The Interest of Love: Episodes 15-16 (Final)
by Dramaddictally
Our tale of angst and woe has ended, leaving our characters pretty far from where they began. We get lots of growth and forward movement in these episodes, much of it earned by looking back at the past. And while the drama ditches the idea of tying up every loose end in favor of giving us grander themes to think about, it still supplies the kind of closure that we need — and that our quartet of characters deserves.
EPISODES 15-16 WEECAP
Wow. I’m not sure how it’s possible but I’m simultaneously underwhelmed and highly impressed. These are simple episodes, where really not much happens. And yet, the meanings behind the few happenings are huge. The drama dropped some of its early themes over the past couple of weeks to focus on happiness and — even though nothing turned out how they thought they wanted it — that’s pretty much where our characters land.
As expected, after last week’s events, we have a send-off for our second leads. Mi-kyung takes a position at a U.S. branch of KCU and lets everyone at work think that she and Sang-soo broke up because the long distance would be too tough.
She seems healthier than she has been, and ready to get over Sang-soo — it’s Kyung-pil that’s still bothering her. The two have a tender moment when she asks Kyung-pil why he cheated on her in college. He’s honest, saying he liked her, but her family told him he wasn’t supposed to. It crushed his pride, and so, he ruined everything, not feeling brave enough to try to stay with her. It’s a conversation both of them needed, not to put it all behind them, but likely to start the real healing process.
We see Mi-kyung’s crowning growth when she realizes that her father buys her things not as a replacement for his affection, but as a way of showing he cares. She thanks her father for all he’s given her, rather than trying to fight against it. Then, Sang-soo drives her to the airport, as she kindly jokes that he owes her at least that much. When they arrive, she goes in alone and confidently walks toward her future and away from Sang-soo.
Poor Jong-hyun doesn’t get that nice of an arc, but he still gets a send-off. We watch him go through the same motions as Sang-soo, trying to locate Soo-young after her disappearance last week. Her phone is off, she’s moved, and she no longer works at the bank. When he can’t find her, he sits down by himself and thinks about another retake of the police exam.
With Mi-kyung and Jong-hyun out of the picture, our leads delve deeper into their despair. Sang-soo is very distraught about Soo-young leaving the way she did. He’s drinking a lot and asking himself how Soo-young could do this to him. We saw a change in his character when he broke up with Mi-kyung and decided to follow his heart. His expectation was that Soo-young would be on board with moving forward with him, and now he’s crushed with disappointment.
Kyung-pil sends Sang-soo the audio recording he made while talking to Soo-young in the hotel room on the night of their supposed affair. It apparently contains the reason why Soo-young wanted to carry out their scheme — something about doing it for Sang-soo. But Sang-soo seems to think it’s an explicit recording and deletes it without listening to it. Afterward, he drunkenly gets into a cab and doesn’t respond when the driver asks where he wants to go. The look on his face tells us he’s about to take a very expensive ride to go look for Soo-young in her hometown.
And Soo-young is indeed back in her seaside city. Since she arrived, she’s found out some upsetting news. It was not her father who had an affair, but her mother. All this time, she has been hating her father — and blaming him for her brother’s death — but it was a terrible misunderstanding. Her father was trying to cover for her mother and get her out of legal trouble (because the man she had an affair with was also married). Soo-young saw her dad at the wrong moment, and misinterpreted the situation, and her parents never set her straight.
To the drama’s credit, there was some very well-executed misdirection for us viewers. Early on, I had the suspicion that Soo-young was wrong about her father. But two weeks ago, when she asks why he had an affair, he seemingly admits to it. On a rewatch of that scene, he simply replies, “Once you start loving someone it can’t be stopped.” In retrospect, he could be speaking on her mother’s behalf, or he could be talking about the way he feels about her mother — he couldn’t stop loving her, and that’s why he came back. Either way, I, along with Soo-young, thought he was talking about his love for another woman.
Soo-young tells her dad she knows the truth, but doesn’t confront her mother, whom she still loves. She seems to be conflicted about the fact that she feels the same for her mom even after knowing what she did. Walking along the beach (maybe questioning everything else she’s been wrong about), she sees a sand castle — and then Sang-soo’s shadow falls across it. (Yep. He’s taken a long, drunken ride from Seoul. And he’s skipped work to do it.)
After the initial shock that he’s found her, he tries to convince her to come back to work at her new position. He’s helped make it seem like she’s on vacation (her resignation hasn’t been processed), and he’s even brought her new lanyard ID. He tells her it’s not too late. To which she replies that nothing ever becomes too late because she throws things away before they can be. (Hmm, just when I thought Soo-young was questioning her beliefs, she doubles down on her internal rules.)
Then she throws the lanyard into the sea, and Sang-soo runs in — winter coat and all — to retrieve it. The two then spend the rest of the day together, as she shows him around her town. They talk about how happy they were as kids (they both loved hide-and-seek, though she was good at hiding and he was good at seeking. Go figure). She takes him to all the tourist spots (cue rom-com montage). And then she drops him off at a lodge for the night — only to return with soju.
They sit against the wall of his darkened room and drink. Sang-soo asks why she ran away and she admits she was afraid. She kept pushing him away and he kept coming back — every time she ran away, he found her. She was afraid it might really work out between them. He wants to know why she doesn’t just let it happen then. She repeats something that her father said to her when he was explaining why he stayed with her mother after the affair. If Soo-young were to be with Sang-soo, she would have to hate him when she’s angry, to deal with it when things got tough, and to stay with him even when she didn’t understand him. She says she didn’t have the confidence for that.
When she asks Sang-soo why he hesitated that time before their date (all the way back Episode 1), he says he also lacked confidence, but it’s not for the reasons she thought (like her lack of a college degree). He was wondering if he could really be responsible for another person. He always thinks far ahead to prepare for any misfortunes. She asks, “Was I a misfortune to you?” And he responds, “No. Just a variable.” (This is a play on terms. The word sang-soo means “a constant” — his name describes his character. But he’s calling her the opposite — something he couldn’t control.)
Soo-young kisses him, saying she’s introducing a real variable. They continue to kiss for a while, and then he’s outside smoking a cigarette (I’ll let everyone else be the judge of that). The next day, they say goodbye at the bus station as Sang-soo leaves. Soo-young apologizes for disappearing without a word and thanks him for coming to find her. She is supposed to get in touch with him soon, when she’s back in Seoul. But as they stand and stare, Sang-soo says in voiceover, “That was my last moment with Ahn Soo-young.”
Then we get a time skip. It’s 2027 — four years since our leads’ last encounter—and Sang-soo has just been promoted. He and Kyung-pil are friends again. Jong-hyun is a police officer now. Mi-kyung is back from her stint in the U.S. and working at headquarters. And, as we come to learn, Soo-young is also back in Seoul, running a café that doubles as a space for drawing and painting (which was always her passion). The café is located — wouldn’t you know it — right near the bank branch that Sang-soo is about to transfer to. And guess what else? Soo-young needs a loan to keep her café open.
Sang-soo winds up in charge of her loan case and goes to visit her café, which is called Future Happiness (the name of the plant that Sang-soo gave her when she was sick). She named the café in search of her own future happiness and says she’s been working toward that happiness these past few years. Sang-soo says he’s tried to be happy too, but when he says it, I feel like there’s an implied, “but couldn’t without you.”
