THE SHORT VERDICT:

This is not your usual kdrama – is, essentially, what you need to know. 😁

There’s a murder mystery that doesn’t function like most murder mysteries in dramas, and there’s a contract marriage that absolutely doesn’t function like most contract marriages in Dramaland.

I personally felt that Show could be a little pretentious sometimes, but I found the psychological exploration of our characters fascinating enough, to make my drama investment worthwhile.

Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin are very good, as can be expected, and there are spots of sweetness between their characters to be had, for the patient.

Not a must-watch by any means, but could be interesting and worthwhile, given the right viewing lens (more on that in a bit).

THE LONG VERDICT:

I realize that there’s a wide spectrum of differing reactions to this show, from drama fans.

Some people think this is really fantastic, while others think that it’s dull and boring, and basically not worth the time.

I think my first instinct towards this show, leaned more towards the second camp; I didn’t take to this one quickly or naturally, and had been tempted to tap out early.

Mainly, I couldn’t figure out how to relate to our characters, and they – as well as the rest of this drama world – felt so dysfunctional, that I just didn’t know how to approach them/it, and make sense of it all.

And then, while watching episode 2, I found myself getting the beginning of an inkling of how to approach our characters, and that changed a great deal, for me.

Basically, tweaking my viewing lens changed just about everything for me – which I’ll talk more about, in a little bit.

Hopefully, that will likewise help you tweak your viewing lens, and maybe you might end up appreciating this one more than you’d expected to, as well?

OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

Here’s the OST album, in case you’d like to listen to it while you read the review.

Overall, I thought the music was atmospheric and effective, though it didn’t actually end up getting under my skin.

That’s most likely because I wasn’t as heart-engaged in my watch as some other viewers, and I take that as a personal “your mileage may vary” thing, rather than a fault on the show.

If I had to pick a favorite, I think I’d go with Track 4, Shadow, if only for the fact that lyrics are a little more hopeful and positive than the other contender, Savior. I do like the groove of both songs, for the record.

Here’s Shadow on its own as well, in case you’d prefer to listen to that on repeat. Just right-click on the video and select “Loop.”

HOW I’M APPROACHING THIS REVIEW

First I’ll talk about how to manage your expectations going into this one, and what viewing lens would be most helpful.

After that, I talk about stuff I liked and stuff I liked less, on a more macro level, before I give the spotlight to selected characters and relationships, in a separate section. Finally, I spend some time talking about my thoughts on the finale episodes.

If you’re interested in my blow-by-blow reactions, &/or all the various Patreon members’ comments during the course of our watch, you might like to check out my episode notes on Patreon here.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Here are some things that I think would be helpful to keep in mind, to maximize your enjoyment of your watch:

1. Don’t expect to like our characters

..at least, not right away.

I personally like to feel a sense of fondness or attachment to the main characters in a drama; it just feels like part of the natural selection process, y’know?

Like, if I don’t like the characters in a show, why would I want to spend 8, 12 or 16 hours of my life watching them, right?

Letting go of my preference to like the characters in a drama, has been helpful.

2. Think psychological drama, not murder mystery

Although Show is marketed as a murder mystery, I found myself more interested in the psychology of our characters, than in the murder mystery itself.

Adjusting my lens to see this as a psychological drama made all the difference for me, and this is the viewing lens that I would suggest, for this show.

3. There is some nudity in this.

I hadn’t known about that in advance, and so, when I was suddenly faced with a whole bunch of skin in a couple of scenes in the first 2 episodes, I felt quite taken aback.

This just isn’t something I associate with kdramas, y’know? 😅

If you don’t prefer your dramas to have occasional splashes of skin, then maybe have your finger ready on the Fast Forward button, so that you can comfortably skip over these scenes, and still watch the rest of the show.

4. There are two timelines in this story

The main timeline occurs in the present, but there are occasions when we get flash-forwards, that give us some details of stuff that happens in the future.

Or, I suppose the other way of looking at it, is, the story occurs in the past, where we spend long periods of time in flashbacks, and we only spend snippets of time in the present.

Either way works, and the only reason I’m mentioning this, is so that hopefully it will be less confusing for you, going into your watch.

STUFF I LIKED

It’s polished and glossy

Our drama world is bathed in cool tones, is moodily, atmospherically lit, and boasts glossy production values.

The Netflix budget; it shows in this one, for sure. And I count that as a plus, because:

1, It’s just nice to have good production values to enjoy, and

2, The dark glossiness of this drama world actually adds to the predominant flavor of dysfunction, I find, so it works pretty cohesively, to my eyes.

The psychological study of it all

While our characters aren’t particularly likable or sympathetic (right away, anyway), I feel like it’s quite interesting to try to understand them.

Basically, why are they the way they are? Why do they behave the way they do? Why do they make the choices they make?

I found this quite fascinating to think about, during my watch, and Show does keep dripping bits of information and context, that we can take into account, while fiddling with our mental pictures of our characters.

When Show makes me think

One of the things that I find myself liking about this show, is that it makes me think.

Not only did I find myself thinking about what made each of our characters tick, and about the dynamics of each of the relationships in our story world, I also found myself stumbling on interesting “compare and contrast” nuggets, when considering our characters side by side.

I’ll elaborate on this later, but one of the things I found most fascinating, was thinking about how our two female leads are very different from each other.

Any drama that gets me to chew on what it serves up, long after I’ve finished watching an episode, gets bonus brownie points from me. 😁

STUFF I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH

When Show is obtuse on purpose

I sometimes do feel like Show’s trying to be mysterious and highbrow in a rather.. heavy-handed sort of way? Like it’s working to give us a sense that it’s very clever, and only very smart people can understand it?

Maybe that’s just me, though; this can be very subjective.

In my view, some shows are just offhandedly brilliant; like, they just happen to be amazing, and they aren’t too fussed about it.

I would consider Taiwanese drama Someday Or One Day (review here, and Open Threads here!) to be that category of show.

For the record, I wouldn’t consider this to be that category of show; in that sense, I do feel like there’s a bit of a try-hard vibe to this one, that isn’t my favorite thing.

Along similar lines, I found episode 1 quite bemusing and hard to get a handle on, because (again, in my subjective opinion), it felt like Show was being mysterious and enigmatic on purpose – like it was trying to keep me from understanding. 😅

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. For example, in our opening scene, the camera zooms in on the trunk, as it sits submerged in water.

I hadn’t realized it at first, but this is actually a snippet from the future timeline, but that only becomes clear at the end of episode 1, when we get another snippet from the same timeline, of Gong Yoo’s character Jeong Won, being questioned in an interrogation room, where he answers that he’s the husband of the person who owns the trunk.

