A Virtuous Business (2024) s01e08 Episode Script

1
A VIRTUOUS BUSINESS
Detective.
Detective.
Are you okay?
Did you have a nightmare?
Who is it?
Detective, it's me, Han Jeong-suk.
I think I left my notebook there.
His voice was hoarse.
Was he asleep?
Hello.
I'm sorry. I was in such a hurry
that I left the notebook here.
You just got here, right?
Yes.
Why?
It's nothing.
-Here you go.
-Okay.
I must have woken you up. I'm sorry.
It's okay.
Bye then.
-Okay.
-See you.
A CATHOLIC WHO WAS WEARING
A WOODEN ROSARY RING
This is our stop!
-It'll be so much fun.
-Seriously.
-Let's hurry up.
-It'll be so much fun.
Hey, the poster looks so hot.
Did you watch
all the sequels of Madame Aema?
I watched the original
and all the sequels.
Really?
-I haven't watched anything.
-It's racy and fun.
It's electrifying.
-I can't wait.
-Let's hurry up and go.
MADAME AEMA 6
A free screening of Madame Aema?
Isn't it an erotic movie?
It's the best erotic movie.
I heard that a group of
barely dressed women are in the movie.
My goodness.
It's hard to find
new customers these days.
We should do something to attract them.
Why don't we give free movie tickets
to those who attend in-home sales events?
Oh, I like that idea.
The slip dress the main character wore
looked similar to ours.
It might sell better
once people have watched the movie.
It won't be any loss for us.
Morning tickets cost half the price.
The morning?
Would people watch
an erotic movie in the morning?
Most housewives get free time
in the morning
after their husbands and children leave.
You have a point. I'm the busiest
when my husband comes home in the evening.
If you agree to the idea,
I'll ask the movie theater
and proceed with the plan.
-Right away?
-Yes.
Jeong-suk,
you're so driven with the branch manager
promotion coming up.
I must let Yeong-bok know that
we should prepare a promotion party soon.
Yeong-bok said that she had
a family matter, right?
Yes, she's busy because of her in-laws.
I see.
OBSTETRICS
GEUMJE HOSPITAL
Ward 151, Ms. Kim Yeon-suk,
please return to the ward immediately.
Peek-a-boo!
What did the doctor say? Is it fatigue?
What is it?
Don't tell me…
Is it a serious illness?
I'm pregnant.
What?
I agonized over whether or not to tell you
that I'm pregnant.
But I thought you should still know.
Why did you agonize?
I won't have this baby.
There was a bit of blood.
There's a chance of miscarriage.
-I'm going to abort it in a few days.
-But…
How could you say that?
-You're too--
-What?
Am I too harsh?
I think it isn't right
to give birth to this baby.
Jong-seon.
Jong-seon.
Look at our situation.
Even now, we can't afford
to give our children
what we want to and should give them.
But you want another child?
Gosh, I can't do it.
But…
I scheduled an abortion,
so just pretend that this didn't happen.
MADAME AEMA 6
-You're here.
-Yes.
I'm glad you came.
My goodness.
Calm down, will you?
Look at that.
Please have some fruit.
-My goodness.
-Thank you.
Hold on. What's my height?
I became shorter with age.
Here. I'm done. Is this all you need?
Thank you.
I understand why
you need the measurements,
but why do you need to know my religion?
Well,
I thought it'd be good
to know each religion's taboos.
I also thought it'd be helpful
to know the customers' preferences.
RELIGION: NONE
"No religion"?
I thought you were Catholic.
Well, I stopped going to church
ten years ago
since I got so busy with work.
So now I should say
I don't have a religion.
All right.
-Here you go.
-Okay. Thank you.
This one suits your skin tone better.
-Really?
-Yes.
Then I should get this one.
Ma'am.
When you used to go to church,
did you wear a rosary ring?
A rosary ring? Yes, I wore it.
I used it whenever I prayed.
I see.
My friend has a silver ring.
Mine was neither silver nor gold.
It was wooden.
-Wooden?
-Yes.
This must be some kind of oil.
This smells so nice.
Detective!
Hello.
It's good to see you here.
I thought about calling you.
Is something the matter?
The owner of the gukbap place.
She went to church up until ten years ago.
She also had a wooden rosary ring.
Moreover,
she's left-handed just like you.