After their meeting, Sang-soo is nerve-wracked and drinking while Soo-young tells her friend that she didn’t feel anything when she saw him. When he comes back to the café to finalize the loan paperwork, he stays to paint. But when he’s done, he simply takes his painting and leaves, and they wish each other a happy life.
One night, they randomly run into each other and go for coffee. They decide to meet again, this time to go eat the pork cutlets Sang-soo has been telling her about for years. To get there, they have to walk up a steep hill, and it gives them lots of time to talk. Everything they say is in the past tense.
Both Sang-soo and Soo-young run through a list of things they wish they did differently as far as the other is concerned. Sang-soo says he wishes he had told her not to run away again. She says she wishes she was honest. By the end of their lists, it’s clear that both were afraid and holding back their feelings, waiting for a sign from the other to know it was safe. But since neither was providing the safety sign, both of them remained too afraid to make a brave move.
They discuss how their lives might be different if they had acted as their ideal selves (rather than their real selves). Soo-young says maybe they’d be married — and even divorced. But Sang-soo counters that there’s the possibility they could have lived happily ever after. Both are finally being open and honest (now that the intensity of their feelings are gone).
We end with the two continuing to walk up the incline, thinking back to when they were a part of each other’s lives, and asking, “Were we actually in love, or were we blinded by the interest?”
I found this last sequence poignant, heartbreaking, and spot on. While I haven’t been sold on every step of the story, this feels like the right ending. It seems like what’s done is done and they missed their chance. It’s in line with what we learned about these characters in the beginning, which is that love wasn’t really their goal.
Soo-young wanted to work toward her happiness and, after the time skip, she certainly looks the happiest we’ve seen her. She got out of that horrible work environment (so glad she didn’t follow Sang-soo’s advice and go back to the bank) and she pursued what she always wanted to do, which was art. Ultimately, she wanted to be okay with herself (class background and all) — and she wasn’t going to get that from moving up at work or from being in a relationship.
We never see Soo-young move past her running and hiding phase, making me think she would never be able to commit (to Sang-soo or Jong-hyun or anyone else). But I also don’t think this is necessary for her character’s growth. I asked for the drama to make me understand her without making me like her, and I feel like it delivered. Soo-young doesn’t go through a metamorphosis, but learns how to live a life closer to the one she wants within the constricts of what she’s comfortable with (which might be as good as it gets).
Sang-soo goes through an obvious change over the course of the show. He starts out terrified of instability and being out of control due to his father’s death and the way he and his mother had to live afterward. He thinks a million steps ahead and doesn’t want to act until he knows what the outcome of any decision will be. Mi-kyung is the obvious choice to continue down his stable path, but he gives her up and chooses Soo-young: the unpredictable variable.
And when he does this, his worst fears come true. Soo-young doesn’t reciprocate and the risk he took leaves him devastated. He ends up without either Mi-kyung or Soo-young. And yet, at the end, he’s still questioning if what they felt was really love. While I’m not sure he’ll ever totally be over Soo-young, he’s definitely matured a lot.
As I wrote last week, I’m a little disappointed that the show began to steer away from the structural issues that kept the leads apart and instead made everything about individual happiness. But overall, I love what this drama tried to do. It gave us broken characters — all influenced in different ways by their distinct upbringings — and showed us how badly they all wanted to just be okay. They were mostly well-motivated and understandable in their behaviors. And I think the one misstep was the dynamic between Soo-young and Jong-hyun, where Soo-young’s intentions weren’t fully fleshed out.
There’s some brilliant writing here, with lots of layered meanings (and I’m very curious about the novel this is based on). The drama manages to say something about social class, gender norms in the workplace, and even trauma without giving us an easy resolution to any of it. At the same time, it’s entirely palatable and not too depressing — which is quite a feat to pull off.
This week’s episodes bend around the theme that not all love has to be realized. And, in fact, if you want to hold onto the good feelings about love, it’s better not to enter fully into a relationship — otherwise you end up with all the bad stuff that comes with it. It’s a nice idea, but as we saw, no one in this show skipped out on any pain by not being together. They went through a lot of bad to end up looking back fondly on the memories of their unrealized love.
I do like the idea, though, that our characters got caught up in what love could bring them. All of them thought it would bring them happiness only to find out that they needed to pursue other avenues in order to be happy. There are still parts of this show that did not get resolved for me, but rather than continue to question them, I’ll just shrug it off with the only answer I can think of to explain erratic behavior: people do crazy things when it’s in the interest of love.
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1 Randomheart247
February 11, 2023 at 10:30 AM
The writers wasted a perfect opportunity for growth and development after so much angst and despair they the negative aspects of love yet nothing positive........ what a misdirection ........... people look to love stories to find comfort in their daily lives........ to have a little hope that they to may find happiness...........in my opinion this should have been the way the story ended..............Series ends on a luke warm feel good, however I don’t like this kind of wishy washy kind of an ending ………..Sang So and Soo Young Have to much pent up frustrations and this story is far from ending
As those eyes that have told this story continue to stare at each other and they resume their walk up up Oblivion Hill. Their hesitation that has brought them to this point slowly begins lesson now that they are being honest with each other……… Sang Su takes his right hand out of his coat pocket and lets it brush against Soo Young’s hand that is still in her pocket. She always wanted to walk hand in hand with Sang Su …….. she removes her hand from her pocket and lets her fingers clench to his and they continue to walk. Sang Su smiles .
Soo Young: These pork cutlets better be as good as you said they were………. We’ve walked this hill now three times……… the reward better be as good as the effort.
Sang Su: trust me …….. you won’t be disappointed
Soo Young: Are you sure it’s open……… remember that last time
Sang Su: I called ahead…….. I wasn’t taking any chances
Soo Young smiles and squeezes his hand showing her approval
They finally reach the top of Oblivian hell and then enter the restaurant
Soo Young: I’ll let you order since I ordered for you in Tongyeong
Sang Su : You still remember……… do want them with the marinara sauce like Tongyeong or plain with lemon
Soo Young : You remember too…….. which do you prefer?
Sang Su orders a plate of each along with two glasses of wine
Sang Su: This may not be that fancy wine that you like, but it goes well with the pork cutlets.
Soo Young: Is there anything that you haven’t forgotten
Sang Su: When it comes to you……… absolutely nothing……… that’s why these past four years have been so difficult for me…….. I pretended to be over you but I couldn’t
Tears begin to show in Soo Youngs eyes: I so sorry I did all those nasty things to you…….. there hasn’t been a day that I didn’t think of you…….. but then I would think…….. I messed up your love up to that point …….. how could you ever have forgiven me……… so I just learned to live with my regrets.
Sang Su: Is that why you painted every place that we had our moments together
Soo Young: You noticed……… Painting each of those scenes brought me comfort and some peace of mind………. By doing it I could have you with me just for a little while before I started dwelling on how foolish and misguided I was……… My paintings in away helped me understand myself
The plates of cutlets are served along with more wine…….. Soo Young takes her first bite…….. as she chews she stares at...
