Summary
Episode 2 continues giving background to the lead characters as the writers slowly try to bring them both together. It’s going to be a long ride.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
After the last episode, we learn that this will not be the simplest of romances — both characters have a lot of baggage!
Mad for Each Other episode 2 opens up with Noh Hwi-oh and Lee Min-kyung in the police station after their recent scuffle in the parking lot under their apartment building. Noh Hwi-oh wants charges against Min-kyung because she hit him with an umbrella. He keeps on reading out criminal acts against her. Min-kyung accuses Hwi-o of stalking her — she tries to tell the detective that he’s a sex offender and that he has an ankle monitor. Hwi-oh laughs and says the bracelet on his ankle is a key for the bathhouse. The detective tells them that they live next to each other, and they must apologize for the misunderstanding. Neither of them wants to apologize.
Noh Hwi-oh used to work for the police force
Suddenly, one of the cops recognizes Noh Hwi-oh — he wonders why he never returns their calls; they think he should visit U-jin. He isn’t meant to be at the police station until he is reinstated, so another colleague berates him. Noh Hwi-oh tells his colleagues that he has no purpose anymore since taking leave from the force, and he wonders what the point of living is. Around the corner, Min-kyung listens to their conversation. He’s told not to get into any further trouble until he’s reinstated.
Min-kyung tells Noh Hwi-oh that he has anger issues
Outside the police station, Noh Hwi-oh offers Min-kyung his phone number and wonders how paranoid she is. He calls her completely crazy and states he wants her number so they can agree on the settlement money. Min-kyung tells Noh Hwi-oh that he only seems to have anger issues against women and animals, and she knows his fiance dumped him. Noh Hwi-oh gets angry, but his colleagues calm him down. As both characters make it home, they are at each other’s throats.
That fatal day for Noh Hwi-oh
When Noh Hwi-oh meets his psychiatrist, he admits he still gets angry. She tells him that anger is a natural emotion, but how it is expressed is important. Then, she asks him to talk about the significant day. Noh Hwi-oh recalls a rainy day; he was on an operation with the police. However, they didn’t get a warrant, so it is aborted; Noh Hwi-oh is frustrated, stating the criminal Yang will be delivering to his VIP customers. But Noh Hwi-oh and his team head into the bar anyway.
Noh Hwi-oh manages to find evidence after chasing the criminals, but then he’s hit over the head with a beer bottle. His colleague U-jin is then stabbed. Hwi-oh repeatedly punches the man that stabbed U-jin — he’s absolutely furious. As a result, he was arrested for beating a civilian. He was dismissed soon after. Noh Hwi-oh tells the psychiatrist that he felt he was unfairly treated, and his disciplinary was pre-determined. The psychiatrist tells Noh Hwi-oh that he should avoid things that trigger his anger.
Same psychiatrist
As he leaves the psychiatrist’s office, he sees Min-kyung, and he tries to avoid her so his anger is not triggered. After he books his appointment, Min-kyung asks him why he comes here. The pair bicker again. When Noh Hwi-oh returns to the apartment, he doesn’t want to share the elevator with Min-kyung, but does so reluctantly.
From here, Noh Hwi-oh tries to avoid Min-kyung. Then, in the middle of the night, Noh Hwi-oh eats a McDonald’s outside. Min-kyung asks him why he’s outside eating. Noh Hwi-oh tells her that she owes him a lot of money for the damage to his car, including psychological damages. He tells her he will give her a discount if she sees a different psychiatrist as he needs to avoid things that trigger his anger.
The ending
It descends into arguments again, and Min-kyung calls him a crazy jerk — she’s clearly upset by his words. Noh Hwi-oh gets increasingly angry, but she shows him that she’s recording the conversation.
Mad for Each Other episode 2 continues giving background to the lead characters as the writers slowly try to bring them both together. It’s going to be a long ride.