And fascinatingly, you two have
the same moles in the exact same spots.
-A mole?
-Yes.
Right here.
Her moles also make a triangle like this.
I ruled her out recently.
She was hospitalized
for two years around the time I was born.
What?
For your information,
moles and left-handedness aren't genetic.
And I'm ambidextrous.
I see.
They said they were in some TV drama.
I guess they were wrong.
I should've given you
information on the women I've ruled out.
I'll share what I know from now on.
Okay.
Since there aren't many clues,
I keep studying appearances closely.
I must have been mistaken
because I thought she looked like you.
She looked like me?
Yes.
The gukbap place owner's nose is…
How should I put it?
She has a high nose bridge.
And the nose tip is quite pointy too.
I'm sorry.
It really is okay. Don't worry about it.
I'll keep in touch.
A high nose bridge?
Jong-seon, I know that you're
a hardworking man.
Besides,
I don't have prejudices
against that matter.
But I just don't need
another full-time employee.
NOW HIRING
Why is that sign still up there?
Please call me if there's an opening.
Of course.
Take care.
Goodness.
It's hard for an ex-convict
to find a job, right?
They always talk about rehabilitation,
but society doesn't help.
If you're going to spout nonsense, leave.
You should hear me out first,
then decide if it's nonsense.
Robbing the jewelry store
Seung-tak's dad runs?
Come on.
I'm just getting my money back.
You know how Seung-tak stole
three million won from me whilst gambling.
I found out that he scammed me
with professional gamblers.
It was stolen money anyway.
I paid for my crime. Because of that…
Because of that, I went to prison.
That punk needs to pay for his crime.
That brings me to my point.
Just drive and keep watch for me.
-You're the only one I can trust.
-Nonsense!
Nothing more, nothing less.
Just three million won.
I'll just retrieve the stolen money
and split it with you.
One million won
will be enough deposit for a place
with two rooms and a living room.
I promised my wife
I'd live in a way
that isn't shameful to my children.
I'll take my leave.
Don't you think
the way you live now is shameful?
Your wife is struggling
as the sole breadwinner.
You'll pass down the poverty
you're sick and tired of to your children.
Are you proud of that?
What do you know?
Don't run your mouth like that!
Listen.
You should put your family
before your conscience.
I guess I wouldn't know
because I'm not the head of a family.
There's no one.
All of them moved away a long time ago.
All of them?
That's right.
It took a few years for people to think
that it was probably kidnapping,
not disappearance.
Yes.
Until then, the parents were treated
as sinners who lost their children.
They were already heartbroken,
but people pointed fingers at them
for losing their children.
So they couldn't hold out.
Do you happen to keep in touch
with the families of the victims?
Do you know where they moved to?
One family moved to the region
a junior of mine transferred to.
That's right. Yeongeup.
I kept in touch with the family
that moved there from time to time.
Hold on. Did they run a hanbok store?
They ran a business.
Not this one.
By the way,
why do you keep asking questions
about that case?
I became interested
while going through the cold cases.
You should let go of that interest.
-Why?
-It's been more than 30 years.
Catching the culprit
won't make a difference
since the statute of limitations
has expired.
Still--
I heard that you solved
many cold cases in Seoul.
But don't dig this up.
It has left too many people
scarred already
for you to dig it up
just to satisfy your curiosity.
HANYINHONG
Honey, it's red ginseng tea.
Okay.
Be careful.
It's nice.
It's only morning,
but I feel full of energy.
Should I skip work today?
I'll make it again tomorrow.
By the way, how did you know?
I thought you had forgotten.
How could I forget?
Chairman Eom told me yesterday.
Chairman Eom?
What's this date?
It's the day Chairman Eom and I will go
on an overnight hiking trip.
MOUNT JIRI
We'll go with my car, so wash it later.
Gosh, why do I feel cold suddenly?
Man, I can see my breath even in July?
What?
It's our wedding anniversary!
I can't believe you. How could you?
You'd never celebrated it properly,
so I told you I was sad
for the first time last year.
You said we'd celebrate it this year
no matter what.
But I can't pass up on this.
Chairman Eom is only taking two people,
and I'm one of them.
It means that he thinks of me
as a very special--
-Underling?
-Underling.
Unbelievable. How could you say that?