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2 Randomheart247
February 11, 2023 at 10:34 AM
Continued..........The plates of cutlets are served along with more wine…….. Soo Young takes her first bite…….. as she chews she stares at Sang Su
Sang Su: What’s with that look……… there not that good
Soo Young smiles: You’re so easy to get a reaction out of……… no they are very tasty.
They finish dinner and go out to the car……. Sang Su opens the door and then says: I can’t wait any longer………..He cups Soo Youngs face and goes in for his passionate kiss ……….Once his lips touch hers Soo Young no longer hesitates on begins passionately kissing him back ………As they continues kissing as though they are the only ones there……….
A voice could be heard: Go get a room
Sang Su: I’m sorry
Soo Young: I’m not…….. I’ve never seen your place ……… I think we have some unfinished business to attend to.
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3 Randomheart247
February 11, 2023 at 10:38 AM
Continued ...........It’s the weekend ……. Sang Su looks over and can’t believe that Soo Young is sleeping next him…….. his smile is from ear to ear…….. he immediately starts thinking
Sang Su : I’ve gotten disappointed before, but she’s actually here, she didn’t run away in the middle of the night
Soo Young still asleep rolls over puts her head on his chest and wraps her arms around him ………. She has a smile on her face that he has rarely seen…….. her face is relaxed……. Will this be how their married life will be every morning? He gives her a kiss and gently removes him self so that she can continue sleeping……….
He hears a knock on the door……… panic immediately takes hold of his face……..
Han Jeong Im lets herself Im: Sang Su…… are you up yet ……. Did you go drinking again? ……… I’m worried about you
Sang Su enters and looks at his mother with a look his mother hasn’t seen in a very long time
Han Jeong Im : There is something different about you today…….. did you meet someone……. You look happy…….. Tell me…….. did you……… Is she pretty? …… I hope you have……… these past four years have broken my heart
Soo Young hearing the conversation puts on one of Sang Su sweat shirts and listens
Sang Su: why are you so inquisitive……..
Han Jeong Im: Well, your now over 40 even Mi Kyung has moved on from you……. Mi Seon said that Mi Kyung has a boyfriend and they will be getting married
Sang Su: Mom …….. do you want to see me married
Han Jeong Im: yes …….. as long as she is the right girl for you……. I don’t want what you went through with that girl
Soo Young cringes hearing herself being referred to as that girl makes a noise in the bedroom
Han Jeong Im: Do you have a guest…….. Is that why your so happy…….. let me meet her, since I’m already here
Soo Young is now in panic mode
Han Jeong Im: who ever you are you can come out…….. I won’t bite you……. I need to meet the girl that’s put a smile on my son’s face.
Soo Young gingerly walks out……… even though it’s been four years Han Jong Im still remembers her from the day she saw her at the bank…….. Soo Young bows her head.
Sang Su : Mom …….. this is Soo Young …….. your future daughter in law……. We decided last night to get married…….. you no longer have to worry about your son…….. she makes me very happy.
Han Jeong Im: you two are going to have to explain to me what is going on…….. Soo Young……… where have you been…….. but more importantly do you love him …….. did you all of sudden come out of the blue.
Sang Su: Mom enough with the third degree……. We’re working it out
Soo Young: Sang Su ……… it’s alright…….. your mom deserves an explanation……… You asked if I love your son……… yes with ally heart……… I’ve loved him from the first moment I saw him 8 years ago……… why we haven’t been together……… I was my fault , I thought I wasn’t good enough for him and then Mi Kyung entered the picture , and I then knew that , my showing my love for him would hurt him…….. so I...
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4 Randomheart247
February 11, 2023 at 10:41 AM
Continued.......... so I started pushing him away……. I’m very sorry for all my actions……. If we didn’t meet again I would’ve settled with all my regrets.
Han Jeong Im: Now that he’s found you he’s not letting you go…….. that’s where this marriage business comes from…….. are you still with the bank
Soo Young: No ……… I own a little art cafe called Future Happiness…. If it wasn’t for the loan I sought……… Sang Su and I wouldn’t have met up again, but now that we have I want to remain with him……. What we went through in our past ……. Won’t happen in our future now that we understand each other…….. I know that you think of me as that woman……… but I do love Sang Su ………. He is the only man I’ve ever loved completely
Han Jeong Im : Sang Su you’re being very quite………. Is she who you want
Sang Su: You know that better than I do……… Like I told her last night……. As long as she exists in this world, I can’t love anyone else……… yes she is the one I want
Han Jeong Im: So when is this wedding
Sang Su: Soon as possible
Han Jeong Im: you’re not pregnant already
Soo Young: No , I’m not pregnant , but we do plan to have children …….. as far as the wedding …….. it will be very small just you and my mom and dad
Han Jeong Im: your such a change from Mi Kyung
Soo Young: Is that good or bad
Han Jeong Im smiles: It’s good
Soo Young: Sang Su I’ve got to go open the cafe……. I’ll get cleanup and take a cab…… Mrs Han you can come anytime to the cafe
Han Jeong Im: I think you better start getting use to calling me mom……. I’ll make some breakfast before you go…….. I’m sure you two worked up an appetite
Sang Su: Mom …….. Your going to have to get use to her tongue…….. you would never think she’s my mother the way she talks to me
Han Jeong Im : Soo young I’ll give you some pointers on how to deal with him…….. go get cleaned up so you can eat before you go.
As Soo Young is cleaning up Sang Su and Han Jong Im continue the conversation.
Han Jeong Im: your absolutely sure…….. she’s not your desperation showing.
Sang Su: the few blind dates I’ve been on they rejected me out of the box cause they could see I couldn’t be interested…….. seeing her this morning was like a dream for me……. I’m absolutely sure.
Han Jeong Im: she seems like a nice girl …….. Like I told you before …….. just be happy ……. If she makes you happy then I’m happy……. Go get cleanup yourself…….. no hanky panky while I’m here
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Randomheart247
February 11, 2023 at 10:44 AM
I'm sorry that I took up so much space, but if an amateur like me could see what was missing in this what could've been a great story.......... Why would these writers chose to chase away as many viewers as they did and end it in such an ambigious way ...........that's not story telling.
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Emily Hewett
February 11, 2023 at 11:10 AM
Waahhh, you wrote up a whole script there. Now lemme just pretend this actually happened & get some sound sleep tonight 🤗
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popai
February 11, 2023 at 11:40 AM
Yes, this is the ending I was looking for! Especially the hand holding while walking up the hill. That was all I was hoping for. I'll think of your ending as what really happened (it must have been cut out accidentally or they forgot to run the last reel of film). Thanks for the great ending!
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Shirley
February 12, 2023 at 12:21 PM
BRAVO!!! You wrote a great and satisfying end. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
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5 Eazal
February 11, 2023 at 10:42 AM
I loved this drama so much, so, so much it almost hurts. Yes, I know it's totally imperfect, all characters were very hateful and terrible at making decisions... but yet, they were so relatable. For once, nothing was perfect, because life isn't, and the idea of love as "happy ever after with someone" doesn't win every single time.
I liked the growth every character had. I think in the end they all learned (or at least are in their way of learning) that happiness can't be found in other person, only when we find the balance in our lives and are happy with who we are, we are ready to commit to someone. And if we never commit to anyone, that is also perfect.
