Writer Noh Hee Kyung and Director Kim Kyu Tae are not yet done chopping onions. They are just getting started in tugging the viewers’ heartstrings – and for good reasons!
Our Blues episodes 9 and 10 mark the beginning of the series’ second half. Viewers can expect that the succeeding episodes will unveil more serious themes and delve deeper into the stories of the Jeju folks. Get to know more about the characters’ past and current struggles and the dynamics in their close-knit relationships.
Nathan Llantos watched Our Blues on Netflix
Episode recaps: First Look | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 & 08 | Mid-Series | 11 | 12 & 13 | 14 & 15 | 16 & 17 | 18 & 19 | Finale Week + Series Review |
Our Blues Episodes 9 & 10 Highlights?
Our Blues episode 9 starts by showing a drenched Ho-Sik visiting In-Gwon’s apartment. He invites himself inside and sits down on the floor. In-Gwon gives him a glass of soju. As the two old pals drink together, Ho-Sik tells In-Gwon they should let their children keep their baby. He said that it would be better just to support Hyeon and Yeong-ju’s decision.
Subsequently, a heartwarming exchange happened between the two. Ho-Sik began telling more of the grievances he had been bottling up. Particularly about what the townsfolk had been saying about his daughter Yeong-Ju. In-Gwon claimed that as the kids’ father, only they could discipline and scold their children. Others do not have any right to call them names or reprimand them about what happened.
To this, Ho-Sik said pointed out that In-Gwon is among the people who harassed his daughter. He stated how much it hurt when he heard In-Gwon saying that Yeong-Ju is a girl who sleeps around with him. Tears are overflowing on the faces of both fathers. Ho-Sik said he demanded an apology. In-Gwon fell on his knees and head bent, apologizing.
Ho-Sik thanked In-Gwon and told him that Yeong-Ju was coming home. He encouraged In-Gwon to have Hyeon come back home as well. Their conversation ended on a good note with the two calling each other in-laws.
Finding Seon-A
After Seon-A’s incident, Dong-Seok returned to selling goods in the market. He has a long queue of customers, so he is occupied with doing business. However, his truck got stuck in the mud later that day. This leaves him no choice but to stay at a motel to dry his clothes. That was the same motel that Seon-A was currently staying at.
Hence, the curious landlord owner, who knows Dong-Seok, questioned him about her. Apparently, Seon-A has not been returning to room 201 for a while now. Given what happened at the harbor, the landlord is worried she will do something to herself again. What about the belongings she has left in the room?
Dong-Seok became agitated upon hearing this, and he went out to look for her. He still has her number saved, so he tried calling to check if that is still the one Seon-A is using.
As he sets out to find her, flashbacks about Dong-Seok and Seon-A’s past unravel. The sequence goes back to the present when Seon-A answers Dong-Seok’s call. She said she was at her old house when her father was living with her in Jeju. Dong-Seok heads over there.
Confessions & Explanations
In this episode, Dong-Seok has to revisit some of his unpleasant memories. Flashbacks provide further perspective on Dong-Seok’s current attitude and sorrows. Subsequently, Dong-Seok and Seon-A work out their differences and clear the air about what actually occurred between them in the past.
Seon-A tells Dong-Seok that he was all she had at that time, so she sincerely loved him. She also made it clear how she never actually slept with Dong-Seok’s best friend, Jae-Gu. According to her, after they began undressing, he got scared and decided to leave in fear of betraying Dong-Seok.
Seon-A also reveals that she never called the police back then. She threatened Dong-Seok, so he would stop beating up their friend, Jae-Gu. Moreover, Seon-A opened up about the valid reason she asked Jae-Gu to sleep with him. She was so desperate at that time to get her father’s attention.
To finally get him to take care of her and stop his drinking addiction, Seon-A thought that the only way was to show his father that she was a child in need of a parent. After venting out their past grievances, Dong-Seok asked Seon-A how she is now and how her life led to this state. Seon-A explained that she rejected Dong-Seok a few years back when they were already adults because she was in love with her ex-husband.
They got married and even had a kid named Yeol. They were okay initially, but her father’s death made her depressed. All the unanswered questions and all the regret devoured her. The residue of her teenage woes caught up to her and made her world bleak. Eventually, it became really hard for her to function, resulting in a divorce.
She also told Dong-Seok about her medication and her accident, which is why her ex-husband has temporary custody over Yeol until the jury gives a ruling.
Coming to Terms with the Past
After conversing about their past and present troubles, Dong-Seok took Seon-A to the harbor to see the sunrise. Seon-A muses about how simple it is to talk about delicate issues with Dong-Seok. Dong-Seok flares up again after discovering that Seon-A’s ex-husband abandoned her due to her depression.
Dong-Seok is determined to renovate Seon-A’s old home. He saw how hopeful Seon-A was to win the case. She has been fixing their old house, hoping he can live there with his son Yeol. The two labor relentlessly together, with Dong-Seok skipping going to the market and closing off his business for the day to focus on the house renovation.
