Summary
The final episode ends most disconcertingly. There’s no climax. Rather than giving us a conclusion and a smooth transition for the next season, they decided to throw all the twists in our face. All we get is a bunch of new questions.
This recap of the Netflix K-drama series Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) season 2, episode 16 — the finale explained — contains significant spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous chapter.
So, we finally reach the end of the second season. Since the writers always know how to amuse me every week in the most disconcerting way, I already expect it will end with either a cliffhanger or an unexpected twist that makes us ponder about the purpose of the show. Yup, I was right. Even until the very end, this series decided to give me a massive headache. It’s immensely confusing.
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) season 2, episode 16 – the finale
Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) season 2, episode 16 starts with Pi-young imagining the chaotic battle between Dong-mi and Ami at her ex-home. She laughs joyfully while the two are bickering. Ami loves to attack someone’s weakness and turn the tables as if she is the victim, while Dong-mi is too conservative. Imagine the stress Yu-shin’s facing on living with his two sweethearts.
Meanwhile, Hae-ryeon still anxiously waits and tries to reach out for Ga-bin but her phone is switched off. Well, I’m sorry to burst your bubble Hae-ryeon but your beloved musical mistress is having a moment of truth with her ex-boyfriend. Dong-ma is here to question her love for Hae-ryeon. He insists how she does not love him genuinely. Ga-bin is fighting herself to justify her relationship with Hae-ryeon while deep down realizing that he might be right all along. But another question is, do you think Dong-ma sincerely wants to marry Ga-bin, or is it because of his pride?
Pi-young and Yu-shin are having breakfast together while putting on a show in front of Ji-a. They eat wheat pancakes with a very thin layer. Remember that this is Seo-ban’s favorite dish. Pi-young tells the pancake is made with love to Ji-a in front of Yu-shin to secretly address her intention with Seo-ban. Meanwhile, Yu-shin tries to sneak his way to his family by offering to come every day for breakfast and drives Ji-a to school. Pi-young clearly does not like the idea, but the innocent Ji-a is pleased to hear the plan so she has no choice but to agree.
Yup, Si-eun is right. Everything does get complicated when a child is involved. Ji-a notices the small changes. She is questioning the different behavior of Pi-young who usually pampers her father with affection. She’s asking her to kiss Yu-shin’s cheek. Of course, Yu-shin gladly took the kiss while Pi-young fought her own disgust if it isn’t for her daughter. After putting on a show, Pi-young goes to his clinic and warns him to never cross the boundaries. She gives him the right to drive his daughter to school but not to sit every day for breakfast at her house. Yu-shin helplessly agrees to it while holding back his tongue to ask about Seo-ban.
After some days, Pi-young calls him over to fix her computer in the middle of the night since nobody can do it. Yu-shin quickly comes to her. They had a late-night snack at the food stall near her apartment. He gives her a gift as a way to celebrate their official first day of going out. We can see that Pi-young is touched by his gesture but there’s no going back. She already has her heart guard up. Both of them reminisce over the first day they officially go out. Yu-shin asks for an agreement on meeting once in a while like this. Pi-young agrees although she still finds it uncomfortable. Yu-shin seems to enjoy the momentum until Ami appears to pick him. “I call her to pick you up,” Pi-young said which also ends their nostalgic night and snaps him back with reality.
Meanwhile, we get to witness Hye-ryeong yearningly looking at a pregnant woman that passes from her car. Later, she visits her ex-in-laws while Song won is serving her tea. It’s funny how the table has turned between them. She apologizes for her action at the press conferences and asks permission to visit them from time to time. “I don’t have anyone in Korea, you know,” she said. Hye-ryeong even asked permission for visiting Song won after the baby is born. While Ye-jung and Sa-hyeon are uncertain, Song won and Moon-ho openly accepts her wish.
On the other hand, Dong-ma is stubbornly pursuing Ga-bin who is clearly in a state of temptation due to the heartbreak of her parent’s death. He goes to her apartment, makes her morning coffee, and carries her like a prince in the shiny armor outside of the apartment so that they can have time together outside. He buys her pretty clothes and shoes. He prepares a picnic date for her. Of course, all of this is with intentions. They’re having a heart-to-heart conversation at the park. We can clearly see how Dong-ma is stubborn and domineering throughout the scenes. He does not listen, he just does things according to his ego. On the other side, Hae-ryeon is trying to reach for her but fails.
