I truly never understand why things are as successful as they are haha. I caught up on all the available episodes because I saw that she finally learned of the affair and I do not get why it's a record smashing show. I mean good for them; it's awesome for a show to be a success and I know it takes alot of effort from everyone involved and they deserve kudos.

Anywho, the actual episode(s), I was not expecting EVERYONE to find out everything before she did. That must add another layer of embarrassment/humiliation to the entire situation. I still think Seung Hui is a bit of a complicated character. I think it is probably easy to write her off as the bad guy because she's the mistress but I still feel a bit bad for her. She's so in love with a jerk (putting that super nicely) and she couldn't let go of the dream she had of having a happily ever after family unit with him. I initially thought they had King Charles & Camilla vibes and minus the love child, I still kinda think that. I think she thought if she just played her part and waited long enough, things would work out for her.

The real "bad guy" to me is the husband. He cheated on both of them as if he couldn't possibly control his body. Then he has the audacity to get jealous and/or clingy when either try to separate from him. His behavior is textbook selfishness.

The mother in law seems to be falling for a scam. If it's not, I'll be quite surprised. Again, I get that scams are bad yet I'm not feeling bad for the would be victim but instead it's like they brought it on themselves trying to be greedy. I think the guy used some angle of them only being respected if they had money in hand but it's all just about being money hungry.

There's something Dr. Cha(the execution) does that is very confusing at times. I do not really know whether a scene playing out is real or a figment of imagination. Last week, it was the affair and love child reveal that I-rang encountered, and this week it was the scene at the hotel luncheon where Jung-seok shoved In-ho's face into the cake. In both scenes I was left wondering whether it was a real sequence or a sequence of what the characters would have loved to play out. Perhaps because I'm used to those scenes playing out as a fragment of what a character wishes to do but doesn't.

I believe it's time for me to start seeing So-ra differently. She's not in my good books for all the jerk things she's done but she's now on probation. Plus, it was nice and a great deal of fresh air to see Jung-min be explicitly vocal to her.

I really hope Seung-hui is waking up for real this time.

It's a pity that Dr Cha didn't push In-ho's head into the cake until Jung-min had finished taking photos. It would have been the perfect family photo.
In a way, I found it very satisfying that Dr Cha left her husband and mother-in-law in uncertainty about whether she knew about the affair or not. It was the perfect torture for the two of them.

Actually, I'm pretty sure Dr Cha will break up with Mann in the end, he's done too many unforgivable things for that and would be portrayed as an idiot too often, but sometimes doubts do creep in. But that's how the drama manages to keep the tension high.
I hope that Dr Cha does not follow the advice of her mother, who embodies the older generation, but is able to break away from her husband and his mother with the support of So-ra, the younger generation.

In-ho is shameless in getting jealous now that someone is showing interest in his wife and giving Jung-sook gifts now that she has moved out. I know that In-ho was drunk when he revealed their relationship, but it was deliberately done to one-up Dr. Roy.

I really can't understand why the family never suspected that Jung-sook knows by the way she acted during her birthday dinner, especially crying, then moving out of the house. I was so disappointed in Jung-min when Jung-sook got out of the car, and In-ho told him to follow her out, but Jung-min didn't get out. I cringed when Mom told Jung-sook that women should stay with their husbands, not because they're their husbands, but because they're the fathers of their children.

The taxi driver was the real MVP of this episode. "You need to see things to the end to be able to start anew" is advice everybody needs to live by. Isn't Eun-seo, a love child, the best evidence to prove her husband's cheating?

The drama wants us to sympathize with Seung-hee, but I don't. I just find Seung-hee to be pathetic. Is this worth it over a man, and over Seo In-ho of all men?

I'm 100% on our heroine's side, but this show makes me conflicted because Jung-sook was also the third party. In the flashback of their wedding, all I could think was there's no way that they were in love with each other since it was a shotgun marriage.

I love So-ra. I know that she's a hard-ass, but she's competent, and obviously Jung-min loves her. I like to think that she was mad not because Jung-min hid the truth from her or because she realized that she had mistreated her boyfriend's mom, but because now she can put a face to the name of her professor's wife that she knows is being cheated on.

A big thanks for recapping, @Dramaddictally!

Unpopular opinion

I don't think Dr cha should divorce Seo In ho ( just yet ) for the reason of " You suffer with me '' and not give him a divorce because we know he's not happy in the marriage and that's precisely what Choi Seung Hi ( the mistress ) wants.

