Recap Korean Drama "The Interest of Love (2022)" Episode 16

The Interest of Love episode 16 starts at the bank as Sang-su works diligently. Things go on as usual, with calendar season rolling around and Sang-su getting promoted to assistant manager. He looks happy, but when it comes to Su-yeong, he switches between completely forgetting and remembering her clearly.

And just like that, 4 years pass by, and the entire office gets together for Du-sik and Eun-jeong’s wedding. There’s excitement all around, and the bride and groom look beautiful together. The employees are still the same, constantly ribbing each now that they are meeting after some time. Through this conversation, we learn that Mi-gyeong has been promoted to manager.

After the wedding is over, Sang-su leaves for a previous engagement and narrowly misses meeting Mi-gyeong. She comes across Gyeong-pil, and when he asks her whether he should call Sang-su, she dismisses the notion and calls him just an ex. Meanwhile, Sang-su goes out on a date but gets rejected when the woman tells him that she’s not ready for a relationship at the moment.

Still From The Interest of Love Episode 16

At the wedding, after bidding everyone goodbye, Mi-gyeong asks Gyeong-pil about Su-yeong, but he tells her that he doesn’t know where she is. Mi-gyeong mentions that it’s curious how she sometimes thinks about her to this day. On the other hand, Min-hee goes to meet Su-yeong, who is a barista now and probably owns a café.

They talk about their previous coworkers, and Min-hee asks her whether she is curious about what Sang-su is up to. Su-yeong tells her that she thinks about him sometimes, and Min-hee mentions that it’s ok for every love story not to find its happy ending. Min-hee, all of a sudden, asks her about the café’s security deposit, and Su-yeong tells her that the owners are increasing it this year, so she will have to visit a bank soon. And the bank, as it turns out, is the one to which Sang-su is being transferred.

Meanwhile, while taking out Seok-hyeon’s trash, Sang-su comes across his wedding album and goes through it to find Su-yeong’s picture. We see what happened after that day they spent together at Tongyeong – Sang-su went over to meet her but was unable to get in touch with her.

In the present, on his way to the new office, Sang-su sees Su-yeong crossing the road while standing at a traffic light. He gives chase to her, but it turns out that it’s someone else. He looks broken at the realisation but turns around to find a café named ‘Future Happiness’ with the cherry plant sitting outside.

Still From The Interest of Love Episode 16

Remembering what Sang-su and Su-yeong had talked about 4 years ago, he goes inside, and the artwork inside reminds him of every place they had been to together and the memories that made those places special. Of course, he can’t stay back, but before he leaves, he asks the attendant about the meaning of the café’s name. Meanwhile, Su-yeong makes her way to the bank to get the loan, and unfortunately, Sang-su just misses her by a minute.

Su-yeong makes her way to her favourite artist’s exhibit and runs into Mi-gyeong. Their conversation isn’t awkward or resentful but is rather quite honest and warm. Mi-gyeong talks about her breakup and how people’s gossip doesn’t bother her anymore, while Su-yeong tells her about her café.

Interestingly, Mi-gyeong talks about how she still, after all this time, doesn’t understand why Su-yeong did what she did. Su-yeong agrees that she also missed her over the years and gives her her café’s card, and asks her to visit. Mi-gyeong mentions that she will bring her boyfriend. She asks her about Jong-hyeon, and whether he became a police officer and as it turns out, he did.

Later, at work, Sang-su gets an inspection duty, which so happens to be at Su-yeong’s café while Su-yeong goes through the pictures on her desktop and reminisces about Sang-su after seeing a picture of him that she had taken on their last meeting at Tongyeong. When Sang-su does finally see the business license, he is shocked to find Su-yeong’s name on it.

Still From The Interest of Love Episode 16

He goes to the café after closing and looks at the nameplate intently. Meanwhile, Su-yeong thinks about Sang-su fondly over a glass of wine. At home, Sang-su uses the business license to give her a call but stops himself just as he is about to do so. He remembers the time when Gyeong-pil had mentioned if Su-yeong wasn’t the only person who gave up on the relationship – maybe he gave up as well. Sang-su denies the claims, but it seems like there is some truth to the claim.

