[upbeat music playing]
-I am so sorry. -Oh, my fault.
Good morning, pal.
Good morning.
You're wearing your comfort socks.
What's up? Are you feeling stressed out?
Yes. I mean, no.
It feels weird that you know this about me when we're just--
Friends.
I was gonna say roommates.
Friendly roommates.
Yeah, it's weird for me too.
[cell phone ringing]
Maybe too weird.
What does that mean?
It means being friends might not work for me.
[cell phone chiming]
Kitty, I...
You should answer her.
I have to go. I'm meeting Q.
Don't worry, okay?
I'm sure you and Dae will figure out how to be cohabitating exes.
Or not.
But let's just stop talking about Dae.
Okay. You're the one who brought him up.
Look.
I can't even pretend to read Hangul until I finish this coffee.
It says, "We do not release information about private adoptions."
Which is the only thing I know how to read in Korean.
Ugh. Can we drop this Alex thing? Go back to talking about you and Dae.
It's not an Alex thing. I know in my gut that Alex is my brother.
-Okay. -Or I'm pretty sure.
But maybe you should talk to your for-sure siblings about this.
Yes, I want to, but I can't.
Not yet. Alex needs to know first.
Also, there is that miniscule chance that I am not right.
Just ask him. Rip the Band-Aid off.
Most of the school will be gone for Chuseok,
so this would be the perfect weekend to corner him.
Sure. And say what exactly?
You'll figure it out.
And we're late.
-We are? Like super late? -Very late.
-Professor Lee will kill me. -I know.
[school bell ringing]
Chuseok is the Korean celebration of the good harvest.
And it's a time to thank our ancestors for bringing us prosperity
and to pay respect to those we have lost.
We do that by going home.
It is a very special holiday in our house,
because family is the most precious thing in the world.
And we do not take it for granted.
Enjoy your break, everyone, have a good Chuseok.
[all in Korean] Thank you.
[in English] My grandparents told me about Chuseok, but I've never had one.
-It's like Korean Thanksgiving? -Yeah, minus the genocide.
[Kitty] Is she actually talking to me?
It's pretty much the same.
You go home, eat your ass off, and argue with the relatives.
I don't have any relatives here.
Maybe you should use the time to study.
I have been studying.
Really.
I think I'm in shock.
[Lee] Your shock worries me.
Your aggressive perkiness may have charmed your American teachers
into giving you good grades, but here you'll need to put in more work.
[Kitty] My grades suck. Living with my ex sucks. Why am I even here?
Because of Mom.
-And to find myself. Because of family. -[Alex] Eyes on the road, Kitty!
Happy Chuseok. Chuseok?
Che-- Chuseok.
-How's it going? -Bad.
Bad. Bad and bad.
I failed my Lit test.
I have never gotten below an A-minus in my entire life.
I've failed at many things in my life.
I've failed my driver's test.
I failed a philosophy test. I failed a drug test.
[chuckles] Just kidding.
Failing is part of learning.
You're gonna be okay.
Thanks. Do you have any plans for Chuseok?
-No, no family in Seoul. -Yeah, me neither.
We should have dinner.
I mean, you should come to the dinner.
That I'm planning on campus for all of us expats.
Like a Friendsgiving.
Oh, sweet. I'll be there.
He's gonna be there. Cool.
You may have failed this, but you just aced being a great person.
Thinking of others who have nowhere to go, cooking a massive feast...
Cooking.
Okay.
There's more than one type of soy sauce?
You're seriously everywhere.
You're like my own sasaeng.
What's a sasaeng?
You, my very own obsessed fan.
What are you even doing in a grocery store?
Shouldn't you be on a yacht being rich and annoying?
Hmm. My dad is doing that with wife number three with her new fillers.
I have decided to stay here as a favor to all the women
who want a piece of me this Chuseok.
Strawberries and chocolate? I'm going to be sick.
-I'm sure Lulu will appreciate this. -Who's Lulu? Another one of your Min-hos?
Cute.
She's only the fastest rising pop star in the country.
We've been flirting since her trainee days.
She's on break from tour for the holiday.
Even K-Pop stops for Chuseok.