Because if she gives him a divorce we know Seo In Ho will immediately marry Seung hi and they will get off scot-free, no one will know they had a years-long affair and had a child together and if anyone asks they can just deny it, and Dr cha will get the label of a divorcee or why she divorce just a great man and family etc, so it seems like Dr cha is losing in the end. Versus if she exposes the affair while still married to In Ho then things change because it shows what kind of person he is while his wife was nothing but a faithful and caring mother We know the thing Seo In Ho cares about the most, more than his own family is his Status, Reputation and title. Take that away and he will get real justice and feel the weight of his actions. I don't these are just my thoughts.

The face in cake moment was hilarious. I thought she was imagining doing it, but I guess she actually did it. You go girl!! Slapping him with his own hands was awesome as hell.
Every time Seung-Hi cried I tried to feel bad for her, but all I could think was, you made a choice to break up a family. This trauma is what you deserve. What’s with showing her daughter’s picture to In-Ho’s mom?
Loved that In-Ho had a real bad day at the camp. It was hilarious how he kept looking at that finger, or when Dr. McDreamy inadvertently kisses In-Ho’s cheek and then turns away to furiously wipe his lips.
As much as I hate In-Ho, Kim Byung-chul is such a good actor, that I can’t help admiring him. The expressions he conjures up are entertaining.
At the rest stop where she sits in a chair with white wings and he with black wings, guess they were going for symbolism.
When Jung min looks his father up and down and says he can’t compete, I fell off my chair laughing.

I could rewatch the cake scene over and over again. Dr Cha's action came really out of the blue and In-ho's face was showing all the emotions from shock and anger to bewilderment, suspicion that his wife knows the truth to uncertainty what he should do now. Kim Byung-chul really displayed his wonderful acting ability in this short scene!

I also like the MIL more and more, the actress is a sure hand at playing the MIL from hell, but there is also humour in her performance here. I knew she could do more than shrill and horrible.

I like how Dr Cha is not rushing any decision about her marriage. She now understands the complexity of the situation and that her kids also have a half sister. This girl is in a difficult place, too and I like how she is trying to make her mother realize how wrong things are at the moment.

I don't think Dr Cha will sail into the sunset with charming Dr Kim. The divorce will come, but her path will be to become a fully qualified doctor and an independent woman (maybe with Dr Kim at her side after some time).

In-ho will surely be without a wife or a mistress. He can do the cleaning and cooking for his mother.

In-ho deserves a hundred more slaps with the way he remains oblivious when Jung-sook has been dropping subtle hints that she knows about his tryst.

The latest episodes made me more convinced that Jung-sook’s family didn’t reveal In-ho’s affair for her own good but to maintain the peace of the family and their own pride. This was further evidenced in the way none of them accompanied her when she got out of the car (but at the same time she really needed some time alone to cry out her feelings). And it makes me think that they really don’t know her despite all these years because they justify their silence by saying she’s fragile, but we could see how she sought advice and tried to distance herself from her household in order to construct her life and identity outside of being a wife and mother, even if it wasn’t easy for her. Also, I was wondering what is the purpose of having a best friend if they cannot listen and support you in a situation like this? Even if Jung-sook is the type to internalize her pain for the expense of others, it wasn't realistic that she never thought of turning to Mi-hee to see her point in how to process things. At least, she has Dr. Jeon as an ally.

Jung-sook‘s actions after learning about the affair felt real to me. Watching her processing the news and slowly getting a grip on herself has been heartbreaking to watch. Amidst all this how she manages to keep face in front of the hospital staff is beyond me!

Mother in law meeting the mistress was such a short scene but so well done.

It’s sad that Seung Hee took this long to face the reality. That she waited for years to ask him if he plans to divorce his wife. Took her this many years to see how he cared for his ‘perfect’ family.

Agree. It was great to see Jung Min and So Ra’s relationship this episode. And I am glad he was honest with her. It wasn’t a relationship where she always had an upper hand. Sometimes one needs a good fight to move forward in a relationship. I have been looking forward to SoRa and Cha bonding and so glad we got it now. She needs this voice of reason in her life right now.

In Ho. Tsk tsk. As much as I hated him I see he is stuck in a place where he can’t do anything. Or he doesn’t want to do anything. He is a coward. Someone else had to make the decision for him. I hope Cha kicks him to the curb. And Seung-Hee leaves to US soon.

Lol moment. Cha asking In Ho when he plans to die. His face. 😂

I feel like so many things happened in Episode 9 that didn't need to happen to move the story along—like we were subjected to so much filler. Maybe I'm just impatient; it's now gotten to the point where I just want to know how this ends.

