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Now that Ji-yoon and Eun-ho are on the same page about their feelings for each other, it’s time for the next chapter: the dating era. The more they spend time together, the more they continue to be reminded of why they fell in love in the first place. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Love Scout: Episode 8 Recap

After their special kiss and reunion, Ji-yoon and Eun-ho sit down to have a conversation about their feelings. Ji-yoon was so used to being alone that she forgot about how warm life could be and Eun-ho reminded her of that warmth. It wasn’t until she came back home after having dinner at his house that she felt like things shifted for her and she was okay with all of these new changes. For Eun-ho, he was so used to just having Byeol in his life so it was different to finally have someone else who he wanted to invite into that world. Ji-yoon notes that they shouldn’t overthink things and that they should just simply like each other. Eun-ho agrees and follows her comment up with another confession. He places his hand over hers and declares that he’ll take good care of her. He likes her a lot.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. When Eun-ho drives Ji-yoon back home, she no longer sits in the back of the car. She’s up in the front passenger seat. But just like she’s done many times before, she can’t stop staring at Eun-ho and admiring his side view. Haha. Please never change, Ji-yoon. Eventually, the two lovebirds arrive outside of Ji-yoon’s home and it’s their first farewell as a couple. Ji-yoon forces Eun-ho to stay inside the car; if he were to step out, she wouldn’t want him to leave so she gets out of the car alone and Eun-ho watches her walk back home from his side mirror. He can’t help but giggle at her comment (I don’t know how I’m going to survive their dating era. They got me smiling like an idiot every 2 minutes!!).

Eun-ho returns home and does his usual nighttime routine with Byeol. But before reading her a book, he sits down on the edge of her bed with him and asks her a question. How would she feel if he had someone who he liked? Byeol is excited at the thought of her dad being in love. She’s already seven years old. She’s all grown-up now. Haha. Jung-hoon and Soo-hyun meet up again for some beer and they update each other about their unrequited love story. Both are feeling dejected from getting rejected. But having a one-sided crush isn’t the only thing they have in common. Jung-hoon gets a little bit more serious and he grows emotional over the death of his brother. He misses his brother. This gets Soo-hyun thinking as well and she empathizes with Jung-hoon since she also knows what it feels like to lose a loved one. It’s heartwarming to see just how much the two have in common and how they can comfort each other during these rough times. Soo-hyun receives the answer she was hoping not to hear in regards to Eun-ho and his relationship with Ji-yoon. In addition to proposing that they bring the kids with them to the movies next time, Eun-ho admits that he backed out on the movie date because of Ji-yoon (I’m fully on the Ji-yoon and Eun-ho ship but my heart breaks for Soo-hyun).

Our two lovebirds agree to keep their romance a secret in the office. They shouldn’t make it too obvious. From closing the elevators on Eun-ho to reminding Eun-ho in her office, Ji-yoon doesn’t want people to catch on. It drives Eun-ho a little crazy at work but there’s someone else who’s also going crazy because of love. Kwang-hee catches Gyeong-hwa in the break room at the office and he secretly grabs her hand for a few seconds before walking away. Gyeong-hwa goes crazy.

Ji-yoon and Eun-ho meet with their next candidate, Attorney Jang Seon-woo. She’s willing to work for Peoplez’ client but she has a few terms that she’d like the company to agree to. Seon-woo is serious about maintaining a work-life balance but this seems suspicious to Ji-yoon and Eun-ho. Something seems off. Seon-woo is a workaholic so it seems a bit strange that she’s now changed. After the meeting, Ji-yoon suggests that they go grab some coffee. Since they’re not at the office and it’s only the two of them, Ji-yoon is okay with holding hands and being affectionate. Eeeek, they’re too cute. But of course, when they get back to the office, they act really normal by being very serious. Mi-ae’s always at the scene of the crime and she checks in with both Eun-ho and Ji-yoon about how the meeting went. But the two are completely unserious and they don’t have much of an answer because they’re too busy giggling over how their coffee date went.