Okay.
Do you even know what to do with this?
Hey, I am admittedly entering new territory,
but with the help of TikTok and a positive attitude,
I'll manage just fine.
If not, I've won awards for my mashed potatoes.
No, no, no. As a Korean national,
I cannot in good conscience let you desecrate my native cuisine like this.
Hey, what?
Do you want to poison your classmates? Or do you want my help?
Fine, but I'm still making the mashed potatoes.
I have an entire system.
-Don't mess it up. -Just follow me.
[in Korean] Come on.
Who works on Chuseok?
Well,
what am I supposed to do when I have 300 international hotels?
Do you think the Millers are taking Chuseok off?
The hotels would be fine without you for three days.
You would be fine without me for three days too.
I was hoping this year our family could spend quality time together.
It’s been so long since the three of us have spent time together.
That's why we're here together right now. Isn't that enough?
[Jina] You think this is enough?
Wow, looking great. If only my classmates could see this side of our perfect family.
[Han] Yuri Han.
How dare you disrespect your mother.
I'm sorry.
It's fine.
Tell us about you. Anything new going on?
Not really.
Oh, right.
Kitty says you and her mom went to KISS together and knew each other?
Really? We were roommates, but we weren't close.
You lived on campus? But before, you said--
It was just for a year. Why are you suddenly so curious?
You're the one who said we should spend quality time together!
Oh, by quality time, did you mean that I sit here silently?
[Jina] Yuri Han.
[in English] That's enough.
You know what? You're right. It's enough for me too.
[door closes]
You are angelic in the morning.
-Who is this from? -My mother. Gifts are my love language.
-That tracks. -Mm-hm.
Whoa, Pepero.
She sent it from Los Angeles since she couldn't be here.
We usually spend Chuseok together.
-That sucks. So she'll be alone? -No. John Cho is having a thing.
Oh, Lulu, about time.
Don't touch anything.
Got a method.
You know, you are the last person that I would expect to know how to cook.
Or do anything remotely helpful.
There are these tiny microscopic moments
when I can see why Dae is friends with you.
There's an actual person in there.
Don't try to get me on your side. I'm famously anti-Kitty,
no matter how hard Dae works to sway me.
Hey, have you heard from him today? Is he okay?
Chuseok, family, and ancestor stuff.
No, I haven't. It's definitely a difficult holiday for him.
Yeah.
And you?
Me, what?
You must be thinking about your mom too.
A lot this week.
Yeah, I am.
But in a good way. I can feel her all around me here.
-Thanks, Min Ho. -You're welcome.
[both clearing throat]
I should reach out to Dae, even though it's super awkward
and I don't know what to say or how to say it,
but I feel like this stuff trumps other stuff.
Agree.
Gifts are always appreciated on Chuseok, even from ex-pen pals.
Pass me the gochugaru.
[Kitty] What do you give the boy who cheated on you and broke your heart,
but then let you live with him and now he wants to be your friend?
Hmm.
[in Korean] Only a little soy sauce!
I know! You tell me every time.
-Dae! What is this? -Oh, I was gonna get this out later.
[in English] Surprise.
[in Korean] The pears that Mom loved.
Aren't these expensive?
You bought these full price at the department store?
They sell these cheaper in the market!
I just wanted to get the ones that Mom liked.
We haven't had them since she passed away.
She's not even here to enjoy them. This is a waste of money!
I was just trying to do something nice.
When you make money, save it for when you really need it.
[knocking on door]
[Dae] Who is it?
Yuri Han.
[in English] Surprise! Happy Chuseok!
[in Korean] You should have told me Miss Yuri was coming over.
Dae didn't know I was coming either.
I just stopped by because I missed him.
Oh, oh, okay.
Come in.
[in English] What are you doing here?
I needed to escape and had nowhere else to go.
Juliana's gone and you're kind of all I've got.
I even stopped by and got Sulwahsoo for your mom.
What?
Yeah, she must go crazy for this.
My mom died three years ago.
-I didn't know. -Of course not.
-[pop music playing over speakers] -[cell phone buzzes]
Confirmed Lulu will be at the premises at 8 p.m.
