Summary
A decent installment that raises some stakes and neatly moves along other plot points.
We recap the Netflix K-Drama series Behind Every Star season 1, episode 3, which contains spoilers.
Behind Every Star methodically moves its plot along. The dynamics of the characters didn’t change much, but having Hee-sun (Hwang Se-on) join Method Entertainment was a fun way to finish off her arc as an occasionally sidelined receptionist, while Director Ma’s (Lee Seo-jin) offer to join Star Media on the condition of bringing over his agency’s actors gave some nice stakes to proceedings. Going forward, the excitement will obviously rise, though this episode was all about smooth sailing consistency.
Behind Every Star season 1, episode 3 recap
As both Kim Soo-mi and Seo Hyo-rim arrive at Method for their respective meetings, the working day begins. The former, a senior actor, is discussing her return to TV dramas with Director Ma, while the latter is noticeably happy about landing a role in a sure-fire hit. Coincidentally though, it turns out the two in-laws will be working together, something that causes some confusion at first but then makes way for some tempered excitement. Still, Jung-don sees through this and realizes the dual casting of Hyo-rim and Soo-mi was all part of Tae-oh’s plan for the “huge project.” “Get it together if you want to save the company,” Director Ma replies, clearly believing his ideas are the ones worth executing.
After Hyun-joo ignores Eun-gyul’s request to talk with her, we see Director Ma subtly place an envelope on the desk of the rookie. Then, Eun-soo suddenly flusters the man in charge, springing up to offer her help even if it isn’t needed. The nosy worker notices the note left for Hyun-joo too, she just cannot open it before her colleagues return to the building. A short time later, we see this envelope contained a VIP invite for Method’s apprentice to attend a preview showing of The Spy.
When Jung-don hears of Hee-sun’s sneaky securing of an audition for Director Yoon Jong-bin, he instantly tries to pull the plug. Yet the unsigned actor holds her own, begrudging the agency for not showing her the necessary attention to evaluate her acting, let alone offer her a contract. “I’m so jealous of your actors,” she says, ruing her isolation before offering Jung-don one last chance to see her in a theatre production. Following that, Hyo-rim calls her agent to let her know she cannot do the drama she was cast for.
Next, Eun-soo tries to figure out what’s going on between Hyun-joo and Director Ma, only to fall for an elaborate lie. The rookie agent anxiously told her co-worker that Tae-oh is a friend of her estranged father, alleged by her pedantic office colleague to be So Ji-sub. Not knowing what to do, Hyun-joo goes along with everything for the sake of her secret.
The following day, Method is subject to a “special tax investigation,” which Je-in takes a keen interest in. Showing the auditor to an office, she asks if they have met before, and lets him know he can call on her if anything is needed. Meanwhile, the rest of the workers are concerned, convinced someone (Star Media are accused) will have reported the agency. Director Ma sheds some light on why this could be taking place, revealing that the late Tae-ja used company money for himself. For now though, Tae-oh just wants to encourage cooperation, in addition to having the investigation kept private from Method’s clients, and hurrying any ongoing casting calls.
After watching Je-in continue to flirt with the National Tax Service worker, we cut to Hyo-rim trying to explain why she wants to quit the drama to Jung-don. The actor states she is frustrated by the constant attention paid to her by Soo-mi, whereas her agent is worried her mother-in-law will be hurt if the role gets turned down. “She might end up thinking you quit because of her,” Jung-don says, causing a crossroads to be hit. Fortunately, Jin-hyeok is on hand for some advice, telling Hyo-rim to simply make the people involved with the drama reject her instead.
As it turns out, both Hyo-rim and Soo-mi hijack their own meetings, each wanting to drop out of the role for the sake of avoiding starring alongside their in-law. Concurrently, Jin-hyeok feeds this news back to Jung-don, flustering the agent, who realizes he needs to speak to Ms. Kim in a bid to try and get Soo-mi back on the show. Luckily, telling the truth seems to allow for a second chance to be given.