Put it in the sink.
You can make it yourself tomorrow.
I can't believe you.
Thank you for doing this.
You must be busy.
I'm glad that I can help.
Like you said, it'll be a good idea
to visit as customers.
Since the shop specializes
in wedding gifts,
she could think we're
a couple who are shopping.
Here's my plan.
Let's pretend to be a couple
who are getting married soon.
When she lets her guard down,
we'll ask questions
as naturally as possible.
I made a list of questions too. Hold on.
I practiced all night long.
Here.
Is this one better?
WONBONG PHARMACY
You're in early.
The employee comes in late,
so I should come in early
to open the door and mop the floor.
I'm sorry.
By the way, Mr. Choi,
I have a question.
When was your first kiss
and how did it happen?
My goodness.
What's gotten into you?
I'm just curious.
Everyone has their first kiss
when they're immature
and they don't make a big deal out of it.
How was it for you?
That came out of nowhere.
May I hold your hand?
If it isn't too much trouble,
may I kiss you?
You don't need to get
my permission each time.
After all,
we got married today.
What?
You had your first kiss
with your wife after the wedding?
I was very cautious
with everything.
You were so prudent and pure.
If your first kiss was like white snow,
my first kiss was like…
the shattered briquette pieces
on the snow.
It was like that.
When and how did you have your first kiss?
It's nothing.
I've lost all my confidence now.
What's up with him?
You must have struggled a lot.
Since I made you wait for a long time,
I'll put in more effort from now on.
Please don't say that.
Geum-hui, you don't need to do anything.
Just use your hands to eat.
I'm serious.
Aren't you tired?
Not at all.
It's a historic day
when I finally married you.
I'll be happy
even if I roll around in poop.
To me, this day is
an overwhelmingly important day,
like the most important national holiday.
A national holiday, my foot.
Why am I the only one
who remembers the national holiday?
You sighed during the in-home sales,
so I wondered what was going on.
Did I do that?
Whenever I hear
about married couples who get along well,
I can't help but sigh.
It makes me wonder
if I'm the only one who lives this way.
Yeong-bok, how do you celebrate
your wedding anniversary?
Me? I just…
He just cooks for me.
-He cooks for you?
-Yes.
He promised me that I wouldn't need to do
household chores for the rest of my life.
He says he wants to keep the promise
even if it's just for one day.
I get to do absolutely no chores that day.
Gosh, your husband is so sweet.
He can't afford to buy me a present,
so he works his body instead.
It's the thought that counts.
Your husband really is amazing.
Of course, he is.
Jong-seon sure is.
Yeong-bok, it's good to see you.
I was wondering how you were.
Ms. Oh, we should get going.
Why are you ignoring me
as if I'm a piece of trash?
Why? Is it because I'm an ex-convict?
No.
Your husband is an ex-convict too.
So that can't be it.
So many years have passed,
so I thought that you'd be
much more easygoing.
Why are you still so cold?
At the end of the day,
I'm your husband's friend.
Can't you at least say hi to me?
Friend, my foot.
My husband's nothing like you.
He'll never get involved with you again,
so let's skip the greetings.
Ms. Oh, let's go.
She trusts him too much, doesn't she?
How could he be so rude?
That's my bus. I'll get going now.
LEE'S HANBOK
You must be very nervous.
You can put yourself at ease
because I'll be the one asking questions.
Okay.
-Let's go.
-Okay.
How's this, De…
Do… Do-hyeon.
Do-hyeon, I think
navy-colored ones like this
would look good on you.
I love it. It looks nice.
How about this one?
Jeong-suk,
I think pink would look good on you.
It's pretty.
You guys have a good eye.
That's the best quality hanbok
in this place.
Is that so?
Isn't it pretty?
Why don't you try it on behind the door?
Okay.
-I'll help you.
-Okay.
-Come.
-Okay.
Look around while I try it on.
Jeong-suk, take it slow.
IF YOU'VE SEEN…
All done.
Here comes the bride.
What do you think?
She looks like an angel, right?
Yes.
Is that all?
She's beautiful.
This hanbok is very pretty.
Take your time and look in the mirror.
Okay.
Hey.
Hey, can't you hear me?
What?
Are you going to try on
the hanbok you chose earlier?
Yes, of course.
My goodness. You're absolutely mesmerized.