I'm sure she will love the chocolate.
The chocolate was actually for someone else.
Hey, don't judge!
Not all people need to be star-crossed lovers to be compatible.
Like, hot people, for example.
We can and want to play the field.
That's because you haven't found your perfect match.
I've found many, many matches.
I'm just saying, I've seen the magic when people find the one.
Mm-mm.
My parents both thought they found the one.
They were the "it" couple. Beautiful, young starlet. Chaebol heir.
The tabloids literally called them the perfect match.
Look at them now.
I'm sorry.
Here! Try... this.
Okay.
It must be weird to have people know all about your family.
They think they know, they don't really. That's my point.
There's really only one thing that matters at the end of the day.
Which is what?
The truth.
Yeah. You're right.
Finally, some appreciation.
[Kitty] Tonight, I'm telling Alex the truth.
-Well, this escalated. -Mm-hm.
Wow.
-People are calling this Chin-gu-seok. -What?
It's a pun on chinggu, which means "friend," and Chuseok.
You started a new tradition.
Aw.
Oh, no. No, no, why is Professor Lee here?
Because he's sad and alone.
He hates me and it's mutual.
Don't worry. It's not like you have to sit with him.
Min Ho.
Hey.
-Hello, Madison. -I wasn't expecting you to be here.
Oh, my God. You cooked.
Yes. But I'm not staying long. Got a date tonight.
-Mm. Who's the lucky girl? -Lulu. Maybe you've heard of her?
Um, yeah. Aren't you nervous?
Why would I be?
Because her fans are very picky about who she chooses to spend time with.
I mean, if they don't like you...
He's so meosisseoyo.
I don't know what that means, but I probably disagree.
Yeah.
Kitty.
This is amazing.
Welcome! I hope you're hungry.
Professor Lee, I'm so glad you didn't fail to make it.
Yes. Well, I wasn't planning on coming,
but a group of students this big requires faculty supervision.
-Actually-- -You don't count.
Wait!
Um, I think Min Ho wanted to sit with Professor Lee, actually.
-[whispers] I need you to sit with Lee. -That sounds like a you problem.
[whispers] Min Ho. Where are you sitting?
Uh, with Lee.
Uh, Alex.
Thank you.
-Okay. -How about a toast, Kitty?
Okay.
Thank you so much for coming, everybody.
This is my first Chuseok,
and from what I gather you are not supposed to do it alone.
Maybe your family is thousands of miles away, like mine,
or maybe you don't really have family, or maybe you just really like school,
no judgment.
[all laughing]
Whatever the reason, I'm grateful we all have somewhere to be today
and for this chance to honor all our ancestors.
So, here's a toast.
To all of those who came before us.
Thanks, Mom, wherever you are.
Without you I wouldn't be here,
literally on this Earth, or here at KISS
and there is nowhere else I would rather be in this moment.
Cheers.
[all] Cheers!
[in Korean] This was truly the best meal ever.
Yuri, you really eat a lot. I was surprised.
Oh, oh, no. You take out a little dollop.
Let's put some back.
Like this...
Put a little on your skin.
Pat, pat, pat.
[Kim chuckles]
Oh, I love pears. I haven't had them in so long.
Have some!
Dae bought them! Because Mom liked them too!
Mm-hm.
You're a good son.
Of course.
He's a very good son.
-[Min Ho] Can you pass the japchae? -[Q] Of course.
Thank you.
This may be my first Chuseok,
but I'm making a promise to myself it will not be the last.
Hmm. Same. I mean, it's funny how we had to travel halfway across the world
to learn about our roots.
I totally relate to you.
I mean, to the situation.
Even though I'm half Korean, sometimes I feel like I'm zero.
My dad tries, but it's not the same.
And your mom?
Mom passed away when I was little.
There's a lot that she never got to teach me and my sisters
and a lot that I never got to ask her.
Kitty, I'm sorry.
I'm sure she'd be really proud of you.
I am.
And I'm grateful that we both bumbled our way into KISS.
Yeah, what made you teach here anyway?
Did you just throw a dart at a map of Korea?
Not exactly.
I knew someone who went here.