Later, Jung-don tries to persuade Director Ma into allowing just Soo-mi to be cast in Ms. Kim’s drama, disregarding potential advertising offers out of respect for the comfort of his clients. Nevertheless, Tae-oh stands firm, again arguing his actions are for the sake of the company, which is said to potentially need to “cough up” significant money at the end of the tax investigation. “So make sure you have both of them cast no matter what,” Ma definitively says. Elsewhere, Je-in finds out the National Tax Service worker is the man she labelled a “pathetic loser” on a dating site, but does not cease in her attempts to flirt with him, in spite of warnings about the predicament he can put Method in if she continues.
In the morning, Hyo-rim and Soo-mi are brought together by Ms. Kim to talk through their misunderstandings. It’s a candid conversation, with the former admitting she was “unnerved” by the idea of working alongside her mother-in-law for the next six months because of the expectations she sets, and the latter disappointed at her daughter-in-law’s apparent ungratefulness for all she does for her. Ms. Kim is happy hearing this, saying the duo’s “selfishness” and “deceit” is “perfect.” In time, things get emotional, yet the energetic Ms. Kim, who labels this discussion “method acting” given her stars’ likenesses to their characters, ends up hit by Soo-mi.
Privately, Soo-mi admits she didn’t want to take the role due to being tired of playing the same type of parts, and exposes Director Ma for his part to play in forcing the elder into potential acceptance. Thus, in the end, everyone ends up frustrated, aside from the content Jung-don, who was proven right. Alone though, Soo-mi and Hyo-rim manage to make up.
Following a pep talk from her mother (there are subtle implications Tae-oh may be Hyun-joo’s father here), the rookie agent attends the preview screening ofย The Spy. There, she takes in the glamour, but things turn awkward when she meets Eun-gyul. The young actor is polite, however, offering his friend a drink, and a promise that he will wait if she ever wants to talk to him again.
Continuing, Hyun-joo is introduced to Chief Baek Gang-ho of Play Entertainment, a man looking to poach the apprentice. Naturally, Method’s newbie rejects the offer of switching agencies, only to end up upset when Gang-ho admits it was Tae-oh who “begged” him to take care of her. “There must be something special about you that I’m yet to find out,” the Chief of Play Entertainment says, before his flirtation attempts massively irritate Hyun-joo to the point she spills her drink over him, claiming he “must have a death wish.”
When attempting to leave, a shaken Hyun-joo rues the fact she was left with a “creep,” reminding Director Ma she will now have no choice but to work for Method until she dies given she’s made a public scene. Stating Tae-oh should consider leaving the company if he hates her so much, the rookie agent takes her leave, Eun-gyul lingering in the background.
After Je-in sees off the National Tax Service worker, Jung-don decides to attend Hee-sun’s theatre showing ofย A Streetcar Named Desire. Initially, the agent falls asleep, but he ends up becoming massively engrossed in the performance of his co-worker. So much so, he is brought to tears. Then, when the show is over, Jung-don spots Soo-mi in the crowd, and tells the senior actor to inform him of the “kinds of roles you’d like to play.” “I might be a nobody, but I’ll help you soar to achieve any dreams that you have,” the kind-hearted agent adds, prior to hearing that his client wants to star in a romance to experience “love that I can cherish forever, even after my death.”
Behind Every Star season 1, episode 3 ending
Outside, Jung-don talks with Hee-sun about her performance, offering her a chance to sign on as a client. “I made up my mind after I saw you perform on stage,” the agent states. Hee-sun, excited, duly agrees to the contract without hesitation. Meanwhile, Director Ma drives out to meet Jo Ki-bong, who wants to take him to Star Media. “You’re the only one I can think of who deserves to carry on my legacy,” Ki-bong confidently says.
Interested, Director Ma asks what the terms of this deal would be. “Method Entertainment’s actors” is the response, a statement that causes a large smile on the face of Tae-oh, who appears up for the challenge. Looking out into the lights of the city, reflecting on his offer to join Korea’s largest agency, Director Ma brings an end to Behind Every Star season 1, episode 3.
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