More Than Friends has literally walked us to phases of romantic relationship pit stops.
The sequence might not be typical, but the journey to claim it; the problems encountered along the way; and the mutual choice to face the good, bad and confusing times have been cementing its superbly written narrative.
Down to three episodes, we thought we are set to bask in rose petals and spree on sweet times. However, Woo-yeon and Lee Soo head to be on serious rumination about their personal careers that are just important to what they feel toward each other.
abbyinhallyuland watched More Than Friends on iQIYI
Recaps: 01&02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Finale + Review |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSqfVcE9KY8
More Than Friends Episode 13 Recap
“Even if you say it nicely, something hurtful will always feel hurtful.”
Young-hee meets Hyun-jae’s eldest sister and had a polite but painful conversation. Explaining her current situation with her sick mother and being a breadwinner, Young-hee listened to a request for her to let go of Hyun-jae if she’s not willing to marry him.
Apparently Hyun-jae has announced to his family that they will have a small wedding without her knowing. Acknowledging the key points she heard, Young-hee did not cower and bravely tells her that she hurt her pride with what she just said.
“If that’s the furthest love can go, love would be so easy.”
Seeing her boyfriend welcomed the pretty girl she encountered in the elevator, Woo-yeon finds it hard to ring his doorbell. Pondering on how she has yet to solve countless problems after meeting her destined love, her reverie was cut when the boy living in Lee Soo’s opposite unit questioned her dazed state.
Fortunately, her boyfriend’s radar of sensing him in close proximity is always activated and finds her at his doorstep. Lee Soo’s friend, Yura, realizes her cheeky attitude and officially introduces herself to him.
Not wanting to disturb her visit, Woo-yeon takes a raincheck to her initial plan of spending time with Lee Soo. She also gives her phone number when Yura asked for it making a convincing pitch that her friend in the country is only her boyfriend.
Lee Soo contacted Yura to help with her connections since he plans to pursue commercial photography. Curious why she has not asked questions about it yet, Yura figures out that he has been caught by Woo-yeon love bug. Beaming, Lee Soo affirms it, and listens to his friend’s plan of introducing him to modelling agencies.
Cutting their business talk, Yura checks on his well-being as a friend and inquires his pending big project with an airline company. Lee Soo’s mood change when Yura brought out what has been bugging him that he can’t tell Woo-yeon.
She advises him to share his woes to his girlfriend since it will be eventually felt by Woo-yeon. Pointing out that his work is also about him and Woo-yeon now, Lee Soo agrees.
“Friendships can be strong. Do you think drinks and nights can break it apart?”
Finding herself at Sang-hyuk’s restaurant, Woo-yeon shares her emotional woe meeting Lee Soo’s pretty model friend. Asking Sang-hyuk if a man and a woman can just be really friends, he responds by pointing to a wall note inside the place. It reads: “As long as there are drinks and nights, no man and woman can be friends.”
Disproving the message of the note, Sang-hyuk further explains that “strong friendship” between a man and a woman can only happen if both of them are really ugly; have partners; or one side is just suffering painfully.
Taking his key points, Woo-yeon argues about his friendship with Jin-ju flustering him. Inquiring if Jin-ju has shared something with them about him, Woo-yeon gets momentarily confused and mumbles that Jin-ju does not talk ill behind someone’s back.
Deducing Woo-yeon is not yet aware that he confesses liking Jin-ju, he asked what could be the reason a woman won’t share her friends that she’s checking out a guy. Woo-yeon responds bluntly that the woman does not care at all or she’s embarrassed – shattering Sang-hyuk’s world even more.
“Does that mean you won’t leave anymore?”
Finding Lee Soo in front of their house, Woo-yeon asked what he was doing there and gets a response how he has been waiting because he missed her. He clears the reason why Yura came for a visit and explains that he asked for help so he can get a permanent job as a photographer.
Realizing her boyfriend is going to stay for good, she smiles big and returns Lee Soo’s hug when he confirmed if that news made her happy. Their loving embrace gets interrupted when Woo-yeon’s parents appear. Mediating between the camps of people she dearly loves, Woo-yeon stops Lee Soo from kneeling on the floor and defends him strongly.
Her parents who can’t accept Lee Soo for the years that he made her cry chides their daughter for being unfilial. Curious how her parents knew about her sad love journey, they look back on her bawling mess state when she received the second rejection from Lee Soo.
Recounting how Young-hee and Jin-ju were witnesses of her previous love misery, they had often bring Woo-yeon back home in her drunken state before. Backing up their crazed friend, the two even asked for their understanding as they help Woo-yeon nurse her harsh one-sided crush.