For a while there, I’d assumed that that the trunk in our opening scene, was a different one than the one we see Seo Hyun Jin’s character, In Ji, using, shortly afterwards.

In this sense, I do think that sometimes Show is obtuse on purpose, and I don’t like that too much, personally.

[END SPOILER]

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTERS & RELATIONSHIPS

Like I mentioned earlier, I found it most fascinating, to try to understand our various characters, during my watch of the show.

Personally, I found this to be the most compelling aspect of our story, and that’s why I’ll be spending most of this review, discussing the various characters.

Gong Yoo as Jeong Won

I’ve seen some people say that Gong Yoo’s character Jeong Won, is more of a foil to Seo Hyun Jin’s character In Ji, than anything, and I don’t disagree with that, in that, I can see why In Ji might be the more interesting character, between the two.

At the same time, I do give Jeong Won credit; he does go through a journey of growth over the course of our story.

He starts our story very much in the “helpless victim” sort of space, but by the end of our story, he’s gotten to a point where he’s able to be more independent and proactive, and that’s a big achievement, especially given how weak he’s shown to be, at the beginning of our story.

Certainly, as a longtime Gong Yoo fangirl, it was counter-intuitive and not at all gratifying, to see his character Jeong Won essentially be the opposite of the typical romantic Dramaland hero, but props to Gong Yoo for choosing an interesting character, and then delivering a performance that feels organic and believable.

I wouldn’t have expected anything less. 🥲

I will be discussing Jeong Won at greater length, in other sections of this review, coming up shortly.

Seo Hyun Jin as In Ji

In Ji is a character that really grew on me, from episode to episode.

Honestly, I’d started out feeling very bemused about In Ji, because we’re not given any context for her as a character until a little later, and I mostly felt very quizzical, as I watched her; like, what am I supposed to make of this character?

Why is she working as a field wife, going from contract marriage to contract marriage, for example? And what’s underneath that impassive mask that she wears so much of the time, while doing her field wife duty?

As long as I couldn’t figure her out, I felt bemused and perplexed, but as Show peels back the layers, I found myself growing to understand, respect, and even like In Ji.

In my opinion, Seo Hyun Jin knocks it out of the park in this role.

From the impassive beats where In Ji barely betrays any emotion, to the larger, more emotional scenes, Seo Hyun Jin really brings In Ji to life. Really nicely done, I thought.

I’ll talk more about In Ji in other upcoming sections, but for now, here are a few thoughts I had about her, from our initial episodes.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. I feel bad for In Ji, that her fiancé Do Ha (Lee Ki Woo) had disappeared like that, right before the wedding, and she’d been left to pick up the pieces.

On that note, I just wanted to say that Seo Hyun Jin knocks it out of the park, once again, in portraying deep and utter heartbreak; In Ji’s wails and tears are so raw and guttural, that I felt like I was gazing on open wounds, while watching her cry. 💔💔

To make everything worse, it feels like the CEO of NM (Uhm Ji Won) had preyed on In Ji’s vulnerable state, to sell her the idea that being a field wife would be a form of revenge.

It’s true that In Ji’s good at the job, judging from the opening scene where her previous client had thanked her, on his death bed, but I get the sense that In Ji still hasn’t healed from the event that had ended up putting her in the field wifery department.

After all, she still keeps her ex-fiancé’s apartment, and makes sure that his fish are taken care of; it gives me the feeling that she’s still hoping that he will return, one day.

In the meantime, it feels to me like she’s existing in that professional field wife space, but doesn’t quite seem to be actually living her life, if that makes sense?

On top of it all, there’s a stalker out there, who seems intent on getting involved in In Ji’s life? That feels like way too much for one person to handle. 😅

E3-4. We’re learning more about In Ji as we go, and I have to say, I’m growing to like her, or at least, appreciate and admire her.

In our opening scene where we flashback to her conversation with her first contract husband (cameo by Jung Kyung Ho! 🤩), it really comes through how jaded and cynical she is, at this point in time.

She talks about how meaningless a marriage contract is, and how it’s a statement of distrust, more than anything, and that there’s nothing romantic about it.

In fact, she’s all ready to throw in the towel, and the thing that gets her to stay, actually, is Husband #1 revealing that he has a very limited time to live.

We don’t see her answer, but circumstantially, we know that she agrees to marry him, and I can only conclude that In Ji’s compassion is greater than her cynicism.

I feel that this is important, because I do feel like there’s a similar dynamic at work, in her relationship with Jeong Won.

[END SPOILER]

Jung Yun Ha as Seo Yeon

It’s no exaggeration to say that I was most fascinated by Seo Yeon, out of all of our characters.

I loved to hate her, but I was also morbidly curious about her, and wanted to understand her.

I wanted to know why she did the things she did, and I also wanted to know what made her tick; like, did she become this way because of various traumas that she’s experienced, or was she just born like this?

[BROAD SPOILERS]

I’ll elaborate more on this in my discussion of the finale episodes, but I just wanted to state for the record, that after watching the entire drama, I’ve come to the conclusion that Seo Yeon’s essentially a weak-minded person, who likely had also been born with sociopathic tendencies.

I don’t know for sure if that’s what writer-nim had in mind, in crafting this character, but that’s my personal take, after finishing this show.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. I did feel sympathy for Seo Yeon, when we get that flashback to how she’d apparently considered committing suicide, while heavily pregnant.

We don’t know the context of that yet, but I do think that just her having been in such a situation, deserves some sympathy.

That said, I don’t know if it’s clear yet, but I do rather dislike Seo Yeon, even though I’ve arrived at a place where I feel like I can kind of understand where she’s coming from.

And, I think that the reason I don’t like her, is how she wants to leave Jeong Won, but won’t let him leave her.

Like, yes, if you want to divorce him and live a new life with a new husband, go ahead and do that – but why are you dangling the possibility of a reconciliation at him, if he makes it through a year of contract marriage?

Are you.. testing him, to make sure that he can’t live with anyone else but you? Even if that someone else is a professional..?

I know, I know; this is the whole human nature thing at work. She hates him, but still loves him; she doesn’t want him, but still wants him.

That’s why she can sometimes say terrible things like she wishes he were dead, but still want to be the person he needs and craves, like his life depended on it.

ALSO. How about the thing where she knows that the chandelier in the house is literally giving Jeong Won nightmares, but refused to change them when remodeling the house?

She says that it’s because the lights suited the house, and so.. I guess it doesn’t matter to her if her husband Jeong Won suffered daily nightmares because of said lights?

