Nicely paced, Love In Contract builds its trajectory well while giving more to look forward to with its lead characters’ stories.
While Sang-eun and Ji-ho complete their separation process with the divorce papers, Hae-jin finds out about his dream girl’s interesting job.
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Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06| 07| 08| 09| 10 | 11 & 12 | 13 & 14 | Finale + Series Review |
Here’s How To Visit Park Min Young’s Holiday House In “Love In Contract”
Love In Contract Episode 3 Highlights
Previously, Hae-jin suspects Ji-ho to be a serial killer so when he sees Sang-eun arriving, he stops her from entering Ji-ho’s place to reveal his thoughts.
“Just like that, the woman got divorced six times in two years in my court. Each time, she claimed it was her fault.”
It turns out that Jung Ji-ho is actually a judge at Seoul Family Court. As a judge, he often listens to people blaming fault on others. Then, he met Sang-eun through her six divorce cases and got interested in why she claimed to be the problem in all those divorce cases.
Ji-ho’s reverie is cut by the noise outside his place and seeing Sang-eun being held by Hae-jin made him feel uncomfortable. Surprised at Ji-ho’s sudden run for more words, Sang-eun listens to him share what he does for a living. That explains why he was having a simulation of what looks like a serial killer’s stance.
Celebrating their last dinner, Sang-eun shared that she was going to date when she moves to a new country when Ji-ho asked for her plan after their divorce.
Their conversation becomes comfier as she coaxes him to share what his ideal girl is. Responding to how dating is not really something he can put effort into, Ji-ho finds himself describing a woman without makeup interests him.
Interestingly, they both smile when Sang-eun remarks about wanting to be with someone who will love her without makeup on. Sincerely, Ji-ho tells Sang-eun how getting close to someone is really not a bad idea as well as seeing someone smiling back at him.
“Let’s keep quiet about our second characters.”
Free from her last contract marriage, Sang-eun enjoys shopping and doing all the things she put off because of her tight schedule.
Ji-ho who is already pressured because of his social skills at work was given an ultimatum by his senior to be good to his staff or he will write the sentence himself.
Meanwhile, Hae-jin who has been struggling with nightmares confronts his meddling mother who insists on having him returned to Kang family’s house.
Doing their respective lives, Sang-eun remembers she has not filed for divorce yet with Ji-ho while arranging all the rings she had for donation.
At night, since Gwang-nam asked to borrow her car, Sang-eun relents to be dropped off at Ji-ho’s place to bring the documents. However, someone with a knife leads her to an empty space. Fortunately, Hae-jin was there to save her.
He also invites him to his house so she can wash up and sanitize her wound. Prying about her situation, Hae-jin asked why she appears every after two days. Sang-eun responds that she’s a housekeeper who gives the judge food to eat.
Heading to leave Hae-jin’s house, he suddenly calls her Jamie of Ina group and tells her that he met her a long time ago. After her cat allergy attack, Sang-eun chats with Hae-jin about their connection. She uses her knowledge of his chaebol identity as leverage for him not to spill her identity as well.
“It’s funny. It’s less awkward for us to have dinner than to have coffee.”
Approached by the security guard, Ji-ho learns that Sang-eun is in the building. After much contemplation for both of them showing off with the divorce paper, they end up seeing each other and agree to have coffee, but went to eat dinner instead.
While having dinner, they both reflect familiarity on with their food taste learned from five years’ worth of having dinner together.
The bright ambiance soon fades when Sang-eun shared what happened to her and asked Ji-ho his professional advice. Explaining how her career could have triggered someone from her previous clients a strong hatred due to a high inferiority complex, the advice scared Sang-eun. Of course, Ji-ho did not sugarcoat the danger of her current reality.
Exchanging envelopes, Sang-eun cooly declares ending clean with another. But the envelope she got from Ji-ho, unfortunately, is the wrong one and bears the musical tickets that Ji-ho is supposed to use with his team for a bonding event.
Later, Hae-jin receives the report he asked his uncle to run about Sang-eun and discovers why she said she is bridal material.
He calls Sang-eun and uses the shirt she borrowed for them to meet and learns that her job with Ji-ho is done. When the doorbell rang, Sang-eun also stood up to leave.
Instead of Hae-jin’s manager, they see Ji-ho at the doorstep. He brings news that Sang-eun’s attacker is related to Hae-jin.
Love In Contract Episode 3 Musings
In its 3rd episode, Love In Contract remarkably amazes with its neat writing.
Rolling out details of the story’s direction, the story shapes to highlight the lead stars in the opening episodes like how it put emphasis on Sang-eun in the opening week while this episode endowed us with a new face of Ji-ho. We can all agree that he’s enigmatic when he does not talk, but his blabs are really gold.
To be honest, it never crossed my mind that he could be a judge. I was leaning toward a NIS agent deduction.
Assuming the storytelling’s path won’t change, we’ll get to know more about Hae-jin as well. Why he chose to be in the entertainment industry and what’s behind that cryptic memory he had from childhood.
Fascinatingly, this series really gives you no reason why you should not invest your time. The facets of the characters are strangely uncommon, but you are drawn to how they will develop as the story proceeds.
Moreover, how the anticipated love triangle advances really piques interest. It’s hard to picture how the emotionally-intellectual balanced Sang-eun navigates her way between the rational-stoic Ji-ho and expressive-charming Hae-jin.
It looks like Ji-ho and Hae-jin will work on the identity of Sang-eun’s attacker, making the world smaller for them.
Learn to love and live incidentally to the messages of Love In Contract every Wednesday and Thursday on tvN and TVING!
Photos: tvN Drama
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