Jung-hoon takes a break at work by checking in on Soo-hyun to see how she’s doing. He’s worried about her after the night of drinking that they had. Soo-hyun texts him back and they share an adorable banter. But the happiness doesn’t last for long for Soo-hyun. Her mom is curious about what happened between her and Eun-ho and Soo-hyun tells the honest truth. There was no movie date and he’s set boundaries with her. Eun-ho doesn’t see Soo-hyun as more than a friend. Speaking of Eun-ho, he and Ji-yoon meet up with Seon-woo. She runs late to their meeting and informs them about the divorce and custody battle that she’s currently going through. She emphasized the point about work-life balance in their first meeting because she wants to prove that she’s making an effort to take care of her kid. Her kid has been neglected in the process and this has caused immense pain and confusion. Seon-woo loves her kid and wants to take care of him but she also still wants to keep her career as a successful lawyer. She’s at a crossroads with both her personal and professional life. She’s not so sure she has a right to be a mother. But Eun-ho empathizes with Seon-woo and cheers her up. He notes,

“Why don’t you have the right? It’s not easy to raise a child. Sometimes you want to give it all up and leave. But you didn’t. You’re trying to protect both your child and your career. That’s already incredible. No parent starts out being perfect. Even if you’re inadequate, you do your best and get better little by little. You’re doing that.. And so am I. You have the right.”

Hearing Seon-woo’s struggles about being a parent reminds Eun-ho about his divorce and the moment his ex-wife informed him that she wanted to separate. To get some fresh air, Ji-yoon and Eun-ho go on a stroll on a walking trail. This time, it’s Eun-ho’s turn to ask Ji-yoon why she didn’t ask him about his divorce and ex-wife. But Ji-yoon knows that it must hurt for Eun-ho and plus, he didn’t ask her about Hye-jin either that last time (omg the parallels, I love it so much!). But Eun-ho feels comfortable sharing his story to Ji-yoon and he recounts the details from the divorce. Byeol is aware that her mother is absent in her life and that makes Eun-ho feel even greater responsibility to take care of her. Listening to all that Eun-ho had to go through impresses Ji-yoon. She notes how amazing he is which gets Eun-ho to blush. Their walk is interrupted by a sudden phone call from an acquaintance who updates Eun-ho about the fire incident that Eun-ho was involved in as a child. The acquaintance knows a contact who has some more information about the incident (I lowkey forgot about this storyline! Can’t believe the drama is bringing it back..).

Ji-yoon and Eun-ho amp things up in the office. After speaking about Seon-woo’s situation, Eun-ho and Ji-yoon give each other a high-five. But that’s not enough for Ji-yoon and she quickly kisses the back of his hand which surprises Eun-ho (and me too. I almost spit out the drink in my mouth!). They continue to flirt by winking and staring at each other in the office. Back at Dodam Bookstore, Byeol updates Kang-seok about her dad’s love life. She has an inkling that he likes someone. He keeps staring at himself in the mirror. He has his phone in his hand all day. He gave her a hair tie that didn’t belong to her. Byeol’s a smart girl and she’s easily caught on to her father’s antics. Kang-seok shares the exciting news with Mi-ae while walking home from work that night. Mi-ae’s just as happy for Eun-ho but she freaks out when she finally realizes that Ji-yoon and Eun-ho could be a thing after all. It’s not what she was expecting nor was she a fan of the pairing.

Back at the office, Ji-yoon and Eun-ho take a break by spending some time with each other. When Eun-ho places his arms around her and embraces her from behind, Ji-yoon warns him that they’re still at work. But Eun-ho has already clocked out (this comment left me in shambles. I am not okay!). Ji-yoon also decides to clock out of work and it seems for a moment like she’s in the mood for love. She takes a good look at his face and the gap between their faces closes. But Ji-yoon’s in the mood for food and she’s hungry. LOL. She’s such a troll. She wants to go get some food.

Mi-ae finds Ji-yoon and Eun-ho at the elevator together and she catches a glimpse of Ji-yoon smiling at Eun-ho inside the elevatoar. This is her confirmation that Ji-yoon and Eun-ho are indeed dating and she confronts Ji-yoon about it over some lunch (noooo, not the infamous Subway PPL). Mi-ae understands how lonely and hard it was for Ji-yoon growing up so she wants her to find someone who she loves and to just be in an ordinary relationship. Eun-ho’s great and all but he has a kid. But Ji-yoon doesn’t see anything wrong with it. In fact, she likes it. This is Eun-ho’s life which he’s so confidently led and lived. Ji-yoon likes him for who he is.