That’s another reason I don’t like her. The part of her that loves Jeong Won, clearly doesn’t love him enough to spare him from nightmares.

Or.. perhaps she purposely kept him having nightmares, so that he would be all the more dependent on her.

Which is completely messed up, yes, but which I would absolutely believe of her.

E3-4. Seo Yeon really comes across as quite unhinged, these episodes.

I can’t quite decide if she’s just a born sociopath, or if there are reasons for her obsessively manipulative behavior.

I have to confess that I am very confused about the flashbacks that we get, to the day that she’d lost the baby.

We don’t have the full context of it, but first, we see her discover that her water had broken, and then we see that instead of getting herself to emergency care, she smokes a cigarette while looking like she’s trying to decide what to do, and the next thing we know, she’s been knocked down by a car.

I feel like there’s a big information gap here, because we don’t know what had caused her to act in such self-destructive ways, during her pregnancy.

Clearly, she doesn’t seem to have the baby’s wellbeing as top priority, because we’ve seen her contemplate suicide via pills, and now, we’ve seen her not rush to emergency care, even though her water had broken, and we’ve seen her smoke a cigarette, while the baby must have been going into distress.

Certainly, it’s theoretically possible that she’d gotten into that accident while trying to get herself to emergency care, but circumstantially, based on the context that we do have, it looks to me more like she’d walked into traffic, in an attempt to kill herself.

It really makes me wonder what had been driving her self-destructive behavior during her pregnancy.

It sure looks like she’d been depressed, and that was likely why she was contemplating suicide in the first place.

I do wonder what her thoughts around the baby had been, and also, what her thoughts around Jeong Won had been.

Does she blame Jeong Won for the pregnancy, perhaps? Like, without him, she would’ve never been pregnant, and that would have solved a lot of her problems..?

E3-4. That thing that Jeong Won says to his friend about fishing, that using another living thing as bait to catch another sport is cruel, makes me think that that’s actually what Seo Yeon seems to be doing.

She’s using In Ji as bait to catch Jeong Won for sport, isn’t she??

And yes, that’s cruel.

In Ji asks her, later in episode 4, why she’d go to such lengths to torment Jeong Won, and we do get a hint via Seo Yeon’s words to In Ji, by way of explanation.

She talks about the fable where the scorpion stings the frog despite riding on the frog’s back – that the scorpion hadn’t been able to help its own nature.

So.. the conclusion I’m drawing here, is that Seo Yeon’s just a sociopath then.

A sociopath who delights in tormenting Jeong Won, and will go to great lengths to do so, because she can’t help herself?

I do wonder if Seo Yeon is telling the truth here, or if this is just a smokescreen for some other reason that she doesn’t want to talk about. Hrmm.

I could believe she’s just a sociopath, given her behavior, but I’m actually hoping that there’s more to it than a simple, “she was born this way.” 😅

[END SPOILER]

Kim Dong Won as Eom Tae Seong [SPOILERS]

Eom Tae Seong is, without doubt, the most unstable and disturbed character in our story, and I just wanted to give props to Kim Dong Won, because his delivery of unhinged Eom Tae Seong legit gave me the creeps. 😅

When we’re first introduced to him, he looks calm and pretty normal, but over time, we start to see just how unhinged he really is, and how.. frighteningly fearless he is, when it comes to the consequences of his actions.

Interestingly, Show doesn’t actually care to explore why Eom Tae Seong’s unstable, so we don’t know whether it’s due to nature or nurture, that he’s got this psychotic tendencies.

I find this to be an interesting omission, because this entire drama feels like a psychological study – and yet, in the midst of it all, Eom Tae Seong, who’s the most disturbed of our characters, is mostly treated like a convenient monster; a plot device to nudge along the rest of our story.

In Ji vs. Seo Yeon

Like I alluded to earlier, I found it utterly fascinating to compare In Ji and Seo Yeon, as characters.

Part of it had to do with the power struggle that soon became obvious between the two women, with Jeong Won as the hapless entity at the center of it all.

Another part of it, had to do with sussing out what each woman is made of, and tracing that through their respective actions, to arrive at a more complete picture of how In Ji and Seo Yeon are complete opposites of each other.

This layer of meaning-making definitely added a lot of interest to my watch.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E3-4. I’m really intrigued by the reveal, that Seo Yeon had selected In Ji specifically, to be Jeong Won’s contract wife.

I want to know why Seo Yeon would choose In Ji, out of all the contract wives available.

Seo Yeon doesn’t reveal how she knows In Ji, so my best guess is that perhaps Seo Yeon had read all the gossip that had exploded, when In Ji’s wedding had been called off.

If I understand Show correctly, that had caused quite a social media furore, so maybe Seo Yeon had remembered In Ji from that, and had chosen In Ji, out of a morbid fascination with her..?

I have no real clue, honestly, and this is just my best stab in the dark, until Show gives us more information.

What’s clear to see, however, is that Seo Yeon is getting much more affected by In Ji than I think she’d expected to be, and it’s provoking her to act out, in pretty undesirable ways.

On that note, I really do love how unruffled and impassive In Ji tends to be, in response to everything that Seo Yeon throws at her.

I’m sure In Ji’s lack of visible reaction actively aggravates Seo Yeon, because for someone like Seo Yeon, who craves the affirmation that she has power over someone else, this lack of reaction is the opposite of what she’s looking for.

Seo Yeon obviously hopes to provoke In Ji, and see signs that In Ji is upset, and doesn’t know how to deal with Seo Yeon’s attacks, but In Ji’s giving her none of that satisfaction.

I love the idea that this is quietly driving Seo Yeon nuts. 🤭

I also love that In Ji gives as good as she gets, while looking like she’s not actually fighting back.

For example, I love the way In Ji responds, when Seo Yeon presses In Ji on how she knows Seo Yeon.

In Ji explains so calmly, that someone she knew, had committed suicide because of Seo Yeon, saying that dying was the only way to escape Seo Yeon, but that doesn’t mean that that’s how In Ji sees her.

That nobody can know what had been on the mind of someone who’d decided to disappear from the world; that Seo Yeon could have just been their excuse – but that that doesn’t mean that In Ji’s concluded that Seo Yeon isn’t a bitch.

Burrnnn. 🤭

I truly love how calm and unruffled In Ji is, as she states all of this like she’s simply talking about the weather.

E3-4. I consistently get the sense that In Ji always tries to see things from Jeong Won’s perspective, and then approach him in the way that she feels would help him.

Like the way she volunteers information about Seo Yeon’s visit, even though he doesn’t ask – because she feels that she’d want to know, in his place.

