Summary
Episode 2 puts the characters at a crossroads; there’s a feeling of emptiness running through them as they go through the motions of adulthood. The truth cannot be contained for long as the story platforms a narrative of being honest to yourself.
This recap of the Netflix k-drama series Love Alarm season 2, episode 2 contains spoilers.
Now we’ve re-established the complicated love triangle, episode 2 opens with a downbeat Sun-oh donating to his old school for children that cannot afford food. He’s not looked right since episode 1; there’s an emptiness about him. But while in the old nurses office, Jojo walks in as she was taking a trip down memory lane. She quickly shuts the door and checks her Love Alarm. Sun-oh chases after her, and the stillness that happens every time they see each other occurs; it’s like an irreversible force. Sun-oh asks about Jojo to small talk, but she quickly departs. Fans know that when Jojo and Hye-yeong look at each other, it’s not the same.
Sun-oh asks the faculty office for Duk-gu’s address. She learns that Duk-gu is dead, and she’s devastated. Sun-oh can see Jojo from his car and how upset she looks. You can tell he’s dying to comfort her, but his driver tells him that it’s Hye-yeong’s girlfriend and that he needs to focus on his audition.
Feeling empty
Sun-oh’s audition doesn’t go well, and he ends up storming off in the car. He needs his partner Yuk-jo for comfort. Even though he’s with his partner, he’s still troubled. This is a character that is going through the motions. In the middle of the night, Hye-yeong and Jojo catch up after a bad day. As the night ends, Hye-yeong tells her that he will keep liking her and that there’s no pressure to like him back. Desperate to remove her shield, Jojo posts on her Instagram again. Her confliction is starting to taunt her mind. She feels just as empty as Sun-oh. It’s looking like the solution is obvious at this point.
87% match
Jojo cannot comprehend that Dok-gu died, and after getting a response from Brian Chon, she uses facial software recognition with her friend Mon-sun to see if Dok-gu is the same person. It’s an 87% match, but Jojo will not know for sure until she meets him. Audiences will be interested in this plot point as it serves as a good twist, but we all want Jojo’s shield removed so we can have the ultimate answer.
Meeting Brian Chon
It’s the Love Alarm 2.0 100 day anniversary, so an event is happening. At the event, Jojo is looking for Brian Chon. She finally meets him, and Sun-oh sees them talk from a distance. Jojo tells Brian Chon about a student at school who gave her the only shield in the world — she knows Brian Chon is Dok-gu, and his silence says everything. She asks Brian Chon if she can remove the shield. He tells her that he cannot get the shield removed as Dok-gu is no longer here. This leaves Jojo in despair; she believes removing the shield has the answers. Ironically, she knows the answer without the app. The audience knows that answer too, which makes this an enticing but frustrating love story.
The ending
After speaking to Brian Chon, Sun-oh grabs Jojo, and there’s increased tension between them. He asks her to explain what the shield is about. He knows his Love Alarm didn’t ring because of it. Jojo apologies, and Sun-oh asks if Hye-yeong knows about the shield.
Hye-yeong learns that his father, Lee Gang-rae, has a parole review coming up. He’s in prison for murder. As the episode ends, he meets his father. Flashbacks ensue of Hye-yeong asking his mother if he looks like his father. In the present day, his father smiles, and Hye-yeong looks emotionless. Another character that feels empty.
Love Alarm season 2, episode 2 puts the characters at a crossroads; there’s a feeling of emptiness running through them as they go through the motions of adulthood. The truth cannot be contained for long as the story platforms a narrative of being honest to yourself.