Ji-yoon and Eun-ho meet up with Seon-woo to offer her a new position. The old one didn’t work out but there’s potential for a new job. Seon-woo declines the opportunity. She’s going through a lot and she wants to quit working. She feels discouraged with her situation. As much as Seon-woo wants to be with her kid, Tae-yoon, Tae-yoon only wants to be with his dad. She realizes that she’s in a losing situation and there’s nothing much that she can do to win the custody battle. But not all hope is lost and Seon-woo finds out the actual reason as to why Tae-yoon wants to live with his dad.

Tae-yoon ends up at the Peoplez office after finding Ji-yoon’s business card in his mom’s office and he wants to ask her something. Seon-woo,  Ji-yoon, and Eun-ho arrive at the office not too long afterwards and the four have a talk in Ji-yoon’s office. Tae-yoon’s a sweet angel and he wants his mom to keep working. He doesn’t want his mom to have to quit working just so that she can take care of him. That’s the reason as to why he said that he wanted to live with his dad: so his mom could keep her career. Seon-woo reassures her son that she still loves him and wants to be with him. Ji-yoon and Eun-ho already have a plan in place to help Seon-woo be able to balance both her work and life. Eun-ho’s found a new position that can help Seon-woo do both. She’ll have to take a pay cut but it’ll allow her to spend more time with Tae-yoon. So with that, their situation is resolved and the mother and son pair bid farewell to the Peoplez family. Eun-ho also makes sure to let Ji-yoon know that she did a good job.

That night, Ji-yoon and Eun-ho spend all night chatting with each other on the phone. They talk about their sleeping habits in which Ji-yoon shares that she’s always had a hard time falling asleep. She dreams of her father and it doesn’t bring her comfort since he wasn’t a good father to her. So to ease the somber mood, Eun-ho volunteers to read a boring book to Ji-yoon to help her fall asleep. But first, he wants to keep talking to her so they talk and talk and laugh and laugh on the phone. Eventually, Eun-ho gets around to reading books to Ji-yoon and since the boring book didn’t do any wonders, he proceeds to reading her an inspirational one, reciting,

“Perhaps comfort is not something that comes to you, but I realized it’s something you seek out. I must get closer to comfort, and I think I must speak to comfort. Maybe people around me have been waiting for me to get well enough to bring up something sad. Maybe they’ve been waiting to offer up the comfort they’ve readied. This thought made me cry.”

And sure enough, the reading works and Ji-yoon is able to fall asleep soundly.

The next day, Ji-yoon and Eun-ho hold hands in the elevator while heading up to the office. But she receives a sudden phone call from Jung-hoon’s dad who’s invited her to an event. Jung-hoon speaks a little bit more to Mi-ae and Ji-yoon about it at the office and he doesn’t think too much of it. They can just go to the event to show face and then feel things out. Mi-ae is worried and doesn’t have a good feeling. Ji-yoon too is worried because she rejected Chairman Woo’s request the last time they met and she’s afraid that this event has something to do with it. Eun-ho can tell Ji-yoon’s worried about the event as well as the pressure to give in to Chairman Woo since he’s done so much for her when she first started Peoplez. Eun-ho reassures her that she’s doing great and that Peoplez is as successful as it is because of her. There’s nothing much to be worried about. Meanwhile, Gyeong-hwa and Kwang-hee’s attempts to keep their workplace romance a secret fails. They think they’re still able to keep things under a wrap but Gyu-rim and Young-soo already caught onto things a while ago. Haha.

