Song Chohyang (송초향, Songchohyang; "Chohyang Song") is the owner of a dumpling shop and Song Yerin's adoptive mother. She became Gang Ryong's mother-in-law when he married Yerin.
Appearance & Personality[]
Chohyang is a small older woman with wrinkled skin, crows feet on the outside of her eyes, small uninterested eyes and grey hair tied into a bun with long strands falling both sides of her face. She tends to wear simple styled robes. However, Chohyang's mastery of makeup allows her to completely change her appearance; with makeup on, Chohyang looks like an attractive young woman with brown eyes, luscious black hair, full red lips and other adornments to add to her charm.
She is a stubborn old woman but has a great awareness of things around her. Even though she is tough on Gang, she does care for his wellbeing and understands his situation. She also treats Yerin much like a daughter and is protective of her in her own way.
Plot[]
Intro[]
Song Chohyang told their delivery boy, Chief Gang to go deliver the dumplings to a group that had already left. Gang later arrived back at the tavern and was immediately called out for fighting by Chohyang after she saw his bloody nose, but Gang fruitlessly tried to deny it. Yerin then commented that he should at least win if he was going to fight, but Gang continued to deny everything.
At some point, the renowned assassin, Myo Cheong, was hired by a woman to kill Song Chohyang for wooing her husband. At the tavern, Chohyang scolded Gang for eating leftovers before telling him and Yerin that she was seeing someone and would be back the next day. After making his last delivery in town, Gang saw Chohyang and hid away, but also noticed a strange man following her. Later that night, a dressed up Chohyang and her date flirt while Myo Cheong the assassin watched on in disgust. Myo Cheong readied to kill her but Gang took him down, inadvertently destroying the eatery in the process. With all the people climbing on board a ship, Chohyang bid her date farewell but he failed to recognise her because her makeup had been washed off. Chohyang attacked Gang in annoyance and threatened to tell Yerin what Gang had been up to until he bribed her with a well-aged wine.
Rock-Paper-Scissors[]
As Gang Ryong went out for a delivery, Chohyang wondered if it was Lord Nam who ordered so many dumplings and Yerin confirmed it was. She then wondered what he looked like since he never stepped foot out of his house.
Later, she informed Gang that Lord Nam had been killed by the White Skulls bandits. After Gang dealt with the White Skulls bandits and Wang Ahk, the news of the White Skulls capture was discussed by some customers in the tavern. Overhearing them Yerin used it to prove to Chohyang that Gang hadn't been involved (winning her some coin). Chohyang then asked Gang if he had ever won a game of rock-paper-scissors and Gang replied that he had recently won twice.
Song Yerin[]
During the day, she was in pain from irregular bowel movements and repeatedly made trips to the bathroom.
After Gang Ryong and Song Yerin returned from Lord Hong Duan's manor, they burned the tomes they retrieved from the place. Having dropped one, Chohyang picked it up and took it with her. In the morning, a peppy Chohyang came out in good spirits having read a "Book of Prophecies" the night before. With Gang confused, Chohyang merely walked off into town.
Soh Jinhong, the Rosy-Cheeked Sword Fiend[]
With an assassin after Myeongjeong, Gang Ryong continued to keep an eye on the Elder, having not slept for days. Song Chohyang questioned if there was anything wrong with him and Gang denied it.
The Baekma Valley[]
As she served guests in makeup, Myeongjeong alluded to Chohyang's amazing makeup skills, prompting her to smash a bottle of wine over his head to keep his mouth shut.
Some time later, Gha Woobok's son came running to the tavern, eyes full of tears, and informed Gang Ryong that his father had been taken by the Baekma Valley. Chohyang tried to make a bet with Yerin on whether Gang would deal with the Baekma Valley with force or not, but Yerin refused by saying betting with family was a no-no.