I suppose the whole point of the volunteering trip was to let Seung-hee experience what it's like when In-ho isn't available to her. In a way, it helps her see unmistakably that he has done nothing but disappoint her repeatedly, and also gives her a taste of what Dr. Cha felt when In-ho went with Seung-hee on their conference trip when Dr. Cha was admitted. I really hope Seung-hee comes to her senses and ends their relationship regardless of how things turn out between In-ho and Dr. Cha.

I don't think I noticed it before this episode, but the scenes at the home of Seung-hee and Eun-soo seem to have been shot with a blue filter that makes their apartment seem sterile and completely lacking in warmth. It's like the director wants to tell us visually that their household isn't really a family or a home.

I like Jung-min and So-ra. I like that she's competent and that Jung-min finds that attractive rather than threatening. And I like the idea that they're both young enough that they can influence one another and grow into better human beings together and that they care about one another enough to listen to what the other has to say.

Like, Britney, I think the MIL is falling for an investment scam. I hope she doesn't forge Dr. Cha's signature to take out a loan and wreck Dr. Cha's credit history.

I wonder if the half-sisters will ever patch things back together. While I wish they could be united in their anger at their father (rather than angry at each other), it's still their loss in the end if they both lose their father in the process. Something about seeing that your father is a philanderer has a way of tainting how you view men in general, and I wouldn't want their future relationships to start with the assumption that men can't be faithful.

We still haven't seen how the backstory around Dr. Kim's birth will affect the rest of the characters. I'm not looking forward to that.

I pretty much already said this on Reddit, but I think this ep showed the societal pressure that Jeong-suk is facing to stay with her husband for the sake of her kids. Even her loving, supportive mother told her to. Then the show at the same time undermined that message, culminating with the end where Jeong-suk finds out about the ultimate portrayal, and also that there is another kid involved (so "staying for the kids" becomes a less convincing argument). Jeong-suk wants to leave, but she's scared. I also think she has feelings for Roy but 1) she's not in a place to even think about a new romance right now and 2) she probably can't admit to herself that a guy like that would even want her, I'm sure In-ho shot her self-confidence as far as men are concerned. So-ra was the perfect person for her to talk to and get a more straight-forward, non-bullshit take. That scene at the end, with the rain symbolizing acceptance, was so lovely.

Also, I usually hate when drama finales use time jumps, but this show is actually one that I think needs to do that. Do a time jump and then have her dating Roy. I want her to experience real love with a man who adores her!

The marriage was not built on love. Jung Sook was grateful that In Ho took responsibility. So, in a sense, Jung Sook never experienced true love or was truly loved. Actually, none of the three in the triangle loves. What Jung Sook feels is gratitude, Seung Hi resentment that something was taken from her, and In Ho only loves himself.
What puzzles me is how come Jung Sook never suspected anything all these years without getting any present or emotional closeness from her husband.

I love how I read comments here and get so many different perspectives. I am constantly going “oh yeah. I never thought of that”

In-ho is like a child who grew bored of his toy and discared it, but when someone else goes to pick it up to play with it, he gets jealous and wants it back so no one else can have it. It’s like he viewed her as a puppy who used to give him attention but now she doesn’t and he can’t deal with it. She kept his life comfortable and now it’s not.

Hopefully now that she k ow there is another child, she will divorce cause she realised that cheating could Mabey be forgiven for the sake of her family, but not a secret love child

Thank you for the recap! I had a lot of fun with these episodes and I enjoyed revisiting them.
I saw a Youtube video about backlash against this show in Korea. Why? Because of how they treated the medical part of the drama. I did notice to myself that there was something weird about someone needing a liver transplant from taking herbal medicine. Even if the medicine contained liver-damaging herbs or contaminants, how could it cause that much damage in such a short time? Here's a woman whose husband cheated on her and seems never to have heard of a condom. Wouldn't it be more likely that she'd have contracted hepatitis from this schmuck and gotten liver disease that way? Of course the other causes of liver disease in Korea also could use some discussion.
Also, speaking of liver disease causes, how does the entire medical staff of the hospital go out drinking together at the same time? I understand the "in soju, veritas" trope in k-dramas is very important. It was also a thing in M.A.S.H., an old medical drama. Yet I still find it weird. At least some people didn't drink when they were treated to a feast in the village.

Finally, though, I think the reason this show has been so successful is the acting. Kim Byung-Chul is amazing. Those lines he has to deliver when he shows that he sometimes confuses his wife and his mistress? Like, when Dr. Cha points out that the bracelet is the first time he's ever given her a gift? Or when she asks to go to Jeju Island and he tells her they went there recently? Or even, the drunken version of In-ho who brags about his wife's singing. He's just fantastic and I feel like, as great as Uhm Jung-Hwa's perpetually astonished face is, his portrayal of his character as a comprehensively weak person makes the drama possible.

