collar.
  Comments:
  What's the big deal about a tattoo? In much of the western world, tattoos are no big deal. Many people have them, and there isn't as much of a stigma around them. But that's not true everywhere. In many countries, tattoos are associated with gangs and convicts, and are regarded as unsavory. I lived for a time in Central America, and one of the methods implemented to fight gang violence was to imprison anyone associated with a gang. This included rounding up people with tattoos, because they were almost always in a gang. And people who weren't paid lots of money to have their tattoos removed so they wouldn't be arrested.
  So, from my extensive research—I googled it ;)—tattoos are still quite taboo in Korea. Panda's extreme reaction to Seung Ji's tattoo is pretty believable in that context. And now she'll have to deal with the fact that she's partners with an ex-con, which she would have known sooner if she'd demanded to see his resumé. The real issue here is whether she'll be able to overcome the stigmas there and see that Seung Ji has really made an effort to turn his life around. 

  I love that Seung Ji, Grandpa, and Cherry Blossom are getting so close. I'm pretty positive that Seung Ji is her long-lost son, so it's touching to see their mother-son bonding even without that knowledge. I think it will allow them to get closer before they have to deal with the obvious abandonment issues, and they are all just so sweet with one another.

  Won Il. Where do I start with you? Stop taking advice from your sister on relationships. Now. She means well, but she's not your typical girl, and really doesn't get women much more than you do. Instead of thinking that learning to fight would help your problem, you really should have just APOLOGIZED. You know you said something absolutely stupid, and Panda needs to hear you say it. Also, you need to make your attentions clear to her. You're losing the girl because you hesitate too much, and you're so cute! I just want you to have a fair chance to win her. But you keep shooting yourself in the foot.

  I am a bit frustrated with Panda's hypocrisy, too. You won't accept help from Won Il, because you're not his girlfriend, but you'll accept the exact same things from Seung Ji because he's your. . . partner? Kind of? Even after being burned by trusting him? I just don't get where you draw the lines on these ethical issues. I understand 6you wanting to be independent, but Won Il is pretty trustworthy so far, and you have known him for a long time.