I know it's only February, but I know this drama will be on my top 5 this year.
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Emily Hewett
February 11, 2023 at 11:13 AM
Agreed. These kind of dramas aren't my cup of tea, but the writing is mature & paise worthy.
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loveblossom🌸
February 11, 2023 at 12:52 PM
Good point about one's happiness can't be found in another person!
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6 ScreenName
February 11, 2023 at 10:54 AM
What’s there to really say or add to this show? It ended for me as it began on a wistful, depressing note. Jmo, this could have ended with Sang-soo and Soo Young actually maturing into adults who deal with life as it comes at them. But they seemed to have learned really very little about themselves. They’re still living in a limbo of what if? It was extremely unsatisfying. They didn’t have to end up together, but I personally saw little growth. It appears they’ll go on living half-lives.
We never saw any real joy in either of them. It’s like the writers wanted to be ‘deep’ and ended up delivering a mish-mash of emotions with no realized life lessons at all.
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Emily Hewett
February 11, 2023 at 11:15 AM
Yeah, it's a bit sad to see everyone found eternal happiness except for our leads. They are successful in their own lifes, but still something is missing....
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7 Kafiyah Bello
February 11, 2023 at 10:57 AM
I like Soo Young. I like that she got away when she could and committed to that. She kept in touch with whom she wanted and that was that. I really hope after the walk they continued being away from each other and found healthy beautiful relationships. I hope they continued to strive for happiness.
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Eazal
February 11, 2023 at 11:03 AM
My exact thoughts. I think her growth was the biggest, she's now in the place where she wants and keeping in touch with the people that add to her life. I think she is genuinely happy and I hope she stays like that for a long time.
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8 velvetstuff
February 11, 2023 at 11:05 AM
Started Interest of Love three days ago, and finished just in time. I’m so glad I didn’t live watch this, because I wouldn’t have been able to take it. It was fantastic, and although all of the what-ifs and terrible decisions made me want to scream, the direction, the heartbreak, the longing, all of it made it worth it. I really wanted to see our OTP happy with each of for two episodes, or even one episode. Oh well. YYS was simply amazing and I don’t think I can forget Ha Sang Soo anytime soon. He was kind, honest, generous, and really deserved so much love. Hopefully this is the start to future happiness. I also love the cafe. Now that all of the hurt is in the past, and SY has found her place in the world, hopefully she is ready to give as much love to SS as had tried to give her.
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9 Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
February 11, 2023 at 11:36 AM
@Dramaddictally thank you for your excellent analysis, you really helped me understand what the writers were trying to do here. I still think the writing failed in several ways - most notably by continually "doubling-down" (good phrase you used) on the FL's toxic behavior with no evidence it will ever change. However, your points are well taken and I see more of the writing themes they did want to convey. I feel better about my "6" rating now. :)
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10 LaurenSophie
February 11, 2023 at 11:42 AM
Drunk Sang-soo going into the ocean to fish out a lanyard was cute.
I'm glad Jong-hyun finally passed that stupid exam.
I'm also glad Mi-kyung found a new boyfriend.
And yay for Soo-young for starting her own business, although I'm not sure it's sustainable (I don't think that a coffee and art cafe is likely to make enough revenue to afford Seoul rents), especially now that she took out a loan.
Other than that, I don't have a whole lot of positive things to say about the finale week. I was disappointed that the focus was on happiness, but by the end, Sang-soo and Soo-young still seemed pretty unhappy to me.
After the time skip, I wanted to see Soo-young actually seek out Sang-soo, rather than waiting for him to come to her or letting random chance/fate take the reigns. Their conversations also left me wanting more. I didn't agree with a key premise of those conversations--i.e. that both were afraid to reach out to the other because of their insecurities. That was true of Soo-young but not Sang-soo. He confessed to her, raced after her, defended her, and supported her multiple times after his initial hesitancy. And once I couldn't buy that moment in the conversation, the whole thing felt off to me.
So although I would agree that the writing had brilliant moments--like the depiction of sexual harassment in and outside of the workplace--as a whole, this drama didn't hang together for me. In those last few moments, I felt like whether Sang-soo and Soo-young ended up together or not, it would make an equal amount of sense--none. I thought it was fitting, then, that the final montage was of beautiful but unpopulated places and scenes because to me, that's what the drama did well. It set the stage with some promising themes, settings, and conflicts, but the main characterizations and journeys seemed incomplete and unnecessarily vague.
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Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
February 11, 2023 at 11:53 AM
Very well-said.
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Scottie
February 11, 2023 at 4:02 PM
Soo-young opening an art café annoyed me the most about the final episode, it is such a cliché and fantasy, a rose tinted romantic view (by the writer) that opening such a venue will bring happiness instead of very little money and lots of hard work. It does not fit in with a her being a capable banker who is familiar with business plans, cash flows, loans and debt repayments etc.
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ScreenName
February 12, 2023 at 8:12 AM
Absolutely on point.
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11 Emily Hewett
February 11, 2023 at 11:45 AM
First of all, thanks to @dramaddictally for this beautiful recap, it really changed my view towards the drama . ( special thanks for clearing up the 'variable' thing . I was a bit confused about this)
The drama wrapped up pretty well, imo. It took quite a messier turn during the 2nd half but thankfully, the final episode took it's time to heal the characters ( at least the side characters). The workplace toxicity is gone & it's nice seeing everyone bonding like a family. Mi kyung has shown amazing growth & I'm really happy for her. As for Jong Hyun, he is pursuing his dreams . The scene where he keeps his promise by giving Soo Young a salute is one of my most favourite scenes of the show. Things may have ended harshly for them, but their support for each other remains the same. He might not have been the best boyfriend, but isn't that bad of a person after all.
I appreciate that the drama didn't deviate from its initial approach & didn't try to force a happy ending. As much as I hate open endings, I must admit, it was the best the writers could do. Yeah, it's true that I feel less empathetic towards Soo Young's character because we don't get to see her growth as we've seen in other characters. But maybe that's the way she is . Not every character would come out flawless.
It's a bittersweet feeling now that it has ended. Will miss the roller coaster ride of frustrations, hope, toxicity & healthy growth.
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Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
February 11, 2023 at 12:04 PM
Whoever ends up marrying Soo Young will have been cursed so badly that the most powerful shaman in Seoul will be unable to help!
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12 loveblossom🌸
February 11, 2023 at 12:46 PM
The finale left me feeling uncertain of the show's message. I don't know if I interpreted it correctly. Thank you so much Dramaddictally for the recaps! Your perspective helped for these last episodes.
Sang Soo and Soo Young weren't a typical main pairing. They went through highs and lows like a couple though. Were they experiencing what they thought was love, but it wasn't? Was it lust?
Was I blinded by their love? What I thought was love? Part of my thinking is ingrained with the idea of them being a couple by the end. One couple rising above all the obstacles and angst. In a romance kdrama...
