Bo Ra! Deborah (2023) Episode 9

Episode 9 of True to Love begins with Su-hyeok and Bo-ra both arriving at their respective homes in a daze from the kiss.

Later, at Jinlee Publishing, Sang-jin thinks about how U-ri nearly confessed her feelings to him. When Su-hyeok wonders what would happen if he cancelled Deborah’s book, Sang-jin reveals that his mother is one of the company’s primary investors. He goes on a long-winded explanation about how cancelling Deborah’s book could lead to him being forced into an arranged marriage.

Meanwhile, while waiting at Jin-woo’s coffee bar, Bo-ra thinks over the previous night and wonders who made the first move between her and Su-hyeok. Yu-jeong comes over and complains about how she and Jin-woo keep misreading each other’s signals about having sex, so they’ve come up with a ‘reservation’ system.

As Su-hyeok arrives for his meeting with Bo-ra, the latter reveals to Yu-jeong that she made a mistake with him again and rushes off to the restroom. Yu-jeong, in a moment of ignorant altruism, tells Su-hyeok that Bo-ra made a mistake and requests him to pretend it didn’t happen. When Bo-ra comes back she rambles on about how kisses are normal and don’t really mean anything, until Su-hyeok tells her to stop. He admits they both made a mistake.

Moving on to work, Bo-ra says her next step is to do nothing. She’s going to wait until memories of her become romanticised. Oh, and also to become pretty. When Su-hyeok leaves, Bo-ra gets in his car, assuming he’s going to drop her home. She makes a big fuss over it when he leans over to her side but it’s only to open the car door and inform her that he’s headed elsewhere.

In her efforts to become prettier than before, Bo-ra tries out a day at the gym with Yu-jeong. A test reveals to Bo-ra that her body is mostly made of fat. While she’s working out, a man approaches her but it turns out he’s on the phone. It makes Bo-ra realise how her self-esteem has dropped and she doesn’t feel like she deserves to be loved anymore.

While at work, Yu-jeong calls Jin-woo and makes a ‘reservation’ for the next night.

Jin-ho looks up advice on the internet about going on a date and tries to follow through when he meets Bo-mi — he wears white so that he sparkles, brings her flowers, walks on the roadside, and even offers to carry her bag. He books a fancy sashimi restaurant only to find that Bo-mi can’t eat sashimi. He takes her to a famous spot in the city only for it to be closed for construction.

Later, in Jin-woo’s secret man cave, Jin-ho worries about Bo-mi not replying to him but she eventually does. She says she had a good time.

Meanwhile, Bo-ra gets a number of procedures done to look more pretty. She bumps into Su-hyeok at a bookshop, while her face is red from a facial, and drags him to the gym to sign up together as there is a 50% discount for signing up with another person. Eventually, due to all the procedures she had done, Bo-ra sits on the side while Su-hyeok works out.

Yu-jeong arrives at the gym as well and wonders why Bo-ra and Su-hyeok are at the gym together, teasing Bo-ra about it. She then tells Bo-ra that she met Sang-jin, who told her how Su-hyeok was against doing Bo-ra’s book from the very beginning.

The news incenses Bo-ra and she rants about Su-hyeok, ending with describing how making him fall for her would be a piece of cake. Of course, Su-hyeok is standing right behind her and has heard everything. She profusely apologises but Su-hyeok calls her out for being a hypocrite and putting her feelings above his.

Just then, Jin-woo calls Yu-jeong and says he must cancel their ‘reservation’ for the night. His friend Young-hoon has come down from the US and he’s going to meet him. But Young-hoon ends up coming to the coffee bar where Yu-jeong meets him. Naturally, her mind jumps to conclusions about Jin-woo meeting another woman.

When Jin-woo comes home, Yu-jeong asks pointed questions about his night. She asks him if he has anything to tell her. Finally, he admits he didn’t meet Young-hoon. He met Ju-wan! She berates him for meeting someone she hates and they argue about whether he should continue to meet him or not.

At the gym the next day, Bo-ra sends Yu-jeong to talk Su-hyeok out of his anger. It doesn’t really work. He then gets a call from Sang-jin and rushes out of the gym, dismissing Bo-ra’s requests to offer him another apology.

Yu-jeong and Bo-ra return to the coffee bar to find Su-jin there, waiting for them with drinks. It’s the day of her marriage and divorce, so she doesn’t want to drink alone. Su-hyeok meets Sang-jin, who has called him to a bar for the same reason.

While chatting and laughing, Su-jin and Bo-ra end up blaming Yu-jeong for introducing them to terrible men. They decide to go out and bump into Bo-mi, who was actually waiting outside the bar for Jin-ho. They drag her along. First they try to enter a bar for singles and get rejected for being too old. Then they head to a regular club.

Sang-jin and Su-hyeok enter the club as well. Sang-jin mistakenly hits on Bo-ra and then saves himself by talking about the proposal for her book. He invites her upstairs to where Su-hyeok’s waiting. She agrees and soon, to Su-hyeok’s surprise, all four women show up.

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The Episode Review

True to Love delivers another solid episode of antics and escapades. From Yu-jeong’s sexless marriage woes and ‘reservation’ system to Bo-ra and Su-hyeok avoiding more ‘dangers’ that could lead to a kiss, it’s all perfectly entertaining. Yoo In-na continues to steal the show as Bo-ra, and in fact the series is quite focused on her. Bo-ra drives the narrative while Su-hyeok seems to flow along with it.

I was hoping it might be different considering he initiated the kiss (no matter what Bo-ra thinks, it was him) but so far the plot moves him more than he moves the plot. Either way, Yoon Hyun-min does a fantastic job of making Su-hyeok, in all his ‘indifference’, very endearing. He’s more heart-on-the-sleeve than he realises, making him easy to sympathise with.

Overall, I’m looking forward to the romance between these two. While the will-they won’t-they vibe is a pleasant watch, there are only a few episodes left and I’m hoping the show gives them a romance that is as fleshed out as their friendship.