It’s the day of the party and Ji-yoon arrives with Eun-ho to the event. She greets Jung-hoon and Chairman Woo but there’s also another guest who neither Jung-hoon nor Ji-yoon was expecting. It’s none other than Hye-jin. The party starts with a welcome from Chairman Woo who announces his friend’s new position thanks in part to Hye-jin’s help. After the announcement, Chairman Woo chats with a colleague and throws shade at Ji-yoon. She’s not just a headhunter; she can also provide other services such as matchmaking. But Ji-yoon stands her ground and stands up to Chairman Woo. He must have misunderstood what she does for a living and no, she cannot provide any other service outside of headhunting. Chairman Woo dislikes Ji-yoon’s behavior and attitude towards him so he decides to test her. After getting her a cup of champagne, he declares her to drink it. Ji-yoon isn’t one to back down so easily and she walks over to a table and slams the cup down. The tension between the two heightens and Chairman Woo is close to confronting Ji-yoon. But Eun-ho swoops in and steps in between Ji-yoon and Chairman Woo to break the tension. He introduces himself to Chairman Woo and it’s clear that he wants to get Ji-yoon out of there before things get worse. Chairman Woo isn’t happy with either Ji-yoon or Eun-ho but Eun-ho doesn’t care. He pays his respect to Chairman Woo before turning around to Ji-yoon and signaling that they should leave.

My Thoughts:

Hmm, that was an interesting way to end the episode. Maybe it was just me but it did feel a little too damsel in distress-ey to me. I’m curious as to what would have happened had Ji-yoon been the one to cut ties with Chairman Woo and stand up for herself. I understand that she feels conflicted about her connection with him given how much he’s done for her. But one thing I like about Ji-yoon is how she was so unapologetically herself and stayed true to who she was regardless of who it was she interacted with. Instead of Eun-ho coming in to “save” her, I would have definitely been interested in seeing Ji-yoon handle the situation herself (which I think she was perfectly capable of doing). She was already halfway there when she declined to drink the cup of champagne and slammed it down onto the table. She was already making it clear that she didn’t want to give Chairman Woo any control over her or let him treat her the way he had been doing. Ji-yoon standing up to Chairman Woo would have signified character growth for her (something which I would like to see more of in this drama as of lately) and it also would have been consistent with what we’ve seen from her so far.

I’ve been enjoying this drama so much that I’m afraid it’s going to fall apart and fumble the last half of its run. There’s a few things I think it could improve on such as the editing and the transition between the scenes (the scene at the elevator of Gyu-rim and Young-soo already being aware of Gyeong-hwa and Kwang-hee’s romance threw me off because it felt a little out of place and random). Sometimes, there’s also this inconsistency in how a certain scene is presented. You’re enjoying Ji-yoon and Eun-ho’s walk on the trail and then you’re suddenly reminded that oh yeah, there’s still the fire incident that the drama hasn’t even touched upon which is definitely going to affect Ji-yoon and Eun-ho’s relationship. The drama is saving the fire incident for last because I’m assuming it’s what’s going to lead to the inevitable break up that every main couple in a drama has to go through. I thought the pacing in the first six episodes was so well done that I can’t help but just feel like I’ve started to see little cracks show in episodes 7 and 8. Again, maybe I’m just being extra worried and paranoid for no reason. I hope Ji-yoon and Eun-ho don’t end up breaking up (because that will just drag things out when we only have 4 more episodes to go). Maybe the show will be able to find a way to show us Ji-yoon and Eun-ho’s inevitable break-up and make-up and happy ending. Maybe it’ll also be able to show how things wrap up with Hye-jin, Chairman Woo, and Career Way.

But I’m also not the most confident because I feel like the drama has so many things that it wants to accomplish and do. I’m afraid the drama is going to feel rushed. There’s still the threat of Hye-jin looming in the background. Now Chairman Woo is an enemy. But there’s still the fire incident that Ji-yoon and Eun-ho are connected to that might lead to a potential break-up. If I had to choose, I could definitely do without the Career Way and Hye-jin storyline. The drama hasn’t really focused all that much on it anyways so it’s clear that the drama doesn’t really care for it. It’s taking up precious screen time that could be devoted towards covering the fire incident or diving into the possibility of Ji-yoon, Eun-ho, and Byeol being a family.