Eun-Hui finds it strange for Dong-Seok not to appear in the market, so she calls to check up on him. Dong-Seok hangs up and even calls Eun-Hui lazy. Days later, Dong-Seok discovers that Seon-A’s son Yeol likes horses. The meadow near Seon-A’s old house has a few horses wandering about. He encourages Seon-A to try riding the horse.
Seon-A declines, so Dong-Seok persuades her to take a video of him riding one. Dong-Seok did ultimately capture images of Seon-A with the horse. He believes she should show the pictures to his son Yeol.
An Awry Reunion
Dong-Seok accompanies Seon-A to Seoul to celebrate Yeol’s birthday. However, Seon-A’s ex-husband Tae-Hun is not thrilled with Seon-a’s unexpected arrival since he and his family already have plans for Yeol’s birthday. Nonetheless, he agreed to let Seon-A bond with Yeol if she would bring him back by 8:30 pm.
Seon-A was ecstatic to be with her son again. She fetched him from school and gave him a horse stuffed toy as a present. She also showed him her pictures and videos of horses in Jeju. However, Seon-A was not mindful of the time. This worried Tae-Hun, especially because she was not answering her phone.
Dong-Seok remains in his vehicle from a distance. Soon after, Seon-A arrives in a cab with a sleeping Yeol. Tae-Hun threatened her that there would be consequences for her actions. Since she returned with Yeol way past the child’s bedtime, Seon-A realizes she arrived at 11 p.m.
Because of Tae-Hun’s warning, Seon-A became hysterical. She begins pulling Yeol’s arm, begging Tae-Hun just to give her son back.
The child cried out in pain. Dong-Seok went out of his truck and intervened. He was able to separate Seon-A from Yeol and Tae-Hun. He then told Tae-Hun to go and take the child. Tae-Hun immediately went to the hospital to have Yeol checked. Fortunately, Yeol is alright, but he was traumatized by what Seon-A did that the child rejected Seon-A’s request to see him in the hospital.
Heartbreak & Healing
Seon-A lost the trial. The custody of Yeol goes to her ex-husband, who is currently employed and is mentally stable. Dong-Seok fetches the devastated Seon-A, who was crying her heart out on the ride home. Dong-Seok attempts to uplift her spirits by giving her food and taking her to the arcade, hoping that playing a game would somehow distract her.
Unfortunately, these efforts are futile because Seon-A feels more miserable than ever. As Seon-A begins to spiral down in grief, Dong-Seok talks to her and says that Seon-A must also live her life for herself. He fears that if Yeol will be with her as he grows up, he too might become depressed and self-destructive.
Afterward, Dong-Seok took Seon-A for a walk. Seon-A then describes what depression feels like for her. Now with hopes that she will be with Yeol someday, she decides to seek treatment in addition to taking her medicine. While they were at a park, Dong-Seok showed Seon-A how he records his announcements for his mobile goods business. This lightens up Seon-A’s mood a bit.
Subsequently, they spent the entire night on a beach. Dong-Seok realized that he, too, needed to live a happy life. Our Blues episode 10 shows Seon-A reaching out to take Dong-Seok’s hand.
Where The Story Heads To In Our Blues?
Episodes 9 and 10 pave the avenue to introduce the viewers to another side of Eun-Hui, after knowing her love story with Han-su. In fact, episode 10 of Our Blues shows Eun-Hui working hard, as always, and receiving a call at home while relaxing with some beer and snacks. Her best friend Mi-ran calls her and talks about her trip to Paris with her daughter.
Mi-Ran was drunk and singing a song. She and Eun-Hui then tell each other they miss each other. Eun-Hui then nags her, saying she should meet her soon. This indicates a new side story featuring Eun-Hui and a new character named Mi-Ran. Indeed, there is more to Eun-Hui’s character than what meets the eyes.
Yet to Come
With that in mind, viewers will get to know more about Eun-Hui, other than her status as a well-known hot-headed entrepreneur in Jeju. Likewise, the trajectory foreshadows a revelation and the progress of Young-Ok and Jeong-jun’s relationship. Yeong-Ok and Jeong-jun are sitting outside Jeong-Jun’s bus home. They are immersed in discussing the nature of love. Jeong-jun then asks Yeong-Ok to take a vacation with him to Gapa Island.
Meanwhile, viewers will get a glimpse of what is to come in Yeong-ju and Hyeon’s married life. After a painful confrontation and much struggle, Hyeon and Yeong-ju are now supported by both of their fathers. Hyeon takes Yeong-ju to school and tells Yeong-ju he is now a regular employee at the restaurant. He then talks to their baby in Yeong-ju’s stomach and says he will work hard for the baby’s diapers and milk.
In glee at hearing this, Yeong-ju kisses Hyeon’s cheek. But Myeong-Bo, their father’s friend, stops his car and reprimands them for kissing. In-Gwon and Ho-Sik hear this and open their windows to assure Myeong-Bo that they support their children and are about to become a married couple. Since the two are soon-to-be parents, In-Gwon and Ho-Sik tell Myeong-Bo to let Yeong-ju and Hyeon be.
Learn valuable life lessons and relate to the life stories of the Jeju folks in Our Blues. Episodes are available for streaming weekly on Netflix.
Photos: tvN drama
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