Flames of Desire (Flames of Ambition / Yokmangeui Bulkkot / 욕망의 불꽃)

Flames Of Ambition

Episode 43

I'm sorry.

I was suddenly reminded of something.

I only found out that I was an orphan later on in life.

But more than resenting my parents for abandoning me, I wanted to meet them.

It would be natural to bear resentment against them.

Right... They abandoned their child, after all.

They must have had a reason.

Or else, why would they do something like that?!

Every time I spotted someone even remotely resembling me,

all the women felt like mothers, and all the men felt like fathers to me,

so I'd always happily smile at them.

"They must be out there, somewhere."

You really seem to be kind.

Missing your parents despite the fact they threw you away...

Because I must meet them at least once before they die.

So that I can spit in their face for all they did to me!

I wonder what someone who did something so terrible could look like.

Have you thought about how many cruelties are committed by people?

Abandoning a child is nothing compared to that.

What could possibly be worse than that?!

You'd be surprised!

How about children abandoning their old parents...

Yesterday on the news I saw this kid who was arrested for hitting his old mother...

just because she wouldn't give him money, cursing at her for being obsessed with it.

So I'm the one to blame, right? After all, they're my parents.

Nah...

I don't know who your parents are, but it's natural they should be ashamed.

Ehh... People these days...

Isn't it?!

Tell me about it... But actresses sure are different.

Seeing you raise your voice with those teary eyes choked me up.

How can you cry with such ease?

Whenever there's a crying scene in a film,

that's what I think about.

The face of those two people who threw me away and then ran as if it was nothing.

Then I won't even have to force tears out of my eyes.

Now that's smart... You're right.

I'm sure you'd cry at ease.

Did I miss anything fun?

Seeing you from afar, you looked like two lovebirds?

How can you joke about that?! She could be my daughter...

You don't look old enough to be her father, come on.

Maybe I'd give you... forty?!

President Yoon always makes fun of me like that.

So she can empty my pockets with a smile on her face.

By the way, I'm afraid I'll have to go.

I really have an important appointment.

Sorry again, Miss Baek.

It's all right.

It's not like we won't get to meet again, anyway.

It was a pleasure.

Ahh... Was just an excuse to shake hands with a star...

Didn't work too well?!

I'll go.

Thank you for the treat, Director Park.

I suddenly got an appetite?!

Let's finish this, shall we?

Director Jang called me. The Americans were even more convinced after meeting you.

They'll bring you to the States next month for a test.

What?

That's the man who abandoned you.

Don't jump to conclusions.

I just set this up so that he could help fund our film.

All right... I admit I did date him before getting married.

How do you think a poor girl like me can make it in life?

I might have gotten all the way to college, but graduating looked unlikely,

so I bought a little notebook, and wrote down the name of every rich boy in town.

So that I could choose wisely and then get married.

And go figure, rich guys are even more cunning that you'd expect.

Afraid that messing with the wrong girl could get them into trouble.

But after wasting a year doing that, I decided to stop.

Still... I always protected myself. Afraid it'd come back to haunt me later.

Is that why you got a job at that bus company?

Because you spotted the boss' son?

How do you know that?

You lie so often that you must have forgotten.

Why, did I ever tell you that?

You took me to that old bus terminal which has now been replaced by apartments,

and walked down memory lane with that touching little story of yours.

"I was pregnant, but they were against" this and that...

Did you make that all up as well?

That's true.

Is that really all you could do?

Even though you were smart enough to go to college?

And who was going to pay for my tuition?

We couldn't live off part-time jobs like kids do today.

And it's not like I could make money spending nights at a bar.

He told me this while you were away.

That his father used to run a bus company, and you worked there.

What's with the sigh now?

Didn't you do all this so that I could find out?!

So?

No.

Thank you.

For finally helping me realize who my father is.

I didn't want you to know.

You've had your fill with me, already. Of people making you suffer.

Did you tell him?

Who I am?!

Dealing with you is already hard as it is.

If I could erase you from my mind, I'd do it without any hesitation!

- Did it disappoint you so much? - Be honest.

You can't completely hate me, can you?

I grew up for months inside your womb,

how could abandoning me have been easy for you?!

Don't you feel anything at all?

I'm still your one and only child...

Don't you?

Let's get up.

Hurry up and send me to Hollywood.

If I spend a year there and come back, maybe things could change.

I'm...

I feel nothing for you.

If it weren't for Minjae, I wouldn't even be here.

What now...

I'm afraid you're starting to grow on me?!

If you let go of Minjae, it'll be a one-way ticket to stardom...

You brat... Who did you take after?!

What are you doing here?

Director Park doesn't know that you're my daughter.

So stop worrying.

He's not the kind of man who would bother you,

and he'd try to deny even if he knew, so...

I'll tell Minjae.

I'll settle things with him before leaving for Hollywood.

Why did you suddenly change your mind?

Wasn't that the condition for sending me to Hollywood?

Glad you realize it.

It's for Minjae's sake. Not for you.

I thought you had an appointment?!

How could I sit there any longer?

- Afraid she'd grow on you? - What?!

Wouldn't you get to know each other, anyway?

So you need to meet often to break the ice.

Does she know, too?

Did you tell her I'm her father?

I didn't tell her, but she might have realized it on her own.

She's a smart kid, you know...

All the better, why worry?!

You finally got your one and only child back.

So is that why she kept crying?

Ahh.... I'll be damned!

Half the budget, and I won't tell her a thing.

What are you taking me for?

Spare me the smirks. Is this really that funny?

Not really.

Shouldn't you feel a little guilt, at least?

I'll give you the money.

But don't you ever mention that I'm her father.

Or else I'll sell all those shares and you can kiss your flick goodbye.

I love money.

More than I'll ever love you!

It's my money!

Where are you?

Ulsan?

I'm outside the restaurant.

The board's still up?!

A few repairs here and there and it'll be as good as new.

I'll fix it whenever I have time.

Eonni.

It's you?

Why? Did he ask you to go live with him in Ulsan?

No...

Looks like he's really divorcing, why don't you just do it?

Are you thinking about it?

I won't get involved, so do whatever you want.

You mean that?

It's not because of the chief.

I just want to go back to Ulsan, that's all.

Make excuses, will you...

I can't live here. This place is just not for me.

So why didn't you listen to me? I'll settle the seizure, so go live there.

Did you come to tell me that?

Just felt a little upset.

What else is going on?

I told her to go shoot a film in the States,

and she agreed without putting up a fight, even saying she'd break up with Minjae.

That's good, so why?

- I finally tell her the truth, and now... - She's resentful?

You think?

I'm not sending her there for her own good, but to get her out of the way.

I slept with her one night, and she kept clinging to me.

Don't start wailing, dammit!

I came here to take a breather.

Give me a blanket, I'll take a nap.

Go to work... I don't want to talk.

Would you stand running a small business in the provinces after leading a chaebol group?!

I've got a lot to learn from you.

But I'm famous for always choosing things that make no money?!

It's what I really respect about you.

Feels good to be praised by Kim Youngjun, all right...

I'll be counting on you, then.

Ulsan used to be one of the most polluted areas in the country.

It took great sacrifice and effort to turn it into the environmentally-friendly city it is today.

- Everyone in the sector is praising you. - Ehh... You're flattering me.

We couldn't handle this alone, so we joined forces with other people who helped us.

And we kept pressing city hall to change their environmental policies.

Nice shot!