Recap Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) – Season 1 Episode 8

Episode 8 of Love (ft. Marriage & Divorce) returns to the despicable Hae-Ryun justifying his actions. He claims to have tried breaking things off with his mistress but his feelings betrayed him. When the kids ask whether he’ll be gone in the morning, Hae-Ryun’s lack of a reply is telling in itself. Well, the next day Shi-Eun and Hae-Ryun both head to the centre and begin the process of their divorce.

Meanwhile, Seo-Hyang exhibits her concerns over how close Dong-Mi and Yu-Shin were at the amusement park. After sowing seeds of doubt in her mind, Pi-Young checks Yu-Shin’s phone and sees numerous pictures of his step-Mum. She clearly senses something is not right but for now, keeps quiet about it.

Elsewhere, Sa-Hyun speaks to Hye-Ryun in hospital and tells his wife he’s going to break things off with his mistress. At the same time, Ye-Jung manages to convince Moon-Ho to buy her a purse. It’s a small gesture but enough for her to convince Moon-Ho that it’s the little things in life that count. In fact, she even goes on to tell him they should buy a purse for Hye-Ryung. While he’s out shopping though, Moon-ho can’t stop thinking about Dong-Mi.

Moon-Ho heads over to work and meets Sa-Hyun, driving him away. Together they drive up to meet Hye-Ryung in hospital, handing over the bag and checking up on her. Moon-ho reinforces what Sa-Hyun has confirmed to them, believing that Sa-Hyun is going to break things off with his mistress now. However, as we cut across and see Sa-Hyun himself, it’s clear he’s not exactly thrilled with that idea.

Anyway, he eventually heads in that evening and decides to stay with Hye-Ryung for the night. Hye-Ryung obviously still hasn’t forgiven him though and nonchalantly eyeballs her husband as he puts a new watch on her wrist.

Pi-Young arrives to meet Hye-Ryung next, feeding back the latest gossip surrounding Professor Park and his pitiful excuses about leaving. Well, Shi-Eun is struggling to keep it together as she weeps in private in her car after shopping, remembering Hyang-Ki’s words.

After cooking for the kids, Shi-Eun even sticks up for him and comments how it’s “better to live a coward than a dead hero.” She tells them not to remain angry and bitter, reminding the kids that this is where the journey with their Father ends but not their own journey’s end. Hyang-Ki takes charge of the conversation and tells her Mother she wants to help her meet someone new and younger.

Pi-Young heads home from work and overhears Dong-Mi and Yu-Shin talking together while eating. She’s quiet and walks in to see him feeding her food. Dong-Mi is immediately flustered but she does eventually compose herself as Pi-Young sits with the others and eats. There, Pi-Young casually mentions the amusement park and their time together.

When Dong-Mi leaves, Pi-Young and Yu-Shin come to blows over the latter’s closeness to his step-mother. She hands over his suitcase and tells him not to waste time traveling back and forth. For now, she encourages him to leave and stay with Dong-Mi given that he seems to view her as a sister.

Things inevitably end on a sour note between them, especially as the pair lie in bed together. There, Yu-Shin mentions his upbringing and the difference in love he experienced between him and his brother. He admits that his Mother had no affection for him and broke his heart numerous times. This explains his feelings for Dong-Mi and how he never really experienced maternal love.

Pi-Young sighs and shows him the pictures of Dong-Mi. She tries to make him see her side of things, turning the tables and asking how he would feel if she practically went on a date every day looking after her widowed stepfather and neglecting him and little Ji-A. Hae-Ryun sighs and tells her to bear with him for a month, admitting that he’s going to quit swimming too.

When Pi-Young mentions setting Dong-Mi up with another man, he immediately feels awkward but embraces his wife nonetheless and admits it never crossed his mind.

At work the next day, all of our characters are feeling down and depressed in the studio. Seo Ban picks up on the mood immediately and questions why they’re all feeling depressed. Well, Pi-Young decides to lean on Mr Seo, inviting him down to the canteen for a coffee. There, she asks him whether he knows any single friends for Dong-Mi.

Although he isn’t against the idea, he does tell her to speak to Dong-Mi first before setting anything up. He also confirms that there are lots of potential candidates that would be happy to hook up with her.

Later that evening, Shi-Eun and Pi-Young visit Hye-Ryung in hospital. Shi-Eun admits that she’s signed the divorce papers but Hye-Ryung’s toxicity gets the better of her. She thinks Shi-Eun should have dragged it out and got revenge on him instead. Well, just then Mr Seo shows up and drops off a gift for Hye-Ryung. It’s a brief visit, one that sees him immediately leave afterwards.

As the episode closes out, our trio of mistresses head on the plane but it just so happens to be the same one Yu-Shin is boarding. As he heads down the gangway, dramatic music crescendos.

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The Episode Review

Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) bows out with another indifferent slice of drama, focusing this time on the growing rift between Pi-Young and Yu-Shin. Although his backstory does make sense, there’s undoubtedly a lot of strangeness with this storyline and with Yu-Shin now staying with Dong-Mi, it’s the perfect opportunity to start this icky affair between the two.

Hye-Ryung’s bitterness continues to consume her, even spreading across to Shi-Eun when she convinces her older colleague to gain revenge on Hae-Ryun rather than actually getting divorced and dealing with things as adults.

The ending certainly hints that we’ve got more drama to come though but there really isn’t a lot of substance to this drama. We’re halfway through this 16 episode drama and so far this has definitely not been a show to remember.