And when she sees him flinching at the doctor’s appointment while her stitches are being taken out, she tells him that it doesn’t hurt, so that he’ll feel better.

I’m 100% sure that if it had been Seo Yeon, she would have continued to let Jeong Won squirm, to drive home point that she’d gotten hurt because of him.

And then, when In Ji notices that Jeong Won struggles to take the elevator, she tells him to focus on the numbers; that it’s just numbers, in the end.

What a contrast to how Seo Yeon’s approached it, by offering her own presence to be Jeong Won’s safety net. Like yes, that helps Jeong Won in the moment, but it creates a dependency on her, which gives her a sense of pleasure and power.

In Ji, on the other hand, is giving Jeong Won a way to survive elevator rides on his own, by focusing on the numbers; he can do with without In Ji by his side.

See what a great difference in approach the two women have?

E3-4. We get more contrast between Seo Yeon and In Ji, with the way Seo Yeon asks to keep the old chandelier, while In Ji doesn’t hesitate to get rid of them, because she knows how much Jeong Won loathes them.

With Seo Yeon, everything is a power trip, from that very awkward dinner for four, where she flaunts the fact that she used to live there, to the way she sets up hidden cameras in the house, so that she can spy on Jeong Won and In Ji.

I do love how In Ji speaks up for Jeong Won, unflinchingly, when Seo Yeon oversteps the boundaries of civil conversation, and accuses Jeong Won of being childish because he can’t let go of the past.

It’s so great, the way In Ji looks her right in the eye, and says that some things can never be forgotten, and that Seo Yeon should watch herself. Burrnnn. 🔥

E5-6. One of the big “Aha!” moments for me, these episodes, is the realization that Seo Yeon and In Ji are very different, in the way they deal with crises.

Yes, we’ve seen in flashback, In Ji completely break down in the wake of her ruined marriage, but in the present, In Ji is much more rational-minded, and she’s also consistently about doing something to solve the issue at hand.

Seo Yeon, on the other hand, is showing herself to be extremely emotional, and her solution is consistently escapism.

Whether that’s through drugs, or trying to kill herself, or getting a divorce, or sex with her contract husband, the way she responds to her problems, always seems to be through finding a way to escape said problems.

And, we see, these episodes, that these escapes aren’t quite doing it for her right now – like with Contract Husband refusing to sleep with her, because she’s going to divorce him anyway – and it’s driving her crazy.

She honestly looks lost, when her usual solutions don’t yield the escape that she craves.

She’s always looking for the blue pill, in a manner of speaking, so it’s no surprise, I suppose, that the solution that she offers Jeong Won, is also the blue pill, literally, which allows him to let him see and believe things the way he likes.

E5-6. These episodes, I really liked the way In Ji stands up to Seo Yeon.

The way Seo Yeon presumes to take on the role of daughter-in-law when Jeong Won’s father dies, is pretty unhinged in itself; I guess that shows us where she is, in that she’s never seen herself as actually divorced from Jeong Won? That she’s only been separated from him, while punishing him?

I like how Seo Yeon is able to offer the support and help that Seo Yeon can’t give Jeong Won, which I feel is represented by how Seo Yeon casually tells Jeong Won to get a staffer to help him with his tie, while In Ji steps in to actually help him with it.

It’s about the tie, yes, but it’s also about moral support, I feel, and Seo Yeon doesn’t offer any, even when she’s sitting right there, dressed in mourning clothes, while In Ji is able to offer that right away, even when she’s still in that stage where she’s telling Jeong Won that she can’t attend the funeral, according to the manual.

That scene in the washroom where In Ji confronts Seo Yeon is one that I got a lot of gratification from, mostly because In Ji handles herself so confidently, and is so unintimidated by Seo Yeon, looking her in the eyes, and managing to out-maneuver her, such that Seo Yeon chooses to leave the funeral hall.

PLUS. How about the two attempts that Seo Yeon makes, to slap In Ji, which In Ji intercepts without batting an eye, and then turns the move around to put Seo Yeon at a disadvantage.

YESSS.

I mean, Show’s told us more than once, that In Ji had to take up jiu jitsu, but I hadn’t expected that we’d get to see her use any moves.

How perfect, though, that she uses her skills so smoothly against Seo Yeon, when Seo Yeon does her entitled thing and tries to slap her, for being out of line.

E5-6. I suppose Seo Yeon can sense these shifts between Jeong Won and In Ji, which is why she resorts to her last resort power move – ordering Jeong Won and In Ji to get a divorce.

And it does look like a real power move, in the sense that she’d paid for the contract marriage, so as the client, it makes sense that she would get to call off that very same marriage.

I do love that In Ji’s eventual response to this, is that she refuses, and therefore, according to the manual, the divorce will not happen. Muahaha. Gotta love In Ji’s intimate knowledge and understanding of that manual! 🤭

But also. How about that fight in that cage elevator at the construction site! 😱

Clearly, In Ji’s really managing to push Seo Yeon’s buttons, because Seo Yeon’s the one who loses control and tries to attack In Ji, clearly forgetting that she’s no match for In Ji, whether in fight skills, or arguing skills.

In Ji’s got Seo Yeon’s pinned, either way, I honestly kinda love that In Ji stalks off, leaving Seo Yeon in a crying, screaming heap. 🤭

[END SPOILER]

Jeong Won and Seo Yeon

One of the key things that fed my morbid fascination while watching this show, is the relationship between Jeong Won and Seo Yeon.

I couldn’t help but wonder at what had happened between them, to lead them to this state of affairs, where Seo Yeon’s arm-twisting him to enter into a contract marriage with someone else, while he’s desperately trying to hold onto her.

I found it very bizarre and dysfunctional, to put it mildly, and my desire to find a way to make sense of it all, definitely was a driving factor, during my watch.

In this spoiler section, are my unfolding thoughts and analyses about this pair, during my watch.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. I just couldn’t figure out what was the deal with Jeong Won and his ex-wife, Seo Yeon.

Do they like or dislike each other, are they over, or not over, and why in the world would she insist that Jeong Won be in a contract marriage with someone else?? – these were some of the main questions I found myself wondering about, while watching.

I’ve concluded – for now, at least – that they have a love-hate relationship with each other.

What I’m about to share, are my best-guess conclusions about our characters, and it’s perfectly possible, that you might have a different interpretation, since Show leaves so much to our own analysis and deciphering.

So, here’s what I think.

Because of his childhood trauma, Jeong Won is rather crippled, psychologically and emotionally, and this has made him extremely dependent on Seo Yeon.

