Healthy Rivalry

Episode 2 of Behind Every Star begins with Hee-Jun getting cold feet and deciding to step away from his latest role. They begin shooting in 3 weeks but he’s too busy grieving over Mr Wang to give it much thought. Chun Je-In is not happy and even ends up cursing too, which shocks him to the point of walking out. Hee-Jun starts feeling uneasy about his upcoming role in Episode 2 of Behind Every Star and decides to step away from it. They start filming in three weeks, but he’s too busy grieving over Mr Wang to give it much thought. Chun Je-In is not happy with this decision and even curses Hee-Jun, which shocks him into walking out. ..

Meanwhile, Ma Tae-Oh steps up in the lead role at Method Entertainment, divvying out the positions into different teams, but with tensions still high between Tae-Oh and Je-In. After what’s happened to Wang, and with his funeral coming up, Ma has decided to postpone leaving the firm after all.

That night, Je-in and Jung-Don end up sharing some drinks and food, quipping about the future and having kids. Wait…what?! Jung-Don is confused too but Je-In spitballs the idea of using him as a sperm donor, not wanting to grow old alone. You just know these two are definitely getting together in the future right? Still, time is of the essence for this upcoming movie situation, and if Hee-Jun delays for much longer, they’re going to have to find a replacement.

Thankfully, Jung-Don manages to persuade Sun-Kyu, another client of theirs, to take over Director Byun’s film. Je-In is incredulous, pointing out that Sun-Kyu doesn’t suit the role at all. ..

Hyun-Joo is once again put through the ringer at work, this time forced to head out and find Hee-Jun following a big mix-up with a scarf. It’s a complete disaster and even cycling over there doesn’t solve the problem. As a result, Je-In calmly tells her to make constant copies of documents in the office day after day until she says otherwise. ..

Wang’s wife is thinking of selling the company. She’s not sure who to give it to, but has decided to auction it off to the highest bidder. The staff are not wholly comfortable with this, not wanting a stranger to take over. When Wang’s wife looks set to leave, Ma makes a bold claim and decides the four of them should buy up the company together. ..

Je-In is one of those people who gets distracted by dating apps. The men are persistent, but she eventually gives up. ..

Je-In eventually catches up with Hee-Jun, who happens to be doing some soul searching up at a Buddhist temple. She brings up Sun-Kyu and how he’s applied for the same role as him, knowing full well the pair are old friends but also have a rivalry dating back 15 years. Of course, this help to spark his competitive spirit…but has an adverse effect of the pair competing over the exact same role, especially as Jung-Don has already offered him the gig. That doesn’t look good for Method Entertainment and it’s left up in the air for the pair to try and handle.

Naturally, this tension spills over to Mr Wang’s funeral, where Sun-Kyu and Hee-Jun both arrive at the same time. Obviously The pair don’t know about the other having the lead role and they end up sitting at the same table. And of course, things immediately take a turn for the worst when the secret between them is outed. Sun-Kyu calls Hee-Jun greedy, and it all ends up in a messy situation with Je-In and Jung-Don stuck in the firing line.

Sun-Kyu and Hee-Jun both end up singing together at Wang’s grave, with the pair fighting over the microphone. The ensuing result is one of surprising healing, as it brings them both closer together, remembering all those years of being friends. ..

Je-In and Jung-Don cast themselves together in order to change the romance in their drama from a man and woman to two men. Their quick thinking saves the day and it ironically comes from them thinking exactly like Mr Wang would have.

Hyun-Joo ends up flustered when she learns a boy she was flirting with earlier in the office happens to be Ma’s son. She confronts him in the hallway and tells him not to see her anymore, deciding they should just remain strangers instead. Hyun-Joo refuses to disclose what their relations are, and Ma Tae-Oh – having noticed the pair talking from afar – immediately suspects foul play. ..

Director Ma reprimands Hyun-Joo on the roof and demands she stay away from his family. “What am I if not family?” She says, teary-eyed. She’s left alone and with us no closer to understanding her ties to the Director.

The Episode Review

This second episode establishes a pretty neat format and flow for this series, which looks to be leaning into the idea of these episodic actor/actress issues while furthering the character development for each of the main ensemble. The episode begins with a flashback to when one of the ensemble members was first introduced, followed by a conversation between them and their boss. This provides a good opportunity to explore each character’s backstory and motivations, as well as give us some insight into their relationships with one another.

The mystery around Tae-Ho and Hyun-Joo’s relationship is deep and complex. Some could see this as a long-lost love, but I believe she is his estranged daughter with another woman he has had an affair with. This would explain the tension in their relationship and why he’s not happy that she’s moved to Seoul.

Sun-Kyu and Hee-Jun’s antics are the highlight of this chapter. Seeing them all sitting down at the funeral, you just knew it would end badly. And boy, does it ever! ..

Behind Every Star is still in its early days, but it’s still early days for the show. We’ll learn more about the main ensemble in the weeks ahead.