I'll find one in a bigger size.
-Okay.
-Wait.
Did you find anything?
I think she should check those photos.
IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS BABY,
CONTACT ME
Could this baby be you?
No.
I thought that might be the case.
Judging by the characteristics
on the flyer, this isn't me.
LEE YEONG-HO, FIVE MONTHS OLD
By the way,
doesn't the fact that
she has kept this flyer mean
that she has been looking for her child?
-I think we should ask.
-Ask what?
You guys aren't here to buy hanbok, right?
I didn't know that was why you came here.
You could have told me from the start.
You must have struggled for many years.
I worried that I was digging up
an old memory you wanted to forget,
so I had to be cautious.
How could I forget?
My precious child suddenly disappeared.
Unless I find him,
I won't forget until the day I die.
For a while,
I could neither sleep nor eat.
Worried that I'd die,
my husband suggested moving.
He said that
we could never find
our Yeong-ho if I died.
That's when I came back to my senses.
That was why we moved.
I wanted to survive
and find him somehow.
So you made this flyer.
I still believe…
that my son
will appear someday like you did.
Your mother
must be waiting for you.
Do you think so?
I'm sure of it.
But this lady here…
Are you sure that she isn't your lover?
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry.
No?
You said
that the company is
desperate to hire people.
Don't dwell on my past crime.
I've been a good man for over ten years.
Can't you focus on that instead?
Okay, bye.
You're home.
I'm sorry. I know you're tired,
but I need to step out to find a job.
Why did you live like that?
Why did you get involved with that bastard
and do something that'd get in your way
for the rest of your life?
Why would you go look for a job?
No one will hire you.
It'll do nothing but distress you.
Don't go.
I gave up on the hope
of you finding a decent job
a long time ago.
I know.
I know my life is hopeless.
But I can't just sit around
and do nothing.
I heard that the surgery was dangerous
and hard on the body.
What am I supposed to do then?
Goodness, do you want me
to do nothing in this situation?
Is that what you want?
Goodness.
Stop it.
-Stop it!
-Come on.
Where are you going?
All right.
Ms. Oh.
Hello.
Hello. You must be getting off work now.
Yes.
These supplements
are very hard to get.
They're valuable, so make sure
to give them to Chairman Eom.
Okay.
Please apologize to him on my behalf.
Yes, sir.
See you.
Bye.
Go on.
What are you so sorry about?
You always bend over backwards for him.
But I can't this week.
I told him I can't go on the hiking trip.
-Why?
-Just because.
To celebrate the national holiday.
I guess you finally remembered
how you used to be completely different.
Yes, I did.
You know,
you were completely different too.
Back in the day, you were like
a delicate cosmos flower.
-And now?
-Now…
Gosh, give me that.
I don't want the cosmos flower to break.
-I can't let that happen.
-You're being silly.
Is it for dinner?
Shall we just eat out?
So what's the plan for tomorrow?
NAESAN REST AREA
Why aren't you eating?
I'm eating.
I'm fine.
It looks like
you're struggling more than I am.
You cried a lot earlier.
I'm sorry, that was silly of me.
You didn't bring me here for that.
I couldn't help you either.
You did help me.
What?
Even when I read your note about
how my parents might be looking for me,
I doubted it.
But after meeting the lady today,
I think my mother…
might have struggled more than I have.
And it broke my heart.
Detective.
Thanks for crying on my behalf.
It was consoling to see you hurting
as much as I did.
So you did more than enough today.
And…
thanks in advance for more of your help.
Okay.
Ms. Han Jeong-suk?
Gosh, when did I fall asleep?
You should've woken me up.
It hasn't been long.
What? This is…
By the way,
I finished going over
the materials I borrowed.
But I need them for a while longer.
Is it okay to drop by your place tomorrow?
No.
I see. Are you busy tomorrow?
Yes.
-Then when--
-I'll give you a call.
Okay.
Okay. It was a long day for you today.
Have a safe trip home.
You'll pass down the poverty
you're so sick and tired of
to your children.
Your wife is struggling
as the sole breadwinner.
Are you proud of that?
You should put your family
before your conscience.
I guess I wouldn't know
because I'm not the head of a family.
JOB LISTINGS
EXPERIENCED POSITIONS
All right.
Yeong-bok.