Their time together no longer causes them pain and they can look back on past memories fondly. I'm happy they're not hurting anymore. They have moved on without ever being official. I'm kinda bummed that was the outcome, but I'm trying to accept they weren't right for each other. Soo Young did not have a healthy mindset for a relationship. The show changed from its initial focus on society and status to the final message. I'm not sure I like that. However, I liked that Soo Young left the bank and made a career doing something she enjoyed. The artwork of the places she was with Sang Soo was a bittersweet detail. Maybe I wanted to see her triumph over the gossipers. Then again, like the former coworker mentioned, the people gossiped about things they don't really care about. Talking as if they're talking about the weather. So she shouldn't care about them either and she hasn't.
Sang Soo's growth was good. He communicated better and accepted the outcome. Soo Young apologized for ghosting him, but she didn't explain herself much. Her character growth was less. She didn't seem hugely affected that her mother was the actual cheater and she didn't confront her.
I'm glad Kyung Pil didn't get a happy, neat ending and got paired up with Mi Kyung. Glad she called him out on his immaturity. She has moved on well and seems content.
Her thank you to her father was a touching scene that surprisingly made me teary-eyed. It was sweet that she spoke up and acknowledged his way of showing his love. I have realized that the characters do pick up habits from their parents.
Anyway, my feeling for this drama is bittersweet. I like it enough for its portrayal of flawed, realistic characters.
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13 Kurama
February 11, 2023 at 1:16 PM
So-Young was a very mysterious character but I really liked her. We can see she evolved a lot. She spent her time to hate her father about her brother's death. But she finally accepted with the truth to accept her parents, it was important when she asked her mother to treat her leg. She quit the bank and finally did what she wanted. Seing Jong-hyun as a cop helped her too, he realized his dream too. She never searched for Sang-Soo actively, but the fact she often walked beside the rampart, showed she still hoped to see him. Everything in her Café was about him : the name and the paintings on the wall. She did change but not drastically.
Maybe it's because I'm a positive person but I didn't think the story ended openly. When she asked what he forgot, he said nothing. For me, it was like he was talking about his feelings for her too. After 4 years, they're still very important to each other.
I'm happy for Mi-Kyung and Jong-Hyun who found their own happiness too.
Sang-Soo is the one who didn't change so much after all.
Maybe it's because I'm a positive person but I didn't think the story ended openly. When she asked what he forgot, he said nothing. For me, it was like he was talking about his feelings for her too.
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Kurama
February 11, 2023 at 1:19 PM
I really liked the actors. Yoo Yeon-Seok and Moon Ga-Young were great. The story of this drama took place in their dialogues, their glances, their intonations and they really showed a very subtile and convincing acting.
I loved the OST too. It suited very well this drama and its ambiance.
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Emily Hewett
February 12, 2023 at 4:01 AM
Yup, the OSTS need honourable mention. Specially loved 'Dice game'. It set up the whole mood .
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Kurama
February 12, 2023 at 4:07 AM
Yeah, this song was so perfect for this drama!
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pohonphee
February 12, 2023 at 7:00 AM
I love Wonder Why too really captures what the drama is all about
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Emily Hewett
February 12, 2023 at 7:10 AM
Truee. It's gonna be in my favourites for a while. ( Specially after the ice rink kiss😉)
Also 'Shadow Love' captures Sang Su's POV even though it's mostly played in Jong Hyun's scenes.
Kurama
February 12, 2023 at 8:13 AM
Even the instrumental music during the What if scene was really nice.
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Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
February 11, 2023 at 1:54 PM
@Kurama thank you for being so positive! I really needed to read your thoughts. They were comforting in regards to the Soo-young character.
At the risk of violating my vow when I returned here to DB, I will share a tidbit. Long, long ago, in the days of my youth, before I became a ghost, I was involved with a girl with the same behavior pattern of Soo-young. This person is in her 60s now, but has never managed to break free from her self-destructive behavior. So I unwillingly self-projected on this show, and I had such high hopes for Soo-young to break free from her personal he11. However, it was never revealed to us that she was able to escape from it, and I was disappointed.
I am happy in my (ghostly) life now, but I still think about this person from time to time. I feel sad for her, and also thankful that destiny allowed me to break free from her. The level of my projection on this Kdrama was super-super-silly, but I wanted to see one of two things: either Soo-young conquer her self-destructive behavior and begin a fresh relationship with Sang-su, or for Sang-su to realize she was hopeless and find someone else. Door #2 worked for me, but it's intriguing to imagine what future awaits these two fictional characters.
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Nitza
November 20, 2023 at 1:20 AM
I think climbing up hill they realized they were meant to be too much time was wasted they know what they should have done and now it's time to fix it.they smile and keep walking up.I think they end up together
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14 pohonphee
February 11, 2023 at 2:59 PM
I think the writer stays to true to the drama title the interestof love: Does Sangsu really love Sooyoung or he only love the idea of he is being in love?
Hmmmm sometimes, I wonder the same question myself. Maybe the idea of being in love with someone is more attractive than love, itself. That's what I blame you for, K drama! 😄
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15 chocolatetoad
February 11, 2023 at 6:56 PM
After rewatching Ep 16, revisiting every scene and dialogue, it became so obvious to me that the ending is not an open ending but a closed one, and it's happy one: SS and SY will now start anew their REAL love relationship, slowly but surely, this time with a true understanding of what "real love" should be, and not repeating their mistakes and regrets in the past.
The writers have set up every scene and dialogue throughout Ep 16 to drive home that happy ending.
1. Destiny keeps bringing the 2 leads together several times in Ep 16, although they don't actively search for each other: SS is transferred to a branch near SY's cafe, SS stumbles accidentally to SY's cafe, SY needs to apply for a loan at SS's branch, their visits to the stone wall... As if afraid viewers don't get it, these writers have Ms Seo say it outloud: "People who are destined for each other will get together eventually"
- Did you notice that in the chase scene, the woman SS saw from his car was indeed SY at first (notice her white small handbag with buckle). Midway through the chase though, SS ended up running after another woman (brown large handbag). Still, that chase took him to SY's cafe.
2. There are many scenes that show SY loves SS, is still so much in love with him, and this time is willing to take the step towards him. This is in contrast with all previous episodes where she doesn't show her feelings and she simply responded to his advances.
- She actively offered him coffee to keep him stay back when he was about to leave at the first meeting. SS seems to be caught by surprise by this.
- She shows her feeling of being lost and in pain when he said a (seemingly permanent) goodbye at the second meeting (although SS didn't get to see her expression, only the audience)
- She took a walk to the stone wall to cope with her pain of his goodbye, the stonewall that she knows he may come (a habit she took from SS)
- She looks so happy when SS finally asks her out for Pork Cutlet
3. There are so many scenes in Ep 16 that show SS is still so much in love with SY, so I'm not going through them.
4. There's a scene where Ms Seo advised SY to open up for relationships now, because she's in a better life situation now. SY appears to agree with this and wants to take on that advice.
5. The pork cutlet meeting is set up as a real date between future lovers, not a catch-up meeting between friends or ex-lovers. SS is shown acting so anxious for the meeting. He was so scared of making the same mistake of being late for the date that he used his own money to make up for the missing balance. SY is also shown excited for the date - quickly close up her shop and wait for him outside, frequently checking her phone for his messages.
6. After all the talks about past regrets, SS said that true love does not have to be special, just be 2 people walking through life together. That statement is like an awakening moment for SY which stopped her from walking...