It’s like he can’t function without Seo Yeon, even though they’ve already gotten a divorce, and she’s married to someone else.

And, I think that Seo Yeon has a love-hate relationship with him, and how he is, with her.

I think she feels suffocated from being the only person that he wants to depend on, and I’m guessing that that’s possibly – probably? – why she’d wanted a divorce in the first place.

When you’ve borne the weight of a heavy burden over a long period of time the way Seo Yeon’s borne the weight of Jeong Won’s psychological well-being, you do tend to get exhausted and drained, and then it’s just a matter of time when you feel like the only way to survive, is to get away.

At the same time, with how Jeong Won’s been depending so heavily on her over the years, I can see how this might suck the life out of her, so that she would feel a mixture of fatigue, frustration and a need to fight for a life that feels truly her own – instead of a life where she’s obliged to be someone else’s crutch, 24/7.

I think that’s why we see Seo Yeon relishing all those sexytimes with her new husband.

I feel like it’s her way of, 1, rebelling against the life that she’d led up to this point, 2, taking revenge on Jeong Won, for what he’d done to her life, and 3, aggressively laying down a new foundation for the kind of life that she wants, going forward.

At least, that’s what it looks like to me.

All that said, it seems quite clear, that Seo Yeon does enjoy the sense of power that she has over Jeong Won, and when she discerns that he’s no longer as dependent on her, she feels threatened, and almost offended, in response.

To my eyes, this is why Seo Yeon goes to the trouble of visiting the house and introducing herself to In Ji, when she hears that Jeong Won had managed to fall asleep, without medication, and on the couch, no less.

As far as I could tell, the purpose of Seo Yeon’s visit, is not just out of a curiosity around the person who’d helped Jeong Won fall asleep without medication, but about staking her territory, to the person who’d dared to encroach. 😏

The sense that I get is that Jeong Won needs and depends on Seo Yeon, and.. that’s it.

What I mean is, I don’t detect that there is love in there; all I’m getting from him, is a desperate need for Seo Yeon in his life, otherwise he feels like he can’t function, even at a very basic level.

And that whole dynamic is very much shaken up, with the arrival of In Ji, Jeong Won’s contract wife, In Ji.

E3-4. Seo Yeon’s growing increasingly unsettled, by how Jeong Won’s doing better without her than she’d expected, and appearing to settle so much better into life with In Ji, than she’d expected.

The more Seo Yeon sees signs of this, the more out of control she feels; like the one person whom she’d thought she’d had complete control over, is showing signs of not actually being in her span of control anymore.

Seo Yeon keeps trying to test Jeong Won, and when she finds that the original testing mechanism isn’t giving the results she’d hoped for, she finds a way to amp up the test further.

Gosh, I hate her for that, seriously. She’s insufferable. 😒

She’s always finding a way to add pressure to Jeong Won, like when she tells him to hang in there, in his contract marriage, because she’d like to trust him too.

And when she texts him with that backwards taunt, that he must have forgotten what day it is – thus reminding him of the day they’d lost their baby, which she must know is an event that triggers his anxiety.

She’s literally finding ways to poke at him, and provoke him, just to prove to herself, that he’s helplessly at her mercy, and I hate her for that.

She’s still weaponizing the failed pregnancy against Jeong Won, what with giving him that ultrasound picture, with those pills attached – as yet another test for Jeong Won.

Like, here’s something that will trigger your anxiety, and here are pills that would help you get through an anxiety attack – but your job is to try to not take those pills.

She’s so sadistic, like she takes actual pleasure from seeing Jeong Won suffer. Ugh.

She always says one thing, but means another – like the way she says it’s a relief to see Jeong Won and In Ji bonding, but in the way she sneers when she says the words, you can tell that she doesn’t mean it one bit, and is, in fact, furious that Jeong Won would dare bond with someone else, or depend on someone else.

And yet, the thing is, Seo Yeon refuses to back down from this game.

Before the wedding, Jeong Won texts her and says that as long as she says the word, he won’t go through with the wedding.

I think the whole reason Seo Yeon allows the wedding to go ahead, despite her discomfort, is because she doesn’t want to admit defeat.

I feel like to her, calling off the wedding would be like admitting that In Ji’s gotten under her skin, and that she can’t take the heat. It’s twisted, yes, and I do think that that’s what’s going through Seo Yeon’s twisted head.

E3-4. Honestly, one of the best things about Jeong Won and In Ji going out for a movie, is them not being at home for Seo Yeon to spy on. 🤭

Clearly, Seo Yeon hates feeling like she’s losing control, and them being out of her sight, makes her antsy and moody, and I definitely felt quite gratified to see that.

E5-6. These episodes, we get a clue as to why Seo Yeon’s so set on punishing Jeong Won, and it looks like it has to do with Jeong Won’s request to the doctors, when she’d walked into traffic, to prioritize saving the baby.

On the surface, it looks like an innocent request that many fathers might make, to prioritize saving the baby, because it’s human nature to want to protect the young and innocent.

However, In Ji’s remark later on, is likely the more accurate one – that Jeong Won had actually made that request, not with saving the baby as his top priority, but the thought of getting rid of Seo Yeon, and being free from her.

Yes, that’s a terrible thing for Jeong Won to have thought, and even acted on, so I can see how Seo Yeon might hold onto that and be unable to move on from it, had she come to know of Jeong Won’s request.

At the same time, given the flashbacks to the past from when she’d been pregnant, it looks like Seo Yeon’s been disturbed and unstable for a long time.

And if she’d been tormenting Jeong Won for all the time that they’d been together, I can see Jeong Won buckling under all of that, and being desperate enough to take a way out, when he sees it appear in front of him.

That doesn’t make Jeong Won’s desire to let Seo Yeon die ok, certainly, but it does help to put things in perspective, I think.

[END SPOILER]

Seo Yeon and Ji Oh [SPOILERS]

Ji Oh (Cho I Geon) is written as a character who just can’t say ‘No’ to Seo Yeon, and I found it quite curious that he would be so in love with her, because I personally found Seo Yeon very unappealing, as a person.

Show doesn’t give us any insight as to why Ji Oh’s drawn to Seo Yeon, and that’s probably why I found their connection tenuous at best.

He might have thought that he was in love with her, but she clearly only really saw him as a plaything; someone with whom she could distract herself, while punishing / testing Jeong Won.

I did find it interesting that even Ji Oh, who seems to be blindly smitten with Seo Yeon, would actually get visibly frustrated with her erratic behavior and controlling ways, in episodes 3-4, and eventually start to say ‘No’ to her, in order to protect himself.

