Jin Confronts Hwan
Episode 10 of When I Was the Most Beautiful begins with Jin demanding the truth about what happened between Hwan and Ye-Ji. Instead, Hwan deflects the question and tells him that she’s going to collaborate for a work project. Just before he goes, Hwan bitterly reveals all the hardship they had to go through while Jin was gone. Sensing something up, Ye-Ji confronts her husband about why he’s been feeling off since the lotus pond visit. Jin tells her to take the job before moving his hand away from hers and hanging his head. Back in the workshop, Ye-Ji and Hwan are interrupted by Amber arriving from America. She’s bubbly and certainly brightens up this moody melodrama. She tells Hwan she still likes him but has her own motives for being there. As they sit down and eat dinner, Jin questions Amber about Hwan’s behaviour after visiting Korea. With the evening drawing to a close, Amber admits privately to Hwan that she wanted to see who the woman was she couldn’t compete against. She even implores him not to give up hope yet as she gets in a taxi and stays nearby. Back inside, Ye-Ji encourages Hwan not to give up on Amber. He just hasn’t been able to open up his heart to anyone else which is the reason it hasn’t been working out. As she carries on, Hwan asks whether she really wants him to be happy. When Ye-Ji refuses to answer and walks away, Jin watches from afar. Meanwhile, Yeon-Ja attends the hospital and learns that Jin’s issues may actually not be permanent. For now she keeps the information to herself while Ye-Ji prepares to join Hwan in checking out a workshop. When Sung-Gon learns about Jin staying behind, he heads in and confronts his son about his petty pride. Jin deflects back to Sung-Gon’s divorce and asks how he hasn’t broken up yet. As they continue on, Sung-Gon reveals the truth that Ye-Ji didn’t want to leave the house as she’s deeply in love with him. He tells his son to be honest and open himself up to his wife. Elsewhere, Yeon-Ja comes under fire from the chairman following the funds used to try and find Jin. Eventually he tells her to resign within a week unless she can come up with a replacement. Ms Kim arrives at the workshop and watches from afar as Ye-Ji busies herself. When Jin suddenly shows up, he tells Ms Kim to leave and that she’s not welcome. Eventually Jin confronts Ye-Ji about her Mother and tells her to avoid the woman no matter what. When Ye-Ji tries asking whether he’ll accept her embracing the past, he vehemently refuses to allow it. When Jin heads home, he claws his way upstairs determined to find out the truth about Hwan and his sketchbook. Finding nothing, he turns his attention to Hwan’s computer and starts looking through the various pictures. When Ye-Ji rings him, he ignores her call and continues looking while she drives home. Among those pictures are Hwan and Ye-Ji’s day together. Of course, nothing happened but given both Ye-Ji and Hwan lied about meeting up it definitely doesn’t look good. Ye-Ji returns and finds Jin in the workshop waiting for her. He brings up Jeju Island just as Hwan enters the room. He questions Ye-Ji and hints that the two were having an affair behind his back. As Jin turns and leaves the room, Hwan hurries after him. It’s no good though and Jin eventually leaves the workshop, convinced this isn’t his home anymore. Living with his Mother, he takes up the mantle of being the temporary CEO as a way of taking his mind off things. At the same time, Hwan meets up with Amber and learns how cold he’s been toward her in the US. When Ye-Ji visits Jin at work, he tells her he wants a divorce.
The Episode Review
Jin is being completely unreasonable here. So does he expect everyone to mope around for 7 years and not have a single bit of fun? Especially given everyone thought he was dead. Yes Ye-Ji and Hwan probably should have admitted they met up but a few pictures of eating food together and buying teddies are hardly hints at an affair. If the pictures were of the duo on the beach together kissing maybe it may be an excuse enough but even then, Jin can’t be mad. He was selfish enough to hide from everyone and refused to see his wife who was worried sick. As predicted, Jin’s situation isn’t permanent which, to be honest, I’m a little disappointed about. Not from being heartless but purely narratively speaking I think it would have worked better for him to embrace the disability like his Father has. In the meantime though, Hwan will probably decide Amber is his second place prize and settle down with her leaving Ye-Ji all alone. We’ll have to wait and see what happens next though of course but this week’s episode is a slight improvement over what we’ve seen before. It’s not perfect, and the show is not without its problems, but there’s enough here to enjoy for now.