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LetuseatCake
February 13, 2023 at 9:53 AM
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mom2kidsdog
May 13, 2023 at 11:35 PM
I wrote my comment above which mimics a lot of what you had to say here ... but wrote my own before reading everyone else's as I had so much to say, and wanted to get it out. Apologies if it appears copycat-like.
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16 chocolatetoad
February 11, 2023 at 7:03 PM
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17 chocolatetoad
February 11, 2023 at 7:04 PM
(continued)...They faced each other after that statement and looked deep into each other's eyes, as if they both now understand what real love should be like. The next few recap scenes I think are meant to point out that they realised they loved each other the wrong way in the past.
7. The key to the ending is at the last dialogue. She asked "did you forget anything after the walk", implying "So do you forget about "us" now after this walk and after our recap of our past relationship". He answered firmly "Absolutely nothing", looking intensely and lovingly into her eyes, followed with a warm smile. SY understood that he means his love for her is still exactly the same after all these past regrets. That's why she had tears in her eyes and slowly responded with a smile too. They both look ahead, then look at each other smiling, then walked ahead. This last scene is beautiful, portraying the ending that they are in agreement that they will now start walking forward through life with each other, like what true love should be.
At first I was also frustrated why they didn't share a passionate kiss or at least hold hands. But on rewatching Ep 16, I think it's unnatural to force a kiss after meeting again after 4 years. Writers want to show SS and SY will restart their relationship afresh, and they should take it slow. Holding hands also seems unnatural, because recall that they never hold hands in the past (except the intense taxi scene). They don't seem to be the type of couple that show PDA. Maybe they will hold hands after the pork cutlets :)
If it is the writers' intention for SS and SY to go separate ways, or to friendzone each other, they wouldn't have set up all the above scenes and deep dialogues.
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FlourPower
February 12, 2023 at 8:14 AM
Hm, I guess I'm a hopeless romantic, because I like your interpretation so much better than what I thought I was meant to understand from the last dialogue and Sang-soo's narration.
Having pined for each other for seven years by now, and being seemingly still very much hung up on each other, which I felt was what the episode tried to show us (and which you have summarized very well above), I was kind of dumbstruck to find I was now to believe that SS and SY were either
a) just going to give up on it all because... because... in real life that's apparently what people who've experienced character growth do when subjected to time-jumps???, or
b) deluded to have ever thought it was actually love.
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LetuseatCake
February 13, 2023 at 10:04 AM
I agree. Also note that her cafe is basically a shrine to SS and it's called future happiness. Those paintings are not closure. It's been 4 years. She romantically is in the same limbo he is in.
When she told Ms Seo she felt nothing the woman called her out on her bs and asked her why she was hiding then.
I think they talked things through up the hill and will go down to the date with less baggage ready for something new.
That ridiculous distance between them to me shows they are wary of the attraction they still feel. That distance is not normal even between strangers.
They have a chance now. And it's obvious they haven't gotten over each other.
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I ♥️ bad dramas
February 15, 2023 at 9:41 AM
You have explained it from such a beautiful, loving perspective.
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KDramaJoy
September 27, 2023 at 8:14 AM
You nicely argue that ML and FL are starting over on a much firmer basis, which is also my read on it. I’m reminded of my favorite KDrama of all time, in which the question of whether the ML and FL end up together was much Beanie-debated (so as not to spoil it I won't name it). In that one, as in this one, my interpretation is that it was necessary for the couples to progress through emotional challenges in order for them to have any chance of succeeding together. I think the writers in both dramas had the characters emerge through their trials and tribulations with a foundation that enables (though does not ensure) a happy love together in the future. So in both dramas: an open ending (arguable on both sides) for which my choice is that they get together.
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18 irmar
February 11, 2023 at 8:08 PM
Reading this, I'm not going to watch this show. Enough such stories in real life.
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Kimchi
February 12, 2023 at 6:39 AM
I recommend not to watch.....its about selfish young girl and foolish young man.
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19 Bunny Sonaki
February 12, 2023 at 6:12 AM
The only one who got a happy ending was Mi-kyeong. She moved on from both Sang-soo and Kyung-pil, and came to terms with her father's way of showing affection so she is now ready to pursue her own happiness.
I really loved that they showed us Jong-hyun in his police officer uniform. I am glad he finally realized his dream. Hoping he gets more happiness in the future.
Throughout the last episode, I was worried we get a tropey ending with the lead couple getting together after a time skip. But it is too late for that and love isn't enough for a relationship to succeed.
Soo-young was toxic till the end. She was never honest about her feelings and kept escaping till the end. Perhaps she had no intention to commit to anyone to the end.
On the other hand, Sang-soo kept holding onto her till the very end and sometimes I think he wasn't right about that It is okay to hold onto someone but at one point we have to move on and seek a healthy relationship.
It was a good watch and I enjoyed reading the weecaps and fellow beanies' thoughts. Hoping we get a better romcom soon.
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Emily Hewett
February 12, 2023 at 7:06 AM
Yup, I couldn't help but root for our girl Mi Kyung. She has shown amazing growth by the finale. ( & I low key kinda like her more than Soo Yong)
And Jong Hyun deserves the police uniform. Life has given him too much lemon already.
Ngl, I somehow kept cheering for the side characters more than our leads & in that aspect, the drama did really good.
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20 indyfan
February 12, 2023 at 7:18 AM
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21 FlourPower
February 12, 2023 at 7:51 AM
On the whole, I've enjoyed this drama from start to finish, but must admit I struggled with the last scene. My korean is limited, and I didn't quite trust Netflix to fully capture all the layers of meaning, so I was wondering if I'd missed something when it just ended like that. To me it seemed like Sang-soo was far from over Soo-young, and likewise her cafe was filled with all those scenes of their memorable moments together, so when Sang-soo's voiceover suddenly questioned whether they were ever even actually in love, it felt to me like he'd suddenly become a very unreliable narrator in those last few minutes of the show. Or rather, it felt like the writers and directors had had a communication lapse, because I couldn't square what was being said at the end with what I felt I'd been shown up till then. Yes, I get that they kept getting the timing wrong and were both hauling (perhaps more than) their fair share of emotional baggage, but to question whether it was actually "real" love doesn't sit right with me.
It may also be that I'm not a nimble enough drama viewer to safely navigate a 4-year time skip. Yes, when I think back in my own life I can see how feelings may dim over half a decade or so, but for me, plonked on my couch in front of the screen, it passed in a literal blink of an eye, and my emotional investment in this contorted bundle of unresolved longing, unspoken words and (mostly) unfulfilled desire has not had time to wane accordingly, and so it just doesn't *feel* believable when they're both apparently not all that into each other anymore.
A really solid performance by all the actors, though, intelligent dialogue, good music, and not a single truck of doom in sight, so for me the low DB rating all along has had me scratching my head in confusion.
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NinaLima
February 12, 2023 at 11:34 AM
His question about love was a rethorical one, imo. To me, what tells the kind of end we got is the last question of SY, the answer of SS (he hasn't forget "absolutly nothinhg"), then their eyes briming with emotions and happiness, the way they gaze at the same time to the path then look at each other, and silently and slowly walking on together, towards a future happiness (I think this whole scene is very symbolic). Few and ambiguous words, few and ambiguous gestures and expressive eyes were the way they communicated from minute one to the last one: it is a very problematic way of communication, but it was consistent throughout the show. However, I think that at the end the words and the gestures were less ambiguous, because they are now less damaged and more mature, so they can understand each other through their gaze.