Show has Seo Yeon choosing Ji Oh when we get to the end of our story, but I personally am not convinced that there’s a genuine connection here.

That said, maybe it’s a relationship that could work for them, since she’s used to using people, and he seems willing to be used. 😅

Jeong Won and In Ji

I came into this show for the potential chemistry between Gong Yoo and Seo Hyun Jin, and they did not disappoint.

Yes, the narrative charting of this loveline is anything but typical, and that’s not surprising, given how dysfunctional our entire story world is.

Yet, like I alluded to earlier, there is a poignant sweetness that eventually comes through, in the connection between Jeong Won and In Ji.

It’s a slow burn for sure, but I personally found the idea of two broken souls coming together despite their sharp ragged edges initially hurting each other, and eventually helping each other to glimpse hope, quite touching. 🥲

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-2. Jeong Won begins the contract marriage by studiously ignoring In Ji, and she just takes it all in stride, and continues to make an effort to reach out and connect, which I feel must take a lot out of a person, particularly when the other person keeps rebuffing the efforts made.

That also adds to my sense that In Ji’s just existing in her professional space, conditioning herself to do what’s best in the situation, even if it means bodily injury.

I do think that that’s where she’s coming from, when she shields Jeong Won from the falling shards of the chandelier, and ends up suffering that gash on her arm that requires stitches.

At this point, I don’t believe she has any true feelings for Jeong Won, and that’s why I see it as her mostly acting out of professionalism.

That said, if I were to pinpoint a hint of genuine connection between them, I’m thinking that In Ji might have some empathy for Jeong Won as someone who’s stuck; perhaps she feels a sense of solidarity there, because in a manner of speaking, she’s stuck as well?

Or perhaps it’s as simple as one unhappy soul recognizing another unhappy soul, yes?

As In Ji continues her measured-yet-unflagging approach to Jeong Won, we see that he actually starts opening up to her, and gives her answers to questions that likely no one else has dared or thought to ask, like why he’s afraid of the chandelier in his home.

To my eyes, I don’t think that this means that Jeong Won is starting to like In Ji.

Instead, I feel that it’s because he feels safe with her.

For one thing, she’s saved his life and gotten hurt in the process, so she’d put herself on the line to protect him.

For another, he doesn’t feel judged by her. No matter what he says or does, In Ji does not take a judgmental stance, and I think that goes a long way towards Jeong Won feeling safe enough to open up to her.

And thirdly, I feel that over time, Jeong Won starts to feel that he can depend on In Ji – and that’s exactly where things begin to shift, since his dependence on Seo Yeon has always been so key for him.

Now, In Ji’s starting to do the wifely thing, of telling Jeong Won that they should make a trip to the hospital, to see his father.

And other smaller wifely things too, like reaching across the table to wipe soup off his lip.

She ably fills the gap that Seo Yeon had left, when she’d insisted on getting divorced from Jeong Won.

Not only that, In Ji’s showing some very shrewd insight as to Seo Yeon’s game, like when she remarks that, since Jeong Won would never do anything Seo Yeon didn’t want, then it must have been Seo Yeon who’d suggested medication to him in the first place.

In that moment, Jeong Won doesn’t say anything, but there’s a subtle shock in his eyes, like his entire worldview has just been challenged, and it’s all thanks to In Ji.

E3-4. I do think that Jeong Won’s used to the way Seo Yeon’s been treating him, judging from the way he feels uneasy, and even asks In Ji to whine a bit, so that it might ease his guilt.

Whereas with In Ji, she’s always trying to think of ways to reframe things for Jeong Won, to make it easier for him to digest or endure.

Like the way she leaves that note in his suit pocket, that it’s just standard procedure, according to the manual, so that he won’t get too stressed out about the wedding.

Slowly but surely, we can see Jeong Won starting to lower his guard around In Ji.

Not only is he talking more to her when she asks a question, he even brings her beer on their wedding night, and initiates conversation. A big step, given where we’d started, yes?

And, he’s showing interest in getting to know her better too, judging from the fact that he asks her what she’d used to do, before getting into the contract marriage business.

E3-4. With In Ji being so helpful and protective towards Jeong Won, I’m not surprised that he would find himself gravitating towards her. After all, you naturally want to go towards safety, right? And she makes him feel safe.

I love that he asks about her teaching dance, and even requests a demonstration – which is how we get the scene of them dancing together, and having enough fun, with enough hyper-proximity, that Jeong Won would be galvanized into kissing her, right in the middle of it all.

Can’t lie; I gasped a little at the sudden development, and then quickly gloated at the obvious displeasure on Seo Yeon’s face, as she watches it all on her screen, HA. Serves her right for spying, I say. 😏

In fact, I got a kick out of it, every time we see Seo Yeon seething, while watching Jeong Won and In Ji engage in everyday couple-type activities, like chatting while folding the laundry together.

I can already tell that this was something that Jeong Won had never done with Seo Yeon, while they’d been married.

E3-4. I thought Jeong Won’s movie date with In Ji was pretty cute, with him inviting her to the movies, and then buying tickets for a horror movie, but being unable to watch it, coz he’s too scared.

Hahaha. I can see why In Ji would find him amusing, when he’s like this. 🤭

I appreciate that Jeong Won’s self-aware enough, to understand that he’s confused about what he’s feeling towards In Ji, and comfortable enough with her, to tell her so.

It certainly doesn’t land as romantic, with Jeong Won saying that he’s not sure if he wants to sleep with In Ji simply because she’s a woman, or because he actually likes her – but he hopes it’s just because she’s a woman.

But, at least he’s expressing himself and being honest, and I take that as a step in a good direction.

Through these episodes, I feel like there’s a shift that goes on, between Jeong Won and In Ji.

He’s the one who feels like he’s drowning, and we see that in that dream that he has, while we see that she’s the one who spends her mornings floating effortlessly on the water, when she goes kayaking.

They are in completely different positions, with this visual contrast.

These episodes, In Ji tells Jeong Won that she’ll help to block the tidal waves for him, and he starts sleeping well, with her next to him.

But, with the way Seo Yeon targets In Ji, and even outright causes a car accident, after meeting In Ji at that Heritage Lounge gathering, and then informs In Ji that she’d specifically chosen In Ji to be Jeong Won’s contract wife, In Ji’s the one who starts having nightmares.

It really feels like she’s taken on the tidal wave in Jeong Won’s stead, doesn’t it?

To be brutally frank, I see In Ji’s decision to sleep with Jeong Won as a strategic move, rather than a romantic one.

And I think that her move has everything to do with deciding to play Seo Yeon’s game, since Seo Yeon’s so determined to provoke her.

