Recap Korean Drama "Once Upon a Small Town" Episode 10

Sep 27, 2022

Once Upon a Small Town episode 10 starts with Ja-young seeing a heartbreaking scene in front of her – Ji-yul and Min kissing each other. Although he knows that it’s one-sided, she obviously takes it another way which makes Ji-yul panic, considering his growing feelings for Ja-young.

Min, afterwards, sees her love interest running after Ja-young with her bicycle and looks rather defeated. Ji-yul, meanwhile, tries to defend his position but gets shut down by Ja-young, who rushes away from him. She, too, looks rather sad and defeated, and after she goes back home, she finds Min waiting for her and she looks rather annoyed.

Still From Once Upon a Small Town Episode 10

As Yun-hyeong tells Ji-yul to go after the girl that he likes, Min and Ja-young get into a conversation wherein Min asks her whether her relationship with Ji-yul is strictly friendly or whether there’s something more going on between them. Ja-young, however, tells her that there’s nothing going on between them and that she doesn’t have to worry. Min, thus, asks her to, essentially, break his heart if that’s how she really feels, and Ja-young agrees.

That night, Ji-yul tries to call Ja-young while outside her place and gets a text from Min saying that she will visit him the next day and talk more about their relationship, and Ji-yul looks like he’s completely over this conversation. Meanwhile, Ja-young meets Sang-hyeon to tell him about her decision finally – she rejects his advances and cries with all the feelings surrounding her decision.

However, Sang-hyeon takes does her a solid and takes her decision like a champ and assures her that even if they can’t be involved romantically, they are still going to be friends and that they will still love each other in different ways. He also mentions that the hurt that he feels is his burden to bear, and that’s only for him to feel. All in all, things won’t change between them, and they will always be there for each other.

Still From Once Upon a Small Town Episode 10

With uncertain futures in front of them, everyone thinks back to their situations that night. The next morning, Ji-yul finds Min waiting for him in front of the hospital. Right off the bat, he asks her to go back and assures her that what she is feeling is guilt for leaving him when she left for the States. That things between them are over, and he doesn’t feel the same about her anymore.

Min fights back by saying that Ja-young does not feel the same about her and, like a champ, Ji-yul mentions that the isn’t about her; it’s about his feelings. Min, too, takes the conversation well and apologises for leaving him and taking his love for granted. After she leaves, ji-yul goes on a hunt to find Ja-young.

She goes to the peach farm and asks Sang-hyeon about Ja-young’s whereabouts. Sang-hyeon immediately acts like her brother, and the two start to pull each other’s legs. Anyway, after a bit of helping out around the farm, Ji-yul finally does come across Ja-young and finally gets her alone to talk to her. Unfortunately for him, she gives him an earful, but that stops when he finally tells her that he likes her.

Still From Once Upon a Small Town Episode 10

She tries to squeeze out of the grip of his feelings, but he insists that his feelings for her are not fake, and neither is he confused. However, Ja-young isn’t having any of it and tells him that he left him once and thus she won’t fall for it again. As she rushes out, she comes across Yeong-suk, who tells her that Ji-yul might be going back home sooner than expected since his grandfather is coming back earlier.

With her heart now broken, she finds comfort in Sang-hyeon who gives her some much-needed comfort and perspective. When she comes back home, she again comes across Min, who is on her way back to Seoul. The two women sort out their feelings for Ji-yul and for each other, and it’s great to see two women not fight over a man.

Once Upon a Small Town Episode 10 Ending

After Min leaves, Ja-young rushes out to meet Ji-yul and finally gets this situation sorted. When she meets him, she asks him when he has to go back. He tells her that he has about 15 days, and as he starts to apologise for the timing of it all, she shuts him up with a kiss, taking him by surprise!

Once Upon a Small Town Episode 10 Review

Still From Once Upon a Small Town Episode 10

There’s something really great about watching romantic rejections not turning into a bloodbath. Media (and real-life) have taught us that, more often than not, these situations don’t work out too well. But, what a charming end to some unhappy incidents – and a happy last scene to boot!

I think I really enjoyed this episode; it’s cheesy, not too melodramatic and doesn’t go overboard with the exes throwing a tantrum. I even liked Sang-hyeon being bossy with Ji-yul; now that his role has changed, it’s rather funny watching him go overboard for Ja-young.

All in all, this rather charming tale is, for sure, going to have a cute ending. If, of course, some major twist doesn’t push everything to crash and burn.