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mom2kidsdog
May 13, 2023 at 11:44 PM
I also think part of that was a reference to how young they were when they first met ... I had the impression that SS was fresh out of college, perhaps a year out of college, so he was 23 / 24 and SY was same age or a year or two younger. SS was asking himself if that younger time together was really love, or rather do you need to be older, more mature to really be in love / put in the work and effort of a long-lasting relationship.
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22 vienibenmio
February 12, 2023 at 8:15 AM
I'm going to say what I always say when I encounter this type of ending in a romance drama: I watch romance dramas because they are comforting and heartwarming. I don't want realism, I don't want originality, I want to see the same tropes played out over and over again, ideally with some fresh spin to them, but also some level of predictability. In the US, one of the requirements for a book to be considered romance genre is a "happily ever after." I don't want to invest all of my time in a couple's story to see them ultimately learn that they're better off without each other or didn't really love each other that much to begin with.
I'm not saying that stories like this shouldn't be told, but I feel like the drama was packaged as something that it ultimately didn't turn out to be. If you're going to have an ending where the characters have a personal journey but don't end up together, don't bill it as a romance drama.
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Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
February 12, 2023 at 9:08 AM
You make an excellent point about the packaging. In recent years, we are seeing more examples of kdrama scripts like this one (unconventional without "happily ever after" endings). I personally do not like this trend; it worries me that kdrama writers are beginning to emulate the style of modern western so-called "romance" dramas. I started watching kdrama as an alternative to that rubbish.
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Kurama
February 12, 2023 at 9:48 AM
This drama never was tagged as a rom-com. It was based on a novel.
Romance doesn't mean rom-com. It's two different genres.
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KDramaJoy
September 27, 2023 at 8:07 AM
The classic 1942 Humphry Bogart and Ingrid Bergman drama Casablanca comes to mind. It was a romance drama that had lots of humor (“round up all the usual suspects”) but no one would call it a rom-com nor expect happily ever after.
Here, there were no nose bleeds to worry us, nor did any of the leads die, so in my book -- for a slow-burn romance Kdrama (my favorite Kgenre) it was pretty much up beat.
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23 sumi
February 12, 2023 at 4:03 PM
Someone just tell me what was going on then in episode 9, the first five minutes. After 16 hrs of watching this show, that's all I care about now. The first 5 minutes of episode 9 clearly shows Sang Su and Mi Yeong as a married couple. The camera even focuses on their wedding picture in the background (and there was no creepy background music to indicate anything that this was someone's imagination - like the other scene of Sang Su and Ahn Su Yeong having a night in the hotel room). I put up with this show just to understand how the 2 of them (Sang Su and Mi yeon that is) got married after all the ugly breakup shenanigans. But in episode 16 we are supposed to believe they went their different ways? I don't even care whether Sang Su and Ahn Su Yeon made it up that Oblivion Hill (and the reference to Sisyphus' punishment is not lost on me with that imagery. Just think it was the audience who was supposed to be Sisyphu here!) - someone explain the first 5 minutes of episode 9 in a way that makes sense in the context of everything else that came after it!!!!!
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Kurama
February 13, 2023 at 9:28 AM
It was Sang-Soo who was imagining his future life with Mi-Kyung if they married. He was staring the wedding pictures of his friend at the wedding.
The hotel scene was Mi-Kyung who was imagining Sang-Soo and So-Young together.
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mom2kidsdog
May 13, 2023 at 11:57 PM
I would also offer that SY's friend's (Seok Hyeon's?) love story / marriage to the wrong woman for his parents' / social status' sake was a cautionary tale for SS ... which he took to heart and was eventually rewarded for ... didn't marry MG for status / parents' sake, found SY and less forcefully pursued her in order to renew their relationship. Moreover, even though MG's mom was aghast in an earlier episode that SS's mom did not approve of MG nor approved of MG's / SS's 'marriage', the mothers were still besties in this final episode. Honesty leads to long-lasting friendships as well as long-lasting relationships. I also liked that SY was a bit dishonest with her older woman friend earlier in episode ('I didn't feel anything'), but was very honest in final walk up Oblivion Hill with SS.
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24 Qingdao: likes scented candles
February 15, 2023 at 2:44 PM
I agree with vienibenmio's comments, and I like Randomheart247's alternate ending.
Since when did open endings become "cool & trendy"? The trope of no ending/conclusion is so annoying! If music was written like this, no one would listen and if art was painted like this, no one would look at it.
TENSION. TENSION & more tension.........Oblivion Hill in the drama became oblivion viewing.
Most of this drama was focused on the theme of romance limited by social class and workplace expectations. As the reviewer stated, it suddenly shifted to individualism and that is where it began to ring hollow and became very DISAPPOINTING. Both the male and female leads had TOXIC tendencies that caused them to hurt others YET, the plot was framed by theme of limitations of social class. This point was DRILLED into the viewer throughout the first 3/4 of the drama. It was implied that once those obstacles were removed, romance would bloom.
So, enough of shifting the drama--once the leads became a banker and a business owner the restrictions were removed, clearing a path for their romance to proceed. After the viewers were slowly and painfully dragged down that path leading up to the opportunity for resolution, the writers ducked a conclusion by avoiding the premises they set up in the beginning.
Lots of interesting character exploration, but SO MANY missed opportunities......
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Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
February 16, 2023 at 6:02 PM
"So many missed opportunities"....an excellent summation.
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25 Charlotte
February 19, 2023 at 2:46 AM
Well, must say the sticky ending failed for me. Three episodes ago I began hoping that Soo-young and Sang-su would never get together. Soo-young is emotionally so high-maintenance' that and Sang-su would be much better off if they never ever meet again to go for 'Dongkatsu' after this ending. Instead, I'm hoping that the walk they took up the hill was the last. After all, four years should have been enough for them to loose that 'interest' in love, which would allow them to share a few memories and leave with a wistful smile. I'm crossing my fingers that some day soon, Sang-su will meet a lovely lady at the hockey rink who will be easier to get along with and more able to return some of the unconditional love he has to offer. Sadly, our surly Soo-young will always have 'conditions' that he will never be able to fill satisfactorily. He deserves a woman who won't keep rocking him back on his heels with Soo-young's mix of controlling silences followed by a condemnatory "why didn't you follow me" or "why did you hesitate?" That, and also for me, it was the faint smug pride that kept slipping onto her beautiful face around him and Jong-hyun. It was still there in the last scene with Sang-su. Soo-young rarely showed any joy in her life during this series except for that small whisp of pleasure that flexed on her lips when Sang-su exposed his vulnerability about his feelings. That same superior pleasure was there for Jong-hyun too, when she was feeling 'compassion' seeing him being hesitant about their relationship or less knowledgeable about life. However, I do agree that it was nice for them to cleanse the past with their conversational contrition in the last scene that night…but I really don't think Soo-young is yet ready for love. Four years of starting your Café business might make you more confident and knowledgeable, but it doesn't really help you move the emotional connection meter ahead much. She yet again held back more about her feelings than he did after all this time. That's why I'm rating this drama lower. Although the writer used this 'romantic' couple's class differences as tension for the first half of the story, she began to rely on Soo-young's brash and cold choices as a tool to install more drama and stall their relationship growth, as well as the pace of the episodes (which had a lot of repetition). Won't recommend this one, except to praise Yoo Yoon-seok and Moon Ga-young and the cast for their solid performances and the eerily beautiful OST.