I just wanted…
I…
I just wanted to be a good husband.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I really wanted to be a good husband.
I'm sorry this is the best I could do…
I'm pathetic.
I'm sorry. I love you.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
No. He said that he'd call me first.
Hello?
Yes, Director.
Yes, it's fine. Please go ahead.
What?
Me?
Introducing
the first branch manager in Geumje,
Ms. Han Jeong-suk!
"With her outstanding ideas
such as the creation
of the Korean manual of the adult toys
and customer events,
Ms. Han Jeong-suk placed first in sales
in the first half of the year.
Thus, Fantasy Lingerie
appoints Ms. Han Jeong-suk
as the branch manager of Geumje."
-Congratulations.
-Thank you.
You didn't have to do this for me.
Why not?
You became a branch manager,
but the company
didn't give you a ceremony.
So we should celebrate by ourselves.
Of course. It's a feat.
That's right.
Okay, everyone.
For Ms. Han Jeong-suk, who'll step forward
as a branch manager,
-let's give a big round of applause.
-My goodness.
Ju-ri, what you've done is enough.
-Thank you so much.
-All right.
I wanted to do more.
Will the branch manager training
start next week?
Yes. The director will call me
and give me the exact schedule.
Soon, you'll be on salary.
How much is it?
It's 100,000 won a month.
I'm so jealous.
-Yeong-bok, we need to work harder.
-Right.
You keep missing work these days.
There's no time to be down.
Okay. Don't worry.
I'll work hard so you don't tell me off.
This isn't all, right?
We should have a drink on this joyous day.
I'm so sorry.
I have an engagement this evening.
Then I'll treat everyone
to a meal next week.
Jeong-suk, buy us a drink instead.
-A drink.
-Okay. I'll buy you a drink.
Detective!
Do you have a minute?
The thing is…
Oh, I got promoted
at the in-home sales company.
I became a branch manager,
and the title is given
to top sales performers.
I'm now on salary, and…
In any case, it's good news.
I'm sorry, but I need to go
to the police station.
I see.
I didn't know you were busy. I'm sorry.
Bye.
Bye.
Detective Kim.
Hello.
You said that you'd visit a store
and go home.
Are you only going home now?
I'm jealous.
You can go home early
since there's no work
and enjoy the weekend.
Then you should get work done quickly
like Detective Kim.
We'll get going now. Bye.
Bye.
Yeong-bok.
I asked you to stay behind--
You must have been very startled.
My husband has been through a lot.
Before he met me,
he hung out with jerks like that guy
and got himself in trouble.
But Ms. Oh,
my husband
really is a good man.
He promised not to do such things
when he met me.
For over ten years,
he has kept that promise.
Of course.
I figured that much
from listening to your stories.
I mean it.
I see. I'm glad to hear that.
You asked me to stay behind,
so I got nervous about what you'd say.
I wondered if you'd cut ties with me.
Don't be ridiculous.
Actually…
I wanted to give you this.
I bought it at the market
because it caught my eye.
I've never raised a child.
I didn't know what your girls would like,
so I had to think for a while.
What do you think?
Do you think your girls will like them?
Of course. My goodness.
I have four children,
so you must have thought for a while.
No, it was fun.
I was picturing your house full of kids
and got jealous too.
You're jealous of me?
You say that because
you don't know what it's like.
You might be right.
But
if you look closely,
everyone has their own struggles.
I'm the same.
Things are tough these days, right?
Yes.
As for the finances, there's hope.
I really don't know.
Seriously,
is there hope?
Of course.
Our work is hope.
Things will go well
just as they did for Jeong-suk.
You're right.
I guess hope isn't so far away.
Isn't that right?
The person who's near us,
Jeong-suk, is our hope.
What's going on?
Did I do something wrong?
Is it because I left my notebook
when I'd just sworn to help him?
Or is it because I made a fuss
with my incorrect knowledge
and disappointed him?
Moles and left-handedness aren't genetic.
Or is it
because I promised to ask questions calmly
-but kept crying?
-I'm sorry.
Or is it because I fell asleep
when he had so much on his mind?
I made so many mistakes.
KIDNAPPING CASE LOG
Hello.
It's me, Han Jeong-suk.
Hello. Please go ahead.
You said that you'd call me.
I called because you haven't
and I got curious.