After juggling her life with the comeback of her ex and the death of her parents, Ga-bin is facing her moment of truth. She starts to realize the value of marriage. She asks Hae-ryeon for a walk on a chilly night for a chilly confession. Ga-bin confronts him about how she can’t keep on with their relationship any longer. Hae-ryeon is perplexed and asks if Ga-bin has started to see her ex again after he shows up at her musical. Ga-bin denies that the reason is due to Dong-ma. Ga-bin confesses how she only likes him but does not truly love him. Tell me, what’s the difference between like and love?
After the walk, he packs his belongings and broken dreams, and moves out of her house. At his car, he reminisces over the day where he leaves Si-eun by asking for a divorce. He is now realizing the pain he caused to Si-eun and his children. The flashback about Hyang-gi’s warning about how he will never find a woman like Si-eun and insisting that she is his lottery. Finally, the dreamy couple has paid his karma.
Meanwhile, Si-eun is experiencing a symbolic dream. She walks in seeing Hae-ryeon stand in the hollow while holding a crying baby Si-eun is bewildered. “Is Nam Ga-bin giving birth? Is it a boy or girl?” But before she receives her answer, Si-eun wakes up and receives a call from the real Nam Ga-bin, who is in a state of devastation. She drives all the way to the Si-eun apartment complex to beg for forgiveness in the most frustrating state. Ga-bin keeps on blaming herself due to the affair and assuming that her parent died because of her sin.
Si-eun embraces the fragile woman who steals her man and brings her inside of the house. Ga-bin confesses that she already ended their relationship, leaving both mother and daughter astonished. Later, Hyang-gi, who is bewildered about the whole situation, comes to bring clothes for her while Ga-bin keeps on begging for their forgiveness and regretting everything. Serves her right.
The three divorced wives are having a fancy dinner with our free magnetic man, Seo-ban. Hye-ryeong and Pi-young are both secretly competing against each other for Seo-ban’s attention while Si-eun just calmly recites a poem about emptiness. We know how Hye-ryeong has a sharp eye and intuition. She notices how Seo-ban attentively listens to Si-eun. The dinner continues with the four of them exchanging plans to do something together. All the mothers planning to bring their children, while Hye-ryeong has none. Seo-ban still asks her to tag along while Pi-young is sipping her tea over his consideration for Hye-ryeong.
On the next morning, Sa-hyeon is happily dreaming of holding a baby and a wedding photoshoot with Song-won until reality decides to wake him up with Song won having a contraction earlier than expected… And that’s when everything started to give me a headache.
The scenes accidentally fast-forward to the future. Sa-hyeon is seen wearing a white wedding suit at a wedding ceremony. A bride appears walking towards him. She accidentally tumbles and Sa-hyeon holds on to her. He lifts her matilda and guesses who? It’s Ami! Then, on the other side, Seo-ban appears walking out from a fancy wedding car at his wedding ceremony. Again, an unexpected bride walks out. Yup, this time… It’s Song won that happens to be the bride. Nope, we’re not done yet. The scene moves to another wedding ceremony. Guess what? Dong-ma is walking down the aisle while Pi-young is walking beside him, hand-in-hand.
Hang in there, folks. The confusion does not stop there.
The season 2 finale brings more questions
Season 2 ends with Ji-a making her way to Yu-shin’s apartment. Yu-shin welcomes his daughter but something seems off. She confusingly calls him “son” in a heavy tone. Yu-shin lightly takes it as a joke, assuming that Ji-a is playing a game by mimicking her grandfather. After that, Dong-mi comes out of her room and happily welcomes her until Ji-a calls her name, “Kim Dong-mi.” Yup, Ji-a is possessed by Mr. Shin’s spirit. Dong-mi, who is aware of the situation, feels frightened. It seems that Mr. Shin is seeking revenge and revelation upon his sudden death. Dong-mi stumbles while Ji-a comes to choke her off…. and that’s how we wrap up the second season of Love (Ft. Marriage and Divorce)!
Yeah, I know. The ending does not make sense. I think that the writer is having trouble putting all the pieces together and it loses its main focus and the plot since there are so many things going on. It’s just a shame that we barely get any firm conclusion from each of the stories. I have so many unresolved questions within the drama and yet they’re bringing another drama. They’ll be making the third season, will you watch it?
What did you think of Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) season 2, episode 16, the finale? Comment below.
