Episode 9

My Stand-In Episode 9 drives us with Ming to see Joe’s body. While Joe reports to Wut and Sol, wanting to see it for himself too. He struggles with knowing how to feel, so Sol takes his hand. Ming’s secretary stops them from entering as the doctors are taking DNA samples. But Ming’s inside in a daze through everything.

Distraught, Ming calls the seer to confront his lies but the seer says he should be sure about the body first and Ming hangs up on him. Still awaiting results, the guys chat with Joe wondering why Wut gave Ming his house.

Back then, he’d tried to call Joe’s relatives but they wanted bits and pieces of his stuff, so Ming protected it. As to why, Sol asserts it’s because Ming felt guilty. When Joe goes to take a shower, Sol turns on Wut asking if he really thinks Ming loved Joe – reminding him that he’s the one that put him in this position.

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When the DNA report is ready, Ming is still standing in the room with Joe’s covered body. He takes the report without opening it. While everyone sleeps, Joe tries to see the body. But Jim tells him it’s only bones and Ming won’t let anyone in. Fighting his way through, Joe finds Ming on the floor with the open report. The old Joe is gone.

With his friends, Joe thinks about the future. Sol promises buy all his stuff back for him, that he should let his friend help him this time. Then Wut confirms that Ming will hold a funeral immediately, noting that a quiet funeral is probably best.

At the ceremony, Ming mourns alone, recalling their last call where he told Joe he would no longer be a replacement. Paying respects to Joe, Wut and Sol silently join him. As does Joe who quietly leaves straight after, remaining outside but catching the tears in Ming’s eyes. As everything, including the casket, is removed Ming remains, recalling memories of how he treated Joe.

At the cremation, Joe watches the door close on his casket while Ming cries outside. Joe can’t help attacking him shouting at him for crying now as Wut and Sol drag him away. Ming cries even harder.

Afterwards, Ming tells them that he’ll take care of Joe’s stuff including his ashes. He’ll burn everything and has already had it cleared away. Wut objects but Ming claims everything is his because Joe is his. Later, Wut poses things may not be cleared up as Ming says, that there’s still time. He’ll see what he can do.

That evening, Joe sneaks into his old house with Sol playing lookout outside. As Joe goes through boxes, gathering memories, Ming appears. Inside before they’d arrived, he believes that the new Joe is the old Joe. The things he’s collected are proof.

Admitting his ruse, Ming had lured him there to force him to confess who he is. Joe reminds him of all he’s done to his Tong replacement but Ming is certain – the one he loves is Joe. And begs for a new chance. By this time, Sol enters to punch Ming and then drag Joe away.

Outside, Sol tries to convince Joe that Ming only feels guilty. And Joe agrees – if he hadn’t died, he’d still be Tong’s replacement. Sol asks him to promise not to go back to Ming and Joe is determined not to repeat the past.

The next day, at a video release event, Joe is nervous. So, Sol takes him by the hand in front of fans and press, calling him his boyfriend. But the interviewer believes he means in the video. As Joe stutters nervously, Sol puts his arm around him in comfort, easily handling questions.

From the back of the room, Ming appears with a huge bouquet for Joe. So, everyone assumes it’s a stunt for another music video to come. But Sol looks distinctly unhappy. As the room clears, Mr Prach notes that he’d invited Ming and brings the stars to meet their sponsors.

At the party, Ming approaches Joe to have a drink with him. Joe believes he’s as demanding as ever and Ming says that Joe’s more stubborn. Joe claims he’s learned a lesson but still pours Ming’s drink for him. Ming makes a play for him, promising everything he can think of but Sol rages in as the entire party watches. Mr Prach claims it’s all a taste of the next video.

Calming things, Mr Prach takes Joe aside talking of opportunity being the key to success. Like the car parked out front with Ming waiting inside. He asks Joe to get in. Ming claims this is his chance to make things up to Joe but Joe believes it’s his opportunity to make better choices and avoid Ming.

As he gets out of the car he asks his burning question. “If it had been Tong, you’d have wanted to see his handsome face rather than doing it from behind, right?” Ming chases after him to confess that the back he fell in love with was Tong’s back in his first movie – played by Joe as the stand-in. So, he believes Joe was his first love all along. Joe asks him to make it up to him by letting him go.

He does at first, but can’t stop himself, running after Joe and reminding him of their contract. He’ll use the next six months to make Joe love him again.

The Episode Review

So that’s what Ming had wanted to say back then – that he’s not a replacement. Even before he knew that Joe was actually the person he fell in love with on screen. So, I know some of you have said you’re falling for Ming and while we know that Joe is probably heading there, I can’t help but wish he’d stick to his guns and stay away from that highly toxic guy. He chained him up, humiliated him, pushed him toward poverty and desperation all so he could control him. In short, Sol’s not wrong – he did push him to the thing that killed him. 

Do we think Ming can redeem himself over the next six months? He’ll sure as heck try. But can a guy like that reform? I guess that’s what we’ll have to wait and see. Power of love and all that. Pardon me, let me tuck my inner cynic back in. 

Meanwhile, Joe had to attend his own funeral and say goodbye to his hopes that he’d someday be able to return to his old body. No, he’s stuck in this one. It could give him freedom – he could take his mother and head straight to Korea with Sol or elsewhere on his own. Ming might follow but it would certainly send a message. I guess that’s the point though. Wherever Joe would go, Ming has the resources to follow if he so desires. Joe can’t really escape. So how will it end?

Have you fallen for My Stand-In? Anyone else awed by this well-developed story? It’s time to confess in the comments below. And before you go, be sure to check out our interview with the actors behind Joe and Ming.

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