“The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” Episodes 11 and 12 Recap

June 20, 2024
K-DRAMA RECAPS

Our star instructor heroine doesn’t seem to catch a break. Between sneaky people trying to bring her down and our male lead having sudden changes of mind and shocking her, our leading lady has her work cut out for her.

There is no right answer as to what makes a successful instructor, though, and only time will tell if it is better to go with the flow or take the risk and jump into unfamiliar territory.

Bunny S watches The Midnight Romance in Hagwon on Viu

Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03 & 04 | 05 & 06 | 07 & 08 | 09 & 10 |

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon Episodes 11 and 12 Highlights

“The two of us may have different objectives, but we might have the same goal.”

While Hye-jin is pretty much confident about the loyalty of the students and even considers helping Sang-seob out, to Joon-ho’s protest, all Director Kim thinks about is Sang-seob’s selling point and how to recruit him if Sang-seob proves to be useful.

Vice Director Woo might not be on the same page as Kim, though. Instead of arranging a meeting with Sang-seob like Kim told her, Woo goes to see Witch Director where both of them engage in an interesting conversation about Hye-jin. Though we can tell Witch Director’s motive, I have always been curious as to why Woo wants to bring Hye-jin down.

As we come to learn, in the past, Kim snatched Woo’s academy for a low price and added insult to injury by hiring Woo as the vice director. Since then, Woo sucked it up and bided her time until she could take back what was once hers. And it seems she is done waiting. Yet even if Woo serves a huge blow to Kim, he will eventually get back on his legs if Kim has Hye-jin. Thus, Woo settles to take Hye-jin down.

“I will take care of what I must do.”

Offering a sneak peek into Hye-jin’s teaching materials, Woo wants Witch Director to trample on Hye-jin in return. As Woo argues, it might have been difficult to take Hye-jin down before, yet the small changes happening in Hye-jin’s life nowadays give a window of opportunity to those going after her. To his credit, though, Sang-seob refuses to look at the materials. Yet Witch Director corners him into accepting or that is what we thought.

Instead of walking down the easy yet immoral path already paved for him, Sang-seob settles to tell Hye-jin everything. Sang-seob will teach his students to the best of his ability without resorting to those shady techniques. Even when Hye-jin tells Sang-seob to do as Witch Director says as Hye-jin doesn’t want him to go against her, Sang-seob firmly stands by his decision.

“What kind of dreamy nonsense is this?”

This week, Joon-ho hits us with some surprising moves, shredding the textbooks he worked on throughout the semester and deciding to start from scratch. According to Joon-ho, rather than helping students memorize things and get good grades, he wants to change his students’ lives.

Wanting to be a good mentor to Si-woo and his own experience as a student with Hye-jin surely have inspired Joon-ho’s decision. But for a character who quit his job and made a career change for money, I think this 180-degree change is a bit too jarring.

“During the short time it took me to notice you and walk in, I had all sorts of thoughts.”

Still, what irritates me more is Joon-ho’s clingy and pushy attitude. Having learned of Joon-ho’s plans, Hye-jin got furious at his reckless decision. After a heated argument, Hye-jin went out to have some fresh air. (Sang-seob happened to call at that time, asking to meet.)

Given how intense the situation was, it might have been better for Joon-ho to give Hye-jin some space and time. But alas. When Hye-jin doesn’t take Joon-ho’s calls, he goes looking for her and interrupts her meeting with Sang-seob.

Worse, Joon-ho crosses the line, accusing Sang-seob of trying to attack them mentally, without trying to understand the situation first. And even when Hye-jin tells him the reason for their meeting, Joon-ho acts like “it is okay, we can just start over with new and better material,” throwing all the hard work and efforts Hye-jin out into making the material to waste.

After a pretty long argument, Joon-ho takes Hye-jin to watch the sunrise by the sea. It might be a long shot, but Hye-jin decides to give it a shot and let Joon-ho try his new technique. And for sure, time will tell if Joon-ho’s methods will work or not.

“I guess I should follow you and jump academies.”

Back to our scheming duo, with Sang-seob refusing to go along with the plan, Witch and Woo make a slight change in their plot. Instead of competing against each other, what about joining hands together? Witch can expand her academy to include more subjects and take in Woo and the other instructors. But one thing remains, they need Hye-jin on board too. You know, Hye-jin is too big of a catch to be left behind.

Arranging a meeting with Hye-jin, Woo comes clean about the stolen materials and suggests Hye-jin join her and leave the academy. At that point, it is hard to tell which option is safer for Hye-jin, because Kim, Woo and Witch seem to only care about taking advantage of Hye-jin while having no problem throwing her out when rendered useless.

“It is because I don’t treasure this anymore.”

Anyway, Hye-jin decides to test the waters, pretending to be still at odds with Joon-ho and using Woo to help Joon-ho hold a special lecture to test his new technique while also checking Sang-seob’s first lecture which was surprisingly interesting for both Hye-jin and the students.

Further, after examining a brief preview of what Joon-ho prepared, Hye-jin admits his method is indeed effective. Hence, Hye-jin comes to a decision. Woo and Witch can do whatever they want with the material they gathered as Hye-jin doesn’t treasure them as much anymore. Instead, Hye-jin will use it as an opportunity to start afresh with new materials. Interesting!

The Midnight Romance in Hagwon Episodes 11 and 12 Musings

Between Hye-jin’s realistic approach and Joon-ho’s idealistic vision, honestly, I don’t know who is right and wrong. Actually, I don’t think it is the drama’s intention to have us take sides but to illustrate both sides of the debate.

Still, I would have appreciated it if we got more of Joon-ho’s insight before dropping this bomb on Hye-jin and us. Likewise, it felt like Hye-jin changed her mind pretty quickly, despite her initial strong opposition. Pondering on and having a change of heart is fine and all. But we need some more build-up here.

The only thing I am sure of is that Woo and Witch won’t take Hye-jin’s rejection nicely as she pretty much made a fool out of both of them. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and one could only imagine how ruthlessly Woo and Witch will go after Hye-jin.

Knowing how Kim is, he isn’t the type to protect Hye-jin and might as well throw Hye-jin under the bus for his own gain. We are now getting into a dark territory and one can only hope our leads make it out unscathed without getting hurt or torn apart.

Photos and Videos: tvN Drama

 

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Bunny S.

I am Bunny. Just like you, I am smitten with Kdramas and look forward to watching every Kdrama out there, but is that dream ever possible since they keep showering us with new dramas every day? For me, Kdramas are my comfort zone and a warm hug that makes it possible to face up to whatever life throws my way.

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