-Sort of. -[Min Ho] I'm off...
to fulfill my destiny.
Can't wait to read about it tomorrow.
-Oh, wait, you're leaving? -Hello, hot date with a pop star?
Later, sasaeng.
[Kitty] Ugh. Min Ho made me miss my chance to talk to Alex.
-Do you have any hobbies? -[Lee] I do.
[Kitty] But I am not giving up on tonight.
[Lee] I don't really want to talk about them.
-That's fine. -[Lee] Mm-hm.
[in Korean] I know I'm no Kitty, but I think I won them over.
Yeah, you did.
I haven't heard from Kitty at all today.
Maybe it's for the best.
Thanks for coming.
This was honestly the best Chuseok I've ever had.
[in English] Happy Chuseok, pretend girlfriend.
Happy Chuseok, pretend boyfriend.
[in Korean] See you.
[Dae] Bye.
This is Dae Heon Kim's house, right?
Yes. I can bring it in for him.
-Here you go. -Thank you.
[Kitty] "Dae, I'm here for you always, no matter what.
No one knows me better than you, stress socks and all.
XO. Kitty."
["Best Shot" playing]
[groaning]
[stomach growling]
No, no, no.
It's happening!
Have you tried them yet? Kitty made them.
They're good. It's my dad's recipe.
-The secret ingredient is goat cheese. -No, thank you.
I'm in the lactose-intolerant majority.
It's a commonality among East Asians.
-I'll have more of Min Ho's japchae. -Oh, I didn't know.
Because you lack attention to detail.
If you paid more attention, your grades wouldn't be suffering.
To be fair, my body got used to cheese. It was in everything where I grew up.
How quaint.
Have you spent much time abroad?
-I did my undergrad in the United States. -Nice, where?
-The New England Conservatory. -Really?
You studied music?
It was youthful hubris. It's not a practical career.
[students laughing]
Should not have chosen to teach at an international school.
Western teenagers tend to forget their manners.
So why did you then? Choose to work here?
It's my alma mater.
Indoor voices.
Please.
[Kitty] Could Professor Lee be any meaner? Why is Alex even talking to him?
This is exactly why I never had children.
Excuse me.
Oh, God.
Min Ho!
Min Ho, where are you?
What the hell did you put in those potatoes?
A lot of lactose. Milk, cheese...
God.
[Kitty laughing]
Poopy Baby, is that you?
Shut up.
That's Lulu. You have to get rid of her. She can't see me like this.
If her fans find out, I'm done for.
Do something. You owe me, Covey.
-Okay, okay. -Oh, oh.
But don't ruin this for me. Keep her interested.
-How? -I don't know. You're the matchmaker.
[groans]
Minny. I'm here!
Hey, Min Ho's running behind.
-Who are you? -I'm Min Ho's 6:00.
That jerk double-booked me?
You didn't think you'd keep him all to yourself, did you?
He's the hottest guy in school.
He's just so sexy and the way that he--
Never mind.
Let me just say that he's ruined me
for other boys and men.
That's intriguing.
But I refuse to be sloppy seconds.
You tell Min Ho I'll be back at 6:00 tomorrow night.
He better clear the rest of his schedule.
When he has a night with me, he won't be seeing anyone else after.
Okay.
You're a genius! I could hug you right now.
Please don't.
-Bye! -[groans]
["Everybody Wants to Rule the World" playing over phone]
[door opens]
[music stops]
[Yuri] I'm sorry.
I thought Dad would stay with you.
Really? I didn't.
It's fine.
If you want...
I'm available for some quality time now.
I'm tired.
And you should get some sleep.
["HANN (Alone in Winter)" playing]
[Kitty] Alex, wait, wait.
Uh, tonight didn't really go the way that I planned it.
There was something that I wanted to talk to you about.
Something important.
I had suspected for a while, but everything tonight just confirmed it.
-I think I know what you'll say. -You do?
You haven't been very subtle.
Oh.
I know what you know.
-Professor Lee is my father. -You're my--
That's why you came to teach here.
He doesn't know and I don't want him to know.
My mom? Our mom and Lee?
Our mom?