That night, Woo-yeon’s parents saw her in a sorry state, but she was able to still make the situation funny with her crying line. “Mom, your daughter was dumped again. I’m not a garbage, but I was dumped.”
“A few words out of your mouth, won’t fix the scratches in her heart.”
Hearing the story, Lee Soo gets a cue that he really needs to kneel down, but Woo-yeon stops him again. Hearing Woo-yeon’s father’s remark of not letting her date him, Lee Soo profusely apologizes for hurting her. He admits regretting it a lot and vows to be good to her.
Rescuing the love of her life, she shuts aboji’s cold treatment by citing Lee Soo did all of those before they dated. But he has been good to her ever since they started dating. However, he has been with her mom and he still disappoints her like forgetting her birthday and helping a woman his wife hates a lot.
Stopping his daughter from listing all his lapses, Woo-yeon lectures him of being not complacent after being together with someone.
“He didn’t do anything wrong to me since we started dating. It’s possible to do wrong when we’re strangers. But becoming complacent after the person becomes yours is worse.”
Closing her parents’ arguments, Woo-yeon drags Lee Soo out as she accepts his apology and hug for making her cry. She tells him to be by her side and be good to her every single day. Promising to do it, their moment gets interrupted again by Woo-yeon’s father who asked Lee Soo to follow him.
Over bottles of soju, taking-care-of-your-daughter-promises, and a silly joke; Woo-yeon’s father finally gives his blessing to Lee Soo.
Elatedly telling Woo-yeon about it, Lee Soo adorably showers Woo-yeon with sweet nothings as usual. Unexpectedly hearing Woo-yeon blurts “I love you”, the two just claimed the cheesiest I-love-you exchange in this years 2020 K-Drama awards.
“All you had to do was say that he was your friend. Why did you have to say yes?”
Bothered on acknowledging the strange emotions she still refuses to label about Sang-hyuk, Jin-ju spends time being consumed by it subconsciously. Receiving another lunch-box-sealed-with-love from Sang-hyuk, she notices his lack of sleep and tells him not to bring over food anymore.
When a senior at work approached them, Jin-ju concurs that she was there to get a lunch box delivery and did not introduce who Sang-hyuk is properly. Staring at the neat lunch box in front of her, Jin-ju castigates herself for hurting Sang-hyuk’s pride.
At that same moment, Sang-hyuk remembers Woo-yeon’s response to his question last time. He figures out, where he really stands in Jin-ju’s heart.
“What she said isn’t wrong. She’s right. How can we marry in this situation?”
Staring blankly at the email for a project he really wants to do, Lee Soo heard the door bell and welcomes his favorite girl. She flaunts her calligraphy project of a drama title. While Lee Soo fixes orange juice for her, she inadvertently read the email about the airline sponsorship project, but she did not open it to him.
Ever the knight-in-shining-armor, Hyun-jae fetches Young-hee and her mom from the hospital. Later, Young-hee opens up about meeting his sister. Apologizing for the harsh words his sister said, Young-hee tries to persuade Hyun-jae that his sister is actually right. They are not in the position to marry given her situation.
But Hyun-jae insists that her situation even more calls for him to be by her side – as her husband and guardian. Cutting Hyun-jae’s blab of sorting it out with his family, Young-hee replies not to proceed with his plan.
She rants long list of reasons that will make her feel bad because she does not want him sacrificing everything for her. She even goes to her usual self-pity moments of how she has nothing. Hence, she doesn’t want to be with him who has nothing also.
After their emotional conversation, Hyun-jae goes to meet his family. He kneels and demands his oldest sister to apologize to Young-hee. Resigned to the idea of being with the woman he loves, he tells his family how he can’t live with Young-hee.
He vows to marry her without their approval. Painfully, he even admits how he can live without seeing them again because he wants to be with Young-hee.
“Continue liking me. I like you, too.”
Jin-ju walks to Sang-hyuk’s restaurant to return the lunch box. She keeps the conversation flowing against Sang-hyuk’s curt replies. Apologizing for what she said earlier, Sang-hyuk cuts her that it was okay.
When she asked what he will do the next day, Sang-hyuk responds that he won’t be visiting her anymore. He also apologized for making her uncomfortable.
Muttering how he thought he can be a transfer station for her, he realized she has an expensive car, so she really does not need it at all. Impliedly acknowledging their different worlds cannot meet, Jin-ju confirms if he was giving up.
Nodding to her question, she tries to confirm again if that’s the best he can do, and gets the same reply from Sang-hyuk. She walks away, but stops her track to go back to where Sang-hyuk is.