Like, you want to test whether Jeong Won will be swayed by me? Fine. Let’s test that – I will sleep with him, since that’s what he’s said he wants, and then let’s see whether he still responds to you, if at all.

At least, that’s how I’m reading it, given what I’ve seen so far.

E5-6. These episodes, it’s clear that the feelings between Jeong Won and In Ji are growing, but honestly, it’s only on hindsight, that I realize that the dream that we see her have, at the top of episode 5, is likely the signifier, that In Ji officially has feelings for Jeong Won.

In the dream, she’s trying to catch up to her runaway groom, but at the last moment, when he turns around to face her, it’s not her ex-fiancé, but Jeong Won.

This feels like a pretty strong statement, that it’s now Jeong Won in In Ji’s heart.

At the same time, it does seem like In Ji’s deep-seated abandonment issues might be causing her to already fear being abandoned my Jeong Won.

I do appreciate the overall picture that we get, though, that Jeong Won and In Ji are drawn to each other, and want to help each other, in spite of their own brokenness.

For example, I find it touching, that Jeong Won, who’s been shown to us as the much more broken of the two, would sit with In Ji and try to comfort her through that nightmare.

I have to admit that I really am drawn to this idea of broken people reaching out to help others, in spite of their own wounds.

It feels.. open-hearted and generous, when these people, with all of their wounds and issues, have every right to choose to be closed off and self-focused. 🥲

Of course, Jeong Won has no idea what he’s up against, when he tries to take on In Ji’s demons, but I’m still in-principle touched that he wants to try.

That’s how he ends up getting entangled with Eom Tae Seong; it’s because he happens to see those messages on In Ji’s phone, that Eom Tae Seong’s lurking around her, and perhaps she needs an air gun.

I like that In Ji’s honest in answering Jeong Won’s question about who Eom Tae Seong is; it feels like honest, no-frills conversations are a hallmark of their interactions.

At the same time, the fact that Jeong Won can’t stop himself from getting involved, even though In Ji tells him plainly that Eom Tae Seong isn’t any of his concern, says a lot about Jeong Won’s growing feelings for In Ji.

E5-6. I appreciate that we get all these snippets of Jeong Won and In Ji inching closer to each other.

Somehow, the fragments of conversation that we see them have, are honest and frank enough, that they somehow feel like they add up to something more substantial.

Like the way In Ji says that there’s nothing wrong with dying alone, and that if you’re not really alone, how can you actually love someone else?

That feels deep and incisive, and at the same time, you can also see Jeong Won reel a little bit, from the realization, that In Ji’s loved someone before.

And then, when, after Eom Tae Seong’s left the house, Jeong Won tells In Ji that he’s had a long day, I’m impressed that In Ji doesn’t pursue the fact that Jeong Won’s sticking his nose into her business, and instead, just holds him, which comforts him.

These are fragments, but the fragments themselves feel meaty enough, that when I stack all the fragments together in my mind, I feel like I’m witnessing a stronger connection between Jeong Won and In Ji.

E5-6. It’s very satisfying to see In Ji decide to disregard the manual, and stay by Jeong Won’s side, as his wife, during the funeral wake proceedings.

Aw. That’s another piece of definite proof, I feel, of In Ji’s feelings for Jeong Won. Why else would she disregard the manual, right?

Afterwards, it’s actually really nice to see Jeong Won and In Ji take some time to just do couple things, like go to the movies, and do some street shopping; the usual things couples do, when they go on dates. 🥲

With this, it feels like they’re becoming a real couple, doesn’t it?

Plus, Jeong Won does seem to be thinking about it, given the question that he asks In Ji, about what he should do if he doesn’t want to let her go, after a year.

E5-6. It’s unfortunate that the manual states that Jeong Won and In Ji are not allowed to connect with each other outside of the context of NM, but I’m relieved that that doesn’t seem to stop Jeong Won from wanting to be with her.

That scene of him standing outside the house, waiting for her, and her coming home and walking right into his arms for a long hug, is very satisfying.

And then, it’s really sweet isn’t it, when Jeong Won tells her, over burgers (both without tomato slices this time), that missing her had made it a tough day. Aw!

It’s very sweet too, that she responds that she’d missed him too. 🥲

I love the visual of the next morning, that In Ji takes Jeong Won kayaking.

Again, this is a great representation of how she’s saving him from drowning, and helping him to float above the water – with them being an island together, on a single kayak.

I really like the symbolism of that. 🥲

[END SPOILER]

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

E7-8. As our story comes to a close, everything gets fully unfurled, and I find that, as with the rest of the show, I’m more interested in the psychological aspect of our story, than the murder mystery side of it.

It’s at this late stage of our story, that we’re given the final missing pieces to our characters’ backstories, and altogether, it absolutely paints a picture of broken people struggling to survive.

Honestly, I think that thing that shocks me the most, is that Do Ha blames In Ji so squarely, for his disappearance five years ago; that she’d tried to change him, and in so doing, had robbed him of his sense of identity, to the point where he didn’t even know who he was, anymore.

We don’t explore that claim, in that, we don’t go back in time to see whether his claim has any foundation to stand on, but I do stand behind In Ji’s tearful, barely controlled retort; that he should have told her this five years ago.

I think the bottom line in this, is that it’s complicated, and it’s likely that both of them had contributed to the deterioration of their relationship, but I do think it says a lot, that Do Ha’s first words, after disappearing for five years, are to blame In Ji for his actions.

I do think that people can be driven to extremes when they feel stressed, suffocated &/or backed into a corner, but I also think it says something about Do Ha, that he lacks the mental and emotional fortitude, to even tell In Ji that it’s over, and just.. disappears.

I feel like it’s such a waste, that In Ji had spent five years of her life stuck in limbo, paralyzed from moving on because Do Ha hadn’t given her the closure that she’d needed.

Of course, this does also speak to the fact that In Ji’s a lot more fragile than she lets on; she might have shown that she’s strong in other ways, but in this area, which she’s kept buried out of sight as much as possible, she is an open wound that’s never healed. ❤️‍🩹

I think it says a lot, that In Ji breaks down in tears, when she sees Jeong Won waiting for her at the bus stop.

She and Jeong Won later joke a little bit, about why she’d cried, and how he’d felt happy that she’d cried, but to my eyes, the real reason that she’d cried, is because she felt safe with Jeong Won.