Is there anything I can help you with?
No, not really.
To be honest…
I might be mistaken, but…
I have a feeling that you are avoiding me.
Could it be that you want me
to stop helping you?
I see.
Ms. Han Jeong-suk? Hello?
Hello?
Detective.
Hello?
What?
Did he hang up on me?
Mom, let's have a party.
Grandma brought some meat.
Okay.
A party.
Thank you. Eat up.
My son, you placed first.
-Eat up. Here.
-How about me?
-Wait. Let our son eat first.
-I want to hurry up and eat.
My specialty is singing.
My hobby is reading…
It's reading.
I have neither a hobby nor a specialty.
And I don't want a baby, either.
How could you talk about having a baby
when we met ten minutes ago?
It's an important matter.
I heard that you were the eldest son.
You'll need to carry on the family name.
By the way,
may I ask you what your reason is?
I don't want to live an ordinary life.
I want to live as a modern woman.
I see.
Let's not waste each other's time then.
What?
But…
Geum-hui!
Who are you?
It's me. We went on a blind date
a month ago.
My name is Choi Won-bong.
What happened to your face?
I ran over as soon as I got permission.
I just got my parents' permission.
What?
Permission to marry a woman
who refuses to have a child?
Yes.
I stopped going to work
and refused to eat.
So they said they'd rather
give me permission
than see me die before them.
Geum-hui,
I'll make sure
that you don't live an ordinary life.
I'll make sure you live
as the number one modern woman in Korea.
I promise.
Welcome.
I heard that my wife was
a regular customer here.
It's you, Mr. Choi.
I heard a lot about you.
Ms. Oh's a regular customer here.
Do you want to buy her a present?
Yes. My goodness.
I want something women
wear around their necks.
-A scarf.
-Yes.
She wore it often back in the day.
It looked good on her.
Gosh, you're such a sweet husband.
Please come this way and pick one.
What? I'd rather you do the picking.
Mom, why do you keep looking at the clock?
Well,
your dad is running late.
I have something to say to him.
What is it? Is it good news?
Your dad will be ecstatic.
Isn't that what Eun-ji used to wear?
Not just Eun-ji.
This has been passed down
from your eldest sister.
Ms. Han Jeong-suk?
Hello.
I brought these.
These are the materials I borrowed.
I thought I'd give them back.
I see.
I'm sorry.
It felt like
you had suddenly become distant…
so I was a bit flustered.
But I looked back on my past actions,
and it all made sense.
I would have also thought
it'd be better to work on it alone.
Still, I wanted to say this one last time.
I may have been clumsy,
but I sincerely wanted to help you.
I didn't want you to think
that I was taking the case lightly.
As for that…
Okay. I'll take my leave then.
But the thing is…
Yes?
Well, I'm honestly a bit upset.
At the rest area,
you thanked me for feeling your pain,
and you thanked me in advance for my help.
I believed you
and was determined to do a good job.
If you had been honest,
I wouldn't have felt so backstabbed.
Bye.
You know…
I didn't mean to say I felt backstabbed.
I drank a few bottles of soju
to celebrate my promotion.
It's natural to become more upset
as you speak.
That's why I got worked up.
Please don't mind it.
Okay.
I have a feeling…
that after today…
things will become
more awkward between us.
So I thought it'd be best
to say everything I wanted to say.
Then I couldn't stop talking.
I'll take my leave for real now.
Ms. Han Jeong-suk.
Yes?
It's true that I was trying
to keep my distance.
But it wasn't because of the reasons
you had in mind.
It's just that when I'm with you…
I become a bit confused.
That was why I avoided you.
Because of me?
What are you confused about?
I don't know.
So…
I want to check.
What?
My goodness.
A person…
There's a dead person.
A VIRTUOUS BUSINESS
The hit-and-run culprits
and the jewelry store robbers
are the same people?
Someone saw a man using
the telephone booth.
He got into a hit-and-run yesterday.
What happened to him?
I don't know who it is, but the culprit
deserves divine punishment!
You guys rushed over and worried about us
and looked after us like a family.
Meeting you guys has been
the biggest blessing in my life.
If I have fun spending time with him,
that means I like him too.
Then that's it.
I should just go out with him.
I like you
a lot.
Subtitle translation by: Park Dong-joo