If it was up to me, I would love to see a new storyline where Ji-yoon is integrated into Eun-ho and Byeol’s life. I’m so curious if 1) this actually does happen or if Eun-ho continues to keep his love life and family life completely separate and 2) if it does happen, what that looks like. I want to see them as a family and how that’s going to work out. Ji-yoon doesn’t care or mind that Eun-ho has a child. She gets along well with Byeol and vice versa. She also sees how great and kind of a father he is to Byeol. But at the same time, Eun-ho is so used to it being just him and Byeol for years. Will it be easy for them to become a family? What is that transition and dynamic going to be like or look like? What kind of struggles and challenges will they face? Instead of focusing on Careerway/Hye-jin or the fire incident, I would have loved to see this as the main storyline for the final act. Again, maybe the drama will turn out fine and be able to wrap things up in a wonderful way with the 4 last episodes. But I also can’t help but ponder over how there’s so much potential for the drama to be even better.

With all of this being said, there were still highlights and positive things that came out of this episode and I continue to be amazed at how delicate the drama is with certain moments. I loved the way that the episode opened up with Ji-yoon and Eun-ho talking through their feelings and situation. And then to follow that up with Eun-ho bringing it up to Byeol afterwards was such a genius move and was so well executed. It was so touching. Byeol wants her father to be happy. She wishes that he would also think about himself and what he wants. Their conversation was so sweet, fragile, heartfelt, intimate, and soft. It was my favorite moment from the episode.

It was also nice to watch Eun-ho relate and sympathize with a candidate. He’s stood out in his own way in pretty much every single episode but this episode was about him. It was his time to shine. He could relate to Seon-woo in that he was a single parent who struggled to balance life and work. He’s probably experienced and endured the same conflicts that Seon-woo was going through. He knows and is well aware of how hard it is to raise a child and work at the same time. I loved that he offered her his support and consideration, whether that was through words or finding Seon-woo a new job that would allow her to be present in Tae-yoon’s life. I think Seon-woo’s case also touches on the subject of traditional gender roles and how mothers are the ones who are expected to give up their careers after having a kid. The moms are expected to be the ones to stay home and take care of the kids while the dad works and provides for the family. Seon-woo’s case was so eye-opening because I imagine it’s a sentiment that many women have experienced once they have a kid. Is there a way to strike that balance between work and life? Is it possible to be present in your children’s life and also have a job to make money and support their lives? I felt for Seon-woo when she was flustered and struggling. Society has ingrained women to have to choose between the two and not feel guilty about having to choose only one. It can only be one or the other. But through Eun-ho and Seon-woo, the drama showed that it’s possible to do both.

Seon-woo’s case was also a good way for Ji-yoon to learn about Eun-ho’s past with his divorce and ex-wife. She had previously heard some things from Mi-ae but this time, she got to hear his side of the story. Eun-ho’s divorce and life as a single father was never something that bothered Ji-yoon per se but I liked that she and Eun-ho talked about it. It was a good way to talk things out to 1) help him calm down after the emotional conversation with Seon-woo and 2) to be reassured that things are much better now and that Eun-ho is doing okay. By comfortably talking to Ji-yoon about it, Eun-ho proved that those memories no longer hurt him anymore and that he’s healed and recovered.

And I love that Ji-yoon’s feelings for Eun-ho are genuine and that she made this point clear to Mi-ae. She made it clear that she liked him for who he was. Unlike what Mi-ae thought, him having a kid and being a single father is not a flaw. Ji-yoon likes him for who he is and how he’s lived a life with integrity. She didn’t judge him at first and she got to know more about him and his story as they spent time together. In the process, she was able to gain a full picture and better understanding of who he was. Ji-yoon feels good about him; she feels like they’re in a good place in their relationship. She knows she doesn’t have to worry about him nor are there any concerns about him. Ji-yoon knows that Eun-ho’s a great person and father; she’s confident that his feelings for her are sincere and that he truly does love her. Mi-ae’s “concern” for Ji-yoon was representative of the social stigma that’s tied to single parents and how it’s frowned upon in society. But I was so happy to see Ji-yoon stand up for herself and Eun-ho. She had no doubts about any of it. There’s nothing wrong with being a single parent and she’s also confident in their relationship. Their relationship will continue to be tested in many different ways but they’ll always have each other’s backs and will be there for each other through it all.