4 Well-Written And 1 Flawed Aspects Of Episode 7-8 Of “Queen Of Divorce”

As “Queen of Divorce” has only four more episodes to go, the story is starting to wrap up. There were a few revelations in episodes 7 and 8, and the relationships between our main and side characters are slowly progressing as well. Most of the scenes were great; however, a few also came out looking half-baked. Here are four well-written aspects and one flawed aspect of episodes 7 and 8 of “Queen of Divorce.”

Warning: Spoilers for episodes 7 and 8 ahead.

Well-written: Sara Kim and Ki Joon’s mature relationship

Time and time again, Sara Kim (Lee Ji Ah) and Dong Ki Joon (Kang Ki Young) have proven that they are one of the most mature yet lively K-drama couples through their great communication skills. One of the most overused plot devices in romance dramas and films is miscommunication. If the characters don’t know the motive of their love interest or are unaware of the full context of a situation, then that allows the producer to drag the story longer at the expense of a weak plot. However, that’s not the case in “Queen of Divorce.”

At the end of episode 6, the audience is led to believe that Sara Kim kissed Ki Joon because she saw her ex-husband No Yul Sung (Oh Min Suk) spying on them. Now, as much as the audience would have loved a romantic kiss to happen between the main leads, the full context makes the scene less intimate. However, at the very beginning of episode 7, Sara Kim does not actually kiss Ki Joon but steps away when she hears Yul Sung’s car moving away. Of course, like any normal human being, this act leaves Ki Joon confused. She continues by saying, “You used me first,” referring to him joining Solution to learn more about Yul Sung. Before Ki Joon explains that he joined the team for her and her only, she leaves.

But before the episode ends, Ki Joon explains his position, and just like that our main leads are back on track.

Well-written: Kim Young Ah

For a few years, one thing has become prevalent in the media and that is the character of the “strong woman,” devoid of all emotions and always a Mary Sue. That’s why the character of Kim Young Ah (Son Ji Na) feels so real and well-rounded. Sara Kim meets Young Ah at first for her benefit, but we get to learn more about her when she visits Solution. However, her case is a bit different than all of the previous Solution clients. She does not want Sara Kim’s help in finalizing her divorce but prevents it.

At first, it’s easy to assume that the ultimate reason behind her request is so that her divorce would not lower her popularity among the general public, leading to fewer votes in the next election. However, her answer shocks everyone—she cares about her kids more than her career. As the kids are not biologically hers, she does not have custody of them, and a divorce means she would have to live away from them, which she could never imagine. While in most stories, stepmothers are shown to be evil, it is refreshing to see proficient politician Young Ah fighting for kids that she did not give birth to but loves more than her life.

Well-written: Kwon Dae Ki and Kang Bom’s romantic arc

Kwon Dae Ki (Lee Tae Gu) and Kang Bom’s (Seo Hye Won’s) romantic arc has been hinted at since the first episode. The clear giveaway was their banter; that’s how it always starts. However, their story has been slowly moving forward since episode 6 when Bom showed him the scars on her arm. That action showed whether she trusted him enough to let him know about her trauma. And in episodes 7-8, we saw them becoming more flirtatious. Dae Ki even shouted, “You are not my type,” which everyone would agree means he, in fact, likes her.

Plus, both Lee Tae Gu and Seo Hye Won have chemistry that helps bring the characters to life on screen. Someone should hire them as main leads in a romantic comedy soon!

Flawed: Sara Kim being a passive hero

One of the main reasons why viewers were excited during the premiere week of “Queen of Divorce” was the thrill that comes with a team of intelligent people serving justice. However, it seems like the Solution team, and Sara Kim specifically, has taken the back seat and become a passive hero in her own story. Instead of using her brain to solve Young Ah’s case, she is being handed the solution (no pun intended) on a silver plate.

The best example of this is when Sara Kim wants to help Young Ah get custody of her kids. Soon, we are shown that Young Ah’s son is taken to the hospital. She rushes over there with Sara Kim and finds out that Young Ah’s husband Yoo Min Chul (Oh Yong), due to his faith in the fraud cult, confiscated their son’s medicine, leading to his sickness. This information ends up being the main evidence that will help Young Ah get custody of her kids.

All of the investigation Sara Kim and Solution did in Young Ah’s case was not as useful as that one act of Young Ah’s husband. So what did Sara Kim do exactly to help her client? I would have been able to let go of this issue; however, Young Ah offered Sara Kim to work on her election campaign because of her intelligence and resourcefulness.

Well-written: CEO Son Jang Mi

Kim Sun Young is a great actress who has worked in dozens of movies and K-dramas, receiving multiple awards for her well-played roles. That’s why her underutilization in the first six episodes of “Queen of Divorce” left me surprised. Thankfully, in last week’s episode, Son Jang Mi (Kim Sun Young), CEO of Solution, had more screen time than perhaps the previous six episodes combined. Her comedic timing helped reduce the tension in some of the scenes that would have otherwise been heavy.

 

cr: Soompi