[Spoiler] Cheongdam-dong Alice: Episode 14 Recap

by: Raine

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I liked this episode the best since about 8 or 9. There was real conflict and real stakes. Families and business were involved. Psycho-jo had to face his own dysfunction and Se-kyung finally did what she should've done ages ago: take responsibility in a real way.

"Cheongdam-dong Alice" features Moon Geun-young, Park Si-hoo, So Yi-hyun and Shin So-yul

Episode 14 recap

Just to remind ya'll, I call Seung-jo, "Psycho-jo" for obvious reasons. I also call Yoon-joo  "the Tick" because she's a bloodsucker and she has a tick-like mole on her neck...yeah, I'm mean like that.

Onto the recap.

Psycho-jo asks, "What is this? There are two people here that look like the people that I know". At the same time, Dong-wook explains to Se-kyung that when the Tick left him, he didn't face reality, much to her horror.

In-hwa tries to convince Psycho-jo that the women in the video are the people that he knows, but he merely directs the conversation back to business and leaves. In-hwa wonders if Psycho-jo already knew about the video or if he's trying to bury it.

She leaves in a total huff as Dong-wook explains that Psycho-jo disappeared for six months after breaking up with the Tcik. He had severed ties with his father, not registered for school and ended up living in a warehouse, a madman for a year.

So I guess he's the Mad Hatter in this Alice in Wonderland story. But it doesn't seem much like Wonderland. More like Horrorland.

Se-kyung asks what would happen to Psycho-jo if he discovers something shocking again. Dong-wook warns against it because if it doesn't happen, he'll be a ticking bomb. Se-kyung shouldn't ever leave him alone.

In his office, Psycho-jo sits and absorbs what he just saw. He is definitely is not in his right mind.

Again, I take issue with HOW unstable this character is. His business dealings would NOT be this solid if he was really that unstable. But I guess it does make for a dramatic reveal to have him in utter denial, eh? And then we wonder when and how he'll break down.

Psycho-jo calls Se-kyung to his home and when she enters, he's no where to be found and she begins to worry. Then he appears with wine to accompany the lovely lunch set for two. He has an eerily happy grin plastered to his face and acts as though nothing happened.

He explains that he planned the meal to try the wine, as though that were the only reason for the meal, but Se-kyung notices something is very off.

Tommy Hong meets with the Tick and hears that Psycho-jo got off work as usual, seeming to be in a good mood. They wonder if In-hwa showed him the video.

Well, she did and now she's pouting in her office that her evil, selfish plans didn't go off as she wished. The Tick sees her slam the door and asks In-hwa's assistant about the presentation. Turns out, In-hwa worked on the final draft herself and that Psycho-jo didn't react to it. Then In-hwa comes out like nothing happened and the Tick asks if she told.

In-hwa says he's amazing, but she wonders how long he can hold it. So the Tick informs Tommy that Psycho-jo knows everything.

And at that moment, he's downing glass after glass of wine while spending time with Se-kyung. She's looking through his childhood photos and says that his eyes were pretty then and they still are now. They look at each other, both unsure of the other. Then he goes for another bottle of wine.

Se-kyung takes a call from Tommy in the bathroom and learns that Psycho-jo knows the whole truth. She immediately breaks down, lowering the phone from her ear, knowing what that means for him, and her.

I feel like this is the moment she truly falls down the rabbit hole. This is where reality truly starts to distort. This isn't just lies anymore - Psycho-jo is not living in reality and she put him there.

Se-kyung tells Tommy she has to go as Psycho-jo calls for her and musters up her courage and strength to go out and see him. When she exits the bathroom, he is slowly opening a bottle of wine. He asks her to sit as he has something to tell her. She tries to act normally as she sits beside him. he tells her they are going to be busy starting tomorrow: finding a wedding location, a house, taking wedding photos, making invitations.

It's a little creepy watching him do this and Se-kyung just looks worried.

Tommy wonders why Psycho-jo isn't angry at Se-kyung, swearing at her and demanding why she betrayed him. Is he trying to bury it? Is it okay for Se-kyung to be with Psycho-jo? Tommy demands, worried for her safety. The Tick thinks the decision is up to Se-kyung; it's her burden.

And her burden is currently drunkenly dozing, leaving her to her own thoughts and guilt. She puts him to bed (how?) and watches him sleep a bit, remembering everyone telling her to keep her secret and make sure no harm comes to the fragile Psycho-jo. She promises to deal with everything as it's her responsibility - she won't run away.

Well at least that's the one responsible thing she's done...

Psycho-jo wakes up in the morning, remembering the video and that In-hwa says that he knows the women in it. He hears sounds from the kitchen and finds Se-kyung making breakfast. She slept in the living room and teases him for falling asleep after drinking so little. There is this bizarre silence and then she reminds him that he once told her that he wasn't a prince, but just a dork. She's not sure if he's dorky; he's not dorky at all. He doesn't have to force himself to show only his good side. She's about to say something about herself when he stops her with a serious face.

I totally think he's gonna rail on her, but he raises his eyes with a smile and says he has to show her something today.

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