As much as I'm enjoying this drama, it is a weird one from a cultural US perspective. Since the divorce rate in the US has been so high since the 1970's---most everyone has parents, siblings, children, friends, grandparents, etc that have experienced divorce. Blended families are so common with step parents, step children, ex husbands and ex wives, new spouses, girlfriends, single parents, joint custody, etc....So, how this show approaches divorce is so jarring to me. It just is not a big deal in the US (which is not to say divorce is not a big deal). It would not harm a career or make someone ashamed. A parent would be expected to take care of all children no matter the marital circumstances. The law would require child support even to the child from an adulterous relationship. There really is no distinction between a "legitimate" child and an "illegitimate" child. So, when the grandmother turned away from even knowing the "illegitimate" child, I was pretty horrified. After all, she is still her grandmother. I am also sympathetic to a single mother who wants to establish a support system (which usually includes family) for her child. All mothers would want a support system in place for her child even if from an adulterous relationship. Adultery, while awful, is extremely common. Being disowned for having a child out of wedlock feels so last century to me. Perhaps Korea is just going through some of the changes that the US went through, but decades ago. Seeing a woman break free from an awful marriage and finding happiness and success, would be pretty empowering.

After the first 2 episodes, I wanted Doctor Cha to find out about the affair and get divorced in part so she could start whatever with Doctor Kim. Now I'm realizing something between them might never happen and that's fine. One doesn't need to be in a romantic relationship to be happy, satisfied, or complete with their lives. I like that Doctor Cha is coming to realization that she has to figure out what works for her.

It's so complicated to choose to get divorced especially given they've been together so long. I can understand why she would either decision, to stay or go.

I like So Ra even though she's abrasive. I think everyone benefits from having someone like her in their lives but then you also need the soft touches like Doctor Cha or Jong Min. She has no reason to be apologetic because she wasn't wrong about any of the things she said. It's just embarrassing that she was that way with her boyfriend's mom since I think it's ingrained that you're supposed to be a certain way in front of the in laws and she ruined that "gentle, accommadating" impression she's supposed to have. Personally, I'm all for her character and like Doctor Cha said "everything [So Ra] says is right".
Seriously, why should Doctor Cha & So Ra have to also do dishes and clean up after cooking for everyone when everyone else has functioning hands? Same with the peeling fruit.

It's nice that at one of her lowest moments, these two were able to connect with the joy ride in the rain. Sometimes you need carefree ridiculousness.

I have finally got to episode 10. I started it thinking it would be some makjangish silly drama and it's turning to be a really heartfelt one. And I love Jung Sook, she is such a real woman, and UJW is doing an amazing job.

I can totally understand her struggle, and the pain and shock she's living in. First finding our her husband had an affair, but now also learning he has a child, same age as her child. The way her life tumbles and falls, the way the pain of knowing a husband never really cared, not knowing what she can do know, I could feel it when she was just trying to grasp some air while seating in those stairs.

And above all, I love that she said she wants to find happiness and meaning to her life on her own. She is so, so brave!

I loved that the taxi driver told JS that she "needs to see things till the end to be able to start anew" & the Sora car scene where she told it straight to JS's face that the scum is cheating on her.
Idk why but I was crying over both scenes. I think its both something JS really needed to hear.

As usual the scum disgusted me this week with his "clingy/jealous" behavior like ew no thank you. Just drop dead in a ditch somewhere please thanks. Guess I'll have to keep manifesting their divorce :')

I'm also stunned at how high the ratings are for this drama! That was something I was not expecting at all.

loving this show. there are sweet bonding moments in it, sure, but the commitment to comedy here is amazing. the actor playing seo in-ho, kim byung-chul, is SO GOOD in this role. it's hard to make any venal character funny and nuanced, and he does it so well. i remember seeing him in shopaholic louis, and he killed the comedic elements there as well. it's also cool how they are developing the character of the kids, jung-min and i-rang, so you can see how they've developed on this journey, along with their mom. when you can see some of the wildness in i-rang and trace it back to her mom, or see that jung-min has a bit more of his dad's formality, but his mom's character wrt drawing a line between what is right and wrong, that's super cool. just really enjoying this, and i started watching this one not too far behind everyone else :)

Am I imagining things, or was the family singing Happy Birthday in English in the restaurant...and then later on the video it was being sung in Korean??