After Gang Ryong successfully brought Woobok home, days go by as Chohyang and Yerin ran the tavern between them. Chohyang then wondered when Ryong would wake up again, noting it was terrifying to think what he could have done over there for him to be sleeping for so many days. In the morning, Gang Ryong noticed Chohyang was awake and she mentioned how it was nice to see him sweep the yard after all this time. Ryong was unaware of the amount of time he was sleeping, comically infuriating Chohyang. However Yerin told her to drop it. Ryong then asked for a favour and Chohyang immediately recognised it as him asking for another advance.
Doh Gyeom, the Iron Lion[]
Yerin asked Chohyang where Ryong was and she told her he was on a delivery. Sighing and saying she was going, Yerin left causing Chohyang to wonder if it was "that" again. Coming back from a delivery, Ryong got a message from the Elder but Chohyang told him to ignore it as she wasn't going to run the tavern by herself.
Later, Old Man Hwang stumbled to the tavern, battered, bruised and bloody, and worriedly informed Chohyang and Ryong that Yerin had been kidnapped, with the latter two looking at him in alarm. As old man Hwang came in, Chohyang smashed him with a table, thinking she was seeing ghosts too. However Ryong just told her it was old man Hwang, adding he wasn't in good condition either. Chohyang wondered how he got in such a state and Ryong humorously reminded her of her earlier actions.
Stirring[]
In the tavern, the customers chattered about the Sun Moon Gang's fall while Ryong and Chohyang looked on in boredom.
Soon after, Gang Ryong asked for an extended leave of absence, much to Chohyang's displeasure. Giving him an ultimatum to either stay or quit, Ryong firmly chose the latter and thanked Chohyang for her kindness.
Season 2 Intro[]
Soh Jinhong stopped by and asked if the fatty that had worked at the tavern had quit and Chohyang answered that he quit a year ago, with Yerin clarifying that it had been 8 months and 11 days since Gang Ryong had quit.
Having found out that Gang Ryong had already left in search of his enemy, Doh Gyeom came back to the tavern-on-the-fork two months later, asking to be their new delivery boy. With Chohyang and Yerin mentioning that none of the other replacements lasted more than two days, Gyeom said he could do it. A hooded man paid some mercenaries to take out Doh Gyeom. However, when they showed up to kill him, Gyeom made quick work of them before apprehending the hooded man himself. Before Gyeom could interrogate the man, Chohyang called Gyeom back to work, enabling the man to escape.
Later at the tavern-on-the-fork, the news of the Tooth Killer's capture and incarceration was talked about, with the manner that the Tooth Killer was found being likened to Wang Ahk's capture. Overhearing this, Chohyang noted to Yerin that Gang Ryong was slowly making his way back.
Mak Sapyeong[]
As part of the Baekma Valley's plans to take on Mak Sapyeong, she and Yerin faked their kidnapping. Placed into hiding inside a cave, she was seen having a meal with the other villagers. After the situation was resolved, they returned to the tavern.
Revived Heavenly Destruction Sect[]
A mysterious person visited the tavern, greatly alarming Chohyang; at her great insistence he amicably left, noting he wouldn't be back.
Some time later as Gang Ryong and his allies took on the Revived Heavenly Destruction Sect at the Sky Gorge Mountain, Yerin became alarmed at the tavern and told Chohyang that she must go there and find him. Hong Ye-Mong suddenly dropped in for a cup of tea and after hearing of their plight, offered to take Yerin there.
Loose Ends[]
One year later, when Gang Ryong returned from his trip to his mother and master's graves, she asked him if he wanted something to eat.
Five years later, Chohyang left the tavern in makeup. Gang Ryong arrived at the same time and called her mother-in-law but corrected to just calling her by her name when she glared at him. Gang mentioned that she liked to go "hunting" lately, irritating her. Chohyang then told him to take care of the tavern before departing.
Powers & Abilities[]
While Chohyang has no notable physical abilities, she is long renowned for her beautifying abilities.[1]
Makeup Master: She is extremely proficient in applying makeup and other beautifying practices in order to completely transform her (and others') appearance.
Quotes[]
- (Intimidating Gang Ryong) "What didya just say? Look me in the eye and say that again."[2]
Alternate Translations[]
- Song Chohang (LINE)