She’d held it all in, while talking with Do Ha, and then all the way back, on the bus, but then, at reaching her safe haven, Jeong Won, she’d reflexively let go of everything that she’d been holding in, which is how we get that outburst of guttural sobs, from her. 🥲

I do think that that’s why Jeong Won feels happy to see her cry too, even though he’s unable to put it into words; I think he’s just instinctively gladdened that she trusts him enough, to release her deepest tears, in his presence. 🥲

These episodes, we finally get a firm answer, as to why Seo Yeon had chosen In Ji to be Jeong Won’s contract wife, and as I’d earlier suspected, this had all been a test for him. Wow.

So Seo Yeon had remembered In Ji from that encounter back in college, when In Ji had offered Jeong Won a pair of slippers because of his broken sandals, and had felt jealous of the spark of connection that she’d felt between them, and had dragged it into the picture, to be a test for Jeong Won?

That if he managed to still pine for Seo Yeon while still living with In Ji, that would satisfy Seo Yeon enough, to go back to him?

AND, that’s why she’s justified in installing secret cameras, via which to monitor Jeong Won, and allow him to prove, by his actions, that his heart belongs to Seo Yeon?

Yes, that’s twisted indeed, and it just makes me conclude all over again, that Seo Yeon’s some kind of sociopath.

Another part of it, I do think, is that Seo Yeon’s just a weak person who’s never learned any kind of resilience or fortitude, because, by her own admission, she’s never had to compromise on anything; she’s always been in a position to choose an alternative, when she didn’t like something or someone.

Add on her sociopathic tendencies, where she doesn’t seem to register that other people’s feelings are as valid as her own, and we get the kind of manipulative, controlling maniac, when she’s left to her own devices.

Yes, there is that thing where she’s haunted by the fact that Jeong Won had asked the doctors to prioritize saving the baby over her (and yes, that is a very difficult thing to forgive or forget, certainly), and I think that the hurt and sense of betrayal is just amplified many times over, in her weak yet sociopathic frame of mind. 😅

My take on Seo Yeon, is that when she finds that her efforts to force herself back into Jeong Won’s life fail, and she sees no remaining leeway in Jeong Won’s heart, for her, she defaults to Ji Oh, as her next best choice.

Interestingly, she doesn’t seem to consider the possibility that she might be happy on her own; rather, it seems to me that she needs someone to control, and now that Jeong Won’s refusing to be that for her, she’s settling for the person who is willing to be controlled by her.

In the end, she does take steps to be there for Ji Oh, after he gets detained as a suspect for Eom Tae Seong’s murder, but I personally don’t think that’s strong enough evidence to conclude that she’s changed for the better.

To my eyes, Seo Yeon is still broken and twisted, and with a good chunk of that seeming to be part of her innate nature, I think she’s just switching targets, and making the best of it. 😅

I did enjoy the little pockets of togetherness, and the small moments of happiness, that Jeong Won and In Ji share.

In particular, I liked that they end up giggling and chuckling together, over the fact that In Ji had beaten up Seo Yeon, while hugging it out.

The time they spend doing coupley things is understated and sweet, but there’s a poignance about it that quickly turns into pathos, when In Ji tells Jeong Won that she wants a divorce.

I feel for Jeong Won, because I believe him when he says that he sincerely loves her, and I know that he’s right, that she loves him too.

At this point, I do think that In Ji’s decision had everything to do with protecting Jeong Won from Eom Tae Seong.

I also believe that that’s a key reason why she decides to quit NM so quickly, because theoretically, she could have waited until her marriage contract with Jeong Won came to an end, before quitting.

But with Eom Tae Seong becoming more and more unpredictable and unhinged, and with Jeong Won feeling more and more urgency to protect In Ji from him, I can see why In Ji felt like she had to prevent an impending disaster.

Technically, after that encounter with Eom Tae Seong by the lake, where In Ji shoots him, and then puts the gun to her own head, thinking that there are live rounds in the gun, she could have chosen to be with Jeong Won, and Jeong Won makes it clear that this is something that he really wants.

However, I do think that In Ji makes the wiser choice, and I’m glad that Jeong Won takes her lead.

Because, when you look at it, Jeong Won and In Ji are both deeply, desperately broken, even to the point of self-destruction, in In Ji’s case, and it’s important that they both get fresh new starts, after all the nightmarish events they’ve been through.

Given that they’ve each been part of the other’s nightmarish events, it’s just not possible to stay together, and at the same time, make a clean break with the past.

That clean slate and fresh future, is something that they need to step into, alone, after casting aside their pasts – so that they can heal and be reborn, in a manner of speaking.

In my mind, that’s the whole reason In Ji and Jeong Won need that time apart, and it does gladden my heart, to see them enjoy simple pleasures on their own, in their new living spaces (Jeong Won did well, by demolishing that house), with their new furbabies.

To the average person, this is everyday stuff that we tend to take for granted, but for Jeong Won and In Ji, who’ve lived through nightmarish pasts to get here, this must feel like a whole new world. 🥲

It is poignant, though, to see In Ji go to the movies alone, so that she can see Jeong Won’s name in the end credits.

Aww. It’s touching, really, to see that she hasn’t forgotten Jeong Won, and is doing the little that she’s allowing herself, to reach in his direction, so that she can.. touch his reality, for a little while. 🥹

I did love the emotion of their chance encounter, because, underneath the casual smalltalk, there is so much gladness and wonderment, particularly in Jeong Won’s gaze.

Some might wonder why they can’t just be together, after one chance encounter; like, why does it have to be two?

My personal take on that, is that they both need that much time to heal.

They’re doing better now, in this present timeline where we see them meet, but I do get the sense that their healing is still work in progress, on both sides.

I can honestly say that I prefer this approach, where they prioritize their own healing, even though they clearly do still have feelings for each other.

And someday, when the time is right, I do believe that these two people will meet again.

By that time, they’ll be ready for that future of daily happiness that Jeong Won had spoken of.

They’ll know the same people, and have breakfast together, and be stuck with each other all day, bored by each other’s company; they’ll grumble and complain, then grill some fish for dinner and doze off together; and even so, they’ll wake up side by side. 🥲

THE FINAL VERDICT:

A pretty thought-provoking psychological drama.

FINAL GRADE: B+

TRAILER:

MV:

PATREON UPDATE!

The next drama I’m covering on Patreon, in place of The Trunk, is Check In Hanyang [Korea].

You can check out my episode 1-2 notes on Check In Hanyang on Patreon here.

Here’s an overview of what I’m covering on Patreon right now (Tier benefits are cumulative)!

Foundation Tier (US$1): Entertainment Drop (Sundays) + the first set notes of all shows covered on Patreon (that’s 2 episodes for kdramas and 4 episodes for cdramas)

Early Access (US$5): +Blossom [China]

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