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Ghost of Tim (eccentric observations from a male perspective)
February 19, 2023 at 6:22 AM
@charbarn your detailed observations here are very perceptive. Thanks for taking the time to share them. Due to my past, I was unsure if my perception and understanding of this show was skewed (or not). Your comments here are reassuring that I wasn't totally emotionally-blinded.
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26 Dramaluff
February 22, 2023 at 12:02 AM
Ack!! I did not like this series. No, nyet, not, nope.
Male lead completely obsessed with a full time bitch. End of story.
Main, and many of the supporting characters totally unlikable...though exceptionally well acted.
The ending was unsatisfying. Just a pinch of growth and ladlesful of lip service.
I started out liking Seung Su but then lost all respect for him based on what he was willing to put up with and experience from that bitch. I kept thinking that he seemed even more in love with his own suffering than with the actual woman. Oppa, there's a not so fine line between unconditional love and emotional masochism.
The writing felt strained. And while there were several interesting motifs attempted, the extrapolation of those motifs was inconsistent, and as a result none landed effectively for me. I also found myself thinking that the writer(s) must have been devastatingly hurt/damaged by their personal experience of love and/or relationships, and this show was filtered through that devastation. I hope the writing of the script was cathartic for the writer(s), but it did nothing for me.
I guess I prefer more traditional romances with their standard amnesia, truck of doom, and chabol villain tropes. I'd prefer rolling my eyes at tropes to shaking my fist and shouting "ugh" at the TV screen because I'm not liking anything or anyone on it.
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Charlotte
February 23, 2023 at 12:22 AM
@dramaluff...Amen. Do bring me chabols, amnesia and trucks- full-of-tropes anytime over the introspective & pretentious study of love between two characters that never ever really change, yet at the end congratulate each other for learning more about what love means . "Ugh"...such a great word to describe how I felt about this drama too.
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27 mom2kidsdog
May 13, 2023 at 11:25 PM
I thoroughly enjoyed this drama and I am not certain that the ending was as 'vague' or 'ambiguous' as some believe. There are the following, numerous hints that SS and SY finally get their 'happy' ending / 'future happiness':
1. The statement by the older woman that those who are meant to be together will finally get together;
2. SS took loan file over for 'Future Happiness' Cafe and for his own 'future happiness';
2. SY’s constant reminders to herself in her 'Future Happiness' Cafe with the paintings of memorable moments with SS, as if her future happiness would depend on moments with SS; AND, for good measure, SY lingers overlong on the picture of SS on her laptop that she's kept (I agree SY ... he's super hot!);
3. SS and MG had opportunity to 'get together' but did not follow through on it; MG moved on by finding / releasing the 2nd 500 won coin / any connection back to or memory of SS;
4. SY named her cafe 'Future Happiness' I believe as if she had found it in her art / was waiting for SS to find her (very near / right next door to the bank he worked for if not the branch) with her hint to him in the name of her cafe;
5. There was no hesitation on SY's part in agreeing to the pork cutlet date with SS as if she was confident in her feelings / confident in SS's feelings;
6. SY's response that 'There was no more left to give / receive' I perceived as reference to 'at that time', i.e., I was immature and needed to grow in order to give / receive a lasting love;
7. SY and JH had opportunity to talk / get together but did not follow through, and SY did not even see his 'salute' to her; thus, by process of elimination, MY and JH have been nixed from eligibility for 'lasting love';
8. Mom's comment to SS that he's 'still not gotten over that lady';
9. SS made sure he was not late / did not hesitate to meet SY, even using his own money to ensure correct balance and leave work on time;
10. SY seemed genuinely happy to see SY when he arrived for their pork cutlet date;
11. SS and SY were completely honest with each other walking up the Hill of Oblivion and relating all their regrets and 'what ifs' regarding their past relationship; almost a method of wiping the slate clean / coming clean with each other, getting a fresh start, starting over;
12. SY's conversations with the older woman (same woman who in an earlier episode had related how perceptive she was, indicated she 'sees everything', and thus knew SY and SS had feelings for each other); in first conversation, older woman asks SY if she's curious about SS, says not all loves last, and if they do, that person becomes a constant nuisance in your life WHILE SHE'S CARRYING THE MAN'S CHILD, and child reminds older woman by kicking that there's much joy in long-lasting relationships; and 2nd conversation with older woman who has just given birth ... the older woman says 'experience matters, this birth was so easy' which I think is an indirect...
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mom2kidsdog
May 14, 2023 at 12:06 AM
... is an indirect reference to how relationships are so much easier when you're older / have more experience bc you're able to be open and honest, have more confidence and are more secure in yourself.
Apologies for the lengthy exposition but I was completely enamored with this series.
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28 KDramaJoy
September 27, 2023 at 8:24 AM
This slow-burn emotional drama differs from other slow-burners in that it does not have unusual story lines or tortured souls defined by past tragedies (think -- buried in a building collapse for days (Rain or Shine), phone bug on ML (My Mister), uncommunicative mystery-man with a past (My Liberation Notes).
In contrast, I was drawn to IoL’s characters at first because their situations are somewhat ordinary and thus relatable: choosing and making do with second-best when first-best for whatever reason seems impossible. The tone then shifted. Last episode the wonderful Dramaddictally called out Soo-young’s premeditated cruelty for her fake liaison with Kyung-pil: do the writers expect us to view her as a martyr for this -- I do not and I am sad that they expect me to. To break up with Jong-hyun she could have just explained that she loved him as a close friend but could never feel for him as a lover or husband. This would have been sufficient to push him out of the nest but instead she publicly humiliated him. The recap and Beanie’s well-expressed discussion helped me to perhaps understand why she acted like this, but I cannot give her a pass for giving poor Jong-hyun even more pain in his life no matter her past scars and good intentions.
Still, I loved much of the writing (wonderful layered dialogues), direction, and acting in this drama. Like Dramaddictally, I do not require that I like Soo-young.
And I love Dramaddictally.
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29 KDramaJoy
September 27, 2023 at 8:29 AM
I look forward to seeing all the 4 ML/SL actors again. As the drama progressed I found Moon Tae-yoo as Gyeong-pil to be a (surprisingly) engaging support character.
One of my top 5 favorite Kcharacters of all time is Dong-mae (Yoo Yeon-seok) from Mr Sunshine. I make my screen saver cycle through photos from my favorite films of all kinds (Hollywood, UK, Kdrama,...). Included is a shot of Dong-mae kneeling while holding onto the Lady Ae-shin’s vivid red hanbok skirt. It’s remarkable that actor Yoo Yeon-seok is convincing as a sword-wielding gangster boss (what a stunner) in Mr Sunshine, and also effectively projects the “American good guy” type as a warm-hearted pediatric surgeon in Hospital Playlist, and Sang-su here.
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