She gets a soju to fill a glass bottle, then submerge her pricey car’s key. Declaring she does not have a pricey car anymore, she needs a transfer station or a last stop
“You’re right. You are rude. But why don’t I feel offended?”
Bothered on her recent discovery about Lee Soo’s work offer, Woo-yeon decides to not confront Lee Soo about it. The next day, she goes to a salon to doll up for a date with her boyfriend’s pretty friend. When the salon staff asked about the styling she wants to get, Woo-yeon answers she is going to meet her boyfriend’s other woman.
Time stops at that moment, as everyone in the salon deem Woo-yeon’s declaration urgent, the salon staff knows just what to do and called the salon director to execute their united plan to beautify Woo-yeon.
Pretty-fied Woo-yeon sees Yura looking casual and receives a praise for how she looked pretty that day. Telling her she wants to be friends with her that’s why she asked her out, they go on to spend time shopping, roaming around and taking pictures.
Resting for a bit, Woo-yeon who is as inquisitive as Yura asked what has been subconsciously bothering her – if Yura likes Lee Soo. Answering her question straightforwardly, she confirms liking him, but not to the point of loving him.
Assuring Woo-yeon that she is not someone who sways another woman’s lover, she also backed it up that Lee Soo won’t be swayed anyway.
Processing Yura’s confession, Woo-yeon strangely feels okay with her honest confession. Yura further tells her that she was amazed on how Lee Soo can like someone so much. But she understands it upon meeting her. She also tells her how her friend keeps on talking about her all the time. That finally dissipates Woo-yeon’s inhibition about her.
ON a serious note, Yura also mentions Lee Soo’s passion for photography and how he does not want to leave her no matter how big the project is.
“It’s always me. I’m always the problem.”
Fuming out when Hyun-jae checks if she has already eaten, Young-hee asks if he is really stupid for still keeping up with her mood swing. He argues that he can’t be stupid since he is a teacher making Young-hee smile. They agree to have an amazing date the day after and Hyun-jae promises to take care of where they will be going.
Young-hee later meets the girls and shares her heavy heart. She keeps blaming herself as the source of her misery. She feels hurt turning Hyun-jae to an idiot who does not know how to live without her. She wants to feel responsible but she can’t do it and hates herself for it.
“If only one side makes all the sacrifices in the name of love, that’s the beginning of misery. One person is miserable because he has to take sacrifices. and the other is miserable because she feels guilty. It’s crazy you made the sacrifice to be happy, but neither person becomes happy. Nothing else remains but misery.”
“I’ve always been poor and miserable and I will always be. So get out of my misery.”
The next day, Young-hee and Hyun-jae go to an aquatic center. Staring at the big aquarium, Young-hee mentions about how people only look on the scars of a turtle. They disregard how it lives or how fast it can swim in the water. Sensing a sad tone on his girlfriend, he faces her to check if something’s wrong.
Citing how she won’t be able to lead a life that she can be proud of, she pleads for them to break up.
“There are various people in the world and each person loves in their own way. Some people let the other person go because they love them too much.”
Lee Soo wecomes Woo-yeon and they finally chat about the proposed big project to him. Understanding why he cannot turn it down, Woo-yeon relents to his decision.
Just then, Lee Soo asks her if she can join him surprising Woo-yeon. Sadness paints on Lee Soo’s face upon hearing no response.
Reaching out for his hand, Woo-yeon smiles and tells him that she will join him.
More Than Friends Episode 13 Musings
I don’t know if I got used to being problematic about Woo-yeon and Lee Soo’s love story, I was actually craving for it this episode. *grin And no, Young-hee’s problem can’t take that spot. Honestly, that side conflict really needs a closure once and for all.
It has been dragging unreasonably for quite a while. If she can’t make up her mind, I will seriously marry Hyun-jae, REALLY. Right now, at any church. *chuckles Come on Young-hee, we all deserve a finale week that won’t have a problem anymore.
While we understand where she’s coming from, her strong-willed nature coupled with her low self-esteem is quite taxing already. I hope to introduce her to Ra-Ra from Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol to see the untapped beauty of imaginary world, if only she is willing to give herself a chance to explore.
As the focus of this episode centered on the side stories of the supporting cast, we at least have a reason to celebrate because Jin-ju chose not to take Young-hee’s path.
Moving forward to her new-found love life, we are quite sure that she won’t be starved with food and love.
Leaving a message on how career connects to a romantic journey, it is shaping to be a key point needed to seal the closing episodes of More Than Friends.
Will Woo-yeon and Lee Soo’s love withstand their career choices?
Is there no chance for Young-hee and Hyun-jae to get married?
Find out more in the last three episodes of More Than Friends on JTBC.
Photos/Videos: JTBC
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