The next day, Sang-su asks his colleague to call Su-yeong and let her know that he will be going to the café to talk about some missing documents. Su-yeong looks shell-shocked, and before she can take in the information, Sang-su walks in. Both are left speechless, seeing each other after so long.

They sit down to talk, and it’s clear that things are quite awkward between the two. Sang-su doesn’t drag the conversation forward too much and gives her the documents they will need to secure the loan and proceeds to leave. Su-yeong asks him whether he’d like to have coffee, and he accepts the proposal.

Sang-su’s clumsiness breaks the ice between the two, and she asks him whether he’s been well. Sang-su repeats the same question back, and they both mention that they have tried to be happy. He further asks her why she named the place ‘Future Happiness’, and she replies that just because. As he leaves, Sang-su tells her that he will meet her during the inspection. It’s clear that both of them still have feelings for each other.

Later, Su-yeong goes to meet Min-hee after she gives birth and the latter advices her to stop being so hard on herself. Regardless of whom she decides to date, she shouldn’t bottle everything up inside her and live her life, especially because she now has a job that she likes and is making a living out of it. The words seem to touch Su-yeong, who seems to consider the advice.

Still From The Interest of Love Episode 16

Afterwards, while crossing the road, Su-yeong spots Jong-hyeon on duty and walks right by him, happy that he has finally gotten the job of his dreams. She does stop on the other side to smile at him, and the two shed a tear. As she walks away, Jong-hyeon salutes Su-yeong, keeping his promise to her. That night, Mi-gyeong, while on a run, finds a 500 yen coin on the ground and thinks about the day at the wedding – she had seen Sang-su look back at her name being called and then smile.

The next day, Sang-su goes to Su-yeong’s café for the inspection, and after handing over some papers to her, he starts to leave but decides to paint before leaving. When he finishes, they laugh over his clear lack of talent for drawing. When it comes time to leave, though, it’s clear that Sang-su is awaiting for her to say something, but she bids him farewell and a nice life.

They both look crestfallen, but as luck would have it, they eventually run into each other that night while walking down their old path. Sitting at the café from before, he asks her why she came there that night. Su-yeong mentions that she comes here sometimes because it’s good exercise. She further asks him why he is not asking her about why she ghosted him. He tells her that he found the answer on his own, even though it might not be exactly correct.

He jokes about her not keeping her promises about the pork cutlets and asks her to go with him the next day to have them. Su-yeong accepts the proposal, and the next day when he can’t match the funds at the bank, simply adds his own money to make it to the date. He does get there, but maybe a little late, and Su-yeong laughs when she sees him.

Still From The Interest of Love Episode 16

As they walk to the restaurant, they talk about college and how the place hasn’t changed in 4 years. Sang-su suddenly brings up why she didn’t call him back, and she asks him why he didn’t come looking for her. He tells her that he did go to her but just couldn’t find her. Su-yeong tells him that at that time, there was nothing to give and nothing to receive either.

The two walk together and pull each other’s legs as they talk about their regrets and what would’ve happened had they made different decisions. The next couple of scenes are absolutely heartbreaking to watch as they go over their relationship, and every time they stopped themselves from expressing everything that was on their minds back then.

The Interest of Love Episode 16 Ending

But in the present, they are walking down to the pork cutlet place, imagining what could’ve been had they been brave enough. They talk about whether they would’ve broken up while handling their hypothetical child and fighting about everyday stuff, and Su-yeong mentions how their imaginations are also not very special. Sang-su mentions that that’s probably what love is – staying together while going through everyday life.

The comment makes her take notice, and they wonder whether, while going through this life, they were already in love with each other or whether they were blinded by the interest. They reach the top of the hill by this point, and she asks him whether he has forgotten something today. He simply replies that he has forgotten absolutely nothing, and they start to walk back again.